channelfourty - Tumblr blog

[channelfourty]

Welcome to FourtyMART, your one-stop-shop for some real goofy bastards, at equally goofy bargains!

FourtyMart - Independent Multimuse RP Blog by @transitpresident - Multifandom - Semi-Selective - Lit to Semi Lit - 18+ Admin

Rules, extra info, and characters below the cut.

FourtyMart is a warehouse home to a handful of colorful characters that you- yes, you!- can potentially interact with! Here's a few! (Images still in transit from our distro center...) CHSR GT#40 - he/him/his Ground Telecom Unit #40 - Channel Fourty Showrunner The face and main physical workhorse of Channel Fourty, CHSR does his job with style, quality, and a smile on his face. As an android built for the purposes of television journalism, he’s perfectly engineered with all aspects of that task in mind, especially his “top-of-the-line” social skills, which grant him a friendly disposition, a curious nature, and a kind desire to help others, especially if all strangers are just future friends. This loyal hard worker sticks to his allegiances and his work, always toting around his equipment should a prime opportunity to create content arise. Despite his high-tech nature, he still does have a lot to learn about others, the world around him, and himself, all of which he’ll discover through the viewfinder of his cameras and the lenses in his eyes. Tanfour - he/him (she/her determinant) Kevin Fouris-Tan - Fouris Variant #35 - early 20s A mall-based wasteland fixer from the SF Bay Peninsula with the tenacity, spite, and gay audacity to do whatever he can set his mind to, for better or for worse. With a well-stocked collection of questionably-acquired goods, he distributes, trades, and otherwise sells weapons, vehicles, garbage, knickknacks, and information. He claims to be able to sell anything- which may or may not be true, and whether or not you'd actually like to buy what he's got will depend. Other than be the guy offering you a steal for a crate of corned beef, he’s known to be resourceful and he’s got a knack for making things work- old cars, computer rigs, fashion statements, blatant lies- even if they do end up being held together by twine and duct tape. While he’s decent enough to tolerate in passing, it’s only up to you if you’re willing to stick around for his smug and mildly sleazy attitude, bad and snappy comebacks, ill timed pop culture references, and blunt personal statements. (Note: Tanfour's got a handful of AU variants, including but not limited to the realms of Valorant, TF2, Overwatch, and Cyberpunk 2077. See below for more fandom info.) Mols - she/her/hers 2017 Tesla Model S P100D From a far-future world where cars have outlived humans and have taken on humanoid-android forms, Mols is a laid-back, clever Tesla with a love for lazing about and enjoying the simple things in life. Despite her usually calm nature, she is prone to sparks of excitement- and she's quick in more ways than one. Quick to call things out as they are and even faster to run away from trouble thanks to her swift acceleration speeds, she's the queen of "if it sucks, hit the bricks'. President Tanner - he/him (she/her determinate) Jason Carson Tanner - Tanner-Markov Variant #14 - late 30s The 'eternal president' of a small, heavily militarized but extremely glamour-coated nation-state, President Tanner is a mostly-benevolent leader of his tech-forward and economically successful light-cyberpunk country. Though polite, he's known publicly for having a bit of a fun side, as he very much indulges in his assorted vices and is known for being more approachable than most world leaders- but under his layers, there is no doubt an ability for cruelty and a swath of dark secrets. His words are weaselly, sweet, and long, but all to hide the true meanings of what he has to say.

For now, this is our current selection- but as we stay open, new arrivals will be available in-store! Before grabbing your cart, your membership card, and gearing up for free samples and bargain hot dogs, please go over the rules of our establishment!

Rules

- Please don't hassle me for any responses. Turnaround time will vary due to my fluctuating life.

- I aim for literate and semi-literate responses and prefer not to do one-liners. Length will sometimes matter depending on what you give me, so I'll either match length or just do what I can. If you don't give me much to work with, I may not be able to give a longer response

- No unreasonable "godmodding", if for the sake of your plot, you need my characters to go somewhere or do something, that's fine, but don't just make him do things that I haven't made him do. "Unreasonable" is at my discretion.

- If I am uncomfortable with something, I will contact you, and you should do the same! However, I still do reserve the right to end communications if I feel the need to do so for my own well-being, with only a follow up message afterward.

- "Dark" or suggestive topics aren't off limits, but please communicate this to me beforehand and I'll decide on a case-by-case basis. Any suggestive situations especially must be outlined explicitly beforehand (and don't even think about it if you're under 18.)

- If you want to stop RP, no problem. Just let me know.

- Multiship is allowed! Just talk with me- but I have many characters that would like to have a relationship build over time, rather than just have an instant ship.

- Feel free to PM me either here or @transitpresident if you want to plan things out or ask questions or give context, anything really! If you want my discord contact or want to RP there, PM me for more details. Multifandom/Crossover Info - Many characters have alternate versions, some even specifically tailored to certain fandoms. CHSR, Tanfour, and Prez especially have these, so if you reach out to RP with a character from a fandom- we can arrange for an AU version of them to meet! And even if they don't have one for your source, I don't mind interacting at all! Current Familiar Sources (off the top of my head) [* indicates there are alts available]

Overwatch*

Valorant*

Cyberpunk (2077/Edgerunners/RED)*

Pokemon*

The Stanley Parable

Portal

Splatoon*

Evangelion

Detroit: Become Human*

Houseki No Kuni*

And more! Just PM me! Plus, I have variants that are just generally compliant for specific settings, like modern ones, fantasy, etc. Feel free to ask! Thanks for reading through, and enjoy your time here at FourtyMart! - The Manager

[channelfourty]

"I see!" Forty nods his head and notes the text written on all of the whiteboards, capturing full snapshots of them just in case he wanted to read those later- maybe they held more context regarding his situation or at least some tidbits of info that could prove useful- but for now, he was to continue on the path outlined for him. Miss Thursday had plans for him after all, and he gladly only wished to comply.

He exits the room and once again, only notes the broom closet and heads toward the stairs.

"Hop, skip, jump," Forty mutters to himself lightly, repeating the suggestion verbally a couple times. They were Thursday's words- so would there be any harm in trying those out? He stops his timely march upward, and looks down at his feet. Mustering up the force in his legs, he makes one hop onto the next step, then the next, and then the next.

"Oh!" He grins up toward the ceiling. "Like this?"

Having discovered the thrill of the hop, he holds a hand to his chin and thinks for a moment. Skips, jumps, the natural successors to the hop- he ought to give those a shot. With a little more vigor, he skips over two steps- only wobbling the landing enough that he sticks his arms out to adjust his balance. He giggles and skips another couple of steps before reaching the last five steps, to which he decides to take his biggest risk yet.

