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

[Shadowcaller]

[On the road to NO]

Driving towards the base is a grey Mazda, sports car edition with only two seats. It's not really made to drive at these sort of roads but it's still doing a decent job at it.

"Hey, isn't this one of the organizations or something? The staff is pointing this way." She says while stopping the car outside NO, showing the lampade the staff.

[Gullara]

[On the road to NO]

"Um, yeah I think it is. NO wasn't it?" Nadia doesn't know the Orgs all that well, seeing as they are more associated with Inside than Riverside. She frowns toward the base. So someone here is who robbed them?

[OrchestraHc]

[Crash Site - Kirk]

"Do you have any more brilliant ideas?" The robot asks with a look at the drow.

Meanwhile Kuko and the goblin comes down below. "Oh hey. I see you met meanbot... but why are you opening the bulkhead door?" She asks with a confused look on her face.

[Crash Site - Kirk]

"It's probably best to not assume I know what I'm doing." Kirk says, his tone flat except for the slightest hint of irritation. "I see you found a survivor." He comments to Kuko. Clearly he doesn't count robots.

Crash Site

"We found her together, remember?" Kuko says, either ignoring or unaware of Kirk's annoyance. "She says she needs help, so I thought we should take her to the boss."

[Shadowcaller]

[On the road to NO]

"I dunno, some stupid name." Irena replies before she stops the car and get's out, shivering a bit in the cold. "We better get in fast though or we'll freeze to death!"

Next she will be knocking on the door.

[Crash Site - Kirk]

"Indeed! I need to collect mana to start up the ritual fueling the energy mana flux! Kuko here said we needed to get you first however. Do you know where there is mana perhaps? I need red and blue mana, can be found in mountains and islands." The goblin asks Kirk cheerfully.

[Gullara]

[Crash Site]

Kirk raises an eyebrow. Ah, the 'robot' from before. Of course. "I can't say I know anything about your mana, but there's no shortage when it comes to different landscape around here. If you're wanting help from us, however, I hope you have money. Mercenaries don't typically work free."

[In front of NO]

Nadia's glad she decided to change out of the rather flimsy outfit she had on at the party, but something tells her she'd have been fine with it. In fact, she barely looks chilly, even though she's just wearing jeans and a tshirt.

The lampades, can, however, tell how cold her girlfriend is. "Right, let's hurry." Once they get tot he door, Nadia will knock.

[Lost_Deep]

Front Door

The door will be opened by a creepy medical robot. "Welcome to NO. What can I help you with?"

[Shadowcaller]

Front Door

Irena stares at the robot and will lean down to poke it's chest repeatedly with her index finger while saying. "Alright, one of you have stolen from me and my girlfriend and then attempted to kidnap her. So now I want whoever it was here right now giving back everything plus paying her for the trauma she suffered. We also want an public excuse from whoever did it and your leader." She demands.

[OrchestraHc]

Crash site

My my, Kirk, that was rather crass. "I guess not," Kuko says, a little perturbed by Kirk's manners. Even if he wants to make it clear they need money, that's no way to treat a potential customer.

[Lost_Deep]

Front Door

"That's borderline insulting. We may not have a lot of jobs, but we are competent. If we had tried to kidnap her, we most likely would have succeeded. If we didn't, we wouldn't give up so easily. What proof do you have of this?"

CB uses his medical scanner now, to record their anatomy, note any diseases, and make sure all the pressure points are in the right places.

Don't worry, he does that to everyone.

[Gullara]

[Front Door]

"We have a way to track the person, and it directed us here." Nadia gestures at the staff Irena's holding. "So if it wasn't one of your people, then someone who doesn't belong is inside."

As for the scanner, it may be interesting to note that, since they're still trasformed from the party, Nadia is a bat girl and Irena is a rat girl. How odd. Otherwise Nadia is normal and healthy.

[Shadowcaller]

[Front Door]

"Yeah! So spare us the bull**** an let us in because you won't get rid of us that easy!" Irena insists.

Crash site

"Money? Sir, I shall let you know I am a scientist. I consider such mediums of exchange rather primitive! How could I possibly hold the legal currency in every alternative reality I must ask you hm? Just because we for some reason share a language don't mean we share a currency my good sir. All I have of value is my supply of Au and U." The goblin says with a gesture at a large chest in the corner of the room.

