Cave-In

[Wilds]

COOL. GREAT. THIS IS EXACTLY HOW YOU WANTED TO DIE.

At least your parts are going to be useful to someone - as this Horror's LUNCH.

OKAY. Okay. Take a deep breath. Ask Matri if they have any ideas on what we can do about this. You're all out.

[Ignispark]

So. Does anyone know what gives a horror indigestion?

[victorianflorist]

As awful as that is, that's kind of cool. You could probably count on your hands, not mine since I don't have them. how many people have been swallowed by a horror and didn't mutate beyond recognition. We could be truly exploring something novel.

[King-Clod]

I mean, we don't know if that's the case for sure. I'm just...not really sure what else it could be.

[knux400]

"We probably just got eaten by a really big horror!"

Once you hear those words, several things happen within your mind- all in the span of a few seconds.

Your first reaction is panic. You already weren't optimistic about your chances of making it out of here- but knowing you're inside a HORROR makes matters much, much worse. You have no idea what's going to happen to you down here- or to Exclusit, or Matri, or anyone else, for that matter. You've only ever heard of horrors in stories- from what you understand, they're hideous pitch-black creatures that lurk underground and attack anyone who comes too close. If you don't die from being mauled, the radiation will mutate you into one of them instead. Depending on what species you are. You're a little vague on the details.

But... That's also a cool way to go, honestly. It's a bit morbid, but this certainly makes for a much more interesting experience than just running out of power in a random cave somewhere. Now you have the novelty of running out of power in the stomach of a giant horror! Exciting. Obviously you'd rather not die, but the extraordinary circumstances make you feel a little bit better.

On the subject of not dying... You know next to nothing about horror anatomy, which makes it difficult to think of a way out. If horrors are anything like most organics, then these tunnels should lead either back up to the mouth or out the other direction- but it may be more similar to TCP, which have no organs at all- just indistinct goop. Or it could be something else entirely. You just don't know. The only thing you're certain of is that the walls are moving, which is going to make mapping this place very difficult- perhaps even impossible. You could try and kill it from the inside... somehow? You don't have any idea what you could possibly do that would kill a horror this big.

Of course, you might not be in a horror at all. Not that you have any other explanation for the odd cracks, the intensely high levels of radiation, and the shifting tunnels. But until that theory is disproven, you may as well operate on the assumption that you've been swallowed by a horror. It's a good idea to be prepared for the worst, and you can't think of much worse of a situation than this one.

You need more information, and you need to calm Exclusit down as they seem to be very close to freaking the fuck out. You decide to try and do both with a bit of humor. Hopefully it's not inappropriate in such a tense situation.

"So. Does anyone know what gives a horror indigestion?"
"Well, um, that's the funny thing! Most horrors don't actually have stomachs, since their diet is mostly scraps and shreds. It's actually quite unusual to have a horror with a proper digestive system- most of them are just black slime the whole way through. Of course, with the chaotic nature of horrors and the way they mutate, anything is possible, I suppose."
"So..."
"Um, I don't really know what would cause a horror to, uh, expel us. I think if anything it had eaten would cause that, it would've happened already."

Exclusit has calmed down just enough to submit their own question.

"Can we just fucking... kill it? From the inside?"
"Uhhhh... Generally the way you kill horrors is to burn them, I think? Like, completely incinerate their whole body."
"ShiiiiiiiiiIIIT!"

Exclusit is drifting back into freaking-out territory again. Should you try to calm them down? Ask Matri another question? Or do you have another idea?

[Wilds]

It's definitely time to calm Exclusit down. They're no use to us if they're panicking too hard to do think straight. We might be stuck in a horror, but we're not dead or definitively damned just yet, and that's worth holding onto.

[Ignispark]

...it also wouldn't hurt to think about what flammable materials might be potentially available, but that can wait until nobody is actively panicking.

[King-Clod]

Wait wait wait, big horrors don't just go under the radar, even ones in caves like this. Someone's going to notice if an entire spelunking crew went missing, and especially if the horror radiation of the area is off the charts. I'm sure someone's gonna send a knight in or something. That's what they use to deal with horrors, right?

(We're lying through our teeth of course. I know the company doesn't care about us, but we need to give Exclusit a little hope if we can. We'll try to figure out a solution in the meantime. I don't think any of us are organic, soo hooopefully we won't mutate as much?)

[knux400]

You gently place a claw on Exclusit, and they stop briefly.

"Listen, we're not dead yet, okay? That's worth holding onto. Giant horrors like these don't just fly under the radar, right? Someone's going to notice that all of us have gone missing, and they'll send in a knight or something. That's what they use to deal with horrors, right?"

Matri nods, but looks at you oddly. Given how much they know, you're pretty sure they can tell you made half of that up- but they also realize what you're trying to do, so they hold their metaphorical tongue. Exclusit, meanwhile, has come to their senses a bit. They're still upset, but they're at least rational now.

"Fine. Fine. So where exactly do we go from here? What do we do?"
"Well... I'm not exactly sure." Matri pipes up. "With the tunnels acting the way they are, I don't think walking is going to get us out of here. We might be able to find more survivors or stuff that's fallen down or something, but I don't think any horror would just... Let us out after it's eaten us. I, uh, I don't really have anything beyond that. Sorry."
"You said they burn horrors, right? Do we have anything flammable?" You ask.
"I don't think that's a viable escape plan by itself. The most we could probably do is burn through a wall once we get the rock layer out of the way. But even then, we'd have no idea where we were going, or how thick the slime layer is, so... But it's something worth keeping in mind, I think." Matri explains.
"You're the one carrying around an entire dead Barebones. If anyone would have something flammable, it's you." You shoot Exclusit an annoyed glare at that, but they do have a point.

You briefly look over Ortho again. There's nothing there that could be used as fuel, but you're pretty sure you could take one of their CAPACITORS, rig it up to the battery, and deliberately overload it to create a tiny explosion- nothing that could harm anyone, but just enough to get a fire started. Your FILM could be used as fuel, if only for a few moments. Obviously, the more of that you burn, the less print pictures you'll be able to take.

