File: 2.png (25 KB, 1280x720)

25 KB PNG

...amidst a pile of mechanical trash, in a dimly-lit tunnel in the middle of nowhere. It's a start, you suppose.

Old computer equipment surrounds you- you can identify busted monitors, gutted computer cases, and dusty keyboards. Looking closer, you can even find old pieces of heavy machinery. You were reminded of the old trips to the junkyards that Hank used to take- either for spare parts, materials, or inspiration.

Wait, perhaps this was your destiny all along- to become a pile of scrap in the junkyard, awaiting an ambitious future as a slab of recycled plasteel. You're ready to accept that, but some things about this place seem strange.

For one, there's clearly something powering this place. The tunnel is lit well enough for you to look around, though not enough to make out specific details. You can hear the hum of mains electricity in the distance, which reminds you-

You need a power source. You have enough energy to last you a few hours, sure, but only if you remain completely idle. If you have any plans to survive in this tunnel system, then you'll have to find power.

--More--

File: 3.png (24 KB, 1280x720)

24 KB PNG

You leap off the pile and look towards the western end of the tunnel. Though you can't see the complete path there, you can barely make out another section. You don't know what may lie along the path, however.

> mv towards the hum. There might be a substation nearby.

> stat the surrounding area. Perhaps there's something useful amidst the rubbish...?

>>3665144
>> stat the surrounding area. Perhaps there's something useful amidst the rubbish...?

>>3665144
>stat the surrounding area. Perhaps there's something useful amidst the rubbish...?

>>3665144
> stat the surrounding area. Perhaps there's something useful amidst the rubbish...?

No trip OP? Alright

File: 4.png (18 KB, 1280x720)

18 KB PNG

>>3665163
>>3665170
>>3665232

> stat

Most of the stuff in the rubbish pile looks either pre-war or far too heavy to lift. Not very useful. But a thin, tube-shaped component catches your eye.

Picking it up, you realize it's a flashlight module, compatible with your chassis. It comes with additional power drain when active, but with mains power so close by, you aren't terribly concerned about power. It's all a matter of getting to the source in one piece, you tell yourself.

Finding a random flashlight just when you needed one seems strangely convenient, you figure, but you can't really complain. You attach the module and move westward.

--More--

File: 5.png (14 KB, 1280x720)

14 KB PNG

The tunnel appears to contain more of the same. A few burnt-out flares here and there suggest someone might've been through here before. You don't think much of it.

About halfway to the next section, you catch a tiny drone- something you thought you'd only see back at home. It looks about spherical in shape, with two bladed propellers, and was roughly the size of a lemon. High-tech equipment somehow found its way into this tunnel system, though you fail to understand why or how.

> stat the drone, keeping a distance.
> pick up the drone, could be useful later.
> ignore the drone, power's more important.

>>3665284
>stat the drone
If it isn't dangerous
>pick up the drone
Us bots gotta stick together

>>3665284
>> stat the drone, keeping a distance.
>> pick up the drone, could be useful later.

>>3665284
>ignore the drone, power's more important.

>>3665284
>> stat the drone, keeping a distance.
>> pick up the drone, could be useful later.

>>3665296
+1

File: 6.png (16 KB, 1280x720)

16 KB PNG

>>3665296
>>3665297
>>3665323
>>3665325
>>3665350

> stat, pick up

You keep a good distance and carefully inspect the drone. A standard scout drone, one of hundreds you've seen Hank mass-produce. Though something seems odd about the model- something with the lack of features?- it doesn't look too harmful. It hasn't moved at all ever since you've seen it, meaning it's probably out of power. It shouldn't cost too much power to repair it and get an extra set of eyes in these tunnels, you figure. You reach down to pick it up.

--More--

File: 7.png (21 KB, 1280x720)

21 KB PNG

Well, that was a mistake.

The drone explodes as soon as you touch it, in a flurry of lightning arcs. You fall to your knees and spasm, current coursing through your circuits. The EMP was powerful enough to shut off a number of your subsystems, but thankfully, not enough to fry your central processor.

As suddenly as it came, the sensation ends, and you hastily restart your optics. The drone is hovering slightly overhead, making a strange series of chirping noises. You figure it's just analyzing you, but that didn't explain the shock bomb it discharged earlier. Before you can react, however, it had already started flying westward, in the same direction you were going.

