[Radio: (B) GNN] Chest transmits, "Pineapple!"

 

[Radio: (B) GNN] Chest transmits, "Get up to Eurasia. No dawdling, either. I'm going to be checking the new location and I have an assignment for you."

 

[Radio: (B) GNN] Lemon and Lime transmits, "Ah, well. The construction is almost complete. All that is really left to do is furnish the offices and such."

 

[Radio: (B) GNN] Chest transmits, "We'll be checking it out. You two available to show us around?"

 

[Radio: (B) GNN] Chest transmits, "Time to find out if all the money I've spent on this was worth it.."

 

[Radio: (B) GNN] Lemon and Lime transmits, "Yes. We will be waiting in the foyer."

 

[Radio: (B) GNN] Pineapple transmits, "...I'm coming sir, I'm coming... Just have to make sure this photos came out okay so I can give you them there."

 

[Radio: (B) GNN] Chest transmits, "It better. I'm tired of seeing pictures that look like you forgot to take the lens cover off."

 

[Radio: (B) GNN] Chest transmits, "I need results, not excu- ahhh, forget it. I'll wait and yell at you in person."

 

GNN Eurasia

 

        Foyer and Office Levels

 

        The foyer of GNN Eurasia is a large open area that is mainly used for public press conferences, holding various public functions, checking in for interviews, and going to the help desk to find out how to get to where you want to go. There is indeed an information desk on the far side from the entrance. There are typically five very pleasant secretaries working there, always happy to tell you that the person you are looking for is not in the office, or that they will see you in fifteen minutes, or that the bathroom is down the hall and to the right. Next to the desk is a set of three elevators that can be taken to any one of the four floors.

        The second floor, consists of the offices of various editors, scriptwriters, researchers, and other individuals who work on getting everything together so that the news can be presented in a superior manner. While some may consider this section to be nothing but a boring field of cubicles and side offices, to actually walk through would reveal news being analyzed, written, and sent upstairs for the 5 o'clock news.

 

        'Out' leads towards Eurasia - Empire Central Square

        'Up' leads towards GNN Eurasia - Broadcasting Levels

 

Contents:

Pineapple

Lemon and Lime

 

Chest snorts as he scoots through the Eurasian streets, chomping down on his cigar. He can see the circular/squarish Eurasian HQ off in the distance. The last time he was on this Godforsaken space station was during that crazy Coalition Challenge. What nonsense /that/ turned out to be! "What kind of design is that?" Chest mutters. Camera, Chest's oh so loyal camera drone, beeps and whistles as it rolls alongside its owner. "I mean really, pick a damn shape. Circle or square. Back in my day we didn't bother trying to be fancy and do everything at once." Chest shakes his head in disappointment. "Ah well. Might as well at least see if the insides are passable."

        Although he hides it, there's a sense of pride from the GNN bossman as he peers at the giant 'GNN Eurasia' sign above the entrance. Swinging open the doors, Chest stops in the entryway in order to check out the foyer from here. It's hard to tell what he thinks of it so far.

 

Pineapple races through the streets and sidewalks on foot, holding a laptop briefcase in his hand. He also gets hit by a hovercycle, but he manages to roll off it and continue. Seems like he was rather lucky... Or rather agile. Thankfully, only a few people notice, and don't really see that it was a mild mannered reporter. When he gets to the front doors, he just zips to a stop, taking a moment to make sure he's hair is nice and his shirt is all straighten before coming in, trying his best to be calm. "Hey sir!" he calls out, holding up his briefcase. "Have the pictures!"

 

Lemon and Lime stand in the main entry way, the foyer of GNN Eurasia. Unlike Chest, they do not mind it up here, and now that this facility is almost complete, they are really ready to get to work again. They are apparently discussing what will be the best way to show this facility. Lemon says from the top down, while Lime says from the bottom up... much like their view of power uninterestingly enough. However, now that Chest and Pineapple have arrived, they flip a coin and Lime winds up winning.

