[21:02] <Chamelaeon> <<SESSION EIGHT LIFTOFF!>>
[21:03] <Chamelaeon> <<Okay! Wacky things have happened! You left the repair
robots, only to be guided by, well, guide robots!>>
[21:03] <Charlie> (dippin' bots. iMac of the future)
[21:04] <Chamelaeon> <<Isis went to check out the museum for important info, and
you all went to something called the Gate of Ages in search of a way out!>>
[21:04] <Isis> ( ...Son of a... Now I'm gonna HAVE to go there tomorrow. Thanks,
Jay. )
[21:05] <Chamelaeon> <<The Gate was closed, but after some mental pummeling of
your reluctant guidebot, you found yourselves standing in front of the Last
Living Sleythin(tm)! [/END EXPOSITION! GO!]>>
[21:07] <Tim> Uhm. Hello.
[21:08] * Chako mutters, "Worse than a hit to the head."
[21:08] * Charlie takes a good look at the Sleythen, then at the room itself..
then focuses back on the Sleythen
[21:09] <Chamelaeon> <<The sleythin smiles (at least, it looks like a smile),
revealing some nice sharp teeth. He makes a strange hissing gargle, and gills
flare out from the side of his neck. How odd - you hadn't seen those on the
statues.>>
[21:10] <Chamelaeon> "Guests! Oh, how wonderful. My, don't you look shiny."
[21:10] * Illyana examines the sleythin, trying to commit it to memory.
[21:10] <Chamelaeon> <<He speaks in a measured British accent - at least it's
translated that way. For convenience, I assume you've patched those of you
without translators into the communications."
[21:12] <Chamelaeon> <<The sleythin peers at you.>> [Do you look like that
naturally, or are those exosuits?]
[21:13] * Chako simply says, "Exosuits."
[21:13] * Tim looks down at his suit, as if to remind himself that yes, it is
shiny. "It's an exosuit."
[21:13] <Chako> (Aah, dual speech. We love you, IRC.)
[21:14] <Isis> ( Well, it's not inconceivable that you could answer
simultaneously. )
[21:15] * Tim looks at Chako as he answers when she does. "Er, I'll let you
handle this if you like, chief?"
[21:16] <Chamelaeon> [Oh, how wonderful. It's not often races drop by that build
exosuits like we do... oh? Is there a head one of you I'm supposed to talk to? I
do apologize if I've offended. Caste systems are so deucedly hard to recognize,
you know.]
[21:16] <Isis> ( ...Did you just say "deucedly"? )
[21:16] <Chamelaeon> (um.... maybe?)
[21:16] <Isis> ( ... )
[21:17] * Chako replies, "At least at the beginning," then responds to the
Sleythin, "S'a command structure. Makes it simple to work together.")
[21:17] * Illyana says nothing, 'cause Chako's the boss.
[21:18] <Chamelaeon> [Marvelous! Are you a general, or a politician? Or perhaps
a head scientist?]
[21:19] * Tim smirks at that, despite himself.
[21:20] * Chako recites, "Lieutenant First Class Chako Styrina, of
AndressenTofuCorp."
[21:20] <Isis> ( "You are made of soy and lutefisk?" "Shut it, lizard." )
[21:24] <Chamelaeon> [Good, good. Oh, drat, where are my manners?] <<The
sleythin draws itself up to its full height, and lifts its head high.>> [I am
Shanaa'na, the foremost scientist of my people. During my lifetime, at least.
Very pleased to make your acquaintance.] <<It makes the gill-noise again.>>
[21:25] <Chamelaeon> <<The gill-noise causes the translators to emit an atonal
"VAGUE TRANSLATION: PLEASURE, HAPPINESS, SECURITY.>>
[21:26] <Atom> ( Why, Mr. Sleythin, are you trying to seduce me? )
[21:28] * Chako nods slightly, and thumbs towards people. "Ta finish the
introductions for people who are here, this is Tim Larson, tech, Illyana
Aliyeva, team scientist, and Lance Corporal Charlie Fulzen."
[21:28] * Tim waves cheerfully as his name is spoken.
[21:29] * Illyana nods when she's addressed.
[21:30] * Charlie nods as well.
[21:30] <Chamelaeon> <<The sleythin peers at each of you in turn.>> [Wonderful,
wonderful. Well, are you having fun?]
[21:30] <Illyana> ( Lance? I though he was Charlie ;_; )
[21:30] <Chako> (*hits herself in the head*)
[21:31] * Tim looks thoughtful for a bit, then nods.
[21:32] * Chako smiles slightly. "Well, when we're not dealing with robots that
keep trying to steer us away, or getting our armor etched by acid, it's not
bad."
[21:32] <Illyana> It has been intriguing.
[21:35] <Chamelaeon> [Oh my, did you get Effluence as a guide? That dratted
fool... I told him when I came in here that it wouldn't matter, but he insists
on trying to keep people from seeing me. Why, it's only been yesterday that I
came in here to await the races we sent Messengers to.]
[21:36] * Tim blinks. "Yesterday? ...hm."
