Arkham24.0

[17:08] <@Doink> [DATE: MARCH 17th, 2016]
[17:09] <@Doink> [LOCATION: OVER THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC OCEAN—COORDINATES 47s 126w]
08[17:10] <Kazimir_Prochazka> yeeeeeep
[17:12] <@Doink> The South Pacific air is warm and ligh—no, wait, thats about five hundred miles north of here.
[17:12] <@Doink> Here, this close to Antarctica, the wind is cold, harsh, and strong. You can feel it buffeting your carrier planes as they carry your powered-down Evas towards their destination.
[17:15] <Ruru_Fields> "Man, I'm so excited!"
[17:17] <@Doink> A mile or so away, a small group of commandeered UN carrier ships make their way towards the anomaly, ready to retrieve the Evangelions as soon as the spacial disturbances settle. Here, on the bridge of the main ship, a makeshift Eva Command post has been set up. Director Platonov stands here, having been placed in command of the entire operation.
[17:17] <@Doink> With him is a portion of his usual bridge crew, along with the operations mastermind, Dr. Al-Misiri.
[17:17] <John_Kilanger> "I know I don't usually mind the cold, but even I think this is too much."
[17:18] <Mia_al-Misiri> "I forgot what we are doing."
[17:18] <Mia_al-Misiri> "We are going to get the man out of the thing?"
06[17:18] * Mia_al-Misiri is kind of playing a gameboy at the same time as talking.
08[17:18] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "That's putting it broadly, but yes."
[17:18] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Okay!"
08[17:18] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Not quite sure about it being a 'man' though."
[17:19] <Mia_al-Misiri> "The person thing, I don't know!"
06[17:19] * Ruru_Fields singsongs.
06[17:19] * Mia_al-Misiri is energetic, as usual.
[17:19] <Ruru_Fields> "I know something you don't knooooow~"
[17:19] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "You are tasked with the retrieval of an Avatar before it reaches its final form. For research purposes. I don't expect it looking really human-like..." - Dmitriy sighs, standing on a slightly waving bridge of a ship, looking nervously from a big window at the waves of the sea.
08[17:20] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Humor me: what do you know."
[17:21] <Ruru_Fields> "Nu uh, Henri still hasn't appologiesed, I keep all this information to myself untill it becomes relevant
08[17:21] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Henri, if I die out here, please slap her for me."
08[17:22] * Kazimir_Prochazka waits a moment, then speaks again: "Actually, John, slap Henri. Then slap Ruru."
[17:22] <@Doink> Henri is curiously silent today.
[17:22] <John_Kilanger> "Why me?"
08[17:23] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "It'll be his fault for not apologizing to Ruru, but it'll be Ruru's fault because I'm not Henri."
[17:23] <@Doink> "One minute to drop zone," a voice says over your comm. "Beginning power sequence."
[17:23] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Ooh!"
08[17:23] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Time to go."
[17:24] <@Doink> Your Entry Plugs begin to come to life, your screens flashing to reveal the slate-grey waves far beneath you.
02[17:24] * Kov_D (~Kov@B47B85F4.F32D5AA.A225C0C5.IP) Quit
[17:26] <@Doink> Your HUDs have changed, somewhat. There's no longer any mention of power consumption anywhere.
08[17:26] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "...Commander? How are we going to remain powered for the operation?"
[17:27] <Ruru_Fields> "We have infinite power now, I already told you that."
[17:28] <@Doink> There's something else different, too. It's not the HUD. Just the... feeling of syncronization is somehow strange.
[17:28] <Ruru_Fields> "Didn't I? Man, I can't remember what I've let slip already."
[17:28] <@Doink> It's not alarming, but its a little unsettling.
[17:28] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Indeed. The S2 engines were installed in your units and work perfectly fine, providing you with... " - a sigh - "yes, with unlimited power. I thought I mentioned that in briefing too."
[17:29] <@Doink> Dr. Al-Misiri's comm appears. "That's right. You all don't have to worry about power consumption anymore."
[17:29] <@Doink> Dr. Al-Misiri: "Just concentrate on the mission at hand."
