[Nexus] AMEN XLIV: Beware Falling Flowers

[Reinholdt]

[Main Room 2 - Another time]

So as not to supersize it any more than has already been done.

Ilpholin returns with the group that went gnoll hunting. With her are any AMENites that followed closely, 25 gnolls, one staff wrapped in black silk, and some sort of 2D/3D guardian. Mission successful.

"Alright, I'll show you where you're going to stay for now, then I need to wrap up some business and send your village a bit of protection. Then we'll get started with your training." Ilpholin tells the gnolls.

[Shadowcaller]

[Main Room 2 - Another time]

The gnolls act rather cautiously as they enter AMEN, muttering to each other in their own language. It should be mentioned that they smell about as good as the swamp they came from so some members might be offended by their sheer stench.

They dutifully nod in response to Ilpholin's order however and follows her along while looking around the base with obvious amazement. With them they carry whatever primitive weapons they have taken along with them which at most is spears and bows.

An observer might note that some gnolls look rather different then others. A few are as tall as most humans with clear viciousness about them. They have longer arms then the others and have brown fur with dark stripes across their backs.

The most of the gnolls are smaller however, about half the length of an adult human and have grey fur with dark spots over it. Two of the gnolls fur is black with white spots, but otherwise they look like this sort of gnoll.

[Reinholdt]

[Main Room 2 -> Atlantis]

In the end, the gnolls are led to Atlantis, where they'll be staying by and large, once they've covered the important other rooms they're allowed to know about.

"I'll let you get settled in for a bit while I get some follow up business taken care of. Get comfy while you can." They're going to be busy!

Ilpholin then heads off to meet up with Mister Squiggles real quick before going to her room. Incidentally, this also seems to be the old security room. Seems she's moved things in there and made it more her style. She chats with him for a little bit momentarily, before leaving the staff and book behind under his care for now.

Because she doesn't want to lug those things around with her everywhere, obviously. She sets off in search of Megan in particular, going to check Megan's lab first to see if she's there.

[Mindfreak]

Biolab Megan is indeed in her lab, which she used to share with someone named Seltz but...I haven't seen iElf in forever, so I dunno what's going on with Seltz. But anyway, Megan seems to be working on a Mechano-Panther that looks different from the rest. Not only is it about 66% bigger than the others, it also has a nice, dusty red paint coat on it.

[Shadowcaller]

[Main Room 2 -> Atlantis -> Biolab]

The gnolls all gather in Atlanits and starts to slowly try to look for a place to stay here. This might require some adjustments. Hopefully they don't start up some camp fire inside the building or anything.

The guardian will still follow the demonic drow to Megan's lab however unless she have other orders for it.

[Reinholdt]

Biolab

Nope, Guardian is on permanent guard duty as far as Ilpholin is concerned.

"Hello Megan. Mind if I interrupt for a bit?"

[Mindfreak]

BioLab Megan looks up from the internal workings of the Mechano-Panther and smiles. "Not in the slightest. What do you need?" she said as she closed the panel that, until she was finished, would still be an easy way to get into the panther's inner workings.

[Reinholdt]

BioLab

"There's a village we now own. One of those tribal things. Of course, seeing as how there's competing tribes, it needs to be protected while we train their warriors. We've got the funds now, so I'd like you to make another batch of Mecha-Panthers that'll do whatever the village gnolls want. You might want to make them swamp capable too." Lots of swamp out there.

[Mindfreak]

BioLab
Megan laughed.
"The funny thing is, I was already working on a rough weather type of Mechano-Panther." she said, patting the Mechano-Panther with the dusty red coat affectionately.
"I'll get a prototype working that can withstand rough conditions in a swamp, not to mention heavy combat. Then I'll package it with a nice, swamp camouflage for you."
She was silent for a moment as she thought.
"So what are you going to be outfitting their warriors with?"

[Reinholdt]

BioLab

"Well then, step up production on that, since we need it fairly immediately." Ilpholin says.

"They'll be given various training with close combat weapons and some guns." Ilpholin says. This and that. "Why?"

[Mindfreak]

BioLab "Just curiosity. I used to make custom weapons at my old job. I've developed a love for them that's probably unhealthy." She said with a nervous laugh. "Anyways, I'll try to get them ready as soon as possible."
And then she looked like she wanted to say something else but was too nervous to do so.

[Reinholdt]

BioLab

"They're not ready for custom weapons yet. Maybe once they've gone over the basic ones, but not yet." Ilpholin says, knowing Megan already wants to build custom weapons. Maybe one day.

"As soon as they're done, let me know and I'll have a gnoll show you where they're to go." Ilpholin adds.

[The Bushranger]

[Meanwhile]

A plotclone of Becky is here! Watching the latest episode of Nexus Housewives, and pouting.

[Mindfreak]

BioLab Megan nods and will get straight to work! Plugging in her laptop into her drawing board, she brings up the file for the Mechano-Panthers, causing a 3D version of them to appear in blue light above the drawing board. She began to swipe away things and add new things, using just her fingers. Bringing up older blueprints of the Mechano-Panther here and there to grab various parts from them to add them to the new blueprint, giving it the shape of a deadly beast, ready for combat. "I'll probably call you down in about 12 hours or so." After all, this wasn't the first time she's toyed with the idea of making them multi-terrain capable, plus she was already working on one with such properties when Ilpholin came in, so it only took a little time to make the blueprint. But most of those 12 hours will be spent working out the kinks, fixing bad programming, and just making the prototype turn out nice.

[Reinholdt]

BioLab -> Atlantis

"Very well." Ilpholin turns and leaves, returning to Atlantis to where she left the gnolls. Make sure they aren't tearing the place down already.

