Diaspora Jig IC

[Noedig]

The moment before consciousnesses is a place of pure night. Less than a heartbeat, barely more than a millisecond, it is that tiny gap between rest and wakefulness.

It is an encapsulating void. Inky, stygian darkness bereft of the normal pinpricks of starlight. And then the heartbeat completes. and where there was darkness, there is a single mote of light in the black. It burns, not with a comfort, but with the baleful, retina scorching intensity of magnesium.

Pain. It grips hard on the flanks of a barely awakened mind, jump starting everything into a moment of pure survival panic. Lungs heave, sucking in air that is far too cold, too thin, and mixed with a sharp, acrid taste. The ears awaken next, and to the sound of a dull, unpleasant hum that reverberates through everything. Touch follows, greeted by the sensory sucker punch of cold, hard metal and a strange tightness on the throat. The air is bitter smelling; sweat, oils, a sulfurous stench, all underpinned by blood.

The eyes are last, opening to reveal...blackness? Nothing?

No. There are shapes, forms in the dark. They move, shift, breathe, and twist in their own private agonies as each in turn awakens.

[Chuffy]

Anry flicked to life as he tried to gather his surroundings, attempting to figure out exactly where he was, and what he was doing there.

Fort save [roll0]

[darni]

3X tried to focus her eyes and wondered what was making her stomach turn like that. Where are we, Michelle? still on the ship? she mumbled into the darkness... All her internal sensor feeds started coming in and providing her some information about the environment.

[Noedig]

The room is small. Barely ten feet to a side, and it appears to be occupied by only yourselves. The sole light source comes from a barely functioning fluorescent bulb in the ceiling. The space is wholly unadorned, filthy, and smells quite like a latrine.

You appear to be suffering from the tell tale after effects of an...aggressive amount of sedative, a sound beating, and more than one severe electrical shock.

[EarthenRite]

Cesca stirred, shivering against the nausea that wracked him. His head was foggy and...quiet. He couldn't hear the sound of his exocortex yet. Maybe it was resetting. The fogginess muddled him for a moment as he registered sedation. Badly administered. An attack of some kind?

He winced as he moved and checked his limbs. The pain was there but dull. They - whoever "they" were - had attacked him. There was something else. He nodded, leaning back against the wall. They had been thorough. Electricity. Sensing others, he reached out with his telepathy, his races preferred communication method.

"I am Cesca. We were beaten, sedated, and electrocuted. Are any of you more badly hurt? I can try to help. Does anyone know where we are?"

[darni]

3X heard the voice coming into her head unsure of where it was coming from. She quickly identified more than one telepathic creature around so she chose to reply verbally in Common instead, looking at all the creatures around in turn.

My designation is 3X. My nutrient catalyzer seems to be slightly overloaded by the fecal odors here but it should self-correct." After a short pause she spoke in a lower voice, as to herself "Yes, thank you Michelle" and started to look better. Standing up and looking around she went on


I am not aware of the status of the other creatures here. The offer for assistance is appreciated. I am also unaware of our current location. My last known position was aboard a shuttle in the Diaspora, coordinates 6/207, which was being boarded. Given that we've been sedated instead of killed my analysis would indicate that our lives have some value to our captors and we are not in immediate danger.


While she was talking, she couldn't help being distracting by the flickering of the lighting fixture and proceeded to extract tools from her arm compartment to fix it.

[Rebles]

Liane's head is turning, form the calm void to a stinking filthy pit of pain. She tries to push her mind back into the nothingness but reality tugs at her from every sensory organ, but most of all her stomach.
A first glance reveals that she is sitting here with 3 other creatures, she tries to make out some of their features but before she can clear her mind a telepathic connection hits her in the head like a drill. Shirren. She concentrates more on her upset stomach then on the words, but she catches the names. Slowly she crawls to what appears to be a corner of the room, at least she hopes it is and throws up.

Good job making first impressions she thinks to herself. Slowly she removes herself from the corner and tries to breath calm and regular to steady her mind and body.

"Sorry for that. Smells bad anyway and I don't feel much better. Liane is my name, usually you would find me in a good brown coat or a black dress and not dressed in filth." Not willing to lie she just chooses to ignore the question of her last whereabouts.

[Noedig]

A quick fiddling with the light fixture indicates that the connecting wires are badly corroded. A few snips here, a quick and dirty bypass there, and the light audibly clicks as it manages to achieve what you would estimate to be fifty percent of its intended brightness. The room, now much better lit, appears to be more ramshackle and disgusting than previously possible.

