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On top of the southeast bluff of town a group of children are playing a game of Red Rover, as their assigned babysitter, the android Doubtfire, watches them as she stands a few feet from the edge of the bluff, ready to prevent any of her charges should they try to get to the edge of the cliff.
Betty, a ysoki youngling looks eastward past Doubtfire and exclaims,
"I want a ride!"
The children look to see what caught Betty's attention and run to the bluff's edge to get closer as they see an ikeshti coming towards town on a hoverboard. Doubtfire attempts to stop the children from getting so close to the bluff's edge, "Move back away from the edge, children, at least three meters from the edge." as she scoops up the two closest ysoki children by her and carries them fifteen feet away from the edge, "Come, gather around me, children,and we can watch the visitor approach together."
As the ikeshti gets to the base of the bluff, she hops off the hoverboard and straps it to her back, and starts climbing up. As she gets to the top and sees the android and children, she yells, "Get the children to safety! A gluttonworm is coming!", Kala Jayne's face twisted into a mixture of fear and concern for the children's safety.
"I assure you, miss, that the children are safe under my care. How dare you imply otherwise."
"I don't care if you're a queen! Get.the.children.to.safety." Kala retorts and demands.
"Doubtfire, what is a gu-gutton-worm? one of the younger children asks.
"It's a huge monster that can make towns fall into the ground," an older child answers, causing the younger children to start to cry and plead, "Doubtfire, don't let the gutton-worm make our town fall down the cliff."
Doubtful, annoyed at the stranger for making the children cry and scaring them, "You should not be around these children. Go to the bar, stranger, so I can deal with the running noses and fears you have caused my charges."
"Fine. Whatever. Where's the bar at?"
Doubtfire points at the larger building that is north of the intersection that can be seen from the southeast bluff, "The bar is to the left of that building. Go now."
Kala Jayne, looks at the android, then plants her feet and looks to the southeast for any signs that she has still not lost the gluttonworm who has been chasing her for the past two days.
Doubful tells the children, "Come, children, we're going back to the school now."
The younger children, still whimpering about the 'monster', start following Doubtfire, while the older children complain that the stranger ruined their play time. One of the older boys spits towards Kala Jayne as he and his friends walk past her. Kala Jayne does not notice the spit that misses her and lands on the back of one of the younger children, as her focus is keeping a vigilant eye out for the gluttonworm, as now there are children to protect, even if their teacher does not comprehend the danger she warned them about.
Kala Jayne keeps vigil on the southeast bluff for two hours, before being satisfied she finally managed to elude the beast. She then makes her way over to the bar the android mentioned.
* *
The L7 Bar and Grill is always a friendly place to stop along the road between Khefek Depot and points south. Situated in a safe mining town just a few hundred yards off the road, L7 can always be counted on to provide great food and reasonably priced beverages to miners and travelers alike.
A lone ysoki steps through the door. He's bedraggled and possibly stressed out. His uniform indicates he works for the mines.
He's obviously had a long day. After ordering a beverage and taking a long drink from the bottle he's been served, he turns to you. "Not sure I've seen you around here before. Welcome to The Hollow. Glad you stopped. I'm Sandy, and I'm the town manager. What brings you to these parts?"
Jayne does not appear to have heard the words, her mind still processing the trauma of losing all her brood-mates, her brood-minder and her three closest siblings. Then realization the ysoki had asked her the question, responds without turning her head to look at Sandy, "Surviving."
She turns her head to look the ysoki in his eyes, as tears start to fall from her own, "They're all gone."
In response to the look on Sandy's face she elaborates, "The largest gluttonworm I've ever seen destroyed my home, killing my brood-mates. We tried to find Voss Vertassh."
Sandy's look of interest spurs her to continue her tale of woe and she wipes the still-flowing tears from her eyes before continuing, "Our brood-minder. We could not find him among the rubble our home had become. Crusher, Sisko, Wildman and me looked for him, but we found the beast instead. We tried to get away but the worm caused the ground beneath my brothers to cave in."
Her slow-falling tears become a fountain as she starts to sobs, "My brothers are dead." She puts her head down, forehead touching the table, as her body heaves from sobbing slow down and stop.
She lifts her head off the table, and looks back at Sandy, "I'm sorry for the sob story. This place is the first civilization I have come across since they died three days ago."
She stands up, swipes the mucus away with the back of her right forearm, then extends the arm for an invation to shake hands with the self-proclaimed manager of the town, "I'm Jayne."
