a storm approaches.This log is for everyone who signed up for The Storm investigation. Feel free to use the here to plot further on how you plan on approaching The Storm, and the issue. The mod questions thread is also open, if you have anything you would like to run by us.
the investigation.It takes a day of preparation, and a day of discussion, before you are led further down into the tunnels. It's pitch black, but one of the BGs who you have become familiar enough with turns on a low light and continues further. You walk for ten, fifteen, twenty minutes, and then turn a corner into a large, open cavern. The BG explains that at one time, this had been an underground transportation system - old and unused for centuries, now, but still in working order.
They file each of you onto a single car - it seems to be large enough to fit nearly a hundred, possibly more, bodies - so everyone has a space. The BG explains that they have already input the coordinates into the system, and that once they close the door, you will be transported to the last known location. The car will be programmed to wait for 72 hours, and then will return to this location. There is food and water supplied, and already packed, in the car. If you are not back in the car by that time, it will leave you behind. They then give their farewells, thank you for your help and readiness, and step away from the door - letting it close behind them. The car travels down a pitch black tunnel, and while the inside is dimly lit enough for the Circle Members to see each other and move around without hinderance, you can see nothing through the windows. It continues for a few hours at this rate - nothing to see, no idea where you are going. That is, until it seems to break through the surface, the track running through buildings and another, unknown area of the city.
The streets and buildings are abandoned, the tech old and outdated, windows broken out and dust filling the street. The sky, like back in the city you knew before, is cloudy and grey. But these clouds are different - these clouds are dark in a way you haven't seen before. You travel for another half hour above ground before the cart comes to a stop, and during this time it happens twice. A low rumble, seeming to come from everywhere at once, and then a few heartbeats after, a disasterous flash of lighting - miles away, yes, but threatening and gigantic, brighter and more violent than you've ever seen lightning before. The crash shakes the ground under you, and the damage is immense.
But the buildings are abandoned, the streets empty save for crates, old mechanical bits, dusty remnants of a society long forgotten by the Struxta you came from just a couple of days prior.
This is The Storm you've been warned about. the storm.You have been asked to find out information that will help the BG's, and Struxta, to stop The Storm.
From what you can gather, it does seem to be a naturally occurring weather phenomenon, as far as weather systems seem to work on this planet. However, rather than scattered thunder and lightning strikes, it seems to almost recharge and strike with epic proportions. It can damage, or destroy, buildings. It shorts out any and all items (and people) who depend on electricity in any form to function (Sorry Daylight and Conner, sorry to anyone who brought along technology) within a three mile radius.
The 'darkness' the BGs were talking about does follow this storm, but they seem to have been referring to this electrical shortage that comes from the storm and it's strikes. If this storm does reach any of the still-occupied areas of the city, it will shut down the entire grid, as well as any of the robots, androids, or electrically based figures that exist there - essentially ending the life of every Struxta citizen that is effected.
Plot, plan, theorize, and see if you can find a way to stop The Storm. If not, be back on the train car in 72 hours time, to return to the BGs and report what you have found.PROMPT IDEAS
1.) Discussions on the train - do you have any ideas for what to prepare? Any discussions you may want to have? You and your fellow Circle Members are caught here together for a few hours, driving into a situation you know very little about. What do you want to make sure you're prepared to handle?
2.) Scouting missions - the heart of The Storm is very much in the distance, and it is not moving quickly, giving Circle Members plenty of time to set out and check out the surrounding city. What you will find won't be much - this is a robotic ghost town in every turn of the phrase. Buildings have been abandoned for hundreds of years, covered in dust and left entirely undisturbed, except for the breeze that now seems to flit through this entire area. There are stores, warehouses, apartments, and buildings you can't even tell what they were used for, cleared out. Whenever, or whoever, lived in this part of Struxta had evacuated, quickly but efficiently.
3.) The Storm - The Storm is still a distance away from where the cart has dropped you off, enough that when your 72 hours are up, the heart of the storm and the lightning strikes shouldn't reach the car, or the track. This does mean that to do any closer investigation, you will need to go to The Storm itself. But be careful - the electrical output from these lightning strikes are dangerous, and can have all sorts of effects on both natural and mechanical beings. The wind, the closer you get to The Storm, will also pick up - making any kind of flying or air travel impossible.
4.) Planning - the car leaves everyone off at an old train station, which a large room attached. This room can be used as a kind of home base, as well as a meeting location. What do you plan on doing? Simply taking down information, or trying to take the storm head on? How do you plan on doing that? Will your abilities help? This room attached onto the train station is a safe location - no effects of The Storm will make it inside. Use as you would like! |
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acatamods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
acatalepsy_logs2018-07-29 11:52 pm
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At her remark, 9S is at least able to slip out a good-humored 'heh'. ]
Sorr- r- r-r- [ The track skip in his voice comes to a sudden halt with a staticy pop, and veers into a fuzzy, distorted mess of whatever he was attempting to say. When it gets back on track, 9S finishes off as if he hasn't realized everything before was completely indistinguishable: ] —dn't make you do this.
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Except none of that, though Rion's not going to just blurt out "What the hell", instead giving 9S' hand (the one draped over a shoulder) a quick, reassuring pat. She's going to try and keep an eye on Pod too, poor thing. ]
Sorry, I... didn't quite catch that? But if you're apologizing, don't.
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But he doesn't repeat himself, if only because she said not to, even if he wants to. It's a backwards situation and his guilt swells—though, he's not stupid enough to turn down the help. Too much longer out here and he may fry his circuits beyond repair.
