<> (*NO SIGNAL*) <> <> <> ( http://k-y.com/men/ -- *uncontrollable giggling* ) <> <> (Sign me up for info!) * Zeke is there early, standing there with a pad in hand. His case must already be on the ship. His bird, unfortunately, is not. (I've been eagerly ingesting all I can find) (Did I actually get a decoder ring or anything?) (Ha!) (I download it all to my iRedPhone Touch) (Alright that was snarky BUT I certainly get as portable a database as is feasible.) < taking it in stride.>> (Amadeus got here something like an hour early and has been setting up shop in the ship, if anyone else was both that early and inside.) * Lexi wanders onto the ship her bag floating behind her as usual. Today she is dressed in black leather pants and boots and a pink tank top. "Helloooo everyone! Good morning!" * Zeke looks away from his pad, down to her, and replies to her greeting with, "You are excited. As normal." << http://www.projectrho.com/HabHYG15ly.gif <- for reference, you're looking at GI 447, circled, 3.4 parsecs below Sol.>> <> * Tomas has arrived early as well and can be found organizing the sample containers in the cargo bay, "Hey Lexi" (Wait! One more. Just to get it out there, 1 parsec = 3.26 light years) * Kyle wanders over to the ship and grins. "Hey guys, 'sup?" He's wearing cargo pants and a workshirt, toolbelt over his shoulder and backpack stacked up, ready to greasemonkey it up. <> * Amadeus pokes his head up from the floor below. He's awake and excited, if the grin on his face is any indication, and his glasses are almost off his nose. "Oh, good. Kyle, would you mind helping me move something?" Huh? Yeah, sure. Thanks. * Amadeus disappears by going back down again. Poof! * Kyle goes into the ship after the Prof to help, uh, move stuff? (I promise I will get a floor plan drawn up for the ship sometime soon.) * Hestia arrives fashionably late, reading something off whatever passes for a datapad in the ATCverse. * Tomas peers down into the hatch, "What're you doing down there, A-Man?" (Yeah, and if you screw up, I'ma fail you!) (Graph paper hates everyone.) * Amadeus calls up to Tomas, "Rearranging the equipment in my new home. And making sure it works." (I apologize for the crudity of this model, I didn't have time to build it to scale. [/1 pt]) (Is that Zoolander? I want it to be Zoolander.) (Tomas crushed by Red Russian orbital cow.) And I don't know where you got this 'A-Man' thing from, but I appreciate you not refer to me as such to interviewers later! Geeze prof, lighten up. * Amadeus might respond to Kyle, but by then they're out of earshot. (SORRY. I failed my save versus Lexi's make-up-names-that-everybody-uses power) * Lexi settles into her quarters again and begins to float things out of her bag and put them in the rightful places while she lounges around. (Psh, I don't care. I think it's hilarious! ;P) <> (answering the door to get dinner) (Did you order enough for everyone?) (no, go hungry) (Silly Tia, that gains you no XP) (I SEW UP MY OWN WOUDNS) (Dude, I get exp for that? I'm rippin' them out and sewing them up again!) * Hestia manages to walk into the ship just as that exchange is going on, and glances at Amadeus and Tomas, away from her data thingy. "The truth is, it's looking as if the public will give you some sort of ridiculous nickname whether you like it or not, Professor." (I'm not there. ^^;) I hope I get something good like Scar or Blaze. (Then I am shouting it in your direction. Or raising my voice. ladies don't shout.) * Zeke follows in after Hestia, saying, "Everyone has arrived." (Shouting will v. likely get you heard throughout the ship.) (Then I simply project from the diaphragm, which ladies are allowed to do.) (I didn't realize Tia was ladylike) (Right down to the laser sight on my gun. It's pink.) (Because we all know if it were blue, I would be a boy.) (Clearly.) (Let me know when you're done, er. Socializing.) * Hestia turns around and gives Zeke the same look she always gives him, which basically amounts to 'why is one of our crew members the Bebop Cola machine?', before turning back around and heading to the map room. (BEBOP! COLA! GOOOOD!) * Zeke looks to Tomas after Hestia leaves, and says slowly, "She must not like obvious statements." (Hey, dispense a can of Mingus Dew at high enough velocity, that is going to sting.) (I'm ready to move forward when others are!) (I'm