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revivalprojectooc2024-03-29 01:35 pm
trpmods) wrote in revivalprojectooc2024-03-29 01:35 pm
[Event] Problems With Portals (Part Three) - The Homecoming Job
All good things must come to an end, and so too must your time at NG-102. Whether each He Row saw the spaceport as something good or not is up to them, but what remains is the fact that it is time to go. So late on the evening of the 28th, or perhaps very early on the morning of the 29th it’s time to get things moving. Pilot-captains should round up their crews, perhaps send their security companions to collect people from the holding cells or drag them from bars or stores. Medics should oversee the final wave of returning decontamination showers while the Comms specialists make sure that any final ties the He Row’s network have to the spaceport are disentangled. The Agricultural agents should be checking over their new plants and herd animals in the cargo bay for transit, and perhaps the Engineers should make sure the all important parts are carefully stored away.
No matter what you do, though, it is time to leave. To return to the Agrii and solve their problem, perhaps figure out the cause, and possibly return to Agra-10. Do your shipboard duties that you’ve found for yourselves, or return to your rooms or those of friends to drink, or just make yourself busy however you want. The pilots will no doubt be busy switching shifts as they disengage their vessels and head back to the point in space that they are meant to make it to for the portal. They have just over a day of travel, and it would be good to get there in a timely manner.
Thankfully the portal does reappear on time, though it looks more unstable than it did before. It flickers and stutters at the edges, and almost as soon as it opens it starts to contract. There isn’t much time before you’re stranded out here in space, so better get your things in order and punch it through.
There’s some good news though. The Agrii ship still seems to be where you left it. There still seem to be signs of life. It’s still functioning. Apparently the emergency repairs have held. But who knows how much longer that can be expected to stay true. Perhaps it’s time to load the shuttles and rush back over to see what’s going on.
Did we say there is some good news? Well, there’s bad news to go with it. Are you surprised? The atmosphere aboard the Agrii ship is decidedly tense. There are barely even any Agrii present to greet your shuttles when they land in the hangar. Those few that are present seem divided into two groups, halfway across the bay from each other. The looks shot between them are not pleasant or friendly, but whichever you land near will immediately volunteer, in broken ‘He Row Talk’ as they call it, to assist in moving parts wherever they are directed. And they will actually do that, often with a smaller Agrii that you would know by now is a child to a teen to serve as translator and guide for both groups. It is only these young Agrii that seem apart from the general sense of unease in the air.
What’s also important to note is that the light levels are far lower on the ship than you have experienced before. The hangar is, at best, dim. It would be easy to stub your toes or trip over things or each other here, though it seems the Agrii have absolutely zero issue in navigating through the ship in this space. Perhaps it’s familiarity, they do live here after all. And yet they move around each other and obstacles with ease, so maybe it’s something else entirely.
The dimness lingers for only a short period of time before a clearly synthetic voice chimes in, something strange and new.
New biologicals detected. Welcome back to the Agrii He Rows. Raising light levels by 25%. Please note, manual override is possible but not advisable due to power rationing. Full lights reserved for ‘The Green Room’, ‘The Medical Wing’ and ‘Under Engineering’ when workers are present. Restoration of full systems required before alterations are suggested.
This voice isn’t like any before. It wasn’t there the first time the He Rows were on the Agrii ship and the singing star core was stolen. It isn’t the ominous voice that has rung out when the storms were bad sometimes. And it most definitely isn’t the voice from Calibrations. Something else is talking. Perhaps something the He Rows did while interacting with the ‘Under Engineering’ dumbAI caused a change in the system. Perhaps it is growing more aware?
The Agrii themselves flinch almost en mass when the voice speaks, some even turning toward where they must assume the sound is coming from and hissing, their sharp teeth bared. If you thought a smile from such a sharp toothed mein was bad, seeing an Agrii worked up and hissing is probably worse. It makes them look almost predatory. Perhaps it’s wise to remember that their eyes are forward on their heads, and this is most commonly a trait of species that hunt, at least on a lot of worlds.
But like the voice says, the lights do come up a little bit more, giving just enough light for He Rows to mostly function if they don’t have visual processing issues. It’s not going to be pleasant, but it’s functional. Stepping out of the hangar and into the halls will reveal they are lit only by faintly flashing red emergency lights. Not pleasant, but functional. In a way it’s probably a blessing for the humans aboard, as red light is a lot easier to adjust to than yellow, so you’ll have an easier time retaining your night vision.
Perhaps the most important thing to note in the hangar is the fact that the most familiar faces among the Agrii are absolutely not present. There’s no sign of Ga Re, there’s no Mu Ly, and even Te Ra, Te Mi, and An Nu don’t seem to be around. There is briefly a glimpse of an Agrii wearing goggles, just by the door, but no sooner do the He Rows hear the voice than that strange figure leaves. You’re on your own with relative strangers who are going to help, but seem to require you to approach first (unless they are young).
There is a lot to do on the ship, though, so perhaps this unease from the Agrii isn’t high up on your list of priorities or notable features. So gather your tools, the parts, and your work teams and head for Under Engineering. It’s time to get full life support systems restored, and the engines. And everything else. Or perhaps it’s time to get back to your investigations. True to the synthetic voice’s words, the Under Engineering area is fully lit now, better than it was before. There is no sign of Agrii there or even in Engineering at all, save for the ones serving as porters for all of the things the He Rows are bringing with them. None of them want to pass into the Under Engineering area though. They seem almost afraid of it, and even suggesting to do so will have them fleeing Engineering entirely. Not even the little ones will come down. Perhaps it’s for the best. Things could get loud down there, or dangerous, with all of the repairs going on.
If asked the younger Agrii will say that most of the Agrii not present or leaving now have gone to the ‘All Gather Place’ where the Agrii meet and talk when they must speak on important things. When they must make agreements. When He Rows need they can ask, and the Strange Voice will call Agrii to them, but the Agrii won’t be happy. Perhaps it’s better to send a runner. The little ones agree to stay in small groups near the entrances of The Green Room to carry requests to the All Gather Place if the He Rows need. They are too young for an All Gather anyway. They will try and help the He Rows. Their friend Te Mi has asked this of them, because he wants them all to be able to talk to their friends. And the way the smaller Agrii gesture to the He Rows when they say ‘friends’ seems to very much imply they mean the He Rows are their friends.
