[21:25] <Chamelaeon> <<SESSION TWENTY-FIVE, LIFTOFF! YOU SHOULD OPEN A TRAVEL
COMPANY FOR THIS PLACE!>>
[21:26] <Chamelaeon> <<The present day - March 31st. Present time - 1830 hours.
Present location - the Bodyslide bowl of the planet Sleythin.>>
[21:28] <Chamelaeon> <<Your second visit to the planet Sleythin looks to be off
to a rousing start as your newest member, Vernon, passes out when he collapses
due to the 3Gs pushing down. It's as quiet now as it was when you first arrived
- the lights in the ice are green and bright.>>
[21:28] *** Vernon (jrenken@sandwich.net) has joined #ATC
[21:28] <Chamelaeon> <<You're off to find the Gate of Ages, and perhaps get a
glimpse of what the fuck is going on. [/END EXPOSITION!]>>
[21:29] <Vernon> (At the colo center...I'm doing maintenance, so my responses
might be a bit slow...er than usual)
[21:29] <Charlie> (You've passed out, Vern.. What a wimp. ^_~)
[21:30] <Chamelaeon> <<Just before Vernon passed out, he was supported by
Charlie, who is now holding all of Vernon's weight.>>
[21:30] <Vernon> (BRB, fetching large cart of servers from minivan. Wheee!)
[21:30] <Atom> ( Test me. )
[21:30] <Chamelaeon> 2d6
[21:30] * Atom rolls for Chamelaeon (2d6) and gets 5.
[21:30] <Tim> 2d6
[21:30] * Atom rolls for Tim (2d6) and gets 6.
[21:31] <Tim> So. Who brought the beach ball?
[21:31] <Isis> 6d2
[21:31] * Atom rolls for Isis (6d2) and gets 9.
[21:31] <Isis> ( Just to be different. )
[21:32] <Charlie> Man he's heavy.. *he sets him next to one of the large statues
for now*
[21:33] <Chako> Not me.
[21:33] <Chamelaeon> (Statues are outside, Charlie.)
[21:33] * Isis looks around. "At least it seems less threatening this time."
[21:34] <Chamelaeon> <<Your suits kick into the atmosphere testing mode. A brief
temperature scan indicates that it's warmer outside than it was last time.>>
[21:34] <Charlie> *leans him against the wall.. that is.. since we're not
outside yet apparently*
[21:34] <Tim> Oh, that's only because we think we killed all the dangerous
things last time we were here. But I'm sure we'll be proven wrong.
[21:35] * Chako looks around too. "If the Sleythin were so scared of them, there
had to be more than ten or twenty."
[21:36] <Tim> Yup. Unless they died of starvation due to a lack of lizards to
nibble on.
[21:36] * Isis nods. "It's silly to think they're gone, that's true." She takes
a step toward whatever exit they made last time. "Probably why it's best to
hurry."
[21:37] * Tim nods.
[21:37] * Charlie knocks on Vernon's helmet, "Hey, wake up. You don't want to
miss all the rides and cotton candy, do ya?"
[21:38] <Vernon> Mrrgh...
[21:39] * Vernon looks around groggily. "I didn't think this was the fair."
[21:39] * Chako looks over at Vernon. "Ya better be awake soon, or I'm gonna be
carrying you. Isis is right, s'good to get goin'."
[21:40] <Chamelaeon> <<All the suits except Vernon's flash something about
previously sampled atmosphere, display "BREATHEABLE", and make a note about the
increase of freefloating carbon particles.>>
[21:40] * Isis blinks at the readout. "That's new." She turns to Tim. "What does
it mean?"
[21:41] *** Chamelaeon sets mode: +v Vernon
[21:41] * Charlie helps Vernon outta the bowl. "We gotta get your suit fixed
soon. You're heavy." *he winks*
[21:41] <Vernon> Ow...thanks.
[21:41] * Tim frowns.
[21:44] * Chako looks back and says, "Come on, let's go. Can you move Vernon, at
least if Charlie's helpin'?"
[21:44] * Vernon looks around. "Hmm, interesting language."
[21:45] <Tim> More free-floating carbon means... well, something's burning,
basically. Or has been. I don't like that a bit.
[21:45] * Isis frowns. "I don't like it either. I'm going to scout ahead a bit."
[21:46] <Chako> Works for me.
[21:46] <Tim> Alright. Don't go too far.
[21:47] * Vernon nods.
