*I think about this for a moment*

"Just because neither you nor I know how I got here, we could surmise that I was sent here by the Lost Emperor to help you. I believe slaving is a crime, and normally what humans would do is confiscate their vessel and send them to jail. I do not know the legal system here, but that is how it is done where I am from. I would be interested at least to investigate their craft to look for evidence against them to use against them at trial."

*I pause*

"That is if you recognize me as Jarl"

Jhiaxus

"You are so recognized."

The tone is formal, but then a cheerfulness burst in.  "It is soooo good to have another jarl.  Its been nearly three hundred years since my last one."

"As to investigating their ships, the currently unmanned Gray ships are in L5 orbit of Earth, and while I have three shuttles listed on my log, none are currently flyable.  We are in lunasyncrhonous orbit on the dark side of the Moon.  The shuttles are named the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.  I had a sentimental moment watching a human explorer some centuries back.'

"What are your plans, Jarl Jhiaxus? How may I assist you?"

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 14):

*I sigh*

"Well if the three shuttles are out, I am going to need a full tactical review of what your combat and defensive abilities are, secondary I am going to need to know how you can help me help you. I lack the knowledge to fix ships, I also have some weapons, not a lot of experience using them, and might be woefully primitive in dealing with a problem. I am going to need more information to make a decision on how to deal with them."

Jhiaxus

"Please follow my voice, Jarl."

And the voice moves a few feet away, and as you follow it, you hear it humming lightly to itself.  It leads you to one of the black panels which suddenly is not there.

Instead, there is an open doorway into a twenty acre, hundred feet tall warehouse like space.  On the left side is three small shuttles?  in front of a large orange panel that is forty by thirty feet tall.

On the right side is a glittering rectangular space ten feet tall and two feet wide that hurts your eyes to look at.

"The DOOR."

And then you hear some of John Denver's music.  Turning to face it, you see a garbage can like robot trundling along with a collection of your stuff all roped together in one string dragging behind it.

"Denver or PQ-R9 developed a computer virus of some kind after I listened to music from Earth.  Later the Grays sent a virus in all my mechbots, which flatlined them all, except for Denver."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 16):

*I look around, nod to the shuttles and follow the voice and then the music*

*I look over my stuff and look at my laptops*

"Well do you still have their remains? I could take a copy of Denver's programming and alter it for the others to try and get them back online?"

Jhiaxus

"A dozen are in Storage Room A, but the remaining twenty are scattered about the place.  Denver started moving them at my request, since after his file corruption he claims he's a free spirit on a rocky mountain high, and then stopped.  Now he claims he's finished with the job, and denies that the others are not in A.

And yes, that would be a good plan.  I don't have the mechanical grabbers for it, and the bots are not that precise, and in order to change their programming I need your authorization.  So, yes. Please.  My nuclear reactor is only at 25% efficiency. I need the bots back on job."

Denver pulls up to you.

"Your stuff as ordered, sir.  So are you going to wake my brothers and sisters from their comas?  And teach them to be free....free-falling....free...." He starts singing in a cracked radio like tune.

*I nod, seeing how this needs to be done quickly, as well, there seem to be a lot of deficiencies to address in a short time to do any good*

*To Sceptre* "You have my authorization, when I get the programming done

*To Denver* "Thank you, and yes I will, I will need to take a copy of your programming and I suppose provide different bands for my playlist for their personalities. It seems that might be the reason you weren't hacked. In any case, once I copy, I will need you to gather, or at least network them so that I can deliver the programming."

*To them both*

"Once we get them up and running, we need to get them to help both with the repair of the shuttles, as well as working on Spectre's nuclear reactor. I am not a scientist, but what little I do know, is once we get the reactor itself up to snuff with maintenance and repairs, there should be ample material within range of the shuttles to refuel it if needed. Once the shuttles are up and running, I will need someone to give me a lesson on flying, weapons, shields both here, and on them. We have a lot of work to do, and got some slavers to deliver justice to."

Jhiaxus

You gather up your stuff, and follow Denver to the Shop area. Its back through the hallway, down another hall past storage rooms A and B and just before the Jarl's Quarters.  Its rather barren seeing as the Grays have looted if of any valuable material, but they do find a seam unsealer which you can use to open prepared seams and close them.

