<> <> <> <> (I can't believe it's not.. well, no, I can believe it.) <> <> (Sorry for the delay. Was fighting with my fucking speakers. >_<) (Bad speakers!) * Rochelle is in the common room! And watching the 'net. You expected something else? * Ian is still working on some notes about bits of language. * Leopoldo is in the common room lounging on the couch and enjoying the 'net/radio, leaning back in the chair and almost drooling. * Threnody is dejectedly poking at his sandwich with a toothpick. <> <> (Ha!) * Vera eats her sandwich, ignoring the taste, and drinks more of that alcohol. Whatever it is. * Fitzroy is sitting at one of the tables in the lounge near wherever Ian is, absorbed in his computer work. Hey, Ian, I think we've got somethin! Come take a look at this. * Katherine doesn't exactly seem relaxed, and hasn't for pretty much the entire time since she's been off shift. Or on shift. She looks around at people not doing anything with a frown on her face. * Fitzroy flips on the holo-display for his comp and turns it to face Ian. * Ian blinks, and moves over to peer at the screen. "What's up?" <> ...that was very, very fast. * Threnody looks up at Roy blanky a moment, then walks over, curious. * Leopoldo looks backwards at them. "You cracked it?" * Katherine walks over to Roy too! "Huh. Wish I could remember that..." If only Oxford still existed in this dimension... Looks like we got it. * Vera wanders over. "Huhwha?" She squints at the screen "... So what's it say?" (Roy's computer hums "I am the very model of a grammar parsing processor...") (The GM explodes.) * Rochelle looks over at that and shifts so she can see better. <> Well, it's something to work by, anyway. Better than nothing, correct. Yeah, it is rather basic, but it's something. ( This particular sequence either means, "We've been hit! Mayday!" or "Your fish is in my foot." or "When life gives you lemons, don't eat them raw." ) (What's the context? I've got $10 on it being the lemons one.) I've tried to apply it to the message we recorded.. * Fitzroy brings up the original bit stream.. and also another message below it. ( That depends on the last one: "No matter what happens, cheese wins." or "One can not take toffee lightly," or "JesseLMan is the world's favorite celebrity." ) And the result? * Fitzroy actually brings up multiple messages.. (... Please tell me they're all very different. @_@) < Aleutians with festive ancient waltzes", or "Back dat ass up to the loading dock, because it is carrying a noble shipment of ", or finally "Latest pattern cracked, shift to pattern, troops focused northeast, will report next pattern period.">> * Threnody tilts his head after a moment. "Oh my." ... Intelligence and counter-intelligence. Ugh. I hate war. * Ian curses under his breath. Mmmm... World war II. * Fitzroy says to nobody in particular, "Not sure where the first two came from.." Hey, at least semantics isn't a lost art. * Rochelle shrugs. "Guess it's the last one. Unless they care about dogs or somethin'." * Threnody glances at Roy. "Would you say that... your laptop is less or more powerful than a self-evolving sentient AI the size of a small house?" * Katherine snickers. Well.. It's pretty nice... But I doubt it's more powerful than that. * Threnody sighs despondently. "I was afraid you'd say that." * Katherine then suddenly frowns, then says, "Okay, look. What are the chances the damn thing would be listening to the radio?" What thing? * Threnody says, pointedly, "He likes 50's sitcoms." * Leopoldo shrugs. "I'm not sure." I mean, it explains all the lame-- Well, we have one advantage...no matter how powerful the originator is, there are only so many ways to hide info, none of which are hard to break unless they're using key cryptography. If they had keys, they'd be using them. Like card keys? More like the Enigma machine used durring the cold war. * Katherine mutters. "Dammit," and runs her hair through her hair. * Ian grins. "Not quite. It's...hard to explain. I spent a few days researching it for a book." (Lots of history buffs. c.c) (Really. @_@) (Well, all my skill ranks went SOMEWHERE.) (Ian is! Legitimately!) Yeeeah. Okay. What's an Enigma