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Tenebrais posted:Give might have a positive function - if you've combined to an amount that's higher than 10, you could use Give to give away a card and get back down to the correct number. Say, if 5 and 7 paired up, they could still save themselves by combining with 3 and giving away the 5. That's just factually wrong. quote:Giving allows one party to give their card to another, receiving nothing in return. Giving cards is also restricted to individual players. Giving a card to another player results in the card donor's score being reduced to zero and renders them unable to partake in any other transactions . ...Unless they receive a card as a gift from another player. A no-cards player cannot combine as combining is defined as a transaction earlier and you can't give away cards after combining.
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Feb 11, 2022 14:14
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'Give' still matters because of the primary/secondary terminal thing. One side is controlling Combine/Trade/Give and the other is passive (which is another use for lying/backstabbing: If you have a lovely card, claim to have a match but then trade instead of combine)
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Feb 11, 2022 19:48
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tbh the way i understood it, is that the primary terminal is also the giver, you can't "take" a card, but also nothing in the rules actually explicitly says so, so it might be possible to rob someone and leave them for dead.
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Feb 11, 2022 20:18
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 [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]   Good afternoon, Jordan. It's good to see you up and about. It's nice to finally be able to stretch my legs, not to mention leave my sleeping quarters. I imagine it would be. Uh, I'm supposed to be meeting Beatrix here. Is she around? Enough chit-chat, Nikolas. Apparently so.I spun around, realizing that Beatrix had been here the whole time, concealed by medical equipment from her vantage point in the corner of the room. Jordan, I asked you to come here for a reason. And what reason would that be? We'd like you to share information with us about the Deletion Game, if you're willing. In this game, information is power, so we're going to offer you a deal. Two for one. We'll tell you our numbers, if you tell us yours. It's a simple information swap. But you must be honest. Why me? We feel a certain duty of care. You were unconscious most of the time, but Beatrix and I didn't leave your side for four whole days. By the end of your stay, we felt... close to you.Regardless of whether the twins were being honest about their reasons for helping me, the fact was I had to start trusting someone at some point. Lying or refusing to give information would only result in missing out on allying myself with the people I needed to. There was no other choice- it was do or die time. Okay. An information swap, then. After you. Oh no. It's too easy for you to go back on your word. You go first, I'll go next, and then Nikolas can go last, how's that? Very well. My number is 2. I've got a 5. That's wonderful! I have a 3. If we combine all our numbers, we'll make a 10 and are safe. What do you think, will you team up with us? Same as before, Fem!Jordan probably isn't ready to commit to someone she barely knows- but fortunately, we don't have to accept this immediately!  Can I have some time to think it over? Of course. We still have two days, so please think it over and tell us what you think as soon as you've decided. Time is of the essence in this game. In any case, I believe that Beatrix promised you dinner, so now that we've finished our business, let's move on to something more enjoyable.Nikolas brought out a plate of roast beef and vegetables laced with gravy. Roast beef? I had some for lunch today. Not that I mind. Our chef is a stickler to keeping to our alloted rations. Any meat he cooks is eaten at every meal except for breakfast until it's gone, so it stays fresh. Logically it makes sense, but one can't help but lament on their palate's behalf every now and then.The three of us shared a comfortable meal. I was shamelessly flirted at by both twins, and occasionally, I flirted back. The time flew by and before I knew it, I found myself yawning into my hand.  Bedtime, I think. If your quarters are too far away, you can always share mine, you know... I think I'll manage, thanks.Exhausted from the past day's activities, I shuffled down the hall to my room and rolled into bed. The tension I'd felt earlier had somehow dissipated, replaced with a serene, calm feeling. Before too long, I fell asleep. ...   I awoke multiple times throughout the night. Some part of me still couldn't believe this was actually happening. I couldn't really be fighting for my life, could I? It all seemed so surreal, like part of someone else's vivid nightmare. I was staring up at the ceiling, contemplating my situation, when I heard the door to my quarters open. Startled, I immediately sat up. [BGM: With Fear: Hope]  It's only me. I'm sorry if I startled you.I squinted through the dim light. It was difficult to make out a face, but I knew from her voice that it was the Captain. I was grateful for the darkness that obscured my dishevelled appearance and the tangled mess of blankets strewn across my bed. It certainly would have fallen far short of the Captain's exacting standards. What time is it? 0430 hours. I'm sorry for the intrusion, but I must speak with you away from the prying eyes of the other crew members. What about? Both you and the Vogels skipped dinner last night. Is it safe to assume you were together? Yes. What did they want? Not that it's any of your business, but they asked to swap information for the Deletion Game. And did you? Swap information? That's none of your concern.  