The Controller's Station
Former Alliance of Sol Prison Colony

Four days have passed since the IDA, under the authority of Commander Faust, gained control of assets located on an asteroid that orbits between Earth and Mars regularly.

Billy and his command staff have been summoned to a meeting with the commander himself, and all are expected to attend.

Unless you arrive more than 15 minutes early, Commander Faust and two subordinate officers are already seated at the conference room when you arrive. There are light pastries and hot beverages provided -- the good stuff, not the stuff served to rank-and-file in the mess hall.

Commander Faust waits until everyone has arrived, or for 15 minutes past the starting time, whichever comes first.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:41, Fri 29 July 2016.

Xander arrives promptly on time, and helps himself gratefully to hot coffee and pastries before taking a seat. After a few sips of the coffee, he pauses to add a bit of bourbon and cream. Taking another sip, he nods with satisfaction at the proportions, and leans back contentedly.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 1):

Billy enters a couple Minutes after Xander, on time but with neither urgency or military precision.  On sighting the pastries he immediately finds one with a healthy proportion of both icing and cinnamon and then proceeds to wolf it down with gusto at his seat.  Only after it's gone does it occur to him to get a drink, a cup of cream with coffee and sugar.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 3):

Rebecca startles the crap out of Faust's men by phasing through a wall shortly after they arrive, dressed in full labcoat.  She eschews the food spread and sits primly in the front by the aisle closest to Faust. She taps at her datapad writing notes to herself and politely conversing with any who make the first move towards her.  When she sees Xander and Billy she smiles and waves them over.

Oh and of course, Percy has his own seat.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:36, Fri 29 July 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 4):

Battalion arrives late and in force.

Half a dozen or so Battalions and as many armed Corpsmen arrive in a horde.  Most of them take coffee and a pastry, though they aren't particularly choosy as to which.

Three Battalions take seats and kick their boots up on the table, a few lounge about the conference room and the armed guards spread themselves around the periphery to "guard" as lazily as possible.

So... when do we leave?

In reply to Batallion (msg # 5):

"Finally," Commander Faust mutters as Battalion arrives. "Sit down. All of you."

This last statement is directed at the myriad Battalion corpsmen milling about.

"Let's get to it. As you know, my name is Commander Faust. What you don't know is that I've been assigned to be your handler for the foreseeable future."

He levels his gaze at each of you in turn (though he picks a single Battalion to represent the group in this regard).

"Up to this point, Director Kelce has been rather hands-off with your operational parameters. She felt that you would benefit from having a measure of autonomy, particularly since you were acting under the supervision of Viceroy."

"That changes today. While we appreciate you successfully completing your objective in securing the ore, you recklessly endangered yourselves, IDA property, and the mission during your escape. Your actions cost us the only prototype we had of the plasma drive engine system, and resulted in Viceroy sustaining significant damage. I'm told he still hasn't recovered from the accident, which is a pity. If anyone could have rebuilt the plasma drive, it's him."

He clears his throat.

"You've made inroads at returning to our good graces by capturing this base for the IDA -- provided we can clear up a bizarre legal challenge that's cropped up -- but Director Kelce felt that you might benefit from having a more seasoned, steady hand at the wheel for a while nonetheless."

"That's where I come in."

Commander Faust motions to his subordinates, and they quickly pass out presentation packets to those gathered. Battalion is made to make do with a single copy.

"I want you to read and memorize this document. It's the IDA Agent Field Manual, packed with information about what to do when a mission goes right, what to do when it goes wrong, and how to handle a mission that has to be abandoned to preserve the fight for the next attempt. It includes regs and protocols and callsigns and fallback locations. It is your Bible, and it is the first thing normally given to new agents. I was appalled to learn that the Director did not require you to read it prior to now, but... that was her call. This is mine."

He stands and begins to walk out of the room.

"Meet back here in three days for the test. Anyone who passes it will be invited to the next mission -- a lucrative, important one. Anyone who doesn't will stay here until they manage it. And I must warn you, agents who can't pass the test get very, very good at peeling potatoes. That is all. Get to it."

With that, Commander Faust exits the room. There is no time allotted to questions.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:26, Mon 01 Aug 2016.

In reply to Commander Faust (msg # 6):

Rebecca is delighted. She takes the book and immediately begins to devour it. It is memorized backward and forward you often see her close to Faust and his men.

"Oh boy, studying," Billy remarks as he stands and stretches.  "I better get right to that, time's a waisting." He gives a vague wave to the rest of the team before walking casually out the door, his packet left on the table.

Xander glances down somewhat incredulously at the hardcopy packet. You have a digital copy of that? he asks.

In reply to Xander (msg # 9):

Xander's question is ignored, but not by everyone.

"I can digitize it as you read it... and pull it up at will, so long as we have cloud access."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:25, Mon 01 Aug 2016.

Roundabout, but that'll work, he replied, suppressing a sly grin.

Billy occupies himself with not studying.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 12):

Several copies of JJ watch the heavy manual thunk to the table.  Continued staring, no matter how rageful, does not cause it to burst into flames.

Yeah... one JJ says with a nod.  He goes back to his coffee.

Here's the problem, another version puts in, lounging even more completely than before.  The way I see it, we already did more work for the IDA than any of your 'agents', and that without wasting our time on books and homework.  I mean, if you're tellin' us we gotta go back to school, AT LEAST we should get a sexy teacher or something.

No version of Battalion make any move to pick up the book.

Xander will page through the manual just long enough to allow Sophia to digitize it for future reference.

In reply to Xander (msg # 14):


Three days pass, and the group is once again called to the conference room to take the test.

Those who arrive will find it to be exceptionally old-fashioned: a small blue booklet made of paper and a standard pencil are provided, but nothing else.

Commander Faust asks the prompts himself, orally, and there is no written version of the questions asked anywhere.

After the test is complete, the booklets are collected and Commander Faust explains that he'll be calling each of you in turn for the second half of the test, which is an spoken, one-on-one session. The third section is for practical applications and field testing, and that section is to be waived given your existing service records to-date.

OOC: I need everyone who plans on taking the test to roll their Reason and their Intuition. Add +3CS to your Reason roll if you actually read the book. Take -2CS if you never cracked the cover. If you flipped the pages and read "some" of it, take neither penalties nor bonuses to the roll.

Note also that none of these bonuses affect your Intuition roll.

If you don't show up for the test at all, let me know that too.



[CROSSROADS]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:24, Thu 04 Aug 2016.

Upon seeing the format of the test Billy quirks an eyebrow and gives a slight chuckle at the old fashioned nature of it. During the test he seems mostly bored, writing his answers in an inelegant scrawl, but never really seeming to sweat, despite having never been seen in the same room with the manual in the past three days.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 16):

Rebecca takes the test and is seen sweating bullets. Despite pounding the book for the entire time she is seen crying by the end.

Reason 7. Fail

Intuition 7. Fail
This message was last edited by the player at 16:51, Fri 05 Aug 2016.

Xander seems to have no issues whatsoever with the written exam, but neither does he care enough to get creative with the answers.

[Reason: Success]

He seems to engage and actually begin enjoying himself, however, when it comes to the interview.

[Intuition: Success]

In reply to Xander (msg # 18):

JJ shows up for the test late and indignant.

He sighs loudly at the book and pencil.

Bit ancient here, aren't we?

For a few moments he lounges around the back of the test room, dithering between leaving and actually sitting down for the test.  Then he vanishes without a trace.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 19):

After the two phases of testing are completed, Commander Faust calls the group together once again.

"I am pleased to report that two among you, at least, thought to take this seriously. Top marks for Billy and for Xander. I am hereby designating Billy as Agent In Command for the forthcoming mission, with Xander as his second. You'll both find a little extra in your paychecks from now on. Good work."

He allows for an applause that never materializes, then presses onward.

"I'm afraid Nightmare's test was riddled with inaccuracies -- might I suggest spending more time studying, young lady, in the future? There's a good girl. Still, I appreciate that you tried... your pay will be unaffected."

His attention turns to Battalion, if he even bothered to show up.

"I can forgive failing the test, but not abandoning your duty entirely. I'd put you on KP, but then nobody would have food to eat. Instead, I'm docking your pay and changing all references of your name in our after reports -- past and future -- to 'an IDA agent' until you manage to pass the test. Don't shirk your duty again."

The display in the room swirls and changes into a star map.

"On to the next mission. It has come to our attention that SAGE has recently lost contact with one of its exploration vessels which had been sent toward the dwarf planet Ceres, which is located in an asteroid belt between Martian and Jovian space. Billy, you will lead your team back to HQ, effect repairs to the plasma drive, and set out to investigate at your earliest convenience. Take Viceroy with you for that first leg, while you're at it. He needs medical care such that can only be effected at the Factory."

He says this last part flatly, as if to imply sooner is better.

"I'll be a comm-call away if you need anything. Godspeed."

In reply to Commander Faust (msg # 20):

JJ's only response to Faust's tirade is the use of a single finger.

When he has finished, JJ clears his throat.

If you're done jawing?  When are we sending the captives home to their mothers?

In reply to Batallion (msg # 21):

"We'll handle it from here," the Commander replies, ignoring the rude gesture accompanying the question. "They'll be home safe and sound, never fear."

Xander nods, and presses his hands together. Right. I packed like, a week ago. I'm ready to go whenever. Can't say I'll be sorry to see the last of this place.

Already, visions of modifications and upgrades made possible by the Factory's superior manufacturing equipment and R&D facilities begin dancing in his mind.

In reply to Xander (msg # 23):

But.... that's... the color drains from JJ's face, then begins to come back, but only red.

Let me get this straight... we capture this faciliy... wihtout pants I might add... hold it and scare off evil cronies, rescue the princess and all we get is 'We'll handle it'?  No Big Damn Hero moment?  What about the parade?

Billy gives a snall fist pump at being named team leader but is otherwise nonplussed by Fausts briefing, save a small chuckle at Batallion's punishment and response.  Once Batallion starts objecting to the lack of celebration he does speak up, "Didn't you ever see one of those 007 VRs?  Secret agents don't get parades, they get the girl.  We were here for a month before Faust showed up, don't blame him just because you didn't take your chance to sleep with the princess."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 25):

"If you want what you did here added to your internal record, I'd think about marching back into the room and taking the test," Commander Faust shrugs. "When all is said and done -- when we can make things public again -- you might get your parade. But only if you follow the protocols."


***

Commander Faust has made one of the transports available for your use. Though you were not explicitly told to leave ASAP, nor forbidden from making upgrades to the ship, you do get the distinct impression that lingering here for longer than is necessary would be looked upon unfavorably.

The ship is large enough for Abraxas to fit aboard, provided the chassis is folded in half and stowed in the cargo hold.

You're also able to hold about a month's worth of rations. Which is good, because the trip back to HQ will take about three weeks.

Plenty of time to learn some new tricks, for those so inclined... provided the trip is uneventful.

OOC: If you want to take specific actions before departing, please let me know.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:38, Sat 06 Aug 2016.

Billy informs the others that he'll meet them at the hangar as he leaves the briefing and quickly makes himself scarce in the intervening time before waltzing into the transport shortly before departure.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:24, Mon 08 Aug 2016.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 27):

But... But... That test was subjective with many matters interpreted as opinion!  It's not fair when I still have Lloyd in my head!  I can feel him lurking.  I know it.

She composes herself and takes the news of Billy's ascension stoicly.

Congratulations.

I'm sure he cheated.  I'll get to the bottom of this.

She approaches Xander

Should we add some combat mods to the ship or do you feel that we are sufficiently provisioned?

She also approaches Battalion, at least one of them

If you would be interested in retaking that test with me I would be willing to help you study for it.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:18, Mon 08 Aug 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 28):

JJ opens and closes his mouth, holding back whatever retort he planned to use on Nightmare.

Instead he focuses his vitriol on Faust.

Tell you what, you want good agents, you can send them by my quarters and I'll teach them more than your damned books.

As for your potatoes: you'd better free up some of your crack team for peeling duty, and tell them to be keep close watch on them, 'cause the only thing I'm gonna contribute to your dinner is a little special sauce when nobody's looking if you know what I mean.

With an appropriate gesture, JJ storms out of the room.

JJ is also scarce up until departure, but he does show up in time to leave.

Xander scratches his beard thoughtfully at Rebecca's question. Since we're heading directly back to the Factory, I'm going to say it's probably not worth trying to do a combat refit slapjob without the propery facilities. That type of jury-rigging tends to cause problems with core ship systems, and if we aren't expecting trouble I'd rather not risk it on a milk run.

In reply to Xander (msg # 30):

In that case... I'm ready whenever you guys are!

She whispers to Xander

I don't suppose you could help me study for that test... I just didn't get it.  I'll take it again when we get to base.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 31):

The party shores up any loose ends, then boards the transport and departs without further incident.

As the station fades from view behind you, you enjoy a collective sigh of relief.

This is mitigated slightly when your eyes dart over the Viceroy's inert form, and you recall the last trip you took that rendered him that way.

***

Three weeks later, the transport arrives at Director Kelce's familiar (to all but Billy) headquarters facility, which is located on a hunk of rock roughly five square miles in size that lazily orbits the sun between Mars and Earth.

There are several key features: a large, domed structure nearly a square mile in size, which understandably dominates the tiny skyline; a network of greenhouses; and a series of tubing that hints at enclosed roadways.

