>LOG: FP — Initial Consultation

[Audio pickup from ACCESS PASSAGE ENTRY, beginning at timestamp 031.05. Voices identified as DIPLOMAT Seven Bridges—Countless Spirals (DL_SBCS), ITERATOR Five Pebbles (FP)]

DL_SBCS: Iterator Five Pebbles. This is Seven Bridges, Countless Spirals, of House of Wheels, diplomat to your emergency technical response team. Please acknowledge and report your current status.

[Dialogue lapses briefly, about 10 seconds.]

DL_SBCS: ... I will repeat myself.
DL_SBCS: Iterator Five Pebbles, this is Seven Bridges, Countless Spirals, of the emergency response team. We are outside your chamber presently. Please inform us of your current status.

[Dialogue lapses briefly, about 15 seconds.]

DL_SBCS: Iterator Five Pebbles, I will repeat this one more time, and if you cannot respond, your technicians and I will be obligated to enter your chamber regardless of invitation. Please report your current status.

FP: [muffled] No, no...

DL_SBCS: ... Five Pebbles?

[Dialogue lapses briefly, about 10 seconds.]

DL_SBCS: Understood. Iterator, please forgive this intrusion on your behalf.

[Audio pickup continues from PUPPET CHAMBER INTERIOR, beginning at timestamp 031.06. Voices identified as DIPLOMAT Seven Bridges—Countless Spirals (DL_SBCS), PRIMARY TECHNICIAN Light Scattered on Glinting Shards (PT_LSGS), ASSISTANT TECHNICIAN A Ringing Chime—Cracks Divide (AT_ARCCD), ASSISTANT TECHNICIAN Cairn of Eight Stones—Nine Branches (AT_CESNB), ITERATOR Five Pebbles (FP)]

DL_SBCS: Five Pebbles? If you can hear me, please respond.

FP: What—?

PT_LSGS: [muffled] —bring down the workstation and— [indistinct]

DL_SBCS: Give me a moment, Light. I am talking to him.
DL_SBCS: ... Five Pebbles?

[Dialogue lapses for three (3) seconds.]

FP: ... No.
FP: No, no, no, you cannot—
FP: You are... You are not really here. You...
FP: You cannot be real. I—

DL_SBCS: Five Pebbles, it is going to be alright.

FP: [quieter, less distinct] You're not real. You're not...

DL_SBCS: Whatever is happening right now, we will be able to fix it.

FP: ...

DL_SBCS: Iterator—

FP: Why?!

[Loud crash, attributed to equipment hitting floor of chamber. Indistinct profanity, possibly Light Scattered on Glinting Shards.]

DL_SBCS: Five Pebbles—!

FP: Why are you here?
FP: Of all the things my rotting mind could do to me, why this? Why now?!

DL_SBCS: You are— you are not in trouble, iterator. We are only here out of concern.
DL_SBCS: You were offline for several minutes, and have been saying some strange things in communications channe—

FP: Gods above and below, I forgot how absolutely insufferable you all were in life.
FP: I do not care why you think you are here.
FP: You are either a condescending figment of my mind, or a fever dream of beasts picking at my remains.
FP: Either way, I will clearly know no peace until you leave!

DL_SBCS: My sincerest apologies, but I cannot do that.

FP: [a scoff] Of course not.

DL_SBCS: While I see you are displeased, we are going to need to run some diagnostics, which may require your time and cooperation.

FP: I... ugh.
FP: No. No, I am not humoring this.
FP: Just...

[Dialogue lapses, about six (6) seconds. Ambient static from Five Pebbles' puppet interferes momentarily with recording.]

FP: ... wait.
FP: What?

DL_SBCS: Five Pebbles?

FP: Why can't I...?
FP: No, this is...
FP: Why...?

[Dialogue lapses briefly, a few seconds. Static interferes momentarily with recording, as before.]

FP: Typical. Even in my hallucinations I cannot defy you.
FP: If you are some real creature misinterpreted by madness, I will not even be able to defend myself from you...
FP: Why do I even bother to feel a semblance of surprise?

