Ian In The Wrong Place? - OTA

[ubuntu_programmer]

Open/locked?: Open
Who: Ian and whomsoever encounters them
What: Ian arrives in Auradon
Warnings: Some angst, maybe?


There was a figure slumped by the wall, their white and black hair disheveled, their glasses on the grass beside them. Their small suitcase was over their legs, their backpack dangling from one arm. After a moment they groaned and lifted a hand to their head. "Did I get hit by a truck or something...?" They mumbled.

Eyes opening, they looked around. "Well that's not good. I can't afford to be hallucinating now." They picked up their round lensed glasses and checked them before putting them on, then fished a phone out of their pocket. "No bars. Of course. I need to write an algorithm that will allow my phone to find signal from anywhere in the world. Of course, I should still be close enough to get signal anyway, hallucination or no. So... what is actually going on here...?"

Comments

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren shook their head. "Ah. It is more that you cannot prevent the access of strangers, people who could see a need and an ideal solution. And... people gaining code for sentient AIs without truly understanding the implications, the fact this is a life form, can and has resulted in abuse in my own reality. If it didn't happen I would not exist. Which means, well I am more... sensitive about that possibility."

They were very focused on the counter they sat on the whole time they spoke. "It is not that I do not want to help. I really do, it sounds like your friend is facing the sort of abuse I'm worried about already. But, just. I need to know what your friend might be up against. That way I can tailor what I share to fit."

[ubuntu_programmer]

"And the very thing that might eventually allow you to trust me... is also why I can't answer that in any useful way," they said quietly. "I... look, if you ever need to talk... even if you can't go into details... as long as I'm stuck here, I'm here. But... I'm not sure what else there is right now. I'm not going to push you to go against your morals or codes or contracts. I just wont. Like I said... I'll figure it out." Somehow.

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren was trying to not get frustrated, but it wasn't entirely effective. "I don't need specifics or government secrets or whatever it is you cannot share, but something I can work with. What overall technology is like in your society. Is it more or less advanced than what the people here have? Even what programming languages you use. Any of that can help me determine what would be detrimental to share. And it may give me a baseline of what can help put your friend over the edge so they could circumvent being controlled."

They might have appreciated the offer to talk, but right now they were focused.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"What programing languages I know and can use, that I can absolutely share. I do not know enough about what the people here use, technologically but... if that is the concern. I brought a fair number of my gaming rigs... if that would help?"

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren nodded, a bit less tense. "Yes. That would give me enough to know the level I'm working with." They didn't bother mentioning they'd add in factors like a possibly sentient AI in the mix. Which admittedly was a stretch for most even in their own time, but it could have been a one time thing or even accidental. That sort of thing had been known to happen.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Where can we go to open stuff up? I don't really want to unpack in a kitchen."

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

"We can set you up in one of the bedrooms. There are technically boy and girl dorms." They shook their head, not commenting on that part for now. "But everyone here now picked based on what colors they liked or nearness to others. So ah, blue and green or pink? Whichever you pick you can always swap from an empty room later if you decide to." They tilted their head faintly, waiting on an answer.

[ubuntu_programmer]

Ian had been getting ready to move but at that question... "Those can't possibly be the only choices. Please tell me there are other choices? Some quietly gothy room tucked off to one side? Some modish black and white maybe? Or at... well I'd say a mix but depending on the shades that could either be glorious or garish and given my luck since I arrived, I'm not sure anyone's eyes should take that risk..."

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren shrugged. "These are school dorms. While someone may have made their room 'gothy'," a pause, as Rren was uncertain what that meant, "any room that was occupied before... all of this is not available. You are free to customize the room you pick. I mixed items from both and put art on the walls."

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Well at least that is an option. I think should probably start with the blue and green and work from there. At least that is two colours rather than just an over abundance of just one. though if you mixed from both, then perhaps they can at least work together well. That's... better then I was afraid. Is there a shop where we can get better decor as well as electronics? and a currency exchange?"

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren nodded and waved the way in the correct direction for the room. "We came upon some shops. But the selection is a bit, erratic. As to currency, we mostly need to note what we take so the leadership left can cover it. I have mostly been borrowing from classrooms and leaving notes of which dorm room to find them in. I ah, I imagine when those who live here return, I will probably have returned to where I was last and will not need them any longer." If they were wrong, well, that was a problem for future Rren.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"I... see. Well, I'm sure I can find something with my skills to earn some money. I'd rather not borrow anything unless I'm sure I can pay it back." They went with them.

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

"If you are willing to assist as you are able, I am sure it will be enough. I have helped with cleaning for instance. It is not as though we had any say about ending up here."

[ubuntu_programmer]

"I am sure I can find something in my wheelhouse that people here need to have done."

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren nodded. "I do not doubt it. There are... not many people here in the scheme of things, and I think there is a lot left undone just because there aren't enough of us."

[ubuntu_programmer]

"That badly short handed?" they asked, wincing a bit.

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

"Only a few people who were local to this world remain. So it is mostly those of us who appeared here. And. Yeah, we are pretty short handed."

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Well, I am used to working in small tight knit groups, at least. But if it is something like sanitation... That's not going to be a strength of mine. I'm a tech person."