>Last time on Magus Hunter Quest: you were summoned by the Vindex Primus and told the brass about your encounter with the vampire, got debriefed and had a talk with your old mentor. You’ve also talked to a few people about being a maelstrom psion, and generally got surprised reactions. Eventually you got home, had a few drinks with your team and got a date set with Helena.

>And now, we're starting things a little bit differently.

You are… Something. You awoke in this world not long ago with a singular purpose. To learn. To learn of the adversaries of… Your creator? Yourself? It all seems to blend together. You think in a language that feels alien to you. You experience the world in ways you never have before, yet you only just awoke.

Even ‘time’ is strange to you. Things pass in a linear fashion. What has happened is set, what will happen is yet undecided and what is happening is being decided right now. So many things in this world are strange, unlike what you feel is right, yet simply being in it and adhering to its rules make you understand it on a basic level.

It does not matter though. All that matters is the being in the room beyond this… ‘Window’, was it?

You stand? No, you do not stand, you ARE on a stone protrusion from the building. Perhaps you should stand, and walk, and run? It is the way those creatures work. Right now you seem to ‘glide’, as they would say it. A formless mass that glides everywhere. Maybe to become like them is to understand them? Though there are still more kinds creatures in this world than just that of your adversary. You could slither, you could crawl?


>1. Stand.
>2. Stay the same.
>3. Crawl.
>4. Slither.
>5. Something else entirely.

>>40716301
>>1. Stand.
timezoneanon popping in and out

>>40716346
Hello timezoneanon, goodbye timezoneanon!

>>40716301
>1. Stand.

>>40716301
>1

>>40716301
>1. Stand.

>>40716439
>>40716412
>>40716394
>>40716346
Writing.

You stand. Yes. It feels right. Awkward, uncomfortable and wrong. But right. Somehow.

The legs you formed are much like the rest of you. Not that this language has words to describe how you are, but the closest would be… Jet-black. You think. Also kind of wobbly, but that’s only the legs, not the rest of you.

You look at the window in front of you. There’s a powerful presence beyond it, but it poses no threat to you. The window however, while also not posing a threat, still poses a challenge. You have decided how to move around, but how to interact with things? You have only wandered so far, observing from a distance. Never touching. Never interacting.

You could simply slide through it of course. Physical barriers mean little to you, but something inside of you feels like you should start interacting with the world. Experience it as the creatures within this world experience it. At least a little bit.

>1. Open the window.
>2. Destroy the window.
>3. Phase through the window.

>>40716586
>1. Open the window.

>>40716586
>2. Destroy the window.

Challenge accepted!

>>40716586
>1. Open the window.

>>40716586
>1. Open the window.

>>40716301
>5. Something else entirely.
Swim.

>>40716643
I am late. Alrighty then.

>>40716586
>1. Open the window.

>>40716602
>>40716616
>>40716617
>>40716622
>>40716659
Ok, writing.

You extend more of your mass forward, and it forms arms. You have arms and legs now, you suppose you could fully resemble them then. Instantly , the rest of you anchors itself into the arms and legs you made, and grow from them. Soon after, you have hips, a torso, a neck, a head.

You feel entirely disoriented as your senses are being limited to such a tiny spectrum of reality. Instead of experiencing every level of it, you can now only detect a few. And some of them only in a single direction. In fact, it feels so weird that you return to your previous state for a moment.

Then, you softly slide back into the form you had just a moment ago (it’s odd how smoothly you’ve adapted to this linear time thing), but not all the way. Not entirely as your adversary. Becoming like them is good to learn, but you mustn’t let yourself come to think like them and fail your objective.

You reach out and open the window. It opens, and you step inside. It feels familiar.

It feels strange.

The presence is now all around you, but it does not notice you. Good, at least that means you have not attached yourself too much to this world. You look around, and see a… Bed? Someone is lying in it. You wonder who, but you instinctively know it already.

It’s him.

Suddenly he moves. You can feel his mind becoming aware of its surroundings…

-------


You wake up with a groan. You didn’t drink too much, but you still feel a bit of yesterday’s alcohol’s after-effects. Getting out of bed you realise you’re still mostly clad in your combat fatigues, even if you took off most of your gear. You quickly undress and head for your shower when you think you see something move in the corner of your eye.

You spin your head, take a cautious stance and look around the room. Too much has happened lately to just dismiss these kinds of things. You wait a minute… Two minutes.

Nothing.

Releasing your breath and breathing in again, you head for the shower again. A few minutes later you get out, dry yourself off and get dressed, every item you need neatly prepared for you by Wooster. Speaking of…

“Wooster, did anything happen last night? Did you feel anything off?” You ask him.

“No master. Nothing out of the ordinary.” His avatar materialises next to you and responds to your question.

“And just now? I think there was something in my room.”

