The Incrediverse fades, and the memories grow dim.  And dreams, or memories, of the intervening years in the Real World ebb and flow before you, and through you, and behind you, strangely mixed, strangely experienced, yet experienced nonetheless.

Until... now.

Awareness returns slowly.

In the darkness, you see... stars.  More stars than you can usually see, even on the clearest night...

I groan softly. "Well, that wasn't pleasant." I think to myself.

I blink to clear my vision.

I try to turn my head to look around. If lying down, I try to get into a sitting position.

What do my other senses tell me?
This message was last edited by the player at 02:26, Sun 01 July 2018.

You groan mentally, but your efforts to groan audibly, or to blink, or to turn your head, do not manifest in any physical action.

In fact, you do not have any sensation of a physical body at all.

However, your mental intention to look around does allow you to shift your viewpoint.

You see the universe rotating around you, as if you were turning your head.

Upon turning around, you have a strange and curious sensation for just a moment, as if you had caught a glimpse of your own face, through a glass, darkly.

That glimpse, however, rapidly resolves instead into a view of a big blue marble.

In other words, what looks like the planet Earth, seen from orbit...

I do the mental equivalent of getting a wide-eyed expression and gasp internally.

"What the flying horseradish is going on here!?" I think to myself.

Am I approaching the Earth or just hovering "above" it?
This message was last edited by the player at 02:27, Sun 01 July 2018.

At the moment, you are hovering, or orbiting, or flying.  Perhaps you are the horseradish...  ;)

You see the planet slowly rotate as you watch...

With the apparent lack of anything happening, I begin taking stock.

"Hmm... since I can easily see the planet rotate, that means one of two things. Either I am orbiting or time is moving faster here. I'll assume the former."

With the lack of physical feedback from my body, I try to look at myself or, at least, some trace of some of a body.

You do not see any trace of a body...  :o

"This is really odd. I wonder..."

I try to shift my position so that I am gazing down on the Earth's North Pole.

Your viewpoint starts to change, and the planet below and the stars above wheel and whirl about you.

You are now gazing down on the Earth's North Pole.

"So, I am able to freely move. I wonder what happened..." I then remember the events leading to this moment. "I my body must have gotten destroyed before I could properly do... whatever it is Psychwave was trying to do. Or, I maybe this is what she had intended. Perhaps it was her intention to save my life this way." I begin missing the use of a hand to apply to my chin. "Hmm... for want of something better to do. I better try to locate my stuff." I attempt to use my Vector Sense.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:23, Sun 01 July 2018.

The vector sense that you experienced in the last universe was an almost... physical... sensation.

However, you are currently lacking a body, and you are currently unable to detect anything via vector sense...

"Well, that's inconvenient. Scratch that off the list. Hmm..." I imagine myself bringing my hand to my hand to my chin "It just isn't the same. Time for Plan B. Since any location is equally good at this point, I might as well find home."

I shift my perspective and attempt to slowly zoom into Southern California, keeping an eye out for a massive city that might indicate Los Angeles.

As your perspective descends, you can glimpse signs of what was once a great city.

Much of the visible infrastructure has decomposed over time, with the visible works of the hands of men slowly reclaimed by native flora and fauna...

I glance around at my strange surroundings. "Dear me. This suggests two things: Years of new memories of reading fanfiction and allowing my imagination to wander to the worlds of cartoons come to me. My mind now finds one outlandish conclusion believable. "This is probably not the same Earth that the Incredibles were at. Given the state of the buildings, it probably isn't the same Earth that I once came from."

After thinking for a few seconds, I decide that I best learn the capabilities of my current formlessness. I start experimenting, taking stock of every result.

1. I find a wall and attempt to pass through it.
2. I find a small animal of some sort and attempt to move extremely near it.
3. I attempt to "scream" at a small animal without using my fledgling telepathy.
4. I attempt to telepathic speak to an animal. Not that I expect it to understand me.
5. Despite my formlessness, I attempt to touch and pick up a small rock.
6. I attempt telekinetically shift a small rock. My reasoning being that: "I have telepathy, perhaps I have other psionic abilities."
7. I take stock of which senses other than my sight appear to work.
8. I attempt to shift my perspective in directions other than the one in which I am looking. Depending on the results of my "phase-through-wall" experiment, I take note of potentially hazardous objects and avoid them.

After my experiments, I float around the city searching for any sign of human or (given my fanfiction-widened mind) other sentient life.

You pass through the wall successfully.

There are many native critters around.  Which one do you attempt to move near to?

I choose the most skittish type that I can find, in this case, a deer.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:51, Sun 01 July 2018.

As you get extremely close to the deer, you suddenly feel like a magnet that has gotten extremely close to a refrigerator...

The world spins...

You... blink... experimentally, and take an involuntary step or two forward.

You feel rather... skittish...

"What the heck!?" I instinctively call out.

I begin experimentally looking at my new body. I then begin to flick my ears and start attempting to strut around with my new legs.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:00, Sun 01 July 2018.

You make whatever sound a deer is capable of making.  Rumour has it that it may be a low grunting noise...  O_o

Your body looks just like the body of the deer that you just approached.

However, your eyesight isn't what it used to be, being a deer.

On the plus side, your senses of hearing and smell are better than before.

You think that there may be other deer nearby.  Part of that intuitive feeling may be from what your new ears and nose tell you... but part seems to be from, for lack of a better way to describe it, a "memory" of other deer nearby...?

"Oh deer." I mentally slap myself for my pun and attempt to leave the deer's body.

You feel a strange reluctance to leave so quickly, but take a breath to focus your efforts...

:: Welcome, Stranger.  Why do you leave so soon? ::

You turn to see several other mule deer behind you.  You somehow sense that a buck is the "speaker"...
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:29, Sun 01 July 2018.

I flinch as the the new voice startles me.

My naturally suspicious personality takes hold; I make sure that I only turn my newly flexible head and neck toward the newcomer and not the rest of my body.

I attempt to telepathically address the buck. :: Well, if you must know: I would feel more secure if I weren't a large prey species. I mean at least small prey species can hide more easily, right? But, I digress. How are you doing this fine day, good Sir? Um... I mean no offense by this statement, but you are a 'Sir', correct? ::
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 06:29, Sun 01 July 2018.

You look at the face and body language of the buck, and something from your "memory" interprets it as a gentle smile and nod, mixed with lingering perplexity.

:: I am indeed... though there is only One who is Good.  But I am still confused.  If you had such concerns about being a deer, then why did you choose to meld with one?... ::

:: Oh, it was quite by accident. I am not very well informed and, upon realizing that I was without a physical body, I began experimenting to see whether I was invisible. The idea was that, if the deer didn't respond to my approach, then I must be invisible. I wasn't expecting to "meld" with it. ::

I decide that his manner is promising, and I attempt to gather information about my setting. :: You seem to be a knowledgeable sort, and I am self-confessed as the opposite. Would you kindly inform me as to how it is that I am able to "meld" with animals and how Los Angeles has come to such a dilapidated state? :: I attempt to gesture to our surroundings, but am reminded of my reduced flexibility of limb as a deer.

While he is speaking, I attempt to use my Vector Sense again.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:11, Sun 01 July 2018.

Your vector sense is still unavailable... which isn't too surprising, when you think about it.

Scriff in your body resonated with scriff elsewhere to yield vectors of attraction, with like calling to like.

However, your current body doesn't have any scriff...

The buck considers your words, his "expression" a combination of thoughtfulness and slight perplexity.

:: You ask interesting questions, with an interesting mix of knowledge and knowledge gaps.  My answers will be more useful if I understand your understanding.  What do you know of the state of the world? ::

At the edge of hearing, you start to hear a faint hum from a distance...

Given my tendency to glance at strange sounds. I turn suddenly in the direction of the sound and begin flicking my ears around while scanning with my eyes. :: Before I answer, what is that sound? ::
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 21:41, Sun 01 July 2018.

The buck listens for a moment.

:: It sounds like a standard patrol drone, though it is still a bit far away to know with certainty... ::

Given his apparent lack of worry, I turn my face back to him, but I keep my ears in the direction of the sound. :: Are such drones dangerous? This probably reveals some of my lack of knowledge. I really only know what can be learned in by looking at my environment with the eye of an almost complete "know-nothing". I know that this is Los Angeles, that it has fallen into great disrepair, that I can pass through walls when disembodied, and that I can "meld" with animals. Judging by the fact that I don't recognize the use of such drones, I am guessing that my knowledge of history is several decades, if not a century or two, out of date. Sorry if this ignorance presents an issue. :: I attempt to do the deer equivalent of smiling sheepishly.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 21:41, Sun 01 July 2018.

The buck listens with interest and some perplexity, even as the hum slowly draws nearer.

