Drip, drip, drip.

Miru wades through knee-high waters, flanked on either side by colonists Nauxha and Izhuras, to reach the furthest extent of the bunker – at least the furthest extent which they can safely reach. When they were first informed of the place, they found the thought of such industrial places hidden deep within Xiunus improbable... and then unsettling when they were confirmed. That impression is no different now.

It is a hollow, dark place of brick and metal. This far in, the walls bear evident damage. Miru cannot help but glance up at every slight groaning shift of infrastructure overhead – they wish more by the second that they had simply remained at the colony, and relayed their instructions over the comms, but they had feared the depth would interfere with it.

"DPIP requires we drain this place," the translation device pinned to their shirt echoes their words in mechanical tone. "As ZAG-15's most academic residents, I have selected the two of you for our contribution to this effort."

Nauxha, her blueish fur making her almost invisible amidst their surroundings, blinks down at them. Her translator crackles to life as she speaks, "and how do you propose we accomplish this?"

Izhuras does not appear to hear Miru at first, the tark'ee busy dipping her head into the water and blowing bubbles, but after a moment or two passes, she peeks back up from the rippling surface to regard them. "There are fish down there," she says, "I wonder what they eat."

"Does it matter?" Miru is glad for the language barrier now; the translator removes the annoyance from their tone.

The tark'ee does something that might have been a shrug, an odd gesture coming from a creature without shoulders. "It could. I wonder if anything eats them..."

"You could," Nauxha added, her natural voice as dry as the translator. "But my question remains unaddressed. How do you intend for us to drain this bunker?"

"I believe DPIP has provided some pumps for loyal colonies to set up. You would have to run the hoses all the way back to the entrance, though. I was hoping, perhaps, that the tark'ee may have their own equipment for such purposes, built into the place, that simply need to be turned on or repaired."

"If that were the case, wouldn't they have done that themselves by now?"

Miru opens their mouth to reply, annoyed by the – reasonable – rebuttal, but Nauxha is already turning to examine her surroundings. "I suppose it is at least worth a look..."

"I'll help," Izhuras chimes in, wiggling enthusiastically enough to spray her researcher with bunker-water. Miru steps back, ears flicking, but they bite their tongue and say nothing. The tark'ee's excitement is better, at least, than the silent judgment they always feel coming from Nauxha. Oh, the older tsabhua never says it outright, but they know. They know.

Nauxha and Izhuras flick on their lights, beginning to scan the walls for anything that looks like it could hide a drainage system or anything that could help get rid of this water. Miru winces at how the harshness of their lamps only highlights the damage to the bunker in more stark relief, catching on the hard lines of cracks in the metallic walls, and casting deep shadows into small fissures in the ground. They take a few steps backward, wanting nothing more than to make a hasty exit... but they restrain themself before the impulse can take hold. Nauxha would never let them live it down if they 'abandoned' them here, Miru knows.

The tark'ee slides through the water like an eel, nosing her way along the walls to more feel than look for their objective. There is no reason Miru cannot join them, or even scout the way ahead, as water alone holds little danger to a celethi... but they do not know what else might be in there. Not to mention they are wearing some rather expensive equipment.

Instead, they follow behind Izhuras and Nauxha on foot, trying to avoid the deeper parts of the bunker. Odd shadows from their lights dance beneath the surface, making it hard to tell the depth in places. Some sort of raft, they think now, would have been a good thing to bring along...

Ah, well. A thought for another time.

Total Wordcount: 721
1 to 200
Drip, drip, drip. Miru wades through knee-high waters, flanked on either side by colonists Nauxha and Izhuras, to reach the furthest extent of the bunker at least the furthest extent which they can safely reach. When they were first informed of the place, they found the thought of such industrial places hidden deep within Xiunus improbable and then unsettling when they were confirmed. That impression is no different now. It is a hollow, dark place of brick and metal. This far in, the walls bear evident damage. Miru cannot help but glance up at every slight groaning shift of infrastructure overhead they wish more by the second that they had simply remained at the colony, and relayed their instructions over the comms, but they had feared the depth would interfere with it. "DPIP requires we drain this place," the translation device pinned to their shirt echoes their words in mechanical tone. "As ZAG-15's most academic residents, I have selected the two of you for our contribution to this effort." Nauxha, her blueish fur making her almost invisible amidst their surroundings, blinks down at them. Her translator crackles to life as she speaks, "and how do you propose we accomplish this?"
Mention Counter
Nauxha: 2 mentions
Izhuras: 1 mentions

201 to 400
Izhuras does not appear to hear Miru at first, the tark'ee busy dipping her head into the water and blowing bubbles, but after a moment or two passes, she peeks back up from the rippling surface to regard them. "There are fish down there," she says, "I wonder what they eat." "Does it matter?" Miru is glad for the language barrier now; the translator removes the annoyance from their tone. The tark'ee does something that might have been a shrug, an odd gesture coming from a creature without shoulders. "It could. I wonder if anything eats them " "You could," Nauxha added, her natural voice as dry as the translator. "But my question remains unaddressed. How do you intend for us to drain this bunker?" "I believe DPIP has provided some pumps for loyal colonies to set up. You would have to run the hoses all the way back to the entrance, though. I was hoping, perhaps, that the tark'ee may have their own equipment for such purposes, built into the place, that simply need to be turned on or repaired." "If that were the case, wouldn't they have done that themselves by now?" Miru opens their mouth to reply,
Mention Counter
Nauxha: 1 mentions
Izhuras: 1 mentions

401 to 600
annoyed by the reasonable rebuttal, but Nauxha is already turning to examine her surroundings. "I suppose it is at least worth a look " "I'll help," Izhuras chimes in, wiggling enthusiastically enough to spray her researcher with bunker-water. Miru steps back, ears flicking, but they bite their tongue and say nothing. The tark'ee's excitement is better, at least, than the silent judgment they always feel coming from Nauxha. Oh, the older tsabhua never says it outright, but they know. They know. Nauxha and Izhuras flick on their lights, beginning to scan the walls for anything that looks like it could hide a drainage system or anything that could help get rid of this water. Miru winces at how the harshness of their lamps only highlights the damage to the bunker in more stark relief, catching on the hard lines of cracks in the metallic walls, and casting deep shadows into small fissures in the ground. They take a few steps backward, wanting nothing more than to make a hasty exit but they restrain themself before the impulse can take hold. Nauxha would never let them live it down if they 'abandoned' them here, Miru knows. The tark'ee slides through the
Mention Counter
Nauxha: 4 mentions
Izhuras: 2 mentions

601 to 721
water like an eel, nosing her way along the walls to more feel than look for their objective. There is no reason Miru cannot join them, or even scout the way ahead, as water alone holds little danger to a celethi but they do not know what else might be in there. Not to mention they are wearing some rather expensive equipment. Instead, they follow behind Izhuras and Nauxha on foot, trying to avoid the deeper parts of the bunker. Odd shadows from their lights dance beneath the surface, making it hard to tell the depth in places. Some sort of raft, they think now, would have been a good thing to bring along Ah, well. A thought for another time.
Mention Counter
Nauxha: 1 mentions
Izhuras: 1 mentions
Nauxha is in 4 chunks
Izhuras is in 4 chunks
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Splashing About

In General Art ・ By Zagreus-15 ・ 0 Favourites ・ 0 Comments

Unfinished entry for an earlier part of the tark'ee trespass event.  Submitting now for XP.


Submitted By Zagreus-15
Submitted 1 month ago ・ Last Updated 1 month ago
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[Splashing About by Zagreus-15 (Literature)](https://www.xiun.us/gallery/view/2000)
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