On the last Grid Drive, we discovered a nice new track to drive on. North Island - Isle of Demonte. You cant fly on the sim (forced landing spot) so if you want to start from the top to go down instead, you must use the TP board from the bottom. The track rises 1000 meters.
Slurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/North%20Island/6/101/266
The list of region and racing tracks can be found here: https://www.driversofsecondlife.info/p/region-and-racing-tracks.html
The Mad Egg Scramble.
The day started normally enough. It was Easter, the annual event where some humans seem to celebrate a zombie rising. They are odd creatures. Anyway, me and my friend Firefly were at a coffeeshop ordering some cookies when all of a sudden where was a "Pssst" sound and a voice out of the shadows:
Grady: Hello there, it's me, your old pal Grady from... The Office
Starbright Wingtips: mmmm, munchies
Grady: I know it has been a while, but we can see that you are done eating... the hashbrowns looked great
Grady: Look, we don't have much time, so I wont bother you with explanations, but we have another unique situation.
Starbright Wingtips grabs a handful of baked goods
Grady: I am sending the coords to our client now. Get there as fast as you can.
Grady: Downloading Coords...
The voice sounded serious, I looked about but I was unable to locate the source of the voice, so I turned to Firefly (who was looking blissed out on a sugar high) and said;
Starbright Wingtips: I can't tell if this is a drugs run, again, or some proper top secret stuff
Starbright Wingtips: oh well, lets go find out
Firefly nodded enthusiastically and we headed outside to the car park, stepping over a beggar on the way, she asked me for one hundred Lindens with the promise that she would pay me back tomorrow, I just laughed and kept going. I am cruel but fair. Looking over the lot I noticed a Taco truck and suddenly got hit by a case of the munchies:
Starbright Wingtips: ohhh, taco's
Starbright Wingtips: we can grab some before we set off
Starbright Wingtips pushes past the NPC's
Starbright Wingtips: yes yes I know, "ice cream so good" now get outa my way before I inflict violence
Starbright Wingtips: ahh garcon, a dozen of your finest taco's please
Starbright Wingtips: good, right, lets get out of here
Starbright Wingtips: pay? hahah
Starbright Wingtips: right, what car shall we steal today?
I chose an old Japanese sports car, mainly because it was one I knew how to hotwire. We pulled out of the car park and immediately got hit by some very weird shit. It was like reality turned itself inside out. I was really beginning to regret that taco.
Starbright Wingtips: I can see this must be an important mission, that was definitely a penguin ambush
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): oops
I knew that this stretch of road had a reputation for being a bit of a race track so I put my foot down without too much worry about the trees, lamposts, houses or people:
Starbright Wingtips: 96 mph, lol
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
Starbright Wingtips: I'm sure those things we hit will be fine
Starbright Wingtips: a lick of paint will fix it up
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): whooo hoooo
As we approached a patch of open country a strange voice issued from the car radio suggesting that we stop the car and jump down a rabbit hole. Well, we'd both had quite a lot to smoke and consumed a mountain of edibles, so we gave no thought to the source of the voice and thought that this seemed like quite a reasonable suggestion:
We both jumped and fell down what appeared to be some sort of wormhole in the space/time continuum. It's a common feature of rabbit holes, but one which the rabbit community usually keeps top secret, so I knew this was important and possible involved Penguins! We landed in a clearing in some woods and looking around I saw a rabbit and some scattered eggs. I knew then that my suspicions were on the right track. Penguins are birds and birds lay eggs!
At this point the rabbit turned round and suggested that we walk through a door that was conveniently placed nearby in the trunk of a large tree. I was keen to find out more about the eggs so I thanked the rabbit and we both walked into the tree. There was a feeling as if we'd passed through some kind of barrier and next thing we knew, we were standing in a large room where everything was large. Thing just kept getting weirder:
Starbright Wingtips: here <holds out her hand> have some more red pills
Starbright Wingtips: I think we're going to need to be very stoned to deal with this
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
Starbright Wingtips gulps a handful
As we looked around the room I noticed a door on the other side of the very large side table. On the table was a pitcher full of liquid and a glass. A disembodied voice, which may very well have been a figment of my imagination, suggested strongly that we both have a drink before going through the door:
Strange Voice (possibly in my head): Approach the door, A drink perhaps? What might it do? Likely nothing
Starbright Wingtips: how are we supposed to have a snack and a drink, we can't reach
Starbright Wingtips: here, you jump on my shoulders and try to grab the bottle
* A Few Moments Later ... *
Starbright Wingtips: ahhh, that's better. I dunno what that was, but it hits the spot
Starbright Wingtips: now lets just wait for the pink elephants to finish dancing and we'll go through the door after them. The cavern on the other side of that door had an atmosphere of power, and a strange smell of old straw and rabbit poo:
Strange Voice (possibly in my head) Approach... The Bunny
Starbright Wingtips: what's up doc?