[21:41] <Chamelaeon> [Well, it was yesterday to me. See, this globe is a ...
well, it's fantastically complicated. Suffice it to say that I exist in a single
moment in space/time, isolated from the normal flow. Actually, I have no idea
what year it is outside... do any of you happen to know?]
[21:41] <Tim> ( ::tries to remember how long the guidebot said it was:: )
[21:42] <Isis> ( A bloody long time. )
[21:42] <Tim> ( Well, yeah. :P )
[21:42] <Chako> (1000 years, since, wasn't it?)
[21:42] <Tim> ( Works for me. )
[21:42] * Charlie scans back to the elevator ride. "The entry stairway said it
was 8745.."
[21:43] <Chamelaeon> [Good heavens, that long? It's been a hundred and seventy
years since the last visitors came through.]
[21:45] * Chako whistles.
[21:46] <Chamelaeon> [And it was only ten before that. For a while they came
several dozen to the year. I wonder what...] <<His face pales.>> [Oh my. Did you
mention acid?]
[21:47] * Tim looks to Chako for this one, since he was kind of absent for that
bit.
[21:48] <Illyana> It vas not acid.
[21:49] <Chako> Illyana'd be better to answer questions about the stuff we've
ran into. But it sure acted like acid.
[21:50] * Isis appears dramatically! Or something.
[21:50] <Chamelaeon> <<Before Shanaa'na has a chance to reply, Isis appears from
out of nowhere.
[21:52] <Chamelaeon> [This does not bode... hello, we have another guest.]
[21:52] * Isis raises an eyebrow. "The last living Sleythin, I presume?"
[21:53] <Isis> ( Quickyl, Shaa'na. We've descended into deepest Africa to return
you to England! )
[21:54] * Tim waves to Isis as she appears.
[21:55] * Chako looks over to Isis, and hmms, saying, "Well, it don't look like
you ran into any trouble."
[21:55] <Chamelaeon> [Yes, yes. You must have had a different guide. I am
Shanaa'na, and I beg you to pardon my distraction, but your friends, if these
are your friends, have just informed me that you had a battle with something
which exuded a corrosive substance. Is this true?]
[21:58] <Chamelaeon> (That was directed at Isis.)
[21:58] * Isis inclines her head at Chako. "Quite the opposite. I had an easy
time." She turns to the sleythin and nods. "They're not native life...
seven-legged creatures, silicate." She glances back at the group. "There was no
record of them in the science museum's biology section."
[21:58] <Isis> (I was giving other people a chance to speak. :P)
[21:59] * Tim nods to himself.
[22:00] * Chako huhs.
[22:01] <Chamelaeon> <<The sleythin shakes his head and makes the sound
Effluence made to express displeasure - the raspberry sound.>> [No, there would
not be. Well, the time for me to lay my hand down has come, it seems. Now. You
remember the great threat that was mentioned in the data sent in the Messenger?]
[22:02] <Charlie> Oh.. We never got ths Messenger thing.. Maybe this is why
nobody's visited for a while? Something happened to the mesengers?
[22:03] * Tim frowns.
[22:03] <Chamelaeon> [Never got the... how the devil did you get here, then?]
[22:04] <Charlie> By accident.. I s'pose you could say.
[22:04] * Isis shakes her head. "The Messenger intended for Earth either crashed
on the way there, or was recovered eons ago and never discussed." She glances at
the sleythin. "The bodyslide mechanism must have malfunctioned and crashed on a
moon of the fifth planet. It was preserved under the moon's ice and eventually
buried; in exploring it, we 'stumbled' on it."
[22:05] * Tim nods.
[22:07] <Chamelaeon> [Oh, my. This ... this won't do. You've got to be told.]
[22:07] * Tim frowns. "Told what?"
[22:08] <Isis> It's a bit late, isn't it? Earth is over 17,000 light years from
here. Unless you have a way for us to bodyslide back...
[22:09] <Chamelaeon> [About the threat, of course. Optimally, you could go home
and locate the Messenger, but I will tell you the story now.]
[22:09] * Illyana nods.
[22:09] <Chamelaeon> [Though eventually you will have to locate it anyway.
Inside it are items crucial to your future as a race.]
[22:10] *** Atom is now known as Atom[Sleep]
[22:10] <Tim> Oh.
[22:11] <Illyana> ( Inside are enough batteries to power a flashlight for a
century, and a year's supply of canned peaches] )
[22:11] <Chako> (Peaches and a flashlight! We're saved!)
[22:11] <Tim> ( Yay! We're saved! )
[22:13] <Chamelaeon> [Do sit down. Would you like some (UNTRANSLATABLE: Close to
*system pauses for a second* ... tea.)?] 
[22:14] * Charlie declines the offer and makes himself comfortable.
[22:14] <Chamelaeon> (The air is still breathable.)
[22:15] * Isis unlatches her helmet (bravely) and pulls it off. "I will
decline." She pauses. "The data from the messenger... a 'great threat'? They're
already here on this planet. But is what you sent to Earth really going to be
sufficient?"
