Cave-In

[knux400]

(OOC NOTE: Trying out a new mechanic for this quest! In addition to suggestions, you can select any of the text in the current update or previous updates and request more information on it! To do so on most computers, simply highlight the text, and a small "reply" button should appear beneath it. It should end up looking like the post below. Without the response, of course.)

You are a BAREBONES.

You live in Draw, a city on the outskirts of Monte.

This is your first job. You selected it because your kind has a natural affinity for mining jobs. It's what you were built for, after all. The pay is good, and the job offers upkeep benefits for any construct employees, which is what attracted you in the first place. Your creator also said it would be a good transition into the world, since it had a variety of both barebones and other creatures to interact with. You've been told your social skills are less than adequate. This is typical for a barebones your age, but other species tend to be alienated by it. It's something you're working on.

You arrive at the Draw Crystal Corporation. The building is old and rundown, with a faded billboard that reads "Draw-ing the best high-quality crystals from the soil since 288!" It's a play on words you've seen in 126 other adverts in this town, not counting repeat ads in the newspaper. Statistically speaking, it's a tired joke to say the least.

Which FRAME are you? (Click links for images)

Biped Frame- The original design for the Barebones, and the kind most still use as a starting point. Consists of a standard body shape with a lightweight and skeletal design. The rectangular head features a lens with a small light for illuminating dark areas. The unit stands at roughly 6 feet tall.

Lifter Frame- A heavy quadruped frame with a flat back for carrying large objects. Consists of a rectangular body with four large legs, each with a set of gripper claws for traction and stability. The platform on the back is mounted on a gyroscopic joint, which can tilt to avoid disturbing sensitive cargo, and there are numerous open loops present for securing the cargo with straps. The front of the torso has a rotating lens and a pair of floodlights. The unit stands at roughly 4 feet tall.

Sheala Frame- A pod-shaped frame designed for deep sea exploration. The turbines on either side can unfold into a pair of legs for land travel. Consists of a teardrop-shaped body with two large legs, each with a set of turbines built in. They have a small set of folding arms for manipulating objects, as well as a large lens and a pair of floodlights protected by a thick plexiglass dome. The unit stands at roughly 4 feet tall.

Crawler Frame- A small insectoid frame designed for scouting and charting new areas. Consists of a spherical shell that divides into eight sections. The tip of each section serves as a claw to dig into surfaces, allowing them to crawl along most walls or ceilings. They can retreat into their shell at any time for protection or for rolling along surfaces. The sphere is 6 inches in diameter and has a telescopic lens with a small light built in. The unit stands at roughly 1 foot tall when unfolded.

Nymph Frame- A miniature version of the Biped frame designed for long-distance flight. Its short legs aren't suited for walking more than small distances at a time, but they can fold into the chest area for more streamlined flight. The unit stands at roughly 18 inches tall.

Scorpion Frame- A large, six-legged frame with a retractable jackhammer tail for demolition and excavation. The attachment on the tail can be easily removed and replaced for different purposes, making this frame excellent for more specialized applications. The outer shell curves up and around the tail while retracted to provide protection and stability. The unit stands at roughly 3 feet tall.

[knux400]

You live in Draw, a city on the outskirts of Monte.

From what you're told, the proportion of barebones to other creatures is extremely disproportionate compared to the average population of most Morbit cities. Roughly half the people here are barebones, but this is due to the proximity to the mining corporation.

[sarcovyn]

sheala

This is typical for a barebones your age, but other species tend to be alienated by it.

what is our age ?

[Wilds]

We are a Crawler! Funky little skittery things.

[King-Clod]

Your creator also said it would be a good transition into the world, since it had a variety of both barebones and other creatures to interact with.

What is our creator like? What species are they, what's their name, and how do they treat us?

And either Scorpion or Crawler for us, I'd say.

[victorianflorist]

We're def a crawler

[knux400]

what is our age ?

You will be seventeen years of age next month. It was around this time that your creator started forming social connections with other species, and 'becoming a part of the world'. Technically, you're already a part of the world, but you understand the metaphorical meaning he was going for.

What is our creator like? What species are they, what's their name, and how do they treat us?

Your creator's name is Jorge. He is a Biped frame barebones. Sixteen years, eleven months, and fourteen days ago he constructed you using parts he had received from his creator, a Sheala named Sweetweed.
 

---

You are a CRAWLER frame.

You raise one claw to the door and gently tap it to indicate your presence. After a moment, a Biped frame answers. They appear worn, with several cosmetic modifications to their chest and head. They also appear to have a powerful flashlight on their right arm in addition to the standard one near their eyepiece.

"You're the new hire, right? I'm Ortho. Come on in."

You step through a decently well-maintained lobby into a back room that appears to be a workshop of some sort. There are boxes of parts and filing cabinets haphazardly scattered around.

"This is where you'll be headed if you get banged up down there. As head technician, I'm supposed to get you all checked out and registered so we'll know how to fix you." They pass you a clipboard.

"Once you've got this all filled out, I'll show you where you'll be working. 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. You'll mostly be working with Crawlers and Nymphs, but the boss might be onsite too. He likes to check things out himself."

There's a few empty spots on the form. It looks like they need your NAME, COLOR, and any MODIFICATIONS you've received.

[victorianflorist]

Our name is Pillbug but most call us Roly [Roll-E] or Poly [Pole-E].

We are a dark brown with gold accents in the shape of leaves.

We have an enhanced camera unit with a display as well as a Polaroid setting, allowing us to take photos that we can develop immediately.

[knux400]

You fill out the form and hand it back to Ortho, making sure to mention your ENHANCED HEADPIECE with both DIGITAL and PRINT PHOTOGRAPHY capabilities.

"Okay... Roll-E, I guess? You kind of put three different names here but whatever."

Ortho leads you into their office, scribbles down some more notes and forms, then takes you out the back door again.

"We haven't done any mining at this facility for years, nowadays the building is mostly used for storage and administration stuff. But the company has the rights to a bunch of different quarries out here in the..."

They gesture vaguely to the fields of mud stretching in every direction. All of the larger flora have been cut down, leaving stumps and half-grown saplings.

"That. Great view, huh?"
"Well, with no obstructions, the view is actually pretty amazing. The scenery is pretty drab, though."

Ortho chuckles. "Suppose so."