The Bunny: Welcome Starbright . I have been expecting you
The Bunny: To get right to business, a contracted a leprechaun on March 18th
The Bunny: He was to help get a very special set of eggs to an associate
Starbright Wingtips: hmmmm
The Bunny: But, the little pranking bastard has spread them all over creation
Starbright Wingtips: go on
The Bunny: Last I heard from him was an angry drunken voice message challenging me to fight
Starbright Wingtips: so, you want me to hunt him down and kill him?
The Bunny: Nooooooo!! You... you will help me retrieve these eggs
Starbright Wingtips looks a bit disappointed.
The Bunny: My bunny magic will guide you... like... well like magic!
The Bunny: Now, off with you to do my bidding!
The Bunny waves its paw like a Jedi...
Starbright Wingtips: ok bugs babe
The cavern and odd giant rabbit begin to fade out and before we know it we are standing by the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. I tell Firefly to stay by the road while I go hunting for some transport. A few minutes later I return to Firefly so we can continue our journey:
Starbright Wingtips: ok, it's not ideal but it's all i could steal
Starbright Wingtips: lets go
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
Starbright Wingtips: so, its a tuk tuk with a turbo engine
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yay
Starbright Wingtips: this should be ..... interesting
Starbright Wingtips: pray to whatever gods you worship
Starbright Wingtips: of course, this is a race track
Starbright Wingtips: so ....
Starbright Wingtips: just keep repeating "we're not going to die"
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): weeeeee
Starbright Wingtips: this is all very odd
Starbright Wingtips: is this reality or are we still down the hole?
Starbright Wingtips: we might be stuck in the Matrix
Starbright Wingtips: you know, sometimes I get the feeling that I'm just a little cartoon avatar being controlled by a being I can't properly comprehend, it's a mad thought, eh?
Starbright Wingtips giggles
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
Starbright Wingtips: although I suppose everyone feels like that to some extent
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
Starbright Wingtips: everyone round here anyway
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): that Musk guy thinks we live in the Matrix
Starbright Wingtips leans forward to lights another spliff in the cover of the windshield
Starbright Wingtips: Mr Musk strikes me as an NPC, so he's probably right
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
Starbright Wingtips: ice cream so good
Starbright Wingtips: heheheh
Starbright Wingtips: ((that line is a tiktok NPC meme btw))
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): (( oh ))
Starbright Wingtips: ((the girl who came up with the NPC concept used that as one of her lines. she would do or say certain things depending how much you donated, like a video game NPC responding to options. at her height she was apparently making 7000 USD per day, just for doing that))
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): ((wow))
Starbright Wingtips: ((all non nude and non sexual too))
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): ((nice))
Starbright Wingtips: ((well fair play to her, doing that would have driven me insane by day 3))
Starbright Wingtips: ((well, more insane I mean))
We'd been travelling downhill since we left the rabbit hole and were now approaching a nice area of upscale housing with its own docking area. I had a feeling we were going to need a boat next, so I parked up and we walked towards the dock. There was a lovely looking motorboat moored, so I decided we needed to liberate it for the cause:
Starbright Wingtips: ok, now keep your eyes peelded, there's something very odd going on here. we're been drugged, sent to alternative worlds, or had some great hallucinations. we're looking for eggs laid by a rabbit, we've been sent all over the place and have no clue whate going on
Starbright Wingtips: sounds like a monday
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
We set off heading mostly south and west:
Starbright Wingtips: we're on the water so keep an eye out for penguins
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): ok
The journey was uneventful, but that seemed more ominous than calming:
Starbright Wingtips: its quiet, too quiet
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
Starbright Wingtips turns the radio on
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yay
I saw Angels airport and marina ahead and for no apparent reason I decided to dock there. Something was calling me, I could feel it. As I was finishing docking all of a sudden a loud voice seemed to boom out, it might have been some weird spirit thing, or it might have been the PA system, it was hard to tell:
Disembodied Bunny Voice: The waters to your North, I can feel it, i know they are there
Disembodied Bunny Voice: Get down there and find them, minion!. This is no time to dally!
Starbright Wingtips: There's a large mysterious sunken city in those waters, I think if we are going to look there we will need a submarine
Starbright Wingtips: i have a slightly radioactive used one
Starbright Wingtips: that'll do
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
Starbright Wingtips: Let's go find some eggs in a submarine!
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yay
Of course, the problem with getting people extremely stoned and then giving them complex tasks to carry out soon reared its head:
Starbright Wingtips: i can't figire out how to grab them
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): drive up to them
Starbright Wingtips: ohhh, doh!
We patrolled around for a while and passed some very interesting artifacts under the water and I saw a sign that my people might have been here in ancient times. Sadly we had no time to explore, we had a mission to complete:
After a slow start we made some progress in our collection of these eggs. After last week's explosive experience, I was taking no chances and placed each egg in a towed wire cage. Once we got back to the docks we counted our haul:
-------------- Round 1 Egg Counts --------------
Super Rare Eggs Found: 0
Rare Eggs Found: 1
Common Eggs Found: 4
Round 1 Eggs Collected: 5
Round 1 Egg Points Earned: 6
Starbright Wingtips: we found some at least
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
I was just making this last comment when that voice boomed out again. I still couldn't decide if it was magic or the PA system.
