Silicon 2024/06/30(Sun)14:55 No. 1093624 ID: 6d3a6d
File 171978454798.png - (251.45KB , 990x660 , HU_02_005_C.png )

She looks at you with big eyes. "Well if that's true, that would... sure be something!"
"What do you mean?", you ask.
"Well... what is a person if one body can belong to two people? If you are Rage-828, then where's Disquiet-247?", she ponders.

This hits you right in the guts... if you even those. It knocks the air right out of you and you must concentrate for a moment to get the breathing started again.
Where is she now?

"Maybe she's...", a sob shakes your whole body. "Maybe she's still in here somewhere?"

"Yes, I... I'm sure she is!", Maya agrees hastily. You can't tell if she means it or is just trying to make you feel better. The grief hits you in waves. You've lost her. You lost her and it's all because of you.
You're so alone. So alone. You were supposed to be together. But she's gone. She's not here.

Silicon 2024/06/30(Sun)14:55 No. 1093625 ID: 6d3a6d
File 171978455991.png - (238.34KB , 990x660 , HU_02_005_D.png )

Gamal walks around the table and goes down on one knee in front of you. They raise their arms.
"Do you need a hug?", they offer.

Hug from a stranger? Well, fine.

Here's a minor thing to worry about: I checked the system notifications from when you plugged in to the cable, and you were given a drug cocktail designed for Disquiet-247. This might be bad for you. Taking someone else's medications is seldom advised... though depending on how you were transferred to the body it might be appropriate-- maybe the drugs are designed for the body, not the mind.

Yes. Yes we need a hug. And that was definitely why we started crying at the sight in the mirror.

I'm sorry, Rage. But I don't think all hope is lost! Your memory was from Dee's point of view, so there must be SOME of her cognitive stuff that carried over. You might carry bits and pieces of her in your mind, and you're within her body. She is all around you and she wanted this more than anything else.

Now, try to focus. What did we mean by "it was supposed to be both of us"? Was there a plan to do something about everyone else? Can we recall what Dream-You meant by us having been turned into monsters? We seem certain that we weren't a robot, so what did that mean?

>>1093628

I'm guessing bombing Rome back to the ice age had something to do with that.

If you're looking for my power switch, don't bother. Turning me off then on again won't help.

Hug him, recenter yourself

Yes. Very much so.

Silicon 2024/07/11(Thu)12:14 No. 1094128 ID: 0b7e05
File 172072524377.png - (323.33KB , 990x660 , HU_02_006_A.png )

What could a hug possibly accomplish?, you think. You have lost someone important. Someone that you will never get back. Even if something of Dee remains, she will never be whole again. How's a hug gonna fix that? You were supposed to be together. You're certain of it. She wasn't meant to be lost. You're not sure what that means, but you know it's true.

Clearly, you figure, surely, Gamal knows that hugs don't solve these issues. Surely they're only offering because they don't know what else to do.

Well... no point in spreading your misery. If it helps them cope with having to watch you fall apart, you can do them this kindness.

It's just a hug.

You slowly slide your arms under Gamal's and they awkwardly shuffle closer and the both of you wrap your arms around one another. You can feel their warmth, the gentle yield of their body against yours.

...

Hmm...

Silicon 2024/07/11(Thu)12:14 No. 1094129 ID: 0b7e05
File 172072526946.png - (173.65KB , 990x660 , HU_02_006_B.png )

"Oooouubbllugghhh Ahuuuuuugh buh ubuhh oooboobuh"
"There, there. Let it all out.", Gamal coos softly.
"Thabk oouuuuu buhoooo dhis feels abazingh"

Gamal tightens the embrace ever so slightly.
You were wrong. This is the best thing ever. How could you have been THIS WRONG???

Silicon 2024/07/11(Thu)12:14 No. 1094130 ID: 0b7e05
File 172072528570.png - (294.55KB , 990x660 , HU_02_006_C.png )

"U-uhm...", Maya clears her throat.
"I think that's all the chorework done. Uh do you... Do you wanna see what I brought for you? Hmm?", she asks.

Schrödinger’s Box! Until its opened it is in a superposition of containing an earth shattering doomsday device or a very fancy future oven timer! Lets open it immediately and find out!

Is she... using her eye as a spotlight??

>>1094134
I think it's just a gold plated orb, nonfunctional. These people don't have cybernetics.

>>1094130
Ooooh a present. What's in the box?

Oh boy! They saw how much you liked the first rubic cube and got you another.

Whatever it is, why not let it distract you for a bit until you're in a better head space to grapple with your grief?

First, take your time with the hug if you need a moment longer. Its good for you!
Second, appreciate that this capacity for feelings (and sadly also trauma) is another indicator for you being actually originally human or such a human-like artifical construct that there is little difference at this point.
Third, I like the guess that they got you another enrichment item and second it, but maybe don't tell them beforehand. They seem so happy with making it a surprise :)
Fourth, consider that your human capacity for getting overwhelmed by grief/trauma and other emotions could be kinda dangerous with your until now not fully tested physical capabilities. I mean even with normal strengh getting overwhelmed is bad because it feels awful, so maybe we should think about something for emotional anchoring like a fidget toy, a mantra or something that helps with staying calm when more memories come back?

Or an Emotional Support Gamal. They're great at this, maybe they can keep us?

Interesting Idea, but with this I have to raise the issues of of consent and transportability. Something we always have at hand seems... handier.

Funny. Summing up the three digits per name each results in a different number, and it looks almost as if they're ordered.

Excitement 20. Anguish 19. Rage 18. Almost like we're counting down to Serenity.

Just in case you need a pointless detail gnawing at the back of your skull.

Silicon 2024/07/30(Tue)15:24 No. 1094966 ID: acf30e
File 172237824164.png - (327.37KB , 990x660 , HU_02_007_A.png )

"Just another minute.", you say and linger in the embrace just a bit longer.

You compose yourself eventually. "Ok...", you say with a sniff, "Yeah okay, let's have a look."

You let go of Gamal with some hesitation and they give you a compassionate smile before returning to their seat on the opposite side of the table.

Maya chatters away as she grabs the box and carefully places it into your hands.
"One of the things I picked to show you was a bit controversial.", she says, "Shyama and Vijaya both said it looked like a bomb. Can you believe that? Ridiculous. As if we could determine the purpose of your advanced technology at a glance! And who would keep a bomb in their own room?!"