“Nothing I could sense, and I seem to be more capable in that regard than ordinary humans.” The way he says that makes you realise he isn’t human. At least, not anymore. He’s always felt as a human to you, and you’ve treated him as such, but he’s quite a bit more than that really. It seems he’s also aware of that, but doesn’t really seem to mind.

Wait, you don’t recall opening your window…

>1. Close it.
>2. Ask Wooster about it.
>3. Ignore it.

>>40716843
>2. Ask Wooster about it.

>>40716843
>2. Ask Wooster about it.

>>40716843
>2. Ask Wooster about it.

>>40716854
>>40716876
>>40716928
Writing.

“Wooster, did you open the window?” You ask.

“The window master? I’m not sure what you mean, it’s clos-“ Wooster stops talking as his avatar sees the open window, a light breeze disturbing the windows. He looks perplexed, and starts blinking as if he’s trying to make sure he’s not dreaming.

“Wooster, are you alright?”

“Yes master. I think so. It’s just…” His speech seems to falter uncharacteristically as he looks back at the open window. “I did not notice it was opened until you pointed it out. It’s a very strange feeling. I’m normally perfectly aware of everything that happens on the entire grounds. Something like this has never happened before.”

You ponder the meaning of this as you close the window and head downstairs. Is it IT again? That otherworldly presence? So far it’s only visited you in your dreams, but that man in your vision told you IT might have entered your reality. Did that thing just enter your bedroom while you were sleeping? You can’t help yourself from shivering at the thought. It could have just struck you down while you slept.

You arrive at the dining room where Katherine, Liam and Blake are already eating. “Morning boss!” Blake greets you. “I wouldn’t expect the others to join us any time soon. Nathan wanted to sleep off the last effects of the stunners from yesterday, and he didn’t want to admit it but Raphael was drunk as a skunk yesterday.”

The same applies to Milly, you think. The way she was acting you doubt she’ll be able to do much before noon. Shame really, there’s some things you’d have liked talking to her about.

Your team’s incomplete, but you don’t think that’s a reason to just sit around and do nothing. Or maybe you’ll cut them some slack while the rest recovers?

>1. Have some time off (specify what you’ll be doing)
>2. Go look for the southern circle at HQ.
>3. Go look for the northern circle.
>4. Start a new room (specify what kind).
>5. Continue to work on the Security room (Current status: 50% finished)
>6. Talk to someone (specify whom and about what)
>7. Train together (specify stat).
>8. Write in.

>>40717197
>5. Continue to work on the Security room (Current status: 50% finished)

>>40717197
>5. Continue to work on the Security room (Current status: 50% finished)

>>40717197
>5. Continue to work on the Security room (Current status: 50% finished)

>>40717197
Scan the house for weird presence, though that does reek a wee bit of metagame.

>>40717197
>5. Continue to work on the Security room (Current status: 50% finished)

Once more, the Hive Mind seems to be incredibly strong.

>>40717239
Considering what just happened, I'd say it's IC enough.

>>40717197
>5. Continue to work on the Security room (Current status: 50% finished)

>>40717245
We are all part of the system

>>40717204
>>40717224
>>40717236
>>40717240
>>40717276
Security room will be assimilated.

Roll me a mind check for construction purposes. 1d100, best of first 4.

Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>40717325

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>40717325

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>40717325

Rolled 61 (1d100)

>>40717325

>>40717333
>>40717343
>>40717355
>>40717361
Failure, writing.

>Katherine, Liam: 90+ = 20%
>Blake, you: failure
>Total progress: 70%

After breakfast you take the people that are awake and present to the half-finished security room and start working. Liam and Katherine make good progress, but Blake seems to be a bit more disoriented than he’d like to admit. Eventually he sits down to the side.

“Ok, maybe I did drink a bit more than I should have yesterday. Fine. I’ll go lie down a bit.” And with that said, he leaves for his own room.

You’re actually not faring much better, but it’s not the alcohol doing it for you. You’re preoccupied with this morning’s occurrence. Everything you know points at the dimension-warper entering reality. You seem to be one of the only people that can detect him, so it stands to reason that it has ways of evading Wooster’s perception. Still, why didn’t it just strike you down? It could have easily killed you as you lay sleeping.

There’s only a few things you can think of. One, it didn’t get the chance, you woke up as it was approaching you and you startled it. Two, it doesn’t want to kill you. What it does want then is up in the air then though. Three… You’re not sure. You don’t really have much experience dealing with inter-dimensional reality warping entities. It almost sounds like a 100-year old B-movie. All that’s missing is a ‘from outer space’ in some kind of horror font.

“Come on, sir, you’re making us do all the work!” Katherine laughs, snapping you out of your stupor. You sigh and check your watch. Not much time left, and you help where you still can, but it’s not all that much.

