<> <> <> <> * Tomas stands with his hands on his hips peering at the bluebilly, "Dr. Corey was a nice enough guy. We should just leave him with him for the time being." (My note with this was that this seems like something Tia would be strongly opposed to.) (SO SAY IT IN CHARACTER) (Why? Zeke doesn't care.) (So we wait for Todd to get back before progressing?) * Amadeus scratches at the back of his head and paces some more. He's been doing that a lot. "I really don't trust him, Tomas. I don't have a better idea, but I don't trust him. Plus, I think Tia might kill us over it." (No, I got it! Amadeus has the fear of Tia.) (WAU!) (It is special bonus Todd!) (No luck today, so... I should probably remain safely off camera.) (Pasted to you anyway. You might find it funny.) (Hilariously, she'd probably be fine with it, all things considered.) (What puddle of blood did I slip in, anyway?) (The offscreen puddle.) * Tomas stretches and turns to Amadeus, "We obviously can't let him loose. We can babysit him ourselves or find somebody else to do it." * Amadeus sighs. "Like I said, I don't have a better idea." * Kyle thinks. "Yeah, I don't like the idea of abandoning him, though. Like, stranding him somewhere, we might as well kill him or somethin'. And that's not cool." * Amadeus nods. * Zeke replies, "I am worried by the... implicit time limit. At some point... Four will want Gene's new friend." We're not gonna give it to him, though. Right? * Tomas shrugs, "If we put the same tracking gear on it that we did for Gene, we can find out what he's doing with them." * Zeke's birdsect looks at Kyle. "The concern is that will alert him to our activities, and we have no way to actually give him the bug unless we release Gene." At which point he will also not take it. It's too bad Four hasn't picked any up yet, then we could know if it's a dead drop or a live transfer. * Lexi shrugs. "I say we hand him over to SOMEONE. That way he's out of our hands." * Zeke holo-nods slightly. "It seems unavoidable." * Amadeus pushes his glasses up and rubs at his eyes. "In that case, SIG-ASP is probably our best bet." Yeah, seriously. If the jig's gonna be up anyways... * Tomas nods, "Sounds like a plan. Before we send him off though, we need to get this list of payphones from him." (List of payphones? I'm missing things!) (Gene has a list of payphones. If he calls them, he can get access to Four.) * Tomas turns to the bluebilly, puffing up, "You said you had a list of payphones that you'd call to contact Four. We need that list. We need to talk with him about some things" <> * Amadeus has a list memorized! Go headputers. * Kyle memorizes a list also! Yay headputer! <> (Yar.) (Yup!) (Sure.) <> "That has to be the most acute case I've ever seen before." * Zeke looks back at Kevin. "He's very... incoherent." * Amadeus nods at Kevin. "It's severe. He has some control over electronics, so be careful with that." "Yikes." <> "Well, we've got a little experience in that sort of thing. Frankly with this amount of Si+ in his system I'm surprised he's alive, let alone able to speak." <> "Where was it you said you picked him up?" (I'll let someone else answer!) Found him wandering a spaceport, babbling incoherently. The prof identified his condition and thought it might be up your alley. (Tomas: Big Liarman.) (None of that was a lie! He was at a spaceport. He was saying strange things to empty air! THe Prof identified his condition! THen the prof agreed to bring him here!) "Aha. That was some good luck, then. He should be safe here. How's the rest of your suspension been?" <> Harrowing. * Tomas eyes Corey, "Cell reception? In a secret underground base?" In the middle of nowhere, might I add. * Zeke answers in his suit, saying outside of it, "I expect there will be a delay." Technology beyond our understanding, gentlemen. * Lexi shrugs. "I'd make it happen. I don't know how you could survive in this place without a phone." "Ms. Calhoun's correct. The riot that would ensue if we cut off TVNet and cell access would rival the sacking of Rome." * Zeke doesn't say anything more, immediately, because he's a big cheatyface. Talk amongst yourselves! * Tomas bounces back and forth on the balls of his feet with his hands in his pockets, "So it looks like you took care of your toaster problem." "Indeed! They were corralled into the kitchen eventually and ... taught new trades." <> "Hopefully that doesn't happen again. We try very hard to keep the madness contained around here." * Tomas nods, "The kitchen, yes. I'm sure they found much more satisfying work there." ([A toaster walks by, firing rocket-propelled grenades down a hallway.]