Date: 6:32:37 PM, February 15th, 2015.
Metal Man (GM): Introduction. So... the Questers last barely escaped the Arbiter and ended up flying towards the planet of Celia. There they were intending to get better prepared to deal with some quite difficult circumstances: Being attacked by not one, but two sets of Time Cops who were also warring with one another... At the moment the group is wherever they usually are at this time, the ship having been flying towards the planet of "Celia" for a while now... XRCS Wing Fortress. Xavier is in the bridge as usual, watching the stars fly by as he contemplates something, absent-mindedly not paying attention to any of the gauges...
Nonna: *Eventually exited her quarters after some rest and joined the others quietly in the bridge. She kept herself busy attempting to program Asgard to be able to understand their language.*
Valron: *Of course, while Xavier's not paying any attention, he goes to check up on the gauges, checking to see if he can make any sense of them. If he even can. He's not sure about most anything with this ship.*
Gelato: *He's been pestering Borne to try and learn new nano-things.*
Commander Borne: *Has been waving Gelato off for a bit.* "Not now... not now... I've got to figure this out." *Appears to be installing something into his Dauntless ship.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: *Reaches over for something and randomly knocks a box over* "Bah."
Metal Man (GM): Xavier lazily gets up as the ship slowly nears Celia, looking around.
KitRedgrave has been... trying to duplicate the coffee engine she had built in the Mushroom Kingdom. To not quite as much success.
Valron: "You really should make some space for- ... Oh. We're here? Huh. Was expecting it to take a little longer."
KitRedgrave: "No." *She fiddles with some things, brews another bit of coffee, and samples it.* "No."
Nonna: "Has anyone been here before? What should we expect?"
KitRedgrave: "Dammit, why is it always WRONG." *She frustratedly gives the horribly duct-taped together coffee machine a smack and decides to give it a rest for now.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I've been here. You can expect a million regulations and very skeptical, annoying people."
Valron: "Noted."
Nonna: "Ah, so Celia is short for Bureaucraceilia."
KitRedgrave: "...Oh great. Exactly what we need good coffee to deal with." *Sigh.*
Gelato: *He finally gives up in a huff, going back to the bridge to be with everyone.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "In fact the way they are is kinda like this." *Picks up a cup of coffee* "THE COFFEE MUG IS SLIGHTLY OUT OF SHAPE AND BREAKS AT LEAST TWENTY RULES AS A RESULT. THEREFORE WE MUST GET RID OF IT."
Nonna: "...and this is better than dealing with Time Cops?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: *Tosses the mug into the Time Engine as it begins to act strangely and glow* "Although it doesn't quite get that weird and glowy... at least it hasn't recently."
KitRedgrave: "Now if only that were tethered to any sense of aesthetic sensibility, we'd be getting somewhere."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Well, they have kept the Time Cops away from Erastia since they destroyed the Erastians. Erastia basically got... imploded on itself, so we can potentially mine it for dangerous warheads, and use the safety in the ruins there to go deal with more Alsa stuff... and hide behind these Celians, who don't really care for anyone. With any luck, even if the Arbiter shows up, they can distract him."
KitRedgrave: "Then what makes you think they wouldn't just sell us out? Less work for them."
Nonna: "Yeah... what do we have to bargain with?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: *Spends a moment contemplating* "Well they have mostly automated defense systems and last I checked they were unable to really make sense of any of the objects I used... ...But I wasn't exactly to the point of figuring out what to blackmail them about yet. Since I know they have a scavenging operation down there, that they hide..."
Valron: "What've you even got to use against them in that re- ...Oh? Now, that's interesting."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "And there's two sets of Time Cops, so if they sell me out to one, the other is gonna get mad. I mean, there's obviously more to it than that, but they originally hated the Arbiter-Autumnus Time Cops for destroying Erastia, so..."
Nonna: "That's too bad, Gelato. Let's talk to him together about it once we get settled in, okay?"
KitRedgrave: "So you could offer them know-how, and they'd take it. Hm."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I am basically one of the last Erastians alive, yes."
Gelato: "Okay..." *And up onto Nonna's shoulder.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Our technology was never very compatible with... anything. That's why nobody really copied our armor. Illian's looks similar, but is actually his own creation unrelated to us. The Time Cops don't want anyone peeking in there due to how the Time Devices may still be down there."
KitRedgrave: "That's a very good reason to BE peeking in there."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "But they could never convince the Celians to let them in, because the Celians always threatened to just blow it up. Even now, those Time Devices are a rare commodity. The Time Cops' devices have over the years lost features due to accidents and losses of data. The Erastian Time Devices always seemed to do a lot more than theirs, since the Erastians had no real limitations on what was allowed to be engineered in. My original Time Device let me split myself in two, speed up time, and warp through people, killing them."
KitRedgrave: "And if you find a new working one... God help us all. This has to happen. It's too rich not to."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I hardly needed any weapons because I could just destroy people with raw time power. Supposedly it took a ton of damage every time I did it, though, and they had to keep replacing them. I get the feeling that's what befell the device I had on me when I went to Nintendus the first time, too."
KitRedgrave: "Do you know why they would just break? Maybe we could engineer them a little stronger."
Nonna: "That... sounds too dangerous to just be left alone."
Valron: "Careless overuse that damaged it a bit too badly?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Massive power surges. Like this!" *Taps the bridge computer.*
Metal Man (GM): The lights flicker.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Did I mention the same sort of technology is what controls this ship's vital systems?" *Nervous chuckle* "And... it's been put back together over one hundred times... ...and this place is about the best place to find compatible repair stuff?"
KitRedgrave: "So... it can take a few surges. We better be careful."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...That's why I wasn't thinking too hard about the Celians. I figured even if we have to Baton Toss their satellites away, we can replace stuff they break on here with fresh spares from the surface. BUT! You have given me better ideas... ...sort of. Anything more you might want me to tell you about?"
Valron: "In any case, reinforcing it to handle the abuse is... probably a good idea." *He pauses as he hears Xavier's chuckle* "I... see. Well, as long as we can find enough things..."
Metal Man (GM): Borne walks in, stretching a bit.
KitRedgrave: "It'd be best if we can figure out how they even made these in the first place."
Nonna looks totally baffled and bewildered, so she settles on petting Gelato.
Valron: "That too, yes."
KitRedgrave: "Then we'd have a supply so long as we can get raw materials."
Commander Borne: "So... a bunch of people have a planet surrounded by satellites... that are automated... We could just... take over their satellites and hold them hostage to our whims."
KitRedgrave: "That too, if we have to."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I've heard of that happening before, but that's precisely why I wonder if it is possible now. You're not the first one... or the last..."
Commander Borne: "Surely if we just have to blockade dodge, we could just disable their satellites?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Sure, but the control node has to be visited. They don't just turn off from interference alone. If it was that easy, the sun would have taken them out."
Nonna: "This all doesn't sound like the best way to go about making potential future allies. Are we really expecting interactions with the Celians to go that poorly?"
Valron: "And I'd imagine they'd be something of a laughingstock if that was the case."
KitRedgrave: "If we can learn what we need to learn from this place, we'll probably never need to come back anyway."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "To be honest, I am probably not the best person to talk with them, because my suit alone violates about 100 of their most important regulations for personnel and acceptable risk for military units."
