COMMENCE EXPERIMENT

[bathymetric]

Fun fact: Did you know that the Pacific Ocean has a surface area of 62.46 million miles? That's not even accounting for depth.

You awaken to a sharp jolt, like you've just hit the drop on a roller coaster. Then it passes, and you're in a bed, suddenly very clearly awake. Is that right? Were you asleep? Your memory is a little fuzzy as you come down off the adrenaline, but it puts itself into place soon enough. This is not, as one might say, your beautiful house. If you have a beautiful wife, she sure isn't here.

The positioning of the bed inside your new room gives you a very clear indication of where you are - or at least, where the building is. Above you is a decent-sized window looking out on... well, the ocean. But not in a fun beachside resort way, to say the least. Fish swim by pretty frequently, here to keep you company - but they cannot hear your screams, and do not seem particularly bothered if you tap on the glass unless they're right by it. It's thick, man.

On the bedside table, you'll find two things: a key card with a number between 1 and 25 on it (no points for guessing which one is on whose, unfortunately), and a small handheld device, a little like a smartphone but mostly like a blackberry? Remember those? Anyway, accessing it will reveal only a scarce few functions: a list of profiles, a map of the building, and a very ominous set of rules. You might try to ignore that last one! Unfortunately, you'll find them in a frame by your door. And in a frame somewhere in every room of the place, if you go out exploring at all. The tablet also has a message for you when you open it:

Greetings. Please take an hour to become accustomed to the facilities, then proceed to the meeting room north of your dormitories. Attendance is mandatory. - The Professor

But hey, it... it also lets you play Snake! Who doesn't love Snake, huh?

Anyway, head out into the halls! Make some new friends - or maybe enemies, wouldn't that be exciting? Look around a little! Just make sure to be back for whatever this meeting is - after all, you want a chance to face off with your captor, right?

Comments

[drladysounds]

[Well this is a new one. Has been a while since she got abducted and brought to some strange complex, and looks like this time it's underwater. Huh.

No time to mope or be worried, it's time to explore!

Shelley stands in front of the large vault-looking door, hands on her hips]

Doesn't this scream 'the way out' so loud it's ringing in your ears?

[This level of security can only mean that, really. How to open it, though?

Still, there's only so long she can stare at the vault door. For now, looking for clues, she's at the gallery, looking behind the paintings in the gallery and examining each one like she expects to find secrets and ciphers, like this is all one of those movies where people go from one place to another following clues and codes]

Why paintings? Are we supposed to gain an appreciation for art? I don't mind art, but being underwater doesn't make me understand them any better than if I was on land.

art gallery

[mouflon]

Maybe it's a hobby. So long as they have a captive audience, why not show off their collection?

[drladysounds]

If it turns out we were kidnapped just to look at art I'm going to be kind of upset.

[It's too much effort for almost nothing! Do this on land and also in an exhibition room like a normal person and Shelley will praise it all you want, no need to do all this]

Or maybe these are here for bragging rights. 'Look what I have and you don't, you poor plebeians. I have an underwater complex and seven Picassos'.

[mouflon]

I didn't say just to look at art. But you know how the saying goes. Two birds with one stone and all that.

[ Rin isn't much of an art appreciator herself, but she idly examines the painting as she speaks. ]

It could be that, too. Though it'd be a pretty weird power move, all things considered.

[drladysounds]

...I feel like I'm missing something. I read the rules and checked everything and generally have an idea what this Professor person expects from us, but I just keep feeling I missed something obvious.

[And places like this art gallery are the puzzle pieces that don't fit in, because Shelley is overthinking things a little]

[snackooed]

Of all the times not to have my bag...if I could dust this thing for prints, maybe we'd have some kind of idea how to open it.

[ Good grief. Something tells her that it wouldn't be that easy even if she could, but at least she'd be able to get the satisfaction of trying. ]

Whether it's the way out or not, there's gotta be something big behind it.

[drladysounds]

Submarines. The Professor's bedroom. The monster of Loch Ness.

