Scott and the others soon went through the doorway, but all they found was a big empty room.
Peebee looked utterly frustrated. "No. No, this can't be right. All that fanfare for an empty room? There's some secret here. There must be." She then turned to Scott. "Do your Pathfinder thing."
Before Scott could do anything hatch opened up in the very centre of the room and when they looked over the edge they could barely see the bottom.
Peebee looked up at Scott with a smile. "Oh, you're good."
Scott shrugged. "And I make it look so easy."
"How far down do you think it goes?" Liam asked as he looked over the edge.
Scott looked for something that they could drop down and he found a single rock, no doubt swept in here by the storms outside. He pushed it with his foot and it felt over the ledge only to float then gently float down to who knows where.
Peebee frowned. "That can't be air pressure. Electrostatic?" She shook her head and then her eyes lit up. "Ah, gravitation." She then facepalmed herself. "Oh, you idiot, Peebee. That wasn't the front door. This is!"
That was all that Scott wanted to know. "I'll let you know!"
He then jumped and began to plummet downwards.
"Hey!" Peebee yelled indignantly and jumped right after him.
Cora and the others looked one another and soon followed suit.
It was a strange feeling as Scott fell down what they believe to be the doorway. He was falling, but there was a gravitational resistance that prevented him from plummeting to his death. It was a strange sensation and it was very difficult to describe.
"It's acting like a gravity well," said Peebee above him.
"But where is it taking us?" Scott asked.
Peebee smiled. "Embrace the unknown, Ryder." They kept on falling until they entered a gigantic room completely made with a strange alloy mate from the other Remnant artefacts above ground. "Now this is more like it."
"Looks like a bunker. Or a vault?" said Scott.
"Whatever you call it, the controls of the atmosphere processor might be down here somewhere," said Peebee.
"Let's find out," said Scott as they touched the ground.
They began looking around the large room and found many objects. As they scanned Peebee informed them that there was element zero running through all this technology. One could only imagine the engineering that it took to build always.
Scott, however, was a little concerned on how they were going to get back out, but fortunately Peebee had the answer.
"I think that gravity well works in reverse, too," she said.
"Then we have a way out," said Scott as he looked at the ceiling.
Peebee looked at him. "You're not leaving already, are you?"
Scott shook his head. "Not until we find those processor controls." He managed to find an interface console, but it was clear that they were in the controls they were looking for. "Only minimal power. I don't think it triggers the atmosphere processor, but…"
Suddenly they heard something as if gears were moving.
"Pathfinder, a conduit beneath the floor just activated," SAM informed them. "Fluid is running through it. It could be generating emergency power. Your scanner will have more details."
Scott used his scanner and indeed saw some sort of conduit beneath them and he was following it towards a large door. As he did so, he noticed there wasn't any kind of kett technology.
"No sign of any kett. Maybe they can't get into the vault?" said Scott looking at the others.
"But you can. That'll get their attention," said Peebee.
Somehow that wasn't encouraging to Scott. "Lucky me."
The door then opened, but the conduit kept on moving past another bulkhead.
"I see the conduit, SAM," said Scott. "However it leads out of the room."
Scott then began to scan everything in what appeared to be some sort of corridor, he first scanned the interface console in front of him.
"Phase recovered. 'Must read access,'" SAM translated. "This console linked to surface facilities."
"Then it must control the atmosphere processor."
Peebee frowned. "No glyphs. It looked dead—or locked down, like most of this place."
"The fluid conduit leads to this console and further into the vault," SAM informed them.
"So we follow that conduit it might lead to the system lockdown," Scott concluded as he began to scan the strange bits of data floating around the place.
Peebee looked at them with great interest. "These data patterns things are incredible. If I'm right each one holds hundreds of zettabytes. There are whole species who get by with less."
"Open. We read it, we get access."
"Minor corruption detected. The pattern suggests significant data present, but it cannot be accessed."
They managed to get entry through the next bulkhead by accessing the interface and they soon found themselves in yet another room. However, in the very centre of this room there was a large tower and it appeared to be moving as some form of energy was flowing inside of it. There also appear to be too different corridors, but there was no telling what they might expect.
