Paranoia: My Name is Troubleshooter

[Viking]

"Arrrr!  Who goes there?" he calls out.

[spoiler]He'll put his equipment away while it is still dark.[/spoiler]

[BlueBard]

ArrMatee:

"Do you have a light, Citizen?  I thought I saw a light just now." the voice says, with a note of desperation.

[Spam]

[spoiler]I'll call out to Spyd-R once again, since the first time I think he might have been suspicious. I'll yelp "Spyd-R! Can you get over here and give me something? I think my happiness is failing in this very dark time of need. Please, as a team mate..." Hopefully that'll get him.[/spoiler]

[Viking]

ArrMatee pulls out his hottorch and turns it on briefly, to get a look at this random passerby.

[BlueBard]

ArrMatee pulls out his hottorch and turns it on briefly, to get a look at this random passerby.

ArrMatee:

"Oh, Thank The Computer!" says the Citizen as your hottorch lights.  He appears to be wearing a Green jumpsuit, though it's difficult to make out colors in the poor lighting.  "I've been stumbling around in the dark!"

[BlueBard]

Meanwhile, back in the corridor:

"Spyd-R!" cries Spam-R, "Can you get over here and give me something? I think my happiness is failing in this very dark time of need. Please, as a team mate..."

"Quit fooling around, you nitwits!" Shoot-O snaps.  "We've got to get out of here!  And find some light!  Any ideas?"

[Viking]

ArrMatee is quite surprised by this turn of events.  A Green Clearance citizen?  Who is not immediately acting arrogant and superior?  Wow!

"A pleasure to assist ye, Citizen," he offers helpfully.  "Though I'm not too sure how much power this hottorch has, so we should conserve it.  Might ye be here t' do something about this power problem?  If so, I'd be happy t' lend ye a hand!"

[BlueBard]

ArrMatee is quite surprised by this turn of events.  A Green Clearance citizen?  Who is not immediately acting arrogant and superior?  Wow!

"A pleasure to assist ye, Citizen," he offers helpfully.  "Though I'm not too sure how much power this hottorch has, so we should conserve it.  Might ye be here t' do something about this power problem?  If so, I'd be happy t' lend ye a hand!"

"Oh, no," the Green level Citizen replies.  "I don't know anything about a power problem.  I was just on my way to inspect for cleanliness when everything went dark.  I really don't like the dark... who knows what kind of filth it might hide?  Can you leave the torch on for a little while?  Just till we find another light?"

The fact that he's wearing HPD&MC insignia, isn't carrying any weapons, and seems to have an irrational fear of darkness might explain his attitude.

[gdaybloke]

Spyd bellows "Computer! Lights please!"

[BlueBard]

"No power, no lights, and no communication with The Computer!" Shoot-O snaps.

There is a pause.

"Maybe we can force open the door to the stairwell," he muses.  "With no power, the magnetic seal should be broken."

[gdaybloke]

Spyd says "Great idea! Computer! Please direct us to the stairwell door!"

[BlueBard]

Spyd says "Great idea! Computer! Please direct us to the stairwell door!"

There is a pause.

"What part of 'no power' are you not comprehending, Troubleshooter?" Shoot-O asks irritably.

"AAAHHH!" screeches a voice you assume to be that of the Infrared.  "We can't receive wisdom and instruction from The Computer!  We're doomed!"

There is a sharp 'THWACK!' and the voice falls silent.

"Everybody!  Try to find that stairwell door!" Shoot-O orders.

(Is anyone NOT looking?)

[gdaybloke]

Spyd stands still for fear of bumping into something pointy or shooty, and looks around him.

"Having trouble locating the door, sir. I can report that I've successfully found the floor!"

[Viking]

GM:
[spoiler]
ArrMatee ponders the situation.

"Why don't we do this?" he suggests to the Green-clearance citizen.  "When the lights went out, I was waiting for my Troubleshooting team to return with water.  But they've been gone a while, and the lack of lights will only slow them further, I imagine."

"The stairwell leading up is blocked at the moment - that's why we needed the water.  So I can't go up after my Troubleshooting team in search of water.  But if you knew of a nearby source of water on this level, we could go get some to help unblock that stairwell.  And I could keep this hottorch going as a source of light while we did that together.  What say ye to that?"
[/spoiler]

[BlueBard]

ArrMatee:

The Citizen replies, "Ah, well, I... I'm not sure I know where there is any water.  I'm not from this sector.  But maybe... somewhere that way?" he suggests tentatively as he points to the door at the bottom of the stairwell.

Obviously, the Peter Principle is alive and well in Beta Complex.

[BlueBard]

ArrMatee:

[spoiler]You get a closer look at the Citizen's jumpsuit and notice that there is a Yellow stripe indicating that he is a Registered Mutant.[/spoiler]

[Viking]

GM:
[spoiler]
ArrMatee sighs, trying not to let his disappointment show.

