Boston Theoretical PbP

Game Master Tarren Dei

”That’s what the meeting with Greer’s about. Who says working with those asshoIes is the only way to get a space ship?”

"Why don't you just steal the spaceship?" asks Phade.

Pah suddenly stands up and says, "I'm going to see if they have any of that 'sushi' in the cafeteria." and walks out.

"Like, tell the congressman you agree to do this," Phade continues "And then just take it and go. What are they going to do?"

Nissa turns to Phade. ”I’ve got a good poker face. I string people along to keep them talking, but… to outright lie and steal, that will destroy the reputation I’ve built. I would never be trusted again, which is too great a cost, even for a space ship.

“I wouldn’t trade my credibility for all the money in the multiverse.”

She excuses herself to follow Pah.

”Pah… I hope you know stealing a ship is not an option.”

"Like, tell the congressman you agree to do this," Phade continues "And then just take it and go. What are they going to do?"

Nissa turns to Phade. ”I’ve got a good poker face. I string people along to keep them talking, but… to outright lie and steal, that will destroy the reputation I’ve built. I would never be trusted again, which is too great a cost, even for a space ship.

“I wouldn’t trade my credibility for all the money in the multiverse.”

"Then we'd become super-villains, wanted by the federal government. Now many of the great Heroes of Myth might have a to steal some things to be ultimately victorious. But I'm not going down the Animal-Boy-and-Plant-Girl route. We're fu<king Heroes. We ACT like fu<king Heroes!" Theo said sternly. Intimidate: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Nissa turns to Phade. ”I’ve got a good poker face. I string people along to keep them talking, but… to outright lie and steal, that will destroy the reputation I’ve built. I would never be trusted again, which is too great a cost, even for a space ship.

“I wouldn’t trade my credibility for all the money in the multiverse.”

She excuses herself to follow Pah.

”Pah… I hope you know stealing a ship is not an option.”

"Oh, my friend, Atlantis is to be paid upon delivery. Consider any hypothetical scenarios you wish," says Pah. "But, if you do find yourself playing the role of transdimensional superheroes, on the run from your home dimension, I do know of a world in trouble. Go back to your meeting. The chef has agreed to prepare a raw fish platter for me WITH SQUID!"

Charles waves to Pah with one hand as he leaves. Once he's gone, they say, "I'd say we take the computer, take the ship, and go to a different world. We'll keep an eye on the timeline, like they want..."

"...but also on them."

Theo covers his eyes with both hands, leaning on the table. "Dammit! Why is the chimera 'making sense'?!!"

Matter-if-factly, ”They have an advantage. They can wholeheartedly argue three viewpoints at once and wear you down.”

Back at the meeting, Nissa is definitely having some mixed feelings. The part about existing outside of the timeline while in a relationship scares the hell out of her, but…

”Maybe we can make a more informed after talking to Alt Greer,” she suggests.

She definitely doesn’t want to be stuck in the Shuffle, but her ability to survive in a vacuum and nourish her body with her own solar power makes her the least at-risk when it comes to life in space. She could bear the wand and save the crew if there’s a hull breach.

Stupid logic!

But what does this mean for her and L.C.?

Charles grins at Theo. "If two heads are better, wouldn't three be best?"

"I'll admit, now that I've... well, now that all this really feels like *me*, there are advantages to all this," they add, waving at themself. "So, what do we tell them? I don't know if they'll want to wait long enough for us to make a trip off-world before we decide."

L.C. looks troubled. She addresses the group, but she glances at Nissa: "Whatever you decide, we will make it work."

Nissa asks L.C. if they can take a little walk.

"I just got here. I don't know the history of what you have done or had to deal with, but I said I'd help and help I will. I will follow whatever direction you choose." He looks at George, "Vous venez de recevoir une vie incroyable. Vous ne seriez pas blâmé si vous ne vouliez pas vous mêler à ces gens avant même de commencer à vivre. Cependant, vous pourriez avoir du mal à être accepté par la personne moyenne - cet endroit, je pense, vous traitera bien."

