Miraj leaves the asteroid survey to the nerds and connects his comm unit into the computer system of the Acreon and begins working on something at his comm unit.
(to keep the message secret from the video bot and the others.
for the computer stuff.
Once finished, Miraj prepares for the away team expedition, securing his armor, verifying the life support functions are fully charged and in the green, and checking his weapons.
"I see what you mean, Lauren. There's no craters," Aureum says, poring over the sensor data and hypothesizing. "If it was part of a larger object, maybe it was protected by an atmosphere."
Diedre looks at Lauren and Aureum. She then turns her gaze back to the Drift Rock she's looking at on one of the monitors.
"Wait, What? I thought this was just an asteroid of some sort. How could it be ... it was part of something ... bigger? What could it be ... "
She shakes her head.
"Well, whatever it is, let's take the shuttle closer and then drop down to that cave we found. Hopefully there are still survivors."
Lauren's bell suddenly expands and her skin turns bright pink for a second with a sudden realization. She stammers, "It be... Drift... any place."
Remembering that Diedre can understand her thoughts better than Lauren can speak them, she signals for the captain to try to establish a psychic link.
Seeing Lauren's difficulty in expressing herself, Diedre relaxes the mental barriers she's been newly practicing.
{What are you trying to say, Lauren?}
When Lauren passes along what she thinks, Diedre's eyes go wide.
"So you're saying this rock could be from anywhere in the universe? With all sorts of horrible things inside it?"
She visibly swallows and looks down at the lifeless hulk. A nervous giggle escapes her lips and she pats down her leather duster. "Well, at least we're armed." she says with a weak grin as she pats her small sidearm.
"I agree that we should probably take along Mr. Nor's package. Depending on what the internal structure is like, we could probably even carry it with us fairly easily. However, we should probably leave it in the shuttle, to avoid potentially damaging whatever it contains." Entiren will then ready himself for the trip over, making sure that he has all of his equipment.
He then flies over the Hippocampus and begins the process of turning on its engines.
Once the Starfinders are prepared, they leave the Acreon behind, placing the Ambassador's shipment on the Hippocampus, and disembark near the cave entrance. In the perfect vacuum of space, the darkness inside the Drift Rock is absolute.
Miraj marvels as he stares into what should be dark, but his eyes actually can see out to about 60 feet. The late developing side effect of the summerborn transformation was strange, like seeing virtual reality special effects.
"I'm able to see in the dark now," Miraj tells his 'mates, "but I've still got my spotlight in my cane, so let me know if you need me to shine it into some dark corner."
Annoyed that the dark is absolute even to her elvish heritage, Diedre grumbles as she pulls a flashlight from her backpack.
Miraj glances at Diedre but just shrugs and gives a glance at the videobot before proceeding.
"Who vants to be first into zee rabbit hole?"
Jehir shrugs, gripping his spear in two hands and crawling along the surface of the asteroid with the others. He disappears into the tunnel, seemingly unfazed by the darkness. A moment later, his voice crackles over the comm, somewhat masked by interference and distortion. "The tunnel splits about 20 feet in. Left or straight? I think there's a room to the left..."
"I always keeps tentacle on right wall when swim in unknown tunnels." Lauren messages over the comms before adding, "But you is takings the risks."
Aureum gets her bearings, running a hand along the wall and testing the handholds. She also realizes, with a little thrill of excitement and relief, that she can see some distance into the darkness.
Miraj's though projections are without his usual accent.
Miraj brings up the rear. He will watch for threats approaching from other passages.
"Yeah, stick to the right, Jehir," Diedre adds to the comms chatter as she uses one hand to keep her pistol ready.
Gliding slowly into the tunnel above behind Lauren, Entiren will stop just above Jehir. Peering around the passageway to the left, he will attempt to see if he can notice anything about that direction. Once he is done looking, he back up slightly, letting Jehir stay in the lead.
Peering around the passageway to the left, he will attempt to see if he can notice anything about that direction.
Entiren can see that the left passageway opens up into a larger chamber before continuing onward into the asteroid.
As the group slowly makes their way down the right-hand passage, they get a good look at the rough walls of the passage.
"This cave system was excavated," Aureum points out over comms as they make their way into the tunnel. She grips her pistol lightly with one hand, keeping the other on the wall. "Someone else was here, before we or the miners ever stepped foot on it."
As the group moves through the tunnel, it turns further to the right, opening into a chamber roughly 30 feet in diameter from side to side and top to bottom.
