Trinity Universe: Tabula Rasa

[ProfPotts]

'Warning! Power failure grid six! Warning!'

The automated voice echoes across the open space of the huge warehouse-like room.

'Automatic safeguards initiated! Bio-expulsion in...' the voice wavers, '... in... Bio... in...' then drones out completely, slowing, deepening, & dropping in volume until it ceases altogether.

Across the darkened & chill room lights start to flicker into life, but they are just dotted about, here & there, seeming to struggle - a technological last gasp.

The few lights which manage to blink to life illuminate the rows & rows of identical tubes mounted upright throughout the room. Each tube is full of a viscous green fluid - within the fluid can just be made out a suspended, unmoving, humanoid silhouette.

Instrument panels built into each tube blink out medical details - some quickly fade to blank slates as they are starved of power, but here & there are brief flickers of life...

Within the tube stenciled with the numbers 063 the silhouette convulses: once, twice. The lights of the tube's panel suddenly dance to life, running through emergency proceedures. Then, with a hiss, the tube starts to rise away from its base. The viscous liquid spills out across the steel-mesh floor, causing steam to rise as it contacts the chill air. The figure within the liquid falls as the tube locks into a raised position above its head, tumbling into the pool of liquid slowly draining away through the metal floor.

The tube's occupant - an athletic young woman with dusky skin - struggles onto her hands & knees, coughing up the liquid which had filled her lungs. Lungs cleared she draws in several ragged, burning, breaths, then shivers. Her large, deep brown, eyes blink open, taking a moment to get used to even the dim light in the room. Then she shakily pushes herself to her feet, staggering a pace or two before her hand reaches out to the next tube in line to support & steady her.

Gaining her balance the young woman shivers again, wrapping her arms around her nude, vicous-liquid coated, form, & stares at her own reflection in the surface of the neighboring tube - a pretty face, with high cheekbones & large eyes, but no hair on her head &... a face she doesn't recognise. She stares for a moment longer. What's the last thing she remembers?.. Nothing. A blank. Her life before awaking from the tube... gone.

Who was she?

Where was she?

Had any of the other tube-dwellers awakened?

[phoenix]

"Aah.. AAH!"

A shrill cry pierces the cold darkness from across the maze of tubes, followed by a dull thump. There is a pause, then the voice rings out again vibrantly:

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

[Ayre el KaBeer]

Attempting to stand the former occupant of tube 014 slips in the green fluid dropping to the floor again COLOR=green]"Ngh!". ::angry

Looking up at his tube "What is going on?... ::huh

"Aah.. AAH!"

A shrill cry pierces the cold darkness from across the maze of tubes, followed by a dull thump.

Startled by the scream, the man gets up cautiously, his heart thumping in his chest.

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

*I don't know where I am, what I'm doing here, or even who I am. I have to make sense of all this, I need answers* He decides to respond to the voice.

"Yes! Hello! Where are you?"

[phoenix]

The slim woman picks herself up off the floor where the tube dropped her, trying not to slip on the gel covering her.

"I'm here! I'm fine!"

She looks down at her nakedness.

"Don't come over here!"

[Ayre el KaBeer]

"Don't come over here!"

*Don't come over here? I'm going to get to the bottom of this!* He moves towards the voice, as he nears where he believes she is, he calls out "Why the hell not?"

[phoenix]

"I'm not dressed!"

[ProfPotts]

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

"Yes! Hello! Where are you?"

"I'm here! I'm fine!.. Don't come over here!"

"Why the hell not?"

"I'm not dressed!"

The shouted exchanges seems quite distant from one another. In the dim light it's hard to make out, but the tubes appear to be in rows of twenty, numbered in order. The occupant of tube 014 notes that the row he was ejected from backs against a metal wall which looks to be some sort of polished steel. Opposite that is a facing row of tubes, backed onto the next row, which faces the next row, & so on.

