[21:43] <> [21:47] <> [21:48] <> [21:49] * Tim does his kid-in-candystore impression. *_* [21:50] <> [21:51] (Argh. <<<... clustered around you at the end of last session.>>) [21:53] <> [21:53] ( ... ) [21:53] *** Chamelaeon sets mode: +vvv Chako Charlie Illyana [21:54] * Tim continues his kid-in-candystore impression. *_* [21:54] *** Chamelaeon sets mode: +v Tim [21:54] *** Calculus (jrenken@tofu.sandwich.net) has joined #atc [21:55] * Chako looks down at all of them threateningly. Complete with one of her weapons moving to armed status. "Back off." [21:56] * Illyana seems more annoyed than anything. [21:56] * Charlie looks to Lisa. "Where we headed now?" [21:57] * Tim doesn't seem to notice. *_* [21:58] <> "Back, the lot of you! You'll get your chances later, you slavering cretins." <> [21:59] * Chako smirks, and lets the weapon slide back into its dome. [21:59] <> "I'm gonna give you the five-credit tour." <> "Follow me." <> [22:00] * Charlie follows, wanting to get to something more interesting. [22:01] * Chako follows too. And doesn't actually crush any of the techs in the process. [22:01] * Illyana follows as well. [22:01] * Tim follows, trying to regain his composure, and *almost* succeeding. [22:02] <> [22:05] * Charlie glances at a few of the screens. [22:06] <> "The five credit tour. Press the buttons, get the overview. I'll be back in a few - someone in CentCom wants to see me." <> "Don't break nothin'." [22:06] <> [22:08] * Chako looks at the map-looking thing for a sec. [22:08] * Illyana takes note of it. [22:09] * Charlie looks over the map. "Not exactly what I was expecting in a tour." [22:09] <> [22:10] * Chako presses on the 1 button, hopefully not hard enough to break it. "Pretty crappy, but hey." [22:11] Huh. [22:11] * Tim pays attention to the crappy 5-credit tour. [22:12] <> [22:12] ... What? [22:13] Not very top-secret, is it? [22:13] Hmpf.. *glances around* Don't they have a travel brochure or something? [22:13] ( Bizarre Sim Hell flashbacks. ) [22:13] Apparently not. [22:13] It'd be quicker and far less painful. [22:14] * Chako hits the two button. "Hopefully it's not all like this." [22:16] <> [22:18] * Chako huhs, and hits another button. She's probably gonna keep doing this. ^_^; [22:18] (3! 3!) [22:19] ( Wait, did Bugs win, or Mickey? ) [22:22] <> [22:22] (Bugs won, of course. ^_^) [22:22] ( W00t! ) [22:23] <> [22:23] * Chako frowns at the display. "What do you expect fer 5 cents anyway." [22:24] <> [22:24] *** Chamelaeon sets mode: +v Isis [22:24] I think I want my five credits back. [22:25] * Isis walks. A whole bunch of things would be noticeable about her if she weren't wrapped in steel. [22:25] Do we have to pay another 6 creds to get the rest of the map? [22:26] * Tim frowns. "I say we complain to the manager." [22:26] She doesn't seem to care. *waves his hand in the direction of the lady behind the counter* [22:27] Well, damn. [22:27] <> [22:28] * Charlie turns to Isis. "You didn't miss a thing." [22:28] * Chako looks over, and smirks. "Hey, Isis, look out, the geeks are gunning for your body." [22:28] * Isis sighs. "I suppose not. This building gives me the chills." She tilts her head at Chako and says, in her must dumbfounded tone, "Excuse me?" [22:28] <> [22:28] ( I may point out that Lisa is a swordswoman too. *cough* ) [22:29] (But she was there. ^^;) [22:29] (Yup. But she wasn't on the Europa Team. ^_^) [22:29] ( Yes she was! ) [22:29] (Well, she wasn't there for it.) [22:30] * Illyana looks around. "Vonder vhat the delay is." [22:30] * Chako waves her metallic hand. "The geeks wanted to know where the... 'cute swordgirl' was, and didn't swarm on Lisa. I figured I'd give you the heads up so you could be ready." [22:31] <> [22:31] * Tim eyes the screen. [22:32] ( Land on Doctor or Lawyer. They're worth the most. ) [22:33] * Isis twitches faintly inside her helmet. "I see." [22:34] So, what now? *looks around the room* [22:34] * Chako looks back at the screen in the faint hope that she'll get 5 creds worth out of the tour, and frowns. "Well, since we don't know where everything is, guess we get to stay here." [22:35] <> "Look, no time to explain! I've sent someone up to get you. Name's Vernon Marcus. New member. He'll get you down to where