Session 8

(2:09:06 PM) ApricotCordial: === Session #8 ===
(2:13:34 PM) ApricotCordial: The trio stood in front of a ruined checkpoint.  Decades of hard winters, rain, and general poor weather had prevented the natural world from surging enough to reclaim the gear.  There were a few sandbag barricades shielding a wooden guard shack, a demolished truck setting astride the two lanes leading across a truss bridge towards rows of decaying four story buildings.
(2:14:42 PM) Nessa: "... hm. Pretty tall buildings over there," Nessa says, looking over her shoulder every now and then.
(2:18:24 PM) ApricotCordial: They're all uniform in height, length, and design.  Whitewash clings to gray boards in a few places, many of the buildings appear to be partially or totally demolished.  Closer to them a low brick building with a tower at one end and several vehicle bays in front faces a similar low, sprawling brick building with wide swaths of dead frozen grass around them.
(2:18:51 PM) ApricotCordial: There's also a wheeled APC, partially burned out, nose towards the north.
(2:21:34 PM) ApricotCordial: Through the scattered dead pine trunks the more eagle eyed can see more brick structures in the distance.
(2:22:47 PM) ***Arcadia hums quietly, her wings lazily flapping to keep herself aloft and against her storm cloud. "Hm... Is it just me, or is it really, really unnerving around here?"
(2:23:00 PM) Nessa: "It's not just you," Nessa says.
(2:23:36 PM) ***Nessa reaches into her bags for her Ranger holotag and slips it around her neck.
(2:24:27 PM) Shimmer: "Well...we've found a fortune worth of material untouched utterly...and all evidence points to something hunting them..."
(2:24:39 PM) Shimmer: "Fairly unnerving yes"
(2:24:52 PM) ***Arcadia gently pats her cloud. "My ears itch... This just doesn't feel right."
(2:25:34 PM) Nessa: "Time to cross the bridge," Nessa says.
(2:25:57 PM) Arcadia: "Should we flip a cap to see who goes first?"
(2:26:07 PM) ***Shimmer goes first hesitantly. "No...I'll go."
(2:26:15 PM) ***Nessa is already going.
(2:28:09 PM) Arcadia: "Hey, wait up!" Arcadia cries, flapping her wings and pushing her cloud along
(2:29:27 PM) Shimmer: "Just stay close...and maybe I can squeeze into your shield if things go teats up."
(2:29:43 PM) ApricotCordial: The three head out over and above the bridge!  It feels steady, though the macadam is in places sloughed off with the underpinning boards.
(2:33:23 PM) Arcadia: "So... Does anypony see anything...?"
(2:33:58 PM) Shimmer: "Not...so far..."
(2:34:30 PM) ***Nessa stays quiet as she looks around.
(2:36:58 PM) ApricotCordial: The bridge is crossed without trouble!
(2:37:14 PM) Shimmer: "We managed to not die!"
(2:37:46 PM) ***Arcadia facehooves. "Please don't tempt fate..."
(2:37:53 PM) ApricotCordial: Nessa, Shimmer, and Arcadia are left standing by another guard shack with a telephone pole high above it, pretty much at floating alicorn level.  Electric line poles are nowhere to be seen.
(2:38:46 PM) ***Arcadia frowns a bit, reaching a hoof out to touch the pole. "Aren't there supposed to be cables hanging from this thing...?"
(2:39:40 PM) Shimmer: 'probably not this far out." Shimmer says. "Mostly it's towns that fix those..."
(2:39:47 PM) Shimmer: "or steal the nearby ones for material"
(2:39:49 PM) Nessa: "Could've been looted. Could've fallen off," Nessa says, looking to see which of her hypotheses is correct.
(2:40:42 PM) ApricotCordial: It's the only pole in sight on this side of the river.  It's crowned with battered metal boxes, drooping at angles towards the ground.
(2:42:12 PM) ***Arcadia taps one of those boxes. "Odd..."
(2:43:36 PM) Nessa: "Let's not waste too much time on that," Nessa says. "We've got buildings to scout."
(2:43:49 PM) ApricotCordial: Arcadia can see there's some kind of opening on the downside.  The guard shack itself has no windows; inside among the leaf litter is a radio and the skeleton of a uniformed pony.
(2:44:30 PM) ApricotCordial: The two closest buildings are left and right, about two hundred feet ahead, with a narrow parking lot in front of the right hoof one.  The left side building appears to be a fire station.
(2:45:25 PM) ***Arcadia shrugs. "You two would fit inside better than I would... I wanna see what's in here." She mumbles, fishing a hoof towards the bottom and trying to fit it inside
(2:46:59 PM) ***Shimmer sighs and crawls into a window. "okay..."
(2:48:03 PM) Nessa: "Fire station might have some trauma supplies," Nessa remarks.
(2:50:13 PM) ApricotCordial: Arcadia finds it's too small for her hoof, and in fact has glass to it, if the 'tink' is any indication.
(2:51:20 PM) ApricotCordial: Shimmer finds herself standing chest deep in a pile of decaying leaf matter; there's a dented up radio on the table and a clipboard, no papers, in front of the long dead equine.
(2:52:14 PM) ***Shimmer takes a radio!. "There was a radio...rotting leaves, a clipboard and a body."
(2:52:31 PM) Nessa: "... are we done digging through the gutted, rain-weathered checkpoint yet?" Nessa asks.
