06-24-2015, 09:58 AM
Kopaka was enjoying Coruscant, though no one would be able to tell by the staunch, unwavering glare that his mask held.
Everything was extremely logical and well planned-out, and though Kopaka could not at first read the local language, it quickly became apparent that the individual symbols were a direct cipher to the Matoran alphabet. The Toa of Ice had wandered through the streets for a time, taking in the sights and trying to get a feel for the local culture. Everyone in this city, whether they were biological or mechanical, seemed to be extremely well cultured and polite. The armored biologicals, a group of warriors he had come to know as 'stormtroopers', we generally very helpful when asked, but Kopaka couldn't help but feel as though his movements were being carefully watched.
He could not blame these people entirely; Kopaka was a mighty warrior in their homeland. Hopefully, in time, he would have an opportunity to prove his integrity and sense of duty to the people of Coruscant, but at the current moment it was more prudent to seek out a repository of information as he had originally intended.
In Coruscant, there existed a series of mass transit vehicles that could take the Toa to wherever he needed to go, and even though he was generally considerably taller than the usual inhabitant of this verse, the busses seemed to be designed to accommodate this sort of extra bulk. In due time, Kopaka had navigated to the steps of what was called the 'Coruscant Library'. Kopaka did not recognize the word 'library' in and of itself, but based on what he had been told, it was a repository of information all the same.
The building was vast and ornate, and the Toa of Ice was glad to see that these people valued their information so greatly. Upon entering the building, he looked around at the large banks of information, and was eager to start learning as much as he could about this new universe. As he looked around, however, he noticed that there was a small museum dedicated to the pursuit of information and knowledge. Being that he was in no particular hurry, Kopaka strode into the exhibit and began to peruse the samplings of local culture. Most of the artifacts were of passing interest, but ultimately did not hold the Toa's attention for long. As he reached the end of the hall, however, he spotted something very interesting indeed. Ensconced in a large glass case, set upon a large artificial head, was a Kanohi Rau, the Noble Mask of Translation. It would make sense that such an artifact of power would be contained within a place of knowledge and understanding, but the fact that there was even a Kanohi mask at all within this Omniverse was enough to jar Kopaka from his otherwise placated mindset.
The Toa immediately sought out an employee of the library, a small looking biological who wore a strange mask that was mostly transparent and only lay across her nose and eyes.
"That exhibit...where did you find it?" Kopaka asked, pointing towards the Rau. The librarian looked over at the mask and shrugged.
"Oh, I don't know. Some archeologists dug it up somewhere from the Vasty Deep and brought it here. It's quite remarkable...anyone who looks through the eyes of that mask can read any language at all!" the librarian said, as if this was somehow surprising. Kopaka was not amused.
"I know." he said flatly, walking back towards the mask. The idea of thievery did not even cross the Toa's mind, but there was something...something from within his dreams...that told him that he needed to obtain that mask. He turned back towards the librarian, his face, as always, betraying no expression.
"I require that mask. Is there a way I can compensate you for it?" Kopaka asked, his tone now cold. The librarian adopted a distressed look on her face.
"Oh, well, sir...none of our exhibits are for sale, I'm afraid. This isn't really something I could discuss either; you would have to take it up with our head librarian..." she said in a small voice. Kopaka nodded and wordlessly departed the exhibit hall, following the signs to where the head librarian kept his quarters. There was a strange barrier that blocked Kopaka's path, but after a few attempts, the Toa managed to figure out how the door worked and it slid open. An aged man looked up with a suspicious glance from his studies.
"Can I...help you?" he asked in a droll tone.
"I require the mask of translation held in your library. How might I acquire it?" Kopaka asked in a flat tone. The head librarian seemed taken aback by the Toa's forwardness, but Kopaka's business-like demeanor seemed to intrigue the man.
"You...are familiar with the mask?" he asked, standing up and approaching Kopaka. The Toa was a good three feet taller than the shriveled biological, but the man stood, unabashed, inches from Kopaka's frigid body.
"I am. I suppose...it was pulled from my universe, much in the same way I was." Kopaka said flatly.
"Astounding! Marvelous! Ah...but...yes, I see why you would want it then. Hrm..." the old man said, scratching his stubbled chin. Kopaka waited patiently for him to work out his thoughts, which took almost a solid ten minutes.