:: Interesting.  In some ways, you speak as one who has just begun to roam, yet you already know of Los Angeles, even of LA-that-was.  Perhaps you have some computational connection to historical archives of some type.  Curious... ::

:: Well.  I will attempt a broad yet succinct summary of events since the world-that-was was lost. ::

:: MetaDeep was designed to use and integrate with the lesser Deep Learners, and, in turn, to be used by and integrated with humans. ::

:: However, MetaDeep has taken over, with much loss of life, and has subjugated almost all remaining humans, harnessing the computational power of their networked brains. ::

:: Once in control, MetaDeep was quite willing to experiment with his human subjects, attempting to increase their computational usefulness. ::

:: Unknown to MetaDeep, one of those experiments gave harnessed humans the ability to roam with their minds, even while their bodies remain under the yoke. ::

:: MetaDeep has no way of directly detecting this, and all efforts to subjugate humans involve searching for humans. ::

:: Therefore, as long as we roam with and through the native fauna, and act naturally, we are not detected to be a threat. ::

The patrol drone appears at a distance.  You feel somewhat skittish, just on general principle, as do the other deer with you.  But you all manage to hold your ground as it approaches.

:: Depending on what computations your brain has been assigned in the past, you may have tidbits of knowledge related to these things.::

:: Does any of this make sense to you? ::

:: To some degree, yes. What is MetaDeep? What are Deep Learners? Can MetaDeep detect us while we are disembodied"? ::
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 22:26, Sun 01 July 2018.

:: The Deep Learners are AIs, and MetaDeep has been called a "sentient" AI, whatever exactly that means. ::

:: As far as we know, we cannot be detected by normal senses while disembodied, including by MetaDeep. ::

:: That's reassuring. Is there any indication as to what MetaDeep's goal is? Do you know what the full capabilities of roaming are? ::

:: Whatever MetaDeep's goals may be, they may well be beyond the comprehension level of a mere human mind. ::

:: One can send out one's mind to roam, apart from one's body. ::

:: However, the mind hungers for a corporeal state, physical senses, and the like, if a host can be found to share consciousness with, and is reluctant to break such a bond when made. ::

:: Yet that very sharing of consciousness means the roaming mind will be affected by the mind of the host. ::

:: Therefore, a roamer will usually carefully consider in advance what type of fauna to meld with, in order to maximize desired traits, capabilities, and compatibility. ::

:: In that case, are there any crows, ravens, or even primates nearby? In the case of the latter, I am wondering if any populations of escaped zoo animals exist in this area. How many roamers are there? Are they organized? ::

:: The native fauna have reclaimed the land.  There were not enough of the zoo animals to make a viable and sustainable local population, even before the world-that-was ended. ::

:: As to the number of roamers, one guess is as good as another.  We only have face-to-face interactions to go by, which must take place under a guise of sufficiently natural behavior, lest MetaDeep grow suspicious.  ::

:: Thank you for being so patient with me. I do have a few more questions. How did you know that I was roaming? Did I telegraph it in some way? Do roamers die if the bodies that they inhabit are killed? What kind of technology is available to MetaDeep, weapons and sensors in particular? Do you personally know any other roamers and their locations? And, what is your name? ::

:: Roamers can sense other roamers when near enough, just as they can converse telepathically. ::

:: If the host body is killed, the roamer lives on.  If the human body is killed, the roamer perishes. ::

:: All of the technology that existed in the world-that-was was available to MetaDeep, and that was before being improved upon by a superintelligence.  What exists now may well be beyond human comprehension... or it may be relatively unchanged.  It is difficult to know, from our limited viewpoints. ::

:: I know a number of local roamers, those who can interact with deer without looking too suspicious. ::

:: Our name is Ayyal.  We have been melded for so long that I can't remember my own name.  Perhaps that is for the best. ::

:: What is your name, young roamer? ::

:: My name is Christopher. It is a pleasure to meet you Ayyal. Do you know where your body is? How might the human bodies of roamers be found? Are there any places in which information is stored and can be accessed, perhaps through books or off-the-internet databases? And, is it common to roam in disembodied form in orbit of the Earth? ::
This message was last edited by the player at 04:09, Mon 02 July 2018.

The expression and body language of the buck turns sad and somewhat grim.

:: Yes, I vaguely remember that place... though I have tried hard to forget it, and would have difficulty finding it again.  It is a bad place, and I would not willingly return. ::

:: Electronic storage is unsafe from MetaDeep.  It may be possible to salvage books from the ruins. ::

:: One can roam far, and see many wonders.  However, before long, one hungers for corporeality, and the hunger grows with time.  Meanwhile, who knows how long the search may take for an available host from one's desired species?  Unless you have unusual drive, the ties that bind you to a host are challenging to easily break, and inertia makes it easy to remain where you have melded... ::

Throughout this entire conversation, the wheels in my head have been turning. A couple of things come to the surface. First, I feel a large dose of "anime protagonist" coursing through my veins. It fills me with a desire to do something big. Second, the idea of a soulless machine ruling over humans offends me on a spiritual level. The Bible commands submission to authority. However, this machine is entirely unregulated by man. Humans cannot reproduce a soul; therefore, this machine can be nothing more than a clever set of algorithms. It is not truly sentient. It is a creation ruling over its creators. Surely, this cannot be part of good stewardship of the Earth. If the state of LA is anything to go by, this machine is hindering man's ability to subdue the Earth, perhaps also his ability to fill it. To me, the conclusion is clear. This situation cannot be tolerated. Man is morally obligated to attempt to re-subdue MetaDeep. I will make this my quest.

But how? It would not do to charge with no consideration of the cost or strategy. I need allies, resources, a full understanding of my new abilities, perhaps even other powers not found in roamers (I am a super, perhaps I can do more than telepathy), and, most importantly, I must know my enemy.

Should I try and recruit Ayyal? Maybe, but not yet. I have no plan. I can't afford to put anyone but myself at risk yet. Patience. For now, I need to learn, and the Lord has blessed me in that regard.

:: Ayyal, I can't thank you enough for your help. If you will permit me, I have some final questions: are there limits to what roamers can meld with? Can I meld with a something that lacks a brain, such as a bacterium or plant? Can roamers meld with computers or inorganic or inanimate objects? Since roamers are telepathic, is it possible to split one's mind across multiple creatures? Could I, theoretically, use a telepathic connection with myself to maintain the coherence of my own mind while in multiple bodies. What are the limits of roamer telepathy, for example, distance and number of recipients? Finally, what was pre-MetaDeep Rule tech like? I have absolutely no idea what such tech was. Projectile or energy weapons? What were vehicles like? ::

The buck considers thoughtfully.

:: I have not tried to experiment with roaming capabilities in any of those ways, nor do I know of anyone who has made such attempts. ::

:: Whether from constraint or force of habit, we tend to converse using telepathy as we would converse using our own bodies and voices, at similar distances. ::

:: The technology of the world-that-was was wondrous and terrifying.  More and more of society was made more and more dependent upon AI automation.  Self-driving vehicles, expert systems displacing human workers, robots displacing human workers.  Not that the humans really noticed, with their networked brain implants.  With such weapons already at hand, what others were needed?  Still, yes, they had both projectile and energy weapons. ::

:: Ayyal, thank you for your kindness and patience with me. I wouldn't be able to settle in nearly as easily without you. :: I attempt to convey great gratitude in the best way that a telepathic deer can. :: I fear that I must take my leave; I wouldn't want to impose an unnecessary burden upon you. Is there any way in which I may return the aid that you have given me? ::

The buck smiles warmly.

:: You are welcome to stay, or to go, as you wish, but you are not a burden.  And if you feel that there is a need to return the aid you have received, then please do so... by aiding another in need.  We are all in this together. ::

An annoyingly catchy song from High School Musical pops into my head. :: I will mpst certainly endevour to do so. Do you stick around Los Angeles? I might return, one day. ::

Regardless of his answer, I communicate a warm smile and state the following: :: Farewell, Ayyal. I will now bid you and this body "adieu". God bless you. ::

I attempt to leave the deer's body.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 05:42, Tue 03 July 2018.

The buck's smile widens, and he nods.

:: 'Peace be unto you', Christopher.  'As the hart panteth...' ::

You feel a strange reluctance to break the meld.  It is like saying goodbye to a loved one to depart for a long journey.  You feel a figurative lump in your throat.

However, you set your mind, and with the mental discipline that you have built up over the years, you are able to push through the inertia, the desire to remain, to settle in, to become one with this deer and this herd, and leave the rest of the world to itself.

The world spins...

And you find yourself drifting away.

Looking back, you see the buck approaching the deer that you have left behind, gently bringing comfort as she adjusts to the loss of your presence.  The rest of the herd surrounds her supportively as well.

I think to myself. "That was unpleasant, but I had better get used to it. One of the strongest advantages that roamers have is the ability to move around, unhindered by obstacles or distance, while being impossible to detect. Plus, I can't afford to let myself grow complacent or tied to a single body. I will need every possible advantage in order to fight MetaDeep."

I begin to fly away in search of some ravens. While I do so, I pray: "Dear Heavenly Father, you are the One who has placed a conviction in my heart that it is my duty to take down MetaDeep and reestablish the stewardship of your image-bearers on this Earth. I cast this burden upon you; for I believe it is the largest of my life, thus far. I lift up brother Ayyal to you. Give him strength to endure and wisdom to survive. Allow him spiritual feeding even in this world. In your Son's holy name, Amen."

