[Nexus] Inside 43

[happyturtle]

City Walls

"I'm not sure if you're serious or making fun of me," Willow says, looking at him with scrutiny. "Probably serious, and it just came out wrong because of the social awkwardness thing. You really should work on that more. It's a pretty important life skill."

[Halae]

[City Walls]

Amlin looks a bit embarrassed for a moment, "Uh, yeah, I was being serious. I really do need to work on that..."

[happyturtle]

City Walls

Willow gives him another once over. "You're not half bad, Amlin. Now before you get the wrong idea, I have a boyfriend, and even if I didn't, you're really not the kind of guy I date. But if you want to text me sometime, maybe I can help you work on those social skills and introduce you to some of my friends." She writes her number down on the bottom of the page full of doodles, tears off the page, and offers it to him.

[Halae]

[City Walls]

as amlin takes the note, he says, "got any friends that are willing to date a guy like me?" he stops a moment, "alright, that was a joke. I'm not averse to the idea but i really didn't mean it that way and- and now I'm rambling. Alright, shutting up now," More embarrassment! He retries a cellphone from a robe pocket and presses the keys to enter Willow's phone number.

[happyturtle]

City Walls

Willow gets to her feet. "Most of the girls I knew in high school were pretty dumb." Also npcs, which is problematic for setting up dates. "But I'm about to start Uni. I'm going to meet all kinds of interesting people."

Too bad she doesn't know yet that her future plot clone is entering Supervillain Academy under an alias, or she wouldn't have offered to introduce Amlin to her college friends. >.<

[Halae]

[City Walls]

Amlin says, grinning, "That sounds like fun. Let me know how it goes, would you?" He doesn't stand up. if Willow is leaving he can stay here for a while longer and enjoy the view.

[happyturtle]

City Walls

"Sure thing," Willow says. Of course, he'll have to contact her first. She deliberately did not ask for his number for that reason. It'd be bad if he misinterpreted an unsolicited text as romantic interest. She only does that to boys she intends to manipulate, and she has no reason to do that to Amlin yet.

She walks off towards a guard tower, to go down the steps into the city, leaving Amlin behind.

[Zefir]

[Common Street]

"A'te-thael shi'nkio amvergistaal... You're not from around here, are you?"

[Common Street]

The scorpion seems confused. What language was that?

"Apperantly not from this time. I sleeped a bit to long and ended up here. So could you help me? The others seem to be to aggressiv."

[LadyOfWar]

[The Starship Sojourn]

It's completely possible that the sandwich (now a bowl of curry) has been eaten before. The thing is a psionic intelligence attached to some food. It could probably just cook up something else if need be. Or animate a pile of rocks. Or what have you.

No doubt it'll become more clear as the adventure continues!

As for the appearance of the ship itself...

Anyone at all familiar with the original Star Trek series would instantly recognize many of the ship's features. Complete with the rather puzzling fact that there appear to be lots of colored pipes that don't seem to actually go anywhere.

Wark is plodding along, as expressionless as usual. Being a bird he lacks any sort of ability to make facial expressions. Though it's obvious enough that he's quite intelligent and seems to be taking note of any useful paths of escape or potential danger.

Yamamoto walks along with his hand on the hilt of his katana, ready to execute a vicious draw-attack should anything attack.

Amil seems to be completely unarmed. Though given the nature of the Nexus there's a good chance that she's just as dangerous as those security guys with their phasers. She's focused pretty solidly on the Commander as he describes what they'll be facing.

"The creatures appeared as soon as we returned to normal space. The majority of them have extremely spongy bodies that absorbed energy weapons with no ill-effect. However, crew members trained in hand to hand combat were able to harm them. Unfortunately we don't have enough crew members with such experience with less high-tech forms of combat," he then motions to a nearby door. A door covered with some goopy black gunk. "More of the corrosive substance. Thankfully it seems to be inert now. Our crew is working their hardest to remove as much of it as quickly as possible."

He then halts at a second non-goopy door.

"This cargo bay is infested with many of the smaller creatures. They're no more than a half meter tall, but there are enough to prove difficult to deal with. Once the creatures are cleared we'll be able to access the tools and materials we have stored here to further the repairs on our ship."

