The journey back to the Tower was long but without any real incident, until Zoltan and Roho met the "Vartans" at the base, who made their journey back inside a whole lot easier than the first time. Inside, they were treated to the hospitality of the half-Vartans, even if Roho has been at a disadvantage on account of not knowing the lingo. At last, it has come his time to revisit the chamber of the Navigator … and to face that strange helmet.

The fennec is seated, and the throne is adjusted so that it's a bit more comfortable (as comfortable as anything could be in light of the situation), before the helmet is slowly lowered.

Roho grips nervously at the armrests…

The Zerda can tell by the sounds in his ears as the helmet slowly seals off the room around him. It's a fairly massive "helmet", but even so, it still bends his ear tips a bit once put on. However, he has hardly any time to notice that before the room disappears from his senses entirely.

Roho forces his muscles to relax, and his breathing to stay normal, though he's quite frankly terrified. Total sensory deprivation is something fairly new to one with large ears.

Roho takes a deep breath, and speaks (in his mind? Out loud?) to the air, "I need to speak with you… "

As Roho speaks, some semblance of sensation of his location begins to fill itself in. There is a sound like air rushing past, though it still seems as if he is suspended in a great, dark expanse, floating without support. "Warning," comes a voice that Roho does not actually hear. "Neural matrix profile not registered."

The "voice" adds (What else can it be called?), "Prolonged usage of this interface may result in irreparable psychic damage."

Roho tenses, "I know, but I need to speak to you… "

"State the nature of the emergency, or initiate control sequence," comes the response.

Roho rasps, "We need to know if there is a way to cancel the maddening effects of the trees."

The voice replies, "Diagnostics are incapable of providing a precise match to your requirements. Please describe the 'trees' in question."

Roho sighs in exasperation, "The trees that… oh, I don't know, I haven't even seen them, I'm just passing on the question! The trees that control the magic on the island, that drive those nearby mad when they're active… "

The voice replies, "No functions for this complex are defined with the purpose of causing mental instability by way of organic structures. Diagnostics are unable to provide any recommendations."

Roho swears under his breath, "Is there a way to mute the sound caused by the complex?"

The voice replies, "No current audible emanations caused by this complex outside of normally acceptable parameters are detected. If there should be an imbalance caused by malfunction, the remedy would depend upon the nature of the malfunction."

Roho rasps, "What are normally acceptable parameters?"

Roho's senses are assaulted by a barrage of symbols and terms and measurements of such things as this computer's equivalent to "decibels". Unfortunately, since discourse in Rephidim Standard does not generally refer to noise in such measurements, the context is lost.

Roho grows impatient, knowing that he's endangering himself by needing to repeat each question a number of ways.

This is followed, however, by a demonstration – in the form of tones accompanied by indications in measurements of volume. The "acceptable parameters" would seem to be a very low hum as heard from outside the Tower, and somewhat more noisy levels within the complex, and on noise at all away from the Tower.

Roho rasps, "What is the purpose of the complex?"

The voice replies, "The original purpose of this complex is not fully understood. However, this multiprocessor unit and its supporting equipment has been installed in order to facilitate the presumed purpose of venting thaumaturgical energies from key positions about the geosphere in order to prevent disasters caused by imbalances… "

Roho rasps, "Define thaumaturgical… "

The voice continues, "… however, due to emergency conditions, special instructions, and uncorrected errors, this site is currently failing in its intended duties, and has been for approximately six hundred years."

There is a brief pause, and then the voice adds, "'Thaumaturgical' may be loosely defined as 'pertaining to magic'. Further explanation of this term is beyond the capacity of this unit while in Emergency Mode."

Roho rasps, "Can this unit leave emergency mode?"

Roho appends the question, "Why did it enter emergency mode, and what are the special instructions?"

The voice answers, "Your neutral matrix profile is not registered. You have no clearance to operate this machine in any mode other than Emergency Mode, under current settings."

Roho rasps, "Given the current status, may the settings be changed?"

The voice answers, "The settings may be changed through this interface only by an operator with a recognized neutral matrix and with proper clearance."

Roho rasps, "Is there another interface?"

"Warning," comes a voice in a slightly different tone. "Disturbances are detected which may indicate a possibility for psychic imbalance." Then, the first voice answers, "The multiprocessor may be accessed by the auxiliary terminal, which does not support psychical interface capability. Only an operator with proper clearance and access keys may utilize the auxiliary interface. No artificial intelligence assistance is available from that terminal."

Roho twitches in his seat, "What is the location of the auxiliary terminal?"

A visual – yes visual – image appears. It's a map of the entire complex, which Roho can somehow see in line-drawn form and color-coded panels, as he "flies" through the space, following spheres of light which spell out a path from his current location, through some corridors, and into a chamber smaller than this one.

Roho gasps at the vision, something he hasn't experienced in better than 30 years. He furiously tries to memorize each part of the diagram, though he has the feeling that since it's the only thing he's seen in as long as he can remember, it should stay in his mind pretty well.

Roho starts trying to lift the helmet from his head as soon as the map is complete.

The helmet escapes Roho's grasp. However, the voice responds, "Do you wish to terminate the session?"

Roho rasps, "Yes, terminate session."

*blip* The fennec can immediately feel the weight of the helmet pressing against his ears, and the sensation of the padded throne he rests upon. The helmet rises with little difficulty, despite its apparent weight, and suspends upon the cables and poles that run from it up to the ceiling of the chamber.

Roho sits in the chair for a few moments, trying to note if anything feels different…

It takes a moment to readjust, but all is back to normal. The fennec sees nothing more.

Roho stands up from the throne, intent on finding Zoltan. There are new options to be discussed, and quickly…