[Nexus] NO XIII: Do Clockwork Penguins Dream of Mechanical Fish?

[Shadowcaller]

[Crash Site]

Opening this door is just as easy as the previous one, as they open it they are met by a flashing red light and the metallic voice of an computer.

-ning, damage sustained: Mana cells damaged, hull breach in cockpit, cloning facility offline.

From the blinking red light the two can see they have entered what appears to be the sleeping quarters of the ship. There are one metallic double bed on either side and pillows, comic books and sheets scattered all over the floor.

Here they will find the body of yet another goblin who appears to have hit her head in the bedpost at lethal velocity, her blood a large pool on the floor. There is also a chest at the other end of the room and a TV-screen set up on the wall above it connected to some sort of little purple machine with controllers. Like the other rooms the walls are painted mostly in blue and red with strange shapes and animals painted into each other.

The pair might also note another hatch in the corner of the room near the door.

[OrchestraHc]

Crash Site

"Animals. Comics. Are these? Oh Godesses!" Kuko takes a blanket and uses it to cover the goblin's body. He doesn't know anything about goblins, but this looks like a child's room, and it affects him very seriously. "We have to find someone, soon," he tells Kirk before moving for the door.

[Gullara]

[Crash Site]

Kirk only gives the corpse a passing glance. Mana cells, cloning facility. Sounds magic related to him. He moves after the minish toward the next door hatch I presume.

[Shadowcaller]

[Crash Site]

The hatch is easy enough to open for Kirk and reveals a ladder leading down to yet another room (which have a similar hatch by the looks of it). If they touch the ladder they can feel it's pretty hot as a lot of warmth seems to be coming from the room below which is lit up by a similar red light as this one.

Warning, damage sustained: Mana cells damaged, hull breach in cockpit, cloning facility offline. The metallic voice repeats once again.

[OrchestraHc]

[Crash Site]

"This might be dangerous. If you start to feel sick, tell me." Heat stroke is serious business and Kuko is right to be concerned for Kirk- Oh wait, he's talking to the sparrow on his hat. Kitcho the sparrow seems to chirp in understanding of the dangers of heat sickness. "You too," he says to Kirk. After a short tune on the pan-flute around his neck he floats down, lighter than a feather, rather than touch the hot ladder.

[Gullara]

[Crash Site]

"How nice of you to be concerned." Kirk says as Kuko disappears below. Provided the minish doesn't call up some kind of warning, Kirk will deftly hope down to the floor below. If it's too high to do so safely, he'll suffer the ladder, moving quickly.

[Shadowcaller]

[Crash Site]

The room below is roughly the size as the last one and is painted with similar colors but seems to fill a completely different function. In the center of the room is a large cylinder-shaped machine painted in blue and red with cords connecting it to six rectangle-shaped objects with some sort of glass front. Inside most of these boxes they can see what appears to be pure energy swirl around. One of them is blue and three of them are red. The last two are black, seemingly empty.

At the end of the room, near the cylinder, is what appear to be the outer part of a massive engine with meters, buttons and levelers stuck everywhere. RIght now smoke and fumes are slowly escaping from it, causing the whole room to be shrouded in a fine white mist.

Holding on to the cylindrical machine is what looks like a robot or if that concept is unknown to them, an metallic person which suddenly groans as Kirk lands on the floor.

[Asha'man]

[Outside]

Element walks onward even though the snow hampers his way. After trudging through the snow for awhile he finds something that might be the entrance to the NO base. He shouts at the entrance for someone to notice him.

"Anyone there? Answer me!"
In case you don't know what he looks like, he's the little guy in red in my Avatar picture.

[Morty]

[Outside]

For convenience's sake, let's assume it happens before a ship crashed in front of the base.
The door slides open for Element, and he'll hear a voice from the inside: Come in.

[Asha'man]

[Outside--->Main Room]

Yes lets. I had not bothered to read posts which I thought had nothing to do with me. As the door fully opens Element proceeds through the door. When he reaches a not so cold place he brushes off the snow on him.

"You have my thanks for letting me in."
He looks around for the one who let him in.

[Morty]

[Main Room]

Element will see a small goblin, the one from his player's avatar, sitting in a chair in the main room, as the door slides closed behind him.
You're welcome. Now, what business do you have with us?

[Asha'man]

[Main Room]

"I've come to NO about a job. I am Element, is there a place where we can discuss?" Element asks staying where he stands.

[Morty]

[Main Room]

We can discuss it here or go to my office. Depending on how confidential it is, Dipsnig says with a shrug.

[Asha'man]

[Main Room]

"Here is fine." He moves in front of the unnamed goblin.
"Do you mind if let my companions out?"

[Morty]

[Main Room]

No, go ahead, Dipsnig says, his eyes narrowing a little.

[Asha'man]

[Main Room]

With the permission granted Element's shadow increases in diameter reaching two feet wide on the floor. A shadow bulk rises in a humanoid form. The shadow moves away from the mass and reveals Serph, the guy in the middle of my avatar picture. He looks somewhat different as his whole body is filled with cracks. His features also look wrong, his hair is blotches of white ,blond, black and red, basically he looks like a patchwork being. The shadow shrinks and moves to the side separating from Elements shadow and rises from the ground, he's the shadow character in my avatar picture.