Facing the final leg of the staircase, he lowers himself, moves his arms back, readies his knees, takes an intake of air... and leaps up over the last couple of steps! He lands onto the end of the platform with an only-slightly-clumsy flourish, and laughs as he walks into the lobby of the boss' office.

"A hop, skip, and a jump! What fun! Where to next?"

channelfourty​:

With a wide-eyed smile and a determined nod, Forty adjusts his glasses, pushes his antenna back upright, and pulls up his waistband. “Affirmative, Miss Thursday!” He waits for a moment to process her orders, the indicator light on his face spinning yellow before he performs a quick facing movement to his left before continuing on. He walks through the hallways of the empty office, noting the locations of objects, doors, but no people before reaching the room with the two doors. His mapping systems note the location and presence of the door on his right, but with a half-face to the left, he pays the other option no mind as he passes through the left door and down the hall, eventually into the meeting room. He stops here and registers the room before looking back up.

“Is this room of any current relevance to the task, Miss Thursday?”

Thursday watches Forty’s progress through the hallways, through the doorways, and past all the closed, abandoned offices of the former employees.

She feels good about this. She has reason to believe that he is going to really enjoy the room she’s about to show him. If it weren’t for the fact that visitors walked through there regularly during story runs, she’d give the room to him - let him use it as his personal space if he liked. Perhaps she could build a new room inspired by it for him, if he was inspired enough by it. It’s been a while since she created a new room, and sometimes they don’t always take for reasons she truthfully does not understand, but it could be time now.

Let’s see what he thinks first, she tells herself.

While she observes, she notes how quickly and easily he is going along with what she says. Cyrus would have really liked this guy, if he’d bothered to stick around long enough to get to know him and see him in action - after all, the older Narrator has an affinity for characters who tend to follow his narration without any deviations.

Once Forty reaches the meeting room, Thursday addresses him again, “Only inasmuch that you are required to walk through it to get to your final destination, Forty. Great work! However, I’d like you to know that if you are ever curious about your surroundings, you may feel free to explore and ask questions if you like!”

“That said - Once Forty concluded his business in the meeting room, he continued out the door opposite from where he entered. From here, it was just a hop, a skip, and a jump away from where he needed to be - and he might even do those three actions should he feel so inclined! Why not? It was a lovely day for hopping, skipping, and jumping. Maybe even leaping, who’s to say. Round the corner and past the broom closet - which was a popular hang-out spot for Protagonists, with its brooms and other cleaning supplies - up the stairs, and to the boss’ office we go!”

[channelfourty]

CHSR smiles as he goes on.

"Oh! Well, Channel Fourty is MiriAi's premier network for official news, information, and entertainment as sanctioned by the Department of Communications. I ended up here by accident- so as they say, I'm making butter out of cream with the circumstances. Disconnected from the network, I'm chronicling some of my time here and the good people I come across! It's all just so fascinating!"

He shakes Rex's hand firmly- maybe a little too firmly with the strength of his machine hands.

"My designation is Ground Telecom Project Unit Number Forty, Channel Fourty Showrunner and Broadcast Lead. A pleasure to meet you, Mister Sovereign!" CHSR mentally notes the name of his new subject. "I don't know if I would call what I'm doing a documentary- more of a... living record not necessarily intended for distribution. I'm just so curious about things here, is all. Do you mind scooting just a tad to the left?" He says, peeking through his viewfinder.

@channelfourty started an interview

“Okay, let me start this off by asking you to explain why there is a fucking camera in my face.”

The newest interviewee CHSR had managed to snag was less than enthusiastic to go along with his request. He didn’t seem as pissed off as his tone would’ve suggested but he kept eyeing the camera with either suspicion or disdain - or a mix of both.

“Who are you even broadcasting to? There’s no signal in this godforsaken hellhole, unless you’re Narrator-sent. In which case…”

Rex glowered at the camera with a significant portion of annoyance, pulling his trusty hunting knife out from a hidden sheath, waving it in front of the lens.

“If any of you British fucks are hearing this, the next one to try and narrate me is going to end with this lodged into your vocal chords.”

[channelfourty]

With a wide-eyed smile and a determined nod, Forty adjusts his glasses, pushes his antenna back upright, and pulls up his waistband.

"Affirmative, Miss Thursday!" He waits for a moment to process her orders, the indicator light on his face spinning yellow before he performs a quick facing movement to his left before continuing on. He walks through the hallways of the empty office, noting the locations of objects, doors, but no people before reaching the room with the two doors. His mapping systems note the location and presence of the door on his right, but with a half-face to the left, he pays the other option no mind as he passes through the left door and down the hall, eventually into the meeting room. He stops here and registers the room before looking back up.

"Is this room of any current relevance to the task, Miss Thursday?"

channelfourty​:

“Ooooh-heheheheee!” Forty hops up in his seat and claps his hands twice at such an idea. So many new people to meet and chat with, games to play and things to taste, and books! Maybe being here wasn’t going to be so bad after all. “I certainly can’t wait to try all the things you have lined up for me, Miss Thursday! I’ve never had such a wide opportunity to partake in new activities myself! Usual job protocols involve surveying, recording, and inquiring- intervention is saved for dire situations. Even on festival days, I’ve got to keep my eyes on the ground and behind the viewfinder- for obvious reasons. Say, Miss Thursday, have you anything in mind for the present moment? Now that you’re temporary commander- I have no need to wander around without aim any longer!” He gets out of his seat and equips his camera bag once more, tightening the straps with a determined expression.

Thursday is excited right along with Forty, clapping her hands and cheering and carrying on and everything.

Cyrus is on his cot with his pillow over his ears.

“Oh, so you’d like to get started right away, eh?” she says.

She wasn’t really expecting that, although she supposes she should have - this new character had been built for taking and following orders, after all. Well, she’s pretty good at giving orders, even if they aren’t meant to be bossy.

Speaking of being bossy, that’s exactly where she wants to take him first. The boss’ office. She was sure he’d appreciate the look of it, with all the fancy decor, the deep, warm colors, the piano, the books, and the rest of the space. There was even a globe in there for him to learn about her world - or, well, what she supposed was her world, even though she had never seen any of it outside of the offices. It would be perfect for him to use for his filming stuff too, she thought.

“All right, Forty. Here’s how this works. I, as a Narrator, will of course narrate for you. At times I may also speak to you directly, like I am now. I think you’ll really appreciate the place I have in mind for you!”