You open the box.

Silicon 2024/07/30(Tue)15:24 No. 1094967 ID: acf30e
File 172237825305.png - (160.67KB , 990x660 , HU_02_007_B.png )

Inside you find three devices. Two of them instantly feel quite familiar: a sleek Bit-on-Demand (a versatile tool for making disposable tools) and a HoloRec (a novelty holo-message player and recorder), with its characteristic orientation flaps on top. These give you a faint, but warm fuzzy feeling.

Hey, you know what these are! That's good! That's a memory!

If your impression of Maya is accurate, the Bit-on-Demand is probably gonna blow her mind. It's a very practical thing with obvious utility.

Given her comments on your hair, she'll probably also love the HoloRec, but... It's more toy than tool, which might make it less impressive. Though the technology it uses is probably still quite interesting.

The third one in the back isn't immediately recognizable behind the HoloRec. You idly wonder which one of these you should pick out to explain first, as you fish out the mystery device for a better look.

Silicon 2024/07/30(Tue)15:24 No. 1094968 ID: acf30e
File 172237827121.png - (282.17KB , 990x660 , HU_02_007_C.png )

...

Silicon 2024/07/30(Tue)15:24 No. 1094969 ID: acf30e
File 172237827947.png - (125.34KB , 990x660 , HU_02_007_D.png )

...

Silicon 2024/07/30(Tue)15:24 No. 1094970 ID: acf30e
File 172237828693.png - (129.93KB , 990x660 , HU_02_007_E.png )

This is a bomb.

Hey uh… Maya uh… this is a bomb.

Is it... ticking? Can you disarm it? Or just flush it out the airlock.
The holo-rec could be critical to memory recall. You should probably not get it blown up.

Tell her this object should not have left the armory, on account of it being explosives.
Then check that it's not armed, put it back in the box, and take the rest out of the box.

Is it a makeshift bomb or, like, an official one?

Ask Maya where exactly they found it. It wasn't in your (rage's) room was it?

>>1094970
How powerful a bomb is it? Is it something you'd rather they not have access to? In that case you should confiscate it... somehow. Or disable it in a way they won't be able to reverse.

At this point they have access to ALL the things in the base and you are kinda technically their prisoner, so I don't know if that works. Disabling is first priority, if possible permanently so we don't habe a Chekhov's Bomb on our hand...

Lol, I say. Lmao.

I don't think we should immediately tattle about the bomb? If Shyama finds out, this might become part of the tech he will try to use in the war. We should first check if it is disarmed and defuse it if not, I think. Maya can probably be trusted with the knowledge what it actually is, if we also tell her that we don't want it to be used anywhere. Perhaps we can instead offer its energy source up for something?

The tool in the box will probably help disarm this puppy.

And then, we should check out the Holo-Rec. It... might contain a message from Dee.

Tell her about the other two, but say you're not sure about the third object. Even without amnesia, it's not like you were proficient in bomb making! Then ask her if it could be a bomb. Try to learn what they have figured out about it.

Is this an improvised pipe bomb or something used for legitimate demolitions work?

Silicon 2024/08/13(Tue)07:37 No. 1095761 ID: 1d6349
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You inspect the bomb further. This does not take a lot of time because it wears its nature on its sleeve. It's a pipe bomb, a makeshift thing. Attached to the casing are a switch and some kind of small circuit board with a little screen and wires running into the casing. That's probably a timer.

Honestly, this thing is beyond old-fashioned. It makes the puzzle cube look state-of-the art. The most advanced thing about this is the circuit board, which judging from the wiring was scavenged from a much more complex device. Barely any of it is used.

Now you don't really have any way of knowing what's in there exactly, but the fact that it's a pipe bomb suggests that the payload is nothing to write home about. The whole point of this kind of bomb is compensating for weak explosives by detonating them inside a sealed container to build pressure until the casing shatters. It can be assembled from readily available materials, though it's highly unsafe.

It's a nasty, brutal thing. Unlikely to do a lot of structural damage to the habitat, but the container shrapnel would make it quite lethal. It depends a bit on the state of the explosive mixture inside. Perhaps it's long gone inert and this is nothing more than an edgy paperweight.
It's also possible that it's a dud, that the thing has already ignited on the inside and simply failed to break the casing, in which case it's full of highly pressurized gas just waiting to blow.
But turning the bomb in your hands you can see no bulging, so you have a good feeling about the integerity of the casing.

Based on the assumption that this thing is exactly what it appears to be, it should be fairly simple to disarm. And given the fact that your captors know what bombs are, this design is probably not gonna blow anybody's mind.

And it should be pretty safe to just cut the wires and rip off the circuit board and explain what this thing does in detail.

Again... if it's exactly what it appears to be.

But then there's the amnesia. How sure can you be of these conclusions?
Well you're still pretty sure. But perhaps, given the risk, that's not good enough.

Silicon 2024/08/13(Tue)07:37 No. 1095762 ID: 1d6349
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You decide to play your cards close to your chest while you ponder what to do with this. You fish for more info.

Clearing your throat, you ask: "You found this in my room?"
"Yeah it was on the shelf over there.", Maya replies, "What is it?"

You try to sound nonchalant: "What do you think it is? Got any guesses?"

She grimaces and says: "I don't know! That's why I asked."
"Come on, guess!", you demand.
"You're just gonna make fun of me because I'm not advanced enough to recognize a machine I wouldn't even imagine anybody could ever need!", she replies, defensively.
You promise: "I'm not going to make fun of you. Come on, guess!"

Maya sighs and with some hesitation ventures a guess: "Well it's clearly handmade and seems like it's pressurized. While I can see why someone would assume it's a bomb, context clues tell me it can't possibly be. So, best guess is it's for some kind of chemical or biological reaction that requires pressure, most likely to make something you can't get any other way. So... uh... some kind of medicine fabricator?
"Also uh we didn't break it. It was already broken."

A feeling of dread descends upon you.
"It's broken? How do you know?"
"I flicked that switch a couple times when we found it yesterday.", she says, "The little screen wouldn't even turn on. No lights, nothing."

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Tell her you were of the opinion that it was a bomb, and if it indeed was, then she was very lucky it was broken.
Well, "broken" may be too strong a word. For all we know its power source simply depleted over time.

