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Old 12-28-2019, 11:02 AM   #351
ericthered
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Default Re: Lost in Dreams (Jane Doe)

Olive practices for a while, pries up some circuits, joins some wires, and when she is tired, she goes to sleep.

Her dreams are vivid. She dreams of the planet, of massive starfish carefully tending plants with a nearly religious respect for the growths. The "crops" featured a central stalk, nearly 6 feet tall, with smaller branches coming off the base. The central stalk had four big solid leaves like umbrellas coming off of it, and under three of those leaves, large multilobed red growths. The plants were eirily similar, the exact same shape every time. Other plants were around, but the creatures seemed to be caring for that type.

Her dream shifted back to the beagle, and she saw a pod separate from the station-sized ship. At least in her dream.

She woke up to an alarm of sorts, going off on all of her screens. Something about unauthorized access and mutiny. Details are emblazoned across her screen.

This Vessel is on lockdown. Several members of the crew are coordinating unauthorized actions. If you see anyone performing unauthorized activity, report them. The safety of this ship may depend upon it. Do not respond to orders from any of the following individuals:

A long list follows, with pictures and links to details on each person. The only person Olive immediately recognizes is Mr. Welker.

Two other messages are waiting for her. One is flagged as from an individual on the list of unauthorized actors. The other is not.

(warning - this individual is engaged in unauthorized activity. This message has been approved and forwarded)
From Onyeka Uzochi
What are You? You are the only person we have found here. You do not command the ship. They cannot see you. We can see you. You are very strong. Can you hear us? Do you oppose us?


From Aaron Till
I'm not sure what's different about you, but your mind is different from the others. If you do not rule these minds, what do you do with them? We wish that you would respond to our messages.

Cordially,
Myself.
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Old 12-29-2019, 02:04 PM   #352
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Default Re: Lost in Dreams (Jane Doe)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
Olive practices for a while, pries up some circuits, joins some wires, and when she is tired, she goes to sleep.

Her dreams are vivid. She dreams of the planet, of massive starfish carefully tending plants with a nearly religious respect for the growths. The "crops" featured a central stalk, nearly 6 feet tall, with smaller branches coming off the base. The central stalk had four big solid leaves like umbrellas coming off of it, and under three of those leaves, large multilobed red growths. The plants were eirily similar, the exact same shape every time. Other plants were around, but the creatures seemed to be caring for that type.
When she awakes, she's going to do searches for starfish from the Earth records and I guess look to see if they're mentioned in any available info on the destination.

Her dream shifted back to the beagle, and she saw a pod separate from the station-sized ship. At least in her dream.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
She woke up to an alarm of sorts, going off on all of her screens. Something about unauthorized access and mutiny. Details are emblazoned across her screen.

This Vessel is on lockdown. Several members of the crew are coordinating unauthorized actions. If you see anyone performing unauthorized activity, report them. The safety of this ship may depend upon it. Do not respond to orders from any of the following individuals:

A long list follows, with pictures and links to details on each person. The only person Olive immediately recognizes is Mr. Welker.
Would this mean Welker was demoted from his usual rank and permissions?

Two other messages are waiting for her. One is flagged as from an individual on the list of unauthorized actors. The other is not.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
(warning - this individual is engaged in unauthorized activity. This message has been approved and forwarded)
From Onyeka Uzochi
What are You? You are the only person we have found here. You do not command the ship. They cannot see you. We can see you. You are very strong. Can you hear us? Do you oppose us?
*wonders a moment why unauthorized individuals would have their messages approved*

*sends a numbered reply to Uzochi*
1) I'm not sure what you mean, aren't there lots of people on this ship?
2) Who is they? Some people can overlook me due to my height but I have been noticed by some crew...
3) I'm not sure what you mean by strong because I can't lift very much...
4) By "hear" do you mean getting this message?
5) I don't really know enough about anyone to oppose them, so long as they don't mean me harm.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
From Aaron Till
I'm not sure what's different about you, but your mind is different from the others. If you do not rule these minds, what do you do with them? We wish that you would respond to our messages.

Cordially,
Myself.
*responds*
My mind might be different because I am forgetful.
I... share ideas with other minds by talking to them?
This is the first message I've gotten from you to my knowledge.
Is it possible you sent some to me days ago and I forgot receiving them?
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Old 01-01-2020, 12:03 PM   #353
ericthered
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Default Re: Lost in Dreams (Jane Doe)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Plane View Post
When she awakes, she's going to do searches for starfish from the Earth records and I guess look to see if they're mentioned in any available info on the destination.
Earth records don't have any shots of the planet's surface close enough to make out animals. However, the beagle's own records are flush with pictures of the creatures, in many different types. (see post #313 to see where Yuria showed her these pictures before)

Quote:
Would this mean Welker was demoted from his usual rank and permissions?
He is at least disabled from his permissions. His rank is probably suspended rather than revoked at this point. Does olive look up his exact status or that of the others?