KitRedgrave: "And they don't seem the sort to me to ever willingly ally with the likes of US."
Commander Borne: "There was once these Repliforce people on my homeworld... They talked of protocol endlessly and how they had to do the right thing too. Ultimately all it took was lots of bribes."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I don't have the coins for that, Dr. Mario or someone stole them."
Valron: "My retirement money was... apparently stolen by space pirates, so."
KitRedgrave: "Dr. Space Pirate Mario? The DEVIL."
Valron: "I'd hope not."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Getting money is hard. Going back would involve lots of shooting..."
Commander Borne: "We should probably stop being the pitiful space hoboes who do odd jobs for people before it becomes a trend."
Valron: "Something tells me that's going to be a while before that happens..."
Nonna: "Let's hope we don't have to resort to blackmail or threats of violence, then."
KitRedgrave: "If we can figure out the secrets of all this old stuff, we wouldn't need to do odd jobs. We could just tear apart a few asteroids for everything we need."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "We have to get around the Celians though, to get to the useful ones."
Commander Borne: "Are you exactly sure that your people never went into space, Xavier?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "We had space ships and stuff. Why does that even matter?"
Commander Borne: "The Celians have the same sort of blindness I had. They're guarding the mother lode. And ignoring the other nodes."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Yeah, but--"
Commander Borne: "You left with your data intact, did you not?"
Valron: "Enter through the other nodes to get to the mother lode?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "It's 50 years old and really corrupted."
Commander Borne: "Says the cyborg surrounded by people with magic powers and nanomachines."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...I really should pay more attention."
Valron: "Also, someone who has had experience with computers, so. There's that. Maybe I could try and unscramble it?"
Commander Borne: "We find an outrigger base to repair things enough, and if we need more scrap to sell, we can sell it to the Celians. If it's a good enough base, we ought to even be able to use it for ourselves."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Well, it's no harm to try."
Valron: "Worth a shot, to say the least. Especially if we can find a nice cluster of bases. Then again, I guess that depends on how closely together the Erastians grouped them..."
KitRedgrave: "For now. Maybe we can figure a way around them later."
Metal Man (GM): Xavier opens his suit up and takes out a busted computer chip that looks like a NES cartridge.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Here you go."
Valron: "...Well, then. Let's see, here..." *He takes the chip scans it with his visor, deciding to get a better look at it, along with a better idea of how messed up it is.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "And I wouldn't suggest you mix it, because it's... fragile."
Metal Man (GM): You determine, Valron, it's like somebody left a NES cartridge out in the sun. An exploding sun. The data has been harshly corrupted. It may, in fact, require bona fide magic to fix this. Because technologically speaking, this thing is probably dead. In fact given how Xavier casually pulled it out without having any real effect happen to him... he's been working without it the whole time.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Back in the day, that thing was my Smash Dex, telling me what to do, what was going on... now it's a hunk of plastic."
Commander Borne: *Staring at it* "...You weren't bluffing."
Valron: "...Wow. Okay, yeah. We're definitely going to need magic to... well, actually get anywhere with this."
KitRedgrave: "Maybe, but what SORT... It's not like I have some sort of 'fixus everythingus' spell on me, even though I wish I did sometimes."
Commander Borne: "Alsan Magic, repair work... you could attempt Panel on it maybe?"
Valron: "I was thinking Panel, yeah..."
KitRedgrave: "...Wait, you're right. We /do/ have a Fixus Everythingus. Silly me."
Gelato: "Mixy magic?" 8D
KitRedgrave would go ahead and cast that aforementioned spell on the scorched NES game cartridge chip, and see what happens.
Nonna: *Watching carefully.*
Metal Man (GM): A bunch of sparks fly out of the slot, continuously. It looks mildly less destroyed.
Valron: "Nah. Don't think we need to mix things. Not yet, anyways. Thanks for showing initiative, though."
Commander Borne: "Maybe do it some more. It was probably destroyed several times over."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Blame Garrick's MAC Cannon for that."
KitRedgrave would try casting it again, not exactly sure how Alsan magic that has never seen anything like this is somehow working anyway.
Valron: "Remind me to actually learn Panel for later. This is a bit ridiculous. ...Actually, wait. I do have the cube spellbook, so you could... just mark Panel down in that. It's still got four blank slots, anyways... Funny. And here, I never thought I'd have find much of a use for two different spellbooks."
Metal Man (GM): It throws more sparks.
KitRedgrave: "...Would it even work? I'm just kinda ad-hoc solving like fifty magic linear equations at once, not sure I can even describe it succinctly enough to write down."
Commander Borne: "We might need a little more firepower on this spell. That thing is more destroyed than usual things are."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "That's why I was pretty certain it wasn't useful."
Commander Borne: "Just because it isn't easily fixable doesn't mean it's destroyed."
Valron: "Oh! I can handle that, then." *He suddenly pulls out his own spellbook, flips it open, then casts Charge on Kit.* "Okay, now try it again."
KitRedgrave starts glowing kind of like she got some sort of... kritz charge? Wrong game. "That... feels amazing good, actually. Thank you. I'm gonna need to start doing this. Anyhow..." *She would try Paneling again, extra strength!*
Valron: "I'm really glad I decided to pick up Charge. It's proven to be rather handy."
Nonna approaches Kit, and inscribes the Rune Inguz next to her. "This may help."
KitRedgrave: "...Well that's a new one."
Metal Man (GM): The chip throws even more sparks. Eventually it clicks and clacks, and then turns on with some strange lights.
KitRedgrave gets another spell's worth of energy just shoved through her and into the chip, apparently, in the meantime.
Metal Man (GM): Kit also glows vaguely like a Christmas tree from all the energizing.
KitRedgrave: "It... worked."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...Just be careful next time, don't want to cause Kit to power up so much she explodes."
KitRedgrave: "Y-yeah... there's a point when that happens."
Valron: "...I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
Gelato: "..." *He licks Kit.*
KitRedgrave would go to get some more coffee, hands shaking. And gets some luke-warm coffee, which immediately heats up on her touch.
Valron: "In any case, now that we've got that sorted out..." *NOW he scans it, seeing as it's been thoroughly de-gronked.*
Metal Man (GM): A bunch of hideous 1980's fonts flood Valron's visor. It says "INSIGHT" and a bunch of ASCII logos fly by. It appears to just be awaiting a command. Xavier would gesture for it.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Surely I can use it an--"
Commander Borne: "Yeah, but then only you can see anything. Plug it into the ship. You can copy it onto something not irreplaceable."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "If you insist..." *Opens a panel and blows dust off an ancient cartridge slot* "There, you can plug it into the ship so everyone can see."
Valron: "...Amazing. What an ancient mess." *He shakes his head, before just going to... do that. The whole 'plug cartridge into ship thing. Yes.*
Metal Man (GM): It boots up and shows up on a previously blank monitor. It's just waiting for a text query. The whole >_ thing and everything.
Nonna sits back down.
Valron: "Now, where do we start with this?"
KitRedgrave: "...Maybe ask it some questions? Like where it's from, what it knows?"
Valron: "Oh, wait. I know what to do. When faced with unfamiliar systems..." *He types in HELP. That usually works.*
KitRedgrave: "HELP? A little unorthodox but maybe."
Valron: "It should bring up a list of commands."
