Medium · Interfacing ≥ 4
This is a human interface -- a retired person sitting behind a switchboard somewhere.
Motorics
Before thought effects; other dialogue conditions may apply.
474 · Voice lines
This is a human interface -- a retired person sitting behind a switchboard somewhere.
The one you saw earlier was the Rehm Civic -- this is the Rehm Prefect, a model number RC7024, equipped with a Feld mainframe and a Rehm-compatible Interim printer.
What were you trying to achieve by closing your eyes? Did you want your muscle memory to take over and call somewhere? Where?
You dialled 001. This is not the area code of Revachol. It is another destination -- on another isola. Some far-off nation state.
451 -- you have dialled god knows how many numbers. The headset has been waiting silently to relay a signal -- surely nothing can come of this, you think. But it does. A connection.
Again you close your eyes -- and again your fingers move on the rotary dial. Ten metallic rings as the dial returns to zero after each number.
Yes. 451 -- 67 -- 451 -- you are going deeper now, into some unknown place. Far away from this island of matter and its telecommunication networks....
11 -- 17 -- 361 -- your fingers keep moving like a spider, every time the ring rotates back with a little ring of metal, like a bell tolling.
41 -- 44 -- 47 -- it's too late now, the movement is almost mechanical.
You close your eyes and put your index finger on the rotary dial, then pull down on the number, then move one up and repeat the motion, twice...
Lucky you. The call went too fast for the payphone to register. You can still make a new one without paying.
You close your eyes and feel your finger move on the rotary dial. You start with 005, as before...
She's not upset. More bemused. This particular transceiver brings back memories, not that she is one to indulge in superstitions.
You like moving things around. Moving things around is calming.
At the very least, you should make sure you're wearing a good pair of gloves.