Iron Stars - sebasteia

Lady Sebasteia awakens in the moderately large manor her parents own and maintain near the heart of Vapormills. The sun is shining in, a hazy july day in the makings already.

"Another sleepless night," she says the least bit groggy as she sits up in her bed. She gives a quick glance to the sun outside her window and sighs softly; getting up out of bed thereafter. (edited)

8:58 AM

She would walk over to her mirror and look at herself, noting the more unnatural features of her physiology. She wasn't sure how she had red swirling irises or sharpened nails or how she wasn't even breathing. Nevertheless, she knew she'd had to speak with the humans in Central, particularly their Psychic Academy; not accounting for the current craziness surrounding her society at the moment. (edited)

So, she called for her handmaids to fetch her suitable clothes for the travel. (edited)

The hired and well compensated help packs a travel trunk for you, and arranges your traveling clothes as you go about your morning routine. The steward of the home lays out a breakfast for the family, and everyone else is eating before breaking up for their daily duties.

After going through her morning routine, eating breakfast with father and mother and her brother, she will take her travel trunk and wish well with everything well to her family before heading off for Central.

The train ride to central takes roughly a day. In the rail yard, you see other tracks being laid, as Vapormills is beginning to connect to other settlements. Several billboards around the site announce the construction was generously provided by Ad-Astra.

"Heh, Ad Astra huh? Pretty name for a transport company." She will note the name of the company down in her compad as she gets cozy for the day's ride.

The train pushes off, after a bit longer of waiting. You were fortunate to score a private cabin, reserved from the horrors of economy class.

She looks out the window of the cabin, watching as the train heads off towards Central. She then glances around the cabin.

The frosted glass door opens into the train car. There are other cabins, four besides yours, and a baggage room. Ahead of you, in the next car, is the bar and lounge, closest to the engine

She will get up from her seat and walk into the lounge cabin.

The bar cart is empty aside from a few people. Most are taros but a couple are human. The news plays on the tv, talking about the possible coup in bladonna and the efforts being made to look into it

She will take a seat at the bar and order a drink before looking to the television and sighing. "The moment the humans meddle in the affairs of the Taros, this happens." She says more so to herself than anyone else in the car.

“Sounds an awful lot like TFL talk. We gonna have a problem?” One of the humans sitting nearby says

"The First League are terrorist through and through. I wouldn't associate myself with someone who actively dismantles something the humans built up. Just because I disagree on human involvement doesn't auotmatically make me apart of some shitty terrorist organization."

“Point Well made. I’m Foth” he says. Sitting down next to you at the bar.

"Sebasteia." She gives a once over the man. "What's a human like you doing in place like Vapormills?"

'Vapormills is a friend. Just enjoying some of the nightlife before I get back to work in Central"

"Oh? The nightlife hm?" She thinks back to her time hopping from lounge to lounge.

“A few drinks. Maybe a couple hits of trance. Definitely harder to find now. Pity that”

"Quite so, I do remember a few times I ended up crashing a few lounges here and there."

"Went to the fight pits myself. The Scrum and Villainy was a personal favorite of mine"

6:46 AM

"Anyway, nice to meet you. Glad you're not a terrorist." Foth says, winking. He drains his glass and heads out of the bar cart, the opposite direction of your car

She nods, holding up her drink in a sort of toasting fashion before downing hers and walking back to her car; quietly "sleeping" the rest of the way.

The train rolls into central the following morning, it’s battery car setting down

4:31 PM

Doors open and passengers begin to disembark

Sebasteia will disembark shortly thereafter, and make way to the Psychic Academy or, at least, where it was purported of being.

The academy is a modest building taller than it is wide. It sits at the top of a long but broad staircase. The doors are partially open and an old custodian bot is cleaning them

"Quaint." She walks up the steps and through the partially opened doors into the academy looking around; fixing her trunk slightly as she does.

Behind the desk a woman with waist length black hair sits behind a desk. She is feeling a crow from her hand, and it happily picks at the food being offered

A little...perturbed by this she will approach the desk; setting down her trunk. "You there. I heard this was a 'psychic academy.' I want you to explain to me the things I can do."

“Excuse me?” Her eyes narrow. “What do you mean?”

She will conjure up a ghostly compad that plops into her hand. "This."

“My. Well. Let me get Dr. Ahn for you. If it’s MES she will be able to tell right away”

9:01 PM

“Wait here a moment” and crane heads down the long hallway to dr ahns office

She waits, obviously unimpressed and unamused by the situation. "MES? Must be their term for the power of the mind."

A few moments later Crane returns with Doctor Doona Ahn. The doctor is wearing a jacket with the Vapormills Army Medical Corps on it. She seems surprised to see a Taros in the academy.

9:14 PM

“Crane here” she inclines her head to the black haired woman “didn’t get your name. I’m Doctor Ahn”

"Lady Sebasteia Novikov of the Novikov Family." She will note the jacket, with a bit of a raised brow.

She sees your gaze. “I was at the battle to retake the central grasslands from the Helldivers, when they tried to get off world. I fought among a scout company from Vapormills for most of it. Got separated from my own unit.” She sighs. “I don’t usually like to talk about it. I’m not sure what came over me. So sebasteia, you can do some things one might consider unnatural. Do I have that right?”

"Hmph. I remember the Helldiver War vividly." She crosses her arms. "Yes. I haven't able to sleep, eat, or drink for a week. I haven't felt any sort of fatigue from not experiencing any of those three. Even more so I'm not breathing. I've stopped breathing as of a week ago. Plus," she gestures towards the ghostly compad, "I can create equipment out of thin air." (edited)

(Did seb actually serve or are you just fluffing)

(As a combat technician. It would definitely explain her warrior class.)

“Interesting. Well I can already tell it’s not MES. it’s moving through the mind similarly, whatever it is , but you don’t have any of the mental burning or channeling MES use and exposure creates.

"It's not the power of the mind? What in the za is it?"

“It is a power of the mind, but it’s not MES. It’s not psionics as we understand it”

She looks up from her pondering, "Hm. Then what do you propose we call this power? Mageia or something?"

