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Encounter Conditions
At ≤4 site panic
Have not "leave it be" today
Initial Text
You find a powered-down drone. It's different than the Midgard designs you're used to… more like a small, ambulatory backhoe than anything else.
It doesn't look like it's been used recently, but the charge light blinks steadily next to a small OmniTech logo.
Summary of Choices
- Look it over - Gain 2 XP in Perception and possibly Will
- Flip the switch - Information
- Harvest some parts - (with salvaging tools equipped) Gain various electronics
- Leave it be - Removes this encounter for the day
Choice Text and Results
Look it over
Living in Metroplex, you're more familiar with Midgard's drones. It's kind of interesting to look over an OmniTech model like this one.
The differences are striking, even to an untrained eye. OmniTech is still basing its drones on older human-operated equipment, where Midgard started mimicking natural forms over a decade ago.
It's possible Midgard's designs are a dead end, but the fact that these are sitting here powered down while the Midgard drones handle the dirty work doesn't speak well for their competitor's design.
You've earned 2 XP in Perception
Or, if you read the article about drones on the Neglected Bookshelf in the Computer Lab:
You're not an expert, but looking at the drone makes it obviously how different Midgard and OmniTech's drone designs are. Midgard's been using "naturalistic" designs for over a decade, but OmniTech's drones still look like knock-offs of Midgard's old stuff.
There's such a gulf it would probably be obvious even to laymen… to the extent it might be a misnomer to call both products "drones."
You've earned 2 XP in Perception
You've earned 2 XP in Will
Flip the switch
You turn on the drone. It staggers off over the uneven ground and begins trying to dig, only succeeding in shifting around some concrete and old pipes partially concealed in the soil.
Yeah, you can definitely see why that drone was powered down. It's not going to do anyone any good until the debris from whatever used to be here is broken down into smaller chunks.
Harvest some parts
You peel off a side panel and harvest some components. The workers seem to assume you're doing repairs, so at least they don't bother you.
You found: 2-3 of capacitor array, circuit fragments, frayed cable, mechanical shovel, microcapacitor, optical sensor, signal analysis circuit, thick cabling
Or, if wearing a construction worker outfit:
As you peel off one of the drone's side panels, two nearby workers rush to stop you from destroying equipment.
(Fight two construction crew)
And, if you win, the following is appended to the end of fight results:
And you're able to grab something before more workers show.
You found: 1 of frayed cable, microcapacitor, optical sensor, other items above?
Leave it be
Yeah, it's powered down, there's no reason to mess with it unless they start turning it on.
(Removes this encounter for the day)