Something Unexpected

[animusmods]

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
???

Comments

[animusnpcs]

[There are countless sheets of what looks like paper inside. Taking one out, however, will reveal them to be closer to very thin computers--the files cover multiple pages on one physical page, with a touch-screen device.

They are all files on various Tower residents. Unfortunately, the language they are written in is indecipherable, but there is a photograph of the resident the file is about included, as well as their name written in the resident's native language.]

[evokingfool]

Minato Arisato.

[Ryoji will cover most of the talking, unless Minato have something to say. After the drawers are unlocked, Minato will shift through the papers.]

I'll be staying here for the moment. Will catch up after I'm done.

[He can't read the files, save for whenever the resident's name being written in a language he can read (Japanese, English, French). The photographs are a nice hint to what the files are on.]

...Files on us, but it's mainly in a language I can't read.

[notsogrimreaper]

...What do you think they say? How much do they know about us?

[Ryoji doesn't like the idea of the Tower knowing everyone's darkest secrets, or even knowing some basic background. He doesn't mind sharing his past, but when he's asked, not when he's forced to.]

[knightime]

It's probably whatever standard information needed for a file. I guess if you want to think movie cliches, it's probably what they'll say. Background info and standard information needed for identifying us.

[He wonders what they say, but he only knows English and if they're in a language that no one else can read, than whatever.] It probably has information on us since we've arrived too. I mean, you wouldn't do a shitty experiment and not record what happened. I wonder what kind of language is native to them. There's never been any sign of a standard language in this Tower, passed English.

I'm opening the next door though. [He's not interested in files he can't read, so Dave turns the knob and opens the next door.]

[animusnpcs]

[There are various notes on the files as well--they appear handwritten, though they aren't really. Some of the notes are neat, some a quick, doctor-like scribble. Any character who is no longer in the Tower has a greyed out photograph.

The next room is a plain-looking hallway. A worker unit, mop in hand, looks up at Dave. Its collar is chipped and scuffed, as if someone has been altering it without permission.]

May I help you?

[cullscuttlefish]

[Feferi's about to ask to take a look at some of them to see if she can get a better idea - she reads and speaks Alternian fluently - when she sees the greyed-out files. She doesn't want to know what's in those. She can guess.

Instead, she quietly follows Dave into the hallway, blinking at the worker unit. It doesn't seem hostile, at least.]

That's all right. We didn't mean to disturb you. We're just passing through.

[swordofzero]

Suzaku Kururgi. [He nodded at the introductions, and looked at the records with interest, even if he couldn't read them.] I guess these parts are the experiment notes. [He pointed at one of the seemingly handwritten notes]

I'm not sure, but I expect it is a language not from any of our worlds, and for some reason these records aren't subject to translation like everything else.

[He stepped towards the door and frowned at the sight of the worker.] Can you tell us what is down this corridor?

[evokingfool]

It may very well be their native language. Or even a coded language.

[It could be either. But after looking through some papers, Minato put them back into the drawer.

There's nothing more for him to find, so far. Might as well continue. Minato glance at Ryoji, before quietly following the others through the door and see the worker.]

[notsogrimreaper]

[As soon as Minato decides it's time to leave, Ryoji follows after, tensing up at the appearance of the worker. He's been lucky enough that he hasn't seen a lot of these drones. At the same time, that just makes his blank stare all the more jarring.]

[animusnpcs]

You are in the management levels of the Tower. This area is under control of administrator Dax. I am not permitted to have more information than this.

[The worker unit speaks in a smooth near-monotone as it returns to mopping.]

[cullscuttlefish]

[That makes a surprising lot of sense, given how orderly things were in the office. Feferi's glad none of them went making a huge mess, and she's really glad that none of them chose to antagonize the drone rather than just speaking to it. The less trouble they cause early, the better.]

That's all right. We understand.

[She looks around both ways, before deciding to step into the hallway in the direction of the drone. She's careful to keep away from the direct area it's working in, though. It might be just working right now, but she doesn't want to see if it's capable of anything else.]

[swordofzero]

Thank you. [The drone got a polite nod.] Is Dax here now? [Better Dax than the others, but still dangerous.]

[notsogrimreaper]

[Ryoji decides to ignore his questions about who Dax is, exactly, and moves forward with Feferi to provide backup just in case that drone does do more than just mop the floors.]

[animusnpcs]

No. The administrators are busy with other tasks at the moment.

[knightime]

Huh. [That made this a little more convenient. And they're lucky to be in an area that's in Dax's jurisdiction.] Don't really want to keep bothering you then.

Is it cool if we just continue down this corridor? Let you get back to your work without distractions.

[animusnpcs]

Of course. Please be careful.

[notsogrimreaper]

We're planning to.

[Weird. The worker's actually going to let them go? Ryoji keeps an eye on him just in case, trying to put himself in between the worker and his teammates as they walk past.]

[animusnpcs]

[The worker continues its mopping. The hallway stretches on, leading eventually to another door.]

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku blinked at the drone. But if this was a trap, which it obviously was. Then it had no reason to stop them, Ruana at least probably knew they were down here, and this was very likely just another game to her.

He looked at the door.] I assume we are going through?

[notsogrimreaper]

I guess there's no where else we can go...

[Still, he's not thrilled about the prospect.]

[evokingfool]

It'd be pointless to turn back right now.

[The admins would most likely find out about them.]

Let's continue on.

[cullscuttlefish]

I agree. Let's stay sharp, though.

[Feferi will take point on this door, opening it and stepping inside first.]

[animusnpcs]

[It opens into a neatly organized storeroom. Unfortunately, it's a very large storeroom, filled with boxes and files and books.]

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku nodded, and then as the others went through into the room paused] Minato? Can I talk to you?

[evokingfool]

[Minato paused, looking at Suzaku.] What is it?