Santa Shikiba
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:05:23 GMT
"Why not?" asked Jack.
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:05:29 GMT
"I haven't explained it to you yet," replied Nate.
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:05:35 GMT
"Well, it kinda looks like a lever or something," said Jack. "You'd push it that way, and it would move in the slot."
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:05:41 GMT
"Yep, that's what it is," replied Nate.
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:05:49 GMT
"What does it do?" asked Jack. "End the world?"
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:05:55 GMT
"Oh, no," said Nate. "Nothing that drastic. It just ends humanity. I call it 'The Lever of Doom'." For the last few words Nate had used a deeper, ringing voice. He tried to look serious for a few seconds, and then gave up and grinned.
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
Posts: 971
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:06:01 GMT
Jack was initially startled by Nate's pronouncement, but when Nate grinned Jack laughed. "Ha! You almost had me fooled for a second there. What does it really do?"
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:06:11 GMT
"Oh, it really ends humanity, like I said," smirked Nate. "I just thought the voice I used was funny, didn't you?"
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:06:16 GMT
Nate continued to grin.
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
Posts: 971
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:06:22 GMT
"A lever to end humanity?" asked Jack. "What in the world is that for? Why would anyone need to end humanity?"
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:06:28 GMT
"Well," replied Nate, "I get the idea that maybe humanity was an experiment. Or maybe the Big Guy just thought, that if humanity started going really bad, there should be a way to end it. I'm not really sure. All I know are the rules, and the guesses that Samuel and I had about why it's here. I didn't think to ask back when I started here."
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
Posts: 971
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:06:36 GMT
"Rules? What rules?" asked Jack.
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:06:44 GMT
"The rules are that I can't tell anybody about it or let them touch it unless they agree to be bound to secrecy by a bite. And that only one human can be bound in that way at a time. That's it." explained Nate.
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:06:50 GMT
Jack looked somewhat shocked. "You mean that I could pull the lever now? You'd let me end humanity?"
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:06:55 GMT
"Yep," replied Nate, "if you want to." Nate looked at Jack carefully. "Do you want to, Jack?"
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:07:03 GMT
"Umm, no." said Jack, stepping a little further back from the lever. "Why in the world would anyone want to end humanity? It'd take a psychotic to want that! Or worse, a suicidal psychotic, because it would kill him too, wouldn't it?"
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:07:09 GMT
"Yep," replied Nate, "being as he'd be human too."
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
Posts: 971
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:07:14 GMT
"Has anyone ever seriously considered it?" asked Nate. "Any of those bound to secrecy, that is?"
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:07:23 GMT
"Well, of course, I think they've all seriously considered it at one time or another. Being given that kind of responsibility makes you sit down and think, or so I'm told. Samuel considered it several times. He'd often get disgusted with humanity, come out here, and just hold the lever for a while. But he never pulled it. Or you wouldn't be here." Nate grinned some more.
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
Posts: 971
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:07:28 GMT
Jack sat down, well back from the lever. He looked thoughtful and puzzled at the same time. After a bit, he said, "So this makes me the Judge of humanity? I get to decide whether they keep going or just end? Me?"
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
Posts: 971
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:07:34 GMT
"That seems to be it," agreed Nate.
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
Posts: 971
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:07:41 GMT
"What kind of criteria do I use to decide?" said Jack. "How do I make this decision? Am I supposed to decide if they're good? Or too many of them are bad? Or that they're going the wrong way? Is there a set of rules for that?"
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
Posts: 971
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:07:48 GMT
"Nope," replied Nate. "You pretty much just have to decide on your own. It's up to you, however you want to decide it. I guess that you're just supposed to know."
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
Posts: 971
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:07:54 GMT
"But what if I get mad at someone? Or some girl dumps me and I feel horrible? Couldn't I make a mistake? How do I know that I won't screw up?" protested Jack.
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Santa Shikiba
Headmaster
Your glower power is no match for my flower power.
Posts: 971
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Post by Santa Shikiba on Sept 3, 2018 1:07:59 GMT
Nate gave his kind of snake-like shrug again. "You don't. You just have to try your best, Jack."
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