GM says, "Bert! Thank God you're here. The PCs are bouncing off the walls."

[peregaming] Bert says, "Log on."

[peregaming] GM says, "Good old Bertie."

[peregaming] Jack says, "(Dang, I never did decide what to spend my skill point on.)"

Cuddlepaws has connected.

[peregaming] GM says, "Any questions about the various events of dubious canonicity that have transpired of late...? (I'm sure Jota can answer them. *wink*)"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "I have a question: have I gotten any skill points since character creation?"

[peregaming] Remba asks, "I don't remember wether I spent my skill point or not. I think I used it to buy my new power?"

[Crows-Nest] Jack asks, "Do I want a point of Contacts, Deceive, Empathy, Provoke, Rapport, Resources or Shoot?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "(Refresh points buy powers. Skill points buy skills.)"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "You can't use skill points to buy powers; you spend Refresh."

[Crows-Nest] Roger says, "shooooot"

[Crows-Nest] Remba says, "Resources"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "We may have gotten a point of Refresh to spend, though?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I have no idea."

[peregaming] GM says (to Quellynne), "Nah, sorry"

[peregaming] Jack says, "We have at various points, but I don't remember when."

[peregaming] GM says, "also, the last session we were in with Q, we forgot to mention what milestone it was"

[peregaming] GM says, "so I think nobody had a milestone then"

[peregaming] GM says, "then there was Roomba, and that was a Significant Milestone"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Given that we saved Q's universe, I think it'd be fair to call that a milestone for her, even if it wasn't one for anyone else."

[peregaming] Taleslinger says, "Also, wrong account :D"

[peregaming] GM exclaims (at Jack), "Totally!"

[peregaming] Remba says, "For us, it was Tuesday."

[peregaming] GM gives Q a skill point. She can get a new skill of her choice at +1

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "w00t"

Remba has disconnected.

[Crows-Nest] Jack says (to Remba), "You think that's the best choice? Alright, I'll trust you..."

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Hmm, are there any skills that none of us have?"

Remba has connected.

[peregaming] Jack says, "I just listed a bunch that I don't have on #crows."

[Crows-Nest] Jack says (to Remba), "You think that's the best choice? Alright, I'll trust you..."

[Crows-Nest] Remba says, "It was just a suggestions. The choice is yours."

[peregaming] GM says, "Contacts makes sense"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Does it?"

Remba has disconnected.

[peregaming] Jack asks, "I mean, narratively?"

[peregaming] GM says, "well, RONIN is a thing now"

Remba has connected.

[Crows-Nest] Remba says, "Hmpf."

[peregaming] GM says, "its manifold heads no doubt extend like a Hydra across the globe"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "While R*mba and I were sneaking into the CIA, Q was building a spy network?"

[peregaming] GM says, "sure, why not"

[Crows-Nest] Remba says, "Just switched off my VPN, hopefully that took care of it."

[Crows-Nest] GM has auditory hallucinations of NordVPN ads

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I think I'll grab a point of Empathy, since going through a traumatic event has made her a bit more sensitive to others."

[peregaming] GM says, "Okay, that's cool too :)"

[Crows-Nest] Remba says, "I'm using HMA, actually. Can't be bothered to switch. But I know what you mean."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "youtube amirite"

[peregaming] Remba says, "Hm, I'm noz convinced lpsmith can convincingly play a totally nice and sweet character"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Ha."

[peregaming] GM raises an eyebrow.

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I know; I keep *trying* to play against type and it always seeps back ;-)"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(I gave Q 'Provoke' at 3...)"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "And you actually used it, too!"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Happily, I can use my Empathy to figure out what someone's sensitive to... and then exploit it with 'Provoke'."

[peregaming] Remba exclaims, "Woo!"

[peregaming] Remba says (to Quellynne), "And by exploit you mean "help them overcome their issues""

[peregaming] GM asks (of Jack), "Do you want to give Q a refresher before I proceed to confuse everyone by throwing them into the coldest cold open since the Northwest passage?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I actually just read the CIA transcript last night."

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Awesome!"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Oh, good!"

[peregaming] Jack asks (of Q), "Can you give me a refresher?"

[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "Hee!"

[peregaming] Remba says, "I think I wasn't there that session."

[peregaming] GM says, "Roomba, however..."

[peregaming] Remba says, "Oh yeah, that little rascal"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "You followed sick people to Longley; it turned out they were being culled based on whether they had any useful superpowers; you collected information and escaped, hoping to expose them for who they were, but Remba turned out to be a robot from dimension where our Remba still is."

[peregaming] GM says (to Remba), "How was Jekyll & hyde, btw? :D"

[peregaming] Remba says, "he he he"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Did we end up getting info on them trying to manipulate the election?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "s/info/evidence/"

[peregaming] GM says, "Pretty much"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Oh, good."

[peregaming] GM says, "Also the guy behind this is ruggedly handsome."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Oh, and I think we found out that they were clueless about Quint not killing Mal's partner."

[peregaming] GM says, "Yep"

[peregaming] Remba asks, "Do we still have a puddle of Mallory in the Quint's basement?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Which, since *we* were the ones who did, I guess maybe we might have to publically confess to that to clear his name."

[peregaming] GM says, "Mallory is currently a 'member' of RONIN"

[peregaming] Jack says, ".R*mba I think she's in a fishtank with legs."

[peregaming] GM says, "yep"

[peregaming] GM pushes the 'yep' tally. Ping!

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "OK!"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Now that we remember all of that, are we starting up the action in some other entirely different universe where none of that is relevant?"

[peregaming] Remba exclaims, "Unrelated cold open!"

[peregaming] GM says, "Well, the answer to that... is..."

[peregaming] GM drumroll

[Crows-Nest] Jack spins the Wheel of Fortune and guesses a 'P'.

[Crows-Nest] Remba at band practice.

Roger has arrived.

GM says (to Jack), "Remember when life was simple? You were just helping people out, stopping everyday crime in San Frangeles in between lectures, making a name for yourself as the mysterious Tesseract."

Jack exclaims, "Yeah!"

Jack says, "Sorry -- I mean 'yep'."

GM says (to Jack), "Now you're in a refurbished army helicopter, along with Quellynne and Remba and some haggard-looking soldiers, flying over a hellscape of teeming robot cities under the pouring chlorine rain that drizzles from the nightmarish grey sky."

GM says, "This is humanity's last battle..."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Who's piloting?"

GM says, "... in the GRIMDARK UNIVERSE"

[peregaming] GM says, "Bob"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do I remember who Bob is?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "(At least it's not Jackson...)"

[peregaming] GM says, "He's one of the last survivors on this war-torn planet. And a hell of a pilot. Shame about his jaw, though. It's made of iron."

GM says, "Oh, and Marie is here too."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Note to self: Bob is part machine."

GM says, "Looking somewhat worried."

Jack says, "Alright, we've made it this far."

Remba is wearing a color "Flora the Traveller" parka.

GM says (to Quellynne), "You curse yourself for not keeping a closer eye on the transdimensional bathyscape."

Jack says, "Let's review the plan."

GM says (to Quellynne), "One minute, that's all it took for the robots to steal it. And now your only hope is to steal it back while everyone is attacking the robot capital city."

[Crows-Nest] Remba says, "Detroit."

GM says (to Remba), "You haven't had a milkshake in so long. This is the last straw."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Presumably we're doing this to protect the restt of the multiverse from being invaded by killer robots, not because we're watching out for ourselves and making sure we have an escape route while everyone else is risking their lives in the battle."

Remba looks at the straw in her hand. If only she had a milkshake to go with it.

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "All straw and no milkshake"

[Crows-Nest] Remba says, "It's like 10.000 straws when all you need is a ... milkshake"

[peregaming] GM says, "And that concludes the infodump."

Jack asks, "So which way do we think they took it?"

GM says (to Jack), "There's an R&D department. A vast factory at the heart of the capital city, where new monsters of screaming steel are constantly being invented"

Jack says, "Yeah, that makes sense."

Jack asks, "Do we have any preliminary intelligence? Layout, entrances, etc.?"

Captain Smollett says, "Not much, I'm afraid! But it's our main target! *sound of helicopter*"

Jack says, "They're probably not going to just let a bunch of meatbags walk in the front door. And it'd be better if we could steal it back rather than just nuking the whole place from orbit."

Remba says, "We'll have to play it by ear. I could probably masquerade as one of the robots working at the factory."

[peregaming] Remba asks, "That's how this world works, right?"

[peregaming] GM says, "It's robots all the way down"

Jack asks, "Yeah. Do you think it would make sense for you to bring in a bunch of prisoners?"

Jack says, "I'm not sure why they'd want them in an R&D factory."

Remba says, "You are high value prisoners with some tech knowledge"

Jack asks, "Or maybe we could disguise ourselves some other way. Robot suits?"

Quellynne asks, "To experiment on our powers?"

Jack says (to Quellynne), "Mmm."

Jack says, "That might be simpler than trying to find some burnt-out robotic carcases, clean them out, and try to wear them as suits."

Captain Smollett says, "We're going into a war zone, comrades. The priority is getting close enough to the factory in the first place. It's hell out there"

Quellynne says, "Maybe just sneak, then."

Quellynne says, "And take advantage of the chaos."

Remba says, "I can just fly down, but you two probably can't."

Jack says, "I can teleport to the ground."

Jack says, "And I could take Quellyne with me."

Bob says, "Cap! Roombas right ahead! Do I turn back?"

Captain Smollett says, "No! Keep going! No surrender!"

Remba looks embarassed for a moment. "I'm so sorry an alternate version of me caused all this."

Remba changes!

Captain Smollett says, "Don't worry about it --- whoa! Robot!"

GM points gun!

[peregaming] Remba exclaims (at gm), "I try to lean out of the chopper door and shoot at Roombas!"

Jack says (to Remba), "Remind me that we've got some stuff we need to show you when we get back home..."

SATSAM exclaims (at jack), "Is it Season 8 of Game of Thrones? I'm so excited for it! I hope it's good!"

Quellynne exclaims, "But the 'evil' version of you was, by all reports, pretty helpful... whoops, time to go. Fly safe, Smollett!"

