The Journals of Ashton Frost - Part Seventeen
[Begin a Session: (89) Peril lurks just ahead or out of view. +1 Momentum (+10)]
The Acheron was repaired, the modifications were complete, and supplies were loaded for a long expedition. We didn't know how long we'd be travelling, but I'd already learned that an expedition through uncharted space could hold a peril behind every jump. At least we had a rough idea where we were going.
[Secure Advantage: +Wits, +1 for Connection. 4+2+1 vs 5/10. Weak Hit. +1 on next move]
Cypher brought the sensors online carefully. Everything seemed to be operating as well as expected. We headed out past the ecliptic of Giauzar, past its ring of ice asteroids... into the unknown.
[Undertake an Expedition, "Find the Mystery Planet" (Formidable): +Wits, +1 Advantage. 3+2+1 vs 8/9. Sidekick reroll (4). Miss. Pay the Price (07): You encounter signs of a looming threat]
"Good news and bad news," Cypher said as we emerged from our first jump. "The ion trail is stronger than I expected... which means they're close."
"How is that bad, exactly?" Breaker asked. "It means they will be easier to follow, right?"
"That's correct," said Cypher. "It also means we might chase them until they catch us. We're going to have to be careful out here. With such a strong signal, we can afford to go slower." I wasn't sure if they would be able to detect us, but I agreed.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 2+4 vs 8/10. Sidekick reroll (5). Weak hit. Mark Progress (1). Face a peril. (39)]
We were making progress, but not without cost. We were alone, out in the formless void, following a trail of bread crumbs to an unknown destination. Anything could happen. All we had was the fragile bubble we called Acheron, and each other. If not for Breaker's guidance and experience, and Cypher's skill with the sensors. things would surely be going worse.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Shadow, 1+4 vs 1/10. Weak Hit. Mark Progress (2). Face Peril. (27)]
The comms panel emitted a recurring tone. "It's a distress signal," Cypher called up. "Patching it through."
"Mayday, mayday. This is the starship (56) Obsidian Trident to any vessel that can hear us. Our ship has sustained damage and we are stranded. Please assist. Message repeats..."
[Gather Information: +Wits, 3+2 vs 6/7. Sidekick reroll (5). Weak Hit]
Cypher came up to the cockpit. "We're too far away to read a drive signature for that ship, so I can't tell if it's one of the ships we are pursuing. It could be a trap, but if it isn't, we can't just leave them to their fate."
"I've got to agree, Ash," Blake interjected. "Even if we're in danger, even if this ship detected us tailing them... we have an obligation to investigate. Hell, at some point in this trip, we might be the ones sending a distress signal. Let's not start this expedition with bad karma." I agreed, and set course toward the marooned ship.
[Explore a waypoint: +Wits, 5+2 vs 1/3. Strong Hit. Mark Progress (3).]
We approached the distress signal with caution, trying to avoid detection. Everyone was tense, hoping we weren't sailing into a trap.
[Face Danger: +Shadow, 3+4 vs 4 /7. Weak Hit. Endure Stress -1 (+4). Shake it off: +Spirit. 4+4 vs 3/9. Weak Hit. -1 Momentum (+9). +1 Spirit (+5)]
Slowly and carefully, we approached the disabled vessel. It was a (39) mender, a utility ship. "RMC Acheron to Obsidian Trident," I called, "we are responding to your signal. Please state the nature of your emergency, over?"
(18: Automated) "Mayday, mayday. This is the starship Obsidian Trident to any vessel that can hear us. Our ship has sustained damage and we are stranded. Please assist. Message repeats..."
I tried again. "This is the RMC Acheron, responding to your distress call. Obsidian Trident, do you read? Over?"
We drew closer to the ship. It was (24) completely immobile, not even drifting. A few minutes later, the message repeated. "Well, what do you think?" I asked, "Do we go aboard and see?"
[Ask the Oracle: Does Breaker want to check it out? 50/50. (65) No.]
[Ask the Oracle: Does Cypher want to check it out? Likely (82) No.]
They both shook their heads. "I don't think it's worth the risk," Breaker said, "and the more time we waste, the fainter the trail becomes."
