GBG Session 22.5: Into The Deep End

<Darkling> It's mid-afternoon and Alva hasn't come back for you. There's some complimentary sandwiches still left with some lemonade in a jug.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "How...domestic." Wilhelm puts his hands behind his head as they wait for Alva.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja is rather merciless with the lemonade. Several glasses obliterated already. She's got her eyes closed, though. "It's nice here."
<Darkling> Lit has been busy devouring little sandwiches one by one.
<Rasia> Rasia competes with Lit, downing sandwiches whole, throat muscles visibly crushing them like mice in a viper's gullet. Wonder what it'd take to actually choke her...
<Lahja_Ilvainen> An abundance of marshmallows reinforced by steel. Maybe. "A question, sir."
<Darkling> "Mff?" He mumbles through egg salad.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "If they ask..." Lahja opens her eyes, staring at Lit. "Should I assume my parents know nothing about what I do in Berlin and it should stay that way?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Maybe they know everything and are in on it." Yaaawn~
<Darkling> He swallows. "Your mother is fully aware of everything."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "In on it." Lahja echoes flatly, closing her eyes again.
<Rasia> Rasia echoes the yawn, whether she's bored or simply because it's contagious.
<Darkling> "We'll have to have a talk about your father."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Of course, sir. Thank you." Lahja chugs down some more lemonade.
<Darkling> Another sandwich disappears in his mouth.
<Darkling> "We'll likely see your mother at the base, she works in conjunction with the project involving Ivy."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Ah right, Ivy. He still wants that weapon of hers. He smirks faintly.
<Darkling> He takes a sip of lemonade, puckering up his face.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja opens her mouth, then pauses. A few seconds later she speaks. "I hope there aren't any explosions while we're there."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "...how rather unlike you. Or is it gases that worry you?"
<Rasia> Rasia scrunches her nose, using lemonade to round out her taste buds. Of course, the Israeli doesn't know what the fuck this gas nonsense is about.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "That's always a concern."
<Darkling> "Well I doubt there will be explosions. Nothing dangerous is supposed to be happening on this trip."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Supposed to. Lahja nods, feeling around for a sandwich. She doesn't feel particularly reassured.
<Rasia> And without Corrin, you're forced to use Rasia as a shrapnel-catch, Lahja.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Standing near Wilhelm might just be the solution.
<Darkling> Lit looks at his watch. "She's late."
<Rasia> "Lost?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "The UN never had been that efficient."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Car bomb. Abducted. Maybe she's just standing outside the door waiting for everyone to pass out from the drugged food.
<Darkling> Lit's phone rings, "Speak of the devil. Hello?" He gets up, wandering to their sunny balcony overlooking the cobblestone street.
<Rasia> Rasia licks her teeth, head perked to try and eavesdrop.
<Darkling> "I don't really think that's acceptable!"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> An eye peeks open. Something interesting might be going on.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja seems content to chug lemonade and sit around with her eyes closed. She's probably trying to eavesdrop as well, though.
<Darkling> "Alright, fine, not like we have any choice as your guest." That last part seemed rather bloated with sarcasm.
<Darkling> He hangs up and slips the phone back into his pocket, looking out over the balcony.
<Rasia> "Rr?"
<Darkling> He shakes his head after a moment then turns and walks back into the suite.
<Darkling> "Good or bad news, depending on how you take it."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Wonderful."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja turns her head toward Lit.
<Darkling> "They've delayed our tour of the facilities by a few hours. Some technical difficulties about hooking up your Aesir to their system."
<Rasia> A frown. "System?"
<Darkling> He shrugs. "Either way, we have some more time to kil before we head there. So, who's up for ice cream?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Anything to beat the heat." Wilhelm fans himself to get the point across.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja can't help but feel smug. More evidence that the Aesir are mysterious even to NERV. "Ice cream is a good idea, sir."
Rasia salivates, hopping up from her seat.
<Darkling> "Let's go then." To the streets!
<Darkling> It is only a few blocks to the nearest parlour, but walking through the streets of the UN Dome you can't help but go at a relaxed pace.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "...why did I agree to this? I hate sweets..."
<Rasia> "Cold." Rasia offers.
<Darkling> The red and grey mixed cobblestone streets, the yellow and white stucco buildings, trees everywhere, even some sea birds flying about and buskers playing music to the public.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Sea birds. Wilhelm beware. "Developing girls need ice cream." Lahja says in a slightly less flat tone than she's been using.
