Iron Stars - aris

The free merchant docks inside one of the cavernous hangar bays on the Greystar hab, and is met by a flight crew, technicians, security, and additional porters to ensure everything you recovered is brought either to the lab or storage -and that it is done safely. the mood on the ship seems to be improving. Settling some people on the surface has lessened the strain on what resources can be produced here, though the lack of creature comforts or even enough of the basics without rationing is getting tiresome

Tired and hungry from that experience, I will grab some cheap food to go before heading to the labs. Once there I will compile a detailed report for HQ. (Is there a timeline for when I need to head to the Slyth ruins?)

(Nope! It's character driven, and the others are all either involved in personal business or on a mission, so we can take this as fast or slow as you want)

Alright. I plan on spending some time pouring over the cultist's research. Is there anyone in charge of the lab area?

(Probably you, to be honest)

Ok. I'll start looking for researchers that are available for work. Try to get together a team of volunteers for the Slyth ruins.

04:51

(I'm also interested in putting together a simple combat drone. I was thinking I could get it from Kelvin's shop)

(His holding is getting started this month, so righ tnow they're not open, but book price, anything TL 4 or less as far as drones can be bought from Greystar)

Aris puts in an order for a basic security drone (Stalker body, Weapon fitting, anmo unit and a mag pistol. 2650 credits all together)

Two hours later, a kit is delivered with the drone inside, all the parts seem to fit fine and it is very easy to put together. The drone wobbles, before steadying itself in the air , taking station nearby you

I'd like to set up an obstacle course in the lab to practice piloting it.

(Whats your current pilot skill?)

(Can I pilot it with program? I saw that I could shoot with either pilot or program)

17:34

(If not I'd like to redo how I spent my skill points)

(Piloting a vehicle, be it air, land, sea or space, needs pilot)

17:51

(You can reshake since it wasnt clear)

(Yeah, makes sense in retrospect. Thank you. Pilot 0 then)

The lab equipment is all fairly mobile, and it takes fifteen minutes to move some machines around. You make a simple course - simple for someone who has the finesse for the controls, at any rate, that makes a wide circuit around the lab- skirting between 10 obstacles

I'll practice a few laps to get familiar with the control unit and make sure nothing broke during shipment. If I can, I'd like to load the gun with bb's (or similar non-dangerous rounds) and shoot some empty cans.

(attack roll would use your bonuses, so we can just make a normal ranged attack , just to RP it out)

(9)

The shot goes a bit wide, but you see it is more an error of your own judge of distance, not a fault with the manufacture of the drone. It seems to be performing within acceptable limits

"sigh, human error. How disappointing." I will spend the rest of the evening reading anything I can find on the Slyth race in preparation for visiting the ruins.

(theres a pretty good lore handout, two of them actually, under the galactic lore folder on roll20

02:54

(which would be pretty much everything thats known)

Do I have any idea what other celestial bodies are part of the conjunction of spheres?

(It’s just local space. Acastus, it’s sun and it’s three moons. They’ve got the eternal sun relic recovered they’re just hoping to learn more about it from the temple)

I'll reach out to some of the people that have been training the hounds and see if they would be able to relocate the nest in the ruins

The nest there is highlighted for capture, and removal - intended to become the first fungal hound breedstock , and they'll be moved out by time you make your landing. A cargo lifter, a heavier model , has been prepared for your descent to the surface

I will grab a large thermos of coffee and whatever passes for a breakfast sandwich and board the shuttle.

The lifter is little more than a box, with a pilot house on the second deck, connected by a ladder to the cargo hold below. The vehicle's driver waves to you from the ceraglass cabin, and turns on the running lights. The cavernous bay doors close behind you as you board the ship, and you hear air pressure hiss as it prepares for void travel

I give the driver a thumbs up and get strapped in. During the trip I'll configure a personal account on the blackslab I found.

(Like setting up an iphone almost?)

(Yeah, I figure they are like tablets. Gotta download all my apps)

The slab is set up about the time you land, your personalization finishing loading as the ramp opens outside the facility. There are some burn marks in the ground from the fungal hound trapping team's departure, though you're not sure if they;ve done anything with the mess within. (even for Greystar, they're technically illegal, but you had enough face to allow the purchase. Anytime something in the description is murky like that let me know, I can tell you how much you have)

(For the slab? I found that at the cultist base and I was under the impression that it didn't look illegal without close inspection)

(I don't know how the face system works, I just don't feel like I should be penalized for something I looted rather than bought. Sorry if I'm being rude)

(pump the brakes. Face is returned, It was more a general announcement since i remembered its description from the book)

14:44

(Face is a blind currency used to purchase grey goods or military hardware. I don't tell people how it works because that leads to gaming the system. I fixed it for this instance, my bad)

(Thank you for clarifying, nbd) I step out of the lift and look around for the rest of the research and security team

There are two Greyguard outside the temple doors. shotguns held loose on slings. You hear some voices from within carrying outside, as more of them talk in the first antechamber. (I have a layout on my computer here, let me grab the map)

15:15

Pinned a message.

I approach the guards at the entrance. "Boungiorno, gentlemen. Anything to report?"

"Hounds got bagged and tagged about fifteen minutes ago. There's a sanitation team inside cleaning up their nesting....area...places... . Otherwise it's been quiet. First team ran into some trouble with the cult remnants, but no ones tried anything. They'd be silly to with such an armed presence here"

"From what I've seen, these cultists aren't above futile efforts. Stay sharp." I head inside

You hear the slides of their shotguns rack, twice, as shells are loaded into breaches. Probably unnecessary but it seems to make them confident, if only for a moment. Inside, you see some signs have been attached to the walls as carefully as possible, to not mar the elaborate carvings and murals that run the entire walls and floor of the temple.

(What do the signs say?)

The signs have colored lines on them, correlating to small colored glowbugs set into the floor, marking paths to different areas. Info-tomb- Yellow Cosmic Orrey- Sky Blue Burial Chamber- Red Reliquary of the eternal sun- Green You remember from the reports that the box containing the sun artifact itself was recovered already, and taken to the Greystar hab in orbit.

I follow the yellow path

Yellow winds its way to the left (west) of the temple, winding through the knave where the relic of the eternal sun once sat. Twelve Slyth warrior statues, surrounding a central priest statue, all have relic blades held in high stone fists. They are unmoving and silent, as most statues are. Winding past that, you edge around the northern side of the temple, and into a back crypt, where three slyth priests are entombed. An expert system here, capable of responding to questions about their lives, and the times they grew up in, sits dormant, waiting for input from the small computer terminal before each standing sarcophagus

(Are the terminals in English?)

(They were in Slyth, which is why the first group had trouble with them, but enough time has been spent here where there's a translation key available, so for purposes of getting information, we will treat everything as though it is)(

I will start by querying each terminal for when each of the priests lived as well as their achievements in life.

