>>24786308
"What do you mean? Something happen between you two?"

>>24786308

"how did that happen anyway?"

"why won't your hair stay braided?!"

>>24786308
Better build something with left-over parts to keep her hair braided.

"How did that happen, anyway?"
"Not sure. We just kind of stopped. He gave me his address and I never got around to emailing him much." She said. "While you two somehow became more of friends after he left."

You fuss with her hair some more, and frown as it came entirely unbraided.
"Why won't your hair stay braided?!"
"Iunno." She said, and shrugged as you rebraided it again. The braid fell apart immediately. You grabbed some leftover manifested parts, and started to build something.
"No, you're not getting grease in my hair." She said. "I may plan to chop it off the moment I can, but it's the principle of the thing!"

>>24786447
"There's no grease on these! They're entirely manifested!"

"I think this is Alex's way of trying to make up for that lost time. This was his idea, after all."

>>24786447
"Any idea where you want to go? We could go home, visit the old sites. You also owe me Coyaki."

>>24786447

"I won't need to use grease, just need to make something to keep your hair from mocking me."

can we look back at the day Alex and his adoptive parents left?

>>24786447
"I'll clean it before I put it in."

>>24786447
Recabulator powered hairclip go

"There's no grease on these!" You say. "They're entirely manifested."
Ellie affixed you with a Look.
"You're telling me, that given the chance to create something out of your mind, you *wouldn't* add grease?"

You look down at the grease and oil covered implement in your hands.

"Exactly." She said.
"I'll clean it before I put it in."
"Alright." She said.

"And I think this is Alex's way of trying to make up for that lost time. This was his idea, after all."
"I kind of thought Jilly had encouraged him. She's a good influence on that kid." Ellie said.

You wipe off the hairclip, and your hands.

"Any idea where you want to go?" You ask, and braid her hair, slipping the clip on the end. "We could go home, visit the old sights. You also owe me coyaki."
Ellie paused. "You're right! I entirely forgot! I'll owe you two of them, because I forgot! Sorry! Maybe we could go with... hmm..."

Alex came into the hangar, with a wave. "Hey- Huh. Nice hair, Ellie."
"Theta did it." Ellie said. And then the bolts untwisted themselves, falling out of the hairclip you'd made. The device fell to pieces.

>>24786570

"why... just, forget it..."

"Right, Alex, where would you like to go?"

>>24786570
"You're one slippery eel, Ellie."

>>24786570
"Come and sit yourself down, Mr Freeze everyone on the station. We need to decide where to go!"

>>24786570
"HOW?"

"Why..." You say, looking down at the destroyed hairclip. "You're one slippery eel, Ellie."
"What do you mean?" She asked, as her hair unbraided itself again.

"... Just forget it." You say, and turn to alex. "Right! Alex, where would you like to go?"
"Well, I don't know." He said. "I figured we could go down to Heaven's Jewel, say hi to Ellie's folks.. Or to Burer's Glyph, see my folks. But that might turn out bad, since I know who I am, now."
"We could go to that really, really old arcade back on Heaven's Jewel." Ellie said. "Or Earth! We could go to earth! I dunno what's there, but we could see the sights!"

>>24786663
"Let's do Heaven's Jewel. Last time I dropped by Earth I almost got tasered, so I don't really want to risk my luck."

"If you ever want to visit your parents, maybe send them a message before you arrive, Alex?"

>>24786663

"Someone on earth wanted to capture me though... i haven't seen Ellie's folks for to long, let's go say hi!"

>>24786663
"We can do both, if you want. It's not like Surya's slow."

"We could do both." You say. "It's not like surya's slow."
"Then where first?" Ellie asked, as the three of you made your way in.
"Let's do Heaven's Jewel. I haven't seen Ellie's folks for so long. Let's go say hi!"
"Alright!" Ellie said. "Let's go!"

She strapped herself in, as did Alex, and you slid into the cockpit.
Omnissiah wasn't docked there, nor was anybody else. It was just the three of you.

And with that thought, you flipped the switch, and shot out of the station, punching numbers into the navigational computer.

Not long later, you were drifting over the world of Heaven's Jewel, simply coasting around, in orbit. The ice crystals were close, starting to melt- it would be monsoon season in a few weeks, you knew.
"Ooh, can I land?" Ellie asked, with a grin. "I gotta get more practice, after all, and the thrusters this thing has is a lot like the Garamon. It's just bigger."

>>24786831
"...Um, sure. Just don't hit any of the ice crystals."

>>24786831

"I could use the practice too but sure."

>>24786831
"You'll probably do a better job than me, so go ahead."

"... Um, sure. Just don't hit any of the ice crystals."
"Should the idea of Ellie flying a ship terrify me?" Alex asked, as you and her swapped seats. "Because it does."
"It should! I don't have my certs yet." She said, and tapped on the navigational computer to look at the atmosphere. "Quick scan... Anyone see any crystals around here?"
You and Alex take a look, and shake your heads.
"Alright! Then we'll go down here!"

Then she rolled the thrusters, and burned forward, slowing your ship to suborbital speeds.
Then she slammed open the heat shields, rolled the entire ship, and waited as drag took you down the rest of the way.

With only a little bit of shuddering, you came to a stop on the spaceport tarmac, Surya's legs down.
"Aha!" She said. "First full landing without professional supervision! I'm awesome!"
"... Yes. Awesome." Alex said, looking rather pale. Ellie just giggled.

>>24786956

"how about that Coyaki?"

>>24786956
"I've gotta hand it to you, it wasn't as eventful as some of my other landings."

>>24786956
"That was... surprisingly boring."

>>24786956
"You should probably know I've never even taken a class on flying."

>>24786956
"I'm sure you'll pass your flight exam with no problems."

>>24787019
"But then, I've got lessons from the current Pirate Queen."

>>24787056
I don't think "Studied under a pirate queen" is something we could put on a resume or use to get our certification.

>>24787084
Psh.

"You should probably know I've never even taken a class on flying." You say. "But then again, I've got lessons from the current pirate queen."
"From who?" Ellie asked, as the three of you made you way out. "And what should we do first here?"
"How about that Coyaki?" You asked.
"Right! Okay." Ellie said, and the three of you found yourselves in a forgotten corner of a crowded mall, all with two coyaki to munch on. Ellie paid for it, and started to eat.
"This is one of the things I missed most from here." Alex said.

>>24787104
"Yeah, lobster icecream is one of the things I really miss on the station."

>>24787104
"Anna, duh."

>>24787104
"Summer could manifest some, but you wouldn't be able to eat it."

>>24787104
"Would you be offended if I told you I'd forgotten the names of your parents, Ellie?"

>>24787104

wave to the Coyaki guy as we're walking

"yeah, its a taste unique to heavens jewel, home sweet home."

"Anna taught me how to pilot."

