[Note: Frost has spent XP for an asset, which will be revealed later in this episode.]
The Journals of Ashton Frost, Part Three
Our mission was clear - Interrupt the Institute's supply of Trip. Permanently. I wanted to wait for Whiz to arrive, but we didn't know how long that would be. I regretted the things I had said to her. I should have brought her to Redhaven with me.
Breaker was the voice of reason. By deciding not to ship any more Trip, we had already cut off the pipeline. Breaker wasn't buying it either, and if it wasn't coming into Redhaven, no one would be able to sell it. The best thing, the only thing we could do, was to move against the Arrakoth miners as quickly as possible.
Neither one of us knew exactly how much work it took to produce a kilo of the ore, nor how much Trip could be refined from that. We couldn't be sure of their exact numbers or locations. I wasn't sure if it would be better if they were all in one place, or if it would be easier dealing with them separately.
We would have to go in covertly. I only knew one way to convince them to find a more gainful manner of employment, and it wasn't by appealing to their better nature. Breaker didn't seem to have a better idea.
Breaker headed out to grease some palms at Traffic Control, and then we loaded a small rover onto the Acheron and made ready for departure. Spanner would stay behind in case Whiz showed up or sent a message. We lifted off and headed for Arrakoth.
[Set a Course:. +Shadow, 3+4 vs 6 and 6. Strong Hit with a Match! +1 Momentum (+8)]
We arrived at Arrakoth undetected and unopposed. The first place we would check would be the site of our previous rendezvous. Breaker scanned the topography and located a better landing site, so we would have a shorter route this time. We arrived after sunset, so that we could advance by night, to best avoid detection. The last part would be on foot, to avoid warning them with our approach. I was unsure of the risk of breathing in any of this "Trip dust". I'm sure there was a proper name for the ore, and I was equally sure that these miners were not interested in having a geological discussion with interlopers.
With a wide path down, it was easy to make our way safely to the canyon floor. We got a fix on our location and bearing, and set out for the caverns. We had eight hours until dawn. We needed to catch them sleeping and unaware.
[Scene Challenge: Locate the Trip miners before sunrise. (Formidable, 8 ticks)]
[Face Danger: +Shadow, 1+4 vs 7 and 9. Miss. +1 tick on clock (1). Pay the Price (64).]
[Incidental Vehicle (Light): -1 Integrity (+2). Withstand Damage (Bypass): +Integrity, 2+2 vs 1 and 10. Weak Hit. -1 Momentum (+7), +1 Integrity (+3)]
We were rolling along quietly toward the previous rendezvous site, when the rover jolted and suddenly stopped. Breaker dismounted to check the damage. We had run over a rock, and it had damaged the wheel. He made a hasty repair to the tire, but it costed us valuable time. We still had a long road ahead of us, so we headed out once more.
[Face Danger: +Edge, 2+3 vs 1 and 6. Weak Hit. Mark Progress (1 box), Mark 1 tick on clock (2 of 8)]
We drove faster to make up for lost time, but the wheel was wobbling severely at full speed. Breaker slowed down. The the time lost changing a tire would likely be greater than the time lost to a slower approach, and we would make less noise.
[Face Danger: +Shadow, 4+4 vs 1 and 8. Weak Hit. Mark Progress (now 2), Mark 1 tick on clock (3 of 8)]
We continued to approach slowly. It had taken us 3 hours to get this far, and sunrise was about 5 hours away. If we continued to have trouble, we would have no choice but to stop and repair the tire.
[Face Danger: +Shadow, 1+4 vs 1 and 7. Weak Hit. Mark Progress (now 3), Mark 1 tick on clock (4 of 8)]
The hours ticked by. We were halfway to dawn and only about a third of the way there. With the brutal daytime sun, this mission would be harder to accomplish by day, and we would lose the element of surprise.
[Face Danger: +Edge, 6+3 vs 5 and 7. Strong Hit. Mark Progress (now 4)]
[Face Danger: +Edge, 6+3 vs 1 and 8. Strong Hit. Mark Progress (now 5)]
The canyon floor ahead of us became smoother and we were able to safely increase our speed. I hoped that the path would remain this favorable.
