The (freight?) elevator slowly starts up...

Sabi’s eyeline (?) tracks Rake as it circles her, clearly intrigued by the buzzing noise. Or annoyed. One of her tentacles also breaks rank from its fellows to trail in the beetle’s wake through the air, the very image of a snake leaning from a branch, coiled and biding its moment. No strike comes though and it returns to neutral once the insect rejoins its master.

At that she turns her attention to Ajakstu.

“Sabi speaks. It would be hard to make friends if she did not.” She says it as if it should be so very obvious. “Humans like to talk, so she talks.”

All the while half of her tentacles have their ‘eyes’ on The Duke, gently scrolling up and down his mighty form as if scanning him somehow. Even as Sabi switches to regarding him instead of the smaller man they yet remain in motion, still swaying, interested. “Sabi is always nice, but … Sabi does not want to be cat. Sabi is Sabi, not cat.” An emphatic nod, then a pause. “Maybe still scratches though?”
This message was last edited by the player at 18:42, Sat 29 May 2021.

"Pretty sure creatures that like scratches are cats. So Sabi is my cat now."

The Duke nods as if saying this is my decision and its final. He looks at the door of the elevator ready to be outside again.

"Hope my cooler is still there and the food within. Would be bad if it went bad while we where down here."

The elevator doors open, and The Duke and Ajakstu Gul see the room with the gummed-up fountain that was near the entrance to the surface level of the facility. (Of course, Sabi sees it too, but for the first time.)

Water is really pouring freely from it now, though, like maybe several gallons per minute. It floods the floor (at a depth of barely an inch), and runs out the front door.

Outside is Juniper (Jr.)... and another human!  He appears to be a young adult Caucasian male of around 25 years of age, 5'10'' height, with a lean build, light auburn to brown hair (it's hard to tell in this permanent gloom), and green eyes.

He might be from The Cloister, though, since he seems to have brought his own vehicle with him...

Juniper (Jr.) gestures in a formal way which suggests his pleasure at the water flowing more strongly again... He seems content to let the party speak first, though. (Also, he seems a bit taken aback, not sure what to make of Sabi.)

Alyn had been surviving and biding his time in the Ziggurat since he had first arrived in this strange world. A world he later got the sense was Earth way in the future. Like hella-far in the future! But he gleaned much from the minds of the Ziggurat's inhabitants and pieced much together. And he was...different now, compared to how he was before. His mind held vast untapped potential that even he didn't fully grasp yet.

But then again, the entire world seemed weird as hell too.

And he learned the Ziggurat itself was semi-sentient! And that his mind could communicate with it to a degree, although it was a lot harder than with humans, and he couldn't control it at all. Parts of it he could temporarily influence but the structure itself was beyond his current ability. But the strange structure did ultimately took a positive and seemingly benign interest in him, and it seemed top have some sort of grasp of the human condition and emotions. Because unless it was really devious or just plain lucky (which was possible since he did pick up thoughts from people about there supposedly being a luck goddess somewhere in the place's halls although he never encountered such a creature), the Ziggurat actually seemed to try and reach out to him in direct and indirect ways.

At first, he was spooked by the little drones and robots it sent and ended up blowing a few up with pyrokinesis, or twisting inside out mentally with telepathy. Which somehow worked on them, even though it defied physics. Then again...HE defied physics too. But then the place's entreaties continued and remained gentle, and relented once he figured out the place meant him no harm. It seemed highly intrigued by him and it even gave him gifts to win him over! Yes, a large semi-sentient building gave a psychic human gifts. As crazy as it all sounded! A very nifty getup that generated an even niftier forcefield to keep him safe, and it even built him a quadwalker that was customized with his powers in mind and was easy to control with his mind.

So when the place eventually sent a robot emissary to ask him for a favor to look into the Cloister, he relented. Plus, the Ziggurat  didn't seem to know anything about his condition and he figured maybe this Cloister knew more not only of the world but insights into his own nature.

--------

And now he was standing in the vicinity of a moving tree, with water spilling out from the door of some complex, and some weird looking people standing with a freaking monster on an elevator. It just kept getting weirder and weirder.

And there he was, in his Quad walker looking out at the weirdos on an elevator. And the large monster really threw him off a bit. He hadn't seen anything like it yet in this strange world and the ziggurat had NOT warned him of such a thing.