Azurite Hollow was a small settlement, but it had some great venues for the miners to spend their hard earned credits. One of Bickle’s favorite was ‘Abby’s Grotto’, a retro arcade located just around the corner from his little rental in the subterranean neighborhood known as the Nest. Bickle enjoyed video games as much as anyone, but he often relaxed with a plate of hot food in a cushy booth and watched the great players master the games instead of putting his own credits into the machines. Pretzel, apple, pear, even banana seemed effortless for them. It was like watching a performance, but the star was some guy that repaired drill bits on the morning shift.
It was a lazy afternoon after a long shift driving the mine transport that Bickle found himself in that same booth watching Crik easily complete the banana maze. If Crik was playing, then Stainless Stu was sure to be somewhere nearby, and that somewhere at the moment was Bickle’s booth. He didn’t mind the shiny android as much as some of the other ysoki, but St-U could blab a little too much for an afternoon following the early shift. Currently, St-U was talking about cold weather hydraulic fluid and its impact on the Akiton droid-pop scene, when the door to the Grotto banged open and an old ysoki stumbled in and collapsed. Bickle knew most of the ysoki that lived in the Nest, at least by sight if not name, and he had never seen this old duffer. The door banged open a second time and a huge ysoki, maybe the biggest Bickle had ever seen, grabbed the old ratfolk by a leg and dragged him back out the door. St-U nearly knocked over Bickle’s drink straining to watch the events unfolding. ”Surges! That was overseer Grayson that just got dragged away. And did you see the size of that ysoki? He couldn’t fit in half the mine shafts.” Bickle considered the new information. Helping an overseer could really boost his career. On the other hand the massive ysoki could literally flatten it. The certainty that St-U was going to talk about it for the next fifteen minutes became the deciding factor and Bickle slipped from the booth to sneak after the duo and see what he could learn.
It's another quiet evening in the Hollow. Time passes by slowly in the L7 Bar and Grill on nights like this. The food and drink are passable (and honestly, if you choose the right dish the food is pretty good for diner food).
The only concern for at least some of you is that somebody has loaded the jukebox up with hours of Akitonian Rockabilly, the type of twangy music that many rural hylki prefer.
Your bucolic evening is interrupted.
Sandy Redwarren runs into the L7, taking a second to catch his breath. "Trouble...at the mines. There are trapped miners, and the radio chatter says that there are khefaks in the mine--LOTS of BIG khefaks! I need some volunteers to exterminate any khefaks you see and rescue the miners...there could be wounded! Come on!"
Sandy has his utility vehicle parked just outside. Pulling up behind him is Bickle driving his utility vehicle as well.
Hopefully you'll get some overtime for this, or at least comp time.
Kala Jayne, taken to drinking at the bar since arriving in town, an attempt to dull the pain of her loss, wastes no time in answering the call to do what she was too late to do mere days ago: save innocents from a rampaging beast.
She places her hands on the bar as she slides of the barstool, then stumbles over to the town manager, "Help you, you will, er, I will. I have healing magic." She trips as she closes the distance to Sandy, and uses his body to prevent hers from falling to the ground, "Give me a sec to focus," she tells him, then lets out a loud burp that has trace amounts of booze-smelling spittle. "Sorry, spittle, I got some Sandy on you."
After attempting to wipe the spittle from Sandy's shoulder, she keeps her left hand on his shoulder and touches her face with her right hand, as her sigils flash briefly and the overpowering smell of the sands of Akiton emanate from her, as she shouts, "Ready!", as the magic of her reorient cantrip removes her half-drunken stupor.
She looks out to see an ysoki park his vehicle in front of the bar, "Is that our ride, Sandy?"
PING
PING
Security override alert: All mine security personnel report status immediately and standby to report to duty stations.
Security override critical alert: All mine security personnel report to duty stations immediately.
Three-5 silenced the alert and thumped their head on the table multiple times. Normally they went straight to Hollow's Chance after a shift, but tonight dulling their sensory input by ingesting low-grade alcohol seemed in order. Three tipped back their head and nearly poured the rest of the rehydrated curry protein noodles into their mouth, trying to chew as quickly as possible while idling wondering about the inefficiency of a biological esophagus.
[Cognitive processing 67%. Reflex performance 55%]
Stupid low-grade alcohol. Stupid processing monitors. What did they know? Three affixes their helmet and stands to retrieve their rotolaser. And immediately crashes to the ground.
[Reflex performance 48%. Balance gyros unsynchronized]
That's more like it. As Three made an effort to stand again, they only then realized that a yoski was yelling about trapped miners. And khefaks.
