Come by and Fly by

Drbeansguy

Once again the Teprorian air force was just peaceful flying over the west coast of Pelia. Joining them was the district's favorite news anchor Jeremy Donaldson in a Teprorian Ar-striker that was given to Tepror's favorite broadcasting unit. But very curiously and conveniently, the Teprorian luck started to fade as the hydrogen reserves began to run dry. Naturally, the pilot had to perform an emergency landing, but they were in the middle of the ocean! But curiously only a couple miles ahead of them, they see.... civilization?

Project-Psi

It was a pretty standard day, all things considered, by Metamoran standards. There we no major happenings, the Three Spheres were all in session, and the city was generally working as the fine-tuned and well-oiled machine that it always was.
The distant object was first spotted with the sun high in the sky by an offshore mining operation, who promptly radioed the command back at the city proper of the finding. A flying object, much larger than a bird, was approaching Metamora.
The Chairs were promptly notified, and ushered out of the rooms of the Convocation and into a meeting.

Drbeansguy

The Ar-striker moves to the outskirts of the town. Once the Ar-striker lands Mr. Donaldson promptly falls to the ground and throws up(???). The pilot moves to see if the Ar-striker has any more hydrogen cells and a cameraman walks out to see if poor Mr. Donaldson is ok. He really isn't, "If I have to look at one more whale or herwan pirate I'm going to cry." During all this, the pilot notes that they do have a hydrogen cell, but they won't have enough to get to a friendly airport with hydrogen. So the pilot tells Donaldson and the cameraman to go into that town and see if they have a way to get back, to which Mr Donaldson promptly says. "Like hell, I'm going in there, this is my first time out of Tepror and you are already making me chart a place we have never seen. You know what FINE."

Mr Donaldson and the cameraman march forward to the city and its skyline.

Project-Psi

The Chairs decide, upon getting further information that the "flying machine" had landed somewhere north of the northwest-most point of the city, to dispatch their enigmatic visitors an adequate, but cautious greeting...

As the group moves forward towards the city, the unkempt gravel and dirt roads of seemingly abandoned or unused plots of land give way to a sudden road paving, which extends out into the city before them. The style or the buildings is geometric, with buildings bleeding into one another across distant walkways and occasional arches. They do not get to appreciate the architecture long, though, before it's clear that a small group of humans are stationed in an improvised checkpoint across the clearing ahead of them. The personnel do not appear to be armed, at least at this distance, and there's no flashing lights that would indicate a signal or emergency.

Drbeansguy

The two skimtari walk up to the checkpoint and ask where the airport is. To them this is totally normal, the two have seen and interacted with humans. But to the humans what they see can only be described as seeing a tall grey figure walk in front of them and speak in a eldrich-sounding voice.

Mr. Donaldson: "Pardon me but do you happen to know where an airport is? Our plane broke down and we cant return to tepror."

Project-Psi

A two of the less mentally prepared members immediately make warding signs and step back from the checkpoint, intimidated by the presence of Donaldson and his crew.
The man in charge, though, is significantly more level-headed and calmer. There's an expression of awe as he makes a hand signal that seems to stop the jittery ones from drawing concealed weapons.

Checkpoint Sergeant: "Hm... well these ones most certainly aren't human. Should we try to take them in for questioning..." he muses idly to himself, while the others just seem to stand around, unsure of what should be done. A trilling ring comes from a phone, and one of the personnel steps over to answer it. They chatter a bit, before the man gives the Sergeant a hand signal and nods.

Checkpoint Sergeant: "...nevermind, then. Seems like the Command knows you're here, and wants you to be let in. Who knows why..."

The Sergeant makes a simple 'follow me' motion with his hand, and begins to move through the checkpoint and in towards the city.

Drbeansguy

The cameraman and Mr. Donaldson are immediately confused. "Do they not know what a skimtari is? Or are they just dumb? wait never mind that was rude." From the sounds the Sergeant heard it sounded(???) like a rude comment. But they still follow the sergeant begrudgingly, trying to take note of anything and everything they pass.

"So do you speak any other language, Japuilan, Common? I can't just speak with gestures and grunts." However, he realized he would have to convert that into only grunts and gestures.

