Dr Simon
Explorer
[SBLOCK=Reveille]
With the schematics given, and a simple bit of spoofing, Lauren had managed to insinuate herself through the service ducting of Tryce's Nexus dome.
She found herself clinging to the framework of a grand domed chamber, about 30 ft. above the floor. The dome is about 100 ft. across the diameter at floor level. Like much of Tribon's architecture, the metal support gantries and service conduit of the dome are exposed (giving Lauren a convenient climbing frame) but to the surface of this are attached hundreds of viewscreens. These provide Lauren with convenient cover, with a handy span-sized gap between each screen to peer through. The screens show hundreds of moving scenes, mostly one per screen but from time to time multiple viewscreens are used to expand a view to enormous size. This flits like some demented channel-hopper, showing now a brief snippet of ISN News (the foiling of a attempted terrorist bombing of a conference on Mars dedicated to curing the Drakh Plague), to local network news (a clampdown in security on airlocks leading to the surface), to a report on shifting politics in the Drazi Freehold, to Q-40 market reports, to secure-cam footage of locations in Tribon, and so on.
This dazzling visual display is the only source of light in the dome, a kaleidoscope of flickering, ever-changing colours. Each screen has its own sound-track, turned down low but the combined effect is of a babble of competing voices. You note that the screens end about 6 ft. above the floor, giving a dark zone around the rim of the dome.
As you watch, an airlock door to your left opens, and a small group of figures enter. They are led by a furry Cascor, hopping forwards excitedly. Behind him (?) come a red-haired human male and a hooded figure of unknown humanoid race. Both walk purposefully and gracefully. Behind them comes a dark-haired human female and a shuffling pak'ma'ra. A strange entourage.
"Welcome to my Nexus," says a voice from above, cutting through the din of a hundred intermingled commentaries.
A shape slowly descends from the roof, silhouetted against the screens of the far wall. It is a corpulent, pale-faced figure, barely recognisable as human rather than some maggot-like alien species. Almost totally wrapped in wires and tubing, some of which pulsate like peristaltic organs, the figure descends in its cradle of conduit like a cybernetic nightmare fallen angel, until it hangs about 10 ft. from the dome's floor.
"My name is Quentin Tryce. What can I do for you?" He is addressing the group of newcomers.
Somewhere down at ground level, behind Tryce, was the access port to his main computer. All Lauren had to do was get down there and plug in the datacrystal that she held. This, so Knight had told her, would shut down Tryce's information network. It seemed like quite a big "all".
[/sblock]
With the schematics given, and a simple bit of spoofing, Lauren had managed to insinuate herself through the service ducting of Tryce's Nexus dome.
She found herself clinging to the framework of a grand domed chamber, about 30 ft. above the floor. The dome is about 100 ft. across the diameter at floor level. Like much of Tribon's architecture, the metal support gantries and service conduit of the dome are exposed (giving Lauren a convenient climbing frame) but to the surface of this are attached hundreds of viewscreens. These provide Lauren with convenient cover, with a handy span-sized gap between each screen to peer through. The screens show hundreds of moving scenes, mostly one per screen but from time to time multiple viewscreens are used to expand a view to enormous size. This flits like some demented channel-hopper, showing now a brief snippet of ISN News (the foiling of a attempted terrorist bombing of a conference on Mars dedicated to curing the Drakh Plague), to local network news (a clampdown in security on airlocks leading to the surface), to a report on shifting politics in the Drazi Freehold, to Q-40 market reports, to secure-cam footage of locations in Tribon, and so on.
This dazzling visual display is the only source of light in the dome, a kaleidoscope of flickering, ever-changing colours. Each screen has its own sound-track, turned down low but the combined effect is of a babble of competing voices. You note that the screens end about 6 ft. above the floor, giving a dark zone around the rim of the dome.
As you watch, an airlock door to your left opens, and a small group of figures enter. They are led by a furry Cascor, hopping forwards excitedly. Behind him (?) come a red-haired human male and a hooded figure of unknown humanoid race. Both walk purposefully and gracefully. Behind them comes a dark-haired human female and a shuffling pak'ma'ra. A strange entourage.
"Welcome to my Nexus," says a voice from above, cutting through the din of a hundred intermingled commentaries.
A shape slowly descends from the roof, silhouetted against the screens of the far wall. It is a corpulent, pale-faced figure, barely recognisable as human rather than some maggot-like alien species. Almost totally wrapped in wires and tubing, some of which pulsate like peristaltic organs, the figure descends in its cradle of conduit like a cybernetic nightmare fallen angel, until it hangs about 10 ft. from the dome's floor.
"My name is Quentin Tryce. What can I do for you?" He is addressing the group of newcomers.
Somewhere down at ground level, behind Tryce, was the access port to his main computer. All Lauren had to do was get down there and plug in the datacrystal that she held. This, so Knight had told her, would shut down Tryce's information network. It seemed like quite a big "all".
[/sblock]