9:32 PM

She chuckles at the idea of it being magic or some other form of fictitious sorcery.

“I don’t think a name makes a difference right now” she says (I’m deliberately not naming it for the time being) “the good news is since it doesn’t torch the mind there’s no danger from using it. At least not brain burning. If your plans allow, maybe some time here might be a good thing. We can piece this together as a team”

(Fair enough, I gave a suggestion in the form of a sarcastic remark) She sighs, "Well my handmaids did prepare my luggage for an extended stay, so let us see to it then." (edited)

You’re led upstairs to a medium sized meditation room. It has a bed and the necessaries for a comfortable stay. “I expect over the next, however long this takes, we can delve into things a bit more. At least documenting our findings. As I said. This isn’t MES, so the slate is effectively blank

"I don't see how this can help if I don't have this MES you speak of."

"I can't make you stay" Dr. Ahn says "All I can do is offer to help you figure out what it is. If you'd like to stay, you're welcome to stay here." (edited)

11:00 AM

she seems a bit at a loss for what to do

She sighs heavily, "Whatever. I'll do some meditation, but if nothing works, I'm looking at your archive and leaving. Understood?"

She doesn't answer, sighing heavily and closing the door behind her

"This is starting to piss me off." She looks over the meditation room.

The meditation room is simple, but peaceful. There is an elaborate climate control system on the wall, and another system capable of streaming in calming mantras and hymns. There is also another switch, labeled "Work in Progress" that can make different smells permeate the space.

11:17 AM

There is a small computer system set up, that can access the archives of the academy.

She raises her brow to the room, "For humans they really know how to make simplicity tranquil." She walks around the room for a moment, setting the trunk in the corner before setting herself down in the middle of the room. She sits in a cross-legged fashion, and begins to "meditation."

The meditation begins. breathing in and out, you focus on the strange changes you've undergone this past week. The lack of sleeping, eating, the sudden simulacra of technology created, with just a slight mental taxation on your part. It all began the night all the car alarms on the household vehicles went off all at once. No one slept well that night. It was like the whole city was undergoing some kind of change.

1:43 PM

more than the city, more than all Taros lands even. the entire planet

"The whole planet felt...strange....like something was born..." She focuses more on that change.

You felt it, rather than saw it. Waking suddenly in the middle of the night, you seemed to be the only one awake during that hour- and then the car alarms went off, and the household gradually awoke, along with the rest of the city. It felt like every molecule of your being was shifted. In 'almost' the same place, and charged, somehow. This charge stayed with you, your body feeling like some kind of circuit for this new power. Your battery of it recharges, over time, as you use it, conjuring this strange ghostly technology

She takes note of the feeling and subsequent change that came with it. "My body...A conduit for a new type of power..."

The meditation ends, as you begin learning the relationship between yourself, and this new energy

She slowly stands to her feet looking at her hands before looking forward. She turns to the monitor and begins accessing all the information the psychic academy has on psionics and its properties.

Psionics comes from something called MES, an extraversion to a type of energy that makes up the backdrop of the universe. Humans are able to pull from this power, channeling it through specially guided pathways in the brain, to affect changes in the world around them. Psyonic training is important, and you begin to see why Dr. Ahn was taking such precautions. An untrained MES user is capable of a great amount of harm to themselves, and those around them, as the untrained use of their power gradually damages their mind, and pushes them to insanity

2:10 PM

whats more, a year and a half ago, almost all human MES users underwent some kind of collective hysteria, utterly breaking their stellar empire.

"A great disturbance to the power of the mind hm? I wonder what they called this hysteria," she scoffs, "Doesn't really affect me anyway. But beside that, I can see the humans have the capability to pull energy from some kind of energetic backdrop in the universe.. Could this be the Svetlo (Slovak for Light) that my grandfather always talked about? No, it couldn't be.. But the existence of this MES does give credence to that religious doctrine."

It may work in a similar way, pulling in energy from some kind of cosmic backdrop, but you can already feel, and tell, based on what you are reading, that the output is quite different

"The energy that I'm taking is... different... much different than what is reported here in these logs... What in kolasi even is this?" (Is the energy cold, hot, room temperature? Is there a described feeling such as comforting, rigid? Is there a color to the energy?) (edited)

(I think for everyone it would probably feel somewhat different, but it would manifest the same way. Like, someone else with this power might make a golden light compad, where yours is a shadowy black, but function wise its the same)

2:24 PM

(their yellow light ghost compad works the same as your inky shadow one, or however it looks, but theirs wont do anything yours cant do, and vice versa)

She will conjure up the same shadowy black compad, looking at its features and textures and sees that it largely functions the same as an ordinary compad. She lets go of the compad as its dissipates into a shadowy mist. "Well since the energy signature is different, I probably should call it something.. The Power is probably a little too vague and grandiose for my liking. Perhaps," she ponders, "Skiodis Energeia.. Shadow Energy... No... Too specific.. The manifestation could be different in form... Well since it isn't MES and it certainly isn't mundane, the only thing I can think of is religious mysticism, Svetlo... Then I'll call it Svetlo for the time being until some more information comes to light." She chuckles at that. (edited)

The comings and goings of the academy downstairs continue around you. The trip here was not everything you wanted, but knowing what this power is not, is a step closer to knowing what this power is

2:46 PM

(3xp, 5000 credits)

Know what it is not, she will take her trunk and leave the meditation room looking for the one Dr. Ahn.

Dr. Ahn is at the front desk, talking to Crane, but their conversation ends when she sees you at the bottom of the stairs

Seeing her, Sebasteia immediately comes over; setting her trunk down next to her. "I didn't find everything I wanted here, but I am clear that this isn't your MES but rather some other form of energy.. I've dubbed it Svetlo after the religious mystical energy of my people from a couple centuries ago."

"What will you do now?"

"The Svetlo swept across the planet. The entire planet, from my meditation, experienced it. With every shockwave, there's a source. I plan on finding that source."