So he had to wonder...was the thing friend or foe? Did it have a mind? An understandable one, anyway? And then his caution turned to curiosity as he reached out with his mind...

Alyn reaches out mentally and tries to establish a mental connection with Sabi. This isn't immediately noticeable yet in-game, but OOC Sabi's player gets to know this is happening and gets a choice: do you consent to the mental contact, or are you unwilling? I have to roll if unwilling but it's automatic if you consent.

See the OOC thread for a related disclaimer.

Proceeding since the player stated ooc they consent. Right now, he is simply communicating not probing.

Alyn gasp slightly in surprise as the mental connection snapped into place with no resistance. He wasn't sure WHAT to actually expect from such a creature. Although if it was with the humans on the elevator perhaps it was a trained pet or otherwise tamed somehow? But really he didn't know what to expect.

Everything in the world was once again new to him.

He decided to test the connection, to see how readily the thing could respond. He'd be able to commune with it on some level due to his raw ability, but what he was unsure of was the complexity of its thoughts. Was it animalistic, or would it be something else? Perhaps even human-level?

Greetings, creature. I mean you no harm and am only communicating with you right now. Please do not be alarmed I come in peace. a thought gently echoed in Sabi's mind. It wasn't a painful or bad sensation by any means, especially since the telepathy was both non-invasive right now and was not being resisted so was "smooth" for lack of better words. If a thought-message could have a "friendly or cordial disposition" then that would best describe the sensation.

Can you...if you can understand me well, then merely think back a response to me. No true words are needed between us right now.

Sabi visibly stiffens at the unexpected transgression, frozen in place a moment before finding the wherewithal to check the corners of the room with jerky shifts of her vast eyeless skull, her tentacles rigid and all but scenting the air with their motions. Her heavy gaze rests briefly on Juniper before moving on, and when she locks ‘eyes’ with Alyn all that searching comes to an abrupt end. She sees him. She knows.

For a time there is nothing. Then something stirs in the emptiness, a pressure heavy and oil-slick. It reaches out, and unlike Alyn's touch it is not gentle. It pushes back.

You have given me truth enough. You call me 'creature;' you do not ask my name or offer yours. I understand that quite well. Contempt clings to the thought, sharp and bitter like acid, like venom, like the scent of ash and burning carried on the wind. It echoes every bit as keenly as Alyn's cordiality. My name is Sabi. You will speak with me as a person because I am a person. That is my truth.

So who are you? What do you want?
This message was last edited by the player at 06:38, Wed 09 June 2021.

As the elevator reaches the top and opens the Duke gives his new cat a few scratches on its head where he knew the small variant and the big one liked it and then steps outside seeing yet another walker of the Ziggurat which Foers immediately highlights with a green outline. And as such the Duke fully ignores the newcomer to adress Juniper.

"Look friend your water is back and the Lady is remaining below for a time to make certain it stays that way. So now you must give directions to Ajakstu here for he will be driving us to where it was we be heading. did you protect my supplies?"

The Duke did not really wait for an answer but went to look for their vehicle and more importantly the cooler in the back with their food.

Ajakstu plays off his shock at The Duke's nomination.

"Me driving...! A most excellent idea!" sounding more like an unenthused question or fatalistic observation.

Then he straightens and brushes himself off. "I am Ajakstu Gul," he says to Juniper. "A discussion of pay rate is foremost, not to exclude hazard pay."

The young man who was in the quadwalker suddenly made a surprised expression on his face for a moment, before regaining composure.

This...this is fascinating. Really it is! the young man's thought-voice responded eagerly in Sabi's mind.

Your thoughts aren't simple at all. Way different from the animals and such I've encountered. They are vibrant and driven, and as deep as any human's for sure. it continued.

I certainly would say, at this point, that you are definitely a person and not a mere creature. And no I didn't ask for your name since I wasn't sure you could even give one. This is the first time I've met something like you, that is so obviously inhuman but yet has complex human-like thought. And quite frankly...I've been surrounded by one weird thing after another since coming here and am trying to make sense of it all still, so you'll have to cut me some slack. THAT is MY truth.

The young man looked around and considered the others and the weird tree thing, but then turned his gaze back to Sabi. She was currently too interesting to not give his attention to.

