"Oh, there's a secret laboratory under the totally-a-family clinic…in the dead town!" Mayuko announced as Tarvek led them through a sliding door-device and down some steps "That is such a positive horror movie sign!"

"Sarcasm aside, aye, one can agree that this is less than desired or expected" Tarvek sort of agreed as he allowed a small drone to move on ahead of them, scanning the inside of the, still abandoned, structure. There were differences with the above clinic though…in this area was neat, and tidy, and, most importantly, somewhat empty. The inside of clinic had been tidier, despite the layers of filth and decay, than the other buildings…and this again backed up his immediate estimates of that "Between that and the regular clinic's state…leaning towards unfortunate events"

"Oh, you guess boss man?" Mayuko was looking around with a lighting-unit "This is kinda freaky though"

"It might not be that bad" Janet offered over the comms, though her tone indicated she did not believe that situation she was putting forward "Could many reasons. Many of them illegal yes, but…"

"We found the village drug den?"

"That's not much better" he heard Janet grumble back to Mayuko's question, his own systems scanning what seemed to be multiple rooms hidden underground. Well built rooms at that, with a still existent and possibly functional lightning system…merely requiring power. Which was something he could provide as he guided their trio down and into the small facility, carefully as he had to bend over to avoid smashing his helmeted head into the concrete and metal ceiling. Despite that…it was higher than the clinic above, with hardening in place alongside other indications that someone, maybe military, had been serious about both secrecy and reinforcing this part of the building.

"That is doubtful" he offered after a minute, scans showing what they had discovered "This facility seems to be medically inclined, and sound-proofed for this dimension if scans are correct. If we supply power, the lighting and ventilation system should be functional…and there is a power supply system two doors ahead"

"Is that a good idea?" Janet offered forth a concern, a reasonable one "What if there is an alert system?"

"Jamming is in effect" was his answer, as he wanted access to the systems here. Encamping here seemed a reasonable idea as the facility was relative secure, and tall enough for him to exit his armour now that all scans showed the area as clean. There were comp-systems too, and while they were abandoned for years, and non-functional, he could invest some magic into cleaning and restoring them "While the filtration systems seem functional…that is with prestidigitation to make them so. These systems were not designed for the many years they have been abandoned. Those that were not cleaned out, clearly"

This facility had been carefully and thoroughly cleared to Tarvek's eye's, even now, even with the dust and layers of decay…

He could recognise the things being left were 'abandonable' gear, while there were scuff and impact marks where more essential equipment might have once stood. Even the things that remained, metal beds with long since rotted mattress and other tables hinted that this had been a medical facility…and one with restraints required. Medical testing?

'Illegal medical testing?' he wondered as they explored the, thankfully small, underground secret medical facility 'No remaining monsters or mad scientist signs. No undead, no monster creatures in tubes. They are at least cleaner than some neighbours of ours'

The fact the village was abandoned and walled off, albeit crudely, was a sign that was not positive though…

Exploration took less than an hour, with prestidigitation cantrips taking another to clean out the room he decided to setup in, and the air filter systems. Power supply could be given forth by a fusion core as Tarvek watched the lights flickered back to life within the now 'clean' room, or what might have been a conference room mixed with security room judging from all the comp-screens on one wall. No cameras were functional though, and Tarvek had a nagging suspicion some of them might been within the town itself. He had his drones though, sending back out the ones he'd used to monitor the facility, then setting up his own camera-comp systems just as he'd done at the ritual site. Then….

"Why is he drawing squiggles on the walls?"

"Magic is, apparently, real" he heard Janet said back to Mayuko as they both sat down, removing their masks and suits once he'd confirmed the place was safe to do so "Drawing on walls helps"

"Huh….can I learn magic boss-orc-Tav?"