_ (FORGOT THE CLOSING PAREN, NOW IT'S CANON) (OH NO) <> "... yes. They're very happy in their new lives." (PROTIP: THEY ARE ALL "ON THE FARM") (Huge open fields to run around and squirrels to chase! I bet they're so happy!) * Lexi shrugs. "Don't Mind The Mas. He thinks the kitchen is a calling by a higher power. It comes from The Church of the Space Skillet." (And all the bread you can catch.) * Amadeus decides not to say anything. It'd make Tomas sad. He looks around instead, maybe for a rogue tennis racquet. ([A toaster walks by, firing tennis racquets down a hallway.]) (There it is! The rogue tennis racquet!) (An auto-stringing toaster would be sweet.) Space skillets: better than skillets, 'cuz they're in space. <> * Tomas raises an eyebrow at Lexi, "What? Those guys are loons, thinking there's some Skillet hovering in deep space, predestordinating our existence." * Zeke's holoface resumes looking around, and he states, "If we are done here, it is imperative we return to the ship." <> "You guys are keeping busy, I see?" * Tomas opens his mouth to start waxxing religious, but Zeke interrupts! "If you insist, Z" * Lexi shrugs. "Sure, Sure." <> (Wheee!) (zoooooooooooooom) * Tomas stares off into space smiling, "It's nice to know they found those toasters a good home." * Amadeus looks at Tomas like he's crazy. Because he is. * Zeke ignores Tomas' crazy. "We are now expecting a call from Noelle Antima." (Refresher? I'm fairly certain she was at the dinner.) (She was the woman at the dinner.) <> * Tomas returns to the present, "Antima? Are they lifting our suspension early?" * Zeke continues, "She has offered us the end of our suspension if we extract the crew of the Black Lotus from an emergency situation." (HAHAHAHA. And Tia's not here to gloat properly.) (o/~) (Tia IS the emergency situation.) She stated that the transmissions were garbled and there was screaming, as well as her confidence in our capabilities. She is additionally offering hazard pay. Any indication of the nature of the situation? None other than what I have mentioned. <> "Ahoy the Fate Breaker. I see everybody's here but Ms. Richter?" Yes. She's aboard. What's the problem? * Zeke's birdsect flaps its wings idly. 'sup? * Lexi perks up. "What can we do for you?" (I am?) (Well that's awkward.) (You're in your cabin. Preparing Something.) ([NUCLEAR LAUNCH DETECTED]_ (OH GOD NOW IT'S CANON) (Now you're doing that on purpose) (Lies and salamander.) We heard you need an ass with a goatee pulled out of the fire. (*shoots Hestia out of a cannon* Not anymore!) "Two days ago the Black Lotus left for 61 Ursae Majoris IV. According to their handler the planet is habitable, the star is a yellow-orange dwarf main sequence star, a little cooler than Sol. It's magnetically stable, so no probable solar flares, and there isn't even an asteroid ring in the system. There's no telling what's on the planet, of course." "The probe was launched in a hurry, so it has little more than choppy motion shots and screaming noises in the background." <> "Don Fernando is a self-aggrandizing bantam rooster, but he's a chainjumper, and apparently he and his crew are in trouble. If we're ever going to prove this insane profession is remotely safe, our emergency procedures need to work astonishingly well, and since this is the first major one it needs to be better than good - it needs to be perfect." So you're asking us to pull'em out of the fire? The bearded ass. <> "Yes, I am. Cosmic Supernova's out on a chainjump, and you're the last remaining ace in the deck." (Isn't she part of the reason we were suspended from GalReg for three monthsish?) (She's why we were only suspended for 1 month.) (As opposed to 2.) (Oh, okay.) (She's been on our side. A bureaucrat, but on our side.) (Right.) (It was the corps gunning for full control of jumping that got us suspended.) * Kyle makes sure they have the information from the PiP. "I think we'd better get going, then. What about you guys?" * Tomas nods, "Let's do this. How many jumps?" * Zeke smiles slightly from where he is. "It's a single jump from Sol, only 33 lightyears or so." Right. * Amadeus gets up and rushes to the map room. Any other information before we go, Antima? * Kyle sets himself down and does a quick diagnostics check, all systems being green. He gives a thumbs-up to Lexi. "All systems are go." "That's everything I have." (And Dre is in the bathroom!) * Zeke nods, and replies, "We appreciate the opportunity, Director Antima." <> "Good luck." <> Ok. What do we have in the database on this place? (Back) <> * Lexi nods and does her firing up thing. "Let's blow this Tacosagna stand!" * Amadeus starts charting a course to the planet. * Lexi calls back. "Everyone ready?" * Zeke heads to the map room and comms, "Yes." * Lexi nods and takes off then! < even in the area near the other ship.