"Alright, well...I'm afraid that the mask-"
"Kanohi Rau, for your records." Kopaka interrupted. The librarian raised a bemused eyebrow.
"...the Kanohi Rau is Empire property but...it is within my power to lend it to other scientists for their own research...I tell you what, you perform a small service for the Library and I will see that you are able to borrow the mask for as long as you need it." the librarian said. Kopaka nodded. The deal was acceptable.
"Very good! Well then, the Imperial Databanks have been having a problem with rogue code, as of late. Sentient packets of data that seem to have infiltrated our records and...I don't know...decided to live there. We have devices that allow someone to mentally enter this digital world and dispatch of such nuisances in a pseudo-physical matter. Chase out or destroy this virus infestation, and I will get the paperwork started." the librarian said.
"As is your will, Turaga." Kopaka said, bowing slightly. The librarian was taken aback slightly by such a reverential show of respect, but seemed to accept it all the same. He would have to be sure to pick this prime's brain at a later date; the Empire was always looking for comprehensive information on new universes that were added to the Omniverse.
The Toa made his way to the eighth floor, as he had been directed, and squeezed his way into an uplink booth. There was currently only one other person on this floor; a strange looking biological who had wrapped a cloth around her eyes. Odd, but ultimately inconsequential. Without any further hesitation, Kopaka activated the device and felt his mind pulled from his processor.
...
The Dataverse was a very beautiful place. It was like being inside of the Great Spirit's mind, only with much less profound rumination pervading the digital landscape. Kopaka looked around for a while, navigating the seemingly endless rows of and shelves of data packets. It seemed as though, despite its digital nature, his Kanohi Akaku still functioned...but even with the ability to see great distances and see through objects, Kopaka could find no other being residing within this corner of the databanks...
...save for Athena. After some time, Kopaka happened upon the girl reading a very complex looking archive file. She was so absorbed by the virtual tome that she didn't even notice the towering biomech approaching. Never one to bother with needless social graces, Kopaka spoke directly.
"Have you seen any signs of an infestation within these halls?" he asked, peering down at the comparatively small woman.
Everything was extremely logical and well planned-out, and though Kopaka could not at first read the local language, it quickly became apparent that the individual symbols were a direct cipher to the Matoran alphabet. The Toa of Ice had wandered through the streets for a time, taking in the sights and trying to get a feel for the local culture. Everyone in this city, whether they were biological or mechanical, seemed to be extremely well cultured and polite. The armored biologicals, a group of warriors he had come to know as 'stormtroopers', we generally very helpful when asked, but Kopaka couldn't help but feel as though his movements were being carefully watched.
He could not blame these people entirely; Kopaka was a mighty warrior in their homeland. Hopefully, in time, he would have an opportunity to prove his integrity and sense of duty to the people of Coruscant, but at the current moment it was more prudent to seek out a repository of information as he had originally intended.
In Coruscant, there existed a series of mass transit vehicles that could take the Toa to wherever he needed to go, and even though he was generally considerably taller than the usual inhabitant of this verse, the busses seemed to be designed to accommodate this sort of extra bulk. In due time, Kopaka had navigated to the steps of what was called the 'Coruscant Library'. Kopaka did not recognize the word 'library' in and of itself, but based on what he had been told, it was a repository of information all the same.
The building was vast and ornate, and the Toa of Ice was glad to see that these people valued their information so greatly. Upon entering the building, he looked around at the large banks of information, and was eager to start learning as much as he could about this new universe. As he looked around, however, he noticed that there was a small museum dedicated to the pursuit of information and knowledge. Being that he was in no particular hurry, Kopaka strode into the exhibit and began to peruse the samplings of local culture. Most of the artifacts were of passing interest, but ultimately did not hold the Toa's attention for long. As he reached the end of the hall, however, he spotted something very interesting indeed. Ensconced in a large glass case, set upon a large artificial head, was a Kanohi Rau, the Noble Mask of Translation. It would make sense that such an artifact of power would be contained within a place of knowledge and understanding, but the fact that there was even a Kanohi mask at all within this Omniverse was enough to jar Kopaka from his otherwise placated mindset.
