Audience: Harrowhark Nonagesimus

[probe]

Comments

[bonetiddies]

Yes, I understand.

[. . .]

I suppose I would like to ask, then. What are you trying to achieve? 'You' here can refer to you yourself, or the eight of you in general - depending on how much you hold a goal in common, I suppose.

[probe]

The common goal is still us proctoring this race and ensuring you're indulging and that proceedings go as smoothly as possible. We were made into Avatars of our own sins as a way to be sure the power you're creating from the indulgence you're giving is enough for your desires.

...but we do have our own things we want. Whether those will be given when this is finished or not is debatable.

[bonetiddies]

What will impact whether you will be given those things?

[probe]

That we aren't entirely sure of yet. It's another thing I've been researching myself. I imagine there's an unknown requisite we must hit. We can't really think of that until you finish things here, however.

[bonetiddies]

My understanding is that you were. . . participants as we were. But you didn't receive what you were after?

[probe]

No. We did not.

[bonetiddies]

Hmm.

[She thinks how to phrase this.]

Because of the actions of the participants themselves? Or was it because of. . . interference from something else?

[probe]

The former, mostly. I'm afraid I can't elaborate as much as I'd like, but...this was the best option we could take.

[bonetiddies]

Understood. I don't want you to elaborate if it will endanger you or the others.

[I'm pretending this takes place on Tuesday after the scrolls.

So. She'll get out her notebook, where she's transcribed the contents of the reports.]

Are these yours?

[probe]

[thanks for understanding. but he leans forward to read over her notes, scanning the page before he nods.]

From some time ago, yes. Where did you get these?

[bonetiddies]

I received a scroll this week. When held to the light, it showed these notes.

[. . .]

They mention the settlement - that's outside this space station, yes? [Childe blew it up.]

[probe]

A scroll. [there's something akin to curiosity in his emotions, but it's quickly overrun by something closer to confusion and a vague sense of regret.]

That would be correct, yes. That was...I suppose you could say that's where we were prior to the base.

[bonetiddies]

So this place that we're in now - you only came here after that?

[probe]

[dw my notifs.]

Also correct. We haven't been in this base for long, but it was after our time in the settlement.

[bonetiddies]

Then the ability to convert indulgence to our desires or whatnot isn't a function of the base. It is rather an ability of . . . something that happens to be here, on this base.

[probe]

The base is just a base. Your indulgence you're generating is being used to create the power necessary for what you're seeking.

[bonetiddies]

But there must be some method of conversion, that was moved from there to here.

[probe]

That's one of the things we still don't know. I've yet to find how the indulgence itself is measured out. But it's very obviously doing so.

[bonetiddies]

Hmm.

[She finds herself a little skeptical of this, but it's hard to try and explain why without talking about things she doesn't want to say to him.]

I agreed I wouldn't ask about Eleanor again, but I find myself needing to, now. Perhaps you cannot answer this, but was the reason you said we ought not to look into it because it was related to what we have recently learned?

[probe]

Ah. No, that's completely unrelated and I would still advise you not to waste time looking into that case. I understand the need to know...but it will only distract you from the bigger problem.

[bonetiddies]

All right.

[She'll accept that, then.]

When you said you thought murder was 'worth more' as an indulgence because it meant indulgence would be shared among a smaller group, does that remain your opinion?

[probe]

That would be correct. Murder is worth more as an indulgence, though of course there are other ways to indulge. Forms of intimacy amongst yourselves are naturally easiest, but they aren't necessarily worth more.

Likewise, moments in which you are given options can add to your indulgence counts. Especially when it's a hard choice, such as implicating someone.

[bonetiddies]

[A little embarrassment here. It's fine.]

. . . Ah. Like the choices in those little adventures we're whisked off on. Or the choices we make at trial? Is that why they're structured that way?

[probe]

Both of them can have an influence on your indulgence generation, though I would say that one specific choice you make per trial can have an impact on things.

[bonetiddies]

One specific choice? Voting, you mean?