There is no docking facility to be seen, nor anywhere obvious to dock the ship, but as before the domed structure swivels and swirls to create a small opening at the very top. Dangerous-looking Antiaircraft batteries dot the perimeter of the dome, though they are not trained on your ship.

The transport lands in an isolated docking area nestled just within the top of the dome. A shuddering sound and a hefty CLANK follows the moment the ship touches down, indicative of magnetic docking clamps.

All told, your landing sequence goes off without a hitch, though you are informed after landing that Director Kelce is not on the premises at this time. Viceory is carted off the Factory almost immediately upon touchdown. None are permitted to accompany him.

The various operatives, workers, and other staff at the facility seem to know your names, ranks, and mission, however, and get to work outfitting the transport for a longer journey.

"This isn't shore leave," an email from Commander Faust helpfully reminds each of you. "Refuel, refit, and relaunch. We have only a short window to reach Ceres before SAGE manages to get their own fleet into the picture."

OOC: You have about a week of free time at the HQ facility before being urged to leave in a more aggressive way.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:23, Mon 08 Aug 2016.

Of course, Xander replies warmly to Rebecca. You just have to keep in mind that these people aren't testing objective facts. You just have to answer what they want to hear. The 'right' answers aren't necessarily right. Take a deep breath and relax, and you'll do fine next time. Think of it as a guessing game. Try to guess what they want to hear. These military types are pretty predictable.

Xander will attempt to locate Director Kelce, shooting her an email to inform that the team has arrived. Then, depending on her response and whether or not she'll be back in the week they have before relaunching, he'll either report directly to her, or spend his time in the Factory, tinkering.

"Yeah, all my answers were just scenes from old action VRs" Billy chimes in unhelpfully at Xander's explanation to Rebecca, "Shoot the bad guy, save the girl, make up a good catch phrase.  Test was a cakewalk."
Billy spends most of the downtime at the new base mostly dawdling.  He associates with anyof the staff that aren't intimidated by rank, wanders the halls unproductively and does not generally act like a military agent.  He does nose around the Factory after waiting what he considers a respectful time following Viceroy's initial carting off, inquiring about the fabrication and mechanical capabilities of the place are.  His inquiries are inexpert and he mostly wants the names of cool pieces of technology.  After his initial bout at the factory he's ocasionally heard while mostly alone in the halls talking to someone named Hank about those same pieces of technology and capabilities.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:45, Mon 08 Aug 2016.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 34):

Rebecca heads immediately to the lab to begin deciphering the treasure trove of data they recovered from ARES and SAGE.

I've been trying to interpret this information with inferior technology on the wretched asteroid and came up with nothing.  Perhaps you could help me unravel it?

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 35):

During their brief stay, JJ pulls his normal trick of appearing to be everywhere, but this time with a twist.

The duplicates, which normally do little more than wander, lounge, and snack, take on a more aggressive tack.  Remotes for televisions go missing, only to turn up in the trash the next day.  Toilets are clogged by paper towels with surprising regularity, food is "accidentally" spilled every meal, and everything seems to be covered in smudges.

In a nutshell, Battalion makes himself as much of a passive nuisance as he can.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 36):




Battalion is warned that his antics will result in a strict "One Batallion" policy being implemented throughout the station if he doesn't straighten up his act. Whether he does or doesn't, Battalion is banned from the mess hall. Three meals a day are brought to his room instead.

Eventually, the day of your departure arrives. Under Billy's guidance, you board the transport, load it with supplies, download the appropriate charts and maps, and are back in the cold embrace of space before you know it.

***

The journey to Ceres takes about a month, and time passes slowly within the cabin of the transport.

About three weeks into your journey, the console lights up with an incoming message. It's static-laced and hard to make out:

"-eat, can anyFZZZZT -ear me? FZZT-elp... need repaiFFZZZT... SOS... Coordinates... 2-FZZZT by 33 degrees, FZZZT-gate via BetelFZZZZZT"

Attempts to respond go unanswered.

The computer analyzes the message and shows three likely locations given the incomplete coordinates.

The first would add about a week to your journey, but you have sufficient supplies to cover it.

The second would add about two weeks to your journey -- you'd have enough supplies to still reach Ceres, but it might be hard to return home with after your mission without resupplying.

The third is quite distant: five weeks out of your way, and you'd definitely need to resupply before heading home after your mission.

There is a fourth option, of course, which involves exploring some or all of the given locations. This would mean entering Ceres space at critically low fuel and supply levels, but could technically be done.

Your options are clear: continue toward Ceres, ignoring the message (1 week), or detour to follow one or more of the computer's guesses (variable time).
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:07, Tue 09 Aug 2016.

"So are any of us actually heartless enough to abandon someone in the asshole of space?" Billy looks to the rest of the team for a compelling argument to doom a helpless stranger, "And if not does one of our sciencey members want to venture a guess at how far away Static Mcgee is?"

Definitely not, that would be a shit way to go, Xander replies immediately. But it would be helpful if we could try to narrow down where the signal is originating from. I personally suggest diverting to the nearest possible source point. Even if we're wrong, we might be able to get a different vector on the signal and pinpoint the actual location with a higher degree of accuracy.

In reply to Xander (msg # 39):

JJ spent the first few days of the trip being surly, but then realized how much work that involves, got bored, and settled back into his normal laziness.

Hmph, big damned hero time again?

"I'm a little less comfortable with sweeping across the void looking for one ship than I am with just abandoning this guy," Billy says grimly, "Even two pit stops is gonna strain supplies." He gives Rebecca a pleading look, hoping there may be a better way to pinpoint a ship.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 40):

Before leaving Rebecca takes the test again this time doing much much better.

Reason: 85, Yellow success

Intuition: 65, Green success

She still does not look happy with the results, but at least she's not crying this time.

Stupid Lloyd messing around in my head.  I should find him... when I do....

She looks at Billy and then gives a smarmy answer

Wasn't there something about triangulating coordinates on the test?  You were made commanding officer you tell me.

She immediately looks ashamed and focuses on the map attempting to draw a trend line near as many of the possible origins of the message.

I'm sorry, that was out of line.

Agreed that sweeping through the void is non-optimal.  I think our best way to go about this is to travel along the vector that takes nearest to the most points.  We should travel along this vector attempting to triangulate the points as we go thereby maximizing our options.  I hate to say it but at the moment iterative analysis will be the only method by which we can find this. 

"I literally forgot everything on that test the next day," Billy says dismissively in response to her jab, but his tone and expression are severe as someone's life is in question.  His look does soften as he nods acceptance of her apology.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:57, Tue 09 Aug 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 42):

Yeah, "Sweeping Across the Void" sounds like a good band, but a bad idea...

As for the test, Battalion blows a raspberry. You're smart, princess, don't worry about those ramrod-assed idiots.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 44):

Billy spends more than a few minutes with a far-away look in his eyes. It's possible he's just brooding.

"God dammit it," Billy groans as he comes out if his inexplicable fugue, and procedes to delete the farthest suggested coordinate from the display, "If we're in an action movie it's this one," he points at the farther if the two remaining options, "But if we're in a thriller we find the threat at the shortest necessary interval," he points at the closer destination, "How fucked do you guys normally get on your missions?  Do you lose people on a regular basis?" Billy seems completely serious as he questions the other three.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 46):

We usually end up fighting someone after being lied to, floating in the vaccuum of space, and picked up by a salvage ship kind of fucked.

Rebecca says bitterly

I was going to give Kelce a peice of my mind, shes lucky she wasn't there.  I did not sign up for combat duty.  Though to date our only casualties on our side was Flux and Viceroy.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:20, Wed 10 Aug 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 47):

The console blinks unhelpfully.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 48):

We could always call back and either have them send a ship to each of the points, or send us a resupply

"No one's sending a resupply to the middle of nowhere, and radioing for two ships to travel four and five weeks to investigate an SOS is probably not high on anyone's priority list.  Especially if the guy's dead after waiting that long."

"Dammit," Billy ruffles his hair in frustration before jabbing the closer of the two possible destinations, setting the navigation computer to plotting their new course, "Could probably figure this out if we knew what stupid gate he was talking about," Billy grumbles, "Or if you guys weren't apparently so boring without me."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 51):

One of our former compatriots got shot in the head and put in a coma.  Does that count as interesting?  Or or the time that we stormed a SAGE compound pulled the alarms and took a bunch of data and some prototypes.

That qualify as interesting?

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 52):

"Interesting" usually means "stupid"

In reply to Batallion (msg # 53):

This group has been horrendously mismanaged to date.

"Comas are boring and data is boring," Billy informs the crew matter-of-factly.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 55):

Battalion nods solemnly You got that right, princess.

Xander busies himself with creating an algorithm to track the signal strength throughout the course change to begin narrowing down the actual position of the transmission.

Data is what is going to help us spend less time being bored and spend more time enacting heroic rescues and completing our mission, he remarks to the general crowd as he works.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:59, Mon 15 Aug 2016.

In reply to Xander (msg # 57):

Rebecca rolls her eyes.  Percy is holding a flag with an erlenmeyer flask on it.

Yay team science.

She says completely devoid of enthusiasm

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 58):

Billy directs the transport toward the nearest signal, a maneuver that proves more immediately satisfying than Xander's triangulation attempt. The S.O.S. is so sporadic and weak that it is difficult get a better read on it as you travel, though getting closer to your destination also seems to bring you closer to the origin point of the signal itself.

A week later, the transport finds itself approaching a what appears to be a field of metallic debris. Judging by the amount, it is either the remains of a small space station or a large capital vessel.

The twisted charnel simply floats through the void of space, bits and pieces swirling around one another in accordance with their inertia. There are dozens of pieces that could conceivably house a survivor, but you're not detecting anything but the faintest of energy readings -- and those could simply be the continued dissipation of whatever once provided thrust and power to the wreckage.

If there are identifying symbols to be found, you cannot yet discern them.

Another burst of static enters your comms, and the console lights up as its crosshairs zero in on a modestly sized chunk floating about two-thirds of the way into the field.

A signal consistent with the S.O.S. is coming from that direction.

Billy slowly directs the ship toward the chunk the ship has identified as most relevant before something occurs to him, "Uh, we didn't put any convenient robot arms on this ship did we?  Because a) we should.  Maybe with like a giant hand gun and a huge axe or something. But also, it's gonna be real hard to find out what's in that wreckage without something to stabalize it," with this he turns to Xander, known giant robot pilot, meaningfully.

Already on the way, Xander replies, sealing the helmet of his EVA suit with a click and a hiss.

He strides off to the mechbay with a spring in his step, happy for any opportunity to get out and play after the boredom of extensive space travel.

In reply to Xander (msg # 61):

Xander pops into the cockpit of his mech with glee, which is swiftly hurled into the voice via the cargo bay doors.

It's worth noting that your ship lacks a proper launch bay (it's far too small), so the process is far less graceful than normal.

Regardless, Xander soon finds himself flitting through the void of space... although that term feels less appropriate within the chaos of the debris field.

The mech is quickly lost from visual contact from the viewport, but the console has no trouble tracking the mech's approach for the crew to watch as it speeds toward the signal.

Xander flies out to explore the signal

Billy takes the ship as close as he can with reasonable safety before setting it to orbit the worst of the debris field while Abraxis goes about being more maneuverable and well-armored amongst the chunks of space junk.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 64):

Rebecca snaps up the microphone and clicks it on after a few moments of silence.

Xander please keep constant contact so we know you are proceeding as planned.

"Or else your mother might worry," Billy snarks, "Just let us know when you reach the signal or if anything goes wrong."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 66):

That is not how it is laid out in the guide books, sir.

She replies equally snarky

"That's why it's a guide book.  It's supposed to guide you when you aren't sure what to do.  I know exactly what to do.  I am going to sit here and wait for our giant robot to find out what's in the box," Billy leans back and throws his feet up onto a mostly empty portion of the console. "If you wanna do something, figure out how to get someone out of a ruined chunk of spaceship and into our ship without, yknow, having them suffocate and expolode in the vacuum of space."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 68):

Rolls her eyes and with a duh tween voice the transcends space and time

I'm a biologist... not a mechanic.  Your mechanic is outside.

She pauses a moment in reflection then her poise return

Though maybe....
She rubs her thumb against her forefinger a sign she is working through something in her head.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:41, Tue 16 Aug 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 69):

The Transport

Those within the ship watch as Xander carefully pilots Abraxas into the field, where it disappears from sight. The beeping signal on the transport's console allow them to further track his progress as he hops, skips, and jumps his way toward the SOS origin point.

After a harrowing handful of minutes, the signal for Abraxas lurches backwards for a brief interval and then disappears entirely from your console.

The Debris Field

Xander zigs and zags his way through the swirling field, relying on Sophia's calculations and his own instinct to find safe passage.

It is never clear which of the two failed him, but the end result is the same: a jagged piece of metal about the size of a cement mixer slams into him at incredible speeds.

He quickly fires the necessary thrusters to put himself back on course, but the images on his HUD appear twisted and distorted.

External sensor suite has been damaged, Sophia informs him. I've lost contact with the transport. But good news! Emergency transponders remain online. We can still track the SOS through our targeting computer.

The transparasteel viewport lights up and a moving reticle appears, exactly the same as the one used when wielding the rail gun. After a moment flitting back and forth across the screen, it finally encircles a moving target roughly 2000 meters distant.

Target locked. Sophia confirms. Just fight back the urge to pull the trigger on your approach.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:37, Wed 17 Aug 2016.