>> * Amadeus runs scans and reports: "Nothing wrong, at first glance. We're going to have to get closer to have any idea what's going on." And their ship is working fine? Hmmm. Maybe we should try and establish communication. * Amadeus tries opening comms to the other ship! * Tomas nods, "We should be cautious. I wouldn't put it past them to set us up a trap." I don't think so, Tomas. <> * Amadeus rolls his eyes at the raspberry and cancels the link. "Nothing of use. I think we need to get closer." * Zeke looks at Ama and nods. "We may need to perform some sort of sweep." Right. And quickly. <> * Zeke adds, to Tomas, "It seems unlikely it was a trap set by them: we are suspended. Us following them is extremely unlikely." * Zeke goes to grab his suitcase. Wooo suitcase. * Amadeus curses softly as he tries to get some scans on the virus. "Think we've got a really bad virus here, guys..." Make sure you suit up. Yay, viruses. A'ight. * Kyle goes to suit up in his suiting up suit! * Amadeus does, too. * Zeke would never suit up! Ever! Oh wait, no, he'll be good. (Zeke is always suited up.) * Tomas shrugs and suits up. (Zeke Chezik! Ready for action!) (With a kung fu grip?) (No! He has the hair that you can cut and then you turn the knob and it grows back.) (Ooooh, cool.) (Y nots both?) * Lexi pulls the ship in closer for a better look. < wards the wooded area.>> (Face down as well?) <> (Alive?) * Tomas sees the face down suits, "That can't be good prof. Are our suits going to hold up?" * Kyle looks around for some indigenous wildlife of the possibly mamillian kind. We should be fine concerning any virus as long as we're suited. So either their suits are punctured or it's something else. * Amadeus moves and tries to get a visual scan. <> (Trying to actually see the two down there.) (UGH. Sub Orchid in for Lotus in this whole deal, I really need to play less Magic) (Okay.) (Tap: Add 1 Douchebag mana to your pool.) (Snicker. It did sound odd.) <> * Amadeus frowns a little. "I've... no idea. I'm going down." <> (I call bullshit.)\ * Lexi leaps up after the landing and gets suited up. "Alright. Let's go."] * Zeke is already at the airlock! * Amadeus heads out. They've got a rescue to do! * Kyle gets ready to head out! * Kyle heads out, then, if people are leaving. (Suppose we should be taking the lander? As a guess? :D) (It's up to you!) (I'll take it!) (Lander means faster transport of bodies.) (Vroomavroomvroom!) (I was just figuring we'd land, heh, but a lander is probably also a good idea for the far bodies.) <> (Do we have any way to detox them once we get them back to the ship?) (Yeah, and okay, sorry. I was very unclear on stuff.) <> (Put them in storage!) (Point!) (Let's get them back here.) <> * Lexi shrugs and floats the bodies over to them. * Zeke and his drones, which all look a little redder than they used to, head out. He comms, ~I will investigate the ship.~ <> ~Attacked by... something.~ * Tomas glances around, ~How big would something have to be to do this?~ ~Okay, Zeke. And great, the suits are no good. Someone help me get them to the lab.~ * Lexi cringes as she lowers the bodies to float in front of Amadeus. "Um... there ya go, D. Where do you want them?" * Amadeus rushes to the lab, as he just told Lexi where he wants them! * Lexi nods. "Uh... sure." She keeps the bodies a good distance behind her as she walks to the Lab. ~Doesn't have to be very big to cause a laceration. Could just be, uh... hmm.~ (Okay, that's two. How many people are in that crew?) <> ~Zeke should be fine, given he's in something armored.~ (Armor! It saves lives!) * Zeke is totally going to go into the ship. And it's unguarded! Bonus! ~ The virus may be active if their suits were punctured. ~ (Their names are totally somewhere! Why can't I find them?) * Amadeus checks the bodies again once they're in the lab. ~That's a good assumption, Zeke. And it looks like claws, at least.