<> <> <> <<(Go!)>> ( I'd NEVER get on a chainjumper ship, are you CRAZY?!) * Amadeus isn't there! He's out getting samples with Zeke! They're currently in the process of catching small animals and listening in on what Tia, Lexi, and Co. have to report. * Kyle is inside and ready to listen/ask questions! * Hestia has been pretending to talk but is actually playing Red Bejeweled with small eye movements like that one episode of ST:TNG. (Addict.) * Lexi leans back after bragging about successfully distracting the crew of that Orchid ship thing. "So where have you guys ended up, anyway? I assume you don't generally follow other chain jumpers so where do you go?" She shrugs. <> "We've kind of been sticking close to other big finds, hoping we'd get lucky. It's pretty darn easy to detect planets, but after you figure out they're in the planet's habitable zone, all you can do is guess. Mostly we wind up at places like Mars. Maybe it was something once, but it sure isn't when we get there." * Hestia looks at Leo, 'mmm's in the back of her throat, and then picks up a datapad idly, tapping at it. Facing, you know, AWAY from Industrial Espionage and Magic over there. (We should subcontract these go-getters with the info we have from the sleythin DB.) (Also, mecha is so fired.) (WAH WAH) * Hestia finishes typing, tilts the pad a couple different directions, and then speaks up because 5 real life minutes just went by with nobody saying anything at all. "Is that how you noticed the other ships you mentioned seemed to have good luck?" (I'm sorry, I thought I was running a game here. By all means, feel free to go back to breaking 4e.) (Sorry, sorry. I'm talking to Ama.) <> "We pay very close attention to the reports people bring back. It could mean a big break for us." 2d6+14 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Amadeus (2d6+14) and gets a natural 6 for a result of 20. (Argh do we have a log from last week? I forget the people she mentioned. I know the Orchid's one of them... if not, the names aren't too important.) (It's posted on the site.) (http://chamelaeon.com/rpg/atc3/logs/atc3-08-01-01.txt) (Danke. I need to [eff!]ing bookmark that someday.) I see. * Hestia looks to Lexi, Kyle, and Tomas with a 'keep them busy! D:' sort of expression and then goes back to her pad for a second. (People outside into #atctoo) * Lexi nods at Mika. "So you followed us because you wanted to know where we got our information, so that you could find planets first, instead of having to look around where someone's already had a big find." Although... you act like we always have big finds. We don't... I mean sometimes we just end up on dead planets like you just said. And sometimes we end up on useless asteroids... * Amadeus comes walking in, still suited up and looking quite satisfied with himself, his arms laden with samples: insects, plants, and small mammals all in their own appropriate compartments. "Hey, just dropping these off - Zeke and I are going to take the lander, if nobody's going to use it for anything." ("You know, with Bugs on them." "WHAT? D:" "Computer bugs! Little... computer bugs. Shaped like paperclips. They wanted to help us write a business letter, ahahaha.") <> "Actually, we just kind of wanted to split this one with you. Our credit accounts are getting kind of slim..." <> "We just needed something to get us by, and maybe put our names out there for a client." * Kyle thumbs-up to the Prof. * Zeke also has samples. Even his drones have samples. The birdsect has a lizard pinned against Zeke's shoulder, and some of the drones have lizards as well. * Lexi rolls her eyes. "Hey... tell you what..." She goes fishing around for something over in the lounge for a bit and comes back. "You seem like okay people. This is ugly as hell, but it should be worth something." She holds out the ring. "Some loser fan wanted me to marry him... he uh... doesn't have very nice taste. Seems to think all I care about is how much he can spend on a giant rock or something." Like I don't get enough of carrying around giant rocks at work. * Hestia suddenly, and without real warning, taps her fingers on the top of her pad and says, without bothering to lower her voice: "...huh." She turns to find Lexi offering them secondhand pawn jewelery and, blinking, clears her throat. "I need a blank chip. Be right back." To the map room! * Amadeus might thumbs up at Kyle, but his hands are full and probably not anyway, so he's off to deposit things in the cargo room and lab area, and then to the lander. Vroom vroom! A-man! I made some dip! Have some before you head out again. <> "... thanks. I'm sure it'll be useful." (Mika slips on the ring, becomes a Ringwraith. Lexi: "...well, fuck.") (SKREEE) (Sorry, Tomas, didn't talk fast enough. :( SCIENCE calls.) * Lexi raises an eyebrow. "I uh... I don't think so. But it might be worth something to a pawn shop." ( :( ) * Lexi grins! "Or hey! Maybe you can use it to ask another rich heiress to marry YOU! I'm sure -some- of us care about the size of the diamond. Just because I don't..." She nods excitedly. 