[21:12] <Chamelaeon> <<SESSION 7 LIFTOFF!>>
[21:13] <Atom> ( Oy. Test dice quick please. )
[21:13] <Tim> 2d6
[21:13] * Atom rolls for Tim (2d6) and gets 7.
[21:14] <Chamelaeon> <<When we last played, you had a nice enjoyable sparring
match with some seven-legged silicon demons from the very depths of hell. After
defeating them, y'all had a really fun time exploring a nearby garage, and
getting your exosuits repaired and upgraded by some cheerful iBots.>>
[21:14] <Atom> ( Thankie. )
[21:15] <Chamelaeon> <<We left off with all your suits repaired, and you
standing in the garage wondering what to do next. [/END EXPOSITION! GO]>>
[21:15] <Tim> So. What do we do next?
[21:16] <Illyana> Ve should explore more, of course. Perhaps locate a clinic.
[21:17] <Tim> Clinic? Heh. That oughta look interesting.
[21:17] * Isis sighs. "Perhaps I lack the proper exploratory spirit, but I think
it would be in our benefit to find some way 'home'."
[21:17] <Tim> Home? ...oh, right.
[21:18] <Charlie> This isn't the most optimistic thought, but they probably
think we're dead by now.
[21:19] * Tim rubs the back of his head.
[21:19] * Isis raises an eyebrow. "So we should prove them right?"
[21:19] <Illyana> I agree. And it is in our best interest to be fully prepared
before doing so.
[21:20] <Charlie> No. I'd deffinately like to get home..
[21:21] <Chamelaeon> <<A brief redesc of the garage: several "vehicle" bays,
lots and lots of parts, some blue nanobags, and some sleeping robots.>>
[21:21] <Illyana> ( What did the bags do, again? )
[21:21] * Chako works her arm. "It's likely we can get home by going back the
way we came... but that would involve either waiting for ATC to clean up the
planet of hippies, or being able to kill them all ourselves, and get a message
back to ATC."
[21:22] <Chamelaeon> ('s that repair goop the robots used. BESM stats being 50
exosuit HP per bag.)
[21:22] <Tim> ( They're full of nanomechanical goodness. )
[21:23] <Charlie> If they think we're dead, they probably wouldn't hang around
for us.. I don't know how we'd get a message to friendly territory from there
either.
[21:25] * Isis mmms. "In any event, it's tactically inadvisable to continue
'digging' until we've fully explored the surroundings and formed some sort of
'base camp', for lack of a better word. Perhaps when one of the repair bots
reactivates we can ask for directions."
[21:25] * Tim shakes his head and walks over to where the bags of bluegoo are.
He picks up two and puts them in his backpack storage compartment.
[21:25] <Charlie> Going back doesn't look like the best option to me, in any
case. Maybe the bots know of some transportation or transmision devices.
[21:26] * Illyana decides Tim's got the right idea, and grabs a few herself.
[21:26] * Isis glances at Illyana. "Were there star charts in any of the data
you found? Some way we can make a guess at where we are?"
[21:27] * Illyana shakes her head.
[21:27] <Chamelaeon> <<One of the repair bots stirs. [REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGED.
RESUMING ACTIVE MODE. RESTATE QUERY?]>>
[21:27] <Isis> ( Ack. AFK a sec. )
[21:28] * Tim smirks.
[21:31] <Isis> ( Back. )
[21:31] <Chamelaeon> (Unpause.)
[21:32] * Isis turns to the bot. "An... observatory. Planetarium? Something with
information on the heavens. Do you know of one?"
[21:32] * Illyana waits.
[21:32] <Tim> In any event, even if they do think we're dead, they'll still be
coming back for whatever's left of our suits. We just need to get back before
they do. Which really shouldn't be very hard at all.
[21:34] <Chamelaeon> <<The robot pauses. [PLANETARIUM? ACCESSING...] It makes
little disk whirring noises.>>
[21:34] * Tim waits for the iBot's answer.
[21:35] <Chamelaeon> [ENJOYMENT! STUNNING STAR VIEWS ON DISPLAY AT MUSEUM OF
SCIENCE! MAKES GOOD DATE. ENJOYABLE RESTAURANTS NEARBY.]
[21:36] * Charlie glances around the room.
[21:36] * Isis looks blank. "Is it a mechanic, or a tour guide?"
