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So, this is what you know. Maximus has determined that the issues with the city are that the core is being hacked. The core itself is fighting back, but what has resulted is a slower processing power and a lot of the systems getting stalled out because of the tax on the system. Max's solution to this, is to one by one, move the systems OFF the core, and instead onto their own, slightly crappier computers that are not connected to the core. This has involved a large map, indicating what local computer systems are going to take on the burden of basically operating the city, piecemeal. A lot of the choices are totally logical, such as diverting the security systems to the rather large and substantial computers in the palace itself, and moving fairly simple operations like 'doors' and 'fans', to computers found in the large maitenence bays. To the astute observer of his choices, he has made a couple petty choices, too, which should surprise no one, such as the intent to put all the sewage controls into the personal computer of one of the Genetic Council members, so that he can't use his computer anymore…and that its literally filled with shit. Some hardwiring is required to make sure that the systems are disconnected from the core, but still connected to the grid. And this…is where the questing comes in. They must venture into the glitchy underbelly of Attilan to locate obscure wire pathways, and they must stick together because coms aren't working. Max has a portable device that will let them make changes on the go, for where the systems are being operated from. The map of the underbelly, tunnels just brimming with tech, like some sort of twisted Fraggle Rock down there.
"Soooooo, who wants the maaaaap?" Max asks with a quirk of his lips and a glance between Karnak and Kaleb.
Kaleb took a deep breath and eyes the uneven area. Hey, he was even dressed like a local still thanks to borrowing clothes out of Max's closet. This is what you get for letting people with good taste near your fibers. Take note. His hand snapped out and his tone was analytical letting the words probe the darker corners. "Gimme the map. I have echolocation and likely coordinate maybe most optimal in the dark." He had seen Karnak fight before and stop Jay from being hit by a car. If anything flew at him he knew where he'd be standing, but he didn't know how well she could navigate the dark and didn't feel need to venture judgement one way or the other.
Echo was, in part hoping she didn't remember him calling her that bad ass old lady before. Whatever it was that transpired he had enough respect to give the benefit of the doubt. "Plus I've gotten pretty used to the insides of mountains. I can get us where we need to go and can't do the work on the systems besides. Makes sense." He blinked glancing from Max to Karnak to see if that would suffice to aid them sufficiently.
Karnak nods, "That is acceptable. So, assuming we are going this way because it is necessary and not another childish vendetta, Maximus…" She apparently noticed the sewer location and calculated it wasn't necessary, but, well, she didn't have that much appreciation for that member of the Council either.
Not that she's going to say that, verbally, as she continues, "In any event, the sooner we resolve this, the sooner we can determine the actual source of the problem."
"Precisely." Maximus agrees with Karnak. "This allows the city to go back to normal functioning…the people will be safe, and if the hacking destroys the core, it will not destroy us with it." He starts walking. "But, of course, it would be nice if the others who we cannot contact, do manage to save it." He wanders his eyes up and own Kaleb as he hands over the map. Its simple, down here, there are 4 systems that need to be cut off from the core. Not too many at one time, in case things don't work out well. This will be the first of many trips down here. There are many paths and forks, but they are all labeled with numbers and since Kaleb is a smart fellow, he can figure it out, even if the numbers are in the odd symbol language of Attilan. "All the choices are necessary." A sly grin. First access point is only about a 5 minute walk. However, just as they get there, the system glitches…and the three people are separated by forcefields. Each are trapped in identically shaped sections of the tunnel. On the ceiling is the projector for the forcefields, buried in the stone, above Karnak. There are three buttons on it.
|ROLL| Maximus +rolls 1d20 for: 20
|ROLL| Karnak +rolls 1d20 for: 8
|ROLL| Kaleb +rolls 1d20 for: 3
Kaleb dipped his head to Karnak finding agreement. Rant as Max historically may Echo could appreciate the stark efficiency the cousin operated with. There were no bullshit formalities, and no process of unnecessary language. Aaaaaah so nice to not have to put on all the damn airs. He took the map from Maximus giving him a slow upnod, and a hint of a smile.
As they went through there was a faint, higher pitched trill like a cricket that seemed to emit out now and then. Sonar. Kaleb was shaping the room as they went pausing and course correcting where he needed to. Looking up and seeing the three of them not/ in the same spot he eyed the map, them, the map for irregularities. He went to speak and //IMMEDIATELY thought better of it in case this field had amplification properties. Yeah, let's knock ourselves out tonight. He snapped his fingers to trace the sound and shape seeing if it extended beyond the pace he was in and nuisances he might be missing. "This like a fun house or is this deviating us deliberately as a security precaution?"
Karnak frowns slightly, "Deviating intentionally. It looks like there's a control panel here. Three buttons, four fields total." She hmms, and presses the first one experimentally, just to see what happens.
The characters are lined up as Kaleb, Karnak, Maximus. Pressing the first button, lowers the shield on Kaleb's outside edge, allowing him to totally leave the field array, if he wants to. 5 seconds later, it goes back up. Maximus frowns at Karnak, "What did you step on?" Totally blaming.
Kaleb eyed the delay in the field listening for a buss in the wiring, change of frequency, anything. His eyes scanned the space and he rolled up the map to keep it from being clipped in half. "Whatever you did, can n you try it again? Maybe if I hop out see if the same button change functionality?" He paused and said,"Unless it's going to electrocute me in which case I would actually like to voice an objection ahead of time." Pays to be prudent.
