In reply to The Watcher (msg # 921):

Briggs words stir Frank from her stupor.

Surprisingly apt tactical assessment. Great notes about scope creep. Too bad it was Briggs and not Billy.

Frank interjects helpfully, Having done a fair bit of arming, disarming, and detonating bombs myself, I'd say it's as easy as justifying any other morally tasteless compromise one makes with themself. Just a matter of will.

Seeing the matter of the mystery wall and burden of life respectively sorted, Frank falls in line behind the group and heads down the tunnel.

In reply to Penelope Franklin (msg # 924):

We... Aviva blinks, then turns back to look at the marked blockage.

Aviva sticks out her lower lip dejectedly and toddles along toward the end of the chain of people, somewhat slower than before.

boom... she mutters under her breath

In reply to Aviva (msg # 925):

Roger continues to light the path.

In reply to Yardbird (msg # 926):

You continue to work your way down the passage, ignoring the marked barricade for now.

The tunnel continues in much the same way as before, roughly dug with more attention paid to the engineering of the tunnel rather than to its comfort or aesthetics.

You do notice that it is lit at regular intervals by small baskets of glow caps, which are themselves roughly woven from reeds and hung from peg-like extrusions built directly into the walls.

Whatever's disrupting communications is consistently strong in the tunnels. Your signal strength remains completely scrambled for the duration of the hike.

After some time, you come across another T intersection. Unlike the others, both pathways are open. The entrance to the right leads to an offshoot of your current path, while the main tunnel continues to your left.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 927):

"More tunnels?" Roger huffs. "Look, if you dudes are OK with losing the element of surprise, I can probably whip something up to map these corridors out. We could at least see if these connect into known territory."

In reply to Yardbird (msg # 928):

Aviva absentmindedly presents her hand and wrist to Roger, as if expecting him to kiss her rings.

Aviva coughs uncomfortably.

Oh, right, turn it on BEFORE turn it off...

Aviva twists her wrist and once more display the floating image taken of the map drawing from earlier.

Is this tunnel new? Avia asks, poking at the projection.

Can your mapping tool ingest this map and project into proportional space?

In reply to Aviva (msg # 929):

"Like labels overlaying the path in front of us? Hm. It's going to be at least a little bit manual... the projection part. My AI doesn't have any augmented reality capabilities. It's mostly a knowledge box and systems connector. Probably need to call up the Adjutant to help with this one."

Roger taps the chunky computer on his wrist.

"Adj, wake up buddy. Got something for you."

He studies the map.

"How're you doing that? You got a unit somewhere on you?"

His thumb and index finger spin a thin filament of neon blue and green. "If we can't do an over-air connection between devices, this might work to wire them up."

In reply to Yardbird (msg # 930):

It's um... standard connector?

Aviva wiggles her wrist unit, possibly hoping that helps to explain it.

“How long would it take your thing to map them and what are the odds it runs into someone who smashes it and we don’t even know where it was with signals still locked down?” Billy asks as Roger and Aviva figure out the finer points of map technology.

In reply to Yardbird (msg # 928):

Good intel? Yes please!

Frank smiles and touches Roger's wrist as she replies. Losing the element of surprise is subjective. Just because they know we're coming doesn't mean they know how or when.

Frank points at Aviva before patting her belt pouch and winking at Roger. We're tricky too!

In reply to Penelope Franklin (msg # 933):

"We're not using standard vibes for this," Roger says as the neon filament leaps between Roger's bracer and Aviva's unit after fashioning itself into a "standard" connector.

"I'm thinking more like... visual sonar. Energetic pulse wave?"

He collects his thoughts.

"I send an energy pulse back up the tunnel and down to the parts we haven't explored yet. My wrist unit collects that data and my AI correlates it with the map data from Aviva's unit. Anyone in the tunnel would probably see the light and hear the sound... or actually, not sure if there is a sound. I'm making this whole thing up. But it's totally gonna work."

In reply to Yardbird (msg # 934):

Aviva watches the technology with intense interest.

Confidence IS key, Aviva agrees with Roger.

Aviva darts over to one stony wall, puts an ear to it and raps with her knuckles

In reply to Aviva (msg # 935):

Briggs watches the conversation unfold for a bit before clearing his throat.

"We do have another means of unjammable communications," he says, tapping a finger to his temple on the un-ruined side of his helmet. "I am a Gazer, after all. I can maintain a link between us, so long as you don't fight my attempt to establish it. We could do traditional scouting instead of, or in addition to, whatever you're rigging up over there."

He smiles tightly.

"Of course, accepting the linkup requires a measure of trust, and I understand that commodity may be lacking at the moment."

OOC: As you are not actively under duress or meaningful time constraints (beyond the 3-hour window you were given), there is no roll necessary for Aviva and Roger to cobble together a mapping device that uses sound or light rather than your still-jammed wireless transmissions. "Taking Green" should suffice, especially with Roger tapping into his AI Adjutant to assist. I will need to know whether it takes the form of light or sound (or something else), though, and exactly what you're trying to do with it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:35, Wed 07 June 2023.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 936):

"That sounds incredibly cool Lieutenant, but I think Bill suggested we all stick together on this one. My two stones: never know what you're gonna find in a dark cavern on Ceto. So far this week we have radioactive terrasque and enormous brain parasite. Never hurts to be at full strength..."