you need to be. Don't dawdle!" <> [22:35] * Isis frowns. "They woke me up saying this was urgent... and we're loitering in a rather tasteless lobby. I am vaguely annoyed." [22:35] * Tim blinks. [22:36] *** Calculus is now known as Vernon [22:36] * Tim frowns. He liked this lobby. ;_; [22:37] <> [22:37] * Chako lets one of her weapons move in and out of its dome quickly, and looks at the man. [22:37] * Vernon steps out of the elevator and peers around. He looks to be in his mid-thirties, medium height, with blond hair. [22:38] (don't look too hard.. large group of exosuits. ^_^) [22:38] Ah, you must be the Europa team. Pleased to meet you all - I'm Vernon Marcus. [22:38] * Charlie nods at the man. [22:38] * Tim nods in Vernon's direction. [22:38] Likevise, I'm sure. [22:38] Alright. Where are we going? [22:38] (Describe your suits for the man, first. ^_^) [22:39] * Isis is like the ShadowMan redesign for MMBN2. So there. [22:39] (Which I have not seen. :P) [22:40] ( Finding a pic won't be too hard. Sec.) [22:40] * Tim is wearing a fairly ordinary-looking suit, save for sporting a blister of home-made looking sensors on one shoulder and a wide assortments of barcodes, price stickers, and other miscelania. [22:40] * Illyana wears a primarily white suite, with blue anklets and wristbands. There's yellow highlights around her visor. She doesn't seem to have any weapons. [22:41] * Chako is in a larger suit where there are a number of weapon pods on the mecha, all white, with a yellow starbursty pattern coming from the center of the chest out to the arms and legs, with white joints on the blue arms/legs/body. Head's blue, with a white top and a standard yellow V on the crown/top. [22:42] (It probably looks like a mix of a Child of the light from WoT and one of the MMX armors, come to think of it.) [22:42] ( *mutter* Can't find one. ) [22:42] Charlie is in a slightly angular suit with with standard camo patterns. It's fairly light looking. Boosters stick out the back and on the legs. It was built for speed and stealth. [22:42] (that was supposed to be a /me) [22:43] Well, the next stop is the dimensional lab...right this way, please. [22:43] Dimensional lab? Nice. [22:43] * Tim follows Vernon! [22:43] Ve're finally going to see the messenger, then? [22:44] * Vernon walks over to a door, and puts his left eye up to the sensor. [22:44] (There is also a large rifle folded up on Charlie's left shoulder.) [22:44] * Chako follows Vernon as well, and mutters, "At least something's happening, that's a plus." [22:45] True enough. *follows as well* [22:45] * Isis has a dark purple and black suit made to essentially resemble a mechanical ninja. It's more form-fitting than normal armor, and her sword has a cross-wise sheath attached to the waist instead of diagonal across the back. [22:45] * Illyana follows. [22:45] * Isis also follows. [22:45] <> [22:45] I'm not sure about that...all this lab has is experiments. [22:46] Heh. [22:46] * Vernon heads towards a door, further down the corridor. [22:46] * Tim continues following, glancing around as he does so. [22:47] <> [22:47] * Vernon presses the call button for an elevator. [22:47] Ve must be out of the guest area. [22:48] * Chako follows as well. "Yeah. The walls aren't amusing enough." [22:48] * Vernon nods. [22:48] * Isis sighs. "It has always seemed to me that the study of science requires one to observe the world rather than stay locked away from it. Then again, I am a tactician, not a scientist." [22:48] * Tim chuckles at that. [22:49] Hmm, that sounds reasonable...although, I'd say it depends on the science. [22:49] <> [22:49] * Illyana simply says, "Agreed." [22:49] Fewer distractions here, if you ask me. [22:50] * Tim blinks at the elevator, then shrugs and gets on. [22:50] * Isis chuckles. "I grant that some science requires special precautions. I doubt a supercollider would be welcome in a city pa..." She's cut off by the 'dude, 'sup'. [22:50] * Vernon walks into the elevator. "Whoever did the latest revision of the elevator controls and the directory could certainly get out more." [22:51] heh *he nods in agreement* [22:51] * Tim nods. "Agreed." [22:51] * Chako says, "I think hard vacuum would be plenty out more." Another of her pods whirs. Must be antsy. [22:51] * Tim eyes Chako's gunpods. [22:52] * Vernon says, "Level 7." [22:53] <> "Groovy, man. We're gettin' down." <> [22:53] (*varying) [22:53] * Charlie shakes his head. [22:53] * Vernon 's left eye twitches slightly. [22:53] * Tim winces. [22:54] It's very, uhh.... [22:54] Sorry about this. If we weren't in a hurry, I'd have a few words with the person...responsible. [22:54] Do they have rehab for elevators? 