Closed Paths

[rekindledtitan]

Blaze hasn’t been around the Plaza much of late, keeping her Nexus visits to brisk strolls through less well-protected areas. Areas she’s less likely to run into familiar faces. But today the Exo Guardian teleports straight in, the signs of recent battle marring her armor as she pulls off her helm and looks around. After a moment, she exchanges a glance with the tiny silver bot floating at her side, then strides over and parks herself on the nearest sturdy bench.

“Ever feel like you’ve learned more than you could have imagined and still wound up right back where you started?” It’s the first frustrated question that comes to mind. She shakes her head at it.

“Never mind. How do you ground yourself when you need to get your head straight?”

That's an easy one. She has an abundance of questions today, and to her unease most of them aren’t ones she feels free to share.

Comments

[chiron_survivor]

"So the Traveler united them... or at least, was the motivation to unite." She idly plays with the fringe of her scarf, thinking over Blaze's words. "I don't know what would happen if we met any aliens in our universe. Or if the Cylons met them first."

Adia frowns a little, but it's not directed at Blaze. "Well... yes, and no. They can get sick, but they aren't as diverse genetically as humans are. I mean, because there are so many copies of each model, and only seven models. They could be more resistant to illness, too. They're stronger than us, physically." It reminds her of some research that she had been working on at some point, but the moment is forgotten.

"Is it close quarters, in the City? That increases the risk of epidemics. What sorts of animals are spreading disease? That isn't a problem so much for us anymore."

[rekindledtitan]

"I think that'd put your differences into perspective pretty quick, either way. A truly alien mind is a whole different league to one that's just neohuman," Blaze muses out loud. "That isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. We were lucky back then that the Traveler didn't think anything like we were used to." Paranoid, xenophobic humans with godlike power? It doesn't bear thinking about.

"With diversity that low they'd be pretty vulnerable if they did meet a serious plague. But I guess they could just correct their immune systems and run off some new bodies." Blaze shakes her head. "Hnnh. Even if it's just physical, it must be lousy not to get your own face. Can't be healthy."

There's no saving some people, though. The City is much easier to help. "I, uh. I'm not sure. Seems like they've got plenty of open space inside the walls, but the residential areas are pretty built-up." Blaze rubs sheepishly at one of her antennae as she admits, "Never been down to take a look personally. I know they've got cattle, sheep, donkeys. A lot of birds. Oh, and dogs." She remembers one in a picture!

[chiron_survivor]

"I'd never considered that... The Cylons seem so foreign to me, but you're right, we have more in common than an alien mind." It's an oddly optimistic thought. Too bad no godlike alien sphere is about to swoop in and save the day, in her universe.

"You all don't look the same?" She asks Blaze curiously. She frowns to herself at what Caspar or any of the Cylons must think when they see their own face on somebody else. "I've never heard any of them complain about it."

"Oh, I see." Adia nods knowingly. "Domesticated animals are huge vectors for disease. A flu strain can mutate within an animal population and then jump to humans fairly easily."

[rekindledtitan]

Blaze shakes her head, in answer to the question. "I've never met another Exo who looked like me. Or like any of the others. Suppose it might have been easier back when there were more of us running around, but I'm confident we never had simple copies. Would've been a nightmare trying to tell everyone apart. Guess you could make people wear badges..."

"It's probably normal to a Cylon. Perhaps they don't see it as a problem."

"They will when the humans keep mixing them up." Silly, silly Cylons. Visual identification is important!

"Right. I guess that's one reason some of the old bugs managed to stick around so long. The Consensus, who run the City, they seem very tough on public health. Kinda have to be."

[chiron_survivor]

"They're able to tell one another apart," Adia says quietly. "I don't think they care if we can." SHe worries her lower lip briefly before adding, "Caspar's models like to wear suits. That's what I see most of them in, anyway. Caspar never wore a suit. The fanciest thing he owned was a sportcoat."

She smiles briefly at Ghost. It must be nice to have a constant companion who can offer his own perspective. "What about you?" She asks him. "Do Ghosts look different? Do you.. um, socialize with other Ghosts?"

"They mutate so quickly," Adia says, referring to viruses, "The immune system can't keep up." She sighs. "Honestly, I wish we could be tougher when it comes to disease. The Saggitarions distrust modern medicine, and other people don't take vaccinations seriously. Or hand-washing. Which -- we still have clean water, we might as well take advantage of that."