[21:47] * Isis looks back and smiles, even if it can't be seen. "No problem."
[21:47] * Chako looks back at Vernon, with a slight smirk. "Are you moving or
not?"
[21:47] <Chamelaeon> (IT can be seen. Visual comlinks, remember?)
[21:48] <Isis> ( Oh, right. )
[21:48] <Isis> ( *pops up Nadesico-style taking up Vernon's entire HUD* HIHO! )
[21:48] <Chamelaeon> <<Pause for Tim to reboot.>>
[21:49] <Vernon> (*sob*)
[21:49] <Isis> ( I'm going to have to in a bit too. Burning lots of stuff to CD.
)
[21:49] <Isis> ( Calc, when you get home, can I have KG 18? You forgot to
transfer it. ^_^ )
[21:51] <Vernon> (No, I just forgot to move it into the right directory. ^_^
Hang on. I can access Tofu from here, too, for that matter.)
[21:51] *** Tim (stdwrs15@AC9BD953.ipt.aol.com) Quit (Ping timeout)
[21:52] <Vernon> (Fortunately I brought an extra monitor, so I don't need to
idle for 20 minutes while I check the memory in this POS server...*mutter*)
[21:53] *** Tim (stdwrs15@AC8CBAE6.ipt.aol.com) has joined #ATC
[21:53] <Tim> ( x_x )
[21:54] <Chamelaeon> <<Unpause!>>
[21:54] <Isis> ( Actually, stay paused. )
[21:54] <Isis> ( I'm gonna reboot. )
[21:54] <Chamelaeon> <<Pause. ;_;>>
[21:54] *** Isis (lina@12.109.93.134) Quit (Quit: Reboot!)
[21:55] <Vernon> (...my mother is evil. "Er, mom, I'm afraid this server is in
bad shape...this co-location run may take a while." "Would you like Fry's with
that?")
[21:55] <Vernon> (Todd: There ye go. ^_^)
[21:56] *** Isis (lina@12.109.93.134) has joined #atc
[21:57] <Chamelaeon> <<NOW unpause!>>
[21:57] <Vernon> (Todd: There ye go. ^_^)
[21:57] * Vernon grumbles and moves. "I'm moving, I'm moving."
[21:58] <Isis> *pop-up of Isis looking upset* "I am beginning to hate it when
you're right, Tim." She pops up her own camera feed in a smaller window:
*everything* burning, including the dome from last time.
[21:58] <Chamelaeon> <<This includes the trees that were ALREADY burnt, the new
grass, and the dirt.>>
[21:58] * Chako starts moving now that Vernon is moving. "Aw, shit."
[21:59] <Isis> "It's still burning." *the camera feed swings around a bit as she
looks around* "It's either plasma fire or napalm. Something slow-burning."
[21:59] <Charlie> Lovely..
[21:59] <Vernon> That can't be good...
[22:00] * Isis decides to wait for everyone. "They said the gate was
trans-dimensional or something similar. Whatever's behind it should be fine. But
the trip there..."
[22:01] * Tim sighs and tries to rub the side of his head, although he fails on
account of the suit's helmet. "Fuck."
[22:01] <Chamelaeon> <<As you exit the tunnel, flanked by the two huge Sleythin
statues (also on fire), you see exactly what Isis saw. EVERYTHING is on fire.
The FIRE is on fire. It's distributed in lines, and shows no signs of stopping
despite having no fuel.>>
[22:02] * Tim gapes.
[22:02] <Vernon> ...\
[22:03] * Chako whistles, and says with a tone of slight respect/awe "That's
something. Wonder how they managed that..."
[22:03] * Isis shakes her head. "Bombing runs, it almost looks like." She
surveys the landscape. "Doesn't make me feel good about the Hippies having these
things inside the Sol system."
[22:05] <Chako> Yeah. Good thing they're really incompetent.
[22:05] <Tim> The hippies are, sure. 
[22:06] * Chako keeeeps walkin'. Gotta go gotta go!
[22:06] <Tim> I don't like being up against anything that'll just... shit.
[22:07] <Chamelaeon> <<You can thread your way through the flames with
difficulty, but it's possible. Your suits throw lots of fun warnings about Fire
BAD!>>
[22:07] <Tim> More of those damned crystals. They're putting out enough energy
to burn the air. 
[22:08] * Isis raises an eyebrow. "'Damned crystals'. You mean like the stuff
inside the Messenger?"
