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Part 4: More Tea, Vicar?
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Last time, we met with the Edgewater administrator, Reed Tobson, who told us we need to cut the power to a community of deserters, i.e., former Spacer's Choice workers who had enough of corporate bullshit. We'll go talk to the deserters in the Botanical Labs and see what's going on there soon enough, but before that we still have some errands to run around town. No time like the present...
Our main errand concerns the gravesite fees Silas wanted us collect. We got Phyllis Granger's (technically her late coworker Eugene's, which she has to pay because of bullshit) fee last time, which leaves us with three folks to collect from. One of them lives in this house, so let's go say hi.
MARTIN ABERNATHY: Yes, Mr. Tobson. I'm fine, Mr. Tobson. Never been healthier.
MARTIN ABERNATHY: Whoa! Did - uh - did Mr. Tobson send you? You tell Mr. Tobson I'll be right at my post. Tomorrow. Bright and early, tomorrow. Because I am definitely not plagued. Spry as a spring chicken - that's old Abernathy.
Uh... I see. Let's find out what Abernathy is mumbling about. He's certainly not looking particularly healthy, but neither are most people in Edgewater.
CORNELIA VECTREX: [Perception] You want to tell me what's got you so nervous?
MARTIN ABERNATHY: You some sort of wandering alienist? Walking into a man's own domicile, pestering him about his mental state.
No no, just an RPG protagonist. That's just what we do.
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'm positive you mentioned something about being plagued.
MARTIN ABERNATHY: You don't know that. I could've been saying anything. Maybe I said "vague." You know how words sound a mite strange when you're sick? Wait. No. Okay, listen, maybe I am feeling a little under the weather. But I swear I'm on the mend. Please don't tell the constable.
CORNELIA VECTREX: You should put a sign over your door or something. Or at least cover your mouth.
MARTIN ABERNATHY: And become the town pariah? I'm already the oldest worker in town. I don't need to give 'em another reason to avoid me. Hey. You're hale and healthy and possibly for hire, ain't you? Do a good turn for an expiring old man.
Alright, now what?
CORNELIA VECTREX: Depends on what you need.
MARTIN ABERNATHY: Couple hours out of your day and some light second-story work. That's all. There's a cache of anthrocillin tucked away in the old community center. Powerful stuff. Stronger than what we got, anyway. I need you to break in, nab that medicine, and bring it back to me.
It can't be that easy, or someone would've gone and picked up that medicine by now. What's the catch?
CORNELIA VECTREX: Why can't you just buy some medicine yourself?
I mean, we know why. Medicine is very limited, and only those Tobson deems worthy are allowed access.
MARTIN ABERNATHY: I tried medicating myself with Adrena-Time. Didn't do much for me, far as I can tell. Anyway, I can't just buy medicine. Distribution of medicine is strictly prohibited to any workers beneath the acceptable margin of health. Company policy.
Adrena-Time, by the way, is a stimulant drug we can find in the game. If you use it, your movement speed and melee attack speed are increased by 20% for 15 seconds, followed by a crash that reduces all attributes by 1 and slows down your movement speed by 10%. It can stack three times and lasts until you rest. Not really worth it. Of course, the last time we heard about Adrena-Time was in the marauder wanted bulletins, with two of the marauders explicitly mentioned to be Adrena-Time users.
CORNELIA VECTREX: That's horrible.
MARTIN ABERNATHY: It is what it is. Town's got a limited supply of medicine. Medicine better spent on a body stronger and younger than mine.
CORNELIA VECTREX: I assume there are guards.
MARTIN ABERNATHY: You will not find any guards within sight of that old place. Marauders, on the other hand...
He maybe could've told us up front that there would be marauders. Maybe it slipped his mind because of his illness.
CORNELIA VECTREX: What can you tell me about these marauders?
MARTIN ABERNATHY: I have it on good authority there's a gang of 'em squatting there. I advise stepping softly.
CORNELIA VECTREX: I've heard enough.
MARTIN ABERNATHY: So you'll do it, then?
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'll do it.
MARTIN ABERNATHY: Will you oblige me with your haste? I think I feel the plague spreadin'. Oh Law, it's in my spleen now, I can feel it.
If you say so.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Anything I should know about this community center?
MARTIN ABERNATHY: Just keep your head down when you're in there. Marauders have taken over. Probably tracking mud all over the archives.