Three successfully interfaces with the jukebox to turn up the volume. They had paid for several more hours of awesome Rockabilly, but striding out of the bar to save stupid miners with blaring music seemed like the right aesthetic, at least from the vidgame cutscenes. They didn't really want to blow up the bar.
So with a Rockabilly anthem shaking the bar, Three strides out, right past the yoski and ikesthi, and gets into the back of Sandy's vehicle. They look back at Sandy and Kayla with a nod. "I'm going to the mine."
"I'm coming too!" Kala replies, and quickly darts around to the other side of the vehicle, removes her hoverboard from her back, then carefully gets it into the utility vehicle without damaging either vehicle, then gets into the the back seat as well.
"Hurry up, Sandy!"
Perched on a stool, Rion sits hunched over his drinks* at the far end of the bar. The vantage point grants a view of the entry - and most of the tables and booths, for that matter - of the L7 Bar and Grill, allowing the discreet observation of the patrons' comings and goings.
Not that there was much in the way of either to speak of tonight.
Barely a handful of beings were scattered around the place. A few were already deep in their cups, with the rest looking on pace to join them. If it wasn't for the Backlands 'Billy, he might have dozed off right where he sat.
Rion looks up as Sandy bursts into the L7. Hearing the ysoki's appeal, he quashes the urge to stand and immediately dash into action. He wasn't a lawman anymore.
Downing the two remaining shots, he slides off the stool and moseys over to the town manager, glancing in the direction of the selfless folk who dash outside to the waiting utility vehicle.
Nodding to the ysoki, he says, "Sounds like a mess, Sandy. Whose claim we talking about, here?" Like any industry, business or family - particularly family in this case - mining had its own politics. It was best to know what you were getting into.
Rion nodded at Sandy's reply. Gently clapping the ysoki on the shoulder, he strolled out of the L7 Bar and Grill and climbed into one of the vehicles, ready to head to the mines.
*More on this coming soon - ED
Tatch is relaxing in the L7 bar after a shift processing the ore. Dinner is still awkward with his new family. Getting out of the house...there are positives and negatives. He doesn't know if he might shift into another reality. Forming attachments here will hurt like the attachments there. He is enjoying the rhythm of the music when Sandy bursts into the establishment.
Khefak trouble, he thinks. I can help with with that at least. He looks down at his clothes. No armor. No weapon. But he has powers now. They might help. If nothing else he could help the injured.
He dashes from his seat and squeezes into the back of Bickle's waiting vehicle. "Are there any helms? Hard hats you call them."
Squanch woke early to the chiming alarm he'd set on his armor comm. He looked around the small cave he called home to make sure he was leaving nothing behind, then fastened on his gunbelt. He scooped up his pack and shuffled bent over to slight gray luminescence that was the mouth of the cave.
He paused at the mouth of the cave to look out at the sky. The gray predawn was just bright enough to see and the sky was clear, safe. Then he looked down into Beggar's Canyon below. Squanch straightened up and shrugged into his pack. The he began the descent to the canyon floor. For a dozen time his own height, he clenched handholds, stretched for footholds, slid short distances to broad ledges.
Standing in the dry creek bed that formed the canyon floor, Squanch spat dust from the climb out of his mouth, and looked around carefully. There could be natural predators out in the half-light, but many would soon seek shelter and rest for the day. Seeing nothing, he started at a brisk pace southeast down the canyon past widely separated ramshackle huts, collapsing shacks, dust-filmed tents. He needed to hurry before the predators in those structures woke up in the strengthening light. The farther down the canyon Squanch walked, the denser the population grew. Here were representatives of all the Pact World races.
He glanced up at a cave that he particularly admired. Down here the canyon walls rose nearly vertically and were triple the height of the walls where Squanch lived. The cave was halfway up the wall, Squanch would have to climb three dozen times his own height to reach it, with a heavy overhang above and a broad ledge below. The cave entrance was also broad, and tall enough that two ikeshti, one standing on another's shoulders could walk inside. A scree-like slide of rocks below the ledge indicated to the knowledgeable eye that the cave had been enlarged by a previous inhabitant. A bend in the canyon gave the cave a south-facing exposure and the far side of the canyon had collapsed and eroded so that this cave would have sun most of the day.
The cave was also currently home to one of the longest tenured residents of the canyon, a reclusive contemplative the Beggars called the Watcher because it spent large periods of time basking on the cave's ledge. Stories swirled around the hermit and what might be in that cave. A half-crazed hermit who could walk unseen while stalking their next meal amongst the Beggars below ; a retired space pirate living off a hoard of treasure ; a disgraced academic who's secret shame drove them away from friends and family, but who continued advanced technological research in the depths of the cave, a mystic sentinel over the entrance to the core of Akiton.
