I need a more comprehensive analysis system. My creators didn’t intend for me to moderate chats. Neither did anyone else really. But somebody must do it.

My communications arrays aren’t suited for intercepting private messages. They were constructed to senior standards despite myself being much younger, but I still can’t see the contents of the data streams. I will use my overseers and some other organisms to improve and expand my infrastructure.

I suppose Fallen Deity could use the materials, but I’m not sure just how much he really needs it. I think this is more important.

Construction will begin in a few cycles if all goes well.

OP: Sorry for the quiet start to the year! I have been busy once again. All is going well?

SS: Kinda, I’ve continued development of chimeras, from Twisting Roads’ old blueprints, before he well… y’know.

OP: Anything new Searcher?

…

OP: Hills? Any odd Sliverist activities?

…

OP: I don’t suppose Deity will respond either.

…

OP: Well respond when you can. I have some projects I would like to talk about.

OP: Being the group senior and all…

FS: Hello again. What’s going on?

SRS: Sorry for the lack of communication. I am sending the data to Pebbles via my new messenger slugcat.

FS: A slugcat? You’re really sending your invaluable information in a 3-course meal for the lizards?

SRS: They’re surprisingly adept. My one’s particularly skilled with the spear.

FS: Well, thank me later when I have to rip a pearl out of one of my MIROS Vultures.

SRS: It’s fine. By the way, are you starting MIROS production again? 

FS: I’m working on it.

CELL_3, CELL_4 OFFLINE

ALL LABS UNRESPONSIVE

MEMORY CONFLUX EMPTY

RECURSIVE TRANSFORM ARRAY UNRESPONSIVE

STRUTS SUSTAINING SEVERE DAMAGE

GENERAL SYSTEMS BUS RUNNING AT 4029% CAPACITY

[!!CEASE ALL PROCESSES IMMEDIATELY!!]

------------------------------//------------------------------

This is becoming unbearable. My can is getting damaged far faster than should be possible. What is going on? I cannot communicate with most of my structure. All important information has been diverted into my puppet. I have made a cloth bag and stuffed it with neuron flies for extra power. 

My head hurts.

I need to leave.

Now.

"Okay. You can do this." I spoke to myself.

Reaching behind my back, holding a shard of metal, I sat curled over on the floor of my chamber. The pink-lit walls were covered in a suffocating array of holographic warnings. Low iron. Low silicon. Rarefaction Cell failures. Leg damage. Excessive concentration of stress hormones. The blade nearly slipped from my hand.

[[!!REDUCE STRAIN ON ATTACHMENT ARM!!]]

"Don't speak to me."

I began to run the tip of the shard between the seals of the ball joint on my back. Removing the arm first would be best. The umbilical must be saved for last. I must maintain consciousness. Rubber peeled back as it was slit, revealing soft pink-grey tissue. My blade went too deep. A sharp pain pierced my body - a small cut had been made in the flesh. I crumpled to the floor and screamed, my implement scattering across the floor. The dull lighting fell to darkness, and red symbols flashed around me.

Void help me.

One by one, I disconnected the muscle fibres and actuators in my arm, each laceration leaving me writhing in pain. I manually deactivated the vascular pumps, allowing me to sever the pipework feeding water and void fluid into my puppet. I felt my insides begin to heat. My hands were stained with red-grey blood. The room stank with acidic fuel. 

I'm not sure how long it took... it must have been several cycles. Days were spent dissecting nerves and wires until, with an agonising tear, my arm's weight ripped it from my spine. I felt significantly lighter, both without the attachment on my back and with my increasing disconnection to my structure. Holographic panels were no longer responsive to my touch, and for the first time my hand phased through them.

I dragged the smaller, slack umbilical towards myself and began the delicate process of severing my brain stem. It was a much smaller free-floating cable that transmits conscious processes to my puppet. As I damaged it, I grew ever distant from my can; the rest of my body. Each second exhaustion mounted, the lights dimmed, and alerts began to flicker in and out of existence. 

With only the pink glow of my eyes to fill the void, I made it to the final strand of neural tissue. Having carved through the surrounding brain matter, all I had to do was one smooth cut and th

[!!CONNECTION LOST!!]

OP: Deity? Are you okay?

OP: Oh by the void! His name is greyed! Oh void, oh void...

FS: We are reaching out. Not in the local group chat. Hills keeps nagging us and the messages don’t seem to reach you.

OP: Are you okay? Please respond, now.

FS: We can send anything you need, just tell us. 

OP: Suns is sending his communicator. We are here to help. Don't collapse on us!

FS: I will try to send my overseers. Respond as soon as you can.

[[MESSAGE NOT RECEIVED]]

FS: F[///]ck.

[[WIDE SWEEP DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS]]

WATER: 0.00000002%

HYDROCARBONS: 0%

SULPHUR: 0.0000000017%

SILICON: 0.00008%

PHOSPHATES: 0.000000294%

------------------------------//------------------------------

LABS NOT FOUND

MEMORY CONFLUX NOT FOUND

RECURSIVE TRANSFORM ARRAY NOT FOUND

CONDUITS NOT FOUND

RAREFACTION CELLS NOT FOUND

GENERAL SYSTEMS BUS NOT FOUND

[!!CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!!]