Endgame

"Damn, this thing's hide can take a beating!" Seeing the team leader tend to Ronin, Decker snatches the boomerang out of the air. "Well I'll be, this thing really does come back." Decker repeats.

The documents piled up on the table seemed to be some sort of log of serial numbers. Aileen takes the battery casing into her hand and scratches off some dirt with her finger, reading the serial number. She picks up the bundle of papers and flips through them, verifying that everything was as she suspected, before logging the serial number on the casing in her notes. Afterwards, she tosses the casing to Tanabe. "I'll have the boys scrap this and then be back." "Sounds good." Aileen nods, turning back to the party as Tanabe exits. "Well, seems like three actually did it. Congrats on bagging an HC-288, they can be a bit feisty. I'll give the guards at the wall the signal and you can drive in. You're officially free to set up that antenna of yours where you need to, to conduct your... weather study, was it?" "As for Terra, that's awfully kind of you, but even I have my limits on what I like to ask of outsiders. Although we are running a bit low on..." Aileen pauses. "Forget it. You're under no obligation to do so."

"I'll give it my best shot!" Decker sounded lighthearted, but it was bravado masking a very large question. That question being, How the hell do I actually throw this thing?? Putting his trust that the boomerang would come back as advertised, Decker reels his arm back and throws, attacking the Polar Gator.

Valesia meditates, only the sound of desert winds and smoldering drone carcass around her. (4, 4, 6) - 3 spirit regained! And with that, she tries to patch up the wound that the HC-288 gave her... (1, 1, 6) - 1 vitality regained! And does so sufficiently. The party doles out the loot and heads back to Vurenia. The Agents Maximilian Vetre (Alix)44 cycles old Male ElfCharacter Points: 2/12Vitality: 6/6Velocity: 2Strength: 3Skill: 2Smarts: 1Proficiencies: Explosives 2, Occult 1, Short Range Weapons 2Credits: 10Equipment: D-KA Carbine (Standard Kinetic Short Range Weapon), Rampart Kinetic Shield (Standard Kinetic Armor), Energy CellInventory: 2 Hydrocobalt ShardsLocker: Empty Valesia (Waterbrick Down)110 Year Old Female CladrasithCharacter Points: 2/15Vitality: 5/5Velocity: 2Strength: 1Skill: 2Smarts: 1Spirit: 2/3Proficiencies: Insight 1, Medicine 1, Nature 3Known Spells: Elemental Evocation, Healing Light, Mystic Binding, Photonic ManipulationCredits: 65Equipment: Holo-scroll, Chef's Kit (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon)Inventory: Ætherbrew, Essence of Precaution, Plasma Potion, Battery Casing Locker: Soren Aeolus (The Legonater) 31-year-old male Human Character Points: 3/17 Vitality: 5/5 Velocity: 2 Strength: 1 Skill: 3 Smarts: 2 Spirit: 2 Proficiencies: Nature 1, Insight 1, Piloting 2, Short-Range Weapons 2 Spells: Elemental Evocation, Mystic Binding Equipment: MK-12 personal handgun (short-ranged calibrated energy weapon), Farsight Goggles, Hacking Chip, Plasma Potion, Energy Cell Credits: 10 The trip back to Vurenia is an uneventful one. The guards nod in the agents and the three of them overhear a slight bit of conversation as they return to Aileen's office. "...Squad C returned from the shoreline. Terra is all banged up and is being looked at in the infirmary. Clyde lost his prosthetic in a blast... Again." "Dammit...And the pipeline?" "Sustained some cosmetic damage, but we're dispatching a Tinkerer just to be sure tha-" Tanabe hears the foot steps behind him and turns around. Aileen turns too, her face imperceptible. "Well, hey, look who didn't get blown to pieces." "I'm glad someone made it back safe today. Before we start giving out pats on the back, agents, you have something for me?"

They played well and rolled well! I scaled that to take 4 or 5 rounds, but hey, Soren and Max went off.

