Volstok Campaign Chapter Three

LOCATION - HIVE NEIGHBORHOOD-  UTILITES STATION 452G - HIVE SECONDUS

Citizen Rand sat at a desk surrounded by monitors that were becoming harder and harder and to read do to interference form the ever falling snow. Two glowing red heaters were positioned to push warm air on top of him. He was a large, stout, man with a crown of red hair and a full beard with pepper sprinkled in it. There was a bang on the metal front door. Another bang. Rand looked over to the monitor that was attached to a camera set over the front door. All he could see was a large object banging against the door. Another bang. Rand got up from his desk, walked over to the door and pushed a button that sent the metal door sliding sideways. He saw a monster. A large furry beast pushed past him.

"Damn it Rand, what took you so long to answer the door?" Citizen Martin began to strip layers off layers of furry coating. He ran over to a heater and began to stick his face and hands as close to the heater as possible. Martin had brought in soot stained ice that was melting and poling on the floor. "You going to mop that up?", Rand said. He knew Martin was a waste. The only reason he wasn't cannon fodder on a distant planet was his cousin who was a minor nobility. Because of that relationship he had a job pestering low level city officials. "Why are you here Martin? A dog get out and bite some Lord's ass?"

"As much as I'd rather visit the city's kennels I'm here on important business. Martin replied. Section U is losing power. City engineers have decided there is a power fluctuation in your sector." Rand didn't want to believe it because he knew what it meant. He looked at the seventh screen on his right and saw irregular power productions form a sector under his supervision. Damn, going into the sewers. He knew the answer but he asked anyway hoping that Martin would be stupid enough to agree, "why can't we send a servitor?" "You know it takes a pair of human eyes to identify and access the problem, servitors can repair after the diagnosis" Rand began to slip on gear and grabbing equipment for the task. "regulations also say I can ask an official to verify may findings, Rand turned back to Martin, you're coming with me."

Rand dropped in first with a small splash. He had a helmet with dual lights that illuminated the newly entered sewer. Behind him Martin stood in the doorway to the sewer, unwilling to follow. Rand looked back and scowled. "Now martin, let's get this over with." Martin slowly climbed down a set of stairs and dropped in. He stumbled and slipped falling face first into water. Rand began to laugh so hard his lungs hurt. "That's just great," Martin said as he waved unidentifiable substances off of his gloves.
He used the sleeves of his jacket to wipe his goggles. "Check your gear," Rand replied, his lungs still burning. Martin tapped the side of his goggles twice and a map of the sewer came online with a glowing marker representing the malfunctioning power conduit.

"Give me a reading"

"Seventy five meters ahead, then left," Martin said.

The sewers were warmer than the topside. Rand thought it was the steam that vented into the sewer systems, but there was something more. The heat had a stickiness to it and it was mildly abrasive to the face. Who knows what kind of chemicals they drop down here. Martin and Rand both had smell synthesizers plugged into their nostrils. Rand was taking a deep breath of cinnamon when Martin cried out. "Turn to the right you should see it ten meters down." On the sewer wall, a very obviously damaged power box was sparking. Rand produced a scanner with a light and ran it over the damaged power box. The scanner produced different lights which performed different scans. As a lime green light washed over the box an indicator lit up. "Hive gangers?" asked Martin who was standing over Rand's right shoulder. "Gangers need heat to live too Martin, now give me some space." There was a flashing light of sparks that was coming from the one power cable still somewhat intact. This gave a strobe effect to the sewer. Rand flipped over the scanner to read the findings. Beyond the obvious ripping and tearing of the cables the scanner spelled out another source of damage.
DAMAGE  ACID   ORGANIC   SOURCE   UNKOWN.

Rand was about to run the scan again when Martin screamed. "He's got me Rand! HEELLLPPPPP!" Rand looked down and saw a hand around Martin's ankle. Martin slipped this time backwards. He hit ass first, the back of his head second. Rand dove to the ground. "Martin, Martin wake up." Rand slightly slapped his face to bring him to. He put his hand around Martin's head to help bring him up to his feet. "GOD EMPEROR", Rand said as he dropped Martín back into the water and jumped his feet. Half stunned, Martin looked over to see a hand go floating past him. Martin clumsily jumped to his feet almost slipping again. He and Rand observed a variety of human body parts go floating around them. Arms, hands, legs, torsos and heads. Rand helped Martin get steady. "Run Martin," it was a whisper and it was all Rand could get out.