Those who head into the Under Engineering area will find they still have the same areas to work in, but the systems are already starting to degrade. The only thing that seems to still be doing well is the central processing hub of the ship’s dumbAI, which is brightly lit and alive with activity. Coming close will have that same synthetic voice pour from a nearby speaker (when was that even installed). It will greet the He Row(s) by name and offer updates on system processes, what repairs are most critical, and ask how it may render assistance. The forwardness and interaction might explain why the Agrii were unnerved. There is nothing like an AI of any form tapped into all of the ship’s systems to reveal just how not in control of their own lives they may have been this whole time.
Talking with the system may actually be helpful in this phase too. It seems the whole thing has partitioned off a small part of its processing power to try and create ideas which may result in system repairs. It’s even thought up what it believes is a ‘useful device’ to help with reinforcing hull repairs and any other work that may need to take place outside of the ship itself. The only reason it has not done so itself is that it has no manufacturing capabilities and therefore could not initiate repairs, not to mention a lack of parts. But working together may lead to a solution. The system also reveals that it has not determined a means by which to take down the primary force fields that block the core engine and power systems, so it hopes the He Rows have found a solution.
Hopes. That… could be a troublesome thing for a computer in the Agrii ship to feel. That it feels at all might be problems somewhere down the line. But for now working with the system might be a wise step.
As for the Agrii themselves… Well, in the nearly two weeks required to make all of the repairs to get the Agrii systems up to full function again under the watchful eye of the unnamed but increasingly aware AI system in Under Engineering it will be rare to see an Agrii save for the young. There will be times of the day where some will arrive unexpectedly in the Mess Hall, create a large amount of food, and carry it away in batches, but otherwise finding an Agrii by chance will be exceedingly rare. Whatever is going on in the All Gather Place must be very serious. A check of the ship’s internal scanners from the Bridge or Medical will show there to be a massive amount of lifesigns gathered in the center of The Green Room, but the readings clearly aren’t exact because when you go to that point… well, you can’t quite get to it? The plants get thicker, the paths more confusing, and even when you get through all you find is a massive water feature. The lake is massive, dwarfing the size of those on the He Row ships, and almost covered in floating greenery.
The best way to find your hosts is, of course, through the young ones. Enough asking (or following when they carry messages) will lead to an answer. The lake is actually where they go, and the young Agrii splash right in, disappearing under the water. If asked properly they will finally relent and help the He Rows enter, fiddling with some rocks near the edge until a small metal line rises from the water. It pulls apart down its length, pushing the water back and revealing a shallow ramp down under the surface. Walk down it long enough after a child and you’ll find a door that it takes four hands to open. And inside…
Inside it’s loud. A glass amphitheater under the waters, mirroring the dome far above The Green Room. Through the glass you can see creatures swimming above and around, a biome of aquatic life that would be beautiful if it wasn’t for what was before you. The levels of the amphitheater are just simple risers of metal sinking down into a bowl that seems covered with a shallow pool of water filled with sand. The seats are not full but it is clear that just about every adult Agrii is present, divided into one of three major sitting sections. Two of them are hissing and growling and glaring across the amphitheater at each other. The third and largest group sits to the side, huddled up and looking uncertain.
And down in the middle section, amid the water and sand, are six Agrii. Ga Re stands at one point, one of the agitated groups of Agrii to her back, all wearing a purple band of cloth around one of their arms. Just behind her and to the side is Te Ra, watching and silent for now. To another ‘corner’ is Mu Ly, his own supporters wearing orange and growling louder even though they are seemingly a slightly smaller group. Near the snarling Agrii faction leader is a lavender eyed Agrii that is tall for even the Agrii, wearing a t-shirt that says ‘my other shirt is a jedi’. Which of course makes no sense beyond perhaps being an attempt to mimic some of the joke shirt fashions He Rows have replicated over the years.
At the third point is the quietest of the pairs of figures. They are slightly shorter than other Agrii, but not in a way that speaks to youth. The color of their eyes is hidden behind yellowed lenses set into dark goggles, and they don’t seem to look much between the two groups, just keep still, eyes half closed, listening. Behind this pale-pink skinned Agrii is An Nu, who looks so anxious as to be just short of shaking. Neither she nor any of the gathered mass of Agrii in the stands behind them are wearing any distinctive color, but their eyes dart quickly back and forth between the arguing Ga Re and Mu Ly.
There is no denying this is a fight either. Clearly Ga Re and Mu Ly in the midst of continuing a very long shouting match. At one point Mu Ly shouts something loudly, hissed and snarled in the guttural syllables of the native Agrii language, and an Agrii from the large group rises. They cross into the empty space between their group and the orange-banded Agrii, stop by a basket, and fish out an orange band of cloth. This is tied around their arm before they go sit among Mu Ly’s supporters. A keening cheer goes up from Mu Ly’s supporters. Clearly some small battle has been won here.
As all of this goes on a smaller figure, not the one that guided the He Row here, will appear at their side. Te Mi is there, looking very concerned. All four of his hands fret with the pale yellow hem of his wrap style shirt, and he looks very nervous.
“Agrii fight for many days now, since the new voice spoke to us, since the lights went slowly dark and the food machines start to only make food at certain times. Many are very scared, so they shout and argue. But He Rows are back, you will help us, yes? Make the people Agrii again. Or at least not this. Young Agrii all scared of this. Say we should make a new color, new voice, make them listen to blue.”
Te Mi’s blue eyes look to his feet, and he shakes his head. Given the connection between those band colors and the eyes of the two main arguing Agrii that color choice may say something specifically about a role other want him to play. Perhaps that isn’t the path he wants.