Even so... I just want you to be careful. I may not know you very well, but you should be aware that they probably aren't being completely honest with you. The Vogels are not to be trusted. I'll decide that for myself. Very well. But if you do decide to trust them, then you should be on your guard. You wouldn't want to wind up dead because you trusted the wrong person. I... um... I must go. If you need to speak with me again, ensure that it's after hours. I'll tell Ai to make my quarters available to you, should you wish to visit. I... Thank you. Now, go back to sleep. You still have a few hours before breakfast.Before I could blink, the Captain had disappeared from my room, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more. Oh, sure. Sleep, she says. How could I possibly sleep knowing that the Vogels' offer might be nothing more than an elaborate ruse? I'd thought I was all set, that everything would be fine now that I had other people to work with... How hopelessly naive of me. After a few hours of restless sleep and some horrible dreams involving chewing my own teeth and insects crawling out of my ears, it was finally close enough to breakfast for me to get out of bed. [BGM: Et Tu, My Friend]  The day held nothing but anxiety for me now. Today was the last day before the Deletion Game actually took place. For all I knew, I could be the one fated to die tomorrow. I walked down the corridors of the ship, gazing at the stars through the windows as I made my way to the Dining Hall, checking the map on my personnel tablet every now and then to ensure I was on the right path. Suddenly, a pair of hands seized me from behind, grabbing me around the waist and hauling me backwards into an unknown room. As soon as I was released, I spun around frantically to face my attacker. [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  A man and a young woman stood before me, enigmatic smiles painted on their faces. Standing there with her hands on her backpack straps, the girl with vivid blue hair seemed particularly proud of her handiwork. None of this seemed quite as pressing as the gleaming knife the man held in his hand. He took a few steps towards me.  I see our guest has arrived at last. W-What do you want from me?The man advanced closer. I shrank back in fear as he flipped and caught the knife with a practiced hand. After a few tense moments, he offered me the knife handle.  Care to do the honors? I'm sorry... what? Katashi made lemon tart. Tarte Au Citron, actually. They're the same thing. I usually don't encourage the crew to eat sweets before breakfast, but I think we can make an exception on this particular occasion. Please, sit.Katashi pulled out a chair at the nearby table and gestured for me to sit down. Once I'd taken my seat, Katashi carefully slid the plate of lemon tart towards me. The pastry was a lovely golden brown, and the lemon custard centre had a gentle wobble to it. I gingerly cut three small pieces before handing the knife back to him.   You don't want more? Katashi's a really good cook, you know. That's plenty big enough. You wouldn't want to spoil your appetite before breakfast, would you?Katashi quickly plated the pieces and handed out forks with the air of an accomplished chef. Fork in hand, Shizuka began to scarf hers down with great enthusiasm. I thought that something sweet might help soften the blow of our little kidnapping here. It certainly helps. I'm Jordan, by the way. The name's Katashi Ikari, I'm the Everett's Agricultural Engineer. Harro, m'manshs Shishzuka. I'm sorry?The young woman had her mouth full of lemon tart and seemed preoccupied with trying to steal Katashi's portion off of his plate while he was distracted. Katashi deflected Shizuka's sneak attack without missing a beat.  This hot mess is Shizuka Himura, the Linguistics Officer, but she also handles navigation duties from time to time. We understand that you've been forced to participate in this round of the Deletion Game, so we wanted to propose an alliance of sorts. We want to win this game, but to do that we need allies. I'm well aware of that, but what makes you think that our numbers are compatible? That's easy, I already know your number is 5. How did you know?! Lucky guess. What? So you didn't really know? Hehe, nope! Ignore her antics. What we really brought you here to talk about was the game itself. Everyone's so preoccupied with finding a partner that no one's really looking at the bigger picture here. There's a better way to determine the loser: as a group. What do you have in mind? There's 10 cards, right? If we all came out and told each other our numbers, we could directly influence the results. 1 would pair up with 9, 2 with 8, 3 with 7, and 4 with 6. Then whoever was left with the 5 would be eliminated, right? We need to work as a team, the whole drat crew. This game isn't just affecting us, it's affecting the chances of every human being relying on us to finish the mission. Shizuka and I think our best option is to vote as a group on who we think contributes the least to the overall mission. The person chosen for elimination would be expected to voluntarily trade their card with another player, finishing the round with a 5. With everything out in the open, there'd be no need to backstab each other. But the person with the 5 card would still die. Maybe so, but I've already tried working the numbers from every angle. There are no loopholes, no cheats that would allow us all to move on. Trust me, I've looked. The best we can do now is decide as a crew who should be sacrificed... I hate what this game has turned us into. We all used to be such good friends... We're going to propose our idea at breakfast this morning, and the more supporters we can get, the better. We know that the captain is willing to support us, now it's just a matter of convincing everybody else. You don't need to give us your answer now, just think it over.. I will. Hopefully the others will see that this is our best course of action. We should be trying to work things out together instead of fighting each other. If we can't refuse to play the game, we can at least play it on our terms. That does seem like the most sensible option... Alright then. We should start heading over to the Dining Hall before anyone notices our absence and begins to get suspicious.I followed behind Katashi and Shizuka in a daze. As we made our way to the Dining Hall, I still wasn't sure what I was going to do. Once again, I found myself lost in thought. Nikolas and Beatrix had told me they had a combined total of 5. If they were telling the truth, I'd be safe if I teamed up with them. Shizuka and Katashi knew my number, but didn't seem interested in partnering up. Perhaps their numbers were incompatible with mine? And what about the Captain's claim that the Vogels weren't trustworthy... She'd known them much longer than I had. Then again, she might be lying too. If I supported Katashi and Shizuka's idea to vote on who should be deleted, then there was a chance that they would vote against me, declaring me the least useful crew member. I'd only just gotten here, and they'd been fine for two decades without me, there was no way they'd consider me essential personnel. If we voted as a group, however, I could at least make a case for why I shouldn't be killed. I was young, smart, and, if given enough time... Maybe they would let me stay and prove myself. It would certainly be a lot fairer than leaving it to chance or skill at some stupid party game. I jerked at the unexpected sensation of a hand on my shoulder.  We're here.I'd been staring at the floor, rooted to the spot in front of the Dining Hall. Right. Thanks.
