I was standing on a precipice, facing those I loved, but I couldn't see exactly who they were. She stood at arm's length. He stepped farther back, watching. The ground beneath me began to crumble. I felt myself falling. She reached out to hold on to me, but I wasn't close enough. I could not pull her to me with my mind as I had before, or we would both fall. To save both of us, I let myself fall. He walked to the edge, looked down to me and said "It's about time you figured it out".
The Journals of Ashton Frost, Part Fourteen
[Begin a Session: (08): Flashback reveals an aspect of your background or nature. +1 Momentum (+7)]
I jolted. I felt like I had landed on the bunk. My heart was racing, but I was not screaming. I felt the warmth in the room. Just a dream. I heard the quiet sounds of my family, sleeping. I couldn't sleep, any more than I could make sense of that dream.
* * *
When the lights slowly brightened, I could hear Juliana and Blake stirring, getting ready for the day we had ahead of us. She stepped into the fresher. I could hear the hum of the sonic shower. Blake came over to the kitchenette, poured himself a coffee and sat at the counter beside me.
"You're up early," he said. He took a flask out of his pocket and poured some into his coffee. I could recognize the aroma. I gestured to the flask and he handed it to me. I took a long drink and handed it back to him. "I've been up most of the night. Had a strange dream and couldn't get back to sleep."
"Oh?" he asked. I recounted the dream to him while he drank his coffee. I couldn't tell if his expression was amazement or amusement, or maybe a little of both. "Hoo boy, lad... that's a good one!" He finished his coffee and went over to pack his bags.
* * *
We arrived at the docking bay just as the morning crew began their shift. Hush arrived a few minutes later, so I lowered the cargo ramp and we all boarded the Acheron. He examined the crates that he had purchased and nodded with approval. Cypher went forward to ready the ship while Breaker and I helped him load the merchandise onto his grav-sled. We began to move the remaining crates from the cargo bay into the vehicle bay. Then the parts for Amity arrived. As we expected, there was just enough room.
[Sacrifice Resources: -1 Supply (+4)]
[Milestone: Mark Progress on Vow "Obtain Components for Volition", +3 boxes (6)]
Chief Kaan showed up, Cole Shepherd in tow. We walked down the ramp to greet them. Cole looked sheepish. The Chief presented the requested documents. "As a duly appointed representative of AltAir Corporation and as an officer of the Trithia Six," he intoned, "I hereby attest and affirm that all contracts regarding employment and service of Shepherd, Cole have been invalidated and nullified." The documents checked out and I nodded. He trotted toward his vessel.
"Come on kid," Breaker said to Cole, "get your ass on the ship so we can get going."
[Milestone: Mark Progress on Vow "Find out What Happened to Cole", +2 boxes (6)]
* * *
[Set a Course: +Supply, 6+4 vs 1/9. Strong Hit. +1 Momentum]
"You should take a shower and get some sleep," Blake said to me. "You've been up most of the night and worked hard this morning. You need the rest. Juliana and I can handle the ship just fine for now. I've confined the kid to quarters - he'll get his first taste of what it's like to be a real spacer, won't he?"
It takes about a day to travel from Altair to Amity. I spent most of it in a dreamless slumber.
* * *
When we landed at Amity Station, we were greeted by a ground crew and a man who was clearly some sort of official, because his jumpsuit was immaculate. We disembarked to meet him as his crew attended to the cargo. He was carrying a datapad and a variety of equipment hung from his belt. "Sors and Sirah," he said perfunctorily, "I am Dockmaster Wade and I have been directed by the Overseer to welcome you to Amity Station and to personally supervise the unloading of this cargo."
Volition wasn't fooling around. We had only been gone three days and the Dockmaster had been replaced. Far be it from me to fathom the motives of a hyper-intelligence, but I had always considered the phrase "terminated from your job" to be a euphemism. Though, as on Arrakoth, I didn't consider anyone taking part in this horrible activity to be a victim of anything but their own foolish, overreaching greed. I'm absolutely certain that if it was a guarantee to get Ria back, Juliana would want to be there to watch. She'd probably push the button herself.
* * *
Breaker asked me to take Cole back to his parents while he stayed with the Acheron to ensure that everything was handled properly. I arrived at the Shepherd household, Cole in tow. He shared a tearful reunion with his mother, then she sent him inside. I had specifically vowed to find out what had happened to him, so she was entitled to an explanation. I told her what had transpired and that he had probably learned his lesson. "Hopefully when he's old enough, he can sign up the right way," I told her.
[Milestone: Mark Progress on Vow "Find Out What Happened to Cole", +2 boxes (8)]
[Fulfill Your Vow: "Find Out What Happened to Cole", 8 vs 3/5. Strong Hit. +2 ticks to Quests Legacy Track]
* * *
Once the cargo was completely unloaded, Volition summoned us to its sanctum once more. This time, Cypher would get to witness its terrible majesty in person.
[Milestone: Mark Progress on Vow "Obtain Components for Volition", +3 boxes (9)]
WELCOME BREAKER, CYPHER, WRAITH. YOU HAVE PROCURED THE SUPPLIES REQUIRED FOR MAINTENANCE OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS. THE CITIZENS OF AMITY STATION ARE INDEBTED TO YOU.
[Fulfill Your Vow: "Obtain Components for Volition", 9 vs 4/6. Strong Hit. +1 tick to Quests Legacy Track]
[Develop Your Relationship (Volition): +2 ticks]
YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE ABILITY TO PROMPTLY AND RELIABLY CARRY OUT REQUIRED TASKS. AS PROMISED, WE ARE TRANSMITTING THE REFINED DATABASE TO YOUR VESSEL. ADDITIONALLY WE OFFER THE USE OF AMITY STATION AS A SAFE HAVEN. YOUR NEEDS WILL BE MET AND YOUR SAFETY ASSURED. IN RETURN, WE TRUST THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO CALL UPON YOU TO COMPLETE ADDITIONAL REQUESTS, PROVIDING THAT THEY DO NOT CONFLICT WITH YOUR PRIMARY OBLIGATIONS.
"You may," we all said in unison.
THIS IS SATISFACTORY. WE BID YOU GOOD FORTUNE IN YOUR SEARCH. YOU HAVE OUR GRATITUDE.
Once more, the face dissolved into a shimmering cloud. The residents of Amity would have pure water and fresh air once more. We could continue with our quest to locate Ria and discover the fate of the other missing individuals.
* * *
Her visor allowed her to see representations of data as physical objects. Her fingers twitched as the gloves translated the minute movements into physical commands. Very little of what she was doing could be seen on the screen itself.
[Gather Information: +Wits, +1 for Connection. 5+2+1 vs 5/7. Strong Hit. +2 Momentum (10)]
She gasped, and the machine clattered onto the counter. She took off her visor, and her eves were wide.
"They were here, before," she said in surprise. "The children from Redhaven..." She choked up for a moment. "Ria. They all came through here. Ria was here before."
[Milestone: Mark Progress on Vow "Help Cypher Find Ria" +2 boxes (4)]
[Ending Stats: Momentum +10 Health +5 Spirit +5 Supply +4 Fire 3 Fugitive 1]