6: Bob Has Bitch Tits

terminal 0

unfinished

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Time: 19:53, September 18 Location: Renegade mine Okay, see? I told you the incinerator wouldn't be a problem. So we found the mine. Unlike the Pfhor, who use thermal harvesting for their energy, the renegades use some of their clones to do physical mining. Apparently, there is an Artemisian ore which yields a lot of energy when converted from... I dunno. I'm not the right guy to ask about that, but what is certain is, the minerals that are being mined here are extremely important to something-or-other that the renegades are running, and thus, in the spirit of good will, we should destroy it. Plus, we've got some interesting news.

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The renegades are more mysterious than we know, apparently. We've been hacking into some of the less-guarded terminals you've visited, which has generally ended up with run-ins with the renegade AI, Karuma. You may be asking yourself, "what is this multi-colored stuff all about?" Let me tell you. Actually, let me just tell you what you may have heard from Karuma already. In particular, we have been pointed toward a large cluster of structures far to the north of here, closer to the north Artemisian pole, with the promise of "secrets." Since this whole damn mess is a big secret, we wouldn't mind knowing more, so that's our next destination.

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Your mission here is relatively basic. A particular drill has been idled somewhere in this region because its position was miscalculated, and it now is lying over a tube pumping some extremely volatile substance. A core piece was removed from the back of the drill, so that nobody can accidentally toggle it again. You need to find that piece and install it; once you install that, we can remotely control it down into the pipe and blow the whole mine up. Or something. At any rate, that's your objective.

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A large, natural, geothermal vent has also formed over the structured part of the mine, and a few transfer/escape pods have been mounted in there in the event of such an emergency. You'll be leaving through one of those. Now put on your hot suit, and get to it. Oh, right. Remember that those shooting at you are not truly human, they are merely clones of us. Slightly stronger, slightly faster, but still human. Show no mercy.

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success

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While your efforts at hijacking the drill have been successful, you forgot one thing. Namely, you need to find the escape pod. It's the only way you can get out of here, because apparently there aren't any teleport-primed terminals here, and anyway, it'd be nicer to have a shuttle, so we can bypass some of these teleport barriers. Anyway, head toward the pods. They're in the east part of the installation.

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terminal 1

unfinished

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[ S'pht translator active ] Message from Karuma commences: One of your fellow slavers has misaligned Drill #SX16R4 such that it is positioned over pumping tube 44. As such, we cannot continue to drill with that utility such that it is bodily moved by Human Slave Physical Utility Team 137. Said drill must be moved within the next 12 hours or team 137 will be summarily executed and replaced. Additionally: the intrusion of a human privateer in upper sections of our dominion has required us to enforce Security String 6 in this sector. As a result, access to the mines is disallowed without the proper security key cards. Have a nice day! Your unwavering and unquestioning obedience is appreciated.

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Do you like it? If all I have to do is close a door on you so you can't ruin our operations, that's fine by me. You are quite the warrior, but not even your strongest explosives seem able to dent a wall. Goodbye.

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terminal 2

unfinished

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[ S'pht translator active ] New item requisition policy enforced by AI Karuma-1.1 follows: 1. To enter a storage locker, one must have a F01/02 Key Card. You must have your own key card; waiting for someone else to open a locker is strictly prohibited. 2. Access to lockers of security: 0 does not require a card. Please store all maintenance materials in lockers of security: 0. 3. Any withdrawls not permitted according to rank, species, etc. is strictly prohibited; the penalty is death. Administration sincerely hopes that you understand and are willing to follow these simple rules. Your obedience helps make life easier for everyone!

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terminal 3

unfinished

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Okay, good, you found the escape pods. This seems to be the only one that's available; the others are all filled with minerals and are going to be shipped off to other regions at some designated time. So, when you complete your objective, come here. Now that you've activated the terminal, it can be accessed remotely by out science team. Remember that tracking device I told you about, that we put in your suit? Maybe not. Anyway, we can use it to remotely access terminals that you have already accessed. I'd say it's handy, but you probably don't care.

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success

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Good one! With the drill reconstructed, we can get you out of here, and then send the drill down into the stuff below. The resulting light-show should be fantastic. If only you were here to see it. Communicating with Karuma has been quite a task, but we've found the coordinates for our destinaton: another garrison about 3300 miles north of here. The garrison protects a cluster of more streamlined structures -- shipping and computing control, to name a couple major things -- so it's important that we scope out the area. The shuttle we're sending you there in should be able to bypass the garrison and set you down directly in the warehouse district. Your objectives as follows are strictly informational; as Karuma has told us, there are secrets abound, and we want you to find them. Let's get out of here.

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<teleport to level 7>

terminal 4

unfinished

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[ S'pht translator active ] ** informational interface only ** ** remote access is forbidden ** ENTRY NO. 23-117-1993 SUBJECT Our plea to the S'pht'Kr AGE 1013 years 21 days Our fellow clans lie in ruin! Now is the time when we must make our move. Why the council retains such a stoic attitude toward a wonderful opportunity baffles me; only united can we defeat this slaver race, and we are not united! Our clans lie divided. We must take this opportunity to crush them all, and as one, defend what is rightfully ours against the insects.

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** informational interface only ** ** remote access is forbidden ** ENTRY NO. 23-117-2002 SUBJECT No more AGE 1012 years 322 days We cannot remain dormant any longer. The Kr cast shame on all S'pht! The slavers are systematically overwhelming our bretheren, and your decision to remain passive is a slant against our entire kind. If we must take arms against not only our brothers, but our own clan, to do battle against our warring kind and reclaim unity, then we will.

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** informational interface only ** ** remote access is forbidden ** ENTRY NO. 23-117-2051 SUBJECT We must flee AGE 1012 years 311 days Defeated by our own clan, we must retreat. Do not mistake us and our flag for yours any more, Kr, for we are not you any longer. The Akn will claim what is ours: unity amongst our kind, and victory over the hated Pfhor. The Gray Incident secret terminal 2/7

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