good!) (Seconded.) (Let'sa go!) (Onward!) (She's coveting my salsa.) <> (Sure!) (Hya) (Yes.) (I got a 404.) <> <> * Hestia is looking at star charts, and does indeed notice this fact. Anyone in the map room with her notices that she does, in fact, stand up and remove her sidearm from her hip holster, cock the slide, and put it back. (Zeke tastes like 000100010111101010100101.) * Tomas makes a confused eye at Tia as he passes her on his way to the bridge. <> (As soon as the dice show up?) (dicefail.) (HUX) * Amadeus appears inside the map room and goes about helping! His player is distracted. That's bad. * Dicesuke has joined #atc (Hang on) (Have to remember how to do this) 2d6+10 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Lexi (2d6+10) and gets a natural 4 for a result of 14. < the area much. You have emerged next to a smallish planet, roughly the size of Mars, according to initial scans, which ... looks, frankly, very strange. There are wide swaths of the planet colored a red matching the sun, and other patches which are colored almost jet black, but which seem to... shimmer oddly.>> * Hestia leans back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "No water... well, this close to a star, that doesn't shock me." * Zeke 's holoface smiles slightly. "Yes. It looks quite interesting." * Amadeus nods, peering at it. "Once we enter the atmosphere, we should conduct some tests before we land." * Tomas turns, "Can't we pick something up on the sensors before heading in?" <> (The inhabitants of the planet are clearly giant anthropomorphic glass pitchers.) (OH YEAH.) (I hope that Cham is right now scrambling to change things around because you found him out.) (No.) (;_;) * Amadeus blinks two or three times, then moves over to the sensors and sets relevant information to record - which is all of it, really. "There's no light whatsoever in the black parts of the planet, except for the telltale shimmer. Visible, ultraviolet, or infrared." <> (OH YEAH!) Red... water? Huh. What would cause that? Well, if it reflects the light of a red star, maybe. Maybe a gigantic red tide? * Lexi shrugs. "Should I take us down yet? I want to check it out." A grin widens on her face. * Zeke looks over at Tomas, then replies, "Hestia's option seems more likely." * Amadeus records another reading, then says, "Take us in when ready, Lexi." * Lexi nods and brinsg the ship down to land on the planet. * Hestia stretches her arms over her head. "I have to admit, a planet full of shiny black rocks appeals to me more than a planet full of our potential carnivore-eating plants," she says, directing this last at Amadeus. Yeah, that'd make sense. Or if it has a heavy additive. * Zeke 's holohead nods slightly with Hestia as he adds, "I also think I will prefer this planet." * Amadeus chuckles. "Yes, but at least that one had a breathable atmosphere." * Amadeus looks back at Hestia. "We're looking at toxic and very thin air. There's oxygen... barely. I think we're confined to our suits on this trip." Sounds like. * Hestia grins faintly at that. "I'm fairly comfortable in my suit, myself." * Zeke does not comment. < e black on top, but as you land you can see... on the bottom, they are a bright silver. When the wind blows through the forest, the whole thing seems to shimmer as the silver is revealed in flashes.>> (Pretty.) * Amadeus watches. "And there's the shimmer. Beautiful." <> (How big is the forest, in radius around us?) * Hestia raises one eyebrow. "Well, something for everyone. You can toy with reflective leaves and I can do some rock climbing." * Amadeus grins at Hestia. "Just get some samples while you do so." <> * Kyle whistles. * Amadeus looks out the window again and blinks. * Zeke replies, "I will take care of normal rock samples, if you wish to... enjoy climbing." Wonder what kind of critters are around here. There were some blips on the radar as we descended * Lexi bounces in her seat. "This is going to be soooo great! I can't wait to get out there and have a look around!" She laughs happily as she gets out of her seat and goes to get her suit. Yeah, that's what I'm thinkin'. * Zeke leaves after Lexi, to go get his giant case and then to head outside! Yeah... hey, if we're splitting up, let's make sure nobody goes off on their own, all right? * Kyle heads on back to get his suit. Right behind Lexi. :9 Sure, I'll stick with Lexi. (Whose