Disembodied Bunny Voice: Yes... YES! Be very careful with those
Disembodied Bunny Voice: More valuable than a mortal's life they are!
Disembodied Bunny Voice: The little drunk must have dropped these on the trip to the New World
Starbright Wingtips: I know, you just can't find the staff these days
Disembodied Bunny Voice: He has taken the rest to lands freshly sprung from the oceans
Disembodied Bunny Voice: And this is where you shall go... now!
As soon as that last thing had been said there was a big cloud of smoke and what sounded like some cheap firecrackers going off and we suddenly found ourselves in a completely different place.
Starbright Wingtips: well that was fun but I wish we'd had a yellow submarine; we could have sung as we worked then.
[16:45] Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
[16:45] Starbright Wingtips: plus we might have met an octopus in a garden
[16:47] Starbright Wingtips: so. now we're somewhere rural, so we have to watch out for penguins, rabbits AND rednecks
Starbright Wingtips: he used to be my driver
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
Starbright Wingtips: opps, few scratches in the paint as we sideswiped that tree. I swear it dodged into our path.
Lusch Motors - Scout Surfer GTFO 1.9: No fuel.
Starbright Wingtips: wtf, really?
Starbright Wingtips: lol
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
Starbright Wingtips: I learned all I know about driving from blind Pete.
Starbright Wingtips: including how to check the fuel gauge before I set off
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
We abandoned the jeep and set out on foot along the road. Luckily we didn't have to go far before I spotted another big expensive house with an almost identical jeep parked outside
Starbright Wingtips: They're all nepo babies here and all seem to own very similar jeeps. that's very handy
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
We set off again, heading for somewhere unspecified location, the road system here was very windy and so to save some time I even cut cross country. It was totally deliberate, honest.
Starbright Wingtips: telegraph poles now too, they all hate me
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
Eventually we reached an area where there seemed to be a strange atmosphere. I slowed to a stop and the radio began to issue instructions to us, cutting in halfway though a Spice Girls song. We were instructed to drive around recklessly and hit things with the jeep. Well, Pixies are know for their obedience to commands so I felt I had no choice. I put the jeep in 4WD and floored the accelerator, We lept off the road and careened away leaving deep ruts in the grass as we mowed down flower beds, post boxes, residents and the occasional mad egg that bounced into our path. It was a wild trip and I still felt high AF from all the drugs earlier. Eventually I ran out of targets and slowed to a stop.
-------------- Round 2 Egg Counts --------------
Super Rare Eggs Found: 2
Rare Eggs Found: 3
Common Eggs Found: 8
Residents: 34
Round 2 Eggs Collected: 13
Round 2 Egg Points Earned: 20
As we celebrated our results we suddenly heard that rabbit again. It was coming out of the car radio this time. I have no idea how they are able to do that.
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yay
Starbright Wingtips: yay
Disembodied Bunny Voice: Wonderful!... just wonderful!
Disembodied Bunny Voice: I fear I am in danger of being impressed!
Disembodied Bunny Voice: But, you have one more place to go
Starbright Wingtips: oh oh
Disembodied Bunny Voice: I can not move you there, it is too far... but I can get you to the train station...
At that point it seemed that someone had thrown a flashbang grenade at our feet. We were momentarily stunned and when our senses cleared, we were in a totally new place.
Starbright Wingtips: i'm confused. how did we get here? where's the jeep? wtf?
Starbright Wingtips: oh well, nice old train here, lets borrow it
We managed to get the steam train going, it already had a full firebox and was all steamed up, it was almost as if it had been set up for us specially. It was highly suspicious. Anyway we got on board and as we steamed along we discused what had been happening.
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): aliens?
Starbright Wingtips: maybe
Starbright Wingtips: or old magic
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
Starbright Wingtips: this is nice scenery
Starbright Wingtips: but it reminds me of .... rabbit country
Starbright Wingtips: so be careful. if you hear "what's up doc?" shoot first, ask questions later
Starbright Wingtips: questions like: "so I guess we're having rabbit for dinner then?"
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
Starbright Wingtips: apparently rabbits have concrete lined tunnels 100 meters underground
Starbright Wingtips: oh, hang on. I think I'm getting them confused with other burrowing pests
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
Starbright Wingtips: I hope we don't have to go to Cannabis Airfield. They have kamikaze rabbits there
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
Starbright Wingtips: they tend to explode
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): that would make a mess
Starbright Wingtips: it does yes, at least you don;t have to de-gut them before you make rabbit stew though, so that's handy
Starbright Wingtips giggles
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): and pre cooked
Starbright Wingtips: yes, also precooked with the fur burned off
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
Starbright Wingtips: I'll suggest to Outy that he should rename his rabbits as ready meals
Starbright Wingtips: lol
Starbright Wingtips: the only problem with long journeys through belli is that i start to experience some serious dejavu
Starbright Wingtips: maybe its just a glitch in the matrix
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
Starbright Wingtips: I mean, it couldn't be that things repeat every 500 meters, could it? that'd just be silly
Eventually we reached the end of the line and left the train standing on the tracks hissing and dripping and sounding like it might well explode at any minute. We hurried through the station building and got out into the car park where we just saw one lone car that looked as if it had been sat there for some time. It was an old 90's model so hotwiring it took about 5 seconds:
Starbright Wingtips: oh look, an old abandoned rally car. this'll do us
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yay
It was a race engine and so we set off at very high speed.
