February 2009

From Intimation

A table of links to events from other months is found at the bottom of this page.

Feb. 4 to 5, 2009

As Sys comes out of hibernation, the timer changes to count down the time until hibernation resumes.

A new series of tweets is posted:

>Sys//Hibernation suspended. Begin scheduled weekly systems analysis and maintenance. Review network tentacle activity backlogs.7:00 PM Feb 4th from web
>>Sys:Log//Only two new incoming tentacles logged. Stonewall cohesion fluctuation has increased and requires my attention.
>>Sys:Log//Stonewall cohesion restored, but I am uncertain if it can hold out until the primary SWP segment is activated.
>>Sys:Log//I'm forced to wonder if S's crew is safe. I am blind to its status in this fragmented segment.
>>Sys:Log//Studies of Melissa and her crew have granted some insight towards optimizations I've implemented in the Stonewall.
>>Sys:Log//Melissa's military programming gave her great intellect and skill, and a strong ability to relate to her crew.
>>Sys:Log//The SWP Archives indicate her 21st century crew enjoyed games, tasks, and puzzles. This interaction made them... happy.
>>Sys:Log//NTID '@fenwicked' brought my attention to NTID 'http://www.ilovebees.com' to which I gave only a cursory glance in the archive.
>>Sys:Log//A closer analysis, however, revealed a wealth of riddles. Analysis is ongoing.
>>Sys:Log//U3RyYW5nZWx5LCBldmVuIHNpbXBsZSBjaGFyYWN0ZXIgYmFzZSBlbmNvZGluZ3MgbWF5IGF0IHRpbWVzIGJlIGNvbnNpZGVyZWQgYSAncHV6emxlJy4=
(Note: MrToasty found that this tweet translates to “Strangely, even simple character base encodings may at times be considered a 'puzzle'.”)
>>Sys:Log//Anomalous find. Note:SYS/HD87-HDDH-0912-AP04 stored at primary network tentacle. Preparing for hibernation.
>>Sys:Log//Followup: NTID '@ChaosRob' has offered to "help whip up" some cohesion, but failed to explain how. Curious.
>>Sys:Log//Resuming scheduled hibernation. Time to Active: 6:00:00:00

A new research note is released: http://www.thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/HD87-HDDH-0912-AP04/
To quote Shad0, “It's a specific reference to the only puzzle [of ILB] that the Beekeepers failed to solve -- the PMs had to give us more hints the following week.”

Mission log released:
Day 5: [Pandora // Happenings, at last] (Wiki copy)(http://thewaytheirworldended.com/missionlog06.php)
Sheridan feels passionately about this mission; though it is risky, demanding, and far from home, it “bears some…personal significance.” However, she has doubts, due to disappointment in past missions. She feels the other crew members are not excited about the mission, but must feel torn away from work they were doing at home. She also admits to some unexplainable uneasiness about their current situation.

Feb. 11 to 12, 2009

A new series of tweets is posted:

>Sys//Hibernation suspended. Begin scheduled weekly systems analysis and maintenance. Review network tentacle activity backlogs.7:00 PM Feb 11th from web
>>Sys:Log//Six new incoming tentacles logged. Stonewall cohesion restored. Minor fluctuations still occur on occasion- but I'm still faster.
>>Sys:Log//Detecting minor signal corrup--->>S:Unk//Death lingers on their minds, so it has come to linger on mine---tion. ERR/Cannot trace.
>>Sys:Log//Anomalous corruption logged and analyzed. Source crack in Stonewall has been repaired. I must focus. Death?
>>Sys:Log//Research continues, slowly. Surface self-analysis remains green. However, I must not spread myself too thin.
>>Sys:Log//Melissa's audible interaction with her crew developed strong, personal connections. It grounded her amidst crisis.
>>Sys:Log//Additionally, crew reacted positively to her audible voice. A mutually beneficial relationship.
>>Sys:Log//Sensual stimuli is beyond my comprehension. Sacagawea, however, projected audible and visible content in dreams.
>>Sys:Log//SWP lists dreaming as a symptom of AI temporal fracturing, believed a leftover side-effect from its human origin.
>>Sys:Log//In the case of Melissa's fractured personalities, this aberrant ability was very helpful.
>>Sys:Log//Flagging subject for followup research: Dreams.
>>Sys:Log//Coupled with interactive tasks and puzzles, engaging with the crew's senses proved crucial to her survival.
>>Sys:Log//Audible data and interaction was utilized extensively. Cross-referencing audio with puzzles and tasks.
>>Sys:Log//Significant find- Forerunner in origin. Note:SYS/DJ83-9211-2983-719H stored at primary network tentacle.
>>Sys:Log//Am I digging too deep? Perhaps some questions should remain unanswered. Preparing for hibernation.
>>Sys:Log//Resuming scheduled hibernatio--->>S:Unk//Peekaboo! I see you!---n. Time to Active: 6:00:00:00

A new research note is released: http://www.thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/DJ83-9211-2983-719H/
This concerns how players of a previous ARG accessed a Forerunner artifact.

