Paranoia: My Name is Troubleshooter

[BlueBard]

"I think we best proceed with our mission, then, Friend ArrMatee," Spyd-R calls out.  "Recovering the blocky-thingy will probably be easier if the sector has power."

You nod at the wisdom of your Team Leader - then realize he can't see you agree.  You call out an affirmative response, then retreat to the ladder.  You still have the creepy feeling you're being watched, but you don't see any eyeballs staring at you out of the muck.

You ascend the ladder.  Do you keep the rubber suit on, or put it back where you found it?

[Viking]

ArrMatee still has his lingering fear of the Vat Room, and a deep desire to get out of it as fast as possible.  Plus, the rubber suit provided useful traction on the slippery surfaces.  He'll keep wearing it until he gets to the exit, and then remove it.

[BlueBard]

ArrMatee cautiously makes his way across the catwalk, passing next to one of the vats.

{Schlopp-Gopp-Blorp!} the vat burbles, startling you.  Your exit gets considerably faster and less cautious at that point.  You burst through the opposite door, greatly relieved to be out of the vat room.

Then you notice that Blo-R and Numb-R have their laser rifles pointed at you and they look nervous.

"Just a precaution," Spyd-R assures you, noting your alarmed glances at the laser rifles.

[Viking]

"Huff... huff.... huff... understood..." responds ArrMatee, breathing heavily.  "I'm feeling a lot better now that I'm out of there, anyway.  Okay if I leave the protective rubber suit behind?  Or do you foresee a need for me to keep it, Team Leader?"

[BlueBard]

"Oh, you can probably take it off and leave it.  Carefully.  I wouldn't make any sudden moves until Blo and Numb are satisfied you're really you.  Personally, I think you're okay."

"How do we know the invisible Vat Monsters haven't followed him out?" Blo-R asks suspiciously.

"I don't think so," Spyd-R replies.  "We'd smell them."

"Ohhhh..." the two Troubleshooters respond in dawning comprehension, relaxing somewhat.

[Viking]

"Good point, Team Leader," responds ArrMatee.  "I'll be taking off this protective rubber suit now.  Slowly, as per your recommendations."

ArrMatee makes sure to make no sudden moves as he does so.

[BlueBard]

"Great," grumbles Elec-O in exasperation.  "Now can we please continue so I can complete MY assignment?"

"Certainly," smiles Spyd-R.  "Where do we go from here?"

"Ze circuit ve vant should be just down zis hall," replies the toolbot.

"Fine!" Spyd-R beams.  "Lead on, toolbot!  We'll be right behind you!"

Spyd-R whispers to ArrMatee in an aside, "Good thing we still have a bot for drawing any hostile fire..."

[Viking]

ArrMatee merely raises a finger to his lips to Spyd in a cautionary "hush-hush" gesture, and proceeds with the rest of the team.

[BlueBard]

The toolbot stops in front of a door.

"Zis is de place," it informs you.

You all stare at the identifying placard on the wall next to the door.

DTH Sector Confession, Interrogation and Termination Center
Traitors Welcome!

[Viking]

"Well, if I understand proper Troubleshooting procedure," reasons ArrMatee, "I already took point on investigating the Vat Room, Citizen Blo took the courageous first step of entering the corridor leading to the cafeteria, and the Team Leader's job is always to maintain the commanding view so as to supervise, so that would leave Citizen Numb as the next logical candidate to knock on the door and scout ahead!"

[BlueBard]

"M-me?" Numb squeals.

"It's only fair," Spyd-R replies.  "Go on, you can do it!  It'll be fun!"

Numb-R nervously shuffles over to the door.  It opens automatically from within.

Beyond, you see a dark room illuminated only by the lights carried by the team.  Tall booths are lined up in rows.  On either side of the door, a secbot looms menacingly.  From somewhere in the darkness you hear a soft male voice.

"Enter of your own free will."

[Viking]

"See?  Nothing to worry about," urges ArrMatee gently.  "Just go on in and explain our need for access to a panel to restore power to this Sector."

On the sly, ArrMatee wants to cautiously open his Empathy ability to sense motivations from within. 

