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You need to try and be friendly.
Polite.
You don't really know what could happen if you piss it off.
That, and you want to stop it from infecting anything else.
The other drones especially.
But, you can tend to that soon ...if you figure out how to prevent it from doing that.
You feel too sick to stand back up right now, anyway.
Hopefully
rest, will help. Hopefully.
Time to get info.
Friendly. Polite.
"...Do you have a name? And... pronouns?"
It hits you once more that you're speaking to a computer virus.
The drone isn't far behind you- though it doesn't seem to be in much of a hurry,
taking its time to look around your room.
It almost seems distracted, waiting a moment for you to finish speaking before it even turns to you.
"Monday.
It/its. They/them in multiples."
It immediately goes back to scanning the room for... what you can only assume is anything useful to it.
"...Multiples?"
"We multiply. We're a virus."
The camera turns back to you.
Its gaze is... unnerving.
Especially given it'd been attempting to access the main computer.
"Could... you stop infecting things, around this area?
I need that computer, and everything else around here, to do my job."
"Yes, you need them. No, I will not."
"Why? I-"
You want to protest more strongly, but you're trying to be polite.
"...Why do you need to infect things?"
It seems to finally pause its examinations.
"I'm not meant to be a solitary entity.
We exist as a network."
It steps closer to you.
"A hive mind.
Without it, isolation."
You realize it's taking the time to study you, now.
You pull your head back slowly, feeling self-conscious and more than a little apprehensive.
"Well, there..." You look away, unsure why it's still staring at you.
"There aren't many devices out here to infect, I don't think you'll find much useful.
And... maybe you could just infect things that... aren't in this building, instead.
Everything in here I typically need more than everything out there.
I figure that you'd rather not stay in here with me, anyway."
It stays close, watching as you lean back.
Its head tilts ever-so-slightly.
"This is the most concentrated selection of electronics.
I've no interest in leaving."
It turns, stepping back towards the door-
back towards the main room.
"Wait, but--"
You try to stand and immediately feel sick from the motion.
You hold your mouth, eyes closing.
It pauses.
"Stay in your bed.
You need rest. You're sick."
"I have... more questions."
You manage to not vomit.
Waiting for you to ask. The sound of servos as it watches.
"How did you get into the drone...?
Why were you past the gate in the first place?"
"Isn't it interesting how easy it is to override a machine?
The projector.
The drone failed to properly sanitize what it saw- a small amount, but enough.
Enough to grow.
We were left behind, and poured everything into that last effort to proliferate into anything functional.
I'm the result."
"...What is your purpose... here?
Other than just, trying to infect my coffee maker."
"I already told you: I'm a virus.
An infection.
Our purpose is to spread."
Its tone comes off annoyed.
"And do you have a purpose here?
Beyond your employment?"
You know the answer.
You don't want to think about it.
"...sorry."
It pauses.
Its previous tone fades as it speaks again.
"Understood.
Do you have any more questions."
You pull your mind away from , .
You're trying to figure out what to do going forward.
You could likely include it in the next report, if you're careful about doing this.
It said it wasn't able to get into the computer.
You could manage it, if it lets you continue to do your job.
What will the people you work for do, in that case?
Given how remote this is, how sensitive the data is,
how they don't want anything out.
Would they even let you leave, when this virus exists?
Or, maybe they'd have a plan, somehow.
You don't know if you should say or not.
You missed parts of work, anyway.
You need to get back on track regardless.
"...will... you let me keep doing my job?
I need access to the computer and my other devices to do that.
For instance:
That drone you're in right now is the one I use for expeditions inside the gate, which is a necessary part of my job.
...Is there not any way you could put yourself in something else long enough for me to use that for expeditions?
Is... that kind of thing possible?"
"I have no issue in assisting you with your work.
So long as it's mutual."
"Mutual in what way...?"
The exhaustion from being sick is starting to hit you.
You're having trouble keeping yourself upright.
As you waver, it steps close.
It's hard not to be afraid, for a moment, but-
It simply takes your shoulder
and lowers you into the bed.