Smollett says, "That's desertion! *waves gun around*"

Jack asks (of Smollett), "If we jump out, can you create a diversion for us in the air, so we can sneak through below?"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "I love how no one is taking Smollett seriously"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "He is the typical comical military guy"

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne says, "Wait, he was pointing a gun at SATSAM? I thought he saw a flying one or something."

[Crows-Nest] GM exclaims, "Yes!"

[Crows-Nest] Jack exclaims, "Oh!"

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne says, "Oh, ha."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "She transformed into a robot unexpectedly, giving him a shock"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "ha ha ha. Nobody< took him serious because nobody understood him. Just like Andy Kaufman."

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "When he said 'Roombas right ahead!' and followed up with 'whoa! Robot!' I thought those were referring to the same thing."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "haha"

SATSAM raises her hands. "Don't shoot, sir! I'm on your side!"

Jack says (to Smollett), "It's alright, Cap. That robot is under human control. It's from another universe."

Smollett says, "You don't say! Alright, Bob, we'll give them the diversion of the century. Put on the Valkryie stuff on the speakers!"

(From GM) 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' players. "Dammit Bob!"

SATSAM exclaims, "Oh, Valkyrie stuff! Just like in Watchmen!"

[Crows-Nest] Jack starts up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz_f9B4pPtg

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "yay"

Jack asks (of SATSAM), "You want to lead the way, and we'll follow?"

SATSAM exclaims, "Sure!"

(From GM) The helicopter rattles! Some powerful suction force is coming from up above! What's that shadow overhead?

SATSAM says, "Uh oh."

SATSAM says, "That's probably not good."

Quellynne says, "Wait, I've never heard this before! This is awesome. Er, oh, crap."

Smollett says, "ROOOOOMBA"

SATSAM says, "Well this sucks."

GM says, "(And indeed, it's a giant flying Roomba right overhead. Sucking up the helicopter inexorably!)"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "I think I nailed the grimdark here. Just the right dose of silly."

Jack asks, "Plan B: jump the whole kit and kaboddle into the future and let them think they've destroyed us?"

SATSAM exclaims, "We need to disable that thing somehow!"

Marie says, "But how?"

Quellynne exclaims, "Well, let's go! Someone throw me up there!"

SATSAM says (to jack), "That will have worked for me-"

Jack asks (of Q), "Throw you?"

Quellynne exclaims, "Into the roomba, so I can turn it off!"

Quellynne says, "I'll be quick."

Quellynne grins.

Jack exclaims, "Oh! Alright!"

SATSAM says, "I'll try to draw its attention."

Jack asks (of SATSAM), "I can't remember, are you super strong anymore?"

SATSAM flies out and shoots at the Roomba.

SATSAM exclaims, "(distantly) No!"

Jack asks, "Alright, I guess I'll have to bring you myself -- hold my hand?"

Quellynne grabs Jack's hand!

Jack looks up out the window for some relatively safe-ish spot in the flying machine monster and teleportts them both into it!

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Create Advantage with Shoot to distract it"

[peregaming] GM says, "Excellent! Since it's pretty big and advanced tech, I say +6 opposition"

SATSAM rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: 0 -1 -1 -1 | Fair (2)

Quellynne gives Jack a boost before zipping off to find an entrance/gap.

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Mothertruckin' FATE die."

SATSAM sets her current fate point total to 3.

[peregaming] Jack says, "Ooh, I forgot the boosts."

[peregaming] SATSAM exclaims, "I want to spend a FP to rereoll, because I am a Daredevil!"

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne says, "I almost did too ;-)"

[peregaming] SATSAM asks, "Boosts?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "My seondary power."

[peregaming] Jack asks (of GM), "I'm guessing that precision teleporting will be an Overcome? Perhaps with Will, or Notice for spotting a good place to land?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Notice, +6"

[peregaming] GM says, "There are defense turrets."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Using the boost:"

Jack rolls Fantastic (6) + 4dF: 0 0 +1 +1 | Legendary (8)

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Guess I don't need to reroll :-)"

[peregaming] Jack says, "If you keep your failure, the GM can have an aspect against you/us."

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Sounds good."

[peregaming] GM exclaims (at SATSAM), "The Roomba now has you Under Fire!"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "If you overcome that aspect, it becomes Courage Under Fire"

Jack teleports onto the top of one of the turrets! They're immediately spotted by another turret, which turns and fires at Jack and Quellyne -- but he notices it just in time to rewind half a second and teleport again, further up into the innards of the mechabeast.

[peregaming] Jack says, "(Ideally, the second turret will have destroyed the first turret in that burst of friendly fire just as we vanish, but I'll leave that up to the GM.)"

[peregaming] GM says, "I allow it, since there are plenty more turrets left"

SATSAM is flying looping to avoid the Roomba's fire, (falsely) under the impression she has succesfully drawn its fire.

Quellynne exclaims (at Jack), "Nice!"

Quellynne boosts Jack again.

Jack asks (of Quellyne), "Alright, we're in. Where do we go from here?"

Quellynne asks, "I dunno! I'll explore; you, uh, break stuff?"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Oh, neat, you can use that more than once in a scene? Nice!"

GM asks (of SATSAM), "The helicopter (with Marie and Smollett and so forth) is being sucked into the mechanical maw of the flying Roomba! What do you do?"

Jack exclaims, "OK!"

Quellynne zips away, looking for the vacuum control!

SATSAM says (to gm), "I try to land near the intake and use CRAFTS to reverse the polarity of the air flow."

[peregaming] GM asks (of Quellynne), "There are mashing gears in the way! Are you athletic enough?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "(AFK a couple.)"

[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "I think I am!"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "What's my TN?"

[peregaming] GM says, "It's a +6"

Quellynne rolls Legendary+2 (+10) + 4dF: 0 +1 0 -1 | Legendary+2 (10)

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "RP!"

Quellynne zoom around the zooming gears, easily avoiding them all!

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Can I use 'lots of actions' to do something extra with Athletics? Start to jam mechanisms, say?"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Yeah, you can!"

[peregaming] GM says, "Also, sorry, SATSAM, Q is kind of stealing your thunder right now"

[Setting the zoned flag.]

Quellynne figures out where the most vulnerable spots are and bends metal into the way of gears, and pops off a few rivets on her way around the ship.

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "I can only get my rolls to +5, so I'm okay with that :D"

[peregaming] GM says, "heh"

[peregaming] GM says, "you can still do narratively appropriate stuff, like trying to pull back the helicopter, even though your Physique is not up to the task"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Maybe a couple Create Advantages? What's a good secondary TN for sabotage?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Hm, this is completely new tech made by cold, unfeeling minds."

[peregaming] SATSAM asks (of GM), "Can I usee craft to temporarily enhance the chopper's power?"

[peregaming] GM says, "And you want to avoid being killed by unexpected valves exploding, etc"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Right."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Back."

[peregaming] GM says (to SATSAM), "You can, actually! That's a +5 Crafts overcome to win enough time for Q to finish her stuff (for simplicity's sake)"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "While I'm up here, can I use Will to study this tech, to Create an Advantage for later?"

[peregaming] GM exclaims (at Jack), "Yes!"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Woo!"

Jack rolls Great (4) + 4dF: 0 -1 +1 +1 | Superb (5)

[peregaming] GM says (to Q), "Your new TN is +9"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Wha."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Oh, hers."

SATSAM rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: +1 +1 +1 0 | Legendary (8)

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "So many good rolls, so little time!"

[peregaming] GM says, "Let's have everyone RP in this order:"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "I get a Boost. Q, feel free to use it."

[peregaming] GM says, "first SATSAM, then Q, then Jack"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(I am fine with a different TN; technically, I would split my 10 into a 6+1 and a 4+1 if I split into two actions, or into a 6+1, 2+1, and 2+1 for three actions)"

SATSAM lands on the surface of the Roomba and peels off a panel. She frown at the wiring and begins reconnecting and cross-connecting stuff, creating some power overflow that should buy Q valuable minutes.

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "At any rate, let's say that the upshot is that the ship now has 'Sabotaged!' as an Aspect."

[peregaming] GM exclaims (at Q), "Yeah, that's good!"

[peregaming] GM says, "Just tell me when you are all done RPing and I'll jump back in."

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "I'm done! Others are still going, I think?"

Jack opens a panel to help sabotage, but gets distracted by all the new tech inside.

[peregaming] GM says, "Jack got a boost, I believe"

Jack exclaims, "Huh, that's interesting... this is totally different from what I'm used to. It's not... not *creative*, but it certainly is *efficient*!"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Jack does have a boost for the next time he uses his actual powers in this scene, but for now, he's created the 'Huh, That's Interesting' aspect: we're now a little bit more familiar with the robots' tech."

[peregaming] GM says, "Good job."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do I need that boost for getting Q and myself back off of this thing before it blows up?"

[peregaming] GM says, "I don't think so? You can teleport quite quickly"

[peregaming] GM says, "I imagine Q being like 'hurry hurry hurry'"

Jack exclaims, "Oh, right!"

Jack grabs Q's hand as she's running past and *blip*.

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Were we done?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Yeah"

SATSAM dives down fast!

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Oh! OK."

[peregaming] GM says, "I know, it was disorganized. We'll use init next time."

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Hee"

(From GM) The sabotaged Roomba starts tilting down, losing power! It's going to crush the helicopter!

SATSAM lands in the helicopter and tries to boost the power!

Quellynne tags SATSAM with the Empowered boost!

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(assuming we teleported to the chopper?)"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Whoops, there goes mine!"

[peregaming] SATSAM asks (of q), "What does that do?"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "I could wait for you to do something first?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Gives you an 'Empowered' boost that you can tag for free."

[peregaming] Jack says, "It gives you a temporary 'Empowered' aspect."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Are you using Machine Control?"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Neat."

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "No, Crafts."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Oh."

[peregaming] Jack says, "I think it only works for using your powers."

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Machine Control would only let me fly it."

[peregaming] SATSAM exclaims, "oh!"

[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "Fly it out of the way!"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Let me wriggle out of that statement..."

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Yeah!"

[peregaming] GM says, "It's +2 opposition, since Mecha Bob is technically a computer :P"

[peregaming] SATSAM exclaims, "But really, Machine Control would only let me fly it, so Crafts it is!"