They all lived 500 years ago when the slyth empire was at its most prosperous and most expansive. Each was a scholar and more than that, a warrior, taking part in dozens of battles against the fleshshapers. They fought alongside both slyth units and hosts of the mechanical defenders the slyth seeded on many of their populated worlds.

How did they combat the fleshshapers, either tactically or technologically?

Specific battle tactics aren’t in the system. When worlds reached a certain mass of population, or were especially biodiverse, they created robot protectors for those worlds. (There’s more about them in the galaxy lore folder)

Can I find any references to friends or family and other locations where they might be buried?

No other burial sites are mentioned, but the planet Musheera (currently to the west of UNW territory) is listed several times as being a place where reinforcements and new war material has been coming from

What about homes or libraries where I could find these scholars' research?

The planet Al-Yaldi begins flashing on a map, a frontier planet of the New Moon Cooperative, where there are sprawling slyth ruins buried in the ice

Can I find anything about the eternal sun or the conjunction? They must have been put together for a reason

The last time there was a conjunction, the MES wave that brought magic to Acastus was launched. It bathed the planet in arcane energy, and this release attracted the attention of a precursor race older than the Slyth. They are the ones who carved the runes into the moons, There were no humans here when it happened. It is coming again in one year and 3 months now, this will only be the second conjunction ever

(So the slyth came here after the first one and wanted to be here for the next one? Am I understanding that right?)

(Exactly. They had every intention of not going extinct)

Did these priests have any other interests on Acastus besides the conjunction?

The conjunction was the single most interesting and promising cosmic event they’d ever observed. Acastus was a site of interest due to that reason, and ruins that were made by precursors even to that race. They hypothesized that there must be precursor ruins beneath the surface of the moons, but the slyth never got the chance to dig

(does greystar have digging equipment that could reach them, or is that something we would need to get/build?)

(Find, build or trade for, Greystar doesn't have anything like that. Not much need for it on a starhab)

Satisfied, I will take notes on what I've found and move on to the orrey

The orrery shows the realspace and real-time positions of the planet, it’s three moons, and the weak pulsar that makes up Acastus local system space. They are all represented here with brightly polished orbs in the planets same colors. They revolve around one another slowly, mirroring the orbits of each

I look for a way to control the mechanism

There is nothing apparent as you examine the machine. The orbits of the planets are playing out as they are for their real life counterparts. This looks to just be a monitoring device. There is a computer attached to it, that contains the scant notes about the first conjunction

22:44

(that was how the first group got the bare bones of info for what youre expanding on)

Does the computer have any data on the pulsar? I'm particularly interested in if the sun was bright when the precursors were here.

The data collected shows it was much brighter during their time, supposedly. The Slyth were only ever able to hypothesize

Did the Slyth have an observatory where they collected this data?

(program/int)

(6. 7 if the black slab helps)

The data was collected aboard a visiting scientific survey ship, but there are no records of its destination after its scan and documentation of conditions in the local solar system. It was reported as exiting, heading north, but no star is listed for course

What info did they have on the moons? Any theories about the runes?

They do not have any additional information beyond what was recovered from the data tomb already (the room before this)

Can I take some time to write a simulation of this device? Basically a program that would let me see the planetary position at certain dates and times.

(Yes, that wouldn';t be difficult to do. No program check needed, well within your abilities)

Skipping the simulation ahead to the next conjunction, I want to check where this temple and the obelisk site from the 2nd moon are facing relative to the other bodies in space. Facing the sun, opposite the sun, etc.

both are facing the sun at the time of the conjunction

I take a few quick looks over my shoulder, then do a quick dance of excitement. I will mark the sunward facing points of the other two moons as points of interest. Then I will head to the burial tombs.

The fungal hounds that used to live here, though relocated now, undoubtedly made this room one of their primary nesting sites. The slyth bodies interred here had been savaged as nesting material, scraps of food to pick at, and a ready source of bones for chewing. One silver glint buried among discarded and torn rags catches your eye, toward the back of the room

I carefully brush aside the debris to examine the glint

A long silver blade sits resting in one of the mummified burial wraps, laid across the chest of one of the sleeping and interred dead. The fungal hounds must have begun pawing it open to get what was inside shortly before they were driven off and relocated.

I'll scan the sword to determine what it's made of.

(do you have a survey scanner?)

(I do, I used it to scan the cultist dagger on the moon. Thought they might be similar construction)

(didnt have the sheets in front of me, just wanted to confirm) The dagger is made of a steel that is far purer than anything human forges would have been able to produce. It is perfect, down to the molecular level. Slyth runes, spelling "Vitality" have been inscribed into the blade

Is there any maker's mark that might suggest who made it or where?

The blade is slyth in origin but there is no identifying information

(This is the same kind that can take a power cell in the pommel, right?)

You turn the weapon over, and surprisingly, this one has no spot for a power cell to be inserted. The blade come to life in your grip, a thin field of lime green energy coating the blade, dripping off the tip in tiny droplets like embers

I immediately take my hand off of the blade and will try to prevent the remains from catching fire any way I can.

The blade fizzles our. The energy dissipates in the air before contact with the ground. Nothing around you appears scorched

I grab some of the rags from the ground and try gripping the hilt with the cloth in between my hand and the sword.

The rags are thin, and the blade comes to life as it senses it is being picked up into a raised posture. (Which would make sense, since most warriors I'm sure would wear some kind of gloves)

I look through the area for a scabbard that fits this blade.

There is a scabbard held tightly in the mummified hands of the slyth body it came from, and you free it with a sharp tug. The scabbard itself is a well made leather that seems to have resisted the ravages of time

Leather from what? I'll sheathe the sword and scan it.

(not known, not a cow)

2

17:05

It is from an uncatalogued creature, but currently known lifeforms from Terran archives, and beings encountered here so far have been ruled out

Is the mummy in a state where it could be moved? I'd want to have it sent to the lab for further study. (Assuming we could gain any useful info from that. Not sure how much we know about their anatomy)

(Greystar does not know much about them, you could move it)

Can I figure out how this slyth was different from the priests in the other room? Why were they buried/honored differently?

The burial garments are plain, and based on the notes recovered from the earlier expedition, the priests were not buried with weapons- where this one was. He must have been from another social role or caste

I sheathe the sword and keep it low (I assume there is a belt or back strap). Is there anything else salvageable in this room?

(back strap. Slyth are tall, so a longsword to them is a 2 hander to a medium humanoid)

16:03

You look around the room, seeing six other shrouded bodies tucked into funeral alcoves. These have not been torn open or bothered by the hounds so far

I'll check the bodies for other items. I won't touch any other swords or weaponry, but will keep an eye out for things like jewelry or tools.

Nothing casts a distinct impression from under the burial wraps. It becomes apparent you’d have to cut them open to find out

I can't afford to do that in these conditions. I'll leave them be and head to the relic room. (Were all of the important rooms labelled, or are there some that haven't been explored yet?)

