Aaand scene.

Thanks guys, for a fun time... especially Montresor for putting in the amazing effort while working on a PhD!

I am still planning on dropping. I just wanted to finish up the Exodus chapter before letting Montresor do whatever he wants with Malachi.

As Malachi finishes pouring over the device, he looks back at Zarkov.

"Zarkov... this device is deeply unsettling, and needs to be destroyed. How much ordinance do we have left?"

Malachi hobbles over to the device to inspect it, to gauge its size for possible transportation; weak points for possible destruction; and anything that hints at its true purpose, and whether it has been altered to what it does now.

Malachi looks over from his cover to see if there is any cover further forward from his position.

"Maybe. I've never seen anything like it before, though."

"Aim for the ventilators!" Malachi shouts, before turning to Zarkov.

"Zarkov, let's wait and see what happens."

He leans in closer to whisper.

"Hopefully Helmont's men will be thinned out by that abomination."

Malachi was about to speak when the noise of battle erupted.

When he's recovered from being stunned, Malachi's going to run to cover he can shoot from, and if there's time, try to spot any weaknesses, using tech use checks, and the like.

Just as well. I've been pretty busy of late, too. I'll post soon, though.

Malachi thinks upon this for a moment. "Well spotted. It makes me wish I'd thought of that... we could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble back at the docks." After another short pause, with a regarding gaze, he continues. "Let's keep working with them for now. I'm hoping we have a ...

As they were walking, Malachi asked Helmont "How much further to our destination?"

"Please, Helmont. I'm an Explorator. I wouldn't be out here if I were a zealot."

Malachi looks at the growths.

"How do these plants get processed into narcotics? And what do they do?"

Malachi reasoned that Heale's men were he in search of the same technology he was. He figured that having extra guns would help when coming up against whomever might be defending the technology when they found it, and just dealing with the consequences of revealing their purposes to Helmont then and...

"I don't see why not. I've heard that the locals are aggressive. Having another gun handy will help us greatly."

Malachi takes a seat on the ground to rest from his trek.

Malachi skewers his staff into the ground, and opens his hands in a welcoming gesture. "Hello. I'm Malachi, and this is Zarkov. I'm here conducting an investigation on behalf of the Mechanicus." He extends one of his arms subconsciously as a peace offering. "Is that enough to at least...

Malachi gives Zarkov a brief report on the servo-skull's findings.

"Looks like we're going to be on foot from here on in, unless things change down the track."

Malachi shrugs before making his way towards the light; his familiar matches speed, moving just ahead of its master."

"Good idea."

Malachi begins walking in the direction of the fluid-filled cables. As he walks, his servo-skull moves ahead at a faster pace, scanning for any idle transport, access doors, or other anomalies that might help hasten their journey.

"These pipes lead somewhere. I think it may take us to the tech I'm after, although I cannot be sure. I can't imagine this would be an easy journey, but if you feel up to it, we shall press forward."

"Well Zarkov... feel like a trek?"

Apologies for the infrequency of posts. Been pretty busy these past few days.