[21:36] <Chamelaeon> [NO OTHER MATCHES IN CITY DATABASE.]
[21:37] * Tim shrugs. "Does it matter?"
[21:39] <Charlie> I take it, the thing didn't give a good answer? .. Can you
patch me in again Tim?
[21:39] * Isis raises an eyebrow. "Would you trust a tour guide with your suit?"
She looks at the bot. "Display a map to the museum of science from current
position, please."
[21:39] <Tim> It said to try the museum. And sure.
[21:39] * Tim does that little thing.
[21:39] <Charlie> Maybe you should try "interstellar transportation", Isis.
[21:40] * Isis chuckles. "I was all for starting small. Still, one would assume
the history of this race's space travel abilities will be on display in the same
museum."
[21:40] * Tim nods.
[21:42] <Chamelaeon> <<The iBot beeps. [EXTRAPLANETARY TRANSPORTATION CENTERS
ARE LOCATED BEYOND THE GATE OF THE AGES. CURRENT DATA INDICATES THE GATE IS
CLOSED. FURTHER INFORMATION RESTRICTED.]>>
[21:42] * Isis blinks. "Ask and ye shall receive, apparently." She glances
around. "Perhaps we should split up and investigate both areas..."
[21:43] <Isis> ( HA HA HA! It feels so good to be the one to say that for once.
:P )
[21:43] <Chamelaeon> (*leaps across the entirety of the Haute in a single bound
and throttles Todd.)
[21:43] * Tim frowns.
[21:44] * Illyana shrugs.
[21:47] <Charlie> How far away are these places?
[21:47] <Illyana> Perhaps Kommander vill decide the next course of action?
[21:47] * Chako blinks, and shakes her head. "Trying to remember protocol."
[21:48] <Chako> If ATC is coming back for us, or the suits, they're doing it
fast. Probably within another day. If we want to catch that flight, we'll have
to do as much as possible.
[21:48] * Tim nods.
[21:50] <Chako> I think with the new joints, Isis can protect one group, and I
the other, pretty good. So people gotta decide which one they wanna investigate.
[21:50] <Chamelaeon> <<[GATE OF THE AGES IS ONE (Untranslatable: units of
distance) THATAWAY.] It points. [THE MUSEUM IS ONE/FIFTH OF A (Untranslatable:
units of distance) THATAWAY.] It points in a direction about 90 degrees away.>>
[21:50] * Isis nods. "I will go to the museum."
[21:51] <Charlie> I can probably get to the Gate of Ages the quickest.
[21:52] * Tim frowns.
[21:53] * Illyana shrugs.
[21:55] <Chako> If Isis is gonna go to the Museum, I'd better go to the Gate of
Ages. If Illyana doesn't care so much, she can join me. Unless Tim does?
[21:56] <Illyana> I haf no preference.
[21:56] <Tim> I'll go to the Gate.
[21:56] <Tim> You'll probably need me to open it.
[21:56] * Isis glances at Illyana. "If you want to go with them, I can go to the
Museum alone."
[21:57] <Illyana> As I stated, I haf no preference.
[21:58] <Tim> ( BRB. *dashes* )
[21:58] <Chamelaeon> (Pause.)
[21:58] <Illyana> ( Heck, AFK here, too. )
[21:58] * Isis mmms. "If it's merely fact-finding, I can go alone. They may need
your expertise at the Gate, while it's unlikely I'll need any help browsing a
museum." She glances at a iBot.
[22:00] <Chamelaeon> <<[GATE OF AGES IS CLOSED. LEVEL FOUR MAGISTRATE REQUIRED
FOR OPENING.] It pauses. [MUSEUM OF SCIENCE IS A GOOD DATE LOCATION!], it adds
helpfully.>>
[22:00] <Illyana> I should think that as a scientist, I vould be able to gather
much information at a science museum.
[22:01] <Tim> ( Back. )
[22:01] * Chako smirks. "It seems to know way too much about dating."
[22:01] <Illyana> ( Gah. I forgot we paused c.c )
[22:01] <Chamelaeon> (Er. So did I. ^_^; Gomen.)
[22:02] <Chamelaeon> (Unpause! ^_^_v)
[22:02] * Tim shrugs. "I could prolly get a lot, too. And I'd love to go." He
shakes his head.