machine? (I don't know squat, so I'll just sit here.) * Katherine speaks up, saying, "The ancient history doesn't MATTER rght now. We've got recent history. And now." Hey Leo, have you heard any more messages recently? Um, how does it work... You pass a particular value in and get a seperate value out. Depending on the string of variables you put in, it will send out another, different, string.... And no, no Kenny G. I don't think we'll have trouble breaking the code in the future...I'm much more worried about how they found out. Someone could have overheard us. * Threnody tilts his head. "Why not just feed them disinformation?" Now that I can answer. They'd catch on. * Katherine opens her mouth, then nods at Vera. "Yeah." This message was sent the other day though. Wouldn't they be talking about something like attack patterns? (... That's what they were talking about. >_>) * Rochelle puts her chin on the back of the couch and watches the conversation. ( They're planning to attack the supply depot. ) <> (...) (Yeah. c.c;) <> (What the hell is this 'found out' stuff? The entire BASE knew the attack patterns were changed.) (Er, discovered.) (Ahem.) (The general knew.) (We all knew that the army discovered the bug attack patterns. The general knows the bugs changed to adapt.) * Katherine shakes her head and then rubs her neck. "Alright, that's it. Vera, and anyone else who wants to find the former Ventura Norton, it's time to do so. Right after Ian tells me if he was working with a tall skinny guy with a Goatee this... uh, morning." ( Ventura Norton was working with Jesse? ) Uh? Yes, I was. * Katherine nods. "Yeah. That guy? Was the bug we're looking for." * Ian just eyebrows for a moment. "...well, crap. I guess I should have suspected something...he was very quiet." Was being the key word. * Katherine nods. "Yeah." * Ian rubs his temples. "All this is really getting to me..." Are you also going to aleart the general? You and me both, man. * Leopoldo sighs. * Katherine takes a breath and says a little sharply. "Yeah, it's a pain, but if this base gets overrun, we're dead too, so I'm not just going to stand here and get myself killed." She looks over to Thren. "What do you think? You're the expert. Risk it or not?" 'Expert'? * Threnody sighs and looks at Roy's laptop presuming it's visible. "I don't know. Where is our supposed helper, anyway?" * Fitzroy 's laptop is still visible, "Helper?" Anders. Eh, you seem to know what's going on. Makes you the expert, I guess. More expert than the rest of us. Ah, good question. Maybe that junk he was carrying broke. * Katherine chuckles. <> * Rochelle flips through the channels! * Threnody sighs and stands up. "I suppose we need to track him down and find him... I don't even know where to look." He looks at the ceiling. "Maybe if we told Rohaus the truth..." I do. * Katherine mms, then looks over at Vera. * Threnody raises an eyebrow at Vera. "You know where the Cube is?" The wha? So, you don't know. * Katherine shakes her head. "I think she was talking about the bug." Or the guy who was the bug. Something. * Vera nods Ah. I suppose, if we crack down on him... But yeah, I know where the cubes are. ... I got a few for my drink earlier. * Katherine looks at Vera as if she were drunk. Because she IS. "...Right. Do you think you'll need me to talk to Rohaus, Thren?" Cube. As in AI. Like was explained earlier. * Vera looks at Leo funnily. "The wha?" * Threnody shakes his head. "Rochelle and I should go. We're the ones who've met with him." Yeah, that's what I thought. Maybe if we explain we found the transmissions, he'll take us to the Cube. That's who gives him his orders, after all. * Leopoldo nods. Well, I was just thinking I could add to your weight. Alright, Vera, s'time to go find the guy. <> * Rochelle gets to her feet, then looks over at Anders. * Anders shuffles in, looking like he just woke up. "Guys, where are... oh, there you are." * Katherine says a little exasperatedly, "Anyone ELSE want to tag along while Vera dries-- Anders." Hey, Anders. * Leopoldo points at Anders. Guess it's not broke. * Anders waves, and yawns. ( Does Leo pointlaugh at Anders, though? ) * Ian waves. (No, no I do not. Much.) Hey, so, what can you tell us? Er, uhm, the bug infiltrator. He's the one you're here to stop. I mean, everything points to him being the one you've, er, got to stop. (...) (*hurls a couch at Cham*) Well hell, that simplifies things. I think we kinda figured that out. * Ian smiles grimly. "It certainly does." * Anders flinches from something you can't see. "Ronnie, er, wants you to hurry up so you can get out of here." No it doesn't, that's what we were already doing to stay alive. (*dodges because it's not his fault.