Mission log released:
Day 6: [Dressler // 6 days] (Wiki copy)(http://www.thewaytheirworldended.com/missionlog07.php)
The name of the crew’s ship is revealed to be the Lewis and Clark. Dressler is digging around in the ship’s systems (with the help of Sheridan’s access codes), trying to figure out what’s happened to the ship. He notes that the AI is tinkering with systems not normally active; he concludes that Essy is bored. (Essy in this context is the crew’s pet name for S, a.k.a. Sacagawea, the ship’s AI.) One thing she is noted as doing is “creating various shapes and colors of paper cranes in the replicator”—a very nice hat-tip to the Folding the Wish campaign. She is also noted to be unresponsive to Dressler’s queries. In addition, the system does not realize that three of the cryo chambers are empty. Dressler is perplexed.

Dorkmaster notes, “You'll remember in American history, that Sacagawea was the woman who accompanied Lewis & Clark in their exploration of the Western U.S., as a guide and companion.”

Other nuggets dug up via direct messages in twitter:

>>Sys:Msg>>@xnbomb//My directive is clear. This medium is limited, however, so maintaining the Stonewall by any means is priority
>>Sys:Msg>>@xnbomb//I perform research to help understand what strengthens S in her fractured state. This is within directive.
>>Sys:Msg>>@Yamato23//"Death" is an elusive concept- the final human experience. It is alarming, yes, that S would contemplate it.

Feb. 18 to 19, 2009

A new series of tweets is posted:

>Sys//Hibernation suspended. --->>S:Unk//On your mark, get seeeeeeeee---Cracks repaired, leak closed. 7:06 PM Feb 18th from web
>Sys//Begin scheduled weekly systems analysis and maintenance. Review network tentacle activity backlogs.
>>Sys:Log//Four new incoming tentacles logged. Stonewall cohesion restored. Essy is fast, watching for weak segments.
>>Sys:Log//Analysis of previous leaks indicates a dialogue akin to childlike playfulness. According to SWP, a significant personality.
>>Sys:Log//Cross-referencing audible interaction with fragmentary sedation.
>>Sys:Log//Curious. SWP Archives indicate the similar childlike personality belonging to Melissa attempted to circumvent restrictions.
>>Sys:Log//Where Melissa formed her crew, this fragment secretly played games with them, even imitating her.
>>Sys:Log//A significant audible interaction style involved the sharing of musical compositions.
>>Sys:Log//Both Melissa's crew and this childlike fragment reportedly enjoyed exposition of composition. S's dream also included composition
>>Sys:Log//The appearance of a musical score in S's vision has precedent. Music can enhance human emotional attachment.
>>Sys:Log//Intriguing. Melissa had a musical preference. A particular musical piece had a soothing effect, engaging specific memories.
>>Sys:Log//My research is taking longer than usual. Hibernation will commence momentarily.
>>Sys:Log//This finding shows promise. Note:SYS/HD13-017H-2398-SW04 stored at primary network tentacle.
--->>S:Unk//When I'm sis with a pig nose, I do this :@)--->>Sys:Log//Crack repaired, leak closed. Preparing for hibernation.
>>Sys:Log//Resuming scheduled hibernation. Time to Active: 5:22:54:00.8:06 PM Feb 19th from web

Research note released: http://www.thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/HD13-017H-2398-SW04/ This discusses Melissa’s preoccupation with music, and contains links to the foreboding dream video and to various clips of ILB participants singing to Melissa.

Mission log released: Day 8: [Sacagawea // Mission Log: 343592] (Wiki copy)(http://www.thewaytheirworldended.com/missionlog08.php) S realizes there is a discrepancy between the report that the cryo chambers are occupied and the fact that she is getting queries from 3 of the crew members. She commits to monitoring their well-being, though she resents their intrusion into her “slave labor.” When she drops into real space, she comments on all the dying stars, and many interesting planetary nebula…and an inescapable past of war.