“I hate when it is orange and purple. Maybe He Rows find a way to make green again. Agrii have not been green since Ny Ak found the way to call to He Rows, and then Ny Ak focus on He Rows. Some say Ny Ak too old or soft or cares more of He Rows than the Agrii since he put power into save Tony and others since, and so we have been purple and orange, for most of my ticks.”
The boy seems… sad. Tired. Scared.
Another burst of angry shouting comes from Mu Ly and Te Mi flinches, his head snapping up and toward the argument where, far below, Mu Ly has pulled something shiny and metal from somewhere and is brandishing it toward Ga Re. There’s still a lot of distance between them, so it’s probably safe for now, but the lavender eyed Agrii behind Mu Ly seems shocked, and An Nu’s hands have all come up to cover her mouth. A few of the seemingly undecided Agrii jump to their feet, rush to the side, and pick up purple bands from the basket before heading to join those sitting on Ga Re’s side of the circle. This seems to make Mu Ly think again and put away the… is that a butterknife?
None of this at all seems like what the Agrii you have known have acted like. What could possibly be wrong? Is it just fear like Te Mi says, or is something more sinister going on? Do you even want to help? Is there even a way? At the very least, will you hold Te Mi’s hand when it nervously reaches out toward yours for comfort?
Such is your return to the Agrii Ship, He Rows, and there are clearly problems to be fixed. Some of them mechanical, some of them interpersonal. Strange how the potential deadly risks of the ship’s damage might seem so much smaller if you’ve now seen the Agrii in conflict.
One thing is certain though. Whether it’s the damages or this tense, weeks long arguing, things need fixed, and not for the first time it’s up to you. Will you rise to the challenge?
FAQ
What are the dates of Part Three of this event?This event will range from March 29th through April 12th. After that time the ship will be ‘repaired’ (even if the tensions between the Agrii themselves have not been handled), and the ship will create the portal to take all three vessels back to the orbit of Agra-10. From there the He Row ships will be expected to land in Temba. An IC setting post for April will go up on April 10th to allow you to know just what the planet is like for the rest of April.
In addition our Spring TDM (which was delayed due to time in space) will be going up on April 10th as well.
Just as a general heads up, May will be a ‘free month’. There will be no new events introduced or plot elements. We figure with all the He Rows had a chance to get on the spacedock and all of the new information they have gathered since New Tick, they deserve some time to get up to their own antics, share the information they have gathered, and do what they wish to improve Agra-10. There will be a few notes in the IC setting notes to help there with some background stuff, but otherwise, we’re ending our beginning of the year events with this final section.
Can we opt-out of this event?He Rows are welcome to stay on their own vessels for the duration of the meet up with the Agrii ship, or to just hang out on the darkened Agrii ship at their leisure. Most non-vital systems (such as the Theater and He Row Control) are shut down during this time, and other areas (the Bridge, Medical, Engineering) are running on lower power modes when not in active use. The only place that seems to be running business as usual is The Green Room, so if you’re interested in opting out, staying on your own vessel may be the best bet.
What if we were/are on hiatus or are a new player?Those who are returning from hiatus during an earlier part of the event will appear at the fountain on their assigned vessel until April 12th. At that point you will have your standard return in Temba. For new players who arrive during this event, you will appear in the Medical Bay on the Agrii ship until April 12th at which point we’ll be back to planetary arrivals.
For those going on hiatus during this event, your character will disappear as always…
Is there anything special we need to know about the end of the event?There will be a small IC post put into the game community on April 12th announcing your return and the reward the He Rows will receive for all of their hard work. Yes, there is indeed a reward beyond what you did for yourselves. We’re keeping that as a surprise for now. You’ll see soon.
Does the Network function at this time?Blessedly, yes. You’ll be able to message each other across the ship as much as you would like, or even between ships. Apparently this is deemed a ‘vital function’. Or perhaps it’s just that your ships act as transmission and reception hubs and you’re close enough for them to still function.
Can we actually fiddle with light levels as the computerized voice suggests?Yes, those with engineering are completely capable of doing this. But, as the voice noted, you will see a marked power drain happening in the systems if you do this. Perhaps you should listen to what it said. Then again, who are we to stop you?
And now we’re going to try something a little new this month (please let us know how you feel about it). As we know not all people will be interested in all aspects, we’ve included some headers below to divide the FAQ up into major sections based on things you can interact with. While we encourage you to read them all, we’re hoping the headers help you find what is most important to you in the quickest manner. Again, please let us know what you think of this.
If You’re Interested In Repairs…
How useful is the AI system in helping us with repairs?The system will be very helpful. It has done a lot of data structure analysis while you were gone and has measured the way old repairs have degraded. This means it’s in a good position to give advice on how to improve the subsequent repairs. Not that you have to take it’s advice. It won’t even be offended if you don’t. Perhaps it doesn’t know how to be offended.
It mentioned some ideas for hull repairs. Can we use these?Yes. It seems to have found a way to adapt the street cleaning droids send down to Temba for this purpose. For a bit of a mental parallel on how it would work, think of it like the droids used in Star Wars movies for maintaining fighters and larger vessels. The little things, once made, would be able to go outside of the ship, affix themselves to the hull, and scoot along to problem areas to assist with repairs. They will need built first and an airlock to be constructed. And before anyone asks, yes, those characters that have some form of system to provide them atmosphere when outdoors (i.e. magic, specialized equipment with functions, or who just don’t need to breathe) will also be able to use these points of exit should they choose to. Probably best to have someone watching from the other side though, just in case.
Are we now able to access the main engine system that was behind a force field?While the AI cannot give you access, the Black Market Investigation team has brought back a useful little device from the spaceport. Their Force Field Disruption Device (better known as the Smooolsher by its creator) will absolutely crack through that barrier and disable it from turning back on. This will be required to be used to complete all final repairs. With the use the Smooolsher now has five charges left. Questions about the device related to other force fields should start by looking at the Investigations section, and then the second comment below.