[peregaming] GM says, "aww"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Why can't you fly it out of the way?"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Is your Drive too low?"

[peregaming] GM says, "You can use Empathy instead of Drive! There's no drawback"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "I won't be able to do it better than to pilot - yeah"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Oh yeah!"

[peregaming] GM says, "Bob is an NPC. His Drive's not better than Remba's Empathy"

[peregaming] SATSAM exclaims, "Kids, Empathy is at +2, with your boost +4, Crafts is at +5!"

[peregaming] SATSAM exclaims, "er, plus 4!"

[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "Got it!"

[peregaming] GM says, "If they're the same, you can chose the fun one"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Right. Machine Control it is"

SATSAM rolls Great (4) + 4dF: -1 +1 0 +1 | Superb (5)

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "You succeed!"

[peregaming] GM says, "In spite of Bob trying to override your commands."

[peregaming] GM says, "(He's a little slow on the uptake.)"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(Also: Bob is a machine? Didn't catch that.)"

[peregaming] GM says, "He has an iron jaw. I was kidding."

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Oh, OK."

[peregaming] Jack says, "He's more of a cyborg."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Y'know, like a pirate."

SATSAM puts a hand on the side of the chooper and it suddenly takes a nosedive to escape the falling Roomba, only pulling up at the last seconds over the blackened ruins of the once human city, where now only cold, logic mind reign.

GM says (to SATSAM), "You see other choppers and fighter planes not far away, surrounding a tall tower with R&D in faded metal letters on it."

SATSAM exclaims (at neighborhood), "There it is!"

Smollett says, "This is it. The end."

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM asks, "Oh, the radio is playing the Doors now?"

(From GM) 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' cuts off.

[Crows-Nest] Jack exclaims, "But we're still in the first half of the session!"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "hehe"

Marie says, "(to Jack) Have we really thought this through? I'm just an engineer with a silly shield."

Jack asks, "...no. Do you think we should have?"

SATSAM says, "That'd be a first."

[peregaming] Jack says, "That seems like a good suggestion to do so, though."

Jack closes his eyes for a moment, wondering 'How can we get into this place?'

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Visions!"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Woo!"

GM says (to Jack), "You close your eyes. The future is murky and chaotic..."

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "So not unlike the present."

GM says (to Jack), "There are a lot of scenarios where you all die trying to get in."

GM says (to Jack), "And scenarios where you get in... but too late, because you were too cautious."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Meanwhile, everyone else is seeing something like the Doctor Strange/Iron Man bit in Infinity War."

[peregaming] GM says, "haha"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do I find any where we're successful?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Some."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Should I wait for you to tell me about one, or should I make it up?"

[peregaming] GM says, "(Basically, I don't want to reduce this to a 'choose from a dropdown list of plans'"

[Crows-Nest] (from Quellynne) GM says, "Nope! You're doomed. How do you want to fail?"

[peregaming] GM says, "(So yeah, make one up, provided that it's risky)"

[peregaming] GM says, "(The less risky plans can be assumed to be flawed)"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "We'll also take a risque one"

[Crows-Nest] (from GM) Marie says, 'oooh la la'

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "How about each of us narrates what we do for our part of the plan?"

Jack opens his eyes. "There's a way. There are vents in the building, shunting toxic gases from industrial processes. Around the left side, about a third of the way up the building, there's one that's unguarded. If we can find a way to breathe, we should be able to get in that way."

Quellynne says, "Oh! I'll just hold my breath."

[peregaming] GM says, "That's a cool idea."

SATSAM says, "I don't need to breathe, due to my being quantum entangled to this robot."

Jack says, "Well, I guess I can teleport, if I can hold my breath long enough between hops to see where I'm going."

Jack asks (of Marie), "What about you?"

SATSAM says, "Maybe I can improvise breathing devising from the oxygen masks on board"

SATSAM says, "*devices"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(I'm assuming 'holding your breath' is Athletics, and that getting through it faster helps)"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM asks (of gm), "Create Advantage using Crafts ?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Hm"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Even if it's Physique, the faster you go, the less time you need to hold it for."

[peregaming] GM says, "I'd say holding your breath is normally Physique"

Roger goes home.

Roger has disconnected.

[peregaming] Jack says, "So I'd argue for an Athletics Create Advantage that you can use for the Physique roll."

[peregaming] GM says, "Hm. I'll allow it, since speedsters in general travel fast enough that they shouldn't normally be able to breathe in air while running"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Well, I do have Physique at 2."

[peregaming] GM says, "It's up to you, provided that it's appropriately narrated, I don't mind"

Jack gives Bob directions to where the vent is. "Do you think you can get us there?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Are we doing init? We can also just say 'I hold my breath and zip through the toxins'"

Marie says, "(to Jack) If I'm not in the scenario where you succeed... I shouldn't come. I mean, assuming that what you saw in the future was true."

[peregaming] GM says, "init will be good, since *everything* will go as planned"

[peregaming] GM says, "and by *everything* I don't not mean nothing"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Also, is Marie saying that the GM would prefer not to have an NPC tagging along with us? :)"

SATSAM clears the initiative.

Bob says, "Sure, I can get you folk there! Are you going to blow up the tower?"

SATSAM rolls Mediocre (0) + 4dF: -1 0 +1 -1 | Poor (-1)

SATSAM registers SATSAM at init -1.

[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "I'm actually a little torn."

[peregaming] GM says, "Since there's the risk you might leave her behind, and that would be sad"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "That would be sad!"

Quellynne rolls Average (1) + 4dF: 0 -1 0 -1 | Poor (-1)

[peregaming] Jack says, "And I guess we have Remba for our engineering needs."

[peregaming] SATSAM asks (of gm), "Are you also cold and ashamed, and lying broken on a floor?"

Quellynne registers Quellynne at init -1.

[peregaming] Jack asks, "This isn't formally a conflict, right?"

[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "If you could come up with a reason..."

[peregaming] Jack says, "(Despite how conflicted the GM might be.)"

[peregaming] Jack asks (of GM), "To bring her or to leave her?"

[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "yeah, make your visions more detailed ;)"

[peregaming] GM says, "also, no conflict... yet"

[peregaming] GM says, "well, technically it is a war zone"

Jack asks (of Marie), "I could find a way in, but... I don't know how we're going to get out of this place. Do you think you might be able to find us an escape route from out here?"

Jack rolls Great (4) + 4dF: 0 +1 0 0 | Superb (5)

Jack registers Jack at init 5.

Marie says, "I could try improvising a demolition charge at the top of the tower. We'd stay in touch by walkie talkie, and then when you need a way out, I'd activate the charge, open the passage."

Marie says, "Or something like that"

SATSAM says, "Sounds good"

Jack says, "Agreed."

Marie says, "Bonne chance! I believe in you all."

SATSAM exclaims, "You mean Bomb chance!"

Marie laughs.

[Crows-Nest] Jack exclaims, "Someone knows how to please the GM!"

Smollett says, "War is no laugh!"

Jack says (to Smollett), "SATSAM is our morale officer."

SATSAM says (to Smollett), "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make light of it. Thank you for your service, and the service of your people."

SATSAM says, "Machine may have superior fire powers and superior intellects, but they don't have ... the human heart."

Quellynne moves the "Empower' boost to Jack again.

Smollett wipes away a manly tear. (It was stuck in his mustache.)

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "Cut to a shot of a giant vat inside of one of the robot compounds, fully of a greenish fluid in which bob dozens of human hearts."

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "he he"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Indeed."

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(If either of you need the boost in particular at any point, just ask.)"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Are we at the vent, or do we need to figure out how to safely fly the copter there first?"

[peregaming] GM says, "You're at the vent."

SATSAM asks, "You folks ready to hold your breath?"

Jack ventillates a bit to hyper-oxygenate his blood.

Jack exclaims, "Ready!"

SATSAM hols her breath out of reflex and pries open the vent.

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Init?"

GM displays the initiative: Jack(5) SATSAM/Quellynne(-1)

GM advances the initiative: JACK(5) SATSAM/Quellynne(-1)

GM advances the initiative: Jack(5) SATSAM/QUELLYNNE(-1)

[peregaming] GM says, "I suck at this."

[peregaming] SATSAM asks, "what were you trying to do?"

[peregaming] GM says, "I got myself confused."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Should it be the first init round/turn?"

[peregaming] GM says, "yeah"

Jack backs up the initiative: JACK(5) SATSAM/Quellynne(-1)

Jack takes a deep breath, looks down the vent, then teleports as far in as he can see.

GM exclaims (at Jack), "You are attacked by tiny robot spiders!"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Oh no!"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "I take it that their actual attack will be on their turn, but I can fight them off now?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Yep"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "And this is a narrow confined space where I can't surround them?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Indeed"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Then I will punch them like a normal person!"

Jack rolls Good (3) + 4dF: 0 +1 0 -1 | Good (3)

GM rolls Great (4) + 4dF: 0 -1 -1 -1 | Average (1)

[peregaming] Jack says, "I will accept that two stress for now without invoking anything yet."

GM says (to Jack), "You crush several of them, but they keep coming"

Jack advances the initiative: Jack(5) SATSAM/QUELLYNNE(-1)

[peregaming] Jack says, "(I'm assuming that the teleport counted as my move, and the attack as my action.)"

[peregaming] GM says, "Indeed"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks (of Remba), "You want to go first, or shall I?"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "I think your Notice is higher"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Sure."

Quellynne zooms into the ventilation shaft!

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Do the robot spiders count as a single entity?"

[peregaming] GM asks, "They're a coordinated swarm. So I guess yes?"

[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "I would like to Provoke them!"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(for a Create Advantage)"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Also, I'm surprised no one has pointed out that Jack's visions explicitly said this vent was *unguarded*, and I'll invite you to ponder this."

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "Someone spun a web of life"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "*lies"

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "It crossed my mind OOC, but I was too preoccupied with robot spiders to do anything about it."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "hehe"

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne asks, "Hey, my boost power says that I can always sense super-powered individuals around me. Do I sense anyone?"

[Crows-Nest] GM asks, "What's the range?"

