The Journals of Ashton Frost - Chapter Eighteen
[Undertake an Expedition: +Wits, 1+2 vs 3/6. Sidekick reroll (3). Burn 10 Momentum (reset to +2). Strong Hit. Mark Progress (10)]
[Finish an Expedition: 10 vs 2/4. Strong Hit. +1 Box to Discoveries Legacy track. +2 XP]
As we dropped out of the drift, what we beheld was yet another unfathomable marvel. In front of our viewscreen burned a star like no other we had ever seen. Cypher eagerly scanned it.
[Gather Information: +Wits, 6+2 vs 4/4. Strong Hit with a Match! +2 Momentum (+4)]
"Guys! You won't believe this!" she said excitedly. "That star... is of artificial origin. As in, 'not naturally occurring'. I have no idea what civilization could make such a thing... but there it is." The scanner pinged once again and she checked the new data.
"And you won't believe this, either," she continued. She ran up to the window and pointed. "There!" she exclaimed. Breaker and I had to squint a bit and search, but we could see a glimmer in the distance. It wasn't shining in the way a planet would. It, too, was artificial.
"A space station?" Breaker asked. "Here? Is that yet another alien artifact or something?"
"Nope," said Cypher. "That, gentlemen... is a man-made space station. It is where our trail leads. That... is where we will find what we are looking for."
[Milestone on Vow "Discover what happened to Alexis Keelan" (3)]
[Milestone on Vow "Help Cypher find Ria" (6)]
* * *
[Face Danger: +Shadow, 3+4 vs 1/6. Strong Hit. +1 Momentum (+5)]
We had to proceed carefully - we had no way of knowing what we would encounter when we arrived at the station. We couldn't afford to engage in a space battle, in case they had captives aboard. We were going to have to do this the hard way.
We approached the station with the artificial sun burning behind us. We hoped it would help to conceal us from electromagnetic scans and visual observation. We donned our vacsuits and powered down all non-essential systems. We drifted the rest of the way, with only passive sensors and the docking thrusters to guide us.
As we approached the hull, I rolled the Acheron and guided the ship up to an external airlock. It was a slow process but we had to be careful.
[Secure an Advantage: +Wits, 1+2 vs 4/8. Sidekick reroll (6). Weak hit. +2 Momentum (+7)]
Cypher had her electronic lockpick ready, and her bodycomp was slung on a harness over her vacsuit. I was really glad these Institute suits were so well-made. It was like wearing a normal garment. Even the helmets weren't cumbersome. And perhaps we might be mistaken for Institute staff, as long as we weren't closely scrutinized.
[Face Danger: +Wits, +1 for Connection.5+2+1 vs 2/3. Strong Hit. +1 Momentum (+8)]
Cypher worked carefully on the airlock control panel. It wasn't as simple as opening the airlock, or even preventing an alarm. She had to fool the system into not even realizing the lock was being cycled. "Like a walk in the park," she bragged. I locked down the Acheron and we entered the station.
* * *
[Challenge: "Find the Missing Children" (Formidable). Fortified Location]
[SHADE: +Shadow, 5+4 vs 5/6. Immerse surroundings in darkness. Preset action die for sneak, hide, or ambush to 5.]
As we entered the station, I reached out to the shadows and enfolded them around us. We proceeded slowly and quietly.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 5+4 vs 1/1. Strong Hit with a Match! Mark Progress (1)]
Waypoint: Enemy forces transporting supplies or equipment.
Opportunity: Access to useful equipment or weapons
We entered a large area that appeared to be a loading bay. Institute staff were loading several cylindrical tubes about 1.5 meters long and 60 centimeters in diameter onto a cart.
[Gather Information: +Wits. 6+2 vs 3/6. Strong Hit. +2 Momentum (+10)]
"I'd say those tubes are big enough to hold a child, don't you think?" Breaker whispered. Cypher nodded. I recalled our conversation with the Dockmaster. The children. They were transporting them in low berths. It was easier for them to control their captives if the kids were all in a torpid state.
"Check. this. out," Cypher whispered. We were crouching right in front of a bank of equipment lockers. We opened them carefully and quietly and found institute jumpsuits, and backpacks. We donned the jumpsuits over our vacsuits, and tucked our helmets in the bags. It would still be better for us to remain stealthy, but we might be less likely to be challenged if we were observed. We followed the staff with the carts, keeping to the shadows and at a safe distance.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 5+4 vs 2/10. Weak Hit. Mark Progress (2). Endure Stress -1 (+4). +Spirit, 4+4 vs 3/9. -1 Momentum (+9), +1 Spirit (+5)]
Waypoint: Control area or terminal
It was not easy to maintain this pace and remain quiet and stealthy. We had to slow down and rest a bit. We ducked into a room and discovered it was a control area. Cypher studied the panel to see what she could discover.
[Secure an Advantage: +Shadow, +1 for Connection. 1+4+1 vs 4/6. Weak Hit. +1 to next roll.]
We now had a better idea of the layout of the facility. Hopefully this would make the going easier.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 5+4+1 vs 3/9. Strong Hit. Mark Progress (3)]
Waypoint: Enemy forces off-duty or at leisure.
We were approaching what might have been a mess hall or recreation room. We could hear the chatter and laughter of several off-duty staff. Knowing the layout of the immediate area was quite handy - we knew of a corridor that allowed us to bypass the area rather than move through it. We crept onward.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 5+4 vs 3/5. Strong Hit. Mark progress (4)]
Waypoint: Descriptor+Focus (Safe Faction)
We passed by some staff who might have noticed us, but in the darkened corridor, they couldn't see our faces. We were wearing Institute uniforms and no one was expecting intruders, so we were able to safely pass by the area.
