>Decrypted Communications Excerpt II

[RECORDED BROADCAST : 1528.031] PRIVATE, LOCAL, ENCRYPTED Cairn of Eight Stones—Nine Branches, A Ringing Chime—Cracks Divide

ARCCD: I am going to be honest — it does not look that terrible. It is more confusing than anything else.
ARCCD: On the other hand, no evidence of a problem might be worse than a positive proof at this point...

CESNB: I mean, it's not as if we were actually expecting anything out of this one. It's only a general diagnostic.
CESNB: They're still compiling data from the subsystem scans down in vitals.

ARCCD: The new acolytes are probably going shelter-mad down there.

CESNB: Haha, yeah, I can picture it. Those little access passages down in Pumps are the worst.
CESNB: I'm just hoping we get a clue from the malware scan, though.
CESNB: Not sure if anything will show up on bio, but...

>LOG: FP — General Diagnostic Scan (Behavioral Log) (Cont.)

PT_LSGS: Well, some results are better than expected.
PT_LSGS: Physically, everything seems to be within normal parameters.
PT_LSGS: The systems that stalled after the crash do not appear mechanically or biologically compromised. It seems as if our iterator was simply... neglecting standard operations.
PT_LSGS: Lesser automated functions continued as normal, but non-vital functions requiring conscious maintenance or responsiveness seem to have been halted or delayed starting at reboot.
PT_LSGS: As for the crash itself... no report was sent, and the majority of the relevant error logs are corrupted. It is not impossible for this to be a consequence of the crash itself, but in our current circumstances, I would consider this highly suspicious.
PT_LSGS: Additionally, there is a very brief power surge timestamped a few seconds prior to the crash itself.
PT_LSGS: It does not appear to go beyond technically safe limits, but it appears without obvious cause, and I do not like the timing of it.

DL_SBCS: ... that is...

PT_LSGS: A great number of red flags, and a great scarcity of answers.
PT_LSGS: At least the process neglect seems to have had no other ill effects beyond taking the drone network offline and cutting short a number of domestic communications.
PT_LSGS: Had his administrator not contacted us, we probably would have been alerted by the complaints from inconvenienced civilians.

DL_SBCS: There is no sign of Rot, though?

PT_LSGS: No. Nothing. For all that is wrong with him, that, at least, is not on the list.

DL_SBCS: Void be praised.

PT_LSGS: It was not a great concern, to be honest. Having Rot severe enough for his current symptoms would not exactly be a quick or subtle development.
PT_LSGS: The only basis for consideration was his own comments to Looks to the Moon, and, well...

AT_ARCCD: He was not in his right mind.

PT_LSGS: Obviously. You saw what he did earlier.
PT_LSGS: Fighting us like that, abusing his antigravity, thinking he's seen the cycle...
PT_LSGS: Forget 'right mind' — he's lost his mind entirely. Babbling mad, I would say.

DL_SBCS: Light Scattered on Glinting Shards, please, gentle your words.
DL_SBCS: Even if his awareness is limited... let us not disrespect our creation this way, in such a sensitive time.

PT_LSGS: You will have to learn some irreverence eventually, Seven Bridges.
PT_LSGS: It is part of the job.
PT_LSGS: To look upon a god and remember it is only a machine that we built, an organism we designed and grew — one that needs maintenance and repair work, at that.
PT_LSGS: You see them at their worst and their lowest... the seams and cracks in the design.
PT_LSGS: An excess of formality will only clog up the process.

DL_SBCS: I understand full well, Light. It is no secret your field has less room for such things than mine.
DL_SBCS: But I know you are capable of more compassion for your fellow beings than this.
DL_SBCS: Machine, god, or otherwise, Five Pebbles remains a thinking being.
DL_SBCS: There is some basic respect to be afforded him, even now.

PT_LSGS: ... that is true.
PT_LSGS: It's a tricky path to reconcile, though.
PT_LSGS: Some day, you may find yourself favoring my practicality, if only for a moment's peace.

DL_SBCS: I—

[Record ends at 031.54.]

>LOG: FP — Malware Scan (Output)

This one ends with: SYSTEM STATUS: UNCLEAR. 3836 FILE(S) OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN DETECTED. 1904 POTENTIALLY CORRUPTED FILE(S) DETECTED. NO MALWARE DETECTED. NO SYSTEM MALFUNCTION DETECTED.

