The Diary of Kain - Chapter Nine
My escort took positions on either side of me, and guided me to our destination. If they were bluffing about destroying me, I wasn't planning to call them on it.
We arrived at one of the smallest moons. The legendary pirate haven known as Nyx seemed... disappointing. I expected something more... impressive. It was a shipwreck, only slightly larger than the corsairs, embedded in the lunar soil. Anyone who didn't already know the location could easily overlook it
[Milestone: Mark Progress on Vow "Deliver Trip to Whiz on Nyx" (now 4 boxes)]
The landing pad was compacted regolith, fused to provide a firm surface for landing. I sealed my helmet, locked down all compartments and exited the ship. A half-dozen pirates were there to meet me. Each wore a boarding saber and all of them were pointing wicked flechette pistols at me.
Fletchers are nasty weapons - they fire a hail of small high-velocity needles that did little damage to hard surfaces like a starship hull, but would tear through a vacsuit or unprotected flesh without any trouble. I raised my hands and they led me to a large personnel airlock.
They all covered me while the lock was cycled. Another pair of pirates awaited on the other side of the hatch. These were armed with slug carbines. One of the pair stepped forward and roughly removed my gun belt, which held my pistol and knife.
"Uh, I'm going to need a receipt for those, if you don't mind," I told her. The only answer was a jab in the back from a fletcher. They led me down a maze of passageways and soon, we arrived in what must be the operations center.
A wiry, haggard man was intensely studying a display table. The corsair crews exited the room, leaving me alone with him and the two guards, one of whom placed my gun belt on the table. The man looked up warily. "What do you want?" he asked, brusquely. "I have a confidential message for Whiz," I answered, as calmly as possible.
"Well, I'm Whiz, boy. What was your message?" I was not convinced. "My message is - you're full of drek and I damn well know that Whiz is a woman. Get her out here, now."
He clearly had not expected me to call his bluff. No doubt, this was their way of protecting their leader. "Stay here," he growled and passed through a door on the other side of the room. He soon returned with a heavily armed woman in an armored vacsuit. "I'm told you have a message for me. What's your name?"
"You can call me Hellion," I told her. "If you're Whiz, you'll know why I'm here. I'll give you the message if you can tell me that."
[Compel: +Iron, 4+2 vs 8 and 10. Miss. Pay the Price.]
In an instant, I was looking down the barrel of an automatic combat shotgun. "Tell me why I shouldn't just have my boys beat it out of you," she demanded. One of the guards dealt me a blow from behind with the butt of his carbine, and I was knocked forward to my knees.
[Endure Stress: -1 (+4). Shake it off: 2+4 vs 9 and 9. Miss with a Match! -2 Momentum (0) and -1 Spirit (+3)]
[Compel: +Iron, +2 for Fire. 5+2+2 vs 1 and 9. Weak Hit. -1 Fire (1)]
My skin began to glow and everything looked... red. Their eyes widened and her weapon fell to the deck. I heard the pair behind me take a step back. She held up her hands, palms out.
"Okay, okay. No need for violence here. Let's all be reasonable." Sure, suddenly when they know you can incinerate them all and you're never unarmed, then everyone wants to be all friendly and conciliatory. The guards to either side of me laid down their carbines as well. I stood up and said "That's better. I've answered your question. If you'd be so kind as to answer mine?"
Suddenly the door behind her slid open. The most non-descript woman I'd ever seen entered the room. If you tried to do a composite sketch, she'd be "that woman from that thing we watched that one time." You'd never be able to pick her out of a lineup. She looked me over and grinned. "I see why they call you Hellion, lad," she said in a husky voice. "I apologize for the conduct of my... subordinates. I am Whiz. Breaker said he'd be sending a courier. I take it you have more than just a message for me?"
I reached into a pocket and handed her the small disc from Breaker. She slotted it into her handcomp and covered her earpiece for privacy. When the message was finished, she looked at me once more. "I see. Well, this is a most unusual... business arrangement. I was expecting to repay Breaker in more... shall we say, conventional fashion. But this is acceptable. Go, bring me the delivery."