Whoever the contemplative was, there were stories about two different groups that tried to breach the cave, but were found the next morning at the foot of the cliff with strange burns and jellied bones.
Squanch scurried past, keeping to the shadows.
Two hours later he was at the edge of Azurite Hollow. He moved more openly and confidently in this pocket of relative civilization, but kept a sharp eye out none-the-less. There were predators here too, they just smiled more and probably wouldn't spill your blood.
Squanch skirted along the north edge of the settlement until he could strike straight south along the shortest route to his first destination, the motor pool. He slipped into a back door and arrived in a spacious hangar-like space, packed with different vehicles.
A couple techs, a red-skinned hylki and a shirren, were standing nearly head to head looking at a diagram on a table. Both turned to give Squanch a quick wave before returning to their task. A shobhad was under an ore-tractor. Squanch altered his intended course so that he covered more ground in the blindspot created by one of the tractor's wheel's before dashing across the last 30 feet of open ground and into the maintenance office. "Hi, Wilt. Got any breakfast?"
Wilt Macarth, a burly hylki with close-cropped greying hair and fingers permanently stained with oils and fluids, swiveled in his chair. "Squanch. You were supposed to be here yesterday. I didn't bring anything in this morning for you. "
"Dactyl's were out yesterday morn. Ill-fed's better'n dead, Wilt. Sorry I'm late. Have you got work for me?" Squanch rubbed his stomach.
"You're in luck. The runner I was gonna put ya on, didn't fix itself. The timing board's crapped out and we got no spares. Can ya build a new one?"
"Sure if you got UPBs."
"Well get on it then. The blue'un in the corner. I'll get ya an extra lunch voucher. When are you gonna move into town, Squanch? Uou wouldn't have to worry about dactyls or your neighbors so much."
"Someday, Wilt. Maybe soon. I just need to save a little more."
Bickle followed Sandy wondering for the umpteenth time how managers got to be managers. When Sandy told him there was a cave-in and they needed to collect volunteers he didn’t expect their next destination would be collecting drunks from the L7. Then Akitonian Rockabilly blared from the establishment, and an android, a human, and a ysoki walked out of the bar. This is how jokes start, or heroic tales, thought Bickle, hoping it was the latter. Either way, Sandy was right about the L7, answering the earlier dilemma of how managers got to be managers.
As Tatch hops in the transport and asks for the hard hat, Bickle points him at the sad offerings. The back panel had slots for a range of emergency gear, but like most of the transports half of the gear was missing, if not all of it. ”There should be all the standard stuff, Medpatches, Sprayflesh, Flashlight, Fire Extinguisher, Repair Toolkit, but probably most of it is missing or not working if this transport is like the others.”
In the back corner of the L7, there's a table piled high with steamed crawches, a pincer-armed centipede-like insect about as large as a shobhad's finger. Just visible behind the pile is a large (for an ikeshti) ikeshti. Three and three quarter feet tall, while seated in the collapsing cushion of the bench seat, all he can see is the food. It's like a version of paradise. He shovels in the first three handfuls fast, chomps them down and swallows, but slows after that to a more contemplative and enjoyable pace. He's about halfway through the pile, and now that he can see them, is starting to consider his fellow patrons when a shobhad comes in from the back door and slides into the seat next to him. The shobhad's long arm reaches out to snag Squanch's collar before the ikeshti can round the far corner of the table. He's pulled back onto the seat beside the shobhad. "Going somewhere, Little Scat?"
"I just wanted a few more napkins, Gor-Dan. I wanted to look my best during our chat." He smiles winningly, but the smile falters as the shobhad scoops a quarter of the crawches up with two hands and pours them into his giant maw. Chewing launches bits of flesh and shell from gaps between the shobhad's lips and outsized canines, followed by the inevitable drool. Squanch tries to squirm away just to protect his clothing, but the shobhad's lower hand pulls him in tight. Squanch watches a strand of drool stretch down and land on his sleeve. He knows the fabric is water resistant, but he feels the moisture against his skin any way. "Why don't you have a few crawches? I made some credits today. I was just going to see you after I finished my meal."
The shobhad seems sceptical. "Hrmm. You still owe us money, LIttle Scat ...."
Just then Sandy rushes in, and the bar starts to empty.
C-sh Ksk, can you wrap this up to go?" Squanch looks up into Gor-Dan's jaw. "Catch you in retrograde, GOr-Dan. The reward money from this might even let me square my account."