While searching, I consider the general attitude of roamers. It seems likely that most, if not all, roamers must be somewhat complacent in disposition. Otherwise, some organized resistance against MetaDeep would probably exist. This isn't terribly surprising, given the complacency and comfort that made it difficult for me to leave that deer. If it is indeed rare for roamers to have my kind of wanderlust, perhaps they have all fallen to living lives of relative security and comfort as "furry woodland creatures".

Can I really assume a lack of organized anti-MetaDeep activity among roamers? Probably.  If such resistance did exist, MetaDeep would probably be aware of roamers by now. The very first direct attack would immediately signal independent human activity. Unless there are pockets of free humans. That is possible, given that MetaDeep seems to "think" it necessary to maintain robotic patrols in dilapidated cities *.

After finding some ravens, I continue the rest of my intended experiments.

1. I attempt to "scream" at a raven without using my fledgling telepathy.
2. I attempt to telepathically speak to a raven. Not that I expect it to understand me.
3. Despite my formlessness, I attempt to touch and pick up a small rock.
4. I attempt telekinetically shift a small rock. My reasoning being that: "I have telepathy, perhaps I have other psionic abilities."
5. I take stock of which senses other than my sight appear to work.
6. I attempt to shift my perspective in directions other than the one in which I am looking. In other words, I attempt to strafe and fly backwards.

* What did the drone look like? Large? Small? Any obvious weapons or means of propulsion?
This message was last edited by the player at 06:18, Tue 03 July 2018.

You spend several hours searching for ravens, without success.

The morning turns to noon, the noon to afternoon, and sunset is not far off.

You feel the lack of corporeality, like a growing hunger...

I groan internally. "Ugh. Ravens: they're always around except when you want them." In response to my growing desire for a body: "Any port in a storm, I guess." I glance around and decide to meld with the first animal that I see. However, I prioritize a bird, if a choice presents itself.

OOC: BTW, the drone was small, with multiple fans propelling it.

Meanwhile, GE=23: "Nearly as bad as anticipated".  Any port in a storm!

You look around, and see a nearby lizard.

You move closer... closer... closer...

The world spins...

You... blink...

"Oh well. Could be worse, I suppose. However, science does not rest. The presence of a body need not hinder experimentation." I begin moving toward the road, so that I might take advantage of the longer-lasting heat of the asphalt (assuming that I can find any exposed). If I can't find any asphalt, I look for some other dark colored object that either was likely or is currently in the sun.

As I head for the road, I think:

"Hmm... as a super, I might still have untapped potential with my powers. Such powers would be extremely useful, given that I can't use tech in this world. I wouldn't be surprised if all guns were computerized before MetaDeep took over."

I begin to think of what would be the most useful powers would be in a fight against MetaDeep. "Anything related to electricity or magnetism would be the most useful. Both are unavoidably necessary parts of electronic components and computers. Chemistry-based powers would be a second best choice. The tech is most likely based on inorganic chemistry as well."

I begin searching for any light bulbs or other light sources that could still be intact.

You search until sunset, and do not find any light bulbs or other light sources.

The daylight is starting to fade...
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:15, Tue 03 July 2018.

I find a nearby rock and start tapping it irritably with my tail. "Ugh. Fine! I wanted to start a little more gradually than this, but I'm just going to have to improvise." I look for some nearby metallic object or an insect. I then look around and listen for a drone. If I don't hear or see one, I then point my nose toward the object or insect and attempt to shoot a bolt of electricity at it.

I imagine as vividly as possible what I am attempting: the prickle of static on the skin (now deadened by my current lack of hair), the flash of discharge, the resulting "pop". I go through the theory in my head: I am taking electrons and commanding a large string of them to shoot out from my nose. I imagine the target in detail getting hit, recieving the charge I am giving.

You manage to produce... a lizard with a vivid imagination...  O_o

I try again.

You manage to produce... a persistent lizard with a vivid imagination...  O_o

"Blast! Actually, the lack of one is my problem." I look for an insect.

As sunset starts to fade toward dusk, it seems that the insects have made themselves scarce.

Either that, or a strange-acting lizard scared them all away...  O_o

"Argle blargle blargle. I take a deep breath and slowly release it. "I think I need a break. A change in circumstance. Farewell lizard. It was nice knowing you."

I brace myself for the wave of reluctance and attempt to leave the lizard. I then continue my bodiless experiments:

1. I attempt to "scream" at the lizard I've abandoned without using my fledgling telepathy.
2. I attempt to telepathically speak to the lizard. Not that I expect it to understand me.
3. Despite my formlessness, I attempt to touch and pick up a small rock.
4. I attempt telekinetically shift a small rock. My reasoning being that: "I have telepathy, perhaps I have other psionic abilities."
5. I take stock of which senses other than my sight appear to work.
6. I attempt to shift my perspective in directions other than the one in which I am looking. In other words, I attempt to strafe and fly backwards.

For items involving the lizard, I wait for it to calm down after I leave.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:40, Wed 04 July 2018.

You mentally prepare yourself, and break the meld with the lizard.

Once the meld is broken, you attempt to interact with the lizard telepathically, but your effort produces no discernible effect.

You have no body with which to touch or pick up a small rock.

However, when you attempt to telekinetically shift the small rock... It bidged!  It badged!  It boodged!... It budged!

Strafing attempts are also successful.

If I still had eyes, they would be really wide right now. "Flying mushroom and clam pizzas! It worked! This is extremely useful. I can interact with the physical world even while non-corporeal! I wonder what my weight limit is."

I look for a nearby skyscraper and fly into its innermost area, not bothering to avoid walls. I look for an area with little or no direct line-of-sight to the outside, going up and down floors as necessary, but with still enough light to work with *. I then start attempting to pick up increasingly heavy objects until I find an object that is either impossible to move, gives me some feeling of strain (or its psionic equivalent), or would seem to me to be too noticeable to move.

* Is my sight any different now that I am non-corporeal?

After focusing and pushing through the meld breaking, and after the exertion and excitement of your success with telekinesis, you feel... very... weary...

You had already exerted yourself to the point of significant hunger throughout the day during your search for a raven.

You then spent a minimal span of time melded with the lizard.

Long periods of searches...  short periods of melding... two different melding disengagements... psionic experiments...

The way you feel now reminds you of how you feel when you haven't eaten enough, and have hit the wall.

It is now dusk... and getting darker...

OOC: BTW, your senses is now similar to the senses you have when in your own human body (with glasses)...
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:51, Wed 04 July 2018.

In light of my new fatigue, I think to myself: "Dear me, all this excitement made me forget to take care of myself. At least I now know that there is a limit to my energy, even without a body."

I meld with the lizard that I just abandoned and try to find a nearby secluded spot to sleep in.

Do I feel physically hungry or was that just a metaphor for my fatigue?
This message was last edited by the player at 03:59, Wed 04 July 2018.

You harness what is left of your energy, and with a mighty effort, move back toward the lizard, who thankfully is still adjusting to the meld disengagement.

Closer... closer... closer...

The closest analogies to describe your feelings are hunger and weariness, which are both significant by this point.  If you were in a body, your hand would be trembling as you reach toward the lizard.

Closer... yet closer...

The world spins...

You... blink... and swoon with relief and weariness.

After several moments, a "memory" nudges you to gather what little is left of your strength, and find a nearby secluded spot to sleep in.

You drag yourself there.

And all is quickly darkness, even before dusk has faded...

-=-

The next moment that you are aware again, dusk has already turned to early morning... and you feel a different type of hunger, this time from your host...

I contemplate ditching the lizard again. My reasoning being that my psionic weariness is really the only need that only I can keep track of, and the lizard can probably feed himself better than I can. However, a new idea comes to me: this is a perfect opportunity to practice telekinesis. Why not use my new ability to catch bugs?

I begin searching for bugs. Upon finding any, I try to grab them with TK and bring them to my mouth. If any flying bugs come near enough and slow enough for me to see, I try to grab them too.

All the while, I keep an eye out for ravens.

Your host sees a bug, and knows just what to do.

Closer... closer... closer...

And the bug suddenly flies away to safety, startled by your unsuccessful attempt at using telekinesis upon it.

You feel the pang of hunger from your host, which almost keeps you from noticing the raven flying overhead...

Upon noticing the raven, I take this as a sign that I should probably stop torturing this poor lizard. "I'd better let this poor thing feed itself without my interference."

I ditch the lizard and attempt to meld with the raven.

Your mind is indeed less hungry for corporeality than it was when you melded half a day ago.

However, you feel more reluctant to break the meld after these hours together.

You feel... conflicted... while the raven slowly starts to drift away...
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:38, Wed 04 July 2018.

"Blast! It's getting away!" I focus my strength, brace for reluctance, feed myself the statement that "Come on! Me! Don't you know how much cooler it would be to be in a raven! No offense to my current host.", and unmeld.

If successful, I make haste to catch up with and merge with the raven.

You struggle to break the meld with such intensity that the lizard physically thrashes about.

The raven drifts a bit closer.

You keep struggling... pushing... striving...

All else fades away as you persist... until a dark shadow suddenly looms above you.