"I... kind of have some flammable stuff, but it's not that powerful and I don't have much of it."
"Okay. Any other bright ideas?" Exclusit asks. Matri simply shrugs in response, and Exclusit turns to you instead.

[King-Clod]

I think we should look for other survivors. Help out as many people as we can, in case someone's caught under rubble or something and needs help. They might have more supplies we can use to try to get out of here, something more flammable than what I've got. Or just more ideas. As we are right now, not sure we can do much else.

[Ignispark]

You're going to be looking for surface crystals in a few potential land purchases we're thinking of acquiring. The more surface crystals you find, the more likely it is there's larger ones underground we can get our hands on.

I'd like to request more information on the crystals!

[victorianflorist]

As much as walking seems fruitless, we'll have to keep going, we can't just sit here and mope. We should keep moving and document this experience.

If/when we find others, that's more heads working at the problem.

[knux400]

I'd like to request more information on the crystals!

These crystals are essential in the manufacturing of various devices due to their unique behavior with shreds. You're not sure of the exact science (or possibly magic) behind it, but for some reason shreds are drawn to these crystals. By refining them into various shapes and forms and combining them with other substances, one can control the flow of shreds and harness their energy to power devices. Most machines on Morbit use this principle- in fact, you and Ortho both have a large amount of crystal within you in the form of crystal fiber wires, battery contacts, circuitboards, and other odds and ends.

Shred crystals, as they're commonly known, are typically found in large formations at the lower levels of Morbit's crust, just above or sometimes intersecting with the horror layer. These formations are usually completely covered in stone, but they can sometimes poke out into neighboring caves. These "surface crystals" are generally a decent indicator as to whether larger formations lie underneath the stone. Your job is- was, rather, because you're definitely quitting once you get out of here- to locate those surface crystals and indicate them to the excavation team.

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---

"Well... It seems like our best option is to just keep walking."
"Didn't Matri just say that wasn't a way out?"
"We don't really have a way out with the materials we have right now, so our best bet is to try and find other survivors. They could have more supplies or more ideas, and besides, people could be in danger. I don't want anyone else..." You involuntarily glance at Ortho. Matri and Exclusit both understand your meaning without forcing you to finish that sentence.

"...I guess that makes sense. But the moment we have a way out, we need to take it. I'm not about to wander around this place looking for every single person that fell down." With that, Exclusit turns and starts forward again.


It seems like you don't have a lot to do during these walks. To pass the time, you could start a conversation, or reflect on your own memories.

[King-Clod]

How about we start a conversation? We're not the best at this I know, but I don't think dwelling on our thoughts is gonna help us all that much. Maybe we can ask Matri if there's anything they know a lot of facts about? What sorts of things catch their interest?

[victorianflorist]

Let's ask them about their lives outside of this, what they did for fun.

[knux400]

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---

You can take a break from reflecting on your own life for now. There's two other people here, you may as well get to know them a bit better despite your predicament.

"So... What do you guys do for fun? What's your life like... outside this?"

Exclusit is the first to respond, although judging by their tone, they don't exactly seem interested in this line of discussion.

"I dunno. I just hang out, watch TV, maybe chill with some friends. Life's fine."

Matri's answer, however, is a bit more lengthy.

"Oh! I'm actually really interested in horrors. The way they work and the mythology surrounding them is super interesting to me, so I like to research them and document my findings in my spare time. I've got a whole library dedicated to this stuff, actually! I should show you when we're out of here."
"Oh, so you know a lot about them?" You ask.
"Yup! I'm not, like, an actual horror-ologist or anything like that, but I do enjoy learning about them! I actually wanted to get a job researching horrors, but... There aren't any jobs like that around here. The nearest facility I could find was too far away- I'd either have to deal with a 2-hour commute or move somewhere closer. And, uh, real estate isn't exactly cheap." They look a bit sad.
"So I figured I'd work down here for a while, build up some funding, and then move to the city! I figured mining would be a good fit for me since, y'know, I don't need to do the whole 'breathing' thing, and it's... sort of adjacent to horrors! Well, this job in particular was much more adjacent than I thought it would be."
"Wait, so you knew they had us going below regulation depth?" Exclusit turns their head briefly.
"I didn't know about that when I first applied, and when I found out, I honestly didn't mind too much. I figured we'd be safe enough with the horror detectors, and the thought of being this close to a real horror cavern was super exciting to me! I've actually seen a few little horrors myself- nothing too dangerous, of course! They're kind of cute when they're small. There was this one that was kind of like a bug- it had four eyes, four legs, and it was all fuzzy! The way it skittered around was super cute. It even had tiny mandibles. It was about this big." Matri holds up their hands, indicating a size and shape somewhere around that of a small loaf of bread.
"Greeeeat. You're lucky that thing didn't bite your face off." Exclusit remarks sarcastically.
"Well, obviously I observed proper safety protocol! I kept my distance, I didn't startle it, and I reported it to the admin building as soon as my shift was over."
"So you're not... worried? At all?" You ask.
"I mean... it's not that I'm not worried. It's just... This is the closest I've ever been to a real live horror, and it's such an interesting one, too! Did you know that there's only been 3 sightings of a horror anywhere near this big, and they were all eyewitness accounts with no documentation whatsoever? We could be inside the biggest discovery ever, both literally and figuratively! If we can document this somehow and get our findings to a good lab, we could be set for life!"
"If we make it out of here alive." Exclusit chimes in.
"Okay, yeah, obviously, but... I mean, this is just about the coolest thing that's ever happened to me. I can't stay worried when I think about that."

Exclusit just makes a noise somewhere between an exasperated sigh and a dry chuckle and turns away.

[King-Clod]

Might wanna change the subject from horrors... Maybe we should talk about what we like?
Share a story about one of our favorite photos that we've taken?