Metal Man (GM): The list shows a bunch of text. It responds "HELP IS ACCESSIBLE IN OVER ONE LANGUAGE(S)." Then... "PLEASE ASK WHATEVER YOU WANT IN WHATEVER PHRASING YOU WANT BECAUSE THERE IS NO SET WAY TO USE THE INSIGHT SYSTEM."
Valron: "...Oh."
Metal Man (GM): You then see a bunch of misspelled words inside it, and some glitch pixels.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "They never really forced anyone to... bug test, you know?"
KitRedgrave: "...heh heh. Magic can only fix things so far it seems."
Valron: *Cue an awkward pause* "...Right! Where is the nearest Erastian base?"
Metal Man (GM): It casually throws a bunch of sparks, then curtly responds "HERE." It throws up a bunch of data about the ship's computers.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Oh... uh... right. This is sort of the mainframe of my old training base's stuff we're using."
KitRedgrave: "So... this is technically a base then?"
Nonna: "Next nearest base, then?"
Valron: "...Nearest base that isn't here?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "It's a pretty cruddy Erastian base. All it's got is a computer and me."
Metal Man (GM): It then glitches out and wackily displays vector graphics. It then maps a coordinate that takes the ship on a loop-de-loop course towards a moon dangerously close to a sun.
nsight: "BASE 115: Eritea."
KitRedgrave: "...Please tell me your people didn't seriously take routes that insane through space."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "We didn't bother to check our pathing algorithms... ever."
Insight: "Primary specialization: Midnight lava golfing."
Valron: "...Seriously? That many options and it picks the one that's ridiculously closely to the sun."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "It's the closest base to us that it could detect, I'm certain."
KitRedgrave: "That probably explains a lot about your fate, sadly."
Insight: "Secondary function: Shopping mall."
Nonna: "Ask if there's a nearby base suitable for life within our parameters?"
Insight: "Third function: Lethal Weapons Development."
KitRedgrave: "How does that even WORK? ...Third one. Second one too."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Unfortunately a lot of the secrets of my people were lost when they died. I was considered abnormal for not wanting to play Midnight lava golfing."
Valron: "I'm wondering how that first one even vaguely works, but yes. Those latter two things are more interesting."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I guess I'd have been a great player after all." *Takes out his golf club.*
Insight: "Suitable base for squishy non-armored sentients."
Metal Man (GM): It pauses for a moment. It then shows a base really far away to the left, that's on a water world.
Insight: "BASE 481: Beachland."
Metal Man (GM): It shows a wireframe image of a base that's built on a tropical resort beach.
KitRedgrave: "That. That'll work. If something doesn't come up..."
Insight: "Primary function: Hiding military technology in the shape of a beach resort."
Gelato: :D *swimming!*
Insight: "Secondary function: Beach parties. Tertiary function: Maximum hiding capability and bug-out zone."
KitRedgrave: "Okay, that sounds exactly like what we'd need."
Nonna: "Almost sounds too good to be true."
KitRedgrave: "It probably is, but worth a look."
Valron: "It really does. Worth checking out later."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Nobody ever told me about that base. Most likely because it was supposed to be secret. You must have fried its security parameters when you rebooted it. Or I should say, intentionally disabled them because the Erastian Military secrets rightfully belong to us now."
KitRedgrave: "...So that's what all that text screaming 'classified' and 'do not tell the time bandit' was for. Welp. Oops~. I guess we know everything now."
Valron: "In any case. Are we gonna make a quick stop to midnight lava golf town first, or...?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Most of the people who would be offended are dead, so... It's not like they can really object anymore. The Celians don't even pretend to have rights, they just take things and hide it."
KitRedgrave: "If we can get over there without melting... They'll probably not have tried that place yet. In fact we now probably know of a million different little nooks and crannies they'll likely never FIND."
Nonna: "Before we get too close, we should scan the surface for life signs, probably also live weapon traps, automated gun nests, and the like if we can."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Yeah, these chips were initially meant to help us always have a place to escape to. I never thought about it because I was so used to this chip thinking for me. Until Wolfman's fighter remote fried it into oblivion."
Commander Borne: "It's for the best. Do you really think you'd have used this great knowledge responsibly?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...No."
KitRedgrave: "Right. In fact, we should probably not even send people down unless we need to. Do we have some sort of... golems with fireworks attached to do it?"
Valron: "I could probably make it down. I'm pretty well-armored as it is, and I don't really need to breath, so..."
Commander Borne: "I can rig some cameras if we need..."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I forget if that base was supposed to be that close to the moon."
Insight: "No."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...Ah... no wonder why nobody raided it."
Valron: "That explains a lot."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...I mean sun... not moon... ...don't mind me, the chip can figure out what I'm saying by itself. Shall we go visit that forbidding sun place, then?"
Valron: "I'm all for it."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "We can probably deal with the Celians by offering them whatever garbage we don't need. Or maybe not deal with the Celians at all, if we can help it."
Valron: "I'd rather not deal with them at all, to be honest."
Nonna: "Oh... well."
Valron: "If we can slip by without having to interact with them, then all the better."
KitRedgrave: "I don't see any reason to deal with them at all, unless there's things we absolutely need from 'their' pile."
Valron: "Excepting anything of particular note from their things, yes."
KitRedgrave: "So long as they can't tell we're here, anyhow."
Metal Man (GM): The ship flies towards the sun of this universe, which happens to be a strange blue color. It makes all the light look weird inside.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "You know, I kinda missed the strange colors that exist in the galaxy."
Nonna: "Is a blue star really that out of the ordinary?"
KitRedgrave: "Also, more importantly. How are we getting this close and not burning up?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Not too unusual, but I haven't gone near one very recently. The Charles Magellean shield, of course."
Nonna: "Hm... the cosmic energy generated from a star gives me an idea for something..."
Valron: "I'm wondering how it even got this close to the sun in the first place."
Commander Borne: "You can thank the fact that shield disobeys most of physics... ...I wonder if the base does too."
Metal Man (GM): Speaking of strange physics, some energy forms next to the Time Engine as well.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...Aw heck... I'm guessing physics doesn't like it when you taunt it too much."
Nonna: "What is it?"
Commander Borne: "Some sort of time-space anomaly. I can't tell what kind of that it is, mind you."
Valron: "Huh... Peculiar."
KitRedgrave: "...Of all the things for reality to complain about, THIS is what it gets fed up over?"
Nonna: "Is it dangerous? Will it grow?"
Commander Borne: "It appears to be becoming... more stable."
Metal Man (GM): The energy becomes the shape of a person... ...then winks out, leaving a person there next to the engine, a bit of smoke coming off of them.
KitRedgrave: "...Nifty. Another person in the party apparently."
Gelato: D: *He bounces over to them, trying to help them up!*
Commander Borne: "It doesn't appear to be too dangerous. Most of the malicious people don't randomly warp in next to the engine like that. Although I am going to suggest we build a device to figure out incoming warps before somebody with a dangerously advanced teleport capability kills us..."
Nonna gets up to check it out too, just in case.
KitRedgrave: "That would be a pretty effective method to get us though."
Valron: "Huh... should've expected that, honestly. Well, at least we'll... Have an idea for what that means when that anomaly happens again."
Santigue is holding a Halligan bar, about to strike downwards. She stops and blinks. "Er..." Then promptly draws back from people trying to touch her. "Don't... I'm hot."
