Sixpack observes from one of the silos. Neither he nor Thalin, who's currently quite vigilant, catches anything hostile, nor any vehicle that would make such a noise. However...
Across all comms: "Um, Cap'n? We have a problem here. The ship's ummm, losing ground stability."
"By that, do you mean that you'll have to take off? If you can avoid that, avoid it at all costs."
Tamrat breathes heavily and says, "If you can't, get to the lowest possible altitude you can sustain. If things go badly, we'll need to get out of here fast."
With that, he follows along with the group.
"Rumble's uh minin' tunnel givin' way? Bad news, t'at. Sit onnit, 'n' we're gonna have ta dig ta leave!" He mumbles to himself while he thinks.
"If it wuz uh quake, we should feel it . . .."
Sharlavaka stared at the ground for a moment. "Likely uses tremors or heat to hunt. Might be able to lure it into trap." It was a pretty standard method of fighting creatures that hunted like that - send out an old vehicle with bad suspension and a whole load of explosives.
He hums slightly, intrigued by the Vesk's proposed trap. Yet he wanted to verify something first, before they went that far ahead. For that reason he brought up the sensor data he had already downloaded from above, and tried to cross-reference with the recent tremors.
He hums slightly, intrigued by the Vesk's proposed trap. Yet he wanted to verify something first, before they went that far ahead. For that reason he brought up the sensor data he had already downloaded from above, and tried to cross-reference with the recent tremors.
It looks like a collapsed tunnel system under where the ship was parked. It could be mining tunnels OR it could be tunnels created by the creature (s).
It is unclear whether or not the vessel itself caused the collapse by landing there or whether the creatures actually burrowed underneath the ship intending to cause the collapse. If the latter, then obviously the creatures are more intelligent than you originally thought.
"Thalin, let's check an exterior building. We can't help against tremors."
Isis looks for traps on the door, Perception , and activates her cloaking field if she finds none. Stealth .
The dwarf grunts, and waves a hand towards the nearest unexplored structure, following along.
All you have left to examine aside from the main building is the three silos. These are, essentially, more storage containers than buildings. You can read the contents of each silo on a computer outside. They can be entered at the top via a ladder.
Ascending in the horrid weather will require an athletics check. Would you like to do so, or take the computer readings?
As the android moves to the screen, the dwarf shakes his head and starts working his way up the ladder. "Don' trust whut a 'puter tells ya if ya cin use yer own eyes. Ever."
"Captain," He speaks up, yet does not turn away from his readings. "I recommend Otis leave the area, at least for the time being. There are certainly tunnels in the area underneath that are collapsing and there's little we could do to prevent it. Whether or not those tunnels were Dwarven or made by the creature remains to be seen, but I for one would not wish to test it out on our ship."
"Seconded. Ship safety priority."
Silo 1 is filled 31% with Yttrium Silicate. Silo 2 is filled 12% with Yttrium Sulfate. Silo 3 is showing as empty. You'd probably not see if there was a body in there, but it might read as an impurity.
Silo 1 is filled 31% with Yttrium Silicate. Silo 2 is filled 12% with Yttrium Sulfate. Silo 3 is showing as empty. You'd probably not see if there was a body in there, but it might read as an impurity.
The dwarf grunts, and waves a hand towards the nearest unexplored structure, following along.
Thalin reviews the Silos one by one. The first two seem to match what Isis is seeing on the readout. More on the 3rd Silo momentarily.
"Yeah, about that, Cap'n. We're...having some trouble getting this thing to fire. I could use a pilot down here."
As Thalin opens the port on the 3rd Silo, he can see it is empty, matching the readout. But the reason it's empty is that the entire bottom of the silo has fallen out; exposing tunnels beneath the complex. Just then, the silo rocks a little; Thalin can see the metal on the side has crumpled slightly. It wasn't like that when he started the climb.
"Should all return to vessel, assess issues. If ship is damaged we cannot retreat." An open escape route was essential for any plan that didn't involve the words 'Last Stand', and Sharlavaka personally considered any plan that involved those words stupid.
While Thalin is busy, Isis uses her comm, shouting over the storm. "Captain, should I abandon the mission and pilot the ship?"
Perception
Thalin can't see anything there, be he can tell, roughly, that there must be, because the dent in the side of the silo is increasing, and he feels a slam each time it does. Suddenly, the silo begins to crumple, it's wall having lost integrity. Thalin finds himself 20' off the ground on a building that's rapidly falling over.
