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]

[ If only we could just get drunk altogether and chill. ]

Uh- um, it's...it's a little complicated? I can't really explain it, sorry.

[heritrix]

[If only...]

...Mm. [She sounds a little disappointed, but agreeable.] Is it a can't, or not allowed?

[transmittable]

A little bit of both, honestly.

[heritrix]

[This time she sounds more understanding.]

I've been in that position before, so I can respect that.

Moving on to safer subjects... Does that mean you get to choose which rooms we get? If you do, I was wondering why we got such a nice pool. Your profile said you hate water.

[transmittable]

[ Well, the Transmitter makes a kind of...disgruntled noise, kind of uncomfortable. She sounds almost bitter. ]

That one... That wasn't really my choice. I'm glad you guys are- enjoying it, but if it were completely up to me there wouldn't be one.

[heritrix]

...Ah. So the Risen have say too.

[Why would they pick a swimming pool?]

[transmittable]

Of course they do. They always do.

[heritrix]

[What an unhappy topic. She'd meant for this to be more fun, but she always comes back here.]

At least tell me they're a bunch of smelly losers who can't get a girlfriend.

[transmittable]

[ She laughs, lightly. ]

Yeah... Yeah, I guess I could say that.

[heritrix]

See? I feel better already.

[Rin laughs.]

I wonder what else we have in common, besides our age.

[She looks about the room, then at the very object in her hand.]

Oh, did you pick out the style of phone? It's quite different from the tablet.

[transmittable]

Oh, those? Naw, I didn't. I... ...Um, there's a charm to this kind, but honestly? It's 'cause uh...those guys, you know who, they're kind of...technologically challenged?

[ She says this like she's snitching on someone, with a nervous laugh. ]

So, old phones. Again, charming! But old.

[heritrix]

[If anything, Rin feels more depressed.]

Nngh, seriously? I have more in common with them on that point than you!

[This is an awful realization, she doesn't want to be lumped in with the smelly losers.]

[transmittable]

A- urk! N-no, it's fine, they- I like them too, they're really cute old phones?!

[ She's trying. ]

[heritrix]

Right?! That's why I thought you picked them out!

[transmittable]

If it helps I agreed with the choice?!

[heritrix]

Mm... That is a little better. [She plays with the dial a bit.] The Risen had a really ugly one lined up, I bet. Right?

[transmittable]

Absolutely. It was hideous.

[ ...if she's lying, at least it's a nice white lie. ]

[heritrix]

You're a peach, Transmitter.

—Oh! In more ways than one. I forgot to thank you for the second delivery on Sunday.

[transmittable]

Oh, the... Yeah! I mean- it's only fair to keep giving it to you, it did take a lot longer to get than I would've liked.

[heritrix]

Out of curiosity, are you acting on your own? I noticed the ingredients don't restock like everything else in the infirmary. Well, not until today anyways.

[She was getting a little worried there, Saturday night, but it worked out. That said, she remembers the Transmitter said upper management disagreed with allowing her the ingredients in the first place.]

[transmittable]

Mmm... It's 'cause they're harder to get. They have to be restocked once a week, unlike...well, everything else.

[heritrix]

[That's reasonable. She's not 100% sure she buys it, but it's reasonable.]

You'd think that much food and medical supplies would be trickier, for so many people. We must be sitting on a major supply warehouse.

[transmittable]

It's...something like that, I'll say.

[heritrix]

...Are you really prepared for us to live here forever? That's a lot of work on your end.

[transmittable]

...Yeah. We are. I am.