“Anyway. You ready?”

And then she begins to narrate for him: “Forty wanted to check out his new - hopefully temporary - home. He had no way of knowing exactly how large this office was, and perhaps the answer to that was mindboggling, so it was easier for him to explore one space at a time. Why not make it the boss’ office? The boss was no longer in the office - and neither were any of the employees - so it would be perfectly safe for him to venture there. With this in mind, Forty took the hallway to his left and followed it to wherever it was going. And then… when Forty came to a set of two open doors, he took the door on his left.”

[channelfourty]

CHSR grins back at Val- genuinely- and positions his hand in a casual salute.

"It's quite nice to meet you, Mister Connelly! My designation is as follows, Channel Fourty Showrunner and Broadcast Lead!" CHSR pauses for a moment, completely still as he recalls what he's supposed to say. "I'm not from 'around here', as you may or may not have deduced, but I'm doing a story on Night City for Channel Fourty. My primary goal for this trip is to see if Night City really is the City of Dreams, or if it's right to be ranked as one of the worst urban places to live in the modern world. It's a very good job to have, I want to find out just as much as the rest of the Channel does!" He tilts his head from side to side in excitement, his antenna wiggling along. "Learning about the people of Night City is also quite fulfilling! There is so much to know. You said you were a merc- a mercenary? An independent contractor of varying jobs that require a combination of physical, intellectual, and combat ability, right? What's that like?"

"Hullo, hullo!" A young-ish looking man dressed half in red and half in blue waves a microphone about. "If I may stop you for a moment, what's your favorite and least favorite thing about Night City? Is it really as bad as virtually everyone else outside says it is?"

For Val from @channelfourty

The voice startles him for a brief moment, his gaze turning to the source to see CHSR. As if Val wasn't already annoyed by his mere existence in the world, the waving of the microphone in front of his face is only adding to his frustration. His eyes are full of daggers as he keeps his gaze pinned on them-

But then he realises, he's being interviewed. He'll be on TV- or broadcast over the airwaves or something. Whatever the case, someone will hear him, and he adores being heard. Val pricks himself up, standing upright with a glamorous smile and glistening eyes.

"Well- I absolutely adore Night City!" He cheerfully spoke, flashing his broad grin at him. His voice sounds fake, like what you'd expect a chat show host to sound like. "The people are interesting, the food's good, the night light is just..." He pauses for a moment to kiss his fingers. He does it in such a flamboyant way that it definitely seems as though he's acting. "You see, there's never a dull moment here, which makes every single day just as thrilling as the last." He's shuffling his shoulders around as he speaks, his eyes sparkling with joy as he continuous his overly eccentric behaviour.

"I honestly can't think of anything bad!" He lied through his enchanting smile. It never seemed to falter for even a moment. "You just have to know how to handle yourself to make it here- otherwise, it's like a walk in the park!" He flashes one final smile, blinking sweetly at CHSR.

"How was that? Was that good?"

[channelfourty]

CHSR watches Val in awe, eyes wide at his words and animated gestures. He's not seen anyone as expressive as this fellow yet in his foreign journey. CHSR goes to clap his hands- but remembers he has a microphone on hand and instead opts for a couple blinks of his shiny lenses.

"Wow, sir- that's got to be the most one-hundred-percent stellar review of Night City yet! I thought that the international press would have been proven right in a landslide- but nope! You're the first individual I've spoken with to not have anything bad to say about this place, congratulations!" CHSR tucks his microphone back into its holster on his belt, as the indicator light below his eye turns from a bright red to a cool blue. "You're a one in a two-hundred-and-twenty-two, sir! Oh!" CHSR nearly jumps in place. "I never did ask for your name, age, profession, residence, political or corporate affiliation, marital status, SIN number- well, uh, I think for this trip's purposes, I should only be asking your name- but still! How unprofessional of me, I do apologize!" The android's hands stick to his sides as he makes a quick and snappy bow at a exactly ninety degrees. "What's your name? You know, so that I may cite your shining review to the correct source."

"Hullo, hullo!" A young-ish looking man dressed half in red and half in blue waves a microphone about. "If I may stop you for a moment, what's your favorite and least favorite thing about Night City? Is it really as bad as virtually everyone else outside says it is?"

For Val from @channelfourty

The voice startles him for a brief moment, his gaze turning to the source to see CHSR. As if Val wasn't already annoyed by his mere existence in the world, the waving of the microphone in front of his face is only adding to his frustration. His eyes are full of daggers as he keeps his gaze pinned on them-

But then he realises, he's being interviewed. He'll be on TV- or broadcast over the airwaves or something. Whatever the case, someone will hear him, and he adores being heard. Val pricks himself up, standing upright with a glamorous smile and glistening eyes.

"Well- I absolutely adore Night City!" He cheerfully spoke, flashing his broad grin at him. His voice sounds fake, like what you'd expect a chat show host to sound like. "The people are interesting, the food's good, the night light is just..." He pauses for a moment to kiss his fingers. He does it in such a flamboyant way that it definitely seems as though he's acting. "You see, there's never a dull moment here, which makes every single day just as thrilling as the last." He's shuffling his shoulders around as he speaks, his eyes sparkling with joy as he continuous his overly eccentric behaviour.

"I honestly can't think of anything bad!" He lied through his enchanting smile. It never seemed to falter for even a moment. "You just have to know how to handle yourself to make it here- otherwise, it's like a walk in the park!" He flashes one final smile, blinking sweetly at CHSR.

"How was that? Was that good?"

[channelfourty]

CHSR only blinks, still keeping a small smile on his face. This looks like it's only halfway sticking to him.

"I can't tell you all the details about how I function, Esteemed Sunny, that would be divulging of state secrets and surely treasonous in nature, and I would never! But... I think I somewhat know how to answer you now." CHSR stands back up straight and smiles. "I am... experiencing existence and interacting with the world and individuals around me. I am gathering and processing data and coming to conclusions and speculation supported by evidence and making decisions based on what I know. Is that a sufficient answer for you?"

Was this a sufficient answer for CHSR himself? Nobody's ever asked him if he was alive before, he simply found himself living one day and never looked back. Perhaps it would suffice for now.

Open TSP-aligned Starter!

Somewhere in the office, one of the monitors began to rapidly flick itself on and off, before rattling over it's desk. Inexplicably, a TV test card shined across the screen before bending and distorting outwards. The bright colours extended out around two sickly grey arms that clawed their way onto the desk. A face slowly began to tear itself out of the screen- but, between it and the arms, the body quickly got stuck trying to climb through the small screen. One and a half eyes searched over the room of the office, yellow irises eventually settling on some poor stranger who'd been there to witness it all. The arms stopped their struggling before extending a hand to the person.

