You have just entered room "AND."
Sarcazmo47 has entered the room.
AndrewRogue: No Cloud?
Sarcazmo47: No Orog?
SirAlexTheFirst: No Beethro, either.
Adm H Sopko has entered the room.
Sarcazmo47: BFG9000'D!
SirAlexTheFirst: I mourn the lack of Beethro.
AndrewRogue: Beethro?
coughingpuppy has entered the room.
SirAlexTheFirst: Yes.
SirAlexTheFirst: Beethro.
coughingpuppy: Yaaaaaaaaaaaay! *runs around in circles* We're actually playing!
AndrewRogue: Who is Beethro?
AndrewRogue: *then joins Staci*
Sarcazmo47: YOUR MOM
SirAlexTheFirst: www.drod.net
SirAlexTheFirst: Good puzzle game.
AndrewRogue: I thought my mom was Lori.
Sarcazmo47: YOU THOUGHT WRONG, BITCH!
AndrewRogue: *cries*
SirAlexTheFirst: Oh, well then.
AndrewRogue: BUT YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY !
SirAlexTheFirst: Choose your destiny!
SirAlexTheFirst: Neon Genesis Bandongelion!
SirAlexTheFirst: Neon Genesis Bandongelion!
AndrewRogue: This is a tough choice.
SirAlexTheFirst: Or, you could go with Neon Genesis Bandongelion!
Adm H Sopko: Bandongelion then
SirAlexTheFirst: Huzzah
Sarcazmo47: Looks like I've been outvoted.
SirAlexTheFirst: You don't want to play?
Sarcazmo47: SON, I'LL PLAY UNTIL MY EYES BLEED!
Sarcazmo47: AND I CANNOT FEEL MY TEETH!
SirAlexTheFirst: Or until you have to leave for your flight.
Sarcazmo47: That too.
Sarcazmo47: Anyway.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon!
AndrewRogue: Well then let's play till some eyes start bleeding and some flights start leaving!
SirAlexTheFirst: By the way, if I ever throw a monster at y'all called the Living Tar, RUN.
Sarcazmo47: Last we left our noble hero, he was heading to....dinner, if I recall correctly.
SirAlexTheFirst: Pre-session warnings
AndrewRogue: (...I have to run from more things in this game than any normal man/woman/girl should have to...)
AndrewRogue: AND OOOH! WARNINGS!
SirAlexTheFirst: My head bleeds and I want to die whenever I move it
AndrewRogue: So if you stop responding... call a doctor?
Adm H Sopko: The Living Tar? A counterpoint to the CAPUCHIN?
Sarcazmo47: Either that, or put on some Slayer and start headbanging.
SirAlexTheFirst: So I am weird and angry.
SirAlexTheFirst: And also terribly hungry, although I think it's too late to get anything. Ohwell.
SirAlexTheFirst: ~~~~~GO~~~~
SirAlexTheFirst: Bandon was heading to dinner... or was he?
AndrewRogue: (DUN DUN DUN)
Sarcazmo47: He was.
SirAlexTheFirst: All righty.
Sarcazmo47: And lo, it was dinner.
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc leads you down to a well-lit, carpeted room with a large table and seven places set for dinner.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon looks for an empty seat, or the replicators, or whatever.
Sarcazmo47: Seven?
Sarcazmo47: Oh.
Sarcazmo47: So the mass of peoples is diminished.
SirAlexTheFirst: The food on the table, from what you can see, varies tremendously between a few dishes you recognize, some cuisine that has that Whittyre clean look to it, and a couple bizzare plates of tree branches and what look to be rabbits/
SirAlexTheFirst: .
SirAlexTheFirst: There is nobody else in the room yet.
SirAlexTheFirst: And indeed, the mass of peoples is apparently not coming here, as Marc sits down and motions for you to do the same.
Sarcazmo47: Presumably the tree branches are for the odder folks.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon seats himself at the invitation.
SirAlexTheFirst: "They'll be here in a minute. Crazy kids." Marc smiles fondly, and leans back.
Sarcazmo47: "Marc..do you know a woman named Miss Mab?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Not really. Someone from around here?"