Well then. So much for a standard scout drone. You reboot your other systems and check for damage. Your flashlight is functional, but occasionally flickers. Your battery life had fallen down to three hours, which wasn't critical yet but certainly made power more worrisome.

> mv westward, towards the drone.
> mv eastward, to the other end of the tunnel.

>>3665447
>mv westward, towards the drone.

>>3665447
>> mv westward, towards the drone.

File: 8.png (15 KB, 1280x720)

15 KB PNG

>>3665452
>>3665454

> mv west

Well, nowhere else to go except forward. What even is there on the eastern end of the tunnel? Perhaps you'll find out someday.

You make it to the next section of tunnel, which splits off into two ends, both sides too dark for you to see into. You still can't hear the drone, nor its chirps- just the echoes of your footsteps and the hum of electricity.

You find more evidence of something occupying this place. Used flares litter the ground beneath you, and there's far less scrap in this area- you can only find stuff that's too heavy to carry.

The drone attack made you remember that you needed a weapon as well. You aren't particularly keen on taking more shock-bombs to the face, after all. But with most of the smaller scrap gone, you probably won't find a weapon here.

--More--

File: 9.png (31 KB, 1280x720)

31 KB PNG

Just as you say that, however, you spot a deactivated turret behind some cargo crates. Another stroke of luck, you figure. You can't exactly carry it around with you, but it's better than just having your fists.

Moving closer, you find that the turret has a control panel on its side. You open it to find that it has an empty keycard slot and a power switch. You try the power switch a couple times, just in case, but nothing happens. Welp. The keycard for the turret can't be too far, can it? You try to search for it.

> grep for the keycard in this section of tunnel. (Roll)

> Rolls are 1d10.
> First roll counts. Additional 10s add 1 to the value, 1s remove 1 from the value.

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>3665662

>>3665667
Welp. Can't roll worse

>>3665667
Nice

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>3665673

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>3665662

File: 10.png (15 KB, 1280x720)

15 KB PNG

>>3665667
>>3665673
>>3665680
>>3665747

> grep (2)

You spend what feels like an eternity searching for the keycard, but ultimately find nothing. Maybe it was all a ruse, you figure.

Before you begin silently denigrating yourself for committing an ultimately fruitless search... you hear chirps.

--More--

File: 11.png (22 KB, 1280x720)

22 KB PNG

Multiple, in fact.

You turn around and find yourself greeted by the drone you saw earlier... and a dozen of its friends. All of them seem to be lazily observing you with their single eye.

Welp. Not a lot of time for planning here.

> Roll for success of each outcome.

> mv west/north/east.
> grep for cover.
> defend yourself.
> [write-in]

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>3665873
>> defend yourself.

>>3665904
i fucking give up

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>3665873
>>> defend yourself.

>>3665904
>>3665908
>>3665949

jeez, awful luck with the rolls here. Don't worry, not all hope's lost here. I'll definitely have to find a less harsh system later but for now it's just a regular fail. Also writing.

File: 12.png (17 KB, 1280x720)

17 KB PNG

>>3665904
>>3665908
>>3665949

> defend 1

As you'd expect, trying to fight a horde of flying things on foot with nothing but your fists isn't the easiest thing to do.

You try punching away the closest one you can find, but miss and nearly fall. You barely catch yourself, and turn around, expecting to be shocked again...

--More--

File: 13.png (22 KB, 1280x720)

22 KB PNG

...only to find the drones organizing themselves in a slowly rotating lattice shape. Well, better than the alternative.

You step back, waiting for one of them to divebomb you. Another step, then another. Nothing. You retreat behind some cargo crates to take a breather.

--More--

File: 14.png (13 KB, 1280x720)

13 KB PNG

Behind cover, you watch the drones. Still forming a lattice, surreptitiously chirping. You slink back and try to formulate a hasty plan.

Drones, by themselves, can't be that intelligent. For them to do something higher-order like organize into a lattice, they'd need to be controlled by something else...

So, that was it! If you can't kill the body, go for the head. You turn on your flashlight and mv westward, grepping for whatever's piloting the drones.