[17:30] <@Doink> "Arriving over drop zone. Prepare for drop."
[17:30] <@Doink> The planes have climbed, now, up over the cloud layer. You can't see anything underneath you anymore.
[17:31] <@Doink> Dr. Al-Misiri: "You should hit the spacial anomaly around the time you clear the cloud layer. Spread your fields as far as you can and ride it out—you should be able to cancel out the worst of it."
06[17:31] * Mia_al-Misiri puts her gameboy by her side and kicks her legs. The device drifts slowly through the LCL.
03[17:33] * Gorgutz (~chatzilla@Rizon-5C88C67F.retail.telecomitalia.it) has left #NERVArkham
[17:34] <@Doink> "Commencing drop. Good luck."
[17:34] <@Doink> You feel the restraints on your Evas release. Then—freefall.
06[17:34] * Mia_al-Misiri stays with the plane for a moment, floating.
[17:34] <Mia_al-Misiri> "...Oh!"
06[17:34] * Mia_al-Misiri dives.
08[17:35] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Kupředu, do pekla."
[17:36] <@Doink> The clouds race towards you at a suprisingly high speed.
06[17:36] * Mia_al-Misiri puts a big barrier in front of her so the clouds don't get in her way, bulldozing through them.
[17:36] <@Doink> Dr Al-Misiri: "Spread your fields now! As wide as you can!"
[17:37] <Mia_al-Misiri> "I did!"
06[17:37] * John_Kilanger brings his AT field up to full spread, and slows his descent.
06[17:37] * Ruru_Fields spreads her field in decent.
08[17:37] * Kazimir_Prochazka snaps his field out at full strength with a loud AT 'crack'.
06[17:37] * Dmitriy_Platonov watches the descent of his pilots silently, clutching his hands tight.
[17:40] <@Doink> You break through the clouds, falling at an ever-increasing rate.
[17:40] <@Doink> Beneath you is... a city.
[17:40] <@Doink> Or at least, it was once a city. Blocky buildings of glistening windswept stone, green with lichen and moss and drying seeweed, cover several miles of what was once ocean. They wind in strange, twisting patterns, no streets running in straight lines or at right angles. In the center of these squat, ugly buildings is a taller, circular one, rising several stories above the waves, covered in garish carvings you can’t quite make o
[17:40] <@Doink> from this hight.
[17:41] <@Doink> Then, you hit something.
[17:42] <@Doink> On the bridge, Lt. Franklin turns to Dmitriy. "Unit 03 has hit the anomaly! It's been knocked off-course!"
[17:42] <Mia_al-Misiri> "...Is that me?"
06[17:42] * Mia_al-Misiri looks around panicing a little.
[17:43] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "How far off-course? Where is it going to land?"
06[17:44] * Mia_al-Misiri 's Eva booms as it smashes through the anomaly.
08[17:44] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "That's Henri, Mia. Who's near him?"
08[17:46] * Kazimir_Prochazka continues his freefall curled up like a cannonball, making his already massive Eva look ridiculously fat thanks to his newly equipped armor and reinforced neck.
06[17:46] * Mia_al-Misiri goes through it somewhat outstretched, like a rubbish Superman
[17:46] <@Doink> Lt Franklin: "Plotting his trajectory.... somewhere on the outside of the landmass. About three miles from the projected drop point.... I think he's unconscious!"
[17:47] <@Doink> Lt. Franklin: "I'm firing his thrusters remotely. We should be able to get him down unharmed."
08[17:47] * Kazimir_Prochazka activates his newly refitted head sensors, trying his best to peer through the cloud layers towards Henri...
06[17:48] * John_Kilanger Suddenly feels something hit his chest when he passes through the Anomoly, but shrugs it off as if it was nothing.
08[17:49] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "...What's the point of trying of new sensors if they can't work in a damn cloud."
[17:49] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "...Everyone has passed the anomaly. Now all that matters is landing."
[17:49] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Let's see..." - Dmitriy leans to the microphone. - "John, report your status!"