It's quite obvious that Henri sees a bit of a kindred spirit in the winged primate and wants both the best for him and for him to accompany the crew. He's torn - and will accept the GM's decision, I mean, George's decision on what he wants to do.

"I believe we've made our position clear." "Take the deal, but on our terms. We watch the timeline, but we do it while we're working with the other worlds to protect all of us."

Nissa asks L.C. if they can take a little walk.

** spoiler omitted **

L.C. is willing to go with a walk after the meeting or text to Nissa during it. If asked about living in the Shuffle, she says she knows nothing about it. She says that you know more about the Shuffle than she does and that Pah probably knows the most. Then she laughs and says, We should run away to Tarokh. How's the food there? Or, maybe a world stuck in the 1980s that you seem to love so much. Or a fictional sub-universe where we can be background characters. hahahha"

"I just got here. I don't know the history of what you have done or had to deal with, but I said I'd help and help I will. I will follow whatever direction you choose." He looks at George, "Vous venez de recevoir une vie incroyable. Vous ne seriez pas blâmé si vous ne vouliez pas vous mêler à ces gens avant même de commencer à vivre. Cependant, vous pourriez avoir du mal à être accepté par la personne moyenne - cet endroit, je pense, vous traitera bien."

** spoiler omitted **

It's quite obvious that Henri sees a bit of a kindred spirit in the winged primate and wants both the best for him and for him to accompany the crew. He's torn - and will accept the GM's decision, I mean, George's decision on what he wants to do.

George speaks English in reply so the others can follow, "Well guys, I'm in for any plan that involves sticking it to the sociopathic motherf#%~ers that created me and killed my brood mates!"

"YES!" Theo vehemently agrees. "What the primate said!" The godling gives a little clap.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23

Charles feels they've advocated for the most sensible position, and yet... something still bothers them. As much as they hate to agree with the idea, they have to admit it's true there's a need to have someone watching for dangerous alterations of the timeline, and they'd not really trust much of anyone else to do it. And doing it while helping other worlds kept them from being idle and meant they'd be helping others, which they still wanted to do. A stronger alliance between worlds was also a good idea.

But... were they giving up the ability to change their *own* world for the better by doing so? And were they giving up hunting for PhDestruction?

They stop on this thought. They'd been so angry with the mad scientist in the 'Soup Factory', so how were they now giving up on PhDestruction so easily? Had the madman actually affected their thoughts? Well... given what they knew now, that was kind of a foolish question. Of *course* PhDestruction had affected their thinking, he'd *made* them from their parts. The real question was if he'd intentionally built certain thoughts into their minds or if he'd simply 'made it work' in the way mad scientists were wont to do.

...And that was really one reason they couldn't forgive the mad doctor for what he'd done. Sure, they'd come to appreciate their body... having three minds, being large and strong, and growing in strength from the strengths of their enemies, even being able to change forms when appropriate... but they could never quite *trust themself*. There was always this nagging little fear that they were, in the end, manufactured to fulfill PhDestruction's unknown purposes, and that all else they had become would end up serving him.

How could they forgive the one who did that to them?

And their own understanding of who they were simply added to that. After all... they were not Charles Wilde. They understood that now, accepted it. Charles, and all the other creatures torn apart and reassembled to make them, had been murdered, had died to become parts of what they now were. That Charles's mind had given them so much of their own minds did not make them Charles, it merely meant they owed him the greatest debt. Perhaps if Charles had willingly sacrificed himself to give them this, they would have had less hatred for the one who had done this, but as it was... he had been forcefully violated in every way, to the deepest part of his very being, to make a person who had once believed themself the continuation of him.

They shift back to their true form from their bipedal form, stretching out their limbs and necks as they think.

But they were not the continuation of Charles. From the parts of others, they were a new being. And continuing to use the name of a murdered man was starting to feel wrong to them. They would have to find a new name. But now was not the time for such introspection, really. What were they to do about this? Caught between two needs, which was greater?

Well... how much ability would they retain to affect this world if they traveled others?

They decide to give voice to this thought. "We still think it's true we need to defend the timeline and ally with and aid other worlds... but we need to also think about what this means for our ability to help our own world." "How good of communication will we still have with our Earth if we're on other worlds? Is there a way we can keep in touch and come back from time to time?"

