Leaning heavily against the gear sprocket just outside the maintenance tunnel entrance, Xen allowed his ventilation systems to cycle down from their frantic pace. The angry chittering from within the tunnel persisted, a constant reminder of the nest he had disturbed and narrowly escaped. He checked his status again: HP: 95.0/100. EN: 80.0/150. XP: 182/250. Staff Durability: 14/15. He was alive, but damaged and running on just over half a tank of energy. The encounter had yielded significant XP but had cost him HP and energy, and proven his current weapon system was dangerously unreliable against multiple opponents.
Lingering here was pointless and dangerous. The absolute priority now was reaching a secure location to recover his lost health and formulate a better plan. The Maintenance Tunnels, and the coolant trail within, were clearly off-limits until he possessed significantly improved combat capabilities or tools.
His original crevice shelter beckoned. It offered safety, the [Sheltered] regeneration buff, and was his established base of operations. Decision made.
Keeping low and moving with renewed caution fueled by his injuries and lower energy reserves, Xen began the fifteen-minute trek back. He didn't risk using the [Audio Dampener], needing to conserve every unit of Energon.
He relied on his DEX 13 and learned experience to navigate the scrap field quietly, constantly scanning his surroundings, using his HUD map to stick to the safest known paths and avoid the hazards near the fallen giant's unstable frame. The journey was blessedly uneventful, the scrap heap seemingly indifferent to his passage.
Finally, the familiar entrance between the giant engine block and the bent hull plating came into view. A quick Lvl 2 scan confirmed the interior was clear (EN: 79.0/150, Scan Prof: 3.9%), and he slipped inside with a profound sense of relief.
HP: 95.1/100. The slow climb back to full health began. He moved to the back of the crevice, settling down against the cool metal wall. First, energy. Planning and recovery required a stable power source.
Inventory. His HUD displayed the contents: [Energon Crystal (Medium-Grade) x3], [Data Chip Fragment (Damaged)] x1. Slots Used: 2/5. Plenty of space now, at least. Retrieve one Energon Crystal.
The crystal materialized in his palm. He pressed it to his intake port.
Better. Over 100 EN felt significantly safer, providing a decent buffer. Now, he just needed to wait for his passive regeneration to mend the 4.9 HP he'd lost. At 0.1 HP per minute, that meant roughly 49 minutes of downtime. He settled in, forcing his systems into a low-power resting state while remaining alert to outside sounds.
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His mind, however, was active, processing the recent fight and planning his next steps. The staff had worked, proving [Improvised Assembly] was a viable skill, but the malfunctions were nearly fatal.
Relying on close combat with that weapon against multiple vermin, or potentially larger threats, was suicide. He needed a ranged option. He also needed better defense; the few hits he took had chipped away precious HP that took far too long to recover.
Could he build something better now? He mentally reviewed his inventory again: Energon crystals (fuel/power source), the damaged Data Chip (information, unusable currently).
That was it. His earlier thought about using circuit board components to stabilize the staff was impossible – he'd discarded those boards (or rather, now correctly remembering, he simply didn't possess any useful ones, only the potential for salvage from the cache he'd visited). He had no capacitors, no focusing lenses, no shield emitters, no reinforced plating.
His [Improvised Assembly] skill, even at Lvl 2, couldn't conjure components out of thin air. It allowed him to combine existing parts in rudimentary ways. Conclusion: No further upgrades were possible without acquiring specific, functional components.
Where could such components be found? He brought up his HUD map overlay again, reviewing the Points of Interest his comprehensive scan had revealed:
- Hidden Compartment: Needs STR 15 / Tool. Impossible currently.
- Maintenance Tunnels: Vermin-infested, unstable. No-go zone for now.
- Trace Energon Leak: Needs Skill / Tool / Risk. Not worth it for 0.5 EN/hour.
- Titanium Deposit: Needs Mining Tool. Useless.
- Giant's Shielded Signature: Needs Scan Lvl 3+ / Access. Too risky/difficult.
- Precursor Assembly Fragments: Unknown value/function. Worth investigating later, perhaps.
- Damaged Sensor Array: This POI, marked near the Precursor Assembly area, specifically noted potential salvage: [Advanced Optic Lens (Cracked)] and [High-Frequency Receiver Coil (Damaged)].
An optic lens, even cracked, might be exactly what he needed to try and focus the staff's energy discharge into a projectile – the core of a ranged weapon. A receiver coil, designed to handle high-frequency energy, sounded like a plausible core component for some kind of defensive energy field or shield emitter. This single location potentially held the key parts for both the offensive and defensive upgrades he desperately needed.
The Sensor Array POI became his new priority target. It was located back near the Precursor Assembly, meaning traversing potentially dangerous territory again, and the salvage itself might be difficult or hazardous, but the potential reward – the specific components needed for tangible upgrades – made it the most logical, high-value objective.
The minutes ticked by. Xen remained still, listening to the scrap heap outside, monitoring his slow regeneration. Finally, the notification chimed.
He felt the last vestiges of the damage fade, his systems reporting optimal physical condition. Full health. Decent energy reserves (EN: 104.0/150). A clear, high-priority objective. It was time to move again.
He stood up, flexing his manipulator hand, then gripped his slightly more reliable, but still inadequate, [Crude Energon Staff]. The mission was clear: head towards the coordinates of the Damaged Sensor Array, assess the situation, and attempt to salvage the optic lens and receiver coil.
Success could fundamentally change his ability to survive and explore this world. Failure... well, failure wasn't an option he could afford to dwell on.
With newfound resolve born of necessity, Xen prepared to leave the relative safety of the crevice once more, this time on a targeted salvage mission.