In every story I’ve ever read, true love of lover or family will always see through imposed falsed skins. Except maybe in Spacetrawler.
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Still with their arms held above their heads by chains, Thoos said, “Porpa! Heakie! Don’t you recognize my voice inflections, my mannerisms? I signed up for a scientific experiment, for money, because you cut me off! But the experiment put my consciousness into this brown fleshy human body!” Porpa said, “Stop lying about being Thoos, our flesh and blood! Our little Thoos would never willingly shame us by sharing such personal money decisions in front of strangers!” Rodrigo commented to Thoos, “You’re right, Thoos, your parents are uptight pricks.” Thoos pled more, “But it’s me! Remember when I failed in mystery choir? Or my invisible friend named Spekt?” Looking slightly sheepish, Heakie said, “Ahem. well, Spekt was actually a digital construct. We bought it to teach good manners.” Thoos said, “Really? Don’t you think that was kind-of overkill?” Porpa replied, “We love Thoos, but if you had to sit across the table from that slob while they ate, you’d understand it was either Spekt or filicide.”
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Couldn’t they have had Spekt teach Thoos about the dangers of gambling? Or at least how not to irritate your parents to the point they cut you off and lead you into embarrassing social faux pas?
Now that Thoos knows the truth about Spekt, they might want it back, for re-Spekt. And to in-Spekt them to verify their identity. Spekt would know things about Thoos that couldn’t be tortured out of them, especially when Thoos wouldn’t think it was real or relevant to a torturer.
How much personality did this digital construct have? Could it be considered an actualized person, or was it a mere gizmo? Basically, I’m asking, “Spekt” or gadget?
But, Coyoty, this is now, and that was then, so if they want to have that intro-Spekt, they’ll need retro-Spekt.
And how would they get Spekt back? Wouldn’t that be a real Spekt-a call? And to make sure Speckt is working properly you’d need an in-Spekt-or.
This is amusing, but it can’t last forever. Any guesses how they escape?
Ohhhhh, no. I’ve seen enough specimens twisted and darkened through prejudice, suspicion and raw, permanent dislike (it doesn’t start out as hatred, take my word for it) to know love is a very poor hope for any improvement. Such people did not love to begin with. They can no more expect love to restore a bond they helped break than they can expect the archangel Gabriel to come down and do it.
Trust me. Spacecrawler is not the only place this happens. Oh, no. Oh, no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no. No.
Kitty has risen and is very intent on the conversation. Thoos’ parents are thugs. Not the first to have risen to money and power, no matter the race.
Or she thinks the tiths are bigger kitties.
Glad you’re here… the site wasn’t working for me yesterday, and I worried about the worst!
Just happened to think… Porpa and Heakie “know” “this” isn’t “Thoos,” and yet they’re having this conversation. What do they expect to get out of it? If they wanted someone to torture, well, there they are, and their friends. Do they need answers? They’re so comfortable with torture as a means of extracting information, why aren’t they getting down to it? What’s really going on here? A contest to see how fast “Thoos” will slip up and reveal something “they” couldn’t have known? To what end? Porpa. Heakie. Your hearts aren’t in it. Get the irons in the brazier, the toepuller pliers and let’s get busy, eh? Time’s a-wastin’.
They might have a side-interest in information, but I rather suspect they just enjoy having power over others. It doesn’t seem like they actually care about their child much. Probably they assume Thoos is dead already and are just going to get what they can out of the situation.
At which point, even if they do come around and believe that Thoos is Thoos, they’ll have no reason not to torture the rest of them to death just for kicks. Especially if torturing people is actually illegal and they want to clean up any witnesses.
Won’t need to dispose of Thoos, that one is obviously insane, claiming to be a Tith in a Human body. Can’t trust a thing that one says for sure!