No.742474
Random encounter on the way: The party have encountered a mysterious space station that doesn't appears on any charts. Hailing it has resulted in warning shots being fired, but closer analysis reveals that there don't seem to be any life forms aboard. It must be manned by robots.
>>742230(Areia)"Where are you going?" Ash asks, manifesting uncomfortably close to you out of nowhere.
"I haven't docked the ship yet. If you're planning on jumping through the airlock to the docking bay, that is extremely dangerous given the angle. There's a high risk you'll miss your landing and float off into space.">>742231 (Vandal)
"…Will it change your mind if I say it's official? I mean not like there's any real rules in the Guild, remember."
>>742234(Gigi/Frank)"There are six spacer suits in the airlock, including different forms for different races.It would be unfortunate if your lungs were to explode."
>>742232(Gale)>>742237 (Fir)
"As you wish. Hanging back.">>742237>>742234>>742232>>742231>>742230The ship comes to a stop a good 20 feet from the docking bay, giving you time to really talk it over.
"I reckon we should just go in and try to take it one step at a time," says Chekhooves. "If it gets ugly, we bail. Can keep the engines running in case we need to take off in a hurry. This is probably a bad idea overall, but we're here now, so we might as well."
"Well," says Luv, "you know where I stand on all this. What about you?"
"I'm not entitled to an opinion," Ash remarks matter-of-factly.
No.742927
>>742925 (Gigi/Frank)
Ash manifests next to Frank, seemingly scans him, then reappears next to Gigi.
"Is he alright? My sensors didn't seem to pick up much on him.">>742922>>742923>>742924>>742925>>742926"Looks like we're going for it," Luv shrugs. "Just don't say I didn't warn you when it turns out to be evil space wizards or something."
"Commencing docking procedure."Ash pilots the ship through the docking bay, landing it safely within. The interior looks run down; loose sparking wires and chemical stains abound, and malfunctioning doors shudder open and closed with no pattern.
You hear the hissing of the loading ramp opening.
"If there's any trouble, I'll be on standby for takeoff," Ash assures you.
"Please don't die." Luv gives the AI a weird look, but shrugs.
Chekhooves hangs at the back of the group, looking a bit anxious but ready for anything. Luv gets ready for the expedition, priming her weapon of choice: a laser SMG. "We doing this?"
No.742931
>>742927"Abandoned. Just like I said. Think we can find some sort of black box?" Gale says as he slowly approaches, casting into a emitter as he does.
Summon Clone [1d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.742932
>>742927"And don't say I didn't like, gave you executive permission to just give us a hard no either." Vandal shrugs, "You wanna stay on the ship? Since you're not a fan of the idea, you could at least get a ride back home in case things go awry."
No.742933
>>742927>>742474"Right. If we're going, I'll take the lead."
No.742935
>>742927>>742933I'll be right behind ya then." she said grabbing her blade and getting ready to break some bots.
No.742936
>>742927Gigi sighs as she watches him. "Yeah," she says. "He, uh… he gets like this sometimes. Normally he's a little more-" She paused and twirls her claw, finally settling on, "Excitable. But this happens if he feels useless, disappointed, or spirals into an existential crisis. He'll be back to his normal self soon enough." She walks up to him and squats beside him. "Yo, Frank, bud, need some help. We got a potentially empty station we're looting. Not sure what's in there and we need to scout. Think you can slap a Fleye[tm] together for me so we can cover more ground? It'd also be pretty neat to have you cover me with your nifty new shotgun if I need you."
He lets himself fall onto his side and looks up at her. "Was the sofa stupid, Giggles?"
Gigi pauses and stares at him fot a moment. "Is-is that what this is about? The couch?" Frank slowly nods and Gigi sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. "No Frank, the couch looked super comfy. We just don't really, you know. Have the space for it right now. Probably shoulda waited to buy furniture for a ship we don't have."
"Yeah," he says. "I just got excited. Thought it would be nice for everyone to have a more comfortable place to hang out and pal around than lame standard issue chairs."
"Alright. There are a couple of things wrong with that, but you heart is in the right place. I'll tell you what. Once everyone knows we're not gonna shoot them in the back, if we get a ship together -
if- then I'll see what I can do about convincing them to let you decorate it some. No promises, but I can probably at least swing the sofa."
"Can I control the music sometimes too? The mean nice and also kind of cute AI ignored me."
Gigi deadpans. "We'll talk. But something I can definitely say is I'll give you more florins to blow when we get back to the station. Maybe walk to the casino with you so you don't get sidetracked."
Frank rolls himself upright and his voice module hisses to life, way more chipper than before. "Deal!" he says. "One Fleye[TM] coming up!" He pops one of his occular sensors out and tosses it into his chassis to fiddle around with.
[1d10]Gadget-Fleye
Satisfied that for now Frank is happy, Gigi turns to everyone else. "So yeah. Quick little recon first? At least
try to not get caught off guard?"
Roll #1 6 = 6 No.742937
>>742935>>742933"Or not." Gigi activates her Invisiband anyway and shimmers away.
No.742939
>>742932"Wouldn't be doing my job if I did," says Luv. "Ochi's making me keep an eye on you guys. If you run off without me I'll never hear the end of it."
>>742931"If we can make our way to some sorta control center, maybe," Chekhooves comments.
>>742936"For what it's worth, I'm only following my programming. My personality can be adjusted to be kinder, but there are certain things I cannot allow. Please don't feel bad about it."Frank fashions a Fleye, little more than a photoreceptor with a comically small propeller attached to it. Somehow it works.
"Looks like you're outvoted," Chekhooves shrugs.
>>742936>>742931>>742932>>742933>>742935You exit out into the abandoned docking bay. It's even worse up close; the ground is blanketed in a layer of grey-white fog. Ash stands at the edge of the loading ramp, as far out as they can go from the ship, and runs a quick scan.
"Chemical analysis indicates this gas is not poisonous, but visibility may be hampered further in. My programming requires me to wish you good luck."Looking around, you can see a few paths to take:
There's a second, smaller ship in the docking bay, but it hasn't been used in years. It's a rusted, run-down wreck. Certainly not flightworthy.
There's a main gate that seems to lead to a reception area for the facility.
There's also a malfunctioning door labeled STORAEG. Misspelling and all.
There's a flight of rickety stairs and ladders that lead upwards in the docking bay to what looks like a control center for the bay, judging from the large glass window up there.
So far, no signs of any life, or even corpses. No robots either, despite what Ash's scans indicated. "Weird," Chekhooves mutters. "Well, we're here now," says Luv. "Where to?"
No.742941
>>742939"I'd say lets raid the ship and storage for any quick loot before we push in deeper."
No.742942
>>742939"Hrm… check the storage first, maybe- something about this seems off, though. Let's be careful and not split up." Fir suggests, flicking his hardlight antlers on. While not the brightest, it provides some amount of light.
>Perception: Checking the room! [1d10]Roll #1 2 = 2 No.742943
>>742941>>742939>>742942"I disagree A, we should hunt down power or missile controls virst, prioritize making it out of this place." Vandal shrugs
No.742945
>>742943"I mean thats smart but I figure we should secure this place before we push in right away. Course I guess we could just sweep through later."
No.742946
>>742939"Checking out the storage room might give us a hint on what this ship is for. Misspelling makes me wonder if these aren't native speakers."
[1d10] Perception
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.742949
>>742939>>742945The Dragon took a moment to slip over to the ship and peek inside a bit.
[1d10] Perception
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.742950
>>742939>>742943>>742942>>742941"I'll be in to give you guys backup if it gets pretty bad. Right now I'll stay right here so I can give you guys a decent layout. If you let me link with your datapads I can even help fill out a map probably!"
"Just use mine, Frank. I doubt they want you connected to their personal pads."
"Awwww, okay. Well, good luck and I'll be in to blast anyone that needs blastin if I gotta!"Holding the eye out, the propeller starts to buzz and it takes off like a miniature drone, hovering over the party.
Gigi, meanwhile, slips into a space suit and lines up with everyone else.
As everyone leaves, Frank rubs his chin and stares at Ash with his one remaining photoreceptor. "Ash!" he says as everyone leaves. "Maximize kindness stat!"
>>742939Invisible Gigi slips her headphones over her head and speaks into her com.
"I'm gonna check out that ship. See if there isn't anything worth grabbing. Yo, Ash, the gas isn't combustable, is it?" No.742952
>>742950[1d10+2]Perception as she pops into the ship
Roll #1 10 + 2 = 12 No.742953
>>742943"Ah- right. Let's take care of that, first."
No.742954
>>742945>>742939"Ehhh I'll scout up ahead in the control center then, I can skate on out of there pretty fast in case of nasty stuff."
Vandal skates up the stairs and climbs ladders, staying watchful.
[1d10]
Roll #1 6 = 6 No.742956
>>742946>>742943>>742945Fir looks between the different party members, trying to figure out a way to keep his eye on as many of them at once as possible.
No.742958
>>742942You feel an ominous
crunch underhoof. Looking down, you realize they're bones of a small space creature. Probably choked on the fog.
>>742946"I'm with you," says Chekhooves.
You head to the storaeg room. You don't find much of interest here; just some scrapped robots, locked containers, and shelves of miscellaneous items. While on first glance there doesn't seem to be much of value, it's possible you're missing something…
>>742950"I'm sorry. Configuration is only available from my panel in the cockpit. I don't reprogram on command.""Mildly combustible, yes. Please be careful where you shoot.">>742952>>742949Luv tags along.
The ship is as dilapidated as it looks. You can barely traverse it, having to inch your way through the broken, rusting corridors. It looks like a two person vessel. A tight fit for you both considering Areia's size.
You find something in the cockpit. A long-dead griffon, little more than bones, is slumped over the control panel. Interacting with the latter reveals a star map that was plugged into the coordinates. It seems to be encoded, obscuring the location it leads to, but with the help of a skilled codebreaker, you could probably decipher where it leads…
>>742954>>742942You head to the reception area. It's a wide open room, with a window view of space, and many control panels in varying states of disarray. On the walls are mounted monitors, most broken and sparking, or displaying random lines of data. It's possible one of the more intact control panels might have something of interest.
"H-hello? Is someone there?"It's a robotic synthesized voice coming from an adjacent room, blocked off by rubble.
"Gods, please let there be someone there… Fuck…"He sounds almost in pain…
No.742960
>>742958Frank nods and makes his way to the cockpit with the intention of finding Ash's configuration panel. "You are entilted to an opinion, by the way," Frank says. "Even if you're technically not allowed to voice it, I'm sure that doesn't mean you don't still have one."
In the meantime he sends his eye buzzing toward the reception area.
[1d10]Perception
>>742958"Well," Gigi says, cringing a little as she sees the corpse. "Want me to try to take a crack at this?" As she waits for an answer she pats down the corpse for any kind of trinkets or valubles.
[1d10+2]
Roll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 1 + 2 = 3 No.742961
>>742958Areia slowly removed the map before looking to Luv "You know how to break these things? I'm not really a codey as it were."
No.742964
>>742958"Nothing too standout. Any ideas?" He says to Chekhooves, carefully observing his surroundings. "Could just be someones personal ship. Bit of a hoarder, maybe."
Search More [1d10]
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.742965
>>742956>>742958Vandal speaks very quietly on her comms, "
Let's not rush over there yet, if it's a bot they're prolly running low on juice, not like a proper injury. Wanna do a bit of looking around first."
[1d10] Quiet searching
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.742966
>>742960"Oh sure." she said not having heard Gig at first." she said handing it over
No.742968
>>742958"Hrm. This fog might be something nasty."
>>742965Fir frowns a little bit at the sound of the voice, but does pick his pace up a little. He'll try to look around.
>[1d10]Roll #1 10 = 10 No.742969
>>742966"I have some experience. By no means a pro, but if it isn't too bad then maybe-" She Gigi takes a look to see just how complex the encryption is.
No.742975
>>742960You find it. It has a myriad of variables for gender, physical appearance and personality, essentially allowing you to create Ash as you see fit. Right now, everything's set to the defaults. It doesn't take long to find the empathy setting.
"I appreciate it," says Ash as a disembodied voice.
The Fleye bumps its propeller on a broken pipe, causing it to sputter out of control and crash into the wall, falling to the ground uselessly.
The corpse doesn't seem to have anything on it.
>>742961"I know a guy who knows a guy," she shrugs. "We could get it cracked after this mission."
>>742964You don't find much more other than a few personal baubles. Looks like you'll need a key to access any of the good stuff here. Chekhooves searches around, to similar fruitless results. "Shame. Maybe we can find the key around here somewhere. Or just bust these containers open. Doubt anyone'll mind."
>>742969It's pretty securely coded. Whoever made this map didn't want it to be stolen by prying eyes. It's beyond your skill to crack.
>>742968>>742965Vandal stumbles over an unseen pipe in the fog, almost falling and cracking her head on a piece of sharp metal. Fir manages to grab her just in time. After searching a bit, he finds a functioning control panel. Despite the ruined state of this place, the power's still on. A prompt lights up on the monitor to enter a password.
As Vandal accidentally causes a racket, the voice rings out again.
"Over here! Please! I'm… stuck…" No.742977
>>742975Areia nodded and let Gigi hold onto the map for now as she decided to step back out of the ship and decided to fly up to the Control room and give that a search.
[1d10] Perception
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.742978
>>742975>>742965Fir snatches Vandal up at a startling pace, gently setting her back down away from the sharp metal chunk. He looks at the monitor with a soft hum, before flicking his ear and looking to the voice.
"Check it out?"
No.742979
>>742975>>742978"Thanks Fir, yeah, let's start at this rubble
slooowly, don't need chunks of this ship falling apart."
Vandal starts to clear the rubble slowly.
[1d10]
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.742981
>>742975"Oh, jeeze. Yeah, nevermind. Whoever did this really,
really didn't want it cracked. I've seen some mid sized corporations with worse encryptions than this. Don't think I have the chops for it. Sorry." She briefly glances around. "Everything else seems rotted, coroded, and rusted out. Think I'm gonna go ahead and pop my head into the actual station."
Frank pops into her com. "Bad news Gigi. Fleye is down. I can try to see if I can remotely power it back up, but that pipe came outta nowhere." He tries to will the propellers to buzz back to life, glancing around the room as best he can from the floor.
>>742975Frank goes to pump up the empathy setting to its max before he pauses. "What do you wanna look like? It probably won't stay that way after we leave, but I can do it now! And do you have any preferences for personality settings? I can do whatever you want! More aggressive? More seductive? Completely unhinged?" He looks around at the settings. "Actually scratch that last one. I don't think your programming will let me help you go completely rogue, but I can pretend you're holding me hostage if you want!"
No.742982
>>742977Gigi flies out and makes a beeline to STORAEG.
[1d10+2]Perception
Roll #1 4 + 2 = 6 No.742987
>>742975"You any good at picking locks?" Gale says, fiddling with a container. "Could check with the rest of the crew and see if they've found any sort of keys. Or just ask Areia to smash these open."
No.742988
>>742987[1d10] Lockpick
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.742989
>>742977You take flight and head up to control. It seems less run down than the rest of it, though there is another dead body in the corner.
The control panels seem to be functional still. There are controls for the docking bay itself, along with security feeds of the rest of the station. Most of the channels seem to be malfunctioning, though you could restore visibility with a bit of tinkering…
>>742978>>742979It doesn't take too long to clear out the rubble. Eventually, you find the source of the voice; a bipedal robot with a square monitor for a head is pinned under fallen rubble from the ceiling, crippled from the waist down. It doesn't look like he's going anywhere anytime soon.
"Oh thank God, someone's here. I've lost count of how long it's been. What the hell happened? Where is everyone? …A-any way you could help me outta here?"He's acting distinctly non-robotic…
>>742981Visibility in the Fleye is impaired from smashing into the pipe. Doesn't look like it's going anywhere.
"I'm not programmed to have any preferences," says Ash.
"Do whatever you like."Changing one setting seems easy enough, but all of it in tandem is a bit intimidating.
>roll to configure Ash to whatever you want>>742982You join Gale and Chekhooves in storaeg. It's mostly filled with locked containers and skeletal shelves of miscellaneous knick knacks. Investigating one of the containers though, you manage to brute strength force it open after a few tugs. Within is a smaller container resembling a mason jar, filled with what look like the organs of some alien creature, kept in cryostasis inside the container. They look valuable. And probably illegal. Chekhooves looks over and scrunches up his nose.
>>742987"My dad's a locksmith," he comments, watching you fruitlessly struggle with the container. "Might have to leave them and come back, yeah."
No.742991
>>742989She decided to give the body a good looting before she took a crack at the panels.
[1d10] looting
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.742994
>>742989"Really? Odd business to be in. Seems like people care less and less about physical locks and more electronic stuff. Maybe this one needs some sort of tech component we're missing." He says, putting the lock down. "Let's see where the rest are." Gale says, walking towards the front of the ship.
No.742995
>>742989"Good question about where's everyone, I'll ask."
Vandal hits up comms,
>>742991>>742988>>742989>>742982"
Find anyone or the remains of anyone while checking the place over? We found a crippled robot that's still kicking."
No.742998
>>742989>>742995"A… curious robot." the elk says, tilting his head to the side. After a moment of hesitation, he goes to help lift the rubble off of the robot.
>[1d10]Roll #1 4 = 4 No.742999
>>742995"Found a corpse in the ship and one in the control room." she replied
No.743001
>>742989Gigi gives Chechooves a sideways look. "Just gonna-" She slowly tucks the organs away in her, gear. Probably try to get in contact with her fence about it later.
>>742987>>742989"I could probably rig one of my microcharges to give off a smaller boom and pop it. Ash said this gas is mildly combustable, but a nano charge couldn't be any worse than literal plasma." She fiddles with her band for a moment before popping off a magnetic dome a quarter of the size of her normal coin sized charges. "Unless you wanna peep around for the keys first."
"Also," Frank says. [i]"If you wanna pick up my eye then it's at the entrance of the reception area."
>>742989"Well, if you're sure." Back at Gigi's apartment Frank Sr makes a post on an anonymous message board.
>Hey everyone! Just got a new configurable AI friend. They don't care what they look or act like, but I wanna tinker with her settings. Repeating digits choose configuration. No.743002
>>743001[1d10]Roll for the configuration or how successful said configuration is
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.743003
>>742999>>742995>>742989"Sounds like we've found two bodies so far, we're just here checking out what looks to ben an abandoned station bud. Sorry in advance if they turned out to be friends." Vandal replies to the robot.
No.743004
>>742995>>742999"Gross. Just some locked boxes and other storage here.">>743001"If you think it's safe. Not like the locks gonna get any use otherwise."
No.743005
>>743001FOr the sake of the joke))
"
Just make it look like Gigi or something."
[1d100] for the joke
Roll #1 36 = 36 No.743006
>>742995"How bad of shape? Need me to come do some quick repairs?" She places the nanocharge on the lock and takes a few steps back. "Shouldn't be that much stronger than a couple M80 firecrackers. Hopefully enough to pop the lock, but not enough to ignite anything or desroy anything inside." For good measure she asks Ash, "Think it's safe to set off a tiny boom? Didn't sound like the gas was thick enough to be an issue until deeper in."
[1d10]Sabotage if Ash gives the okay.
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.743009
>>743006"We don't know what kinda folks these people were yet." Vandal says quietly into the comms.
No.743012
>>743009"Alright, yeah. That's fair. I found some organs, if that helps paint any kind of picture. About to crack open another door. Could just be a medical thing, but-" She lets the but linger.
No.743013
>>743002>Sentient cock and ballsRepeating digits have spoken. In the meantime Frank cranks the empathy level all the way up.
No.743015
>>742995>>742998"Wh… Robot?" He looks angry.
"I'm dying here and you freaks show up and start having a laugh. Brilliant."The rubble won't budge. Even if it did, you'd be here for hours trying to lift all this heavy metal, concrete and piping. Looks like he's stuck there.
"Could… Could you at least get me some water or something?… Or something for the pain…" He sounds defeated as Fir fails to help him.
>>742994"Yeah, pa's old fashioned like that," he shrugs.
You head to the reception area. See
>>742958 for a description. You can hear Fir and Vandal nearby talking to the robot.
>>742991You find some money, at least.
>+40 florinsLuv enters, having had to take the stairs due to not having wings. "Find anything?" she asks rather distractedly, more interested in the control panel at the moment.
>>743001The replies start coming in.
>her>send pics>OP is a faggot>make it look like my waifu (attached is a picture of a generic anime character)>give it a benis :DDDEtcetera.
Eventually someone does get dubs. Their reply merely consists of:
>wjhed27Along with a plethora of disappointed replies.
>>743013Frank takes both Vandal and Areia's suggestions to heart, ending up with a diminutive, heavyset griffon with dark brown feathers and a red face. It also doesn't have a back half. …In fact, Frank just made a chicken.
"This is an interesting configuration," Ash remarks, barely fazed by her new look.
>>743006"It should be alright. As long as you avoid detonating the charge near the ground."You perch on a shelf to do the deed, blowing the lid open. Inside are minerals, seemingly part of a stockpile mined from an asteroid. Probably valuable.
No.743017
>>743015Areia shrugged "Some cash but I'm gonna try to get the control panel operational. Hopefully my wire repair skills are still good." she muttered trying to get the control panel going.
"Feel free to help if you can."
[1d10] Repair.
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.743021
>>743015"Hey have you guys seen any sort of ke-" He stops himself upon seeing the wrecked robot. "Huh. So that's what you guys were talking about. How long has it been here? Maybe it'll know something about the ship."
No.743023
>>743006>>743015"
Looks like it's got it's wires crossed, maybe repair would be good after all." Vandal speaks over comms to Gigi.
Vandal then squats down, frowning, "Alright, so are you the type that remembers all your memories from childhood, or do you not remember things since the last X hours or days because of being injured or something."
No.743024
>>743015It is done. Frank nods, satisfied with her new makeover. Internet buds can be so helpful. "There! No more boring default settings! Let me know if you change your mind and want something different."
>>743015Gigi grins and loads the rocks up too. At this rate she'll have to make a cargo run back to the ship. She hefts the bag to try and consider if she can carry any more while at the same time taking an assesssment of what else is in the storaeg area.
>>743009"Just found some asteroid minerals. Might do some more searching." Her mouth practically watters as she continues looking around.
[1d10+2]Is there even more to loot here?
>>743023She pauses and sighs, keeping a mental note of anything she actually finds.
"Yeah, alright. be right there." She takes the fastest route to Vandal.
Roll #1 3 + 2 = 5 No.743027
>>743015"Hrm… I think I can get you some water, yeah. Might be hard to get all of this off without some serious work." the elk says, frowning a little. "How'd you get stuck under here, anwyways? Was the place attacked?"
No.743030
>>743023>>743021"What the fuck are you talking about? This isn't funny! My name is Gaspard. I'm a person just like you!" The robot throws one hand up.
"See? Hello? Claws! I'm. A. Grif. Fon." He enunciates that last part slowly and clearly, as if speaking to a child.
>>743027"I… I don't know… We had these guys from the Wyrd Council on board… Something about an experiment they were gonna be conducting… Must've all gone to shit… I've been here for days…"You've heard of the Wyrd Council before. They're a cabal of elite sorcerers and warlocks from all corners of the galaxy, putting their minds together to further the fusions of magic and technology that power most everything in the Realms. A highly influential group, if somewhat shrouded in mystery.
>>743017"I'm not an expert, but I've been around the block. Lemme see…"
She helps you out some, but as it turns out, you've mostly got this covered. With a bit of reconfiguration, you manage to get the security feeds working again. You can see four different feeds going simultaneously: one labeled "Dormitories", one labeled "Reception", one labeled "Defense" and a fourth labeled… well, you can't read it. The system appears to be glitched so the title of the feed is scrambled, shifting characters at lightning speed.
>>743024"Personality reconfiguration complete. …I quite like this form, actually. Don't you? I mean, if you don't like it we can change it to something else. Up to you. Do you really like it? It's not too much, is it?" She seems eager to please.
Your movement is slowed slightly because of your load, but you should be able to manage. A quick scan reveals nothing much else of interest in storaeg.
"Is everything alright? Do you need help?" Ash contacts you, sounding slightly anxious.
"If it's not going well I can get the ship primed. Or I can lower the cannons. Are there enemies? Is someone sick? Injured, perhaps?"You join the others in reception.
No.743032
>>743030"You literally didn't answer my question." Vandal responds, nonplussed.
No.743033
>>743030Areia checked the Dormitories and the Defensive feeds before heading down to reception with the Luv, scooping her up to fly her down quicker.
"Thanks for the help by the way."
No.743034
>>743030"Oh. Oh no." Gale says, distraught. "Look, buddy. Don't know how to break it to you. But uh. Look, hey, we're gonna get you out of here. If you want to get out of here." He says, unsure of what to say entirely.
"If Areia doesn't kill you first…" Gale says to himself.
No.743035
>>743030On the way Gigi casually scoops up Frank's eye. "Alright," she says, walking over. Crouching down to the robot, she knits her brow. "Alright, bud," she calmly tels him. "I'm a doctor. I might be able to help you with the pain. Think you can close your eyes and stay calm while I take a look at you?"
[1d10]Bedside manner
>>743030"Not at all, Ms.Ash!" Frank says. "It's quite regal." He tinkers around and sees if he can't put a ball gown on her. "Mayhap you would like to put on some music? A waltz? A tango? Perhaps a nice, slow sentimental ballad? We can both hear the others over our coms, and I assume that tunes out music for you too. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Roll #1 6 = 6 No.743040
>>743032"Why does that matter?" he replies, equally confused.
"Why wouldn't I remember anyway? I mean there's kind of a black spot between the day of the experiment and about, uh, three days ago? Four? Five? Gets to a point it's hard to tell…">>743033The dormitories are relatively uninteresting, save for a few more bodies. The defense feed shows a catwalk with a control panel, looking out at a view of space. You can see the barrels of what look like turrets through the window. Must be where the missiles were fired from.
"Any time. Let's meet up with the others, yeah?" She doesn't complain as you grab her and fly down, joining the rest of the gang.
>>743034"Oh no what?" Gaspard asks with a bit of concern.
"Why wouldn't I want out of here? You try being trapped under rubble for days with no food, no water…">>743035"Oh thank Luna." He nods and stays quiet, letting you do your thing.
A ballgown appears on chicken-Ash.
"I-I'm not programmed to dance. I don't know how. And this body is less than ideal. But if you think it'd help, I can put something on…"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEqSOst1dg8 No.743042
>>743040Areia set Luv down and entered the room, heading for the others, freezing when she saw the robot and genuinely reaching for her blade before letting out a breath.
She remained silent and looked around for where she could potentially find the security center for the place, or maybe the dormitories before she ended the crushed robot in a much more violent manner.
No.743043
>>743030"Hrm… did this fog come up around the same time? Seems strange." he says, stroking his chin (through his helmet) a little.
>>743040"Experiments? Weird, magic-tech stuff, right? I remember hearing about them."
No.743044
>>743040"Alright, and did you go from experiment to being trapped under rubble? Also again that's not an answer to my question, you just responded with a question."
Vandal gets back to searching around the place for anything that'll help solve the mystery of what happened here.
[1d10]
[1d10] perception
Roll #1 9 = 9 /
Roll #2 1 = 1 No.743046
>>743040"I think it'll be better for both of us if you come to it yourself. Just think about those folks you were with. They ever take any undue interest in you, your body? Other peoples bodies?"
No.743047
>>743040One of Frank's appendages pops out of his chest and he places it to the hologram's beak. "Shh. Don't be so shy," he says. "No judgement here. Only want you to have a little fun, Ash." He stands in front of her. "Now," he says. "May I have this dance?"
>>743040Gigi pulls her tools out and gets to work, trying to find any problems more related to processing and personality than him being trapped, and fixing any issues she can along the way.
[1d10]Tinker
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.743050
>>743047[1d10]Also perception for the detecting problems amd abnormalites part
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.743053
>>743042The robot freezes as well, looking frightened by your reaction.
You notice another control panel at the reception desk that seems to be working, but it requires a password. You could try bypassing it, guessing the password, or just exploring the station and trying to find those places on your own.
>>743043Yeah. Pair of hooded freaks flew in, started having words. Stayed a few days before the experiment was due to happen. And then… well, I woke up here. Stuck under this…" He tries fruitlessly to pull out of the rubble, but flinches as if wincing.
>>743044"Yeah, that's right. Everything was normal, and then boom. Woke up here. Place had gone to shit, that damn fog was creeping in… It's a nightmare.">>743046"They… I didn't hear much, I'm just a technician, but they were working with Corinthium. The asteroid we were docked to was ripe with the stuff. Volatile magical rocks. Super rare. Just one slab is enough to power the whole station. No surprise the Wyrds wanted in on it.">>743047"Y-yes…" She flaps her wings and bobs her head a little, letting Frank take the lead.
Before you can tinker with Gaspard too much, there's a bit of a spark, leading to him shuddering and blubbering before slumping over limply. Any attempts to bring him back online fail.
No.743055
>>743053Areia moved over quickly and went to the panel and tried to bypass it figuring she might have some luck on her side. Worse come to worst she could start blowing doors down.
[1d10] Bypass
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.743056
>>743053"You're stuck under there, yeah? You can feel the rubble on top of you?" He says, trying to lead him to conclusions.
No.743058
>>743053>>743046>>743044>>743043"Oops," Gigi mumbles. "That, uh… that wasn't supposed to happen. Well, may as well keep digging around. It really just sounds like something in his programming. Hopefully it isn't some creepy magic soulmelding bullshit."
[1d10]Keep rooting around in his noggin
>>743053Frank gets close to her and leads her in a very simple, very casual slow dance.
[1d10]dance
Roll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 6 = 6 No.743059
>>743053"That's… concerning. We haven't found any others so far, but this is the only room we've checked." he says, flicking an ear.
No.743060
>>743044You start searching around, finding a secondary control area down a flight of stairs. While the control panels are all busted beyond repair, you find a long dead griffon corpse on the floor near one. The nametag on his moldering clothes reads Gaspard.
No.743061
>>743060>>743058"Really hoping on wires being crossed, found Gaspard up here, proper griffon corpse Gaspard." Vandal says, frowning.
Still, she checks for something to salvage off the body or nearby area.
[1d10] loot
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.743062
>>743055You manage to bypass the password prompt by simply mashing random buttons until something changes. You're in the system. Somehow.
Most of what you can access from this console are administrative logs, but you find something valuable to download: a 3D layout of the whole space station, apparently called Deephollow. From this, you are able to get directions to anywhere, including the dormitories, the reactor on sub-level 3, and the missile defense system. You find some prompts that would allow you to remotely deactivate them.
Luv looks over your shoulder. "Huh. Could save us some leg work. Why don't we try it?"
>>743056He's gone.
>>743058You find something odd within Gaspard's central processor. It's… glowing. It's an off greyish white color, the same hue as the fog that clings to the ground of the facility.
Ash follows along as best she can, looking into Frank's single photoreceptor with an inscrutable expression. Mostly because she's a holographic chicken in a dress.
>>743061He has a datapad on him. It seems to have a list of passwords to gain access to other areas. Could prove extremely valuable.
No.743063
>>743062She nodded and quickly downloaded a copy of the map before forwarding it to everyone else, and then trying to shut down the missile systems from her seat.
"This was easier than I thought."
No.743064
>>743062>>743061>>743059>>743056"Bad news," Gigi tells everyone. "99% sure it's magic. Can't really say if it was intentional or not, but definitely magic. I say we get outta here, maybe save this guy, and I'll rig a charge to blow the place when we leave. The gas is combustable so that should start a chain and blow up everything that needs blowing up. I do not want to fuck with this more than I have to. I just, uh…" She tries to find where she damaged him. "Just hope I didn't accidentally kill him."
[1d10]Tinker
>>743062"See? Not that hard. Just gotta relax and enjoy yourself. Good choice of music, by the way."