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne says, "It just says 'around me'."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Then no, there's no one with superpowers in this vent. Other than you guys, of course."

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne | https://fate-srd.com/venture-city/power-amplification

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne asks, "Or in the chopper?"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Nope"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "OK, what's my TN for Provoke?"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "I don't have superpowers. I'm just very smart"

[peregaming] GM says, "+4, since they're focussed on Jack for some reason."

Quellynne rolls Good (3) + 4dF: +1 +1 -1 +1 | Superb (5)

[Crows-Nest] Jack asks (of SATSAM), "Did you take the 'Technology' theme?"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "Nope"

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "Ah, good."

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "In that case, Quellyne would probably still detect SATSAM as being a superpower itself."

Quellynne zips by Jack and the spiders, rapping them on their backs and flipping their little robot legs in a super annoying manner. They are now 'Irritated at Quellynne'.

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "(If you had taken the theme, then Power Amplification wouldn't work on you.)"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Also, I added a 'Neighborhood' tab to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h88N6VTO6dtQ2RVzk1tqx4NdA5PNyShAjpXcoVjhU8M/edit#gid=454481499"

Robospiders says, "rrrk! rrrk!"

Quellynne continues through the vents as far as she can go!

GM says (to Quellynne), "It ends in an elevator shaft"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Are we going up or down?"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Or do we know?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Up"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Sounds good."

Quellynne runs up the side of the shaft!

GM says (to Quellynne), "You reach the top of the shaft"

GM says, "There's a closed door."

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Hmm, ISTR something about moving a particular number of zones as a speedster, but I can't find it."

[peregaming] GM says, "I'll allow it this one time."

[peregaming] Jack says, "If we were counting zones carefully, then I would have expected it to be handled by Lots of Actions."

[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "Anyway, I'm done; SATSAM's up!"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Like, normally, you get one move + one action (which can be an Overcome to do an extra move), and with enough shifts of success, you'd be able to split that action into up to three actions to move extra zones."

SATSAM hunkers into the shaft and runs! When she sees Jack covered in spiders, she shouts "Don't move!" and starts blasting them.

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Assuming this is non-flammable gas"

[peregaming] Jack says, "(But if we were following the rules precisely, I probably would have had to use up my action on the teleport, so I'm fine with fudging it.)"

[peregaming] GM says (to SATSAM), "It's actually flammable."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Hee."

[peregaming] Jack says, "It wasn't before you said that, of course."

[peregaming] Jack says, "(I mean: it wasn't before SATSAM said 'Assuming this is non-flammable gas'.)"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "heh"

GM exclaims, "There's a burst of flames! Everyone in the vent takes two stress! Several spiders are toast!"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "In that case, SATSAM grabs one of the spiders and quickly rigs it up to feedback loop into the other spiders to make them more sluggish, to help Jack. (Create Advantage with Crafts)"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Oh, or that. I like that better. :D"

[peregaming] GM says, "And now it's the spiders' turn"

[peregaming] Jack checks his #2 stress box.

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Should we add them at -2?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Nah"

GM says (to Jack), "You're now going to have to defend with Physique, because the robot spiders start injecting you with some sort of drug."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Oh my."

[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "Except I am tagging 'Irritated' so they attack me instead!"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "I don't suppose my Precognition would help?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(via 'Provoke Violence'.)"

[peregaming] GM says, "Physique +4 to resist"

[peregaming] Jack says, "(It depends on whether or not this counts as a 'physical attack'.)"

[peregaming] Jack says, "(As opposed to an Overcome against me.)"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "They really are attacking me, guys."

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Oh! OK!"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Roll Physique!"

[peregaming] GM says, ";(to Q)"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "I can't defend with Athletics to avoid being stabbed in the first place?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Hmm, now you've got me all confused."

[peregaming] Jack says, "If I couldn't, then I don't think you get to either :)"

[peregaming] GM says, "Well, Jack couldn't because they were *on* him"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I am OK with it, but I was hoping that me being in a free and open shaft would let me continue to run away from them."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Oh, ah, mm."

[peregaming] SATSAM asks, "Running up the wall and along the ceiling, pursued by a stream of angry spiders?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "I personally like the mental image of a stream of spiders pouring after Quellyne up the walls of the shaft."

[peregaming] SATSAM exclaims, "Timing!"

[peregaming] GM says, "Let's go with that then."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Ready to swarm over her if she ever slows down."

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Yeah, exactly ;-)"

[peregaming] GM says, "But there are some on her, and she has to defend with Physique! It's only +3 though, since she's running."

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Heh, OK."

Quellynne rolls Fair (2) + 4dF: -1 0 +1 +1 | Good (3)

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Yay!"

GM exclaims (at Quellynne), "You feel groggy but shake it off with your superspeedster stamina!"

GM says, "Obviously some sort of sedative"

Quellynne zooms around the elevator shaft, leaping from side to side as spiders swarm out of the shaft attacking her! One manages to stab her in the foot, but she kicks it off and keeps running.

GM advances the initiative: END OF ROUND

GM advances the initiative: JACK(5) SATSAM/Quellynne(-1)

Jack teleports to the shaft!

GM exclaims (at Jack), "As you do so, you hearing a whirring sound from below you... the elevator is on its way up!"

Quellynne exclaims (at Jack), "See if you can open that door!"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "I'm assuming my teleport left me where the vent intersects the shaft, not where Q is, right?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Correct."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Can I use my action to do a second teleport, to catch up with her?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "(With an Overcome and all thatt.)"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Sure!"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "OK! What skill and opposition?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "(I'm rooting for Will, personally.)"

[peregaming] GM says, "Let me see, you haven't had coffee in a while... so Will +4"

Jack rolls Great (4) + 4dF: 0 +1 0 +1 | Fantastic (6)

Jack appears next to Q! He quickly grabs at the edge of the shaft to catch himself before he falls back down.

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "No coffee in this world? It's finally gotten grimdark"

Jack exclaims, "Door? Door! Right!"

Jack advances the initiative: Jack(5) SATSAM/QUELLYNNE(-1)

SATSAM runs further down the shaft. She sees the elevator coming and tries to stop it with MACHINE CONTROL.

[Crows-Nest] Jack asks, "Fortunately, this is an R&D facility. Surely there's some kind of prototypical caffeine-juice device here somewhere, right?"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "The employees are all robots, Jack."

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "Only robots work here"

[Crows-Nest] GM exclaims (at SATSAM), "Awesome!"

[Crows-Nest] Jack exclaims, "Perhaps they're researching it because they know that it can be toxic to humans in the right dose!"

SATSAM rolls Fair (2) + 4dF: 0 +1 -1 0 | Fair (2)

[peregaming] GM says (to SATSAM), "So, this will be an overcome of +3"

[peregaming] SATSAM asks (of QUELLYNNE), "Boost?"

[peregaming] GM says, "The boost went to Jack, I believe"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I would need an action to give it to you."

[peregaming] SATSAM asks (of jack), "Boost?"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Oh."

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "We're on the same init, though?"

[peregaming] GM says (to SATSAM), "you can succeed at a minor cost"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Oh. Minor Cost? For a while, SATSAM makes an annoying *ding* elevator sound each time she speaks."

[peregaming] Jack says, "There's also the 'Hmm, That's Interesting' aspect."

[peregaming] GM says (to SATSAM), "That is amusing. Yay"

[peregaming] GM says, "Elevated thought."

SATSAM asks, "I *ding* stopped the *ding*ing elevator! Yay! *ding* What?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Oooh, I see that SATSAM has Charged Shot."

[peregaming] GM says, "(as a CD)"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Yep"

[peregaming] GM says, "I'd allow you to take a move action on this turn."

[peregaming] GM says, "By flying"

SATSAM flies up to the door.

GM displays the initiative: Jack(5) SATSAM/QUELLYNNE(-1)

SATSAM exclaims, "*ding*, guys! Get that *ding* open!"

GM advances the initiative: END OF ROUND

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Er, I didn't go yet."

[peregaming] GM says, "oops"

[peregaming] GM says, "have your turn"

[peregaming] SATSAM says (to Quellynne), "It's okay, we can take a short break if you really need to go"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Hee"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "I would like to not get stabbed again; maybe a Create Advantage that I can tag so I can defend with Athletics on my turn?"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Does that make any sense?"

[peregaming] GM says, "excellent idea"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Like 'one jump ahead'?"

[peregaming] GM says, "sure"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "May I suggest running in circles around the interior of the shaft, keeping yourself in place with centrifugal force?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Oh, yeah, that's definitely the plan."

Quellynne says, "Keep working on the door! I'll distract the spiders."

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "TN for that create advantage?"

[peregaming] GM says, "The opposition is +8, since the spiders appear to have been reminded of their primary target (aka Jack)"

Quellynne rolls Legendary+2 (+10) + 4dF: +1 +1 +1 -1 | Legendary+4 (12)

[peregaming] GM says, "..."

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Ok, you have an advantage!"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Yay! Can I give the spiders the aspect 'unfinished 'if' clause' from the 'with style' bit?"

[peregaming] GM says, "hehe, why not"

Quellynne advances the initiative: JACK(5) SATSAM/Quellynne(-1)

[peregaming] GM says, "Um, GM's turn"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do the spiders get a turn?"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "I told you you should have put them at -2!"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "This means init war!"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Was trying to advance it to 'end of turn' ;-)"

[peregaming] GM says, "heh"

Quellynne backs up the initiative: JACK(5) SATSAM/Quellynne(-1)

Quellynne registers spiders at init -2.

Quellynne advances the initiative: JACK(5) SATSAM/Quellynne(-1)

Quellynne advances the initiative: Jack(5) SATSAM/QUELLYNNE(-1) spiders(-2)

Quellynne advances the initiative: Jack(5) SATSAM/Quellynne(-1) SPIDERS(-2)

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I was getting weird ERRORs there, but anyway."

GM exclaims (at Jack), "Make a +5 Physique roll! Some have climbed on you!"

[peregaming] Jack says (to Q), "You are free to try to debug them later if you like :)"

[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "I tag 'unfinished 'if' clause' so they attack me instead!"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Is this an Attack or an Overcome?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Ha ha."