Before they all launch themselves ahead Westlanna has a few questions. "Pardon me, Sir, but I have two inquiries to make here. First, are they openly hostile, for example will they attack the minute we go in there? Second, have you tried opening a wide escape route and then scaring them off? If we open a series of doors to the outside and get in behind them, we might be able to herd them out. This Nexus would hardly be harmed by a handful of odd creatures. It is already filled to the brim with wierdness, a bit more won't hurt."

[Rebonack]

[The Starship Sojourn]

The Nexus is filled with all sorts of strange things. That's for sure.

I mean... There's a floating box of oreos hovering nearby for heaven's sake! Which means someone probably wanted some oreos pretty badly.

"Some of the creatures are more hostile than others," Commander Dorf replies. "Though our sensors indicate that there aren't any life forms presently near the door. You should be safe for several seconds at least."

Plenty of time to get one's bearings!

"And we would rather not dump these creatures onto your world. They are our problem, even if we need help to deal with them."

Commander Dorf doesn't want to be irresponsible!

"Well I'm ready when everyone else is," Amil pipes up. She's got a rather organic looking hand-gun gripped in one fist and a bone-like saber in the other. Weapons she most certainly didn't have a few moments prior.

"WARK!" warks Wark in agreement.

[LadyOfWar]

[Sojourn]

"I understand we have to get them cleared out of this room so you can get to the supplies, but is there another large space, perhaps a second cargo hold, that we could try to wrangle any of the more docile ones into? You are a man of principle, unwilling to dump your problems on others, so certainly you can understand my desire to help you return these creatures to their own time and space instead of merely exterminating them." You can bet that she's the sort of gal who live-traps any critters that cause her trouble and dumps them out in the wild somewhere instead of just shooting them... unless they're tasty... that's a whole different matter.

[Rebonack]

[The Starship Sojourn]

"Unfortunately we are uncertain if these creatures can even be returned to sub-space. Though if you're able to heard any of the life-forms into empty cargo crates our scientists will see what they can do with them."

There!

They have a way to avoid killing them all!

That's good, right?

Though killing the docile ones probably wasn't an issue to begin with. Otherwise the crew could just walk past them and collect the tools they need.

"WARK!" Wark squawks once more!

[LadyOfWar]

[Sojourn]

Westlanna may have a slightly more ... er... wide and varied... definition of the word "docile" than others.

She selects a length of rope from her backpack, coils it, and tucks it through her belt so it is at the ready, then she grabs her new shotgun, loads it, and nods that she's ready to go.

[Rebonack]

[Sojourn]

Alright.

This is it.

Prepare yourself for anything!

Commander Dorf pushes a few buttons on the keypad next to the door and it fwooshes open! And beyond... BEYOND!

The cargo bay has been transformed into an idealic meadow. Lush green grass is growing on every even remotely horizontal surface and the walls of the rather large cargo bay look to be painted a pleasant sky blue. Several poofy white clouds adorn the wall along with a cartoonish sun, all of which sport little happy faces.

Large yellow smiling flowers have popped out of the grass here and there, all bobbing back and forth to some unheard music.

As yet none of the creatures are to be seen.

"...wark?" Wark inquires incredulously.

Amil just shrugs.

Dude, this is hilarious! Oreos laughs mentally.

[LadyOfWar]

[Sojourn]

"I should have been thinking pest control and got a tranquilizer not fighting and got a shotgun... shows how Town has gone and warped my mind..." Wes mutters as she moves toward the back of the group and waits for the doors to open.

Once they do, she smiles. "This... Is beautiful." She slowly moves forward and calls back to the captain, "Did you know you had a meadow in your cargo hold, Sir?"

[Rebonack]

[Sojourn]

"Yes!" Commander Dorf yells from outside the cargo bay. "Do not let the peaceful appearance lower your guard! These creatures are dangerous!"

And then, as if on cue!

"Myuuuuu~!" coos an adorable voice as a little green blob with two big eyes and a cat-like mouth hops out from behind a grassy crate. It then sits there, watching the party in a totally innocent and adoring fashion.

Yamamoto ever so slightly draws his katana. Guy has been in the Nexus long enough to trust nothing.

Amil narrows her eyes slightly as several more cute green blobs roll and wiggle out of various hiding spots. "Ten to one they get scary and grow a bunch of teeth all of a sudden."