Nonna: *Stops a distance from the newcomer.* "Oh... uh, hi. Want something to cool down with?"
KitRedgrave: "That's a strange thing you've got in your hands, I wonder what it is..."
Valron: "Also, that is a very good idea, Borne." *He pauses as he glances over at the new person* "I can handle extreme temperatures, but of respect for the concept of personal space... I won't touch. Promise" *He hasn't even approached yet, but. Hey. May as well say somethin'.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "My hands aren't even made out of flesh, but it's a policy of mine not to poke people who recently warped in without knowing their name and it being their idea and not mine in the first place."
Gelato: *The dragon sits down in front of the new person... About the size of a small dog, perfectly clear, and tilting his head.*
Santigue: "It's not your's. That's what it is." *She stood upright and held the bar by the middle to her side.* "No. The Ceremite cools on it's own." *The strangely-clad and apparently female person turned and looked at the engine, then started walking towards the console.* "Where is your Vox Relay?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Last time I did it, evil puppets threatened to kill me in my sleep."
KitRedgrave: "Vox... Relay? There's going to be some explaining to do."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Vox relay? I can only guess that involves some sort of voice. We have a radio, but I'd have to ask what that's for..." *He flips switches on the console* "Because we're trying to keep incognito at the moment."
KitRedgrave: "You probably made some cross-dimensional jump or something."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "It doesn't help we're flying a giant magishielded ship towards a star and a dysfunctional shut down military base."
Gelato squirsh. He promptly gets stepped on, feeling like gum on her shoe... although he's not sticking to it. He's left blinking, with a perfect bootprint on his head.
Nonna: "Does this happen often?"
Santigue turns to look at Xavier. "Incognito? From what?" Attention turned to Kit. "No, no. There is one dimension from my understanding. Is there any ..." She pauses to look at the bottom of a very hot boot. "Sorry."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "We're hiding from evil... time traveling policemen. Two types of them, who both want us dead for not letting them rule the universe."
KitRedgrave: "...Then yeah, we're gonna need to get acquainted and oriented real quick. Not altogether the worst time you could've picked to arrive."
Santigue: "Policemen?" *She puzzled.* "Inquisition or Arbites? Either one I wouldn't want to be involved with. I've done nothing heretical."
Valron: "Neither. Though there is a fellow called The Arbiter, but I doubt he has any relation to the latter group... whatever those are."
Editor's Note: While the player of Santigue, Panzer, is a regular, it is rather unfortunate that she attempted to jam Warhammer 40K into SSQ for the nth time. Such a setting is, flatly put, incompatible... but I guess everybody wanted to only play those kinds of characters back when. These days, when I make games, I've learned from such and will flatly say no to anything that's too far outside of what's compatible. Too bad, though, the character was good otherwise...
Santigue turned her attention back to the ship's console, staring at it but not touching. "Bring me your Mechanicus. I wish him to operate this for me."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "There's a person named the Arbiter. He's a giant being made of steel... and shoots giant lasers."
KitRedgrave: "Um. Okay. Over here in this world, we don't have any of those groups. And we"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Mechanicus? I guess you could call me one of those..."
KitRedgrave: "Um. Okay. Over here in this world, we don't have any of those groups. And we're not really the burning-at-the-stake sort anyway. It'd take a lot to be a heretic here."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Unless you talk to the Celians. They won't call you a heretic, but they will say you're illegal."
Santigue: "Man of Iron? I'm not exactly ... Up on the past but weren't those outlawed a long time ago? And no, you're not a Mechanicus. You're not robed properly."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I have a cape!" *Gestures futilely to his cape* "I'm not surprised that men of iron were outlawed where you were from. I'm actually one of the last of my own kind, so most of my kind were outlawed by Time Cops."
Commander Borne: "Just don't get too confused by his attempts to pretend he belongs in your universe, newcomer... ...Because he most definitely isn't of your world."
KitRedgrave: "Nobody really 'belongs' in this universe, here. We just wind up here somehow."
Nonna: "Okay, let's just get this cleared up right now before it gets any more confusing. We are from, and currently in, a place or dimension in which the rules, culture, and history differ greatly from your own."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Well I... kind of did... until I got sent to the other universe..."
Santigue chuckles. "Good for you. Yes, they were. They were too sentient or something." She started pushing buttons finally. "Where's the Cogitator? Relay? Bah..." She'd mutter. "No, none of you are. I've seen no Aquila here, thus I can safely assume this is the work of Warp."
Gelato: *He wibbles his gooform back into shape and heads back over to the group, smacking his lips.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Aquila... what are aquila?"
Valron: *He glances over at Gelato* "You alright there, little guy?"
Santigue turns and points to her helmet. Above the visor, or what appears to be one over her face, there is a golden metal double-headed eagle with wings spread. "The emblem of the Emperor."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Oh... the Emperor..." *He leans back in his chair.* "...Did you know anyone named Garrick?"
KitRedgrave: "...Wow. Really. This is gonna take a lot of explaining."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "We encountered someone like this once, but they didn't seem very human."
Nonna: "So none of us really understand what you're referring to, despite what Xavier is saying. But could you explain what you're looking for, so perhaps we can help you?"
KitRedgrave would fiddle with the coffee engine some more. "Want some coffee? It isn't PERFECT yet, but you'll probably want some anyway."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "They said they were for the Emperor and helped kill Evil Wolfman. However, they also seemed to not understand what anything was, and sorta accidentally doomed an entire planet."
Commander Borne: "It is unusual that he knows someone else who referred to an Emperor, but I wouldn't focus too much on whatever anecdote that is."
Nonna: "...just understand that terminology which may be everyday words for you may be lost in translation on us."
Santigue: "Garrick? No. Not on my assigned crew. Sounds like a stupid name if you ask me... Not very human? Explain." *She canted her head.* "I'm looking for a way to get back, obviously. I have certain need of purification after my Warp encounter. I'm surprised none of you know what that is."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Think of... a person in a giant suit of armor... really big... giant gun... No sense of humor... Although he wasn't entirely of your universe either. He could have been from a paralell version of your universe."
Santigue grins behind the visor. "Adeptus Astartes."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Because in his world, one of us had actually visited your world, and they made a clone of him, and... it's so convoluted it even baffles us. The most important part is I have some mild knowledge of what you may be. Not much though. The... Adeptus as you call him didn't tell us much about any of his stuff. He was too busy blowing up Evil Wolfman. Which was probably a good thing, because he didn't appear to like us very much."
KitRedgrave makes some more coffee anyway, and sets the pot and some mugs down where everyone can have some before just bemusedly listening in.
Valron: "I didn't pay them much mind, myself. Just kinda stood off to the side and let other people handle things while I made quips. For the most part, anyway."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "In any case, we are probably on the same side... well, equivalent, because this universe has no Emperor in it. As much as the giant armored guy protested, he couldn't really raise any of his buddies out here. He had to leave and fly a very far distance outside of anything I've seen to get back home."
Santigue presses more random buttons on the console. "Adeptus is just a name. I'm not learned on the meaning myself, I'm just a citizen. I fall under the Imperium but I still belong to my world after that. We never have Astartes on our planet. I did see some on Cadia. They were magnificent." She nodded. "Then there is no Relay and I am ... Stuck for now. Fitting. Show me to your nearest" She station."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Station... this is about the only station. Well, and this other one we're going to!" *He smiles nervously and points to the moon that's half melted by the blue sun.* "It's... ...probably mostly melted, but we're visiting it for supplies."