[22:16] * Chako says, "Sure, why not? Haven't had anything to drink for a
while." She pulls off her helmet as well.
[22:16] <Illyana> I vill decline as vell. I vould like to ask several questions,
of couse, but I vill vait until you are finished explaining.
[22:17] * Tim sits down and takes off his helmet while he's at it,
[22:18] * Illyana takes follows suit.
[22:18] <Chamelaeon> <<The sleythin walks over to a small counter and pours two
cups of something that looks and smells a lot like tea out of a teapot that
looks like something straight out of original Trek. He moves with a surprising
grace, and after handing Chako a cup (which is really large in her hands),
settles back in his chair.>> [Ah, I see you've been to the museum. Well, let me
begin at the beginning.]
[22:19] * Charlie removes his helmet as well, since everyone else has.
[22:21] * Chako holds the cup in both hands, for balance, and sips it
cautiously.
[22:22] * Tim waits for the story.
[22:22] <Chamelaeon> [The story begins twenty years ... no, a thousand and
twenty years ago. While perfecting the bodyslide technology, someone made a
miscalculation somewhere, and we slid to a small planet on the very rim of the
galaxy. We're lucky we didn't slide into the void, since none of us had exosuits
on. We were only supposed to slide to the next room.]
[22:24] * Tim frowns.
[22:24] <Chamelaeon> [Nonetheless, we ended up disturbing a few of the small
spider-like things you fought. Somehow they traced us - we don't really know how
or why. But later probes sent to the area detected large masses of them heading
at near-light speeds - directly here.]
[22:26] <Chamelaeon> <<Shanaa'na takes a sip of tea.>> [Needless to say, we were
a mite upset. The councils were in chaos, and none of them could agree with
another on what to do.]
[22:26] <Chamelaeon> (The tea, by the way, tastes a lot like sassafrass. Mmm.)
[22:28] * Chako takes another drink of tea.
[22:31] <Chamelaeon> [So we did a lot of things. We sent the Messengers skimming
to systems we'd found had sentient life, and inside each of them we placed
several items. The items varied from Messenger to Messenger, but all of them
included some of the AllDrug, and the key to the Gate of Ages.]
[22:31] * Tim raises an eyebrow.
[22:32] <Chamelaeon> [You see, the guidebots think I can open the Gate of Ages.
Truth be told, I cannot. Keys were sent with each Messenger, and the rest
destroyed, in case the Great Threat found its way here and tried to force its
way through the Gate.]
[22:32] * Isis speaks up. "A universal panacaea. Works on the genetic level to
repair DNA and bodily damage instantly. It was one of the items..." She gives
this some thought. "Exosuit specs. Like the ones we wear. Were they also
potentially included?"
[22:33] <Illyana> Really?
[22:33] * Tim whistles. "Nice."
[22:33] <Chako> Oh, hell. 
[22:34] * Isis shakes her head. "If the answer is yes, I fear I may understand
the situation a little too well."
[22:34] <Chamelaeon> <<Shanaa'na shakes his head.>> [No, they were not. The
alignment of the bodyslide equipment and the Messenger were designed to not
require more than minor protection against the void of space.]
[22:36] * Isis hums thoughtfully. "Yet, I didn't know of the mention of a 'great
threat' until just recently. Master Sleythin, I am of the mind that your
Messenger reached Earth quite safely."
[22:37] <Chamelaeon> [Oh? Well, that is good news. Then it should be easy to
obtain the key.]
[22:38] * Isis shakes her head. "Doubtful." She sighs. "If I may interrupt your
story, Elder, I think I should say what I suspect."
[22:38] <Chamelaeon> [Go ahead. I am mostly done as it is.]
[22:39] * Chako takes another drink of tea, and frowns to herself.
[22:39] * Isis rubs her temples lightly, since she's still in suit, then glances
at the group. "Did nobody wonder why a melee combat and intrusion specialist was
being sent on this mission? For space combat and guard work, Chako and Charlie
should have been more than sufficient."
[22:41] <Chako> Not how I would have put it together, but they're paying the
bills.
[22:42] <Chako> And they sent 6 other people too... well, 7 if you count Lisa,
who never showed.
[22:42] <Chamelaeon> <<Shanaa'na looks on bemusedly.>>
[22:42] <Isis> And they're all dead. 
[22:42] * Tim blinks. "...oh."
[22:43] * Illyana listens. Her face shows doubt, but she doesn't say anything.
[22:43] * Chako says, "Yeah. So, what's the scoop, then?"
[22:43] <Isis> I don't know that for sure, but it's reasonable to infer. I was
sent along because ATC had a secondary mission for me, which I was debriefed on
before we left.
[22:44] * Tim frowns.
[22:45] * Isis takes a deep breath. "ATC told me that there were... 'rumors' of
extrasolar life. Their plan was, expectedly, to find proof before the Hippies
did... and then hide it, retrieve it, anything but allow it to be disclosed. If
necessary, any of you were to be considered obstacles to be removed.
[22:45] <Charlie> hmm, how nice.
[22:47] * Tim nods.