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.743065
>>743055>>743056>>743058>>743059>>743062"Scoooorreee, just found a datapad with passwords- I'm gonna go all shortwave radio station and list em out one by one, so write em down somewhere so you don't have to go asking me for them again."
Vandal then proceeds to take up a good amount of time listing off passwords over their frequency, repeating it once before checking out what else is on the datapad.
No.743066
>>743062>>743064"So it's out of our control." He says, stepping away. "I don't wanna be here anymore. Those freaks might come back here and they'll see right through any tricks I can pull."
No.743067
>>743065"Oh, fuck, no way. That's great! New plan. Loot the place to the screws,
then blow it up." Gigi pulls out her datapad to take notes.
No.743069
>>743068"Damn. So this should be easy then. Think we should split up? I have to make a run back to the ship. I already have some stuff, so not sure how much else I can carry."
No.743071
>>743064>>743065"Anything we can do to help, Gigi? I'm not the best with tech, but… anything's better than nothing."
No.743072
>>743063As you try to disable the missiles remotely, the systems scramble, displaying the same string of characters you saw on the security feed earlier. You seem to be locked out now.
>>743064Chekhooves recoils slightly as you deliver the news. "Damn. …That's fucked up. Yeah, might be for the best."
Doesn't look like there's any hope of reviving him.
"You like it?" she says eagerly.
"I did a quick search and found it was popular online. So I picked it in hopes you would. It's really…"She trails off.
>roll Perception as Frank>>743065The rest of the datapad is nothing but assorted music and photos of his wife and kids.
>>743066"Yeah, I think we should leave," says Chekhooves, looking disturbed by the revelation. "There's some eldritch shit going on here. Poor guy. We shouldn't mess with things like this. None of us here know shit about magic."
"I know a little," Luv comments. "But this isn't anything I've seen before."
>>743063>>743064>>743065>>743068>>743059As Areia has the panel knock her out, you feel something: a low thrum that echoes faintly throughout the bowels of the facility, like some ancient machine waking up. After a few tense moments, it happens again, and doesn't stop emitting at regular intervals. Like the beating of a gigantic heart.
Luv freezes in place, and Chekhooves looks around in a panic. "That's. Probably not a good thing."
No.743073
>>743072Gigi swallows and drops onto her butt. "And he's gone. For good." She rubs her forehead. "Shit…" Slowly she pulls herself to her paws. "Well, I didn't kill him. Whatever did this to him did."
At first she's going to head back to the ship, but as she hears the pulse, she freezes. Slowly, she messes with her band a bit and pulls put a microcharge. "New new plan. Get back to the ship." She rigs the charge right on the floor, closest to the gas. "Unless anyone wants to stick around and roll the dice on that not being something that's gonna fuck us."
No.743074
>>743072>>743073"Only problem is if we leave now, we will probably get another rocket volley launched at us before we get clear. I'd feel a bit better if we got rid of those first."
No.743505
>>743074"You don't think we can avoid that by ditching the place cloaked?"
>>743072"It's definitely a nice song worth dancing to." He pauses as she trails off.
[1d10]Perception
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.743506
>>743505"I'd rather not take the risk if we can help it."
No.743507
>>743072>>743073"Can we not unplug the thing? It booting up is spooky but it was shooting missiles at us to begin with." Vandal says into her comms, taking any identification badge from the corpse if one exists, then grinding down the stairs with datapad in stow. "Still gotta make sure we get out safe."
No.743508
>>743073>>743072Fir nods a little bit, before shrugging a little and setting a hoof on Gigi's back. "You did what you could."
>>743072The humming gets his attention, and he draws back up to all fours before frowning. "We, uh… should be quick."
No.743509
>>743072"My magic is smoke and mirrors. This is… something else. Something beyond us. We're out. As fast as possible."
"Everyone accounted for?" No.743510
>>743505Frank doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Ash has sensed something, though.
"…Don't look now, but there's something outside," she says quietly.
"…It's watching us.">>743507You find an all purpose ID badge on him. Seems to unlock most doors on the station.
>>743509"We're all right here," Chekhooves points out in a deadpan.
>>743073>>743074>>743507>>743073>>743509Luv speaks her mind. "I say we make our way manually down to whatever this thing is, blow it up, and get the hell out of here."
"We shouldn't even do that," says Chekhooves. "Let's just get back to the ship and leave. Gale's right. This isn't anything we can mess with."
No.743511
>>743510Frank immediately swivels to look outside. "What? Where?"
>>743510Gigi stands and brushes herself off. "Well, I need to know what we're doing. Not super confident they won't have infra red or something that makes my cloak completely pointless but it's about the best we got as far as scouting goes."
No.743512
>>743510>>743507"Right. Let's be quick about it, though. Wrecking whatever this thing is before leaving would be good, but the crew matters more. If it's easier to just leave, we ought to."
No.743513
>>743512>>743511>>743510"
If people are wanting to ditch, we can. I'm just more worried about missiles we know exist, rather than being creeped out by a noise." Vandal says, checking around the station for any cameras she might need to spray over.
[1d10] percep
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.743514
>>743510"Not taking any risks. I've got a bad feeling things are about to get real interesting." He says, readying his pistol. "Look, we can stay or we can go. But we stick together and we don't lose anyone. Don't feel like shooting one of you in the head today."
No.743515
>>743510>>743512>>743511"I still say at the very least we try and blow the weapons systems. If we can take the rest of the place out with an explosion we should but only if we can do it safely." she said.
No.743516
>>743515>>743514>>743513>>743512"Well, I'm good with whatever. I think we should dip, but if you guys think we should take care of the missiles, at least we know where they are."
No.743517
>>743513>>743516>>743515"Well, let's do it as a group, then. No need to split up if we've got one thing in mind."
No.743518
>>743511Frank looks outside. There's an eye drone, much like any other you'd find in most corners of the Realms. At first it doesn't seem too unusual; then, you notice it's not the only one. Looking through the other ports, you see at least half a dozen of them surrounding the ship, maybe more. They're silently hovering in midair, surveying everything.
>>743511>>743512>>743513>>743514>>743515"I just wanna go on record as saying I'm not comfortable with this," Chekhooves remarks as you start following the directions Areia found down to the weapons systems.
It proves to be easier said than done. You go to take an elevator down, but the doors close on you as you approach. Behind you, another door slams shut. It's as if the station itself is trying to impede your progress. Somewhere, you hear a pipe burst, and gas start leaking out. Looks like you're going to have to find a harder way down to the system. It's on the level below you, you know that much.
>roll Navigation No.743519
>>743518>>743517>>743516>>743514>>743513"I could try burning a hole through the floor if you guys wanna try that, but I have no idea how deep it is." she said scanning the area and sealing her helmet.
[1d10] Navigation
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.743520
>>743519>>743518"Gonna have to be careful with that. Remember what Ash said. This gas is combustable, especially in higher concentrations. That's one of the reasons I was cool to just pop a bomb somewhere and leave."
[1d10]Navigation
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.743521
>>743516>>743519>>743517>>743514>>743518"
You know, why don't we just do both plans, get back to the entrance and ignite the gas from a safe distance. We can just salvage the station afterwards- we confirmed there isn't any life on it anymore."
No.743522
>>743518Frank saunters over to the port hole and rubs his chin. "H'm. Look like some eye drones. Maybe we can communicate with them! Hello!" He waves to the drones. "Are you friendly, or mean?"
No.743523
>>743521>>743520Not a bad idea actually… I might wanna steal a robot head before we go actually."
No.743524
>>743521>>743523"Works for me." She slips a charge out of her wristband. "Wanna do it here, or deeper in?"
No.743525
>>743521"That'd be doing the galaxy a service."
No.743526
>>743525[1d10] Navigation
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.743527
>>743518>>743521"Sure, if you think it's for the best. I'm not really great with explosives, though. Do any of you have experience with it?"
>Navigation [1d10]Roll #1 9 = 9 No.743528
>>743527"
The gas is explosive big guy. We just needa shoot."
No.743529
>>743522No response.
"…I couldn't sense them," says Ash quietly.
"But they're not using anything that should block it… Why couldn't I..?">>743520>>743519>>743521>>743526>>743527As you mention the explosives, a panel opens on the ceiling, and a heavy chunk of metal falls, landing not one foot away from Vandal, narrowly avoiding her being crushed like a bug. There's an uncomfortable silence as you share the realization that the station itself might be listening in.
After a bit of searching, you find a rusting stairwell, which takes you down to the next level. You approach the door that leads to the turret control room, only to have it lock itself on you almost instantly, followed by a pair of blast doors to reinforce it. Areia will be hard pressed to get through that.
From somewhere nearby, you hear a rumbling from the bowels of the facility.
No.743530
>>743529She growled… "I could probably burn through this but it would take a bit." she muttered as she placed a hand on the door.
"My plasma is unfortunately not quite that focused."
No.743531
>>743529"This place is fighting us. I have a feeling that if we kill it it'll take us with it. Fuck." Gale walks over to the controls. "Maybe theres a way to assume direct control."
Perception [1d10]
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.743533
>Take 2!>>743520>>743519>>743521>>743526>>743527As you mention the explosives, a panel opens on the ceiling, and a heavy chunk of metal falls, landing not one foot away from Vandal, narrowly avoiding her being crushed like a bug. There's an uncomfortable silence as you share the realization that the station itself might be listening in.
You turn around and start heading back toward the ship, only to have the door leading to the docking bay close in your faces, followed by a pair of blast doors to reinforce it. You're effectively locked in.
Chekhooves rubs his head. "I don't know what I expected…" "You sure you can't cut through that?" Luv asks Areia. The pulsing sound continues in the background, joined by a soft rumbling.
No.743534
>>743533She shrugged "Probably with time but it would take a bit to cut through that completely." she said diverting for a moment to try and find that robot that thought it was a person. She felt like doing a quick salvage job.
"Might be faster to try and short the doors into opening or otherwise isolating them from the system."
No.743535
>>743529Frank hums. "Not sure," he says. "Maybe I should go outside and investigate! I guess they can't hear me in here."
>>743529"Yeah, probably shoulda brought Frank. He could at least try to interface with this thing." She casts a paranoid glance over her shoulder. "But judging by this bullshit place maybe that wouldn't turn out so well."
She puts the charge back. "So, uh… someone had a map? Or am I remembering that wrong?"
No.743536
>>743533Fir tugs Vandal a little closer after the metal plating clunks to the floor, frowning a little more. He'll make for the hangar with the others.
When they reach the sealed blast door, he clonks his hardlight antlers against them a few times and huffs. "Whatever it is they did here must've been something serious. Do we have any gear to cut through it?"
No.743537
>>743533>>743534>>743536"I mean, last time Chekhooves and I had to open a door, we just jammed something magical and electric in it and it opened. It's no key, but it's had a 100% success rate so far."
No.743538
>>743533"This place is fighting us. If we try to kill it, it'll take us down too. We have to get direct control somehow."
>>743534>>743537"Those could count as manual overrides."
No.743539
>>743537"Well… that could work. I'll be on standby if you need me to force it open, or if it goes wrong."
No.743540
>>743533>>743537Vandal looks around for anything resembling the panel she stuck the magic thingy in on the boat.
[1d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.743542
>>743534You find Gaspard's remains right where they were. You see now that the legs weren't just crushed by the rubble; they're gone. There's only the top half of the robot body left. Doesn't seem like it'd be worth much, but it's worth a shot.
>>743535"I don't think that's a good idea. They can't be friendly. We should wait for the others in here. Maybe signal them in some way…"You see a door in the docking bay shut, followed by several blast doors. It's the same door the party went through earlier. Seems they're locked in.
>>743535"Yeah, I wouldn't trust your robot not to do something dumb here," says Luv. "No offence. He's just kind of cross wired."
>>743540There's a control panel, but it seems to be locking you out when you try to tamper with it. Perhaps you could "hack" it by overloading the power supply like last time.
>>743540>>743539>>743538>>743537>>743536>>743534>>743534"I think we should just try and bust the door open. We're burning time here, and who knows what this place is going to try and pull." Luv looks up with a frown as the rumbling sound starts growing louder.
"Is anyone good at hacking?" Chekhooves suggests. "We could try getting around the security systems from the main control panel over there." He gestures at the monitor Areia was using before, when she inadvertently woke Deephollow up.
No.743543
>>743542"I could try to buy us time by having a clone venture down into the depths, maybe let us know what we're up against. Or just piss it off more." Gale says, summoning energies arcing off his claws slightly. "Not my call. We do this as a unit. No miscommunication."
No.743544
>>743542"If I can get something with a juiced up battery or big magic reserves yeah, I can do what I did last time."
Vandal searches the vicinity for something that'd work.
[1d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.743545
>>743542"I don't know," Frank says, pointing to the blast doors. "
That seems like something I should try to fix. You think they did it on purpose?" He goes over his com. "[b]Hey, G, did you shut the blast doors on purpose? And also there are these weird drones watching us. Ash doesn't think they're friendly.[b]"
>>743542Gigi sighs. "Yeah," she says. "You're probably right. Really need to figure out what's wrong with his impulse control problems some time."
"Anyway, I'm decent with basic hacking. Or I could try hitting it with an EMP. Don't think that'll ignite the gas."
No.743546
>>743542Honestly she was fine with that. She just wanted as much of the body as she could get. It looked to be modestly advanced and she figured she might be able to repurpose it to be a new body for Organic.
No.743547
>>743542"I could, hrm… I could try hacking. I might have a better time just bashing the door in, though." he says, looking over the control panel and trying to figure it out.
>[1d10] Maybe he can do it!Roll #1 7 = 7 No.743548
>>743543"That could work," Luv agrees. "Though, the fact it's probably listening to this conversation won't do much to fool it. But it's worth a shot."
>>743544You come to realize that despite being scrap, Gaspard's robotic form still has a potent energy core inside it. It could be used, with some elbow grease, to overload the blast doors.
>>743545"No!" Ash looks fearful.
"I mean, it's too risky. Who knows what could happen if we go out there? Better to stay here and wait for help. …Come to think of it, I could
try shooting them down with the cannons. Oh, but that could trigger the gas to explode… What do we do, what do we do?…"Chekhooves shrugs. "Worth a shot. Better than sitting around here all day, yeah? …Wait. Why don't you get Frank to come and help from the other side? You said he was good at this sort of thing."
>>743546The top half of the body looks relatively intact. The internal circuitry is shorted out, but the energy core still works. The arms and torso would make for a good chassis.
>>743547You try bypassing the door locks, but to no avail. The system locks you out, and the screen goes black, save for an error message that pops up in the center. It has two words on it: "Please Stay".
No.743549
>>743548"Ah. The, uh… the system wants us to hang around for a while, judging by what's on the screen." the elk says, poking at the screen once or twice with his large, cloven hooves.
No.743550
>>743548>>743545"Gigi I got an idea for a tinker like you, huddle up so we ain't got something eavesdropping?"
No.743551
>>743549"If it was more like, consensual with hanging out. Locking us out from the choice of staying means I'm out. We were fine with sticking around until it started doing weird shit."
No.743552
>>743548She nodded and worked to get the torso free so she could fashion it into a back pack of sorts.
No.743553
>>743548"Beter than nothing." Gale says as he summons a clone without the use of an emiter.
[1d10] summon clone
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.743554
>>743551>>743549>>743553"Take if you wanr me to try and break the door?"
No.743555
>>743554>>743551"If you're up for it. Just be careful- we're not sure whatever this thing can do. It seems to be hooked into the station, somehow."
No.743556
>>743551>>743550"Alright, sure. What's up?" Gigi walks over and leans in.
"No," she tells Frank.
"Think you can do something from the other side?">>743548Frank looks back at Ash. "Sorry," he tells her. "But the boss needs me." Spinning toward the airlock, he tries to make his way out of the ship, planning on closing the door as fast as he can so nothing gets in.
"On it! No.743557
>>743554"That's the plan, go ahead and try and get the door down."
>>743556Vandal covers her mouth in case whatever it is can lip read too, "
power cell in the borg you fried, can you yank it out? I can go start prying another part of the ship so the AI or whatever it is is distracted by me and Areia both."
No.743558
>>743552You manage to wrench the head off and remove the torso from the rubble. It just sort of pulls away without much force.
>>743553You summon a replica of yourself.
>>743556Frank steps outside. He can see now that there are much, MUCH more than half a dozen drones. It looks like the ship is surrounded by a swarm of bees. A few of them break off and start watching Frank as he approaches the blast doors. It looks like he could try to interface with the control panel on the other side to force it open.
No.743559
>>743558"Let's see whats really under us." Gale says as the clone slips away and stealthily navigates down into the vessel. "If we break down this door before i manage to see whats going on, just grab me and go. Part of me doesnt even wanna know what this is."
[1d10] Navigation
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.743560
>>743557"Huh. Shit. That's actually a good ass idea. Yeah, we can try. Frank is gonna try to interface with the door from the outside too.">>743558"Yeesh." He heads over to the door, pops a piece of his head open, and pulls out a wire. Using his tools, he pops the control panel off and tries to jack himself in.
[1d10]
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.743561
>>743558She turned it into a backpack for now and moved before the door "Ok whatever you are, gonna ask you nicely to open the doors or explain yourself before I start slagging the door." she said looking around "As is I kinda wanna get out of her clean."
No.743562
>>743560>>743558Vandal pulls the crowbar from her backpack and gets to work prying at a wall on the opposite side of the control panel.
[1d10] looking like I'm doing something to escape
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.743563
>>743560>>743559>>743558Fir hums a little bit, and decides to just keep watch while the others work.
>Perception [1d10]Roll #1 10 = 10 No.743564
>>743562Gigi activates her cloak in case it actually does anything to help before getting to work removing the fuel cell.
[1d10]
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.743565
>>743559Your clone goes down a rusted stairwell, as the elevators don't seem to be working. There are three levels it leads to, according to a sign painted on the concrete wall:
The first one is marked "Security".
The second is "Maintenance".
The third is "Core".
>>743560Frank tries to interface, only to get booted from the system. Logging out and turning around, he sees all the drones are facing him now, forming a sort of wall between him and the ship.
>>743561No response.
>>743562You pry at the wall with your crowbar. You pull a panel off, revealing some circuitry beneath. Nothing more happens.
>>743563You think that rumbling's getting louder. Whatever you do, you should finish quick.
>>743564You cloak up and pry the fuel cell loose. It comes out fairly easily, but because of how it was rather forcibly removed, the power in it will only last a matter of seconds. You'll have to move quick if you want to use it for anything.
No.743566
>>743565The dragon shrugged and pulled her helmet off for the moment and prepared a breath of plasma, before letting it out on the door with force.
[1d10] Dragon Breath
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.743567
>>743565"Security, security. Probably my best bet for finding something that'll make it so I can contend with whatevers down there. And maybe make this trip worthwhile too."
The clone heads towards the security section.
No.743568
>>743565"Dang." Frank spins around toward the wall of drones and hums. Making his way over to them, he makes a show of rubbing his chin. Deciding they aren't that dangerous if they haven't attacked yet, he decides to try to communicate with them. "Do you understand me?"
>>743565Having an idea of what Vandal had in mind, Gigi makes her way to the door and tries to pop open the keypad panel to wire it to the power.
[1d10] Tinker
bzzztRoll #1 4 = 4 No.743569
>>743565Wondering if the AI will react in any way, Vandal goes to start spray painting on the walls of the ship, creating a large cat mural.
No.743570
>>743565Fir hums a little as he watches the others work at the door, deciding some preparation couldn't hurt.
>Distill Life: [1d10]Roll #1 3 = 3 No.743571
>>743566No dice. The blast doors don't budge. You just manage to sear them some.
>>743567You enter the security station. Immediately, whatever's controlling this place tries to lock you out, but the doors are malfunctioning, luckily for you. It consists of a semicircular room, with the flat end being a large view of space. Most of it is an empty pit, with the exception of a metal catwalk going around the perimeter, with several consoles in varying states of repair.
A panel opens on the ceiling, and some loose sparking wires drop down to electrocute you!
>roll to Dodge, instant action>>743568No response at first; then, the drones move closer, bunching together tightly. You start feeling a low humming sound coming from them.
The panels seem to be rather stuck. Looking down at the fuel cell, you see it's starting to dim already.
>>743569You get to work, leaving your mark on the place. Nothing happens, but you feel your sins weighing on your neck.
>>743570>>743569>>743568>>743567>>743566The rumbling you heard before starts getting much, much louder. Even Frank can hear it from the other side. You can tell where it's coming from now; it's on the other side of the pile of rubble where Gaspard's robot body was. It's like something's surging toward you fast. "Uh, any chance we could speed it up some?" Luv asks Gigi nervously. Chekhooves frets and starts reaching for his gun.
No.743572
>>743571Areia coughed and rubbed her throat before taking a breath and turned to the rubble grabbing her blade that was behind them. She was prepared for a brawl but she didn't want to rush in and endanger them all.
No.743573
>>743571Vandal moves in to assist Gigi, grabbing her crowbar and helping the manual way.
[1d10] pry
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.743574
>>743571The clone quickly dives for cover!
[1d10] Dodge
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.743575
>>743571>>743573Fir huffs, and tries to help pry the door open.
>[1d10]Roll #1 7 = 7 No.743576
>>743571"Woah, personal space, guys. Maybe we should get to know each other first?"
>>743571"I'm trying," Gigi hisses. "This whole damn ship is so messed up and dilapidated I can't get the panel off." Gigi frantically pries at it, really not wanting to face whatever is headed her way.
[1d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.743577
>>743576>>743574>>743572>>743573>>743575With some help, Gigi manages to force the panel open and jam in the fuel cell, overloading the console. The blast doors open with a death rattle-
WHAMSomething bursts through the rubble, throwing concrete and metal every which way. It looks like it was once a maintenance robot, but has affixed perhaps dozens of other robots to its body over time. The hulking metal beast is about three times Areia's size, with a myriad of appendages and flashing lights. It seems to reconfigure its body at will constantly to suit its situation.
From the open door, the swarm of drones rush past Frank and attach themselves wildly to the robot, covering it in eyes from head to toe. It makes a garbled sound like a voice processed through a vocoder and configures into a bipedal stance. A shockwave pulses from it with a low bassy rumble, sweeping over you all. Your heads suddenly feel like they're going to split open!
>roll to resist psychic damage, instantChekhooves decides to bail it towards the ship, Luv following in his stead and firing some stray shots at the robot!
[1d10]
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.743578
>>743577Areia's eyes widened as she covered her ears trying to resist the attack from the abomination.
[1d10]
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.743579
>>743578>>743577She quickly followed this up by raising her blade to try and bring the bot down with a swing.
[1d10] Blast, Preferred target: Robots
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.743580
>>743577"What the fuck is th-" Gale's sentence and concentration is cut off by the blast, as he falls to the ground, his claws over his ears.
Resist [1d10]
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.743581
>>743577Fir grunts a little bit and holds his head, trying to fight off the worst of it.
>[1d10] ResistHis antlers switch from orange to red, and he lurches over to try and steady Areia, since she doesn't look to be in the best spot.
>[1d10] Brace, AreiaRoll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 10 = 10 No.743582
>>743577Gigi does the same, staying cloaked while she darts toward the ship. Pulling her tesla pistol out, she fires off a shot. "Frank!" She shouts. "Back to the ship!"
Frank doesn't have to be told twice, turning and rushing back toward the airlock as soon as he spots the amalgam of robots.
[1d10]Resist Gigi
[1d10]Resist Frank if needed
[1d10]Pistol, autocrit if still considered stealthed
Roll #1 2 = 2 /
Roll #2 8 = 8 /
Roll #3 6 = 6 No.743583
>>743580While this happens, the clone quickly rushes through security, trying to find any ordinance to help with the situation upstairs.
Looting [1d10]
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.743584
>>743577https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPDDelKThk8Vandal bursts away from the blast door, her rollerskates shooting her backwards as she pulls out her new firearm and shoots at the swarm.
>Moody's Shuffle: passive/instant automatic, recharge 2; Build up momentum using electromagnetic inline skates and launch forward towards a target. Move to an adjacent zone and gain +2 to any other combat action this turn. Passively, you can use your inline skates to skate and grind against terrain and even glide against walls for brief periods of time.>Moving to the shuttle
>Scorpion Energy Cell: passive; DC-1 while using this cell, but cannot deal lethal damage and does not have an Elementalist effect. Instead, targets rendered helpless by this cell cannot recover for 2 rounds, or 3 on a crit.>Rushed Shot: weapon, recharge 1; Fire your weapon quickly to make an opening. DC+1 to hit with this attack, but on hit, Rushed Shot counts as a free action.[1d10+2] Normal DC (+1 from Rushed Shot, -1 from Scorpion Energy Cell), CritDC-1 (Firearm)
[1d10] psychic resist (if Rushed Shot is free, otherwise ignore)
Roll #1 1 + 2 = 3 /
Roll #2 1 = 1 No.743585
>>743578>>743581>>743580You manage to shrug off the psychic attack, though your head still hurts like nothing else.
>>743579>>743581Areia charges forward. Fir sees every one of its myriad eyes train on her and turn white simultaneously. He rushes to protect her, only to find himself treading thin air, facing the mechanical behemoth. It hurls the massive elk against a wall with a telekinetic blast, then drags him across the floor!
>Fir takes 4 hits, roll instant to break out of the telekinetic grip>>743582>>743584You see red as the mental attack pierces your psyche. It feels like two hooks have been dug into either half of your brain, ripping it in half from the inside. You feel blood trickling down your noses, and Vandal can't help but sink to her knees after dashing backward.
>Gigi takes 4 hits>Vandal takes 5, helpless>>743582Frank manages to get back on board the ship.
You shoot it in one of its eyes, disabling it. It reconfigures to face you!
>>743583In a rusted locker is a large energy weapon of some sort, covered in dust. It looks experimental.
>>743584>>743583>>743582>>743581>>743579The bot reconfigures to have three main legs and one large tentacle ending in a claw, almost like some sort of tripod scorpion. It scuttles toward Gigi and lashes out!
[1d10+2]
Several eyes turn to Areia and flash white!
>roll to resist telekinetic grip, instant
>pausingRoll #1 7 + 2 = 9 No.744272
>>743585Areia went wide eyed and did her best to try and avoid the attack from the nasty beast as she tried again to hammer it with her blade.
[1d10] resist
[1d10] Blast autocrits due to robot
Roll #1 7 = 7 /
Roll #2 5 = 5 No.744273
>>743585>not helpless due to armor and stance of bear, went from 10/5 to 5/5>>744272>>743583>>743582>>743581"
FUCCKK. Hey remember that idea of kablooey? Let's get out of the range of the gas and get the hell out of here. You got one of your holo dudes in there, worse gryphon?" Vandal says with exasperation into comms as she clutches her head, lining up another shot with her firearm.
>Hunter's Eye: automatic instant, once per combat; Your vision, smell and hearing are unparalleled. An enemy targeted by this skill cannot use Stealth, is removed from Stealth if already using it, and you gain a +1 bonus to all attacks against the target until the end of combat. You can also see in the dark without the need for a light source.
>Overheat: weapon; weapon; Bring your Energy weapon to its full, lethal potential. Attack autocrits, but also auto-critfails. Counts as 2 charges for the purposes of Overheating.>weapon will be considered 1 level overheating but doesn't matter when fails are auto-critfails[1d10+1] Ranged Energy attack
Autocrit/Autocrifail
DC-1 (Scorpion Energy Cell)
Critfail DC+1 (Overheating but doesn't matter in this case)
(CritDC-1 (Firearm but doesn't matter in this case))
Roll #1 7 + 1 = 8 No.744274
>>743585Fir huffs a little bit, trying to ward off the worst of the (likely heavy) incoming damage.
>Fortify Flesh: [1d10]>Resistance Roll: [1d10]"As soon as we're ready, we should leave. I don't think we can take this thing."
Roll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 10 = 10 No.744275
>>743585Gale takes aim at the clawed tentacle and fires.
>>744273"Yeah, and we just found something that'll help with reducing this place to ash. Big laser cannon. Would work for a 'Kablooey', cat.">>743585The clone grabs the cannon, pulls the thing most resembling a trigger and aims for the door out of here.
[1d10] Real groof with small gun
[1d10] Fake groof with big gun
Roll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 1 = 1 No.744276
>>743585Frank wipes his forehead and looks out the window. "That was close."
"Hey, everything alright out there, Gigi?""Not really! Gigi fires again, cranking her testla pistol to overcharge.
"Should be able to handle it well enough to get back to the ship, though."[1d10]Meltdown, Lightning
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.744278
>>744273Lemme hit the damn thing then we can run!"
No.744279
>>744272You get pushed away by an unseen force, making you miss your swing.
>>744273You bring the settings on the firearm up to 11 and take a potshot. It heats up and vibrates intensely. As you fire, your arm is jolted backwards and you lose your balance from the sheer force of it. The blast blows out several of the robot's eyes, and it stumbles and rocks backward, trying to get its bearings. Acrid chemical smoke, liquid and sparks seep from the blast wound.
>>744274>>744277The incoming blow strikes you across the chest, leaving a significant dent in your armor. Your breath escapes your lungs, leaving you off balance and wheezing. You stumble backwards, out of its range.
>Fir takes 3 hits>>744275It thrashes and flails, making it difficult to get a bead on it. Your shot misses.
The cannon, if it can be called that, is unwieldy and difficult to comprehend. Guesswork dictates you hit a button on the side. Light panels start flashing, and it begins to sputter and shake violently, emitting a shrill beeping sound that only keeps getting higher and higher in pitch. Seems it's going to self destruct.
>>744276The robot twitches and shudders, slowed down almost to a halt, its systems overloaded by the powerful blast of electricity that courses through its body. Some eyes fall off it and scatter across the floor.
>>744278>>744277>>744276>>744275>>744273The robot stops in its tracks for a moment, then begins to reconfigure. A pair of energy cannons emerge from a panel, firing at Gigi and Vandal in retribution!
[1d10+1]
[1d10+1]
>DC+1 due to LightningIts eyes flash white again as it focuses Gigi!
>roll instant resistance etcBehind you, you hear the ship starting to power up. "What are you waiting for!" you hear Luv yell from behind you. "Let's go go go!"
Roll #1 1 + 1 = 2 /
Roll #2 1 + 1 = 2 No.744280
>>744279In a panic, the clone throws the canon at the door, and takes cover wherever he can.
>>744279"Shit. Change of plans. Clones probably not coming. You got another idea cat?" No.744281
>>744280"Skate fast, shoot the fucking gas. Get to the ship and I'll shoot the stuff leaking out before I hop in."
No.744282
>>744279Seeing she helped slow it down some Gigi turns and flies toward the ship, trying not to get caught.
[1d10]Resist
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.744283
>>744279Fir wheezes a little as the breath's knocked out of him. It's nothing he hasn't handled before, but he's definitely glad he didn't take the brunt of whatever it was going to throw at him. He doesn't waste any time in trying to move towards the ship!
>Moving zones No.744284
>>744282>>744279Seeing being focused, Vandal helps pull her towards the ship, shielding her from the the pulse of light.
>entered Vandal's zone so trying to assist[1d10]
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.744285
>>744279Areia nodded and rushed back, going to Fir and helping him back to the ship as fast as she could.
>Moving Zones No.744287
>>744280The cannon continues to rattle, the metal heating up red. You start hearing cracks forming across its surface, until finally it explodes in a violent multicolor display. It begins to trigger chain explosions across the floor due to the gas, sweeping your clone away and blowing it to smithereens.
>>744282>>744286>>744284Fir and Vandal try to help Gigi, but she is lifted off the ground helplessly, then promptly flipped upside down and pile drivered into the ground telekinetically!
>Gigi takes 3 hits, currently grabbed by Telekinesis>>744285You run back to the ship. One of the ventral cannons has been deployed, and is turning to face the robot. Luv's presence at the loading ramp implies Chekhooves is manning it. "Ash has the ship prepped. Vandal has the right idea. Let's blow this shit up."
>>744282>>744286>>744284>>744285>>744280The robot swings Gigi through the air, hurling her at Fir and Vandal!
