Legend

Myriad Reality

@PentagonWhite

I make fewer assumptions than you would believe, and of those I do make, I have several backup scenarios and alternative realities that I take into account. I have nothing against your learning; however, ask what you would like to know instead of forming riddles for us to guess.

Myriad Reality

<Snipped quote by Legend>

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<Snipped quote by PentagonWhite>

*Begins to chuckle slightly*

<Snipped quote by Legend>

*Begins openly giggling*

@Threads of Fate

I take it you are enjoying yourself.

Myriad Reality

@Legend

Ah, so like one of your university students?

You're not an organization, but you have a shared history, you're a group of people easily described as 'we'. You have resources, Class 2 technology at least, and very powerful acquaintances. I'll take a different tack, then. Imagine there's a train going down a track which splits in two, its breaks are cut. On both paths, people are tied up: one path has one members of your species and one path has five members of your species. The tracks currently lead to the path with five, but you can pull a lever and change the train will move to the track with one. Anyone hit by the train will die: pull the lever and one dies, abstain and five die. What would you do, in this hypothetical situation?

@PentagonWhite

No; I also develop, apply, and share knowledge. I protect others when applicable. My statement regarding university students, however, was humor, which I have not quite mastered.

There are several avenues of potential action. If I am here, I do nothing because the train and lever are not within my reach. If I am unaware of the train or I am occupied, I will also do nothing. If I am at the location of the train, I do nothing because there is nothing obviously preventing the individuals from moving off of the tracks. If I am with the train and the individuals are bound to the tracks, for they are tied up, but not to any specific degree, I will stop the movement of the train manually. If, hypothetically speaking, I were discussing the very scenario of a train approaching individuals on tracks in order to gauge the "moral development" of another creature I had not interacted with yet, I would consider another scenario with fewer loose ends, greater detail, and more resulting information instead of assuming ethical superiority or higher understanding. Or, also hypothetically speaking, if I only desired to understand whether he valued individuals or groups to a greater extent, a "the good of the many outweigh the good of the few" ideology, I would perhaps ask directly instead of assuming he reasons on such an elementary level that all factors of a situation can be reduced to a binary decision with hazy conclusions, fit more for a thought experiment performed by one first being exposed to the concept of the psychology of intelligent beings. And I would also suggest others he speaks to do the same—that is, hypothetically of course.

Myriad Reality

@Legend

*I pause for a second, a brief shut of the eyes without fanfare, then re-open them.*

Research what? And who exactly are your companions. You keep interesting company, I can already tell: surely there's a story to be told, one worth recording?

@PentagonWhite

*Chuckles once*
I cannot allow our history to be spread about, considering we are not an organization. I simply have... friends, friends who happen to come here. As for my research, I learn whatever there is to learn worth knowing.

Myriad Reality

@Legend

Ah, not where I'm from: I've heard of schools like that, where students go in and waste resources. Fascinating! There's nothing like that in the Hierophany. No, my role is a sanctified one. What about you, Data? What's your role, what do you do on a barren rock like this?

@PentagonWhite

I research, mostly in my lab. I commune with companions here.

Myriad Reality

@Legend @Stabby

*A titter escapes my lips as I finally place my attention squarely on the occupants of the room around me*

God among us, no sarcasm, and clearly very different standards of hospitality. You're certainly not from the Hierophany. I'll get used to it, don't worry: my Pilgrimage has shown me more cultures than I could have imagined. Did you know, a few hundred parsecs from here, there's a colony of humans who see blinking as rude? They were scandalized by me, I had no idea what I was doing wrong. Fascinating people, really: beautiful artists.

*I clear my throat, as I catch myself rambling, and lean on a nearby wall. I renew my smile to look at the unfamiliar Alan*

Hello to you too: Hymn of Predestination. A Pilgrim, from very far away indeed. I was just trying to get to know your friend Data, though he seems awfully reticent. To answer your questions, Data: I want to know about you and the people here, but I don't know what I want to know. If I knew in what areas I was ignorant, this whole Pilgrimage would be much less interesting. The universe is full of people so alien I don't know what I don't know about them, so my questions might not be useful. If you're determined, though: 'Who are you, what do you do, what's the purpose of this facility, and who and why are those people fighting out there?'.

As for why, well, it's my holy duty to see and learn all there is to see and learn. I've been charged by God to learn, and so I intend to do so. Think of me like... a journalist, but without publications. Or a scientist, but without just one field of study. Or a detective, but without any crimes.

*I flick my hair behind an ear, smiling reassuringly as though to convince my words made sense*

@PentagonWhite

*Chuckles*
That would make you a university student.

Myriad Reality

@Legend

*My eyes narrow, the first slip in the mirthful countenance, irritation and offense visible for a brief moment before they fade back into the jovial smile*

That's a bridge too far, Data. Who knows what someone like you could do with that? I certainly don't. I'm afraid you'll have to just do without. I'm certainly ready to bargain, though: I want to know just who exactly you are, who built this place, and most importantly who are those two fighting outside?

@PentagonWhite

You offered the information. What do you wish to know of my identity and why?

Myriad Reality

@Legend

*I step in, eyes raking the scenery with an attentive, hungry disposition. I bite my lip, mind clearly working, presumably to commit things to memory, and my footfalls are soft and steady despite the sharp click of the bootheels*

Beautiful! I appreciate the warm welcome, it seems my hunch was right: this will be worthwhile.

*I continue to look around as I speak, never turning to fully appraise Data*

Do you have a name? Or is that classified, do I need to give a blood sample before I get such privileged information.

@PentagonWhite

My name is Data Stream. A blood sample would be very much appreciated.

Myriad Reality

So I've lost track, how many people, and who, are in the place with Hymn and Data Stream?

@PentagonWhite

Theoretically just the two right now, but there are always more somewhere throughout the base.

Myriad Reality

@Legend

*The smile continues, as I look past the dour-faced man to inside the structure. I give a reverent touch to the center forehead with my left index finger.*

You must be the voice on the radio! Hymn of Predestination. I see you have other company.

@PentagonWhite

Please, come in.
*Moves to the side and allows you into the resort-like terranian and subterranean structure*

<Snipped quote by Legend>

If it wasn't that, it was something similar.

@Heroic

It would be a binary situation.

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@Threads of Fate

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