"Um. Hey. Little help?" A static-filled voice asked.

[channelfourty]

CHSR keeps his arm outstretched- maybe he just needed to be patient, most people shake hands when greeting each other, right?- and tilts his head at Sunny's question.

"I... I am not sure if I do know what you mean. Apologies!" With that, CHSR's outstretched hand snaps back to his side as he leans down for a quick, but full ninety degree bow before jerking himself back upright. "If you mean that I am live right now- live as in broadcast- I am not, there is no signal in this building as far as I'm aware. Other than that- I would need to know the criteria to be considered 'alive'. Please understand- I've never been asked such a question before."

Open TSP-aligned Starter!

Somewhere in the office, one of the monitors began to rapidly flick itself on and off, before rattling over it's desk. Inexplicably, a TV test card shined across the screen before bending and distorting outwards. The bright colours extended out around two sickly grey arms that clawed their way onto the desk. A face slowly began to tear itself out of the screen- but, between it and the arms, the body quickly got stuck trying to climb through the small screen. One and a half eyes searched over the room of the office, yellow irises eventually settling on some poor stranger who'd been there to witness it all. The arms stopped their struggling before extending a hand to the person.

"Um. Hey. Little help?" A static-filled voice asked.

[channelfourty]

"Well, uhm- the camera isn't literally in your face!" CHSR chimes from behind the lens as he adjusts a series of settings on the mounted camera. He peeks out from the side and smiles at Rex as CHSR points to his wide, shiny eyes. "I'm the one here with a camera in his face. Two, actually!" He grins and doesn't blink for a moment, maintaining eye contact with Rex for a slightly-less-than-socially-acceptable amount of time.

"Anyways- I'm not quite broadcasting at the moment, you are correct that there's no signal in this complex, and definitely not anything like the current FTSC standards that I can work with, so I'm sticking to pre-recorded content for potential distribution later. I just have to work with what I have!" He squints over a few sliders and adjusts them before looking into the viewfinder. "Resourcefulness is quite important in the world of television!"

CHSR tilts his head and smiles a little at Rex's knife wave and threat.

"It's not on yet, sir. I'll be sure to inform you once it is, okay? As for who I'm sent by- well, I'm definitely not sent by any Narrators. We don't really have those where I come from, but apparently they're a one-in-six-box prize around here! But if you aren't interested in the limited chase variants- then you'll be fine with me since I am not officially affiliated with any. Just don't stab the camera, please! That counts as interference with Channel Fourty broadcast equipment, and you may have to suffer the consequences of harmful interference, especially if it's physical. Anyways!" CHSR steps away from the camera and stands up straight next to it as he looks to Rex. "Any questions before we start rolling- Oh, and I'll need your name again, please!"

@channelfourty started an interview

“Okay, let me start this off by asking you to explain why there is a fucking camera in my face.”

The newest interviewee CHSR had managed to snag was less than enthusiastic to go along with his request. He didn’t seem as pissed off as his tone would’ve suggested but he kept eyeing the camera with either suspicion or disdain - or a mix of both.

“Who are you even broadcasting to? There’s no signal in this godforsaken hellhole, unless you’re Narrator-sent. In which case…”

Rex glowered at the camera with a significant portion of annoyance, pulling his trusty hunting knife out from a hidden sheath, waving it in front of the lens.

“If any of you British fucks are hearing this, the next one to try and narrate me is going to end with this lodged into your vocal chords.”

[channelfourty]

"Ooooh-heheheheee!" Forty hops up in his seat and claps his hands twice at such an idea. So many new people to meet and chat with, games to play and things to taste, and books! Maybe being here wasn't going to be so bad after all. "I certainly can't wait to try all the things you have lined up for me, Miss Thursday! I've never had such a wide opportunity to partake in new activities myself! Usual job protocols involve surveying, recording, and inquiring- intervention is saved for dire situations. Even on festival days, I've got to keep my eyes on the ground and behind the viewfinder- for obvious reasons. Say, Miss Thursday, have you anything in mind for the present moment? Now that you're temporary commander- I have no need to wander around without aim any longer!" He gets out of his seat and equips his camera bag once more, tightening the straps with a determined expression.

channelfourty​:

“Now these are all things I can answer!” He sets his camera bag aside on the floor and rolls up his right sleeve, exposing more of his black carbon-fibre-and-titanium body to the light. Seams within his arm are highlighted in a metallic red and blue, indicating the points of movement- yet there are more of these accents along his forearm than one would assume should be. The question of what these are is quickly answered as his eyes light up (literally) for a moment as the panels shift open and out, unfolding to reveal a large metal blade with a faintly glowing edge. Despite the large, scary knife-thing now protruding from his unfolded arm, Forty only smiles. “In the event of a short to medium distance threat that I cannot escape or otherwise de-escalate without apprehending the aggressor, I’m equipped with dual stealth jump blades with a heating element that can reach temperatures up to two hundred-and-thirty-two degrees Celsius,” he says with pride. “I have another in the other arm as well!” He holds his arm out and rotates it for a moment in the light before retracting it back into a closed state and rolling his sleeve back down. “I also keep a nine millimeter Eira Arms military grade smart pistol in my thigh compartment for long range defenses.” CHSR grins wide, clearly excited to show off his fancy, scary toys to his temporary commander- but he jolts up and stammers out of his excitement. “O-of course these are only mandated for use in dangerous situations where I have no way out. I’m sure that there won’t be any of those here- I have been informed that the aftermath of violent altercations can be quite the hassle to clean up after and I have no intention to inconvenience you!”

With that out of the way, Forty takes his seat again and moves into Thursday’s next question.

“In regards to my world… I haven’t seen all of it! There is a wide, wide world out there, but what I do know is that I am from MiriAi, an independent country of the west coast of Forsenan! Surrounded by its bay and the edge of the Garante Ocean, it’s all quite wonderful. The water reflects well upon the skyscrapers that make up the majority of the urban area. I think it’s the most beautiful place in the world! The people of MiriAi are very civil and understanding, but there can be a select few that aren’t very nice, but I’ve yet to fully encounter any. Oh! And how could I forget! Mister President! He runs the country and keeps all of us safe- with some help, of course. That’s where I come in. As the lead of Channel Fourty, I provide information, entertainment, and connection to the people of MiriAi for their benefit! I like my job quite a bit- well, I was made for it after all, so it’s no wonder I’m good at it. It’s great to talk to people, ask them things, and show off! I learn so much! Aren’t people just so interesting?”

