Adventure 2.0 - Heli 3. Will Rat survive a nasty new world?

[Anastasia]

"I see," she replies, as she peers down ahead. It's still the same as before, metal siding - though, perhaps on second view, is there a slightly downward tilt to the path?

[Carthrat]

"We must be quite a ways underground by now," comments Carthrat, slowly moving down the path. "Breathe in deep, slow breaths. If you smell anything strange, cover your mouth with some clothe and breathe through your nose; there's no telling if anything strange is down here.

I'm almost tempted to go back to the ship.."

[Anastasia]

"I will," she nods, rummaging into her pocket and coming up with a simple handkerchief. "If you think we should..." she nods. "I didn't think it would be this long."

[Carthrat]

"We'll press on a little further," replies Carthrat, moving carefully, and listening to the sounds around him.

[Anastasia]

Heading on with the stream, you hear mainly the gentle hissing of water going down metal. Slowly it does slope downward, towards what looks to be an lit opening...ahead there is the end of the pipe, going into what look to be natural caves.

At the mouth, you can now see sources of light, and perhaps twenty gathered beings.

[Carthrat]

Carthrat uses his arm to block out any of the light that's too bright- travelling in darkness is hell on vision- and tries to make out what the beings are.

[Anastasia]

As you stagger ahead, you see what looks like a group of rather bedraggeled people. A smattering of humans and a few other species are there, many carrying various electronic hand weapons - blasters, generally. Nothing too scary, but enough to be a threat.

"Hold there," one calls as she steps forward, a rather tired and grimy human woman, well into her later middle age and grey haired, her wrinkled face obscured by the gun she holds up. "Who are you?"

[Carthrat]

"A traveller," replies Carthrat, glancing around. "One who has a knack for poking his nose into odd places, at that."

[Anastasia]

"You're not with the Zaftrans, then," she asks quickly, her blaster aimed right at you. "What are you, a raider from Hillsbrad?"

[Carthrat]

"Told you, I'm just your average spacer," replies Carthrat, ignoring the blaster. "Y'know. We have a penchant for wandering around."

[Anastasia]

"Spacer," she asks, not wavering at all. Her old, tired voice is firm, a firmness that belies her time worn body. She seems to consider a moment, before lowering her ray gun and nodding to the crowd behind her after turning. "Alright," she comments gruffly, about half of them lowering arms. A few are still on you, however. Turning back, "What do you want, traveller? There's nothing left here but ruins."

[Carthrat]

"Thought I'd poke around a bit. See what's going on," replies Carthrat, glancing around the place. "What a dump. Why don't you move up into the city? There's nobody there."

[Anastasia]

"There have been occasional raids of the ruins, and we're in no shape to fight seriously," she admits openly after a moment. "Not against a large band of maraders." The admission comes grudingly, as she sighs. "The Zaftrans seem intent on making sure we don't get back up."

[Carthrat]

"Huh. I guess you can tell me all about it, later," replies Carthrat, checking out the general state of the people around- sick, healthy, crippled- what are they?

[Anastasia]

It's a pretty good range, with a leaning towards men. Most are fully grown, many older. Most are lean, the few whom aren't are merely a little overweight with flesh hanging off of them - the signs of a body wasting away from former overpacking. Dirty, make shift clothes are the norm, cuts and gashes on the old fabrics seen. Despite this, they are at least reasonably clean - smelly, but not rancid.  All carry some form of weapon, most favoring low grade blasters.

You'd mistake it for a group of stranged desperados more than anything else on first glance.

"If you have something useful, maybe," she concedes, hand still holding her weapon, at least not aimed at you right now.