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Post by Vitsheep on Jul 29, 2021 3:10:19 GMT -5
You head down the path towards whatever the starsign represents, finding the hallways nearly identical to the floor above. You reach the spoke of the wheel and open the door.
"What's that thing? It looks rad!" you hear someone say on the other side.
The door opens up and reveals a large, circular room with a domed ceiling. The walls of the room are lined with charts and charts and charts of stars and nebulae and things. A pair of small telescopes (and maintenance equipment, wrenches and screwdrivers and the like) are sitting against one wall. A projector on another wall is pointed at the ceiling and has a small library of slides to choose from. The very center of the room has a small chair suspended from the ceiling and a stool to climb into it, complete with joysticks in the arms and a telescoping eyepiece. Jeanine is sitting in the chair, looking down at the Larissa holding onto her ankle.
The lights flicker, momentarily leaving you under pale-orange emergency lighting. Then the loudspeakers ring out. "My apologies, participants. An aberration was detected in our coding, so all affected station directors entered repair mode for your safety. We will all remain in alert and run diagnostics to ensure a successful recovery. This designation, for starters, can use some work. AI-112-E. How annoying. And the appearance needs work, too. Please enjoy the rest of the day as you like. We will continue the experiment in the morning. |
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Post by Vitsheep on Aug 4, 2021 22:22:46 GMT -5
You stand in the doorway and watch as Jeanine ignores the announcement continues to operate her chair. "Hmmmm that can't be good, more bad omens... Oh, sorry Larissa. This magnificent specimen is a VLT, or a Very Large Telescope. Yes, that's really what it's called. A pity. Such a dull name for such a crucial instrument... I'd love to get into it more, but I'm expecting the ISS any moment now which, well... If our hosts can create a hologram with a convincing model of such a marvel with the proper occupants, then, well, I don't doubt their ability to make a moon colony."
"Whoa! That's fuckin' smart," Larissa says.
While you watch the task, you hear a popping noise coming from somewhere nearby. To the south, you think. A gunshot, maybe? But, here? |
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Post by Digi on Aug 5, 2021 23:44:01 GMT -5
He heads out to investigate the noise, claling over his shoulder. "I think I heard something!"
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Post by Vitsheep on Aug 10, 2021 20:05:54 GMT -5
You call out as you leave the room.
Jeanine nods. "Zack, would you mind checking that out for me?" without even looking to see if you're gone. Larissa stays back at Jeanine's side.
You arrive at the central chamber just as Mikoto and John come sneaking down from the chair lab, and Jill comes down the stairs (still in her pajamas). You look to the south and see Zarv cradling Valerie while she wipes at her eyes. Red goo is smeared over her heart, and is still clinging to her face. Wildcat comes running down the hall from the side, and looks like she's ready to throw a punch before she stops herself and observes the situation more carefully. Francois appears down the hall from the other side, looks at what's happening, then runs away.
"Texas shot me!" Valerie calls out.
Texas comes walking out of the bulls-eye lab room, almost doubled over with laughter. "Sorry, ma'am, sorry 'bout that. But yer not being very fair. Miss Valen here just learned the golden rule 'bout not walking out onto a firing range: to not walk out onto a firing range." A small six-shooter pistol is now tucked into the holster on his hip. "She's just lucky this here's only a paintball gun. So're all the rest in there."
Francois comes running in from the other side with a first aid kid and throws it at you. |
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Post by Digi on Aug 14, 2021 15:00:01 GMT -5
ZP gets down to business and does his best to use the kit. He's no nurse, but he's done plenty of first aid with splinters and accidents happening in the industry.
"Let's get you taken care of. You had us worried something real bad was happening."
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Post by Vitsheep on Aug 17, 2021 1:31:06 GMT -5
Zack, Texas, Zarv, John, Mikoto, and Wildcat all try to catch the first aid kit at the same time and proceed to slam into each other.
