LongTech Industries - LongTech on the Holodeck - RPLOG
Participants
Date
27/3/478
Log
The corridor of the Creator Vessel is much the same as it was for the testing the other day. Clean white-lit halls and smooth, steel walls. A Creator woman in a white jumpsuit with one of their magic clip boards leads the way. "I remind you that this is all under special agreement and you are not to bring any LISTENING DEVICES or technology of any kind." She continues to ramble in technical terms as she leads the pair of beings to the room with the special, egg shaped chairs.
"Flora understands," the cat rumbles, a few flicks of her tails. Within her bag is a rather large stack of paperwork, unsigned so far. "Flora has some other things to do beforehand, yes," the cat notes, holding up her back. "Anything that happens during these events is confidential on promise," the cat rumbles, holding up her bag for one of the Creators to flip through the paperwork.
Soon after, here gaze travels to Sveta, a small smile on her muzzle. "Flora hasn't had much time to talk with friend Sveta yet. Flora trusts business in Cliffside was successful, yes? And 'business' as well?"
Sveta follows Flora and the woman down the corridor, doing her best to keep pace with the rather more enthusiastic employer. Although the goshawk tries to keep a straight face, she can't help but look a little worried at the prospect of what's ahead. "I know I've asked before, but...this is safe, right?"
"And as for the business...it went well enough. I'm sure the reports I wrote did detail a few proposals for a new store over at Cliffside." Mention of extra "business" is carefully avoided.
Alicia has little to add as she follows quietly along behind the others, hands folded in front of her. She was largely just here to look after the highlady and ensure that nothing went amiss. She remembered the Creator reluctant to let the golems in last time, so providing a bit of extra security, should it be needed, was also on her agenda.
Three of the egg shaped chairs have been prepped for use, the soft, padded side ready for beings to sit in. The others seem to be turned away and half sunk into the floor for storage. Three Creators, two men and one woman stand waiting, one beside each chair to assist the LongTech Representatives.
The woman leading the group takes the stack of papers with a disdainful frown. "And what is all of this supposed to be?" she asks, "I am afraid if you want me to read all of this or sign anything, you will have to wait until our LAW SCHOLARS go through all of this." She turns a benevolent smile on Sveta. "I assure you that it is perfectly safe," she says, "I shall be joining you in the ILLUSION to provide any assistance you may need." She takes a place by a small terminal set in the wall and waves her hand in a set of complex motions and another chair rises from its stored position. "If the HIGHLADY will forego all of her PAPERWORK we can begin," she says, "Simply take a seat. I assure you that you have nithing to worry about."
Another soft rumble, a shake of the head, and Flora gestures at the paperwork. "Flora suggests they hurry up then, yes. Flora did say Flora would bring paperwork, yes," the cat notes, rolling her shoulders, and flicking her tails. "Before Flora leaves, Flora expects the paperwork signed, yes," the cat notes with a rumble, her tails still swaying.
"Flora has already used the machine, yes, friend Sveta. And Flora is fine."
Sveta still looks a bit worried, but nods and settles down in one of the seats, waiting for something - although she's not quite sure what - to happen.
Alicia glances amongst the seats for a moment, but upon Flora's vouching for their safety, she settles in one of her own. Dressed smoothed down and hands folded in her lap, one ear perks while the other remains half-flopped over itself. "So... How does this work?"
The Creator woman frowns. "I will not play legal games, HIGHLADY," she says, "You are here only as a courtesy from Mister Harkenson. And while I respect your position, it means very little here. You may use the ILLUSION MACHINE under our terms or not at all. This is non-negotiable. If this is about your privacy, know that the technology necessary to use or view the information we gather is illegal for distribution on PROMISE and will be inaccessible to anyone aside from cleared CREATOR personel."
One of the Creator assistants smiles at Alicia and indicates an empty seat. "It is simple to use," she says, "You will simply sit in this chai and I will fit you with a special device that will tell us what your body and brain are doing. Then the chair will use it to create an ILLUSION, like a waking dream. You will be free to act there. It is very easy. You will see."
"Then there should be no issue signing, no," the cat rumbles, her tails swaying. "Flora will take those terms. For now. Flora expects those papers signed before next time," the cat notes after a moment of contemplation, before taking the same seat she took the first time.
The explanation calms Sveta somewhat, and the goshawk settles in her chair, looking to Flora for reassurance before trying to get as comfortable and await what happens next. An illusion... well, so long as she's in control of herself all the while, it should be an interesting experience.
