[21:06] (Wai, the chain gang's all here. Ready to have fun?) [21:07] ( No! But I'll play anyway. @_@ ) [21:07] (There's the team spirit!) [21:07] <> [21:09] <>> [21:12] <> [21:12] So, whaddya think of that box, Tim? [21:13] * Illyana finally looks away from the display, after staring at it for about an hour. "It's a start." [21:14] Lotsa' interesting stuff in here. I'd love to talk to the guy who designed this. ..or the thing that did. Whatever. [21:14] * Tim frowns. "I think I'm about done with it, tho." He sounds disappointed. [21:14] ( Please excuse me a moment. ) [21:14] *** Isis is now known as Todd [21:14] * Chako has been watching for beasties to attack, as any hulking gun-thing would do. Her right arm's twitching a bit. "A start?" [21:14] *** Todd is now known as Isis [21:15] * Illyana nods. "A start. A beginning." [21:15] * Isis has been doing katas. Lots of katas. Apparently, she's burning off nervous energy. [21:17] * Tim disconnects from the display and stands up. [21:18] How much longer before you'll be at an end, then? [21:19] I am at the end. [21:19] (... ^^;) [21:20] Oh yeah, there's this little brick too, Tim. *points to the small black thing* [21:21] * Chako looks at Illyana in what would be an incredulous manner, if she weren't wearing a hardsuit. [21:21] Eh? Oh. [21:22] <> [21:24] * Tim goes and has a look at the 'brick', examining it closely, turning it over in his hands, and generally scrutinizing it. "Huh." [21:24] <> [21:25] <> [21:25] ( Really! Wow! ) [21:25] ( It's made of tofu. It smells awful. It is not Mr. X, because you can't see a badge. ) [21:25] <> [21:26] (Now that's oldskool. @_@) [21:26] ( *SNERKS* ) [21:26] (Indeed. ^^:) [21:26] ( What can I say? I'm on the down low. Or something. ) [21:27] Pretty odd, hmm? [21:27] Found that in one of them "lockers" in the back. [21:27] ( ... That sure as hell sounds like a Resident Evil reference to me. Mr.X, Tofu.. ) [21:27] *** Ardweden (arwen@12-249-52-145.client.attbi.com) has joined #atc [21:27] * Chako looks towards Charlie and Tim. She's still on the nervous twitch. [21:28] ( Back inna second. ) [21:28] <> [21:28] * Isis sheathes her sword and glances at the box. "The proverbial 'black box'. A time capsule, maybe?" [21:30] ( Back. ^_^; ) [21:31] <> [21:31] * Chako pulls a few crystals of various glowing natures and colors out of a storage area. "To finish this great story of new stuff, we've got some crystals too." [21:31] Could be anything. Could just be a lump of raw material. [21:31] The idea of an alien time capsule is awfully ni... new crystals? [21:32] <> [21:33] ... [21:34] * Tim blinks and looks down at the brick. [21:34] <> [21:34] looks like it's more than nuthin' [21:35] * Tim blinks. "Ooo." [21:36] <> [21:36] * Illyana peers over Tim's shoulder. "Interesting." [21:36] <> [21:36] ( So naturally, we should run toward Tim, screaming "DON'T TOUCH IT! FRAGILE!" ) [21:36] (Yay!) [21:36] (*snicker*) [21:37] Wow. Looks nice. And fragile. [21:37] Can you do anything with that? [21:37] * Tim frowns. [21:37] ( *snerk* ) [21:37] <> [21:38] * Isis steps over toward the group. "That box must be something, considering how it's protected what's inside after being manhandled by powered suits." [21:38] * Tim shakes his head. "Don't care to try, really. I'd probably break it, especially in this environment." [21:38] * Tim nods. "Yeah, it's something alright." [21:39] Or it could simply be an ornament. But that's rather unlikely. [21:41] * Tim nods and carefully closes the lid on the box. [21:41] Probably should hang on to it, whatever it is.. Should we check out that stairway next, cap'n? [21:42] * Chako smiles sarcastically behind her faceplate. "Since Illyana's decided she's begun being finished, yes." [21:43] If I may make a suggestion... [21:43] * Illyana considers. "That is one way to put it, yes." [21:43] * Chako looks towards Isis immediately. "Yeah?" [21:44] Perhaps we should start... what is the saying? 