[22:09] <Tim> Yes. And that we used to power the bodyslide bowl. Seems there's
nothing you can't have them do.
[22:09] * Isis smirks. "How useful."
[22:09] <Tim> And this sort of use of them suggests that the bugs can
manufacture new ones, which, I assure you, scares the living shit out of me.
[22:09] * Vernon ponders. "The things we could do with them..."
[22:10] <Chamelaeon> <<As you're walking you can spot the first signs of life
other than the Sleythin and the Krellyns on this planet - strange froglike
things, all dead. They probably smell delicious, if you like frog legs. They
have a lot of them, for sure - something like 12.>>
[22:10] <Tim> It'd be nice, yeah. We could make our own damn Gate and go see the
sleythin ourselves. But I'm really more worried about what the bugs can do with
them.
[22:11] * Vernon nods.
[22:12] * Isis glances around as she walks oh-so-carefully. "I wonder if those
crystals are the reason the Sleythin got attacked in the first place."
[22:13] <Tim> Could be. Who wouldn't want them?
[22:13] <Charlie> hmm.. maybe there's more to the story on how the lizzards
actually met the bugs.
[22:14] * Isis nods. "I'm interested in hearing it. I'm hoping that the majority
of the answers we want are behind the gate."
[22:14] <Isis> ( Besides, if we don't find the real answers, Vernon will never
build KOS-MOS... )
[22:14] <Tim> I am, too. It'd be a nice change of pace. 
[22:14] * Chako continues scanning. "As opposed to knowing nothing?"
[22:15] <Tim> I'm also hoping the gate's still there when we get to it.
[22:15] <Isis> Somehow, I have a feeling it will be.
[22:16] <Isis> After all... the bugs have as much reason to want to get in as we
do. 
[22:16] * Charlie takes a closer look at the dome.. "The dome is trashed.. I
doubt the city inside is in much better shape."
[22:16] <Charlie> Did the gate get shut when we left?
[22:17] <Charlie> The entrance gate, that is.
[22:17] <Tim> ...I can't remember. Shit.
[22:18] * Isis shakes her head. "Too late for regret now."
[22:21] * Vernon sighs...
[22:21] <Chamelaeon> <<It's not that hard to get to the dome's remains - for
they are remains - you just find an empty line and walk it for a while.
Eventually you're standing in front of the levelled dome - there's nothing left.
The display devices are destroyed, the sleeping basins bave been filled with
rubble and some are on fire. The entrance stairwell looks to be there, if
clogged with crap.>>
[22:22] * Isis kicks some non-burning debris. "At least we won't have to put up
with the repair bots nattering away."
[22:22] * Tim frowns and thinks.
[22:24] * Chako frowns as well. "Don't know whether that's good or bad. But if
they're still here, that means they're down in the city."
[22:25] <Charlie> Could be bad. *knocks on Vernon again and smiles*
[22:25] <Vernon> Ugh...
[22:25] <Tim> ...let's get digging.
[22:26] * Isis shakes her head. "This is so damned thorough. It's a bit
painful."
[22:26] <Tim> Vernon, since your suit isn't modded for these gravitational
conditions, you sit back and, uh, cheer or something.
[22:26] <Tim> Or better yet, make sure nothing eats us. Including the fires.
[22:27] * Tim gets started on digging!
[22:27] * Charlie helps Vernon sit.. or something.
[22:27] * Chako chuckles, and starts moving stuff with ease. "Vernon watching
our backs... crazy."
[22:27] <Chamelaeon> <<It's not bad digging - a few large pieces were blocking
the stairwell, but not much else. A good 15 minutes' work has it passable.>>
[22:28] <Tim> Chako, you wanna take point? In case there's more unfriendly
things down there.
[22:28] <Chamelaeon> <<Laser blasts scar the marble steps and the walls, and
continue on into the tunnel. The tunnel reads as cooler than out here, for
sure.>>
[22:29] * Chako grins faintly. "Unless Isis wants to keep scouting, sounds good
to me."
[22:30] <Vernon> (brb...)
[22:32] <Chamelaeon> <<A flaming piece of rubble falls off the top of a pile
right next to Charlie.>>
[22:33] * Vernon peers around, looking for bugs and other assorted nastiness.
[22:33] * Chako starts going, since there's no objections. She's at point! Just
where she likes it.
[22:33] * Isis shakes her head. "I'm not sure I want to venture too far out, in
this mess. Getting separated is bad."