<Rasia> Wut? Rasia cocks her head.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Is that so? Something about the calcium to fortify lacking assets? Not that Rasia has anything to fear."
<Darkling> A particularly interesting busker with a large black mullet, wearing no shirt, and a saxophone starts following the pilots playing to them.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Yes. And it's made out of milk that could have been used to feed baby cows. If they starve to death the only gas they'll produce will be from decomposition."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> ". . ." Wilhelm glances over his shoulder once...then decided not to the rest of the walk. Just ignore him.
<Darkling> And soon they are to the ice cream parlour, the busker having left them to play to a baby.
<Rasia> Rasia's humming the tune unconsciously.
[2011-11-27 22:38:39] <Lahja_Ilvainen> Unconscious or not it doesn't escape Lahja's attention. "Do you think Wilhelm would be a good saxophone player, Rasia?"
<Darkling> Lit places their orders and walks over to their table handing them each their cone.
<Rasia> Rasia ponders it, looking at Wilhelm. "Yes."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> The Aryan's cone gets a long look of consideration. Two enemies facing one another on the field of battle. Wilhelm has the advantage however, so the outcome is clear.
<Rasia> Rasia bites into her chocolate-shelled scoop, nuts sticking to her lips and vanilla ice cream oozing out like a wound.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I think so, too." Lahja says as she takes her cone, staring at it for some while. She tries to imagine all the little chunks of cookie dough as body parts sticking out of a pile of snow, but either fails or abandons the attempt as she leisurely starts to devour it.
<Darkling> Lit's banana split is gone almost withing seconds.
<Rasia> Licking her lips, getting melted vanilla all over her fingers and generally being a mess of herself, Rasia still seems quite content.
<Darkling> That saxophone guy is now on someone's table playing to them.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Once Rasia's cone is good, the Aryan offers his over to her.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks in the saxophone player's direction. It prompts a twitch.
<Rasia> Rasia takes it, her head snapping to focus on some point in the distance.
<Rasia> Welp. There she goes. Better hope it isn't a bear this time.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Damn." Wil is up and after her.
<Darkling> That saxophone player just happens to be right in your way.
<Rasia> She tries to dart this way, then thataway, teeth bared as a warning.
<Darkling> You can see your prey enter a white car and the door closes behind him. The car starts up and begins to roll away as the saxophone player spins around you to let you by, still playing.
<Rasia> A low growl. Rasia's fast, but she isn't catch-a-car fast. Yet. She turns back to the others.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "What was that about?"
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja is up and after Rasia as well, albeit at a leisurely pace. "Is everything alright?"
<Rasia> "White man!"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "There are several caucasians here."
<Rasia> "White clothes. Spy."
<Darkling> Lit huffs over.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Oh. Him." He looks off in the direction the car went. "He isn't here for us."
<Rasia> A blink.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "He's here with Ivy." His hands slip into his pockets and he heads back toward the parlore.
<Rasia> Ooh. She nods understandingly, eating Wilhelm's ice cream on the way back. She didn't even drop it?
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja casts a thoughtful glance in the direction Wilhelm was looking. Then she takes a large bite out of her cone.
<Darkling> Lit looks at his watch. "Well, we can probably walk to the base and arrive there on time now." He looks to the pilots.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "It's good exercise. Why not?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Whatever."
<Darkling> He looks around a moment. "This way, I think." And he leads them to the base.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "You think?"
<Rasia> Rasia smiles, licking ice cream from her fingers.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> A cold hand takes her wrist, cleaning off her pinkie before she can. Once done, he acts as if nothing happened.
<Darkling> "I've only been here twice before, and had a chauffeur both times."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Though he is sweating. He's been doing a lot of that since leaving the suite.
<Rasia> Rasia fans him, as much as her hand can. Doesn't help that she herself is probably warmer than the ambient temperature.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja is still snacking on her cone, only having a few more bites left. She's at least somewhat in her own world now, keeping quiet.
<Darkling> Nearly two hours later, they are finally walking up the steps to the base in the dome, Lit only having gotten them lost twice.
<Rasia> Not that Rasia complained.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Or Lahja. Familiar scenery and all.
<Darkling> The building seems small, though heavily guarded.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja is visibly disappointed. Not the sci fi fortress she was expecting.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Wilhelm only smirks.
<Darkling> A guard inside the facility asks for ID, Lit producing enough for the whole band. Afterward the guards allows them access to an elevator, which opens, another guard awaiting inside.