Round Three of the Duel In The Deluga Dunes Agents' Turn: Max VS HC-288: (5, 4 + 1 weapon mod) 3 successes - 1 space for being out of critical range vs (5) 1 success = 3 - 1 - 1 = 1 damage to the HC-288. Soren VS HC-288: (6, 6 + 2 weapon mod) 4 successes vs (4) 1 successes = 4 - 1 = 3 damage to the HC-288... KO! ... The HC-288 was closing in on Max and Valesia rapidly, brandishing its drill arms as its depth charges tore up the dunes around them. Despite being outside of the optimal range, Max's shot still manages to kneecap one of the HC-288's appendages. Just as the drone is about to pounce, Soren rushes in and aims true. The robot suddenly goes still, as if trying to realize what just happened. It belches out smoke, shaking, until... BANG! "ERROR! ERROR! ERROR!" One of the depth charges in the drone explodes, blasting off some of its metal plating. The another, then another, then another, its own explosives going off like firecrackers in its chassis. It stumbles around in a panic, each explosion sending it reeling until it finally collapses backwards, inert and defeated. All heroes gain one character point! From the husk of the drone, the party salvages... Energy Cell: (Consumable) Used as part of an Attack Action, doubles Weapon Modifier for next attack - 25 Credits Hydrocobalt Shard x2: Small chunks Hydrocboalt extracted from the HC-288. Can be sold at the Trade Bazaar for 12 credits. Battery Casing: A hollowed out battery casing from the HC-288. It's stamped with its serial number, 450013032803. The Agents Maximilian Vetre (Alix)44 cycles old Male ElfCharacter Points: 2/12Vitality: 6/6Velocity: 2Strength: 3Skill: 2Smarts: 1Proficiencies: Explosives 2, Occult 1, Short Range Weapons 2Credits: 10Equipment: D-KA Carbine (Standard Kinetic Short Range Weapon), Rampart Kinetic Shield (Standard Kinetic Armor), Energy CellInventory: EmptyLocker: Empty Valesia (Waterbrick Down)110 Year Old Female CladrasithCharacter Points: 2/15Vitality: 4/5Velocity: 2Strength: 1Skill: 2Smarts: 1Spirit: 0/3Proficiencies: Insight 1, Medicine 1, Nature 3Known Spells: Elemental Evocation, Healing Light, Mystic Binding, Photonic ManipulationCredits: 65Equipment: Holo-scroll, Chef's Kit (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon)Inventory: Ætherbrew, Essence of Precaution, Plasma Potion Locker: Soren Aeolus (The Legonater) 31-year-old male Human Character Points: 3/17 Vitality: 5/5 Velocity: 2 Strength: 1 Skill: 3 Smarts: 2 Spirit: 2 Proficiencies: Nature 1, Insight 1, Piloting 2, Short-Range Weapons 2 Spells: Elemental Evocation, Mystic Binding Equipment: MK-12 personal handgun (short-ranged calibrated energy weapon), Farsight Goggles, Hacking Chip, Plasma Potion Credits: 10 ---- The party may distribute the loot and then head back to the Verunia, or perhaps head to the other Points of Interest, when ready.