Isis immediately notices that the empty silo has started to fall over.
Initiative for Isis and Thalin only, at this point.
The elf frowned to himself as he heard the human respond to his captain. They no longer had a ship that could fly itself, and that acknowledgment took a little too long to settle in his mind.
"Stand back from the controls." He spoke, syncing up with the ship's onboard computer long enough to familiarize himself with the controls. Isis, he admits, is a far better pilot then he is even under the most ideal circumstances. These ones were not ideal, but they would have to do.
"Sumethin' ripped t' bottom outta t'is! Looks lhik it's tryin' ta . . .." The dwarf's comment is cut off as the silo begins crumbling.
Isis' initiative:
Esh... Even if you can lift off, this atmosphere is challenging and what if there is something airborne?
Pilot the ship as close to here as possible...
Otis, can you have a ladder lowered... Esh will bring you closer, and we will send the captain up. We just have to get him there.
Sharlavaka, let's get him there... You with me? After that, we rendezvous with Isis and Thal'.
As he waits for an answer from anyone, Thallin, you don't die today. Someone had to get Six-Pack back to me. But, we need a distraction to get the captain back to the ship.
Make some noise, but be canny about it. Isis too... Six-Pack's got your back.
The elf's face scrunches up slightly, though he can't deny that an on-board pilot would be the best decision. From the looks of his captain, it seemed he was in favor of that idea as well. Seemed a slight course correction was in order.
The elf's face scrunches up slightly, though he can't deny that an on-board pilot would be the best decision. From the looks of his captain, it seemed he was in favor of that idea as well. Seemed a slight course correction was in order.
That's proving to be a challenge; Esh has the thrusters firing, but the ship seems to be hung up on something.
"Damned mineral deposit on the outside; looks like a lump of heavy ore," Otis says tensely.
"Sumethin' ripped t' bottom outta t'is! Looks lhik it's tryin' ta . . .." The dwarf's comment is cut off as the silo begins crumbling.
The Dwarf takes Stamina damage as he hits the ground with an "oof."
Top of Round 1
Thalin's invisible foe is ready for this tasty morsel and takes full advantage of his situation.
KAC
Thalin's action, followed by Isis. Since your opponent is invisible and we have few combatants currently, we'll keep this combat in the mind's eye unless it becomes an issue.
Hearing Thalin was under attack, Sharlavaka took off at a dead run, his head scanning from side to side looking for any additional threats.
Not immediately seeing their foe, Isis looks for the same telltale blurry "nothing" that gives her away. Perception:
Scrambling for some cover, for whatever advantage he can gain from the terrain, Thalin fires his plasma ring where he thinks the beast last was . . ..
Hearing Thalin was under attack, Sharlavaka took off at a dead run, his head scanning from side to side looking for any additional threats.
Sharlavaka sees no additional threats, but he easily sees the fallen silo, and can tell there's stuff going on that direction. Roll initiative.
Certainly; roll initiative.
Not immediately seeing their foe, Isis looks for the same telltale blurry "nothing" that gives her away.
Isis can get a general area, but not an exact position.
Scrambling for some cover, for whatever advantage he can gain from the terrain, Thalin fires his plasma ring where he thinks the beast last was . . ..
The attack was a clean miss, trick attack and all.
Isis may act... and potentially Six-Pack and Sharlavaka as well.
Isis tries sneak attack and arc pistol: for and for electricity. Concealment misses on 1-50: .
Seeing that the rest of the group is occupied in combat, Tamrat scowls. On one hand, he really needed to get to the ship. On the other hand, more combat footage was always good to have.
Sense be damned, my career is on the line here.
With that, he takes off after the rest of the group, activating his camera drone as he runs.
The elf grit his teeth slightly, and reached again with his digital self.
The creature howls out in rage as it gets zinged by Isis!
Six-Pack maneuvers into place for a shot at the invisible beast. Likewise Sharlavaka approaches the area. (both may act at any time).
Captain ul-Khedim exits into the harsh winds and prepares for action.
(will enter combat next round).
Meanwhile, Esh manages to maneuver the ship back and forth until the large mineral deposit falls free. The vessel is now free to either hover or land on a hopefully more secure plot of land nearby.
The back and yellow is the wreckage of silo 3. The "pit" such as it is, is under the wreckage.