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[_DivideByZero_]

Moravia Orbital Colony, Ulysses | 237d/3008AD | Von Hapsburg System

Megacity Time: 7:05

Spooky Passage
Dark (+1 Stealth)

An friendly insurgent. Useful in this situation.

Explore the parameters of the elevator. If it is suitable for riding on, attach onto the bottom of the elevator and ride it to the HQ.

[3] You slip into the hatch and, satisfied that it is not a vacuum chamber, continue to explore.

You locate the elevator cabin itself. A large, rounded cylinder suspended by high-tension cables and magnetism. The magnets, though powerful, do not significantly affect your electronics. The transit tube itself appears to be pressurized, but the 'top' of the room is some sort of aperture similar to a camera shutter. It may depressurize once that opens.

You are easily able to hang on to the bottom of the elevator without getting torn off by the magnets. You could even hold on to the cables since they are fixed relative to the elevator.

The question is whether or not you will be able to disembark. If you don't find a hatch on the other side you might have to cut your way through.

Moravia Mall, Floor 3
Heated Combat! (All initiative rolls default to a [1])

Atlos notes to himself: human doors not designed like relexian doors.

Atlos takes the elevator. These gents have no reason to connect him to the "robodog" at the moment. He'll strike up polite conversation if they acknowledge him.

The employees confront you.
Employee 1: "Hey there, are you new to the company?"
Employee 2: "I haven't seen him around."

[4+1-1] +1 due to Cultural Researcher, -1 due to Alien

The SpaceInc employees don't seem the slightest bit suspicious about your presence. They seem to be more interested in your cool fishtank than who you are.

[2] Unfortunately for you, the elevator requires a keycard to operate. As the company workers slide their cards individually, you realize that every person needs to be documented when they enter the elevator. If you get in, you'll have to either tell them you're not part of the company or... work something out. Perhaps slide a random card with it and hope for the best?

...

Primary Elevator Control Room
High Security (-1 Stealth)

((I'm assuming I'm alone in here.))

Deuce switched on his Guild comms and got out a quick word before the manager arrived.  'Everyone, quick update.  I've gotten myself a job here as a low-level manager in an elevator control room and have some security access.  Atlos, I see you- I'm controlling that elevator.'

Make sure the elevator is there for the HQ Party.  Hold it open a bit longer than protocol so that Atlos can get inside if he wants to ride with them.

It seems that a keycard is needed to enter the elevator. You weren't told about that bit... but you could override it yourself if you wanted to and suppress that requirement. You can either suppress an error if Atlos swipes a fake card or skip it altogether, which might arouse some confusion with the company folk.

[1/3] You hear footsteps behind you in the hall. Looks like either a worker or a manager is approaching, although you still have time to help Atlos.

Moravia Lab
High Security (-1 Stealth)

"Basically, due to the scanner not being built to read that wide of a beam, it's a tad blurry, so it thinks everyone is a tad odd looking. Still can see skeletal structure though. There are a few people in the Vacuum Cleaner section that the scanner cannot see through the clothes of. Skulls are visible though."

"AI, look for a lack of skeleton. The abnormal dimensions are due to modifications to the scanner." Nerin looks as the AI (hopefully) looks.

Nerin: [5+1/4] The AI acknowledges the command and begins to work. It speaks after a couple of milliseconds.
"All scans OK. No abnormal signatures detected."

"I'm getting the nagging suspicion that by telling it the current status is normal, you normalizing any abnormalities currently present. The system isn't too intelligent--" before she can wrap up her sentence, the AI blurts out, "Warning, scans indicate population out of parameters. Alert!"

Looking at the screen, you notice that more people have wandered away from the scanner and thus the number of people whose skeletons the scanner cannot see has increased. The AI is designed to pay attention to demographic data in order to allow aliens to enter without tripping the alarm. It seems the doctor was right, your normalizing of the data set has made the AI extremely sensitive to transient factors combined with the sensor modifications.

While Nerin is busy scanning with the Milliwave, Valrak takes control of Nerin's passive scanners and uses them to bolster his own, he then begins scanning using both passive scanners.

He also pings Warden through an encrypted channel and sends a few multispectrum snapshots that the AI gave Nerin. "Oi, it's Valrak, if you can, mind scanning for organics who lack a skeletal structure or exhibit similar heat signatures to the encoded sensor data? There's a class three biomatrix loose that some idiot let out and I'd rather not risk it getting the time to figure out how to assimilate technology or evolve into a class four, five, or six. Would result in a massive number of civilian casualties if that happened and that's not in the MO. Also Nerin hates biomatrixes and I would rather not have to amputate his arm again due to a partial infection. He was tramatized last time that happened."