[17:50] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "It's more than the clouds. The interference from the anomaly is making it hard for any of our sensors to get clear readings."
08[17:50] * Kazimir_Prochazka checks through his entry plug interface for anything extra added on...
06[17:51] * John_Kilanger quickly begins to slow his descent with his AT field. He holds his Eva's hand out to Kaz. "Here, hold on!" He turns then answers Dmitry "I'm fine, just felt something hit my chest when I entered the Anomoly."
08[17:51] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "...and next you'll tell me you didn't outfit us with parachutes."
08[17:51] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "I don't expect much from you, but even then this is disappointing."
06[17:52] * Ruru_Fields bursts through the cloud cover last, streaking through and scooping Kaz's huge eva into Kagemaru's arms and pulling up just in tie to save from the fall.
06[17:52] * Mia_al-Misiri desends quickly until the last moment, when her Eva flops forward and slows down, landing softly on its feet on top of a taller building.
08[17:52] * Kazimir_Prochazka takes the offered hand from John. "Here's hoping I don't out-fat your Eva."
[17:52] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Good. Proceed with the mission." - Dmitriy sighs with relief.
08[17:53] * Kazimir_Prochazka disregards his last post, and instead is holding out his hand to John only to be jarred by 05 scooping him out from John's reach.
06[17:53] * Mia_al-Misiri wobbles backwards a little but stands up straight after a second.
[17:54] <John_Kilanger> "...Well, that works too, I suppose..."
08[17:54] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Wh...thanks. Forewarning next time so I don't have a heart-attack thinking we're already under attack."
[17:54] <Mia_al-Misiri> "...Dmitriyyyy?"
[17:54] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Yes, Mia?"
[17:54] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Is this Riley?"
[17:55] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Riley?"
[17:55] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Riley. The place with the sleepy man."
[17:56] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Oh-" - Dmitriy just stares blanlkly at the screen with Mia's face for a moment. Then he nods. - "Yes. It is that place. So please, try to do your best, the sleepy man will be very angry if he will awaken. And he is a bad man."
02[17:57] * Protagonist (~meh@7B434633.A5DAED6F.B92F780A.IP) Quit (Quit: Protagonist)
08[17:57] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Commander: what do you mean by sleeping? Stasis? Unmanned? Or is everything going mad and you mean it in the literal sense?"
[17:57] <Mia_al-Misiri> "I thought he was just sort of scary but also a vicar?"
06[17:57] * Mia_al-Misiri scratches her head.
[17:58] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "Avatars take time to manifest in these four dimensions. Powerful ones, even more so. This one is in the process of manifesting itself, but hasn't yet."
[17:58] <Ruru_Fields> "Well then we just have to hurry."
[17:58] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "So, metaphorically speaking, yes, it's asleep. But its in the process of waking up."
[17:58] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Stasis is a good word, Kazimir. And... yes, you are kind of right, Mia. But it doesn't make him less bad."
[17:59] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Oh. Okay."
08[17:59] * Kazimir_Prochazka ignores Al-Misiri some more and thinks he'll stick to interparty banter instead of asking questions. Stupid arabs. "Confirming my landing with Ruru's Assistance, moving out."
[17:59] <@Doink> Having landed, you find yourself within a small "square." You can see the large central building in the distance, the squat, ugly buildings around you only reaching your Evangelion's shoulders.
06[18:00] * Dmitriy_Platonov slowly turns to Al-Misiri and whispers. "How does she even know that?!"
[18:00] <@Doink> The buildings, on closer inspection, appear to be made from lots of flat stones built up on each other. THey've all been eroded smooth on the edges. Nothing is square.
06[18:00] * Mia_al-Misiri hops off the building she landed on.
[18:00] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Can we live here?"
[18:01] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "Sorry. I've started... teaching her a bit on the side. I didn't have the chance to discuss it with you yet."
[18:02] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "It was... surprising. In a quite unnerving way, but... Yes, that's probably a good decision. She must know the truth." - Dmitriy nods.
