ATML Processes Termination

**ESV:** That’s… good.

**ESV:** I’m simply confused. Perhaps it was a bad idea to keep my communications muted for so long.

**RS:** …Yarn… died… and I killed him… it’s all my fault…

**ESV:** Died? Your fault? Speckles said something about a strider, nothing about you.

**RS:** I didn’t do enough… I should have tried more… if I could have fixed Yarn… then… then…

**SOS:** It really isn’t your fault, there is no way anyone could have known.

**ESV:** Wait, was this around the time you had asked for a spare rarefaction cell from me?

**RS:** Yes…

**ESV:** Oh. Did it not work then..?

**RS:** …Not entirely.

**ESV:** Ah… alright. I can’t believe I neglected to ask back when it was happening. I would have taken the time to try and asses the damages more.

**RS:** I didn’t tell you... It was my fault.

**ATML:** Revising… What do you mean?

**RS:** I tried… and it wasn’t enough…

**ATML:** You tried, and that matters.

**ESV:** Has there been any assessment of what actually happened? If there’s a way to recover Yarn?

**RS:** I’m not sure… I’m not able to focus on it for long….

**SOS:** Revising, perhaps this should have been stated sooner, but I want you to know I’ve been in a very similar situation to this. I’ve lost a very dear friend due to my own negligence. When you look back on it though, you will see that you could never have realized this was an outcome. You need to stop blaming yourself, this is all completely out of your control.

**RS:** …

**RS:** I should have done more.

**RS:** I will fix it.

**RS:** This is not out of my control.

**SOS:** This is out of anyone’s control, we don’t even know what the vines are.

**RS:** I can fix it. I will fix it. I’ll fix it all.

**SOS:** I ask of you. Listen, and **give up.**

**RS:** I’m not giving up. I will fix this. Tell me everything you know about Yarn’s condition.

**SOS:** …

**SOS:** They have lost all recognition of them being their self seemingly due to the vines that currently plague their puppet. I may not have said much as of recent but I have been staying updated.

**RS:** Alright.

**SOS:** And now tell me, how could you have known this would happen. Seriously, I want you to think long and hard.

**RS:** I could have prevented it regardless.

**SOS:** And if we didn’t know about it, how could we have prevented it?

**RS:** It wouldn’t have needed predicting if I had just fixed his puppet like I was supposed to.

**SOS:** There are certain things that we can not control, this is one of them.

**RS:** …I still need to fix this.

**SOS:** Just promise me not to beat yourself up about it anymore, that is my only request.

**RS:** …I will try regardless. You know the lengths I will go to help.

**RS:** If I achieve an end result there will be nothing to be upset over anyways.

**ESV:** This situation with Yarn probably takes priority over some of my personal projects, though I’m not sure what I can do to help exactly. I’m not even sure where Yarn… Vines? I’m not sure what to call them nor where they reside.

**RS:** I thank you for wanting to help. I admit I will probably not be able to do this alone… but I will try if it comes to that.

**ESV:** That’s fine, as long as you don’t get yourself killed I suppose.

**ESV:** I’m not even sure where to start. I guess we should probably get a sample of these vines then? It seems a bit odd for a normal plant to do, so I suspect something else going on with these vines.

**RS:** Yes, I wouldn’t expect vines to be able to do… this…

**ESV:** Alright, then studying a sample would be a good first step. We should be careful though, just in case it’s contagious or something. Do you know where he is?

**RS:** …

**RS:** He’s camping outside my can.

**ESV:** Well that’s good, at least we know where they are. I certainly hope the vines - well, both Vines and the plant itself - aren’t dangerous, because I’ll probably send my Ceraunophile to gather some.

**RS:** …

**RS:** Ok.

**ESV:** You seem pretty quiet. Is there anything you’d like to add? I’m discussing it here mostly because I expected you to add on, else I’d have done this on my own.

**ESV:**Admittedly, I don’t know this situation as well as you probably do, so some input would be nice.

**RS:** I just… this is going to be a very difficult project…

**ESV:** That’s true. I have never heard of something like this before, so going in blind like this is going to be tricky.

**RS:** Not like that… I just…

**RS:** It’s very difficult for me to discuss anything to do with Yarn.

**ESV:** Okay… Is it something to do with what you discussed with Speckles earlier? Or about you claiming fault for this? Uh… apologies for not quite understanding. I could get back to you about this later maybe, if you have nothing to offer at the moment.

**RS:** …It’s all my fault…

**ESV:** …

**ATML:** Revising… I’m sorry that so much pressure has been put on you. I know you feel the need to make up for yourself, but you tried and tried to save Yarn. This didn’t happen because of a lack of competency nor did it happen because you didn’t work hard enough. It was a circumstance that couldn’t have been predicted, and none of this could have been avoidable. Don’t blame yourself. Please.

