Re: The Fearsome Encounter (GBS3G8) [Round 2: Oh Two Oh]
09-13-2012, 03:12 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-20-2013, 11:22 PM by Solaris.)
Originally posted on MSPA by Solaris.
Calm down Vex, this isn't the worst spot you've ever been in.
While that was true, the situation was probably higher on the scale than he would care to admit. His unfamiliarity with the Encyclopedia's inner workings, the intense glare of Triumphian, and the demand to locate his planet all together was a bit tough to deal with, but nothing that he couldn't handle.
Alright book, you've got the coordinates, you've got the name of the place, just tell me what the giant lizard wants to know so that he stops.
After some effort and concentration, he succeeded in pulling out the relevant part of space. At the coordinates that had been screamed at him was... nothing. In that entire section of space, there was no life, no planets, only empty space.
What the hell?
This report was contrary to what the clerk had said, wasn't it? She had said something about a planet with nothing but wild animals, so why did he see something different? Though this trip through the books information was a bit taxing, Vex just couldn't help but wonder, what did the book say about the ship they were on, the Oh Two Oh?
Like the home of the Lagran Empire, there was nothing in the book, as far as he knew, on Oh Two Oh, it was as if it didn't exist. As Vex pulled away from the Encyclopedia, he noted that things like this Lagran Empire that the dinosaur had just not shut up about, and a seedy nexus like the Oh Two Oh just couldn’t go unnoticed in the universal news network. So what did it all mean?
===
Triumphian's disturbance at the Information Brokers' Head Quarters, from his barging in with complete disrespect to negotiations to his rather bombastic rants at a book, was not one that had gone unnoticed. As the space pope preoccupied himself with Vex, various informants, analysts, spies, and other information gatherers began to do everything they could learn what the hell was up with this ridiculously dressed reptile that was making such a large scene.
They had information on his companion, Captain Jessica Blaus of The Moirai, but there seemed to be absolutely nothing on him. They didn't know where he came from, who he was, how he even got here, it just didn't make sense. He had to get on the ship somehow, right?
Still, they were the Information Brokers. It was their job to be up to date with the happenings of the universe, and that meant that they'd have get to the bottom of this, even if they had to do it personally.
===
"And another thing!"
As Vex once more tuned in to Triumphian, he realized that Wow, he did not know how to shut up. If the growing crowd's wide open mouths and blank stares, made up of both people who wished to use the IB's services and those who had heard of the crazy dude yelling at a book was any indication, the dinosaur hadn't shut up the entire time that he was looking up the information.
This probably was going to be more difficult to convey than he'd hoped.
"Alright your... er, Holiness, I've got some interesting news for you. I'll be straight, you might not like what you hear, but I'd like it if you let me finish, kapiche?"
To the astonishment of almost everyone present, Triumphian closed his mouth, lowered the glow on his eyes, and listened.
Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.
Vex began. "So if you remember, the lovely lady over there said that your planet and empire don't exist how you remember them. Well, my data says that they don't exist at all, in fact, it says that this ship doesn't exist either. I thought about it, and our whole situation, and I started to wonder what would happen if we talked universal history or geography; I doubt that we’d agree on everything. Now, I know that this is going to sound a bit odd, but I’ve got one explanation explains this all. I think that we are in an alternate universe."
Despite his cool delivery, Vex had feared that sometime during his somewhat hasty conclusion, the pope would decide to enact his vengeance, luckily, it seemed that he had gone in the other direction.
An alternate universe?
While Triumphian never really had what anyone would consider an open mind with regards to things that didn't relate to complete victory over heathens, this was asking for a bit much. Every choice he had made during this situation was done with the thought that somewhere out there, his empire was searching, and would soon find him and leave him free to lead a revenge assault on this Apprentice that had so rudely abducted him.
But if the book was to be believed, that revenge assault was looking a lot less likely.
It was as he was lost in thought that the Information Brokers opted to make their move. Like most of their actions, the investigation on this Pope Triumphian was started with a very subtle touch. Mizz, the bug-lady clerk, tapped Triumphian's shoulder, releasing him from his thought, "I'm sorry to interrupt your Holiness, but you are requested upstairs."