[22:02] <Tim> But like I said, they'll prolly need me to open the Gate. 
[22:02] * Tim grins. "And I'd love to get a look at that, too."
[22:03] <Chamelaeon> <<[DATING IS ENJOYMENT! MUCH IN CITY DATABASE ON DATING.]
Its little camera bobs.>>
[22:04] * Chako chuckles. "Isis can take care of herself, I think. And her suit
can get the data back to either of you. So unless you two think you need some
hands on, Isis can do it herself. Well?"
[22:04] <Tim> Oh, and I get the feeling our little friend here doesn't want us
to visit the Gate. Just in case anybody missed it.
[22:05] * Illyana shrugs.
[22:05] * Tim chuckles.
[22:06] * Charlie turns on the chameleon skin. He shimmers and fades. "Bah,
let's just go."
[22:06] * Tim shrugs. "Works for me."
[22:06] <Chamelaeon> <<[ENJOYMENT! GUIDE ROBOTS NOW ONLINE! REQUESTED. ARRIVAL
IMMANENT!]>>
[22:06] * Tim frowns.
[22:06] <Chamelaeon> <<The iBot bobs happily.>>
[22:08] <Chamelaeon> <<FROM OUTSIDE COMES ... er. From outside comes the sound
of two robotic voices, apparently singing as loud as their little speakers will
let them.>>
[22:08] * Tim shakes his head.
[22:10] * Chako sighs. "It was bad enough before."
[22:11] <Tim> Hopefully this is as bad as it gets.
[22:11] <Chamelaeon> <<A garage door opens on its own, and two small globes
float there, chirping happily. [Greetings, we are guide servants.], one of them
says. [I am to take you to the museum.] The other says [And I am to take you to
the Gate of Ages, though I fear it's closed now.]>>
[22:12] <Isis> Science can take us across the stars and create marvels, but not
even the great god Science can create a non-annoying tour guide.
[22:12] * Tim chuckles.
[22:13] * Tim picks his helmet up again and carries it at his side.
[22:13] <Chako> Remind me to shoot Science in the head next time I meet him.
Meet us at the gate, Isis, or we'll fallback to here if anything happens. Nach?
[22:14] * Isis nods. "Affirmative."
[22:14] * Illyana taps her foot.
[22:14] * Tim turns to the annoying tourbot that offered to lead to the Gate.
"Whenever you're ready."
[22:15] * Chako nods back. "Alright. Radio checkins every 30 minutes." She turns
to the rest of the group. "Let's go."
[22:16] <Chamelaeon> [Alll-righty, then. We're gonna have a lot of fun, hey? The
Gate's a real nifty place. It got better when they made the Shrine there. But
you'll hear all about that on the way. Let's get going, cause it's a bit of a
walk.]
[22:16] *** Isis (lina@12.109.93.134) Quit (Read error: Connection reset by
peer)
[22:16] * Illyana waits.
[22:17] * Tim scowls.
[22:17] <Illyana> After you, Kommander.
[22:17] <Chamelaeon> (We'll keep going. Isis is gonna be by herself, so.)
[22:18] * Charlie mumbles "I wonder how fast this thing can move."
[22:19] *** Isis (lina@12.109.93.134) has joined #atc
[22:19] <Isis> ( not sure... exactly WHAT happened there. )
[22:19] <Chamelaeon> [Now, I see you're in exosuits. Would you like to go very
quickly? You'll miss some of the story, though.]
[22:20] <Isis> ( Can someone /msg me what I missed? And maybe a few lines before
I disappeared? )
[22:20] * Tim shrugs and looks at Chako. "Your call, chief."
[22:20] <Illyana> ( I'd opt for yes. )
[22:20] * Chako nods. "Let's make it fast, bot-thing."
[22:21] <Chamelaeon> <<[Okay, but just for the record, I'm hurt. I practiced
this story for weeks to get the nuances right.] It actually sounds sad, or at
least the translation does. It starts zooming away at a nice clip.>>
[22:22] * Chako follows.
[22:22] * Charlie follows it.
[22:22] * Illyana follows it.
[22:22] * Tim follows too.
[22:24] * Tim glances around like a tourist while he's at it.
[22:25] * Illyana glances around, but from a technical point of view.
