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Scorch_Mechanic

Fallout: Beyond Equestria 43: Northern Blues (Part 26)

Scorch_Mechanic
Jul 10th, 2013
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  1. [2013-07-03 13:29:27] <Kkat> 3Sweetie finishes with, "This concludes our tour. This week only, there is a special five Friendship Point discount on..." The hologram actually seems to blush, looking down a bit, "...bean-stuffed Sweetie Belle dolls!"
  2. [2013-07-03 13:29:34] <Kkat> 3Kid ponders for a moment. Or interesting. Whatever. Might actually be neat to have something from a gift shop to show her stupid brother when she finds him.
  3. [2013-07-03 13:29:52] <Kkat> 3CopyCat smiles at the hologram. "We met her, she was very friendly."
  4. [2013-07-03 13:31:52] <Kkat> 3Holo-Sweetie nods to CopyCat. Then smiles to everyone once more. With that, the hologram disappears again.
  5. [2013-07-03 13:31:59] <Kkat> 3Shatara ponders what a friendship point is an how one even uses them
  6. [2013-07-03 13:32:05] <Kkat> 3Noble_Heart sighs quietly as the hologram vanishes, heading for the gift shop.
  7. [2013-07-03 13:32:10] <Kkat> 3CopyCat shrugs. "Sweetie Belle seems quite happy. I think the best thing we could do for her would be to restore her connection to Butterfly, if at all possible."
  8. [2013-07-03 13:32:17] <Kkat> 3Bookwright "I wonder... I wonder if it would be possible to take off some of the programming, to free the personality..."
  9. [2013-07-03 13:32:32] <Kkat> 3CopyCat looks at Shatara strangely. The griffin clearly had lunch on his mind.
  10. [2013-07-03 13:33:18] * Get_Lost taps her chin while trotting towards the fake crusader maneframe and studying it "reprogramming via vocal controls is a bit tricky... but it could be possible if we find the real thing..."
  11. [2013-07-03 13:33:43] <Kkat> 3e Gift Shop was a circular satellite building connected to the Visitor's Center. Over two-thirds of the walls were plate glass, giving a scenic view of the Stable-Tec facility and grounds, and Emerald Park not far beyond.
  12. [2013-07-03 13:33:49] <Kkat> 3Now, very little of the glass remained intact, mostly jaggad sections still clinging to frames. Generations of Crystal Empire weather, as mild as it was, has taken its toll on most of the merchandise.
  13. [2013-07-03 13:34:22] <Kkat> 3Fallout: Beyond Equestria, Session Forty-Three: Northern Blues (Part Twenty-Six) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH01FhqMdc8
  14. [2013-07-03 13:34:29] <Kkat> 3--- Session Begins ---
  15. [2013-07-03 13:36:54] * Get_Lost starts looking around for a terminal in the shop
  16. [2013-07-03 13:37:56] * CopyCat starts looking around for Sweetie Belle plushies
  17. [2013-07-03 13:38:06] <Kkat> 3The gift shot has a cash register with a small, integrated terminal, complete with a heart-shaped smilie face and the embossed word "FRIENDSHIP".
  18. [2013-07-03 13:39:33] * Kid just starts looking for something useful. Or something her stupid older brother would like. Whichever came first.
  19. [2013-07-03 13:41:57] * Get_Lost sighs "oh well i guess i'll buy something then"
  20. [2013-07-03 13:42:11] <Kkat> 3There is a floor safe amongst the scattered debris. Many of the shelves hold lines of Stable-Tec souvenirs: Stable-Tec lunch boxes, Stable-Tec plushies, Stable-Tec Special Edition racing scooters. Even little, wind-up brainbot toys.
  21. [2013-07-03 13:43:32] * Bookwright grabs an intact-looking lunchbox off a shelf and then goes to the terminal and pokes it.
  22. [2013-07-03 13:43:34] * Shatara looks around the gift shop with sight discomfort.
  23. [2013-07-03 13:43:54] * Mitzi can'r even fit through the door, so she just stands outside
  24. [2013-07-03 13:43:57] <Mitzi> *can't
  25. [2013-07-03 13:44:01] <Kkat> 3On a back wall is a picture of an athletic orange pegasus with a purple mane receiving a trophy. Behind her, a banner reads "...thletic Living Legends Patriotism S..."
  26. [2013-07-03 13:45:25] * Bookwright goes hrrm. Pokes terminal. Types something.
  27. [2013-07-03 13:45:30] * Shatara decides the mare on the poster is the least uncomfortable thing to examine.
  28. [2013-07-03 13:45:53] * Get_Lost approaches the terminal but seeing that bookie is already on it, sits there and checks what he's doing
  29. [2013-07-03 13:47:08] * Get_Lost "is that one connected with the rest of the building's LAN? can you get admin status from here?"
  30. [2013-07-03 13:47:16] <Kkat> 3The terminal reveals its secrets to Bookwright -- the secrets of Friendship Points, primarily.
  31. [2013-07-03 13:47:50] * Kid has a quandary. On the one hoof, she could choose to be super passive aggressive to her brother and get him a brainbot and be like 'Yo', yeah. I fought the big versions of these while trying to find you. Nearly died. No biggie.'. On the other hoof, that scooter looks like an absolute blast to ride, if she could find some of the road that wasn't cracked to hell and broken, that would pretty...