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Feb 11, 2022 20:24
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The next update will be after the weekend, but we have our first choice coming up quickly! Specifically, we're coming up to the deadline before Make 10, and we need to decide based on our first impressions whether to trust the Vogels and ask to partner with them, whether to trust Katashi and Shizuka and ask to partner with them, or to hold off on asking anyone and see what happens. 
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Feb 11, 2022 20:26
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While 2-3 is a valid pair, i hesitate to trust the Vogels. The simple reasoning is thus: When we asked her to go first, we set ourselves up, because once she said 2, no matter what number we claimed other than 10, they could always make it seem like combining would make 10. However, if they hold a grudge and seeing that the first victim was called... *checks notes* Dr. Andreas Gόnther Vogel, who died because we came on the ship, i think we can safely assume they loving hate our guts. My guess is that they hold some kind of safe cards, and that by offering to lock us into a combine, they essentially doom us to die, by, say, making us combine 8+5 and then 1-4 surviving. On the other hand, the second offering sounds exactly like what i proposed would be a sound strat, so yeah let's go with that.
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Feb 11, 2022 20:39
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Trust Katashi and Shizuka. That's bound to give the most drama.
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Feb 11, 2022 20:48
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Mix. posted:The next update will be after the weekend, but we have our first choice coming up quickly! Katashi and Shizuka didn't offer to partner with us even after confirming our number, so that second option makes no sense. Either they can't or won't make 10 with us, so we have to go with the Vogels. However since they said they're presenting their plan to the full crew during breakfast it's possible the voting plan gets shot down so they make us another offer later in the day, in which case I'll reconsider this choice. If the voting plan does happen we're dead. There's no good reason for the crew not to vote for the new person with no family/friends, no job on the ship, and who conveniently already has the 5 card so no one has to sacrifice themselves after the vote. whitehelm fucked around with this message at 21:41 on Feb 11, 2022 |
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Feb 11, 2022 21:37
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Partner with Vogels.
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Feb 11, 2022 21:42
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I actually vote for holding off. Reasons: First is that we haven't yet had a chance to see all the participants interact with each other in a group setting and therefore have no idea how the dynamic between everyone is in practice. Secondly, allying with the Vogels has that already addressed issue of how they could have easily deceived us. Third, allying with Katashi and Shizuka begs the question of who we'd try to deflect to in order to not get voted ourselves. The three most likely candidates in my eyes aren't likely to earn us any long term good clout in one way or another. There's Melody, who is too young to contribute, but that's advocating for the death of a child and would do us no favors with her parents. There's one of the Vogels, due to the redundancy of having two Medical Officers, which of course would definitely draw us the ire of the other. And there's Shizuka, whose role is in such low demand that they have to find supplemental work for her to do, which means that there's the issue of how one of the idea suggesters would react if it puts themselves on the chopping block.
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Feb 11, 2022 22:00
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There's also the simple fact that we currently contribute the least to the ship, and it would be very likely to end up with us voted off.
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Feb 11, 2022 22:04
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I'm voting to partner with the Vogels, because the idea of "who contributes the least" seems like a really stupid idea for us given that our entire 'contribution' thus far has been that everything went to poo poo because of us. If anything, I think other people might reasonably argue that there might be something about Jordan in particular that's throwing AI off so if we off Jordan, maybe that fixes the problem - basically purging the 'contaminant' from the system.
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Feb 11, 2022 22:58
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Voting for Hold Off because it lets us get a better picture of things before committing.
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Feb 11, 2022 23:17
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I'd wait and see because it's probably the most uninteresting branch.
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Feb 11, 2022 23:17
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Wait and see. While the approach Katashi and Shizuka have in mind is the most practical, there's a high chance Jordan goes. She's also responsible for the Vogel twins' father being deleted, so it's not unusual to think they may have it out for her. That and I'd prefer to try and pair with the family if possible- they seem the most reliable, Sora already has a solid possible reason to like Jordan, and I don't want to get the kid killed. Regallion posted:While 2-3 is a valid pair, i hesitate to trust the Vogels. We could have claimed 6 in that situation- there would be no clean pair as the 2 + 6 would be 8, requiring another 2. There would be no other 2, so pairing with Beatrix would be impossible. Nikolas could claim a 4, but agreeing to a pair and leaving out the other would be suspicious to say the least.
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Feb 12, 2022 00:37
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Odd Wilson posted:Wait and see. Consider if we said we are 8 - the other one then claims a 9 or 10, then we are enticed to pair up. Same for 6 - he just claims 4 and once again entices us to combine. The goal in this scenario is to trap us in a deadly combination, assuming malice. It wouldn't even be sus - 2+4 need 1+3 to further combine and i can swallow an argument of "Can we really get 4 people on board with this?" Regallion fucked around with this message at 01:05 on Feb 12, 2022 |
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Feb 12, 2022 00:59
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God, I might just end up picking this up to see it myself... if it's on sale. A full $20 seems a bit much. So, I vote for what I'm also doing IRL before I decide: Wait and see.
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Feb 12, 2022 01:58
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Regallion posted:Consider if we said we are 8 - the other one then claims a 9 or 10, then we are enticed to pair up. Same for 6 - he just claims 4 and once again entices us to combine. The goal in this scenario is to trap us in a deadly combination, assuming malice. Yeah, you're right I wasn't thinking on every angle here-. it's a sticky trap, if there is intended malice here.