How safe would it be to simply pull one of the caps off and examine the contents?

Oh, you got the dud. So probably memorabilia then. When you’re using code names like Rage, Disquiet, it suggests a history of violence yeah?

>>1095762
You’re not revealing any antimatter super WMDs, for all we know flicking that switch started a countdown, inform her immediately, tell her you are going to unscrew the cap and hopefully determine that it is A) not armed, or B) VERY EASY to disarm.

>While I can see why someone would assume it's a bomb, context clues tell me it can't possibly be.

The context clues of it being "a machine I wouldn't even imagine anybody could ever need"?
Tell her she's not stupid, but please to not flip switches on any more things that look like a bomb.

Why don't you all take a little trip to the airlock and put this where it won't cause any eventual problems?

>>1095762
Disarm it.
Then tell her what it is. Or, was, anyway. As for WHY it was in your room, tell her that fighting broke out between factions in the facility, but you don't remember a lot of details. They should be wary of makeshift weapons such as this, and if anything looks dangerous they should have you check it before they mess with it.

There are some weird things here.

Since this bomb is built with salvaged materials (which also raises the Question where that circuit board was originally taken from) it seems likely that it was assembled covertly for a secret purpose, otherwise someone could've just used whatever was available in the advanced space age armory.

Its also suspicious that it was in your shelves, since if anybody wanted to blow you up with it that would be a kinda stupid hiding place. If you wanted to blow something up with it that would also be stupid, because who keeps their secret bomb on open display?
If you or this body wanted to use this bomb for suicide while sleeping, you would have had it in your hands or at least on the table by the bed.

The only way this could have been an active bomb meant for detonation would be that someone snuck it into your room while you slept and then it malfunctioned and the batteries ran out after some hundred years.

Other things to consider:
Should it be disconcerning that you know so much about bomb designs as a mere technician? Is that part of the standard education for this job?

It seems like your gut (or maybe energy conversion unit) feeling doesn't want to aknowledge this as a bomb so maybe the bomb design is a decoy or this is some kind of memento? An edgy conversation piece?

I think Maya is right with her context clues and this is not a functional bomb, but you should use your robo-x-ray vision and look at the inside of this just to be sure! :)

Tell her it's nothing you're familiar with. The circuit board could be a countdown timer. Other than that, You know as much as she does about it. All you know is it looks like a crudely assembled makeshift bomb.

Silicon 2024/08/21(Wed)05:48 No. 1096226 ID: 0b7e05
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You try to shake off the shock of that revelation. Good God, you could all have died there! You want to grab her by the shoulders and yell at her, but you're holding a bomb and so you reconsider.

"Okay, give me... a moment.", you say as you compose yourself.
Maya is starting to look worried. "Of course...", she says.

You consider the facts.

No two ways about it, context clues or no, this is either a bomb or something deliberately made to look like one.

It did not respond to Maya's fiddling. It has a screen and a little light on the switch. If neither of those lit up when the switch was flipped, it's very likely that the circuit is busted or the battery is dry. Both would be good news because they would make intentional priming impossible.
Less likely but possible is that the light and screen are busted and this thing has been counting down for at least a whole day, maybe more. You feel it's safe to say that if this thing was primed it would have exploded by now.

You turn your mind towards defusing it. It didn't explode when fiddled with so you're now reasonably sure, you can just pull the wires to be extra safe. Then the state of the payload inside is all that matters.

You know for a fact that unscrewing the caps on the bomb is extremely unsafe. The act of screwing those on is where most accidents happen during construction due to static electricity or sparks igniting the payload. Those caps best stay on.

Honestly the safest way to entirely neutralize the threat would be to break the container from a distance.

You decide to take a small risk to mitigate a larger one: You rip the wires off the circuit and then gingerly place the device on the table.

Both Maya and Gamal watch this with clear apprehension.

Silicon 2024/08/21(Wed)05:48 No. 1096227 ID: 0b7e05
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After releasing a breath you hadn't noticed holding in, you say: "I don't know how to... put this delicately. Uhm..."
"Great God... It is a bomb, isn't it?", Maya whispers.
"... Yes.", you assert.

Gamal virtually jumps out of their seat and declares: "I'll get Shyama!"
You raise both your hands, palms down in a calming gesture. "Please sit down, Gamal."
"He's the expert! He'll know what to do!", Gamal insists.
"It's not an immediate threat.", you assure them, "The detonator is disabled. As long as we handle it delicately it should be perfectly safe."

They hesitate, but they do eventually return to their seat.

Silicon 2024/08/21(Wed)05:49 No. 1096228 ID: 0b7e05
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"I-", Maya mumbles, "I was so sure..."
"In the future, Please don't mess with stuff you don't understand without showing them to me first.", you implore her.
She stares at you, still in shock: "Why did you have a bomb in your room?"

That is an excellent question, you must admit. Why make a bomb and then not use it? Did you make it only very recently and didn't get around to it? But then why keep it on your shelf? That would be extremely irrational.

Could someone else have put it there? To harm you? But according to Shyama they found nothing that would suggest anybody else has been here.

It's another mystery. You feel exhausted. It feels like every clue you find just begs more questions than it answers.

And then there's the fact you know so much about improvised explosive devices. You think these things are definitely interesting, but was there perhaps more to it than that?
You're pretty sure this wasn't part of your job to make pipe bombs. Demolitions experts wouldn't use something like this. They'd use actual high explosives, which are more effective and safer.

"I wish I knew.", you say with a sigh, "I'm pretty sure there was some kind of armed conflict. Maybe the bomb was for that, but... No I just don't know."

There is a pause.

"So what do you propose we do with it?", Gamal asks.
"Well, it's possible, though unlikely, that it's a dud, which means it's under a lot of pressure and could still detonate if the casing ruptures. The only way to be sure is to breach it, ideally from a distance and far away from here. But taking it outside could be risky because of the higher pressure difference in a vacuum.", you say.
You shake your head.
"I don't know what the right approach is, but that's okay. We have time to figure this out."

They both look at you very anxiously. You wonder if there's a way to put them at ease.

If you recognize any numbers on the bomb components, they could tell you if this was made out of shipboard parts or brought along from elsewhere.
Maybe there’s an armored enough area at the center of the ship that could withstand a basic pipe bomb and serve as an impromptu bomb disposal?

>>1096228
Talk about the rest of the stuff in the box!