>LOG: FP — Malware Scan (Behavioral Log)

[Audio pickup from PUPPET CHAMBER INTERIOR, beginning at timestamp 031.57. 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), TECH SUPPORT AUXILIARY Evening Fog Surrounds Two Stars (TA_EFSTS), ITERATOR Five Pebbles (FP)]

PT_LSGS: —to worry about it.
PT_LSGS: Initiating malware scan.

[Dialogue lapses, resumes at timestamp 032.00.]

FP: [static]
FP: ... what ...
FP: ... let go... please... I...

AT_CESNB: Shh.
AT_CESNB: You're all right.

FP: ... no...
FP: I...
FP: ... [unintelligible] ... away...!

AT_CESNB: I'm sorry, but I can't really do that, iterator...

FP: [unintelligible]

AT_ARCCD: Perhaps if you...?

AT_CESNB: Oh, I suppose...

[Sound of shifting cloth and other materials, attributed to Cairn of Eight Stones-Nine Branches adjusting position of Five Pebbles' puppet.]

FP: ... already... inside the...
FP: ... touching...
FP: ... can't...

AT_ARCCD: Shhh. You are safe, iterator. It is only us.
AT_ARCCD: You are undergoing an emergency scan right now, remember?

FP: ... nowhere t...
FP: ...
FP: ... scan...?

AT_CESNB: Yes. We're checking for malware right now.

FP: ... malware...?
FP: ... that's...
FP: ... lying... nobody left to send...

AT_ARCCD: Do not worry about it, Five Pebbles. The issue is already being managed.
AT_ARCCD: ... although, your cooperation is... appreciated.

FP: ... oh...
FP: ... hm...
FP: Wait... is the...?

AT_ARCCD: Hm?

FP: Hm.

[Dialogue lapses, resumes at timestamp 032.09.]

PT_LSGS: Fifty percent. No malicious files found. Some suspicious materials, but they could be benign.

DL_SBCS: Really?

PT_LSGS: Hah. Almost certainly not.
PT_LSGS: If these are benign I will eat my mask.

AT_ARCCD: Is it too much to hope that this is still just an ordinary virus?

AT_CESNB: Probably.

[Dialogue lapses, resumes at timestamp 032.32.]

>Decrypted Communications Excerpt III

[RECORDED BROADCAST : 1528.032] PRIVATE, LOCAL, ENCRYPTED Cairn of Eight Stones—Nine Branches, A Ringing Chime—Cracks Divide

CESNB: It really does feel strange how small their puppets are.

ARCCD: Have you not made enough small talk for the cycle yet, Stones?

CESNB: Haha, sorry.
CESNB: It's just...
CESNB: It's just so strange to see him like this.
CESNB: The whole thing with the puppet feels so different in motion. Maybe because the arm raises them up to eye level?
CESNB: It's so much easier to pretend you're speaking to a normal person, that way.
CESNB: Seeing it on the floor with us...
CESNB: It really sinks in how small this thing is. It's like holding a child.

ARCCD: It is designed to be that way, after all.
ARCCD: He's nearly as light as one, too, I'll bet.

CESNB: It's a little heavier, but not much. Like holding one of my little siblings with their masks on.

ARCCD: To be fair, Five Pebbles does have a smaller puppet than average.
ARCCD: I believe it was something to do with emphasizing his relationship to his senior?
ARCCD: It's an awfully sentimental idea, if so... but sort of endearing.

CESNB: That is sort of cute...
CESNB: The consequences of building these things to be "personable" and "appealing", I guess.
CESNB: You know it's really the whole city, but when it's in your arms and it's so small...

ARCCD: He would hate you calling him small.

CESNB: Oh saints, yes. I was tempted to say something aloud, but the last thing we need is to agitate him, even if he is high as a sky-sail right now.

>LOG: FP — Malware Scan (Behavioral Log) (Cont.)

TA_EFSTS: New problem.

DL_SBCS: Evening Fog?

PT_LSGS: What do you mean, new problem?

TA_EFSTS: Communications leak, self-reported by local group.
TA_EFSTS: Look at this.

