The Center of Time

[doghead]

Duncan watches the progress of the Jacks, letting them analyse the technology and the creatures, instead of charging in to attack. He feels no tension, his cybernetically enhanced body simply being in one of many positions of readiness to spring into action: a step and swing of his blade.

"The antenna looks like a communication device to me. If attacked, we slay the leader and pick off the others." He rumbles quietly to the others. ...

Xiaon nods in agreement and proceeds to move with the grace and lethality of a hunting cat into a position where he can interpose himself between the leader and the others in support of Duncan.

Echo stares at the creatures. They didn't react at all when she lowered her hands. Not to her, then to who? She glances at the Father and connects the dots.

"Duncan, I don't think they're hostile. They're trying to communicate." She nods at Father Seregal. "It was trying to answer you. They're creating that jungle on the surface. Making it grow."

Echo imitates its 'expanding' gesture.

"I expect they attack people going through either for food, or...to defend their territory." ...

Wisco nods in agreement. "That's my assessment as well. That being said, they obviously think we are something we are not. No saying how they might react if they discover otherwise."

...[Echo's] pale blue eyes shifted from the abhumans to the humans. Her expression was apologetic.

"If you don't want to be part of it, you should go," she said softly. "I'm going to say yes."

"My Gran always used to say," Wisco responds, "When in doubt, say No. I would say that there is plenty of doubt here."

"We have no idea what their intentions are. But based on what has happened so far, the expanding forest, the increased attacks, there is a strong likelihood that pushing the Go button is going to result in more conflict.

"Why not tell them that the conditions outside have changed and no longer fall within the original parameters for operation. Or something of the like.

"Tell them that the conditions need to be reassessed and a new protocol devised.

"It will could at least buy us some time to work out what the heck is going on."

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

As your group debates the wisdom of what to do, there's another arrival at the right-hand plate. The membrane bulges up again, then splits, revealing five more colorful abhumans... and one much more human-looking in their midst!

 

[fireinthedust]

Duncan sums up the odds with the new delivery, of his survival (strong) and of his companions (mmm... probable).

"Whatever you're going to do, choose something. We either need to turn this off or direct it elsewhere, but we need to do it now."

 

[Guest 11456]

Ohm Eleven, A Mechanical Nano who Talks to Machines

The man in the midst of the abhumans squints his eyes as if focusing or some such thing. Then he looks bewildered for a moment. Then finally he places his right hand to his chest. "My designation is Ohm Eleven. What is happening here?"

 

[Tashtego]

Seregal says, "Duncan, nothing ventured, nothing gained - I still think we need to /do/ something with this wonderful opportunity. If we turn it off away, we're walking away from the great works of our ancestors, and missing out on our chance to reshape the world into a better place...."

He blinks as the new man arrives on the platform.

"My designation is Ohm Eleven. What is happening here?"

Seregal thinks quickly and says, "My name is Father Seren. Welcome, Ohm Eleven. We are your new, er, commanding officers... Would you please tell your friends that everything is fine, and they should wait for our instructions."

 

[Shayuri]

Echo blinked at the newcomer, then took a deep breath.

"I am the Keyholder," she said to the abhumans. "It's time. Take us to the place."

The look she gave the others was still apologetic, but there was excitement gleaming in her eyes too.

"I'm sorry. I can't just stop now. I have to see what this is."

 

[doghead]

Seregal says, "Duncan, nothing ventured, nothing gained - I still think we need to /do/ something with this wonderful opportunity. If we turn it off away, we're walking away from the great works of our ancestors, and missing out on our chance to reshape the world into a better place...."

"Or make a bigger mess of it that they did," Wisco growls. He glances back the way they came, assessing the odds of getting out in one piece if this goes south.

"I'm sorry. I can't just stop now. I have to see what this is."

"Do it. Xiaon has your back."

 

[fireinthedust]

Duncan smiled at Echo's look. "Well, it's one way to find this place. And as long as they don't kill everyone along the route, who cares what they popped out of?"

Duncan sizes up the new abhuman arrival, looking at him to see what he's carrying, and if he's really like one of these new creatures, or if he's some kind of normal-person who just got made by the machine.

ooc: Wait, so he's equipped with Numenera oddities fresh out of this machine? Does he also have gear?

If so: I'm thinking this machine may run off some kind of template: what if he was a numenera hunter who got sucked in and copied, down to the clothes and gear he had on before?

I could use a clarification. Does that make sense?

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

The five new abhumans shows the slightly slick and damp skin in garish colors that seem to be typical of the others you've seen. The new human (for he seems to be of typical human shape and falls in the ranges of typical human coloration, though he's astoundingly bland in all categories thereof) has dry skin, clothing, even a pack nestled next to him. Though he seems to have come from the same location as the new abhumans, he doesn't seem to have come from the same origins.

It's quite curious. Quite curious indeed.

 

[Guest 11456]

Ohm Eleven, A Mechanical Nano who Talks to Machines

Seregal thinks quickly and says, "My name is Father Seren. Welcome, Ohm Eleven. We are your new, er, commanding officers... Would you please tell your friends that everything is fine, and they should wait for our instructions."

The man seems puzzled by Father Seren's response. "Friends!?" Then he looks around at the abhumans near him and jesters toward them as he speaks. "These abhumans? They are not my friends. They were just on this lift that I rode up on from...." He trails off and gets a look of confusion for a moment. Then he shakes his head as he continues. "I do not remember where I rode up from. I am having trouble accessing those memories. Perhaps time will help."