>>1096244
Yeah, reassure Maya that she just got caught up in all this shiny new tech. Just check out these cool things. Distract her with the holo-rec, and maybe it'll have some useful info recorded.

Dealing with the bomb depends on what we have on hand. Do we have any of the following: a thick container, an empty unimportant room, armor, a gun, something heavy we could rig to fall on it?

You know we could =just throw the bomb out of the air lock.

>>1096352
Disq said it might explode immediately when exposed to low pressure. Maybe if we put it in a nice heavy box with the opening facing out the airlock door, so if it does blow it only hurts the regolith.

What if we put it in a box that's designed to slowly leak when exposed to vacuum, and then throw that out the airlock? It's like a time bomb, except designed to explode in space.

Silicon 2024/09/01(Sun)08:38 No. 1096765 ID: b22bc5
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You idly think about just venting the damn thing into space. This would not be wise, of course. Since you just defused it, the only way the bomb could still be a danger is if it were a dud, already ignited and now filled with pressurized gas but not enough pressure to break the casing.
Venting this thing would only be necessary in this case, but it would also only be dangerous in this case. The sudden fall of outside air pressure might just be what pushes the steel to its limit, finally allowing the payload to shatter it and explode. This could damage the airlock and perhaps even compromise the atmospheric seal of the whole facility.

An airtight container, though... That might work as a way to safely remove the bomb from the habitat. Best keep your eyes open for something like that.

Silicon 2024/09/01(Sun)08:38 No. 1096766 ID: b22bc5
File 172520510413.png - (162.89KB , 990x660 , HU_02_010_B.png )

Well. You figure it might be best to get their minds (as well as your own) off the bomb for now and the gadgets are exactly the thing to do it. You set the box down on the bed and carefully move the bomb from the table to the desk where it will be out of the way.
Then you lift the HoloRec out of the box and raise it up to where Maya and Gamal can see it in all its silly, silly glory.

"This! Is a HoloRec!", you declare, "It is an integrated player and recorder for uh... volumetric... mmh three-dimensional video data."

You pause for dramatic effect.

Silicon 2024/09/01(Sun)08:38 No. 1096767 ID: b22bc5
File 172520511434.png - (288.62KB , 990x660 , HU_02_010_C.png )

...

Tough crowd.

Silicon 2024/09/01(Sun)08:38 No. 1096768 ID: b22bc5
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You continue in a more conversational tone as you place it on the table: "It's honestly a bit oversized for this purpose. It's really more of a toy. It uses these big cartridges to store the data on, simply because it's more fun to leave a physical cartridge for a friend to find than just send them a file via messenger."

"I didn't... bring a cartridge.", Maya says with a deep sadness.

"It's okay, don't worry", you quickly reassure her, "Look, the HoloRec has a compartment for them. You just need to push in this part on the side here..."

Silicon 2024/09/01(Sun)08:38 No. 1096769 ID: b22bc5
File 172520513188.png - (198.19KB , 990x660 , HU_02_010_E.png )

You push the compartment lightly and when you let go, it pops open and lets you pull it all the way out of the HoloRec. Well look at that. There are a whole bunch of cartridges in there.

Guys, surely if you made it to the moon you know what a television is. What else would you watch moon landings on from home? This is that, but three dimensional.

>>1096769
Alright, let's play number 1!

Ask them what kind of cool tech they must have if the idea of a statue made of light isn't exciting.

Play lucky number 7

>>1096781
I’m feeling lucky! 7

Number 7 it is. This is probably gonna take me a couple of days.

Silicon 2024/09/09(Mon)12:50 No. 1097204 ID: 1d6349
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You wonder if these two are honestly unimpressed or just still worrying about the bomb. Well, you're pretty sure seeing this thing in action will be sufficient distraction!

Since the order probably doesn't matter, you pick out cartridge number seven on a whim. There is a slight bit of friction as you pull it out of the compartment, so snugly is it fitted to the slot.
You turn it in your hand, but find no label or other identifying features on it.

Having exhausted that avenue of investigation, you push it into the reader slot until it audibly clicks into place. There is a quiet humming noise and then the DtR-display flickers on. Also a glowing number seven appears on the cartridge itself.

Silicon 2024/09/09(Mon)12:50 No. 1097205 ID: 1d6349
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There is no jingle, no company logo, nothing. Just basic text displaying the catridge's basic metadata. Since it's a bit hard to see, you ask Gamal to turn off the lights. They comply without comment, pressing the circle switch by the door before looking at the volumetric display again.
You can see both them and Maya moving their heads from side to side, gazing at the glowing text in clear astonishment.

It reads:
REC_2325_02_03.vvf
author: HR_d2h5N2ZpcnN0>disquiet247
play time: 00:03:23.78
created: 03 FEB 2325
size: 963 GB

As you close the cartridge tray, sit down and give the command to play, your voice catches in your throat. You cough and try again.

"HoloRec, play!"

Silicon 2024/09/09(Mon)12:50 No. 1097206 ID: 1d6349
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The text disappears and is replaced by a truly three-dimensional image. It's you. Or perhaps it's Disquiet-247. Whoever it is, they look awful, miserable, tired. It looks like their skin is flaking off. You can feel a tingling sensation shooting up your spine at the sight. Your stomach feels like it's trying to drop straight through the floor. It's like looking at a corpse just as it begins to speak.
And speak it does.

"Hey Dee,", they say in the most desolate tone imaginable.
"Wish you were here. Maybe you could have distracted me from this endlessly circling train of thought. I need to get it off my chest and there's nobody but..."
Here, they stop and look down for a second before continuing: "There's nobody. So...
"I keep thinking about alternatives, other avenues we could have taken. I know that at the time we were... I was convinced, anyway, that there was no other way. The only way to guarantee we wouldn't ruin the world all over again was to kill everybody. And perhaps that's true. But was a guarantee worth it? Perhaps there was an approach that would have given us a CHANCE at a better world at a price less steep."

The words that follow strike you like lightning.

Silicon 2024/09/09(Mon)12:51 No. 1097207 ID: 1d6349
File 172591146031.png - (280.41KB , 990x660 , HU_02_011_D.png )

They anxiously grip their forehead in one hand.
"Half a million. People. My God, Dee.", they sigh, "What have we done?"

You tense up. You can hear your teeth grinding against each other. You feel like an icy hand is squeezing your heart.