'Cause this one needs it. [22:55] It sure needs something. [22:55] <> [22:55] And later on we can have Chako here put some sense into the guy who did this. I'm sure he'll never do it again. [22:56] * Vernon heads out of the elevator, into this hallway. [22:57] * Chako grins faintly. "Sounds about right. Where do I sign?" [22:57] * Isis sighs. "At least our guide is as annoyed as we are. It's a better sign than I'd hoped for." [22:57] * Tim chuckles. [22:57] * Tim follows Vernon out. [22:58] * Vernon mutters under his breath, something about a programmer, CDs, and two weeks. [22:58] <> [22:58] ( Oh my god, we're trapped on Shadow Moses. ) [22:58] (YES! XD) [22:58] ( ...and I'm the cyborg ninja! I GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE! ) [22:59] (Hah! I'd think you get to be Snake. Or is that Charlie? Does that make me Meryl? c.c;) [22:59] * Tim whistles. "Nice." [23:00] * Illyana looks around. "Vhat kind of research do you do here?" [23:00] * Vernon puts his eye to another sensor, and punches in a number on the pad next to it. [23:00] * Charlie turns to Illy, "Popular culture?" [23:00] This is mostly information analysis...once the techs get the raw data, this team turns it into useful information. [23:00] * Tim chuckles. [23:01] * Vernon grins slightly. "With occasional success." [23:01] * Isis raises an eyebrow. "It is... a bit like very old 20th century cyberpunk/noir." [23:02] <> [23:02] ( How meta. I'm ashamed. ) [23:02] * Vernon facepalms quietly. [23:02] * Vernon walks onwards. [23:02] * Tim eyes the bot and keeps following. [23:02] * Illyana follows, giving the bot a brief glance. [23:02] * Charlie is somehow not suprised. [23:03] * Isis manages to "..." audibly. [23:03] * Chako looks down at the iBot. "Don't these guys have better things to do? Like get laid or watch bloodsports?" [23:04] Oh, they mostly do things like this while their subconscious mulls over their projects. Management would clamp down on it, but all the techs are much less efficient without this as an outlet. It does begin to grate on you after a while, though. [23:04] * Tim nods sagely. [23:04] <> [23:05] And, of course, our favorite way of getting even is to design something even more fiendishly irritating. [23:05] I imagine it vould. [23:05] * Isis nods enthusiastically. "Anything keeping them at a baseline level of sanity, I am all for." [23:05] Sounds fun. [23:06] My plan is, if they all go insane, someone's going to have to put them down. [23:06] * Chako grins again. [23:06] * Isis shrugs her shoulders. "Do you want to face down the Japanese-style transforming giant mecha they built in their garage out of spare parts for just such an occasion, Lieutenant?" [23:06] <> [23:06] Must be a high baseline... Aloysius P.D.Q. Wallaby? [23:06] * Vernon grins. "Oh, people have been seriously hurt here before. Usually by accident." [23:07] * Chako shrugs. "It might be a workout." She's almost-studiously, in a casual sort of way, ignoring the nametags. [23:07] * Vernon indicates the room with a nod of his head. "Actually electrifying someone's keyboard is...discouraged, by these means." [23:09] * Tim chuckles. [23:10] This room is awfully far. [23:10] Yes, it's quite a ways further. [23:10] <> [23:11] (It's dancing. It wants you to save your game.) [23:11] * Vernon leans down and says "fnord" to the monkey, in a ridiculous British accent. [23:11] * Tim grins. [23:11] ( ...