first statement } audio; un: archivist

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

[oho, what’s this? a new voice on the network?]

Erm … I suppose it’s customary in a situation like this to introduce myself. [he lightly clears his throat before continuing:] My name is Jonathan - erm, Jon. Sims. [and he really has to bite down on the impulse to add the archivist after that.] I am somewhat new here and have yet to meet many of you. [which is intentional, on jon’s part.] But I - I actually just have a question, seeing as - if I understand the situation correctly - we are all from different places.

[jon hesitates for a moment and takes a deep breath to steady his nerves. public speaking is so much less comfortable than reading statements into a tape recorder.]

Have any of you heard of something called The Vast?

Comments

Text | UN: Richard Strand

[imarealistnotacynic]

[Jon.

Seriously Alex?]

I'll be the one to ask. The Vast what?

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

Just “The Vast.” That’s what it’s called.

[imarealistnotacynic]

[Alex why.Or perhaps, ship why would you put Alex with such...]

I'll hedge my bets. By Vast I can assume you mean a void or empty space. If we go backwards we find Chaos- or Khaos if you go by the ancient greek. The shape between creation and the void.

If we keep thinking of the greek, from chaos sprang Gaia (Earth), Tartarus (Death), and Erebus and Nyx - the gods of darkness.

That's how it works in my world at any rate. I can quote any mythos you'd like but personifying "Vast" you come to Gods, or a God.

In short, a terrifying space that human beings often fill with godlike beings battling so it ceases to exist.

[Your father found the horn of Tiamat. Tiamat, the sumerian goddess of chaos who gave birth to the eleven monsters whose corpse created the cosmos.]

A god. Of sorts.

[He shouldn't think of something associated with his father fondly.]

I mean if you want to get vague and metaphorical

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

[good lord, what a pompous windbag. jon wonders, briefly, if this is the way he comes off in talking to other people. georgie did say it was a wonder he didn’t get punched more.]

Well, thank you for that unsolicited lesson on etymology and Greek mythology. Unfortunately, your conclusion is incorrect. The Vast is not a god, though I’m sure some of its followers would claim otherwise.

[imarealistnotacynic]

Perception is in the eye of the beholder.

[Richard Strand defines asshole skeptic. An alpha at his trade. He smirks]

What is or isn't a "god" or a living creature depends on a person's point of view.

But I'm curious as to why you'd ask?

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

Perception may be in the eye of the beholder, but facts and evidence are objective.

[and just because he's ruffled, jon will now be a bit of an ass:]

I was simply curious.

[imarealistnotacynic]

...Yes. They are. And they offer a means of looking at the world.

[Point in your favor Mr. Sims. Alex has...interesting taste. Or Navi. Or whatever this ship is.]

The terminology was just so specific. I was curious if there was ...reasoning behind it. I'm an academic you see. My field is the study of myths and folklore as well as the paranormal.

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

[an academic ... but one who claims to study the paranormal. interesting. and a little suspicious.]

Would you describe yourself as a "paranormal investigator"?

[imarealistnotacynic]

I run an institute that offers a reward for proof of the paranormal - so I make it my mission to debunk so-called paranormal activity. So I suppose you could say that.

[He is on firm ground here and it feels good.]

I've dedicated my life to encouraging people to pursue reason. There's no such thing as the paranormal - it's just science that people manipulate to use people for their own gain.

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you’re quite wrong. Paranormal things do in fact exist, and they’re certainly not at odds with reason or logic.

[most of them, at least. the spiral is an outlier and should not be counted.]

Sadly, such a narrow-minded view as yours is common among academics, in my experience.

[imarealistnotacynic]

You're delusional.

It's not narrow minded to assume facts and logic.

[This is Alex's...partner. He must at least make an effort right? So he'll try.]

Let's assume the concept of a haunting. A ghost can be easily faked.

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

I am NOT delusional. And it IS narrow minded to exclude the facts and logic that don't conform to your lofty preconceptions of truth. While I concede that there are plenty of examples of charlatans and hoaxes when it comes to the supernatural, that doesn't mean that ALL supernatural instances fit those categories. I happen to have met what would commonly be called a ghost. His name was Gerry. He was bound to a book after his death and could be summoned by reading the text on his page.

[imarealistnotacynic]

[Give him a minute. He's going to just. Stare at this.]

I see.

[Every instinct screams that this is a problem but he will be polite. For Alex's sake since she and this man are together.]

I confess I would like to know more.

[Even if he's pretty well mentally broadcasting This man is absolutely fucking insane]

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

[jon is fully aware of how he sounds. he used to cultivate the image of having an attitude similar to strand's, before jane prentiss happened. turns out being attacked by an avatar of the corruption and almost dying puts a shift into your priorities.]

About Gerry specifically, or the entire archive of actual supernatural events I've maintained for the past three years?

[imarealistnotacynic]

Oh whatever you'd like to start with. I'd like to learn.

I do keep an open scientific mind. I'm willing to at least hear you out.

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

You’ll have to forgive me, but in my line of work, I have learned from experience that there is nothing more suspicious than a fellow academic. Why the sudden interest when you pronounced me “delusional” just a few minutes ago?

[imarealistnotacynic]

[He frowns]

You offered information?

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

I was asking a clarifying question, actually. And you've stated that your "mission" is to debunk claims of the paranormal, so you can see why your inquiry might be taken as disingenuous. As far as Gerry is concerned, I don't have any tangible proof, only my statement. He asked me to burn his page so he'd be released, which I did.

[imarealistnotacynic]

You burned his page.


[His lips press together]

Please, don't drag Alex into your delusions. You seem reasonable but she is a nationally acredited reporter this could ruin her.

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

So we’re back to you calling me delusional? Thank you for proving my point.

And by the by, Alex is a grown adult and can decide for herself what to believe. Perhaps you should start treating her as such.

[imarealistnotacynic]

She's been hurt by what she and I apparently have discovered. I'm not going to let that happen or keep happening to her.

[aparticularlyhollowlaugh]

Then perhaps it would behoove you to focus on tending to your own actions where Alex is concerned.

[11calls]

Thank you!

threadjack

[11calls]

First of all, I am a grown ass adult who makes her own decisions, and I don't need anyone to protect me. Second of all, I can ruin myself thank you, I don't need anyone's help. And third, considering how you curated my experience with your tapes and showed me ones that you knew I was afraid of, like demons and exorcisms and mental hospitals, you can fuck right off with this bullshit.

[imarealistnotacynic]

[Okay. No. Because if he knew...]

I'm not psychic.

It's not real. I didn't know those things were things you were afraid of.

[What he should say is "I'm sorry" but instead he just cuts the feed off.]