(2:52:52 PM) ***Arcadia puffs her cheeks out and grumbles. "Darn, nothing to it..." She says. "I guess so. Where to next? That fire station?"
(2:53:02 PM) Shimmer: "Yes"
(2:53:08 PM) ***Shimmer crawls out carrying a radio
(2:54:08 PM) Nessa: "Fire station is what I was thinking," Nessa says. "And then maybe the--"
(2:54:27 PM) ***Nessa looks to the big, flat brick building with the tower coming out of it, trying to identify it.
(2:54:58 PM) ApricotCordial: It's the fire station.
(2:55:45 PM) ***Arcadia hovers lower to the ground. "Sounds like a plan... Want me to take point?"
(2:56:27 PM) Shimmer: "Sure..."
(2:56:48 PM) Nessa: "... armory. Or vehicle bay," Nessa finishes. "If we can find it.
(2:59:45 PM) Arcadia: "An armory would be interesting to search through..."
(2:59:56 PM) ApricotCordial: The right hand building has a sign in front of it as they approach; CAMP VANILLA RIPPLE - HQ 34TH INFANTRY DIVISION - COL TOFFEE APPLE III COMMANDING
(3:01:10 PM) ***Arcadia squints at the sign. "Is it just me, or do pre-war ponies sound like food dishes rather often?"
(3:01:14 PM) Nessa: "Colonel Toffee Apple the Third," Ness says.
(3:01:15 PM) Nessa: Nessa*
(3:01:40 PM) Nessa: "Ponies have always been named after food."
(3:01:56 PM) Arcadia: "That's just weird."
(3:02:09 PM) ApricotCordial: The doors appear to be closed on both buildings.  The nearest two barn-like buildings facing each other across the road appear to have almost collapsed.
(3:02:11 PM) Nessa: "Half the ponies I grew-up with had edible objects as their namesakes."
(3:02:18 PM) Nessa: "So no. It's not."
(3:03:11 PM) ***Arcadia settles onto the ground, cloud hovering just above her. "I think it is. Either way, shall we force our way inside?"
(3:03:36 PM) Nessa: "We could just try the door," Nessa says.
(3:03:53 PM) Nessa: "I don't want to be immediately covered in deathbots."
(3:03:58 PM) ApricotCordial: The clouds above the three seem to have lowered, the air feels cooler and a breeze blows across the unshielded military post from the prairies.  It's almost dark.
(3:04:05 PM) ***Nessa looks for an entrance.
(3:04:14 PM) ***Arcadia rolls her eyes. "I figured we wouldn't be knocking..." She shivers as the breeze blows over her
(3:04:33 PM) Nessa: "And then maybe we can find some cots and camp out for the night."
(3:04:52 PM) ***Nessa is unfazed by the cold. Her clothes help protect her from that biting chill.
(3:04:55 PM) ApricotCordial: The fire station has several; all the bay doors are closed but the office side of the building has large double front doors.  At the far end is a single door onto the apparatus floor.
(3:05:07 PM) Shimmer: "That might be nice..." Shimmer says. "Might also be nice to get a warm place to stay."
(3:05:59 PM) ***Nessa walks up to the double doors and gives them a try.
(3:06:22 PM) Arcadia: "I am not yet tired." Arcadia says. "I will stay up for a bit, and see what I can find."
(3:06:44 PM) Shimmer: "I am not tired myself but having camp made and safe is always good"
(3:08:44 PM) ApricotCordial: The glass rattles in the doors as Nessa yanks the handles.
(3:08:52 PM) Nessa: "I'm not searching through an abandoned military base in the dark. It's dim out, so it's already dark as far as scavenging indoors is concerned," Nessa says.
(3:10:52 PM) ***Nessa looks for signs of a standard mechanical lock or a keycard swipe.
(3:11:09 PM) ***Shimmer lights up her horn. "it's not dark when you've got two horns."
(3:11:24 PM) ApricotCordial: The door appears to be secured by a regular lock.
(3:12:15 PM) ***Nessa fishes around in her pack for a little somethin'-somethin' to get working on the lock with.
(3:12:19 PM) ApricotCordial: The wind picks up; Nessa and Arcadia feel less at ease about staying out much longer.  Even though it couldn't be much past four in the afternoon it's already as dark as dusk.
(3:13:51 PM) ***Arcadia shudders and ruffles her wings. "Fine... I will concede that it's dark..."
(3:15:12 PM) ApricotCordial: There's nothing stopping any of the three from using their illuminating devices/limbs!  It seems quiet enough around that interruption or attack would be unlikely.
(3:15:58 PM) ***Nessa tries to pick the lock.
(3:17:02 PM) ***Arcadia glances around, her horn lighting up with a soft glow.
(3:18:18 PM) ApricotCordial: Nessa has light cast down on her from above; Arcadia herself is momentarily blinded by the flash above her head before adjusting.  Her horn illuminates a ball around the three, casting shadows on the wall of the fire house.  It barely reaches the roadway itself, somehow deepening the evening gloom in the barracks area.
(3:18:41 PM) ApricotCordial: The lock jams as Nessa tries to work it.
(3:19:44 PM) Nessa: "Are you fucking--?" Nessa mutters under her breath.
(3:20:11 PM) ***Arcadia blinks her vision clear, frowning at the deep shadows. "This doesn't seem natural..."
(3:20:51 PM) ***Nessa is making too many frustrated maresounds to pay attention to Arcadia.
(3:21:18 PM) Shimmer: "To the best of my knowledge no..."