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Feb 12, 2022 02:27
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trust Katashi and Shizuka and ask to partner with them The Voguls seem sketchy somehow. Katashi and Shizuka seem reasonable, so let's make friends. Either people won't agree to the plan, grudges from the 1st execution will make someone else voted out, or we'll get killed amusingly. win:win:win
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Feb 12, 2022 02:45
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Also, separate thing - do we know anyone revealing thier number is telling the truth? There's no reason necessarily to presume that they're being honest with us at all in this circumstance.
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Feb 12, 2022 04:54
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Definitely don't trust the Vogels, they couldn't be any more signposted "we are going to backstab you" if they tried. I like Katashi's and Shizuka's pragmatic approach, but unfortunately as has been pointed out it's liable to place the target on our own back in this situation, so maybe it'd be best to just wait and see so as to try and fish for more info before committing... but then again, what if we wait too long to act and end up being left in the lurch? Hard to say, really.
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Feb 12, 2022 05:58
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Hold off deciding for now. Both those options will likely get us killed.
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Feb 12, 2022 06:11
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The first vote is still up for anyone who hasn't already left a comment, but in the process of preparing future updates (taking into account how this vote pans out, obviously, there's room for stuff to get shuffled around/put off til later ) there's another voting point we'll be running into soon, so I'm opening up the second vote as well: Does Jordan want to take a hot shower, get some "fresh air", or get herself a snack?
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Feb 13, 2022 01:12
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Not sure what "fresh air" actually means on a spaceship (space walk? just staring out a window? visiting a 'garden' and standing under an air vent?), but let's go with "fresh air".
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Feb 13, 2022 01:26
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Fresh air- this is rather the complex situation we've found ourselves in, and we need as clear a mind as possible.
Left 4 Bread fucked around with this message at 01:48 on Feb 13, 2022 |
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Feb 13, 2022 01:37
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I vote for snacks.
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Feb 13, 2022 02:11
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Get a snack, we gotta make up for that one dude stealing our food!
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Feb 13, 2022 03:24
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Going with Snack. If we die, at least we won't die hungry!
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Feb 13, 2022 07:02
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Fresh Air.
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Feb 13, 2022 08:22
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snack, gotta fatten up for the long winter.
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Feb 13, 2022 10:27
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Food is important, let's grab a snack.
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Feb 13, 2022 11:57
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Nothing as relaxing as a hot shower
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Feb 13, 2022 14:23
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 [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  Katashi, Shizuka, and I made our way inside. Everyone was already helping themselves to a buffet of muesli, fresh fruit, and porridge. I grabbed a bowl of banana and muesli with some chilled milk, and sat down in one of the empty seats next to Sora.  Good morning, Jordan. Sleep well? Fine, thanks.I wasn't really in the mood for pleasantries, so I returned to my muesli. Sora seemed content to leave me to my thoughts. By and by the table was filled with empty bowls and fruit peels. Amid the idle breakfast chatter, the Captain rose to her feet at the head of the table to address the group. A sudden hush fell over the room as all eyes turned towards her.  No doubt many of you are anxious. There's little I can do to put those feelings at ease. All I ask is that you treat each other with respect as fellow crew members of the Everett. We are the best humanity has to offer, and as such, we must hold ourselves to higher standards. The Deletion Game is brutish, but that doesn't mean that we have to be. Fight fairly, play honourably, and have faith that we will overcome these trials. Captain, may I speak freely? Please. As the Captain said, we are the Everett's crew. We must remember that we have a greater purpose here: to find a new home for humankind. We have a duty to the human race to see our mission through, and to do that we need to make sure we have the crew that is best qualified for the job. Shizuka has created a strategy that allows us to vote on the loser of the game. It's pretty simple, really. First, we would discuss and vote on who should be eliminated. Then, that person must swap cards with number 5. Everyone else would then pair up with their corresponding numbers to make 10: 1 with 9, 2 with 8, and 4 with 6. If we agreed to this plan, everyone would need to be involved in the discussion. And be willing to sacrifice themselves in the event that they lost the vote. It's certainly not a perfect plan, and at the end of the day we'd still be sentencing someone to death, regardless of how we arrived at that decision, but it would get the job done. That's ludicrous! Why would anyone ever choose to cooperate if they lost? Is this even allowed? Wouldn't Dai protest?  I do not believe that this plan contradicts any of the game's rules. The rules of 'Make 10' do not prevent disclosure of numbers or coordinated pairings. I'd rather not. Nikolas and I are doing perfectly fine on our own. Don't think you can drag us into your petty little scheme, we see right through it. You're just trying to expose everyone's numbers so you can screw them over. I have to agree with my sister on this one. We'd also be putting ourselves at considerable risk given the fact that we are the only profession on board that has two officers. Everyone here is important! There's no way I could ever choose between my friends! Fem!Jordan already had doubts about whether she could even get a chance to convince the crew to not pick her if we went with this plan, so she won't be supporting this idea- again, this doesn't really impact anything major either way.