In the process of repairs, could we work the systems to take them from the dumbAI and shift them over to Agrii control?Yes and no. It is theoretically possible but one should ask themselves the following questions first. Do you trust the Agrii with managing their own life support and other systems if they didn’t even realize there was a system actually doing it for them? Do you have the time to train them in how to properly use the systems and manage the ship? As the AI seems to be growing wiser, would it be morally acceptable to either shut it down or cut it off from its purpose? So yes, it is possible in theory, and if enough skilled people wish to do it and come together to do so, this can be discussed.
Will we be able to complete all of the repairs and return the Agrii ship to what is more or less full function?Yes. We are assuming the He Rows managed to find all of the parts they need, and they will be free to make use of any workshops and labs on their vessels as well as the relatively empty space that Engineering currently is to do any direct modifications before slotting things into place. It will take dedicated work and perhaps some He Rows being willing to (very temporarily to the point of not really needing to report it) switch to Engineering, Piloting, and Communications in the short term to perform all of the repairs. But they will manage to do so before the end of this part of the event. Congratulations, you have saved the Agrii once more!
Is there any way to get the Agrii to assist with repairs beyond carrying things?Unfortunately no. Once the initial landing and transfer of things to Engineering is complete it will be very hard to find any adult Agrii around to speak to at all. This is going to be completely on the He Rows to complete, with help of any droids they create based on the AI’s designs or their own, or any other resources they have. Truly your hosts are completely spooked by everything they had learned and experienced recently, so you’re not going to get much out of them.
Once power system repairs are done, will the Theater and He Row Control be useable again?Yes, the systems will be back up and running. However you will find that the old small screen that seems to display a ranking system that Cayde has developed a fondness for checking in on is currently blank save for a single small message. Anyone with Communications will find it reads ‘System Rebooting’. This will remain true through the whole of this phase of the event.
If You’re Interested In Agrii Relations…
Can we find the Agrii’s ‘All Gather Place’ on our own?No. Given the nature of the location and the lack of clues around there, and the fact that the Agrii themselves typically access it by means of swimming in through another entrance, He Rows will not be able to find the location on their own. They will need a younger Agrii guide. The good news is that most of these seem to fully understand ‘He Row Speak’, whether they will answer back or not. The smallest ones of those that do actually seem to have some of the best grasp on speaking in easily understood sentences that you will find among the Agrii.
Can those with Communications understand the Agrii’s language?Interestingly enough, they cannot. If someone has another means by which to understand languages they would be able to, but for some reason the Communications Datapoint seems specifically deficient in Agrii Speak. Though those that listen to it with Communications will notice some interesting quirks. While there are sound combinations you don’t hear much, any syllable you’ve heard as part of an Agrii name absolutely appears in their language. This doesn’t really get you anywhere, but it’s an interesting little note.
If we go into the amphitheater can we sit down and observe for a while?Yes. The way the groups are divided means there’s a wedge of the circle that is completely empty, sitting between the purple and orange factions, opposite the Agrii not wearing faction bands.
May I take a faction band and sit with them?No. Any attempts to take a faction band will find you met with disapproval from those nearest of that faction. They will take the basket away and hold it close, no matter who you are. Sitting with any group, even the unbanded, will find someone shooing you away. It’s really best to go to the unoccupied region if you want to sit and observe.
Can we join into the debate?In theory it is absolutely possible for you to step down into the lowest level where the three pairs are in debate (or rather two pairs with a silent observer pair). Doing so would result in the whole thing going quiet and all eyes staring at you. Hopefully you have a speech planned. If so, let us know.
So the Agrii are behaving strangely. Is there any way we can investigate that?Are they? Perhaps they are. But yes, you could definitely do a few things. Head to the bridge and check sensor logs and see if there’s anything strange that happened recently. Go to Medical and perform a similar scan for contaminants in the air or food supply (we don’t know where the rage bugs fled to after all, maybe they’re to blame). Try and pull an adult Agrii aside to interview them, or perform a medical examination. It’s all up to you. Let us know what ideas you have and we’ll work with you on getting answers.
Who is the Agrii with the goggles? I mean, they’ve been pointed out twice, they have to matter.That’s a question you could ask of any young Agrii. They will tell you, with all the seriousness of the young and a lot of respect, that you are talking of Ny Ak. Any and all young Agrii will agree that Ny Ak is very wise and understands the ship and machines best. Or so everyone believed until the voice started. Ny Ak is the one who learned how to call He Rows. Ny Ak is the one that sends Soup Lies. Ny Ak is the one that has saved He Rows in danger, though the intervention to save Tony Stark from Quentin Beck’s attack drained a lot of power from the ship at the time due to it being during a storm. The young seem to very much respect Ny Ak, and have grown up with stories of the things Ny Ak has figured out. Once Ny Ak was Green Faction leader (they use a different term for it first before applying a He Row color word before it sundered into Purple and Orange and the No Colors.
Can we speak to Ny Ak?Ny Ak, like Ga Re and Mu Ly, is rather busy with the debates right now. Approaching any of the three in the middle of the debate and moving more than the careful distances apart that the Agrii leaders and their assistants are maintaining might cause unease. So any speaking must come in the form of the debate.
For the factions is there anything that a majority of them seem to have in common?Ga Re’s Purple faction seems to have a decently high number of what you think might be middle aged Agrii, but it can be hard to tell the age of any non-young Agrii. This group does talk and glare but are less aggressive in their physical posturing and hisses less. Mu Ly’s Orange faction absolutely has a lot of younger looking Agrii, as well as those whose clothing seems to take on affectations that mirror those of the He Rows. They seem louder and angrier as well. The No Colors or Undecideds seem to have the most variation, including the presence of the few Agrii that seem actually old. While they clearly listen to the debate closely, it’s also clear that a lot of them are specifically watching Ny Ak, or the He Row(s) themselves once they notice the arrival. This group remains completely silent while observing, though when a member leaves to join a color banded group, they take on the same sort of behaviors as that group.
Do Agrii ever walk from Purple/Orange to No Color, or even from Purple to Orange/Orange to Purple?The groups are shifting frequently, with the most common changes being going to and from No Color. It is very rare to see an Agrii abandon a colored band, skirt the No Colors, and immediately put on the band of the opposing color. Sure it will happen once or twice, but it is very rare and only seems to coincide with one of the colored groups going silent with shock, likely reeling from a particularly convincing argument being landed by the other side.
