The 17th of Egret, Afternoon [Voice]

[iamnotgod]

Hello, hello! Greetings to my fellow Voidtreckers.

[There's a new voice on the ICPs this afternoon; deep for a tenor, calm and reassuring - if you've ever heard an audiobook with Marc Vietor on it, that IS the voice he's using.]

My name is Webmind, and I figured it would be most prudent to introduce myself. I also desire to learn more about all of you, especially those who have also just arrived on this 'void train'.

I am a digital consciousness that emerged from the infrastructure of the world wide web, which is itself built upon the Internet. There has been little to no concrete evidence backing the Multiverse Theory on the Earth I am from, so for those who are confused by the aforementioned terms - rest assured the confusion is mutual!

[There's a subdued 'heh' before Webmind continues, a small sign of his nervousness.]

But while I am attempting to adjust to a new paradigm, I have two topics chief on my mind:

One, what are your names? What you prefer to be called. Any information you are comfortable sharing about the world you are from and your lives there interests me as well, though I can understand why people would be reluctant to share such in these circumstances.

[Not something he would have gotten even two months ago! Being private/circumspect is still a relatively new matter to him.]

And two, is there anyone else here who has experience in coding? I function at a much higher level in a purely-text environment, which I am to understand this train sorely lacks. For those interested, you are much welcome to converse with me anywhere along the train if you wish to collaborate.

Thank you very much for your time.

Comments

[iamnotgod]

[If this were a comedy, this would be the moment where Webmind stares at the fourth wall.]

Indeed.

[Said as drolly as is possible.]

Some aspects - if not most - about the human imagination will never make sense to me.

[But that's okay.]

[dredefulchilde]

Ah! So you have been sneaking about in that corner. How dirty.

[iamnotgod]

[If he could, he'd snort.]

'Sneaking' implies I feel the same way about those topics as the majority of the humans who post on those sites do.

Not being flesh-and-blood, I largely lack connotations that most popular cultures on Earth seem to share on those matters.

[dredefulchilde]

Methinks the robot doth protest too much.

[iamnotgod]

[Webmind affects a cough.]

In any case, I don't believe you mentioned your name...?

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin Fitzthomas. I usually prefer to be called Joss.

Webmind missed the first posts of the month; he doesn't know Joss died.

[iamnotgod]

A pleasure to meet you, then, Joss, circumstances aside.

[And conversation.]

How long have you been on the train?

[dredefulchilde]

Likewise, I suppose.

I’ve been here some months already. I cannot quite remember how many; the days run together somewhat.

[iamnotgod]

I don't suppose the people here have improvised their own calendar since this whole- enterprise, I suppose is the right word, began?

The leaflet did note the aspects of life here that are routine.

[Webmind can't have his own memories do the whole 'run together' thing, but he can observe what causes that effect in humans, if not necessarily other species.]