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

This is a masque, or masquerade, a party in which everyone is disguised. It is being held in honour of Lil, Garius Lupus and one other unknown, all of whom have their birthday on November 7.

RULES

Only one, very simple: You must come in disguise. Create a new account and use it to describe your mysterious new identity.
Even the researchers hosting this event are disguised.

Well, two rules: after you create the new account, use it to join this party and enjoy yourself.

Enter here!

*Guests enter through terrace doors into a long hallway which leads to a large open space (it also branches off into the library, which in turn leads to the salon: see floor plan at http://www.asterlil.com/h2g2/aplanbig.htm ). This is the New Gallery, a co-op of studio and exhibition space, open just in time for this Masque. A central open space, slightly sunken, is dominated by a large trebuchet in the far corner. All around the edge of the central area is a carpeted boardwalk with a broad rail sturdy enough for a guest to rest a drink, a small plate, a weary backside. Along the walls are a number of doors to studios. Works of art hang on the walls and holograms of 3D works ring the central open space. The gallery is quite large, such that there is enough room for dancing.

Immediately adjoining the New Gallery is a suite of rooms where refreshments and food are served by bots from CLI. Other bots circulate through the room unobtrusively, refilling wine glasses and picking up empty dishes.

A string quartet has taken up positions immediately by the trebuchet, and is playing Haydn. The players are all wearing traditional domino masks and tuxedos.

All of the guests are disguised. *

*Stumbles in on unfamiliar high heels*
Ofh! Verd*mten..!
*Adjusting a toppling wig and a tilted mask, before looking around*

Wow!
*A bit more composed, the guest hands over the invitation to a bot that looks a bit like a butler..*
I am Izobella von Schtrümpfhosen, have I come to the right adress?

*goes after a champagne-serving bot without bothering to wait for an answer*

*a tall and lean figure enters, dressed in a tweed suit and an earflapped travelling cap, with a pipe in one hand and a violin case in the other*

*his sharp and piercing eyes take in all the details, and the thin, hawk-like nose sniffs appreciatively*

*hands invitation to nearest bot*

I say - that thing there does look interesting!

*approaches the trebuchet to investigate it closer*

*A large red squirrel wearing a Phantom of the Opera half mask and a large black cape enters, carrying a basket of hazel nuts*
Hello? Is this the party? I brought some gifts.
*Looks around nervously*

*A rather slight gentleman in a purple suit meekly peers into the gallery, takes a deep breath and enters. He fumbles in his pocket for something. Anyone seeing him may notice the handle of a knife briefly stick out, but it quickly falls back in as he pulls an invitation out. He hands it to the reception 'bot.*

Um... hello. I believe I'm in the right place.

*having finished examining the trebuchet, now fully understanding how it works*

*nods at the other guests*

*looks around for comfortable armchair*

*sits down*

*pulls out tobacco pouch from pocket, begins filling his pipe*

*waves at one of the bots*

Tell me - is there a VPB available here? I hear they have one over at the Aroma Café, and I would be very interested in trying one out myself.

*The lights appear to flicker off and on and when they resume proper functioning several lights have changed colour to a crimson red*

*Entering the gallery is a woman of small stature and unremarkable looks. Her hair is mostly black, though if you look at it again it appears almost white. She walks hunched with a cane, yet you are struck with the perception that she is merely searching for change on the ground and the hunch is merely a device*

*She looks around the room with a hawk-like gaze, taking in everyone for their worth. Nodding twice she hands her invitation and her shawl to the... butler*

Madame Zora Selavy-VonKinderschlhöper. Pleas'd I'm sure. Some swanky place ya have here.

*she makes her way over to a man dressed in tweed, fails to introduce herself and sits down in the opposite chair and lights her pipe*

*Looks around, still nervous. Scampers over to a bot carrying some plates*
Umm, could you possibly take these please. *Hands over the nuts* Do you have any nut loaf?
*Hops and scurries round, looking at the pictures, finally stopping at a baroque looking tree*

/A tall thin man dressed in a scarlet leather double breasted duster enters the room. He is blonde and has very distinctive wire rimmed sunglasses. Their amber lenses are perfectly round and the temples are formed into a styleized "W". His black gloves are riveted with rings built into each finger./

/He slides into the center of the room brandishing his invitation/

Yes I am that Man!

Vash

*strides gracefully to the top of the steps, then stops to hand his card to the butlerian bot, while looking around and adjusting the small white domino covering his eyes*

*He espies Mr. Holmes and nods, as one does, to the other gentleman, accepts a glass of Montrachet '64 from a waiter, and begins to amble along the promenade, examining the art work and keeping an eye on the entrance*

*half to himself* Mechanical servants...there must be an epigram in that somewhere...

*A tall paladin enters wearing full battle plate armour+5, beautifully and intricately made of shining silvery elvish mithral the armour does not in any way impede his movements. With a great sword+6 in a back scabard the over all impression is of great power.*

*Although his face is protected by a plumed helmet, his eyes glittering through the gold surrounded eyepieces are bright and aware of all the movements in the room. Belying the warrior image, his eyes are kind and full of wisdom*

/Vash begins to inspect the trebuchet intently. He climbs into the ammo sling and pokes around a bit. Suddenly the trebuchet launches Vash into the ceiling/

SCARYSCARYSCARYSCARYSCARY

I am all right!

Vash

*studies the other guests keenly while puffing away on his pipe*

*decides to keep a special eye on the Professor*

*raises his glass of Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac in a salute to Oscar Wilde*

*Walks down the hallway, one hand in the pocket of his tuxedo, looking suave and sophisticated. At the end of the hall, his toe catches in a seam on the carpet and he stumbles forward. The railing around the central area catches him in the chest and he flips over it then plummets out of sight down to the sunken floor. He immediately leaps to his feet, thrusts his hand back in his pocket and acts as if nothing happened. He strolls over and walks up the steps. Leaning one arm on the railing he surveys the room.*

*Watches with some interest as the gentleman formerly in the trebuchet shouts down from the rafters*

Had you planned to do that sir? Shall we have the servants fetch a ladder?

*Has a distinct feeling of being watched. His hand shakes a little as he takes of glass of from a passing tray. His gaze moves up to the rafters following the trajectory of the guest.*


Oh, my; he is in a pickle.

Errrm no not exactly.
/Falls to the floor/

Ooooof.

Vash

*not in the least taken by surprise at seeing the scarlet clad one hanging on to the rafters, not after having observed him fiddling around with the trebuchet*

*suddenly jumps up out of the armchair*

*grabs his violin case, opens it -










- and pulls out a violin*

*joins the string quartet, introducing a fiery Hungarian Csardaz*

*plays the violin with impassive face and surprising intensity until the strings almost glow*

*abruptly stops playing*

*bows to string quartet*

*slumps down in armchair*

*resumes puffing his pipe*

*keeping an eye on the trebuchet, hastens to the fallen masked party goer*

Are you alright? I have learnt from bitter experience that those things are not to be trusted.

*asks a passing butler bot for a Guineess*

In fact make it two, I'm sure this aeronaut could with one as well.

/Jumping up from the floor, Vash dusts off his coat. A giant pistol of uncertain origin falls out of the recesses of the duster and clatters on the floor. Vash snatches it back and re-holsters the weapon./

Sorry about that folks. This is a curious contraption. What is it for? It seems quite dangerous.

(This is what Vash looks like http://www.flybynightdesign.com/background/Trigun-Vash-1600x1200.jpg )