They step into a small offroad vehicle with two seats and a large flatbed area.

"Everyone else is down at the site already. We got a little sidetracked what with the paperwork and all. Hop in."

You oblige, stepping into the passenger seat. It's a bit awkward, but you fold your legs underneath yourself in some sort of a sitting position.

"We're heading to site... 13-A, near the west edge of our land claim. There's a new cave system we found about 9 miles down. We haven't been in there at all yet, so we're sending you guys to scout it out and see if it's worth our while."

A pang of worry rises through you. It's a new feeling, and it takes you a moment to compose yourself.

"Isn't the maximum regulation depth supposed to be 8.5 miles? I hear it's unsafe beyond that."

Ortho sighs.

"Legally I'm not supposed to respond to that, but we're in a buggy in the middle of the mudfields, so no one's going to hear me telling you this- we've actually been going below regulation depth for years now. Mr. Stone has been having some issues getting his hands on more land, so it's cheaper and easier to just dig deeper into the plots we've got."

You're not sure, but the inflection Ortho gives to that name makes it seem like they're not fond of this Mr. Stone person at all.

"He's got us all equipped with some kind of experimental horror-finding tech he bought off a lab in the big city. I don't know how he got his hands on it, but it works. It's basically just this wand that starts beeping whenever it picks up horror radiation. It's company property, so we're not allowed to have them modded onto us, as convenient as that would be. I was dubious too, but we've never run into any horrors as long as we keep those things around and turn back when we're supposed to. The only incidents we've had are ones like a few months ago, when the batteries ran out on one of the wands and no one on the crew noticed. Apart from that it's been smooth sailing.

You sit silently, still unsettled. Ortho seems to notice.

"Between you and me, I tried anonymously reporting this to the MMSA, but nothing came of it. Except Mr. Stone got really upset and threatened to fire the guy who told on him."

"So don't rat me out, 'kay?"

Ortho leans in close and whispers comically, their tone slightly jovial. You're still not much for humor, but you appreciate their attempt at cheering you up.

"Gotcha. You're safe with me."
"Good. We're still a few minutes out, you got any questions? Anything you want to talk about? I know it's hard to do the whole social thing at your age, so I'm good if you want to just sit."

[Ignispark]

So uh, how do you tell when the wand is out of batteries? And any other important safety info to keep in mind?

[King-Clod]

I'd like to just sit right now, I think. Look at the scenery, as little of it as there is.
But our creator did want us to socialize...
"What's the schedule for today? What does a typical workday look like here?"

[knux400]

As much as you'd love to just sit, this is a good opportunity to get some socialization in. It'll be more comfortable here in a one-on-one situation than it will be later, you tell yourself.

"How do you tell when a wand is out of batteries? And any other important safety info to keep in mind?"

"Well, after that incident I told you about, we made it so each person has to carry one at all times while in the mine, so batteries are less of an issue now. But to answer your question, there's a blinking red light that starts going off when the battery is low. After that, it just stops working entirely. I think it lasts for a few minutes while the light is blinking."

You nod.

"Uhh, other safety stuff... If you don't have night vision of some kind, keep a flashlight on you at all times, watch for falling rocks or sudden drop-offs, and always have a buddy with you when you're exploring. Don't go out alone. I think that's all the big ones, but obviously just have common sense and stay alert."

"So what's the schedule for today? What does a typical workday look like here?"

"Depends on what you're doing exactly. You're going to be on the surveying team, so you won't be doing any actual mining. It's your job to find the best spots for digging up crystals, as well as making sure the cave is safe for bringing in heavy equipment. The rest of your team will be able to show you the ropes and tell you what to look for specifically. Surveying isn't really my line of work, so I can't get into many specifics beyond that.

As for your schedule, it's pretty flexible since these are caves we've never been in. We've got no idea how much time we can allocate to exploring each cave system, so you really just need to be out of there at around 5:00 so we can give you a ride back to the main building, otherwise you're going to be walking the whole way. Or rolling, I guess. Just keep track of how far you've been and how long it'll take you to get out. That's something the rest of your team can help with, too."

As Ortho is finishing his sentence, they pull up to a handful of other similar vehicles, all parked haphazardly a few feet away from some tall metal fences with barbed wire across the top. They pull out a key and unlock the gate, leading you inside. A large hole in the ground dominates your vision, with various crates and excavation equipment scattered along the edge. There are several walkways leading to the center, where a square framework houses a large elevator that descends down as far as you can see- and presumably a lot deeper than that.

"Oh yeah, and here's your key to get in and out of the gate. You've got fingers, right?"
"Yup." You raise a claw and reveal three small digits that were tucked inside your shell. "I've got some pockets in here, too."
"Great. Most crawlers have stuff like that nowadays, but you can never be sure."

They hand you the key and you tuck it inside your shell, sliding it into one of the many small pouches lining the inside. Meanwhile, Ortho steps onto the walkway, motioning for you to follow. Once you're both on the elevator, they press the button labeled "-9.25". The elevator slowly descends, bringing the two of you deeper into darkness. You can't help but peer out the sides- this cave is immense, and all the floodlights lining the walls begin to look like stars in the night sky. Ortho follows your gaze.

"Believe it or not, this is one of the smaller ones."

You simply continue to stare, awestruck.

"Anyway, this elevator takes a while, so... Anything else you wanted to chat about?"

[King-Clod]

How are we going to be...picking a buddy. Will one be given to us based on our personalities and aptitudes, or is it on the employees to seek one out? I'm not entirely sure I'm ready for that yet. But I will do that if that's what the job requires.

[Wilds]

We're nervous about the buddy-picking aspect. We're not used to socialising yet--and what's the protocol for if we don't get along with our buddy? I'd hate to be stuck in a cave somewhere trusting someone who hates my guts or vice versa to keep us alive.

(Also, I love Ortho - the "Most crawlers have stuff like that nowadays, but you can never be sure." line was a really good piece of natural worldbuilding exposition)

[knux400]

"How are we going to be...picking a buddy? Will one be given to us based on our personalities and aptitudes, or is it on the employees to seek one out? I'm not entirely sure I'm ready for that yet. But I will do that if that's what the job requires. And what's the protocol for if we don't get along with our buddy? I'd hate to be stuck in a cave somewhere trusting someone who hates my guts or vice versa to keep us alive."

