(Gamma World) Not a Test #103 - Meet the Neighbors

The De Facto Explorers have decided to forge the wilderness across the Big River to investigate a new region full with the possibility of Treasures of the Ancients... in the Petrified Woods.

================= 

Lathar Bracken: A pure-strain human from River Bend.  He's got the muscle, the face, and a mount for most encounters.  Lathar's trusty beast of burden, No Name, travels wherever he does.   Looking for trouble in all the right places. The two-time champion of the Fair-Town Queen's Joust.  Recently married Thunnelda Haycock.

Sneaky Pete: A mutated weasel scout.  Pete's telepathy and night vision take a backseat when he whips out his electrical powers.  Apparently addicted to his newly uncovered yellow powder found at "The Pool House"

Sonny Helianthus: a nearly 10' tall sentient sunflower artifact examiner with four arms, and trusted Restorationist ties. Knowledgeable,  but not a good one with device repairs or upgrades. 

Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles): a mutated earthworm scout, in impromptu power armor, looking for trouble in all the wrong places,  and finding it often.   He  has been subject to genetic testing and developed super-human strength, a more human body, and a thick coat of shaggy white hair.  Recently gave birth to a pile of baby worms. 

Luna of the Restorationists:  Recent recruit of the Restorationists, who had uncovered artifacts across the River.  

================================================================

Realizing that something was quite prevalent in the petrified wood, Pete moved back on the trail, and advised the others to spread out and slowly search within the woods for the artifacts.  Lathar took the right flank, Luna the left, while Sonny stood at the crossroads with Squiggles.  The worm certainly did not want any part in these shenanigans.  Something was off. 

Lathar saw some sort of odd material strung up across some trees.  He was about to shout over to Pete, but the weasel's poor attempt at whistling filled the woods.  

Pete had caught two large rabbit-humanoids, more than six feet tall apiece, had lumbered over to hide behind on a fallen petrified tree.  One of them had held a obvious rifle, but Pete couldn't ascertain what type it was.  The attentions of the rabbits... obvious Hoopers, was beyond Pete's position.  He was safe for now. 

Lathar heard the heed of the whistle, but moved closer to the items,  There was some odd material of the Ancients, ripped in parts, with splashes of yellow.  Lathar could not make out what the material was, or what it had once been used for. 

"Whistle!"  A female voice emitted out of the woods.  She was out of view of the others, and by the time Pete finally got back to check on the Hoopers... one of them was missing. 

"Whistle!!!"   the repeated again, and for one final time. 

Squiggles dashed to the left flank hoping everything was alright. 

The worm barged in upon a peculiar sight.  

Luna was there, perfectly intact, standing beside much a large humanoid rabbit, holding a sword at Squiggles.  

Squiggles threw his hands in the air, "Whoah!" 

Luna just looks at the worm, "Squiggles!  Look what I found!"

Squiggles:  A big rabbit.  

Luna:  You know, I think they like to be called Hoppers.

Hopper:  You know... you could ask, I'm right here....

Davor the Hooper

Davor of the Hoppers explained his tribe lived in burrows in the petrified wood.  Squiggles, back up by Luna, expressed their desire just to explore.

Squiggles: I thought you were in danger? 

Luna:  No, I found a cache of artifacts, pointing to a circle of artifacts.

Squiggles:  Sonny!!!!

The sunflower moved over to the human, the worm, and the Hopper.  The Hopper was caught off guard by the size of the plant. 

Luna moved to show her find:  A circle of cloth, metal, and the inner workings of living metal, most of the parts crushed and woven amongst the other junk. 

Sonny:  Is this your doing? 

Davor the Hopper: Yes, we wanted  a well-marked spot for our offal pit when we're on patrol around the Stonewoods.

The four compared notes, amazed that they were all speaking the same language,  Davor the Hopper finally called over his partner Muir-Ray... Pete sneakily followed the second Hopper over to the action.   Sonny expressed a need to search for "tech', a term the Hoppers did not comprehend, confusing it for a missing friend.

The two Hoppers confided with each other, popping their heads up, "Would you like to see our burrow?"

Sonny called for Lathar, and they were all led through the woods to a burrow hole, certainly large enough for Hoppers, but forcing Sonny to crouch.  

Muir-Ray:  We're happy you're not hostile.  Many humans are.

Sonny:  Well, for starters, I a plant.  Second, my fellow explorers are more than paranoid enough to let me be curious.

Inside the multiple warrens, there were 40 or so of the hoppers.  Warriors wield crude melee weapons, save a few with rifles, with a plethora of women and children. 

The Warren of the Petrified Wood

Inside the third chamber the Hoppers were quite excited, as they flanked their obvious tribal leader Dahlorz.  

The eldest Hopper, with white fluffy fur akin to Squiggles, sat on the ground, sword in hand.

"What is this???"

Davor:  "We found them, great chief."

Sonny:  "Hi, I'm Sonny!" 

The Hoppers seemed to primitive technology, outside the few guns, unsure by many terms in Sonny's words.  Even the older and wiser Dahlorz found him frustrating, so she was relieved when Sneaky Pete asked questions.

Pete: "Is there any particular concentration of this odd junk that you're collecting from?"

Dahloz's Voice, inside the weasel's head, "Interesting.  The plant must be an advanced lifeform.  Or it has no soul... I will speak with you instead."

The rest of the folks in the warren were confused as the two stared at each other.

The weasel was calm for once, offering his (non-curry) food, and sharing information, moving around the burrow as they spoke telepathically.

Finally, Dahloz, spoke aloud, "Perhaps, we may have finally found allies to help us open..... the door!"

Her left paw swung open to show a nearby passageway. No one could tell what was down the passageway.  

Next:  #104 - The Door