towerofanimus | Something Unexpected

Entry tags:

Something Unexpected

Characters: characters selected to go into the elevator
Setting: the admin levels
Format: any
Summary: The admin elevator has been left open, its destination preprogrammed. Where is it going to take you?
Warnings: general horror warnings for now

The elevator doesn't announce itself when its doors slide open. There's no alarm, no message to be found about it. It sits open and waits for anyone curious enough to enter. There's a barrier on it that locks out anyone without a collar, and it isn't going to stay long, but aside from that there appears to be no security. There's nothing stopping someone--or multiple someones--from climbing into the elevator and going down.

Where's it going? Who knows.

Hub Area
A lounge area with sofas and chairs. It's large enough to hold the entire group, constructed similarly to the dorm rooms, and is connected to five doors.

Door One
???

Door Two
???

Door Three
???

Door Four
???

Door Five
???

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He has been assigned to librarian task. [The worker unit speaks calmly, as if this were in no way unusual.] Those residents who have been assigned to tasks are at times called to complete them in the administrative levels, as opposed to the residential levels.

[That alarms Arturia, who draws closer to the group. She herself had been assigned to 'work' on the floor featuring a circus, though she normally had to do nothing more strenuous than walk across a rope. She'd also heard of others being assigned tasks like that and if this Arthur is down here, then:]

Why not simply ask them to come down here to work? Why drug them at all?

Because then they would remember.

[The Princess' voice is low, bitter, laced with months of enduring the torments of the tower. To think that the administrators use them as their own personal assistants...]

Wake him up.

[She demands, not asks.]

Which is precisely what I'm asking: What is wrong with us remembering?

[She takes another step closer to Zelda, sword at her side. She knows that tone, not on Zelda, but herself. The righteous anger, the demanding tone of someone who will be listened to: things Arturia herself had once used to get her way.

Arturia agrees with Zelda completely--This man should be woken up--but she does not trust the worker drone and she is fully prepared to defend the members of their party if her demand is taken the wrong way.]

I have neither the permission nor the ability to wake him up. It has always been such; anyone assigned to a task in the the residential levels has also, on occasion, been tasked with work in the administrative levels.

[England moves to shelve books on the next shelf over.]

[...Well. This is escalating quickly, and if it continues, it could get ugly. Especially if something or someone else comes up to join the red-collared one they're already dealing with. The fact that the women of the group are getting angered isn't going to help matters any.]

... Calm down. [Not that he wasn't angry and, were he honest, sickened by the idea, but-] Taking it out on someone who can't do anything about this isn't going to help.

[It will make matters worse. Which would be counterproductive to the investigation of the administrator floors. Thank you, more analytical point of view.]

[Her grip on Arthur remains firm - as he tries to move on to the next shelf, she digs her heels in, keeping him from going far unless whatever he's been drugged with gives him super strength. She's not letting him out of her sight. Not like this.

When Yu speaks up, her glare shifts to him momentarily, silently asking what gives you the right to tell me to calm down here. But the quietly rational part of her mind cannot deny that he's right, that this "mission" of theirs is too important to lose to rage.

She breathes deeply, almost like a bull that's about to charge, but while she's still fuming, there's evidence that she's taking Yu's advice in her words.]

What else is here, then? Where else have they "tasked" us with work?

[England attempts to continue his task, at least; he pulls at Zelda's grip, though with no sense of urgency.]

Residents are assigned to general maintenance and cleaning tasks.

Where would we find out who and how often we've been given tasks down here?

[More importantly in Arturia's mind is trying to deflect Zelda's anger until they calm down. Perhaps a slight change of subject is in order?]

And are you yourself all right?

[This is the first time she's seen one of the workers this, well, aware. Most she's run into seem almost like robots and never this helpful. Could the cracks in this one's collar be related?]

You would have to speak to one of the administrators. [It nods.] I am functioning properly.

[She does appear to be calming down somewhat, though in reality, she is just saving her anger for the ones who are responsible. Goddesses, to think that she had asked how they could help--]

Your collar is damaged. Are they not meant to be in perfect condition at all times?

[Her observation is forcibly nonchalant, but it is something worth looking into...]

