Elsewhere

Oh wow, what kinduva lame-ass synth model doesn't come with solar panels, especially when traveling to an uninhabited planet? We should definitely try to make some as soon as we can, although the raw materials probably won't be easy to come by.

A watch tower, maybe? Definitely some kind of building. It's rocky between here and there, in that unsteady, kind of broken up boulder way. Looks difficult to navigate. But c'mon! People, possibly! We gotta go!

1.) You see a dilapidated factory overrun by local flora. A forest basically holds it hostage. It seems to be an old fashioned factory with blackened pipes running from the building to the ground, likely corroded.

2.) A smell of licorice or perhaps popcorn wafts from the factory. You could feel something stare at you from within.

3.) Take pictures.

i'd like to veto all buildings. the whole point is that it's terra nullus and that's a major swerve

Alright, alright, you make a fair point. Maybe in the future.

1) A river!
2) QUICKSAND
3) Its fine! You have rope.

Holy smokes, it's smoke! Someone from the team must be trying to get some attention with a signal fire. This is great, that means you're not alone. If you're lucky they might even have some supplies on them.

What's not so great is that it would seem your teammate was a bit too successful. It's too far away to tell what it is exactly but you can make out a large creature. You would have mistaken it for another hill if it weren't for the fact it is moving straight towards the smoke. Silver lining is it appear to be kinda slow.

You have to get over there asap, you can't let that indigenous lifeform gobble up your team. Best bet is to try and outpace it so you can warn however started that signal fire. If it looks like you can't make it try sending Dee Dee on up ahead.

---

Show Content

Suggestions

A watch tower, maybe? Definitely some kind of building. It's rocky between here and there, in that unsteady, kind of broken up boulder way. Looks difficult to navigate. But c'mon! People, possibly! We gotta go!

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Do you see that, way out there? That tall metal-looking spire?"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"I cannot. My optical sensors lack the fidelity of human eyes. What do you see?"[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|]

"A watch tower, maybe? Definitely some kind of building."

[/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"Are you sure? This is not registered as an inhabited world..."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

You squint and gesture out into the far distance, at a bright line extending up from near the horizon. What else could it be, other than a tower? And if it is a building, that could lead to finding other people, shelter, water, and more! It's got to be miles and miles away, enough that you only saw it because it was glinting in the afternoon sun... but you really want to get close enough to take a better look.

[2x1]

"Take pictures."

[|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Come again?"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"Your ComPad has a camera that exceeds my visual specifications. Were you to take pictures, perhaps you could show me whatever it is that you are seeing."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Oh, yeah! That's a good idea. Lemme try that."[/box][/2x1]

You fish out the Quantum ComPad from your pocket, and boot up the camera app. The zoom on this thing is pretty powerful, and the stabilizers and image stitcher should help you get a clear picture even though you're freehanding it. You zoom in to frame the metal tower on the horizon, and snap a few quick shots.



[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Here, take a look. What d'you think?"[/box][/2x1]

You hand the ComPad off to Dee Dee, who takes some time to study your photo. You're not sure if they're memorizing the details, or struggling to believe what they see. After a time, they return the CP to you, and you stow it back in your jacket pocket.

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"This is most strange. Our expedition should be the first touch of civilization on this world. This does look to be some manner of tower, but how could that be?"[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Well, there's no telling unless we go check it out, right? It's probably a few hours walk away, across some rough terrain, but come on! Buildings mean people! That could solve all our problems!"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"We still cannot be certain that is a building."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Come on. Of course it's a building!"[/box][/2x1]

---

Show Content

Suggestions

i'd like to veto all buildings. the whole point is that it's terra nullus and that's a major swerve

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"...okay, so it's not a building."[/box][/2x1]

You stand atop a tall hill, at the base of the metallic spire. The sound of surf from a nearby beach rumbles below you. While you and Dee Dee crossed the broken land to get here, afternoon has worn on into evening. Other than being sore from several hours of walking up and down rocky hills, the journey was pretty uneventful. The clouds continue to float across the impossibly blue sky, and the sun and this world's ghostly ring continue to shine overhead. And you continued not to see another living thing, apart from the ruddy alien vegetation. Not even an insect.