[22:47] <Isis> However, what we've found here has made me seriously reconsider
the level of information they possessed. Io is an ice moon, with... dubious
resources. Why send so many people there? How did the Hippies find us so
quickly? Why was the bodyslide mechanism so incredibly close to the 'deposit'
Illyana found? It's too coincidental. I think ATC has access to the Messenger...
they know about the Great Threat.
[22:47] <Isis> If the AllDrug can halt antioxidants, repair genetic damage...
the original finders would be rich beyond avarice, but only if the information
remained completely secret.
[22:48] <Isis> ( Blah! Oxygen free radicals. Why did I say antioxidants? )
[22:48] <Chamelaeon> <<Shanaa'na looks on, fascinated. He sips his tea.>>
[22:49] * Illyana blinks at that.
[22:49] <Chamelaeon> [I should mention that the AllDrug was discovered a mere
ten years before we sent the Messengers. Its effects on lifespan are ...
undocumented.]
[22:50] * Isis shakes her head. "Even if it didn't offer 'immortality', it would
be enough to ensure a considerably increased lifespan for a human being."
[22:50] * Tim frowns. "That makes some sense, unfortunately."
[22:51] * Illyana nods.
[22:51] <Chako> Makes sense enough. This whole mission's been off. Personel and
more. Shoving a lieutenant under a lieutenant? And these ain't stock suits,
Tim's proof of that. 
[22:53] * Isis shakes her head. "I should have mentioned it to you as soon as we
arrived. I suppose I wanted to believe we weren't really on another planet...
but clearly, this situation supercedes any personal concerns."
[22:53] * Tim nods.
[22:53] * Isis looks thoughtful. "ATC will be expecting us to either not come
back, or to come back with fabulous weapon technology. In essence, we were
used... even me, who supposedly 'knew more'."
[22:54] * Tim frowns.
[22:54] * Chako snorts, and takes another drink of tea. After a second, she
stops, and says, "If you ain't used, they ain't makin' any money off ya."
[22:55] <Chamelaeon> [That's a unique philosophy. You're certainly one of the
more interesting races to drop by.]
[22:56] <Chamelaeon> [You seem to live such interesting lives. What's your
race's current life span?]
[22:57] * Isis glances at Shanananananananananana SLEYTHIN! and chuckles. "When
it comes to self-destruction, human beings are champions." She pauses, then
glances between Illyana, Tim, and Shanaa'na. "I have the stellar coordinates for
our solar system thanks to the museum. Is there a way to get us home that won't
take 17,000 years of light speed travel?"
[22:58] * Charlie looks up. "I should have guessed it was too good to be true
that I was picked to test this cloaking out. They probably didn't expect me to
come back.."
[22:58] <Isis> ( I am the grim reaper. Mwahaha! )
[22:58] <Chamelaeon> [Oh, surely. The bodyslide bowl should have recharged by
now. That will get you back easily enough.]
[22:58] <Tim> Other than another Slide? Not that I can think of.
[23:00] <Chako> Well, I hope we haven't burned enough time to lose our return
trip. If they take us home instead of taking us out.
[23:01] * Isis sighs. "What happened to the corpses of the silicate spiders that
attacked us? If we can use the Sleythin's advanced technology to study them..."
[23:02] <Illyana> Probably, they are vhere ve left them.
[23:03] <Tim> If they've moved since then, I'd be kinda worried.
[23:03] <Chamelaeon> [If you must dash, feel free. I'll certainly be here when
you get back. Just bring the key to me, and we can talk about what further to do
then.]
[23:05] * Illyana looks to the sleythin. "Vould you haff any of this AllCure
drug here?"
[23:06] <Chamelaeon> [It's all behind the Gate. Actually, the only buildings
with actual items in them are a few of the garages, the museum, the power
obelisk, and the Gatehouse.]
[23:07] <Illyana> I see.
[23:07] * Isis mmms. "So... not without the key. Although I suspect when we find
Earth's key, we'll find the AllDrug."
[23:10] * Chako says, "Are we going to be able to get anything to analyze the
spiders, then? Otherwise, we've gotta get as much leverage as we can, and get
moving."
[23:11] <Illyana> Ve should get the key first. After, ve can analyze the
spiders.
[23:11] * Tim rubs his face.
[23:15] <Charlie> You think ATC would let us have the key?
[23:15] * Isis laughs sharply. "They sent us here to die, essentially, with the
off chance that we'd return with technology to help them. I think we can
discount ATC in the help area."
[23:16] <Illyana> If they vould, it vould likely be so they can follow us.
[23:17] * Chako finishes her tea, and puts the cup down. "Oog. Well, there's a
few things we can bring back to help them. And it's been a damn good few years.
But I don't want to go back and get shot in the back of the head."
[23:17] <Charlie> Yeah, I don't expect they would, personally. They'd probably
find someone more trusted.
[23:17] * Tim chuckles. "No, asking them prolly isn't the best idea. So, weather
they'd let us have it or not is moot."
[23:18] <Isis> 'Trusted'... or gullible. I'm feeling quite stupid, myself.
