P:AE Group 2, Team Z83

Appearance: Natural

"The Hive..." Lakaida sighed. Her parents had told her about it, speaking of it in whispers as an evil thing that they had saved her from. "Unfortunately, I don't know much either. About the most I can say is that when more than so many changelings are in the same place long enough, they form a sort of group connection - called a hive. Back on the home planet, the vast majority of Changelings are generally in the about the same place, and are called The Hive - capital T, capital H. As far as I know, it was the only Hive - it was generally believed to be a spell maintained by the Queen. But, I've never experienced it firsthoof. And my parents said leaving The Hive was fairly traumatizing, apparently by design; they didn't like to talk about actually being in it. So I really don't know."

Streetsmarts:

Flairvoyant happily updated the stallion, "Upper floors it seems.  Let's head that way and I'll try detecting her again when we're closer."

OOC:

Coral thinks for a moment. "So if all the changelings on board are forming their own new hive, does that mean that one of you are going to become the queen, or can hives go without a queen?"

Appearance: Natural

The changeling shrugged in response. "I don't really know," she said. "I suppose if it happened once, it could happen again."

OOC:

Flairvoyant + Stallion : Search for Ardor

"Thank you again for your help."  the stallion nods towards Flairvoyant before you both take the lift to the floor that the filly is on.  After locating her again- still on the same floor, you dash down the hall in the correct direction.  She turns around and spots you almost immediately as she comes into sight.  She hesitates a moment before taking off again- likely surprised you caught up to her so quickly.

(Athletics, or other approach to catch the runaway filly)


Dr. Salves Office
"Ms. Lakaida knows at least as much as I,
I can tell you no more what is happening, how, or why."
"Whether any will become a queen,
remains to be seen."
"Though it does not appear,
that we yet have royalty here."

Dr. Salve pulls up a couple images of the only known Changeling Queen: Chrysalis of The Hive, along with a few images of common changelings:  of which Lakaida seems to fall clearly in the second category.  

Spoiler:

Deck R Archives
"Hmm, funny you should ask, looks like there were some anomalies near the cargo bay computer as it turns out.  And some other odd readings I can't make sense of from up here.

Didn't want to startle the filly so she maintained a light jog instead of a full sprint and tried to coax her back. "Please come back, Ardor.  This isn't a place to get lost in." However, having difficulty forming the right words, Flairvoyant teleported in front of the filly to try to dissuade her from running.

OOC:

Appearance: Natural

Lakaida considered the information momentarily before speaking.

"Ruby? Didn't Lithitis come along? See if you can get a hold of him," she asked her assistant.

Tech:

Flairvoyant
The filly's wings hum furiously to slow down her flight down the hall as you teleport in front of her, until she is hovering evenly, looking to fly the other way.  

"I'm not lost.  I can go back to my room whenever I want to." she says defiantly.

"Hey...I don't know you" she says, sounding surprised.  She thinks for a second.  "Why did Re...reeg...   Ree-gent!" she seemed to struggle with the name.  "get you to help?"  She ponders for a moment.  "He always says not to talk to strangers."

Gearick
"Well, I've already checked from my end and apparently that computer was accessed without being turned on, same as in archives.  I'm more interested in getting more data on these anomalies.  And make sure none of the cargo's been tampered with."

You make it to the cargo bay.  You are definitely picking up similar magic readings to the other anomaly you were investigating.  Cargo records show that all the cargo is where it should be, sealed and packed properly.  However, after the first anomaly detected by the scanners (just before the ship departed), the mass of the cargo bay was increased by a tiny amount, and then increased again slightly by the second (right as the ship was departing.).  The mass of the cargo bay again decreased after arrival, and a third anomaly.  It then decreased again, back to its original mass...

...as somepony left the cargo bay just after arrival.  

(Arcana to analyze the magic.  Any other checks to figure out anything else)


Dr. Salve's Office
Ruby locates Lithitis's file, and manages to put in a call to his room.  Luckily, he seems to be there- it looks like he had been resting when you had called.

"Oh my head... who's calling me?" the screen comes into focus.  "Ah, Lakaida m'dear!  To what do I owe the pleasure?" he grimaces.  "Not that there seems to be much pleasure going around, between the two of us." he says, noticing your location.  "I swear the ship's designers are out to get us: first we're not compatible with the pods, now these headaches: What, are the lights incompatible too? Or the colours?"

You're pretty sure Lithitis isn't being serious- he always did like complaining, and placing blame on ridiculous sources.

Appearance: Natural

Lakaida tried not to simply bubble over in excitement; it still hurt a little too much. "I know! It's been really rough for me too," she said sympathetically. "Actually, the headaches are what I called about... As you seem to have gathered, I was just speaking to Doctor Salve about them, and... Well, is there any chance we could meet up face to face? I've been wanting to come visit anyways, and it would be easier to discuss in person, I think. Or at least a Conference Room instead of Ruby's projector."