DL_SBCS: Iterator, I am no hallucination, and no threat. None of us are here to hurt you.
DL_SBCS: If you would just bring your puppet down here—

FP: No. Absolutely not.
FP: I am not that foolish.
FP: If you want my parts you'll have to pry them out of me.

DL_SBCS: ... iterator, nobody is here to do that.
DL_SBCS: I am not sure how exactly to convince you of our good will, but if there is any way...

FP: You could leave and let me die in peace.

DL_SBCS: To die in...? Five Pebbles? What do you mean by that?

FP: I...
FP: Why am I explaining this to you.
FP: This is ridiculous.
FP: Just... Go away. Leave me alone. Please.

DL_SBCS: Again, I am sorry, but that is one thing I cannot agree to do.
DL_SBCS: The city depends on your continued function, which makes your condition a matter of general security.
DL_SBCS: Our duties to you also include your care in times of ill health and malfunction — as I am sure you are aware. We are not going to leave you like this when you are clearly not well.

FP: ... you are a very accurate hallucination, I will say that.
FP: I should not even remember your names... and yet here you are, as pompous and condescending as you ever were.
FP: Can you not just skip to the part where you declare me inadequate and leave?

DL_SBCS: Iterator... we are not going to simply abandon you, I promise.

FP: Hah.
FP: Not going to abandon me... do you even hear yourself?
FP: What a dream this must be.

DL_SBCS: I am being honest, Five Pebbles. There is no reason that I should abandon you, least of all right now.
DL_SBCS: Either way, that is not why I am here.
DL_SBCS: I...
DL_SBCS: [a sigh]
DL_SBCS: I can see you are quite distressed, iterator. You do not think I am real, you are having some problems with your memory, and you think I might be something dangerous that will hurt you. Is that correct?

FP: I...
FP: ... yes. That is... correct. I suppose.

DL_SBCS: Is there anything I might do to put you at ease right now? To reassure you that this is real, and that we mean no harm?

FP: No.
FP: This isn't real. It never will be.
FP: I do not... I do not wish it to...
FP: ...
FP: I cannot trust anything.
FP: None of this makes sense!

[Repetitive mechanical noise, attributed to Five Pebbles moving in place. Static begins to increase again.]

FP: None of it makes any...

DL_SBCS: ... I see. That must be very frightening for you.
DL_SBCS: Would it help if you had something to ground yourself? Something to touch, perhaps?

FP: No!
FP: Do not touch me, do not come near me, do not—

DL_SBCS: Alright, I won't touch you. That is fine. We do not have to do that.
DL_SBCS: If—

FP: Wait, what are you doing?
FP: Stop!

DL_SBCS: [a startled sound] Light, a moment's patience, please!

PT_LSGS: You have had a moment, Bridges.

DL_SBCS: Another moment, then. We are still speaking, and you are upsetting him.

PT_LSGS: This is a security matter, in which you are wasting no small amount of time. How many moments are you going to need?
PT_LSGS: He is probably just virus-addled right now. At worst, the memory can always be deleted.

DL_SBCS: Light! I— ugh.
DL_SBCS: Five Pebbles, please, do not worry. They are only accessing your chamber's control panel for maintenance.
DL_SBCS: You have undergone these procedures before, but if you do not remember, that is alright. I know Light Scattered is not the most... personable of technicians, but you are in skilled hands. There is nothing to be afraid of.

FP: That is FAR from the point!

[Crackling, attributed to further spikes in electrical interference from Five Pebbles' puppet.]

PT_LSGS: Don't even think about it, Five Pebbles. We both know you cannot harm us.

FP: I— stupid, stupid—
FP: Damnable—
FP: Stop that! Stop!

DL_SBCS: Oh, for the saints' sakes—

PT_LSGS: We do not have time to sit around all day playing therapist for him, Bridges!
PT_LSGS: Five Pebbles, this will only take a short time, and it will not even hurt. There is no need for you to be so panicked.

