Session Start: Sat Mar 20 21:38:50 2004
Session Ident: #taw
* Logging #taw to 'logs\EsperNet\#taw.20040320.log'
<Ire> Session 154: The Time Factor
*** Kimera is now known as Silouette
<Ire> Time Chart: May 27th, 2223
<Ire> Location: Hold
*** Alicia is now known as Terra`
<Ire> 6* A peaceful afternoon in Mega City continues, when suddenly an armored car drives by, with two cop cars driving after it. As the three vehicles speed down the street, a masked man raises from the passenger side and fires a rocket at one of the cop cars, blowing it up so that it spins and lands on the other. As both are out of the way, it seems they're going to escape...
* Ire hits the gas, sending the Alt van driving out of the alley. Spinning the wheel, he pulls up behind the armored van as they speed down the highway.
* Ire spins the wheel as he brings the van moving around a car. He glances back at the team, then ahead at the armored van, which is trying to pull away.
* Phirax looks over to Ire. "Shall I try to shoot out their tires?
* Ire grunts, avoiding another car. He hits the gas pedal harder, catching up the distance between them and their target.
<Ire> It won't be shot out easily.
<Ire> 6* The masked man leans back into the van, trying to reload his rocket launcher.
<Phirax> Well....I can try...its better than scratching my butt.
* Phirax leans out of the window and aims....then before he fires he raises his gun to shoot at the masked man.
<Ire> 6* The masked man looks out as the mirror next to him shatters. He ducks lower in the seat. Meanwhile, the armored car takes a right turn, sending them into the busy traffic area. It begins to weave in and out of cars.
* Ire spins out after it, almost colliding with another car. Holding the wheel, he hits the gas again and drives up behind it.
* Phirax sets back strait looking pretty pissed.
<Ire> 6* The masked man leans back out, aiming the rocket launcher at the Alt van.
<Phirax> I'm afraid i'll hit a pedestrian...any suggestions...
<Ire> Try harder.
<Phirax> ....
* Ire pulls around an old lady's car, coming up on the right side of the van.
* Phirax turns his gun pointing at the van waiting for the driver to come into view.
<Ire> 6* The masked man on the right side stumbles, his aim going off. He brings it back around, waiting for the Alt Van ... just a few more seconds.
* Ire hits the gas, bringing his van closer to the armored car.
<Phirax> ....Lean back.
* Phirax takes aim at the van careful not to hit Ire...then fires once more.
<Phirax> (Man....)
* Ire eyes the rocket launcher, then hits the wheel to the left upon Phirax's warning. A rocket sails by, hitting the street where they are, causing a massive explosion. He pulls up on the sidewalk, driving along it on the left side now.
<Ire> 6* The driver looks out his window, his eyes wide in surprise.
* Phirax sighs and then takes aim once more and fires again.
<Ire> 6* Phirax's bullet smashes into the driver. He goes down and the armored van begins to veer out of control.
<Phirax> ....
<Ire> Good.
* Ire drives up along the armored van now so that they're just feet apart. In just a few more seconds, the armored van will smash into someone or something. Ire points at the driver door.
<Ire> Move.
* Ire tries to keep his van steady with the driver's door for Phirax.
* Phirax nods and set hi gun aside....pulls out two daggers and then makes his way out of the van.
* Phirax jumps onto the armor car impaling the top with a dagger.
<Ire> 6* The passenger reaches out and grabs the steering wheel now, trying to take the place of his dead friend.
* Ire pulls away, taking a left through the park.
* Phirax then makes his way into the car where he then begins to fight with the passenger.
<Ire> 6* The passenger tries to swing the rocket launcher into Phirax, but he's slow in moving it.
* Phirax grabs the rockes launcher and uses his metal arms as an advantage in strength and strikes him with it.
<Ire> 6* The passenger goes down. Up ahead, a group of kids are crossing the street. In just a few seconds, the armored van Phirax is in will hit them.
* Phirax hits the brakes looking for a spot to turn.
<Ire> 6* As Phirax hits the breaks, he notices that he can turn left and make the van go sideways in the street.
* Phirax does so trying to cause no damage.
<Ire> 6* The van screeches along the street and comes to a complete stop.
* Phirax sighs with relief.
* Ire brings his own van slowly back around and comes to a stop.
* Phirax makes sure he isn't in the way then steps out.
* Ire waits for Phirax to get into his van. He doesn't seem to have changed any in his neutral expression
* Phirax gets in the looks to Ire.
<Phirax> Should we just leave it?
* Ire pulls away from the van as other cops begin to pull up. He points at them, then begins to drive through the park back toward the police headquarters.
* Phirax nods then leans back yawning.
<Ire> Lets go. McCabe wants a meeting and I have to pick up the others.