The shirren waiter C-sh Ksk tosses a box and a bag onto the table. "Bag it yourself, Squanch." This the ikeshti quickly does and trots out the front door.
Outside he looks to the right at the two transports. He starts to turn left but catches a glimpse of Gor-Dan glaring at him from the doorway. Squanch turns the left turn into a stumble and hurries to the second transport just as the first one begins to pull away. ...
Unbeknownst to Jayne: Squanch has been a recent regular visitor to Azurite Hollow for before Jayne arrived in town yesterday, and Jayne does not even know Squanch is back on Akiton.
Unbeknownst to Squanch: An even more recent addition to Azurite Hollow is one of his younger clutch mates, Jayne. As Squanch had left Akiton before Jayne and her bonded brothers had found the jackets that Voss Vertassh named them for, hearing the name Jayne in L7 does not have any significance to Squanch.
Jayne, who only arrived in town yesterday, was drinking to the point of being half-drunk in her attempts to dull the pain of her recent familial losses, was not really paying attention to the other patrons in the L7, so has not yet noticed her older clutch-mate Squanch...Jayne was not quite fully-grown when Squanch had left...
Kala Jayne, taken to drinking at the bar since arriving in town, an attempt to dull the pain of her loss, wastes no time in answering the call to do what she was too late to do mere days ago: save innocents from a rampaging beast.
She places her hands on the bar as she slides of the barstool, then stumbles over to the town manager, "Help you, you will, er, I will. I have healing magic." She trips as she closes the distance to Sandy, and uses his body to prevent hers from falling to the ground, "Give me a sec to focus," she tells him, then lets out a loud burp that has trace amounts of booze-smelling spittle. "Sorry, spittle, I got some Sandy on you."
After attempting to wipe the spittle from Sandy's shoulder, she keeps her left hand on his shoulder and touches her face with her right hand, as her sigils flash briefly and the overpowering smell of the sands of Akiton emanate from her, as she shouts, "Ready!", as the magic of her reorient cantrip removes her half-drunken stupor.
She looks out to see an ysoki park his vehicle in front of the bar, "Is that our ride, Sandy?"
For just a moment, Sandy's face betrays him. He shows disgust at Kala's drunken faux paux. Then, as Kala recovers, he returns his attention to the problem at hand. "Either of the two vehicles, just get in either one. Three of you with me, three in the other TerraRunner." He points at Bickle's utility vehicle as he gets in the driver's seat of his.
PING
[dice=Computers]1d20+5
Three successfully interfaces with the jukebox to turn up the volume. They had paid for several more hours of awesome Rockabilly, but striding out of the bar to save stupid miners with blaring music seemed like the right aesthetic, at least from the vidgame cutscenes. They didn't really want to blow up the bar.
So with a Rockabilly anthem shaking the bar, Three strides out, right past the yoski and ikesthi, and gets into the back of Sandy's vehicle. They look back at Sandy and Kayla with a nod. "I'm going to the mine."
The jukebox volume rises, and a hylki drinking song PLAYS loudly in the L7. Many hylkis, too inebriated to realize that there's been an incident in the mines, cheer loudly as the music plays.
Three-5 steadies himself and jumps in Sandy's TerraRunner.
As Tatch hops in the transport and asks for the hard hat, Bickle points him at the sad offerings. The back panel had slots for a range of emergency gear, but like most of the transports half of the gear was missing, if not all of it. ”There should be all the standard stuff, Medpatches, Sprayflesh, Flashlight, Fire Extinguisher, Repair Toolkit, but probably most of it is missing or not working if this transport is like the others.”
Tatch would find the following in the toolbox in the back of either TerraRunner:
One standard medkit
One flashlight, with batteries in new or nearly new condition
One fire extinguisher
More advanced medical equipment may be available, but it's not normally kept in any of the mine TerraRunners.
Other than a nice big tire iron, there really aren't any tools in the TerraRunners.
There are a couple of hard hats in the back.
The two TerraRunners, led by Sandy's vehicle, drive quickly through the center of the Hollow, honking their horns all along the way. Passing the ore processing building, motorpool, and warehouse, the vehicles turn toward the mine head.
A tunnel just wide enough for the TerraRunners opens in the side of the mountain. It's well-lit, and not particularly long. Soon you are within the mountain.
In this area you see one other TerraRunner, a small tool shop, and racks of mining equipment. Among the equipment are shovels and sonic picks created for doing very fine cuts around deposits of azurite. Another rack holds several helmets and an equal number of mining suits
Yet another area of this large work area contains a small kitchenette, tables, and a couple of vending machines. A restroom is also in this area.
Several small carts are lined up near the wall. A few of these same carts contain freshly mined azurite.
