The construct paused for a moment, it's attention seemed to be elsewhere but it's hostile stance didn't change. Suddenly it's focus snapped back to the two gems in front of it. "Beacon activated. State reasoning for lodging or be eradicated." it repeated.
Tourmaline's Robonoids worked like a charm this time, proving they weren't obsolete just yet. From the scans Tourmaline was gifted with a plethora of information, full explanations of what this place was, who had used it and how to use the place. The most pertinent information though was the all access passcode to the monolith. That passcode being 'Broken Wall'.
@Stern Algorithm "Ok! There a another gem with me and we will try to meet each oth-" Serendibite not talking when she look down to find no site of the small gem and realize that the small gem is a ahead of her "Um, we will try to meet each other somehow." With that being say, Serendibite walk away from the entrance and to where the small gem is at.
While walking toward where the small gem is, Serendibite was thinking that she should maybe just leave this place, I mean, she was just walking in though the desert and then the next, she is in a ruined building with a small gem who maybe a spy or something but for some reason, Serendibite is still walking to find where that small gem gone to.
@Karkinos Serendibite finally found the small gem, she is by some pedastal that has what look like a hand mark "Hey, does your um little friend knows what that thing is?" Serendibite ask the small gem as she point at the pedastal
. . .If you are reading this then you've been granted access by the Diamonds... Hysterical! . . .Tourmaline knew creatures that harnessed nutrients from Earthly things — sunlight, water, consumption. Her relationship with information must have been the same. She could hardly, in that moment, parse it all in-context of the conflict, mostly because she didn't want to. The tiny technician drank it in, stricken dumb and glee-ridden, grinning — toothlessly. Like the lips of a landed fish; her eyes gaped and boggled likewise, swimming with the riches of her Robonoids' report: flecks of lettering and code. . . .The gem basked too in a reaassurance. A familiar name: M. W. C. — extended project; an artisan gem would call it their masterpiece. Something she and the Dot brigade had been prepping offshoots for in the daybreak of war. They'd never been authorized to see the base in-progress or otherwise— standing where she was might just be it. . . .I wonder what's become of those miserable minions? Tourmaline was thinking before her reminescence was broken through.
. . .Looming overhead: the masked and masterless Quartz. . . ."Err, is there a conondrum?" What kind of combat gem— . . .But with that line of thinking— from the contrariety between the hardness of their gems, their statures, their strengths; from the embellishment of her clothes down to the way she spoke and carried herself — Tourmaline was no Peridot, even if the Quartz soldier hadn't yet addressed her by her role. Even if Serendibite— . . ."Ohh, of course! Indubitably— you'll have to pardon me, Serendibite. It was the mask, surely, that caused such an omission on my part. A gem in my position ought to be swifter on the uptake, ah-haha!" . . .Nonetheless: even if Serendipite didn't perceive an authority in her, Tourmaline was partiallty flustered at the prospect of de facto leadership, considering why. For once.
. . .Now registering the Quartz' question: "My 'friend?'", wiggling her Hand Robonoid. "A... fanciful way to word it. . . ."We could be friends if you'd like, Serendipite." It was best to offer it outright, wasn't it? As Tourmaline's eyes, returned to normal, traced the archs, the knife-points, of her clawed hand. . . ."The pedestal acts a data hub for the Mobile Warp Centre which we're... currently in! Eee, how exhilirating! Before my defection from Homeworld, I used to construct warp panels that relocated here! The logs that weren't corrupted spoke of a 'Shrapnel' project that this would serve base for— . . ."Oh, it also mentioned a password for a security monolith: "Broken Wall." Was there a security system ahead? I've entierely forgotten." . . .Sprightly, resusicated: "Let me try it anyway!" Tourmaline shot ahead, cupped the palm of an elongated limb to send a sing-song command reverberating down the corridor: "BRO-KEN-WALL. BRO-KEN-WALL~!"
