Factory Mission

Void followed behind split as he picked up his bag, watching him carefully as they walked from one machine filled room to the next.

After ascending a flight of stairs, Void heard his fellow navi mutter quietly to call him "fix" and quickly responded with faked nervousness, "Thank you si- I mean fix," Lowering his eyes in a way that would match his voice, Void continued, "I appreciate the opportunity to work on the job. Wouldn't it be better to start at the top floor though, since it'd be quicker on the way out? I don't mean to be rude either, you know best, but my name is Gear..."

Void looked continued to look down, more annoyed that he had to do this charade, and that it didn't hurt his chances with what was sure to be the net mafia...

Ratchet and Clank- I mean Fix and Gear-er Splitman and Void, traversed up the next flight and found... more conveyor belts?

There were a lot of navis, doing... factory work.

In the far left corner of the room, there was a very visible red X next to a column. It was probably designed so only the ones who made it could see it, so Smoke must've made it.

Bombing time. :'D

((If ever I wait another week waiting for someone else to post first, someone please hit me. I just said I would stop doing that))

Split -err- 'Fix' walked casually into the corner of the room, then stood there a moment, just watching the factory Navis doing their work. They were an industrious bunch, not that it would matter within the hour.

After taking a moment to make sure that he wasn't being watched, Split slipped a bomb next to the support column. Without waiting a moment, he began walking across the room to the next staircase, striking up a friendly coversation along the way. "So, Gear, what do you think about the fascility? I am honestly impressed with thier level of focus, I would have expected to see more inefficiency, or at least a few loafers here and there."

((I'm so sorry!! 12 hour work days are killing me, I had an idea... I'm sorry! next level!

...plus, you're the one holding the bombs. I'm the bodyguard, I'm following till you get shot at, then I can be more active...))

"S-sir!," Void stammered in fake astonishment, "How could you say that? After the recent net mafia incident security has probably been tightened in all buildings. The workers are so focused because there are hidden cameras."

Hoping Splitman would take the hint, Void and Imp followed along beside him. "Perhaps it would be beneficial to my training if I checked the next support pillar, can you pass a scanner... If you don't mind, of course..."

On the next floor, the two found another assembly line, just how many floors did it take for these things to process? There seemed to be offices in the back and Netnavis and their Operators arguing over something or the other, but that wasn't important. There wasn't an objective here, so they should probably just go up another flight.

After reaching the top of the stairs, a heated discussion could be heard over the din of the machinery. As the motley trio continued through the room, Imp paused and looked over at the argument. "Man so much for a calm workplace, what do you think is goin—HEY!"

Imp was suddenly pulled by Void as he picked up the pace towards the next flight of stairs, "What's the big idea?" The disguised prog snarled.

"Think for once in your life," Void muttered quickly, "What arguments usually happen in a work place?"

Imp pondered for a second, "Well, I suppose quality and scheduling stuff, but what does that have to do wi-"

"Simply put, a higher up probably noticed that there were missing items on the line, and when he inquired the workers, he would have been told about a quality check that wasn't on the schedule."

"So that would mean..." Imp looked down as he concentrated on his thoughts, "That we are in... really hot water."

Quickly picking speed, Imp started to match Void's pace as the headed for the stairs. While they had been talking quietly, hopefully split had heard them or was coming to the same conclusion...

Split watched his teammate panic over a fairly simple problem " ...Gear.. no way that was it. That was down at the quality control end of the line, things here go from top down in their production process. Other things may have set them off, but it is relatively unlikely at this time"

"Worst case you just try not to stick out more. Act natural and split up" Chad added in, unexpectedly, from over the comm line.

Split shoved something into his ally's hand. "This is one of the two remaining bombs, after you finish placing it on the 5th floor, you can continue on to the 8th and meet me there. If you don't see me just keep heading up to the roof." His voice remained quiet, but rushed.


"Now Go" He said, turning away from his ally and heading towards the argument, just a little bit closer, to hear what was going on.

