The generator sizzles as it absorbs fire, providing cover to the robot. However, the shots by Flexer-5 and Arod each find their mark, melting portions of the guardbot's metallic frame, releasing an almost blinding flurry of sparks.
Round Two Initiative Order Cont'd
Security Robot (red) -12 HP
Donavaan
Taeon
Ashtif
Flexer-5
Dora 34
Roddy
The piece of metal debris flies toward the robot, but manages only to strike the generator.
Round Two Initiative Order Cont'd
Security Robot (red) -12 HP
Donavaan
Taeon
Ashtif
Flexer-5
Dora 34
Roddy
The analytical program of the guardbot quickly attempts to assess each of the newly-appearing threats and their capabilities. Concluding that the android closest to it was clearly capable of inflicting and receiving damage and as is the closest in proximity to the door, the guardbot chooses to focus its fire on Flexer-5.
However, the damage it has sustained appears to have diminished its targeting systems.
Round Three Initiative Order Cont'd
Security Robot (red) -12 HP
Donavaan
Taeon
Ashtif
Flexer-5
Dora 34
Roddy
Roddy starts moving in, trying to make his way into melee to finish the fight, firing as he goes.
The human's shot comes close to hitting the guardbot, but instead strikes the generator providing cover.
Flexer-5 finally has a chance to engage combat tracking and then returns overcharged fire to the rude guard-bot.
"How ya like that you rusty pile of junk?!"
The guardbot has no response to the android as the laser file slices off its robotic head and its body crumples over as smoldering debris.
The console on the northern generator continues to flash red, displaying a malfunction in one of its coils.
The temperature of this narrow room is a few degrees warmer than the previous chambers. Racks of computers line the walls, with tiny lights blinking and hard drives audibly whirring. A single terminal stands opposite the only door to the west, an input prompt flashing serenely.
For those subject to the share language spell, the language barrier for accessing the terminal is not a problem. The computer can readily accessed. However, the interface is unfamiliar.
Dora settles in to try to fix the mainframe for the Ghibrani.
The android's artful work puts an end, not only to the flashing light, but to all of Arkeost’s current power fluctuations.
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If no one else has done so when she is done with the mainframe, and also assuming that Roddy points out to her that there is a computer needing to be investigated, Dora walks over to the computer. "Can one of you who can read Ghibrani please come help me with this?" Dora softly calls. "Flexer, would you come help, too? I don't want to mess this up."
With the aid of Roddy, Flexer-5, and the others, Dora 34 is readily able to access the computer system.
Once accessed, the computer system seems to contain numerous files. Yet, as you review the seemingly disparate set of files, a comprehensive overview of the planet Elytrio and its people begins to take shape.
The earliest files, only few of which predate the Gap, contain orbital photos of pre-war Elytrio and describe a world with a thriving ecosystem, with biomes ranging from rain forest to arctic tundra. It was populated by a race of insectoids, the ghibrani, who had developed a number of functioning nation-states, each producing advanced technology. These nation states contained fully-automated cities, evidencing great advancements among the ghibrani in the field of robotics. Among those cities was that of Arkeost, capital of the nation-state of Kolleo. Though the ghibrani never attained full spaceflight, they were able to construct orbital defense systems as well as automated research facilities on the two barren moons-referred to as the Companions—that circle Elytrio in opposing orbits.
The beetle-like ghibrani predominantly worshipped a deity known as “The Great Vanquisher”, whose followers shaped the race into a strong coalition of militarized states. Many of the more religious servants came to fill key advisory positions among the various governmental bodies.
Then, about 300 years ago, as later files indicate, there was an event that resulted in mass, selective amnesia. This was accompanied by a substantial loss of records and data, in addition to memory. You readily identify this period as the time known as the Gap. While the world leaders of Elytrio were still addled by the effects of the Gap, the existing tensions bubbled over into a war that engulfed the planet. By all indications, the conflict began with a missile strike launched by the nation-state of Bhyrri. By all indications in the vid-files, most of the ghibrani race was destroyed in the resulting nuclear conflagration. Only the metropolis of Arkeost survived, having been protected by a pinkish dome of force. Though the powerful force field had spared the city of Arkeost from the brunt of the nuclear war, subsequent radiation carried by shifting wind currents soon wracked the city. Many died, though a small, yet sizable, population endured.
The most recent files date back about ten years after the Gap. They contain numerous tables of radiation samples and readings as well as bleak reports of dwindling food stocks and other supplies. These are accompanied by numerous copies of computer simulations and projections—each predicting that then present consumption rates of food and materials within Arkeost could not be maintained. Vid-files of governmental discussions and debates, held behind closed doors, that depict desperate leaders confronted with the inescapable fact that the city didn’t have sufficient resources to support all the survivors.
In response to this crisis, the vid-clips and files reveal, the shrewd ghibrani leaders of the city quietly—far from the public eye--devised a new plan. This plan garnered much discussion, but it was ultimately, and quite secretly, adopted and then swiftly put into action. If the city could not sustain the current population within, they devised, they would simply convince a significant percentage of the current population to leave the city of their own volition.
First, the city leaders set about purposefully engineering several additional, minor disasters in order to trouble the populace. Then, the leaders seeded rumors that The Great Vanquisher was responsible for these disasters and had visited them upon the city as a sort of “divine” punishment. Next, there began to be open talk among members of the populace about the rise of a new religion, that of a “Mother Touloo”. This, until now, unheard of deity was said to offer the promise of salvation to those ghibranis who gave up the luxuries of civilization. Word of this new faith spread quickly among the population. Within a relatively short period of time, more than half of the ghibrani who had survived the war had emigrated to the nearby wastelands—braving radiation and beasts--in order to court the favor of this “Mother Touloo”.