You appear to be in some kind of...industrial environment. Old. Decrepit.
There's an undercurrent of strong solvents and the hair is a bit...chalky tasting? The constant thrum through the floor and wall suggests that you're at the very least in some kind of large,
old ship, or more likely, some sort of station.

[darni]

Standing near the one narrow door of the room and seeing that there was no other exit, 3X raised her hand as if about to slam on it. She turned around and looked at her latest acquaintances... If you do not mind, I plan to call our captors. We'll learn nothing about their motives if we just sit here..

[EarthenRite]

The shirren looked around appraised his comrades and took a quick look around, not seeing any recording devices. He continued with telepathy, knowing it was unlikely to be overheard.

"That is a good idea. We can try to rush a guard when they come in. If we can get our hands on a toolkit or a weapon, we can try to escape. While you do so...I am going to see if I can pry an access panel somewhere."

Cesca began to move slowly around the room, looking for any way to access a mechanical system. If he could, he might be able to override the door control, or find out something useful.

Possibly Relevant Rolls -
Investigation - [roll0] -2
Engineering - [roll1] -2

[Chuffy]

"Looks like we're all in a bit of a pickle here."

Anry stretched his arms, and looked at the others in the room with him.

[Rebles]

Her head still pounds and a general feeling of unwellness runs through her body. Better then dead, she thinks to herself. A suggestion of rushing the guards floats through the air.
"I am not quite sure that should be the first thing we do. How about we first see in how much of a pickle we are in, before we do anything rash. No point in.." she stops, trying to not further disgrace herself into another corner. After a few seconds she regains her composure and continues ".. in putting an big red danger sign over our heads just yet. But in general I am all for drastic actions against our captors." She steadies herself and stands up. "Oh and for calling them. Let's find out what they want." she says with a disarming smile.

[darni]

3X slams the door with the open palm several times. SLAM! SLAM! Hey! SLAM! SLAM! SLAM! Anybody there? SLAM! SLAM! We're being held against our will! SLAM! SLAM! I can not vouch with certainty for my unknown companions here but I assure you I'm innocent! SLAM!

She then stood back and listened if there was any reply or steps getting close (perception [roll0])

[Noedig]

Almost immediately, the sound and the sensation of impacts on metal flooring reverberate from the other side of the door. A great man feet are approaching it would seem.

After a moment the movements ceases, and there is a brief silence. Suddenly, a voice squawks out of a hidden speaker in the ceiling.

"All being will stand at the far wall, with their hands placed on the backs of their heads. You have five seconds to comply."

[darni]

3X is slowly backing into the wall, still facing towards the door and raising her hands as requested.

[Rebles]

Great I'm just got up and I'm barely holding myself there. She curses the great unknown for her lot in life, but more than that she curses herself. She knows it is her own fault. It always has been.
An expert to get yourself into a mess aren't you, now you need to be the expert to get yourself out, she laments in silence.

Her feet place her beside 3X and her hand go behind her head, only the smile stays.
Let's hope the greeting does not consist of gun stock into face.

[EarthenRite]

Cesca likewise turns as instructed, making sure to use his antennae, though, to feel vibrations throughout the room and hopefully get some information as their captors entered. He also made note of the speaker location for later examination.

[Noedig]

The door screeches upward into the ceiling with frightening speed and a number of individuals armed with batons and pistols hustle into the room, forcing you hard against the walls and pulling you down to your knees. Another set of boots resounds through the metal as they slowly approach and enter the room. A deep, obviously modulated voice rumbles out.

"Turn them around." Each of you is hauled around to face the figure and it is revealed to be an armored and helmeted biped of nearly three meters in height stands before you. His armor is festooned with totems and fetishes of bone, and you see a disturbing necklace of varying types of ears hanging from its neck. "These are strong. We'll keep these. Stand them up."

You are each hauled to your feet.

"You are now property. What are your names, property?"

[darni]

My name is... wait, is this a trick question? should I say my name or just say "I am property" ?

[Noedig]

The hulking figure waves disinterestedly at you and a jolt of pain lances into the small of your back, accompanied by the crackling of a stunner.

"Glib. Troublesome. What is your name?'"

3X takes 1 point of non-lethal damage.

[Rebles]

Liane sees 3X twitch as she get electrocuted and her mind begins to race. Ok, tough but not troublesome, you can do it, adapt Liane adapt.
Her face turns into a blank expression with a little bit of fear glimmering through. "Jessy", she lies, adding nothing.