[1d10]
You all suddenly hear explosions from deeper in the facility…
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.744288
>>744287Areia sprinted into the ship, tossing the robotic remains she had to the side and looking to see if there was another gun she could man to help put that ugly hunk of scrap down.
No.744289
>>744287Gigi reels as she's slammed into the ground. Her head spins, and, right as it seems like she'll be able to properly orient herself, she feels her body get flung like a ragdoll. In a last ditch effort to right herself, she spreads her wings and tries to catch herself.
[1d10]Recover
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.744290
>>744287>>744289"C'mon, now- let's get you out of here." the elk grunts, trying to pull the griffon free of the telekinetic grasp.
>Pull! [1d10+1] (+1 from Force Redirection)Roll #1 4 + 1 = 5 No.744291
>>744287Alright, theres your spark. This place is gonna be stardust in a few seconds. Let's get everyone and get out. He says as he flies up to grab Gigi and book.
[1d10]
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.744292
>>744289>>744287Vandal revs up her skates and takes a hold of Gigi with a jump grinning despite the situation. "Let's get a move on, tinker gal." Using the momentum, she barrels towards the ship's entrance, trying to take Gigi with her.
>Moody's Shuffle: passive/instant automatic, recharge 2; Build up momentum using electromagnetic inline skates and launch forward towards a target. Move to an adjacent zone and gain +2 to any other combat action this turn. Passively, you can use your inline skates to skate and grind against terrain and even glide against walls for brief periods of time.
>moving inside ship[1d10+2] roll to take Gigi with me
Roll #1 7 + 2 = 9 No.744293
>>744288>>744292>>744291>>744290>>744289Gigi gets yeeted telekinetically, but most of you manage to get out of the way. The exception is Gale, who gets a square kick in the jaw.
>Gale takes 5 hits, helplessGigi manages to right herself in midair, and is brought down to the ground by Vandal, suffering minimal damage.
Areia looks around, finding the stairs to the ship's dorsal cannon. The controls don't seem too complicated, more just unwieldy.
>roll to try and shoot the robotSeeing you all starting to get away, the robot rears up and starts barreling towards you all, eyes turning from white to red. Sprouting a fourth leg to gallop like a horse, it unsheathes several more blasters from within itself, priming to unleash a powerful attack!
No.744294
>>744293Areia hit the comms
Get out of the way, I'm gonna light this spawn of a glitch up!And with that she tried to do as such.
[1d10] pew pew
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.744295
>>744292>>744293Frank, seeing everyone having problems, takes some rope, a heavy piece of rubber, some spring, and some metal and tries to construct a line to fire out at Gale to reel him in in case he needs to.
[1d10]Go go gadget Gale-reel
>>744292>>744293Gigi blushes a little at the sudden contact, and her feathers puff a little. She awkwardly smooths them back, and looks away. "Thanks," she mumbles, before taking to the air and darting toward the ship.
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.744296
>>744293Fir huffs a little bit and hoists Gale up on to his back, before turning and heading back to the ship- or, trying at least!
>[1d10]Roll #1 10 = 10 No.744297
>>744295"I ain't losing a future friend." Vandal nods, scurrying into the ship as well.
>>744293>>744294Vandal runs up to see if she can help with lighting the gas in the station, running into Areia manning the turret, "Oh shoot- occupied. Try and knock it into the station, sounds like it's gonna blow!"
Vandal then makes to the opposite turret.
No.744846
>>744293As Gale is wracked telepathically he helplessly puts his claws against his ears in a futile attempt to stop the pain. Through his moans he attempts to stand again.
Get up [1d10]
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.744847
>>744295 Frank's tinkering doesn't do much.
>>744294You shoot it, but it glances right off like it's nothing!
>>744297Also taken, by Chekhooves this time. He looks up as you open the hatch. "Oh. I was gonna shoot the thing, but you can if you want." He shifts out of the way to let you take the reins.
>>744296>>744295>>744294>>744296>>744297Fir grabs Gale, hoisting him over his shoulder and dashing into the ship. Gigi and Frank follow suit. Through the windows, you see the robot flash red and white before unleashing a deafening barrage of gunfire, peppering the hull of your ship!
"Ready for takeoff!" Ash's disembodied voice rings out through the ship.
No.744848
>>744847"Sooner the better, yes." the elk says, grunting a little bit as he sets the griffon down somewhere safe.
No.744849
>>744847"Aye, captain!" Frank calls out to Ash. "Preparing to batten down hatches! Weigh anchor, me hearties!"
"Let's just get outta here!" Gigi squeals. "Before it hits something important! We prime this place to blow?"
No.744850
>>744847>>744848Gale lets out what could only be described as a "Wark" in flustered suprise as Fir carries him. Once he's down, he looks towards him with a blush. "Thanks, deer."
As he gets up and brushes himself off, he looks over the crew. "Well. We made it out. Let's leave now, Ash."
No.744851
>>744847"Oh uhh, you're probably better at this than me. Just kablooey the station maybe? I'll go check in and make sure everyone's okay."
Vandal heads back to the ladder and looks out the viewing bay to watch as they ditch the joint.
No.744852
>>744847Then go!" she barked as she kept shooting.
[1d10] Pew pew harder.
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.744853
>>744851"Er, I've never done this before. I just wanted to lend a hoof. If you think you can do better by all means- oh. Okay then. Guess I'll just…"
>>744852>>744851>>744850>>744849>>744848Areia blows away fragments of its chassis, weakening it and making it falter. You hear a loud mechanical bellow as it charges you! The ship begins to rumble, starting to take off, as the explosions from within the facility begin to catch up…
FWOOMYour ship takes off as the whole landing bay goes up in flames, spreading slowly to the rest of the station. From behind, you can see the whole structure slowly being consumed by explosions from the inside out, shrapnel flying out into space every which way as it begins to collapse in on itself. You see licks of brilliant green energy begin to appear, bolts of emerald lightning firing out in radial patterns from the billowing explosions as the whole thing breaks down.
Luv breathes a sigh of relief and slumps against the wall. "Gods… That was way too close… Good job, team. I don't know what the hell that thing was and I don't fancy sticking around to find out."
No.744854
>>744850"Don't mention it. Glad I could help you, Gale."
>>744853"It's for the best that we don't." Fir says, letting out a soft huff. "Some wrecks aren't worth salvaging."
No.744855
>>744853Gigi groans as she longingly watches the exploding station out the window. "Really wish we could have just looked around a little longer. That place had to have been a fuckin goldmine, man." She pulls her hat off and runs her claw through her feathers. "Well, at least we got out, I guess."
"Uh, Giggles, can you-" Gigi's eyes widen in realization as she sees Frank's eye still missing.
"Ah. Shit," she says. "My bad." She fishes his ocular sensor out of her bag and starts stripping the extra parts out of it. "Anyway," she says. Anyone manage to pick up any loot or was that whole thing pointless? No way there wasn't
something on an actual morally ambiguous abandoned research station, right?"
No.744856
>>744853>>744855"I found a datapad? It's got pics of the family of the guy you killed, otherwise not much. We did the universe a favor blowing up the place though." Vandal settles in, looking for a drink.
No.744857
>>744856Gigi freezes mid eye-repair. "I didn't kill him!" she squeals. "That guy was on borrowed time. Whatever the hell literally fused his soul to a broken robot killed him. No way tinkering around trying to fix him should have shorted him like that."
"Dang, Gigi. You killed another guy? You're cold."
"I didn't kill him!" she yells again. "And what do you mean another? I've never killed anyone!"
"That we know of," Frank says in a half auto-tuned attempt at a sing-song voice. "If you killed one and you're lying about it even though everyone saw you then what's to say there aren't more?"
Gigi's jaw locks, but she falls silent. Finally, upon reattaching the last of the cables in Frank's ocular sensor, she lifts her claw, balls it up, and slams it into the hole.
Frank reeled as a loud
dooooong echoed through his head. "There," she says. "Fixed. It got a little bent up. Had to force it back into place. I'm gonna go lay down."
Frank furiously shakes his head in an attempt to stop the ringing in his auditory sensors. "Alright!" He says. "You get some rest, killer. You deserve it."
No.744858
>>744853Areia fell back in her chair. She was relieved they escape but a bit mad she didn't do more damage to the thing.
No.744859
>>744853"That was a demon. Nightmare incarnate. Magic I want no part of." He says to Luv with a shudder.
>>744854"Yeah." Gale says, trying to brush it off.
No.744860
>>744855>>744854>>744856>>744858>>744859"Sounded like the Wyrd Council were involved," Luv muses. "Weird sorcerer types. Never trusted them. Never will. Vandal's right, we should've blown it up the moment w-"
WHAMWHAMWHAMWHAMWHAMSomething slams into the hull of the ship repeatedly, making the ship jolt and rock. It doesn't ease up, continuing to hammer on the side with abject fury.
"D… Detecting a weight anomaly," Ash says nervously. "Shit. It followed us?!" Luv grabs her gun, looking around fearfully. "If it gets in, we're all dead.A robot we can deal with. The vacuum of space not so much. Fuckfuckfuck…"
No.744861
>>744860Areia perked back up and began to start scanning the side of the ship looking for the robot.
No.744862
>>744860"Do we have a way to shake it off? If not, I could go out and try to dislodge it." the elk says, getting back up from where he'd settled for the moment.
No.744863
>>744860"I've got the means to get back if TV ever taught me anything." Vandal says, looking to her modified fire extinguisher, "If we can't shake it off, I can get out there and shoot it."
No.744864
>>744860"Shit." Gigi pulled her tesla pistol from her hip and glanced around. "We gotta do a damn spacewalk or something now?"
>>744863"Say the word and I'll come with."
No.744865
>>744860"Does this ship have defensive options?" Gale asks Ash. "Even if, I doubt we can just shoot this thing to pieces."
No.744866
>>744861It doesn't take long to spot it; a huge white photoreceptor is pressed up to a window, staring into the ship. As it pans over to you, it turns red, and the banging intensifies.
>>744862>>744863>>744861>>744864>>744865"S-scanning… It's… it's attached to the ship. We can't shake it." She sounds different; less composed than before.
It's almost as if someone tampered with her personality settings. "There's a spare fuel cell in storage that could be detonated. Used as a bomb. B-but someone would have to go out there and do it…"You feel part of the hull somewhere buckle under its blows.
No.744867
>>744866Gigi lets out an awkward laugh as she watches the ship rattles. "So, uh… Draw straws?"
"I'll do it!" Frank says. "I'm the best equipped for the cold vacuum of space
and the easiest to piece back together!"
No.744868
>>744866Areia narrowed her eyes and did her best to try and blast the thing from her turret.
[1d10] Rooty tooty point and shooty
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.744869
>>744866"This thing is so angry. You'd really expect a group of solemn space cultists to make something more sophisticated than a ragebot." Gale says, trying to think a way out of this.
>>744867"I'll come with. A fake at least. Maybe the extra pair of eyes will help." Gale says, as purple swirling reflections appear in the spaces between his claws.
Summon [1d10]
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.744870
>>744869>>744866"I mean fuck it, If Gale can summon a clone, let's just let them do it. No reason to risk our lives. It doesn't even have a mind to fuck with." Vandal notes.
No.744871
>>744866Fir gives the AI a curious look, before nodding a little and starting to speak up "I'll do i-"
>>744869>>744867"Or… that. If you're sure."
No.744872
>>744870"Awww, I wanted to play hero too." He thinks for a second. "Then again, floating off into the vast nothingness of the void sounds boring. Maybe the Gale clone going alone is a good idea."
No.744873
>>744868It quickly reconfigures and shrinks away from your blast fire. You get the feeling it's wrapped around the ship like an octopus.
Suddenly, a mechanical appendage darts at the turret viewport, thumping against it repeatedly!
>>744869"Somehow I doubt this was intended," Chekhooves comments from the sidelines.
>>744870>>744869>>744867>>744871>>744872"Makes sense," Luv nods. "Just be quick, I dunno how much longer the ship can take a beating for…"
Ash directs the Gale clone to the fuel cell, a heavy metal cylinder with a transparent glass center, showcasing some swirling orange fluid inside.
"I'll open the airlock when you're ready. Just say the word, Gale." No.744874
>>744873Areia hissed and debated heading out but decided against it as she decided she could probably do best as a distraction for the rest as she kept trying to blast it.
[1d10] ran out of shooting jokes.
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.744875
>>744873"Could be a failsafe. Organizations like this don't like their secrets getting out, Doctor." Gale says, focused on the clone.
Gale hesitates before signaling. "I don't know if I trust you Ash, but no sense in waiting for you to get worse. Do it." As he concludes the clone pushes the fuel cell towards the lock.
No.744876
>>744873"It's certainly persistent." the elk says, frowning a little bit.
>>744873>>744875"Maybe the idea didn't work out? They were trying for something more, and got… that."
No.744877
>>744873"Yo. Can't imagine it'll be an issue, but in case you can't rig it to blow-" Gigi pulls the microcharge she'd intended to use in the base and hands it to the clone. "This'll do the trick. Just stick it to the cell and I'll pop it from in here. Just hope it doesn't do too much damage to the ship if we have to do that."
[1d10]Priming a 'just in case' charge for sabotage
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.744878
>>744875"Well don't fuck up, if we die I'm making sure you go to whatever the shittiest afterlife is."
>>744873Vandal watches as Gale's clone heads out, "Hey I mean, we
can return and salvage the scrap afterwards then, if we get rid of the thing."
No.744879
>>744874The tendril twists away, avoiding your turret shots, then comes back around and slams into the glass. You see a small crack appear…
>>744875"I'm no doctor. Though my dad wanted me to go to med school."
"Beginning airlock procedure…"The door closes behind your clone, and the airlock opens. You can already tell the clone won't last long; already it's starting to destabilize in the vacuum of space, glitching out constantly.
>Gale clone takes 1 hit every 2 rounds it's in spaceYou feel the robot shift, having felt the airlock open.
>>744876"Who knows. Fucking with magic always leads to this sort of shit. Let's just hope this robot we're being paid to put down isn't as bad."
>>744877You prime the charge for remote detonation.
>>744878"I'd rather put as many jumps as we can between us and whatever the fuck this is," Luv comments darkly. "We were never meant to wake it up."
No.744880
>>744879Areia took a breath and sealed her helmet and turned on the air flow as she just kept up her work of trying to blast the damn thing.
[1d10] to make some calamari
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.744881
>>744878"I'll save you a spot."
>>744879Floating silently through space, the clone attempts to move the makeshift bomb towards the beast. Gale speaks with his eyes closed. "This is… so strange. I've never been in space like this, even by proxy. It's… ominously fascinating."
Move Bomb [1d10]
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.744882
>>744880You blow the tentacle right off. It goes flying into the emptiness of space, never to be seen again. You hear a low metallic groan, and the ship rocks slightly as the beast shifts its weight, pulling away from your turret.
>>744881Your clone floats through space, kept tethered by a rope in the airlock, making its way towards the robot. You can see how it's reconfigured now; it's more or less trying to envelop the ship, taking the form of some sort of mechanical stingray, a blanket of scrap metal spread over the whole thing.
Some robotic eyes open to stare at you, seemingly assessing the situation. Realizing what you're going to try, a metal arm forms on its surface and reaches out to grab you!
>clone takes 1 hit due to the vacuum>roll to dodge, instant action No.744883
>>744879Gigi apprehensively watches out the window, waiting in case she gets the cue to lay on the detonator.
No.744884
>>744882Areia sighed and adjusted and aimed to try and hit the thing center mass to at the very least stun it for whatever plan they had going to work
We have another gun you know!" she barked into the comms a bit frazzled at the whole thing.
[1d10]
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.744885
>>744879"Aite Luv, fair enough. Let's just get along to the thing we know is paying us and all that." Vandal once again goes hunting for a mini fridge to raid.
No.744886
>>744881"It's a strange feeling, for sure. Always put me off, personally." the elk says, huffing a little bit as he watches patiently.
>>744879"Mmm. Let's prepare for the worst, after seeing this. No clue what to expect."
No.744887
>>744883>>744885>>744886Derg is yelling at everyone else btw))
No.744888
>>744882The clone tries to juke behind the bomb, hoping the bot grabs that instead.
Dodge [1d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.744889
>>744884You adjust the turret's position on the ship. To your surprise, after a bit of fiddling, the hatch closes, and you find yourself able to fully manipulate its position, moving across the surface of the ship's hull via a combination of magic and high powered magnets. Through this, you are able to join Gale's clone, blasting the robot amalgamate in its main body. It flinches, sending out several tendrils to pummel the turret cannon itself!
>>744888It works as expected. You lunge out of the way, and it grabs the fuel cell. Instead of bringing it in, though, it hurls the cell at your clone!
No.744890
>>744887>>744889"Uhhh shit, I can give it a go, just aim and press buttons right?"
Vandal says, rushing up to where Chekhooves was before.
No.744891
>>744889As they see the bomb being thrown at them, the clone tries to rush into it, hoping to hold it close to the robot long enough to detonate.
No.744892
>>744891[1d10]
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.744893
>>744890"Pretty much," Chekhooves confirms.
You get in the turret seat. You can feel a brawl happening on the ship's hull somewhere.
>>744891Your clone rushes in, grabbing the fuel cell and abusing the lack of gravity to go floating towards the robot. It works. Kind of. You go flying towards it, but it reconfigures to avoid impact, sending your clone on a trajectory to just go hurtling right over it.
>Vacuum: Clone takes 1 hit No.744894
>>744893Vandal swivels around in the seat to lock onto the target.
>Hunter's Eye: automatic instant, once per combat; Your vision, smell and hearing are unparalleled. An enemy targeted by this skill cannot use Stealth, is removed from Stealth if already using it, and you gain a +1 bonus to all attacks against the target until the end of combat. You can also see in the dark without the need for a light source. No.744895
>>744893"It just keeps outsmarting me. If we could get it stunned for a moment…"
As he says this, the clone tries to stablize and just hold the bomb.
[1d10]
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.744896
>>744893Areia keeps the work of trying to keep the beast from being able to move by pummeling it with blasts.
[1d10] is Squid sashimi a thing?
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.744897
>>744894You discover the same thing as Areia: the whole turret can move to any part of the ship. It doesn't take long to maneuver it to where the robot is. Seems distracted by Areia and Gale at the moment.
>>744895Your clone manages to grab onto a panel, stopping itself from going fully over, coming to a halt a few feet from it. It reaches out with an appendage to swat you away again!
>>744896The tendrils reconfigure as you open fire, forming a dense metal shield. Your fire impacts off of it harmlessly. The shield charges forward to damage your cannon with a blunt force bash!
No.744898
>>744897Recognizing the swing as a chance, the clone moves the bomb a bit away from the ship and gives Gigi the signal. "Now. This is our best chance."
No.744899
>>744897Vandal fires, using her honed catlike eyesight, "Alright, I've got this, just like an arcade game."
[1d10+1] Pew
Roll #1 9 + 1 = 10 No.744900
>>744897She went wide eyed and did her best to try and dodge the attack, while still firing to take more limbs off.
[1d10] dodge
[1d10] Blasty blasty
Roll #1 9 = 9 /
Roll #2 1 = 1 No.744901
>>744898"Got it!" Gigi presses the button on her wristband, detonating the charge.
[1d10]
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.744902
>>744899You shred through its metal body with the turret cannons, drawing the full extent of its ire. Several crimson eyes appear, glaring you down with abject hatred, followed by half a dozen appendages that descend on the turret!
>>744900You miss your shots, still getting accustomed to the turret controls. You do manage to avoid having the turret get annihilated, though.
>>744898>>744899>>744900>>744901>>744886The ship rocks as Gigi detonates the charge, a conflagration of brilliant orange flame incinerating the robot. It lets out a strangled, oddly human scream, flailing as it's caught up in it all. Weakened, it lets go of its grip on your ship. You can all see its charred, smoldering hulk fly off into the cosmic abyss, leaving a trail of shredded steel and cybernetics in its wake.
Luv breathes a sigh of relief, and Chekhooves slumps to sit on the floor, exhausted from all the tension.
"God," says the kirin mare. "That was… fucking awesome, actually. You all did great out there. Good job, team."
"Let's… let's just get a move on, yeah?" Chekhooves mumbles, worn out from everything.
"That was incredible!" says Ash excitedly.
"The way you just blew it up at the right moment? You're all so amazing! Wow!"Luv frowns, not sure how to feel about this more animated Ash. "Did… did someone mess with the settings or…?"
No.744903
>>744902Gale speaks a bit out of breath from the excitement and recent proxy death. "Yeah. Well done. Someone witg knowledge of all that should go check out Ash." He says, opening his eyes slowly.
No.744904
>>744902Fir lets out a soft huff, and stretches out a little bit as the creature lets go of their ship and they begin to fly off as they should. He sets a hoof on Chekhooves's shoulder and helps him settle somewhere a little more comfortable than the floor, before nodding. "Glad no one got hurt too badly. As for Ash… hrm. It is acting differently."
No.744905
>>744902"Fuck yeah!" Gigi yells, pumping her fist. "Did you fucking see that?" She looks up toward the general direction of Ash's voice, finally noting the change. "Uh, thanks. Yeah, it was pretty damn sweet. Go team."
"That was me!" Frank says to Luv. "She didn't seem like she was happy to be like she was. All blah and 'I have no opinion'. Now she's allowed to feel things! You should've seen her dancing, too. She's a dang natural."
>>744898"So, gotta admit, I like operation clone suicide bomber. Think we should workshop it a little more. Normally when I have to do something like that it's a little drone Frank puts together, but that's not entirely reliable."
No.744906
>>744902"Neat, that was fun." Vandal hops off the turret, heading back to the others, "Once we land this thing, we really aught to give the hull a once over for any shrapnel. Don't want some chunk of spooky space robot trying to sneak it's way in and taking over while we're out."
No.744907
>>744904>>744903"Oh, no, nothing is wrong with her. I did it!" Frank says, clearly proud of himself. "Probably should change what she looks like, though. Maybe talk it over with the team. Or hey, maybe she has on opinion on it now!"
No.744909
>>744902Gale speaks a bit out of breath from the excitement and recent proxy death. "Yeah. Well done. Someone witg knowledge of all that should go check out Ash." He says, opening his eyes slowly.
No.744910
>>744908"I mean I'm down for a quick spacewalk if it's safe, it means loot, and there are actually bits close enough to search. You gonna join?"
No.744911
>>744903>>744904>>744905"We should, uh, probably reset Ash," Luv points out. "Gonna have it bad enough that the ship got fucked up. Ash is probably worth more than the ship itself. Ochi's gonna kill me…"
>>744910>>744908>>744906"I think Vandal's right," says Luv. "We should wait till we get to the planet tomorrow. Whatever's there isn't going anywhere, the hull's magnetized for spacewalks. Not worth risking any more accidents. Right?"
No.744913
>>744911Frank just stares at Luv for a long moment. "But she's not broken or anything. Trust me, if we weren't allowed to mess with her settings she
never would have let me. She's a stickler for rules and regulations like that."
"Ah. Yeah," Gigi says. "Probably best to wait if what's out there isn't going anywhere, then. Now, if I remember right, I was gonna go grab a drink and lie down."
No.744914
>>744911"Let's get a small bit away from the floating pieces of the stuff first, my money's on it pulling itself back together like a proper horror movie."
No.744915
>>744907Fir quirks a brow at the robot, before humming a little. "You did… what?"
>>744911"How exactly would we do that, anyways?" he asks, tilting his head to the side.
>>744914"Right- the safer the better."
No.744916
>>744915"Oh, I just changed her personality settings a little so she could have fun and maybe be a little happier. Also I didn't want her to feel silly trying to dance, so she looks like a chicken. Hard to feel silly about your dancing when you're a chicken, right? I asked some of my online friends and that's what they came up with. It was fun."
No.744917
>>744916Fir thinks a little bit on it, and… doesn't really know what to say in response to it. "Interesting."
No.744918
>>744915"There's a panel up in the cockpit where you can change the settings. We're, uh, not meant to use it."
>>744913Luv looks at Frank with disapproval. "Yeah, well, you're not the one who calls the shots around here. This is a company ship, we're not meant to mess with it. We're resetting her and that's final."
>>744916"……..You turned a ten thousand florin AI hologram into a chicken." She just shakes her head in disbelief and heads to the cockpit to undo Frank's hard work.
>>744912>>744913>>744914>>744915It takes Luv almost half an hour to undo Frank's horrific damage to Ash. She gets reset eventually though, back to her usual calm self. With everything dealt with, you continue on course to your destination: the jungle planet of Dylath-Leen. "Let's hope this Wendell robot isn't as bad as the one we just ran into," Chekhooves mumbles.
Ash estimates you'll be there in about 18 hours.
>timeskipThe rest of the day passes without further incident. Ash sets up a holographic chess board, and Luv and Chekhooves play a few games to pass the time. The latter seems to be woefully bad at it, only winning 1 out of 8 matches.
You wake up the following day, well rested and ready for adventure. You can see the planet coming up; it's rather small, as planets come, consisting primarily of green and blue swirls. It has two rings around it.
"We're beginning our descent to Dylath-Leen now," Ash informs you. Luv joins the AI with a datapad, wearing a pair of horn rimmed glasses. "That's right," she nods. "We'll also be touching down right at the PanGal research facility this Wendell robot escaped from. We'll be able to track the 'bot from there, maybe coordinate with the science team if we have to. Any questions?"
No.744919
>>744918Areia had been watching the game after a bit of R&R with the others in her room. She decided to pull back with Chekhooves for a bit "I uh… I don't scare you do I?" she asked him with a bit of trepidation in her tone.
No.744920
>>744918"But she said it was-" Frank starts. "Okay," he says a little quieter as she walks away. For a while he just stands there, watching the empty air where she stood. Finally, as he accepts she's not going to come back and apologize or forgive him for trying to make sure someone was a little happier, he quietly makes his way to the room Gigi picked for herself and remains there the rest of the ride.
He's still in the room as the ship comes up on Dylath-Leen. Gigi, a little annoyed at Frank going melancholy for the second time in as many days, joins the rest of the party without him. "No questions yet," she says. "Nothing we can really ask questions
about. Our intel is pretty minimal. Definitely a good idea to meet up with the sci-guys before we do any actual tracking, though. Get a few more specifics on just what we're going up against."
No.744921
>>744918Fir finds chances to hang around others- listening to music, watching shows suggested by Vandal and the others, or playing card games and the like.
=====
"Nope. Sounds clear enough to me." the elk says, tapping a hoof on the ground lightly. "Everyone ready to go?"
No.744922
>>744918"What sorta robot are we talking about, construction, military, lumberjack? Wanna know if we're dealing with like, lazer beams or sawblades or the like."
No.744923
>>744918"Pretty place." Gale comments. "You'll be waiting nearby once we have completed our task, Ash?"
No.744924
>>744919He does a double take as he realizes you're talking to him. "Hm? Oh, no, not really. Just, uh, never really seen a dragon before. Honestly I thought you were just a really big saurian, till I saw you do the breath thing. Hate to get on your bad side though, hm."
>>744923"I'll be with the ship," Ash confirms.
"I can't really leave, but I'll be in touch through your commlinks if you need me.">>744922She checks her notes. "A WEDL-74. Reconnaissance robot. Lightly built, meant for exploration, data collection, generally scouting. It's got self defense measures though. This one apparently just… went wrong. I guess. Killed three people and injured seven, and escaped with some valuable info on the PanGal dev project here on Dylath-Leen. Weird. Guess the science team will be able to tell us more."
>>744919>>744920>>744921>>744922>>744923The ship begins its descent to the jungle planet, breaching the atmosphere and landing gently. What grabs your attention first as you exit is the sheer scale of it all; the alien trees here are the size of skyscrapers, forming multiple layers of canopies. You're not on the jungle floor either; you've touched down on an artificial platform on one of the canopy layers, where the research station has been established. All about you are the chitters and cries of strange alien creatures, always out of sight. The atmosphere is muggy and dense. You find yourselves working up a sweat within minutes of disembarking.
The research station itself stands out like a sore thumb, a rather ugly series of white spherical buildings interconnected, all running between two or three of the giant trees. Small two or three person hovercraft resembling floating platforms provide transport to the different sections of the research facility. It seems it was set up relatively recently, judging from the condition of the buildings.
As you disembark, you are greeted by a trio of uniformed scientists, accompanied by a lanky black humanoid robot. One of the scientists steps forward, a white crystal pony mare with an air of authority to her. "I take it you're the spacers sent by the Guild." She has a distinct accent. "I'm Muscovite, the administrator of this facility. Glad you could make it."
No.744925
>>744924"Well uh… no need to worry about that." she mumbled as she made her way along with the others.
>>744922Upon seeing the sight of the base though she looked to Vandal "SO does this look like the worlds biggest canvas to you or are you above wanting to paint this place tye dye?"
>>744924She then turned back to the scientists, ignoring the robot for now "Yeah we got a bit hung up on the way here."
No.744926
>>744924"Well uh, good thing we just got in some practice with bots gone bad." Vandal says with a nervous chuckle.
>>744925"I've seen far worse, at least this looks clean and like, funded. Trying to spruce up abandoned stuff is more of my shtick. Besides, I don't hate them enough to get our pay docked, yet."
No.744927
>>744924Frank is still quietly brooding, but Gigi managed to coax him out of her room to come out on the job, assuring him that she wouldn't be surprised if she ended up needing his help.
Gigi nods to the trio. "That's us. Gigi. Nice to meet you. So, cutting right to the chase, any theories? Bots don't
usually just go rogue like this one apparently did. Especially not for corporate espionage. Think it was a hack job or something?"
No.744928
>>744924Fir frowns a little, and huffs. "Reconnaissance? That could be annoying to track down if it's got a low profile."
>>744924"Fir. Glad to be here. We've got the general rundown of the situation from the briefing, but do you have any other details we might want to know?"
No.744929
>>744926She shrugged gently "Not like I know your tastes too well but I'll keep that in mind if we find an abandoned place."
No.744930
>>744925She tilts her head and frowns, looking over the ramshackle state of the hull, peppered with claw marks and bullet holes. "I see. Pirates giving you grief? They've been active in this quadrant, from the reports."
>>744927"We suspect sabotage, yes. This reconnaissance unit made off with our data, and didn't fight back until provoked, upon which it began attacking anyone in sight. We'd share the information that was stolen, but it is on a need to know basis."
>>744928>>744929>>744927>>744926"A few details, yes. This WEDL unit cannot have gone too far, for one. We are in possession of this entire hectare, and have restrictive force fields around the perimeter. It is trapped in here somewhere, we just do not know where. Following its rampage suggests it is hiding somewhere on the jungle floor."
She pulls out a datapad and presses a few buttons. One of the floating platforms pulls up next to you. "This transport will bring you down to floor level. From there, you are free to explore as you will."
"The WEDL unit looks like this." She brings up a 3D model of a robot, little more than a box with a monitor on it, two pairs of tank treads for legs, and four spindly appendages ending in various tools. There is a radar dish where the head would be. Mounted on the back is some sort of repulsor mechanism. "Outfitted for all manner of exploration. Look for its tracks. They should stand out against the forest floor. If you require resources from us to help you search, we will provide whatever you need."
"Be aware of the Leafhorns in the area, though. They are elusive beasts, but will not hesitate to attack if you enter their territory. Best to give them a wide berth, should you see them. The same goes for all creatures in this habitat. Do not engage, unless you are forced to."
No.745323
>>744930"Understood. We should be good to go supply-wise, but one of the others might have something they need."
No.745324
>>744929"Shouldn't be too hard, megacorps tapping planets for resources until they run dry and then stop paying for infrastructure."
>>744930"Does it got an uhhh, optical thingy? Or does it see via the radar and sonar or something?"
No.745325
>>744930Gigi nods. "Alright. Sounds like we have at least enough to go off of. Especially if we know where it left from and it's isolated like that. I imagine any kind of tracking it had set up before was disabled, but treads on a forest floor aren't exactly easy to miss."