        The duo then approach Chest and Pineapple. Lemon says, "Hello Chest," and lime continues, "and Pineapple. We hope that you were able to find this building easily enough."

 

Chest hovers in a few more steps, scowling and smoking his cigar as he looks this way and that. It's now that he hears Pineapple calling to him. Looking over his shoulder, he motions for the reporter to come on over. "Forget about the photos for now, Pineapple. I need you to focus on something else." Chest puts his hand on Pineapple's shoulder and leads him towards the Wonder Twins. "Now I realize," he starts, waving his cigar as he talks with his free hand, "That this job might not seem to be the most glamorous of assignments, bu-" Chest cuts off as they reach L&L. "Lemon. Lime. Yeah, no problem at all. I like the sign."

 

Pineapple blinks as Chest tells him to forget the photos. Merely holding the briefcase at his side, the mild mannered reporter makes his way toward his boss. "What's up, sir?" he asks, unsure of exactly what is going to be asked of him. Considering it's Chest, just about anything is possible.

Lime smiles and says, "Thank you Chest. I designed it myself." Lemon rolls his optics at his sister and says, "When you are ready for the tour, we can start with this floor and work our way up to the fourth floor. It should not take too long since this is not nearly as large as GNN Central."

 

Chest shrugs and nods to Lemon, "Sure sure. Might as well get started." Turning to Pineapple as they head for the elevators, Chest takes his hand off and says, "It's about Interpol-" he waves his hands and shakes his head here, "-No no, not about something incompetent that they've done - though it wouldn't surprise me if there's something there," Chest isn't really paying attention to where he's going, but he is managing to go roughly in the direction of the elevators. "Specifically, their Co-Director R. Now I ask you, wouldn't a human interest story about someone from Interpol be great?" Chest really is not doing a good job of explaining this.

 

Pineapple rubs the back of his head as a nervous response to Chest's words. He still follows to the side and a little behind the 'boss man' though. "Co-Director R? I would think with a name like that, he wouldn't really WANT people to know about him. Y-you know, like most people with letters for names are."

 

Chest stops in his trek to the elevators to just stare at Pineapple for a good long while. "...what?" he asks with a perfect blend of confusion, shock, amusement, and curiousity. Chest isn't sure if he can think of too many other people that have letters for names.

 

Lime pauses as Chest and Pineapple speak a bit. However, once Pineapple has finished speaking, the debate skills kick and and she starts her refutation, "Actually, that is a rather judgemental thing to say. While there is a stereotype of individuals and objects having letters for names in order to hide something, it can also be to protect themselves, others, or simply the name they are given. There are a number of humans that have a single letter for their middle name simply because their parents compromised between two names that start with the same letter."

        Lemon chuckles and says, "This room is the foyer. It is simply an open area where public announcements, meetings, services, etc. can take place. I would also like to point out that such compromising goes against the standard set forth by nature where the strongest survive. Seldom will you ever find the strongest compromising with the weaker."

 

"Well, if he's wanting to protect their name, that would mean that he had something to hide. And people don't by intials for stuff like that. Unless they are like the EVIL Docter Z or the mysterious Professor X... It's just the way it works!" Pineapple exclaims with some uncertainity. "...If we can get the Interpol to let us interview him, that's great, just saying it might be hard to get the truth out of them. More so after all that Black SHIELD stuff. I think they are a bit t-t-ouchier since then."

 

Chest continues to stare at Pineapple. "Are you on the crack, son?" he asks, "Cause if you're on the crack I'm afraid I'm going ot have to suggest that you get yourself off of it. I don't tolerate druggies. Not in GNN! Maybe over at POX where they'll let any two-bit hussy that can hold a pen in, but not here!" Chest shakes his head and looks around the foyer. "Yeah, it's nice," he says offhandedly. Chest pauses as L&L get into an argument over whether parents compromising on a middle name is a good or bad thing. How the hell did THAT happen?! "Now see what you've done." Chest says to Pineapple while peering at the twins.