(3:21:18 PM) Nessa: "Fuck. Alright. Let's try the other door."
(3:21:37 PM) Shimmer: "can't we just...try breaking the door down?"
(3:22:18 PM) Nessa: "Yes, but then we'd have a broken door and not an intact one," Nessa says.
(3:22:36 PM) ***Nessa motions for her robot to follow her as she turns her PipBuck light on.
(3:22:44 PM) Arcadia: "I could try forcing the lock open... Worst that happens, I hurt my horn."
(3:23:26 PM) Nessa: "I broke one or more of the pins. Spring must've snapped and jammed it," Nessa says.
(3:24:05 PM) Nessa: "So the mechanism is fucked and it'll take longer than I'd like to try and fix it."
(3:25:54 PM) ***Nessa heads to the far end, where there's another door.
(3:26:12 PM) Arcadia: "I take it that trying is a no, then?"
(3:27:02 PM) ApricotCordial: Red Alert stomps after Nessa, her eyes glowing in the gathering dusk,
(3:28:31 PM) ***Nessa tests to see if it's locked.
(3:28:43 PM) ApricotCordial: It is.
(3:29:02 PM) ***Nessa might've been too far to hear Arcadia already. Or she might've been too angry to respond.
(3:29:59 PM) ***Nessa takes a few deep breaths, then tries picking the lock.
(3:30:03 PM) ***Arcadia snorts, plodding her way after Nessa
(3:33:09 PM) Shimmer: "I still don't see why Red alert could just smash it down..."
(3:34:40 PM) Nessa: "Because /then/ we'd have a drafty-ass broken down door that lets all manner of intruders /in/, instead of an intact glass door that insulates us and keeps intruders /out/."
(3:36:33 PM) Arcadia: "Are we even sure there are no holes anywhere else
(3:36:45 PM) ApricotCordial: Nessa's pick snaps
(3:36:46 PM) Arcadia: *? Or that the building is empty?"
(3:36:46 PM) Nessa: "You can check the roof."
(3:37:00 PM) ***Nessa sighs.
(3:37:14 PM) ApricotCordial: In the light from Arcadia's horn, she can probably seem what looks like vehicles on the inside.
(3:37:28 PM) ***Nessa then quickly sighs a second time in intense frustration.
(3:38:00 PM) ***Arcadia presses her head against the doors. "I think I will try the roof." She says softly, before snatching her cloud again and flying upwards.
(3:38:47 PM) ***Nessa tries again, but she's out after this.
(3:39:44 PM) ***Nessa writes down a note to self to find more picks and keep a padlock for practice.
(3:40:01 PM) ApricotCordial: Arcadia finds the roof behind the false brick front is tile and quite solidly built.
(3:41:24 PM) ***Arcadia hums and taps at the tiles a few times. "Huh... Well, finding holes is a no go..." She mutters, looking around the roof for any other possible entrances
(3:42:20 PM) ApricotCordial: Finally, Nessa tastes success!  The lock makes a mechanical pop and the door is open!
(3:42:43 PM) Nessa: "Finally. Got it," Nessa calls to the others.
(3:45:38 PM) ApricotCordial: It appears to swing outward, its motion blocked by the earth pony mare.
(3:46:46 PM) ***Nessa takes a few steps back and lets it swing.
(3:48:04 PM) ApricotCordial: It creaks open, the sound of rotted wood tearing along with it, though the door stays in place.  It's not big enough for all three to enter at once.
(3:49:27 PM) ***Nessa draws her pulse pistol and turns her foreleg so the light pours beyond the threshold.
(3:51:44 PM) ***Arcadia peeks over the edge of the roof. "So... You opened it?"
(3:51:44 PM) ApricotCordial: The concrete floor inside is scattered with crumbling carboard boxes; her light shines off of stacks of toppled metal cans.
(3:52:01 PM) Nessa: "It's open," Nessa says.
(3:52:30 PM) Shimmer: "Yeah...but this is just the room we're camping in right?"
(3:54:14 PM) ***Arcadia leaps off of the building, gliding down to the rest of the group.
(3:54:25 PM) ***Nessa walks into the building first, so she can shed some light on the area within.
(3:56:33 PM) ApricotCordial: She lights up the apparatus floor with an eerie green glow; light reflects off the corroded brightwork of the nearest fire engine and the piles of tins.
(3:57:12 PM) ***Nessa picks-up one of the cans and inspects it.
(3:57:29 PM) ***Shimmer gets looking around the fire engine
(3:57:52 PM) ***Arcadia whistles and wanders over to the fire engine. "I wonder if I could hit things with this."
(4:01:19 PM) ***Nessa looks for a door leading out of the apparatus floor and deeper into the building.
(4:01:45 PM) ApricotCordial: There are three pieces of equipment in the bay; their tires are flat and the bodys dusty but they otherwise seem to be in okay condition.  Nessa finds that the containers are all identical, labeled with clear black text 'CIVIL DEFENSE CARBOHYDRATE RATION' and a ton of other text.
(4:02:07 PM) ApricotCordial: Opposite the point they entered is a door into the quarters and office portion of the building.
(4:02:56 PM) ***Nessa wonders if she's holding a can of mashed potatoes...
(4:03:32 PM) Nessa: "Let's secure a bed first, admire relics of a bygone age second," Nessa says.