Scarlett winces and then looks apologetically at Charles. "You seem stressed, Charles. We should talk later."

"Why not now," says L.C. She looks around the table and says, "I think we all need time to think. I'll postpone them a bit. At some point though, they're going to move on to whatever their plan B is and I don't know what that will mean for us."

Nissa says to that, ”Let’s not forget our meeting with Greer that we agreed to a few days ago. We should hear him out before we commit to anything.”

When alone with L.C., Nissa replies to her, ”I would run away with you if the only other option was to run away from you.

“Seriously… why does the Satellite O’ Love need a crew when it has a Cambot, Gypsy, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot? Doesn’t it seem way off that, in addition to the shady stuff, the government is sending the best superheroes in Massachusetts into space?”

Charles starts, their heads swiveling to look at Scarlett.

"...I think that would be good," he states after a moment. "There are certainly some things it would help to talk about, that you would be particularly... apt to listen to."

They trot towards the door, thinking of where would be good for a quiet conversation.

As everyone leaves the conference room to consider their futures, Theo is still sitting at the table, looking off into space in deep thought.

Nissa says to that, ”Let’s not forget our meeting with Greer that we agreed to a few days ago. We should hear him out before we commit to anything.”

When alone with L.C., Nissa replies to her, ”I would run away with you if the only other option was to run away from you.

“My powers are perfect for the Shuffle. But what about you? Would you come with us? Or could I keep coming to you night after night? Could an AI exist in the Shuffle and call to us?

“Seriously… why does the Satellite O’ Love need a crew when it has a Cambot, Gypsy, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot? Doesn’t it seem way off that, in addition to the shady stuff, the government is sending the best superheroes in Massachusetts into space?”

"I don't trust them either," says L.C. "But they will send someone out there if they can figure out how. Technically the Wand does belong to the government. They could make us outlaws. Which, I'd be fine with. I'm not even sure I like this job. With that Wand, we could go anywhere. I don't care, Nissa. You decide."

Charles starts, their heads swiveling to look at Scarlett.

"...I think that would be good," he states after a moment. "There are certainly some things it would help to talk about, that you would be particularly... apt to listen to."

They trot towards the door, thinking of where would be good for a quiet conversation.

Scarlett replies, "I try to shut other people's thoughts out, but it's like ignoring conversations you could listen to in a crowded restaurant. I got snippet of what is happening for you. How are you keeping it together?"

For quiet conversations, there are labs in the basement, there's the roof ... Charles has a room. There are empty cells ... There's an arboretum that's attached to one of the science researchers, but can be used by the public. He was researching the possibility that mushrooms and trees could open transdimensional portals through some kind of mycelial network that linked universes across the Shuffle. The idea now seems farfetched and, since the discovery of the Wand, pointless to spend money on.

Nissa, the Subatomic Bombshell wrote:

Nissa says to that, ”Let’s not forget our meeting with Greer that we agreed to a few days ago. We should hear him out before we commit to anything.”

When alone with L.C., Nissa replies to her, ”I would run away with you if the only other option was to run away from you.

“My powers are perfect for the Shuffle. But what about you? Would you come with us? Or could I keep coming to you night after night? Could an AI exist in the Shuffle and call to us?

“Seriously… why does the Satellite O’ Love need a crew when it has a Cambot, Gypsy, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot? Doesn’t it seem way off that, in addition to the shady stuff, the government is sending the best superheroes in Massachusetts into space?”

"I don't trust them either," says L.C. "But they will send someone out there if they can figure out how. Technically the Wand does belong to the government. They could make us outlaws. Which, I'd be fine with. I'm not even sure I like this job. With that Wand, we could go anywhere. I don't care, Nissa. You decide."

Nissa looks at L.C. like she did the first time she walked on her fingertip. (Only this time L.C. can see Nissa’s expression.)

Supermodel: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (13) + 16 = 29

”L.C…… that is so hot, I want to just because you said it, and how you said it.”

As everyone leaves the conference room to consider their futures, Theo is still sitting at the table, looking off into space in deep thought.