 

Lime shakes her head, "Now that is not true. Symbiotic relationships are more prevalent in nature than you are claiming. Moss in the furr of a sloth for example. The coat of the sloth provides a home for the moss, and the color of the moss helps the sloth blend in with its surroundings. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement." She then turns to Chest and Pineapple and continues, "If you will follow me into the elevator and up a floor, we can give you a quick tour of the office area."

 

Lemon sighs and says, "Unfortunately, it has not been completely furnished yet, and nobody is actually working on news there. As a result it will most likely be no where near as exciting as it would be this time next week when people are bustling around writing up the reports for the news. And I am afraid that Lime underplays the significance of the hunter-prey relationship where it is not about mutual benefits but the efforts of one to exert superiority over the other."

            An elevator dings and the door opens. In unison, Lemon and Lime say, "Follow us."

 

"No sir... I'm not on crack... I was just saying... Letter usually means 'don't dig into my past...." Pineapple just lowers his head at that, merely shrugging helplessly to Chest's claim that this was all his fault. To the mentioning of offices, he lifts his head. "Ooooh, do I get an office?" He figures he already knows the answer, but it never hurts to ask.

 

Chest twitches as Lime goes on about sloths and moss. He could have sworn the conversation started with names that have only one letter in them. Chest nods to the pair and scoots into the elevator. Once in he says to Pineapple, "An office? Ha ha ha ha ha ha!" He doesn't answer the question.

        "Now then, getting back on track. R. I've actually interviewed him a few times before. He's not a recluse or anything. But, there's a mystery about him that nobody has been able to figure out..." Chest gets the shifty eyes and he lowers his tone as if this is super secret stuff. "The parrot." he says.

 

Lime presses the button for the second floor saying, "To be honest, most of the spaces are cubicles although there are a number of actual offices and a couple meeting rooms on this floor. On a related note, parrots are a great example of a community working together. Hundreds of them can live in a single portion of a clay cliff. Community, with everybody doing their part for the betterment of everybody else. That is how they are able to thrive." The door opens revealing a lot of cubicles and office spaces, "And that is what makes GNN superior to POX."

 

Lemon chuckles and says, "Of course GNN is superior to POX, but it is because we have proved ourselves, not by compromising with them. Working together in a community may be effective in the world of parrots, but for us, competition and the constant struggle to remain on top is what gives us the edge. It keeps us working as best as we can, which ultimately leads to revealing of the superior being. This room, will not be like a community of parrots, no. This will be everybody competing to provide the best quality stories so that they can be recognised and rewarded for their efforts."

 

Pineapple merely adds his sage advice to this conversation to both L&L's observations as well as Chest's thoughts. "...Um, I like parrots, except when they bite my hand."

 

Chest looks to his left at Lime, and to his right at Lemon. "No no, not parrots in general. /The/ parrot. The /parrot/. /The parrot/." Chest can't help but smile as the twins agree that GNN is superior to POX. This was the Correct Answer <tm>. Even if they can't agree on *why*. "There are many reasons that GNN is superior, but since we don't have a week for me to explain all of them, we'll have to leave it for another time."

        Chest turns to Pineapple. "Now then. The parrot. The bird. That thing on R's shoulder. Nobody's quite sure what it is. Lawn ornament, weapon of destruction, demon from the very pits of hell itself, spy equipment... actual bird... the possibilities are endless! All we know so far is that it seems to hate... things..." Chest pauses here to take a puff from his cigar. He shrugs. "Now this might not seem like the most glamorous role in the world, but it's a mystery, and it's a mystery that the world wants to know. It won't be easy, Pineapple, but I have faith in you." Chest thinks back to the interview with R, where he specifically asked him straight up what was with the bird. This was in retaliation for DARING to say that Chest 'could call him Chief'. R escaped him that day... oh but the day of R's reckoning shall occur nonetheless. Chest glances around, hoping he didn't say any of that out loud.