[22:28] <Chamelaeon> [Now, the Gate of Ages wasn't constructed along with the
city. It's recent - as recent as 1000 years ago. In fact, it was the last major
construction before the sleythin left.]>>
[22:28] * Tim raises his eyebrows.
[22:28] <Tim> Hm.
[22:28] <Charlie> Looks like we just missed 'em.
[22:29] <Illyana> Vhere did they go?
[22:29] <Tim> Heh. Yup. Where... what she said.
[22:30] <Chamelaeon> [They didn't say, really, mm-kay, and far be it from this
lowly robot to question. I only know they set things up to run while they were
gone, then they left. Mm-hmm. It was surely a surprise.]
[22:32] <Tim> Sounds like it, yeah. But go on.
[22:36] <Chamelaeon> [Anyway. The gate was set up to keep visitors from
wandering too far. This part of the city is designed to let you nice species get
a glimpse of the glorious sleythin culture so when they come back, you're not
totally taken aback when they drop by. That's also why they sent the Messengers.
How long ago did you get yours?]
[22:36] <Tim> ( Looks like the bot died. Should I hit it in the side to get it
going again? )
[22:37] <Chamelaeon> (Sorry, sorry. Much typing.)
[22:37] <Tim> ( Oop, there it goes. )
[22:37] <Tim> ( 'Salright. ^_~ )
[22:38] * Tim frowns .
[22:39] <Tim> I don't think we did.
[22:40] <Charlie> Does it mean those nanite speaker-lookin' things?
[22:40] * Chako is just making sure nothing pops out in front of us that we
can't sensor.
[22:40] <Illyana> Quite possibly.
[22:41] <Chamelaeon> <<The robot makes a sound quite like a raspberry. It gets
translated as "displeasure." [No, no, people. The Messenger! The giant hollow
asteroid that was sent to you that told you how to open the Gate, mm-kay?]>>
[22:43] <Illyana> Ah. It vas probably vhat ve used to get here.
[22:43] <Chamelaeon> (Just to clarify - there's never been any sort of mention
of anything close to this anywhere in Earth's history.)
[22:43] <Charlie> Err.. I'm assuming the Slaythen knew of Humans, then.
[22:43] * Tim nods. "Could be. But in that case we just sort of found it
floating around. Didn't exactly come to... hm."
[22:44] <Charlie> Here's a question. How long ago did the Slaythen send this
Messenger?
[22:44] * Tim nods.
[22:46] <Chamelaeon> [Mmm, nope. What you used to get here was a bodyslide. The
Messenger had directions to the bodyslide location in it. And it was sent a good
two thousand years ago, and near-light-speeds, mm-kay? All of them should have
reached their destinations by 700 years later. Mm-hmm.]
[22:47] * Tim frowns.
[22:50] <Illyana> Perhaps ours vas lost.
[22:51] <Chamelaeon> [Mmwhat? You didn't get one? How did you get in the door,
then?]
[22:51] <Chamelaeon> <<You've been zooming through the city. You can't see much
variation in the buildings, and nothing strikes your eye. It looks like you're
coming up on a clearing, though. A huge pearly-pink orb can be seen through some
of the buildings.>>
[22:52] <Illyana> Ve discovered it, by accident.
[22:52] <Illyana> ( I won't say it ^^ )
[22:53] <Chamelaeon> [That's an impressive feat, mmm. That door was supposed to
be unopenable to any but sleythin or people who'd been in the Messengers.]
[22:54] <Tim> Heh.
[22:54] <Illyana> Perhaps it vas damaged on the vay.
[22:55] <Chamelaeon> <<[Well, that doesn't matter. You're here now, mm-kay, and
we're almost there.] You break into a clearing.>>
[22:55] <Chamelaeon> (Description's coming. Gimme a sec.)
[23:00] <Chamelaeon> <<The clearing is about a mile across, and it's covered in
a thick moss, like grass. In the center of the clearing is the huge orb you saw
earlier. It looks like it's filled with cran-grape juice mixed with milk - it
swirls inside like the orb is rotating. The orb itself is several hundred feet
high, and on a dias. The dias is surrounded by, and in fact most of the clearing
is occupied by, exosuits.>>
[23:00] <Illyana> ( Active suits? )
[23:00] <Chamelaeon> <<Thousands of them, arranged to face the orb. They're
covered by vines and lichen, and none of them are moving.>>
[23:01] * Tim frowns. "Out of curiosity, have other non-Sleythin come in here
before...oh."