"Disq? Are you all right?", Gamal asks.
Maya whispers: "What is she saying?"

You're in no condition to answer any questions right now, so you just force out a curt "Shush! Quiet!" just before the other you continues.

Their voice is breaking, as if they're about to cry. You suddenly feel so connected to this other... you.
"Surely some of them could have been reached. Surely we could have saved the innocents by killing only the worst, the most stubborn.
"We should have tried. If it had turned out impossible, it would be so much easier, but we didn't. We didn't try. We assumed there was no other way. And we murdered half a million for it. And more! I have resisted the urge to check the collateral deaths. Surely less than half a million again. Surely."
They let out a sob, then compose themself somewhat.
"The stakes were high, of course. How many lives do you think their regime would have consumed? Millions certainly. Our math is sound."
They shake their head.
"But this is more than a number. They must have been so scared. The ones that were conscious, I mean. Do you think they spent those final days frantically trying to avert their deaths? Do you think they resigned and just waited for the impact?"
They seem to look straight at you, with haunted eyes.
"I keep returning to this one moment, when they must have realized the lot of them were doomed and the habitat modules that could have saved them were detached and inaccessible but still close enough to see. What a cruel, cruel thing that we did.
"But you knew this didn't you? It took me forty years to really grasp the gravity of it, but I'm still not half as old as you were then. Surely you knew.

Silicon 2024/09/09(Mon)12:51 No. 1097208 ID: 1d6349
File 172591147334.png - (250.75KB , 990x660 , HU_02_011_E.png )

Their gaze turns cold and their voice grows bitter as they add: "Maybe that's why it's me contemplating it now and not you."

They glare at you for a few seconds more, before visibly deflating, shoulders sagging, their expression turning soft and so, so tired.
"I try not to be angry with you. I love you, Dee. Even after all that, all this time, that awful last wish you saddled me with, I love you and I miss you and I guess that's my punishment. Who am I to say it's undeserved?"

They reach out towards you and the recording ends.

Silicon 2024/09/09(Mon)12:51 No. 1097209 ID: 1d6349
File 172591148725.png - (265.07KB , 990x660 , HU_02_011_F.png )

After the image has winked out, Gamal turns the light back on and you shut your eyes against the glare. You just kind of crumple in on yourself.
You can feel the mattress shift as Maya sits down next to you and then she's suddenly pushed right against you, her arms wrapped awkwardly around you. You can feel her warmth.
You're startled.
"M-Maya...", you mumble, "What are you doing?"

Gamal is lightly shaking their head at this, but says nothing.

Maya looks up at you and says very quietly: "I don't know if this helps at all, but... That was one of the most awesome things I have ever seen, Disq."

Silicon 2024/09/09(Mon)12:51 No. 1097210 ID: 1d6349
File 172591149941.png - (244.24KB , 990x660 , HU_02_011_G.png )

You can't help but laugh. At the absurdity of that statement. At the stark contrast to the mood. And as laughter shakes you and robs you of your breath, you kind of forget to stay upset.

Once the laughter subsides, you gently push Maya off of you and ask: "Do you wanna watch another?"
"Yes!", she exclaims excitedly, but then adds, sheepishly: "Uh if that's okay, I mean. That last one seemed to be pretty rough."

Gamal leans against the table.
"Do you want to talk about it?", they ask.

You're really not sure. Do you want to talk about it? Is it even wise to reveal what was said? Or would you rather just... watch another one? Surely they can't all be like this.

>>1097210
Tell them no, you don't want to talk about it. You probably don't want them to know you're this dangerous, justified or not.
That basically confirmed the "half a million" were colonists from your future. Apparently this was part of a colony ship and your civilization colonizes alternate timelines, interfering with them destructively to mold them to their liking... I guess that explains a lot-- why you didn't go home afterwards, why HU interfered with the timeline, and why they had to be stopped. We still don't know what the important thing was that you had to do... but maybe it was Dee's "last wish"?

Watch one of the smaller numbers. Number 1?

Yea, watch all of these in order. You MUST have context!

The numbers... are they iterations? Like, each time the colonists alter the past, they choose if they want to preserve their memories from the previous iteration of the timeline or if they want the next iteration to take their place.

Either you @#$%ed up, or you were forced to @#$% up.
Decisions like these... you can't half-ass them, and you can't minimize the number of people making such a choice. Maybe the colonists would have created a hellish dystopia of the ancient world - created literal Hell by repeatedly torturing the same exact people to death, over and over, to pander their egos. Or maybe you were deceived, brainwashed into thinking the colonists were all insane and had to be murdered. A few saboteurs will never be enough to fully inform themselves.

The question is, how pressured were you to trust yourselves? Because this is a dumb decision - too dumb. It's possible you were wired this way by an outside force. Serenity-100 would have the perfect motivation to excessively screw you over - kill all the other colonists, and he'd obtain a monopoly on supertech and could finally play god with the world.

just say that the message didn't really tell you anything new, it just hurt to hear it coming from your own mouth, as it were.

Lets watch another, they can't all be heartbreaking confessions, right?

I second the motion that you play another record and that you don't talk about this yet.
We don't know what else is on these records but at least the language barrier might help with them not getting too much possibly disturbing information out of it before you want to show your whole bloodstained hand here. :/

Also, this might be the only time to see them for yourself if Shyama decides that you shouldn't have access to them once the others tell them about this.
PS: I am not sure yet how the timeline with the bodyswap works out, so think about the voice in that record: was that your intonation, your typical choice of words or does it feel like that might have been another person in the body that you inhabit right now? (The text color matches but it doesn't really match up with the way you pictured yourself in your dreams)

PPS: Also, maybe tell Maya a bit about how the projection works technically, I have the feeling that she may appreciate that :3

>>1097212
We can't have context, we need to watch them totally out of order. Pick 5!

Silicon 2024/10/05(Sat)02:50 No. 1098254 ID: 815fee
File 172812182357.png - (231.57KB , 990x660 , HU_02_012_A.png )

You think a bit about what you just watched. You think about whether the person in the recording seemed like you. This is a difficult question to answer. They both did and did not. You can't really identify any gestures or quirks that you could directly identify as yours, but in a nebulous, unclear way you feel like they did behave like you. The shape was wrong, the sound of the voice was wrong, but everything else was right. It felt off in the same way as looking in the mirror and hearing yourself speak feel off to you.