A few moments after the yelled comments, 014 hears the sound of padding footsteps cautiously approached. Emerging from the shadowed gloom down his row he sees a dusky-skinned female - very good looking, but bald, nude &, it seems, covered in the same gel-like substance which coats him. Spotting him she ducks back behind the nearest tube, just poking her head out & says quietly,

'I... um... who are you? What am I doing here?' ::unsure

[Ayre el KaBeer]

"I'm not dressed!"

Stopping where he is "Neither am I, it doesn't seem all that important right now!" he says frustrated.

His amnesia has him too unsettled for him to care at all about modesty and proceeds towards her "Look I could care less about catching sight of you naked! I can't remember anything! Nothing at all and I need answers! So cover yourself up as best you can because I'm comming over!"

'I... um... who are you? What am I doing here?'

Reflexively jumping back, 014 stands there looking at her alittle stunned ::indifferent before responding "Ahh... I don't know..." ::unsure

[Bahamut810]

Another capsuel hisses and opens as the man (Ayre) walks by, another body falls to the floor from the capsuel onto the floor shivering violently.

He props himself up as he uneasily stands, his eyes darting around.

"Hey!" he yells at the man who is farther down. "Where are we?"

[ProfPotts]

"Ahh... I don't know..."

The Hispanic-looking woman stares at 014 for a moment, then nods,

'You said you can't remember anything? I... I don't think I can either...' a confused look passes over her face, then she glances behind her & adds,'... I... uh... I came out of tube 063.'

For a moment longer the woman from tube 063 stares at 014 then steps out from behind the tube she's using to shelter her nakedness, one hand over her privates, the other across her breasts, covering herself as best she can. Padding over towards him she shivers slightly - as she speaks he can see the vapour-trail her warmer breath forms in the chill atmosphere,

'Maybe we should go & join that other woman? All I've seen is lots of these tubes - no doors or anything.'

[phoenix]

"Look I could care less about catching sight of you naked! I can't remember anything! Nothing at all and I need answers! So cover yourself up as best you can because I'm comming over!"

There is a pause. Then,

"Fine! Stay where you are. I'll come to you."

In a few moments, a slight woman appears, nude and fluid-covered as the others. She has her arms folded across her slender breasts, but otherwise seems to have resigned herself to being exposed. She looks both restless and worried, and her eyes appear to be glistening slightly.

"I.."

She pauses again, as though interrogating her memory for any possible mistake.

"I cannot remember who I am.."

[Nullifier]

Dripping, naked, and shivering, the young man just released from the tube stands up slowly and looks around. Seeing the tubes, the warehouse, and hearing other voices far off sounding just as confused as he felt, his mind snaps to one conclusion, which he says out loud, "This sucks!"

[ProfPotts]

"Hey!.. Where are we?"

Looking past 014 to the newly emerged Arabic man the Hispanic woman hurries over to help him to his feet - forgetting about modesty in the process. As she helps him up, hands slipping now & then against his smooth, gel-covered, skin, she says softly,

'Take it easy - just get your balance.'

"I cannot remember who I am.."

Glancing back towards the other woman's voice the Hispanic woman says,

'I think that's true for all of us.' Turning again to the Arabic man she adds, 'Can you remember anything?'

"This sucks!"

Taking a deep breath the Hispanic woman calls out,

'Over here!'

Once the ex-tube-occupants have reached each other the dusky-skinned beauty looks at each in turn & asks,

'So... Can anyone remember anything?'

Then she glances at the nearest tube, looking thoughtful, & adds,

'... If not, then does anyone at least know what these things are? They look like some sort of medical device to me...'

[Okay - everyone update their character sheet post by assigning zero-to-three dots from their Ability dot pool to Engineering, & zero-to-three dots from their Ability dot pool to Medicine; then spending as many or few Bonus Points as they want on extra dots &/or specialities (no more than three per Ability) for each of those two Abilities]

[Bahamut810]

'Can you remember anything?'

"I...uhhh...No. No I can't..." he says, wiping some goo off his skin.

