Awakening the Scavengi

gearshift48

Fort_Master_Gustav as they head deeper they eventually find small creatures, no more than 3 feet tall with 4 thin legs and clawwed hands, struggling to travel around the tunnels as they cant see with the smoke. 3 of them are travelling holding onto eachother trying to head... somewhere in the caves.

Fort_Master_Gustav

gearshift48
As per the tactical level fighting doctrines of the MISE/GL&M Rules of Engagement, they are instructed to keep their distance from the alien lifeforms and proceed onwards with their mission, avoiding conflict whenever possible. Slowly and carefully they travel through the caves tailing the beings from a safe distance. Revelation of their presence would only be done in the measure of the necessary, and in a way that would avoid conflict to the best of their habilities.
If they strayed too far away from the presumed place of the projection, they'd return to their objective.

gearshift48

Fort_Master_Gustav a few more colomns of the creatures walk past, going into smaller side tunnels that look to contain whatever these creatures call homes. though eventually they reach a rather large cavern, a underground lake with wildlife somehow surviving in it. as they reach this cavern the smoke begins to be dissipated, blown out from heading deeper, and a few of those small creatures seeming to be fishing at the lake not paying to much attention, piles of old scrapmetal lining the sides with more of the creatures trying to fasion small machines out of the scrap. stealth further down might be difficult but they are reaching the more developed and important areas, likely getting closer to whatever this beacon is.

Fort_Master_Gustav

gearshift48
Despite the technological advantage, getting further down will be extremely hard if they initiate some kind of combat with this alien populace. Luckly for the aliens, the gas that the MISE uses seems to not be harmful towards organics, though dense with particulates that might make breathing uncomfortable or difficult, it is unlikely that it'd provoke more than a momentary discomfort or small loss of air.
The team, without the smoke, can activate the usual standard suite of visuals for their standard combat suit, allowing them to monitor a variety of useful signals around them. They try to evaluate if there is any kind of way to circumvent the large opening and achieve further depths without calling attention. Meanwhile, the team at the top gets a live feed of the visuals and sensors, which are used to accurately map out the area around them.

killercat625

gearshift48

There was an incoming small grouping of shuttles, three of them to be exact. They were entering the atmosphere at a moderate pace.

Xeno-Corps was heading down, there were 80 troopers out of the original 96, as one of the transport bays was modified to hold heavy-grade weapons.

gearshift48

Fort_Master_Gustav the creatures dont even seem bothered by the lack of air but mainly the lack of sight. further tunnels appear they could lead around but theirs no gaurentee. the creatures continue walking around as 2 more come up from the other end of the room, widling shields and a large, mantis like scythe claw on thier other arm. they also appear to have basic scrap metal armor and crowns on, most likely these are the soldiers and gaurds for these creatures, like an ant hive.

Brank the machines are destroyed rapidly, collapsing into the dirt.
the shield has repaired

Brank

gearshift48
The Ghosts Open Fire, Volleys of Plasma Melting metal and Electronics, one of the Ghost's Front armour is Ripped off by the Fire, and exposing the engine. The machines are destroyed, and the ghosts return and Give a sitrep

Fort_Master_Gustav

gearshift48
The two operative groups take the chances and try to find a path that goes around the more active place, concealing their presence to the best of their hability. For now, the smoke stops being pumped into the cave system as there's no use for the ones inside of it.
The operatives use their suit's sensor suite to move whenever they don't detect nearby presence, however, they aren't specialized in covert operations.

Brank

gearshift48 The Troops set up expeditions into the caves, consisting of yan'me. They explore as deep into the caves as they can.

gearshift48

Fort_Master_Gustav as they head down a seperate tunnel they pass a couple more groups all trying to wade through the remaining smoke. then, one accidentily bumps into one of the operatives*
it recoils slightly and then makes out what it just bumped into
it lets out a mechanical scream and starts sprinting back down the tunnel

Fort_Master_Gustav

gearshift48
The operative that it bumped into quickly grabs a hold of the being, with the enhanced strength of the suit, the grip is enough to hold the being easily. With a few express maneuvers the operatives disarm the being and try to the best of their hability to silence them without hurting them.
After such, they' try to immobilize the being, and continue onwards with their exploration.

gearshift48

Fort_Master_Gustav you have successfully grabbed the creature. it squirms and tries to escape but you succeed in not letting it scream, it eventually stops and just kinda is there, froze and scared.
there Doesent seem like a way to “disable” it, it’s a wierd case, like a machine and biological combination, metallic natural skin and robotic looking bodies with biological insides and growth.
so, no turning off the boi. he’s just kinda stuck there, frozen from fear.