[22:33] <Charlie> Geez! .. *he steps away from it quickly* Let's hope it's a
little less.. burning.. in there.
[22:34] * Tim follows once Chako gets going. 'Bout time.
[22:34] <Charlie> C'mon Vernon. Let's get movin'
[22:36] * Vernon follows along, pondering.
[22:36] <Chamelaeon> <<Assuming at least one of you has ECM on, your sensors are
obviously blank. But you see nothing anyways, even as you descend into the
tunnel. A minute or so along HEAVILY blast-scarred walls takes you to the door -
along the way you've seen some new holes, recently dug ... or rather, ETCHED,
into the walls of the tunnel, as if testing for alternate passages.>>
[22:37] <Chamelaeon> <<The door lies, ripped off its hinges, though rather
untouched.>>
[22:38] * Chako frowns. "Screwy. Makes you wonder why they were bothering."
[22:38] <Tim> Maybe they didn't figure out the speak-n-spell as fast as we did.
[22:39] * Isis shakes her head. "I'm safe in my illusion that they're mindless
ravagers rather than intelligent marksmen. Don't shatter it."
[22:39] <Tim> Heh. That'd sure be nice.
[22:41] <Chamelaeon> <<The city beyond is expectedly in ruins... but it's
surprisingly in good shape for what it looks like outside. The buildings are
riddled with etched holes, and blast marks, but either the Bugs didn't bother to
destroy them fully, or they couldn't.>>
[22:41] <Chamelaeon> <<The power obelisk, however, has been literally dissolved.
It's lying congealed in a puddle around where it used to stand - all that's left
is a pile of crystals.>>
[22:42] <Chamelaeon> <<The city is thusly very dark.>>
[22:42] <Tim> Swell.
[22:42] <Chako> Jesus. How'd they do that?
[22:43] <Charlie> I'm not sure I wanna to know.
[22:43] <Isis> They had an acid-like secretion, didn't they? Used it on us last
time.
[22:44] <Tim> Yes.
[22:45] <Tim> So... they just used a whole lot of it. Let's hope they don't have
enough to dissolve the gate.
[22:45] <Chamelaeon> <<The escalators dowm are to either side of you, if you'll
remember.>>
[22:46] <Chamelaeon> <<And since you didn't turn them off when you left like a
good guest, they're still working.>>
[22:46] * Chako leads the group onto the escalator.
[22:47] * Tim follows!
[22:48] * Isis does too.
[22:49] <Chamelaeon> <<The murals that you remember have been defaced - etched
away almost into invisibility. The guided tour is absent, as it croaks once or
twice and then dies. The ride is thus silent, and spooky.>>
[22:49] * Charlie helps Vernon along s'more.. and says as he goes "Wonder how
long it took them to melt that"
[22:49] <Tim> They had plenty of time. 
[22:50] <Isis> I wonder why they melted it at all. Too big to take with them, I
guess.
[22:51] <Tim> Maybe.
[22:51] * Chako keeps watching.
[22:51] <Charlie> hmm.. Time's not really the issue, I guess. It's really more
along the lines of number of bugs. *he glances at Tim*
[22:52] * Tim cringes at the thought. "I hope it was time. Definitely time."
[22:54] <Chamelaeon> <<The escalator drops you off at the bottom, into darkened
streets. The dim lights coming off the reflective panels in the side of the cave
help very little in your ability to see anything at all.>>
[22:54] <Chamelaeon> <<Who's got ECM on, and what type?>>
[22:54] <Isis> ( I swing my sword quickly so I can get an EX turn! )
[22:54] <Isis> ( Er, wait. Sorry, flashbacks. )
[22:55] <Tim> ( I don't. I want my damn eyes open. )
[22:55] <Charlie> (I don't think I do either. We weren't really expecting to run
into suits here, as far as I know)
[22:56] <Vernon> (Damn. Back.)
[22:57] <Isis> ( Yeah. )
[22:58] <Chamelaeon> <<Okay. Since I will assume all the ECM is off, your
sensors pick up a single robotic/silicon-based signal coming towards you.>>
[22:59] * Tim keeps his eyes sharp and is actually nervous enough to ready his
gauss rifle.
[22:59] * Isis draws her sword. "I'll take care of it. Keep heading for the
gate."
[23:00] <Chamelaeon> <<A single glowing light appears down one of the streets -
it's calling out in Sleythin.>> [WAIT! Wait! Wait up!]