(THe temple was explored but a lot of the actual information was hard to get, everything was labeled and the paths were marked)

03:02

(I can pin that post if that helps)

(Yes, that would be great)

Pinned a message.

To the reliquary, then.

This room is on the western side of the temple, where a dozen slyth warrior statues all clutch blades similar in design to the looted one you are now carrying. The blades have names written on them, that match the plinths they are standing on. A preistly statue in the middle is elevated above the rest, the now opened reliquary where the eternal sun sat under him. The relic itself is stashed within a vault on the Greystar hab itself, in space, under heavy guard. It has not yet been determined what will be done with it

I check for any other mechanisms or inscriptions on or around the statues.

The blades are named for the warriors who used them. All have been returned to the right hands. Around the temple room (with help from the translation key, outside of the temple you wouldn’t know slyth) it talks about a time when Acastus did have light, but the precursors needed to use its energy for a divine work elsewhere. Something about a godforge is repeated over and over

Any references to the eternal sun or the statue that was holding it?

Nothing is stated that was not known already , just that a small amount of the godforges power was left behind if the sun needed to be restarted one day

Is that portion of godforge power in the golden sun or referring to something else?

(the inference is that some of its power is in the eternal sun, but theres a certain level of ambiguity always when you're dealing with a foreign language)

I will do one more pass around the whole temple, dataslab out, taking video of the wall murals.

The murals are well documented as you spend a few hours recording as much as you see. Slyth warriors and priests are seen battling shapers, and some kind of spawnlings that look like shapers- using all manner of guns, blades, and martial arts. The artwork is heavily stylized and at its height must have been truly beautiful to behold

(I'd like to share what I've found out with the group. Should I make a post in the roundtable channel now or wait until the next official meeting?)

(Meeting will be in the next day or so, im getting thoughts for news together tonight)

(Cool. I'll probably head into the city and do some more shopping. I need a backpack for sure, don't know what else yet)

(sounds good. Meeting is going now, as well, while everything is still fresh)

(So the meeting aside from a few comments about the federation seems like its wrapping up. Do you need a mission or did you have something to jump into)

(I could use a suggestion. None of the faction endeavors sound all that interesting for my character and I'm not sure I want to visit those other ruins just yet.)

Aris spends some time after the meeting thinking about his findings and what they might mean, when there is a knock at the door. There is a woman there, a native judging by the pale cast of her skin, and she is dressed in the working clothes of someone who works the local greenhouse domes. "Dolce Indulgent Chocolate Company" is written on her jacket in blue embroidery, the jacket itself a pale gray "Is this where Mr. Cassodorus is staying? I was told to leave a message for him in here"

"Uh, yes, that's me. I'll take the message."

"Oh, Hi! I wasn't expecting to actually meet you. My name is Abigail Gaines. I heard Greystar was looking for information, like, any information at all, about anything. I sort of...I found something that you might want to look at"

"Sure I'd be willing to investigate whatever it is." Aris looks over his shoulder at his messy quarters. "Perhaps we could get a coffee and discuss this thing you've found?"

"I'd like that. I know a place a couple blocks from here if you've got the time"

"Yes, that sounds excellent. I'll meet you there in a few minutes." After she leaves I would like to Google her and the chocolate company to make sure they aren't shady.

The city records are a joke, but the fact that her name, and the company she is working for is not listed in any of the surviving reports is a sign they were not involved in crime, and not the victims of any kind of cult attention -a promising sign, at least.

I'll run a comb through my hair a few times and take a breath mint, then make my way to the shop.

The shop is in one of the less ruined blocks nearby, "Acastus Steamworks and Coffee" is written on the front of the building in elegant gold script, the background painted to look like an industrial revolution era cogwork. The front windows are a pleasant yellow tinted glass and you see dark wooden furnature inside, with only a few patrons

I head to the counter and order a cappuccino and try to spot Abigail while it is being made.

Abigail is sitting in a corner booth, and has a large leather cinch bag with her. She is patiently waiting for you to make your way over, her eyes never leaving you

I take a seat across from her. "Now then, what information do you have for me today?"

"Knowledge. Are you familiar with the preceptors? The organization, I mean"

"I understand them to be an organization that preserves and spreads knowledge. At least where I'm from, they were essentially a large university. There were rumors of some groups with more radical practices, but they were never confirmed."

"I see. Then you'll be pleased to know they acted much the same way here. I stumbled upon a library, during one of my urban exploring expeditions, but accessing it, and making any sense of what's within is a job bigger than just me

"That's a very interesting find. I'm curious how an average citizen stumbles on something like that. Especially ones employed in the chocolate industry"

"That's just it. I was sent into the basement- almost no one has a need to go down there, and fewer people want to after..well...what happened to Acastus over the last few years. A night world and people are scared of the dark. Anyway, as you can imagine, intellectuals aren;t the favorites of despots or metaspace gods hell bent on tyrannical rule

02:51

"I took a job in the factory, and when heading into the basement to get new waxing for some molds, I stumbled upon a hallway hidden behind some stacked up containers

"What was it like inside? Data banks or paper records?"

"Looked like both. I didn't get a long look around. I did not want anyone to notice myself gone and come looking for me, and finding it in the process"

"I must say, you've piqued my interest. It seems that you've been hesitant to release this information to anyone else. How would you suggest we proceed?"

"They don't know what may be down there. I fear looting, or worse, the destruction of whatever might be in there because people are scared. I'd like to get you into the factory somehow, to look over the information and smuggle out what you think the most important pieces are. Problem is, they're very secretive. We have several special manufacturing processes that make our chocolate special, and anyone who isn't an employee inside is probably going to get thrown out"

"What if I were to 'find' a position at the factory, maybe arrange for you to give me a tour? I work there for a few days, sneak in during lunch breaks, then quit once I've got what I need." (edited)

"I was thinking something like that. It's not glamorous work, but maybe after a few days you'll have seen enough to know if its worth continuing to look into"

"I've traded worse labor for much less over the last few years. Plus, I assume there is an employee discount on chocolate." Aris smiles slightly

"A small one. YOu know those gourmet types" she says with a slight chuckle. "So you're in?"

"Certainly. I have certain government duties as well, but I should be able to make time for this." (We still have some time before the big heist, right?)

(Looks like a no, judging by the other threads.)

(She can keep the secret until you get back. Svenka's mission is going to end before this gets completed, and i want to make sure we're not running multiple things unless its absolutley necessary)

(Yeah, no problem. I figure she can lay some groundwork so that I can get a job when I get back.)

(yeah makes sense to me, i think thats the best way to go about it .Mission thread is uo)

19:40

*up)_

(I'd like to purchase a tl4 backpack , a pair of remote link units, a combat field uniform and 60 rounds of ammo for my drone. 1,580 credits all together)

(perfect, that is all available)

(24 Slyth. Also putting together a resume for the chocolate factory. Am I high profile enough to need to fake my identity or can I apply as myself without raising suspicion?)