shocked?) (=P) (Not me.) (^^;) I'll join Kyle to search out some critters. (Damn!) * Hestia stands up and, oddly, reaches up and presses two fingers against her neck, touching the collar of her suit. It... doesn't actually seem to do anything. "Is that your way of asking for an escort, Professor?" * Lexi shrugs. "That's fine. I want to see what kind of life is on this planet anyway and just explore in general." <> * Amadeus smiles a little awkwardly at Hestia. "I'm a biologist. If you can defend yourself in any capacity, you're probably better at dealing with man-eating plants than I am." * Tomas runs back to his quarters to don his suit. * Amadeus wanders off to get his suit and testing and sample stuff. Aw right. * Hestia smirks. "I don't want to see what kind of man-eating plants are on THIS planet, thank you," she adds, following. (So what are the teams?) (I think Lexi/Kyle/Tomas is one. Amadeus/Hestia is another. I dunno what Zeke's doing.) * Amadeus knocks on Tomas' door as he heads off to remind him to grab some sampling equipment and maybe a pen or two for a critter, since he doubts the other two will remember. Thanks, A-Ma--deus? I got it. (My guess is that Zeke is either being dragged with the dorks... or splitting of his drones to go with both.) * Hestia actually just... walks outside. Without apparently putting on a suit. <> (WOO PLAGUE.) (I AM FORSAKEN.) * Lexi gets her suit on and heads outside of the ship finally to look around. < (+>>) * Hestia crosses her arms over her chest. "Well, that's going to make tiptoeing through the proverbial tulips a little challenging." * Zeke heads out after Hestia with a sciencey case and his big case off his arm. And then he puts down the big case and snaps it open. It falls open to reveal six other ovoid drones, each of which roll out of the case before sprout six legs and one longer back arm. * Retrieving #atc modes... * Tomas grabs a couple of collapsible pens on his way out of the ship to join Lexi and Kyle. <> * Zeke says, over comm channels, "I can send drones with all of you to help protect you. That would be a good idea." (Quick reminder, ~ is audio channels) (Ah, right.) * Amadeus coms back, though he's not outside yet (guess he's in his suit by now), ~If you think that's best, Zeke.~ * Hestia reaches into one of the belt pouches at her waist and slips something over her ear, missing Zeke's statement in the process, unfortunately. "If I hit the point where I need a giant egg to save me, I think I'll be in dire straits indeed." * Kyle gets his suit on and heads out too, with Lexi. <> * Amadeus finally emerges from the ship, in suit and now with a case of sciencey things. He doesn't have his glasses on, though. "How're you going without a suit, Tia?" * Zeke sends two ovoids over near Hestia (and Amadeus) anyway! And along with the others as well, leaving two and his dragonfly for him. * Hestia turns and grins at Amadeus with a sly smile. "I have my ways. And my skin hasn't melted off and I'm not explosively decompressing, so far so good." <> (science type can decide!) (SCIENCE!) * Amadeus chuckles. "SCA mutation?" Brief pause, then, "I'd try, but I'm pretty sure I'm susceptable to metal poisoning." * Amadeus goes about taking a dirt sample, right where they are. Gotta have your basic dirt sample. * Zeke is, also perhaps unsurprisingly, doing the same. (Gonna get a sample of those plants, then I'm not sure. Whatever looks interesting! If Hestia has a strong desire to go rock climbing, he might even go with.) (Are there other plants besides the trees?) * Amadeus also gets a very good look at the dirt, for some reason, followed by a blink. Then he gets up and walks over to the trees for a very good look. <> * Hestia follows Amadeus' glance, then raises an eyebrow and 'hmmmm's in the back of her throat. * Zeke 's drones follow Amadeus' wandering. <> (SCIENCE!) (You can't argue with SCIENCE!) * Hestia smirks faintly, then inclines her head at the ship, then again at the trees. (AND THEN) (then then then then) <> <> * Zeke comments, from his position back near the ship, ~... they appear starved for light. Surprisingly flexible.~ * Amadeus watches and blinks, somewhat rapidly. "Fucking amazing," he murmurs. ~Yeah, pretty much. They're so efficient at gathering light that none escapes to below them.~ ~All light, not just visible.