[Lost_Deep]

Front Door

"If I wanted to get rid of you, I would just aim for the jugular."

He says it in a matter-of-fact way, without any menace in his voice. Well... Without an unusual amount of menace in his voice. His voice is kind of creepy. As he speaks, however, he will move out of the way of the door, letting them in.

"Did you see who did this? Any description?"

[Gullara]

[Front Door]

Nadia blinks at the robot. Well... that's a bit worrying. "We, well we never really saw them." She doesn't even know if it was a man or woman. "All I really know is that they weren't all that big."

[Crash Site]

Kirk shrugs. "I'm sure something could be worked out. Around here, any sort of money is just fine." He glances toward the indicated chest.

[OrchestraHc]

Crash Site

Well nothing to do but see if Au and U is worth the fuss. Kuko attempts to peak into the chest. Maybe Au is science talk for rupees. Or a sort of vegetable, which would be even better!

[Shadowcaller]

Front Door

"So now you're threatening us?!" Irena exclaims. "Listen here you robot." She states with yet another poke in CB's 'chest'. You're going to let us in and we can find the thief ourselves with this staff."

[Crash Site]

If Kuko peers into the chest he will find it to be filled with nothing but rocks, a closer look however will reveal they are shimmering with gold. They aren't pure gold but probably contain a great deal of it.

"Au happens to be valuable in most worlds for some reason. Must be since it's so shiny. You will accept that as payment, yes?" The goblin asks Kirk with a grin.

[wxdruid]

[[Beast Pens]

The pile of pups untangles itself into five separate wolves. They all seem pretty amused by the whole situation as well. Thecla is definetly a great new playmate.

Viima, meanwhile, swishes her tail. She wants Kara to meet her old friend over there.

Thecla watches them for a minute and it's funny to watch. Suddenly her back itches so she rolls over and sticks her feet in the air. She wriggles around, finding those itchy spots and solving her problem. She probably looks hilarious in the process.

[Lost_Deep]

Front Door

CB Has already moved out of the way, permitting the two of them entrance.

"That was not a threat. If I was threatening you, you would know it. You would probably be bleeding right now. I won't stop you, but I will say this: you are currently in a building full of very dangerous individuals. If you come in, and insist public apologies and money... do you think that anyone would prefer to cooperate with you, as opposed to simply killing you and getting rid of the bodies? Of all the life forms in this building, I think that only six might be nonlethal. And five of those just need to grow up."

CB rolls back toward the infirmary, leaving the two of them alone with that thought.

[Gullara]

[Main Room]

...Nadia looks at Irena, obviously a bit worried. "So, I guess we should start looking?" There's nothing else for it.

[Crash Site]

Kirk walks over behind Kuko and picks up one of the rocks. He examines it for a moment, and then nods. "I think that'd do nicely for payment. So tell me more about this job."

[Shadowcaller]

[Main Room]

"Hmph, what a jerk-ass. Who the hell have a robot like that greeting people? They should have him locked up or something." The witch rants away before finally paying attention to what Nadia said. "Yeah, yeah... this place seems to be filled with psychos though. We should be on our guard."

The staff should be pointing in the direction of a certain room...

[Crash Site]

"Basically it's just carrying stuff around... oh and finding a island. Any island will do. It just got to be surrounded by a large body of water. Then you have to carry all said stuff to the island. There is more details and boring stuff, but that's what contracts are for right? I just want to get going. Standing still is so boring." She turns to the robot who have been silently glaring at Kuko and Kirk ever since the goblin entered the room. "Hey meanbot, you can clean up the place right while I'm away?"

"Yes, I'm build to take more damage then your average bunker but I guess I would do so much better by cleaning up this place with this broken broom." It replies in a voice that probably needs a sarcasm setting.

"Excellent! Let's get going then! Can you guys carry the chest up the ladder and stuff?"

[Gullara]

[Main Room]

Nadia follows along with Irena until they reach the room. She looks at her girlfriend when they've stopped outside. Time to confront this thief. She tries to throw the door open.

[Shadowcaller]

[Main Room]

And she will find it locked.

"Let me get that..." Irena says and takes up her lockpicks. Unless Nadia stops her she will righteously attempt to get the lock open, but fail miserably.