... If not, then does anyone at least know what these things are? They look like some sort of medical device to me...'

"Uhhh..."

((OOC: Waiting to see if I recognise))

[ezekiel]

Hssss..glop

Down the corridor, the last tank regurgitates its occupant. Occupant 999 empties his lungs as he coughs up the green goo he'd been breathing these last...months? minutes?...years even? Lying there he realized he didn't remember...as a matter of fact he didn't remember anything.

Taking a deep breath the Hispanic woman calls out,

'Over here!'

Once the ex-tube-occupants have reached each other the dusky-skinned beauty looks at each in turn & asks,

'So... Can anyone remember anything?'

Then she glances at the nearest tube, looking thoughtful, & adds,

'... If not, then does anyone at least know what these things are? They look like some sort of medical device to me...'

Shivering, 999 huddles up against his tube, trying to hide from the voices and examing the tube to see if he can find anything of use...

[Nullifier]

Taking a deep breath the Hispanic woman calls out,

'Over here!'

Muttering to himself in an annoyed tone of voice, the former resident of tube 223 makes his way over to the rest of the group. On his way, he wipes off as much as the green substance as he can, the sticky, gooey stuff splashing to the floor.

Taking a deep breath the Hispanic woman calls out,

'Over here!'

Once the ex-tube-occupants have reached each other the dusky-skinned beauty looks at each in turn & asks,

'So... Can anyone remember anything?'

Then she glances at the nearest tube, looking thoughtful, & adds,

'... If not, then does anyone at least know what these things are? They look like some sort of medical device to me...'

Looking at the woman curiously, 223 says, "Who put you in charge?

[ProfPotts]

"Who put you in charge?"

The Hispanic woman looks taken aback ::blink as she stammers a response to the White man's accusation,

'I... I'm not in charge! I just asked a question! Look - I'm cold & scared, & I want to get out of here & find out what's going on. I thought we were all in the same situation... but if you know any better, then please - tell us!'

In response to her earlier question, though, each of the newly emerged figures notes to themselves that the Hispanic woman does seem right about the tubes looking like some sort of medical devices. The European woman from tube 881, however, has other thoughts race through her mind...

*They're Liquidtrans - Liquid-Transport Tanks - they suspend a patient in a heated, oxygen-rich, breathable liquid solution that provides almost all life support. They aid healing, & are used for storage & transportation - dormant occupants in the tanks economize on facility space.*

Furthermore, both she & the South American man from tube 014 realise...

*There appears to be a power failure. The tubes are activating emergency expulsion procedures where they can, but most just haven't got the power to do so. The chill temperature in the room also suggests that any powered heating outside the tanks has also failed. The lack of lighting confirms the lack of power as well. On the other hand, the presence of normal gravity suggests that they aren't in space - if they were the grav-crystal grids would have failed as well (since they take a lot of power).*

In the corner of the room, away from the others, the man from tube 999 finds, as well as the number stenciled across the front of his tube, the words 'Xie MediCorp Liquidtrans model 0723' on a small plaque on the side of the device. Apart from the 'goop' now spilled over the floor & dissapearing through the mesh, & himself, the tube was empty. It appears to be firmly fastened to the floor, & he suspects that power linkages will be buried somewhere underfoot as well. The small panel screen built into the side of the tube is now blank black - all power having gone from the thing - it doesn't look like he could pry it loose with fingernails alone.

[Ayre el KaBeer]

"Who put you in charge?

The Hispanic woman looks taken aback ::blink as she stammers a response to the White man's accusation,

'I... I'm not in charge! I just asked a question! Look - I'm cold & scared, & I want to get out of here & find out what's going on. I thought we were all in the same situation... but if you know any better, then please - tell us!'

014 is annoyed by this outburst, *Pointless confrontations do not help matters!*.

Looking around the room not bothering to look directly at the others "Right now we have more to worry about than who is boss".

