EVENT ★ LABYRINTH III: THE ESCAPE

[futurologists]

LABYRINTH III The correct passageway to the inner ring of the maze is hidden behind a thick wall of vines. After cutting through the plants, the structure of the maze is noticeably different: the overgrown plants continue creeping up the walls, but the walls are no longer brick and stone, composed instead of some sort of blue metal with holes and divots carved elaborately into the surface. From some holes gush forth pure, clean water; from others, acidic liquid. The air is cool and crisp, the plants creating a lush, dim environment lit by eerie blue lights spread throughout this section. The lizards, rats, and other monstrous creatures seem to be absent from this area of the maze, replaced instead by rhinoceros-sized beetles. The beetles each have a single horn protruding from the head, and their hard carapaces make them difficult to kill -- a better method might be to simply climb somewhere high and wait for the beetle to get bored. But unlike the other monsters encountered in the maze, the beetles seem to have something else on their mind beyond wanton violence: they can sometimes be found rolling massive balls of dung throughout the corridors of the labyrinth. (This might explain why the plants are so lush closer to the center.) There is little time to explore this section of the labyrinth before there's a flicker of light all around and more ALASTAIR recruits suddenly appear, most dressed in a freshly pressed uniform and carrying extra food and supplies. They have been told that the cloaking surrounding Asterion Labyrinth is so strong and complex that Oska was only able to send in a handful of recruits at once for a relief effort. In order to leave, they'll have to locate the escape mechanism that lies deep within the labyrinth; the remaining Asterion Prison correctional officers know its general location, but not precisely what it entails. All they know is that it will require technological cunning to operate and that it's heavily guarded. After five days, the portal room is found. THE PORTAL ROOM The center of the labyrinth is a large, circular room with a raised platform in the middle. On this platform rests a circle of computer consoles surrounding another platform, on which sits an empty circular frame 2.5m (8') in diameter. This is the dormant portal, and it is now Audentes's task to turn it on and find their way back to Oska. Because the portal is not made for interdimensional travel, it must be overclocked, which will cause it to burn out and explode once it is used. In order to override the safety protocols in place to prevent such dangerous tampering, the control panels must be unlocked -- and unfortunately, the locks are all complicated puzzles, ranging from the numerical to sliding pieces into place to complete a pattern. There are many of these puzzled scattered around the portal room, and once they are all unlocked, it's a simple matter of flipping the power override switches. Ignore the dangerous humming sound and the way the frame suddenly fills with violent purple energy. That's probably normal. The new recruits have the correct coordinates to locate Oska, which has temporarily lowered its cloaking shield to allow Audentes to return. So there is a bit of a time crunch. Adding more to the difficulty of the situation is the presence of a monster lumbering around the circular portal room. Six meters (20') high, the beast is best described as a minotaur, but perhaps not in the traditional sense: while it resembles a bipedal bull, it is an amalgamation of flesh and machine with its body covered in pistons and glowing lights. One of its hands is an enormous axe and it belches fire and acid. Despite its head resembling an herbivore, the piles of desiccated bones scattered throughout the portal room tell a different story. Upon seeing the group, the minotaur charges. Mavahari, the Zymandis recruit, rushes to meet it with her sword drawn. Inmates and correctional officers do their best to fight it as well, but something becomes quickly apparent: it cannot be harmed by projectile weapons. The machinery of the beast keeps it protected from most attacks, though electricity will stun it and acid will corrode its metal. But in order to injure the minotaur, it must be stabbed between the metal plates where its vulnerable flesh remains. During the battle, the minotaur fights viciously and without regard for its own safety. The first casualty comes early: the minotaur swings its axe toward Mavahari, who is pushed out of the way by George. The axe connects with him solidly, sending him flying into the wall with a shuddering impact. George lies there still, but there's no time to mourn. The beast continues its rampage. Once the minotaur is defeated, you'll have to quickly decide what to do with the correctional officers and inmates who have followed Audentes through the Asterion Labyrinth. The overclocked portal won't hold forever, and the longer Oska leaves its cloak down, the better chance they have of being found by their enemies. OOC NOTES This log will last for six IC days: five days for exploration and one day at the center of the maze. We have also recently altered the calendar this month, so make sure you review it! IMPORTANT: Participation in the solution poll is mandatory for August AC. Failure to participate will result in an automatic strike. The only exception is for those who are exempt from August AC. The poll will close on 11 August 23:59 UTC. If you have any questions about the labyrinth that aren't answered here, please direct them to the Leramzen dossier. Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ and you may submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

Comments

[banded]

She doesn't need to return to Zymandis. She's honor bound. Remember that. [Though what honorable agreement they've managed here might be thrown out the window the moment that George's teammates decide to act on their anger. None of them have cared enough to find out what Zymandis is doing or why their agents are working for them. Scott knows that there might be an incentive that they don't know about. After all, Mavahari had an incentive of all her own.]