(4:04:28 PM) ***Arcadia pouts. "You're no fun..." She mutters, tapping the ol' engine and gracefully trotting her way through the room, towards Nessa.
(4:04:50 PM) Shimmer: "What never slept in a cart or firewagon?" Shimmer asks
(4:05:39 PM) ApricotCordial: Shimmer finds that two of the trucks have big coils of canvas hose in the back, and there are a few heavy rubber boots along the far wall by the door deeper into the building.
(4:06:22 PM) ***Shimmer compares their quality to her ownn and is pleased. She takes a pair of heavy rubber boots
(4:07:16 PM) ***Nessa tries to work her way to the quarters.
(4:07:38 PM) Nessa: "Oh. Shimmer. Don't forget to close the door," Nessa says.
(4:07:49 PM) Nessa: says before she's too far gone.*
(4:08:03 PM) ***Shimmer does so and then hurries to catch up.
(4:08:26 PM) Shimmer: "besides...we have our tents and sleeping stuff...if it comes down to it...we're pretty solid as far as sleeping arrangements go."
(4:09:52 PM) ApricotCordial: Arcadia may have to lower her head; there's a step up through the door frame to get into the other half of the building.
(4:11:09 PM) ***Arcadia ducks under the doorframe as she steps inside. "I'm still not that tired."
(4:12:57 PM) Nessa: "And it's not smart to look for a good place to sleep when you're sleepy," Nessa says.
(4:13:04 PM) Nessa: "Gotta' plan ahead."
(4:15:41 PM) Shimmer: "So...want to make small talk while we do?...What do you think carved up all those enclave?"
(4:17:38 PM) Nessa: "Not entirely sure," Nessa says.
(4:18:15 PM) Arcadia: "I vote hellhounds myself..."
(4:18:36 PM) Nessa: "Whatever they were, they had equine-like intelligence and a taste for macabre sculpture."
(4:18:47 PM) Shimmer: "Hmm...hellhounds maybe...it'd explain a lot actually..."
(4:19:36 PM) ***Nessa tries to lead the group to some cots.
(4:20:49 PM) ApricotCordial: The building is full of offices at the front, but the whole back room is lined with bunks.  An electric heater sits in the middle of the room.
(4:22:11 PM) ***Arcadia squeezes through another door. "This place is really quiet..." She murmurs
(4:23:17 PM) ***Nessa sets her bags down in the middle of the room -- slightly away from the heater -- and starts searching the area.
(4:23:44 PM) Nessa: "Not as many people around as there used to be," Nessa says.
(4:24:12 PM) Arcadia: "I don't like it..."
(4:25:02 PM) ApricotCordial: There's a boom of thunder loud enough to rattle the boarded over windows.
(4:25:18 PM) Nessa: "Ooh..."
(4:25:37 PM) Nessa: "Good thing we got indoors," Nessa remarks.
(4:30:40 PM) ApricotCordial: Nessa finds a few hairpins, some army uniforms cut for a mare's figure, a bunch of old documents, and a few music holotapes.
(4:31:50 PM) Nessa: "Mm! Music and light reading," Nessa remarks.
(4:32:05 PM) ***Shimmer is mostly just looking around disinterestedly.In truth as she didn't sleep she wasn't really interesting. The promise of music perks her up a bit!
(4:32:09 PM) Shimmer: "play some of it!"
(4:32:15 PM) ***Arcadia flicks her ears back and drops her pack with a thump and a rattle, looking around the place. "Hrm... True..." She mumbles, doing her own quick sweep of the area, with her TK lifting small bits of debris out of her way
(4:32:59 PM) ***Nessa takes her hat off and puts in one of the music holotapes.
(4:33:47 PM) ApricotCordial: Shimmer finds mostly dust and a few empty cans.  Arcadia has about as much luck, finding a candle stump and a pencil.
(4:34:44 PM) ***Arcadia sniffs at the stump. "Well... I found nothing worth much."
(4:35:41 PM) ApricotCordial: Nessa's Pip-Buck whirrs and begins to play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoBCPskdmTo
(4:36:01 PM) ***Nessa turns it down a little.
(4:39:26 PM) ApricotCordial: The room is entirely dark now, save for the dueling lights of Arcadia's horn and Nessa's Pip-Buck.
(4:39:54 PM) Nessa: "Alright. Guess I'll get cooking," Nessa says.
(4:39:55 PM) ApricotCordial: The thunder had growled low, almost as if it was rumbling in their bones, though no rain fell yet.
(4:40:00 PM) ***Arcadia bobs her head to the music and hums along to the tune.
(4:40:32 PM) ***Nessa pops the second holotape in once the first song's finished.
(4:41:32 PM) ***Nessa ... as she fishes around in her bags for a few empty mason jars, her hotplate, and asks Arcadia for some water.
(4:42:33 PM) Shimmer: "good mousic." Shimmer smiles as she listens in. "thunderstorm is kind of worrisome..."
(4:42:42 PM) Arcadia: "It's all a little irradiated... Is that okay?" She asks, floating out a bottle. "Not bad, just a little of what I've bled off. Shouldn't hurt."
(4:43:13 PM) Nessa: "It'll cook out. I'm making healing juice," Nessa says.
(4:44:19 PM) Nessa: "Now, let's see what those Enclave holotapes had on them..."
(4:45:25 PM) ApricotCordial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyT-aGcN37g
(4:45:55 PM) ***Arcadia pulls out her armor plates too. "I really don't know what to do with these, aside from maybe adhering them to my outfit."
