h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*tries not to think about ashes and smoke remains from a flare going up*

*fails*

I want to make sure the bot is well and truly occupied before we try to make it to the super collider. *watches, wishing the would stop giving away his location*

*digs around in numerous pockets*

The only thing I have is pocket fluff. Lots of it though... How much of that, well scattered, will buy us enough time?

[Mog] Er, I was thinking of drawing the attention of someone else on the H2G2 who can offer brute force if an interesting and well-roleplayed solution doesn't work. Or at the very least, one way to deal with panic and worry on this level is to spread it around ...

Hmmm... Anyone in particular you'd think would show?

[Mog] Er ... well, Yar, I suppose ... maybe Affy. I suppose if I fired it high enough, it might be visible from the Atelier ... or, hang on, how far away IS the Atelier from here, anyway ...?

Anybody got a map?

Hey, can you adjust that flare gun to send a message? If the Salon can read it in pretty sparkling letters in the sky, then maybe we can get them to make our black whole for us.

Save the pocket fluff, Santra. We'll need to put things in the collider in order to slam them into each other at high enough velocity to produce dirt particles that the universe has not seen since the Big Bang. And pocket fluff is one of those elemental things that we just can't do without.

We'll need some other stuff too. I wonder if we should save the flare for the collider? I don't have a map, but if I had a map of H2G2, I would want to put it in the collider. The geography of this place is *messy*.

/* Grabs a handful of loose dirt, some acorns, and dead leaves and puts them in his pocket */

Oh, those acorns will be useful. They are closely associated with mudslinging, at the moment.

Now, that's clever thinking. *puts fluff back in pockets* It'll multiply down there, I am sure, so there should be aplenty.

*sits down to rest a bit, without quite closing his eyes*

*sensors try to detect walls*

*fail*

*sensors try to detect ceiling*

*fail*

*the bot seems to be digesting the most recently recorded information*

*sensors try to detect a door*

*sensors pick up door to café*

*sensors try to detect a floor*

*sensors detect a lot of dirt on what might be described as a floor*

*the industrial strength hoover extension pops out and starts hoovering*

*very soon, the bot is standing in a shallow pit while still hoovering away*

Okay guys, I think this is our chance. Let's skirt around the bot slowly while it's occupied, back into the Café. From there, there's a tunnel to Crater Labs. If we get spotted by the bot, everyone scatter. It can't be in more than one place at once...

*Starts moving carefully and quietly, so as not to attract the bot's attention.*

[Mog] [carefully following Irv] Are you sure? I mean ... this *is* the H2G2. If we end up in different threads ...

*whispering*

I hope it doesn't come to that. I mean, I suppose it's possible that if we end up in different threads the bot could be in multiple threads at once. I can't remember how the rules of continuity deal with that possibility.

*Is almost to the door of the Café, watching the bot working at the dirt*

/* Grabs Zeppo's and Gummo's collars, and tries to pull them quickly past the pit without revealing that there's something similar to digging going on */

I'm less concerned about different threads than I am that the cleaning bot will vacuum itself right into the tunnel, just as we're trying to get through. I hope it doesn't pass directly underneath here.

I can't see any reason why the tunnel would extend out past the Café, unless of course Affy's been up to something I'm not aware of.

*Opens door, ushers the rest in*

[Mog] [slipping in] I suppose that depends on which direction Crater Labs is in ...

It's the other way, out the back.

*tiptoes in right before the door silently closes*

Phew. Almost missed you guys leaving. How could I be semi-sleeping with that thing around? Anyway, it'll be hovering its way to China at the rate it's going...

I've never been in the tunnel - is it very dark??

I've never been in it either. I don't think it's very dark, but it's likely to smell like mbougatses.

Zeppo! Mbougatses!

OK, everyone, follow the dog.