[Lost_Deep]

[Park - Harnel and Harnel]

"That's the thing, isn't it? Neither of us wants the torture to happen. I just want to go home and make amends with my wife. So, I'll tell you what. You change me back to my original color, but I'll stay a woman when I go home. Deal? Should end up interesting."

Regardless, she most certainly does not want to play this damn game.

The Grig facepalms.

"For crying out... the literal goal of the game is "Go to sleep in the same bed as that Cessie woman." All you have to do is go home and convince her to not kick you out of the bed, and you'll wake up the right color tomorrow. Did you even register that through my animated speech? You are saying you don't want to do something that you would have gone and done anyway. I have piratically handed you the victory. You are literally wasting time trying to bully me now that could be spent doing something that will not only accomplish what you want of me but also what you have to do anyway."

The grig is looking at Harnel like she's an idiot. That's a whole lot of "You are stupid" in that glare.

"How about you hand me to Blue, who probably needs to bargain if he's going to have any kind of chance at winning?"

[LadyOfWar]

[Sojourn]

"I've heard of deceiving appearances and deadly kittens before... but this..." The shotgun is sheathed and swapped out for her handgun as she suddenly gets an idea. She'll need a free hand for this.

"Hey, box of oreos, can you spare half a cookie?" She slowly approaches the first cute little mewing green thing, one hand ready to dispatch it should it go all gremlin on her, the other hand held palm up and slightly behind her so the box of cookies can give her a piece of cookie... if it wants to be generous of course. "Hey, little guy, wanna make a new friend?"

[Gullara]

[Willow's Lab]

"A stupid Porygon Z? But that's a rare Pokémon!"

The kid seems annoyed that Becca would badmouth such a powerful Pokémon.

"My name is Winston Caracol."

He gives a certain airy smirk, as if that name should mean something.

"Who are you?"

"Becca Williams, the best pokemon trainer around here." She crosses her arms and just dares him to question her with that smug look of hers. She glances down at his belt. "Three pokemon, huh?"

[Rebonack]

[Sojourn]

Wes is provided with a cookie from the floating box of corn flakes! Boy, he sure is helpful!

The various adventurers watch with hesitant hopefulness at the woman's interaction with the weird blob creature. Hopefully she won't get her arm gnawed off. That would be pretty terrible.

"Myuuuu~!" the blob replies before snatching the cookie out of Wes' hand! The thing doesn't seem to have any teeth at all. In fact, she should be able to see the cookie floating around inside the creature now.

"Huh... That would have been the perfect time for it to grow a bunch of teeth..." Amil mutters. "Maybe they aren't so bad after all?"

Then suddenly!

A chorus of "Myuuu~!"s as dozens of little blobs begin hopping toward Wes, no doubt looking for a hand-out! Mostly the green ones, but with a few yellow and blue ones mixed in. They all appear pretty much identical except for their color.

[VampireRot]

[Willow's Lab]

"Hah. There must be very few trainers around here then."

<.<
>.>

Winston questions her with that smug look of his.

"Yup. I've just started my journey to become the best Pokémon trainer ever. I have three rare and powerful ones before I've even gotten my first badge."

He's that good! The kid gestures down toward Becca's feet, at Glamdring.

"What've you got? An Eevee? Rare, I'll give you that, but it's not strong at all until you've evolved it."

[Gullara]

[Willow's Lab]

Oh, it's on. "Yeah, you're right. I bet you wouldn't be saying he's weak after he beats all three of your pokemon." Becca says. She's practically radiating confidence, and apparently forgetting that potions don't heal all that much.

[LadyOfWar]

[Sojourn]

"Folks, I've got an idea. Somebody pry lids off of a few crates, the bigger the better, find empty ones if you can, if not, empty them out, fast! Hey, Oreos?" she is keeping her eye fixed on the mewing things so she can't see that Oreo is now Cornflake. "How many cookies can you make for us?" She's thinking bait.

"Yeah, follow me little cute guys... " she tries to lead them away from the boxes and out into the open to buy some time and space for the others to get crakin' lids off things.

Note: this is the Nexus and Wes isn't stupid, she still has her weapon drawn in case this whole thing goes sideways.

[VampireRot]

[Willow's Lab]

Winston's grin widens.

"Hah! So you want to battle me? That's fine. I can probably beat your Eevee with my first Pokémon!"

