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It was inevitable

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Winners don't do drugs

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I'll be back

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Drink the Kool Aid

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Total Members Voted: 35

[Parisbre56]

<Hm. Good try. A very good guess, considering what you know. But still... Hmm... How could I lead you to it... So... Entities deal with immense scale, the scale of entire universes. With the infinite. But they also remain... mostly individuals. With the important parts of their identity there. But still very much unlike humans and other quote unquote mortals. And quite different from most Outsiders, even though they share similarities. Can you... see why that might be important?>

<If you can't, don't worry. We can try something else.>

[Lenglon]

<Entities are like I used to be, yes, I was already aware of... Wait, are you saying Charlie's home universe  began running time before the rest? We had to work as a group to start time back home, but we also were individually weaker than you Entities are. Yet there seem to be a linkage of all nearby universes at least across the time-axis...>

[Parisbre56]

<Hm. No. Well, I guess you are correct, in a sense, some people did get a "head start" in a way, but no.>

<Let's try something different. Why would I not tell you about this directly? You know I don't like to do these sorts of cryptic bullshit. Well, not unless I'm doing to mess with someone for fun, but that's not important right now.>

[Lenglon]

<It's a classic way to lawyer around a restriction against telling someone something.>

[Parisbre56]

<Come on girl. Go a layer deeper. Even though I sometimes like to play dumb, I believe we're both smart enough for us to not need to state the obvious. So, why?>

[Lenglon]

<That's the buggery of it all. You being cagey about it only makes sense if you're being monitored or follow an iron code. So either someone in the future will be reading my memories without my permission, in which case why did River let me know about you, we're being watched from the Staging area, same problem and explicitly against the mission brief, or you personally have an iron code hidden somewhere, which doesn't seem like you. So no, I don't know why you're doing this.
...
does 2+2=5?>

[Lenglon]

<Or... if stating it explicitly is a triggering event of some kind, setting things into motion... am I on the right track?>
((IRL am PFP on 2 hours sleep so I might be a touch dumber than usual))

[Parisbre56]

<That's the buggery of it all. You being cagey about it only makes sense if you're being monitored or follow an iron code. So either someone in the future will be reading my memories without my permission, in which case why did River let me know about you, we're being watched from the Staging area, same problem and explicitly against the mission brief, or you personally have an iron code hidden somewhere, which doesn't seem like you. So no, I don't know why you're doing this.
...
does 2+2=5?>

<Ha!> he says with a bit of amusement.
<Take some time to consider what you know, we're in no rush. (Well, not until River comes and tries to kill us or some other horrible thing happens.) Charlie might be an asshole that treats River like shit, but he wouldn't be stupid enough to turn against him, he still has use for him. Not unless things have changed, not unless you know something that I don't.>

<Or... if stating it explicitly is a triggering event of some kind, setting things into motion... am I on the right track?>
((IRL am PFP on 2 hours sleep so I might be a touch dumber than usual))

((I've been going on 2-4 hours of sleep per day. I've been falling asleep wherever I lie down for most of the weekend, trying to catch up on my rest and writing on my phone whenever I get the time/attention to spare. I feel you. Get some rest if you can/feel like it. Or talk with the others and decide where you want to go. It's not like you have to do this right now. You can take some time to think about this. I made Roger say so explicitly to give you an excuse, if you wish to do so.))

<That would be a good guess. But you're still thinking about the how, girl, not the why.>

[Lenglon]

((I got several hours of sleep since I posted that, I'm on a 15-hour bus ride and have been dozing. still on phone but the last 2 weeks have made me quick at the phone-keyboard due to simple practice.))
<What does River plan for you for mission end? Why did he insist I pass you back before we leave? And why didn't you respond to me testing if you can blatently lie?>

[Lenglon]

<Who is "second" and how did they become an Entity?>
((I understand that it takes a bit to respond to these lines of inqury, and I'm about to start shifting into high gear which means several separate lines of thought/inqury running at once. feel free to answer them one at a time, you're probably busier than me right now.))

edit:
<What exactly happens to us in between missions? especially that time period where I don't get sensory feedback.>

<When you split yourself like you did for this mission, does the 'primary' you have the ability to place limits or compulsions on the 'secondary' you? What does the recombination process require?>

<Can entities place compulsions on each other? Does Charlie have one on you?>

<How much feedback is Charlie getting from River?>

edit2:
<How did you learn of a 'deal' between me and Charlie? What did Stellar have to sacrifice to save me? The world my bonds were shifted to is in Charlie's domain, how much influence does that give him over me?>
...
<Why is Charlie called 'first'?>

[Parisbre56]

((I got several hours of sleep since I posted that, I'm on a 15-hour bus ride and have been dozing. still on phone but the last 2 weeks have made me quick at the phone-keyboard due to simple practice.))
<What does River plan for you for mission end? Why did he insist I pass you back before we leave?

