(no subject)

[recollecters]

Posting from this network, you'd probably assume I got my job back. Hey users. For those of you who're new, my name is Zee. Sorry to say it, but you've been pulled into the Retrospec project now. Not sure what that is? Get someone else to explain it to you, there're plenty of people who've been around for way longer than deserved. So…you'd probably assume I got my job back, and I kind of did. I kind of did, but there's a funny little thing about Retrospec and memories. Let me tell you a brief story. Once upon a time, there were the four founders who came to this planet, founded the city of Recollé and started the Retrospec project. Yeah. Another planet. They're technically aliens, I might technically be an alien, some of YOU might be aliens, it's hard to say. So anyway you have the four founders: Spinnato, Cavendish, Mahoney and Vanderweele. These four created an ideal project to protect life on other planets, offer inhabitants a safe haven to recover from tragic events of their world that were being destroyed (as planets are wont to do) and "regrow" the place you once called home. The problem is that the four of them weren't entirely in agreement on what sort of people should be "worthy" of being saved, or who should be able to become part of the Retrospec project to preserve their souls and recreate what was lost. Souls are a tricky thing. I should know, given I think mine was floating around in the endless abyss for a few months while my body regenerated. There was such a controversy amongst the founders that one of them, Vanderweele, ended up wiping out an entire family line. There are relatives left from the Spinnato family. Cavendish and Mahoney decided to spearhead the project themselves and sentenced Vanderweele to life in solitary confinement. Once that happened, they began changing how the project was one. They hired some of their own family members. They changed and became the "new" Retrospec. Vanderweele's not dead though. And as a master of illusion, you can guess where this story is going. I'm not going to do this vague and hiding bullshit that the company's fond of: Vanderweele is out there and meddling with the affairs of this city to overthrow and regain control of the project. All of these weird storms that are happening, the things that mess with your soul? That's Vanderweele's work. So why am I telling you this? …Vanderweele got to Retrospec. A lot of you asked if Retrospec knew I was alive again and at the time I didn't know if they did or not, so when I got back to this layer (thank you, by the way. All of you.), I went to headquarters. Everyone inside doesn't even seem to remember that they were working on the project. I don't know WHAT he did, but their memories…everything's scrambled. The entire tech department resigned and I'm not sure if Maurice thinks he's working in a normal mailroom or what. They're almost on the same layer that you guys are before you wake up. Or that's how it seems anyway. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like it's just you and me. We need to start moving and putting a stop to this to fix everything. I'm not saying you have to. If you want to sit this one out, fine, but I have a feeling most of you want to do something about this. Bring people back to themselves. That kind of thing. You're all pretty stubborn from what I've noticed and that's the good thing. There are some things I need to check. I'm learning how everything works here and I'm trying to understand all of their notes, not to mention I need to retrieve a few things and wait for a field agent but you'll hear from me soon. I have an idea, but these things take time. Stick together. Talk to each other. Keep focused. Oh. I guess also I should mention I moved offices? I'll be staying at headquarters for a while but my remote office is easier to access. Head to the public library, you should be set to get past the scanners on the back of the building and the door will appear for you. I'll be reachable by text, too. Good luck. Be in touch soon. Zee Carlisle Hiring Manager Retrspec Incorporated Characters' display names are the same as whatever has been previously chosen and are permanently locked in! Please feel free to use this post as a network mingle. Every toplevel can be considered a new post, and threadjacking is permitted. No NPC response will be given, though you're free to hit up his individual inbox later. As a friendly reminder, you may also claim one of this month's freebie by submitting a thread from this mod post. This thread must be 10 comments from you and submitted before AC closes.

Comments

[standalonehuman]

Hitori Togusa Then why do we still remember anything?
Hitori Togusa There's. We've got an opportunity here, though. With Retrospec this weak, we could be free of this, if we play this right.
Hitori Togusa Couldn't we?

[thesettingsun]

How much of this do you think was under Retrospec's control to begin with?

If I keep getting traumatic memories even with 99% of them gone, what does that say?

[standalonehuman]

Hitori Togusa There's got to be a way. To both stop Vanderweele and stop Retrospec. If we got in there and literally shut everything down, why wouldn't it finally stop?