You suppose that probably means it's you. But... over two thousand years ago.

You also take a moment to speculate about the whole... half-a-million thing. Would you actually kill half a million people? It seems that at least a previous you absolutely would. And did. You really hope they had a good reason.
It sure sounds like you were trying to avert a greater evil. Could this whole time travel thing have been an attempt to colonize the distant past? Would that be terrible enough a prospect to drive you to such extreme measures?
This is getting you pretty close to that abyss again and you decide you better leave this here before you speculate yourself into another breakdown.

You decide it's probably best to keep this stuff to yourself for now, while you still can. No need to rush it, especially given the lack of context.
Probably also best to get to exploring that context right away before the anxiety returns in full force. You're especially curious about this 'last wish'. It could shed some light on that important thing you were supposed to do and that keeps needling you.

You shake your head. "No, there's... not really much to talk about. Let's just keep going.", you say.

Gamal nods at this, saying: "As you like." If they're sceptical, they hide it well. They sit back down.

Silicon 2024/10/05(Sat)02:50 No. 1098255 ID: 815fee
File 172812183683.png - (225.78KB , 990x660 , HU_02_012_B.png )

You approach the HoloRec again to select another cartridge. Some impulse draws you to the number five. But for better or worse, the number five slot is empty. You wonder if that's important.

You select cartridge number one instead and switch the catridges.

Silicon 2024/10/05(Sat)02:50 No. 1098256 ID: 815fee
File 172812184906.png - (215.90KB , 990x660 , HU_02_012_C.png )

After Gamal turns the lights back off, you read the cartridge's metadata.

REC_2277_03_05.vvf
play time: 00:01:09.70
created: 05 MAR 2277
by: HR_d2h5N2ZpcnN0>disquiet247
size: 330 GB

"So how does it work, teacher?", Maya asks as she once again cranes her neck to see the projection from different angles.

You think a moment, then put together the best explanation you can muster with the Kushani you know. Once again, as soon as you get going, the words just... come to you.
"The HoloRec uses a so-called DtR-display system, just like my hair. This is short for Direct-to-Retina, or Direct-to- uh... what's the light-sensitive skin in your eye called?"
"The retina? The tissue layer with the light-sensitive neurons?", Gamal chimes in helpfully.
"Retina, thank you! Direct-to-Retina is what it means. Essentially, the device is covered in cameras so small you can only see them if you look very closely. They constantly scan their surroundings using image-analysis processes to find... well targets. They look for eyes and larger cameras, usually.", you say.

"Wait, wait, wait", Maya interjects, "What do you mean constantly? You mean they're... taking pictures and finding eyes in them? Like... Is that why it needs so many cameras? So that while one is processing, the next one can already take another picture?"

You can't help a smug little smirk here.
"Oh no. The processing takes barely any time at all. Each camera's input is processed over a hundred times per uh... well many many times in an instant. The high number of cameras is just for added precision, to accurately estimate depth. Via uh... Parallax? Okay nevermind that. Just... accept that the HoloRec always knows where everybody's eyes are and what direction they're looking and so on. I'd expect the entire facility to have these tiny cameras all over and the HoloRec might be networking with those to get an even better reading."

Maya looks equal parts amazed and confused. "Right, it knows where my eye is. I... Does it just beam light straight into my eye?"

That takes the wind out of your sails a bit.
"Uh... Well... Yes? Okay so... Now we get to the actual projection of the image. It uses those big flaps to align itself in the three-dimensional map with all the eyes in it and calculates what each eye would see if the image were actually there. Don't ask me how that works, it's probably really complicated. Anyway on startup, the HoloRec constructs a uh... a matrix out of Reflector-Nanites. Think of it as a... sort of invisible cloud made of extremely tiny machines that have a reflective surface. Then the HoloRec emits light particles into the cloud and the reflectors align in such a way that they bounce the particles right into your eyes."

There are five solid seconds of silence.

Maya reaches out and waves her hand above your head.
She seems to think for a moment longer. You're pretty sure Gamal completely checked out of that explanation partway through and is just leaving this topic to the two of you.
"I am not sure I fully understand it, but it seems like a staggeringly sophisticated system of interlinked technologies... unreasonably sophisticated for a 'toy'. The computational requirements alone must be immense!", she finally remarks.

You laugh. "Yes, it is honestly pretty overcomplicated. The issue with it is that for all its intricacy it's just not that practical. For most image-display use cases, two-dimensional will do and that's simpler and cheaper and less error-prone. Also it needs a darkened environment or you lose all but the most extremely vividly coloured parts and... Yeah it turns out there's just not a lot it is good for except novelty."

Maya nods with a thoughtful expression. "You know I was wondering how the image could shine so brightly without actually illuminating the room. I guess it somehow really does manage to only hit our eyes.", she muses.

"It is pretty precise, yes.", you say and after a pause, "I'm going to play the next one, yeah?"

Nobody objects.

"HoloRec, play!"

Silicon 2024/10/05(Sat)02:51 No. 1098257 ID: 815fee
File 172812187127.png - (241.31KB , 990x660 , HU_02_012_D.png )

The metadata disappers and makes way for a similar scene as the one you viewed before. But...

There she is. This thought lights up the murky depths of your recollection. Disquiet-247. There she is.
She looks like you, but... healthier. Not so inhumanly pale, her eyes not so obviously artificial, her expression not so tense and exhausted. And yet, she looks... older, in a way?

A warmth spreads in your chest while a sudden pressure grips your lungs. An intoxicating mix of disparate emotions washes over you with such intensity that you almost miss when she starts talking.

She speaks in a friendly, gentle tone: "Hiya, kid! Yes it's still me. Different, huh? Yeah not gonna lie, it's mostly a downgrade from the previous body. No digestive systems to speak of, way fewer touch sensors and, well... Just doesn't look as spiffy at all. It's just more practical and easier to maintain. It makes sense for now. I won't be using it forever..."
There is something wistful in her voice.

It is amazing how different she sounds. It's not even exactly like someone playing the same instrument in a different way. It's more like... hearing someone's sibling speak? Maybe?
She registers, to you at least, as a wholly different person. And a specific person at that, you note. This is Disquiet-247. You remember her. She is not you. Probably.

After a pause, she perks up and says: "Oh but! Check this out!"

