Slavegear - Part 2

"What if they recognise us?" She frowned "Or they might talk to us."

"Mabye... Im sure we'll find out." she frowns has g
Jer eyes look around the area, "hmph..." she crosses her arms and closes her eyes a moment, "We carry these weapons yet i doubt we'll use them..." her eyes scan around.

Twilight had wandered a bit on her own, looking around for anything of magical nature. At times, she tapped on the ground to see if thre were hollow sounds, but to no avail to her senses.

~The rest of the world may put more faith in technology, but I'm still the element and princess of Magic! Whatever 'magic barrier' would block most will be childsplay for me!~

She then ponders a bit more.

~If that didn't come from frustration, I would make a really good evil conquerer from fictional stories. Anyway, back to business.~

She sat on the ground in lotus position, closing her eyes and focussing on her breathing. Her horn began to glow with magic, as she tried to find a spell for seismic senses in her mind.

"Recognition wouldn't be ideal," Radiance nodded in agreement to Moon "but conversations do have many advantages. And at least one of us should go and speak with the workers before they start assuming things."

Kaylee nodded: "Just wave your wallet around and say you're a federal agent or something. Those guys probably seen so many investigators go through here, that they won't give us a second glance.

If possible, we should send someone who hasn't appeared on TV much, someone they won't recognize right away. Someone who's really good with people"


Upon hearing this, Johan attempted to hide behind Elisabeth. In turn, Elisabeth attempted to hide behind Johan.


Kaylee rolled her eyes slightly and looked at the maintenance workers again:
"..talking to them may be a good opportunity to learn more. If those guys work in the tunnels, they would be the first to notice any odd changes down there"






As you look around, you notice several light poles, towering over the area. One of the poles had three security camera's attached to it. The cameras were pointed at the tunnel entrance, the train station, and the part of the road that immediately linked to the train station.

The train station itself appeared to be in a bit of a mess. Dozens upon dozens of deep tire tracks riddled the gravel and the adjacent road. You notice a little construction material scattered around, possibly what fell out of the transports that passed through here. Coal, saw dust, pieces of wood.

The train station itself was considerably littered with empty coffee cups, wet newspapers and cigarettes. Looks like nobody bothered to clean this place for a while.









(Twilight)


As you wandered around, you couldn't detect magical sings of any kind. The gravely earth below sounded solid, as far as you can tell, there weren't any hollow spaces below.

As you close your eyes and begin to meditate, the world around you slightly changes color, reflecting the magical aura's of those around you. Sings of past magic spells usually left a trace in the world, but as you examine the train station more thoroughly, it seems no one has cast any significant magic spells here, for a long time.

At least, in the immediate area.

"Do you think we could look at what was on those security cameras??" She pointed

Twilight continues the breathing excercise, slowly increasing the area of effect she can detect things in. She would know it if there was something blocking the waves, as it would leave a gap of sorts in the field of scanning.

~How far do we go?~

Kaylee looked up, following Moons line of sight:

"...huh.. public security cameras. They must be part of the city surveillance grid"
She looked at Moon: "Some cities put cameras like these in public places, like parks or bus stations, to monitor the crowd. In case a crime happens, they can review the footage to identify the criminal and trace their movement later"



She looked at the cameras again: "Mm... these cameras look really old. This model doesn't store any data inside, it transmits everything directly to the surveillance hub. Typically to a police station, or something similar.
If we'll want to review the footage, we'll have to physically travel to the police station and go to its server room... which may open a whole new can of worms..."


She thought for a moment: "...nothing we can do about it now, but its something to keep in mind for later. Maybe if we find some more clues in the tunnel, we'll know what to look for in the camera footage"



She looked around: "...we can head into the tunnels, or stick around here a bit more, if you want to talk to the maintenance workers or explore the station some more"











(Twilight)


As you continue to scan the area, you can't seem to detect any blocks or gaps of any kind. The radius of the spell grew, reaching about two dozen meters into the tunnel.

After several minutes of thorough scanning, you don't notice any signs of magic. According to the scanning spell, no one had performed any significant magic here, for a very long time.

You don't detect any signs of gaps or blocks in the scanning field.

"Walking past the maintenance workers without speaking to them wouldn't be wise." Radiance draws his attention back to them sifting through their conversation again, this time analysing their tone more closely. Years of detective work and interviewing suspects has given Radiance the ability to notice changes in a ponies speech pattern when they were nervous or lying. Even professional liars still made minor changes to account for this, something most other's would fall for. Right now he was just observing and building an analysis of each worker

"There's also a small chance that the security camera's footage is also stored on a local drive, I'm thinking that office building would be the best place to look for it."