*) * Threnody shrugs. "I guess Vera should lead the way, then." Hey, me too. How about that. * Vera heads off! * Katherine follows, and mutters about drunken detectives and stupid holograms. * Rochelle walks along. * Ian follows. "Bug plus well-placed lead equals no bug. Correct?" Yeah. Just hope he has a monocle. * Ian grins at that. < (Idle to get a snack.) * Anders stumbles along after the lot of you. * Fitzroy turns off the holo-display and follows as well. * Katherine frowns and murmurs, "Should we get the Cube in on this or not..." Hell no. Don't need 'em. * Katherine says at Vera's back. "THE Cube. Singular. Proper noun. AI. The Game. Does any of this ring a bell?" What's the point? If we don't, are we liable to get in trouble for shooting things? Not really. I think she was completly drunk when the truth was told. Either that or she's going insane. * Katherine rubs her head as she walks. "Forget it. Just thinking the Cube, if it's not being a moron, would be really helpful." <> I'm not sure if it matters wether or not the Cube is in on it.. if we do find the infiltrator. (Ah... no pulp, low-acid orange juice. Smooth and refreshing.) (Mmm. :9) (JUICE. XD) * Threnody says, woodenly, "They'll just send another. I am willing to bet it's why Ronnie wants us out of here as soon as possible." (*PUNCHES Calc* Shut the hell up.) <> ( JUICE! XD ) (Sure.) We need to make the code crack known though. (*hurls a space station at Robin*) (Oh, Robin, if I didn't tell you - I actually got the toll-free number. ^_^) * Vera rubs her head. "Urgh. Fine, you go do that and I'll find the biyatch." ( *pockets the space station; never know when one might come in handy* ) ( Calc> Rock. XD ) <> * Leopoldo walkwalkwalks. ( Like a lizard! ) (Yes, like a standing lizard!) * Rochelle walks, too. She's been here before! Imagine that. * Ian walks! <> * Vera heads to the section where the guy lived for a few weeks. <> ( Ooh. It's the Ghetto ) <> * Katherine looks around. "Well, my illusions are shattered.." Yeah? Yeah. All the shinyness is gone. Last vestiges of humanity trying to survive, and we still have slums. Wonderful. Lovely, isn't it. * Vera looks for the nameplate of the guy. She shrugs. "Eh. This crap happens anywhere. No big deal." * Rochelle shrugs. <> * Vera knocks! * Rochelle applauds Vera's knocking! Not really. <> (Ian knocks! The door down.) * Threnody sighs. "I won't be able to sense if he's close or not, either." * Katherine pulls her rifle and plugs in. Why not? * Leopoldo follows. Whee. * Fitzroy stands out of Kat's way. * Rochelle is so very out of everyone's way. ... Okay, I wasn't planning on shooting in the door. Just didn't feel like being caught unawares. Better safe than sorry. * Threnody glances at Rochelle. "Silicate brain." * Rochelle blinks at Thren, then nods. She probably still doesn't get it. * Vera kicks the door in. * Rochelle does, however, pull out her own gun and plugs in. * Fitzroy hmms and says quietly, "In case this does send us somewhere else, I'll write a note to ourselves about this.. in case we don't remember." <> ...right, then. * Ian plugs in. ... Make the note fast, Roy. Just blow it open. Of course. * Vera plugs in, too. * Fitzroy plugs in also. * Leopoldo plugs in. * Vera aims at the door. "Knock knock." She fires. <> ( @_@ ) (... So does Vera's shot hit it in the face?) (Man, someone's been watching too much MIB.) (*snicker* Eew.) <> <> d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (d6+7) and gets 11. d6+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Vera (d6+6) and gets 8. d6+9 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Katherine (d6+9) and gets 12. d6+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Ian (d6+6) and gets 10. d6+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Threnody (d6+6) and gets 9. (Wait.) (Add one to that. 10.) d6+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Leopoldo (d6+6) and gets 9. * Anders blinks at the hideous bug. "Uhm... ew." Guess he wasn't dressed yet. * Leopoldo looks disgusted. "Eww is right." d6+5 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fitzroy (d6+5) and gets 8. <> <> * Katherine narrows her eyes and fires straight at the thing's head. 2d6-3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Katherine (2d6-3) and gets 7. (Hit.) <> * Katherine frowns and says, "Oh jesus ugh." * Rochelle doesn't even blink. She brings up her gun, points it at the thing, and fires. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-2) and gets 5. < * Threnody looks highly conflicted. On the one hand, guns bad. On the other, touching icky drooling half-bug thing also bad. So he compromises by full defending. * Ian fires on the bug, looking all Army of Darkness. Shop smart. 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Ian (2d6-4) and gets 3. (That's a yes. ^_^) (A good compromise!) <> * Leopoldo shoots Bug! Bug goo all over the place! Maybe? 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Leopoldo (2d6-2) and gets 7. (Miss. ;-;) Jesus, that thing's tough. (I just did a lot of damage to the wall!) (You showed that wall!) <> 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Leopoldo (2d6) and gets 6. ( But the wall was load-bearing, and now this whole part of the mountain collapses on you. Oops! ) (HAHAHAHA! My DCV's 3. <.<) (... Stupid Load-Bearing Walls.) <> <> (Uh, how much was that? ^^;) * Vera takes a shot at the bug. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Leopoldo (2d6) and gets 6. ( Uh... ) (Roll for it?) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Vera (2d6-2) and gets 5. ( Hit ) * Leopoldo winces and pushes the bug away, surprisingly calm. <> 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fitzroy (2d6-2) and gets 10, a CRITICAL FAILURE!!! "If I go crazy, will you still call me Superman?" (I think that answers that..) (... Look, I'll kill you.) (Can I give him a DR?) (>_>) (... in this instance, yes, because if not, you are a crispy critter.) (Re-roll it Roy.) (DR1) (That is one mechanic I have never, ever, ever, ever, EVER, unnderstood.) (It's luck on my part. ^^;) (It makes sense, in this situation.) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fitzroy (2d6-2) and gets 4. (Because if it misses that badly, *I*'m getting fried.) (Yeah.) (that's better..'cause that hits) (I can see it. Leo's good luck keeps Roy from nuking him accidentally, which has a good chance of happening since the bug is grappling.) (he happens to push the bug into the line of fire just slightly?) <> <> * Katherine attempts to say, "Son of a bitch!" But only god knows if she succeeeds. * Anders waves! <> (By god, do you mean GM?) (... A GM is like a god.) <> <> < <> (Sounds familiar. >.>) <> <> <> <> <> ( Woah. Even freaker than usual. ) (... awesome.) ( But she has a hat! ) (*cracks up at the Thren descrip*) ( The cat is Kat. ) (... yes.) (...) (...) <> (...oh, no. No, no, no...) < (Leo = Karasu?) (... Bwahahahahaha.) (...what's going on here, now? <_<) (I'm... badass) ( Oh my @_@ ) <> (Leo starts talking... like this. ... whatever.) (Goddamn, Leo. ;_;) (<--- Asian badass?) <> <> <> (... Code Lyoko?) ( GASP! ) ( I'M A REAL GIRL! ) (*nearly dies*) * Vera checks out her new threads. "... Huh. This is a hell of a lot better than the last place already." She adjusts her hat. ( *snerks* ) * Katherine stares at the readhead in the mirror. "... Goddamn, woman." *beat* "Oh my god, that's me." *beat* "Goddamn, me." * Threnody blinks a couple times, but says nothing. * Demetreia blinks several times and looks around. * Ian blinks a few times. "...well, damn. This really doesn't suit me. It could be nice being 18ish again, I suppose." "...oh, my." * Leopoldo adjusts his shades. He looks at the wallscreen and raises an eyebrow, making a few motions making sure it's him. "Well, at least