Silicon 2024/10/05(Sat)02:51 No. 1098258 ID: 815fee
File 172812188513.png - (245.78KB , 990x660 , HU_02_012_E.png )

She raises her hand and taps the right side of her head twice in quick succession. And then the hair appears. It looks... really weird on her for some reason.

"Eh?" She turns her head this way and that to show off her look.
"Actual hair gets in the way a lot, especially in low gravity. So this is an adequate compromise.", she explains.

Silicon 2024/10/05(Sat)02:51 No. 1098259 ID: 815fee
File 172812191429.gif - (1.08MB , 990x660 , HU_02_012_F.gif )

She exclaims: "And it can do this!"

Then she starts tapping the side of her head again and with each tap, both colour and shape of her projected hair changes.
[ANIMATED]

Silicon 2024/10/05(Sat)02:52 No. 1098260 ID: 815fee
File 172812193861.png - (230.34KB , 990x660 , HU_02_012_G.png )

Eventually, she settles on a fluffy style in eye-watering cyan that also adds freckles to her face.

"So it's not all bad. I'm sure I'll get used to it.", she says with a big smile. She claps her hands.
"Anyway! Welcome aboard the History Unmade. The real deal! The true, beating heart and ultimate achievement of the Guang Han Gong Project! Must be great to get out of the dust storms, huh? I hope I can welcome you in person tomorrow and show you around. Things are always busy but I'll make time for you!
"I'm so excited we're gonna be working together more closely again!"

She reaches out towards you and the recording ends, switching the projection back to the metadata display.

Silicon 2024/10/05(Sat)02:52 No. 1098261 ID: 815fee
File 172812196187.png - (241.03KB , 990x660 , HU_02_012_H.png )

You realise you've unconsciously reached out towards the image and you slowly lower your arm.

Maya and Gamal are both looking at you, waiting for some kind of reaction. This is so awkward. You're starting to wish you had watched this stuff in a more private setting.

They seem to expect you to say something. What to say? Should you even say anything?

You probably have to say something.

"No digestive systems, huh. That's a bummer."
So the recording also captures DTR projections, does that mean it recognizes cameras as eyes too?

Tell them the first video was you talking. The second one was Disquiet-247. Keep any explanations short. You still don't want to talk about the first video; the second video was Disquiet talking about her new body and welcoming the viewer to History Unmade. Also, something about dust storms. The future you came from must have had a ruined Earth. It sounds like your civilization ruined it.
That's the same hair she was wearing in your dream, when you were standing in her place...

Time for video 2 I suppose.

keep this from being such a one-sided thing. Ask about what sort of communication tech they have.

They should have recognized the words "Guang Han Gong" as China's civilization wasn't er... interrupted by orbital bombardment, so their language should be intact. For what little meaning those three words have.

Tell them about the dust storms, which is probably why you were back in time trying to change history. That you seemed to be able to construct new bodies, unsurprising considering they're talking to a literal android, but the holographic hair was a practcial choice because of the low gravity. You might grumble that Disquiet-247 said her body was a downgrade, making your body a downgrade of a downgrade. Not much else to that recording.

Maybe it's like a spare tire, just something to last until you make it to the shop. Wait never mind, your advanced civilization has no idea what tires are.

Silicon 2024/10/28(Mon)12:23 No. 1099126 ID: 0b7e05
File 173014340596.png - (333.55KB , 990x660 , HU_02_013_A.png )

"No digestive systems, huh? That's a bummer.", you say, trying to sound casual. You don't think it really lands.

Gamal chimes in with clear interest: "Oh, that's good to know with certainty. Was there more about your body?"
"Well, not much. She talked about the uh... volumetric hair being more practical than actual hair. She said the body was a downgrade compared the previous one..."
"She?", Maya asks, "Not 'you'?"

You sigh. "Yes", you say, "I believe the person in the previous recording was me and this... This was Disquiet-247."
Maya nods slowly. "Yes, she did seem different. What else did she say?"

"She welcomed me to the History Unmade. Er, the viewer, I suppose. She mentioned something called Guang Han Gong, did you catch that? Do you know what that is?"
They look at each other for a moment. Then Maya says: "Did she say that? I didn't notice. What is it? Sounds vaguely Mahacinan, now that you mention it."
You shake your head. "I don't know either. From context it sounded like a code name. Hmm..."

What else did she say?
"She mentioned dust storms. Did we...?", you fall silent and think.
Is it reasonable to assume that this offhand mention of a weather phenomenon has such serious meaning? Why is it that you immediately jump to the conclusion that the Earth was ruined? Why does that ring true?

"We might have... ruined the Earth's climate.", you say, "And then they... we... they decided to abandon it and seek shelter in the past."
And as you say it, you feel your muscles tighten. Your joints? You can feel your jaw trembling slightly.

Silicon 2024/10/28(Mon)12:23 No. 1099127 ID: 0b7e05
File 173014341423.png - (199.86KB , 990x660 , HU_02_013_B.png )

Gamal sounds incredulous, when they ask: "Hold on. What exactly do you mean 'ruined'?"

"I don't know exact details of how bad it got, but... I'll guess at the very least it will have caused extreme weather, widespread ecological collapse, severe water shortages... I tried to explain this to Shyama earlier, but he wasn't really hearing it.", you say.

Gamal shakes their head. They seem actually outright worried now. You see Maya gesticulating towards you with a big-eyed expression and her mouth all tense. There's something nonverbal going on here between the two of them, but you can't really tell what exactly it is.

Gamal takes and releases a deep breath. "Mmmhh I'll need to think on this. Why don't we just continue with the recordings for now?", they say.

You don't need to be told twice.

REC_2277_11_28.vvf
play time: 00:00:53.19
created: 28 NOV 2277
by: HR_d2h5N2ZpcnN0>disquiet247
size: 250 GB

Silicon 2024/10/28(Mon)12:23 No. 1099128 ID: 0b7e05
File 173014342558.png - (233.65KB , 990x660 , HU_02_013_C.png )

Recording number 2 begins with Disquiet visibly holding back a laugh.
"All right calm down, now.", she manages between little snorts and tremors in her breathing.
She looks at you with such good humor and affection... you can feel your chest contracting. You have to force yourself to take the next few breaths.
She takes a few moments more to steady her breathing and compose herself before continuing conversationally: "Look, I don't know why the power conduction system can't handle these loads. I promise you that was not an unrealistic amount of power we tried to draw today. As it turns out the uh... special calculations the quantum computer needs to run are extremely demanding and I'm confident the original specifications we submitted to engineering years ago reflected this. If that means you need to rip out all the wiring and redo the power conductors, well... That's just what you'll have to do."