Bluff (both for name and acting more tough and uncaring than she is): [roll0]

[darni]

Ouch! My designation is 3X and that was completely unnecessary

[Noedig]

The stunner again jabs into 3X's lower back but the hulking figure has turned to 'Jessy.'

"Skillset."

[EarthenRite]

"I am called Cesca. And I am a scientist with medical training."

[Noedig]

"You are familiar with medicine.
Good, you've bought yourself a ticket to light duty. The rest if you?"

[darni]

3X decided that his bounty hunting activities were better left unmentioned. I am proficient in electronics and mechanical engineering.

[Chuffy]

"I'm a gunsmith, and a crack pilot."

Anry smirked out his words, malice and revenge burbling beneath the thin facade of over confidence.

[Rebles]

Lying and stealing, yeah probably not.
"I am a public speaker, and sometimes a private speaker... Intimidation and underground deals."

[Noedig]

"Let me explain your new life to you. You are property of Captain Wrathhammer. You will live and die in his service. You will work hard, every day. If you work hard every day, you will eat every day. If you do not work hard every day, you will starve. If you're troublesome, we vent you into space. If you're useful? Well, maybe your situation improves."

The hulking brute is silent for a few moments.

"Send the insect to Stitches. Put the other three to work."

You handlers force you roughly and quickly out the door and into the space beyond, where you find not metal, but hewn rock. It hits you then; this is a mine.

[darni]

3X looks at her companions thinking if they will be accepting this way or try to find a way out from this terrible place

[EarthenRite]

As he is being moved, Cesca speaks into the minds of those who are his fellow prisoners, knowing the importance of hope in the face of great odds.

"Pay attention and survive. We will get through this. Do whatever you can for one another - our small community is all we can count on, as we are all in this predicament together. We will find a way out."

At the end, he attempted to send the telepathic emotion of a smile, as reassuring as he was able. He then turned his thoughts to this 'Stitches' character.

[Rebles]

Liane's head is starting to get accustomed to the Shirren's telepathy.
Grateful for at least one ally she replies to her and the other two in the room, this time telepathically.
"We will escape and then we will make them pay. Hold on to your grudge and let it lend you strength and focus."
So back to pilfering everything we see. Again. Why am I not surprised?

[Noedig]

As the word-thoughts finish Cesca and the guard peel off down another tunnel with a distinctly upward climb, while the others are hustled straight forward for some eighty feet, passing numerous other tunnels and chambers as they go.

At the end of the corridor they're bustled into an elevator along with their guards, and a crude gate is shut in front of them. With a metallic screech, the elevator begins to descend; clearly this operation is sizable, and you each reflect on the words of the armored brute. Their preferred method of execution was 'venting,' suggesting that this is decidedly not a terrestrial mine.

The sheer scope of it becomes apparent as the elevator descends into a massive chamber, easily over a hundred feet at its widest point, and all of it hewn straight from the rock. Unexpectedly though, where one would have surmised that there would be teeming masses of slaves and slave drivers here, you see only about a score, perhaps a few more, of individuals.

The elevator screeches again and thumps to a stop on the ground. The gate protests as its opened and you're hustled out into the open space, where all eyes have turned to you. You hear a distinctly harsh voice call out.

"Hahaha! Got some fresh meat boys and girls!"

As you progress upwards, you find yourself encountering more and more in the way of habitation that isn't carved from rock, and soon enough you're deposited into a too brightly lit, slightly too warm room that smells of bitter, harsh cleaning chemicals. A figure sits limp in a chair with their back to you and their head covered by some sort of cloth or towel. You hear the throb of aggressive music coming from a small speaker system held in their lap.

Wordlessly, your guard deposits you and leaves, shutting the door behind them.

[darni]

Looking at the people and guards, 3X asks So, who of you is captain Wrathhammer? we're supposed to be at his service...

[Noedig]

"HA! New fish thinks the cap's down here with us?"
A chorus of harsh laughter echoes through the chamber.

[EarthenRite]

Cesca

Cesca enters the room and waits for a few moments for the figure to acknowledge his presence. Not sensing that he is heard over the music, he begins to speak, this time using his actual speech capabilities.

"Excuse me, I presume you are 'Stitches'. It seems I am meant to help you."

