"Just in case, Maurice, before you doze off, what direction does your sand sample point right now?"
Await the answer. Assuming I receive it, determine a spot on the wall, fingernail-sized, so that the sand direction doesn't point to us. Otherwise, choose the spot from the last time I've seen the sample. Cool that spot down, slowly. Make sure the suitcam records if something happens.
After getting your answer from Maurice you walk over to the wall and concentrate on cooling it. [exo:3+1] You cool the small section of wall a good deal, enough that the contraction causes it to crack, but there doesn't appear to be any other effects.
"So, what have you found so far? Status report." Milno says dryly through the comms, still standing a bit far at the darkness beyond, thinking how wonderful of an excuse it would be if the sand started to drag Faith so he "had to cut the rope lest be be dragged with her".
Bullshit, of course, but he grinned at the thought. Well, there was a chance of it happening.
Keep waiting and stare at the sand and the ramp. Try to think of how the sand moves when it is time to fill the area they are in. Does it move upwards with extreme speed, slowly or does it fall from the top...?
[int:4] You stare at the sand as it slowly drains away and think about everything you've seen. The sand is draining almost like water, so it will probably flow back in the same way.
[intuition: 5]
However, you can't shake the feeling that this all isn't normal. Those tones that caused the waves of sand, the constant lower tones that are still happening now...maybe they're driving the sand away somehow. But if thats true, why is it happening?
Hmmm... Just a moment.
Check my sand containers, and show them to Gorat.
You show the sand containers to Chin and note that they have grown, but barely, even less then before.
(To Simus) "I'm starting to get the idea these citadels are cookie cut. I'm sure we'd find the same thing on the other side. You're free to go, but I'm not going to head back to confirm something that I already know
(To team) Simus and I have found an....entry room of sorts to Walkway 2. It's smooth and like a funnel. I'm going to take a look at ground level, outside the Citadel. Anything to report from your side team?"
Travis heads through the room and down the ramp, checking how many ramp entry ways he passes. He stops at Walkway 1 and checks what's going on at ground level.
You walk back down, peeking into every room on the way. You find two more walkways before stop. The last walkway you found was at the same level as the walkway you originally entered the building through, but it isn't the same one. You come to the sudden realization that you're actually on a different ramp. The walkway you climbed down onto must have been going to a ramp that wrapped under the one you climbed up originally.
"Yeah, it's a corpse. There's also a building inside this building, not sure what for or how we'd reach it. The corpse is banging against it, so apparently that's where the sand leads, though."
Link up my video feed to the others, if possible. Attempt to drag the corpse back to the ramp.
[aux:3+1] You manage to link a video, but not an audio, feed to the rest of the team. That done you go to get the corpse
[str:1-1]
You grab hold of part of his clothing and try to tug him back toward the ramp, but you lose your grip nearly instantly and go falling back onto the sand, immediately rolling and being slammed against the wall. You hear something metal crunch as you roll back first into the stone but you don't feel anything.
"Maybe I should have just taken the backpack eh?" You groan into the radio as you bounce helplessly against the wall.