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Startoad stares at the body waiting for it to come to life, his rifle at the ready. This is extremely dangerous, the probability of a suit puncture is over 60% and I would not like to die because you can not handle the sudden depressurization. An image of an extremely painful death by depressurization pops into his head as the AI finishes talking. A faint whimper comes from the goblin as they continue on.
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It was the Akata. They killed him outright such that the body had no change to turn from its disease. Noah retrieves the digi tag and thinks for a moment. Tym Wikker, Human Male. He was the ship's Junior Engineer. This Estex Suit is salvageable and the backup generator that's installed might be useful. Noah notes. He pushes the body to the side and prepares to continue on.
Level▸ 4 Price▸ 2100 Slots▸ 1 Armor Type▸ Any
You can connect charged electric items such as batteries to this miniature generator to recharge them. The electricity comes from the kinetic energy of your movement, which generates 1 charge every 10 minutes of movement. No more than one item can be plugged in at a time, and the generator doesn’t produce charges when you’re resting or otherwise stationary.
As the group plan to move forward Kris pipes up;
"I can drag the unfortunate Mr Wikker back to the Hippo? Anyone taking the Armour, Generator or Flair Gun?"
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Since I can use a full battery to power a spell that generator would be nice to have. Noah postulates. And I could install it internally, since I am an android.
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That's a good idea! I'll hang the 'flair' gun from my armor to make it look even flashier. Just store the Estex in the Hippo for now Krisseven. Let's see if we can actually find some survivors...
"Sounds like a plan. Hardscrabble will want their people back for a proper burial, of nothing else."
Nipper takes point again and sculks forward along the passage.
Fingernipper moves cannily ahead whilst the rest of you holdfast allowing Noah to upgrade.
With the benefit of the low gravity, Kris easily manoeuvres the body of the fallen crewman back through the tunnels towards the Hippo...
You creep round the edge of the tunnel gingerly, your keen senses taking in the cavern that opens up beyond: A further four tunnels exit this chamber to the north, south, east, and west. Strangely, however, while the south and west passages are hewn rock, the north and east passages are finished and lined with some sort of polished, metallic plating on the walls, floors, and ceiling...
... At the centre of the area stands a twitching figure - wearing a space suit bearing the Hardscrabble insignia, but the lower half of its helmet is shattered, and a repulsive, bloated blue-gray “tongue” hangs from the remnants of the lower jaw...
It has not noticed you...
Noah completes the install and clips in one of his lower charged batteries to begin its charging.
Cursing to himself, Nipper skulks back to the team.
In a low voice he says, "We got some worked tunnels up ahead. Seems like there's more to this rock than meets the eye, but we've got some trouble. There's another Hardscrabble crew member up ahead. He's had the blue zombie treatment, like the goblin back on the ship."
He looks to Paeon, "You're up big boy."
Startoad looks to Paeon for guidance, grinning with his unsettlingly sharp teeth waiting for orders.
Ed nervously puts the half-eaten food stick back in his fannypack and quickly running his claws with his mandibles to clean them, unholsters his zap gun.
As communication rattles through his comms Paeon turns off the light source on his stellar mote.
"Roger..
Using the light gravity on the rock Paeon darts forward, skipping over the head of Fingernipper.
He rushes into the creature, comms crackle as he moves in,
"Take it down lads.."
Startoad bounds after Paeon following to the doorway then seeing the zombie taking aim with his rifle. Give me direct control I will help you aim! the AI yells into his mind and he feels himself be guided by the machine in his skull.
Ed fires. ;
Noah bounds forward following Paeon and firing over the head of Startoad. But he fears winging Paeon and his shot goes way wide.
Fingernipper successfully retreats and initiates a blitzkrieg approach on the unwitting Void Zombie...
Paeon closes the gap on the creature with ease, whilst the rest of you funnel into the chamber.
Startoad's internal AI draws a telemetry bead of the undead creature, whilst Ed and Noah fire an opening volley.
Concerned for his comrade makes the Technomancer pull his shot to the side subconciously - and his Arc Rifle's charged shot flies wide.
Ed gains a better angle and blasts the creature's hip, searing its suit and dead flesh!
Reacting to the onslaught, the creature suddenly lashes out at Paeon - smashing its ruined head and body heedlessly into the burly Solarian;
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Moving into the room for a better angle Noah fires a second time. After seeing his friend hit he lowers his concern for collateral damage and manages a critical hit.
Fingernipper shouts encouragement to the team.
"That's just a flesh wound. Shake it off big guy."
"Pour it on folks. Put that abomination down."
Startoad’s eyes brighten a bit as the AI takes control of his movement “Assuming direct control” a distinct female voice different from the goblins comes out his mouth before he regains composure and opens fire on the void zombie.
Paeon grimaces as the blow bends his space armor, the metal biting into his skin.
His mote coalescing as a blade in his hand and the flare of twin suns glowing from his eyes Paeon swings,
The Void Zombie reels with the onslaught of shock and laser.
Then in a flash of solar belligerence, Paeon cleaves the foul creature's skull asunder causing the body to drop like a stringless puppet.
Gathering round the downed Void Zombie you note that the figure's spacesuit also bears the now familiar HC logo.
With is also clear from the ruined skull and general form is this individual was a human female. She bears no equipment, but it is likely the corpse belongs to the Acreon's pilot - Tuva Saloosh.
There is little else of value in the chamber, however the north and east passages being finished and lined with some sort of polished, metallic plating on the walls, floors, and ceiling does appear highly unusual and beg investigation...