Starbright Wingtips: ooops
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): oops
Starbright Wingtips: damn, there goes my no claims bonus
Starbright Wingtips: oh hang on, I don't have any insurance. phew. that's ok then
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yay
Starbright Wingtips: blind Pete was an amazing instructor
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
Starbright Wingtips: I bet you've never felt safer in a car, right?
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yes
Starbright Wingtips: at the start of each lesson Pete would put his hand on my leg and say "Luke old boy, you've just got to close your eyes and trust in the force" and I used to say "I'm not Luke and that's not my leg"
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): lol
We soon came to an area where I felt that same strange atmosphere. At that moment the car stalled and I saw a large egg wrapped in pink cellophane bounce across the road. We looked at each other, giggled dove out the doors in pursuit of these mad eggs. After a few minutes of running around like loons it appeared that the remaining eggs had all escaped.
-------------- Round 3 Egg Counts --------------
Super Rare Eggs Found: 2
Rare Eggs Found: 3
Common Eggs Found: 8
Round 3 Eggs Collected: 13
Round 3 Egg Points Earned: 20
Starbright Wingtips: yay
Firefly Twilight (dancingfireflys): yay
As we stood there celebrating that rabbit voice started up again, this time I am sure it was coming out of a hole in the trunk of a nearby tree.
Disembodied Bunny Voice: You have done it!
Disembodied Bunny Voice: Now, come back... come back to me quickly!
Starbright Wingtips: oh crikey, we're back here again
Starbright Wingtips: this landscape seems .... familiar
As we stood at the side of the road in the middle of nowhere I wondered what we could do next. Fortunately a taxi was passing just at that moment, so we carjacked it;
As we drove down these familiar looking roads at high speed another disembodied voice came floating into my ears;
*uC* Evil Doll: Starbright Wingtips... I've seen your past, and I'll shape your future.
Starbright Wingtips: ha
Starbright Wingtips: I don't think so
WE then found ourselves in a car dealership, holding the keys to one of the machines in our hands:
Vik Svoboda: Take a look around. You will find awesome prices from a very friendly, helpful, and talented creator!
Stormcrow V2 Grid Drive Completion Reward Giver: Giving gift to [Starbright Wingtips]
Second Life: Stormcrow V2 Grid Drive Completion Reward Giver owned by .Nᴇɪʟʟ (sime.stormcrow) gave you '[Stormcrow Store] BZ WZ / Black' ( Noble Town (119,57,21) ).
Starbright Wingtips: yay
Christi Charron: A special 'Thank You' to this weekend's Grid Drive sponsor, Stormcrow, and it's owner .Nᴇɪʟʟ (sime.stormcrow)!
Grid Drive Blog 23/03/24 - Atomic Shenanigans.
Hi again everybody. Here I am again with details of another adventure I became involved in against my will the other day. It's a hard job keeping the world secure from the Penguin Menace.
The day started normally enough. I got a dodgy suggestion from DoSL;
Christi Charron: Tour the festival and see the awesome food truck displays
Starbright Wingtips: hmmm, a food truck tour, I am suspicious
Starbright Wingtips: it'll probably involve drugs, again.
We wandered along downhill towards the outskirts of a strange town and came to a road. It appeared we might have a lot of walking to do, so I did what anyone in our situation would do, I stole a vehicle.
Starbright Wingtips: lets use this, hop in
Starbright Wingtips: oh, I don't mind cries of "omg we're going to die". I'll be screaming just as loud.
So we set out driving aimlessly across Belli, although I was sure something freaky was going on and I kept my eyes out for penguins at all times. The roads of Belli were as treacherous as ever and we did encounter a few more unfortunate travellers who had also been sucked into the portapotty pipes.
Starbright Wingtips: I f**king hate the lamposts of Belli
شهرزاده (dancingfireflys): yes
Aᴘᴘʏ (appaloosahorse) shouts: it sucks! that's the challenge
Starbright Wingtips: stupid road
Chris Camberley-Lionheart (chrisger): rolls eyes
Having found a stretch of road with some serious potholes I decided that it'd be a lot smoother ride if we just went offroad;
However, offroad Belli has just as many hazards as the street do;
Starbright Wingtips: i hate the trees too, lol
شهرزاده (dancingfireflys): lol
Despite all of these challanges we eventually found ourselves at a railway station and a little voice in the back of my head was telling me that the cops were probably out looking for the bike by now, so I decided we ought to swap to another mode of transport. Luckily there was an old tram at the station, so I, err, borrowed it for a while.
The coke from earlier was really kicking in at this point and so as we toured Belli a certain amount of confusion arose over which direction we should be going, which was good going considering we only had two choices, ahead or reverse.
شهرزاده (dancingfireflys): are we going the wrong way?