Persuasion and OOC:

Flairvoyant simply nods in agreement. "Yes, you should be careful who you talk to. He asked for my help since I'm good at finding things. You might not be lost but he would be if he couldn't find you on this big ship. Is that what you want?"

Coral scratches the back of her head. "Well, unless you think you'll need my help again for something, I'm off to the swimming pool. It's been what, 40 years since I last took a good swim?" With that, she starts making her way out of the infirmary to the nearest pool.

Flairvoyant

"I'da let him find me eventually.  He shouldn't worry so much, I just wanted to get away and have a little fun.  I wish Mother had been able to come, so she could order him to not be so bossy."

But she seems to relent, and her wings start humming less furiously as she floats to the ground, folding them again against her back as her hooves lightly touch down on the floor, just as her guardian catches up to you, looking more relieved than you'd expect that you've found her- as he said before, this was nothing to what could happen if she went missing planetside.  

"Thank you""

"We must go now, Ardor.  We have preparations to make.""

They head back for the lifts- and signal for one to take them in the opposite direction of where you had started.  The unicorn seems to consider something (he seems to always be considering something) before confiding to you as the doors close,

"You should go back to your friends now and make preparations of your own- we may be landing sooner than you would think."

(Feel free to meet back up with Coral as she heads back to the pool)

Gearick
As you would suspect, much of the anomalies are similar to the ones you had noticed earlier.  You're getting pretty good at identifying their signature.  Comparing the information from your scanner, as well as the cargo bay scanner records (as the anomalies at takeoff are nowhere near fresh enough to register on your hoof-held scanner, as they happened some 40ish years ago), you find that the first anomaly has nothing in common with the others.  It had apparently deposited a pony-sized mass- though is unlike any teleportation magic you've ever encountered or heard of.  The second anomaly at takeoff does seem to be teleportation, an is the now-familiar chaotic signature.  Then the chaotic magic again- some sort of transfigurative magic, and the mass increases.  Then nothing for 40 years.  Then transfigurative magic, and the mass decreases again.  And then the accessing of the computer when it wasn't on.  

Coral/Lakaida
Coral heads out to the pool (possibly running into Flairvoyant on the way)

"Sure, I'd love a visit!  Talking in person's better.  It's more, well, personal!  Come on down.  Or up.  Not that directions matter much when you're in space.  Fake gravity's sure not fooling me.  Anyways, I'd be happy to discuss whatever's on your mind!  See you soon!"  He sends Ruby directions to his room.

Appearance: Natural

"Wonderful!" Lakaida exclaimed. "I'll be over this... Evening? Yes, that's right. And I may be bringing friends, it remains to be seen. Don't tell me no, it's too late she'sgettingawaygoodbye!" Ruby took the cue as she darted off, wings buzzing to pick up speed as she tried to catch up with Coral. "Wait for meeeeeee!"

Flairvoyant thought for a minute. "That sounds nice but how is Lakida doing?"

Appearance: Natural

"Yes! Much better!" Lakaida said as she caught up. "And we - yes, I mean we, not Ruby and I - are going to visit Lithitus later. No buts! I insist," she told her new found friends, leaning in towards Flamboyant ominously at the word "insist".

"But not yet! I think somepony here mentioned going swimming? What are we waiting for?" She leaned in the same way towards Coral. An observant pony would notice that she really shouldn't be able to lean that far forward...

Appearance: Flairvoyant

"Why - he's a director!" Lakaida declared, shifting into the pilot's form on a whim. "I absolutely loved his films when I was a filly - he was acting then too, I loved his role as Steel Turner in Ponies of the Caribbean. I always wanted to be in a film with him, and now we've done quite a few together! He directed the Batmare Trilogy I was in, don'cha know. Anyways, he may have an idea as to why I was having problems earlier. Oh, by the way, we saw Doctor Salve and - wait, no, not here. In the office it was okay, but we may be under surveillance here. Ruby? Can you find out please?"

"Of course."

Checks!:

The three of you make it down to the nearest pool.  It's not large- pretty average in size, a few lanes plus a deep end and a shallow area, though still given plenty of room considering you're on a spacecraft.  Part of the justification for the several pools on-board aside from the needs of aquatic races, are as a reserve source of emergency drinking water- able to be filtered and dispensed if needed.

There's no one else at the pool at this time.

"Not detecting any active surveillance- just standard monitoring of computer activity and room use."  Ruby indicates the familiar ID-swipe machine at the room's entrance.  "There is a safety protocol that monitors life-signs in the pool- a computerized "lifeguard" you might say."


-----

Gearick recieves a short reply from Spellbind.

"Analyzing now, will be working on for some time.  Your conclusions seem valid.  Thank you for your assistance."