A name? Well any person who is truly a person has a name, so that seals the deal. A person you are. Even if you are also a creature of some sort...but I acknowledge that you are your own person first and foremost. If I may ask...WHAT exactly are you, Sabi? Like...do you have a species or racial term that classifies you, like weirdo-human classifies me? And are you a male or a female or something else? And do you see in color or black and white? the mental voice inquired curiously, with no contempt at all just pure curiosity and inquiry.

Like I said...you are a totally new experience to me. Oh, and Sabi? My name is Alyn. A pleasure to meet you - and I really mean that too.

Hmm. A thoughtful note. I suppose it is a welcome change to speak this way. My words seldom match my thoughts. You’ll see.

As for what I am … I am Sabi, and there are no others like me. The mother-machine designed me, shaped me and gave me life so that I might have the strength to face the wastes and the mind to speak on its behalf. So if my thoughts seem human-like to you it is because I was always meant to know and speak with humans and their like: design, not chance. One could almost imagine a shrug, a dismissive little affectation in the flow of her thoughts. I had another name once, but I have been Sabi since I had the mind to choose for myself. It is the only name that matters.

Silence returns. While not so heavy this time, that pressure relenting somewhat as her mind turns more accommodating, it still bears a certain weight. Then-

I identify as female, and I can say with confidence that my senses surpass your own. I see the world as you see it and more. Amusement, superiority; the very thought that he might see more clearly than she.

That arrogance smooths to something warmer. She's genuinely curious, not merely making conversation. So what is it that brings you here, Alyn? What business has a ‘weirdo-human’ in this place?

Alyn's thoughts suddenly took on a hint of amusement at exactly the same time that Sabi's thoughts grew...arrogant? Presumptive? However, as the pressure continued to relent and her sense of superiority shifted to outright gregarious curiosity, Alyn's thoughts once again became dominated by his previous impression of friendly curiosity mixed with a hint of ponderousness at her question.

That...is a most fascinating backstory! Like something from a comic book! A lab-grown creature imprinted with a mission by the AI that molded it, which then grew so much that it began to become its own sentient person with its own sentient take on its very mission. Enough that it most likely changed a lab-given designation to a unique name all its own? Then the Creature, now more of a standalone person, heroically ventures out into the savage wild world! he said via thought, a slight hint of giddy excitement that tinted the entire thing as he put two and two together.

The excitement subsided back to normal as he paused a moment to compose himself.

Ahem. Anyhow...Miss Sabi, and I say that now that I know you're a girl, you told me your backstory so it's only fair I tell you a bit about mine. I recently arrived here from the same Ziggurat place that those other people over there, minus the weird tree-thing of course, had initially come from. I agreed to help the Ziggurat find a place called The Cloister, which supposedly has another colony of humans living in it. Of course, I also want to learn more about the world. Because I'm not from around these parts.  he continued.

And as far as I know, I may be the only weirdo-human on this planet. You know...who can do the mental telepathy and such. I've yet to encounter another who can do what I can. So I guess you could say I'm also on a journey of self-discovery while I figure out what to do with myself.

Then the feeling of ponderous reflection became stronger.

Hmmm...perhaps you and I are somewhat similar in that regard. You know...going on a journey of self-discovery into an unknown world.

"The payment for the task..." Juniper (Jr.) says to Ajakstu Gul, "...was that I would talk to my father... and report to you what he remembers... about the people who said they... came from... The Cloister... And... if you are ready... I will lead you there now..."

A slight smile toward The Duke. "Your... provisions... are... unharmed... I guarded them..."

Juniper (Jr.) begins to walk (back) downstream, expecting the rest of you to follow him (apparently in your vehicles)... Although he's got a long stride, he's not moving terribly fast so far, though (maybe giving you all time to start following?)...

The Duke smiles the details of the deal trivial to the giant brute. He gestures for Ajakstu to get behind the wheel and then realizes their new pet was still inside the elevator looking distant. Assuming it was fear for the strange place it came into the Duke squats down and pets the ground near their vehicle and makes some sound that would be soothing to small animals.

"Come sweet Sabi. Its okay you can come outside. The big machine and tree man will not harm you. Come to the Duke."

Ajakstu climbed into the vehicle and surveyed the controls. The pay rate sounded less than desirable, but if their guide was accompanying them, to a place of culture, then perhaps there would be opportunity.

The thought of running down their guide did cross his mind though.

Perhaps, Sabi’s thought-voice muses, mirroring Alyn’s own. And both bound for The Cloister, if for our own reasons.