Those in the audience who were aware of the implication of such a thing began to murmur amongst themselves. They weren't quite sure what to think about this giant landslide of information that had been given to them. First there is a preaching reptile who some of the audience, despite their initial desire to laugh, actually believed in. Then there was the apparent revelation that both he and the talking(!!!) book were from a different universe. Lastly, he was called to the higher floors of the IB's HQ. No one was called there except the most important people.
As Triumphian, Jessica, and Vex followed Mizz, the pope, despite his shock, couldn't help but notice that among the audience were people who were looking at him, and who believed in him.
===
"I've made a huge mistake."
Though Viscount's hunger had unknowingly aided things along in the forest, he had neither seen any fruits nor felt any labor. In his eyes, he had failed to do the only thing expected of him. What would The Controller think?
"Come on Viscount, get yourself together!"
Viscount shifted himself a little and then started to make note of his surroundings, he seemed to be covered... in smoke? He was thankful to not have lungs, but still-was part of him just inhaled-he had to focus. He may have failed in his mission last round, but this time he would ensure that there was nothing but discord and paranoia between the remaining contestants. But first he'd have to keep himself in one piece. I know something sucked me in, but where?
Lower in the room, swimming in a lavish tank, surrounded in loot, and wearing a mish-mash of a space captain’s uniform and some sort of synthetic form-fitting armor was a shark, but not just any shark. The grey skinned, red eyed, and smoking (as her head was on the outside of the tank) shark was lounging about and getting her hourly report on the status of her ship. Her water, imported from the freshest and cleanest planets and laced with various chemicals, kept her vitalized and healthy; it was the closest thing to a fountain of youth you could get. And Admiral was planning on sticking around for a long time.
"And the last thing is that there seems to be various disturbances going around."
The young man reporting the news of the hour to her was a human, well tanned, brown straight hair, meat on his bones, mentally boring, but that wasn't what Admiral liked in her servants anyway. She giggled to herself and slyly smirked before giving a scoff. "Tell me exactly how a bunch of criminals rioting and making a mess is news?"
"Well Admiral, according to the reports, at the center of each of these disturbances there has been someone or someones who no one has seen before. We can't find any information about them."
Viscount, watching from the smoky ceiling, began to plot. They were making disturbances, were they? Though inherently disorganized, the outcome of a disturbance could lead to organization and revolt, depending on who's at the center... He could swoop down and offer his services and knowledge to this Admiral, but he instead opted to wait and see what else the minion and his master had to say.
"So if you can't get any information, why don't you get some from the Information Brokers?"
"Well, uhm... that's where one of the disturbances is at. They've closed things off, but stragglers say that there was a preaching reptile, saying something about some Empire. The other main disturbance also seems to have resulted in a following of one of these... new people."
Admiral was skeptic that in the hour since she last heard from one of her servants, that some people showed up out of nowhere, and that they somehow started to gain followers among the scum that lived on the ship. "Really?"
Viscount noted her smug skepticism, and opted to make his move.
"Yes, really. In fact, I think that there are a few more things about. Greetings Admiral, I hope you forgive my inability to bow. My name is Viscount, and I know something you want to know."
===
"We just want to know who you are."
Triumphian and his crew were sitting in a nice, but rather crowded office, filled to the brim with papers and files, all facing the man apparently in charge of the building they were in. The tusked, large eared man, wearing a nice, but messy suit adjusted his lenses and kept his wrinkly hands clasped together on his desk.
On the way up, the captain had gossiped to Triumphian about this man, the supposed leader of the Information Brokers. He was an intelligent man, neutral, and focused only on the collection and sale of information. This was someone he could relate to, someone he could understand.
Though he wasn't quite over his existential issue, Triumphian wanted to engage this man more than he wanted to slump over his situation. After all, even if he wasn't home, he still had an image of a cool and collected leader to keep.
"I believe that your employee has told you this already, but I suppose that just this once I will repeat myself, for you. I am His Holiness the Glorious Pope Triumphian the First of the Holy Empire of Lagran. Not that I wish to interrupt your procedures, but I doubt that satisfies your thirst for knowledge. Let’s not waste each other’s time."
