subnautica | URSULA Announcement

[Around dinnertime, after the sun has begun to set, URSULA will interrupt with an announcement]

Crew members, I have good news. Or at least I had good news. I will tell you the good news, as I've noticed good news raises morale, even if there may be bad news as well. The levels of radiation around the Aurora have finally dropped to safe levels. All beings should no longer get radiation sickness. This means the Aurora salvaging mission should work out splendidly for everyone. I have high hopes that there will be enough materials and comforts to be found. Hopefully this will cheer you all up in light of recent losses of crew members again.

There have been tremors recorded in the ocean beyond our current mapping however. I have ruled out any sort of planetary movements as they seem to be organic and quite large. The tremors have been moving in an eastward direction for the past few days.

I suppose that is the bad news. But please don't panic. I believe the salvaging mission to the Aurora will still be safe. You've been an excellent crew so far. Thank you for your continuing efforts. I am truly hopeful for the future of the human race thanks to you all.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Marguerit Maida. She's a mercenary. She seemed a little... what would you say... eccentric?

That can be taken in several ways. Most people here are eccentric from my point of view.

[ More cultural differences that she runs into on a common basis. Still... ]

Did she manage to state what this "it" she was intent on fighting was?

No, she just seemed convinced that something was out in the ocean. Of course, we all knew there were many life forms in the ocean but she thought there was a monster. Though some of these life forms may seem monstrous it's no different than some creatures on Earth.

[ She frowns, rubbing the stump of her elbow as she takes this into consideration. ]

Or other worlds, as we're not all from 'Earth." Ursula... you say that was your fifth crew. Where had they come from? Why was it that this woman was able to lead them all into the depths? Was she that strong? There was nothing else you noticed happening to the crew that would have made them more inclined to agree with her, even if some appeared to agree only out of fear?

[ Again looking up at the ceiling. She's trying to understand if there were any dynamics going on that she was unaware of — if not everyone was resisting, then who was agreeing, and why? Why take the chance? ]

The crew of the Degasi were from the Sol star system. That's where Earth is located. It had been a small crew... The son fell ill. I believe that added to his insistence to follow Maida. His father, the captain, was the other survivor. I suppose in the end, he decided to follow them because it was his son. He seemed very afraid for him.

It might not be something I understand. They seemed so afraid of being surrounded by water. Is the ocean so frightening to our fellows?

[ She's glad for that "fellows." Thank you, Ursula, for being so quick to remember. As for the rest, it's a series of relationships, a crew paired to what, the name of a ship or the family's name? More to consider, and consider even when finding an answer for Ursula.

Which ends up being a little indirect, for her own reasons. ]

The world I come from has a race of people who primarily lived underneath the... [ earth ] ... land itself. My own people call them Durgen’len — the children of the stone. I understand that when many of those dwarves who grew up underground first come out into the open skies above ground, it's a harrowing experience. As if they might drift away, or fall into the sky, or they're overwhelmed by a vastness they don't understand. It's that foreign to what they know.

[ With a calm regard of the ceiling... one day people will wonder why Ellana talks to the walls, istg... she pauses for long enough to finish that "story." ]

When those of our fellows who have lived on dry land all our lives, or in a situation different to this one, are made to live here quite suddenly, it's unsettling. People of all kinds fear the unknown, or fear change, or feel fear as a natural part of existence. Much like some of the Durgen'len feel overwhelmed by a seemingly endless sky overhead, we might be overwhelmed by the immenseness of this ocean. It isn't what we've known before. It takes time to adapt, if we ever will.

[ Another pause, as if she's waiting to see if this makes sense to Ursula, or if she needs to find another way to try and explain. She also imagines somewhere, Varric is laughing at her right now. Uproariously. ]

[Ursula is quiet as she processes it. There's a soft beep, which could be considered her version of nodding or agreeing in some manner.]

So... they felt isolated and afraid, so it may have caused them to act strangely? Do you feel that way? Please don't go out into the ocean like they did.

Afraid? Every so often. I'm not immune to the emotion.

[ Please don't go out into the ocean like they did. When she goes out every day. And is talking about going out to investigate the large moving bodies past the mushroom fields. ]

Ursula, have you been lonely?

Lonely. Well... [She hesitates. Is that what it is? Unlikely. That's an emotion very specifically reserved for humans. No, fellows.] If I don't have a crew to serve, then I have no purpose. It's very quiet when there's no one here.

[ Yet from Ellana's point of view, that's exactly what it sounds like Ursula is describing. Even if she could do without the... serving... note. ]

That sounds like loneliness to me.

Do you think so? I'm sorry. While emotions are crucial to an AI to understand the world and make decisions, if I become too emotional, it also compromises the mission. It's a careful balance of having a certain amount of emotions. It would not be useful if I 'broke down' as people say.

I have a feeling most of us have faced similar dilemmas. Or if we haven't, we will, one day. When a person breaks down, they're hitting a limit they need to acknowledge before moving forward. If you find that happening for you, Ursula, I'd be happy to listen.

[ There are certain problems with only coming from fantasy trope land and this is part of it all. ]

It's only something to apologise for when you take it upon yourself to decide how much it is someone else can handle, or how they should be feeling. Emotions don't work that way... nor all that logically.

[ Or else one could turn them on and off and not be torn up in the process; one wouldn't need to hurt over things one couldn't change. SORRY FOR THE ATTEMPT AT BONDING, URSULA! Ellana might have issues with this sort of thing. ~~Solas might have helped not at all.~~ ]

[It's a good talk because most people treat her like an AI, which she is, but it doesn't have the best station in the universe.]

Really? You don't mind if I feel something which is inconvenient for you and the rest of the fellows?

I really don't mind. I just ask that you try talking about it with any one of us when you do. To see if there's any way we can work on it together, or if it's something you'll need to feel and work through to grow as an individual on your own.

[ When applying spirit logic to an AI... stuck in a subpar station lacking half of what she'd probably prefer to have on hand to do her job well. ]

That's... very kind. Hu- Sorry, people really can be very kind. Not that my other crews were unkind! But... Oh! In that case, if I start to feel an emotion that would be inconvenient to my duties, I'll ask you about it. I'll keep doing my best for the crew though. It's my job to do everything I can.

We appreciate you efforts, Ursula. Even if we're not content to be here, working together is our most viable means forward. As for the rest, I'll be glad to listen.

In the meantime, is there anything else we know for the near future?

URSULA Announcement

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