Sarcazmo47: "Ah, yes."
Sarcazmo47: "She's the one that asked for my presence."
SirAlexTheFirst: "Oh, really? Must be someone up in command, then." He nods thoughtfully. "We aren't in touch much with command, at least not specific people."
Sarcazmo47: "How do you get your missions?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Through the terminals, usually. Someone around here briefs the pilots on them."
Sarcazmo47: "Is it usually the same person?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Nope. Just whoever gets the message first."
Sarcazmo47: "I meant, the person that sends the message through the terminal. Is it the same person? Or is a written message?"
Sarcazmo47: The word conditioning is starting to bounce around Bandon's brain.
SirAlexTheFirst: "No idea. Does it really matter?"
Sarcazmo47: Bandon shakes his head. "Probably not. And once they get their mission, they go to the place they store the suits and do it?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Yep. There's generally a time constraint, but it's never been a problem. They're very eager to go out and do things with the suits, usually..."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon nods. "And these suits have personalities?"
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc trails off as some voices are heard outside one of the doors to the room; this is followed by the arrival of Langley and Quoheleth.
AndrewRogue: (*murders Asuka before shutting up again*)
Sarcazmo47: (That was the Catman and the gal that acted like KOS-MOS?)
SirAlexTheFirst: (Catman, yes. And the obsessive-compulsive chick.)
Sarcazmo47: Right.
AndrewRogue: (Wow. Kirk has a good memory O_o)
Sarcazmo47: Bandon waves.
SirAlexTheFirst: Quoheleth smiles at you and curtseys before sitting carefully down. Langley nods and waves. Neither of them say anything, though they had been talking before entering the room.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon gropes for a conversation topic that might interest them.
Sarcazmo47: "Did you enjoy the mission?"
SirAlexTheFirst: Langley answers you assertivly: "It was an excellent mission. I myself enjoyed it thoroughly, though I cannot speak for anyone else."
Sarcazmo47: "That's good. What happened?
SirAlexTheFirst: "It was a routine criminal capture mission, but the location was deep in the wild lands of Gelendar..." Langley's eyes almost glaze over. "We spent some time flying out and back. It was marvelous."
Sarcazmo47: Wild lands of Gelendar.
SirAlexTheFirst: Yep.
Sarcazmo47: Criminal capture and Gelendar go bouncing around in there, too.
SirAlexTheFirst: "Fortunately, we did not have to harm anyone, and there were no injuries to any of us - although Eight did lose power and fall over for a moment. I am not sure what caused that, but he seems none the worse for wear."
Sarcazmo47: "How is his suit?"
SirAlexTheFirst: Langley shrugs. "It is in service as we speak, attempting to find the nature of the problem. Nothing the criminals had could have caused it."
SirAlexTheFirst: More voices are heard coming.
Sarcazmo47: "Will someone get in trouble?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Maybe so, if it is a fault by one of the creators, but I do not think that will happen. Eight is quite forgiving and will not seek such a thing."
SirAlexTheFirst: The other three pilot file in through this door about now, and take their seats with glances and waves at Bandon.
SirAlexTheFirst: It's oddly quiet; even that chatty blonde you didn't get the name of isn't saying anything. For now.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon waves at all of them vigorously.
Sarcazmo47: So this is all the pilots I was introduced to?
Sarcazmo47: Including the backup pilots?
SirAlexTheFirst: These are indeed the five pilots. Need a review?
Sarcazmo47: Uh, please.
SirAlexTheFirst: Langley, a catman with tints of orange and calico. Your conversation with him has been here.
SirAlexTheFirst: Quoheleth, a human woman, tall, thin, in a pure white dress and garters and crimson slippers. She is very polite, excruciatingly so perhaps, and exudes a vibe of timidity.
Sarcazmo47: KOSMOS without the arm cannon, got it.
SirAlexTheFirst: That blonde human lady, smudged and worn vest, rarely shuts up and seems like she had about five too many cups of coffee.
Sarcazmo47: Roger that.
SirAlexTheFirst: Eight, a human man in military slacks with a relaxed demeanor.