Karnak nods to Kaleb, "Be ready. When I say go, go." She presses the same button, saying, "NOW." as hopefully the field goes down again. Then once Kaleb is out, she presses the next button in the sequence.
As Karnak presses the button again, the same field drops. When she presses the second one, the fields on either side of her drop, but the one Kaleb has passed, goes up. Its like this now: I_ _ _I Max and Karnak are still trapped between the two fields, but are together in a big box.
Kaleb "On it." He waited and did as he was told to do because that's what onw does when they were not interested in being cut in half by casual palace defense mechanisms. Like they do. Stepping out he squint. "Well as least you can smoosh closer together we can cut the work to get everyone out in half and hopefully lead a clear passage back. If… we still have interest in returning." There was that. Something something let's not get painted in a corner.
Karnak hmmms. "Hold on. I believe there might be a way to deactivate the field completely, with the proper sequence…" Out of curiosity, she then presses the third button, tracking what has happened to this point with the field walls.
When she presses the 3rd button, the outer walls both drop, and the inner walls come up, so that it looks like _ I_I _ now. Max is freed and steps out on his side, trusting Karnak to get it so that they are all down. "Not bad…." one can practically hear the 'for a musclewoman' in his tone.
Kaleb was jotting notes down in his notebook staying silent watching this. "If it gets any closer, jsut be careful. I never trust these things." This was becoming far too casual an occurance. Idly he decided it really spoke to the barometer of world affairs that this was even necessary to begin with. He elected to find someone to blame later though.
Karnak eyes the controls, then presses the second button again, waiting to see what that does for the fields. Since, well, logic dictates that should be correct, unless there was something else.
YAY! Karnak guessed it right! All the fields drop and the path is clear! The group can proceed onwards to the location on the map. "Well…obviously…there are a few glitches yet…hmmm? I'm surprised you used your brain and not your feet." Following Kaleb, he totally eyes the guy in the Attilan clothing from behind.
Kaleb was relieved no one got cut in half. He'd never admit this openly but it took a moment for hte tension in his shoulders to subside telling those truths for him. He was either oblivious or completely comfortable with being appraised and snapped his fingers once sharply, forcing the sound out to bring information back to get them further in with as little incident as he could. Hey, at least he could deliver on scour training. Quietly he wondered out loud, "I really hope none of the older buildings got damaged." Dammit he actually really loved those things.
Karnak looks at Maximus, "My talent involves using my body and mind as one. I am unsurprised that your myopia didn't allow you to see that." She seems about as smug as she ever gets, which isn't very honestly, as she falls in alongside Kaleb.
Kaleb's sonic testing reveals that the tunnels, though they appear natural in places, are not in the least bit natural. There are repeating patterns in the stone, like possibly there is an Inhuman with a gift for shaping stone that helped build this, long ago. Newer aesthetic additions appear here and there, and they pass tunnels that have a coldness about them, paths that lead deep into the mountain…for a purpose not marked on the map. Those cold spots help propel the group onwards to the spot. Once they reach it, Maximus pulls out the portable device. The lights sputter…like a horror movie. There's a strange sound in the distance, like a can falling onto stone.
Kaleb sat very quietly not interrupting the two minds at work here on the tech more familiar to them. In the interim he found a place to sit and rest up keeping his senses tuned outward: the sounds, the shape of the halls. he felt a bit like a silent witness to a moment long past to give it validation for the great care put into it. He couldn't be moved to care about humans, or politics, or religion, but let him experience architecture and one might find him in rare reverent moments. Still there was the sound far out which seemed, he thought, perfectly audible to everyone, but how would he know? He sought to try to hold onto the sound, the source and shape it. Odd. He was silently glad all over again to have been brought here to heal and really appreciate the older spaces for what they were. It was its own gift really. He left his eyes shut and listened to Karnak and Maximus carry on about their good work with a faint, entertained grin. He could rightly be anywhere right now, but he wanted to be here, he got to help them make something structurally better again. Will wonders ever cease. He'll have to tell Max about this later. Maybe.
Karnak glances over at Kaleb, then frowns at Maximus, "What did you do?" Because, well, something is malfunctioning, so clearly Max did something that she will need to fix.
Maximus taps away on his device and mentions a few times, different wires to mess with at this sort of…convergence location for many of them. Eventually, a red wire is disconnected and reattached to a clearish white one that makes a constant electronic hum, and the red one makes a pewwwwwwwwwwwah sound as it loses its power slowly and grows dark. Once things seem to be stable, Maximus cuts back at Karnak, "What? Do you mean…save the city from its greatest trial in recent memory?" He flips the device shut and then wets his lips, "Yes…that was the work of Maximus the Magnificent. And worldly. Returned from the Genetic Council's attempt to /poison/ him with New York's pollution…amidst cheering. I hope they beg me to take back the throne."
And then the lights cut out entirely. There's a soft sound from where Maximus is standing.
"Perhaps we work on the lighting system next?" A little more humbly.
Though the lights pop back on, they will flicker and cut out several times on the way to the other areas in the run this evening, necessitaiting moving in the dark.