Waterworks

Philia and Phobia: carefully rearrange the CONNECTIONS so they would fully cover the DOORR and MOTOR. If that works, the elevator might go even faster!

>Is just smashing it an option? That's worked well so far.

not if just smashing it stops the elevator outright.

I think we need to get ALL the door nodes activated? 
And I don't think we need lights, Slick should have a flashlight in his suit. 

Trying to read how the connectors work, I think these ones are different from the crane from way back. It has DIRECTIONAL power, I think? 
So like, the 3 long piece on the left is DIFFERENT from the other 3 long. One SKIPS over a node, and the other SPLITS the signal. The four long piece seems to connect each node it goes over. 

I might be entirely wrong with my assumptions on how it works, but if I'm right then this solution should get all the door nodes active, and get us a higher number motor node, if that matters. 

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EDIT: I realized that we might be trying to get one door with ZERO active nodes. Basing from the same logic as before, here's a second solution. Just trying to use all the connectors, I even got us to have a light on. 

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EDIT: Another possible solution, with WAY more lights active. Just trying to get as *few* door nodes open as possible. 
Heck, you could just NOT use the far left 2 long piece, and make DoorR only have ONE active node. 

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I'm not sure if anyone else is confused as to the exact shape or nature of the parts on the board, but I sure as hell am.  Let's try to at least get some more information before we start jumping to conclusions, all right?

> Slick: Ready your flashlight, in case the lights go out.

> Plumbers: Remove and examine what you have to work with.
> ... though it may be a better idea to leave at least the piece currently powering the brakes and motor where it is, and to try and move one of the shorter components to keeping the lights on.

Another possible solution, with WAY more lights active. Just trying to get as *few* door nodes open as possible. 
Heck, you could just NOT use the far left 2 long piece, and make DoorR only have ONE active node. 

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Phobia begins removing connectors from the board. Immediately, things start powering down.




With all of the pieces disconnected (except the brake, no way she's touching that), the elevator is stopped and the lights are off.




Phobia then snaps the pieces back according to the new configuration.




The elevator powers back up, even better than before - You're moving up at a faster pace and the lights are no longer flickering! But what about the doors?




Philia goes to the leftmost door and is able to push it open without any resistance.




Phobia was able to not only able to power down the doors, she also made the other parts of the elevator work better than before! You tell her that you knew you could count on her.




With the doors open, you can just empty your entire tank out into the void below.




...Which you do. Right away.




All of your problems have been solved for the short-term! Now you can stay with Connie for as long as you need to, dumping any excess goo down the elevator shaft. However, you're not sure what you're going to do once you get to the top. You can't just leave her, and the shaft is the only safe place to dump the goo...

Slick: Clean out the rest of the goo in the elevator as best you can.

Phobia: Give that box another kick to send it out the elevator door.

>Slick: Maybe now that you're not near capacity, you could absorb her goo at a better rate? If possible, even clean it out of her?

Honestly the BEST solution would be to put her in enough water that the goo dissipates, leaving a soaking wet and probably angry CC.
Hm, that's an idea. Can your tank store enough goo to rush her to your porthole tank?

Slick: Drop Phobia and Philia at the offices, ask them to tell the workers about the situation (those guys still think you are a bad guy) and take Connie to the water vats.

>Slick: ...is there even anything left to save?

>Soaking Connie in water might accomplish something. Maybe? It'll help with the odor, at least...
>You could just stay in the elevator indefinitely and keep dumping goo down the shaft forever.

>If all else fails, that immortality device Tubs is so keen on getting might be able to save her.

Slick: Clean out the rest of the goo in the elevator as best you can.

You start moving the goo out of the elevator. It's strange, it seems to have stopped moving after it had taken a shape. It's hardened somewhat, too - Your suit is reluctant to absorb it.

Phobia: Give that box another kick to send it out the elevator door.

Phobia kicks the box with the still-live creature out of the elevator. That's the last you'll be seeing of it. Well, that particular one, at least...

>Soaking Connie in water might accomplish something. Maybe? It'll help with the odor, at least...

That may be worth a shot, but you don't have access to any water, and you wouldn't know where the nearest puddle would be...

>Slick: Maybe now that you're not near capacity, you could absorb her goo at a better rate? If possible, even clean it out of her?

That was the idea. You could stay here for as long as you need to, but eventually you're going to need to do something...

When paired together, Philia and Phobia seem to handle themselves well. They'd be able to go get some help once you get back to ground level.

>If all else fails, that immortality device Tubs is so keen on getting might be able to save her.

That might work. You'll have to go get it. You had stashed it somewhere as you were afraid that Tubs might've tried to take it and leave before his contract was up.

You know for a fact that it works on you, but you can't speak for others. You were secretly hoping you'd be long-gone before Tubs had a chance to try it. You don't know what'll happen to him.




...You don't know what'll happen to anyone. This whole situation has really fallen apart, hasn't it? You thought that this was going so well, too... Just empty the goo, fill up on water, and hop out.

They didn't tell you about any of this. They said that you'd encounter resistance. That you'd have to kill. You didn't believe them. Thought you could do it your own way.

You didn't think it'd end up like this. You finally earn the trust of someone, they put their life on the line for you, and then this is what happens. This is what always happens. You wanted to be the hero, but you couldn't have been further from reality. You just can't bring yourself to let it go.

>Slick: ...is there even anything left to save?

>Slick: Don't you dare start thinking about "the greater good" or "putting her out of her misery". Connie helped you and trusted you. You owe her.

>Slick: There is no sense in giving up until you try everything you can to help anyway. Is the elevator there yet?

>Slick: Don't lose hope yet, there's more than 10 different people waiting for you up there. All of you together can find the solution.

>Dunk her in water first, you can think about Old Yeller after.

>Slick: Don't you dare start thinking about "the greater good" or "putting her out of her misery". Connie helped you and trusted you. You owe her.

Yeah. You'll figure something out.

>Slick: Is the elevator there yet?

Eventually, the elevator does make it back up to the top.




You still need to look after Connie, but the elevator is the only safe place to dump the goo that her body is producing... You can't stay here forever, but you don't know how far you're going to be able to get if you carry her. Any last minute ideas before you finally get moving?

>Slick: Dump the goo you have right now to maximize the time to get to the water vats.

>Slick: Recall where the water portal was left.

It might make a good first destination, at least in terms of mitigating goo buildup

>Ancient Wisdom: "Don't mess up."

(yo as a heads up, the image on https://mspfa.com/?s=43&p=1026 is busted)

>Slick: Dump the goo you have right now to maximize the time to get to the water vats.

seconding this, every second counts

With some hesitation, you step outside the elevator while trailing behind the two sisters.




There's some more goop on the floor than previously, but it's nothing like you had seen down below.




So far so good, you guess? The three of you can make your way back to the offices and rendezvous with the others.












Another worm decides to interrupt you! It looks like the same one that first attacked you and Connie back underground, except this one is much, much bigger!

Philia is ready to throw down. Phobia looks like she's about to start hyperventilating. You're not sure how much help you're going to be while looking after Connie.

>PULL THE LEVER, SLICK!