By now, you and Dee Dee have already completed a cautious walk around the perimeter of the silver spire, inspecting it closely. The surface is completely smooth and cool, with the frosty pattern of crystalline metal playing along it's surface. A few hesitant knocks with the back of your hand suggested it's either completely solid, or too thick to make an echo. Rootlike purple vines have wound their way up the spire, ranging from the size of your torso to the size of your forearm. Both the odd mass of metal and the vegetation seem to be emerging from the same spot, at the tallest point of the hill.

You don't know for sure whether it's natural or artificial. As far as you can tell, though, it isn't a building.

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"I believe an 'I told you so,' would be appropriate for this situation."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"That's... probably fair, yeah. But hey! This is a really tall landmark, right? We can use this to keep our bearings while we explore. And we might be able to make use of all this metal at some point too."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"This is also fair. Unfortunately, travelling here cost us a significant portion of the afternoon. We only have a few hours of daylight remaining, and have made no progress toward meeting your primary survival needs."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

As if on cue, your stomach grumbles in protest. And you can't help but notice a touch of dryness in your mouth. Dee Dee's right; you really should start figuring out your food and water situation before night falls.

The local grasses, ferns, and shrubs don't seem to be wilted for want of water, which is a good sign. Unfortunately, even if you ignore the unnerving red-purple color, nothing around looks particularly edible at a glance either. But it couldn't hurt to try chewing on something, could it? As for water, you do hear the sound of waves coming from the far side of this hill. And several times as you've been walking, you've caught glimpses of a huge beach in the distance, and the unmistakable sheen of light on water. Granted, if this is anything like your homeworld, a body of water this big is probably saltwater. You remember something about people not being able to survive off saltwater... but maybe you can drink a little bit, just to quench your thirst for now?

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Wilderness survival really isn't my area of expertise. But you're right. We've gotta get this sorted out."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"Now that we have a landmark, perhaps you would feel more comfortable splitting up to search for potential food, water, or signs of our expedition? We could cover more ground, and regroup here as nightfall draws near. An exhaustive search would likely drain some of my power reserves, but it seems to be the most efficient use of our time.

...unless you have any better ideas?"[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[box=#993399 border=2]What do you do?
>[/box]

---

PARTY ROSTER:

Show Content

Dex Wright, Human Technician
[2x1][|][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/item.png border=16]Quantum Compad (Communicator, Computer, Database, Illegal, Unreliable):
Unlicensed, military-grade handheld computer. Loaded with information and utility software, mostly pirated. Powerful but temperamental, after many, many repairs.[/box][/2x1]

Show Content

Dee Dee, Synthetic

---

But it couldn't hurt to try chewing on something, could it?

Um. You're lucky that you can breathe here. The ground itself could very well be toxic, I wouldn't want to go anywhere near the plants.

Well. Given that we came here because this thing is highly visible, there's a good chance somebody else will turn up to investigate too.

So we want to put up a sign or something that basically tells them, "wait here and we'll show up sooner or later". Even better if we can set up some way for them to alert us, like a bell; then they're less likely to get bored and leave.

If others landed here as well, as the circles of exposed soil in a grass plain probably alluded towards, someone might show up here, since this is the only noticeable landmark that you've, well, noticed. One of us should stay to alert the other in case they do. Your speakers, especially the shrillness of some of those klaxons, have the best bet of reaching me. Unless you're auditory sensors are operating better than they have been?

The best way to get around is to secure a source of fresh water. Water in this place is most likely rife with the minerals, chemicals, and germs that naturally occur here, but it helps to be near a body of fresh-ish water. Dee Dee, please compile and take note of possible water purification processes that is available to us right now.

Team up. Dee-Dee can do things safely that you can't and like you said, you're not that great at survival skills.

And boot up the utility software on the compad, hopefully it's stable and will work on power saving mode.

Let's also check the biochemistry of the available flora, and scan for possible fauna as well.

put plants in the robot

Beep boop, make like the Mars rovers and scan for toxicity!

---

Show Content

Suggestions:

Team up. Dee-Dee can do things safely that you can't and like you said, you're not that great at survival skills.