Fort_Master_Gustav

gearshift48
They tie up the members together and muffle the mouth shut, shoving it in whatever crevice in the caverns it could sit in without being in danger, but also not escape or make loud sounds.
After that they move onwards towards their objective continuing to avoid any encounters like that anymore.

gearshift48

Brank as they head in they quickly come into contact with a few small creatures. no more than 3 feet tall, 4 thin metallic looking legs holding up their body. they notice the intruders and immidietely start screaming and running down the halls

Fort_Master_Gustav they begin to head further in, leaving behind a tied up boi. they begin to find where the smoke ends off in this side tunnel, closer to the end point but not home free. a few small groups of them are moving around up ahead, as well as a few gaurds.
they cant see you, yet.

killercat625 scrap and ruined tanks litter the landscape. small caves are sighted but there arent many, seemingly going deeper into the caverns of this world.

Brank

gearshift48
The Troops Try and Catch one.

Fort_Master_Gustav

gearshift48
The operatives await for the beings to move along, hoping that they don't move towards the group. However, they keep sights on the weapons of the groups that move along, and at the sight of combat, they will fire to disarm the beings.

killercat625

gearshift48

The small shuttle group landed, the 80 troopers came out in a flurry, taking up positions around the shuttle with weapons ready in case any enemies attempted to come at them. The shuttles plasma autocannons kept a constant field of death around the shuttle site.

A scientist rushed out in a combat uniform with a droid following him, as he went to go check out the ruined vehicles for any hints at the technology being used.

gearshift48

Brank as they sprint off, you manage to catch one. it squirms and screams trying to escape but its vey weak physically.

Fort_Master_Gustav the groups walk along but the soldiers seem to be patrolling this specific area. they wont leave easily... the smoke is slowly dissapearing and they will need to make a move at some point.

killercat625 the deserted wasteland is quiet. for now atleast. the tank (which i will send over discord) appears to have a cannon using plasma ammunition. it is destroyed beyond repair in the hull section however.

Brank

gearshift48
The Yan'me, being Natural Engineers, Immediately Take the Think apart, either Unscrewing or undoing bolts, or Peeling metal Plates off, Investigating the Semi-Mechanical Creature, and Ignoring any Screams.

Fort_Master_Gustav

gearshift48
Then a distraction must be created. One of the operatives acquires a flashbang, and throws it down the tunnel they won't go through. It should land close to one of the patroling teams, making a loud detonation noise and a bright deorienting flash, calling the attention of the other group.
The operatives remain at the ready to rush fowards and further inwards after the other group vacates their movement pattern, if not, the perhaps dire measures will be necessary.

killercat625

gearshift48

The troopers would begin to get ready to scour the surface for resources. The shuttles would close their doors and lock down, on automatic defense mode.

gearshift48

Brank (you sick boi) it keeps screaming but eventually stops, either passed out or dead. inside the wierd machine body it begins to bleed as parts are ripped off, orange blood that burns slightly to the touch, not overly acidic but could burn through armor if touching it for too long. a small orange crystal is found in its head, and another in the center of its chest, appearing to act as as a heart and brain for the creature.
the skin metal is identified as a bronze alloy

Fort_Master_Gustav the soldiers run towards the flash's bang and the normal ones run off into side rooms, away from thier path. its a straight shot, though their sounding devices read a few gaurds are holding position near the far end of the tunnel, right near the edges of the suspected beacon zone. they are likely gaurding it specifically.

gearshift48

THE ARTIFACT HAS BEEN TAKEN