[Rebles]

Liane eyes the other prisoners. Cesca said they could only trust each other but there was little binding her to the other two standing beside her, yet a weak bond is better then no bond.
But let us not dismiss other options right from the start. The android takes the initiative. Let her, you've always been better talking in a quiet corner then the open field.
A harsh voice replies, her eyes pierce the talker. Maybe a leader? Or at least someone trying to take command. "Call us fish, call us meat, or call me Jessy, I don't care. But what do we call you."


Perception to scan the harsh voice: 1d20+4
Culture to scan the surrounding people: 1d20+5

[Noedig]

A quick scan of the area reveals a gaunt but attractive woman sitting atop a short spire of rock. She's clad in a form fitting suit of Second Skin colored a glossy, nauseating yellow, though you see at regular intervals the suit has been split and what appear to be metallic barbs, hooks, and needles digging into her flesh. Her head is shaved with rows of metal studs replacing hair. She continues to cackle and hurl insults from her perch. Tattooed, or maybe branded, it's hard to tell at this distance, on the side of her face is what looks like a highly stylized 'T'.

"Ooh ho ho! The pretty bitch has got some heat! Oh we're gonna have fun with this one my boys. If you must know, insect, you can call me 'god.' Or if you're feeling reckless, Shrap."

A number of voices laugh around you, and a surreptitious inspection of their sources reveals a common thread among their seeming disparate appearances. On their armor or bodies at least once is the same highly stylized T, though when painted on the armor it is done in black with a golden outline. You can tell on those closest to you that this is supposed to be a hammer of some sort.


As you look around the room you note with a bit of distress and perhaps a tiny bit of admiration that this was decidedly not a medical bay when the space was first conceived. If you had to guess it looks to have been some sort of mess hall or cafeteria, though the size would imply it was only for a small number of people. Perhaps those in a managerial role? In any case, some ingenuity and elbow grease were clearly applied to twist it into what you in your professional opinion would consider and surprisingly adequate medical facility.

The stirs but only barely, and as you a get nearer a cornucopia of odd scents waft upward with the even breaths coming through the towel, and the fumes make your antenna twitch.

[EarthenRite]

Cesca


Cesca, not getting a response, moves around in front of the figure and its pungent odor to try to approach its sensory apparatus. Also, in spite of himsef, he is a little curious about the being's current state of health.

[darni]

3X looks at the one calling herself Shrap. So, are you the one that will tell us what we're supposed to do?

[Rebles]

Meat, fish, insect, I'm getting mixed messages.
"You know, I am always thankful for new names but if you give me too many I might not remember all. Oh and see.. " Liane nudges 3X and points to one of the black Ts. "we found some Wrathhammers after all, so no worries." she grins. Yeah you and your big mouth, calm down a bit will ya.
Her eyes go back to Shrap.
"Relax, ain't here to cause trouble, my friend's right, we are here to work."

[Noedig]

The person is obviously human, and male, though the face is obscured by the towel. They're wearing baggy, second hand military surplus pants and what appears to be a stained, discolored white dress shirt that hangs open around their body. The man's arms are festooned with various tattoos, and you see a fair number on his chest leading up to his neck.

It would appear that he's either asleep, or sedated somehow.

You are shoved as group toward a blue tarp on the ground that has a number of hammers, chisels, and other mining related equipment.

"Good, grab some your tools and fall in.
You wanna eat and live, you're gonna fall in love with these rocks.
"

[EarthenRite]

Cesca

Seeing the man to be asleep, Cesca is going to take advantage of the opportunity to search the room deliberately, looking for an engineering or maintenance type kit that might be left in some obscure place within the room. An hour or so with that and he could modify it. Every so often he makes sure to glance at the man, but is always listening, for a change in the cadence of sounds that would indicate awareness.

Perception would be best I suppose for a search - [roll0]

[Rebles]

Liana graps some gear and falls in line. "Sure thing." Liana tries to find a place near some miserable looking people.

[darni]

While grabbing some gears 3X asks I assume we'll not just be breaking rocks at random. What kind of ores or minerals should we keep an eye on?

[Noedig]

Shrap waves dismissively toward the collection of slaves, of which you are now apparently a part of.

"Foreman, get this mouthy bitch and the rest of this stinking collection of puke outta my sight and into the holes."

An armored figure with an ostentatiously spiked helmet barks out an order and the assembled gaggle of miserable sentients is shuffled, cajoled, and cursed into movement as a number of guards follow along. You count some twenty souls of various races, though most appear to be human. There's at least one vesk and what could only be an android. Others are more difficult to ascertain, covered as they are in dust, dirt, blood, bruises or gods knows what else.