You and Dee Dee stand on a plant-covered hilltop, a few paces away from the colossal metal spire. Ocean waves rumble in the air from not far off, hinting at the presence of a nearby beach. The Synth looks to you, waiting for your input on what you should do next.

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Hey, Dee? I hear you, on wanting to split up to cover more ground. But let's not do that?"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"To stay together would be an inefficient use of our limited remaining daylight. Why should we not split up?"[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"I'd just rather we were in the same place, alright? I'd... feel safer if we were working together."[/box][/2x1]

Dee Dee turns to face you, hesitating. It seems like they hadn't considered this possibility.

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"You are still experiencing anxiety? I thought we had fixed that problem already."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Dude, what do you mean fixed my..."[/box][/2x1]

You catch yourself about to get angry again, and stop yourself. Dee Dee may be pretty good at understanding the effects of emotions, but it's something they learned to do. Sometimes you have to remind yourself that they're still a Synth, and one who doesn't empathize or feel things the same way you do.

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Yeah. I'm still worried. We're not safe yet, right? So that feeling is still here."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"Very well. But splitting up still remains the most efficient route to increase our security, does it not? If your emotional state remains a problem, should we not take the most efficient route to resolve the cause?"[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Efficient or not, I'd just rather we stayed close to each other, alright? I mean... remember how I'd ask you to come with, when we'd cash in our weekly UBI downtown? This is like that."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"I recall. Your preference for shopping together confused me as well. You or I could easily carry our meal plan home on our own. If we split up, we could accomplish more of our errands in less time."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Well, sometimes it's nice to go shopping together. Hanging out around town, experiencing the same stuff, you know? And if we run into trouble downtown, I could protect you from anyone who wanted to beat you up."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"I was rarely the target of any aggression. And I am fully capable of defending myself."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Well, you could use your superior robot combat skills to help me out then. And I might get distracted and forget something if you weren't there. And what if someone took you for an older Synth model, and thought they could trick you into taking spoiled myco-meal, or tried to cheat you into paying more for our meal plan? Having me around might keep them from trying to do you dirty. If we stick together, we can watch each other's backs. You get me?"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"I... believe I understand your meaning. By working together, we increase our odds of success, at the expense of a loss of efficiency."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"To say it in the most utilitarian way possible, sure. I think we're better off sticking together, for now."[/box][/2x1]

Show Content

Suggestions:

ask dee dee to do a soil analysis. exploration robots always can do soil analysis.

Let's also check the biochemistry of the available flora, and scan for possible fauna as well.

put plants in the robot

Beep boop, make like the Mars rovers and scan for toxicity!

Dee Dee seems to be giving this some thought, so you take the opportunity to figure out what you want to do next. Your thoughts quickly turn back to the food situation. You're definitely starting to feel a bit hungry, and you know it's only going to get worse if you don't eat.

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Hey, speaking of meals... you think I could taste test some of these plants? See if any are good for eating?"[/box][/2x1]

Almost instantly, Dee Dee is shocked out of their thoughtful silence.

[2x1]

"You are lucky that you can even breathe here. The ground itself could very well be toxic. You would not want to go anywhere near the plants."

[|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Well, I'm gonna have to eat something at some point! And they wouldn't have sent us to a planet where nothing was edible, right? That's a death sentence!"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"Still, it is best to approach the situation with caution. Poisoning yourself with alien grass would be a terribly ignoble end to this adventure."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Fine, fine. But what about you? You can eat things, right?"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"I am able to ingest material, and can extrapolate an approximate flavor from it's chemical makeup. I would not call this act 'eating', as I derive no energy from this. The function is primarily social."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Right. But you could taste things? Maybe tell if they taste... poisonous?"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"...are you planning to fill my mouth with alien dirt and plants?"[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|]

"Think of it as soil analysis. Exploration robots can always do soil analysis."