At dinner time, Raphael has joined you, but he doesn’t eat, he only takes a heavy dose of aspirins.

“What, your angel magic doesn’t have a cure for hangovers?” Blake grins.

“Even all the medical science in the world isn’t there yet, and neither is any of the other branches of magic. I’ve come to suspect that that kind of thing is limited to the truly omnipotent.” Raphael, despite his state, still manage to joke about it.

Milly is still nowhere to be seen.


>1. Have some time off (specify what you’ll be doing)
>2. Go look for the southern circle at HQ.
>3. Go look for the northern circle.
>4. Start a new room (specify what kind).
>5. Continue to work on the Security room (Current status: 70% finished. You might be able to do something shorter before the evening if you finish with a lot of progress left.)
>6. Talk to someone (specify whom and about what)
>7. Train together (specify stat).
>8. Go check up on Milly.
>9. Write in.

>Reminder, you have a date set up in the evening, so doing long term things would jeopardise that.

>>40717583
>>5. Continue to work on the Security room (Current status: 70% finished. You might be able to do something shorter before the evening if you finish with a lot of progress left.)

>>40717583
>8. Go check up on Milly.

>>40717583
>8. Go check up on Milly.
The rest can go training

>>40717583
>8. Go check up on Milly.

It's funny, when I suggested a movie, I meant popping one in the VCR.
Err, DVD player.

I just realized how old I am.
Wow, that hits like a sack of bricks.

>>40717583
>8. Go check up on Milly.
and
>5. Continue to work on the Security room
That shit's important.

>>40717768
>>40717749
>>40717645
>>40717639
>>40717598
Ok, you'll check on Milly while the rest does the security room.

I forgot, roll me a mind check for perception purposes. 1d100, best of first 4.

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>40717921

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>40717921

Rolled 32 (1d100)

>>40717921
Is she gonna greet us like a woman possessed?

Rolled 75 (1d100)

>>40717921

You let the rest of the team try and finish work on the security room while you go and check on Milly. Your first try is the Observatory, but it’s locked. With some of Wooster’s handiwork you gain entrance to it anyway, but Milly’s not there. You lock it up after you leave and head for her bedroom.

You softly knock on the door, but you get no reply. You wait for a moment and are about to knock again when you hear a soft sobbing from the other side. It sounds like Milly, but you never would have thought to find her crying, and you’re not entirely sure how to proceed. Your psionic senses pick up a lot of confusion and a lot of… Minds.

>1. Stay outside, try to talk to her through the door.
>2. Enter the room, talk to her.
>3. Let her be for now and join the rest of the team
>4. Write in.

>>40718028
>Btw, that perception was a success, in case it wasn't clear.

>>40718028
>1
This is bad, she might be conversing with her siblings... She might be getting repercusions of last night's behaviour

>>40718028
>4. Write in.
*Knock knock* "May I come in?"

>>40718028
>>40718083
this, if we can't then do
>1. Stay outside, try to talk to her through the door.

>>40718053
I had little doubt.

>>40718070
>>40718083
>>40718100
Writing.

*knock* *knock*

“Milly, can I come in?” You ask through the door.

“Mr Kazinsky? Is that you? Or.. No, sorry Oculus Primus, I…” For a moment, she falls silent afterwards, but it’s soon disturbed.

“AAAAAARRRGGH!” Milly lets out a short scream. Not very loud, you doubt the rest will have heard it with their construction work, but still worrying.

“Milly?” You ask. Screw it, this is getting out of hand and you need to act. You open the door and head inside. Milly is sitting on her bed, her regular neat shirt all scrounged up and with several of the buttons undone. She’s holding her head in her hands and sobbing heavily.

“Milly? Can you hear me?” You ask as you carefully approach. You don’t want to startle her.

“Milly?” The voice that gets through in between the sobs sounds eerily neutral and unemotional. “Is that this unit’s name?”

“Yes. Yes Milly, that is your name.” The moment you say that, her sobbing stops, but she’s still shaking and doesn’t let go of her head.

“Sir? V-Vindicator Primus Michael Weston? Is that you?”

>1. Of course it’s me, what kind of a weird question is that?
>2. Yeah, it’s me. Are you ok?
>3. Just nod.
>4. Write in.

>>40718398
>2. Yeah, it’s me. Are you ok?

>>40718398
>2. Yes it's me, are you alright?

Can we try and block her off the hivemind? Although I'm guessing she might have some failsafes installed against such attempts.

Also holy fuck, I hope that doesn't happen to every Milly-clone that drinks some alcohol, or that it's limited to the one girl when it does, otherwise it's real easy to put the whole network out of commission.

>>40718398
>2. Yeah, it’s me. Are you ok?

>>40718427
>>40718456
>>40718482
Writing.

(Was already writing but apparently I forgot to say it here.)