"I think you misunderstood the term there a little bit. Buddies aren't official or permanent or anything, they're just sort of... on the spot. If a team needs to split up for some reason- which doesn't happen all that often, by the way- it'll pretty much just be whoever volunteers. If you're worried about it, just say so and the team will generally let you stick with the larger group. Especially considering it's your first day and all. If you end up hating someone's guts, then, well... just try to bear with it for the rest of the day and file a report when you get back to the main building. I'm in charge of admin stuff, so I'll try and do my best to make sure you don't get paired up with anyone you don't like."

The elevator stops near the bottom of the shaft and the two of you step off, continuing your conversation as you walk. All the sunlight is gone- the only light sources are the many floodlights placed haphazardly around the cave system. You and Ortho also have your head-mounted lights on. They're not nearly as bright as any of the large floor-mounted ones, but they do shine exactly where you happen to be looking.

"Site 13A, Branch 5-7-3... Thank Stope for the signage around here. This place would be a labyrinth otherwise." Ortho mutters to themself. They pass you a small rod-shaped object with a series of ten indicator lights along its length. The bottom one is on and the second one flickers from time to time. The rest are off.

"That's your horror radiation detector. Once it gets past this line-" They gesture to a line in the middle of the wand, just past the sixth light.

"You drop what you're doing and bail immediately. Don't stop for anything other than co-workers. There's signs at every intersection telling you how to get back to the central shaft, so navigation shouldn't be too bad if you keep an eye out. See, there's one." As you come to a fork in the cave, you notice a bright yellow sign indicating Branch 5-1, Branch 5, and Central Shaft, the latter of which being the way you just came from. Ortho leads you down the path marked Branch 5.

"So after this you'll see a sign for Branch 5-2, 5-3, and so on. When we turn down branch 5-7, you'll see signs for 5-7-1, 5-7-2, et cetera. It's an easy system to pick up."
"Got it." You glance at your wand idly. The second light is flickering a bit more frequently now.

"It always picks up a slight reading down here just because of the ambient radiation." Ortho answers your question before you have a chance to speak it.

"Horrors themselves give off a lot of radiation, so a quick spike is a sure sign that a horror is nearby. And obviously, the bigger the horror, the more radiation it gives off."
"Wait, doesn't that mean smaller ones could get to us, since they wouldn't bring the detector up to the limit?"
"Well, yes, but if they're that size they'll be too small to want to bother us anyway. Just throw a rock at them or make a loud noise and they should skitter away. But, uh, do make a note if you see one. We don't want to be seeing any down here."

The two of you turn down Branch 5-7.

"I think you're pretty much good to go, though! I'll just introduce you to your team and then head back up. I've got some veeery exciting paperwork to fill out."
"Do you do this with all the new hires?"
"Do what?"
"...All this. Bring them down yourself, show them the ropes, and all that. I really appreciate it."
"Oh, you're welcome. I only do this for people if they're new to this line of work, though. If they come from another mining job, they can probably figure things out on their own."

You head right through Branch 5-7-3.

"Well, thank you anyway. It helps a lot."
"Yeah, don't mention it. ...Actually, please do mention it. It helps me not get fired."
"Heh, sure thing."

The two of you enter a large opening. You can see more headlights moving in the darkness, presumably belonging to other barebones.

"Hm, this is a pretty big area. No wonder it's taking so long to chart this all out." Ortho thinks out loud.

You can hear voices in the distance. Just like Ortho said, the group before you is primarily Nymphs and Crawlers, but there's also a Scorpion and a Lifter towards the back of the group, as well as a handful of other Morbitians. You're close enough you can hear the Lifter talking. You can't catch all of it, but it's something about a sample?

"This is our stop. Good luck out there."

Ortho turns to leave. The Scorpion extends its tail and activates its jackhammer.



The cave shudders. Almost in unison, everyone in the room pulls out their horror detection wand. After a moment, you follow suit.

Still just a baseline reading.

"That happens sometimes. We can track earthquakes in advance if they're big enough, but small tremors like this tend to fly under the-"

Ortho's thought is interrupted by the ground itself opening just under the Scorpion. The moment it does, a cacophony of digital beeping fills the room as everyone's horror detectors hit their maximum reading. The noise is quickly drowned out by the crumbling rock as the gap opens wider and wider, filling the entire floor of the room. Ortho grabs you by a claw and turns to run, but it's already too late. The two of you slip and fall into the pit as stalactites fall around you. You see all the other barebones tumbling down with you, their headlights flashing wildly as they tumble down the widening slope. It seems like the entire ceiling is falling...

...Or the floor is rising. Using one of the nearby Nymphs as a reference point, you realize something is emerging from beneath you. The first thing you notice is the color- or rather, the lack of one. The rest of the room may have been dark, but there's a distinct point where it suddenly fades to total blackness, and around the edges of the blackness you can just barely make out a shape. Rows of pitch-black teeth emerge around the edges of the room, rising further and further up. None of the Nymphs are fast enough to make it to the exit tunnel before the jaws rise up over it, closing together in midair and sealing everyone in total darkness as the ground settles.

You barely have time to comprehend your new environment before a massive wave of fluid washes over the room, pulling it and everyone inside even deeper into the pit. Ortho loses their grip on your claw and you instinctively tuck yourself inside your shell as the world falls around you...


































0206300_02.tsl - 0:00

you are



sleepy







you feel        a body
yours?


it moves      when          you want it to



you see               a face
not yours


it      smiles?

you are in a room
there are      things     around you
there is       something     connected to your torso
a     wire?


the face makes a sound
it takes you a moment to        understand
"Hey bud. Welcome to life."

you are         confused
you think you can make      words
you have many questions
what                 do you    ask?

[victorianflorist]

Who are you?

[King-Clod]

What. Uh. What happened to me?
Where am I.
...Why?

[knux400]

"What happened to me?"
"Who are you?"
"Where am I?"

"Your name is Pillbug. You're a barebones, an artificial lifeform. A machine, controlled by an intricate series of code and algorithms. You've just been activated for the first time."

that



makes sense




"My name is Jorge. I'm a barebones too, like you. My body is a bit different to yours since I'm a Biped frame and you're a Crawler frame. Barebones can take many different forms, and we can even change what we look like over the course of our lives."



those words   seem

correct


"You're on my living room floor. Right now there's a cable in your midsection connected to the wall outlet. Your body is still charging for the first time, so you might still be feeling a bit woozy. Just try to take it easy, it'll be another few minutes before you're operating at a regular capacity."




