update from sparkleup

writing/post-self/toledot/index.md

@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ Nearing the 200th anniversary of System secession from humanity, the System and
     * [X] [Secession: phys-side: Yared](secession/phys/Yared/006) - Demma is a bit grumpy that Yared talked to sys-side, but mostly pleased that they seem to be on board with it; presses Yared for more information, hints at distates for System; told to ignore latest update, team will get him a new one. - 2939
     * [X] [Secession: sys-side: True Name](secession/sys/True-Name/004) - Meets with Praiseworthy (skunk female, studious and charismatic) to discuss propaganda angle, thus getting more on sys-side to support political acts. He suggests softening her features to be more approachable, cute, meek, etc. - 2128
     * [X] [Launch: launch-side: Codrin#Pollux](launch/launch/Codrin-pollux/005) - interviews *Why Ask Questions* Here At The End Of All Things (Michelle, casual type), who was tasked by True Name and Jonas to meddle with sys-side politics and increase support for secession - 2819
-    * [O] [Launch: sys-side: Ioan](launch/sys/Ioan/007) - Ioan, distracted, interviews a series of poor families (as ey was) re: what they miss, what excited them, first thing they did, what was disappointing, biggest regret - 3376
-    * [O] [Secession: sys-side: True Name](secession/sys/True-Name/005) - Council meets, she and Jonas introduce idea of secession, which goes over reasonably well thanks to Praiseworthy's work - 1724
+    * [X] [Launch: sys-side: Ioan](launch/sys/Ioan/007) - Ioan, distracted, interviews a series of poor families (as ey was) re: what they miss, what excited them, first thing they did, what was disappointing, biggest regret - 3376
+    * [X] [Secession: sys-side: True Name](secession/sys/True-Name/005) - Council meets, she and Jonas introduce idea of secession, which goes over reasonably well thanks to Praiseworthy's work - 1724
     * [O] [Launch: sys-side: Ioan](launch/sys/Ioan/008) - Ioan interviews historian keenly interested in staying close enough to earth to keep cataloging, has picked up on some of the patterns; also wants to be close to Ioan, weaseled her way into the interview - 2150
     * [O] [Launch: launch-side: Codrin#Castor](launch/launch/Codrin-castor/005) - Interviews True Name, who was tasked by Michelle as political side of launch, first time sys and phys have worked together in meaningful way in ages, tickled to see Douglas Hadje, nudges him through *channels* to apply for launch director (look at that manipulation go) - 2839
     * [O] [Launch: phys-side: Douglas](launch/phys/Douglas/007) - Learns more about the clade, but still not about names, mentions some concerning stuff re: patterns phys/planet-side - 1855

writing/post-self/toledot/launch/sys/Ioan/007.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 > **Ioan Bălan:** What excited you about the prospect of uploading?
 > 
-> **Fu Jinzai:** I actually wasn't that excited about the prospect. It was something that I just kind of did because it felt like it'd be easier than sticking around. The kids weren't seeing me anyway, and I could at least get them some cash when they were older. It sounded nice enough up here, but there were still nice things back there, you know? I didn't think about it too much.
+> **Fu Jinzai:** I actually wasn't that excited about the prospect. It was something that I just kind of did because it felt like it'd be easier than sticking around. The kids weren't seeing me anyway, and I could at least get them some cash for when they were older. It sounded nice enough up here, but there were still nice things back there, you know? I didn't think about it too much.
 > 
 > **Ioan:** What do you miss most about phys-side?
 > 
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 > 
 > **Ioan:** Have you done much exploring in the mountains around here?
 > 
-> **Jinzai:** Oh, sure. They're fine. Some of the ones that I've gotten around to visiting are really nice. They've got a lot of variety and all. There are some that are more like the Alps and some that are more like the Himalayas and some that are kind of like the ones back home, but it's not that I miss, like, the idea of mountains. I miss the little bits of the mountains that made them mine. I miss all the little caves that you could find, or the trees that had fallen over and their root-balls had been pulled up and you could sit under them if you weren't afraid of bugs or anything [laughter]. I miss the little shacks that people had built years and years and years ago, and, like, you have no idea what they were there for, right? Maybe this one is next to a pond, so it's for fishing, but then that one is just kind of in the middle of a forest, and it's too big to be an outhouse and too small to be a cabin, so maybe its a, a [snapping fingers] hunting blind? Is that the word?
+> **Jinzai:** Oh, sure. They're fine. Some of the ones that I've gotten around to visiting are really nice. They've got a lot of variety and all. There are some that are more like the Alps and some that are more like the Himalayas and some that are kind of like the ones back home, but it's not that I miss, like, the idea of mountains. I miss the little bits of the mountains that made them mine. I miss all the little caves that you could find, or when trees that had fallen over and their root-balls had been pulled up and you could sit under them if you weren't afraid of bugs or anything [laughter]. I miss the little shacks that people had built years and years and years ago, and, like, you have no idea what they were there for, right? Maybe this one is next to a pond, so it's for fishing, but then that one is just kind of in the middle of a forest, and it's too big to be an outhouse and too small to be a cabin, so maybe its a, a [snapping fingers] hunting blind? Is that the word?
 > 
 > **Ioan:** Where you sit and wait for animals to go by while hunting?
 > 
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@
 
