OOC + IC: 7.1B - Entrepreneurs

As the holoprojector powered down and the room returned to its dim, steady glow, Mercer’s mind raced. The prospect of finding the ancient Elders’ tech was exciting, but another idea began to take shape in his thoughts—a potential business opportunity that could bring in much-needed credits.

Mercer turned to Peter, who was still fiddling with the virtual scanner interface. "Hey, Peter, I’ve got an idea."

Peter looked up, curiosity evident in his eyes. "What’s up?"

"We’re about to navigate the underways, right? Those tunnels are mostly uncharted, and they’re filled with all sorts of hazards. What if we created a detailed map as we go and sold it afterward?"

Peter’s eyes widened. "You mean, like, sell the map to other explorers or settlers?"

"Exactly," Mercer replied, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice. "Think about it—navigating those tunnels is dangerous, and information about safe paths and hazardous zones would be invaluable. We could easily charge 300 credits for a comprehensive map. We can even add markers and annotations as we go. We just need to bring a Navcomp as well. "

"Great idea, I will take notes on my side as well and we can add them up when we are finished"

If need be Peter will take a extra navcomp since they will be separated.

Peter seems hopeful that he choose someone with a good entrepreneurial instincts to open this company together.

"Let’s try to keep tabs on everyone on the radios, tune them to be on channel 4"

Trade Era 1235, Day 165. 06:17 UTC

Underways, Zyronis
Peter Morgan adjusted the strap of his helmet, securing the mask and atmofilter that shielded him from the toxic fumes that lingered in the air. The eerie, chemical stench that permeated the entrance of the underways was already noticeable. He glanced over at Lucia Calidius, her eyes sharp and alert beneath her helmet. She was doing a final check on the hovercycles, making sure everything was ready for their descent.

"Everything set, Lucia?" Peter asked, his voice slightly muffled by the mask.

Lucia nodded, giving him a thumbs-up. "All systems green. We’re ready to go."

Mercer Furio and Song Liu, on the other hovercycle, were similarly preparing.

"So, our primary objective is to find those refinery parts," Lucia repeated.

Song Liu grinned from behind his mask. "And here I thought we were just out for a joyride."

Lucia smirked. "Joyride or not, they need those parts to complete the refinery. No refinery, no money."

Peter mounted their hovercycle and powered it up, the machine humming with a low, resonant energy. "Ready when you are," he said.

Mercer and Song took their positions on the second hovercycle. Song gave a brief nod, signaling they were set to move.

The entrance to the underways loomed ahead, a gaping maw of darkness fringed with the corroded remnants of old warning signs and automated facilities, long since rendered inactive by the harsh environment. A thin mist of chemical vapors clung to the ground, swirling around their hovercycles as they advanced.

Peter accelerated their hovercycle, and Mercer and Song followed suit. They moved forward in unison, their vehicles gliding smoothly over the uneven ground as they entered the dark, subterranean world.

The light from the entrance quickly faded behind them, replaced by the dim, artificial glow of their hovercycles' headlights. The beams cut through the thick air, casting long shadows that danced along the tunnel walls. The underways were a disorienting maze of intersecting paths and hidden dangers, each turn potentially leading to hazards or hostile creatures.

with a final nod towards Mercer and Song Peter accelerates the hoverbike and begins making his way south.

"Don't forget to keep comms going"

he says through the radio

"Will do, keep your eyes open and stay away from the Carson Vipers, if you can help it."
Mercer turns North and begins their search.

15 minutes pass as Peter and Mercer move in opposite directions, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

Heading forward Mercer does have some regret that he can't commit it a more detailed search, but they are under a ticking clock.... Maybe if they have some extra time later they can try to scavenge up some extras, but for now the four parts are the goal.

Another 15 minutes passes and Mercer doesn't find anything special. On the other hand, he is surely mapping the nearby underways as he moves around. He now had a choice: turn north or keep moving west?

Peter is focused on his mission, he follows the bend westward with a keen eye on the pieces and the descriptions he heard from Talia. While he’s aware of the potential for greater loot if he pauses, his primary focus remains on setting up the factory.

If we want to save some time, Mercer will be following these guidelines:
-finish exploring any noticable dead ends within sight
-heading North
-heading West

Mercer is going to alert through comms. "Just came across a lot of plant life near F6. This may be where the Quantum Catalyzer Core is; going to start searching the area."