I'm not ugly." (Talk while I DCC the sheets to people.) I...hello? * Fitzroy looks around, then stares into the TV.. he looks back and forth between the TV and Thren, who is the most suprising. Yo, Deme * Leopoldo looks over at Deme. "That you Deme?" ...Deme? Er...yes? ... Deme? What the hell you doin' here? * Katherine puts her hands to her face, and runs them down her body. "Oh my god--what? Deme?" Okay, okay, okay! First! Who the heck is who? I'm Leo. (Uh, Leo?) (When you look at someone, you see their base form.) (What? Oh. I didn't catch that. REtcon. ^^;) (Only in mirrors/reflective surfaces (IE: The wallscreen) do you see the other forms.) * Demetreia looks at Leo and then away, then glances, then looks at the TV, then back at Leo. She repeats this for basically everyone. "....how odd...." Yeah. How'd you get here? * Demetreia looks at Vera. "I...they said you needed my help...." Damn. They suckered you, huh? (*click* ...what the fuck.) (Everyone has sheet, right?) (...awesome.) (I'd like to say I am... badass.) ( I'm ... uh, sorta... badass... kinda. ) <> (I'm not. But I got to be badass last time!) (I'm geek badass.) (I am not going to say... anything.) (But otherwise very non-badass. ;_;) * Katherine turns to Deme. "Aw, geez, Deme." She rubs her head, then blinks. "Uh. Right." ( Catyawn! XD ) ( I...suppose I am badass? 9-9) ( Oh, *Roch* is the cat. <.<) * Threnody blinks, then turns and looks at the cat. He opens his mouth to say something... and gets, uh, nothing. Oi, you just had to get stuck in this, didn't you? * Vera poses a few times, watching her reflection. "This ain't bad at all." * Rochelle blinks sleepily, stretches and looks around. Then looks down at herself. And notices she has fur. * Vera grins. "I oughtta get one of these ponchos." ( D'oh. ) * Leopoldo looks at his reflection and moves around, moving and getting a glimpse of the Katana. "Ooookay." * Vera snickers. "Hey Leo. You look badass." * Katherine steps finally looks around, and starts matching people up to visible descs. "... Goddamn. We're right out of a sci-flick." * Rochelle turns around once, looking at everyone else, and the wallscreen reflections, before sitting again and gazing at Thren. That's an accurate estimation. * Threnody smiles and pets Roch. And while I can't say I completly object... * Demetreia catches a glimpse of Roch out of the corner of her eye and doubletakes. During the doubletake, she manages somehow to smack the hilt of the katana on her head. "Ouch..." (We can't tell Roch is the cat, yet, can we?) Careful, there. (Nope.) Well, this is going to be interesting. To say the least. * Demetreia blinks. "...that was pain." <> * Rochelle moves her head and lets Thren get a particularly annoying spot behind her ear. <> So, any clue where Roche is? * Vera checks out her hat. "Nah." * Threnody opens his mouth again, and gets nothing. Grimacing, he closes his eyes and with considerable concentration manages to tell the entire group at once, %% She's the cat. %% Maybe she's in a different place? * Katherine frowns and says, "... And apparently the other me was really into combat cy--" She looks over at Thren, and then at the cat. * Leopoldo glances at Thren, then the cat. * Rochelle opens one eye to look right at Kat, then closes it. ... ... I've... never sseen a transformation that small. * Demetreia rubs her head and doubletakes *again*. This time her hand's on the back of her head and somehow manages to catch the hilt before she gets another selfbeating. * Threnody nods a couple times. Petting Roch is fun! * Demetreia pokes a finger out at Rochcat cautiously. * Vera glances at Roch once, then inspects her hat again. * Rochelle opens her eyes when Deme does that, but she doesn't bite her finger off. * Katherine scratches her head. "Weird freaky people are us. Did anyone else see Earth on the way in?" I did. * Threnody nods once, glancing at the turned-off wallscreen a moment before closing his eyes again. Yeah. It looked all grey and cool. * Demetreia uses her infamous one-finger pet on Roch. Yeah, we're out in the western US somewhere. (Wow. Roch is getting attention.) ( Of course. She's a kitty. ) ( Not here. I got