Valrak: [6/3-1] Bonus is from Nerin's intellect

You begin scanning and find something rather strange right away. Those people whose skeletons the scanner cannot detect the skeletons of have normal heat signatures, but a few individuals around them have extremely abnormal heat patterns. Three individuals total, in fact, are extremely cold for about thirty seconds before resuming normal heat activity. As you keep scanning, another one turns cold right in front of your eyes. It begins from just above the person's ankle. Switching back to normal vision, you see nothing directly abnormal, but said person is a man wearing jeans and their skin is exposed just above their socks.

[~Neri]

"..Probably easier to scan manually. AI, countermend both prior commands, be a tad quieter when shouting alerts since you aren't exactly capable of detecting with the alternate hardware. As a note. Valrak is picking up a bunch of abnormal heat signatures. Nerin brings up the recordings of the heat abnormalities with the people on the computer screen. "Do those look similar to what we're searching for?"

Nerin then proceeds to scan with the Milliwave manually. Valrak scans with the sensors.

[WillowLuman]

"Good evening, gents. Yes, I am new around here." Atlos swipes with random cards. If he is unable to gain access after a couple of them, he will apologize for holding up the elevator and tell them to go on ahead while he looks for "the right one."

[Toaster]

'Just fake it; got you covered.'

Suppress errors on the swipe, and get it going.

[HighEndNoob]

There may be a depressurized compartment that I could enter. Sound travels differently in pressured areas.

knock on the compartment in uneven intervals and listen for a difference in sounds. If there is one, cut my way through and enter the compartment. If there isn't one, hold on for dear life.

[_DivideByZero_]

Moravia Orbital Colony, Ulysses | 237d/3008AD | Von Hapsburg System

Megacity Time: 7:08

Spooky Passage
Dark (+1 Stealth)

There may be a depressurized compartment that I could enter. Sound travels differently in pressured areas.

knock on the compartment in uneven intervals and listen for a difference in sounds. If there is one, cut my way through and enter the compartment. If there isn't one, hold on for dear life.

You hear nothing but the vibrations reverberating through the metal itself. It's a vacuum!

[5] You cut a neatly-sized hole inside [1/1-1 = 2] and watch as it falls into the abyss. Whoops.

Hunkering inside like some Terran housecat, you await the moment that the elevator turns on. If you don't get ripped into a pile of loose gears, or launched out the bottom as the floor collapses under acceleration, you'll be fine...

...

Primary Elevator Control Room
High Security (-1 Stealth)

((That last post was misleading. You would be able to help him if you had manager's access. But you don't. Anyways, lucky break.))

As Atlos swipes the card, you push a button to clear the error screen and start the trip. [5] The elevator closes its doors and begins to move.

Then you remember--you need manager's access to operate the HQ elevator. So why did it work this time? You look at the control panel and see nothing unusual, no key in any slot, no override to be seen...

And then you notice the manager's keycard on the floor, right under one of your chair's caster wheels. Someone must have swiped it recently and set it on the table, wherein it proceeded to fall off and land on the floor. The permissions remain, though, and you have full access.

...

Moravia Mall, Floor 3
Heated Combat! (All initiative rolls default to a [1])

[2+1] Deuce assured you it would work, and yet the error message flashes for an instant on the screen. The two SpaceInc employees notice it, but don't get too suspicious--they expect their software to have quirks, it seems.

You hear subtle tapping from beneath the floor. Probably just the elevator working. You wonder where WARDEN is...

The elevator moves up along its track. Since you are moving upward, gravity decreases as you get closer to the center of the ring. However, toward the end of the ascent, the gravity rises back to a level even higher than on the City ring, to about the Terran Standard of 9.8 m/sē. In your spare time you look at one of the diagrams on the wall, which explains the setup in more detail.

The Headquarters Ring has 100% Terran gravity, as opposed to the 80% present on the City Ring.

However, its radius is only half that of the City Ring. The reason why the gravity is higher is because the inner ring spins much more quickly, specifically at 1 RPM, while the outer ring spins at only 0.01 RPM.

Our high-performance elevators are designed to angle the inner cabin as the elevator's trajectory curves to match rotation with the station. The end result is that when you disembark, the elevator will no longer be a vertical lift, but a horizontal tram with vertically opening doors.

