World Tree MUSH

    The last time a team investigated the Warden, they had security bands, courtesy of Circe. This allows the crew to go to many of the levels aside from the Grasslands Ecology Section. Unfortunately, a retreat was decided when the first place to visit, the Bio Testing and Experimentation Labs, turned out to be highly radioactive and full of dangerous monsters, so perhaps best left to another time.

    A quick breather later, and it's time to maybe try one of the other places? The grasslands has a nice base camp set up, run by androids, which is also useful for newcomers who may either wander in having heard of the ruckus, or who just happened to show up at the wrong(right?) time. The grey-skinned, humanlike androids are bustling about, and seem to have gotten barricades and small fortifications set up. Evidently attacks are sitll a problem, but with the major vat taken care of, reinforcements for the enemy are unlikely to be here any time soon.

Itana managed to brew up a radiation potion once. She's not confident she could do it again, with that much weird radiation stuff, with that significant a monster presence. Space stuff just isn't her forte, and it reminds her yet again how utterly out of her element she is in a place like this.

For now she's found herself a spot to sit and meditate within the androids' fortifications. Bow on the ground beside her, she sits with her hands folded and her head bowed, pondering something mutely.

She leaves it to people wiser than her to determine their next direction. She doesn't say it explicitly because that would mean admitting weakness.

    Claire would pick where to go next, but last time she did that didn't work out, so she's just sitting in a corner mixing up various powders and carefully putting that mixture into a steel orb through a tiny hole.

    Samus Aran is here already; the Hunter is waiting by the elevator. She's looking over the list of available floors and clicks her teeth. With Aida not around to hack the system visiting the 'Administrative and Security Section' is probably pointless for the sake of getting better clearance to the sectors blocked off in red. Then again if there's someone alive in there or happened to drop their access bracelet...
    "It's either that or Epsilon City..." The Hunter murmurs to herself, lost in her own thoughts.

    Had been... busy as of late, training, dealing with things back home, but finally he was once again able and more than willing to explore the tree, and helping explore a spaceship?. It sounds like an interesting adventure for a motivated team and his pets/guardians/friends!. Thus, Luke finally is at the scene, flanked by a large, and quite round, feline creature, both moving over the base camp and greeting people. He was busy trying to put the security band on himself and around one of the pokemon's forelegs, better be safe!.
    The talk about Radiation did put a damper on his mood, but perhaps other areas can be safe to explore!. For now he is trying to get with the others and figure where to go next.

    "Epsilon City would be fine with me, but one thing we should try maybe is the Sensors? We could get a better idea of where everything is and maybe what's going on. Maybe there's stuff we can get that the AI can't..." Belle muses that, and rubs her chin, before wandering over to help Luke with his bracelet. The idea of a monster trainer doesn't seem to bother her, though she's never seen pokemon herself, so gives them an eye now and then.

    The nearby android helping out can provide a little info! And she does so. "None of us have ever been to those floors, but the Sensors level is meant for sensors looking out into space. I think it might also have some ships there?" She thinks, then shrugs. "Epsilon City is where a large portion of the Android vats are located though. It's also where most of the hospitals are, and a lot of cryochambers for the crew, but probably not the command crew."

Itana lets the others set the pace. She has no idea what a sensor level /is,/ much less what an Epsilon is supposed to be.

She eventually cracks an eye open to more obviously listen in on the conversation, though she remains mute through most of it. Her gaze drifts to Samus after a few seconds, taking stock of the woman in power armour and what she's deciding.

    "Figured as much." Samus muses on the explanation of the sensor level. "Let's try Epsilon City then. We can visit the AdminSec level when Aida shows up in case we need her hacking skills. "Even if they're not the command crew, maybe we can rescue some people if that comes up."
    Sounds like a vote for Epsilon City from the Hunter, then as she steps into the elevator, finger looming over the button as she waits for the others to file on in.

    Belle grimaces at the new news. "Oh... okay then, Epsilon City it is. I guess we'd better be prepared for more Red androids or something." She stands up and sighs, tapping the badge she got earlier. "At least we hope this one isn't irradiated..." She's going to follow Samus in, yeah, rapidly giving up her idea.

    Claire sticks a fuse into her now filled orb, and gets up. She spies a new face and waves to Luke, "Hi! I'm Claire. Farmer." She introduces herself, before moving to follow Samus. She reaches for Bio Testing and Experimentation, though it's clear she doesn't actually mean to press it, this time.