Void looked down at his hands as the package was suddenly thrust into them. Looking at his partner's retreating form, he took the package and continued up to the fourth floor. Reaching the door, Void gave one look backwards as he was about to enter.

"1-M.anagement P.rogram" Void asked Imp, "stay behind and keep an eye on fix for me, if he gets in trouble, call me and I'll come back. Although his concern that I'm 'panicking' is admirable, I prefer to not let him get in trouble since he has hired me."

Giving a glance at the navi argument, Void continues, "I'd just rather not take any chances, stay by him unless one of us gets into trouble."

Imp turned and watched Split as Void went out the door, Grumbling under his breath...

((For RP reasons, Void can no longer use slamfist or soul jar))

Splitman leaned closer to the wall to find out what was going on with the argument, while Imp hovered around, and found out it had something to do with cheese. That was odd.

Void wandered up to the 5th floor with... whaddya know, MORE ASSEMBLY LINES, and a big red X to his far left. He'd have to go around the assembly lines and as long as he acted natural, he would be fine.

"Ugh...." Chad gave out an audible sigh of relief, it was rare that they had a situation that where they were right out doomed if they fought.

Splitman felt like a fool for his generic paranoia but took solace in the fact that Void was not there to see it aswell. That didn't really matter much though now, he had a job to do.

Acting as though the life was sucked out of his limbs because of his dull and monotonous job, Split walked up the stairs at a brisk pace. It would probably take a little bit before he managed to get to the 8th floor and he didn't want to attract more attention than they had already gathered earlier.

Imp watched with slight hesitance as Split walked up to the group, staying with one foot in the door and ready to bolt at a moments notice. When Split seemed to slouch down from boredom, Imp let out a sigh of relief and ducked into the stairwell before Split started to look his way. As Imp started to climb the steps, he decided that he should hang out on Split's target level...

The kid could just use an extra set of eyes, it's not like Imp didn't have the guts to go to the fifth floor all by himself... there were just too many stairs, that's all...

----

Void wasn't having any trouble with having a bored look on his face. especially since this room had to of had the most twisted conveyor belt he'd ever seen. Void ambled along the paths, traveling up one and down another until he approached his destination. Sliding the package under one of the conveyor belts near the X, Void looked at some of the items going by, then headed back to the stairwell while scribbling some notes on his pad. Eight floor next, then wait 5 minutes for him... Void thought to himself as he reached for the door handle, Push comes to shove, I could always try to get a new prog... maybe one that looks like those 'pinnies'...

Everybody arrives at the sixth floor, after Void straps the bomb on the 5th floor of course.

And it's dark... like there are no lights on, whatsoever. All they can hear is the slow humming of the conveyor belt.

Should they call out to someone? Search for a light switch? or just feel their way to the stairwell. It's up to them.

"Well then..." Split's voice trailed off as he looked back. The illumination of the previous floors was just a small spec now. "I did not expect this in the original plan, you have -uh- light vision... or a light.. or something?" He asked his new companion.

"Chad if you-" He began to ask before he was interrupted

"Nope, every chip that we could use to light this place would also cause... collateral damage..."

"Unfortunately no", Void said, shuffling through his chip and sig list mentally, "I am currently incapable of such a feat right now. In no intended offense, I'm a shadow, why would I make light?"

Void looked at the surrounding blackness, On that same note though, why can't I see in the dark? I'll need to change that soon...

Void continued to puzzle over this for a moment more, when Damian suddenly spoke up, breaking Void's concentration.

<It is a factory, shouldn't there be a light switch near the door?>

"True, but if the lights are off no-one is watching the assembly line, even though it is still on." Void thought in hushed tones, "So it's either an useless section, or there is an ambush..."

"Or a surprise party!" Imp piped up after regaining his breath from climbing 3 flights of stairs that are as tall as him.

"Either way, we need the light, they might be able to attack or see in the dark..."

<I don't see any other option, and neither does splitdude or his mysterious OP...>

"So the vote is in, the lights go on..." Void said, feeling the wall beside the door with one hand, checking to make sure whatever he grabs actually feels like a standard lightswitch and not a panic button...