"Maybe" he answered, finishing the protective circles in the now well-lit room, connecting his comp-feed to the restored old comp-screens "First…we rest and eat. Hunger is strong for me"

"We are both the same" Janet agreed with a sigh "This place is very disturbing. Like so many places we have gone"

"Be glad the destruction is merely a small settlement here judging from signal intercepts" he pointed out, setting his armour into place to cover the doorway, then stepping out of the armoured suit for the first time in what felt like far too long. Stretching tired muscles, and drinking down a potion with a sigh as sleepless nights started to catch up "Here is just…strange, and…"

"Wait you don't have a pig face!" came a…strange…statement from Mayuko, as she gestured at him, then at Janet "Why hasn't he got an ugly pig face and lust and all that? Why is he hot…and red? Why is anime lying to me! Why didn't you tell me Janet-san?!"

Janet merely gave the girl a confused, then exasperated look, hand to her face "I forgot…she hasn't seen you out of your armour till now"

Tarvek shrugged, stretching his arms side to side "Ah, yes, that is so. No all orcs are as your culture sees, just as not all human sub-species are the same, or even your sub-species are the same…you and Janet have different pigment colouration"

"Yeah, but your like…super-red red!" the girl offered back, sounding confused, gesturing at him, but looking to Janet "He's like red-red! Tusk, yeah, where's the piggy nose! Where's the…do you have a giant…"

"Mayuko" Janet reprimanded, catching something Tarvek hadn't picked up on, as the girl blinked, pouted, folding her arms across her question "Young lady"

"It's an important question!"

"No" Janet muttered, groaning, perhaps rolling her eyes "It is not"

"Best we focus on the things that may chase us, and the strange dead village we be in" he told them, moving over and drawing forth a chair from his Compass Inventory, then sitting upon it. Let out a weary sigh "Tis many things to think upon, but, yes, this is the body beneath the armour. Sometimes it is time to step beyond it, wearing the guise of a human is…not the more pleasant part of matters"

'That is if they understood such. Ah, this is not my role in the caravan' he mentally grumbled as he setup the 'campfire' for the night, or simply a simple fuel-fire with a pan, then a mixture of dried meat, rehydrated vegetables, and nord mead to rehydrate it all. He liked Nord Mead, and it filled the room of long-forgotten misery with some pleasant feelings at the very least "But talk be done now, so ask questions as you wish"

"…..what's to eat?"

Tarvek laughed "You are full of questions, pointless, but so be it…something called Elsweyr Fondue and, a favourite of mine, honey mead boar noodles. Dried and rehydrated, but, eh, not many around these parts one imagines"

"He can cook, surprise, surprise" Janet said, almost encouragingly, a bemused smile on her face as he placed her helmet down on the ground. Then made an unhappy face "Better than I apparently"

"Less ingredients available and a more insular culture" he pointed out, starting to stir in the mead, enjoying the smell "Tis a little thing"

"Huh, weird" Mayuko said, sitting down as well "So what now?"

"We wait, then travel onwards"

"And freaky town?"

Tarvek chuckled "Ah, well, tis something we may see much of. Destruction, ruins, and misery as an instructor called it. Tis the nature of such travels, for to avoid active worlds means to impact upon those less…and humans are self-destructive at times. Greater variance than we orcs, though oft less extreme than other folk, such as elves and dwarven kind"

"They're real?"

"Many things are real, unfortunately" he answered that question of Mayuko's with amusement, her face considering before asking the next.

"So…what do you live like?" glanced at Janet "What? I'm curious, he's got super-tech and magic and shiz?"

"Language girl" he grumped back, as the translated that she was being deliberately less than formal "Still, the wilds were preferable, even with tech and magics. Cities breed savagery and weakness in differing measures, even if they have some pleasant touches at times. But, yes, what you call super-tech we had and made use of, but different than your folk would"

{Alert!} ping off the systems {Level Alpha Materialisation in Progress!}

…that wasn't dangerous levels, but Tarvek did grab a weapon without thinking, taking it into hand as his attention turned to the comp-screens showing a…

Odd looking human child, though with horns, looking around and then waving at the drone?

A tiefling or cambion perhaps?

"Umm, umm…hello?" said the tielfling on screen "Can you help Hanyuú? Hanyuú help you if help? Please? Pretty Pwease?"