(You’d have to fake something. Pretty sure adamaris built an identity shop. I’ll look)

(I have wanderer at level two, which says I can get travel papers and identification if that helps)

(that'll work then, I've never seen anyone use thisone before so I'm glad its getting some play)

You’re able to get a false identity after a few hours of work, passable enough to at least get through the pre employment portion of the investigation. Your contact has been able to keep the position open for you

(I assume I'm going in for entry level blue collar type work. I want to pick up some clothes to better fit the part)

(yeah, its blue collar)

02:52

Thinking about the job, you realize a disguise, or at least something more labor friendly is going to be needed to better sell the false identity you're weaving about yourself. by Second Rise, most of the shops in Ash City are open. Nightlife was at one point very common here, and there are many tailors near the club district

I try to find somewhere popular that specializes in sturdy work clothes

The second store you arrive at seems to offer a large amount of work clothing for sale, catering to the thousands of farmers and factory workers that keep Ash City going

I will approach a floor salesperson. "Hello, I'm looking for some sturdy working clothes as well as something I could wear to an interview. Acastus has a different climate than I am used to and I was hoping you could give me some recommendations."

“Ah I see” he begins leading you toward a few racks in the middle of the store. “What kind of work do you anticipate doing?”

"Well, I'm looking at a position at the chocolate factory. I hear they hire a lot around here, but can be hard to get into."

"It gets very hot on the factory floor" he says aloud, thinking as you present this new information to him. "Something lightweight, but sturdy. I think you'd make a good coveralls kind of man"

"That sounds good. I've worked in a few places that were quite dusty, do you have any sort of face mask? Doesn't have to be industrial, just to help with allergies."

“I do. I have several masks in both washable cloth and a more rigid vinyl with a reusable filter”

"Great. I think I'll go with the cloth. Last thing I need is some solid work boots."

"Plenty of those here, Very good sir, altogether comes to 100 credits. I think this uniform will be comfortable for you to wear. Good on you getting a job there. They hire very exclusively from what I understand"

"Thank you, you've been very helpful." I will leave him an extra 15 credit tip.

He bows politely and you’re given your work clothes. “Good luck at the new job” he grins “I will look forward to the next batch of chocolate coming out of there”

(I would like to spend the rest of the evening observing the locals at one of the nearby clubs)

The locals are cautious , as a mass shooting attempt at the clubs was thwarted just a few months ago. Those out are a mix of workers and middle management types from different facilities, and the fish farm

I'll order a local beer and try to get in on a game of darts or pool.

There is a game of pool going on, the lager in your hands is lukewarm before long but still better than anything they’re serving on the Starhab right now. Four men who have the bearing of men who have seen combat are busy racking up another round d

"Good evening. Got room for another?"

"Might. You're not native I see. Ever played before? Did they have this where you're from?" their leader says. He is a slightly pudgy man, a sweat stained white T-shirt peeks out from a torn grey long-coat, elbows frayed almost to the point of becoming holes.

"Not the real thing, no. Hard to play on a moving ship, and most cargo vessels have better use for the space. I've played in the sims a fair bit, though."

"Alright, so you've got a handle for the rules, at least" he says, with a bit of confidence in his voice "Tell you what, we won't put any money on this one, just a game between friends

"You're too kind. My name is Barry, by the way. Barry Stoll." I offer my hand out to shake.

“Nice to meet you Barry. Offworld, right? Part of the grey ranks?”

"I wouldn't go that far. I've done some odd jobs for them, but I'm trying to move away from that line of work." (Sorry I've been responding slow. I'm in the middle of a move and its been busy)

“I see. Still a bit odd to see an offworlder in here, part of them or not. I’m not accusing or anything. Just consider me curious “

"Well I thought I'd see some of the local culture. And drink something that didn't start out as a protein packet." Aris chuckles, "Besides, it's not like the tourism industry is exactly booming."

“It’s not” he agrees. “Lots of crime but it’s getting better. that almost shooting at a nightclub a couple months ago is still on everyone’s mind”

13:27

“That and the last few years of war. It’s hard to loosen up again after that”

"I can only imagine. If you don't mind me asking, why stay? I'm sure you could get off Acastus if you wanted."

“Maybe now, but it’s home. When the house needs repairs you don’t just up and move. Most of the time anyway”

04:41

“Acastus needs work, but she’s home. Our home”

“Surely you can understand, being away from yours. Do you miss it?”

"Sometimes. I know a few people that would think it's a paradise. Sunny and tropical all year long. There was no opportunity though. Once I left I started to see just how much is really out there, you know."

“Makes sense” he concedes as he breaks the round of balls “Alright. Your shot” (we can get a perform dex or int I think is fair too)

(8 with int) Aris is hoping that his background in mathematics will make up for his inherent clumsiness. He studies the table with intensity before making his shot.

It seems to and you run circles around them, sinking your balls much faster. “A good game. Thanks for the chance to compete. So we talked about home. You staying a while longer or do you have an early shift?”

“I know some of us have an early morning at the chocolatier to prepare for. I’ll never understand this places fascination with it”

"Funny, I'm looking at a position in their warehouse. I'd heard it was a good gig, but maybe you could give me a more accurate description."

“Alright I suppose I’ve got time for some questions. You did win the game. What did you want to know?”

"What makes it so special? I heard their whole process is closely guarded. Is it really that much better than other brands to warrant the extra effort?"

“It is. Not something we can discuss in public of course but the process is very special and kept secret for a reason. We dominate the Acastus market for a reason”

"How do they treat their workers? Do people like working there, generally?"

“For the most part. It’s like any job. There’s always something about it you won’t like. They are very strict when you’re going in and out though. The searches get a little personal sometimes , and it won’t matter how hard you object”

"Do they get a lot of offworlders? I wouldn't want to give them a bad impression."

“Not for years now, you’d be one of the first now that Greystar is here. Most who have come down from your starhab have seemed to stay within your own settlement so far”

13:30

“They come into the city sometimes for supplies and are polite enough”

"I hope things improve soon. Anyway, thanks for the game. Have a good night."

They say nothing further and look to be preparing to head out themselves for the evening. You exit the bar into the warm third rise air, as the third moon of Acastus begins appearing on the horizon. The streets are not as crowded as when you arrived at the pool hall, the only folk up now are those with the truly undesirable shifts

Aris walks back to his dwelling, pondering what he has heard about the security at the factory. He decides to put in a little more work on his Barry Stoll persona, particularly setting up a reliable background and reasonable references.

(I think an administer/ wis or int makes sense here as you collate information and cover from local information)

01:07

(From local sources*

(13, max roll)

You’ve got a solid cover story and have augmented it with some information and local customs you noticed during your night at the pool hall. You feel you’re as prepared as you can be for whatever security measures might be in place

With my preparations complete, I will send Abigail a message that I am ready to start at the factory.

