The drone starts to collect useful items from the fallen body. Manipulator arms whirring into life. Delicately, a pile comes into being... In time it moves to the other bodies (if there is time).
James reached down, crestfallen. I know we had no choice, but... No one deserves this. Or to be born into this.
He closes the female's unseeing eyes, then his hand sweeps to include all the fallen in his statement.
Standing he looks for computer access, workstation, door panel, a comm unit on the soldiers, anything.
The elf scoffs at Joyride's comment, but says nothing and instead focuses on his own work.
Thalin assists in searching the bodies, looking for intelligence more than loot, but not adverse to either.
"I'd like at least one grenade. I'm pretty good with those," Isis added as she deactivated her cloaking field.
What the... By Ole One-Eye himself... You can't just do that.
It's obvious James' nerves are raw and he's anxious. The drone blurs, disappearing to blend into the environment with his start.
Pausing in his hunt for useful loot and items, Sharlavaka looked at the Engineer. "James Maxwell. You cannot think like that. Cannot fear to pull the trigger because it might not be what they deserve. Cannot know what her life was. Cannot know if they were good, evil or just a person. Know two things here - she came to kill our allies, and she chose to try and kill us. We gave her the choice. Even said 'please'. She intended to kill us all with a grenade in response." The Vesk picked one up to show him, then tossed it to Isis.
"Feel regret if you wish, but never question if this was deserved. It is not a matter of deserved, or fate, or luck. Their choices brought them to this end. Free will is all we have, in the end. Cannot give what is deserved without taking that away." The Vesk turned back to what he was doing.
"Put it lhike t'is. You wanna be dead 'stead? No? Shoot 'er first. 'T's how nachure works."
Most of the equipment from the other bodies was damaged by a battle unknown, but Esh does manage to find a Plasma pistol (red star equivalent) on one of the other Azlanti, an officer, seemingly.
Joyride has no problem finding a comm unit on the soldiers. The computers in here are powered down, as well. If you can provide a power source, you might be able to boot one up, but it likely won't connect to much else, as other units, too, are without power. If you're lucky, cameras or some such might have their own internal batteries.
As far as more grenades, the officer had none, but one of the other dead troops has one more remaining, for a total of 3.
Without digging into junk or ripping out computer components, at most you can probably scavenge about 500 CR worth of other items out of here, but it will take you awhile.
The officer has a Ring of Resistance, Mk II.
Isis pressed her luck. "Three grenades. Can I possibly have two?"
He humms appreciatively at the arcane device, turning the ring over in his hands a few times to memorize it's design in comparison to those of non-azlanti make. Then he proceeds to switch it with his own, taking a moment to acclimate himself to it's new enchantment.
He takes a moment to assess his team, judging them rather harshly, before he approaches Joyride as he handles the unpowered computer. His hands are already reaching for it just before he even speaks. "Take this, and let me see that."
Yet he doesn't actually touch the computer, merely waving a hand over it after giving the human his MK 1 ring.
`
Without digging into junk or ripping out computer components, at most you can probably scavenge about 500 CR worth of other items out of here, but it will take you awhile.
Sharlavaka looked around to see if anyone else wanted a grenade before passing it over to Isis. He wasn't sure the android was actually trained with explosives.
James seems in a fugue, as he stared at the sparkless computer.
Huh? It's dead... Maybe the power core or generator needs some TLC. He seems surprised but accepts the ring, placing it on his finger.
Thanks... Esh.
I understand, guys... At least I'm starting to. My adventures have not been so... visceral. I'm used to being behind a screen.
James looks towards Esh, as the Elf works.
Esh, do you think we could hack their comm links and listen in? Or... it's crazy. Too crazy. But it's possible, theoretically.
Use the signal to track them, closer/further from the comm unit we have, though direction might be a stretch. Let's kick their azlant-asteroids.
Are you in?
Sharlavaka looked around to see if anyone else wanted a grenade before passing it over to Isis. He wasn't sure the android was actually trained with explosives.
"I'd like at least one grenade. I'm pretty good with those,"
The machine itself holds logistical information for the outlying buildings; that sort of thing MIGHT include sensor data.