And why didn't you respond to me testing if you can blatently lie?>

<I don't know what he has planned. To tell you the truth, I don't think he's thought that far ahead. He just knows he can't take me into the Staging Area. But if he does have a plan and if I had to guess, I'd say he probably plans to kill me. Easiest way to make the evidence disappear. Kill me and then there's no evidence left. All that's left is on your mind, Ike's mind and River's mind and I doubt any of the people who have access to those would do anything with that information.>

<Heh, I was just too amused you'd even considered that about me. 'Being bound by a code of honour.' Ha! But if you want an explicit demonstration, then two plus two equals five, I've never had a drink in my life, I've never seen a woman naked and I've never made a joke, because I utterly hate them. To tell you the truth, I've never even spoken to you. I'm not speaking to you right now.

Satisfied?>

<Who is "second" and how did they become an Entity?>
((I understand that it takes a bit to respond to these lines of inqury, and I'm about to start shifting into high gear which means several separate lines of thought/inqury running at once. feel free to answer them one at a time, you're probably busier than me right now.))

edit:
<What exactly happens to us in between missions? especially that time period where I don't get sensory feedback.>

<When you split yourself like you did for this mission, does the 'primary' you have the ability to place limits or compulsions on the 'secondary' you? What does the recombination process require?>

<Can entities place compulsions on each other? Does Charlie have one on you?>

<How much feedback is Charlie getting from River?>

<Wha? Second? Second who? If this is a joke, I'm not getting it. And if it isn't, then you'll have to refresh my memory, because I have no idea- Oh, wait. You mean second entity? I'm pretty sure that technically that would be Sigma Zero. First thing Charlie did was to take care of his other lap dog, get what he needs from him. I'd be surprised if it took him a significant amount of time after he became an entity to make that decision.>

<Oh. That's... That's interesting. I just realised I've never given the subject much thought. I've never experienced a... let's call it 'transition' before, although I've seen it through the memories of my Players. Anyway, to answer your question, it's a byproduct of your entity and the entities responsible for managing the games (that would be Darkstar and S0) desynchronizing you from your host, working on spending upgrade points on you and getting you back in the staging area. This usually happens in a universe that belongs to the entity that chose you, although in your case it's one of Charlie's universes, in a Core world.

I'm really not supposed to be talking about that, it's against the rules, but honestly, screw the rules, I have money bigger problems. I'm already in deep trouble, I don't think things can get much worse for me. Just be careful where you mention that knowledge, you could get in trouble. Or get me or Stellar in even more trouble.>

<It's not different MEs. Well, I guess, in a way, it is. But I think it's better to think of an entity as a single being, spread across a vast distance, with their avatars being nexuses, places where the entity converges and becomes a concentrated expression of themselves that can express themselves in a more 'mortal' level. Yes, they can be created and have restrictions placed on them, altered to work a certain way, created for a specific purpose and given certain traits. The interfaces you get on other missions for example are severely gimped S0 avatars whose creation is supervised by all entities participating in the games. The disposable avatars he creates and destroys in the staging area to ensure confidentiality is another. Yeah, S0 creates and destroys so many of his avatars it's not even funny.

Of course there's always the possibility that an avatar might drift too far and break off from the whole, like a limb that has stopped obeying you, but under normal conditions, without the avatar getting severely altered and/or cut-off from the whole for a long amount of time, there's little chance of that happening. I may be cut off from the greater me now, but I'm still me. Just less of me. If this avatar was to get back alive, if it was to stop being isolated, then there wouldn't be much difference beyond what I've gained during this time spreading to the rest of me. And if I die... Well, it will be a loss, but not a  significant one. I'm old and powerful. I can afford it. I guess the thing I'd miss the most would be the experiences I've had here. I've had some fun here. And it's nice being bonded with you and getting to know you better. If this ends with this avatar dead, like it probably will, and if you menage to get out of this alive, then you should come find me. We can't have this experience again, but... well... you know. We can make new ones.>