Valron: "...Yeah. You kinda came in at a pretty... peculiar time."
Santigue: "This is not a station. This is a ship. Stations are typically on planets." *She'd pull off a glove and touch a pale hand to her armor.* "Nice and cool again. Damned sun."
Commander Borne: "Speaking as someone with more inter-dimensional knowledge than Xavier most likely has..." *He would nod softly.* "There's many realms and this is a hub world, into which people who get lost get thrown into. You most likely were near a warp that got redirected, and wound up here, near our engine, which itself lenses reality out of shape. We tend to be the... very diverse crew consisting of the people that ended up in this place. Sometimes we get back home, but some of us choose to stay here. Usually those of us who prefer it out here. Less... interference in whatever it is one might want to do. If your civilization had ship-faring travelers, that would be a good way to put what we are."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Yeah, though we do a few military things too."
Commander Borne: "Mostly mercenary actions against evil beings."
Nonna: "I'm Nonna, a Cadet. Nice to meet you."
Santigue: "Machines are not my concern. We do have space-faring capabilities but the passage is mainly reserved for the Imperial Guard and it's forces. Inquisition and some other branches. Hello Nonna, I'm Santigue."
Valron: "Valron. And I've probably been here a bit too long for my own good. Nice to meet you."
KitRedgrave: "Catherine Redgrave, at your service."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I am Xavier Ridgecrest! Interdimensional Time Cop Bandit Adventurer Quester and More!"
Commander Borne: "I am Commander Borne, ex-President of GUN. There's another armored man named Illian. He doesn't come out very often."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I've always wondered--does Borne have a last name?"
Commander Borne: "Jack was my father, so 'Widowmaker' if you really wanted to call me that."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Uh..."
Commander Borne: "I didn't think so."
Valron: "Yeah, that... doesn't really roll off the tongue that well."
Commander Borne: "There was Al'drath too, I guess... not terribly tongue-rolling either."
Santigue: "You are... Over-enthusiastic." *Said to Xavier. She'd remove the other glove, each stuffed into a compartment-style pocket on her thick pants before reaching up and removing her helmet and tucking it under an arm. Under which was a pale female with a mostly-shaved head, and a messy topknot of blond growing out of a high-and tight in a way. Also, a ring hanging from the middle of her nose.* "I don't need your family history."
Commander Borne: "Few people need Xavier's family history, that much is known."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Good thing I forgot everything about my family..." *Looks puzzled when he goes to even try to remember.*
KitRedgrave: "It'd be interesting... oh that's a shame."
Valron: "I lost track of mine ages ago. Probably wasn't that important, anyway."
Nonna: "...You get used to him, don't worry."
Commander Borne: "You can probably repair Xavier's memory some time when it wouldn't annoy the newcomer, Kit."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I'm not a machine to just fix li--" *Speaker shorts out and he bangs on his helmet to bring his voice back.*
KitRedgrave: "Mine is all ages dead by now. Time travel and *Somebody* screwing up your home dimension does that."
Santigue balances her helmet on her back, atop a scorched-looking cylinder, before taking an axe off the harness affixing the cylinder to her back, turning it around and securing the halligan bar to it before putting them both up. "Your Relay is broken, Xavier."
KitRedgrave: "We'll have to try it. Heh... wonder if Panel will do it."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "What's a relay? I could probably try to build a new one."
Nonna: "All I really have is my grandfather, but... that's not worth getting into."
Valron: "I don't think even that supercharged Panel we did earlier would help much."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I wish I'd stolen... er... borrowed that Marine guy's ship. Their tech was so interesting, and yet different from anything I used."
Metal Man (GM): Slowly, in the background, the sun base becomes larger, as the ship is busy plotting a course for it.
Valron: "Ah well. We'll have things working a bit better here once we... you know. Explore that base."
Santigue: "Build a new one? I'm fairly sure that's heretical as well... A Relay is something to carry Vox, voice. I have one on my mask attached to my helmet. It's smoky but it works fine. You did pull me directly out of a burning building."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Oh. You mean the one in my helmet. Funny about that. Nearly everything I own is broken."
KitRedgrave: "Oh. Well... I hope you and they'll all be fine."
Commander Borne: "We're trying to fix all the broken things Xavier has, because they keep interfering with doing things."
KitRedgrave: "We'll have to go back to your world sometime and see."
Santigue turns to Borne. "I could break it further for you, actually. Would you like an axe?" She'd look at Kit. "They likely are. We had it mostly rooted out, though I'm going to be very much in trouble with the Captain when I'm unfound."
Commander Borne: "...I've been tempted to break his things myself sometimes, but that doesn't work so much. Better to do this."
Metal Man (GM): Borne uses his inhuman nanite-being fingers to casually peel open the control panel like it's nothing and put a broken capacitor back into place, then seal it back up like he didn't break it open at all.
Commander Borne: "I'd do that with his helmet but he told me he doesn't want me to undo all the 'unique character-giving properties of malfunctional armor.'"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "That's right, because--" *Voice shorts out again.*
Commander Borne: "It's handy... sometimes his rants just turn off mid-way."
Santigue draws out her axe anyhow, due to the very unusual sight. "What in the name of the Emperor? What are you doing with your ... Hand? HERETIC!"
Gelato: D8 *He runs over to her!*
Commander Borne: *Smirks* "You'd consider me more of a machine than a person. It's hard to be a heretic when I don't count as a normal person... at all."
KitRedgrave: "Oh, come now. You're a person."
Commander Borne: "Made out of sentient sand, yes."
Nonna: "So, um, Santigue. It looks like you're stuck with us for now until we can get you back home. Are you okay sticking with us until then?"
Santigue: "Then you are aligned with Dark Mechanicus, which is heretical as well." *She'd look down at the peculiar Jelly Dragon?* "Is that you crackling over my Relay I keep hearing? That's why I took the helmet off." *She looked at Nonna.* "Er. I suppose."
Commander Borne: "I was created by a number of very bad people. Does it make it better that I helped kill them so they couldn't be evil anymore?"
Santigue: "That's not for me to decide, that belongs to the Arbites. They are the keepers of Lex Imperialis anyhow."
KitRedgrave: "Well, we're a quadrillion lightyears from any of these 'Arbites'. So I guess it'll have to be up to you to decide for yourself, at least for now."
Commander Borne: "The biggest problem is this world has a guy named the Arbiter, and he doesn't really follow any rules. He skips to blowing things up."
Santigue: "I'm fairly sure that's not a number. Does this place even have firefighters?"
Nonna: "Then we'll have to learn to get along in the meantime. There are things we may say or do which may be strange to you, but we mean no disrespect. What is heretical in your realm is not necessarily so here."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Fire fighting... ...oh there is one. His name is Walther. He put out the gigantic fire on the infinitely powerful force field we use. Nobody saw it, but I did... the security cameras showed me."
Commander Borne: "You should really pay more attention to that force field box."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Walther will deal with it!"
KitRedgrave: "Yeah... things tend to just catch fire here whenever."
Santigue: "Nonna, you misunderstand. The Emperor controls mostly everything, thus if it is heretical in my 'realm' it is heretical here. Though, it's not my job to root that sort of thing out."