"Well Citizen, as long as yer a Registered Mutant, d'ye mind tellin' me what yer Mutation be?  On the off chance that it could help us find another light, y'see."
[/spoiler]

[BlueBard]

GM:
[spoiler]
ArrMatee sighs, trying not to let his disappointment show.

"Well Citizen, as long as yer a Registered Mutant, d'ye mind tellin' me what yer Mutation be?  On the off chance that it could help us find another light, y'see."
[/spoiler]

ArrMatee:
[spoiler]
The Citizen appears to be indignant.

"Oh sure!  Throw -that- in my face, as if I don't have enough to deal with!  You want to know my mutation--?"

The hottorch rips itself out of your hands and flies into the Citizen's hands.

"Satisfied?"
[/spoiler]

[Viking]

GM:
[spoiler]
This being a Paranoia game, it occurs to ArrMatee that the hottorch being in the Green citizen's hands could be a disadvantage - especially if the Green citizen decides to keep it.

"Quite satisfied, Citizen!" he responds cheerfully.  "Now I won't have to ask you again in the presence of other Citizens, which might otherwise lead to unhappiness.  Would you like for me to hold the hottorch for you so that you may proceed with your cleanliness inspection?"
[/spoiler]

[BlueBard]

ArrMatee:

[spoiler]
"I'm commandeering this equipment for... official business on behalf of The Computer," the Citizen replies.  "I'm inspecting this stairwell, per my orders.  You may have it back when I'm done, and then you may lead me out of here."

He turns a little and sees the tangle of deactivated scrubbots at the base of the stairs.  "Oh my," he says.  Then he sees the words burned into the wall: 'BLO-IR-UPP SEZ DETH'.

"Well, this wall definitely needs repainting," he comments.
[/spoiler]

[BlueBard]

"A-HA!" Shoot-O crows.  "I've found it!  Everyone get over here and help me pry this open!"

[gdaybloke]

"Coming, sir, while simultaneously ensuring minimal damage to Computer property!"

[spoiler]Spyd drops to the floor and starts shimmying towards the sound of Shoot-O's voice[/spoiler]

[Spam]

[spoiler]PM sent[/spoiler]

[Panther_Gunn]

"Proceeding at once, Citizen Shoot-O!"

[spoiler]PM on it's way[/spoiler]

[The Phantom Eyebrow]

"At last, a voice ringing through the chaos and giving us instruction in these trying times.  On my way at once sir!"

[spoiler]PM on it's way[/spoiler]

[BlueBard]

Someone starts singing in a trembling, squeaky voice.  You can't make out the words.

Spam-R:
[spoiler]Yeah, it's you.[/spoiler]

[BlueBard]

Blo-R:

[spoiler]You make your way over to the opposite wall and feel your way over towards the door.  Your foot bumps into some obstruction on the floor and you stop.  Shortly thereafter, you are bumped from behind.
[/spoiler]

Numb-R:

[spoiler]You make your way over to the opposite wall and feel your way over towards the door.  You suddenly bump into someone.[/spoiler]

Spyd-R:

[spoiler]You successfully make your way over to the door where Shoot-O is without bumping into anything.[/spoiler]

[The Phantom Eyebrow]

Numb-R:

[spoiler]You make your way over to the opposite wall and feel your way over towards the door.  You suddenly bump into someone.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Eep! 

Can I tell whether I've bumped into someone at the door or on route to it?  I'll have a quick check to see if this someone is actively working on opening the door as part of a team of door-openers.  Otherwise I'll leave them to it in splendid unitary isolation and try to continue my way over to the door.[/spoiler]

[BlueBard]

(We control the horizontal, We control the vertical, We're moving things along...)

"Watch it!" Blo-R growls.  "Sorry," Numb-R says.

"Hurry up!" Shoot-O shouts.  "If you clones don't shape up, I'm going to terminate you with my bare hands!"

Blo-R and Numb-R make it to the door.  The awful singing continues in the background.

"Roll call!" Shoot-O barks.  "Call out your name, so I know where you are!"

"Spyd-R, here, Team Leader!" "Blo-R, here!"  "Numb-R, uh, present!"

"Spam-R!  Quit that infernal singing and get over here, or I'll leave you alone in the dark!"

"Coming, Shoot-O!" Spam-R shouts in alarm.

"Okay, now help me with this door!  We need to get it open and get back into the stairwell!"

(We now return you to your normal state of dysfunction...)

[gdaybloke]

(in an authoritative voice)
"Citizen Numb-R! Citizen Blo-R! Help Citizen Shoot-O while I corral Citizen Spam-R!"

pauses...

"Citizen Spam-R, get yer skinny butt over here before I have you terminated for slovenliness!"