When the helpful beeping stops it takes a moment for Billy to register it before bolting upright, "Uh-oh," he pokes at the radio, "Hey, telling us if something goes wrong was an order," he attempts, "Don't make me come in there after you."  Billy speaks sternly as he flicks some switches to ensure the ship's instruments aren't at fault, " I really don't think that'll go well," he adds nervously.

Everything is fine, nothing is ruined, Xander replies quickly. Nothing super important, anyway...

Using his targeting systems, he continues to cautiously approach the source of the signal.

In reply to Xander (msg # 72):

Transport

The chaotic scene before you is as beautiful as it is terrible. You receive Xander's response, but do not get a location.

Debris Field

Xander approaches the source of the signal far more carefully this time, and ultimately manages to steer Abraxas through the rubble without further incident. The signal's origin point comes from a chunk of metal about the size of a mobile home, though it has been twisted on one side and folded in on itself on another not unlike an enormous tube of toothpaste.

There are no markings on it, and even from this distance you cannot tell if it used to be a ship, a capsule, a module, or a structural piece of something larger.

There is no hatch or docking point, but your magnetic clamps allow you to secure yourself to it without much trouble.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 73):

Not to break your concentration or anything... but what the hell could reduce a ship to this... this looks intentional to me.

Lots of things, not necessarily foul play, Xander responds, matter-of-factly. As much as we like to pretend it's not, space travel is still dangerous. There's an enormous list of things that can go wrong, and you're far, far from help when they do.

He pauses, glancing around the debris field as his clamps secure the capsule. I'm more curious what is keeping all this wreckage together. This should have dissipated within minutes of the incident. Frictionless vacuum and all that. Something is exerting a force powerful enough to keep this debris from drifting off into the black.

A green light winks in the neon gloom of Abraxas' cockpit, indicating a secure clamp. [Success]

Xander then begins to pilot his way carefully back towards the rest of the team. [Piloting: Success]
This message was last edited by the player at 17:37, Wed 17 Aug 2016.

In reply to Xander (msg # 75):

Gravity fields... maybe artificial ones... say from a person... Battalion mutters.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 76):

No need to tell me about the dangers of space travel...

She says and lapses into a brooding silence.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 77):

A little less than an hour after departure, Xander's mech flits back to the transport with a large, twisted can in tow. There is no way it could fit in the transport.

"So...I'm not seeing a door," Billy says with the comm channel open to address all interested parties, "And I'm not super enthusiastic about how easy that's gonna get crammed in here." He lets the observations hang in the air for a moment before turning pointedly to Rebecca, "I guess congratulations are in order.  You've been promoted from biologist to away team.  Suit up."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 79):

Wait... What?!

"I seem to remember that when we were attempting to escape a terrorist hospital prison lab you helpfully demonstrated how you  have a more efficient way to travel than doors.  So you can get in the box without compromizing the atmosphere for any survivors.  Once we know what's in the box we can figure out how to open it."

Let's try to hail whoever is inside first, if they're still alive, Xander suggests, but if we don't get an answer then I agree, it would make sense to have Rebecca take a peek. Don't worry, I'll be right there if something goes wrong.

In reply to Xander (msg # 82):

Rebecca gets sweaty and fidgets uncomfortably she squeezes the doll and mutters the only words you can make out are

....space.... cold.... breath.... dead. 

Tears start to roll down her cheeks

"Hey, no no, the opposite of that, come on.  Trying to avoid death here.  Why do you have a void phobia now of all times," Billy laments as he gets immediately uncomfortable with Rebecca's response.  However instead of pushing the issue he takes Xander's advice and switches the communications to a broad spectrum transmission, "Attention, uh, derelect space wreckage.  We received an SOS and are here to assist, if you can, please respond."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 84):

After an uncomfortable pause, a voice crackles over the SOS frequency.

"Could it be? Am I saved??"

The tone changes from hopeful to suspicious a moment later.

"By whom?"

Billy pauses with how to respond before his eyes settle on Batallion, "IDA agents," he answers nonspecifically, "What's your status, from our side we've got a partially collapsed giant metal box, it's gonna be a trick to get you out."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 86):

There is a moment's silence before the response.

"Glory be," the voice says. "The IDA! What luck. Yes, yes, by all means, please get me out of here. I have such a report to file, you're almost assured a promotion."

The comm goes to static, then regains its strength.

"I'm, er, well... it's a long story, but I'm trapped in what was once the galley. Plenty of food, but not much air scrubbing. I jury-rigged the rehydration unit to filter out some of the carbon dioxide but I've felt light-headed for... um... a long time now. I was able to grab a few oxygen tanks before I was sealed off, which helped. And I got this emergency radio, too, but the signal's been weak and the battery is nearly fried. I've been debating charging it from the heating coils but I'm afraid I'll freeze if I do. It's so... cold. So dark, already."

"I'm afraid when you moved my floating coffin here, it rattled me around a bit. I'm... caught up in a nest of wires and pipes. How... how were you going to get me out? I don't have a pressure suit. And I think it'll take a knife or torch to free me from the wall here."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:12, Thu 18 Aug 2016.

Billy sighs and switches the mic off briefly, "Crap..." he groans and drums his fingers on the console in agitation, "Who gets stranded in space with no space suit?" he flicks the radio back to the private channel to make sure Xander can contribute, "As far as I know we don't have any means to pressurize a connection to this box, and the only one of us that can get in without exposing this guy to a vacuum isn't exactly the most capable of cutting him out of his own wreckage, do we have any ideas?"

Xander furrows his brow, suspended in the weightlessness of his cockpit. Can Rebecca phase over carrying wire cutters and an empty EVA suit? If not, this is going to get interesting.

He flips back over to open coms. We're working on that slight obstacle. In the meantime, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself. Who are you? What happened here? Do you have any idea why the debris field has remained consolidated?

In reply to Xander (msg # 89):

She sniffles and straightens up when Billy talks to her.  Squaring her slight shoulders she nods firmly.  She tugs on his sleeve beckoning him close.  He holds his ear to her mouth and she whispers.

Out loud she says

Wire cutters... yes.  Eva suit... maybe.  We can try it.

Billy looks at Rebecca with a furrowed brow, "Uh, slow and painful.  I guess?  I could maybe talk to you about it later?  Let's get you in a suit first and then make sure we don't have any more deaths to talk about."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 91):

I feel like I saw this in a holovid once... they had to... rig together the... systems... Battalion fades off.

"If you can remember specifics I'm all ears, but for now we're going with the 11-year old who can ignore walls." Billy responds in all seriousness to Batallion.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 93):

Rebecca starts suiting up, the fear seems to be gone.

Thats 11 year old prodigy who can ignore walls to you!
This message was last edited by the player at 18:16, Thu 18 Aug 2016.

JJ, was that before or after the captain announced that he had a 'throbbing pulsar,' and began 'rigging his system together' with the sexy Ensign Astronaughty? Xander asks. I'm not entirely sure those kinds of holovids are going to be helpful here.

"Oh yeah, Astronaughtier.  That was a landmark vid.  Or was that scene in Atronaughty 3-way?" Billy looks whistful before noticing the young girl getting dressed in front of them, "Either way is probably very inappropriate."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 96):

No, "Astronaughtier" was mostly just "rear docking maneuvers"... the asphyxiation stuff was in the original...

Agreed. Gentlemen, this is hardly the time to discuss whether Solar Sluts from Sagittarius Six had artistic merit, or was simply a crass sexploitation vid like Big Booties of the Bootes.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 97):

Rebecca rolls her eyes and sighs loudly.

Are you guys going to continue listing off pornography or did any of you actually have a useful idea? 

She grabs the wirecutters and sticks them in her belt, She also grabs a small rebreather unit and puts it in a pouch on one of her belts.  She then proceeds to fold up the EVA suit as tight as she can.  She goes to the airlock and waits for Xander to bring the unit into alignment.  She takes a deep breath and gets a running start.

[Ghastly Presence: 95 RED Success]
This message was last edited by the player at 18:43, Thu 18 Aug 2016.

"Well I was hoping the first idea would work, but if this fails see if the refrigerator's hermetically sealed and stuff him in it.  Then we can do things the hard way," Billy responds as he maneuvers the ship into alignment while Xander positions the box so that they can press the docking port against a portion of the box well enough that once Rebecca's in the air lock and the atmosphere cycles there's a minimum of gap for her to float through on her way to the wall.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 100):

Transport

Rebecca charges directly through the bulkhead, disappearing into the room beyond.


Crunchified Galley

Rebecca charges through the wall at full speed, and is immediately plunged into nearly total darkness. She skids to a halt, barely avoiding an overturned countertop and some barstools in the process.

She takes a moment to orient herself, but there is little to see. A faint crackling sound consistent with that of exposed wires can be heard periodically, and pulses of white-blue electricity punctuate the darkness in tandem with the sound.

Creaking, groaning metal fills the air in the gaps between the sparks, and the atmosphere carries with it the tang of gunmetal, oil, and sulfur.

As Rebecca's entrance was silent, there is no reaction from the rescuee as of yet. Though she does hear a voice echoing from further down into the deep darkness of the crushed cylinder.

Heard By All

"My story?" the voice asks, repeating Xander's question. "It'll take a while to tell it. Suffice it to say that what happened here was no accident. I'm grateful the IDA showed up so quickly to handle the calamity."

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 101):

Lets hear his story first... can always turn around if something is fishy.

She pads quietly around the room trying to find the best vantage point to listen and hear what happens.

"Rebecca, have you made contact?  Did the extra suit make it with you?" Billy radios as the stranded spacer talks.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 103):

...So much for that idea.  Well into the breach.

Rebecca phases through the wall into the comm room scaring the crap out of the guy on the comm unit and seizing control of the situation..

Contact made.  All supplies transported successfully.

She holds out a hand to the bemused man by way of introduction.

Nightmare.  At your service.

This message was last edited by the player at 14:16, Fri 19 Aug 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 104):

Rebecca reaches out a hand toward the stranded figure, but the gesture goes unrequited. This is not due to any ill wishes on the rescuee's part, necessarily -- they are simply tangled up in a jumble of cables, pipes, and wires to such an extent that they cannot freely move.

The emergency radio is clipped to their chest, and has apparently been activated with depressions from the trapped figure's chin.

The lighting is too poor to get a proper look, but Rebecca can tell that the figure is wearing a set of military- or mechanic-style coveralls. Nothing covers their face except dirt, grease, and an expression that hangs midway between hope and trepidation.

"Nightmare? Oh... oh, IDA agents," she says, stressing the last word. "I get it now."

She sags against her restraints.

"If it was an inside job, and you're here to clean it up, please... make it quick."
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:55, Fri 19 Aug 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 105):

She cocks her head to the side and begins to pull out the wire cutters.

An 11 year old girl who begins conversations with at your service... is a very poor assassin.  Whats your name?

She bounces over to the trapped agent and begins cutting her loose.  The woman jumps and looks at her left shoulder to find the small mecha-Percy using a welding torch on some of the larger cables.

That's Percy.  Hes my imaginary friend.

Once the mechanic is free the doll aims its cannon and shoots a puff of glitter over Nightmare's head. She smiles broadly as it showers down on her.

You're free!  And I never get tired of that.

She turns serious again.

There is an extra EVA suit near my entrance point.  Follow me. 
This message was last edited by the player at 14:50, Fri 19 Aug 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 106):

"I suppose not. Thank you, Nightmare."

The woman rubs her wrists, flexing them a bit, and follows Rebecca in the indicated direction. She grabs a few items on her way out, including the radio and what looks like a tool belt.

"My lucky star is shining on me today, for you to have stumbled upon my signal in this godforsaken sector. The other voices I heard, those are your colleagues? I heard IDA only deploys agents in twos, fours, and sixes. I hope you're a six."

She grins slightly and stretches her arms.

"That would mean a larger ship, and more elbow room for unexpected guests."

As the woman slips into the EVA suit, Rebecca notices more details about her appearance: athletic, taller than average, perhaps 30 years old, neck-length dirty-blonde hair, bangs. Her coveralls don't have name tape on them, but there is a faded spot where one is supposed to go. Either these are modified military fatigues retrofitted for civilian use, or simply a  damaged uniform.

Soon, the rescuee taps on her helmet and gives Rebecca a thumbs-up gesture.

"I am so ready to get out of here. Hot meal. Hot shower. Proper oxygen. Proper lighting. What's next? Are we going to join your friends?"

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 107):

We are a four... kind of.  You'll see.  We are full of surprises.  I still didn't get your name. 

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 108):

"Kayla," she says, extending a hand. "Kayla Wallin. Pleasure to meet you!"

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 109):

Hi Kayla.  Do you have any ability to vent the atmosphere of your ship?  We are holding this wreckage as tight as we can to our loading dock and we will avoiding explosive decompression would be our ideal situation to get you out with minimal damage.


Whether she can or can't vent the atmosphere she will position her as far from the soon to be door as possible and instruct her to shelter.  She will then phase back into their ship after preparations with a big smile on her face.

[Phasing: 28 Green Success]

Lets make a door!

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 110):

"This is a galley," Kayla explains. "Or... it used to be. It has no cycling capability of its own. But it does have its own atmosphere. I'm afraid it's mostly CO2 at this point, though. I've been breathing out a lot, and using the oxygen canisters more and more."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:02, Fri 19 Aug 2016.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 111):

OK lets get you into an interior chamber and clear out as much material from it as possible in case of... unforeseen.  Unless the team has any ideas.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 112):

Surprisingly, Battalion actually pays close attention to the chatter.