 

============================ Orders for Pineapple ============================

Assigned by: Lemon and Lime                     Date: Sun Jul 03 23:59:14 2005

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

See if you can get a good story on Suploid when you get the chance. It will be a good project and a good way to make a name for yourself in the News Business.

 

======================== +org/help for more commands. ========================

 

If Chest says anything aloud, neither Lemon nor Lime hear it. However, they are curious as to what he finds so interesting about the storage closet door. He has stared at it intensly as if having a mental flashback for several seconds now. Once he starts looking at other things again, Lime smiles and says, "As I said before, there is not too much to see here now, but next week this place will be teaming with life."

            Lemon then leads the group back to the elevator where he pushes the up button to go to the third floor.

 

Lemon and Lime has left.

 

GNN Eurasia

 

        The Broadcasing Levels

 

        The broadcasting levels of GNN Eurasia consist of two standard studios on the third floor. These can be used for recording news broadcasts, television specials, or anything else that can be stored for broadcast later. These rooms are each a set size so it is possible for programs to rent one of them for a time slot that is consistent throughout a season.

        The fourth floor of GNN Eurasia is much more adaptable. There are not permanent walls (except for the exterior walls of course), but rather there are soundproof mobile walls that can be used to divide the room up in to any number of smaller sized sections. Though this space can also be rented out, it is typically reserved for one time or short term events. It is also possible to clear out all of the mobile walls to create an open space that can be used for private or reserved press releases or any other sort of event that requires a lot of space and some isolation from the public.

 

        'Down' leads to GNN Eurasia - Foyer and Office Level

 

Contents:

Lemon and Lime

GNN Eurasia gave you to GNN Eurasia.

 

Pineapple has arrived.

 

Pineapple blinks a few times, just not minding or noticing Chest's 'phase out'. "But... He'll bite my ha-...." the green hair reploid stops himself, merely giving a nod in response. "Right, sir... Story on.... Chief R's parrot." He cannot believe he just said that. At all. He feels so dirty. "I'll have that and the scoop on Suploid for you both as soon as possible then."

 

Chest has indeed snapped out of the flashback. "Great," he says to Lemon and Lime, eager to see how this place has shaped up. It cost him like a bazillion Zenny, afterall. Yeah you heard me. /Bazillion/. To Pineapple, Chest says, "I know it isn't an easy job, son, but think of it this way. If you manage to crack this story, you can crack /any/ story!" At the mention of Suploid, Chest shrugs, "Good luck on that one," he says, shaking his head. "But be careful. I wager he could be pretty dangerous." Certainly not more so than the parrot.

 

The elevator door again opens, but this time to reveal a simple hallway with two doors, one on either side. Lemon leads them forward to one of the doors saying, "This floor is equipped with to standard recording rooms which can be outfitted for most of the general news broadcasts, show requirements, and any other video recording that needs to be done." Lime then adds, "This is where most regularly broadcasted series will be recorded. I would also like to note that with the room comes the various editting equipment necessary for putting together the tape."

 

Chest scoots out of the elevator behind Lemon. "Looks good," Chest says, even if he never did understand all of the technological mumbo jumbo that makes everything work. One would think a robot would be better in tuned with machinery, but one would be wrong in Chest's case. "Course, we can't even do hard hitting editorials here due to Eurasian policy.." Chest rolls his optics and shrugs. Ah well. The main purpose of this place is to have somewhere to interview Robot Masters without the threat of them shooting an interviewer that asks a question they don't like. At least, until they get themselves booted out of Eurasia like they did in San Angeles.

            Chest quickly adds, "Or as I like to call it, the 'Pussy Policy'. Ha ha ha ha ha!" Chest elbows Pineapple a few times to see if he gets the joke.

 

Pineapple just nods to Chest and Lemon and Lime, merely content to be in the background right now. Suploid, dangerous? That's crazy talk. He helps people.... HELPS! Heck, he even saved Chest from blowing himself up. At the nudges, Pineapple blinks at Chest. "Nova is a feline reploid? I never knew..." Yeah, he doesn't get it.