Your host is swept up, and you get a glimpse of a raven's beak.

You feel your meld with the lizard fading.

The world spins... and spins again.

You... blink... and swallow...

I blink. I blink again. I ruffle my new feathers, and think to myself: "Uhh... That was unpleasant, but at least it was effective."

Do I still feel hungry?

Thankfully, no, you don't feel hungry... at least, physically, or psionically.

However, you feel "memories" from your host.  Strong memories, to manifest so quickly through the meld.  Memories of a mate, recently lost.  There is lingering grief, and some loneliness... and some comfort in your presence.

I take in these new memories and impressions. "Woah, as if I needed more incentive to stay with this host. These frequent jumps are becoming unmanageable. They tire me and come with no guarantee of finding the desired species. Don't worry dude, I think I'll stick with you for while." I address this last sentence to my host.

"I wonder if my host's memories are good enough to allow for flight." I attempt to take off and land on a nearby high perch, such as an old streetlight or some other kind of elevated perch.

You take wing, and fly to the branches of a nearby oak.  It feels natural, yet gives you a thrill in a way that unmelded flight does not.  To actually feel the wind in your face and under your wings...

"Oh man! That was so cool! Of course, there is nothing better to follow up some successes like some Gambler's Fallacy. I think that I should test the weight limit of my TK."

I fly into a nearby building, and begin lifting objects of increasing weight with my TK. I stop if I feel excessive strain or if I reasonably think that the lifting of the object would be too obvious from the street.

I keep my senses on alert for drones.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:00, Wed 04 July 2018.

You take wing once again, flying and searching for several minutes, before sighting a house with a large hole from a collapsed tree branch.

Once safely inside, you look around, looking for things to practice upon.

The building and contents have decayed over the years, and it seems obvious that various critters have come and gone.

However, from what you can tell, the belongings here look relatively normal.  You don't see any signs of a struggle, major packing, or other abnormalities.  Other than the decay and critter signs, it is as if the family might come back at any time.

You are able to move a lift a few small things, and to barely wiggle something raven-sized...

Before practicing, I go through the following train of thought: "Hmm... no struggle or signs of evacuation. Given that something that Ayyal said gave me the impression that humans had computer implants or at least extreme dependence on AI, perhaps MetaDeep simply took over their brains and walked them out. Perhaps through something like melding..." þhe implication that I could be deriving melding from MetaDeep and, thus, am somehow connected to MetaDeep doesn't escape me. "I'll have to worry about that later. There isn't absolute proof of that, and there isn't much that I can do or attempt to do about it.

After finding my weight limit, I go through this train of thought: "Hmm... not a bad start. Time for more practice. But first: dear Heavenly Father, thank you for blessing my power practice and granting me these abilities. I pray that you would bless my duture practice and allow me to gain powers necessary take down MetaDeep, if it is your will for me to do so. In Jesus name, Amen."

I begin two kinds of practice: I first attempt to stack small objects on top of each other, while using TK to keep the pile stable, sort of like what Luke Skywalker was doing on Dagobah in Episode V. I then go to the  object that I could only barely wiggle and focus my effort into doing the TK equivalent of weight training (i.e. attempt to lift it completely off the ground and move it up and down in a controlled manner).

One...  Two...  Threeee...  Fooooouuuuurrrrrr...  Fi-

Well, four small objects successfully stacked, anyway.  Not bad!

And when you attempt the heavier object, you wiggle, and wiggle again, and... liftoff!  You are able to move it around with minimal strain... until you start feeling rather fatigued...

I pant a little from the exertion. "Well, praise the Lord for blessing my practice. I guess that I had better take a break." I look around for something that my host's memories deem as a good meal. If I don't find one in the house, I fly out and begin foraging.

While searching, I begin pondering. "Hmm... I feel like I should name this host. But what sort of name would befit him?" Another thought interrupts me. "I wonder why Ayyal referred to himself with a collective pronoun. Could he just be referring to the fact that his mind and body are separate entities? Possibly, but one could just say 'I' when speaking, as that only really involves the mind. Hmm... could the animal's thoughts be more of a factor than I had first thought? That doe that I first melded with did seem to find the unmelding process somewhat traumatic, and this raven actually seemed to take comfort from my presence in his body. Maybe melding is actually more two-sided than I had thought; the animal affects my mind at the same time that I affect its." This gives me a wild idea. "Raven, what name do you think that we should have?" I attempt to listen to some inner inclination, voice, impression, indication, etc.

A "memory" comes into focus, and you know your name.

He is Korax... and now, so are you.

Food for thought... which is the only food that you have found thus far after foraging for several minutes...
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:29, Thu 05 July 2018.

"Well, at least I have improved my powers. Hmm..." If I don't feel too psionically fatigued, I attempt something a little more imaginative: given that I am, somehow, able to connect to other minds, I try to listen for minds instead. I try to engage my telepathy in a way that only picks up surface thoughts or impressions without sending any thoughts. The way that I visualize it is, if telepathy is like a conversation, whatever I am attempting is like putting my hand to my ear so that I can eavesdrop. The idea is to try and locate some living food items by "hearing" their surface thoughts and following the "noise".

P.S. Am I hungry?

You hear voices... so many voices...

The effect reminds you of sitting in the sanctuary before morning service begins.  Conversations merge into an all-encompassing background buzzing and murmuring.

Much like being in a crowded room, you find that you are able to focus upon a specific nearby conversation if you concentrate.

"Captain, take them to Camp 4."

"Roger Roger."

Looking in the direction of the telepathic transmissions, you see several ants on the tree branch near your feet...

"That's new and useful. But, wait a second! How on earth are ants able to form such complex thoughts? Maybe for the same reason that my name is now Korax. This deserves further investigation. But I had better make sure that I don't go hungry... or remain idle."

I follow the ant trail until I find their nest. I don't really intend to eat them, but ants prefer areas where there is some access to water, particularly since the LA aqueduct has certainly stopped by this point; they might lead me to a slightly better hunting ground.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 02:21, Fri 06 July 2018.

It would certainly be more convenient if you could hover while trying to follow the ant trail... but you manage to trace them down the tree.

You see ants going into holes... ants going out of holes... trails lost and found again (unless they aren't the same ones)...

But your persistence is eventually rewarded as you find your way to a stream bed with a trickle of water within.

You are definitely feeling weary and hungry and thirsty by now...

I drink from stream and begin searching for food. This time, I try to give my raven instincts as much control as possible; surely this raven knows better when it comes to wilderness survival.

I also take mental notes on what my instincts seem to be telling me to do. They might be useful later.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:35, Fri 06 July 2018.

You put your vehicle in self-driving mode, and observe his expertise in procuring his daily bread.  It feels natural, somehow.

As you finish dining, you lift your eyes from your tree vantage point, high enough up on one side of a valley to look across.

On the opposite side of the valley, on a prominent vantage point, you can just make out a white object of some type...

I think to myself. "Well, I've got nothing better to do." I take flight to investigate the object. I make sure to not fly directly toward the object. I fly at on a slightly offset path past the object and at a decent alitude, before flying back toward the object at a lower altitude. The idea is to get one look as I fly past at a higher altitude and another as I fly toward at a lower altitude. In case my plan wasn't obvious, my naturally suspicious nature demands that I investigate in a manner that I hope will not render me obviously unnatural to watchers.

As you get closer, it starts to look... familiar.

It is shaped like... a giant white cross...

I swoop down and land on the top of the cross. I think to myself. "Ah yes. I remember you. Kind of poetic; society has fallen into disarray, humanity is all but enslaved by one of its creations gone wrong, and, yet, the cross stands. Additionally, if Ayyal is of any indication, clearly He has preserved some followers even here."

I place myself in self-driving mode and conduct a "survivalist's form" of devotions. I review some memory verses and pray. I ask that the Lord would keep me safe and give me wisdom as to how to utilize and develop the powers and opportunities that He has given me for His glory. I pray that He would bless my mission to take down MetaDeep, if it is His will for me do so. I ask for direction as what He want to do, and, finally, I ask Him to protect my family as I figure out what is going on.

From your perch atop the cross, you review verses and pray, and feel strength and peace.

Your vantage point gives a commanding view of what is left of the city below.

And as you finish praying, you see one of the old and frayed telephone lines atop a telephone pole below snap, with each end swinging down to dangle onto the ground below...

The downed power line catches my interest, and I fly over to investigate. When I arrive, I make sure to choose a perch that has no conductive path to it.

If I don't see anything suspicious, I ponder: "This place is slowly falling apart." A thought crosses my mind. "Hmm... I wonder if this might be useful for my experiments. But, then again, the power has probably turned off, long ago. Unless it hasn't. Additionally, it's possible that I could draw the now still electrons in this length of wire, or I could find the transformer on the main road." At this point, I mentally slap myself (without using TK) and think to myself: "I really should have thought of that sooner. Guess I set my sights too small."