Starbright Wingtips: yes, lol
شهرزاده (dancingfireflys): the signal is red
Starbright Wingtips: where did we go wrong?
شهرزاده (dancingfireflys): this is confusing
Starbright Wingtips: lets have some more coke, it might clear things up.
Starbright Wingtips: err, ok I guess. We're doing this because ....?
Christi Charron: There's someone waiting there you need to talk to.
So we walk though the outskirts of the town and approach the shoreline where we see a small dock with some seaplanes parked next to it. We see a suspicious looking short person waiting on the dock wearing what looks like a trenchcoat and fedora. I walk up with a cheesy grin and wave
Starbright Wingtips: Wotcha matey. Have you lost your preciousssss?
Warship Waifu: Hey Starbright. I'm sure you're one of Christi's "Let's Go See Pretty Things" grid drives right now, but your help is needed in the gulf.
Starbright Wingtips: see, it's those bloody penguins again, I bet you!
Warship Waifu: We have a "Broken Arrow" situation we discovered recently while looking through old top secret military records.
Warship Waifu: Years ago two submarines were sent out, one carrying a large "tactical" nuclear warhead, the other sub was just a decoy.
Warship Waifu: The two subs never arrived, and they were eventually forgotten about over time, they likely collided shortly after leaving port.
Warship Waifu: Our plan is to find the two submarine wrecks using sonar from a boat, then search the wreckages using deep sea vehicles.
Warship Waifu: We need someone to retrieve the sonar and take it to the search team at the JGA marina, as our delivery driver had a bull-riding accident last weekend.
Warship Waifu: I contacted you because you're known for your reliability and speed, and we only have the budget for one more day of operation.
Starbright Wingtips: bull riding eh? nasty
Warship Waifu: Please go retrieve the sonar device from a warehouse in Tulagi, and take it to the search team at the JGA Marina
Starbright Wingtips: and this is all official, is it? hmmmmmm. Ok I guess the quickest way to get there is to "borrow" one of these planes. It goes against every instinct I have to break the law by taking someone else's vehicle, but this is an emergency, right?
So with no further ado we waved farewell to the totally not dodgy person giving us dodgy instrctions which may or may not be official and we began our flight south to the Jeoget Gulf. It was at this point we started to suffer from some electronic warfare interference with our GPS ((Navhud))
شهرزاده (dancingfireflys): i am so confused
Starbright Wingtips: why
شهرزاده (dancingfireflys): it is all showing up on screen in some strange language
Starbright Wingtips: penguin hacking
20240323 Nav HUD: オフロード車両に乗って続行します。しつこいですが、飛行機は削除しないでください
[11:47] Starbright Wingtips: it must be
[11:47] Starbright Wingtips: they want the nukes
We climbed out of the plane and began to look for a vahicle to take us to the warehouse on the docks where the sonar was apparently being stored. I could see we were in a military area so in order to blend in and not arouse any suspicion, we stole a military looking vehicle;
We drove past bunkers and tanks and guns galore, keeping our eyes peeled for odd stuff and eventually pulled up at the warehouse. There didn;t seem to be anyone around so we wandered inside;
As we were looking around for something that looked like a sonar we heard a voice from behind us and a large dark figure emerged from behind a rack of shelves and spoke to us;
Cpt. Street Brightflame Reaper (street.repine): Hi :) I am helping with the warhead salvage operation and saw you over there
Cpt. Street Brightflame Reaper (street.repine): If you're looking for the sonar device, it hasn't arrived yet
Cpt. Street Brightflame Reaper (street.repine): It is stuck in transit still
Starbright Wingtips: Typical, I blame penguins!
Cpt. Street Brightflame Reaper (street.repine): I'll locate the sonar device for you but it'll take a few minutes, then you can go pick it up as this operation is low on time and budget
Cpt. Street Brightflame Reaper (street.repine): Until then, you can wait in the lounge located in the building to your SE
So we wandered over the road to the bar, it was timely stop as we were on a Mandated Union Rest Break by then anyway, so we killed some time in the bar.
Starbright Wingtips: I guess we'll just have to wait here for Cpt. Brightflame Reaper
Starbright Wingtips: It's looks like drivers of SL encourages drink driving, hmmmmmmm.
Starbright Wingtips: but I guess it's ok, we'll mostly be in boats from here by the sounds of it
* A few Minutes Later *
Cpt. Street Brightflame Reaper (street.repine): Okay, I located the sonar shipment finally
Cpt. Street Brightflame Reaper (street.repine): The crated sonar is stuck in transit in a warehouse south of here in the town of Eifukucho
Cpt. Street Brightflame Reaper (street.repine): I'll send the location to your Nav HUD now so you can go retrieve it and deliver it to the search team, so they can use it to find the sunken submarines
Cpt. Street Brightflame Reaper (street.repine): Good luck! You should head back to your plane.