'Laying breadcrumbs'. [21:46] Leaving a trail to get out by? Yeah, might be a good idea. [21:47] * Isis nods. "This may sound superstitious, but I don't... 'trust' our surroundings." [21:47] *** ChanServ sets mode: +o Chamelaeon [21:47] * Chako frowns, and says softly, "On the one... but on the other..." [21:47] (Snicker.) [21:47] (Whee for that.) [21:48] * Tim frowns. "How do you mean?" [21:49] * Isis hmmms. "Well... this all seems very real to us, correct? I'm not disputing that. But we still don't really know where we are, or what it really is. It seems wisest only to trust what's right in front of your eyes." [21:50] * Illyana shrugs. "So far, it's all been scientifically explainable." [21:52] So, what do ya say we do? You think it'll change on us? [21:52] * Isis shrugs. "It might. It might not... I just think we should mark our trail carefully and be wary of progressing too far out of curiosity." [21:52] * Tim frowns. [21:53] * Chako speaks up. "If this were really pure military, I'd say no. But we're the only ones here, and I'd rather get out rather than get lost." She pauses, and follows, "So yeah, s'a good idea." [21:55] So, what do we do? Stack some rocks? Burn a smiley face into the floor? [21:55] Now, to find some bread crumbs, or something, and get going. [21:56] I have a cutting laser. I could make x-marks every dozen meters or so. [21:56] On the floor, or walls, whichever makes a more convenient surface. [21:56] * Isis nods at Tim. "Some sign that would mean nothing except to one of us." [21:58] * Tim frowns. "Corporate logo, maybe? Smiley faces? A proclamation that someone's faveorite band rules?" [21:58] (Slayer rocks you, man! Like fish!) [21:59] * Isis shrugs and smiles a little, though naturally you can't see it. "Whatever suits you." [22:00] I think an X would be most appropriate. [22:00] (The fish is not Mr. X.) [22:00] ( Rar. ) [22:00] ( *snicker* ) [22:01] ( Nope. Just a mackerel. ^_~ ) [22:01] (Though it is swimming against the current....) [22:01] ( Doesn't matter. No badge, no Mr. X. ^_~ ) [22:01] It is a simplistic enough mark that it may have been made by accident; therefore, if someone or something were to stumble upon it, it might disregard it as insignifigant. [22:02] * Tim kneels and inscibes a large X on the ground. "Alright. Easy enough to see?" [22:02] * Isis nods. "Works for me." [22:03] Congratulations then, Tim. You're on X-making duty, it seems. [22:03] Alright. If we run into more rooms like this, we'll know it's not this one. [22:04] Yay me. Wonder if I get a raise for this. [22:04] If it's incentive to find a way back, I'm sure a bonus is in your future. [22:05] Heh. [22:05] If we find a way back, we may not ever have to work again. [22:05] Ya never know with ATC. [22:05] (*chuckles evilly*) [22:05] * Chako waves towards the stairs. "Alright, let's go." [22:07] * Tim nods and goes, following a good save ways behind Chako. [22:07] * Charlie turns and heads to the stairs, "No problem." [22:07] * Illyana follows somewhere in the middle, as usual. [22:09] * Chako walks forward in the semi-casual way only someone in a hardsuit pointing weapons everywhere can. [22:09] <> [22:09] ( Does Chako have a skull-gun? ) [22:09] <> [22:10] * Isis mmms, watching her step as she goes. "Water... and probably plant life, if we keep going." She glances back at the scientists. "Am I right?" [22:10] Certainly possible. [22:10] <> [22:11] It seems so. [22:11] (Nice call, Isis. ^^) [22:11] Nice. [22:11] ( A good strategist knows the surroundings. ) [22:13] <> [22:14] <> [22:14] * Isis mmms. "A little elementary science goes a long way... but I don't know any of the particulars." She glances around at the walls. "Still, it's reassuring." [22:15] ( ...