"Hahahahaha! Take that, you useless robot!"
Dakayo-but-not-Dakayo is elated that he helped defeat the robot, but the technical talk is above his head. The skittermander peers around the room curiously, then suddenly lifts a metal plate and gives a soft 'ooh' of surprise and glee then turns to the others. "Oh hey! I found a hatch! Look! Little metal tunnels! Anyone want to play Go-Hide-And-Seek?"
Gazigaz hops up and down. "HAH! Nice one Nako!"
After the more technically minded members of the party explain the AI predicament, Gazigaz strokes her beard in confusion. "Can't we just smash every place it could go and hide? Three nodes? Why's this so tricky? Shouldn't the AI lady just have an off button!?" He smacks a fist down on an engineering console.
When lights start flashing, he pats the console reassuringly and pretends he didn't do anything.
"So is there space down in those ducts for all of us? The AI might have set up more robots. We should be careful!"
He lets Nako and Quonx take the lead going into the hatch.
"No No Gazigaz we cannot just smash, that could stop air flow or open every air lock on ship or even send the ship into a sun. We must fix or disable systems never smash."
"Hmmmm!" Gazigaz pretends very hard to have understood the full impact of Quonx's comment. "If that's it, then Quonx, you're the only one who can do it! The rest of us can back you up in case more robots show up."
Quonx Too puffs his chest out.
"Yes I can fit it."
And heads into the crawl space.
As you move to enter the hatch, M2’s familiar digitized voice comes over the comms. “Attention passengers. My sensors indicate that the ship is infested with small, furry menaces. But do not be alarmed, your crew has it under control. In just a few minutes, we will be venting the interior of the ship out into space to deal with the problem. You may experience a slight loss in cabin pressure, followed by the thrilling sensation of zero gravity and unparalleled views of the surrounding star field. That is all.”
The ducts are just tall enough for a Small creature—like a skittermander—to move through while half-crouching. There is no map and the ducts are a confusing mismatch of engineering.
Once you manage to scramble through, you manage locate a computer node!
"I this way, I found it!"
"I know you said that we shouldn't smash things, but let me know if you change your mind! I'm on smashing standby!"
Nako clutches her flame doshko nervously, waiting for a robotic menace to spring out of a hidden corner.
While Quonx tackles the first of the nodes, Gazigaz pokes around the twisty little passages, all alike. He tries to follow the more bulky looking power conduits, reasoning that they might go to some kind of big and bulky black computer thingy.
"This power conduit smells really bad." He sniffs at the air "Do power conduits normally carry bad smelling things? I think I skipped the part where Big Nako explained that."
Seeing Gazigaz disappear into the warren of passages, Nako decides that she, too, can attempt to be useful, and jumps in after him.
"Gazigaz, I don't think that's a computer node. What about this thing? It says 'WARNING: CRITICAL AI COMPONENT'. Quonx, you should take a look at this!"
"See we fix, not break."
Quonx moves forward to deactivate the computer node and is successful... but at the same time the area around the node is suddenly flooded with radiation!
Even with the protection afforded by his suit, Quonx unfortunately is affected by radiation sickness
Gazigaz eyes the markings on the walls that Nako is pointing out, then offers "OK! I think I've got it Nako. Just find more of these, right? The third node is going to be super easy. Just watch!"
He angles his mirror to look around corners as he searches for more pipes that would lead to computer nodes.
"cough, cough that computer is VERY broken, not nice at all!"
"It's maybe this way, no no this way. aaaah, my eyes are still buring, someone else need to lead."
As Quonx Too rubs his eyes
Dakayo-but-not-Dakayo follows along, calling out encouragement, though the mystic can offer little else... until Quonx Too is affected by the radiation trap! The skittermander uses his magic to hopefully heal him of that debilitating condition.
It takes a depressing amount of time for the Mechanic to deactivate the second node. Clearly the AI has it out for you! In case that wasn't evident, the node suddenly blows up in a shower of electricity once it's deactivated!
When a third node is deactivated, the AI's voice comes over the comms once more, her voice slowing with each word. “We thank you for chooOsing Trendsett-er-er-er Excursions and hooooope YoooOuh will fly with us again in the futur-uure” With that last message, there is a beep, and the lighting in the ship returns to normal, the AI clearly deactivated!
"Ouch! That hurt a lot. But now we can fix it.
Quonx Too uses his mk 1 serum of healing
"Hooray!!" Dakayo-but-not-Dakayo cheers loudly as the AI seems to be defeated. The mystic checks to see if anyone needs healing, using his magical abilities if so.
"Nice one, Quonx!" Nako slaps the scruffy skitter on the back with three hands, ignorant of his injuries. "We're big-time heroes now, that's for sure! Nakonechkin should really consider giving us a raise."
Right after the electrical blast, Gazigaz shouts out at Quonx in warning. "Agh! Quonx! Careful!" and then its clear he was too late he adds "Don't worry Quonx, that blackened fur will wash right out."
When Quonx manages to deactivate the last node, Gazigaz scurries around giving everyone high-fives. "Yes yes! Evil AI lady dunked! Universe saved! Now lets get out of these tunnels and check how Big Nako and the crew members are doing. Maybe we'll even get medals for helping so much!?"
Wriggling out of the tunnels, Gazigaz starts to head to the top floor.
After M2 is defeated, you return to the bridge to find a space pirate vessel looking awfully curious at the derelict cruiser. Once full power is restored, though, they leave quickly.
With the threats to the ship’s safety eliminated, the Clutch can lead the Emerald Empyrean back to the Pact Worlds. In fact, Nakonechkin allows the you to pilot the pleasure barge for the time being, admitting tersely that you all went above and beyond the call of duty—what amounts to effusive praise from the usually laconic vesk. The Emerald Empyrean’s passengers are much more vocal in their appreciation, jubilant that they can once again return to their normal lives. The wounded crew member, Locke Linler, remains in stable condition long enough to receive any additional medical attention he needs. Finally, Trendsetter Excursions pays handsomely to keep the incident out of the public eye to avoid any negative publicity. They assure everyone that they are also scrapping their artificial intelligence program, so the tragedy of the Emerald Empyrean should remain an isolated incident.
After the uproar over their return has died down a bit, Nakonechkin promotes you all to full partners in his salvage operation, using the payoff from Trendsetter Excursions to buy you your own starship! After all, there’s a whole galaxy out there, full of people who need help!
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Gazigaz grins ear to ear as Emerald Empyrean heads back to the Pact Worlds safe and sound. He runs on over and pats Nakonechkin on the back back of the thigh and gives him a thumbs up at the same time. "Skitterteam reporting in, all problems solved and help dispensed!"
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However, his cheer increases a hundredfold once the news that the skitterteam is getting a ship of their own comes out. He rolls on into the ship, overflowing with pride, and shouts out "OK team! Nako! Quonx! Dakoyo-but-not-Dakoyo! Dakoyo! It's time to show this galaxy what we're made of!" He runs on up to the captain's chair and points right out towards open space. "All engines go!"
Before returning to the Clutch. Quonx Too drags the robots that they first encountered on the Emerald Empyean.
"Good job everyone, I knew we can fix it."
"We boldly go where no skittermander has gone before!" Dakoyo-but-not-Dakoyo calls out excitedly as he goes to explore the medical bay, where his services will be most useful on the ship.
"...Did anyone bring sandwiches?"
"Oh wonder. The stars we will see in this vessel. It is time to go if you ask me!"