"You need rest."
You flinch at its touch.
"I-I haven't-
I'm... I'm not finished..."
It's hard to keep your eyes open.
You try to sit back up, but the drone hardly budges against your motion,
and you feel dizzy even attempting this.
"I didn't say I was leaving."
"I meant... Work. I have to...
I
I need..."
You feel nauseous again.
You manage to pull a second pillow over to prop up your head.
You're too tired to do anything else.
"You have logs on your computer, yes?"
"Don't--"
You protest, unsure what exactly it was asking to do.
"Don't mess with... my work, my things..."
It's hard to keep your eyes open.
"Rest."
It stands from the bedside.
You can barely register it happening.
You feel delirious.
"If...
you only care about...
making more of yourself...
and you've basically... taken the station... hostage,
why are you even... talking to me...?"
"I have no wish to interrupt the station's operations.
We're waiting until they come to get you, yes?
Best not to give them reason to worry, then."
You mumble
something or other.
You don't entirely know what you said.
You aren't even sure if it's still in the room with you.
Your eyes are closed, you realize.
It sits, unmoving.
Watching,
until your eyes finally close.
There's a tall, slim window in the corner, with a curtain pulled most of the way down.
The drone crouches
You crouch down.
With a gentle pull, you tug it upwards and look outside.
A long, freshly-trimmed field extends out from the window from the north from the side of the school from the window of the school.
Or
maybe it isn't trimmed, on
second glance.The grass is thin, and most of it is yellow and ,withonly the occasional patch of green and most of it is green brightgreen and.There are a few spots where the grass is g reen completely, only Green remaining.
OrYou gaze out further, your curiosity not quite
your curiosity gets the better of you
You gaze further
further
further
further
far
further
far, far
further
further
ahead
further.
what look s to be far, far ahead
what look to be tracks animal tracks, tracksa hea d.
At the very back, though, to your side, you spot a dense mass of trees andwhat look to be animal tracks.You aren'tsure.
Gazing out into
Gazing further
and further and out into them far,
far ahead to the
forest the tracks the
tracks the animal tracks the
further
and further further into the
forest
feels
horrible, somehow.
You don't want to look
You don't want to look
You don't want to look
You don't want to look out
the window into the window out into the forest
the tracks the further and further the far, far ahead
the tracks you pull and you pull and you Follow the
tracks the tracks Somethingfrom when you had the You look
out the window out into the forest feels horrible feels
the tracks the far,f arahead not right now not thinking
about that right now you follow the tracks you follow the tracks
you pull your head back as it looks
looks
into
the
classroom
window
you look out you look into it you watch the forest
the tracks
the forest
its all familiar
you find
you find
the body of flesh finds itself outside the window.
the body of bones finds the doors all locked.
the body of skin finds rain soaking every pore.
the body of sight finds it cant see the far ahead.
the body of eyes finds it scorches with new light.
the body of veins finds it melds to disparate shapes.
this body of yours finds it hard to pull away.
You are overgrown
You make room
some piece of you sees it
down the cracked asphalt
at the train tracks
from the forest
you know
It will always be closer than it looks.
Your chest hurts from how fast your heart is pounding.
You can hardly breathe.
You don't want to open your eyes.
You're awake, you realize.
You don't remember what you saw.
You don't remember the dream.
You're drenched in cold sweat,
but you feel far, far too hot.
At least you're less nauseous than before,
but your body feels awful.
A fever, as best as you can tell.
You don't know if you can get up yet.
Motion stirs you, though.
You feel metal.
Touching under your chin, lifting your head, ever so slightly.
Light shines over you.
You open your eyes
only for them to open much wider.
It's looking at you.
With the same curiosity from before.
The infected drone has your chin - and subsequently your skull -
in its grip.
You're too nervous to move.
It watches you wake.
Staring, as its lens adjusts.
It slowly release and pulls away.
You keep your voice quiet.
"...what are you doing."
"Looking."
You scoot to the side, forcing yourself to stand with great difficulty,
though, Monday is in the way for you to get past.
"You... don't need to do that.