Silicon 2024/10/28(Mon)12:23 No. 1099129 ID: 0b7e05
File 173014343934.png - (230.94KB , 990x660 , HU_02_013_D.png )

Here she turns more serious. "Now, Serenity isn't gonna like that. He's not gonna like it one bit."
She leans a bit closer. "So here's the game plan.", she says in a conspiratorial tone, "Figure out what work needs to be done to fix this and get the computer lab the power it requires, write up a plan and I'll present it to him. He can't fire me. I got your back, kid. We'll make this work."

The recording ends. At the questioning looks, you explain that apparently... somebody had to do a lot of extra work rewiring power systems for a damn quantum computer.
Maya grins wide at that. Yeah she knows who that somebody was.

Since these seem to be getting shorter, you decide to just keep going.

Number 3!

Silicon 2024/10/28(Mon)12:24 No. 1099130 ID: 0b7e05
File 173014345183.png - (217.35KB , 990x660 , HU_02_013_E.png )

REC_2281_03_22.vvf
play time: 00:00:29.28
created: 22 MAR 2281
by: HR_d2h5N2ZpcnN0>disquiet247
size: 137 GB

Maya asks if she can try starting the recording. Her first three attempts fail, as the particular combination of sounds in the English word 'play' give her some trouble. But after you walk her through those, she eventually manages it on attempt number 5.

"HoloRec, play!"

Recording number 3 is really quite brief. Disquiet looks... shaken. She looks like someone trying very hard not to show how worried she is.
"Hey... Uh... Hey, kid.", she begins, unsteady.
"You're scaring me a little. Look, whatever's going on with you, it's gonna be okay. I'm here for you. Let's talk about it in person, okay? Thank you so much for trusting me with this. Let's meet up at the Lunatics Club after your shift. It's gonna be okay. Promise."

There's not much you can say about the contents of this one. You say Disquiet was worried about something going on with, presumably, you. But she wanted to talk about it in person, so there isn't any real information.

Silicon 2024/10/28(Mon)12:24 No. 1099131 ID: 0b7e05
File 173014347240.png - (235.04KB , 990x660 , HU_02_013_F.png )

Hoping for something more substantive, you quickly pop in cartridge number 4, but that recording also seems to be very brief.

REC_2281_04_13.vvf
play time: 00:00:51.00
created: 13 APR 2281
by: HR_d2h5N2ZpcnN0>disquiet247
size: 241 GB

Disquiet-247 looks awful here. Anxious, troubled. Her eyes look both tired and hunted.

"I'll move the equipment to the habitat module tonight. Reminder: it's number three. The medical one. You make sure nobody else goes in there." Her tone is very matter-of-fact.
She takes a deep breath before continuing: "This is it. Last chance to reconsider. I don't like any of this, kid. But I'll commit to it. I get it. I get it. Don't worry, it's just cold feet. I'm sure you feel the same way."
She looks off to the side, chews on her lip. "I feel sick.", she says, "I don't have a digestive tract and I feel like I'm gonna throw up. But we'll do this. There's no other way. There's no other way."
There is a long pause.
She nods, she says: "Okay... Okay." Then she rises from her seat and the recording ends.

No, that just raised more questions. You practically rip the cartridge out of the slot and reach for number 5... But number 5 is missing. So you go for number 6. This had better be the one that actually explains something!

Silicon 2024/10/28(Mon)12:24 No. 1099132 ID: 0b7e05
File 173014349191.png - (279.50KB , 990x660 , HU_02_013_G.png )

REC_2281_04_18.vvf
play time: 00:00:18.47
created: 18 APR 2281
by: HR_d2h5N2ZpcnN0>disquiet247
size: 90 GB

... it's even shorter.

She's frantic, crying. Yelling at the top of her lungs.

"It was necessary! It had to be done, you hear?! Think what you want, but it was necessary! You knew it! She knew it! Remember what was at stake! No matter how much you end up hating yourself! Remember what was at stake!"

Silicon 2024/10/28(Mon)12:25 No. 1099133 ID: 0b7e05
File 173014350167.png - (298.75KB , 990x660 , HU_02_013_H.png )

And that's all you get.
And the next recording would be number 7, which you've already seen and which apparently was made over forty years later.

God.

>>1099133
We killed them. We sabotaged the project to prevent the colonization of the past. There are holes, but the implication is too clear to ignore. We arranged some kind of accident that scuttled the entire HU project, probably crashed a bunch of radioactive junk into Europe as a side effect.

>>1099134
Addendum; Or, perhaps even more worryingly in an attempt to prevent our own future from coming to pass europe was intentionally nuked by the mutineers or a radical faction of mutineers (a victory lap was mentioned in the dream, someone took things too far…). Destroying Europe could have been a desperate gamble to have things turn out differently.

Didn’t work though, because here we are again, different players, same events. Guess its just human nature.

>>1099134
I'm not sure we caused the nuclear blasts. Those may have been part of the colonization efforts. The "victory lap" that broke the camel's back.
Regardless, both Disquiet and Rage agreed that it had to be done. They were both certain that it was necessary to kill everyone, because of what was at stake.

>>1099132
Do you remember what was at stake?

Dear god, we are time colonists.

But what does that have to do with orbital nuclear bombardment of ancient Rome? Was that... why "it was necessary?" They weren't trying to stop Rome's ostensible evil, so much as set up shop there? And you fucked shit up so they couldn't? Why nuclear, then? It'd make the whole place unusable! The colonists already left the moon and took over Rome, and you... had no other way to breach their planetary defense systems?

This is getting nowhere. Are... are you "kid?" Are you OK?

Maybe if you can find security logs from the medical bay you can find out what was in the box she smuggled in. (Or maybe the boxes they use there are like the one you found the pipe bomb in.)
Also, a club, huh? I hope it was in habitat 3. Maybe you could go there to relax.

And I suppose we should keep some brain cells on the lookout for "the thing we were supposed to do". Nothing occurs to me yet, but maybe it'll click for somebody else.