Dr. Harbringer's holographic head pops up. "Meeting's over? Great. ... So, you're 'The Godling', I surmise. And, you actually believe you are the offspring of ... Zeus? I'm curious, have you been examined by any doctors?"

Scarlett replies, "I try to shut other people's thoughts out, but it's like ignoring conversations you could listen to in a crowded restaurant. I got snippet of what is happening for you. How are you keeping it together?"

Charles leads the way to the arboretum, not consciously thinking of why. "It's... strange," he slowly replies. "There's some level of background terror but also we're feeling more... ourself?"

"Perhaps it would be better to describe what we feel has happened, yes? We've realized... well, that we are not the human who was called Charles Wilde." "There's a lot of him in us, sure, but... there's not a... continuity, I guess?" "Charles died." "And we were created by combining some of him with some of the rest of this." They wave a forepaw at their mismatched scales and fur.

A pause. "At least... that's what we *think*." "The frightening part is thinking that, if PhDestruction made our mind, is it truly our own? Or did he build something into us that shapes our thinking in ways he intended for his own purposes? Are the memories we have of being many different creatures true, or manufactured?"

"So we want to ask you." "If anyone could figure out if something like that is going on with us, it would be you. So... I guess this is permission to look?"

Dr. Harbringer's holographic head pops up. "Meeting's over? Great. ... So, you're 'The Godling', I surmise. And, you actually believe you are the offspring of ... Zeus? I'm curious, have you been examined by any doctors?"

Theo sits, twittling his thumbs in contemplation, when the Doctor makes his presence known.

Tarren the Dungeon Master wrote:

Scarlett replies, "I try to shut other people's thoughts out, but it's like ignoring conversations you could listen to in a crowded restaurant. I got snippet of what is happening for you. How are you keeping it together?"

Charles leads the way to the arboretum, not consciously thinking of why. "It's... strange," he slowly replies. "There's some level of background terror but also we're feeling more... ourself?"

"Perhaps it would be better to describe what we feel has happened, yes? We've realized... well, that we are not the human who was called Charles Wilde." "There's a lot of him in us, sure, but... there's not a... continuity, I guess?" "Charles died." "And we were created by combining some of him with some of the rest of this." They wave a forepaw at their mismatched scales and fur.

A pause. "At least... that's what we *think*." "The frightening part is thinking that, if PhDestruction made our mind, is it truly our own? Or did he build something into us that shapes our thinking in ways he intended for his own purposes? Are the memories we have of being many different creatures true, or manufactured?"

"So we want to ask you." "If anyone could figure out if something like that is going on with us, it would be you. So... I guess this is permission to look?"

Scarlett looks at each of Charles' heads in turn. She stares at each one, studying its expressions. Charles can feel her probing a bit and senses her presence in his mind. Finally, she speaks "I never knew Charles so I can't judge how much of him you still are. I can tell you that, yes, there is a great deal that is animalistic and alien about your mind. I can feel the strangeness, but, I also sense a humanness, Charles, a humanness of the best type. You have a great depth of warmth and compassion. You struggle with questions of morals. You think about others and your behaviour towards them, often considering what is best for them before yourself. You are not the monster you are afraid of being. I'll tell you if that changes."

She brushes her hand through the leaves of a small plum tree while continuing to stare at Charles. "I don't detect any programming Charles, but it would only be obvious to me while it was triggered. You have a lot of questions about this PhDestruction. Maybe you need to confront them ... confront him. I had to do the same with my parents once upon a time. I needed to know why they left me with my grandmother. Her name was Genius, but you already knew that. Confronting them was hard, but I got the answers I needed. Maybe it's time for you to confront the person who brought you into this world."

Tarren the Dungeon Master wrote:

Dr. Harbringer's holographic head pops up. "Meeting's over? Great. ... So, you're 'The Godling', I surmise. And, you actually believe you are the offspring of ... Zeus? I'm curious, have you been examined by any doctors?"

Theo sits, twittling his thumbs in contemplation, when the Doctor makes his presence known.