--More--

File: 15.png (9 KB, 1280x720)

9 KB PNG

The electric hum grows even more intense the further west you run. The head couldn't be that far away...

You run twenty paces and check behind you. No, the drones still haven't followed you. You continue, and finally notice something amidst the darkness.

One of the panels in the tunnel walls has a crack in it- and through that crack, a sliver of red light. Along with the hum of mains, you can hear what faintly sounds like whimpering from inside. Weird.

With nothing else to lose, you pull on the corner of the panel, and it gives way easily.

--More--

File: 16.png (26 KB, 1280x720)

26 KB PNG

To say the least, it wasn't what you'd expected.

You find a human-sized automaton curled up beside an electric lamp. If it wasn't for her grey skin, metallic arms, and half of her face being a mechanical faceplate, you would've assumed she was a teenager, albeit a weirdly-proportioned one. She's holding a small tablet-shaped device, which casts a pale blue glow onto her face.

The device she was using to control those drones. Could this thing /really/ be the head?

As soon as she noticed your presence, she shrinks away in fear.

"W-Who are you?"

Her voice quavered- she's clearly more afraid of you than you are of her.

> "PO-5."
> "Who are you?"
> "Weren't you controlling those? You should know who I am."
> "What's that in your hands?"

>>3666458
“PO-5.” “Who are you?”

>>3666498
>> "PO-5."
>> "Who are you
+1

>>3666498
>>3666615

Working on this now, will be my last update for tonight.

File: 17.png (23 KB, 1280x720)

23 KB PNG

>>3666498
>>3666615

> "PO-5. Who are you?"

"Rache. I-i'm an innocent, okay? Sorry for the... thing with the drones earlier. You might've been a hostile... C-come in, if you want."

Though still clearly on edge, she appears to be calming down somewhat. You decide to enter the hideout.

It wasn't a bad place to stay, actually. Light, shelter, and the company of a freaked-out robot girl with scout drones. You notice a set of conduits at the base of the lamp, that appear to lead into the darkness...

"I take it you're looking for p-power?"

Duh. How could you forget? You still need power. You were down to... what, two hours? But you suppose there's no need to rush, what with a charger being so close by.

You nod in Rache's direction. She sets aside the controller and gets to her feet.

"Follow me. I know where we can find a ch-charger for you."

She walks past you, and you follow her. Along the way, you have quite a few questions to ask her.

> "Why do you look so awful?"
> "How long have you been here?"
> "Where'd you find those drones?"
> "What's that thing they were forming?"
> "How well do you know these tunnels?"
> "Do you know anything about turrets?"

File: gg1.png (21 KB, 1280x720)

21 KB PNG

So yeah that's a wrap for tonight. Gonna continue this thing at around the same time (3 pm tomorrow) and I'll be sure to post if anything gets in the way of that.

There were definitely things I could've executed better but hell for the first time doing one of these it could've gone way worse. Hopefully next sesh goes better than the first, and has faster updates too.

Anyway post your responses and also comments if you got any, ya boy's gotta die now.

>>3666837
>All of the questions. All of them.

>>3666851
Your art is cute.
You need to give thought to the dice system though. Either to the dice themselves or to how you interpret the rolls. I've seen people make 1 on a 1d10 a devastating critical failure and forget that 1 in 10 rolls will be like that.

>>3666888
There's also the fact that a critical success generally has less influence than a critical failure, because on a crit you might succeed in one task of many, but a crit fail can end the quest outright.

>>3666837
>> "How long have you been here?"

>>3666837
>"How well do you know these tunnels?"

>>3666837
> "How well do you know these tunnels?"

File: 18.png (25 KB, 1280x720)

25 KB PNG

>>3666888
>>3666900
>>3666996
>>3667005

Before proceeding into the rest of the hideout, you close the entrance. Wouldn't want any other visitors.

Rache picks up a torch, dims the lamp, and asks you to follow. Along the way, you offer a couple questions.

> "How long have you been here?"

"Uhh... I'm not sure. My clock says two weeks, but it's felt like much longer."

> "How well do you know these tunnels?"