 -----
 
-Ioan didn't know quite what it was about the latest messages from the launches that was was nagging at em so much. It wasn't that either of the Codrins were sending back anything that was particularly surprising. Sure, the Odists had been a big part of Secession, but ey knew that, hadn't ey? They dealt with propaganda and speeches and politics, but the must have, right? That's what was needed for something like seceding from the rest of the governments on earth, right?
+Ioan didn't know quite what it was about the latest messages from the launches that was was nagging at em so much. It wasn't that either of the Codrins were sending back anything that was particularly surprising. Sure, the Odists had been a big part of Secession, but ey knew that, hadn't ey? They dealt with propaganda and speeches and politics, so they must have been, right? That's what was needed for something like seceding from the rest of the governments on earth, right?
 
-It wasn't even particularly the more personal notes that ey'd gotten, expressing how life was going out on the LVs, all of the ways in which it was exactly the same, except for some key difference in sentiment. Those on the LVs felt like they were going on a journey, and those who remained at the L<sub>5</sub> System felt like they weren't, so there was an entirely different feeling between two societies that were otherwise identical.
+It wasn't  the more personal notes that ey'd gotten, expressing how life was going out on the LVs, all of the ways in which it was exactly the same, except for some key difference in sentiment. Those on the LVs felt like they were going on a journey, and those who remained at the L<sub>5</sub> System felt like they weren't, so there was an entirely different feeling between two societies that were otherwise identical.
 
 *Three* societies, for it was obvious that Castor and Pollux were diverging rapidly without strict contact with each other or the System.
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ And yet, still...
 > 
 > **Ioan:** I'm sorry. Do you still talk with your children, at least?
 > 
-> **Magnús:** I talk with Anita sometimes. They say they might upload in a few years. They say married life isn't what they expected, and now they're in much the same position I was. They have kids. They're less strapped for cash with their husband's job, but they're still not going to get anywhere. It sounds like they have a much better relationship with their husband, though, so maybe it won't just be the same old cycle again.
+> **Magnús:** I talk with Anita sometimes. They say they might upload in a few years. They say married life isn't what they expected, and now they're in much the same position I was. They have a kid. They're less strapped for cash with their husband's job, but they're still not going to get anywhere. It sounds like they have a much better relationship with their husband, though, so maybe it won't just be the same old cycle again.
 > 
 > **Ioan:** How do you feel about that as an option for them?
 > 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ And yet, still...
 > 
 > **Ioan:** What sorts of things will you show them when they upload? What are some things that you like best up here?
 > 
-> **Magnús:** There's the things that I like best, and then the things that I think we'll like best together. The things that I like best are the really relaxing things. I like swimming and then going and laying on the grass. I like reading. I like just sim-hopping and people watching. The things that I think we'll like best together are probably some of the game sims that people have set up. They really liked a lot of the spy sims back on the 'net, like the ones where you hide behind walls and sneak through a base and play capture the flag or whatever. I always found them stressful when I did them on my own, but doing one with them, one where we had to escape from a search party, is one of my best memories of them. They have some good ones here that I think they'd like.
+> **Magnús:** There's the things that I like best, and then the things that I think we'll like best together. The things that I like best are the really relaxing things. I like swimming and then going and laying on the grass. I like reading. I like just sim-hopping and people watching. The things that I think we'll like best together are probably some of the game sims that people have set up. They really liked a lot of the spy sims back on the 'net, like the ones where you hide behind walls and sneak through a base and play capture the flag or whatever. I always found them stressful when I did them on my own, but doing one with them, one where we had to escape from a search party, is one of my best memories with them. They have some good ones here that I think they'd like.
 
