Murder Drones | Asset Protection

Chapter 2 | Solving Problems

Communications Facility
Subterranean Floor
Copper-9

Darkness, for that very brief moment, all I saw through my eyes was darkness. A chill spiking through my spine as I felt my body free falling through the elevator shaft. Taking a deep breath, I glanced down at gazed at the floor below, approaching me *very* rapidly. I glanced back at the elevator shaft's wall in front of me and braced myself for impact.

"High velocity detected, engaging shock absorption-" I heard an artificial voice ring through my head before being abruptly interrupted by impact.

Striking the floor of the elevator shaft, I collided with a great impact. The hardsuit I wore smashing against the concrete floor as I felt a shock and vibration ring through my entire hardsuit. Staggered in place for a moment, I raised my eyes ahead of me. Despite that entire ordeal, I was still very much alive and conscious. 

"Wheeew, I'm never getting used to that," I mutter to myself as I let out a breath I had been holding through the descent.

Quickly gathering my bearings, I step out of the elevator shaft before calling out behind me, "All clear!"

My call out was met shortly by our captain landing down in a similar manner, followed by him stepping out and our resident technician following suit. The both of them manage a better landing than I did, simply jumping down and stepping out without a hint of being shaken.

Turning away from the elevator, I was greeted by the sight of pure darkness. The ground I stood upon only being barely illuminated by the light from the surface floor.

"Ah, of course," I remark as my helmet's night vision came to life.

Gazing back at the darkness, I was greeted by the sight of a singular hallway leading up to a set of double doors in the distance. Not a single other room or piece of furniture in sight, just an empty hall to behold.

"That's . . . Something." The technician commented as he stepped forwards, breaching hammer in hand and night vision also active.

The captain soon also began pace, and so did I, following behind the both of them. The firm grip on my charge rifle didn't relent for a single second. When the previous rooms we'd spent clearing out of panicking Worker Drones, it was certainly eerie to enter a suddenly empty and dead portion of the facility. The lights being out and the stale atmosphere didn't help at all either.

Passing through the double doors, we entered yet another hallway. Though this one was less empty, a few sets of doors laying to the sides. The technician approached one of the doors, preparing to break it open before coming to see that it was unlocked, opening up with simple turn of the handle and push.

"Nice job," I remark with a chuckle.

Stepping in first as the pointman, my eyes were greeting my the sight of a table on the other end of the room. Stacked with a widescreen and several monitors to the side, a keyboard and mouse set up in front of it. A few filing cabinets laid to the side, untouched and gathering dust. Aside from that, we saw nothing more of note.

"You lot see any cameras back up there?" I inquire, "Reckon this might be some sort of security or surveillance room."

"Perhaps," The technician walks up to the keyboard and presses a few key. To no surprise, it doesn't turn on, and neither do anything else in the room, "No point staying here, can't do shit without power."

"Ehhh, no. That's not entirely true," I comment while rifling through some of the cabinets, a few old files involving rudimentary mining logs and staff dossiers, nothing special of note, "Alright, nevermind, you've got me there."