"Why?"

"Why what?"


...


"Are you asking why I built you?"


...



"It's... complicated. There's a lot of feelings and desires behind it that you wouldn't understand yet. I guess part of it is sort of... a desire for companionship? I mean, it's more than that, but that's a decent way to summarize it. But most of it was carrying on the legacy of another. Just as I created you, I was myself created, by a Sheala frame named Sweetweed. She also had a creator, a Crawler named Truffle."

jorge        turns away


what     is it looking at?


there isn't an object      in the vicinity of       its gaze


"...She passed away about a week ago. Me and Sweetweed were both there. Her memory banks were getting overfull, but she couldn't afford to transfer them anywhere, but she didn't want to delete them, either. She ended up accidentally writing memory data over parts of her operating system, and eventually she couldn't function anymore."



...


"Most of her actual body was pretty well-maintained. I had to patch it up in a few places, and replace some of the internal components, but for the most part..."


"That's her body you're using."


...

"We carry on the legacy of others through recycling and reusing as much of them as we can. Truffle's body was itself made up of bits and pieces from other barebones before her, and those barebones from other previous barebones, and so on. It's efficient, but it's also like... life after life. Even when you're not around anymore, you're still there in a sense, living through others. Helping them through their lives. If we discard a part of someone that still has the potential to be used, that's... denying them that chance. It would be just as bad as killing them all over again."

"So that's why you're here. Just by existing, you're continuing the legacy of Truffle and all those who came before. That's why I created you."

there is

a lot

that you don't       understand about this






but


it makes sense

it would be efficient to recycle used components rather than source new ones


this      seems to be  significant      for jorge
there is        context        you are missing

but       you're still too tired to think              so


you       understand          for now

"I understand."









You eventually hit the floor. Hard. Even with your shell absorbing most of the impact, you can feel one of the hinges on your legs popping out of place. Rocks and debris fall all around you as you stay tucked in for what feels like an eternity- but that's your fear talking, you remind yourself. So far the debris has been falling for thirty-two seconds after you landed. Given your position at the edge of the pit, you should be above the majority of the debris. You're not sure how many stalactites fell from the ceiling, but those and any Nymphs that got caught in the wave of goo would be the most dangerous thing likely to fall on you at this point. You stay in your shell until the roar of debris slows to a small crumble, and then stops.

You let out a high-pitched whine and wait, staying hidden inside your shell. After a moment, your audio processors detect the noise as it resounds through the cave around you, and an image of your surroundings pieces itself together in your mind. You're in a tunnel, not unlike the one you traveled through to get here. There doesn't seem to be any upward-facing opening nearby, so you're not sure which direction you came from. There's surprisingly little debris around you, considering how large the cave floor was. And that liquid that washed over you is gone, save for a few shallow puddles. In fact, the tunnel is essentially empty.

Apart from you.

[Ignispark]

It seems relatively safe to uncurl and see about standing up and if it's possible to pop that one leg back into place. Additionally, looking around for any distant light sources could be ideal, though unlikely to work. If there is any faint light to work with, skimming over what little debris is nearby for tools could be ideal. Especially if one of them is a flashlight.

[victorianflorist]

If possible, we should acquire both digital and print pictures of the substance in the puddles, the collapse, and the debris; as a record of the event.

[King-Clod]

Check around the outskirts to see if we can find any survivors.

[knux400]

It seems quiet.

You slowly uncurl, avoiding putting any pressure on the damaged leg. You don't need all eight to walk; in fact, you could probably lose another three or four before basic ambulation becomes an issue, but obviously you'd want to keep all of them. There isn't any light in the tunnel, but thankfully you brought your own. ...Right?

You activate your headlamp. It's flickering now, you're sure it wasn't doing that before. Something might be loose in there, but you're definitely not in an ideal spot to do maintenance on your own head. As for your leg, the hinge closest to the end seems to have taken most of the impact and is bent inward. The pin keeping your claw in place is missing, and in fact the only thing holding it together is friction. Checking one more time for anything nearby, you retrieve a set of emergency tools from one of your pockets. The things in there are small and extremely limited, but it's enough to get your casing taken apart and put back together again.

You shuffle into a crouching position and gently open the casing near the damaged hinge. Retrieving a tiny set of scissors, you cut the wires inside one by one, trying not to freak out as you feel your leg losing sensation bit by bit. Sometimes you wish you didn't have fear. The urge to curl back into a ball and stay there isn't really productive or helpful right now. Better or worse, you're stuck here, and more than likely no one is going to come help you. But fear- and all the other emotions- are part of living, you remind yourself. Without them, you wouldn't be any different than a laptop or a cell phone. But it would just be nice to be able to turn them off when they get distracting, or intrusive, or an active hindrance to what you're trying to do.

You realize the last wire has been cut, and you take the opportunity to dismiss that train of thought. You tug on the end of your leg- it's really stuck on there- until it pops off with an unpleasant scraping sound. Now that you've got a better look at it, you examine the hinge more closely. It looks like it just needs to be bent back into shape, and the pin needs to be replaced. Lacking any large wrenches or pliers, you look around for the next best thing- a rock. Sifting through the bits of rubble around you, you eventually find one that's sort of the right shape to fit inside the gap and bend the hinge back outward again. You also find the missing pin in there, much to your relief. You were really not looking forward to finding a perfectly cylindrical rock to jam in there.

You slot the leg back into place and push the pin in. It's not a perfect fit, but it'll work for now. As you retrieve a wire stripper and some electrical tape, it occurs to you you should probably get some pictures of everything, just in case you do make it back. If nothing else, you can get this whole section of mine shut down for safety. You trust your repair skills enough to work by touch for a moment as you glance behind you at the rubble on the ground and activate your camera attachment, taking a few pictures of the area for posterity. You shove the prints in your pocket as you turn back to your leg, feeling sensation come back to it bit by bit as each wire is reconnected. Once everything is back in place, you flex your leg experimentally. It seems to work alright.

You turn your attention to the rubble again, trying to find any other survivors.

