Adrift

As we run, the Voice continues: “Running was the correct response. Please proceed at your current rate of speed to the next crisis.”

“The second option” involves flooding the corridor with inert gases. And now the running starts. Oh goody.

A glance at Jon and Deirdre says we agree. I tell the VITS no thanks. The Voice says that’s “unfortunate” and “requires the second option.”

Voice in the Speaker says it’s “deduced the arrangement you made with the outer subsystems” and would like to offer its services as a guide.

Voice In The Speaker doesn’t care if we trust it – using that phrase just means we’re 97% likely to listen to what it says next. Fair point.

Voice In The Speaker asks if we’re done talking like it can’t hear us. Don’t like it when hardware gets sarcastic. Get that enough from Jon.

So I don’t trust the thing because of what it’s saying, she doesn’t because of how it’s saying it — the science of it. Less comforting.

Subsonics? Repeating Deidre makes me sound slower than usual, but sometimes I can’t avoid it. The V.I.T.S? It’s using ‘sleepy’ subsonics.

… Or so I think. She turns to me and says that, objectively, we can’t trust the Voice In The Speaker. Her reason? The subsonics.

Not that Deirdre’s gullible. But since she’s already (much) smarter than me, I’m glad she’s not cynical – that they don’t go hand in hand.