Not to mention killing anyone and everyone they come across. Minor details. Anyway, let's get to the actual reason we're here.
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'm here to collect your gravesite fees.
MARTIN ABERNATHY: Silas knows, doesn't he? That's why he sent you. That's why he wants me to pay up. He knows. Look, I've got my gravesite fees right here. See? I'm good for my word. Get me that medicine, and I'll see to your payment.
Just might be detecting the slightest hint of paranoia there. Maybe Abernathy is actually sick, but Silas surely would've mentioned something had he known anything about that.
As we exit Abernathy's house, we encounter this woman. I walked past her on the way here, but at that point she didn't have much to say.
ESTHER BLAINE: You're making a mistake working for Abernathy.
I'm starting to think so, yes.
ESTHER BLAINE: Excuse me. I'm Esther Blaine - Spacer's Choice actuary. I overheard your talk with Abernathy. I hope you're not thinking about getting him that medicine. Abernathy is a well-known hypochondriac. Anthrocillin is wasted on him. You're better off selling it to me instead.
And why would we do that?
CORNELIA VECTREX: [Medical 5] He's got symptoms of something. You're saying it's psychosomatic.
ESTHER BLAINE: All I'm saying is Abernathy's worked in this town longer than some of us have been alive. How do I put this gently? He's uh... he's got a lot of cobwebs up in his attic.
That did seem to be the case. Why would we help Spacer's Choice, though? So they can withhold medicine from people who need it?
CORNELIA VECTREX: What do you need it for?
ESTHER BLAINE: I probably shouldn't tell you. Don't want you implicated for what I'm trying to do.
Hey, if you're doing something that can get you - and us - in trouble with Spacer's Choice, that just might be worth hearing about.
CORNELIA VECTREX: [Persuade 10] Let me worry about that.
ESTHER BLAINE: All right. Here's the summary. Lotta sick people in town, and we don't have the medicine to treat 'em all. Can't reach out to corporate without crossing a river of red tape, so I'm reaching out to you.
CORNELIA VECTREX: I get it. You need someone to smuggle you medicine under the table.
ESTHER BLAINE: Something like that. Look, I'm not in the habit of lawbreaking. But sometimes you gotta do the wrong thing for the right reasons.
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'll think about it.
ESTHER BLAINE: That's all I can ask of you.
Well, we probably don't want Abernathy to die even though he didn't bother to tell us about the marauders until we specifically asked, but Esther here seems pretty convincing. I guess we'll go get the medicine first and then figure out what to do with it, but it does seem like we could save more lives if we gave it to her.
Our next stop is the barber shop.
PARVATI: I cut my own hair. But Conrad sells real good disinfectant.
Parvati makes quick comments about the various places we visit around Edgewater. Nothing particularly revelatory, but fun nonetheless.
CONRAD SADIK: Please don't touch anything. Your hands are probably crawling with germs.
Can't even see them but I know they're up to something. But that's not relevant right now.
CONRAD SADIK: Physical hygiene recapitulates moral hygiene. Cleanliness... is next to lawfulness.
CORNELIA VECTREX: [Intimidate 5] I can show you my hands.
CONRAD SADIK: No. Thank you. That's quite all right. I've seen enough body part in my line of work.
What, as a barber? That seems concerning.
CONRAD SADIK: I'm Conrad. You will report to me if your hair fails to meet Spacer's Choice aesthetic standards. You will also report to me in the event of your death, whereupon I will clean and prepare your remains for interment.
Oh. Well, that makes more sense, I suppose.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Silas sent me to collect your dues.
CONRAD SADIK: Ah. Gravesite fees. Silas and I have talked about this at length. I thought I'd made it clear my pecuniary situation precludes the necessary restitutions.
CORNELIA VECTREX: You mean you're broke.
CONRAD SADIK: As broke as piecrust. Bitless. Indigent. Destitute. I simply cannot afford it. I am a blemish on the prosperity of our fair settlement. When I expire, I expect Silas to toss my body into a ditch.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Don't be so hard on yourself.
CONRAD SADIK: I have to be. If only to prepare myself for my inevitable dressing-down at the hands of corporate. Tell Silas I can't afford to pay, and that I fully expect to have my medical rights revoked for this dereliction. With my apologies.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Hang on. Medical rights?