He grabs one of the Poké Balls off his belt, but doesn't release the creature contained within yet. He tries to step into the lab.

"Is there space in here for a battle?"

[Rebonack]

[Willow's Lab]

Glamdring winces slightly at all the posturing between the two humans. He can't understand most of what they're saying, but he's not stupid by any means. He's been a slave long enough to know when his master is getting ready to fling him headlong into combat.

The eevee reaches out with one paw to tug on Becca's pant leg. "pIn Becca, jIH 'oH vIHHa' ghorta'," the Pokemon says, his tone betraying concern for his own safety.

Don't make him fight yet Becca!

It'll be humiliating!

And you might black out!

That would be terrible.

[Sojourn]

The adventurers start fiddling with meta crates! Though they've got their eyes on those blobs in case things go sideways.

Which they totally do.

Oh! Oh bogus! Look out Westlanna! They're thinking about eating YOU! Cornflakes mentally yells right as one of the yellow blobs leaps at her as more of the critters close around her!

[LadyOfWar]

[Sojourn]

When the one leaps at her it will find she has quick reflexes, made all the better by her pal the cornflakes' warning. Either a fist or a boot (depending on how high it jumped) should be connecting with the critter shortly, in the hopes that it will either be punched or punted away....

...and in the hopes that they're not sticky glops of ooze. Sticky stuff doesn't punt well. Don't ask me how I know

She backpedals quickly. "Get me a box! And bait!"

((how fast are these things?))

[Rebonack]

[Sojourn]

The yellow blob doesn't stick.

Nor does it punt.

Rather it bursts in a shower of yellow adhesive gunk. Enough gunk, in fact, to glue someone to the ground. Regardless of whether Wes is glued to the ground or not one of the blue blobs leaps at her next, its face suddenly erupting in a whirling meat-grinder of hooked barbs!

Thankfully her hands will be free due to the low jump of the yellow blob. Though that probably means that her legs will be stuck to the ground. Which makes dodging the incoming blender pretty hard.

Doubly thankfully Cornflakes decides to do something about this and slams the blue blob with a psionic shockwave of centrifugal force that neatly separates the liquid in the blob's body from everything else. One down!

But several more blue blobs are bounding toward Wes!

They're aren't the fastest critters in the world. A brisk jog could probably out-run them. Provided a yellow blob doesn't glue you down first.

The rest of the adventurers snap into action!

Yamamoto whips out his katana with lightning speed, neatly bisecting a green blob that got a little too close.

Amil opens fire with her hand-gun, launching bullet-speed spikes into a second blue that was creeping over the top of a crate. The creature bursts in a spray of cerulean cytoplasm as its body quickly sags into a flaccid heap.

Wark goes "WARK!"

...

Which doesn't seem to do anything.

[Halae]

[Park - Harnel and Harnel]

Harnel frowns at the grig, then says, "I wasn't going to go home tonight at all." A heavy sigh, and she places the grig back on the ground. "I'll talk to you another time, I guess. And sorry for the issue; I'm a little drunk."

She, unless stopped, will take wing and fly off, heading in the direction of the keep.

[Reinholdt]

[Park - Harnel and Harnel]

Harnel peeeeeers at the Grig.
PEEEEEEEEEERS.
It might be uncomfortable. But I doubt it.

[Gullara]

[Willow's Lab]

Winston's grin widens.

"Hah! So you want to battle me? That's fine. I can probably beat your Eevee with my first Pokémon!"

He grabs one of the Poké Balls off his belt, but doesn't release the creature contained within yet. He tries to step into the lab.

"Is there space in here for a battle?"

[Willow's Lab]

Glamdring winces slightly at all the posturing between the two humans. He can't understand most of what they're saying, but he's not stupid by any means. He's been a slave long enough to know when his master is getting ready to fling him headlong into combat.

The eevee reaches out with one paw to tug on Becca's pant leg. "pIn Becca, jIH 'oH vIHHa' ghorta'," the Pokemon says, his tone betraying concern for his own safety.

Don't make him fight yet Becca!

It'll be humiliating!

And you might black out!

That would be terrible.

"For another one, yeah." She steps aside to let him in. There are scorch marks and stuff!

Becca looks down at Glamdring. "Oh right." She grabs another potion from her bag and kneels down by the Eevee. "Here you go." She gives him another healing spray. Now he's ready to fight!