[Closed] Along for the research paper.

[pactfulfilled]

Date & Time: Backdated to July 4 or thereabouts.
Location: The Library
Characters: Asbel Lhant (pactfulfilled) and Hubert Oswell (omurice)
Summary: Asbel and Hubert continue their research into Exsilium's history and the various different Earths. Plus some brotalk.
Warnings: Possible spoilers.


[Asbel fights back a sigh, reaching up to pluck yet another book down from its shelf. He hadn't expected the library to be chock full of this many history books, but here they are - him, Hubert, and more books than he cares to read for the rest of his life. And apparently even more of the library's collection is electronic - which means it's stored on discs and chips and things Asbel doesn't even know the names of.]

[He makes his way back to the designated study desk, setting the stack of books down and sinking resignedly into a chair. This is bound to be a long afternoon. He just hopes he can stay focused long enough to actually pick out some of these patterns Hubert's intent on discovering.]

So. Find anything yet?

Comments

[pactfulfilled]

And even after all that, they're still fighting each other...

[That's kind of troubling. What if that technology breaks or malfunctions or gets lost. Then what? Will everyone on this world die? Asbel ignores the sarcasm, hand resting on the next book in the pile, but not yet moving it towards him.]

Don't you think it's kind of weird, though? I mean, even from a tactical standpoint? I know they can send us wherever they want, and we're definitely not defenseless, but for the most part we're all situated on a tiny island. If the UE has the capabilities to destroy entire worlds with their weaponry, then how come they haven't managed to take out Exsilium yet? They've had centuries' worth of opportunities, right? So what's stopping them from wiping it off the map completely? That attack earlier...

[Well, it had been bad - really bad, but not entirely crippling. They'd managed to divert some of the missiles and even get lots of people to safety. There had been clear targets.]

Do you think that maybe the Initiative has something they want?

[omurice]

[There are times when he's absolutely floored by his brother's conjecture, and this is one of those times. But yes, he's absolutely right. If they can destroy worlds, why is Exsilium still standing? He raises his fist to his chin, thinking over what the possibilities could be...

...and he does have something of an idea.]

Perhaps it is due to the fact there are different kinds of people here. Different worlds appear to possess different powers, and the combination of them seems to make an invincible fort. While I would debate as to why they haven't been able to annihilate Esxilium before they have taken us from our worlds, I suspect that time travel may have helped them create what there is now. It might not be far off to speculate that this present could have been in worse condition at one point.

I feel bad tagging back after FORESHADOWING but.

[pactfulfilled]

[Asbel quietly watches his little brother think.]

So they might have used those machines to somehow loop back and improve the situation here?

[That's... He's not even sure how to feel about it - if that's the case. And if it is, was the current state of the city the best they could do for its people? How many adjustments and modifications would a person have to go back and make in order to get Exsilium in proper working order - in a state where it looks and acts more like a living city than the skeleton of one?]

I suppose that much is true. The people who grew up here don't seem to have any special abilities aside from the technology and weapons they've created. Whereas, a lot of the Transports have unique powers, special skills...

[Not all of them, but a lot. Still, their numbers are small compared to the native population... If the UE attacked them directly, would they be able to hold them off?]