Kisume Quest V - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "Do I really look older than that? Huh."

>"It's kinda hard to tell, I think," says Ruukoto.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, whatever. I hope you know someone here that could pass as my mother, by the way. You know, just in case."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, whatever. I hope you know someone here that could pass as my mother, by the way. You know, just in case."

>"Um...not really? There's one of the cooks, but they don't really live here... I don't really know who all is up on the higher levels that intimately, since I'm not part of the meetings and stuff."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Hmm. Might need to reconsider my story later, then. How active do you think the medical lab will be right now?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Hmm. Might need to reconsider my story later, then. How active do you think the medical lab will be right now?"

>"Normally, I would expect it to be be dead quite, just a doctor and a nurse on staff," says Ruukoto. "But normally, they don't have your friend there."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Or that agent guy. Think we could get away with wanting to visit one?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Or that agent guy. Think we could get away with wanting to visit one?"

>"Probably not your friend," says Ruukoto, "She'll definitely be locked down. As for Agent Sombraluz, well, probably not. I don't think he has any family here."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, word must have gotten around about weird people being captured. Maybe a poor little curious crippled girl that wants to see one will tug on some heart strings?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, word must have gotten around about weird people being captured. Maybe a poor little curious crippled girl that wants to see one will tug on some heart strings?"

>"Maybe," says Ruukoto. "But orders are orders."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Guess we'll find out when we get there."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Guess we'll find out when we get there."

>She nods. "I won't be able to support you much if you try that, VIVIT's word doesn't hold a lot of official weight by itself."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Right, I figured."
> What are our surroundings like now?

[Hello Purvis]

> "Right, I figured."
> What are our surroundings like now?

>You are being wheeled through halls that are largely identical in appearance to the ones you've seen before. There doesn't seem to be anyone around at the moment, and the hall is quiet. Up ahead, you can see an intersection with another hallway. Past that a little ways, you see a set of metal-framed glass doors in the side of the hall, larger than many you've passed so far.
>"That's it, up ahead," says Ruukoto. "How do you want me to approach it? Or would you rather wheel yourself in?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Are we likely to see someone as soon as we enter?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Are we likely to see someone as soon as we enter?"

>"There is usually a nurse at the desk, unless they're busy. But they probably have extra people tonight."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "How likely is it that the condition of the agent guy has gotten around the palace?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "How likely is it that the condition of the agent guy has gotten around the palace?"

>"It's pretty well known, I think," says Ruukoto. "Lots of people saw him get wheeled out of there."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right. And do you think they'd ask you VIVIT things if you went inside?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right. And do you think they'd ask you VIVIT things if you went inside?"

>"They might, but that's not too hard to fake," says Ruukoto. "As long as it's not something specialized, I can just say I haven't updated yet."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Okay. Then you should probably come with."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Okay," says Rukkoto, as she draws close to the door, and lowers her voice a little. "Want me to leave it to you?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

(Boy, I sure hope a complete lack of medical records doesn't end up being a problem.)

> Lower ours as well.
> "Yeah, but I might prompt you if I need to. And don't be afraid to tell me things a sheltered foreign resident might not know if they become important."

[Hello Purvis]

> Lower ours as well.
> "Yeah, but I might prompt you if I need to. And don't be afraid to tell me things a sheltered foreign resident might not know if they become important."

>"Got it," says Ruukoto.
>You approach the doors and are not surprised to find that these ones slide open as well; does no one open their own doors anymore? Inside, you see a small room with a number of padded chairs, somewhat like the one you sat in inside the the machine that brought you here though they are less bulky-looking, lining the walls. Opposite of the door is a desk with a man in a white shirt and matching capelet, who is fiddling with some kind of machine panel. Behind the desk are two hallways. The walls seem to be covered with something like paper, bearing a muted geometric design here and there. A picture of a pristine lake adorns the wall to your left, and a grassy meadow to your right. Both of those seem mundane and less alien than other things around here. 
>The man at the desk looks up as you enter, but says nothing.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Admire the painting of the lake with a look of slight curious wonder on our face.

[Hello Purvis]

> Admire the painting of the lake with a look of slight curious wonder on our face.

>You admire the painting of the lake. It's quite nicely done, honestly, though the paint is very smooth and probably done with some sort of machine-based technique that makes no sense.  Taking a closer look, you note that the trees in the background don't really seem familiar. Then again, you've had little to do with trees for a long time.
>"Can I help you?" says the man at the desk.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Start a little, then turn to the man and adopt the same voice style that we used with the guard earlier.
> "Oh, yes! I heard that a strange woman appeared in the palace today and was taken here. Is that true?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Start a little, then turn to the man and adopt the same voice style that we used with the guard earlier.
> "Oh, yes! I heard that a strange woman appeared in the palace today and was taken here. Is that true?"

>He frowns and furrows his brown for a moment, then says, "Yeah, there's not much of a point in denying the rumors."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Let our face light up, but keep the same tone of voice.
> "Oh, it is true! I knew it just had to be true!"
> Look at Ruukoto with our hands balled into fists in front of our chest, like we're excited.
> "Did you hear that, VIVIT? There really is a-"
> Cut ourselves off with a short series of coughs, bringing a hand to our mouth to stifle them as if we were really having a coughing attack.

[Hello Purvis]

> Let our face light up, but keep the same tone of voice.
> "Oh, it is true! I knew it just had to be true!"
> Look at Ruukoto with our hands balled into fists in front of our chest, like we're excited.
> "Did you hear that, VIVIT? There really is a-"
> Cut ourselves off with a short series of coughs, bringing a hand to our mouth to stifle them as if we were really having a coughing attack.

>Ruukoto puts a hand on your back, just below your neck. "You mustn't push yourself," she says, her voice a bit deeper now, and sounding quite like VIVIT.
>"Are you alright," says the man.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Take a couple of visibly deeper-than-normal breaths.
> Keep the same tone of voice as we used for the guard for the remainder of the conversation.
> "...Yes, I'm okay. I just got too excited."