She sighs. "A little bit. My drones helped me explore a lot, but there's also a lot of, uhh... t-things in the tunnels. I can show you when we get to the charger..."

Not terribly encouraging, but at least one of the 'things' is on your side. Now for a real question...

--More--

File: 19.png (20 KB, 1280x720)

20 KB PNG

> "Why do you look so awful?"

Rache stops. "I... look awful?"

You quickly analyze her. Tattered, dirty clothing, a subtle limp, bugged-out eyes, disheveled hair. Blunt as you were, you weren't wrong.

"I... suppose I do. I had a... bad encounter a while ago. With... bad things. I almost f-fainted out there..."

Her voice falls to a murmur, and her grip on the torch tightens.

"These tunnels are scary."

--More--

File: 20.png (27 KB, 1280x720)

27 KB PNG

The rest of the walk continued in uncomfortable silence. You attempt to ask Rache another question, but she doesn't respond, so you figure it's best not to pry.

Along the way, you notice that most of the hallway's floor is covered in scrap and spare parts. Rache didn't seem to know what to do with the stuff- mostly leaving it scattered along the floor.

You arrive at the power source- a series of outlets, plugs, and wires covering an entire wall of the tunnel.

--More--

File: 21.png (16 KB, 1280x720)

16 KB PNG

You hook yourself up to the charger. Finally.

"Uhh... PO-5? Here's a diagram I drew."

Rache shows you a rough diagram of the tunnels, on a scratched liquid-crystal display. Though her drawing skills are... childlike at best, and it wasn't really to scale, it was readable enough.

The hideout appears to have two entrances- the third barred off. You can make out the stretch of tunnel you were in a moment ago, and the junction where you had an encounter with Rache's drones.

One section is marked 'ELEV.' Given it's the one with the most exclamation marks, you can only assume it's either really important or really dangerous.

Regardless, Rache seems a little calmer now.

> pry for more answers.
> ask about the elevator.
> grep through the scrap for more spare parts.

Sorry for the delay, this one took a while. I'll be running until 10PM EST and hopefully I'll be on time tomorrow. Wew.

>>3666888
>>3666891

Yeah dice is definitely gonna be reworked. I kinda went easy with the rolls here because killing off the quest this early wasn't really my plan, though I realize using dice this early was kind of a bad idea. In the future I'll try to be more careful with the rolls, and probably use a different system.

>>3667831
>grep through the scrap for more spare parts.

>>3667831
>ask about the elevator.

>>3667839
Purely my opinion, but I dislike crit fails and crit successes. Probability of either is just too high especially when using low numbered dice. I would prefer if qms simply omitted both. Still, looks like a fun quest. Don’t worry about the dice too much though, dice are always a sticking point for new quests.

File: 22.png (15 KB, 1280x720)

15 KB PNG

>>3667841
>>3667865

> grep

You thoroughly grep through the scrap pile. You're getting rather good at this. Perhaps you were meant to scavenge through piles of garbage underground...

At last, something usable- an attachable photon cannon. A weak weapon, but cheap and portable. And, yes, better than your fists. Have you even won a fist fight before?

"Ah, you found something?" Rache was smiling. "That's... that's great. I dunno what to do with most of the things I collect. Most of it I feed to the fabricator."

You're a little disappointed that Rache doesn't see the value in the scrap, but perhaps she just doesn't know any better.

--More--

File: 23.png (27 KB, 1280x720)

27 KB PNG

> ask about the elevator

"Oh. That area? S-Several of my drones visited there, once..."

Her fading smile tells the rest of the story. She quickly tries to change the topic.

"I-If you want, I can show you around! There's a... there's a fab deck back there, where I make things, and, uh, there's the dock for the drones, and... and..."

Her voice trails off suddenly. Muffled chatter comes from behind the southern entrance.

--More--

File: 24.png (15 KB, 1280x720)

15 KB PNG

You turn to Rache, who looks petrified.

"They're... they're here."

She dashes off with the torch- looking for her drone controller, you presume. You listen closer- you can't put together specific words, but the harsh bursts of static suggest it's coming through radio or a voice filter.

> wait.
> grep for Rache.
> mv closer to the wall.
> confront the voice.

>>3668146
wait, get blaster ready

File: 25.png (8 KB, 1280x720)

8 KB PNG

>>3668176

> wait

...