"If there's no response and the ship is adrift, it's either a trap, or they're all dead," Cypher said. "Nothing we can do for them now." She was the most compassionate of us; if she didn't think we should help, if she agreed with Breaker, then we would move on.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Edge, 1+3 vs 3/5. Sidekick reroll (3). Strong Hit. Mark Progress (4)]
We needed to pick up the pace to stay on the trail. We could not afford to lose them.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Edge, 6+3 vs 4/7. Mark Progress (5)]
We were closing in on them. The only reason we hade been able to give chase was because we could jump farther and faster than the average trader ship.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Edge, 2+3 vs 3/7. Weak Hit. Mark Progress (6). Pay the Price (74). Sacrifice Resources -1 (+4 Supply)]
Deviating from our route to investigate the distress call, and the extra speed required to make up the time lost, was burning more fuel than we had counted on. Until we could find a star system with a suitable planet - a Jovian world or a planet with an ocean - we had to be mindful of our fuel consumption.
[Undertake an expedition: +Edge, 3+3 vs 6 /6. Sidekick reroll (4). Strong Hit with a Match! Mark Progress (7). Make a Discovery (71). +2 ticks on Discoveries Legacy track. +2 XP]
We emerged from the Drift, hot on the trail of the kidnappers. We had located the mysterious legacy coordinates from the restored nav system. The ion trail was strong, but it led straight into a shimmering, swirling... hole in space. Breaker's jaw dropped. "Unbelievable, Ash," he gasped. "That's a gorram wormhole!"
We all wondered at this incredible sight. I had heard of this phenomenon, but I always thought it was just some far-fetched spacer story. "Where does it lead to?" I asked him.
"We have no way of knowing," he answered. "Well... actually there is one way of knowing... we enter it. It could take us into a completely different sector. But if it's stable, we can use it to travel back as well. Should we do it?"
Cypher checked the scanner data. "I'm no astrophysicist, but it looks stable to me. And more importantly, the trail goes right into it. Unless we want to give up the chase..."
Obviously, none of us wanted to do that. "Here goes nothing," I said as I set a course for this great shimmering hole. "If we don't make it, I want you to know it's been a privilege to know you and I love you-"
"-both," I said, as we emerged into somewhere... else. Behind us was the other end of the hole, but we had been ejected fast enough that it was some distance away now.
In an instant, we had just traveled from one point in the galaxy... to another. But just where were we?
The question was academic at the moment. I hadn't realized that Juliana had been squeezing my shoulder as we passed through the wormhole, but now she quietly returned to the sensor station and picked up the trail of the ships we were pursuing. In completely unfamiliar territory, we had to be cautious.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Wits, 5+2 vs 5/5. Strong Hit with a Match! Mark Progress (8). Make a Discovery (07). +2 ticks to Discoveries Legacy]
[Gather Information: +Wits, 6+2 vs 5/7. Strong Hit]
When we emerged once more from the Drift, we were witness to an unusual sight. It appeared to be a small star, rotating at a regular interval and flashing like a lighthouse. "Look, it's a pulsar!" said Breaker.
Cypher was studying the scanners intently. "It's more than just that, Breaker, it's... a message!" Her hands danced across her display as she began recording the transmissions from this ancient beacon of unknown origin. "I don't even know if we can decipher this," she said, "but if we can't, I'm sure Volition would love to have a look at it!"
We simply stood on the bridge, gazing out of the windows at this wondrous spectacle, until her panel chimed to indicate the transmission had been completely downloaded. It was a massive file, likely not just a message but an archive. We marked the location for further study.
[Undertake an Expedition: +Edge, 6+3 vs 6/2. Strong Hit. Mark Progress (9)]
We all felt we were near the end of our voyage, so we proceeded with speed. We emerged at the next anchorage to a peaceful, empty expanse of space. We had encountered phenomena and marvels in one day that most would never witness in a lifetime.
[End a session: The hidden Institute lab can't be far off... the crew of the Acheron make ready to infiltrate. Time for a delve! +1 Momentum (+10)]
[Ending Stats: Momentum +10 Health +5 Spirit +5 Supply +4 Fire +3 Fugitive 2 2 XP]