“Yes it's me, are you alright?” You ask.

“Y-Yes. I’m me again. It felt-“ Her regular voice is suddenly cut off as her stare goes blank and her body loses all tension.

“Are you the idiot who gave Project Argus alcohol?” Milly says in a neutral tone. You’ve heard it before, when the whole deal was explained to you.

“Oculus Primus? Sir, is that you?” You ask.

“That does not matter. Did you give her alcohol?” Milly asks again.

“Well, we had a drink last night, and Milly did indulge a little.” You begin, but you’re cut off by Milly before you can continue.

“How can those morons not factored this in… Never mind. Weston was it? This unit will be unavailable until tomorrow morning. Now we’ve found the source things should be a bit easier to sort out. Do not give her any more alcohol until she tells you that she has been given an update. Leave her now.”

>1. Leave like he/she/whatever asks.
>2. Ask something before leaving.
>3. Write in.

>>40718562

>Does this happen everytime one of them drinks? How do you lads prevent that from happening in the control group?

>>40718562
>3
That's a long time sir, I have need of her advise right now. Can't you wait a few minutes?

This feels like talking to windows when it wants another update

>>40718613
They probably thought that all the units would be too uptight to drink.

>>40718562
>Leave

>>40718645
Hah! What a bunch of nerds, the design team.

Poor Milly. She deserves better than that.

>>40718621
Actually, that's a fair point.
I wonder if the Oculus Primus will have anything to say on this supernatural entity.

>>40718621
>>40718671
seconding. Oculus Primus is pretty much THE person to talk to about higher dimensional beings bent on devouring our reality.

>>40718613
>>40718621
>>40718645
>>40718667
>>40718671
>>40718691
Writing.

“That's a long time sir, I have need of her advice right now. Can't you wait a few minutes?”

“The whole system is down. You can’t get much useful out of them right now anyway. Just let us do our job, Weston.” Milly/the Oculus Primus replies.

“Sir, this is urgent. No doubt you’ve been following up on the reports she’s been giving concerning the reality warps?”

Milly/the Oculus Primus sighs. “Very well Weston, I’m a busy man, but I’ll see what I can do.” She looks at you expectantly.

“Something was in my room this morning. It opened the window and I think I saw a glimpse of it when I woke up. I suppose you’re familiar with Wooster, considering the little row with my father?” As Milly nods you continue. “He didn’t notice the window had opened until I pointed it out. He normally knows everything that goes on on the grounds.”

“So you mean to say that this reality warping entity entered our world, came into your room, and then left when you woke up? Surely it would have little reason to run from you if it’s that powerful.”

“It might not have been trying to kill me. In the vision I had during Operation Daybreak-“ You start, but you’re interrupted by a gesture of Milly.

“Vision? I haven’t heard anything about this. This unit didn’t sync information properly, and the last record of her activity is her accessing a record of…” There’s a short pause, just long enough for someone on ‘the other end of the line’ to look something up. “Maelstrom psionics?” There’s surprise in Milly’s voice.

“Yes sir. I had a vision when fighting the vampire, in which 5 other people talked to me. I think that those 5 and me form the 6 resisting the reality warper that I talked about with Milly before.” It still feels weird talking to Milly about her. “One of them warned me that it had entered our world and his sentence was cut off, but I think he said it wanted to learn more about us.”

There’s a long and uncomfortable silence. Over a minute goes by before Milly starts talking again. “And you think you six are maelstrom psions?”

“That’s what the man said, yes.”

“I see… We have some record of the being you’re talking about. We think. It amounts to an Abyssal scaled up to world-proportions. Our spies during the Fae wars managed to get some information from their libraries and they mentioned something about their home dimension being devoured by a creature like this. It never said anything about them fighting back against it.”

Again, an uncomfortable silence follows until Milly speaks again. “I will need to know what these other five looked and sounded like so I can track them down. If what you say is true and you six are the only ones that resist it, we’ll need all of you.”

>1. Agree. Describe what you remember about the five people in your vision.
>2. Ask something else before you decide.
>3. Refuse.
>4. Write in.

>>40719159
>1. Agree. Describe what you remember about the five people in your vision.

>>40719159
>1. Agree. Describe what you remember about the five people in your vision.
[Paranoia intensifies]

>>40719159
>1. Agree. Describe what you remember about the five people in your vision.

Encouage him to bring Daddy Weston into the loop too, a few more brains working the case can't hurt.

>>40719159
>1

Writing.

>>40719159
>Agree, but make sure they don't go in mob-handed

>>40719369
Honestly I doubt anything in our reality is capable of making a maelstorm psion do something against their will.

>>40719397
The Order has a habit of being THE authority. Plus, with the vampire war going on, we don't want to get those five involved in it.