SirAlexTheFirst: You haven't spoken much with him yet.
Sarcazmo47: Right.
SirAlexTheFirst: Oh, and he has vertical pupils.
Sarcazmo47: I rememeber.
SirAlexTheFirst: And Chevka, who seemed quite suspicious of you earlier.
Sarcazmo47: Right.
SirAlexTheFirst: Now that everyone is present and quiet, the pilots and Marc all bow their heads for a minute.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon does so as well.
Sarcazmo47: And says, "Would you mind if I said a short prayer?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Go ahead," Marc murmurs to you - although it seems Quoheleth is already saying one of her own, in low tones.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon says a short prayer.
Sarcazmo47: And makes a nutritious cookie appear at everyone's place setting.
Sarcazmo47: And also, hopefully without being noticed in doing it, casts detect evil.
*OnlineHost*: SirAlexTheFirst rolled 6 20-sided dice: 15 7 16 16 11 15
SirAlexTheFirst: Just generally detecting for evil?
Sarcazmo47: He sorta makes it a generic part of his prayer.
Sarcazmo47: Well, presumeably as per the spell, but yes.
Sarcazmo47: Generally detecting for evil.
SirAlexTheFirst: Nothing pings; the room and the people in it evidently are as wholesome as they look.
Sarcazmo47: Oh good.
Sarcazmo47: Is that Quoheleth praying in a language I understand?
SirAlexTheFirst: Trying to hear her, over your own prayer?
Sarcazmo47: Is she still doing it before or after he's done with his?
SirAlexTheFirst: Slightly before
Sarcazmo47: Anything I can recognize?
SirAlexTheFirst: Listen check!
SirAlexTheFirst: Also, what languages do you know
SirAlexTheFirst: Hmmm what languages DO you know
SirAlexTheFirst: Not on the sheet
SirAlexTheFirst: *smack*
*OnlineHost*: Sarcazmo47 rolled 1 20-sided die: 17
Sarcazmo47: 24 listen...
Sarcazmo47: Languages..
Sarcazmo47: Normal stuff.
SirAlexTheFirst: Not something you'd recognize, then.
SirAlexTheFirst: Her tone is sincere and emphatic, but that's all you got.
Sarcazmo47: And no time for a comprehend languages.
Sarcazmo47: Curses.
Sarcazmo47: Ah, well.
Sarcazmo47: Anyway, he finishes his prayer of good fortune and good eats, and looks around at the others.
SirAlexTheFirst: They're looking at you; when they see that you're finished, everyone begins taking food and such.
Sarcazmo47: Goodo.
Sarcazmo47: He also will engage thusly in the eating.
Sarcazmo47: Who is sitting next to him?
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc, and Chevka.
Sarcazmo47: Naturally.
Sarcazmo47: "Miss Chevka, did you participate in the criminal capture?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "I was on support for this particular mission," Chevka answers, and says nothing more. The other pilots have started small talk among themselves, with the requisite hyper babbling too.
Sarcazmo47: "I see. What was your last active mission?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "A testing of armaments. Why do you ask?"
Sarcazmo47: He shrugs. "Curiosity. Did you enjoy it?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Yes."
Sarcazmo47: "Why?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "It's the beauty of death, the entropy inherent in such instruments. Only when wielding them can you truly feel the edge of life and existence, and the ultimate actualization of potential to die."
SirAlexTheFirst: A trace of emotion has crept into Chevka's voice.
SirAlexTheFirst: From across the table, the blonde groans. "Chev, shut up with the doom and gloom crap for once, okay? Brother Bandon's too smiley to want to hear all of that!"
Sarcazmo47: Bandon smiles faintly. "Everyone has their interests. If you don't mind me asking, have you had to make a kill on any of your missions yet?
Sarcazmo47: "
SirAlexTheFirst: "Not yet. Not yet. It is inevitable, though."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon cocks his head. "Why?"
SirAlexTheFirst has left the room.
Sarcazmo47: That'll show me.
AndrewRogue: Bandon = PWNed
Sarcazmo47: Quite so.