9S merely offers her a weak nod, instead. ]
What... about you? [ 9S asks after a minute of silence, the buzz of static going in and out in intervals. ] Did you go into it?
[ Rion looks like she's doing okay from what he's able to gather, but he hasn't a clue how a storm of that caliber would affect a human body. ]
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[ Of course she did. ]
I tried flying at first, but that was impossible, so I had to go out there on foot and I can still feel it in my bones.
[ Which sounds like an old person thing to say, but it's true that her bones still hum, and her scalp is tingling. ]
It's weird, though-- normally storms like that have rain, or at least some kind of moisture, but it was bone dry.
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Nonetheless, 9S gives a soft hum in acknowledgement. ]
Just don't—want you getting hurt out there either. I didn't think a storm could actually get that bad...
[ EMP blasts of that severity aren't unheard of, but from the weather? It's no wonder those other androids are so fearful of it. ]
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[ Not that she'd thought they were lying, but oh boy, seeing it sure is believing. ]
It sure did a number on you, didn't it? And your... metal floating buddy.
[ She hasn't forgotten you, Pod. Despite this slow but steady progress they're making. ]
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That's Pooo- o- o- [ Ugh, dammit. 9S stops himself and tries again: ] That's Pod. I think... I'll be able to repair the both of us—I just need to get inside. Run a maintenance routine on myself first... I don't know how bad the damage is yet.
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[ The heaviness, the way his voice had cut out on him, how badly affected he was by this storm... he'll probably at least feel her sigh of relief when the station comes into sight. Good, almost there. ]
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[ Surprise!! He wasn't intentionally keeping this from her, of course, but. Some things don't come up sometimes.
9S does feel some of the tension in her posture relax when their trek back nearly comes to a close. He lifts his chin, eyes blinking as they go in and out of focus, but try as he might his vision isn't getting much better just yet. ]
Almost there—?
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Besides-- ]
Yeah, we're really close now! Hang in there just a little longer, okay?
[ And, true to her word, she'll get them to the station, finagling the door open with one foot and getting them inside-- she'll even wait to make sure Pod float-wobbles inside too. ]
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Right here.
[ And just. Lets himself unceremoniously slip out of her arms and onto the floor with a loud thud. At least he's up against the wall, and Pod places itself in its usual spot right above 9S. ]
Give me—one minute.
[ He doesn't give Rion a chance to get a word in before his eyes fall shut, and suddenly, he's lifeless—or seemingly so, anyway, but in case she's wondering what's going on, Pod does helpfully chime in (but not without some instability in its own usual tinny, monotone voice): ]
Report: Initiating reboot sequence for unit 9S.
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Now crouched in front of him, she glances up at the pod, then back at 9S. ]
Reboot... of course. That'd be one way to do it.
[ This is so bizarre. ]
What about you, Pod? Are you going to be okay?
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While he's getting that out of the way—upon being addressed, Pod gently turns toward her. ]
Concern for this Pod is unnecessary. My primary objective is to ensure unit 9S' continued well-being. [ There's a lingering pause, though, before it finishes off. ] ... However, the consideration is appreciated.
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Unnecessary or not, I think he could use all the support he can get, so I want to make sure we can both keep that up.
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[ Pod doesn't mean to blow her off, but this sort of concern from a non-android is odd :(
The little floaty bot slowly swivels back around once there's semblance of life in 9S again; fingers curl into his palms, and his eyes flutter open, leveling his gaze on Rion crouched before him. There's a minute where his mind has to play catch up—right, they made it to the station, but it's honestly kind of a blur—but at the very least, he appears considerably more focused than before. ]
Ugh. Well, that was awful. [ Wryly spoken, of course—in his normal voice again, no less. 9S raises a hand to rub at his forehead. ] That got some things working again, at least.
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Her heart will just have to go on, and Rion switches her attention back to 9S with a highly relieved sigh. And some minor indignation. ]
You're okay! Geez, maybe give a girl a little more warning before you go and shut yourself down like that next time!
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[ That... was unexpected, if the way his eyes grow wider is anything to go by. Admittedly, 9S isn't quite sure what it is that's got her huffy, but he nonetheless lowers his head sheepishly. ]
I, uh—sorry. Did... that worry you?
[ A genuine question; procedures like this were so commonplace for him that he wouldn't have imagined it'd ever be a cause of concern for anyone. ]
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[ Look, Rion has met all of maybe two robots before 9S, and he's one of the more human-looking ones, and she'd had no idea if the damage had been too much for him or not.
So. Bear with her. ]
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Sorry, Rion. [ He apologizes again, tone softer. ] I wanted to hurry before anything else failed on me. I wasn't thinking about it.
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[ He's not having vocal issues, at least. ]
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I'll have to perform a more thorough scan on my systems to really patch everything back up, but a quick reboot typically fixes the small things. So... it's all right, you don't have to worry about me.
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[ And she's just... settling down properly now, leaning back against the wall with a smaller sigh. ]
If you need to do that scan now, I think we're probably grounded for awhile here.
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[ Just give him a moment or so of breathing room before he gets into all that. 9S' shoulders finally relax, leaning his head back against the wall as well. ]
Since I guess going back out there isn't an option anymore, huh.
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[ She's no android, but that wasn't fun. ]
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9S stares upward, then rolls his head to the side. ]
Are we going to be able to find anything that'll help us? There's nothing in these nearby ruins– [ He checked. ] –and that storm is too much to get through it.
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