driftfleet | Libuscha IV System Mingle (no. 1)

[Ben's layered up, at least for this trip; and he's even got his glasses on for once, because while he may not need the torch Connor has for light, being able to see everything clearly is a little more helpful, especially in some damn ice caverns.

He snorts quietly] It's a magic tree. You don't know if it's neutral or not.

[he's being contrary. He gives a shrug at the statement, shoving his real hand in his pocket to keep it warm] Sometimes I feel like breaking from routine to do something different. And there's no risk of me like, having a panic attack this time, so I figured why not.

I'm surprised you decided to come with me.

I also don't know if it exists or not.

[Matter of factly. What Ben says throws up a few points Connor wants to ask about, but the last part isn't so bizarre, at least to his mind.]

I told you, I was already down here looking for unexplored paths. I haven't found any subterranean trees yet so if one does exist, it's going to be in an area I haven't gone to.

Do you have problems with confined spaces?

Now you're just being technical about it.

[he faintly shakes his head, amused] Yeah, you told me. And I told you it's a weird hobby to pick up. You haven't scanned for like, a root system? [...] Would a magic tree have a root system?

[he huffs] Unless there's a ton of people in the same space, no. Why?

I think that's more important to find out first than how the tree feels about anything.

[Connor keeps the torch beam steady as they go, highlighting any dips or cracks in the rocky ground.]

I've done a lot of scans here, but I can't penetrate solid rock. If it's underground, I won't be able to find it that way.

[He has to be old-fashioned about it and just look. Connor glances at Ben, gesturing towards him.]

You said you had been in danger of panic attacks before.

Trees have feelings too, dude. Maybe you're insulting it by thinking it doesn't exist.

[he snorts] But fine, point, I get what you're saying.

[Ben gives him a curious look and reaches up to touch something on the side of his face, his steps slowing as he squints at the ground - and scowls, briefly, before his steps pick up] I bet the magic folk can cheat and find it. We should get to cheat, we got fancy tech on our side.

[he drops his hand and glances at Connor, and the expression on his face is vaguely bemused before he shrugs in answer]

Almost had one a few months ago. We stopped on this planet with this weird mist, made you hallucinate your fears or something. I went down into it 'cuz I got bored and - I think it was something like this, you could go find something, but - I got the hallucinations instead. I think I lasted all of twenty minutes before I had to leave.

[That's a tell-tale sign that Ben must be activating some of his tech. Connor has his own tells, of course, that are hard to miss: more than once since they started down this path the LED on his right temple has cycled to yellow for a couple of seconds before changing back to blue. His own scans can map the area ahead of them, if not cut through the rock itself.]

Do you mean some sort of magic sense? Assuming the tree can be sensed in some way.

[Assuming magic works in the same way as other sense. Connor really doesn't know enough to feel confident in those hypotheses. He needs to talk to more wizards.

He goes quiet when Ben explains about the mist. Visual and auditory hallucinations weren't so uncommon in humans, especially when under the influence of external substances. But eliciting a specific fear response is more focused than that.]

And everyone who went into this mist experienced the same effect?

[he gives a shrug, tapping the same spot again to turn it off - and then he smacks himself in the temple with the heel of his hand, lightly, a few times, as his eye just goes out completely] Fuckin'—I dunno, maybe? Like, I would assume it has some kind of - energy to it, right? And wizards or whatever could be able to feel it? That's not like, that makes sense, doesn't it?

[he kinda makes a face] But I know jack shit about that stuff aside from like, stuff in movies and books back home. And the little bit I've learned here.

[he gives another shrug at the question about the effects]

Probably? I mean, it was one of those things that went around as soon as we got there. Oh, watch out for the mist, it does shit to your head. You needed a really good mask and even then, it could fuck with you.

[It doesn't take an android's level of scrutiny to figure out what just happened there... but Connor uses it anyway. A brief scan shows the prosthetic eye component and the faulty wiring that caused the problem - something slightly loose that moved out of place. His LED flickers yellow for a second.]

Does your eye often malfunction like that? [He does nod though, rubbing at his chin in thought.] It does make sense that magical energy could be something measurable. Electricity can be measured, and seen in some circumstances. It's a similar concept.

For that level of risk, I'm guessing the reward was substantial if someone made it through.

[Ben had mentioned finding something, after all. There must have been something that would drive people to go into that kind of upsetting situation.]

[he mutters something and takes off his glasses, then gives himself one good, solid smack - the eye flickers for a few seconds before it turns back on, and Ben puts his glasses back on]

Yeah, pretty often. Haven't gotten around to getting it fixed. [he makes a faint noise, almost a hum of agreement] Isn't there a quote that's like - magic is just science we don't understand yet? Or something like that. Though I guess to a wizard it technically doesn't fit, since like, they'd understand it and all.

[a snort] There probably was. There was a monster there, too - think people tried to kill it? Might've had something to do with that as well.

That seems like it should be a priority.

[Connor shakes his head.]

There is, but I have to wonder if it applies in this sort of situation. We would need to speak to someone who understands both. [And then Ben had to bring up monsters. To his credit, Connor doesn't get quite as much of a pinched look of frustration this time.] Next you'll tell me that vanquishing the monster is what was meant to bring the reward.

[It's a little resigned. Such is life now. They reach a narrowing of the passage ahead where the only way forward is through a smaller crack in the wall. Connor crouches to look through it, seeing a faint glow of light beyond.]

It's wide enough to get through.

And deny everyone around me the opportunity to watch me smack myself in the head? [he snorts] It'd need some surgical nonsense to fix completely. I'm not too keen on doing it yet, that's all. I can function without it if it goes down for good.