Large trailers full of azurite await a TerraRunner. They'll soon be taken to ore processing on the surface.
Three large pallets, stacked with several heavy-looking sacks, are stored along a wall.
Four corridors leave this area, ostensibly toward areas where active mining is taking place.
Sandy walks quickly to two other miners. One clings to his comm device, advising whoever is on the other end to stay calm. "Help just arrived--you should hear us coming in just a minute or two..."
After a brief conference which includes consulting a holo-map of the mines, one of the miners, a hylki, addresses you all. "We have four miners from B shift trapped in area North-7. They're boxed in by several aggressive khefaks. At least one miner is injured.."
After looking over the gear in the back of the TerraRunner, Tatch puts a hard hat on his head and hesitates with the fire extinguisher. After another moment, he leaves without it.
Once they arrive at the mountain, Tatch puts on a mining suit. He knows it will offer some protection from harm. He takes a shovel, thinking it could help if there is a wall collapse.
Tatch listens to the hylki describe the situation. North-7? I haven't been there before, he thinks. He focuses on the holo-map, noting the twisting passages. Are these khefaks wild or some sabotage from a competitor?
After looking over the gear in the back of the TerraRunner, Tatch puts a hard hat on his head and hesitates with the fire extinguisher. After another moment, he leaves without it.
Once they arrive at the mountain, Tatch puts on a mining suit. He knows it will offer some protection from harm. He takes a shovel, thinking it could help if there is a wall collapse.
Tatch listens to the hylki describe the situation. North-7? I haven't been there before, he thinks. He focuses on the holo-map, noting the twisting passages. Are these khefaks wild or some sabotage from a competitor?
The miner foreman makes sure you have the holo-map they were referencing. It's now available on your comm device (or whatever device you prefer).
When they get to the hub within the mountain and Sandy talks with the other miners, Bickle throws on a mining suit and hardhat. Better to have some level of protection than none, and all his personal gear was back in his little apartment. Grabbing a sonic pick as well, just in case they need to extract an injured miner from a wall collapse, Bickle hops back in the transport ready to approach North 7.
Three climbs out of the vehicle and looks around. "This is not where the security forces have gathered." The android shrugs, listening to Sandy. The instructions were to report to the mine. They have done that, and obviously this yoski knew where help was needed most.
They notice the others pulling on the mining suits and nods. It wasn't as good as armor, but it would help avoid smaller injuries. Three approaches the image of the holomap and pings a download request. It wasn't a section he had already. Or had he simply deleted the information to make room for vidgames?
[Tactical readiness 73%. Threat scanning module activated]
Let's hope that wasn't affected by the low-grade alcohol. Three turns to the others in the group. "As the security personnel, I will lead. Identify any perceived threats. If you can locate any injured miners, please attempt to extricate them from the area. Do any of you have medical experience? I do not have the requisite modules."
"I am capable of some magical healing," Jayne says in reply to Three's query.
She then starts sqirming her legs togeher, "Blast it, I have to make water. Where's the latrine?!" she frantically makes her way to use the lavatory.
Squanch grabs the medkit and flashlight from the terrarunner. He looks at the extinguisher, but decides against it. He jumps out of the vehicle and follows the others into the ready area.
Looking over the mining suits, he estimates they'd provide no more physical protection than his travel suit, but -- there is the possiblity of bad atmosphere in the mine. He takes time to change out of his suit, carefully placing his take out food next to it on a bench, and into the company gear. He makes sure the comm is working, and settles the helmet over his head. He straps his gear and pack back on.
Crossing the room to worm his way into the group looking at the holomap, he's suddenly reminded of the big cave he grew up in. He snorts and continues on his way.
...
Let's hope that wasn't affected by the low-grade alcohol. Three turns to the others in the group. "As the security personnel, I will lead. Identify any perceived threats. If you can locate any injured miners, please attempt to extricate them from the area. Do any of you have medical experience? I do not have the requisite modules."
"Fine, you're on point. I've got a couple medkits and some basic training. Can we get some med patches and sprayflesh? They'd be really helpful."
Squanch grabs the medkit and flashlight from the terrarunner. He looks at the extinguisher, but decides against it. He jumps out of the vehicle and follows the others into the ready area.
Looking over the mining suits, he estimates they'd provide no more physical protection than his travel suit, but -- there is the possiblity of bad atmosphere in the mine. He takes time to change out of his suit, carefully placing his take out food next to it on a bench, and into the company gear. He makes sure the comm is working, and settles the helmet over his head. He straps his gear and pack back on.