As the group descends deeper into the rock, the lighting quality drops precipitously until it's barely bright enough to see. You each note a strange, unpleasantly pungent scent in the already stale air. The foreman barks.

"Right, for you new bloods, you're looking for pale, white glowy rocks. You idiots think you can grasp that? Good. Get diggin.'"

After roughly an hour of searching you manage to locate a simple maintenance kit in a cabinet beneath one of the grimy sinks.
It's wrapped in clear plastic and appears to have never been used, what with the thin layer of dust upon it. At the same time, you hear something wet slap to the ground and a groan, followed by the loud thud of something falling to the metal floor.

[EarthenRite]

Cesca

Cesca smiles as he finds the wrapped kit. This is progress.

Hearing the sound, he quickly whips around looking and listening to see what caused it, at the same time pocketing the kit.

[Noedig]

You see that the man in the chair has slumped out of it and is now laying on his back, staring at the ceiling as he comes out of his stupor. His breathing is still even,
though a bit faster now.

He appears to be an older human by the looks of things. His head is totally bald and his face is wrinkled with age. A thick, steel grey mustache perches on his upper lip. He does not appear to notice you at present, nor does he seem to be upset about his current position.

[EarthenRite]

Cesca


Cesca walks over to the man crumpled to the ground and kneels down to begin checking his condition, specifically if there are any substances being abused in his system.

Medicine - [roll0]
Life Sciences - [roll1]

[Rebles]

Liana starts digging and tries to start a conversation with one of the more miserable looking people near her.
"Hey, are you ok? How long have you been here?"

[darni]

3X start working, trying to get closer to a fellow android, knowing that her race has a specially low tolerance any kind of explotation or slavery, and sees what she can find about this compatriot before starting to speak

[Noedig]

A dead-eyed elf woman, face gaunt with hunger, body bent and hardened by abuse, looks seemingly through Liane for nearly three full seconds before her mouth opens.

"I..." She pauses to lick her cracked lips. "I don't remember."

The android looks little better, and you note a metallic gleam of the skull structure of your kin, and most of their facial features are either absent by design or by virtue of the cruelty of their captors. No nose, no ears, no lips. Its teeth gleam wetly as it hacks away at the wall.

The man's face is coated by a thing sheen of pungent smelling oil, the light refracting back a swirl of rainbow colors. Judging by the significant dilation of his pupils and the seeming non-reaction to your presence, you would guess he is aggressively abusing a sedative cocktail via topical applications and inhalation.

[EarthenRite]

Cesca looks at the man lying there stewing in his own drug addled state. Leave him, a small voice echoed in his head. He's one of them. One of your captors. The other voice, much louder, berated the first with reminders of his duties as a scientist, as a doctor. Doing no harm meant, for him at least, both actively or passively.

He began to take vital signs, clearing extra clothing away from the patient so he could work. If he could somehow induce a rapid detox, he might be able to safely help this individual recover. After coming up with what he thought a solid treatment plan, he began to look for the necessary supplies.


First, Cesca is going to attempt to use whatever chemicals or cures that lie around the room to determine how best to safely purge the chemicals from this man.
Medicine: [roll0]

If the effect is not immediate or if it does not work, he will spend the time required to turn the kit into his custom rig (per mechanic rules)

[Rebles]

Liana eyes the elf for a few seconds and then enters a telepathic connection with 3X.
Maybe we should get out of here sooner than later.

[darni]

Still unused to this way of communication 3X thinks back There's no time to lose, although assessing our situation and our enemies' capabilities would improve our odds. We also may need some allies,
I estimate the two of us won't be able to deal with this threat level. The Shireen looked helpful but I haven't seen them since they split apart.

Looking back at the android she whispers: I just got here, you can call me 3X. What can you tell me about the place? Is there anything I can help you with?

[Rebles]

Allies, try to find some that don't stab you in the back.
She shakes her head. No need to become paranoid now.
Liane inches closer to the elf. "Oh dear, what do you remember?" she says caringly.

[Noedig]

The medical bay seems surprisingly well stocked, and though it takes a bit of ingenuity, you manage to whip up a very basic detoxifying injection. In your estimation,
it should at the very least speed his recovery.

The haggard android stares at 3X, unblinking eyes locked on hers, his tone flat and quiet.

"You have two options. You can stop distracting me, we can get back to work, and we can eat another meal. Or we can talk, miss our quota, and starve. I'm not interested in missing another meal this week. If you wanna talk, we can talk after the shift."

