fandomhigh | Library, Friday

Use those brain cells!

For all your non-research needs.

One of the computers had been moved on to a desk off to the side, out of the immediate ebb-and-flow of traffic. A faint purple glow could be seen from the monitor, and a window was open with a video call to Dr. Tannis' lab in Pandora.

[OOC: For those talking to the Not-Evil Pandoran NPCs. And not Pandorians as I keep trying to type.]

He'd be the one at the desk mainlining coffee. At least he's friendly?

He... might be friendly? Today? If you're lucky?

*does the Friday dance of joy*

Dr. Tannis was still here on her screen, yes, hard at work on various Fandom related data, as well as some weapon schematics. The readings from around the dig site... They were not looking great for Fandom, no. Oh well. That was just confirming Dr. Tannis' hypotheses from yesterday, and there was always some intellectual pleasure to be derived from a correct hypothesis.

But still, sigh, guess she needed to alert Fandom.

She looked up, trying to catch someone's attention on the other side of the connection. "You there! I have something important to say!"

[ooc: This thread for Hannibal!]

One of Tannis' Fandom scans beeped. Then three pulsating spots appeared on the map she was using. ECHO recorders. Well, that seemed like it could potentially be useful, and so Tannis reacted the same way she'd been reacting to most things since yesterday.

She looked through the camera/screen set-up into the library and tried to holler for the nearest person's attention.

"Excuse me, girl... person!"

(She had never willingly called for the attention of other people so much in her life. She was going to sleep and not talk to anyone for a week after all this was over.)

[ooc: This thread for Éponine!]

Riley had skipped yesterday but he was back in the library today, laptop open and fingers typing. He wasn't working too hard since it seemed communication had been re-established but he was still doing a few things to try and be helpful.

Okay, so, Dr. Tannis was doing a lot for an island she knew barely anything about, was she not? And while thwarting some plans of Handsome Jack's was somewhat fulfilling in its own right, she ought to have been getting something for herself. So when she noticed some weird readings form the preserve regarding its animal life, well... Who could blame her for taking an interest?

Time to brave social interaction again! "You there!" she called out into the library from her screen. "You look like you're not doing anything important."

It actually didn't matter to her whether he was. Because SCIENCE. It trumped everything.

[ooc: For Mike E.!]

Hannibal turned at the sound of her voice. It wasn't the most politely he'd been addressed, but he supposed when you were reduced to yelling from computer speakers for attention, there should be allowances made.

"Hello, yes?"

For Tannis, the fact that she was letting them keep up the connection to her lab up at all was quite polite enough.

"Oh, it's you," she said. Maybe that was a positive thing. Maybe it wasn't. But hey, at least she recognized the people who'd been in her brain. "I have important information! Or perhaps, it's more of an imporatnt lack of information..."

Sorry, she had a tendency to get sidetracked.

Éponine hadn't been in the library for the sake of doing research; she was just there because the growing presence of heavily armed people on the island was -- for some reason she couldn't quite pinpoint -- making her uneasy and disappearing into a place full of books seemed like a comforting short-term solution.

She was used to having total strangers call out to her, though, and turned in the direction of the voice out of reflexive habit.

"Well, then! Was that you?" she asked, coming over to look interestedly at the screen.

"Yes, that was me," Tannis replied, almost primly. "I have a task for you. My readings indicate several ECHO recorders around your town. They may contain precious strategical information about what Jack and his men intend to do. I need you to fetch them."

Tannis was yet to realize she might have to start asking people whether they knew what all the things involved in a task were.

And whether they wanted to do these missions for her.

"And what'll I get for my trouble, especially seeing as I don't know what your recorders are?" asked Éponine bluntly. Yes, it was fairly mercenary, but if she was being asked to go out and possibly attract unwanted attention from those unpleasant newcomers out there it had better be for a good reason.

She did pause after she asked, though, and frown as if she realized it was a selfish thing to say and could very well be talked around. She did want those strangers gone, after all.

Fortunately, Hannibal made a career out of listening to people get sidetracked. And getting them back on track when needed.

"What information are we lacking?"

"You'll get the joy of knowing you didn't ignore a task that could have saved your island from the clutches of Handsome Jack," Tannis replied just as bluntly. Who had time for decorum, anyway? "As to the second part of your query ––" She held up her own ECHO (http://i.imgur.com/wY88Lvb.jpg). "–– this is more or less what you'd be looking for."