Any further ruminations on her part are interrupted by the Duke’s summons and her mind palpably shifts at his efforts. A ghostly pressure like the idea of a sigh, but one more warm and soft in nature than cold and derisive. Her shadow withdraws.  It seems we have spoken long enough; my presence is desired elsewhere. Farewell Alyn, and thank you for the conversation.

---

Sabi starts as if waking from a daydream, her tentacles pawing at the air before turning their attention to the Duke. She steps out from the platform with clear haste and closes the gap between them, heavy footfalls kicking up spray even in such a shallow body of water. Once there she stands – looms really. “Sabi is not afraid – she does not scare of little people. Sabi was … thinking.”

In her stumbling spoken voice one could easily read fear, embarrassment or indeed whatever else they desired into those shifts and pauses.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:53, Fri 11 June 2021.

The Duke fully understanding the need of the big creature to adjust to a new reality gives Sabi a smile and ruffles the many tentacles in a way that was unnaturally gentle for the massive brute and then gets into the vehicle.

"Its okay sweety."

A term his handlers used when he was scared in his first confusing days in the Ziggurat. He was sure would comfort the big creature. He checks the Cooler and seeing all in there as he left it puts a big smile on his face and he rummages around for something that might be a treat and conjures up a vac sealed self healing meatball in grease and pops the seal and waits a few moment before presenting the treat to Sabi.

"Here. Eating helps the Duke when he needs to think. Sure it helps you."

Once he has given the meatball he gets into the vehicle and waits for his driver to follow Juniper.

It was my pleasure, Miss Sabi.

Alyn nodded silently at her from afar from atop his quadwalker, as he disengaged the psychic link. Having made this contact once, it would be possible to do so again even from afar. Which could be useful for communication and such as he'd be travelling with the monster for a while.

Well, that and she seemed to be quite interesting and personable despite outward appearances. Seems the adage of not judging a book by its cover applied even in the far future.

He silently assessed the others. He knew he'd have to eventually make psychic contact with the crazy fat-yet-muscular man and the overtly-enterprising goofball with the hat. And of the three, the monster seemed to be the most reliable of the bunch which said something about this group of weirdos. He didn't need mental powers to tell him that much. It would seem that Alyn would not be the only oddball here after all.

For now, he decided to follow after the people as he did agree with the Ziggurat to help with the expedition. And the talking tree was almost as interesting to him as Sabi was. Almost. He figured this was time for him to introduce himself as well.

With a silent thought, re reclined in his and while his Quadwalker began to move on its own and strode next to the the skimmer. Alyn spoke out of his window.

"Greetings! I am Alyn, from the Ziggurat. I am here as a part of the cloister expedition." the young man said aloud.

"A bit about me. I like long walks on the beach, seafood, and dogs. And cats, especially kittens. Because I like cuddly things." he continued.

"I also take a mind-over-matter approach to life, and believe where there's a will there's a way. So ya...that sums it up, for the most part."

Sabi knew more than the others how literal he was about that last bit.

The Duke eyes the newcomer now a little more closely then he did before he dismissed him the second Foers made him out as non hostile. Another send to abandon them? The Duke shrugs as he tosses the meatball wrapper on the ground and takes something to stuff into his mouth himself. What a strange man. Loving to eat seafood dogs and cats!!! The Duke shifts a little to make sure he can protect Sabi against this newcomer as he speaks up.

"They call me the Duke i am this groups protector and make sure our supplies are kept safe."

He pats on his massive belly to indicate that keeping safe in his mind has a different meaning then normal.

"The man with the great hat is Ajakstu we found him and Foers thinks he is a friend so he travles with me now the lady found her new people. The little bu...."

The Duke gives the stranger in the walker a stern look to make it clear he was really serious in what he was about to say next but then his eyes shift and his tone of voice drops several octaves as he glares at Alyn.

"Blood flows on stone and minds screech in horror as the metal man thunders over the land. Despair comes over you for you failed where you should not but hope is what you should hold onto for the way was right."

The Dukes eyes and voice go back to normal in an instant.

"..g is Rake and is his friend and this one is Sabi and she is mine. And we do NOT eat our friends okay?"

He goes on as if the interruption with the strange voice never happened. Eying the newcomer to make sure he understands his kitten was not to be eaten.

ooc: Alyn has been prophesized. It means he can ask the Dukes player if this is what he was talking about. If the answer is yes you can roll another d6 to substitute one of the dice you rolled. He will most likely say yes if you use it on a roll where failure would most like result into something spectacularly bad. On a no try another time.