<Heh. Wouldn't it be simple if I could answer that and explain? Or if there was a simple answer? But to answer your other question, yes, one entity could alter an avatar or even an entire other entity to make them suit their needs. It's not easy, and under most circumstances it would probably be illegal, but it can be done.>

<My guess would be 'not a lot'. Not much more than stray thoughts and vague feelings. Not much different than what I'm getting from Stellar. I suppose he could try communicating with him or receive instructions from him. Don't know if there's any defenses in place to stop him from doing so. Don't know if River would break the rules and attempt to communicate. Charlie might even attempt to block communication, since he does seem to believe in following the rules as much as it suits him. But it is certainly possible for him to communicate or receive instructions, yes, if that's part of the plan.>



((Just noticed your second edit, I'll do that later, got to go now.))

[Lenglon]

<So the only data of this conversation will be in my memories, access to which is limited to Charlie and Stellar. River plans to eliminate this part of you to hide evidence, but it's Charlie, River's bond, and Stellar, your bond and my patron Entity, that do my maintainance, so somehow the other Entities would be alerted to your presence simply by me entering the staging area with you at all? In any case, that means the limiter is that I figure out the info, not that you can't tell me. Also, this entire dance is for Charlie's benefit, and you trying to pass me anti-Charlie info which Charlie himself will have access to, but won't be able to act to counter it so long as it was acquired within the Rules. That means it's information I will need for a critical decision of some kind in the future. So the question is what info must I figure out on my own that pertains to Charlie and important future decisions. Meaning either my favor owed him, or a new deal he will arrange in the future...
But here's the thing, you asked me why you had to be circumspect, and since the limiting factor is me and my memories, which are accessed by Stellar and Charlie only, and Stellar doesn't care about legalisms but Charlie does, and the only reason Stellar has to have Charlie's assistance is her lower level of power and control, which is probably related to her age as an Entity, which is divided amongst first-gen/non-first gen, and involves prestige, and I was bound to one of Charlie's worlds not Stellar's...
You are being roundabout because Stellar doesn't, or at least didn't, control any worlds of her own. And you think Charlie is going to try to take the one I handed to her away. And since what brought it up was my deal, you think I'm going to be asked to protect Victor from Stellar while Victor is in the process of taking that world from her.
How's my guess? I think I'm over-extrapolating, but it's worth a guess, right?>

[Harry Baldman]

Campaign, Ike!

Ike stares at Irine, face vaguely drawn as he stands around for a few moments.

"You, er, thinking about something?"

Probably best to start moving on. Maybe see if I can reach River by commwire?

[Lenglon]

"I... I... Yeah, trying to figure out some... details. about the mission and... how it relates to the... the Games and other Entities. Um, you have an idea to help find River?"

[Parisbre56]

edit2:
<How did you learn of a 'deal' between me and Charlie?>
<What did Stellar have to sacrifice to save me?>
<The world my bonds were shifted to is in Charlie's domain, how much influence does that give him over me?>
...
<Why is Charlie called 'first'?>

<Our souls are linked. It's not that hard. It might be a bit different now that we're entities, but it's still easy when we're close. Even when she's angry at me. I didn't get the details, but I got enough.>
<As far as I know, not much. She just had to pay a large sum of energy and agree to have you stay in one of his worlds in exchange for putting you into the games and using his influence to ensure there would be no trouble with the others. Cheaper, easier, quicker, more certain and generally better than bringing the matter to the entities and hope she can get permission. A very good deal, actually. Especially if you consider that she was really desperate at the time, in a real hurry to manage to save you in time. Which is really bad. When Charlie offers you a good deal, that's when you should be suspicious, even afraid. Even more suspicious when you consider that he's the one who suggested the group of worlds Stellar was exploring when she found you.>
<No idea. I have no idea how it works and know little about how you've been modified. I'll say nothing is impossible. But it would probably be very very hard to influence you. Not to mention illegal, but I'm pretty sure Charlie wouldn't let that get in his way if he really wanted to do it.>

<Well, he is the first entity. He also fancies calling himself 'first amongst equals' but that's just a load of political bull. Nobody except the most wide eyed idealistic newbies would think there's anything like equality among the entities.>

Campaign, Ike!

Ike stares at Irine, face vaguely drawn as he stands around for a few moments.

"You, er, thinking about something?"

Probably best to start moving on.
Maybe see if I can reach River by commwire?

Move on to where?
No response.