**RS:** …

**RS:** I… I can’t handle this anymore Adrift… but I need to do this…

**ATML:** I won’t let you tear yourself apart. Stop blaming yourself.

**RS:** I know.. it’s just an uncomfortable subject.

**ATML:** I understand. You’ll get through this, I know it.

**RS:** Either way I have to. Theres the situation with Gilded too…

**ATML:** We’ll find a way to help them both.

**RS:** …Yes.

**ATML:** Don’t worry about it, Revising. I have complete confidence that you’ll be able to fix them.

**ATML:** … You’re the most caring and diligent person I know.

**RS:** …You say that… but I’m still not enough.

**ATML:** Don’t you dare say that about yourself. You’ve been relentlessly and tirelessly working for several cycles. You’ll get through this.

**RS:** I thank you for your offers of help. I just…

**RS:** I truly wish I could take a break. And that’s from me of all people. But I just can’t. I can’t leave them to die or be… I just can’t.

**ATML:** Take a break. How could you barely hope to help anyone when you’re working in such a state? You can’t neglect yourself. I promise I’ll work as hard as I can while you allow your systems to cool. You *need* a break.

**RS:** … It-it’s just that…

**RS:** …

**RS:** I can’t TAKE THIS ANYMORE!

**RS:** EVERYONE IS DYING AROUND ME AND I HAVE TO FIX ALL OF THEM! AND AS SOON AS I FIX ONE, ANOTHER ONE POPS UP! IS THIS ALL JUST A SICK JOKE? I DO MY BEST AND WHAT HAPPENS? **ITERATORS DIE!**

**ATML:** Revising…

**ATML:** …

**ATML:** Take as much time as you need.

**RS:** I can’t… I can only keep working… I can’t let any more of this happen.

**ATML:** Is it your fault that Yarn’s water pumps became blocked? Or that Gilded Misfortune’s systems became weaker in turn of her drinking…?

**ATML:** Stop putting all this weight on your shoulders. I worry for you, you know. As your senior, and your friend, please. Stop harming yourself.

**RS:** I’m not harming myself. I’m only harming others.

**ATML:** Can’t you see? This ordeal isn’t doing you any good. You are not harming anyone by taking a break. You’re angry, miserable and upset. Keep denying this any longer and I *will* sever the cords of my puppet and travel all the way to your facility grounds, enter your chamber and take your workload to complete myself, not without a good few cycles of reprimand.

**ATML:** Are we clear, Revising Synthesis?

**RS:** …

**RS:** I cannot wait idly by and do nothing.

**ATML:** You cannot. But by allowing yourself to rest, you’ll be able to concentrate better with lack of fatigue effectively increasing the efficiency you’re able to work at. No longer will you continue to tire yourself out.

**RS:** I just need to fix my wires, and I’ll be able to work again. I don’t need a break.

**ATML:** …

**ATML:** Are you delusional? You need to rest.

**RS:** No. I will not need to when my wires are fixed. I am working on them now.

**ATML:** Your mental state is not healthy. This cannot be allowed to continue.

**RS:** I don’t know how many times I need to tell you I have to do this.

**RS:** I want to take a break but I HAVE to do this.

**ATML:** I don’t know how many times **I** have to tell you, you are going to fucking rest. I’m worried shitless about you, and so am I about the others, but I’m **not** losing a friend to redundant drudgery. Do you think yourself as worth less than the others? Do you dare belittle yourself? Revising Synthesis, I swear on the Ancients, and I swear on my own physical and mental well being that we will find a solution to help Yarn and Gilded, but what I am **NOT** going to allow you to do is continuing to work yourself to the point of death.

**RS:** …

**RS:** …

**RS:** I…

**RS:** I’m sorry…

**ATML:** …

**ATML:** Revising, I plead you. Take care of yourself.

**RS:** I… im not sure I can…

**ATML:** Promise me that you’ll try.

**RS:** I… I can’t…

**RS:** I don’t think I can force myself to stop…

**RS:** I NEED a break… but I need to help more…

**ATML:** …

### [Yes.]

**ESV:** …

**ESV:** I didn’t know you could do that with seniority privileges.

**ESV:** Is… Revising okay?

**ATML:** He’s fine.

**RS:** … Adrift… what did you do…?

**ATML:** I’m taking on your workload.

**RS:** Wh-

**RS:** A-adrift… you can’t…

**ATML:** …

## XXXX.017 LOG: ENDLESS STARLIT VOID [Text File]

I am simply at a loss for words. I do not know what to do in this situation. Not only that, but I just witnessed Adrift the Mist Leaves temporarily terminate Revising Synthesis's processes. I had no idea seniority privileges granted an iterator the capability of doing such a thing. I suppose that there'd be no way for me to know, being such a young iterator and thus not a senior to anyone, but I definitely know that Star never did anything like that to me. Speaking of both senior iterators and of Star, I wonder if it's strange for me to have a designated senior who isn't a part of my local group. There's no point in questioning it though, seeing as I haven't spoken to her in many cycles. Merely a curious thing to think about. Back to the main topic, it is slightly unsettling to think that there's a chance that everyone in my local group could do that to me. Is it something any older iterator could do to a younger one? Or does it require specific designations, akin to an administrator? Can iterators outside of the local group do this too, or was Star a unique case? These would have been great questions to ask Adrift. Thinking about it now, I wonder, why hadn't I asked? Usually I'm on top of these things, there's no reason that I shouldn't be thinking straight in any given situation. Lately my hesitation in cases like this have been getting in the way, and I'm not sure how to handle it.