(4:46:25 PM) ApricotCordial: Nessa has two Enclave tapes; the one recovered from the sky carriage pilot and one from the terminal.
(4:48:16 PM) ***Nessa loads the one from the pilot first.
(4:49:02 PM) Nessa: "Now, let's see."
(4:49:07 PM) ApricotCordial: It appears to be text only.
(4:50:05 PM) Shimmer: "don't keep us waiting..."
(4:50:30 PM) ApricotCordial: It has three seperate entries; NORTHERN EXPOSURE OPODR, Resupply Coordinates, and Transponder settings.
(4:51:03 PM) ***Nessa goes from the top down.
(4:51:23 PM) Nessa: "Trying to decide on what to cook," Nessa says.
(4:53:03 PM) Nessa: "I could make two really strong potions, or I could use what I've got to make more doses of marginally weaker healing magic," Nessa says.
(4:55:09 PM) Arcadia: "I think whichever one would be most efficient with our resources would be good. "
(4:56:56 PM) ***Nessa plugs a spark pack into her hot plate and gets cooking the Rejuvenation Potion first.
(4:56:59 PM) Shimmer: "Two strongest at first."
(4:57:36 PM) Shimmer: "since at worst...assuming we survive a situation...Arc and I can take a nap in a lake...and be fine...but if we lose you?...well that's a worst case scenario"
(4:57:42 PM) Nessa: "Yeah, you say that, but then it turns-out we needed antidote because you got stuck with a spear covered in Blackblood," Nessa says.
(4:58:02 PM) Arcadia: "What's blackblood?"
(4:58:16 PM) Nessa: "One of many deadly alchemical poisons."
(4:58:17 PM) Shimmer: "You did not specify antidotes you left it with generic potions."
(4:58:32 PM) Shimmer: "I was given flawed information to give advise upon."
(4:58:47 PM) ApricotCordial: The wind really starts to howl against the building, whistling through some part of the structure and making a shrill whistle every so often.
(4:59:00 PM) Nessa: "Don't get salty, Shimmer. I'm just going to hedge my bets," Nessa says.
(5:00:47 PM) Nessa: "Wish I had a bit more to work with, though. I feel the need to cook-up a dose of Rad Purge," Nessa mutters.
(5:02:45 PM) ***Arcadia folds her ears back and looks around, trying to find the source of the whistle. "That sound is annoying. We'll be back." She says, leaving her pack with the two mares and just picking up a dozen pieces of debris. "I'm going to plug a hole."
(5:02:50 PM) Shimmer: "what do you need to make on?"
(5:03:24 PM) Nessa: "More raw pharmaceuticals," Nessa says. "Or I could cook four standard healing potions together."
(5:03:50 PM) Nessa: "That's a bit more risky, though."
(5:04:30 PM) ***Nessa touches her PipBuck and chooses "NORTHERN EXPOSURE OPODR".
(5:07:22 PM) ApricotCordial: It brings up a fairly lengthy military formatted document; it details the assignment of Team B-16 and two 'Vertibirds' to investigate 'Site X-15 through -17', locations that had apparently been identified as targets of substantial interest from pre-war records.  The coordinates listed for X-17 match perfectly with those listed for the MXC.
(5:07:59 PM) Nessa: "Ahh, shit..."
(5:08:02 PM) ApricotCordial: It also lists six personnel assigned to the 'Vertibirds' and sixteen armored troopers.
(5:08:15 PM) Nessa: "Enclave's interested in the Dome."
(5:10:32 PM) Shimmer: "Considering how long those bodies looked to be dead?"
(5:10:49 PM) Shimmer: "They've liked already sent somepony to investigate..."
(5:15:10 PM) ApricotCordial: The order is dated five weeks ago.
(5:15:32 PM) Nessa: "Well. That's something," Nessa mutters.
(5:15:43 PM) ***Nessa backs out and picks "Resupply Coordinates" next.
(5:16:03 PM) ***Nessa checks where sites X-15 and X-16 lie.
(5:20:28 PM) ApricotCordial: Arcadia finds the temperature outside has dropped drastically; she's hit by gusting winds and little flakes of icy snow.  The whistling sound seems to be coming from above on the roof.
(5:21:35 PM) ***Arcadia shivers and tugs her scarf and blanket closer to her form, horn lit up to help her find the spot the wind was coming from
(5:22:50 PM) Shimmer: "still it might be a good idea to pillage that crashsite or sell it's salvage rights soon."
(5:24:36 PM) Nessa: "Oh, damn it to the moon, Shimmer. We've been over this," Nessa says. "There is /literally/ a territory pole made of equine gristle staked on top of it."
(5:24:40 PM) ApricotCordial: Arcadia finds that there's a decorative brick divider between the two halves of the building; it's constructed in such a way as to leave little gaps in the bricks.  A few of them appear to have debris lodged in them, scraps of wood, that appear to be causing the whistling.
(5:25:14 PM) Shimmer: "Yes I know." She says. "and we're breaking into a military base that likely has robots."
(5:25:33 PM) Shimmer: "and selling the salvage rights is safe enough."
(5:25:35 PM) ApricotCordial: Nessa would have little idea where the other two sites are supposed to be located; they seem to be far to the west, perhaps somewhere in Cowkotas.
(5:25:53 PM) ***Arcadia frowns slightly, reaching out with telekinesis and giving one of the pieces of wood a good tug.