[18:03] <@Doink> Al-Misiri goes back to the comms. "Please proceed towards the center building. There should be some kind of passageway there that will lead you to the core."
06[18:04] * Ruru_Fields shrugs, as does Kagemaru, they move off together in that direction, slowly for the sake of everyone else.
08[18:05] * Kazimir_Prochazka continues scanning the area with his sensors, if only to ignore Al-Misiri.
[18:05] <John_Kilanger> "Alright, I'll take point." John starts to move his Eva towards the center building.
06[18:06] * Mia_al-Misiri goes off too, with John.
[18:07] <@Doink> Lt Franklin: "Unit 03 has landed safely, but it took some damage in the anomaly. It'll take its systems a while to finish rebooting."
[18:07] <@Doink> "Still no response from the pilot, but his vitals are alright."
08[18:07] * Kazimir_Prochazka lets out an audible sigh before walking with John.
08[18:07] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Well, Henri is alright."
[18:08] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Hello everyone do you like this place that we are now."
[18:08] <John_Kilanger> "Not really."
08[18:08] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Everything's empty, and we never go anywhere nice and sunny."
[18:08] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Oh."
06[18:08] * Mia_al-Misiri sounds disappointed.
[18:09] <Mia_al-Misiri> "But it's cool!"
08[18:09] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "How come these things never decide to deploy in like, Bermuda?"
[18:09] <Mia_al-Misiri> "There's all funny buildings and stuff!"
08[18:09] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Hmmm..."
[18:12] <Ruru_Fields> "It doesn't look like how I imagined it... In fact I think I had the wrong place. That's a shame."
08[18:12] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Do you have a summer home here or something?"
[18:15] <@Doink> You pick your way gradually towards the middle of the city. It's not easy going, since the streets don't want to run in a normal manner. You have to do a lot of building-hopping to go in a straight line, which gets more difficult as the buildings get taller near the center.
[18:16] <John_Kilanger> "Hmm, there seem to be some strange markings on some of these buildings."
[18:17] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Oh?"
[18:17] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "What kind of markings?" - Dmitriy asks nervously.
06[18:17] * Mia_al-Misiri goes to the nearest building and looks for a thing.
06[18:17] * Ruru_Fields hops up atop the next building, propelled by her AT field, she gets a good look around.
08[18:18] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Yeeeeeeep. And my sensors are disregarding physics around these eldrich apartments as well."
[18:19] <John_Kilanger> "I don't know, they seem to get clearer the further in we get. let's keep moveing
[18:19] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "Hmm... Kazimir, could you patch your feed in to me? I'd like to see that."
08[18:19] * Kazimir_Prochazka immediately shuts down his sensors. "It was just a glitch I think. Nevermind."
[18:20] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Kazimir, that was not a glitch. This place is... weird, this is the shortest way to summarize it. So please, patch your feed, we need all the intelligence we can get."
08[18:21] * Kazimir_Prochazka reluctantly begins uploading his feed, haphazardly and slopply scanning buildings for the Doctor.
08[18:22] * Kazimir_Prochazka continues walking.
[18:22] <@Doink> Here, the buildings have gotten tall enough to stop you from climbing over them. You'll either have to go above, or try to follow the streets towards the center.
[18:22] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Same goes for everyone! Any strange readings, or markings, or signs should be translated here, to the bridge. Don't look too much at them for yourselves, though."
06[18:23] * Mia_al-Misiri kind of fails to find anything.
[18:23] <Mia_al-Misiri> "I can't see anything!"
06[18:23] * Mia_al-Misiri steps back, and just carries on following.
03[18:23] * Retrieving #NERVArkham modes...
06[18:24] * John_Kilanger opens a feed back to the command center, and scans any buildings with the marksings as he continues on to the center.
[18:26] <Ruru_Fields> "I can direct the party through the streets via rooftop since I have a birds eye view." She clips from the rooftop.
[18:27] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "That would be really appreciated."
08[18:28] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Keep us posted Ruru."
[18:34] <Ruru_Fields> "Hey guys, we're going the wrong way, head back to the last T then go right up to the junction before that, it's the other way."
