Utterly Mad

"You're not kidding..." He said as he hefted his hammer back onto his shoulder. He then motioned them to follow Aaron and then said, "Follow Aaron back, I'm gonna check out the rest of the wreckage."

He would then signal the dog to follow him as he searched the area for any other life-pods.

"Well Marcus, nice fighting. I suggest we carry on with the mission. Actually, lets see if they have ant valuables. Can't hurt to get a little "bonus money""

The Rescue Team
Everyone
You trudge through the city, Two-Paw whizzing and wirring behind you. The mecha seems a little on edge, and it's almost becoming evening.
As you march on, the architecture of the city goes from tall, obelisks of office buildings to shorter, maybe 10 story apartment complexes stacked on top of small shops. They all seem to be thoroughly destroyed or looted, sitting quiet and empty along the cracking road. The sky is turning yellowish as the sun begins to dip into the evening time.

You arrive at an intersection. To the WEST, a line of shops blocks the road, bringing it into a T shape. To your EAST, a narrow street continues to wind down into the dark alleyways. To the SOUTH, a wide avenue lined with overgrown trees and tall grass. To the NORTH, the apartment buildings and sandwich shops give way to the commercial district. Shops that once sold surfboards and smoothies now lay vacant and ruined.

Two-Paw makes a tik-tik-tik-tikking noise as it looks down the eastern road.

Perigrinium
Your experience in animal training and handling tells you that that road might be a favorite hiding spot for more predatory creatures.

The Survivors
The VIP Escort
You three join up, and begin the journey back to the apartment complex. From your years spent on this planet, the lengthening shadows tell you that night will be coming in an hour or so.

Vae says "Gosh, now that you mention it, I'm practically starving." She puts a well manicured hand on her stomach. "Something about almost dying just really works up an appetite, you know?" She attempts a laugh.

The Beach Buddy
You comb over the sandy beach, picking across bits of twisted hull metal and old seashells. The sea wind blows your clothes around a bit, and the light reflecting off the choppy water makes it look like one big kaleidoscope. You spend a few minutes walking up and down the beach, hoping the lapping waves wash something else up, someone else, but they give you nothing.

Just as you're about to leave, however, something else does wash up. Not a pod, but some kind of laser cannon. Maybe it came off the ship? It's state is completely inoperable, at least right now. The electronics look fried and there's probably seawater absolutely soaking its innards. Maybe someone with the right technical know-how could modify the weapon to be workable.

BROKEN LASER CANNON FOUND

You Do It For Him
You've never run faster in your life.

The asphalt flies underneath your feet. The churches, the houses, the places that people once used to live safe, sane lives are just blurs to you. Your lungs are burning, your eyes are watering, your legs ache with the effort, but you still run. It's as if you're filled with some kind of ancient, cheese powered energy, propelling you to your God's temple.

You notice the housing change from redeemable apartments to an industrial shanty town, tin shacks and plywood doors now lay in pieces in your path. You would've had some difficulty getting past here, but luck smiles upon you and you actually find a shortcut, getting through even faster.

You arrive.

The warehouse of your vision stands before you, not but a block away. Your lungs are screaming for rest, your throat is burning as if you swallowed a furnace, but you made it. You can feel him approving of you. The word above the warehouse door echo through your mind, "OSMAN". There it is, above this very door. In faded yellow paint. The warehouse door, a great steel garage door, is even left slightly ajar, and your nose is filled with the aroma of fresh cheese.

"lets see if we can get off the road for a second. it pays to survey. how close are we to the crash site anyway?"

Marcus shrugs, taking in the scenery.

"Not a clue Peri-Pal. I suppose it may be in our best interests to consult ye olde mecha-dog here."

The Rescue Team
Marcus
You look at the mecha, which looks back at you. It's grey, rectangular face plate provides little information. Hal crackles over the radio, voice emotionless as ever. "I'm having some trouble reading Two-Paw's thought patterns. I can confirm that whatever is down that alley, the mecha does not like. The readings are very similar to the emotion of fear, but Two-Paw's AI is incapable of emotion. Recommend a software update upon return to the headquarters."
A cold wind blows bits of plastic and leaves around your legs. You hear a faint noise coming down the street. It sounds like something breathing, heavily.

Perigrinium
Your helmet's HUD display shows an overhead map. In the center, two blue dots ping next to a big yellow dot. Up at the top, an arrow pointing north sits, with the number 257 METERS beneath it. You gauge that to be about three more blocks.
The side road sits quietly across the avenue.

The Survivors
Aaron
You think back to the days you had electricity. When food didn't spoil and you had air conditioning, television, the Net and everything else that made life so easy. That went out not but a week or so after the quarantine was called. Fuel for the generators ran out a month after that. You've been living a quiet existence since then, but at least you don't have to worry about leaving your fork in the toaster anymore.

Walk and Talk, The Team Advances
Vae's eyes roll at the mention. "Eugh, don't remind me. I thought I left the stuff behind in college. I had Spaghetti-O's every day back then, and I can't stand them now."

The conversation continues as the three of you walk past the same old ruined houses you've seen a thousand times over your years on the island. Your voices echo softly across brick walls and stone edifices, and the sound is almost like there are other people out taking walks, talking with friends, like the world never ended.

You arrive at the apartment. It's just how you left it, with boarded windows and fortified door and a few spikes lying around for good measure. There is a mutant lying outside one of the windows. It's head is missing and the body is starting to attract flies. Vae makes a disgusted face, but doesn't say anything.
The fire escape that you and the other survivors use to get around the complex has its ladder left in the down position. Normally, it'd be up, to keep the mutants from climbing to the third story apartment you call home.

A Lonely Beach Gets Lonlier
You heft the laser cannon off the sand and into your arms. Seawater spills out of the barrel as you do, and you get some on your shoes. One more look over the beach confirms that there's nothing left unless you're interested in scraps of metal. You start walking back, sun beginning to set in the east. Getting onto the main road, you see the three others far at the other end turning onto your apartment's street. You pick up your pace, and are walking up behind them to see them standing outside of the apartment.

The Altar of Cheese Approaches
You calm yourself, expelling all unholy and uncheesy thoughts from your mind. You feel his presence. It is strong, here. Soon, you will find the secrets of all cheese.
You throw open the gate, and enter the warehouse.

The first thing you notice is that the place is absolutely enormous. It's as if all the buildings that would normally occupy a city block had been put together to form one big storage space, and you were just at its edge. You can barely see past the rows and rows of shelves, each shelf covered in old, rotting cardboard boxes. To your left, the row of shelves continues on into the shadows. To your right, it is the same, save for an isle running through the center of the warehouse. A faint light filters down from the isle. The scent of cheese has dissipated, but the feeling you get in the back of your mind is stronger than ever.

Aaron sees the down ladder, he grumbles. "Uh, Vae, just go through the doors. I'm going to fix the dammed ladder.", He heads to the fire escape and climbs up the ladder and pulls it up. He heads to the lobby, He opens the doors and welcomes Vae, "So, Welcome to out humble abode! It's not much, but it's what we call home. Now, lets get you some food." Aaron motions for Vae to follow, he heads to where the group stores the food, looking over stocks of what there is.