MM Note: No worries, Alix! Wasn't aware of the outage. Round Two of the Duel In The Deluga Dunes Agents' Turn: Max VS HC-288: (2, 6, + 1 weapon mod) 2 successes vs (1) 0 success = 2 - 0 = 2 damage to the HC-288. Soren moves to E3, Soren VS HC-288: (5, 4 + 2 weapon mod) 4 successes vs (2) 0 successes = 4 - 0 = 4 damage to the HC-288. Valesia casts Hampering Hold on the HC-288: (3, 2, 3) 0 successes, the HC-288 can't be held back. Enemy's Turn: HC-288 moves one space left (occupying B2-C3) and strikes at Valesia: (5, 1, + 1 weapon mod) 2 successes vs (6, 1) 1 success = 1 damage Depth charges in E1, A3, A5, B1, A4 explode - nobody takes damage! New depth charges planted (A4, E4, E2, A2, D2) Max's aim is more true this time around, blasting a slug into the fold between the drone's armor plates. Soren rolls and has a repeat performance, shooting out another one of the drone's "eyes!" Valesia's luck turns sour, the lifeforce in the sand tapped out. She can't summon any more vines to restrict the HC-288, and the explosive bot soon breaks free. It lumbers forward and pulls back a single spiderlike leg, jabbing at Valesia with a drilltip with surprising ferocity. Valesia manages to avoid critical damage, but the machine still nicks her side. Soren's maneuver saves him from damage as the battlefield erupts in another quintet of explosions. The HC-288 was letting out smoke now, critically wounded but now free to move and strike as it pleased. The battle rages on! The Enemy "STATEMENT: 2 sensor arrays down... STATEMENT: Armor plating breached..." HC-288, Savior City Mining Drone Vitality: 4/14 Velocity: 2 Strength: 2 Skill: 1 Smarts: 1 Proficiencies: Explosives 3, Melee Weapons 2 Equipment: Drilltip (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon) Inventory: Hydrocobalt Shard x2, Battery Casing, Energy Cell Passive Abilities: Hydrocobalt Rush!: At the start of every round, the HC-288 plants 5 depth charges in random non-HC-288-occupied spots in the arena. At the end of the round the charges detonate, dealing 2 Standard damage to anyone occupying that space. Spaces with a Depth Charge planted in them are makred in Red on the battle grid. The Agents Maximilian Vetre (Alix)44 cycles old Male ElfCharacter Points: 1/11Vitality: 6/6Velocity: 2Strength: 3Skill: 2Smarts: 1Proficiencies: Explosives 2, Occult 1, Short Range Weapons 2Credits: 10Equipment: D-KA Carbine (Standard Kinetic Short Range Weapon), Rampart Kinetic Shield (Standard Kinetic Armor), Energy CellInventory: EmptyLocker: Empty Valesia (Waterbrick Down)110 Year Old Female CladrasithCharacter Points: 1/14Vitality: 4/5Velocity: 2Strength: 1Skill: 2Smarts: 1Spirit: 0/3Proficiencies: Insight 1, Medicine 1, Nature 3Known Spells: Elemental Evocation, Healing Light, Mystic Binding, Photonic ManipulationCredits: 65Equipment: Holo-scroll, Chef's Kit (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon)Inventory: Ætherbrew, Essence of Precaution, Plasma Potion Locker: Soren Aeolus (The Legonater) 31-year-old male Human Character Points: 2/16 Vitality: 5/5 Velocity: 2 Strength: 1 Skill: 3 Smarts: 2 Spirit: 2 Proficiencies: Nature 1, Insight 1, Piloting 2, Short-Range Weapons 2 Spells: Elemental Evocation, Mystic Binding Equipment: MK-12 personal handgun (short-ranged calibrated energy weapon), Farsight Goggles, Hacking Chip, Plasma Potion Credits: 10

MM Note: Can someone give me an action for Max? @Alix

Decker winces as he sees the gator clamp down on poor Ronin. He rushes into B3 to Defend him from further assault, seeing his critical condition.

MM Note: Good catch, fixed.