The tusked man nodded and smiled. "I see... then it is a pleasure to meet you, I am Wallace Zanna, I am the second leader of the Information Brokers on this ship." He extended his hand to the pope, who firmly grasped and shook it. "You are very astute Your Holiness, you see, your appearance has left my people in a bit of a situation. Downstairs, there are a large number of people who want to know what is going on with you along with a number of other, similar unknowns. Tell me, did you come in a group?"
"While I understand the sentiment, I hope that you don't mind me not answering without a bit of incentive."
"So you are a negotiator as well are you?"
"One does not rule over an empire without the ability to dictate well."
"Just as one does not get to the top of an information exchange service without a few ways to get what he wants."
Oh boy, here we go again.
As if being on the opposite end of one of Triumphian's long rants wasn't enough, now Vex was in the middle of two windbags.
The Pope didn't even let me finish what I was saying... but maybe that's for the best. Wouldn't want to let him know my full hand now, would I?
Vex decided to shut out the world around him, at least until the two blowhards shut up, and started to get back to work on dealing with his new home. Getting the two tidbits of information before was hard, but if he wanted to expand, he'd need to go over the basics first.
"Let's get to work."
===
The various employees could only stare in wonder as Triumphian and Wallace went at it. Since starting their discourse proper, the two hadn't wasted a single word nor given in anything truly useful to the other. They almost seemed to be a stalemate.
Eventually, Wallace gave in. "I tire of this, we are making no progress. Let us settle this... another way, with a game."
Triumphian, who also tired of going in circles, tentatively agreed. "What sort of game? I imagine that it won't be something easy to pick up and play."
Wallace smugly smirked, "Well, it depends. I could allow you to select which, for a price."
"Tempting, tempting, but that would make the victory less satisfying. How about a middle ground, you select the game, I am given the instruction materials and fifteen minutes."
"Hmm, that sounds acceptable. So, you know what I want from you, what do you want if you win?"
"When I win, I want control of your facility, your resources, and your personnel."
Wallace once more extended his arm, "I accept."
Calm down Vex, this isn't the worst spot you've ever been in.
While that was true, the situation was probably higher on the scale than he would care to admit. His unfamiliarity with the Encyclopedia's inner workings, the intense glare of Triumphian, and the demand to locate his planet all together was a bit tough to deal with, but nothing that he couldn't handle.
Alright book, you've got the coordinates, you've got the name of the place, just tell me what the giant lizard wants to know so that he stops.
After some effort and concentration, he succeeded in pulling out the relevant part of space. At the coordinates that had been screamed at him was... nothing. In that entire section of space, there was no life, no planets, only empty space.
What the hell?
This report was contrary to what the clerk had said, wasn't it? She had said something about a planet with nothing but wild animals, so why did he see something different? Though this trip through the books information was a bit taxing, Vex just couldn't help but wonder, what did the book say about the ship they were on, the Oh Two Oh?
Like the home of the Lagran Empire, there was nothing in the book, as far as he knew, on Oh Two Oh, it was as if it didn't exist. As Vex pulled away from the Encyclopedia, he noted that things like this Lagran Empire that the dinosaur had just not shut up about, and a seedy nexus like the Oh Two Oh just couldn’t go unnoticed in the universal news network. So what did it all mean?
===
Triumphian's disturbance at the Information Brokers' Head Quarters, from his barging in with complete disrespect to negotiations to his rather bombastic rants at a book, was not one that had gone unnoticed. As the space pope preoccupied himself with Vex, various informants, analysts, spies, and other information gatherers began to do everything they could learn what the hell was up with this ridiculously dressed reptile that was making such a large scene.
They had information on his companion, Captain Jessica Blaus of The Moirai, but there seemed to be absolutely nothing on him. They didn't know where he came from, who he was, how he even got here, it just didn't make sense. He had to get on the ship somehow, right?
Still, they were the Information Brokers. It was their job to be up to date with the happenings of the universe, and that meant that they'd have get to the bottom of this, even if they had to do it personally.