[Ignispark]

Aside from what's already been mentioned, maybe leaving others the floor to talk would be a good idea. Get to know the people you're trapped inside a horror with better and whatnot.

[knux400]

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---

"Maaaybe we should change the subject."
"Oh! Um, is the horror talk uncomfortable? Sorry about that. I just get kind of rambly when I'm super interested in something, so-"
"Yeah, we gathered." Exclusit cuts Matri off.

You pause to look at Exclusit. Are they... always this abrasive? Or is it just stress?

"Well... a bit, yeah. I'm glad to have someone here who knows this much about horrors, but... maybe tone it down a bit? Unless it's something important, obviously.
"Yeah, got it!"

...




...You were going to let the other two take the lead, but Exclusit isn't much for conversation anyway and Matri can't seem to think of anything else to talk about.


"Do you guys do photography at all?"
"I used to, a bit!" Matri chimes in.
"No." Comes Exclusit's deadpan reply.

"Well, I really enjoy it. There's something about being able to take any moment and capture it forever that just... clicks with me, You know how sometimes you see a picture, and you don't just see the picture? You remember what it was like being in that moment, all the sounds and memories..."
"Yeah! Family photos do that for me sometimes. There's this one I really love where me and my siblings were camping, right, and we wanted to take a group photo of all of us in our big ol' tent ready to bed down for the night."
"Aw, that sounds nice."
"Haha, well, um, not really! The wind picked up right as Rui took the photo, and it ended up being a blurry mess where the tent was half falling over and we were all freaking out and stuff. It took us a good half hour to get everything all set up again."
"Oh, geez."
"Yeah, it... kinda sucked. Everyone was really tired and grumpy, and we all wanted to sleep."
"...And you like that photo?"
"It's my favorite!"
"Why?"

Matri pauses, putting a fin on their chin.

"Well... the next day when we all woke up, we were all feeling a lot better, but we had kind of forgotten about the picture. So when Rui showed it to us, we all just... burst out laughing!"
"Really?"
"Yeah! Even though it sucked actually being there, it all seemed silly in hindsight. We all got so mad over a gust of wind; it just makes me smile to think about! And the picture itself was funny, too. The way Rui managed to perfectly capture everyone's panicked expression as the left side of the tent was bowing in, and all the stuff on the floor was hanging in midair as the tent tilted... It was perfect. A moment of beauty in the middle of a total disaster. We all still have it."
"That sounds amazing! I wish I had anything half as good as that."
"Well, you've got a camera built straight into your head, right? I mean, I'd have to stop, get my camera out of my bag, turn it on, maybe replace the batteries, but you- you can just psssht and it's done! I'm sure you've got a lot of great stuff on there."
"I actually have this really nice one of a mudchucker poking its head out of its burrow, with some foliage in the background and the sun rising behind it..."
"Oh, wow! I wish I could see..."
"Well, hang on a second. You've got a UCI2 port, right?"
"Of course, yeah! But I didn't bring a cord with me down here."
"Oh, I always carry a spare, just in case. It's a bit short since it has to fit in my shell pocket, but..."

You produce a small cord with a triangular plug on either end, passing one end to Matri. Matri takes it and plugs it into a small port on the back of their head, hidden under a protective flap of plastic. You do the same on your end, and after some awkward shifting to accommodate the short length of the cable, you can sense each other. It's sort of like a doorway in your mind has been opened, and Matri is standing on the other side. You recall your photo of the mudchucker, and will it through the doorway towards Matri. At almost the same time, you feel information passing through the doorway towards you. You accept the packet and begin decoding it, and sure enough, it's the image Matri described to you. The whole process takes less than a second, and after a moment you both audibly react to the pictures, you chuckling a bit and Matri making a small 'awww'.

Matri disconnects the cord, clicking the flap on their head shut before passing the end back to you.
"That's awesome! You can really see the mandibles."
"Yeah, you too! Is that your whole family?"
"Well, Rui isn't there because she was taking the picture, but yeah! I met them a few weeks after I was manufactured and we've been best buds ever since."
"Aw, that's neat! I've heard about those family units, and the concept always seemed cool to me! Of course, I never needed to join one myself, since I had a creator instead of a manufacturer, but..."

The two of you continue like this for quite some time. Exclusit even offers a snarky comment here and there- they still don't seem that talkative, but they are calming down.




...







Eventually you come to another opening. You and Matri almost bump into Exclusit as they stop walking abruptly. They extend their arms to either side, cautioning you to stay back.

"More debris." They report. "I think something's moving inside."

[Ignispark]

...could be the horror, another person, or something else...I have no idea what to do here.

[King-Clod]

I actually have this really nice one of a mudchucker poking its head out of its burrow, with some foliage in the background and the sun rising behind it...

(I'm interested in knowing more about mudskippers and what they are!)

Let's move the debris quickly, there could be a person under there.

[knux400]

Mudchuckers are a burrowing animal native to this part of Monte. They tend to enjoy rather humid environments, and will often burrow under soft ground to sleep. Draw in particular tends to have a lot of them, as the vast mudfields provide ample space for them to live. They're small, sort of reptilian in appearance, and they're omnivorous in diet, eating bugs, worms, plants, and occasionally a piece of discarded food. Their most distinct feature is their large mandibles, useful both for digging and processing different kinds of food.

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---

You hesitate for a moment before starting to duck under Exclusit's arm. They move their arm in response.
"Uh-uh. There could be a horror in there." They whisper.
"It could also be a person."
"Yeah, and if you're wrong, you're going to get your head clawed off. I'm not losing someone with your knowledge of machinery."
"But if you're wrong, they might die in there. We don't know if they need help or not."
"We can't stop and pick up everyone we find! Our priority is getting out of here."
"The plan is to gather more resources so that we can find a way out in the first place! And besides, the last fork was about twenty minutes back. Do you really want to try and go around?"
"When the last fork was doesn't matter because this place is rearranging itself. As soon as we get far enough away, we won't have to worry about it anymore."
"Look, I'm not making you come with me. Just wait here and if it does turn out to be a horror, I'll tuck up and roll away as fast as I can. My shell is what helped me survive the fall in the first place, I'll be fine."
"Wait, you fell? I just sort of slid-"
"Not important right now!" You and Exclusit shush Matri in unison.
"Fine. But leave the- leave your friend here."
"Obviously. I wouldn't want to try and sneak anywhere carrying all this. And their name is Ortho."