08[18:35] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Roger that."
[18:36] <John_Kilanger> "Roger, heading back."
06[18:36] * Dmitriy_Platonov watches his pilots wandering the streets of this cursed city, trying to not show his nervousness.
06[18:41] * Mia_al-Misiri stops.
[18:41] <Mia_al-Misiri> "What's happening now?"
[18:43] <@Doink> After a few minutes of seemingly meaningless wandering, you round a corner and find yourself in front of the center structure.
[18:44] <@Doink> It's quite imposing up close, a towering edifice that somehow still seems to give the same ugly, squat impression as the rest of the buildings. It's a rough dome-shape, with a huge entryway set into a flat segment on the side, a set of enormous stairs leading up to it.
[18:45] <@Doink> The doorway is even larger than your evangelions, and the steps leading up to it match.
[18:45] <@Doink> Curiously, there's another set of smaller stairs next to them, and a number of smaller, person-sized doors near the "main entrance."
[18:45] <Mia_al-Misiri> "This is a big house."
06[18:45] * Mia_al-Misiri stands at the back.
08[18:45] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Yes it is."
[18:45] <John_Kilanger> "Strange, it's almost like they were expecting us..."
06[18:46] * Ruru_Fields hops down from above.
[18:46] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "The target is probably inside. Do you see anything suspicious, John?"
08[18:46] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "I'm not going to humor that thought, because it make me feel vulnerable, and we are undefeatable."
[18:46] <@Doink> The columns beside the entrance, the door, and the walls around them are covered in carved reliefs—strange, fish-like beings seemingly locked in battle with amorphous creatures, giant fish, and celephopods are everywhere
[18:47] <Ruru_Fields> "Oh hey look, it's our Eva!"
[18:47] <@Doink> they are surrounded by interlocking geometric patterns
[18:47] <John_Kilanger> "Everything looks suspicious, sir."
[18:47] <Ruru_Fields> "See Kagemaru, this place must be the home of our ancestral enemies."
[18:48] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Dmitriy this is where the big man lives?"
[18:49] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "I think that it's his sleeping room, yes."
[18:49] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Oh okay."
08[18:49] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "John, suspicious does not even begin to describe this."
[18:49] <@Doink> Dr. Al-Misiri: "Not quite. This should just be the entrance to the temple complex. There's much more underneath."
[18:49] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Oh so this is the churchy thing and then he lives in the undergrounds?"
[18:50] <Ruru_Fields> "Anyway, boys should try opening the door."
[18:50] <@Doink> Dr. Al-Misiri: "Yes, Mia. Basically."
06[18:51] * John_Kilanger walks up to the door, and carefully attempts to open it.
08[18:52] * Kazimir_Prochazka immediately points both barrels of his weapons at the doorway, and opens all the launchbays of his missiles.
08[18:52] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "...continue."
[18:53] <@Doink> The door doesn't even budge.
[18:53] <John_Kilanger> "Sir, should try to force the door open?"
08[18:54] * Kazimir_Prochazka closes his launchers and lets his guns slack a litle bit.
08[18:54] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "If you're sleeping, you don't want to break a door down. that
08[18:54] <Kazimir_Prochazka> That'll wake your victim."
[18:55] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "This is a good thing to be concerned about. Maybe you should try together."
06[18:55] * Mia_al-Misiri walks up to the door and knocks politely.
[18:56] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Hello!"
08[18:56] * Kazimir_Prochazka immediately puts his weapons back up towards the door.
[18:56] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "No, Mia, please don't try that! We don't need to wake them up!"
[18:56] <Mia_al-Misiri> "...Oh!"
08[18:56] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Mia! W--...Nobodey likes to be waken up so rudely!"
06[18:56] * Mia_al-Misiri steps back.
08[18:57] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Where is Henri when we need him."
[18:57] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Sorry!!"
[18:58] <John_Kilanger> "Well, anyone want to help me open the door?"
[18:58] <Ruru_Fields> "Mia, can you open it using AT powers?"
[18:58] <@Doink> The door remains immobile. There's no sound from within
[18:59] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Maybe!"
