#### HOW TO SPEAK MACHINE

If you have read anything about the world of Hellsborough and The Dark Peak, then you may be wondering about the HMM parts that appear throughout the dialogue, that give context to the storyline. It's not all that complicated, once you get your head around it, so let me try and explain it for you.

#### HOW TO SPEAK MACHINE

There are basically three types of hivemind dialogue: Questions, Adlerts (that is adverts and alerts, both of which have the same characteristics), and DMs -- or Direct Messages (and receipts), which aren't actually direct messages at all, as you might understand the term -- they're more like an old fashioned back-and-forth dialogue with an telephone operator.

Questions

I'll start with questions, as they are the most common use of the hivemind, for me at least. It's just like asking your computer a question, simple stuff. The user of a psycmask asks a question to the hivemind, like this:

HMM::OUT('Question')

>>> The question asked by the asker to the hivemind

sample response: ask:: Rippon, Pip // stat:: accept[ok]__ // src:: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:037g:7334 [loc::hellsborough//middlewood_road//467]__ // now:: 79.hail-ripperthroat.12.13.20.5.5

Where:

>>> ask - The individual asking the question

>>> stat - The status of the request, as acknowledged by the hivemind

>>> src - the source address of the psycmask device

>>> loc - the physical location of the organic network receiver node

>>> now - the timestamp of the communication

for more details about The Dark Peak Calendar, follow that link.

HMM::IN('Answer')

>>> the response from the hivemind

This is often used when describing something physical, and a typical conversation might look like this:

#### HMM::OUT('Skewerwing')

ask:: Rippon, Pip // stat:: accept[ok]__ // src:: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:037g:7334 [loc::hellsborough//middlewood_road//467]__ // now:: 79.hail-ripperthroat.12.15.23.36.3

HMM::IN('..Colour: Grey / White

..Diet: Slippers_

..Size: 4'" (hands)_

..Defining characteristics: Flyer_

..Class: Wildlife_

..Image: Incoming_---')

Adlerts

Sometimes the input from the hivemind is a broadcast, this can happen with advertisements, which can, with practise, be ignored, and council informational content, which cannot, and gets through anyway. Example of an advertisment:

#### HMM::IN('Y'ungry Murker?!')

hits:: 42791 // [this]2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:037g:7334 [loc::hellsborough//middlewood_road//467]__ // now:: 79.hail-ripperthroat.12.15.23.36.9

Tapas Farantees Espanyol -- We deliver! Wherever you are, you can get our tantalising tapas -- call now: 353 535 333555 555 333

Faranteeeeeees!!!

Example of an alert:

#### HMM::IN('DPDC Alert: Report of murker running amok, Hellsborough park')

hits:: 1226354 // [this]2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:037g:7334 [loc::hellsborough//middlewood_road//467]__ // now:: 79.hail-ripperthroat.12.14.17.42.3

Exacid alerted. Two people stabbed, stable. Report of gunshots. Avoid area until further notice.

Where:

>>> hits - number of psycmask devices that received the adlert

>>> [this] - the receiving address of the psycmask device

>>> loc - the physical location of the organic network receiver node

>>> now - the timestamp of the communication

I believe the hits are determined by the number of individuals that are in a particular node location at any time, plus the timestamp at the time of the sending of the advertisement, but as you know, I'm no technology expert, so I might be wrong on that.

DMs & Receipts

Occasionally, DM's -- Direct Messages -- occur between two individual hivemind nodes, which is just two people (or to be more precise, entities) talking to each other -- but, crucially, using the hivemind -- so the communication isn't actually one-to-one as you might understand it.

Example of a DM:

#### HMM::OUT('I need to contact Pip Rippon, danger!')

ask:: unknown // stat:: accept[ok]__ // src:: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:142j:i618 [loc::hellsborough//unknown__location//000]__ // now:: 79.hail-ripperthroat.12.15.23.54.14

HMM::IN('..Request made_')

#### HMM::IN('DM!')

hits:: 1 // [this]2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:037g:7334 [loc::hellsborough//middlewood_road//467]__ // now:: 79.hail-ripperthroat.12.15.23.54.15

From unknown, hellsborough//unknown__location//000

Hi Pip Rippon, this is unknown//unknown__location, you are in danger!

I've already flagged this as scum, why am I receiving it again?

#### HMM::OUT('delete, flag as scum')

ask:: Rippon, Pip // stat:: accept[decline]__ // src:: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:037g:7334 [loc::hellsborough//middlewood_road//467]__ // now:: 79.hail-ripperthroat.12.15.23.54.15

#### HMM::IN('Flagged a high priority, are you sure you do not wish to receive?')

hits:: 1 // [this]2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:037g:7334 [loc::hellsborough//middlewood_road//467]__ // now:: 79.hail-ripperthroat.12.15.23.54.15

#### HMM::OUT('Ok, allow this message. More detail.')

ask:: Rippon, Pip // stat:: accept[ok]__ // src:: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:037g:7334 [loc::hellsborough//middlewood_road//467]__ // now:: 79.hail-ripperthroat.12.15.23.54.17

#### HMM::IN('Message accepted. Providing more detail.')

ask:: unknown // stat:: accept[ok]__ // src:: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:142j:i618 [loc::hellsborough//unknown__location//000]__ // now:: 79.hail-ripperthroat.12.15.23.54.18

Receipts are very similar, except there is rarely any dialogue — they tend to be one way transactions, they look like this:

#### HMM::IN('Tapas Farantees Espanyol -- Incoming!!!')

hits:: 1 // [this]2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:037g:7334 [loc::hellsborough//middlewood_road//467]__ // now:: 79.hail-ripperthroat.12.16.0.1.3

Tapas Farantees Espanyol -- Your order will be with you in one moment

Your order: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:037g:7334//467//12.15.23.41.7

`

- Bucket of original recipe fried venomtooth sections & heads

- Spicy hot Skewerwing wings, 6 pcs

- Curried rooter trotters, 6 pcs

- Crispy waffle fries, 3 servings

- Creamy coleslaw dipping pot, large

- Chocolate drizzled churros, 12 pcs

`

-- any problems call: 353 535 333555 555 333

Faranteeeeeees!!!

I hope that explains the dialogue with the hivemind a little, and you now understand it better. If you have any questions, or spot any inaccuracies in the translations (which will almost always be down to my inability to transcribe things correctly), then please let me know.

For other details about skewerwing, venomtooth and rooter, please see The Dark Peak Bestiary.

If you know anyone else that you think might find this interesting, then please forward this email to them :)

Previously serialised here, The Legend of Loxley Bottom — The Gabbleratchets of Sophie Hinchcliffe is now available as a free ebook download in ePub and Kindle formats from Hellsborough library.

In other news, Hellsborough Chronicles book one “Dark Peak” is now available on Kindle and paperback.

If you can leave a review of Dark Peak on Amazon, I'd be more than grateful.

Hellsborough Chronicles book two “Darker Peak” is now being worked on — look out for early releases.

Cheers, until next time,

Pip :)