"CHK."

...

"...ENTRANCE OF ADDITIONAL DIMENSIONAL STRAND. CANNOT STAT ITS LOCATION..."

...

"...NO, CANNOT FIND TARGET 'RHYTHM'. MUST CONTINUE OUR SEARCH."

...

"OVER."

You're getting anxious.

> continue spying.
> grep for Rache.
> mv closer.
> confront.

>>3668305
continue spying

>>3668305
>continue spying.
Be vewy vewy quiet

File: 26.png (17 KB, 1280x720)

17 KB PNG

>>3668330
>>3668494

> continue

You move closer, making sure to stay out of sight. Whatever this thing was, it was talkative.

"...NOT MUCH ON NEW STRAND. NO. POWER SUBSTATION C..."

...

"...POTENTIALLY MECHANOID. FURTHER INVESTIGATION NEEDED."

...

"...NEXT SECTOR."

You hear metallic footsteps walking away. When you're certain you hear nothing, you close the entrance.

--More--

File: 27.png (18 KB, 1280x720)

18 KB PNG

You hear panicked running behind you. Rache returns, with the controller in hand.

"It's a sweep," Rache whispers. "It's... it's safe here. Stay back. They'll... go away. My drones are... they'll be here with us soon."

The drones. Annoying as they are, you get the feeling they'll be useful. But you might have to convince her.

> offer to use Rache's drones as a distraction.
> offer to confront the thing.
> ask Rache for more info.
> wait out the sweep.

File: gg2.png (17 KB, 1280x720)

17 KB PNG

Yeah that's gonna be a wrap for tonight. Next session will be ready by 3 PM EST, and I'll run until 8 PM. Hopefully by then we get to the cooler stuff. Depends on how fast my drawings are and how much I can cut my drawing budget

But yeah have a good night.

Rache is cute
CUTE

>>3668552
ask Rache for more info.

>>3668552
>ask Rache for more info.

>>3668552
> ask Rache for more info.

>>3668552
>ask Rache for more info.

>>3668568
My advice is, don't overwork yourself. You don't always need multiple pics per post. Draw at a rate you're comfortable with, or you'll burn out.

File: 28.png (18 KB, 1280x720)

18 KB PNG

>>3668629
>>3669056
>>3669068
>>3669082

> ask

Rache could hardly form a complete sentence.

"It's... they're... they're the... they hurt me... They can't... won't get us here. P-Please, we need to hide. They... they'll go away, and it'll be fine."

From a distance, you can hear mechanical rustling. The drones return, hovering above your heads.

"See, th-the drones are back. We're all here. We're s-safe."

You really hope she's prepared for the inevitable.

--More--

File: 29.png (21 KB, 1280x720)

21 KB PNG

Rache leads you to a secluded section of the hideout, and her drones follow.

This section contains her fabricator, along with all the things she's created with it. Blocky creations fill the shelves and cover the roof of the fabricator, all the same familiar grey of refabbed scrap. Her sculpting skills weren't... that much better than her sketching skills, admittedly. But something about the area put Rache at ease almost immediately.

Rache sits on a three-legged fab stool, and offers you a seat. Despite her general state of distress earlier, she seems happy. She picks up one of her things- it looked a little like a flower- and plays with it in her hands.

"I... I made all these. With the- with the scrap I find. It's... it's a nice hobby, don't you think? It's... yeah.."

> relay what you picked up from spying.
> pry Rache for more info.
> [write-in]

>>3669975
>It is kinda nice, yeah. You seem calmer.
>Relay what we heard.
We mus protecc innocent Rache.

>>3669986
>>3669975
Seconding. Something fishy is going on here, and I don't think it'd be safe to stay for long...

>>3670005
Yeah. Let’s
>Keep photon gun trained on entrance

>>3669975
>relay what you picked up from spying.

>>3669975

> relay what you picked up from spying.

File: 30.png (17 KB, 1280x720)

17 KB PNG

>>3669986
>>3670005
>>3670011
>>3670051
>>3670072

> "It is kinda nice, yeah."