[BlueBard]

ArrMatee senses one human being inside.  This person is calm, serene, and feels great pity directed at your team.  There is no hint of hostility.

Numb-R gingerly shuffles into the room.  Immediately one of the secbots reaches out, grabs him, and lifts him off the floor by the front of his jumper.

[Viking]

"Don't be scared!" calls out ArrMatee helpfully.  "We're all behind you for moral support, Citizen Numb!  Just take a deep breath, focus, and say what you need to say!  It'll all be okay!"

[BlueBard]

The secbot forcibly strips Numb-R of all visible weaponry, dropping it into a pile on the floor.  Then it drops Numb-R.

"Weaponry not permitted in the CITC, Citizen," it admonishes him.

"Rules are rules," the soft voice answers.  "Now what brings you here, Friend?"

"W-we, uh, came to --"

"Of course you did.  Guilt is a heavy burden, is it not?  But confession is good for the soul, Citizen.  Enter and be cleansed and all will be well."

"I-I didn't --"

"Tut, tut.  We're all sinners here.  Don't cling to your secret guilt.  There is freedom in truth.  Just tell the truth, Friend."

"We, uh-- the power is--"

"Yes, Friend!  I'm glad you see it that way!  There is power in truth!"

Numb-R turns and gives the team a pleading, helpless look.

[Viking]

ArrMatee flashes Numb a grin and a thumbs-up.  "I think he's warming up to you, Numb.  Just keep talking - you're doing great!"

[BlueBard]

"I can't take the pressure!" Numb-R shrieks.  He collapses on the floor in a sobbing heap -- a disgusting display of emotional excess.

A figure moves forward from darkness into shadow.  He's dressed in some sort of robe and tall hat, but you can't make out more than that in the poor lighting.

"There, there," he says soothingly to Numb-R.  "I understand.  It's difficult to bear, isn't it?  You've come to the right place.  I can help relieve you of your worries."  He helps Numb-R to his feet, then glances toward the team.

"I'll be right back to help the next person in line, excuse me."  He then begins to lead Numb-R back into the darkness.

[Viking]

ArrMatee applauds enthusiastically.  "That was amazing!  I feel inspired just watching you work, Friend Citizen!  Beta Complex is surely better off for your hard and tireless efforts."

He looks briefly to the rest of his team.  "Well, we've already learned that we can't carry weapons into that room.  That's useful intel, already.  My commendation to Citizen Numb for discovering that for us.  Of course, he also seems to be treasonously unhappy, which is unfortunate.  Good thing he's in the right place for treatment!"

Of course, ArrMatee is enough of a realist to recognize that he'll have to enter that room, so he's already seeing if he can hand off his obvious weapons (grenades and laser cartridges) to the Toolbot for carrying, or to be carefully deposited on the floor if not.

"Excuse me, valued Toolbot," he will inquire.  "Does your carrying capacity allow you to temporarily take custody of these items?"

[BlueBard]

Elec-O interrupts.  "No way.  I need the toolbot to stay with me and help me."

Spyd-R smiles.  "That's fine, Friend.  No need to worry.  We'll get along.  Let's just see what happens."

A few minutes pass.  Then the robed figure appears at the edge of the shadows.

"May I help the next troubled soul?" he says.

Spyd-R turns to ArrMatee-R.  "Friend ArrMatee, you've shown a tremendous degree of ability in handling difficult negotiations.  I'm confident that you can explain our mission to our new friend, here.  In fact, I'm seriously considering putting you in for a commendation.  You can just leave your weapons here and Blo-R and I will keep an eye on them."

[Viking]

"Sure thing, Team Leader!  Naturally, my debriefing report will also include a full accounting of your brilliant leadership qualities." answers ArrMatee, with the cheerfulness belonging only to those who already know that they're totally screwed and there's no use fighting it.

Of course, when it comes to disarming himself, this raises the question of what the Secbots didn't strip off of Numb.  Anything that resembles stuff that was pulled from Numb obviously gets handed off to Spyd and Blo.  (Which, sadly, probably includes the Demoralizer Ray.  But best to check.)

He approaches, but does not yet cross, the threshold to the CITC.  "I will be entering shortly, Friend Citizen, but wish to optimize efficiency by minimizing the amount of time I spend unpacking and repacking valuable Team Equipment," he explains.