 

Lemon chuckles softly while mentally agreeing with Chest. Lime, however, is aghast at the comment. She is proud of Eurasia for holding itself in a neutral position. She slaps Lemon for chuckling and almost does something worse to Chest for actually making the comment. "Well, I never!" she then turns and stomps back to the elevator.

            Lemon rubs his cheek and says, "Don't mind her. Anyways, I think she is leading us up to the fourth and final level of GNN Eurasia."

 

 

Chest wasn't about to blow himself up. He was about to smash into the

ground with a helicopter. Tsk. "What? A Repl... no no, I mean like... ah, never mind." Chest waves his hand dismissively and comforts himself with his cigar. Mmm, cigar. Chest looks up at poor Lemon and shrugs in a 'Women' kind of way. He gives Lime his best 'I'm innocent' look. "Yes, lets head to the top floor, shall we?"

 

Pineapple nods and follows Chest, Lime, and Lemon as they decide to head up, merely pulling out his radio and starting to talk into it. What is he doing? Time will tell. Or he will once Chest finds out and nags him about it. Of course, he looks up to the slap, just blinking a couple of times. "...I don't get it."

 

Once again the door opens. This time it reveals a large open room. Lemon appears proud of this room as he says, "This is the top broadcasting room. There are a number of portable soundproof walls that can be errected around this area to subdivide this space into smaller rooms for recording. Or this entire space can be used for a large press conference or any other sort of importante event. The spaces can be reserved but typically only for short term plans due to the constant changing of the room."

 

Chest pats Pineapple, "I'll explain it to you when you're older." And when Lime isn't around to slap the pair of them. Chest spends the elevator ride smoking his cigar and peering at Pineapple, wondering what he's jabbering about into his radio. "So where're all the doohickies and thinamajigs?" Chest asks Lemon. "You know, the satellites and antennae and stuff. We hooked in with the station's stuff? How much does that set us back?"

 

Pineapple offers a nod to Chest, though he doesn't give him a verbal response as he continues to talk into the radio, starting to get a little eager as he does. He doesn't seem too interested in the office talk, mostly because well... Not like he is going to get an office or use most of this. He just need to take his pictures and hand them into Chest for the part. Not like he is going to do much in the way of interviews unless he moves up the ranks. But with Lime and Lemon wanting the scoop on Suploid and Chest wanting him to interview Chief R, he might have a chance to do just that.

 

Lime smiles and says, "We have our own broadcasting and receiveing dishes on the exterior of Eurasia. It is easier and more space efficient to put them there." She intended no pun there. AT ALL.

 

Chest doesn't want Pineapple to interview R, necessarily. Just find out about that bird. The crazy R doesn't seem to realize there's anything wrong with that hellspawn. Thus, it might take sneakiness on Pineapple's part. "Who're you talking to, Pineapple?" he asks out of curiosity. "Are you plotting how to sneak the information about R's parrot out?" To Lime, Chest nods and says, "Is there any chance of it getting damaged... you know... by space rocks and crap?" He doesn't understand how space works, ok?

 

Sneakiness? This might not be a good call to send in Pineapple for that then. "I'm talking to Chief R so I can interview him about the bird. I'm talking to him on Friday!" he explains proudly. Of course, he was also talking to his RA friends, but Chest didn't need to know about that.

 

Lemon chuckles and says, "That is highly unlikely. If any asteroids do happen to come near here, Eurasia's satellite dishes would be in danger as well. I am sure they have provisions to protect against such occurances."

 

Chest has full confidence that wacky hijinks shall occur with putting Pineapple on the case. "O...oh!" Chest shifts, slightly uncomfortable for a moment. "Well, good luck with that." Chest glances both directions and then reaches up to Pineapple's shoulder, pulling him closer, "If the parrot looks at you too hard, run, man. For Light's sake, /run/," he hisses. Letting Pineapple go, Chest nods and says, "Good good. Cause I read all the time about asteroids coming in and destroying stuff." Especially on M3.