You agree, and describe the people you saw in your vision to the best of your ability. Sadly, it’s not very good, though for some reason you know that the asian part-human girl spoke Korean, and the old man spoke Russian. You suppose psychic brain-to-brain contact facilitates communication a bit. The greeting was spoken in Afrikaans, but you’re not sure which one of the 3 other people said it.

“It’s not much, but I’ll see what we can do. Keep us up to date through this Unit Weston, we’ll let you know if something important comes along.”

“Maybe involving my father and the Cerebrum could help?” You carefully suggest.

“Hah, like I’d ever involve that prick again. No Weston, I do things my way. Goodbye.”

And with that, Milly’s eyes focus again, and she falls backwards into her bed.

“Sir?” Her weak voice calls out.

“I’m here, Milly.”

“I’m scared.”

you carefully come closer, and when you get into arms-reach she suddenly grabs your arm with both of hers and squeezes strongly. Suddenly there’s not much of the apathetic girl you knew left, and are instead faced with a scared young girl. You wonder how old she really is. “C-could you stay? Please?”

You check your watch. 6:55 The rest of the team will have stopped working by now, and will start dinner soon. Your date was at 8.

>1. Stay with her until she falls asleep. She seems to really need someone with her now. You can call Helena to move the date
>2. Stay with her until you leave for your date.
>3. Tell her you’re sorry, but you can’t. The Oculus Primus did tell you to leave her alone until tomorrow.
>4. Write in.

>>40719558
>2. Stay with her until you leave for your date.
>4. Write in.
Bring Katherine in to help her when we have to leave

>>40719598
second this

>>40719558
>1. Stay with her until she falls asleep. She seems to really need someone with her now. Can call Helena to move the date

>>40719558
>1. Stay with her until she falls asleep. She seems to really need someone with her now. You can call Helena to move the date

>>40719598

>>40719558
>1. Stay with her until she falls asleep. She seems to really need someone with her now. You can call Helena to move the date.
"Occulus Business, sadly."

Write in
>Call Dady Weston and set him on the Maelstrom Path discreetly. Tell him to look the word up in a dictionary.

>>40719655
I'd rather not get dear old dad involved. It'd get political, even if it's be helpful to have him around.

>>40719558
>1. Stay with her until she falls asleep. She seems to really need someone with her now. You can call Helena to move the date

>>40719712
Since Daddy Weston and the Occulus Primus are somewhat rivals, I think it's political anyway. Get all three branches of the Order aware of the problem, before some smug bastard begins a pissing contest with a headstart.

>>40719598
I like.

>>40719598
>>40719626
>>40719653
>>40719819

Stay until date

>>40719643
>>40719649
>>40719655
>>40719749
Stay with her.

Tie. I should have known. 5 more minutes before I call a tie-breaker, or is this something you'd want a final destination over?

>>40719764
If we tell everyone what's going on, they might start fighting eachother rather then researching this situation. If we get everyone involved, we need a way for everyone to benefit politically.

Basically, let's ask Edward.

>>40719598
I'll second this, and now I gotta head off to work, thanks for running Sup.

>>40719558
>>1. Stay with her until she falls asleep. She seems to really need someone with her now. You can call Helena to move the date

>>40719558
>1. Stay with her until she falls asleep. She seems to really need someone with her now. You can call Helena to move the date

>>40719946
>>40719936
>>40719923
>>40719845
Calling it here. Posts after this one are no longer counted.

“I will.” You take out your phone one-handedly and send a text message to Helena.

“Sorry for calling it off like this, but some oculus business got in the way sadly. Move it to tomorrow?”

A few seconds later you get a reply. “K. cya then.”

It’s a bit awkward, but you lay your arm around Milly as she pushes herself closer against you. For a moment you just sit there in silence, but after about five minutes she starts talking.

“I feel so alone. I’ve n-never had this before. They’re all gone. So… Empty.”

“You mean your sisters? You’re not connected to them now?” You ask.

She nods. “They’ve always been there. Always helped me think things through. Helped me deciding what to do.” You realise that this is most likely the first time you see the real, unfiltered Milly. All the other times, every action was subconsciously guided by her sisters. Without a sort of hivemind of 99 other girls backing her up, she seems to be a regular girl, maybe even a teenager you guess, taking a closer look at her.

She doesn’t seem to be calming down, and trying to move away a bit more immediately triggers her squeezing you harder. You can’t imagine what it’s like. She’s always had scores of her sisters with her all the time, and now in an instant they’ve been taken away from her. The sudden isolation must be crushing for her.

>1. Ask her age.
>2. Ask about her sisters and her interaction with them
>3. Try to get some food for the two of you and tell the others you’ll be busy for the evening.
>4. Ask or tell her something else (specify).
>5. Write in.