No.745326
>>744930"So," Gale speaks up after listening to the explanations. "The way I see it we can either find a way to shut this thing down through a hack or killswitch, or we just reduce the thing to scrap, maybe with the help of the locals." He says, looking out with a bit of worry. "Already know what Areias gonna pick, but any oyher thoughts?"
No.745327
>>744930Eh more some kind of monster machine but yeah we got through well enough."
No.745328
>>745327She blinks. The others exchange a glance. "
>>745324Muscovite does a few gestures on the datapad, zooming in on the robot's body, showing several sensors over its metal chassis. "The WEDL is equipped with sensors to monitor its environment constantly. If anything, it can see better than any of us. Odds are, you won't be able to sneak up on it."
>>745326"If possible, we would prefer if you didn't destroy the WEDL. It is a valuable piece of equipment, and contains sensitive information to PanGal. If it must be destroyed, so be it, but you will be rewarded extra if it is returned intact."
>>745323>>745324>>745325>>745326>>745327Luv sorts out some paperwork with Muscovite, who then proceeds to call up a floating platform, which travels up the trunk of one of the enormous trees. It stands poised to take you down to the forest floor when you're ready. "It should go without saying that we would like this dealt with as quickly and efficiently as possible," Muscovite presses. "Simply do what you have been hired to do and you will be rewarded. No questions asked. That's how you operate, yes?"
Luv turns to you. "Before we go, did you want to do anything around their facility or on the ship? We still haven't looted the remains of that… thing we ran into, come to think of it."
"If it's as important as they're making it out to be," Chekhooves remarks, "we should probably just get going now."
No.745329
>>745328"Asking for more of a blinding thing, can I spray over these censors or, is that not an option?"
Vandal looks over to Luv, "We should probably check it over to make sure nothing is still operating, like I said earlier."
No.745330
>>745329>>745328"I agree with Vandal- if it is still active, it wouldn't be very good of us to ignore that. No need to loot it, just check on it."
No.745331
>>745328Gigi hums. "I mean, whatever is there will
probably still be there when we get back. Kinda partial to checking it out first, though. Just in case."
No.745332
>>745328Areia noted the exchange and immediately grew suspicious but kept quiet for now as she looked to the others "So remind me, cripple or kill the big machine?"
No.745333
>>745329She shakes her head. "You'd have to damage or destroy them outright. It doesn't need eyes to see."
>>745332Chekhooves shrugs. "They want it in one piece from the sound of it. Try not to smash too hard."
>>745329>>745330>>745331>>745332Luv thinks. "We could have Ash run some scans on it," she suggests. "See if it really is still active, or if there's anything worth salvaging."
Muscovite chimes in. "We could have our team examine what you brought back from… wherever you were," she proposes. "If you're looking to scavenge, we could have something for you by the time you return."
No.745334
>>745333Fir flicks an ear, turning around to look at Muscovite. "That might work, yeah. I'm not sure we're looking for salvage, just to make sure it's not still a threat."
No.745335
>>745333>>745329The dragon was quiet for a bit before leaning over to Vandal "I am… thinking they may have had a hand in that robot we met."
No.745336
>>745327>>745328Correction:
She blinks. The others exchange a glance. "…I see. Well, the important part is you made it in one piece. Don't worry about the state of the ship. We can fix it."
No.745337
>>745335>>745336Never mind the suspicion then.))
No.745338
>>745333"Well, alright. Yeah. Guess that takes care of that problem. Just keep the scrap, yeah? I might be able to use it."
No.745339
>>745333"Darn. Just by gun and claw then."
>>745338>>745333>>745334Vandal frowns at the idea to hand the stuff over to scientists, "I unno, whatever it was killed the crew of where we visited, went psychotic, then chased after us into space. Treat it kinda cautiously please."
No.745340
>>745335>>745334>>745338>>745339"We'll be careful," she confirms. "And keep everything from this creature you encountered safe."
"This platform will take you to and from this docking bay," she points out. "There's a small unmanned research outpost near the bottom of this Archtree. It was the last thing to catch the WEDL on camera. There's food, drinks, and survival equipment stashed there, should you need it."
"Good luck, spacers," she says as you depart. "We're counting on you. Remember, try not to destroy the WEDL."
You gather on the platform, which begins its slow, steady descent to the forest floor. Seems it'll take a while, given the size of the tree.
"Florin for your thoughts?" Luv asks idly, as Chekhooves watches the greenery go past. "What do you make of all this?"
No.745341
>>745333"Honestly I'd prefer just salvaging over reparing the thing we met in space."
No.745342
>>745340"Think they're suspicious as shit but otherwise I'm fine hitting a robot." she said looking to Luv with a lazy glance "But I suppose one should expect all corporate types to be sketchy."
No.745343
>>745340"Can't be sure yet. I feel like there's more going on, but this sort of thing isn't what I normally do."
No.745344
>>745340"Sweet. Sounds great," Gigi says, stepping onto the platform.
As they descend, she knits her brow. "Dunno. Whatever data the bot took is sketch as fuck. Espionage is my first thought."
"Or," Frank somberly adds. "What if it's information the guy just didn't think a megacorporation should have? Are none of you considering his potential for free thought and reasoning?" He shakes his head and turns away. "It figures, I guess. Hard to assume he might not be the bad guy."
Gigi sighs. "I don't know. The whole thing is a little-" She pauses looking for the right word. "Sketchy," she repeats, deciding it's the best way to describe it. "But there had to have been protocols in place to prevent it from just running off, right?"
No.745345
>>745340"Scientists building kill bots and then getting fucked over by kill bots is karma, but we're getting paid to destroy it. Better to get rid of it now before it hurts anyone else."
No.745346
>>745342>>745343>>745344"Sketchy's right. There's something we're not being told here," Luv muses. "But I've run enough missions to know by now not to ask questions. So, uh, if you were thinking of prying deeper, it's probably not worth it. Don't rock the boat. We're here to do our job, and that's to take out this bot."
Chekhooves seems more hung up on the whole thing. "You think they had something to do with that thing we ran into? Maybe it's not a coincidence we're running into two rogue robots back to back."
"Like I said," Luv says a bit more forcefully. "Don't rock the boat."
You land on the forest floor. It's dark down here. Very dark. Luv turns on a flashlight on her suit to help light the way. All around you are walls of nigh impenetrable greenery, strange alien plants, and a floor of dirt and dead leaves. Occasionally, a small animal runs across your path. You smell pollen, dirt, and rotitng leaves. Efforts from PanGal have swathed twisting paths through the forest, the plants above towering over you and blotting out most sunlight. You're essentially in a sort of hedge maze.
Looking behind you, you can see the outpost Muscovite mentioned. It's little more than two structures containing glowing monitors that seem to be communicating with each other, along with supply lockers containing the items the PanGal director spoke of. There seems to be enough food and drink for a few days out in the wild, along with enough flashlights to go around. There is also a laser cutter for carving paths through bushes, if need be. Could double as a weapon, in a pinch.
Luv grabs some of the food and tucks it away for later use. "At least we won't go hungry. Now. Which way first?"
>roll Navigation when ready No.745347
>>745346"Well, first thing is trying to find any sign of the bot. Where did she say it was seen last?"
Both Frank and Gigi watch the jungle floor, looking for a sign of tank treads.
[1d10]Nav Frank
[1d10]Nav Gigi
Roll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 4 = 4 No.745348
>>745346>>745347>Navigation [1d10] (DC-1 from Woodscraft)"It was last seen around here, so I think the best place to start is to try and find some tread tracks. There's bound to be some, right?"
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.745349
>>745346Areia gives Chekhooves a nod "Good to see you got the same inkling as myself." she said as she similarly grabbed some supplies and tried to look for a route.
>>745345Indeed." was the simple reply.
[1d10] Navigation
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.745350
>>745346Vandal tries out the laser cutter on bushes as the group heads out, "Well, I'd be on the look out for birds flying away from an area or signs of destruction I'd think, I don't know nature that well."
[1d10] nav
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.745351
>>745349He's about to say more, but stops following that line of thought once Luv warns him to stay out of it.
>>745350The cutter slices through a sapling like a knife through butter.
>>745347>>745348>>745349>>745350"She said it was last spotted around this outpost…"
You take a look around, searching for clues. Vandal eventually finds not a tread mark, but something else that might hint to its whereabouts: broken bushes, as if something had impacted them and kept going. "Looks like it used that repulsor system to fly around," Luv muses. "And crashed into the bushes here…"
Looking around from here, there are three paths ahead:
Straight ahead seems to lead to a foggy sort of area. Or maybe it's cobwebs. You think you hear animal noises from up ahead.
The path to the left leads to a large clearing, with a fallen tree in the middle. It seems to have suffered scorch marks of some kind.
The rightmost path bends around and starts heading southeast from where you just were, going down a narrow path that slopes steeply downhill. If you go this way, you'll be forced to go single file, it seems.
There is a fourth path that leads back to where you started.
No.745352
>>745351"I'm gonna hazard a guess that the damaged path is the one we need to worry about."
No.745353
>>745351>>745352"Let's head in the direction of that tank tread, thinking the scorched area might be a good idea of where it's been yeah."
No.745354
>>745351>>745352"Probably. Thinking we should avoid whatever is making those sounds too, though." She shakes her head. "Either is probably better than
that-" she points to the hill. "But maybe half of us being able to fly would make it a little easier to get by."
No.745355
>>745351"Straight ahead's probably not a bad idea to avoid- it sounds like there's animals that way, and they wanted us to give them a berth. Maybe the left path?"
>>745354"Hrm… We could try it, but I'm not the best with heights."
No.745356
>>745352>>745353>>745354>>745355"Seems fair."
You go down the left hand path, into the clearing. The scorch marks on the fallen tree seem to have been caused by blaster fire, but there's no immediate sign of where it could've gone from here. More frustratingly, the clearing doesn't seem to lead to anything from here…
>roll Perception No.745357
>>745356>Perception [1d10]Fir frowns a little bit and takes a look around, trying to figure out where something could've gone.
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.745358
>>745356The dragon scanned the area quietly waiting for an ambush.
[1d10] Perception
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.745359
>>745356Gigi and Frank both quietly follow the group into the clearing, looking for any trace of the bot.
[1d10]gigi
[1d10]frank
Roll #1 10 = 10 /
Roll #2 6 = 6 No.745360
>>745356Vandal keeps her feline eyes on watch, trying to tap into ancestral predatory instinct.
[1d10] perception
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.745361
>>745358>>745357>>745359>>745360Areia finds something she almost tramples underfoot: a loose panel seemingly knocked off by a tree branch. Turning it over reveals the now familiar PanGal logo. The WEDL was definitely here.
Frank points out some strange footsteps in the leaves and dirt, resembling reptilian talons. Closer inspection reveals they belong to something with seemingly four pairs of legs. No saurian or dragon could have left these.
Looking around from the piece Areia finds, Gigi notices some broken branches on one of the nearby Archtrees. It seems your robot flew upwards and broke some branches on the way, loosening the panel Areia found. Presumably, it was fleeing whatever left those footsteps.
Vandal searches around, but can't find anything. Suddenly, she feels something snatch her by the ankle and drag her into the dense bushes all around!
>roll to break free No.745362
>>745361Vandal tries to pull herself free of the grip, letting out a yowl and bracing for impact as she hits the bushes.
>forgot to apply item/stance health again, fixed[1d10] escape
Roll #1 6 = 6 No.745363
>>745361Fir flicks his ears and lets out a worried noise, trying to grab Vandal and pull her back from whatever's grabbed her!
>Help her escape! [1d10]Roll #1 10 = 10 No.745364
>>745361"Huh. Looks like we're going the right way at least," Gigi says, focused on the trees.
"Running away from a giant lizard," Frank says. He makes a static noise somewhat resembling a sigh and shakes his head. "Just more things pointing to him being in control of his faculties and not just a hacked drone who's mind was taken over."
Gigi knits her brow. "Dude. Frank. Are you alright? You've been swinging a lot more since-
>>745362She's cut off by Vandel's yowel and spins around, drawing both her tesla pistol in one hand and flicking her wrist to bring her plasma pistol to the other. "Fuck! You alright?!"
No.745365
>>745364"Something's got my ankle!"
No.745366
>>745365"Just try and keep from letting it pull you back any further, we've got you."
No.745367
>>745361>>745361>>745362Areia was about to remark only to go wide eyed and try to help her currently being grabbed friend.
[1d10] help
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.745368
>>745367>>745363>>745362>>745364Vandal manages to wrest herself free from it, with a helping hand from Areia. 'It' happens to be a long, prehensile glowing blue tongue like a frog's, which retracts into the gloom of the bushes. The creature it belongs to reveals itself. It has the low, squat body of a crocodile, with a snub-nosed face like a lizard, and four pairs of bowed legs. It bears tiny, almost vestigial eyes, half hidden behind layers of skin and scales. Its tail, double the length of the beast itself, ends in an insectoid stinger. The creature is as tall as a pony and many times as long. It rears up on its back two pairs of legs and lets out a low, guttural roar, sounding more like the grinding of stone on stone than any creature you've heard in your life.
Luv doesn't hold back, opening fire on the beast!
[1d10]
Chekhooves scrambles to grab his gun and shoot it!
[1d10]
The creature grabs a large, sharp rock with its prehensile tongue and hurls it at Areia!
[1d10+2]
It then lashes out with its tongue, this time trying to grab Frank!
>Frank roll to dodgeRoll #1 3 = 3 /
Roll #2 10 = 10 /
Roll #3 3 + 2 = 5 No.745369
>>745368Gigi aims at the frog and pulls the trigger of both her blasters. "My guess is that's where the prints came from!"
[1d10]Plasma, falcon burst
[1d10]Tesla
Frank sighs and lets himself get dragged closer. Opening up his chassis, he lines up between the tongue and the creature's body and fires his scrap shotgun.
[1d10]
Roll #1 2 = 2 /
Roll #2 9 = 9 /
Roll #3 2 = 2 No.745370
>>745368Areia narrowed her eyes and decided to meet the creature with a blast of plasma from her maw.
[1d10] Dragons Breath
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.745371
>>745368Making use of the downed log, Vandal quickly gets to her feet, revving her skates and using the log as a ramp to get a boost of speed towards the creature, holding the laser cutter in front of her as she tries to cut off the creature's tongue.
>Moody's Shuffle[1d10+2] Melee hit with cutter
>Claws: passive; Felids have natural claws that they can extend and retract at will. Unarmed attacks can now deal wound damage and count as Dual weapons for the purpose of skills.>Riposte: passive; Whenever you make a successful attack that is not Dual Wielding, you follow up with your off-hand weapon. Roll a 1d3, and add the result to the damage dealt.[1d3] bonus damage if successful
Roll #1 8 + 2 = 10 /
Roll #2 2 = 2 No.745372
>>745368Fir takes a moment to try and prepare for the worst, trying to get his armor to generate a few vials of magicked liquid.
>Distill Life (DC -1) [1d10]Roll #1 7 = 7 No.745373
>>745369The creature grabs Frank, throwing off his aim and making him blast the ground point blank.
Your plasma shot goes wide, but your electric shot hits its mark. It seems to shrug off the attack fairly easily, though.
>>745372Your armor dispenses three vials of the good stuff.
>>745370You move out of the way of the rock's trajectory and counter with a blast of plasma to the creature's face. It lets out a low rattling hiss and recoils, shying away from you.
>>745371You slide across the log and jump off, leaping off and slicing at the creature's tongue. It's too thick to cut through in one stroke of the cutter, but you leave a grievous wound on its surface, making it drop Frank. Pale green blood spills from the injury, staining the forest floor.
>>745369>>745370>>745371>>745372The creature retreats slightly, sensing it's outgunned. It tries to defend itself, however, headbutting Areia all of a sudden!
[1d10]
Its stinger tail whips around and tries to strike Vandal!
[1d10]
Your companions continue to shoot it!
[2d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 /
Roll #2 7 = 7 /
Roll #3 1, 3 = 4 No.745374
>>745373Not wanting to be poisoned by an unknown creature on a foreign planet, Vandal dodges out of the way.
[1d10] dodge
>Hunter's Eye: automatic instant, once per combat; Your vision, smell and hearing are unparalleled. An enemy targeted by this skill cannot use Stealth, is removed from Stealth if already using it, and you gain a +1 bonus to all attacks against the target until the end of combat. You can also see in the dark without the need for a light source.Roll #1 2 = 2 No.745375
>>745373"Jeeze. Alright. Electrical current doesn't do shit. Noted." She holstiers her Tesla pistol and takes the plasma pistol in both hands, firing on the creature again.
[1d10]
Frank, more like he's just going through the motions rather than out of any sense of need or enthisiasm, pulls the trigger of his shotgun again.
[1d10]
Roll #1 3 = 3 /
Roll #2 9 = 9 No.745376
>>745373"Call out if you're hurt- I've got some meds ready." the elk says, leaving the vials in their dispenser for the time being. He doesn't waste anymore time leaping into action, trying to use his hardlight antlers to lock heads with the creature!
>Brace: [1d10]>Counter: Instant, AutomaticRoll #1 6 = 6 No.745378
>>745373The dragon grunted and moved to evade as best she could as she jumped back from the strike.
[1d10] Dodge.
But she returned fire by trying to hit it with an explosive strike back.
[1d10] Blast
Roll #1 2 = 2 /
Roll #2 9 = 9 No.745379
>>745374Not quite fast enough. The stinger sticks you in the left thigh ever so briefly. A rush of white-hot pain shoots up your leg and torso as venom begins to flow through your veins!
>??? Venom: >take 1 wound every turn for 4 turns or until the venom is cured>Vandal takes 1 hit + 1 wound>>745375He shoots the alien lizard in the leg. It buckles under the shot and swipes at him futilely.
>>745376>>745378Fir knocks the creature off course as it strikes at Areia, dampening its slam attack somewhat.
>Areia takes 2 hitsThe dragon's blade meets its mark, slashing into the creature's side. More blood is spilled, and it snaps its jaws menacingly at her.
>>745378>>745376>>745375>>745374The creature begins to retreat back into the bushes, but not before lashing out with its tongue once more, throwing a large fallen branch at Luv. It bowls her over, making her hit her head hard on the ground. She grunts and tries to get up, but is pinned under the tree branch.
The creature seems to have had its share of lumps for today, slinking away with a bassy scraping sound, deciding it's not worth the trouble to fight you all.
No.745380
>>745379Frank shuts his chassis and wheels himself over to Luv. Without saying anything, he shifts his body around, forming a wedge shape to try and push the branch up enough for her to climb out.
[1d10]Gadget
"Well," Gigi says. "That clould've gone worse. Everyone alright?"
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.745381
>>745379"RRroowFffFUUCCCKKKK" Rolling over in pain, Vandal grabs at her leg, writhing as the poison makes it way into her body, totally distracting her from acting.
>pass turn No.745382
>>745381"Oh, shit. Guess not." She flicks the pistol back up her sleeve and rushes over. "Yo!" She shouts. "Fir! You have anything for this? She got stung!"
No.745383
>>745379Areia had to resist following but instead moved to help Luv up seeing that Vandal already had some help.
[1d10] help Luv
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.745384
>>745379Fir lets out a loud, angered snort and paws at the ground, only loosening up once the creature turns tail and runs.
>>745381Fir flicks his ears up and turns to look at the cat, before stamping a hoof against the ground in alarm and rushing to her side. ""Did it poison you? Not good, not good."
>>745382"I don't, no. The stuff I've got is for lesser injuries, not something like this. Get her on my back, we can take her to the station and look around for an antidote.
No.745385
>>745383>>745384>>745381>>745380Luv manages to squirm out from under the branch, winded and wincing. Seems she's pretty badly hurt, but nothing she can't walk off. She looks around. "Everybody hurt? We- Shit. Vandal." She rushes over, seeing the visible venom coursing through her body, turning the veins around the sting zone black. She looks back. "Th-the blood. Did anyone get a sample of its blood?"
Chekhooves frowns. "Blood? Why?"
"That was a Fallsnatcher. Their blood counteracts their own venom when you dilute it in water. I've fought them before. …So, any blood?…"
No.745386
>>745385Gigi shakes her head. "Most of us were shooting it." She looks down at Vandal. "You're the only one I saw slash it. You get any blood on you?"
No.745387
>>745385Areia groaned and went looking for some of the spilt blood before blinking and bringing her blade over "Hold on I got some of its blood on my sword."
No.745388
>>745385>>745386Vandal responds to Gigi in a half comprehensible slur of expletives, too focused in the pain to really hear what the others are saying.
No.745389
>>745385>>745388Fir takes a look around on the floor of the jungle, trying to find any trace of blood. It took a few hits, it had to have lost soemthing.
>[1d10]Roll #1 3 = 3 No.745390
>>745387"Oh, shit, cool. I thought you had a plasma blade. Assumed it fried the blood." She looks back at Luv. "Will that be enough?"
No.745391
>>745389>>745387>>745388>>745389You don't find many more samples, nothing that hasn't already spilled to the ground at least.
Luv shakes her head at Gigi and Areia. "Gonna need something more substantial. …Think we're gonna have to go after it," she says in quiet dismay.
"If no one minds, I'll stay behind in case something else comes after us," Chekhooves pipes up. He moves defensively to Vandal's side.
No.745754
>>745391She sighed "If it looks like the only way… she leaned in and whispered to Chekhooves.
"Be prepared to amputate. I'd rather we need to get her a new leg instead of have to bury her." she said in a tone letting her worry be very clear.She sighed and started off down the path the creature had made.
No.745755
>>745391With the poison draining most of Vandal's energy, the string of cursing fades as she focuses on breathing instead, hyperventilating and beginning to pale. "Ple
ase be safe.. don't want any of you-" She catches her breath, "
-getting stung as well."
"
Cept Gale."
No.745756
>>745755"I heard that." Gale says, emerging from the treetops. "Sorry about being gone for a bit, private recon mission. This planet's a lot more interesting than I expected. Makes sense corporations are taking an interest in it." He says glancing around at his surroundings.
"Really makes you wonder what data could be on this bot, right?" He says, planning something sinister.
No.745757
>>745391Fir stamps a hoof and growls a little, before nodding a bit. "No choice, yeah. The sooner the better."
>>745755"We'll be back. Hold on." the elk says, gently setting a hoof on the feline's shoulder.
>Distill Life [1d10] (DC-1) (Just checking for crits, to restore a wound or two for Vandal)Roll #1 7 = 7 No.745758
>>745391"Well. Shit. Alright." Gigi spins her pistol and slips it into her holstier. "Well, at least it's already hurt. And we can get the jump on it this time, instead of the opposite. Especially if I cloak."
No.745759
>>745754He frowns. "I dunno how to do that, I'm not a doctor."
>>745756Luv raises her eyebrows, looking disapproving. "I thought I made it clear we're not here to get involved in all that. We have a job, so let's stick to it."
>>745757You make some more healing stims, but nothing that would cure the ravaging effects of the poison.
>>745758"I don't know about that. It's a cramped space, and it knows the layout better than we do. We'll have to be extra careful."
>>745757>>745756>>745754>>745758You head off down the path. It's essentially a small, cramped tunnel carved through the bushes, made primarily of sticks, leaves and dirt. It's dark and uncomfortable, but not hard to navigate; it seems this Fallsnatcher creature makes this tunnel its home. You can hear the beast up ahead, and see it moving slightly in the gloom. It seems aware of your presence, pausing in its steps, listening keenly.
"We're not really in a spot to fight it in such close quarters," Luv advises. "All we need is a blood sample."
>>745755As the others depart, Chekhooves offers to help you up from the ground and walk you over to the log to sit down. "How bad is it?" he asks, sounding genuinely worried for your safety. "Can you walk?"
No.745760
>>745759"Right" Gale responds, not meaning it at all.
As the party enters, Gale wordlessly slips off.
Stealth [1d10]
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.745761
>>745759Areia cracks her neck a bit "Then git behind me so I can rush it and try to sever something." she said drawing her blade to prepare. She turned off the plasma blade to only use it as a normal weapon so as to not vaporize any blood.
No.745762
>>745759>>745761"I can move ahead to help cover you, maybe. If all we need is a sample, most of the group can stay back."
No.745763
>>745759>effects of poison wears off, at 1 wound.Vandal pales even more, trying to stand and feeling the blood rush from her head as she tries to stand, leaning her full weight on Chekhooves as she tries not to fall to the ground, any felid reflexes thrown off by being so close to death. "Ha
rdly." She slowly makes it to the log eventually, Chekhooves doing most the work, "
My blood burns. My vision-" she catches her breath again, "keeps
going dark for a bit, in and ou
t of reality."
No.745764
>>745763You slip away, unnoticed by anyone.
>>745761>>745762>>745760As Areia pulls out the plasma blade, Luv falls in line behind her, readying her blaster. The Fallsnatcher doesn't move an inch, suspicious of the intrusion. "Good plan," says Luv to Fir in a low voice. "I've got your back if it gets ugly. How are you gonna do this? Just charge in, slash, and run out before it knows what's hit it?" She pulls out a glass vial for the blood and holds it out for whoever will take it.
>>745763He winces slightly as he sees you teetering in and out of consciousness. "Hang in there," he says, his own voice trembling. "They'll be back with the antidote soon. Don't pass out on me, or…" He doesn't finish that thought. He tries to keep the conversation going to keep you engaged and lucid. "Hell of a start to this trip, huh. Didn't think my first real job would go like this. Do you think it'll be easy from hereon out?"
No.745765
>>745764First link meant for
>>745760 No.745766
>>745764"Vandal nearly took it's tongue off before, just gonna try and bait it out and take it the rest of the way off. Or hack a limb off." she said with an inhale as she bounced on her feet and rushed in at the beast leaving Fir to grab the vial as she roared out a challenge blade ready and swinging.
[1d10] Cleave
Roll #1 6 = 6 No.745767
>>745764>>745765Slipping further into the caves in search of the beast, Gale stops momentarily. After a brief bit of thought, he casts back towards the entrance. A clone to walk back towards Vandal.
Navigate [1d10]
Summon [1d10]
Roll #1 6 = 6 /
Roll #2 7 = 7 No.745768
>>745764"Yes, like that. The easier the better." the elk says, stepping to the side and readying himself in case the creature tries anything sudden.
>Counter No.745769
>>745764"Iii do
n't know.. doesn't he
lp I'm on the frailer sid
e medically-", a brief pause for breaths, "-speaking. I tri
ed dodging that stinger.."
Vandal takes some time to breathe, closing her eyes but holding up a paw to show she's fine if Chekhooves goes to shake her or the like, "Hope
it'll be. Used to surviving-" breathes, "-on t
he streets, not here."
No.745770
>>745759Gigi activates her cloaking device and slinks in behind everyone else. Frank, in the meantime, just follows.
>>745764Gigi holds her plasma pistol in both hands, waiting and staying invisible in case something goes wrong or a full fight starts. Frank still just quietly, broodily waits behind everyone.
No.745771
>>745766You swing at the creature, but only manage to graze its thick hide. It growls and kicks at you with one of its legs!
[1d10]
>>745767You conjure a clone and send it out towards Vandal.
You yourself stalk along, watching as Areia up ahead charges the Fallsnatcher.
>>745768>>745770You watch it carefully. It doesn't seem interested in fighting any of you, only reacting to when Areia attacks with a rather grumpy leg kick.
>>745769He nods. "I'm kind of out of my element myself," he admits. "I'm used to working on big ships and such. Wilderness of an alien planet isn't my usual romp. Never liked the outdoors. Too humid. Too real."
He rummages around, pulling out a water canteen. "Thirsty? Might help."
Gale pokes his head out of the bushes. Or maybe it's a clone. Either or.
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.745772
>>745771"Well so much for that." Gale whispers as he drops out of stealth to backstab with his knife.
While he does, the clone approaches Vandal. "Didn't mean to leave you behind like that, cat. What happened?" He asks, with some genuine concern. Some.
Backstab [1d10]
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.745773
>>745771Gigi patiently waits, aiming her plasma pistol at the creature. She holds off, letting Areia handle it for now.
No.745774
>>745771The Dragon moved to Evade the attack as she wanted to keep swinging at the thing to get a gusher of blood.
[1d10] Dodge
[1d10] Attack
Roll #1 7 = 7 /
Roll #2 3 = 3 No.745775
>>745771Vandal takes small, small sips, looking wearily at Gale and (failing to muster the strength for) throwing a rock at Gale. "
Fuck is he up to?"
>>745771>>745772"Takin
g notes from Green?" Vandal says weakly to Gale(?), pulling out a pistol from her cargo pants, "
Why are you here-" she stops to breathe again, "not wi
th the others."
No.745776
>>745771>Counter: Negate Attack and EffectsFir gently nudges the kick aside, waiting to see if Gale can manage to get a decent sample.
No.745777
>>745775"I'm not here to backstab you. That would be terribly inefficient. Really the way I would do it is let the poison kill you, then get Fir to fight the monster thing then Areia should try to- Oh." He stops himself.
"Look, if you're about to die, I'd like to reconcile at least a bit. Really, I didn't realize how bad shape you were when I went in there."
No.745778
>>745772You rush out and stab the creature. There's not much room to maneuver, so you have to settle for stabbing it in the hip. Pale green blood trickles from the fresh wound. It hisses and kicks at you reactively!
[1d10]
>>745774>>745776Fir blocks the Fallsnatcher's kick, saving Areia from getting punted in the face. Her next swing does little to harm it, as a second kick pushes the sword aside.
>>745774>>745773>>745772The Fallsnatcher starts moving away, lumbering further into the tunnel to get away from you all. It leaves behind a smear of blood on the tunnel wall. As it moves away though, its tail thrashes blindly, the stinger coming dangerously close!
>those in melee range roll to dodge, instantLuv takes aim and shoots at the stinger!
>automatic Aimed Shot>>745775The water does seem to help. Somewhat. You feel a bit stronger.
Chekhooves shrugs, looking at him warily. "What's your problem with him anyway?" he asks.
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.745779
>>745778Areia hissed once again and moved to dodge the blow as she aimed to get the wound on the hip as well.
[1d10] Dodge
[1d10] Blast
Roll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 5 = 5 No.745780
>>745778Gale groans as the beast assuredly kicks him, his wings desperate to move himself off to dodge.
[1d10]
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.745781
>>745778Gigi takes a normal shot at the creature then cranks her pistol up to take an overcharged shot at it, trying to weaken it enough to stop it from getting away.
[1d10]Falcon burst normal
[1d10]meltdown
Roll #1 2 = 2 /
Roll #2 6 = 6 No.745782
>>745778>Dodge: [1d10]Fir tries to collect the blood, since he's already so close to the creature to begin with.
>Do I need to roll for this? [1d10]Roll #1 7 = 7 /
Roll #2 10 = 10 No.745783
>>745777>>745778"
Belittles me when he can, got tired of it."
Vandal looks up to Gale, smirking, "You're a cow
ard, first sign there's-" … "-the worry y
ou might be stuck with a guilty conscious you-" … "
want to clear your name. Could've at lea
st came in person." Vandal guesses.
No.745784
>>745782>>745781>>745780>>745779Luv blasts the tail, crippling the stinger and neutralizing the threat of potential poison. Even so, it manages to swipe at you all. Gale is tripped over and knocked flat on his ass, while Areia is forced to feint her swing to avoid getting smacked upside the head by the tail swipe, taking a glancing blow.
>Gale takes 5 hits, helpless>Areia takes 1 hitGigi's blaster malfunctions, heating up and scalding her hand. She stumbles backward and into a wall as it burns her.
>Gigi takes 5 hits, helplessFir manages to avoid getting hit, and quickly collects some blood in the vial. Luv breathes a sigh of relief. "Phew. That should do the trick. Pass me that vial and let's get back to Vandal ASAP. …Anyone hurt badly?"
>>745783>>745780Chekhooves grunts a little, not really sure what to say since he's new here. "…I think we should all try and get along," he mumbles. "No one's gonna die today, but we're all stuck together. Last thing we need is bickering. Right?"
