What's Behind Door Number One?

[on_repeat]

WHO: Echo & YOU-SA OTA
WHERE: The Agrii Ship
WHAT: Lost
WHEN: Yes Now-ish
WARNINGS: TBD but I'm pretty sure it's N/A. Will update as needed.

----

His initial disorientation quickly subsided the moment he realized nothing was familiar.

It was huge, yes. But oh, it was different – very different from the Venator-class Republic Cruiser Echo was used to living on between missions. Through the dark visor of his helmet, he looked up, scrutinizing the lines running along the corridors, the shape of the bulkheads, the lights. However, it soon dawned on him that he would have to learn where everything was before any further venturing was done.

"Which means we're back to square one," he muttered under a breath, shouldering his blaster while he stood there to figure out his next move. And after staring down the way at the nearest door, he sighed. "Well. Looks like I got the time. A little exploring won't kill me..."


* * *

His first point of inspection:

"Large an' empty. I wonder what could've been held in here."


* * *

Second point of inspection:

"Inventory," he almost snorted through his vocabulator. The thrill in his tone (or lack thereof) was evident. "Always loads of fun."


* * *

A third point of inspection:

"...What is this, a refresher?"


* * *

Hits and misses were plenty the more he looked around, but for some reason, it wasn't boring him. Wherever he ended up next, he was sure to find something interesting.

Comments

[deal_me_in]

"Boy I wish Zavala was here to hear you say that." The Exo was grinning even as he continued to look on outside, eventually easing out into the corridor and starting to walk along like he hadn't been doing any suspicious activity earlier.

"It seemed like a no-brainer to me. You got unidentified ships out there, missing crew here, only made sense to activate shields. Shooting them would've been my go-to option but they were sort of just...sitting out there. That and we weren't sure where the rest of the Agrii had been taken." It had helped immensely to have someone like Tony in the systems to let you know just how many were missing.

"So yeah, it was pretty busy. The resulting explosion was kind of anticlimactic. Whatever they shot at us with before then was worse. Knocked out all the systems, had internal shielding going haywire- what a mess."

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Not too far behind Cayde, Echo followed, casual in his stride. He still couldn't wrap his head around how the Exo was grinning like that. "Zavala a friend of yours?"

He did mean it. Well, maybe not the first option of shooting everything in sight, but the reconsideration of that option. Whatever everyone else missed during that stint, Cayde was sharp enough to take those details into account.

"I feel like you can't always avoid an anticlimatic turn of events," he added, looking down another corridor in passing. "Were you able to fix it all, at least?"

[deal_me_in]

"Eh, more or less. He's the Titan Vanguard," Cayde explained, gesticulating vaguely. "We don't always agree with methods."

Spinning around to face Echo as he continued to walk backwards, the Exo waffled his hand back and forth in that so-so kind of gesture. "Mostly? We're not getting fried by surprise force fields and life support's stable. All the main systems have been fixed, I think. From what I understand, there's been some changes in the engineering room. How that even figures in, or how something like that even happens? I have no clue. But I do not like it one bit."

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"Not unheard of," Echo replied with a shrug. "Having different methods can be infuriating if it's insisted upon, but it lends a different perspective on the matter if one's open to seeing it that way."

Concern did arise when Cayde described what was fixed and what wasn't. It was mostly better than still having failing systems, but those issues weren't something to sit on. "I could take a look if you want," he offered. "Might help to have a different set of eyes reviewing the issues that need tending to."

[deal_me_in]

The concern about the ship's systems have passed for the Exo as he continued along, spinning to face frontwards again as they continued to walk. He shrugged.

"Eh, it might," he replied, sounding like he believed exactly the opposite. "Another annoying thing about this place? There are some specialized things that you absolutely cannot do, let alone figure out, unless you get the information hot-wired into your brain." He tapped at the side of his head for emphasis, glancing over his shoulder with a scowl. Holding out a hand, he counted off on his fingers.

"Can't pilot a ship, can't shoot their fancy death tools, can't fix things, can't...communicate? Not sure about the specifics with that one. Where was I? Did I mention the not being able to use the weapons? Um...and plants, something about plants."

