The Ysoki find a trove of information!
The most interesting and pertinent information in this computer bank relates to the AI that operates Ark Prime. Apparently this AI—that it contains the consciousness of a sivv commandant named Vheiransch, uploaded just before Ark Prime was launched. The computer also holds trillions of Vheiransch’s contingencies and permutations regarding restoring the Sivv Dominion and bringing the sivv from the brink of extinction and back to galactic dominance. The current agenda of recovering the Worldseed and draining an immense artifact, like the Starstone!
This system was designed to run autonomously; Vheiransch’s desperate transmittal of their consciousness across the quantum network seems to be sloppily done; the AI can be purged with a reboot code located in this system.
The reboot code must be entered into a dedicated, hardened computer in the central core.
Hack-it spies the countermeasures and averts them before they come to fruition. It looks like it would have permanently scrambled everyone's minds in some awful way!
In about 90 seconds, he's got the code.
102,400 XP for getting the code and 307,200 for bypassing the countermeasures.
"Well, Hacky, I'm glad you took my advice and avoided Sivv domination. There would be nothing worse than to have to live like a Sivv. However, now that I think about it, that could be a good title for a new hit, Livin Like a Sivv. Or better yet, how about Leakin Like a Sivv?!"
Hack-it spies the countermeasures and averts them before they come to fruition. It looks like it would have permanently scrambled everyone's minds in some awful way!
Booker chuckles at Gig's joke. "After I'm done shootin' at 'em, anyway."
"Hey 4.1, which way to the central core?"
"What's behind door number 1? Nobody knows! We're in new territory here folks. This is a jam session!"
Booker glances at the curved wall to the west. "In there, I'm guessin'," he mutters, but he is a soldier and thorough. He checks the next door to the north.
Booker can hear someone or something stumbling around on the other side of this door.
Booker kicks it in and levels his gun. "Appendages up!"
This cramped clinic contains an unusually shaped capsule with a rounded lid. Racks of medical supplies line the walls. Directly across from the room’s only entrance is a cabinet about three feet square sitting atop a shelf. The cabinet’s front hatch is missing, and it’s partially filled with a terrible-smelling greenish paste that’s spilled out its hatch and stained the counter beneath it with a nacreous green trail of slime.
Booker can tell there's a large creature hiding behind the table.
"You're wounded, outnumbered, and not particularly hard to spot," Booker growls from the entrance. "Give yourself up if you want a chance to live. Now."
"Yeah!". Gig repeats Booker's command. "Give yourself up!"
Janzi is uncharacteristically quiet, studying the shape for any indication of what it might be. He's expecting a Sivv, of course, but they've met many non-Sivvs already on the Sivv vessel.
The creature casts a spell. As trigger fingers twitch, Janzi shouts that it's a Tongues-like spell. "Please! I mean you no harm. I know not what you are, but you're not sivv. Please"
The creature stands. The plaintive tone doesn't seem to match the massive physique. It's an aqlath, though different seeming than the ones you slaughtered in the VR. "My name is Kalthlo."
Booker lowers the barrel a few inches, but only a few inches---waiting to see what Janzi makes of Kalthlo before truly standing down. "Booker," Booker grunts. "Enslaved, were you?"
"Yes... I have wandered this ship for many cycles. I believe I am the last of my kind. So be it. I shall go out free at least. What of you? Are you not slaves to the sivv?"
"No. We are not slaves of the Sivv, at least not now."
Gig looks over the aqlath carefully before replying further.
"Where exactly do your people come from? Are there any others like you at home?"
"My home was destroyed by the sivv. Completely. They raped the planet for its resources and slaughtered us." She doesn't seem interested in follow up after this.
Janzi holsters his weapon and steps forward, sending a quick If it's a trick, shoot without prejudice telepathically to his companions as he offers to touch the aqlath.
If the offer is accepted, he will mindlink with them and share the story of Absalom Station and the imminent threat the Ark Prime presents, and also the deals made with the fungi and the moon giants previously.
Janzi trusts her, and she really does believe herself to be the last. "This story is terrible. The sivv must be stopped, else your species will suffer as mine." Janzi's access tells him that she thinks you're all the same species, though she thinks Dunk might not be....
"I'm so sorry about what the Sivv did to you and your planet. Let's make this right! Do you need a ride off of this place?"
"If we're going to destroy it yes, though I have no destination. I also don't know where anything is. I've been searching about without a plan."
Well, then, you'll come back to Absalom Station with us, Janzi says. It tends to be a welcoming place for all. Even Hack-It here.