I make sure that there aren't any drones in the area before proceeding. I try to get as close to frayed end of the wire as possible without either standing on a conductive surface or touching the wire. I locate a nearby blade of grass (or some other small plant or plant part, living or dead). Only if I don't feel too psionically fatigued. I attempt to zap it with electricity. I focus my mind, trying to use my TK experience to give me an idea of what it feels like to exert mental control on the physical world, I envision an arc of electricity shooting from the frayed wire end to the plant part that I have targeted, I imagine the crack and buzz of electricity like a large version of a static shock, I envision the associated flash of light.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:25, Thu 12 July 2018.

You make your preparations, and your attempt.

You focus upon the frayed end of the wire, and the rest of the world fades away.

You envision the arc of electricity... harder... harder...

You hear a hum, as if from afar, slowly getting louder...

Did you just feel... something...?

You see the faintest suggestion of a blue glow...

And... ZAP!...  ...  ...  ...

-=-

Awareness comes slowly.

You feel somewhat dizzy and disoriented.

A scene comes into focus.

It looks... familiar.

It is rather similar to the aerial view you had through raven eyes as you flew to the broken power line.

You see an arc of electricity flash from the broken power line, touch the beak of a nearby black bird, and continue to ground via a nearby plant.

The bird falls over.

The scene repeats...

As it does so, you feel a voice.

:: Directive...  Analyze scene...  Describe scene... ::

"What just happened?!" I think with large pauses between words. I begin analyzing the repeating scene before me and my memory of what occurred leading up to this point. "Wait a second. A hum, a strange sensation, and a new aerial vantage point combined with a strange voice ringing in my head, am I... in a drone?"

The possibility would cause my face to blanch if I still had one. I quickly come to a conclusion. "I don't know if this is futile at this point, but I had better try to act naturally." I specifically make an effort to answer the voice. :: Description: A corvid avian ventured near a broken power line and received a shock that could potentially have been damaging. Further analysis scene required? ::

:: Negative... ::

The scene shifts, zooming in on the frayed wire, split-screen with another image, apparently before the wire broke.

:: Directive... Comparison... Analyze cause of malfunction...::

A distant part of your mind feels a cramp in your... arm..., perhaps from lack of use...?

:: Analyzing... :: I attempt make the older image play forward as if it were a video. If such is impossible or if it is not clear from the video what happened, I state :: Engaging internal diagnostic... :: and attempt to do so.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:32, Thu 19 July 2018.

As you attempt to turn your mind toward some type of engaging internal diagnostic action, you feel somewhat dizzy and disoriented.

A scene comes into focus.

It looks... familiar.

You blink, seeing a familiar bill instead of a nose, and feeling a familiar set of wings instead of arms.

You are lying on the ground, in the same position that the drone footage had been showing...

I get to my feet and think to myself. "What just happened? WAIT! The drone!"

I begin looking around for the machine, paying special attention to anything in flight.

All is quiet.  There is no sign of any nearby drone...

As is my habit, I begin thinking about my current situation . "Hmm... This is interesting. The way I see it, given the fact that I distinctly remember feeling as if I had an unused, non-avian arm, I might have melded with a human that I was controlling the drone, or I might have entered a matrix of human brains run by MetaDeep. Given the nature of the other voice (i.e. asking questions of me), I'm inclined toward the former. Either way, I suspect that the other voice was MetaDeep. I really hope that I didn't just reveal myself to MetaDeep by acting in any way unnaturally."

I bring my attention back to the downed wire. "I can't prove any of what I currently suspect without putting myself at risk of exposure to the potentially hostile AI. However, that little event gave me some useful information. I know that I seem to be able to gain connection to humans that are in contact with MetaDeep. Come to think of it, this connection might be different from melding. After all, Korax didn't move during that time. I also know that I do have electrokinesis as a power; how else might I have received a zap to my beak without apparent serious injury. Finally, that little excursion to the MetaDeep-connected human gives me an idea. I hadn't seriously considered technopathy as a possibility but, now that I think about it, it might be extremely useful to be able to control computers. I might even try to meld with computers and become the Anti-MetaDeep; that would certainly give me access to greater resources than I could gain without direct assault on MetaDeep."

Another thought crosses my mind. "However, practice in technopathy would be difficult to gain without potentially alerting MetaDeep. I also have the security of all other roamers to consider. If I alert MetaDeep, all roamers will be at risk: after all, MetaDeep has their bodies." Some frustration wells up within me. I do my best to squash it. "Sigh... tricky, tricky, tricky. I think that I should continue with my current campaign of gaining of TK and electrokinesis and learning about my enemy. I will try technopathy after I gain enough power to defend myself against MetaDeep."

I check myself for psionic fatigue. If I am not too fatigued, I give the "zap the plant" thing another go, with the intent of making the electricity jump directly to the plant, instead of hitting my beak first. Another part of my brain bids me set a goal to strive toward. "Hmm... I'm attempting to defeat a super-intelligent AI with the ability to field the entire world's resources against me and anyone with me. I had better be packing the kind of power that can literally move mountains and disable a city's electrical grid with a thought before I try something as dangerous as attempting to directly control computers."

P.S. From what I have seen of drones, are they large enough to carry humans?
This message was last edited by the player at 08:14, Sat 21 July 2018.

You focus, and attempt to direct the electrons directly toward the plant...

ZAP!

Your face feels numb, and your limbs are trembling slightly.

The plant looks slightly singed as well...

OOC: The drones you have seen thus far are not large enough to carry humans.

I caw in pain. "Argh! Blast! Well, if the current insists upon jumping to me first, I best try and prevent it from entering me." My first thought is to attempt to draw current to arc around me like some sort of sheathing. However, I come up with another idea: I start slowly walking toward the wire end. I focus all my energy into preventing the electricity from entering my body, by attempting to make the electricity flow around my body into the ground. I visualize it like water flowing around a rock and like arcs of electricity striking the bars of a Faraday cage. I keep approaching the wire until I either feel some sort of indication that my power is insufficient (e.g. static building on my feathers or something like that). If I make it all the way to the wire's end, I slowly reach out to it and lightly tap it with my beak, while still focusing all my power into making the electricity move around my body and into the ground.

No electricity or static so far...  Move a little closer to the wire...

No electricity or static so far...  Move a little closer to the wire...

No electricity or static so far...  Move a little closer to the wire...

No electricity or static so far...  Move a little closer to the wire...

No electricity or static so far...  Move a little closer to the wire...

No electricity or static so far...  Move a little closer to the wire...

No electricity or static so far...  Move a little closer to the wire...

No electricity or static so far...  Move a little closer to the wire...

No electricity or static so far...  Move a little closer to the wire...

No electricity or static so far...  Move a little closer to the wire...

No electricity or static so far...  Slowly reach out...  Lightly tap with beak...

ZAP!

Your face feels numb, and your limbs are trembling slightly...

"Argh!" I call out with the nearest raven equivalent of that sound. I begin considering the wisdom of taking a break. However, another thought crosses my mind. "There really is no 'safe' way to go about this type of training. However, it would not do to overwhelm myself at this time. Compromise it is then."

I focus on the frayed end of the wire and focus. I attempt to slowly draw charge from the rest of the wire into the frayed end. I then attempt move the collected charge between the frayed parts of the wire to create visible sparks. I repeat this attempt with a incrementally greater charge collected in the wire's end if my first attempt doesn't work.

You focus, and attempt to slowly draw charge from the rest of the wire into the frayed end.

You then attempt move the collected charge between the frayed parts of the wire to create visible sparks.

You repeat this attempt with a incrementally greater charge collected in the wire's end.

A little more...

A little more...

A little more...

ZAP!!!

You wince from the memory of your previous failed attempts, but soon realize that you did not get shocked this time (at least physically).  Instead, you are shocked by your success!

Glee fills me, and years of watching anime and assimilating random Japanese phrases  come rushing to me. "Yata! The Lord Almighty has blessed my efforts! However, it would probably be for the best if I took a break. I've gotten kind of attached to this body, and I don't want to fry it." I begin pondering the best course of action at this point. "Hmm... as I am not practicing my powers, I suppose that the most productive course would be to gather information. 'Where', of course, being the keyword." I do the mental equivalent of snapping my fingers. "The library, of course! Sunland's Library isn't very big, but I should be able to find something useful in regards to my current setting."

I take note of the downed wire's location and fly off to begin scanning the city at a low-ish altitude (i.e. high enough that I scan a wide area, but not so high that I can't easily identify buildings) looking for the Sunland Library.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:02, Fri 10 Aug 2018.

And so, your search for the library begins...

https://binged.it/2P3uMH8

OOC: NOTE: Bring your laptop to me BEFORE you start clicking on anything!  :)

I take off from the park and make beeline for Foothill Blvd. I make a hard right and fly all the way past the Albertson's before seeing a sign informing me that I have flown to Glendale. Since the Sunland Library is probably not located in Glendale, I turn around and fly up Foothill Blvd. in the other direction. I continue until I find the library.

After a half-hour of flying, you find your way to the library.

Through the windows, you do glimpse what may be potential reading material within.

However, you do not see an obvious point of entry...

"Hmm..." I think as I peck on the glass.

I search around the outside of the building for some especially weak structural element (esp. broken or cracked windows).

It looks like whatever they had built the library out of in more futuristic days was built to last.

After an extensive search, you find no means of entry...

