A Very Short SOS: text; 5/22

[notglitching]

Data request. Repair: mental functions (users).

[Is somebody taking the time to be comprehensible? Not today! A second later, one word appends itself to the end of the mass text.]

Urgent.

Comments

[notglitching]

[The harsh rattling of the enforcer's sound skips, harsh and irritated. Rinzler is the last person to argue in favor of memory removal, particularly when the editor in question judges the benefit not worth the risk. But it's infuriating to have the possibility of help floated, then dismissed out of hand. All the more so for his own inability to be of use.]

What can you do?

[t65]

[Luke steps forward, reaching out his hand. He looks down into Washington's eyes, and tries to get in his line of sight. Waving his hand, he says,] Sleep.

[Washington's eyes flutter closed.]

There, that should help, I think.

[notglitching]

[That answer, Rinzler hadn't been expecting. He stills, watching as Wash quiets and subsides. It is helpful, even if the demonstrated vocal compulsion is more than a little terrifying. Could the user do that whenever it chose?

A question for later. For now, the program's helmet ducks a little, gratitude and respect grudgingly surrendered.]