It seemed like the idea wasn't very popular among the group. There was nothing I could say that wouldn't sound like it was motivated by self-preservation, so I decided to stay quiet. The thought is appreciated, Shizuka, but it seems as though the majority of the crew is against the idea. We will continue playing the Deletion Game as we have been until now. Dismissed.I was still exhausted from yesterday's investigation, not to mention the mental strain of not knowing whether I would live or die tomorrow. Only a few days in, the Deletion Game had already begun to take its toll.  I collapsed on my bed, fully clothed. What the hell was I going to do tomorrow? Could I trust the Vogels to stay true to their word? Would I be safer going with Katashi and Shizuka? There was little I could do but wait for tomorrow. Unless... The Captain's kind offer from this morning suddenly came to mind. I wondered whether I should turn in early to clear my head for tomorrow, or if I should head over to the Captain's Quarters for her counsel.  I mentioned before that there are multiple kinds of choices in QS, and this is one of the other kinds- a binary choice of whether to do something or not. Usually all it boils down to is whether we get to see a scene/talk to a character or not, so we'll approach these on an individual basis and go from there In this particular case, there's no reason for us not to visit Kimiko, as staying in our quarters just means we go to sleep and skip ahead to the next day- and like some of the previous choices, we aren't committing to anything here If anyone could help me, it was the Captain. When she visited me early this morning, she'd had a gentleness about her that I hadn't seen before. For whatever reason, she genuinely seemed to want to keep me safe. It can't do any harm...I swung out of bed, exited my quarters, and moved quickly down the corridor. I didn't particularly want to be seen visiting the Captain at this hour. It might suggest something... untoward. Reaching her door, I buzzed her intercom. [BGM: With Fear: Hope] Come in. The Captain's room had the same basic layout as mine, but hers looked much more comfortable. It had a distinct lived-in feel, whereas mine still looked sterile, the room of a stranger. The Captain was sitting on the sofa, reading something on her digital display. She folded the tablet shut on her lap as I approached and sat down next to her. I'm glad you came over. I needed to talk to somebody. I just... I don't know what to do. This hasn't been an easy situation for any of us. In some ways, you have it the easiest; the person you see die tomorrow hasn't been your friend for a lifetime. True. But then again, I'll never get the chance to know them at all. It's hard to know which is worse. ...Was there something you wanted to talk about? And this is another type of choice- a 'topic of conversation' choice. Specifically, these type of questions give you the chance to ask questions or bring up specific topics and don't have any kind of weight otherwise. Usually these show up whenever you're spending time with an individual person, and they're a good way to get more information on your fellow crewmates, the Everett and its mission, or just the world in general. If the dialogue choice is only going to show up for one protagonist, I'll show all options immediately- since, again, there's no weight to the choice, it's just flavor. Therefore, we'll start with the Deletion Game... The Deletion Game. When you came to visit me this morning, why did you decide to tell me that the Vogels weren't trustworthy? I wanted you to know what you were getting into. Nikolas and Beatrix love each other very much, there's almost nothing they wouldn't do in order to protect themselves. Even if that meant betraying someone else. They told me that they wanted to partner up with me, what possible motivation could they have for lying? You're looking at it wrong. The aim of the game isn't to win. It's simply not to lose. But what if they aren't lying? That may very well be the case. I guess all we can do is wait until tomorrow to find out. The waiting is always the hardest part. Being unable to help the crew is incredibly frustrating. All I can do is wait until one of the people I've pledged my life to protect is butchered in front of me.And now, we'll go back and pick the other option. Anything but the Deletion Game. It's all anyone has talked about since I've gotten here. Let's talk about something else. Tell me about yourself. There's nothing to tell. I'm not telling you to tell me all your secrets, just tell me one little thing. What do you do for fun? Well... sometimes, I... no, you'll laugh. I won't laugh. Tell me.  Promise not to laugh? If I laugh, I'll only do it on the inside. Well... I like to knit sometimes. Really? That's it? Why would I laugh? I usually get old lady jokes by the dozen. I think it's cool. Katashi spins leftover wool into yarn for me and I use it to make, well, whatever I want, really. Scarves, ties, gloves, blankets. I find it relaxing. No responsibility, no pressure, just me and some yarn. Do you take requests? I- I'm sorry? I don't really have any comfortable clothing. I only have this uniform and a pair of pajamas. It was just a thought... I have been meaning to try out a pattern for a long-sleeved sweater vest. If you need someone to model it, I'd be happy to volunteer. We'll see... A pleasant silence fell between us for a minute. Well, I'd better get going. Thanks for talking with me. My door is always open. Good night, Captain. Good night, Jordan.I left the Captain's quarters in a daze, arriving back at my room in what seemed like seconds. My body felt like it was on auto-pilot, moving of its own volition as my mind wandered. Finally reaching my quarters, I slipped into bed and went right to sleep.  [BGM: Ad Astra Per Aspera]   Bing bong bing bong! It's time for all competitors to wake up! Alright, alright, I'm awake already! Bing bong bing bong! It's time for all competitors to wake up! How do I turn you off? Well, if you must know, disassembled computer parts put me right out of the mood. Whips and leather, on the other hand... That's not what I meant and you know it, Dai! How do I turn the alarm off? The magic word is... banana! Banana! BANANA! COMMAND ACCEPTED. ALARM SHUTTING OFF.Dai did a poor impression of a robot, bending her arms and moving them up and down in a stilted fashion. Her impression was emphatically concluded by her impression of 'shutting down', complete with a crooked neck and her left arm swaing at the elbow. It looked like an old-fashioned dance move my father would have pulled off. That is to say, it was a poor show. Are you done? Good morning! Uh-huh...  