Sabi purrs at the affection, a deep rumbling sound that suits her form but feels a world away from her speaking voice. Even after the Duke moves on her tentacles still reach after him, clearly reluctant to let that contact go, before pressing back in to her chest after it becomes clear they won't get their wish. She follows him tenderly like a grossly oversized lamb, peering over his shoulder as much by nature of her physiology as out of curiosity. She's thoroughly under his spell and blind to all else.

When the treat is presented her way it only gets a slight tilt of the head at first. Sabi holds as if awaiting some further clarification, then a trio of finer tentacles gingerly snake out to close pincer-like around the meatball. She seemingly raises the snack to eye it but it isn't entirely clear where exactly those 'eyes' are - the range of motion and angles she chooses seem awkward were they in the typical spot. Then she flicks it into her mouth without ceremony and swallows the thing whole. Her tentacles visibly quiver in what presumably has to be pleasure.

She purrs again, eminently satisfied and distracted from whatever other weirdness is occurring about her.

Alyn raised a curious eyebrow at the sudden and conspicuous change in demeanor as Duke gave his impromptu prophecy, but the others - including Sabi - seemed fine with it so he didn't let himself get worked up over it. Instead, he decompartmentalized the strangeness for now and just went with it. He wondered if when he read the man's mind later on sometime if he'd see just nonsense, or if there was hidden meaning being the Duke's strange and cryptic words. But he could worry about that later.

"I...I will keep that in mind, Duke." Alyn replied stoically. Although his demeanor loosened up a bit as he continued.

"And you can rest assured that I have no intention of eating any of you, including Sabi or Rake. I fear Sabi might give me indigestion with all those fangs and claws and fur, Ajakstu is a bit too lean for my taste, while you are not quite lean enough. What can I say...I'm a picky eater. So alas! I fear I'll simply have to settle for normal food like the rest of you." he added, with a chuckle.

Hearing The Duke rant at Alyn, Ajakstu murmurs, "In danger there is opportunity, and in OPPORTUNITY there is danger."


He does his best to maneuver the vehicle so the order is Nuniper, Alyn, then his transport. Better to keep an eye on the others. And, of course, to provide rear guard!

Juniper (Jr.) leads the two vehicles and their passengers back to the west, to where the stream (now three times as strong compared to before, which still isn't very much) forks. He follows it the fork vaguely northward. The vehicles cross easily, and continue to follow.

He doesn't go far, though. By a shallow and small (but slowly growing) pool, he stops. There's a wide-trunked tree there-- The Duke and Ajakstu Gul remember seeing it in the distance earlier, but they thought little of it.

Now, Juniper (Jr.) stops before it. He slowly waves his arms, which sort of creak and crack.

He looks at the party meaningfully.

The old, wide tree sighs in the wind, and moves its few branches slightly.

Except there isn't any wind.

Juniper (Jr.) signs again. Then he turns to the party. "I have awakened father... and gotten his attention. He is willing to proceed... I have asked about the people... who claimed they were from The Cloister."

He turns back to face the tree, and waits.

And waits.

After just a few minutes, the large tree moves slightly again, sort of groaning slightly. Two small branches rub slowly together, as if for emphasis.

Juniper (Jr.) turns again. "At first... he just repeated what I have already told you... But then he gave more detail... You should travel northwest from here... You will pass half a mountain... and then a large building made of stone... and then the ruins of a large robot... At the last, you should veer more to the east... Father has seen the half-a-mountain for himself... The stone building and the robot he did not see for himself... this is just what the people told him... He does not know how far the journey may prove to be... But he says that more than one of the people he met were... or seemed... human, like you." He points to Ajakstu Gul and Alyn... and considers pointing at The Duke, but changes his mind.

Alyn considered.

"Hmmm..." he said.

"Would you ask your father if he'd be willing to show me what the half mountain looks like, in my own special way?" he asked of Juniper.

"Tell him to merely recollect its appearance and location in his mind, and I'll do the rest."

Juniper (Jr.) seems to find this question troubling. "...Do... not... suppose... that... his... perception... of... reality... is..." (Long pause) "...safe... just because... I have... roused his awareness... His... mind... is still... much... slower... than what you are used to... Do you... still want me to... ask...?"