Abigail sends you a location, a corner a block away from the factory so you can meet before your first and possibly final day, depending on how successful you are in turning over the contents of this hidden library inside

Aris heads to the location a little early, stopping to buy a pack of cigarettes on the way. (He doesn't smoke, but thinking he could use it to sneak away without raising too much suspicion)

Abigail does smoke and you meet her at the corner , your own pack in a chest pocket. “Good first rise!” She calls out. She is wearing her factory uniform, a dull navy blue with her name embroidered in red on the chest pocket. “Are we ready to do this?”

"Ready as I'll ever be. Do I look the part?"

“Looks good to me. We should talk about what we are going to do once we get inside and pass security. There’s a cargo elevator at the back of the factory floor. We walk slow. We walk directly for it and we don’t stop for anything. I’ve got a keycard that should open it up and we can take that below”

"All right. I'm not too worried about getting in. More getting what's inside out. Any ideas?"

I thought maybe we could wheel it out somehow and take one of the deliver trucks quietly. There’s a lot of risk but I can’t think of anything better”

"Sounds pretty risky. How closely are boxes watched after they are packed? Would it be possible to slip a few texts into a shipment?"

“The boxes are inspected but are sealed with tape once they’re approved. They don’t get reopened after that until they make their actual point of sale. I am not sure how closely the boxes are handled. I wouldn’t think a lot”

"Alright. We'll keep our options open. Let's get inside."

She nods and puts out her smoke, grinding the butt with her heel. Confidently she begins walking toward the metal double doors of the factory front , where some workers are beginning to queue up for security. Something like a row of metal detectors has been set up, and there are a few corporate security standing by, looking quite bored. One is saying good morning to a friend in line

16:09

(So it’s sort of relaxed. The people here all know each other you can tell. They’re all just trying to get through a work day)

I'll hang back and let a few employees through, then follow whatever seems to be standard procedure.

anyone with a bag has it searched through, though coming into the factory, the process seems fairly lax. There is a brief pat down, and everyone begins slowly moving forward. (they're not nearly as concerned with people going in, as they are coming out)

(Can I see people coming out? Are compads or dataslabs being checked on either side? I'm only bringing the legal slab just in case)

(They’re coming out but whatever measures they go through before leaving must be done inside from what you can tell now

"Have a good rise, guys" Aris says to the guards. He looks around to catch up with Abigail after security.

She is inside and you get a look at the security measures for those m leaving. Penetrating full body scans are regularly undertaken , everyone hit at least twice by the phaser like hand scanners. Compads are normally left in lockers outside security and there are no bags of any kind allowed past the metal detector like entry gates

03:06

Five guards with solid shot sidearms man this post and are more serious than the ones outside

Aris whispers to her, "Looks like we aren't leaving the way we came in. Let's scope out the floor a little. We'll meet up later for a 'smoke break '"

She nods. “See you in an hour in the smoking lounge, be careful”

I'd like to look for where spare packing supplies are kept.

Heading around the first floor, no one pays you much attention. After a half hour of circling, you see someone come out of a locked side closet with a small cart full of boxes and foil wraps

"Hey can you hold that for me?" I try to slip in as he is leaving.

Whoever is behind the stack of boxes , you don’t see their face and they must not see yours with all the parcels in the way They give the door an extra shove open to allow you in behind them, as they’re leaving

23:30

“Lock up when you’re done!”

Aris starts grabbing boxes and loading them up with packing material. He's keeping a special eye out for shipping labels.

There is a small shrink wrapped package of labels , enough to mark a few boxes with all the required stickers from what you’ve been able to notice so far. You can take as many boxes as you think you need. This far past security things seem a bit more relaxed

Locking the closet behind him, Aris makes his way to the meeting place. He keeps his head down and a busy look in his eyes on the way there.

Heading into the meeting place with your supplies in tow, Abigail is waiting. “Even manages to get some busywork for yourself did you? Taking your cover to heart”

"Just getting presents to send to some friends. Let's go, I'm antsy to see what's down there "

She nods, and affixes a sticker to your fabricated badge.

03:10

“This will show any security at a glance it’s okay for you to be down there. Let’s be off” You follow her down a complicated series of hallways, switchbacks, and stairs down to the storage levels where this unearthed source of lore was found. Two workers stand obliviously nearby

Aris grunts non-commitedly towards the others.

"Almost lunch time guys. Why don't you take a load off?"

“Oh yeah? Anything good being served up there?” The larger of the two men asks. They slightly step away from your path

"Eh, if you like mushroom loaf." Aris lifts his boxes slightly. "Gotta drop this stuff off. I'll see you guys in the mess."

“Fucking mushroom loaf” one spits. They begin heading back upstairs, leaving a faint impression of a smoky smell behind them. Clearly indulging. A bit without wanting to go through security again

Aris motions to Abigail. "Alright, let's see it already"

She pulls aside a fallen piece of sheet metal and presses something in her palm to the small pad that is underneath. The wall shivers for a second, a small stream of dust shakes loose from the ceiling

21:16

A door clicks and opens, and a soft golden light spills out into the hallway. You both head inside quickly and she shuts the door behind you. Small lights come on to reveal dozens of bookshelves worth of materials, actual bound volumes mixed in with data slates

"It's been years since I've been in an archive like this. Alright, no time to waste. You start packing the data slates, I'll look through the tomes and see if there are any we can afford to leave behind."

(we can do a know, or notice, with wis or int, you can decide what combo)

(12 know/int)

Aris finds a small section related to first wave settlement studies of the moons and other stellar events noted in the wider sector. Flipping through, you see the material is too dense to easily digest now but some devoted time later might make the material mean something

Aris holds his discovery tenderly before turning back to Abigail. "Alright, here's my plan. We make a quick stop by quality control and grab some reject chocolate to put at the top of these boxes. That way, if anyone thinks to crack them open it will look like a real shipment, at least on the surface. We address the packages to a few of my friends in Greystar to spread them out. I can trust them, and if we get caught they might not find every box. Then, right before the last truck leaves, I'll rush over and 'trip'. I'll pull the new guy act and hopefully someone will take pity on me and help me load them up quickly. What do you think?"

“I think that’s a great idea. If this goes sour, like they move the chocolate or something. You’re going to need a getaway plan. And a good one. You might have to kill. Or at least injure , if it comes to that. Do you think you can handle it?”

Aris sighs deeply "I don't intend to let things go that far. I don't want to hurt people who are just doing their jobs. If I get caught, I will take responsibility for my actions." He thrusts the book he found towards Abigail "If that happens, I need you to get this to Greystar. I'm not exaggerating when I say it could impact the fate of all of Acastus."