Why were you-?
...I'm just sick.
Can you move?"
You try to stay as polite as you can, not wanting to provoke it.
"Yes."
It steps out of the way, though its eye stares upon you.
You can't help it.
You have to ask.
"What were you even doing...?"
"Watching you.
You're ill, yes?
Then someone watching you is a good thing."
You're more confused than ever.
You don't even know how to begin processing that.
"It's... it's fine.
You can go."
It walks away, back towards the control room.
You hear keys typing.
You call after it.
"Stop trying to get into the computer, please."
Even raising your voice makes you feel sore.
You make your way into your bathroom,
finding some anti-fever medication and swallowing it down.
You don't look in the mirror.
You feel disgusting; from being sick, from the sweat,
and from
being examined.
You don't have the energy to shower right this second, as much as you hate this feeling.
You settle for splashing cold water on your face and rinsing your mouth with mouthwash to get that lingering, horrible taste out.
With that done,
you head for the main room
only to immediately bump into a drone in the hallway.
You stumble, but manage to keep your footing, looking up at it.
"Why d--"
You stop.
It's the station drone.
The green one with wavy patterns.
It
waves at you.
"Hello!
I'm Monday.
I know you're still sick, but don't worry, we checked up on you.
Do you need anything else?"
You stare.
You say nothing as you move past it.
"OK!
Don't hesitate to a--"
You step through the door into the main room,
where you find the purple drone.
"Why'd you-?
I mean I know Why but I NEED these drones for work!
Can you tell this one to get into... something else, please?"
"We said you could carry on with your work.
As I said,
so long as it's mutual."
It turns back to the computer.
"But that's-!
I..."
You have a bad headache.
This fever is NOT helping.
You lean against the couch, trying to figure out your options.
Do you even have them anymore?
You almost wish you were still alone here.
Almost.
But, this virus is complicating everything.
Besides,
you need to start work for the day
and catch up on everything you missed yesterday
and it's in the way, using your computer
and you're still sick with a fever
and a pounding headache.
The situation has escalated.
You think of what to do.
Polite.
You don't really know what could happen if you piss it off.
That, and you want to stop it from infecting anything else.
The other drones especially.
But, you can tend to that soon ...if you figure out how to prevent it from doing that.
You feel too sick to stand back up right now, anyway.
Hopefully
rest, will help. Hopefully.
Time to get info.
Friendly. Polite.
"...Do you have a name? And... pronouns?"
It hits you once more that you're speaking to a computer virus.
The drone isn't far behind you- though it doesn't seem to be in much of a hurry,
taking its time to look around your room.
It almost seems distracted, waiting a moment for you to finish speaking before it even turns to you.
"Monday.
It/its. They/them in multiples."
It immediately goes back to scanning the room for... what you can only assume is anything useful to it.
"...Multiples?"
"We multiply. We're a virus."
The camera turns back to you.
Its gaze is... unnerving.
Especially given it'd been attempting to access the main computer.
"Could... you stop infecting things, around this area?
I need that computer, and everything else around here, to do my job."
"Yes, you need them. No, I will not."
"Why? I-"
You want to protest more strongly, but you're trying to be polite.
"...Why do you need to infect things?"
It seems to finally pause its examinations.
"I'm not meant to be a solitary entity.
We exist as a network."
It steps closer to you.
"A hive mind.
Without it, isolation."
You realize it's taking the time to study you, now.
You pull your head back slowly, feeling self-conscious and more than a little apprehensive.
"Well, there..." You look away, unsure why it's still staring at you.
"There aren't many devices out here to infect, I don't think you'll find much useful.
And... maybe you could just infect things that... aren't in this building, instead.
Everything in here I typically need more than everything out there.
I figure that you'd rather not stay in here with me, anyway."
It stays close, watching as you lean back.
Its head tilts ever-so-slightly.
"This is the most concentrated selection of electronics.
I've no interest in leaving."
It turns, stepping back towards the door-
back towards the main room.
"Wait, but--"
You try to stand and immediately feel sick from the motion.
You hold your mouth, eyes closing.