"Okay, now this is either going to be very messy or very dangerous.  Possibly both.  Xander, how surgical can you get with that robot?  Because If you can't rip a clean hole in this can I'm going to have to go into the airlock with my arm bare, and that will suck."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 114):

"Sure, sure. Whatever you think is best."

Xander, meanwhile, is still hung up Kayla's assumption that they were assassins.

Jesus Harold Fucking Christ no! Who the fuck *does* that?! he blurts out involuntarily over the coms. Just....fuck!

He sits in stunned silence for most of the conversation, wondering what the mysterious rescuee was involved in that assassination seemed like a logical possibility. For his own peace of mind, he decided to attribute it to oxygen deprivation with a final incredulous fuckingshitgoddamn.

He snaps back to the matter at hand when Billy poses his direct question.

Okay, so, she has an EVA suit? Good. That means we have time. The biggest thing we want to avoid here is any kind of explosive decompression. If we can put a small puncture in the galley to vent the atmo in a slow and controlled way, when we go to make our door there won't be any risk of a blowout.

So let's consider our options, Sophia. We could put a single armor piercing round through the unoccupied end of the galley, or we can try to pry open a small panel with the clamp. Suggestions are welcome at this point.

In reply to Xander (msg # 116):

If the atmosphere is close to standard, a bullet would do nicely on the far end. But... the galley has no power. No cycling air. No heat. Why does it have gravity? The physics are intriguing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:31, Fri 19 Aug 2016.

In reply to Xander (msg # 116):

Oh for the love of....

As the men keep waffling.

Screw this!  I'll do it myself.

She stomps back in through to Kayla going through every wall on her way.  and pops into the room that she is cowering in. She leaves her comm open

This is stupid!  Boys are stupid!

She says holding out her hand.

I'm taking you back myself!  Are you ready, this will be... disorienting.

Once Kayla takes her hand she begins walking straight towards the nearest wall.  Kayla gasps as Rebecca phases through it along with her hand then the rest of her body.

She turns off her comm unit and says something to Kayla.
Billy is treated on the other side of the airlock to be treated to a little girl plowing like a tank through the airlock wall with a fully grown figure in tow.

I could have finished a second dissertation in the time it took you to figure out this simple problem. 

She rolls hers eyes takes off her helmet and shakes out her hair.
]
There.  I brought her back.

She says primly.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:43, Fri 19 Aug 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 118):

Kayla, meet the dumb boys:  Billy, Battalion and Xander is outside. Lets get you changed into something more comfortable and we can talk over food?  Sound Good?

You can stay in the cabin next to me.

"You could have mentioned that you can phase other people with you in the first place," Billy states as he stares at the pair, "Xander, pack it in, mission accomplished."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 120):

I didn't know I could until I did.

She says sheepishly.

Just for the record, you don't get to play the 'silly boys, your plan is dumb' card when you neglect to mention that you happen to be an actual goddamn space wizard, Xander grumbles over the radio.

He stares at the listing debris field, mildly disappointed at having been robbed of the opportunity to solve the classic physics problem of how to rescue a human sealed in a metal casket floating in a vacuum with one airlock, using only a badass robot.

My way would have worked too. With arguably less chance of phasing our intrepid survivor's internal organs into a bulkhead.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:15, Fri 19 Aug 2016.

In reply to Xander (msg # 122):


Kayla materializes through the wall wearing the full EVA suit that was given to her. The first thing she does is shield her eyes with her arm -- likely a reaction to the bright lights, but potentially a reaction to being ran directly through a wall, as well.

The second thing she does is hold her hands in front of her face disbelievingly.

"I'm... we're... did we just?" her muffled voice stutters.

Kayla shakes off her stupor and takes off her helmet, shaking out her hair in the process.

"I don't know what you did, but thanks! It's a pleasure to meet all of y-"

She cocks her head to one side and stares at Billy. Her eyes linger on his chrome arm, and then light up with recognition.

"Did you say Billy? As in, Billy Lesueur-Fische? THE Billy Lesueur-Fische?! Oh. My. God."

Kayla walks over to Billy and studies him from head to foot.

"The holovids don't do you justice, you know that? Sorry, geeking out here... I'm just, I'm a big fan of your work."

She offers to shake his hand.

"I didn't know you'd moved on from stunt work and arms dealing to a legitimate role with the IDA. How cool is that?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:14, Fri 19 Aug 2016.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 123):

I like that I think my new title is "Actual Goddam Space Wizard" now.

At the fangirling out Nightmare groans audibly and sinks down the wall until she is sitting on the floor

This is only going to encourage him.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:33, Sat 20 Aug 2016.

"Really?  Great to meet a fan," Billy takes the offered hand, "The IDA thing's new, but after we took out a terrorist space station they put me in charge, so yeah, pretty cool."  He basks a moment before the situation sinks in, "But what about you?  How'd you end up as canned goods in the middle of space's smallest explosion?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 125):

Talk of destroying terrorists does nothing to dim the excitement in Kayla's eyes, but her expression darkens at his question.

"I was afraid you'd eventually ask about that. Guess it's not surprising. Long story short? I quit my last job. And, well... my previous employer took it personally."

Xander carefully re-docks and shuts down Abraxas, securing it back in the hold.

The airlock cycles, and he appears in the crew cabin. With a twist and a snap-hiss, he removes his helmet, but seems otherwise comfortable in his custom EVA pilot suit. There is no need for him to shake out his hair.

Yeah, can we go back to the part where you thought we were here to kill you? he asks, I'm having a hard time getting my head around that bit.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 16:40, Sat 20 Aug 2016.

In reply to Xander (msg # 127):

"Look, I get it. You're curious. You swept me in from the void of space, and you're not exactly sure what you're looking at," Kayla replies. "But here's the thing. I haven't showered or eaten or even inhaled properly in a while. And I'd really like to."

She puts a hand on Xander's shoulder.

"I'll tell you the story after that's done, ok? To all of you."

Her lips curl into a smile.

"Don't worry. You can drop me off at the first port we come across, and never worry about me again. Though leaving me with a shuttle pass would be nice."

Kayla nods, as though everything has been settled satisfactorily.

"Now then. Where's the ladies' head? And... could you maybe spare a change of clothes?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:23, Sat 20 Aug 2016.

"Yeah, that's totally understandable, but if your 'previous employer' did that," Billy points toward the airlock, and wreckage beyond, "I really think you should honor us with the slightly less short version.  We're in the middle of a mission and don't need to be vacuum packed out of nowhere."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 129):

"Fine," Kayla sighs. "Let's get to the cockpit. Bigger windows."

The crew follows her to the pilot's module,the path to which her feet find without so much as a passing thought. Once there, she motions at the wreckage through the viewport.

"Behold, the Winze.  Or what's left of it. An experimental vessel that was part spaceship, part space station, and part prospecting platform."

Kayla points out various bits and bobs as they whiz about, dubbing them various designations that may or may not correlate with their present shape -- though inaccuracies could easily be ascribed to their current warped and damaged state.

"Now before you get all worked up, no, I didn't design the thing. Laughable. Ick. No, I just flew the thing. My job was to put it through its paces."

She shrugs gently.

"I have a knack for flying barges and the like, and an aptitude for figuring out what went wrong when something invariably does. Those skills bought and paid my way through college, and they got me into the pilot's chair of the Winze, as well. Things were going great. Everything was comin' up Kayla."


The pride blooming across her features withers almost as soon as it had blossomed.

"That is, until I saw what was really going on."

Kayla's eyes widen slightly as she dips into the pools of her memory.

"I wasn't supposed to. See, I was going through the Winze's data dump after a particularly stressful day of testing. I was red-lining every gasket and module. That's the job, right? And Winslow -- sorry, that's what we called the Winze's AI -- coughed up some data packets I didn't expect. That I never called up. Charts, graphs, topographical maps, diagrams. That kind of thing.

"It seemed innocent enough at first. There was a map of Martian space, clearly showing Mars, Phobos, and Deimos. Another of Venus, a third of Earth and Luna, and a fourth that was labeled Titan. Good thing, too. I'd have never recognized it otherwise."

She puts a gloved hand against the viewport, arching her fingers against the transparasteel lightly.

"But then I saw the inventory lists. Standard shipping manifests, at a glance. Gold. Iron. Granite. Silicon. Salt. Steel. Water. But further down the page, it got weird. Blood. Plasma. Sugars. Phosphates. Adenine. Guanine. Cytosine. Thymine."


"My curiosity got the better of me. I followed the data trail to where those other shipments were being delivered. Where they were sourced. I made copies of everything. And then, once I had everything organized as well as I could, I made a grievous error."

She smiles ruefully.

"I took it to my supervisor."

Kayla turns from the viewport to look at the crew.

"It unraveled quickly from there. My supervisor told me to wait in the office. She left with my files and returned with a security team, which informed me that my employment had been at-will and was now at an end. The last thing they said before tossing me out the door was that if I told anybody what I had seen, they'd force me into financial ruin."

She shakes her head and smiles hopefully.

"You're probably wondering how I ended up waaaaay out here, among the rubble of the Winze. Being that you're the IDA, I don't feel particularly inclined to incriminate myself over the particulars... unless you can offer me some kind of immunity package in exchange?"

Kayla puts a hand on her hip and waves the other in the air as though tallying math on an invisible chalkboard with her finger.

"That's in addition to the shower, bunk, clothes, food, and lift back to civilization, of course."

She pulls her face into a playful, pleading smile.

"Please don't space me?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:09, Sun 21 Aug 2016.

Billy sighs, "Goddammit Mal," he says as he stares at the wreckage. "Sure go get showered," he waves off Kayla as he slips into the pilot's seat and sets their course back to Ceres.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 131):

Follow me.  No walls this time.

She smiles and bounces her way over to the womens shower.

And these will be your quarters, right next to mine... Are you a heavy sleeper?  I uhhh.....

She looks around.

Have nightmares.

She ends lamely.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 132):

Kayla follows Rebecca to the bunk and showers, reassuring her that she can sleep through anything.

"Don't let some fear of keeping me up make your nightmare any worse. I've had my share of terrors myseld, especially lately."

As Billy guns the engines and puts the debris field further behind them, a curious phenomenon occurs unnoticed in the ship's wake: the cloud of metal and gas once called the Winze falls apart, bits scattering in all directions toward the void of space.

***

The rest of the trip is uneventful. Kayla proves to be an entertaining storyteller, though the stories are only rarely about herself.

"So... Where are we headed, anyway?" She ventures about a week after her rescue. "And, um, need a hand? I happen to know an unemployed test pilot."
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:01, Mon 22 Aug 2016.

After repairing the damage Abraxas sustained in the debris field, Xander rejoins the crew at large. He finds Kayla's stories thoroughly entertaining, and her presence rather refreshing. Still, her continued evasiveness and reticence to provide any real insight into her background was troubling.

He purses his lips together upon hearing her request to join the team, idly scratching his beard. I'm not sure, he replies, turning to Billy, I'm fairly certain we're allowed to deputize provisional agents as the mission requires. And the truth is, we could use a pilot who specializes in medium to large ships. Still though...

Xander locks eyes with Kayla. We need to be able to trust you. And so far, I'm not convinced we've heard the whole story. If you want in on this, then tell us what really happened. Starting with who your previous employer was.

He pauses, and his expression softens. Look, I get it. You land that sponsored scholarship, and when you graduate you get that dream job working for a good company, playing with the coolest toys. You pull in an awesome paycheck with all the benefits, and everything is going great.

In retrospect, the signs were all there that something wasn't quite right. But being young and naive, you don't realize it until you get in deeper than you expected, learn some things your bosses' boss never meant for you to find out. You realize you've gotten tangled up in a web you can't even begin to comprehend, other than the vague sense that you've done something awful, and it's somehow your fault.

All of the sudden, you're out on your own in the black, on the run because of something you can't get out of your head. You never meant to do it, but that doesn't matter. To them, you're just a loose end that needs to be either tied up or snipped off.

But enough about me.

Xander flashes Kayla a half smile, distant look in his eyes. No, Kayla. I understand your situation better than you could possibly imagine. If it's a CYA you need, consider it done. But we need to know what we're up against.

Believe it or not, we're on your side.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:18, Mon 22 Aug 2016.

"I know everything there is to know about flying this ship," Billy objects to Xander's suggestion that Kayla slready has a place open for her, "We're not deputizing her in the middle of nowhere for no reason.  That said, I got my start without a formal application and if anything goes sideways on Ceres, you'll be at the top of the list of potential deputies.

Then, after Xander finishes his little aside,"Holy crap, can we get the juicy version of your story next?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 135):

Rebecca crosses her legs sitting indian style on a chair, percy hugged tightly in her arms listening raptly.

What were the modifications to the ship that you were testing? 

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 136):

Battalion seems at once relaxed and totally out-of-place in the company of the new arrival.  He nods and raises his eyebrows at lot at her story, then reassures her many times that he himself is not really an IDA "agent" per se and so she has nothing to fear from him.

Probably even less to fear from him than from the others on the ship.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 137):

"The Winze was ostensibly designed to strip mine large chunks of rocky surfaces. Ultimately, it was hoped that the vessel could be sent to intercept asteroids, latch onto them, and process them without ever having to bring the asteroid back. Sort of like an interstellar mosquito, I suppose."

She nods at Rebecca.

"The plans were loosely based on an older Braeburn project that had been abandoned decades ago and was subsequently left to rot in the Archive. An enterprising new start-up called Knowledge Reclamation Industries found it, built a mock-up, and demoed it at several of the Martian mines owned by Ares Consolidated Enterprises. ACE saw potential in the project and extended KRI a development contract."

