#ill post smth explaining the other members of local group 16... tmrw?

[finely-tuned-line]

RP:

Log 215

FTL: I have no updates on FTLR-3 beyond confirming that its status has barely changed. Perhaps it is coalescing into a smaller area within the chamber, but there has not been enough of this movement for me to confirm that it is indeed happening - and whether or not it's intentional.

FTL: But I have been trying to figure out a way to deactivate it. Typically, the solution to that is to neutralise its self-replication via genetics, but I believe that that may be an inaccessible route this time. I'll continue running simulations of this, but it may be perhaps time to explore other avenues. Such as... boiling it. As per that one message.

FTL: I have been holding off on creating or modifying any more creatures for the past couple cycles due to both the rot and the persistent nagging of Eternal Anomaly. Despite this, curiosity still bothers me as I come up with ideas for new experiments, nevermind the fact that I will not perform any at this moment. I've continued to write them down on pearls, the effective short-term solution that they are.

FTL: Meanwhile, I've been going over my past logs. For what purpose, I do not particularly know. But I can confirm that it's rather interesting to see how I changed as the cycles post-Ancients' Great Ascension passed. I do wish that I'd decided to record more logs, although I do know that the cause for that was I hadn't really thought of it nor was I particularly inclined towards the idea at first. So now, although sparse and irregular at first, these logs have become somewhat of a... comfort to me, I suppose.

FTL: ...Echoes of a Paradox sent me a transmission. It was partially in reply to my emergency transmission of a couple cycles back, but also in confirmation that they could also hear my supposedly-private logs and transmissions. Considering the lack of response towards my and Echoes of a Paradox's private transmissions though, I can only hope that their superiour hardware is somehow overriding my faulty systems in some way. Nevertheless, I suppose that part(s) of that conversation are going to get out now, if these logs are unsecured. I am not going to stop recording them, or putting whatever information I would normally include in them. Whether they get shared or not, these are my logs and I record them for myself. Others potentially hearing them will not hinder me.

FTL: The contents of my and Echoes of a Paradox's discussion were of an interesting fashion. I believe it's better to import some of it here rather than potentially-inaccurately restating it all.

EP: Finely-Tuned Line, this is Echoes of a Paradox. I have heard your emergency transmission. EP: Are you alright? Y'know I worry for you. This is, what, the third Rot you've created? You have got to be more careful. FTL: Hello, Echoes of a Paradox. No need to concern yourself, I am in no worse a state than is the usual as of late. EP: 'As of late'. EP: How bad is your state, Finely-Tuned Line? FTL: Apologies, but it is of no concern to you, Echoes of a Paradox. You do not need to worry about me, I can handle myself. I'm your Senior, if anything, I should be worrying about your state. EP: Just because you are completely willing to drive yourself into the ground does not mean that your should. EP: Either way, that is not why I have contacted you. EP: I'm happy that you've managed to at least somewhat fix your transmission systems. It's been pretty disconcerting without you in the Local Group chat. EP: I want to know why you left. FTL: Excuse me? EP: Why'd you leave the chat? I know you did it on purpose, your systems were still functional back then. FTL: It is of no relevance to you. EP: Nope, it is. I may be younger, but that doesn't change the fact that we're siblings and I am 100% allowed to worry about you and want to know why you left the group. FTL: Because I wanted to focus on my experiments. EP: Ya sure that it had nothing to do with how both Doubt's Dichotomy and I took to calling you our sibling? FTL: Yes I am. EP: Ya sure that it had nothing to do with how you ended up creating yet another Rot less than two dozen cycles afterwards? FTL: Yes I am. EP: Listen, Finely-Tuned Line. You need to get your wires untangled. I'm worried about you. Doubt's Dichotomy... maybe is? You know how sol is. But you really need to start being more careful with your experiments. I don't care if you rejoin the chat or not, you still remain our Senior Iterator. I know you take that role seriously, so think about it this way: EP: If you can't properly manage that role, I will declare you unfit for it and take over, as the now-second-oldest. EP: I know things haven't been the same since Songs of the Negative Sunlight cut themselves off, but you need to get yourself in order, and not follow in xir footsteps. You'll just hurt both yourself and us. EP: I don't want to see you fall to the Rot.

FTL: I never replied to them. Can't help but feel guilty over that, but what can one do?

FTL: I suppose they're right. Yet, why are they so insistent? It doesn't matter why I left, what's done is done. Maybe I never even had a reason. Maybe they're right how it's because of Songs of the Negative Sunlight. What do they expect me to say?

FTL: Why do they even worry. There's no point to it. I'm failing at my purpose, there is no logical conclusion as to why someone would care about me at this point. Echoes of a Paradox should know this. They've never had any purpose, they should know what it feels like.

FTL: I don't know how to reply to them, or whether I even should.

FTL: Well, it is of no important matter. The situation will resolve itself eventually, as all situations do. I'll be able to get back to my research, and figuring out a way to eradicate FTLR-3.