Issue 1 Downtime

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 1:35 pm**

After the teleportation, the team found themselves in a large chamber, possibly a cargo bay. Pallets of literature in an alien language were stacked there, but the chamber itself seemed fairly ornate with black walls embossed with intricate gold designs.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:01 pm**

Ashlie looked around, trying to locate a terminal.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:02 pm**

The closest terminal was at the hatch at the back of the chamber, seemingly intended for opening said hatch. It did appear to be networked, though.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:06 pm**

"I am going to try to talk to the ship." she announces before making her way over to the hatch.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:38 pm**

The console at least seemed like it shared a common ancestry with the more common equipment ASHLIE had encountered during their time in space. Its ports and interface were easy enough to intuit. However, once she achieved contact it felt rather different. There was a current of something running through the ship's network, almost like a low droning.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:49 pm**

And she does what she usually does. Try to fit in.

Code: Select all: Initializing System Scan... Attempting to emulate signature mask...

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:53 pm**

Moving through the network, the droning seemed to center around processes that maintained roughly a dozen nodes that were connected up. Some were inactive, but the ones that were actively being used shone with a golden light. Whispers came from these nodes.

"I believe I am safe."

"I believe I am loved."

"I believe I am right."

"Yes, yes, sweetling. All of this and more. Taste and see..."

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 4:04 pm**

Code: Select all: >>Attempting to analyze interface protocol >>Error--Error--Error--Checksum value mismatch >>Analyzing network identifier [Sweetling] >>Error--No unique network values found >>Predicting critical system failure in 3...2...1... >>Error--System prediction is off-line

Code: Select all: >>Sending network ping [Pretty Projection] >>"Hello?"

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 4:09 pm**

"Our wisdom flows sweet and pure."

"Witness! The unbelievers."

"Witness! The opening of eyes."

"Witness! The universal truth."

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 4:13 pm**

"What's going on?" Rachel asked.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 4:17 pm**

"This system makes no sense." Ashlie complains.

Code: Select all: >>Attempting to engage procedure [Witness] >>Requesting access to [Wisdom]

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 4:23 pm**

"This congregation is the voice crying in the wilderness."

"This congregation brings light to the darkness."

The light from the nodes seemed to pulse stronger with each affirmation.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 4:31 pm**

Code: Select all: >>Requesting access to user-group [Congregation]

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 4:50 pm**

"And while she does that, we get to hijacking... yes?" Kev asks.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 4:56 pm**

"Yes, yes, all are welcome."

"All the fold have come."

"Make straight the way. Make straight the way."

There was the sound of something powering up, and a moment later the ship lurched.

By the sounds in the passageway beyond the chamber, this came as somewhat of a surprise to the ship's crew.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 5:48 pm**

"Sounds like a plan." Rachel said, catching herself as the ship lurched.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 6:10 pm**

Bobby nodded in agreement, moving close to the hatch.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 6:13 pm**

Kevin brought forth his swords and took position by the hatch.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 7:34 pm**

Daniel kept his eyes open, constantly checking their tail as they continued on. "This whole place gives me the creeps," he muttered.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 9:10 pm**

Melody stuck close to Daniel, her eyes darting just as nervously, fidgeting with several tiny bombs in her right hand.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 9:14 pm**

"...telling you, the drives just engaged. We don't know why."

"Well find out!"

Boots clanked down the hallway, and the hatch to the cargo bay opened to reveal a man with a shaven head in ornate red robes trimmed in gold. His beady eyes looked about the hold.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:55 pm**

Cal shifted his staff in his hand, ready to attack when the guy got close enough. Or when someone else jumped out.

Posted: **Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:09 pm**

Rachel held her laser rifle at the ready.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:05 am**

Narrator wrote:"Yes, yes, all are welcome."

"All the fold have come."

"Make straight the way. Make straight the way."

Code: Select all: >>Requesting parameters of [Congregation] user-group >>Define active procedure [Make straight the way] >>Define system specifications and operation protocols >>Define system specifications and operation protocols >>Define system specifications and operation protocols >>Define system specifications and operation protocols >>Define system specifications and operation protocols!

It would almost seem as if ASHLIE was getting frustrated.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:45 pm**

ASHLIE could see the drive systems powering up, and the nodes with the golden light were feeding power to them.

"The faithful will not be waylaid on their pilgrimage."

"All the fold have come."

"It is their just reward."

The beady-eyed monk walked down the steps from the hatch, peering warily between the pallets of literature.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:54 pm**

The system may be responding but it makes little sense to ASHLIE and she keeps trying to directly access the ship's data-streams.

Code: Select all: >>Requesting coordinates >>Define [Destination] >>Define [Reward] >>Define [Pilgrimage] >>Define [Faith] >>Define $%27"§ >>De§i²e >>]%finß >>De#i~e >>#*)4&♥ ݉►║☺£►☼☺↕1♠1ʒ4♠☺5Q ☺ʋ=♠67ʯ3ŢȖA◘7ΏD•9W6ϛʈ

It could be working better.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:04 pm**

"Witness! The path through the wilderness!"

Stylized star charts flashed through the datastream, indicating several points of inflection the FTL drives were to fire at.

"Witness! The light of faith!"

Schematics flashed through the datastream for an immense ship, shaped oddly like a lantern. On the schematics were billions of nodes like the smaller ship had.

"Witness! The Matriarch!"

An almost beatific image flashed through the datastream, of a woman clad in robes similar in style to the monk but much more elaborate. A halo of the golden light shone around her head.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:13 pm**

That was something the AI could translate into something to make sense of, though trying to emulate the system structure was taking a lot out of her.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:16 pm**

And as the eyes peeked around one particular pallet, a hand shot out to clamp over his mouth and slam him down to the floor. "There's anything you need him conscious for, do it fast," Daniel hissed.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:45 pm**

The monk gasped in surprise just before the hand was clamped over his mouth, and he struggled futilely after Daniel had him pinned.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:06 pm**

"Nope. I'm good with knocking him out."

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:32 pm**

"Its easier if he isn't awake." Rachel replied.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:33 pm**

Bobby mimed smashing his fist into his palm, indicating he was cool with unconscious-making as well.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:27 pm**

And, that being decided, Daniel socked him one to knock him out. Two if necessary.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:30 pm**

And out the poor fellow went!

Up close it was obvious enough that his robes would fit nearly any of them there, and did have a hood.

Posted: **Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:42 pm**

While the others stripped the body, Rachel riffled through his brain, looking for any useful thoughts or memories.

Posted: **Thu Aug 16, 2012 2:48 am**

The man was not given a lot of authority in the church. He had seen the Matriarch, twice. Each of these occasions was a treasured memory.

Posted: **Thu Aug 16, 2012 3:11 am**

"The ship is... heading towards a central fleet... node I cannot de-e-ee-ee-termine if that is where they they they took AltamiraVaquez."

Posted: **Fri Aug 17, 2012 2:58 pm**

"So who gets to sneak around as a space monk?" Kevin asked, "Caaaan it be me?"

Posted: **Sat Aug 18, 2012 5:15 am**

Whatever they were planning, they were going to have to implement it quickly. ASHLIE was receiving radio chatter that two members of the crew were heading towards their location fast.

Issue 1 Downtime

Heaven and Hell

Heaven and Hell

Re: Heaven and Hell

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