[rekindledtitan]

"Hmmm. I still think that'd get old fast." Aside from the hassle of getting mistaken for a few hundred other people... Blaze has had a taste already of being unable to recognize her friends. She finds herself no happier at the thought of them being unable to recognize her. Her attitude lightens at Adia's last remark, though. "Hey, that's good. Maybe you'll be able to pick him out more easily. Get that talk you want."

Ghost hesitates a little bit before answering, as if being asked such a question takes him off-guard. "Well... we all start off looking like this. Over time many of us acquire more distinctive shells, just as our Guardians earn their personal gear." His shell spins for a moment. "I... do speak with other Ghosts from time to time, especially if we're friends with their Guardian too."

"Some of the others have nicknames too," Blaze volunteers. "Ghost here just never settled on one he liked."

As for the issue of contagion... both bots blink at Adia in shock. Blaze sounds completely dumbfounded as she echoes, "Don't take them seriously?" Squint, squint. "The Hive-ridden hell? Why wouldn't you- they don't want anyone else to die, do they?"

Yup, looks like the highly advanced war machine is broken. Without humanity even trying.

[chiron_survivor]

"I don't think he'll still be wearing his Virgon University sweatshirt," Adia says with a small, sad smile. More brightly, she adds, "That's good to know that you're one of a kind. I won't mistake you for anyone else... well, unless an alternate of yours shows up in the Nexus."

She hopes she didn't commit some sort of social gaffe by asking Ghost her questions, but she didn't want to leave him out of the conversation. "I never liked having a nickname, either," Adia says. "But you're able to tell one another apart, right?"

She cringes visibly at their reaction, even though she knows that they aren't blaming her. Still, it's hard not to take responsibility for all of humanity when there are so few of them left. "It's more complicated than that," she says, a touch defensive. "Many people lost their vaccination records when the colonies were destroyed. Their biggest concerns now are getting enough food to eat and keeping their shelter from collapsing in a heavy rain. We try to run as many clinics as we can, but it's difficult to get to everyone."

[rekindledtitan]

"Ah. Heh. No. I don't think that'll be a problem. Seems like the problem around here is more often the same people showing up with different faces." She's been hit with a few too many LOLs; Blaze doesn't even want to think about an actual alternate showing up. "Why, have you ever met an alternate version of yourself?"

Ghost doesn't seem to mind answering, for what that's worth; even his surprise is wearing off as they talk and he relaxes a little. Blaze is trying her best not to interrupt her shy partner. Adia seems quite safe to talk to, after all.

"Oh, yes. And once we've bonded with a Guardian, they can recognize us too. Other people don't, um, need to as much." He flexes his shell in what looks like uncertainty before he ventures, "Do people often try to nickname you? It doesn't seem necessary."

Blaze seems taken aback when Adia flinches like that. "Hey, relax. I'm not mad at you. And I guess you've got a point about your priorities. I just don't understand why people wouldn't be on board with precautions like handwashing when the situation's so critical."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia shakes her head. "No, but one of the first people I met in the Nexus warned me of the possibility. Although I was never concerned with running into an alternate of myself as much an alternate of someone else."

Being incredibly shy herself, Adia is happy to hold a conversation with Ghost at his comfort level. "Are you always with Blaze, then?" she asks curiously. She shrugs a little at his question. "Some people use it as a way to show closeness, but my name doesn't shorten easily, so it sounds strange to me."

"Sorry." Adia murmurs, relaxing her posture. She smooths out the wrinkles in her scarf and adds softly, "People are trying to take care of themselves as best they can. When you're constantly under attack, certain things can fall by the wayside."

[rekindledtitan]

"Ah. Yeah. I see how that'd be disturbing." She wasn't lying when she said she hasn't met an alternate of any friends, but she knows something about that kind of experience nonetheless. "Especially with where you're coming from. Better if it's just one face, one person."

"Always. Or depending on how you look at it, she's always with me." That gets a chuckle from the Titan. "Shortening your name wouldn't make a lot of sense, I agree. Besides, it's a nice name."

Blaze nods slowly at Adia's words. "That old survival instinct, I guess. It just isn't easy, thinking of people suffering when it could be prevented. There's no room for error in situations like ours."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia smiles gratefully. Blaze gets it. "It's not the same situation, obviously. And I've overcome some of my other fears, here. But I'd rather know who I'm talking to."

"Thank you," Adia says, flattered. "I hope you find a name you like."

"There are people who are worse off than me." Adia shows Blaze her hands -- clean, but the fingernails are cracked. "Surviving means different things to different people."