  32. [2013-07-03 13:47:52] * Kid ...much be the best thing ever.
  33. [2013-07-03 13:48:13] * Bookwright shakes his head. "It's mostly marketing and giftshop stuff. I could probably open the safe with it, or I could check the last purchase made... Or I could tell you All About Friendship Points. It's positively /saccharine/."
  34. [2013-07-03 13:48:39] * Shatara quirks a brow at the talk of Friendship Points.
  35. [2013-07-03 13:49:17] * Get_Lost frowns "uh... i don't want to rob a gift shop, bookie... i want to run a status check on the net and see if we can reach the maneframe from that thing... do you think it is feasible?"
  36. [2013-07-03 13:49:28] <Kkat> 3Aside from visitors on the tour, it appear that employees were given payment bonuses in Friendship Points. And they were also a promotional bonus during some advertizing runs. Special guests were also assigns complimentary Friendship Points.
  37. [2013-07-03 13:50:19] * Kid lifted them both, as if she were a living scale, trying to weigh in which would make her life better.
  38. [2013-07-03 13:50:50] * Get_Lost sits next to bookie "check that.... you can access to the employee chart from here, i guess.... maybe it IS connected with a larger net.... may i try a thing?"
  39. [2013-07-03 13:51:21] * Bookwright yields the computer to Get_Lost
  40. [2013-07-03 13:51:45] * Get_Lost starts poking around "first thing... let's try giving sweetie bell bonus friendship points...."
  41. [2013-07-03 13:51:54] <Kkat> 3Friendship Points were redeemable for Stable-Tec merchandise as Special S-T Friends Prices. With Friendship Points, you could buy anything from a fairly sizable (and brightly colored) catalog --from a commemorative gear-door lapel pin to an actual PipBuck.
  42. [2013-07-03 13:55:33] * CopyCat has an idea and sidles up to Bookwright and Get_Lost. "Sweetie Belle may be programmed not to let most ponies see this place's inner workings, but what if she was asked by Princess Luna? We fooled the medical robots without even trying, so it should be easy!"
  43. [2013-07-03 13:57:01] * Bookwright looks thoughtful. "I suppose it's worth a try. The Sweetie-ulacrum is a real personality though, she's probably going to be harder to fool than some simple routines."
  44. [2013-07-03 13:57:58] * Get_Lost "we don't need to fool her if she has a real personality. we can simply make friends with her... i don't think ponies should trick each other"
  45. [2013-07-03 13:58:09] <Kkat> 3Get_Lost finds herself able to access guest, visitor and employee accounts for the deposit or withdrawal of Friendship Points. Interestingly enough, not only does Sweetie Belle have an account (with over 400K Friendship Points accumulated), but the holographic Sweetie Belle has her own separate account.
  46. [2013-07-03 13:58:58] * Get_Lost "and here we have a winner...." accesses the sweetie holo account and grants her unlimited friendship points
  47. [2013-07-03 13:59:54] * Get_Lost "now... let's see if we can go past this prompt and check what is wrong with the communications..."
  48. [2013-07-03 14:02:30] * Get_Lost has a doubt "ah... what is our priority at the moment?"
  49. [2013-07-03 14:04:13] * Bookwright looks up from a colourful and thoroughly vapid catalogue. "Well, the pinky robot was giving us a tour... Personally, I want a look backstage."
  50. [2013-07-03 14:04:46] * Shatara is totally not staring at the mare on the poster.
  51. [2013-07-03 14:05:16] * Get_Lost "oh, alright... any idea of how we can get there?"
  52. [2013-07-03 14:05:26] * CopyCat nods happily at Get_Lost. "If you can get it to work it'll be even better and I won't have to pretend anything."
  53. [2013-07-03 14:05:40] * Bookwright shrugs. "Haven't seen a useful door yet."
  54. [2013-07-03 14:05:49] * Kid is still debating. Scooter? Brainbot? She decided to set them both down for now. "Don't'cha think that's kinda bein' really rude t' Sweetie Belle?"
  55. [2013-07-03 14:05:49] <Kkat> 3Pink-E swoops in. "Whee! Wasn't that a fun-fun tour?"
  56. [2013-07-03 14:06:01] * Bookwright goes around the visitor's center looking for an employee's entrance.
  57. [2013-07-03 14:06:29] * Get_Lost "maybe there's a different entrance for the personnel... let's see if i can get us some useful ID codes"
  58. [2013-07-03 14:08:47] * Mitzi might normally make the doorway big enough for her to use, but she was a bit hesitant about structural integrity, given how easily she could pull doors clean off.
  59. [2013-07-03 14:09:59] <Kkat> 3Get_Lost's terminal investigation turns out fruitful as she pulls up a full list of Stable-Tec's Crystal Empire employee ID numbers and badge codes. Apparently, the badges were used for spending Friendship Points.
  60. [2013-07-03 14:10:06] * Get_Lost is working with the terminal and snickering while doing it "hey, did somepony ever told you to get a job?"
  61. [2013-07-03 14:11:47] * CopyCat smiles at Pink-E. "It was very fun, but we heard that our delightful hostess, Sweetie Belle, was having trouble talking with her friend at the Ministry of Peace. My friends are very good at fixing things, so we wanted to go deeper into the facility to see what the problem was, but Sweetie Belle had to leave before she could tell us the way. I don't suppose you could help us help Sweetie Belle, could you Pink-E?"
