Making the best of it

[traken_master]

[The Master is in his room, tinkering with machinery. Thank to this latest oddity with the books, he now has the means to build robots to keep his rooms clean. He feels like talking, so reaches out and opens up his journal.]

You know, my friends, this strangeness with the books isn't all bad. I personally have found a cookbook and a book on robotics to be quite useful! Even the book on mathematics proved stimulating; the results reminded me of a place called Castrovalva!

[He pauses to tighten a joint, before continuing.]

Anyway, the Doctor, the one wearing celery, recently suggested to me that the Castle was motivated by schadenfreude, which means, for those who don't know that word, enjoying or getting satisfaction from other's misfortune. I think this highly likely. Therefore, we should not accomodate it. We should make a concerted effort to find something useful or entertaining about its peculiarities.

Don't worry, I'm not suggesting we become complacent. However, if we deny it what its goals, we may weaken it. We can try, at least.

Comments

[cricketycricket]

[he's being terribly, suspiciously friendly. ... Five's just going to quietly keep his eye on this...]

[traken_master]

[The silence from the journal is suddenly louder and the Master grins, wondering how many people are listening.]

[needtoruleit]

[someone else is locked away and similarly taking advantage of the new qualities of the science books. Tinkering away...]

You know, it's going to take a much bigger effort to make a dent in depriving this place of what it wants.

[traken_master]

Yes, I know, but I'm willing to be patient. Denying it the satisfaction of our misery though is at least a small, first step.

[needtoruleit]

[he sighs just a little to himself]

Patient. Right, of course.

[traken_master]

Do you have something against being patient or do you have a better idea?

[needtoruleit]

I'm just...

[another little sigh] Sorry. I've just been here for... a long time. I'm tired of being patient.

[traken_master]

Ah. Well, there's nothing for it, I'm afraid. We must exercise caution, particularly, since we don't know how closely we are observed.

[needtoruleit]

And then what?

[someone may be a little skeptical of this line of strategy]

[traken_master]

Then, we take the castle's power and make it do our bidding, including giving us our freedom.

[cheerupemoborg]

So what, subscribe everyone antidepressants?

[traken_master]

Only if necessary. The castle is probably telepathic enough to sense the true emotions underneath a drug stupor. No, we must educate and train ourselves, all of us, to deny the castle what it wants.

[cheerupemoborg]

You could always put everyone into hibernation... of course, if you ever dream, it'll probably try to get you there.

[traken_master]

My dear Mr. Henshaw, my purpose is to wake people up, not make them even more idle. There is work that needs to be done.

[cheerupemoborg]

Y'know, you almost sound like a politician. Had any experience?

[traken_master]

After a fashion, yes, mostly in the area of conquering dictator.

[private]

[cheerupemoborg]

Ever consider running for office?

Re: [private]

[traken_master]

Not seriously so, no. If it ever fit into my plans, I might, but I prefer conquest to election, when possible. Particularly since, once in office, I have no plans of relinquishing power.

[jimfromit]

Isn't that idea just a little...simplistic?

[traken_master]

Yes, but I'm tailoring it to a wide group of people. With most humans, it's best to start simple and work them up to the more complicated tasks.

[jimfromit]

Ah yes the principle of getting your pet to beg before teaching it to fetch.

[traken_master]

[The Master chuckled.]

That's one way of looking at the matter, if a bit rude. Also, we don't know enough right now for more complicated or direct resistance.

[jimfromit]

I try to save manners for humans that earn them. There are far too many of them about with ideas above their station.

As much as it pains me to admit it we are playing the long game here. The only way we can make a considerable impact is by gathering information.

[traken_master]

The human race in general tends to get above its station, in my opinion. Some of them are acceptable, but Earth is a tiny, insignificant world.

Very good! You are right, of course. That is exactly what I intend to do, but there's no harm in annoying the castle, until then.

[jimfromit]

I'm disappointed there haven’t been many serious attempts to find out more about the castle, but I suppose this is what happens when you have a dull uninventive mind like ninety per cent of the people who pass through here have...they become complacent.