[18:59] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Doctor, what would you suggest? Using AT powers or brute force?" - Dmitriy asks Al-Misiri.
06[19:00] * Mia_al-Misiri tries to pull the door open with her AT field. She acts like a Jedi.
[19:01] <@Doink> The door's hinges only work one way. Inwards. And they don't want to move that way either.
06[19:02] * Mia_al-Misiri tries pushing it again, still like a Jedi.
[19:02] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Whoom!"
06[19:02] * Mia_al-Misiri makes a lightsaber noise.
[19:02] <John_Kilanger> "You know, I do have a giant chansaw strapped to my back."
[19:02] <John_Kilanger> chainsaw*
[19:02] <@Doink> The door won't push. It's like there's pressure holding it back from the inside
[19:03] <Mia_al-Misiri> "There's a thing in there, behind the door! Water or a rock or something!"
08[19:04] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Hmm...if this is like the other creatures...only just a city..."
[19:04] <@Doink> Dr. Al-Misiri: "I'm not sure... brute force might be the only option, if its blocked somehow. Or... well, someone could try a smaller entrance, although that would be risky."
08[19:04] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Hey John. Do you want to try neutralizing the door?"
08[19:04] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "It could be some sort of...static AT field on the other side keeping it permantly closed."
[19:05] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "An interesting idea. Try that before using your weapons. If that fails, proceed with a forceful approach. But carefully and constantly guarding the door."
[19:05] <John_Kilanger> "Ok, I'll give it a shot." John begins to focus his AT Field at the door, hoping to neutralize whatever force is keeping it closed.
[19:05] <@Doink> Your AT field hits... nothing. There's nothing near the door to neutralize.
08[19:06] * Kazimir_Prochazka pushes his AT field out and into the door?
[19:06] <@Doink> The door strains against the effort, but doesn't budge.
06[19:07] * John_Kilanger sighs
08[19:07] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "...ok I'm stumped. Mia ask it to open."
06[19:09] * John_Kilanger switches his weapons around, bringing his Chainsword out while stowing his Spear onto the rack on his back.
[19:10] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Everyone, overwatch the door, and be ready to act."
06[19:10] * Mia_al-Misiri steps out of the way.
[19:10] <Mia_al-Misiri> "What's that?"
[19:10] <John_Kilanger> "Commencing with plan C."
06[19:11] * John_Kilanger Revs his Chainsword up, and brings it down onto the door.
08[19:11] * Kazimir_Prochazka puts all his weapons trained on the door. "That works."
[19:14] <@Doink> The teeth of the blade quickly bite through the petrified wood. It doesn't take much to send fracture lines all through it, and with a minute's work it comes tumbling down—
[19:17] <@Doink> Followed by a solid WALL of dank-looking seawater.
[19:17] <@Doink> 02 is swept up in it, and is washed down the steps to impact against the street below as it gushes out.
[19:17] <John_Kilanger> "What the F-"
[19:18] <Mia_al-Misiri> "I said it was water!"
06[19:18] * Mia_al-Misiri looks in from the side as the water clears.
[19:19] <@Doink> The water does clear away the remains of the door, though. Water is still pouring out the doorway, but it's beginning to clear.
[19:19] <John_Kilanger> "...I'm just glad it wasn't rocks..."
08[19:19] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Hmm."
06[19:20] * John_Kilanger brings his Eva up from the ground, water still dripping off of it's massive form."
[19:21] <@Doink> The water finally begins to clear. The inside of the dome is completely dark.
06[19:22] * John_Kilanger switches his weapons back around. "Permission to enter?"
[19:23] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Granted. Be careful, though."
06[19:24] * John_Kilanger carefully begins to enter the dome, his Spear at the ready.
06[19:24] * Mia_al-Misiri flutters in, looking around in interest.
06[19:24] * John_Kilanger flciks his lights on, and starts looking around.
08[19:25] * Kazimir_Prochazka begins in behind the two of them, weapons at the ready and scanning for anything that looks hostile.
08[19:25] * Kazimir_Prochazka sets his lights on as well.