Well, it's that time again, folks! Fighting for your life has never been so much fun! Come join us in the Dining Hall, the second round of the Deletion Game is about to begin! I'll be there in a moment. Now please leave me alone. You're pretty grumpy in the morning, you know that? Has anyone ever told you that you're not much of a morning person?Dai huffed audibly and then zapped out of the room. I quickly made my way to the Dining Hall only to find that everyone else had already assembled.   Here's the slowpoke. You sure took your sweet time, didn't cha? Now that everyone's here, let the fun begin!At Dai's exclamation, the surface of the dining table was overlaid with four holographic terminals, one on each side of the table. We all gathered close to a nearby terminal to have a look. The one before me had two distinct areas. On the left was a blank card. The right hand side of the terminal was dominated by the outline of a hand.  From this point on, transactions will take place in the Dining Hall. Parties involved in a transaction must be declared to me before entering the room. And only those involved in the transaction may enter this room. Any attempt to force your way in or otherwise interfere with the transaction will result in instant elimination. Once players have entered the Dining Hall, they must choose who will control the transaction by using the primary terminal. The primary terminal is the one in front of the phallic statue. Come on over and have a look.We all made our way up to the primary terminal to verify Dai's information. She wasn't lying. The left hand side of the primary terminal contained an additional section with three choicse labelled: COMBINE. TRADE. GIVE. To use a terminal, you must place your hand on the holographic screen. Once your handprint has been verified, your card number will appear onscreen. If you have two cards, both will appear. The person at the primary terminal must then choose which transaction they wish to perform. The players stationed at passive terminals can see which action is chosen, but are unable to see the card numbers of other players participating in the transaction. Results of a COMBINE transaction will not be known until judgement phase, the only information that will be displayed is who you have combined with and the total score. Results of a TRADE or GIVE transaction will be noticeable during any subsequent transactions, as your card score will have increased or decreased. In order to make sure that no one can see your card while you are transacting, each terminal has thick holographic walls. No one can know your card number unless you tell them. After all, half of the fun has been watching all of you lie to each other! I am available outside of the Dining Hall at any time should you need me to repeate these instructions, or answer any other questions you may have. You have one hour to complete your transactions. I wish you all the best of luck! Now clear out, it's time to get this show on the road. Dai ushered us out into the hallway. Suddenly, all pretense fell away as alliances grouped together publicly to finalize their strategies. Kimiko and Yoshiki. Nikolas and Beatrix. Shizuka and Katashi. Vladimir, Sora, and Melody. And there I was: standing alone. I needed to decide who I was going to pair up with, and fast. Groups stood in staggered clusters down the length of the hallway, all keeping a watchful eye on the door to the Dining Hall. None seemed willing to make the first move. Abruptly, Kimiko and Yoshiki broke off from the others and approached the hologram guarding the Dining Hall. Yoshiki and I would like to use the transaction terminals, Dai. Very well, this way please.As soon as the two of them entered the Dining Hall, the door slid shut behind them. The audible click of the door's locking mechanism conveyed a clear message to the rest of the crew: we were not to enter under any circumstances. Everyone else was trying to finish their arrangements as quickly as possible. The longer you waited in this game, the more likely the other players were to partner up or swap with someone else. This was it- the moment of truth. I decided to... 
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Feb 14, 2022 17:20
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I continue to love Dai.  (And Shizuka has nice socks, too. Cool design.)
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Feb 14, 2022 18:00
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Well clearly we decided to [[REDACTED]]
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Feb 14, 2022 21:08
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Yeah, that third box is the 'wait and see' option but you don't know that until you hover over it, which makes the screenshot very funny without context Which is what we will be doing next update, and seeing what happens as a result of it.
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Feb 14, 2022 21:16
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That's probably the quickest way to game over. I'd like to see how Shizuka argues that a linguistics officer is much more important than a doctor or cook.
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Feb 14, 2022 22:51
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 content warning: description of bodily harm [BGM: Ad Astra Per Aspera] This is the next to last choice type, and it's the most straightforward- choices that are actually narrative tied! It should come as little surprise that the results of the Deletion Games are the primary choices that actually dictate how the story progresses (either just to avoid a dead end or, in some cases, how the flowchart splits apart), so you can't take them lightly. That said, for this first one, the choice that won was to hold back and wait to see what happens, so let's see how that works for us!  I leaned against the wall, watching the flow of people travel in and out of the Dining Hall. The number of transactions was steady for half an hour. There was a distinct lull in activity at that point. Sora quietly settled herself on the wall beside me.  