Patchwork Universe

Dr Brainstorm · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:43 pm Post subject: Two Patches West

[OOC: From the Imperial Foundry: One Patch West]

A black jeep-like vehicle emerged from the eastern mists, carrying a lot of equipment, one engineer, one Janitor, and one cat.

"Still in contact?" said Brainstorm. The diagnostic readouts on the screen looked hopeful.

"Still in contact," replied his watch.

"Great..."

He slowed down a little, and looked around with interest.

"This is the Map Room?" he asked the Janitor.

The Janitor · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 11:12 am Post subject:

"Yes. The map itself is just over there."

Dr Brainstorm · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 1:57 pm Post subject:

"That building in the middle? Okay..."

Brainstorm drove onwards between the buildings, occasionally glancing down at the map displayed on one of the screens. Presently they rounded a final corner, and the larger Map Building came into view.

"I don't suppose I could ask what these other buildings are for?..."

The Janitor · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 4:05 pm Post subject:

"They serve a variety of purposes, mostly concerned with maintenance."

"I believe someone's trying to set up a tourist information service as well."

Dr Brainstorm · Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 7:31 am Post subject:

"A... Tourist Information Service?" Brainstorm sounded slightly incredulous. "Well, I suppose it takes all sorts... So people can actually make use of these buildings too? Erm, everyone, I mean?"

He began examining the building with some interest, rapidly became somewhat distracted by the study of the material that it was built from, unloaded some detection equipment from the jeep and seemed just ready to waste quite a lot of time in the investigation when he was distracted yet again.

There were very faint voices coming from the building.

Glancing curiously at the Janitor, he located an entrance, and jogged inside. Whoever it was appeared to be gone, but on the floor of the room itself...

"Now that's interesting," he said.

Dr Brainstorm · Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 7:05 pm Post subject:

And so, a great investigation team swung into action...

Fermion, having followed Brainstorm in from the jeep, prowled around the map. He twiched his whiskers at the Territory. He hissed a little at the Zoo. He patted curiously at the Temple of the Birds, progressing after a short while into the more serious business of Hunting the Invisible Things.

Doctor Brainstorm prowled around the map. He squinted through the transparent surface until he was practically pressing his nose against it. He waved a laser pointer through it at various angles to see if it refracted, and maybe what the images below really were. He took some pictures of it with some sort of digital camera.

Presently he produced a very thick pen-like device with some manner of camera lens at one end and a rubberised antenna at the other, and pointed it at the map.

"Sakura, what do you see?"

The Janitor · Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 7:58 pm Post subject:

The Janitor wandered into the room as well, apparently curious as to what the Doctor would do.

Smight, the Unbeliever · Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 10:23 pm Post subject:

[ooc: Smight and his group now begin to cross over from the 'Dark Lord Triumphant thread' also in the map room patch]

While Brainstorm was inside the building a group of people had arrived outside. Since one of them had an exceptionally booming voice it was possible to make out a loud shout of "Halt!" followed by some indistinct conversation.

Dr Brainstorm · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 6:46 pm Post subject:

"Well," Sakura began, sounding a little uncertain, before being interrupted by the shout from outside.

Both Fermion and Brainstorm looked suddenly towards the entrance.

"Was that Smight?" said the doctor.

"It was his voice," replied Sakura tentatively.

"Hmm. Okay, I guess we'd better talk to him..."

Fermion stalked casually back across the map to keep watch over the entrance from a better location, which just happened to be just behind Doctor Brainstorm's legs.

"Hello?" Brainstorm called.

Smight, the Unbeliever · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 7:24 pm Post subject:

There was a tramping of feet and then Smight entered the room.

"Smight thought it was you," he announced to Brainstorm. "Everything is different..."

He appeared to be about to go on but stopped instead at the sight of the Janitor. His expression shifted into of dark disapproval.

Karl Groever · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 7:32 pm Post subject:

As Karl came into the room, he saw that there was, immediately, rather a lot to take in. Smight stood just ahead, and was addressing his words to a man whom Karl had to assume was who he had been haring after. Then, there was another figure in overalls, who seemed to be a workingman of some sort, stood nearby. And, in the centre of the room, the tessellated pattern of slabs that Larkin had earlier watched Doomshadow manipulate. He paused for breath.

Dr Brainstorm · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:35 pm Post subject:

Doctor Brainstorm appeared fairly calm when Smight first entered the room... But over the next couple of moments his expression shifted to surprise, then to concern, then to alert wariness. He looked momentarily towards the Janitor.

"Um, yes, Smight, everything is different. Apparently. I have been trying to... persuade... this one to tell me what has happened."

He looked again at the Janitor, with an expression that was apparently intended to communicate something, though it was not at all clear what that might be. Then he turned towards Karl Groever.

"Karl? Is that you?"

Larkin Quickgrip · Strong Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Posts: 254 Location: The Slums

Larkin, also followed in, just in time to hear the recognition in Brainstorms voice. Looking at Karl he raised an eyebrow and then deciding that enough is enough he took a deep breath and said to the room in general "Alright, so just what exactlys goin on here?"

Looking from the massive warrior to the scientist he continued "Why is Karl here such a famous guy? Has he just got one of them faces or somethin? Cos he's been tellin me that he has no idea who you lot are, alright. An he's either bin lyin ter me or you two an Jones are just deluded." He then glanced at Karl and said "Sorry, but it's startin ter annoy me now."

Dr Brainstorm · Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:30 pm Post subject:

Brainstorm listened, and looked rather uncertain, though apparently determined to hope for understanding later.

"Well," he said cautiously, "I don't know exactly what's going on. Except that something possibly quite strange has recently happened to a whole bunch of us, including a good friend of mine called Karl Groever, who looks a lot like your companion here except a bit older. I presume you already know that the other man with you is Smight, and people call me Doctor Brainstorm. Might I ask who you are?"

Larkin Quickgrip · Strong Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Posts: 254 Location: The Slums

Larkin stopped and looked confused for a second before grinning and saying "Oh right, sorry. I'm Larkin Quickgrip, I met Karl back in Jones and we just me Smight before, once we'd gotten over the him wantin ter chop me head off he was fine."

Larkin held out his slightly grimey palm and said "And its good ter meet yer."