to: everyone

[assembles]

Hey there, everyone. My name is Steve Rogers and I'm one of the people most recently summoned to the Free Cities. I'm also a good friend of Sam Wilson's — we've worked together for a number of years. I know he's made quite the name for himself here.

I've only been here for a little over a month, but in that time I've noticed a sudden increase in military activity within Cadens. There's increased drills and training exercises, equipment moving in and out, that kind of thing. I went by Fort Wilbridge and tried to ask some questions, but all they really had to say was that they were acting out of an abundance of caution. Almost like they're expecting something.

It seems suspicious, so I was wondering if anyone else has noticed a change in how the factions are behaving, whether it's something I haven't picked up on in Cadens or something going on in Thorne or Solvunn. I figure it might be a good idea to compare notes so we won't be completely blindsided if something else is coming our way.

That's all I've got for now, but it's nice to meet you all. In a manner of speaking, anyway.

Comments

[princessvegas]

Sure. What do you need to know?

[assembles]

Is it true that you have reason to believe that if we try to get back home, that it's going to cause this world to cease to exist?

[princessvegas]

[ There's a pretty lengthy pause before she answers. Like she is very carefully considering her wording. ]

If you're asking for proof that will happen, I don't have it. I believe that the Singularity could start pushing back at everyone using it like a plaything. I believe that if something happens to the Singularity, it will probably be real bad news for this world. For all worlds, maybe.

Playing God with things like this just makes God angry. And the Singularity is damn near close to God.

[assembles]

[ There's nothing there that Steve disagrees with, necessarily. He just also doesn't think they should have to accept that they're stuck here.

He's also tussled with beings that came pretty close to being like God. Thanos had certainly fashioned himself that way. ]

It was completely irresponsible of them to toy with this kind of power in the first place to bring us all here. But I'm not convinced we should just accept that this is the hand we've been dealt.

I know people like Strange are doing what they can to further uncover what the Singularity is all about, so we may eventually have answers to all this.

[ Of course, it's not that easy for Steve to leave something so important in the hands of others. ]

[princessvegas]

[ Again there's a pause. Julie doesn't want to reveal too much, for a variety of reasons, but she's pretty sure she has a better handle on "what the Singularity is all about" than anyone else in this world does.

And she might be the only person who even has a true shot at getting more answers.

It's not a fact she likes. It just is. ]

Look, I'm not gonna give specifics, but you should trust me. What we want isn't the important part.

[ Because the Singularity wants too. It wants constantly and achingly and viscerally, and she's still trying to get it to tell her what it wants.

Whatever that is, she doesn't think that the whims of humans really play into the equation. ]

[assembles]

[ That's cryptic, but Steve realizes that Julie's already told him a lot given that they haven't even officially met in person. He suspects a lot of that is because of her being a friend of Sam's, and figuring that he can be trusted by association.

What they want should be important, is what he can't help but think, but he isn't going to get into an argument with her about it. She clearly knows more than he does, even if she isn't being as forthcoming now that they're on this subject. ]

I'll keep that in mind.

[ But he isn't going to throw in the towel and assume that getting home is impossible. ]

[princessvegas]

[ It's not that Julie necessarily disagrees. What they want should, ideally, be important. They should have a choice. But the fact of the matter is that they don't. They don't get to choose whether they're brought here, and they don't get to choose if and when they leave. And trying to force that choice to exist is a risk. A risk to this world, maybe a risk to all of existence.

And it's a risk to her, as someone who can never leave. She will not lose her last shot at life just because some asshole doesn't know when to accept the hand they were dealt. ]

I'll be down later to talk to Sam.