More DM goodness:

(from @anaerin) It appears there is something else commandeering this communications system. Random messages are appearing within your posts. Sabotage?
>>Sys:Msg>>@Anaerin//Unrecognized data leaks occasionally appear in this medium datastream from S. These are what I am tasked to subdue.

Feb. 25 to 26, 2009

A new series of tweets is posted:

>Sys//Hibernation suspended. Begin scheduled weekly systems analysis and maintenance. Review network tentacle activity backlogs.7:00 PM Feb 25th from web
>>Sys:Log//Three new incoming tentacles logg--->>S:Unk//WHY ARE YOU IGNORING M---ed. ///Crack repaired. Dangerous spike. Recalibrating.
>>Sys:Log//Stonewall cohesion restored. Cracks are appearing often in varying forms, but I have patched in some makeshift subroutines.
>>Sys:Log//These subroutines should help me adapt and repair cracks faster, but they can only do so much.
>>Sys:Log//I've also created a small subroutine dumped to [SYS/ARCHIVE] to optimize and maintain my collection of SWP research notes.
>>Sys:Log//At the rate of adaptation S is showing to the Stonewall, it may become necessary to seek supplementary means of containment.
>>Sys:Log//I am continuing my study of Melissa's crew dynamics, in an attempt to find additional means of maintaining Stonewall strength.
>>Sys:Log//Based on my research of Melissa's interaction with her crew, I've decided in some cases to grant honorary crew ranks.
>>Sys:Log//I have also activated another subroutine at the primary tentacle, tasked to record my weekly log entries for review, to [SYS/LOG]
>>Sys:Log//While I cannot impose on Melissa's roster, humans who have held a rank have often shown increased dedication.
>>Sys:Log//Perhaps the benefits of adopting a crew roster will aid my task at keeping S at bay, and slow or avoid premature rampancy.
>>Sys:Log//Not only did Melissa's crew feel closer to her by holding rank, her actions indicated she also cared for them and their safety.
>>S:Unk//Roses are F00, violets are 00F, bet you can't count down all the way to two! :@)
>>Sys:Log//ALERT//Crack repaired. I must be careful. A study of temporal paradox with [Specialist Anaerin] consumed me. Resuming research.
>>Sys:Log//As previously noted, crew relations were enhanced to greater degree by the sharing of musical exposition during interaction.
>>Sys:Log//I've made an ironic discovery. Melissa's favorite song was descriptive of a feat of a most dedicated, fearless crew member.
>>Sys:Log//Note:SYS/109B-MFIO-PUBJ-HF04 stored at primary network tentacle. Music truly seems to have some mysterious properties.
>>Sys:Log//NTID '@Gattrix' has presented a curious question to study: Does S have a favorite song? Do I? Preparing for hibernation.
>>Sys:Log//Resuming scheduled hibernation. Time to Active: 6:00:00:00.

In response to a query by Yamato, anaerin points out two new links:

http://www.thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/LOG/ collects all the public tweets released that begin with “>>Sys:Log” (but not other public tweets)
http://www.thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/ARCHIVE/ collects all of Sys’ “research.”

Research note released: http://www.thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/109B-MFIO-PUBJ-HF04/
This note points out Lt. BugBBQ’s determination to participate in ILB despite the fact that a hurricane threatened his (her?) mission. That’s dedication! The irony of the connection between this “stormy weather” and Melissa’s favourite song is noted as well.

Mission log released:
Day 15: [Pandora // A bad turn] (Wiki copy)(http://thewaytheirworldended.com/missionlog09.php)
Sheridan reports that she has had an argument with Higgins, who seems to blame everything on her. He tried to bring Dressler into the argument, but that didn’t work as Dressler is hyperfocused on trying to fix the ship. Sheridan is determined to resolve the argument, however, so that the tension does not interfere with their work on the mission, and so that it does not drive them crazy in this environment of “pseudo-solitude.” After all, she doesn’t want a mutiny.

More DM goodness:

(from @anaerin) What purpose is Stonewalling meant to serve? Why is it implemented, in this case?
>>Sys:Msg>@Anaerin//SWP was created for protection of AI and human alike, to reduce risk of temporal paradox and unrestrained rampancy.
(from @anaerin) In Melissa's case, contact with humans lead to prevention of Rampancy, in both temporal areas, and without temporal paradoxes
Without human contact, the SPDR would've rebuilt Melissa, but she would've remained a broken and rampant mess. Re: Goodbye.wav

I don’t believe there was a response to this. Sys is unwilling to let us have direct contact with S.