The Diary of Kain - Episode Five
Here we were, parked in the Deep Belt while Breaker worked hurriedly to repair our only weapon. I sat tensely at the sensor station, watching for any other approaching vessels. If more bandits showed up, we were in trouble.
[Face Danger: +Wits, 1+2 vs 7 and 8. Miss. Pay the Price: Sacrifice Resources. -1 Supply (+3)]
I hadn't noticed any other ships on the scanner. Breaker came down the ladder and up to the cockpit. "I'm going to need some parts to finish this job. I hope you have what I need in the cargo bay."
I turned to him and said "I don't know. There were a couple of shady dock workers rummaging around back there the other day. I hope they didn't take anything important." He laughed and went to look in the cargo bay. Fortunately for both of us, he was able to locate the needed parts.
[Repair: +Wits, 6+2 vs 3 and 1. Strong Hit. Fully repaired]
Once the laser cannon was back online, it was time to begin our search. Breaker resumed his seat at the sensor station and set the scanners to look for icy asteroids. He looked at some data on his screen and scowled.
[Gather Information: +Wits, 4+2 vs 7 and 8. Miss. Pay the Price: Consequences of an earlier choice.]
"Cap, this day isn't getting any better." He tapped at a flashing icon on his display screen. "That is an emergency beacon. That second bandit must have dropped it while we were dancing around each other. Others are bound to come investigate. If we don't find what we need soon, we are going to have to start looking elsewhere."
[Gather Information: +Wits. 4+2 vs 1 and 7. Weak Hit. +1 Momentum (+3), Complication]
I set a heading that would take us away from our battle, but we did not know where their comrades would be coming from. Hopefully we weren't flying toward them. A few minutes later, Breaker exclaimed "There, Cap! Above to starboard!" There it was, floating in space - a shiny, smooth bluish-white asteroid.
"Now comes the hardest part," Breakers said, reaching into his satchel. "I need to get down there and plant this stake." He held up the item. It was a cylindrical item, about the size of my forearm. It was topped with something that could have been a transmitter, a strobe, or perhaps both. "You wouldn't happen to have an EVA pack on board, would you?"
[Check Your Gear: +Supply, 2+3 vs 6 and 10. Miss. -2 Momentum. (+1)]
Unfortunately, I hadn't found an RCS pack on board. We would have to do this the hard way. I would need to maneuver right up to the asteroid, or maybe even land while he planted the stake. Breaker waited in the starboard lock and clipped on while I carefully used thrusters to move the ship into position.
[Face Danger: +Edge, Connection bonus. 2+3+1 vs 7 and 8. Miss. Companion is harmed]
Breaker cycled the lock, the icy surface shimmering below him about 20 meters away. Ensuring his satchel and tether were secure, he pushed out into the intervening space. I heard a thump and a groan over the comm. "Are you OK, Breaker! Breaker, come in!" There was no response.
I hurried to the airlock and cycled it. I had never done an EVA, but even if I wasn't leaving the ship, I took the precaution of clipping on and magnetizing my boots. When the hatch opened, I could see Breaker on the surface. He was crawling slowly toward his satchel, which was a few meters away. I still couldn't hear anything on the comm. I watched him retrieve the bag and struggle to his feet. He took out the stake and placed the blunt end on the surface. There was a small flash and a cloud of vapor as the stake activated and burrowed into the ice.
He looked back at me and made a gesture. He was moving his forearm back and forth near the side of his head. I wasn't sure what it meant, so I started hauling in his tether. Once he was safely aboard and the lock was cycled, he took off his helmet and slumped into a chair. He had a gash on the side of his head and blood in his hair.
"I had a bit of a rough landing there, Cap," he told me. "Hit my head, damaged my radio and wound up with this." I wanted to look for a medkit, but headed toward the cockpit. "Time for that later. We need to get set a course back to the station and register this claim before someone jumps it."
[Waypoint: Mark progress.(+6)]
Time was of the essence, but it was still prudent to proceed with caution. Better to arrive a little later in one piece, than to rush into trouble yet again and face an unexpected delay anyhow. All of these misfortunes were wearing me down.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow. 6+4 vs 4 and 10. Weak Hit. Endure Stress: -2 Spirtit (+3)]
[Shake it off: +Spirit, 5+3 vs 3 and 4. Strong Hit, take +1 Spirit (+4)]
After we had set a course, Breaker let me take a look at the gash on his head. There was no Medbay on the Acheron, so we made do with the first aid kit. I treated and bandaged the wound, but it had cost more valuable time.
[Heal: +Heart, 4+3 vs 4 and 8. Weak Hit. Lose Momentum (-2) (now at -1)]
After a very long day, we arrived safely at Redhaven. Breaker downloaded the data to his handcomp and headed off to RMC Lease Management. I could tell he was in a foul mood, not just because of the misfortunes and delays, but also at my decision to take it slow.
[Waypoint: Mark Progress (+9)]
[Finish an Expedition: Progress, 9 vs 7 and 8. Strong Hit. +1 tick to Discoveries Legacy Track]
A couple hours later, Breaker returned to the ship in a much better mood. I took that to mean that his claim was approved. He would be splitting the net proceeds with the miner, but there would be enough water for the next stage of the job, and he could probably make a killing selling the surplus on the side. We celebrated over whiskey and good chow.
It would take a few days for the ice to start coming in, but I needed the time to rest. I told Breaker I'd could live with the superficial damage to Acheron - he needed the rest, too. But even with all the obstacles that Fate threw our way, we had gotten the job done!
[Reach A Milestone: Mark Progress on Vow to complete water run to Arrakoth (+2)]
[Develop Your Relationship: Mark Progress, +2 boxes]
[Ending Stats: Momentum -1 Health +5 Spirit +4 Supply +3]