*struggles not to laugh* ) [22:15] ( How cute ^_^ ) [22:15] ( Can I say, though, that you put so much effort into this, Cham. I'm jealous. ^_^ ) [22:15] ( I like the one with the rolling-pin ^_^ ) [22:16] ( The one with the little rolling pin is adorable. ) [22:16] ( ...Out of my head. ) [22:16] <> [22:16] (He's a crazy GM. He spends entire nights doing this stuff. ^_^;) [22:16] (Oh, I know I suck at drawing. ^^;) [22:16] (That's actually a scroll, but if you like you can pretend he's making muffins.) [22:17] ( Muffins! SPACE muffins! ) [22:17] ( I thought he was making a cake. You know, that thing to the right. ) [22:17] (Mmm. I could use a good muffin'. Rations suck.) [22:17] ( Full of Spacey Goodness. ) [22:18] < Looks like we got the jacuzi part right. *points to the lower right picture* [22:19] * Tim nods. [22:20] * Chako eyes the door, and the pedestals. "How... pretty. Anyone got a clue on opening it?" [22:21] Yup. [22:21] Actually, it was a bed. [22:21] * Isis mmms and glances at the door. "I am not very good at deciphering ancient symbols. The lizard hatches... it evolves and fights in a war with a sword and shield." SHe points to the middle. "But then it puts on a catcher's mitt, gets a rolling pin to bake a ziggurat-shaped cake, and gets in a jacuzzi." [22:22] Maybe my optics need adjusting. [22:22] (Isis is hit by an orbital cow! But I jest.) [22:22] * Tim gently tries to fit the black box into the cube-shaped-slot. [22:22] ( Wai! Orbital Cow! ) [22:22] ( Now I must save the lovely COW from the mighty COW. ) [22:22] <> [22:23] <> [22:23] ( S.O.B. Stationary Orbital Bovine. ) [22:23] * Illyana looks at the script. [22:26] ( Ah, Earthworm Jim 2. Drugs in a cart. ) [22:26] <> [22:26] * Charlie takes a closer look at the crystals in the walls. [22:29] * Chako continues looking at the door and the floor and Tim's box shoving. [22:29] (sorry, /msging.) [22:29] * Illyana scrutinizes the script. [22:30] * Tim lets the box sit there, and frowns. "Hmmm." [22:31] * Tim looks around. "Who has the crystals you guys found, again?" [22:33] * Chako pulls them out again, and waves them at Tim. "Over here." [22:34] * Tim nods and moves over to Chako. "Prolly need one to open the door. Provided we decide we want to, of course." [22:35] (Back from that.) [22:37] Well, what else would we do? There's not exactly much else outside. [22:38] True. [22:39] * Charlie pushes on the door slightly, just to see. [22:39] <> [22:40] Pretty solid.. Why not plug that crystal in and see what happens? [22:40] * Illyana looks up from the door. [22:41] ( Erm... script ) [22:43] * Chako shrugs, and fans out her (at least 4) crystals. "Which one, then?" [22:43] Hm. [22:43] <> [22:43] * Tim picks the more brightly glowing one. "I'll give this a shot, I suppose." [22:44] * Tim takes it over and tries to fit it in the slow that it looks like it might fit in. [22:46] <> [22:48] <> [22:48] <> [22:49] * Charlie staggers a bit. "What the.." [22:50] <> [22:50] * Tim blinks. [22:50] * Chako looks at the door incredulously, but says nothing. [22:51] Hmmm. [22:51] * Charlie reflexively moves his hand to his head, as if hurt, but quickly realizes it's useless and brings the hand back down. [22:51] * Isis mmms and glances at the door. "Wrong crystal, perhaps?" [22:52] <> [22:52] Uhm. Hm. [22:52] < [22:54] Maybe there's some sort of order to them, like the pictographs. [22:54] * Tim shakes his head as if to clear it. [22:55] * Charlie glances at the others, "you guys didn't feel that,.. did you?" [22:56] Evidently not. [22:56] * Isis raises an