It took ages until finally the next BS surfaced - again without anyone exiting. The storm had gotten worse and the crew had decided to securely tow the boat to the artificial Island and weather the storm within the aquacology, even though they couldn't contact the below. Not even on the hardwired lines anyone picked up - Isaint had overheard a frustrated crew member complaining to his peer that only a friendly computer voice answered, talking about "technical difficulties with the communication equipment."
Still, they had to get of this platform, so Isaint pulled Rick aside and led him away from the masses, steering him and himself to the small bathroom section so they could return under the shield of a Physical Mask spell and his Spirits Concealment Power to enter the BS unseen while no prying camera eyes from below were able to notice them. As a bunch of unremarkable maintenance drones they joined the assembly.
The ride down was an exercise in self control and avoiding being stepped on. The sphere was large but also quite packed. Luckily the noise level was high and the light was dim, so they didn't have to be too careful.
As promised, they found a drone with messages from Al and Robyn. Reviewing them confirmed his suspicions - something fishy was going on down there and it was high time that someone with astral sight took a closer look at those guards. From nanobots, spirit possession, enchantement up to shapechangers the sixth world had no shortage of possible ways to explain this sort of behavior.
Finally, they arrived. The sphere was secured and people began to flood out of it with Isaint and Rick waiting to go out last and making a beeline for the hiding place of the crate.
Over microtransceiver he explained:
<<Alright folks - first order of the day: Finding out what the frag is happening here. Rick get some spirit support online and see what the astral is like here. I'll take a closer look on those guards to see if they are themselves or someone else.>>[spoiler]
Assensing:
Assensing:
9d6t5 5[9d6t5=6, 2, 1, 6, 5, 5, 2, 1, 5]
Woohoo, that should show even nanite infestations
[/spoiler]