sirenspull | 002: Video

[It's Saturday morning and Bruce's NV is propped against something to show him seated with a cup of something (tea, considering the string and tag hanging over the cup's lip) in the foreground. People move behind him, some holding cups of coffee before they take seats out of the camera's view. Looks like he's at an outdoor cafe. It also looks like he's found a charity that offers clothes to the poor and/or new arrivals because he's wearing a slightly dingy pale green button-down shirt with the cuffs rolled up over his forearms and a couple of buttons left open at the collar.]

Hiring in Siren's Port doesn't go the way it does most other places, does it? I couldn't give the panel at Siren's Port University my CV and published papers for examples of my work, but a few days of filling white boards with equations seems to have done the trick. It's much faster than hiring back home, too, but I guess there's a lot of turnover around here.

In addition, I'm offering my services as an after hours tutor while the days are long and until I go home, whenever that may be. If you need help with math or science up to the post-graduate level in most disciplines, contact me [he leans forward and swipes his fingers over the display, and a link appears at the bottom of the video screen] and we can make arrangements.

In the meantime, I'm at Cafe Bijan, and there are a few people who have been helpful to me since I arrived that I would happily buy a coffee. [He smiles, and the humor is meant mostly for himself and maybe one other person.] Unless you don't drink... coffee.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You're new here too?

No. I have been here long over a year. This is my second teaching position.

[Because working for AGI sat wrong with him, especially when he found out he couldn't learn anything unless he climbed their ladder. Something he wasn't willing to sacrifice his morals for.]

Then I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you if you've learned anything about the Core or if you know anyone who does.

I have not about the technology. There was one I would tell you to ask, but he has died and not returned, unfortunately.

I have learned that the Core is fickle, malicious, and cares not for the honor or feelings of those it toys with.

You sound like you're attributing sentience to the Core?

Sentience is too... strong a word. Consciousness. Rudimentary at best, but yes, I believe it is there.

What gives you that opinion? You're the first person I've spoken with to go that direction with it.

There are many that say that it is random.

However, it is also predictable. Every other month, it brings in more. Some of those that die are brought back. It pulls those with powers, or grants powers to those that are brought here.

How can it tell the difference? There are some worlds that are sparsely represented, yet there are others who have many here.

There are too many coincidences and random acts to not subscribe a consciousness to it.

I'd be more likely to ascribe a consciousness to someone manipulating the Core than to the Core itself, but you have much more experience of life here than I do.

I would do so as well, but no one, not even the best intelligence agent, can hide so thoroughly for such a long time. Someone would eventually find out.

That's predicated on the idea that a controller has to be on this island at all.

The diverse nature of the powers, including the differing strengths, would point to them having to be on the island. Otherwise, they would outrank the King of Heaven and I cannot imagine such a thing.

I dont see how that follows logically.

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