Round One of the Duel In The Deluga Dunes Agents' Turn: Max VS HC-288: (3, 5, + 1 weapon mod) 2 successes vs (5) 1 success = 2 - 1 = 1 damage to the HC-288. Soren VS HC-288: (6, 1 + 2 weapon mod) 3 successes vs (1) 0 successes = 3 - 0 = 3 damage to the HC-288. Valesia casts Hampering Hold on the HC-288: (6, 1, 1) 1 success = HC-288 is Restrained for 1 round! Enemy's Turn: HC-288 struggles against its bonds. Depth charges in C2, C5, D1, E2, E3, E4 explode - nobody takes damage! New depth charges planted (E1, A3, A5, B1, A4) Max's carbine glances off the top plating of the drone, nicking the bot. Soren's aim is a bit more true and a bullet from his handgun puts out one of the blue lights on the machine's sensor array, causing it to let out a digitized yelp. Its confusion is compounded when Valesia casts a Hampering Hold, more vines bursting out from the sand to tie it down. The HC-288 struggles fiercely against them. The vines look more malnourished and withered than they did last time... It seemed like life did not spring out so easily from the Wastes. Unable to get in range of the party the bot Rallies itself for its next strike. Five explosions ring out around the group, sending plumes of sand and dirt into the air. None are caught directly in the blast, but the party would have to be careful. The HC-288 quickly plants five more charges, and Soren could hear ticking beneath his feet... The battle rages on! The Enemy "QUERY: Additional biological life signs? Vines? In the wastes?" HC-288, Savior City Mining Drone *Restrained! 1 More Turn* Vitality: 10/14 Velocity: 2 Strength: 2 Skill: 1 Smarts: 1 Proficiencies: Explosives 3, Melee Weapons 2 Equipment: Drilltip (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon) Inventory: Hydrocobalt Shard x2, Battery Casing, Energy Cell Passive Abilities: Hydrocobalt Rush!: At the start of every round, the HC-288 plants 5 depth charges in random non-HC-288-occupied spots in the arena. At the end of the round the charges detonate, dealing 2 Standard damage to anyone occupying that space. Spaces with a Depth Charge planted in them are makred in Red on the battle grid. The Agents Maximilian Vetre (Alix)44 cycles old Male ElfCharacter Points: 1/11Vitality: 6/6Velocity: 2Strength: 3Skill: 2Smarts: 1Proficiencies: Explosives 2, Occult 1, Short Range Weapons 2Credits: 10Equipment: D-KA Carbine (Standard Kinetic Short Range Weapon), Rampart Kinetic Shield (Standard Kinetic Armor), Energy CellInventory: EmptyLocker: Empty Valesia (Waterbrick Down)110 Year Old Female CladrasithCharacter Points: 1/14Vitality: 5/5Velocity: 2Strength: 1Skill: 2Smarts: 1Spirit: 1/3Proficiencies: Insight 1, Medicine 1, Nature 3Known Spells: Elemental Evocation, Healing Light, Mystic Binding, Photonic ManipulationCredits: 65Equipment: Holo-scroll, Chef's Kit (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon)Inventory: Ætherbrew, Essence of Precaution, Plasma Potion Locker: Soren Aeolus (The Legonater) 31-year-old male Human Character Points: 2/16 Vitality: 5/5 Velocity: 2 Strength: 1 Skill: 3 Smarts: 2 Spirit: 2 Proficiencies: Nature 1, Insight 1, Piloting 2, Short-Range Weapons 2 Spells: Elemental Evocation, Mystic Binding Equipment: MK-12 personal handgun (short-ranged calibrated energy weapon), Farsight Goggles, Hacking Chip, Plasma Potion Credits: 10

I think Decker tied the gator on the proficiency check, but I don't THINK that does anything. Additionally, as far as initiative go, Decker has 2 velocity, not 1. "Risky maneuver time, guys, let's make this happen!" Decker defends Polaris in the case that the gator retaliates.

The Heavily Armed HC-288 would've gotten 9 Depth Charges to play with per round, just for the record.