"I lack the knowledge of what is going inside Hyperion's dig site," Tannis replied, poking at some of her data on her own screens. "But I listened in to your radio broadcasts this morning, and Jack made mention of already possessing the key, and not being that subtle about it, either. Typical."

Because he was an ass like that.

"Putting these two things together... It is becoming obvious you only have one choice for a course of action."

At least his lack of subtlety gave them information they hadn't yet had.

"We need to get the key from him," Hannibal surmised. "And get you information about their dig."

Eh, decorum. It was all very well and good but you couldn't rely on it to get the job done most of the time. Anyway, that answer was just fine for Éponine, who wouldn't argue much with the chance to act in her own interests and do something good. Those two things didn't always line up.

She peered intently at the ECHO for a moment or two, then nodded once she had its appearance memorized to her satisfaction; all of a sudden she seemed much more enthusiastic about this whole proposal.

"Is that what this is about!" she exclaimed. "In that case, if it's things about town that you're looking for, then it's me you want for the job, all right. I know my way about, I do."

"Exactly." Tannis nodded firmly. She liked people who could come to conclusions without her having to spell everything out. "I suggest you mount an attack. Preferably with guns. The girl with the long hair ––" That was a great description of Jessica, really. "–– has hopefully already gotten started on upgrading some. You'll need more of those, to penetrate Hyperion's perimeter."

She nodded again.

"So I suggest you all get on that. You'll need recoinnassance information about the perimeter, and you will need a plan, so I don't recommend attempting an attack today all willy-nilly."

"Good." It was! Dr. Tannis hated having too argue with people over pointless things like why people should just do what she said. She fiddled with her own machines for a second, and the printer by the computer in the library began to print out a map of Fandom with the approximate locations of the ECHOs.

"There should be a map printing out for you as I speak," Tannis said. "It's as accurate as I could get it."

"There's a map?" Éponine barked a brief laugh of surprise. "Good lord, that's more than I get to go on most times when people ask me to do things, and isn't it a good thing I can read maps? Otherwise you'd look a bit silly for assuming it."

Someone had not yet learned to refrain from bragging a bit about her ability to read.

"All right, then, three more of your fancy little toys there, you leave that to me. I'll bring them back to --" She paused, considered the screen for a moment, then shrugged. "To you when I've got them, shall I?"

Hannibal smiled wryly. "I'm a doctor, not a military strategist." Unlike his namesake, but he didn't think she'd know who that was. Or what his name was, come to that. ~~Or would recognize the totally accidental Star Trek reference.~~

"I'm unlikely to be one of the people with guns, but I will let them know. Do you know which girl with the long hair it was?" Narrowing it down would be nice.

"Well, I do believe I am the person who's most likely to be able to interpret them." Oh Patricia, darling, no one was going to be able to interpret these ECHO recordings. "So yes, please bring them back to me. Although you may listen to them along the way, should you so wish."

Hey, for once they weren't her own private ECHOs she was sending someone out for, so she could actually say that!

Tannis waved a hand. "The smart one."

Not very helpful, but that was about the extent to which she could be bothered to identify anyone. The radio podcasts would be more helpful than her there.

It might be worth noting (or a given) that Éponine would have listened to them along the way regardless of permission. Almost subconsciously -- it was so much a habit by now -- she slipped a hand into her pocket and briefly touched the five-franc piece she always kept there.

"Very well, I'll be off now, shall I, and come back with them before you've a chance to get too bored in there," she declared.

Tannis waved her off with a hand.

"Very good, off you go."

So she could focus on making sense of her other readings again.

Hannibal hadn't heard the radio (perks and problems of living off-island), but he could probably find somebody who had.

He nodded to Tannis. "I'll let her know," he promised. "Is there anything else?"

Mike gave her an amused huff. "That's because I'm not," he pointed out. "You got something that needs done, let me know. Otherwise, I'm just gonna stand around all afternoon."

At this point, John had been up for three days without sleep, so he was taking a catnap at his desk. He could be woken, if needed, but he wasn't going to be any good to anyone if he didn't get in some shut-eye.

Tannis shook her head. "Apart from my growing distaste for human communication, no," she said. "I believe this is all I have for now. You may go and spread the word."

"Then I have a job for you!" Tannis announced brightly. "As a delightful departure from this kill or be killed affair, my readings have detected what appear to be exciting new forms of mutated life out in your preserve!"

No really, she was pretty jazzed about this thing.

"I need you to go out and get visual data of whatever it is that's out there giving off these readings."