[thesettingsun]

I got a memory last night, Togusa. Unless Retrospec was shut down literally today, that's not stopping just because the company has stopped.

[standalonehuman]

Hitori Togusa Zee's still running things, though. All their tech, it's still up. Vanderweele left it intact for whatever reason.

[thesettingsun]

Can you ask him to shut it down? Once the more immediate threat it dealt with.

[standalonehuman]

Hitori Togusa I could.
Hitori Togusa I just.

Hitori Togusa I don't know what I want anymore.
Hitori Togusa Retrospec brought to justice, okay, but maybe it's better if they stay like this, and can't do this again.

[thesettingsun]

...Do you really want them to forget? That's part of their history. That's part of who they are as people.

Even if that's safer, it... feels wrong to me.

[standalonehuman]

Hitori Togusa No.
Hitori Togusa Not really. Just because they don't remember, it's not like it didn't happen.

Hitori Togusa But we could get people out. Get them their lives back.

[thesettingsun]

It's selfish, but I want them to remember. I want Mista to remember how we started dating and not a fabricated version of that event.

They don't have to have any more memories of their past selves, any powers, any body parts. But I want them to know the truth of what's happened here.

[standalonehuman]

Hitori Togusa Wait. You mean- everyone? You think we could restore..everyone who's ever been on the app?
Hitori Togusa I thought Zee was only referring to the Retrospec staff, the people Vanderweele just wiped, that's who I meant. But.. everybody?

[maidofmistakes]

He almost got us. Some of us started to forget things while we were in the doors.

[standalonehuman]

Hitori Togusa I. Yeah. I experienced that, too.
Hitori Togusa I don't want Vanderweele to get what he wants, but it's so tempting to see a way out so close. You know?

[maidofmistakes]

That's really what you want? To just go back to no changes, no memories, no Retrospec at all?

[standalonehuman]

Hitori Togusa That's the world, isn't it? Before this all stared?
Hitori Togusa The hope has always been that when this finishes, the other Togusa can have his world, and I can keep this one. That it all finally stops for us and goes back.

Hitori Togusa Not even getting into that Retrospec has to be tried for their crimes, and so so many other things I want. But getting our world back is a goal, yeah.

[maidofmistakes]

I guess. You did say you wanted to split off. But doesn't that just kind of make it all pointless?

[After a few minutes, the above message gets deleted, and she posts this:]

It sounds nice when you put it that way. I don't know. I don't even know what the world for me would be if it went back.

[standalonehuman]

[As Togusa stares at the app output floating in his vision in the realization that he is approaching foot in mouth territory quickly.]

Hitori Togusa What about you? What is it that you do want? I can make a guess based on what you've said, but if it comes down to her world and this world?

[maidofmistakes]

Isn't it important to try and save every world?

[standalonehuman]

Hitori Togusa It is. I want to save his world, but I don't know if I want to live in it.
Hitori Togusa That's really the choice I hope we get to make.

[maidofmistakes]

I've already lost one world for good. If there's even a chance that I can get another one back, I want to take it. Then maybe things might turn out better and they wouldn't keep falling apart.

[Never "she." Never treating Kara Zor-El as a different person. No matter what Mr. Togusa or Mr. Tsushima or anyone else says.]

[megatechbody]

I'm not sure if we're going to have the time to.

This memory stuff is a time-sink even when it manages to work in our favor. Vanderweele getting knocked off the board has to be priority.

[standalonehuman]

I know, I do know. I just.
I see the opportunity so close, I can't help but hope.

I don't know what I want anymore. And that's

[That's where it cuts off, because Togusa actually can't figure out what it means to him.]

[megatechbody]

Hoping is fine. I will never tell you not to hope.

But with as strange as things have gotten, I'm not sure our path is as simple as it should be.

And I'm not particularly fond of how that little revelation feels.

[standalonehuman]

You're right.

Laws are being broken, it should be as simple as bringing them in, trusting in the system. But you're right, it's less of a straight path and more of starting to get lost in the trees.

[megatechbody]

It's not just the law. We're not dealing with people who think their money or their pedigree makes them better than anyone else.

We're dealing with something far worse because we're at the whims of people who can actually change important things and one asshole that needs to be taken out, pure and simple.