I have received modifications that permit me to assist you.

[Well, if there was any doubt that the administrators didn't know they would take the bait of the open elevator...]

Assist us in what way?

[... He knew it. The admins planned for this, hadn't they. They left the elevator to their floors open for the purpose of them wandering in out of curiosity of what is normally restricted from them in search of answers. The only question, other than in what manner, is--]

And why would they? What's down here that thought we'd need assistance?

[After all, the visitors were after something... Could their mission and this incident be related?]

I have simply been instructed to provide assistance when I can. Dax has assigned me to this task.

[Sigh. Leave it to a droid to be almost as vague as the admins, even when modified. Still, that was a little more information than they had ten minutes ago.]

...Right.

[Somehow, he had a bad feeling. Especially since England was still drugged and he was practically feeling the silent anger (still).]

What kind of assistance? [Whee roundabout way of asking what the hell they got themselves into.]

I am to assist in unlocking the central hub. I am also to assist elsewhere, as needed.

The central hub? You mean the room with the five doors?

[Intriguing... If Dax is the one who essentially called them here by leaving the elevator open, then...]

... Is there anywhere else you can take us?

[Her trust has been shattered, but information is information.]

I cannot leave this room. Allowing me within the Lady's quarters at all is quite dangerous. [The worker unit gestures beyond itself, to the rest of the library.] You are to travel and find a button that will unlock the central hub. That will be one of five.

L... Lady's quarters?!

[Oh.

Okay.

There is only one person that can refer to, and the idea leaves her reeling, very nearly losing her grip on Arthur. She glances to the rest of her group, wide eyed, as though to make sure she wasn't the only one who heard that.

Goddesses above, what have they gotten themselves into.]

Do you... know where this button is at all?

I am not familiar with the Lady's quarters. [The worker unit looks back into the library for a few moments longer.] I believe it would be in an area easily accessible to her at any time.

[John just listens to the conversation between the droid and the rest of his team. He doesn't really have anything to add, in fact he's not really even sure he understands the full gravity of the situation. He's only been here a few months, after all.]

[Just what has he gotten himself into here? What have ANY of them gotten themselves into?]

[He does at least, understand "find a button" and when they've come this far? Well they may as well keep going. Chance are, they couldn't go back even if they wanted to.]

[He glances around the room.]

Well guys, I guess it's time to find a button in a bookstack. Hehehe... [Jokes are still a good idea, right? Yes.]

[And with that, he pulls away from the rest of the group, directing his Litwick and Haunter in separate directions to start searching for this button. Somewhere easily accessible means that it's probably not inside one of the books or something dumb like that, but what about on the edges of the shelves?]

The Lady he speaks of is Ruana, correct?

[She's only been here a month and while she's certain it is Ruana they speak of, it doesn't hurt to doublecheck in case there were others people forgot to mention. She'd question how a library could be dangerous, but with everything that goes on in the Tower, she isn't surprised a place like this could be at all dangerous.]

And where are the Administrators? [She asks, her eyes following John as he goes off in search of the button.]

... It's a safe guess.

[Ruana's quarters.

Yu's eyes widen slightly, but the shock visibly disappears as fast as it appeared. It almost feels like there's something caught in his throat as he shares that glance with Zelda briefly. A nod was all he managed at first as he processes what was just mentioned.

One of five... So there was a button in each room.]

...They actually want us to go into her quarters?

[And here is when the trick lever is pulled and they end up in hell, right? Riiiight?

...Sigh, might as well get started in searching for the button that was 80% likely to lead to their doooooooom as well.]

...Alice.

[Death falls and he crushes it, the small blonde child appearing in her usual flair. She was the smallest and easiest to get around, and why not have an extra pair of eyes? Though he had to wonder, did it involve the use of psionics to get inside after the buttons were all pressed?

Either way, he's going to linger just a little longer while Alice skips and twirls in another direction.]

I do not know where the administrators currently are. [The worker unit returns to shelving books. England is still attempting to do so himself.

There is no button apparent in the maze of bookshelves, all of which reach high into the air, all the way to the ceiling. There is, however, a door on the other side of the room.]

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