That's bizarre. There is... shockingly little rubble in here compared to what you felt and heard. There isn't even a pile large enough to accommodate one person, much less an entire surveying team. In addition, the tunnel itself doesn't seem to match what just happened to you at all. Now that you're using your eyepiece instead of echolocation, you notice that both ends of it slope downwards a bit, meaning you and the debris would've had to roll uphill to get here. No matter how you look at it, there just isn't any way that you would've fallen down a large hole and ended up in an elevated section of a small tunnel.

Seeing no better option, you pick the direction where the rubble seems to have come from and start walking.





It's a long walk. Way longer than it should be.






What do you think about?

[King-Clod]

I gotta be honest. I hate this job. I just thought I'd be taking pictures of some crystals, and I wasn't excited about it, but. This? This? A gross lack of proper safety procedures. This is why you don't go this low. And now people have gotten hurt because of it. Possibly even killed. How often has this happened?  Why did we even get this job, again?

[victorianflorist]

I observe the walls. Is there anything notable about the walls? Crystal growth? Claw Marks?

[knux400]

As you walk, you start to stew. This job bites. Figuratively and literally. Everything you've heard up until this point made it seem like an easy job, especially for barebones since they're literally built for it. Granted, the Draw Crystal Corporation is nothing like the mines in the city, so you expected it to be a little more rundown than most places, but this is ridiculous. Complete and total ignorance of safety protocol. Has this happened before? How often? You know Ortho mentioned an incident when the batteries ran out on their horror detection equipment, and implied that there had been incidents before that, so... Every few months, you guess? That is... really not great. You're not sure how that figure compares to accidents in other lines of work, but it doesn't sound good at all.

It's all Mr. Stone's fault. Whoever he is. Ignoring regulation safety protocols like this is constantly hurting innocent people, and no one seems to be able to do anything about it. You wish you had taken some pictures of the elevator or something on your way down, but the photos of the rubble will have to do. When you get out of this stupid hole, you're going to roll up into a ball and throw yourself straight at his greedy face--

Calm down. Focus. You're not getting anywhere thinking like that. You look at the walls instead. There's no lights in here, or really any evidence that anyone's been here before at all. You're completely in uncharted territory. As for crystals... Well, you really couldn't care less about retrieving any at this point, but any information that helps you figure out where you are is welcome. There don't seem to be... any. At all. The mineshaft down here was littered with tiny crystal shards embedded in the floor, making the caves seem to sparkle. Here it's barren- nothing but stone. And the stone itself is rather odd, now that you think about it. There's cracks and crevasses all over the walls, ceiling, and floor- it looks as if it's about to crumble on top of you at any moment, but it doesn't. It just stays there, oddly still. The fluid from before seeps out of the cracks in places, collecting in puddles on the ground. Now that you look at it, it's pitch black, like the jaws from before. You can shine your flashlight straight at it and it doesn't light up at all.












This is a very, very long tunnel. You're not sure how far you've actually traveled given the many twists, turns, and bends, but it's been a long time. Close to an hour. As you round yet another corner, you spot some large piles of rubble not unlike the one you found yourself in. There's something metal sticking out of one of the piles.

[King-Clod]

Inspect the metal. Is it another Barebones?

[victorianflorist]

I second Clod, lets check out that metal, even if its not a barebones it can't hurt to have some scrap on hand.

[knux400]

You step forward and tug on the metal chunk, bringing it in for closer inspection.

...It's connected to something. You tug harder.

...

...

It's an arm. It looks like it belongs to a Biped, and there's a powerful flashlight attachment on the forearm.

[Ignispark]

Uh oh. That's Ortho's arm. If there's any sign of the rest immediately that'd be good to check out. Otherwise...it's likely that the other bits aren't too far.

[victorianflorist]

Not Ortho... Let's see what we can collect of them...

[King-Clod]

Can we move the rocks? Can we find help?
Ask Ortho if they're alright, see if they're lucid.

[knux400]

That's Ortho's arm. It's not moving.

As you shove rocks aside and uncover the rest, it's evident why.

Ortho's head is crushed almost beyond recognition, their eyepiece shattered. You can see bits of wiring sticking out. Suspecting the worst, you pry open what's left of the top panel, and as soon as the top is removed, shards of circuitboard come spilling out. The main hard drive is bent in half and disconnected from the rest of the processor, capacitors have come loose, and there's tangled wiring everywhere. This is beyond repair. You step back and take a moment to mourn before dragging Ortho out to expose them fully. The rest of Ortho's body didn't fare much better- all their limbs look awkwardly bent and their torso is caved in in places. Slowly, you take out your toolkit and see if there's anything left...







0721309_14.tsl - 0:35

You're standing in a field. It's the afternoon, and the sun is directly overhead. You're in the midst of a group of about a dozen barebones and two other Morbitians, an OBJ and a Volarie. Jorge is next to you. There is a large cloth blanket placed on the ground, and atop it are a large assortment of parts arranged in a fashion that makes it easy to see everything clearly. There are several round pieces of metal that form the distinct shape of a Sheala frame, and you recognize some of the other parts as bits of turbine. There's very little circuitry here, likely due to everything being waterlogged in the accident.

They're all standing quietly, discussing who should take what. You overhear one voice asking about the propulsion system for a Sheala they're working on. The group agrees, and the engine parts are set aside. Jorge is talking, too, but you're silent. This is the first time you've been to one of these. You've heard about them before, but being at one is... different. There's an atmosphere of sadness, but also... something else. Something you can't quite find the words for. More and more parts are set into different piles as the discussion continues. Some of it is discussing potential uses for things, some of it is reminiscing about Sweetweed's life, and some if it is just idle chatter. You feel out of place here. You're still a bit young to be attending a funeral, but since Sweetweed was so close to you and Jorge, you wanted to come anyway. It's hard to think of something you can do for her- you don't really have a lot of personal projects or hobbies, and you're way too young to raise a barebones of your own.

But something gets your attention. Near her optics, there's this odd device. It looks like some sort of small secondary processor, but also with a slot to put a disk in. There's some kind of cartridges next to it, too- more memory, or batteries, possibly? But why would such a device be connected to her eyepiece instead of her main processor? You cautiously step a bit closer, not wanting to interrupt anyone.

"It's a camera." A voice suddenly chimes in from behind you, startling you a bit. You look up to see a Scorpion frame. You've only seen them a handful of times- they would chat with Sweetweed sometimes after work, but the two of you have never properly met. They seem to work as a firefighter, given their bright red coloration and the powerful hose attached to their tail. You don't actually know their name.

