This was very strange.

At first, Yul kept his lips pressed together as he investigated, his booted feet the only sound that he made as he tread down the corridors. Plus, of course, the sound of his breathing, made strange by the gas mask he wore. He made his way to the crew quarters; Yul wasn't especially good at searching, so going to the most likely location as another set of eyes made the most sense.

As they continued to search, though, Yul began to softly speak. He was no shugenja, but he nevertheless began to speak the prayers he'd learned as a child. Mixed Fortunism and Moto, it seemed appropriate.

He found nothing but dust and emptiness, but he at least helped the search go faster.

----------------------------------------------------------

D5EM, exploring crew quarters, untrained inv, TN15: 2d10 8
Crew quarters - 2 points

Engineering. It was the obvious choice for a Firefly and he felt pretty confident going in. The old ship was silent but he was used to that sense of stillness.

"Okay Kyoko, I've reached engineering. Let's see if we can get this thing powered up."

Cue an engineering montage:

Buttons pressed - check.
Power couplings pulled out and plugged in again - check.
"What's that flashing?" - check.
Tools jiggled around a bit - check.

It all seemed to be going so well. Unfortunately the fire spirits of the engine took a disliking to the earth spirits swirling around Koseki. Also the evil dragon of space-time was having a bit of a laugh.

There was a crunch. Everything seemed to groan as if the ship itself had died and gone to Toshigoku. For the normally fearless Firefly it was unsettling but he gritted his teeth and and pressed on.

"Sorry team, engine's too far gone. Checked the area though, can confirm it's clear. Heading back."

---
+1 Investigation point.

D5. EM. Investigation. Engineering deck. Engineering/Intelligence at TN20. Cooperative roll with Kyoko gives +3. Prodigy.: 6d10o10k3+3 19

As Akemi adjusted "her" own gas mask, a light residual smell of tobacco filled up her nostrils for a second. Good omen or not? Hard to say.

She lighted up her own lantern and followed the bulk of the group as they went to search for Kuni Eriko's daisho where they were the most likely to find it. Maybe because she was a Crab herself, Akemi quickly narrowed the zone to effectively search to a few specific bunks that just felt Crab.

Though the place was desert as the tomb it was, tension was inexplicably rising with each passing minute. She inspected each new compartment both more quickly and more cautiously, sweating profusely under her heavy equipment.

---

Going to the Crew Quarters -> +2 points
D5EM | Kiyonami: Crew Quarters | Investigation/Perception (TN15) | 1 Raise (TN20) | Void for +1k1: 5d10o10k4 30 -> +2 points
Grand total: 12 points, full success

The team has split up and scoured the ships either individually or kept close to each other at the crew quarters. Judging what happened to the ship and its crew, Eriko guessed that the crew quarters was the best place to look. Each samurai on board brought their daisho but likely kept them in storage. However, the crew quarters were massive and numerous. In time, the writing had faded off the walls and the wreckage changed the landscape enough that it wasn't entirely recognizable on any schematic. Worse still, there were lockers, vaults, and many compartments to look into. It was indeed looking for a needle in a haystack.

Ultimately, the crew brought by Eriko were instrumental in discovering the whereabouts of the daisho, and Matsu Hide had discovered an old daisho set in the ceiling storage compartment above a bunk bed. The wooden saya had lost its colour and rotten in time, almost looking more leathery than wood. The blade itself was dulled and rusted, unlikely to survive a real strike. However, the tsuba was surprisingly intact, intricate traditional flowers etched around a Crab that held up its claw high and crossed like the Kuni mon. That was the key indicator that these old swords belonged to Kuni Emi.

The gang was summoned back to the crew quarters after the finding and Eriko gave the swords a careful inspection, although there was little room for doubt. She let out a relieved sigh and nodded to everyone who gathered, "It turned out these were here all along. I think I owe you for this one and then some. My family thanks you for being great pals for this."

“Hey, no problem, Eriko-san.” Hide had been running all over the place to find them, and there was this sense of relief that passed over her when the Kuni confirmed that these blades were the correct ones. It made Hide feel smart for once! “I... Well, let’s just say COs tend to keep close tabs on stuff. I checked the officer’s quarters to see if there were any records of which bunk was assigned to who. Y’know, undamaged.”

She rubbed the back of her neck, still a bit warm in the face from booking it down the maintenance tunnels in her armor. “You can say I got lucky,” she smiled, a bit softer than one would expect from Hide. “I’m just glad we were able to find the right one; a lot of the markings for the bunks are just gone.”

Strangely solemn, Yul bowed. "We were honored to aid a friend in an ancient duty."