 -----
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ It just felt an awful lot like those who had helped the most with Secession used
 > 
 > **Ioan:** Can you expand on that?
 > 
-> **Rosemary:** I mean, when you first upload, you're kinda dumped into a set of common areas until you get figure out where you're going to stay or whatever. You can meet up with family members if you have them --- I didn't --- or you can meet up with those of a similar culture or religion --- I'm from the middle of the blandest town on the planet and don't hold to any religion --- or maybe you can meet up with others base around a similar interest. Thing is, I'm really interested in just cooking and chatting and reading.
+> **Rosemary:** I mean, when you first upload, you're kinda dumped into a set of common areas until you figure out where you're going to stay or whatever. You can meet up with family members if you have them --- I didn't --- or you can meet up with those of a similar culture or religion --- I'm from the middle of the blandest town on the planet and don't hold to any religion --- or maybe you can meet up with others base around a similar interest. Thing is, I'm really interested in just cooking and chatting and reading.
 > 
 > **Ioan:** Were you able to find any groups for cooking or reading?
 > 
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ It just felt an awful lot like those who had helped the most with Secession used
 > 
 > **Ioan:** How would you describe System Freeze?
 > 
-> **Rosemary:** Well, I mean, I was poor as dirt back on Earth. I was a pretty good cook who liked to read mystery novels when she wasn't working. If you're poor as dirt, you're only going to get so good at cooking, though, and you're only going to be reading a certain kind of mystery novel. It's not like I went through a ton of schooling to be reading anything high-minded, and what can I say, I'm a sucker for pulp. So I upload and wind up staying in a free sim somewhere and every time I go out to look for people who like cooking, it's all these people who are *super* into it and have all this weird experience, so all I can do is take classes, and I feel like a real hick. Then I go out and look for reading clubs or people who like mystery novels, and all I can find are these groups that read what I liked ironically so that they can dunk on it with friends.
+> **Rosemary:** Well, I mean, I was poor as dirt back on Earth. I was a pretty good cook who liked to read mystery novels when she wasn't working. If you're poor as dirt, you're only going to get so good at cooking, though, and you're only going to be reading a certain kind of mystery novel. It's not like I went through a ton of schooling to be reading anything high-minded, and what can I say, I'm a sucker for pulp. So I upload and wind up staying in a communal sim somewhere and every time I go out to look for people who like cooking, it's all these people who are *super* into it and have all this weird experience, so all I can do is take classes, and I feel like a real hick. Then I go out and look for reading clubs or people who like mystery novels, and all I can find are these groups that read what I liked ironically so that they can dunk on it with friends.
 > 
 > **Ioan:** I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds really alienating.
 > 
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ It just felt an awful lot like those who had helped the most with Secession used
 
 And so here ey was, hunting down those who had uploaded specifically for the money that it would leave their families and friends back phys-side. Their stories were, ey figured, just as valid as anyone's. They were just as valid as eir own, for had ey not done the same? Here ey was, interviewing those like emself.
 
-These were the people who had moved to the system out of some sense of not just a better life for themselves, but one for those they had left behind. Ioan had had few enough ties back to eir family phys-side after uploading --- only enough to ensure that the payments had gone through and that they were alright --- and then none since then. If any of eir family had uploaded since then, none had gotten in touch.
+These were the people who had moved to the system out of some sense of not just a better life for themselves, but one for those they had left behind. Ioan had had few enough ties back to eir family phys-side after uploading --- only enough to ensure that the payments had gone through and that eir kid brother was alright --- and then none since then. If any of eir family had uploaded since then, none had gotten in touch.
 
