Act I: Mercurian Underground

[Halbarad]

The keypad is fairly non-descript, really; aside from the fact that the numbers are written in Lunarian script, it looks like something you'd see on a security panel next to anyone's front door at home. It's a small metal box, no more than a few centimeters tall, mounted under a slight overhang on a large, whitish-colored stone. It's actually a touchpad; the 'buttons' on it are marked-off squares on a single backlit sheet of plastic. There are two lights above the keypad, one red and one green. Currently, the green light is flickering intermittently.

[Jon]

Michael gives up on this approach and stands up to join the others. Perhaps there will be more down below.

[thepanda]

“I’m not sure,” Christopher says, still examining the Mercurian system. “There used to be an automatic docking sequence. Hell, there still is, but I have no idea if that boat we road in on is even compatible for it.”

“Even given that it worked, which I’m not saying it will, we’d still have to deal with any Mercurian security and codes and whatnot to get this baby docked right. The inside, so far as I’ve seen, hasn’t stood up as well as these doors. Not that I’ve seen much, mind you; this bit of docking sequence does appear to be a standalone system. I’ll have to get further in to connect with any main grids.”

“Given all that? I’d say leave the ship up here for now, dear pilot. Stretch those legs a little!” Christopher gives a little bounce-bounce. “We’re explorers, not sight seers, after all. Now lets look for a way down. An elevator would be nice, but we’ve probably got some stairs to climb.” Putting words to action, Christopher begins looking for a way down.

[Ebiris]

"A service entrance?" Rowan raises an eyebrow (unseen in her spacesuit). Shrugging, "Oh, well. I suppose it is feasible... Just bear in mind that any artifacts we find will have to be carried back up to the ship - not to mention coming back for resupply and rest. We'll be limiting our potential to explore what lies beneath if we have to come all the way back up here."

She does pause for a moment, thinking. "Well... there's actually no reason why we can't just bring the atmospheric generator down with us to make a base camp in the facility. But first we need to find another entrance."

Putting action to words, Rowan embarks on a circuit of the currently open docking bay doors, about ten metres from the perimeter as she searches for any indication of a service entrance.

[Halbarad]

Finding a service entrance takes quite a bit more doing - the entrance itself closes before anyone finds any sign of one. However, after about twenty minutes of searching, Arkian finally manages to find a metal hatchway concealed beneath a large, flat stone, right next to where one of the rows of lights is (or would be; you can't see them anymore with the shaft closed).

[Carthrat]

Arkian tries picking up the stone and throwing it somewhere away from everyone else (and the hatch, of course).

[Halbarad]

It's easily enough accomplished; while a rock that size would probably weigh a hundred pounds or more in standard gravity, on the smaller planet it poses little difficulty at all. It kicks up a shower of gravelly dirt when it lands a couple of meters away.

[Carthrat]

Arkian kneels down and inspects the hatch.

[thepanda]

“Found something?” Christopher asks, coming over to the pilot.

[Halbarad]

There's not much to describe. About the size of a manhole cover, it's got a collapsible handle set into one side. It's made of some silvery-gray metal, and there doesn't appear to be any sort of lock on it.

[thepanda]

“This looks promising,” Christopher comments. He grasps the handle and fiddles with it, trying to open the (hopefully) entrance.

“You might want to stand back, just in case,” he warns.

[Halbarad]

It takes some effort to budge the hatch - there's a slight grinding sensation as you tug on it - but eventually you manage to open the access hatch in a shower of dirt. The tunnel beyond is best described as dark - from the lights on your suit you can see a metal ladder leading downwards, and that's it.

[Carthrat]

Arkian glances down the long, deep hole. "I'll go first," he offers, moving towards the ladder.

[thepanda]

“Awe, and I’d hoped we’d be getting to draw straws or something.” Christopher reaches into his tool kit, pulling out a flashlight for further lighting. “You might want this. Should be better than the bug lights on the suits. I’ll follow down after you.”

[Carthrat]

"Right," replies Arkian, taking the light and turning it on. "Someone should stay up here, in case we have trouble and need something from the ship. They can follow later."