"Its possible" Kaylee nodded: "I wander if the maintenance workers will let us look at it though..
I guess we can try asking them, or sneak inside the office without them knowing. Both options have their ups and downs though"

She subconsciously rearranged her wings a few times, slightly unfolding and folding them again. It looked like some sort of nervous tic.


Elisabeth and Johan were standing a bit off to the side, quietly talking about something.




As you focus your attention at the maintenance workers again, the general tone of their voice appears to be a mix of boredom and curiosity. Their conversation was mostly empty and idle chatter. You don't detect any drastic shifts in their tone.

You do pick up some level of hopeless frustration. Judging by bits of their conversation, it appears that someone didn't show up for work today and now they had to fill his spot, which wasn't according to fixed schedule and also very annoying.

The workers seemed to have accepted their miserable fate, completely drenched from resent rain, sitting or standing on wet gravel and emptily looking at the broken generator.



Judging by their general behavior, they appear to be completely bored out of their minds, and you showing up is the most exciting thing they've seen all day. It appears they're intent on talking about you and do everything in their power to avoid work for a few more minutes.

"They appear to be very interested in us right now, one of their fellow workers never showed up and they all seem to be trying to avoid their task right now." Radiance says "between the recent rain dampening their emotions and the broken generator, I'd say there not going to be a problem for us. Still, if one of us has any experience with fixing stuff it may do us good to help them out."

"I can head over there and get it done... I was stationd at a artimis base with a 12 year old generator... It had its fair share of blow outs but after a while I got it down. I know the things inside and out..." she smirks

(Eva) The being returns after you return to your quarters while tarmikos undergoes surgery... It waits in your room and as you open the door you see Fire... Sitting there with her legs crossed, "well well well... If it isnt the one that brought the group together in the first place..." her laugh is heavy and hearty, "how do you feel?" she gets up and walks tword you.

Radiance nods to Rain "Sounds good, go help them. Also, see if you can learn anything new." He directs his attention to Moon and Kaylee "Should we wait for Twilight to finish or just head into the tunnel?"

"No no, I don't want to leave her alone out here" Kaylee looked at Twilight, as she meditated:
"Who knows what might happen while we're gone. We should stick together, safety in numbers, cover each others backs"


She looked at Rain: "..try to pull as much information from them as you can. If they work in the tunnels, they might've seen something"













(Firewing)


"Gah!" Eva screamed and flinched back: "W-what.. why are you here!"
She looked around the corridor, seemingly making sure that no one noticed her outburst, then entered the room and closed the door:

"..why do you follow me?" she said with a frown, and headed toward a small fridge in the corner:
"I'm sorry about what happened to you, but driving me crazy isn't gonna help things" she opened the fridge and pulled out a small bottle of water.

She unscrewed the cap and began to drink.

Rain nods and starts her way over to the generator, she speaks up, "Hay boys!" she says in an very normally happy tone... The first time you heard somthing like that from her... She slowly approches, "you guys need help?" she tilts her head.

(eva) she laughs "DRIVING you crazy" she smiles, "Whos to say your not already halfway there~" she gets up and follows behind eva, "You know... If you and everyone else fails I get no burial" she tilts her head appearing beside the fridge only to lean on it, "Did you make the right decision Eva?"

The maintenance workers seem very surprised at first but start smiling almost immediately:

"Oh no its okay Miss, you don't have to. Its just long and tedious work is all.
Its very kind of you to offer though, much obliged" one of the workers nodded to you with a smile:

"We haven't seen anyone wander around this area for a while now. The HGTS was closed off to the public until the end of the investigation, but us maintenance workers were told we still gotta keep the railroad in top shape, even if nobody's using it"


He looked at the group for a bit, curiosity vividly reflecting in his eyes:
"If you don't mind me asking miss, what brings you folks here?"











(Firewing)


Eva closed the bottle and looked away: "... I'll.. make the necessary arrangements to locate your.. body... we'll bring it back to Equestria" she looked at you:

"..you'll have a proper burial, I promise" she looked away and placed the bottle inside the fridge again:

"You're not here only because of that. There's something else you wanted. What is it? Is it about Tarmikos?" She looked at you again:
"He's getting the medical treatment he needs. The rest of the group will chase down Marek.
After this whole mess is over, they will all have to stand trial and account for everything's that happened.

If they were innocent, then they'll be proven innocent. If someone did something wrong.. the law will present the appropriate punishment. I don't know what else I can do" she looked down.

She frowned a little.

~There has to be something here... What am I missing? I should be picking up some readings! Even if it's technology imitating magic!~

She changes the spell a little. Instead of an area of effect, she changes the shape of her scan to a cone in front of her, looking further in a single direction with a bit better focus, though with a more narrow search area.

(Twilight)


As you continue the search, you can't seem to detect any magical signs of any kind. According to the scanning spell, no one has performed any magic here for a long time. It appears not even magic imitating technology was used here.