[23:19] * Tim smirks. "I'm guessing we all are."
[23:19] * Chako laughs. "We're out of luck, then. Unless we can get ANOTHER
bunch of people that will get us of Io."
[23:19] * Isis gives this some thought. "The Hippies."
[23:20] <Isis> If push comes to shove, we pretend to defect and either play
along, or kill them. Desperate times.
[23:20] * Tim frowns some more.
[23:20] <Illyana> Or ve could just steal a ship.
[23:21] <Tim> I'd rather lead ATC along, myself. It'd make it easier to get the
key from them, since they have it anyway. 
[23:21] <Chamelaeon> <<Shanaa'na finishes his tea.>> [Fascinating. Is everything
you do this complicated?]
[23:21] <Charlie> We hope.
[23:22] <Charlie> (That was directed at Tim)
[23:22] * Illyana sighs. "It seems that vay more and more often, these days."
[23:22] <Tim> Heh. Yeah, we hope.
[23:22] * Isis chuckles. "A famous philosopher among our race once said: 'Hell
is other people.'"
[23:23] <Chamelaeon> [I hope you survive whatever you're going on about. This is
the most entertainment I've had in years.]
[23:23] <Chako> We ain't gonna be able to lead ATC along if they want to kill us
right off.
[23:24] * Illyana nods.
[23:25] * Charlie looks at Sha- "I hope we survive too," then turns to Chako,
"We're deffinately in the 'know too much' range, at this point."
[23:25] <Isis> We will need a good ruse.
[23:25] <Tim> Then we give them a reason to not kill us.
[23:25] * Isis glances at Tim. "The... gravity-resistant mods. Are they
something harmless we could offer as a 'salvage'?"
[23:25] <Chako> Like I said. Leverage.
[23:26] * Tim looks thoughtful.
[23:26] <Illyana> Ve don't have to say ve found this place.
[23:26] <Charlie> There's gotta be something we know personally.. y'know, that
they can't get off the suits.. to keep us relatively safe.
[23:27] <Tim> Oh, there is.
[23:28] <Isis> We're the only ones who've encountered the 'spiders'. It's
information they'll want, if they've actually read the Messenger.
[23:28] <Tim> The prototype mods. We have them, we can use them, and they'll
want them intact, with any info they can get about how they perform.
[23:29] <Tim> That too.
[23:29] * Chako frowns. "What all prototype mods do we have around here?"
[23:30] * Isis mms. "Quite a few. My teleportation module, Charlie's chamelaeon
skin..."
[23:30] <Tim> As for the grav-resistant mods... well, I don't think giving an
apparent enemy something they can use to make stronger suits counts as
'harmless'.
[23:30] <Illyana> Vai should ve tell them ve found the body slide in the first
place?
[23:32] <Chako> They'll certaintly wanna know where the hell the nanites that
might still be on us came from. Or the translator things. Even if we can ditch
all the suit memory. 
[23:32] <Isis> And if we do, we'd be discarding valuable, some might say vital,
information.
[23:33] * Tim nods.
[23:33] <Charlie> We've been gone for quite a while now.. They'll wonder where
we've been, most likely.
[23:33] <Charlie> If we don't tell them, that is.
[23:33] <Illyana> Ve could say ve vere hiding from the Hippies.
[23:33] <Tim> Even if we could edit our suit memory, I think it could be real
handy from here out.
[23:34] <Tim> Oh, and we can't, by the way.
[23:34] * Isis thinks. "In reality, they're not expecting us back *period*.
We'll automatically raise suspicion."
[23:34] <Illyana> My point. Vai tell them more than they need to know?
[23:35] <Tim> I'm not entirely sure. Why would they give expensive prototypes to
people they fully expected to die?
[23:35] <Chako> Huh. Wonder if the other 7 had prototypes too.
[23:36] <Tim> I'm pretty sure it was just the bunch of us. And we each have one,
here, just to make sure that's clear.
[23:37] * Tim looks thoughtful. "No, I'm certain it was just us five."
[23:38] <Isis> We can't discount that the Hippies will have been looking for us
since our disappearance too. 
[23:38] * Isis pauses. "It is possible we are overanalyzing and should simply
return."
[23:38] * Illyana nods.
[23:39] * Tim chuckles. "That'd certainly be a relief. But I'm not counting on
it."
[23:39] <Chako> Hey, we only get one shot. Might as well make it good. Tell em
there's a lot of tech, but we need the key to get it, and we'd be the best for
the job. 
[23:40] <Illyana> They vould not buy that.
[23:40] * Chako says, "Well, it's the truth."
[23:40] <Isis> I agree. It's a little too convenient. Of course, if we lie
creatively, a variant of that plan might work... but we don't want to tell them
about the key just yet. 
[23:40] <Isis> I think the first goal is access to the Messenger.
[23:40] <Tim> They might. It'd just be a hard sell.
[23:42] * Tim nods. "Sounds like a good first step."
[23:42] <Chako> Well, why do they gotta let us access the Messenger, insteada
anyone else? We need a... hook or something. Something only we might have.