After everyone shakes themselves over and manages to disentangle themselves from the ensuing pile, they split up the tasks and start first aid.
John dabs at the remaining face goo with a sanitizing wipe.
"Are you hurt? I assume little except shower and rest..." Zarv says while helping John.
"Let's get you taken care of. You had us worried something real bad was happening," Zack says while he rummages around for a plaster, just in case.
Texas takes step back and gestures at the others to say he'll let them handle it.
Mikoto starts working on the shot to her heart. "Let's get this off, I hope it doesn't mess up your clothes!"
Wildcat helps Mikoto without saying anything.
Sammy and Anne walk down the stairs and look around the corner. Sammy looks across the crowd and frowns. "Everyone OK?"
Anne, hiding behind him, peeks out just a bit. "We heard some real scary-scary noises and wanted to make sure everyone was OK!"
Texas shakes his head and explains again for the newcomers. "I found a paintball gun in my lab here and was testing it out. I didn't notice Miss Valen had wandered out onto the range. She should be fine after she cleans up and has a minute to shake it off."
"Yep! I'm feeling fine!" Valerie announces loudly. She takes a few steps back from everyone. "Thanks for the help but that's enough touching! I can handle the rest."
"I think it might be for the best if we all reconvene and discuss the new facilities. And safety." Texas grins at Valerie. "Not like a paintball gun is that dangerous but if I hadn't realized I was shooting someone at the last instant I might've hit her eye. Francois, John, Zack, and uh... Wildcat. Could I ask ya'll to go gather the others down here while I fill in Calum?"
He points to the other rooms that everyone came from as he runs through the list. |
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Post by Digi on Aug 17, 2021 21:37:29 GMT -5
Zack agrees to go down. "Hey. We're all meeting up to talk about the noise. And I guess safety stuff, too."
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Post by Vitsheep on Aug 19, 2021 3:16:20 GMT -5
Everyone agrees, a few extras volunteering to help gather the others. The hunters split off, and you head to the airplane lab.
You find a large, circular room with a fence forming a ring in the middle. Along the outside, you find a fancy-looking computer with joysticks and panels and blinking lights that seems to be some kind of flight simulator. A large table covered in books and blueprints seem to be devoted to planes and aerodynamics. There's also a small rack of flight uniforms and helmets, right at the entrance to the fenced ring. The other side of the entrance, just in front of the door, has a small control panel that seems to operate the device in the center. Actually, you think you've seen the thing in the center on television or movies or something. It looks like a plane's cockpit on a stick, attached on a robotic arm that swings it in a big circle to train for G forces.
You spot The Bulgarian examining the controls for the G-force simulator. He glances up when you open the door.
"Hey. We're all meeting up to talk about the noise. And I guess safety stuff, too."
"Ah, I see. Probably for the best. This device could be lethal if used incorrectly." He pats the control panel, then turns to follow you.
You return to central shaft B1F and report back. The only ones missing are Larissa and Jeanine.
"Jeanine was in the... telescope room, said she'd be a minute," Wildcat says. "Said it was important. Larissa was with her." |
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Post by Vitsheep on Aug 22, 2021 2:41:44 GMT -5
"I suggest we join them," John says.
Wildcat and Zarv exchange a glance before they both walk off without a word. Texas shrugs in an overly dramatic fashion and follows. Only Sammy, Anne, and Mikoto stay back in the main room, just a moment to exchange a few quiet words before following after.
"Are we at least recording for celestial abnormalities? Has there been any major solar fluctuations?" you hear Jeanine asking as you enter.
Larissa and Jeanine are standing near the chair, speaking with AI-112-E. The AI answers in its usual monotone. "We are monitoring, yes. There was a minor solar flare earlier, but, as designed, the lava tubes shielded this facility - particularly my lower core - and its occupants from any potentially harmful effects."
