The Center of Time

[fireinthedust]

Duncan takes the antenna for a look, to see if he could use it for something. If unsure, he hands it to Echo.

"Thanks for the save. Maybe this could tell us more about these creatures?"

[roll0] Numenera check on the rod?

 

[iamrpgdm]

Antor wasn't near enough to help keep the abhuman or Duncan from falling, but he rushes to switch the gravity just as Echo reaches it before him and gets it taken care of. Antor goes down the corridor with the others and sees that there is nothing to do for the abhuman. Noticing the open hatch, Antor heads towards it and looks down into it.

 

[Shayuri]

Echo pauses to look the antennae over.

"I think...hold onto it. If we meet another of the abhumans, maybe we can use it. For now...lets follow Antor. We need to get to Wisco before he goes too far. With any luck we're not already too late."

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Duncan, since the red-purple abhuman was apparently implanted with the antenna to direct others, you could likely use it for the same purpose, or also, if another person had one of their own, to communicate mentally. Its "rootlets" lazily strain towards your implants as you hold it in your hand.

Echo, as you take it, the rootlets wriggle slightly against your skin, like they're trying to find a place to latch on to.

Antor, as you look down the hatch, you're met with a strong uprush of air. You can see straight down to the floor below, with no platform or other impediment in the way. It seems as if this might be your way down - the air itself. It seems like it should, in theory, lower you to the ground a good sixty feet below without harm. You can't see a great deal of the room from this angle, but you can see part of what looks like a shallow river of clear liquid, some very strong light sources at one end of the room, and smell a strong scent of earth, salt, and a metallic tang that is reminiscent of blood.

--

Ohm and Seregal, as you converse on the surface, one of the waiting abhumans, another one with an antenna, suddenly stops his march and walks over to Ohm.

"There has been an access of the core. Access to the core was compromised by your initial entrance and not realized until now. We are not in a cycle-stage to store the intruder like we did with you. Assist the cycle and stop unauthorized core access. Assist the Keyholder. You will not be stored again."

 

[doghead]

Wisco, A Tough Nano who Lives In The Wilderness

[sblock=Wisco]Wisco stands motionless for a moment, slowly readjusting to being back in his own body, and giving himself time to consider what he just witnessed. The temple seemed old. First World old even. But the sky columns? ... were they protecting the temple, or imprisoning it? Or whatever was inside it. Wisco can still hear the sound of breathing in his mind. But it is the memory of the flowing water that holds Wisco's attention. The last glimpse of it before it was enclosed by walls. The faint sound of it flowing lingering ...

With a shake of his head, Wisco steps away from the control panel and proceeds to head back the way he came and back to the surface.

OOC: Hah. That was pretty cool. Thanks for the insight.

At some point [I assume] Wisco is going to meet up with Antor, Echo and Duncan on the way out. He says nothing other than "I'm done. Time to leave I think." Which he does if not stopped. If asked directly what he has done, he only says "Nothing."[/sblock]

 

[doghead]

Xiaon, A Strong Willed Glaive who Focuses Mind Over Matter

Ohm and Seregal, as you converse on the surface, one of the waiting abhumans, another one with an antenna, suddenly stops his march and walks over to Ohm.

"There has been an access of the core. Access to the core was compromised by your initial entrance and not realized until now. We are not in a cycle-stage to store the intruder like we did with you. Assist the cycle and stop unauthorized core access. Assist the Keyholder. You will not be stored again."

Xiaon turns smoothly and proceeds towards the hatch. It is one thing to leave Wisco to the tender mercies of Echo's persuasive efforts, it is another to abandon his companion to the machinations of the machine. As the Glaive close on the hatch, he stills his mind and prepares himself for violence.

 

[Guest 11456]

Ohm Eleven, A Mechanical Nano who Talks to Machines

Ohm and Seregal, as you converse on the surface, one of the waiting abhumans, another one with an antenna, suddenly stops his march and walks over to Ohm.

"There has been an access of the core. Access to the core was compromised by your initial entrance and not realized until now. We are not in a cycle-stage to store the intruder like we did with you. Assist the cycle and stop unauthorized core access. Assist the Keyholder. You will not be stored again."

The odd nano listens and then gets a quizzical look on his face. "Stored!? Eaten? Stored! I was stored. OK! That makes more sense." Turning to the abhuman, Ohm Eleven asks a question. "Query! Where is the quickest access point to the core?"

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

The odd nano listens and then gets a quizzical look on his face. "Stored!? Eaten? Stored! I was stored. OK! That makes more sense. Turning to the abhuman, Ohm Eleven asks a question. "Query! Where is the quickest access point to the core?"

"The elevation platform, then down the corridor of the Gravity Hall, then to the hatch in the floor of the Assembly Chamber that you disabled during your first visit," the abhuman tells him, possibly with the barest hint of emotion in its voice. A tiny hint of amusement, perhaps? It's hard to say.

Xaion, the abhuman points to the platform you had been using, and you and Ohm (and Seregal, should he choose to come) can ride the platform down, then walk down the gravity corridor. At the bottom of the corridor is the broken body of the red-purple abhuman that had been serving Echo as a guide. Its antenna is gone, and it is clearly quite dead. Another squad of abhumans marches past you, ignoring the fallen body as if it didn't exist. In the Assembly Chamber, with its repeated whine and <I>whump</I> as the machine continues to work, you find Echo, Duncan, and Antor looking down an open hole in the floor, their hair stirring (at least those who have hair) in a strong wind from the opening.

 

[fireinthedust]

"Shall we move forward?"

 

[Guest 11456]

Ohm Eleven, A Mechanical Nano who Talks to Machines

Ohm Eleven strides confidently over to Echo, Duncan, and Antor. His demeanor has changed completely from earlier. "I was not eaten, I was stored!" He begins excitedly. "The core has been accessed and compromised. I will not be stored again. But we need to go down to the core." He points to the open hatch and then moves toward it, intent on descending.