You gently set Ortho down and slowly skitter into the room, approaching the debris pile.
"Hello?"
The rubble jumps in response, and you back away, ready to make a roll for it- but you wait, just for another second.

Something inside lets out a burst of four clicks, then pauses slightly before doing so again. It continues this way in an odd sort of rhythm, over and over again.

You tilt your head, confused. You're not sure what to do before Matri bumps past you, tearing through debris.

"That's a Drumbeat! I know it from learning about Knights, but a lot of different professions use it. It's sort of like a universal distress signal."

Without another word, you and Exclusit follow suit. Underneath is a Sheala Frame. Their shell is dented, but still intact. The three of you pull them out of the rubble and they makes a rapid series of clicks in response.

"Are you alright? What's your name?" You ask.
They click a few times.
"Can you not speak?"
More clicking.
"Okay, uh, two clicks for yes, three for no?"
Two clicks.
"Did your voicebox break in the fall?"
Two clicks.
"Are you seriously hurt otherwise?"
A pause, then three clicks.
"I have some spare parts from a coworker of ours, do you want to take a few minutes to see if you can patch yourself up?"
Two clicks and an enthusiastic nod.
"Alright, great! We can bring you up to speed on what's going on while we work."

You drag Ortho into the room, allowing the Sheala to get a good look at them. The first thing they reach for is Ortho's head, which, thankfully, still has its voicebox intact. They wave the voicebox at you and point to their own head.

"Oh, yeah, sure!"

As you remove the Sheala's casing and install the voicebox, Matri and Exclusit recap what the three of you already know. You're inside a giant horror, the tunnels rearrange themselves, and you're working on gathering supplies before you try and find a way out. They simply nod, occasionally making two clicks to confirm they understand. Their body doesn't look too heavily damaged- everything has mostly just been jostled around, same as you. Their shell probably protected them from the worst of the impact, since it was designed for high-pressure environments. There are a few disconnected or torn wires, which you replace. Eventually the new voicebox is installed and their casing is closed again.

Almost immediately, a series of harsh tones emanates from the Sheala frame, causing Matri and Exclusit to recoil.
"It's alright! They're just calibrating their audio output!" You shout over the noise. It continues for a few more moments as the tones gradually get softer and easier to listen to.

"...eeeeeeee-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-uuuuuuuuhhh. Thaaaank-yooou. I-go-by-hee-pronouuns-actually. My-naame-is-Delve."

Delve is still speaking in an oddly stilted and monotonous manner, but that's just a natural side effect of a new voicebox. He'll get used to it the more he speaks.

"Nice to meet you, Delve! I'm Pillbug, or Roll-E or Pole-E for short."
"Three-names? That-seeems-like-a-lot." They stutter jovially.
"I like having nicknames."
"Faair-enough. Nice-to-meet-you-Rooll-E."

[Ignispark]

It'd be a good idea to make sure Delve is up to speed on the whole, horror situation. Maybe also see if they have any knowledge of, uh, what might be a good idea about the whole. Inside a horror thing.

[King-Clod]

Seconding catching Delve up to speed about the situation.
Also ask him if he had a buddy or partner with him that he'd like us to keep an eye out for as we continue on, or anything on him we can try to use to burn our way out, or any other ideas.

[knux400]

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---

With Matri and Exclusit's help, you've already told Delve everything you know about your situation, horror and all. They seemed taken aback at first, but calmed down surprisingly quickly.

"Did you have anyone with you when you fell? Was there a buddy we should look out for?"
"I-was-wiith-two-other-people-wheen-I-fell. Riya-is-the-HR-director, I'm-espeecially-worried-about-heer. She-waasn't-even-supposed-to-bee-down-here, but-there-was-soome-kind-of-dispute-and-she-had-to-come-doown-here-to-get-everyone-to-fill-out-forms-and-whaatnot. She's-a-Flexin, so-I'm-worrried-about-her-getting-hurt-down-here."

You remember what a Flexin is, vaguely. They're balloon creatures that spawn under specific conditions. Their physiology seems particularly ill-suited to this environment. If a horror were to get a good swipe in with its claws...

"Thee-other-person-I-was-with, I-didn't-know-too-well. I-think-their-name-was-Sarah? They're-a-gesabott. That's-aboout-all-I-know. We-didn't-talk-much. But-if-whaat-you-said-about-the-shifting-tunnels-is-truue, theey-could-be-anywhere-down-here."

Gesabotts... You barely remember anything about them other than their name. They look inorganic, but you honestly have no idea. The only thing you can remember for sure is the distinctly plug-shaped tail the species shares.

"Got it. Right now the plan is to try and burn our way out, but we'd need to get through the layer of stone first..."
"And-there's-no-waay-of-knowing-if-we're-at-the-edge-or-noot."
"Right. Do you have anything with you we can use as fuel?"
"No. But..."

Delve looks down for a moment, thinking to himself.