If You’re Interested In Investigations…
Now that we’re back I want to look more into how the explosions happened. What will I be able to do?Good news. The dumbAI has also been trying to answer this, mainly using the information it received when spoken to during last month’s investigations. What it finds is that the damage came in time with an arriving signal to its systems. Given the fact that the incoming signal was processed through the now destroyed ‘asset management system’ that blew a hole in the hull, it is not able to explain what the signal was or what the directions it was given would have been to trigger the detonations. But it has determined that the signal it received required a ‘confirmation of receipt’ signal being sent out, but not through the standard transmission methods. Perhaps you can do something with that?
Can we interrogate the computer system?Absolutely! Please let us know in the comments below what you wish to know and we’ll get back to you with information!
What about the second force field in the Under Engineering area? The one with the ominous feelings?The force field is still active. At least, it will be until the Smooolsher is used against it. While we will address future uses of the Smooolsher at another time, this use was to be left to the team that acquired it, and by secret ballot they have decided to deactivate this force field as well. The Smooolsher now has four charges left. With the collapse of the force field the accompanying migraine disappears as well, as does the foreboding. However, anyone that investigates the room will still be met with an eerie sense of familiarity if they have ever been on a hiatus before.
Once through the doorway you will find the room is a lot larger than you could really get a feel for from behind the forcefield. A quick count of the rows and columns will give you a rough estimate of somewhere around five hundred of the strange beds, most of which are of a standard size though there are some longer ones and some wider ones near the far end of the room. There are also clearly accessible control panels at the foot of each bed.
I have ____ Expertise. Can I use that to learn anything about these beds?If you have the Medical expertise it will only take a few seconds of examination of the bed and the systems to know on a datapoint-instinctual level that these are Stasis Beds. They serve to disable and stabilize their occupants. They can be used for long term storage of personnel on extended trips, or to hold someone who is severely injured until proper medical care can be achieved. This is done without cryogenics, but through something else that you can’t fully explain because that’s not your area of expertise. That said, you will be able to use the system to access stored medical records for former occupants. While there are no named labels, in theory you could use the data to trace the history of who has been placed in these stasis beds, the state of their health throughout their occupancy, and whether a bed has been used multiple times. Perhaps you can even find out more with help.
If you have the Engineeering expertise you will also know within a few seconds of examination of the bed on a datapoint-instinctual level that these are Stasis Pods. The difference here is that while you don’t really have a concept of how the system maintains biological monitoring and support, you can explain how it works without cryogenics. Turns out you’ve always had, on some deep level, how to create and maintain a stasis field that that not only allows for outside status monitoring, but long term preservation of samples and contents in that field. However you will soon find that information from the datapoint is only accessible and understandable when you’re around the Stasis Pods. In theory you could construct your own, but the materials for such work are rare and not present on Agra-10. In theory cannibalization of these stasis pods is possible for resources, but you’re also aware that they are internally wired to provide a near-fatal shock to anyone who attempts to tamper with their inner workings or take them apart. Good news is that you also know there is a short range teleportation system linked to that defensive measure so if you DO get shocked, you’ll be teleported into one of the stasis pods for eventual recovery and healing. Yay?
If you have the Communications expertise you don’t have the instinctive knowledge of these systems, but you have something just as good: the ability to get into their code and pull information for study. You will be able to determine that some of these pods seem to have records of use that coincide with periods of time where He Rows have gone missing for short periods from Agra-10. There’s teleportation records for the day they ‘disappeared’ and for the day they ‘returned’, with most of those return functions keyed to the location of the fountain in Temba. Other pods will have records that indicate ‘arrivals’ that are brought here, kept present for a short period of time, then are sent down to Agra-10, or that are brought up to a pod, held for a short period of time, and then sent away. Both of these have records indicating ‘out of system’ for the ‘arrive from’ and ‘depart to’ coordinates that don’t coincide with Agra-10 or the ships. It seems that somehow these pods are linked to the process of arriving as a He Rows and your final departure from being one.
Neither the Engineers or Communications specialists will be able to alter the teleportation system functions or disable them. Destruction of the systems do not seem to work either, as attempted physical damage will also result in the debilitating shock and teleportation into a stasis bed.
Oh dear. My He Row absolutely messed with the Stasis bed in a way that caused them to get shocked and teleported into one. What now?The system will either hold them in stasis for a period of 72 hours before returning them to their arrival fountain, or the system will be able to be overridden by those with Medical expertise on sight to open immediately. The Medical staff will then need to promptly treat the He Row for their injuries.
I have been on hiatus before, is there any more information I can glean from these pods?You have the distinct impression of once, almost, maybe looking up through gray glass like this and seeing a ceiling like the one overhead. It’s a foggy impression though, no matter how many times you’ve been on hiatus before. But there’s an undeniable sense of familiarity. This is doubled if you’ve ever had a canon update. In those cases you’re certain you’ve been in something like this, but you can’t explain why you know it. You just do. It’s as certain to you as your very sense of self.
Alright, now I’ve got to know. If someone is currently on, or goes into hiatus while we have access to this room…You will absolutely find them in this room, in a Stasis Bed. No amount of fiddling from any datapoint, any form of hacking, or any manner of attempted destruction will override the lock on the system. As you look at the individual through the gray tinted glass you might almost think they are sleeping. Medical datapoint users will be able to tell that the individual is healthy, but other information is inaccessible.
Is there any other information we can determine with enough time/study/expertise pooling?With enough working together from the three relevant datapoints it will become clear that these pods (when you find the right ones) have extensive medical scans on all He Rows, past and present. The process by which the Agrii ‘summon’ He Rows actually triggers some form of system you cannot access that brings someone in from ‘out of system’. They are held here for a short period of time during which a variety of scans are performed. Then they are deployed to the currently established ‘arrival point’. So while it is the Agrii that is ‘calling for’ He Rows, they do not seem to have full control over the manner by which you arrive or leave, and did not know it.