Sighing, Sharlavaka gave Iris the other grenade. What was the worst that could happen? He was wearing a lot of armour.
"Have spare batteries still, if they will help," he mentioned to the tech guys.
”Listening in could be quite useful. I’ll let you technical types handle that, though. I am sure you can handle it.”
"Live for a century or two, human, and you'll learn just how 'visceral' a mission can get, as much as I prefer otherwise." He speaks, before listening and processing Joyride's suggestion.
With a nod he declares, "Yes, I could be capable of doing that." No mention is given to the fact it was proposed as a joint project. "This computer stored logistical information mainly, on these outlying buildings. Perhaps some sensor information as well."
Getting down to better access the console, he looks for an access panel. They might be able to provide it with some power with a little work.
I build and rig things better than some... faster than most, in case you want any help.
James moves to check the door access panel, if there is one.
The computer is tier 3, with a DC to hack (at least one check to bypass the security code). Esh or Joyride could PROBABLY use a couple of standard power packs to bring the computer online with an Engineering check.
The computer is tier 3, with a DC to hack (at least one check to bypass the security code). Esh or Joyride could PROBABLY use a couple of standard power packs to bring the computer online with an Engineering check.
"I consider myself more a scientst then an engineer anyway." He admits, feeling no shame in that admission. "If this dosn't take too long, we can tamper with their comm units in short order."
The computer is tier 3, with a DC to hack (at least one check to bypass the security code). Esh or Joyride could PROBABLY use a couple of standard power packs to bring the computer online with an Engineering check.
Yes:
Getting down to better access the console, he looks for an access panel. They might be able to provide it with some power with a little work.
Esh manages to get power to the terminal with the jury-rigged power supply. The next step will be accessing the system.
Joybride, care to take a shot at bypassing the security on the PC, now that Esh has enabled it?
Let's see how she's feeling... Esh, would you mind helping me a little?
Nice, Joyride thinks. They did some tricky things to defend against hacking, but in the end, one of your more obscure routines did the trick. You're in.
Browsing the directory, you find that the computer contains an application for managing the growing and consumption of the hydroponically grown foods, tracking the intake of various minerals and their storage in the nearby silos, and tracking fuel usage by various facility vehicles.
It also hosts an application that monitors cameras in the area of the outbuildings (but not inside or around the main facility).
James shares what he's discovered, asking for suggestions...
In the meanwhile, he checks on the last transactions in and out, as an indication of how recently the system was used... and checks if any of the camera feeds are or can be made live.
As he works, he explains what he's doing.
Sharlavaka looked over the engineer's soldier, keeping an eye on the screens to see if he could spot anything.
In the meanwhile, he checks on the last transactions in and out, as an indication of how recently the system was used... and checks if any of the camera feeds are or can be made live.
and
Sharlavaka looked over the engineer's soldier, keeping an eye on the screens to see if he could spot anything.
One Dwarven name Durlor Adan, is repeated several times. Seems poor Durlor, likely the male Dwarf decedent whose remains are in the room, was generally in charge of the out-buildings management.
None of the camera feeds are live, likely because they, too, are normally powered by the facility's reactor. However, the software does hold a certain amount of recorded data locally; it appears Joyride can access recordings for the last day and a half.
OK, guess we are going to have to do... something about the reactor.
There is some footage, here. Do we really want to watch this?
Esh was in the middle of checking an Azlanti comm unit, one ear listening to Joyride as he oraddled on about what the data contained."No promises about the reactor." Is all he offers initially.
Setting the unit aside, he finally stands up and moves near the console. "We do. You will need to watch this as well, no matter how violent it may get. We can't have you freezing in the middle of combat, that's how you get shot. Desensitize yourself now."
Esh... you do care.
Grinning, the human youth sets up the video and plays it when everyone is ready.
The elf snorted, as if thr implication he had normal emotions and attatchments regarding his fellow team members was some great insult. Yet he keyed his eyes on the vidfeed all the same.
"Count 'em. Look fer 'stinguishin' marks 'r clothin', 'n' any displahyed tactics, too. Know yer enemy."
