SPIDER IV - A NEW HOPE.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Wait, I was still asking questions! I didn't intend to vote for Khara. I'm really suspicious of BDS, actually.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

If Khara wasn't a spider, she wouldn't be calling who we say we are into question. I'm pretty well convinced that it's her, now.

Wait, so y'all can call who I say I am into question but I can't do the same to y'all?

I'm sorry, I thought this was a game.

It is a game.

[Dysfunctional Cunt]

If Khara wasn't a spider, she wouldn't be calling who we say we are into question. I'm pretty well convinced that it's her, now.

Wait, so y'all can call who I say I am into question but I can't do the same to y'all?

I'm sorry, I thought this was a game.

It is a game.

the rules are just different for some.... OK.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

If Khara's a Spider, what will voting her off the island do?

It will leave 2 Spiders and 3 Discordians, possibly 4 assuming that they are successful in converting me before I get subsumed.

Hm, OK. I presume that's a good thing?

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Wait, I was still asking questions! I didn't intend to vote for Khara. I'm really suspicious of BDS, actually.

BDS is definitely a Discordian. That point is not really up for debate.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

If Khara's a Spider, what will voting her off the island do?

It will leave 2 Spiders and 3 Discordians, possibly 4 assuming that they are successful in converting me before I get subsumed.

Hm, OK. I presume that's a good thing?

Yes.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

If Khara wasn't a spider, she wouldn't be calling who we say we are into question. I'm pretty well convinced that it's her, now.

Wait, so y'all can call who I say I am into question but I can't do the same to y'all?

I'm sorry, I thought this was a game.

It is a game.

the rules are just different for some.... OK.

No, as far as I can tell, no rules have changed.

[LMNO]

NOTE:

The current round will end as soon as Nigel confirms her vote for who to kick out of the game.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I'm gonna vote for Blight.

[LMNO]

ROUND SIX IS OVER.

Night fell over the City.

Time to feed.

She left her cramped, squalid apartment by using the window.  She climbed the fire escape, and was soon up on the roof, breathing the cold night air.

Tonight.  Tonight I shall be dangerous.

Leaping from building to building, she made her way downtown.  Down to the park.  Her strides and leaps were sure and confident.

None can stand before me.

She scurried down to the street, keeping to the shadows.  Her jacket fluttered in the wind, and any curious onlooker (if there were any, which there weren't) would have sworn she had more limbs there than made sense.

Where are you, little one?  You've been naughty, I can tell.  I can feel it.

She entered the park, letting her eyes close, letting the feel and the scent of meat guide her.  Her feet led her in a zig-zag pattern across the grass.

Don't try to hide.  I will find you.

"Excuse me, ma'am.  Can I ask what you're doing?"

Her eyes snapped open.  Uniform.  "I was... walking through the park."

"Can't you read?  Park is closed after dark, on account of the cameras don't work.  Extra patrols to ensure compliance.  You do want to be compliant, right?"

Must get away.  Something is wrong.  "Yes officer.  I was just leaving."

"Hold on, now.  I need to see some ID."

She ran.  Full speed, towards the front gates.  Away.  AWAY.

"Hey!  Get back here!"  The policeman raised his taser, taking aim.  She turned sharply, to avoid giving him a target, and leapt over a fence separating the park from the street.  She heard a whistle blowing, and knew she didn't have much time.  Spotting a half-covered manhole, she ran to it, and lowered herself down.

Safe.  Too close.

Down at the far end of the sewer, she heard a wordless, tuneless singing...

KHARA MET THE NESSIES, AND IS OUT OF THE GAME.  SHE WAS A SPIDER.  THE MACHINE™ CANNOT BE MADE.

________________________________________________________________________



The phone rang.  "Larry.  It's Ned."

"Ned!  How are you?  I haven't seen you in weeks!"

"Been busy.  Look, we need to see you down in the office right away."

"The trailer?"

"No.  Downtown."  The line went dead.

When he finally got there, Larry was shown into a large conference room.  Ned was there, as well as a couple of suits he didn't recognize.  "Ned, how's it going?  What's up?"

"Need your help on a project, Larry.  We have to get Q3 numbers by next week."  Larry stood there for a moment, looking at Ned, and his tired, dead eyes.  It was unsettling.

"Why would we need Q3 numbers?  More importantly, why ask me?  I work on the site, not behind a desk."

"Priority Reorg, Larry," said one of the suits.  "You have valuable resources we can leverage into mission critical solutions."

Ned slid a small lump of plastic across the table.  "You'll need this.  It's your blackberry.  Keep it on, and keep it with you.  We'll need to be able to reach you at any time of day."

"Larry," said the other suit.  "How much do you know about our production levels?"

"Uh... I guess they've been good.  Haven't noticed any slacking."

"But do you know?"

"...Not specifically."

"Great.  That's where we'll begin.  Have a seat."  As Larry took a chair at the table, he noticed a stack of boxes against the back wall.  The first suit grabbed the top box off the stack, and put it in the middle of the table.  Written in small, delicate script were the words 'Week One Input/Output Ratios (Aa – Ar)'.  He opened it up, reached in, and passed the top sheet to Larry.  "Aaronofsky.  What can you tell us about his schedule for the first third of his shift?"

BDS IS IN A MEETING.  INDEFINITELY.  HE HAS BEEN SUBSUMED BY THE SPIDER.  HE WAS A DISCORDIAN.  THE CABAL STILL EXISTS.

_________________________________________________________________________



The door to the hardware store opened to the sound of a soft electric tone, and Chuck and Paul walked through.  They had been having good luck finding the spare pieces of electronics they needed from Ned, but after he stopped coming around, they thought about ordering online.  Larry advised against it though.  He pointed out how easy it was to track someone's ordering history on the Net.  His advice was to pay cash at some dinky shop that didn't keep very good records.

"Should we wait for Larry?"

"I haven't heard from him since this morning.  Let's take some initiative.  Come on."  Paul approached the counter, where a young man was working on a circuit board with a soldering iron.

"Help ya?" he asked without looking up.

"Oh.  Yeah.  We need a common-emitter transistor.  Something that can boost to near maximum gain."

"Common collector?"

"Nope." 

The man finally looked up.  "Why not?"

"I... can't tell you."

"Can't, or won't?"

"Maybe both."

The man stroked the stubble on his chin.  "You don't get much of a request for that, these days.  Most people are asking for integrated circuits.  Sure, there are a lot of reasons for wanting one, but still... You guys been down the park recently?"

Larry and Chuck looked at each other.  "Sure, I guess."

"You tried using your cell phone while you were there?" 

"..."

"I knew it!  You're the guys, aren't you?"

"Shit.  Was it that easy?" asked Chuck.

"Well, you gotta be in my line of work to make the connections.  I'm Oliver.  When do we spread the dead zone?"

"'We'?"

"You bet your ass."


THE CABAL HAS CONVERTED A CITIZEN.


Round 7 has begun.  

Votes needed:

[(5/2)+1]=3 votes to put someone on a bus.

[Freeky]

But if everyone is either the spider or a discordian, then how will the game proceed?

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Presumably.... I don't know, I kinda tapped out all of my logic last round.


Erm....

Voting for Freeky?

[Freeky]

Meh. 

[Luna]

Vote Freeky.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Blight  Freeky
Freeky  Posted
Luna   Freeky
Villager
Nigel