"Another gravity well and…" Peebee stopped when she found some sort of container laying down on a console, "that's new."
"What is it?" Scott asked as she scanned it.
"A symbol of authority? A key? It's easy to speculate with Remnant, but we need more facts," she said. "I'll see what I can find on this beauty." She said pointing that the corridor to her left. "Maybe over this way."
"Whatever has this place on lockdown is that way," Scott reminded pointing to the corridor in front of them.
"I do my best work solo. You fix up the vault, I'll investigate the relic and together we'll figure out this place out."
Scott believe that splitting up was the wisest choice in this place. "You don't watch many horror vids, do you? We have no idea what's down here."
"And we never will, if we miss something because we're huddled in a group," she pointed out. "I'll be careful."
Scott sighed knowing there was no point arguing. "Just stay on the radio."
Peebee nodded activated her omni-tool sending him her radio signal. "I'm on frequency 145.8. Stay safe."
She then scampered off down the other corridor and it quickly closed behind her.
Liam approached Scott and smirked. "Ten credit says she ends up in pit of spikes."
Scott shook his head and turned back to the gravity well. "This gravity well's sealed off. No way through."
"Incidentally, a 'gravity well' is the gravitational effect of a large mass in space. This is more accurately a well with variable gravity."
"Keep a note for our asari friend. And to when we try to explain all this."
Scott began to examine the room and that's when he found a shield blocking what appeared to be some sort of canister. There was no interface preventing them from acquiring what was inside, but it had to be valuable.
They then continue to follow the conduit underground and almost immediately Peebee checked in.
"Comm check," said Peebee's voice. "It's—well, you know who."
"We read you, Peebee. Stay in touch," Scott ordered.
They soon entered the next room and it was even more amazing than the previous one, it had far wider space and as far as Scott could tell there was some sort of unknown liquid pouring in places.
"They don't this place through solid rock," said Scott in disbelief.
"Look up there," Cora pointed at several support beams. "Must be how they kept it from collapsing.
Scott then looked down at the liquid that was performing some sort of lake. "Whoa. What's this liquid?"
"Unable to classify," said SAM.
"The only way through is down towards it," said Scott looking at the others as he scanned the liquid.
"An unknown alloy and other materials. The compensation resembles omni-gel," said SAM.
"Maybe that's the fluid in the conduit."
Scott had to assume that the liquid was going to be dangerous to their flesh so in order to avoid it they had to jump from platform to platform. Thankfully was rather easy thanks to their jump-jet, but they still had time their launch correctly.
They soon reached the other side of the lake and that when they came face-to-face with Remnant robots, mostly Assemblers. They used the blast shields to their advantage in order to prevent them from getting shot while firing back at them, preferably before they created Breachers.
As they pressed on they found that the liquid was flowing down some kind of aqueduct.
"So, whatever that liquid is… they need a whole aqueduct for it," said Scott.
"Make that two aqueducts, at least," said Peebee over the comm. "I just crossed one."
The most curious thing was the fact there was breathable down here, despite being so far underground completely sealed off from the atmosphere above. Obviously the place had some sort of life-support system installed and it was still operational.
One thing was for certain this unfold was gigantic, there was no end in sight to all the structures.
"My God," Cora stared.
"All this for atmosphere processor? What is this place?" Scott stared.
They kept on moving and counting more the strange liquid pouring down the aqueducts.
"How come this liquid hasn't dried up?" Peebee asked curiously. "Unless turning that conduit started it flowing again. Wouldn't that the something."
It in take them long to encounter yet another aqueduct.
"Another aqueduct. This liquid is everywhere," said Cora.
"If it really is omni-gel, that fluid could be what's keeping this place going," Scott theorised.
Vetra looked at the strange structures that they could see quite a distance away, they resembled pyramids, but there were permits both on the floor and the ceiling hovering above one another.
"What are those pyramids? They must be huge," said Vetra.
They kept on moving encountering yet more Remnant man upon seen them they immediately opened fired. Scott began to wonder whether these Remnant robots were not only guards but caretakers.
They kept on moving until they saw Peebee standing on a pathway on the opposite end of the chasm they were looking down.
"Peebee!" Scott yelled waving at her.