~ <> * Hestia puts her hand to her chin. ~ Now I didn't expect *that*. ~ And with that she makes for the treeline herself to get a closer look. (I assume Hestia can listen in on channels. ^^) (Yassir.) (I has an earpiece.) * Amadeus blinks, taking a picture and storing it in his headputer, then says, ~And a metallic superstructure?~ He walks over to the nearest tree. (How low are the leaves? I can reach them, right?) <> * Zeke comms, ~That sounds an excellent blend of materials.~ <> <> (Oh god I don't even know what that is.) * Amadeus goes about clipping off a leaf along with a piece of a branch, storing it along with some bark shavings he takes next. (Mind plus whatever levels of HA I have?) (I'd think so, yeah.) 2d6+8 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Hestia (2d6+8) and gets a natural 5 for a result of 13. <> (I SEE NOTHING.) * Zeke has one of his drones climb up another tree to get to a leaf, and do similarly, taking it off with the one free arm. * Hestia finishes her final step very slowly, putting her foot down. ~ Not just plants here, ~ she says in a distracted tone. ~ I just scared something pretty good. ~ But! She then keeps walking, if a little more slowly, taking care to be... stealthy-ish. * Amadeus turns his attention to Hestia, putting the samples away. ~Yeah? Where?~ 2d6+9 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Kyle (2d6+9) and gets a natural 10 for a result of 19. ~ Behind a tree. The noise startled it, I'm sure. ~ * Amadeus nods and looks around (but doesn't move otherwise), trying to find whatever it is Hestia spotted. 2d6+8 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Lexi (2d6+8) and gets a natural 7 for a result of 15. 2d6+5 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tomas (2d6+5) and gets a natural 9 for a result of 14. 2d6+8 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Zeke (2d6+8) and gets a natural 6 for a result of 14. * Zeke says, ~Should I move around to surround it?~ <> (Bah, I'm sorry, I had to AFK a sec.) <> <> ~... Wow.~ * Hestia instinctively comes to a stop when there's motion coming *at* her, reflexes trained not to make any sudden moves but letting her right hand drop toward her hip *very slowly* in case it comes flying at her face with an ovipositor or something suitably Giger-esque. * Zeke says, ~The others have found flying creatures, similarly constructed.~ (Does it have a nose or anything like, Cham?) ~ Well. Fruit punch planet with metal trees, and now... this. ~ (I am working under the assumption that the fruit punch of the future remains Entirely Artificial Red.) <> (Just the same, shoot for mind control; all I want to do is have it calm down and stay - not see us as a threat. Should I roll?) (Go for it.) (Right, now what do I roll...) (oh god, a blessed minute without text or msg) 2d6+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Amadeus (2d6+6) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 14. (It gets a def. roll -4 (I think?) because you can't detect MC.) 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Chamelaeon (2d6-4) and gets a natural 4 for a result of 0. (-3) (I doubt it has 13 in its stat/defense.) (Okay, -3!) <> * Amadeus actually laughs, taking another picture. He approaches it slowly and, assuming it doesn't destroy him, walks around it, getting a better look in all respects. <> ~You're an amazing little guy, you know that? I wonder what you eat.~ * Hestia stops moving her hand toward her gun, though she does give Amadeus an Eyebrow (it merits the capital letter). ~ Not us, apparently. You think you'll be alright with your new pet while I look a little deeper in? ~ (God dammit I wish I could draw better.) ~He shouldn't hurt us for the next hour or so. I want to take him with us, but I'd rather not until I'm sure we can do it safely.~ ~Anyway, go ahead. Let's try to stay within screaming distance of each other, though.~ * Zeke 's drone comes down off the tree, to land near to Hestia. ~You will not be alone.