[peregaming] GM says, "This is very funny because she's technically also a Jack"

[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "Oh, right!"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Together they are a Jack of all Trades </susan>"

[peregaming] GM says, "So, anyway, roll Physique, and see if you can beat their +5"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I am tagging 'One jump ahead' so I can roll Athletics instead."

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Since that was the point of that create advantage ;-)"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "vs. +5:"

Quellynne rolls Legendary+2 (+10) + 4dF: 0 0 -1 +1 | Legendary+2 (10)

[peregaming] GM says, "You would have succeeded even if you rolled -1's"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Hee"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "If you beat an attack, they take damage? IIRC?"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM asks, "a) How do you get these crazy high rolls again ? b) how do I get them?"

[peregaming] GM says, "This isn't an attack per se."

[peregaming] Jack says, "If you succeed with style on your defense, you get a boost."

[peregaming] GM says, "yeah"

[peregaming] Jack says, "(That's in general, I think, regardless of whether it's an Attack or an Overcome or whatever.)"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "How about 'running out of toxin' on the spiders? Because they keep injecting where I'm not?"

[Crows-Nest] Jack says (to SATSAM), "I think the answer is 'by pouring most of your refresh points into a single power'."

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "ok!"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "Ah, that might be tricky"

[peregaming] GM says, "Q is a little wee bit minmaxed"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Yeah, I took my main 'speed' at +6."

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "(Q has Super Speed, Master Super Speed, and then *another* level of Master Super Speed.)"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "Wow, that is fast"

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne says, "And then 'provoke' so things attack me instead of others. So I can then defend with Athletics. It's basically my entire schtick."

[peregaming] Jack says, "(Is it still their turn?)"

[peregaming] GM says, "Nah"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "I guess you pulled a quick one on us."

Jack advances the initiative: END OF ROUND

Jack advances the initiative: JACK(5) SATSAM/Quellynne(-1) spiders(-2)

Jack slaps his hand on the door and smacks it into the future!

[peregaming] Jack | You can use Will to move inanimate objects that you're touching forward and backward in time. Moving something human-sized is a Fair obstacle (+2), while a car is a Great (+4) obstacle.

[peregaming] GM says, "That's going to be +2."

Jack rolls Great (4) + 4dF: +1 0 0 +1 | Fantastic (6)

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "With style!"

[peregaming] Jack says, "I'm probably going to go through it, but I'll wait to hear what's on the other side before I do so, just in case."

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Ooooh, I have a idea for the boost: 'queued explosion' from when the door moves into itself in the future."

[peregaming] GM says, "nice"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Cool."

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "Yay"

GM says (to Jack), "Through the door is a dark laboratory alive with diodes and vats of acid."

Jack tumbles through the doorway so he's no longer clinging to the side of an elevator shaft, hopefully missing any vats of acid on his way in.

Jack advances the initiative: Jack(5) SATSAM/QUELLYNNE(-1) spiders(-2)

[peregaming] Quellynne asks (of Remba), "Your go?"

SATSAM flies up and into the lab. As soon as she lands, she turns into one of the robots that would usually patrol here.

[peregaming] SATSAM says (to Quellynne), "Your go. :-)"

Robot (to SATSAM) says, "Halt, comrade 0x45! Are you aware that this is the Clockwork King's throne room?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I guess I'll keep spinning around in the shaft and start actually attacking the spiders."

Robot (to SATSAM) says, "And who are these human slaves?"

SATSAM exclaims (at robot), "Worry not, comrade! The King himself demanded to see these slaves, fore they have special skills!"

SATSAM exclaims (at jack), "Move it, human scum!"

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne says, "'fore' made me imagine the robots speaking in Olde Englishe."

Robot (to SATSAM) says, "Then the King has long awaited this moment! Now I must compile files 23 to 45. *scoots off*"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "I think references to a king made my go into that mode. I mean modde."

SATSAM whispers to Jack, "I'm so sorry I had to say that! It's part of the role!"

GM says, "This room seems implausibly big and complex. Almost as if space and time were altered here."

SATSAM says, "Do we see the bathysphere anywhereß"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Are we still in init?"

[peregaming] GM says, "For the moment, no."

GM says (to SATSAM), "Right now, no"

GM says, "It's a bit of a maze in here."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "In that case: can I use Notice to try to tell what's going on with spacetme here?"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Definitely! +4 Overcome!"

Jack rolls Great (4) + 4dF: +1 -1 -1 0 | Good (3)

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "And I'm tagging Empowered!"

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne asks, "Are the spiders dealt with?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(except here)"

GM says, "Speaking of which... the spiders are gone! Almost as though someone ordered them to stop."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "We're alone, then, and also away from the toxic gas?"

GM says (to Jack), "You feel like someone built this spatio-temporal instability"

[peregaming] GM says, "yep"

Jack says, "Something weird is going on here. A bunch of weird things, to be honest."

SATSAM shouts, "Shut up, meatbag!"

Jack exclaims, "For one thing, I didn't see those spiders when I looked at this from the past. And for ano-- Remba!"

SATSAM whispers, "Again, so sorry. What do you mean?"

Jack says, "...and for another, this place -- where we are right now -- is spatio-temporally unstable."

[Crows-Nest] Jack . o O ( Is this really Remba this time? )

Quellynne asks (of Jack), "Maybe alt-you built it?"

Jack asks, "You mean, this universe's version of us?"

Quellynne says, "More like you than me, if they set up this thing."

Quellynne says, "I'm fast, not future-boy."

Jack says, "Yeah, true."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Can I sense the source of the instability?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Yes -- it's like a vortex with a clearly defined centre"

SATSAM says, "I have a feeling were that Vortex is, we will find the Clockwork King."

Quellynne asks (of SATSAM), "I was thinking--if this is the source of the robots, maybe you could alter their programming to be helpful instead of malicious?"

Jack points. "The focal point of the asymptotic curves all reduce to a singular coordinate set in this direction."

Quellynne exclaims, "Onward to the vortex, then!"

Jack leads the way.

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(sort of a Borg/Hugh thing)"

GM says, "So you march onwards, and eventually reach a room where a human-sized sphere with a"

GM says, "an airlock is connected to a cube on a pedestal."

GM asks, "It's defended by a laser system... which is switched off?"

Quellynne is whistling 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' under her breath as they go.

SATSAM exclaims (at Quellynne), "Silence, bio-unit!"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Does it look like the bathysphere?"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Not our bathysphere, I assume?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(timing!)"

[peregaming] GM says, "Nope. Some weird white egg-like device."

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM exclaims, "That explains the spiders!"

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne asks (of egg), "Matushka?"

GM says, "It looks like you could climb inside it by opening the airlock."

[Crows-Nest] Jack asks, "Are we near the firewall?"

GM asks, "And the cube looks like the Schrodinger's Cube made by Quint a long time ago?"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "What cube?"

Jack asks, "Aw, man. Are they trying to summon another soulmonger?"

[peregaming] GM says, "I described a cube connected to a human-sized egg sphere thingy by a bunch of wires"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "The thing that generated all the transdimensional energy that summoned the soulmongers!"

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "The cube is inside the egg? On top of it?"

SATSAM says, "Oh, shi - fiddlesticks"

[peregaming] GM says, "Next to it."

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "I'm sorry, but I can't picture this at all now. :-)"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Remind me, how did we deal with the last one of these things?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "We turned it off and it summoned an adult soulmonger. At least, that's what *I* did."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Was just turning the cube off sufficient?"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Well, I kind of sliced through a bunch of wires attached to it from some sort of experiment."

[peregaming] GM says, "And that was bad"

Jack says, "So, if I remember correctly, cutting those cables would probably be bad."

Quellynne says, "Bad for this universe, yeah."

Jack says, "If it's plugged into the egg thing, then it's probably the power source for it."

Quellynne shudders, remembering.

SATSAM says, "If we can deactivate it, my feeling is turning this off will be a big blow to the evil robots."

Jack asks, "It's presumably something that requires a lot of power. If there's a safe way to activate the egg, maybe we can drain the power source?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "I'd like to attempt an Overcome using Will to try to puzzle out what the egg is for."

[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "OK! +5 opposition"

Jack rolls Great (4) + 4dF: -1 +1 +1 +1 | Fantastic (6)

[peregaming] Jack says, "Woo! The dice like me today."

GM asks (of Jack), "You reckon that it might be a pocket dimension of some sort? Bigger on the inside? And you could enter it via the airlock?"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Is the airlock open or closed right now?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Closed."

Jack says, "Oh... it's not just an asymptotic focus... it's just a very tight curve that reverses slope once it passes the airlock."

Jack says, "There's as much space inside there as there is outside."

SATSAM says, "Nifty."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do you think someone Curious But Skeptical might feel compelled to open it up and look inside?"

SATSAM asks, "Shall we go inside? Is that safe?"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Have a fate point!"

Jack exclaims, "Probably not!"

Jack opens it up anyway!

Jack gives a fate point to Jack.

SATSAM sighs and follows.

GM says, "After walking down a dark and twisting tunnel, you emerge into a strange world:"

Quellynne, nervously bouncing on her toes, follows the other two.

GM says, "a laboratory even bigger than the one you were in, with impossible geometry made up of black and white slabs of stone. The sky is filled with stars. The ground glows."

Jack asks, "Do you think the robots built all this?"

Quellynne looks up and tries to see if the constellations are familiar.

SATSAM says, "Wow"

GM says, "Devices are scattered here and there, abandoned inventions, huge clocks of all kinds"

GM says, "Hourglasses that loop into themselves, and many more"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do these things feel familiar to me?"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Or this place?"

SATSAM says, "Someone here is obsessed with time. Just like you, Jack."

GM says (to Quellynne), "Each star is a window into another universe. Your head hurts if you stare at them too closely."

Jack says (to SATSAM), "Yeah... I feel like I've found the home of my new best friend or my new worst enemy."

Jack says, "I'm just trying to figure out which."

GM says, "Ahead of you is a huge throne, and above it, floating in mid-air, connected to various wires that disappear into cracks of spacetime, is your goal: the bathyscape."

SATSAM picks up one the broken clocks. "Right twice a day, eh?" and gently puts it down again.

Jack asks, "How did they even get that through the airlock?"