[23:01] <Chamelaeon> [Isn't this glorious, folks? It's all so impressive. I love
to come here and spend hours thinking... huh? Others? Oh, sure, loads.]
[23:02] * Illyana eyes the suits.
[23:02] <Tim> ( Do the exosuits look to be made to fit Sleythin, or something(s)
else? )
[23:02] <Chamelaeon> <Beyond the orb, the air shimmers in a hexogonal pattern.
It looks neat.>>
[23:03] <Chamelaeon> (Sleythin.)
[23:04] <Tim> ( Well, that's a relief, anyway. )
[23:04] * Chako looks at the suits warily.
[23:05] <Tim> Really? Hm.
[23:05] <Tim> So, you were saying something about coming here and thinking about
something?
[23:06] <Chamelaeon> [Oh, just like to think, is all. See that shimmering?
That's a force wall. The Gate of Ages forms when a level 4 Magistrate orders
City Central to do it.]
[23:06] <Tim> City Central?
[23:08] * Charlie notes that there doesn't seem to be any threats here, and
turns the chameleon skin off.
[23:09] <Chamelaeon> [City Central is the computer network that runs the City.
There are actually eight of them, but only one for this section of the city.
We've taken to dropping the 4 that comes after it, mm-hmm.]
[23:09] <Tim> Ah ha.
[23:10] <Charlie> hmm.. Do all the Slaythen live in these caverns?
[23:11] <Chamelaeon> [They did. They liked the togetherness. It made things
easy, and it's hard for them to go far from water.]
[23:12] * Tim nods.
[23:12] <Tim> Out of curiosity, I don't suppose you know where City Central is?
[23:13] <Chamelaeon> [Oh, sure. Just beyond the Gate of Ages.]
[23:14] <Chamelaeon> <<[Now, you've seen the Gate. Let's all go to the museum,
shall we?] It seems rather pushy.>>
[23:14] * Tim frowns. So much for that idea, then.
[23:15] * Illyana looks to Chako. "Kommander?"
[23:16] <Charlie> This Level 4 Magistrate is a Slaythen, right?
[23:16] <Chamelaeon> [Yes, yes he is. But he doesn't like to be - I mean there
are none left! All gone! Please, let's go now?]
[23:17] * Chako quirks an eyebrow. "Sounds like the robot has more information
than he wants to tell."
[23:17] <Charlie> quite..
[23:17] * Illyana nods.
[23:17] <Tim> Did the Magistrate go with the others?
[23:17] <Chamelaeon> [Yes! Yes, he's gone. We should be gone too.]
[23:18] * Charlie smirks a little "Why?"
[23:19] <Chamelaeon> <<[Um, because... he's busy?] It doesn't sound too
convincing. [The orb is being cleaned! Yes, cleaned! You can't possibly go in.
Chemicals, mm-kay? You know?]>>
[23:20] <Illyana> How can he be busy if he is gone?
[23:20] * Tim favors the others with a bemused look.
[23:20] * Charlie glances around for any strange looking buildings other than
the orb. "But I like it here."
[23:21] <Tim> Yeah. I'd love to just come here and think, sometimes.
[23:21] * Chako smirks.
[23:23] <Chamelaeon> <<The guidebot makes the raspberry again. [He's in the orb,
okay? But he's always being bugged. Everyone wants to talk to him, and I can't
think, mm-kay, that it would be nice, you know?]>>
[23:24] <Tim> 'Everyone'? You mean all the Sleythin who aren't here, or all of
you robots?
[23:25] <Chamelaeon> [All the people who come and visit. They talk about him in
the Messenger. He's supposed to explain everything, and it always takes so long,
so he's always talking.]
[23:25] * Tim frowns.
[23:26] <Illyana> He is over 2000 years old?
[23:26] <Tim> So... there are other visitors who are still here talking to him?
[23:27] <Chamelaeon> <<The raspberry again. [The answer, mm-kay, to both
questions, yeah, is maybe.]>>
[23:28] * Chako sneers, and says, "Pretty lippy for a guide."
[23:28] * Tim blinks, and then laughs for a little bit.
[23:29] <Chamelaeon> [Well, it's true. It's something funny with space-time,
City Central says.]