[23:00] <Tim> ...eh?
[23:00] * Chako starts to shimmer very slightly. Not in any invisible way. Like
sideways-heat shimmer. She nods... and says, "Whoa, what?"
[23:01] <Vernon> Huh?
[23:01] * Isis stops and turns around, raising an eyebrow.
[23:02] <Chamelaeon> <<As the thing gets closer, you see it's one of the
guidebots.>> [I KNEW you'd be back. Thank fucking God.] <<it bobs in Isis'
direction.>> [You remember me, right?]
[23:02] * Tim blinks. It curses, too?
[23:02] <Chamelaeon> (You guys got the crappy guidebot. ^_^ Isis had the fun
one.)
[23:02] * Isis grins a little. "Somehow, I don't think Effusive would have quite
that language style. Yes, I remember. What happened after we left?"
[23:03] * Vernon blinks. "Uh, what's going on here? You can speak that?"
[23:03] * Tim looks at Vernon. "Translator."
[23:04] * Chako frowns. "They didn't give you a translator? Damn."
[23:05] <Charlie> Ah, speaking of which.. Hey, uh, guidebot. Are there any
repair bots nearby?
[23:05] <Chamelaeon> [They got in, those things you asked me about! I'd never
seen them before, and City Central wasn't responding to queries at first, but
later it told us that it had NO IDEA what was fucking going on! They tried to
set fire to the place, but the polyresin doesn't burn so good, so they SWARMED
all over the power obelisk, and MELTED it! I was hoping you'd fucking have a
clue!]
[23:05] <Vernon> ...no, I guess not.
[23:06] <Chamelaeon> <<This is the most upset robot you've ever seen.>>
[23:06] * Isis glances at Charlie. "This one is, if I remember right,
'Pragmatic'." She eyes the guidebot. "Well, we have somewhat of a clue. Those
things are invaders the Sleythin sent the Messengers out to warn others about...
and some very foolish members of our race have teamed up with them, in our
system. We came to enter the Gate of Ages... and one of those things is nearby.
Stick with us."
[23:07] <Chamelaeon> [Repairbot? I... just a second. CIty Central's safe, they
didn't make it behind the Gate, but damned if they didn't try.] <<The guidebot
poders for a moment.>>
[23:07] <Chamelaeon> (Actually, the signal was from this thing.)
[23:07] <Isis> ( I didn't even have to look that up. Go me! )
[23:09] <Chamelaeon> [The repairbots from before are still in level one
hibernation... oh! A new person. I didn't notice since you're the same number as
what came here last time...] <<It nods to Isis.>> [Invaders? They knew about
them? They couldn't have, why wouldn't they have told City Central?]
[23:10] * Isis raises an eyebrow. "A good question. One among many. I think you
should come with us to the Gate, if you don't mind." She waves an arm. "It's not
like there's any other people that need guiding."
[23:11] * Chako is tapping her foot and waiting.
[23:12] <Chamelaeon> [I... that's a good plan. You should talk with the Last
Sleythin first - he might know what the fuck is going on.] <<It pauses for a
second.>> [City Central's on a separate power source - the guidebots run off
main power, but we've been spliced into the fusion reactors a few miles below.
City Central figured you might need help. And it can monitor for the ... the
silicon things. There's none here now, but it's gonna keep an eye out.]
[23:13] <Chamelaeon> <<It bobs next to Isis.>> [You wanna go to the repair shop
first?]
[23:13] <Tim> It'd be good. One of us here isn't outfitted for this gravity.
[23:13] * Isis nods. "Agreed. Let's do that first."
[23:15] <Chamelaeon> <<Pragmatic floats a few feet ahead.>> [It's been crazy
here - the City Centrals locked into conversation right after those things
swarmed in.]
[23:15] * Chako walks along... guess being point isn't all that big an issue
right now.
[23:18] <Chamelaeon> <<It's a tense and dark journey - you follow the bobbing
light of Pragmatic all the way to the familiar low building - etched and holed,
but mostly there.>> [I'll wait outside.]
[23:20] * Chako says, "I'll wait out here too. I don't need to see the song and
dance again, and there's not much in there for me anyway."
[23:20] * Isis nods. "Me too. I have some questions for our guide."
[23:22] <Tim> I'll go in and aid with the repairs, then. If it's needed.
[23:22] <Charlie> C'mon Vern. You get to meet the wonderful repair bots. *he
grins*
[23:22] * Tim heads in!