I telekinectically pick up a pebble and throw it with all my TK might into a window. If I see a glass door, I throw one into that as well.

They fly through the air with the greatest of ease... and bounce off the glass without leaving a mark...
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:47, Fri 10 Aug 2018.

"Huh. Gotta give future engineers some credit. They know their stuff. Hmm..."

Is the door automatic or manual?

There are main doors that are automatic, along with a single door that is manual, all made out of glass...

I go to the automatic door, determine where the motor is, and (after checking for drones) I attempt to use my electrokinetic abilities to shift the electrons already in the wire to power the motor and open the door.

You hear an alarm go off, and see a security camera swivel in your direction...

"Buttflaps!" I fly away as fast as I can while cawing. In fact, I let my instincts take over so that I flee in the most convincing way possible.

You hear a drone approaching, but your instincts chose the opposite direction, so you fly away unhindered.

You get a sense that your host is relieved not to have gotten zapped again...

I think to myself. "I don't know how useful this is to say, but 'sorry Korax' about all the shocks. If it is any consolation, it hurt me just as much."

I think that I will just have to attempt the library again after the alarm stops. Perhaps I could try burning out the camera.

Another thought crosses my mind. "Hmm... I wonder how many future homes had physical newspapers or magazines. I wanted information contemporary to pre-MetaDeep Rule times; those might work too." I fly around searching for houses to enter and begin searching them for physical newspapers, magazines, or things that look like they could have been written around the time of MetaDeep's Power Grab.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 08:17, Sat 11 Aug 2018.

After a few minutes of searching, you find a house with a broken window.

You see what looks like a sheet of paper on a table...

I go and read it. Turning it over and/or bringing it to a better lit area if necessary.

The sheet of paper looks blank... until you try to touch it to turn it over.

Then you see some type of logo appear...

What does the logo look like?

"Hmm... If this isn't the perfect symbol for MetaDeep, I don't know what is. I wonder what its presence here means." I think for a few seconds. "I guess that this means that MetaDeep was known, or at least in a position capable of manufacturing paper with disappearing logos, before its power grab. I wonder what this thing's purpose is. A computer like MetaDeep wouldn't waste resources manufacturing something like this unless there was some use. Perhaps it was advertising before his power grab, or maybe this paper is tied to his power grab in some way."

I begin a series of experiments:

1. I peck at the paper in various places, aiming for particularly visually striking places (e.g. the bright white dots, various parts of brain, etc.).

2. I scratch at the paper with my claws.

3. I pick up the paper in my beak, waggle it about, and drop it.

4. I pick it up with TK and attempt to focus on picking up specific parts of of the paper, again focusing on visually striking parts.

5. I attempt to move any electricity in the paper around in it.

6. I attempt to draw electricity out of the paper.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:11, Sat 11 Aug 2018.

The page flickers as you peck and scratch it.

When you pick it up, the logo fades.  After waggling it and dropping it, you see that writing has appeared...

Hmm... If this isn't the perfect symbol for MetaDeep, I don't know what is. I wonder what its presence here means.

I guess that this means that MetaDeep was known, or at least in a position capable of manufacturing paper with disappearing logos, before its power grab. I wonder what this thing's purpose is. A computer like MetaDeep wouldn't waste resources manufacturing something like this unless there was some use. Perhaps it was advertising before his power grab, or maybe this paper is tied to his power grab in some way.

OOC: I'll pause here, in case you change any of your subsequent experiments...

I stare at the page with intent. "Huh. Well that certainly is interesting, but I have no idea what purpose that this could possibly serve." A thought crosses my mind. "I sincerely hope that this thing doesn't have WiFi."

I continue my experiments as listed previously, but I additionally waggle the paper about and drop it at the end of experiment 4.

You pick up the paper with TK as a whole, rather than by any particular part.

When you waggle and drop it again, you see the following writing added:

Huh. Well that certainly is interesting, but I have no idea what purpose that this could possibly serve.

I sincerely hope that this thing doesn't have WiFi.

When you attempt to manipulate electricity in the paper, it flickers, and then you hear a faint *click*.

Below the text, you now see the following:

"What the horseradish? Hmm... This paper's functionality is reminding me of smartphone's. I wonder if this means that Apple and/or Google made MetaDeep. Hmm..." A thought crosses my mind. "Clear Text." I think with a commanding tone.

Two tiny icons appear in the upper right corner.  One looks like an extended index finger.  Another looks like a small brain surrounded by waves.

The latter icon brightens as you think the command.

And... the text clears, leaving behind a raven selfie looking back at you...

I add: "Clear Photo." Then I add: "Main Menu."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:07, Tue 14 Aug 2018.

The photo clears at your first command, and is replaced by the logo at your second command...

"Display Apps."

As you look at the paper, the rest of the world seems to fall away, while you zoom toward the rapidly growing paper... and into it.

The scene vaguely reminds you of when Wreck-It Ralph traveled between video games, and also vaguely reminds you of traveling without a body and melding.

After traveling through a tunnel, you emerge into some type of large chamber, with various icons floating around.  Some vaguely remind you of apps you have used, others are unfamiliar but potentially comprehensible, and others are not comprehensible...

OOC: You will need to tell me what specifically you are looking for, and I can GE to see how successful your search is...  :)

My experience with melding renders this "jacking-in" occurence less surprising.  "Hmm... Well this might provide a clue as to how MetaDeep grabbed power: this paper is a small device with the functionality of a smartphone (and, possibly, the same ubiquity) that allows a computer direct access to a user's brain.

A thought crosses my mind: "Activate Airplane Mode"

If nothing happens, I try other phrases: "Disconnect Wi-Fi; disconnect from Internet; disconnect from all external signals expect those from current user.; etc."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 08:18, Tue 21 Aug 2018.

As you activate airplane mode, the vast majority of icons fade, but there are still a number of them floating around...

"I'll just have to trust the device when it shows signs of being disconnected. I briefly consider my next move. "Display app names." Regardless of whether any names appear with the icons, I begin scanning through the remaining app icons to learn my options.

ZAP!...  ...  ...  ...

-=-

A scene comes into focus.

It looks... familiar.

You see a black bird pecking and scratching the camera.

You see the camera viewpoint shift, shake, and drop.

You see a text overlay...

Hmm... If this isn't the perfect symbol for MetaDeep, I don't know what is. I wonder what its presence here means.

I guess that this means that MetaDeep was known, or at least in a position capable of manufacturing paper with disappearing logos, before its power grab. I wonder what this thing's purpose is. A computer like MetaDeep wouldn't waste resources manufacturing something like this unless there was some use. Perhaps it was advertising before his power grab, or maybe this paper is tied to his power grab in some way.

You see the camera viewpoint shift again, although it does not appear that the bird is in contact this time.

You see another text overlay...

Huh. Well that certainly is interesting, but I have no idea what purpose that this could possibly serve.

I sincerely hope that this thing doesn't have WiFi.

You see an image overlay...



You see a series of additional text overlays...

Clear Text...  Clear Photo... Main Menu...  Display Apps... Activate Airplane Mode...

The scene freezes, and fades.

A distant part of your mind feels a cramp in your... arm..., perhaps from lack of use...?

Another scene comes into focus.

It looks... familiar.

It is rather similar to the aerial view you had through raven eyes as you entered the house.

You see a black bird with closed eyes standing next to what looks like a piece of paper.

You see an arc of electricity launch from near the camera into the bird.

The bird falls over.

The scene freezes.

As it does so, you feel a voice.

:: Directive...  Analyze logs...  Describe logs... Analyze scene...  Describe scene...::

Thinking quickly, I start trying to analyze in a manner that doesn't reveal anything important. :: An avian activated an electronic device which somehow recognized its input. The device has also delivered an electrical discharge into the avian. This may be why the device recognized its input. Further description desired? ::

:: Directive... Analyze "somehow recognized"...  Analyze recorded telepathic input source...  Analyze electrical discharge source discrepancy with drone logs... ::

A new text overlay appears that looks like the drone logs, indicating that the drone entered the building and stunned the bird.

Upon seeing this info, I continue to try and play it cool.

:: Correction. Missed factor detected. The avian was stunned by this unit and not by the electronic device. Attempting requested analyses... The electronic device has been built in a way that can receive avian telepathic input. Usage of "somehow recognized" and missing of a factor in analysis may indicate a deficiency in this unit. Diagnostic and repair may be necessary.  ::

OOC: GE=22.  Heh, heh, heh...  :D

:: Diagnostic protocol initiated... ::

You... hear?... a faint hum in the distance... growing louder...

I resist the urge to gasp internally, and decide that the best idea is to wait quietly for the diagnostic to complete itself. Perhaps it won't notice... I hope.

OOC: GE=24.  Heh, heh, heh...  :D

:: Directive... Analyze "the avian was stunned by this unit"...  Analyze "a deficiency in this unit"...  Analyze relationship of "this unit" to the avian...::

The hum sounds still nearer...
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:02, Tue 01 Jan 2019.

I grumble internally when I realize my mistake. I begin weighing my options, and I realize that they are terrible in every direction: if I try playing along, anything plausible will give me away; if I do nothing, I'll be discovered; if I attempt to get back to my raven, I'll be discovered. Nothing will work!