“I understand. Alright. Let’s get this done then. There’s a reject chocolate room by the quality control area just like you thought, and it just so happens I’ve got a keycard for that room. “ She grins wickedly as the both of you begin piling anything that looks like it can be carted out into the boxes. It is a heart pounding fifteen minutes, as you both listen for signs of people in the hallway or outside

"Alright, let's meet by the trash chute in an hour to finish these off."

She nods and heads out into the hallway to take a look around. “It looks like we are alone. Nobody should spot us if we are quick about wheeling this into the hallway. After that it’s just acting”

"No problem. I've worked in places like this before." Aris tries to sound confident, but there are unmistakable beads of sweat on his brow. He's heard what happens to people caught for corporate espionage in less savory sectors. "I'll take the keycard and do a trash run. See you in a bit."

She hands it back “I’ll meet you there. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do” she smiles, and vanishes into the corridor outside. It still sounds quiet after her passage

Aris waits another minute before leaving the archive. On the main factory floor, he does a casual loop of the various work stations, offering to take worker's trash and picking up stray cardboard and detritus along the way before eventually reaching quality control.

(So you’ve got everything packaged up down below and it’s not with you?)

(Oh, I thought she had taken it. Can I load it on a cart and hide it with the trash?)

)yeah you can, it was unclear but she can have taken it. Not like your actual characters would have mixed it up )

(Let's say we both took some, in case one of us got caught. I'll grab the chocolate and we'll meet by the trash to parcel them out)

(Let’s get a perform/cha or talk/cha. You’re a new person talking to a lot of people, to see if it’s unnoticed)

(3, and I used my expert reroll for the scene)

You’re making your way around the hallways asking for trash when a security guard near your meeting point with Abigail begins taking an interest in you. You can see him talking into a shoulder mounted radio and keeping his eye on you but so far he has not approached

Aris keeps moving, trying to detour for a few minutes before circling back around to see if the guard is still alert.

(I think the fairest way to do it would be a sneak/dex vs his notice to see if you lose the tail or not, rather than just be instantly caught or something )

21:17

(The previous check didn’t go well so there’s some added danger but you haven’t done anything outrageous

(5)

(7 vs 6 , Abigail is coming to help)

There is a loud bump a hallway over and you see a pallet of junk upended in the hallway , blocking the security officer from catching up to you

02:41

Abigail herself is pretending to apologize

Aris takes advantage of the distraction by ducking into a side room and quickly repackaging his materials. (Its not clear to me if I got the chocolate yet or if this happened on the way there. If not I'm going to head to quality control to do this)

(It happened on your way to quality control )

(Cool. Heading straight there, if I can.)

Reaching quality control, you see Abigail has not made it yet, but the room seems otherwise empty. There are boxes of smashed product and damaged packaging near the door and against the back wall of the room

Aris positions himself so that he won't be seen by any passers-by. He starts digging through the discarded products, trying to find ones that would pass a casual inspection. Some of them he rewraps in mostly intact wrappers and others are made up of multiple broken bars of chocolate mashed together. All the while, Aris keeps his eyes and ears on the entrance, hoping to get the drop on anyone that might be coming after him.

You look out into the hall and no one comes to disturb your work. Abigail has not made it to you either, but she could still be dealing with security, or was forced away after coming to your aid. You’ve done a passable job of concealing your actual cargo, and if none of it gets out, this will all have been for nothing

Aris breaks off one more piece of chocolate and slips it into his pocket. He takes a wadded up wrapper and packs it into the doorframe to prevent the deadbolt from locking. He takes one last look around for his ally before making his way towards shipping. She's clever. I'm sure she can get through this

You don’t see Abigail until you’re about to turn the corner to shipping. She comes up behind you, cart a couple boxes short of what it was, but still with most of her load. “It took some doing to avoid security and talk my way out of that. They’re definitely on alert”

"That's ok. We're almost done. I walk in, trip and explain how important it is that these get loaded. Who's a real hardass supervisor? I'll tell them they sent me."

“Kendra. Everyone fucking hates Kendra. They’ll take pity on you if you told them she made you do it. Nobody wants to be on the other end of her screeching”

"Perfect. Alright, wish me luck." Aris begins pushing his cart forward at full speed. As he approaches the loading area he pulls the small piece of chocolate and drops it at his feet. As he steps down on it, he allows himself to trip, pulling the cart down with him.

You fall in front of the loading crew and the noise is tremendous in the cavernous trucking dock. Several trucks are backed up, doors open, waiting for cargo to be loaded

Aris waits for a minute to see if anyone comes over to investigate. He stands and brushes himself off quickly before trying to reorganize everything he dropped. He desperately tries to read the labels on the trucks and boxes in order to figure out where they are supposed to go.

Several porters head over to see the source of the noise. One offers a hand to help pull you to your feet. (Refresh my memory but I believe you and Abby had a certain store worked out where you knew they could be intercepted. I forgot the name of it since it’s been a while but you’d see the truck back here)

(The plan was to send them to other greystar Pcs. Probably a mix of home and business adresses.)

You see distribution trucks here with notes on the doors listing their routes. There’s a good mix and it looks like the whole city is covered

(I'll just start loading up if no one is going to stop me.)

You pull yourself up and since you’re not hurt the other porters go about their business. The factory is huge and new faces are something they’re used to seeing. You’re nearly loaded up when Abigail rushes into the loading dock, her handful of goods not with her. “We need to go!” She shouts. She walks briskly toward you so as to not draw any unnecessary attention

Aris tucks the last few packages onto the current truck. "That time already? These shifts aren't so bad then, Aris says at conversational volume. Leaning in, he whispers, "What's going on? What should I expect?"

“Security. They caught on. I had to dump the cart. They started tailing me when I moved to help distract that guard from you. Scanned by badge and noted I was out of my section

00:06

She begins heading for the cab and firing up the heavy engine. Back doors still open, and you on the platform loading the last box, security bursts in, weapons drawn

"Whoa! Don't shoot. It's my first day, I have no idea what's going on here." Aris leans against his cargo, keeping it inside with his weight and trying to make himself a smaller target in case the guards don't believe his panicked lie.

They seem to for the moment, not looking at you but at the truck of the cab

(Can I get to the cab from inside? Is this like a Ups truck or an 18 wheeler?)

(It’s a UPS styled truck so yeah you could get up front through the back)

Aris puts his hands up and calls out to the security forces. "Listen. She says that she has a gun trained on me and a detonator somewhere inside the building. If you let her take this truck no one has to get hurt." Hoping to prey on the planet's fears he adds, "Please do what she says. I, I think she's a cultist!"

They lower their weapons but the grips are still firm on them. They make no further move to approach and seem to be thinking about what to do

"I'm shutting the door. Do not pursue." Aris closes the back and heads to the front. "Can you get us out of here? They seem to believe I'm your hostage, but I don't know how long they will care."