  62. [2013-07-03 14:13:52] <Kkat> 3Bookwright spots an exit behind a tattered wall curtain. In better repair, the exit would have been extremely difficult to spot, as if Stable-Tec wanted the employees to come and go beneath the visitor's awareness.
  63. [2013-07-03 14:14:43] <Kkat> 3Get_Lost, meanwhile, is able to recode a set of visitor's badges with the codes of long-dead janitorial staff.
  64. [2013-07-03 14:15:16] * Bookwright cheerfully drags back the curtain. "Hey y'all, I found the employee's entrance!"
  65. [2013-07-03 14:15:41] * Get_Lost "perfect. i just found us a work. we are janitors now. let's clean this place"
  66. [2013-07-03 14:16:18] * Kid perks up. "Since when do ya'll say 'ya'll'?"
  67. [2013-07-03 14:16:56] * Bookwright blinks. "I, uh, picked it up somewhere."
  68. [2013-07-03 14:17:12] * Get_Lost takes a look atthe door "this means we have a way in and the clearance to get inside the place... fetch a mop and a bucket, guys"
  69. [2013-07-03 14:17:15] <Get_Lost> *gals
  70. [2013-07-03 14:18:33] * Bookwright pins the badge to his breast and tries the door.
  71. [2013-07-03 14:19:07] * CopyCat turns to Get_Lost, her question to Pink-E already answered. "Oh goodie, I always wanted to be a janitor."
  72. [2013-07-03 14:19:24] * Kid just gives him the biggest mischievous grin that her face can allow. "Ah'm infectious!" She said chipperly, giving Get a little pat on the back. "Hey, you did good."
  73. [2013-07-03 14:22:45] * CopyCat takes one of the offered badges and starts dusting things with her tail. She dusts shelves, the terminal, and Shatara, who was a bit dusty.
  74. [2013-07-03 14:24:41] * Get_Lost smiles to kid "i studied a lot"
  75. [2013-07-03 14:27:06] <Kkat> 3Pink-E darts around the group happily. "I like helping!" She pauses, bobbing in the air, making a slightly depressed tone. "But if you go to work, you're going to miss the rest of my tour of the Crystal Empire!"
  76. [2013-07-03 14:27:56] * Shatara is distracted from totally not checking out a mare whose been dead for centuries by CopyCat's rather intrusive tail, squawking and blushing.
  77. [2013-07-03 14:29:22] * Kid looks up to Get_Lost. She's trying to get over her... Um. Differences. It's weird talking to somepony without eyes. Then again, it's weird talking with somepony with mismatched eyes. "Let's get goin'. Alright?"
  78. [2013-07-03 14:29:37] * Get_Lost frowns, looking at shatara "hey... you are into mares, birdie?"
  79. [2013-07-03 14:31:25] * Shatara blushes deeper. "I, uh...what?"
  80. [2013-07-03 14:32:32] * CopyCat grins. "That's better." She trots off to find something else that needs a clean. She chooses Kid. "We shouldn't be long, Pink-E. Can the tour wait a little bit? Oh, actually you could try giving us a tour inside, that would be really fun!"
  81. [2013-07-03 14:32:58] * Get_Lost "oh right, i can't wink... aw, i'm depressed now"
  82. [2013-07-03 14:33:42] <Kkat> 3Pink-E bobs, making a happy whistle. "She's not a birdie..." the odd sprite-bot pauses to scan Get_Lost's new badge, "...Miss Bucket. She's a griffin. And it's perfectly natural for griffins to like mares. Especially ones with pegasus friends."
  83. [2013-07-03 14:33:52] * Get_Lost smiles to pink-e "well, this is our first day, we could use some help and directions! will you help us, pink-sensei?"
  84. [2013-07-03 14:34:45] * Bookwright merely shakes his head in wonderment and cracks open the employee door, peering into the dusty darkness.
  85. [2013-07-03 14:34:58] * CopyCat stands next to Get_Lost and winks. Her heart was in the right place at least.
  86. [2013-07-03 14:35:25] <Kkat> 3Pink-E does a little, floating headshake. "I don't have pinkie sense. But I do have radar! Will that help?"
  87. [2013-07-03 14:38:16] * Kid actually does have a bit of dust kick up from her rabbit-hide armor. "Yeah, radar'll probably help." She creeps along with Bookwright. Not that she agreed with what he was doing, but she realized that something useful might be back here. For the most part, trifles take a back seat to survival.
  88. [2013-07-03 14:38:45] <Kkat> 3Beyond the door, a dull grey hallway stretches into the darkness. From what Bookwright can see of it, the hallway is lined on one side with lockers.
  89. [2013-07-03 14:39:35] * Get_Lost follows the others inside "yay, lockers! i want a uniform!" starts checking the lockers for a janitor uniform of her size. that is, S, for Sexy
  90. [2013-07-03 14:39:54] * Bookwright sees nothing immediately threatening and swings the door wide open. He lights his horn.
  91. [2013-07-03 14:40:13] * CopyCat trots after Bookwright and Kid. "I'd quite like a trifle, actually- oh look at all this dust!"
