Moss Men

We enter a room and can see devastation. Maybe an explosion?? There are burnt bits of moss around the room with a large round machine in the middle giving off a light avocado glow. I can see a computer work station to the south of that machine and a lot of barrels around the room. Several of the barrels in the room look like they have been used as a child's toy - punched, squeezed, kicked, etc. I do a quick survey of the team and they want to split up and investigate different areas - except Medkit. I send Amethyst and Medkit to the central machine to investigate and see what they can determine. Samaritan heads for the moss to see what he can learn from that and I head for the computer work station. I leave Feral as our security to watch the doors and windows - and our back.
 
I am about tp head straight to the computer station, but then I see a machine just to the south of me along the east wall and I take out my tri comm and do a quick scan. It appears to be an air purifier and something to do with ionization? Which just strikes me as weird. I glance around the room and see two others for a total of three in this room. Considering the size of the machine, I would imagine that one would be enough to purify the air for the entire building. So why three for this small room?? I do a quick check for notes left behind by any scientists and they are there, but burnt to a crisp. However, the machine casing itself is not burnt at all. I head to the next one so I can compare data to see if I can determine more.
 
I hear the chatter behind me about cotton balls and thorns and I hope that they are also listening as Feral cautions them. Then Feral barks "Run!" and I head for the door noticing the moss creatures - with yellow eyes!! - and they morph into armed creatures when Feral tries to intimidate them. Suddenly, SCIENCE!! Air purification tied to ionization should mean the method to control these creatures. I head quickly back to the machine and pull up the menu. Chroniton?? It is currently set at 30% and can go from 1 - 100%. I turn it down to 5% and see the two - and only those two - behind me start stumbling around as if they were drunk or stoned. Okay then, I will check the other two machines and turn them down as well to see if that affects more of the moss creatures.
 
I race to the second machine and immediately turn it on and get to the chroniton menu. This one is set to 50%!! I quickly turn it down to 5% as well and that makes two of the moss creatures disintegrate. The mechanical components disengage at the joints and the plant components turn brown and fall off. There does not appear to be any way that these could be put back together. I do say appear as there is a chance that turning these up to a higher percentage would do something, but that is an experiment for some other time. Right now I have to save my team. I do notice that the machines are only affecting the moss creatures in a direct line of the machines and there does seem to be a range limit as well. There is one more machine and then maybe I can get some information from that computer work station?? Amethyst fires off some lightning bolts towards the still active moss creatures and heads towards me.
 
I get to the third and final machine and I am glad to see that the remaining moss creatures are in the direct line of the machine. I get to the chroniton menu and see that this one is set to 90%!! Who was playing, what do the different percentages have to do with the moss creatures?? Why does it only affect those in a direct line and close range? How close is close? Anyway, I quickly turn it down to 5% and see three more of the moss creatures disintegrate. This only leaves two, but then they reach out to their fallen comrades and begin stealing components and moss and that seems to heal them? I agree with Don, this is fascinating. I turn back to the console and crank it down to 0%. Let's see how they react to that! Then I see Amethyst dodging and I turn to see why and there are AIM commandos! Joy, just what we didn't need.
 
Turning down the machine to zero finally got the last two moss creatures down and out. Now to deal with the AIM problem. I see that Amethyst has been banded with the power from the data disc so I run to him - after looking closely at the computer station - so much info!! - and pull out my disc. I use it to see if I can cut the band or something. When I lean down and reach out my data disc, it starts glowing and it absorbs the bands of energy. Handy! Amethyst stands up and shoots out a paralyzing beam. I follow it closely with the data disc. My intent is to knock him into his comrade and hopefully take him out of the fight for a round or three. Seems that Amethyst was upset about being tied up. I am able to knock both of the guys into the barrel next to them and they are on the ground.
 
I am about to put my energy matrix into hurling pipes at the new group of AIM, but then two of them turn on the others and knock them out. They basically say "Come with us if you want to live!" I want to know why we should trust them and one pulls of his helmet and introduces himself as Trevor Finn!! I tell him his sister sent us to rescue him. He tells us that he does need help, but more to take out a Dr. Grimm. Apparently the room we are in is the first phase of some project. I tell him I need the data and he agrees to pull the data. While he is doing that, I tell the rest of the team to complete what they are working on and then we will go with Trevor. I head over to the avocado machine to shut it down.
 
I hear Feral behind me scaring one of the AIM guys into clearing the room to remove all traces of us and them from the room - which includes shutting down the avocado. I then turn to the air purifiers and quickly turn the other two to 0% and put them into maintenance mode. I check with Trevor and he has gotten what data is available from the work station. I then ask my team if they have gotten all they need from this location? We will share and discuss once we get to the 'safe house'.
 
We walk out with Trevor and his partner, Grant Mason. He gives us an address card and tells us to meet him at a place that is several blocks away and should keep us from notice from the emergency services. We head back to the vehicle and allow Don to grab a cup of coffee and head to meet Trevor - with the cotton plant and Feral having a moment.