Beginning the videos, a camera near the silos catches movement of armored troops moving quietly in the shadows. The camera displays a red "warming" message in Dwarven as the computer correctly assumes the unrecognized forms are up to no good.
Laser shots come in from off-camera; presumedly miners responding to the alert. The Azlanti return fire; you count ten of them at this point. Finally, the off-camera laser fire stops; either the Dwarves retreated or were...neutralized.
Camera Change
You now see the soldier who you just fought and her companions enter the room you are in. Their armor still clean, anyone who reads Azlanti can read their unit: 11th Strike Force.
A single Dwarf stands at one of the hydroponics units, feeding the plants. He looks up, startled; evidently he did not know about the alert, perhaps too wrapped up in his own work to notice. He pays the price quickly, being rapidly finished off by the Azlanti rifles.
(More to come)
Camera Change
Back outside, several of the troops stand guard over the door of the building you're in. Suddenly, there's a ripple in the snow, and Azlanti soldiers begin flying everywhere. Parts of them, anyway. Rapid, concentrated fire seems to miss its mark or be ineffectual against their unseen opponent. Within a minute, they're all dead.
Camera Change
Back inside, the door slides open, and one of the outside Azlanti asks for help before being slain from behind. The door begins to close, hits something in the way, opens again, and then closes. Then, the scene from the outside repeats itself in here. Finally, the soldier you just fought still hiding behind the tipped planters, the door opens again. The soldier administers first aid on herself, then passes out.
Sharlavaka clicked. "Any chance we can enhance image, get better idea of the attacker? Displacement of snow, etc?" The Vesk began looking for hints as to what the hell just happened, and what might work. Were the Azlant all using solid projectile weapons? Perhaps energy weapons would work. Was the enemy invisible or burrowing through the snow? The door suggested an invisible attacker.
There's no evidence of burrowing; there are large tracks, but with the wind, they're blown over very quickly so you never get a good still of them. You definitely estimate the creature is on the low end of size Large.
The creature was certainly functionally invisible; whether it's a natural ability or magic is anyone's guess.
And yes, all Azlanti were firing the same assault rifles (Kinetic attacks, as opposed to Energy).
The elf hummed thoughtfully to himself, before taking his datajack and plugging it directly into the computer, netting his computer access to the video data. He then started to sort through it, isolating specific times from multiple cameras, before bringing them all together into a custom program to build a 3D diagram of what they had all been seeing. The creature itself may've been invisible, but it left imprints in the snow. That meant it had to leave an imprint of another kind.
The blizzard that raged around the creature itself.
James grimaces a few times, watching the recordings.
I can try to play with contrast, but honestly... Whatever it was... it wasn't much for the mug shot.
Anyone get a sense of it was defending the dwarves or indiscriminate?
"Not 'nough dwarves in t' shots ta tell. Don't seem nachural, t'ough. More lhike uh collar 'r' sumthin' ta muck wit' t' sensors. Told ya eyes 'r' beter."
"Most of us not Dwarfs. Should move with caution." Sharlavaka began to pack up. It seemed like they had everything they needed from here.
Isis finally spoke. "Good job, guys. Eshenvral, you were very clever." She smiled.
The blizzard that raged around the creature itself.
Computers: Creating a 'phantom image' out of the negatives space left behind by the creature in the snow.
Esh manages to get a low-res composite which, given the debris and low-level radioactive interference, is no mean feat. The creature is a quadruped (at least), it's sort of barel shaped, but can rear up on hind likes (kind of like a bear).
Computers, enhance/isolate image of bogie
You're kind of at the limits of the material quality and conditions here, but you do manage to get a good shot of it's jaws just before it behinds a heavily armored trooper with them. If you feed them back to Irina on the ship, she could probably give you an estimate of the jaw opening capacity, but in simple terms, it is substantial.
Anyone get a sense of it was defending the dwarves or indiscriminate?
The only indication you have is that the Dwarf in here was not only shot, but violently dismembered. Whether through purpose or carelessness, at the very least the creature does not value Dwarf corpses any more than the next peace of meat.