So, what have you decided to do? Nothing. I've decided to leave fate to its own devices. I can't decide whether to go with Katashi and Shizuka, or the Vogels. Instead, I choose nothing. Doing nothing might get you killed, you know. Doing something could just as easily get me killed. No. I've made my decision. Whatever happens, happens. Well, best of luck to you. Thanks. Best of luck to you as well.I spent the next hour just standing in the hallway. More than one wondering glance was cast my way, curious as to why I wasn't taking part, but for some reason my decision to let fate decide seemed to soothe me. My life was no longer within my control. This should have terrified me, but I felt unconcerned by it. [BGM: Carpe Noctum] Extra! Extra! B Sharps sing on rooftop! Ahem... I mean, Attention! Attention! This round of the Deletion Game has come to an end! All participants are to meet in the Dining Hall at once!Dai's voice thundered throughout the ship. I froze. The moment we'd all been dreading had finally arrived. You'd all better hurry! I'm not going to wait to announce the results, you know.I closed my eyes, inhaled and exhaled deeply: I was as ready as I was ever going to be. ...  It's judgment time, everyone! If you'll all take a look up here, I've created a handy holographic scoreboard for your viewing convenience. You can thank me later. In a minute this board will display everyone's final results. Keep in mind, the numbers of each individual player in a group will not be displayed, only their combined scores. After all, what's done is done.My heart was pounding so hard against the inside of my chest that it threatened to burst into pieces at any moment. Shallow, rapid breaths were all I could muster as I clenched my eyes shut, horrified to see my fate sealed in glowing letters and numbers. Ohhhh, I'm just so excited for you all to find out the results! Here we go! 3... 2... 1... Oh thank science... I'm safe. But wait, the person with 0 is... [BGM: The Aftermath of Bravery]   WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS, DAI? YOU GOT OUR SCORES WRONG! WHY ELSE WOULD MY WIFE HAVE ZERO? TELL ME THIS INSTANT!Vladimir stormed up to the hologram, demanding an explanation. His once kind face was distorted with rage, a deep crimson colour crawling up his neck as he hurled a string of expletives at Dai. Shhhh, hush now, love. Let me explain. Mummy, what's going on!? Why is Daddy yelling? Everything's fine, sweetheart. OH GOD, THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING. NOT AGAIN. I WON'T LET YOU TAKE THE PERSON I LOVE AWAY FROM ME! YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE ME APART PIECE BY PIECE BEFORE I LET YOU TOUCH A HAIR ON THIS WOMAN'S HEAD! How dare you accuse me of cheating! You must play by the rules, human, and so must I. It's not wrong, Vladimir. Please, honey, don't do this in front of Melody. WHO DID THIS? DID ONE OF YOU TRICK HER INTO DOING THIS? I CAN'T STRANGLE THE HOLOGRAM, BUT I CAN STILL BLOODY WELL STRANGLE ONE OF YOU LOT!Vladimir whipped around the room like a hurricane, threatening pain to everyone in the room.  Vladimir, STOP! PLEASE! Please, don't tell me this is true. This can't be true. I... I can't lose you.All eyes were fixed on Vladimir, his fury gradually subsiding under the soothing influence of Sora's calming voice and tender caresses. I'm so sorry. Why?His voice quavered, cracking slightly. It was a hurt voice. The voice of a broken man. Why would you do this to me? To Melody? I did this for you. For Melody. And for what's left of the human race. When we signed up for this mission, all those many years ago, we agreed that we would do whatever it took for this mission to succeed. After what happened to Charles... to your wife Amanda... to our friends... I never thought I'd be able to recover. Then, one day, you made me the worst lamington I'd ever eaten, and then, all at once, I saw you clearly. Between the late-night poker sessions and you letting me steal your chocolate rations, I realized that I loved you, and that I'd loved you for some time. But that doesn't change the mission. I don't care about the mission... Yes, you do. That's just the disbelief talking. You know that we still have a duty to this ship, that this is bigger than you or I. That's why I did it. I'm the most replaceable crew member. I've passed on everything I know to Shizuka, but you still have a job to do. Our little Melody, she's going to be a scientist just like her father, and she'll pass down that knowledge to her children and they'll do the same to theirs. You're still necessary to this mission, my love. I can't do this without you... please, don't do this. You can. You will. For Melody's sake.Vladimir wrapped his arms around his wife and hugged her close to him. In that tender embrace, Vladimir conveyed the depth of his love for his wife in a way that transcended all words. He clung to her so closely, so desperately that it was painful to watch. It was impossible to shake the sensation that we were intruding on an intensely personal moment. Mummy... What's going on?Sora scooped Melody up in her arms, bringing her to rest up against her hip. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I have to go away, but Daddy will be here to take care of you and keep you safe. Okay? I don't want you to go... I know it's going to be difficult, sweetie, but I'm sure that one day you'll understand. Awww, aren't you guys just the cutest! But that's enough of that. Time is money, people. It's time to spin the Wheel of Fatality! Woooo~With a flourish, Dai conjured a sizeable holographic wheel split up into labelled sections. I barely managed to read them all before Dai passed judgement. Gravity, Airlock, Oxygen, Incineration, and Spacewalk. Each one sounded more ominous than the last. Within sections, Dai gave the wheel a hefty spin and the sections of the wheel blurred into one another... My eyes were fixed on the wheel as it gradually slowed... tick, tick, ticking its way to a standstill as the arrow circled the dial, finally coming to rest on... Incineration. No time like the present! Let's head on down to the Furnace Room, shall we? Can't I just have a few more minutes with my family? Ummmmm... no. Move it, sister! Everyone, follow me! As you'll remember from last time, attendance at executions is mandatory for all players participating in the Deletion Game. Come along now. I will not allow Melody to watch. I absolutely refuse. I must agree, Dai. Subjecting a child to the demise of a family member is unbelievably cruel.Dai spat out her answer through gritted teeth and a plastered on smile. Melody is a participant, just like you. I won't bend the rules merely because she's shorter than the rest of you. She's a child! She's a member of this crew! Now, feel free to continue arguing with me, but for every second you push the issue, I'll be decreasing the amount of oxygen flowing into this room. This is low, Dai, even for you. Fine, we'll do it your way. It seems we have no choice in the matter. And here I thought a little CO2 poisoning might improve your personality. Maybe next time, eh, Captain? The march to the Furnace Room was gruelling. I'd never seen a person die before; like any reasonable person, it wasn't something I ever thought I'd have to see. My stomach revolted at the prospect, and my mind felt completely numb. I couldn't even imagine what Sora was going through right now. Sora set a slow pace to the Furnace Room, dragging out the precious time she had left to spend with her family. The sound of Melody's uncontrollable sobbing was the only sound that echoed throughout the bowels of the ship as we delved deeper than I'd ever ventured before.  