She receives responses to her letters very quickly:

Uzochi:
There are many beasts. Only one person. Only you. Others have empty minds. They do not know what you are. They have no memory of you. Why do you hide? Why do you not hear us speak to you? Speak with words and thoughts and commands.


Aaron:
From Aaron Till
Do you make them forget you or does that just happen? I am not sure why that would be useful, but it is confusing to us. We don't speak with noise, we speak with speech and with ideas. We sent our memos to you only a day ago, and we will continue sending them. We are not animals, but we speak from a distance. We are far away from you, but wish to be closer.

Cordially,
Myself.

PS. Myself does not mean Me.
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Old 01-21-2020, 01:44 PM   #354
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Default Re: Lost in Dreams (Jane Doe)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
Does olive look up his exact status or that of the others?
Yes

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
She receives responses to her letters very quickly:

Uzochi:
There are many beasts. Only one person. Only you. Others have empty minds. They do not know what you are. They have no memory of you. Why do you hide? Why do you not hear us speak to you? Speak with words and thoughts and commands.


Aaron:
From Aaron Till
Do you make them forget you or does that just happen? I am not sure why that would be useful, but it is confusing to us. We don't speak with noise, we speak with speech and with ideas. We sent our memos to you only a day ago, and we will continue sending them. We are not animals, but we speak from a distance. We are far away from you, but wish to be closer.

Cordially,
Myself.

PS. Myself does not mean Me.
to Uzochi:
"I feel like mine is the mind who is empty. Why should anyone here remember me if I don't remember them?"

to Aaron:
"I don't think I can make people forget things. Myself or others. I don't understand the distinction you draw between noise and speech, or me and myself."
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Old 01-22-2020, 11:31 AM   #355
ericthered
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Default Re: Lost in Dreams (Jane Doe)

Welker's security rights have been suspended, not removed. He has been relived of duty, but it appears this culture practices innocent until proven guilty. He has access to communicate with others only after having them read and approved or meetings monitored by a security officer (though the ship is short on security officers at the moment: the lion's share of them are on the list). He is confined to quarters, and restricted to private virtual rooms, as are the rest of the individuals on the "de-authorized" list. Only some of them are actually in their quarters though. Uzochi is one of them, but both messages from him were approved to go to Olive, and quite quickly at that.

Olive is reading the messages when she feels that weird sensation outside of her body again. Then she gets the urge to rant at a pineapple. Or maybe introduce herself to one? Or maybe a cactus would work just as well?

From Onyeka Uzochi (message approved and forwarded):
I see, but do not know. We not hurt you if you not steal minds. Do you agree?

From Aaron Till:
Your answers have been very helpful, and I look forward to working with you again. You have shown exceptional talent as we've worked with you. remember to listen with your mind, not your ears. We will cease our antagonism as long as you do not interfere with our operations.
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Old 01-26-2020, 11:12 AM   #356
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Default Re: Lost in Dreams (Jane Doe)

"Heera SAU, do you think you could set me up in a virtual room modeled after some mix between a tropical beach and a desert? I feel like some water-bearing plants in such settings might be some fun recreation..."

"Also please mail Uzochi saying that I don't think I steal minds... and to Till saying I have no idea what his operations are..."

"Then please ping Mister Welker to see if he would be available at some point to chat in my virtual room, or if not, if anyone else under similar restrictions might be. I don't know if this includes anyone else I've met, as I haven't learned the names of everyone I've interacted with so far."
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Old 01-28-2020, 08:35 AM   #357
ericthered
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Default Re: Lost in Dreams (Jane Doe)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Plane View Post
"Heera SAU, do you think you could set me up in a virtual room modeled after some mix between a tropical beach and a desert? I feel like some water-bearing plants in such settings might be some fun recreation..."
"There are several virtual rooms that fit this description. Would you prefer Baja California, or Morocco*?"

Quote:
"Also please mail Uzochi saying that I don't think I steal minds... and to Till saying I have no idea what his operations are..."
Heera does this, and Olive does not receive immediate responses.

Quote:
"Then please ping Mister Welker to see if he would be available at some point to chat in my virtual room, or if not, if anyone else under similar restrictions might be. I don't know if this includes anyone else I've met, as I haven't learned the names of everyone I've interacted with so far."
The request is made. After about an hour, she receives a message:

"Mr. Karl Welker is currently has restricted communication. Your request to speak with him is rejected. If you feel you have an urgent need to speak to Mr. Welker, you may appeal this message."