>"Hope she's doing alright." barely a whisper. take a large bite of our lobster treat.

"Yeah, Lobster ice cream is one of the things I really miss on the station." You say, and take a big bite. "And Anna's the one that taught me to pilot."
"Makes sense. She does have a ship of her own." Alex said.
"And would you be offended if I told you I'd forgotten the name of your mom, Ellie?"
Ellie giggled. "It's Lenora." She said. "I'm named after her."
"So, we gonna go hang out with her?"
"Kale's probably there too." She said. "Sure, if that's what you guys want to do. I just want to go to that ancient arcade."

>>24787251

"let's stop over to say hi, we can go to the Arcade afterwards."

>>24787251
>Kale
Yes
Yessssssssssssss

>>24787251
"I thought your house was on the way to the Arcade? Might as well drop in and say hello."

>>24787251
"We'll just give them a quick hello, then hit the arcade. I'll buy you as many tokens for the games as you want."

>>24787251
I kinda want to see if technopathy works on the ancient games, and what they sound like to talk to.

"Well, let's give them a quick hello, then hit the arcade."
"Alright." Ellie said. "c'mon!"

The monorail went on for nearly ten minutes, and you finished all of your coyaki by the time it stopped. Alex was glued to the window, peering out, and ellie kept having to nudge him to get him to listen as she babbled on about the stupid freerunning stunts she'd done over the past month; leaping from rooftop to rooftop, falling and spraining both ankles, swinging from a monorail's rail, etcetra.
"Alright!" Ellie said. "We're here."
"Alright." Alex said, and the three of you climbed out of the monorail. You'd only been at Ellie's house once or twice- it wasn't as nice and homey as your own, but it was usually clean, save Ellie's own room.
"Mom, Bro!" She called, rapping on the door. "I'm home!"
"Don't break the door, sis." Someone said.
"Fine, fine. Partypooper. Also, brought a few friends."
"Kay." the man said, and pulled open the door. With a thin beard and goatee, the blonde-haired man on the other side almost looked elven- scrawny, tall, and in his mid-twenties. Kale, you knew, was a particularly serious person.
Walking on a cane, a woman came in, limping- With grey hair, she was probably the oldest person you knew personally, easily sixty years or so. "Hey, you three." Lenora said. "Come on in. Kale, make them something, won't you?"
"Sure. You guys want anything?" Kale asked.

>>24787474
"We're OK, really. We just had some coyaki. We came by to visit."

>>24787474
"I'm fine, thank you. We've just had something to eat. Just thought we'd drop by to visit and see how everything's getting on!"

>>24787474
Guys, I think Ellie's an Assassin.
Or a kid of one.

>>24787558
Perhaps just the sister of one.

>>24787474

"Ellie treated us to Coyaki earlier so we're pretty much set."

ask how they've been and how much do we know about them?

>>24787581
And started freerunning after watching her brother do it?
Possible.

>>24786570
OK, I'm seriously starting to think that Ellie has a variation on what Alex can do. Not an anti-psionic power like Alex, exactly, but more like reality enforcement. She's so down-to-earth that she can subconsciously say "nuh-uh" to breaking the rules of reality.

"I'm fine, thank you." You say. "Ellie treated us to coyaki earlier, so we're pretty much set. Just thought we'd drop by to visit and see how everything's getting on!"
"Well, everything's been getting on okay, kid." Lenora said, and giggled. "Your folks came by to see how long you could keep the brat." She said. "Figured that the longer you keep her out of my hair, the better."
"Oh, thanks." Ellie said in a sarcastic tone. "You're the best mom."
"Don't you know it."
"How have you been?" You ask.
"There's only so much that modern medical science can do for my leg." She said. "They want to chop off the whole damn thing and clone it. Fuck that!" She said. "Kale, get them some drinks."
"Right, right." Kale said, and waved, going into the kitchen.
"See, if my leg is mine, then it's mine. Isn't no way they're going to strap something else on instead. It's just a bit of bone growth."

For a moment, you sit and think about what you know about Ellie's family. Lenora used to work on the space station, while her husband, Ellie's father, was a shuttle pilot. He died during a crash, and she had moved planetside after her legs started to get damaged by zero-G and lack of exercise.

"-And that's why we moved away." Alex said. "Would've stayed if I could."
"You were ten or something." Ellie said, and giggled. "Yes, I could see you owning an apartment at ten years old. You've always been a stick in the mud."
"Well, *thanks*." Alex said, in the same tone Ellie'd had a moment ago.

>>24787700
"I dunno, owning an apartment is pretty cool. It's a place to live and do what you want."

>>24787700
"its almost a super power how much of a stick in the mud he is"

>>24787700
Damn shame we don't know biokinesis.

"So, anything unusual been going on recently?"

>>24787700
We didn't want to bring it up last time, but I think it might be slightly more appropriate now, since she made her concerns more clear. She's not averse to the idea, she just is not interested in the methods that would involve a replacement rather than an in-place repair. "So, you're hoping for some way to repair the leg you have, rather than replace it?" Meaningful look at Ellie, since she knows exactly what Theta can do.

>>24787700

"Wouldn't have him any other way." (completely on a friendly basis.)

"It's almost a super power how much of a stick in the mud he is."
Ellie giggled.
"Yeah, a super power. Drags down everyone's awesomeness."

"Like that Pariah guy." Kale said, and everyone went silent. You didn't know much about him. He still lived with his mother, and you weren't sure what he did for work, just that it took him out for a few weeks every so often.
Everyone paused.

"The one everyone's talking about on the Extranet. Big conspiracy theory. One of those psionic people." He said.
"Hahaha yeah kind of let's talk about something else now." Ellie said.

"So, you're hoping for some way to repair the leg you have, rather than replace it?"
"It's impossible, apparently. Not without replacing the whole thing." Lenora said, and rolled her eyes. You gave Ellie a Look, but she was eying Kale.

>>24787830
"Conspiracy theory? Oooh, juicy!"
<Ellie~>

>>24787830
"I don't really keep up to date on the conspiracy stuff. What's the latest crazy theories?"

>>24787830

"any other crazy theories going around lately?"

<Ellie, something the matter?>

"Oh did you hear the one about the girl at the alien conference? The theory is that she was one of the psionics, and that they were using her as a translator."

>>24787830
OK, before we take this any further, we need to talk to Ellie about Kale, privately. It's pretty clear that he has an interest, and I doubt it's just a gossipy one.

So, out loud, ask about the conspiracy theories. "Is it really that much of a conspiracy? I mean, psionics has been in the real news, not just the tabloids; it's definitely real. So what's to conspiracize about?"