  92. [2013-07-03 14:40:22] * Bookwright looks back over his shoulder, "Heyo. Let's go."
  93. [2013-07-03 14:40:32] * Shatara can't quite keep eye contact with Get_Lost and/or CopyCat, following them into the service passage.
  94. [2013-07-03 14:44:10] * Kid creeps along, looking worried.
  95. [2013-07-03 14:44:57] * Get_Lost is still looking for her uniform
  96. [2013-07-03 14:45:12] * Shatara checks a few lockers too.
  97. [2013-07-03 14:46:20] * CopyCat joins Get_Lost. "Oo, a uniform would be wonderful."
  98. [2013-07-03 14:46:56] * Get_Lost "exactly, and as soon as we are changed, we go in pause"
  99. [2013-07-03 14:47:12] <Kkat> 3Just under half the lockers are locked, and most of the others are empty. Two, however, are both unlocked and still retain contents.
  100. [2013-07-03 14:48:00] * Bookwright loo- ahem, /cleans/ the unlocked-ers.
  101. [2013-07-03 14:48:34] * CopyCat hops in excitement at Get's mental image. "Yes, a sexy freeze-frame!"
  102. [2013-07-03 14:49:12] * Get_Lost tries a couple of the locked lockers
  103. [2013-07-03 14:53:43] * Get_Lost after a couple of tries, the mare starts fighting the locks and trying to open all of them, breaking just one pin before the whole row of locker yelds
  104. [2013-07-03 14:53:52] <Kkat> 3The unlocked lockers hold a collection of minor personal effects: pictures of loved ones, a bottle of hoof-lotion (coconut-scented), a trashy romance novel, a piece of soap carved to look like Princess Cadence hanging on a rope. One holds a flashlight.
  105. [2013-07-03 14:55:09] * Shatara holds up the cadance soap-on-a-rope and blinks.
  106. [2013-07-03 14:56:14] * Kid looks at the soap on a rope in particular. At first, she thought there wasn't anything too wrong with that. Until she realized, holy crap, someone, maybe many ponies, rubbed their naked bodies with a facsimile of their leader. That's... Kinda fucked up, especially if she was married or something. She wasn't entirely sure.
  107. [2013-07-03 14:57:00] * Bookwright grabs up the flashlight and tries it.
  108. [2013-07-03 14:58:59] * Kid sits down. Does that count as, like, second hoof molestation? She didn't like that train of thought, so she set that thought down for now and pretended it didn't ever exist. "Nifty flashlight. Mind if I keep it?"
  109. [2013-07-03 14:59:26] <Kkat> 3The locked lockers hold similar, plus three toolkits and four Stable-Tec maintenance uniforms. Two have 10mm pistols with full clips. One locker holds a bag of coffee imported from Zanzebra. The one with the tougher lock also contains a framed paparazzi photo of a sweaty-looking Applebloom. From her expression, the photographer did not have permission.
  110. [2013-07-03 15:00:21] * Bookwright tosses it to kid.
  111. [2013-07-03 15:00:37] * Bookwright "I'm just gonna, uh, confiscate this here coffee..."
  112. [2013-07-03 15:01:14] * Shatara shakes head at Bookwright, claiming a the toolkits and offering one or two to Get_Lost.
  113. [2013-07-03 15:01:24] * CopyCat eyes up the uniforms, then looks at herself. "I... don't think they're in my size."
  114. [2013-07-03 15:01:34] * Kid grabbed it and attempted to pop open the place where one would put the batteries.
  115. [2013-07-03 15:01:52] * Get_Lost "i want the uniform!" also, she accepts one of the tookints, but only one because she is already quite loaded
  116. [2013-07-03 15:02:09] <Kkat> 3Kid succeeds. The nearly-drained spark-battery pops out and falls to the floor.
  117. [2013-07-03 15:03:03] * Bookwright rummages in his pack for a second, then underhands a fresh (cheapo) spark battery to Kid.
  118. [2013-07-03 15:03:49] * Shatara looks at the picture in the locker. "Thats...quite possibly creepy?"
  119. [2013-07-03 15:05:30] * Get_Lost gives a look at the picture "i think she's hot... i mean, you can amost see under her tail... no wait i think you CAN see under her tail..."
  120. [2013-07-03 15:05:58] * Kid lifts it, mouth curling into a frown. It wiped away whenever bookie gave her a new one. "Thanks." She said, attempting to put the battery into the slot before covering it back up and trying it out a couple of times.
  121. [2013-07-03 15:06:26] * Shatara tries very hard not to stare at the photograph.
  122. [2013-07-03 15:08:14] * Get_Lost "hey copy, you think this is just shade or the real thing?"
  123. [2013-07-03 15:08:22] <Kkat> 3With the new battery, the flashlight has a bright, clear beam.
  124. [2013-07-03 15:08:44] <Kkat> 3Get_Lost is right, although what is under the tail is hidden in shadow.
  125. [2013-07-03 15:10:41] * Bookwright happily meanders down the corridor in search of Interesting Things. Nothing boosts the mood like a little good looting.
  126. [2013-07-03 15:10:42] * CopyCat tilts her head. "Well it's mostly in shade." She looks at Shatara and then back to Get_Lost. "But that just let's the imagination run wild."