<Darkling> Inside the elevator the guard swipes a card. It starts up and drops, rather fast for an elevator.
<Rasia> Rasia bristles briefly, adjusting her stance.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Is this rate of descent normal, sir? Or should I prepare to die?" Lahja asks calmly.
<Darkling> Through the glass walls you can see floors and structures pass buy, then a section of ocean water complete with life, and then more floors whip past.
<Darkling> "This is normal, we're going quite deep and this is the only elevator, so it goes fast."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "And no stairs?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Wilhelm waits patiently at the back, hands clasped behind him.
<Darkling> "There are emergency exits."
<Rasia> Rasia tries to study the ocean on its way by.
<Darkling> A large section goes by where you can see your Aesir clearly and quite a few people working on them with sections of their chest armor off.
<Darkling> After that scene passes, the elevator starts to slow.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> This snaps Lahja out of imagining the emergency exits. She salutes the Aesir in passing.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "How long until the work on the Aesir is finished?"
<Darkling> "We'll have to ask."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Should be interesting once complete."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "They looked a little different." Lahja remarks in an absent tone.
<Darkling> The elevator stops ever so gracefully, the doors opening up to a view of Alva. "Welcome to Vanaheimr." She smiles.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Wilhelm leans to the side and whispers to Lahja.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja salutes her, then nods toward Wilhelm. She whispers something in return.
<Darkling> "Please come inside, I'm sure you're very much interested in what is going on."
<Rasia> Rasia twists her head, trying to listen in.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> A bit more whispering, letting Rasia hear.
<Rasia> Her brows push together as she walks, pondering.
<Darkling> Lit follows after, keeping the pilots in tow. "You no doubt have a lot of questions, but I'll ask that you please keep them until the end of our session."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Of course, miss Alva." Lahja follows along, paying more attention to Wilhelm rather than looking about the area.
<Darkling> You're led along a hallway that seems to be at the foot of the rooms the Aesir are being held in. You can see the workers a bit clearer now that you aren't speeding past them.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> He pauses long enough to look at Lahja, ever so slightly surprised, and starts walking again.
<Darkling> "These are our holding cells, a bit different than your own. Since our base is underwater rather than underground the Aesir are released through hatches under them into the water."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks about the area, nodding and looking rather pleased. She taps on the side of her head once.
<Darkling> "Ivy's Aesir Hrœsvelg is equipped with both submarine and aerial technology allowing her to adequately protect the base from any threat."
<Rasia> Their Aesir get to swim... Rasia looks briefly jealous.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Interesting. Another tap to her head.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Useful for an Aesir with unlimited power. The same could be said for ours...once the workers are done." He rests a hand on the window.
<Darkling> A slight glare at Wilhelm. "As you can see, we are working on your Aesir currently, the whole reason for this trip, and are hoping to make use of some of the technology that Hrœsvelg has on your own."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Some. Very interesting. Lahja nods, then takes a long look at the holding cells.
<Darkling> The workers are clearly doing something, but most of it is obscured.
<Darkling> "The changes will likely take a few days time to take full effect." She continues down the hall.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja follows along. No tapping this time.
<Darkling> "In this room here," She points across to the other side of the hallway, "You can see Hrœsvelg, our prized Aesir."
<Darkling> The Aesir stands in place, a few workers look to be polishing it.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Polishing? Lahja blinks.
<Darkling> "You'll be meeting up with its pilot after the tour." This way now.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> He lingers for a moment, looking for any signs of the red weapon.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "...damn." He catches up and falls into line.
<Darkling> She pushes open a door at the end of the hall which leads into a locker room. "I'll need to ask you all to put on some lab coots, masks and hairnets at this point." She begins to do so, demonstrating how to put on the blue garb.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> ... How very peculiar. Lahja quickly puts the clothing on, her curiosity obvious.
<Rasia> Rasia cocks her head, but copies Lahja, the extra layer heating her up nicely.
Wilhelm_Faustus pulls on the required clothing, looking to Rasia briefly. Good girl.
<Darkling> Once everyone is in their garb, even Lit who clearly doesn't fit in it, his beard sprouting out the sides of the mask, She pushes open the next doors leading everyone into a small chamber.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja moves along and sighs at the sight of Lit. Can't they give him a beard net or a plastic bag? Otherwise his beard germs will escape and reproduce and infect whatever they're trying to protect.
<Darkling> Once inside the chamber the door to and from it clunks and the air starts to whoosh around, popping your ears.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> ". . ." How annoying.