Jack starts climbing up the throne.

Jack stops, shakes his head, and tries to just teleport up there instead.

Quellynne says (to Jack), "Maybe it'll be your frenemy."

GM says, "On the throne is a man in a cloak. He wears no crown, but his face is made of steel and his eyes are clock faces."

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Oh!"

[peregaming] Jack says, "I didn't realize it was occupied :)"

Clockwork King says, "Are you the right Jack? Or the wrong one?"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Is the man human-sized, or larger?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Human."

Jack asks, "Who's the right Jack?"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do I recognize the voice?"

Clockwork King says, "The one who must die if we are to live."

Jack asks, "Uh. Crap. And who's the wrong Jack?"

[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "It sounds like a hoarse, weary version of yours."

Clockwork King says, "We are all the wrong Jack."

Quellynne says, "Well, there's two of us, so you have at least one wrong Jack."

[peregaming] Jack says, "I was afraid of that."

SATSAM turns into a Jack as well!

[peregaming] Jack says, "Hee."

Quellynne asks, "Maybe you could explain?"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Just in case we need the distraction"

Jack says (to King), "So, if you're me, and you're going to be all vague like that, you probably think I already understand all this."

Jack says, "Which means, you've probably been fighting against the Watchmakers."

Jack says, "And you've probably seen something in some version of the future where we can defeat them."

Jack asks, "And you think that I've seen it too?"

Clockwork King says, "The Watchmakers are not our enemy."

Jack asks, "Huh? Then who is?"

Jack says, "...oh. The other Jacks. Right."

Quellynne asks, "Ska music?"

Jack asks, "...unless it's only the *right* Jack who's your enemy?"

Clockwork King says, "My mind is fading. This steel can only preserve a fragment of what I was. And yes."

Jack asks, "...and is he your enemy because he's going to destroy the rest of you? Or because he's going to do something *else* which will destroy the rest of you as a side effect?"

Quellynne asks (of King), "Did you maybe write any of this down, knowing that you'd be losing your mind later? And if so, can we read it?"

Quellynne asks, "Or you can email us the PDF?"

Clockwork King says, "Oh no."

Clockwork King says, "I failed already."

Clockwork King says, "Or maybe... are you here to stop the robots?"

Jack says, "Yeah."

Clockwork King says, "No. I must open the gates. I have built an army which stands a chance of defeating Jack while he is still vulnerable. Your bathyscape is the key."

Quellynne says, "Argh."

Quellynne says, "You are way too vague."

Jack asks, "OK, great, but I'm still trying to figure out if you're trying to destroy me or another Jack. Are you trying to destroy an evil Jack?"

Quellynne says, "I have no idea what you're saying."

Jack asks, "Or are you trying to destroy a good Jack whose goodness is a threat to all Jacks?"

SATSAM says, "I'm sorry, but I feel kind of glad I'm not the only one with an evil doppelganger."

Clockwork King says, "Good Jack, bad Jack, all words and no play makes Jack a dull boy"

Jack asks (of SATSAM), "Was yours this hard to get a straight answer out of?"

SATSAM says (to jack), "You tell me."

Jack says (to King), "Alright, I got it, you have no idea, and now you're just crazy."

Clockwork King says, "I will show you."

Clockwork King says, "Look at the stars. Think of the bridge. It will come to you."

Jack... does so?

Jack thinks of the bridge, and without really trying, is remembering it on that specific night.

Quellynne asks (of King), "Why? What's the point of being vague? Does it serve some purpose?"

GM says (to Jack), "You have a flashback to that moment when you fought the baby Soulmonger."

GM says (to Jack), "It's just that, just that memory without anything added."

[peregaming] Jack says, "...oh. Wait. I didn't fight the baby Soulmonger."

[peregaming] GM says, "You're beginning to catch on."

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "What?"

Jack asks, "Oh. It's him, isn't it? *He's* the Jack who's going to destroy us all?"

[peregaming] Jack says (to Quellynne), "I didn't fight the Soulmonger. Jack did. He teleported with it through the tear in the universe just before Remba sealed it up."

Clockwork King says, "Loneliness. Madness. He came back before he left. He saw the war between the worlds. He is more than either of us."

SATSAM says tonlessly, "Oh, that one."

Jack asks, "Is he the one we found in the CIA files in our universe?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "I was just the back-up plan, when he temporally duplicated himself before the fight."

Clockwork King says, "All part of his plan. He sees every thread, every path. Nothing escapes him. He wanted you to find me. I see it now."

Jack says, "Alright. I'm with you, then."

SATSAM asks, "The Jack I knew first ... is our enemy now?"

Jack says (to SATSAM), "He and I were the same Jack, originally. We just... split into two, that day."

SATSAM gulps. "I'm so confused right now.

Jack says, "One of us stayed on the bridge. The other one didn't."

Jack asks (of King), "How do we stop him? No -- how do we *preventt* him?"

Clockwork King starts sobbing, though no tears come. 'Yes. He is the end of days. And I knew I was doomed to lose. I saw him win. But I lied to myself, hid in this dream of time unwinding. My robot army couldn't turn the tide. Such a waste.'

Jack asks, "Do we need to go back to the bridge?"

Jack asks, "Wait, *you* created the robot army? Did you destroy that other world?"

Clockwork King says, "Madness. Loneliness. How could I live with that future, one I couldn't prevent?"

Clockwork King says, "I am no better. But he is stronger. Smarter."

Clockwork King says, "He has rigged the game."

[Crows-Nest] Jack examines the dice.

[Crows-Nest] GM exclaims (at Jack), "Oh no, you made the code for the dice!"

Jack asks, "You have to tell me. Do you control the robots that destroyed Rumba's world?"

Clockwork King says, "Yes."

Jack says, "Then you can stop them."

Quellynne asks, "For... any particular reason?"

Jack says (to Quellyne), "He built them to stop the evil super-powerful Soulmongerified version of me."

Quellynne asks, "And destroying the world is... practice?"

Clockwork King says, "I told myself that sacrifice was necessary to stop a greater evil."

Clockwork King says, "I was deluding myself."

Jack asks, "No! Man, no. How can you be me and still think that?"

Quellynne says, "That doesn't make any sense."

SATSAM says (to jack), "They're both part of you. This sad king and the ... the ... evil one."

Quellynne exclaims, "And me!"

Jack says, "...yeah."

SATSAM says, "And the fast one."

Jack asks (of King), "But, the army failed. So they're no use to us anymore, right? So you can stop them now?"

SATSAM exclaims, "But he talks of loneliness but you aren't, are you? You have us! Your friends!"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "And one of isn't even technically you."

Jack looks around at the clocks, the hourglasses, everything. "Can you stop them... sooner than now? Like, *before* they destroyed the world?"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "Also, I've heard of making the game all about one character but this is getting ridiculous. ;-)"

Jack asks (of SATSAM), "Yes! That's -- I guess that's what makes me and Quellynne different from all those other versions out there?"

Jack gestures at the King. "Is that what would have happened to me without you?"

Quellynne rolls her eyes. "Whatever. OK, so what is the soulmonger-fighting-jack (the SFG) up to now? And what's his goal?"

Jack says (to Quellynne), "You mean the evil one? I think he's running the CIA back in our universe."

Jack asks, "But... that second one is a good question. What *is* his goal?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "I'm not sure if the Clockwork King has wound down, or if the GM is just taking his time in having him respond."

Clockwork King says, "He will tell himself that he seeks power for the greater good, destroying both the Soulmongers and the Watchmakers. But in truth, knowledge will drive him to break reality like an egg. Madness will help him escape to the enigma beyond."

Quellynne says (to King), "And while we're at it, what was *your* goal? I don't understand why you'd create a bunch of robots to fight one thing, and then instead fight a bunch of innocent people instead. That's just confusing."

Clockwork King says, "Reality is confusing."

Quellynne says, "Well, I mean, sure, but we're talking about your 'plan' here, not undefinable probabilities."

Clockwork King says, "A plan made knowing I would fail."

Jack says, "So, you're saying you didn't think it through."

Jack says, "That, uh. Sounds unfortunately familiar."

Clockwork King says, "You said something about undoing what I had done."

Jack exclaims, "Yes!"

Clockwork King says, "Paradox would follow. You would never have come here in the first place."

Clockwork King says, "Do you have the strength to fight paradox?"

Jack asks, "Yeah? So we'd all be back in our own universe, and this universe would be happy and healthy, right?"

Jack looks at the others. "Are we all OK with that?"

Quellynne says, "I didn't think paradox worked that way. I thought it just split the universe and created two different realities."

Quellynne says, "So it'd create a new universe which didn't get overrun by robots, but the old one would still be there."

Jack says, "Hrm."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "This place we're in was built by a me, right?"

SATSAM Also "Hrms" to mask the fact that she has lost the plot.

[peregaming] GM says, "Correct"

[peregaming] GM says, "(also, sorry for the existensialism)"

[peregaming] GM says, "(darn speelling)"

Jack finds a convenient notebook and pencil, because any workshop he built would have several scattered around within easy reach, then sits down and starts sketching out equations and multiverse diagrams.

[peregaming] Jack asks, "I'm trying to answer the question. Can we undo this and save the people of this universe retroactively? Is there even a way?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "(And, if there is: at what cost.)"

[peregaming] Jack says, "If this isn't something you want to try to answer right now, feel free to just consider it RP."

[peregaming] GM says, "I'll let you RP for now."

[peregaming] Jack says, "In thatt case, I'm going to be distracted with the notebook for a bit while I let Q and SATSAM take some spotlight with him :)"

SATSAM asks (of ClockworkKing), "Sir, your highness, what would you have us do?"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "OK!"

Quellynne exclaims (at King), "One thing I would have *you* do is stop your robots!"

Quellynne says, "They can at least stop attacking the people of this universe, especially if your plan won't work anywya."

Quellynne says, "Then we can see if there's something useful they can do instead."

Clockwork King says, "That seems like an idea. Not one which will change the course of fate... but perhaps I don't want to have to keep making these decisions anymore."

Quellynne exclaims, "Great!"

Clockwork King says, "I foolishly made myself immortal through a combination of time loops, a long time ago... or just five seconds ago."