  127. [2013-07-03 15:12:08] * Get_Lost "yeah, i'd love to have her flanks... what a mare...."
  128. [2013-07-03 15:15:10] * CopyCat nods. "Athletic, well-toned and shapely. No wonder Shatara keeps thinking about her."
  129. [2013-07-03 15:15:23] * Kid is kind of creeped out by this perverted talk happening right in front of her. I mean, yeah, she looked at a copy of Playmare once, but it wasn't something she up and talks about. It should be a thing you're ashamed of, durnit!
  130. [2013-07-03 15:15:56] * Shatara blushes deeply, his wings spreading as he fidgets from the mares' teases.
  131. [2013-07-03 15:16:05] * Get_Lost "then, you remember that this very mare doomed to horrible death thousands of ponies... still, she didn't mean to.... but you know what? looking at this pic i don't really care. i just feel jelly for that perfect plot and the fact she has, you know, her eyes"
  132. [2013-07-03 15:16:53] * Get_Lost "hey shatara, do you want to keep the pic?"
  133. [2013-07-03 15:17:51] * Kid turns on the battery and takes a good look around. "... Ya'll think I'd fit in one o' these Stable suits?"
  134. [2013-07-03 15:19:16] * CopyCat turns to Kid, looking abashed. "Oh I'm sorry. I-I was talking with Get and suddenly it seemed like a fine thing to say."
  135. [2013-07-03 15:22:14] <Kkat> 3The hallway leads further down, with rooms on each side. One room is a little kitchen, the other a break room. Neither particularly fancy -- utilitarian, but nicely appointed.
  136. [2013-07-03 15:23:31] <Kkat> 3Beyond are a few Stable-Tec posters, copies of ones familiar to most wasteland ponies, particularly the Stable advertizements.
  137. [2013-07-03 15:25:02] * Noble_Heart came up behind CopyCat curious about the photograph. She scowled slightly as she reached out with her magic to levitate it away. "We would like to keep this." She looked down at the others. "If that is not a problem?"
  138. [2013-07-03 15:25:40] * Kid rose a hoof. "It's uh. It's fine." She also considered it pretty durned creepy to think ponies that are probably dead or ghouled are hot. Especially when they're historical figures. She couldn't even, well, do the thing that you do when you have a playmare magazine because she kept imagining them as corpses somewhen along the way. It was weird! "Yeah, let's, uh. Let's keep goin'."
  139. [2013-07-03 15:27:48] * CopyCat just nods. "Yes... that is weird. Oh, hello Noble_Heart! We are janitors now. Is that a good thing?"
  140. [2013-07-03 15:28:22] * Noble_Heart tilts her head to one side and looks to CopyCat. "Are We? It is sentimental value, more than anything, for which We wish to keep it."
  141. [2013-07-03 15:28:52] * Bookwright is too excited to see the more interesting inner workings of Stable-Tec to be bothered with the break room or the kitchen.
  142. [2013-07-03 15:29:55] * Shatara quietly follows the others.
  143. [2013-07-03 15:30:20] * Kid just keeps trotting, fight or flight telling her that flight was a plenty good reaction to all this talk she'd rather not hear.
  144. [2013-07-03 15:38:20] * Get_Lost follows the other, taking a look around with curiosity and looking for something "if you see the cable main line, i'd suggest to follow it so we will find all the important stuff"
  145. [2013-07-03 15:42:56] <Kkat> 3The hall passes three more doors, and each clearly marked as being restricted to mares and stallions, and one labeled "Employee Parking". At the end is a large door with multiple signs, including "Please make sure to wear your badge at all times" and "Hardhats are required in Class-2 safety areas."
  146. [2013-07-03 15:43:50] * Bookwright has a badge, isn't concerned. Tries the door.
  147. [2013-07-03 15:44:48] * Kid makes sure to put her badge on.
  148. [2013-07-03 15:46:23] * CopyCat still has her badge, but feels a little edgy since she hasn't dusted anything for a full five minutes. So she dusts Noble_Heart with her tail.
  149. [2013-07-03 15:46:39] * Noble_Heart frowns and glances up and down the hallway. "We suggest stopping in these rooms." She motions towards the two labeled with mare and stallion symbols. "They are most likely locker rooms. And may contain safety equipment necessary for the remains fo the building."
  150. [2013-07-03 15:47:41] * Get_Lost shrugs "i'm always in for some more lockers. maybe we will find even some sexy stallion's pic"
  151. [2013-07-03 15:49:16] <Kkat> 3The door is locked. There is a card reader beside the door.
  152. [2013-07-03 15:50:12] * Bookwright tries his badge in it.
  153. [2013-07-03 15:51:41] * Get_Lost "i decided for janitor badges for two reasons: nopony cares about janitors and they get almost everywhere becasue somepony should really clean a mess. so, our badges should let us almost everywhere"
  154. [2013-07-03 15:53:05] * Kid hefts a glowing blue bottle out of her things. "And in case it don't..."
  155. [2013-07-03 15:53:41] * Noble_Heart frowns and looks down to Get Lost skeptically. But she doesn't force the issue. Instead poking her head into the mare's room to check her suspicions.
  156. [2013-07-03 15:58:36] <Kkat> 3There is a click and the door unlocks.
