revivalproject | Network

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Network | Video

[From the first moment the video is on, it's clear Reeve hasn't had NEARLY enough sleep. But isn't that just his way? Still, he looks positively exhausted today, and the video includes Mini-C pushing a cup of something steaming to Reeve's hand. The man doesn't even seem to notice as he lifts it and takes a hearty sip before starting.]

Good afternoon all. I would like to let everyone know that through the diligent work of several individuals here, power has been restored to a larger portion of the city. Please extend your thanks to Tony, Echo, and Cal for all their hard work.

[Reeve himself does not wish thanks. He just wishes to keep working.]

There have been some issues, of course. There are, as always, issues with breaks in the power supply network. Therefore we ask for your help and feedback. If there are buildings you are finding have issues with power supply, please advise me, or drop a physical message at the Restoration Committee building, just south east of the fountain. There are likely areas we still need to work on power lines to, and it will take time for us to survey to figure out where they are.

Also, I would like to offer myself as assistance to anyone whose ship currently lacks an engineer. I've been trying to do what I can for the damage in our crash landing, however I've only been able to deal with external issues on the ships I cannot access.

[Another long sip of his water.]

Of course, with water and power in a better place now than it was when we arrived, my question becomes what projects of comfort we might turn to here in Temba. Yes, I know our greater goal of returning home, but I find myself in need of projects.

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[ Jon follows without further verbal commentary, and once the surface has been cleared, the gauntlet hits the table with a dull thud before Jon makes it release his hand vie little manipulations from within as well as the outside of the glove.

After flexing his newly freed hand a few times, Jon reaches to pick his phone back up to start adjusting the settings. ]

I wonder how long it will take to cover the entire city. And if this shows us underground connections to other cities, perhaps. I recall there being some sort of train station...

Underground connections to other cities? You mean like train lines?

[Reeve had never thought of the idea of putting train lines under ground. And now he was. His eyes were lighting up, and he couldn't help the hunger for knowledge that was bubbling up in him.]

I must see this!

Well, it's possible. There doesn't seem to be a lot of infrastructure leading in or out of the city above ground, and a city this size...

[ Jon keeps musing on until the excitement in the man's voice fully registers and he looks up from his phone to cast a bewildered look over at Reeve.

Huh. ]

...if we find something.

[ Just a reminder that they haven't found anything yet. ]

[Oh don't say if. He'll be sad if it's only an if.]

Do things like this exist on your world? Please tell me about them.

[He hungers for the knowledge.]

In a way.

[ Jon shrugs. ]

Larger cities like London have a vast subway network underneath them, of course. It's crucial to manage the traffic. Between cities, most travel happens above ground. Not many feel comfortable traveling such long distances through tunnels, I suppose.

Though... There is, of course the Eurotunnel connecting England and France. It's a tunnel drilled underneath the ocean. It also contains a railway track.

Under the ocean?

[Oh no, his eyes are definitely wide with childlike wonder. This was something that had his full attention.]

Driving between two places by going under water. Your world is a marvel.

[ Jon doesn't appear too convinced, focusing on his phone when he verbally raises a needle to that precious little bubble Reeve appears to have formed around the reality of his home world. ]

I will admit that I don't feel very confident in signing that opinion. Compared to other places represented here, my version of Earth appears to fare the worst. Our technological level is far behind that of Tony's Earth, for example. We haven't mastered space travel in any way even remotely comparable to what Cal, Cayde or Raphael are used to, whatever magic exists only does so to be used to summon the apocalypse and we have a very notable lack of anything one may be willing to consider heroes to efficiently prevent that from happening.

[Reeve had meant, in general, Earth. But those words definitely burst his bubble. And give the man a quieter, sadder air about him.]

Ah. So it seems yours is a touch more like mine. Though I suppose we had heroes, as much as people were not pleased to see them as so.

No heroes. No forces of good. No miracles. Only different powers of dread competing with and hindering one another about which one succeeds at bringing about the apocalypse for good. Which one will end up ruling the resulting hellscape after reshaping the Earth as I know it to its liking. I will gladly invite any hero willing to take care of that over.

[ Because this is not something Jon believes himself capable of achieving. He sets down his phone. ]

I made the necessary adjustments to the network.

[Reeve will look at the data later, but he does appreciate it.]

How aware are people in your world of these greater powers?

[Because it's hard to fight what you don't know exists.]

The majority of them?

[ He sighs. ]

Not at all. And what good would it bring them to become aware that there are these manifestations of their deepest fears lurking outside our reality, waiting for the day they can fully manifest and undo the world as they know it. All it will do is feed one fear or another, making them stronger. Fear of the unknown, fear of death, fear of your own insignificance, Christ, it might well feed into the Extinction if that one truly exists already.

Yes, they all have their knowing followers, their temples, their cults. Each working diligently to try and forward the Becoming of their masters, but the vast majority serves them unknowingly. Even a lot off their actual avatars come into their role to their very own surprise and in several cases never fully learn what is even going on or what their role entails before they meet their end.

[ And he very much speaks of experience here. ]

[How intriguing. And yet...]

You lament a lack of champions, of heroes. How does one fight what they do not know is there? But I suppose it is easy for me to say, when I don't truly understand your position at all.

