Linus looked at the door, seeing if he could figure out how it operated.

In reply to Linus Spruance (msg # 171):

It looked like the main valves had various controls. Without power, it would remain closed. The hatches looked like standard starship-style hatches for the Sky Raiders culture and could be opened without power.

Given that it's the personnel side door Linus was looking at, he'll see if he can figure out how to open it unpowered.

In reply to Linus Spruance (msg # 173):

The somewhat oversized hatch was undogged, so spinning the handwheel in the middle released it. The hatch opened inwards, meaning it was designed to act as part of an airlock. Inside was a pitch-dark chamber.

Now that the scooters have been investigated and found to need new batteries, Billy makes his way across to Linus and peers into the darkened chamber beyond.

OOC: DM ruling please -   We started the exploration wearing Vacc Suits, because we were nsure of the atmosphere/environment. I don't ever remember posting that I took my Vacc Suit off.  However, I can see that I might have left it at base  while we were exploring what we recognised as 'Safe Areas'.  So am I still wearing my Vacc Suit?  If not I will want to send back for it :)
This message was last edited by the player at 09:08, Tue 26 Jan 2021.

"OK," called Linus.

"There's an airlock setup here. Everything's dark. No obvious way of telling what's on the other side, so I don't want to open it straight through or go in unprotected."

Traditional spacer caution showing through. Never step through a hatch when you do not know what's on the other side unless you are protected against hard vacuum.

Billy nods and starts to reseal his vac suit.  "Will you run through the tests for me?  It has been battered about a bit since we got here."

Making sure that he is pointing inside the hatch, Billy tests the suit's lights - both checking that the lights are working and, hopefully, throwing some light into the darkened chamber beyond.

Linus buttoned up as well.

"Crosscheck."

Billy cross-checks Linus's suit before looking to see if anyone else is suiting up, and check for them as well.

Then he will activate his suits light again and look into the area behind the hatch.  If there is no immediate risk, he will step inside.

In reply to Billy (msg # 179):

Angus suits up the rest of the way, sealing his suit.

In reply to Angus McStubbin (msg # 180):

Im in.

Linus joins the rest (if there's space...).

In reply to Linus Spruance (msg # 182):

The chamber was a large personnel airlock, 10x10x10m. It was still in zero-gee and lit only by suit lamps. After sealing up their vacc suits, everyone fit inside. The inner hatch would not open until the outer hatch was closed, a common safety feature for airlocks.

Dr. Mirost noted some alphanumeric markings on the walls but like all other markings it seemed to be keyed into a system that they did not know, and so was gibberish. He pointed out some sensors but they all seemed to be non-functional.

Once the outside hatch is closed the inner hatch wheel spun freely to unseal the inner door. When it opened again there was only blackness inside. Air did not rush out, indicating air pressure was equal (confirmed by suit sensors) but the temperature inside the airlock began to drop significantly, about 2 degrees a second. As the ambient temperature was about 22 degrees it quickly dropped past zero and into the negatives.

Billy shines his suit lights into the area   beyond the second hatch trying to pick out any detail of the large area -  or even if it enclosed at all.

Quickly, he brings to mind the specs for the suits they are wearing, wondering what sort of temperatures it can handle without risk to its occupant.

In reply to GM (msg # 183):

Dont really have anything to add to what Billy is doing, I will be there in support, shining my lights etc. Not sure if my portable computer in my suit has anything like gps- sonar - something that would help with map making and or seeing what is out there.
 Jedec will help how ever he can.

In reply to Jedec Istec (msg # 185):

The inner hatch moved slowly inwards. The relatively warm moist air inside the large lock turned into short-lived billowing mist and even ice crystals. After a moment their vision cleared enough to show part of a dark chamber, with every surface coated with a rime of ice. The temperature kept falling, -100C and below. Atmosphere, however, seemed to be of normal pressure and mixture with no sign of dangerous gasses or contamination. Gravity was still non-functional.

The hatch led into a relatively open vast chamber, longer than it was wide. Their suit lights and hand torches picked out details like loading bays, a pair of large lifts. There were ladders leading to ceiling hatches. It kind of looked like a warehouse.

In reply to GM (msg # 186):

"well nothing living in here at -100c... might as well take a quick look around then then decide our next hatch or door to move on to. "

Pistol out, Jedec will maneuver into the chamber and begin a look around using the jets of the suit to make a faster sweep.

Angus will follow providing cover with his shotgun.

A rime of glittering ice and frost covered every surface.

The sides of the chamber were lined with debris, mainly broken pallets and packing case. There were several small 1-man vehicles each with an open cabin protected by crash bars. It looked like the grav-lifters used in starports and warehouses, used to move gear, crates and equipment. They were destroyed and obviously non-functional.

Normally all these objects would be floating around in a random mass due to the lack of a functioning grav field. But even in its absence there was still a weak microgravity due to the asteroid ship's rotation. The floor was still oriented down in relation to that and so everything had slowly settled there over time. Possibly in the centuries or longer since this area became non-functional.

Near the opposite wall were two large industrial-style lifts. One was up flush with the ceiling but one was in the down position, offering a look up into the open floor space above them.

Billy follows Angus, shotgun ready, just in case, but leaves exploring the hangar to Jedec.  Using the comms built into the suit, he keeps up a simple commentary for those left outside.

Seeing the open lift shaft he wonders how well the grav belts will work in the microgravity, and fiddles with the controls to try and raise himself a few feet off of the deck.

Linus, as a former storeman in the service, felt quite at home here. He poked around a bit in an attempt to discern the sort of stores that had been kept here and their present state.

Linus noted that this area was a little too small to be a warehouse/supply depot. It lacked the endless floor-to-roof shelving. Whatever was located here was long-taken and the discarded packing and pallets gave no clue as to what might have been stored here before.

Using the grav-belt's thrusters, Billy is easily able to control his flight in zero-gravity with the help of the onboard AI autopilot. However, his acceleration is greatly reduced without a gravity or pseudo-gravity field to work against.

In reply to GM (msg # 192):

There IS gravity though, it is a moon, just low gravity.

Moving carefully, Billy uses the gravbelt to fly up and check out the upper area.

In reply to Billy (msg # 194):

The next level "above" was not more warehouse space.

Instead, it was packed with complex machinery probably used in industrial fabrication. 3D printers, lathes, drill presses, motionless robot arms, conveyor belts, etc. The lift shaft receded off into the distance, indicating dozens and dozens of similar levels.

As he got closer to the lift Billy could also see there were lifts lining the far wall. The large lifts would be to life raw materials up, and return with finished goods. The small lifts were for personnel transport.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:15, Thu 18 Feb 2021.