06 ☕ Voice

[psychic_hotline]

[Filtered to free humans living in the ruins and travellers she's encountered before]

Okay, everyone. Can't have escaped your notice that we've got some visitors. I spoke with a member of their crew - he said they're independent. I'm taking that to mean a scavenger craft, but it's not like we know the political situation out there.

There's about a hundred of them. They may have food and medical equipment to trade. Be smart about it, don't get greedy.

He said they're going to make repairs and leave; that might not happen. Anything you do to or with these people, assume you might end up with them as neighbors indefinitely. If you're hearing this from inside the Nest, safety of camp and crew come first. Always. Anybody who screws us over for some novelty or other is going to wish the Vanquish got them by the time I'm done.

[Anyone who knows Sara knows this is not an idle threat.]

[Filtered to 'visitors' i.e. free Barge characters who know they're from the Barge.]

My name is Sara Pezzini. I represent the Nest, a human encampment under the city. We can trade shelter, a little food and medical expertise in exchange for any equipment and non-perishable supplies you can spare. If that's something that interests you, contact me for access coordinates.

We're also looking for anyone with expertise in surface-to-ship communications tech.

[Open spam for assimilated 'natives' & visitors]

[The Nest was once part of a complex network of subterranean transport and supply lines. During the Vanquish's initial attacks, it became a bomb shelter - and now it's the only real, of-fixed-abode community left in what was once a millions-strong city. Sara was voted leader five years ago, but that doesn't properly describe the situation - the job was forced into her hands by the majority. It's a burden, not an honor.

Right now she's walking the tunnels, checking on things - the hydroponic farm, the medical ward, the school (inconceivably - so to speak - people still have kids occasionally). And if anyone shows an interest in visiting she'll go to one of the concealed entrances (far, far from the camp, via tunnels lousy with traps and pitfalls) to check them out.]

Comments

[surfaceshine]

[Why hello, Sara. It takes Dean a minute to get his head into the right place because she's probably safer as she is now than the rest of the Barge passengers are, and if they're stuck here, she definitely is. But it's still weird.

However.]

What's information worth to you? I have ammunition rounds [Since my fucking Colt is useless now.] and some painkillers I can trade. A good knife, if that's something you're interested in.

[He has the feeling he's going to need the rest of what he has.]

[psychic_hotline]

Knives and painkillers we can always use. Not many of us bother with projectile weapons. What information do you need?

[surfaceshine]

I'm looking for anything you got on the arena where the fights are going on, and labor camps. Location, size, security, anything.

[psychic_hotline]

[A long pause. Her voice is a little mournful.]

That kind of data's what we've paid most for. But I don't charge for it now.

[She transmits a scale map of the Vanquish settlement. The structural basics are accurate; the locations of labor camps, the arena, patrol patterns etc. have obviously been added later.]

I can't vouch for accuracy. The arena is fixed but the camps move around and I'd guess they change their security arrangements on occasion. Generally when a person goes into the Vanquish settlement they don't come back out.

[surfaceshine]

[Dean is quiet for a few minutes while he looks over the map after getting over his mild surprise that it's that easy; he's used to paying through the nose for any information at all, one way or another, and that only seems to get worse the harder it is to survive. He's nodding.]

Yeah, that's what I hear, but we're gonna give it the good ol' college try I guess. I got a guy in a labor camp somewhere, says it's like a cave, and they're being guarded by big grey dog-faced jerks. Got any clue which of these labor camps that might be?

[He hasn't heard about the testing sites, yet, or he'd be asking about that, too.]

[psychic_hotline]

The mining caves are all on the south side of the settlement. [She highlights them on the map; there's five or six.] Generally they only work two at a time. Your friend could be in any one of them.

[surfaceshine]

[This isn't exactly awesome news - Dean doesn't know how much time Jesse has, or how much time he does himself, but he studies the new information anyway and then nods seriously. Nothing to it but to do it.]

Thanks. This'll save me a lotta time and energy. Is there anything I can do for you guys out here?