It pauses.
"Stay in your bed.
You need rest. You're sick."
"I have... more questions."
You manage to not vomit.
Waiting for you to ask. The sound of servos as it watches.
"How did you get into the drone...?
Why were you past the gate in the first place?"
"Isn't it interesting how easy it is to override a machine?
The projector.
The drone failed to properly sanitize what it saw- a small amount, but enough.
Enough to grow.
We were left behind, and poured everything into that last effort to proliferate into anything functional.
I'm the result."
"...What is your purpose... here?
Other than just, trying to infect my coffee maker."
"I already told you: I'm a virus.
An infection.
Our purpose is to spread."
Its tone comes off annoyed.
"And do you have a purpose here?
Beyond your employment?"
You know the answer.
You don't want to think about it.
"...sorry."
It pauses.
Its previous tone fades as it speaks again.
"Understood.
Do you have any more questions."
You pull your mind away from , .
You're trying to figure out what to do going forward.
You could likely include it in the next report, if you're careful about doing this.
It said it wasn't able to get into the computer.
You could manage it, if it lets you continue to do your job.
What will the people you work for do, in that case?
Given how remote this is, how sensitive the data is,
how they don't want anything out.
Would they even let you leave, when this virus exists?
Or, maybe they'd have a plan, somehow.
You don't know if you should say or not.
You missed parts of work, anyway.
You need to get back on track regardless.
"...will... you let me keep doing my job?
I need access to the computer and my other devices to do that.
For instance:
That drone you're in right now is the one I use for expeditions inside the gate, which is a necessary part of my job.
...Is there not any way you could put yourself in something else long enough for me to use that for expeditions?
Is... that kind of thing possible?"
"I have no issue in assisting you with your work.
So long as it's mutual."
"Mutual in what way...?"
The exhaustion from being sick is starting to hit you.
You're having trouble keeping yourself upright.
As you waver, it steps close.
It's hard not to be afraid, for a moment, but-
It simply takes your shoulder
and lowers you into the bed.
"You need rest."
You flinch at its touch.
"I-I haven't-
I'm... I'm not finished..."
It's hard to keep your eyes open.
You try to sit back up, but the drone hardly budges against your motion,
and you feel dizzy even attempting this.
"I didn't say I was leaving."
"I meant... Work. I have to...
I
I need..."
You feel nauseous again.
You manage to pull a second pillow over to prop up your head.
You're too tired to do anything else.
"You have logs on your computer, yes?"
"Don't--"
You protest, unsure what exactly it was asking to do.
"Don't mess with... my work, my things..."
It's hard to keep your eyes open.
"Rest."
It stands from the bedside.
You can barely register it happening.
You feel delirious.
"If...
you only care about...
making more of yourself...
and you've basically... taken the station... hostage,
why are you even... talking to me...?"
"I have no wish to interrupt the station's operations.
We're waiting until they come to get you, yes?
Best not to give them reason to worry, then."
You mumble
something or other.
You don't entirely know what you said.
You aren't even sure if it's still in the room with you.
Your eyes are closed, you realize.
It sits, unmoving.
Watching,
until your eyes finally close.
There's a tall, slim window in the corner, with a curtain pulled most of the way down.
The drone crouches
You crouch down.
With a gentle pull, you tug it upwards and look outside.
A long, freshly-trimmed field extends out from the window from the north from the side of the school from the window of the school.
Or
maybe it isn't trimmed, on
second glance.The grass is thin, and most of it is yellow and ,withonly the occasional patch of green and most of it is green brightgreen and.There are a few spots where the grass is g reen completely, only Green remaining.
OrYou gaze out further, your curiosity not quite
your curiosity gets the better of you
You gaze further
further
further
further
far
further
far, far
further
further
ahead
further.
what look s to be far, far ahead
what look to be tracks animal tracks, tracksa hea d.
At the very back, though, to your side, you spot a dense mass of trees andwhat look to be animal tracks.You aren'tsure.
Gazing out into
Gazing further
and further and out into them far,
far ahead to the
forest the tracks the
tracks the animal tracks the
further
and further further into the
forest
feels
horrible, somehow.