She receives very similarly formatted messages for everyone else on the list.

What does she do during that hour?

*I'm fairly sure you're referencing something specific that I'm not getting. Feel free to insert it.
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Old 02-05-2020, 06:14 PM   #358
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Default Re: Lost in Dreams (Jane Doe)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
"There are several virtual rooms that fit this description. Would you prefer Baja California, or Morocco*?"
*I'm fairly sure you're referencing something specific that I'm not getting. Feel free to insert it.
"Morocco sounds simpler to remember, I'll go with that"

(tropical beach is to find pineapples, desert is to find cactus)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
Heera does this, and Olive does not receive immediate responses.
*chills in Morroco, trying to gain some satisfaction from the sight of pineapples and/or cacti*

"Heera I know you can't emulate touch in here, but can you emulate scent or taste?"

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
The request is made. After about an hour, she receives a message:

"Mr. Karl Welker is currently has restricted communication. Your request to speak with him is rejected. If you feel you have an urgent need to speak to Mr. Welker, you may appeal this message."

She receives very similarly formatted messages for everyone else on the list.

What does she do during that hour?
I suppose she will familiarize herself with the landscape of Morroco, should she ever return to Earth to visit it.
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Old 02-06-2020, 02:15 PM   #359
ericthered
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Default Re: Lost in Dreams (Jane Doe)

Quote:
"Heera I know you can't emulate touch in here, but can you emulate scent or taste?"
Heera's smooth mechanical voice replies: "Scent and taste are beyond the capabilities of your current accessibility device."

Quote:
Originally Posted by Plane View Post
"Morocco sounds simpler to remember, I'll go with that"

(tropical beach is to find pineapples, desert is to find cactus)

*chills in Morroco, trying to gain some satisfaction from the sight of pineapples and/or cacti*

I suppose she will familiarize herself with the landscape of Morroco, should she ever return to Earth to visit it.
Heera helps her quickly set up a virtual Morrocan beach, with lush sand, nearby cliffs, and a stylistic resort building on top of the cliffs.

As soon as she in the virtual room, problems stick out to her. Morocco has no native cactus's. The building is meant to look rustic and historical, but Olive finds several flaws that show it to be of modern construction. As soon as these are mentioned to Heera, she replaces the room with a different one. This one is authentic, patterned after a real place, and Olive can tell.

She finds the pineapples and finds she wants to talk to a growing pineapple. So Heera generates a garden with pineapple in the courtyard. Something is still off. Olive has Heera add a cactus. She's not sure which one, and starts browsing a catalog of cacti. Something is there, she wants to...

The image in her mind clears. She doesn't want to talk to a pineapple or cactus. She wants to talk to one of the plants she dreamed about last night. The tall stalks with four umbrella leaves stacked on top of each other and the red growths between them.

Were those from her dream or from pictures of the planet? she wasn't sure.
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Old 02-16-2020, 10:53 AM   #360
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Default Re: Lost in Dreams (Jane Doe)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
Morocco has no native cactus's.
Olive struggles with having no target for the animosity she feels toward the Cactaceae family, and continues to hold her tongue.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
Olive finds several flaws that show it to be of modern construction. As soon as these are mentioned to Heera, she replaces the room with a different one. This one is authentic, patterned after a real place, and Olive can tell.
She begins to wonder why she has these confidences about reality and why the machine doesn't know these details... but thinks that since Heera is deferring to her choices that either Heera trusts her historical judgment, or perhaps doesn't know one way or the other and just normally defers to people's requests.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
She finds the pineapples and finds she wants to talk to a growing pineapple. So Heera generates a garden with pineapple in the courtyard. Something is still off. Olive has Heera add a cactus. She's not sure which one, and starts browsing a catalog of cacti. Something is there, she wants to...

The image in her mind clears. She doesn't want to talk to a pineapple or cactus. She wants to talk to one of the plants she dreamed about last night. The tall stalks with four umbrella leaves stacked on top of each other and the red growths between them.

Were those from her dream or from pictures of the planet? she wasn't sure.
Olive makes a motion as if to stack the pineapples from the garden atop the cactus. Although there is no sensation of touch here, she assumes that Heera can understand physical movements and how they will represent a desire to relocate the scenery (similar to how a virtual chair was lifted and levied against her)

She imagines this will be somewhat clumsy since she doesn't have tactile sensations, but that the computer can still vaguely understand what she is trying to grip/move and vaguely relocate them.

Stacking the 'apples atop the cactus she tries to build an approximation (like a snowman) of the umbrella-leaf-stalked plants in her dream.
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