Writing Dilemma: Writing in a new Character

I haven’t done one of these in a while so let’s have some fun:

My current Writing Dilemma is that I have a character that I need to reintroduce into a scene. Pretty straightforward, right? Unfortunately, the scene involves one where my two main characters are trapped in the lower levels of a facility and can’t get out through the usual routes while this new character needs to have a way to get down to them.

I’m toying with the idea of having them arrive as a telepresence robot that looks and acts human. However, being man-shaped, it would be subject to the same restrictions as my main characters. The facility is a converted space station that I jammed into the ground so there’s potential for previously unknown systems to reveal themselves. However, if I do that, then the question becomes “If the robot can get down there, why couldn’t the main characters figure that out and use that way to escape?”

I know I’m close to a believable and workable solution, but it’s slow going and honestly a bit frustrating.

Comments, questions, and potential suggestions are always welcome and there’s a great chance that you may end up being thanked on The Dedication Page down the road. It could happen. 🙂