The crevice offered sanctuary, but Xen knew progress lay outside its narrow confines. Fully repaired (HP: 100/100) and with his energy topped off from a freshly absorbed crystal (EN: 150.0/150; Inventory: [Energon Crystal (MG) x1], [Data Chip Fragment (D)] x1. Slots Used: 2/5), he felt ready to tackle his primary objective: the [Damaged Sensor Array] POI near the Precursor Assembly site, a potential source for critical upgrade components.
Stealth was crucial in that potentially active area.
With dampened steps, Xen slipped out and began the journey, navigating via his HUD map towards the Assembly's periphery. He moved purposefully, using his DEX 13 and the detailed map to traverse the scrap field efficiently, weaving between stable structures and avoiding marked hazards. The wind had picked up slightly since his last venture out, whistling mournfully through gaps in the metal mountains and stirring up flurries of rust-colored dust.
About ten minutes into his trek (EN: 144.5/150; AD Prof -> 0.5%), something new registered on his passive sensors – a faint, localized energy signature nearby that hadn't been on his comprehensive map scan earlier. Strange. Had the wide-area scan missed it? Or had something changed?
He diverted course cautiously, moving towards the weak signal emanating from behind a large, partially collapsed sheet of hull plating that leaned against a mound of compacted debris.
The wind gusted again, dislodging a cascade of loose dirt and small metal fragments from the top edge of the plating – revealing something dark and blocky nestled underneath that had previously been covered. That must be it. The wind had uncovered it.
He approached the hull plate, scanning the object now that it was partially exposed.
[Scan Analysis: Damaged Flight Recorder ("Black Box") Detected] [Type: Probable Cybertronian Origin (Standard Aerospace Emergency Recorder)] [Condition: Moderate Impact Damage, Casing Breached/Cracked] [Energy Signature: Faint - Residual Internal Power Source / Data Core Leakage (Low Level)] [Status: Partially exposed beneath shifted hull plating. Recent wind activity likely cause of exposure.] [Data Integrity Analysis: Contains encrypted/damaged flight & system data logs. Requires [Data Analysis Lvl 3+] or [Data Recovery Lvl 2+] for meaningful extraction.]
A black box! Like from an aircraft crash. Cybertronian standard aerospace type. Its casing was cracked, leaking just enough energy to become detectable now that the covering debris had shifted. What information might it hold? Logs from a ship crashing here? Maybe even related to the giant Transformer or the Precursor Assembly? The possibilities were tantalizing, but again, locked behind skill requirements significantly higher than his current [Data Analysis] Lvl 2.
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Still, could his current skill glean anything? It was worth trying. He focused on the damaged recorder.
System, use [Data Analysis] Lvl 2 on the Flight Recorder.
His upgraded skill managed to pull something from the leaking data core, despite the damage and the required skill level warning from the basic scan.
<+10 XP Gained! (Significant Data Source Analyzed)> XP: 202/250.
Atmospheric entry... impact warning... Mayday... This strongly suggested a ship, likely Cybertronian given the recorder type, had crashed in this sector (Sector Delta, encompassing the Assembly area?).
Was it the giant's ship? Or something else entirely? The keywords painted a grim picture but offered no definitive answers, only more tantalizing questions. And crucially, no immediately useful tactical information or resource leads.The recorder itself looked relatively compact, maybe the size of a small toolbox. Definitely valuable information potential for later. He carefully worked it free from beneath the hull plating – it wasn't wedged too tightly – and stored it.
<[Damaged Flight Recorder] added to Inventory.> Inventory Slots Used: 3/5 (Crystal x1, Chip x1, Recorder x1).
This felt like real progress – an organic discovery leading to concrete, though incomplete, clues about the history of this place. With the recorder secured, Xen refocused on his primary mission: the Sensor Array POI, which was now only another ten minutes or so away according to his map.
He continued his journey, the [Audio Dampener] steadily draining his energy (EN: 137.5/150 after another 10 mins; AD Prof -> 0.6%), his mind processing the implications of the flight recorder data. A crashed ship added another layer to the history buried under the scrap.
Finally, he reached the coordinates. He found cover behind the familiar scarred metal crate and surveyed the wreckage of the [POI: Damaged Sensor Array]. The collapsed pylon, the torn dish fragments, the mangled waveguides – it looked just as hazardous as his map indicated ([Moderate Risk of Further Shifting]).
His optics immediately located his targets. The large, [Advanced Optic Lens (Cracked)] was still visible high up in the precarious tangle of the pylon's fractured latticework. The signature of the [High-Frequency Receiver Coil (Damaged)] was still pinpointed beneath heavy debris at the base.
This was it. The components he hoped could elevate him beyond crude staves and fragile plating were right there, waiting amidst the hazardous ruin.
He deactivated the [Audio Dampener] (EN: 137.0/150 after another minute of observation) and began the crucial process of meticulously scanning the wreckage immediately around the lens, planning his dangerous ascent. The real work was about to begin.