Splitman crouched down and braced himself. At the first sign of trouble he would sprint up the stairs, avoiding whatever nefarious trap they had planned for him. Yeah.. that sounded good...

"Doesn't this whole things just seem a little weird though?" He half-asked Void, half-muttered to himself
"There is no reason why there should be a region like this in a normal factory... even if we find the lights there is no guarantee that it won't ruin everything anyway. They might be... invaluable for... production or something.." Spit paused a moment, contemplating how awkwardly he was speaking at the moment "Look, anyway, just get ready to run"

"I will be right behind you," Void says, continuing to grope the wall, "but on the same note, if it was a light sensitive part the conveyor belt would be covered, since access is still needed..."

Although if it wasn't, there would be some night vision goggles or...no... Void shook his head at the thought, even if it was a "pure light" sensitive part, they'd use 3 or 4 red colored light bulbs like in a photo developing lab. There is only one part that needs perfect darkness, and there would be a visible warning on the door for reminding newbies...

Just to be on the safe side though, Void let his hand wander a bit farther, just to see if there were goggles hanging on the wall...

Void doesn't find goggles.

But he does find a light switch. He suddenly turn it on to reveal...

...what the heck, a Galaxy simulation?

It was like the navi of darkness had turned on the stars in space, but where the hell was the exit?

If the two looked up, there was a replica of Jupiter in the center of the ceiling, something seemed to be... dripping, from it, and into some sort of hole.

A double helix of formless shapes spiraled up to this Jupiter replica...

What was with this floor?

Also, was anybody monitoring this.... Hey! There was a navi by each planet face-down. They seemed unconscious...

What was going on here?

Elsewhere a coin could be heard flipping through the air
"Its tails, Split, you are getting the hell out of their asap" Chad said, for the first time in a long time serious
"But..... yeah... ok" The misshapen navi responded "Comeon.. lets look for the stairs..." He said to Void, his voice trailing off. This was just too weird.

"I get this side, you get the other side, we are searching for the stairs" He reaffirmed, hurriedly looking up and down the closest wall for any sign of a staircase of secret passage leading to a staircase.

<Ok, that's kinda trippy...> Damian said as he watched the data feed of the room, <What in the abyss is going on here?>

"Who cares?!" Imp cried out in a panic, "Lets make like splitman and split!"

Dashing for the nearest wall, Imp was suddenly yanked back by a large hand. "Hold on there, something is odd about this..."

"No kidding! what was your first clue?! The spinning symbols? The gaint planets? or maybe it was the knocked out navi's?!"

"That's just it..." Void pondered out loud, "If there was a fight, they'd be deleted or scattered around from the fight. But they are at each planet almost like it's a pattern..."

Pausing to look at the swirling patterns rising up, Void continued, "And those symbols kind of look like BNA..."

<I think you mean DNA, but what are you getting at?> Damian said nervously.

"The point is, these navi's may be here as part of the weapon assembly. Wasn't Jupiter the one that made humans or something?"

"Why would a planet make humans? that makes no sense!"

"I think it was some old religion... Can't remember. Besides, if we just leave these navi's here, we'll look bad if they are discovered. But if I'm correct, these might be mafia members being drained for an effective weapon."

Letting go of Imp, Void raised his voice, "You two keep looking for an exit, I'm going to try and get a closer look..."

Imp gave no hesitation in the order, and began trying to feel along the wall. Void on the other hand walked towards the planets. I only remember 2 other planets. Pluto was supposed to rule the underworld, and earth was Gaia, or "mother earth". Although underworld is more my style, I'm going to go check out earth, if they do match personality wise, it'll kill me less.

Splitman and Imp vigorously search for a staircase while Void floats toward Earth.

Which reacted by shooting a laser and scanning Void, and beeping red. A system programmed voice boomed throughout the area.

"Bzzt. You are authorized to go further! Have a nice day. Bzzt!" the voice rang, as a door opened up in the Earth.

Upon closer inspection, the NetPolice Navi lying on top of the Earth was holding something in its right fist. Wonder what is was?