Ladies and gentlemen, your mayor...

[bathymetric]

True to the word of the random pieces of paper next to your desks, at exactly 1:30PM New Rapture Standard Time, there's a chime on all radios in the whole area - and there are a lot of radios. Both the portable radios you've all been issued and speakers all over chime before a pleasant woman's voice calls out to all of you, slightly tinny and distorted.

Greetings, prospective citizens! Please make your way to the lobby for a personal address from Mayor Fontaine! Presented by Fontaine Futuristics, where we bring your present into your future!

Upon everyone's arrival into the lobby of the hotel, several televisions set into the walls light up with:



Until, after a few moments, the screens flicker and cut to the face of... someone, in silhouette, just like the rest of Rapture. There are no features to make out, though, as the top of a huge leather armchair raises above their head.

Mayor Fontaine is watching.

When the Mayor speaks, the speakers seem to have trouble getting it out. There's heavy distortion and static over it, but the voice seems clear enough - male, from the sound of it, and slow and purposeful. A thick Bronx accent, for those of you with a New York to compare it to.

"So. Welcome to New Rapture. I got some things to say, but I'm gonna bet if I just open the floor to questions they'll come up and it'll save us all some time. But to cut a couple off at the pass, so to speak: yer not leaving, this is real, et cetera. Now, ask me some questions, would you kindly?"

Comments

[bathymetric]

Well, programs need some kind of parameters. True randomness... now that's rare.

[daimakaicho]

And those parameters would be?

[sixthnonsense]

Y-Yeah, what she said!

[Fear and suspicion has turned into startled stammering because hello?? Pretty??]

[daimakaicho]

[ w i n k ]

[sixthnonsense]

[THE MILF WINKED AT HIM...]

[bathymetric]

Proprietary and confidential property of Fontaine Futuristics. Sorry.

[giddyundertaker]

[ Finally he chimes in. ]

And what of the method you brought us all here, hm? It's not every day you gather a bunch of people from drastically different places under one roof.

[bathymetric]

This is a city of tomorrow, Silver Fox. Not yesterday. We have the technology.

[giddyundertaker]

[ A shame no one can see his eyes narrow a bit at the screen. It's one thing to see the title on a profile, but to hear himself called that? Brings to mind a few people who must either be very happy or very cross with his sudden disappearance. ]

And what sort of technology do you have? Some manner of kidnapping machine? Or did you cheat a bit with a bit of what some would call "magic?"

[ Either way, the thought of those fools searching endlessly for someone who isn't even in the same reality anymore... Entertaining, yet deeply concerning. ]

[bathymetric]

As a great man who hasn't been born yet in your world might say: any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

[giddyundertaker]

[ He scoffs. ] That ain't what I was referring to, Mr. Fontaine.

[daimakaicho]

[ There's a quiet tch as she crosses her arms. No fun! ]

Figures.