As the ride nearly ends, you hear metal tumbling to your left inside the elevator housing. Some of the SpaceInc fellows comment on how the maintainence is mostly run by teenagers. Finally, the doors swing open vertically to what looks like a modern subway station, decorated with all varieties of alien and Terran planters and trees, growing seamlessly with the metal and polymer architecture. About eight benches are full of people waiting their turns, mostly businesspeople of various nationalities, planetary bodies, and alien races. Most of them do not actually belong to SpaceInc, it seems.

This section contains amenities for visitors, as well as SpaceInc employees on break. The primary services here are corporate offices, station management and control, executive conferences, and security. Finally, there are twenty glass biodomes used to provide a vista of the gas giant Ulysses, ten on each side of the ring.

Warden's Elevator Hiding Spot
Hidden (+1 Stealth)

As the elevator approaches its resting place, you notice that the gravity is tilting... and tilting... this seems to be an intentional part of the design. A regular human would get dizzy, but since you are a robot, you don't have to worry about that. Or the vacuum outside, for that matter.

However, the tilting gravity does pull you towards the hole you created.
[6/5-1] Bonus from previous stealth bonus
You try to shift your grip into a more stable position, but lose it altogether and start bouncing around in the cabin. As it turns out, without air friction to slow you down, you bounce for a lot longer than you do in atmosphere.

But finally, the trip ends, and you make it to a stop. The doors--now on the side of the elevator, it seems, open up. It looks like the elevator now rests on a track of sorts, making it resemble a tram or train rather than an elevator. You can hop out and insert yourself into the exiting passengers, which might be difficult, or you can sneak through a maintenance hatch back into the crawlspace.

...

Moravia Lab
High Security (-1 Stealth)

"..Probably easier to scan manually. AI, countermend both prior commands, be a tad quieter when shouting alerts since you aren't exactly capable of detecting with the alternate hardware. As a note. Valrak is picking up a bunch of abnormal heat signatures. Nerin brings up the recordings of the heat abnormalities with the people on the computer screen. "Do those look similar to what we're searching for?"

Nerin then proceeds to scan with the Milliwave manually. Valrak scans with the sensors.

"That's definitely unusual, although we haven't had much of a chance to watch the infestation process firsthand. Best to check with caution... somehow."
On the milliwave scanner, everything appears as before, but there are more people whose skeletons cannot be seen with their clothes.
"Oh by the way, it's been a bit too long without introducing everyone. I am Dr. Chance, and this is my colleague, Dr. Bradley. You'll need me if you want to get access to any of the higher research data, though Brandley has my permission as well.

[~Neri]

"Could just temporarily detain them and get them tested. You have cause and reason. And nice to meet the two of you, I'm Valrak, and I'm pretty sure you figured out that's Nerin. Nerin's a 49b Tactilogiform with a focus on mechanized unit control and KX9 unit coordination and I'm a 51c Combatform with protection, bodyguard, and object retrieval training and augments."

"There are increasing numbers of people with clothes that block the Milliwave."

Both continue scanning.

[Toaster]

Huh.  Score for me, then!

Pocket the card.  If I hear the door opening, drop my own card in the same spot and grab them both.  Keep looking around in the meantime.

[_DivideByZero_]

((Bump for the friends currently inside the headquarters.))

[~Neri]

((I recommend pming them/asking them to enable notifications if they delay for a while.))

[WillowLuman]

((Sorry, been busy/unsure of what to do))

"Adieu, gentlemen. Unless it should happen we have the same destination, but I think not."

Atlos takes his place amongst the crowd of aliens, checking for any signs or directories nearby, and (as soon as is safe) informs the others over the secure channel that he has entered into the HQ ring.

[Dwarmin]

Action: Time for more espionage! Let's spread subtle rumors among the station-folk that Aeonia is behind all the chaos that's happening to help her Monarchist flunkies...

[_DivideByZero_]

((I recommend pming them/asking them to enable notifications if they delay for a while.))

((I arrived from college just about now.

Ehh, during the school week I kind of welcome the break. No offense, I really do enjoy writing this game, but sometimes I get carried away when I should be working on something school-related.

Since he's the only one left, I will pester HEN.))

[HighEndNoob]

Those times when you regret not upgrading your climbing magnets. At least I didn't fall out.

Enter through the maintenance shaft and find a path into the main building through the main elevator shaft.

[_DivideByZero_]

Moravia Orbital Colony, Ulysses | 237d/3008AD | Von Hapsburg System

Megacity Time: 7:18

Moravia Complex Alpha, Commerce Sector
Civil Unrest (-1 Diplomacy)
Morale Boost (1/6th chance of a lockdown on the streets. All combat toward law enforcement receives a +1 to initiative and attack rolls.)