  157. [2013-07-03 16:00:18] * Kid cautiously opens the door. She's scared to find out what other security measures might happen around here.
  158. [2013-07-03 16:00:22] <Kkat> 3Beyond is a multi-story factory floor complete with metal catwalks over machinery. The huge space is still, silent and blanketed with dust.
  159. [2013-07-03 16:02:18] <Kkat> 3Conveyor belts lay still, each lined with terminals in some stage of assembly.
  160. [2013-07-03 16:03:03] * Shatara pokes around for potentially useful parts.
  161. [2013-07-03 16:03:24] * Bookwright "...wow. That's... wow." He practically frolics into the vast and dusty space. "Ooh, oooh, this is so exciting..." He looks around for anything resembling that model of a clone-brain-setup.
  162. [2013-07-03 16:04:31] * Kid raises an eyebrow. "Bookie? What would you do if you found this weird brain-in-a-jar?"
  163. [2013-07-03 16:05:48] * Bookwright looks up from a dustbunny. "Uh, say 'Hi'? Try to remove some of the programmed safeguards?"
  164. [2013-07-03 16:05:55] * Noble_Heart pulled her head from the other door, moving towards the group with a frown. "The maneframe is likely somewhere other than the assembly area..."
  165. [2013-07-03 16:05:59] <Kkat> 3The room contains all the scrap electronics and terminal casings you could want. Back-up terminal power supplies with enjoy juice to last centuries... so long as they aren't called on for anything more taxing than powering a terminal.
  166. [2013-07-03 16:08:21] <Kkat> 3The layout of the factory is extremely non-optimized -- pure assembly-line efficiency being traded for giving supervising workers hoofs-on participation and personal attention to each step of the assembly process.
  167. [2013-07-03 16:09:45] * Bookwright frowns. "I suppose you're right. On to the next- er. Maybe we should find a floormap?"
  168. [2013-07-03 16:09:48] <Kkat> 3Pink-E swoops in. "Ooh... ooh! This is a Class 2 area!" The strange pink sprite-bot darts out of sight, only to return a moment later wearing a hardhat.
  169. [2013-07-03 16:10:54] * CopyCat taps Pink-E. "Could you please show us where those hats are?"
  170. [2013-07-03 16:12:09] <Kkat> 3Pink-E gives a cheerful whoop. "Okie Dokie Lokie!" She zips off again.
  171. [2013-07-03 16:13:27] * CopyCat tries to follow, but Pink-E might be too quick.
  172. [2013-07-03 16:18:55] <Kkat> 3Pink-E leads CopyCat to a little, out-of-the-way closet labeled CLASS-2. The closet holds several Stable-Tec hardhat with integrated headlamps, as well as buckles and straps. An illustration on the wall instructs ponies how to use them to bind their manes and tails so they can't get caught in machinery.
  173. [2013-07-03 16:19:39] * CopyCat wears all the hard hats.
  174. [2013-07-03 16:20:27] <Kkat> 3Nearby is a map of the facility. Each area is label: Class 0 - Class 4.
  175. [2013-07-03 16:21:34] * CopyCat then puts on so many belts and buckles that she could have been a Final Fantasy character.
  176. [2013-07-03 16:22:25] * Shatara flaps in behind CopyCat, and is jealous of her towering pillar of hats. He sees if he can enter the map into his pipbuck.
  177. [2013-07-03 16:22:45] <Kkat> 3Class 0 includes the bathrooms, the gift shop and the visitor's center. No badges are required. Class 1 requires badges only. The rest of the areas have their own requirements for attire and safety.
  178. [2013-07-03 16:23:43] * Bookwright follows CopyCat's clearly visible form to the closet. "Ooh, neat, floorplan. Okay, if I were a maneframe, where would I be...? High security, probably..."
  179. [2013-07-03 16:23:52] * CopyCat eventually notices the map, and sends a mental message to anypony who hadn't followed Pink-E. <Hey, listen, I found a map (use C-up or C-down to change level!)>
  180. [2013-07-03 16:24:45] * Shatara 's eyes go all 6_9
  181. [2013-07-03 16:28:42] <Kkat> 3The areas marked as "clean labs" are labeled Class 3, and are marked as requiring lab coats and socks, and a pass through a "neutralizing chamber".
  182. [2013-07-03 16:30:11] <Kkat> 3The areas marked a Class 4 are high security and labeled as "Authorized Ponies Only". These are the rooms that, Get_Lost will explain, the janitorial badges will not get you into.
  183. [2013-07-03 16:30:26] * Bookwright "Ooh, socks. I had no idea working in this 'clean room' was so.. risque."
  184. [2013-07-03 16:33:34] * CopyCat looks at Bookwright quizzically. "Do socks interest you Bookie? Or do you prefer taking them off?"
  185. [2013-07-03 16:34:07] * Shatara pomfs.
  186. [2013-07-03 16:34:14] * Bookwright feels a bead of sweat form. "Ah. Er. Um."
  187. [2013-07-03 16:39:31] * Bookwright turns to the floorplan again. "Well, looks like we're gonna need a promotion to get into the really interesting areas."
  188. [2013-07-03 16:41:18] * Kid is not a smart pony. She is currently looking around the factory floor for anything interesting.
  189. [2013-07-03 16:41:29] * CopyCat teeters from side to side, balancing her tower of hard hats. "We need to be sciencers, right? I can do that."
