Ajakstu finds nothing whatsoever hidden in the small building.

Except the handle.

Hel-lo, what' this? A handle. In the floor. It was flush with the floor, covered by dust... but surely this is meant to be a groove for digits to hook under, and then lift upward?

Nothing. But...

More brushing away of dust.

An outline. A big rectangle. If this is a hatch, even The Duke could fit through it... Barely.

More importantly, a circle. It seems like the handle should...

Yeah. Ajakstu decides that the handle should be pushed DOWN slightly, and then TURN left or right, which would then probably free it to pull the whole thing UPwards.

He doesn't do that just yet, though... what if it's trapped, like the exterior ankle-hatch of the Doomwalker was? Hmmmm...





"For infomatin on base ask inside plz. For Cloister-- for Cloister-- infon z limitd. Cloister was redoubt of humans fr survivl. Above surfce n belw. Signs were scattered. Clues and hints. Calling and warng."

He turned and looked at Dukie, boldly staring at the man with a raised eyebrow as the Duke considered aggression but nodding with relief when he chose the pro-Alyn path. It was the only path, really. Alyn was the best at helping the Duke find all sorts of exotic food after all.

"Dukie? Do you hear that? It's comforting to get some reassurance that the Cloister is real. Ya they aren't giving us "the answer" but this is something." he said.

He turned back toward the robots.

"Thank you for that. And about the base? Who or what do we need to ask inside there for more information? Is there a mainframe that we can access or something? I've watched enough Star Trek to know there's always a mainframe somewhere in cases like this." he continued, momentarily slipping and hinting at his exotic origin before catching himself and continuing.

"Err...um what I mean is that if there's robots like you around, and an old military base, and this here data pad...then it only makes sense there's some mainframe gizo thingy or the other in there. What do you guys know about this building and its contents?"

(Annnnnd that'll call for a (new) Charming roll.)

22:27, Today: Alyn Reed rolled 6 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 2,1.  Charming.

"Direct sir to inquire inside."



"Direct sir to inquire inside. Database accessible frm inside."

21:22, Today: Ajakstu Gul rolled 8 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 2,5.  I Probably Shouldn't But I'm Curious

"Acquaintances! There is a portal in the floor in here! I have surmised that it is most likely not trapped," Ajakstu called out. With that he actually cocked his head and squinted at the handle. The attractive handle. The almost irresistible handle.

"I am the luckiest boy in the world," he said to Rake. "Much luckier than you."

With that, he took a firm grasp on the handle.

The Duke ever helpful and itching to release some of the energy of a suddenly stopped battle before it finished saunters inside to see if his friend with the wonderful hat needs a hand.

OOC: Well that charming roll is my first failed roll for this next level, although it is also my first new xp lol!

Alyn nods and follows after the Duke, eager to let his personal meatshield stalwart ally be the first to be subjected to the possible traps have a chance to channel his attention in a constructive manner by looking around inside.

Alyn considers, and silently sends out a mental ping to try and assess the building for other intelligences besides the party's.

Ajakstu's hand takes a firm hold of the handle... In one of those almost-too-late flashes of insight one has when one has acted without really thinking things through, the following occurs to him:

--He's seen this type of door before-- just on walls, not floors, that's why it took him this long to realize it.

--Actually pulling on the handle-- or even letting go of it now that he's grasped it-- is certainly likely to trigger an unpleasant response-- though he's not sure what it will be.

--However, there's normally a sort of click and/or vibration when that's about to happen, and that didn't happen this time. So maybe the unpleasant part will turn out to be malfunctioning with age? ...Or... maybe the warning click/and/or/vibration is the part that's malfunctioning due to poor maintenance?





Alyn doesn't try too hard, just sort of takes a vague mental glance-- nothing that might warn any telepaths that might be inside that there's another one up here on the surface.

And the results are... vague. There's something with a mind down there, somewhere, all right. How many, what sort, how powerful, and how hostile or friendly or neither they might be, Alyn can't really tell without trying harder.

The only other thing he can be certain of is that they aren't near. They're pretty far down below the surface somewhere, he's sure of that.

Ajakstu slowly turned to the entrance. "Say, Duke......" he called out. "There's some sort of trap connected to the door that I happen to have my hand upon. My first idea is for you to squeeze in and defeat whatever foul mechanism is present."

With that he sat back on his haunches while firmly holding the handle. Although there was LUCK! There was always LUCK.

Best to see what the damage soak had to say though.

Alyn followed after the Duke.

"Dukeie? A.G. Guys? ?" Alyn said suddenly.

