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[Echo Gamin]

An ostensibly human child. She appears to be between ten to twelve years old. Her slate-colored coveralls are baggy-- rolled over at the sleeves and ankles several times, at least two or three sizes too big and slightly scuffed at the knees.  Her "ensemble" is completed by a pair of puffy-looking astronaut-ish boots, a tool belt of some sort, and a pair of goggles, pushed back onto her forehead (thus keeping her not-quite shoulder-length hair at bay).

She pulls a red radio flyer wagon behind her. It is beyond overloaded with all sorts of miscelaneous building materials. Under one arm is a rolled coil of blueprint paper. She peers across the horizon, and catching the "sunlight" in her eyes, starts sneezing furiously and repeatedly. When she stops seizing, she puts the blueprints between her teeth, lowers her goggles, replaces the papers beneath her arm, and scans the landscape once more. Spotting a collection of large leafy trees within dragging distance, she takes a deep breath and sets off in the grove's direction.

[Echo Gamin]

Reaching her destination, the child unceremoniously drops the handle of the wagon and begins to survey the grove in detail. She fishes a red and purple bandana our of one of myriad pockets in her jumpsuit. Now in the shade of the trees, she pulls the goggles down off her eyes around her neck to tie the bandana around her head and then pushes them back onto her forehead.

There are a dozen trees or so in the cluster -- some so close that their upper and widest branches entwine. Others are at least several yards apart. Pulling a small tablet and stylus from another pocket, she begins to walk around the closest trees one by one, taking notes. Stopping, she glances behind her and around the area, and returns to her wagon. She pulls it closer to the center of the trees and looks around cautiously before proceeding with her assesment.

Testing for strength and stability she pushes on various trunks, and hangs from several branches. Finally satisfied, she returns to the Radio Flyer and begins to remove a tripod covered with clamps and a black zipper case.

[Echo Gamin]

Setting up the tripod in the center of the grove, she unzips the case and affixes a black tube to each clamp, aiming each in a different angle.  Her movements are precise, fluid, and efficient. She stops only occasionally to scratch the side of her lightly freckled nose, or to cast a quick glace around the area. Her eyes are large and alert. Within a short time, she has all the tubes in place. She screws in a small transceiver, and flips a switch on the tripod. Its empty top length telescopes until it extends above the canopy.

Pulling her wagon out of the trees, the girl begins to extract more equipment. One by one, she creates a square perimeter around the grove by planting foot-long metalic pegs into the soil. As she plants each one, she flips a switch at the top, turning on a little light.  When the perimiter is complete, she presses her stylus to her tablet and smiles as a cube of rippling energy forms around the trees. The various tubes on the tripod scatter beams of red light which dance over every surface within the cube. The tablet beeps softly and the lights turn off.

Data collected, the child begins an efficient break down of her equipment. Everything goes back into its place in the wagon, which she pulls, once more, into the center of the little grove. Unpacking yet another set of small rods, she quickly assembles a table frame without a top. She unrolls the standard looking blueprint scroll and shakes it gently till it goes rigid. Laying the tablet on the corner of her table, she takes stylus in hand and begins to write on the blueprint board. On the top she prints neatly, "MY TREEHOUSE" and begins to draft.

[`_100003005030 (Zero)]

A distracted looking woman wanders by during the building/unbuilding/data gathering phase, her mind clearly elsewhere.  She appears to be going nowhere in particular, and is mumbling to herself.

She passes the tree, not really noticing, but stops about 20 yards past.  She turns slowly, looking at the child's actions.  As she continues her data gathering, a smile slowly replaces the concerned expression on her face.  She watches quietly, nodding in satisfaction -- until the sign goes up.  At which point she flinches.

"Nice job," she calls out.  "Shame about the primitive recording medium, but there are better ones available, should you wish to utilize them."

She takes a step forward.  "`_100003005030.  Known to most here as Zero.  I don't believe we've met before, but I sometimes find myself isolated from the rest of the Avatar population."

She squints.  "Is that ... a House signature?"

`_100003005030
House Renaissance

[Echo Gamin]

The girl carefully gets up from her work so as not to disturb it, and waves at the woman.

"It's nice to meet you, `_100003005030." She looks the woman over once quickly assessing and nods. "I'll confirm we haven't met. You're an Avatar right? So far I've met a bunch of residents. They mentioned signatures before but I'd never seen one before -- except my own. So I was still considering it in the hypothetical until I could meet someone with more expertise to authenticate and confirm."

Catching herself, she smiles sheepishly. "Er, sorry, I should have introduced myself." She walks a little closer and puts out a hand. "Echo. Echo Gamin."

She shakes her head slightly, a delayed internal double-take. A sparkle appears in her eye. "I'm sorry but did you mention better tech?"

[`_100003005030 (Zero)]

The woman nods.  "Octagon, hmm?  Yes, I should think you'll have no difficulty accessing more advanced data storage."