[/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"My frame is an obsolete domestic service robot! If you wanted soil analysis, perhaps you should have installed me on an interplanetary survey probe instead!"[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Come on. We have better odds of success if we work together, right? I might have just shoved a leaf in my mouth and keeled over if I was on my own. But since you're here, you can do it for me! Safely!"[/box][/2x1]

After some more arguing about the absurd indignity of it all, Dee Dee finally relents. You both set about foraging on the surrounding hilltop. The long purple leaves bursting from the surrounding shrubs are hard, almost like plastic. They're sharp and fibrous, so you take care not to cut yourself on the edges. The deep red ground cover grows in soft, mossy coils, and you can easily harvest it in handfuls. You peel soft bark from the vines growing around the metal spire, and pluck ferns out of the ground root and all.

Before long, you've amassed a small alien salad worth of leaves, mosses, bark, and roots, with a side of soil. With the sound of surf from the nearby beach rumbling, you and the Synth sit in the shade of the metal spire, considering what you've managed to forage.

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Look at that. All... red and crunchy."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"Quite."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"So, how's it feel? You're about to be the first person to eat a meal made out of this planet's ingredients!"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"This is less of a meal, and more a pile of loose biomass and dirt. I dread it."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Oh come on. A little salad once in a while never hurt anybody. Eat up."[/box][/2x1]

Dee Dee gives a labored sigh. As they do, the vented plate where their mouth would be protrudes slightly, then separates down the center. The plates rotate out to either side of their head, exposing a series of mouthparts like articulated arms, folded neatly around a small port. Each arm is tipped with various sensors and tools, and as they unfold, the whole assembly reminds you of a spider's mouth. Old android frames like Dee Dee's try to mimic human bodies superficially, but tend to be a little uncanny underneath. If you hadn't seen this all before, it might be unnerving.

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Well? Don't let it get all wilty. Get it while it's fresh."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"...remind me of this indignity, the next time you ask me to cook for you."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

You offer a handful of assorted alien plants to the Synth, who takes them and gingerly brings them toward their mouth. You hear the servos of the small articulated mouth-parts whir quietly, as they flex and grab bits of plant matter, and break them into pieces. Small flashes of light emanate from the mouth-port behind them, as laser-based sensors vaporize the samples, and check their chemical makeup...

Show Content

Dee Dee is tested

1+8 (Fate) = 9 (Failure)

[box=#993399 border=2]1) Choose 2 of the following:
> Dee Dee wasn't built to test samples this way. Does it drain Dee Dee's energy, or damage them?
> You shouldn't have touched those plants with your bare hands. What has it done to you?
> The tests suggest something really bad about the soil or geology in this area. What is it?
> Testing concludes that no plants in the area will ever be even remotely edible.

2) What do you do?
>[/box]

---

PARTY ROSTER:

Show Content

Dex Wright, Human Technician
[2x1][|][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/item.png border=16]Quantum Compad (Communicator, Computer, Database, Illegal, Unreliable):
Unlicensed, military-grade handheld computer. Loaded with information and utility software, mostly pirated. Powerful but temperamental, after many, many repairs.[/box][/2x1]

Show Content

Dee Dee, Synthetic

---

>Integrity damaged: Plants much harder than initial appearance. Bite marks noted on local flora.
>Soil away from plants is visible starved of nutrients; bone shards appear to be mixed in with the roots. Concerning.

>Relocating advised. Local plants may be toxic, or the local fauna has adapted to consume them. Neither suggests remaining in the area.

> You shouldn't have touched those plants with your bare hands. What has it done to you?
>The tests suggest something really bad about the soil or geology in this area. What is it?

Alien leeches. LEECHES. EWW! GET THEM OFF, GET THEM OFF! This is the last time you're picking something up without gloves. Good thing Dee Dee is there to help remove them. They must feed on animals as they attempt to graze.

As for the soil, it looks like there's either a hotspot or you're on top of an active fault of some kind - you better not stay around to find out which. There's heaps of sharp obsidian-like glass fragments in the soil. A good sign for fertility, but another reason to wear gloves next time!

>The plants contain sticky sap, and hamper functionality.
>Soil contains microneedles. Unsafe to move using bare hands. Appears to be animal sheddings of some sort.

>Relocation advised.

The vaporization process takes a good deal of power, and the process has drained Dee Dee's energy reserves by multiple hours of standard operation.

