hugtopia | [ Havenwell Herald - Special Edition ] [text]

[You might recognize the name of the publication: it is the digital newspaper that Dot puts out IC-ly on a monthly basis (or so) discussing the events and goings-on in and around the city. This one is a little earlier than the usual.]

By now I am sure you all have heard about the disclosure of stolen documents from the Research Towers. If not, I implore you to check the public network feeds. I will not spend time covering them nor regaling you with the tale of how I planned to break this story myself at this time. Instead, I wish only to talk about the Research Towers themselves.

The actions of the Towers last month were damning. In the interest of self-preservation, they put many of their workers in peril and shunned the city itself. It comes as no surprise that many of the locals are incensed and several have resigned from their positions.

Sharing these documents with the public could not be any more transparent of an attempt to placate the populous. If they truly wished to make up for their actions, they would be more forthcoming. Speaking honestly, they should be more forthcoming regardless of their actions last month. Moreover, I believe they should be compensating the workers and families they disrupted.

Do you feel the same?

Like-minded individuals are encouraged to sound off here with whatever thoughts and suggestions they might have - if there is enough consensus around the topic, I will begin work on writing a formal petition and letter to be delivered to the Research Towers. It is a small act in the grand scheme of things but a crucial first step in trying to foster open communication. We’ve developed something of a poor reputation with them but I want to prove that we offworlders are capable of handling things diplomatically.

The effort may ultimately come to naught but this reporter aims to make sure it will not be for lack of trying on our part.

Addendum: If any of you have contacts with former tower workers, please get in touch with me. I would like to garner their support as well.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Definitely got my doubts that much will come of it, but I'm all for giving it the ol' college try. Good place to start would be to suggest they share that fancy shielding technology to create shelters around town for people to hide in when shit hits the fan. If they don't want us in their precious towers, give us something better.

I can’t say I'm terribly optimistic about it either, but going down there and banging on the door is likely to only get me thrown in prison and I'd rather avoid doing that whole affair again. Thus, I have to think of another way.

That's a fine idea. If they aren't willing to divulge their secrets, perhaps they will part with some of their technology.

I'll sign your petition for sure, Miss Dot. If this was the best PR cleanup they could manage, either they don't care even a little or they must really be scrambling. It's pretty irritating, to be honest.

Yeah I'm not keen on another jailbird treatment myself. Can't blame you.

[She already had her round of PTSD triggering, thank you.]

Hell, they can keep their tech if they're so protective with it. Just open the goddamn doors to their basement next time or something.

Transparent, certainly. But I would hardly be surprised if there were those who were... let us say willing to be distracted by the information they have offered.

As to the idea of sending any manner of communication to those in the tower itself, I doubt it will have much of an effect. Though that is hardly reason not to try.

Considering the extreme measures they had taken after the original time they were breached for value of privacy, to take what they offered at only the face value of it would certainly do no one any favors.

They demonstrated that what they seek to guard is worth more than even their other fellow citizens here, regardless of any inroads or connections made. Those with any particular friendships among those others might have more of an impact if they might implore them to reach out to their council members and those that might have more sway, though I have little doubt that they must be embroiled in their own arguments and it would not hurt to have more representation.

Either way it may require a more diplomatic hand but knowing the nature of some scientists that might take quite a lot for more than reparations, if they find their studies more worth preserving than anything else.

Is anyone surprised?
Really?
.. Of course they would protect themselves and their own interests first.

[Whether or not Kaiba was passing a personal judgement on the organization or not was difficult to discern from text alone]

I have been wondering just what all this research has really been for..
If this is what they willingly shared, there must be files of greater import that they aren't.

[Naturally, this "goodwill" was only extended to them because of the data breech that ironically some of the perpetrators of said breech were no longer here. Whoever was in charge of the research tower might have been wiser to have kept this report out of the public eye.. but Kaiba sure would like to learn what else they're hiding.]

Surprised? Hardly. I would think people are more disappointed than anything.

The research itself is interesting, though, isn't it? I also have to wonder what they're still holding to their chest and what it all might mean.

Oh, certainly. There was plenty in what was provided to be distracted by so I can't fault anyone if they were. However, at the same time, I cannot simply accept it as is and stand down. It is hardly enough.

I just wish I knew of a more reliable way to reach them.

Edited 2021-11-28 19:59 (UTC)

Thank you, Kyoko. It's quite irritating. One might even go so far as to say it's insulting.

It may be a combination of both options, though a lack of empathy would certainly correspond to the attitudes of many researchers I have personally known.

I think, perhaps more than anything, that is what truly riles me about the situation: their marked lack of consideration for their own.

Surely I am bothered by the disclosure and the inevitable mountain of information they are still hiding, but that they would be so cold is alarming. Note that I say alarming, not surprising. I've done my share of research and I understand all too well how easy it is to detach from reality when you're in the thick of it, but good God, the least they could do is show a bit of remorse about the matter!

I don't know that anyone could get through to them, least of all someone like myself, but what are we to do otherwise? Swallow our troubles down and simply carry on?

I quite agree. If nothing else, it should have been trivial enough for them to have offered some measure of space for those seeking safety. They've certainly allowed people access to some of the tower, before. Even if there have been matters since that might have fractured that trust.

[Which he is still not entirely thrilled with, though he manages to keep it mostly out of his voice.]

Regrettably, it is likely mostly through that trust that one might be best able to reach those in the tower.

Edited 2021-11-28 20:43 (UTC)

I don't have much experience with scientists, or other academics in that line, so I don't know for myself how normal a response like this would be. But it is really insulting! If they can only give this us this kind of bare minimum good will offering after all THAT, then I have to think they're not actually worried about anything much at all--our welfare or theirs.

We must also take into consideration that as scientists, they have likely been more on top of say... managing themselves, with their current forms.

It is possible that they might have lost some of the means to empathize with others, in order to keep maintaining as much information as possible. Logic tends to triumph in those situations, and they would have the years to deem certain things unnecessary.

Granted it might not have all been purposeful to do but they have had many long years and with that amount of time certain things can be lost sight of, especially if there aren't opportunities for it to present itself as necessary. Once one goes far into that mindset it can be very difficult to engage unless a logical view is also being provided to make them think about it, for emotion may be discarded.

So it would take... a more logical approach. Diplomatic navigating, or finding those who still have ties that might have more of a chance to be heard. It is not impossible, as I do not believe they are yet too far gone to be reasoned with, but going in with too much emotion might not register if they have chosen to discard that in some way.

It might explain further if it can be confirmed that only the more pious citizens were being affected by memory lapses because of their willingness to take in new information more readily as well.

That's only because they were too complacent and naïve.

There's an understatement if I've ever read one before.
It opens up more possibilities and prospects.
This isn't a single colony, we now know there are others out there.
Just how many, who can say.

One thing is pretty clear, whether they've been turned into robots or not, the concept of looking out for number one prevails..

Edited 2021-12-01 06:41 (UTC)

[ Havenwell Herald - Special Edition ] [text]

no subject

no subject

[text]

no subject

[voice]

no subject

no subject

no subject

[voice]

[text]

no subject

[voice]

[text]

no subject

no subject