"This is Serph and Rotblau" he says to the goblin while pionting at each of his companions.

"May we sit? as you can see I'm unstable at the moment."Serph says hoarsely.

[Morty]

[Main Room]

Feel free, Dipsnig says, motioning to the several other chairs located in the main room. Now, as you might or might not know, my name is Dipsnig Razortooth and I'm in charge of this place. Now let's hear more about the job you're offering us.

[Path to NO]

Meanwhile, in a different timeline, Viima is carrying Dipsnig up to the base, presumably followed by Thecla.

[wxdruid]

Thecla is a pace behind and to the right, following right along with Viima and Dipsnig. She's looking around with interest and sniffing all of the new smells in the air.

[Morty]

[Path to NO]

Thecla will likely smell several different wolves and other beasts and animals that dwell in NO. As well as members of the organization, which are varied. As they go up to the base, Dipsnig peers at the crash site in the distance. This does not look good at all. He's going to have to deal with it as soon as possible. For now, he rides into the base and dismounts, then takes the saddle off of Viima. The big wolf, once freed from the saddle and harness, swishes her tail and indicates with her head towards one of the corridors. That's where her mate and pups are. She'll start walking that way.

[wxdruid]

Thecla yips a few times to acknowledge their arrival and her interest and excitement at visiting somewhere new. She'll follow right along with Viima.

[OrchestraHc]

[Crash Site]

The room below is roughly the size as the last one and is painted with similar colors but seems to fill a completely different function. In the center of the room is a large cylinder-shaped machine painted in blue and red with cords connecting it to six rectangle-shaped objects with some sort of glass front. Inside most of these boxes they can see what appears to be pure energy swirl around. One of them is blue and three of them are red. The last two are black, seemingly empty.

At the end of the room, near the cylinder, is what appear to be the outer part of a massive engine with meters, buttons and levelers stuck everywhere. RIght now smoke and fumes are slowly escaping from it, causing the whole room to be shrouded in a fine white mist.

Holding on to the cylindrical machine is what looks like a robot or if that concept is unknown to them, an metallic person which suddenly groans as Kirk lands on the floor.

Crash Site

Kuko approaches the robot. He doesn't know much about "Robots" beyond that they're non-magical moving statues. He treats it same as he would a person, by throwing about a thousand questions at it! "Are you alright? Is there anybody else alive? Do you know where to find them? Are any of them children? Are you hurt? What can we do to help?" and on and on like that for a bit.

[Gullara]

[Crash Site]

Kirk moves to examine the energy while Kuko takes care of the robot. Two are out... Mana cells damaged? "This looks like the energy source for the ship." Whether it's more than that is a mystery.

[Asha'man]

[Main Room]

The trio take a seat. Element explains the job.
"We have been looking around for a number of strong beings Sir Razortooth. The job requires power most of all and endurance as well to last against numerous hordes. Thus we came here to NO.

There is a place here in the Nexus where a nest of demons and fiends thrive. At the core lies our our foe. We must fight him but winning requires that we three are at full strength. So we need someone to take care of the demonic horde that bars the way.

The place however has protection on it. Only ten people can enter and the three of us make six already. Thus we need four more to our number. If you have four willing to take the job that meets the conditions then ok but if not they will have to work with others.

Of course you shall be paid in cash or kind, just name the amount. How do you deal in terms of payment? How much is paid before and how much is paid after?"

[Morty]

[Main Room]

Dipsnig sighs. Oh well. Looks like this job is a no-go. He's not sure what made this guy think there's anyone in NO who could take on a horde of demons, but maybe he's new here.
I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. We don't have any members who can outfight a horde of demons.

[Asha'man]

[Main Room]

"Not a single one? Its not as if he or she fight alone, we are looking for four beings who can fight. Well it can't be helped if that's the case. can you point us to someone who might know of someone powerful?"
Says Serph who's vioce is crackling.

[Morty]

[Main Room]

We do have members who can hold their own in a fight, but take on a horde of demons? No, I'd say that's above our paygrade. Sorry. I don't want to accept a job we can't do. And HALO is full of powerful people, last I heard. I haven't been there in ages though, so my information might be outdated, Dipsnig says.

[Asha'man]

[Main Room]

"Alright, its not like we expected to find willing people easily. We've already been rejected by a number of places. Last question before we leave, will HALO kill demons on sight?"
Asks Element as the shadow engulfs Serph and returns to Element's shadow.

[Morty]

[Main Room]

Dipsnig shrugs.
Probably not. They're pretty laid-back over there.

[Asha'man]

Main Room

"I hope you're right"
Element takes his leave as i assume you've opened the door to let him out.

[Morty]

Thecla yips a few times to acknowledge their arrival and her interest and excitement at visiting somewhere new. She'll follow right along with Viima.

Viima will lead Thecla to the Beast Pens, where she'll be greeted by three wolves. One of them is a big male wolf with dark grey fur, who smells strongly of Viima. The other two are large pups, both female. One of the pups has light grey hair with darker streaks and the other one resembles her mother in coloration. Kullervo - the big wolf - approaches his mate and the newcomer slowly and with dignity, while the two cubs run up to them and start sniffing at Thecla with great curiosity.

Dipsnig, meanwhile, misses this undoubtedly adorable scene as he puts on a fur coat and goes to the crash site.