No matter what you do, though, it is time to leave. To return to the Agrii and solve their problem, perhaps figure out the cause, and possibly return to Agra-10. Do your shipboard duties that you’ve found for yourselves, or return to your rooms or those of friends to drink, or just make yourself busy however you want. The pilots will no doubt be busy switching shifts as they disengage their vessels and head back to the point in space that they are meant to make it to for the portal. They have just over a day of travel, and it would be good to get there in a timely manner.
Thankfully the portal does reappear on time, though it looks more unstable than it did before. It flickers and stutters at the edges, and almost as soon as it opens it starts to contract. There isn’t much time before you’re stranded out here in space, so better get your things in order and punch it through.
There’s some good news though. The Agrii ship still seems to be where you left it. There still seem to be signs of life. It’s still functioning. Apparently the emergency repairs have held. But who knows how much longer that can be expected to stay true. Perhaps it’s time to load the shuttles and rush back over to see what’s going on.
Did we say there is some good news? Well, there’s bad news to go with it. Are you surprised? The atmosphere aboard the Agrii ship is decidedly tense. There are barely even any Agrii present to greet your shuttles when they land in the hangar. Those few that are present seem divided into two groups, halfway across the bay from each other. The looks shot between them are not pleasant or friendly, but whichever you land near will immediately volunteer, in broken ‘He Row Talk’ as they call it, to assist in moving parts wherever they are directed. And they will actually do that, often with a smaller Agrii that you would know by now is a child to a teen to serve as translator and guide for both groups. It is only these young Agrii that seem apart from the general sense of unease in the air.
What’s also important to note is that the light levels are far lower on the ship than you have experienced before. The hangar is, at best, dim. It would be easy to stub your toes or trip over things or each other here, though it seems the Agrii have absolutely zero issue in navigating through the ship in this space. Perhaps it’s familiarity, they do live here after all. And yet they move around each other and obstacles with ease, so maybe it’s something else entirely.
The dimness lingers for only a short period of time before a clearly synthetic voice chimes in, something strange and new.
New biologicals detected. Welcome back to the Agrii He Rows. Raising light levels by 25%. Please note, manual override is possible but not advisable due to power rationing. Full lights reserved for ‘The Green Room’, ‘The Medical Wing’ and ‘Under Engineering’ when workers are present. Restoration of full systems required before alterations are suggested.
This voice isn’t like any before. It wasn’t there the first time the He Rows were on the Agrii ship and the singing star core was stolen. It isn’t the ominous voice that has rung out when the storms were bad sometimes. And it most definitely isn’t the voice from Calibrations. Something else is talking. Perhaps something the He Rows did while interacting with the ‘Under Engineering’ dumbAI caused a change in the system. Perhaps it is growing more aware?
The Agrii themselves flinch almost en mass when the voice speaks, some even turning toward where they must assume the sound is coming from and hissing, their sharp teeth bared. If you thought a smile from such a sharp toothed mein was bad, seeing an Agrii worked up and hissing is probably worse. It makes them look almost predatory. Perhaps it’s wise to remember that their eyes are forward on their heads, and this is most commonly a trait of species that hunt, at least on a lot of worlds.
But like the voice says, the lights do come up a little bit more, giving just enough light for He Rows to mostly function if they don’t have visual processing issues. It’s not going to be pleasant, but it’s functional. Stepping out of the hangar and into the halls will reveal they are lit only by faintly flashing red emergency lights. Not pleasant, but functional. In a way it’s probably a blessing for the humans aboard, as red light is a lot easier to adjust to than yellow, so you’ll have an easier time retaining your night vision.
Perhaps the most important thing to note in the hangar is the fact that the most familiar faces among the Agrii are absolutely not present. There’s no sign of Ga Re, there’s no Mu Ly, and even Te Ra, Te Mi, and An Nu don’t seem to be around. There is briefly a glimpse of an Agrii wearing goggles, just by the door, but no sooner do the He Rows hear the voice than that strange figure leaves. You’re on your own with relative strangers who are going to help, but seem to require you to approach first (unless they are young).
There is a lot to do on the ship, though, so perhaps this unease from the Agrii isn’t high up on your list of priorities or notable features. So gather your tools, the parts, and your work teams and head for Under Engineering. It’s time to get full life support systems restored, and the engines. And everything else. Or perhaps it’s time to get back to your investigations. True to the synthetic voice’s words, the Under Engineering area is fully lit now, better than it was before. There is no sign of Agrii there or even in Engineering at all, save for the ones serving as porters for all of the things the He Rows are bringing with them. None of them want to pass into the Under Engineering area though. They seem almost afraid of it, and even suggesting to do so will have them fleeing Engineering entirely. Not even the little ones will come down. Perhaps it’s for the best. Things could get loud down there, or dangerous, with all of the repairs going on.
If asked the younger Agrii will say that most of the Agrii not present or leaving now have gone to the ‘All Gather Place’ where the Agrii meet and talk when they must speak on important things. When they must make agreements. When He Rows need they can ask, and the Strange Voice will call Agrii to them, but the Agrii won’t be happy. Perhaps it’s better to send a runner. The little ones agree to stay in small groups near the entrances of The Green Room to carry requests to the All Gather Place if the He Rows need. They are too young for an All Gather anyway. They will try and help the He Rows. Their friend Te Mi has asked this of them, because he wants them all to be able to talk to their friends. And the way the smaller Agrii gesture to the He Rows when they say ‘friends’ seems to very much imply they mean the He Rows are their friends.
Those who head into the Under Engineering area will find they still have the same areas to work in, but the systems are already starting to degrade. The only thing that seems to still be doing well is the central processing hub of the ship’s dumbAI, which is brightly lit and alive with activity. Coming close will have that same synthetic voice pour from a nearby speaker (when was that even installed). It will greet the He Row(s) by name and offer updates on system processes, what repairs are most critical, and ask how it may render assistance. The forwardness and interaction might explain why the Agrii were unnerved. There is nothing like an AI of any form tapped into all of the ship’s systems to reveal just how not in control of their own lives they may have been this whole time.