“Let’s see… I don’t really read books, mostly scripts if I really really need them, but not often. I’ve never eaten mint chip ice cream! I don’t need to eat, but I’d like to! Can I eat? Guess there’s only one way of finding out. Ooh, that’s a new idea for a segment- ‘Tasting Things’, how educational! Hobbies… my job? Oh, and games! I don’t much play games anymore, but back in my Orientation days we played many games! I liked ‘Assign and Find’ the most! Back then, we had a whole town just for us! Sensei or Professor would present us a picture of someone in the town, like the mail lady, or the bartender, or the grocer, and it was our task to locate them! The harder version would be one of the townsfolk and we had to search for them and surprise them without being initially detected for a silver star on our records. Perhaps I wasn’t the best at the game, but I always enjoyed talking to everyone after I found them.”

Now, Thursday has seen many interesting things in and among the offices. A nine-foot-tall death god; a shadow man who lives in her computer; a virus-turned-human; a man made out of polygons; a man who shoved a can of soda into his face; a man with glowing eyes who could hover off the floor; a giant humanoid robot with a rainbow computer screen emoji face; and a scary Pikachu man. So the sight of the man now before her who appears to be some kind of android or otherwise manufactured being is not a shock to her, or even a surprise.

No, the shock and surprise is the fact that he is harboring two horrifying deadly weapons within his arms, positioned and hidden beneath a perfectly warm, friendly smile.

The fact that he is also carrying on his person a firearm doesn’t even really register to her.

…Needless to say, she’ll be having that talk with Austin at the soonest available moment.

“Ahahahaha, wow, Forty! You sure are packing some heat there!” she says, impressed in spite of her concern - not in the fact that he has the weapons, but by the fact that he may eventually come to a point where he’ll need to use them. Well, she’ll do all she can to ensure that doesn’t happen. “Looking at you, I never would have guessed, and I’m sure no one else will either. All right. I believe you when you say you’ll only use all that when necessary. I mean, you do what you need to protect yourself, leave the aftermath to me, and that’s that, all right?”

She eases significantly when he moves on to the next subjects. It isn’t often she meets someone as verbose as she is and it excites her and further piques her curiosity for sure.

“Oh, but how can you say it’s the most beautiful place in the whole world if you haven’t seen the whole world, Forty?” she laughs. “Ah, I’m kidding, just kidding. It sounds really wonderful! I’ve never seen anything like any of that. All I have ever seen are these offices. Well, no, that’s not 100% true - I do have ways of going to some worlds outside of these offices, but not often.”

“I think you’ll fit right in here, though! I mean, at least until we can maybe, hopefully, some day find you a way back home. Until then, there are all sorts of interesting folks you’ll likely meet here. And I’m sure plenty of them will talk to you at great length about themselves if you ask. Particularly some of the Narrators, like me - they usually love to talk. Of course there’s always the chance you’ll encounter one who doesn’t like to talk so much,” she says, clearing her throat while she turns around and gives Cyrus a pointed look. But Cyrus is too busy lying down on his cot and facing the other direction to notice. “And in any case, you can of course always talk to me as much as you like. I love talking, and I love listening! You are 100% correct, Forty - people are interesting!”

Her jaw then about hits the floor. “Ahhh, you don’t read books?! Okay, okay, nobody panic! Forty! I’ll get you some books as soon as I can! I’ll try to manifest in as many as I can remember in enough detail! See, I can bring in objects, but with limitations - I obviously can’t recreate a book I’ve never read before. Or I’ll see if one of my other friends can get them for me and get you started reading right away. When you read, you can go anywhere, do anything, be anybody! At least let me give you one book to read and if you like it enough, I’ll get you some more. What do you say?”

“…Are you going to be getting him one of your lovely horror books, Thursday?” Cyrus grouses from where he is lying down.

Thursday ignores him. Of course she isn’t going to be showing books full of horrific things to this sweet and innocent camera man down in her office! …Unless he turns out to be into that genre as well, and then HAPPY DAYS for her.

“Also, yes, yes, of course you can eat! I mean, as long as your physiology can handle it, I’ll bring you all the foods I can for you to try. And you can do your whole ‘Tasting Things’ thing down in the, ummmm- oh! The boss’ office. Nice and professional in there. Or! The employee lounge, if you prefer someplace a bit more laid back. Wherever you like - I’ll give you a tour of the whole office some time, too.”

“Now, this ‘Assign and Find’ game sounds like a lot of fun! Kind of like hide and seek, but in reverse. Maybe we’ll play some time, eh? Not that I have a lot of pictures of people, but maybe we could do it with objects.”

She’s already getting story ideas for him. It’s only a matter of time before she is narrating for him and sending him off on little treasure hunts like with the Stanlurines. Oh it fills her with such joy to imagine. Hopefully Forty will be up for it after he’s had some time to settle in.

She can’t resist sharing her excitement with him: “We’re going to have so much fun here, Forty!”

[channelfourty]

"Oh, that's great! I was saying, that, uhm... to quote the disclaimer written in fine print here-" CHSR points to a series of sentences on his harness next to a warning symbol. " 'Channel Fourty, its affiliated parties, and parent entity are not responsible for any damages, injury or death caused by outside interference with broadcast equipment.' See!" CHSR points both fingers at the person. "You are 'outside' and you are 'interfering'!" He then points one of his fingers at his own face and grins. "And me- I'm 'broadcast equipment'! If you were damaged, I don't know if there would be much in terms of compensation outside of any help I could be." He shakes his head with a sheepish smile.

His shy expression is soon wiped off his face as he perks up. "Channel Fourty? Channel Fourty is MiriAi's premier television channel, providing information, education, and entertainment through television broadcast frequencies!" He puts up a new finger as he lists off the purposes of his network, before flicking his wrist around with a flourish to render a loose salute. He stands like this for a moment with a grin before returning to a resting stance to continue his pitch. "And I'm Ground Telecom Project Unit Forty, Channel Fourty Showrunner and Broadcast Lead! Bet you can't guess what I do at CH40- just kidding." He pops a hand outward toward the victim of his spiel for a handshake with a smile. "What do you call yourself?"

Open TSP-aligned Starter!

Somewhere in the office, one of the monitors began to rapidly flick itself on and off, before rattling over it's desk. Inexplicably, a TV test card shined across the screen before bending and distorting outwards. The bright colours extended out around two sickly grey arms that clawed their way onto the desk. A face slowly began to tear itself out of the screen- but, between it and the arms, the body quickly got stuck trying to climb through the small screen. One and a half eyes searched over the room of the office, yellow irises eventually settling on some poor stranger who'd been there to witness it all. The arms stopped their struggling before extending a hand to the person.