"If there's anything the academy can do, feel free to send us a wire" she offers , unsure what else to do

"I'll consider it." She walks out the front doors, waving them off; taking her trunk with her. (edited)

2:59 PM

(From her meditation, could she narrow down direction in which the shockwave came from?)

(It was more showing you that this power has always been part of the backdrop of the universe, but something happened on this world to thin that veil and allow the people here access to it. You'd have seen in academy records even that the lab here was working on something- and completed it, the night you experienced the change)

She stops halfway down the steps and turns back to the academy, "Well damn.. Just as I had the dramatic exit.." She walks back inside and comes up to the front desk. "I read in the records that you were working on something and completed it the night I experienced the coming of the Svetlo."

"We were. It's a matter we are still looking into. THe individuals working on it are off world right now"

"Show me it."

"I'm sorry. Without permission by the UNW diplomatic corps its a classified matter. National security"

"The fact that you have individuals who display a power different from yours is a matter of national security. We don't know what I or these people are capable of. The fact that they're walking among us without any idea to their powers could present huge worries that not even the TFL could bring about"

"Maybe, but I have been given very strict instructions. I'm sorry we couldn't be of further help on your search"

She slams a fist into the desk, "Dammit... Pathetic.." She huffs and leaves, "I'll laugh when people that not even you can handle come knocking."

(I don't think further sparring is going to really advance the story at all. (

(It's not, but what do you expect? Your only lead so far is behind a political barrier.)

3:15 PM

After seeing that the academy isn't going to allow her to see that object, she will head off to the admin building.

You're allowed through after a brief credential scan. Nothing criminal appears so the guards do not give you much trouble. There is an information desk to the left on the main floor.

She will walk up to the information desk.

"Good afternoon, welcome to Central Admin. What can I assist you with? " the clerk asks. The uniform they are wearing has a state department patch on it, so they're reporting directly to the Vice President

"I'm here to speak with anyone within UNW command. Apparently the Psychic Academy has some sort of classified project that could be quite useful to my investigation into the possible emergence of Svetlo on the planet. However, your little political barriers are what's keeping me from getting to the truth of the matter." (edited)

"I'm not sure what Svelto is" she says, looking into the system on her computer to make sure its nothing she should have caught (like a memo she missed) "So, cutting through the temper tantrum you seem to be on the verge of throwing, you're trying to get access to the project?"

She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose, "Yes. Svetlo is a new form of energy that has emerged on the planet, and I believe their project might lead me to whatever caused the veil to thin just enough for folks like me to do this," she will conjure up shadowy black (TL4) Binoculars. (edited)

"Wait a moment" She moves into a back office and shuts the door, leaving you standing at the counter. there is a muffled, but audible beep as something is activated on the other side. In that room, it must have been quite loud. Time goes on for a few moments before she re-emerges with a stamped metal keycard. There is a design on the bottom, almost like braille, still warm from being machine punched.

3:26 PM

"That pass will show the lab system that you're able to walk around inside. It'll grant you access to that project's study area, but nowhere else in the lab. If you're off the beaten path the security measures will activate, and the UNW will not take responsibility for your death"

"Fine by me," she will take the stamped metal keycard with a grin on her face.

(me sending you here was to get you contacts with colonial admin, i wasnt needlessly yanking your chain)

(I understand. I'm sure that by the end of this, she will definitely have contacts with Colonial Administration. Doesn't mean she'll like them, but she will get them for sure.) She will let the binoculars fall and dissipate as she leaves the administration building. (edited)

3:31 PM

She will double-time it back to the Psychic Academy, with a small grin on her face.

(I guess im just confused as to the as a human hating taros and vice versa. If we are driving at something that’s fine but it seems kinda arbitrary) Dr ahns bike is no longer out front when you return but crane is still behind the desk, she’s sorting some mail and in deep conversation with another psychic. He is younger with short black hair. He has a pair of goggles and street clothes on. You hear the name Silvano.

"Silvano? Hm, interesting." She comes to the front desk and flashes the keycard.

“Ah you’ve been to admin then. Give me a moment” crane says. She’s rooting around in a drawer under the desk

7:00 PM

She emerges with a thick iron key, but you can see intricate crystal circuitry carved into it. She beckons for you to follow

7:00 PM

At the end of the hallway there is a closed off stairwell, and she unlocks the door to it. “First room on the left at the bottom. That card should let you in once you’re down there”

She nods. She follows the directions, taking in the place.

The downstairs level is blacked out but for the actual lab space you’ll be working in. Shutters are drawn over the windows in the other rooms, but you can see at least five other doors down here (the work area you’ll be in making it six in total) The keycard opens the workspace. Inside there is an evidence bag with a partially disassembled brass pyramid, some regular looking tools, a computer, and a log of sensor readings from that night

She cracks her knuckles as she walks over to the partially disassembled brass pyramid.

The top looks to have been cut away with a torch, but the bottom, pointed section (it was floating inverted until the release event) is intact. It is made from a cheap copper that seems to already be corroding. Every inch of its surface is covered in tight lines of runes that you cant identify. They hurt to look at for more than a few seconds

She squints at the runes for a few seconds before looking away in pain. "What in the world...?" She will move over to the computer and begin looking at the logs.

The researchers name was Devnoc and the logs account his involvement in a mission above Gudrun, boarding a strange ship that had come into local space. Lacking a faster than light drive it had been sent from a world called Acastus, where the team is heading now you see. The boarding team team saw a number of horrible sights on board but the articles deal more with the types of energy this object seemed to give off. The worshipers of it were able to last for months without food. It was able to shield them from energy attacks, and finally, a meta dimensional being known as the still lady manifested, attempting to strip their minds

9:07 PM

Devnoc brought the relic back to try to better understand the energies within, to see if a more effective defense against them could be developed

9:07 PM

It appeared that during the course of his work something happened to activate this energy conduit

9:08 PM

It is now inert, but the planet now seemed receptive to whatever power was unleashed on it

"Bingo," she says out loud as she glances over at the relic, "You're the source of my troubles.. But what did you do to me and other people is the question." She paces around the room for a moment before coming up with a hypothesis, "If this relic is what was responsible for the coming about of Svetlo, then that means there could be more relics like those elsewhere in the sector.. Perhaps beyond.. Gah!" She turns to the computer, "I wish I had known this information sooner.. I would have joined those humans that went to the planet.. But for now, I know exactly what caused the shockwave." She glances to the relic once more before taking pictures of it with her ghost compad.