eyebrow. "My guess is no." [22:56] * Charlie focuses back on the door, "huh, nevermind then.." [22:56] * Chako frowns. "I didn't feel anything other than wondering what pink mist has to do with anything." [22:56] I haven't been able to identify a particular order to the mural yet, either. [22:57] * Isis mms. "Some of it seems natural... well, natural by an Earth standard." [22:59] <> [22:59] <> [22:59] * Tim blinks. [23:00] * Charlie decides to sit down on the floor. [23:01] * Chako eyes the way we came, looking for anything that might decide to sneak up on us. [23:01] * Illyana walks over to said cube. [23:02] <> [23:04] * Tim goes and has a look at the hole. [23:04] Tim, see if you can't get this out. [23:05] Sure. [23:06] * Chako stretches, and continues scanning around. [23:06] <> [23:07] ( Meh. Book far away and I'm too lazy to look. What's the bonus for sensors? ) [23:07] (-2 for you guys,. [23:07] 2d6-2 [23:07] * Atom rolls for Isis (2d6-2) and gets 5. [23:07] 2d6-2 [23:07] * Atom rolls for Chako (2d6-2) and gets 5. [23:07] (Tha does succeed, it do.) [23:08] * Tim looks into the hole. "Don't think we want it out... lemme try something, tho..." [23:08] (Mine works too. Let's go for 3 5s!) [23:08] (C'mon Charlie! Make my Discordian day!) [23:08] 2d6-4 [23:08] * Atom rolls for Charlie (2d6-4) and gets 4. [23:08] (Curse you, Jay. CONFORM!) [23:08] (that is 2 below) [23:09] * Tim reaches out his hand, and a little tube sprouts from a patch on his wrist, reaching into the hole. [23:09] (Look ma! I'm a rebel!) [23:10] * Illyana watches. [23:11] <> [23:11] (Well, all of you who rolled.) [23:11] It's... huh. [23:11] Hm? [23:12] * Isis blinks, glancing at the door. "Well, we can probably rule out any chance of forcing the door open. Looks like something's already tried." [23:12] Hmm, yeah. Take a look at those scorches. [23:13] * Chako frowns. "... Those are laser scorches. They had lasers?" [23:13] * Charlie points at a particularly large scorch mark around the edge of the door. [23:13] It's a Speak n' Say. [23:14] * Illyana looks over at the others from across the room. "It wouldn't be particularly difficult for them to come up with lasers, given the other technology we've seen." [23:15] * Isis shakes her head. "I doubt... if by 'they', you mean the lizard things... that this was 'their' handiwork. It smells malicious to me. Like invaders..." [23:15] Perhaps. But we also know they were at war, at least at one time. [23:16] That's true, but... look at the mural. They're using archaic weapons; swords and shields. [23:16] Could be for show. Hm... Illyana, you're trying to figure out their language, right? [23:17] You could find similar in the heiroglyphics of pyramids in Egypt. [23:17] * Illyana nods to Tim, "I am beginning to, yes." [23:18] You might like this, then. [23:18] Hm? [23:20] You trace out a symbol on this thing's front pannel, ::gestures to it:: and it says the corresponding sound out loud. [23:20] It's tied into some microphones, too... dunno what they're listening for yet, tho. [23:20] * Isis grins and says, experimentally, "Open sesame?" [23:20] * Chako looks at Tim curiously. "That's... pretty damn impressive." [23:21] Fascinating. Let me see? [23:21] <> [23:21] Is it recording anything? [23:22] * Tim nods and makes room for Illyana, while staying linked to the doodad. [23:22] ( *whaps Cham* It's from the actual legend, you know, and it's hardly obscure. :P ) [23:23] Can't tell. ...hm. [23:23] (With today's crowd? They think it's from Popeye.) [23:23] Hmm... [23:23] (*twitch*) [23:23] ( Just proves how well-read she is, then. ) [23:23] ( It's from Bugs Bunny! ) [23:25] Can't tell if they're recording, but they're definitely listening. Downloaded the entire phoneme library and