"Alright. Protection will be sent to your village by the end of the day." Or week, since I imagine the production isn't instant just cause the prototype get finished. "Let's get you to work." Ilpholin says, turning to lead them to the training area that's been set up.

[ThirdEmperor]

Ilpholin's Office - Cat Burglar

"Oh just out in a swamp in the middle of nowhere. I'll have someone show you later. Just ensure that the core system is capable of expanding to include things like that village and others like it."

"Oh, right. Is there anything else to we need to discuss, or should I get to work on that?" Mittens, annoyed by the lack of attention currently focused on her, is starting to get claw-y.

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholin's Office - Cat Burglar

"That's everything. Welcome to AMEN." Ilpholin says. The door behind the Cat Burglar opens for him, so he may exit at his leisure.

[Mindfreak]

BioLab
Megan gets the prototype off of the line!

Spoiler

Show

Anyways, here you all go! 5w4mp P4n7h3r5!

So here's the story of these new Mechano-Panthers that Megan is making for the Gnoll Village. They'll go by the name of Mechano-Panther(5w4mp), or just 5w4mp Panthers, for short.
Anyways, here's the picture of a regular Mechano-Panther:

Spoiler

Show

Now imagine that sexy beast about 66% bigger than a normal panther, and instead of delicious chrome on the metal, it's a camouflage perfect for swamps and such.
Now, instead of the usual liquid cement and solvent the Mechano-Panthers at AMEN have, these babies instead of a flamethrower right in their mouths, not to mention the usual razor-sharp claws and teeth and tail. Plus, a couple nets big enough to catch large humanoids and slow them down a bit. It'd take a while to cut through one with a pocket knife, is what I'm saying.
Also, they have another nasty surprise, their tails also double as sort of a taser. Except a taser that'll kill you with electricity. It's powerful enough that they could put it into a small body of water and electricute the things within about 50 feet.
Also, they're completely waterproof, allowing them to swim in the water and sneak up on things, and they're a bit more agile than a real Panther.
They can also see in the dark, thanks to infer-red capabilities.
Anyways, that's about it for them. Other than saying that they'll do as the gnolls ask third, Ilpholin second, and Megan first.
Oh, and they won't attack AMEN members, or members of the Gnoll tribe.

Their basic tatics is to use the enviroment to their advantage, such as hiding in the foliage and pounce, or hiding underwater and delivering a nasty shock. Or just ripping things apart with their claws and flamethrower. Though if asked, they will attempt to capture things by reducing the shock of their tails, tasing the thing, and then netting it. They can also set traps, if asked. And are smart enough to plan ambushes

And now begins working out the kinks! Such as improperly sharpened claws, making sure every thing turned out okay, ect...

[Reinholdt]

Atlantis -> Zefir's Room

After leaving the gnolls with Sweetums to train up, she heads over to Zefir's room and knocks on the door.

"Hey Zefir, need to talk to you."

[Mindfreak]

BioLab
Megan goes to her communicator now, sending a message if possible to Ilpholin.
"Hey Ilpholin, it's Megan here. I've finished the prototype and it's ready for use. If you could send me the coordinates, I'll personally oversee the delivery to the Gnoll Village myself. I've gotta make sure that they'll be able to understand the gnolls anyways, so it'd be best that I'm there. I await your reply."
She turns and looks at the Mechano-Panther she was working on earlier with the dusty red paint job.
Taking a torch, she seals the remaining cracks and goes to her laptop, turning it on.
The Mechano-panther's eyes light up with an eerie green color as it comes to life for a brief second before shorting out.
Tests would have to continue.

[Zefir]

Zefir's RoomDoor

The door will be still closed as a deep voice, simular to Zefir's answer Ilpholin.

"What is it?"

[Reinholdt]

Zefir's RoomDoor

"I just told you, we need to talk." Ilpholin repeats, while absently noting her phone has a new voice message as she waits for Zefir to open up.

[Zefir]

Zefir's RoomDoor

"Then talk I listen."

well in his current state he don't really wants to be seen by her. It's a matter of different facts like she will maybe curtain him or something worse.

[Reinholdt]

Zefir's RoomDoor

"It's about another member. I'm not going to infringe on their privacy by shouting through your door. Get out here."

She wouldn't shout through the door for any discussion really, but this was a legitimate reason.

[Zefir]

Zefir's RoomDoor

"It's about another member. I'm not going to infringe on their privacy by shouting through your door. Get out here."

She wouldn't shout through the door for any discussion really, but this was a legitimate reason.

Zefir's RoomDoor

"It's currently a bad time. Can't we just talk through the door?"

Well he still has a problem.

[Reinholdt]

Zefir's RoomDoor

"It's about another member. I'm not going to infringe on their privacy by shouting through your door. Get out here."

Yes, Ilpholin just repeated herself. No she doesn't care if it's a bad time for Zefir. Or rather she would have earlier, but is annoyed enough now not to care. If it was a bad time to talk, he should have opened up with that rather than beating around the bush with 'what's it about' and 'can we door talk'.

[Zefir]

Zefir's RoomDoor

"Come back later. It's really a bad moment."

Yeah Zefir tried it gently, but after all he can't open the door right now.

[Beans]

[Biolab]
Megan may find her labcoat's pocket is somewhat heavier than she last remembered.
If she looks inside, she'll find a rust-colored stone, smoothed by time, the runes in its surface deeply carved but somewhat worn.
... How'd it get there, though?

[Mindfreak]

BioLab
Megan takes out of her pocket.
And blinks.
She then proceeds to put it on a table and scan it with a 3D model pen.

[Beans]

[BioLab]
It starts to glow! The runes shine and pulse like some odd semblance of a living heartbeat...