You spend a few moments gathering the photos and logs you need.

She will leave thereafter.

(Where to now?)

(Acastus, as that's where the relic purportedly came from.)

Leaving the academy, the name of the world now in mind, lady sebasteia now has to figure out how to get there.

"I'll have talk with father about the possibility of funding a manned mission to Acastus." (edited)

Colony business continues on as normal around you, the humans seeing to hundreds of their own various affairs. It’s beginning to look not all that different from downtown Vapormills

She will call her father as she finds a bench somewhere in Central.

He answers on the third ring. “Hello sebasteia. How are you enjoying your trip so far?”

"I am enjoying it as well as any other could. However, I've come with a proposition. It seems the situation concerning the mystery surrounding my condition has led me to an world far from here. I was wondering if it was possible, with Kovak funding, to get a manned mission to the planet of Acastus."

“Absolutely our of the question. We don’t have any ships, and a crew for a voyage that long, with all the unknowns. I don’t see it being in our best financial interest. If you can find your own captain and work something out I may be able to do a bit more”

"Of course, father. I'll see what I can do." She ends the call there, standing to her feet knowing that getting to Acastus was going to be harder than she imagined. She will head back to the Administration building seeing if they could help alleviate the stress.

Returning to admin, you’re let through quickly and find yourself back on the main floor

She will head back over to the desk with the clerk, Sebasteia in a better mood than usual.

She looks up sensing someone approach , her display closing automatically to keep what she was working on private.

7:09 AM

"Welcome back to Admin"

"Mhm. So I did my digging and found that the object you humans found originated from Acastus. Which, is where I intend to go. But there's just one small problem, I don't have a ship.. I was hoping you'd have a ship of some sort to sell or something?

"Sell, no, but I can put in an expedition request. There is a military expedition out there now. This might take some doing, It's considered a danger zone" She opens a different terminal, and begins tapping away on some forms. "Well, here's what the state department is giving me back- take it or leave it. There is a shuttle. The captain is a civilian, and he's just going to be dropping you off. There are some things on that planet that if capturing a spike capable ship, might make life on Gudrun very dangerous for all of us, so he isn't permitted to stick around. He will remain at the edge of system space until pickup, or until the danger level gets too high"

"That's fine by me." She grins at the proposition. "Where do I find this Captain?" (edited)

(So, its up to you how you want to do this, route planning wise, you can follow the existing course, from Thorgerd, to Haila, to Shua, to acastus -the acastus jump will be in process of being ruttered when you make your own trip, so that'll be a week still, as the first group won't have quite made it yet, or we can chart a new course)

8:07 AM

(really depends how much exploring you want to do on the way)

(She wouldn't care much about exploring. She's dead set on getting to Acastus.)

(Alright, so following their footsteps then) "THere's a lifter heading up to Trivedi cloud. You'll find your ride there. "

(If it is to be, then so be it.) She will nod, "Where can I find said lifter? Is there a ground station nearby?"

"Ah you must have come in through the train, there's an airport on the north end of town, theres a bus, or a car service you can use to get here. Lifters set down at the airport every hout"

2:13 PM

*Hour

"Ah. I see." She will leave thereafter, taking a bus to the airport.

The lifter touches down as the grav bus pulls into the airport lot. A handful of other trucks are inside the complex along with a few passengers already

5:16 PM

There are a few vehicles and people disembarking as well

She will head for the lifter as soon as it makes planetfall.

The lander is split into two levels, a cavernous cargo space on the bottom, and a passenger area on top (think like a ferry boat)

(Right) She will take her seat in the passenger area on the top.

The lifter is almost totally empty. A small team of station techs takes up the back two rows, heading back to duty after a few days off to see family. There is a gentle recoil as it lifts up, and you're docked with the platform an hour later. The landing bay is large, and shielded against the void. Lighted pathways on the floor point to the concourse, and transfer hangars,.

"Impressive display of power.. For humans.." She will look around for this shuttle the clerk on planet was talking about; checking her trunk for her weapons and wares.

The transfer hangars are a short walk away, and are currently empty., save for one craft. Nearly all the spacecraft are off on various duties. This must be your contact. The pilot whistles a sad song about the rain at home over emerald fields, and the tune stops once as he curses, something about his inspection not to his liking. There is a clank of metal on metal, and the song continues

8:49 PM

he doesnt seem to have noticed you

She comes over, observing the gentleman quietly before clearing her throat. "Excuse me...sir."

“Ah hello there!” He seems like he’s trying to cover up being startled.

She rolls her eyes. "I was told you would be the one to take me to Acastus, right?" (edited)

“Yes I did see that offer from admin. You were advised of the terms ahead of time?”

9:37 AM

He makes a few last minute adjustments to a control panel as he talks. A light on it changes to green and he looks satisfied

"I was."

He waves for you to get aboard. “Passenger cabins are toward the back. Port side. I’ll be in shortly and we can be off” He ducks back out to make some final checks. The hangar is absent of other ground crew that normally do this kind of work. As you get settled you hear his heavy boots coming up the short gang ramp, and a hiss as the outside airlock shuts. Your ears pop as onboard pressure adjusts

She covers her ears at the pop before feeling her ears to make sure she wasn't bleeding. After that she will get settled in for the long trip, looking over her weapons to make sure they were working properly. "This revolver is a bit old... But it still fires, based on my testing of it when I was handed the weapon back during the Helldiver War."

There is a gentle lift as the shuttle picks up off the pad, and clears the hangar. “I think you might be one of the first Taros to go to space” the pilot calls back into the cabin.