Meanwhile Liane's conversation fairs little better. The woman tries to smile, and her already cracked lips split a little.

"Jungles...beaches...food and water whenever I wanted."

The smile falters as she blinks a few times, her eyes bloodshot and cloudy. Whether it's from the dust in the air, emotion, or a combination is hard to tell.

[Seanfall]

The previously mentioned Vesk was eyeing the newcomers. He hadn't been there much longer then they had, and he'd been nothing but trouble. Even now under threat of armed guards he was barely digging. Rather he was testing the weight and heft of the tools he'd been given, wondering how much force it would take to pierce the guards body armor. The scars on his arms, as well as the tattoo of Besmara were plain to see. Unlike the other workers he looked hale and hearty. He looked over his shoulder to the guard behind him. With a snort, he spat a glob of phlem at the guards feet then gave him a reptilian hiss.

Ignoring whatever reaction the guard had he turned to the newcomers he was closer to the Android (3X) then the Lashunta. "So do you two remember how you got caught? Or is it all just a blur like a really bad hangover?"

[darni]

3X looked back at the android with disappointment I'll stop distracting you, you seem to be one of the few of us that still thinks of yourself as being built to serve others. Without waiting for an answer she started digging closer to the Vesk. Even when here experience with those hadn't been the most friendly, he seemed to be willing to do something else than accepting his fate.

We two? I've just met this android, and 3 other prisioners that were "processed" with me only a few hours ago. she said, pointing discreetly at Liane as the only one that was still around. My ship was boarded and I was drugged at some point, and the same happened to the rest of the recent arrivals. You can call me 3X she said pronouncing her name as "triple".

She doubled on working the walls, trying to get some of these glowing crystals. If you can help me with these walls, we could not just cover our quota but also get some for us, they may prove useful. This last sentence was said lowering her voice. Then she remembered that other lifeforms were not like her Oh, given that you're an oxygen-metabolic organism I should recommend you to avoid unnecessary breathing here to prevent this silicate suspension to get in your airways, long term exposure will be quite harmful.

[EarthenRite]

Cesca thinks for a moment, a pause before he injects the man. He knows he must but the duty weighs heavily on him knowing his position. He nods, resolving himself as he performs the injection. That task done he moves to busy himself modifying the engineering kit making sure he now has a working rig and then finding a computer terminal to crack, attempting to very stealthily create his own back door.

Computer Check: [roll0]

[Seanfall]

"My mistake then, saw you two get tossed in here together. Figure that meant you were part of the same crew. Me...I remember making port...and then not much else. Until these bastards came and got me I thought I had just one hell of a hangover and got shoved into whatever passed for a brig. But it turns out I got picked up BY A BUNCH OF SLAVING TRASH!" Sobek looked over his should and waved to one of the guards.

"DID YA CATCH THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU!? I WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR...THAT YOU ARE TRASH!" He ended that statement by hissing again.

"All right then 3X, names Sobek. Thanks for the heads up." Sobek tore off part of the rags he was wearing and wrapped it around his snout and mouth it was the best he could do. He then envisioned the wall as the boss of these bastards and started pounding into the stone wall, his muscles bulged as he vented his rage onto it. Stone flew as he attacked the wall with every bit of his might.


Don't know if I should or have to roll for this. But thought it be fun.
If it's a strength roll
[roll0] If it's an actual attack...just add Plus one.

[Rebles]

Liane touches the elves slightly to bring some comfort and turns it into a slight pad on the back.
"And you will again, we will. I promise. No giving up hope yet, OK. Our story has just begun, we are too young and handsome to rot here. So how about it? You lend me some help and show me some tricks on what we are supposed to do. I must confess I did not really pay much attention, silly me, and I will make sure you ain't gonna starve in here, deal?"
Liane offers her hand.

[Noedig]

The man stirs as you inject him, and you note also the tell tale marks of needle usage on his arms. It takes several minutes for the drugs to war with the other chemicals in the man's body, but soon enough he's mumbling and shifting about on the floor. Despite your best efforts, however, the computer terminal in one of the cleaner corners of the 'med-bay' proves recalcitrant and does not give you access.


The guard stomps over, metal baton snapping out from his belt. He levels it at Sobek and 3X menacingly.


"Get back to work!"

Meanwhile, the elf Liane is speaking to seems on the verge of either laughter or sobs,
but she nods to you.