  190. [2013-07-03 16:44:20] * Bookwright looks CopyCat askance. "I don't think you can do it by wearing a bunch of hard hats."
  191. [2013-07-03 16:45:49] * CopyCat tilts her head, causing a collapse. "If I wear enough then I level up. Isn't that how it works?"
  192. [2013-07-03 16:46:34] * Bookwright "...No."
  193. [2013-07-03 16:46:54] * Shatara picks up one of the hard hats.
  194. [2013-07-03 16:51:36] * Bookwright "...Anyways, if only 'Authorized Ponies' can get into class-4 areas, then there must be a way to authorize ponies. Hopefully some way that's computerized."
  195. [2013-07-03 16:52:40] * CopyCat taps her chin. "We could try asking nicely... oh, or knocking!"
  196. [2013-07-03 16:55:03] * Bookwright almost objects, but doesn't. "Well... can't hurt. Might tell us how or where to go looking. Okay, sure. Lead the way then."
  197. [2013-07-03 16:57:37] <Kkat> 3The factory floor is divided into two large rooms, with several smaller rooms above that are accessable only through the catwalks.
  198. [2013-07-03 16:58:09] * Shatara flaps up to investigate a catwalkroom.
  199. [2013-07-03 16:59:26] * CopyCat consults the map, then copies Shatara and joins him on the catwalk.
  200. [2013-07-03 17:01:09] * Bookwright tromps up the stairs. Possibly with a lot more clanging and banging than strictly necessary.
  201. [2013-07-03 17:01:28] <Kkat> 3The upper rooms are supervisory areas, systems monitoring and a small room with ventilation for taking a quick smoke break. Pencils and clipboards abound, as well as a scattering of coffee cups. One packet of cigarettes is laying in the dirt of a bowl which once held a potted plant.
  202. [2013-07-03 17:04:55] * Kid keeps a few pencils and a few pieces of scrap paper. And then the cigarettes get grabbed for selling.
  203. [2013-07-03 17:09:06] <Kkat> 3The supervisor rooms extend beyond the first section of the factory and into the second. This verse is much like the first... only here they were manufacturing the terminal brain-cases for Equestrian Robotic's brainbots
  204. [2013-07-03 17:12:20] * Kid examines the brain-cases, and then determines that it's none of her business.
  205. [2013-07-03 17:13:29] * Noble_Heart sighed quietly as she had her helmet on, moving with the others through the facility. "This place was engaged in strenuous production, and it seems research..."
  206. [2013-07-03 17:13:50] * Bookwright is struck by a thought. "Hey! Maybe we could put the Sweetie-ulacrum into a brainbot!"
  207. [2013-07-03 17:14:55] * Noble_Heart frowns and looks down to Bookwright. "We would wish her opinion on it before We did such a thing. It is not fair, nor right, to force such a change upon a pony. Simulated or not."
  208. [2013-07-03 17:15:15] * CopyCat bites her lip. "Um... I'd want to ask her first."
  209. [2013-07-03 17:16:02] * Bookwright "That would require finding her first, I think."
  210. [2013-07-03 17:17:33] * Noble_Heart frowns, pointing a hoof at the 'authorized ponies only' bit of the sign. "She will be here. Her systems are experimental, testing, and protected. They would be a secret, kept as tightly as possible. We are certain."
  211. [2013-07-03 17:18:18] * Bookwright agrees. "You're right, I think. Lead the way."
  212. [2013-07-03 17:18:50] * Shatara nods in agreement, taking a moment to check the brainbot assembly line for the weapons installation station...
  213. [2013-07-03 17:24:13] * Noble_Heart shakes her head. "We will need better identification to enter that area. The janitors would not be allowed in without an appropriate escort. Too much risk of leaks." She moved through the facility with a frown, glancing up at the construction lines. "And We have little doubt of the desires of the ponies here to keep their research a secret."
  214. [2013-07-03 17:26:08] * Bookwright "But right now we have no idea where to go to coerce computer systems into giving us that access, and trying the door would probably help. Plus, there's likely to be some kind of antechamber for a receptionist there."
  215. [2013-07-03 17:27:36] * Noble_Heart nods her head, doing her best to lead onwards.
  216. [2013-07-03 17:27:59] <Kkat> 3Shatara quickly discovers that the assembly line does not include the bulk of the brainbots' construction. Merely the housing for the brain and the arcanotech terminal with allows it to run the body. None of the uncompleted matrixes have survived the passage of time, but Shatara does find five rarity-3 gemstones within the unfinished devices.
  217. [2013-07-03 17:29:31] * Kid frowns. "I figure there's gon' be no place that gets us into where we need t' go that isn't where we need to go. If I was a big boss lady, and I needed t' keep some secret shit secret 'cept fer some ponies I'm okay with, I'd keep th' shit that opens the door automatically behind th' door."
  218. [2013-07-03 17:30:43] * Bookwright shrugs. "Maybe, but we won't know until we go find out. And besides, if all else fails we can just break down the door, or a wall, or a window, or something."
  219. [2013-07-03 17:31:17] * Kid hefts the bottle again. Finally, some sense.
  220. [2013-07-03 17:32:07] * CopyCat grins and trots after the others. "Or we could knock!"