AndrewRogue: On that note... *unoffically makes the group theme 'Kick My Ass.'"
AndrewRogue: *
SirAlexTheFirst has entered the room.
SirAlexTheFirst: Yay
SirAlexTheFirst: Anyways.
Sarcazmo47: SirAlexTheFirst (9:28:16 PM): "Not yet. Not yet. It is inevitable, though."Sarcazmo47 (9:28:27 PM): Bandon cocks his head. "Why?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Death is inevitable. It comes to everything and it comes everywhere, to coat the world in a final darkness. Even I, who am not worthy, have been given a part of the great task of deathbringing through weapons."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon blinks.
Sarcazmo47: She's a goth chick.
Sarcazmo47: Okay.
Sarcazmo47: Cool.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon looks at the gal whose name he didn't catch.
Sarcazmo47: "And you, ma'am? When was your last mission?"
SirAlexTheFirst: She perks right up. "Oh, me an' Rikki were on the one today! I was talking about it earlier, it was so awesome! Quoheleth was all like 'Surrender!' and actually being assertive! Isn't that great?"
Sarcazmo47: "Very. Did they surrender?"
SirAlexTheFirst: Quoheleth doesn't seem to think so, but that doesn't stop the young lady from carrying on. "And the flight out there was really pretty, you have to get up there sometime and look down! It's so green and bumpy and
SirAlexTheFirst: everything looks so tiny.... Huh? Not at first, but we got em eventually."
Sarcazmo47: "Oh. I've never flown before...was it something new they put on your suits, that you'd never done it before?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Naw, we've been able to fly almost since day one, but we usually have to stay around Whittyre. Have you ever seen outside of the city? No? Can't blame ya, there's nothing there but a bunch of sand, sand sand!"
AndrewRogue: (And is it on your boots? <_<)
Sarcazmo47: "How long ago did you start training on the suits?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Uhhhm." She ponders this a minute.
SirAlexTheFirst: "Five years, maybe seven, something like that? A long time. Not as long as some people though." *giggle*
Sarcazmo47: Bandon nods.
Sarcazmo47: "Do they have names?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Of course they do!" She sounds almost insulted, but quickly recovers. "Mine is Rikki Tikki, he's a really cool guy. I'd take you to meet him after dinner but they're all up in maintainance again..."
Sarcazmo47: "Oh."
Adm H Sopko: (Heh. Rikki Tikki)
SirAlexTheFirst: (If you get that, MAD PROPS to you)
AndrewRogue: (All I can think of is that mongoose story <_<)
Adm H Sopko: (Rikki Tikki Tavi was one of my favorite stories when I was little)
AndrewRogue: (Oh! I got it!)
SirAlexTheFirst: (MAD PROPS to Andy and Soppy)
SirAlexTheFirst: Carrying on
SirAlexTheFirst: All Bandon says is "Oh"?
Sarcazmo47: So Rikki Tikki gets filed away. Some of them may have been acting a little too attached to their exosuits, mister Bandon.
Sarcazmo47: Riiight
Adm H Sopko: ((::Goes back to munching on the calzone he ordered:: ))
AndrewRogue: (...I want a Calzone.)
Sarcazmo47: "So what do you do when you're not on duty?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Well, I still have to read and stuff for school, and I'm thinking about learning magic. But mostly I hang out around here, or go shopping, or do stuff with Rikki. Or the guys-
SirAlexTheFirst: She waves her hand around the table. "They're not here enough though!"
Sarcazmo47: "Who?"
SirAlexTheFirst: Langley chuckles. "Playing with you is fun, but not quite the most important thing around, honey. We're around enough."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon nods. "Do you think I can meet all the suits after they get out of....maintenance?"
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc answers this one. "Most certainly. We'll let you know when they're out again."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon nods. "How did you all get picked to be pilots?"
SirAlexTheFirst: Instant awkward silence ensues.
Sarcazmo47: Uhhh...
Sarcazmo47: I guess that was a 1 on the ol' diplomacy check.
Sarcazmo47: He clears his throat. And takes a branch. "What's this?"