"That sounds fine, then," Alicia says with a nod, the perked ear relaxing as she leans back. "A waking dream, huh...? That sounds interesting, certainly. Worth giving it a try, since I am here, at least. And h- Flora seems to trust it."
The woman gives an exasperated sigh, then sets aside the stack of papers and takes a seat in the fouth chair, affixing a small metal plate behind her ear. "Let us begin, then," she says. Then she rattles off some instructions to her assistants and leans back in her chair, which begins to recline as a visor slides down over her face.
The other Creators carefully help the three beings into their seats, which are very comfortable, affixing a small plate that seems to adhere all by itself just behind each being's jaw. "Just relax," the female Creator says as the chairs start to tip back, and visors lower over the participants eyes, "Beginning in 3, 2, 1. . ."
Then the chairs are gone! As is the ship and the assistants! Flora, Sveta, Alicia and The Creator Scholar are standing in an empty room, white light beaming down from above onto a slate grey floor.Facing the group is another Creator, a male in a white jump suit. "Welcome, New Users," the man says, "Please state your names for future reference."
Flora smiles and nods, her tails swaying lazily as she waits for the illusion to set in. SOon enough, she's in, and she offers a small nod. "Flora Longtail. Yes."
Sveta eyes her new surroundings suspiciously, still a little disoriented from the sudden transistion. So, this must be the illusion? It's a very realistic one, it must be admitted. "Svetlana Kuznetsova."
Alicia looks down at her hands as she finds herself in the odd not-room, waving them in front of her face before looking at the others in turn. How odd! "Uh, oh. Alicia! Alice," she says more plainly after reorienting herself.
The man nods. "New users registered," he says, "Welcome back, Doctor Felicity, it is a pleasure to see you again. Shall I run your default settings?"
The Creator woman, Doctor Felicity shakes her head. "No," she says, pointing to Flora, "Please run a zero level sandbox with Flora Longtail as the primary user with voice set as primary input."
The man nods, then turns to Flora. "Welcome, Flora Longtail," he says in a bland, but pleasant voice, "I am Val, your virtual assistant. Would you like to give me a different name? I also see that you are a native of Promise. Would you be more comfortable if I changed my appearance?"
A small shake of Flora's head, a flick of Flora's ears. "Flora is fine with this. Though the voice could use some work, yes," the cat rumbles after a moment of contemplation.... "Flora would like to see the gardens of Longtail Manor, yes," the cat concludes after a moment of contemmplation. "And Flora would like to have a pen. Right... Here," the cat rumbles, pointing at a point in the air... Does she... Does she want it to float?
Sveta isn't quite sure what to do. "No, I'm perfectly fine with you just as you are. In fact, I think it'd be better that way." With that, though, the goshawk just stands and watches Flora, waiting to take the Tigress' lead in...whatever is supposed to happen.
Alicia tugs gently at one of her ears, as if still surprised at just how real this illusion was. Or at least felt. She plucks at her dress, next, in general bewilderment. She'd never experienced anything quite like this! And with control given to Flora, she did not have much input anyway, and was content to explore amongst herself.
Val nods at Flora, then turns to the others. "Welcome, Svetlana Kuznetsova," his voice suddenly deeper, "Welcome, Alicia Alice. Please inform me if there is any way I can assist you." He smiles blandly at Flora. "No images are available for locations on Promise," he says, "Would you like me to recommend another garden?" The illusory Creator reaches into a pocket and produces a LongTech pen, holding it out for Flora and leaving it hanging in the air. "Is this what you wanted, Flora Longtail?" he asks.
"The creators should work on that then, yes... Flora is not sure showing off-world things is allowed... Something generic, yes. Forest, like the ones on promise, the cat rumbles, before taking a gander at the pen, guiding it towards her hands and taking it apart, before placing the parts in a spaced-out, three-dimensional order in mid-air. "Flora was thinking of using these illusions to help design products, yes. Promise technology, nothing creator-made, but making it easier to see how everything works together, what parts to swap, and for what, yes... Flora suggests friend Sveta and miss Alicia try, yes."
"I see. I suppose i should start with some basic shapes, then...how about a couple of cubes, perhaps this big?" She clenches a hand into a fist. "Although if we have to say what we want, especially when it comes to design...it's going to have to be pretty explicit, not to mention there's always things lost in interpretation...that, and if this is an illusion, it may not always correspond with reality. But it's a start - I can see where Flora is coming from."
"Mmmmh..." Alicia looks towards Val and shakes her head. "Alice." She starts to add 'just Alice' but figured that'd probably be misunderstood, as well. "How about... A cylinder. A hollow one, like... A tube! Yes, a tube." She holds up her fingers in a ring. "About this diameter."