~ (The Bobsy Twins.) ~I'm going to stay behind and work on these two.~ <> <> <> (I cannot say I'm surprised.) * Kyle motions for Tomas to step back. ~Somethin's in the grass.~ * Tomas steps back and into a defensive stance, ~What is it?~ * Kyle steps cautiously away from whatever is coming in the grass. * Zeke's drones are sweeping the ship, so it makes finding the person easy! He comms, ~One person who likely launched the emergency probe is in the ship.~ <> * Amadeus starts by removing their suits and checking their vitals, as well as running the standard gamut of tests. ~Okay, get him here when you can.~ * Zeke gives them to a pair of the drones and heads back out of the ship. ~I am leaving the ship with one.~ * Zeke does head out! Maybe he'll eve get to see the snake-or-monster-in-the-grass. <> * Kyle looks at them with no small amount of caution. * Tomas backs off slowly, ~They're...sloth muppets?~ ~I... guess?~ <> (Are they connected or just walking in creepy unison?) * Zeke comes out, drones carrying, and he starts walking slightly towards the Fate Breaker, watching the sloths. ~Sloth, perhaps...~ <> * Amadeus stems the blood loss, then, and starts working on a countermeasure immediately! (What is the virus even doing?) ~It's fairly obvious the sloths are unaffected. Can you grapple one for the prof, Kyle?~ * Amadeus hits the comms: ~The virus is definitely working on these guys. I think we should concentrate on saving the rest of the Black Orchid's crew, and then we can consider getting specimens.~ <> ~I'm not sure... Just be ready in case they get violent.~ * Kyle tries to drop one, although it's hard to tell he's doing anything. * Amadeus tries to come up with a way to slow or stop, if not actually reverse, the process. (I'll throw SCIENCE! at it until it's okay!) (Also, how much later are we going tonight? ^^) <> <> (I dunno.There's not a vast amount to go, but finishing this planet up tonight would take quite a bit.) (And now they Care Bear Stare you to death.) * Amadeus bites his lower lip and starts working with the equipment to come up with said nanite. This is not his forte. ~How're things going inside Amadeus?~ (Would it be faster to do a flyby with LExi grabbing the other bodies that are far away?) (Could do that) <> (Since Kyle and Tomas don't seem to be going for the bodies.) (That's not as simple as it sounds.) (Lexi could do a flyby on her own.) (Like with her flying) ~Virus is causing slow but very serious damage. Trying to come up with a nanite to stop the process. Very delicate work.~ * Amadeus is also blissfully unaware of what's going on outside. * Zeke's drones deliver a new body to Ama! Lucky him! He is outside the ship and looking at Tomas/Kyle. ~We must retrieve them all quickly.~ ~Oh SHIT, that's not cool. Get away from them Tomas.~ <> * Kyle runs back into the ship. * Tomas's eyes go wide and he starts running back to the ship with Kyle. ~That's the last time I let you talk me into knocking someone out.~ <> (Someone should go get them. :|) * Zeke lets Kyle and Tomas pass, his gun coming out as he starts firing. His drones stay back. ~Are we going to fly over to the bodies with the Fate Breaker now that they are attacking?~ (I'm VROOMing with cyb0rlegs. It's all good. * Amadeus makes the third crewmember comfortable and desuits him, then gets right back to work. (I'm not worried about you, there's the _other bodies we haven't gotten yet_.) (Then get them!) * Lexi sighs and runs out of the ship. She floats into the air and flies over towards the other bodies. ~I'm going to try to grab the rest of the crew from the air.~ ~Go for it, avoid the crazy natives.~ (I needed Lexi! Go Lexi!) (*waves flags, shoots muppets*) (Maybe Mr. Tin Can should wade through the slothy hordes and retrieve his new BFFs.) ~I'm gonna head in and help the Prof. with those nanites if I can.~ ~Please!~ (That'd be... kinda bad with the whole supersonic shrieking.) <> (We still have one with us right?) (Actually, I think it's probably best to cap it for the night.) * Kyle heads to the lab to help the Prof out. <> (oh. Damn. I thought Kyle grabbed it.) (Dude, I'm not super strong.) (I thought you've been borrowing TK arms.) (Anyway, too bad.) (Even if I was, I can't exactly run while TKing something typically.) (I'm not Lexi. :P) (You could borrow her minor psychic abilities!) (That'd be hilarious.) (Oh man, instant fucking headache for Kyle.) (I CAN SEE ALL AROUND ME *womit*) (Your milkshake would thenceforth bring all the boys to the yard.) <>