And privately to Ellie: <OK, I'm getting a little bit creeped out by Kale's interest here, and it sounds like you are too. Is your brother like, an assassin, or a government agent or something? If we were to get Theta here to help Lenora, is it going to set off a cosmic-scale catastrophe? Cough if it will.>

"I don't really keep up to date on the conspiracy stuff." You say. "What's the latest crazy theories?"
"Well, that there's like, handfuls more of those guys that the Extrazine didn't even cover. One that can bend reality, and another that can travel through time. Crazy stuff."

<Ellie, something the matter?>
<He's lying.> Ellie responded.

"Oh, did you hear the one about the girl at the alien conference?"
"That was you, of course." Kale said. "Come on, I know my little sisters' friends when you see them. The extranet thinks you're a new aide the councilor got. Or another psychic. But they think everyone's a psychic, now."

"Like your job. How's it going?"
"Well, I'll get to do some more work in a few days." He said. "Apparently there's a big thing going down."
"What was it you did again?"
"... Eh, let's just keep it low key." He said.
"He works for blackreach." Ellie said. "Viper or something, right?"
"Or something."

>>24787941
>like your job. How's it going?
>Whoops, should be
>"How's your job been?" Ellie asked.

>>24787902
It'd be OK to bring up the alien diplomacy talks, but definitely not psionics at the same time; our activities there were quite public, and we don't want the conspiracy theorist roping us in any more than he probably already has.

>>24787941
"...Ah. Tell Hound he's an ass."

>>24787941
"A big thing? Would it happen to involve ArmaTek?"

>>24787991
That works nicely.

>>24787991
hound quit blackreach.

>>24787941
"Do you know Anna?"

>>24788011
Which raises an interesting question: has Kale been around long enough to know Hound, or not?

>>24787941

not sure, but there is something about the name Viper which I'm not to comfortable with.

"I just helped a little bit here and there, got to hug a cute alien uplift as a reward!"

let's keep crucial info out of the conversation, like anything more psionic related.

The only way this guy would know about the name Pariah... is if he was working for Armatek.

And Blackreach is a merc company.

>>24787991
"...Ah. If you happen to see Hound, tell him he's an ass."

>>24788000
Better to phrase that one as a conspiracy theory as well, since enough of the ArmaTek stuff leaked to lead to rumors.

>>24787941
>"That was you, of course." Kale said. "Come on, I know my little sisters' friends when you see them. The extranet thinks you're a new aide the councilor got. Or another psychic. But they think everyone's a psychic, now."

Nah, just a tech nerd in the right place at the right time. The aliens had some amazing technology, and I helped with some of that. Got to meet some of it, too.

"Ah. Tell Hound he's an ass." You say.
"You know Hound? I never met him." He said. "I'm pretty new."
"Do you know Anna?"
"Anna... Spider? Ferret talked about her during the Ishelda thing, but I've never met her either. Next you'll ask me if I know *Dragon* or something."

"And a big thing? Would it happen to involve ArmaTek? There was a rumor..."
He blinked.
"Officially, we're being contracted by the UPA to serve as additional police forces in case we're required." He said, neutrally. His mind said both 'yes' and 'how the hell does she know', though, to your honed telepathy.

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

"Fuck this. Just spit it out, you four. You all probably know what's going on." Lenora just said.

>>24788101
"ArmaTek used clones as slaves and kidnapped children to use as hostages."
That's really all there is to say on the matter

Armatek has been very very naughty. Human cloning, mass extermination. slavery, kidnapping, blackmail. If you can call it an atrocity they probably did it.

>>24788101
"ArmaTek has done many, many illegal things. Slavery, cloning, murders. They tried to kidnap me from right infront of a *councillor*."

>>24788101

fidget a bit. "Armatek used cloned children for horrible experiments, a large number of them were 'disposed' of because they didn't give the desired result... they tried to take me after I took a shuttle to earth right after meeting with the Valk."

>>24788101
"Well, what do you want to know?"

"I can see the UPA military being tied up with essentially shutting them down."

>>24788101
Pull out a coin. "Heads, Kale goes first; tails, I do."

A bit of TK later...

>>24788222
Yeah, let's start with this then expand.

>>24788101
Let Alex start with stealing the data about his origin?

"ArmaTek has done many, many illegal things." You say. "Slavery, Cloning, murders... If you can call it an atrocity, they probably did it."
"But I don't want to talk this sort of stuff here." He said. "How do you even know? Apparently it was... Wait."
He paused, and the gears in his head turned.
"... My kid sister's best friend is psychic. good to know."
"I'm psychic too." Alex said. "Technically. I'm the one that got all the data you guys are using, I guess."
"... We were told that Spider and Pariah got that data. You're Pariah?"
"That's what they tell me." Alex said.

Lenora just opened a bottle of something alcoholic, and sat back, starting to drink.

"Come on, this is supposed to be us having fun, not talking about those jerks." Ellie said, and pouted at the three of you.

>>24788308
"Yeah, she's right. This was meant to be a no business day. Just chilling out at the arcade and stuff."

>>24788308

"these things tend to follow us around... sorry."

let's try to cheer up a bit, at least Kale isn't an ArmaTek assassin, right?

RIght... to the arcade!

>>24788308
<Dad, can I go by Bullfrog?>

>>24788308
<Well, I was trying to be subtle...

So, you're really working for the UPA? Because they like us just fine, but there are others who'd love to see us strapped to a dissection table.

And since you know, now...I should mention that at least one of the former ArmaTek clones has biological manipulation as a power. Have I mentioned it's fascinating being a Centaur? Nagala was somewhat stranger, though.>

Let Lenora connect the dots and ask if she wants to.

File: 1368389133468.gif-(Spoiler Image, 1.78 MB, 240x192)

1.78 MB GIF

>>24788352
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
Of course not.

>>24788308
"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to, I hadn't been expecting to run into a member of Blackreach here. No more psion or armatek talk today, I promise."

I like how Ellie's family hasn't even commented on her hair not being pink any more.

>>24788380
(Sorry, I only meant for the first sentence of that to be <telepathic>.)

didn't we have a little argument about lending out Theta without his input?

>>24788395

>pointedly ignore it in the hope she'll keep it that way.

or does it not work that way?

>>24788403
We did, we can mention it to Theta later, but we're not going to tell her about the possibility unless Theta says he's fine with it first.

>>24788403
Doesn't mean we can't ask.

>>24788427
"Excuse me for a moment, I need to make an Extranet call."

>>24788433
See, that means that if she says yes, then we're pretty much forcing Theta to agree when we tell him otherwise he looks like a dick, which is rude.

>>24788403
Yeah, I thought we'd agreed we weren't going to tell people. I don't really want to tell her, because it's a dick move to her, and a dick move to Theta.

>>24788461
I meant ask Theta.

>>24788461
Asking Theta, dunkass.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to. I hadn't been expecting to run into a member of Blackreach here. No more psion or Armatek talk today, I promise." You say. "This was meant to be a no-business day. Just chilling out at the arcade and stuff."
"Good." Ellie said.
"Excuse me for a moment, I need to make an extranet call."
"Alright." Kale said.