[23:43] <Chamelaeon> <<Shanaa'na has been listening carefully.>> [You say you
have... recording devices running?]
[23:43] <Illyana> I am beginning to understand the language. Perhaps that vill
be enough.
[23:44] * Tim looks at Shanaa'na. "Yes. Is that a problem?"
[23:44] <Chamelaeon> [No, not at all. But they will not work in this room.]
[23:45] * Illyana grins. "Vich is good, since our plans for rebellion vere on
them."
[23:45] <Chako> I was just about to say that. Blasted recorders.
[23:45] <Chamelaeon> [It is a quirk of the transfer through spacetime. All that
remains is a split second of static.]
[23:46] * Tim nods. "That's lucky."
[23:47] <Chamelaeon> <<Shanaa'na grins.>> [So you will be the only ones to have
seen a sleythin in the flesh. That should count for something, no?]
[23:48] * Illyana nods.
[23:48] * Tim grins. "Perhaps."
[23:49] <Chako> 2d6
[23:49] * Atom[Sleep] rolls for Chako (2d6) and gets 4.
[23:53] <Illyana> ( Annnnny time now... :P )
[23:53] <Chako> Alright. We go back, tell ATC we need to come back, and try to
get access to Messenger. Unless I'm missing something, ATC's isn't about taking
out everyone that stands in their way. Isis probably knows more about that.
[23:53] * Isis nods. "Oh, no. Killing us would be counterproductive. But that
doesn't mean they can't do something equally... disruptive."
[23:54] * Tim nods.
[23:54] * Illyana shrugs.
[23:54] <Chako> Like stonewalling us on this?
[23:55] <Isis> I am sure the words "locked in a cell naked spread-eagled to a
surgical table" carry weight.
[23:55] <Tim> Lots.
[23:57] * Chako frowns. "Wonderful. But we gotta start with getting back with
ATC. Let's keep the Messenger stuff close for now."
[23:58] * Isis nods. "The wisest course."
[23:59] <Chamelaeon> <<Shanaa'na stands.>> [So you are leaving, then? ]
[00:00] * Chako stretches, and reattaches her helmet. "Yeah."
[00:01] * Tim nods, stands, and puts his helmet back on.
[00:01] * Charlie gets back up and ready to leave.
[00:01] * Illyana follows suit.
[00:02] <Chamelaeon> [Ah, I'm so sad to see you leave. But then, you'll be here
again as soon as you go, so I shouldn't worry. I wish you luck with all your
complicated issues, and I sincerely hope your ... employers... do not treat you
unfairly.]
[00:02] <Tim> Heh. Sure, see you in a bit.
[00:02] * Isis glances at Shanaa'na as she reattaches her helmet. "If we all
survive, perhaps we'll meet you again." She pauses. "One last question. Where
are the sleythin?"
[00:03] <Chamelaeon> [Safe. More than that I am not at liberty to say.]
[00:03] * Tim nods.
[00:04] * Isis mmms and places a hand on the hilt of her sword. "If we return, I
look forward to meeting them."
[00:05] <Chamelaeon> [I'm sure they will feel the same. May your skin stay wet
and your water clear.] <<He bows.>>
[00:05] <Chamelaeon> (How late can y'all go? I can cram a bit more in.)
[00:05] * Tim grins and waves. "You too."
[00:05] <Isis> ( I'm skipping out half my work day tomorrow, so. )
[00:06] <Tim> ( i hate to say this, but... 'I'm fine either way.' )
[00:06] <Chako> (I can go as long as needed. Wednesday is my day off.)
[00:07] <Chamelaeon> (Illy? Charlie?)
[00:07] <Charlie> (same as chako)
[00:07] <Illyana> ( I've got class tomorrow, so not much longer. )
[00:07] <Chamelaeon> (Half an hour, max. I have class too.)
[00:08] <Chamelaeon> (Keep rolling, then.)
[00:08] <Chamelaeon> [To leave, all you need to do is touch the wall.]
[00:09] * Chako says, "We'll see you later," and touches the wall.
[00:09] * Tim nods and heads over and touches the wall.
[00:10] * Illyana nods and touches the wall.
[00:10] * Charlie follows.
[00:10] * Isis nods and follows suit.
[00:11] <Chamelaeon> <<You feel the wrenching sensation, only in reverse, and
you find yourself underneath the dias again. Internal chronometers indicate that
approximately 0.001 seconds have passed.>>
[00:11] <Chamelaeon> (dais, whatever.)
[00:12] <Chamelaeon> <<There are no guide robots in sight.>>
[00:12] * Isis tilts her head. "A timewarp? If the messengers had such
technology, perhaps it's more believeable that one reached Earth, 17000 light
years away..."
[00:13] * Tim nods. "I'll have to remember to ask him about that when we get
back."
[00:14] <Chamelaeon> A few seconds later, your scanners beep. Life signatures,
silicon-based, about where you encountered the others.
[00:14] <Chamelaeon> (+<<>>)
[00:15] * Tim frowns.
[00:15] * Chako chuckles. "We can't get a break, even when we're leaving. Let's
get going."