Booker grunts his acknowledgement. "You'd best come with us, and stay in the back. Find anything useful here?" He motions at the cabinets with his gun.
"I have not looked. This looks to be a first aid area though."
She helps the party look, and there are a few things work taking:
i*]4 Life Fluid Hypopens
"These Life Fluid Hypopens looks very effective, but I cannot help but feel for the slaves who gave their lives for these ghoulish techniques."
Turning to the mystic, the ysoki asks,"Janzi can you make use of these? I can use the gems of remove radioactivity, but why don't you take the rest."
Gig takes the three spell gems of remove radioactivity.
After the gear is sorted, Booker mutters "Let's keep moving." He heads to the western door of the hall and studies it.
A massive double door made of shiny metal takes up one wall of this chamber. Veins of force illuminate a symbol resembling an arch over an empty circle. Several nearby computers display a dizzying array of scrolling calculations in shades of blue, along with several images of the door itself. A wide panel beneath the computers has four slots, each with an indicator next to it glowing orange.
Gig walks up to the computer display and let's his eyes gaze over the calculations. "What do we have here?" he says to himself.
He lets the calculation enter his brain and he tries to figure out what the computer is doing?
Gig immediately steps to the keyboard and performs magic. Unfortunately, he only gets so far. The computer here gives a continuous update of the central core’s status as its basic function. Gig also concludes that the actual core is in a rel-state and cannot be altered (rebooted) in this state. It'll take four specific keys to be physically plugged into the system. He thinks that lacking one key might not be a deal breaker with a legendary hacker, but two would be impossible.
"Find the keys. Right." Booker advances to the next door.
"Wait. Like this?" Kalthlo produces a key! "I found this on a guard I killed in melee. He had only one. It looked important, so I took it, but I didn't know what it was. He had only the one, and I've never seen any others."
Booker hears heavy, infrequent scratches on the other side.
"Well one key is helpful, but let's see if we can find a few more."
Booker pauses. "Mighta been one on the sivv in the swamp." He goes back to check.
Eschewing the door for the moment, Booker goes back to search the bodies and comes up with nothing.
Booker shrugs. He returns to the door from which the irregular scratches emanate, and opens it.
Shelves line this room, and many are fitted with small doors with no handles. The light in this room has a dull, orange cast and pulses slowly. Two doors exit the room. Several deep gouges mar the wall at the back of a narrow alcove.
Within is a strange creature, a stone sphynx, missing its head. In it's place is a shimmering image of a world...
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”This is a strange way for the sphinx to get a head.”
”I wonder if he has a worldly outlook on life?”
When a world suffers a global calamity—a tremendous loss of resident life-forms due to asteroid impact, rapid climate change, war, or other apocalyptic scenario—the ramifications can ripple far beyond that planet. In some cases, as the torrent of souls leaves the planet. The essence of the fey world surrounds and contains this blast of anguished energy, waves of planar force wrapping around it like an oyster making a pearl, until the two elements combine and solidify into a new entity, a calecor.
Kalthlo's wail of anguish makes it clear what planet is represented by the head....
"NO!!!!!!!!!"
Kalthlo rushes up to the creature. Immediately they begin communicating, but it's telepathic. Before long, the calecor speaks out loud via an unknown source, "Our world was destroyed by the sivv. I can take Kalthlo back. There we can return and look for survivors."
She turns to you, "I may be the last aglath. I've got to do this. I'm sorry that I can't be a part of the destruction of the sivv. You understand, yes?"
Janzi nods. Do whatcha gotta do, mate, he says, noting the fate that awaits Absalom Station if they fail. Wait, does that happen to a non-planet if it gets perished? Hmm. Well, let's not find out.
"Just what Janzi said. You do you and we will do we. If our paths cross again then cool."
Booker frowns. You sure you trust the sphinx? he inquires telepathically.
Her body, her choice, Janzi replies with a telepathic shrug. Also her funeral, I suppose.
Hack-It shrugs. "I'd scram too if they hadn't hired us to save Absalom Station, and probably the galaxy, again. Get gone."
With a nod to each of you, and a strange physical gesture involving pointing to your lower incisors, Kolthlo and her fey depart. Their fate is likely bleak, but it's there's to make.
Booker shrugs and loops around to check out the rest of the hallway outside.
Booker pokes his head around to see the hallway curves around a central area.
Gig follows Booker.
"Come on folks, let's try and keep up with him. Are you guys slacking back here?"
Booker cracks a thin smile at Gig's comment, but does not say anything. He stops at the next set of double doors, checking them over.