Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

I call Voidfiller over, who makes identical copies of the darts, as well as appropriate blowguns as I go to the table and call over the two who have flat thumbs and non-flat index fingers.

 

They're in front of you after a second.
"Did we mess something up too?"

 

Nod can barely see through the portal without vision enhancements for low light areas, though it closes so quickly it's hard to really see what's on the other side.

Tirra, who seems to have been talking with Aeris, suddenly grabs her and throws her upward. Aeris is thrown quite far into the air before she catches herself to look around, hovering.

 

The room is massive, and further inspection reveals hundreds of robotic bugs similar to Nod. There's an insignia in the middle of the room, and she also notices that the hexagonal wireframe mesh is only one of three; there's also a triangular mesh and a square mesh.

 

“Not really. It’s just a test I like to do in these scenarios.”
I take the blowguns and darts from Voidfiller’s gloved hands.
“I want each of you to take a blowgun and a dart.”
I offer it to them.
“Now, when I say ‘Go’, you will load the darts and fire them that way.”
I point towards a direction nobody is in.
“Just tell me when you’re ready.”

 

Aeris throws one of her boomerangs at the smallest looking robot bug, the boomerang creating a small vacuum around it that sucks the bug onto it to carry it back to Aeris.

 

It panics, the others near it scattering every which way as the one flails all the way back to Aeris.

They glance at each other before nodding.
"You think we did it?"

 

Aeris looks at the bug, curious.

 

“Not really. There’s just some conflicting evidence that needs to be solved.”
I lie convincingly.
“Now, this is a race. Do it as fast as you can.”
I get in a position so I can see their hands and faces as they loaded.
“Ready, set, go!”

 

The one she picked up is made like a beetle, too small to fly. Its legs flail about, and it looks down nervously at the ground.
There's a small screen on its back now displaying an error icon with the message; "Unexpected separation from parent unit. Scatter signal broadcast locally"
It also flashes to;
"Unexpected separation from tractor beam.
Fall distance dangerous to unit"

________________________________

They both load the darts, one fumbling. The other blows, but the dart barely goes anywhere. The one who fumbled is able to fire the dart straight across the room.

 

I intently analyze what fingers they loaded with, as well as any expression they had in their faces.

 

The one who fumbled seemed frustrated, and the one who barely made the dart go anywhere was embarrased. The one who seemed to misfire didn't use his index finger, though.

 

Which finger did he use?

 

Ring and thumb.

 

Aeris gently lowers the beetle to the ground with bursts of air, mildly creeped out by it.

 

“You.”
I point to the one who misfired.
“Show me your ring finger.”

 

He does as told.

It skitters away, glancing at Aeris with fear as a larger beetle-bot (with wings) comes by and retrieves it with a tractor beam.

 

Aeris shivers, deciding to glide back down to Tirra.

A few Shadows in the small army seem to begin playing card games in the wait.

 

I check if it’s flat.

 

A few of the bug robots start watching the games, curious.

An ant robot the size of a guardian approaches the group.
"Welcome, guests. Would any of you like a bite to eat before our home is breached?"

It isn't.