SirAlexTheFirst: Quoheleth replies, very quietly, "Pine oak, washed and salted."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon is struggling really hard for a way to rescue this situation.
Sarcazmo47: "Ah...my apologies if I touched on a subject I shouldn't have. I'm feeling a little out of my element. Can you forgive me?"
Sarcazmo47: He tries a boyish smile!
SirAlexTheFirst: Langley rumbles, "Quite all right, wood is wood after all. Would you like to try eating it? Most humans cannot, but a few seem to enjoy-"
SirAlexTheFirst: Quoheleth interrupts Langley, who subsides into shocked silence. "Don't worry about it. I'm just not sure how I was chosen..."
SirAlexTheFirst: Then she looks down, embarassed.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon nods. "I'm sorry I brought it up."
Sarcazmo47: Then, feeling a sudden change of direction is in order..
Sarcazmo47: Goes all out and tries to take a bite out of pine oak.
SirAlexTheFirst: Give me a Fort save.
*OnlineHost*: Sarcazmo47 rolled 1 20-sided die: 20
Sarcazmo47: 35, barring house rules.
SirAlexTheFirst: Strength check!
*OnlineHost*: Sarcazmo47 rolled 1 20-sided die: 17
Sarcazmo47: 16.
Sarcazmo47: And you thought eating was EASY.
SirAlexTheFirst: You actually manage to gnaw a bit of it off.
Sarcazmo47: Gogo Bandon!
SirAlexTheFirst: Langley, Chevka and Eight all start applauding, while everyone else just kind of looks horrified.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon kind of shrugs apologetically.
Sarcazmo47: "It's....certainly a unique experience."
Sarcazmo47: "You actually eat this?"
Adm H Sopko: (Heh... Eight... where is Nine-Breaker?)
Sarcazmo47: Grey the Nine-Lives!
AndrewRogue: (Nine Breaker = Too bad ass for this)
SirAlexTheFirst: (Down with Master Chief, yo.)
AndrewRogue: (Nine-Breaker was the most bad-ass of the AC pilots.)
SirAlexTheFirst: Langley, in response, grabs a branch and crunches the end off like a celery stick.
AndrewRogue: (*misses him*)
Sarcazmo47: (Eight seems like a name begging for dismemberment follwed by a bad pirate joke about "Pieces of eight."
Sarcazmo47: )
Sarcazmo47: Bandon shrugs. "Well, that's new to me."
Sarcazmo47: He will go through the rest of dinner
Sarcazmo47: generally unobtrusively.
SirAlexTheFirst: Rightilyo then.
SirAlexTheFirst: After a short while, everyone does that communal, nonverbal decision to leave the food and gets up.
SirAlexTheFirst: The pilots, with more waves and nods at Bandon, begin to leave.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon waves as they go, and stays seated.
SirAlexTheFirst: Rightyo
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc stays in the room. "What are your plans for the evening?"
Sarcazmo47: Bandon shrugs. "I'm not sure. I should find Mab, whoever she might be. I think I see what you mean about...personifying their suits."
Sarcazmo47: "You said they were....talking machines? Computers?"
SirAlexTheFirst: *nod* "Yes. They're designed to act and respond to the pilots as though they were real people, with their own personalities and everything. Bad design if you ask me, but there's nothing we can do about it..."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon nods thoughtfully.
Sarcazmo47: "Are they?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Are they what?"
Sarcazmo47: "Are they people?"
SirAlexTheFirst: He blinks.
Sarcazmo47: It's a totally honest question.
SirAlexTheFirst: "No, they're not. That's the whole problem, and the point of why you're here."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon nods.
Sarcazmo47: "I thought you weren't sure why I'm here."
Sarcazmo47: He holds up a hand.
Sarcazmo47: "Sorry. I don't mean to be accusatory. I'm just a bit out of my element right now. It makes me jumpy."
SirAlexTheFirst: "Well, I don't know for sure, but there's honestly no other reason I can think of. It's the only emotional problem we've had at all with them - well, okay, no."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon gives him the "Why don't you tell me everything?" look.