"A camera?" You ask.
"Yes. Sweetweed loved nature. That's part of the reason she got her job as a marine biologist in the first place- she's done a lot of great research into some of the local fauna around here- a lot of it goes over my head, but it's nice to hear about sometimes."
"She... threw her research at you?"
"Oh, nonono. Saying something 'goes over your head' is just a figure of speech for not understanding it."
"Huh."
"Anyway, part of her job was observation, so she took a lot of pictures of what she was studying. She could download those pictures to any computer, or just print them out then and there. That's what the slot on the side is for."
"And the cartridges are..."
"Ink, for the printer."

That's... interesting. The idea of seeing and recording things is somehow appealing. You think you might... enjoy it? You get Jorge's attention, gently tapping him on the leg.

"Hm? Oh, hey Pole-E. What's up?"
"I was just talking to, uh..."
"Gawa." The red Scorpion chimes in.
"Gawa. They were telling me about Sweetweed's camera, and I thought that seemed... nice? To have?"
"Oh! Well, you'd have to ask everyone else, but I'd be okay with it. Why do you want it?"
"It, uhh... Taking pictures of things seems..."

You struggle a bit for the word.

"Fun? Like something I'd like to do."
"Okay! Yeah, definitely! Here, let's talk to everyone else and see if it's okay. It's great to see you start to take interest in things, that's a big step! Gawa, you alright with that?"
"Heh, definitely. I remember my first hobby growing up. The job makes it hard nowadays, but I still find time to write if I can." Gawa responds.
"Yeah, I've read some of your stuff, I think! I like the one about the fish with the mech-suit, some really good worldbuilding with that one- and super interesting the way it has to learn to interact with the land-dwellers..."











You lay Ortho's body carefully out on the cave floor, arranging all the separate parts so you can see them. Given your current situation, it's hard to make sure they get a proper passing, but you're determined to do the best you can down here.

The FLASHLIGHT on their arm looks intact, and a lot of their CHASSIS is bent, but could be used to build some kind of a structure if you needed to. A lot of their CASING is also relatively intact, and while most of their actual hydraulics are busted, there's a good amount of WIRE you could use. Of course, these things are all too big to fit in any of your pockets, so if you're planning on taking any of it with you, you'll have to figure out a way to CARRY it. You also have the option of SELF-MODIFYING here and now. It seems relatively safe given how far you've come without seeing anything.

[King-Clod]

Should we wait to give them a proper burial? I'd feel wrong taking too much of them if they have family that care about them back home.

[Ignispark]

There's a decent chance there's others injured that need help ahead. More than likely, you'll have to do some search and rescue, so taking the flashlight here and keeping a note of where Ortho's body is might be the best idea at the moment in case parts are needed later.

If someone else is injured up ahead and these parts can be what helps save them, it'd surely be an understandable measure. Formalities can be reserved for when you're not stuck in a cave-in with an unknown amount of casualties, though avoiding what is unlikely to help chances of survival wouldn't be a bad idea either.

[King-Clod]

Fair point. We should take as much wire with us as we can carry, that's small enough that we should be able to fit it in our pockets. Might be helpful for injured people up ahead.

[knux400]

You grab as much WIRE as you can, quickly weaving it together into one continuous length and wrapping it around your shoulders. It's a bit unwieldy, but it'll do for now. You also grab the flashlight, holding it in one hand and crawling on seven legs instead of eight. You feel like you could crawl on as few as four legs if you needed to, leaving you with four arms to carry things in addition to your pockets.

Something doesn't feel right about this cave. It's extremely hard to get your bearings in here. You try to make a mental note of where Ortho is, but...

You can't shake the feeling it's going to be hard to find them again once you leave.

[victorianflorist]

We can't do more for Ortho, its too risky, but we should at least add their flashlight attachment to ourselves, perhaps attached to our head, that was we don't compromise our mobility and we carry their torch for them, may their light guide us and may Ortho find peace.

[Ignispark]

Agreeing with attaching the flashlight attachment.

I didn't think about this earlier but perhaps consider making like. make an ortho-ball or cylinde or something. Just sorta roll up the body, connect some pieces and have something you could transport with two legs. and maybe put other things in? This might not be a good idea but it could possibly be a way to move everything.

[King-Clod]

Can we drag their casing or chassis along with us? That feels kind of... gruesome, but I don't want to leave any of them behind if we can help it.

[knux400]

You turn and look at Ortho again. This cave feels off, and you decide it would be best to bring him with you, even if you don't have any immediate use for most of his body. It's not the most ideal way to continue their life, but given the dire circumstances it's the best you can do.

First, you remove the flashlight attachment from their arm. Just like before, you carefully cut each wire and strip the ends of the rubber casing away, leaving the crystal fibers exposed. This time, however, you take careful note of where each wire starts and ends to determine its function- most Barebones use the same color-coding system for their wiring, but sometimes making repairs on the fly can force them to mislabel things. After everything's all cut, you turn your attention to yourself. It's generally considered unsafe to modify one's own head without supervision, since one wrong move could lead to a disconnected processor or a power loss- but your flashlight is acting up, and you feel that Ortho would want this- so you swallow your fear and pop the casing open.

You can't actually see what's in there since your eye is in the wrong spot, but with a combination of familiarity with your own design, working by touch, and some echolocating here and there, you're able to get a clear picture of things. Thankfully, it looks pretty much fine- some things have been jostled out of place slightly, but everything seems connected and functional- apart from your flashlight, which seems to be partially disconnected from the power cable. You quickly pop everything back into place. Now comes the hard part. You gently run your fingers across your main processor, searching for an open port. From there, you have to rely on your own familiarity with your inner workings to connect each wire to its proper spot. Once everything's secured, you route the wires through a hole and place Ortho's flashlight on the side of your head, right next to your original one. Having no way to attach the flashlight properly, you simply tape it on. You make a mental note to get it properly installed once you're out of here.

Both ORTHO'S FLASHLIGHT and your ORIGINAL FLASHLIGHT are now fully functional and ready to use. Ortho's flashlight is much more powerful than your own, but you can also feel it draining your battery considerably more. It's not an issue right now, but if you're down here for too long, you'll have to think about power management. Next comes gathering up everything you can't immediately use. It only takes some slight disassembly and rearranging to get Ortho's chassis into a sort of sled shape, with the leftover parts piled on top and most of the casing on the bottom for protection. Two beams protrude from it, forming a pair of handles. It's heavy and it's not smooth at all, but you can drag it along okay if you use your two back legs.

