Chat room adventures

Alice paced around the kitchen, "Adam are you sure that they're no where on the ship?"

"No where."

"Damn, well then we'll just have to try something else won't we?"

"What are you thinking?" Rick asked.

"I have an idea. Adam how far could they have gone?"

"At the speed they were going not very far, at least not yet."

"Good, since my telepathic ablities are restricted to the Highwind when i'm in here."

"I don't like where this is going."

"I need you to shoot me outside the ship, I can contact her then and tell you where she is."

"I've got a better idea!" said Adam, "Follow me."

Adam led them down into the science labs. Most of the things were dusty from not being used but adm walked straight to a hidden door. It opened and revealed a large black chair.

"Sit down Alice," Adam instructed her."

"I dont like where this is going," she said mockingly. Adam grinned a fastned a headphon like device atop her head.

"This will link you to the Highwind's long range communicatoins. You should be able to find Bella." Adam clicked a few buttons and Alice reclined. Her eyes went white as she searched for Bella.

*Bella?* the voice echoed in Bellas head.
*Gah! Alice...is that you?*
*Yeah, where are you?*
*I have absolutely no freaking idea.*
*Can you describe it?*
*No. No one'll turn on the lights. It's dark and cold and...yeah, that's about it. I can't see anything and I am freezing my butt off!! Please help me!*
*That's what I'm trying to do! You aren't helping much yourself!*
*What do you expect me to do, just poof back to the highwind?*
*That's a good idea!*
*Oh yeah, Alice, I'm just gonna poof back. If I could do that do ya think I'd still be here?*
*Good point...*
*Exactly. Ow,*
*What?*
*I think I broke my arm or my wrist when I disappeared.*
*Which one?*
*the right one.*
*Dang, that's your writing side.*
*Oh thanks, you're really helping the situation!*

Adam paced around Alice's chair. Everyone was waiting in the hall. It felt like somone was giving birth and they were waiting to see if it was a boy or a girl.

If only we could track where Alice's mind went. That's it! Adam ran off into the dusty lab. He just had an idea.

*Well, like I said, there's not much I can do to help. I need to know where you are in order to help.*
*Well if I knew where I was I'd tell you.*
*Alright, then what more do you wnat from me?*
*A little optimism would be nice.*
*I don't usually do optimism; it'll cost you.*
*I'm trapped in complete and utter darkness and you're adding things to my tab?!?!*
*Pretty much*
*Grr.*
*Tough luck.*

Adam finally found it. One of his oldest inventions, tucked away for at least 5 years. Never thought I'd use this.

He raced back to the chair room. He took Alice out of the Machine and she sat up.

"What're you doing!?" she yelled, "I found her!"

"I know that, but this willallow us to really find her." Adam stuck a small probe into Alice's ear.

"Ok, Now I really dont like this."

"Deal with it." A cord came from the probe and into a computer screen. Adam reactivated the chair and Alice went into a trace again. The screen flickered and then it showed the Area around the Highwind in space.

"Wow," said Matt, "How did you...?"

"This is the Astral Tracker. When in someones ear it can follow the person's mental spirit anywhere. Hopefully it will allow us to find Bella before they get to far away."

Nutty stretched and wandered out of her quarters, Ravara padding quietly behind her. "What's all the noise about?" She looked at alice. "Okay, either a) you are checking alice's temperature, b) You are trying out a lie detector, or c) Something really weird is going on." She looked around. "And why all the red flashing lights?"

"Hey," Mattster blurts out, "does anyone know where Mr Knight went?"

Everyone looks at him.

"Mr... Knight?" Alice asks uncertainly.

"You know! The secret agent who disguised himself as a knight of Jamland in order to foil Jay's plans?"

Alice glances at Adam, who is just as confused.

"Matt? Are you feeling all right?" Adam asks.

"I-I'm fine. I just want to make sure Mr Knight isn't going through my stuff."

"I think Matt's sick," Alice whispers a little too loudly.

"Oh come on," Nutty replies, "there's nothing wrong with having an imaginary friend."

Imaginary friend? Mattster thinks, confused. Then it dawns on him... he's the only one who remembers the Jamland incident.

*How is everyone?* Bella asked when Alice came back.
*Okay...Nutty has no idea what's going on and Matt thinks some guy named Mr. Knight should be here, but other than that...*
*Mr Knight...hmm...that sounds familiar.*
*Oh no, not you too!*
*Are you guys having any luck finding me?*
*I don't know. Adam put this funny thing in my ear and............now he's screaming....hold on* Alice comes out of her trance and looks at Adam.
"Where are they Adam?" she asks. His face is a pasty shade of white when he turns around. He simply pointed to the small planet on the map.
"Is that a bad thing?" Matt asked. Adam nodded.
"She has been taken to one of the most feared planets in the universe..."

"Hello?" I called, "Is anyone there?" Just my luck. My memory of the past hours events is rather dim but not so long ago I was on a tour ship taking pretty pictures of the universe when strange things started happening. Very strange things. Okay, so not really so strange but invisible creatures were moving around the ship and then they kidnapped me. Is that strange?

Hi Kitty, welcome to Here, wherever here may be for us random folk. Anywho, um, since no one else has welcomed you yet, I figured I'd be the first. Just something I noticed, you're posting in a different tense than everyone else. Just a comment. Nice to meet you!

*Alice, I think I hear someone,* Bella thought before trying to use her real voice, the one other people should be able to hear.
"Hello? Is someone there?"
"Yeah...who are you?"
"I'm Bella."
"I'm Heather. Where are we?"
"I have absofreakinlutely no idea. Where'd you come from?"
"I dunno, a tour ship I think. You?"
"The YWS Highwind. Home. Hold on a sec," Bella relays a new conversation to Alice.
*I found a person, can we save her too?*
*Yeah, if we're coming to get you we'll probably be able to grab her.*
*Sweetness.*

Hi, thanks for the welcome. Yeah I guess I am writing in a different tense as you say. Perhaps I shall switch...

"Heather, my friends are coming to get us."
"Great but how do they know where we are?"
"That's a long story," Bella replies.
"Most stories are. How long have you been here?"
"Just a few minutes. Hang on..." Bella tilts her head to one side as if listening to another voice and then smiles. "My friends are here!"

*Bells Adam looks like he's going to go off the deep end and we all need to like pull him back. We'll be there shortly.*

*okay*

Alice pulls herself out of the machine.

"How long will it take us to get there?"

"Not very long."

"We're picking someone up with Bella."

"Who?"

"I have no clue, but we've gotta hurry."

Rick looks for Bella, "Bella where are you"?

*Wait, Alice! What's wrong with Adam?*
*Um...nothing* Alice was lying, Bella could hear it in her tone.
*Seriously, whats wrong?*
*Something about the most feared planet in the galaxy...and you...and...well*
*What?!?!*