Leaning in closer to a nearby tube "Help me figure out what these are, its a pitty the lights are out... Ah, the powers out, see how the... ::blink The tube's with people still inside! Quickly, we must open them! What ever these things do, they haven't the power to do it."

[ezekiel]

In the corner of the room, away from the others, the man from tube 999 finds, as well as the number stenciled across the front of his tube, the words 'Xie MediCorp Liquidtrans model 0723' on a small plaque on the side of the device. Apart from the 'goop' now spilled over the floor & dissapearing through the mesh, & himself, the tube was empty. It appears to be firmly fastened to the floor, & he suspects that power linkages will be buried somewhere underfoot as well. The small panel screen built into the side of the tube is now blank black - all power having gone from the thing - it doesn't look like he could pry it loose with fingernails alone.

Liquidtrans...the unit was obviously some sort of transport unit. Was he a colonist? A prisoner? If he was a prisoner, now was his chance to escape...999 looks up the corridor, towards the voices. He'd have to try to get an idea of what was going on. Trying his best to wipe the goo off his feet, he quietly makes his way towards the voices, trying to listen in on their conversation without exposing himself.

[Nullifier]

The Hispanic woman looks taken aback  as she stammers a response to the White man's accusation,

'I... I'm not in charge! I just asked a question! Look - I'm cold & scared, & I want to get out of here & find out what's going on. I thought we were all in the same situation... but if you know any better, then please - tell us!'

The White man raises an eyebrow, "You asked more than one question, and in a manner that suggested you expected to be answered, as if you were in charge. Now, as for getting out of here, I agree, this place gives me the creeps. So what are we standing around talking for? Let's try to find an exit to this place. "

Looking around the room not bothering to look directly at the others "Right now we have more to worry about than who is boss".

Leaning in closer to a nearby tube "Help me figure out what these are, its a pitty the lights are out... Ah, the powers out, see how the...  The tube's with people still inside! Quickly, we must open them! What ever these things do, they haven't the power to do it."

Looking over at 014, 223 shakes his head, "Unless you know how to open these things without power, I suggest that we spread out and look for a way out of this place. That's my first priority at least, with finding out who erased my memories and put me here, and why, as a distant second. "

With that, the White man walks off, looking for any obvious means of escape.

[ProfPotts]

Trying his best to wipe the goo off his feet, he quietly makes his way towards the voices, trying to listen in on their conversation without exposing himself.

[Time for everyone to assign their Awareness dots - same procedure as before.]

"You asked more than one question, and in a manner that suggested you expected to be answered, as if you were in charge..."

::blink

The Hispanic woman, obviously overwrought & not up to an emotional assault, bursts into tears, collapsing to the floor & putting her arms around her knees...

::cry

"... Now, as for getting out of here, I agree, this place gives me the creeps. So what are we standing around talking for? Let's try to find an exit to this place. "

"Help me figure out what these are, its a pitty the lights are out... Ah, the powers out, see how the...  The tube's with people still inside! Quickly, we must open them! What ever these things do, they haven't the power to do it."

The European woman from tube 881 realises...

*Without power to revive those inside, forcing the tubes open would just kill them quicker.*

"Unless you know how to open these things without power, I suggest that we spread out and look for a way out of this place. That's my first priority at least, with finding out who erased my memories and put me here, and why, as a distant second. "

[Bahamut810]

The Hispanic woman, obviously overwrought & not up to an emotional assault, bursts into tears, collapsing to the floor & putting her arms around her knees...

810 kneels down and puts his arm around her shoulders.

"It is ok. We are all under stress right now. Why don't we pair off while we look around, in case we need help. You never know what might happen. I will travel with her. Some one catch up with him, if you would please." he says as he offers the hispanic woman a hand up.

Leaning in closer to a nearby tube "Help me figure out what these are, its a pitty the lights are out... Ah, the powers out, see how the...  The tube's with people still inside! Quickly, we must open them! What ever these things do, they haven't the power to do it."