The test found high levels of heavy metals in the soil and plants. While the plant matter could be nutritious, consuming it as-is would quickly lead to heavy metal poisoning. Inhaling airborne soil particulates will also lead to heavy-metal poisoning over a longer time scale.

Dex should also immediately fashion some kind of face mask. Since the idea is to filter particulates, even a coarse cloth should do the trick.

The bright side is, you have a ready source of metals, and some effect is already purifying them for you into this spire. You also have sea water nearby. Dex should keep in mind the possibility of making galvanic cells to recharge Dee Dee, at least to some extent.

The first priority now is to find fresh water. First, don't assume that just because there's a big body of water that it's salt water. Check if the sea is potable. If not, see if you can use your Quantum ComPad to communicate with Dee Dee over long distances. If so, split up and move opposite directions along the coast until one of you finds a river feeding into the sea, then that one signal the other. If not, pick a direction and move together.

Either way, scratch a message into the surface of the spire, in case other members of your expedition end up coming here as well.

1) >You shouldn't have touched those with your bare hands: ITCHY! RED! WELTS!
>Something bad about the soil in this area: It's full of heavy metals! Nasty stuff.
2) DUNK YOUR HANDS IN NEAREST WATER SOURCE RUN RUN GO

---

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Y'know? I thought it was weird that there weren't any critters, despite all these plants being around. Guess we know why now."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"Perhaps, though all worlds develop differently. The conditions here may support life unlike that which existed on our homeworld."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Yeah. And if all the plants here are poisonous, and even the dirt is trying to kill me... this world probably won't support life like us at all, huh."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"...be sure you clean your hands thoroughly, Dex."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

You are crouched barefoot in the surf, scrubbing your hands in the seawater. A long beach of shimmering dark grey sand stretches to your left and right. Despite being cast in the shade of the steep hill you climbed down from, the sand is still hot from baking in the afternoon light. Dee Dee watches you work, from just beyond the reach of the waves. Farther behind them rises the red hill, and it's metal spire. It gleams in the evening sun, casting an impossibly long shadow out onto the water.

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"We are lucky that your hands did not have any open wounds. Skin contact alone should not have been enough to do you any harm. Just wash well, don't handle crushed red vegetation or soil with your bare hands again, and you should be fine."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"And you're absolutely sure this water is safe to wash off in?[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"Please trust me. It is as you said before; we can each do things the other cannot. By sticking together, we can watch one another's back."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"You'd better be right. Literally smells like the ocean farted."[/box][/2x1]

Show Content

Suggestions:

This is the last time you're picking something up without gloves.

1) >You shouldn't have touched those with your bare hands: ITCHY! RED! WELTS!
>Something bad about the soil in this area: It's full of heavy metals! Nasty stuff.
2) DUNK YOUR HANDS IN NEAREST WATER SOURCE RUN RUN GO

The vaporization process takes a good deal of power, and the process has drained Dee Dee's energy reserves by multiple hours of standard operation.

The test found high levels of heavy metals in the soil and plants. While the plant matter could be nutritious, consuming it as-is would quickly lead to heavy metal poisoning. Inhaling airborne soil particulates will also lead to heavy-metal poisoning over a longer time scale.

Dex should also immediately fashion some kind of face mask. Since the idea is to filter particulates, even a coarse cloth should do the trick.

Your shoulders are still stiff with the tension of the last few minutes. Dee Dee's "taste" sensors weren't really designed to do detailed chemical analysis, so the tests took a considerable bit of energy. The were down to about 80% power before they were satisfied with their analysis of the plant and soil samples, and broke the news to you. The soil and sap covering your hands was apparently full of toxic heavy metals. The plants were, too; they'd apparently adapted to make use of them, which might be what made them red in the first place. After that, there was a moment of panic, followed by a quick plan and a frantic downhill run toward the beach. Dee Dee quickly shoved a handful of waterlogged sand into their mouth to taste-test it with their chemical sensors, then told you to wash your hands as quickly as possible. No sassy quips or jokes this time. So you kicked off your shoes, rolled up your pant-legs, and waded into the warm shallows.