We headed back to the jeep and then drove back through the maze of field fortifications and equipment to the airfield. I was very glad to see that this region was prepared for the inevitable penguin attack once we managed to recover the nukes. Still musing on this threat we climbed back aboard the seaplane and took off heading south. Our navigation instruments took us dangerously close to a volcano but we managed to land without too much drama, apart from running over a pedestrian on the runway. oh well. We parked next to the terminal and as I stopped the engines I receoved a call on my mobile;
Cpt. Street Brightflame Reaper (street.repine): Hey Starbright. The shipping manager at the Eifukucho warehouse is Ramos Regent.
Starbright Wingtips: How did you get my number, wtf?
[15:16:56] Cpt. Street Brightflame Reaper (street.repine): Never mind that, Ramos will meet you at the warehouse and should be there when you arrive or shortly afterwards. Now you have to drive to Eifukucho to pick it up.
So we headed through the terminal and out to the car park where I spotted a likely looking vehicle with a notoriously easy to break ignition system;
We drove south, keeping our eye out for spies, penguins, air pirates and zombies. After an uneventful drive we reached our destination and parked carefully;
We walked into the warehouse where a surprisingly ordinary chipmunk approached us;
Ramos Regent: Hi! Capt. Street said you were on your way to pick up a crate in Eifukucho
Ramos Regent: Unfortunately the warehouse is locked as the normal warehouse manager was struck by a dirigible yesterday :/
Starbright Wingtips: Oh, another accident, it's not at all suspicious that everyone we need to speak to is injured or missing. I think there's something fishy going on.
Ramos Regent: If you'll wait in my family's bar around the corner, I'll make sure your drinks are free!
Starbright Wingtips: Sure, I need to top up my booze levels a little, I have more driving to do yet.
Starbright Wingtips: what was that old song "have a drink, have a drive"
Miss Della (della.randt): lol, yes
* A few minutes later *
Ramos Regent: Hello, I have unlocked the shipping facility and you may now go retrieve your crate!
Ramos Regent: I apologize for the wait.
Ramos Regent: You can take the train to the shipping facility to pick up your crate, as parking there is limited.
So we staggered over to the elevated railway station and climbed up to the platform to await the train. It was only a minute before it arrived which may have been due to normal Japanese efficiency, or it might have been due to the strange feeling of being watched that we were all beginning to notice. Once it arrived we clambered aboard;
The train pulled out and it was only a couple of stops later that our stop came up, we exited the train and wandered about the town for a while until we located the warehouse with the sonar in;
We eventually found the warehouse, walked in and saw the sonar right away, sitting in a crate in the middle of the floor, not suspicious at all. Once we had managed to steal a dolly, we were able to wheel the crate back to the station and back onto the train. After an uneventful return journey on the train we go back to the car. Dealt with the other drivers who unjustly claimed that we blocked them in (pepper spray is a great invention) and then drove back to Jeogeot Gulf Airport.
** Sadly at this point the NavHud started to glitch and I got booted from sl before I could save my chatlog of the final part of the drive. So detail from this point will be a bit lacking. Sorry **
After arriving back at the airport we humped the crate out of the plane and down to the dock where we found a suitable boat for the next part of the mission which was to use the sonar to locate the two submarine wrecks;
It wasn't long before we realised that these submarine wrecks were located in an active combat zone so while we bravely dodged bombs, torpedoes and strafing runs by planes we searched hard for these subs. Eventually we spotted them both after a long and gruelling voyage and as we started to feel distinctly hungover we headed back to the port for the final stage of the mission.
We got back to the docks with our happy news of having located the two wrecks. We were then asked to take the explorer submarine, Oceangategate, to retrieve the lost nuke warhead from whichever wreck it was on. We climbed aboard full of confidence and I sat at the front of the boat trying not to notice the Home Depot stickers on everything as I used the playstation controller to move away from the dock and out into the deep water.
We headed down to the location of the first wreck, trying not to notice the creaking sounds coming from all around us. Next to the playstation was our radiation detector and I kept my eye on it as we got closer;
Radiation Detector: Stop moving so the radiation scanner can get an accurate reading
Radiation Detector: Remain stopped while radiation scanning is performed...
Radiation Detector: Scanning for radiation traces...
Radiation Detector: No high levels of radiation or warhead found. Continue to the second submarine wreckage.
So we did. I tried to get the sub to go faster because by now we were all starting to feel a bit, err, nervous about the whole situation. We aproached the second wreck and finally got some good news;
Radiation Detector: Stop moving so the radiation scanner can get an accurate reading
Radiation Detector: Remain stopped while radiation scanning is performed...
Radiation Detector: Scanning for radiation traces...
Radiation Detector: High radiation levels are present. The warhead must be nearby!
Radiation Detector: Locate the warhead and manoeuvre the sub next to it to pick it up with the grabber claw thing.
Radiation Detector: Warhead retrieved!
At this point we received a suspiciously timed text message;
Warship Waifu: You found it! I knew we picked the right person for the job! Deliver the warhead to Tulagi Seaport.
So, we set off at flank speed for Tulagi and despite the risk of warplanes we decided a run on the surface was probably safer since some of the seams inside were starting to get a little, err, damp. Once back at the dock we saw our suspicious looking contact waiting for us in some convenient shadows;
Warship Waifu: I see you over there! Welcome back.