"Ryder!" Peebee yelled back as the door behind closed. "That relic box I found? Not a symbol of authority. The Remnant still shot at me. I'll try with one of those data patterns we saw."
"Is that a good idea?" Scott questioned, knowing they've knew very little about the place.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
They then watched as she ran off before they had a chance to say anything else.
They continue to explore the place and Scott just stared at the structural marvel surrounding them.
"It would take years to tunnel a place this big," said Scott.
"And good reason to build it," Cora added.
They continued to following the conduit through a massive door and down deeper into a tunnel. As they walked down the tunnel they saw strange pillars of appearing out of the ground with some strange light and they could only assume that they were there to light the way.
"The atmosphere processor we found before didn't need all the steps," Scott frowned as he looked at the others. "Dad just interfaced with it directly."
"And in work out so great," Liam pointed out.
"Direct intervention was necessary, but clearly unwise," said SAM.
Eventually they reached a similar room to the first one they entered.
"Look how high it is," said Scott looking up at the ceiling. "Might be another gravity well?"
Unfortunately they found that the well was completely sealed.
"The well's sealed. Damn," Scott cursed. "Maybe we can use the conduit for emergency power, same as before."
Sadly before they had a chance to do anything like the saw they were immediately attacked by Remnant. Unfortunately there was very few of them so it in take them long to demolish the robots. Though admittedly they had a bit of a tough time with the Remnant turret firing at them, but with a pincer movement they were able to destroy it.
Cora approached Scott as they looked down at the demolished Observer bot. "These Remnant get better and better."
"They're our only glimpse into another civilisation. Too bad we have to keep destroying them," Scott sighed.
"They must be fighting for a reason," said Peebee. "All these mysteries. Something big is happening in Andromeda, Ryder. Something magnificent."
Scott then rose to his feet and began to scan the floor in order to search for the conduit, but it's split into two heading towards two different interfaces.
"The conduit splits and goes through each of those devices," said Scott pointing each one out.
"Interfacing may complete the circuit and allow the well to open," SAM deduced.
"If it gets us to the system lockdown, let's try," said Scott as he made his way to one of the devices. "Okay. Let's hit both these consoles and complete the circuit."
It only took Scott about a minute to activate both consoles and immediately the gravity well opened up.
"Power stored to the gravity well. The conduit leads down," said SAM. "Conduit fluid pressure is variable. There could be activity below."
"Then let's take deeper," said Scott as they make their way to the gravity well.
Once they reach the gravity well they began to descend down with slightly did before.
"It's also clean for something… how old?" Liam asked.
"Unknown. Radiation counts indicate the vault has been off-line for several hundred years," said SAM.
"Around the time the Scourge appeared?" Scott assumed. "That can't be a coincidence. Maybe the Scourge is why all this tech was abandoned?"
Obviously the Scourge had some sort of effect on the Remnant, but who would create an artificial dark energy cloud and leave it to ravage the entire system. Of course this is all speculation and they had no hard evidence, but hopefully they were able to fully translate the language of the Remnant it could lead to some answers.
When they reach the floor annoyingly they found a damaged console and it was beyond their means to repair and to make matters worse fluid was pouring out of it.
"Crap. The conduit sprang a leak," Scott cursed.
"Right over the console," said Vetra as she bent down to examine it. "If you try interfacing, you'll burn your hands off."
"And no fluid means no power. Damn it," Scott cursed. "Maybe that's why those devices up above were turned off." Scott refused to give up after they had come so far. "We're not turning back now. There has to be some way to fix the leak."
All of them had blank looks on their faces, none of them were engineers and even with the help from SAM there was very little chance they could get anything operational.
"Ryder! Up here!" Peebee's voice cried.
They looked up and found Peebee on a ledge, she had already just came from behind that large door behind her.
"What happened?" Peebee asked as she bent down to look at them. "I can't get any doors to work."
"The conduit's breached," said Scott gesturing to the console dripping fluid.
Peebee pondered for a moment. "Hey, wait. The Observers were using weird laser frequencies to fix a broken wall back there. I can send the frequency to your omn-tool. Maybe they can patch up the conduit?"