===
"And another thing!"
As Vex once more tuned in to Triumphian, he realized that Wow, he did not know how to shut up. If the growing crowd's wide open mouths and blank stares, made up of both people who wished to use the IB's services and those who had heard of the crazy dude yelling at a book was any indication, the dinosaur hadn't shut up the entire time that he was looking up the information.
This probably was going to be more difficult to convey than he'd hoped.
"Alright your... er, Holiness, I've got some interesting news for you. I'll be straight, you might not like what you hear, but I'd like it if you let me finish, kapiche?"
To the astonishment of almost everyone present, Triumphian closed his mouth, lowered the glow on his eyes, and listened.
Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.
Vex began. "So if you remember, the lovely lady over there said that your planet and empire don't exist how you remember them. Well, my data says that they don't exist at all, in fact, it says that this ship doesn't exist either. I thought about it, and our whole situation, and I started to wonder what would happen if we talked universal history or geography; I doubt that we’d agree on everything. Now, I know that this is going to sound a bit odd, but I’ve got one explanation explains this all. I think that we are in an alternate universe."
Despite his cool delivery, Vex had feared that sometime during his somewhat hasty conclusion, the pope would decide to enact his vengeance, luckily, it seemed that he had gone in the other direction.
An alternate universe?
While Triumphian never really had what anyone would consider an open mind with regards to things that didn't relate to complete victory over heathens, this was asking for a bit much. Every choice he had made during this situation was done with the thought that somewhere out there, his empire was searching, and would soon find him and leave him free to lead a revenge assault on this Apprentice that had so rudely abducted him.
But if the book was to be believed, that revenge assault was looking a lot less likely.
It was as he was lost in thought that the Information Brokers opted to make their move. Like most of their actions, the investigation on this Pope Triumphian was started with a very subtle touch. Mizz, the bug-lady clerk, tapped Triumphian's shoulder, releasing him from his thought, "I'm sorry to interrupt your Holiness, but you are requested upstairs."
Those in the audience who were aware of the implication of such a thing began to murmur amongst themselves. They weren't quite sure what to think about this giant landslide of information that had been given to them. First there is a preaching reptile who some of the audience, despite their initial desire to laugh, actually believed in. Then there was the apparent revelation that both he and the talking(!!!) book were from a different universe. Lastly, he was called to the higher floors of the IB's HQ. No one was called there except the most important people.
As Triumphian, Jessica, and Vex followed Mizz, the pope, despite his shock, couldn't help but notice that among the audience were people who were looking at him, and who believed in him.
===
"I've made a huge mistake."
Though Viscount's hunger had unknowingly aided things along in the forest, he had neither seen any fruits nor felt any labor. In his eyes, he had failed to do the only thing expected of him. What would The Controller think?
"Come on Viscount, get yourself together!"
Viscount shifted himself a little and then started to make note of his surroundings, he seemed to be covered... in smoke? He was thankful to not have lungs, but still-was part of him just inhaled-he had to focus. He may have failed in his mission last round, but this time he would ensure that there was nothing but discord and paranoia between the remaining contestants. But first he'd have to keep himself in one piece. I know something sucked me in, but where?
Lower in the room, swimming in a lavish tank, surrounded in loot, and wearing a mish-mash of a space captain’s uniform and some sort of synthetic form-fitting armor was a shark, but not just any shark. The grey skinned, red eyed, and smoking (as her head was on the outside of the tank) shark was lounging about and getting her hourly report on the status of her ship. Her water, imported from the freshest and cleanest planets and laced with various chemicals, kept her vitalized and healthy; it was the closest thing to a fountain of youth you could get. And Admiral was planning on sticking around for a long time.
"And the last thing is that there seems to be various disturbances going around."
The young man reporting the news of the hour to her was a human, well tanned, brown straight hair, meat on his bones, mentally boring, but that wasn't what Admiral liked in her servants anyway. She giggled to herself and slyly smirked before giving a scoff. "Tell me exactly how a bunch of criminals rioting and making a mess is news?"
