[Day 5, SMR] What's Out Here?

[Cuyler Gray]

From what she'd heard earlier, there was likely a lot that could be found around Chin Rock. Cuyler wasn't looking for anyone's secret hoard. She was just curious about what else might be hidden on the area.

[Kannon]

With all its temporary infrastructure, the place seemed to be suggesting it had no past, just repeated cycles of functional now. But its location as a tongue into the Erg seemed too unique to be disregarded by even the oldest inhabitants of Arrakis. Sand and storms could obscure many a past even better than Harkonnen vandalism, but perhaps there were traces of what the Chin Rock could have been to people before? Did the rocks remember?

[Where is the box?]

[Cuyler Gray]

She wasn't a geologist, but she was definitely curious about the rock formations. She began to explore more, moving away from the inhabited structures.

[She'd have it with her.]

[Kannon]

[Discipline 2 to locate something.]

[Cuyler Gray]

She tried to be careful as she looked for anything if interest.

- - -
[Day 5, SMR] What's Out Here?, Discipline (8)/Truth (8), Observant/Attention to Detail: 2#1d20 20 3

[Kannon]

And she found a thing, steps somewhere that could only have been man-made by the regularity of them, except it was semi-dark and the centuries had polished them. One misstep and Cuyler was riding down those stairs, her posterior none the happier, but it was her foot that took the fall to the ankle once a boundary happened. The pain shot up her system.

[Complication: Sprained Ankle]

And thank God, for the precipice was just ahead. The steps terminated rather abruptly, broken by whatever geologic catastrophe had cut the cliff of the Chin Rock by a chunk, revealing what was now favourite Harkonnen execution spot below. But whatever had collapsed once here, some steps had been leading down to it. Perhaps there was more down there except spire rocks and broken bones?

[Cuyler Gray]

She did her best not to scream. She rested for a moment, considering her options. She looked for another way down as she tested her ankle.

[Kannon]

Maybe her ankle was better than it had felt on impact, maybe not. Walking would tell. Her options were to fly down, climb down, crawl up, or... make a call.

It reminded her of a family story, one of her female forebears, who had survived detention at Salusa Secundus, and the story was about being stuck in a crevice amid nuclear-blasted rocks with a hurt leg, with a laza tiger at the only exit. She had survived it by cooking a phosphorus-based pyrotechnics scraped from the sediment, and so making her position known to her husband. She'd been a smart cookie. Prudence was her name.

[Cuyler Gray]

She began to crawl back up.

[Kannon]

It was taking time, but the leg wasn't useless, just uncomfortable. Under her fingers, she could feel the slight marks of stonework. Actual stonework, not laser carving.

[Cuyler Gray]

She grumbled a bit, hoping she'd be able to search below at another time. Cuyler didn't trust her footing on the steps, waiting until she reached the top before attempting to stand.

[Kannon]

"Don't ever let yourself be sent to Salusa Secundus, Gray. You wouldn't live a day." The voice from above belonged to one of the Sardaukar. He offered a hand.

[Cuyler Gray]

She accepted. "You might be surprised by what I could cook if, if I had to. It's not the worst tumble in the dark I've had."

[Kannon]

"Cooking takes time. Most of the things there are rather impatient and eat raw." The man straightened, letting her find her own footing. "What exactly did you want to accomplish down there?"

[Cuyler Gray]

"This audit is more than pouring over records and crunching numbers." she explained. "We're also looking for what isn't being documented. There's something unusual about this place. I was hoping to get an idea of what."

[Kannon]

"And what you've accomplished is hurting yourself." He sneered. "What's the next step?"

[Cuyler Gray]

"No, I did find sonething." she shook her head. "But, I need to get down below to learn more."

[Kannon]

"It's a disgrace to my rank I have to babysit your lot, but I serve at the Emperor's pleasure." The man said wryly. "Fortunately I got some insulation when I served in the Palace Guard on Kaitain. So, auditor, what you're saying is that you want to take flight. I heard there's going to be a storm, so let's make it quick."

[Cuyler Gray]

"As quick as possible." she nodded.

[Kannon]

"Tell me the where then." He began walking toward the landing pad.

[Cuyler Gray]

"The bottom."she said. "There are stairs back there. They don't go all the way down anymore, but they led to something at one time. Of course, there are other ways down there now."

[Kannon]

"Obviously. But you don't have a drop armour, so we'll take a thopter. Landing may be tricky, especially if you want to avoid Harkonnen attention."

He then proceeded to the thopter and waited for her in it.

[Cuyler Gray]

She boarded and strapped in. "That would be preferable. Let's see what can be done. I appreciate this."

[Kannon]

Cuyler had done a risky low flight over perilous landscape without searchlights on, so it was supposed to be easy this time, right?

The Sardaukar was a decent pilot, it seemed, so it should be okay?

"I was briefed we can't use shields too close to the sand. That calls the worms. Do you have good eyes?"

[Cuyler Gray]

"Yes." she said. "I'll watch for hazards and anything else."

- - -
[Day 5, SMR] What's Out Here?, Discipline (8)/Truth (8), Observant, Constantly Watching: 2#1d20 10 15
2 successes