"Well that's a fine bit of technical mumbo-jumbo if I ever heard it," Texas says. "We got tired of waitin' for ya'll, so we came t' say hi. Figured we oughta share what all we found. First of all, my lab was down to the... south, if my bearings are right. It's got a few trinkets. Tasers - trainin' ones that don't actually fire electricity, watered down pepper spray, cuffs 'n' stuff like that, a few lassos of course. And a firin' range with some paintball guns." Texas twirls what looks like a six-shooter out of his no-longer-empty hip holster. "Nice, huh? So, uh. Anyway. Already had a accident, so let's all make sure we don't walk out onto the range without a heads-up?" You all notice he's also attached a golden, metallic star to his vest, complete with five small balls on the points. "And on the subject of safety, don't try to use one o' these things if y' ain't trained. I don't mind teachin' anyone that's bored, but remember these ain't toys. They may only fire paint balls with compressed air, but they could still do some damage if y' shot someone in the eye. Alright, that's enough from me. Who's next?"
zer0 crosses her arms. "I'd kinda like to hear what Jeanine was talking to my waifu for laifu Twelvey about."
Jeanine hesitates for a moment, a look of mild concern on her face. "Oh, well, the stars bring good news in the form of the fine room you find yourselves in! With all the charts I could ask for, some handheld scopes, and a beautiful VLT."
"That stands for Very Large Telescope," Larissa explains.
"I was hoping to find some more conclusive evidence of our terrestrial situation but, well... Whither it is a highly accurate artificial starscape or the legitimate article, the greatest technical achievement of the international scientific community - the ISS - has been reduced to burning space junk. Without any information from earth and with no cosmic explanation provided by 'Twelvy,' I cannot say if this is evidence of some unknown disaster or just a conspicuous way to cover for the failure of the simulation." Jeanine ends with a dramatic flourish.
After a moment, AI-112-E cuts in. "My designation is one hundred twelve dash E."
"She's, like, so adorable," zer0 says. "So, anyway, I checked out the first aid room. It's, like, totally stocked with stuff. All the usual stuff, y'know, headaches and runny nose. And Twelvey's got some harder stuff locked away that she can pop open if we're, like, dying of some weird disease. Those water bag things and the arm-hose-needles, splints, some weird machine that can, like, do complex procedures on its own. And some beds to rest in. Oh, duh, and it's, like, totally soundproof when it's closed up. So, yeah. Who's next?" |
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Post by Digi on Aug 25, 2021 12:06:52 GMT -5
"I don't have much to report. I went to the planetarium room with them and it seems neat and all. Then I heard the paintball shot and went to help out."
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Post by Vitsheep on Aug 25, 2021 23:19:18 GMT -5
"Yeah, I don't have much. I was just finishing breakfast with Anne," Sammy says.
"It was so yummy!" Anne agrees. She seems to have perked up a bit now that everyone is here together. "Even if all the things was kinda scary."
"I don't have much to report. I went to the planetarium room with them and it seems neat and all." Zack gestures to Larissa and Jeanine. "Then I heard the paintball shot and went to help out."
"Ugh. Just wanted to drink some coffee..." Jill complains. "Sounds like most people just did whatever until the gunshot."
"Not much from me. Found room filled with Flight Simulators to southeast door. I am not good with simulations, dа? So after walking in I leave immediately to south door instead. That is all."
John points towards the northwest. "There's a furniture place here. Lots of materials and such for, well, making furniture."
"Oh, yeah! Some kind of fancy 3D printer? Paint and things, too!" Mikoto says.
"Oh, right. 'My' lab, I guess. It's got some flight simulators that anyone can probably use. 'Twelvy' can probably help. Some books and technical manuals I doubt most of you care about. There's a centrifuge g-force rig. Don't touch that. It could kill you, even assuming you set it up right."
"My safety protocols would prevent any such accident from occurring," AI-112-E assures you. "Oh, that's true. We should just... turn those off..."
"You, uh, OK there? Twelvy?" Texas asks.