[Face Danger: +Edge, 2+3 vs 6 and 7. Miss. Mark 1 tick on clock (5 of 8). Pay the Price]
[Incidental Vehicle (Light): -1 Integrity (+2). Withstand Damage (Bypass): +Integrity, 3+2 vs 6 and 10. Miss. Bypass, -2 Momentum (+5)]
Suddenly, the wheel began to make a grinding sound and shimmying badly. We would have to replace it. Working together would hopefully save some precious time.
[Repair: +Wits, +1 from companion. 2+2+1 vs 4 and 10. Weak Hit. +1 Integrity (+3)]
It took longer than I wanted, but the rover was operational again. We had to pick up the pace, despite the risk.
[Face Danger: +Edge, 3+3 vs 4 and 2. Strong Hit. Mark Progress (now 6)]
[Face Danger: +Edge, 4+3 vs 9 and 10. Miss, Mark 1 tick on clock (6 of 8). Pay the Price (21)]
As we rolled along the flat path, I thought I heard something. I motioned to Breaker to pull over and stop. I could hear the sound of approaching hoverbikes. We hid the rover behind a large rock and crawled back into the deep shadows.
[Face Danger: 6+4 vs 1 and 8. Strong Hit. Mark Progress (now 7)]
A patrol meant that we were nearby to the mining camp. Moments later, a pair of hoverbikes zipped by. They did not appear to notice us, but we waited until we could no longer hear them in the distance. That far away, they would not hear our rover either.
We would have to deal with the patrol on the way back. I advised Breaker to approach quietly. I breathed deeply, and felt the familiar tingle that the dusty air of this world awoke in me. Summoning the shadows around me, I enveloped and concealed the vehicle.
[Note: Frost has spent 2 XP to upgrade Shade with the second ability on the asset: "When you expand your veil to immerse your surroundings in shadow, roll +Shadow. On a strong hit, the darkness extends to all adjacent spaces.]
[Shade: +Shadow, 6+4 vs 7 and 1. Strong Hit.]
[Face Danger: +Shadow, SHADE. 6+4 vs 8 and 9. Strong Hit, Mark Progress (now 8)]
[Face Danger: +Shadow, SHADE. 6+4 vs 2 and 5. Strong Hit, Mark Progress (now 9)]
We were nearly there. Two hours until dawn. I was taking a chance being so reckless with my abilities, but the clock was against us. We backed the rover into a cavern deep enough to conceal it from outside observation. The site of the previous rendezvous was only a few hundred meters away.
[Face Danger: +Shadow, SHADE. 6+4 vs 1 and 9. Strong Hit. [Mark Progress (now 10)]
[Resolve Challenge: 10 vs 8 and 8. Strong Hit with a Match (Advantage: +1 to next roll). +1 box on Discoveries Legacy Track (+2 XP, now 3)]
Crawling on our bellies, we found the mining camp exactly where we expected it to be. A lone miner kept watch outside the cave, his face dimly lit by the glow of a portable heater. I remembered that 2 to 3 hours before sunrise, humans are most unaware and inactive. Sentries become inattentive, more so if they do not routinely encounter danger. We had not encountered any hazards other than terrain or weather on either trip, so chances were that this lone sentry would be unprepared.
If the mining party was very large, they would have posted a pair of guards. I guessed between six and nine of them. Two out on patrol, and one in front of the cave... anywhere from three to six inside. Even with the element of surprise and the cover of night, I didn't like three-to-one odds.
I had a plan, but Breaker might not like it. The miners wouldn't pack up and leave a highly profitable operation just because we asked nicely. Even if we killed them, others might take their place. We had to instill fear. We had already agreed that no one in this venture was innocent - not even us. If we could put an end to this, the innocent lives we saved would be worth the blood on my hands. I whispered the plan to Breaker.
[Test Your Relationship: +Heart, 2+3+1 vs 5 and 8. Weak Hit. Develop Relationship: +2 boxes (now 8)]
Breaker was appalled by the idea, but conceded to the necessity. "I'll do this, Ash, because we always have each other's backs," he whispered, "But you owe me, and some day when I call in that marker, I hope you'll remember this night."
I nodded and gripped his hand. "All I need you to do is watch my back and wait for my signal." Then I rose to a crouch. "What then?" he asked.
I drew my knife and flashed a wicked grin as the darkness enfolded me. "Then... we unleash Hell."