KitRedgrave says this right as the coffee engine dings three times, dispenses a cup, and then catches on fire.
Nonna: "Of course, we do not expect you to drop or give up your own personal code of ethics, either. We'll do our best not to flagrantly offend you."
Metal Man (GM): Illian walks out, glowing randomly. He glances at Santigue.
Santigue turns her head and lofts a brow, walking over to the coffee machine. "Good one." She'd pull a packet of powder from her pocket and open it, turning it onto the coffee maker to douse it. "You should plug this in correctly."
Valron: "...Illian, did you eat the bacon sandwich?"
Metal Man (GM): He has his own armor like Xavier's, only shinier and lighter looking.
Illian MacGregor: "I polished my armor in order to capture the glory of the sun."
KitRedgrave: "...There's a correct way to plug it in?"
Valron: "...Oh."
Illian MacGregor: "I heard someone else out here had a code of conduct you were violating."
KitRedgrave: "Illian, there's never a minute when we're not doing that. But yes, doubly so right now."
Santigue: "Probably." *She starts feeling around for a plug after putting on her gloves.*
Illian MacGregor: *Glances to Santigue* "It is fine. These people can be considered prisoners working off their debts to society. A higher authority has deemed them to do this work. Perhaps it is yours. I tried to stop them, but whatever it was stopped me. They did not appear to be able to control it either. ...So it is not really for any of us to judge them. Whatever unearthly powers that bind them seem to be doing it for us."
Gelato: "..."
Santigue is still feeling around. "The Emperor does issue sentences like that in mysterious ways. Again, not my call."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...Or we could just be very lucky!"
KitRedgrave: "...Um. Sure. Let's go with that explanation."
Gelato: *He steps over next to Illian, glowing himself.* X3
KitRedgrave: "Whatever's expedient."
Illian MacGregor: "...Yes... as far as being marooned from everything is lucky..." *Pets Gelato.*
Valron: "I probably have one of the longer sentences, all things considered. So sure, let's go with that."
Illian MacGregor: "Perhaps we need to plug Gelato in... ...actually, don't do that."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I tried plugging Gelato in. Blue goo got stuck in everything..."
KitRedgrave: "I'm sure we're going to get an earful about these things I hear called 'OSHA regulations', whatever those are."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "He was also energized for many hours."
Metal Man (GM): The ship screen randomly says "DESTINATION HAS BEEN ARRIVED TO NOW PRESENTLY AT FIZZ BUZZ."
Santigue: "Gelato is very good, I had some once." *She can't find a cord to the coffee maker so she steps back.* "Hope you have an alternate means of producing this beverage." *She'd strike it with her axe.*
KitRedgrave winces as Santigue smacks it with the axe. "...Not really. Nothing that's as good. Also that took me two weeks to build. Or was it two days? It's all a blur when you've had that much coffee."
Valron: "I thought it was more like two hours. Then again I wasn't paying attention, so..."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Normally I'd say don't destroy the machine, but given the effect it had on Kit, we can probably pause the coffee for a while."
Santigue: "Fire hazard, sorry. It's within my right." *Hack... Hack... Smash...*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Also don't try that with the Charles Shield. I hit it with my golf club once and it bent the golf club."
KitRedgrave: "Normally I'd object, but it's pretty dumb to try and argue with somebody with an axe in their hand."
Metal Man (GM): Xavier takes out his perpetually on fire golf club and looks at it.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I had an axe once... ...it was also perpetually on fire."
Santigue stops and puts the axe up, turning to look at the club, blinking. "What is wrong with that thing?"
Valron: "It's meant to do that, apparently."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I found an error in the subroutine that powered its laser generating abilities. One that caused it to constantly be on fire... all the time. I have a special asbestos carrying case for it. Mostly because I got tired of it setting my legs on fire."
Santigue: "Let me see it?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I would, but it's completely on fire. Including the handle."
Santigue wriggles gloved fingers. "Firefighter. That's what the gear's for. Hand it over."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Don't bother trying to destroy it either. It's... cursed."
Nonna: "She's gonna destroy it, Xavier."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I have something much more useful for her to destroy, then. ...We must journey to find Garrick's drum set."
Santigue: "Astartes don't have drum sets."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "The person the Astartes was a clone of had a drum set. ... ...also look at that!" *Points at the moon outside.*
Metal Man (GM): The moon... it has an entire station on its surface. One that is perpetually on fire.
Nonna: "This is the lava planet?"
Metal Man (GM): Surrounded by lava.
Santigue: "I'm very seriously in doubt." *She looks and lofts a brow.* "Well. I'll be busy a while."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "If you could put that fire out, then maybe we can talk about basic safety standards being implemented on this ship."
KitRedgrave: "...Hahahaha yeah right. That entire PLANET is on fire. Next to a BALL OF FIRE."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Especially because inside that burning base are replacement parts I didn't build out of trash I found in the dumpster. If they haven't already been burnt to bits by the sun."
Santigue: "If I'm to stay here, there will be safety overhauls, Xavier."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...As long as we do it on a piecemeal basis, without destroying anything without warning. Otherwise more danger may actually occur. Because some of the things you might destroy actually could be holding back even more dangerous things."
Commander Borne: "It's true, the hallway of ungrounded electrical cords is really there to stop anyone from going to--"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Shhhhhhhh."
Santigue: "Not of my concern. If it's a hazard, it goes. ... What was that, Borne?"
Commander Borne: "Well, rather than wire the power supply of the engine over there to the back end of the ship properly, he used a bunch of extension cords."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I wouldn't hit that with an axe though. It would probably melt you and the ship. I know... some poor fool once tried it... some sort of pirate... or was it Aetos?"
Commander Borne: "We're going to get replacement parts for that part of the ship, anyway. Less... electrocution that way."
Santigue sighs. "Emperor help me... No, not an Axe. I have methods for electrical hazards, however. Then again I likely could, it's non-conductive." She'd start towards the door.
Metal Man (GM): Illian would shrug.
Illian MacGregor: "I'd leave it until after they get the replacement, otherwise we'll all be without oxygen in 20 seconds. This ship is a gyro-rigged mess you're on, and the best way to fix it is when not next to the sun."
Santigue: "Airtank." *She'd point to her back, still walking.*
Illian MacGregor: "...It'd take over 60 hours to move the ship to a place with habitable atmosphere from here, though."
Valron: "I don't need to breath, but... that doesn't really help everyone else." *Shrugs.*
Illian MacGregor: "Do you have an infinitank in there? I've heard of such a thing, but only in stories..."
Santigue stops, turning. "No, but there are methods to that. None of which are likely here with this... Antiquated garbage. No offense."
Illian MacGregor: "I don't take offense. I had a really nice ship. They blew it up. My ship was so safe, only about two people died when they blew it up."
Nonna: "Don't lump me in with them."
Santigue: "So, if I was listening right, there are parts on that base? Why aren't we going down there?" *She looked at Nonna.* "I have to, you're here with them."
Commander Borne: "This ship isn't of my design either."
Valron: "Wasn't that because there was pretty much no one on that thing? I don't remember much of anyone on it when I was there."
Nonna: "I was... talking to Illian, actually. But noted."
Illian MacGregor: "...Curse you and your truths, but yes, that is correct, Valron."
KitRedgrave: "The plan is in fact to go loot that base. But only a few of us can go because of how hot it is."