As we filed into the Furnace Room, the ambient temperature rose with every passing step, and I slowly became aware of the gentle crackling of flames. The cavernous room was dominated by the raging fire of the furnace itself, held at bay by a thick pane of reinforced glass. As the last of our group crossed the threshold, the door shut behind us with a resounding thud. Even on this side of the glass, the heat radiating out from the furnace was overwhelming. Although there was a maintenance access panel located on the chute emerging from the top of the furnace, this occasion clearly warranted the use of the hinged door cut into the glass. Here we are! Sora, for losing Round Two of the Deletion Game, you've been sentenced to death by incineration! I must insist that you enter the furnace immediately. No one goes out until she goes in and gets a little singed. COMPANY, FALL IN!Everyone except Melody and Vladimir immediately formed a regimented line and raised their hands in the salute position. I tried to mimic their actions as best I could. NAVIGATION OFFICER SORA CARMINE. You have served honourably aboard the Everett, and your many contributions to this mission have been indispensable. Your love and compassion for your fellow crew members have made this ship a better place to live. You will be greatly missed. COMPANY, SALUTE!The entire line saluted in unison. Sora's smile was incredibly bittersweet. She stood up straight and meaningfully locked eyes with each of us, before returning a salute of her own.  It's been a privilege being able to serve alongside such fine men and women. Godspeed, friends. Sora... I... You don't have to say a word. I already know.Sora and Vladimir shared a deep, lingering kiss. Goodbye, my love. In you go, Sora. Clock's a' tickin'!Sora crouched down face-to-face with Melody, who was clutching her father's lab coat tight in her fist. Melody's face was lined with tears, which continued to flow freely. Now Melody, I need you to do something for me, sweetheart. When I step in there, I need you to close your eyes and not open them, no matter what. Do you understand? Don't open your eyes, sweetie. ...Okay. Listen to your father. Be a good girl. Love without measure. I love you, Melody. You're the light of my life, and I hope that one day you'll understand and be able to forgive me. Always remember that I love you. Always.Sora hugged her daughter one last time, kissed her on the forehead, forced a smile, and stood up. ...I'm ready, Dai. About time.I could feel the searing heat on my skin as Sora opened the door to the furnace and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her.   Mummy, don't!Melody rushed towards the glass, banging her hands against it in desperation as if it had only just struck her what was about to happen. The blaze licked at Sora's ankles as she bent down and smiled comfortingly.  It's okay, sweetie. Everything will be fine. Close your eyes, honey. Mummy... Come back...Melody stood, dejected. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and onto the floor as she stood watching her mother numbly. The tongues of flame had begun to blacken the navigation officer's uniform, causing violent, blistering welts to break out on her exposed skin. Close your eyes! Melody, close your eyes! Vladimir! Make her close her eyes! Please!Vladimir bent down and forced Melody to turn away from her burning mother's visage. Smoke poured off of Sora's scorched body. Animalistic howls wracked her body as she shrieked, unable to bear the pain any longer. Melody, honey, look at Daddy. It's okay, honey.The last thing I saw was Vladimir pulling Melody into a hug, holding her head so that she couldn't turn to look at her mother, whose charred skin was starting to slough off from the muscle underneath. I closed my eyes shut, sickened at the sight of her gruesome death. Even with my eyes shut, my imagination ran riot as a visceral thump reverberated throughout the room. The putred smell of burning human hair and flesh pushed me over the edge, causing me to gag. Cold air whooshed in behind me as the doors finally opened. I opened my eyes and scrambled towards the exit as fast as my legs could carry me.  We all spread out in the corridor, eager to get some breathing room after the horrific execution we'd just witnessed. Beatrix and Nikolas held each other for emotional support; Shizuka knelt nearby, her body wracked by irregular spasms, holding down the contents of her stomach through sheer force of will. Poor Vladimir... Even though his face remained drawn and his eyes were bright red from crying, he was still doing his best to hold it together for Melody. No matter how hard Vladimir tried to comfort Melody, however, she remained inconsolable, screaming and thrashing in his arms in futile protest against her mother's cruel fate. One by one, we left the two of them alone, unable to endure the sight of their anguish any longer. As we left the area, a voice taunted us through the intercom. The next round of the Deletion Game begins in 24 hours. Sweet dreams, everyone!
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Feb 15, 2022 19:01
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Oof.
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Feb 15, 2022 19:07
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Oh hey the vogels were actually honest, huh. I wonder if this game has quantum bullshit in it - do the numbers change retroactively depending on our choice? On more practical note, the family had 7 8 and 10 between them, i would not be surprised if they traded 10 to melody. Vogels had 2 and 3, we had 5. From this we can deduce that one of the 10 pairs is 6-4 and the other one is 9-1. Either way, the 5-1-4 option was never, ever available to us. Also...whyyy exactly do we have those snazzy glasses on our portrait? that seems...incorrect. I wonder how Sora managed to give away the card? She must have entered along with the husbando, but under what pretense? Surely he knew they could not combine. Considering he was...surprised i'd have to wonder how that came to pass. Regallion fucked around with this message at 19:14 on Feb 15, 2022 |
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Feb 15, 2022 19:08
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