131. DELTA-3 Cauldron
Opening the door on the southeast wall does not lead to another tunnel. Instead, it opens to another hexagonal corkscrew. Unlike the other two, this one is not set up as storage, but as an assembly line that is hundreds of meters long, extending down several loops.
A trio of Glinthawks rush you as you open the door, along with a blast of air noticeably warmer than the rest of the facility. The Glinthawks will push you back into the Processing room before attacking you, and will attempt to avoid damage to equipment as before. Use your system adapter to resolve the encounter before continuing.
After, the voice will speak to you:
Please stop. There’s no need for this. Why are you doing this?
Pushing back through to the room, you get a better look around. The assembly line is currently building Glinthawks. A dozen or so are in sight, in various stages of completion, with the closest being the most complete, missing one wing while the other is being attached by machine arms coming out of the wall. Inside that line is a belt system moving in the opposite direction, carrying what look like reclaimed and damaged machine parts down to some kind of glowing forge-like opening at the very bottom. Opposite of that, maybe 100m below where you are now, stacks of pristine containers sit against one wall — presumably from a previous production run along the same line.
Along the nearest wall, a large room has been carved into the stone of the mesa. It stands out, as while all the other walls of the facility have been that dark metal and cabling, the walls of this room lack that finish, and look very new.
In the middle of the room are four people, naked and unconscious, strapped to large hexagonal rings. The rings are oriented at various angles, one in a standing position, another laying flat, and the others inclined. Each person is intubated and has other lines running into their arms and legs. They do not stir at your presence, nor the combat before it. If you approach, thick arms made of ropy cable will retract away from one of the people, and into the hexagonal frame.
Narrators looking for additional (spoiler) context for improvisation in this conversation may see entry 822.
If you ask the voice what is happening:
One of the workers ate a fruit they should not have, before I had the chance to test it. They became very ill. I have some limited knowledge of animal physiology, but had no facilities at the time to investigate the reaction. I built this room, but by the time it was completed, the worker had already recovered. The worker and I conversed, and they agreed to come to me if they had any more reactions.
After some consideration, I realized I was not going to get enough data on these adverse reactions if the workers only ate the plants they knew. I cannot release my hybrids until I understand their effects. The biological responses of these workers are providing invaluable data.
If asked whether the people ever wake up:
No, there is no need for that. I can monitor their responses much more efficiently than they can.
If you ask whether the people have consented to this:
Every scientific effort needs a test set. These humans were all convinced to come here, one way or another.
If asked whether the people can be safely disconnected:
They have been here for weeks and months. I cannot be sure how their bodies will react.
For pretty much every other question, the voice will not provide anything beyond the usual “not your concern” response.
Next Steps
The assembly line can be damaged, with significant effort, but the line will start to repair itself even as you continue to destroy things. It would quickly become clear you could only be successful with the concerted efforts of dozens, if not hundreds, of people. Automated fire suppression systems prevent even explosions from doing much.
Disconnecting the people from the tables is possible, but takes quite some time and patience. (Characters with weak constitutions may want to make the appropriate checks as the tubes are removed from their esophagi.) Anyone with a medicine background can check them over, and they seem to be healthy, but in a very deep sleep, with an incredibly low pulse. They can be carried out, but they are not able to move under their own power.
The technology of the experiment room is interesting, in that it is almost rudimentary compared to the assembly line below.
The basic parts are the same, but there’s no sense of grace to how they have been assembled.
There are three plastic pouches of clear liquid which your Focus labels as REGENERATIVE ENZYMES (I.V.).
Characters with proficiency in Medicine might be able to figure out how to use these.
The industrial chemicals in the Laboratory and Processing rooms can be used to craft resupplies of most items, though it may take some creativity to figure out how to use the assembly line as a workbench.
If you have not yet been to the roof, go to entry 130. Otherwise, to make your way out of the facility, go to entry 132.