She sits awkwardly on the ground.  "You seem fairly well informed, and yet I assume you are a new arrival."  She looks around them.  "Undoubtedly we shall soon be overrun by Avatars offering all sorts of advice.  But in this place, beings -- Avatars, and residents too -- come from different -- the local term is 'frames of reference.'  Basically, the laws of science as they understood them before coming here.  Most beings are from fairly primitive societies, and use tree pulp as their prime data storage and communications medium.  But there are more advanced beings here, and it is always possible to expand one's own knowledge and ability to manipulate matter and energy here."

"The most exciting thing is that you, and I, and all the beings in this place, and even the place itself, exist as pure energy.  How we manipulate that energy is largely determined by how we are used to manipulating it, before coming here; and even that is difficult at first, almost like relearning locomotion.  But eventually, with study and practice, one can learn to utilize the ambient energy in ways that had not been possible before."

"So, tell me about your previous existence.  Obviously, data gathering was held in high esteem," she adds, sounding quite pleased at the thought.

`_100003005030

[Echo Gamin]

The woman nods.  "Octagon, hmm?  Yes, I should think you'll have no difficulty accessing more advanced data storage."

Echo nods politely but seems slightly disappointed that this technology is not actually on hand for study.

She sits awkwardly on the ground.  "You seem fairly well informed, and yet I assume you are a new arrival." 

Echo nods again. "Brand new."

She looks around them.  "Undoubtedly we shall soon be overrun by Avatars offering all sorts of advice.  But in this place, beings -- Avatars, and residents too -- come from different -- the local term is 'frames of reference.'  Basically, the laws of science as they understood them before coming here.  Most beings are from fairly primitive societies, and use tree pulp as their prime data storage and communications medium.  But there are more advanced beings here, and it is always possible to expand one's own knowledge and ability to manipulate matter and energy here."

"The most exciting thing is that you, and I, and all the beings in this place, and even the place itself, exist as pure energy.  How we manipulate that energy is largely determined by how we are used to manipulating it, before coming here; and even that is difficult at first, almost like relearning locomotion.  But eventually, with study and practice, one can learn to utilize the ambient energy in ways that had not been possible before."

"So, tell me about your previous existence.  Obviously, data gathering was held in high esteem," she adds, sounding quite pleased at the thought.

Echo listens intently to the woman's words -- particularly regarding frames of reference, and energy manipulation.

"I come from a planet called Earth which is in the Milky Way Galaxy, 21st Century CE, if that means anything to you. I've really only just been here a little while, but I ask a lot of questions and the residents I met in the Bazaar have been very informative. That's how I learned about the Houses. Octagon seems to make the most sense. I'm not a fighter or a pilgrim or anything and I'm much too young to be drinking. And as far as feminism goes, I think you should be who you are and fair to others whatever organization you affiliate yourself with so... Anyway I thought about a couple other Houses, but Octagon sounded like the best fit. I guess I'll find out when I meet some others from Octagon though." She shrugs. "If it doesn't work out, I can always hang solo."

"As for the data collection," she gestures to the grove, "I'm doing general surveying. I need a place to stay until I can figure out a way to get home or at least get word to my family. I figured I'd build an arboreal fortification. When you're little and in a strange place, it helps to get above ground level. Then I can get to work on some real projects."

She smiles at the woman. "Not everyone where I come from is so careful about data collection and storage as I am, but my family is full of scientists. I guess it's in my DNA."

[Dr. Ashleigh Connors]

  The fabric of space-time gets pushed aside like a curtain and out pops a gentleman with jeans, a tshirt, a leather jacket, pitchblack sunglasses, a latte in one hand, and a small silver handheld device in the other.  Behind him is a young woman, dressed in a well tailored athletic outfit consisting of a white form fitting bodysuit, grey ripstop canvas trousers that are loose enough for movement without being baggy, and a set of sleek white boots, with copper toned metal toes.  Her hair is long and shimmers with an energy in each tied back strand.
  The man in the jacket walks up to Zero and hands it a full, cold, beer bottle.  "Cathair Wheat.  You've never been isolated _100003005030.  Just unique enough to question yours, and everyone elses, realities."
  He then proceeds to wave the silver handheld up and down in a scanning motion toward Echo.  "Well, well, well..."  He looks over his shoulder to his companion, "This one's got a trace already Sibs.  Looks like another fighter for the cause.  Though that's sensible enough.  I still say the chica upstairs should do away with a bunch of this whole free will crap, and try a little predetermination for awhile.  Give her something useful to do with all that extra cosmic power."
  "Welcome to the Nexus, Sparks.", the man turns back towards the girl, giving her a very long, hard lookover.  "Doctor Ashleigh Connors, House Octagon, and director Paladin Industries.  That's my assistant Miss Sibyll Alexandra, back there.  So what, besides the ineffable "sense of exploration", and "need to discover", that plaguingly pervades every other piece of fresh fish, brings you to our happy plane of existence?"

[Echo Gamin]

Echo observes everything, soaking the data up like a thirsty sponge.

She smiles and nods at the new encounters in turn offering a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Dr. Connors, Ms Alexandra." She gives an embarrassed half-smile at his question.