~ * Hestia smirks but doesn't turn back to respond; instead she keeps walking. The drone can keep up, or go the heck away. ~ Oh, how wonderful. ~ She sounds thrilled. <> 2d6+8 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Kyle (2d6+8) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 16. * Amadeus moves closer to the erector set thing, trying to get an inkling of what, exactly, it eats or how it defends itself or anything useful for taking it with them. (bio roll, my man) (Holy shit, it's 10:30, when did that happen) (Right after 10:29, blah blah etc.) (About 4 minutes into the future) 2d6+13 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Amadeus (2d6+13) and gets a natural 5 for a result of 18. ~ I don't know how I feel about the plants. They seem like the whole light thing a little too much. ~ <> * Zeke says, ~They are efficient. In the Sol system, they might be weeds.~ ~Only if we don't want them there.~ * Amadeus looks down and around. Any insects or the like? <> (How long is the trip back, btw?) <> * Hestia keeps her eyes on the things watching her, but sidles toward the fruit. She's never seen The Wizard of Oz. ~Hey Amadeus, we've got some sort of flying metal bat critter, but it's not looking too hot.~ <> * Hestia snaps her hand BACK. ~ ...unexpected and entirely undesired. ~ * Amadeus comms back, ~How so?~ And then to Hestia: ~Are you okay?~ * Hestia mutters under her breath, glaring at the fruit as if it'll make the b/Bugs go away. ~ Fine. Annoyed, but fine. ~ ~What happened?~ * Zeke has a drone with each of them. They're surprisingly quiet. ~Um, hey, you want a video? Think I can send you a stream really quick.~ * Amadeus coms to Kyle: ~Go for it.~ * Hestia frowns. ~ Saw some actual fruit on a tree, wanted to get it... creepy crawlies a little too like damn Bugs crawling all over it. ~ * Zeke says, ~I can grab it for you.~ * Amadeus blinks, then coms to Hestia and Zeke, ~Fantastic! Yes, please! Get a few of those, with the bugs, into proper containment pens so we can take them back.~ * Amadeus then gets the stream and coms to Kyle, ~Um... I'm not sure what happened to it, but it doesn't look healthy. Try to get another one if you can.~ ~All right.~ * Amadeus , for his part, MCs the little chihuaua dude to go to sleep. <> * Hestia frowns, but the vending machine appears to be on the case, so she lets it slide and starts looking around for more interesting things. And apparently needs to make a visual roll! 2d6+8 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Hestia (2d6+8) and gets a natural 7 for a result of 15. 2d6+8 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Zeke (2d6+8) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 16. < (but it) 's starting to make you popular. You can see, back in the dark, some far larger shapes moving about.>> <> * Hestia does not fuck around with inching toward the gun this time; she snap draws it in a practiced motion and takes a step back. ~ Well, looks like you get the wish you couldn't have on Epsilon Indi, Professor. ~ * Zeke comms, ~I see them as well, Hestia.~ * Amadeus opens a containment pen and, er, contains his future pet. He picks it up with a distracted ~Hm?~ Hestia's way over the com. * Zeke 's two ground drones that stuck with him start to move forward to meet up with Amadeus and Hestia. <> <> * Hestia keeps backing up. Slowly. And getting a bead on the darkness in case magic missile becomes necessary. ~ Predators. Wondering how they see in all this, to be honest. ~ (Yeah, the one near Hestia, and if there's a fruit near Ama, that one too.) <> * Zeke comms, ~I have alerted the others, they are aware, but not returning yet.~ (Oh god I don't remember. 5'6" or 5'7" ish) (*checks* Yeah, 5'7") (Okay. Nobody in the group over 6'?) * Amadeus lifts his pet in a hurry. ~Do you think you can make it to the ship before they get to you?~ (Haha, not me.) (Zeke is, but he's back at the ship.) (The drones ain't.) <> * Hestia keeps backing up, occasionally looking over her shoulder. ~ Probably. I'm playing it safe because I don't want to take one on in its home turf, thanks. ~ (I'm pretty cautious for an adrenaline junkie. Of course, I'm also pretty alive for an adrenaline junkie.) (Heh heh.) ~Please. Let's meet at the ship, wait for them to pass, and then resume exploration.~ <> (Aw, CHEATERS.) (... brilliant.) (Literally!) (Now that's a fucking adaptation.) (using trees is forbidden.) (I call in an air strike of bamboo.) (ORBITAL BAMBOODMENT. HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.) (I feel bamboozled.) <> ~ ...well, fuck. ~ (Gonna close session in a sec, waiting for Lexi to make her roll and Zeke to call people in in the other channel) 2d6+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Lexi (2d6+6) and gets a natural 11 for a result of 17. <>