AT_ARCCD: What the—?

PT_LSGS: Are you serious?

AT_CESNB: Oh, void below.

AT_ARCCD: This is a serious breach. How did he even—?

PT_LSGS: ... the bridge, perhaps. Looks to the Moon's access to this system is blocked by firewall, but not physically disconnected — if she has been cleared for communications, and the firewall was able to be bypassed...

TA_EFSTS: Timestamp is shortly after she returned to local network, although nothing can be confirmed yet. Had the same guess myself.
TA_EFSTS: Shaping up to be a busy cycle.

AT_ARCCD: Five Pebbles is currently quarantined in a puppet and portable unit, though. He should not be able to access the system computers. Unless...

AT_CESNB: If he's got a trick to bypass firewalls, then neuron resyncing is still a possibility.
AT_CESNB: There are probably at least a few free-roaming the structure within range.

DL_SBCS: Iterator Five Pebbles. It is of utmost importance that you refrain from breaking quarantine before we have confirmed a lack of viral activity.

FP: ... it's Rot. It doesn't...
FP: ... [unintelligible] the broadcasts, imbeciles...

AT_ARCCD: Another comment about Rot from him...

PT_LSGS: Again, he is obviously not afflicted with Rot — and may void abjure the very thought! It would have shown up in the diagnostics.
PT_LSGS: I would categorize it with the blizzard and the scavengers at this point. Another persistent and worrisome delusion.

TA_EFSTS: Worry about it later. The leak is our greater concern.

PT_LSGS: Please tell me you have already traced the communications source node.

TA_EFSTS: In progress. Team is being notified the same time as I am.
TA_EFSTS: ...
TA_EFSTS: ... confirmed source trace and use of Looks to the Moon's comms array. Saving you the logs for later.

FP: ... wait...
FP: ... how would you... know...?

AT_ARCCD: Shhh, iterator. You have done enough for now.
AT_ARCCD: Perhaps you can take a long nap while we deal with this.
AT_ARCCD: Light Scattered on Glinting Shards, this is your call, but should we...?

PT_LSGS: A slight increase in dosage may be beneficial for now, yes.

AT_ARCCD: Targeting the tissues inside the portable unit should help.

FP: ... only in my head...
FP: ... wait, no... wait...

[Movement, clicks attributed to adjustment and manipulation of equipment by A Ringing Chime-Cracks Divide.]

FP: No...!

TA_EFSTS: ... Looks to the Moon has been informed. Connection will be severed shortly.

FP: ... the... no, no...
FP: You... [unintelligible]... you...

[Dialogue lapses, resumes at timestamp 032.37.]

>Decrypted Communications Excerpt IV

[RECORDED BROADCAST : 1528.032] PRIVATE, LOCAL, ENCRYPTED Cairn of Eight Stones—Nine Branches, A Ringing Chime—Cracks Divide

CESNB: They're going to have to actually check up on the whole group now, aren't they?

ARCCD: I imagine it depends on what we find.
ARCCD: Looks to the Moon was already cleared despite much higher risk. The quarantine is likely more for show.

CESNB: Ugh, probably
CESNB: I can't imagine the teams up in Unparalleled Innocence or Grey Wind taking this seriously, anyway.
CESNB: They're so far out they think nothing over here will ever affect them.
CESNB: Not that I'm speaking from bitter experience or anything, haha.

ARCCD: Oh, right, you have family out on Grey Wind, don't you?

CESNB: Just some cousins. We run broadcast calls for family reunions every few years.
CESNB: They're almost as bad as the ones up on Luna sometimes.
CESNB: Oooh, look at meee, I live on an iterator whose key infrastructure keeps getting taken offline by seasonal coastal storms because our city's emergency preparations council couldn't find their own cloaca with both hands and a nav implant! You inlanders just don't know how it is to live out here, being ~self-sufficient~ and ~independent~!
CESNB: As if any of us are really "toughing it out" living on an iterator to begin with.

ARCCD: I appreciate what you are saying (and I am sure you already know my opinion on the matter), but perhaps this is a topic better suited for off-work hours?

CESNB: Oh, void, right.
CESNB: Haha, hopefully Light doesn't feel the need to ask to decrypt any of these at any point...