[Could be anything]

Whatever it is I'm sure the Professor won't tell us if we ask him later.

[snackooed]

Even if he won't tell us, speculating is fun in its own way. Could be a grand prize, after all. Like on one of those game shows?

[ Wouldn't that be rich... ]

[drladysounds]

[Shelley laughs. There's no chance in hell this is a gameshow, but honestly she needs the levity right now]

That's right. Or it could be one of those Big Brother reality shows. Soon we will find a confessional for when we feel like badmouthing our fellow participants.

vault door

[reallyhatesharks]

Could be. Doubt it.

[She looks over the door before looking back over at Shelley.]

It has a dog, but more likely it's a stopgap to keep the entire facility from flooding if there's a breach.

[drladysounds]

So it either has our salvation, or our deaths. If you could open it right now, would you?

[Are you a gambling person?]

[reallyhatesharks]

In my experience, when you gamble with the fate of the world, you lose. [Not that she has experience with that or anything!!!] So no, not without more information.

[drladysounds]

Wow, a smart cookie! I guess that means I'm the reckless one here, I wouldn't have hesitated about opening it.

[Shelley crosses her arms. It makes her feel a biiit upset that, in some situations, she'd cause deaths. That has happened before, yup. Thank goodness there's someone less reckless than her]

I guess we should listen to you instead of to me.

vault

[precognit]

It does. I wonder...

[Alice doesn't normally perform feats of strength in front of humans, because it's one of the easiest ways to give herself away as not human...but desperate times call for desperate measures. She approaches the vault door, dusting off her hands, and then grabs the giant wheel and starts to push it to the left, using all her strength...

...and nothing happens, except Alice's feet sliding across the floor in her little ballet flats, rather uselessly. Now that's an image that makes an impression: tiny woman trying to open massive door. Still, she looks more perturbed than she ought to.]

....That can't be right.

[drladysounds]

Trust me, I already tried that.

[She says, not realizing Alice is missing a lot of superhuman strength -- but she admires Alice tried, really]

[precognit]

No, it's just...

[Alice glares down at her hands. What the hell!]

I should be able to open it.

[drladysounds]

[Shelley blinks, frowning. Huh, that so?

...

Hmmmm...]

I see. Did it feel like the door was made specifically so you wouldn't be able to, or is it more like you could before and now for some reason you can't?

[She's not really sure what Alice means, but something's up[]

Vault

[lovelikeyou]

It really does...I can try to open it!

[Someone has probably already tried that, but those people weren't Gems.]

[drladysounds]

Please, go ahead! You'll be my hero if you do it.

[Shelley is crossing her fingers it works]

[lovelikeyou]

Okay!

[Rose strides up and...well, she tries. She visibly tries very hard, and is visibly surprised when the door doesn't move at all.]

Wow. I've never seen a human door I couldn't open before. [But it's not of Gem make. All Gem stuff has some pretty obvious design characteristics...]

[drladysounds]

At least you tried. That still makes you a hero in my book.

[She can respect trying, really]

I'm not sure if we need a code or a key to open this...but there has to be a way somewhere.

art gallery;

[valentinus]

It could've been presumably for The Professor's future guests, if they were anticipating in having ones to show off such things too.

[ That's the only thing he could think of. ]

[drladysounds]

'Look at my paintings, I bet you wish you could have them. I can afford to soak them in saltwater'.

[Shelley sighs, letting go of the painting she was messing with]

Who would want to come down here, anyway? Other rich people?

[valentinus]

[ He let out an...amused scoff at that. Bless Shelley. ]

I'd assume as much. Especially those who may share the same profession, if only to show off, and make himself look favorable to colleagues.

[drladysounds]

[Hmmmmm...yeah, he may be right...now that she thinks about it...]

This kind of thing seems to me like it'd be easier to do if it's a group of colleagues instead of one person.

[That's what she saw last time she was kidnapped to a secluded place like this, too. She's pretty sure they'll have to deal with a lot of people]