[00:16] * Charlie shimmers mostly out of vew.
[00:16] <Isis> Difficult to handle, but it might be a good opportunity to obtain
a tissue sample to analyze.
[00:17] <Chamelaeon> <<There are two of them. The readings seem to be slightly
stronger.>>
[00:17] * Tim frowns.
[00:18] * Chako starts walking. "It's not really worth avoiding them. We'll have
to deal with them eventually anyway."
[00:18] * Isis nods and unsheathes her sword.
[00:19] * Illyana shrugs.
[00:19] <Isis> Tim... I'll give you the stellar map data I got from the museum.
[00:19] * Tim grins. "Hey, alright."
[00:21] <Chamelaeon> <<It's a fairly quick run to where the things are. When
they come into sight, you see there are two of them. They're tall, and look like
white upright-walking crickets, with an extra leg out the top of their heads.
They seem to be engrossed in conversation, which sounds something like
"KKKXKXXXKZKKKXKX", only with less vowels. They don't appear to notice you.>>
[00:22] <Chamelaeon> <<They're carrying things that might be energy rifles, but
look like they were designed to cause pain anyway. They're studying the dead
spiders you axed earlier.>>
[00:22] * Tim frowns. He's fine with them not noticing him.
[00:22] * Isis mms. "Charlie and I might be able to sneak up on them and sneak
attack. Or we could slip by..."
[00:23] * Charlie looks at isis, "I could blast one right now.. I'd have time to
set up."
[00:23] * Chako nods. "Charlie can snipe one, then Isis and I close on the
other."
[00:24] * Tim mutters something about fussy accelerator coils.
[00:25] * Illyana hides behind a convenient obstacle.
[00:25] <Chamelaeon> (Init, then.)
[00:26] * Tim hides, too. Hiding good.
[00:26] <Chamelaeon> (Well, hold off. 
[00:26] * Charlie finds some partial cover as well.
[00:26] <Chamelaeon> (You get one free round. Isis and Chako will be moving, and
Charlie will be taking his shot.)
[00:27] * Isis loosens her sword, nods once at Chako... and vanishes. Woo!
[00:27] * Charlie kneels down. If you were paying close attention, you could see
the sniper rifle unfold from Charlies back and come over his shoulder.
[00:27] <Chamelaeon> (By the by... ALL BONUSES APPLY ONCE MORE.)
[00:28] * Chako whistles appreciatively, and starts moving towards the two with
her sword drawn as well.
[00:28] * Illyana has no sword. Boo.
[00:28] <Isis> ( Should I just roll my attack, then? ^_^ )
[00:29] <Isis> ( And do I get my second from extra attacks? )
[00:29] <Chamelaeon> (Yeah, go ahead. And ... sure, why not.)
[00:29] <Isis> 2d6-4
[00:30] * Atom[Sleep] rolls for Isis (2d6-4) and gets 2.
[00:30] <Isis> 2d6-4
[00:30] * Atom[Sleep] rolls for Isis (2d6-4) and gets 6.
[00:30] <Isis> ( Both hit. )
[00:31] <Isis> ( Well, unless it dodges. ^_^ )
[00:31] * Charlie attacks the one Isis hadn't it.
[00:31] <Charlie> 2d6-5
[00:31] * Atom[Sleep] rolls for Charlie (2d6-5) and gets -2.
[00:31] <Chamelaeon> <<It's caught flatfooted, and hardly has time to get out
"XXXXKXKV-" before it is cricket filet.>>
[00:32] * Isis quite literally appeared in midslash. Very wu xia. I paid the CP
for it, damnit, I want to look cool.
[00:32] <Chamelaeon> <<The other one turns, say "KKXZXV!" and its head promptly
explodes. Some of it gets on Isis, but it fails to burn.>>
[00:33] * Isis sighs. "Goo. It's always goo." She looks over her shoulder.
"Excellent shot."
[00:34] * Chako slows down from her run, and walks over to the bodies. "Damn.
It's amazing what happens when we're not swarmed."
[00:34] * Charlie becomes visible again and waves. "Thanks."
[00:34] * Tim stops hiding and looks around. "Nice."
[00:35] * Isis wipes off her sword on something convenient and sheathes it.
"Practice makes perfect."
[00:35] * Chako grabs one of the energy weapons, and peers at it.
[00:35] * Tim grabs the other energy weapon and examines it.
[00:36] * Illyana examines the bodies themselves.
[00:36] <Chako> 2d6-2
[00:36] * Atom[Sleep] rolls for Chako (2d6-2) and gets 3.
[00:37] <Charlie> There's bound to be more of those guys around. I don't really
want to be caught here with this mess.
[00:37] <Charlie> Who knows what they can do with those things.
[00:37] <Tim> Right.
[00:38] * Chako frowns. "Yeah. Them and their hippie friends. Anything
interesting, Illyana?"