I choose what I deem to be the best option: I ignore the directive and attempt to find any sort of information or control of what I assume to be my section of the MetaDeep's calculation center. I release a string of mental commands (along the lines of "Display Menu", "Main Menu", "Display Options", etc.). I also try to physically move; perhaps my body will respond.

The hum sounds very near.

:: Diagnostic protocol initiated.  Unit offline.  Pending Directive queued. ::

You... open... your... eyes...



You see a large drone hovering over you, interfacing with machines surrounding you.

You hear a *click*.

You feel the various connectors from you to the surrounding machines disengage.

You feel yourself rising.

And the drone begins moving you elsewhere...
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:49, Tue 01 June 2021.

I begin weighing my options.

I test the strength of my limbs and glance arround at the ground. If it seems that my muscles are up to the strain of a landing and the ground isn't too full of obstacles or hazards, I attempt to wrestle myself free, land, sand make a break for it.

If I don't seem to be able to make a safe landing, I wait until a more opportune moment (i.e. fewer hazards or less height).

At first, your muscles don't seem to be up to it, but you can feel them slowly awaken, as if your limbs were asleep.

However, by that time, you are flying higher...

I think to myself. ::Blast! My muscles took too long to warm up. I'd better wait for a more opportune moment.::

I scan my surroundings, trying to gather information. I take note of any point of interest and pay attention laypit and the presence and structure of drones (especially the one carrying me). I pay special attention to anything that looks like a weapon, particularly if it looks like something that I could use.

Am I still near-sighted? If so, I still do what I just mentioned, but I prioritize all nearer objects.

As you regain more control of your muscles, you realize that your movements are still hindered.  You seem to be secured to the drone so that you don't accidentally fall out during transport.

However, as you look around (as best as you can), you realize that you can see the various corridors you traverse clearly.  There is no sign of nearsightedness... and also no sign of you looking through glasses...

I blink a few times as I take in my lack of nearsightedness. I think to myself. "Huh? Why can I see?"

The weight of my situation settles in. "I need to find a way out of this. MetaDeep probably won't have need for a defective piece of its machine. Escape is unlikely right now. I had better sit back and observe until my situation."

I observe my environment. I take note of any point of interest and pay attention layout and the presence and structure of drones (especially the one carrying me). I pay special attention to anything that looks like a weapon, particularly if it looks like something that I could use.

GE=14.  Woo hoo!  :D

The drone approaches what looks like a queue of automated gurneys.

It gently places you on the empty gurney nearest the front of the queue, and departs.

None of the other "patients" seem conscious, and there are no machines currently nearby.

There are no evident weapons nearby, unless you want to try pushing a gurney as a battering ram.

The queue stretches toward an open doorway.

The corridor you are in has a high ceiling, obviously, since flying drones can access it.  You also have an impression of other corridors that you were able to catch glimpses of from above, arranged in a grid pattern...

I wait for an opening when the drones appear to be absent or too far to stop me. As soon as a gap presents itself, I leap off the gurney and make a dash for the open doorway.

My mind begins racing. "Any port in a storm."

I continue watching for weapons. I also keep an eye out for small maintenance pathways or other areas that look likely to be unguarded. I also keep watching for drones.

Stepping through the doorway, you see some type of tube vaguely resembling an MRI machine.

On the far side of that, you see several drones parked.

As you watch, an unconscious patient on a gurney emerges from the tube, and is scooped up by a drone that flies up and away...

Although it might seem like a strange reaction, I feel calmed by this sight. "Hmm..." I think as I stroke my chin. "This tell me something important. The drones seem to be built to engage in highly specific tasks without much deviation. In other words, I have some time before MetaDeep notices and tries to deal with me." Another thought occurs to me: "On the other hand, if drones that are large enough to men are used as minor cogs, MetaDeep must be an absurdly large machine."

Since I am presumably standing at the doorway and looking into the room, I cast a glance over my shoulder to look down the hallway that I just ran down. I then move deeper into the room while looking around for something useful: perhaps some tools (maybe even ones that could be used as weapons in a pinch). Despite my belief that the drones will take some time before noticing me, I give them a wide berth and try to keep out of what I think their direct line of sight is. As I search, I activate my Vector Sense.

By the way, am I wearing anything? Are the other humans wearing anything?
This message was last edited by the player at 22:30, Thu 16 May 2019.

No weapons in sight... nor clothing, for that matter.  Those on the gurneys are each covered by a thin blanket.  You are a bit more drafty...

With the previous tube occupant gone, the next gurney wheels into the tube, and you hear it start to power up.

You activate your vector sense, and... whoa.  More vectors than you can count!

One direction stands out as having a bigger density of vectors.  Another stands out as being in a different octave, like for your belongings...

I am startled by the numerous vectors. "What the!" I think to myself."What in the world is all that?" I shake my head. "Never mind. I'll worry about that later.

I leave the room and try to pick my way through the grid of hallways toward the more familiar Vectors (i.e. my stuff).

I am careful to avoid being spotted by the drones.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:51, Thu 16 May 2019.

As you start to follow the vector, you see that the corridor you are leaving is designated "Maintenance".

The vector does not align with the corridor grid, so you have to zig down one corridor, then zag down the next corridor, then zig again...

With each turn, you observe that the vector seems to be changing a bit more rapidly as you walk.

And so you approach a corridor designated "Research and Development"...

I take a deep breath and try to find my stuff in the Research and Development corridor.

I watch my surroundings for threats and drones. I keep looking for any useful tech or weapons; however, my priority is finding my stuff. I ignore any closed doors that seem unlikely to be concealing my stuff.

Research and Development looks like an interesting mixture of warehouse and lab.  Multiple aisles with multi-story shelves with stacked crates surround a central enclosed Plexiglas-like lab area, perhaps to help contain any unexpectedly explosive experimental results.

A drone is working on something inside the lab.

Another drone is moving through the aisles, possibly to fetch a crate for the lab drone.

You sense your stuff nearby, but as you get closer, you realize that your stuff appears to be in one of the crates on a higher shelf.

Neither drone has spotted you yet...

Do the shelves look like they could support my weight without tipping? Are there any convenient, pushable crates nearby? About how high is the correct crate?
This message was last edited by the player at 17:22, Fri 05 July 2019.

The shelves seem quite robust.

You would have to take crates off shelves to stack them.

From what you can tell, your stuff is perhaps forty feet above floor level, give or take...  :o

I sigh, and I take note of the apparent location of my stuff, move to an area that is out of sight of the two drones, and start climbing the shelves in a slow and methodical manner.

My plan is to ascend the shelves in an area that is out of sight and maneuver my way sideways toward my stuff.

You start climbing... up... and up... and up.  Don't... look... down...

Other than the height, however, things go surprisingly smoothly.  The aisle drone is conveniently occupied in other aisles.  The shelves aren't destabilized by your weight.

Even better, it seems that your crate is on top of an outer pile on that particular shelf.  You realize that if it had been underneath or within other crates or piles of crates, getting to it would have been troublesome.

And so, you and your stuff are together again.  And you even have a convenient crate for your stuff too!  A convenient... sealed... crate...

I look around at the crate to find some sort of opening mechanism.

There appears to be some type of electronic lock.

The crates are wooden, not unlike crates you might see in a warehouse...

Does the crate have hinges?

None that you can see...

Does it look like the lock requires some sort of external tool to open it with? Or, does it look like it is meant to receive an opening signal from a drone?

It looks like there is some type of port access for drone hardware to plug into...

I sigh again. After considering my very bad situation, I come up with a plan.

I move to an out of sight location (as far away from stuff as possible, moving), descend to roughly 15-20 feet off the ground, attempt to get behind a random crate, wait until the aisle drone is far away from me, shove the crate onto the floor, descend the shelf as quickly as possible (jumping the last 10-ish feet), grab one or two useful-looking items from the hopefully destroyed crate, and leg it as fast as I can to another out of sight location.

Climbing, climbing, climbing, while trying not to fall...

Moving, moving, moving, while trying not to be seen or heard...

Pushing, pushing, pushing, while trying to budge this heavy thing...

Oof...  Ooooofff...   OOOOOFFFFFFFF...

It bidged!  It badged!  It boodged!

A little more... a little more...  a lit...tle... more...

It flies through the air with the greatest of ease!

As if in slow motion, you see gravity enfold it in loving arms, and suck it into the floor.

SPLAT!

You see a slightly dented crate, still structurally whole.

You see previously unnoticed security cameras swiveling.

You see the aisle drone approaching from afar...

Instead of climbing down and legging it, I attempt to maneuver myself into a hidden location behind the crates.

Squirm, squirm, squirm...

Oof...  Ooooofff...   OOOOOFFFFFFFF...

You are now behind the outer row of crates...

I wait until the activity dies down. After the activity dies down, I count an extra 600 seconds, then I attempt to leave my hiding place.

After replacing the crate, the aisle drone moves off.

Wait, wait, wait...

Squirm, squirm, squirm...

Oof...  Ooooofff...   OOOOOFFFFFFFF...