a hat. XD ) (Are here any windows?) <> (Okay!) * Threnody gets up, then walks over to the wallscreen and looks at it a moment. <> * Katherine sways her way over to the window, making sure not to run into Thren. * Ian prods at the slots on his head, curiously. * Threnody nods in satisfaction and turns it on. * Leopoldo scratches his head. * Rochelle sprawls where she is, not interrupting Deme's strange one-fingered pet and turning her attention to the screen. It must be Roch. * Fitzroy hmms. <> * Katherine looks out the window and takes a handful of her hair, carefully, trying to look at it. * Demetreia starts and whirls. "Ian...!" <> * Demetreia goes over and pokes Ian. Carefully. Ow! Fuck! Stupid fucking hair! Ian! * Ian is out cold. * Threnody blinks and turns around. * Katherine 's hair goes away from her hand. Like, sticking straight out the other way. * Rochelle looks over at Ian, then Kat. Freaky. * Leopoldo checks for a pulse from Ian. * Vera looks down at Ian. "He okay, Leo?" * Fitzroy prods Ian with his foot since he's so near, "Ian?" <> <> Yeah, he's just out. * Rochelle goes back to watching cartoons. ( Life of Ian. On WALLTV.) * Katherine looks back out the window and clutches her hand. "Jesus! I could tell I'd been cybered, but this... " ( GODDAMMIT. The icky incredibly scary bug is back. ) * Leopoldo gets up. "So, any idea what we need to do to get out of this one? " <> ... why would Earth have a city like this? Er...why not? Hypothesis: Humans never moved to Mars. * Threnody shrugs his shoulders as he walks past Kat to stare out the windows. * Katherine makes sure she, and her hair, are out of the way of Thren. Makes sense. * Demetreia goes to look at the "like this" city, careful to avoid Kat's HAIR O'DOOM. * Threnody blinks and looks at Roch, then frowns and looks around for something, eventually producing the wallscreen remote and flipping channels. * Rochelle loses DemeAttention, too, and she curls up and watches the 'net. <> * Katherine looks... down? at Deme, and says quietly, mainly at her, "Ya look good, Deme. How're you holding up after all that crap in Sweden?" She's still clutching her hand. * Rochelle doesn't seem particularly bothered by that. * Demetreia looks down. "I..." * Fitzroy gets up to glance out the window. ( "am Spartacus." ) <> * Katherine doesn't jump. That's standard procedure for her. She's still waitng for Deme's answer! * Threnody keeps flipping channels until he finds alternate universe CNN, and then he stops. * Rochelle twitches. She looks up, around, and then settles back down again. * Leopoldo concentrates for a few seconds. * Demetreia doesn't look like she's going to continue. Aww. * Katherine waits for a bit, then shakes her head and walks away from the window, and towards the TV, hair back down normally. I'm getting.... '90s music. <> * Demetreia keeps looking out the window in a very spaced-out sorta way. * Vera glances at the TV. "... That's a stupid name." * Threnody mmms and taps his fingers on the remote idly. * Katherine sees the TV for a second, then looks at her hand. "Great. Just when I need to wash off some blood, they go saying that water's not safe." * Katherine goes looking inside the apartment for somewhere to wash the blood off anyway. <> <> (... people got headcomputers but not me? ;_;) ( You got a giant headcrab. ) Retro. Very retro. ( /me plays Kirby in her head! ) (Vera in Dreamland!) * Katherine comes out of the bathroom with clean hands, and arms, and hair, with no bandage on her hand, and says in annoyance, "Jesus, doesn't this woman eat? I'm getting hungry fast." * Threnody sighs and leans back on the seat, looking tired. <> * Vera looks neither hungry nor tired! XD * Rochelle lets out a little cat-yawn. And watches the water special! What say we see what this place has to offer? * Demetreia sighs and walks back to the couch, sitting down next to Thren. Or Roch. Whichever one has an empty seat next to them. * Leopoldo nods. "I wouldn't object." (Done?) * Katherine smirks. "As long as we're not fugitives. It wouldn't surprise me." (Lookin' that way.) We probably are, but... eh. (Works!) ( Yeh, that was my last too. ) * Leopoldo shrugs. (Okay) <>