>>40720221
>3
But stick along for a bit first. She's having a hard time

>>40720221

>Make smalltalk until she drifts off to sleep
>Try to get some food for the two of you

Although if she's not actually tired maybe she could come to common room instead? Make her feel she's not alone, even if it's not in the way she's accustomed to.

>>40720221
>1. Ask her age.
>2. Ask about her sisters and her interaction with them
>3. Try to get some food for the two of you and tell the others you’ll be busy for the evening.
>WI. Ask Katherine to bring the food.

Captcha: Sushi. Fits.

>>40720307
I don't think it'll help... She'd be surrounded with people asking what's going on.

>>40720317
But this does sound better. Seconding

>>40720317
>>40720399
Writing.

>>40720221
>1. Ask her age.
>2. Ask about her sisters and her interaction with them
>3. Try to get some food for the two of you and tell the others you’ll be busy for the evening.
Get Wooster to bring it, Katherine seeing us spooning might not be the best idea.

>>40720221
>3. Try to get some food for the two of you and tell the others you’ll be busy for the evening.

>>40720539
>Get Wooster to bring it, Katherine seeing us spooning might not be the best idea.

That does seem to fit nicely. I'll add that.

>>40720612
Do you really want to deny us our expert in teen angst?

>>40720686
Do you really want to deny us sp...
right...
No matter how I say it, this will come out wrong

>>40720686
Best to ask Milly if she wants company.

>>40720686
>>40720736
>>40720739
Fair enough. Asking Milly it is.

>>40720739
Seeing how she holds on to us, the answer should be obvious, but I know what you mean.

“So how old are you actually?” You try to keep her mind occupied, and honestly, you’re just damn curious. It seems to take a few seconds before it registers in her mind though.

“How.. Old? I-I’m nineteen, though I don’t know my birthday. My first handler gave me a little birthday present on new year’s day, even though he was forbidden from doing so.” A small smile appears from reliving the fond memory. “The ones after that never did though.” The smile vanishes.

“And your sisters, how do you…” You look for a decent word for a moment. “Interact with them?”

“They’re just there. A soft presence in the back of m-my mind.” For a moment she looks like she’s about to cry again. Great job, Michael, bringing up her sisters like that.

“And like, if you want to do something but you’re uncertain about it, how does that work, do they straight up talk to you?” You try to salvage the situation. She does seem to like explaining things, and the more mechanical parts of the interaction might keep her busy.

She thinks for a moment, the budding tears drying before they’re let out. Seems like you made the right choice. “If I’m uncertain about something, they feel it, and I get a sort of… Push in the right direction, though ‘push’ is really not an accurate word in this context. The exact s-science behind it is a bit hard to explain, and it’s still being studied. It’s a bit of an unintended side-effect from the whole project.”

She rambles on about exact details, and you let her get into as many mechanical details as she likes. Even if you don’t understand much, it keeps her busy. She doesn’t seem to be tired, but eventually you hear your stomach rumbling and interrupt her.

“Milly, you haven’t eaten today, and I’m getting hungry as well. Would you mind Katherine bringing us something to eat?”

“S-sure.” She looks uncertain, with a short flash of emotion you don’t entirely recognise on her face, but she nods slowly.

You send a message to Katherine telling her that Milly has had a bit of a breakdown and won’t let you go, after which you ask her to bring you both some food.

A few silent minutes later, Katherine knocks on the door and you tell her to enter. You just hope she doesn’t get the wrong idea from the way you’re sitting next to Milly. It’s not very compromising, but someone could still interpret it the wrong way.

Katherine is her diplomatic self though, and silently brings you the food. Milly seems hesitant to get up, and even more hesitant of letting you go, but eventually does. Katherine looks at her worryingly and speaks up softly. “Would you like me to stay?”

The answer comes very fast in the shape of Milly turning her head from right to left a single time.

“I’ll let you be then.” She says, while signalling to you that she’ll keep her com at the ready if you need anything.

Even while eating, Milly tries to move close to you, and it’s getting a bit uncomfortable.

>1. Confront her about it.
>2. Let her be.
>3. Write in.

>>40721039
>>2. Let her be.

>>40721039
>3. Write in.
"Sneaking up to my plate like this won't do you any good." Make sure it's understood as a joke.

>>40721039
>2. Let her be.
I'm not going to lie I'm a bit curious if we could link ourselves into the hivemind (or just milly for now). I don't really see much point in it but I am curious.

>>40721039
>2. Let her be.
What did the primus say? "This unit will be unavailable until tomorrow morning"

>>40721154
I believe he meant Milly will not be included in the hivemind until a software patch is implemented. This would make her "unavailable" to work in her official capacity.

>>40721078
>>40721130
>>40721152
>>40721154
Writing.

>>40721193
I meant two things with my comment:
1) This means she'll be like this until tomorrow morning. Prepare for a long night because I don't think she has ever had a night completely alone for so many years.