Scott nodded and immediately accessed his omni-tool and within seconds received the frequency from Peebee. "And… received. I'll give them a shot!"
Scott bent down to the broken conduit and sent the frequency. Within a few seconds the breach was sealed, but it was clearly just temporary. "The system's responding to those frequencies. Just a patch job, but it should hold."
"Nice work!" Peebee yelled down. "If it's fixed, that console should work now!"
Scott immediately access the console not only did open the door, but it created a bridge for Peebee to cross.
"Looks like it worked," said Scott.
"There's even a bridge," said Peebee as she excitedly walked across it. "You're a pal, Ryder."
"Where are you going?" Scott yelled, half expecting her jumped down to follow him.
"We've got to be close to the system lockdown by now," she said as she looked down at him. "First one gets the glory."
Scott shook his head. "We'll catch up. If we got that door to working, too."
They soon entered the next room, which was home to a large canyon and they could even see the bottom of it. The only way across was jumping from platform to platform, but most of them were missing. Also they appear to be some sort of plant in the very centre.
"Nowhere to go but down," said Vetra as she leaned over the edge.
Scott immediately began to interface with the consoles at the edge of the platform they were on and soon other platforms began to form. There were still missing gaps meaning that they had to time using their jump-jets correctly to get to the other side.
Scott looked at the plans and frowned. "Wait. Plants? All the way down here?"
"That's… strange," said Cora.
"No sunlight. No water. They should all be dead.
"The planet's a wasteland, but maybe they're just hardy," Vetra offered.
"The source of the system lockdown may yield more information. We appear to be close," said SAM.
They continue to investigate the chamber and it soon became clear that he was like some sort of puzzle. Activating different consoles resulted in different platforms to be formed, making new pathways. Of course that meant they kept on encountering more Remnant robots, but after fighting against the so long they were pretty much pros at this point.
One of these pathways actually took them to what seemed to be some sort of archive judging from all the holographic glyphs covering the walls.
"Look at all those data patterns. It's practically a library," Scott stared.
"You're kidding," said Peebee over the comm.
"I'm looking at it right now."
"And I went the other way," Peebee moaned. "Crap. I'd kill to be standing where you are."
Scott began to scan the data patterns hoping that SAM might be able to give some light to everything around them.
"Severe data corruption detected," said SAM.
"Is there anything left?" Scott asked.
"A possible reference to Eos, and the term that could translate to 'craft,' 'discovery,' or 'edifice,'"
Scott began to scan yet another data pattern. "Data corruption. Approximating a translation of surviving terms."
Scott began reading allows the translated terms. "'Protocol.' 'Disengage.' 'Verdurous…'" Scott looked at the others and frowned. "Verdurous?"
Peebee sighed over the comm. "So many answers, right there, and no way to reach them."
Scott continued to scan the data patterns and Sam continue to translate. "Data recovered. These fragments appear to be from system reports generated by the vault. However, I do not recognise most of the systems described."
Scott continued to scan the other data patterns, but they were too corrupted for any kind of translation.
With that done they began making their way back towards where they believe the lockdown to be located.
"Dad would have really loved this place," said Scott as they jump from platform to platform.
Cora nodded. "Nothing hooks him more like the unknown."
"Someday, Sara could be exploring down here."
They had to engage a few Remnant robots as they continued to make a pathway to where they assumed would lead them to lockdown.
They then entered through a large bulkhead door and soon found themselves in a never chamber. This one was quite different from all the others they had encountered, in the very centre of the room there was some sort of device that was pouring the fluid into some sort of basin.
"No question. This is the heart of the vault," said Scott looking at the others.
"I've never seen anything like it," Cora stared.
Scott then slowly began to approach the interface in what seemed to be some sort of power generator. He immediately began to access it and suddenly the blue fluid turned bright red and then vanished and all the lights they had been seen started to glow red as well.
Scott then noticed a similar relic box that Peebee found earlier on the interface. "Huh. Any thoughts, SAM?" Scott asked as he picked it up to scan it.
"Unknown, though it appears related to the lockdown," said SAM. "An in-depth study may reveal its purpose." They then turned their attentions back onto the lockdown. "The system lockdown is disabled. The vault, and the atmosphere processor, should return to full operation."