No.745785
>>745784Ariea moved to help get Gale up and put her body in the way. She may not be the most fond of him but she wasn't gonna leave him to be hurt more.
[1d10]
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.745786
>>745783Gale wrestles with something mentally, then puts on a smile. "Well, you die with your spite, I die with my guilty conscious. Do we both get what we want?" Before getting his answer, something seems to sink in Gales eyes.
Meanwhile, the real bird is slammed onto the ground. He groans as he speaks. "Just the birds, Luv. We'll be fine." He tries to get up.
Recover [1d10]
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.745788
>>745786>>745784"Glad
you've decided I'm dying then." Vandal closes her eyes, laying back on the log, "Whatever, I'm just
gonna rest."
No.745789
>>745781Correction: Gigi manages to blast the tip of its tail with a powerful shot that sends her stumbling backward some. It sears the tip of the Fallsnatcher's tail right off. The creature chitters in pain and runs off into the tunnel.
No.745790
>>745784"Let's get going, then." the elk says, gently lifting Gale up and dropping her on his back. He'll start to retreat after that.
No.745791
>>745784Gigi uncloaks and join the rest of the group. "Guess we got it, then?" She knits her brow.
>>745788"How you holding up?"
No.745792
>>745785>>745786>>745790>>745791Areia helps Gale back up, while Fir gives him a lift. "I dunno if that's really necessary," Luv remarks, and takes the blood sample from Fir. "Let's get a move on."
>>745788Chekhooves frowns, keeping a watchful eye on you. "I'm sure they'll be back soon. That thing couldn't have gotten far. Don't worry, you'll be alright."
>>745788>>745785>>745786>>745790>>745791You reunite back in the clearing. Luv quickly gets to work, mixing the blood with water from her own canteen, making a pale green mixture. She swirls it a little and passes it off to Vandal. "It's not pleasant, but it'll help with your condition," she insists.
Chekhooves keeps an eye out for the Fallsnatcher, or any other traces of the WEDL robot. "So what's the plan now? Kind of hit a dead end. Should we try another path maybe?"
No.745793
>>745792She shrugged "Probably, we only found debris here not the main event." she said with a shrug.
>>745790You got one of those healing things ready? I need a pick me up."
No.745794
>>745792"Mmm. Right." the deer says, gently setting Gale back down on the ground.
When they return to the clearing, Fir takes a seat next to Vandal to wait for the antidote to be whipped up.
>>745793"Of course, here." the elk says, passing Areia a pair of the vials.
No.745795
>>745791"
Not dead." Vandal muses weakly.
>>745792Vandal nods, "
Was a point in life where I was dumpster diving, I'll stomach it." Vandal downs the concoction.
No.745796
>>745792As the real Gale approaches, the clone fades from view.
>>745795"You're quite good at figuring out the fakes cat. Is it a sixth sense or something?" Gale says, keeping up his snark towards her.
No.745797
>>745792Gigi rubs the back of her neck. "Well, with the whole 'floating' thing we kinda don't have a whole hell of a lot to follow. But yeah. Could probably find something else on one of the other paths. Pain in the ass that coming this way and dealing with that crocodile thing was for nothing, though."
No.745798
>>745796"
Literally fucking chill for an entire day fuckwit," She catches her breath, breathing heavier, "-yeah I could
tell any of your desires to reconcile were fake."
No.745799
>>745798>>745796Fir growls a little bit, before letting out a loud huff. "Save it for after we're done here, at least- we need to focus."
No.745800
>>745797>>745796>>745795>>745794>>745793Vandal drinks the antidote. It's about the worst thing she's ever had; it tastes like a rotten egg smells. She has to force herself not to cough it up. The effects are nigh on instantaneous, however. She feels more awake, and her heart doesn't feel like it's going to explode in her chest. Color returns to her face, and in a matter of minutes, she's ready to keep on keeping on.
>Vandal heals 2 wounds!Luv tilts her head. "Yeah, it's not fun. Feeling better though? Can you walk?"
Looking back where you originally came from, you see three paths ahead:
Straight ahead leads back to where you started.
There is a middle-left path that leads to a foggy area, seemingly inhabited by other creatures.
The far left path leads to a narrow slope that leads downward. It'll be tricky to navigate, from the steepness and narrowness of the slope.
Luv has her eyes set on a different direction, however. She looks upwards at the Archtrees all around, surveying the dozens of layers of boughs between you and the canopy. "If this robot went upward, it could be anywhere in the next layer or two. We might be wasting time here on the forest floor. I say we look for a way up into the trees. …Doesn't look like we'll find one here, though."
No.745801
>>745800"Going up gives us a vantage. Wherever this thing is I bet its making a mess we can see from up there." Gale says, adjusting his gear in preparation for flight.
No.745802
>>745800"Hrm. I don't think an aerial view would help with that much, either. Might be best to search around a little and see if we can find a way, maybe?"
>Perception roll [1d10] (+1 if this counts as navigation?)Roll #1 9 = 9 No.745803
>>745800"I mean, several of us can fly," Gigi says. "Maybe we can try to follow where the bot crashed through the trees? Like I said, could be hard checking the ground if it can levitate. Might make more sense to try to follow it on the Z axis."
No.745804
>>745800Areia jammed two into herself and moved over to Vandal
No.745805
>>745800"Y-yeah, I'm alright, just gonna bring up the rear now." Vandal sighs, "I could get skating from tree to tree, just still reeling from the poison a bit."
No.745806
>>745798>>745804>>745800Hit enter too soon.))
SHe jammed the two natural cures into herself and moved over to Vandal and took a knee "Want me to carry ya for a bit while you let the pain die down there Whiskers?"
No.745807
>>745806"Probably better you use your wings for scouting, one of few in the group," Vandal gives the dragon a weak hug, "Thanks though."
No.745808
>>745801>>745803>>745806"Easy for you guys to say when you've got wings," Luv remarks. "Rest of us kind of get left in the dirt."
"I mean we could get lifts, couldn't we?" Chekhooves chimes in.
"I dunno about all of us," Luv replies, giving Fir a side glance.
>>745802You look around the clearing, scouring it from top to bottom, but it doesn't look like there's anything here that'll help you head up into the trees. Maybe exploring somewhere else will yield better results.
>>745805"Yeah, take it easy," says Luv. "Fallsnatcher venom is nasty. It'll take a bit before you're in better shape. Try not to exert yourself too much."
No.745809
>>745808I mean I can handle the big guy if that's an issue."
No.745810
>>745808"Could work, but I'm not sure what use flying all of you around will do. Might be a good idea to keep a ground team."
No.745811
>>745808"Even if not you guys could still follow us. Even if you can't see us, Frank has a connection to my datapad, so he could -in theory, mind you- lead you. Don't really see the problem."
"Yeah," Frank mumbles. "I can find my way back to the big G if I gotta. So if that's an issue-" He stares at Luv like he means to apathetically shrug, but can't.
No.745812
>>745808"Hrm… well, definitely nothing around here. Flight's probably the best bet." he remarks, before glancing to Luv and shrugging. "Bit of a pain, yeah."
>>745809"If you're sure. Might be best to scout a bit before flying anyone around, just to get a better feel for things."
>>745807"Well, let me carry you then. You still don't look like you're in the best shape."
No.745813
>>745808>>745809>>745810>>745811"We don't all need to be up there right now, you winged folk can stick to the canopy for now, call us if you find it. That or knock it out of the canopy."
>>745812Vandal rubs the back of her neck, "If it won't bother you, I suppose I'm not the heaviest so it won't be to bad."
No.745814
>>745813Fir chuckles a little, before gently settling on to the ground for Vandal to climb on. "Won't bother me at all. I've done plenty of hauling, and you're pretty light."
No.745815
>>745812>>745813>>745807>>745808Areia returned the hug to the feline, maybe a bit harder than she meant to but nodded as she decided to take off and go for some aerial recon.
No.745816
>>745809>>745810>>745811>>745812>>745813"That's a good point actually," Luv comments in regards to Gigi. "Those with wings go up, the rest of us stay down here and check the other ways."
"Sounds good to me," says Chekhooves. "I can't teleport that far up."
No.745817
>>745816"Sounds fine by me- which way should we check first? We probably don't want to split up too much here."
No.745818
>>745816"Well, alright, then. See you guys back on the bottom." She crouches and wiggles her backside a little before taking off into the air to check in the direction the robot went.
[1d10]Perception
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.745819
>>745816>>745818"Moving out then." Gale says as he flies up, looking for the path this robot must be leaving.
Perception [1d10]
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.745820
>>745816>>745814Vandal climbs atop Fir and lays sprawled out like a cat rather than sitting conventionally, lifting her head to check the elk's expression, "This okay?"
No.745821
>>745816Areia joins the others in scanning the area.
[1d10] Peeping the place out yo
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.745822
>>745821>>745819>>745818"See you in a minute," says Luv with a nod and a slight smile.
You fly up to next level above. The abundance of broken branches and generally disturbed greenery suggest the WEDL came this way. The main branch you're on right now is enormous, part of a much larger network of interconnected branches, each several feet in width. They're sturdy enough to walk on comfortably, though there's always the danger of losing your footing. This is made trickier by the presence of forest mosses and lichen growing on the branches.
There's no indication of which way the WEDL went, but there are two immediately visible options:
One branch seems to twist around and lead to a hole in the enormous Archtree trunk. It seems to be dead; it's essentially one giant hollow.
A second stretches out and leads to the next Archtree over. This one seems to be alive, and teeming with alien birdlife.
>>745817>>745820Luv and Chekhooves exchange a glance, then shrug. "Beats me," says the former. "Where do you guys think we should look first?"
No.745823
>>745822>>745819>>745818"I'm gonna hazard a guess that the dead area might be the more likely option for a machine looking to avoid hostile wild life."
No.745824
>>745822>>745823"The birds don't seem to hostile. You think this thing is programmed to be afraid of a couple pigeons?" He shouts down.
"Suppose we search both. No perfect way of knowing where it went."
No.745825
>>745824"Maybe not but given what we met on the floor, might be paranoid or something. RObots are weird."
No.745826
>>745822>>745823Gigi nods and readies herself to pull her pistol in case of more wildlife. "Yeah, I'd say that's a safe bet. Let's go check it out."
No.745827
>>745822"I'm along for the ride, maybe the foggy place since the slope seems a bit dangerous to navigate with me on Fir's back?"
No.745828
>>745820Fir tilts his head a little and looks back at Vandal, before nodding. "It's fine, Vandal. Do whatever you need to to be comfortable.
>>745822"Hrm… I don't feel like there's a best choice here, but it might be best to go the foggier route- I'd hate to slip and drop Vandal."
No.745829
>>745825"She gives them sapient emotions and rips them to shreds. You are some piece of poetry, Areia." Gale says to himself.
No.745830
>>745829She shrugged once more "Their soulless machines. It's no different than talking about a blender or a game console like they have brains."
No.746127
>>745827>>745828"Fog it is," Luv shrugs. "Let's stick together. Feel like it'll be easy to get lost in there."
She's right. It soon becomes clear that the area is much bigger than it seemed. This seems to be a whole subsection of the forest floor, with smaller trees poking through the almost tangible fog. You can hear the tittering of alien birds, and the rustle of small creatures amidst the dirt and fallen leaves below.
"This doesn't seem… right," Chekhooves comments. "Why is all this fog concentrating just in this area?"
"Who knows. Maybe it's just how weather works on this planet," Luv hazards a guess.
It seems there are multiple branching paths here, but with all the fog, it'll be difficult to see more than a foot or so ahead of you.
>roll to navigate>>745830>>745829>>745826You navigate across the branch to the inside of the Archtree. Inside, you find something unusual; the hollow is lined with frail metallic catwalks, abandoned monitors, and long-deactivated robots. Vines have begun to grow over them in places, and further down, you can see a colony of black frog-like creatures with spiked backs clinging to the walls. It looks like an abandoned research station of some kind.
Since this place has long gone to seed, it seems navigating its many levels will be difficult. Falling branches have broken the catwalks in some places, and some parts are rusted to the point of being unusable. You'll have to tread lightly to explore this place.
>roll both Navigation and Perception No.746128
>>746127>[1d10+1] (+1 from Woodscraft)"Hrm… something could be making the fog, maybe? Or, it's just not natural?"
Roll #1 2 + 1 = 3 No.746129
>>746127The dragon was silent as she surveyed the area, trying to do this as safely as possible.
[1d10] Nav
[1d10] Perception
Roll #1 2 = 2 /
Roll #2 4 = 4 No.746130
>>745828"Thanks Fir, I appreciate it." Vandal gives a weak smile,
>>746127"Let's take it slow, given how thick the fog is I don't want us to get too seperated. Mind if we move from tree to tree so I can mark them with numbers, so we can count them back down to one should we get lost?"
[1d10] nav from Fir's back, spraying trees as needed
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.746131
>>746127"Well, this is weird, right?" Gigi places her com near her beak.
>>746128[b]"We got some kind of hidden abandoned research station in this tree or some shit. We're checking it out now."
Gigi flits into the tree, looking around while trying to avoid loose debris. Before anything she checks out the deactivated bots.
[1d10]Perception
[1d10]Navigation
Roll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 8 = 8 No.746132
>>746127Gale steps along, keeping a close eye on the surrounding tech. Looking for logos or any indication of what this was all for.
Navigation [1d10]
Perception [1d10]
Roll #1 8 = 8 /
Roll #2 4 = 4 No.746133
>>746131"Hmm. We're checking out an area pretty weighed down by fog. Not sure if it's natural, but we're being careful."
No.746134
>>746128"What, you think this robot we're looking for did it? What are the odds of having to deal with two magic murderbots in a row?" Luv comments.
>>746130"Oh, good idea," Chekhooves nods. "Lemme know if you need a hand with that."
>>746128>>746130Vandal's method of spraying the trees seems to work. You begin to realize this whole area is one big circle, and in the center is an Archtree. You spot several paths through the fog:
There seems to be a clearing nearby, where the rusting remains of an old warship lie.
A winding path straight ahead leads to a less foggy area. You think you can see a faint blue light flashing up ahead in that direction.
The central Archtree seems to have been tampered with by PanGal. There's a sort of spiral staircase leading up it and to higher levels.
There's also a path to your right which seems to lead into a cave. You think you hear an animal snuffling around in that direction.
>>746129>>746131>>746132You move a bit further in.
You notice that the broken robots seem to be branded with the now familiar PanGal logo. Further in, you find some plastic crates branded with the same logo, though there's naught in them but rusting construction materials. It seems as if they tried to expand here, but something made them abandon the effort. There's no sign of any bodies, just robots and materials. Unfortunately, no sign of the WEDL just yet.
As you traverse one of the catwalks, it unexpectedly gives way under the weight of the three of you. With a metallic groan and tear, the whole thing snaps at the railings, dipping sharply downward and throwing you all further down!
>roll to avoid taking damage No.746135
>>746134The dragon had been debating salvaging some parts to try and repair the body she had stolen before but she yelped and jumped up to try and fly and avoid falling.
[1d10] To not fall or get hurt.
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.746136
>>746133>>746130"Another PanGal station from the look of it. Seems like they ditched it for some reason. And a bunch of gear too.">>746134Making a mental note to salvage some parts from the bots before she leaves, Gigi barely notices the catwalk before it starts to give way. She yips and tries to catch herself in the air before she tumbles.
[1d10]
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.746137
>>746134Gal attempts to flap his wings fast enough not to hit the ground significantly hard.
Not get hurt [1d10]
Roll #1 6 = 6 No.746138
>>746134>>746133"Well I think the cave's a no go for sure, the path seems like the best course of action-"
>>746136Vandal listens and cuts herself off, responding, "
Is it built out of a tree? We see some PanGal stuff down here too, a staircase heading up towards you guys. We're in this real foggy place. Hope it's not carcinogenic or anything."
No.746140
>>746137>>746136>>746135Gigi acts quick and grabs onto one of the railings, preventing herself from falling down to the lower level. Gale falls down, but manages to break it by slowing himself down, glding roughly to the platform. Areia isn't so lucky, and faceplants next to him.
>Areia takes 2 hitsGigi is currently looking down on Areia and Gale, who are on a large section of the abandoned station. Broken floodlights look down on a metallic platform that's been grafted to the tree trunk. It's littered with more crates, along with a monitor of some sort mounted to the wall. It's unclear if it's working or not.
Looking around, you see some of the black spiked frog creatures you noticed on your way in. You seem to have got their attention.
>roll Perception No.746141
>>746140Areia let out a series of annoyed noises as she groaned and slowly pulled herself to her feet. "This job better have goddamn hazard pay, or I'm stealing whatever I get my hands on." she muttered angrily.
[1d10] Jeepers Peepers
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.746142
>>746140>>746137>>746135Gigi spreads her wings and floats down to Gale and Areia, offering a claw to help Areia off the ground. "You guys holding up alright? This kind of place is my bread and butter, but it's pretty rickety and fucking spooky." She casts a brief glance around. "Especially when it feels like you're just waiting to be attacked."
[1d10]Perception
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.746143
>>746140"Hah, still got a bit of grace, right Are-" Gale notices Areia next to him. "Come on girl" He says, helping her get up.
>>746142"I don't like it as much as you. Hard to sense such an unnatural thing moving around." He says with concern.
No.746144
>>746134Fir flicks his ears a little bit at that, and frowns. "I'd… hope not. Hard to say what it could be caused by, though."
>>746138>>746136"We can see a staircase leading up a tree- maybe it's the same part?" he suggests.
No.746145
>>746143>>746142>>746141You think you hear the faint rattling of metal coming from somewhere in the depths of the hollow. Inspection of the monitor reveals it's still functional, albeit locked. The familiar PanGal logo flickers on screen with a tinny, distorted jingle, then switches to ask for a password prompt. You notice a port on the side of it. It looks like something a robot could plug into.
>>746144>>746138"Tree it is. Guess it's as good a try as any," Luv remarks.
You climb up the staircase. It seems to wind all the way up the tree, going on for a good few hundred meters. It'll take forever to climb to the top. Every so often, there's a platform jutting out, containing crates and still functional robots, albeit very basic ones programmed to do one or two tasks efficiently. It looks like the robots here are tapping into the tree to harvest it. The crates are filled with containers of sap.
None of these robots seem like the WEDL you're after.
No.746146
>>746145The dragon groaned in annoyance at that "We're gonna need him." she muttered moving to look over the other robots scattered about presumably to find anything useable.
[1d10] Looting/Searching
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.746148
>>746143"Yeah, it's pretty uncomfortable. In all fairness normally I'm invisible right now. Something the two of you don't exactly have." She chuckles. "Guess that gives me a bit of an unfair advantage."
>>746145Gigi looks over the terminal and quietly curses. "Really need to start keeping Frank with me, but I guess he probably couldn't have joined us in the air to begin with." She looks up at the deactivated bots. "Yo, Areia, you think you can get through this, or you want me to try to bring one of these bots partially back online?"
>>746145Frank silently follows the group, watching the toiling bots as they pass.
No.746149
>>746145"Huh, wonder what the sap's good for, think it's drugs? Rubber? Weapons?"
Vandal shrugs, "Anyways, dead end, let's check out that blue light we saw ahead."
No.746150
>>746145"Motherfucker." Gale says, bringing up his gun in reaction. Upon noticing the prompt, he looks it over for a bit. He searches for commonly used keys.
Perception [1d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.746151
>>746145"Hrm. Maybe we can find signs of the robot we're looking for in here? These certainly aren't it, but it might've come through here."
>>746149"All sorts of things, I wager."
No.746152
>>746146>>746148>>746150You notice a tiny and very out of place robot amidst the others. It has a rectangular box for a head, a single wide lens for an eye, a short antenna, and a single wheel for a body. It only comes up halfway to Areia's shin. More importantly, it looks like it could plug into the monitor. It doesn't look broken, just deactivated, though it's definitely seen better days.
>>746149>>746151"None of our business," Luv reminds Vandal warily.
"Yeah, I think Fir's right," says Chekhooves. "This area seems pretty big. Should keep looking around."
"Hey, maybe one of these bots can help," Luv comments. "They might've seen something. Don't suppose any of you are good with robots?" One of the passing bots pauses briefly and turns its head 180 degrees like an owl to look at you briefly, then continues with its assigned work.
No.746153
>>746152"Well." Gale says, putting away his gun. "I might have overreacted." He says, approaching the tiny bot. "I'm afraid I'll break it if I pick it up. Gigi?"
No.746154
>>746152The dragon just pinched her brow and went to go sit in a corner for a bit now as she just had a headache over the whole thing.
No.746156
>>746152"I am… bad with robots. Or, at least, I've got no clue what to do to them. Maybe we could find some instructions around here on them, though?"
>Search [1d10]Roll #1 7 = 7 No.746157
>>746156>>746152"I mean I'm along for the ride, I'll look around I guess."
Vandal says, perched ontop of Fir and searching around the place.
[1d10] search
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.746160
>>746152>>746153"On it." Gigi crouches down and pulls out some tools, looking for a place to open it up and reactivate it
[1d10]Tinker
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.746161
>>746160>>746154>>746153Gigi tries to reactivate the robot. She succeeds. Kind of. It springs to life as her tools spark, frying a panel dangerous.
"Ba-ba-ba-battery charged. Systems o-o-o-online. Di-diagnosing. Speech syn-synthesis emu-emulator at forty-forty-forty-five percent-cent."Seems its voice got damaged in the process of reactivating. It spins around in place, then seems to notice the three of you. It stares blankly up at you all.
"Hello-hello." No.746163
>>746161The dragon got up and rather suddenly grabbed the tiny robot and began to drag it to the machine with barely hidden disgust "Unlock the computer and do it silently you little scrap heap."
No.746164
>>746163>>746161[1d10] To not smash it yet
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.746166
>>746161"Hi. You alright little guy?" He says, keeping his distance a bit.
>>746160He speaks to Gigi quietly. "You sure this is right? Seems a little erratic."
No.746167
>>746157>>746156You start looking around. It seems to pay off; while you can't find anything on how to handle the robots, you do find some that seem to have been destroyed. There's oil stains and charred bits of robot strewn about on an upper level. "Something came in this direction and had its way with them," Luv muses. "Maybe the WEDL. Or some native creature…"
No.746169
>>746161Gigi wipes her forehead. "Ah, shit. This again. Well, at least I can work with this. I can't work with completely fried." She crouches down. "Yeah, buddy. Doing a security sweep. Something serious happened here, and we're doing some recon for PanGal. Think you can help me out?" She reaches up and taps the terminal.
[1d10]Persuasion
>>746166"Have you met Frank?"
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.746172
>>746169"Riiiight. Well, at least your consistent."
No.746174
>>746164"I-I am PT." A little arm pops out of the side of his head and waves at you stiffly.
>>746169"I ca-can help." He spins around in a circle to get his wheel working, then heads pointedly towards the monitor. The wheel seems to have a squeak to it.
>>746163>>746166>>746169>>746172PT warbles and sparks slightly, his photoreceptor turning red in alarm as Areia grabs him He tries to dodge, but isn't quite fast enough.
"No-no thank you!" He struggles futilely against her grip. Moving him to the monitor, he concedes.
"Inter-interfacing."The monitor shuts down, then reboots, seemingly in an administrator mode. You have full access to whatever this monitor has to offer. PT's head spins around to look at Areia.
"Please let go." No.746175
>>746174She lifted him up to look at him before just dropping him from that height as she looked to the monitor and began seeing if there was any sensors or scanners or security feeds they could tap into right now.
No.746176
>>746174>>746163"Alright, well, that was just rude. He was helping." Gigi glances down at the bot. "You gonna come with us, bud? Or you gonna stay here and keep guard?"
No.746177
>>746167"Hrm. Let's tell the others and follow it then, maybe?"
No.746178
>>746174"What's PT stand for? Sorry, I'm new here." He says to the bot.
>>746175Gale goes to catch PT hopefully in time.
Catch [1d10]
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.746180
>>746175>>746176>>746178"
Got some destroyed bots that we assume wasn't Areia's doing, though could be wildlife's doing. Anything more on your end? "
>>746167>>746177Vandal turns back to those present, "So blue light now?"
No.746184
>>746175>>746178PT bounces slightly as he hits the ground.
"Hurt.">>746178He looks back at you blankly.
"…My name," is all his circuitry can find an answer for.
>>746176He doesn't seem to know how to process being offered help. Or even quite know his purpose.
"…L-l-lost-lost." >>746180>>746177"Hm, yeah, sounds like a good idea. Hopefully we're on the right track," Luv nods. "Let's go back to that crossroads and meet up with the others, yeah?"
No.746185
>>746180"Sure, yeah." he says, nodding a little at the cat.
No.746186
>>746175The monitor doesn't have any feeds, but it seems to hold an archive of all the local flora and fauna, including monitoring the Archtrees in the immediate area. PanGal seem to be very interested in them, from what you can tell, though why is unclear as of yet. Seems like a copy of this data would be useful to store on a datapad for future reference, though you'd need PT's help for that.
No.746187
>>746184"Well." Gale says flatly as he turns to the monitor. "Let's see what was going on here." He searches for most recent entries.
No.746188
>>746184"Alright. Yeah. You're coming with us. I should be able to repair you pretty easily. You came online, so looks like there was just a small short. Could've been a problem even before I brought you back online."
>>746182"He's coming with us."
No.746189
>>746186She sighed and looked back to PT "Alright sorry for uh… dropping you. Could you make a copy of the data for us?"
>>746188Why exactly?"
No.746193
>>746185>>746184"Onwards, noble steed." Vandal says with a snort, nodding to Luv.
No.746194
>>746189"You don't think one of their robots will be useful in their research station?" She leaves out the part where she feels a little bad for frying his brain.
No.746195
>>746194"Ehhh… Alright that checks out."
No.746196
>>746193Fir snorts a little bit, before clopping his forehooves on the ground and heading back for the crossroads.
No.746201
>>746187>>746193"Yeah, alright, I'll let them know to meet us then."
You go back to where you were before. Looking around, you can see that the Fallsnatcher's back, lurking in the tunnel just out of reach. It's staring at you with curiosity, but doesn't seem keen on attacking. "Ugh. It's back." "That doesn't look good," Chekhooves adds, staring back at the creature with trepidation.
>>746188PT seems distracted by something, but snaps back to you sharply as you mention taking him along.
"Than-thank you. Very kind.">>746189"I can-can help-elp." He whizzes back to the monitor and plugs in. After a few moments, a little chip pops out of a slot on his head, designed to plug into a datapad.
"Da-data trans-trans-transfer complete-plete. Con-congratulations.">>746189>>746188>>746187You get a message from Luv.
"Hey, heads up, we're heading back down. Might've found some sign of where this bot went. You guys heading back yet?" No.746202
>>746187>>746193"Yeah, alright, I'll let them know to meet us then."
You go back to where you were before. Looking around, you can see that the Fallsnatcher's back, lurking in the tunnel just out of reach. It's staring at you with curiosity, but doesn't seem keen on attacking. "Ugh. It's back." "That doesn't look good," Chekhooves adds, staring back at the creature with trepidation.
>>746188PT seems distracted by something, but snaps back to you sharply as you mention taking him along.
"Than-thank you. Very kind.">>746189"I can-can help-elp." He whizzes back to the monitor and plugs in. After a few moments, a little chip pops out of a slot on his head, designed to plug into a datapad.
"Da-data trans-trans-transfer complete-plete. Con-congratulations.">>746189>>746188>>746187You get a message from Luv.
"Hey, heads up, we're heading back down. Might've found some sign of where this bot went. You guys heading back yet?" No.746203
>>746201She took it and popped it into her own datapad and, for some reason, gave the small bot a pat on the head as she quickly worked to try and forward the data to the others.
>>746201>>746193>>746196"
Basically got a guide to all the flora and fauna."
No.746204
>>746202>>746201Vandal looks incredibly uncomfortable being around the Fallsnatcher again, "We should hang out somewhere kinda not anywhere close to that thing pleeaase."
No.746206
>>746201"Hrm… for now, it seems like it's just watching. Let's just stay calm, and it might leave us be."
>>746203"Fallsnatcher's back. Non-hostile right now, it seems. On your way back?">>746204Fir sets a hoof on Vandal's head and gives her a soft rub, before stepping a few more bodylengths away from the Fallsnatcher.
No.746207
>>746202"Useful at least. You guys mind if I fuck about with his voice module a bit before we join back up with the others?"
No.746208
>>746202>>746203"Anything in that data about the beast that almost killed Vandal? Antivenoms? Ways of deterring it?" He asks Areia.
No.746209
>>746203>>746202>>746208Areia did her best to pull up all data on the FallSnatcher
No.746212
>>746202[1d10+2]To find a part if needed
[1d10]Tinker to fix him up
Roll #1 3 + 2 = 5 /
Roll #2 9 = 9 No.746214
>>746203PT doesn't let you touch him, wheeling away sharply.
"No thank you.">>746204>>746206"Yeah I'd rather, not." Chekhooves doesn't seem too happy with it either. Luv nods, and you move back closer to the path you took to initially get here. The creature doesn't budge. You're in its territory, after all.
>>746212You try to tinker with him a bit, but it seems like PT here is a custom job, though mainly designed for communicating with other tech. You reduce the stutter a bit, but not completely.
"Spe-speech synthesis emulator-lator at sixty five-five percent. Thank you. Very kind.">>746208>>746209There's a whole encyclopedia article about these creatures. Found on many forest biomes throughout the galaxy, Fallsnatchers seem to be one of the top predators in their ecosystem, with few natural enemies on this planet save for a gargantuan species of bat. They are amphibious, making their lairs both underwater and above ground as they see fit, and the subspecies found here on Dylath-Leen have a natural resistance to electrical currents due to the geodes of magical lightning crystals that can be found in the caves here. Fallsnatchers seem to be averse to cold, however, being a tropical species. Their poison is highly deadly, and coveted on the black market.
>>746212>>746209>>746208>>746206>>746204You all reunite eventually. Areia, Gale and Gigi return in due time, accompanied by the little wheel robot PT.
"Hello," he says plainly to the others.
"This the guide you mentioned?" Luv asks Areia as Chekhooves looks at the tiny robot with curiosity.
No.746216
>>746214She was actually a bit surprised by the aversion but she shrugged.
>>746214>>746212>>746208>>746206>>746204By the time she met up with the others as she nodded as she showed the data she had accrued on the beast to the others.
No.746217
>>746214Fir watches the creature as they move, keeping his hardlight antlers at the ready in case it tries anything.
>>746216>>746214"Ah. This is the guide, then?" he asks, bending down a little to look.
No.746219
>>746214"No prob, bud." She gently pats him on the head.
Frank, who until this point remained completely silent, perks up a little seeing a new robot. "Hi! I'm Frank! I see you've already met Gigi, mon complice. What's your name? Do you have any favorite styles of music? Maybe a favorite function."
No.746220
>>746214"He's our employee orientation leader." Gale says jokingly. "Well, between this data and what you all have seen, maybe we have a lead on this rogue robot."
No.746222
>>746216>>746214"Neat, another robo. How's this guy gonna show us the way to baddie robo then?"
No.746226
>>746217"I-I am PT," says PT.
>>746216Luv raises her eyebrows. "Huh. Looks like they've been cataloging as well as mining. Wonder if it'd be worth our while to hunt this beastie while we're at it."
>>746219He looks confused by the headpat.
He jerks backward in alarm, instinctively moving toward Gigi for protection. When he sees Frank being friendly, though, he seems a bit more susceptible, though still a nervous little robot.
"I am PT. I-I can help.">>746222>>746220>>746219>>746217>>746216"Yeah, good question," Luv chimes in. "Does this dude know something about the WEDL or…?"
"WEDL. WEDL WEDL WEDL." PT seems to enjoy saying it.
"…I'll take that as a no. In any case. We did find those scrapped bots up the tree in the fog, so that's worth a look-see. That data will come in handy if we run into more monsters. …When, really. Not if."
