Text - UN: Prodigy

[helpdesk_hero]

Just trying to take a quick tally here, because it's relevant. How many people here have had previous encounters with worlds or dimensions that, uh... 'borrow' you for a while. Basically, is this your first ride in the multi-verse of fucked up stuff, or are you experienced. If the latter, what was the last place like?

I'll start. I'm David Alleyne, I spent several months in a city called Dualis. I heard from some people there that they'd previously been in other places. So I have to assume this just... happens.

Anyway, mostly asking because the more we know, maybe the better chance we have of getting home.

Comments

[helpdesk_hero]

The short answer? If there was something like a passport for dimension hopping, I would have needed to put new pages in mine. Twice.

[biscuity]

Wow. I can't even imagine.
I'm hoping at least some of them were intentional or voluntary and not all kidnappings...

[helpdesk_hero]

It depends on how much you mean 'intentional' to be. We were traveling to try and help someone. Save a friend of mine. Then there was the kidnapping. So the last two jumps I didn't want, but here I am anyway.

[biscuity]

So you weren't even home before the Augur brought you here? Did any of the people you were traveling with end up here, too?

[helpdesk_hero]

I was home before the Head brought me to Dualis. I was brought here from there. Now my friends there will think I'm dead and replaced by a killer android. It's... fun.

So far I haven't seen anyone from there.

[biscuity]

Okay, you're gonna have to back up and explain. Replaced by a killer android?

[helpdesk_hero]

One night the power went out in the city. Many of us who were around for less than the 'one year' period? Attacked by uncompleted android horror that looked like me. Except its legs didn't work.

[biscuity]

That's horrifying on so many different levels. What kind of organization can make something like that?

[helpdesk_hero]

The AI that ruled the world we were brought to, that kidnapped us there. So I really don't trust what AI are going to tell me.

[biscuity]

[ AI creating bloodthirsty androids that look like citizens, people killing families to get someone to do their bidding... Maybe Clary's world isn't as messed up as she thought. ]

Here's hoping these robots just spit out subpar clothes and food that makes us want to flirt with anyone and everyone in sight, then...
I hope everyone made it out of that okay. Especially you.
I can't even begin to imagine explaining to people that you weren't the one trying to kill them.

[helpdesk_hero]

People went missing. People I cared about. Seems more likely they're dead.
But I can't be sure, given I'm not there.
The only advantage seems to be that the doubles only attacked the original version. To replace us.

[biscuity]

Maybe other original versions of people you knew will show up here. Though I guess it'd be hard to tell if they were originals or androids...

[ Clary doesn't necessarily believe this is some kind of afterlife as she was nowhere near dying back home, but who knows how the Augur picks the people it brings? ]

Was there some kind of test to check which version they were/are?

[helpdesk_hero]

Yeah, I'm not magnetokinetic or ferrokinetic, so I don't think I could tell organics from synthetics without hacking into them. And a good android has a heavily encrypted personal network.

No test. They just... One night of trying to kill us.

[biscuity]

[ Terms to look up later: "ferrokinetic." Magentokinetic explains itself easily enough, she presumes, but the other? She's got no idea what it is and she's already barraging David with enough questions right now. ]

Of course; everyone knows that.

[ A joke, because Clary definitely doesn't know that about androids. Though why would she? It's not like she's personally familiar with them, outside of the limited interaction she's had with the robots here. ]

So basically sleep with one eye open and hope your best friend is actually your best friend...
Sounds like a serious nightmare.

[helpdesk_hero]

[Controlling metal was really what the other thing more or less met.]

It was worse, but when people were replaced they sort of... left the dorms we were in. You could tell. You could know who you lost.

[biscuity]

At least that way you'd know for sure, I guess. Sometimes knowing the answer to the difficult questions is better than being left in limbo.

[helpdesk_hero]

Depends on whether or not you're on Illyana's bad side or not. If you're in her good graces, then Limbo isn't so bad. But given I died there... I'll pass.

[biscuity]

Is that who made the androids?

[helpdesk_hero]

Illyana? No. She wasn't in that world. She's just the ruler of Limbo back home.

[biscuity]

[ Clary's head hurts. ]

Is Libmo legitimate Limbo, like in between Heaven and Hell?
Or is it just an inconveniently named country?

[helpdesk_hero]

Limbo is actually the name of a very specific hell-dimension. Because there's more than one. Filled with demons and tortured souls and all that.

[biscuity]

I'm familiar with some of the dimensions.

[ Not personally but from reading and learning at the Institute. ]

Was Limbo an intentional trip or an accidental one?

[helpdesk_hero]

A kidnapping. I happened to 'smell' like the lost scion of the current lord of Limbo.

[biscuity]

Talk about a really awful reason to end up in Hell.

[helpdesk_hero]

Yeah. It... was a very bad day.