Action: Time for more espionage! Let's spread subtle rumors among the station-folk that Aeonia is behind all the chaos that's happening to help her Monarchist flunkies...

The riot seems to be contagious, and it is in fact spreading to the population complex as well. Unfortunately, this means people will have a harder time taking you seriously in all the chaos. On the other hand, if your crew fails at their jobs, there will be less security available to track them down.

For fairness, no penalties have been applied yet.

[4] Aeonia is a well-known figure around here, with her friends and enemies. It would take a lot to convince the populace that she is one of the bad guys here. Fortunately for you, the rebellion has given you a perfect backdrop for spreading rumors that terrible conditions on the station have all been set up as part of a sinister greater plan to create a rebellion that would allow a popular figure to rise up and show the people how effective a strong autocrat can be. Normally, telling people that they are acting all according to a plan would discourage them... but not these people! Your efforts have made Aeonia Zeal a much more respected and revered figure--among the populists.

The investment class, on the other hand, is outraged at the idea that one of the biggest shareholders of several major companies is involved in a plot to overthrow the government. War is bad for business, at least for companies that don't sell arms, and while SpaceInc would certainly stand to benefit from armed conflict, it won't benefit much when they are fighting their own population.

As the middle class starts to join in on the rebellion, the police make an announcement over the intercom.
"This is Moravia Alpha Law Enforcement. A message to all citizens, rebels and bystanders: we will enact a lockdown if unrest persists. Please return to your homes and stay out of trouble. Nobody else needs to be hurt."

Hm, a lockdown entails that the doors will be locked to . People will be trapped in their own homes, which would be problematic if emergency personnel didn't have a means to open them. This is great potential ammo, should you spread rumors that the lockdown will threaten the lives and safety of the citizens. On the other hand, it would be in your best interest to gain access to a keycard or something that can open a locked door.

As you search for the nearest fire station, a large glass cube held up by red tinted steel girders, you encounter a group of teenagers and college freshmen, just out of school.
A tall girl wearing a thick winter coat: Darn it, I was just planning to go shooting.
A short boy wearing a hoodie: They're bluffing. Maintenance has half the doors due for repair.
A tall boy with no shirt: They're upgrading the hardware for the official halls. It's obviously staggered. Your house will be closed if you stay out.
A medium-height girl wearing some sort of city nametag (her name is Elizabeth Bacon): I don't think we should be talking about this in plain sight...

...

Primary Elevator Control Room
High Security (-1 Stealth)

Huh.  Score for me, then!

Pocket the card.  If I hear the door opening, drop my own card in the same spot and grab them both.  Keep looking around in the meantime.

[1] - The door opens
[1/2] You drop your own card and start reaching for it. The intruder, apparently a manager that you haven't met yet, pulls on your shoulder before you can pick up the cards.
"We need to get out of here, security wants full access to the room."
Someone else walks into the room.
"Anyone seen my card?"

Well snap, you were just getting started. The first guy starts leaving, but the second guy stays, looking around on the desk for his card.

While you were looking around, one thing stood out to you: this room, for all its utility as a security office, has no cameras monitoring the state of the room itself. Your stunrod, if placed to the back of someone's neck, can incapacitate them almost instantly. Should you ever need to... deal with somebody, you can

Additionally, you set the cameras to delete records every 30 seconds, the lowest it can go. This should at least make it difficult to track your crew through the elevator, although it won't affect most of the cameras on the floor. There are a number of other changes you can make, but it'll take a bit of time as you're not used to the controls:

• Depressurize the elevators (Mostly for the troll factor. They will suck air back in when opened)
• Gain remote access to the console (Managers only)
• Disable the cameras altogether (will be suspicious)
• Heighten elevator security for the elevators to the outer docking bay or the inner headquarters (or both). Doors will require a security override to open.
• Lower elevator security for the elevators to the outer docking bay or the inner headquarters (or both). Doors will no longer require a keycard, although this can be reversed by anyone at the console.
• Shut down the console (will forfeit manager access)
• Get the password to the secure wi-fi used for security and control

Each of these will take some time, so doing more than 1 will incur a -1 penalty for the first two past the first, or -2 total for more.
[/list]
 
...

Headquarters, Floor 3
Professional Atmosphere (+1 Intellect)

((Sorry, been busy/unsure of what to do))

"Adieu, gentlemen. Unless it should happen we have the same destination, but I think not."

Atlos takes his place amongst the crowd of aliens, checking for any signs or directories nearby, and (as soon as is safe) informs the others over the secure channel that he has entered into the HQ ring.