[23:22] * Vernon is following. "Er...what the heck is going on?"
[23:22] <Chamelaeon> <<Sleythin to Vernon. Come in, Vernon.>>
[23:23] <Tim> You'll see. You'll love this, I think. Right up your alley.
[23:23] <Chamelaeon> <<People going inside, join #SongAndDance.>>
[23:24] <Chako> (I feel inspired.)
[23:24] <Chamelaeon> <<Pragmatic floats, as nervously as a robot can, in front
of Isis and Chako.>> [What'd you want?]
[23:24] <Isis> Tell me a little more about "City Central".
[23:24] <Chamelaeon> [Well, for starters, it's actually City Central 4. We just
call it City Central cause we only work in its district.]
[23:25] <Isis> The other 'City Centrals' are other cities, or other parts of
this city?
[23:26] <Chamelaeon> [Other parts of the city. There's eight of them in total.
And then there's the Egg, which directs and controls all the City Centrals. It's
been silent for about as long as the Sleythin have been gone, though.]
[23:27] * Chako makes a gruff hrrming noise.
[23:27] <Isis> I see...
[23:27] <Isis> The Gate of Ages... do they have access to it? 
[23:28] <Chamelaeon> [Not to open or close it, no. It's totally manual. Well, so
City Central says. I mean, I'm not so sure about it anymore.]
[23:29] * Isis shakes her head. "It may be true. We have a key... but we had to
go through a lot to get it. Apparently a Key was put inside each Messenger."
[23:31] <Chamelaeon> [Well, what the fuck do you know.]
[23:31] * Isis raises an eyebrow.
[23:31] * Chako grins, and says to Isis alone, "I like Pragmatic a lot more than
that other damn robot."
[23:32] * Isis laughs. "I told him that he and I were a good fit."
[23:32] <Chamelaeon> [You've got to understand, they never told us about this
crap. City Central says only a Level 4 Magistrate can open the Gate.]
[23:32] <Chamelaeon> <<Pragmatic makes the "amused" noise.>> [Thanks.]
[23:33] <Chako> (He could hear that? ^^;)
[23:33] <Chamelaeon> (ack. my bad. Sorry. Recant.)
[23:34] * Isis shakes her head. "I have this feeling that there's a lot neither
you nor any of the other mechanical beings here were being told. Perhaps for
your own defense; sometimes it's better not to put sensitive information into
computerized systems, no matter how sophisticated or good a conversationalist
the AI happens to be."
[23:35] <Chamelaeon> [I suppose. Still feels a lot like betrayal. I mean, I've
been loyal for two thousand years, right?]
[23:36] <Chamelaeon> <<Pragmatic is silent for a bit.>> [But it makes sense,
dammit.]
[23:36] <Chako> Awfully philosophical for a robot.
[23:37] * Isis shrugs. "2000 years is a long time to be philosophical about."
[23:37] <Chamelaeon> [The Sleythin didn't exactly do extensive testing of the AI
systems they cooked up. All the AI you see, except the Egg, was done in a dozen
or so years before they left.]
[23:37] <Chamelaeon> [I think we ended up being a little more than needed for a
tour guide.]
[23:39] * Isis laughs. "If it makes you feel better, we were used too..."
[23:40] * Chako grumbles.
[23:42] <Chamelaeon> [Really?] <<It looks around.>> [Can you.. can you tell me
about where they come from?]
[23:43] <Chamelaeon> (s.they/you.)
[23:43] <Chamelaeon> (Aigh, bad on pronouns tonight.)
[23:44] * Isis hmms. "A galaxy full of morons, it feels like, usually."
[23:45] * Chako snickers. "I don't even think I can answer that very good."
[23:46] <Chamelaeon> <<Pragmatic makes the "amused" noise.>> [I feel like that
sometimes with the other guidebots. Sycophant, Effluence, Poignant... none of
them quite have the right grasp on the situation sometimes. That's why they're
all in level two hibernation. Actually, I'm the only guidebot NOT in hibernation
- I volunteered to wait for you.]
[23:47] * Chako says, "Sycophant? Ugh. Glad we never ran into him."
[23:49] * Isis nods at Chako. "Truly." She smiles at Pragmatic. "Well, hopefully
your faith won't be misplaced." She looks around. "You're welcome to come with
us when we leave. Lord knows there's nothing for you here."
[23:49] <Chamelaeon> [Yeah, probably. He's a fuckhead.]