You can't help but think how gruesome this must be to most other Morbitians, but for you it's just a matter of doing what's necessary to preserve Ortho's life. Barebones philosophy states that the purpose of life, broadly speaking, is to make an impact on the world. What exactly that means is up to you- you could choose to help others, discover new things, or create art- but the basic idea is to make an impact. Even after death, Barebones still have the potential to change the world through the use- or reuse- of their constituent parts, and it's up to the people the Barebones trusts to make sure that happens. An eyepiece could be given to someone in need, or a limb could be repurposed into a support strut. Even if something is broken beyond repair, it can be recycled back into raw materials for the production of new parts.

This isn't ideal at all for Ortho. Not by a long shot. But it's the best you can do with where you are and what you have, and it's certainly better than just leaving them there. It makes you feel better having taken the time to do this for them.






You continue onwards. It's still an incredibly long walk, with almost no features to speak of. The caves twist and wind over and over, occasionally branching to the left or the right. It's dizzying trying to make sense of it in your head, and no matter how much you try and keep track of things, you just end up giving up and picking a direction at random. None of it seems to get you anywhere.

You're alone with your memories.

What do you reflect on?

[victorianflorist]

The choice that brought me to this position and those I've failed to make lasting connections with.

[King-Clod]

The few moments we actually had with Ortho. What kind of life they might have led if it hadn't ended here.

[Ignispark]

Considering current circumstances, perhaps it'd be fitting to reflect on how disaster can strike out of seemingly nowhere.

[knux400]

QUERY: DISASTER AT ANY MOMENT

You'd really rather think about something else right now.

QUERY: ORTHO'S LIFE

Ortho was... They seemed nice. Admittedly, you don't know much about them, but they seemed like they'd been here a long time and the job had worn them down a bit. Almost resigned in a way. You can't imagine they would willingly stick with this job knowing the circumstances, and they didn't look especially well taken care of, so they probably weren't in an ideal situation. You have no idea what the exact details are, of course.

They seemed to keep a positive outlook despite that, though, and they genuinely seemed to make every effort to help you succeed. Given you'd only just met, you can safely assume they have that attitude towards everyone. It would be easy to be bitter and distant in a situation like Ortho's, but... they seemed to make an extra effort to be kind to everyone. Apart from Mr. Stone. But from what you've heard of that guy, it's perfectly reasonable he'd get on Ortho's bad side.

It's hard to know what kind of life they would've had if it hadn't ended here, since you never knew that much about them. They definitely would have made an effort to keep helping people as best they could. You can't imagine where you'd be right now without them. Well, okay, you'd probably be in the exact same spot, but you get the feeling if this job had continued normally that Ortho would be a huge help.

QUERY: MY CHOICES & FAILED CONNECTIONS

0115316_11.tsl - 0:54

You stand in a waiting room. Around you are various Morbitians. Some are reading magazines, some are staring out the window, and you're pretty sure that Pockitt in the corner is just sleeping.

It's been 23 minutes and 49 seconds since you first walked in. You're... nervous? Nervous would probably be the right word to describe this. You're pretty excited for this job- photography has been a hobby of yours for a long time, and the pay is pretty decent, too. But... Jorge also warned you about the atmosphere. You don't exactly have a lot of qualifications, and there aren't many Barebones in this field of work. So part of it is excitement, but part of it is nervousness. It's hard to quantify exactly what the ratio is. Emotions are vague and indistinct like that.

The door opens and an older Beatfox pokes her head through.

"Pillbug?"

That's you. You follow her inside.

"Alright, go ahead and take a-" She cuts herself off, seeing your eight-legged body.

"...Just stand, I guess." You oblige, standing next to the chair. Before you are the beatfox from before, a De'moneres, and one you can't place- either a Mothlie or a Comber, you think.

"So you're interested in our..." She looks at the paper. "Field research division?"
"Yes."
"Do you have any prior experience with chenilles?"
"...No."
"How familiar are you with chenille physiology?"
"Not very."
"Behavior?"
"Not very."
"Habitat?"
"They prefer swamps, I think?"
"Have you had a field research position before?"
"No."
"Any sort of research position?"
"...Not really."

She sighs.

"...Any prior jobs or experiences you think would be relevant here?"
"This would be my first job. I enjoy photography as a hobby."

The De'moneres looks bored. The Comber? Mothlie? Is trying not to laugh. The Beatfox... She just looks exasperated.

"So you've got... no prior experience in this field at all, then."
"Correct."
"What do you have to offer?"
"Well, like I said, I do photography as a hobby, and..."

...

"I'm open to trying new things?"

She closes her eyes, breathes in, and then opens them again with a soft exhale.

"Listen, Pillbug. I don't think this is a great first job for you to have. Even at an entry-level position, being a field researcher requires a lot of prior knowledge about the species in question, the research process, and the field of study in general. It's not just... going out and taking pictures of things. I'm sorry, but it's really not in our best interest to take the time to bring you up to speed on everything."
"...Okay."
"So I'm sorry, but we're going to have to decline. Thank you for taking the time to come in today."
"Thank you for having me."

...

"Do you... know of any other places I can go to... take pictures of things? This camera, it belonged to a close friend of mine, and it would mean a lot to me if I could put it to use-"
"Sorry, kid. We're not really in the business of job hunting." The De'moneres cuts you off, his voice gruff.
"Thank you."

You turn and leave.


The door shuts behind you.





Just as you step through the doorway to the adjoining hall, you hear the Mothlie... Comber... it doesn't matter. You hear them start giggling behind you. They think you can't hear them, but you hear better than they can.

You were looking forward to this. If you'd taken the time to think about the situation, you could've saved yourself the hassle of showing up here in the first place. It's all so clear in retrospect. Why couldn't you have seen this coming? It was obvious.





You're done trying to get what you want. The next job you apply for will be one that's perfect for you. One that you were made for. Literally.











You hear voices up ahead.

[victorianflorist]

Let's rush towards them, we can't risk losing them if they're moving.

[King-Clod]

Don't call out to them yet, we don't want to spook them. Wait until we get a little closer to call out for help.