"Yes. And no one yet has obtained my DNA for cloning, if that's what you're getting at, Doc. If you are questioning my parentage, yes, I am indeed the half-mortal son of Zeus, King of the Gods. If you are questioning my sanity, ask yourself this: is the electronic device I currently keep my consciousness in durable enough to be kicked through a reinforced facility wall?"
[dice=Intimidate]1d20 + 8

"Aherm," says the holographic Professor nervously. "I'd hope that a son of Zeus would not consider harming the shell containing the consciousness of one with the intelligence of Athena and the inventiveness of Hephaestus."

He pauses only half a second before saying, "I should go see someone in Finance about some expenses that shouldn't be coming out of MY research funding."

The boxy robot wheels quickly towards the door, the holographic professor moving his arms as if striding.

Scarlett looks at each of Charles' heads in turn. She stares at each one, studying its expressions. Charles can feel her probing a bit and senses her presence in his mind. Finally, she speaks "I never knew Charles so I can't judge how much of him you still are. I can tell you that, yes, there is a great deal that is animalistic and alien about your mind. I can feel the strangeness, but, I also sense a humanness, Charles, a humanness of the best type. You have a great depth of warmth and compassion. You struggle with questions of morals. You think about others and your behaviour towards them, often considering what is best for them before yourself. You are not the monster you are afraid of being. I'll tell you if that changes."

A tension Charles hadn't quite consciously acknowledged eases out of their muscles. While they'd been fairly confident they weren't morally a monster... hearing it from Scarlett was still comforting.

She brushes her hand through the leaves of a small plum tree while continuing to stare at Charles. "I don't detect any programming Charles, but it would only be obvious to me while it was triggered. You have a lot of questions about this PhDestruction. Maybe you need to confront them ... confront him. I had to do the same with my parents once upon a time. I needed to know why they left me with my grandmother. Her name was Genius, but you already knew that. Confronting them was hard, but I got the answers I needed. Maybe it's time for you to confront the person who brought you into this world."

A different tension forms instantly in them, the tension of a predator ready to pounce. They growl deep in their chest and answer all at once. "Of course we need to confront him." "We need to stop him." "He can't be allowed to do something like this again."

They turn their heads away from Scarlett, aware that she is not the target of their anger. "We remember... *all* of the pain. From each individual that was cut apart to make us." They lash their tail against a bush. "But worse... no one should have to question themself like this. Wonder if they were built for some sinister purpose they don't yet understand." "But we don't know *how* to find him."

Scarlett looks at Charles and smiles, "You know, one of the side effects of my ability is that I have learned to negotiate with people. The congressman, the President, the U.S. intelligence community wants something from you...You see what I'm saying?"

Charles narrows their eyes. "A requirement for our agreement? Yes, that could work..."

"That does bring up the point, we'll have to make clear to them that we'll be returning here from time to time."

"Or do it and not tell them."

They lapse into silence for a moment. There'd been something else... oh, right.

"So what is it like, touching our mind? How... distinct do we feel?" "Because to us we're one and the same, even though we can think three things at once. Our thoughts just..." "...blend. We share as needed. To each their specialty." "So... just kind of curious about that."

They grin just a bit, feeling their question is a bit... silly, almost, now that they've voiced it.

"I can't read all of what is in there, Charles. I'm going to keep calling you that unless you tell me to stop. I sense your discomfort with it," Scarlett says, "But touching your mind is confusing. It's like stepping into an elevator and everyone's already talking. I'm sorry, but I don't like it. Before Grandma Genius taught me to shut them out and to pick a mind and channel it and only it, that's what the inside of my head was like for a few years. I didn't know what was happening and it was scary. Frankly, I'd rather just talk to you like this. At least until I get used to it, if that's okay."

Scarlett seems vulnerable and reflective. She changes the subject, "So, umm, you want some advice. When I was trying to decide whether to volunteer for the Disaster Relief Corp, my Grandma said something she often used to say, 'Consider the good; consider the necessary; reconcile the difference because there isn't any.' What's the good thing to do here Charles?"

Charles winces slightly, feeling a bit bad that their mind caused Scarlett discomfort. "Sorry."