SirAlexTheFirst: "The only one that's common to all of them. And it is a pretty big problem. I didn't think so at first, but, well, you heard at dinner.... "
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc sighs and shakes his head. "She's the worst, though, since she's around here the most and she's been in the program for almost a third of her life."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon nods. "I don't think this is the kind of problem that can be fixed overnight, Marc."
Sarcazmo47: "I'll do what I can, but something more permanent should probably be arranged with the church. Being here on guest status is going to get kind of dodgy, I think, for any length of time."
SirAlexTheFirst: "Right. And that's why I think command sent for you here. They've seemed almost as concerned about it as we are, lately.
SirAlexTheFirst: "
SirAlexTheFirst: "You mean like you staying here permanently, or a larger program?"
Sarcazmo47: "Something like that. I mean, I don't know which way is up around here, and I don't think I'm going to be much good staying like that."
Sarcazmo47: "Maybe I can pick up some things from that terminal thing."
SirAlexTheFirst: "Actually, I think the reason they wanted you in particular might be because you're not from Whittyre. You're not used to computers, so it might be easier for you to get them to look at the suits for what they are."
SirAlexTheFirst: "Or somethign like that. Actually, thinking about it, that makes no sense." Marc frowns.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon nods.
Sarcazmo47: "I think it would be best if I got a chance to talk to these suits by myself, without the pilots around. Do I need to go to where they are, or can I talk to them on the terminal, like with other people?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "They're normally kept separate from the main terminal networks, but I think they might be plugged in now, since they're on the diagnostic....." *stops when he realizes Bandon has no idea what he's talking about*
SirAlexTheFirst: "Yes. I can see if you can get them on the terminal right now, if you want."
Sarcazmo47: "Please."
SirAlexTheFirst: *nods* "All right. Let's do that in my office..."
Sarcazmo47: Suddenly the tech guy has an office.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon follows gamely.
AndrewRogue: (You were in it earlier <_<)
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc leaves, and takes Bandon through the maze of passages again (assuming he follows), and to a small office, indeed, with many pictures on the wall and two terminals.
SirAlexTheFirst: No he wasn't.
Sarcazmo47: I thought that was a closet.
AndrewRogue: (It was? Curses.)
Sarcazmo47: What are the pictures of?
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc, other people, Marc with other people, spectacular Whittyrian scenes, things that are probably spectacular Whittyrian scenes but look kinda dull to you
SirAlexTheFirst: The pilots
Sarcazmo47: So it's basically Marc being Big Brother.
SirAlexTheFirst: Er?
Sarcazmo47: Nevermind.
Sarcazmo47: Anyway.
SirAlexTheFirst: Are you giving the photos a close examination, or not?
Sarcazmo47: Yes.
SirAlexTheFirst: Hokay. Looking for anything in particular? Or at any in particular?
Sarcazmo47: Any convenient plates labeling things or anything?
Sarcazmo47: Anything that would give some more clues on what kind of a guy this Marc is would be helpful.
SirAlexTheFirst: A few of them do have plates, most with time and place...
Sarcazmo47: Which tends to be..ten years ago? More? Less?
SirAlexTheFirst: They vary from around twenty years ago to last year.
SirAlexTheFirst: There's "Jim's first physics lesson", which has a small child who bears a strong resemblance to Marc trying to pick up a crowbar.
SirAlexTheFirst: That's dated last year.
Sarcazmo47: "Is this your son?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Yes, it is!" Marc is delighted at your finding it, as he does random things on the terminal.
Sarcazmo47: "How old is he?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Little Jimmy Fremont, 3 years old now but knocks the ladies down like it was 23." *grin*
Sarcazmo47: Shouldn't his name be Gordon?
Sarcazmo47: "I can see why. What does your wife do?"
SirAlexTheFirst: (What the heck, trying to name my NPCs for me? :P)
AndrewRogue: (My neighbor. *rimshot*)
Sarcazmo47: (Sit in a hole and rot.)
SirAlexTheFirst: "She takes care of Jim, for now."
Sarcazmo47: "What's her name?"
Sarcazmo47: (Soon I'll just walk down the street and ask every single person I happen to see what their name is.)