"Wee-don't-have-to-burn-our-way-ouut, necessarily."
"What do you mean?"
"Horrors-are-made-of-goooey-stuff, right-Maatri?"
"Yeah." Matri nods.
"If-wee-had-adequaate-protection, it-miight-be-possible-to-swim-through. Soomething-biig-and-built-for-underwater-traavel. I-could-probably-do-it-myself, eeven."
"That's... That could work." Matri puts a fin on their chin. "Of course, you wouldn't be able to see anything, and sonar would be basically useless with how thick that stuff is. You'd be swimming completely blind. And the rest of us would have to have a vehicle, otherwise we'd get waterlogged... horrorlogged? And potentially torn apart or crushed if it happens to shift while we're inside it."
"It's something, at least." Exclusit chimes in. "It would allow us to travel further through the horror than just burning a hole in it. And we wouldn't need large amounts of fuel to pull it off."
"Exaactly." Delve replies.
"Well... Do you know of any submersible vehicles we could use?" You ask.
"...No. There-miight-be-other-Sheala-frames-doown-here, but-nothiing-that-would-accomodaate-the-rest-of-you."
"So we have yet another abstract idea of how to escape, but no tangible means of doing it. Great." Exclusit laments.
"It's more than we had before!" Matri offers.

Everyone turns to you for a plan. How exactly did you manage to become the leader of this group again?

[Ignispark]

...it's a bit grim, but since there's another person. Let's get photos to have a record, in case we get split up and they don't turn up again.

Anyhow, as for...what to do. Well. There's no way out at the moment. If there was decent confidence in swimming through, getting one person out could be useful...but that presumes the way out of the mine is functional. There's a decent chance that's compromised too, even if you get outside of the horror...so. Tools. Resources. Are definitely a need.

Verdict: Continue as is. Wander, look for more signs of survivors or resources.

[King-Clod]

Alright. I don't think we should split up yet, sticking together is our best bet right now. And I agree that searching for resources and more people, especially Riya and Sarah if we can should be our priority. Get more heads together. But it might be a good idea to find a way for Delve to swim out, so she can go get help. Find a knight or something.

[knux400]

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---

"Having Delve swim out could be useful. He could go get help of some kind, or warn people about the horror. But we shouldn't try anything like that right now. We don't know what the conditions are outside, and we don't know how close to the edge we are, like Delve said."

The group nods in agreement.

"And, uh, Delve? I've been taking pictures of everyone, just so we've got some kind of a record of events. In case we-"
"I-undeerstand." Delve cuts you off. He does a comical little pose for the camera.

"Anyway. We still need tools and resources, so... Same plan as before, for now. We keep making our way through these caves and gathering up as much materials and as many people as we can."
"Faair-enough. How-loong-have-you-been-waandering-for?" Delve asks.
"It's been... Almost 11 hours since I first fell."
"Good. I've-been-sitting-here-for-the-saame-amount-of-time, which-meeans-we-must've-come-from-the-same-grooup."
"So it hasn't eaten anyone else yet." Exclusit deadpans.
"Juust-wanted-to-be-sure. I'd-haate-for-anyone-else-to-be-stuck-down-here."

"Before we go, uh, how's everyone's battery looking?" Matri asks.
"87%. I charged mine before I left for work." You respond.
"63%." Exclusit responds.
"71%. I'd-been-reesting-until-you-guys-shoowed-up."
"Okay, okay, good!" Matri cheerily responds. There's a bit of an edge to their voice, though.
"...Are you doing okay?" You ask.
"I've... been at one bar for the last two hours. Botleys don't come with precise power readings, so..."
"One bar out of four?"
"Yup. So theoretically 25% or lower. I've never had it go below one bar, though, so it might be one of those ones where it displays an empty battery at some point."
"Why didn't you say anything sooner?!" Exclusit exclaims.
"I... Well, I didn't want to bother anyone. And it's not like there's any way we can recharge down here..."
"Ortho probably still has some charge left in them." You offer. "I don't know what a Botley charging port is like, but I could try and rig something up..."
"I'm not sure how well it would work." Matri responds sadly. "And besides, we might find someone who needs it more than I do."

[Ignispark]

...They make a fair point. We should reserve that spare power in case it's needed in an emergency.

[King-Clod]

...I suppose. But if you ever start feeling woozy, we should plug you in.
(Also, how long will Ortho's charge remain? If it's going to slowly drain anyway, would it be better to transfer it now?)

[knux400]

You may access your internal database to request more information on any text in this update or previous updates. Highlight the text you would like details on and select the "Quote" option when composing a reply.

---

"That's... fair, I guess." You respond. "Just let me know if you start feeling off and I'll see about rigging something up."
"Yup! Will do."
"On that note, what's everyone's power consumption like?" Exclusit asks. "Well, I know Matri doesn't have proper system diagnostics, but everyone else?"

Everyone reads out a different number in shreds per hour, which you and Delve take note of. You make a mental tally of everyone's current power level and consumption rate, and make sure to keep track of it. Delve does the same.

Ortho should be able to hold a charge indefinitely unless their batteries are physically damaged in some way. (You check briefly- they look intact.) You hook yourself up to the battery for just long enough to get a readout of the charge left in it- 47%. You do recharge yourself a bit in the process, but you don't take anywhere near enough to be significant. Looks like Ortho's battery was in the same mildly worn condition as the rest of their body was. After disconnecting, you quickly take a mental note of everything you've learned and relay it to Delve. Neither Exclusit nor Matri has the capability of running arbitrary scripts on top of normal processing, but they'll both try and remember as best they can.

For simplicity's sake, you decide to round everything up to the nearest percent per hour. Average usage won't always be the same, you remind yourself- if someone were to physically or mentally exert themselves, such as by sprinting down a tunnel or solving a complex problem, they would consume more power than normal. Disabling any nonessential functions would, in turn, help someone conserve power better.

PILLBUG- 88%
AVG USAGE- 3% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- FLASHLIGHT, POWER CALCULATIONS

ORTHO- 46%
AVG USAGE- NONE
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- NONE

MATRI- 25% OR LOWER
AVG USAGE- UNKNOWN
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- UNKNOWN

EXCLUSIT- 63%
AVG USAGE- 2% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- NONE

DELVE- 71%
AVG USAGE- 3% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- FLASHLIGHT, POWER CALCULATIONS

With that settled, you suppose it's time to move forward again. You can choose to reflect on your own life or start a conversation with someone else.

