The old club shaft was air tight, as two cast iron doors linked it to the main Clan habitat shaft, much much bugger shift than the clue one. In side than this old tunnel it was abut 10m across and some 120m long from door to cave in. Long had it been the hang out of the local clan youth. Some basic seats, a table for feet resting. A music box standing by the bar like area. On the walls nick-nakcs and trophy's going back years. Along with countless tags showed generations of young adults, having been here, and left their mark. The older kids that showed you it, had moved onto adult life. Leaving behind a set of work benches where pet projects and found loot where dumped for others to try and play with, fix or strip sell. There was even a kind of shooting range deeper along the club shaft where the rock callus was.
Today was like every other day, you have done your family can clan chores. And it was time to meet up with your friends and chill.
boop
Working carefully but with a rapid pace Abebe cleans the oil filters from the engine making sure that they shine as much as overused filters can. He returned them to there spot and seals it up. Finally he pulls the large maintenance log from its rack and record the date, time, and exact conditions of the filters and oil system, idlily noting the scar on his right index finger that dad left him as a reminder to never fail to log every procedure done. He closes out the plane and shuts down what is left of the hangers lights. He jogs over to the cleaning station to wash with harsh soap all of the grease and oil that will come off. A fast walk down shaft to the habit area he ducks into home getting the expected greeting from no one as the adults were still on shift. He flashes through the e-lesson on the bulky CRT tv getting the usual so-so grade that is so far below his potential, then jumps into his less greased up clothes and dashes to the club.
As he approaches the club he mutters a minor curse as he take off his half-forgotten headband light, stuffing it into his overall's pocket. He scans around for his friend noting Venssa seems to be quiet in the corner. Not wanting to break her mood for now, he slides up to the shelf serving as makeshift bar that's within her eyesight, pops one of cans with his mark on it and looks around wondering who else will show today.
There is a small still in the club called "old Pops" is expected that members bring plat skins other grains to use in the mash. What comes out of it is watered down and flavored as best you can and put into reusable cans.
Having finished helping his father repair one of the compressors from the 'exposed side' Navarre was relieved to get back into the sealed shaft and be able to open the shield on his helmet. His muzzle, though shorter than many Vargr he'd seen holograms of, still almost rubbed up against the shield developed for humans. As he rubbed his nose, he wondered how his older brother was doing repairing the power cables to the lights in the 'grow room.' He'd have much rather been in the large cave where they grew plants for oxygen and food. But he knew, ever since that day, if his father was working on a compressor he'd have 'Two-Fingers' along.
Admitting to himself that as long as he was on the 'Rock' he'd be stuck repairing and maintaining compressors, Navarre follows his dad back to their quarters. Stepping in the doorway he follows his dad, hanging his work belt on its hook, peeling off his Vack Suit, and hanging it on the designated peg near everyone else's. At least he wouldn't have to clean the dirt out from under his short claws. As he walked back to his small room, he smells under his armpits, he wouldn't have to change his coveralls either. Pausing, in his room, he wonders for a moment if there was anything he'd need to take with him to the 'Old Club' shaft. His eyes resting on the shotgun, he considered taking it for a moment, he enjoyed showing it off at the old firing range, but he only had twenty-four shells left and he wasn't sure when he'd get to purchase more. Shaking his head, he decides to leave the secondhand weapon in its rack on the wall. Picking up his 'flight' jacket, he heads back towards the door, taking his multi-tool out of the work belt and slipping it in a jacket pocket. Calling out to his father, "I'm off to the "Old Club" I won't be too late, please save me some supper!"
...
Pulling the large cast iron doors open, he sees Abebe at the bar and Venssa sitting in the corner. Having not developed a taste for alcohol he waves at both of the humans and heads over to the work bench. Pulling out the ancient tester he and mom found when they were scavenging. It seemed to be made to test electrical currents, not just in atmosphere and a vacuum but also in zero G where it was potentially much colder. Having torn it apart and reset the broken boards, he just needed to figure out how to change the charging port. As he began working on the port, he daydreamed about how to test it in zero G.
Nate smiled to himself as he saw his friend tear into what Nav seemed to think was an e.c. tester ...
"It's funny how when YOU perform surgery, there's no bleeding.He smiled his lips-only vargr smile at Two-Fingers; was worth making sure he knew it was a joke
In the Family, everyone called him Cable, but everyone also knew it was short for "He whose stiches hold us together" -- the massive Clan tribunal for the shortened form to be "blessed" and official had been a first. You cannot tell a mother on The Rock what to name her child, but you CAN work through the problems it creates in the Operating Room when people will die trying to say it. So he was Nate or Cable to most of his friends & family.