She looks up from her inspection and gives a knowing nod, "If that is the case, then there are calls for celebration back home." (edited)

“I’m not just saying that. You really are. I know the task force have a few in their employ but not many. Your one of less than 50. Anyway, we are looking at 10 days in spike over the course of a few jumps here. The Acastus leg of the trip hasn’t been ruttered yet. The expedition is ahead of us but not enough for us to grab their nav data” (edited)

She looks at the shuttle view port to her left at the emptiness of space. She gives a small grin at the achievement, "Well I'll take it as a badge of honor then." She looks back up to the cockpit, "What's the probability of there being problems?" (edited)

“Following the other expedition routes, we shouldn’t expect any problems until we get to the final jump to Acastus itself. The extra time in spike, the week, is me going slow and charting a safe course”

She leans back a bit, "Then take however long you need.. I have all the time in the stars.." She chuckles a bit, "At least those stars aren't made of iron.."

He turns his attention back to the charting computer, guiding the drone brain controlling the system. Space extends and a day later you find yourself outside thorgerd

She walks up to the door of the cockpit, "So that's Thorgerd.."

The barren world shrouded under its high pressure layer of methane is before you. Millions of iron rich asteroids, and larger ice rock formations drift around the world. Trivedi technologies has a refinery at the edge of the stellar debris field, refining the ice, rock, and collected methane into more useful products

1:51 PM

The drive light shows it’s recharging

"Hm. Quaint." She would head back to her seat and watch the planet from the viewport.

A flock of what looks to be some type of flying creature moves from the surface of one of the nearby ice rocks, to the surface of another, further away.

4:14 PM

Their wings are the same teal as the collected water, and they sport long, barbed tails

She spots them, and watches them with silent glee. "Void-based flying creatures? That's a first."

There is a rattle, as the spike drive comes online again, after a recharge. "Alright, we are going to be coming to Haila next, in about a day"

"Okay," she will proceed to meditate in the meantime; focusing on the "training" she experienced at the Psi Academy.

There is a feeling of disorientation as the shuttle plunges into spike space again. A day later, when it emerges, the blue green ball of the ocean world Haila spins quietly off the vessels port side. (there's a scouting report and surface map in the systems>1E folder) There are several different comms channels communicating on the world below.

She will listen in on the different communications channels; taking note anything of importance to her search.

As the engine recharges you hear about a large, super-capital scale sailing vessel the locals call an Ark, down on the planet below. A figure known as Admiral Beckwater has made several abortive attempts at capturing it from its alien denizens, and it seems he is licking his wounds from his latest attempt.

9:11 PM

There is a short address over the all-planet airwaves as he threatens, cajoles, and attempts to negotiate with his fellow ship bound city-states to try to leverage more military strength for another attempt

"Aliens hm.."

The ship jumps again , a few hours later, and after a day emerges in the area belonging to the forested riverland world of Shua. The people live as one nation, currently all channeling their efforts into a superweapon, aimed at a neighboring world- and a major source of their ire. (edited)

"I wonder how the UNW will deal with this one.." She says taking note of the planet-side activity

The ship jumps again and a week later you get to Acastus. A report pops up with what is known. Acastus is a night world, home of Marshal Provost Desmond O'Shea. It's nights are lit by neon lighting, volcanoes, and lightning. Acastus has three moons orbiting it, the time of day on the surface determined by which one is in its cycle. They are each marked with an alien rune large enough to be seen from far away. The planet has fallen under the sway of an all pervading shadow cult, worshiping a being called The Still Lady. Her massive obelisk has been constructed in the middle of the largest city on planet, from where she commands her legion of cult followers and rules over the dominated population.

11:41 AM

"The Cult of Still Lady huh?" She smirks as she walks back to her seat, pulls out her trunk, and prepares to head down to the planet; holster at her side and sheath on her tailbone. "I'm ready to go when you are.. Captain," she says with a sly remark.

"Where do you want to land? I don't think a direct path to the city is going to be the safest route"

"Hm. Are there are other settlements around the city? Perhaps you can drop me off there."

"Nothing significant enough to register from up here"

She rubs her chin, "Do you have any gravitation chutes?"

11:49 AM

"Wait."

11:49 AM

She begins smiling wickedly.

11:49 AM

"I just got the best idea, and a crazy one at that."

11:52 AM

"If you can get me 1000 meters above one of the smaller settlements, I can create a gravitation chute and fall safely."

"Nothing is showing up on scanners, getting close to the city might be fatal. I'll try, but if we take fire I'm bugging out"

"Just get me 1000 meters, will ya!?" She prepares to conjure up a (TL4) gravity chute. The shadowy darkness engulfs her, and suddenly she's wearing a clearly "evil-looking" gravity chute with a black-red color scheme. (edited)

He sighs, and begins the descent into the atmosphere. The master arm comes on once the cloud layer is breached, and all that is seen from the ground is a brilliant flash of light as the shuttle is struck by Ash City's breaker gun array, The lifeboat module jettisons Sebasteia and the crew bay away, and the shuttle explodes. Tumbling toward the ground, the lifeboat rights itself, and kinetic dampeners allow it to land in a forest, 20km outside the city. It smashes several titanic tree sized mushrooms down as it plows into the mycelenium forest.

(So I am in the lifeboat correct?)

(yeah)

12:16 PM

(just you. Pilot didnt make it)

(That's a big oof, I'll have to commemorate that man when I get back to Gudrun.. And that's if I get back..) (edited)

12:19 PM

Sebasteia will right herself, after surviving the crash. "Uggh," she will look around the forest, after having exited the lifeboat, "Damn.. I was hoping to at least have an escape route if things got hairy.. But I guess that's out of the question.." She will release the gravity-chute, revealing herself to the elements around her.

Sebasteia gently touches down on the forst floor, supply rucksack surprinsngly unscathed from the crash. The pod itself has another supply pouch with it, containing another month's worth of food and water purification supplies. The mushrooms are large, but the umbrella like tops have kept what undergrowth there might be from forming- cutting off most of the dim light from the pulsar that keeps this world barely lit.