[19:25] <@Doink> Just inside the door, the floor begins to descend in another series of steps, still covered by water, until your evas are waist-deep.
[19:26] <Mia_al-Misiri> "It's wet!"
06[19:26] * Mia_al-Misiri splashes about a bit.
[19:26] <@Doink> The inside of the dome is a huge, cavernous space. Your lights can't quite reach the ceiling, but what you can see seems to be a complex mosaic version of the night sky.
[19:26] <John_Kilanger> "Yeah, I know..."
[19:27] <@Doink> Across the room is some kind of large stage-like structure with some kind of alter on it. You can't quite make it out from here.
[19:28] <Mia_al-Misiri> "It's the thing can you see this!!"
06[19:28] * Mia_al-Misiri sends repeated videofeeds to Dr al-Misiri and Dmitriy
[19:31] <Mia_al-Misiri> "...Ooh! These are different planets and stars and stuff to the sky ones."
[19:31] <Mia_al-Misiri> "The thing is a different thing!"
08[19:32] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "This isn't our sky at all...wait a moment...commander what was the cloud ceiling's height?"
[19:33] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Hmmm. What is wrong with it? The height of the building is... I'll send you this data in a moment." - Dmitriy pushes a couple of buttons.
[19:34] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "...Around twenty thousand feet, why?"
08[19:36] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "I meant the cloud ceiling. If we could disperse the clouds we could check the stars. This could be like that Calosta place."
[19:36] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Dad I need to ask a question."
[19:37] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "I don't think so... its difficult, but we can still track you here. During that last attack, all our tracking equipment went offline completely."
[19:37] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "Yes, Mia?"
[19:40] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Are we in a different place? I mean like a big differenter place."
[19:42] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "No. You'd know if you were. This is just the effect of the Avatar's presence messing with the space around it."
[19:42] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Oh. So he's maybe making it pretend different by dreams?"
[19:43] <@Doink> Al-Misiri opens his mouth to speak, then stops. "Yes, Mia," he says. "Something like that."
[19:44] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Okay!"
[19:44] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Thankyou!"
06[19:44] * Mia_al-Misiri moves toward the altar.
[19:44] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Isn't it just a mosaic? Probably showing the starry sky of the ancient time when the city was built?"
[19:45] <Ruru_Fields> "Or, like Mia was saying, the sky in Carcosa, or wherever."
08[19:46] * Kazimir_Prochazka 's unit 04 is staring intently at the ceiling, as is Kazimir in his cockpit. Finally, he grunts, shoulders his rifles, and begins wandering around the antechamber muttering that checking the stars was a good idea.
[19:46] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "Possibly. Or the stars above the Avatar's homeworld. This was probably his main temple, back then. That's why there's human-sized walkways in this part as well."
[19:46] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Is that where his friends came in?"
06[19:48] * Dmitriy_Platonov listens to Mia talking with a face frozen in an expression of supressed, grim amusement.
[19:48] <John_Kilanger> "But why would there be giant doors here that could accomidate Evangelions? THis place is supposed to be anchient, sin't it?"
[19:48] <John_Kilanger> isn't it*
[19:48] <John_Kilanger> ancient*
08[19:49] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "You see, I wanted to avoid that subject."
[19:49] <Mia_al-Misiri> "It's so the big mans can come in too as well as their people-sized friends."
[19:49] <@Doink> Al-Misiri nods. "They weren't for Evangelions. This structure was built during the /last/ time that Avatars walked the earth."
[19:49] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "This city was a home for some of them, as well as their human worshippers."
[19:50] <Mia_al-Misiri> "When did that happen? Why didn't Evangelions fight them that time?"
06[19:51] * Mia_al-Misiri is animated as she asks, really very interested.
[19:51] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "Millions of years ago. Humanity had only just become a species at the time. They worshipped the Avatars as gods because, well, they couldn't really do anything else."
[19:52] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Oh. So why do we fight them this time?"
[19:53] <@Doink> Al-Misiri frowns. "You know the answer to that question, Mia."