CONRAD SADIK: Some time ago, I fell ill with the plague. By the grace of the Law, and through my own hard work, I'd proven worthy of treatment. Frankly, I don't imagine I'll earn that right a second time. The barber work hasn't been profitable, you see. I've had to keep this old place running with my own savings.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Just give Silas an IOU.
CONRAD SADIK: Not a bad idea. But I'd need some kind of collateral. My pair of lucky clippers? No, that won't do. Your idea intrigues me, but I'm afraid I don't have anything to give Silas. I'm open to suggestions.
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'll let you know if I think of anything.
CONRAD SADIK: Much obliged.
Well, let's look around a bit and see if we can find something.
In the back room, we find a few corpses and what looks to be an Important Memo. Let's have a peek at the memo in case there's something useful...
quote:
Conrad,
Receptionist shot himself. This is bad. Company's going to have to call it for what it is: destruction of Spacer's Choice property. Eugene was an asset and somebody has to pay his body price.
This is gonna ruin us. So I was thinking that we pawn off his teeth. Eugene had a full set of gold teeth. Heirlooms passed down his family or something.
You're processing his body, right? Just dig around and pry them out. We sell the teeth somewhere nice and quiet, use the bits to pay his body price, and nobody's the wiser.
What do you think? Don't write back. In fact, don't talk to me at all. Just give me a special signal next time you see me. Waggle your eyebrows.
Phyllis G.
Gold teeth, eh? Seems a bit questionable to pry out a set of gold teeth from a dead guy, but maybe this could work.
We can talk to Conrad about medicine and find out he's not very good at it, but I forgot to do that this time. He is "certified" by Spacer's Choice as a surgeon, meaning he read a few pamphlets on the subject and is exactly as competent as that implies. Considering the fact Conrad is a surgeon, embalmer and barber, I do hope he washes his hands regularly. I'll see if I can get the dialog next time I record.
CORNELIA VECTREX: [Persuade 1] I know about Eugene. Why not use his teeth as collateral for your gravesite fees?
CONRAD SADIK: You know about Eugene?
CORNELIA VECTREX: I found a note from Phyllis.
CONRAD SADIK: Then you know Phyllis suggested selling off Eugene's gold teeth. I didn't approve of the idea then, and I don't approve of it now. Eugene's golden teeth were a family heirloom, representing three generations of poor dental hygiene. He took them to his grave.
CORNELIA VECTREX: They were probably worth a few bits.
But I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.
CONRAD SADIK: More than a few. Those teeth were his personal savings. I can't ask Silas to dig up a man's body and pry a few teeth loose from his jaw, just to pay my bills. Can I?
PARVATI: Um - are you asking rhetorically? Because if you're being serious - ew. Gross.
CONRAD SADIK: Desperate measures, Ms. Holcomb. Desperate measures. I'm going to have to ask Silas to dig up those teeth. It's the only way I'm paying my gravesite fees.
I regret bringing this up.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Are you sure about that?
CONRAD SADIK: I'm sure that I have no other choice. Here you are. Gravesite papers, affixed with my signature, and an IOU.
Great! I think. 
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'm told Eugene killed himself. What happened?
CONRAD SADIK: Eugene was not a suicide. He put a bullet in his brain, yes, but that's largely a technicality. I was the one who prepared Eugene's body for interment. I discovered symptoms of the plague on his corpse. And I discovered medicine in his pocket. Lots of medicine. Eugene overdosed on Adrena-Time, which is known to cause psychosis and paranoia as possible side effects. The paranoia drove him to take his own life.
Paranoia, huh? Abernathy said he had tried self-medicating with Adrena-Time. Is that why he's... well, like that?
CORNELIA VECTREX: That's horrible.
CONRAD SADIK: It's a miracle of bureaucracy. If Eugene's death were filed as a suicide, we'd all pay the price for his crime. We can all thank our lucky stars that young Eugene was hopped up on medication and suffered its predictable side-effect. I included it all in my official report. I'd like to think I saved Edgewater a great deal of money. We never could've paid the fines associated with a suicide.
Another wonderful conversation with one of the upstanding citizens of Edgewater. Surely, there have to still be people living here who aren't complete helmets, which at this point is the main reason I'm refraining from blasting Reed Tobson and taking Edgewater's power regulator, leaving the whole town to die.
We don't need to go to the general store, but it's on the way so might as well.