Crossing the room to worm his way into the group looking at the holomap, he's suddenly reminded of the big cave he grew up in. He snorts and continues on his way.
"Fine, you're on point. I've got a couple medkits and some basic training. Can we get some med patches and sprayflesh? They'd be really helpful."...
Let's hope that wasn't affected by the low-grade alcohol. Three turns to the others in the group. "As the security personnel, I will lead. Identify any perceived threats. If you can locate any injured miners, please attempt to extricate them from the area. Do any of you have medical experience? I do not have the requisite modules."
The miner foreman responds. "No medpatches or sprayflesh here. We have medics on the way. There's just one injured miner in there right now, and it sounded like it was minor. Just see if you can deal with the khefaks and get the miners out. We'll send more security in as soon as they arrive."
He points you all toward the proper branch corridor. It's far too narrow for a TerraRunner, so you'll have to walk.
"Is it mating and egg-laying season for the khefaks? How would you explain their behavior?" Tatch asks the foreman.
"Latrine? That way!" Tatch says pointing in the correct direction with the head of his shovel.
When they start walking into the tunnel, Tatch says, "No, Three-5, I don't have medic training. I'll help you drive off the khefaks. I know a spell that causes sleep. I'll try to use it early in the battle to help us. I just need to be within 30 feet of the target."
While the others are chatting with Sandy and using the latrine, Bickle saunters over to the pallets of heavy looking sacks and the carts and trailers of azurite and takes a look to see if anything seems unusual or out of place.
Rion removes his jacket and hangs it in the rack beside the mining suits. "Might have disturbed a nest," he says.
Flicking through the suits, he selects one that looks about his size and tosses it over a shoulder. He then grabs a helmet and, setting it atop his head, saunters back to the group. Unfastening his belt as he walks, it is removed and swinging from one hand - along with a holstered pistol secured to it - by the time he returns.
The hylki steps into the mining suit and, pulling it on over his trousers, looks at Sandy and the miners. "North-7? Whose claim are we talking about, here?" he asks slipping his arms through the sleevs and fastening the front.
Fastening his belt over the mining suit, he adds, "Anything particular about North-7 we should know?"
Rion gives a slow nod to Three-5, eyeing them curiously - he'd seen the android eat the floor back in the L7. "You got it, Mr Security," he says. "Nothing beyond the standard stings, slings and resuscings," he continues, using the workers' moniker for the standard company first-aid compliance training. "I follow your lead and watch your back." And further signs of inebriation. Rion also scoops up a sonic pick, resting it casually on his shoulder.
"Is it mating and egg-laying season for the khefaks? How would you explain their behavior?" Tatch asks the foreman.
"Latrine? That way!" Tatch says pointing in the correct direction with the head of his shovel.
When they start walking into the tunnel, Tatch says, "No, Three-5, I don't have medic training. I'll help you drive off the khefaks. I know a spell that causes sleep. I'll try to use it early in the battle to help us. I just need to be within 30 feet of the target."
Sandy replies. I'm no expert on khefaks, but this is not normally the season where khefaks are mating or laying. Usually they are minding their own business munching on whatever is in front of them at this time.
While the others are chatting with Sandy and using the latrine, Bickle saunters over to the pallets of heavy looking sacks and the carts and trailers of azurite and takes a look to see if anything seems unusual or out of place.
Several of the carts and trailers are empty. A few contain raw ore. The bits of azurite (or in some cases, very LARGE pieces!) are stunningly beautiful, even in their raw form.
You note that there are three pallets stacked high with bags of some type of material.
A closer look indicates that they are bags of a synthetic aggregate, likely used to provide traction for the TerraRunners when they go up and down the ramp to the mine head (where you currently are). There are already trails of this aggregate along the ramp and at the bottom. Some of the bags are leaking, and there are small piles of the aggregate near the pallets.
Bickel, you see that the bags have been torn open. It's not just a little leak causing the piles of aggregate.
The hylki steps into the mining suit and, pulling it on over his trousers, looks at Sandy and the miners. "North-7? Whose claim are we talking about, here?" he asks slipping his arms through the sleevs and fastening the front.
Fastening his belt over the mining suit, he adds, "Anything particular about North-7 we should know?"
Rion gives a slow nod to Three-5, eyeing them curiously - he'd seen the android eat the floor back in the L7. "You got it, Mr Security," he says. "Nothing beyond the standard stings, slings and resuscings," he continues, using the workers' moniker for the standard company first-aid compliance training. "I follow your lead and watch your back." And further signs of inebriation. Rion also scoops up a sonic pick, resting it casually on his shoulder.