(There was a fairly irritating doctor who called him Stitches when he was angry. Sometimes Nate wished he were Vargr, Dr Claw Face would have learned his lesson already)
Venssa nods to people as they enter the Club. She keeps her eyes on the newcomers, but as she is off duty, the young Security Force guard simply goes back to nursing her drink. She sits alone, as most of the youth do not trust the "Guard". It is fine with her, however, as she is doing an important job for the Rock and following in her mother's footsteps.
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As he nurses his drink Abebe sees Two-Fingers come in with Cable almost on his heels. He pulls for his friends the preferred drinks from the bar, boozy or not, and brings them over to Navarre's and Nate's table on a battered but well balance tray. On his way has waves at Venssa, saying, "Venssa, stop moping over there and join us." He sets the tray down and says hi to everyone and then, know he was about as good with sensors as Navarre he says, "Happy to help with that thing Navarre, if you want." He sits down hoping that their little clique gets together, if Venssa doesn't mope out the way it's often been since she joined the Guard.
Abebe nods agreeably to the idea of helping then frowns as he examines the device. "Hmm not sure let me think, maybe..."
First die roll!
Abebe is looking over the device and comparing to other items he has seen and to tries to figure out how it goes together, with his raw intelligence.
"Well it seems a lot like the check circuits for the radio on the it plane. I think I can get it working if ..."
... the GM wants it to work!
Its old like very old, Your going to need a display unit of some kind, it could be a check circuits for a radio but when your try it its not, it looks alike a Aslan cartography unit of some kind.
Abebe continues, "Uhmm, oh I see we need a display of some sort, visual, I think you're right it's some sort of Aslan cartography device, Navarre." He gives the device back, filling in some detail of why he thinks that pointing out little marks and other features.
Venssa grunts and gets up to move over to where the others are.
"Hey Abebe..Cable..Nav. What are you guys working on?"
She moves over to get a better look at what the 3 of them are so interested in.
"You think it is Aslan...cool! Those are the big cat people, right?"
You know where there is a universal display device, Hellon The Punch has it in her office. Used by the Clans enforcers to check merchants IDs.
She is the 'Sheriff' if you can think her as such, and her nick name for you is the 'Little Officer' as you take the task given you so seriously.
You could head there tonight, you have a key and she would be home at her 'Marriage'
Noting the things that Abebe points out Navarre look from the device to Venssa, nodding, "Yeah, the Aslan were, or I guess are, feline-like, much like we Vargr are like canines." he looks towards Cable, there resident experts on non-human lifeforms to verify.
Holding up the device, "I thought it was tester of some sort, but Abebe believes it to be some sort of Cartography device." He shrugs, setting the thing down. "But apparently to sort it out we need a display device."
"You are both correct, and your insight about the dew claw is a good point; it isn't that it cannot de retracted, but it's always present in some way, so it needs to be accommodated in any grip design."
The young medic looks pensive for a moment, but gladly takes the drink Monger brought over
"I just don't recall that we ever had caitian visitation here though, seems like they would stick to the In Worlds ..."
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Watching the others fiddle with the techno-gadget, Venssa had mostly lost interest until she heard them talk about needing a viewer.
"Ummm...we have a universal display device that we use to check the merchant's ids. Would something like that help?"
"Yeah, Venssa, it should help but if either isn't designed for compatible signals would need to build a video convertor of some sort." Abebe continues, "Do you think the boss would let you try to use it?"
Okay here it goes.
Hopefully he doesn't pour his drink into the device.
Abebe says, "Of course I have no idea how to do any of that I just read sensors and do minor fixes on them."
Yes for this add int bonus.
But no need both you think you can get it working, you just need to get to the viewer and plug in your contraption.
"Well I suppose we could use it as long as we do not take it from the office. I have a key but we should go soon if you want to check it out before the Sheriff is back on duty!"
Before the Survivors stop for Saturday.
Your make your way out the tube an head to the heriff office.
Its late so not many are around and you soon find yourself in the office.
Its used to be a Refining plates offices but has seen better days.
As you gather round the viewer, you plug in the device your have made.
And power it on, What starts to be displayed is a lot of Aslan text but more importunely, a topographical map of what is unmistakably underground building of some sort. Its not large but it seems to be deep.
