At The Precipice Of Something New

Something Independent

"Moving as much of the rubble away as possible would be prudent," Their companion replied. "It will improve the ease at which we can go to and from each side of the factory floor significantly. The probability of needing to return to the building's entrance on this side upon our exit from the facility is high. Removal of the rubble will also prevent injury if a sudden, swift exit becomes necessary."

"Then let's make short work of it," Rhys gruffly ordered. "We don't have time to waste here."

"Correct, Knight," Danse said, lifting up a large part of the conveyer belt with Rhys' support. "Our primary mission in the Commonwealth still stands."

"Paladin?" The Scribe called out as she slowly moved towards him, the Knight, and their 'companion,' still logging a few items. "I believe much of the scrap here would be useful in the repairment or construction of weapons and, potentially, power armour. Should I make a note of it for a recovery and research patrol to comb through later?"

"Yes, Scribe Haylen," Danse said with a short nod when their gazes crossed. "I suspect there are at least a handful of useful artefacts to be harvested here. Mark this place for sweep and retrieve."

"Understood," Haylen dutifully replied. "Thank you, sir."

Returning to her noting and logging, the Scribe only paused when she noticed, in her periphery, a small but passable space was nearly emerged from the rubble. She raised an eyebrow upon seeing their strange, robotic 'companion' seemed to have been making short work of it with the assistance of the Paladin and the Knight. I didn't think this machine would be all that useful beyond offering us potential leads to the so called Mechanist. Keeping it around may be worthwhile after all. Setting down her bags for a moment to ensure they remained organised as she logged and collected a few more items on the factory floor, the Scribe smiled when she saw the pleased look on the faces of the Paladin and the Knight upon, finally, having moved enough of the rubble out of the way to safely pass through and into the other half of the factory floor. The second she was finished with her work, she slung her bags back over her shoulders and started towards the other half of the factory floor to join the Paladin and the Knight. A hint of unease prodded at her when she passed by their robotic 'companion,' but she quickly pushed it aside. It being now clear both sides of the factory floor were in an equal state of disrepair, the Scribe began up a set of stairs to the second level of the factory, only a few feet behind the Paladin and the Knight, and drew her gun upon hearing the movement of, what she was sure to be, a rather large robot coming from above.

Just as suspicious of the noise as the Scribe, the Paladin and the Knight moved quickly towards it upon crossing the threshold into the second level of the factory. For a moment, they paused when they saw nothing but damaged and destroyed robots around them, the same as down below. It was only when they rounded a corner and grew closer to a partially open door into an apparent storage room they were able to identify the source of the noise. When they did, they were dumbstruck. Trapped by the door and struggling to get itself unstuck was a very large robot on tracked wheels, one of its perpetually bent mechanical arms pinning it against the doorframe, the other half falling off. The closer they got to it, the more unsettled they felt until, finally, facing it directly, they were able to see its full construction. The Knight, against his will, gagged at the sight. Similarly, though a little more restrained, the Paladin let out a disgusted gasp, aggressively waving the Scribe over to where he and the Knight were already stood. Upon reaching them, she grimaced at the sight of that had caught their attention. By its sturdy construction alone, it was evidently pre-War but the grotesque sight of a human brain with a large metal eye between its lobes and suspended in the domed top of the robot was the most disquieting. Seeing a flashing beacon just behind the domed 'head,' the Paladin acted quickly and shot through the dome. It quickly secreted the suspension fluid, and the Paladin and the Knight pushed the robot through the door, entering the room. The Knight then shot through the robot a few times for good measure, and, then, stepped aside to let the Scribe inspect the still blinking beacon.