After a moment, you subconsciously hear Kaylee take a seat on the ground next to you. She waited several moments in silence, before she quietly called:


"T-Twilight?... what are you looking for?" she quietly asked, afraid to cause too much disturbance.

Rain gives them a little smile "nonono i insist~ ive been working on genorators for years apon years now" she looks back to her group, "oh were hostoric photographers, and were here take some pictures, and i seen you here and you looked like you could use some help." she walks around the generator before looking inside "you guys dont mind me asking what was going on around here?"

(eva) "You remember right? How tarmikos was acting when you "collected" him... Im honestl very... Iffy about him. You are no doctor but your somebody, and a lot of people can tell of sombodys stable or not... What about tarmikos?" her white pupils meet your black dots. She gives you a small smile, "Are you sure he wont just... Kill sombody else?" she tilts her head.

Moon started dragging her hand along the walls, as if hoping to find a secret entrance. She sniffed as well, hoping she would be able to smell anything hidden.

(Moon)


For a long while, you didn't see anything out of place. But as you neared the tunnel, you noticed a tiny smear of white paint, right on the corner of the tunnels entrance.
You only noticed it, when you stood directly in front of it, as your hand passed next to it, along the wall.


Unfortunately the rain that recently passed here, had obscured most smells, covering the ground and the front wall of the tunnel, with a thin layer of water, making it hard to tell if the paint smear was fresh or not.


It stood out, mainly because you didn't notice anything painted white in the vicinity. Both the office building, the train station, the cargo cranes and the walls of the tunnel, all had brown and gray colors. But nothing white.


As you look around further, you don't seem to notice any more smears like this one.

Where this white smear of paint came from is unclear.















(Rain)


The maintenance workers became grim. Some of them exchanged looks:

"...the Slavegear incident... that's what they call it in the news" one of them sighed: "..some top secret machine got hijacked and burned down a whole city. A.. robot.. they said.
Then it was supposedly brought here, to this very station, placed on a train-"

The worker looked at you with haunted eyes, then pointed at the tunnel:
"...then the train speeded into these tunnels, and the robot was never seen again" he looked at you again with fear in his eyes:


"We weren't here when it happened, it wasn't our shift that day, but..

They say the robot was placed on a train, inside a massive container, labeled X-021. But when the container emerged on the other side of the tunnel-... it had nothing but coal in it.

The robot was gone.." the mans eyes slightly widened, as genuine fear reflected deep in his eyes:



"They say it was stolen or something, but I know the truth, mark my words" he leaned a bit closer to you, and quietly whispered: "...that robot... wasn't a robot at all... it was a ghost! A phantom from another world, sent to punish those it deemed wicked..

Those tunnels, they're haunted they are. Its no wander our mates didn't show up for work, if I had to pull a shift down there, I'd probably stay at home too.." he looked down, thinking slightly:


"...its a bit weird though.. how they left, but.. nah, probably nothing" he looked away, toward the tunnels again:



"Anyway, that's the story of the HGTS. I reckon it would be a good spot for historic photographs but I wouldn't recommend going down there. Besides, you guys aren't technically supposed to be here.. the tunnels were closed off to the general public. Only us maintenance guys can go in"














(Firewing)


Eva looked away. She seems somewhat uncomfortable with these thoughts:

"...Tarmikos was sedated when I left. There are two guards watching him at all times... I'm sure the medical staff will provide him with the medical care he needs.
There's nothing to worry about.."

The last sentence came off as somewhat insincere. You get the feeling that Eva doesn't fully believe that.

Rain clicks a few wires together and the generator Starts up "you wouldnt tell anypony if we did right?" she looks back. Before looking over a few things, "i mean... I dod just fix this generator..." she looks back over her shoulder.

(Eva) "I know what your thinking eva... Your not sure if what your thinking is even true. You shoulnt have to doubt yourself..." she closes her eyes "listen... I wouldnt trust him eather... I mean sure he didnt do the slavegear insident but he killed a guard at the ball without thought... I would be unsure of somepomys sanity as well."

Twilight began to to become impatient. She was certain there was more then just some technology involved here. She was determined to find it, no matter how demented it looked.

Unaware of Kaylee at the moment, she began to look around, towards the tunnels, for something underground, until she turned to Kaylee...

And almost jumped out of her skin.

"JESUS!!! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

She stared at the smear of paint. Moon pressed her nose closer to it in an attempt to get a scent, but frowned when she couldn't. She then dragged her fingers along the paint.

Radiance made his way over to where Rain and the workers were speaking. His hands in his coat pockets, appearing very casual as he pretended to be looking at everything.

"Forgive me for interrupting," he greets the workers "but did I hear something about this place being haunted?" The expression on his face his that of intrigue.