Santigue: "You have more Ceremite suits?"
Illian MacGregor: "...No."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "We have plenty of magic though. ... ...do we have barrier magic, again?"
Santigue: "Psykers? Are they sanctioned?"
KitRedgrave: "I have whatever spells we need, but uncertain as to how effective they'd be."
Nonna: "Asgard likely can put his barrier to use again."
Santigue: "The Xenos is interfering with my Relay again. Is... No one going to address this?"
Illian MacGregor: "There was a large war that destroyed the unsanctioned psy... things..."
KitRedgrave: "Xenos... you mean Gelato? That's how he talks."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "That's right, I think the marine said something like that. The marine used his technology to destroy all the unsanctioned magic things."
KitRedgrave pats Gelato. "He's a good... goo. Not sure if it's a he or she goo."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "We should be safe from these... unsanctioned people you speak of."
Santigue: "The Crusade, but there are still some around. If the Astartes claimed that he may or may not have been a traitor." *She knelt down to look better at Gelato.* "Xenos? Come here?" *She holds out a hand and all. She would try scooping the Gelato up and licking it.* "Pah. This is not Gelato."
KitRedgrave: "I mean, that's its name."
Nonna: "This is going to be a long trip."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Like many things here, its name probably doesn't correspond to what you think it is."
Santigue: "Well, it is a Xenos." *She'd stand up with the googon in her hands still, staring at it.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "It's okay. Santigue should get used to it after a couple days. Like Kit did!"
Commander Borne: "Yes, excepting the part where Kit had to stare at our technology for several days to figure out--"
KitRedgrave: "I think things are a little different, here. Days? More like a month solid and I still have NO IDEA how this place even runs."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Well, neither do I!"
Santigue: "Well, this thing can come. It'd fit in a pocket and might be useful for small spaces... Nice to meet you too, Xeno."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "So... who here is specifically not able to wander into really hot places?"
KitRedgrave: "I think I came from a place a little more open to weirdness and exploration than Santigue's home."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Since this place looks hot... really hot."
Santigue: "I've seen something akin on Ork wrecks. Their garbage technology - or lack thereof - works simply because they want it to, honestly."
Illian MacGregor: "Yes, that is what you could consider Xavier's technology."
Valron: "That's... I don't what to make of that, honestly."
Illian MacGregor: "My technology is something more... well made."
Valron: "Yeah, yours is more along the lines of something that makes sense."
Metal Man (GM): Illian takes out a large shotgun with some neatly arranged energy crystals and stuff on it.
Illian MacGregor: "Pride in craftsmanship."
Metal Man (GM): The ship slowly docks with the melty base. It docks perfectly, due to the fact the ship and base are actually of related technology.
Santigue: "Ork ships are put together pieces of literal garbage, junk plates, scavenged parts and bits, painted red with stupid black and white checker board patterns. The ones with the most of these paint schemes go the fastest."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "That sounds like a good idea. I've only been using dark red on mine, and it doesn't go the fastest yet."
KitRedgrave: "...Yep. That's a pretty accurate description of this place."
Commander Borne: "Some tech does make sense in this world. Just nothing Xavier touches. His golf club is of similar technology... ...and the other things he uses as well."
Santigue: "I like my colors better, Xeno." *She'd try putting the googon in a pocket, with it open so it could peek out. It was nice and cool inside!*
Commander Borne: "I and Illian will stay behind. To ensure the ship doesn't catch on fire."
Illian MacGregor: "Xavier doesn't mention it, but alongside Walther, me and Borne also act as fire fighters."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "What? Don't tell me it catches on fire that often..."
Commander Borne: "You really have no clue, do you..."
Santigue: "Oh? I'm certainly going to overhaul the whole thing if that's the case."
Nonna: "I doubt I'll survive being there, myself."
Illian MacGregor: "Once we find some spare parts, this place will hopefully not be on fire for long."
Gelato: *Squeal!*
KitRedgrave: "I better stay back here. I haven't prepared the necessary enchantments to survive walking into an oven yet."
Nonna: "I could keep up some runes, but that'd drain my energy pretty fast."
Commander Borne: "I have... space suits. They aren't meant for this."
Valron: "I'd hope not. Then again, I also plan on just staying close to my own ship once I get it back."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Very well. Those of us who can take the heat go inside, then try to restore some sense of atmosphere in there."
Santigue: "At least you lot have some sense. You'd be surprised at the people trying to stay inside a really hot place on purpose."
Valron: "I... don't have particular need of a space suit, as I've said before. I can handle the heat and I don't really need to breathe, on top of that."
KitRedgrave: "Oh yes. Airless oven. Two strikes. Gelato, you'll be fine with that right?"
Nonna: *Places an empty glass on a surface nearby, and inscribes a small Laguz rune above it. Enough water is suddenly created to fill it, and she takes a swig.* "That, for example, already took some energy to do."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "We learned a lot from the past 50 years of less intelligent people on the team being burnt to a crisp. These ones are the... far less insane ones. The crazy ones that weren't the right kind of crazy kinda... exploded."
Valron: "Yeah, the rejects all burned themselves. Or imploded."
Santigue pulls her helmet back on and slides her mask back into place, the regulator kept off for now as to not waste air just yet. "So, who's going?"
Illian MacGregor wanders off to go clean up the hall of ungrounded electrical cables for its eventual replacement with something less dangerous.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Well, I'm going. This base is not only made out of my people's technology, but my armor is properly made for this. And all without sacrificing anything at all!" *Bumps into a wall* "Ow, stupid small visor."
KitRedgrave: "Hm... any way we can be of use in here?"
Commander Borne: "It's about the only time that heavy armor he wears makes any sense..."
Valron: "I'm heading out as well, in any case."
Santigue: "You could monitor things if your equipment allows it? Or if you have them, pull up the schematics to better guide us. It'll make it go faster."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "That's right, the ship has a direct connection to that base now. I bet the heat means most of the buttons inside are fried. You can open doors for us and control the still functioning pieces of the base."
Santigue: "That's fine. I have a master key if the doors don't work."
KitRedgrave: "Sounds good. Let me also check something."
Nonna: "We'll do support."
KitRedgrave: *She would pull out the Book and check if it knows anything at all about this place.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "My golf club also works on rowdy, un-opening doors."
Metal Man (GM): The Book literally goes "WTF" at the base. It has no clue what the base is, or what this place is, or anything.
Nonna: "I can have Asgard come out to rescue someone if needed."
KitRedgrave: "...Heh. Guess you get to learn something new."
Metal Man (GM): It then notes in small text 'This doesn't seem to be Alsa'
KitRedgrave is really talking to a textbook. "No, it sure isn't. Figured ol' Illian here might've taken you outside of it for some reason, but probably not."
Gelato: "I don't breathe, and I don't mind heat... I can go!" :D
KitRedgrave: "Thanks for trying."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Illian, if he knew this place was here, he'd probably have interrupted us earlier and went 'Oh, hey, I know this place!' Then he'd act all smug. As he always does."
Santigue prods at Gelato a little. "Just stay in there and you'll be cool. Not your head though, it's sticking out."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "After an incident with napalm, we figured out how to make Gelato mostly fireproof. Oftentimes I have to hide behind him to protect me from giant explosions."
KitRedgrave: "You probably licked a little bit of asbestos."
