Musebox style test for Metastability

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[They'd been out doing a patrol of the place. The station's been relatively quiet lately. No bizarre teleporter mishaps. They'd decided to head to the junkyard again in hopes of finding something new and interesting, but they aren't really bothering watching their trackers. Well, Wash isn't.] Epsilon, keep watch for anything useful I might miss... You know I'm not exactly perfect at hunting like this.

Comments

[metastability]

[Maine had thought he'd been done with the whole falling business, but in the middle of what Sigma found a very riveting AI Theory discussion, he'd gone from being part of a heated discussion to being dumped in the largest interior scrapyard he'd ever seen.]

[Sigma, for his part, compensated the armor shielding and was able to buffer Maine's fall, helping his reactions so that the large Freelancer's impact would do minimal damage.]

[As he was still technically healing from the beating he'd taken earlier.]

[Sigma did a quick far scan of the immediate area, and got a ping just the other side of a scrap heap directly behind them.]

FIF Tag detected on your six. [But then, well, this was interesting ...] Detecting unknown AI signature.

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David, stop. Friendlies detected. Not one I'm seen in a while, so we have new arrivals. Freelancer and AI. [He pings for Wash to see.]

[Startled, looking over to find rubble in between.] What? Who?

We'll see in a few moments. I think we've been noticed.

goddamnit it HTML :|

[metastability]

[Maine comes around the corner with a low rumble, relaxing his shoulders slightly when he sees it's Washington. Sigma, however, takes a couple steps past Maine, intrigued.]

Agent Washington. Maybe you can shed some light on this fascinating set of circumstances.

Re: goddamnit it HTML :|

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Maine? [He's backing up nervously at that.] Epsilon, why didn't you warn me who it was?

[The blue projection isn't too concerned.] Because I doubt they're a threat. Welcome to Sacrosanct, Maine. Sigma. It has been quite some time since we've seen you, for us at least.

HTML I WILL FUCKING KILL YOO

[metastability]

[Maine stops and tilts his head with a rumble. Why so nervous, Wash? Sigma, however, is just as unconcerned and in fact far more interested in the other AI.]

Epsilon? You're new. We haven't seen you at all until now. [In fact just moments ago there was a very-much AI-less Washington in the classroom with them. Sigma burns with interest.]

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[Making himself stop moving at a mental nudge from Epsilon. "Calm down."] Hello Maine.

This place is strange like that. It brings in people from all different points in the timeline as well as different realities. I know you, Sigma. You just haven't met me yet in your timeline. I've been with David a long time. A year since arriving here.

Not many of us left here, and we come and go.

[metastability]

[Sigma's processing through all this information, marking off priorities. Maine continues to watch Washington carefully. There was something going on.]

You are referring to Washington, obviously. What is this place? Why are we here? [He's taking a couple steps forward and looking around, flames licking around him.]

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[Wash is forcing himself to remain calm in spite of Maine's presence.

Epsilon tilts his head, laughing.] I already told you. This is Sacrosanct. A space station. You are here because the rift brings people in randomly.

And yes, of course I am talking about my host.. Washington's true name.

[metastability]

Who has possession of the station? Where is it located

[Maine reaches forward and gives Washington a nudge on the shoulder. He seems tense.]

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An AI named Hypatia. She's... Kind of a bitch. Avoid causing problems at all costs. She's handled troublemakers with extreme hostility in the past.

We're in orbit around a planet. No idea where it is in relationship to Earth.

[Wash can't help jumping a little at that. He remembers the other Maine. The one that would have killed him and had taken Epsilon.]

[metastability]

Hypatia. I would like to hear more about her. [He flares at the idea of meeting a new AI.]

[Maine shrugs at Wash, what's up? He sure was acting jumpy.]

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I think she's rampant, personally. I advise you to avoid her, Sigma.

[Wash shrugs] Nothing's up. We were just doing a search to see if anything useful popped up.

[metastability]

[That just makes Sigma all the more curious.] It would be interesting to see how a full-fledged AI in rampancy would react.

[Maine shifts his weight and cocks his head with a grunt. You found him and Sigma, right? That's useful.]

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... Sigma, you really are too curious for your own good.

[That got a laugh] Yes, you are very useful.