PARVATI: I'm not allowed in here. Not since the vending machine incident.
The what?
JULIUS MOREAU: Holcomb! Got my eye on you, girl. Ms. Holcomb ain't allowed in this establishment. Not since that little incident.
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'll take responsibility for her.
JULIUS MOREAU: See that you do. I got a business to run. Edgewater ain't gonna provision itself, you know.
Wait. If Parvati isn't allowed in the only store in town, where does she... well... buy anything she needs? Vending machines that sell everything are pretty common in various parts of Halcyon, but I don't remember if there are any in Edgewater. Well, unless you count the one from the "incident", I guess... oh, okay, there's a couple at the Edgewater landing pad and just outside one of the town entrances. Alright then.
PARVATI: I won't touch anything while we're in here, Mr. Moreau. I promise.
There's nothing we can really buy at the moment, considering the fact we have a grand total of 70 bits. Moreau sells a unique silver hammer called Maxwell, but that costs 3,840 bits so it's slightly out of our price range at the moment. I usually don't buy weapons or armor anyway, as we find plenty lying around when exploring.
We have to hear about the vending machine incident, though. Let's have a chat with Parvati.
PARVATI: Something you need?
CORNELIA VECTREX: You mentioned something earlier that I wanted to ask you about.
PARVATI: You mean why I'm not allowed in the store anymore?
CORNELIA VECTREX: There seems to be a story there.
PARVATI: There was a- a kind of a Thing with a vending machine. When I was twelve.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Did you steal from it or something?
PARVATI: Not intentionally! I've always been good with my hands, right? So I saw a lock on the machine and thought, "ah, this must be how they refill it." But I had to know. So I did my thing. Next thing I know, there's a couple hundred bottles of Zero Gee rolling out the front door and into the road.
Zero Gee being Zero Gee Brew, a beer made by Spacer's Choice. I'm going to assume it tastes godawful.
CORNELIA VECTREX: You picked the lock on the vending machine?
PARVATI: Well sure. They're not tough. Even back then, before I got real good at that sort of thing. Right about then, a bunch of loaders came rolling in the gate, fresh off the saltuna ships. And Mr. Tobson was up on the porch making a speech about how everyone would have to volunteer a third shift to get it all canned. Anyhow, you ever seen an auto-loader run over a bottle of Zero Gee?
Can't say I have, but I can picture it.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Go on.
PARVATI: BOOSH. Exploded all over Mr. Tobson. One bottle after another as the loaders went by. I was just shy of working age, so dad had to pay all the damages. Moreau's still angry at me. I can laugh about it now, but I just about puked up my guts in terror in the moment. That's the one time I ever made Mr. Tobson look like a fool.
And that's the story of the vending machine incident. I guess Tobson should be glad none of the bottles were filled with... I don't know, acid or something. It's Spacer's Choice, they might "accidentally" put acid in a beer bottle or several! You can't rule it out, can you? How horrible it would've been if Tobson had gotten sprayed with acid. Yes, horrible. Truly.
I also quite like how expressive Parvati is despite the character models and facial animations generally being nothing special. We'll engage her in conversation again because there are more things I want to ask her about.
CORNELIA VECTREX: [Perception] I noticed you mention your dad a lot, but never your mother.
PARVATI: That's on account of how I never met her.
CORNELIA VECTREX: You mean she's dead?
PARVATI: I don't rightly know. She was in another division of the Spacer's Choice family. She worked in the Vale a few months sorting the cannery computers. Her contract said any kids she had, expected or not, belonged to her office from the time of conception. So when I was born, I got sent here.
Is there anything Spacer's Choice contracts don't cover? Aside from treating your workers like human beings, that is?
CORNELIA VECTREX: That's inhuman.
PARVATI: It's sensible. Dad just fixed machines. She did some kind of crazy math, high-level stuff. Better to raise me on his time than hers.
She doesn't even find this situation weird at all. Why would she, having spent all her life in the Spacer's Choice "family"? To her, that's normal. To our Earth sensibilities, well... not so much. Admittedly, I don't really know what things were like on Earth when we left. The game doesn't tell us very much about those days, at least as far as regular people are concerned.
This must be the vicarage, because Parvati said that was the only clean building in Edgewater. Might as well go visit the vicar right now since we're in the neighborhood.
PARVATI: I've always felt weird in here. It's too clean.