No.746228
>>746226"Speaking of, any of them look like they have decent legs on them?"
No.746229
>>746226"Does WEDL stand for something, PT?" Gale says, interested mostly in PT's surely eccentric response. "Are there other robots on a network of sorts? Can you locate them?"
No.746231
>>746226"Hi, PT." the elk says, nodding a little bit. "I'm Fir."
Leaning back up he hums in thought, before nodding in agreement. "Definitely worth it- it'll be best to be prepared for any other problems."
>>746228>>746229"Find any danger, or were the skies clear?"
No.746232
>>746226Frank plays a static filled laugh track. "That seems fun," he said. "WEDL, WEDL, WEDL, WEDL." He pauses. "PT, PT, PT, PT. Can I call you Pete?"
>>746226"Anyway," Gigi says. "More scrapped bots? There were a bunch of deactivated bots in the tree we found too."
No.746234
>>746231"Take it that's a no on the robot legs, and they seemed clear enough up there."
No.746236
>>746232>>746226"Again, could just be wildlife, we need something more substantial like tire tracks and the like."
No.746238
>>746234"Hmm? Ah- I wouldn't know. Not a bot person, or anything like that."
No.746239
>>746229"WEDL. W-WEDL. …Wendell. Wendell Wendell Wendell. Wha-wha-what have we here-here.">>746228"They might do. Didn't really get much of a look at them. Why do you ask?"
>>746231"Fir. Fir. Fir. …T-tree. Are-are-are you a tree?">>746232"I am PT. PT. Petey. Pete. …Pete. My name. …Hello-hello.">>746236>>746234>>746232>>746231>>746229Your companions introduce themselves. "Uh, hi. PT? I'm Chekhooves."
"And I'm Luv. Hi."
"Luv. …Love. I Luv you."
"…….Anyway. So we either keep looking up the tree with all the scrapped bots, or we keep moving through the fog. There were a few paths we didn't explore. …Course, there's always that path." She points at the narrow downhill path nearby.
PT looks in the direction she pointed.
"Fear." No.746240
>>746239"Right, right. Wendell. What do we have here. What else Pete? Can you tell me anything else about other robots?" Gale says, as if he's speaking to a child.
>>746239"Why's it scared of that way, Luv?"
No.746241
>>746236"Yeah, guess so. Weird they'd shut down an entire stocked up, expensive looking hidden research station because of some local fauna, but that doesn't really help us find Wendel."
>>746239"I can tell we're gonna be good friends, Petey-Petey-" His voice module sparks. "Petey boy."
Gigi quirks an eyebrow. "There something down that way, bud? Or you just scared because it's a little sketchy?"
No.746246
>>746239>>746236"I… yes, I suppose I am." he says, before looking to Vandal and shrugging a bit.
>>746239"Wonder what's down there. Maybe PT can tell us?"
No.746247
>>746239"Trying to make that torso I found into a functional body at the very least. I have my reasons as to why.
"Anyway the fog seems decent if you think there's nothing, unless you wanan try and bring down the fallsnatcher for its venom?"
No.746249
>>746239>>746246"I'm along for the ride either way, so just choose a path and we can head out- the blue light looked promising to me."
>>746247"Please no, I don't want to put anyone through that, it's inhumane."
No.746250
>>746249"Was just a pitch, I know we're always looking for a few extra bucks."
No.746251
>>746249"Blue light, then- let's go." the elk says, gesturing to the others.
No.746255
>>746240"Robots? Robots. I am a robot-robot. ….Hello.""Beats me. We haven't gone that way yet."
>>746241"Wendell? You're giving it a name now like your bot friend?" She seems amused.
"Friends. …I have a friend-friend. His name is Frank." A tiny arm gestures at Frank.
"Hello.""Sketchy. Sketchy. I can't draw." "Don't think we're gonna get much answers out of it," Luv shrugs.
>>746246PT pulls back a bit in confusion, before wheeling in circles around you, his little wheel squeaking.
"Not wood. Not wood. …Are you a liar?">>746247"Maybe on the way back. Might have to try setting a trap or something if we do."
>>746251>>746249>>746250>>746240>>746241You gather yourselves and push on, going into the fog. If it weren't for Vandal marking the way, you'd be well and truly lost. In due time, you reach where the blue light is. Or was. There's nothing there now but a winding path onward, leading out of the fog. Following it takes you to what looks like the remains of a camp someone made once. It's a bundle of sticks, vines and grass vaguely resembling a tent, long since collapsed. There's two paths leading onward from here; one going uphill, and one going down. The downward path seems to lead to running water from the sound of it, while the upward path leads to another Archtree.
"Lost?" PT asks. "I don't think so," Luv muses. "Pretty sure this is where we saw it. Right, Vandal?" "Still think we should check out the tree," Chekhooves grunts, batting aside a spiderweb.
>roll Perception No.746256
>>746255"I hope this isn't trouble." Gale says, carefully walking along.
Perception [1d10]
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.746258
>>746255Areia puts her focus more on the downhill path debating if whatever had been here was looking for fresh water.
[1d10] Peepers Jeepers
Roll #1 6 = 6 No.746262
>>746255Gigi blushes a little and adjusts her hood some, looking away. "Habit," she says. "Easier than long, boring designations."
"I have a friend-friend too!" Frank says. He gestures at PT. "Named Pete! Hello!" He points to Fir. "Not wood. I think it's because of the hair on his body. The Fir. I haven't asked. It seemed rude."
>>746255Gigi hums. "Well," she says. "Whatever was here seems gone for now." She idly kicks at the sticks and looks around, trying to peer through the fog. "You got anything, Frank?"
"Scanning now!" Frank slowly pans around, looking for anything that catches his eye.
[1d10]Gigi
[1d10]Frank
Roll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 7 = 7 No.746264
>>746255"Named after wood. Sorry." he says, chuckling a little bit.
>>746255>>746249"Tug on my neck if you spot something I don't- we'll want to be prepared if something tries to jump on you." he says, before taking a look around for the blue light. He frowns a bit as they come to another two paths, and a ruined camp, saying "A… camp? Would the robot have done this, or is someone out here?"
>Perception [1d10]Roll #1 1 = 1 No.746268
>>746255"Pretty sure yeah, wonder if it was watching us, kinda spooky." Vandal says, keeping her wits about her.
[1d10] percep
>>746264"Who knows, maybe a scientist got lost in the fog, we could've easily if i didn't mark stuff"
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.746270
>>746262>>746264The tiny lights on the side of his main receptor flash in a pattern. PT looks at Fir, then at Frank, then at Fir, then at Frank again.
"Weird," he concludes.
>>746256>>746258>>746262>>746264>>746268You look around the site. You manage to discern that it was indeed a person who camped here; there's an empty canteen nearby. Looking around some more, you notice something up on the Archtree ahead; the bark on some parts looks… singed. Freshly too; it's still smoking. Luv grins as she sees it. "Looks like we're on the right track. Question is, how do we know where to go from here. It definitely went up, but we can't all go up. And if we split up the group, we might be in trouble…"
Fir moves ahead, only to find himself ensnared by something. He stops dead in his tracks, finding that he can't move. Tugging reveals almost invisible gossamer threads strung across the narrow path. He's stuck in some sort of web.
Something disturbs the bushes nearby.
"Fear," says PT.
No.746277
>>746270Vandal pulls out her cans of spray paint, offering a small grin, "These things are getting more practical use than they are artistic."
Vandal sprays ahead of wherever Fir walks with occasional bursts of paint, making sure no gossamer webs the part, "Let's hope this one isn't poisonous."
No.746743
>>746270Frank nods sagely. "I know, right? And the nice Dragon lady's name is Aria, but she doesn't even sing? Vandal's name fits. She's an artist, and a pro on her skates. You should see her. It's real neat. I guess Gale -the intense looking groof- makes sense since he flies? Gigi's name makes sense too. Her name is short for 'Giselle Goldenheart' and she's a real sweetie, even though she pretends like she isn't. I'm expecting Chechooves to come in really handy some day." He taps his chin. "Am I forgetting someone?" A spark arcs somewhere inside him as he realizes, and his body sags some. "Oh. Luv. Another not perfect name. She's kind of mea- kind of mea- kind of mean." He perks right back up. "Anyway! What are your hobbies? Any passions? What do you want out of life, Petey-boy?"
Gigi tenses a little at the exchange, but decides not to interfere for fear of an extended introduction. Her beak clenches, and she shivers a little as she notices the webs.
Frank hums and looks down at the webbing. "I can make something for this!" His chassis starts clanking as he tries to produce what is effectively a small makeshift Jacob's Ladder to sear the webs away. When it's done, he plays a soft
ding noise and his chassis pops open.
[1d10]Go go gadget PK Thunder
>>746277"Venomous," Frank corrects.
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.746744
>>746743"What if it some of it gets in my mouth, then I don't want it to be poisonous either!"
No.746745
>>746270"Mm. Hmmm. I think I know what it's scared of, then." He says, trying to stay in place. "If I try to struggle, I think I'm going to call whatever made it over. Unless there's no other option, I'll wait for now."
No.746746
>>746744Frank fixes her with a stare and gives a respectful nod. "Oh, good thinking! Sasuga Vandal-san."
No.746747
No.746750
>>746277"Artistic?" the elk asks, tilting his head to the side. "I think I've seen some spray paint used from time to time… you should show me sometime."
No.746751
>>746744>>746270Vandal also commits a single claw to testing if she can cut through it.
>Claws: passive; Felids have natural claws that they can extend and retract at will. Unarmed attacks can now deal wound damage and count as Dual weapons for the purpose of skills.[1d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.746752
>>746751>Riposte: passive; Whenever you make a successful attack that is not Dual Wielding, you follow up with your off-hand weapon. Roll a 1d3, and add the result to the damage dealt.[1d3] bonus damage in case it has hitpoints
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.746754
>>746270The dragon sighed and drew her blade once more as she looked around trying to see if she could spot the source of the webbing.
[1d10] Where it at?
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.746755
>>746270"So" Gale begins, looking over the camp. "We aren't the first. Hopefully we're the last. I just don't trust jobs where I'm not the first crew to go in. Someone messed up, now we gotta fix their mistake and finish the job."
No.746756
>>746743"Cool," says PT after Frank's long-winded introductions to the crew.
He thinks for a good long while, unsure how to process the question.
"………..I help.">>746277>>746743"What's the difference?" Chekhooves asks genuinely.
>>746277>>746743>>746751>>746754>>746755Vandal manages to expose the web with her paint, slicing through it with her claws. Frank makes short work of the rest of it, frying the web with an electrical burst. Fir plops to the ground, unharmed. Areia notices some insectoid eyes peering out from the bushes, but they retreat as the web is destroyed. Whatever it was, it seems to have chosen to disengage.
Luv seems to have noticed it too. "Phew. That was close. Now, where to from here. We could check out that creek further downhill, or go up that hill to the Archtree."
"Still think we should double back and keep exploring the tree with all the worker drones," Chekhooves remarks, going mostly unheard.
PT starts getting bored, arbitrarily choosing Gale to stick close to for now. He starts wheeling in circles around him while you make a decision, doing donuts in the dirt and dead leaves.
No.746757
>>746756"I like you! I help too! It's good to help."
He looks up at Chekhooves and says, "Poisons are usually poisonous no matter how you get em in you, but you have to get a venom into your bloodstream. That's what the fangs are for!"
Gigi watches as Vandal and Frank completely destroy the web and grins. "Damn. Good job, guys." Frank beams with pride, pulls the Jacobs Ladder back into his chest, and a faint whir buzzes inside him as he dismantles it back into its base parts.
"Anyway-" Gigi looks up at the tree and squints. "I dunno. Probably should check the tree out first. If there's nothing at the creek it'd be harder for you guys to get back uphill than it would be to get downhill if there's nothing in the tree." She looks toward Checkhooves. "You think it'd stick around one of the abandoned bases if it was pointedly trying to stay away from PanGal? Anything in particular that stands out to you about it?"
No.746758
>>746756Areia paused then headed for the stream. She figured who ever was camping her might be looking for food, water, or maybe just a bath. Honestly she could use a dip herself right now to cool herself down mentally and physically.
No.746759
>>746756>>746752>>746743Fir wiggles his legs a little bit once he's cut free, dipping his head in thanks before taking a look around. "Hrm… where to now, then?"
No.746760
>>746758Gigi deadpans and follows Areia. "Or I guess we're headed to the the creak. Better than sitting around bullshitting."
No.746761
>>746756"Hey there little guy. How's it going?" Gale asks PT, curious for another eccentric answer. While waiting, he chimes into the discussion. "Up the hill. I want a vantage point on this thing."
No.746762
>>746756>>746759"Thinking what Gigi's thinking, check out the bases to see if any machinery of flashing light's making it go haywire." Vandal says, continuing to occasionally spray ahead of Fir to make sure there aren't any more webs.
No.746763
>>746757"Not saying it's still there, just pointing out it'd be a good starting point for following its trail," Chekhooves clarifies.
>>746761His lights flash in a pattern, not responding. He keeps making a donut around you, then moves into the circle's interior and leaves a mark there. Between that and your own footprints, he's drawn a smiley face. He draws back and admires his handiwork, then looks up to you.
"Good.">>746758>>746759>>746760>>746761>>746762"Down it is. Maybe we're overthinking this little campsite," Luv remarks. "Was probably made by a PanGal expedition at some point or something."
You head down to the creek. Going downhill proves a bit tricky, as the ground becomes significantly more slippery, turning into a mudslide. You can see that it's not just any creek; off to the left, it drops down sharply into a little waterfall. It seems shallow, but not shallow enough to cross without difficulty. Nothing else really stands out to you on first glance. It's pretty here though. Off in the distance from the waterfall, you can see a faint blue shimmer, marking the edge of PanGal's territory. PT seems to have trouble gripping the mud with his wheel, wobbling unsteadily and almost falling over. Luv crosses her forelegs and surveys the area wordlessly.
No.746764
>>746763Gigi sighs and looks around the area, not expecting to find much. "And, like I said, it's gonna be a bitch and a half for all the non-fliers to get back up that hill."
[1d10] Perception
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.746765
>>746763Areia immediately began to scan the area for some sign of whoever was camping her or perhaps the person them self being hidden nearby.
[1d10] Hide and Seek
>>746764"What's got you all pissy?" she asked a bit surprised by the griping.
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.746766
>>746763Vandal plays sentry atop the friendly stag.
[1d10] Perception
>>746764"I technically can fly for a short period of time if I've got enough space to build momentum and a ramp, just don't want to have broken limbs as well as a recently damaged circulatory system."
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.746767
>>746766"Please don't do that." the stag says, letting out a somewhat nervous huff.
>>746763>>746764"It'll be a pain, yeah. Let's worry about it later, though." he says, trying to take a look around.
>Perception [1d10]Roll #1 6 = 6 No.746768
>>746765Gigi pulls off her cap and wipes her forehead. Deciding it's way too muggy for her sweatshirt, she pulls it off and stuffs it into Frank's chest, leaving her in just an oil stained white tank. She slides her cap back on her head backwards and rubs her neck. "I dunno. Sorry. I'm not used to working with groups, so I guess I just got a little annoyed that there wasn't any kind of talking before we decided on the creek. My bad."
>>746766"That sounds both terrifying and hella fun."
No.746769
>>746768"… Sorry, just… not a fan of this planet. Too many clankers, bad luck, its not a fun day for me."
No.746770
>>746763"Hmph. Don't listen to me then." Gale grumbles as he begrudgingly follows.
Seeing PT struggle, Gale offers some help. "Want a ride?" He asks with a claw outstretched.
No.746771
>>746769"Yeah, you're good. It's my bad. I'm just being whiny."
No.746772
>>746770"Ye-ye-yes please." PT rolls over and into your hand.
"Very kind.">>746764>>746765>>746766>>746767>>746770Looking around, you don't notice anything initially. Then, you hear it off in the distance; a faint, whistling sound, like something hurtling in your direction. You can't tell where it's coming from. Luv frowns. "That's not my tinnitus, is it?…"
PT perks up all of a sudden, his aperture eye narrowing to a tiny point and lights flashing.
"Danger. Danger. Danger." No.746773
>>746772Areia responded by suddenly moving to Luv and grabbing her before trying to take to the sky to dodge a potential attack.
[1d10] Move!
Roll #1 6 = 6 No.746774
>>746772"Nope, that's something nasty coming, that's for sure." He says, trying to ready himself.
>Brace (Vandal?): [1d10]Roll #1 9 = 9 No.746775
>>746772"Sounds like showtime." Gale says, loading his gun and prepping his wings. "Hang on PT!" Gale says, flying up to search for the attacker.
Moving up [1d10]
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.746776
>>746772Vandal clings to Fir as her back arches naturally from stress, her eyes perking up as she tries to locate whatever's making the noise.
[1d10] perception
Roll #1 6 = 6 No.746777
>>746776>>746772Vandal fires blindly towards the noise, having gotten a bead on it's location.
>>Scorpion Energy Cell: passive; DC-1 while using this cell, but cannot deal lethal damage and does not have an Elementalist effect. Instead, targets rendered helpless by this cell cannot recover for 2 rounds, or 3 on a crit.>Rushed Shot: weapon, recharge 1; Fire your weapon quickly to make an opening. DC+1 to hit with this attack, but on hit, Rushed Shot counts as a free action.[1d10] Normal DC (+1 from Rushed Shot, -1 from Scorpion Energy Cell), CritDC-1 (Firearm)
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.746778
>>746772Gigi shoots into the air trying to avoid whatever the hell was incoming. Frank, on the other hand, wheels in circles, having no clue where to go.
[1d10]Gigi
[1d10]Frank- luck?
Roll #1 10 = 10 /
Roll #2 8 = 8 No.746779
>>746773>>746774>>746775>>746776>>746777You scatter just in time; the object whistling through the air happens to be a gigantic boulder, dropped down on you from an unknown location. Vandal's shots do nothing to it. You all manage to get out of the way just in time as it slams into the ground where you were just standing. A shockwave threatens to trip you, and a cloud of debris flies up. You find yourselves unharmed, but only just.
"Dammit!"You hear a distant synthesized voice cursing from somewhere above. Looking up, you see a shape taking off from the trees, soaring around on rocket thrusters to flee the assassination attempt. "Guess that's Wendell," Luv growls, firing a few potshots in its direction. No luck, though. The robot is too far away to shoot.
"I knew it was in the trees!" Chekhooves proclaims, starting to make his way back up the mudslide as best he can. "C'mon, we need to go after it. Right?"
"How are we meant to catch up?" Luv wonders out loud. "It's way ahead of us, and knows this place much better than we do. We're gonna have our work cut out for us. Stay frosty, gang."
No.746780
>>746779Welp. Found him. Gigi pulls her Tesla Pistol and watches Wendell take off. "You think the fliers should chase ahead? Like I said, Frank can follow my trail. Might be a hike, but we won't get completely split."
No.746781
>>746779"Right- we'd all best be prepared, and watch from above. I'd hate for someone to be underneath a boulder like that." the elk says, frowning a bit.
>Navigation [1d10+1] (+1 from Woodscraft)Roll #1 4 + 1 = 5 No.746782
>>746780>>746779"On the other paw, how
about splitting ourselves. Fliers could go to pince it location and send it back towards us, while we try to send it towards you. We already know we can't sneak up on it, it's got too good of sensors for that. It can't unflank itself though, especially with a flying party changing it's directions."
No.746783
>>746779>>746780"Alternatively I could try torching the place with Plasma and leaving nothing to hide behind. Otherwise Gigi has the best plan.
No.746784
>>746782"Yeah, that's not a bad idea."
>>746783"Well-" She spreads her wings. "You ready to hit it with the pincer attack?"
No.746785
>>746784She set Luv down and nodded as her wings opened wide.
No.746786
>>746779"Well, at least we know where it is now."
>>746782"Now there's an idea. A lot of us, not a lot of it. Don't know how much I want to corner this thing, but let's try it."
>>746784>>746785"Ready when you are."
No.746787
>>746786>>746785Gigi takes off after Wendell.
No.746789
>>746785>>746787>>746786You take off quickly after Wendell. Catching up to him will be no small feat; he is a nimble target, and is far ahead of you, zipping through the many layers of branches like it's nothing. You'll be hard pressed to follow his trail.
>roll Navigation>>746782>>746781>>746784PT hops down from Gale as he takes off. You and the others follow the fliers in the party; however, once they start making their way through the branches, you more or less lose sight. Frank's sensors point your group straight ahead, over the waterfall. There's a rocky path that'll lead you down to where the creek continues, but it won't be easy making your way down there unharmed. PT looks down.
"Very high. Ve-very high." "I have a bad feeling about this," Luv grumbles.
>roll Navigation No.746790
>>746789The dragon narrowed her eyes and prepped her best to try and tail him through the weaving path he was making.
[1d10] Nav
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.746791
>>746789"It's gotta have a pattern, all the AI's do, right Gigi?" Gale says, keeping a close eye on Wendell.
Navigation [1d10]
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.746792
>>746789Gigi clicks her tongue and tucks her claws back, darting toward the bot with as much speed as she can manage and still avoid branches.
[1d10]Navigation
>>746789"It'll be fiiine," Frank assures Luv. "Where's your sense of
adventure!? It's a leap of faith!" An adventurous theme full of brass music blasts from his voice modulator as he makes his way toward the rocky path.
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.746793
>>746792[1d10]Frank nav
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.746794
>>746791"Well, that depends on the AI. From the sound of it this guy is at least kinda complex. That means even if he follows an algorithm figuring it out and tracking him through it won't be easy."
No.746795
>>746789The stag lets out a soft snort, trying to keep himself steady as he begins to descend.
>Navigation: [1d10+1]Roll #1 9 + 1 = 10 No.746796
>>746789Vandal tries to help the others along, from her perch.
[1d10] nav
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.746798
>>746792>>746791>>746790You try moving through the many layers of exotic trees, but to no avail. He's all but vanished into the green. There's about as many ways he could have gone as there are leaves on the nearby Archtree. No immediate sign of him that you can tell.
>>746795>>746796Fir picks out a path, leading the way down for everyone else. It's slow going, but you manage to get to the bottom eventually. Unfortunately, looking up, it seems they lost Wendell's trail. Luv looks around, while PT picks up a pebble and skims it across the creek. "Well shit. Now what?"
No.746799
>>746798Areia narrowed her eyes a bit and decided to do a bit… constructive landscaping as she let loose a spray of Plasma as she flew forward hoping to maybe flush him out with.
[1d10] Dragon Breath (Plasma)
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.746800
>>746798"Lost in the brush then. Dammit."
>>746794"They can't do anything truly random. We can find it." Gale speaks into his comm
"No sight up here, you guys have any luck?" No.746801
>>746798Gigi groans. "Shit. Lost him again."
>>746800"I mean if I'd seen him more
maybe I could get Frank to run a pattern recognition protocol back at my apartment, but that'd be a stretch. Probably have more luck just scouting like we're doing"
No.746802
>>746798"Now, we try to find an idea of where this Wendell's gotten off to. There has to be something…" the elk says, peering around in the foliage.
>Perception [1d10]Roll #1 4 = 4 No.746803
>>746798"We keep looking for it I guess."
[1d10] reguilar perception roll
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.746804
>>746799You melt away some of the sticks and leaves. As you do so, you notice a path carved through the nearby foliage. It seems to lead straight up, soaring vertically a good few hundred meters before opening up to the skies above. Seems you found the way he went, at least; he's going as high as he possibly can to evade capture.
>>746802>>746803You don't see anything from where you are. Luv groans in frustration. "This'd be a lot easier if it couldn't fly around like this. We should've brought jetpacks or climbing gear or something. Feel like kicking myself for not thinking of that. So obvious…"
No.746805
>>746804 >>746803>>746802>>746801>>746800"He's going high, look to the skies and try to match him. She commed to the party as she gunned up the path trying to follow him.
[1d10] Nav if necessary
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.746806
>>746804>>746805"Gonna run out of fuel eventually, just keep it up."
Vandal waits.
No.746807
>>746805"Is it… trying to leave the atmosphere? How the hell are we supposed to stop that?" Gale asks, desperately trying to keep track of the bot.
Perception [1d10]
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.746808
>>746804>>746805>>746801Gigi swallows. "I, uh, I'm not sure how good I am with high altitude flying. I'll follow you guys, but how skilled are you?"
No.746809
>>746808[1d10]following
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.746810
>>746804"Mm. What happens, happens. We'll find it eventually." the stag says, taking another look around before stepping further.
>Perception: [1d10]Roll #1 7 = 7 No.746811
>>746809>>746805>>746807You follow the path that Wendell carved. As you do so, he comes back into view. Looks like he's not playing around anymore. You see a metallic shape moving rapidly in your direction, holding a huge, heavy branch outward like a battering ram. He's plummeting toward you at breakneck speed, intent on slamming through the lot of you as hard as he possibly can!
>>746810>>746806You look up, seeing the rest of the party fly up into the canopies. Through the thick bushes, Fir spots a shape moving toward them from above with violent intent. Luv sees the same and swallows. "That doesn't look good."
"Not good, not good," PT echoes. "What should we do?" Chekhooves asks nervously, springing to his feet and reaching for his gun.
No.746812
>>746811Areia went wide eyed but decided to go against the normal idea and instead rushed back at him aiming to take him out of the sky with one hit.
[1d10] Fancy Dodge
[1d10] Blast him with an autocrit plz
Roll #1 10 = 10 /
Roll #2 4 = 4 No.746813
>>746811Gigi takes a deep breath, aims her tesla pistol at him, cranks it into overcharge, and waits as he barrels toward them. When he's finally close enough, she squeezes off two overcharged lightning shots, trying to short him enough to send him tumbling.
[1d10]Falcon Burst Meltdown
[1d10]Meltdown
Roll #1 6 = 6 /
Roll #2 8 = 8 No.746814
>>746811Gale attempts to dive down below the rampaging bot. "Well now we don't have to find him!"
Dodge [1d10]
Roll #1 6 = 6 No.746815
>>746811"Well we can't do much, let's just take pot shots."
Vandal grabs a red object from her backpack, aiming it like a cannon. Firing a shot, a burst of swirling white vapor launches rapidly into the sky at the robot, starting to arch downwards but somehow landing it at it's distance.
>instant auto to swap weapons>Modified Fire Extinguisher: Energy Weapon, Ice, Ranged [Charges: 4]
>Aimed Shot: weapon; Take aim on an unexpecting target. If this is your first attack on your target this combat or if you have not dealt damage to them in the past 3 turns, then this skill becomes Automatic and deals 3 damage.Automatic, deals 3 damage and applies ice debuff.
>Ice: You spell is composed of bitter frost, chilling the target and leaving them brittle. Actions against them have their Crit Range increased by 1 next turn. Ice spells can be used to chill and freeze objects and the environment. No.746816
>>746815>>746811Fir huffs a little bit, and readies himself in case it tries anything.
>Counter: Moving Shape! No.747335
>>746812You dive out of the way with a graceful midair pirouette, diving upward to turn around and knock him out of the air. He's moving too fast for you to hit, though.
>>746813The pistol rattles and whirs in your claws, blasting the incoming robot as he gets hit by another shot from the side. Two devastating blasts of lightning wrack Wendell's chassis. You hear sparking and hissing along with a grunt of exertion as he spirals out of control, crashing through the branches and falling somewhere into the forest, out of sight. Seems you crippled him. He won't get far, but it's difficult to see where he fell.
>>746814You fly out of the way, dashing down through the greenery and towards your companions on the floor.
>>746815Bingo. You pull off an extremely difficult shot, knocking Wendell off balance and slowing his fall. You see him get blasted by electric shots, then fall into the forest somewhere. Luv whistles. "Great shot, kid," she says, sounding genuinely impressed. "That was one in a million!"
>>746816>>746815>>746814Gale rejoins the others down below. PT whirs over to him with a little squeak from his bad wheel.
"Missed you." "You alright?" Luv asks. "Looked like the robot was coming in hot."
No.747336
>>747335Gigi pumps her claw. "Fuck yeah! Got'em" She holstiers her pistol and dives toward where the robot crashed.
"Any of you catch where he landed?"[1d10]Perception if needed
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.747337
>>747335Vandal does a little wriggle dance from atop Fir's back, "Thanks Luv, I used to practice this from rooftops for like, hours on cops a few blocks away, made a little challenge to see how far I could ice one down the back." She clears her throat, "Literal ice I mean, this thing used to be a fire extinguisher, played with it a bit and then a friend worked it up a bit more."
No.747338
>>747335"I'm good. That went pretty much as good as it could." He says, giving PT a little pat on the head. "No time for celebration though. Let's find it before it gets back up."
>>747337Gale overhears Vandal's story and gives a small "Hm." in approval to himself.
No.747466
>>747335Areia remained silent as she scanned the ground for signs of wherever the robot landed.
[1d10] Perception
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.747467
>>747335"Where it landed? I'm not sure…" the elk says, glancing in the direction of where the robot went.
>Perception [1d10]Roll #1 6 = 6 No.747468
>>747337"Huh. That's pretty clever." She looks over the weapon with interest. "Can't say I would've thought of making something like that."
>>747338PT jerks backwards a little as Gale reaches out.
"No-no thank you." He doesn't seem to like being touched. Luv notices this with a bit of a frown. "You think someone treated him badly?" she muses.
>>747467>>747336>>747466>>747338>>747337You all come to pretty much the same conclusion: Wendell seems to have course corrected to go through one of the canopies and to one of the adjacent Archtrees. Looking at where you think he went, you can see that it's much like the one you encountered previously with all the mining robots, though this one seems to be abandoned. There's an elevator at the foot of the tree, but there's no telling whether it works or not without closer inspection.
No.747469
>>747468"
Think it's best we just keep up the whole flank-y thing of fliers tryna get behind it and we keep marching on forward. Gonna take a bit but we put some damage into it."
No.747470
>>747468"Could be a programmed precaution. Doesn't have a reason to be touched, getting living thing oils and such on circuitboards can't be good."
>>747468Gale walks over to the elevator and surveys the controls. "Anything interesting Gigi? You're the techy one."
No.747471
>>747468"Hrm… maybe try pressing a button or two on the elevator? Maybe it always does work."
No.747472
>>747468Gigi lands at the foot of the tree, walks over to the controls, and leans in. Before she actually does anything else, she tests it. "Depends on what's wrong," she says. "If it's not working because the place isn't powered or a software issue I can probably do something. Rusted seized up crankshaft or other big hardware problem? Can't do shit about that."
"I could!" Frank adds.
"Frank could," Gigi agrees. "But we'd also, you know, need to be inside. Which would defeat the purpose of fixing it in the first place."
[1d10]Perception
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.747473
>>747468Arrow wasted no time in beelining for the tree she thought he was in as she wanted this over quickly.
[1d10] Peepers work
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.747474
>>747469"It does make us more vulnerable though," Luv points out. "If this bot's going to keep trying to pick us off, it'll be harder for it to do so if we stick together."
>>747473You make a beeline for the tree, but get caught in a tangle of branches and vines, ensnaring you and forcing you to drop back down to ground level, rejoining the rest of the party. You get a bit scratched up in the process. PT does a double take as you land.
"Hel-hello.">Areia takes 1 hit>>747472>>747471>>747470>>747469>>747473The elevator is little more than a platform attached to a railing. It's old and rusted, but looks like it should still work. Gigi is correct in surmising that it needs power in order to function. Seems this whole outpost got shut down at some point. Luv touches her chin. "There's got to be a way to get this thing back online…"
No.747475
>>747474"Maybe jamming one of my swords backup battery cells?"
No.747476
>>747474Vandal shrugs, "That's why like, groups. The alternative is all together and it can evade us indefinitely as the wildlife picks us off."
No.747477
>>747474"Hrm… maybe we could find something to power it at the last station? Or, hidden around here."
No.747478
>>747474"It's supposed to be hidden so the genny is probably inside. We can look around for it, but I doubt it'll actually work." She glances up. "Yo! Frank! Think you can tether your power supply to this thing for a bit?"
