. . . don’t know if you can hear this. if you’re around.

What exactly—

but. I. fucking hell, can’t say this easy, can I?

Is this him trying to say sorry, or—

Let him talk, Lyf. Just— in case he says something right. . .

Bzzt

If she hurts them, I'm going to kill her, that—

maybe she's right. I shouldn't have pushed them. They wanted to be careful, and I— now they're gone. Stuck.

I— I'm not letting them get hurt the way we were.

Who did you push? Who is getting hurt?

What's happening?

Okay. Bertie here. Doing something to- get killed. No. I- I’m stopping this. Not allowed. No dying.

- GPT @the-mechasillies

Oh.

I.

Hello?

...I-

I should not intervene.

I cannot intervene.

But I wonder.

is my nastya alive.

— jonny @altmechstsct

I don't know.

Is she?

I-

No.

…I brought food. Again. I— you ate a bit, last time. I’m glad.

If I didn’t eat, you were just going to shove it down my throat, weren’t you?

…you think very little of me.

You’re the one who proved you have no problem hurting your children, mother.

Psst. Lyf. Lyyyf. I know you’re there, I saw a flash of your hair a second ago—

What do you want, Von Raum?

Well. We’re going to be going planet side soon. Think Jonny needs to pick up some. . . supplies? Tim or someone will watch to make sure he doesn’t get a harmonica.

And what does this have to do with me?

Ivy and Raph and I thought— well, there’s some good ice cream places Ivy remembers. And you said the problem for you was not. . . understanding us? So. Off the ship, all of us, we can chat about that or other things.

And if Bertie comes along? He’s— avoiding Jonny a bit. Since Jonny’s still not—

Sure! I mean, you two are. . . close. Surprised he’s not here.

Jonny’s in the next room. He was hyperventilating. He’s using my weighted blankets to calm down.

Oh yeah, how are those? I thought you might like gray or brown or one of the shimmery color ones, but Raph insisted you’d like blue or one that was all space patterned. And then Ivy pointed out we could get a plain one too and give you different covers, so— why are you laughing?

Wonderful job, Von Raum. I may let Bertie take one or two. I can’t see myself in a situation where I needed six.

Oh. Fair. That— sure. If you do need more, just say the word, all right?

There’s other things I could use, but if you’d argue over colors and give me three times what I need—

Give. Make a list. You can even give numbers and suggested colors, just. List. Please—

Bzzt

This is— someone from a different universe. I have a message for any Doctor Carmilla. If you hurt the Mechanisms or Lyfrassir Edda, I will find a way to retaliate. And I’m armed.

-BE

I would never harm my children, nor their friends. I don't know Lyfrassir Edda myself, though I have met Elvi and Dagr Edda. I'm assisting them in locating Lyfrassir.

Does it matter to you to know they're not mechanized? They aren't. The last person I mechanized was Bertie and that was a request. He wishes not to be mourned by those he loves again.