"Yes, but we will need tools. If you find something like that...call out to the rest of us, please."

[phoenix]

"Help me figure out what these are, its a pitty the lights are out... Ah, the powers out, see how the... blink.gif The tube's with people still inside! Quickly, we must open them! What ever these things do, they haven't the power to do it."

The small woman from the other side of the room is nodding at this until he suggests opening the tubes.

"No, we can't do that. Even if we could get them out, they would probably never wake up."

"Unless you know how to open these things without power, I suggest that we spread out and look for a way out of this place. That's my first priority at least, with finding out who erased my memories and put me here, and why, as a distant second. "

The woman nods at this, and walks off in a different direction, also looking for an exit.

[Ayre el KaBeer]

"No, we can't do that. Even if we could get them out, they would probably never wake up."

014 stops looking for a way open the tubes "You are sure of this? *You don't know enough about these tubes she may be right* and nods to the woman "Alright we'll search for a way out... I wonder much time would these people have?" he concludes almost as an afterthought.

[ProfPotts]

In the dimly lit room the former occupant of tube 999 pads his way silently to where the 'voices' are coming from. None of them appear to notice him lurking there, & it occurs to him that such a stealthy way of moving seems to come quite naturally to him... However, the small group start to split up just as he gets there, heading off in different directions...

The Arabic man & the Hispanic woman head off together, while the others go their seperate ways. After searching round the large room they discover no doors, windows, or exits of any kind - just smooth metal walls, the metal mesh floor, & a thousand tubes like the ones they each emerged from. Only the shadow-hidden heights above them remain unsearched, & both the South American man from tube 014 & the European woman from tube 881 conclude that it's likely that the tubes were lowered into position from somewhere up there. In fact the tops of the tubes appear to be shaped in a manner which could indicate that they can be clamped onto by some mechanical arm or winch of some kind.

The Arabic man from tube 810, meanwhile, has managed to help his alluring Hispanic companion to calm herself when he notes something rather unusual about the contents of one of the tubes they pass. The silhouetted form inside seems to be a muscular male, but there also appear to be a multitude of cables or tendrils fastened to his body - with just a blurred silhouette to go by it's hard to say what exactly is in tube number 666...

::devil

[phoenix]

Frustrated, tube 881's former occupant heads back to rejoin the group.

[ezekiel]

As the group splits 999 darts into a shady corner between two tubes and observes the metal mesh floor under his feet. He quietly looks around, trying to find a grill somewhere that can be lifted. He pulls gently at the floor in spaces, testing its resistance as quietly as possible.

[Bahamut810]

The Arabic man from tube 810, meanwhile, has managed to help his alluring Hispanic companion to calm herself when he notes something rather unusual about the contents of one of the tubes they pass. The silhouetted form inside seems to be a muscular male, but there also appear to be a multitude of cables or tendrils fastened to his body - with just a blurred silhouette to go by it's hard to say what exactly is in tube number 666...

810 does a double take as he notices the tubes. Did he have tubes attached to him? He couldent remember exactly...he didn't think there were. He reaches out and stops the hispanic woman.

"Hey, were any tubes attached to you? Or anyone in these tubes? He says as he looks into the tube next to 666 to see if there are tubes or tendrils on that one.

[ProfPotts]

"Hey, were any tubes attached to you? Or anyone in these tubes?"

The Hispanic woman frowns & shakes her head, following 810's eyes to peer at the strange silhouette herself,

'No... strange that this appears to be the only one...'

Looking at the surrounding tubes 810 sees that she's correct - none of the others show any signs of the extra appendages.

Meanwhile, the stealthy former occupant of tube 999 checks over the floor until he locates a square of grating about a meter across which appears to be a removable access panel. Taking hold he pulls upon it... [time to assign his Might score]

Back at tube 666 the Hispanic woman places her hands on the tube & presses an eye up against it,

'I can't make-out exactly...'