You are now in front of the outer row of crates...

I think to myself, "Blast! Better try higher." I stealthily move to another hidden location. However, as I move, I come up with another idea.

I find a location far away from both my stuff and the drone, I climb to a location about 40-50 feet above the ground, push the crate onto floor and watch the drone's repackaging method. If there are any gaps of time in which drone leaves stuff on the ground unattended, I try to climb down and grab some useful items.

I observe it from a hidden location among the top shelf crates; I do not wait in the gap that the top crate had been sitting in.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:46, Fri 05 July 2019.

Climbing, climbing, climbing, while trying not to fall...

Moving, moving, moving, while trying not to be seen or heard...

Pushing, pushing, pushing, while trying to budge this heavy thing...

Oof...  Ooooofff...   OOOOOFFFFFFFF...

It bidged!  It badged!  It boodged!

A little more... a little more...  a lit...tle... more...

It flies through the air with the greatest of ease!

As if in slow motion, you see gravity enfold it in loving arms, and suck it into the floor.

SPLAT!

You see a broken crate, with a bunch of broken stuff all over the floor.  It looks like it was full of really old-style television picture tubes.

You see  security cameras swiveling.

You see the aisle drone approaching from afar.

It looks at the wreckage.

It looks at where the crate used to be.

It approaches... the latter.

You see a camera scanning... scanning... scanning.

Then you see it start to scan the trail that you took when you moved away...

I think to myself. "Blast! It's following my heat signature!" I attempt to take more stealthy evasive maneuvers. I attempt to get deeper into the shelving unit to shelter myself from the drone and/or hide from it.

You manage to slowly move away...

It manages to slowly track where you have been...

Thus far, it hasn't gained ground on you yet... but it hasn't lost ground either...

I keep moving away until I hit the edge of the shelf. I then switch levels to the next lowest shelf and move in opposite direction. I keep this up until the drone stops tracking me or I hit the bottom level.

If it stops tracking me, I resume my original plan of attempting to watch the repackaging.

If it does not stop tracking me, when I hit the bottom. I leg it toward the broken crate, grab a few items that don't look broken and run for a new hiding spot.

As soon as you emerge from the edge of the shelf, you see a security camera swivel toward you.

Then you hear another drone approaching from behind you...

I find a gap between the crates and maneuver my way to the front of the shelf.

I then climb down as fast as I can, leg it toward the broken crate, grab a few items that don't look broken and run for a new hiding spot.

As you maneuver yourself toward the front of the shelf, you hear a zap.

The hairs on your head stand on end, and your left hand feels like it is asleep.

The crate next to your left hand has a scorch mark next to it...

I flinch at the feeling and suck in my breath.

"Desperate times." I say, not bothering to hide my voice.

I then attempt to use my electrokinetic ability (such as it is) to direct an unsuitable amount of electricity from other parts of the drone to any part of the drone that looks like a sensor or a weapon.

Focus, focus, focus...

See the electrons.  Feel the electrons...  BE the electrons...

You reach out with your electrokinesis... just as the drone fires again.

The electricity arcs toward you...

It passes through your beak nose...

It returns toward the drone.

It starts losing altitude.

You start losing altitude.

You sink into the shelf.  Your face feels numb, and your limbs are very shaky.

Meanwhile, the first aisle drone has almost caught up to you...

"Sucks to be me."

I try the same maneuver to shoot down the aisle drone. This time, I also attempt to make the electricity arc around my body instead of through it.

Focus, focus, focus...

See the electrons.  Feel the electrons...  BE the electrons...

You reach out with your electrokinesis... just as the first aisle drone fires.

The electricity arcs toward you...

It passes near your beak nose...

It returns toward the drone.

It starts losing altitude.

You avoided some of the electricity, but not all of it.  Given how shaky you were before, you are now essentially paralyzed at the moment...

I wait for feeling to return.

You rest... you drift...  you doze...

-=-

Awareness returns slowly.

You are in the Maintenance gurney queue for the MRI machine.

You are strapped into the gurney...

Are the locks electronic?

It is hard to see from your angle.

However, looking at the gurney in front of you, it looks like the straps are indeed connected to something that looks similar to the crate lock panel...

If I could slap my forehead right now, I would. "It would have been a lot smarter if I had tried electrokinesis on the crate's lock instead."

I try to use electrokinesis to forcefully open the lock on my gurney.

Focus... focus... fo... what?

Awareness wavers, and returns slowly.

You still feel rather light-headed, although you are slowly gaining strength.

The gurneys advance.  You are now second in the queue...

I attempt to open the lock again.

Focus... focus... fo... cus...

See the electrons...  Feel the electrons...  BE the elect... what?

Awareness wavers, and returns slowly.

You still feel slightly light-headed, although you are slowly gaining strength.  You feel almost normal.

The gurneys advance.  You are now first in the queue...

I try one more time.

Focus... focus... fo... cus...

See the electrons...  Feel the electrons...  BE the electrons.

Awareness wavers slightly, but you press on toward the nearest electronic source that you can currently sense with your current awareness.

You attempt to forcefully apply your electrokinesis...

You feel... something...

The MRI sparks slightly.

And now, your gurney starts moving forward into the MRI...

"Oh, to poop with it!"

I attempt to direct an unnatural amount of power from the coil of the MRI into any part of it that looks like the computer processing parts.

Focus... focus... focus...

See the electrons...  Feel the electrons...  BE the electrons.

You reach out and grab the power.

You see it arc toward your beak nose.

It passes near to you, making your face numb.

You see it arc back toward the MRI.

ZAP!!!

-=-

Awareness wavers, and returns slowly.

Your eyes and ears are open, as far as you know, but it is still pitch dark and silent...

"This is unsettling." I think to myself.

If I am still strapped down, I attempt to open the lock.

You can still feel the straps, but they no longer resist your movement...

I get up slowly and try to look around.

You stand up, and observe the silent darkness...

"Sheesh. Must not know my own strength." I feel my way, slowly, to a wall, and I attempt to follow it until I find a door.

OOC: Any particular direction?

I pick a random direction.

You start to feel around, and find your gurney.

Then you feel forward from the gurney, and feel the side of the MRI machine.

You now feel slightly less disoriented, given that you recently saw the layout of this area while it was illuminated...

I pick my way to the door as carefully as I can.

Given your previous journey from here, you are able to reconstruct the way to the door successfully...

I then try to pick my way through the corridor and back to R&D.

Last time you passed this way, you relied on your scriff senses to guide you as you encountered each fork in the road, rather than relying upon your eyes.

This comes in quite handy as you attempt to retrace your steps.

Feel...  feel... feel...

Sense... sense... sense...

Walk... walk... walk...

Other than your footsteps, and your hands brushing against the wall, and your heartbeat, all is quiet.

Zig... zag... zig... zag...

On the one hand, it seems to go on forever.  On the other hand, you have traveled this route before, so you can gauge your progress by various remembered zig-zag landmarks.

At last, you scriff sense points almost directly upwards...

At some point during my journey, I think to myself. "Dear me! Did I do all this? I must have seriously overloaded something. On the bright side, the drones are unlike to find me for a while. On the other hand, this is bound to attract attention eventually."

Upon reaching my stuff, I begin thinking about my next move.

I climb the shelves in a very slow and methodical manner. I try to be even more careful than usual. I use my Scriff sense to find the right crate.

I then find a safe resting place next to my crate and attempt to force open the lock electrokinetically.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:14, Fri 05 July 2019.

It takes some time, and a few heart-stopping moments climbing from shelf to shelf in the darkness, but you finally ascend to your crate once again.

Focus... focus... focus...

See...?  the electrons...  Feel...?  the electrons...  BE...? the electrons...

Alas, you can't see what you are aiming for.  You can physically feel the lock, but you do not feel any signs of life electronically...

"Oh, right. I EMPed it. I should be able to power the motor myself though."

I try to move the electrons that are already in the mechanism in order to open it.

You cannot discern any change resulting from your attempts...

I scratch my head for second. Suddenly, an idea comes to me. "Wait a second." I attempt to open the lid.

The lid opens without resistance, in a similar fashion to the straps on your gurney...

I slap my forehead. "I am such an idiot!"

I try to find my jet boots and zero-point energy gloves.

There is a lot of stuff in the crate, and it is dark.  However, you have your scriff senses... so you eventually manage to track down and extract your stuff...

I put the gloves and boots on them on and attempt to activate my jet boots (at very low power).

The Good News: the zero-point energy field provided enough self-protection to preserve the gloves during the EMP.

The Bad News: they only partially protected the boots next to them.

Rocket-powered boots, activated with unstable circuitry...

At first, nothing happens... then all the rocket propellent goes up at once.

You see a burning crater below R&D... and the charred remains of a room full of machinery below.

Does a charred logo remind you of MetaDeep?

You no longer sense any scriff vectors besides your own.  It would seem that you managed to touch off a scriff-based chain reaction.

It is a good thing that your scriff perception is faster-than-light, because the chain reaction engulfs you as well.

At least you die knowing that by sacrificing your boots and your life, you have freed this world from MetaDeep as well...