Val does not do anything, but the world seems to blink and suddenly, the group is standing in a forest clearing! It seems much like what one might find in the Eastbank forest, a gentle breeze rustling the trees and brush as birdsong filters in from somewhere nearby. "Is this to your liking, Flora Longtail?" Val asks, "I apologize for the inconvenience. Would you like me to schedule a TRANSLATION ERROR, RETRY. Would you like pictures taken of the Longtail Manor?"
The bits and pieces of the pen react just like a normal one. Aside from the way they float in the air anyway.
Val smiles at the group. "I see you are working with parts," he says as the requested bits and shapes appear in the air, "Would you like to activate manual manipulation?" He nods at Alicia. "Updating data," he says, "Would you like me to call you Alice from now on?"
Flora smiles and flicks her ears. "Flora was thinking of using the illusions like a big drawing-board, in three dimensions, yes. Like with a normal drawing board, not everything will work... But since we can change things, move things... We can see if they are likely to work," the she-cat rumbles softly, her tails swaying.
"Yes, Flora would like that. And please, refer to Flora as Flora," the cat rumbles with a flick of her tails, a soft rumble.
"Yes, please," Alicia says, eyeing the tube before an idea comes to mind. "What if... Can I see a rabbit?" She asks, gesturing to herself. "But... Not like me. Or rather, like me, but before." She holds up her hands again, gesturing something presumably smaller than herself. "Before we were... Us?"
Val nods at Flora and at Alice. "Tactile manipulation mode activated," he says, "To create a new item, simply create a shape, like this." The man presses his thumb and pinky together and extends his forefinger, drawing a quick circle in the air, leaving behind a plain grey shape. "Alterations may be made by tactile interactions," he says, pinching the shape with his fingers and stretching and squashing it like clay, even pulling it out into a cylinder.
Val looks at Alicia. "Active illusions are not available in level 0 sandbox," he says, "But I can provide a model." A slightly translucent, white rabbit appears in the air before Alicia. "Is that alright, Alice?" he asks.
Flora smiles and nods, her tail flicking, even as she creates a circle, turning it into a sphere, a cylinder, and all sorts of basic shapes. Soon enough, she's ordering hand-sculpted gears in patterns akin to those inside of her golem, smiling faintly... She seems to be enjoying herself, so far.
Following Flora's stead, Sveta begins drawing thin the cubes that were created, seeing how fine they can get with just fingers and thumb. "Fascinating - if only I had something as easy to work with as these. Well, that certainly makes things much easier." A glance at Alicia's rabbit is had, but she quickly looks away, unnerved.
Alicia stares at the rabbit, nose twitching. "Yeah, this'll do. Thanks," she murmurs, a little distance as she eyes the 'creature' over. It has the fluffy pelt, the long ears... The nose, and the teardrop tail. This was certainly a rabbit! But it was so odd seeing one like this! "It's small," she says appraisingly. "I wonder what kind of things it used to hunt."
The shapes are actually quite easy to manipulate as the beings practice, Sveta is able to make things nearly paper thin without even trying! Val is suddenly standing by Alicia's side, though he does nit seem to have bothered passing through the intervening space. "Rabbits," he says, "Small mammals of the Leporidae in the order Lagomorpha native to the Creator planet of Origin. Rabbits are herbivores, eating mostly seeds and grasses. In popular culture they are often depicted as preferring carrots, an orange root vegetable, over other types of vegetation."
Flora smiles and flicks her ears, before turning one of the larger gears by hand, waiting to see the rest of the thing move. Her tails sway, her ears flick, and her gaze wanders to Sveta and her creations for a moment, before moving towards Alicia and her still-standing rabbit with some curiosity.
Of course, soon enough, her creation draw her attention again, and she flicks her ears. "Make this wood, yes. Ands this part a mirror," the she-cat rumbles after a moment, ears flicking.
"Huh..." Alicia tilts her head to the side, ears flopping with the motion as she continues to look at the illusory bunny. "Wow. We really have come a long way, huh. I can't imagine eating only grass and seeds. What an odd life. I can't imagine being so... Small, either. I mean, I'm tiny as it is, but... Goodness."
The floating parts and pieces follow Flora's instructions without any difficulty. Through all of this, Doctor Felicity watches impassively, sitting in a comfortable looking chair that is completely incongrouos with the forested landscape around them. After a short time, she stands. "I fear that this is all the time we have for today," she says, "I expect we shall try a longer session in the future." There is a blink, and the company finds themselves once more in the chairs on the creator ship. How remarkable!