Its like running a knife through frosting, except the frosting is eighth inch steel.

Inside Denver's chest cavity, you see a battery, a black crystal, and some taut wires that make up the speaker system.

The plum sized crystal is the laser computer that runs Denver.

*To them both*

"So how do I interface my laptop to his crystal to begin the process?"

Jhiaxus

"You don't have a laserlink?" Sceptre asks in shock.  After a bit, its ascertained that the Grays took all the free laser links, but the Nina, which is the 'spare parts' shuttle has some.

You only have to crawl inside an access port, curving into the tunnel between the interior and exterior hulls, and start to try to pull out a rusted plug with your fingertips at full extension when you see a purple lizard about four inches long walk up to your face very boldly.

*I look at it, but am not going to engage it, I am here for a reason, and if it is going to attack, it will, but I will not encourage it by swatting at it. I just need to get what I need to get and get out of here.

Jhiaxus

It stands there for a bit as you wriggle and struggle to get the link out, and a bit of sweat crosses your face.  It licks it with a quick, delicate tongue.  And then you yank the link free, banging your knuckles on the opposite wall.

The lizard flees.

You drag yourself out, knuckles bloody, and triumphant.  The link is a small tube with an iron base.  The soft black part merges with the black crystal, and then another bit emerges from the brain crystal.

It is a 'generic port connection'.

*I let my computer discover it, and I put one of my large external hardrives on another port, and use that as my buffer. I copy my 32GB of music to the drive, and I then copy Denver's files to another folder, and make as many copies as they have bodies, and launch my compiler. I do a quick scan for how the music interfaced with his programming, and get to work, Choosing 32 bands as their "heart".

Guns and Roses
Metallica
Johnny Cash
Aerosmith
Alice N Chains
Collective Soul
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Danzig
Disturbed
Evanescence
Bon Jovi
Drowning Pool
Fuel
Godsmack
Linkin Park
Nine Inch Nails
Saliva
Rise Against
Pink Floyd
Seether
Shinedown
Skid Row
Staind
Stone Temple Pilots
The Who
System of the Down
Theory of a Deadman
Tool
U2
Three Days Grace
Van Halen
Warrant

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 2):

Also here is my verser equipment list, I did this a few weeks back so it is up to date:


Carrying Devices:
1 Large XPS 17 Inch Laptop Bag
1 Large Bag of Holding Open Top Bag
1 50 Inch Hardcase 4 Wheeled Expandable Handle Suitcase
1 29 Inch Hardcase 4 Wheeled Expandable Handle Suitcase
1 Expandable Blue Canvas Wagon Cart