"Um. Hey. Little help?" A static-filled voice asked.

[channelfourty]

In CHSR's wandering of his new retro-corporate surroundings, (they were at least retro styled to him-) he'd taken a bit of a rest in a presently unoccupied office- the door labeled with "404" having been left open. The android hadn't thought much of this room, save for some curiosity around the coffee cans strewn about the floor and the hint of whiskey in the air, but his attention became drawn to the once still monitor on the desk.

CHSR hovers close to it, intently watching it shake and flicker, his eyes stuck to the first sign of sentience since he'd awoken in this strange complex. He becomes even more intrigued at the appearance of the test card- an image familiar to him, what with his career in broadcasting being his only life's purpose. CHSR blinks and tilts his head.

As arms and a face begin to reach out from the screen, CHSR steps back and rolls up a sleeve, unsure for the first time whether or not this is a threat, but pushes forward once more as the figure in the monitor gets stuck, their yellow eyes meeting his chromatic optic lenses.

"Ah! Sure thing!" CHSR takes the figure's arm in both of his machine hands as he musters up all the strength a state-built surveillance device could and yanks with a great force, successfully pulling the figure out of the monitor. However, he finds he's most likely overdone it a tad as they nearly come into contact with the wall behind them. He reaches out to the figure.

"Oh, oh no! I sincerely apologize for the excessive force used in ejecting you from that device- are you damaged, in distress, or otherwise not up to optimal function? Regretfully, not all damages can be covered by Channel Fourty, unfortunately."

Open TSP-aligned Starter!

Somewhere in the office, one of the monitors began to rapidly flick itself on and off, before rattling over it's desk. Inexplicably, a TV test card shined across the screen before bending and distorting outwards. The bright colours extended out around two sickly grey arms that clawed their way onto the desk. A face slowly began to tear itself out of the screen- but, between it and the arms, the body quickly got stuck trying to climb through the small screen. One and a half eyes searched over the room of the office, yellow irises eventually settling on some poor stranger who'd been there to witness it all. The arms stopped their struggling before extending a hand to the person.

"Um. Hey. Little help?" A static-filled voice asked.

[channelfourty]

"Now these are all things I can answer!" He sets his camera bag aside on the floor and rolls up his right sleeve, exposing more of his black carbon-fibre-and-titanium body to the light. Seams within his arm are highlighted in a metallic red and blue, indicating the points of movement- yet there are more of these accents along his forearm than one would assume should be. The question of what these are is quickly answered as his eyes light up (literally) for a moment as the panels shift open and out, unfolding to reveal a large metal blade with a faintly glowing edge. Despite the large, scary knife-thing now protruding from his unfolded arm, Forty only smiles.

"In the event of a short to medium distance threat that I cannot escape or otherwise de-escalate without apprehending the aggressor, I'm equipped with dual stealth jump blades with a heating element that can reach temperatures up to two hundred-and-thirty-two degrees Celsius," he says with pride. "I have another in the other arm as well!" He holds his arm out and rotates it for a moment in the light before retracting it back into a closed state and rolling his sleeve back down. "I also keep a nine millimeter Eira Arms military grade smart pistol in my thigh compartment for long range defenses." CHSR grins wide, clearly excited to show off his fancy, scary toys to his temporary commander- but he jolts up and stammers out of his excitement. "O-of course these are only mandated for use in dangerous situations where I have no way out. I'm sure that there won't be any of those here- I have been informed that the aftermath of violent altercations can be quite the hassle to clean up after and I have no intention to inconvenience you!"

With that out of the way, Forty takes his seat again and moves into Thursday's next question.

"In regards to my world... I haven't seen all of it! There is a wide, wide world out there, but what I do know is that I am from MiriAi, an independent country of the west coast of Forsenan! Surrounded by its bay and the edge of the Garante Ocean, it's all quite wonderful. The water reflects well upon the skyscrapers that make up the majority of the urban area. I think it's the most beautiful place in the world! The people of MiriAi are very civil and understanding, but there can be a select few that aren't very nice, but I've yet to fully encounter any. Oh! And how could I forget! Mister President! He runs the country and keeps all of us safe- with some help, of course. That's where I come in. As the lead of Channel Fourty, I provide information, entertainment, and connection to the people of MiriAi for their benefit! I like my job quite a bit- well, I was made for it after all, so it's no wonder I'm good at it. It's great to talk to people, ask them things, and show off! I learn so much! Aren't people just so interesting?"

"Let's see... I don't really read books, mostly scripts if I really really need them, but not often. I've never eaten mint chip ice cream! I don't need to eat, but I'd like to! Can I eat? Guess there's only one way of finding out. Ooh, that's a new idea for a segment- 'Tasting Things', how educational! Hobbies... my job? Oh, and games! I don't much play games anymore, but back in my Orientation days we played many games! I liked 'Assign and Find' the most! Back then, we had a whole town just for us! Sensei or Professor would present us a picture of someone in the town, like the mail lady, or the bartender, or the grocer, and it was our task to locate them! The harder version would be one of the townsfolk and we had to search for them and surprise them without being initially detected for a silver star on our records. Perhaps I wasn't the best at the game, but I always enjoyed talking to everyone after I found them."

channelfourty​:

Forty nods his head in understanding. Sure- maybe not full understanding, but some level of understanding nonetheless.

“Affirmative, Miss Thursday!” He nods once with a smile before looking back up in the direction of Thursday’s voice. “As instruction from you, my new de-facto and temporary commander, I will promise you that I shall not ever, under your tenure, inform any other entity that I encounter that I may be disposed of when necessary.” CHSR loosens his grip on his camera bag, somewhat reassured that someone in this strange new place is willing to give him some direction.

“Oh! And there’s no need to be worried about my encounters with any hostile or otherwise unpleasant individuals! In the event that I am unable to contact command during dangerous circumstances, I am equipped with the means to preserve myself! Mister President and the team always reiterated that I- though potentially disposable- am quite a unique piece of equipment, and they aren’t the only ones who know that. I suppose he thinks I’m special, in a sense, so I know how to keep myself intact.”

At Thursday’s request, he pulls up a nearby seat and softly sets himself down in it, unbuckling his camera bag from his body and holding it in his lap, his hands crossed neatly over each other atop the lid. He feels much better than he felt previously, and shakes his head a few times in short succession, his antenna wobbling to and fro. There was nothing to be worried about- at least for now, he hoped. Forty would just do what he knew how to do best- talk to people- and everything else would float away.