[King-Clod]

Let's reflect on our own life for a bit, maybe think on one of our favorite memories?
After that, I'd like to learn more about Delve! Maybe what their favorite thing they've found while diving is?

[Ignispark]

I agree with talking to delve. Delve seems pretty rad.

[knux400]

You may access your internal database to request more information on any text in this update or previous updates. Highlight the text you would like details on and select the "Quote" option when composing a reply.

---

You decide talking to Delve as you walk would be good. He seems friendly enough, and you don't know much about him yet.

"So... How are you holding up, Delve?"
"I-thoought-I-saiid-already. 71%."
"Oh, no, I just meant... emotionally. I was asking if you wanted to talk or anything."
"They're obsessed with making conversation. You get used to it." Exclusit chimes in.
"Oh! Well-I'm-perfeectly-fine-with-conversation, not-tooo-sure-what-your-problemm-with-itt-is."
Exclusit just mutters something inaudibly. Delve makes a noise that you're pretty sure is a slight chuckle, although it sounds odd since he's not fully adjusted to his voicebox yet.
"Anyway. I'm-aalright, I-guess. It's-a-bit-freeaky-knowing-we're-in-a-giant-horror-gut, but-talking-helps-keep-my-miind-off-it. If-I-staart-freaking-out, you'll-be-the-fiirst-to-know."
"That's good!"
"Well, I-wouldn't-say-it's-goood, but-it's-the-best-I-can-do-in-a-plaace-like-this."
"Yeah..."

The two of you fall silent for a moment before you realize you actually had a question for him.

"Oh! What's the best thing you've found while diving?"
"Oh-I've-uhh, never-actually-been-to-the-ocean."
"Wait, really? Then why, uh..."
"It's-alright, I-get-this-a-lot. My-creator-used-to-live-in Shuffle. They-were-a-Sheala-frame-too, and-they-ran-a-salvage-business. They-would-recover-shipwrecked-boats, and-occasionally-do-a-rescue-here-and-there."
"Oh, that sounds neat!"
"It-was! Problem-is, they-ran-into-some-financial-trouble-and-couldn't-afford-to-keep-the-property. They-were-eventually-evicted-and-had-to-move-heere. I-was-mostly-finished-being-built-at-the-time, and-it-was-easier-and-cheeaper-to-finish-me-the-way-I-was-instead-of-starting-over-froom-scratch. I-was-supposed-to-go-with-theem-when-I-got-older, help-them-ouut-on-jobs."
"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't realize..."
"It's-okaay. Wash, my-creatoor, was-preetty-broken-up-about-it-for-a-while, but-eventually-he-came-to-terms-with-it. We've-got-a-reasonable-house-out-here-in-Draw, and-wee're-making-things-work-alright."
"I guess that's good. It still sucks to be so far away from what you were built for."
"Well..." Delve trails off.
"What-we're-built-for-doesn't-really-matter-so-much-once-we're-built. You-can-find-a-life-anywhere, I-thiink, even-if-it's-noot-the-one-you'd-originally-intended. I-want-to-see-the-ocean-at-some-poiint, buut-that-doesn't-mean-I'm-not-happy-here. Well, I'm-not-happy-here, inside-a-giant-horror, but-yoou-know-what-I-mean." He makes that noise again. You're sure it's a chuckle now.
"Life-can-pull-you-in-all-sorts-of-directions, and-I-think-finding-happiness-wherever-you-end-up-is-a-valuable-skill-to-have."
"Yeah, that's... Yeah. I suppose you're right."

Show ContentPOWER LEVELS:

 
PILLBUG- 88%
AVG USAGE- 3% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- FLASHLIGHT, POWER CALCULATIONS

ORTHO- 46%
AVG USAGE- NONE
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- NONE

MATRI- 25% OR LOWER
AVG USAGE- UNKNOWN
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- UNKNOWN

EXCLUSIT- 63%
AVG USAGE- 2% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- NONE

DELVE- 71%
AVG USAGE- 3% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- FLASHLIGHT, POWER CALCULATIONS

[Ignispark]

keep walking and waiting to find something as before.
as far as conversation, might as well trail off of 'wherever you end up'...local topics. local topics...does anyone like geology?

[King-Clod]

anything different about the environment around us? or is it all the same?

Oh, now that I think about it, could we share some of our favorite pictures with Delve like we did with Matri?

[knux400]

You may access your internal database to request more information on any text in this update or previous updates. Highlight the text you would like details on and select the "Quote" option when composing a reply.

---

With another lull in the conversation, you idly glance at your surroundings. As far as you can tell, it's identical to the caves you've been walking through. Heck, for all you know it might be the caves you've been walking through.

"This job... wasn't what I intended either."
"Oh?"
"I like photography as a hobby, so I thought it would be good to do it for a living. I found a listing and I applied, but it wasn't what I expected. You needed a lot of prior experience in the field."
"That's-unfoortunate. Whaat-job-weere-you-applying-to?"
"It was a research job, documenting and observing local wildlife."
"Ah, thaat-makes-ssense. They-tend-to-want-scientists-for-that-tyype-of-thing, not-soo-much-photographers."
"Yeah, they told me as much."
"Haave-you-thought-about-journalism? You-could-get-pictures-for-the-loocal-paper."
"Oh, I've heard the people there can be pretty harsh sometimes."
"Yeah, but-yoou've-got-a-pretty-big-advantage-compared-to-a-loot-of-people. Your-camera-is-buuilt-straight-into-your-eyepiece. It-takes-a-few-seeconds-to-get-a-camera-out-and-aim-it-and-get-it-in-focus-and-all-that, but-if-you're-already-looking-at-it-you-can-just-take-the-picture-instantly. Those-extra-few-seconds-might-be-what-lets-you-capture-that-perfect-moment-of-action. As-long-as-you're-in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time, you've-got-a-huge-step-up-on-everyone-else."
"...I've never thought about it that way, actually. Maybe."
"Roll-E's pretty good at finding those moments already, I'd say! They've got this one shot of a mudchucker that looks like it could be in a nature magazine." Matri pops in.
"Oh, really? Can-I-see?"
"Sure, hang on a sec-"

You and Delve pause awkwardly as both of you produce UCI2 cables at the same time.