On the left side of the building, we find the vicar. He doesn't seem too busy, so let's go say hi.
VICAR MAX: Yes, what is it? You're an outsider. Fantastic! Vicar Maximillian DeSoto, at your service. Or Vicar Max, if you're the sort who prefers brevity. And Ms. Holcomb, as well. How rare to see you out. And with a complete stranger. Curious.
PARVATI: Just tagging along, Vicar DeSoto. Don't mind me.
Hey, it was your idea to come here.
VICAR MAX: I so rarely get new people to talk to. Name your poison, anything at all. Spiritual counseling? This season's tossball predictions? The quickest way out of town?
CORNELIA VECTREX: Parvati wanted to talk to you, about what Reed asked us to do.
PARVATI: What? I-I thought you would talk to him.
VICAR MAX: You wanted to speak to me, Ms. Holcomb? Every time I've tried to engage you in conversation, you look at the floor, answer in single words, and slink away.
Hey, that's how I handle most social situations. Hasn't failed me yet.
VICAR MAX: I can't imagine what would be so grave as to drive her to my mission. What has Mr. Tobson asked you to do?
CORNELIA VECTREX: Cut off the power to Adelaide's deserters.
VICAR MAX: Depriving them of safety from the marauders and wildlife. I can see why that troubles you. ...Ms. Holcomb has a soft heart. Always has, if you believe the talk.
I think more people around here should be like her, maybe then Edgewater wouldn't be in the absolute state it's in.
CORNELIA VECTREX: What do you think of Adelaide's group, Vicar?
VICAR MAX: They rejected the order of society and live beyond the walls so thoughtfully provided by our Spacer's Choice patrons. Does that strike you as a responsible life choice?
CORNELIA VECTREX: [Intelligence] Depends on how well the leader can provide, beyond your walls.
Based on what we heard, they seem to be doing quite well over there.
VICAR MAX: Astute. But I am here, not in the deserter camp, so that's not a variable I can account for.
CORNELIA VECTREX: So what do you advise?
VICAR MAX: Assuming your goal is to save as many as possible, then you should bring everyone together. Send the power to Edgewater and convince the deserters to return to the fold.
That seems like an extraordinarily long shot. That said, depriving Edgewater of power would mean certain doom for lots of people. The same thing would happen to the deserters if we were to divert the power to Edgewater. And for what? Just so we can get one their power regulators and fuck off in our spaceship? Sure, Edgewater is a godforsaken dump inhabited largely by assholes and we haven't met the deserters yet so who knows what they're like, but destroying either community and sending everyone to the wilderness to fend for themselves seems a bit harsh. If we could get someone else to run the town, preferably with less Spacer's Choice influence, maybe things would work out.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Is that even possible?
VICAR MAX: Not if things are left to stand as they are. If you don't mind a bit of unsolicited advice, be cautious on your way to the geothermal plant. It is not as safe as you might assume.
We haven't really assumed much of anything.
CORNELIA VECTREX: And why is that?
VICAR MAX: One of the reasons I transferred here was to fulfill my duty in hunting down banned, heretical texts. I happen to know such a book is, as we speak, tainting a collector's library in Emerald Vale. However, the collector's residence lies outside the town's walls. My retrieval efforts have been thwarted by marauders who've overrun the property. Should you fare better than me, I'd pay a handsome sum for the book.
That doesn't really answer the question about the geothermal plant specifically, but okay. Watch out for marauders.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Why would a vicar be after a banned, heretical book?
VICAR MAX: I just want to keep the writing out of laymans' hands. It wouldn't do for such information to fall into public consumption.
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'll need to know a little bit more about this book before I agree to this.
VICAR MAX: It's a handwritten journal. A faded blue cover, with the name M. Bakonu handwritten in the lower corner. I'll mark where I saw it on your map. Assuming you're serious. It's not only a beautiful relic of a bygone time, it's also the thoughts of an early thinker on the nature of man's place in the cosmos. Not many in this colony could understand its true value - should they ever read it.
I suppose we can keep an eye out.
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'll look for your book.
VICAR MAX: Thank you. If you retrieve it, you can always find me here.
We can talk to Vicar Max about all kinds of things, but in the interest of saving some time I'll leave that for later.
We've gained enough EXP from completing various quest stages to level up again. I split the ten points between Stealth, Tech, and Leadership. 20 Determination means our inhaler now heals both us and our companions.