Talking with the system may actually be helpful in this phase too. It seems the whole thing has partitioned off a small part of its processing power to try and create ideas which may result in system repairs. It’s even thought up what it believes is a ‘useful device’ to help with reinforcing hull repairs and any other work that may need to take place outside of the ship itself. The only reason it has not done so itself is that it has no manufacturing capabilities and therefore could not initiate repairs, not to mention a lack of parts. But working together may lead to a solution. The system also reveals that it has not determined a means by which to take down the primary force fields that block the core engine and power systems, so it hopes the He Rows have found a solution.
Hopes. That… could be a troublesome thing for a computer in the Agrii ship to feel. That it feels at all might be problems somewhere down the line. But for now working with the system might be a wise step.
As for the Agrii themselves… Well, in the nearly two weeks required to make all of the repairs to get the Agrii systems up to full function again under the watchful eye of the unnamed but increasingly aware AI system in Under Engineering it will be rare to see an Agrii save for the young. There will be times of the day where some will arrive unexpectedly in the Mess Hall, create a large amount of food, and carry it away in batches, but otherwise finding an Agrii by chance will be exceedingly rare. Whatever is going on in the All Gather Place must be very serious. A check of the ship’s internal scanners from the Bridge or Medical will show there to be a massive amount of lifesigns gathered in the center of The Green Room, but the readings clearly aren’t exact because when you go to that point… well, you can’t quite get to it? The plants get thicker, the paths more confusing, and even when you get through all you find is a massive water feature. The lake is massive, dwarfing the size of those on the He Row ships, and almost covered in floating greenery.
The best way to find your hosts is, of course, through the young ones. Enough asking (or following when they carry messages) will lead to an answer. The lake is actually where they go, and the young Agrii splash right in, disappearing under the water. If asked properly they will finally relent and help the He Rows enter, fiddling with some rocks near the edge until a small metal line rises from the water. It pulls apart down its length, pushing the water back and revealing a shallow ramp down under the surface. Walk down it long enough after a child and you’ll find a door that it takes four hands to open. And inside…
Inside it’s loud. A glass amphitheater under the waters, mirroring the dome far above The Green Room. Through the glass you can see creatures swimming above and around, a biome of aquatic life that would be beautiful if it wasn’t for what was before you. The levels of the amphitheater are just simple risers of metal sinking down into a bowl that seems covered with a shallow pool of water filled with sand. The seats are not full but it is clear that just about every adult Agrii is present, divided into one of three major sitting sections. Two of them are hissing and growling and glaring across the amphitheater at each other. The third and largest group sits to the side, huddled up and looking uncertain.
And down in the middle section, amid the water and sand, are six Agrii. Ga Re stands at one point, one of the agitated groups of Agrii to her back, all wearing a purple band of cloth around one of their arms. Just behind her and to the side is Te Ra, watching and silent for now. To another ‘corner’ is Mu Ly, his own supporters wearing orange and growling louder even though they are seemingly a slightly smaller group. Near the snarling Agrii faction leader is a lavender eyed Agrii that is tall for even the Agrii, wearing a t-shirt that says ‘my other shirt is a jedi’. Which of course makes no sense beyond perhaps being an attempt to mimic some of the joke shirt fashions He Rows have replicated over the years.
At the third point is the quietest of the pairs of figures. They are slightly shorter than other Agrii, but not in a way that speaks to youth. The color of their eyes is hidden behind yellowed lenses set into dark goggles, and they don’t seem to look much between the two groups, just keep still, eyes half closed, listening. Behind this pale-pink skinned Agrii is An Nu, who looks so anxious as to be just short of shaking. Neither she nor any of the gathered mass of Agrii in the stands behind them are wearing any distinctive color, but their eyes dart quickly back and forth between the arguing Ga Re and Mu Ly.
There is no denying this is a fight either. Clearly Ga Re and Mu Ly in the midst of continuing a very long shouting match. At one point Mu Ly shouts something loudly, hissed and snarled in the guttural syllables of the native Agrii language, and an Agrii from the large group rises. They cross into the empty space between their group and the orange-banded Agrii, stop by a basket, and fish out an orange band of cloth. This is tied around their arm before they go sit among Mu Ly’s supporters. A keening cheer goes up from Mu Ly’s supporters. Clearly some small battle has been won here.
As all of this goes on a smaller figure, not the one that guided the He Row here, will appear at their side. Te Mi is there, looking very concerned. All four of his hands fret with the pale yellow hem of his wrap style shirt, and he looks very nervous.
“Agrii fight for many days now, since the new voice spoke to us, since the lights went slowly dark and the food machines start to only make food at certain times. Many are very scared, so they shout and argue. But He Rows are back, you will help us, yes? Make the people Agrii again. Or at least not this. Young Agrii all scared of this. Say we should make a new color, new voice, make them listen to blue.”
Te Mi’s blue eyes look to his feet, and he shakes his head. Given the connection between those band colors and the eyes of the two main arguing Agrii that color choice may say something specifically about a role other want him to play. Perhaps that isn’t the path he wants.
“I hate when it is orange and purple. Maybe He Rows find a way to make green again. Agrii have not been green since Ny Ak found the way to call to He Rows, and then Ny Ak focus on He Rows. Some say Ny Ak too old or soft or cares more of He Rows than the Agrii since he put power into save Tony and others since, and so we have been purple and orange, for most of my ticks.”
The boy seems… sad. Tired. Scared.
Another burst of angry shouting comes from Mu Ly and Te Mi flinches, his head snapping up and toward the argument where, far below, Mu Ly has pulled something shiny and metal from somewhere and is brandishing it toward Ga Re. There’s still a lot of distance between them, so it’s probably safe for now, but the lavender eyed Agrii behind Mu Ly seems shocked, and An Nu’s hands have all come up to cover her mouth. A few of the seemingly undecided Agrii jump to their feet, rush to the side, and pick up purple bands from the basket before heading to join those sitting on Ga Re’s side of the circle. This seems to make Mu Ly think again and put away the… is that a butterknife?