However, as the files long-held within the computer reveal, there is not now and never has been a “Mother Touloo”. The stories of the existence of this false deity had been completely orchestrated by the leaders of Arkeost. This false religion and its false promises had all been concocted as part of a dishonest plan to trick a percentage of the residents of Arkeost to leave the city on their own. It was the leaders of Arkeost in their desperation to remain in the comforts to which they had grown accustomed that had planted the rumors of the unreal faith among the populace, secretly hiring agents to spread this false religion and had help carry out the plan devised primarily for their own worldly salvation. A number of confessional vidclips recorded by the ghibraniis who implemented the plan are found on the computer making it clear that the religion was all a ruse.
It would appear that this devious plan brought about the differences between what are today, the ghibrani husks and the ghibrani membranes. Within the centuries that followed the post-nuclear exodus from Arkeost, healthy doses of lingering radiation among one group of the populace and the atrophy resulting from lack of activity and exertion among the other have resulted in two distinct forms of ghibrani.
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Taeon downloads all the data to his personal computer. "Are you sure? Shouldn't this be history that all the ghibrani know? It might upset them, but otherwise, they'll never know what happened and why they have become like they are. Perhaps it could spur them to scientific and medical breakthroughs."
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Roddy frowns, rubbing his chin. "True," he says to Taeon, "I don't like the idea of keeping them in the dark either. And maybe you're right; maybe it could launch a new era of scientific progress for the ghibrani. But it could also re-ignite the war from 300 years ago."
He rests the flame doshko against the wall and hunkers down next to it, staring at the floor. "Honestly, I don't think there's a good answer. I'm not usually one for passing the buck, but I think Dora has the right of it here. If I had to guess, I'd bet the Starfinders will give the data to the ghibrani anyway, but seeing as how we're in their employ here, I think it's up to them. We're supposed to make peaceful first contact; I think if we inadvertently re-launch a nuclear war, that's a pretty clear failure of our mission."
He groans and rubs his face. "I dunno. I dunno what to do."
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"It's a tough call. Those guys out in the wastes shouldn't have to live like that while the others live in goo-spraying luxury. As much as I'd like to set them all straight, sometimes organics aren't good at listening to me! So I guess we should report to our bosses and they can decide what to do, maybe have more support available when they arrive."
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Ashtif frowns. "This isn't our secret to keep, if you ask me. We'll take copies of the data back for our records, but we should tell them what we've found. Our mission is to explore and uncover knowledge, but what good is that if we don't tell the people most affected by it?" He shrugs. "I'll go with the group decision on this, but I think we should tell 'em."
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"The war was won by Arkeost, and every living ghibrani, membranes and husks, are descendants of those victors."
"If we don't tell them, then this is still here. At some point, a ghibrani will either become curious enough to violate the rules like Klarima did, or the mainframe will continue to breakdown and they will be forced to enter. Most likely it will be a membrane. Then one side will know and the other will not."
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Roddy shrugs to Taeon. "If the husks and membranes still saw themselves as the same people, that might be true. They've become so separated, they actually evolved into two different forms. Flexer's right. Species have killed each other for a lot less."
He shakes his head. "I still think we should at least consult the venture-captain before making a decision like this. I'm not saying Arvin will have experience with this kind of thing, but he's more likely to have than us."
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On the way out, Dora is careful to explain to Karima that the mainframe is indeed a wonder of technology, but even the best technology occasionally needs to be checked on and even repaired. If the Ghibrani wish to respect their ancient rules not to enter, they should occasionally ask an outside expert to take a look at the system to keep it working properly.
The party makes its way out of the heart of the city holding the Mainframe. Once out of the section of Arkeost that is taboo to the ghibrani, they see Klarima.
"Thank you for dealing with the power fluctuations." she says. "The Most Elevated has asked me to extend their thanks as well."
The ghibrani membrane nods politely to Dora's suggestion of securing help for maintenance from outside sources, but says nothing further in response.
Klarima leads the party outside the city to the edge of the long-standing barrier that has shielded the city for centuries. Pressing a sequence on a data pad, Klarima is able to open a hole in the force-field and bids you all farewell.
Once outside the forcefield, the party is once again amidst the wastes of Elytrio. The trek back to the Drake is thankfully sand brute free and uneventful. Thanks to the power of the Starstone, the trip back to Absalom Station is relatively swift.
Upon receiving the party's report, Venture-Captain Arvin applauds the party's efforts, particularly their having established positive, initial relations with each of the two ghibrani groups.
"Your decision to remain silent about what you learned about the ghibrani history within the Mainframe from the ghibrani must have been a difficult one." Arvin commiserates as he pulls up the large, bluish hologram of Elytrio that he revealed during his initial briefing. "Undoubtedly this will not be the last challenging decision you will have to make out in the field as a Starfinder. It is a big galaxy out there."
With the push of a button by Arvin, the hologram of the planet Elytrio begins to undergo a series of small, subtle changes--as features shift, reshape, or appear where none had been before. When he realizes that you have begun to notice the alterations, Arvin explains, "I've taken the liberty of downloading the data obtained from your mission into our data stores. The automatic scans taken by the Drake as it approached the planet were much more precise than those that had been briefly taken by the Unbounded Wayfarer, the Starfinder vessel that had taken the initial, preliminary scans of the planet."
"Some of the data obtained is quite complex and will likely take months to process." he notes. "In the meantime, you should all get some rest. Once all of the analyses have been completed, the Starfinder Society will have to decide what to do with all of the information that you've provided on this mission."