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It looked like their resources, however many, were limited in other ways. The more Cayde expounded upon the complications, the more Echo frowned. "Huh. Talk about frustrating." He especially didn't like the idea of having information downloaded into his brain. "If that really is one of the options, I'll opt out."

He kept his eyes forward. "Briefly," he confirmed. "But what's this about plants?"

[deal_me_in]

"Heh. You an' me both. Do yourself a favor and play it safe around those datapoint orb things once we get back to Temba. I've been told those are what uploads information into your mind."

Cayde twirled a finger in the air. "Yeah- don't try using Agrii weapons without a datathingy or you'll blow your face off. But you got a helmet so you should be fine." He paused a moment, getting himself back on track. "Plants- ah... like... Well, there's a greenhouse and that Tommy-kid knows the stuff growing in there because of that datapoint."

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More things to file away for future referrals. Datapoints, greenhouse, Tommy-kid. Not having his face blown off was also very important.

"Are these datapoints commonplace back in Temba?"

[deal_me_in]

Cayde sidled up to the edge of the wall as they reached a junction, peering around the corner as though he was still playing some sort of sneaking game.

"Eh, there's about a handful of 'em here and there. I'm guessing there used to be more. A whole library full, even. That might have been their common way of transferring information."

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Anyone else would have called Cayde's antics weird. Echo would still say so, but these movements were most likely beneficial in the future. Kind of like the training simulations, he thought. It was hard not to hunker down and do the same.

"Interesting," the clone murmured, quietly fighting the need to follow suit. "This at least gives me a few places to look into once we're over there. Other than the Agrii and...us, are there any others populating that planet?"

[deal_me_in]

"Did you get a communicatey thingy? Has a lotta pictographs for navigation? Should have a map of the place there. If you don't, I'm sure we can scrounge one up for you, or the Agrii will be more than happy to provide it. They're helpful like that. Not so much in other things."

Satisfied that nothing untoward was lingering in the halls, Cayde stepped on out and resumed his casual, carefree pace. "Aside from the aforementioned, a bunch of local wildlife, flora and fauna. Of the sapient or sentient kind, none so far as we've seen."

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At this point, the ARC Trooper was getting better at understanding Cayde's penchant for slightly misnaming things. "A communication device, you mean?" He did remember something like it, if only briefly. One hand released the front of the blaster, feeling around the pouches on his belt before snapping one open. "I think...this is what you're talking about, right?" He held it up for confirmation, eyeing it at the same time because it now looked very different in his coherency.

But he was at least filled in on what else he should be expecting in terms of sentient life. "So it's best to just be aware while you're out an' about," Echo concludes, making a mental note of it.

[deal_me_in]

Really, what was so hard to understand?

The double-snap points returned as Cayde gave a nod in confirmation. "Yes! That. You can get in touch with people among other things, although the other things probably vary by way of usefulness and being able to figure out what said other things are. But yeah, in general, that is always a good plan. Figured it needs not be said, you bein' used to that sort of thing and all."

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"Well then," Echo said, gaining some more Cayde insight while studying the comm front and back, returning it to its designated pouch. "Better hold onto that."

It was nice to have that kind of affirmation, too. "Is there anything else I may need to know, or should I just wait and see what will happen?"

[deal_me_in]

"Keep on your toes, be ready for anything, and um." Cayde stroked his chin. "...yeah. Wait and see what happens is probably as much as anyone can do otherwise on this boat."

He shook his head. "Not exactly what I like doing, waiting. So...you find stuff to keep yourself busy with in the meantime. But I'm sure you'll be busy trying to get yourself settled into things."

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That, along with the usual, was all pretty basic. "Keep busy. Got it," Echo nodded. "I won't have any trouble doing that much."

Surely Cayde didn't need his company for much longer. Whatever scouting he was doing on his own time was his business, after all. "Think you'll be okay if I leave you alone for now?" Yes, this was asked with a slight smirk to his tone.

[deal_me_in]

Cayde spun to face Echo again, a hand flying to his chest as he gasped. "My good sir! What ever are you implying!"

He grinned, slapping a hand on the ARC Trooper's pauldron with a laugh before turning... and nearly tripping over his own feet as he tried to part ways. His recovery was at least strangely graceful as he turned it into an almost drunken swagger, sauntering off as he whistled tunelessly.