"Ryder?" said Peebee over the comm. "You fixed lockdown, didn't you. The whole place is lighting up. Power readings are off the chart. Really, really off the chart…"
"Berkowitz back online, we should be good… to…" Scott then heard the sound what appeared to be a door opening on the opposite end of the chamber and that's when they saw some dark cloud heading towards them. They watched as the cloud consumes some of the plant life within the chamber and they were immediately disintegrated.
Liam looked at Scott. "Should we…"
"Go!" Scott yelled.
They immediately ran like hell with the death cloud following close behind.
"Peebee! Get back to the entrance, now!" Scott yelled over the radio.
"I saw it! What is that thing?" Peebee yelled.
"Don't risk it! Just go!"
Then suddenly a vent ruptured just a few seconds before Scott stepped on it.
"Watch out! Vents!" he yelled to the others.
"Keep running!" Cora yelled.
They soon exited out of the corridor they were running through, but a chasm block their path to the next platform.
"Too far to jump! Got another bridge?" Cora asked.
Scott quickly began to access the interface that was close by hoping that it would provide them away across. Fortunately, it did just that informed the bridge and the wasted no time to cross it.
"Faster! Don't let it catch us," Vetra yelled.
"It would be wise to escape, Ryder," SAM advised.
"I know, SAM!" Scott yelled as they reached another bulkhead door.
They had been so busy running that they failed to notice that they weren't following the pathway they took originally, but luckily for them there was another gravity well in front of them.
"Another gravity well!" Scott yelled.
"We don't know where it goes!" Vetra reminded.
"It goes away from here! We're taking it!"
They quickly approached the gravity well and Scott began to interface with it, but the death cloud was fast approaching them.
"It's still coming!" Scott panicked.
"It's sweeping the whole vault! Killing anything in its way!" Peebee yelled over the comm.
"Yeah, like us!"
They managed to activate the gravity well just in time before the death cloud consumes them and soon they were heading up towards the ceiling, to the next floor.
When they finally reached the top they discovered that they had landed in the first room they had entered, the one opposite the first gravity well, but the barrier was gone. Not to mention the shield blocking the container from earlier.
"The barrier's gone!" Scott noted.
"You one that thing grab it quick!" Vetra advised.
Scott wasted no time getting to the container and grabbed what he could from it, suddenly contains some rare items.
They then ran back towards the door to the entrance.
"That's the door to the entrance! Almost there!" Scott yelled as they ran as they pushed out just a little further.
Scott quickly opened the bulkhead door and the immediately rushed in, but there was still no sign of Peebee and that death cloud was getting awfully close for comfort.
"We're almost clear! Where are you?" Scott asked contacting Peebee, but there wasn't any answer. "Hello? Peebee!"
Scott turned, knowing that might have no choice but to leave her behind. Thankfully, much to his relief, Peebee came round the corner, she skidded across the ground slightly as she tried to turn. However, she had several Observers on her tail and they began blasting her.
Peebee jumped over a barrier and fired her pistol at one of them before she rejoined Scott and the others.
"Go! Go, go, go!" Scott ordered gesturing them inside.
"Ahh, it's right on our heels!" Peebee panicked.
"Get to the gravity well!" said Scott as he turned towards the entrance.
Unfortunately, they had a new problem, the entrance door was completely shut and it wouldn't budge an inch. Cora, Liam and Vetra all try to make it budge, but their combined strength wasn't enough.
"Not moving! Find an override!" said Cora as she desperately tried to find a weakness in the structure.
Scott couldn't find anything resembling an override on the door, but then he turned to the interface that was a few metres behind them. The death cloud was fast approaching them and Scott knew that it was their last chance to get out of this alive.
He immediately dashed towards the interface and began to interface with it.
"Console is attempting service reconnection," said SAM.
"Come on!" said Scott just as the death cloud was about to consume him.
Then just before it covered him in head to toe, the death cloud began to back away. "Vault restart is now complete," said SAM much to Scott's relief.
"That was… Talk about a rush," Peebee panted.
"What was that… field?" Scott asked as he took a moment to catch his breath.
"Might've been sweeping the vault… or chasing us," Cora shrugged.