[knux400]

You quicken your pace down the tunnel, focusing on reaching the voices as soon as you can. Unfortunately, the assortment of parts you're dragging behind you is making quite a ruckus. You just barely manage to duck as a horror detection wand sails over your head, bouncing a short distance down the tunnel behind you.

"What the FUCK, dude?" A Volarie throws up their hands in confusion. A Botley stands awkwardly behind them- a J4WS, if you remember correctly. They look like they're about to jump out of their casing.

"I thought you were a horror or some shit! What the fuck are you doing charging around dragging all that scrap behind you?!"
"It's not scrap!" You quickly retort, before calming down and coming to your senses. "This is... what's left of my friend."

It takes the Volarie a moment to realize what you mean, but they seem to calm down once you do.

"Right. Right. Fine. But you still didn't answer my question."
"I heard you two talking and I got excited. It's been hours since I fell down here. I wanted to make sure I caught up to you, in case you were walking the other way."
"Why didn't you just shout something?"
"...I didn't want to startle you."
"So you decided that sprinting down the tunnel making slasher flick noises was better than just shouting 'hello'?"
"I, uh... I got excited, like I said."




...





"Whatever. You've clearly demonstrated you're not going to slow us down, so you can go ahead and stick with us if you want. What's your name?"
"It's Pillbug, but Roll-E or Pole-E is fine."
"I'm Exclusit, the quiet one is Matri." The J4WS botley gives a shy wave.

"...We should probably go back and get that horror detector." Matri says. "It might come in handy."
"Right." Exclusit turns and starts walking before you have a chance to respond. The two of you quickly follow them.

You walk.


And you walk.



There's no way either of them could've thrown a wand this far.

"Did... Did we miss it?" You ask.
"I've been looking everywhere, there's no way we missed it." Exclusit grunts.
"Well, we're walking uphill. It can't have gone far." Matri chimes in.
"Wait, we're-" You look at the ground. You are walking uphill. "That's... not right."

You stop walking. Matri and Exclusit look at you with confusion and exasperation respectively.

"I was walking uphill to get to you two, and if we're heading back the way I came, then this path should be going downhill."
"Maybe there was a fork at some point?" Matri offers.
"No, it was just one long tunnel. And we haven't passed any forks or branches just now, either."
"You sure you didn't hit your head or something, bud?" Exclusit says condescendingly.
"No, my head is fine. I was just here, and I'm telling you, the tunnel sloped the other way."
"So what, the tunnel just moved when we weren't looking?"
"I don't know! I'm just telling you what I'm-"

"The cracks!!!" Matri cuts the two of you off suddenly. Both of you turn and look at the excited shark for an explanation.
"The cracks in the walls! They're like... You know how when you get dirt caked on your hands, right, and then it dries up, but you bend your fingers, and it does these little cracks?"

Matri stands there with their hands outstretched, as if they were offering you something very large and very invisible.

"The walls are bending! Those cracks form whenever the walls bend too much, because it's rock, right, and rock can't bend-"
"Okay, and?!? Even if the tunnel we were just in bent, the wand should still be in here somewhere!" Exclusit yells.
"Well, uh... I don't... I don't really know how that happened. I've just been staring at those cracks ever since I fell down here, and I just-"
"So the tunnels bend, got it. Duly noted, let's keep moving."

[victorianflorist]

Lets echolocate as a last ditch attempt.

It is disquieting, to put it plainly, to hear the tunnel is flexing. Makes me feel like we're a pill (hah) being swallowed.

Take some record shots of the cracking formations and ask your companions if they would mind having their picture taken.

Even if we never emerge, someone might find the record we're compiling on this event.

[King-Clod]

Let's keep looking for a little while, but not spend too long on it. We still have a horror detector ourselves, after all. And I'm getting worried that the longer we stay down here, the more likely we are to... end up like Ortho did.

[knux400]

"Hang on a second. I want to try echolocating."
"You what?" Exclusit turns to you.
"Crawler barebones can do that! See, since they can't see when they're all rolled up, they can emit a high-pitched sound so that they-"
"Yeah, alright, Matri, they can't do it if you're yammering."
"...sorry."

With the room now quiet, you let out a shrill whine. After a moment, the sound comes back to you. The cave ahead of you continues uphill for a while, and the floor seems clear of debris. The wand isn't there.

"...I can't see it. I've got a horror detector myself, so it's not too much of an issue." You wave your wand at the two of them to accentuate your point. Something rattles inside.

"Oh, the battery must've dislodged when I fell, let me just-" You pop the battery in with a soft click and the three of you all jump a bit at the loud beeping that immediately starts emanating from the device. You fiddle with it for a few more seconds before Exclusit snatches it from you, pops it open, and rips the speaker out before handing it back. The reading is maxed out.

"Yeah, those things are useless down here. I just wanted mine because it's something heavy I can hit things with if I had to. But clearly it's not here, so let's just keep moving."

The three of you turn around, heading back the way you were going before. You turn to the cracks on the walls and floor, taking a few pictures. Exclusit pretends not to notice. Matri, on the other hand, is interested.

"Whatcha doin'?"
"Just taking some pictures so there's a record. Even if we don't make it out, someone could find them and figure out what's been happening. Hopefully. Actually, would you two be okay with having your pictures taken?"
"Alright!"
"Sure, whatever."

Matri stops and smiles for the camera. Exclusit just keeps walking, their back to you. You snap a picture of each of them, stashing the print copies in one of your pouches.

You keep walking.














"...Feels like I'm a pill being swallowed." You mutter.
"Hm?" Matri turns to you.
"Well, because the tunnels are flexing around for whatever reason, and I'm a little ball, and my name literally is Pillbug, so-"
"Ohhhh, yeah. You know, it's possible that might be what's happening."

Everyone stops walking. There's total silence for a moment before you and Exclusit both speak in unison.
"What?"
"What."

"I've been thinking about it, and it makes sense! That would explain the movement of the tunnels, the fact that our detectors have been stuck on the maximum reading this whole time, and- well, did either of you see that shape when the floor first caved in?"

You remember. The jagged black shapes that were like teeth closing in on all of you.

"We probably just got eaten by a really big horror!" Matri explains in a perfectly calm tone. Exclusit just stares at them, arms limp at their sides.


"FUCKING. WHAT."