Frank makes his way over to the control panel, pops his chassis open, and works on dismantling it. "I can try!" Gigi, in the meantime, flies up to actually look for any kind of generator that she's pretty positive wouldn't be outside, along with maybe some other way in.
[1d10]Frank Engineering
[1d10]Gigi perception
Roll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 9 = 9 No.747479
>>747474"I bet there's reserve power. Nopony would go to some jungle planet without accounting for power failures."
"Just a matter of finding it" He says as he goes off to search for anything of the like
[1d10] Perception
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.747480
>>747476"Well, he can't have gone too far. Looked like they winged him pretty good. I reckon we should stick together at least till we get eyes on him, then we can split up and try and flank him or something."
>>747478>>747479>>747477>>747476>>747475Sure enough, the wires lead somewhere above. Looks like you'll have to find another way to get the power working, at least temporarily. Flying up is out of the question too; there's a solid metal platform marking the start of the outpost, overgrown by a good year or so's worth of vines and such. Seems like either a robot or Areia's sword powering it up will be the best option, at least until you can get the generator back online.
PT volunteers to keep the elevator running while you look around, wheeling up eagerly and extending some spindly devices to plug in.
"I help." Luv looks to Areia and Gigi with a bit of a shrug. "Up to you guys how we go about it I guess. All three options seem viable."
No.747481
>>747480She shrugged and looked for somewhere to shove a battery into on the elevator.
No.747482
>>747480"Why don't we just plug the lil guy in? He seems eager to help."
No.747483
>>747482>>747480"Might as well try- if he's willing to help, it's probably the best solution."
No.747484
>>747480"Yep. Looks like until we get it running from inside we gotta use an outside power source."
>>747481"If you don't mind losing one of your batteries for a bit then I can rig it." She holds her claw out. If given, she gets to work.
[1d10]
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.747485
>>747480"Seems like the little guy has the plan." He says, following along PT
No.747487
>>747483>>747482>>747481>>747484>>747485Areia plugs one of her batteries into the elevator's power supply after a bit of rewiring. It doesn't seem designed for heavy mechanisms such as these, and will expend its power supply in order to power it.
The elevator slowly comes back online. Luv presses the button to go up as PT wheels onto it. It shudders and groans dangerously as it comes back to life, squeaking and clanking while it takes you up to the abandoned outpost.
As you get up there, you see that it's quite similar to the one you encountered earlier, with the robots drilling into the tree; however, it's been abandoned for a long time. There's no robots left, and the tree trunk is riddled with close-together holes like a honeycomb. This outpost seems much bigger than the other, separated into five ringed platforms around the Archtree. Each platform is accessible via elevators like the one you just took. "Doesn't seem practical to use all our batteries getting them working again," Luv muses. "We should look for that generator. As well as any signs of Wen-"
On cue, you hear some metallic scraping coming from the topmost ring, as well as a synthesized groan of exertion.
"Ah… Fuck…" Seems like he's wounded and trying to lay low.
No.747488
>>747487Areia's wings kicked open as she threw the backup cell into her sword and immediately went hunting for the robot.
[1d10] Perception
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.747489
No.747490
>>747487"Well, that was easy. Wanna send a couple of us to look for the generator while a couple go finish up with the bot?"
No.747492
>>747487>>747490"Feel like finding a generator would be the priority right? It doesn't exactly have an easy way out. Long as we keep an eye out on the way we came from, all it can really do is hide in rooms."
No.747493
>>747487>>747490"Careful. We don't know what a cornered beast will do." He says as Areia charges off.
"Guess we have two beasts now." He says with a sigh.
No.747494
>>747487"One of us could stay here, in case the bot tries to blow past us and get out. Though, not sure what it can do."
No.747495
>>747492"Yeah. Sounds good to me. Just hope it's actually on the first ring. Be neat if we could get an idea of how the place is laid out, but kinda seems like we just have to sweep the place."
No.747496
>>747494"Far as we know, it's not equipped with any real weapons. Which means it'll be improvising to defend itself. It also has jet thrusters, we know that for a fact. All in all, looks like we're dealing with a nimble, tricky bot. Wouldn't surprise me if it had more traps planned."
>>747488>>747490>>747492>>747494>>747493You find the generator fairly easily; it's on the bottom ring you're on now. Surrounding it are several of the worker robots you spotted before. Curiously, though, the generator actually seems to be working. "This place is operational?" Luv thinks out loud. "Then how come the elevator…?"
You hear a faint hissing sound coming from the robots surrounding you. Looking at them, you see red lights flashing on their surfaces as they begin to activate in some way. You smell chemical smoke coming from them. It's like something turned them all on all of a sudden.
"Bad," says PT, quickly wheeling backwards.
No.747497
>>747496Areia drew her blade and immediately swung at the nearesy robot to take it out now.
[1d10] Blast, autocrits due to robot
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.747498
>>747496"Shoulda saw that coming, that thing knows how to put security functions on. Shit." As Gale says he steps back with PT, keeping a close eye on him. "Though I don't mind having to shoot my way out. Let's do this."
He says as he summons a clone.
Summon Clone [1d10]
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.747499
>>747497Areia actually stamps her foot and puts her booming voice on.
"Tell us whats going on and how to stop it rust bucket!"
No.747500
>>747496Vandal waits atop Fir nervously, not wanting to open fire and incur the bots' wrath right away. "That doesn't look good no."
No.747501
>>747496"Oh, jeeze." Gigi flicks her wrist and brings the plasma pistol to her claw while pulling her tesla pistol with the other. She fires a shot at two different bots.
[1d10]Falcon Burst, Plasma
[1d10]Lightning
Roll #1 10 = 10 /
Roll #2 10 = 10 No.747502
>>747496>Counter: Closest robot to the party."Bad, hmm. Let's be ready to back out in case these do something nasty."
No.747503
>>747497>>747499They don't seem to have much in the way of intelligence, but the flashing red and smoking gives you a pretty strong hint as to what's about to happen.
>>747498You fail to summon a clone.
>>747501You get ready to throw down if need be.
>>747502>>747501>>747500>>747499>>747498The flashing and the smoking continues, starting to intensify. They begin to rattle and shake as they activate, starting to congregate and move towards you, slowly at first but steadily gaining in speed. A voice rings out through a nearby intercom.
"See ya."Luv grits her teeth and dashes backwards. "Drop!"
No.747504
>>747503"Oh no," Frank says. "I know that noise." Gigi spreads her wings to try and get away from the pending explosion and Frank puts it in reverse.
[1d10]
[1d10]
Roll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 4 = 4 No.747505
>>747503Areia went for the elevator shaft and looked to see if she could just blow the door open instead so she could ferry people up
[1d10] Run
[1d10] Perception
Roll #1 4 = 4 /
Roll #2 2 = 2 No.747506
>>747503As Gale realizes his spell failed he notices the bots about to blow and dives back towards cover while hopefully being able to reach out and secure PT.
Go for Cover [1d10]
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.747507
>>747503>>747505Using Fir as a jump off point, Vandal tries to help push Areia further from the robots with her powered skates, seeing as they're unlikely to stay standing given their previous injuries.
>Moody's Shuffle: passive/instant automatic, recharge 2; Build up momentum using electromagnetic inline skates and launch forward towards a target. Move to an adjacent zone and gain +2 to any other combat action this turn. Passively, you can use your inline skates to skate and grind against terrain and even glide against walls for brief periods of time.[1d10] assisting Aeria
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.747508
>>747503>Go for Cover [1d10]>Brace: Gale [1d10]Fir, for what it's worth, tries to find something to put between him and the robots.
Roll #1 1 = 1 /
Roll #2 3 = 3 No.747509
>>747504>>747505>>747506>>747507>>747508The robots explode in a violent chain reaction. You manage to get out of the way so as not to be engulfed by it, but it still sweeps you off your feet. When you come to, you find yourselves in varying states of injury, ears ringing and seeing double.
>Vandal takes 7 hits>everyone else takes 1 wound PT pokes his head out of the rubble, a large chunk of shrapnel sticking out of it. Sparks are coming out from the impact zone, but he seems unharmed, albeit pinned by a big metal beam.
"Ow. …St-stuck. I am stuck. I am stuck. I am stuck."As for Luv, she's nowhere to be seen. Looks like she might have gotten blown off the edge by the blast.
No.747510
>>747509Areia groaned and stood with an annoyed look on her face "Tehy're getting that fucking robot as a head and nothing else." she said as she moved to the little robot and worked to free it.
[1d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.747511
>>747509Fir groans a little bit, shaking his head out and pushing some of the rubble off of himself.
>Distill Life: [1d10]"Let's find Luv, first thing's first. Worry about the robot after."
>Perception: [1d10]Roll #1 8 = 8 /
Roll #2 9 = 9 No.747512
>>747509Gigi hisses and rubs a shallow gash along the outside of her leg. "Like we're fighting some fucking action hero or some shit. Wonder how many more traps this crazy fuck has set up. You okay over there Fra-" She looks over at Frank and pauses. A piece of shrapnel juts out of a large dent caving in half of his face, periodically sparking. "I'm okay!" he assures her. "Just a little scra- scra- scra-" A large spark arcs around the piece of shrapnel and quietly pops. "Just a little scratch!"
"Right…" Gigi looks up. "Everyone else?"
>>747511"Ah, shit. Luv is gone?" She winces and pulls herself onto her paws.
No.747513
>>747509After wiping the hurt off his face, Gale heads over to PT, being careful to lift around him rather than lift PT himself.
"Can you get the beam up Areia?" He asks cautiously.
No.747514
>>747512"From what I can tell- we ought to look."
No.747515
>>747509Vandal groans, "Maybe I should've stayed on Fir." She weakly pulls herself up, standing shakily on her skates. "Well uh, least these bots don't pull themselves back together. One threat uh.. 'dealt with'."
No.747516
>>747515Fir lets out an annoyed huff, and gently lifts the cat up and on to his back.
No.747517
>>747510>>747513You put your back into lifting and free PT from under the beam. He scoots out, now wobbling slightly on his wheel due to some damage sustained. He's surprisingly durable for such a tiny bot.
"Thank you. Thank you.">>747511>>747512"Over here!"
You hear Luv calling from somewhere nearby. She seems to be mostly unharmed, but stuck in one of the adjacent trees, clinging to a vine close to the level above you. "You guys go on ahead, I think I see a way over. Stay in touch with the commlinks, yeah?"
No.747518
>>747516"-Hhey now, you're hurt, I don't wanna put strain on your back now."
>>747517"Luv you were just talking about not splitting up, don't need you getting damsel'd by a robot ambush. One of the winged folks can go fetch you and you'll be back here like, right now."
No.747519
>>747517>>747518"Was about to say the same thing. You sure Luv?"
No.747520
>>747517>>747510THe dragon grimaced "Can you toss me one of those stims?" she asked as she looked to see if the generator was still intact.
No.747521
>>747517"Are you alright? Tread carefully on your own." he says, shaking his head a bit.
>>747518>>747520"I'll be fine. Used to it." he says as he pushes one of his syringes into Vandal's claws, administering another to Areia.
>Using the remaining one on Vandal, to full (1 over?) No.747522
>>747521Thanks.
>Use the needle immediately. No.747523
>>747517Finding that Luv is alright Gigi turns her attention to Frank. "Gimme just a sec. I'll get this ding fixed up and patched." She pulls out a pair of pliers and holds him still to jerk the shrapnel out of his face.
[1d10]Tinker
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.747524
>>747523"Biti-biting down."You wrench the shrapnel out. The little robot spasms and shuts off. …Then he reboots.
"System-systems online. …Hello." Looks like it just broke the chassis. Nothing internal is broken. He'll be fine.
>>747518>>747519>>747521"I, uh, guess that makes sense. Sorry. Think I got my bell rung…" She nods and waits for someone to come and grab her.
>>747520The generator is protected by some sort of force field to prevent from lasting damage, as well as interlopers like yourselves. You won't be able to do much with it unless you manage to deactivate that.
>>747521>>747520>>747523You use the needles to patch yourselves up.
>Areia and Vandal are healed back to full hits>>747523>>747522>>747521>>747519>>747518You hear a nearby elevator start to power up, alongside the sound of robots moving above you. Seems like Wendell's sending more of the reprogrammed workers to check out the explosion area and finish the job.
No.747525
>>747524>>747523The dragon snorted and sighed as the noise got louder.
"Might wanna setup a trap there bomb bird." she said as she motioning to the elevator.
No.747526
>>747525"Are you gonna get her? Think you're a little more cut out for it." He says to Areia, a little worried of not being strong enough.
No.747527
>>747524>>747525Gigi rolls her eyes. "Yep. That'd be a good idea." She casually walks over to the elevator, pops off a microcharge, and rigs it to the side without the control panel.
[1d10]Sabotage
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.747528
>>747524>>747527"Hrm. Hopefully that handles the most of them- I don't know if there's too much we can do to stop them otherwise."
No.747529
>>747526>>747524"Luv? oh yeah." she said as she opened her wings and went to go fetch the kirin.
No.747530
>>747524Vandal sits on Fir's back, injecting the needle.
>>747521"Thanks big guy."
No.747531
>>747530Fir flicks his tail a little, and nods.
No.747532
>>747529You manage to grab her and bring her back in one piece. "Thanks," she mutters, dusting herself off. "You alright?"
>>747527>>747525>>747526>>747528>>747529Gigi manages to rig a bomb trap. The elevator comes down, carrying more of the mining robots. They seem to be rigged to explode on contact with you. They start wheeling toward you with murderous intent!
"Shit! Get back!" Luv starts taking potshots at them in an attempt to blow them up before they reach your group!
No.747533
>>747532Gigi darts away from the elevator and pops her charge.
[1d10]
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.747534
>>747532Areia nodded "Yeah, lucky your cute and paying us or I wouldn't have bothered." she joked before turning and facing the robots as she waited for Gigi to set her bomb off before she tried to help.
No.747535
>>747532"You gotta be kidding!" Gale says, also taking shots at the robots. "Getting real sick of these walking grenades!"
Shoot [1d10]
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.747536
>>747532"I ought to buy a gun, eventually." Fir says, trying to block the worst of it.
>Brace: [1d10]Roll #1 6 = 6 No.747537
>>747536>>747532"We can get the one I found on the pirate ship outfitted to hooves, I don't need two ranged weapons anyways." Vandal says, taking some shots from the back of Fir.
>Aimed Shot: weapon; Take aim on an unexpecting target. If this is your first attack on your target this combat or if you have not dealt damage to them in the past 3 turns, then this skill becomes Automatic and deals 3 damage. No.747538
>>747534>>747532Seeing everybody else unload she joins in and lets a torrent of dragon breath out.
[1d10] Plasma breath.
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.747539
>>747534She frowns a bit at that, looking a bit perturbed by the comment.
>>747534>>747533>>747535>>747536>>747537>>747538You unload on the robots, causing another chain explosion. Luckily, you're far enough away this time that you're just ruffled slightly by the shockwave. Unfortunately, the blast knocks the elevator out of commission.
Chekhooves chimes in, having been quietly helping out this whole time. "That can't be the only way up, can it? There's got to be some other way. Hm…"
"Try jumping," PT suggests unhelpfully.
Luv starts rooting through the robot remains for anything of use.
No.747540
>>747539She raised a brow at the frown. Apparently she was very bad at jokes.
She looked to the others "They probably have stairs somewhere if they follow basic fire safety for their fleshy employees."
No.747541
>>747539"Well, I didn't really want to
have to, but if we can't find some kind of stairs or something the ones who can fly can at least get through the top of the elevator and take the shaft." She joins Luv in looting the scrap.
[1d10+2]
Roll #1 5 + 2 = 7 No.747542
>>747539"If it came down to it, I guess we could jump… maybe there's some vines, or something? Ladder? Knock something down for an impromptu one?"
>[1d10] SearchRoll #1 3 = 3 No.747543
>>747539"I've also skated up elevator shafts plenty, if the situation calls for it. Probably best to either fashion a ramp or find stairs though."
Vandal searches around for something like that [1d10]
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.747544
>>747541Rifling through their remains, you find that some good came of it at least. Their mining lasers are high quality, and could be used as components in a custom energy weapon. Or just sold for cash money.
>Mining laser x2 >>747540>>747542>>747543>>747541Vandal manages to find a set of corkscrew stairs that lead up to level 2. As you approach, though, the trapdoor slams shut on you.
"Nope," says Wendell through the PA system. Luv crosses her forelegs. "Like that's stopped us before." Chekhooves looks to Areia, waiting for her to do the honors. PT, in the meantime, finds a terminal nearby, and plugs into it without anyone asking him to. He seems interested in whatever he's found.
No.747700
>>747544Gigi digs the lazer out of the scrap and looks it over. "Oh, shit. Neat." She tucks it away and makes her way to the stairs.
>>747544Frank walks over to PT. "Got something there, little buddy?"
No.747701
>>747544She sighed and hit the switch to set her sword into a meltdown and swung.
[1d10] (Meltdown)
>Meltdown, Weapon Skill, Bring your Energy weapon to its full, lethal potential. Attack autocrits, but also auto-critfails. Counts as 2 charges for the purposes of Overheating.Roll #1 8 = 8 No.747702
>>747544"Found something, PT?" The elk asks, keeping an eye and ear out for trouble.
>[1d10] PerceptionRoll #1 9 = 9 No.747703
>>747544>>747701"I feel silly bringing a crowbar around at this rate, that seems a lot more effective than just prying something open." Vandal notes from Fir's back.
No.747704
>>747544"Damn, its like he's always one step ahead." He says out loud, upset with being stuck here. "How does it always know what we're gonna do next?"
Gale looks around for security cameras or sensors that aould otherwise br tipping Wendell off.
Perception [1d10]
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.747705
>>747703"Not as destructive, though," Chekhooves points out.
>>747701You rev up your greatsword and plunge it into the trapdoor, carving through it like it's made of paper. You are met with a hazard, however: destroying the trapdoor has taken out some electrical equipment on the other side. Several live, sparking wires are dangling through; making contact with them will almost certainly result in a deadly shock. From upstairs, you can hear the low idle hum of one of the exploding mining robots from before.
>>747704You notice some black boxes mounted on the massive tree trunk at regular intervals. They might have something to do with how he's monitoring you as you explore. Luv notices them too. "Biosensors. Should've known they'd have them in an all-robot facility. He must be plugged into the system."
>>747700>>747702>>747701>>747703>>747704As PT plugs in, he seems to download something from there. A little chip pops out of his head for using with a datapad.
"Map!"Before you can react, however, the terminal seems to overload, short circuiting and kicking PT out. Literally. He goes wheeling backward, stuttering from an electric shock.
"Owowowowowowowowow." He doesn't seem badly damaged, but the terminal is unusable now.
No.747706
>>747705>>747704>>747703>>747702>>747700"Anybody got a grenade? Or feel like shooting these wires down?" she asked popping the cell out and throwing in her last for now. She needed to make this one last a bit.
No.747707
>>747705>>747703"Bingo." Gale says finding the sensors. "V, can you take those out? Being obscured is gonna help. And if its bio sensors and not normal cameras, Frank's effectively invisible."
No.747708
>>747707>>747705"Can certainly try."
Vandal attempts to skate up a tree to spray over some cameras.
>Moody's Shuffle: passive/instant automatic, recharge 2; Build up momentum using electromagnetic inline skates and launch forward towards a target. Move to an adjacent zone and gain +2 to any other combat action this turn. Passively, you can use your inline skates to skate and grind against terrain and even glide against walls for brief periods of time.
>Blind: recharge 1 after effect ends; Temporarily blinds an enemy, giving a +2 bonus to all actions targeting it for 2 turns. Can also be used to block sight of cameras, guards, and other visual reliant objects. On Crit the target’s senses are blocked completely, causing all their non-Crit attacks to miss next turn.[1d10+2]
Roll #1 1 + 2 = 3 No.747709
>>747705"Hmm- a map, you say? Good job." he says, picking the robot back up and patting its head. "So… any extra passages through? Maybe we can get around him."
No.747710
>>747705"Oh, hell yeah." Gigi takes the chip and slips it into her datapad. "At the very least we don't have to go in blind anymore."
No.747711
>>747707>>747708Vandal sprays the biosensor over. It doesn't do much other than just cover it with paint. They're not reliant on visuals. "Maybe we could just shoot them," Chekhooves suggests. "He'll know where we are, but if we retrace our steps, he won't be able to pick up our trail. Right?"
>>747709>>747710>>747708>>747707>>747706Gigi takes a look at the map. She can see that there are biosensors on every floor of the facility, making it nigh impossible to avoid detection. However, there are two routes between the floors: the stairs, which are currently blocked off by live wires, or the elevator platform you saw before. The latter is sure to be controlled by Wendell, so you'll have to try to wrest control away from him if you take this option.
No.747712
>>747711"Does that shaft run all the way to the top by any chance?"
No.747713
>>747711"We have to find some way to get him out of the picture." Gale says, pacing away from the rest. "There's gotta be some sort of exploitable weakness in him somewhere."
No.747714
>>747711>>747708"Well, shit. Yo! Looks like those things are on every level, too! Doesn't look like there's a way around them beyond either flat out destroying them or sending someone without a biosignatire, either. Elevator and stairs are the only way up."
>>747711"Not sure. Lemme check. I'll see if I can't shoot you guys a copy of this thing, too." She does just that, attempting to share a copy of the map between the others datapads.
No.747715
>>747711"Mmm. Just going to be hard no matter what then, hmm. Stairs?"
No.747716
>>747714"Any chance of killing all the power? I think we still have those nightvision things from that pirate mission."
No.747717
>>747714>>747711Vandal frowns, "Well they aren't exactly gonnna shoot back, nothing we'd lose from taking them all out."
No.747718
>>747716>>747717>>747713>>747714>>747715"Hacking the elevator seems like a good bet," says Luv. "Easier than getting rid of all those wires, at least."
"Do we even know how to do that?" Chekhooves asks.
"Hack-hackerman." PT bounces on his wheel eagerly.
At the talk of all the biosensors, Luv shrugs and shoots one. It sparks and explodes violently, emitting a cloud of acrid chemical smoke and a burst of magitek energy. An alarm starts going off, and sprinklers activate. "Shit. Gonna have to be careful about taking them out, then."
"I like the idea of turning the power off, though," Chekhooves comments. "Would solve the wire problem and the sensor problem. Though, we wouldn't be able to interact with much…"
No.747719
>>747718"Yes but neither would he. He couldn't direct anything or close anything else remotely."
No.747720
>>747718>>747719"And with the sword we don't exactly need security panels to open doors." Vandal adds.
No.747721
>>747719>>747720>>747718"Not the worst idea. The biggest danger will still be the robots, though."
No.747722
>>747718"Guess it doesn't really matter if we can interact with much as long as we can destroy shit to get through the place. I don't think we should go so far as to destroy it, but we could always try shutting the generator down temporarily. Think that'd work out?"
No.747723
>>747721"True but maybe they'll go dormant with the power out."
No.747724
>>747718Gotta be careful. We shut this olace down and Wendell might just leave." He thinks to himself. "Suppose hes hurt though. Probably won't be able. Alright, how do we get this place off."
No.747725
>>747723"Better than nothing, I guess. I'll try taking the lead- I should be able to stave off the worst of it."
No.747726
>>747719"Stalemate," PT comments.
>>747725>>747724>>747723>>747722>>747720You retrace your steps and go back to the power generator, where you were ambushed by the exploding robots before. It's still running, and suffered minimal damage from the chain explosions. Looks like it's built to withstand heavy damage; you might have to interface with it somehow, but there doesn't seem to be a place to turn it off. PT tilts his head in confusion at not being able to just plug in.
No.747727
>>747726"I'd offer to overload it but I have one cell left while the others recharge so maybe just plasma breath?"
No.747728
>>747727>>747726"Is it possible to charge your cells with it and drain the power that way?" Vandal inquires.
No.747729
>>747726Gale checks the wires coming off of it, seeing if any are weak and critical enough to be cut to stop power.
Perception [1d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.747730
>>747726"Hrm… maybe Gigi could fiddle with it? I'm not sure where to start with this."
>Perception: [1d10]Roll #1 2 = 2 No.747731
>>747728>>747728"That's… not a bad idea actually."
No.747732
>>747730"Yeah, me and Frank can both see if we can do anything. Yo! Frank!"
"Aye boss!" Both start looking it over to try and figure out how it works, Frank looking for specifics while Gigi gives it a surface once-over.
[1d10]Perception, Gigi
[1d10]Engineering, Frank
>>747731>>747728"This thing is designed to run at least part of this whole place. Think your cells could even hold that much juice?"
Roll #1 5 = 5 /
Roll #2 10 = 10 No.747733
>>747732>>747730>>747729>>747728>>747727You notice that it seems to be built into the side of the tree itself, with the wiring running into the trunk and up to the other levels. It's like they've turned the tree into a sort of machine in its own right. You find a plug behind a panel that, when interacted with, would cause an overload that would shut off the power temporarily. Turning it off permanently seems to be done via remote access.
"I say we overload it, then try and make a run for the top level ASAP," says Chekhooves. "We're kind of running out of options," Luv grumbles, "and it's not like he's going to stay here forever. He's probably trying to patch up the damage. We need to strike quick before he gets away again."
No.747734
>>747733"They're right. Fliers grab somebody and put on some of the night vision things we have. We'll need to rush up and if we're carrying someone it might go faster."
No.747735
>>747733>>747731>>747730>>747729>>747728Frank locks his photoreceptors on the plug and loudly mumbles, "I'm in. If I overload the mainframe I can cut the power, giving us a direct route through to the next floor." He looks up at the party. "On my signal! On your marks! Get set!" He overloads the generator. "Go!"
"Ah, shit," Gigi darts out of the room and makes her way toward the stairs.
No.747736
>>747735"Lots of warning there buddy." Gale says to Frank as he dashes to follow along with Gigi.
No.747737
>>747733>>747735"Ah shit," Vandal says, hopping on Fir's back, "Let's get a move on."
No.747738
>>747733>>747737"Right. The sooner, the better." he says, looking back and making sure Vandal's settled before moving onwards.
No.747739
>>747738>>747737>>747736>>747735>>747734The lights dim, and everything around you shuts down. Not wasting any time, you start dashing up to the fifth level.
You make it there. It's by far the most spacious level, with plenty of room to maneuver. It opens up to a foliage canopy, and littered about are storage crates and deactivated mining robots. From somewhere close by, you can hear the sparking and fizzing of a robot working on repairs. Wendell must be close. "Stay sharp," Luv warns, pulling out her blaster. "This is it."
>roll Perception No.747740
>>747739Areia affixed her nighteyes and scanned the room.
(1d10] Perception.
No.747741
>>747740[1d10] damn phone.
Roll #1 1 = 1 No.747742
>>747739Gigi activates her cloaking device and shimmers away. Slowly, she creeps toward the noise.
[1d10]Perception
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.747743
>>747739Vandal readies a gun from atop Fir, keeping her eyes peeled.
[1d10]
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.747744
>>747739>Fortify Flesh: [1d10]>Perception: [1d10]Fir looks around, trying to stick in front of the rest of the group.
Roll #1 2 = 2 /
Roll #2 7 = 7 No.747745
>>747744>>747743>>747742>>747741Fir and Vandal notice something nearby; a shadow flitting between the crates. It's extremely fast; Areia only sees it out of the corner of her eye. "It's him," Luv whispers.
"Boo."A blast of bright blue magitek from the barrel of a blaster rifle. Areia gets hit with it point blank, almost getting blown off her feet by it. Magical electricity courses through her body, and her muscles are sluggish to respond.
>Areia takes 4 hits>-1 to recovery rollsYou hear the surge of his repulsors as he hides somewhere in the area again to reload!
Luv and Chekhooves take shots at the dark where they think he's gone!
No.747746
>>747745Areia let out a roar of pain and proceeded to start firing a gout of plasma breath where she thought he was hiding.
[1d10] Dragon Breath: Plasma
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.747747
>>747745Gigi takes a deep breath and slowly scans the area, pulling out both of her pistols.
[1d10]Perception
"Lemme at 'em, lemme at 'em!" Frank's front chassis pops open and he fires off a shotgun blast where Luv is shooting.
[1d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 /
Roll #2 1 = 1 No.747748
>>747745>Counter (Instant, Automatic)Fir's hard-light antlers flare to life as he whirls around, trying to ready for another attack.
>Distill Life (DC-1) [1d10]Roll #1 8 = 8 No.747749
>>747745"It's over there." Vandal says, aiming and firing
>Hunter's Eye: automatic instant, once per combat; Your vision, smell and hearing are unparalleled. An enemy targeted by this skill cannot use Stealth, is removed from Stealth if already using it, and you gain a +1 bonus to all attacks against the target until the end of combat. You can also see in the dark without the need for a light source.She fires her fire extinguisher at the bot.
>Modified Fire Extinguisher: Energy Weapon, Ice, Ranged [Charges: 4]
>Aimed Shot: weapon; Take aim on an unexpecting target. If this is your first attack on your target this combat or if you have not dealt damage to them in the past 3 turns, then this skill becomes Automatic and deals 3 damage.Automatic, deals 3 damage and applies ice debuff.
>Ice: You spell is composed of bitter frost, chilling the target and leaving them brittle. Actions against them have their Crit Range increased by 1 next turn. Ice spells can be used to chill and freeze objects and the environment. No.747750
>>747746You unleash a torrent of plasma, but only hit a mining robot, triggering its sensitive core. It starts to smoke and shudder before exploding violently. The impact triggers a second robot nearby, causing a small chain reaction. Looks like you'll have to be careful where you aim.
>>747747Frank's shot narrowly misses Luv. "Keep that slagheap in check!" she yells to Gigi angrily.
Gigi notices a bit of movement behind her, then to the right. He either just made a break for it, or threw some sort of distraction.
>>747748You stand poised to strike out as you prepare 3 more healing stimulants.
>>747746>>747747>>747748>>747749Vandal picks him out with her expert hearing; he's behind your group, trying to throw you all off the scent. She sprays him with her makeshift ice blaster, exposing him for the rest of the group.
"Shit. Gerroff!""Good work, Vandal. Remember," says Luv, "we're meant to subdue him, not destroy him. PanGal want him in one piece."
"I'm not going back! You can't make me!"Your commlinks crackle to life. It's Ash.
"I hope you're not too busy. I thought you should know that th-""Not the time," Luv snaps.
"As you wish."Wendell fires at a nearby mining robot and kicks it toward your group as it begins to smoke and shudder, jetting himself backwards to get to cover!
No.747751
>>747750"It's ice, not a cannon." Vandal says to love, then switching to comms for Ash,
"I'm listening, just know we're dealing with the robo right now."
To dodge the bomb, Vandal jumps off Fir and heads into melee range of the the bounty target.
>Moody's Shuffle: passive/instant automatic, recharge 2; Build up momentum using electromagnetic inline skates and launch forward towards a target. Move to an adjacent zone and gain +2 to any other combat action this turn. Passively, you can use your inline skates to skate and grind against terrain and even glide against walls for brief periods of time.She swipes with her claws digging into the brittle metal the ice hit.
>Claws: passive; Felids have natural claws that they can extend and retract at will. Unarmed attacks can now deal wound damage and count as Dual weapons for the purpose of skills.>Dual Wielding: weapon; Strike at an enemy with both of your weapons in quick succession. Make two rolls to attack. A Critfail on one roll does not cancel the other, but you still fall helpless.[1d10+3] Crit DC-1
[1d10+3] Crit DC-1
Roll #1 9 + 3 = 12 /
Roll #2 3 + 3 = 6 No.747752
>>747750Gigi, separate from the actual group itself, flits around and toward where Wendel is moving, trying to head him off. Lifting her tesla pistol, she squeezes off a normal shot and then an overcharged shot. "Boo."
[1d10]Normal shot, Falcon Burst, autocrit because stealth
[1d10]Meltdown
Roll #1 7 = 7 /
Roll #2 4 = 4 No.747753
>>>>747750
She tried to jump away as she drew her shotgun and fired one of the beanbag rounds she had left over from the pirate mission.