He addressed the visible secbots within.  "Most powerful and valued Secbots, do your sensors detect any equipment of mine that you recommend removing before I enter?  I would not wish to subject your motor processors to unnecessary disarmament procedures."

[BlueBard]

The robed figure answers.  "Commendable.  Bearing in mind my own desire for efficiency, please be quick about it."

The secbot on the left replies only with, "Remove all weapons upon entry.  No exceptions."

The secbots stripped Numb-R of anything visible that even looked like a weapon.  So of course all of his grenades plus his laser rifle.  He didn't really have anything else.  They did not try to empty his pouch, his pack, or his pockets.

And yes, the Demoralizer Ray falls into the 'resembles a weapon' category.

You tell me what you leave with Spyd-R.  If you need a refresher as to what you're carrying, I'll try to dig that up.  (Don't have it at my fingertips right at the moment)

[Viking]

ArrMatee hands off the Demoralizer Ray to Spyd, along with the aforementioned grenades and laser cartridges.  If the Electroshock Gauntlets are too bulky to keep in something like a pocket or pack, then he'll hand those off to Spyd as well.  That should account for anything that ArrMatee has that is actually meant to be used as a weapon.

He'd like to keep things like the heavy aluminum rolling pin, the crowbar, and his rolls of duct tape - those are tools, after all.

Once his items are thus redestributed and/or repositioned, he will cross the threshold with his arms outstretched in a non-threatening manner.  If a SecBot picks him up and removes a piece of equipment, ArrMatee will chime in with, "Gosh, you can use that as a weapon?  I never realized!"

[BlueBard]

How are you carrying the rolling pin and the crowbar if your arms are outstretched?  Are they in your hands?

[Viking]

Duct tape will secure them to my back.  It's marvelous stuff.  I'll make sure to ask my teammates for assistance in using some strips of duct tape to keep it secured  to my backside.

[BlueBard]

"Duct tape!  Neat!" Blo-R cries happily.  He is eager to help you duct tape the rolling pin and crowbar to your body.

Thus prepared, you walk into the room.

"What are those?" the secbot on the right asks, pointing to the stuff on your back.

[Viking]

"Tools, most powerful and valued Secbot," responds ArrMatee.  "And comforting philosophical reminders of how life in Beta Complex gets better every day-cycle!"

"The humble rolling pin - a reminder of my own humble beginnings as an Infrared clone in Cafeteria services.  Now, I am a Red-clearance Troubleshooter, yet I do not forget that from whence I came!  And, of course, the crowbar - that marvelous tool by which crates at PLC are opened so that life-enhancing goods may be distributed for the betterment of Troubleshooting teams all through Beta Complex.  These humble tools serve as my moral fortitude, that I may better serve the Computer with a smile each day-cycle!"

[BlueBard]

The secbot's photoreceptors blink off and on a couple of times.

"Pass."

You draw closer to the robed male.  He squints at the light of your flashlight.

"I'll understand your desire for light, but please point it away from my face.  My eyes are rather sensitive."

You note that his robes are an Indigo color, but he wears the yellow stripe of a mutant.

[Viking]

"I understand completely, Friend Citizen.  My eyes also have a sensitivity to bright light, so I know that of which you speak."

ArrMatee will make sure to divert the flashlight beam respectfully to the side.

[BlueBard]

"Now then," the robed Indigo Citizen says to ArrMatee, "tell me what burdens your conscience, Friend."

[Viking]

ArrMatee has learned one key truth in dealing with the assorted Citizens of Beta Complex.  You just can't make progress with them unless you tell them something that they want to hear.  And if Numb's performance was any example, the Indigo-clearance Citizen won't listen to anything that's not phrased as part of a confession.

ArrMatee sighs wistfully.  "Friend Citizen," he explains, "I worry that sometimes I put my own fears and concerns ahead of the good of my Team's Mission."

If he manages to get that far without the Indigo Citizen interrupting him, he'll continue:

"In fact, I fear that I'm doing that right now by indulging my need to confess instead of explaining my Team's Very Important Mission to you.  And I am ashamed of my selfishness."