12:42 PM

The forest is still, and the horizon glows neon, Ash City a considerable, but not insurmountable distance away

She sighs heavily, knowing that she doesn't exactly need these supplies. "I guess we'll get walking." She begins walking towards the horizon that glows neon. (edited)

Sebasteia makes it 2km through the dark forest before she comes across what looks to be a side path, traveling deeper into the trees. The local area feels quite cold, more than your previous surroundings, but at least for now it isnt cold

She looks at the side path with sidelong glance, facepalming as she does. "My curiosity is peaked." She will proceed to head down the side path, revolver at the ready.

The path heads deeper into the forest and low hanging myceleniun vines criss cross the ground. Many have smaller mushrooms growing on them in clusters. Ahead, there is a small cave with dim flickering fire light inside

She groans softly as she follows the dim flickering of fiery light inside; keeping her revolver at the ready, glancing around the cave.

Inside, three figures have their backs to you, and a large bonfire projects a frightening looking skeletal shadow on the wall. It is whispering to them in a language that gives you a headache, and they seem to be muttering back into the fire when appropriate

"Awh shit..." She holds her head as she hugs the wall, trying to listen in; holding her head as she does.

That ship. Find the lifeboats. Survivors must be questioned There is an ear splitting howl as the wind blows the fire out, and plunged into darkness, the cave occupants begin to stir, released from their trance

"Oh shit..." She begins to back away slowly.

(sneak/dex)

(7)

Sebasteia backs away from the cave. From inside the sounds of the people gathering their gear is heard. Buckles clink as they’re fastened and winched right. There is a click as rifle magazines are slotted, but by then you’re back on the main path

She's making her way towards the city at this point, powerwalking as she goes

You make another few kilometers as the second moon cycle begins. The mushroom forest ends. You find yourself on a hill overlooking the flat volcanic plains, ash city is across them. Still a handful of kilometers away. At the base of the hill appears to be a small farm, a solitary light on inside shines though the dirty glass

She walks over to the small farm, and comes up to the farm house door; knocking it.

There is a bump inside and a sound of someone being startled. The door opens. The figure is human. Somewhat burly his hair and beard are both thick and curled. He is in tough work clothes, and a pair of light amplifying goggles are perched on his forehead. “Evening miss. Everything alright?”

"Everything is quite," she looks him up and down, "Alright.. I just arrived on this world..."

“Ah so you’re the one that fireballed out over the woods. Hell of a racket. You’re lucky to be alive. Suppose you want to keep it that way. Come in. Let’s get you sorted”

the house is neat and organized. Most of the furniture is made from a dark wood, petrified planks cuyt from the mushroom stalks, you realize after a few moments. You no longer need to eat, but the stew pot hanging over the stone fire pit does smell good

As she comes inside and looks around the home, she smells the stew and sighs softly. "It sure does smell good." She looks to the man. "Yes, I do."

"They'll be looking for survivors no doubt. I'd recommend hanging around for a while."

10:07 AM

he sighs "This world. So much has changed. I truly thought our darkest days were behind us"

She nods to the recommendation. "Your darkest days?" She comes over to the table, taking seat at said table.

"Collective our" he smiles, nodding to the world outside, "but yes. You're certainly not from around here. Acastus wasn't always like this. It was never a beautiful place to live, at least not to me, but it was an honest life"

"My apologies. And yes, I came from a planet far from here. The reason for my arrival here on this world is because of strange energy signature that swept across my world; giving me and some others powers that differ from the usual power that a psychic might have." (edited)

"Ah, so you've got The Weave, and now you're here looking for answers"

"The Weave?" She leans back in the seat a little, a brow raised.

"The name for what you're feeling, at least our name for it. There are many forces that make up the invisible backdrop of our galaxy. Woven together, they make the conditions necessary for life as we know it. Like anything else, these forces can be manipulated"

"The Weave, hm?" She leans back even more, deep in thought. "On my homeworld, I called it Svetlo as it pertained to my people's religious affairs. However the Weave sounds more fitting. What kind of force is this Weave? Is it what's holding your world hostage?" (edited)

"The Weave itself is not good or bad, but it is manipulated by beings that are good, or bad. In this case, a being using the weave, and who demonstrates an incredible mastery over it, is indeed dominating this world"

"Neither good nor evil, but is made into such alignments by those that wish to do good or evil, hm?" "Has there been any attempts at usurping this being, which I assume is the Still Lady?"

"You haven't been to the city itself yet, have you?:

"No, I have not."

"Well, those attempting to stop her are usually dealt with pretty harshly. You'll see how harshly if you end up visiting. It's....it's not pretty"

"I'd imagine. The cult is rather malignant in its operation it sounds like."

"A being like The Still Lady needs willing worship to grow, and for that, there needs to be people. The population is oppressed, but the violence never spreads beyond just enough to make her point":

2:03 PM

"In that sense, it could be worse"

"Valuable information this is." "Is there some sort of resistance? I'd like think that it is only logical for there to be some sort of insurgency growing beneath the surface."

"There certainly is. Their effectiveness is, questionable, but they're fighting"

"Hm. Where could I find said resistance?"

"Some of them frequent The Black Bean. It's a coffee house in the center of the city. Apparently it used to belong to a cop and his family. The Still Lady and her cult had her killed, ran him out of town"

3:10 PM

"this was a few years ago, back when they weren't able to act in the open and the police still mattered"

She slowly gets up from the table, and nods to the man. "Well I thank you for your assistance. Although as I would love to stay and chat some more, I believe I have some important things to attend on this world.."

He gets to the window and looks out the curtains. "I see three lights at the edge of the woods, but they're moving the other direction. You should have a comfortable head start"

"Good to know," she gives him a two finger salute, "The name is Lady V by the way." She doesn't give him the time to respond as she makes a mad dash towards the city.

heading toward the neon glow ahead, it begins to rain yet again. The storm lashes the landscape in sheets of rain, but you eventually arrive at the city outskirts- a sleepy suburban neighborhood on the edge of town

She walks through the neighborhood, quietly observing the homes; also getting progressively angrier at the fact that it's raining, much more storming.