Roger extends an open palm to the tunnel behind them, fingers splayed. He swings his head around to look at Billy, waiting for a go-ahead.

Billy shrugs when Roger directs his attention toward the CEO in residence, “If my preferences had more in common with the necessities to get things done we’d be on a very different adventure.  If your map isn’t going to get jammed filling us in or smashed in the process then let’s see it.  We can figure out who’s allowed in who’s brain when it comes to that.”

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 938):

"Sweet."

Roger's eyes shut tightly as he takes a deep breath. His palm radiates a brilliant burst of light that swiftly traces the corridor they just traversed. Accompanied by a resonant bass rumble akin to a powerful subwoofer, the light vanishes around the bend. He opens his eyes and looks between the UIs of his and Aviva's tech to see the results.

In reply to Yardbird (msg # 939):

Aviva continues to rap her knuckles on the stone and listen to the results.

Ooh, that's a hell of a sound!

In reply to Aviva (msg # 940):

Anyone lacking polarization (or the foresight to close their eyes) finds themselves temporarily blinded by the burst of energy unleashed by Roger and Aviva's machine.

The pulse surges outward in all directions, and the ground rumbles in response to the resonate bass. Bits of soil and debris rain down upon you--enough to remind you that you're still underground in a crudely made tunnel, but not so much that you feel an acute sense of danger.

Aviva's souped-up map populates quickly, revealing a simplistic tunnel system that loops around in a way that more or less follows the path of the road traversing the Outer Wheel. A stubby branch juts out from the northwestern portion, matching up nicely with the corresponding X on Aviva's map where the bomb detonated earlier.

"Please note, my Lords and Ladies, the change of fidelity in these areas," Adjutant's tinny voice rings out from Roger's bracer. Additional pieces of the map populate, though with blurrier lines and less distinct coloration. "These represent places where the light was unable to penetrate, but sonic vibrations continued through."

Several additional branches appear, leading away from the main tunnel and tracing paths that correspond well with the remaining circled Xs on Aviva's map.

"We are here," Adjutant says, helpfully causing the lumps on the map representing yourselves to blink. "I have isolated similar signatures, as well."

Several new lumps begin to blink on the map, located not far at all from where you are.

"Hostiles?" Briggs says, hunching over to get a better look. "Whoever they are, it's a fair bet they noticed...whatever you just did."


This message was last edited by the GM at 15:21, Fri 09 June 2023.

“Oh, god! Warning!” Billy shouts as Roger’s flash goes off.  He’s blinking the spots out of his eyes while the adjutant explains the finer details in time with his ability to actually make them out through his bout of temporary blindness.  “Locals, at least. he responds to Briggs, “If they’re in the tunnel they’re either responsible for it or know more of the score than we do.  Let’s get moving, they’re either gonna be on the defensive or on the run after that,” he pulls his helmet off the back of his suit and fastens it into place just in case the map has any more big flashes in store as he jogs down the right hand path.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 942):

Briggs turns to jog after Billy, though he does not appear to be disoriented from the pulse of light.

"With any luck, nobody will mistake that lightshow for another detonation," he quips, taking a moment to bring his pistol from its holster to his hand within the first few paces. "You saw the map as well as I did. If they're on the run, they'll be coming toward us. No place else to go."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:07, Fri 09 June 2023.

“It has been a day for surprises,” Billy shouts to Briggs over his shoulder.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 944):

A surprise?!  Aviva lopes after Billy.  I LOVE surprises!


It's a disappointing one, Aviva sighs, pursing her lips.

Aviva sticks her tongue out at Aviva.

Spoilsport

Aviva has no trouble keeping up with, behind, and ahead, of the rest of the group.  When Briggs pulls his gun, Aviva eyes him with suspicion and rests one hand on her own sidearm.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:45, Fri 09 June 2023.

In reply to Aviva (msg # 945):

Roger points at the cable between his and Aviva's devices and it unwinds into a puff of teal smoke. He traces a long rectangle in the air parallel to the ground and a long floating platform--the same he used to fly down the bunkhouse ramp earlier--materializes. He hops on and grabs the handrail at the front with one hand, holding out his lantern in the other. More handrails appear, one for each member of the group.

"Get on, my dudes. We'll run 'em down."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:13, Sat 10 June 2023.

In reply to Yardbird (msg # 946):

WOO!

Aviva leaps up onto the back of the rectangle, wrapping arms around Roger's waist rather than a handrail.

He won't let me drive, Aviva notes with a raised eyebrow.

Not YET maybe, Aviva retorts

In reply to Aviva (msg # 947):

Roger's illuminated energy skiff soon overtakes Billy and Briggs, the latter of whom hops aboard at the first opportunity.

"You're a useful man to have around," he smiles at Roger. "None too subtle, though. Reminds me a bit of Featherlight."

The group plows on into the yawning darkness, eager to face whatever might await them deeper in the tunnels.

~~ END OF CHAPTER 14 ~~




******
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:19, Mon 12 June 2023.