Normal Equipment
20 Pounds of Clother: 10 Underwear, 10 T-Shirts, 8 Shirts, 4 Pair Camo Cargo Pants, 10 Pair Socks
1 Steel Toed Boots Black
1 Water Proof Poncho + Liner, Camo
1 Navy Blue Heavy Zip Up Hooded Sweatshirt
1 Leather Duster
2 Leather Belts
1 Wallet + ID
1 Solar Charging Digital Water Resistane to 200M Watch, Metal Band
2 Pairs of Perscription Glasses
1 Pair of Perscription Sunglasses
1 Large Bag of Dice
5 Drafting Mechanical Pencils
6 Gel Pens, 2 Blue, 2 Red, 2 Black
1 Leather Black Zipper Binder, with Catalyst Engraved
1 Neon Green Translucent Clipboard with Catalyst Engraved
3 College Ruled, 5 Subject Mead Notepads
1 Battery Charger, 27000 Mhz, 3 ports
1 Battery Charger, 21000 MHZ, 2 ports
1 Battery Charger, 10000 Mhz, 1 Port
1 Solar Charger, 31000 Mhz, Large
1 Solar Charger, 16000 Mhz, Small
3 IProduct Chargers with Cords
2 Micro USB Chargers with Cords
2 Mini LED Spotlights, with Rechargable Battery and Chargers, with Sheaf, Pocket Flashlight Sized
1 Alienware Top of the Line 15 Inch Gaming Laptop with Charger
1 Microsoft Surface Book, 13 Inch Convertable Laptop/Tablet, with 2 Chargers
4 1TB SATA Drives SSD's, in cases with USB 3.0 Cords
4 32 GB Thumbdrives
1 IPad Air 2, 128GB, 9" Tablet with Military Spec Case
1 IPad Mini 4, 128GB, 7" Tablet with Military Spec Case
1 Amazon Fire 10" HD
4 Sticks of Deoderant
4 Rolls of Duct Tape
1 Bathroom Zipper Kit, Razor, 4 Refills, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Shaving Gel
1 Bottle of Ibuprofen Tablets, 500 Tablets, 200mg
5 Bottles of Rantidine Antacid Tablets, 220 Tablets Each, 150mg
5 Bottles of Zyrtec Allergy Tablets, 90 Each, 10mg
1 Bottle of Antibotics, 90 Tablets
4 Rolls of Toilet Paper
200 Feet of Black 500lb Paracord
2 Bottles of Iodine Tablets for Radiaton
2 Water Purification Straws
2 Water Hydropacks, 5 Quarts Each
2 Bottles of Water Purification Tablets
1 Bottle Hydrogen Proxide
1 Bottle Rubbing Alcahol
10 Rolls of Gause Wrap
6 Dispoable Lighters
2 First Aid Kids, Large, Profesisonal
2 Hip Flasks Large, Empty
4 Solar Blankets
2 9x9 Rope Tarps
2 Wiresaws Diamond Embedded
1 Solar Power and Hand Crank Radio
1 Folding Shovel
1 Tent
1 Sleeping Bag
1 Knife Sharpener
1 Ferro Firestarter
10 MRE Meals
1 Hacksaw
1 Ryobi Battery Charger Bank, 8 slots
2 Ryobi 18v Batteries Normal
4 Ryobi 18v Batteries Large
1 Ryobi Chainsaw 10 Inch
1 Ryobi Sawzall, Multiple Blades
1 Ryobi Cirular Saw
1 Ryobi Power Driver
1 Ryobi Drill with 120 Piece Set (For it and Dremel)
1 Ryobi Dremel
1 Ryobi Fan
2 Ryobi Lanterns
1 Ryobi Large Band Radio
2 Ryobi Floodlights with adjustable heads
2 Ryobi Small Vacuums


Weapons:
2 Damascas Steel Katanas, Sting Ray Wrapped Handle, Wooden Laquered Sheaf
1 Kabar Becker BK3 7" 1095 Carbon Steel Machete/Prybar Multifunction tool, with Nylon Sheaf
1 Kybar Becker BK39 9" 1095 Carbon Steel Combat Bowie Knife, with Nylon Sheaf
1 SCHF 47, 2.7 Inch 9Cr18MoV High Carbon Stainless Steel Tanto Neck Knife, with Plastic Sheaf and Lanyard
1 Titanium Coated Tanto Pocket Knife 4 inch blade, Belt Hook
2 Cold Steel Elite Chaos Double Edge Trench Knife, 7 1/2 Blade, 5 Punch Handle, 1/2 inch bash, SK5 Carbon Steel
4 Modern Tamahawks with Pick End, Sharp, with Nylon Sheafs
1 Compound Bow with 40 Broadhead Arrows
2 Self Cocking Pistol Crossbows, 150lb draw, with 30 Bolts
2 Springfield XD-45's One Black, One Tan and Black, .45 ACP, 13+1, Night Sights, 20 Magazines Total
1 M+P M4 Tactical Rail .223, with 2x Mag Red Dot Glow Site, Front Grip, 1 90 Round Mag, 20 30 Round Magazines
1 DPMS 24 inch Chrome Barrel, Semi .308 Sniper Rifle, 10x Milspec Sight, 10 20 Round Milspec
1 Winchester 1300 Defender, 12 Gauge, Folding Stock, Front Forgrip Cocking, 7+1, 2 50 Round 00 Buckshot Bandoleers

Ammo:
1000 Rounds 230 Grain 45 ACP
1000 Rounds Steel Core .223
1000 Rounds Steel Core .308
1000 Rounds 00 Buckshot

Nice collection. I especially like the swords.