"An immune system? Maybe one last scrub before start-up?" Peebee offered. "This places of surprises."
"Nothing like outrunning death," said Scott as he looked at the others.
"Or reactivating a huge, mysterious vault," Peebee added. "Nice going."
"Atmosphere processor is online. Recovering last console activity," said SAM and immediately appearing before them was some sort of holographic display of planetary systems.
"Is that the Heleus Cluster?" Peebee asked.
"Yeah," Scott nodded and he pointed at the flashing icon that was larger than the others. "There we are. That's Eos."
"Whoa," said Liam breathlessly. "Did restarting the system do that?"
"If that light is us… then these points could be vault on other worlds," Scott theorised. "Dormant, like this one."
"Maybe, but why is there whole network of them? What's all this for?" Peebee frowned.
"This tech can create Observers from nowhere of ravage a whole planet, and that's just what we've seen," said Scott as he scratched his chin. "The bots, those plants back there, the atmosphere processors…"
"Back home, some corporation headed desert world with an ice coment," said Liam. "They change the atmosphere to bring rain."
"And I once did supply runs for a Council team that was seeding some ice planet's atmosphere, trying to melt the ice caps," Vetra added.
"To help support life," Scott nodded.
"First processor we saw was making things worse, but maybe it malfunctioned," said Cora.
So far all their theories seem to be supporting one specific outcome. "Is that what these builders were trying to do? Make worlds habitable? Even terraform a whole cluster?"
"Hey, look there," said Peebee pointing to a never icon within a holographic display. They all saw a line from Eos linking to another planet and Peebee approach to the holographic display of the planet appeared. "That's different. Maybe it's active? We've got to go see!"
"SAM?" said Scott.
"Extrapolating. These coordinates lie beyond the space we have currently surveyed, Pathfinder," SAM informed him. "Mark it on our charts. We need more to go on." He then looked at the others, wanted and see the state of the planet now. "Let's head up to the surface. I could use some fresh air."
They made their way back at the gravity well and soon exited the vault and the moment they exited they found that the radiation and sandstorms had more or less vanished. They could now see your blue skies and the radiation was now at much safer levels.
"Look at that sky," Scott smiled.
Peebee stared in disbelief. "How? No atmosphere processor works that fast."
"If this effect is representative, Pathfinder, air and moisture patterns will show noticeable improvement," said SAM. "Eos, could support an outpost."
Scott bent down and grasped a handful of sand there was no longer irradiated. "A foothold. That's all we need—just enough to begin." He then turned and faced the others. "This Remnant technology could be the key of our survival, if we can control it."
"You can," Liam nodded, but then he winced slightly. "Kind of. Still, won't hurt to find a manual."
"We've got a lead," said Peebee. "SAM marked it on the charts down there. That site is active, whatever it is. Who knows what we'll find there?"
"We?" Scott asked raising an eyebrow. "You want to come along?"
"I want to know what makes the Remnant tick. You've got a key to their technology—or a crowbar, at least."
Scott had to admit that they needed someone with Remnant knowledgeably were going to tamper with anything and she certainly had proven herself quite useful.
"Welcome aboard. We'll get you a fancy job title to go over your bank," said Scott.
Peebee's face lit up excitedly as she made her way back to her shuttle. "I only need a footlocker. Datapad, toothbrush, clean underwear. That'll do. I'll catch up with you!"
She then boarded her shuttle and took off, no doubt to leave it in one of the format outposts.
"Well. This'll be interesting," said Cora shaking her head.
With that they went back to the Nomad in order to establish the post at their chosen location.
Back on the Nexus, Adam was informing Addison of what had transpired on Eos and making sure she was prepared.
"With just received a report, Eos' radiation levels have gone down," he said.
Addison stared at him. "What? How?"
"That Remnant technology seems to be a miracle worker," Adam shrugged. "Either way we need to get prepared to set up the outpost quickly. I trust that you have made the preparations."
"I've got most of the personnel sorted out, but the rest will depend upon what kind of outpost will be establishing we only have the resources for one," Addison reminded. "Either way I have had August Bradley, to have everyone prepped and I will be accompanying them, I need to see this for myself."
Adam nodded. "Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for the green light from Ryder."