[00:38] <Chamelaeon> <<For those of you that made it - the guns are slightly
better than what ATC puts out for exosuits - which means slightly ahead of the
field. The bodies are about the same as the spiders, only not acid-y. You get
some nice "flesh" samples.>>
[00:39] <Illyana> Plenty. But I assume you meant interesting to you. In vhich
case, doubtful.
[00:39] * Isis raises an eyebrow. "How novel."
[00:40] * Tim looks over the weapon. "Not bad."
[00:40] * Tim frowns.
[00:41] * Chako waves people on. "Let's keep going."
[00:42] * Tim shakes his head at the weapon. "Not good at all, but..." He
follows Chako again.
[00:42] * Illyana follows Chako.
[00:42] * Charlie invisifies again, just in case.. and moves out.
[00:43] <Chamelaeon> <<It's a quick, uneventful walk to the escalator. The
escalator up runs a bit faster than the one down. You're soon back at the
Slidebowl.>>
[00:45] * Isis has IR'ed the museum data to Tim and Illyana in the meantime.
[00:45] * Tim is probably paying more attention to the museum data than to where
he's going, now.
[00:45] <Chamelaeon> <<The power stones have risen slightly in the triangle -
they glow once again.>>
[00:47] * Chako rolls her neck slightly. "Yo, Tim, Illyana. This was your game."
[00:47] * Tim nods and heads to the power stones.
[00:49] * Tim shuffles two of the crystals. "Saw this in the museum data..."
[00:49] <Chamelaeon> <<The stones sink in again! Your stomachs wrench! Getting
used to this by now?>>
[00:50] <Chamelaeon> <<The lights change back from green to blue.>>
[00:50] * Illyana would help, but evidently her suit couldn't read whatever
museum data was sent to her :P
[00:51] * Tim glances around, and rolls his shoulders.
[00:51] <Chamelaeon> <<You hear a slamming sound coming from down the
corridor.>>
[00:52] * Tim frowns.
[00:52] * Chako checks her weapons, and slings the energy weapon across her
back.
[00:53] <Chamelaeon> <<Followed closely after by a drilling sound, then a few
more slammings. Then a gigantic crashing noise, with tinklings and smishings of
ice.>>
[00:53] * Charlie turns on his ECM.
[00:53] * Tim looks at the energy weapon like he doesn't know what to do with
it. Which he does.
[00:53] <Tim> (+n't)
[00:53] <Isis> We have the best luck. Maybe Io's orbit is degrading and we'll
hit Jupiter's atmosphere any minute now.
[00:54] <Tim> Wouldn't that be funny.
[00:54] <Illyana> Mathematically unlikely.
[00:54] <Charlie> ECM is on, cap'n.
[00:54] <Chamelaeon> <<The crashing slowly dies to a stop. You hear voices!>>
[00:54] <Isis> Yeah, so is your chance of being yanked to a random planet more
than 17 millennia away. I don't trust the numbers.
[00:55] * Chako chuckles, and says, "Here we go. Let's hope it's ATC."
[00:55] <Illyana> I haf become quite avare of that.
[00:55] * Charlie 's cloaking is still on as well. "Shall I go first?"
[00:57] * Chako says, "No. Corridors are too narrow. "
[00:59] <Chako> We'll move forward normally. Isis and I point.
[00:59] <Isis> Roger.
[01:00] * Tim nods.
[01:01] <Chamelaeon> <<As you walk through the corridors, you continue to hear
voices. Nothing over radio channels, but as you break around the corner, you see
the familiar white, yellow, and blue suits of ATC.>>
[01:02] <Chamelaeon> <<Your radios flicker on, and you hear Wintergreen's
voice.>> "Sweet Holy Space Jesus, where the fuck have you guys been? We've been
callin' and callin' for two days!"
[01:02] * Tim bites his lip.
[01:03] * Isis eyes Chako.
[01:03] * Chako replies, "Long story. Let's just get back, alright?"
[01:04] * Charlie turns off his stealth measures.
[01:04] * Isis moves her hand, seemingly instantly less likely to slash the
nearest intruder to bits.
[01:05] <Chamelaeon> <<Other radio signals come on, medics and techs, asking if
you and your suits are alright. Wintergreen tells them to shut up and
continues.>> "Well, come on outside, and get in. They've got a military-grade
tow out here, that'll get us back to Mars in two more days, tops."
[01:05] <Chamelaeon> "We'll have plenty of time for talkin' later."
[01:06] <Illyana> ( Um... who's Wintergreen? )
[01:06] <Chako> (The pilot of the Raging Peppermint?)
[01:06] <Isis> ( ...Slay. )
[01:06] <Illyana> ( I thought that was Lewis. )
[01:06] <Chamelaeon> (Yup.)
[01:06] <Chako> (Lewis Wintergreen.)
[01:06] <Chamelaeon> (Wintergreen was his nickname.)
[01:06] <Chako> (Whatever!)
[01:06] <Illyana> ( ah )
[01:07] * Chako says, "Sounds good. C'mon." And walks.
[01:07] <Tim> Works for me.
[01:07] <Chamelaeon> (aaaaand.... scene!)
[01:07] <Chamelaeon> <<SESSION 8 LANDED!>>