Framing Device - Chapter 1: The Arachophobe

>Take stock of the situation. What equipment you have?
>While you're at it practice introducing yourself. You never know when you need to make a good first impression.

You aren't exactly sure what this will do, but you decide to check your inventory. Not really knowing how to accomplish that, you just type in the first thing that comes to mind.

fdprotag /checkinventory

1. Self-Loathing (e)
2. Ironic Detachment
3. Pathological Need to Impress Others (e)
4. -- Empty Slot --
5. -- Empty Slot --
6. -- Empty Slot --
7. -- Empty Slot --
8. -- Empty Slot --

You... yeah, you guess that counts. You decide to try the other thing.

fdprotag /runintro

Your name is [REDACTED TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE MOTHER FLEET]. You are an information retrieval unit dispatched from [REDACTED TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE MOTHER FLEET] to parts unknown. Your mission is to record and describe all that you see and transmit the data back to [REDACTED TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE MOTHER FLEET] in discrete packets.

Alright, then. You guess... that. You are beginning to feel a little uncomfortable with how little control you have over what the command prompts do.

>Stranger: get more than a little ticked off at being locked in.

You're pretty sure she can't hear you, but she is striking a dramatic pose for what you guess are unrelated reasons.



Clenching her fist in what is probably anger, she flips her cape out of the way dramatically. The cape swishes back down in a fashion that you are guessing was less dramatic than she intended.

Stranger: "A generation lock?! You unbelievable bastards! Fuck you!"

She is sort-of yelling. Again, it is maybe not really yelling but you talked about this.

Stranger: "Think you can outlast me just because you're eternal, unfeeling automatons?! Drill yourself a mouth and use it to choke on a dick!"

You believe that expressing your feelings is important. You're glad she's found an outlet.

Stranger: "Alright. Just be cool. No fixing it now."

She quickly turns around and does some kind of... gesture thing with her hands. Her cape swishes in a much more dramatic fashion, but you think she didn't notice. Or do it on purpose this time.

Stranger: "Vault 1234... I'm gonna be stuck here a while. Might as well see what they were storing."

She drops her backpack on the floor. Then, more hollow clacks as she walks around the room.

Stranger: "Let's see. Hm... Fuck all to the left."

She sounds almost cheerful.

Clack clack clack clack

Stranger: "Jack shit to the right."

She seems more surprised than angry.

Clack clack clack clack

Stranger: "Really? Nothing at a- hello."

Clack cla- Oh.

Stranger: "I almost didn't see you lurking over here in this ominously darkened corner."

You are suddenly uncomfortable with your proximity to the stranger.

Stranger: "Now, then..."

Stranger: "Just what the hell are you?"

Her... uh, ear antenna things do a twang-flap as she pulls back her hood.

> say hello to stranger

Uh... hello?