The homes are all large. Most have thick curtains blocking windows. It’s hard to tell if there are lights on inside. There is a convenience store at the end of the street, and a gaggle of local youths smoking outside of it

9:21 PM

Most of them have a brand somewhere on their neck

9:21 PM

"Must be the cult symbol.." She will stop at the convenience store to catch her "breath."

The conversation among the teens stops. They’re trying their best not to look at you.

She looks a demon from their point of view as she steps into the convenience store.

They don’t run. Most of them have seen the revenants here in action before, but they do leave the area

9:37 PM

Inside, a clerk behind the counter looks startled by your appearance. “I just paid my protection taxes. Tell your handlers I won’t have any money for them if they take it every single day”

9:38 PM

You see he too has a mark on his neck. The same brand

"It looks like everyone has this brand." She looks at him with narrowed eyes, covered by the wet hair. "I am not what you think I am. Just merely a passerby."

"Alright passerby, well, what do you want?"

"Just some clothes to fit in, These ones are currently soaked beyond belief, and I standout too much in these,"

"It does rain a lot here" he says absent mindedly. "Well, there's some uniforms for new hires in the back , you can have one"

She nods, as she walks to the back.

The store uniforms are a nondescript black and grey, of slacks, a long sleeved shirt, and a waterproof slicker for the times outside work is necessary

1:34 PM

The slicker also has a dark hat, with a wide brim

She sighs softly at the uniform, and takes one, changing thereafter. After changing, she will thank the tender before leaving and continuing further into city; getting to the purported bar.

the streets get busier and busier as you begin moving toward the black bean, in almost the heart of town. Neon reflects strangely off the many puddles, making them look like they're full of things other than water. The rain has slackened somewhat, but still coming. A truck with four cult enforcers rolls by, they leer out of the open pack at the pedestrians, rifles held in loose grips. The truck stops for just a moment before rumbling on again. You pass a public park, where four civilians accused of being resistance fighters have been hung from a tree. The bodies look somewhat fresh.

"Something about the rain here... I'll have to look into that... But those bodies, by Svetlo are humans insane..." She will take note of everything that is happening around her before continuing on. (edited)

The inner city is protected by a ring of checkpoints, keeping track of the traffic moving in and out of the ten blocks closest to the giant Pyramid at the heart of the city. You can see it ahead, its dilapidated wood and metal construction, with gate, straddling the street and bringing traffic to a crawl

She will approach slowly, keeping her weapons from view.

You see an open topped truck near the checkpoint, and there are six people handcuffed inside the bed, also shackled to the floor of it. A few of them are crying. They are being watched by three cultists. the rest of their ten strong unit mans the checkpoint. There is a scream as a man is snatched from the line, and smacked with a rifle club. Several hands grab him and likewise toss him into the truck.

2:36 PM

The line moves forward toward the gate as best as its able, and youre almost to the front

She will keep her head down and her eyes forward, as she thinks of a cover-story.

The suspected rebel still struggles as they go to put bindings on him. He breaks free, legs not bound, though his hands are. One of the cult officers standing near the truck levels his rifle, taking his time to line up his shot

She watches from the corner of her eye. "This is going to get ugly."

There is a sharp crack and the running civilian falls on his face, leg twitching as nerves fire with the last of his life

She grimaces slightly at the sight before looking forward, "This has got to end."

The rifle still smoking, the cultist now focuses on the line. “Next” and you realize there’s no one else ahead of you

She breathes in and then out, stepping up to the custom's officer.

“Central pass?” He asks

She checks herself, "Awh shit. I completely forgot my Central Pass inside. Is there any chance for redemption?" (edited)

“I’ll be the next one shot” he says. “Can’t let you through but I can pretend we didn’t talk”

"Of course, of course," she will back away from the customs official, attempting to bump into the person behind her to snag their Central Pass. (What roll would that be?) (edited)

(Sneak dex)

(Do I get +1 due to the nightly conditions? Or no?)

(No. It’s always night here so they’ve adapted to seeing in it)

(7)

Hanging on a string carelessly you’re able to deftly pull it from the handbag of the woman behind you, who seems to wet, tired, and otherwise uncomfortable to notice

Having nabbed it, she will slip back in line; seamlessly.

The pass is scanned and you get a sidelong glance from the same guard before the metal postern gate is opened. You pass through to a less crowded street. You see the sign for the black bean a few blocks down the street

She will continue to the Black Bean, walking up to the front door, taking a moment to glance around before entering.

(3xp, 5000 credits) The black bean looks safe for the time being. A few people smoke and talk quietly on the sidewalk outside. There does seem to be a far heavier cult presence this close to the still lady’s pyramid. You see several of their grav technicals and troop trucks go by ahead the next block over

"This'll be riskier considering the proximity." She steps inside, thereafter.

A woman named caitlen is running the counter and upon hearing the door chime she looks up. The coffee house has about 20 patrons in it right now, sipping their drinks thoughtfully and either in quiet conversation or reading.

She comes over to the counter, finding a stool to sit at.

The woman cleans the counter before you and wordlessly sets down a cup of Rich coffee

She takes the coffee and downs it in one go; feeling no more refreshed than she was weeks ago.

After a few moments Caitlen returns. “Haven’t seen you in here before”. She doesn’t look directly at you, talking low and cleaning behind the raised bar surface

She stares forward, speaking just as low. "I know. I'm an off-worlder." (edited)

She doesn’t make an expression with her face but her eyes go very wide. “Which world?” She looks hesitant. To her this stinks of a cult trap

"Gudrun."

"I see. One of Desmond's people then. Must be" she says to herself. "So you're here to help?"

"Desmond? Who the Hel is that? Im here of my own accord."

She says nothing for a moment as she thinks about what you’ve just said. “So what is it you’re looking for?”

"To get to the bottom of what's going on here and put a stop to it."

She laughs. “By yourself?0

"If nothing else."