  221. [2013-07-03 17:34:28] * Noble_Heart taps her chin. "Structural damage to the building would be inadvisable in Our mind. It may alart security, or damage the systems of the building." She sighs and continues.
  222. [2013-07-03 17:35:37] <Kkat> 3Not far beyond, the factory becomes a maze of corridors surrounding "clean rooms" -- bright white tile rooms completely clean of dust or static... or, for generations, ponies. These are clearly the research labs, and Copycat can swiftly find a similar closet, this one filled with lab coats, goggled and static-free socks.
  223. [2013-07-03 17:35:56] * Kid frowns. "Ain't like we got no choice if we get it in our minds that gettin' to that brain's worth it."
  224. [2013-07-03 17:36:28] * Bookwright chuckles. "Heh. In our minds."
  225. [2013-07-03 17:36:56] <Kkat> 3Spider-bots patrol the halls, but leave you alone once you show off your badges.
  226. [2013-07-03 17:37:08] * CopyCat immediately puts on a lab coat and a set of socks. She seemed very willing to play dress-up.
  227. [2013-07-03 17:37:30] <Kkat> 3"Have a good afternoon, Miss Bucket. You too, Mister Sweep."
  228. [2013-07-03 17:37:35] * Noble_Heart sighs. "We are not certain it will be." She shook her head, keeping an eye on the robots and the rooms. "The machines here have kept watch and kept this place safe for many centuries. We would prefer to restore the communication rather than to remove the controller."
  229. [2013-07-03 17:39:20] * Kid rolls her eyes at the closet, but feels mighty obligated to put on the damn goggles after the spider bots came along. "I ain't no good with this fancy machinery, so this is ya'll's show, anyways. I'm jus' tryin' t' make it profitable. Failin' that, at least make sure we don' get blown up fer th' umpteenth time."
  230. [2013-07-03 17:40:31] * Bookwright puts on socks (!) and a mask in deference to the "clean" atmosphere. "C'mon, there's got to be a security antechamber or something..."
  231. [2013-07-03 17:41:09] * Shatara glances over to CopyCat as he puts on a coat. He then picks up a sock and stares at. He looks at his talon. And the sock. And his talon.
  232. [2013-07-03 17:42:06] * Bookwright stifles a giggle
  233. [2013-07-03 17:43:25] * Noble_Heart smirks and pats Shatara with a wing. "You could try a fist? It might work better." She wasn't getting dressed. Given how it was unlikely they had socks or clothes in her size.
  234. [2013-07-03 17:44:34] * CopyCat wasn't stopped by something as mundane as the clothes being too small. Although that did mean her lab coat became more of a cape.
  235. [2013-07-03 17:52:38] * Bookwright shuffles down the hallway towards the restricted access door.
  236. [2013-07-03 17:53:26] * CopyCat trots after Bookwright like a scientific super hero.
  237. [2013-07-03 17:54:21] * Shatara fiddles with the socks, trying his best not to shred them to ribbons.
  238. [2013-07-03 17:54:21] * Noble_Heart keeps up with Bookwright. Glancing into the clean rooms curiously.
  239. [2013-07-03 17:56:42] <Kkat> 3The clean rooms hold many desks where ponies carefully engraved, imbued and assembled the arcanotech matrixes that made terminals function.
  240. [2013-07-03 17:59:30] * Kid cannot be more uninterested. Stupid terminals. Trying to get them to work is like trying to understand Zebrican. Backwards. In a mud pit.
  241. [2013-07-03 18:00:27] <Kkat> 3Beyond the research maze, a set of large double-doors marked then end of the area where employees could generally go... almost. While "Authorized Ponies Only" was stamped on the doors, they didn't have any sort of lock. Rather, they swung freely into a minutely more up-scale supervisor's lounge, complete with water cooler and long couches.
  242. [2013-07-03 18:01:44] * Bookwright "Oooh, they even have Lay-Z-Colt loungers!"
  243. [2013-07-03 18:01:52] * CopyCat knocks on the freely-opening doors anyway.
  244. [2013-07-03 18:02:32] * Noble_Heart frowns. "We do not like this..."
  245. [2013-07-03 18:03:25] <Kkat> 3A pinball machine sits in one corner next to a Sparkle~Cola machine. A fussball table sits in the center of the room, little wooden ponies of orange and cyan facing off against each other like soldiers.
  246. [2013-07-03 18:05:33] * Bookwright investigates the pinball machine. It is set to "free play". "Wow, whoever these 'authorized ponies' were, they sure knew how to not work!"
  247. [2013-07-03 18:06:51] <Kkat> 3Beyond is an open doorway with an exit sign above it. Through the doorway is a large stairwell going both up and down. On the left side of the stairwell are the doors to an elevator. On the right is the large doors marked as an emergency exit.
  248. [2013-07-03 18:07:39] * CopyCat goes to the blue side of the fussball table and spins the wooden ponys.
  249. [2013-07-03 18:09:16] <Kkat> 3--- End of Session ---
  250. [2013-07-03 18:17:59] * Kid poked around. Huh. This place was pretty... Nice, actually. Too sterile for her tastes, but, well. It's nice to see a change from urban decay to urban... Not decay. She drank a bit of her canteen, then filled it back up at the water cooler before moving on up.
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