 

Pineapple gives Chest a loooong look at the talk of the animal companion. The parrot can't be THAT evil, could it? Either way, he will make sure to have crackers ready in case the thing needs bribes to avoid killing him or something. He just listens about the stuff about the new office and hrms. "So, now that we have two big offices, does that mean we are going to have twice the stories, or we going to getting ride of the offices in San Angeles?" Yeah, NO idea about how or why they are doing this, despite explaining it right in front of him. Dumb, or just too distracted to notice? You be the judge.

 

Lime uses her debating skillz (tm) to inject before Chest can to save Pineapple from some scathing criticisms. "We will be keeping GNN Central in San Angeles." Lemon then adds, "This is just the second /major/ branch. We have smaller branches in Torontreal and other major cities." Lime then chimes in, "Exactly. Eurasia just offers some advantages to the fact that it is a neutral territory and it has easy broadcast to most of the world."

 

Chest has a feeling Pineapple's going to be in for a serious lesson at the hands of the parrot. Chest nods as Liem saves Pineapple for another verbal lashing. "That and Eurasia's a safer place to interview Robot Masters. I'll be honest with you three: I've always felt a little guilty with using San Angeles as a shield. But the attack on the city, which destroyed entire blocks yet purposefully left us /untouched/ made me realize we're not quite the bullseye painted on a city I thought we might be." Chest shrugs and puffs on his nearly finished cigar. "Oh, hey... what about those photos you were supposed to give me, Pineapple? Chop chop! Time's a wasting!" Jeez, I ask you, how could Pineapple forget to give Chest those photos?

 

Pineapple blinks at Chest... "But you said... Not to be..." Pineapple just sighs, knowing that it's pointless to agrue with Chest. Either way, he pulls out his laptop, setting it on the closest tabletop surface and turns it on. He just nods to Lime and Lemon about their points. "...Well, considering all the deals we've made, we aren't the marks that we used to be. I guess that it's kinda good that we are in a position that we can go just about anywhere." Of course, Pineapple has SOME problems with how things are run, but it is more from his 'Super Alter Ego's Perspective' rather than his own.

 

Lemon and Lime smile and say in unison, "Well, we hope that this place will remain safe and that there will not be too much need for reconstruction around this area. We also hope that you enjoyed this tour." It is almost creepy how they can do that so well... almost like they rehearsed it... but the didn't.

Chest waves away Pineapple's arguments. Who knows what he was stammering about. Poor Pineapple. He has a lot of potential, but unfortunately he's burdened with being a complete klutz. Chest nods to the mild mannered reporter about the deals. "Best move I ever made," he mutters, thinking about how many lives it's probably saved. Chest scoots over to Pineapple to peer at the laptop. "Yeah, it looks good, you two. I'm eager to see the premiere broadcast out of this thing." Chest smiles slightly, "Sooner or later we'll have to change our name to the Galactic Broadcasting System."

 

Pineapple just sighs and brings up the pictures, which are just a serious of hi_res photo taken of Suploid fighting (and losing) to Hard Man. Then there are more photos, this time of Suploid taking out a trio of heavily armed bank robbers right outside of a bank. After that? He has a picture of a baby kitten sleeping on a chair. ...Then some more pictures of Suploid flying to and away from the scenes of crimes. "...Well, we might be having that chance soon enough..."

 

Chest nods and says, "Great shot! Right there. We'll use that on our newspaper. Front page! No no, go back." Chest waits for Pineapple to scroll back through the photos. "No, not that one. The other one" He waves away the one of Suploid flying away. "I think it was forward a bit." Pause. "No no, back a bit." We see Suploid stopping the bank robbery. "That one! Wait, you missed it. Back one. There!" Chest points at the photo in question. "I swear that is the cutest kitten I've ever seen!"