You've been tense and afraid ever since you found out something went wrong with your Crossing to this world. Crouching in the water now, you can feel it in every muscle in your body. Normally, you'd take a few deep breaths to steady yourself... but you can't bring yourself to.

Up close, the water really does smell like a wet fart.

Instead of breathing that in, you try to focus your mind and relax. As you wash up, you imagine the stress gathering in your shoulders, flowing down into your arms, and pooling in the palms of your hands. Once it's there you scrub it away, along with the poisonous sap and soil, and feel it drifting off into the water. After meditating like this for a bit, your shoulders start to relax. You finish washing, shake your hands free of the acrid-smelling water, and walk back over to Dee Dee and your discarded shoes.

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Okay, think I got it all. But can I just ask... why's it safe to stand barefoot on the beach? What makes this any less dangerous than the dirt up on the hill?"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"I suspect it is due to the water itself. I tasted reactive salts and sulfur compounds dissolved in the water, and none of the earlier toxins were present in the sand either. Though it would be unwise for you to drink from the sea, as evinced by the foul smell you mentioned, the compounds in the water seem to react with the toxic metals, rendering them inert. Wherever the sea meets the shore, the toxins are purified, and the metals precipitate out as harmless black granules."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

Dee Dee gestures broadly, indicating the steely-grey beach that curves off in both directions.

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"The black granules covering the beach seem analogous to pencil lead, or other non-toxic minerals found on our homeworld. They are harmless in this state. At worst, they may stain your skin and clothing a metallic grey."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Wait, that hardly sounds harmless!"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"I assure you, the black sand poses no..."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"...because when we meet up with the rest of the expedition, I'm gonna look like I got in a fight with some art supplies. It's gonna ruin my first impression."[/box][/2x1]

Dee Dee tilts their head, antennae twitching as if they weren't sure they heard you right. Then, they notice your smile. You get the distinct impression they'd be smiling back if they could.

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"I see. Then I will do my best to defend you against such accusations. Will you be wanting your shoes to wear?"[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"No thanks, I'll carry them. As long as we're staying on the beach, I'll go barefoot for a while. At least until my feet dry off."[/box][/2x1]

Show Content

Suggestions:

The bright side is, you have a ready source of metals, and some effect is already purifying them for you into this spire. You also have sea water nearby. Dex should keep in mind the possibility of making galvanic cells to recharge Dee Dee, at least to some extent.

The first priority now is to find fresh water. First, don't assume that just because there's a big body of water that it's salt water. Check if the sea is potable. If not, see if you can use your Quantum ComPad to communicate with Dee Dee over long distances. If so, split up and move opposite directions along the coast until one of you finds a river feeding into the sea, then that one signal the other. If not, pick a direction and move together.

Either way, scratch a message into the surface of the spire, in case other members of your expedition end up coming here as well.

Oh wow, what kinduva lame-ass synth model doesn't come with solar panels, especially when traveling to an uninhabited planet? We should definitely try to make some as soon as we can, although the raw materials probably won't be easy to come by.

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"So, I've been thinking. If there's reactive chemicals in the water, and a big tower of some sort of metal up there... I might be able to make some sort of chemical battery. It'd be kinda crude, but if worse comes to worse, that's a way we could keep you charged."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"I thought that we had already decided that my power requirements should..."[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"...should be secondary to the biological requirements of my woefully inefficient meat body, I know. That's why I'm going to walk down this beach, and see if I can find a stream running into the sea or something. But I also don't want to completely ignore something that could help you out, when it's right in front of us."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"The spire, you mean? What would you propose we do with it?"[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"How about while I'm looking for drinking water, you run back up that hill and see if you can carve off some of the metal from the spire to take with us? Maybe scratch a message into the thing while you're at it?"[/box][/2x1]

[2x1]

Well. Given that we came here because the metal spire is highly visible, there is a reasonable chance someone else may turn up to investigate...