"I can sense the mind of someone or something down there. It's deep down, so I suspect this complex is something that seems nondescript on the surface but actually hase basement levels out of sight underground. I don't know how strong the mind is down there, or really if it is friendly or hostile as I haven't tried probing hard." he continued.

"But whatever the case, I think we need to proceed inside to find what we came here looking for. For me? More stuff I can do with this Datapad and doomwalker knowledge stuff. 'Cus screw the seeker. For Duke? Food and Food-preparation opportunities. For A.G? Scrounging opportunities. And of course I'm always happy to help cook food and help scrounge in equal measure." he said.

"A.G.? Tell us more about this trap. I might be able to use telekinesis pur pyrokinesis or even cryokinesis or electrokinesis or some sort of kinesis on the damned thing. And...oh wait! The datapad! Lemme try something" he said as he went over to Ajakstu Gul.

He punched in a few things, his eyes glowing now and then with psychic insight as he did so.

"Hmmm...computer. Do you got any info on this trap here, and can you please disarm it or at least omit us from activating it?" he said as he spoke into the datapad in his hands after hitting some keys on it in a way that somehow made sense even though it didn't.

Quite frankly little of Alyn's life made much sense anymore, including the fact he somehow became smart enough to use computers easily on top of having psionic powers and who knows what else at this point. His humanity was debatable at this point, honestly, although at least he was "human enough" when it came to sensors and such.

21:15, Today: Alyn Reed rolled 13 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 6,6.  Insightful. This is me making a roll to see if I can use the datapad to find a way past the trap. The above is flavor test representing his high roll.

The Duke chuckles and looks at his companion hunched over the door and then pats his not so small girth.

"I ain't squeezing anywhere friend."

Still at the prospect of food inside the Duke 'inspects the door and seeing it swings outwards seems to have come to a conclusion and unless stopped by Alyn will brute force the door open in the wrong direction by using his gloves to smash the door inward. After all traps set on a door swining out will not trigger with the door swining in and being ripped out after. Why did they use tinfoil for the door anyhow.

ooc: 10:39, Today: The Duke rolled 12 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,6.  Forceful.

11:29, Today: Ajakstu Gul rolled 6 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 2,2.  Agile to dodge behind the Duke.


Seeing The Duke spring into action, Ajakstu shouts out in surprise and tries to throw himself behind the giant so he is shielded from whatever may happen next.

The Duke hammers the hatch hard, and an extremely-dented hatch falls downward into the darkness.

There's a small explosive charge that doesn't hurt The Duke at all-- but it does knock him backward into the wall... fortunately, Ajakstu serves as a cushion.

(Ajakstu gets +1 xp, but gets -1 on his next TWO rolls from being a little disoriented and wall-smushed.)


A little smiley-face pops up on Alyn's screen:

:) HI! I'M SMILEY, YOUR DATAPAD DIGITAL HELPER! YOU SEEM TO BE TRYING TO DISARM A TRAPPED HATCH AT SUPPPLY POST THETA-THETA-EPSILON! IS THAT CORRECT?


However, at Alyn's words, a mechanical voice also comes out of the speaker next to the nearby microphone: "Supply Post Theta-Theta-Epsilon, how may we help you re-supply today?"

Alyn stepped to the side smoothly as the Duke went comically flying past him into Ajakstu, and then into the wall. He just chalked it up to the Duke's normal antics.

He did putz with the datapad a bit, before inputting the following.

Never mind. The trap has been dealt with.

However...Smiley it would be super helpful if you could help alert us to any other traps in the facility, and possibly help us get past the safely too.

Alyn turned suddenly to face the direction the voice was coming from the intercom.

"Um...I am here to request full administrative access and ownership system rights for the Doomwalker 40 clicks west of us. Unless there is a more functional Doomwalker at this facility in which case I'd like that instead." Alyn said.

"Also please provide any non-spoiled food or rations you have access to as well. The Duke...err, I mean our group needs sustenance for our travels."

With an oof the Duke hits the wall and the thing between him and the wall introducing Ajakstuto his massive ass crack and the fact that he has never bathed in his life. He steps away and scrapes the poor sod from the wall taking a moment to uncrumple Ajakstus magnificent hat.

"Sorry buddy."

But then his attention is all on the speaker in the wall that is about to divulge the secret location of supplies and he is already showing his eagerness by rubbing his belly.

"Medic," Ajakstu mumbles as he slumps against the wall.

"Hey, where are Fishbreath and Gasbag? Shouldn't they be of more, by which I mean ANY assistance?"