Project-Psi

The Sergeant can already feel the frustration that is going to surround this language barrier, and all he can think is how grateful he is that he's not someone more important that would have to handle these sorts of negotiations with foreigners. He's not cut out for it.
As they take a short walk through the streets, there's a diversity of reaction to the Skimtari by the citizens. Some don't really seem to care at all, walking past without much more than a glance and a smile, while others cross to the opposite side of the walking path and whisper among themselves.
The city is already quite large in this part of town, but the buildings just seem to get more complex and taller the further one strains their eyes to look. There are panels that have no seeming purpose save to face the sun, buildings that seem to have all glass walls with plants growing without soil in them, and the roads themselves are enigmatic. The walking and biking paths are very wide, with a small, raised road for the more occasional vehicles that pass by.

Checkpoint Sergeant: "Ah, there they are!"

The Sergeant's sudden exclamation draws the various Skimitari's attention back to the fact that they were being escorted, and a group of dark-blue clad humans with formal collars turns their attention. The Sergeant appears to be giving a brief status report to them(?) before one of the blue-wearing women inclines her head in a sharp nod and makes a hand motion, before pointing to a building with two flags above the doorway.

Drbeansguy

Donaldson: "Oh hello little one, what is your name?"

Donaldson towered over the little woman, with him standing at 7'10. He smirks at the woman before looking at the building. The cameraman man just looks in astonishment as he writes in his little notebook.

Donaldson. "So what is this, foreign relations building, capital building, or is it a police building? Oh my god am I under arrest?"

Project-Psi

One of the woman's eyebrows quirks up at the allegedly patronizing tone, and she makes the hand motion towards the building again.

Senior Diplomat Everett: "Let's hope they don't assume they're being arrested. No point in wasting oxygen out here, forwards to the conference room."

Some of the more bookish-looking types record and make a physical copy of every sound that the Skimitari speak, wasting no time on gathering records for translation purposes. The group escorts Donaldson and the others into the building, pausing briefly as they're ambushed by a small group of human journalists from behind.
Mercifully, Everett disperses the reporters and leads the group into a modest circular room. There's a central table and the walls are a calming cream color, though it contrasts with the stark white, highly efficient light fixture mounted in the ceiling.

The humans seem to be setting up for some sort of presentation, or possibly a lecture. The officials in the room are mostly silent in their operation, with the woman leading the effort to setting up and a man talking to the two armed men who are stationed at the door. Hopefully for their protection.

Drbeansguy

Donelson in the chaos of the journalists rushing the group. he manages to quickly give his signature to one of the journalists. It somehow looks amazing yet unreadable, mostly because he wrote it in ministry standard and he said have a nice day in electarian. But Donelson was enjoying the company of the journalists. Mr cameraman however was taking this a lot more seriously, trying his best not to look outlandish or crude.

Mr cameraman: "So what is this all about? we just need hydrogen cells for our gunship. Are we getting a lecture on the history of your city or something?"

The cameraman says all this while forcefully dragging Donelson away from the doors so he can look presentable for the people who could undoubtedly kill them. Donelson on the other hand is still trying to interact with the journalists.

Project-Psi

When Donaldson manages to give out his signature, the journalists swarm to take pictures of the scrawl for their own reports, websites, papers, and whatever other forms of media that the public would be graced to enjoy. The journalists disperse naturally, satisfied but surely lying in wait outside the building for later.

The presentation is shockingly good. Donaldson and the Cameraman get a grasp that the city was part of some sort of old nation before there was a violent uprising or guerilla campaign. The government consolidated and instituted centralized rule by intellectuals, leading to prosperity and... yada yada yada. It wasn't patronizing or information overload, just enough to understand what they were dealing with.

Senior Diplomat Everett: "And with that, though you probably can not understand us yet, we open the floor to you. What do you need, why are you here?"

A researcher/translation aide provides paper and pen for the crew to draw/write on.

Drbeansguy

Donalson finally sits down after being held in a chokehold by the cameraman. In some kind of universal understanding, Donalson both say simultaneously, "hydrogen." However, they both get the idea that the blue-shirted people can't understand them. So the cameraman grabs the pen and paper from the crew and writes down a picture of hydrogen.

Donalson on the other hand notices how rudely his cameraman took the crew's paper and pen. So he gets up and uses his Skimtari reporter charm to try and apologize to them. and for a tall undead monstrosity that he is he is doing a good job at smoothtalking.

Project-Psi

The diplomat laughs at the little scuffle, and the translators work in a fury recording this directly translated word for future reference.

Senior Diplomat Everett: "Hydrogen, hm? Most likely for their flying machine. Hydrogen-based fuel, write that down."