2) While I do not encourage it we can also consider that tonight she is available in a different way. Not encouraging it however, seriously...

>>40721193
My guess exactly. It'll probably unzip while she sleeps.

I would prefer if this update left her personality as devrloped as it is, though. A backup to factory standard would be cruel on both her and us.

You let her be. She’s having a tough moment, and it’s the first time you’ve ever been able to experience the real her. Milly opening up like this might be a step in the right direction to make her fit in.

The moment her food is done and she put it aside she grabs ahold of your arm again. Not as forcefully this time, but it still inhibits your eating. There’s no time like the present for learning how to eat with only your left hand.

Once you’re finished eating you put down the plate as well and Milly lays down again. She’s still not letting go of your arm and is in fact positioning herself so her body presses against you closely. You’ll have to endure the awkwardness a bit longer. Her breathing is slowly becoming less irregular, but you don’t figure she’s ready to let you go just yet.

You start up some small talk again to keep her distracted, but you notice she doesn’t go as in-depth as before, and things die down a lot faster. You have to restart the conversation a few times, each time having to think harder about something that could keep her busy. A lot of it is work talk, but you haven’t really had conversations with her about anything else before.

“So do you think that there really is something different about me physically then? Something that sets me aside from regular psions?”

It takes a moment before she says anything, but when she does, it’s really not what you were expecting. “Do you like me?”

Uhhhh what? Do you like her? “Of course I like you. I mean, you were a bit hard to talk to at the start, but it’s a lot better now.” You smile at her.

“No, I mean, do you LIKE me.” She sits up, letting go of you and looking you straight in the face. She looks a bit like she normally does again, with a straight, serious face.

>1. Yes I do. (truth)
>2. Yes I do. (lie)
>3. I’m sorry, not like that.
>4. Write in.

>>40721518
>3. I’m sorry, not like that.
You're like a little sister to me.

>>40721518
>3 I'm sorry, not like that... not right now...
Damn Milly, I would've been going on a date with Helen, what kind of a man would I be if I would simply "switch" like this?

Well that escalated quickly

>>40721623
Oh god anon, that's just downright evil.

>>40721518
>4. Write in.
"Well, I am indeed sitting here and keeping you company on my own free will..."

>>40721518
>>4. Write in.
"Well I certainly don't hate you, but I don't think I know you enough to say yes."

Writing.

>>40721755
>>40721755
Should work well together

>>40721755
Second. This is the first time we've interacted with her in a non-business setting.

And when someone is this emotionally vulnerable, that is the WORST time to talk about this stuff.

>>40721518
>>1. Yes I do. (truth)

>>40721824
Yes. I imagine that post WOULD work well with itself.

>>40721755
This.

>>40721824
did you mean these two perchance anon?
>>40721755
>>40721676

>>40721862
They work in perfect harmony with one another

>>40721755
Yeah, this is probably the best answer to our... issue

>>40721862
I recognize my failure and pledge to better myself.

>>40721703
And
>>40721755
Should work well together.

For a moment, you’re stunned. It takes you a few seconds before you can formulate a response. “I-I’m sorry, I don't think I know you enough to say yes.”

“I see.” Is all she replies, her gaze breaking contact with yours and falling downward. For a moment, there’s silence.

“Do you want to be alone?” You carefully ask her.

It takes a long time before she replies. “I think so. Thanks for staying with me.” Her face is hidden by her hair, but she’s obviously distraught. Still, you respect her wishes as quietly leave the room. You wanted to pick up the plates from your dinner, but it seems Wooster had already taken care of them. She doesn’t move a muscle as you pass through the doorway.

Outside of her room, you check your watch. 10:44. You’ve been in there for quite a while. You feel tempted to go to bed a bit earlier than you normally do.

>1. Go straight to bed.
>2. Go to the common room, try to relax for a moment.
>3. Talk to someone (specify).
>4. Write in.

Mental note: Should we get the chance, I would suggest sending two messages when Milly is not watching (and this conversation is over).

One towards Katherine: "Milly made a move, I did not abuse the situation but that's where we're at. We should talk about her situation tomorrow."

One to Helen: "I despise the oculus... oh wait... I despise almost all oculus. Can't wait till tomorrow"

>>40722068
>2
And while relaxing:
>>40722076

>>40722076
Why would we despise the oculus?

>>40722068
>Talk to Katherine, she needs to have an eye on Milly.

I have no idea if this evening will persist in Milly's memory after the update, but if it does, it might get awkward. Better have Team Mom ready to intervene.

>>40722121
We do not despise the oculus, we're simply going to blame them for not showing up at our date.
It's a lie but not completely a lie right?

>>40722068
>2. Go to the common room, try to relax for a moment.
>>40722076
Don't text Helen, but telling Katherine about what happened would be a decent idea.

