cartesianism | Final Trial

Final Trial

It takes a few minutes after everyone talks with the generic mannequin. The easygoing conversation, the bragging from Gant, Keith's exasperation, it all stops when a very heavy and ominous presence fills the room.

"I think it's about time this circus stopped"

It's the Sergeant. He's standing on the doorway, arms crossed. The shadows on his face wriggle, he seems to be rather furious, but is restraining himself from lashing out

"I should have guessed you bunch would take advantage of all that noise and ruckus to sneak in here. I was careless, I admit. 'Oh, this is over in like four hours, it will be okay if I step away to deal with that'. Careless."

Slowly the Sergeant enters the workshop. Behind him, the door slowly disappears, fading away, until where the door was now there's only a smooth wall. The Sergeant raises an arm, the entire room shakes.

All the mannequins fly up to the ceiling, the one that was now Damon Gant turned back into the empty husk the mannequin was before. The one with a t-pose has the same fate. Once all the mannequins are up on the ceiling, the operation tables are uprooted, bolts and screws flying around. The tables are twisted in the air, formed into knots, disassembled and assembled all over again, until several rustic podiums are formed and deposited on the ground.

Seven podiums, with him at the center. The Sergeant crosses his arms and speaks:

"Get on those spots. Tell me... ...how much do you know?"

Is it a rhetorical question? Who knows. You still have to answer, though

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...sorry, what?

[He frowns. Doesn't sound like he was aware of that]

...Man, they really kept you in the dark, didn't they?

[A sigh.]

Did you even know he was a scientist? You said you went to school for sociology.

I'm aware what my superior does. I'm him, after all. Just...modified. To be able to do all this.

[He seems to snap out of his thoughts for a moment, becoming less distracted]

Right, I remember sociology was something that was input into me so I'd be able to plan ahead on how to destroy society more effectively. That makes sense, doesn't it?

Edited 2018-11-24 22:12 (UTC)

You're obviously not as aware as you thought you were. You didn't even know what the end goal here was.

And you know?

[He sounds kind of concerned about that. He's all ears, Natalie]

[She hesitates for a moment, then pulls the journal she found out of a pocket, tossing it his way.]

Read up on it.

[Sarge catches the journal. He doesn't open it, just holding it for a few seconds, before giving it back]

...I see.

[For a moment he puts his hand against his ear -- helps him concentrate when he's about checking his orders, yup -- and sighs]

I feared so.

[Slowly, the corruption percentages on the screen start going down. 80%, 70%, 60%...]

Listen here, everyone. I have orders -- I mean, a request for you. If you accept them, I will make sure no corruption touches you when you're leaving.

What kind of request?

Once you're out of here, destroy the quantum computer.

Edited 2018-11-24 22:25 (UTC)

...Why? What happens if we do that?

The simulation, all the records and data of what happened these two months, and myself, will all be destroyed as well.

And you want that to happen... Why?

Edited 2018-11-24 22:28 (UTC)

I'll explain once you're out. I'm currently moving the inactive minds onto a disk outside, and printing an explanation. I shouldn't say anything right now.

Moving the minds into the bodies is an automatic process that doesn't need the quantum computer to be working, it's a different machine. You should be able to get everyone out even after the computer is destroyed.

If there’s any time you should explain, actually, I think it’s right now, when you’re standing there asking us to kill you and erase everything!

Look, you'll be outside and with time to think. There's no hurry as long as you do it.

It's just that I'm pretty sure there's something afoot and if this simulation and myself stay intact, things are going to get ugly.

[Looks like he's unwilling to explain here and now]