*slices Vernon clean in half* ) [23:11] (Blame the techs! ;_;) [23:11] * Chako looks down at the monkey, and back up. "I suppose they need it." [23:12] Still.. [23:12] * Isis nods. "Intelligence undirected is a terrible thing. Tempered by common sense, it's less dangerous." [23:12] <> [23:12] ...you need to go do the 1040s. [23:12] * Vernon places his eye to the scanner. [23:12] The vhats? [23:13] Oh, accountancy. [23:13] <> [23:14] .... The vhats? [23:14] (Is it huge?) [23:14] (yes!) [23:14] * Isis blinks. "Accountancy?" [23:14] * Vernon waits for it to stop, and then heads through. "Tax forms. They keep changing the keyword, too...last week it was something about ballpoint pens." [23:15] * Chako is not talking at this point. Another one of the gunpods is whirring, though. [23:16] ... Vhy vould ve need to do this? [23:16] <> [23:17] It's best not to think too hard about these things, I'm afraid. [23:17] <> [23:18] These are the barracks. The military folk here are...a little bit on edge, because of the techs. [23:18] (Those of you with combat training recognize the shells, etc, as totally real.) [23:18] * Tim blinks. [23:18] * Charlie puts his helmet on.. quickly. [23:18] * Isis instinctively puts her hand on the hilt of her sword. "Let me see if I understand you. We're being brought into a target practice room to fill out tax forms?" Her head follows the robot warily. [23:18] * Chako looks at the walls, and whistles. "Looks like it. Christ." [23:18] * Tim puts his helmet on, too. [23:18] Oh, don't worry, they won't shoot if they hear someone coming. [23:18] Oh, no. The tax forms were for the monkey. [23:19] Oh, well. That's a relief. On both counts. [23:19] <> [23:19] It's currently only good enough to be a file clerk, but we're improving the AI in our spare time. [23:19] * Tim nods. [23:19] I am becoming increasingly paranoid about this installation, and I am in no way ashamed to admit it. [23:20] Sounds reasonable to me... [23:20] * Tim chuckles. [23:20] <> [23:21] ... [23:21] Excuse me a moment. [23:21] * Tim statres. [23:21] Richard, are those live? [23:21] (-t) [23:21] * Chako looks at all this. "Poor saps. Stir crazy gone too far." [23:21] This vould seem more like a day care center than anythink. [23:22] <> [23:22] * Isis shakes her head. "Passion is fine, but it has to be tempered by a bit of reason. This is simply insanity given reign." SHe glances around. "And artillery. Unnerving." [23:22] * Vernon waves. "No problem at all - carry on." [23:22] ( *cracks up* ) [23:22] * Vernon keeps walking. [23:23] What are we here for again? Survival training? *he mumbles "like we need it anyway."* [23:23] * Tim keeps following. [23:23] Well, Lisa said to take you down to the Dimensional Tech lab...I'm not entirely sure why, though. [23:25] So ve could vatch the techs shoot live ammo into other dimensions out of boredom, perhaps. [23:25] <> [23:25] Oh, they don't do that any more. [23:26] * Vernon sighs and sticks the wires together for a few seconds, keeping his fingers well away from the bare parts. [23:27] <> [23:28] * Vernon heads through, into the next section. [23:28] <> [23:28] * Chako continues following. [23:28] * Illyana follows Vernon. [23:28] * Tim follows, then blinks at the bot. "Uhm, sure." [23:29] <> "Then would you be so kind as to get me a Frosty Cold Beverage so I may present it to you?" [23:29] *** Retrieving #atc info... [23:29] ( Ha! ) [23:29] ... [23:30] ...check back with me on that later. [23:30] * Tim goes back to following Vernon. [23:30] <> [23:31] This is Anomalous Materials, where they do research on new chemicals, both made and found. What they actually *do,* I couldn't say. [23:31] * Tim nods. [23:31] * Chako huhs. [23:32] <> [23:33] Don't worry, he's kidding. He generally does that for visitors. [23:33] ...I can decide to be phased by that, or simply presume natural selection is at work. [23:33] * Tim chuckles. [23:33] .. yeeeaah. [23:34] * Chako says, "Damn." [23:34] <> [23:35] <> [23:36] <> [23:36] * Tim frowns. [23:36] * Isis blinks. [23:36] Weren't those the systems we modified to prevent the gravity effects? [23:36] Hmmm. [23:37] * Chako says, "I think so. Something with the joints and such." [23:38] Don't worry about it. Something I'll have to take care of later, is all. [23:38] * Vernon presses another button on the wall. [23:39] <> [23:40] * Vernon steps into the elevator. [23:40] Gosh, thanks for the heads-up. [23:40] * Tim gets in the elevator. [23:40] Oh? Ah, sorry. I stopped noticing after a while. [23:40] Heh. [23:40] * Illyana gets in the elevator. [23:41] <> [23:41] * Chako gets in the elevator too! "I think I'll leave the