"I see. Well, don't let me down now," Aileen says a bit too cheerily. Tanabe escorts the group back out to the skiff. "Proceed East until you can't smell the saltwater and then just keep driving until you reach the Deluja Dunes. Give the first HC-288 you see hell. Oh, and one last word of advice, yeah? If you can't get this job done... Don't bother coming back." The warning looming over them the party hops back into their vehicle and drives along. It doesn't take long until the brackish odor of the "oasis" fades, and eventually, cruising across the sand, they spot a silhouette in the horizon. Parking the skiff to investigate, they soon see a mechanical form lumbering towards them... A large robot on spindly legs, each appendage tipped with some kind of drill-shaped injector, clambered across the terrain towards the party. With each step its legs sink deep into the ground, withdrawing them with a metallic hiss. Its sensor array spins around before speakers attached to its back-mounted cargo container fire up. "WARNING: Biological life signs detected. ADVISORY: Per newly passed Savior City ordinance Gamma-5413, autonomous Savior City mining drones are authorized to use any force necessary to ensure smooth operation. RECOMMENDATION: Retreat and return home. Do not interfere." In that very same moment, multiple objects buried in the sand explode, sanding plumes of gritty earth everywhere. It seems like this mechanical oddity could inject depth charges into the ground as part of its mining - and combat - capabilities. "WARNING: Biological life signs detected. ADVISORY: Per newly passed Savior City ordinance Gamma-5413, autonomous Savior City mining drones are authorized to..." The drone was reiterating its warning. Not a drone of many words. Agents, Prepare For Battle! Round Zero: Agents roll for Initiative: Max Initiative Check: (5, 1) - 1 success Valesia Initiative Check: (2, 3) - 0 successes Soren Initiative check: (1, 2) - 0 successes Turn Order: Max, and then Valesia/Soren NOTE: Because the HC-288 did not ambush you, along with your starting action in the battle, you may specify which square you'd like to start on. The Enemy "WARNING: Disengage. WARNING: Force authorized. WARNING: Disengage." HC-288, Savior City Mining Drone Vitality: 14/14 Velocity: 2 Strength: 2 Skill: 1 Smarts: 1 Proficiencies: Explosives 3, Melee Weapons 2 Equipment: Drilltip (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon) Inventory: Hydrocobalt Shard x2, Battery Casing, Energy Cell Passive Abilities: Hydrocobalt Rush!: At the start of every round, the HC-288 plants 5 depth charges in random non-HC-288-occupied spots in the arena. At the end of the round the charges detonate, dealing 2 Standard damage to anyone occupying that space. Spaces with a Depth Charge planted in them are makred in Red on the battle grid. The Agents Maximilian Vetre (Alix)44 cycles old Male ElfCharacter Points: 1/11Vitality: 6/6Velocity: 2Strength: 3Skill: 2Smarts: 1Proficiencies: Explosives 2, Occult 1, Short Range Weapons 2Credits: 10Equipment: D-KA Carbine (Standard Kinetic Short Range Weapon), Rampart Kinetic Shield (Standard Kinetic Armor), Energy CellInventory: EmptyLocker: Empty Valesia (Waterbrick Down)110 Year Old Female CladrasithCharacter Points: 1/14Vitality: 5/5Velocity: 2Strength: 1Skill: 2Smarts: 1Spirit: 2/3Proficiencies: Insight 1, Medicine 1, Nature 3Known Spells: Elemental Evocation, Healing Light, Mystic Binding, Photonic ManipulationCredits: 65Equipment: Holo-scroll, Chef's Kit (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon)Inventory: Ætherbrew, Essence of Precaution, Plasma Potion Locker: Soren Aeolus (The Legonater) 31-year-old male Human Character Points: 2/16 Vitality: 5/5 Velocity: 2 Strength: 1 Skill: 3 Smarts: 2 Spirit: 2 Proficiencies: Nature 1, Insight 1, Piloting 2, Short-Range Weapons 2 Spells: Elemental Evocation, Mystic Binding Equipment: MK-12 personal handgun (short-ranged calibrated energy weapon), Farsight Goggles, Hacking Chip, Plasma Potion Credits: 10 MM Note: Welcome to the first combat of Mission 6! Alix, I would reccomend reading the Rules and FAQ to brush up on fighting in Heroica. The image with the "Combat" header, and the 3 pages after, are most relevant for you: https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/185643-heroica-glory-amongst-the-stars-rules-faq/&page=1 For example, a valid starting action for this fight would be formulated something like: Starting the battle at A1, I move to A3 and attack the HC-288 with the D-KA Carbine. (I would not reccomend that action, because you'd be using a Short Range weapon in Melee Range, but it is an example. ) All of you, don't be afraid to ask questions, and let's smash up some mining drones!

Looks solid to me!

I suppose part of Decker's pedestrian usage in this fight is what I get for essentially rolling up a joke character, proficiency wise. I'm pretty much on board with all of this. I was originally going to wonder if it was worth Slowing the gator if hogtying it would render it immobile,but we have enough and the battle is tough enough that I feel this warrants it. Does Poison stack on repeated applications H2.0 like it did back in H1.0? And let's say that in the weapons check, we match/exceed the target's Skill but fail to deal Damage due to their Armor... Does that still count as a zero damage hit that applies poison? If both are true Aysu can sit back with her Long Ranged weapon, and every time she hits him our odds get exponentially better. A couple stacks of poison plus hog tying it and stepping back could be enough to win this flat out. Let's do it! Decker crosses his arms and nods along with the plane. "I think ya got something good here. The flares, the rope, the poisons... If we can't make this happen now, I don't know if we ever can. Let's bag a gator."