Warship Waifu: The Bomb Disposal Unit isn't here yet as one of the lead technicians had a bungee-jumping accident while on vacation
Warship Waifu: Please deliver the warhead to an empty quonset hut, to be stored away from everyone for now
Warship Waifu: BE CAREFUL! Everyone I know seems to be having some sort of horrible accident lately >.>
Starbright WIndtips: Yes, we had noticed that. It's all highly suspicious. We'll take care.
So we loaded the bomb onto the jeep and drove it over to the storage hut. Once there I recived another suspiciously timed text message;
Warship Waifu: Rez the "Tactical Nuclear Warhead" in the rear of the barracks and the bomb disposal crew will come secure it
So we carried the warhead and just as I was about to put it down
[17:17] Warship Waifu: WAIT!!!
**BOOM**
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[17:17] Starbright Wingtips: oops
[17:17] شهرزاده (dancingfireflys): lol
So, that was the end of our adventure. It was a lot of fun so a big thank you to |everyone who helped put this drive together. I am sorry I had technical problems and lost the last bit of our group chat. I hope you enjoyed reading this.
Kidnapped by the Cat Lady!
Hello, I thought you all might be interested in my recent adventure where I was kidnapped by a mad woman who slipped something in my coffee and attempted to traffick me, I think. It's all still a bit confusing.
Well the day started normally enough, I got a call from Fam who wanted me to deliver their drugs, again. So I stopped by to pick up the coke to take to the staff at Jeogeot Gulf Airport. Those pilots have a serious habit!
The journey to the airport was fairly uneventful and although I passed a lot of interesting places I didn't have time to stop and explore any of them, which was a shame. The Roamer felt like it was running with one flat tire though, it wasn't a smooth ride at all. So I decided that once I got to the airport, I would steal something better. I arrived without incident and gave the package to Karen at the desk, of course she was her normal charming self.
It was as I was hot-wiring a Jeep in the car park that my day went really batshit crazy. This weird old lady climbed into the passenger seat. She had a large handgun poking out of her handbag, so I didn't want to be rude. She asked for a ride to the Route 9 bus stop and she seemed to be mostly harmless, apart from a strange cat pee smell. I figured I was in an open top vehicle so i could probably cope and so we set off.
Her directions were appalling, I was beginning to doubt that she knew where she wanted to go at all, we wove across Jeogeot, even going offroad at one point, lucky I stole a Jeep really.
Eventually we made it to the bus stop, having collected a dozen speeding tickets and accidentally clipping the odd pedestrian who was standing too close to the road. I got out of the Jeep to escort the mad old lady (who was rabbiting on as if she knew me) to the bus to make sure she got on it, so I could escape when all of a sudden I felt dizzy and I might even have passed out for a moment.
Next thing I know I'm being shaken awake by someone who keeps insisting that they are my Great Aunt Yoko.
Great Aunt Yoko: Ah finally, can you smell this fresh air?
Starbright Wingtips: All I can smell is cat pee and, I think, chloroform.
Great Aunt Yoko: Well I certainly can, the person in the seat in front of me permanently farted!
Great Aunt Yoko: Anyways, let's go!
So with that she takes me by the arm, drags me to my feet with more strength that I'd have expected from a little old woman, puts her arm through mine and starts to walk me towards what looks like a Japanese temple.
Starbright Wingtips: What's going on, where am I?
Great Aunt Yoko: We're at Little Yoshiwara in the Bakumatsu Period Japan Cultural Area. Milarepa. It's one of my favourite spots.
Great Aunt Yoko: There are so many shrines here!
Great Aunt Yoko: But don't worry, I won't walk you to all of them!
Great Aunt Yoko: Just to most :D
Great Aunt Yoko: How nostalgic, this brings back memories
Starbright Wingtips: Yeah, I think some of my memory is starting to come back too.
Great Aunt Yoko: Rattle the bell and make a silent prayer
Starbright Wingtips prays for rescue.
Great Aunt Yoko: Let's take a short break, I am getting a little hungry
Great Aunt Yoko: Why don't we grab a bite while we enjoy the surroundings a while
Starbright Wingtips: You used "while" twice in the same sentence, are you drunk?
Starbright Wingtips dodges a blow from the old woman while she sits at the street vendors cart
*A few minutes later ....*
[10:38] Great Aunt Yoko: Okay I think I'm good again, let us move on!
We moved off again along a path which leads under the trees which surround this little town, as we move along it I can see yet another shrine ahead of me.
Great Aunt Yoko: Wow, this big fella looks like uncle bob!
Buddha whispers: San nin yoreba, Monju no chie.
Where three persons come together, there is the wisdom of Monju.
Starbright Wingtips backs away warily while keeping an eye on the statue and the old woman
Starbright Wingtips: Very deep I'm sure, but could we please get out of here?
* The two travellers turn away from the shrine and begin to walk up a path taking them upwards *
Great Aunt Yoko: So many shrines, so little time
Great Aunt Yoko: Let us head to the last spot in this pretty location and move on
Great Aunt Yoko: Come on, let me show you around a little!