Santigue: "I'm not going to ask, and it wouldn't be the first time. Stay on Relay." *She'd turn to get a move on, the hell with standing around.*
KitRedgrave: "Not to worry, our healthcare plan here is really good. Right. Good luck out there."
Gelato: 'w' *He sits in Santigue's pocket, happy as can be.*
Metal Man (GM): The door opens up, and a simple field protects the inside of the Wing Fortress from immediately melting from the blistering heat. Though it does feel like a fireplace to everyone near the door. Xavier walks outside into the very blue and hot interior of the base, idly looking around at the warped steel making up the place.
Santigue follows along, used to the heat from this sort of thing and such. "Do you know if there's a suppression system in this base somewhere?"
KitRedgrave would spend a little bit of time messing with the controls to even figure out how to answer that question.
Nonna: "Hm. Anyone need pages filled out? I can provide some water and freezing runes."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I'm... not sure. This base is... not one I've ever been to. Anyone in the ship see any suppression systems in the base we're in?"
Valron: "Hmm..." *He hands Nonna the memory cube spellbook* "Here. Put them into this. It's still got four slots open so you should be good."
Metal Man (GM): The base so far consists of one really long hallway, and then two doors, both shut: One straight ahead, one to the left.
KitRedgrave: *R* "Um... I see... a McDonalds? No wait that's the Yellow Pages."
Metal Man (GM): Some suits of people who look like Xavier can be seen laying on the ground, partially melted and stuck to the steel boilerplate floor.
Xavier Ridgecrest: *R* "A McDonalds? We are truly cursed."
Nonna inscribes a freezing spell and a water spell into the pages.
Santigue: "That's fine." *She'd start down the hall, taking the latter door, taking note of any piping associated with some sort of suppression system, keeping Gelato along for the ride.* "You know, those schematics sound pretty useless."
KitRedgrave: *R* "You are having the one person who grew up and lived in RENAISSANCE-ERA times look at modern building schematics. It's gonna take time."
Valron: "Thank you. I'll use them as necessary." *He then closes the book up and takes it with him, before heading off to the base with the others...*
KitRedgrave: *R* "Anyway... I think I do see a bunch of pipes running in the center of these hallways. Maybe that's it?"
Metal Man (GM): The many, many dead people that lay about appear to have died long ago. One of them even has their own golf club.
Santigue: "Maybe. Stand-by." *She'd kick some of the corpses around that weren't welded to the floor and use them to reach the pipes to better inspect them to look for labels or markings.*
KitRedgrave: *R* "Some of them have an 'H' on them."
Valron: "Whew. Looks like a hot mess, to say the least..." *And he's finally caught up to the rest of the group. Took him long enough.*
Santigue: "Hot potable water. I want red pipes, if the color-coding's even the same here."
Nonna gets into position at some monitors, scanning equipment, etc if available to try and map out the place. She leaves Borne to do the camera things, and Kit to do what she was doing.
Metal Man (GM): The door to the left is shut, as is the one up ahead. Meanwhile, most of the guys on the floor are welded to it, but one of them can be kicked around. Seems a little bit less anciently dead than the others. Then again, his armor is pretty shiny.
KitRedgrave: *R* "Red pipes... hm." *She flips through the schematics some more. If they're even in color. If there's even any coolant left.*
Metal Man (GM): Looking at the pipes... big pipes... the pipes are all in wireframe, 1980's style. They give no real colors except blue and purple.
KitRedgrave: *R* "All I got for you are blue and purple pipes. Do those mean anything to you?"
Metal Man (GM): Both the door to the left and the door ahead are locked shut, or at least they aren't moving open automatically.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I wish I'd studied Erastian Architecture now..."
Santigue: "If you can find me a pipe to follow to the system, yes, Gelato. Other wise I'm busting them open."
Xavier Ridgecrest: *Looks around* "It all seems so... familiar... but not..."
Metal Man (GM): Xavier walks up to the dead ahead door and tries to open it. Nothing happens.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Figures, the entire place IS mostly stuck due to the heat."
KitRedgrave: "Aaargh... I'm totally out of my depth here."
Valron: "Hmm..." *He hums to himself for a moment, before going to scan the one corpse that seems to have been there a lot less longer than the others. May as well see what's up with it.*
Gelato: *He hops out of that cozy pocket, trying to wriggle through any cracks in the door.*
Metal Man (GM): Santigue would reach up to the ceiling. Access panels that have been made brittle by age cover two pipes. One with H on it, the other with S on it. The corpse that'd been there longer reveals itself as "COMMANDER BLAINE" and it has a grainy video on its datachip.
Santigue uses her halligan bar's horn end to tap at the cover on the 'S' pipe.
KitRedgrave would just keep looking through the whole schematic, trying to find some reference frame to even begin. Fluid pipes. Okay. They're going everywhere...
Metal Man (GM): The cover falls off and breaks into pieces on the ground. The pipe itself is exposed.
Valron: "Huh. Xavier. You have any idea who this 'Commander Blaine' fellow is?" *He points at the corpse while watching the video as he waits for an answer.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I wish. These people were all... actual military professionals. I was an experimental test monkey."
Santigue inspects the pipe and taps on it lightly with said bar to see if it has fluid in it at all.
Metal Man (GM): The video idly plays on Valron's comms and anyone else who bothers to tune into its frequency.
KitRedgrave: *R* "Xavier, do you remember anything that these people would want to be piping across a whole building that starts with an H or S?"
Commander Blaine: "This... is... the last... Erastian... my people are dead. My armor has sustained me due to a quirk of fate--far more coolant in my model of armor than theirs. The... Solarians... they did this to us... They brought us close to the sun to kill us... I... survived long enough to discover that even our Metal Man unit was not enough... a new foe has emerged... and all I could do was slowly starve to death as intermittent reports of our home planet being slaughtered came through... ...The sun was an accidental blessing. The scavengers will never dare come here. We are all radioactively hot from the direct glare..."
Valron: "Apparently, he thought of himself as the last Erastian. He only lasted so long due to having more coolant in his suit. Seems the cause of this moon being much closer to the sun was... the Solarians."
Commander Blaine: "...There is... another... thing. Do this and--" *Cuts out due to him apparently either running out of battery power, or the recording abruptly ended.*
Metal Man (GM): The pipe makes an odd noise when it's tapped on.
KitRedgrave: *R* "Well, that's depressing to see a man's final wish cut off."
Valron: "...Guess he did not expect anyone equipped to actually handle the heat of the sun to come by and- Oh, great. He was going to say there was something to be done, but the video cut off."
Santigue: "Sounds like a heretic." *She tries to figure out what the noise is, doing it again.*
Metal Man (GM): The pipe seems hollow, but it seems to react to you tapping on it, either it's loose or maybe stretched by something. Just tapping on it seems to almost dent it a bit, as it seems unusually fragile for a pipe they put in the center of the ceiling.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Solarians were fighting our people before the Time Cops messed it up. This base must have barely missed the final end of that conflict..."
Santigue: "Possibly pressure. If you want what this ... Blaine person has, you might want to move him. And yourselves." *She'd step off the corpse casually, taking a better grip on her bar.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "His armor is waaaaay too shiny for me. But maybe someone wants to play his message more or something." *He drags the Blaine person to the side.*
Nonna: *R* "The 'S' pipes appear to be connected to... steam engines?"