Rache gasps. "R-Really? That's... Th-thanks. I don't... I don't hear that often down here. It's... I dunno..." She looks away from you, her face flushed. It's almost as if she's forgotten she's stranded underground, and currently being hunted down...

It'd be disingenuous not to tell her at this point, you feel.

> "Though, Rache, I heard some things at the southern entrance..."

Her smile fades.

> relay

You recite what you heard outside the southern entrance. Rache stays silent through all of it, only occasionally nodding her head.

By the time you finish, she's stone-faced. She leaves the grey flower on her lap, and looks towards you pleadingly.

"I don't... we're... we're still fine, right? Are we?"

You're not sure if you should tell her no.

> [write-in]

>>3670386
Man, Rachel is really pulling off that beard

>>3670406
Goatee

>>3670386
>I don’t know. I’d suggest setting up an hidden alarm system and turrets.
>Give her the photon fun and teach her how to use it?

>>3670413
^gun

>>3670386
Whisper sweet nothings into Raches ear.

>>3670386
For now, though we should get some better gear and go someplace eils

>>3670413
>>3670462
>>3670612

> "For now."

Rache sighs. You try asking her about setting up defenses, or getting better equipment, but she shakes her head in response.

"I... I don't know... I only have... really, all I know is this. We're... we're fine... th-the drones can tell if anything's wrong."

She seems a little desperate at this point. Almost... accepting?

The lights begin to flicker, and Rache perks up. Whatever that thing was, it was starting to mess with the power. You get the feeling you probably can't stay here very long, but you also don't want to leave Rache behind.

> consider escaping with Rache.
> try the fabricator.
> hold your ground.
> [write-in]

>>3670649
>> try the fabricator

>>3670649
>try the fabricator

File: gg3.png (15 KB, 1280x720)

15 KB PNG

Heyo, kinda important- I'll be continuing this on Saturday at the usual time (3PM EST) and from then on, I'll be doing things every other day. I realize working on this every day, though fun, kinda led to me getting burnt out rather quickly, so I figure running this every other day both gives me time to work on other things and will let me make higher-quality content for y'all. In the meantime I guess you can put your responses for >>3670649 if you'd like.

Sorry for the short notice but I feel a break's kinda necessary. If running this quest is breathing out, consider the break time breathing in.

Thanks for sticking around, by the way.

>>3670851
Fair. Thanks for questing
Also no problem your quest is cool

>>3670649
consider escaping with Rache.

>>3670649
> try the fabricator.

>>3670851
Thanks for running!

>>3670649
> Fabricate rache some self-esteem

>>3673586
>this

File: 31.png (16 KB, 1280x720)

16 KB PNG

>>3670795
>>3670808
>>3670869
>>3672395

> fabricator

Oh, of course- the civilian-class fabricator. You haven't seen one of these in a while. You open its interface and page through. Almost all of the 'recent creations' are Rache's sculptures, with the occasional torch or utility drone in the mix.

You check the categories, scrolling through the sections. Many of the options were greyed out- there was only so much you can do with old, recycled scrap, after all. But, perhaps, there was something useful here. DECORATIONS, TOYS, UTILITIES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT...

NONLETHAL DEFENSE.

Interesting.

--More--

File: 32.png (21 KB, 1280x720)

21 KB PNG

Desperate as the situation is becoming, Rache still tries to stay positive. She joins you at the fabricator's panel, oblivious to the various... defensive tools on display.

"Oh? Yeah, uh, this is the fabricator I mentioned earlier! I- I can show you how to use it! If... if you just look here... you can pick one of these, and it'll just-"

Alarms go off from the substation, and the flickering from the lamps grows more intense. Your time here is running out, and Rache seems aware of this. You check through the fabricator's catalog...

> choose one thing to fabricate.
>> a stun gun.
>> a repair drone.
>> a utility drone.
>> a flower.

>>3676722
>a stun gun.

>>3676722
>> a repair drone.
We got a weapon, we got power, now we need a source of repairs.

>>3676722
>stun gun.

>>3676722
>a repair drone.

File: 33.png (11 KB, 1280x720)

11 KB PNG

>>3676737
>>3676746
>>3676821
>>3677085

> stun gun

A stun gun! It doesn't kill, but certainly makes its targets wish it had.

