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Sunspider · 11-10-2018, 02:30 PM

Wasting no time, you set about excavating the crashed Aircaster with your hands and feet. Thankfully, whatever fumes were coming out of the exhaust port have dissipated by now, so you shouldn't have to worry about an electrical fire, or whatever was going on in there. The front of the glider is embedded pretty well into a mound of metallic sand, ploughed up when it skidded into the beach. The grains are loosely packed though, so clearing the mound away from the front of the wings and body doesn't take as long as it could have.

Before long, you've exposed the front end of the pilot's harness and arching control-rails on top, where the pilot holds themselves in position, and the Aircaster's throttle and steering is done. After that, you begin digging into the sand to excavate the underside, eventually exposing the chubby manta-ray shaped frame, a pair of skate-like landing rails on the underside, and the wide, round front-facing air intake for the glider's single jet engine. You do your best to clear the sand out from the intake, but you're worried some might've gotten worked into the jet itself, so that'd definitely need a more thorough cleaning before you try turning on the engine to see if this thing still flies.

Once the underside is free mostly, you give the Aircaster an experimental pull, and are surprised by how light it is for it's size. Despite the 6 meter wingspan and chubby engine body, you are able to wriggle it out of the sandy divot by hand, and drag it onto level ground. It'd be pretty heavy and unwieldy, but with some effort you could probably even carry this thing, if you wanted to.

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After fumbling around for a latch, you eventually find the way to open the top-facing rear hatch covering the glider's cargo bay. The interior is roughly the width of a car trunk, not too tall, and running the length of the glider's central body. It's also completely empty. If this is designed like the Aircasters you're familiar with, the floor of the cargo compartment can be removed, granting access to the power cells, jet engine, and some of the internal components. Of course, you leave all that put for now. You've got another use in mind.

Remembering the advice of the Medical program on your ComPad, you support the unconscious alien pilot by the underarms, and drag her across the smooth grey sand. Once in position, you bend at the knees, scoop her up in both arms, and with great effort lift her up into the glider's open Cargo Bay. Struggling, you set her down heavier than you wanted to, though the pilot doesn't seem to care; she's still out cold. You carefully maneuver her into the compartment feet first, braced on her side the way the Medical program suggested, and with her head under the open hatch.

Looking at it, the interior should be big enough to shelter both you and her, but it's a claustrophobic fit; with the rear hatch open, there's just enough room for two people, with very little wiggle room, and very little overhead space. But it should be warm and dry, and certainly better than sleeping out in the open.

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By now, the sky has grown dim enough that you're beginning to see the first stars, while the planet's ring glows with a moonlike brightness. With the pilot safely in the makeshift shelter of the glider's cargo hold, and the fading bits of twilight still lingering, you set about taking stock of the newly-excavated Aircaster. Just how damaged is it, and can you salvage anything useful out of it? And are there any supplies squirreled away somewhere?

Dex's Logic (★) and Electronics (★★★) are tested:Show

Dex's Wits (★) are tested:Show

[box=#993399 border=2]1) It's impossible to tell the full story, but you've got a good guess for what caused the Aircaster to crash. What was it?
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2) You expected to be salvaging the glider, but after checking it over you're pretty sure you could repair it! Pick 3:
> Repairs will be unreliable. It will work for a few hours at best.
> Rather than a few hours worth of repairs, it'll take most of a day to fix.
> It won't fly as fast, nor maneuver as well. Aircaster loses 1 Technique (and -2 Max Energy).
> The hull was damaged badly in the crash. Aircaster loses 1 Integrity (and -2 Max HP).
> Some components are fried. You'll need to get replacement electronics from somewhere.
> The battery is drained. It's going to need a recharge from somewhere before it'll fly.

3) Secured to the Pilot's Harness atop the glider, you find a small pack. What's inside? Pick 2:
> Two useful pieces of gear, one electronic, and one a simple analogue tool. What are they?
> An airtight metallic pouch advertising a single preserved meal, and a second full flask, with the same make as the pilot's. What is in each?
> A basic ComPad with 2 known devices in it's connection history, though neither are online right now. What are they named, and when were they last connected?
> A hand-drawn map on paper, with the Metal Spire and coastline marked. 2 other locations are marked; one nearby with terrain around it, one far away, with question marks by it. What kind of terrain was drawn around the nearby location, and what are they each labeled?

4) What do you do, as Dusk falls?
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PARTY ROSTER:

Dex Wright, Human TechnicianShow

OTHER:

Aircaster, VehicleShow