[|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Yeah, that's my thinking too. It's a huge landmark, so if people from our expedition are in the area, I bet they'll check it out eventually. If we leave a note there, they'll at least know we're around."[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/base_right.png border=32]"In that case, I could try to find some means by which to harvest some of the metal, and etch a message into it, yes. But... did you not also just finish convincing me that sticking together was the best course of action?"[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]"Well yeah, I did. And I still think that! But I'm just going down the beach a ways. And I'll have my ComPad, so we can call each other if anything comes up. Alright?"[/box][/2x1]

After some back and forth, eventually Dee Dee agrees. You suspect they might be a bit confused or upset about the changes of plan, but they don't say anything, and you don't ask about it either. Instead, the Synth gives you a quick nod to excuse theirself and heads toward the red hill, investigating a few rocks that might make for decent hammers or chisels. Meanwhile, you set off barefoot down the black beach.

The wind hisses faintly through the hostile vegetation, while gentle waves lap against the shore. Thankfully, the sulfuric stink is faint this far from the water's surface. The dark sand feels strange underfoot... there's a dry and waxy slickness to the way it shifts as you walk, and you can feel it caking onto your still-wet feet. Your shoes dangle in your off-hand, and you see the sorts of pencil-lead-colored smudges and streaks that Dee Dee warned you about all over them. You know it's silly to worry about, but you still find yourself making a mental note to wash them, once you're finally settled somewhere.

You walk uneventfully for some time. As you go, you keep the alien sea on your right side, where one end of the faintly glowing planetary ring vanishes beyond the far horizon. The other end of the ring's arch disappears behind the poisonous hills on your left, with the sun hanging just above them. The chill of evening is starting to creep into the air, but the sand is still warm and the sky is still well lit. You hope the daylight sticks around for long enough for you to find some water, or at least a safe place to sleep. Unfortunately, you don't see either of those anywhere ahead of you. Unless of course, you want to sleep in the shadow of that weirdly-shaped rock up ahead.

Wait, is that a rock? You're suddenly not sure. It's flat, white, roundish, and... looks kinda like it's embedded at an unstable angle in the black sand. It almost looks like there's steam coming off it. And... there's something darker crumpled up next to it too...

Show Content

Suggestions:

A better option might be the smoking impact site at about 4 radians. A crash site means modern materials, things you can use to build a shelter and if you're lucky some emergency supplies survived.

You break into a jog toward the unidentified object, kicking sand up as you go. It doesn't take long for the silhouette to resolve itself into the telltale shape of a small, stout wing and fuselage. It is embedded partially in the black sand, and there seem to be wisps of smoke or steam drifting up and around it. You can't tell what material it's made out of, but the shape is a lot like an Aircaster... a jet-powered personal glider you're familiar with. And though it's hard to tell from this distance, you can't help but worry that the dark crumpled shape next to it may have been the pilot...

[box=#993399 border=2]What do you do?
>[/box]

---

PARTY ROSTER:

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Dex Wright, Human Technician
[2x1][|][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/item.png border=16]Quantum Compad (Communicator, Computer, Database, Illegal, Unreliable):
Unlicensed, military-grade handheld computer. Loaded with information and utility software, mostly pirated. Powerful but temperamental, after many, many repairs.[/box][/2x1]

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Dee Dee, Synthetic

---

Check pilot for life signs. If none, check their identification, crash cause and lastly any salvageable loot

Seconding.

If they're dead....eat pilot for nutrient Bury pilot and put a grave marker up

---

You stand over the crashed Aircaster, hesitating, taking in the details. The front end of the glider is buried in a mound of steely-grey sand. Light-colored steam billows out from a rear exhaust port. The clasp on the safety belts on top seem to have either come undone, or not been secured when this thing went down. And there, on the far side of the glider from where you stand, you can see a glove-clad arm sprawled limply on the beach.

Part of you wants to get a better view of the prone body. Part of you is worried what you'll find when you do.

Show Content

Suggestions:

Check pilot for life signs. If none, check their identification, crash cause and lastly any salvageable loot

If they're dead....eat pilot for nutrient Bury pilot and put a grave marker up

[box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex.png border=32]Please don't be dead please don't be dead please don't be dead...[/box]

...you think, steeling your resolve as you cross the churned-up sand surrounding the glider, toward the figure. It's hard to tell much about them from looks alone as they come into view, but they do look like a pilot. They're covered in a full-body flight suit, complete with boots, gloves, and helmet with mirrored orange goggles. The figure is still, quiet, sprawled uncomfortably, and face down toward the sand. Their arms are folded as though to protect their head, but the way their legs have settled looks... weird.