> re:USER_@sassy1085 > admn.CET proffers friendship to usr.SRNDBT > admn.CET projects password down Corridor A of Mobile Warp Centre > robo.log: yayy we diddit :DD > robo.log_2: we could be fwiends master. if u wanna :3
The construct paused for a moment, it's attention seemed to be elsewhere but it's hostile stance didn't change. Suddenly it's focus snapped back to the two gems in front of it. "Beacon activated. State reasoning for lodging or be eradicated." it repeated.
Miffed that the construct merely reverted to asking the same question, Amber decided to use authority, "I am Amber 65536 regional governor of South America by the laws of the Diamond Authority of Homeworld." She stuck forward her left foot and pointed at it. "Even though I'm just an amber, my rarity cannot be measured because of the lifeform encased in my gem." She hoped this would be enough to convince the construct to stand down.
Red was always a color Ruby had been accustom to: she was red after all. You get used to it. But the sea of ever-shifting dunes had a rusty tone to its wispy clouds of minute hematite specks. Ruby had seen red before. She had seen a streak of blood down rivers and in flowers, but never such an abundance, it was the closest she had felt to companionship: Another red thing that was red and scary. If only it wanted friendship rather than to tease her with bournes of flowing sand cascading right under her booted foot.
Why Ruby had come here, she did not know. No beacon had alerted her, she was clueless about such a thing. It was just a yearning in her gem, she had gotten them before. They always brought her somewhere pretty. Thing's like big statues and piles of junk. Still, her life consisted purely of walking, and with a tireless body that shunned sustenance, she saw no point trusting her gut once more, waddling on in the waining flames of the blazing sun in the sky.
That's when she saw something out of the ordinary.
Blotting out the sun with a void of black, perfectly eclipsed by the thin veil of a corona around it stood an obelisk of stone in the empty savanna before her. To ruby, it was a no-brainer that this was the place to be. Her steps took her closer as her eyes adjusted to the light; a simple act for a seasoned traveler. Right down the hall, she noticed a crowd of chattering beings, a menagerie of colors prayed out from then in contrast to the monochromatic canvas that was the desert behind her. Once more, the obliviousness to worry seemed to follow Ruby and her bravado lead her like a blind general. She stopped with a hard stomp shortly behind the Motley Crew before her, her large, child-like eyes dazzling in the intricacy of their bodies. Even a fool like herself could tell that these were like her, at least to some degree. No other creature in her whole, admittedly short, life had ever made her feel this feeling in her gem. She could hardly help but let out a soft, long whisper to herself as she gazed on.
"No Ambers are registered to be aboard the MWC. Prepare for-" the glowing silhouette was cut off by the melodically calling from the Tourmaline. It's aggressive stance and intense glow lessened to a much more neutral stance.
"Password accepted. Welcome aboard <GEM DESIGNATION HERE>" It said, turning towards Tourmaline and away from Amber after her valiant effort to stand up to the gem construct. Following the turn in mood of the construct, the whole building began to whir to life, starting with the darkness being fought back properly as the walls began to lightly illuminate brining a cool blue glow to the building.
The next stirring of the long dormant base came in the form of the whole building tilting to and fro (in the process knocking the Ruby further into the room) as four long mechanical and distinctly humanoid legs came up from the sand and rose the base into the air.
"MWC online." the construct stated flatly "Apologies for my hostilities. I was unaware of a replacement crew being sent to the MWC. MWC is currently out of alignment with the warp ley-grid. Please select a viable location" suddenly from the middle podium a giant display appeared, showing a map of the world.
The arc had reactivated — huzzah, etcetera; a jolt forwards, backwards, upwards was far less than promising. On that second upheaval, Tourmaline was sent tumbling down the hallway before she could notice any carmine newcomer. In her litheness, she saw a considerable distance into the southmost chamber, fortuitously colliding with no one but the floor.
"Egads!" she spat in a tumult of crooked cloak and temporary, frightening, limblessness before her enhancers reactivated, those lengths of lankness, jagged edges, too tall for her body but righting her.
She scanned the humming walls as she rose. This sudden brightness notwithstanding — the little gem's punitive reaction was but pursed lips, neutral concentration. This was while the security construct, as she'd predicted (or briefly forgotten of; whichever), spoke to her and seemingly just her. A flustered Tourmaline was never an acute one.