You determine that the wall panels are some sort of ceramic-metallic plating that is as strong and durable as adamantine alloy, but assuredly believe it is a substance unknown to Pact Worlds material science...
As you draw breath and mull your next moves your comms crackle to life with Kris' voice;
"First body dropped at the Hippo - heading back now. Sounds like I have another to collect? Ours or theirs?"
Yep. We're fine. Dead again zombie. Was the HC pilot.
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What appears to be startoad floats into the chamber studying the body and then the odd chambers. He scans the strange material with his glowing blue eyes.
“It seems the chambers are of an unknown material, I have no data on this substance. a moment passes then the feminine voice continues “I should relinquish control now to not harm the goblin.”
The blue light suddenly stops and Startoad blinks several times before looking around confused at how he ended up across the room.
Paeon gives the creature a nudge with his boot,
"I think we leave this one here Kris, if it was Hardscrabble it isnt anymore and I ain't bringing its diseased husk on board."
Looking ahead,
"Nipper you ready to keep on scouting?"
"Can do. Which way do we want to proceed?"
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Kris acknowledges;
"Copy that. If you find anymore uncontaminated bodies for portage let me know. Retsiji's chat isn't the best..."
She pauses, as some bleeping can be heard in the background;
"... Hang on we got some garbled comms coming through..."
Meanwhile Fingernipper scrabbles up the "northernmost" tunnel....
The northern corridor goes in a perfectly straight line for about 100 feet until it ends at a hole facing exiting out into the void of space...
After a moment of confusion Startoad pushes off to rejoin the group, though more confused now than before.
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Ed lingers over the corpse. I don't think we should leave her here. She's not dangerous anymore and maybe the HC wants her back for some ceremony... should probably be closed casket though.
He shrugs figuring they can collect corpses later. Ignoring the floating blue goblin weirdness, he focuses on Fingernipper wondering if he eats field rat cubes.
After a short while, Fingernipper returns to the group. "Nothing to report that way. Just a straight run back out to the surface."
"I guess we'll try this way next."
The cunning Ysoki scurries ahead...
You cautiously move through the connecting corridor, trying to avoid any noise upon the metal plating. From the vantage of the entranceway you note this chamber is similar to the other excavated cavern you've encountered within the Drift Rock, with tunnels exiting to the north, west, and southeast.
The corridor to the north reflects the one you stand in (and explored in the last chamber) - being finished and panelled.
As you take in the topography you suddenly feel an eerie tingling at the back of your mind...
While the hairs on your neck continue to stand, you feel no apparent ill-effects...
Scant seconds later, the potential source of this eerie sensation materialises at the far side of the cavern;
Phasing out of the rough hewn wall is a spectral vision of a long dead corpse wearing an archaic spacesuit!
Its eyes glitter with malign intent as it hisses a warning;
"Fool. You should not have come. Ssshould not disturb my rest. Cannot leave. Cannot live..."
From the next chamber all is quiet, then a low wheezing voice, clearly not Fingernipper, can be heard;
You clearly hear the voice say the following;
"Fool. You should not have come. Ssshould not disturb my rest. Cannot leave. Cannot live..."
Uh-oh. That sounded like another Eoxian. Ed hurries forward toward the voice, weapon drawn.
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Fingernipper bolts back to the team.
"There's a g-g-g-ghost! It's coming, let's kill it, er.. re-kill it."
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Ed is nearly knocked over by a fleeing Fingernipper. G-G-GHOST! he echoes.
Ed
Noah2
Paeon
Startoad
Ed peeks over Fingernipper's shoulder, seeing a pair of malevolent glowing eyes through the distant channel...
Something about the baleful apparition strikes a chord and you have a growing sense of dread that this could be a Driftdead; Undead formed when a mortal dies within the Drift, their will and emotion forming a restless incorporeal spirit bound to the Drift.
Their warped minds filled with rage and hatred for the living psychically broadcasts its confusion, affecting all who venture too close... before they sunder apart their victims using the fell physics of the Drift itself!
The creatures angered howl echoes throughout the chamber and tunnels!
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Startoad leans over to get a look and screeches in terror at the terrifying being. “CIC help! This creature seems quite malevolent, I would not recommend closing with it. I will take control since it seems too terrifying for you. “Retaking control.” the feminine voice booms from the goblin as he takes aim.
DRIFT DEAD! Ed sends. Physical weapons will pass right through, but energy attacks might hurt it. Just keep your distance or it will make you mad.
He backs away firing his arc pistol.
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Paeon holds steady, ready to move himself between the party and the ghost.
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Physical weapons pass through... hmm. And there goes CIC taking over again. I wonder if I can have a conversation with CIC later...
Moving to just where he can see the undead thing, Noah expends arcane energies and blasts the thing with magic missiles.
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Ed pops a shot off at the Driftdeader from his pistol - the spiraling energy blast hitting home but to only minor damage to the spectral figure.
Noah's magical force bolts are far more successful - unerringly finding the target and eliciting a distorted scream from the Driftborne undead!
With a malicious howl it flies down the corridor towards your group at an incredible speed!
As it approaches Paeon selflessly fronts the creature, stellar mote glowing intensely!!
The bulky Solarion brings his energy blade to bear on the fell creature, attempting to cut it asunder;
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Despite strike true, you note that the damage is perhaps half of what you would expect to inflict usually...
Somewhat hazier than when you first noticed it, the Drift Dead slashes at the living obstacle with a spectral claw:
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All of you (except Fingernipper) feel a strange uneasy feeling creeping through your bodies and souls...