“Gosh, you want me to tell you all about… everything? A full report? Well, I’m not entirely sure where to start!” Forty smiles sheepishly. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you everything, though. You may be my acting commander for the time being but that doesn’t mean you get clearance! And, well, there are things that I don’t even know. I feel ever so slightly regretful, having to give you a report without all the context or the full knowledge of what information to withhold and to disclose, but I’ll do my best, ma'am. But if I may ask- I would appreciate a query to get me started. What about everything would you like to know?”

Well, she supposes she’s going by Miss Thursday now - to Forty, anyway. That’s going to take some getting used to, but that’s okay. She’s even more taken by the fact that he is referring to her as his temporary commander. Oh boy, does that give her a rush. She’s never been a commander of anybody before! It’s not the same as being a Narrator, where you really don’t have control over a person - this little character seems as though he wants her to tell him what to do.

She’ll have to be careful of that, make sure that she doesn’t accidentally lead him astray. Either way, it’s a good thing he didn’t run into someone like that virus first - who knows what that creep would have told Forty or what he would have put him up to.

“That’s great, Forty! I’m glad you understand that your life is important!” she responds. “You are special! But I have to ask, hahaha, what kind of, ah- what kind of self-preservation means are we talking here? Like- karate? Weapons? Just curious.” She’s somewhat concerned for the safety of her other office inhabitant, Austin, too, knowing how he can come across as threatening to visitors, particularly if he is pointing his gun at them. She’ll need to make sure that he understands not to go provoking Forty if he is equipped with his own means of self-defense. Last thing she wants is for one of them to get the wrong idea about the other and for there to be some kind of brawl or shoot-out in her office.

She watches while he makes himself comfortable and- Oh. He’s asking her exactly what she wants to know. But she doesn’t know what she doesn’t know, so she isn’t exactly sure what to ask just yet. And apparently the details about some of where he is from are proprietary. She didn’t know that, but she supposes she understands. She wouldn’t want to be giving out a bunch of information about her office to someone who is potentially untrustworthy either, especially given some of the folks who have been skulking about the offices as of late.

“Oh, well, I suppose you don’t have to tell me everything, Forty,” she replies easily. “I just meant, ah- Well, about your world. What’s your world like? What are your people like? I’ve only ever lived in this office, but I’ve heard stories about the outside world - assuming you’re from the same one. It sounds like you have a really important job in your world and, even better, seems like you really like it! That’s important, liking one’s job, isn’t it? Otherwise you get stuck somewhere that either bores you to tears or just depresses you. Maybe if I knew a little bit about what your world and your job are like, I can help make you more comfortable here. That’s all I mean.”

“Of course, though, if you aren’t comfortable talking about that, then I suppose I’ll have to ask things like: What’s your favorite game? Do you have a favorite book? What are your hobbies? Do you think mint chocolate chip ice cream tastes like toothpaste? You know, I could come up with loads of those kinds of questions if that’s what you’d prefer,” she adds with a laugh.

[channelfourty]

Forty nods his head in understanding. Sure- maybe not full understanding, but some level of understanding nonetheless.

"Affirmative, Miss Thursday!" He nods once with a smile before looking back up in the direction of Thursday's voice. "As instruction from you, my new de-facto and temporary commander, I will promise you that I shall not ever, under your tenure, inform any other entity that I encounter that I may be disposed of when necessary." CHSR loosens his grip on his camera bag, somewhat reassured that someone in this strange new place is willing to give him some direction.

"Oh! And there's no need to be worried about my encounters with any hostile or otherwise unpleasant individuals! In the event that I am unable to contact command during dangerous circumstances, I am equipped with the means to preserve myself! Mister President and the team always reiterated that I- though potentially disposable- am quite a unique piece of equipment, and they aren't the only ones who know that. I suppose he thinks I'm special, in a sense, so I know how to keep myself intact."

At Thursday's request, he pulls up a nearby seat and softly sets himself down in it, unbuckling his camera bag from his body and holding it in his lap, his hands crossed neatly over each other atop the lid. He feels much better than he felt previously, and shakes his head a few times in short succession, his antenna wobbling to and fro. There was nothing to be worried about- at least for now, he hoped. Forty would just do what he knew how to do best- talk to people- and everything else would float away.

"Gosh, you want me to tell you all about... everything? A full report? Well, I'm not entirely sure where to start!" Forty smiles sheepishly. "I'm afraid I can't tell you everything, though. You may be my acting commander for the time being but that doesn't mean you get clearance! And, well, there are things that I don't even know. I feel ever so slightly regretful, having to give you a report without all the context or the full knowledge of what information to withhold and to disclose, but I'll do my best, ma'am. But if I may ask- I would appreciate a query to get me started. What about everything would you like to know?"

channelfourty​:

He smiles. “You’re free to refer to me however you like! Whatever makes things convenient for you when it comes to my presence and existence, I will comply with! But, I have to say,” CHSR points a finger up and touches the temple of his glasses. “Forty… like Channel Fourty! If it’s within regulation, I will say am quite fond of that!” He nods his head. “Well, Miss Thursday, should you change your mind, I will not feel any sort of negative way if things go awry and I must be disposed of. No need to worry, I am more than capable of understanding.” Thursday’s lighthearted attitude worked to calm Forty down, and reassure him that at least, even if the situation was less than optimal… He’d probably be alright in the end.

Hanging his head down, he nods at Thursday’s words, taking in the truth. So, that was it. Stuck here, alone. He keeps a small smile on his face for the sake of the voices, but inside, for the first time in this volume, he’s uneasy. His feet shuffle on the floor in place and his arms go to clutch onto his camera bag, his fingers gripping the handle and straps tight enough for the fabric to catch under his bodywork.

“I… I’ll have to pass on that offer, Miss Thursday. With no offense to you or your authority, please understand, I mean this not to be a poor impression of the kindness of the people of MiriAi or the professionalism of those affiliated with Channel Fourty, but it really… wouldn’t be the same. Mister President is unique. He’s my commander, after all,” he says, now moving his hands to a resting position behind his back. “He is… important. Please do understand this is not a personal matter regarding your character, and I will insist that you have been of very upstanding character since our meeting!” His small, nervous smile shifts into an upward grin as he holds up his head. No, he isn’t alone, that’s right.