* Phirax nods...
<Ire> By the way.
* Phirax looks at Ire.
<Ire> Good job today.
<Phirax> Yes?
* Phirax nods.
<Phirax> Thank you.
<Ire> 6* The TAW signal flashes as the scene changes to the third floor office in Building 33.
* Ire stands there, grabbing some files. He sent out a member alert a few moments ago, contacting the others to meet him in the office.
* Dahok walks into the office, stretching
* Phirax is already there because he walked in with Ire.
* Ire seems to be in a good mood, though only Dahok Fyro could tell from knowing Ire so long.
* Dahok takes a seat and yawns
* Silouette is there already, but it so quiet she might not have been noticed
* Phirax looks down at the floor, arms crossed, leaning against the wall.
<Ire> Alright, lets go. McCabe wants us to meet him in one of Slasher's science facilities. He wants to inform us of some new invention being worked on that should be completed soon.
* Phirax stands strait up and then walks out of the office and toward the van.
* Ire glances over his shoulder at Phirax, then follows.
* Dahok stands up and follows after the two
<Terra`> NRP: Dunno if I'm really up to RPing. Kinda tired
* Ire gets into the van, turning it on.
* Phirax gets in the back assumeing Dahok will get passanger seat.
* Ire pauses, grabbing a package in the seat. Glancing at it, he hands it to Phirax. It has his name on it.
* Silouette is in the back already.
* Dahok hops into the van
* Phirax looks puzzled then takes the package.
<Phirax> Who would send me anything?
<Ire> Not me.
* Silouette shrugs slightly.
* Ire reverses the van, then turns and begins to drive along the street.
* Phirax scans it real quick incase it could be a bomb.
<Ire> 6* It's not.
* Phirax opens it up.
<Ire> 6* Inside is a small, black box.
<Phirax> ....Whats this?
* Silouette stares straight ahead during the ride.
* Ire drives along the street, glancing in the rearview mirror as he makes another turn.
* Phirax looks for somewhee to open it.
<Ire> 6* It's easily openable.
* Phirax opens it.
<Ire> 6* Inside is a bullet. The kind sniper's favor.
* Ire drives out of Mega City, heading along a lonely road.
<Phirax> ........
* Phirax scans the prints on the bullet.
<Ire> 6* Whoever handled it used gloves.
<Dahok> Any idea what this invention is?
<Phirax> .....Why would someone send me a bullet...
* Phirax shrugs then pockets it.
<Dahok> Maybe you've got a stalker.
<Ire> McCabe said it was revolutionary. Something no one had ever made.
<Phirax> Its hard to say...
<Silouette> ...maybe it's a warning.
<Phirax> ...Maybe....but who...
* Ire takes a side dirt road, passing a sign saying something about killer moose.
<Ire> 6* Finally, they come to a small cottage.
<Dahok> Looks like a cozy place.
* Ire stops the car and gets out.
* Phirax also gets out waiting for Ire to take lead.
* Dahok opens the door and steps out, shutting it behind him
* Ire walks over to a mailbox and flips up the red flag. Nearby a big tree falls over, revealing a hole in the trunk of it.
* Dahok laughs to himself
* Dahok walks towards the hole
<Silouette> ...what is this place.
* Phirax walks behind dahok thinking to himself.
* Ire steps up to the trunk, tapping the side. A ladder forms.
<Silouette> ...... *stops asking questions*
* Ire grabs the ladder and begins to climb down.
* Phirax follows.
* Dahok heads down the ladder
* Silouette follows down.
* Ire steps off into a hallway. The walls are all blue and the floor is tile. At the far end is a doorway with an eyescanner on it.
* Phirax walks down the hall way looking around.
* Ire reaches out a hand to stop Phirax, but he's too late. A trap door in the floor opens up under Phirax, threatening to drop him into a hole.
* Phirax shocked....extends both arms to catch himself.
* Ire walks up next to Phirax, glancing down.
<Phirax> .....Don't say....anything.
* Phirax pulls himself up beside Ire and then gets to his feet.
* Ire grunts, then taps the wall, revealing a pad. He enters a code of words. All the traps in the hallway shut off.
<Dahok> Sure is super cautious.
<Silouette> ...paranoid is more like it.
<Phirax> It better be good....considering I almost died because of it...
* Ire walks down the hallway, waving to at the corner, though there's nothing there. A moment later, the door buzzes and unlocks. He swings it open.
* Phirax follows looks at the floor as he goes.
<Ire> 6* Inside is dozens of scientists moving about, holding checklists. Machines and super computers line the walls on all sides. And in the middle seems to be some sort of round device.
<Phirax> NRP: Looking.
* Dahok follows behind Ire
* Phirax around puzzled.
<Phirax> NRP: Damnit....Looks around.