[23:29] <Chamelaeon> <<The guidebot sounds hurt. Poor thing.>>
[23:30] <Tim> Ah. That could do it. Hm.
[23:31] <Charlie> You think there's anything we could learn here without talking
to the Magistrate, Cap'n?
[23:32] * Chako turns to the bot. "How can we talk to him?"
[23:32] <Chamelaeon> <<[I'll show you. City Central also says I'm supposed to
stop sulking and take you in.] It turns and starts crossing the clearing. [I try
and be nice, and what do I get? Nothing but trouble, mm-kay.]>>
[23:33] <Illyana> Vell.
[23:33] * Illyana follows the bot.
[23:33] <Charlie> Does that mean there are more Slaythen in City Central or are
they more Robots?
[23:33] * Charlie follows
[23:33] * Tim grins and follows the poor widdle bot.
[23:34] <Chamelaeon> [He is the last sleythin here. In all of the city. City
Central is a computer, mm-hmm.]
[23:34] <Charlie> poor guy..
[23:35] <Tim> Whoo. Worst deskjob ever.
[23:35] <Chako> No kidding. Wonder what kinda benefits it has.
[23:36] <Chamelaeon> [It's not so bad... he'll explain later.]
[23:36] <Tim> Alright.
[23:36] * Illyana keeps silent.
[23:41] <Chamelaeon> <<It doesn't take long to get across the field, and soon
you find yourself on top of the dias. There is a stairway leading down into the
base, flanked by more Sleythin statues. Up close, you can see the orb is held up
by thousands of statues, which make way for a shaft which extends from the orb
down into the base. [Down this way,] says the guidebot.>> 
[23:42] * Illyana follows the bot.
[23:42] * Tim follows some more.
[23:42] * Charlie also follows
[23:43] * Chako is following, and making sure nothing jumps out to eat them. She
hopes.
[23:43] <Chamelaeon> <<[Mm-hmm.] In front of the door, a disembodied, deep,
booming voice says [WHO WOULD SEEK THE WISDOM?] The guidebot answers [Effluence
and some ... tourists, mm-kay?]>>
[23:44] <Chamelaeon> <<The door slowly opens. It takes a bit till it's wide
enough you can get through.>>
[23:45] <Chamelaeon> <<The guidebot floats inside, as sullenly as it can. At
least, you think it's sullen.>>
[23:47] * Chako walks inside. "Well, at least we'll get some answers."
[23:47] * Tim follows in, looking around for a giant floating head or gouts of
flame shooting from the floor.
[23:47] * Illyana follows, taking note of the interior.
[23:48] * Charlie continues to follow.
[23:50] <Chamelaeon> <<It's a circular room, about forty feet across. No gouts
of flame, no heads, nothing at all, actually. Just a few tasteful still-lifes
with what might be wax fruit and a few statues. In the center of the room is the
pink-pearl pillar.>>
[23:51] <Chamelaeon> <<The guide stops. [All you have to do is touch it.]>>
[23:51] * Tim nods.
[23:52] <Chamelaeon> [Tell him I tried to stop you. Oh, he must be so angry by
now...]
[23:52] <Tim> So, who wants to go first? Or can we all talk to him at once?
[23:53] <Chamelaeon> [Oh, as many of you as you like can go in.]
[23:54] * Tim nods, heads over to the pillar, and touches it.
[23:54] * Charlie follows Tim's lead.
[23:54] * Chako snorts, and touches it as well.
[23:55] * Illyana does it too!
[23:56] <Chamelaeon> <<As everyone touches the pillar, they seem to be sucked
into it. The world dwindles to a single pink point. Your stomach feels like it's
being ripped four feet upwards, as does everything else. Then the world irises
out of the point again, and you find yourselves in a spherical room a few dozen
feet across. It's tastefully decorated in greens and beiges.>>
[23:57] <Chamelaeon> <<It's populated by a real live sleythin, in what looks
like the sleythin version of an overstuffed easy chair. It sets down what looks
suspiciously like a crossword puzzle and looks at you, and says in what
translates as a British accent, [Well, well, more visitors. How lovely!]>>
[23:58] <Chamelaeon> <<SESSION SEVEN LANDED! COS Y'ALL GOT SCHOOL TOMORROW!>>