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[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/418451634885230593/732110599051411456/volana.png[/img][/center]
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Oberth Reactors?

Volana's eyes darted across the sensor data which had been sent over to the Orbital team, following the blips of heat signatures lining up with changes in density from the subsurface readings. The image slowly resolved itself into something clearer; hard, distinct shapes coming into sharp focus. Though the sudden, sharp delineation between what was obviously natural erosion and buildup, and a hard, decidedly unnatural plane thirty meters down caught her attention.

Her mind raced. Not even an hour after having arrived on the surface and they had already found something more than just a planet that was alive. [i]Something[/i] had lived here.

[i]Someone[/i].

And they wanted to dig it up. Volana glanced around, the rest of the ground team was currently in position around the perimeter, and she was the closest to the near-surface heat signature.

Just her luck.

<<[color=aquamarine]Affirmative,[/color]>> Volana replied, a mix of trepidation and excitement bubbling up beneath the surface, though she did her best to keep it at bay. <<[color=aquamarine]If uh, anything jumps out at me you will be sure I am clear before firing, yes?[/color]>>

That last part was to no one in particular, and she was only half-joking.

Volana advanced forward, the Aurora's heavy footfalls sinking the machine a few inches into the soft, sandy ground. She stopped just above the heat signature, the glow from her data-augmented view emanating from beneath her.

She let out a curse, and took a long breath.

While the [i]Aurora[/i] wasn't exactly outfitted for [i]digging[/i] of all things, it was still a twenty meter tall humanoid machine, and the mass of sand between her and the very artificial, very alien heat source below was no obstacle as she began to dig her way into the soil.