You stepped aside, and pulled on your personacom glasses, finding Theta's address. Teezimike? Tzusu? Kurt? You didn't know how to pronounce that.

"What up?" Theta asked, picking up his personacom.

>>24788546
ugh. why did we do this.

>>24788564
Yeah. I feel like we're taking advantage of Theta a lot.

>>24788546
"Remember when I said I wouldn't go promising any biological tweaking without checking with you first? Well, hi."

>>24788546
Yeah seriously, fuck this. Someone make up an event we can invite him to later.

>>24788546
"Um Theta, I'm sorry for always asking you to use your abilities for me and my acquaintances."
"I just wanted to say thank you."

>>24788582
Right, because he's got such an incredibly hard life now on the station, and tweaking biology is so challenging for him, and he doesn't enjoy it at all. Oh wait.

>>24788633
We do seriously need to make it up to him. Something he definitely can't do for himself, and would get a kick out of.

>>24788546

i have to agree with >>24788582

no turning back from this without looking stupid though.

>>24788612
is pretty good and we should offer to take him on a trip to make up for us asking so much of him lately.

>>24788703
Did we ever take Theta to Heaven's Jewel?

Or for that matter, he might enjoy Earth.

>>24788748
Hm, we could offer to take him wherever he wants on X next free week on schedule and suggest places?

"Um, theta, I'm sorry for always asking you to use your abilities for me and my acquaintances."
"Eh, it's fun sometimes." He said. "Robin keeps yelling at me to turn her back. It's hilarious."
"I just wanted to say thank you."
"It's fine. As long as it's not a hassle, it's fine." He said.
"Well, me and the others were all going to Heaven's Jewel this weekend. Or next." You say. "Do you want to come with?"
"Might as well, yeah." He said. "Probably more fun than hanging around he-"

And then it cut off.

A moment later, you got a call from Robin.

"Yeah, she disintegrated my personacom. She was very not happy that I wouldn't turn her back, so I borrowed hers. You have any use for a paralyzed catgirl?"

>>24788546
"Sorry to bother you, it's just that... has Summer been straining herself again?"

>>24788634
Just go with this one.

We can take him down to Heaven's Jewel with everyone else at some point. We haven't had a full group trip yet.

>>24788779
"Hah, give her to Summer."

>>24788779
"...More than a decent human being should."

>>24788779
"I can think of a few, but I think she'd avoid me forever if I followed through on any of them, so I'm going to say no."

>>24788779
"Who wouldn't want their very own paralysed catgirl?"

>>24788779
I'll take a dozen, how quickly can you ship them to my room?

>>24788779
"put her in some funny poses and take pictures..."

>>24788779
I don't get why she wants to turn back.

>>24788779
". . Give her to Sarvesh. Anyway, Heaven's Jewel next week, you in?"

>>24788779
Hey Theta, if someone's leg was damaged by too much time in space, and the medo's said they'd have to chop it off and stitch a new one on, could you instead biomancy it right?

>>24788779

"not really, sounds like things are getting a little out of hand though, might be best to turn her back."

come on, don't be mean to Robin.

>>24788779
Wait a minute, why doesn't she want to be a catgirl?

>>24788779
no... But I do have a use for a paralysed catboy...

>>24788779
"Mmmm, fluffy. That's like a mini-Summer without the mini. Why don't you ask Sarvesh?"

>>24788779
"Normally I'd be all for the fluffy, but after some recent experiences, I think owe her one. C'mon, change her back. I'll let you make me one again instead. No catnip though; never again."

"... More than a decent human being should. But I think she'd avoid me forever if I followed through on any of them, so I'm going to say no."
"Alright, I'll - ... Oh, damnit. She vanished. Still paralyzed. Good to know that she can still do that. And she's back!"
"Sounds like things are getting a little out of hand, though. Might be best to turn her back."
"Alright, alright." He said. "Robin is human once again!"
"Come on, give that back!" You heard Robin say.
"Not until you get me a replacement." he responded. "Until then, I'm Nightcrawler."
"Fiine." she said.

"Anyway. What were you saying?" Theta asked.

>>24788779
Are you scratching her ears? You should be scratching her ears.

>>24788925
see
>>24788838

>>24788925
"Well, compared to catgirls, centaurs, and Nagala, not to mention little old flammable me, this should be an easy one. How hard would it be to repair space atrophy?"

>>24788925
"Summer not exerting herself?"

"Maybe we could do the thing with the tape where I get yours next, that way I won't feel so bad about bothering you to fix things so much. Of course that would mean I have to give you techno first so that you could record it."

>>24788925
"For a minute there I was worried you meant Summer. How is she doing?"

>>24788925
"I forget."

>>24788992
We ought to try that, but judging by past experiences, having the power does not mean we'll be anywhere near as good at it as he is.

Guys, we should do a DNA test on Lin and compare it with the Others.

>>24789016
Well we don't really need to be to fix mundane medical stuff.

Rolled 11

>>24788925
Manifest him a new Personacom!
With squigglyOS!

"Summer not exerting herself?"
"Kailynn gave her an okay for low level manifestations, but Summer's resting some more. Looks like she wants to try something big." He said.
"Oh, okay." He said.
"And If someone's leg was damaged by too much time in space, and the meds said they'd have to chop it off and stitch a new one on, could you instead biomancy it right?"
"Biomancy is a silly name for it. So is biokinesis. Organic Control is better." He said. "And they'd never recommend chopping off the entire leg unless they already tried things and fucked up, causing extra bone growth. Nasty and permenant for most people, but I could fix something like that up." He said. "Why? If someone's having problems, keep in mind that my help isn't free."

>>24788992
>Of course that would mean I have to give you techno first so that you could record it.
Not really. We did Sarvesh's teleportation just fine and Sarvy doesn't have technopathy.

>>24789071
what would you want in exchange? I have some boundaries but to help Ellie's mom I'd be willing to do most things.

>>24789071
I'll make you a new personacom? With ALL the extras?

>>24789057
Judging by what happened when someone else got TK and tried to use it, even trying to make hair grow is likely to have us sneezing gray matter.

>>24789096
That sounds plausible.

>>24789071
"Heh, OC don't copy."
"Well, what would it be then?"

>>24789094
We should definitely mention that it's for Ellie's mom, since he seems to like Ellie.

>>24789096
Nice idea, and timely.

>>24789071
"What if I make you a new personacomm that's better than anything else on the market right now?"

>>24789071

"I don't expect it to be free."

we could offer to make him a personacom or personal drone with all the premium extra's.

I don't dislike Theta but he can have way to much control over people, the idea that we cannot undo the changes he makes ourselves is very unnerving.