"Oh, did you want to-?"
"No, it's-fine-if-we-use-yours-"
"Oh, I don't mind-"
"It's-alright, really-"

Exclusit turns to the two of you with an exasperated look on their face. Both of you look back at them, clutching your UCI2 cables innocently.

"Just use Pillbug's. Both of you are wasting power being polite."
"Speaking isn't actually a significant power drain compared to-"
"Also you're being annoying and I'm deciding arbitrarily so you'll stop."

You shrug and hook one end of your cable up to an open port in your head, passing the other end to Delve as you do. Before long, you can feel yourself floating a short distance away from him. You recall your mudchucker photo and pass it through the void towards him, and as you do, he speaks. His voice is much clearer now, since he's speaking to you in pure data rather than with a voicebox.

"Wow, what a buzzkill. I mean, I know they're probably stressed, but still." Delve says.
"Yeah, I had to calm them down earlier. They're not taking this so well."
"I mean... Fair, I guess. Some people cope differently than others."
"Yeah..."
"Still, though. It's not a problem for me, but if they keep offloading their stress on others like that, it might end up upsetting them more."
"Well... I know when I'm angry, telling me I need to calm down is just about the least helpful thing you can do. It just gets me more riled up."
"Yeah, I know. I don't know how I'd go about it, I just know it might need to happen at some point."

The two of you stay silent for a moment, although just a fraction of a second passes in real time.

"Thank you for sharing." Delve says. "I don't really have any pictures like that, though, sorry."
"Yeah, it's alright!"

The two of you disconnect and you return your cable to your bag.

What now? Should you talk to Delve, Matri, Exclusit, or take some time to yourself?

Show ContentPOWER LEVELS:

PILLBUG- 88%
AVG USAGE- 3% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- FLASHLIGHT, POWER CALCULATIONS

ORTHO- 46%
AVG USAGE- NONE
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- NONE

MATRI- 25% OR LOWER
AVG USAGE- UNKNOWN
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- UNKNOWN

EXCLUSIT- 63%
AVG USAGE- 2% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- NONE

DELVE- 71%
AVG USAGE- 3% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- FLASHLIGHT, POWER CALCULATIONS

[King-Clod]

I think...it may not help them, but we should try to help Exclusit a little. Don't bring up whatevers stressing them out, but tell them privately that we're here if they wanna talk about it, and if not, we can talk about something they like to keep their mind off of it.

[knux400]

You may access your internal database to request more information on any text in this update or previous updates. Highlight the text you would like details on and select the "Quote" option when composing a reply.

Software update successfully installed. Users may notice a slight improvement in conversational management.

---

...A software update? Weird. You check the date on the file and... Oh.

You must have picked it up from Ortho when you checked their power levels. A gift from them, the sentimental part of you tells yourself, although in reality it was sheer luck that whatever software was in there survived long enough to be transferred. Either way, you'll take it. You just need someone to speak so that you can see what it means by-

"Well... if you do decide to go the journalism route, you can probably get a good head start with all the pictures you've been taking here! I can probably help you find a good magazine to publish your work in. Ooh! You could write a personal account to go with it! Man, I'd love to have something like that right now..." Matri chimes in, their chirpy, optimistic voice somehow clicking as a sort of seafoam green.

"You're literally living it right now and you'd rather read about it in a magazine?" Exclusit turns their head to glance back at Matri with some combination of disgust and disbelief. Their deadpan, angry-sarcastic tone registers to you as a deep violet.

"To-be-faair, I-think-moost-peeople-would-rather-read-about-thiis-than-be-in-thee-middle-of-itt." It was easy to distinguish Delve's voice already, as he was still adjusting to the voicebox Ortho had given him, but now his sly- if slightly stilted- bantering voice had become a deep yellowish orange to you.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Exclusit sniped at the pod-shaped Sheala frame trailing a few paces behind them. As usual, Exclusit was leading the pack, with everyone else a short distance behind them- enough to give Exclusit the tiniest bit of personal space without putting them in danger of being separated by a sharp turn in the corridor.

"Look-dude, I-get-thaa-"
"Delve." Your own voice is colorless, oddly enough. You suppose it doesn't really need a color of its own, since the software seems designed to keep track of other people's voices rather than your own, but you feel you could pick one out for yourself if you wanted to. An issue for later, though.

Your stern outburst silences Delve, a quick reminder of the conversation you two had in softspace just a few moments ago.

"S-sorry." You can't tell if Delve actually stuttered there or if that was the new voicebox acting up.

You take a moment. If you had lungs, this would be where a deep breath would go.

"Exclusit, can I talk to you for a second?"
"You're talking to me now."
"I mean... privately."
Exclusit stops and turns to you, their single, circular eye staring at you with an expression of exasperation.

"...Sure." They reach their hand out, and you quickly drop one end of a UCI2 cable into it.
"You got a UCI cord? I'm too old to have a UCI2 port."
"Oh, uhh, yeah." You quickly stuff the length of wire back into your shell and produce a different one- unlike the UCI2 cord, which had an obtuse triangle at the end, this one had a plug shaped like a right triangle. Exclusit takes the end and shoves it into the back of their neck.

Just like Delve and Matri, Exclusit appears before you on the other side of the void. What strikes you at first is that they seem different in appearance here than they do in hardspace. Their limbs are a different shape, their legs thinning out towards the bottom and ending in thin, delicate feet rather than the industrial stompers they wore in hardspace. Their fingers ended in the tube shapes more typical for a volarie rather than the claws you had grown used to. Their torso was smoother and more elegant here than the one you'd seen before.