(5:27:08 PM) ApricotCordial: It practically crumbles as she pulls on it, blown across the roof as powder.
(5:27:46 PM) ApricotCordial: The rest are delt with just as easily; the whistling eases down below but still blows hard along the outside wall.
(5:29:12 PM) Nessa: "And who do you suppose would buy a relatively barren salvage site of largely unknown but considerable danger?" Nessa asks Shimmer.
(5:29:47 PM) ApricotCordial: ...and across Arcadia as she stands exposed on the roof.  She can see the whole plains lit in a flash much brighter then her horn when a great sheet of lightening cracks across the sky.
(5:30:20 PM) Shimmer: "Barren? Do you know how much the plating on the armor is worth? Let alone the vehicles."
(5:30:45 PM) Shimmer: "I'd need to work a bit to sell it but heck our current employer might be interested."
(5:30:54 PM) ***Arcadia sneezes, rubbing her nose as she looks up at the sky, a little grin on her lips as she marvels at the power of nature's fury
(5:31:21 PM) Nessa: "Then do what you have to. But in my view, the point's been talked to death and I'm sick of it."
(5:31:45 PM) Nessa: "If you bring it up again, I'm going to find something else to do. Alone."
(5:32:42 PM) ***Nessa slices some leaves and adds them into the boiling water.
(5:33:07 PM) ***Shimmer sighs "I'm trying to include you in decisions...and things of potential profit."
(5:33:14 PM) ***Nessa ... it rapidly turns a dark woad blue.
(5:33:34 PM) ApricotCordial: In the few seconds the sky is lit, she can see over the base onto the plains.  In the distance is a tall thin building with towers flanking it.  To the north the scattered remains of another town.  Between the two she can see what for an instant appears to be a hoard of ponies thundering across the open barren fields.  Then all is dark and blowing wind whipping her mane.
(5:35:12 PM) ***Shimmer stretches. "How...do you think the foals are doing?"
(5:35:38 PM) Nessa: "What, back there?" Nessa asks. "Fine, probably. Fondant seemed capable."
(5:36:03 PM) Nessa: "And she was caring for them before," Nessa adds.
(5:36:38 PM) Nessa: "Only one in real trouble was the double amputee, and I fixed that."
(5:37:32 PM) ***Nessa starts dipping her bandages in the blue water as it begins to softly glow.
(5:37:40 PM) Shimmer: "fixed is relative..."
(5:38:29 PM) Nessa: "Yeah. 'Fixed' as in 'she's ambulatory again'."
(5:38:48 PM) Nessa: "Not 'fixed' as in 'I removed any and all damage, including psychological'," Nessa says.
(5:39:29 PM) Shimmer: "Besides I can't help but be concerned...even if I wasn't the one who started the conflict I escalated
(5:39:48 PM) Nessa: "Yep. Pretty shit move you did," Nessa says.
(5:40:11 PM) Nessa: "Best not to dwell on it."
(5:41:12 PM) Shimmer: "Says the one who initially oppened fire."
(5:41:31 PM) ***Shimmer says flatly. "none of us were without guilt."
(5:42:33 PM) Nessa: "Yep. Should've aimed for the RPG. That was my mistake," Nessa says.
(5:43:29 PM) ***Shimmer sighs. "This isn't productive."
(5:43:40 PM) ***Shimmer stands up. "Blame games never are."
(5:44:07 PM) Nessa: "Fuck you. 'Course it's productive," Nessa says. "Self-reflection is the essence of growth."
(5:45:22 PM) ***Shimmer snaps back finally. "YES I turned one of their weapons against them in a conflict you initially escalated after Arcadia and I nearly had them talked down."
(5:45:45 PM) ***Nessa takes the mix off the hot plate to cool, then pours one of her healing potions into it, plus a helping of diced roots.
(5:45:45 PM) Shimmer: "It is by the luck of goddesses only know that things worked out as well as they did."
(5:47:06 PM) ***Nessa stirs.
(5:47:19 PM) ***Nessa ... as it turns greenish.
(5:48:42 PM) Nessa: "You're babbling, kinda'," Nessa says.
(5:48:52 PM) Nessa: "But I get what you're saying."
(5:49:37 PM) ***Arcadia goes wide-eyed, darting back through the building as quickly as her bulk allows. "Barricade the doors!" She cries, telepathically yelling to her companions.
(5:50:04 PM) Nessa: "I-- what?" Nessa looks up.
(5:50:52 PM) ***Shimmer eeps! "What's going on?"
(5:51:16 PM) ***Shimmer does her best to react by slamming whatever was heavy and smaller than sevenfoot cube against the doors.
(5:51:55 PM) ApricotCordial: ...Shimmer barricades Arcadia out of the bunk room?
(5:52:12 PM) Nessa: "No, no. Cut that shit out. Don't panic," Nessa says to Shimmer.
(5:52:34 PM) Shimmer: (oh!)
(5:52:38 PM) Nessa: "Nobody knows we're in here by Arcadia. Unless we were followed."
(5:52:44 PM) Nessa: but Arcadia.*
(5:52:51 PM) Nessa: "Which I doubt."
(5:52:53 PM) Shimmer: "our friend tells us to barricade the doors. I listen."
(5:53:38 PM) Nessa: "She probably means the /front/ door," Nessa says. "And the back door."
(5:55:52 PM) ***Arcadia ducks into the room, sides heaving. "Big herd... heading this way... whew..."