"I'll make you a new personacom? With ALL the extras?"
"Hmm... That, *and* you have to do me a favor. When I eventually come up with one." He said. "And I can do that when we all go to Heaven's Jewel. Won't be hard."
"But Theta-" Robin said.
"... Do you want me to turn you into something else?" Theta asked.
"... Not really."
"Then this is mine until Heather makes me a new one.
"Fiine." She said again, and you heard the tell-tale 'pamf' of her teleporting.

>>24789155
Hmm I can understand that... but hes been pretty good about listening when its time to stop.

>>24789155
Exa mentioned that Theta makes sure that all of his silly changes undo themselves in about a week.

>>24789155
I'm more worried about the fact that he can tweak and suppress mental functions.

Huh. Which makes me wonder if, working together with him, he could tweak brains to make more psions.

>>24789162
"Fair enough. Try to think of something I can use psionics to help with; seems only fair, and I really would like to return the favor in kind somehow."

>>24789162
Thanks again Theta. I'll see you later!

Begin a mental catalog of what parts we'll need for his drone.

>>24789162
"Thanks Theta, we've got ourselves a deal."

>>24789162
"OK, but if it involves me being turned into something, just remember I'll do that for free."

>>24789162
"Alrighty!"

For Robin's sake, we should go parts shopping today, get a nice personacom as a base, and rewrite the OS with help from Omni when we get back to the station.

Einstein, order a miniaturised extranet node!

>>24789162
"You drive a hard bargain, Theta."

>>24789162
careful man, all her porn might melt your brain.

>>24789162

"thanks Theta, I'll have to ask Ellie's mother if she's willing and even if she isn't, I'll still make that personacom for you. I really appreciate it."

>>24789247
Good call; we really ought to tell him who this is for.

"Thanks, Theta. I'll have to ask Ellie's mother if she's willing, and even if she isn't, I'll still make that personacom for you. We've got ourselves a deal." You say. "And be careful, man, all her porn might melt your brain."
"The only porn I see in here is just dozens of pictures of you in the shower." He said. "I wonder when she took these... Anyway, see you later."
"..See you later." you say, and hang up.

"So yeah, that's when I started my shuttle training." Ellie was saying. Alex nodded. "I could probably do the test today and get my certs. Then I'll have a job in any orbital in UPA space." She said. "But if I do that, then I'll be forced to actually get one."

>>24789283
"Don't feel like working just yet then?"

>>24789298
OK, that's disturbing.

So, let's tell some tales about being a catgirl, centaur, and Nagala, as a lead-in to talking to Lenora.

>>24789298
Oh no! Heaven forbid you actually have to work!
You know, guys like a girl who has her own income.

>>24789298
(crotchety old man voice)
GOOD NEWS EVERYDODY
(end crotchety old man voice)

>>24789298
"What's wrong with that? Shuttles are awesome, and you seem to like flying. Besides, you know you'll always have a mechanic whenever you need one."

>>24789336
Nawh.
Let's surprise her on our next visit on Heaven's Jewel.

>>24789325
He might be fucking about with us.

>>24789298
"And that'd cut into your time hanging out with us.

I don't think I'll have any trouble getting a job, even without the psychic bit I won't really have a problem. I'm a damn good mechanic and engineer, my mother taught me well."

>>24789325
>>24789336
No no, tell Ellie we talked to Theta though psyionics, let her tell her mom.

>>24789298
Man, Robin has the hots for Heather as well?

>>24789356
<Three words: Theta said yes.>

>>24789362
Robin just sorta does those sorts of things. I don't think it's Heather specific.

>>24789298

"Doesn't sound bad, steady employment, good pay(?). Easier than finding a rich guy who will spoil you rotten at the very least."

jokingly of course

we'll have to talk to Lenora in private, leave the choice up to her also relay it to Ellie through telepathy?

>>24789373
If she doesn't get it at first, look over at Lenora and back at Ellie, and wait for the lightbulb to come on.

>>24789346
Yeah, it'll be like christmas, except better

"What's wrong with that? Shuttles are awesome, and you seem to like flying. Besides, you know you'll always have a mechanic whenever you need one."
"Well, yeah. Your mom's pretty handy, and Wes isn't bad with a wrench either." Ellie said, purposefully excluding you with a grin. "I just don't feel like working quite yet. I want more time to hang out."
<Three words. Theta said Yes.> You tell her, and eye lenora's leg.
She nodded.

"You're almost eighteen." Lenora said. "And when you are, I'm kicking the both of you out."
"What, me too?" Kale asked.
"Of course. I can walk again. Don't need you anymore."
Kale just chuckled.
"Aw, man." Ellie said. "Guess I will have to find something to do, then."
"How long do you have?" Alex asked.
"A month." Ellie said.

>>24789439
Quick! Fill it with parties and beach trips!

Well your welcome to stay on the station in the meantime. Your way of slipping out of TK is pretty unique and no one else seems to feel TK the way you do as far as I know so thats gotta itnerest the scientists.

>>24789439
"Better have fun whilst you can!"

>>24789470
But studying

>>24789439
What's a test we could do to find out if Ellie has some Pariah-esque reality-unwarping ability? We know she doesn't have Alex's obtrusive ability, but what if she just kinda...smooths out and reinforces how things naturally are without thinking about it? Everything from braided hair to TK?

>>24789496
(And more interestingly, the manifested bit of machinery we wound into her hair, which literally fell apart at the bolts and seams not long afterward.)

>>24789439
"Well you're welcome to stay with us after that if you want to."

<Partially because you're about as weird as Alex when it comes to Psionics and Dr. Manus might want to keep on looking at what you can do.>

>>24789496
Could we manifest something normal for her to use, like a comb/hairbrush, or a wristwatch? Something that would fail in an obvious way?

>>24789439

"you have my deepest sympathy" give her the same grin right back.

<I'll leave the honors of telling your mother to you.>

"you could hang around with us at the station." we still don't have a clue why psionics can't get a grip on her so she would likely get a bit of compensation, right?

I forgot but we're younger than Ellie?

>>24789542
><I'll leave the honors of telling your mother to you.>

This, and in addition: <Or if you want to wait until Theta is around to actually do it, and surprise her, that's fine too. Your call.>

>>24789542
Yeah we are.

>>24789439
"So, since the catgirl's out of the bag, Kale, what's your 'or something' if not Viper?"

>Your own eighteenth birthday is several months from now. In the smack dab middle of monsoon season. You're a few months younger, yeah.

"Well, you're welcome to stay with us after that if you want to." You say.
<Partially because you're about as weird as Alex when it comes to psionics, and the scientists might want to keep on looking at what you can do.>
<What I can do?> She asked.

>>24789587
<for lack of a better term, you smooth things out.>

>>24789587
You keep wiggling out of everything!

Can we use retro-clairvoyance to get a good example from before?