"I wasn't involved until later, when ACE was poking around the Spacer Union looking for talent. I applied and landed a great gig, or so I thought. My services were geared more toward the seek-and-latch-onto-a-target side of things. And running the processing operations after a successful connection, of course. It was SO COOL, at first."

Her voice grows deeper as she mimics someone else's tone: 'Kayla, take this cutting edge behemoth of a ship and single-handedly wrangle that asteroid, reduce it to precious minerals, and bring those back'.

"Sir, yes, sir!" Kayla responds, her voice now mimicking herself.

She shakes her head slowly, then looks out of the nearest viewport with foreboding.

"I should have known it was too good to be true."

"Look, this might be hard to believe, but I know what I saw. ACE is not just a simple mining collective. Based on the shipping manifests, they probably have some kind of genetic research facility hidden away in the nooks and crannies of Martian space."

She turns to look at Xander.

"I think they're growing people. People with adaptations that make them better suited for ACE's operations. People with nowhere else to go. Who are, essentially, slaves."

Kayla looks down at her feet.

"And I think the Winze was a front. I think something went wrong, and that ACE lost control of some of their... experiments. I think there were whole societies of these mutated strands of humanity holed up in mines and labs that they managed to capture, living off of their own adaptations and stolen supplies."

She closes her eyes.

"And I think that those strongholds were precisely where the Winze's test sites were drawn up on the map. It wasn't a machine designed to process just rocks and metals! It processed organic matter, too. It processed PEOPLE. I don't know how many were killed during the project, but I expect the Winze did more to end the resistance movement than anything else could have done, and it did so quietly. Under the guise of testing mining technology."

Kayla opens her eyes and narrows them.

"So I stole it and ran. I'd heard there was a SAGE complex somewhere out in the asteroid belt, and the Winze was perfectly equipped to navigate such a place. Asteroids were what it was built to deal with, on paper. It's no secret that SAGE dislikes ACE. I was sure they'd be more than happy to rip the Winze apart, discover its secrets, and publicly publish them for the world to see."

She sighs.

"I was naive. If ACE had a secret genetic engineering operation, of course it would be equipped to defend it. They deployed military-caliber fighters to intercept me. I don't know what kinds of weapons they used, but they tore holes in the ship and placed strain upon the hull from impossible angles. They might have some kind of gravity gun."

Kayla shakes her head.

"When it became clear that the ship would be destroyed, I had Winslow cook up a plan that maximized my survival chances. On its advice, I took cover in the galley... which collapsed into a tin can capable of holding a feeble atmosphere with feeble heat, as predicted."

"I'm not sure why the pilots didn't gather the scraps and return them to Martian space... but I'm grateful that they were lazy enough to let space handle the cleanup."

"And now you know the whole story. Or as much of it as I do, anyway."

She pauses, then cocks her head toward Billy.

"Wait, did you say Ceres? There's no port there. You want me to squat on the ship while you all go out and... erm... agent?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:47, Mon 22 Aug 2016.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 138):

Rebecca visibly winces at the mentions of Baeburn projects and of people who were grown by ACE.  She nods along with Kayla at the mention of the genetic facility on Mars.

So there was a resistance?  I don't suppose you could tell me about that?

"If it comes to that.  We could also just turn you over to SAGE so you can sell them your corporate secrets, whatever, we'll play it by ear," Billy waves his hand dismissively.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 140):

Good story.  By my accounting, Battalion says with a sly smile, all this makes you a big damned hero: just like us.

He slides into a seat beside her.

Good work.  Sounds like some shady shit. 

In reply to Batallion (msg # 141):

"All I know is what I told you," she replies to Rebecca. "There were more in my files, but I had one copy stolen and the second copy as lost when Winslow died."

"Hero's such a strong word," Kayla protests as Batallion slips in the chair next to her. "I just felt like I had to do something. Anything."

She slumps her shoulders.

"I did the best I could."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:10, Mon 22 Aug 2016.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 142):

Billy pilots the ship toward its destination without a hitch, bypassing dangerous asteroids thanks to the computer's sophisticated navigation protocols.

The craft approaches the barren, patchwork dwarf planet of Ceres with a certain amount of trepidation. Patches of reflective ice can be see here and there, dotting the landscape, though there is another feature that is far from natural: a smoking crater near the southern pole.

Enhancement of the site reveals it to be consistent with the wreckage of a SAGE exploration vessel. The temperature of the wreckage, characteristics of the crater, and plumes of smoke venting from the craft indicate that the crash happened recently -- only a few days ago, at most.

There is no response to any hails on any frequency.

"Uh...that is not what I was expecting." Billy states on arrival at the barren rock.  He sets a course toward a syncronous orbit above the crash site, "Does anyone have any information they would like to volunteer about why there's not a colony going on here?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 144):

Space Goats!

Rebecca screams raising her hand.

Xander points out the plumes of smoke. Looks like the terraforming process was at least started, he observed, otherwise there wouldn't be an atmosphere to allow for combustion.

It's also worth noting that whatever we're seeing here isn't the reason for the sudden loss of communication. This only just happened.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:09, Mon 22 Aug 2016.

In reply to Xander (msg # 146):

The computer quickly scans Ceres and spits out more data.



Sophia is able to provide more information.

I'm detecting an atmosphere around 20% of Earth's -- far greater than the Martian atmosphere, which is mostly CO2 and is only 1% of Earth's. It contains the expected mix of nitrogen, oxygen, CO2, and other gases, but not in great enough concentrations to support unassisted breathing. Plus, it's so cold it would freeze your lungs.

So, definitely a work in progress then, Xander sums up. Well, we're here. Do we suit up and take a look around near the crater?

In reply to Xander (msg # 148):

What were you expecting?

"A welcoming party, to say the least." Billy replies to Rebecca, "We should go poke aroubd I guess, Kayla you're coming with.  I don't want to leave you on the ship just to find out SAGE security takes a lunch brake well out of signal range."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 150):

"Yessir!" Kayla says with an enthusiastic and well-meaning salute. "Training wheels for the IDA... or, better yet, the next Be-El-Eff video you're shooting."

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 151):

Billy is able to find a stable place to land the transport within easy walking distance of the crash site.

The gravity on Ceres is only 3% of Earth's, which means the transport must be tethered to the ground using its built-in spikes after landing it in order to keep it settled and secure. Alternatively you could "park" the ship with an anchor and leave its engine running so it hovers above the site, but the computer warns you that this is unnecessarily risky.

The lower gravity means that anyone walking around on the surface will be capable of making great leaps. The computer assures the crew that none of you will be in danger of jumping so high that you reached escape velocity while on the planet's surface.

OOC: If you're gearing up to leave the transport, please post that. If you're staying behind, let me know that as well.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:20, Mon 22 Aug 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 152):

Kayla gears up in a space EVA suit and stands near the exit ramp expectantly. You notice she has her emergency radio with her, along with her tool belt.

"I don't suppose we'll need weapons for this, will we? I'm fresh out."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:21, Mon 22 Aug 2016.

Billy obeys the computer's nagging suggestion and spikes the ship to the ground before finding a suit that fits. "I really hope not," Billy looks at the glove of his EVA covering his right hand when Kayla brings up weapons and mutters about needing to get a custom outfit before something seems to occur to him and he runs to the storage compartment. He returns to the exit ramp shortly carrying the inactive force shield procured at the station, "Heheh, 'salvage,'" he explains to Kayla, "So I guess we're rooting around this wreckage for survivors or an explanation," he declares once everyone's ready to go, "Keep an open channel and don't get killed."

Xander grins as Abraxas hums to life in the transport's cargo hold. Incidentally Billy, I've got some ideas for that next video, when you get around to it.

Thrusters roar and maneuvering jets hiss as the battlesuit rockets out into the thin atmosphere of the glorified asteroid.

Keep your eyes open, Soph. Something about this feels funny.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:17, Tue 23 Aug 2016.

In reply to Xander (msg # 155):

Rebecca looks uneasy

There is still some atmosphere in here... no vacuums but cold, very cold.

She fidgets with her helmet.

Should someone stay back?  Batallion will your power work in this environment?

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 156):

JJ gives a dismissive snort.

Have fun trapsing around in the cold.  I'll keep the ship warm.

"No, this is too weird, all hands on deck.  Leave some friends if you want, but the real boy is coming." Billy replies to Batallion volunteering not to contribute.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 158):

Roger that.

Nightmare dutifully suits up.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:56, Tue 23 Aug 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 159):

"Coming?" Kayla asks Battalion, cocking her head to one side. "I thought it was 'big damn hero' time, as you put it. Besides... the salvage should be fascinating!"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:22, Wed 24 Aug 2016.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 160):

JJ shrugs and rolls his eyes.

A couple of duplicates wink in beside him, armed and ready to go along and help.

JJ himself settles even more comfortably into his seat.

Billy stares deadpan at Batallion, "You can put on a suit and come with us, you can teach one of them how to make more of himself, and I'm sure deal with the ensuing power struggle, or you can not put on a suit and I can have the giant robot reach in here and carry you through the thin, frozen atmosphere like a spoiled child who is also dying from exposure.  Your choice, but It's going to take more than two of you to search for survivors or signs of a disappeared colony, which is your new job."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 162):

JJ is clearly surprised by Billy's sudden bravado.  He furrows his brows and searches for words, casting a glance over toward where said giant robot's hand would reach through to grab him.

After pausing as long as he thinks he can, JJ slides his feet down onto the deck and stands up.

Y'know, I'm thinking maybe I should come with you, keep you all from getting killed and all...

he reaches for his helmet, sneering as he does.  Might be dangerous out there, you never know when your suit will spring a leak for no reason... he levels his disdain at Billy.  You never know, could happen to anyone.

"Glad to hear you're on board," Billy apparently ignores Batallion's impled threat, "Let's head out and find out what particular flavor of fuckery we're dealing with."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 164):

JJ finishes suiting up and grabs his sidearm.

Right behind you, chief.  Got your back, boss.

I know what YOU'LL be dealing with in a minute...

His smile is wide, but not at all pleasant.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:57, Mon 29 Aug 2016.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 165):

As Nightmare suits up Percy winks into existence next her



The group jumps away from the sudden monstrosity

What?  Could be dangerous out there...

She impassively prepares with her glasses on as Battalion and Billy clash heads she is either not paying attention or not minding them if she is...

She follows behind Battalion.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:57, Mon 29 Aug 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 166):



The entire crew (for once) suits up and makes its way to the airlock. The lock cycles, and then a ramp extends with mechanical efficiency to land gently on the rocky surface of Ceres.

The crash site is a little less than a football field away, and you are pleased to discover that each bounding step you take catapults you nearly 10 yards.

Sticking the landing proves more difficult, however, as what at first glance appeared to be a moon-like covering of dust, dirt, and rocks quickly shows itself to be covered in extremely hard, extremely slick patches of ice.

As you bob and stumble your way toward the crash site, you take in the sights of a brave new world. The sky is dark, with myriad stars visible in the distance. There are no clouds to speak of, though there are wisps of water vapor here and there.

Eventually the group reaches the crash site, which consists of a downed space station and the rather generous crater surrounding it.

The station is about 1.5x the size of the one you stole from the Controller, judging from the wreckage, and the lips of the crater soar a good 20 meters or so above the tallest part of the wreck.

You'll have to climb down or take a leap of faith to investigate properly.

If you do a lap of the crater, you will notice that the symbol of SAGE is stamped prominently on different sections of the station. Initial scans indicate that there is indeed a power source of some sort still functioning, but it's not strong enough to be the station's main power core.

The station does not look airtight, and smoke billows from several places. A fire of some sort is being sustained in the carnage beyond your current line of sight.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 167):

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nightmare says bounding out of the space station waiting for Batallion to mope his way out of the airlock.  She bounces around and off of Percy briefly as the two of them loop around.  Jumping on top of the ship she yells

I AM THE QUEEN OF THE MOUNTAIN!!!!!!!!!!

She gets deadly serious when she sees the downed space station.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:35, Wed 31 Aug 2016.

As the airlock opens, Billy crouches slightly and swibgs his arms back before leaping out if the ship with a pronounced "Whooo!" over the comms.  When he discovers the icy surface this is followed by "Oh shit," and an unflattering display of slipping and bouncing before he's able to claim his feet and make slightly more restrained progress toward the crater.  Once in view of the crash site proper he goes back to being team leader, "Batallion, send some guys to check the perimeter, make sure there's really no one on this snowball.  Xander, find us a door or something.". Orders given, Billy steps to the edge of the crater, checks for no flames on the exterior of the station, and an area with a minimum of shrapnel to land on, and then takes two step back and three steps forward, pushing off the lip and into the open air of the crater, "Best spy mission ever!" he declares during the free fall.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 169):

Nightmare sticks close to Billy's back and jumps down along side him.  She lands doing the full leg out fist down superhero landing (http://i.imgur.com/gWQmZ0l.jpg).  Percy lands gently behind her.  From Billy's perspective it looks like a movie poster.

If I may be so bold... I would recommend that we find the most likely point where survivors would congregate and set my breach point to that.  I can see if there is anyone one base. 
This message was last edited by the player at 19:12, Wed 31 Aug 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 170):

Battalion, now suited and armed, stalks pointedly into the airlock and waits quietly for it to cycle and his friends to exit.