"Gah, stupid secure lock..." She sigh. "Maybe we should knock?"

[Jivundus]

[Main Room]

Dipsnig's ears twitch. Anyone familiar with goblin expressions will know what it indicates he's thinking deeply.
Yes, you have. This is a little more problematic, but doable. We don't have many scholars here, but there is one member with such leanings. She might help you.

Nalhriir smiles a bit ruefully, "When yer in a position like mine, cutter, ye take whatever help comes yer way. So I'm willin' t' take any offer ye can give me fer this secondary contract."


//Sorry about the delay, life has started up again and I needed to readjust.//

[Gullara]

[Outside Room]

Nadia shrugs. "Might as well." She can't think of anything else besides kicking the door down, and she's not sure she can do that. If Irena doesn't protest, Nadia will knock.

[Morty]

Nalhriir smiles a bit ruefully, "When yer in a position like mine, cutter, ye take whatever help comes yer way. So I'm willin' t' take any offer ye can give me fer this secondary contract."


//Sorry about the delay, life has started up again and I needed to readjust.//

Alright... Dipsnig scribbles something on a notepad. You pay us as an organization to keep an ear to the ground for any mention of the Ordial Plane. You're also going to hire some of our members to help you in the heavy lifting associated with finding out about it.

[Shadowcaller]

[Outside Room]

They knock and after a moment a lean black-skinned elven woman opens with an white towel warped around her body. Her white hair is still drenched and hanging just past her shoulders as she glances at the two with an surprised expression.

"Oh."

She then attempt to close the door again.

[OrchestraHc]

[Main Room]

"Hmph, what a jerk-ass. Who the hell have a robot like that greeting people? They should have him locked up or something." The witch rants away before finally paying attention to what Nadia said. "Yeah, yeah... this place seems to be filled with psychos though. We should be on our guard."

The staff should be pointing in the direction of a certain room...

[Crash Site]

"Basically it's just carrying stuff around... oh and finding a island. Any island will do. It just got to be surrounded by a large body of water. Then you have to carry all said stuff to the island. There is more details and boring stuff, but that's what contracts are for right? I just want to get going. Standing still is so boring." She turns to the robot who have been silently glaring at Kuko and Kirk ever since the goblin entered the room. "Hey meanbot, you can clean up the place right while I'm away?"

"Yes, I'm build to take more damage then your average bunker but I guess I would do so much better by cleaning up this place with this broken broom." It replies in a voice that probably needs a sarcasm setting.

"Excellent! Let's get going then! Can you guys carry the chest up the ladder and stuff?"

Crash Site

"Lemme try something," Kuko says as he stands next to the chest. He plays his feather weight song again. That should make it light as a feather now. He'll try to feet it by lifting up the chest and handing it to Kirk.

[Gullara]

[Outside Room]

Oh no you don't. Nadia throws herself bodily into the closing door. She's no push over when it comes to strength, so she should be able to stop it from closing, maybe even shove Dena back if she's not ready for it.

[Crash Site]

Kirk takes the chest and nods to the goblin. Time to head out! On their way, the drow asks. "So since we're going to be working together, my name's Kirk. Kirk Locke."

[Jivundus]

Alright... Dipsnig scribbles something on a notepad. You pay us as an organization to keep an ear to the ground for any mention of the Ordial Plane. You're also going to hire some of our members to help you in the heavy lifting associated with finding out about it.

[Main Room]

Nalhriir nods affirmatively, "Aye, but also t' keep an eye out fer any portals or planar travelers in general." He flashes Dipsnig a sly grin, "Now it comes t' discussin' the jink fer the job."

[Morty]

[Main Room]

That it does, yes. Out policy is to accept payment after the serivce is rendered. Pament in advance is reserved for special cases, Dipsnig explains. We accept cash or its equivalent in other valuables.

[Jivundus]

[Main Room]

"That sounds sensible enough. So, how this sound t' ye: Up front, I offer me services t' yer organization t' be disposed as ye see fit, and upon completion, o' both contracts mind ye, a score o' jink at the price ye name, as if I can find a door in the Nexus, I can get t' demiplanes with jink just lyin' there fer any basher t' pick up as he fancies." Nalhriir settles back into his chair, "Does that suit ye fine?"