Suddenly the figure within the tube convulses! The Hispanic woman screams (which can be heard by everyone) & leaps back as the tendrils animate. For a moment the figure inside flounders, then one of its hands presses up against the inside of the tube. 810 & his companion can't help but note that the figure's large hand appears to have webbing between the fingers... & sharp claws on their tips...

Amazingly, despite the obviously sturdy construction of the tubes, the 'glass' around the pressing hand starts to crack...

[Bahamut810]

810 looks over his shoulder at the hispanic woman. "Get behind another tube!" he yells at her as he takes a few more steps back.

810 had just woken up. He was cold, wet, and tired. Now some monster was awakening like they did in a box they could not get out of. He knew he had two options. Make the stand now, or later.

He may as well now, he though as he took a few steps back in order to avoid any glass that may fly at him. He waited for the thing to break the glass, determined to survive this.

[ezekiel]

Meanwhile, the stealthy former occupant of tube 999 checks over the floor until he locates a square of grating about a meter across which appears to be a removable access panel.

Suddenly the figure within the tube convulses! The Hispanic woman screams (which can be heard by everyone)

810 looks over his shoulder at the hispanic woman. "Get behind another tube!" he yells at her as he takes a few more steps back.

Not believing his luck at the timely distraction, 999 pulls with all of his might on the grating, trying to deposit it aside as quietly as possible.

Taking hold he pulls upon it... [time to assign his Might score]

Done, spend a willpower point as well..

[phoenix]

Alarmed by the Latina's scream, the petite woman lets out a startled shriek herself before regaining her self-posession. She stares at the tube with the awakening occupant..

[Ayre el KaBeer]

Disturbed from his search for a way out, 014 moves cautiously in the direction of the scream "What is wrong?".

Hearing the thuds and cracking glass he runs towards the others, being careful not to lose his footing.

[Nullifier]

Frustrated by the futile search for an exit, the caucasian man is looking around for other options when he hears the scream. Momentarily startled, he quickly recovers and starts running towards the place the scream came from. The action seems strangely familiar, as if running in the direction of trouble is something he's used to doing...

[ProfPotts]

The ex-occupants of the tubes quickly converge near tube 666. As they watch, the cracks spread further across the surface of the tube, as the occupant presses even greater pressure on it. Soon the internal gel starts to leak out then, with explosive force, the tube gives way, shattering & spraying the goo everywhere!

Stepping from the destroyed tube comes a roughly humanoid figure - six & a half feet tall, with well-developed muscles. Its fingers & toes appear clawed & webbed, & its skin seems to be a leathery green-brown. Six long tentacles emerge from the creature's back, writhing about in the air. The being's head sports no visible nose, & a thin slit for a mouth, but large, all-black, almond-shaped eyes which glisten in the dim light. Like all the tube occupants, it appears to be hairless.

The moment the figure emerges each of the former tube occupants feels a strange wave of nausea pass over them...

[Time to assign the characters' Psi scores. This equals their Stamina + Wits + Charisma, divided by 2, rounded up. Additional Psi dots cost 5 Bonus Points each - to a maximum total of 10 Psi. All the characters are Psi active.]

Meanwhile, 999 strains to his limits, just managing to pull the grating free, & placing it to one side, when he too feels the wave of uneasy nausea pass over him.

[Bahamut810]

810 stands his ground, ignoring any goo that comes his way. He feels the sickness trying to overtake him but does his best to push it off (spending a WP if he needs to).

He waits a second letting whatever it is gain his wits before speaking.

"Hello,are you ok?"

[ezekiel]

Meanwhile, 999 strains to his limits, just managing to pull the grating free, & placing it to one side, when he too feels the wave of uneasy nausea pass over him.

999 grips the grating as he braces himself, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. What was this? Did they have some kind of device implanted in case they escaped? There weren't any guards here anyway so maybe they didn't know where he was yet. Breathing deeply in and out, trying to shake out the nausea, 999 drops down the shaft and pulls the grating back over his head, trying to make out where he is, feeling his way around.