>>24789587
<Unravel, or slip out or whatever you want to call it. The [insert tool name here] broke apart when it fell from your hair. It's almost impossible to break them.>

>>24789587

<Psionics can't seem to get a good 'grip' on you, you just slip right through, not to mention your impossible to braid hair... my inventions hardly ever deconstruct themselves like that!>

<Slipping out of someones telekinetic grasp for one. Most people do not feel hands grasping them. The amazing disapearing, reappearing bat. And finally my hairclip fell apart. I know how to make things Ellie... they don't fall apart unless something makes them do so.>

>>24789587
<Hon, I bolted your hair in place and the bolt came undone. That's not normal.>

>>24789587
<You wriggle out of TK, you find baseball bats in random vents, a hair containment device, that I of all people made out of Manifested parts was both greasy when I made it for no reason and fell apart when I clipped your hair with it.

You're weird. In a good way.>

>>24789587
<You're the only person we've ever found who can get out of TK holding them without using psionics themselves. And remember the manifested bit of machinery I braided into your hair? It didn't just fall out, it fell apart at the bolts and seams.> (Show her an image of that if she didn't see it.) <For lack of a better hypothesis, it's like where most Psionics tell reality to go take a hike, and Alex tells Psionics to go take a hike, you reinforce the way things are supposed to be. It's like you're so normal it's unusual.>

Also you're kinda superstrong

>>24789587
<Your hair is supernaturally resistant to braiding.>

<I asked Max to go over the inventory of everything that's come on board the station. Nobody ever brought a baseball bat on board.>

>>24789587

shouldn't make it sound like she's all that weird , just that the scientists would love to find out why she repels any attempt at psionic touch.

>not to mention the bat and the way she wrecks doors

>>24789679
This as well, if it's true.

<You keep wiggling out of everything!>
<Well, it makes sense! TK is when people move stuff right? It feels like hands to me. It makes sense that I'd be able to twist out of it.> She said. <It's not weird at all.>
<And you find baseball bats in random vents.>
<That was ONE bat, in one vent! I put it everywhere else for safe keeping.>
<And your hair is supernaturally resistant to braiding.>
<Well, it's always been that way. That's why I chopped it off, because it frustrated me. It's super slick and silky. Irritating.>
<And remember the manifested bit of machinery I braided into your hair? It didn't just fall out, it fell apart at the bolts and seams.>
<Maybe you manifested it wrong. It was all greasy, after all. Maybe it slid out.>
<Also, you're kinda superstrong.>
<That... is from hard work and effort.> She said, and flexed an arm.

Everyone else was just kind of staring at this nonverbal back and forth.

>>24789659
This as the main explanation, and if she's still doubting...
>>24789679
...that's the trump card.

>>24789723
How did you put one bat in a vent everywhere else?

>>24789723
Kiss her.

>>24789723
"Uh, sorry." To everyone: <Nonverbal conversation. Bad habit to carry on an extended one with company around.>

<Ellie, that's just it. You literally put it everywhere else; exactly where you'd need it later.>

And show her the mental image of the device undoing itself:
>>24786570
>And then the bolts untwisted themselves, falling out of the hairclip you'd made. The device fell to pieces.

<Bolts don't unscrew themselves, Ellie. I didn't make it wrong. You unmade it.>

>>24789723
<Ellie, the baseball bat is always in the right vent. I have gone through security footage, the vent you put the bat in has no bearing on which vents you pull it out of.

And I know my work, nothing I make, nothing, ever just falls apart like that. I have made starships, bleeding edge powered armor and a gun that shoots heat as if there was a miniature sun inside of it. I know my tech, and when I make something it doesn't just fall apart.>

>>24789772
>I have gone through security footage, the vent you put the bat in has no bearing on which vents you pull it out of.
when the hell did we do this?

>>24789772
This sounds exactly right.

>>24789723
I think we should stop pressing.
I am pretty sure she just uses our mental shortcuts against us, as with the TK = hands thing.

"So why the goatee?"

>>24789723
<
No one else feels TK as hands. That alone is weird.

There was no bat on the station until you found it. I had Max check the station inventory.

Ellie I made a drone out of those bolts, It works. I didn't manifest them 'wrong'
>

>>24789723
<Hard work and effort training your weird Ellie powers!>

>>24789723

<well, Max's psionic sense of smell couldn't target you in any way while you were twisting out of my TK, if they find it interesting enough, they might offer you a place to stay and even pay you, all you have to do is cooperate in some testing and maybe attend a couple of classes.>

<that's quite agreeable isn't it?>

>>24789723
<Nobody else feels TK as hands; nobody else feels it at all. It's like your mind inherently constructs a way for the forces to be applied that's less inconsistent with the way reality normally works, and then that explanation gives you power.>

File: 1368393942222.jpg-(69 KB, 480x318, you_dense_motherfucker.jpg)

69 KB JPG

>>24789723

I thought we said we wouldn't discuss psyionic things.

Seriously stoppit.

>>24789822
Perhaps Ellie is so convinced that she isn't psychic that she doesn't appear to be.

>>24789783
>Never.

<Ellie, the baseball bat is always in the right vent. Exactly. You put it exactly where you'd need it later.>
<It took me forever to go get it when that monster was coming!> She said.
<And there was no bat on the station until you found it.>
<You took it and poked Alex with it!> She said. <If it was manifested, it would've vanished, right? I mean, if I did have these powers, it'd be awesome. But I don't think I do.>
You close your eyes, and focus on the past, where it had fallen apart, and Retrocog.

And that's when you see the problem. The device you made, you'd forgotten to twist the decabulator before inserting it, making the electromagnetism push the bolts away from the center of the device, unscrewing itself. That... wasn't Ellie's fault- it was yours.

<And anyway, Max told me I didn't.> Ellie said. <Or that he couldn't smell it, or whatever. Lin told me the same thing.>

>>24789723
"Uh, sorry. Ellie and I were, uh, " <talking.> "Bad habit with company around, but I said I wouldn't talk about psions anymore, and I had to ask Ellie something about it. I'll stop."

>>24789863
Interesting point. May be an inherent component of her power.

Maybe she's suppressing it so well that Max can't detect it either.

>>24789880
Well I don't believe it!

You owe me ice cream.
pout at her.

How the hell did we build something wrong? Its the most basic thing we do.

>>24789880
Okay, so maybe we should stop making shit up like
>>24789772
We don't control reality like that guys.

>>24789910
Yeah. Not like we even have to roll to construct basic things like that.

>>24789880
That's an amateur mistake Heather wouldn't make, Ellie is messing with it.

<That's why you're so weird. Things don't work right, you do strange things that make no sense but there's always a vaguely plausible explanation.>

>>24789880
[universal broadcast to the room]
<we're talking brain to brain here please wait....>

>>24789944
Retconjuration.