"Well Admiral, according to the reports, at the center of each of these disturbances there has been someone or someones who no one has seen before. We can't find any information about them."
Viscount, watching from the smoky ceiling, began to plot. They were making disturbances, were they? Though inherently disorganized, the outcome of a disturbance could lead to organization and revolt, depending on who's at the center... He could swoop down and offer his services and knowledge to this Admiral, but he instead opted to wait and see what else the minion and his master had to say.
"So if you can't get any information, why don't you get some from the Information Brokers?"
"Well, uhm... that's where one of the disturbances is at. They've closed things off, but stragglers say that there was a preaching reptile, saying something about some Empire. The other main disturbance also seems to have resulted in a following of one of these... new people."
Admiral was skeptic that in the hour since she last heard from one of her servants, that some people showed up out of nowhere, and that they somehow started to gain followers among the scum that lived on the ship. "Really?"
Viscount noted her smug skepticism, and opted to make his move.
"Yes, really. In fact, I think that there are a few more things about. Greetings Admiral, I hope you forgive my inability to bow. My name is Viscount, and I know something you want to know."
===
"We just want to know who you are."
Triumphian and his crew were sitting in a nice, but rather crowded office, filled to the brim with papers and files, all facing the man apparently in charge of the building they were in. The tusked, large eared man, wearing a nice, but messy suit adjusted his lenses and kept his wrinkly hands clasped together on his desk.
On the way up, the captain had gossiped to Triumphian about this man, the supposed leader of the Information Brokers. He was an intelligent man, neutral, and focused only on the collection and sale of information. This was someone he could relate to, someone he could understand.
Though he wasn't quite over his existential issue, Triumphian wanted to engage this man more than he wanted to slump over his situation. After all, even if he wasn't home, he still had an image of a cool and collected leader to keep.
"I believe that your employee has told you this already, but I suppose that just this once I will repeat myself, for you. I am His Holiness the Glorious Pope Triumphian the First of the Holy Empire of Lagran. Not that I wish to interrupt your procedures, but I doubt that satisfies your thirst for knowledge. Let’s not waste each other’s time."
The tusked man nodded and smiled. "I see... then it is a pleasure to meet you, I am Wallace Zanna, I am the second leader of the Information Brokers on this ship." He extended his hand to the pope, who firmly grasped and shook it. "You are very astute Your Holiness, you see, your appearance has left my people in a bit of a situation. Downstairs, there are a large number of people who want to know what is going on with you along with a number of other, similar unknowns. Tell me, did you come in a group?"
"While I understand the sentiment, I hope that you don't mind me not answering without a bit of incentive."
"So you are a negotiator as well are you?"
"One does not rule over an empire without the ability to dictate well."
"Just as one does not get to the top of an information exchange service without a few ways to get what he wants."
Oh boy, here we go again.
As if being on the opposite end of one of Triumphian's long rants wasn't enough, now Vex was in the middle of two windbags.
The Pope didn't even let me finish what I was saying... but maybe that's for the best. Wouldn't want to let him know my full hand now, would I?
Vex decided to shut out the world around him, at least until the two blowhards shut up, and started to get back to work on dealing with his new home. Getting the two tidbits of information before was hard, but if he wanted to expand, he'd need to go over the basics first.
"Let's get to work."
===
The various employees could only stare in wonder as Triumphian and Wallace went at it. Since starting their discourse proper, the two hadn't wasted a single word nor given in anything truly useful to the other. They almost seemed to be a stalemate.
Eventually, Wallace gave in. "I tire of this, we are making no progress. Let us settle this... another way, with a game."
Triumphian, who also tired of going in circles, tentatively agreed. "What sort of game? I imagine that it won't be something easy to pick up and play."
Wallace smugly smirked, "Well, it depends. I could allow you to select which, for a price."
"Tempting, tempting, but that would make the victory less satisfying. How about a middle ground, you select the game, I am given the instruction materials and fifteen minutes."
"Hmm, that sounds acceptable. So, you know what I want from you, what do you want if you win?"
"When I win, I want control of your facility, your resources, and your personnel."
Wallace once more extended his arm, "I accept."