"You're too defeatist before even living here," Aileen chuckles. "You'll fit in." "Hm, well, one of them may be a problem, but, well, I'll explain more on that shortly." "As for the Savior City, well, they're only willing to save you if you slave away in their factories. All so you can pay them back their own money to buy their leftover scraps. That's how they treat the people conforming in the walls. You can imagine how they regard the people beyond them." Aileen gestures to her wall of weapons. "Their... kindness in repaid in spades, I assure you," she sneers. "With any luck you'll get to see the inside of one soon! Why the interest? Academic? At any rate, consider me assured, boy. And, in fact, let me sweeten the pot a little bit. You all seem like you know your way through a battle. There's two drones we're expecting to touch down in the next couple of hours. One is due East of the gate, in the Deluja Dunes, and that one is always a pain. The one due West of the gate though, by the Oasis shore, is going to be a bit more problematic. We have pipelines there we're trying to build, so we can just pump water into our little settlement instead of sending someone with a bucket to go scoop it. So we're extra vigilant about blowing up the shoreline drones. Bad news is, the Savior City has responded by heavily arming every HC-288 that they send out there. In other words, they're both the same model, but one will be packing more heat than the other. If you go take out a drone by the Oasis, I'll not only let you in, but sweeten the pot with a few extra Credits. Sound fair? All that in mind, which drone will you be going after?"

"I dunno, Enson," Decker shrugs. "Something made ya run in there and trust that you could grab those guns and not get a limb or two blown off. Ya gotta figure out what that something is and figure out if ya want to keep it or not," Decker pauses. "I'm not one for philosophy and the like, but I happen to think you did the right thing." "Hit us with that plan." Decker confirms, accepting the foraged plant. "Thanks, Polaris, this'll be handy. And good on ya Ronin. This could really make a difference."

Soren can see his own face in Aileen's mask. She laughs at Soren's suggestion. "You, I think you and I could get along. Don't let me down on this one. As for the factory, well... It's something of a pipe dream." Aileen looks towards her wall of claimed City Police armaments. "You're new in these parts, aren't you? You don't understand just how imbalanced it all is."

"Just the one," Aileen grins. "Just the one. They send them out at rather regular intervals. We junk them at regular intervals. They put guns on their drones, we send our people out with bigger guns." Aileen stands up and reaches into her desk, pulling out a rather distinctive looking metal cylinder. "This is a scrapped battery casing. There's one in every drone. Bring one of these back to me as proof and we'll know that you're not just lapdogs of the City."

"Yeah, I'm kinda with ya on this one, Aysu," Decker shrugged. "Poking around here seems like a good way of restarting whatever conflict here that we just lucked outta. I'm ready to move on when everyone else is." "Yeah, that... That was a little nuts," Decker laughs. "...I think it goes to show how much faith ya have. Not in them, not in those people specifically, but just... People in general?" Decker has himself a seat. "My ma would slap me upside the head if I ever did that."

