Blue Lacuna — 410 of 467

Section - Rebel Convo 5

An antique telephone is an undescribed device in Dream5Nexus. Understand "phone/microphone/earpiece/hook" as telephone. The description of telephone is "Made of finely polished brass and black wood, the telephone features a large mounted microphone and a separate earpiece, hanging on a delicate hook. There are no numbers.". Instead of taking telephone, try switching on telephone. [Instead of answering that telephone, try taking telephone.] Understand "answer [telephone]" as switching on when location is Dream5Nexus. Understand "hang up [telephone]" as switching off when location is Dream5Nexus. Instead of switching on telephone when D5-Phone-Rings is not happening, say "You pick up the earpiece and hold it to your ear, but can hear nothing other than distant, almost imperceptible hissing and clicks.". First Report switching on telephone: say "You lift the receiver and hold it to your ear." instead. First report switching off telephone: say "You replace the receiver." instead. Instead of switching off telephone when reb-presence-5 is enclosed by location: say "You don't want to miss the end of such an important call.". Instead of using telephone, try switching on telephone. Understand "dial [telephone]" as switching on.

The reb-presence-5 is a person with printed name "reedy voice".

D5-Phone-Rings is a recurring scene. D5-Phone-Rings begins when location is Dream5Nexus and D5-Phone-Rings-hack and the player has been in Dream5Nexus for at least 2 turns and conversation fuse >= 1 and yourself is asleep and D5-Phone-Rings is not happening and active presence is not in location. To decide whether D5-Phone-Rings-hack: if D5-Phone-Rings ended successfully, decide no; decide yes.

Every turn during D5-Phone-Rings: say "[one of]The telephone rings loudly, a tiny hammer striking the brass bell, startling you.[or]The telephone rings again, shrill and insistent.[or]The telephone rings again.[or]The telephone falls silent.[cycling]".

D5-Phone-Rings ends when location is not Dream5Nexus.

D5-Phone-Rings ends successfully when telephone is switched on.

When D5-Phone-Rings ends successfully:

say "Out of weird whorls and eddies of static, you hear a tinny voice clear its throat, then begin to speak. It is a [if player is female]wo[end if]man's voice, reedy, sarcastic, but confident.";

remove dream5-presence from play;

now dream5-presence is idle;

now saved last beat is last beat;

move reb-presence-5 to location;

now reb-presence-5 is attentive;

now last beat is RC5-pre.

Instead of switching off telephone when reb-presence-5 is in location: say "It would be rude to hang up in the middle of the call.". Instead of opening french doors when reb-presence-5 is in location: say "But you're on the telephone." Instead of examining d5-portal-trigger when reb-presence-5 is in location: say "But you're on the telephone.". Instead of exhausting when last beat is in RC5: force discuss rc5_notime.

RC5 is a thread with escape clause Rc5-1. RC5-pre is an exciting beat in RC5. RC5-pre suggests RC5-1. rc5_notime is an ephemeral repeatable beat in RC5 with reaction "'There's no time,' the voice says hurriedly.".

RC5-1 is a beat in RC5 with reaction "'Hello,' it says dryly, 'at last we meet face to face, or ear to ear, as it were. Builder thank the [rc5_hackers], though we're still pressed for time if we don't wish to be caught. I'm Doctor [rc5_quick], and it is a pleasure to finally speak.'". rc5-1 suggests rc5_2. rc5_2 replaces rc5-1.

Understand "mindlisteners" as rc5_hackers. rc5_hackers is a beat in rc5 with keyword name "mindlisteners" and reaction "'You've no idea the work it takes to keep our little chats going,' the doctor says with a little yawn. 'I've been up all night recalibrating new protocols--- but never mind that now.'". rc5_hackers suggests rc5_2.

Understand "doctor/quick" as rc5_quick. rc5_quick is a beat in rc5 with keyword name "Quick" and reaction "'Just an old proper name, of course,' the voice says. 'No time to get into the naming conventions of my [rc5_people], but it has proved to be remarkably accurate, I suppose.'". rc5_quick suggests rc5_2. rc5_quick summons rc5_people.

Understand "people/race" as rc5_people. rc5_people is a beat in rc5 with keyword name "[if last beat is rc5_2]race[otherwise]people" and reaction "'We're the underdogs,' the voice says wryly, 'the upstarts, nipping at the heels of the great old order, who can't even understand why we'd want to nip. But they're learning, if slowly. They're learning.'". rc5_people enqueues rc5_2. rc5_people2 replaces rc5_people. rc5_people2 is a beat in rc5 with reaction "'There's no time,' the voice says, 'I'm sorry.'". rc5_people2 enqueues rc5_3.

rc5_2 is a beat in rc5 with reaction "'We expect they're telling you all about how they used [rc5_progue] to further their own ends,' the voice says. 'Oh, of course [rc5_they] wouldn't characterize it that way, but I hope you can see through their shallow rationalizations. It's what they've always done to our [rc5_people], capable of so much more than them. But I digress.'". rc5_2 suggests rc5_3. rc5_3 replaces rc5_2.

Understand "progue" as rc5_progue when last beat is in RC5. rc5_progue is a beat in rc5 with keyword name "Progue" and reaction "'We didn't get to talk to him like this, of course,' the voice says regretfully. 'The connection was too weak, the equipment too new. It was only at the end that we finally broke through.'". rc5_progue enqueues rc5_3.

Understand "they" as rc5_they when last beat is in RC5. rc5_they is a beat in RC5 with keyword name "they" and reaction "'[if guessed_trees is true]The windsigh[otherwise]They[end if] are arrogant and proud,' the voice says tiredly, 'and from a purely academic perspective, of course, one could almost sympathize--- but no. Life is not purely academic. They are the enemy. And I think you have more in common with us than with them.'". rc5_they enqueues rc5_3.

rc5_3 is a beat in rc5 with reaction "'The truth is,' the voice says, 'we profited from their use of Progue as much as they, perhaps more so. The [rc5_device] he repaired for them, atop the mountain on Lacuna, is the only way we're reaching you to have these little chats. So I can't complain too much.'". rc5_3 suggests rc5_4. rc5_3 summons rc5_device. rc5_4 replaces rc5_3.

Understand "device" as rc5_device when last beat is in rc5. rc5_device is a beat in rc5 with keyword name "device" and reaction "'It's called a somenium actuating wave transceiver, if you want the technical name,' the voice says. 'Seiver, we say for short. Or at least that's what ours would be called, I should say, if we could build any more. Suffice to say it's what connects them to the collective mind, and is the conduit that allows us to speak to you, as well.". rc5_device enqueues rc5_4.

rc5_4 is a beat in rc5 with reaction "'Are you wondering now why these two forces, two sides, are trying so desperately to befriend you?' the voice asks dryly. 'I'm not revealing anything when I tell you this little tidbit of human nature: those who want to be your friends upon no provocation want something from you. Be warned.'[paragraph break][if player is male]He[otherwise]She[end if] sounds as if [if player is female]s[end if]he is about to say something further, but then the line goes dead, and all you can hear are faint clicking taps, echoing through some spaceless void at the other end of the line.".

After discussing rc5_4:

remove reb-presence-5 from play;

now reb-presence-5 is idle;

if the number of terminal beats in FifthDT is 0:

move dream5-presence to location;

now dream5-presence is attentive;

now last beat is saved last beat.