As the Starfinders enter the chamber, most of them clinging to the walls, both Aureum and Jehir notice movement behind boulders jutting from the far wall - a pair of seemingly identical androids levels weapons and attack!
As the group scramble for their weapons, the two androids flicker, suddenly spawning a collection of clones moving in perfect unity and close proximity.
Aureum , Jehir
Androids
Aureum , Diedre, Entiren , Jehir , Lauren, Miraj
Keeping a grip on the cavern wall with one hand, Aureum fires almost instantaneously at one of the androids.
Keeping a grip on the cavern wall with one hand, Aureum fires almost instantaneously at one of the androids.
In spite of Jehir's bulk and the android's cover, Aureum's shot is able to find it's mark, striking () the android's clone image, which flickers out of existence.
Jehir attempts to scramble across the rocky wall towards the same target, but he loses his footing and does all he can just to hold on.
The android on the right fires some sort of long rifle at Aureum in response, but the bullet glances off of Jehir's armor, pinging harmlessly into the asteroid wall.
The second android fires a laser pistol in Entiren's direction, but the shot doesn't even come close as she doubles over, clutching at her side.
Aureum , Diedre, Entiren , Jehir , Lauren, Miraj
Androids
"Who in the hells are these guys?" Diedre opines over the comms before bring her pistol to bear.
"No idea, but they don't seem friendly." Flying up slightly, Entiren aims his laser rifle at the Android who now lacks any additional images of themselves.
However, his shot is way off.
Using a prehensile tentacle to steady herself, Lauren attempts to pull herself into the room sticking to the right wall to stand by Jehir.
With her other hand she fires at the 'northernmost' android aggressor.
Aureum pulls herself along the wall, clearing the entryway.
She fires off another shot at the android , using her body to conceal the movement of her pistol.
"Who are these clones? I hate clones. How many clones can you get into a mini-space hopper?" Miraj quips as he moves past his allies to get a clear spot.
Diedre lines up a shot, but her target ducks behind a large rock, and the shot skids off harmlessly, as does Entiren's. Lauren, however, has better luck, despite her inability to climb across the wall, and Aureum nails one of the androids with a clutch shot!
Jehir pushes off the wall, floating next to one of the androids, and attempts to catch himself on the opposite side, but kinda faceplants right into the rock.
The android with the long rifle tosses her gun into the middle of the chamber, waving her arms in a deliberate manner. After a moment, the other android does the same with her pistol, but keeps one arm clutching her side as her "clones" wink out, one by one.
Lauren attempts again to steady herself using the wall as a surface.
She somehow manages to only make the problem worse and is now completely upside down, relative to everyone else.
"Is should be more like swimming." She grumbles to herself in her helmet. She waits for the more eloquent members of the party to broach conversation with the twins.
When the androids throw down their weapons Deidre strides forward boldly, her weapon pointed at the duo menacingly.
"Looks like I can get the answer to my question directly - namely: Who the hell are you people?!" she demands.
While Diedre talks to the two Androids, Entiren will fly over and grab their weapons that they had tossed out into the room. He moves them over by the entrance to the chamber, farther away from the two women. Then, seeing Lauren having difficulties stabilizing herself, Entiren will fly back to her and help her steady herself. "Here you go, lets see if I can help."
Aureum pushes off the cavern wall and joins Diedre in front of the androids.
She keeps her pistol drawn and tries to use her body language to subtly draw attention to it. "And what are you doing here?"
Lauren bobs her head profusely at Entiren when he aids. "Thanks!"
Entiren glides over the assist Lauren, and the scyphozoan quickly stabilizes .
"Looks like I can get the answer to my question directly - namely: Who the hell are you people?!"
Diedre and Aureum float over to the surrendering androids, and the one on the right taps her head, near her ear, and her voice crackles onto a public comm channel, audible to everyone in the chamber.
"My name is Clara-247-b. This," she continues, pointing at the second android, "is my sister, Clara-247-a. You could call use professional cleaners."
"And what are you doing here?"
"Cleaning." No trace of emotion passes across Clara's face. "We were contracted to ensure that no ship made it to the Acreon. Failing that, our secondary objective was to prevent any interlopers from leaving. As you may have noticed, we have been... unsuccessful."
The second android , Clara-247-a, has not joined the conversation, and instead crouches against the rock wall, clutching what appears to be a substantial injury to her abdomen.
"You were piloting that fighter," Diedre's voice responds over the channel. It's not a question. "So, who holds the contract?"