I shook my head. "I want assurances here, Whiz. First, I want my gear back. Had I come here to kill you, I wouldn't need a weapon to do so. And these two to come with me. It's a two person job and maybe if their hands are full, they won't be so eager to poke me with their guns. By the way, leave those guns here. Like you, I have rules about strangers bringing weapons onto my property."
[Compel: +Heart, 5+3 vs 2 and 8. Weak Hit.]
Whiz considered my request for a moment "As you say," she answered. "You have my assurance that my subordinates will treat you with proper respect. But know if you double-cross me, you will not leave this system alive."
I nodded. The guards stepped forward and left their carbines on the table. One of them picked up my gun belt and handed it to me carefully, fear in his eyes. He must have the one who had struck me before. I buckled my gun belt around my waist and led them back to the Acheron. I placed my palm on the lock to the cargo bay. I pointed at the crate of heavy parts. "You and you, move that crate. Put it over there." They reluctantly complied. I knelt down and unscrewed the panel, watching them carefully. Uncovering the compartment, I gestured to the smaller crate inside. They picked it up, and we returned to the facility.
The guards placed the case on the display table. Whiz looked at them and raised an eyebrow. They retrieved their weapons and left the room. Her lieutenants stayed, standing behind her at a respectful distance. Whiz punched a long combination sequence into the keypad and opened the lid. Hundreds of small transpex ampules of Trip were carefully stacked in padded compartments. She cracked one open and sniffed at it carefully. Once again, I felt the tingling sensation I had experienced on Arrakoth.
Whiz counted the ampules and seemed to be satisfied. Then she handed the opened container to me. "This all looks to be genuine - but I need to verify if it has been cut. Take it." I wasn't entirely sure what she meant. "I require proof that this Trip is pure and uncut. You will try it, so we can be sure."
This was not a good idea. From what I knew of Trip, I was the last person who should be dosing on the stuff. "I really don't think it's safe for me to try this." Whiz raised a fletcher and pointed it directly at my face. "This is not a request, Hellion. This is a requirement. I will not ask again."
I hesitantly placed the powder on my tongue. Immediately, my skin began to feel hotter. My scalp felt electrified. I felt the burning in my veins. My vision turned red. I could see them back away from me. Whiz stood at the threshold of the open doorway. It was all the same sensations that I had felt during that last examination at the Institute. I fell to my knees and screamed...
... but I knew who I was now. I had a better idea of how to control it. As I had on the ship, I sought to control the fire, rather than letting it control me. I reined it in.
I stood, eyes aflame, and looked at Whiz. "Do not ever make me do that again," I said in a voice that was not my own, "or I you will know why I am called Hellion!" Her face was pale, and she nodded mutely. She waved her hands furiously at her lieutenants. They hurriedly closed the case and carried it through the door behind her.
"Forgive me, Hellion," she cried, "please forgive me! I could not know! I did not realize! Never before have I seen..." Her terror and sorrow were genuine.
[Gather Information: +Wits. 4+2 vs 2 and 5. Strong Hit. +2 Momentum (2)]
Realization began to dawn. The reason that I felt the same sensations that I did during that fateful event at the Institute... is that they must have used Trip on me in an attempt to unlock my talents.
[Milestone: Mark Progress on Vow: "Uncover the Crimes of the Institute" (1 tick)]
[Milestone: Mark Progress on Vow: "Deliver Trip to Whiz on Nyx" (now 6 boxes)]
Once more, I felt as my normal self. Whiz looked at me differently now. My earlier demonstration had evoked only terror, but now I saw... compassion in her eyes. She had also realized that Trip had somehow enhanced my innate talents. I feared what might happen if I ever tried the drug again.
"I can help you," she said softly. The character with the husky voice was gone. This woman, this was the genuine article. "Not with this thing, but I will help you. Azriel Kain must be laid to rest. Ashton Frost must be born."
[Make a Connection: +Heart, 2+3 vs 4 and 5. Weak Hit: Whiz (Agent), Dangerous]
She gently cupped my chin, and quietly said, "But I need your help as well. Please help us."
[Ending Stats: Momentum +2 Health +5 Spirit +4 Supply +5 Fire +4]