Rache watches the fabricator's machining arm with awe, as if she's watching the process for the first time.

"It's always fun to watch this thing run, don't- don't you agree?" You suppose you do.

"My creator always told me about how fun it was to make things."

File: 34.png (20 KB, 1280x720)

20 KB PNG

Rache holds the freshly fabricated stun gun in both hands- almost like it was one of the 'delicate' 'flowers' she's fabricated before.

"This is... this is pretty cool. Did... did you sculpt this?"

You would've told her what exactly she was holding, but the lights went out.

Nice.

--More--

File: 35.png (19 KB, 1280x720)

19 KB PNG

"It's... PO-5, are you there?"

You switch on your flashlight, and find your way to the southern entrance, marked by a red, painted X. You attempt to pull it open.

"Wait! PO-5!"

You turn around, training the light on Rache. Who remained where she was, with her fabricator, drones, and all her creations. Her home.

"PO-5... where are you going? I... don't want to leave..."

> [write-in]

>>3677207
> "I can't stay here, there's something I need to figure out. Someone I need to find. If he's still alive..."

>>3677207
Put our hand on her shoulder (take her arm if we can't reach) and start:
>"Listen, Rache. I know you don't want to leave and nor do I just yet, but we have little choice. We aren't safe here, and I'd much prefer moving to sitting around and waiting to be found by those who clearly wish us harm. In any case, we both have personal mysteries to solve, and we can do it much better if we stay together, and not from in here and certainly not if we're caught.

>All of that aside, from the time I spent out there and what I can remember, the outside isn't something to be scared of. It can be intimidating and sometimes dangerous, but it's also full of opportunity and things to see. We can not only track down our pasts, but make new lives as well, no matter who we are, far away from this dingy dungeon. And who knows? There could be others like us, and we might just be able to change the world too. It's a magical world, Rache ol' buddy..... Let's go exploring."

That a good enough WoT?

File: gg4.png (22 KB, 1280x720)

22 KB PNG

Sorry for the silence, I'll be able to continue this tomorrow, usual time. THEN it'll be every other day. I swear I'll fulfill one of my promises uwu

>>3677906
>That a good enough WoT?
Ya really didn't have to, man, but I appreciate it

>>3677906
Charisma 10

>>3677207
Idk whwre im going only that we cant stay here, mybe find a way out and find others like us and better gear.
We will die if we stay here

File: 36.png (21 KB, 1280x720)

21 KB PNG

>>3677587
>>3677906 (hate to do this to your WoT man)
>>3678280
>>3679079

> "Rache. I know you don't want to leave, but we don't have much choice. We aren't safe here- if we stay and wait, then whatever it is that wants us dead will find us. We must keep moving. If we work together, then there's nothing to fear. You and I can escape these tunnels, find a way home, and perhaps..."

> "...find a purpose."

Rache stands still for a moment, in the flashlight's beam. She eventually joins you at the southern entrance, weakly smiling.

You open the panel, peek out to ensure it's safe, and crawl into the familiar grey boringness of tunnel.

Rache takes a final glance at her hideout, and follows you outside.

--More--

File: 37.png (14 KB, 1280x720)

14 KB PNG

For a place that Rache marked as highly dangerous, it is eerily quiet in the chamber leading to the elevator. At least there's light. For the most part.

Regardless, you keep your photon cannon at the ready, walking backwards. Rache crouch-walks behind you, never straying too far from your side.

You take a few paces and wait. A few more, then more. Nothing but echoing footsteps and the dimming hum of electricity.

Finally, you make it to the elevators. Somehow, still in working order- or at least it seems so, with the lights. You call it, and one of the doors open...

"HEY! HEEEEEEYY!!"

A synthesized voice echoes from the other end of the tunnel, along with panicked footsteps. You think it's Rache, but she's standing right next to you, just as confused as you are. And, well, Rache definitely doesn't seem the type to yell.

Either way, so much for keeping quiet.

> rush the elevator.
> hold the elevator for the voice.
> fire.
> wait.

>>3680637
>hold the elevator for the voice.
stun guns at ready tho

>>3680637
>hold the elevator for the voice.

>>3680637
>hold elevator?
Sounds like a robot. A human couldn’t replicate this panic

>>3680637
> rush the elevator.