Slowly and deliberately, he marches down the ramp and onto the icy wonderland.  Although not at all graceful, he moves with care brought on by simmering frustration.

He raises an eyebrow at Billy.

Oh, yeah?

A duplicate in a jumpsuit appears beside Battalion, looks panicked, and immediately asphyxiates and freezes all at the same time.

Any more ideas, genious?

"You can't vacuum pack them?  They keep playing dressup, I just assumed the man made the clothes.  Maybe they'll survive better inside."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 172):

Kayla bounds across the landscape with surprising poise, though it would be wrong to call the movements graceful.

She, like the others, stops short at the edge of the crater. But unlike the others, she does not go on to hurl herself into the breach after a moment's consideration.

Instead, she waits to see how Billy and Rebecca fare... and perhaps to see what Xander and Battalion have in mind, as well.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:04, Wed 31 Aug 2016.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 173):

Billy hurtles through the thin air, perhaps wishing he could get a better feel for the wind rushing past his body. The diminished atmosphere would have made his fall faster, if not for the weaker gravitational pull. The end result still works out in Billy's favor, and he lands atop a portion of the smashed ship with a resounding CLANG.

The impact brings him to all fours, but a quick check confirms that nothing about Billy was damaged -- internally or externally.

Rebecca and Percy leap in after him, landing nearby with similar results.

The metallic hull is coated in dust, scorch marks, and ice. It's hard to pick up much sound in the weak atmosphere, but what little can be heard sounds a lot like creaking, groaning steel.

From this new vantage point, Billy and Rebecca have their choice of pathways forward:

1) They could approach the nearest gaping hole in the hull (perhaps 20 meters distant) and hop down into the vessel.

2) They could hop down to the ground-level of the crater from their perch and look for entrances there.

3) They could continue to walk along the top of the station looking for more information or other entrance that way.

4) (Your idea here)

***

Battalion, Xander/Abraxas, and Kayla remain at the lip of the crater, looking at the 20 meter drop with expressions masked by their helmets -- though one might assume a measure of trepidation.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:05, Wed 31 Aug 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 174):

Nightmare gives a big wave and thumbs up to the two on the lip of the crater.

ITS FUN!!!!!!!!!

She keeps close to Billy but explores the immediate vicinity looking for any places likely to still house life.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 175):

... fucking idiots...

Battalion prowls around the lip of the crater, watching.

If anybody wants a lift down to the crater floor, grab on. Otherwise, I'm going to do some aerial recon.

Xander will ferry Batallion and/or Kayla down the ridge, if they desire. Once they avail themselves of the lift (or not), he will take up searching the downed installation from the air.

Abraxas's thrusters gutter in the thin atmosphere, and the railgun crackles menacingly.

In reply to Xander (msg # 177):

When Xander's mech lumbers past the edge of the crater, Kayla hops onto a leg and accepts a ferry down to where the others are standing.

Whether Battalion wants to come down or not is irrelevant. He either allows himself to be ferried willingly, or is carried down kicking and screaming on Billy's orders. OOC: I'm happy to make the various rolls if needed, but Abraxas is MUCH better at grappling than Battalion is if push comes to shove.

Xander completes a circuit of the crater and performs aerial surveillance, but is unable to find a better place to enter than one of the nearest gaping holes in the hull's topside. It has the added benefit of being large enough for the mech without needing to be enlarged first.

Warning: Detecting low levels of background radiation. It poses no threat to humans, however... as long as we don't spend a few nights here.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 178):

Battalion reluctantly allows himself to be ferried down, then takes up residence at Billy's shoulder, and always two paces behind him.

"I guess we go unto the breach," Billy states, waving Abraxas toward the conveniently sized hole, "Giant robots and ladies first."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 180):

The opening leads directly downward into a large, hollowed-out space that might have once been an open area like a hanger, storage room, or mess hall before the crash.

It is impossible to say for sure, given the piles of charred rubble strewn about. Twisted metal that could have easily once been tables, chairs, struts, or other equipment clutter the area, but it is large enough that the entire group could enter (including Abraxis) comfortably.

A pair of blast doors are sealed to the north and to the east. The western wall should lead to the hull, explaining the lack of a passage on that side. There might be a passage leading down or southward, given the layout, but if such doors exist they are blocked and/or obstructed by rubble.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:52, Wed 07 Sept 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 181):

Shall I perform reconnaissance? 

Nightmare asks indicating the blocked passageway.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 182):

Knock yourself out, Princess.

Be careful, Xander advises. He examines the blast shields through Abraxas' sensors. We probably want to be careful about opening these. If there are any survivors inside, the atmosphere sealed in with them will be the only thing keeping them alive. Try to see if you can see any signs of life, Rebecca.

"Everyone else see if you can find any kind of security console or something, if anything's still running.  This'll be easier if Nightmare and Abraxis aren't the only ones who can get anywhere.  Xander, can you plug into something while you're air tight if we need you to?" Billy orders off-handedly as he bounds toward whichever door Rebecca doesn't, in search of any console or pannel that might inform about the state of things beyond them.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 185):

Nightmare nods her understanding at Billy's command and is suddenly standing in front of the pile of junk without covering the intervening space.  Her voice doesn't come through you comms instead rings into your head.

Breaching hull now.  I will provide constant updates, if I stop... something has gone poorly. 

With that she disappears into the wall.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 186):

A moment later she comes back out and whispers to the hulking figure in a battlesuit pointing a glitter shooting railgun aimlessly.
NOW SIT!  she says in an authoritative voice.  She then points at Billy

HEEL!

She then disappears back through the wall.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 187):

Rebecca dives through the northern wall, leaving a solidified version of Percy behind in her wake.

The large, armored beast no longer resembles the plush toy in most respects, and it stomps across the floor leaving very real indentations as it goes. It remains a respectful distance from Billy and lopes behind him wherever he goes, apparently unhindered by the near-vacuum conditions around him.

The Northern Passage

Rebecca plows through the northern blast doors, and is instantly plunged into utter darkness upon reaching the other side. Even after her eyes are given a chance to adjust, there is little to be seen except inky blackness.

She does detect sounds, however -- a faint dripping, a sizzle of electricity, a hiss of escaping air. This suggests there is more atmosphere here than there was in the room she came from.

The Eastern Passage

Billy heads over toward the eastern blast doors, keenly aware of both Battalion and Percy following his every move. He quickly finds the control panel meant to operate the entrance, but his hopes dim as he sees what state the panel is in.

The screen is smashed, the buttons are destroyed, and the panel itself hangs from a knotted tangle of wires jutting out from the wall. They do not spark, and do not appear to be carrying a current.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:04, Fri 09 Sept 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 188):

Nightmare leaves an open comm link

I have breached the hull, there is still atmosphere in here.  No lights. A problem I intend to rectify.  Hey is Percy out there with you?

She flicks on her headlamps.

"Uh, yes," Billy responds, looking at the stomping hulk trailing behind him, "The other door's a mess, we're not keeping any air if we try to go in from this side." He heads back toward the north door to see if its controls are in any better condition, "Is anything intact on your end? Maybe we can race the decompression if we have to."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 190):

Oh!  Good!

She sounds pleased and surprised.  Then a note of trepidation crawls into her voice.

Is he behaving himself?

Billy turns to actually look at Percy, slightly nervous about Rebecca's uncertainty, "Yes...?" he says, dubiously.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 192):

Of course he is.

She says with a poor attempt at making her relief sound like confidence.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 193):

Team Wide Open Spaces

Percy does appear to be behaving. Fortunately, the hulking beast is far smaller than Abraxas, a fact which may allay some concern when considering worst-case scenarios.

Billy heads over to the northern door's controls and finds them to be in better shape than the others. The display panel is intact, and tapping on the buttons causes it to light up. All that is displayed no matter which buttons you  press on the keypad is a series of five dashes (- - - - -). After five keystokes, the dashes blink and disappear.

Team Shadowcat

Rebecca flicks on her helmet's lights, draining 1 unit of battery in the process.

Twin beams sweep her surroundings, painting a clearer picture. She is standing in a ruined hallway that once connected rooms to the north, east, and south. The hallway-facing walls of the northern and eastern rooms have collapsed, however, creating a large "room" where once there we distinctly separate spaces. The southern wall, from which she came, remains largely intact.

The dripping and sparking sounds come from further east, while acrid smoke can be seen gently wafting through the debris to the north.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:23, Mon 12 Sept 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 194):

The room is badly damaged.  The wall to the south remains intact, to the north is smoke and to the east is dripping and sparks.

Will begin exploration to the North as smoke gives an indication of potential oxygen.  Switching on scanners to search for sufficient heat, oxygen, and pressure to sustain life.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:12, Tue 13 Sept 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 195):

Rebecca carefully inspects the southern wall, including the blast doors through which she just arrived.

She finds nothing of note here except for a series of scorch marks consistent with energy weapon signatures and the internal control panel.

This panel is fully intact, and works like the one on Billy's side - a screen and a number pad, with every five keystrokes depicting an equal number of dashes on the screen until they blink and vanish.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 196):

Satisfied with the southern wall, Rebecca turns her attention to the north.

She creeps forward, allowing the light to penetrate the darkened recesses as she approaches.

Upon crossing the threshold, she notes that the room is filled with smoldering piles of debris that appears to be a mixture of electronic equipment and engine parts. Dark pools of liquid - oil? - mar the smooth steel floor.

Toward the farthest edge of the room she finally spies the source of the smoke: a large pile of rags, cans, and other brickabrack which is burning with a sputtering flame.

The interior of this pile is bright orange and filled with glowing embers - this fire has been burning for a while.

Rebecca is about to scour the walls for new exits when something about the pile arrests her attention. A glittering flash of reflected light escapes from one of the rags.

She squints and furrows her brow, focusing on the effect.  And then, a heartbeat later, realization dawns.

 The source of the glittering reflection is a ring. It rests upon a finger, attached to a hand... attached to nothing but a charred stump of flesh and mangled bone.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:28, Tue 13 Sept 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 197):

An 11 year old shriek pierces your comms.  Percy crouches and growls ready to pounce on something.

Oh my God Oh my God.  That is gross!

There is a moment where you hear a deeply inhaled breath and composure creeps back into her voice.

The event that destroyed this particular base station did so in the recent past.  As this flame is of standard origin, rags, cans, etc... either tended to or occurring naturally.  Either option increases our chances of finding survivors.

She adds with unimpressive bravado

Though on the downside of the ledger for finding survivors there is a human hand in here and the evidence indicates its in better shape than its owner.

/ooc Does the fire look like it happened... organically?  Or was it a tended fire? /ooc

She inspects the ring and the hand for any indicating markers.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 198):

The ring is a simple band of silverish metal, badly charred by the flames and glowing dully. As Rebecca attempts to remove it, her actions cause the ring to distort as though made of a malleable alloy.

It isn't possible for Rebecca to determine whether the fire has been sparked and tended to on purpose versus by accident.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 199):

Nightmare pockets the ring and heads towards the dripping.  Turning on and using any sensors to help find signs of life.

Nothing to report at the fire... other than the hand.  Proceeding to the dripping sound.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:14, Tue 20 Sept 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 200):

Rebecca extricates herself from the smoke and heads back to the initial hallway. Turning toward the dripping sound, she cautiously continues her exploration.

Her headlamp pierces the darkness, revealing what was probably once a utility room. Broken tools and random parts litter the floor, while one side of the room is entirely populated by damaged machinery containing numerous pipes, cables, and exposed wires. It's hard to say what the equipment used to do, however. It could as easily be a laundry room or a small break room as a telecom station.

A large pool of watery liquid extends from the furthest fall, created by the steady dripping from a fractured pipe located in the ceiling above. A sizzling sound accompanies the splatter of water being added to the pool, leading Rebecca to hypothesize that there is electrical contamination to consider.

There is a jagged hole in the wall directly beyond this pool of water, leading to parts unknown. Rebecca cannot get herself or her lights close enough to check it out in more detail without passing through the dangerous-looking puddle.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 201):

Rebecca alternates between monotone narration of what she sees and when she has nothing to say she sings nervously.

Way to the East appears blocked by water with potential electrical hazard.  Will attempt to circumvent this issue... In other words, BACK TO THE SMOKE!

She bounces back to the north where the smoke is and performs a thorough search of the wall this time, if there is no way through it she will make one.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 202):

Team Exploration

Rebecca, deterred by the water hazard, returns to the smoke-filled room and edges around the charnel fire pit to make her way to the wall beyond it.

There is a door leading further north, but it is blocked by boxes, crates, and heavy debris that looks rather conspicuously placed to impede easy access.

Of course, none of them impede someone who can phase directly through it...

OOC: Passing through, or clearing a mundane path?

Team Ho-Hum Waitsalot

Billy continues to tinker with the keypad, but his random guesses at five-number strings have yet to produce a positive result.

While he types away, Battalion, Xander/Abraxas, and Percy linger nearby... though Percy keeps periodically looking over his shoulder toward the eastern blast doors before returning his attention to guarding Billy.

Strange, the prim voice you've come to associate with Abraxas opines. I cannot detect anything at all beyond these doors. They may be... shielded.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 203):

There appears to be a blockaded door at the Northern location.  It appears that the previous owner of the hand was trying to keep something on the other side.

She pokes idly at the pile of stuff.

Breaching the passageway in 3....2....1....

with that she plunges through the wall.

If they are attempting to keep something on this side at least I can go back.

/ooc how high are the ceilings... asking for a friend.