corresponding symbols, tho. That might come in handy. Maybe. [23:26] * Illyana nods. [23:26] It may just be a way to open the door. [23:26] * Illyana looks over to Chako. "Shall I try it, commander?" [23:27] Could be. [23:27] * Chako frowns... and shrugs. "Yes." [23:28] Very well. [23:28] * Illyana traces a simple symbol she learned on the panel. [23:29] <> [23:30] * Illyana considers. "I think I would like to study this. And Tim, is it possible for you to transfer the phoneme library and the symbols to me?" [23:30] Hm. Wonder if they all sounded like that. [23:31] <> [23:31] * Illyana tries another one. [23:32] Yes, I can. [23:32] * Tim does so. Hooray for technology! [23:33] <> [23:34] * Chako mutters, "This'll be great fun," as she looks back in the hopes... er, making sure nothing's following them. [23:36] * Charlie leans back against the wall, still sitting. [23:36] * Illyana takes another look around the room. [23:36] * Tim does as much stretching as he can in his suit. [23:37] * Charlie says casually, "I bet those pannels on the floor have something to do with unlocking the door." [23:38] Probably. [23:38] It seems likely; the same script on the panels is on the door. [23:42] .. And that damn pink thing seemed interested in the fourth panel there. [23:44] * Tim stops stretching and saunters over to the panels, eyeing them. [23:44] * Illyana looks at the panels. She says something that sounds like "Tenali'shal slenash'anche'upe." [23:44] ( Thank Cham for that one :P ) [23:45] (Lots more where that came from.) [23:45] <> [23:45] Nice. [23:46] Was that on one of those pictures? [23:47] It was, although it was on the first panel, along with their name: Sleythin. [23:48] ( ... ) [23:49] huh, you think that's some sorta chronological mural? [23:49] (...?) [23:49] Perhaps. Or perhaps a puzzle. [23:50] Could be... hm. [23:52] * Illyana tries the next one. "Langee'sihr'sahr." [23:52] <> [23:53] * Illyana examines the one below that. "Karee'ka." [23:53] <> [23:55] * Illyana continues! "Nashal'na." [23:56] <> [23:56] "Socra'na." [23:56] <> [23:56] "Chezar'calr'ke te Stelee'calr'ke" [23:57] <> [23:57] "Shetl'she" [23:57] * Chako starts to brace herself for the door opening. As in, as if it'd explode or something. [23:57] * Charlie stands up. [23:58] * Tim backs away from the panels a bit. [23:58] <> [00:00] * Isis mms as she watches, hand on the hilt of her sword. "So... if I'm reading the visuals right, the crystal is some sort of power source, perhaps? Or conduit. The box was a key, and speaking the names of the symbols opened the door. That's... pretty advanced." [00:00] ( Does the Zelda music play to tell us we discovered a secret? ) [00:00] (YEs! I mean, no.) [00:01] <> [00:01] As I've said. [00:02] * Tim nods. [00:03] <> [00:04] That is a lot of city.. [00:04] ...amazing. [00:04] * Chako whistles... well, best she can. "Damn, that's huge." [00:04] <> [00:04] I had not expected this... I suggest we take a closer look. [00:05] * Isis raises an eyebrow. "And how do we guarantee we can leave again if this door shuts?" [00:05] Oh yeah. Nothin's gonna keep me out of this. [00:06] <> [00:06] * Illyana shrugs. "Call it a hunch." [00:07] <> [00:07] <> [00:07] (Whew. I was about to say. c.c;) [00:08] * Tim frowns. [00:08] There's probably another opening mechanism on the inside. [00:08] * Charlie steps in to look. [00:08] * Illyana does as well. [00:09] <> [00:09] ( What, no hi-tech stuff? ;_; ) [00:09] * Tim steps through the door. "Someone get the cube and crystal? We may need 'em again." [00:10] There's a nice old-fashioned lever here. [00:10] Yup. Might even open the door. [00:11] <> [00:11] ( I have class! :P ) [00:11] (Class too.) [00:11] * Chako will grab the cube n'crystal. ^_^; [00:12] <>