7. [video]

[pompous_today]

Who: Simon Tam and you
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: N/A
When: Right now!

I'm curious- has anyone actually been able to stay awake at night, or whatever time it is they choose to force us to sleep? I myself have not been able to, no matter how awake or tired I am feeling before the timer is at zero. I have also slept through the entire night, never waking up for anything. It makes me wonder if it has been the same for everyone, that's all.

Thank you.

Comments

[mikangirl]

[...]

The whole night through? No weird dreams or anything?

[pompous_today]

I have had dreams, yes- but they have not woken me up.

[mikangirl]

[Ah. She was hoping otherwise.]

I'm willing to bet none of us have a choice no matter how stubborn we are. Probably they're just... sending us to sleep with our augments or something.

Guess they don't have any problems with that part of it.

[pompous_today]

Indeed- otherwise, they would not be able to make all of us sleep at once, on command. If it is the augments, it explains why none of us wake, either- if not from dreams, just from things like restlessness, or snores, or needing to use the bathroom and so on.

[mikangirl]

Kinda makes the idea of rebellion one day a little hard, huh? If they can just shut us off on a whim.

[pompous_today]

And yet, the technology has proven to not be susceptible to interference. If only we could find some way to exploit that...

[mikangirl]

[...hmm.]

You were here for the nebula, right? What kind of feedback was that, do you know?

[pompous_today]

Our ships shut down completely for several minutes- no piloting, no communications, nothing.

[mikangirl]

[Huh.

Briefly she considers not having this conversation here, but. Technically nowhere is private on the Fleet.]

If you can replicate the effect on a smaller scale, you can experiment with it.

--ah. On electronics... not inside our heads.

[pompous_today]

[Simon nodded, smiling.]

I definitely would not dare- I am a skilled surgeon, but even I would be loath to operate on something that might affect someone's brain like that.

[mikangirl]

Yeah. It's a difficult situation.

...it'd be nice if we could get hold of an augment that's not implanted. But even if one is conveniently within our reach somehow, I don't even know what they'd look like.

[pompous_today]

And that's the rub- they are so well-hidden from us, there is no telling what we would be in for or whether we would have the tools we need to conduct an analysis. And I would not put it past Atroma to make them able to self-destruct or something along those lines- be rendered useless if they are taken from the person they are attached to.

[mikangirl]

That's even more cynical than I am. [Dryly.] But I get your point.

Still worth investigating if we ever get the chance.

[pompous_today]

[Simon chuckled.]

My cynicism has been ramped up ever since I came here. But I agree- we need to look at every possibility. There will be a crack somewhere.

[openhands]

I believe it's been the same for everyone. At the very least, I haven't noticed anyone making a comment about being awake when the timer reaches zero.

[pompous_today]

[Simon nodded.]

A shame- I would really like to know what they are doing to us at night... because I feel like it is a safe assumption that they are doing something.

[openhands]

I would be more interested in knowing how exactly they are managing to force us all to sleep against our will. I imagine it has something to do with the augments, but that can't be good for any of us long-term.

[pompous_today]

I would, as well- it has chilling implications, if they can make us all go to sleep en masse and wake up at once, as well. There is also the fact that, no matter where we are, we return to our own beds.

And this is where I once again have to lament that we can't examine the augments more closely.

[openhands]

I know that they cannot be removed from us, but has there ever been any sign of similar augments in others not with the Fleet?

[pompous_today]

Not to my knowledge, but I have to confess, I have not thought to check, either. It's something to keep in mind, if we ever reach another planet.

[openhands]

I find it hard to believe that this technology could not be commonplace somewhere.

[pompous_today]

Especially if they so easily install it and are able to adapt it for different species. It had to come from somewhere, and if Atroma developed it independently, they would be hard pressed to keep it 100% secret.

[openhands]

I imagine they would make quite the profit on that technology alone if that were the case. They would perhaps not even need us.

[pompous_today]

Indeed- so if using it or distributing it doesn't make a profit for them, then it must not have originated with them.

I must confess I'm now eager to see what we can find out.

[openhands]

I would be curious to know if there is anything we might be able to do with them. We may find a way to counteract their effects if not remove them entirely.

[pompous_today]

I would like to be able to do that. It bothers me that this was done to us, both as a human and as a surgeon- if this was inserted into us medically, it goes against every ethical code I believe in. "First, do no harm."

[openhands]

Medically or not, I don't believe that any of us consented to having them in the first place much less consent to have them alter our minds.

[pompous_today]

[Simon nodded.]

And there is the fact that some people either got ones that are a perfect fit for their skillsets or else an ironic one, like the girl who is a blind pilot... they knew about us before ever releasing us into the larger population.

[openhands]

That troubles me more than anything else about this situation.

[pompous_today]

Indeed... because who is to say they can't use our secrets against us? Of course, they may not know everything, but they know enough. Enough to meddle.

[openhands]

And we may never truly know the full extent of their reach.

[pompous_today]

Yes... because they make sure to keep themselves at a distance, keep their true nature mysterious, sending out only their representatives to appear on video screens and repeat the same platitudes over and over.

[openhands]

I fear what this may imply about the security of our own worlds.

[pompous_today]

... You know, I had never thought of it that way. If they can take us and send us back at will, though, who knows what else they can do? Especially since we come across time, across space.

[openhands]

Those have been my concerns from the beginning.

[If she's being honest.]

[pompous_today]

Part of me feels like Atroma is not as in control of this whole process as they would like us to believe they are, but if they could do it to even some of our worlds at will... what would stop them from taking more people and more resources for their sick game?

[openhands]

I don't believe there is much in place for that as it is.

[pompous_today]

Hmmm... [Simon sighs.] Still, it is something to consider.

[openhands]

I hope you will share your findings if you happen to locate augments outside of those on the Fleet.

[pompous_today]

Most definitely. That sort of information could prove useful, and I will do anything that might loosen Atroma's grip.