Behind them trudge Bina and Mey'Luskar. The latter mutters darkly, while the former radiates an aura of indignation. Atraktu moves between and slightly behind them, not sure what to make of it all. Pru, one of her looted guns at the ready, marches a pace back, eying the Ahmonite warily.
Furnfinndorn and L'Toyei quietly bring up the rear.
About a third of the way up, the panting starts. A little more than halfway up, Widjgleeby comes to a stop. "Need rest," she moans.
"Oh, come on!" snarls Lirassa. "Put some spunk in it!"
"I'm with her!" huffs Mey'Luskar, leaning heavily against the rail. "Not all of us are sodding war machines!"
"Why don't we leave the tired ones here for a minute," suggests Betham, "while the rest of us move ahead and see what's up there."
UPDATE 5/3 (since no one has commented)
After a bit of the usual quibbling, it is decided that Widjgleeby, Mey'Luskar, Bina, Atraktu, and L'Toyei will stay and rest while Pru stands guard. The rest of the party continues up the remaining few levels to the top. Zobog has already scouted ahead and found nothing of any obvious concern, as Zeton reports. There are a couple of domed housings on the ceiling near the doors at the top, but they appear to be inert. The doors themselves are obviously equipped with some kind of protection, but it's unclear whether it's active or not.
The party assembles on the landing, eying the doors and the surrounding chamber warily. Then Ham takes a few impatient steps closer, ignoring a few muffled warnings. "I don't see any controls," he says.
"Intelligent," replies Furnfinndorn. "It will open if it knows you, or if you know the password."
"Any ideas?" wonders Lirassa.
"What the..." mutters Betham in Her-galad.
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Turning slightly to look toward Betham, Zeton asks, "Betham, what is it? Do you have any idea of how to open the door?"
Betham looks caught off guard. "What? Door? Um, no. I, uh..."
Granite eyes Betham warily. "Do you remember your name?"
Betham gives Granite Spear a puzzled look and then glares. "Of course I do! No, I just.." He gestures toward the door. "There are people near the door...on the other side. I can sense them. They're...doing something!"
"What, having a bang?" asks Lirassa.
"Um, yeah," replies Betham, shifting awkwardly.
"What a prude!" retorts Lirassa with a laugh. "Gothies!"
"I think they are just going to have to be inconvenienced and likely stunned before they can alert anyone else. Who has that capability here?" Mon'Fargret says as he eyeballs to see if the door mechanism is a standard one.
(There is no door mechanism. As mentioned in the post, it's an intelligent robot door.)
"I can handle it," says Ham, lifting his stun carbine.
"You're gonna kill them with that thing!" protests Betham, and he pulls out his stun pistol and stun baton. "Save the heavy stuff for guards with...wait a minute..."
[Okay, if you're talking about the opening mechanism, it's hard to say. It just looks like an ordinary set of sliding doors.]
"Constable, Granite is right, you are unusually distracted. Is there something else you are aware of besides the people on the other side of the door?"
Betham sighs uncomfortably. "Do you have any idea what it's like...when you can feel what other people are feeling...and you have this going on?" He gestures toward the door.
"Hm If nothing else, why not go in. then people stop and Betham not so red faced.
Widjgleebe adds.
"Can't argue with that," says Lirassa. Then she moves closer to the door. "Any ideas on how to open it?"
Mon'Fargret walks within 6 inches of the door. If it does not open, he will state "Open" followed by "Door, open" followed by "Open door".
If none of those work, he will attempt to use his fingers.
Granite will also try the word "Mellon".
"Why?" asks the door.
Mon'Fargret replies (using his "official" voice), "There are people in danger beyond the next room who require our assistance. Lives are at stake."
"So what?" asks the door.
"You can be a door or a smoking hole in the wall. Your choice."
"Well, aren't we vicious today?" retorts the door.
"Just short on time. What will it be?"
"I'm a door," replies the door. "What do you expect me to do?"
"Open."
He waits a moment.
"Now."
"Have it your way," says the door.
It opens.
By now, the rest of the party is arriving at the same level, Bina at the front followed by Mey'Luskar.
"Oh, right," mutters Mey'Luskar. "I forgot about that sodding thing!"
Widjgleebe heads for the open door.
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