<Ire> <McCabe> Ah, you're here. Welcome.
<Ire> 6* McCabe steps up, looking the team over with his gray eyes.
<Ire> McCabe.
* Phirax nods to McCabe.
<Ire> <McCabe> This is one of our biggest secrets here. The project's scientist, Ezekiel, is over there. 6He indicates a man with crazy brown hair and big glasses, who is working on one of the machines.
* Ire eyes the machines, but doesn't ask any questions, oddly. He seems to be waiting, glancing at his team now and again
* Dahok looks at the guy
<Dahok> What a cook.
<Ire> <McCabe> Yes. Ezekiel isn't exactly the most sane of men. But he's a genius.
<Dahok> I guess so is Slasher tho,.
<Phirax> What is this?
<Ire> <McCabe> Before I go into details, you all have to swear that what you see and hear to day will be top secret. We cannot afford to have this get out.
*** Terra` has quit IRC (Quit: Goodnight, though I might be back later tonight)
* Silouette nods.
<Ire> Understood.
* Phirax nods as well
<Ire> <McCabe> We received information that the 5th Column was working on a new invention, one that could possibly have severe consequences on Earth. Far bigger than anything we could have imagined so far.
<Dahok> And what was that?
<Ire> <McCabe> What you see here is our attempt at the same invention. It's being nicknamed Project: Intervention. It's a time machine. And in a few weeks, we'll have our first test run with it. President Slasher is uneasy about it - I think he'd cancel the entire project at the first sign of something going wrong. But he did say to have you know about it.
<Dahok> ...Woh woh woh...did you say time machine?
<Ire> <McCabe> Yes. A time machine.
<Ire> ...
<Dahok> I thought time travel was impossible.
<Phirax> ...Please tell me that we aren't the testers...
<Ire> <McCabe> Ezekiel can explain better. 6He waves over Ezekiel, who rushes over, obviously eccentric.
<Ire> <Ezekiel> Hello, hello! Welcome to my project.
<Silouette> .....
<Ire> <McCabe> Direct your questions to Dr. Ezekiel, please.
<Phirax> Does this really work? Sounds far fetched to me.
<Ire> <Ezekiel> Well, we believe it works. We have sent small objects back in time for periods, then later recovered them. So, yes, it does work. It's quite ingenius, really.
<Dahok> Send anything live back yet?
<Ire> <Ezekiel> No, no. That test is in a few weeks.
<Silouette> ...how do you know that it's actually going through time?
<Phirax> And not just randomly appearing elsewhere.
<Ire> <Ezekiel> We can't be 100% certain until we actually send a person back in time. We have a volunteer that Mr. McCormick personally requested. He even selected a date.
<Phirax> Whos dumb enough to do that?
<Ire> <Ezekiel> Some professor.
<Dahok> ....Don't look at me.
<Phirax> ....
<Ire> A ... professor?
<Ire> <McCabe> Professor Carter.
<Phirax> Is this Professor trustworthy?
<Ire> ....We never determined that. We felt he was cooperating with you, McCabe...
<Phirax> I know professors all to well *looks to his arms* and sometimes they'll risk everything for the "Miracles of Science".
<Ire> <McCabe> ... Well. Your John McCormick asked for him, so in either event, he's being recommended by someone other than I, isn't he?
* Ire grunts.
<Ire> <Ezekiel> It will be most exciting. You are welcomed to attend when we do it, yes. Yes?
<Ire> Hm. Yes, I think I'll show up.
<Phirax> I want to see this too.
<Dahok> How do you know that they don't know we've got one?
<Ire> <McCabe> It's a possibilty. Which is why you'll need to make sure this facility is safe. We'll contact you if the 5th Column shows up. It might be an offer they can't refuse to pass up and we can strike a crippling blow to them.
<Phirax> Wouldn't it be wise...for one of us to be here at all times.
<Silouette> ....how far are you planning on sending him back?
<Ire> <McCabe> McCormicked picked the date of 2217.
* Ire leans over toward Phirax.
<Ire> If they send their super chiere, one of us won't matter.
<Phirax> ....
<Ire> <Ezekiel> Is exciting, yes? 6 years.
<Ire> 6* McCabe's beeper goes off. He walks over and pulls out a comm. link and begins to talk in it.
<Ire> Can you also send someone forward in time?
<Ire> <Ezekiel> No. ... impossible, yes. One can only move into a time period where it has occurred. One cannot move forward in time. Impossible.
<Dahok> Why 6 years back?
<Ire> <Ezekiel> I do not know. Requested date. I agreed because it meant project would go forth
<Dahok> Are you autistic?
<Ire> <Ezekiel> Hm, what?
* Silouette leans against one wall, watching some of the more... sane, scientists.
