text | un: anonymous

[hardedged]

[ it's been a rough month for jessica — stuck in this hellhole with a bunch of morons and assholes. present company included.

it's almost midnight, and with her stomach full of hard liquor, she's in the perfect position to make a poor life choice. so she finds herself posting on the network. there's no username attached; she prefers anonymity for this topic. well, here goes nothing. ]

i've heard the same old crap about the portal. that it takes people who need a home.

but is there any way to predict when it happens, or who will show up? can it even pull in someone who's dead?

Comments

@ciscodelamancha | text

[franciscoramon]

i think it's a no on the predicting who or when, but i've been thinking about trying to come up with some tech that'll help with that.

[ He isn't about to make any promises, when he doesn't know if it's possible, but... for his own piece of mind, he's been seriously considering it. ]

from what i can tell there is a statistical bias and the people it brings aren't random
there is a slight tendency towards new arrivals who have connections with people already here.
so if someone from the same world as you shows up, it's more likely to be somebody you know or know about than a total stranger.
which is super weird. not sure why or how it's doing that.

[hardedged]

[ finally. a helpful answer for a change. ]

you a scientist or something?

[franciscoramon]

mechanical engineer.
so basically yes, but that doesn't mean i know shit about portals that pull people from other dimensions.

you've heard about the timeline thing, too, right? how not everybody here comes from the same point in time?

[hardedged]

yep

[ it gives her a migraine, honestly. ]

you said you're working on some tech. when will it be ready?

[franciscoramon]

whoa there friend you might need to slow down.

[ It's... a meme, he's not trying to be condescending, whoops. ]

i said i was thinking about it. haven't started anything yet. don't even know if it's possible.
didn't think anybody would really be interested in it tbh
i can let you know if/when there is progress?

[hardedged]

not your friend. and don't bother. i get it. you're useless.

[franciscoramon]

okay, wow. way harsh, tai.

[ Part of him is tempted to drop the conversation there and forget about it, but in the end his curiosity wins over his dislike of rude people. And honestly, that degree of totally brash rudeness is at least better than faux-polite bullshit from people who smile at his face and then totally underestimate him. ]

i didn't say it was impossible, chill.
what's the big deal, anyway?

[hardedged]

doesn't matter. if you can't do it, whatever. but don't waste my time.

[ when in doubt, be an asshole. when in greater doubt, be a bigger asshole. that's her motto. ]

[franciscoramon]

i never said i definitely couldn't do it.
and considering how you're acting about it i'm kind of starting to think it DOES matter.
especially since you're on here anonymously.
that's like rule #1: make sure you're not making tech for shady people who want to do shady things with it.

[hardedged]

this isn't a comic book. i'm not some crapass supervillain.

[franciscoramon]

no offense but in my experience, crapass supervillains never think of themselves as the bad guy

then again you're way too rude to be evil
the really fucked up ones are always polite and charming on the surface

i'll get to work. should at least be able to rig up something that'll tell you if someone from your same universe has come through.

[hardedged]

how long will it take?

[franciscoramon]

[ He gets a feeling that an honest 'I don't know' is not what this person is looking for, so he just hazards: ]

a week? week and a half, maybe?

[hardedged]

[ she's still not satisfied, honestly. not like jessica ever is, though. ]

and that's the best you can do

[franciscoramon]

[ Wow she really is goading Cisco into wanting to prove himself out of spite and wounded pride, here. ]

i can maybe shave off a few days if you come into the lab and let me run some tests to measure the exact frequency your cells vibrate at, so i can make something that scans only for people from your universe.

[hardedged]

cell vibrations?

[ what the hell. translation, please. ]

[franciscoramon]

different alternate universes vibrate at slightly different frequencies.

anybody from the same place as you will have a body made up of cells that vibrate at the same frequency as yours
if i can get a sample i can determine the exact frequency and make something single-use that identifies just that one frequency