Still a little rattled from the last topic, you shift your focus to the more present dilemma you're facing right now: the <span class="mu-g">LAB,</span> you begin, any idea on how we should head over?
"Well the boat's out." Your skeleton replies with a borrowed shrug. "You saw what dose' <span class="mu-r">CANNONS</span> can do--I can only imagine what they'd do to a fancy dinghy like dis'."
He's right--flashy as it is, those things depose matter, or whatever--that's bad news!
"Dat' leaves us wit' only a few other routes." Your skeleton continues as he plans while speaking. "There's da' <span class="mu-g">TELEPORTER,</span> of course, but dat's still a coin flip... a coin flip we've made adjustments to, but still a coin flip, kid."
It <span class="mu-i">would</span> get you there lickety-split, though!
"Sure, but it's still risky." Ly counters. "Not ta' mention there's someone pullin' da' strings in their systems, so all it takes is one extra zero in a line a' code an' boom--half of us is teleported to... I dunno, <span class="mu-r">DA' ITCHY DIMENSION</span> or somethin'.
You frown. Is he talking about the half with all of your important organs, or-
"Yep."
Gotcha.
"We also need a way back, right?" Ly asks, earning a nod from you. "Dependin' on what goes down in dat' joint, teleportation might not be an' option on da' way out. An' considerin' our <span class="mu-i">last</span> visit to a top secret lab, we might not have a bundle of time ta' spare."
He's right--you only escaped from the forest thanks to an extremely convenient tunnel and a couple decent rolls--this one might not go as smoothly...
"Dat' said, da' other options ain't lookin' too hot either." Your bones continue with dismay. "Walkin' straight there is doable, yea, if no one minds dodgin' dose' damn <span class="mu-r">CANNONS</span> da' whole way."
You had a bad enough time with just <span class="mu-i">one</span> of those things--if you have to duck and dodge some more...
"Exactly. It's gonna be rough." Ly agrees. "But if we took dose' things down before leavin', well..." He pauses. "We could just walk right out and have da' boat waitin' fer' us, yea?"
Yea, you shrug, but... but that still sounds <span class="mu-i">haaaaard!</span>
"Well I had one more trick up my sleeve:" Ly replies as you briefly imagine him with sleeves, "Dat' <span class="mu-g">HATCH</span> ya' saw below da' <span class="mu-r">CANNON--</span> I'd bet my bones it leads straight into da' <span class="mu-g">LAB.</span> Best of all, it's probably a <span class="mu-g">MAINTENANCE CRAWLSPACE.</span>"
A wry grin forms on your face. Oh <span class="mu-i">HELL</span> yes. You <span class="mu-i">LOVE</span> <span class="mu-g">MAINTENANCE CRAWLSPACES!</span>
"I know ya' do, cupcake." Chuckles your skeleton. "Now I'm no expert on <span class="mu-g">ATLANTEAN TECHNOLOGY,</span> but I'm guessin' dat' path would be kept free of anything dangerous... unless some of it collapsed or somethin'."
Yea, you nod, or something's <span class="mu-i">LIVING</span> in there! Like <span class="mu-r">KILLER STARFISH!</span>
https://youtu.be/wiX8CJqt3Fc"Yes, sure..." Ly says in a wary tone, "Dem' too."
>CONTD. 