middleofsomewhere | Not with a Bang: Side Missions

On day nine of the month of Imagination voidtreckers may notice a new symbol on the SCA map. Lime green exclamation marks hover above several sections of Nion’s jungle. Tapping these exclamation marks will bring up additional tasks that need to be undertaken.

These appear at different times over the course of day nine and ten and do not seem to be linked to any specific team, anyone who wishes may follow their SCA to the marker and help solve the problems.

Task 1

Shield integrity is below expected levels in sector R-37. Potential for sabotage. Please investigate at the location indicated.

R-37 is a mile-wide area of jungle with a single solar station. and a cursory investigation will show that station to be the cause of the issue. Sirens wail and indicators flash red, both light and sound spilling out into the surrounding jungle.

The structure doesn’t seem to have taken any physical damage, but something is certainly wrong. The shielding in the air above this sector is flickering on and off, and no attempts to stabilise it work.
It will require a hard reset to fix; the map icon will pinpoint two towers on the corner of the station grounds from which this may be done. It will require a mix of people to physically climb the towers and access the controls whilst others reboot the system from inside the solar station building. The SCA will indicate locations and required interactions.

Task 2

Impacts upon the array have caused seismic activity in sector E-10, blocking a major river. Repair damage to the environment caused by the tremors.

It will be obvious when the Voidtreckers arrive in sector E-10, because the area is completely flooded. Trees are submerged and water is in places deep enough for Voidtreckers to have to swim, though for the most part they will be able to wade through the muddy water to find the source of the problem.

A sizable landslide has completely dammed the river running through E-10 at two points, causing the waters to swell and flood its surroundings. Whilst most of the wildlife is able to swim or climb and is therefore unaffected, one resident of the jungle is faring even better - the large plesiosaur-like reptiles that call the river home can now range much further afield in search of prey.

Voidtreckers should clear the river of debris, whilst avoiding dangers both environmental and reptilian.

Task 3

A violet panda pack has been detected in northern sector B-19, moving rapidly westwards. Given the lack of nearby solar stations, this movement is uncharacteristic. Please investigate.

Once Voidtreckers get into sector B-19 they will find the panda pack stampeding through the jungle. Some may wish to help them out and calm them down, but for those investigating the trail they have made through the undergrowth is clear.

Following backwards they will discover a blackened, smoking area of jungle, raggedly felled trees and a small crater where something has impacted heavily against the earth. The surrounding trees are partially ablaze, though the dampness of the foliage mean that none of the fires have grown large enough that they can’t be put out with concerted effort. A small river runs through B-19, within walking distance of the impact site.

Task 4

Solar Station 29 in sector Y-5 is taking fire from unknown assailants. None of its security drones are responding. Defend the station and identify the aggressors.

Their SCA will direct them to the entrance of Station 29. It is under attack by two large terraforming robots, identical to any of those already seen on Nion. There is also a complement of security drones with them, all painted with 29 across their chassis, and all attacking the station.

They are no tougher than any of the other automatons encountered thus far, but their attack is more coordinated compared to the simple self-defense of the stray robots. Even though they are focused on attacking the station, they will turn and fight anyone who tries to stop them.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The pandas have gone wild. We repeat, the pandas have gone wild.

Which is the most activity many will have seen from the pandas, usually docile to the point of indifferent. But once Senku finds the pack, he isn't the only one to: Tidus is stepping at as one of the pandas gives out a guttural yell at him, more deep than a sound that carries.

"Hey, I'm just trying to get through! I don't speak panda!" is Tidus's protest. To the panda. Waving his hands in front of him. Don't come at him, bro!! He's not here for this part of the sidequest!

"Erm." Senku just stared for a moment as though he couldn't process what he was seeing.

Rampaging pandas, including one very upset one.

"How do you calm down pandas?" He doubted Tidus knew. He approached one himself. "Stop that." He scolded it, which got exactly zero notice from the bear in question.

Watch, as the pandas continue to yell and bash at everything around them. That tree? Fuck that tree! That other one? Yeah fuck that tree too!

"They wanna calm down!?" is all Tidus has to offer in his zilch of knowledge. "I'm going where they came! You coming with?"

They could be the pair to soothe the distressed souls of these furry animals....

...or they can just get out of the way of upset fur balls and see what got them upset in the first place.

"I don't know what bears are thinking, do I look like some kind of animal whisperer?" Senku asked, a bit flustered.