"'Replacement crew...' Of course, who else would we be..." — a soft recitation to herself. An ever softer, faker, posher laughter followed. But Tourmaline's eyes were elsewhere, that invitation to relocate, perhaps, bringing a light to them as she scoured the scintillating chamber.
Inevitably glancing over an aristocratic gem, prompting a very patent reaction, for once. What such a wide and vacant look entailed was the Amber's guess.
Tourmaline stared and stifled custom, a stubborn repudiation towards even starting with "hello."
> re:USER_@Stern Algorithm > admn.CET relocates herself > admn.CET discovers usr.MBR in Room B of Mobile Warp Centre
@Karkinos@Stern Algorithm "Ffffriends?" Serendibite say, she haven't thought about making friends for a long time but after what happen back in homeworld, she try not to draw herself from other creatures but so far, this small gem haven't done anything shady yet, so Serendibite think it time to make some "friends" "Sure, We can be friends..." Serendibite say to the small gem while smile little underneath the mask.
When the small gem was singing Broken Wall, whole building came to life. Serendibite nod when the small gem tell the security construct that they are 'Replacement crew'. Serendibite wave at a aristocratic gem that just appeared.
Amber turned to Serendibite and specifically Tourmaline with gratitude. "Thank you, this dumb hologram was about to 'eradicate' me, or something. But what is an MWC? Is this a Diamond Authroity construct, or one of the Rebellion's?"
Amber suddenly shot up straight, and took a defensive stance, facing Tourmaline, Serendibite, and the newly arrived Ruby. "Wait! Are you with the Authority, or the Rebellion? Whatever the case, I mean no harm! I've been wandering for so long, and something drew me to this location." A thought suddenly crossed Amber's mind, "Oh, but before I forget, I have an injured party" Amber pulled out Black Pearl's gem. "Does this building have a recovery chamber?"
The ruby was taken by surprise as the ground beneath her felt a sudden urge to rumble and thrash. It was far worse to the sand's similar fidgeting, and as sure-footed as she usually was the small gem wound up flying down the hall, landing splayed out against the corner of the room now upside down and groaning in the next room at the turbulent ride she had just been put through. As she slowly gathered her bearings and rolled back into an upright position the others spoke and she listened with intrigue. She seemingly hadn't been noticed yet, or at least the others were expecting her.
And just who were they anyway? They weren't like her, though she had seen the fauna of this world: Humans, deer, frogs, and fish. Not a single one was the same and they came in all shapes and sizes. Maybe in that sense, they were one of her own kind but just different. Her gaze came to them now less with perplexed gawking and now with an almost appraising stare between them, a bright smirk on her face as she easily replied to the question asked about her alignment.
"I um... I'll get back to you on that one when I know which one I'm with. For now, I just know that I am ruby and this is an interesting map" Her topsy-turvy voice honeyed with calmness as she tried her best to sooth the clearly distressed Amber. She quickly turned her attention to the small pearl in her clutches with a worried look, but she had no better answer than the Amber would. And so she moved forward to the map instead. Her stubby finger slowly moved towards the screen in an attempt to press upon the red dot in the eastern European area, though her body was far too small. She turned to the Serendibite with a nervous chuckle and spoke once more.
The stature of the base was uneasy as she was, this constant, hanging stagger. Gears clicked in Tourmaline's head; she was in analysis mode, when her thoughts were buzzing, spliced between logic and empathy. In other words, when she was unsure whether to panic. There already stood an incongruity between nobility and knowledge with the new gem, countering what she'd believed about these exclusive Ambers — not knowing the project 'MWC' implied an innocuousness to it all. Quite 'civilian.' So Tourmaline was likely sardonic when she said, "What, are you with the Authority?"
A number of questions were rising like bile. Like, "How did you get in here? How was your Pearl poofed?" But the reminder of the Diamonds was especially nauseating and Tourmaline was sounding less inquisitive, more interrogative, by the minute.
The Diamonds, the Diamonds— their mark is all over this cage. What a shell, what a work sink, on a projected path to nothingness. It would rot in these deserts if not for the Diamonds. There would not be a so-called 'Project Shrapnel' if not... for...
