The Umberlands

Upon returning to the Sourcefac they enter the cards into a sorting machine that translates the data onto the last two working magnetic tapes. The machines vibrate and hum in delight. For the first time in ages Johnny-7 again produces untainted objects. 

But his demise seems inevitable: Mushrooms grow on his underbelly where the tube and threads had been on which he moved. His interior becomes increasingly organic, tunnels turn to intestines, cables to veins. Should the heroes end his existence? Should they venture forth and search for punch cards? Should they try to save him? A plan is hatched: Satrap 88’s crystal snail could function as a hard drive to store Johnny-7’s personality until they find another Sourcefac that he can embody.

The disintegration of Johnny-7

While Naida travels to the Halls of the Umber King to document the ruins for Mercia’s magazine, the rest of the group prepares the miracle: Brother Methuselah calculates the odds of transferring Johnny-7, Azure connects Cataract, the bio-mechanical salamander, to the main frame and Saffron opens their brain to Johnny-7’s positronic core. While his self passes through Saffron their identities mingle in a dance of whirling positrons. The crystal snail pulses in an azure light.

Positronic Computation

The machine corpse convulses in agony. The heroes flee. Saffron disconnects themselves from the core and makes their way through the contracting tunnels hunted by a swarm of black metal spiders. Upon realizing the danger Saffron is in Naida turns around and unloads her shotgun into the mass of spiders but has to witness in horror how the spiders bury their mandibles in synthetic flesh, dragging Saffron away. At the last moment the furry chitin kite unfurls from Saffron’s body and flies through the closing sphincter of the exit tunnel.

During the funeral rites the kite seems to twitch and jerk towards the snail. A message from beyond the grave? Azure Dee holding the kite almost remembers her favorite pet. But the memory is gone forever.

The auto-immune system kicks in

The caravan moves on. On their way to the Behemoth Shell a pack of uplifted prairie dogs steal the sack of saffron. Brother Methuselah is having none of it and sends vengeful ghosts after them. The sack is gone but the prairie dogs pay a hefty price. At breakfast Brother Methuselah turns dubious meat on a skewer over the campfire.

Uplifted prairie dog trying to look innocent

Actual Play: https://youtu.be/htthwbY1dkc