"Yeah, let's do that." He turned in that direction and started walking. "If whatever upset them being resolved doesn't calm them down then...I guess we'll have to come up with something."

Or, they could leave it and it could be someone else's problem.

See, just avoid troubles by walking away from them. Or one of the troubles. They're just stressed out bears, right?? They weren't the only ones to get the message about issue, surely.

"Someone else on Blue's gotta know how to handle them. But, I haven't heard anything about those things getting spooked easy. All any of them try to do is nose and smell at you. When they aren't just wandering off." All of the creatures around here have been like that, actually...

But the way that the pandas came is easy to follow, if just. The growth stamped down under heavy paws, and Tidus realises something... a smell in the air...

"Hey... is someone else here? That smell..."

"Me neither, but aside from Inigo telling me not to eat them, I didn't really pay attention."

He stopped a moment in surprise as that scent cut off their conversation. "Fire." Senku agreed.

"How the hell did a fire get started, it's wet here." He kept going, they'd have to proceed with caution.

bUt wE tHoUgHt yOu cAn'T sTarT fiReS heRe sEnkU!!

No, nevermind what's possible and what isn't. Tidus decides to do what he does best and rushes ahead, getting deeper into the foliage. The smell becomes thicker until they reach the clearing -- and up ahead the crater shows inside, the scattering of fire everywhere. Not blazing high, but still noticeable, still eating at grass and plant.

"A meteorite?" Tidus exclaims at the sight.

It didn't matter how unlikely it was to have fire in such a wet place, because there was a fire.

"How did it get through the shields?" Senku asked, looking up at the sky instead to see if he could see something.

"It might be worth it to check the nearest station for a breach..and we should do something about the fire." It would probably burn itself out but maybe they could save some of the panda's habitat.

"I see a river."

"I can deal with this!" Tidus declares, a nod to the meteorite. "You check out the station, see what you find. Me and Gibbs will work on taking out the fires."

Tidus had no clue how to operate most of what was in the stations, but a fire? He had water on hand, even without the river (though, that could still be good). A light glows from Tidus's chest as he touches it, and pulling it away, a small creature 'hops out' and squeaks, teleporting and then reappearing on the ground.

...or so the question does, but if Senku can see it depends on how 'heart of gold' he is. Is this Kingdom Hearts all of the sudden?

The good news, maybe, is that he can see it? Senku stares at it for a moment, but there is no time to ask questions, he can ask Tidus later about his strange creature companion.

Instead, he turns his attention to the control station to go see what could possibly have let something through the shields, if even that's what happened. It was hard to say.

When Senku gets to the station, nothing will look wrong or out of place inside, or even when he checks out the computer and its setting. The shield is on, no settings have been seemingly messed with.

Was it just a stray piece of meteorite the shield didn't catch? Is it because they still haven't got all the stations up and running? Or did someone put in bad settings. Senku can probably figure that last one out.

Whatever the case, what happens next depends on who'll take longer. Tidus can make decent work of the fires with the higgledy and his own control over water - a more natural element to him than any other. He figures the meteorite must've spooked the pandas, wonders if anyone else dealt with them.

...

...

well, not a problem for him and Senku!

But if Senku's going to run every check he can at the station, Tidus will trek over to it, past the solar panels and inside. Regardless of where they meet, asking-

"What was up?"

When he returned to Senku's side, his brow was furrowed and he was frowning at the consoles, the displays, everything.

"It's all fine." He said, looking up with a blink.

"All the settings are correct that I can see, the shields are on...how the hell did this happen?"

It was a mystery, albeit a vexing one.

Well if Senku didn't know, Tidus knew he wasn't going to figure it out. Though he wonders-

"Think it's because of a nearby station? Are they all fixed around here? Maybe they're not as good the farther out they get from the station."

Something like that? A weakness in the farther ends of the shield. It wasn't like they could see the things.

Senku crossed his arms, giving that some thought and he sighed. Ultimately, that was a very plausible reason.

"Sounds like I'm taking a walk. You've got them marked on your map right?"

Tidus brings up his SCA, loads up the map that extends out, holographic, an outlined section of land covered in dots.

"Gonna be a walk," he shares tiredly. But, that was about half of this whole mission, even with Webs's teleports. "Ready?"

"Ugh. Yep." Senku cracked his neck slightly.

"Let's go." He said, walking with Tidus in the direction of the next station. Someone else could deal with rampaging pandas, they'd deal with the shield.

Not with a Bang: Side Missions

task 3

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okay for wrapping around here?

Yep. And so they went on an unending journey...