"As for the name thing, we're still deciding. Continuing to call ourself Charles doesn't feel quite right, but we're not sure what else to go by. Chimera... seems a bit too much like a dog called Dog," they add.

They hesitate a bit before answering her last question. "I do think it's good to make sure PhDestruction doesn't do something like... *us* again," they state, slowly. "Not only for the sake of those killed to do it, but because his next 'product' might have different ideas of what to do with themself."

"We'll argue for it to be a condition of our work," they conclude. "Because there *is* a need to watch for meddling in the timeline and to work on multi-dimensional mutual defense, as well."

"You really should come see Greer's horses some time," says Scarlett, changing the subject. "He had thought you might want to spend some time there. Get in touch with nature and animals again. I guess, depending on what happens, you might not have much time for that."

What's next? The party has the steering wheel.

Nissa is back from her walk with L.C. She reminds the rest of the party, ”We still gotta meet with Greer. You coming to, Scarlett?”

As long as everyone is present, Nissa waves the wand!
Wand!: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Theo goes with the others to see Greer, but the godling is lost in thought. The Olympian is quiet and withdrawn, which is not how you are used to seeing him.

”Sounds good. Have I met Greer?”

Henri is very much along for the ride.

Nissa’s pretty sure that’s a yes. ”Greer and Tarantula met us on World Twelve. We call him Alt. Greer, since there was a Greer here. …our old boss who was murdered.”

So, Nissa has pulled the Wand out. Anything people want to do before they go? Scarlett is visibly nervous about coming and meeting Alt-Greer, but wants to go. So, you're going to World 16 (The Tower / Alt-Greer's world) or World 12 (The Hangman / Z's world)

Theo pulls himself out of his own thoughts, and sees Scarlett is struggling. The godling walks over and wraps his hand in hers.
"It's okay to be scared. I was scared my first time. It's going to be alright. Nissa's very handy with the wand. I'll be right here."
Diplomacy (Influence Attitude): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23

"You really should come see Greer's horses some time," says Scarlett, changing the subject. "He had thought you might want to spend some time there. Get in touch with nature and animals again. I guess, depending on what happens, you might not have much time for that."

"We should... it's just..." "...They look tasty."

Charles grimmaces. "Honestly, that's one of the things that's made realize I'm not all Charles. He would have loved a place like that, but we... well, we get torn a bit too much between how nice it is to be out of the city and how much we want to hunt the horses."

Charles is ready to go to World 16.

Scarlett smiles gently at Theo's reassurance about travelling through the Wand. "Thank you, but it's not that, Theo. I trust Nissa," she says. "I'm afraid of meeting this other Greer. If he's like him, if he's not like him, if he's like him too much ... I'm not even sure what to hope for."

Scarlett steps forward, ready to travel.

So, World 16, Nissa? Where? You have been to a few places there, including a Best Buy and a demon infested parking lot in front of a Blockbuster.

April and Tarantula are also looking for a ride to World 16. They seem to be forming a friendship, mostly based around exploring and celebrating this 'weird alt-future world' they find themselves in. Tarantula is optimistic her world could still turn out like this. April doubts her world would, given the direction her timeline has taken.

Nissa is feeling real good about the April-Tarantula friendship. It won’t even matter to her if April is straight; she won’t pry.

To think April would have grown older and killed Greer. Even if the change doesn’t save him, it saved her.

Nissa gives a prayer of thanks to her Goddess of Redemption.

L.C. is definitely invited! My roll should cover everyone.

A portal of white light opens on the Flight Deck. I assume Nissa went to the Flight Deck before opening the portal; safety protocols at BT require this. All those stepping through the portal find themselves surrounded in motes of white light.

Nissa feels where she wants to be and the flashes of light gain a direction as you zip past them. Or, perhaps they zip past you. You do not feel like you are moving, but it's hard to say whether they are retreating from you or you from them. There is no sense of gravity or inertia to make you feel like you're moving.

The flashes of light exist within a larger space, The Shuffle. You travel through The Shuffle at great speed and surrounded with light, but you can catch glimpses of its immensity. Yes, you could fit a ship in here. A lot of ships. You've never spent enough time in here to get a sense of its size.