She doesn’t answer you, or if she does it’s lost over the roar of the heavy engine. Thick tires crunch over gravel as the truck barrels away from the garage and through the wooden slat gate at the front of the complex. You’re lost amid the traffic of city streets before the police arrive to begin making reports, liberated information inside

00:22

(6xp, 10,000 credits)

(Woot! That was fun. That should put me to level 4)

01:18

Aris lets out a big sigh. "Well, you're probably wanted as a terrorist now. Sorry about that. On the other hand, Greystar is always looking for people. We could use someone of your talents. Plenty of opportunities to get offworld." He lets his words hang. His hands tap nervously on the armrest.

“I don’t think I have much choice now. I think it’s what I secretly wanted though. I can’t stay here.” The truck rattles along down more winding suburb streets , looking for the road south to Grey City as it’s now being called “So we have friends of yours to get this stuff off to?”

"Yeah. At least the chocolates. I know people that have been out on the front lines. It's not much but I thought it might boost morale. "

“It would. Their chocolate is top notch even if their security is heavy handed. We aren’t out of the woods yet. We should get off world. As soon as we can. Even in Grey City, they migjt come looking.

"Agreed. I gave a fake ID when I was hired, but they might still get lucky. My plan was to head North, try and make some connections with NMC and maybe poke around some Slyth ruins on Al-Yaldi. You're welcome to tag along, or I can get you a meeting with the director to find work for you."

“That was enough excitement for me, I don’t know if I’ll be back in the field anytime soon, but I can’t stay here. Id take that meeting if you can arrange it”

"Will do. Let's try to make our way to the docks. We can catch a shuttle up to the star-hab and get out of system from there. We might want to grab a less conspicuous vehicle if we can."

“We don’t need the whole truck to get our supplies off world. We can find something” (you’re not an outlaw either. Greystar would give you immunity since the recovered information will advance their projects, all you’ve gotta do is ask for help)

(Fair enough. I was just trying to avoid a diplomatic incident between Greystar and one of Acastus's bigger production centers.) Aris spends a few minutes typing out a message to Greystar HQ explaining the situation, as well mentioning the potential for Abigail as a new Greystar recruit.

A corvette with enough cargo space to load your captured vehicle is dispatched to meet you, the landing zone close to the house of the movement of the spheres, the first slyth temple discovered on this world

Bring coffee. It's been a long day. Aris pulls up a map to the Slyth temple and shows it to Abigail. "Here's the meeting spot. Get us there and we are home free." (edited)

If anything is pursuing, going toe to toe with a frigate is something the elect not to do, and the large ship sets down, ramp already lowering as it parks in the clearing. There currently isn’t a science team here at the temple but you can see the outside has been cleared of most of the offending vines and some security measures have been installed to ensure the sight remains kept for Greystar.

21:27

The crew chief waves the truck aboard while a group of security troopers in the bay and hanging out from air locks in harnesses keep watch

The truck rolls into the open cargo bay, and after a moment for everyone to get back in, it takes off to the safety of space

(Sorry, been swamped at work lately. I'm cool to wrap up here and move on. Plan is to reach out to NMC. Start by heading to Espinoza since it is close and unexplored and far from the shapers.)

(9 days in spike space between the first jump and the actual route there)

17:44

(Not sure how you wanna spend your downtime)

(6 days to bring my Slyth to 30. Do I need to spend time going over the material from the factory? Aris would probably bring something pertaining to the celestial bodies around Acastus)

(Basically that’s going to net a big amount of research points. We will discuss how to apply them at the next council meeting)

(Cool. I'll do 3/90 towards exert, working out then)

Studying slyth and working out helps pass the journey time. A few of the naval Armsmen on board seem to enjoy working as your impromptu personal trainers and by time the ship reaches orbit over Espinoza you have the beginnings of a comfortable Weight routine down The planet itself looks abandoned but not harvested by shapers. The ocean world below is tropical and pleasant looking from space , and there is no sign of habitation from the NMC outpost that occupies the largest reef continent

"Strange, I wouldn't have thought they would evacuate this far from the front. Bridge, see if you can get any sort of response from that outpost. Maybe they left an automated response or a skeleton crew."

Several attempts are made to raise the bastion on the surface, through conventional comms, radio signals, an finally a tighbeam link from close orbit. Nothing seems to be coming back from the base

"Hmm. I guess we won't be finding anything out from up here. Let's head to the surface, see if we can get inside."

A cargo lighter is prepared for you as the ship maintains orbit and a watch on local space. “This whole planet looks beautiful. I can’t wait to get the smell of the sea in my nose again” one of the crew, a Merlon, says

Aris chuckles, "Me neither, but stay alert. We don't know who or what might be down there. After we've scouted it out we can think about R&R." Aris packs his things, preparing for the worst. He puts on his Combat field uniform, rarely used and still sporting the bullet hole from the shipyard heist. He makes sure that his defense drone is fueled, charged and loaded, then slips it into his pack. His black slab and line shunts are in his pockets for quick access and his survey scanner in a side pouch on his bag. The whole process takes longer than it should and when Aris finally joins the rest of the landing party, he is met with some irritation.

The entire ship plans to land near the outpost while a small exploration team disembarks aboard an ATV transport, to make the rest of the overland journey. It will be cramped but everyone will have enough room for their gear. “It’s going to be early morning on the planet. Sun just coming up. We might have the last of the nocturnal predators out if there are any on land. Let’s stay sharp everyone”

"What do you suppose they were looking for? This is pretty far from the shapers and even if it wasn't, there don't seem to be any defenses. I wonder what they were looking for?"

“Maybe nothing. Maybe a colony here if things didn’t go so bad for them with the war. That’s how the scans look. Lots of redundant parts”

"We should tread carefully then. Focus on surveying the area and discovering any major issues that could have caused them to abandon the site. Try not to disturb the wildlife either, unless strictly necessary. Who knows what we might be able to find out by studying them."

The party begins to board for their planetside run. The planet below looks peaceful and as you hit the atmosphere you see beautiful waves of glittering sea foam green. The islands are verdant and healthy, and even the NMC outpost has been fashioned in such a way as to keep the existing coral healthy and as undisturbed as possible.

14:24

The building is a hexagonal shape with no defensive all around it, the only additional external construction are outside lights on sunken metal pilings, illuminating the large doors

Aris looks around at his escort team for a few moments before realizing that he should give them directions. "Most of you go and secure a perimeter of the building. I'll take a few with me to knock on the front door."

The group sorts out who is going where and along with three bodyguards, the building door looms ahead. The lights gently flicker as bugs hit them or power is interrupted for a split second here and there

04:30

The scene is eerily peaceful

Aris takes his drone out of the pack and preps it for launch before searching for an intercom or access panel for the door in front of him.