Looking at the hills and landmarks your recognise its location.
Some 20km away north of where you are now.
Abebe's eyes light up at the map, but wonders at the writing. "That's likely Aslan or whatever they use, there's has to be someone around that could read that. Let me think, seems that area might be familiar."
Let's see.
"Yeah, it's up in the north hills about 20 kilometers. Hey can we get a printout of this?"
You know that "Feeder of Meany" An old guy who works in the Hydroponics fields knows some Aslan, as he has grow some of native Aslan foods to some success. He lives alone in the Hydroponics area. He is a bit of loner but nice to you all when you come round to pick up you allocation of food.
Having used the device a few times before, Venssa knows it has access to an output device and sends the information to the dot matrix printer. The sound of the printer rips into the silence like an automatic rifle on full auto. Soon the information is on a hard copy along with a high-res picture of the map (having been sent to the more advanced, and hence rarer laser printer!
"Ok here you go. Let's hope this leads to something important or my a## might be in a sling once the Sheriff discovers I was using the laz-printer!!"
Once more you hit the passageways of home and go up 7 levels to the hydroponic domes, walking to the back of the biggest one you find. Feeder of menys small home, he is in the garden working on a back of odd looking plants.
He looks up and sees you comming.
"Hello young ones, what brings you to my garden this late in the shift?"
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With him is Digger boom, who seems to be fixing his harden wall.
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"Good to see you, Feeder of Many, We Uh, found something that seems Aslan and we have a doc from it we think is written and wondered what it says."
Abebe turns and waves at his friend Digger Boom, "Hey Boom-Boom come over, this may interest you too."
Waves the document forward from whoever has it.
Digger puts on a face of shock and says "You all did something illegal? I don't believe it! You're too clean for that!" He then smiles a big grin and you know he is teasing you. If anyone one did something near illegal it would be him you know. He looks at the map and shrugs "Nothing there looks familiar and it's all gibberish but if you know where that is you might need a DIGGER to get to it." He smiles at his double meaning.
Feeder of many takes a seat in his garden, and pulls out his glasses.
Putting them on his looks at the print out.
"Looks to me like an old Aslan survey map. We have a few of them in our clans archive. They where all checked out years ago. I don't know most of the Aslan. Alsan has a load of technical specific language thats near imposible to decode. But it looks like a one of them old maps. Look this here means "Mine Outpost" and this here says "Miner loading" could be "landing" this new parts shows a "rock fall" and the last line in something..."abandoned" rest is all tech stuff."
He turns it over in his hands and then looks at you all and he grins.
"Might be worth a look see, but the Clan council want send anyone soon, Clan just moved mother ATV to the new site, and they ant going to pull anyone off a good site for a long while"
He gets up and heads into his small home, coming back out.
"Mind you, no one is going to stop you young-ens looking at a old site, long as you have a Surface pass to get out there."
He hands you back the map, and also a Surface pass.
"Not used that in years, but I was young once and we all dream of that big find, been to sites like that myself more than once. So you better get this out ya system."
Then he winks at you.
"and I get my overseers cut you hear, 5% true, you never know, you may be the ones to strike lucky."
he chuckles at some joke, like all kids did this at some point. But he is not being mean just reminiscing.
Boom pockets the pass and says "Thank you very much you will get your share." He looks at the map again and says "If I am reading this right we have a chasm to cross or go around. Any thoughts on this? We will also need supplies to get there and gear. Can anyone borrow a vehicle? Beats walking all that way."
Abebe shrugs a bit, saying, "At that distance we would not have much of a choice I don't see how we could carry enough supplies to make it. As our esteemed elder has told us the big ATV is in use at a good site, Dad drove it there. We have a few smaller stuff, one I was working on earlier today. But we would need permission to take it out, the pass is good for us but I don't think it covers one of our few vehicles. I'll have to think about who we might approach that's on the authorization list for that."
your mother looks after the Vehicle bay, and they do take them out for test runs once they have had a overhall. like the one you just did. So... Might need some sweet talking of mum.. but..
Abebe sighs and continues, "Well, I could try talking Momma into letting us go for a long test drive, I did a lot of work on Rusty uh RST-3. Yeah that's the one with a bare steel hull so double-waxing it after every drive-eh shouldn't whine. It does have a moxie and good fuel reserves, with a winch. We'll need a lot of heavy cable and deep anchors to get up that ridge. Needless to say but I'll say it anyway, we cannot get separated from our lifeline Rusty, walking back is not much of an option and getting rescued, well I not sure but that the elders might just decide we are too stupid to live."