[a nod, then a shrug] I met a flip wizard, he'd probably know. Maybe I'll track him down and ask. [Ben glances over and - studiously keeps his expression straight and doesn't laugh, even if he wants to] Do you really think I'd go down there if vanquishing a monster was part of it? I think it just had something to do with it, not like - you had to fight it to get shit.

[Ben leans over to peer over Connor's shoulder, squinting down the passage as well]

. . . you want me to go first just in case?

I don't know you that well, Ben, to comment on whether you fight monsters or not.

[He's going to assume 'no', but leaving it open-ended is better for provoking a confirmation or rejection. There's a high chance Ben will do one or the other. Connor shifts back on his heels and raises an eyebrow at the other man. Just in case of what, exactly?]

No, I'll go.

[Turning back to the gap, Connor wastes little time in half-crawling in there. It's a snug fit but not impossible. One would have to fail pretty badly to get jammed in there - Connor has already mapped out two different ways of movement in which exactly that would happen. There are several others that don't result in that though, ones that are straightforward.

So he's through in less than fifteen seconds, clambering out the other side and brushing off his coat. He calls back through the passage.]

I'm out, go ahead.

[he's not going to make a comment about fighting monsters, nor is he going to elaborate about just in cases. Look, he's paranoid like, all the time, you don't know what's on the other side of that, and he may or may not be down here armed, so there.

As Connor crawls in Ben crouches down to watch, making a face. Connor is . . . well, smaller than he is, and Ben is not as agile as an android is, and so this is not going to take him fifteen seconds. It's gonna take a little longer, and a lot of cursing, once Connor gives him the go ahead.

As soon as he's through he braces a hand against the wall to heave himself up with one more curse for good measure]

There's gotta be another way in here, no way everyone's climbing through that.

[Connor doesn't watch Ben's entire struggle through the gap. After he'd given Ben the go-ahead, he had turned to survey the room - and gone still. There was a tree (the tree, he's 97% certain) glowing brightly in the centre of the chamber he had emerged into, icy limbs outstretched over a pool of water below. Despite all the things he's already witnessed in the Fleet, the small yet growing shift in his acceptance of magic-related things ... he wasn't really expecting to find this thing. It registers for him as it usually does:

Confirm cavern ice-tree rumours: complete.

He's snapped out of his daze as Ben's muffled cursing rings out again behind him. By the time Ben's squirming through, Connor's turned his back on the scene and waiting to give him a hand out.]

Yes, from here I can already see several other openings that could lead to other passages.

[Ben gratefully accepts the hand out, if only so he doesn't end up on his face]

Good. I'm not old enough to be complaining about being too old for this shit. [it's half-muttered to himself, and trails off at the end when he catches sight of the tree. He's seen plenty of magic already while being here, but it's still something that, at least for the briefest of moments, still amazes him completely] Holy shit.

Edited 2018-12-09 03:15 (UTC)

[Connor's LED whirls yellow for a couple of seconds before it settles again, having gotten through that initial amazement.]

Yeah... it looks like the stories were accurate. [As far as the existence of a subterranean tree goes, at least. Walking a few paces closer, he peers up at the translucent leaves hanging off the white branches. It's definitely ice - if there's plant material embedded within the tree he can't scan it, or has no reference for its exact makeup. Maybe it's more akin to a sculpture than pure flora. He muses aloud:] It's beautiful, isn't it?

[he makes an agreeing noise and takes a few steps closer to get a better look, before he shakes himself out of his awe and amazement and all that] Yeah, it is. [a little gruffly] All right, so we found the pretty tree. Now what do we do?

[Turning to Ben, Connor makes a considering noise then goes back through the stories he's heard so far.]

I've heard three different things that are meant to prompt something being given by the tree. You have to have a strong will, a kind heart, or be unburdened and true to yourself.

[Rubbing his hands together, he stares up at the tree in consternation.]

They've been said in a few ways, but those are the main ones I've heard of.

[given that he wasn't even sure he'd find the tree, Ben didn't even know what he'd wish for, if anything. It was just something to do because he was bored. Now that he's here . . . he kind of makes a face, like the idea of any of those pains him a little.

He gives the tree a long look before he huffs and looks at Connor]

Don't you like, immediately meet the requirements for the first one?

[Ben receives a blank stare for a few moments, before Connor just grimaces a bit.]

I don't think just existing near the tree counts.

[Also, shut up, his willpower is debatable.]

[he just shrugs in response]

I'm just saying.

[he glances up at the tree again] So what, we gotta - talk about it or something? [muttered] Gross.

Maybe. I can't say I know exactly what it needs to proceed.

[he crosses his arms and tips his head back to sigh, pained again]

It's all subjective shit. I mean, we both kinda fit the first thing; you broke through your programming, I refused to die a bunch of times - that counts, right? Same difference? [he winces a little] Fuck if I know.

[Pausing, Connor moves to circle around the water's edge, getting a better look at the tree from other angles. It's an impressive feat to grow here, but that's not what he's searching for. There's no evidence of anything being left on the ground ... though he stops when he identifies a series of footprints around the water's edge. At least four different sets of shoes made the marks, though they're jumbled up.]

Well, we aren't the first to come here. It appears at least four people approached the water before leaving again. I don't know how that relates to the tasks we need to complete, but it could point towards the sequence of events once the tree does something in response.

[Ben glances over with a curious look, then steps over to take a look himself. Though he can't really see them in the way Connor can, he crouches down to squint at the footprints . . . and then with an amused huff, reaches up to activate his eye to see them better]

Are we playing detective, then? [he scratches at his cheek, quiet for a few long minutes as he thinks, before he stands up to look around, eyeing the ground for more footprints that aren't theirs] Four out of how many, though? A bunch, right?

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