 Eir hope in undertaking this exercise had been to learn a bit more about the time between Secession and Launch, about what had lead to the demographics of a System that had decided to hurl large portions of itself out into space. Was it something perhaps borne of the sentiment of the population that had grown in the intervening years? Was it something that had always been there?
 
@@ -194,4 +194,4 @@ So much was going on that had gone on before and so many of the same actors were
 
 -----
 
-And so ey went home, back to work on the project, back to receive more updates from the Codrins and the LVs. Back to sit in front of an empty page, considering what it meant that they felt caught up in some storm, some vortex that ey could not see except that the occasional landmark would pass through their field of view, once every two hundred years. Back to sit with May and at least feel comfortable with someone, even if that someone was starting to feel, for some reason ey could not fully understand, part of that very vortex.
+And so ey went home, back to work on the project, back to receive more updates from the Codrins and the LVs. Back to sit in front of an empty page, considering what it meant that they felt caught up in some storm, some vortex that ey could not see except that the occasional landmark would pass through their field of view, once every two hundred years. Back to sit with May and at least feel comfortable with someone, even if that someone was starting to feel, for some reason ey could not fully understand, as though they were part of that very vortex.

writing/post-self/toledot/secession/sys/True-Name/005.md

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ It worked well, as the whole council turned on cue and began to walk slowly down
 
 And on and on.
 
-They'd made it about halfway around the lake before the discussion turned to True Name and Jonas.
+They'd made it about halfway around the pond before the discussion turned to True Name and Jonas.
 
 "Glad to hear the launch is a go. I'm curious to see if there will be any interruptions in service meanwhile."
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ Jonas shook his head, "Should be smooth sailing. Worst case, we shut down for a
 
 "And the bill sounds like it's going well, too," Debarre said. "I'm actually surprised that it isn't a foregone conclusion, too. From what I've been hearing, there's essentially total agreement on the DDR, and most of the governments seem on-board now, too."
 
-It was True Name's turn to nod, and she slid through the sentence smoothly, letting the topic flow into the conversation as gently as Ir Jonas and Praiseworthy had suggested. She just needed to trust that the work had been done, trust in her own abilities. "Yes, it has almost unanimously been accepted, and all we're really waiting on right now is for them to decide whether or not we can be trusted to govern ourselves."
+It was True Name's turn to nod, and she slid through the sentence smoothly, letting the topic flow into the conversation as gently as Ir Jonas and Praiseworthy had suggested. She just needed to trust that the work had been done, trust in her own abilities. "Yes, it has almost unanimously been accepted, and all we are really waiting on right now is for them to decide whether or not we can be trusted to govern ourselves."
 
 The reaction was precisely what she had hoped: almost nothing at all. There were some nodding of heads, and user11824 just shrugged, as he ususally did.
 
@@ -78,11 +78,11 @@ The skunk smiled inwardly. That the topic of secession had been accepted at face
 
 After to-do items had been handed out and the meeting wound down, Jonas waved to the group and disappeared from the sim. That left True Name five minutes to walk and talk with the others before she would meet up with him, so she spent a few just walking alongside Debarre, talking about the fireworks that she'd watched with their mutual friend during high school, the author of the ode from which she drew her name.
 
-Then she waved her goodbyes as well, and stepped from the spy-park sim to a cafe, the very same one that Michelle/Sasha had visited when she had forked that first time.
+Then she waved her goodbyes as well, and stepped from the spy-park sim to a cafe, the very same one that Michelle/Sasha had visited before she had forked that first time.
 
 "Mocha, right?" Jonas said, handing her a drink and leading her out to a rickety table on the sidewalk, already ensconced in another silent bubble.
 
-"Close enough, yes. Perhaps champagne would be better."
+"Thank you, yes. Perhaps champagne would be better."
 
 He laughed and fell into the chair opposite her, a motion that somehow managed to ride the border between ungainly and endearing. "We'll get stinking drunk when the bill passes, don't worry. We'll get all of you and all of me together and bust out the champagne, cocaine, and condoms."
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ True Name said nothing, simply returning to watching the movement of the shopper
 
 "What's next on your list, fuzzy?"
 
-"If you call me 'fuzzy' again, I will throw this fucking coffee in your face."
+"If you call me 'fuzzy' again, I will dump this coffee over your head and rub it into your perfect fucking hair."
 
 He laughed.