Diedre fights the urge to offer medical assistance to the injured android.
These people would have been happy to kill us. Answers first and then we offer assistance.
{I can tell you are nervous, but I am a trained professional.}
Miraj tries to stop spinning but just changes the axis of rotation. He pulls another pair of binds and holds them up for someone more stable to take and apply to the android Annie pair.
"You were piloting that fighter," Diedre's voice responds over the channel. It's not a question. "So, who holds the contract?"
"Your guess is as good as mine; we were paid by an unnamed credit account." Clara shurgs dismissively. "In fact, your guess is probably better than mine. I have no idea who you are, only that somewhat wants you... not alive."
Once stabilized, Miraj takes binders and instructs the androids to allow him to secure their hands behind their backs. "We're on a mission of mercy, so we'll show some mercy to you, not zat you deserve it. Since you can survive in vacuum, ve vill remove all items from you und send you drifting toward Absalom Station. We'll radio zee authorities to pick you up when they come for those two goblins ve found earlier." He glances around to the others, "Zat okay with zee rest of you?"
Lauren is very unhappy with the way this situation is going but is unable to find within her a better solution. So she says nothing and waits to see if there are any better ideas.
"We're on a mission of mercy, so we'll show some mercy to you, not zat you deserve it. Since you can survive in vacuum, ve vill remove all items from you und send you drifting toward Absalom Station. We'll radio zee authorities to pick you up when they come for those two goblins ve found earlier."
If the thought of drifting through space until seized by police troubles Clara-247-b, it doesn't show on her face.
"My sister is suffering from a shrapnel injury. I don't think she will survive such a trip, much less the gentle hands of Station security. I have a counter-proposition. Render her medical aid. Grant us both discrete travel back to the Station. In return, I will offer my skills towards whatever your goal is here."
Diedre takes a breath and focuses herself. She attempts to include everyone in her mental dialog.
{Be aware that you're currently under live video surveillance via the drone following us. It has been stated to us that this is a real-time feed being broadcast to multiple parties. Anything you say and do may be known to your employers as we speak.}
The half-elf spares a glance at the drone in question.
{What repercussions do you expect for failing to live up to your end of the contract?}
Miraj glances pointedly at Entiren when the request for healing is made.
He looks closely at the wound to see if it looks as serious as claimed, glad to get to put his newly acquired medical acumen to the test. He pulls a medpatch or the medkit, unless Entiren wants to do the honors.
Flying up next to Miraj, Entiren will attempt to aid him in treating the Android's wounds. While doing so, he attempts to tell if they are being truthful .
{Be aware that you're currently under live video surveillance via the drone following us. It has been stated to us that this is a real-time feed being broadcast to multiple parties. Anything you say and do may be known to your employers as we speak.}
Clara spares half a glance at the drone before responding. {"Are... are you some sort of reality vid-show?"} Her telepathic responses are not as brusque as her verbal ones.
{What repercussions do you expect for failing to live up to your end of the contract?}
{"I doubt they will hire us in the future. I'm not concerned about repercussions beyond that. This is a business - not a popularity contest."}
Together, Miraj and Entiren are able to stabilize Clara-a's wound; she's very weak but no longer fighting for her life.
Clara spares half a glance at the drone before responding. {"Are... are you some sort of reality vid-show?"} Her telepathic responses are not as brusque as her verbal ones.
{Something like that,} Diedre responds.
Her lips start to slip into a smile for just a moment before resuming their former stern expression.
"Alright folks," she says turning to the others. "Shall we see if there's any survivors still here?"
She makes sure to show the drone her best side as the group makes ready to continue on.
Lauren looks around, somewhat confused by the last exchange. Pointing at the two androids with a spare tentacle, she asks, "Are we takings those with us?"
"I think we should," Diedre says.
{It's all about perception, Lauren. We're the 'Heroes' and heroes are nothing if not compassionate and forgiving to their foes,} Diedre's mental voice echoes as the woman's eyes flick for just a moment to the following drone.
"I'm getting good at this," Diedre thinks to herself, feeling confident that she hasn't been letting thoughts slip out.
{Right, but we're not chumps. If they pull a stunt like the goblins, we deep space them just like I suggested earlier.}
Miraj removes the binders and places them back in his pocket. "I'll bring up zee rear and keep these two in front of me where I can vatch them."
He'll also hold onto whatever weapons they have, promising to give them back if they need them for self-defense.