Mike was not interested in "delightful departures" from this mess.

He gave her a blank look. "And how is that going to help us with Hyperion and the road warriors?"

Way to harsh her cheer, Mike. Way to be. "It will help by ensuring my continued assistance in your troubles," she informed him haughtily. Also, pouting.

Not that she'd stop helping if he refused. Probably. But she had no problem with claiming she would. "Consider the scientific data my payment for helping."

...Shit.

Okay, so this was a mission of Keep The Crazy Person Happy. Mike had plenty of experience with that. Plenty. Walt, Gayle, Lydia... sometimes you just had to humor someone in order to get the job done.

Besides, it sure as hell beat sitting around waiting for someone to come up with a plan.

He gave her a forced smile. "Then I'm all yours. What exactly do you need?"

This was very much a mission of Keep The Crazy Person Happy. Dr. Tannis had that effect on a lot of people. Often.

So maybe it was good after all that she was generally antisocial.

She smiled back at him. "Pictures of the things causing these readings. I imagine they must be magnificent. I'll –– what was the word, print? Yes, I'll print you out a map, although as they're animals, they're hardly going to be stationary forever, unless they're dead."

The printer next to the computer whirred the life, and began printing out a map of Fandom, with a spot of the preserve marked in red.

Perhaps she needed a psychiatrist. Hannibal chuckled and nodded again. "Thank you."

After speaking with Dr. Tannis, Hannibal looked for someone likely to know who he was looking for.

He nodded at Billy. "I have been informed," he waved at the purple-glowing computer, "that apparently we need to arm ourselves, and the 'smart girl with the long hair' can help. Would you happen to know who that is?"

"Oh, hi," Billy said, thinking for a moment as he looked to the computer. "Maybe she meant Jessica Drew? She's really smart and she was talking with Dr. Tannis yesterday."

"That would make sense," Hannibal agreed. "If you could, please let her know that Dr. Tannis expects we will need many more upgraded weapons. She believes we will have to get into the dig site, get the Vault key, and provide her with more information about the dig itself."

For values of "we" equaling "not actually including Hannibal, thank you".

Billy frowned at that, but nodded. "Okay, I can pass that message along. I don't like it, but... I guess we don't have much of a choice."

Mike grabbed the paper and looked it over. "Pictures of weird animals at this spot. Sure. I can do that."

He turned to leave, and then turned back, a question on his face. "Hey. The guys dressed in car parts -- they're not Hyperion, not that I can tell. There any way to deal with them, other than shooting them in the face?"

"The psychos?"

As if there were other guys dressed in car parts around, anywhere, ever.

"No, they're not Hyperion. They're just bandits. I hear lighting them on fire works pretty well?"

But with the incendiary weapons around, even that would amount to shooting them in the face about ninety percent of the time.

"I would worry if you liked it," Hannibal told him. It seemed like the teacherly thing to say. "It is my hope that if it should come to violence, that will be left to those who are experienced in handling it. Keep yourself safe."

"Works for me," Mike told her. "Thanks for the info."

"You too," Billy said. "Thanks for coming by and all. It's good to see so many people in the library for once."

Hannibal looked around at all the people milling about. "Perhaps I'll assign some library readings next semester," he said, smiling. "Wouldn't want you to get lonely."

Library, Friday

Research

Mod Your Library

Talk to the Pandorans

Talk to Billy

Talk to Constantine

OOC

Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: Solid Flesh

Re: Research

Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: No Selfies Allowed

Re: Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Re: Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: Solid Flesh

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: Solid Flesh

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: Solid Flesh

Re: Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: Solid Flesh

Re: Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Re: Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: Solid Flesh

Re: Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: Solid Flesh

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: Solid Flesh

Re: Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: Solid Flesh

Re: Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: Solid Flesh

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: Solid Flesh

Re: Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: No Selfies Allowed

Re: Talk to Constantine

Re: Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: No Selfies Allowed

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: No Selfies Allowed

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: No Selfies Allowed

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: No Selfies Allowed

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: No Selfies Allowed

Re: Talk to Dr. Tannis - Research [12/13]

Re: Talk to Billy

Re: Talk to Billy

Re: Talk to Billy

Re: Talk to Billy

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: No Selfies Allowed

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: No Selfies Allowed

Re: Talk to Billy

Re: Talk to the Dr. Tannis: SIDE MISSION: No Selfies Allowed

Re: Talk to Billy

Re: Talk to Billy