As if she even needs to ask. They were already writing this down, and one of the scientists was making a call through a handheld device to procure some for the 'visitors', as they were increasingly being referred to. The leader man and the diplomat lady began an obviously spirited discussion in level tones.

Senior Diplomat Everett: "Come on, Leader Thomas, you know how the press hungers for it. Besides, this one has a camera. What better way to welcome them than to let their press interact with ours?
Division Lead Thomas: "You can't assume that a camera just means press. What if they were spies, stranded? And besides, the Chairs were clear. We were to keep an eye on them so no incident happens."
Senior Diplomat Everett: "Well, what better way to keep an eye on them than to have hundreds of eyes on them? This is a historic day, and you're going to let the opportunity pass us by? You see how tall the visitors are, surely they want out of this slightly cramped conference room."
Division Lead Thomas: "Aaaargh, fine. Fine. You can let them out to the public, but any official issues will be going on your records, not mine."

Drbeansguy

Donelson and his cameraman very quickly get the idea that they get to leave. Donolon in the excitement of getting to mingle with his fellow journalists smashes his head into the doorframe. Not his forehead, his entire head on the doorframe. The cameraman helps him up and leads him outside. There Donelson quickly merges with the press, looking like a kid in the candy store. Speaking every language he knows in an attempt to interact with them.

But his cameraman is hanging around in the background. Occasionally taking pictures of Dolonson having the time of his life, occasionally trying his best to try to translate what Dolonson is saying. "So you know what hydrogen is. You think you can translate enough to have a functional conversation from just that" The camera man says in a slightly mocking tone to whoever is trying to translate what he is saying.

Project-Psi

The press, for all of their excitement that only seems to build once Donaldson joins them, is unable to communicate in any of the languages that he presents to them. Ever inquisitive, a grand game of Pictionary ensues on whiteboards to ask questions of the tall foreigner, microphones being replaced by brightly coloured markers of all varities.

The translators hack away at their work, hardly noticing the patronizing tone that the cameraman gives them. One of them mumbles,
Translator: "I wrote a paper about this, how the elements are a universal constant across cultures since they don't change between, finally I can put this to use..."
They wheel out a periodic table of the elements, much to the translator's glee, and attempt to get the cameraman to tell them the Skimitari words for all of the different elements.

Within a short span of time, a small convoy comes down the raised roads of the city to stop in front of the building. Seems like the hydrogen for the visitors has arrived.

Drbeansguy

Donelson and the press develop an unnecessarily intricate and detailed game of Pictionary so they can talk to each other. And despite Donelson being the topic of the press's interest. Donelson manages to ask questions to the press about their whole situation. While the press and Donolson are having the time of their life playing Pictionary. Mr Camraman leads the small convoy to the hovership.

On the way to the hover ship Mr cameraman tries to warn the convoy that the hovercraft does indeed have guns, and they are indeed loaded. So let him do the talking.

Project-Psi

What Donelson learns from this game is that the people of this part of the city seem generally pleased(?) with their current mode of governance. There are many mentions of fishing, book writing, and computing technology, and a few not-so-subtle references to how this is genuinely the most exciting thing to happen in the last decade. A very isolated society, it would seem.

The troops of the convoy follow the Cameraman's orders to the best of their ability, beginning to unload while a few engineers perform a little walkaround of the ship to marvel at its construction. They all pointedly steer clear of the guns, though, not quite willing to trust foreign technology on this flying machine.

Drbeansguy

The captain when the convoy arrived rightfully started the engines and prepared to do some running and gunning. But when Mr cameraman signaled that they were friends and if he shot we all are going to get blown up. So thankfully the pilot calms down and lets the refueling process begin. Although he insists to no end that he should be the one to refuel his beautiful plane.

But wait a moment! In the excitement of looking at such a high-tech and sleek plane, they forgot Donelson! One can only assume what kinds of chaos and insanity is ensuing at the moment. B there is no insanity. Donelson is now at this point just playing Pictionary with his new friends.

Project-Psi

The engineers gladly yield the operation to the pilot, taking the supporter role in untangling the fueling tube and some take notes on the exterior structure of the flying machine. Partially for PR purposes and partially for R&D purposes, of course! The Division Lead aggressively makes hands gestures at the Senior Diplomat, how could they have lost a whole other species in their city!?

Eventually the Senior Diplomat returns with a little entourage of hers to escort Donelson away from the throng of reporters and towards the plane... but not after letting the good publicity points rack up, giving Donelson a chance to ask a couple more questions of the crowd if he wishes.