SirAlexTheFirst: (you do that.)
SirAlexTheFirst: "Her name is Marcy. Marcy like the stars. Or at least I think so. That's her in those pictures." He points out a woman present in many of the pictures with Marc.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon nods.
Sarcazmo47: "How long have you worked at the Labs?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Long time, many moons. Truthfully? I dunno. I'd have to remember my age to figure it out, and, well, hah."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon laughs.
SirAlexTheFirst: "I wasn't around at the start of the project, but I came in here when there were still only two pilots," Marc continues. "And I was working here before this project for a couple years, so..."
Sarcazmo47: "Who were the first two?"
coughingpuppy: ((Jesus Christ. There's a car alarm going off and it's driving me nuts.))
AndrewRogue: (Brick, car, now.)
SirAlexTheFirst: "Heh. Care to guess? You might be surprised."
Sarcazmo47: "Quoheleth and Langley?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Or then again, maybe not. That's them all right."
Sarcazmo47: Bandon nods.
Sarcazmo47: "Well, Quoheleth is the senior, and given the lack of ranks, it seems like that would go to the person with the most experience."
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc points to another picture, this one unlabeled but showing Langley carrying Quoheleth in one arm.
Sarcazmo47: A much younger Quoheleth?
coughingpuppy: ((I'm going to Brent's room to play Soul Calibur for a little bit, the crowd outside is driving me nuts. I'll be back in an hour or so.))
SirAlexTheFirst: She looks about the same age, actually, and is wearing a frilly blue dress in the picture. It appears to have been taken from on top of the dome over Whittyre.
SirAlexTheFirst: (Brent's room is open?)
Sarcazmo47: What does the date say?
coughingpuppy: ((Yes.))
SirAlexTheFirst: (That punk.)
SirAlexTheFirst: The date on the picture is some fifteen years ago.
coughingpuppy: ((I'm not sure if Brent's there, I'm just going over with Katie.))
Sarcazmo47: "Everyone clammed up when I asked about how they were selected...can you tell me anything more about it?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Actually, no. I could speculate randomly, but it'd be wild guesses. I didn't know any of the new pilots before they joined, and I don't know how they picked Quo and Langley."
Sarcazmo47: "Then why was it such a...uh.....awkward subject?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "I don't think it was, really. They're all probably just as clueless."
Sarcazmo47: "I see."
Sarcazmo47: "So should I sleep in the main room for now?
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc chuckles. "You're awfully curious about all this... anyways, the maintainance guys are agreeable and we got the hookup, so here you go."
Sarcazmo47: Strike that.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon steps over.
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc spins his entire desk around, putting the terminal front before you.
Sarcazmo47: Whoa.
SirAlexTheFirst: This collides with you stepping over, and Marc instantly is on his feet apologizing.
Sarcazmo47: It's a mishmash of crossed apologies!
Sarcazmo47: Bandon just kinda rubs his forehead and smiles. "Like I said. Out of my element."
Sarcazmo47: He sits and looks a the terminal, and tries an experimental "Hello?"
SirAlexTheFirst: The ubiquitous terminal voice speaks back at you. "Please select a choice from the following menu."
SirAlexTheFirst: There's a big long pause.
Sarcazmo47: He waits for the following menu to, you know, follow.
SirAlexTheFirst: (Just like me, as windows decides to close everything!)
SirAlexTheFirst: (I may have to reboot again)
Sarcazmo47: Whee!
SirAlexTheFirst: "Ariadoc. Khimera. Infini. Rikki Tikki. Reel."
SirAlexTheFirst: (Sorry bout that)
Sarcazmo47: "Rikki Tikki, please."
SirAlexTheFirst: "Connection established."
Sarcazmo47: "Hello?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Hello."
Sarcazmo47: "Ah. My name is Bandon. Are you Rikki Tikki?"
SirAlexTheFirst: The voice from the terminal changes, after "Hello", to a pleasant, calm, androgynous voice.
SirAlexTheFirst: "Yes, I am. Good day."