The reason why I asked whether you believe it is because you're playing the devil's advocate. You don't think I'm ready to argue for what I believe in, but I am. You're not the first to try this with me, you know. Not here. Not back home. That isn't going to change what I push for in the end. [It doesn't mean that Scott's inflexible, either. It just means that he knows how to argue his perspective, but his perspective does sound narrow, especially right out of the gates.]

[selfimage]

Don't tell me what I think, Mister McCall.

[ the words aren't sharp, but easy and fluid as if he were talking about the weather. dark lashes frame bright eyes as he watches him. ]

The reason I'm telling you this is because I'm not doubting your tenacity, it's because you lack experience with ALASTAIR. I want you to use it to your advantage. To gain the results most beneficial, then we look at our situation: Mahavari needs to return to Zymandis for us to continue our work. Her honor bound concept of debt considered. [ no, he hasn't forgotten that at all. it's too much like Angela, too much like his sister. ]

In Anwick we given precious little information, and in Nalawi they killed the goddesses and I couldn't do anything, in the end. [ he doesn't know what consequences may come from it, and it bothers him, even now. if they don't find another way, then that means that anything could become the catalyst for an unstable world. he looks like he's going to say something else about that, but he doesn't. ] I'd rather not be stuck with a lack of choice again.

You and I know that the best result doesn't come from kill the problem. The majority of people here are going to want to go the safe route, and you need more ammunition.

[banded]

[The words may not be sharp, but Scott feels admonished all the same. It's not like he isn't going to interpret Loki's words the way he sees them. His inexperience with this team is a good point, but Scott doesn't like messing around. Still, he knows that being clever can sometimes have its use. He just doesn't think they'll get very far into tricking half the team into agreeing with them.]

Why does she need to return? I'd prefer for her to have a real choice. If we're the good guys, that's what we should be doing.

[He's not being petulant with this question. The fact of the matter is that he doesn't think that she'll want to return, not with what's happened. But they have to be careful not to get on her bad side and wipe out her debt.]

[selfimage]

[ there was a need for both, the part that included manipulation and tricks, and the straight-forward tenacity that Scott was currently offering. if they have to trick the team, he'd be the first to volunteer, because right now it felt like they were fighting a losing battle. ]

It would be preferable. Having someone who owes a debt from the inside without being outright harmed? We're fighting against Zymandis as the multiverse collapses around us, we can't afford to continue as we are. We'll lose.

[ then, a sigh. ]

Audentes can be myopic at times like this.

[banded]

We also can't ask her to go in there alone with no means to communicate with her or help her. We could set something up, sure, but she just saw what happened with George here. She knows he got left out to fail because of the way things are set up. Odds are that she's too smart to risk that. [There's a chance that her honor would come in the way of her logic in this case. Scott has no way of knowing. But since George is dead, it seems wise to not count on someone else taking his place on a similar mission.]

Maybe if we had a plan. A guarantee. Something. But we can't ask her to play the double-agent. She's too honest to do that, anyway.

[selfimage]

We're getting beyond the point where we can continue to play safe, Mister McCall. I've worked with less, and I will, if I must.

[ there needed to be a catalyst, or they would continue to run in circles. ]

We can come back from a risk, but if we keep coasting it cannot last. You said you want to save people—then let's save people.

[banded]

This isn't a risk. You just told me to open my mind to what possibilities lie ahead. I'm telling you to do the same. We can't just tell her to play agent for us. We can't guarantee that. That's throwing away a life while saying you're finally making the harder choices.

[If Loki's hit a nerve, it's likely apparent. Because he has. Scott has had to play the game where people are used as bait, has made those mistakes in the past. It got him killed. Literally.

He refuses to tread that path again without considering another way. They just can't decide what that is right now.]