[23:50] <Chamelaeon> [My callnumber's Pragmatic 9, by the way. 9 of a set of 12.
And 12 different personalities makes 144 guidebots.]
[23:52] <Isis> Well, as long as we're introducing ourselves, my name is Isis.
[23:52] * Chako shivers. "Imagine being surrounded by 12 Effluences." She
blinks. "And I'm Chako."
[23:53] <Chamelaeon> [Pleased to meet you. Pity it couldn't be under better
circumstances.]
[23:54] * Isis glances inside. "Certainly are taking their sweet time. I bet
Vernon won't shut up about the technology." She ponders this. "A shame he missed
meeting Effusive. I think they might have gotten along fine."
[23:55] <Chamelaeon> [I feel .. uncomfortable with staying in one place for
long. It's a new feeling to me. That happen to you beings often?]
[23:56] * Chako chuckles. "Some people are like that. A lot of soldiers get used
to it, though."
[23:57] * Isis stretches out of habit. "Snipers like Charlie, for instance. I
bet he's feeling that right now."
[23:57] <Chamelaeon> <<Pragmatic bobs.>> [So much new stuff. Shame I'm likely to
be put into permanent hibernation at the end of it.]
[23:59] * Isis raises an eyebrow. "Why?"
[00:00] * Tim comes back out of the repair shop. "Why what?"
[00:00] <Chamelaeon> ["Pollution of personality". It's happened to a few other
guidebots put under odd circumstances. One group visiting stayed here for years,
and one guidebot helped them find food and stuff. Then he got back to City
Central and dropped into Hibernation-9... permanent power cutoff. Same's likely
to happen to me.]
[00:01] * Charlie is back too. "Anything happening out here?"
[00:01] * Vernon returns, moving unusually rapidly in his suit.
[00:02] * Isis ponders this. "So if you were given some sort of other power
source, you'd remain functioning regardless? Or do they have some sort of kill
switch?"
[00:02] <Isis> ( I want a pet! )
[00:02] * Tim frowns. "Well, that's no good.'
[00:02] * Chako snickers, and says in her semi-gravelly voice to the arrivers,
"Just girltalk."
[00:02] <Tim> ( Screw that. We'll make him pilot the ship. )
[00:02] <Chamelaeon> [If you could rig up something else, then sure, I
suppose.... wait, that didn't translate right. What was that?]
[00:02] <Isis> ( Hear hear. He's at least a better conversationalist than the
bird. )
[00:03] * Isis laughs. "I'm asking if you want to come with us. There's nothing
for you here, after all."
[00:03] <Chamelaeon> [I suppose. I doubt City Central'd care. But I'm still
confused about this "undeveloped female conversation" thing.]
[00:04] * Isis eyes Chako. "You get to explain it. You said it."
[00:05] <Chamelaeon> [Talk as we go. We've got a decent damn hike to the Last
Sleythin.] <<Pragmatic 9 bobs out down the road.>>
[00:05] * Tim walks after him. "This oughta' be good."
[00:05] * Vernon walks on after Tim, muttering.
[00:05] * Isis nods. "I'm looking forward to it."
[00:06] * Chako blinks, and frowns a little as she starts walking. "Girltalk?
S'usually a term for like when... er, young girls are chatting about stuff that
guys aren't supposed to hear. It was a joke, since Isis and I were outside."
[00:06] * Chako mutters, "Ya explain a joke and it ain't funny anymore."
[00:06] <Vernon> (BRB, configging a new server)
[00:07] * Charlie follows and listens.
[00:07] <Chamelaeon> [... oh. Damn, idioms are always the hardest to
understand.]
[00:09] <Chamelaeon> <<Another tense hike deeper into the darkness (THE HORROR
THE HORROR) lands you at the clearing with the exosuits again. The orb in the
middle glows slightly pink - it looks untouched, though the base looks
horrifically damaged.>>
[00:11] * Isis shakes her head.
[00:11] <Chamelaeon> (Ending here okay? I'd like to have the whole conversation
in one session.)
[00:12] <Chako> (KILL! Kill...er, yeah, sure.)
[00:12] <Isis> ( Sure. )
[00:12] <Charlie> (ya)
[00:12] <Tim> ( Sure. )
[00:12] <Chamelaeon> (I will vote for Vernon.)
[00:13] <Chamelaeon> <<SESSION TWENTY-FIVE LANDED! THE PLOT IS THICKENING!>>