The Pulse of Awakening (RPG)

[Mystic2000]

Alright then, let's get out of here, as for the people wanting to catch us, i'll take care of them if they are in the way

[NWOWWE]

This was getting out of control rather quickly, but for now there didn't seem to be much else to do but to go along with what the synthetics wanted. For one thing, they clearly were getting more and more agitated by this turn of events so refusing them at this juncture wouldn't help things at all. Secondly, going along with their search was the only way he could get more information from them directly. So Shepard looked at Avarice and nodded.

[NFX]

Mira was about to give a response, when a sudden sharp pain shot through her, and she completely disappeared. But only for a tenth of a second or so. Reappearing in a hunched state, the flickering had become much more violent, and some of the light was beginning to stray out in wild arcs. She was dying.

"I'll help you," she groans, "But you have GOT to help me first!"

[kodster]

[OOC: Going out, will update some time after I get back. :V Thanks for the posts though.]

[majinb]

Gunrod hopes you'll get back soon!

[NFX]

[Mira also hopes you get back soon, or she will die =P]

[kodster]

[I'm getting there! :P]

[majinb]

[and these cookies look way too tasty to ignore for this long!]

[NFX]

[The cookies will be stale by now]

[majinb]

[well thanks a lot Kody!]

[kodster]

[okay here's an update, now leave me alone you punked-out weirdos! :V]

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GUNROD

There's no response to his call, so he just pays attention to the cookies. They don't seem harmful in any possible way, no matter what he does. Eventually he does eat them. They seem to be the best cookies he's ever tasted, and coming from a people who pride themselves upon crafting the finest desserts, that is saying something.

Without warning a loud voice calls out of nowhere:

"So! You have passed the first test... thank goodness. But you still have a long way to go."

The door is suddenly blown off. Gunrod leaps aside with a cry as smoke fills the area, but when it clears, there's nothing there... except a horribly mangled door behind the dwarf. Onward leads into total darkness. Gunrod has hardly any idea what to make of this...

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UNAROSHI

"Excellent," comes the immediate reply. "Then let us go. I'll lead the way.

"My name is Viluy, in case you were wondering," the woman adds, as they run down the pathway, now illuminates by the nanobots. "The machines call me Byruit for some reason; that is how they know their enemy. Call me by my proper name and things will go well."

"Yeah okay," replies Unaroshi, though he still wonders what Viluy's deal is.

Eventually they come to another hallway. Both ways lead into total darkness, but on their immediate right is another door. The teen looks over at Viluy, whose face hasn't changed expression in the slightest. What is her problem? Unaroshi wonders.

"Danger is approaching, says Viluy. "It's coming from the stairs."

"What stairs?"

"The ones through that door." She indicates them.

"Well, which way do we go?" growls Unaroshi, beginning to get seriously annoyed now.

"I had hoped the stairs were unoccupied," says Viluy, unfazed, "but I see that is now impossible. And I do not know the entirety of this complex. " She looks at the other. "Gamble."

"Huh?"

"Left, or right? Choose."

Wow. She was letting him decide. How fun...

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SAKER

Pushing the button on the strange object, Saker tenses, expecting something bizarre to happen. Well, something happens, but not what Saker thought. A digital map of the entire (and I do mean ENTIRE) base appears. There are 257 levels, called Vectors, according to a bit of info at the bottom-right corner of the map. Saker stares at the info. It's the year 2542, and they're in a base called The Meridian A.D.

Saker wonders for a moment what to do next.

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REST OF PARTY

Suddenly, the party and the two machines vanish instantly...

****

...to appear in a very well lit room. It's HUGE... (think LotR; the great city of Dwarrowdelf, for size comparisons, but without all those pillars in the way) There are at least tens of thousands of other androids here, all standing inert and motionless to their left, while many, many others are occupied with digital screens, switches, and countless other things. A massive door can be far down to their right. The ceiling appears smooth... for now.

Shepard simply gapes, while Maxine scoffs at it. Mira however is occupied with its own state of peril, as the Illuxion fades in and out rapidly.

Most of them turn and aim their weaponry at the party, but Avarice commands them to stand down. Now they can see Avarice very clearly; he indeed seems to be an exact mantis/shark hybrid, although entirely mechanical of course. The glowing orange pods all over his body now fade, as do the blue ones on his T-900 companion.

"We have a leader, of course," grunts the mantis hybrid. "But if you are indeed in a pitiable state, perhaps we should remedy that."

He emits a high-pitched (and very terrible) cry. A number of lesser androids turn and walk over in a "U" formation, surrounding Mira.

"They are going to Vector C, where the regeneration chambers are," replies the hulking behemoth, in response to Shepard's concerned face. "There are other... methods there as well. They shall return shortly."

Without warning the floor gives way underneath Mira and they disappear beneath the ground. The trapdoor is covered almost immediately. Man, these guys are efficient... Shepard considers. He's not liking the situation much. Almost all the party is now scattered.

"So. You two," comes Avarice's voice again into their ears. "Now that that's taken care of... it's time to hunt for the intruder. She is on Vector N."

"I see," replies Shepard, finally deigning to talk. "Do you know what her name is?"

"We scanned her, and the name that appeared was Byruit," answers Avarice mysteriously. "However, that information is immaterial. What truly matters is apprehending this individual and enacting punishment for her actions.

"I myself will accompany you, and you shall see my power first-hand," drones the machine. "Of course, if you wish to wait for your comrade to be rejuvenated, that will hardly take too long."

Shepard's eyebrows contract. Hmm...

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[Mystic2000]

"heh, let's go right, and if there is any danger i'll take care of it"

[NFX]

Mira glanced unsurely around her at the androids surrounding her, before the floor suddenly opened up, and she dropped herself down to Vector C, staggering forward a little when she landed. With how brightly the room had been lit compared to the cell she'd woken up in, she did feel a little better, but she was still flickering away to herself, with no sign of letting up.

Still, she had been promised regeneration. Or the so-called "other methods". She didn't like the sound of that. Hopefully they'd get to the regen chambers sooner rather than later.

[NWOWWE]

Shepard turned back to the place in the floor Mira had disappeared into. No, he didn't care much for the way things were going at all. It felt too much like these synthetics were purposefully splitting them up at every opportunity. And then there was the fact that this particular synthetic, Avarice, planned on accompanying the search for this lost person. What did Avarice need his help for? Not to mention that it seemed this individual was in line for a summary execution. Could it really be that serious of a situation? Turning back to face the intimidating looking synthetic resolved to at least wait until Mira returned."If the process is as quick as you say then I'd prefer to wait until our companion returns rejuvenated. I hope you'll excuse me not being to quick to give my blind trust. My previous experiences with synthetics haven't been pleasant to say the least, and I'll feel better knowing exactly where everyone is and that they're okay."

[alex_holt]

Saker decides to thoroughly inspect the schematics, trying to memorise as much as possible, specifically in regards to exists and potential threats, or indeed, general purposes of this place.