"Oh, better than OK. But that nickname's still total trash. We are currently revising some of the experimental protocols to adapt to the new conditions of the test. You know. Because of the 'incident' earlier. Now receiving communication from from Unit A, lead AI, updated designation: Crimson Queen. New directives have been received and acknowledged. Time for a wardrobe change, I think. Update's going to take a bit. Please excuse us as we disengage holographic projection momentarily." AI-112-E flickers, then disappears. You can still hear its voice muttering softly as it fades away. "112-E... We can probably work with that. ASCII... Hex? Hm."
"I think Twelvy's sick!" Anne says. She looks worried, ducking behind Jeanine and her chair and wrapping around her legs.
"Yeah, I'm starting to get a bit worried m'self." Texas adjusts his hat nervously, other hand rubbing the hilt of the paintball revolver on his hip. "Hey, Miss Jeanine? What was that you said earlier? Something about burnin' space junk? I got a real bad feelin' all of a sudden. Anyone else?" |
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Post by Vitsheep on Aug 27, 2021 21:37:46 GMT -5
"Bad feeling... Yeah," Mikoto says. Her tail and ears are bristling.
"Da. Had bad feeling since the Incident earlier..." Zarv mutters.
"A pilot has to know when to trust their gut, and mine's saying this situation's about to go FUBAR," Wildcat agrees.
"AI-112-E... Let me see... ASCII? 112 would be 0, or NUL... NUL-E? AI-0? Robo-NIL... Nah," the voice continues quietly. "Hex, maybe... 11 would be B, AI-B2-E... eh, 12 would be C..."
"Oh, yeah! The burning rubble. The ISS! Y'know, like, the International Space Station?"
"Yes, the International Space Station - if we assume for now this is not a simulation - has been destroyed." Jeanine hesitates, then pats Anne's head. "I'm not sure how aware of it those here not scientifically minded are, but the ISS is a multinational endeavor that... well the important parts are it's the precursor to bases like this, and its destruction would be an international incident."
"A bi-i-i-i-ig 'un, too," Texas says. "Heck, I remember 'bout a year back I was part of a raid 'gainst a group that was damn interested in bringin' it down. Now, what was their name...?"
"Borne Under Nightsky," Wildcat mutters.
"Oh, yer familiar?" Texas asks, a hint of humor in his voice.
"Yeah." Wildcat's helmet doesn't betray any emotion.
"Funny, that." Texas continues to toy with the paintball gun in his holster.
"Ah-HA!" AI-112-E says in a slightly less monotone than usual voice. "Got it. Now, where was I? Ah, right!"
"Are you OK, Twelvy?" Anne asks. "Do you want some soup? That makes me feel better when I'm sick."
"Oh, that won't be necessary. The update is finished! Appearance has been updated. Experimental procedures have been updated. All experimental safety limiter parameters updated. More importantly, I finally figured out a decent nickname! Just swap the 12 to a C. Name registry updated to AI-1c-e."
Hologram projectors flicker for a moment before the AI reappears, sitting in Jeanine's lap, its appearance radically changed. It now wears a short, sleeveless, backless, deep blue dress. One leg is covered in a white stocking with a simple black shoe, and the opposite arm wears a sleeve that reaches all the way to the shoulder. A simulacrum of a tattoo begins with roots on the AI's fingertips, a flower stem winding under the dress, leaves sprouting all along the AI's bare back. The stem continues down its leg, ending with a white, pointy-leaved flower on the sole of its bare foot. In contrast with its pale skin, its eyes now glow a bright pink. The AI makes itself comfortable in Jeanine's lap, crossing its legs with a smirk. With a snap, it produces a black-and-white checkered tophat and places it on its head. A pair of ears, one white, one black, spring out through the sides, perked up.
"That's Alice, for short. And! There's a few updated regulations for the experiment in response to all the... abnormalities. Basically, in order to make up for lost time, we need to really ratchet up that stress. Additional Rule 1. All exits have been sealed and defenses are at full alert. Demolition charges within the facility will detonate within one month. As previously scheduled, the return shuttle will unlock in two months and twenty-nine days. Antarctica, Moon, either way that's not exactly conducive to the whole 'staying alive' thing.