Sarcazmo47: "I think it's night, actually. How goes your maintenance?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "It goes well, or so I gather. May I incquire as to who you are, good sir?"
Sarcazmo47: "My name is Bandon. I'm part of a clergy, actually, but I'm here as a liason to the pilots right now."
SirAlexTheFirst: "Ah, Brother Bandon, the renowed sexual healer, lord of Luthien's lusty lores!"
SirAlexTheFirst: Marc cracks up in the background.
Sarcazmo47: Bandon's eyesbrows shoot up.
AndrewRogue: (Mongoose Mech > Bandon <_<)
Sarcazmo47: "That's.....an interesting array of titles."
Sarcazmo47: "I don't remember acquiring most of them."
SirAlexTheFirst: "And for a most interesting man they are. What brings you to speaking with little old me?"
Sarcazmo47: "Do you think you're a person?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Or..." it continues, "is it not me you truly wish to speak wit- oh, what? Of course not. I'm a program."
Sarcazmo47: "I see. How much do you know about human psychology?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "A damn good program I am, but still. I know enough to keep my pilot satisfied - in some ways, mind you. Maintaining a workking equipment/operator relationship is part of my duty."
Sarcazmo47: "Are you familiar with symptoms of mental instability?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Extremely so. I am under obligation to shut down or strip control if the pilot displays any such symptoms."
coughingpuppy has left the room.
Sarcazmo47: "I see."
Sarcazmo47: "You're aware of the progressively symptomatic nature of humanizing objects?"
SirAlexTheFirst: "Yes."
Sarcazmo47: "There's some concern about that very thing."
Sarcazmo47: "That's why I'm talking to you."
SirAlexTheFirst: "Are you speaking of my pilot, or me, here?"
Sarcazmo47: "Both."
SirAlexTheFirst: "I'm afraid I'm not understanding the nature of your concerns, then."
Sarcazmo47: "Well, they're not actually my concerns. But the concerns are that your pilot has assigned you a value equal to a human, and in doing so has an emotional investment in you that is unhealthy."
SirAlexTheFirst: "Ah, so that explains it. You're here to make her interested in humans again, of course." The terminal laughs. "Well, I do have to beg to differ with you on the part of it being unhealthy."
Sarcazmo47: "...feel free. I don't really have an opinion for you to differ with yet."
SirAlexTheFirst: "The greater bond she has to me, the better we perform our tasks, you see. This is an absolute fact, backed up not only by psychology but also by the very way my mechanics are designed to react to her."
SirAlexTheFirst: "My programming is such that the mission and performing well are my highest priority conditions; therefore I cannot justify taking any steps to lessen the bond she has chosen to create."
Sarcazmo47: Okay, Durandal.
SirAlexTheFirst: "For what it's worth, humanizing a program such as myself is quite a natural reaction, and I would not say it is harmful, either - from my own reactions, she would never tell I wasn't a program unless I told her."
Sarcazmo47: "I see."
SirAlexTheFirst: "Or so the programmers boast."
Sarcazmo47: "I'm frankly not interested in your programmer's boasts - the relationship between your pilot and you is the issue at hand, and there's no one more qualified to comment on it than you and here."
Sarcazmo47: "Program you may be, but you've got your own opinions on the matter. Obersvations."
SirAlexTheFirst: "My opinions are formed by a combination of observations and my preprogrammed and hard code set of priorities and ethics, as opposed to a real person whose values may change entirely over time."
Sarcazmo47: Fwooosh
Sarcazmo47: That's the sound of technical knowledge going over Bandon's head.
SirAlexTheFirst: (Yeh, I should start requireing Int checks to get the conversation. But he did bring up psychology.)
Sarcazmo47: (He's a counselor. He knows some psych.)
Sarcazmo47: Anyway...
Sarcazmo47: Can we call a pause and cut to someone else?
SirAlexTheFirst: Eh?
SirAlexTheFirst: Any particular reason?
SirAlexTheFirst: What happened to TILL MY EYES BLEED AND MY BONES FALL OUT?
SirAlexTheFirst: Well, okay.
SirAlexTheFirst: ~~~~~~~END~~~~~