From where you stand, there's no obvious life-signs. You'll have to get closer to be sure.

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Dex's Wits (★) are tested
3+10 (Fate) +1 (Wits) = 14 (Compromise)

You don't know much about medicine, but you figure that checking to see if the body is warm and breathing would be a good first step. You drop your shoes to free your other hand, and kneel on the beach near the figure, putting thoughts of death out of mind. Adrenaline and tension still rise in your body, as you press a hand to the pilot's upper back. Your pulse drums in your ears as you wait. One heartbeat passes. Then two. Then three. Four. More. No sign of breathing from the body. The flight-suit doesn't feel warm to the touch either. You shift your hand to the middle of the back, and try again. One heartbeat. Two. Three...

A breath. It's slow and shallow, but you felt the pilot's back rise gently as they breathed in. Then, several heartbeats later, you feel their back relax and fall. You let out a tense sigh with them. Had you been holding your breath this whole time? Relief washes over you like a wave, as the fear and adrenaline fades. You've never seen a dead person before, face to face. It's not an experience you ever hope to have.

Medically speaking, you're not sure about the condition of the pilot, so you're not sure if you can safely move them. Usually in shows, comatose people get carried around on stretchers, don't they? There's probably some good reason for that, you think. So, without moving them too much, you look them over one more time. As you do, hanging at the pilot's side you notice a harness and holster, with a sturdy-looking hand axe inside. You're not familiar with the material, but it's glossy and white, not unlike the glider. Clipped to the same belt on the other side, you see... wait, is that what it looks like?

A large flask is secured inside the pilot's other belt-holster. Suddenly reminded of the dryness in your mouth, you disconnect the flask, open the top, and take a careful whiff. Your eyes go wide. It smells like water, and not the nasty sulfur-smelling water from this beach either. It's fresh. You give it a slosh to test the weight. It's not full anymore, but you'd guess there's around half a liter left. That'd still be enough to slake your thirst, and keep you going strong through tomorrow. But...

Your eyes turn to the crashed glider. To the undrinkable seawater, and the poisonous hills behind you. To the metal pillar in the near distance, where Dee Dee is spending their limited battery power chipping away a message. To the low hanging sun, promising scant few hours of daylight before you can't safely search for water, food and shelter. Then, your eyes return to the half-full flask in your dry hands, and to the unconscious pilot.

You don't know how bad their injuries are, and if you did you still wouldn't know how to help them. You could give them the water, but what if they're injured enough that they aren't going to make it until tomorrow? You could really use that water. And with the evening chill coming into the air, that flight suit they're wearing looks like it'd be warm enough on you that shelter wouldn't be a concern. The hand axe and helmet would be really useful tools for your long-term survival too. Moreover... that Aircaster can only fit a single pilot and some cargo, by the look. It might still be in working condition, and if it is you doubt it could handle you, Dee Dee, and a third passenger. And if it's wrecked, you could scrap it and give the power cell inside it to Dee Dee. You might even be able to convert the jet engine into a turbine generator or something. An unconscious person, who may not even survive the night, doesn't need all these things, do they? Shouldn't you be making choices that put your own survival first?

You feel pretty conflicted about this... but you're in a life-or-death situation. You can't afford to spend the whole evening fretting over what's right or wrong. You need to decide what you're going to do with the rest of your evening. So...

[box=#993399 border=2]What do you do?
>[/box]

---

PARTY ROSTER:

Show Content

Dex Wright, Human Technician
[2x1][|][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/item.png border=16]Quantum Compad (Communicator, Computer, Database, Illegal, Unreliable):
Unlicensed, military-grade handheld computer. Loaded with information and utility software, mostly pirated. Powerful but temperamental, after many, many repairs.[/box][/2x1]

---

The thing is though, now that you know they're not dead, it'll be entirely your fault if they do die. Just keep that in mind.