SWITCHBOARD

[transmittable]

If you'd like to ask the Transmitter something over the phone, go right ahead! The Transmitter will answer the phone as soon as she's available. Leaving messages is impossible, given how old these phones are, but you should be able to reach her at almost all hours.

Comments are screened for privacy; all Patients are offered confidentiality, didn't you know?

Comments

[transmittable]

Kitchen.

[ There indeed is one in the kitchen! ]

Kind of inopportune placement, but it's there. The kitchen's...a pretty nice room, around here.

1/2

[heritrix]

[...this is a faint sound that might not get picked up by the static, like a palm hitting a forehead.]

Oh. ...Geez, of course. What was I thinking? You can use it to make pesto and the like...

[heritrix]

[Rin's so glad for once this isn't a face-to-face conversation, she's so red. She puts the mouthpiece back to her mouth and quickly tries to gloss over that.]

I-I've noticed, naturally. It's state of the art. So far I can say using the kitchen is the only thing I like about being here.

[transmittable]

S'okay. ...I can overlook things too.

[ ...The Transmitter sounds a little more relaxed now, in contrast to whatever the hell was going on with her earlier. ]

Unexpected, isn't it? But, you all have to eat, so...

[heritrix]

Yes, but you didn't have to focus on quality. Only necessity. There's one vending machine here already; it would have been easy to set up a few like the kind found in Japanese high schools.

[transmittable]

It felt right. It was already...nice, so. Why not? We want you to stay here for...awhile, and vending machines are inconvenient for that.

[heritrix]

It was already that way? [Her brow wrinkles.] Was this building abandoned in the process of renovation, and you found it as is?

[transmittable]

We changed a few things. Modified some. But this place was already here.

[heritrix]

Interesting. I assume the modifications include the "no exits" business. That really is a fire hazard, you know.

[Who approved this construction, they should have their license revoked.]

[transmittable]

It is. But there won't be any fires here.

[ No answer on the exists. Of course. ]

[heritrix]

[Of course.]

You have a fail safe planned in the event of that?

[transmittable]

There really WON'T be one but...yeah, we suppose.

[heritrix]

Mm.

[That's quite the guarantee. Luckily, Rin is just enough of a sane person that she's not quite willing to put this to the test.]

You're more personable than I would have expected, Transmitter.

[She's not sure what to think of that yet.]

[transmittable]

...Hm. Is that...so?

[ Sounds like she's not sure what to think of that. ]

Thank you.

[heritrix]

Don't thank me, that's strange. It was only an observation.

[She touches the inside of her elbow. At this point, she's mostly talking just to distract herself; she should call it a night soon.]

I might change my mind in the days to come, depending.

[transmittable]

If it's strange, isn't that more expected?

Of course, though, we don't expect any...positive opinions of us to remain, as this exercise continues.

[heritrix]

...Ah, that's more like it. We're back to foreboding.

[transmittable]

We like to keep an even mix.

[heritrix]

You know just what to say to a girl to keep her up at night.

[transmittable]

Hopefully not all night. You should get some rest, don't you think?

[heritrix]

[She wonders when the Transmitter sleeps. It's not like she keeps regular business hours.]

Yes, that's what I intended. We'll see how I actually manage in the end.

Good night, Transmitter.