Hazmat loving to the geeks. They seem to like it a lot." [23:41] * Charlie follows the crowd! (wouldn't wanna stay in one place too long around here, I'm sure.) [23:41] ( "Eject" :P ) [23:41] If I ever 'got used' to this place, I think I might actually retire or kill myself out of sheer terror. [23:42] * Vernon pronounces, very carefully, "Se-VEN with LETTUCE and NO BACON." [23:42] ...don't ask. [23:42] "Lutefisk on rye, gefilte fish on pumpernickel. Gotcha." [23:43] <> [23:43] * Tim frowns. [23:44] That's another security seal. [23:44] <> [23:45] <> [23:45] * Vernon steps out. [23:46] * Tim steps out and glances around. [23:47] <> [23:47] Ran out of money? [23:47] Here we are - this is the Dimensional Tech lab. [23:48] Not what I was expecting. [23:48] <> [23:49] Well, it *seems* more normal than the other areas. [23:49] * Isis raises an eyebrow. "It certainly does seem extradimensional by comparison." [23:49] * Chako smirks, but keeps the comments to herself now. [23:49] <> [23:49] You know the saying about the ducks looking calm, but the feet doing a lot of work under the surface of the water? [23:50] At least I can fit in here. *his suit shimmers from view, for amusement's sake.* [23:50] * Vernon heads onwards. [23:50] Ah. [23:50] (Go ahead and desc, Charlie.) [23:51] It's swans, actually, but I'm familiar with the quote. [23:51] * Vernon nods. "That applies here...to an extent that is unsafe." [23:51] (Er, my bad. Nevermind.) [23:52] <> [23:52] * Charlie turns the chameleon skin back off. [23:52] * Vernon presses another button. [23:53] <> [23:54] * Vernon steps in. [23:54] * Tim steps in, too. [23:54] Yes, level 7. Kindly hold the door for a moment, if you would be so good. [23:54] * Chako follows dutifully. Gotta hurry, after all! [23:55] * Vernon shakes his head. "My apologies. Floor 28, please." [23:56] "I can hold the do', suh, but there ain't no flo' seven I can get to, fo- yes, suh." [23:56] * Illyana follows. [23:56] * Isis follows unless otherwise indicated. [23:57] (same for Charlie) [23:59] <> [23:59] (... been excavated.) [00:00] <> [00:00] * Tim raises his eyebrows. "Impressive." [00:00] * Illyana looks around. "This is.." [00:01] <> [00:02] * Vernon bows. "Good afternoon, Mr. Jones." [00:02] * Chako says to herself, "At least some things look familiar..." [00:03] (Erp, was that early? ^_^;) [00:04] <> [00:04] * Isis chuckles. "I was wondering when the 'Emergency! Report immediately!' part of the com call was going to kick in." [00:05] * Vernon smiles. "And so are the mangoes." [00:05] (No, there's *nothing* going on!) [00:05] * Chako smirks. "I was thinking the same thing. What's burning?" [00:06] <> "Begonias be damned. The Messenger site's being attacked. Like right the fuck now. And they want you there, cause god knows the troops there're fucking up." [00:06] Move where? [00:06] * Tim blinks. [00:06] ...combat? [00:07] * Isis raises an eyebrow, then raises both when the realization hits her. "And this..." *she waves a hand at the stargate, for lack of a better term* "...is the only access?" [00:07] * Chako 's four gun-pods on her arms whir, and a feral grin can be seen for the people looking at her on-screens. [00:09] I vould hope. If ve have to valk through that log complex again just to get there... [00:11] < ("Comba) [00:11] (...Combat's no trouble. Just find a rock.) [00:11] Great.. So, who's attacking? [00:11] ...ah. [00:12] * Tim frowns. [00:12] <> [00:13] We fighting directly on the other side?.. assuming we make it there. [00:14] Haf they unloaded the contents of the messenger yet? [00:14] <"Fighting immediately, yes. Details later! Let's fucking move!"> [00:14] * Chako steps into the bowl. "If this thing kills me, the geeks all die." [00:15] * Vernon hurries into his suit, beside the bowl. [00:15] * Charlie Switches on his ECM and fades out.. he then steps into the bowl. [00:15] * Tim gets in the bowl. "If this kills me, I'm gonna be sorely disappointed." [00:15] * Vernon checks his suit, shrugs, and then steps into the bowl. [00:16] * Tim turns on his ecm, although he doesn't have the nifty invisibility like Charlie. [00:16] * Illyana follows the others in. [00:16] * Isis draws her sword and sighs as she walks to the bowl. [00:17] <> [00:18] <>