Frisky also follows to the northwest.  "It can't be any worse this way," and then he realizes that those are famous last words.

"Desiraye, we're moving," Becka calls out, standing with her weapon at her side.  "Care to help me cover the troops as we go?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:50, Fri 03 Oct 2008.

 "Leaving...wait for me!" The Vrusk then hastily makes his way after the others while fumbling with his laser rifle.

Desiraye turns and begins to cover with Becka.  "GO," she yells out to the others.

Tanglers are lobbed at the robots.  WHen they release their tendrils, the grenades only catch one of the robots.  Three other robots move through the sticky stuff.  It doesn't seem to have a whole lot of effect on their robot bodies.

The others start out down the northwest hallway.  You see a visual scanner lens over the doorway, pointed down the corridor toward you.  It has apparently already spotted you.

Nevertheless, the door slides open as Frisky approaches, showing a 10 foot by 10 foot room with four doors (as shown at 14).

The three remaining robots are moving around the one stuck with sticky stuff.  They fire, but those fighting back easily dodge the blasts by ducking behind the door.  Their progress is slowed, but they will reach the room in about 2 rounds by going around their companion.

"Pick a direction and move!" Sergi's voice cuts through the noise of running feet
"We'll have unfriendly tin cans here in seconds!"

 "Is it possible to jam this door closed or perhaps there is a panel we might be able to hack into to slow them down?" Quickly yells the professor to no one in particular. The elder Vrusk seems a bit out of breath from all the action.

Frisky says, "So we pile into the room?"  He follows the others in and says, "Northwest then?"

"Northwest then!  Someone see if they can jam this door up to slow the robots down.  Me and Becka will cover you," Desiraye says as she moves into the room with the others.

You rush to the northwest through the doorway, the visual scanner lens following your progress.

As you get inside the four doored area, panic strikes.  The other three doors have not opened!  And the combat robots lower their weapons at the end of the hall just before the door you entered shuts behind you.

You are trapped!

A strange whooshing noise sounds around you, along with a beeping.  You see 10 dots on a strip of LCD screen across the wall.  Then 9 dots...

8...7...

The whooshing sound continues.  It seems to originate from under your feet.  The floor drops for just a moment like an elevator moving down a couple inches.

6...5...

"I've got a bad fealling about this!"

Its times like this I almost feel like peaking into my old SF books :)

"I believe we have found some internal transport tube system. Considering the structural integrity of the current denizens, we will likely be squashed by it's incredible g-forces. In the likely event it is something else, I plan to jump as high as possible at the precise moment that countdown moves from one to zero."
S'Krllk crouches in preparation, stating "It probably won't do a green egg's bit of good, but I figure if I'm going to die by elevator I might as well look as silly as possible while I go."

Desiraye watches the coutndown on the LCD screen as she slings her laser rifle to keep her hands free in case she has to grab on to something.  "You're not the only one Kri'lik.  I don't know what's going to happen but if it's bad, it's been nice knowin' all you," she says as the countdown continues.

OCC: A peek would be good but, why ruin it!  I don't remember this section of the adventure at all!

With a sigh Sergi holsters his pistol "Well, I've had a lovely time...this wasn't it!"  He glances round at the other "Do all your rescues turn out like his?"

Desiraye Lipost:

OCC: A peek would be good but, why ruin it!  I don't remember this section of the adventure at all!

Besides, I make modifications frequently.  Sometimes the book can be so...dull.

The party braces itself...and the countdown reaches zero.  Suddenly, the floor gives out, and the party finds itself sliding down a circular pneumatic tube.  The tube is slippery, and there is nothing to grab onto...and gravity carries you, jolting you from right to left for about twenty seconds and then...

 Once the professor dislodges him self from the rest of the group he stands up on his legs and surveys the room. Seeing the other races of this world chained and in poor condition his medical doctrine immediately kicks into overdrive.
"Someone help me with these restraints, these natives need my help and they just might give us some clues as to how best to deal with these Mechenons or what ever they call themselves."
 Slinging his laser rifle Kri'lik opens his medical kit and starts to diagnose the Ul-Mor first.

I have nothing to open the restraints other than a not so well aimed laser blast.

Desiraye picks herself up from the pile of her companions bodies and stands up in the room to notice (with the others) that there are three of the planets races chained to the wall.  As long as the ploy-vox still works, he tries to communicate with any of them.  "How long have you been here?"

Frisky looks nervously at the door.  "I expect that the combat robots will be here any time to disarm us and put us in chains.  We may want to prepare for that.  Can anyone unlock this door?  I have some skill, but not a whole lot."

S'Krllk moves to the door. "I'm not extremely well skilled in such things, but I dare to say I would fare better at the door than I would at anything living."
S'Krllk begins to busily search for any means of affecting the door.

The prisoners are weak, but glad to see you.  They introduce themselves as Ummo (Ul-Mor), Tulomo (Kurabanda) and Evlon (Edestekai).  They argue incessantly, degrading each other because of their race.  It is obvious these races don't get along.  But they have heard of you and are eager to help you and themselves escape.

Using items from your toolkit, you quickly help them out of their bonds, and S'Krllk successfully gets the door to open.  From the north, you hear the distant sound of rolling wheels like the approaching of more combat robots.

"We have to get out of here," Tulomo says.
"Like we didn't all know that," Ummo says.
"Shut your incessant talking," Evlon says.

They stop arguing long enough to tell you that they were taken by the Mechanons for biological studies.  They don't know much else, as they've been in chains the whole time and have lost complete track of time.

"We should go south," Tulomo says.
"No, north," Ummo says.  "They have weapons and can take down the robots."
"No, we should make a stand here and trust our fate to the gods," Evlon says.

"You're welcome," Becka states sarcastically to the arguing prisoners.  "We need to keep moving.  What's our best chance?"

"Please be clam, we will get you all out of here. Stay near me as well you are all still rather weak and thinks might get heated real quick."

Seeing to his new charges the doctor tries his best to keep the three of them near him and to his back. He administers aid as needed to help them as they progress about the complex.

"You mentioned weapons? Are you sure of their location?"

Frisky tries to defuse the prisoners.  "We have been talking to your tribes and all three of them will be working together soon to fight off the threat of giant worm creatures from outer space that threaten the whole planet.  Your tribes seem to be getting along for the moment."

He points south. "I suggest avoiding another fight," he says.

"Agreed!  Anyone else any thoughts, questions and if so can we answer them on the run?!"