"Aren't blast doors supposed to shield things?" Billy says flippantly, but then continues in a more cautious tone after the pannel rejects even his most clever idea of using a z when attempting "butts" as the password for the third time, "Or is this like a weird nonstandard shielding?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 205):

Team Waitsalot

Typical blast doors are meant to keep the space behind them protected from explosions, pressure changes, radiation, and similar threats, the voice counters. If AI could express emotion, you'd think it sounded somewhat huffy. These doors seem capable of blocking a wider spectrum of potential intrusions into the environment beyond.

There is a slight pause.

I believe the eastern blast doors to either be superior in quality to the northern ones, or further fortified by something we cannot see directly behind them.

Team Exploration

Rebecca swishes her way through the wall, making her way even further north.

She quickly finds herself in a cramped, unlit room lined on both sides with curtains. It looks much like an older bulk-style infirmary. The curtains have not been drawn shut, revealing a series of steel slabs behind each division of curtains that resemble hard, uncomfortable beds.

Linens have been balled up and strewn throughout the room, many of them dark and stained. A small area off to one side contains piles of discarded gauze, IV bags, syringes, and other supplies -- nothing salvageable or sterile, however. Broken glass and pools of brownish liquid congeal on the floor.

Rebecca notes that there are only two doors -- the door behind her, which is barred from the smoke-filled room's side, and one about 20 meters directly in front of her, past the aisle of infirmary-style bed chambers.

As her headlamps sweep the room, she hears the abrupt sliding of metal on metal... not unlike the sound one might expect to hear from curtain rings quickly being drawn along their hanging rod.

With a start, Rebecca realizes that all of the curtains in the room are now drawn shut and closed... and she can see that the outsides of most are smeared with blood.

OOC: All ceilings so far are about 10 feet from the ground.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:34, Mon 26 Sept 2016.

"Well that's great, but the eastern blast door console is of significantly lower quality, and the only member of our team who doesn't care is currently cataloging burned hands."  He puts his hands on his hips and looks between both pairs of sealed doors, "Hey Abraxas, go bang shave and a haircut.  If no one can be bothered to knock on the door twice we rip it open," he waves at the superior blast doors.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 207):

Nightmare is suddenly nervous over the comm unit.

If you require my assistance then I can come to your location.... I'm in yet another medical bay... its enough to make someone.....

Her speech is cutoff abruptly with a gasp and a squeak.  Percy disappears.

[Summon Percy: 48 Green Success]



She continues in a Blair witch style whisper as she presses her back to a corner to go back into the room she just came from.

I'm sorry that I had to remove your protection but something is in here.... the drapes were opened, now they are closed.  There is blood on the outside of them.  I'm taking all precautions and require Percy at the area of imminent danger.

Percy looms next to her, his mech outfit glows faint pink giving off minimal light.  She remains pressed to the wall as the illusion glides from bay to bay ripping down the curtains as he goes.  Nightmare looks for a light switch and tries pressing it to see if it will work...

Probably won't but worth a try. 
This message was last edited by the player at 12:23, Tue 27 Sept 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 208):

Billy waits for Xander to reply.

***

The lights do not work. Rebecca cowers while Percy checks behind the first of the curtained nooks. The first curtain is pulled back to reveal a scraggly humanoid figure dressed in mechanics' coveralls with durable boots and gloves. A tool belt is slung at their waist, and their face is covered by welder's mask.

The figure stands there for a moment, considering first Percy and then Rebecca.

Slowly, it raises a gloved hand and points at the metal "bed" slab. As Rebecca watches, a scene unfolds before her eyes. The colors are faded and washed out in a muted sepia tone.

A young woman in a SAGE uniform is securing a flailing man to the bed. Manacaling his wrists to the rail. Injecting him with something. Taking notes on a datapad as he writhes in agony. Chewing a pen thoughtfully as he stiffens and lies still. Walking away and closing the curtain behind her.

The vision ends and Rebecca is back in the present. The figure in coveralls is nowhere to be seen, and the room is both empty and utterly silent.

There are five closed curtains left...
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:55, Sun 02 Oct 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 209):

The line goes silent for a long moment.  As Billy nudges the comm link she responds

There's either a psionic here or this place is haunted.  I'm getting visions of events that may or may not have happened.  This place is creepy.  Billy as commanding officer shall I continue?  There appears to be no imminent danger
This message was last edited by the player at 12:23, Mon 03 Oct 2016.

"Uh...follow your best judgement?" Billy offers as he tries to balance her belief and apparent dislike of ghosts with her recent belief that she is one, and the akward results of challenging it, "If you're going to head back you might let them know we're thinking of ripping open these east blast door, see how they take the news."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 211):

They are less than forthcoming with interactions.

She says mildly.  Percy rips open the next sheet.

Abraxas takes a step forward until it is in front of the fortified eastern blast doors, and politely raps on the metal with a steel fist.

[Assuming no answer] Xander speaks up on the com line.

Without any kind of active electrical connection, I can only brute force it. And once the door is kicked down, there's no closing it again. So our options are either open in permanently, or have Rebecca phase through and attempt to restore power so I can hack them and gain control. Your call, Billy.

While Xander awaits the commander's decision, he pops the cockpit of the battlesuit and plugs into the keycode panel on the northern blast doors.

[Interface with Machine: fail]

Shit. The security layer is giving me some trouble. I can keep trying to hack this one manually, so we'll at least have control of one door.

"The east pannel's shot, and we need to make some kind of non-spooky headway.  Give them a second and then crack it open the hard way.  You can spend time on the north doors if Rebecca turns up something worth chasing.  We're not here to ghost bust wreckage as a public service."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 214):

Nervous laugh.

Ghost busting in process.  At the moment nothing worth coming to in my area.

While giving any survivors on the other side of the eastern door ample time to reply, Xander continues to work on the functioning northern console.

It eventually blinks green, though the door doesn't cycle. Okay, we can toggle that if we need to going forward. Though keep in mind, any opening and closing is going to screw with any atmo behind the doors. He climbs back into Abraxas and turns toward the eastern door.

Alright, I'm going to knock down this door. Last chance to say something if you don't want the atmo permanently vented.

He pauses a moment. This question might be coming a bit late, but do we have any extra oxygen masks for survivors, if we were to find any?

"No," Billy replies to Xander in a grim tone.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 217):

How are you expecting them to respond?  Perhaps I should scout that area first?

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 218):

JJ continues to stand at uncomfortable attention, but does not provide anything approaching helpful input.

"They have a door they can knock on too," Billy replies to Rebecca, "Besides, if whatever's haunting this place is as much of a ghost as you are then you're closer to finding survivors right were you are."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 220):

Ghosts don't breathe... knock it down and let's get out of here.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 221):

Atrium

Conversations continue regarding the fate of the northern and eastern blast doors.

Beyond the North

Rebecca braces herself as the second curtain is drawn back.

The figure in the welding mask appears once more, this time extending four long fingers in Rebecca’s direction as if counting down toward... something. It points to the slab and shakes its head slowly. Another sepia scene appears before her eyes.

The same woman as before walks into the room, leading a gaunt, nearly naked man behind her. The man is tied to the slab, but does not struggle. Instead, he simply seems resigned to his fate.

A syringe is again used to administer an injection, but this time it is immediately followed by a second injection. The man writhes and struggles against his bonds, but to no avail. After maybe twice as long as it took the first patient, this one too goes slack and lies still.

The woman takes copious notes, departs, and the vision fades.

As before, the masked figure is nowhere to be found.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:23, Wed 05 Oct 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 222):

Nightmare heaves a sigh.

Same reaction.  Appears to be psionic in nature moreso than supernatural.  Billy what did they do at this facility?

Percy goes after the next curtain.

"I don't know what this particular place was before it was wreckage, but they were supposedly terraforming.  Given the state of this giant snowball, that obviously didn't happen, so what they were actually doing is anyone's guess and probably something we should sort out before leaving."

Xander gets to work opening the eastern door. He sets Abraxas' vice clamps firmly against the partitions, and begins to pull.

[Success]

In reply to Xander (msg # 225):

Eastern Passage

Abraxas strains against the hardened blast doors, its electromagnetic clamps digging deeply into the steel. It buckles, bulges, and ultimately succumbs to psychics as the robotic figure rends the doors ajar.

A wild torrent of wind is the first to greet them from the room beyond, and the pressure beyond the entrance attempts to equalize with the near-vacuum on the atrium's side.

Soon after it begins, red lights flash and flicker throughout the eastern room. A slamming sound echoes through the corridors, and the wind slows to a trickle and, eventually, to nothing.

Somewhere to the east there must be another blast door, freshly activated...

Northern Passage

Percy rips down his third curtain. This time, there is no figure to greet him. Instead, there is only a cold metallic slab on which a message has been scrawled in rust-colored liquid:

PAIN IGNITES AND LIGHTS THE DARKNESS
SYRINGE (OR SIPHON?) GRANTS NEW LIFE
CURSED ARE THOSE WHO CANNOT DIE

A crude outline of the SAGE symbol has been sketched at the bottom, and a jagged shard of metal is lodged in it like a dagger.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:21, Thu 13 Oct 2016.

"Hot damn, something's working down there.  Come on, you'll probably need to hack another console or something.  Maybe we can finagle an airlock." Billy shouts up at Abraxis before bounding down the new hallway, clicking on his headlamps as soon as he can't actually see where he's going.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 227):

JJ follows cautiously, and it's clear from his face he doesn't like doing so at all.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 228):

Eastern Passage

Billy and Battalion work their way past the rent doors to the east (bounding and creeping, respectively), with Xander guiding Abraxas just behind them. The gap in the doors isn't currently large enough to get the entire mechanical chassis through, but it would be a trivial matter to expand them far enough to do the job if Xander so desired. (No roll needed)

Billy switches on his headlamps a few meters past the barrier, revealing the eastern room to be a long, wide hallway. The hall is divided into two "lanes" by a dashed line of paint, which runs perpendicular from the blast doors to the door at the far end of the hall.

There are two doors to the left, two doors to the right, and one door at the end of the hallway leading further east. All of these doors look like nautical hatches that could be closed to be airtight, and all but the closest door to the left are currently closed.

A small keypad can be found affixed to the right-hand side of each door, including the set behind you. They all appear to be in operable condition.

Updated map: https://docs.google.com/drawin...0PkMZAOjRL32qAs/edit

"Xander if these doors just closed then they have to be connected to some pressure sensor at least, see if you can plug into anything beyond door controls, probably best we find a way to stop hemorrhaging useable atmosphere, we're gonna need to know what's behind at least one door to accomplish that." Order given, Billy investigates the open door on the left, seeing as it requires the least tech savvy to open, and hides the least likely source of more breathable air.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 230):

Oh I hate this place more and more.  It seems like someone has a vendetta against SAGE specifically.

Percy rips down the next curtain.

/ooc there is only one after this?

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 231):

Team East

Billy investigates the closest door to his left, and finds that perhaps the reason it isn't closed is that it currently has no hatch at all. The hinges and contact points where a hatch should be are certainly present, though they are badly damaged.

A closer inspection shows why: the remnants of the hatch is located in six pieces off to one side. There is an enormous concavity in the center of this debris, as though something had forced it inward with a battering ram-like motion.

Beyond the entrance point, Billy sees a series of curved niches running along either side of the room. A triple row of identical cubbies is build into the wall directly opposite the door. Billy notes that there are an equal number of cubbies and curved niches. Fabric is scattered everywhere, and this along with the pillows strewn about lead him to conclude that this was probably a bunking area of some sort.


There are no doors in this room beyond the one through which you entered.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 232):

Team North

Rebecca watches as Percy pulls back the penultimate curtain. The strange figure in the welding mask is there, laying prone on the slab.

The sepia-toned woman stands next to him, flicking her slender fingers gently against the sides of a loaded syringe. She turns and raises an eyebrow at Percy, then the corner of her mouth curls into a smile as she peers around him and rests her gaze upon Rebecca.

"Don't worry, little one," the woman says softly. "Everything is going to be just fine..."

With that, she begins to stride purposefully in Rebecca's direction. As she does so, her sepia tones beginner to flicker and swirl into true colors.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:50, Mon 17 Oct 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 233):

No... I don't believe you.  You are not real!

Billy we may have hostile activitiy here.  Attempting neutralization on my own.


The your not real is punctuated by a simultaneous swing of Percy's huge hand to connect with the figure

[Percy Fighting 43, Green Success, 20 Damage]

and a mental assault on the figure's brain

[Brain drain 47, Green Success, 30 Damage if successful]

She backs up until her back is pressing against the wall from which she came.

/ooc will karma any roll against getting hit.  Is the guy on the slab restrained? /ooc
This message was last edited by the player at 14:58, Mon 17 Oct 2016.

Billy puzzles at the trashed bunk room as he contemplates why someone would have seen fit to break their way into it, rather than possibly out of it when Rebecca's voice breaks over the comms, "Retreat and regroup.  There's a blast door between us and you, we're not going to be able to pull you out of there in a hurry if you're over your head.  Xander is that other blast door push-button or do I need you to open it?"

I stripped the code lock, it's push button now. Just remember you'll have decompression if you pop it.

Abraxas widens the pried-open door enough to step into the hallway, and takes up a defensive position towards the closed door separating the party from Rebecca.

"Then you keep poking around here.  Open some more doors. Kayla, stick with the giant robot," Billy orders as he wheels back they way they came toward Rebecca's blast doors.  "Kid, if you have the situation handled speak now or I vent your wing."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 237):

Kayla follows Abraxas closely, as ordered.