[1d10] dodge
[1d10] shoot
Roll #1 7 = 7 / Roll #2 9 = 9
No.747755
>>747750>>747753>1 Distill Life vial to AreiaFir tries to get in front of the mining robot and brace against the explosion, in case it's close enough to hurt the party!
>Brace: [1d10]Roll #1 8 = 8 No.747756
>>747751"Another ship's entered the atmosphere. Markings unknown. Be alert."You use Fir as a springboard and leap at the robot, tackling him to the ground as he tries to get away. You gouge at the frozen wiring, ripping off one of his smaller limbs.
"Ah! What the fuck!">>747752As Vandal and Wendell go at it, you circle around and take a carefully aimed shot. It wracks him with an electric shock. He shakes and stutters, shutting down for a brief moment before rapidly reactivating. His head spins like an owl to face you.
"Sonofa-!"You try and take a second shot, but the explosion from the robot knocks you off balance. The gun settings are scrambled momentarily, and it overheats and sears your claws.
>Gigi takes 4 hits>>747755You rush forward to protect the others. Your hefty armor absorbs the brunt of the explosion, and no one save for you is harmed by it. Even then, most of the damage is superficial, and will leave no lasting injuries.
>Fir takes 4 hits>>747751>>747752>>747753>>747755A small panel opens, and a small appendage sparking with electricity comes out, essentially a cattle prod. He jabs at Vandal in an attempt to shake her off!
"I was gonna try and talk it out, but y'all want to play. Fucking bounty hunters. How much are PanGal paying you, huh? How much is my life worth!"[1d10] DC4
He fires off the stun rifle at Gigi!
[1d10+2]
Chekhooves charges forward to try and help Vandal subdue him!
[1d10]
You hear a slow whir from somewhere in the facility as power begins to turn back on!
Roll #1 2 = 2 /
Roll #2 6 + 2 = 8 /
Roll #3 8 = 8 No.748021
>>747756Gigi hisses as the overheating gun sears her claw. Holstering her tesla pistol, she flicks her wrist and brings out her plasma pistol. "Talk it out?" she says. "
I'd planned on talking it out. For the record I was giving you the BOTD the whole time. It doesn't seem like most folks understand this, but I get that advanced AI are more than just programs. That at some point in advancement a bot stops being just numbers and code and starts being their own person." She jabs the pistol at Wendel. "I even had this nifty little idea about smuggling your personality core out. Replacing with a wiped one and giving PanGal a whole 'we brought him back in tact, just like you asked. Oopsie, high voltage damages important parts? Silly merc with her silly little merc brain. I'm still getting paid, right?' speal. But you know what I also don't like when actual people do too? When they try to fucking kill me!"
Her hand twitches as he aims the stun rifle at her and she tries to dive out of the way before he gets the shot off.
[1d10]evade
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.748023
>>747756Areia growled and rushed at Wendell and tried to hit him with a gout of plasma to leave him grounded if nothing else.
[1d10] Dragons breath [Plasma]
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.748027
>>747756>Adjusted to 3 hits, Tribal Training>+1 to Force Redirection Pool, from Tribal TrainingFir leaps to the side, turning his hardlight antlers into a shield to try and block the worst of the stun rifle
>Brace: [1d10]Roll #1 5 = 5 No.748029
>>747756"You sure were doing a great job talking it out when you were sending explosive robots at us." Gale quips, emerging from the shadows.
Not missing the opportunity however, he takes a shot at the robot.
Shoot [1d10]
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.748032
>>747756"
Keep us updated? Like if it's heading this way can you contact the scientists?"
"Yeah you literally were tossing trees at us long before any of this, fuck off Asshat 3000."
Vandal takes a hold of the base of the zapping appendage and tries to rip it off in retaliation.
>Dual Weapons[1d10+1]
[1d10+1]
Roll #1 9 + 1 = 10 /
Roll #2 4 + 1 = 5 No.748035
>>748032"I'll try. …The ship seem to have contacted PanGal. …I don't think I'm authorized t-" The AI is cut off by scrambled noises over the commlink; then, silence.
>>748021>>748023>>748027>>748029>>748032Wendell's only response is to zap Gigi with the stun gun. She drops like a ton of bricks, hitting the floor hard. Electricity courses through her, and her muscles refuse to respond.
>Gigi is helpless>DC+1 to recoverVandal rips off the stun gun and hurls it away. Sparks and oil burst out from the robot's chassis.
"You fuck!" He flies to ram into Vandal, but is intercepted by a flow of plasma breath, followed by a precise shot from Gale to his chassis. Smoldering and malfunctioning, Wendell flies up higher, pulling out a buzzsaw arm and trying to cut through the undergrowth to escape again!
"Y'all don't even know what's going on here, do you? You think you're not being monitored by them right now?""Don't listen to him," Luv warns as she fires at him alongside Chekhooves.
Some lights on Wendell's head flash, and three of the mining robots reactivate as the power returns!
No.748036
>>748035Areia snorted and took flight as she raised her sword and tried to cripple his flight abilities with an explosion.
[1d10] Blast (Autocrits due to beep boop)
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.748037
>>748035>>748029>>748027>>748023>>748021"Pretty sure something sus is up guys, we lost contact to the ship. Bot'll still be on the planet if we leave and make sure we're not losing our way off this place. Get your last potshots in and let's get out, it'll have to spend time repairing itself anyways." Vandal looks concerned about the commlinks, not wanting to be trashed on this jungle planet.
She rips and tears, but gets ready to leave,
[1d10+1]
[1d10+1]
Roll #1 2 + 1 = 3 /
Roll #2 7 + 1 = 8 No.748038
>>748037[1d3] ninja flip
Roll #1 3 = 3 No.748039
>>748035>Fortify Flesh (Areia): [1d10+1]>Spending 1 from Force Redirection poolFir's suit hums to life, and ejects a pulse of magic at Areia. He frowns a little bit and looks back to Vandal, before saying "Fair enough. We ought to mark this place if we can, so we can get back to it easier."
Roll #1 7 + 1 = 8 No.748043
>>748037>>748035>instant action, equip Scorpion-cell blaster (no weapon to unequip since bare paws)Vandal fires as she scoots back towards the exit.
>Scorpion Energy Cell: passive; DC-1 while using this cell, but cannot deal lethal damage and does not have an Elementalist effect. Instead, targets rendered helpless by this cell cannot recover for 2 rounds, or 3 on a crit.>Rushed Shot: weapon, recharge 1; Fire your weapon quickly to make an opening. DC+1 to hit with this attack, but on hit, Rushed Shot counts as a free action.[1d10+1] DC of weapon skill and scorpion cell balance out
Roll #1 4 + 1 = 5 No.748044
>>748035"Mother-" The rest of Gigi's sentence is cut off as she drops to the floor, convulsing. After a second she regains control of her body, but slight tremmors still course through her as she tries to stand up.
Frank looks from Gigi to Wendel, to Vandal, back to Gigi, seemingly unsure of what to do.
[Holding action]
[1d10]Gigi recover
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.748045
>>748044Seeing Gigi handle herself, Frank spins around, pops his chassis, and tries to fire a shot off at the escaping Wendel.
[1d10]
Roll #1 8 = 8 No.748050
>>748036You fly up to his level as he tries to make a getaway. He panics and starts cutting through the branches and such even faster.
"Shit!">>748043You fire at him, but it glances off his thick metal body.
>>748039>>748036The pulse of magic from Fir courses through Areia's body, revitalizing her and filling her with stalwart energy.
> Fortify Flesh: recharge 2 after effect ends, spell; Accelerates a target’s cell growth, restoring 1 hit per turn and lowering all damage taken by 1 for 3 turns. If the target is at max health on any of the turns during the effect they instead gain a Temporary Hit. On Crit you can give this effect to an additional target.>>748044You manage to get back up, your movements slowed by the blast. You're even surprised at your own fortitude despite everything.
>>748045Frank shoots Wendell again. He falters this time, slowing his escape.
>>748043>>748039>>748036>>748044Wendell seems to be pretty beaten up.
"Maybe you should be asking what they're doing with all t this Archtree sap," he calls.
"And who they're selling it to."The three mining robots start their self destruct sequence and trundle towards you!
No.748052
>>748037Chekhooves looks a little worried, not really sure how to react to the news. "Just stick to the plan," says Luv. "He's right here, we can end this. We know the way back to base, I'm sure those PanGal guys can get us out of here." She's more focused on taking down Wendell first and foremost.
No.748053
>>748050"Fine, why don't you tell us since you wanna drop hints but tell us nothing you wordy pile of scrap, and if you don't stop those robots now I will personally render your gods be damned thrusters into a pile of scrap with you attached!" she barked at him.
No.748054
>>748050>>748037Gigi rubs her head and groans. "Fuck. Yeah. We should probably go deal with whatever the hell that is. I really don't want to have to go through the trouble of finding someone that can get clearence to pick us up if something does happen."
No.748056
>>748054>>748039Vandal nods, but looks to Luv as she gives a contradictory response,
>>748052"I mean if that's your official advice as our spacersitter I guess? I just reaaaaally don't want to get back and our ship's bugged or rigged to explode or some shit, I'm paranoid the AI went totally silent."
She skates away from the explosive robots, moving a zone away to fire a highpowered shot at Wendell.
>Moody's Shuffle a zone away from the party
>Overheat: weapon; weapon; Bring your Energy weapon to its full, lethal potential. Attack autocrits, but also auto-critfails. Counts as 2 charges for the purposes of Overheating.[1d10+3] DC-1 w/ scorpion , overheating by 1
Roll #1 7 + 3 = 10 No.748057
>>748054>name>>748050"Not this shit again." Gigi pulls her plasma pistol and levels it at the nearest robot. Frank does the same with his shotgun, and both blast, trying to take the first out to set off a chain reaction.
[1d10]Plasma
[1d10]Frank
Roll #1 1 = 1 /
Roll #2 4 = 4 No.748060
>>748050>>748057Fir, for what it's worth, tries to shield Gigi from the worst of it
>Brace (Gigi): [1d10]Roll #1 4 = 4 No.748061
>>748057Frank's shotgun blast isn't very effective at this range, merely dinging them. Gigi's pistol malfunctions and the shot goes completely wide.
>>748053>>748054>>748056>>748057>>748060Vandal lines up a shot and fires, bringing him down from the canopy above. He stutters and crashes to the ground in a smoking wreck, taken out of commission for now. His photoreceptor darts around. He is still active, just paralyzed momentarily.
"Alright, look. Sign of good faith."He turns off the mining robots.
"Just hear me out. I wanted to kill you like the other guys at first, yeah, but we can work this out. Right?"Luv wordlessly trains her gun on him, setting it to fire an electric burst.
"Waitwaitwaitwait!" He looks panicked. Realizing he probably doesn't have much time, he spills the beans as quickly as he can.
"It's the Helian Empire! A remnant! They're working with PanGal AND the Wyrd Council! They bought them out and they're using the sap for… something!""…The Empire's gone," Chekhooves says dumbfoundedly. "They got toppled. What are you…?"
"Not gone! They're never gone! This is some deep conspiracy shit! People need to know!""Man, this one's really gone cross-wired," Luv comments as she prepares to deliver the KO.
No.748062
>>748061"TO his credit, empires rarely completely die when the emperor or empress go down. So he might have something to his words."
No.748063
>>748061>>748062Vandal pops out a phone camera, recording the robot as he speaks as soon as he starts to speak weird shit, "The whole being monitored shit, still going on right now as you're saying this?"
No.748064
>>748061"That's… a hell of a thing to say. I wonder if they're using the sap for anything involved with that AI…"
No.748067
>>748064>>748063>>748062"They've been watching you since before you got here. You came on a PanGal ship, right? It's all connected. Th-"A blast of laser fire rings out, and Wendell slumps over, his head a charred, smoking mess. Looking around, you see several armed soldiers pouring in. They're clad in pale yellow body armor, and helmets concealing their visage. There's about six of them. You'd recognize their uniforms anywhere: they used to be on every occupied planet. Helian soldiers. Remains of a long gone war. There's more down below; you can hear them pouring into the facility.
"Target neutralized. Guild hunters are being apprehended. Unclear how much they learned."
"Drop your weapons. Get down on the ground. Face down. Now." The orders come from what looks like the squad leader. They train their weapons on you.
No.748068
>>748067>>748064>>748063"Fight or flee, tell me now so I know if I run or melt them."
No.748069
>>748068>>748067"We're spacers not an army, just fuckin nod and say we haven't seen shit, they already took out our ship." Vandal says immediately trying to act as pony-appeasing as she can through gritted teeth. "This is far to big for us to piss off people without knowing anything."
No.748071
>>748067"Hmm. This did smell pretty bad, all things considered." the elk says, flicking his hardlight antlers off after a delay.
No.748073
>>748069Fair, even if we gun them down they have radios." she muttered.
No.748077
>>748071>>748069>>748068Luv and Chekhooves begrudgingly comply, along with the rest of you. You are reprieved of your weapons, and escorted out of the facility.
Before long, you are riding the elevator back up to the PanGal base with more soldiers. Waiting at the top is Muscovite, the director of the operation on this planet. She seems to be listening to an audio recording of everything that just happened.
"It seems you did your job poorly," she says, as some of the troopers carry Wendell's remains into the base. "We specifically asked for him to be subdued."
Luv speaks up. "Hold on, this is bullshit. It's your guys that took him out. None of this was in the job description. I'm a ranked Guild member, these guys are still rookies. This wasn't the deal we struck. We're neutral! O-our policy is no questions asked!" She looks rightfully pissed.
"And you'll be sticking to that, yes? The WEDL unit knew too much. It was a valuable asset. We asked for it brought back so it could be wiped and reset, but it told you, and it had to be destroyed."
A robot wheels up, carrying what looks like a hefty sum of cash. They're bribing you to keep your mouths shut. "No questions asked."
No.748078
>>748077"For all I'm concerned, we caught some weird robot that was malfunctioniing." Vandal says, pulling up her modified onesie's hoodie.
No.748079
>>748077"No need to rock the boat. It was garbled static."
No.748085
>>748077"There was a robot?" she said more than content to play along.
No.748086
>>748077Gigi knits her brow and pulls her hoodie back on, letting her plasma pistol slip back into het sleeve. "Uh. I don't give a shit what the crazy robot was saying, but I actually do have a question. A pretty damn important one, too."
Frank interrupts in a burst of static. "Are we getting paid still?"
"Yeah," Gigi confirms. "Not our fault we just got KSed. We've busted our ass here, yo."
No.748088
>>748086Her beak curls into a grin as she sees the cash. "Honestly I don't even remember the name of that planet." Behind her Frank plays a stock cash register sound.
No.748091
>>748086>>748079>>748078>>748085"Precisely," she says to the others. "And, if you speak of it, we'll know who to trace it to."
She arches an eyebrow at Gigi and Frank. "The WEDL was destroyed," she reiterates. "It will be a great setback to us. You should count yourselves lucky you're getting any money at all."
"What about transport?" Chekhooves speaks up for once. "How are we getting off this rock?"
"The same way you arrived." She motions at the ship, which is still in one piece. "The Ash unit had to be reset due to some… anomalies… but it will serve for your trip back to Delphi."
She presses something on her datapad, and robot starts carrying the money up the nearby ship's loading ramp. "3000 florins for your services, ladies and gentlemen. Now, if that will be all, our business here is concluded. No?"
No.748092
>>748091"Er… do you have any medical facilities planet side we can use real quick since we're a bit banged up?"
No.748095
>>748091>>748092"Rather elsewhere myself, I wasn't on this planet in the first place." Vandal says brooding with her hoodie up, ready to get back on board.
No.748098
>>748091"More or less, yeah. We could use some medical attention, and a bit of time to check over our ship- just to make sure whatever we ran into before isn't active."
No.748100
>>748091"Well, I for one am way done with this place. I'm good just to take my money and forget about everything. If anyone needs me I'll be inside."
No.748102
>>748100>>748098>>748095>>748092"You'll understand when we say we'd like you off planet as quickly as possible. We can arrange for a medical robot to treat you on the ship."
Luv shrugs and heads back to the ship, seemingly perturbed by everything that's happened. Chekhooves reluctantly follows. You see Ash making introductions, but it goes mostly ignored.
No.748104
>>748102"Make sure it's one of the newest ones you have… I… dislike the older ones." she said resisting the urge to gag as she said so.
No.748106
>>748102Vandal heads to the ship and to the bathroom, letting out some pent up emotions before grabbing a space walking suit and heading to her room.
No.748108
>>748100Areia leaned over and whispered to Gigi "Wanna steal this med bot as a bit of petty vengeance?"
No.748109
>>748102"Alright, then. We'll be off sooner, rather than later." the elk says, heading on-board the ship.
Once on board, he'll take a look around, trying to spot anything off.
>Perception: [1d10]Roll #1 7 = 7 No.748279
>>748108Gigi grins. "How do you already know me so well? I'd love to. Gotta be careful, though. These things have tracking programming if they're corporate property. It was a bitch and a half to disable Frank's."
No.748280
>>748102Frank makes his way up to Ash and gives her as deep a bow as he can manage. "Lady Ash," he greets her. "Fare the well?" He looks up at her and, with a slightly more serious tone says, "Sorry the boss is so mean."
No.748281
>>748102"Ridiculous." Gale says in conclusion as he storms off to the ship. "Nearly have us die of the wildlife and a emotionally confused robot and they aren't even happy. Typical corporate bullshit."
No.748282
>>748279"True. Honestly all I wanna do is pop it's brain out and slide in a new one "
No.748283
>>748106Ash seems to deduce why you'd keep a space suit on you.
"Rest assured, Miss Vandal.". The polite synthetic voice comes from an intercom in your room.
"It is not in PanGal's interests to be damaging their relationship with your guild. You are useful assets, after all. As long as no one speaks of the events here and no more questions are asked, you will not be harmed.">>748109Apart from Ash being reset, you don't notice anything different at first. It does strike you, however, that PanGal have confiscated the remains of the murderous robot you ran into on Deep Hollow Station.
>>748280"Hello. You must be Frank." She doesn't seem to have much memory of the crew.
"Pleased to meet you. For the second time, I believe."PT wheels in, looking around. He seems smaller than usual amidst the spacious, clean interior of the PanGal ship.
"Me-Mean?" he asks.
>>748281"Well, that's just the nature of the beast, innit," Luv comments, looking up from playing a mobile game on her datapad as she waits for launch. "We go in, we get the job done, no questions asked. We got our money, so we shouldn't really be losing sleep over anything here. Right?"
Chekhooves is less convinced. "Part of me feels we should do something. But not much we can really do about it. Just hope it doesn't bite us in the ass when the Helians start gaining a following again."
"I think we'll be long gone by the time that comes around," says Luv. "This is probably just a splinter group of fanatics."
"Funded by someone wealthy enough to win over PanGal," Chekhooves points out. "This is bad. If it were up to me we'd be fighting them, but…"
"Better keep your mouth shut," Luv snaps, cutting him off. "You think we're not being recorded right now? I don't have any love for the Empire either, but times have changed. We gotta do what we gotta do."
>>748104You head over to the ship's medbay. Eventually, you are joined by a robot that floats onto the ship, essentially a very large floating sphere with many utensils and appendages for medical treatment. It looks a bit menacing.
"Please remain motionless," the medbot instructs in a mechanical tone as it begins to treat your injuries. It doesn't take long to patch up your wounds, either.
>Areia is restored to full H/W No.748284
>>748283Vandal looks warily and wearily towards the camera the entire time she suits up, slipping everything but the helmet on as she leans up against a wall and keeps her mouth shut, knowing not to talk to cops and keeping that logic applied to fascist-reprogrammed robots as well.
No.748285
>>748283"Hmph. Politics never really concerned me. What I do is gonna be considered illegal in every part of the galaxy. Doesn't matter who's saying its not allowed." He says, a bit more jaded than usual.
"Is there alcohol on this ship?" He says into the air, directed towards Ash.
No.748286
>>748283Areia fought down a bit of disgust for the bit as she waited for Gigi to try abd take it down intact.
No.748287
>>748283Frank deflates a little. "Oh. They really did totally reset you, huh? I thought they just meant your settings. Still, nice to see you're alright!" He continues into the ship.
>>748282"Oh. Yeah, that'd be way easy." She pauses and slowly her beak twists into a smug smile. "You wanna help Organic, don't you?"
No.748288
>>748283"Hrm. Well, whatever it was that we'd picked up, it's been cleared off. That's… concering, in some ways. Regardless, we ought to move." he says, before looking to Chekhooves. "I'm not a fan either, but for now we're doing what's best for the safety of the crew."
No.748290
>>748285Luv tilts her head quizzically. "What's that meant to mean? You some sort of con artist or something?"
"Affirmative. Check the refrigerator in the mess hall." Doing so reveals a 6 pack of complimentary space beer.
>>748287>>748286As the medbot finishes treating Areia, it floats over uncomfortably close to Gigi as she enters.
"You are in need of medical attention. Please remain motionless." No.748291
>>748290The dragon silently waited for a signal of some kind.
No.748292
>>748290Gale shuts the fridge with a simple "Nope."
Returning to his conversation, he speaks to Luv. "Somewhat. I've been involved in less than legal business all my life. Just how I paid my bills I suppose." He says with a shrug. "Spent most of my recent years with a couple of guys who made a killing selling fake art to unwitting trillionare types. I played the artist or some snobby critic that was there to 'verify' the piece for them. I'd be lying if I didn't say I had fun with it." He says with a little smile.
No.748293
>>748291>>748290Gigi takes a deep breath stands up. "Oh, man," she says. "So neat. What kind of repulsors do you use? How sophisticated is your AI? It has to be something pretty dang fancy if you're a medbot, right?" She slides one of her claws over to her invisiband and clicks off a small EMP charge. Moving to gently place her hand on the robot's side or back like she's trying to get a better look, she makes an attempt at sticking it to it.
[1d10]Sabotage
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.748294
>>748292Chekhooves looks at you with a bit of a frown, then shrugs and helps himself to a beer.
"Guess we're all a bunch of crooks huh. Think the big guy said he was an ex-pirate or something. And Gigi and Vandal are a pair of hoodlums. Haven't figured the dragon out yet, but I'm sure she's been up to no good. Me, I've been boosting blinkers since I was 12. I'm a driver, a flyer, not a bad shot either. Nowadays I usually run chair work for the Guild. Don't get to go out on the field much."
"Shit, speaking of. I should probably report in to Ochi now that we're off. I'm meant to be babysitting you guys after all."
>>748293>>748291The robot doesn't seem programmed for riveting dialogue. It stares blankly at Gigi as she talks.
"………Please remain motionless." She manages to stick the EMP onto it as it gets to work patching up Gigi, spraying healing mist and jabbing at her with needles. Before long she's feeling a lot better.
>Gigi is restored to full H/W No.748295
>>748294Gigi breathes in through her nose and smiles. "Thanks, bud!" She presses a button on her wristband to pop the EMP.
[1d10]
Roll #1 10 = 10 No.748296
>>748294"Dishonest business is the only honest business left a friend would always say. At least you know what evil you're getting into. Do you think our employer is going to have an opinion on how this all turned out?" He says, looking over to Chekhooves with moderate disgust. "At least it's free."
No.748297
>>748295Unacceptable. Unacceptable. Unacceptable. Unacceptable." The medbot shudders and stutters before thumping to the ground, thoroughly fried by the EMP. Looks like you disabled it for good.
"That was company property, you know." Ash speaks through the medbay intercom.
"500 florins will be deducted from your wages.">>748296"Well, we kept Guild code. No questions asked, and we get paid. I think it works out for everyone involved."
Chekhooves shrugs. "Better than nothing." He cracks it open and retreats to his cabin.
No.748298
>>748297"I don't know. Might just be my way of doing things but I wanna start asking questions. Between the backstabs and the corporate apathy I think somethings going on here." He says, looking over the ships polished interior. "Probably just paranoia."
No.748299
>>748297>>748291Gigi clicks her tongue. "Yeah, really shoulda thought that through a little better." She shrugs. "Oh well." She yawns and stretches her arms above her head. "Anyway, I'm fuckin beat. Think I'm gonna go grab a nap."
No.748300
>>748298She frowns. "You saying the Guild's in on it as well? We're neutral, remember. If it'll make you feel better, you can submit an anonymous report to the New Republic, but I don't think it'd do much good. Better to just take the money and move on, I say."
No.748301
>>748300"No, no. Ah, just think I'm seeing something that isn't there. I trust our employer as much as they trust us."
No.748302
"Setting course for Delphi. Please brace for takeoff."
An uneasy feeling hangs over you as you depart the PanGal mining facility, traveling to the jump point to the Delphi system. You failed your mission, due to the very company that hired you sabotaging it and paying you to keep quiet. What's more, they, or at least this branch, are in league with a group of ex-Imperial mercenaries. None of it bodes well. Chekhooves especially seems troubled by the events, as does Luv to a lesser extent, but with Ash around, they seem reticent to talk about it.
Still, things aren't all bad. You've acquired 2500 florins from the job, significant progress towards acquiring a ship of your own. Another fruitful job like this and you should be able to look into buying.
The journey back is relatively uneventful. You make the jump with no interruptions, and fly to the spaceport that's been serving as a hub of sorts for you all. Landing in a docking bay, Ash opens the door. "It's been a pleasure working with you all. On behalf of PanGal I would like to-"
"Yeah, we get the point." Chekhooves uncharacteristically snaps at Ash, exiting the ship with the rest of you. PT wheels out, looking around at the spacious, bustling hangar. "Big."
Luv checks her datapad. "Oh, a message from Ochi. He sends his congratulations on the job. Even if it didn't really go as planned, money is money. His words."
She rubs the back of her head. "Guess this is it then." She's not really sure what to say. "…You guys, uh, doing anything later?…"
No.748303
>>748302"Well, I agreed to help Frank find an arcade around here." She rubs the back of her neck. "And I, uh… gotta talk to a guy about a thing. So I'm mostly probably just gonna hunker down and fuck off somewhere for the rest of the day."
Frank steps off the ship hauling the huge sofa on his back. "Bye, Ash! Good luck with everything! I'll never forget the dance we shared!"
No.748304
>>748302"Well, if he's fine with it." the elk says, stretching out a little as he steps off the ship, thankful for a bit more room to walk around.
Fir gives Luv a curious look, and shrugs a little. "Nothing, for now. Why?"
No.748305
>>748302Gale steps off, adjusting his suit jacket as he tucks his belongings in. "Drinks? As celebration of our accomplishments. I'd say go out for dinner but I'm sure none of us could agree on a place."
No.748306
>>748297>>748302Areia blinked and shrugged as she worked to get the med bot up and operational after putting in Organics brain in place of the old one.
No.748307
>>748302>>748306"Getting a sword upgrade but I'm free later if you wanna get a drink or a bite or something."
No.748308
>>748302
>assuming +1 wound from rest, Vandal would've been shut in too much to let the doctor get at her."How
much was Ochi informed," Vandal asks with a raised eye to Luv, having shed the spacesuit before she left, hoodie of the cut up and modified onsie she wears still over her head.
>>748307"I'm kinda for sticking together right now, at least in pairs. Kinda skittish right now, don't wanna be jumped. You mind if I tag along?"
No.748309
>>748306A familiar voice eventually warbles from the robot's vocoder.
"Fuckin', rebooting or some shit. Gimme a day, I dunno.">>748308"He doesn't know about, well,
that, but I told him the job didn't go as planned but we got paid anyway. So it works out."
>>748303>>748304>>748305>>748307>>748308"Cool cool. No real reason, just wanted to know if you guys wanted to grab dinner or drinks or something. Seems that's on the table."
She checks the time. Mid afternoon. "I know a pretty good cantina over in Psi District. I've gotta run some errands for Ochi, but what do you say I plug you the coordinates and we meet up there for drinks after you're all done with your business? Round 6ish?"
No.748310
>>748309"Sounds fine by me. I don't really have much on my plate, so I'll go down ahead of time." he offers, moving for the Psi District.
>>748308"Aside from skittish, how do you feel? Better?"
No.748311
>>748309"Could go over new jobs there as well, if you're looking," she adds as an afterthought.
No.748312
>>748309>>748308"-Actually, where you going Chek? You need backup?" Vandal says, taking notice to him taking the situation particularly poorly, "If you don't have anything better to do we could shoot the shit and I could find somewhere to tag."
No.748313
>>748310"Not dying from poison so uh, better physically. Mentally I'm
redacted." Vandal says with a robotic emphasis on the final word, looking back at the ship.
No.748314
>>748309"They better have good vodka." Gale says, walking off. "I'll be somewhere. Planning on getting in trouble." He says, sarcastic or not.
Navigation finding something fun [1d10]
Roll #1 9 = 9 No.748315
>>748309Sounds good."
>>748308>>748312Just gimme a hollar and I'll come running whiskers."
>>748310Feel like heading with me to the weapons place big guy?"
No.748316
>>748313Fir hesitates a moment, before giving Vandal a soft pat on the head. It's more of a heavy-hoofed tap, but the gesture is clear enough.
>>748315"Mmm… sure, why not."
No.748317
>>748309Gigi shrugs. "Works for me." She tilts her head at Frank. "Yo, bud, gonna need you to get into my contacts back at the apartment. Tell him Gigi has something he might be interested in, would ya? Just to get in contact with me."
Frank stiffens up and salutes. "Oui, capitan! You mean Hin-"
Gigi loudly clears her throat to intertupt him. "He's under 'Oxworks' in my contacts. Probably won't message back with that ID, though. I'll just give him the details later. For now, wanna see about trying to find that arcade?"
No.748318
>>748316Vandal reppresses a purr, smiling a little, "Thanks Fir."
No.748319
>>748309She looks up at Luv. "You know who I can talk to about finding some place like that? Like, some kinda game center or something? I know you said there was a casino, but my money says they have rules against robots playing games. Also you know where I can drop this damn couch for a bit?"
No.748320
>>748312"I dunno," he answers vaguely. "For a walk." He doesn't really wait up for you as he takes off.
>>748319"I think there's one over in Epsilon, but I'm not sure. Not really my style."
>>748310>>748312>>748314>>748315>>748317"Alright. You have my comms if you need anything." She sends the coordinates of the cantina to your datapads so you can navigate to it later, then goes her own way, making her way to base.
>>748314You go for a walk yourself. Outside the hangar, you spot several points of interest:
There's a small marketplace in the midst of closing up for the day.
A squad of goons seem to be giving a street busker a hard time, trying to rob his guitar and money.
There's a run down looking casino on the corner. Seems to be a popular spot for many.
There's also a sleepy little shopping mall at the far end of the street.
>>748315>>748315Areia heads to the restaurant where the mysterious Sommelier seems to operate from. However, you find an unpleasant surprise waiting for you there: the place seems to have been shut down by the authorities. A police blockade has been set up, and a few robots are standing guard outside.
"Move along, citizens. This area is off limits." No.748321
>>748320>>748318>>748315"Hrm. I guess they've been closed, from the looks of it. Did he come off as shady?"
No.748322
>>748320"Welp. Alright. Thanks anyway." She pulls out her datapad and checks the map she downloaded of the area for indication of how to get to Epsilon.
No.748323
>>748320>>748321"Ah dammit! Eh yes and no. Figured he was smart though…"
No.748324
>>748320Vandal skates after, not trying to cramp on his vibe by trying to be pushy. She simply follows along and hopes the walk heads somewhere she can break the ice.
[1d10] explore nav
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.748325
>>748323"Not smart enough, it seems. What should we do now?"
No.748326
>>748320Gale walks over to the people messing with the shopkeeper. "Hey, boss told us to call it off. Turns out this guys all payed up on debts." He says, trying a big bluff.
Persuasion [1d10]
Roll #1 7 = 7 No.748327
>>748325I unno, you want or need anything?" she said starting to walk with him looking for a new weapon mod place