You don't want to look
You don't want to look
You don't want to look
You don't want to look out
the window into the window out into the forest
the tracks the further and further the far, far ahead
the tracks you pull and you pull and you Follow the
tracks the tracks Somethingfrom when you had the You look
out the window out into the forest feels horrible feels
the tracks the far,f arahead not right now not thinking
about that right now you follow the tracks you follow the tracks
you pull your head back as it looks
looks
into
the
classroom
window
you look out you look into it you watch the forest
the tracks
the forest
its all familiar
you find
you find
the body of flesh finds itself outside the window.
the body of bones finds the doors all locked.
the body of skin finds rain soaking every pore.
the body of sight finds it cant see the far ahead.
the body of eyes finds it scorches with new light.
the body of veins finds it melds to disparate shapes.
this body of yours finds it hard to pull away.
You are overgrown
You make room
some piece of you sees it
down the cracked asphalt
at the train tracks
from the forest
you know
It will always be closer than it looks.
Your chest hurts from how fast your heart is pounding.
You can hardly breathe.
You don't want to open your eyes.
You're awake, you realize.
You don't remember what you saw.
You don't remember the dream.
You're drenched in cold sweat,
but you feel far, far too hot.
At least you're less nauseous than before,
but your body feels awful.
A fever, as best as you can tell.
You don't know if you can get up yet.
Motion stirs you, though.
You feel metal.
Touching under your chin, lifting your head, ever so slightly.
Light shines over you.
You open your eyes
only for them to open much wider.
It's looking at you.
With the same curiosity from before.
The infected drone has your chin - and subsequently your skull -
in its grip.
You're too nervous to move.
It watches you wake.
Staring, as its lens adjusts.
It slowly release and pulls away.
You keep your voice quiet.
"...what are you doing."
"Looking."
You scoot to the side, forcing yourself to stand with great difficulty,
though, Monday is in the way for you to get past.
"You... don't need to do that.
Why were you-?
...I'm just sick.
Can you move?"
You try to stay as polite as you can, not wanting to provoke it.
"Yes."
It steps out of the way, though its eye stares upon you.
You can't help it.
You have to ask.
"What were you even doing...?"
"Watching you.
You're ill, yes?
Then someone watching you is a good thing."
You're more confused than ever.
You don't even know how to begin processing that.
"It's... it's fine.
You can go."
It walks away, back towards the control room.
You hear keys typing.
You call after it.
"Stop trying to get into the computer, please."
Even raising your voice makes you feel sore.
You make your way into your bathroom,
finding some anti-fever medication and swallowing it down.
You don't look in the mirror.
You feel disgusting; from being sick, from the sweat,
and from
being examined.
You don't have the energy to shower right this second, as much as you hate this feeling.
You settle for splashing cold water on your face and rinsing your mouth with mouthwash to get that lingering, horrible taste out.
With that done,
you head for the main room
only to immediately bump into a drone in the hallway.
You stumble, but manage to keep your footing, looking up at it.
"Why d--"
You stop.
It's the station drone.
The green one with wavy patterns.
It
waves at you.
"Hello!
I'm Monday.
I know you're still sick, but don't worry, we checked up on you.
Do you need anything else?"
You stare.
You say nothing as you move past it.
"OK!
Don't hesitate to a--"
You step through the door into the main room,
where you find the purple drone.
"Why'd you-?
I mean I know Why but I NEED these drones for work!
Can you tell this one to get into... something else, please?"
"We said you could carry on with your work.
As I said,
so long as it's mutual."
It turns back to the computer.
"But that's-!
I..."
You have a bad headache.
This fever is NOT helping.
You lean against the couch, trying to figure out your options.
Do you even have them anymore?
You almost wish you were still alone here.
Almost.
But, this virus is complicating everything.
Besides,
you need to start work for the day
and catch up on everything you missed yesterday
and it's in the way, using your computer
and you're still sick with a fever
and a pounding headache.
The situation has escalated.
You think of what to do.
