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[thisisontherecord]

action ✦ call ✦ text

modified from CHRISCODES

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[solarson]

i was just upset with the last mission and how we couldn't help the people of mesa and then with the notes that were provided on the network with theories about everything. i wanted to know echo's reasons and said if echo needs help with trying to save peoples worlds that they need to speak up and tell us because working together almost always has better results than shouldering it all alone. but she just kept saying echo is echo when i kept asking things like that.

[thisisontherecord]

It is frustrating, and you're right. Working together has better results than shouldering everything alone.

For what it's worth, in my conversations with Aurora, I don't know that she's allowed to say anything other than Echo is Echo. Without access to the fellow bubble cities like these and the AIs running them, we can't compare 'results' across them, if there are any. Having the mathematics and the journal entries from those months back only gives us insight into a personal journal effect of what's happened from their point of view, or what they assume continues to happen, or is or isn't worth trying.

We need to keep trying whatever we can. Next time, we can see if we can drag anyone back. We may not have the current ability to save everyone, but we sure can work on saving anyone.

[solarson]

how are we supposed to even trust or believe echo when they could be nothing more than the man behind the curtain and not the great and powerful oz like they're making themselves seem?

[thisisontherecord]

We don't trust it. And we're judicious in what we believe.

I believe there are universes collapsing in on themselves.

I believe that Echo existed at some point. I'm not convinced they still do.

I believe Aurora has hard limitations coded into her she can't circumvent.

I believe Aurora gives us more when we play twenty-million questions that allows her to circumvent some of that hard coded limitation.

I believe that Aurora would, if asked, eliminate all of us on Echo's perceived order.

I don't believe there's any one entity so powerful it knows everything. Echo isn't a god. Echo, if Echo still exists, may as well be Oz behind the curtain, trying to grasp at handles to project the image Echo wants to believe of itself. We're all on the other end of those handles.

So let's keep looking beyond the curtains to see what else is in the room. And what's in the world beyond that room, to keep running with the metaphor. Because I also believe that Echo at some point made the same mistake Oz does, staying stuck in their own space focused on their ideas of what's happening. That Greek monster who was here during the bad weeks with the fog, Scylla or whatever he went by, may as well be the Wicked Witch saying look, what if there's another way? We need to keep asking that too.

[solarson]

( he's glad his mom likes his wizard of oz comparison. he thought it was clever! )

aurora told me she cares for all of us and doesn't want anything bad to happen to anyone here. she even delivered me birthday presents. i know we can't always assume the worst in others because that's unrealistic and unfair to do. but i'm still not sure about her.

[thisisontherecord]

( it's a good one! plus now she knows what movies he's probably watched. )

I do believe she genuinely cares about the people here. I also believe she can't, for any number of reasons, protect us the ways she might say she wants to.

For what it's worth, Jon, I don't believe Aurora has all the answers. I don't think she's even holding them back from us — I think she genuinely doesn't know.

[solarson]

well that's frustrating.

[thisisontherecord]

You've said it best. Wish there were a clearer path forward, but I've pretty much gotten it down to, stubbornly don't stop seeking.

[solarson]

we can't.

[thisisontherecord]

Exactly. You've got it, kiddo.

[solarson]

thanks, mom.

[thisisontherecord]

You're welcome, Jon.

And see if you can convince Damian to enjoy some of that cotton candy once you're both in the amusement parks when they're open.

[solarson]

yeah he's a stubborn guy.

[thisisontherecord]

Debatably a good thing you are one too.

And the debate is mostly how this is going to be when you're a teenager, for the record. If you're anything like me, and you definitely are, we're in for a ride.