He looked around. "I wonder what it was like, being on this ship. Explorers from another age..." He pressed his lips together, then shook his head, going silent once more.

Koseki was a bit more subdued on his return. The fire kami had sapped him of his usual good attitude. When he saw that Hide had recovered the blades though it lifted his mood.

"Great work Hide-San, and everyone. I guess the fortunes were watching us after all." He gave Eriko a serious look. "Yul-san is right, I'm honoured you asked. Now though, we should pay our last respects to the dead and leave. Quietly. As if we were never here."

"A bit of luck had something to do, I'll give you that, Hide-san. However, I'm pretty sure those folks at the academy trained you well. I told you that you were clever, just don't question it next time," she smirked at Hide.

Eriko looked around their surroundings curiously, taking a pause to take in the ship for what it was. "I don-" she said first until she was cut off by the abrupt sound of the lights flickering on and the hum of power started to fill the halls. The old bulbs were yellowed and covered in many fungi to truly give the place any sense of comfort.

She gave Koseki two blinks, "I thought you said that you weren't able to turn on the power around here. This is a bit strange..."

“Yes, I’ll admit that you’re always right, Eriko-san.”

Well, that was some short-lived bliss. Just as she was getting such nice compliments, something had to happen to take that away from her. And Hide had a very bad feeling about this. Her hair practically bristled as she reached for her rifle. “We need to leave. Now.”

A look of confusion crossed his face. "I wasn't..." His hands went to the rifle, and he readied it smoothly.

Hmm, I'd listen to the Matsu boy. She seems...right.

"Nearest exit. Let's move."

Yul frowned, but he brought his rifle to bear as well.

"Alright. Mission accomplished, anyway." Yul nodded. His lips pressed into a thin line, nodding to Hide. "I'll cover you."

"Don't need to say that twice, let's go everyone," she said as she stuffed the daisho into her backpack. It was the most preferred treatment of them but haste was the greater priority here now she had them in her hands at least.

She jogged off to the side to retrace her steps toward the entrance of the ship from earlier but unfortunately, the hallway they had taken found itself just about sealed by a set of reinforced blast doors. There was a morsel window that show their path way out before the doors fully close. Likewise, there were many doors around them that began to close themselves in short order, narrowing their avenues of escape. There was the pathway that led to a maintenance hall to the core of the ship, however, that was left open.

"Everyone, this way!"

“Shit!” It took all of two seconds for Hide to realize what was going on. Still, she didn’t want to be trapped here and going that way was the only way out at this point. So she kept pace with Eriko, hoping everyone else does as well. “They’re leading us to where they want us! The maintenance passages...”

The Firefly scanned the route for an access panel, wondering if he could get the damned doors open again. "Now I know how those otori felt. If you see anything that looks like a control panel, point it out. Keep your eyes peeled for the ambush."

Yul kept pace shortly behind Eriko and Hide, rifle at the ready. He said that he was going to cover them, and he meant to keep that promise.

In her haste, Eriko might have overlooked Hide's warning regarding a trap. She had fought through worse but being trapped in a supposedly empty and derelict ship was a first. As she led the way forward recklessly, she stepped foot on something she shouldn't have...

Day 5, Early Morning - Investigation/Perception (Notice): 5d10o10k2 13

Hotaru Koseki and Matsu Hide, roll a Investigation (Notice)/Perception please.

[GM SEMI-GHOST]

On full alert since things went sideways, Hida Akemi managed to keep her eyes full-peeled for dangers thrown their way.

D5EM | Kiyonami: ??? | Investigation/Perception (TN??): 4d10o10k3 30

Hide was on edge, but she might be too preoccupied with whatever is leading them into the trap.

D5 Kiyonami: Unskilled Investigation: 2d10 16

Koeski was watching, but perhaps not for the right thing...

D5. EM. It's a traaaaap! Investigation(Notice)/Perception. Prodigy: 4d10ro1k2 11

The panelled suddenly gave way, either the ship was actually beginning to show its age or someone had indeed planted a trap from beneath Hotaru Koseki and Kuni Eriko, sending them down and crashing to the floor into a room below. They didn't fall too far but it was a step enough drop as they landed into what seemed like a darkened room a door that was bolted shut...

Damage
Kuni Eriko: Day 5, Early Morning - Damage on Kuni Eriko from fall: 2d10o10k2 4 (Reduced to zero from Armour padding)
Hotaru Koseki: Day 5, Early Morning - Damage on Hotaru Koseki from fall: 2d10o10k2 9

Kuni Eriko and Hotaru Koseki are Prone and 20 feet down.

Please roll initiative.