trans_9 | Exploring the Wild Green Yonder

Entry tags:

Exploring the Wild Green Yonder

"Okay, kids in the middle. I don't care if you can fight or can shoot lightning out your ears, stay in the center where we can protect you. If there's something the adults can't handle, then feel free to jump in. Noncombatants are with them. Anyone with a weapon, if someone is engaging an enemy in hand to hand, obviously, hold fire, even if you're a crack shot. Safeties of your weapons on until it seems like we might be running into something. For most of us, being able to shoot is only a thumbflick away and I don't want any friendly fire. Be careful not to hit anything that looks like a window, so we're not all tossed into space," Cybil said, standing at the front of the group.

"Andromeda. Cortana. Let us know what you can as we go, and if you think there's something we need to see, let us know to take a look. You're our tourguides."

And the important part.

"If you think you heard or saw something strange, calmly let the rest of the group know, even if you're not sure. We shouldn't be jumping at shadows and we can't panic, but we shouldn't be too relaxed either. We have no idea who or what might be here with us. Be careful. Not careless. Not paranoid."

Her gun was out in her hand, safety was on for now, and it was aimed at the floor.

"Kara, Harper, and Flash, I want you on point with me. Sam, Connor, Murphy, I want you bringing up the rear. The other people with superpowers in the middle, where you can get to the front or back easily if you're needed at either and where you're closest to the kids and the people without guns or powers to protect them."

She would, quite frankly, be amazed if anyone actually listened to her. She was just a cop. But

"Everyone ready? Let's go."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

One of the doors to the Sensoriums opened and changed to a wide field of blue-grey grass and an orange sky.

Standing in the middle of it were Andromeda and Cortana, looking just as solid as the rest of them.

"This is a Sensorium. A room capable of creating hard-light programmings and solid things from virtual particles, reinforced with telepathic suggestion."

"In layman's terms, it's a room where what you can imagine becomes real--at least within the room itself. It can be programmed to look like anything you want it to, create characters and limited AIs--like martial arts trainers or characters from books."

Now this is something Jono recognizes. Like the Danger Room, roight? The strangeness of the sky and grass didn't bother him as much as it probably should have. It's the room we use to train in, he said after a moment, for everybody else's benefit. It's useful fer puttin' people through scenarios that don' 'sactly occur every day, y'know?

"...Sooo, just like the holodeck on Star Trek.." Wally paused, "uh, Moriarty couldn't escape and try to kill all of us could he?"

"No."

"Actually, there are holo-projectors all throughout the ship--" Cortana cut in amusedly.

"But none capable of hard-light projections."

'Sides, none of us are as smart as Data. 'At's where they went wrong. If he'd been home, there was no way Jono would admit to watching Star Trek. Or, you know, any of the other things that people wouldn't equate with him. He had an image to maintain, after all.

However, since he was managing not to geek out over the fact that he was in the same room as the Doctor (though not one he knew--must've been past the Eighth Doctor), admitting to Star Trek was all right.

An' if you ARE as smart as Data, don' go askin' the computer to give you a real challenge.

"So, hypothetically, they do everything the ones in the show did?" Tony had actually waggled his brows suggestively. Mostly, he wanted to hear the reaction he might get. Negative attention was still good attention, in his book.

What else was a kid at MIT supposed to watch? Cooking shows?

"Still, that's going to be useful to run simulations." It sounded like a step up from what he'd had before. "It's nice to know if something you built might blow up in your face."

Vincent was still keeping a close eye on the other 'near natives' to his own universe. Even introducing himself as Amorason was a calculated risk, but refusing a full name when others had offered them would likely have drawn more attention. Thankfully, his mother had always been better known by her title than by her name.

The girl in purple seemed intelligent enough (on a non-genius level that is), and strong willed, worth keeping an eye on. The female mutant near perfectly corresponded with Von Doom's files on Katherine Pryde of the X-men. The male mutant was an unknown variable, but his blatant use of telepathic communication made him a concern.

The graver concern was Tony Stark. Whatever his incarnation, one of the so-called 'Atomic Knights' could not be taken lightly. From what Vincent had managed to glean from the conversation so far, 'this' Stark was from a world that was only beginning to enter it's age of post-human abilities. His intellect could be put to good use most likely. Better to try to be amiable.