>>40722146
Addition, follow >>40722076 and contact Helena.

>>40722158
seconding.

>>40722103
>>40722185
Contacting Helena,

>>40722146
>>40722158
>>40722253
Not contacting helena.

Writing. Probably last post of the day.

>>40722121
Because that's some fucked up mental conditioning to pull on 100 young girls.

>>40722316
Their job is to defend all of humanity. Some sacrifices are required no matter how distasteful. IC we've acknowledged this back when we first learned of the project.

You head down into the common room. Raphael is reading a tome and Katherine is sitting a bit further away reading something on a tablet. You sit down next to Katherine.

“Milly made a move on me. I didn’t abuse the situation but that's where we're at. After I said no she wanted me to leave. She’s alone up there right now.” You tell her.

“She- Wow. I sensed some hostility towards me earlier, but I didn’t think…” Katherine frowns. “I was beginning to wonder if that girl actually had any emotions. I suppose that solves that riddle.” She sighs.

“Could you keep an eye on her? There’s some Oculus stuff going on and I’m not sure if she’s going to remember tonight. Regardless, I’d feel safer if you were there to catch her if she falls.” You tell Katherine. She nods.

You read through a bit of mail. Nothing too interesting. There’s some operation reports of Operation Daybreak, but just skimming through the first one reveals that you really don’t want to read through those right now if you want to improve your mood. “Number of operatives deployed: 8. Number of fatal casualties: 6”

Definitely not light reading material. You switch over to a novel, and read for a bit longer. Eventually, you go to bed, bidding Katherine and Raphael goodnight. She nods back to you, but Raphael is too absorbed in his tome to notice.

>Thanks for sticking around. This evolved a bit differently from what I expected, but sometimes characters just write themselves, you know.
Next thread might be tomorrow, otherwise monday. I’ll have to double-check my planning but it’s possible I’ll be able to run every night from now until Thursday.

>>40722487
Uh, the laws the Order follows are quite clear on sentient rights. While this project helps the Order, if the Order distorts itself to be more powerful, it will be less-able to defend humanity.

Ultimately, to defend humanity, you have to defend yours as well.

>>40722487
We may accept it as necessary, but that doesn't mean we can't despise it.
It's part of being human. Tentative approval.

>>40722519
Also, I forgot:
>Katherine: success: +5%
>Liam: 90+: +10%
>Blake: Failure
>Nathan: 90+: +10%
>Raphael… He rolled 1, 100, 80. I’ll let that count as a 90+ and leave it at that… +10%

>Security room is finished.

>>40722519
Goodnight supervisor! thx for the thread.

>>40722547
I'm with you on that, sure they're doing what's necessary but once there are better alternatives, that shit has to go.

>>40722537
I disagree. As shown in the very first thread The Order gives quite a bit of leeway on the way the Vindicator Primus acts to the point of shooting a surrendered wild mage. This is not a step beyond their normal actions.
>>40722547
Point. In fact I'd argue that as long as The Order finds the act distasteful it is on the right path.

>>40722671
In the first thread, that team leader lied, most-likely because they didn't want us getting credit for saving both. It's a case of corruption and murder over political power. So while I think certain things may need to be done, they'll need to be done because there is corruption and people haven't done their fucking jobs.

>>40722519
Thanks for the thread OP, it was fun!

>>40722519
Thanks for running, Supervisor.

In light of this discussion, I'd just like to mention that it's a bit of a public secret in the Vindex that the Oculus isn't always very... strict when it comes to ethics. It's frowned upon, but politics are a precarious thing, and the Oculus still helps a lot so it's tolerated as long as it's kept from the public's eye. As in, from most of the civilian part of the Cerebrum.

>>40722948
Its about ethics in human cloning

>>40723046
the problem others have about it is a more fundamental one. Oculus is currently reprogramming and constantly monitoring 100 teenage girls which could be seen as unethical. Personally I'm wondering why they chose such a easy to be offended by route with it. Had it been 30-40 year old men the knee jerk reaction would have been milder.

>>40723133
The problem is that they had to start the training from birth.

>>40723133
>>40723190
the problem is they are treating literal people like things.

which is admittedly something government or para-government or management in general does often, but not quite so callously.

>>40723234
That's literally what Human Resources is. Humans in a corporate setting are tools and you need to keep them in good order for them to function properly. Mistreating an employee worsens his productivity just like mistreating your drill/knife/computer lowers its expected lifetime, safety and productivity

>>40723133
>Had it been 30-40 year old men the knee jerk reaction would have been milder.
They said that the units had to be grown. They're not trained.
So it's 100 girls or 100 boys, aged 19 since that's how well the bodies were grown. They could have accelerated the growth to look 30-40 years old, but that would just reduce the amount of time that the units would be able to function for no good reason.