(5:56:30 PM) Nessa: "Take a second and explain," Nessa says to Arcadia.
(5:57:21 PM) Shimmer: "big herd of what?"
(6:03:10 PM) Arcadia: "I think... Ponies... Didn't get a good look at them... Only saw a a flash of them, from the north..."
(6:03:34 PM) Nessa: "And you're sure they're coming this way?" Nessa asks.
(6:04:40 PM) Arcadia: "I-I'm not certain, but I think so... I don't trust this place..."
(6:05:30 PM) Shimmer: "I...can try and hide us from sight..."
(6:05:37 PM) Nessa: "What's the weather like out there?" Nessa asks.
(6:09:37 PM) Arcadia: "Cold... windy... lots of lightning..."
(6:10:19 PM) ***Nessa goes and sits back down next to her hot plate.
(6:11:07 PM) Nessa: "And they're... what? A couple kilometers out?" Nessa asks.
(6:12:02 PM) ***Shimmer resumes barricading more slowly this time at least.
(6:13:18 PM) ***Nessa twists a cap onto the now neon green mixture in one of her mason jars.
(6:14:10 PM) Nessa: "Probably kill ourselves trying to travel in this weather," Nessa says. "Or close enough."
(6:15:49 PM) Arcadia: "I couldn't tell, but they were moving fast..." She mutters, flopping heavily onto her rump and moving things with her magic. "Winded..."
(6:16:52 PM) Nessa: "Get warm." Nessa motions to her hot plate. "Also, I need some more water."
(6:17:39 PM) ***Nessa pulls another jar out and places it next to the hot plate.
(6:19:24 PM) ***Arcadia scooches closer to the hot plate, fishing out another bottle of water for Nessa. "I don't think it's natural, this storm..."
(6:20:06 PM) Nessa: "Why's that? You see a Windigo or something?" Nessa asks.
(6:20:42 PM) ***Arcadia flicks her ears up. "Aren't those just some old mare's tale?"
(6:21:54 PM) ***Shimmer shudders. "The zebra refer to them as spirits of hate"
(6:21:58 PM) Nessa: "Haven't seen one, personally," Nessa says.
(6:22:07 PM) Shimmer: "or so I've heard..."
(6:22:29 PM) Shimmer: "I've never actually seen one just talked to a zebra mare once..."
(6:23:11 PM) ApricotCordial: To the best Arcadia saw, the ponies seemed very real, and very numerous.  There was nothing to suggest any sort of ethereal origin.  Though she did only have one very brief view of them.
(6:23:28 PM) ***Nessa sets the water to boil and puts the second Enclave holotape in. The one from the terminal.
(6:23:54 PM) Arcadia: "A zebra once called me a 'spawn of the Star Maiden... And those ponies I saw, at least seemed real... Not spirits.."
(6:27:27 PM) Nessa: "Windigos look like cloud monster thingies anyway," Nessa says as she finely dices quite a number of herbs.
(6:28:36 PM) ApricotCordial: Thunder shakes the walls and winds tug at the boards covering the high windows, shrieking practically as the glass rattles in the frame through the dying rumble of thunder.
(6:29:23 PM) ***Arcadia tugs her clothing tight and shivers, sneezing a cloud of wood dust. "Bluh... Well, I at least stopped the whistling... Even if the shrieking is not much better..."
(6:34:32 PM) ApricotCordial: The temperature in the room seems to be dropping steadily, slowly.  Nessa's hot plate isn't really doing a great job as a space heater.
(6:34:46 PM) ***Shimmer sighs relieved. "Relax...we should be safe here." She doesn't unbarricade the doors. "I would recommend a real fire though."
(6:34:51 PM) Shimmer: "or at least blankets and snuggling."
(6:36:08 PM) Shimmer: "The winter storms around here are often like this."She explains. "We may need to dig ourselves out...but we are fortunate that we are not outside...it is said that the windigos will butcher anypony caught in the storm."
(6:36:15 PM) Nessa: "Powering up the space heater is going to take a bit much in terms of energy," Nessa says.
(6:36:16 PM) ***Arcadia closes her eyes, shivering even more as the temperature drops... She's crowding pretty close to Nessa's plate. "W-Why is it getting so cold?"
(6:36:19 PM) Shimmer: "...there was a rhyme to that...but alas I do not remember it."
(6:36:49 PM) Nessa: "So yeah. We should probably crowd together in a tent for warmth."
(6:37:38 PM) ***Shimmer nods. "By the was Nessa...I know our words got heated before...but it is only because your words before cut deep."
(6:38:11 PM) Shimmer: "and I have not exactly leaving those wounds alone."
(6:38:55 PM) Nessa: "You have what?" Nessa asks.
(6:39:05 PM) ***Arcadia fumbles around with her pack, bottles and chains clinking together. "I-I only have a single pony tent..."
(6:39:54 PM) ***Nessa mashes the roots and leaves up into a fine paste, then adds it to the boiling blue mixture on the plate.
(6:40:11 PM) ***Shimmer sighs. "Nevermind. I am apologizing..."
(6:40:29 PM) ***Nessa It quickly turns a bright magenta, after which Nessa removes it to let it cool.
(6:41:58 PM) ApricotCordial: The temperature eventually seems to stabilize; cool but not truly freezing.
(6:42:34 PM) Nessa: "Okay. Apology accepted, I guess?" Nessa carefully sets a cap on top of the hot jar so no dust falls in while it cools.