File: 38.png (24 KB, 1280x720)

24 KB PNG

>>3680664
>>3680829
>>3680862
>>3681241

> hold

You and Rache enter the elevator, and hold it for the friendly-sounding voice. It finally came into the light- a short humanoid, clad in a white jumpsuit, running at full speed towards the open elevator.

"HEEEEY! I'M A FRIENDLY! HOLD THE DOOR! I CAME FROM DOWN THERE! PLEASE! THIS THING'S BEEN CHASING ME THROUGH THE-"

--More--

File: 39.png (22 KB, 1280x720)

22 KB PNG

"AAAAH!"

A bolt of energy strikes the automaton from behind, and in mere seconds, it disintegrates into black dust. Rache cowers in fear in the corner of the elevator, trying desperately to hide.

--More--

File: 40.png (49 KB, 1280x720)

49 KB PNG

A pitch black figure stands imposingly, slowly approaching the elevator. It carried a glowing cannon, the same black dust drifting from the end of its barrel. The space around the figure appeared to warp and distort, light bending around it.

"DIMENSIONAL STRANDS SPOTTED."

--More--

File: 41.png (7 KB, 1280x720)

7 KB PNG

The elevator closes before you could fire at it. And, a few agonizing seconds later, you begin descending.

--More--

File: 42.png (19 KB, 1280x720)

19 KB PNG

You and Rache descend in silence.

You lean against the side wall, opposite Rache, who is still huddled in the corner. Her stungun lays by her side, and she seems mostly fixated on the metal flower she synthesized.

Shame she left her drones at the hideout, you muse. They could've really been useful for exploring... whatever weird place you've ended up in. You suppose it's now that weird black thing's problem...

"P- PO-5?"

You turn.

File: 43.png (19 KB, 1280x720)

19 KB PNG

"I... I like what you said earlier. I wish I could... be like you. I'm just... just so scared. I lost everything when I came here. All my friends... my creator... all gone. And here, it's like... it's like that all over again."

"I'm sorry for shocking you with the drones earlier. For holding you back. I... I might be kind of a burden, but I just... I just don't want to lose anything else."

--More--

File: 44.png (13 KB, 1280x720)

13 KB PNG

"And, one- one more thing, PO-5."

She weakly chuckles.

"Would you... would you like a nickname?"

You can't say you've heard that before. But, just like your creator, you weren't that good with names. You'll have to think...

> PO-5.
> something else?

>>3681761
>Moore
After Moore's Law

>>3681761
> something else?

>>3681761
>PO-5.

>>3681761
The suggestion of Moore made me think of the name Xenia for reasons, which I think fits us.

By the way, why are we going down? I was under the impression we were going up, unless there's a reason for that?

Rache needs some confidence and optimism. Don’t like her being sad. :(

>>3682104
why would we go up

>>3682104
The surface is full of minorities

>>3681761
> Feki

File: 45.png (7 KB, 1280x720)

7 KB PNG

>>3681779
>>3681780
>>3681857
>>3682104
>>3682429

> "Moore."

"Moore? That's pretty nice! It's... it's better than what I was thinking. Heh."

You and Rache continue riding the elevator.

...

"Uh, Moore? Shouldn't we have went up?"

You... don't exactly remember deciding on which direction to go. Did you ever do that?

Maybe you'll figure it out eventually.

You still have a strange world to discover, a weird girl to protect, and a purpose to find.

File: 46.png (5 KB, 1280x720)

5 KB PNG

And that's a wrap for the first bit.

In retrospect I made the pacing much faster than I intended initially. In the future I'll try to make things a bit slower so I can really focus on good characterization etc. Also things are probably gonna open up from here because I kinda felt like this first section was kinda railroaded. But yeah good run good run. See you on Tuesday.

Don't worry we're gonna use the wepons eventually.

Also QQ should I continue this here or in a new thread?

>>3682621
This board is pretty slow. Don't think you have hit a bump limit. Kinda depends on the size of the next few updates. Seems like its fine to continue here.

>>3682627
Autosage is after 750 posts or 72h, active or not

>>3682714
Hell, we're autosaging now. Make a new thread next time.