The Pulse of Awakening (RPG)

[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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