Great Aunt Yoko: Oh my, I better not say what this right kitty is shaped like..
Great Aunt Yoko: That's some strange ramen on the left
We continued walking amongst the temples and market stalls with cat lady chattering away when suddenly I saw it.
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A bloody Penguin! Everywhere I go I see these damn things, it's almost like they're spying on me. I treated this whole experience a bit more seriously as soon as I knew penguins were involved! Luckily at that moment an opportunity came up for me to fill the cat lady in on the threat we were facing.
Great Aunt Yoko: This spot looks relaxing, let's take a moment to take the surroundings in
As I explained the penguin situation I could see her eyes get wide as she slowly inched her chair back away from mine. Sadly before I managed to finish my warnings, she drained her Saki, stood up and announced it was time to climb to the top of a mountain for no apparent reason.
Great Aunt Yoko: Alright, time to move on!
Starbright Wingtips; but but .... the penguins!
Great Aunt Yoko: No time for that, come on and hurry. <struggles up a long flight of steps> Let's pray they install a lift before until our next visit..
Great Aunt Yoko: What a magnificent view from here!
Great Aunt Yoko: Your great uncle and me had a large garden like this as well!
Great Aunt Yoko: Well we had just vegetables in it I have to admit
Great Aunt Yoko: And it was only half the size..
Great Aunt Yoko: Also my cat kept getting lost in it, so we had to burn it down in the end
Starbright Wingtips gives the cat lady some side-eye while saying "ok..." and moving away from the edge. She ignores me and walks around a bend in the part, I follow her to find her standing at a tunnel entrance.
Great Aunt Yoko: Oh we gotta go explore this more, even if we get cursed!
We hurried through the caves descending from the entrance only stopping at a gap in the rocks that we though led back out
Great Aunt Yoko: What a bummer, it's just a lookout!
Eventually we came out at the foot of the mountain and although the cave exit was a bit grim, the path led back into the forest and the view soon brightened up.
[11:13] Great Aunt Yoko: And are those graves? Looks like a graveyard..
[11:14] Great Aunt Yoko: Tsk, let's get back, I'm so old I'll get that view soon enough!
Great Aunt Yoko: Okay pumpkin, it is getting late..
Great Aunt Yoko: There is one more place I would like to show you tho
With that she thrust a small slip of paper into my hand, I saw that it looked like a train ticket. Before I could say a word I seemed to pass out, again. I woke up at a train station, sadly it wasn;t the same one.
Great Aunt Yoko: Ah Kyoto, I went to school here as a kid you know?
(At this point even the Nav HUD was getting confused about where we were and where we were supposed to go: [11:43] 20240224-03 Nav HUD: Setting waypoint to the best-guess appropriate one. lol)
Great Aunt Yoko: How nostalgic
Great Aunt Yoko: When I was little I used to hide behind the large board and scare the praying visitors
As we walked through the streets of downtown Kyoto I looked around, wondering where all the people were. I was still shaken up by the sight of the Penguin and I had a sneaky suspicion that I wasn't actually back in reality yet.
Great Aunt Yoko: Wow, they expanded their business by a lot
Great Aunt Yoko: Well, I guess that's the only way to come by these days
We stole some bikes and rode around the deserted streets of Kyoto while I kept my eye out for more penguins and eventually reached the outskirts of town where the bus stop was.
Great Aunt Yoko: Hah, that was quite a trip!
Great Aunt Yoko: Let us take the bus, I am exhausted..
Having given up on asking questions of this mad old woman by now I just climb aboard, sit down and close my eyes. Before I know it I'm being shaken awake at a new stop.
Great Aunt Yoko: Oh Tanpopo, my dear childhood friend used to live here
While the bus idles the old lady drags me to a roadside shrine.
Great Aunt Yoko: She passed away a while ago, let us go up so I can say a quick prayer for her
Great Aunt Yoko: Oh Kiki, you left us behind too soon
Great Aunt Yoko: We should have waited for the driving instructor after all
Starbright Wingtips looks at the old lady with an expression which says "why am I not surprised?"
Great Aunt Yoko: By the way, you still owe me 50 bucks
Great Aunt Yoko: Tsk, You always tried to get around paying back your debts you lil dead raskal
Eventually the old lady turns from the shrine and ushers me back onto the bus.
Great Aunt Yoko: Alright, thanks for taking this detour with me pumpkin, let's return
Great Aunt Yoko: It's been very kind of you to spend this lovely day with your old great aunt!
The bust sets off again and the motion of the bus combined with a very busy day soon have me fast asleep and being shaken awake what seems like only seconds later. We climb off the bus at what seems like an ordinary shop car park, are we finally back to reality?
Great Aunt Yoko: Oh my, I almost fell asleep on the bus
Great Aunt Yoko: I guess it really is time you bring me back to the airport
I look around the car park and am unsurprised to see a green Jeep sitting there, so I go steal it, again. Following directions from the old lady I get back on the road and as I'm motoring along, I get my first definite clue that this is reality when we pass what is probably the only sewage works in Jeogeot.