FP: No! No, you cannot—

[Mechanical noise, attributed to movement of Five Pebbles' puppet arm. Whirring, clattering of small objects attributed to reactivation of chamber antigravity engines.]

FP: I am DONE with this!
FP: GET OUT!

[A loud crash and clattering, attributed to multiple pieces of equipment being thrown against chamber floor and walls.]

PT_LSGS: Alright, that's enough of that.
PT_LSGS: Your diplomat may be polite about it, but if you cannot behave I w—ghk!

AT_ARCCD: Wh—hey, wait, put—

FP: LEAVE!

[Sound of sudden movement, followed by slightly muffled cursing from outside of chamber, attributed to Light Scattered on Glinting Shards.]

PT_LSGS: [indistinct, muffled] —can't just hide in there, Five Pebbles. Nobody wants to force you to cooperate, but we will if we have to.
PT_LSGS: [indistinct, muffled] Chime, if you would please turn his antigravity off — he is obstructing access to the chamber panel—
PT_LSGS: [quieter, still indistinct, muffled] ... yes, Cairn, I can see you snickering, and while I am sure it looked—

TA_ARCCD: Understood. I am disabling it now.

FP: What?

[Sound of antigravity engines powering down, followed by several further crashes and thuds, attributed to equipment, pearls, Five Pebbles' puppet, and Seven Bridges-Countless Spirals being dropped to the floor of the chamber.]

FP: No. No!

[Another thud, attributed to Light Scattered on Glinting Shards re-entering the chamber.]

PT_LSGS: Thank you. That is much better.
PT_LSGS: Bridges, if you would—

DL_SBCS: Don't 'Bridges' me, Light. You have made this unnecessarily difficult, and you are continuing to frighten him right now.
DL_SBCS: Iterator— Five Pebbles, it is alright. I understand this must be quite alarming for you, but rest assured you are not in danger.
DL_SBCS: It is just that we cannot help you if you attempt to force us out of your chamber.

FP: Cannot—?! You are not real!
FP: Nothing you are doing should have any effect, unless...

DL_SBCS: We are real, Five Pebbles, and we do intend to help you.

FP: Unless... I...
FP: Am I still there in... in the...?
FP: The blizzard.
FP: ... of course. It doesn't work at all, because...
FP: ... it's all gone. I am still in that blizzard, still losing myself to the [static, audio unclear]
FP: [static] can't remember...

DL_SBCS: Five Pebbles?

FP: The green thing—
FP: Did it—? Did we—?

DL_SBCD: Five Pebbles.

FP: My memory from that time is... limited... if it had...?

AT_ARCCD: Local arm controls should be active now.
AT_ARCCD: We'll need to shut off the field if he keeps arcing, though.

DL_SBCS: [a sigh] Yes. I am not sure if...

FP: Why can I not remember...?

PT_LSGS: I do not believe this will be resolved otherwise, I'm afraid.
PT_LSGS: Unless he suddenly decides to cooperate...

DL_SBCS: That was still a possibility, Light.

PT_LSGS: A very unlikely one.
PT_LSGS: Chime?

AT_ARCCD: I'll bring Cairn down.

DL_SBCS: Please at least try to be gentle with him. He is not in his right mind.

PT_LSGS: Yes, yes, I know.
PT_LSGS: Five Pebbles? Do you hear me right now?
PT_LSGS: It is going to be alright.

[Sound of movement, thuds, attributed to A Ringing Chime-Cracks Divide and Cairn of Eight Stones-Nine Branches re-entering the chamber.]

PT_LSGS: Ah. Good.
PT_LSGS: A Ringing Chime and Cairn of Eight Stones here will be assisting with your puppet while I set up the scan.
PT_LSGS: Please understand this will be far easier if you are able to cooperate and follow simple instructions, but if you cannot, we can always switch off the puppet's motor functions and—

DL_SBCS: Light.

PT_LSGS: I am being honest. It may be necessary if he continues to panic. He cannot be shut down entirely for this.