“Ehehehe, nobody has ever called me ‘Miss’ Thursday before,” she giggles, delighted. “Some of my other friends call me ‘Thur’, or ‘Thurs’, and one of them even calls me ‘Thor’. So you may call me any of those, or Miss Thursday, or, if you like, simply ‘Thursday’ will do.”

There is something else that he has said that is deeply bothering her. This little character seems to be a little bit more naive than usual. This is a new experience for him - and will likely be something he experiences for the rest of his life - and he doesn’t have an understanding of what these offices (and their inhabitants) are like. It’s a stroke of luck that it seems she is his first contact here - unless you counted Cyrus’ rude response to him at first, but she’s not going to count that.

She feels responsible for Forty. Protective, even. She doesn’t want to paint a negative image of the offices in his head, and yet she feels that he needs to be given some kind of information to arm himself with for when he eventually leaves her office and ventures into others.

“Ah, you know, I really can’t think of any reason why I’d want to dispose of you, Forty. Really, I can’t. And even if I could, I still don’t think I’d dispose of you,” she says, and then her tone shifts into a more serious one, although still friendly. “Listen, Forty. Being serious here for a moment. Since you’re going to be spending a really long- um, the immediate, foreseeable future here in these offices, you are more than likely going to meet other people from time to time - other Narrators, employees.. people… You know, just other people. And I’m sorry to say that not all of them are friendly. Okay? Like, some of them are downright mean, some of them might even- might even look to cause you harm for one reason or another. Not because you’re you, Forty! Definitely not anything having to do with you, but just because they are like that. So! Please promise me that you will never tell someone else that they can simply dispose of you. Ever. For any reason. No matter how understanding you are about it. Okay?”

She watches as he shuffles around quietly, wondering if there is something else she should be saying to him. Should she be saying something else? What else? She’s already decided that she’s not going to be bringing up the whole interview thing again, nor is she going to be putting him into a story right at the moment - that can happen later. Besides, she and Cyrus practically have their fill of characters these days - no need to go putting one who is clearly distressed by his newfound situation into a story he probably won’t appreciate at this point.

“You know what, Forty,” she replies gently, “I’m not offended that you don’t want me to come down there and pat you on the back. That’s your decision and I will respect it.”

Here she pauses for a minute to allow what she has said to sink in, to let him know that she is not about to force him to do anything, that he is his own person and has his own autonomy here, no matter what others might try to tell him along the way.

“So! It sounds to me like you have quite a story yourself to tell, with all this MiriAi and Channel Fourty and Mister President business. If you’d like, why not have a seat somewhere, make yourself comfortable, and tell me all about it! It’s not often that I get to hear stories around here.”

Cyrus, in the meantime, has decided that since it doesn’t appear there will be any actual narrating for now, he is going to have a nap. Currently he is stretched out on his cot doing just that.

[channelfourty]

“That’s the way the news goes!” It’s everyone’s favorite propaganda machine! My yearly fullbody persona redesign! (kind of, the main CHSR look will be kept, think of this as his special grown-up/fancy party/boss battle clothes) Real happy that my art slump might be over- I suppose I just needed to draw for myself instead of for fandom.

[channelfourty]

had to make a toploader for CHSR as well!

[channelfourty]

He smiles. "You're free to refer to me however you like! Whatever makes things convenient for you when it comes to my presence and existence, I will comply with! But, I have to say," CHSR points a finger up and touches the temple of his glasses. "Forty... like Channel Fourty! If it's within regulation, I will say am quite fond of that!" He nods his head. "Well, Miss Thursday, should you change your mind, I will not feel any sort of negative way if things go awry and I must be disposed of. No need to worry, I am more than capable of understanding."

Thursday's lighthearted attitude worked to calm Forty down, and reassure him that at least, even if the situation was less than optimal... He'd probably be alright in the end.

Hanging his head down, he nods at Thursday's words, taking in the truth. So, that was it. Stuck here, alone. He keeps a small smile on his face for the sake of the voices, but inside, for the first time in this volume, he's uneasy. His feet shuffle on the floor in place and his arms go to clutch onto his camera bag, his fingers gripping the handle and straps tight enough for the fabric to catch under his bodywork.

"I... I'll have to pass on that offer, Miss Thursday. With no offense to you or your authority, please understand, I mean this not to be a poor impression of the kindness of the people of MiriAi or the professionalism of those affiliated with Channel Fourty, but it really... wouldn't be the same. Mister President is unique. He's my commander, after all," he says, now moving his hands to a resting position behind his back. "He is... important. Please do understand this is not a personal matter regarding your character, and I will insist that you have been of very upstanding character since our meeting!" His small, nervous smile shifts into an upward grin as he holds up his head. No, he isn't alone, that's right.

( @channelfourty - Continued from here!)

Oh… Oh no, that doesn’t look good. Their newest little character seems to be upset by the news he’s been given. Thursday is a little confused, perhaps even a bit offended, at first.

She had tried really hard to lay that all on him as gently as possible. Sure, it was probably difficult news for anyone to take, but this office really wasn’t so bad. She hadn’t had the best experience upon first waking up in the control booth either, but she had taken it all in stride. And her office, as far as she was concerned, was among the best! There were far worse offices out there and hopefully this little character would never have to know that.

So why was this person so upset?

Cyrus couldn’t have cared less.

Thursday isn’t sure how to respond at first. Turns out she doesn’t have to answer that question right away because the newcomer has just introduced himself.

“Oh, well, nice to meet you!” she giggles, amused by his movements and display from his introduction. This one is kind of funny, she thinks. She likes him right away, even if he hadn’t taken so well to her ‘good’ news. “I have to say, though, your whole name is kind of a mouthful there, no offense. How about we go with Forty? If I had to say your full name- er, ‘designation’- every single time I needed to address you, I think your whole name would just end up being the entire story in and of itself.”

“And there won’t be any disposing of you,” she adds, still laughing and lighthearted.

Now his last request - regarding his reward - she knows is something she cannot give him. Talks of services to the state aside, it all ties right back into what she had already told him, so it seems she’s going to have to repeat herself.

More gently this time.

“Well, Forty… You see, the thing is- to be completely honest with you, if I knew of a way of getting you out of here, I would certainly tell you how to do that. But- But I’m afraid there really isn’t. I mean, we do have exits from this office, but like I said, they don’t actually go, um- go out, if you know what I mean. They just lead into other offices.”

“So.. I’m sorry but you’re-” And now she feels bad. Now she’s understanding why he didn’t take to her ‘good’ news so well earlier. “-you’re stuck here, Forty. So- So… best I can offer you right now is that pat on the back. You just say the word, and I’ll- I’ll be right down there to do just that.”