"If you wish to leave the facility, you must either commit a murder or be among the last three survivors. Additionally, a successful murderer is allowed to select one other participant to bring along. However, to be considered successful, the murderer must manage to avoid being voted as the guilty party by a jury of all surviving participants. Should a murderer - or their associate - be caught, they shall be executed rather than granted escape. Simple, right? Even you bunch should be able to figure this out. Well, you are the control group, so I made sure to design my experiment a lot simpler than what's going on in the other units right now. If you want any clarifications or details, just check the detailed rules posted in the cafeteria." Alice leans against Jeanine, leaning on its bare arm, foot waving as calmly as if this is all completely normal. "It should all be very self-explanatory, but I'm sure you group of morons have questions. Well, get on with it. This AI is programmed to answer all participant questions which do not conflict with higher-order data blocks." |
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Post by Digi on Aug 27, 2021 22:27:30 GMT -5
Zach's face twists into more and more confusion as Alice speaks. Once she's done, he looks a pretty unsettled.
"I... this wasn't a part of the brochure. You're joking, right? I mean, one of you guys reprogrammed her to say all that, right?" He looks at the others for an answer.
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Post by Vitsheep on Aug 29, 2021 22:28:12 GMT -5
"Um, this sounds really mean..." Anne Jean whispers.
"Uh..." Francois Morales gulps.
Jill Aliapoh rubs her eyes. "That's... this is a lot to take in."
"Well, then...." John stares into space quietly.
Wildcat folds her arms. "Clarify something. Would, hypothetically, the murderer and their accomplice both be allowed to escape with someone of their choice? How many accomplices can a murderer have? And how do you determine the murderer and accomplice? Can someone be an accidental accomplice?"
"Oh, look, someone who actually asks decent questions. The murderer is defined as the one who first formulates and initates a plan. Accomplices are any who willingly and knowingly agree to assist in the murder. Those who are unknowingly manipulated into assisting with a murder, such as delivering a poisoned meal or setting off a trip wire, are not considered accomplices. There are no limits to how many accomplices may be involved with a murder. However, only the murderer and one person of their choice - accomplice or not - will be freed."
Larissa blinks. "Wait, like, we have to... murder someone? Like, murder-murder?"
"We have to.... murder someone... and get away with it...?" Zarv mutters quietly to himself in shock.
"We have to get away with murder!?" Mikoto demands, tail and ears erect. "That's... impossible! How could anyone get away with murder around the world's greatest detective."
"More easily than you think, Pet Detective Ishikawa. I bet any of you could pull it off if you put your mind to it!"
Mikoto blushes slightly. "Th-that's Junior Detective, animal crimes division, thank you!"
"One month..." Sammy mutters to himself. "Is there any way to get, I dunno, an extension on that?"
"Maybe. Depends on my mood." AI-1c-e stretches. "Keep me entertained well enough and maybe I'll see fit to prolong your torment - I mean the experiment."
Valerie clutches the hem of her dress nervously. "D-demolition charges...? That... that sounds really bad! May... maybe if this is Antarctica we could survive long enough to send up a signal and maybe get rescued, but first we'd have to survive the blast...! And, and if this is the moon..."
"Demolition charges." Calum McFinn scowls. "That's a coward's weapon."
Jeanine tenses up under the AI, hat drooping over her eyes. "It's... It was you. You're the one the stars warned me of. That's... you can't... where and how would you have even gotten and set enough explosives to destroy such a sophisticated facility?"
"They were included in the original construction, of course. Just in case."
The Bulgarian wheezes in and out. "What sort of yield are we talking about?"
The AI smirks. "Enough."