<Ire> 6* McCabe walks back over, looking at them.
<Phirax> So...now what?
<Ire> <McCabe> This ... is unusual. But I think you need to hear about it. Follow me to a shuttle.
* Silouette nods, looking... Prehaps eager, prehaps not.
<Ire> ...Hm. Alright.
* Phirax follows
<Ire> 6* The TAW signal flashes. The following scene, they are in the shuttle with McCabe, flying over the Wastelands in the Western part of the North American contienent.
* Ire leans forward in his seat.
<Ire> Why, exactly, are we out here, McCabe? 6Sound annoyed.
* Dahok looks down at his left hand the green tatoo covering his wrist
<Ire> <McCabe> We've been having various teams digging around the area, trying to unearth what we can from the Wastelands. See if anything survived from the attack in 2199.
<Dahok> And you want us to guard?
<Ire> <McCabe> Well, no. We found something ... just now. Something so high alert it was sent to me after just finding it.
<Silouette> ...what is it?
<Ire> <McCabe> I'd rather see it for myself before I comment.
<Ire> 6* The shuttle comes down and lands on the dusty sands. Nearby, a group of people with digging equipment can be seen, having unearthed some sort of cave.
* Phirax sighs and stares at the ceiling.
<Ire> 6* McCabe steps out and begins to walk towards the cave, waving over one of the diggers, talking to them.
* Ire steps out, following after McCabe.
* Phirax looks over at the cave as he steps out.
* Phirax then follows begind Ire.
* Dahok hopes out stretching
<Ire> 6* McCabe shakes his head, yelling something at the digger, and they both step in to the cave.
<Ire> ... I don't like this.
* Ire follows them into the cave.
<Silouette> *along side* ....we wouldn't be here if it wasn't something important.
* Phirax behind "How much you wanna bet we have to kill something hideously ugly before its over with..."
<Ire> 6* As they walk into the cave, the diggers lead McCabe to some skeleton parts, all jumbled together. Most of them are missing parts or they're so corroded that it's impossible to put anything back together. The digger points at something taht looks like a dusty rock in the middle of one of the skeletons.
* Dahok looks over at it
<Dahok> What's so special about that dusty rock?
<Ire> 6* McCabe grabs a glove and puts it on. He then carefully begnis to retrieve the object, dusting it off. As he undusts it, it becomes obvious that it's a communicator.
<Ire> That's no rock...
<Silouette> ......
<Dahok> ...Jackpot, it's a communcator...
<Ire> <McCabe> Yes. It's one of ours, too. Though it looks hundreds of years old.
<Phirax> The time machine?
<Dahok> ...
* Dahok walks over to the bones and places his hands on the dirt around it
<Silouette> ...it'd be a huge coincidence to find it today.
<Ire> 6* McCabe reaches out and grabs something else, a plastic bag in the sand and pulls it up. Inside is a badge with the name "Warren Carmichael" on it.
* Phirax glances at Ire.
<Ire> <McCabe> It seems ... this might be your grave.
* Ire stares, his eyebrow raised and his lip twitching.
<Phirax> ...Would that mean he doesn't exhist now though?
<Ire> <McCabe> No. I would guess ... it means Warren is going to go back in time ... and never return.
<Silouette> ...if it's because of the time machine, the past would be his future.
<Dahok> ...But wouldn't knowing this, change thigns>?
<Silouette> ...not if he still didn't avoid it.
<Ire> <McCabe> Maybe it can't be avoided.
* Ire crosses his arms, looking at the other skeletons
<Ire> It seems there's more than one body here, too.
* Dahok nods and kneels next to another body, rummage around it with his finger
<Ire> <McCabe> We're going to try to date this. Find out how long ago it was. There might be a clue somewhere.
<Dahok> Maybe you can still extract some DNA from these bones.
<Ire> <McCabe> We'll try. But it'll take a while. Everything here is in bad shape.
<Dahok> Is there any notes at all? *looks around the cave for anything*
* Ire grunts.
<Ire> <McCabe> If there is, we'll find it.
<Ire> 6* McCabe stands and begins to issue out orders to the diggers. They nod in understanding.
<Silouette> ..... *passively observes the room*
* Phirax crosses his arms and looks up and around scanning the area.
<Ire> <McCabe> I suggest we get you back to Mega City. Whatever secrets are in here, they will remain here for a while.
<Dahok> I couldn't believe that Ire would not leave a message or something.
* Ire eyes the room one more time, then turns and walks out.
* Dahok turns and follows behind Ire
* Phirax backsteps then turns and exits.
<Ire> ...
* Ire steps up to the shuttle, resting a hand on it as he glances back at the cave one more time.
<Ire> Lets go
<Ire> Session Ends
Session Close: Sat Mar 20 23:16:14 2004