"I suppose bio-technology creating illusion-scapes isn't any more far-fetched than 'pure' technology or magic doing the same. I'd still like to examine some of the ship's workings, to determine if this is a DNA-based production, or organics laid over underlying inorganic technology." Biochemistry wasn't Vincent's field of expertise, but there was no need to say that out loud.

His instinct was to ignore Cybil's warning, but he again reminded himself not to draw undue attention. He stayed near the front of the group, but let one or two 'adults' stay in front of him. "I can manage certain... countermeasures that won't jeopardize the environment."

"We're part of Stacy's systems and she doesn't allow us to examine them. It's highly unlikely she'll allow you to," said Andromeda.

"Oh, c'mon, Rom-doll. Since when has that ever stopped me?" Yes, he sort of looked like he wanted to hug Rommie, but he was somehow managing to stop himself from acting on that particular impulse. "I seem to recall doing a few things you 'didn't allow' when I first met ya."

His tone implied 'admit it, you liked it.' Rommie should feel free to smack him upside the head, as long as she was solid, anyway.

Eyeroll. Then head-smack.

"As you can see, here in the Sensoriums Cortana and I can be solid. However--unfortunately--fatal attacks cannot be enacted on anyone by a hologram unless the safety protocols are removed. They cannot be removed by an AI, only by the command of a crew member and can be put back in place by any crew member."

She kept eyeing Harper.

"You're going to hug me, aren't you."

Lucca was unsure of whether Cybil's comments regarding "kids" included her or not, but kept towards the middle of the group anyway. It was just as well, as she was a bit occupied with her notebook. On one page, she continued sketching the hasty map she'd started eariler; the opposite was quickly filling with notes, observations, and things to inquire about later. Including the (what she could only assume were) cultural refrences many of the others were sharing, the lot of which were sailing right over her head. This was starting to vex her.

Presented with the Sensorium, however, she edged forward and steeped into the room. Sure enough, it looked, felt and smelled just as she thought it should.

"A waking dream," she observed quietly. It sounded much like what the mages in Enhasa had delved into, but nothing she'd ever experienced herself.

Kate glanced around.

"Still be useful for practice and training. Probably why it's here anyway."

"It's an inherent tactical measure, at least. We needn't fear a hostile boarding, if we can simply summon as many holograms as possible with the kill-settings engaged." Vincent commented, placing a hand on his hip and stroking his chin thoughtfully with the other.

"So I can only assume we're meant to be sent off this vessel, for whatever offensive goal it desires."

"Ow!" He rubbed the back of his head. He was pretty much expecting that.

And... well, now that she mentioned it...

He could really latch on like an octopus when he wanted.

Andromeda sighed a very put-upon sigh, but hugged Harper back with one arm, firmly. The hologram was amazingly lifelike in texture, body warmth, and all that, perhaps even more so than the lifelike robotic avatar Harper had made for her back home.

As Cortana smirked at her and was about to say something, Rommie snapped, "Not a word."

"I was just going to say--"

"Not. A. Word."

Her expression softened into something that was almost a pout.

"He's my engineer," she said by way of excuse.

Wednesday lets out a muttering laugh at seeing the hug. "You have a good point, boy," he says to Vincent, looking around a little. "This place would make an extraordinary fortress, if you could find the chokepoints..."

Kate frowned over at Vincent.

"Excuse me? Kill settings? Is that really necessary?"

"In the case of a possible boarding by hostiles, yes," said Andromeda. "Back home, there are species for whom my internal defenses--my ship's internal defenses--were the only thing that prevented my crew from being slaughtered."

And even then, it didn't stop them from being taken.

Infested.

If possible, that hug she was giving Harper tightened just a bit before she let go.

"It is a reasonable assumption to make that we could encounter similar species attacking and boarding this ship. However, as I said, the hallway projectors are not capable of hard-light projections, making it a moot point."

He'd make some crack about being more than enough engineer for both of them, but then Rommie had to go and mention Harper's uninvited guests. "Hey, uh... Andromeda? Speaking of hostiles..."

Oh, how he hated even thinking of the damn worms. "Don't suppose you've got access to the ship's bio-sensors, huh? I might, uh, be expecting still, y'know?"

Her expression went immediately serious.

"You're from earlier in the timeline than me, aren't you. Back when you were still--Stacy!"

Now that there was real concern in her voice, and urgency.

"Is Harper still infested with Magog larvae?"

If so, they were going to the Medlab RIGHT NOW and seeing if Stacy's tech would allow removal.

Exploring the Wild Green Yonder

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)