Neither do I. And I am supposed to be the Archivist. Everyone expects me to just know everything, but the moment I try to ask? They threaten to kill me. Now before you assume the Archivist is meant to be the chosen disruptor of eldritch rituals, they are not. I may have ended one ritual, my predecessor has taken down dozens until she got killed in such a mundane way as being shot with a gun, but avatars have intervened with these rituals for centuries. No heroics, just competition. These powers can't work together. They counter and balance one another out, which may well be the only reason my Earth still exists. Why some still like to act as if the Archivist is anything special, I don't know. Maybe I just make an especially entertaining target.

[Who said Archivists should know everything? As Jon talks, Reeve goes to dig out the tea. No, this is important. The man could use something nice and warm to hold, even if he chose not to drink it.]

So I'm hearing Archivist with a capital there, correct? It's some sort of title, some role, perhaps one that endows you with that power you used to compel things from me. That seems a heavy enough burden, without the world attempting to tear itself apart. At least here I hope you are momentarily free of those stressors.

[He starts water boiling, and Mini comes in from the other room with a second mug and spoon. Helpful little guy.]

Are these avatars truly bound to the will of those forces they are tied to?

Feed your god or be fed on.

That’s how an avatar of the Desolation put it. In a way, I suppose, we truly are bound. But these entities.... They don’t exactly have a will of their own, or- I don’t think they have? They are fears. Any decisions made by their avatars are still their own, but.... Their priorities, their needs seem to be influenced. Some undergo very drastic changes, to the point where they lose all that is left of their humanity. It’s.... Disconcerting.

[ There is a small pause here. When exactly has he slumped down on this chair...?

Jon shrugs. ]

Tony suggests that those claimed, those... Chosen by the entities... That they were already leaning towards certain behaviors and that becoming an avatar really only amplifies them. And in many ways... He seems to have a point.

But... Yes. That’s the source of... Of my compulsion. Which, I admit... could have gone more painful for both of us.

[ He seems to shrink just a little. ]

...went pretty badly with the Graq.

[The water starts to heat and Reeve sets the rest of the fixings up, with Mini bringing back sugar to offer Jon. He considers all of what he's told quite seriously.]

I am glad it was not more painful. And I hope to avoid further pain. Do you... wish to speak fo the Graq?

[If not, he will move to talking about something else. Something to try and distract the man from the stress of his world.

[ Jon somewhat absently follows what|s going on, his attention more on the robot cat than on Reeve and taking the sugar from the doll and setting it on the table with a small nod more to prevent it from being dropped rather than make use of it. ]

The Graq? I hurt a few of them. Tried to forcefully pull information from their minds that was never there. Injured them as much as myself in the process - And that's why they attacked. That's why everything went wrong. They still hate me.

Ah.

[In a way he understands. They had all been desperate. Had all been trying to survive.]

You couldn't know that they didn't know. You didn't know what it would cause. Not that it forgives everything but I can understand the choice.

[Mini gives Jon a look, or tries to convey one with his posture. Not approving. Jon had been rude.]

You were trying to protect us all. Thank you.

[ Jon shakes his head, not paying Mini much mind. He can be rude, alright. That’s nothing new. He got plenty complaints for his behavior when he was simply doing his job. ]

No. I knew about the effects a forceful extraction can have on a person. And as much as I wish to claim my actions were made to... Protect anyone... No. All I wanted was answers to that growing pile of questions. I wasn’t satisfied with what information I had already drawn out.

[Mini was still upset, and the doll didn't much know how to forgive yet. Hadn't had to. Reeve was trying to focus on the pouring water and getting tea steeping to pass them over to Jon.]

Ah. I see. I suppose I can understand the frustration and fear. It was a bad situation. I've seen it before, desperation to try and know things. My friends have been like that before.

[ The tea receives a small frown, but Jon still accepts it, if only out of politeness. He doesn't have to drink it. ]

Doesn't make my actions any more acceptable. All they did was showcase a lack of control. A control I should possess. This- Is what the entities I mentioned do to those they claim. Other cases are much more severe, much more gruesome than mine.

[Jon, please, be civil. This is all over Tony, who Reeve has not laid an untoward hand on in more than half a year. He has been a good boy for more than half of the time that Reeve and Tony have been guests of the Agrii. Just drink the damn tea.]

Were you a more self-controlled man before you became connected to the entities?

[ Look, he may try a sip once it has an acceptable drinking temperature, but for now he’ll just hold it. Trying not to wonder where it has lingered... ]

...unless I was drunk.

Or angry... or both.

[ Or frustrated. Don’t make him too aware of his temper. ]

[Warmth is good. And Reeve has often found sipping at a drink a good way to stall for time to answer things.]

I see. So it was through connection with them that what you were has been corrupted. There were no few men like that in my world. It was troublesome indeed. Still, you clearly have more control over yourself and your will than Sephiroth ever did.

Well, I try.

[ Which us said with a somewhat stubborn exhale, hands closing around the mug. ]

I may not always be successful, but I- I want to believe I am getting better at it. Because I refuse to become someone’s tool to destroy my world. I- I refuse to become an actual monster.

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