She recognized there was another one, the foot soldier Ruby, hobbling back in the podium's direction.
"Now— wait, momentarily. Don't do anything impulsive!"
> re:USER_@Stern Algorithm / re:USER_@manapool1 > admn.CET is putting some pieces together... one at a time... > admn.CET questions usr.MBR and shows a little anxiety in regards usr.RBY
@Stern Algorithm@manapool1@Karkinos "Well...i'm not with the Authority, or the Rebellion. i'm just a wandering gem, me and my little friend here just found out about this place..." Serendibite say to the aristocratic gem, she look at the pearl gem she have in her hand "...And by the look of your pearl friend there, I guess there were traps when your enter huh? Also, i'm not sure this place have recovery chamber."
Serendibite spotted a another gem behind the aristocratic gem, it was a ruby solider. Back from homeworld, she hear a myth that some or all rubies are dumb but Serendibite didn't that was true, Serendibite look at the ruby gem, the gem looks brand new and polish, she thinking that this ruby is 2 years old or was made yesterday. When ruby ask Serendibite to give her a lift, Serendibite was about to walk toward but was stop by the small gem with worried look on her face. Serendibite place her hand on the small gem shoulder "Hey, calm down, it's ok. Let me talk to her" Serendibite calmly said to the small gem, she look at the ruby "What my little friend is trying to say is, what business you have being here? Is it for the map?" Serendibite calmly asking the ruby.
Amber balked at Tourmaline's question. "I-I was raised above my peers at the Amber Farm, because of my rarity. I was told I would become a regional governor...of sorts..." Amber shrank, realizing that any authority she was supposed to have couldn't be validated with the Diamond Authority absent. "I got in here by touching a panel outside and the door opened. And there were traps." Amber confirmed Serendibite's suspicions.
Then the Ruby entered, putting Tourmaline on edge, but Serendibite seemed to be diplomatically trying to defuse the situation. "You're not with the Authority, or the Rebellion?" She asked quizzically, "You know what? I don't really care anymore. I've been wandering alone for so long, I'm just happy to see other gems." Amber kept an eye on Tourmaline, who seemed to be with the Authority, and who seemed to actually hold knowledge and considerable rank.
"Don't do anything impulsive" Came the command of a gem about as small as ruby.
She had no reason to listen to this fellow dwarf, they looked weak. Chances are they couldn't even take a punch, let alone a hit from her Tonfa. Despite this, something within Ruby gave way to her. It was like she had no choice but to oblige the words of the other like they were her superior. As the puzzled gem questioned her complacency another voice came her way in a kinder tone. The voice of reason was from the tall Serendibite, and as Ruby slowly moved her head up to reach the face of the soldier she instead saw a cryptic mask. Before she knew it she was standing straight and firm and she looked as attentive as she was listening, which was better than she ever had in her life. Something about these others gave her a sense of urgency, to any other creature she instead barely paid attention to what they said unless their fortunes would rise and fall together.
As she listened to her question, the Ruby paused, moving to look to the ground and rub her angular chin as she pondered over the question. What was she doing here? She knew just as much as they did. As she looked around, the team was just as clueless as to what the map was as she was too. Perhaps some real answers would help them out and so she gave a shrug.
"I don't really know Sir, uh, sorry I called you sir" She mumbled as she tapped her thumbs together nervously. "I just sort of felt the need to go this way. I was just selecting a place on the map like we were told to"
The Gem construct stood stoically as it waited for someone to make a choice of where to move the MWC. However, it's up until now sole focus on Tourmaline was shifted to the amber (after what could only be described as a delayed reaction).
"Gem-Recovery chamber selected." the door Amber was once pushed up against opened up, letting in a dim light that seemed to fight it's way through the more intense light of the main room. "Please proceed through multi-access doorway for Gem-Recovery chamber".
Amber does as instructed, and heads to the Gem-Recovery Chamber, finding a suitable receptacle in which to place Black Pearl. She hoped that this chamber still functioned properly. Once done, she headed back to the main chamber and asked the construct, "So what is an MWC, and why did you summon us all here? I followed a sensation, like a beacon, that drew me here."
