Kro'khan rubs his sore neck and shakes his head. He has analyzed the options and knows what path the team must take. Unfortunately, the right path is not always the easy one.

"Our only logical choice is to cross the room. First, the doors and walls are the same material so finding a door is next to impossible. Also, we did not find any mechanisms on the doors, so even if we find one we don't know how to open it."

Before any of his teammates can raise an objection Kro'khan continues. "Besides, under these conditions 'at least Human sized' is pretty close to Yazarian sized. The lifeform on the other side of the room may be Yaundorr. Can we risk the possibility that the only other animal lifeform we found on this planet is not him?"

"I was thinking the same thing," agrees Paaglo. "Either that or it's the universe's largest bug."

Kro'khan's antennae rise briefly. This is a strange time for humor, but then, Paaglo is a Dralasite.

"Very well," concedes Toxica. "Since we haven't seen any other large animal life on the planet, I think we have to assume it's him. If that's the case, we've got to locate him and get this team back together. The robots have the advantage here, and it will only get worse if we are separated from one another."

"Then one issue remains," says Paaglo. "How do we get from this end of the room to the other end?"

Toxica turns to the Vrusk in the party. "Kro'khan, test this hydroponic liquid with your envirokit. I'm interested in knowing whether it's flammable."

Kro'khan's antennae lower this time. "Tell me you're not hoping it is..."

"I'm hoping it isn't," assures the Human woman. "If Paaglo can set a Tornadium charge on the floor where we are, we may not need to cross the room."

"I've only got four kilograms of Tornadium," says Paaglo. "But if this is something we really want to do, a one or two hundred gram charge should do it."

Toxica nods with firm resolution. "Before we do that, however, we'd better check those scrapes and cuts the plants gave us--especially you, Paaglo. We don't want to keel over in a few minutes because we bandaged a flesh wound but let some plant poison fester in the gash. If we're not poisoned, we'd better just clean our injuries and save the stimdose for now. We may need it later and until we can get back to the ship we're stuck for supplies."

[Kro'khan Diagnosis (on Paaglo): 60 (base) + 50 (medical skill x 10) + 5 (Intuition modifier) = 95%; Rolled: 06]
[Kro'khan Diagnosis (on Toxica): 60 (base) + 50 (medical skill x 10) + 5 (Intuition modifier) = 95%; Rolled: 25]
[Paaglo Diagnosis (on Kro'khan): 60 (base) + 20 (medical skill x 10) + 8 (Intuition modifier) = 88%; Rolled: 04--lucky break]

"The poisons were quite weak," reports Kro'khan. "They've done as much damage as they're going to do."

Paaglo examines Kro'khan a bit more closely. "Your neck is a bit dislocated. It must be killing you."

Kro'khan lays a star-shaped hand gingerly under his cheek plates. "Next time you try letting one of those plants get a grip around your throat."

"I studied cases like this in training back home on Terledrom. With some careful pressure, I can get your neck close to where it used to be, and it won't use up any of our drug supply."

[Paaglo proceeds to heal 3 Stamina points for Kro'khan, bringing his current Stamina up to 43.]

Kro'khan tilts his head. "That does feel better. Thank you." He then pulls out his envirokit and plant samples.

[Kro'khan Analyzing Samples (plants): 50 (base) + 40 (environmental skill x 10) + 5 (Intuition modifier) = 95%; Rolled: 37]
[Kro'khan Analyzing Samples (liquid): 50 (base) + 40 (environmental skill x 10) + 5 (Intuition modifier) = 95%; Rolled: 50]

The Vrusk reports his findings. "I think these plants were genetically engineered. They appear to all be cross-bred variations of the same strain. None of them would have survived out in the wild. They need a very specific chemical nourishment and amber lighting to survive. The outside sun alone would be enough to wither them in a matter of hours."

Toxica looks at the writhing masses of plants--all deprived of their precious chemical mixture. "So we know what the robots were doing with their hydroponic experiments. We still don't know why. What about the liquid we're standing in. Is it flammable?"

"No."

"Good. Paaglo, do your thing."

[Paaglo Setting Charges: 30 (base) + 40 (demolitions skill x 10) + 3 (Logic modifier) = 73%; Rolled: 80]

Paaglo sets up a clump of gray matter with a simple variable timer, and warns the others to take cover. But when the timer goes off, all that can be heard is a dissatisfying sizzle.

Paaglo winces and splashes hydoponic fluid with three enlarged fists. "Of all the bad moments," id complains. "The charge didn't go off, and the explosive has been spoiled."

[200 g of TD-19 and one variable timer have been wasted.]

"We still need to get down there," says Toxica. "Prepare another charge."

[Paaglo Setting Charges: 30 (base) + 40 (demolitions skill x 10) + 3 (Logic modifier) = 73%; Rolled: 72]

The results this time are much more satisfying. Toxica, Kro'khan and Paaglo stand crouched with their backs turned to the explosion. The blast rips through their collective ears, antennae and auditory membrane. None of them can tell whether the blast echoes are coming from within the room or within their assaulted sense organs. A violent storm of hydroponic liquid and rubble pelts their backs, and last of all, a heavy black smoke chokes their breathing passages.

But it is all worth it.

They turn to see the golden hydroponic liquid pouring into a rough hole in the floor.

"This wasn't the most subtle method," notes Kro'khan.

"Right," Toxica admits. "Let's go...now! Before the robots come to investigate! And let's hope we didn't scare away the biological you detected--especially if it's Yaundorr."

Paaglo giggles with a surprising hidden store of glee. "You'll have a hard time scaring the likes of Yaundorr."

The three of you drop into a silent room of opaque darkness. The only light comes from the amber illumination up through the hole Paaglo blasted in the ceiling. The hydroponic liquid continues to gush down through the hole, accompanied by gurgling echoes from the dark reaches of the room. Having come down through the same hole, you are now drenched in the stuff.

"Infra-red goggles," whispers Toxica. Even the whisper echoes.

Having donned your goggles, you get a dim green-hued view of your surroundings. There are massive pipes everywhere, and in the distance, flat unmarked walls. The ceiling (which used to be your floor) is about 4 meters from the ground.

"Yaundorr?" whispers Kro'khan cautiously.

[Paaglo Intuition: 65; Rolled: 34]

Paaglo hushes Kro'khan with a gentle pseudopod on the Vrusk's forearm. With a slight, deliberate gesture, the Dralasite motions toward a large pipe about 6 meters away.

Something...or someone...is crouched behind the pipe.

The three of you carefully approach, trying hard not to make too much noise as you tread through the liquid that has spilled down here.

You are perhaps two meters away from the pipe when an impressively muscular bipedal humanoid steps up from behind it. His hands are held outward--empty palms forward, at about shoulder's height. The creature's fingers, arms and even facial features are squarish rather than round. The face watches you from below an unkempt clump of short, dark hair.

Paaglo states the obvious. "Th--this isn't Yaundorr."

The creature replies in a deep bass voice. "Isk temro kai?"

Your poly-voxes must already know the language, for they translate the creature's words without delay: "Who are you?"

"Now at least, we should start getting some answers," says Toxica.

"Exactly," agrees Kro'khan. "But what questions do we ask?"