[Undertake an Expedition: 5+4 vs 6/10. Weak Hit. Mark Progress (5). Stress -1 (+4). +Spirit, 6+4 vs 4/5. 1 Momentum (+8), +1 Spirit (+5)]
Waypoint: Enemy forces on guard
Peeking around a corner, I noticed the doors we were approaching were guarded by armed security staff. We would have to get the drop on them and take them out quickly.
[Battle: +Shadow, +2 Kinetic. -2 Momentum (+6). 5+4+2 vs 2/2. Strong Hit with a Match! +2 Momentum (+8)]
Reaching out with my mind, I grabbed one of the guards and slammed him violently into the other. I carefully lowered their bodies to the floor and we stepped out into the corridor. Moving quickly, we relieved them of their passcards and weapons and dragged their limp forms into a supply closet. From the unnatural angle of their necks, I didn't have to worry about killing them in cold blood. We wrapped them up in a tarp and moved on.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 5+4 vs 6/8. Strong Hit. Mark Progress (5)]
Waypoint: Prototype technology or equipment
The room that the guards had been posted to appeared to be a lab or workshop. We found some devices whose purpose was not easily discerned, but were clearly of value. We tucked them into our bags for later examination.
[Mark Progress on Vow "Uncover the Crimes of the Institute" (+1 tick)]
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 5+4 vs 1/4. Strong Hit. Mark Progress (6)]
Waypoint: Empty or inactive area
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 5+4 vs 8/8. Strong Hit with a Match! Mark Progress (7)]
Waypoint: (Descriptor+Focus) Archaic Debris
Opportunity: Potential collaborator or informant reveals themselves
The next room we entered was some kind of science lab. Items similar to the ones we had found in the adjacent room sat upon work tables. Perhaps they were studying this ancient technology in the hopes of improving their experiments. But this time, we were not alone. A haggard looking scientist was hunched over one of the benches, scrutinizing a strange container full of a phosporescent gel that moved on its own. I raised my pistol as he looked up.
"Wait! Don't shoot!" he cried. "Who... who are you! This is a restricted area."
"Please keep your hands where I can see them," I said quietly. "And don't shout or sound an alarm. Who are you?"
"I'm... My name is Doctor (37) Florian," he said nervously, raising his hands above his head. "Who are you and why are you here?"
(Revealed Aspect: Watchful) (Goal: 51 - Protect a Secret)
"Does the name Azrael Kain mean anything to you, Doctor?" I asked him. His eyes grew wide and he nodded nervously.
"We're here for the children," I continued. "What they are doing to them is wrong. It's barbaric. Do you have any children, Doctor Florian?"
[Compel: +Heart, 2+3 vs 6/9. Burn 8 Momentum (reset to +2). Weak Hit. +1 Momentum (+3)]
"Yes, Sor Kain," he replied. "Yes I do. I have a daughter. She's grown now. I... I'm just a xeno-biologist. I study alien artifacts, not people. I never approved of those tests. I'll be honest. I was happy to hear that you destroyed that lab at Redemption. So I've heard what you're capable of.
"I can help you, if you help get me out of here. Maybe I can continue my work with a more... ethical firm." He looked at us expectantly.
I nodded. "Get your things and follow us. You already know what I'll do if you betray us."
[Make a Connection (Erim Florian, Lore Hunter, Dangerous): +Heart, 2+3 vs 1/8. Weak Hit]
[SHADE: +Shadow, 2+4 vs 2/5. Strong Hit]
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 5+4 vs 5/9. Weak Hit. Mark Progress (8). Endure Stress -1 (+4). +Spirit, 5+4 vs 5/9. -1 Momentum (+2), +1 Spirit (+5)]
Waypoint: Control area or terminal
Dr. Florian was quiet and compliant, but we were moving slower than before and we were becoming fatigued. We pushed on for the sake of the children. We had to be getting closer.
[Secure an Advantage: +Shadow, +1 for Connection. 2+4+1 vs 3/3. Strong Hit with a Match! +2 Momentum (+4), +1 on next roll]
We had found another control room. Dr. Florian helped Cypher to locate the area where the children were currently being held.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 5+4+1 vs 4/5. Strong Hit. Mark Progress (9)]
Waypoint: (Descriptor+Focus) Dead Lifeform
We were approaching the corridor near the holding area. There was one guard with his back to us. I aimed for the base of his skull and pulled the trigger. My pistol coughed and he collapsed. We were close. This had to be it.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 5+4 vs 5/9. Weak Hit. Mark Progress (10)]
[Peril: (16) Automated security or weapons target you]
[Battle: +Edge, +2 for Kinetic. -2 Momentum (+2). 1+3+3 vs 3/9. Weak Hit. Pay the Price. Endure Harm -2 (+3)]
As we entered what we hoped would be the holding area, a sentry gun tracked us (I can't blackout motion sensors). Breaker and Florian hadn't come around the corner yet, but Juliana and I were right in the line of fire. "Take cover!" I yelled, pushing her behind me and reaching out with my mind to crush the gun. I succeeded, but not before it fired a burst. I felt the hit and was knocked off my feet. I was hurt pretty badly, but we needed to get the kids out before anyone sounded an alarm.
Breaker helped me to my feet and we opened the door to the holding area...
[End a Session: What awaits behind these doors for the crew of the Acheron? Tune in tomorrow and see! +1 Momentum (+3)]
[Ending Stats: Momentum +3 Health +3 Spirit +5 Supply +4 Fire 3 Fugitive 2 4 XP]