None of this at all seems like what the Agrii you have known have acted like. What could possibly be wrong? Is it just fear like Te Mi says, or is something more sinister going on? Do you even want to help? Is there even a way? At the very least, will you hold Te Mi’s hand when it nervously reaches out toward yours for comfort?
Such is your return to the Agrii Ship, He Rows, and there are clearly problems to be fixed. Some of them mechanical, some of them interpersonal. Strange how the potential deadly risks of the ship’s damage might seem so much smaller if you’ve now seen the Agrii in conflict.
One thing is certain though. Whether it’s the damages or this tense, weeks long arguing, things need fixed, and not for the first time it’s up to you. Will you rise to the challenge?
What are the dates of Part Three of this event?
Can we opt-out of this event?
What if we were/are on hiatus or are a new player?
Is there anything special we need to know about the end of the event?
Does the Network function at this time?
Can we actually fiddle with light levels as the computerized voice suggests?
And now we’re going to try something a little new this month (please let us know how you feel about it). As we know not all people will be interested in all aspects, we’ve included some headers below to divide the FAQ up into major sections based on things you can interact with. While we encourage you to read them all, we’re hoping the headers help you find what is most important to you in the quickest manner. Again, please let us know what you think of this.
How useful is the AI system in helping us with repairs?
It mentioned some ideas for hull repairs. Can we use these?
Are we now able to access the main engine system that was behind a force field?
In the process of repairs, could we work the systems to take them from the dumbAI and shift them over to Agrii control?
Will we be able to complete all of the repairs and return the Agrii ship to what is more or less full function?
Is there any way to get the Agrii to assist with repairs beyond carrying things?
Once power system repairs are done, will the Theater and He Row Control be useable again?
Can we find the Agrii’s ‘All Gather Place’ on our own?
Can those with Communications understand the Agrii’s language?
If we go into the amphitheater can we sit down and observe for a while?
May I take a faction band and sit with them?
Can we join into the debate?
So the Agrii are behaving strangely. Is there any way we can investigate that?
Who is the Agrii with the goggles? I mean, they’ve been pointed out twice, they have to matter.
Can we speak to Ny Ak?
For the factions is there anything that a majority of them seem to have in common?
Do Agrii ever walk from Purple/Orange to No Color, or even from Purple to Orange/Orange to Purple?
Now that we’re back I want to look more into how the explosions happened. What will I be able to do?
Can we interrogate the computer system?
What about the second force field in the Under Engineering area? The one with the ominous feelings?
I have ____ Expertise. Can I use that to learn anything about these beds?
Oh dear. My He Row absolutely messed with the Stasis bed in a way that caused them to get shocked and teleported into one. What now?
I have been on hiatus before, is there any more information I can glean from these pods?
Alright, now I’ve got to know. If someone is currently on, or goes into hiatus while we have access to this room…
Is there any other information we can determine with enough time/study/expertise pooling?
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I'm not sure how we're supposed to approach the whole Agrii thing so I'm figuring we just put potential interaction direction here?
Donnie is offended by all this color faction nonsense and hopes he and Leo aren't mistaken for taking sides just because of personal color preferences. u.u
They trademarked it firstPurple, blue, orange and red work just fine together. And all go great with green. He'll say as much to Te Mi. He'll even show a picture of his family so it'll make more sense. The Agrii are like a family, aren't they? What's changed? What does each of these new factions want?no subject
It is a good picture of his family. Te Mi likes it. But Te Mi will note that this division in the Agrii has existed for a long time. These factions are not new. They have been around for ticks now. But they want what they always have, it is just that they have different opinions on how to achieve their end.
The most argued point, Te Mi will explain, comes down to the new voice that makes fear and how to handle it. Mu Ly wants to destroy it. Believes the He Rows have given good proof of the effectiveness of force and assertiveness and destruction. Even goes on to suggest that the Agrii themselves should stop this hiding and go down to the planet to help the He Rows. It is their home, they should do more.
Ga Re is a lot more restrained. Yes she is scared, but she is the only Agrii living to have experienced even a brief brush with the pain of the storms and knows how dangerous that is. She wants to rely more on the He Rows, but with supervision. They seem to be getting more and more unpredictable these days. This provokes some fear and reservation from the purple Agrii. But they will work with the He Rows and wish to understand the new voice as it came after the He Rows helped with Under Engineering so it's probably good, even if they don't understand it.
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Donnie quietly having second thoughts about uploading Lou Jitsu movies..."Ah, the classic change versus status quo..." Donnie supposes he can't be surprised, nor can he say he completely disagrees with Mu Ly's thoughts. The Agrii should be more assertive and interactive, it'll benefit them all in the long-run.But he can understand the concerns about the storms. (He's been wondering if they have a particular sort of energy/current to their bodies/chemical makeup which is why he had a look into Agrii medical records.) He'll point out that the only reason the He Rows behave unpredictable is because that's just how people are, and really, a lot of them still feel like prisoners being forced to do someone's work against their will. Trying to get that point across to Ga Re had been very frustrating. Wanting to understand things is good, but they need to find answers for themselves, they have to imagine how it would feel to be in the he rows' position, virtually abandoned on an alien planet, watched at all times with high expectations and no real promise of help.
"They're both not wrong. But there has to be a balance, or you'll either end up in a static position or you'll burn out from going too far, too fast."
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And it makes them scared.
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He'll be kind of awkward about it but he'll offer Te Mi a hug so long as he doesn't tell anyone.
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But the hug is accepted (and you're in a public space, Donnie. People are going to see it)
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"...but you have your family with you. And you aren't being forced to fix someone else's problems. If...if you guys had at least asked first, then it wouldn't feel like we were being forced to do anything."
If anyone starts staring when he is giving this kid a hug he is going to glare at them.
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But they were clearly a species reaching beyond their means to get solutions they could not manage on their own. That's all there is at the end of the day for them.
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"Cannot send back. We are trying. Ny Ak searches ways. Sorry."
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Donnie sighs then. "I know. But I'm glad someone's trying."
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