"Well, good luck" she says "The Still Lady is everywhere, and so are her enforcers. They were a plague enough before they started being able to manipulate the weave"

"Well I heard there was a fighting force. A resistance against the Still Lady."

"There might be, I really can't say. Just like I can't tell you some of them meet at the corner table in about ten minutes"

She gives a small smile, before glancing over at the corner table.

Right now the table is only occupied by one figure, wearing a high necked leather duster. What little of his hair you can see is a yellow orange

She slowly gets up from the counter and calmly walk over to the table, taking a seat thereafter.

“First time at the round table?” The figure asks. “You don’t have to say if you don’t want to. But I’ve never seen you before”

"Yes. It is. I've come from Gudrun on a separate venture to find whatever caused the Awakening on my homeworld. And, judging from the look of things here, I have an inkling to gun down some cultist scum."

“Ah I see. Well, you’re not going to live long if you’re talking so cavalierly”

"Eh?"

“She dominates the whole planet. Casually talking about gunning down her followers is going to get you singled out quick

She leans back in her seat, "Do not mistake me for a fool. I know exactly the scope in which this bitch controls. However that still does not deter the fact that she needs to be gone, and fast. Because the longer she is around, the more that neighboring systems are put at risk." (edited)

"I agree with you but..." The door to the coffee shop opens, and three cultists enter. One of them has a sawn-off shotgun, and the other two look to have improvised clubs. "time to pay your weekly protection tax" one of them says to Caitlen

10:44 AM

your contact holds up a finger, for silence

She keeps her eyes forward, listening intently.

"I don't have the amount you requested" she says, emptying the credit bills from the drawer. "Another group of you came in a few days ago for a different tax and took everything I had"

She gives a sidelong glance towards the situation, watching from the edge of her periphery.

"We will have to take something else then" the lead cultist says. One of them lashes out, faster than lighting , and pins her hand to the counter. The other readies his club, waiting for his partner to get clear.

She looks at the man across the table with a sigh and a shrug that said, "Alittle late to be quiet." She would get up, "Uh excuse me sirs."

The bat lashes out, striking Caitlen's hand. You hear the crunch of bone before she collapses behind the counter, holding it. "Oh, did you want to be next?" one of them asks, and they all begin laughing

There's a shadowy presence that over takes her, as she smiles wickedly. "I thought about that, for a second but decided against it," she slowly unsheathes her blade and activates it, it vibrating with a low hum, "I want all your heads, for the Still Mother." She cackles with a violent disposition as she charges them. (edited)

(initiative)

(Let's go!)

(so this is an actual weapon, now a shadow one?)

(Yup.)

(Cultists have a 5)

(7)

(Sebasteia up first, enemies are two cultists with bats, and one with a shotgun. The shotgun cultist is by himself, 10m from you, the bat ones are together, within melee range now)

(She will attempt to swing at one of the bat ones.)

11:29 AM

(12 for 8, Shock Damage 3 if AC is Less Than or Equal To 13)

(12 goes through for them) Badly cut, the cultist staggers back, clutching a huge gash down his arm, and chest. He rebounds in anger, both he and his companion swinging their bats at you. both misses, the other racks his shotgun, blowing chunks out of the table, but not hitting you with all the debris in the way.

11:32 AM

(back to you)

She will cackle with violent ferocity and she continues her assault on the one cultist, "YOU CAN RUN MY LITTLE PIGGIES, BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE AHAHAHAHAAHA!!!" (She will continue on the one cultist)

(Alright, same target)

(6 for 5, SD 3 if AC < or = 13)

(He'll take the shock, heavily wounded, nearly dead)

(Copy that)

Growing desparate, the wounded cultist manages a clean hit with his bat (20, 3). The shotgun racks another ground, and fires. (critical hit, 12)

11:38 AM

(the other bat one missed)

Taking the bat to the face, and shotgun shells to the body, she will cackle, "The Still Mother won't be pleased with this!!" (She will continue rushing the cultist)

11:40 AM

(20 for 9, SD 3 if AC < or = 13)

The vibroblade punches deep, tearing through his secure clothing. There is a welter of blood like water from a desert sinkhole A bat goes sailing past your face, and as you dodge, the shotgunner fires (19, 5)

She cackles as she ducks under the bat, but is suddenly silenced by the shotgun; falling over onto a table; bleeding out (-2

) (edited)

You see the cultists leaving, pleased that this has been a solid morning's work. You feel Caitlen, who has crawled across the floor to reach you, good hand dragging the medkit. She straddes you, doing her best to pack bandadges and lift into the wound, (5 vs 6, fail)

"Heh... So this is how I die huh? Dying to filthy cultists on a grungy planet.. Pathetic..."

(that was with a lazarus patch, she doesnt have anymore, she gets to try 1 more time at DC 9, since its 8 +1 round since you've been down, and that's the limit of what she can do)

(Still not enough apparently XD)

(8 vs 9) With nothing else to do, and her meager medical supplies expended, both Caitlen, and Sebasteia collapse in a broken pile on the floor of the black bean. That night, news of the casual murder is carried far and wide through the streets of Acastus. Resistance ranks begin to swell.

11:51 AM

(I know this doesnt effect you personally, but just so you know mechanically what this did and you dont feel like it was a useless death, when the resistance moves openly, we will be going to the mass combat rules for resolving it, either me, or the players controlling army groups. All the resistance units went up by a size, so a few thousand people joining, and they'll get a bonus to their 'status' against cult fighters, starting off as "Motivated" , which is better than fresh, so they can absorb more damage before being wiped out) (edited)

(It was a sad loss but a worthy loss. Sebasteia Novikov has done well, but I'm not done with that planet.)

(I'll add an honored dead folder for deceased characters

11:54 AM

(might be needed if we ever need to look back or wanting to pick up threads)

(Right. Acastus is a major player goal for me.) (edited)

(yeah, this way its at least still visible)

(Wait. Has this been our first PC death?)

(as far as people still playing yeah)

(Wow. Guess that makes it a little more special. XD)