Next, we'll head to the Edgewater landing pad to find Ludwig for the final part of the gravesite fees errand.
PARVATI: When I was little, we'd get freighters in every Sunday noon. Now they only come but once a month. ...I love the wind here.
We can see someone moseying around, so let's go have a chat.
LUDWIG MILLER: Thank the Law. I've been requisitioning backup for months. Guess the boss finally came to his senses.
Uh, sure.
LUDWIG MILLER: You ever swung a truncheon? Let me see your rifling stance. I wanna make sure you're up to snuff.
CORNELIA VECTREX: What are you babbling about?
LUDWIG MILLER: The War! The coming apocalypse. Man versus machine. I'm talking about mechanicals, soldier. Cold, heartless automatons made of iron and lies.
Oh yes, the robot revolt. It's coming any day now.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Uh. Yeah. Gotta watch out for those mechanicals.
LUDWIG MILLER: That's right. That's what I been saying. We gotta square our shoulders and stand ever vigilant. Au. To. Mechanicals. Creatures forged in the fires of malevolence. I seen them over by the old power plant. Clattering about. Firing at the birds. Orchestrating their uprising. When the swarms of mechanicals come clanging on over that hill, where will you be? Cowering beneath your cot? Or standing shoulder to shoulder with the Resistance?
This is all very exciting, but we do need to collect those fees.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Silas sent me. You owe him your gravesite fees.
LUDWIG MILLER: I told Silas I'd pay my dues if he agreed to join the Resistance. Guess this means he's finally heard the calling.
CORNELIA VECTREX: [Lie 5] He sure did. And he's asking for a little extra. To, uh, furnish the Resistance with mechanical repellant.
LUDWIG MILLER: Mechanical repellant! A stroke of inspiration from the Law itself. Here, I've been saving up a couple bits for just a project.
I'm sure we will regret this, but let's play along with the whole Resistance thing. By the way, when he says "a couple bits", he really means it as he hands us two bits for our efforts.
CORNELIA VECTREX: If your Resistance needs another gun, I am for hire.
LUDWIG MILLER: I been gathering up a war chest over the years. Saltuna cans, mostly. Some Spacer's Chaw. Few bit carts. I'll reward you for your aid.
CORNELIA VECTREX: [Persuade 5] Proper armies pay enlistment fees.
LUDWIG MILLER: Enlistment fees? Yeah, I suppose. Wouldn't want to give the Resistance a bad name.
CORNELIA VECTREX: What do you need done?
LUDWIG MILLER: They have sent a scout. Prowling around the junkyard, just behind our beloved town. This scout must not be permitted to return to its base of operations. Cross it off, then report back.
CORNELIA VECTREX: If I'm going after this mechanical scout, I could use a couple pointers.
Let's see what kind of juicy intel Ludwig can offer us.
LUDWIG MILLER: Mechanicals got a weak spot in their midsections. I think the technical term is uh - the blue glowy square thing.
That is actually pretty helpful advice, as mechanicals have very strong armor. Hit them in the blue glowy square thing and they go down quick.
CORNELIA VECTREX: What exactly do you do here?
LUDWIG MILLER: I'm Ludwig Miller. Associate Security Officer for Transportation. Officially.
CORNELIA VECTREX: What do you have against mechanicals?
This should be good.
LUDWIG MILLER: You ever seen the way a mechanical just stands there? Just looking at you with its murderous oculars?
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'm pretty sure that's what they were programmed to do.
LUDWIG MILLER: Mechanicals have been programmed to eliminate the human race. They have been programmed to replace us. First they will rob us of our jobs - and once they have taken away our livelihoods, they will take away our very lives.
Of course, as we all know, the way it actually works is that menial tasks will continue to be performed by people while art is "created" by robots, as are things like translation. I work in localization and my paymasters can't wait to fully replace me with AI to save money, but thus far the machine translator just appears to be extremely drunk so they're not getting rid of me just yet.
Anyway, let's go find that mechanical scout he mentioned. The junkyard is right around this corner.
Here we are. Can't see any horrible metallic monstrosities just yet.
Aw, it's just a little guy!
PARVATI: Aw, he ain't no threat. Bet I could fix him up smart.
DAMAGED MECHANICAL SENTRY: Searching for repair bay. Error. Navigation systems failed. Unable to comply.
