In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 913):

The inner compartments are just a little cramped for a human due to the 6ft ceilings with tidal growths all over them, but otherwise the initial airlock opens up to a large chamber that appears to be some kind of accommodation space, judging by the bunks visible.

08 June 2188, System 1838, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

Hmmmm Bug Bunks? or didthe capture others and confine hem here.  Gloria radios in to Brutus.

In reply to Gloria Flake (msg # 915):

Could have been both, but the bunks look like bug bunks.

"Check for lockers or chests," says Brutus, wondering whether bugs have personal possessions. "Watch for aggressive sealife." He looks for other exis, control pamnels or even notices. At this stage anything learnt about the bugs, even their alphabet, is intel on some level.

"Assuming the whole ship hasn't at some time filled with water, then at some point we're going to find a watertight door. If we have to force it then I want to be able to construct a replacement. Maybe a bubble wall around it so we can keep the water out come next high tide. Think about it, bounce it around. I'm after matured solutions with implementation times."

He keeps searching.

======
OOC: Don't particularly need a complete ship's layout (although if you've made one already then we'll explore it!)

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 917):

The deck seems to have a number of small compartments but there does seem to be a lack of doors. For that matter, there seems to be a lot missing, as if the lining were all ripped out and no longer exists. It is almost as if the ship seems like an exoskeleton devoid of electronics or any mechanisms to open internal doors that no longer seem attached. Skeletons of bugs litter the area as well.

08 June 2188, System 1838, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

No doors by design?
Ripped out carefully as if to furnish an emergency colony? Maybe it's a living, organic ship and  absorbed  not essential features at build something else!
DO the bugs show signs of violent death? or, indeed, any other indication of how they died?

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 919):

No, it looks like the doors have...decomposed. All soft tissue that would indicate a violent death has long since gone. You estimate they either died 100 years ago, or the flesh has been eaten out by small but very methodical creatures. No soft tissue remains of ship or creature.

08 June 2188, System 1838, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

Push on.. noting but by-passing repeat set ups..

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 921):

The vessel is a honeycomb of small rooms, with many bug and sea shells within. It takes a few hours to go through the vessel, by which time you get reports of a rising tide...

08 June 2188, System 1838, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

"How long before we're tsaking water?" asks Brutus.

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 923):

"We estimate 2-3 hours, but it is rising fast. It is still 15 yds away."

08 June 2188, System 1838, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

"Fine. Move all non-essential equipment back into the APC (ship). We leave in one hour," Brutus orders. He continues to ecplore for another half hour and then withdrwas.

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 925):

Most of the ship has been stripped out by marine life. Except for one compartment made of glass. Inside is what appears to be 7 eggs. It seems white though, as if frozen, despite the temperature being a balmy 24 degrees celcius.

08 June 2188, System 1838, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

"That's a job for next low tide. Back to the ship now," calls Brutus.

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 927):

You were alone when you found it. It is about the size of a basketball, so you could carry it.

08 June 2188, System 1838, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

Brutus takes advise on what he's foubnd, "So, can I scan it adequately whth my current kit? Don't want to infect to infest the crew or ship! And atmospher too! What gases show behind the glass? Maybe we can put it into a  rugged container?"

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 929):

You don't have any more than the basic scanners with you, but the scientist can meet you outside with it to analyze it, and with a hard case. Behind the glass there just seems to be some kind of white milky liquid.

08 June 2188, System 1838, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

Keeping an eye on his countdown timer Brutus calls "Agreed!" and takes the appropiate scanner from the scientist and does the scan.

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 931):

You manage to transit the thing outside in about 20 minutes, taking care because of it's fragility. You are met outside by the two scientists with their scanners.

The scan the item several times, taking a good ten minutes to do so, before reporting.

"These appear to be bug eggs. There is some preservation fluid, consistent with what we would expect on colony ships. The eggs seem good, and some may hatch if we can find the trigger. What temperature were they stored at?"

08 June 2188, System 1838, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

"24c. Now, let's be gone before the tide forces," says Brutus, sounding like a suggestion but actually an order. Returning to our mothership.

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 933):

"Agreed."

Unless you say otherwise, they will take the item of interest along with the equipment back onto the shuttle and prepare to depart.

08 June 2188, System 1838, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

"Let us be on our way then," confirms Brutus.

He intends to leave the decision with Gloria about hatching bugs versus taking the eggs back to a base.

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 935):

They take the container aboard, and return to the ship.

The tide rises remarkably quickly, engulfing the ship in a matter of minutes. Millions of small creatures can be seen in the incoming tide, with only a handful of larger ones more than a few inches long. The larger ones seem to be feeding on the small ones, and the smaller ones seem to be devouring everything in the path of the tide. As the two moons align, the tide rises dramatically and covers the entire land, but only briefly. After an hour, the moons are separating, and the tide dropping back as fast as it came.

08 June 2188, System 1838, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

"Well, skipper, what shall we do with the eggs? Hatch them? Or store for return to
a base?" asks Brutus before intending another foray into the bug ship.

Our issue is having them aboard, they may turn out to be helpful, but we do not know what ingrained habits they have from birth. Is there a dry place anywhere on this planet? Do we know what they eat?