<> <> (One day, Zeke will get that mini in with someone.) (Let's just fit it in last night) (HOORAY I'M RETROACTIVE) * Amadeus is there, not out of habit, but because the lab is there. For when the going gets tough, the tough get to analyzing fascinating alien species. * Hestia is here to pick up her stuff, because she ain't savin' no universe. Her name doesn't have an atmospheric meaning in any language in human history. * Tomas enters the hangar as the loud rumble of a motorcycle starts to fade into the distance. He trots up and into the Fate Break, plopping on the couch to wait for the others. (FATE BREAK) (ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR) (It's Hestia's special move. He walked right into it.) (*suplex*) (*secret tag Zeke while on the mat*) (leave me out of this beep) (My special looks a lot like Lunch Rush.) (Not gonna lie.) * Kyle is there out of habit. For whatever reason, he's in the lab talking with the prof about Aliens and conspiracy theories. * Tomas picks up an issue of "Fists and Elbows" and begins leafing through it, occassionally hmming and ooing. * Amadeus puts Kyle to work with some sorting if he's going to throw conspiracy theories at him. (that'll learn him) (Darn right.) * Kyle is gonna do that. While throwing conspiracy theories around! * Zeke walks in, and all his drones are out, not in his suitcase, as he walks in, the drones splaying out into the ship's innards immediately. He just heads to the lobby. * Tomas nods at Zeke as he enters. <> I think I heard Kyle and A-man in the lab. * Zeke and his birdsect look at Tomas for a moment, and then he states, "That seems likely." * Hestia glances at her phone. If the caller ID says 'Levinworth' she's not even going to answer. <> * Hestia raises an eyebrow, then answers. "Yes?" <> "Good morning, Tia. I hear you and the rest of the crew had an interesting night." * Hestia has That Look on her face. Patience for the runaround, she haveth not. "Oh? Nothing special happened." Deadpan. <> "Okay, not in the mood for smalltalk. I've got a decent run request from Floofy, I was wondering if you were interested." ...what? * Hestia actually sounds like that's credible, realistic disbelief she's expressing. (Floofy sent us to Metallica?) (I am trying to remember. Check the recap episode, it's in there somewhere.) <> "It's a chainjumping job." (Apparently Aqueon, Briquette, and Icenork?) (That sounds right.) (And of course they were the ones spying on us.) (Okay. Preston KNOWS what happened, yes? Has there been a press coverup we don't know about?) (Wanted to triple check before I make a fool of myself.) <> (So the fact that he mentioned anything at all means he probably knows.) Right, let me get this straight. A hostile alien species pops up *in our solar system* out of nowhere and... the next day people send up chainjumping jobs like nothing happened? Just want to be sure. "Were you planning to join the ATCorps? Because I'm not, and there's still people willing to pay money to send you out there." ...can I put you on hold for just a moment. Thank you. * Hestia does not wait for confirmation. She then resorts to comms. ~ Preston's called with a job from Floofy. ~ * Amadeus hits the comms: ~At least it's not ATC.~ * Kyle chimes in in the background of Amadeus, saying something about space penguins and... something else. * Zeke looks over at Hestia. "What are the details?" I didn't ask for any? I was too busy being incredulous. * Hestia gives up, leans back on the couch, and puts her phone on speaker. "They're curious." "Iota Horologii. There's at least one Jupiter-class planet there, they want you to check out the moons on it." * Hestia just goes right to the sleythinpedia when she hears the name. It's reflex by now. <> * Hestia hmms. ~ Possible signs of destroyed civilization. ~ * Zeke listens, then replies, ~That seems of general interest. Were you concerend because of the previous surveillance?~ ~Dude, civilization? Maybe it's got the space penguins!~ ~I could handle investigating a world with a dead civilization.~ ~Enough with the space penguins, Kyle. I'd like to see this moon. Perhaps the civilization is dead enough that it won't try to kill us.~ The consensus appears to be that we'll go. ~Or maybe they're behind EVERYTHING.~ <> "I'll let them know. Take care out there. It seems like it keeps getting more and more dangerous." <> * Zeke nods and states, ~Perhaps we will actually do what is intended this time.~ * Hestia gets the editors to engineer a crossfade from this scene to orbit around Iota Horologii! * Amadeus moves to the maproom to help with that crossfade! <> * Tomas turns a page as the crossfade initiates. * Kyle is a magickdude? Awesome! <> (That's pretty sweet.) * Amadeus murmurs, "Wow." And he starts the scanners up, gathering as much data as he can. * Zeke looks out at the lattice and says, "That is a very interesting lattice. I would not expect such a lattice to hold together so well in this complex a gravity well." Are these the ruins the Sleythin listed? <> <> <> * Amadeus blinks. How strange. And pretty much guaranteed artificial. <> We should determine where to start. * Tomas points at the most hospitable looking moon, "How's about that one?" (Tomas can tell it looks hospitable because it has a IHOP.) (You know a moon has arrived when it gets an IHOP.) That's not natural at all. <> <> <> (Bam!) (I call dibs. This is my lair.) (Unlikely.) (Lexi can hit anything.) (Let's land?) <> (Working on the desc, sorry.) * Kyle runs over and checks on Lexi. Passing out pilot is NOT a good thing. <> (Or sleep drinking.) * Amadeus runs scanners and more scanners and gets the Fate Breaker to work with some basic tests. * Kyle sighs. "Okay, Lexi's just drunk. So, what's outside Prof?" <> A breathable atmosphere, but I wouldn't push it. Physical exertion's ill advised without a suit, and we've already had one terrifically bad virus. * Zeke nods and states, "I will begin surveying, then." He and team drones go gather stuff and head out! * Tomas returns from his room in his suit and disembarks with Zeke. (TEAM METAL) (We're so metal.) (\m/) <> * Amadeus keeps running the scans and tests while he suits up. Once he finishes, he moves to leave, though not without checking Lexi first. * Kyle goes ahead and suits up, heading out with Thomas and Zeke. * Zeke carries the equipment on his back arm, drones already spreading out... but the birdsect actually takes off into the air and doesn't immediately come back or land on things. ~We may not be as fortunate to re-power this place.~ <> (Is there any other way to go?) <> * Zeke walks in, dark or not, to press his hands up against the semicircle. * Amadeus takes a look around, then moves forward slowly along the path, looking at... something in the semicircle. (Oh. The semicircle is open, Zeke, my description fail.) <> * Tomas walks beside Zeke through the semicircle. (OH. Okay.) * Zeke doesn't feel the walls, then! Two of his drones are in front of him, though. There's an emitter in there. (At least the drones have IR.) * Tomas raises an eyebrow, "The sensors didn't pick anything up on the way in." * Zeke nods slightly, and says, ~Powered?~ I can't tell you, but I'm guessing it's for a force field of some kind. * Kyle whistles. "Force fields are pretty hot stuff." <> (Does someone with an actual real space exo have lights on their suit?) <> (Lights are awesome!) (Hooray for lights!) (Now we can see!) (I'll light the shit out of shit.) <> * Zeke looks out those ways! (This emitter business confuses me.) <> * Amadeus takes pictures with his headputer, yo. <