>>24789948
We can be a lot more polite than that about it.

<That's why you're so weird. Things don't work right. You do strange things that make no sense but there's always a plausible explanation.>
<Well, sorry.> She said, and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, uh, sorry." You say. "Ellie and I were, uh, talking. Bad habit with company around."
"That looks handy." Kale said.
"It is." Alex said. "Not that I get to do it much."
"So why the goatee?"
"What do you mean, why the goatee?" Kale asked. "Makes me look dashing. Maybe I'll win Cat over."
Ellie grinned at him. "Yeah, right. You, win over a girl? Hah."

Enough, drop it. Wait until more weird shit happens before we try to convince someone they have super powers.

>>24789987
nonono~! You're beard's too scrawny! You have to go for the "I forgot to shave" stubble or it just looks grimy.

>>24789987

let's drop the subject of Ellie being weird for now.

"is that her real name or a nickname for someone in Blackreach?"

>>24789987
"Let's hit that arcade."

>>24789987
"You need a bit more thickness to your beard for it to hit dashing levels.

Though if you're trying to win this girl over, have you actually asked her out yet?"

suppose Damion put the bat there the first time and has been fucking with us about that the whole way?

>>24789987
"haven't met cat yet, and you black reach people are all interesting in the extreme, Newt and her energy and creativity, ferret and his odd leadership ability, Dragon is a damn good cook, and Spider is well, Spider. Whats Cat got gong for her, what's she like?..."

>>24790082
>suppose Damion put the bat there the first time and has been fucking with us about that the whole way?

Doesn't explain us forgetting basic mechanical knowledge.

>>24790082
I wouldn't mention that much, especially noting that we know Dragon, we don't want to get in the way of our parents' privacy and if we mention Dragon he might investigate some things.

>>24790115
This is true, no mention of Dragon.

>>24790115
Yeah, no mentioning Dragon, even his cooking.

"Is that her real name, or a nickname for someone in blackreach?"
"The second one. Most of us don't actually let anyone but Ox or Ferret know our real names." He said. "Because plausible deniability or whatever."
"What was your name again?" Ellie asked. "Your animal name thing."
"Adder." He said.

"And you need a bit more thickness to your beard for it to hit dashing levels."
"I know." He said.
"Though if you're trying to win this girl over, have you atually asked her out yet?"
"I'm going to." He said.

"Well, let's hit that arcade."
"Yes! Finally!" Ellie said.
"Take care!" Kale said, and the three of you made your way outside.

"So, what should we play?" Alex asked.
"We could play Warcraft Four." Ellie said. "But they got a ton of new consoles with the next Demiurg Commander in them. An expansion, I think. I haven't gotten to play those."
"I heard there were a lot of people angry about one of the bosses in the expansion." Alex added.

>>24790135
"Oooh, we're playing the next Demiurg Commander."

It's got the stuff we added to it!

>>24790135
Habitual liar detected.
>Viper
>Adder

>>24790135
Aww yes! I love Demiurg Commander!
And we're in it!

>>24790135
"Oh? What about it?"

"And I'd kinda like to try some of the really old classics. Like, pre-thrid stuff. Though I'll admit that's as much about wanting to have a chat with it as play."

>>24790167
>>24790170
Yeah, we seriously need to surprise them with this.

>>24790168
Ellie said Viper and he said "something like that" because he was trying to be cagey. Adder is close enough for Ellie to have got mixed up.

>>24790179
>"And I'd kinda like to try some of the really old classics. Like, pre-thrid stuff. Though I'll admit that's as much about wanting to have a chat with it as play."

Wait, ignore my suggestion here. Perhaps later, but I'd forgotten about
>>24790167
this. We definitely have to try that first.

>>24790098
true

>>24790126
>>24790115
>>24790127
>>24790126
awww. not even a knowing smile?
(pout)

>>24790135
"oh, what was wrong with the boss?"

>>24790179
Pff, it's like you don't like playing 3D foosball and 4D air hockey!

>>24790209
...foosball is already 3d.

>>24790209
Gotta have a bit of variety. I want to know what they sound like. After we find out how our changes to the game became a controversy.

>>24790135
"God damn it, don't they have pacman?"

>>24790209
>>24790226
And if air-hockey isn't already 4d, you aren't making interesting enough shots.

>>24790135
"Let's play that!"

>>24790274
We need to cheat at air hockey using TK.

"Oooh, we're playing the next Demiurg commander." You say.

"Alright!" Ellie said.

The monorail stopped, and the three of you got off, making your way into the shop. The consoles were all along the walls, most off, and the owner came out- a dashingly handsome middle-aged man. Ellie paid for the three of you, and you got over to the machines and started to play.

The three of you finished crushing the weak humans on the ship, blowing through the game as usual, easily- until an ion laser blasted half of your character's armor away, and the ceiling caved in.

Standing above, through the hole in the ceiling, a woman with an eyepatch was standing on her flying ship. She had long red hair, streaming in the wind, and an ion laser- modified for human use- in her arms.
"Ohhhh fuck." Alex said, and dove out of the way as the laser came crashing down, the human girl cackling.

That's when you notice that she was labelled as Drake, from DarkReach, the paramilitary force that protected the humans.

Ellie looked over to you. then back to Drake. Then back to you.

"... What." She said.

>>24790305
Lame.

>>24790309
"Ellie, pay attention or she'll kill us."

>>24790309
"Yep."

>>24790309
"Come on Ellie, we've got a boss to fight. Get your head in the game."

Then start whistling and smiling as we get back to boss fighting. Keep moving towards Not-Heather's blindspot, don't get hit by our ion laser.

>>24790309
Giggle.
"Pay attention or we'll lose."

>>24790309
Did I ever mention how I made an ion laser and a exosuit?

*evil cackle*

>>24790309
"You're about to get blasted by a laser, focus, or we'll lose."

>>24790309
"Man, magnetic books to clamp me to Surya would be cool like that. Seems like I get all my good ideas from this game."

>>24790343
this.

"Oh did I never tell you about the real ion laser I made? I got all the swag for the video I sent the devs."

"Ellie, pay attention or she'll kill us." You say, and bring up your plasma caster, slamming virulent, white-green energy at her.

Drake was, most likely, the toughest opponent you'd ever faced in Demiurg Commander. After shooting her enough, she finally climbed into the ship, and you had to shoot down 'Deus Invictus's engines until it stopped firing kinetic spreadshot... And finally, with your armor entirely gone, and Ellie's character half dead, the ship crashed.

In a cutscene, the three of you walked closer, looking at the wreck-
Until an exosuit punched out, impossibly heavy, with a massive shield on one hand and the ion laser in the other. She killed Alex immediately, and Ellie right after, but you attached a krak grenade to the back of her head, and ran like hell as it exploded, killing Drake. The credits rolled, the expansion completed.