SATSAM says (to ClockworkKing), "Can we help you break out of them? We are good at breaking things, sir."

Quellynne says, "Yeah, that kind of thing keeps happening."

Jack adds 'time loop immortality?' to the corner of one page, then underneath it adds 'BAD IDEA!!!' and underlines it several times.

[Crows-Nest] Jack says (to Q), "Hee."

Clockwork King says, "If you could... that would be one thing I have not foreseen. And if so, then perhaps there could be hope."

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "That took me a moment"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "me too"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "the delivery was pretty much perfect"

[peregaming] SATSAM says (to gm), "I'd like to examine the machinery, see if I can find a weakness / loop hole / death star air vent"

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne says, "I wonder if I should claim that I did it on purpose."

[peregaming] GM says, "That's going to be a +8 Crafts overcome"

Jack asks (of King), "Five minutes -- this conversation was longer than that. Does that mean that we're all in it with you right now?"

Quellynne asks (of SATSAM), "Need a boost?"

[peregaming] Jack asks (of SATSAM), "Want me to try to create any advantages?"

SATSAM rolls Great (4) + 4dF: 0 +1 -1 0 | Great (4)

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Two, in fact :D"

Clockwork King (to Jack) says, "Yes, but only I am aware of it."

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Oh, wait!"

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne asks, "Will the Empowered thing help?"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "The robots were built by him, so 'Hmm, That's Interesting' should apply to tech he built, right?"

[peregaming] SATSAM asks, "Alas, it's not using a power. But I believe we still have Jack's thing from where he examined the tech?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "That's an aspect with a free invoke, from when I was analyzing how the tech on the Roomba worked."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Yup."

[peregaming] GM says, "don't forget your fate points, too"

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "Can I have that one? Then I'll tag my Hyperaware and that's a minor cost"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "OK!"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Yes, please do."

SATSAM spends a fate point, leaving her with 2.

[peregaming] SATSAM asks, "So I know a way to kill him?"

Jack flips back a few pages, then forward, then back, frowning and adding some extra annotations to some earlier equations.

[peregaming] GM says (to SATSAM), "yep"

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "Prediction: when the mask comes off, he's just a skull underneath."

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "(rping)"

Quellynne says (to SATSAM), "Don't tell me I'm going to have to run so fast I go back in time."

[peregaming] GM says, "Oh nice idea"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "The Flash does that all the time ;-)"

SATSAM looks at the wires and the connections, mumbling under her breath "Yes, oh, a Schroedinger Override Compressor, that's clever, hm, powered by that chrono-remodulator, oh that's clever, but wait, if I feed that back into the overload processor, I might collapse the temporal stasis field at two moments, given, of course, that the quantum field defibrilates at 0,3 nanoseconds!"

Jack says (to Quelynne,), ""That should be impossible. Speed of light. But in hypertransically curved space? Hmm. Maybe. Maybe *here*...""

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne asks, "Wait, SATSAM is European?"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "African, immigrated"

SATSAM says (to jack), "So, Jack, I found a way to, well, um, make him sleep."

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne says, "("0,3")"

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM exclaims, "Oh no, busted!"

Jack says (to King), "How do you feel about that? Let your timeline wrap up. Let another one of us take over."

Clockwork King says, "Perhaps... it is time."

Jack nods to SATSAM.

Jack asks (of King), "This place -- did you build it? Is it going to collapse if you ... stop?"

SATSAM puts her hand on the Schroedinger Override, waiting for Jack's signal.

Clockwork King says, "It will last as long as the Cube is intact. You will be able to leave the way you came."

Jack asks, "Oh, good. And this *will* stop the robots, right? If you... retire, they'll stop killing people?"

Clockwork King says, "The war will end."

Jack frowns.

Jack says, "That's not what I asked."

Clockwork King says, "The robots will stop killing people. They will revert to their default setting."

Quellynne asks, "And... what's their default setting?"

Jack asks, "What's their default setting?"

Clockwork King says, "Obedience."

[Crows-Nest] Jack asks, "It's 'kill Jack', isn't it?"

Quellynne fist-bumps Jack.

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Why? :D"

Quellynne asks, "To...?"

Clockwork King says, "Humans."

Quellynne asks, "Any human?"

Clockwork King says, "Any."

Quellynne says, "Well, that's chaotic."

Jack says, "I think it's about as good as we can hope for."

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Besides, Remba can control them if needed!"

Jack says, "If we're the first ones back, maybe we can give them some good first orders."

Quellynne asks, "Is there a broadcast something that we can use to recall them, at least?"

Jack asks, "Three Laws, or something?"

[Crows-Nest] (from Jack) Clockwork King says, "I couldn't say."

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM exclaims, "This guy is like some evil mayor with robot cops!"

Clockwork King says, "All will be fine once I am dead. If I cannot die, we cannot win."

Clockwork King says, "But I begin to be skeptical of this contraption."

Quellynne says, "Yes, because dying is clearly the best option."

Clockwork King says, "Curious, but skeptical."

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "Ha ha."

Jack asks (of King), "Ready for one last experiment?"

Clockwork King says, "Always."

Jack says (to King), "Farewell -- until we met again."

Clockwork King says, "Farewell. May time be on your side."

SATSAM gets up the steps and carefully hugs the King. "Farewell, crazy Jack. I'm sure you did your best."

Clockwork King says, "Farewell, strange child."

SATSAM moves to the Schroedinger Override again, takes a deep breath, looks at her friends, looks at the king, and then crushes it.

[peregaming] SATSAM says, "I assume the GM wants to narrate what happens next."

(From GM) For a moment, nothing happens. At least, nothing seems to happen. Then, you all suddenly remember that there WAS someone on that throne, you remember them vaguely... some guy with clocks for eyes?

SATSAM blinks.

GM says, "But the memory is very faint. And you could almost swear that you were always alone here."

Jack flips through the notebook. Does he remember writing all these equations and diagrams?

SATSAM says, "I'm sad, but I'm not sure why."

GM asks (of Jack), "You have a muddled memory... maybe you did. Maybe you didn't. Who can tell?"

Quellynne looks up at the stars. "Oh, hey, we can get to other universes from here.

Quellynne says, "Maybe in the bathysphere? It seems to be here, unguarded."

Jack wonders why he would have called 'time loop immortality' a 'VERY BAD IDEA!!!'? That sounds like an awesome idea.

SATSAM says, "Yeah, weird."

Jack asks, "What about the robots? Do you think the humans will be able to win the war out there without us?"

SATSAM runs over to Jack and grabs his head in her hand. "YOUR FACE, what's wrong with your ... oh. it looks normal."

GM says (to Jack), "Your walkie talkie is crackling weirdly, as if someone's been trying to contact you without success all along"

Jack clicks the mic. "Marie? Is that you?"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Thank you for reminding me that she existed!"

[peregaming] SATSAM asks, "Who?"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Boo!"

Marie's voice says, "'...*bzzzt* cease fire *bzzzt* where are *bzzt*'"

Jack says, "Let's get back out of the egg. Maybe we'll get better reception."

Jack teleports up to the bathysphere and starts uncoupling it.

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "How does the bathysphere move? Can we tow it, or do we have to leave it for now?"

[peregaming] GM says, "It hovers, using the same tech as Brenda's mindbender suit"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Does anything weird happen when I disconnect it from the throne?"

[peregaming] GM says, "Only a forgotten sigh."

[peregaming] GM says, "Perhaps one of relief."

Jack tows it back toward where they entered this place, with the notebook under his arm.

[peregaming] SATSAM asks, "Didn't we muse earlier how to get it through the airlock?"

[peregaming] GM says, "The airlock is bigger from the inside."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Hee."

[peregaming] SATSAM exclaims, "Ha!"

Marie's voice says, "'...*bzzzt* hello Jack? the robots have stopped fighting, do you still want me to detonate the charge? where are you? I'm worried'"

Jack asks (of Marie), "We're inside the building. We have the bathysphere. We're safe. Are you safe?"

Marie's voice says, "Ouais! I mean, yes!"

Jack says, "Should we have them detonate? There's nothing attacking us right now, and there's nothing attacking them..."

Quellynne says, "No, I think we've had enough explosions."

SATSAM says, "I don't see why we would blow it up."

Quellynne says, "Hunh; never thought I'd say that."

Jack asks, "Elevator shaft, then?"

Quellynne asks, "Or, the actual elevator?"

Jack says, "Oh. Yeah. Or that."

Quellynne asks, "Wait, hmm, I seem to recall that the robots are now in 'follow orders' mode?"

GM says, "The robots have become very friendly. They're emptying the vats of acid and apologizing for the inconvenience."

Quellynne asks, "Should we tell them to return before random people start ordering them about?"

Jack says, "Good idea."

Robot says, "May we assist you, humans? You appear to be lost."

Jack asks (of Robot), "Can you send a message from us to all the other robots?"

Quellynne asks (of Robot), "Yeah, hi, um, can you show us where the broadcast microphone is? Or the equivalent?"

Robot says, "Certainly. This way, please."

Quellynne says, "to the robots, right."

Quellynne follows the robot.

Jack follows, letting Quellynne take the lead on this.

SATSAM follows.

Robot says, "Type in your command here, prefixed by \sudo."

[peregaming] SATSAM asks, "We follow the robots eh? WHO IS REALLY IN CONTROL?"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Peregrine?"

Robot says, "Local or global broadcast?"

[peregaming] Peregrine says, "Hohoho. The idea."

Quellynne says, "Global, I guess."

[peregaming] Peregrine says, "I'm just enjoying the show. What a splendid job this GM is doing, am I right"

[peregaming] Peregrine exclaims, "Even his twists have twists!"

[peregaming] GM says (to Peregrine), "shut up, please"

Robot says, "Global message it is then."

Quellynne asks, "So, let's see. 'Don't harm humans. While doing that, return to base.'?"

SATSAM says, "Be excellent to each other? It's from this really old movie-"

Jack asks, "Do we want to just lock them all up? Or do we want them to be available for people to do useful things with?"

SATSAM says, "And the robot army could help them rebuild."

Robot says, "Invalid use of 'while' loop. Try again."