"This ship's layout is very strange," she offers. "I'm not sure what to make of it, and I've seen the guts of quite a few ships in my line of work."

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 238):

Rebecca and Percy each lash out in their own ways. Percy's massive fist plows directly through the woman without eaffecting her, while Rebecca struggles to find a "brain" to latch onto. The figure simply isn't there, and without a brain to drain the power's effects fizzle out.

Their combined efforts did achieve SOMETHING, however, because the woman adopts a surprised expression and blips out of existence entirely.

The masked figure on the table is likewise nowhere to be seen.

A single curtain remains unexplored, and it rustles gently as though being moved by a breeze... a breeze that the stagnant air in the room thoroughly lacks.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:09, Tue 18 Oct 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 239):

Threat neutralized.

She says breathing heavy.

There is one curtain to go.  I believe that these illusions have no manifestation in the current environment; neither Percy nor I were able to connect.  I don't know if the escalation will continue to being able to touch me, but at the moment feel that there is little risk. Shall I proceed with the final curtain?

She thumbnails the last scene for you and what lead to the attack.

Billy stosp short in front of the control panel for the still intact blast door at Rebecca's report. "Yeah, might as well finish," he says, crossing his arms over his chest, "Try not to give me a freaking stroke.  Damn functional air lock is too much to ask for," he grumbles as he stands in front of the door waiting for some kind of conclusion.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 241):

Proceeding.

She says as Percy rips down the last curtain.

To be fair, these doors were never supposed to be exposed to the outside, Xander points out in response to Billy's lament. We did kind of drop in through a massive hole in the side.

He nods in agreement with Kayla's assessment. You're right. Something feels off about design, but I can't put my finger on it. SAGE is involved with more than simple terraforming here, and this ship is more than it seems.

Xander sets about working on unlocking all doors he can reach, starting with the closest and working his way back.

[OOC - I'll get out of Abraxas if necessary for this bit.]

[Interface with Machine: 92 = Success]

In reply to Xander (msg # 243):

Team East

While the effort DOES require him to exit Abraxas and physically access the nearest operable control panel, the fruits of Xander's labors are immediate. The indicator lights on all of the hatches in the eastern hallway turn from red (locked) to green (unlocked).

He is unable to affect anything in the northern passage, however. Those doors remain locked... not that this has deterred Rebecca in the slightest, of course.

Team North

Percy yanks back the final curtain, his mistress bracing herself for something horrible. She tenses, but nothing occurs.

Instead, Percy stands aside and allows Rebecca to approach the slab, making a "see for yourself" gesture with one massive arm.

On the center of the slab is a very real syringe filled with a pale yellow liquid. The needle has been capped so as to avoid accidental discharge.

The only exits to this room are back the way Rebecca came, or onward through the northern door.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 244):

Well that was anticlimactic.

She says.

After all of that there is just some old medical supplies.  likely past its expiry date.  I'll run some tests on this when we get back to the ship.

She says as she pockets the syringe.

Shall I return to you and explore the wing you were in or continue here?
This message was last edited by the player at 14:48, Wed 19 Oct 2016.

"You think your ghost is further in?" Billy asks. "You've still got the best lead on the team unless Xander has managed to peak into some non-door-related systems?" he lets the statement linger hopefully.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 246):

I have a feeling like this is the end of the ghostly encounters.  There is certainly more exploration but what we could do is send me in to scout rooms before Abraxis vents them to make sure there is nobody in there. 

"Yeah, if you don't expect to turn up anything where you are that's probably for the best.  We need to find somewhere we can keep air."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 248):

Very well... Returning.

After a few minutes she emerges from the same spot she left.  Percy (now in doll form) trailing behind her in the special pink mech unit made by Xander.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 249):

Percy and Nightmare return to the atrium, where Rebecca immediately notices that her allies seem to have punched their way through the eastern blast door and are now exploring the rooms that lay beyond.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 250):

Lets go explore your corridor! Kayla, do you think its possible the same Jerkos blew up this station as your ship?

She flounces over to the East corridor.

You guys check the open room there.  I'll get this one.

She immediately melds through the closest closed door.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:30, Fri 21 Oct 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 251):

"It's certainly possible, though recall that the goons who blew the Winze left it in tiny pieces. Leaving a hull this intact would be inconsistent with that, but... I mean, it takes three to establish a trend, right? We have a second scuttled ship here, and that's a fact."

She shakes her head.

"We can't rule anything out yet."

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 252):

JJ follows along behind Billy, always off one shoulder.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 253):

Nightmare pops into the dormitory and then goes west (putting her in the area between the dormitory and the area blocked off by sparks).

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 254):

Rebecca slips through the dormitory wall and finds herself plowing through the ruined innards of the ship for a few meters before suddenly passing through another wall and ending up in a dark, featureless room.

She can easily see the puddle of electrified water further west, while to her north lies a narrow hallway. There is a door on the far end of the hall, and another nestled on the eastern side of the corridor. Both are locked, if Rebecca even bothers to check for such countermeasures.

More interestingly, Rebecca finds an intact wall panel directly across from the eastern door. The panel depicts an outline of the station, and appears to have been designed for use as a touch-enabled map. There are no labels on the map itself, but there are letters assigned to various sections which correspond to a large directory list that scrolls independent of the map in the lower right-hand corner.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 255):

I think I found what we have been looking for.

She says triumphantly as she describes the panel.  She tries to open some of the doors in the area she was in to allow the team entrance (to the unpopulated area near the infirmary).
This message was last edited by the player at 14:41, Tue 25 Oct 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 256):

While the map is extremely useful, it does not contain any mechanism for opening or closing doors directly. With the blast doors still closed in that direction and the rest of the party unable to phase through walls, Rebecca has no obvious way of collecting the party in the northern reaches of the ship.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 257):

She looks in the directory for control centers, bridge, power stations, facilities, IT, anything that might be able to open the doors.

/ooc can we get an updated map?

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 258):

Xander, Billy, I have direct access to the bridge from this hallway, do you think we could find what we need from there?  You guys are currently in the maintenance area.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:31, Wed 26 Oct 2016.

"Bridge probably has some kind of security control, yeah.  Do you see any easy was for us to fudge an airlock and rendezvous?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 260):

She looks on the map for any mention or indication of airlocks (any to be seen?)

Door to bridge is locked.  Proceeding to breach.

She phases through the northern wall into the bridge.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 261):

Nightmare darts through the door connecting her hallway to the bridge, and materializes on the other side unscathed.

The bridge is a scene of chaos. Navigation equipment and control banks are strewn throughout the area, and the floor is littered with components that probably belong in the various pieces of machinery that lay bent and broken across the room.

There are four corpses in this room, all dressed in typical SAGE uniforms. One is seated in the captain's chair, slouched forward with his head smashed into the forward console. There are corpses in similar "crash landing" poses seated at the station to his immediate right and left, as well.

The fourth corpse is in a seated position on the floor near the rear of the room, toward the door that would lead to the navigation room. A streak of dried blood indicates that she was standing against the wall before slowly slipping down to a sitting position from which she never rose.

For all this, the bridge does retain power based on the blinking lights and active sparking of certain systems. One station on the far side still seems to be in relatively stable condition, though Rebecca is not sure which station this might be. It has a chair, three monitors, and a tiny projector which showcases a 3D wireframe of the ship. The wires appear to display a spectrum of colors from green to red. Most of the ship is orange, though there are pockets of yellow, green, and red mixed in.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 262):

It is a grisly scene in here.  Though it looks like power is still available on the ship.

She says over the comms.  She looks at the seated corpse (Were they shot or did they die from something else obvious?).

She looks for any green areas near the edge of the ship that might indicate a working airlock.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 263):

The eastern side of the ship, particularly the officer's wing, is the greenest area of the ship left. Based on Rebecca's observations, if you wanted to find a working airlock, you'd probably want to check there or the galley area directly south of it first.

The captain and the two people to his sides look like they died from crash impact. No bullet holes or stab marks that you can see. The woman seated near the door to the navigation room, however, has three large gouge marks across her back. The wound is consistent with a large bladed weapon or even a predatory creature.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 264):

Hey guys,

Lets try going in through the Galley.  It is the room on the far side of that hall that we were just in.  There may be an airlock there.  If not then to the north is the captain's quarters  you may be able to get in through there.

Just be warned.  There is a person in here who looks to have been killed... very intentionally... after the shipped crashed. 

This was personal. 

Right. I want to find a working computer, if possible, and reconstruct what happened from the logs.

Xander will move through the galley towards the bridge, leaving Abraxas only when it will no longer fit practically in the space.

"Shit," Billy grumbles at Rebecca's report.  He heads to te apparent galley door and just before opening it, steps to one side carefully, "Let's hope no one on this rig shared your bright idea," he says with a nod to Kayla before pushing the buton.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 267):

Fuck me...

JJ follows Billy closely, equal amounts keeping an eye on Billy and keeping Billy between himself and danger.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 268):

The Bridge

Rebecca (Location G) remains on the bridge, studying both the strange 3D wireframe of the ship and the various corpses occupying it.

The Galley

Billy, Battalion, Kayla, and Xander (Location L) work their way toward the galley (Location K), ignoring the other rooms they pass en route.

The door opens easily at Xander's command, and air hisses into the hallway a moment afterward.

Xander, Kayla, Billy, and Battalion hurry into the room beyond and slam the door shut behind them. All are relieved to find that their sensors indicate that this room is pressurized, heated, and oxygenated.

The galley itself is a massive, multipurpose space with a wide, flat floor and a small area cordoned off to the east that's behind a bar-like wall -- likely where the food was synthesized and served. There are damaged cooking appliances and chests filled with prepackaged, freeze-dried offerings of all shapes and sizes. Some of it is still sealed and may be salvageable. There is a button near the western and northern door labeled "Tables", which is interesting because there are none to be seen.

The southern wall of the galley does indeed sport a large hatch-like appendage which could likely serve as a docking entrypoint. It doesn't have a second room for re-pressurization, however, which means any ship docking there would need to have provided such a chamber on their end.

The door leading north (to Location J) is locked, and doesn't look large enough to accommodate Abraxis beyond this point anyway. There is a terminal nearby, but takes Xander much longer than before to trigger the locking mechanism, turning the red lights above the door hatch to a friendly shade of green.

A voice emanates from Abraxis's external speakers.

We got the door is unlocked, but there are active security countermeasures in place beyond it. I was not able to find the computer that controls them from the terminal, and thus they remain active.

Reference Map:
https://docs.google.com/drawin...onuM_Kb8jm-62hg/edit
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:04, Mon 31 Oct 2016.

"Nothing's ever easy," Billy sighs, "Define countermeasures.  Are we about to get shot at?  Rebecca, do you see any kind of security terminal with an off button?" Billy removes his helmet given the promise of livable temperatures and atmosphere, then strips his EVA suit to the waist.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 270):

There is a location (Labeled I) that is marked as countermeasures.  I assume that any shutoff you would desire would be there.  I will proceed to that room.
Nightmare proceeds to meld into hall H towards room I.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 271):

Rebecca melts into the wall and enters Hall H, where she finds a scene of absolute carnage.

The various systems built into the walls of the hallway are thoroughly gutted, with coils of slashed and knotted wire tossed about haphazardly. There are scorch marks to be seen, and quite a few puncture marks raking the walls in various places.

There are four bodies in this room, all wearing uniforms similar to those found on the bridge -- though these all lack ranking epaulets. The cause of death ranges from blunt force trauma to blood loss stemming from copious lacerations.

The bodies are crowded near the door leading to Room I, which is locked.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 272):

Billy is pleased to find that conditions in the galley are exactly as advertised, and he is able to strip out of his suit without ill effect.

The air tastes slightly metallic and a little stale, but that's likely because the ship has lost the use of at least a few of its air scrubbers. The temperature sits at just under 70 degrees.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 273):

I've got bad news guys...

She describes the scene infront of her.  She listens at the door for any noises.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 274):

"That's... eight crew you've found so far, total?" Kayla responds after a moment's silence. "Four officers, four rank-and-file, and all dead?"

She pops off her helmet and cradles it under her left arm, breathing deeply of the galley's air.

"The air's a little stale... were you able to find whatever passes for an engine room? I might be able to figure out why the ship crashed if you did."

Kayla frowns suddenly.

"Though if there's a killer on-board who was willing to take their chances with a crash landing, I guess that's probably a higher priority."

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 275):

Rebecca would have to remove her helmet to listen "through" the door in the traditional manner. Her helmet's speakers pick up nothing interesting.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 276):

She cocks her head to the side hearing nothing.  She checks her equipment to check the atmosphere of this room. She lowers her voice

I'm of two minds.  One is to pound on the door and see if anyone is home... though it looks like whatever caused this carnage is barricaded inside.  In this case we would lose the element of surprise, but if it was an innocent we could save them.  The other option would be to meet abraxis on the roof and have him bore a hole into the room for us.  That being said I don't know how tight countermeasures is and what that would do to atmo for the rest of the ship.  Though I am very appreciative of the idea of opening the door with a giant robot behind me weilding very large weaponry.

I'm currently operating under the assumption that something from the lab wing caused this and that one body slumped against the wall is who locked down the entire ship prior to their death.

If we are concerned about venting the atmosphere then we could leave this area sealed and I could explore the rest of the ship for survivors.  If we find none then feel free to peel the roof like a can of sardines...
This message was last edited by the player at 19:50, Tue 01 Nov 2016.