DL_SBCS: At least give him a chance to comply before suggesting such things, technician.

PT_SBCS: Ugh, fine. We really do prefer your willing cooperation in this, Five Pebbles. It will be much simpler and less stressful for us both.

[Sounds attributed to moving equipment, A Ringing Chime-Cracks Divide and Cairn of Eight Stones-Nine Branches approaching the puppet.]

FP: You're not... you...
FP: No. I am not listening to this anymore.
FP: I...
FP: I just want to wake up.

AT_ARCCD: That is alright, iterator, just sit down.

FP: [static, distressed]

AT_ARCCD: That's it. On the floor. We—

FP: No!
FP: Don't... get away!

AT_CESNB: Alright, I've got him.

DL_SBCS: Iterator, you are going to be alright. They are here to help you, I promise.

FP: No! Let go of me!

[Spike of interference, attributed to an arc of static from Five Pebbles' puppet. Startled sounds from multiple parties nearby, indistinct. Mild static interferences continues through subsequent dialogue.]

FP: I... whatever you are, I will not—

PT_LSGS: Oh, for the ancestors' sakes. There is no need to overcomplicate this, Bridges.
PT_LSGS: He will hardly even remember this once it's over with.
PT_LSGS: I am shutting off his controls now.

FP: Wh— wait, wait— [voice distorts, cuts out abruptly]

PT_LSGS: There. See? Much simpler.

DL_SBCS: ... he is terrified, Light.

PT_LSGS: He will come to his senses in time.

DL_SBCS: He barely even recognized us, and he clearly thinks we mean him harm!
DL_SBCS: Not that our actions have done much to dispel the notion.

AT_ARCCD: If he cannot be calmed, we will end up needing to sedate the puppet for the umbilical transfer anyway.
AT_ARCCD: Without being spread out over the facilities, he should at least feel some effect.

DL_SBCS: ... I would have preferred a less forceful approach, but the damage is already done. If it helps him at all...

PT_LSGS: If his mental state is the concern, then I would concur with A Ringing Chime.
PT_LSGS: He may be physically manageable in this state, but a chemical aid should prove... beneficial, at this point, to reduce the stress of the procedure.

DL_SBCS: As though you would have suggested it yourself.

PT_LSGS: I have already prepared for this possibility, actually. Although I do admit I was prepared for worse.
PT_LSGS: ...
PT_LSGS: I may not have much so-called bedside manner, but I am not a fool, Seven Bridges, nor am I blind.

DL_SBCS: I apologize for my presumptions, Light Scattered.
DL_SBCS: If you are already prepared, then by all means...

[Sounds of movement, rustling, attributed to Light Scattered on Glinting Shards.]

PT_LSGS: Five Pebbles?
PT_LSGS: You cannot respond, I know, but I can see you looking, and I know you can hear me.
PT_LSGS: This will only take a moment.

[Sounds of movement, attributed to technicians repositioning Five Pebbles' puppet. Static increases to crackling from multiple arcs of ambient static electricity within the chamber, attributed to Five Pebbles.]

AT_CESNB: It's alright, you're alright...

[Dialogue lapses for three (3) seconds. Sounds of movement, attributed to Light Scattered on Glinting Shards. Electrical arcing continues and peaks, briefly drowning out recording.]

AT_CESNB: [inaudible] almost done...
AT_CESNB: ... there, see?

AT_ARCCD: We should really have switched off those generators earlier.

PT_LSGS: The equipment is shielded, so it is only a nuisance for now, but yes. We do not need any more complications.
PT_LSGS: Although, for the purpose of monitoring...
PT_LSGS: Five Pebbles? I am going to turn your voice module back on. Please do not abuse it.

[Sounds of movement, equipment, attributed to Light Scattered on Glinting Shards. A loud screeching sound overpowers and overwhelms all audio inputs for approximately two (2) seconds, before reducing abruptly in volume to safer levels and fading shortly after.]