There are a few things that immediately come to mind:

• Find a way to infiltrate the high-security zones. Deuce seems to have access to some sort of security room, so perhaps he can tell you which areas are not currently being watched. If all else fails, you can look for a life support area or perhaps hydroponics, leave your fishtank in a closet, and take to swimming in the irrigation channels. You know that human stations are still reliant on water supplies, and it will be difficult to enter a water treatment facility directly. If anyone could just waltz in, then who knows what sort of biological terror could happen? Humans aren't good at trusting each other.
• Stalk the strange people from before. The person in the Zebra robe seems to be looking for military support somewhere. If you could get close enough, you could find out where SpaceInc's assets will be. That would be useful info for the Guild if its goal is an orbital assault.
• Acquire some sort of security access. You could do this by attacking a guard in quiet, or taking advantage of a drunk human, perhaps.

You sit down next to a human female and a humanoid alien.
Alien: Well you know, I've never considered anything like this cross-species romance thing.
Human: Well all that stuff about humans you hear is flat out wrong. We could just have a drink together, watch a movie, kiss, you know... nothing awkward about that.
Alien: Won't my beak puncture your lips?
Human: Let's forget I said that.

Warden's Elevator Hiding Spot
Hidden (+1 Stealth)

Those times when you regret not upgrading your climbing magnets. At least I didn't fall out.

Enter through the maintenance shaft and find a path into the main building through the main elevator shaft.

[5] Bah, who would let filthy crewmen reach high-profile areas without clearance? You don't expect to find much of use. It turns out you were wrong, however. Since ventilation is necessary on a station (humans don't like to breath stale air for some reason), there are ventilation shafts everywhere. You don't fit in any of them, but the openings in the ceiling encompass more than just the diffusors--each opening has a grate which lets you peer into the room below. You really expected this to be harder.

You stop at a couple places of interest.

• A security room with a sleeping guard amidst several dozen camera viewscreens. Half of them monitor the crawlspace, but you realize why you haven't been caught yet: The darkness combined with your lack of body temperature means that your body appears black like the rest of the infra-red image.
• A dark, humid chamber with several pools of water. A figure in a white suit and a fedora appears to be emptying bags of something into one of the pools.
• A conference room. You just missed the conversation, but several executives are already leaving the room toward a lounge area. The lounge, as you notice, features a fountain. The crawlspace extends down around the lounge (humans can descend via ladder) and holds access to the water pump and plumbing. Here the ceiling is high enough for a human to stand. There is also a hatch that allows you to drain the water through a rubber tube that is currently detached from the drain and is simply lying on the floor.

...

Moravia Lab
High Security (-1 Stealth)

"Could just temporarily detain them and get them tested. You have cause and reason. And nice to meet the two of you, I'm Valrak, and I'm pretty sure you figured out that's Nerin. Nerin's a 49b Tactilogiform with a focus on mechanized unit control and KX9 unit coordination and I'm a 51c Combatform with protection, bodyguard, and object retrieval training and augments."

"There are increasing numbers of people with clothes that block the Milliwave."

Both continue scanning.

Dr. Chance signals for a team of guards wearing class II hazard suits to assemble. About four guards show up, each equipped with stunrod and plasma pistol in case things get out of hand.
"Our studies indicate that plasma weaponry is highly effective at containing the slime, for the same reason that plasma weaponry tends to have a lot of stopping power against humans. Since their tissue is saturated with nerve endings, a single shock from a plasma bolt will give it severe and lasting nerve damage, at least until it gets a chance to eat and regenerate. It's important not to let that happen."
She instructs the guards to move forward and apprehend the suspicious humans, bringing them into the emergency room while having most emergency workers leave the vicinity.

[2] Valrak sees nothing with his sight. Once again using the milliwave scanner, he finds that the suspicious humans continue to lack skeletons even though they are moving closer.
[4+1] Nerin, on the other hand, catches a glimps of something in his peripheral vision--a side effect of his wider field of view.

Nerin: There's definitely something going on. You spot a little glob of goo leaping from a person's exposed ankle, landing on the floor and darting behind a counter just outside everyone else's field of view.

Some of the humans protest convincingly, however. It's difficult to tell if they've been assimilated somehow or not. One complains that the pressure suit that he wears under his clothing tends to block most forms of scanners. One of the guards asks how he got past the milliwave scanner. The human explains that he did run into trouble, and that he had to show his Stellar Federation license and threaten the guards not to harm him. He once again flaunts the iridescent badge, threatening that bad things will happen to the station if he is detained unjustly.