Jack asks, "How about just, 'Be good, and try not to hurt people.'?"

SATSAM says, "We could allow them to listen to all humans, but program in these 3 laws I came up with."

Quellynne asks, "Do they have an idea of what 'be good' means?"

Jack shrugs.

SATSAM asks, "'Explore humanity'?"

Robot says, "With a probe?"

Jack says, "No."

SATSAM asks, "Um, excuse me?"

Quellynne exclaims, "You're excused!"

Robot says, "Okay, humanity will not be explored. Awaiting message."

Jack says, "I mean, I can think og laws, butt I don't know which ones would apply. Like, I don't think robots even have wives to covet."

Quellynne exclaims, "Ha!"

Quellynne asks (of Robot), "Does 'activate human avoidance filter' work?"

[peregaming] GM says, "I'm okay with SATSAM programming the Three Laws"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Me too."

[peregaming] SATSAM exclaims, "Woo!"

[peregaming] SATSAM exclaims, "I even looked them up!"

SATSAM says (to robot), "Okay, first law : A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm."

SATSAM says, "Second law : A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law."

SATSAM says, "third law : A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws."

Robot says, "Laws integrated and assimilated. Beep boop beep boop!"

SATSAM exclaims, "Fourth law : People called Remba always get free milkshakes!"

Jack sighs.

Robot says, "Are you called Remba?"

Jack says, "No, that's SATSAM."

SATSAM exclaims, "Yes!"

Robot says, "Milkshakes are on their way up. Every flavour will be provided. Unlimited quantity, within reason."

SATSAM says (to robot), "Cancel that. One, Vanilla. Extra cold. That's enough."

Jack says, "And have it sent to the roof -- that's where we're going."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Narrowly avoided disaster there."

Jack says, "At least, I think that's where Marie is expecting to meet us."

Robot says, "Milkshake order corrected."

[Crows-Nest] SATSAM says, "We should have the robots do something harmless, like making Paperclips"

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "Hee."

[Crows-Nest] Quellynne says, "Ha"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "snrk"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "So: to the roof, with Marie, bathysphere and milkshake?"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Indeed!"

Jack walks up to the helicopter.

[peregaming] GM says, "The Grimdark Universe is now a grateful universe."

Jack asks (of Smollett), "How does it look out there?"

Smollett says, "I am just speechless. I am without speech. *wipes away manly tear*"

Remba says, "*slurp slurp slurp* ARGH BRAIN FREEZE *slurp slurp*"

Jack says, "Woo! Another universe saved."

Jack says, "I just wish we knew what caused it in the first place."

Remba says, "But Soulmonger-Jack is still out there."

Remba asks, "Jackmonger?"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do we know that?"

[Crows-Nest] Remba exclaims, "OH!"

[peregaming] Remba says, "Good point."

[peregaming] GM says, "Well, I'll allow Jack to remember it if he can succeed at a Notice (+8) Overcome."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Does my notebook full of weird equations and diagrams help at all?"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "It does!"

Jack rolls Great (4) + 4dF: +1 0 -1 +1 | Superb (5)

[peregaming] Jack says, "If it's an aspect, I'll tag it for +2."

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "OK!"

[peregaming] Jack says, "And this seems like exactly a situation to tag In Over His Head on."

[peregaming] GM says, "yay"

Jack's jaw drops.

Jack says, "...oh."

Remba asks (of jack), "Never seen me drink a milkshake before?"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "How much do I remember?"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "The King? The whole conversation? Or just the gist of Soulmonger Jack?"

[peregaming] Remba says, "Jackmonger."

[peregaming] GM says, "You remember the gist of it, although not so clearly how you know. But it's a certainty in your mind. As inevitable as time itself."

Jack says, "I just remembered something. I'm not even sure if it's my own memory. I don't think it is."

Remba asks, "Oh?"

Jack asks, "I just remembered fighting the Soulmonger. The baby one. Sitting on its back, and ... do you remember that, Remba?"

Remba nods, turning pale.

Jack says, "But that *wasn't me*. That's not my memory. *I* didn't do that. It was... the other Jack."

Remba says, "The...first Jack I knew."

Quellynne says (to Remba), "That's mostly this Jack too, of course."

Jack says, "He's the one. He's the one from the CIA. I think that even, somehow, all of *this*, in this world, was his fault."

Remba says (to Quellynne), "You don't understand. I saw him die."

Remba says (to jack), "...Holy fuck."

Remba covers her mouth.

Quellynne says, "Right, but this Jack is that same person, up until the point where he split himself. Then the other one died."

Quellynne asks, "So, wait, he didn't die after all?"

Jack says, "Right. He's out there. Somewhere."

Jack says, "And he's screwing up the multiverse."

Jack sighs. "I guess that it's probably up to me to stop him."

Remba shakes her head at Jack. "You're wrong there, Jack."

Jack says, "What? But I remembered... I'm sure it's all true..."

Remba says, "It's up to *us*."

[peregaming] GM says, "That sounds like a good ending to a session."

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Yes!"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "<dramatic chord> <credits roll>"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Also, I had been thinking of ditching the Quint-related aspect."

[peregaming] Jack says, "And now I know that I want to replace it with something Loneliness-related."

[peregaming] Remba says, "I wanted to say something about the multiverse being our neighborhood, but it didn't come out right"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Because it is clear that Jack *should not be left alone*."

[peregaming] Remba says, "Yeah"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Aww, not an aspect about Marie :D"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Just kidding"

[Crows-Nest] GM totally does not ship Jack and Marie

[Crows-Nest] Remba says, "he he"

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "Ha ha."

[peregaming] GM says, "But yeah, more seriously, I think that's a good idea."

[peregaming] Remba says, "Woo, this was an awesome session."

[peregaming] GM says, "Thank you, you guys were what made it work"

[peregaming] Remba says (to gm), "You're wrong there"

[peregaming] Remba exclaims, "All of us made it work!"

[peregaming] GM says, "Aww"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "And now I have a notebook full of stuff that I wrote but now don't remember IC that I can have Jack puzzle over!"

[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Fun!"

[peregaming] Remba exclaims, "I'm also happy Roomba's double-bluff worked!"

[peregaming] Jack says (to GM), "Thank you. This was a very fun session."

[peregaming] Remba says, "(joking)"

[peregaming] GM asks (of Jack), "Did you guess last session what was up with the older Jack?"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "No!"

[peregaming] Jack says, "I mean, it was obviously *some* alternate version of me -- I was pretty sure it wasn't just an older version of my current self -- but I had no idea it was *thatt* alternate version."

[peregaming] Remba says, "I really liked how this added consequences to Jack's selfy copying."

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Me too!"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I agree! It was fun."

[peregaming] Remba says, "And still every player character has a stake in this"

[peregaming] GM says, "totally"

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Though I still really don't understand Clockwork Jack's plan."

[peregaming] Remba says (to Quellynne), "He was crazier than a shithouse rat, is my take"

[peregaming] Jack says, "I *think* it was something like 'build as large a robot army as possible; if anyone stands in his way, stop them'."

[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Are those rats particularly crazy?"

[peregaming] GM says, "basically"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Kinda like a Jack-looped version of the paperclip optimizer."

[peregaming] Remba says (to Quellynne), "That's what I heard"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Except that he was robot army optimizing."

[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Ha."

[peregaming] GM says, "basically essentially"

[peregaming] Remba says, "he he"

[peregaming] Jack says, "(If he had actually *been* a super-intelligent AI instead of just a broken record version of me, he might have succeeded!)"

[peregaming] GM says, "Presumably Jackmonger already destroyed any AI versions."

[peregaming] Jack says, "(Uh. Now I need to forget I said that before I decide to try to design a super-intelligent AI to help me stop Jackmonger.)"

[peregaming] GM says, "haha"

[peregaming] Remba gives Jack a BluRay of Age of Ultron.

[peregaming] GM says, "who needs AI when you have Remba"

[peregaming] GM says, "RembAI"

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Oh, by the way: any milestones?"

[peregaming] GM says, "This is 100% a mega big milestone (and not just because it's going to be a while before we play again)"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Ooh."

[peregaming] Remba says, "I can't find the Mega Big Milestone in the rules"

[peregaming] GM says, "All the previous sessions have basically built up to this revelation."

[peregaming] Jack asks, "Refresh point, skill point, can change/swap current aspects/skills/stunts, *ant* can raise a skill to +5 if we have enough skill points for it?"

[peregaming] GM says, "go wild"

[peregaming] Jack says, "And, even."

[peregaming] Jack says, "Excellent."

[peregaming] Jack says, "There are Decisions To Make..."

[peregaming] GM says (to but), "you have over a month in which to make them"

[peregaming] GM says, "(why am I talking to but when I should be talking *out of* it)"

[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "Tangentially, I wonder how much of RONIN is funded by lottery tickets."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "That's a good question. Probably not a wise one."

[peregaming] Remba says, "Ah man, I can't get a +5 skill, I don't think."

[peregaming] GM says (to Rembab), "And we finished on time too, whee"

[peregaming] Remba says, "Oh, wait. we get the previous milestones, too, right. Hmm."

[peregaming] GM says, "Looks like you can boost Shoot to +4"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims (at Remba), "That's what you get for going to an alternate universe and leaving Quellynne and Jack alone for a couple sessions!"

[peregaming] Remba asks, "I get the benefits of a Significant Milestone and a Major one, though...Right?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "A Major Milestone includes a Significant Milestone."

[peregaming] Jack says, "(Which in turn includes a Minor Milestone.)"

[peregaming] Remba asks, "So I get an additional skill point (meaning I can boost another skill to +4), and the Major one let's me boost one of those to +5?"

[peregaming] Jack says, "You would need two skill points to do that."

[peregaming] Remba says, "Ah, that makes sense."

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "*But*!"

[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Now that I'm breaking the skill cap, you'll be allowed to go to +5 the next time you get a skill point later!"

[peregaming] Remba exclaims, "Thanks Jack!"

[peregaming] Jack says, "Since my going from +4 to +5 means that +4 is no longer the cap for this game."

[peregaming] GM says, "Just don't break the reality cap, please."

[peregaming] Remba says, "I'll also switch Athletics and Physique so I can do *Some flying*"