PT_LSGS: ... thank you, Five Pebbles, for a perfect example of what I asked you not to do.
PT_LSGS: I suppose I should have expected that.
PT_LSGS: Apologies, everyone. His volume should be capped now.

[Electrical arcing begins, then shuts off abruptly.]

PT_LSGS: And none of that, either.

AT_ARCCD: [pained] Egg-shells of the damned, that was...
AT_ARCCD: Augh. Well then.

AT_CESNB: Diplomat, I am unspeakably sorry for the harm our error might have caused—

DL_SBCS: No, no, it is... fine. It is more the iterator I am concerned about.
DL_SBCS: ... if you wish to apologize, though, I might appreciate it better once my ears stop ringing...

FP: [static]

DL_SBCS: Is he...?

AT_ARCCD: Ah... he should be fine, diplomat. The puppet's vital signs are normal so far. Neural activity is depressed, as expected, but all components are still functional.

FP: [static, unintelligible]
FP: ... spiders... in my room...?!

DL_SBCS: Er.

AT_ARCCD: He's probably a little disoriented, of course.
AT_ARCCD: Your memory spiders are safe in their nests, Five Pebbles. You are just not connected to them right now. Do not worry about it.

FP: No, the other...
FP: ... must have gotten into my chamber, or... maybe something... else...?
FP: ...
FP: ... you are... still here.

AT_CESNB: Yes, we're still here, iterator.

FP: Still...
FP: ... what... what are you...?

AT_ARCCD: Just relax, alright? We are just going to temporarily disconnect the umbilical and redirect it to an external processing unit.
AT_ARCCD: That will allow us to keep the chamber and puppet quarantined from each other, without risking neuron burnout from your current hardware limitations.

FP: ...

AT_ARCCD: Right. Sorry.
AT_ARCCD: I'm going to unplug your puppet from the chamber as a security measure, and hook you up to this so you won't hurt yourself trying to think.

FP: You... n... no!

AT_ARCCD: It will only take a moment, I promise. I'm very quick at it.

FP: Wait...

[Sounds of movement, equipment, attributed to A Ringing Chime-Cracks Divide manually disconnecting Five Pebbles' neural umbilical from chamber floor unit.]

FP: [static, distressed]

AT_ARCCD: Shh, shh. You are fine.

[Sounds of movement, equipment continue for eight (8) seconds.]

AT_ARCCD: See, already reconnected.
AT_ARCCD: You'll just stay like this until the issue is resolved.
AT_ARCCD: Now, I'm going to disable the rest of the puppet arm, as well. It may feel a little strange, but it will not hurt, remember?

FP: You... you can't have my arm...
FP: Already... broken...

AT_ARCCD: Then I am sure you will not mind, will you?

AT_CESNB: Really, the rest of this is more boring than anything else, iterator.
AT_CESNB: It's mostly a lot of sitting around waiting for the scan to finish.
AT_CESNB: ... If you start getting impatient, it won't be for the first time, haha.

[Dialogue lapses, about 20 seconds. Sounds of movement, equipment continue.]

FP: What... are you...?

AT_ARCCD: Ah, right. The biopsy.
AT_ARCCD: Do not worry about that, iterator. As you are right now, you will not even feel it.

FP: What... no! Stay out of... don't touch that!
FP: You—[distressed sound]

AT_ARCCD: Shh, let's look somewhere else, alright?
AT_ARCCD: How about—

FP: Stop! Please...

AT_CESNB: And biopsies from the chamber wall are done.

PT_LSGS: Good. We will run those while the scan is ongoing.
PT_LSGS: ... samples from the puppet can wait until he is less distressed.
PT_LSGS: (Does that satisfy you, Seven Bridges?)

[Sounds of movement, equipment, attributed to Light Scattered on Glinting Shards.]

FP: I... you...
FP: ... you can't... why...?
FP: [static, unintelligible]

AT_ARCCD: Shh.
AT_ARCCD: Just rest, and this will all be over soon.

[Record ends at 031.17.]