"Actually it wasn't anything so intrepid or noble that brought me here. I just fell over a wall." She snorts at the idea and shakes her head. "Stupid really. I was with Danny, one of my brothers. We were doing... something... (Ican'trememerwhatexactly theresidentssaidthathappenssometimes)" She catches herself speaking too fast and takes a breath before continuing. "We got into some sort of trouble... not sure... ANYway!" She shakes her head and gesticulates a rolling motion with her hand at the memory gaps. "We were being pursued by... someone... and split up-- not sure whether that was intentional or not but I don't think it was-- Danny's a tough little kid, but we have t' look out for each other-- I was-- I should have been-- sticking with him to make sure we both got back okay." Her brow furrows. It is plain that this memory -- and this thought in particular is upsetting. "ANYway!" She shakes her head and gesticulates again. "I hopped over a wall-- one I've hopped a hundred or so times before-- I was supposed to land on the other side and keep going -- find Danny -- get away-- get us back. Instead, I hopped the wall and landed here (wellnothereexactlyactually--"she breathes. "over on the grass on the other side of that shopping complex-- er, the bazaar). The residents were friendly and some of them quite informative. They told me a bit about avatars and The Nexus and The Houses and that's how I figured out Octagon made the most sense, and when they indicated I might be here a while I figured I'd better make myself some sortof place to stay until I could meet up with some other avatars and find a way to get home. My family needs me."

She blushes, realizing she's been talking quite a bit without letting anyone else get a word in edgewise.

"Ms _100003005030 has been telling me some very interesting things, and she asserted correctly that others would likely end up here soon. And it's nice to know I won't have to go wandering to find my housemates, since you've quite clearly found me."

"OH!" The light blush turn a much deeper pink flooding her fair skin and all but obscuring her freckles. With a rueful grin and a poorly covered giggle, she adds at last, "I'm Echo Gamin. You can call me Echo."

[`_100003005030 (Zero)]

Zero accepts the beer, opening it with a thumb which, briefly, seems to resemble a bottle opener, and takes a appreciative swallow as Ashleigh makes his opening speech -- which is punctuated by a light spray of beer, a stare, and a look of profound disappointment.  The rest of the conversation continues uninterrupted.

When both come up for air -- after Echo's arrival tale -- Zero mutters "Octagon" sadly.  And returns to its beer.

It lowers the bottle long enough to start to say something -- but stops before a word gets out.  This is repeated a couple of times before Zero finally waves a hand between Ashleigh and Echo, as though in belated, abstract introduction, and starts to wander off, continuing to avail itself of the brew.

`_100003005030
Lonely House Renaissance

[Echo Gamin]

"_100003005030!" Echo calls, dismayed, to the unusual woman, "What's wrong? Why are you leaving? Are you sore at me because I joined Octagon?" The child seems genuinely concerned. "We can still be friends right? United in love of research?" She looks to her first encounter hopefully.

[Dr. Ashleigh Connors]

"Zero, you're not alone.  Infinity remember?  If there are no other Rennaisaince out there then its an awful waste of space.  And the socio-botanical engineering project continues.  Also I'm going to need you in short order.  Damn Capulet sprung this change on me while I was in the middle of negotiations and damnit, I was kinda counting on having you in my corner with the whole Bazaar redesign." Connors speaks aloud as Zero starts striding off.

Sibyll gracefully comes up to stand behind Echo, and crouches down low enough to be at the child's height.  "Don't worry Echo, Zero's been out here in the infinite a lot longer than many others.  It'll be alright, and there'll be plenty of projects you two can work on together."

[Echo Gamin]

"Sibyll gracefully comes up to stand behind Echo, and crouches down low enough to be at the child's height.  "Don't worry Echo, Zero's been out here in the infinite a lot longer than many others.  It'll be alright, and there'll be plenty of projects you two can work on together."

Echo gives a half-smile to Sibyll but seems no less concerned. It's nice to have someone who wants to comfort her, but Sibyll isn't the one leaving without an explanation. Still, she offers another half-smile in appreciation for the grown-up's attempt.

[`_100003005030 (Zero)]

Some distance away, Zero stops.  Reaches into a pocket and pulls out a small silver object, about the size of a credit card.  Holds it with one hand, runs fingers lightly over it with the other, and takes an occasional sip of beer with another ... and turns and starts to walk back. 

"My apologies, Echo Gamin and Dr. Ashleigh Connors.  My friendships, and even acquaintanceships, are not experiencing great success of late.  Or rather, my hypotheses are being disproved more rapidly than I can replace them."

It reaches the two, and flops awkwardly to the ground.  "I am being selfish as well.  I had hoped, Dr. Ashleigh Connors, that you would be willing to accept a task from me that I no longer wish to perform."

Another long draft of the beer, followed by an approving nod.  "So tell me, was it the communications network?"  It looks enquiringly at Connors.

`_100003005030
Dejected House Renaissance

[Dr. Ashleigh Connors]

   "Oh?  What task?  And what bars me from helping you now?", Ashleigh inquires with an eyebrow raising over the rim of his black lenses.