[Begin a Session:(57) Important character is put in danger or suffers a misadventure. +1 Momentum (9)]
Breaker's Log - Day Fifteen
JONES and I spent the next few days working with Ogre and his crew. I helped them to improve combustion and emissions on the cracking tower, seal the leaks on several valves, weld broken struts, and repair pumping stations. Working on an oil rig is, as I have said before, very dangerous work. It was close enough to the kind of work I had to do back home in Ramshackle, but it was a little different for JONES. The bot had the mechanical and engineering knowledge for the job, but it wasn't built to do things like hang from a sling or brace against a pipe while tightening a bolt.
[Face Danger: +Edge, 1+3 vs 2/4. Weak Hit. Companion takes a hit -1 (Health 3). Resilience +Bot Health, 4+3 vs 2/10. -1 Momentum (8), +1 Bot Health (4)]
It was only a matter of time before something happened. JONES was helping me with a pump and backed up a bit too far. It fell from the catwalk to the deck a few meters below. Thankfully it didn't fall into the ocean or it would be lost forever.
I clambered down to where JONES had fallen. "Ouch, Breaker," it announced. "Systems compromised. Running self-diagnostic. Integrity at 75 percent. Initiating auto-repair sequence." There was some external damage to the bot's chassis as well, and I was able to repair it fairly easily. However, we were back to square one with the work on that pump.
[Repair: +Health, +1 Gearhead. 2+4+1 vs 3/6. Strong Hit. Repair 5 points. +2 Momentum (10)]
When all was said and done, we had made some definite improvements. Ogre was confident that he could get back on schedule, but he reminded me that if the attacks didn't stop, all of our work would be for nothing. I advised him that I would handle that part, and reminded him of his part of our bargain.
[Milestone on Vow "Heal the people of Argosy": Mark progress +2 boxes (4)]
The following morning, we headed back to Argosy. Fran had been bored out of her mind, with nothing to do while JONES and I worked. She was looking forward to our return - she found the floating settlement to be fascinating and liked the people there.
Althea came to see us when we landed. She looked at me expectantly. "So, what of the rig, Bridger?" she asked me. I told her that Ogre had agreed to improve their processing and refining procedures and would henceforth export any waste for disposal.
"This is good, Bridger." she said. "The people of Argosy are in your debt. But sadly, this is not enough to heal our people. It only keeps the situation from worsening. It will be many years, maybe even generations, before Mother Ocean heals herself. Until then, these afflictions will persist. Many of us will perish before then, and there are few of us already. Without the healing plants from the kelp forest, we cannot treat our sick. You believe you may have a solution. What can be done?"
I told her of my plan, and asked her if she could provide me with samples of these healing plants - both healthy and contaminated, if possible. Her healers brought me two small transpex containers filled with something that looked like seaweed.
"I promised you I would help, Farseer Althea. I must make a journey, it may take several days. I need your people to hold off on any further attacks. I will let Ogre know that your people will be watching the rig, and if they dump any more waste, my deal with him is off. And if that comes to pass, you had better believe I'll show you a better way to take it down."
[Develop Your Relationship (Althea): +2 boxes (4)]
* * *
We returned to the Abyssal Frontier, and I met with Ogre again. I warned him that the natives of Argosy would be watching the rig but assured him that they would not attack as long as no further dumping took place.
I brought him back to the infirmary, and explained my idea to him and Dr. LeGrand. She seemed skeptical, but willing to try. I asked Ogre to provide specimens of the raw crude and the waste product they had been dumping.
We unloaded the cargo from Petrichor and loaded up the order for Dr. Jeffries. Ogre promised that the remainder would be ready by the time we returned. Then we lifted off for Petrichor.
[Milestone: "Deliver order to Ogre". Develop Your Relationship +2 boxes (4)]
[Set a Course: +Supply, 3+5 vs 5/8. Weak Hit. Complication]
We made it safely back to Petrichor and landed at Silvana, where it was still raining. Dr. Jeffries summoned me to her office the moment I set foot on the pad. She was pacing impatiently and seemed rather irate. I sat down and asked, "You wanted to see me?"
"You are damned right I wanted to see you, Blake," she said. "Three. Days. Ago. A round trip to Thalassa and back, including time for loading and unloading, should have taken no more than four days. You have been gone for more than a week now. Would you care to explain your delay?"
"As a matter of fact, Doctor, I would very much like to." I explained the situation on Thalassa, and that the rig had been damaged by attacks from the natives, who had been harmed by the dumping of toxic waste. I noted how this had impacted the ability of Abyssal Frontier to meet her order, and this seemed to anger her further.
"The concerns of some primitive shipwreck dwellers are not my problem, Captain," she said, with her customary arrogance. "You made me a promise to complete this trade with Thalassa, and you have failed to do so to my satisfaction. Do you want your order, or not?"
"Might I remind you, Doctor, that my promise was not specific as to time frame or order quantities. The inability of some ocean-dwelling oil riggers to meet your quota is, as you might say, 'not my problem', Sirah Jeffries. But there is a way that all of this can be resolved to everyone's mutual satisfaction and benefit. In order to do so, I will need the help of the Project."
I explained my plan to heal the sickness among the people of Argosy and Abyssal Frontier, and how her team of botanists and chemists would be crucial to that effort. I was expecting her unwillingness to cooperate and she did not disappoint me in that regard. I was forced to play my ace in the hole.
"I did what I swore to do, and I expect you to provide the materials we agreed upon. If you renege on our agreement, I will be forced to search elsewhere. The attacks on Abyssal Frontier will continue, the rig's production will continue to decline, they will be increasingly unable to meet your orders, and ultimately your machines will run out of fuel and lubricant. Without trained engineers and mechanics, your equipment will continue to break down, and eventually your entire Project will collapse."
Dr. Jeffries was seething, but she knew I was serious. She might be an arrogant gratch, but she was not stupid, and she could see the truth in what I said.
[Test Your Relationship: +Heart, 6+2 vs 2/8. Weak Hit. Mark Progress +2 boxes (4). Demand.]
"So, Doctor Jeffries, it seems that you need my help, too. And in order for me to provide that help, in order for your Project to survive in fact, you'll help me to do this. Do we have an agreement?"
[Compel: +Iron, 4+3 vs 3/5. Strong Hit.]
"Very well, Sor Blake. If the survival of your friends at sea is essential to the survival of Project Plowshare, we will help. But I expect the remainder of my order, and I expect that there will be no such complications with orders going forward. If you cannot ensure that, I will remind you that Silvana is not the only settlement that will strangle and die for lack of ongoing trade relations and skilled technicians."
[End a Session: Breaker has guaranteed the Project's involvement in solving the Argosy's crisis - but can Dr. Jeffries and her team develop a cure?]