The next thing that strikes you is just how distant Exclusit is. Delve and Matri weren't exactly standing next to you in the void, but you really need to focus in order to see Exclusit. Your headpiece and lens bend cartoonishly into a squished shape as you squint into the distance, your softspace form not bound to the laws of physics of hardspace.

Exclusit speaks, their voice a bit sharper, less ragged than you'd heard it from their voicebox.
"What?" They ask, as deadpan as ever.
"...Listen. I'm... not sure what's stressing you out, and we don't need to talk about it now-"
"The fuck do you mean you don't know? We're in the middle of a giant horror stomach!" They spread their arms to either side in an exaggerated gesture.
"We've been eaten, Pillbug, and we don't even have the luxury of being properly digested. We're stuck just walking around here until we run out of power, or a fucking rock drops on our heads or something. We have no tools, no resources, and no clue how to leave this place! The best we can do is just... wander around and hope we trip over something helpful! What exactly about this do you think would not cause me to be stressed?! And you're sitting here, chatting like it's some kind of fucking... social gathering or whatever!"

...Well, at least they didn't waste any time getting to the point- although you feel like there's something else, too, not just the current circumstances. How do you respond?

Show ContentPOWER LEVELS:

PILLBUG- 88%
AVG USAGE- 3% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- FLASHLIGHT, POWER CALCULATIONS

ORTHO- 46%
AVG USAGE- NONE
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- NONE

MATRI- 25% OR LOWER
AVG USAGE- UNKNOWN
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- UNKNOWN

EXCLUSIT- 63%
AVG USAGE- 2% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- NONE

DELVE- 71%
AVG USAGE- 3% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- FLASHLIGHT, POWER CALCULATIONS

[Lilium Mortem]

Thats how people cope! We all know we're probably going to die down here, but lashing out at each other isn't gonna make that go away, it's just gonna make things worse for everyone.

But that isn't everything is it? You've got more weighing on you than just our impending doom. You don't have to talk about it but don't take it out on other people.

[skinstealer]

if we're going to survive this, we need to work together- i just want to help in any way i can.

[Ignispark]

I mean, being positive about the situation doesn't exactly make it worse, to be fair.
You've got to see on the bright side about being in a death cave. It's probably a once in a lifetime experience.

[knux400]

You may access your internal database to request more information on any text in this update or previous updates. Highlight the text you would like details on and select the "Quote" option when composing a reply.

---

"I mean... Everyone handles stress differently, I think. It doesn't mean we're not taking this seriously. Being positive about a situation isn't a bad thing!"
Exclusit just sighs.
"And lashing out at people isn't going to make the situation go away. We need to work together here. I think there's something bothering you aside from all this, though, and we don't have to talk ab-"

In the blink of an eye, Exclusit zips across the gap, their face inches away from yours. You startle a bit- no one's ever been this close to you in softspace. This sort of closeness is usually reserved for intimacy- or violence. Softspace fighting is something you've only heard about on occasion, but from what you understand, it can get pretty ugly pretty quickly. At this distance, it would be easy for either of you to reach out and... You shiver a bit.
"Good. Then we won't." Exclusit's voice is low and cold.

Just as quickly as before, they dash back to their original spot, arms crossed and staring directly at you. You take a moment to compose yourself.
"R-right, well... Whatever it is, it's not going to help if you keep taking it out on everyone else, okay?"
...
"I just want to help in any way I can. You and everyone else here."
"You came in here just to tell me not to be a dick to people?"
"Well, I wouldn't put it that harshly, but... yeah, basically."
"Right, well-" They sound as if they're poised to start raising their voice, but they just sigh instead.
"Maybe next time just tell me that instead of making it a whole thing?"
"...Sorry. But you'll-"
"Yeah, I'll try and be better about it. Don't expect me to suddenly be all friendly, though."

Exclusit fades from view as the cable is disconnected, and you follow suit. Without a word, Exclusit tosses their end of the cable back to you, and resumes walking forward.








After some time, the four of you come to a large open section. The ceiling here is high enough that you can't see it, and it looks like there's more debris around here. Taking a few moments to check for any danger, the four of you enter the cave and begin searching.

Near the front of the room is a dead Lifter frame. A set of heavy-duty straps is hanging limply from the slots on its back, the ends shredded. The backplate itself is also visibly torn up and... melted?

A bit further in is what looks like a large piece of mining equipment. It's got dents all over it, and it looks like there's some panels falling off of it. You don't know enough about it to know what it is, or if it works or not. You assume the big metal pointy thing at the front is a drill of some sort. It's far too large for any of you to carry.

Dotted around the room are more piles of rubble with the occasional Nymph frame sticking out of them. Nymphs are a notoriously small and fragile frame, meant for maneuverability rather than durability, so it's no surprise to find them all crushed and battered.

You glance at everything you can see, taking pictures of them one by one as Delve gently pulls all the Barebones he can find from the rubble, examining each one. He stops at one pile, waving Matri over. The two of them kneel down next to the pile and start talking in hushed tones. Exclusit is poking at the large piece of mining equipment, and it looks like there's still more cave ahead of you.

What now?

Show ContentPOWER LEVELS:

PILLBUG- 85%
AVG USAGE- 3% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- FLASHLIGHT, POWER CALCULATIONS

ORTHO- 46%
AVG USAGE- NONE
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- NONE

MATRI- 25% OR LOWER
AVG USAGE- UNKNOWN
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- UNKNOWN

EXCLUSIT- 61%
AVG USAGE- 2% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- NONE

DELVE- 68%
AVG USAGE- 3% PER HOUR
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- FLASHLIGHT, POWER CALCULATIONS

[Lilium Mortem]

Is the drill on wheels? do you think you could move it if it was running? We shouldn't go ahead incase the path changes again before figuring out if we can use this. If anyone knows how to work and/or repair the drill set them on that, other folks can rummage through rubble for anything else useful while maintaining line of sight.

[skinstealer]

definitely check out the drill, but also- maybe they found someone alive, or resources in the barebones pile. definitely go investigate, but brace yourself for the worst.