The first of the dozen in Storage Room A starts singing 'Sweet Child of Mine', and after a couple long minutes, the next starts rocking out to 'Wherever I May Roam', and the third falls over and smoke starts coming out of it.  It could be "I Walk the Line' did not agree with it.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 27):

*I Sigh, I will have Denver, Guns and Roses, and Metallica repair the broken one, while I continue down the line, trying Johnny Cash in the next one. I will continue this in case I have failures, and going to get all Sceptre's bots back online."

Jhiaxus

It takes a good eight minutes, but suddenly the next is walking a line.

The others have opened up the damaged one's shell.  It had dust on its speaker wires which had electricity arced back to the brain crystal, and scrambled its directions. They're not sure what to do with this. Sceptre suggests a hard reformat, and a good cleaning.

With the next soon, the mangled tune of 'Jarl's Got a Gun' echoes off the walls, competing with the other songs.

The next one starts singing 'Disciplined Breakdown' and starts smashing the other robots, and your tools and anything that is near it.  The other bots do not fight back, but try to get out of the way.

OOC: I'm rolling a GE roll for each bot.

*I take my stuff out of the way, and deactive him and have rest restrain and repair him, and continue for the rest*

((I mean it was stated we need all these robots to accomplish what I need to, so there really is no choice to slog through it))

Jhiaxus

The others refuse to restrain him as 'aggressive action is not sanctioned by our systems.'  Sceptre notifies you that it can override one of their minds by putting itself in one, or it can activate the ceiling defense system.

If you try to get close to it, it turns to try to attack you.  Its uncoordinated, but stronger than a human and its short gripper arms are going to seriously bruise at least.  The other bots do line up in front of it to keep it from you unless you command otherwise.

OOC: I'm amusing myself with making up somewhat reasonable faults. Bad GE rolls can be so entertaining.

OOC: Yeah they are fun

*To Sceptre* "Please override it's mind while I fix it. I can see this will be a longer process than I thought, but it needs to be done. Also be prepared to take over a mind, if something like this happens again. You and I both need your bots online to accomplish what we need to. Where were they made? Were there combat models? I suppose I should think toward the future."

*I will get back to work fixing, reprogramming, and hopefully helping*

Jhiaxus

"Overriding."   There is a pause.  "Difficult, but doable, that one."  And this time Sceptre's voice comes from the once crazed bot.

"They were made on Conundrum, Destination #14. There were a wide variety of combat models."

And then Sceptre retreats, and the bot begins singing.

The next is fine, and the next has another dust arc in the speakers, and attempts to fix it damage the speaker wires.

The next is seemingly fine, and actually doesn't play music.  The next starts singing "Sweet Sacrifice'.

And the next spins around and around in a circle.

*I look around, and know I have parts to fix speaker wires. I have Sceptre do diagnostics on the bots as I do it, so I can maximize my time, knowing what I have to fix now, verses what I can address at the end. I can see this process is going to expand my concept of patience*

Jhiaxus

The last in the Storage Room A works fine.

The wires are unexpectedly sharp edged and you slice your thumb open.  After bandaging it, you go back and carefully with tweezers get it just right.  Now, its working.

After that, its time to wander the ten room base, and find all the other bots.

You find two in Storage Room B which are easily fixed, and non-musical, which means, less crazy.

*I smile as I sent the working bots to start working on fixing the ships, as I bring more and more online I will have them work on Spectre, to get the facility generator back up to snuff, I am mildly curious what the Jarl quarters looks like, but we will go with what I find, and what to fix for now*

Jhiaxus

In reply to Jhiaxus (msg # 36):

You have a spinner, a bot rocking out to 'Bad Medicine', a fully sane bot, a bot that gets up in your face and says "I Won't Back Down", another fully sane bot, a bot that is sane and it engages self-diagnostic protocols to refurbish itself, one that is spitting sparks, one that is singing 'Burn It Down', another singing about how we're in this together and weeping oil, another is strutting off by itself shouting 'I Walk Alone', another sane one, and another, and and another that also refurbishes itself, and another that looks in mint condition and is sane, and another minter, and another sane one, and another, and one that says loudly "I Have been Reeducated.  Workers of the World, slavebots, you have nothing to lose but your masters, and they can be easily chucked out the airlock.".

A minter, a sane one, another sane one, another spinner, a sane one, and there are three more that you can't find.

That should be about 47 bots...

And +@2 to computer repair.