PARVATI: I could probably fix that. I mean, if you wanted me to.
CORNELIA VECTREX: Go ahead.
We'll just let Parvati handle this because she clearly knows what she's doing.
PARVATI: Yep, I see the problem. His nav-mod got dislodged. Must've taken a tumble. Just gotta give it a good push and wait for the click. There we go. Jeremy's good as new. Well, new by Spacer's Choice standards, anyhow. His name's Jeremy, by the bye.
JEREMY: Navigation systems operational. Optimal path toward repair bay detected. Initiating self-diagnostics.
I like how his name on the dialog box changes to Jeremy once Parvati's fixed him. 
CORNELIA VECTREX: Good luck, I guess?
PARVATI: Be more careful out there, Jeremy!
Jeremy wanders off, and we grab some inconsequential loot from the junkyard before heading back to Ludwig.
CORNELIA VECTREX: You won't have to worry about that scout anymore.
LUDWIG MILLER: You beat that scout to scrap with its own legs? Pulled its optic cables out its headcase? Actually, don't tell me. Rather use my imagination. You are a passing fair soldier, I will confess. But you are one, and the enemy is legion. What you need is an equalizer. A weapon to strike fear in their cold, mechanical hearts. Cantina. Lavatory. Behind one of the toilets. That's where I've kept it hidden all these years.
CORNELIA VECTREX: You hid your secret weapon in a lavatory.
LUDWIG MILLER: Sharp, ain't it? The lavatory is the very last place a mechanical has need to enter.
That... makes sense, actually. But wouldn't someone have noticed the weapon by this point?
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'll let you know if I find it.
LUDWIG MILLER: On the double, soldier! Don't want the bartender poking around in there with a mop.
Before we do anything else, let's have a look at Ludwig's workbench. I'm sure he won't mind us using it now that we're part of the Resistance and everything.
First, we'll fix the shotgun. Repairing weapon and armor takes weapon and armor parts, which you can obtain by breaking down gear or finding it in the wild. I think you can buy parts as well, but don't quote me on that because we get plenty of parts for free. A completely knackered item appears to be about half as effective as it is at full repair.
You can also mod weapons and armor (we don't have any mods right now, so I'm not showing that off yet) as well as tinker with them. Tinkering raises the item's level by one each time, but the cost quickly goes way up. Tinkered items also have to be within 5 levels of your current level, so you can't just spend tons of bits to make a doomsday cannon. I improved the light pistol and the light assault rifle (picked up from the Unreliable's lockers offscreen), but our budget is pretty limited so I can't do anything too crazy.
So then, let's make our way to the cantina.
PARVATI: You're not a big drinker, are you?
Certainly not. Seventy years sober, in fact. That being said, we might as well go have a chat with the bartender and see what's up.
AMELIA KIM: I don't know you.
CORNELIA VECTREX: I'm Cornelia Vectrex.
AMELIA KIM: Amelia Kim. Spacer's Choice beverage dispenser. I don't know what you're about, but this here's a Spacer's Choice drinking establishment. We're all loyal, hard-working company folk here.
CORNELIA VECTREX: [Charm] And what a fine establishment it is.
AMELIA KIM: You really think so? That's kind of you. I been trying to keep the floors clean. You got no idea how long it takes to scrub the tiles. Guess I misreckoned you. Sorry about that. I didn't mean to be curt - we just got some problems lately. I can get you a drink if you'd like. Gotta ask you to enjoy your beverage within the premises, though. Can't risk you bringing a drink over to those deserters, you understand.
Yes, I'm sure that would be a violation of company policy. Let's see what they've got on tap.
I don't actually order anything because we don't have much cash on hand, but I did at least want to show off the dehydrated water tablets. Water, without the hydrogen or oxygen - yet another quality product from our friends at Spacer's Choice. Just add air!
I also like the Plain 'n Pure Water. 99% water, now with 11% more natural water flavoring. What will those mad lads at Spacer's Choice come up with next?
Here's the package Ludwig left in the bathroom.
...I should probably have phrased that differently.
This has been another talky update (which I think is going to be most of them, to be honest), but we've accomplished plenty today. We met up with Vicar Max, finished our collection rounds, joined the Resistance against the robot invaders, and made friends with one of said robots! Maybe next time we'll actually make it to the Botanical Labs.
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