[darni]

Not now, thinks 3X. Lowering her heads she focus on digging in the wall and tries to get a crystal that could be useful to keep.

[Seanfall]

Sobek gave a strong swipe and left his pick buried in the rock, with a twist he popped it out and turned towards the guard. He was smirking, "Awww, I angered the armed guard, wit mah words." He turned back and kept mining, despite the very powerful urge to smash his pick into the guards head and use him as a club on the others.

"It's almost like underneath that armor he's a coward or something." The Vesk took his left foot and pushed any shiny rocks he dug up towards 3X as he talked. Keeping the guard focused on his arms and mouth, he wasn't very book smart but Sobek was cunning. "You eat...sorry,
meet people like that all the time. They talk big, but they got nothing to back it up with in a straight fight."

Sobek kept digging, a snickering laugh escaping him as he did. "Really these are the most pathetic bunch of maggots I've seen in some time." the Very large Vesk looked over his shoulder locking eyes with the guard. "Touch me that thing and I'll turn you into a hand puppet."


Dig a tunna dig dig a tunna
[roll0]

Intimidate
[roll1]

[Rebles]

Looking around Liane, for once not the attention of the guards, starts digging. What you don't want them to invite you personally.
"You know, I've been wondering." Her pickax hitting the rock. "How long are we down here? Diggin' I mean." A little rock lands in her mouth and she spits it to the side. "And what are we digging for. Seriously, I really didn't pay attention earlier.."

[EarthenRite]

Cesca speaks aloud, moving over in front of the man.

“Hello. Wake up. I have given you a medication to get rid of your drugs. Tell me what it is I am supposed to do here.”

Cesca reaches out with a clawed hand, shaking the man to add effect.

[Noedig]

Stitches lingers on the ground for nearly a minute, eyes screwed shut against the light, and frowning mightily. He finally opens them, and you see a pair of bloodshot,
cloudy blue irises staring back. He pales for a moment, then flushes red, and let's out a small squeak of laughter. When he finally does speak, it's in a crisp, fluid common delivered at a lazy pace.

"Bes's tits, you're ugly. Thanks I suppose. Ugh. Help me up. I take it you're my new assistant? Good."

He smirks up at you and reaches out a hand.

After what feels like an entire solar revolution of labor, a horn finally sounds, and a collective sigh of relief mixed here and there with defeat rustles from the collective lungs of the slave laborers. Wearily, they shoulder their tools and begin a slow trek upward out of the mines, some with satchels of glowing, white crystals. Some with nothing. A guard at the back of the line of misery hurls shouts and abuse to everyone, commanding them to fall in line.

As you clear the long, sloping tunnel, you see that a queue is forming next to what appears to be a large, aluminum cylinder that seems suspiciously well guarded.

[Seanfall]

Sobek makes a point of raising his middle claw tipped finger to the guards as he passes. But otherwise remains mostly silent until he sees the line. He leans down to whisper to 3X. "Oi, you get enough of these gems?"

[Rebles]

Liane shoulders her gems and looks over to the elf. You always liked the miserable sots of the world didn't you? Makes you feel better about whatever situation you are in at the moment.
"Hey, come over there are my friends, well if you want to call them that, honestly I spend more time talking with you." No no, at you, get it right. "But they seem competent and it is always better to have friends."
Liane walks up to the two people and greets them maybe a bit to cheerful. "Hey how did you two do, ... wait you ain't Anry. Liane my name, but while we are in this predicament I would prefer you call me either Jessy or mouthy bitch your choice really. Just to be careful, I mean you never know, you know." And she reaches her hand out to greet Sobek.

[darni]

3X looked at the meager number of crystals she had been able to found, together with the extra ones that Sobek had given here. Looking at Sobek she said I'm not certain about the size of the required quota, but thanks for your help in any case.

Her sustenance was at stake, but the risk was still worth it. She checked her satchel trying to identify the best looking crystal and tried to hid it in her arm compartment. Hopefully, this was the first step in building a weapon to get revenge on these bastard slavers.

[Seanfall]

Sobek blinked a few times at Liane's...unique speech pattern. After a moment he took her hand and shook it. "Sobek."

[Rebles]

"Nice to meet you Sobek. I hope you will excuse my lack of extensive celebration as I am somewhat exerted and.. " Liane shakes her head and when she continues her voice turns from her energetic self to a deeper much more somber tone "Sorry, I'm just.. I'm done." she takes a deep breath. "Do we have enough?" she asks holding out her sack of crystals.