    Gladly accepts Belle's help, introducing himself, and Dynamo, as he fits the device on its foreleg. "Thank you." he offers, "I am just arriving here and simply hoping to help, I admittedly don't know much about technology." he muses, rubbing the back of his head and glancing around at the others. He does know what Epsilon is, and what some of the terms might be, but is about as lost as Itana for the most part. 
    When Samus suggests a plan of action he steps forward and pets the pokemon's back, who lets out a soft growl. "Androids?, how dangerous might be?" he asks, since Belle mentions them. "My pokemon are usually pretty good in combat, so perhaps I can be useful after all.". The duo moves to the elevator, happy to join the expedition.

    Luke happily greets Claire, "Hi!, I'm Luke, pokemon trainer, nice to meet you." he offers, "This is Dynamo.", and pats the big cat's head.

    "Belle," says Belle, as an introduction. "And maybe it'll be nice and peaceful, but this place seems pretty crazy." She waves a thanks to the android that gave the info.

    Once again, the lift lurches to life... and carries the small group upward. Or downward? The artificial gravity says up. The trip is longer, and then ends with a faint ding of arrival, and the doors open up to...

    A city. It does not appear to be on fire. Instead it is cleanly laid out, and appears... active? Indeed, not far off there is a guard station, manned by two androids.

    The androids are red.

    Both quickly turn their rifles toward the opening door, but instead of firing, one calls out, "HALT! Identify yourselves and state your business in Epsilon City!"

    Introductions are made, the party files into the elevator, and it heads... Up...ish.
    When the elevator doors open into a lit and active city, complete with red androids at the guard station, Samus doesn't seem all that shaken up or surprised. The android on the prior flood had mentioned the numebr of vats on this one.
    She holds up her left hand, showing off her clearance bracelet.
    "Maintenance."
    That IS the clearance Circe gave her, she may as well run with it in hopes of avoiding turning the whole city into a big firefight.

Itana is increasingly convinced she's not cut out for wacky hijinks on this side of the clouds. Besides, someone still needs to shoot Golbez in the face, and that someone is her.

They eventually make the call. Filing on to the lift, she nods to Luke simply. "Itana." She has no clue what a Pokemon is and does not ask.

What's waiting for them is... a city. a splendid one. Itana hangs back with a frown, folding her arms across her midsection and letting Samus flash their clearance. It's better than fighting their way through a whole town.

    "And science," Belle adds, holding up her band. "We're don't want any trouble." As impulsive and combative as Belle can be, she actually isn't one to START fights when she has no reason to... and it's looking like the androids have a pretty firm hold here, so pissing them off right now could make the entire level a mess.

    Feeling sudden inspiration, she adds, "There may be a problem with the cryo lines, we're looking into it."

    At least Luke is familiar enough with technology that, despite being perhaps a bit futuristic for him, it all is neat. He does seem curious about the cyborgs, and when they aim with their guns, his pokemon walks in front of the teen, but he manages to stop the creature from actually growing at the display. Thankfully Samus was able to hopefully defuse the situation, fighting right in the elevator might be a bad time when one fights via throwing lightingbolts around. He just tries to look calm and stand near Belle, trying to figure what his own bluff might be... security escort?, for now he remains quiet.

    Claire sticks behind the well-armoured Lady for the moment, letting others do the talking before she causes trouble with her fool mouth.

    After this... well, it seems that not EVERYONE needs to state their identification. One of the guards keeps the gun 'casually' trained on everyone, while the other rummages inside the post and returns with a few badges, a bright gold color, and hands them out. "Keep these on display at all times. Do not go anywhere outside the residential areas without an escort."

    That seems... simple? Except that he adds, "Failure to comply will result in imprisonment until trial, and resistance will be met with lethal force."

    The boy takes the badge, or plural even, putting one on the pokemon as well, official business for everyone!. He nods at the warning from the gun wielding machine, and looks at the others, "Understood."

Nobody told Itana she'd have to be a badger.

Picking the badge up, Itana frowns as she tries to find a place to put it. Her fortified suit is mostly skin-tight save for framing elements here and there; the obvious parts would involve stabbing herself and the other parts are generally solid or armoured. She settles for finagling with the pin and tagging it awkwardly to the trailing edge of her hood on one side, tucking the other end into the corner of a suit pauldron to keep the weight distribution about right.