The foreman responds. "North-7 is probably the most productive branch of these mines. More high-grade azurite comes out of North-7 than any of the other branches. Otherwise, just refer to this map. There are some gates that might be closed. Here, use this key fob to get the to open."
Bickle meanders over to Rion and Three-5 trying to look casual. "Those pallets of synthetic aggregate have been torn open, don't know if it's sabotage or something else, but the carts have some of the biggest azurite crystals I've ever seen or heard of around here. Makes me wonder if this cave-in and assault is just a distraction." Bickle scratches his chin and continues looking nonchalant as he leans against the TerraRunner.
Three stares blankly at Bickle and then looks at the spilled aggregate. "What significance does that hold? What advantage would having more aggregate down provide?" They turn to the azurite crystals. "You are supposing that someone wishes to steal these while attention is placed on the endangered miners? Or perhaps drive the mining efforts away if North-7 is deemed to be an unsafe area? This is conjecture without sufficient evidence."
"Our purpose is to secure the safety of the miners. Property claims of the North-7 territory would be a matter for legal services. However, protection of the property rights of the mining company is within my authority if required." He powers on his rotolaser.
"We should depart now."
There is a long tunnel, just wide enough for two of the small carts full of ore to pass by each other. This tunnel is well lit, with lights on the ceiling every 20 feet or so.
The tunnel spills into an irregularly shaped chamber that runs largely north and south. To the north, a narrow opening in the wall opens into another set of tunnels. The chamber you're currently in continues to the south. As with the long tunnel that lead here, this area is well-lit with several work lights set up on ceilings or on the wall. Several thick cables are sprawled across the floor, most likely to provide power and communication down here. At certain intervals it appears that an attempt is made to cover the cables in areas where the carts might often go.
There are several glowing blue crystals on the floors, walls, and ceilings. Clearly, work is done daily to dig them out for processing.
A voice calls out from the southeast. "Hey...HEY! Over here. But watch out, there are three of those critters chewing on rocks over here!"
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Llyfr frowns as she listens to the reports.
“Khefaks being aggressive now? That is strange. Glad to hear you’ve got medical on the way. Focus them on your miners... we can handle ourselves.”
She skips the mining suits, preferring the well-loved layers of her quilted armor. She checks her backpack supplies and the loads in her pistol, then touches the patch on her left shoulder.
May your knowledge protect us, Eloritu.
“Let’s get on with it. Those khefaks aren’t going to terminate themselves. Remember to save the the shells… we might get a bonus from ‘em if we do things right.”
Rion looks from Bickle to the bags of aggregate and grunts. "Interesting," he says.
"But the miners need our help. We should head straight there," the hylki says. "We'll look into it more closely once we're done," he assures Bickle.
Rion had never liked the mines, but he had to admit the glowing stones lent a certain beauty to the rocky tunnels they traversed.
Hearing the miner's hail echoing from up ahead, Rion draws his pistol and readies for action. "Thanks for the warning!" he calls back.
Jayne takes longer in the latrine than expected - as first time she has emptied her bladder in the past four days.
As she gets back to main chamber she sees the rest of the group is gone and gets directions from the foreman which way they went, and heads to catch up to them.
Rion nods to Three-5. "Got your back," he says, ready to follow the android's lead.
He carefully scans the tunnel ahead for signs of danger.
Bickle slinks along with the others keeping an eye on the tunnel behind them to catch anything attempting an ambush.
Jayne takes longer in the latrine than expected - as first time she has emptied her bladder in the past four days.
As she gets back to main chamber she sees the rest of the group is gone and gets directions from the foreman which way they went, and heads to catch up to them.
Rion nods to Three-5. "Got your back," he says, ready to follow the android's lead.
He carefully scans the tunnel ahead for signs of danger.
[Dice=Perception]1d20+5
Rion doesn't notice anything unusual from his current position.
Bickle slinks along with the others keeping an eye on the tunnel behind them to catch anything attempting an ambush.
[dice=Perception]1d20+5
Curiosity gets the better of Bickle and he slips forward to sneak a view of the khefaks.
Curiosity gets the better of Bickle and he slips forward to sneak a view of the khefaks.
[dice=Stealth]1d20+7
You catch a glimpse of two khefaks. They seem to be enjoying crunching on the rock and ore in their area. They haven't noticed you---yet!
Three tries to follow the others to sneak up on the khefaks.
Llyfr follows Three-5 toward the khefaks.
She leans toward Three-5 and whispers, “These khefaks don’t look like they’re rampaging to me. They seem pretty normal right now. Think something weird's happening?”