[b]Solarel[/b] The blades of the Kathresis, your blades, cut through the security drones like they are paper. Formless nanobots fall away from them like leaves, and the air that would make a sound is still as the hush before sunrise. After a moment, there is a soft hiss as the warmer air around the flash-frozen security drone contacts its surface and undergoes rapid energy transfer. It sounds like the air escaping a sealed container. The spirit returns to this scene, opening a new hole via the ceiling and bringing with it five more security drones, which immediately begin opening fire. “You…” it says. It’s voice is slow, and you can see the look on its face. Contorted with a mixture of rage and disbelief. In its eyes, you have committed sacrilege. “What have you done?!” it manages, though the drones are already shooting as fast as they’re able. Autocannon fire, older in style than lasers, though equally powerful. How do you dismantle them? *** [b]Isabelle[/b] You see a few images of some of the previous fighting. This is in answer to your query about the nanite abilities. The speed and mobility that the spirit initially displayed appears to be the limit. Not all rooms are equally constructed either, the nano bots that can shape the facility are much more effective working the facility metal floors and walls (which are themselves made of metals that are easily manipulated by nanobots) whereas boring a hole in one of the natural cavern rooms would take a considerable amount of time, more than the scale you’re working on. You see the spirit, Trelasani, pulling various security drones to itself. This is in answer to your second query. Your authority is not higher than the locale’s guardian spirit, you’re an honored guest. The guardian spirit is distracted, but you could not draw resources away from it because it has primacy. The drones themselves are limited, pre-programmed nanobot constructions. Trelasani wasn’t constructing them on the fly previously, just bringing them into position from other locations, construction was limited to exterior coating adjustments for location movement. You can’t see the shuttle in your facility map, it’s not actually in the facility. It seems like the nanobots here are geofenced, though there are probably various ways to get around that, and that sort of thing can’t be applied to larger mecha. You understand that nothing happened when you drew a circle because you did not indicate a desire. If you associate a hand gesture with an expected action, the nanobots will follow that. For example, if you want drawing a circle to mean “open a hole within these boundaries” you can specify that and it will work that way. You may want to hurry to the mecha labs, it’s hard to say how long the guardian spirit will be otherwise engaged. *** [b]Jade and Dolly[/b] The six Hybrasilians all swagger into the hangar space before Jade’s body. They’re a variety of cat types: two tigresses, a lioness, a leopard, and two jaguars. They draw up to Nine Forests and the engineering team, getting closer than normal Hybrasilian personal space, but never touching them. “An inside source says I’ll be your next opponent” the second, taller Jaguar says. “You’ll hear about it officially soon. But I got curious.” She speaks in a drawl that sounds like she’s from one of the further out planets, not a Hybrasil homeworld accent. “You seem a little nervous” she reaches out and pats Nine Forests on the arm, just slow enough that it’s not an obvious threat, claws retracted. Then she grins. “Well, do my girlfriends and I get to come in properly or not? My parents taught me how to worship the goddesses, I’m not a heathen. I promise we won’t steal any of your engineers. This time.” Then she puts her head back and lets out a broad laugh. The others grin and flex. One of them, the Leopard, flicks her eyes up to Dolly on the catwalk, watching her intently. “That one the high priestess who’s the pilot?” she asks nobody in particular, her long tail flicking behind her in excitement at her catch. *** [b]Mirror[/b] “Mm, mmm” says Slate, sliding onto the couch next to you. “She sounds like someone special. Someone we’d both have a soft spot for. Prooobably a liability, right, but one that you just can’t resist.” Slate offers you a hand, holding yours if you’ll take it. “I think I’d like that though. I’ll take a good person, an interesting outcast even if she’s a liability for us. We gotta keep the special ones. You know I’m always up for a project, Mira. You’ve got me double here, gaming out your new system and the new kitten we’ve recruited. Damn, you’re good.” Slate sighs. “Did you know all along I’d be helping you raise a kitten out of this? Cuz if you think I’m always gonna fetch you drinks while you deal with everything…you might be right but I’m going to complain about it, just watch me.” Then she relaxes to let you know she feels comfortable, even if all her doubts aren’t assuaged.