She glances at Samus with a purse of her lips. "I suppose that sets some boundaries on where we can go," she mutters, not sure what else to do but state the obvious.

All she can think of is staying alert and trying to notice anything that seems like it's amiss. Considering /everything/ seems amiss here, this is a tall order for her.

    Samus has acquired a badge. She magnetically pins it to the breastplate of her power armor.
    "Nice." She does comment mildly to Belle's save.
    Might as well begin exploring the residential sectors then.
    "It's fine." She does comment to Itana. "We can have a look around at the very least and get an idea for the layout of the level.

    Belle isn't liking this either, but she puts the badge on as she listens. "Got it. We'll behave." She tries to keep a steady face, but fortunately unlike Samus or Itana, she doesn't have visible weapons.
    As soon as the group has moved past the guards, she sighs, "Well, residential is something. These androids seem pretty controlling though. It's giving me a bad vibe."

    Once past the checkpoint a ways and into the residential area, it... does look like a residential area. Almost all of the androids here are red, but are of various phenotypes like before... and they appear to be going about their normal lives and running jobs just like humans would. Oh, many of them stare at the strange group walking through the city, and a few shuffle away to give wide berth, but nobody attacks.

    On the other hand, well... there are an awful lot of armed guards here. At first looking like policement, but they have deadly weapons at the ready, and whenever other androids loiter too much, the guards wander by and usher them onwards to their business. Most of the guards are keeping a very keen eye on the group, especially Samus with her armor, and Luke's pokemon, which is probably regarded much like a massive rottweiler would be in other places.

This time, at least, none of them are shooting at them immediately. Itana remains on edge, eyes darting here and there as if expecting the androids to turn and mob them at any moment.

She nods shortly at Samus's assessment and takes it for what it is - assurance, however minor. Still, she proceeds with quiet trepidation, trying not to look /too/ outwardly tense.

"They seem to behave like people in any other city," she murmurs. "If not for the guards, nothing would seem amiss."

    "A lot of androids." Samus comments. "Armed guard androids, too." Samus muses quietly. "I'm not liking it much, either." She replies to Belle.
    "I'm betting a lot of the crew is probably still in cryostasis. Especially if the androids can handle running the floor on their own..." Then why bother thawing out the meatbags, right?
    Samus makes sure not to raise her right hand in any capacity beyond walking. Because her entire right arm is kind of a cannon.
    "If the entire floor is like this, rescuing the crew might not be an easy task."

    Luke tries his best to behave, (and keep his pokemon close), but he can't help admire the many androids around, how they work and 'live' their lives in the city. At least Dynamo is far smarter than a dog and knows to behave, even if there is some static building up arouhnd it, nothign dangerous so far, perhaps enough to just jolt anyone trying to poke the fluffy beast. He nods at Itana's comment, "A city of androids." he says, "I take they re meant to just control and manage this while the crew is indisposed." he muses, "Do you think if the crew returns they will let them take control again?".

    Luke brings up something that Belle was worrying about too. "Or if they've already awakened them. We should ask... discreetly, maybe. Who wants to volunteer? I'm not really a... people person." Actually, the most diplomatic might be Luke.
    "All the armed guards do get me worried though," she adds. "What are they for? I mean, are these androids even... happy?"

    Are they happy? Well... for the most part, yes, it seems that way? Except for the odd tension now and then. Also, right about then, the speakers and display nearby start to play an 'ad' that is very interesting.

    "The State Provides. The State Controls. Control is what we Strive For. The Humandroid City of Epsilon City Will Rise!"

Itana shrugs back at Luke. "Maybe. Nothing here makes sense, truthfully."

Then the speakers start in. Itana looks up with a sharp blink, her expression broken by a deep frown.

"...Like a kingdom that controls all, then," she muses, her voice low and laced with a touch of contempt. Being in a dense city like this is already unsettling. The authoritarianism is all the moreso.

    "Yeah I'm not digging it either, Itana," Belle mutters. She's really starting to like the herbalist. "And that whole thing about 'humandroids' really really doesn't sound good. We'll have to be very careful exploring here. Maybe we should get either heavier firepower, or someone good at sneaking."