[19:53] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Oh. Wasn't the big tall man in the thing here last time?"
06[19:53] * John_Kilanger moves up and examines the Altar.
08[19:54] * Kazimir_Prochazka follows John, keeping his weapons trained about the area.
08[19:55] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "...I'm still not used to the fact that when I first deployed, this thing ate power like mad. Now I'm just walking around throwing glances at an operation timer that isn't there anymore."
[19:56] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "..It was. But people didn't have it back then, remember? The Elder Race did, and they fought them off long enough for the stars to change and the Great Old Ones to have to leave."
[19:56] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "And now we need to do it again."
[19:57] <@Doink> The "Altar" rises barely out of the water, its top slightly higher than your Evangelion's chest. It's worn, both by water and what appears to be repeated usage. There are heavy scores in it, like something sharp had been raked against it over and over again, and the center is stained slightly darker than the rest.
08[19:57] * Kazimir_Prochazka opens comms with Ruru: "If this crazy shit about tall people and gods are the secrets you're keeping from us, do you at least mind giving me some cliff-notes of the stuff?"
[19:58] <@Doink> Around it are strange carved figures. They've been mostly eroded with time, but they are still eeriy, giant fish and fish-men and squid-like creatures with too many limbs.
[19:58] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Which on- who are they? I don't know the difference, are the elder people the bad guys and the old mans the good guys?
[20:00] <@Doink> Al-Misiri sighs. "They aren't 'good' or 'bad' guys. But the Elder Race was doing what we are doing now, so they're the closest thing to 'good guys', I guess."
[20:00] <Mia_al-Misiri> "Okay... where are they now?"
[20:04] <@Doink> Al-Misiri: "Long extinct... you should really finish that reading I gave you, Mia. Please try and focus on the mission for now."
[20:04] <John_Kilanger> "Let's keep searching for the Avatar. I'd like to finish this up as soon as possible."
[20:04] <Mia_al-Misiri> "...Sorry. Okay I will see if he is around!"
[20:04] <Ruru_Fields> "I agree. I'm useless in a place like this."
[20:05] <@Doink> Before the altar is a wide dias, covered in strange carvings. Beside it is some sort of stone panel set with symbols in glass.
06[20:06] * Dmitriy_Platonov smiles a little to Al-Misiri. "Your patience combined to your knowledge and experience... they are among things that give me hope that we can pull through this."
06[20:07] * Mia_al-Misiri sneezes, then spreads her AT field softly but widely in all directions, creeping around and over the room and her allies.
06[20:09] * Mia_al-Misiri looks at her feet.
[20:10] <Mia_al-Misiri> "I can feel a big one downstairs! And there are other little ones with it."
[20:11] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Little ones? Are they moving? How many of them are there?"
[20:12] <John_Kilanger> "any ideas on how to get down there?"
[20:12] <Mia_al-Misiri> "I think they are moving! A bit!"
[20:13] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "If there is no passageway, you must make one."
08[20:15] * Kazimir_Prochazka looks at the panel...
[20:16] <John_Kilanger> "Maybe this altar can be moved..."
08[20:17] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "...these remind me of the graffiti in the Ward Hall. Maybe it's writing. Any guesses as to which is 'elevator down'?"
[20:17] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Hmm. This is a good idea. Try moving the altar. And I have no idea about the meaning of these symbols."
08[20:18] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "Permission to touch alien technology sir?"
[20:18] <Dmitriy_Platonov> "Granted. You are already touching alien things."
08[20:19] <Kazimir_Prochazka> "That is an unsettling truth sir, I'm going to ignore it and do something drastic with this pedestal."
[20:23] <@Doink> The glass symbol depresses an almost imperceptible amount.
[20:24] <@Doink> Then begins to glow, slightly.
[20:24] <@Doink> A sickly green glow which spreads almost instantly to the symbols on the dias underneath Unit 04.
[20:24] <@Doink> There is a sickening /twist/ of space, and, then, the glow is gone.
[20:24] <@Doink> Along with Unit 04
[20:24] <@Doink> [SESSION END]