Pah says there are islands of broken promises and despair, shoals of forgotten wishes, tidal currents of quiet hopes, but all you see are flashes of light, each a universe of possibility, each a point in space-time, that you speed by as you head towards the one place Nissa really wants to be right now.

Where in World 16 (1989) does Nissa really want to be? She may not have been thinking about the parking lot or the Best Buy. Maybe she was imagining an 80s diner or the set of Thelma and Louise ...

Culture: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 1 + (2) = 28
Nissa’s eyes widen when she looks at the quaint, honky tonk interior of—

”A real 80s diner! Gag me with a spoon, this is so totally awesome—like, to the max!”

She asks Tarantula, ”Got any change so you can call Greer on the audio-only coin-operated phone? Oh, oh, OH! And you can be a jukebox hero!” She’s got stars in her eyes as she points out the jukebox. ”I’m like a foreigner in your time, but I didn’t journey all the way from Alt-Future Boston just for business talk. All guns and no roses makes Nissa a dull girl—I want some Huey Lewis with my news—authentic music of your time rocking so hard, even a deaf leopard can breakdance to it!”

It now occurs to Nissa she and others just appeared in a public place. Are people staring?

Supermodel: 1d20 + 15 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 15 + 1 = 30
Hopefully, her over-enthusiasm is somehow cute enough to prevent things like ridicule, panic, and a paradoxical destruction of the Space-Time Continuum.

But just to be safe, Nissa takes it down a notch, ”If all of those bands I name-dropped suck, play what you like.”

Nissa’s eyes widen when she looks at the quaint, honky tonk interior of—

There are a half-dozen guests in the diner including four teenagers sitting in one of the booths giggling and 2 men in denim jackets sitting at the counter, occasionally glancing over at the teens. Behind the counter, a brunette with bright red lipstick and large hair smokes a cigarette while making coffee. You can hear someone in the kitchen. Everybody glances over when the party arrives with a flash of light. The teens--3 girls and a boy all wearing torn black shirts, torn black jeans, and black eyeshadow--look surprised and then start giggling. They don't know where you came from but think you're funny. Or, maybe they're now wondering if they are more stoned than they thought they were. They giggle more.

There's a TV over the counter. The news is on.

”A real 80s diner! Gag me with a spoon, this is so totally awesome—like, to the max!”

The two men in denims at the counter are checking out the party. One of them mumbles something about a camera.

The TV starts showing a segment about a pair of TV evangelists making 'controversial comments'. "Demons," hisses one preacher through his shiny white teeth. "Here! In our country! In New Jersey and before that Ohio! I've got people asking me, 'Why! Why! Why did God ALLOW this to happen?' Jimmy what do you think?" An overly tanned man with a baby face and with bright white teeth, replies, "Thank you, Jerry. Since you ask, I'd have to say the reason is clear. God has turned away from us because too many of us have turned away from him! The homosexuals and the fornicators ..."

"Turn these a!@%&@$s off!" says the boy in eyeshadow.

The mumbling man in denim now mumbles something about gays and faggots.

She asks Tarantula, ”Got any change so you can call Greer on the audio-only coin-operated phone? Oh, oh, OH! And you can be a jukebox hero!” She’s got stars in her eyes as she points out the jukebox. ”I’m like a foreigner in your time, but I didn’t journey all the way from Alt-Future Boston just for business talk. All guns and no roses makes Nissa a dull girl—I want some Huey Lewis with my news—authentic music of your time rocking so hard, even a deaf leopard can breakdance to it!”

"I didn't actually take a coin purse to the demonic tower," says Tarantula. "but after a couple days on your world I can understand that you'd want some real music."

April laughs in agreement.

L.C. reaches into her purse for the coins she had printed for this mission.

It now occurs to Nissa she and others just appeared in a public place. Are people staring?

The two men in denims turn their attention to the party. They like the ratio of men to women and openly leer.

Tarantula takes a coin and selects something from the jukebox.

Trumpets trumpet and a gravelly voice sings, "Love is a burning thing, and it makes a fiery ring ...