STAR WARS: RETROSPECTION- Family

I figured as much. That's a dangerous course of action, but if we simply escape with no proof as to what's going on here, it would defeat the purpose of investigating to begin with. Hmm...I can't imagine it very possible for the droids to have followed us down the way we came, escape maybe the wall-crawler. I have the feeling he would be too difficult to take down for something as basic for interrogation...I don't like the idea of waiting for them to find us, either. For now, I think we should keep searching for an exit. At least if we know how to get out, we'll have a contingency and we can consider options for getting hold of a working droid.

You are having no luck on this floor with an exit. The walls are all far too thick for you to simply bust through with your saber. You will have to descend further.

Lovely. Onward we go, then! Not really finding much to describe right now, feels kinda weird. 😆

Then it happens that you come upon a hatch that allows you to go down another floor, using a ladder.

"You go first," says Jung, smiling. "I'll watch your flank."

You descend without incident.

This level feels... hotter. The atmosphere is warmer, and the heat is emanating from below.

Goodness, the time got away from me. Is still dark all get out down here, or can I discern some light along with this heat if I smother the glowrod?

No, you don't see any lights, aside from a few flashes of light from active machines. Nothing is moving in the darkness, you can sense that much.

Well, that's something, I suppose. Glowrod unsmothered and we'll take a look around while Jung makes his way down. If he's already down here, let's just keep moving.

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"It's clear, for the moment," Aurel says as he raises the glowrod up to better see where they had descended. He kept his free hand near the hilt of his saber, not all that assured.

Once you reach the floor, you are uncomfortably warm. The heat is coming from the level below this one.

The light reveals that the floor is also scattered with parts and junk. The machinery up here is being worked on.

Closer to the source, it seems. Let's keep moving, keeping an eye out for any new surprises, and try to find a way down.

______________

"It's busier down here," Aurel remarks, watching his step as he steps over abandoned pieces.

"They're trying to fix the old machines," Jung says. "We don't have much time to be fumbling around in the dark. Can you make another way down?"

"Not my preferred method, but you have a point," Aurel replies, turning the hilt of his saber in his hand so that the silver beam forms into the ground in front of them. He carves out a rough but appropriately sized hole, stepping back as the sundered metal vanishes and whatever heat rushes upwards. After a moment, he looks down for some platform to land on.

It takes some time here; the floors are thicker.

You get it done, and there is a clatter as the floor segment falls away... but it blends in with the roar of operating machinery. Below you is a maintenance catwalk, and a pulsing red glow emanates from your newly-carved hatch.

Aurel drops down to the catwalk, remaining crouched as he lands to survey this new level. After a moment he straightens up and watches Jung's descent.

It becomes obvious where the heat is coming from, once you are in the room. There are gargantuan vats of molten metal moving about the facility on conveyor belts. Additionally, hundreds of machines- all of which were turned off on higher levels- are working rapidly.

The din is deafening, and Jung has to get close to be heard.

"It looks like an assembly line!" Jung yells.

Aurel nods in acknowledgement to the officer, rather than stress his throat to be heard over the racket. He takes a moment to observe the line itself to see which direction it seems to be progressing before moving in the opposite direction, hoping to find where it all begins. He motions for Jung to follow him closely.

On a side note: I'm both surprised that it's been a month since there's been movement here (totally my fault, sorry), and that it's only been a month. It's felt like much longer. 😐

The conveyor belts are all moving in a variety of directions. They all slope downward, toward this level's floor. You see one disappear through a hatch, to the next level down.

You also see droids patrolling the maintenance walkways and conveyor belts.

(It's okay. I'm pretty busy with my life. A post a day would be optimum but even I've been flaking.)

Can we make out an exact number of droids?

Hard to get an exact figure. They are spread out all over the place in small groups. Not particularly close together, at least.

Jung thinks you could sneak past if you have Intrusion. Otherwise, they're not too closely grouped so making a run for it is also an option if spotted.

Unfortunately I don't. Looks like making a break is our best bet. Am I able to use the Force to move faster in this situation, and would it benefit? I ask because I'm considering maybe leaving Jung on the catwalk on point.

The Force can be used for bursts of speed, but it would drain all your Force points for the story if you utilized it to streak past the droids on this level.

Jung professes that he'd rather not be left alone.