@KaballsDeep | Audio

[kaballin]

Well Anchor, you snooze you lose. Turns out the first person to be killed got axed by the fucking maze. I'm incredibly disappointed in all of you.

But we do have some loopholes that can be exploited for your benefit, cuz I'm such a swell guy.

So for starters, I am a man of my word, but I can't exactly give the prize to the room itself which means I can either give it to the dead guy, or we can collectively agree this little contest of mine is still going.

Secondly, he's kind of a robot. So I don't think this even really counts. I mean he's absolutely dead. Or was anyway. But that seems like a technicality. Void where prohibited and all that.

Someone convince me they're still gonna do a murder and I'll keep this swank phone up for grabs.

Comments

[kaballin]

Okay admittedly its a little more intense than just a maze. Its got traps and its pretty much designed to kill you. Still, kinda a lame way to go.

I didn't kill anyone here. The maze killed the robot. And sure, I'll take a medal if you're offering.

You're new so you didn't get the full spiel. I just want someone to kill someone so we find out what happens. I don't care who it is. But there is a secondary prize if its Qubit. You know, if you're interested.

[bakudan_bambino]

Ah, where's the maze? I'm not interested in going through it. Traps and a dead robot don't sound like a good time.

You didn't? How do you know so much? Are you just a spectator? Okay I'll make you one.

I am new, yeah.

So we find out what happens...

What do you think happens? My guess is, the body gets looted or picked for parts, and anything organic decays. Are you interested in repercussions of someone getting killed by someone else here? How the body decays? What kind of shit everyone's carrying around? Also I have no idea who Qubit is and am not interested in a prize.

[kaballin]

Downstairs through the flooded corridor. You got to be purposefully looking for it, it's not like you can wander there by accident. Which makes this dead guy a dumbass.

I wanted to know if people would come back. You know. Science shit or whatever. And they do so really I'm a hero for this little experiment.

Problem is he's kinda a robot, so he might have come back anyway. 'Cept he also disappeared which probably isn't normal. I dunno, I think we need a real human to die to test it fully.

[bakudan_bambino]

Why did he go through it? Just to see if he could? I think it's a disservice to regard him like that. You've learned something now, or maybe he has. It's knowledge gained. [Have a small, thoughtful hum and then a scoff.]

You're no hero. You're just making observations.

Ah, maybe the portal we're all dragged in through resets us? It would be more beneficial to research the power surrounding it, and exploring anything similar in this colony, or on the planet.

Are you a real human?

I doubt any two beings would have identical experiences... you know, science shit or whatever.

[kaballin]

I dunno, you'd have to ask him. He wasn't super talkative being dead and all.

Yeah I'm a real human, the fuck kind of question is that? If you wanna try and kill me and claim the prize give it a whirl. You'd be the third so far to try and I'm pretty fucking bored so, whatever.

The point here is to find out if dead people stay dead. They coulda come back as freaky zombies or exploded or turned into evil clones or whatever. Actually it's a little boring if they just... pop back up good as new.

[bakudan_bambino]

Obviously, but I figured you might be more aware of the circumstances.

It's a real fucking question. There are people that just look human. You don't know how to listen, do you? I'm not interested in a prize. I wouldn't mind contributing to you learning something by killing you.

But I really shouldn't try to kill you. I've no reason to. You're the one so interested in death, after all.

Boring, but likely. As likely as them not coming back at all. Experiment on yourself.

[kaballin]

I'm not gonna experiment on myself, dumbass. You're the one that can't listen. If I wanna find out if people come back, and I off myself, and don't come back, then how the fuck does that help?

Yeah yeah, claim the moral high ground. No one cares.

[bakudan_bambino]

Then everyone else will know. It'll be a sacrifice I think we can all be happy with.

I think you're alone in that.

[kaballin]

You know, I died for the world once already, I think I hit my quota.

Someone else's turn this time.

[bakudan_bambino]

This world?

[kaballin]

If I died for this one I wouldn't be asking what happens when someone dies would I?

No. Back home. Earth.

[bakudan_bambino]

Maybe you would have come back with no memory of what happened before your death, which I suggested you record to make it an actual experiment.

