GalaxyRaider

Myriad Reality

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A leading expert who began his appeal with the emotional impact of the project in his life. That's far from the utilitarian appeal you're making now. Why the sudden shift?

@Memory

I lead with what matters to me. I'm selling you what matters to you. Let me be crystal clear- My priorities are unchanged.

Myriad Reality

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The chance that it will remain dormant and the chance that it reactivates are both perfect unknowns at the moment. But at the same time, perhaps I agreed and told you I would dedicate Tier Five resources to studying the device. Something tells me that answer would not satisfy you.

@Memory

Sure, in a vacuum, they are perfect unknowns. But to retort to both of those assertions, I will say that I have no say in whatever and however many resources you want to spend of your own into something like this. But, as grand as the resources at your disposal are, I believe you’re talking to the leading expert in all things related to this region of the Outside. I swear to you, my analysis, and my efforts, would be wasted if they were ignored and excluded.

Myriad Reality

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In other words, your pitch is that the chance of us both understanding and neutralizing the artifact is greater than the chance of triggering a cataclysm by studying it. Correct?
*Snaps, and a masked Servant copy enters the room and hands you a glass of ice water, before bowing and exiting*

@Memory

*Nods and holds the glass, not drinking from it as I speak in animated form*
Close. To be more precise, invert that second clause. I’m proposing we have a far greater chance of ensuring our safety through study, understanding and acting on any knowledge we gain, than by not studying it at all. It could very well be that keeping it under lock and key forever is sufficient, but odds are against that. Both from internal and external factors on their own. Incredibly so when weighed together.

Myriad Reality

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Do not be mistaken—we are are not cut from the same cloth. Fear of knowledge is indeed foolish, and yet, knowledge left unto itself has no inherent value; unapplied, information is worthless. The pursuit of knowledge is not a meaningful end.
*Rests my chin on clasped hands*
This philosophy is my master's, and you must understand it to trade with him. Information is a flexible tool, be it a building block for an elaborate blueprint or the minted currency of a transaction. So the question we face today is: How much is this pursuit worth to you, and what will be your ultimate return on investment?

@Memory

*Furrows my brow, closes my eyes, and exhales*
How about any semblance of certainty that he won’t come crawling out on his own, in time? For every second we assume it’s safe, in the event that it isn’t, could be time for him to recover and come back. It’s not good for anyone to be sitting on an armed bomb, that much, I’m sure you agree with.
*Throws my hand out to the side, summoning a holographic display of a square chart divided into four quadrants, and some data strewn about with lines drawn across it to acknowledge correlation, and an assortment of footnotes*
Based on dividing possible scenarios of our situation into four groups, you can see easily that sitting on this thing is more likely to be dangerous than looking into it, if you map the permutations of possibilities with potential threat of action versus that of inaction.

Myriad Reality

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And then if merely running tests unleashes that monster into the world once more?

@Memory

There’s no way to know without knowing. But fear of knowledge never got anyone anywhere.
*Shoves my hands into my pockets, thumbs out*
But I have some theories about the unbelievably endothermic nature of the gem, and the potential for it to be highly impractical for anyone to use as a weapon. I feel like something like that is worth knowing, as an active deterring fact to would-be thieves who would do anything to use it as such, consequences or no.

Myriad Reality

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*Raises an eyebrow*
And if they're not?

@Memory

Then nothing changes. But I know, instead of spending the rest of my life doubting.

Myriad Reality

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And suppose by, well, whatever means, you peer into this possibility, and you discover everyone alive and well. What then?

@Memory

Then I know they're still alive. Maybe one day, something could be done about that, but I'll take the knowledge alone as a victory for today. It'd feel... Less heavy.

Myriad Reality

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Mm. And tell me, young one.
*Sits down on the shape of a chair, but with no visible material beneath me, and crosses my leg on top of my knee*
Why should I care about you?

@Memory

*Chuckles with faux-sheepishness and rubs the back of my head*
I don't suppose you really have a reason to, but I was hoping my position in the work we did would have at least a little sway.
*Lets my arm flop back down to my side and my expression droops*
Besides, it would be... A huge relief, if I could ever know so many people didn't die because I wasn't better.

Myriad Reality

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And who will that help?

@Memory

Practically speaking, it would mean lots of people’s families could still be alive. Folks people care about. But I’m not here to try and convince you this is for their benefit.
*Takes a deep, quivering breath*
This is for me.

Myriad Reality

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*Pauses for a moment*
You want to open the spoils and see if there might be living being inside. Am I correct?

@Memory

Not open it, no. I'm not that stupid. I never want him getting out, no matter what is in there. But to find a way to peer inside? Even if just with math and not our eyes.