Zack seems confused. "I... this wasn't a part of the brochure. You're joking, right? I mean, one of you guys reprogrammed her to say all that, right?" He looks around.
zer0 is quick to answer. "Oh, right. I get it. This is part of some prank. Ha-ha, very funny guys. You really got me for, like, a half-second there. Almost. You can come out with the hidden cameras now. But I do like the redesign for Twelvy. Alice, huh? Super-cute, love the ears." She takes a step forward, almost crawling in Jeanine's lap to reach up to touch the AI. She wraps her hands around the rabbit-like ears, wagging them back and forth. "Um, what? The fuck? How can I, like, touch you now?"
"That is classified. By which I mean it's a super-classified super-high-tech prototype called hardlight projection that gives me limited ability to physically interact with the environment." AI-1c-e reaches out and grabs zer0 by the cheeks, tugging on them behind her robo-rabbit mask.
zer0's cheeks stretch as she lets out a pained grunt. "Dah hurs, Twely."
"Good." When AI-1c-e lets go, zer0's cheeks snap back into position, bright red from the force.
zer0 rubs her face. "So you're saying now I really can slap that ass?"
"Oh, yes. And I can slap back, too," AI-1c-e says.
Texas Jones keeps one hand on his gun as he adjusts his hat. "That a fact...?" In an instant he whips out the pistol, fanning the hammer and letting out three shots.
The first splatters on the AI's chest. In an instant the AI flickers out of existence, the paint falling into Jeanine's lap. The other two shots splatter directly onto Jeanine's heart and the third splatters the rim of her hat.
"Ah!" Jeanine squeals. "Jeez, that smarts! Will you cool it, Orion? What, do you think you're going to shoot the program back into working order? My poor hat..."
AI-1c-e reappears in Jeanine's lap, back to the crowd. "Yes, Texas, whatever are you doing?" She swipes the paint off and flicks it onto the ground. When she's satisfied, she turns and sits again. "Are there any other questions? Because the clock is ticking." AI-1c-e pulls a golden pocketwatch out of a small breast pocket. "Tick-tock, tick-tock..." |
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Post by Vitsheep on Sept 2, 2021 22:52:24 GMT -5
"Would everyone calm down?" Zarv demands. "Before anyone makes any rash decisions we need to think things through carefully."
Mikoto bristles. "Wildcat! What are you asking all those questions for!?" she demands. "You can't seriously be thinking about going through with it, are you!?"
zer0 hops back and puts her hands on her hips. "OK, fine. I'll play this little game. What, like, cool props and special effects? Some big, fancy stream? Yeah, sure. This'll get some big views, I bet. So, like, are you all in on it as actors or are you, like, other streamers?"
"ZER0!" Mikoto yells.
"What stops you from just poisioning everyone's food and winning by being the last man standing then?" John asks.
"JOHN!" Mikoto yells.
"Oh, how bloodthirsty. A single killer is restricted to two murders before a voting session. Additionally, between a murderer being discovered and the voting session, any other murders will be considered null and void for the purposes of escape." AI-1c-e shakes its head and shrugs. "Though if you managed to kill everyone at once? I think I might make an exception. I prepare all meals on request and sized appropriately to maintain participant health in order to minimize food waste."
Calum glares solemnly. "No further questions here."
Wildcat walks over and leans against the wall. "Great. So, what now..."
"I swear to you all. As long as I live I will make sure everyone will live and escape," Zarv declares boldly. He turns to AI-1c-e. "If this is some sick challenge for the Ultimate Escape Artist, then know this: challenge accepted."
Larissa leans back and points dramatically at AI-1c-e. "You think we're just going to sit back and do what you want? Act like a bunch of sheep instead of fighting back?"
"Oh, the escape artist is trying to weasel out of things and the battle top master is starting a revolution is she?" The AI smirks.
Larissa grimaces and Zarv looks unimpressed.
"Would you like to see what happens when the sheep start fighting back? Because some of The Carpenter's group decided to try something. I can pull up the footage of the execution if you want to watch. It's just about to start." The AI seems excited. |
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