[ System v0.81 Loaded ]
[ Welcome to Enkoet, $USER — Good luck! ]
[ $ ]
[ $USER: Stop! ]
Finally! Nat saw his last word show up like the other voice. Well, mostly.
He still couldn't see or hear anything though — the ethereal words aside. He also couldn't feel his tongue. Or… his hands, or his feet. Proprioception wasn't giving him anything but some vague floating disembodied feeling.
[ Moira: Hello? Are you awake in here or was that from between reboots? Let's fix up that local username either way. ]
“What's going on?” Nat tried again. It didn't write itself out though and no sound came out.
[ Moira: What the — hey did you read that and try to respond? I barely just sent that. ]
Nat responded with a “Yes” but that didn't show up either. This was more than a little frustrating.
[ Moira: I'm watching the link status now and I see an activity spike. Okay quick note on communication — don't try to actually speak with your mouth. Just talk in your head with your 'inside voice', but, and this is the important part, when you think the words, try to think them 'at' something over, or above you. Fun fact, Bat Brin report having to look down under their feet! I'll just keep working while I wait. ]
Well, Nat was nothing if not persistent — he tried again, “Hello?”
[ Moira: Hey! You really are aware in here! Wow! I'm not seeing anything yet, so I'm guessing you're trying to figure out how to use the system chat. Try again. Don't think of answering me, think at the system — we're not talking directly, our conversation is being relayed through the system. ]
Nat tried for something like, “What is going on? Where am I? Who are you? What are you doing?” — he did not succeed.
[ Moira: Hmm, still nothing in chat yet. I'm going to assume it's the usual what is happening, who are you, what are you doing to me. Keep trying, though. I'll explain while you practice! ]
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
[ Moira: We'll start with introductions to be polite — I'm Moira — like it says up there on the left! Hi! ]
[ Moira: What I am doing is the next — I am currently performing some apparently long-overdue system maintenance, as I have been granted provisional authority to resolve a problem with your system installation. ]
[ Moira: As for what is happening in general — it seems you're having a medical issue, a system issue, or both. Possibly related. Oh no, I have to say this, apparently. Ahem. As an assistant, I am not qualified to provide medical advice, and if you believe this is an emergency you should immediately seek out qualified medical care. Whew. Okay well I'm sure you'd do that if you could. Anyway, back to explanations — I think you've got a system interaction issue that looks aggravated by an early childhood traumatic brain injury that your trait tried to fix. Emphasis on tried. ]
[ Nat: System? I don't have a system. Also, granted? By whom? ]
[ Moira: Hey you got it! That's great! Also is it irony that's the first real message that came through, or is it because you were thinking about the system? These are the questions that make life interesting. ]
[ Moira: Anyway, regarding your system — it was true, from your perspective — you lacked a system interface. But you've got that now, assuming this remains functional, which it seems like it might? But you have always had a system — or — and I think this might be part of the problem, two, and they're conflicting. I'm fixing that now! As for granted — by AMA of course! ]
[ Nat: Okay, you missed one of my questions though — where am I? ]
[ Moira: Where are you? That's a strange one to ask. You're laying on the ground? In the gardens. Of Bell House. Are you experiencing memory loss? ]
[ Nat: That's not what I mean. I meant this… non-space that I'm in. It's similar to waking up from an episode. I can't see, hear, or feel anything. ]
[ Moira: Hmm. I'm honestly not sure. Let me check a couple of things in realspace — one moment please. ]
Nat tried to look around — but there was nothing to look with — and what's more, there was no front, back, or sides. He did have a vague feeling of up, somehow though — Odd, that. Whatever this place was, if it was a place, he wasn't embodied. It felt more like a dream in that regard — a mind with no concept of physicality.
[ Moira: Hmm. Well, I have no eyes to see with, but Lyn has to be touching you for me to have access, so I'm sure you're still there. This is probably a construct of yours, or made for you. We'll circle back to that one later. ]
[ Nat: No eyes? ]
[ Moira: Hold your other questions, please, I have to do something time-sensitive. I'm going to warm boot your system, it's probably going to feel a little weird — you'll be back in just a minute! Don't worry! ]
Should the system-chat chapters, which will happen from time to time, use normal dialogue quoting, bracketed format, or something else?
