Sato leads the group down the passage. Above from the vents providing illumination the group hears distant screams, and some occasional gunfire. Those that look above to see what type of area they are passing under can see a corridor of bars and brothels. The large glowing signage indicates for the bars and brothels indicates that that the corridor is situated off of the casino level.

The corridor eventually ends but is not the result the group is looking for. There is a short ladder that goes up (not down), and the vent has a locking mechanism on it.

Sato turns to Asha and Abang:

"What do you think? Should we turn back and check out the other hall we haven't explored yet to see if there is a way that leads us down to the next floor?"

Kattalin doesn't wait even a moment before she answers the open question, clearly having been pondering that same issue already.

”The only things we know for sure are that whatever they are they move slowly, and whoever is up there is using more guns than we have.  If we hurry we should be able to take the other path that is likely to end in a better or similar situation.  Or we can go out there and find out if we have enough bullets.”

Sato didn't disagree with Kattalin's assessment of things, and it was quite in line with his own thoughts, but he still waited for Asha and Abang's thoughts.

"Yes. We know for sure we don't want to go up. Let's backtrack quickly and take the other route."

"Yes, back, I don't want to go among those poor souls without a full sealed suit."

The decision, having been made as a group, Sato turns the group and makes his way back to the intersection and down the other tunnel, with as must haste as possible.

The corridor is wide enough for Sato to easily turn around and head the other way.

As the group passes the T intersection’ that leads back to the server farm there are faint sounds heard indicating someone else has made it to that point.

If the group continues on, they hear the same sounds from before above them, and the neon signage still indicates they are head under a corridor of bars and brothels.

Eventually, Sato reaches the end of the corridor, which isn’t a dead in, it continues to the left. There is also a ladder and a mechanical latch on the see-through grate that leads up to the bars and brothels.

Kattalin pauses briefly at the intersection to listen for voices, rather than just the clattering of slow moving bodies, but not so long that she doesn't easily catch up with the others before the next junction choice.

”Up doesn't look like it gets us anywhere more useful yet, we should probably try further along but at least it seems like we can move quickly through these tunnels without drawing to much attention.”

Hope agrees with Kattalin. "Ya, up is bad right now. And we're safer moving in here than elsewhere." Hope keeps moving along with the group.

Sato bypasses the ladder and mechanical latch and proceeds down the corridor beyond it.

The bisection corridor doesn't have any overhead grates, indicating the group is no longer following the path of a larger tunnel. The lighting is again the same dull low wattage bulbs as before.

After going about 100 to 150 meters the corridor leads to a four way intersection of connecting tunnels.

[Private to Shinsato Hirotsugu: You have still not seen any signs of anybody having passed through here recently.]

Kattalin doesn't quite sniff or lick the floor, but she does get a little bit closer to it in order to see better in the low light, no doubt checking for signs of recent use to indicate a more effective path.
[Private to GM:
Kattalin Zubiri rolled 13 using 3d6+4 with the AGE System with rolls of {2}, 1, 6.  perception]

"This could take forever. Time is of the essence. Let's split up, and head each route quickly. If there is another branch, your route ends without going down, or you find a way down, we come right back here. Don't get in a fight, either. How's that sound, Bosmang?"

Shinsato nodded to Asha.  It isn't an ideal plan, but time was not on their side.  They needed to get to safety sooner than later. He sent Asha, Abang, and Kattalin off in different directions and he stays at the intersection with his mother and her care provider, Kaeya.  He kept alert to the corridor they had arrived at the intersection from in case others find their way here as well.

[Private to Drone:
The drone travels down the corridor to the left where the thermal signatures are greater. The lighting is coming from grates in the ceiling. Below each grate is a pile of trash/refuse that people probably dropped/pushed through the grates.

Above, the grates are large glowing signage indicating that the corridor above is situated off of the casino level, and is a bunch of bars and brothel.

At the end of the corridor there is a ladder and a mechanical latch on the see-through grate that leads up to the bars and brothels. The mechanical latch hasn’t been tempered with. The corridor itself leads left at a 90-degree angle.

Going to the left the corridor continues, and eventfully the drone gets to a point where a man is watching as if waiting for people to show up.
]

Sato, keeping watch, spots a drone coming from the way they just came from…

OOC: Asha, Abang, and Kattalin can all decide if they’ve already headed off in one of the three branches or are present when the drone shows up.

Not having made it particularly far down her tunnel Kattalin easily recognizes the familiar sounds of a drone and turns back to see what is going on, although she stays concealed in the side tunnel until it becomes clear why the drone is here.

Abang kept going, if it was an issue, Shinsato would call for them to return and time is an essence...

In reply to Kattalin Zubiri (msg # 162):

The drone was an unarmed, commercially-available civilian work drone adapted for both atmospheric and (probably) vacuum operations. It seemed to be the same one they'd encountered before on the casino floor when breaking into the side door.

Seemingly spotting them, the drone halted. It began blinking its running lights and flashing a small spotlight (three short blinks followed by three long ones then three short ones, repeated), while bobbing up and down in place.

[Private to GM: Assuming they don't shoot at it, Van will flash something like "wrong way/bad path, follow me".]
This message was last edited by the player at 18:08, Sun 06 Feb 2022.

Kattalin stays mostly around the corner, but steps out from the shadows a bit to offer her specialty again.

”It is trying to give us a warning, or asking for help, without a way to communicate more efficiently we may not be able to know unless we choose to follow it, but it is entirely possible I can confirm at least where it is from if we have the hardware to connect to it directly.”[Private to GM:
Kattalin Zubiri rolled 17 using 3d6+8 with the AGE System with rolls of {2}, 4, 3.  Technology (electronic warfare) Codebreaking]

With Bosmang's agreement, Hope rushes down one of the three passages to assess where it heads. A little noise behind her is an indicator to her that she needs to be hasty about this. It won't be long before there is a lot of trouble.

In reply to Kattalin Zubiri (msg # 165):

The inspection drone ceased bobbing and hovered in place.

Its lights began to flash in some kind of coded way.

[Private to Kattalin Zubiri: STOP STOP STOP PLZ FOLLOW ME PLZ FOLLOW ME...]

Kattalin looks at the drone intently for a few moments while it is blinking, but almost immediately after it finishes she nods her head and speaks to the others, still watching the drone as there really isn't anything more important to look at right now.

”I believe it can hear us, and its user can understand us, which suggests they are not infected.  The Drone is a little bit agitated but it wants us to follow it, and we really don't have a better lead.”

Shinsato nods in agreement with Kattalin's assessment and ushers all to 'follow' the drone.

In reply to Shinsato Hirotsugu (msg # 169):

Once it looked obvious that the crew was moving to follow, the drone waited until they were close, then began moving back the way they came.