Boom thinks for a moment, "I'll have to see what I can turn up for excavation or tunneling. I don't know what we will need but definately some tools and maybe I can get some explosives."
Getting what you need will not be hard, you have access to the clans warehose, most of it went with Mother ATV and the main clan workers but older or broken stuff is left.
Abebe, "It has a rack on top for stuff but the internal hydraulics and other delicate items, like us, need protection from vacuum and with that adding an recycler was not much more a pain. Vacuum proof systems are mostly off-world stuff, better lubricates, and sturdier materials. And it makes it a bit easier to drive and repair it in bays and on the go."
Venssa listens to the others talk about visiting this spot and wonders about the safety of such a journey.
"Maybe I should talk to the sheriff and see if I can come along to make sure no one gets hurt. I will also see if I can requisition a sidearm as well....again just in case!"
Abebe looks concerned when Vensaa brings up armed security. "Worried about some really desperate ihatei showing up? Or is there a clan rivalry I haven't heard about?"
Looking over that whole thing Abebe gloomly says, "If we don't prepare right, this could be disastrous. From what I see I think we'll need to find a known ice pocket near the base of the ridge, reasonably close to where the uhm target area is. Then we need charge up all tanks including spares. Say 1-2 hours for that. Somehow we get the extra supplies, tanks, and us up the ridge which looks to be like 500 meters or more high. Given how close it is to us we should have a decent topographical map of our own that should tell us that. Anyway We allot 6 hours to over the ridge, and swap tank to have minimum 6 hours more air once, with on more swap reserve left at this top of ridge 'camp'. If things go well we hike the remaining 2 or so klick to the exploration zone. 1 hour hopefully, then 3 hours max exploring, hike back, swap tanks once more. Then get down back to Rusty 3 hours, then drive home."
He gulps for breath and continues, "That's 1 vacc suit and 6 oxygen tanks person not counting anything else. A bit hefty, doubt if anyone will feel lightly loaded and most of us will be pretty weighed down, limiting hiking and climbing endurance. Seem pretty tight to me, anybody have suggestions on improving this off-the-cuff plan? Please, it could use some."
Abebe, the ever cautious, looks around very seriously at everyone.
Abebe looks concerned when Vensaa brings up armed security. "Worried about some really desperate ihatei showing up? Or is there a clan rivalry I haven't heard about?"
Looking over that whole thing Abebe gloomly says, "If we don't prepare right, this could be disastrous. From what I see I think we'll need to find a known ice pocket near the base of the ridge, reasonably close to where the uhm target area is. Then we need charge up all tanks including spares. Say 1-2 hours for that. Somehow we get the extra supplies, tanks, and us up the ridge which looks to be like 500 meters or more high. Given how close it is to us we should have a decent topographical map of our own that should tell us that. Anyway We allot 6 hours to over the ridge, and swap tank to have minimum 6 hours more air once, with on more swap reserve left at this top of ridge 'camp'. If things go well we hike the remaining 2 or so klick to the exploration zone. 1 hour hopefully, then 3 hours max exploring, hike back, swap tanks once more. Then get down back to Rusty 3 hours, then drive home."
He gulps for breath and continues, "That's 1 vacc suit and 6 oxygen tanks person not counting anything else. A bit hefty, doubt if anyone will feel lightly loaded and most of us will be pretty weighed down, limiting hiking and climbing endurance. Seem pretty tight to me, anybody have suggestions on improving this off-the-cuff plan? Please, it could use some."
Abebe, the ever cautious, looks around very seriously at everyone.
"I think there are any number of potential suggestions, maybe the first being to avail ourselves of the time we need to eliminate the "off-the-cuff" issue. If it were me, I would prepare arterial blood supplies supersaturated with oxygen, from all of us, to be available for intracoronary injection at the first signs of hypomexia. Significantly more compact than actual oxygen to be honest, and a great deal more effective a great deal more quickly. But that's me." The medic smiles ...
"But to the actual first issue; we have the time, right? Didn't the junk-thing sit there on the work bench for weeks? and like in the dirt for weeks and weeks before that? Do we seriously not have a few moments to gather our wits let alone supplies? I spend my time every day trying to repair people who aren't prepared for the surface ... it isn't always pretty."