2d6+9 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Zeke (2d6+9) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 17. <> * Tomas begins to slump his shoulders after realizing Amadeus missed the dip, but perks up at the vigorous dipping, "It's good stuff isn't it? It's my mom's recipe with a bit of a twist." <> "Actually, it is really good." <> * Kyle snickers. "So, I'm kinda curious. What'd you do if we don't share the find with you?" (Mika puts on the ring and turns into a Ringwraith! "DEVOUR YOU." "D:") * Tomas grins, "I wish I could help too, but my fans sent cookies which don't have near the resell value." <> "Probably nothing. You got here first, you have the rights to it. We were counting on your sense of fair play." Granted they were a delicious butterscotch pecan. ("After tracking you here like node-ganking ninjas on epic flyers.") (Yeah, seriously.) (They're desperate!) (Lucky them, because:) (Following through an interstice is hard, yeah?) * Hestia walks back into the room, holding a datachip in her hand and waving it around a little in Leo and Mika's direction. "I've got a proposition to make." (Given you didn't know it was possible until they did it? Yes.) <> "... yes?" * Tomas watches Tia intently. * Hestia offers the chip. "This is the data for a find on our... agenda. Haven't gone there yet, doubt anyone knows about it. It's yours... if you don't mind doing a little something for us." <> "What do we need to do? We're not exactly combat-ready." * Hestia smirks a little bit. "Just keep doing what you've been doing, sounds like. One, you leave us be. Two... you keep funneling us info about the Black Orchid and the Cosmic Supernova." <> "So we'd be spies." I hate to tell you this, but you already ARE spies. Now you'd just get paid for it. "No, you misunderstand, I'm totally cool with the idea. I just want to make sure I AM a spy before I put it on my businessinfo chip." <> * Lexi shakes her head. "Spy is such a dark and unethical sounding term. How about... Private Inteligence Operatives! PIOs!" On a side note... I'd sort of like to know -how- you followed us. * Kyle snerks. "Like in Duck Tracy XIV: Return to the Revenge of Castle Mars." * Hestia shrugs. "Anyhow. Agree to that, and this is all yours. With the understanding that this is payment for a service." <> "We'll do it. I'm not ashamed to take your leavings if it keeps me chainjumping." <> <> "You really don't want to meet him. He ... doesn't play well with others." ...How you followed us is a "him"? I think she's saying you don't want to meet the person who does the tracking. * Hestia walks over to Leo and hands him the chip. She doesn't handshake. This is her way of saying 'double cross us and I'll have you killed'. <> "You guys should hang out at the bar more. That's the best way for us to get you info without looking suspicious." <> "You're both right." * Lexi nods to Kyle. "Yeah. I get that... I'm just confused. What's his 24, anyway? Does he have some sort of space-ninja-cloaking-tractor-tracking-beam-chain thing?" Duly noted. It's not hard to convince me to go to a bar. * Lexi smiles. Don't know if you don't meet him. Maybe that's the point. * Kyle snerks. "Bars work." <> "... yes. It's definitely his power." I think you should head out before your commentary becomes any more suspicious. * Lexi shakes her head. "Wow... that's wacky." And she starts to float the liquor back and puts it away properly. (Oop. AFK for a minute or two.) oh! You should take some dip back to your friend with the tracking power! <> "I think that's probably for the best. We'll be at the bar next time we have info for you." * Tomas hurries to the galley to get a doggy bag. <> "Sure, we can take some back to him. Right?" <> "Fine, but you'd better make him wear that bib this time." * Lexi raises an eyebrow and mouths 'bib'? (Tomas is so cute.) * Tomas returns with some red tupperware and a spoon and proceeds to ladle out dip. "Here you go! I have a bag of fresh chips here too." (TUPPERWARE IS ILLEGAL. Only DunnoWare is sold now.) (Is this food still fresh? DUNNO!) "Thanks. I'm sure he'll love it." * Kyle shrugs. (What's dunnoware made out of?) (Dunno.) * Hestia waits for Red Team Rocket to head off in search of their new Pikachu. (CATCH THAT PIKACHU!) <> * Lexi sighs. "Well that was unexpected." She perks up. "So what have you guys found so far?" * Kyle waves to the departing dudes. * Tomas stands in the doorway waving, "so where'd you send them?" * Kyle contacts the Prof over the radio. "Hey prof, what'cha find?" "Bear-monkeys and a tremendous, filled in tunnel system under the surface of this planet." * Hestia shrugs. "I forget the exact name. Some harmless star with new plant life or something. I picked it out of the Sleythin data." * Tomas nods, ~Tunnels?~ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_bear) (THEY EAT GIRLS, MONICA! HA! HA! HA!) "Tunnels. Zeke can fill you in." (That is the most descriptive animal name ever.) * Hestia sits down on the couch heavily, throwing her arms wide across the back. "Three independent ships, three sets of totally separate amazing finds. You don't need to be the Prof or Suit Boy to do those odds." (I am the mighty Suit Boy.) (You should drink your incredibly expensive wine, Tia!) (>_>) (No, Mad Hatter, I'll pass on the DRINK ME bottle!) * Kyle gets suited up and heads out to help Prof with the indigenous life. ~Heading down to help you Prof.~ (But they spent a lot of money on it. :( ) * Tomas begins to suit up now that the pleasantries have ended. "No hurry. We're a ways out, in the lander." I'm suddenly consumed by an urge to find out who's signing our checks. Aren't you? ~Oh, okay.~ * Kyle looks out the ship, then. "Yeah. What's goin' on here?" <> and oddly we've only had one encounter with the two other crews. Yeah... one of us wasn't supposed to be there. * Lexi shrugs amd heads over to suit up. ~Well, it is kind of suspicious. But that's corporations for you. right? Anyway I'm heading back out.~ * Amadeus comms, "Lexi, Kyle, can you come out to the lander's coordinates? I'd like you to uproot a couple of saplings to take with us." * Lexi nods. Not that Amadeus can see that. ~Sure. On my way.~ And she heads out. ~Sure thing prof.~ * Kyle heads out! * Amadeus and Zeke are in/by the lander, at the edge of the forest within easy walking distance of the ship. In a containment pen in the back of the lander is a creature the size of a grizzly, with long claws and multi-jointed limbs. (Wow, you got to the desc before I did.) (I'm good.) * Hestia decides to get up and at least see what they found! * Kyle whistles. "Damn Prof, you didn't say it was that big. You need me to knock it out or somethin'?" * Zeke has several drones watching the molebear and is standing outside. "Unnecessary. But it eats these trees, and likely in large quantities." <> * Hestia raises an eyebrow. Large bear is large. "That mean it's going to starve to death before we get it to Mars?" No, it means we're going to take trees with us. We have the cargo space and the lifting power; I don't see why not. But if these creatures are the ones that created the tunnel system, I want to find out how, because it's not obvious at a glance at all. * Kyle peers at the bear-type-creature. <> * Lexi nods. "So you want us to pull up some trees?" If you could, along with enough dirt. * Hestia glances at the bear, then back at Amadeus. "You don't know how it tunneled, or WHY it tunneled?" Yeah, you're gonna want to have a little echosystem for its food, right? We believe it is likely it tunneled to survive the climate variation. ... but it does not seem capable of it. * Zeke points down. "Geological surveys confirm the network of large tunnels, re-filled over time via natural collapse." * Amadeus nods to Kyle. 2d6+9 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Kyle (2d6+9) and gets a natural 6 for a result of 15. * Hestia shrugs. "Maybe it contracted out. Going to take a look?" * Tomas nods, "Are these the only major species?" * Lexi shrugs. "Well better get to work I guess. Where do you want us to put the dirt and trees?" Well, Prof... as they are, I'm pretty sure they can't dig. You're right, there's no way they could dig a tunnel system like you're describing. I haven't seen anything else during our short time here that could have come anywhere close. All of the other animals have been much smaller. (Voltron. The smaller animals combine into a giant animal that can dig really well.) * Kyle scratches his head. "Maybe it's a geothermal process? How do the tunnels look like they were made? Claw marks or what?" Unknown. They are very old. But the differences in their ages when sampled indicates a highly irregular process. Any, uh... new tunnels? Not in this area. (So how's them trees going!) (Is there a tunnel entrance nearby here?) (No: there are no tunnels anymore.) (They're all filled in with dirt from time, like most unmaintained natural tunnels end up being.) * Kyle shrugs and goes about helping Lexi with the trees. (Sorry. was AFK for a moment.) <> * Hestia looks around! Unless the trees or tunnels have USB ports, she is relegated to the level of tourist. <> * Zeke moves back onto the ship when they're done ransacking. Yay! <> (Y) (I'm all about the N.) (Is the other ship still here?) <> * Hestia files her report so the Federation survey team can come find the Borg in the tunnels. * Amadeus is so in the lab, performing tests. Because there's something about these samples... * Amadeus will go to the map room and help navigate if he has to, though. D: * Lexi hops back in her pilot's seat. "Alright. You guys ready to head back to mars?" <> (CLIFFHANGER AAAAAAAAH) <> (Go us!) (Who's awesome?!) (We're awesome!) <>