The Toa immediately sought out an employee of the library, a small looking biological who wore a strange mask that was mostly transparent and only lay across her nose and eyes.
"That exhibit...where did you find it?" Kopaka asked, pointing towards the Rau. The librarian looked over at the mask and shrugged.
"Oh, I don't know. Some archeologists dug it up somewhere from the Vasty Deep and brought it here. It's quite remarkable...anyone who looks through the eyes of that mask can read any language at all!" the librarian said, as if this was somehow surprising. Kopaka was not amused.
"I know." he said flatly, walking back towards the mask. The idea of thievery did not even cross the Toa's mind, but there was something...something from within his dreams...that told him that he needed to obtain that mask. He turned back towards the librarian, his face, as always, betraying no expression.
"I require that mask. Is there a way I can compensate you for it?" Kopaka asked, his tone now cold. The librarian adopted a distressed look on her face.
"Oh, well, sir...none of our exhibits are for sale, I'm afraid. This isn't really something I could discuss either; you would have to take it up with our head librarian..." she said in a small voice. Kopaka nodded and wordlessly departed the exhibit hall, following the signs to where the head librarian kept his quarters. There was a strange barrier that blocked Kopaka's path, but after a few attempts, the Toa managed to figure out how the door worked and it slid open. An aged man looked up with a suspicious glance from his studies.
"Can I...help you?" he asked in a droll tone.
"I require the mask of translation held in your library. How might I acquire it?" Kopaka asked in a flat tone. The head librarian seemed taken aback by the Toa's forwardness, but Kopaka's business-like demeanor seemed to intrigue the man.
"You...are familiar with the mask?" he asked, standing up and approaching Kopaka. The Toa was a good three feet taller than the shriveled biological, but the man stood, unabashed, inches from Kopaka's frigid body.
"I am. I suppose...it was pulled from my universe, much in the same way I was." Kopaka said flatly.
"Astounding! Marvelous! Ah...but...yes, I see why you would want it then. Hrm..." the old man said, scratching his stubbled chin. Kopaka waited patiently for him to work out his thoughts, which took almost a solid ten minutes.
"Alright, well...I'm afraid that the mask-"
"Kanohi Rau, for your records." Kopaka interrupted. The librarian raised a bemused eyebrow.
"...the Kanohi Rau is Empire property but...it is within my power to lend it to other scientists for their own research...I tell you what, you perform a small service for the Library and I will see that you are able to borrow the mask for as long as you need it." the librarian said. Kopaka nodded. The deal was acceptable.
"Very good! Well then, the Imperial Databanks have been having a problem with rogue code, as of late. Sentient packets of data that seem to have infiltrated our records and...I don't know...decided to live there. We have devices that allow someone to mentally enter this digital world and dispatch of such nuisances in a pseudo-physical matter. Chase out or destroy this virus infestation, and I will get the paperwork started." the librarian said.
"As is your will, Turaga." Kopaka said, bowing slightly. The librarian was taken aback slightly by such a reverential show of respect, but seemed to accept it all the same. He would have to be sure to pick this prime's brain at a later date; the Empire was always looking for comprehensive information on new universes that were added to the Omniverse.
The Toa made his way to the eighth floor, as he had been directed, and squeezed his way into an uplink booth. There was currently only one other person on this floor; a strange looking biological who had wrapped a cloth around her eyes. Odd, but ultimately inconsequential. Without any further hesitation, Kopaka activated the device and felt his mind pulled from his processor.
...
The Dataverse was a very beautiful place. It was like being inside of the Great Spirit's mind, only with much less profound rumination pervading the digital landscape. Kopaka looked around for a while, navigating the seemingly endless rows of and shelves of data packets. It seemed as though, despite its digital nature, his Kanohi Akaku still functioned...but even with the ability to see great distances and see through objects, Kopaka could find no other being residing within this corner of the databanks...
...save for Athena. After some time, Kopaka happened upon the girl reading a very complex looking archive file. She was so absorbed by the virtual tome that she didn't even notice the towering biomech approaching. Never one to bother with needless social graces, Kopaka spoke directly.
"Have you seen any signs of an infestation within these halls?" he asked, peering down at the comparatively small woman.
C O L D