SORRY, I'M NOT SURE I CAN INTERACT WITH THE SUPPLY POST'S SYSTEMS! :)  IT MAY BE THAT THERE'S A MALFUNCTION (ON THE SUPPLY POST'S END OF THINGS! NOT MY FAULT! :)  BUT THERE SHOULD BE A MICROPHONE WHERE YOU CAN ASK FOR ASSISTANCE DIRECTLY!  :)




"You are asking for DOOMWALKER FACTORY DRIVER HARDWARE/SOFTWARE so you can REPAIR AND OPERATE A MALFUNCTIONING DOOMWALKER. Is that correct? If so, we do have those DRIVERS in stock."




"You are asking for NON-PERISHABLE RATIONS. Is that correct? If so, we do have NON-PERISHABLE RATIONS in stock."




Kalsk and Vult show up in the doorway. "Everything okay?" Vult asks. "We thought we'd wait out here-- it looks a little crowded in here. Then we heard the big crash and we really, really thought we'd wait out here a little longer..."

Alyn turns to Ajakstu.

"It's probably best that they wait for us outside. That, and they can keep watch over the transports too. The murder-moths are up in the air somewhere too, so together they should be enough protection while we go inside and take a look." Alyn said.

He turned back to the Duke and gave a grin, before turning back to the Microphone.

"Yes um...microphone sir whatever you are. We are indeed requesting access to be provisioned with non-perishable food items. Or provisions manager, Duke, will take care of those logistics." Alyn said aloud as he spoke back to the microphone.

"And as for me...I also will be needing issuance of a set of DOOMWALKER FACTORY DRIVER HARDWARE/SOFTWARE as well for one of our MALFUNCTIONING DOOMWALKERS."

"Certainly. Stand by for 1 unit of DOOMWALKER FACTORY DRIVER HARDWARE/SOFTWARE and units of NON-PERISHABLE RATIONS."

You note that the hatch downward lights up. You can easily see, now, that there're easy-to-climb ladder rungs recessed into the wall of the vertical downward hatch.

"Stand by."

You hear machinery operating somewhere below you.

"Stand by."

Nothing new happens, except that the sounds of machinery grow slowly more quiet.

"Please stand by."

Is it your imagination, or does the voice sound a little worried?

Nothing new happens.

Just when you're thinking about saying something, the voice comes again.

"Thank you for waiting. Supply Post Theta-Theta-Epsilon apologizes for the inconvenience. It appears that your order is running late. There seems to be one or more physical malfunctions in the supply chain delivery system. Supply Post Theta-Theta-Epsilon assures you that your needed items ARE in stock-- however, they cannot be delivered to this surface pick-up point. You may want to descend manually and retrieve your items yourself. Supply Post Theta-Theta-Epsilon apologizes for the inconvenience."

It really does sound apologetic at this point.

"Um, Ajakstu Gul seems kind of, ah, worn out," observes Kalsk from the doorway. "Maybe we should have a rest again before anyone heads underground again?"

Alyn turns and nods at Ajakstu.

"Yes a rest will be fine if he needs it still. We're ahead of schedule honestly so there's no need to rush and wear ourselves out." Alyn replied.

He turned to the microphone.

"Supply post Theta-Theta-Epsilon? We will venture down and manually retrieve the food rations and the Doomwalker drivers. In the meantime though, we would like to rest and recuperate. Are there sleeping quarters available for my party?" Alyn asked into the microphone.

"Although this kiosk has been specially treated with the latest scientific advancements to be earthquake-proof, flood-proof, fireproof, and generally resistant to many other forms of damage, it is not, unfortunately, able to increase in size, nor can cots be delivered at this time due to supply chain issues. However, down below, there is a spacious Visitor Center which does include fold-out sleeping arrangements for a variety of species, including humans and humanoid-like beings." Somehow the speaker gives the indirect implication of meaning such as The Duke on that last part.

"After you descend, head west, and the Visitor Center will be the first door on your right-- You should find that it is clearly marked with appropriate signage."

"That sounds fine," says Kalsk. He steps forward a little and pats Ajakstu on the shoulder. "You can lie down soon and rest," he says (slowly and) clearly, a little pity evident in his voice. Kalsk has a bit of a paternal side, who knew? Maybe it's not so strange, considering that Vult tends to sound like a teenager...

Ajakstu cringes away from the pat, remembering his internment with Kalsk's relatives. He busies himself inspecting his hat and then finds Rake and gently places him on his shoulder.

The Duke having perked up at the prospect of food needs no further incentive and starts down the ladder mumbling something about scouting ahead.