The machine dinged, and sent you a message. With a code that you could input to any Demiurg Commander game, and... unlocked Drake's armor and ion laser for your demiurg.
"Aw, no fair." Ellie said. "We didn't get it."
"So, that was you." Alex said. "Let me guess. You sent them a message showing off your ion laser?"

>>24790448
"Yup, I got all the swag. Want a t-shirt?"

>>24790448
"I got SO MUCH swag."

>>24790448
"Yeah, got more swag than I anticipated."

>>24790448
Ehehehehehehe

>>24790448
"Maybe."

>>24790448
"Yeah, it started with the laser, then they asked about some other stuff and the next thing you know, they're including all my cool shit in the game."

>>24790448
"You have no idea how much swag I got. I would have done it even if there wasn't any swag involved.

Want a T-Shirt?"

>>24790448
Mayyyybe~~

>>24790448
"What are you gonna do about it? Shoot me with your no-fun beams?"

>>24790448
"And all I got was this lousy T-shirt. And all the swag I can carry, and eternal glory. By the way, is it just me or is it surreal to fight yourself as a video game boss?"

>>24790448
"Pffff, they got Surya all wrong. It doesn't have any guns, and if I was gonna weaponize it, it'd be a massive ion laser."

"I got SO MUCH swag!" You say, and Ellie giggled.
Alex chuckled, and made his way over to a particular table, grabbing a paddle. "Come on, let's see how much you still suck at air hockey."

You shoot him a grin, and grab the other paddle.
"I call winner!" Ellie said, and the two of you started to play.

"Aww." Ellie said, taking the paddle from you. Six to one, it ended up, in Alex's favor. "Don't worry, I'll beat him for you."

Some time later, sweating and exhausted. Ellie and Alex sat down on both sides of you, panting.
"Who won?" You asked.
"... It was a tie." Ellie said, leaning on you.

>>24790135
>"I heard there were a lot of people angry about one of the bosses in the expansion." Alex added.

"So, why are folks angry about pseudo-me, anyway?"

>>24790507
This!

>>24790574
But... You can't tie in air hockey! You keep going until someone wins!

>>24790448
>The credits rolled

Was Heather, or some alias for her, in them?

>>24790575
Because they're bad at video games

>Until an exosuit punched out, impossibly heavy, with a massive shield on one hand and the ion laser in the other.
Waaait, how did they know about the exosuit?

>>24790574
"Truly unacceptable. How are you this good, Alex?"

>>24790574
I'm wondering if it was a 0-0 tie.

>>24790599
The same way they knew about the eyepatch, they sensed our inner Spacepirate and made us as awesome as possible.

>>24790599
I think it means physical shield. And exosuits are how Blackreach does it's things.

>>24790599
Maybe they just came up with it. They'll be extra impressed when we send them a video of it busting through something with double-shields on, grenade launcher built into one arm and the laser in the other.

>>24790575
gotta ask this.

>>24790574
Hug both of them with one arm each.

"I'm not that good at air hockey compared to the two of you. I mean I could tell the table to help me, but that'd be cheating."

>>24790621
Only if they got sweaty and exhausted doing something else, if you know what I mean.

>>24790599
Exosuits aren't uncommon, it's a logical thing to give a space pirate queen with a fucking heat laser.

>>24790574
We need to drop a note to the developers, thanking them and telling them how surreal an experience it was fighting ourselves.

>>24790635
>It was a physical shield, yes. Giant slab of hull steel.

"But... you can't tie in air hockey! You keep going until someone wins!"
"We tied." Alex said. "We're at zero zero."
"Now I'm tired. Thanks a lot."
"Hey, that's your fault." Alex said. "You could've just given up after we called sudden death."
"No way." She said. "I'd never give up."

"And why were people angry about Drake, anyway?"
"Because they're bad at video games and Drake's the most difficult foe in the games so far." Alex said, taking wheezing breaths. "And they're all going on about how humans shouldn't use ion lasers, since that's against the fluff."

>>24790698
"well they're stupid. what should we do next?"

>>24790698
"But I made that ion laser, it's perfectly realistic."

Think back to how the ion lasers operated in the game, if it's actually realistic tell them that they actually got the ion lasers right, if they don't work like they did in the game point out every technical flaw we can think of.

>>24790698
"Well, if they're complaining that the humans are OP now, maybe I should suggest a storyline involving LegaTek giving the Demiurg a bubble drive?"

>>24790698
"Hah! They should just post the video I sent 'em with the face blurred out. Then they can say 'No, this is a REAL THING that ACTUALLY HAPPENED.' In fact, I'll send them a message telling them they can and should do that."

<Hey, I heard some people are complaining that Drake shouldn't use ion lasers because that's unrealistic? You can (and should) post the video if you blur out my face. Also I just beat Drake, it's great!>

>>24790698
If they think that was hard wait until we send them the email about our psychic powers

>>24790759
Gotta admit, I lol'd. But too soon.

>>24790698
"Hmm, maybe I should put that video of my Ion laser cutting that asteroid up on Futuretube? ...Nah, everyone will just call it fake."

>>24790698
"What a bunch of casuals. Scrubs! Now I'm totally gonna send them a video of the exosuit with both repulsor shields online. See how those easy-mode babies like it now."

>>24790772
Hellmode? Hellmode.

>>24790792
Do it anyway. But blur our face.

>>24790763
><Hey, I heard some people are complaining that Drake shouldn't use ion lasers because that's unrealistic? You can (and should) post the video if you blur out my face. Also I just beat Drake, it's great!>

Nah, we should make them a new one, while wearing the exosuit and a shield. Let them make the video unlockable if you beat Drake.

>>24790698
"Speaking of which, do you want to blast some asteroids with an actual ion laser on the way back, Ellie?"

>>24790823
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ1st1Vw2kY

>>24790823
with an simplified explanation of how it basically works. leave off the part about the impossible crystal and then smile knowingly at the purple faced physicists saying that it's impossible...

"But I made that ion laser. It's perfectly realistic." You say.
"Yeah, I know. That just makes it funny." Alex said.
"Maybe I should put that video of my ion laser cutting that asteroid up on Futuretube? ... " You say, and then grin. "Everyone will just call it fake, but I'll do it anyway."
While that was uploading from einstein, you turned to Ellie.
"Speaking of which, do you want to blast some asteroids with an actual ion laser on the way back, Ellie?"
"Do I!?" She asked, and grinned. "Yeah! It sounds awesome!"

With a pamf, robin appeared, cheeks red.
"THETA LIED." She said, grabbing your collar. "He lied, okay! I don't have any pictures of anything!"
Then she pamfed away again.

"... That's perfectly normal." Alex said.
"Is it just me, or did everything around her go all... wibbly when she appeared?" Ellie asked.