<Rasia> Rasia even growls at the sensation.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Shh." A hand holds her for the duration.
<Darkling> The air stops and the far door clunks again. Without a word Alva opens it and goes through.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja follows along. Now it's feeling a lot more like that sci fi fortress she'd originally hoped for.
 <Darkling> "These are our labs," She says, leading them down some hallways lined with windows looking into what is obviously labs, scientists plucking away. "Most of the research for your Aesir is done right here."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> This seems to capture Wilhelm's attention fully, trying to get a good look into almost every lab.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja is similarly intrigued. One would get the impression she was at a gun store.
<Darkling> Sadly Lahja, you see no guns. Lots of microscopes and computer monitors though.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> So many microscopes to research for things so large. She still seems interested.
<Darkling> In one lab they appear to be doing some research with live subject. Mice and rabbits are getting some injections at the moment.
<Rasia> Well, as both the girls would know: Sometimes the biggest weakness is only a few inches wide.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Seeing the live testing Lahja can't help but think of Corrin and how he'd probably vomit into the mask.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Fascinating."
<Rasia> Rasia, however, is looking pretty uncomfortable. She shies towards Wilhelm, eyes shut.
 <Wilhelm_Faustus> ...oh, right. Idiot. He turns his back on the scene and strokes her head.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Eventually Lahja ends up imagining Corrin drowning in the mask vomit. She very solemnly salutes no one in particular, holding it for a moment before she lets her arm fall to her side.
<Darkling> "A fair amount of the research is also used to help every day life and see what we can adapt from the Aesir to ourselves."
<Darkling> Through another set of doors and around a few corners you come across another lab, a rather large one. In the center sits a giant glowing red orb.
<Rasia> Rasia's attention snaps forward, bristling. Prey.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja stares at the orb. A giant eye, maybe?
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Magnificent." He murmers, moving to get closer unless stopped.
<Darkling> "If you didn't know, this is a core we recovered from one of your battles with the Jotun." She directs towards the gleaming orb with a hand.
<Rasia> Rasia grips his arm, baring her teeth.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> A glance to Rasia, then back at the core.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Another tap to the side of Lahja's face, or rather, her mask, as she stares at it.
<Rasia> "Rrrrrrrr."
<Darkling> "This has been a major asset to our research, and it is possible all thanks to you."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja nods toward Alva, not entirely sure what to make of that. Then again... it's going to make the Aesir better killing machines. Hard to go wrong with that.
<Darkling> "Come along now." She leads you off through some more corridors. "These are mostly private offices. We're looping back around to about where we started" She opens another set of doors to another sir lock chamber.
<Darkling> After passing through that airlock you enter what appears to be a break room. Long tables with chairs, not all too different from the ones at school, fill the room, a single one being occupied.
<Rasia> Rasia's eyes focus on the occupant(s), after throwing one last look at the core's direction.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks about as well, and eventually to the occupant, finding it a rather strange environment. Why so many chairs if only one is being used?
<Darkling> Lo and behold, there sits Ivy, her back to the pilots.
<Rasia> Her nose scrunches, and the Israeli leans forward.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> ". . ."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja stares a while longer, feeling quite heavy all of a sudden. After a delay of a few moments she salutes, sounding curiously sullen. "Captain."
<Darkling> Ivy turns around, that smile ever apparent on her face.
<Rasia> Rasia bounds over, sniffing at the mooninite.
<Darkling> "I missed you too Rasia." She giggles.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja drops the salute at Rasia's bounding, then wanders over closer, pondering how to say something and failing miserably. A chunk of concrete made Corrin's face into a pancake. Experiments were conducted to test the density of Corrin's skull. The concrete won.
<Rasia> An awkward look back at the other four, and she uprights herself, still looking like she hasn't made up her mind about how this makes her feel, either.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Wilhelm stands aside, looking disinterested in meeting the girl again.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I hope you've been well, Ivy. This place is interesting."
<Darkling> "I find it a little boring most times. They gave me a break today though from work so I could see you!" Her body has fully swung around now catching up with her head so she's facing the pilots completely.
Wilhelm_Faustus leans back against a wall, arms folded over his chest. He stares off, thinking back on what they've seen of a base.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Be happy, you idiot. Or at least try to look the part. Lahja puts on a rather ambiguous ^_^ face. "We won't be in town long. But it's still very nice."
<Darkling> "Well," Alva says from behind. "This concludes your short tour. For now I'll let you get reacquainted and be back later."
<Darkling> ===========END===========