(6:43:24 PM) ***Shimmer shakes her head and gets up beginning to set up her tent.
(6:46:14 PM) ***Arcadia struggles a little with her own tent, the thing looking much too small for her. "I think I made a mistake..."
(6:48:40 PM) Shimmer: "float it over...I'll try and link the convass so that we can at least share a join tent."
(6:50:14 PM) ***Arcadia does so, with a slight ruffling of her feathers. "Here. I hope my cloud didn't get ruined..."
(6:51:11 PM) Nessa: "Unless it was some kind of super-duper sturdy cloud, I'd imagine it would be."
(6:52:46 PM) ***Arcadia pouts. "I liked my cloud..."
(6:54:12 PM) ***Nessa sets her concoctions and hot plate out to cool, then goes and starts working to set-up somewhere comfortable to sleep.
(6:55:23 PM) ***Shimmer gets joining tents togeather by rite of zippers.
(6:55:34 PM) Shimmer: "You want in on the shared warmth tent Nessa?"
(6:55:53 PM) ***Nessa sighs.
(6:56:02 PM) Nessa: "Yeah. Probably the best choice."
(6:58:56 PM) Arcadia: "S-Shall I keep watch first?"
(6:59:35 PM) Nessa: "Make sure no mice crawl into the potions and die," Nessa says. "That'd be bad."
(7:01:01 PM) ***Arcadia gags and sticks her tongue out
(7:01:38 PM) Nessa: "With the worst part being that we'd still have to use them."
(7:01:45 PM) ***Nessa heads into the joined tent.
(7:02:45 PM) ***Shimmer chuckles. "Well...when the need is great...yeah"
(7:03:14 PM) ***Shimmer enters the tent as well. "I'll take last watch."
(7:04:06 PM) ***Arcadia tugs her blanket around her barrel and lights her horn up again. "I'll wake you in a few hours, Nessa."
(7:04:35 PM) Nessa: "Mm."
(7:04:38 PM) ApricotCordial: Things quiet down... The wind beats against the walls but has lessened its fury.
(7:04:41 PM) ***Nessa flicks her PipBuck light off.
(7:04:44 PM) Shimmer: "if you get too cold I'll take your shift early...."
(7:05:07 PM) ApricotCordial: The increased silence might be due to fallen snow deadening the sound outside.
(7:05:19 PM) ***Shimmer removes her cloak...and then the metal barrel she was wearing as a body armor. She looks somewhat small compared to the way her body looked before under the cloak
(7:08:56 PM) ***Arcadia shakes her head, her ears swiveling as she let's her natural telepathy spread out. "I-I will endure, don't worry..."
(7:09:51 PM) ***Nessa nestles in -- still wearing her winterized, armored clothes -- and falls asleep.
(7:10:36 PM) ApricotCordial: The night passes slowly... Arcadia has little to distract her ears or eyes in the pitch-black room.
(7:11:09 PM) ApricotCordial: Every so often the boards or one of the doors rattles in the wind.
(7:11:47 PM) ApricotCordial: In the depths of her watch she can almost make out the sound of hooves thudding on the pavement outside.
(7:14:32 PM) ***Arcadia frowns a little, straining her hearing to see what else she might be able to make out, while gathering whatever small detritus she could find with her magic, just in case
(7:15:59 PM) ApricotCordial: It's nothing distinct.  Just a sort of regular drumming out front.
(7:19:55 PM) ApricotCordial: The end of her watch is here.
(7:22:16 PM) ***Arcadia taps Nessa on the shoulder. "Time for your shift. And be wary... I hear hoofsteps..."
(7:22:46 PM) ***Nessa snorts as she's woken-up, then sighs...
(7:23:15 PM) ***Nessa gets up, rubbing her eyes, and heads over to collect her now -- probably -- cooled-off potions.
(7:26:14 PM) ApricotCordial: They are cooled!
(7:26:36 PM) ***Nessa puts them away and settles-in for her watch.
(7:26:53 PM) ***Nessa considers spending the time looking at the other Enclave holotape.
(7:27:21 PM) ***Nessa ... and promptly does so, popping it into her PipBuck's drive.
(7:27:57 PM) ***Arcadia slips her way into the tent, squirming until she was comfortable. Her mental chatter slows to almost nothing, just the occasional flutter as she dreams
(7:34:50 PM) ApricotCordial: It appears to be gibberish.
(7:36:04 PM) ApricotCordial: ...or encrypted.
(7:36:27 PM) ***Nessa was just wondering if it was gibberish or encrypted!
(7:36:44 PM) ***Nessa curses softly to herself. That terminal was probably the key.
(7:37:09 PM) ***Nessa wonders what /kind/ of encryption it is.
(7:37:53 PM) ***Shimmer was doing her best not to huddle closer to either of her tentmates for warmth she didn't want to push boundries at a time like this
(7:43:33 PM) ApricotCordial: It's nothing Nessa's seen before, but it looks to have been based on pre-war military algorithims!
(7:47:05 PM) ***Nessa hrms.
(7:50:55 PM) ***Nessa sighs...
(8:05:54 PM) ***Nessa eats a pear while she keeps watch.
(8:15:16 PM) ApricotCordial: Her watch ends.
(8:17:39 PM) ***Nessa gives Shimmer a poke in the ribs.
(8:20:19 PM) ApricotCordial: The rest of the night passes unventfully.
(8:20:46 PM) ApricotCordial: === End Session #8 ===