[Noedig]

With little in the way of a metric to go on, it's hard to say how much enough would be. Between the three of you, it appears you've averaged a kilogram a piece, with Sobek having acquired the most, possibly even the most of this day's shift.

As the line shuffles forward, you begin to hear a bizarre cadence to this sad affair. A prodigiously fat half-orc gesticulates as it speaks, cajoles as it counts out each gram of harvested mineral,
and then shouts a number. Two short scrapes of metal, a wet plop, and the line shuffles forward again. You see other slaves holding small plates as they leave, with some kind foul smelling brown blob on it. The fat orc-kin bellows at Sobek.

"Next! You! Vesk! Next!"

[Seanfall]

"Stay focused on getting revenge. Imagine stabbing....that guy." Sobek pointed to a random guard. "In the face with a fork. It'll give you strength when you need it." Sobek...tries to smile at Liane, however he's a Vesk so...it kinda comes off like a shark smirking to a Minnow who swam to far out.

When the corpulent Half-Breed calls out to him. Sobek looks behind himself and to his left and right, then points to himself and shrugs. The Large muscled Vesk saunters up and drops his bag onto the Orc's table. "Didn't know you could get that fat eating ****."

[EarthenRite]

Cesca cocked his head to the side.

“And what exactly am I assisting you with, aside from maintaining some measure of sobriety?”

[Noedig]

The man comes unsteadily to his feet and gives a dry chuckle.
"My good man, that is almost certainly why you have been press-ganged into the service of our illustrious captain, the great and terrible Teegan Wrathhammer."

His words drip with scorn as he stretches the kinks from his joints. You note that despite his advanced age and obvious abuse of drugs, he seems fairly whole. Your knowledge of human physiology would suggest that this should not be possible.

"In more salient terms, you're here to help distribute the load. Our captain has decided he'd like to do a hiring push, and the more bodies we add into this," He waves his hands into the air, gesturing around at the station. "Meat-grinder, the harder it is to put them all back together in accordance to schedule and make the quota of pharmaceuticals and other various and sundry elixirs of vice he requires. Let us hope for both our sakes you're adept at one or the other."

He pats his pockets and looks around.

"Damn. I've misplaced my glasses again. What time is it?"


The prodigious orc gives an ugly chortle as he sorts through your pile with overly fat fingers, the laughter sending ripples through his considerable bulk. Next to him you see a large metal platter, upon which is piled various meats, sweets, and the occasional vegetable. Real food. The first you've seen in days.

"Ha-hahaha! You can't, it's why Oi'm fat and you lot is skinny as rails!" He barks another laugh, sending saliva and food from his ever-chewing craw outward. "Ooo, lookit here, we've gotta a productive member of tha team!
Give 'em a four!"

The fat half orc slides a mostly dirt metal plate toward the end of the table, toward the large, beaten, metal cylinder.

There's a metallic scrape as a human guard yanks open a hatch at the bottom and a cylinder of brown, gelatinous mush begins to be extruded. It gets to be a few inches long and the guard wrenches the hatch shut, pinching off the cylinder and letting fall the short distance to the plate, where it slaps wetly.

"Neeeext!"

[darni]

3X steps forward

[EarthenRite]

“I do not know. I don’t have a communicator to check, either. If you could get me one with a decent medical reference and access to a network, it would make this work much easier. I take it this place refines drugs? Narcotics by the look of it. What delivery system? Intravenous, inhalation, digestive?”

[Noedig]

The ponderously fat half-ork chortles as you up end your sack of stones onto the table, though his smile dims slightly as he paws through your offering.

"Wha's this? Huh? You ain't work hard enough? You ain't holdin' nothin' back? Ha! Like hell!"

The guards around him snap their attention to you and more than one hand shifts down to their stun guns and batons.

[Seanfall]

Sobek hadn't moved completely away yet, Rather he was engrossed with staring at the 'food' that was doing an uncanny impression of...something else. He was sensing a fight brewing. It made his claws twitch. The Android wouldn't do well if they dog piled on em. That said while Sobek wasn't the smartest guy, he could still count. Even with his bulk neither of them stood much of a chance.

All that said, Sobek eyed the closest guard. If they took another step towards the Android. He'd strike, slam the plate of 'food' into their face? Maybe...no. Grapple them and get hold of a weapon, yeah that sounded good.


Reading an action to Grapple the nearest Guard if things turn violent.

[darni]

Using her best emotionless android face, 3X mumbled "What? sorry, is this amount insufficient?"