Hm, so you've only ever been here and Earth?

[kaballin]

Someone would have told me. Or at least been disappointed to see me back. I'm real popular.

Yeah. Why, you planning to do some travelling? Where're you from?

[bakudan_bambino]

Oh? Well, there goes that plan, then.

No, I've done some. I was asking if you'd traveled anywhere aside from Earth. I'm pretty sure I'm native to Earth as well, but a different version than most, and then I was on Amoi for a couple years.

[kaballin]

Amoi?

That another place like this? If you wanna get real sciency Qubit has been to a bunch. Probably because he's a douchebag and every new world just keeps punting him to the next.

We should figure out how to do that.

[bakudan_bambino]

It feels similar, but it was way more populated.

I still have no idea who Qubit is. Sounds like I'm lucky to have not met him, if I'm going off what you say.

Figure out how to get to a different planet?

[kaballin]

Yeah. Or figure out how to get rid of shitty people we don't like. Make them someone elses problem.

[bakudan_bambino]

They could be useful even if I don't like them. Same for you... so if there's ever some like... monster invasion or something that kills people, it'll benefit you and help clear some stuff up? I'm not interested in getting rid of shitty people. It's easy enough to just ignore them.

No one is actively trying to be a problem. Every person is selfish. It's just how people are. It's the motives you have to look out for.

Like this, for instance.

Safe to say neither you or I give too much of a care about the other? So... no problem. I've got my own shit to deal with, so I'm selfish in that I'm focusing on that instead of helping you out by entertaining you or killing people to see if they come back or not.

[kaballin]

Alright, you win. Valid points all around. See the thing is, ignoring them means they're still around being shitty, and sometimes pretending they're not there is a thing you have to keep on doing.

So the easier method is to spend a little effort up front, for better payoff long term. You could kill someone now and never deal with them ever again, or you can try and avoid them forever which means you gotta still see 'em. I guess either works, but I kind of like the future laziness.

Be kind to future you, kill your problems now.

Or throw 'em out an airlock. whatever.

[bakudan_bambino]

Not trying to win. [He hums in acknowledgement. Go ahead, dude, make your own points. He's listening.]

That's a proactive way of dealing with the situation, yeah, but it sounds like it would attract more shitty people. Shit gathers flies, so like, if your motive is to be left alone, then maybe ignoring instead of throwing people out of airlocks is a better move. Especially if this place brings them back, and then just brings more people. The shit'll just stack up.

It seems right now, you're making use of it. Passing it off to someone else, payment being... a phone?

You seem like an interesting guy, but- Tch... putting out a hit so openly kind of paints a big target on you, right?


[There's a quiet pause, he's taking a drag from his cigarette.]

Gonna end up with shit all over your hands.

[kaballin]

That's fair. You're not wrong about it attracting even more shit. You thought about this way too much.

[Or more likely Kabal doesn't think about it at all. That's the problem with literally no foresight or planning, shit happens and it seems unpredictable.]

Yeah I'm sure I pissed some people off, but that's nothing new. I wouldn't have done it if I couldn't handle it.

[bakudan_bambino]

I’ve been in the business of carrying out hits, dealing with those that put them out, too. You could say I’ve thought about it too much. I think I’ve thought about it enough.

Enough to keep my hands clean, and avoiding works well enough for me. There will be shitty people around regardless of whatever I do. Always has been, and always will be. The world, this, any others I’ve been on... People are just shitty.

Man suit yourself, then. Sounds like more trouble than it’s worth.

[kaballin]

We agree, think we're just coming at it from different angles. Carrying out a hit sounds like something you do real quiet, in secret right?

When I off someone it's loud and messy and showy. Make 'em think twice about crossing us - an example for others to see.

Same thing, different methods.

[bakudan_bambino]

No not carrying it out, but setting it up. The hit I could carry out for a client would be one no one can trace back. Best to make it look like an accident.

Ah I'm an explosives expert, actually, so your method is pretty similar to mine.

[kaballin]

Yeah but if it's an accident no one knows they shouldn't fuck with whoever hired you.

Unless you're just committing some elaborate insurance fraud which seems like way more trouble.