"Name's Tanabe. Valesia, there's a new one, I like that name. Soren and Max are you two friends then, huh? Well, now that we're all on first name basis and we're all pals, why don't I take you to meet my boss. Come along now, daylight's wasting." "Your skiff is a piece of crap anyway! No one would want to steal that thing to even scrap it." hollers the less than kind sniper from atop the guard tower. "I mean, damn, look at that paint job!" "Hey, Eryka! Be nice! Ignore her. One of us has to be the bad cop on watch." "Pleasure's all mine, bud. Let's get going." The red dot of the sniper rifle follows the agents as they follow Tanabe into the guard outpost, up a few rickety flights of stairs. A few other guardsmen, some masked, some undead, regard the party with uneasy glares until Tanabe gestures for them to knock it off. In an instant they fall in line. Clearly, Vurenia had something of a hierarchy. "I'm the best people person of the bunch. That's why they put me in front. Now, you all stay put for JUST a second while I say hello to my boss. Run, and, well, I'm sure Eryka could take good care of you." Tanabe disappears through a metal hatch, sliding it open and stepping inside. There is a muttering of voices from inside. One is distinctly Tanabe's, and the other is that of a woman's. Only a select few words can be heard... "Weather surveillance? ...Can't they just look up? Well, they can prove themselves trustworthy... If they fail, they fail... Tanabe, let me handle this. Bring them in." The guardsman opens the metal hatch and signals the agents to enter. MM Note: This is normally where a picture would go, but my rendering software is being dumb! I'll add it back in 24 hours. The office was small and far from extravagant. Littered with maps and records strewn about, grains of sand caking the floor and trapped in every corner of the room. The stale smell of briny water came in through the office's lone window. The only organized part of the office was the miniature armory on the side, displaying all matters of weapons... Some where roughly-hewn and old, perhaps made in Vurenia, while others proudly carried the Corvanis Police insignia. Clearly, the woman in this office was NOT the original owner of these weapons. And the woman herself was something of an oddity. Start black body armor and a silvery faceplate that all but obscured her face, with only her graying hair exposed. Every other inch of skin was covered, even her hands adorned in white gloves. "This is them, boss." "Valesia, Soren, Max, was it? I hope I got those names right. I'd like to bid you a warm welcome to Vurenia, but, well, I'm sure you understand our skepticism. If not, well, I'll say that visitors often care more for our land than our people, and we shall leave it at that." The masked woman folds her hands on her knotted old desk. "I'm Guard Captain Aileen. And before you set up a single piece of equipment in our settlement I am going to need you to do us a little favor, just so we can be a little more sure your interests in our little town are... strictly academic." The smile beneath Aileen's mask was practically audible. "Are any of you familiar with the HC-288? It's a brand new model of mining drone. Could you believe that they've been running roughshod in these parts lately? They fly in from the Savior City, tear pretty rocks out of the earth, destroy anything and anyone who had the audacity to build their home over the mining site in the process... and then they fly back to the city. What a nuisance, right?"

Decker felt a little twang of pity, seeing that metal device tumble to the ground. He kind of wanted to believe they were just hunting cryo storks. Being lied to never felt great. But there was no blood shed during the situation, so he had to suppose that was a win. Even if the reality of it all betrayed how ugly things had gotten on this world. "Can't really do that if they're shot dead, now, can they." Decker muses aloud, before shaking his head. "Whatever. Y'all have a good day now. Stay warm." Decker retreats to the sled and notices Enson's demeanor. "You gonna make it?" He asks, somewhat in jest, somewhat seriously.

"Freaky weather and electrical disturbances, huh? Well, damn. You're telling me, we literally live under forever thunder clouds. But yeah, sure, I guess the weather is all over the place, ain't it." Persuasion Check: (1, 5, 6) 2 successes vs DC 1 - success "Proof of good will. Proof of good will... You may not be from Vurenia but you are kind of speaking our language. Tell you what. You three step out of the vehicle. Don't worry, my pal with the rifle up there will make sure you don't get skiff jacked. There's someone I would like you to meet. They can give you something to do as a proof of good will. After that we'll know you're all stand up people, not that we ever doubted it, right?" Insight Check: (4, 1, 3, 6) 2 successes vs DC 2 - success From his body language, tone, everything, the guard seemed rather casual about this whole affair. He had done this before, and had an air about him that he had used his gun before, so he didn't seem particularly afraid of the party. Still, he carried himself with a certain intensity. Glenn did say there was a severe distrust of those from the Savior City, out in the wastes...

Decker's eyes were failing him, not that he was certain that the part was out there in the drifts in the first place. "Ah, right, needs to be... what's the word, ferrous?" Decker's mother had tried to teach him all this stuff back in the day, but a few solid bumps on the head from falling off of excavation equipment ensured those lessons never gelled permanently. Decker walks over, lifting his mask and puffing warm air on his hands, rubbing them together as he begins to speak. "Well, fellas, murderous threats aside, I think - hope - this is a case of wrong place at the wrong time? I can get why the two guys in the blue parkas are here, it's their job." Jecker nods towards the pair of Cricet. "What was bringing you around here? You said this was the border of a territroy or something? Just passing by or what, what's the story here?" Decker folds his arms and watches the situation unfold, knowing that reaching for his boomerang would just make matters worse.