There is a small call box with a keypad next to it. The extension list has been rubbed off by the salt winds and all that is left is lined of tattered blue paint where the writing once was

00:53

The pad itself looks okay

00:53

(Standard 10 digit pad with the pound and asterisk keys as well)

(I'd like to use my black slab to create an auto-dialer to try and reach a working line.)

(Program/int)

(11)

The slab connects and the operator is found. The response of flat and possibly autonomous. “Research post operations.”

"Hello, this is agent Aris Cassiodorus of the Greystar Confederation. I am here on a scouting mission of neighboring worlds. We made repeated attempts to hail you and could not reach you."

There is another dialing sound. “Current facility occupancy is....zero” the cheerful female voice says in reply

12:30

“The labor shortfall will be reported to management”

"What was the most recent entry date for this facility?"

The date that comes back is four months and five days ago, shortly after the shaper incursion became severe

"What is the purpose of this facility?"

The facility was used to study the weather and serve as a forward outpost for what the new moon cooperative was hoping would be a wave of settlers

03:06

The settlers never arrived due to shaper incursions

"How can I get in touch with the head of this facility? Can I have access to this facility?"

"The head of the facility is......DECEASED" the voice chirps, after a moment. The doors click, and begin to hiss as they open. "There is no one alive to deny permission to entry. Please proceed travelers"

Aris turns to the assembled security team. "Alright, the system reports no people in the facility. Stay on your toes though. There could still be wildlife or automated defenses. Something feels wrong about this whole situation." (I'm going to scout ahead inside with the drone)

13:37

(Youre at the southern door, the drone heading inside) The main room is a covered along the sides but open to the air in the middle (over the fountain thing) in the style of an Earth south American Villa. A series of pens on the left side of the room are now empty, but have the detritus from animals still inside them. On the right, a series of closed doors are marked as dorms

Aris moves to the central room and signal the security team to do the same. Once in position, he will try to open one of the dorm doors.

The door is unlocked, and swings open to show the blankets and other bedroom accompaniments have been removed. The mattress is left, a bit dusty and sour smelling from being left unattended. A small storage chest blinks a single red LED, showing it is locked.

Aris heads inside to check for anything the previous tenant may have left behind.

Aside from the chest, there is a foul weather cloak and hat hanging on a peg, and a small drawer in the bedside table that is closed, but does not have a lock on it

Aris will open the drawer and look at the tags on the remaining clothes. He is hoping to find something identifiable to an individual, someone in the NMC that he can contact.

“Barrata” is sewn into the clothing, and is also on the inside of the hat

"Let's leave that chest for now. Hopefully we can find some of these people and help them recover what they left behind." (Leaving the dorm area, moving further north)

Original message was deleted or could not be loaded.

Pinned a message.

14:57

the room to the north does not have a dividing wall separating it from the dorms. It is tiled and looks to be the mess hall for this small facility. Non-perishable foods in cans and tins are still on the shelves neatly. There is a bit of disarray near the sink, the former occupants not taking the time to fully clean up after themselves during the evacuation order

14:57

A tiny drone makes a whirring sound as it vacuums dust from the floor

Aris looks over the supplies, trying to get a sense of how many were stationed here and how long they would have gone without a regular shipment of supplies. He picks up a can to look for identifying information on where it was packaged.

The dates are within the last six months, around the time the NMC made the decision to abandon the planet in the wake of the shaper advance

02:50

(They don’t have the strength to maintain a colony this far out anymore. They lost hundreds of millions)

Aris keeps moving looking around for any wiring or power conduits that might lead to a data terminal. (Moving further north, then left at the top)

The wires lead up the eastern staircase into a room in the far northeast that does have a data terminal. Power is working in this room too and it was hastily set up on top of an empty shipping crate

Aris pulls up the system to search for two things: A record of the original facility staff, and an indication of the evacuation location.

The names , ranks and departure dates are easy to find. The original members have retreated to the new moon cooperative capital of jagrati, far in the northeast. Space between is vast, wild , and now could contain any danger. (There’s not much fueling opportunity with the basic collapse of the new moon cooperative and their planet is several jumps away)

Aris meets back up with the rest of the security crew and addresses them. "I don't think there is much else for us to do here. It looks like it was a standard evacuation, and as long as the NMC is alive, I don't believe we have any right to this facility. I found evidence of the evac ship taking the settlers to Jagarti. Considering we didn't come expecting a full blown rescue mission, I think our best course of action is to contact Acastus HQ and let them know. Meanwhile, we continue our scouting of nearby systems on route to Al-Yaldai."

The discovery here is logged, and an inquiry will be made to the NMC. Copies of the research information here have been made, making the trip worth something. News of the second scream, and the defeat of the shapers begins trickling in as the ship escapes planetary atmosphere and makes its way back into deep space

20:47

(6xp, 10,000 credits)

Aris spends some time looking through the various news reports. With the threat of the shapers gone, he feels that he and the crew can afford some time relaxing on the beach world.

17:16

(I'm way behind on everyone's threads. Gonna try to catch up before I move on)

(no rush! everyones doing their own speed, me included!)

Aris finishes reading the most recent Greystar intelligence reports. The discoveries made by his allies light a fire under him to continue his own expedition. After the crew has had there time to rest and celebrate the shapers defeat he instructs them to chart a course to the next planet. (I'm planning on going Koffa->Hrefna->Al-Yaldai. Not planning to land on Koffa due to the megafauna)

(alright, I'll make a scouting report for Hrefna)

Hrefna is a dead world, cleansed by shapers and abandoned after all the biomass had been expended. Endless fields of the red trees are now blackening and withering beneath a azure blue sun. The skeletons of large ocean beasts and larger land based creatures bleach underneath its uncaring rays.

22:10

There is evidence a micro moon existed here once, based on where the ship scanners find the flood plains, but it is now missing, likely turned into one of the shaper battle moons before they were defeated

"I've never seen the devastation up close before. This is awful, just awful. Are there any signs of inorganic structures left standing?"

"If there's anything, its buried beneath the sand. We might be able to get some kind of sensor probe into the ground to do something more up close, but we.....we would have to land..."

"I'll land. There shouldn't be any threat of hostiles. I'll take a minimal crew, purely volunteer. Treat everything on the surface as a potential contaminant."

Two of the crewmen volunteer to accompany you, and the ship passes through thick clouds to cruise in the atmosphere over the relatively now featureless landscape. The devastation is even more clear upon this closer look. The crew is silent, what is there to say when you are looking at the gravesite of millions

After several long minutes of heavy silence, Aris clears his throat. "Umm, I've never been a particularly religious person, but I would like to say a prayer for those lost. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine. Et lux perpetua luceat eis. Fidelium animae, per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace. " Aris bows his head and prays, thinking of all the needless loss of life. He struggles to accept that this is something that cannot be explained with logic, but a tragedy that must be accepted and learned from. Still, in the back of his mind is the urge that he can do something, something to protect and preserve life everywhere, if only he could just find it.

The ship comes down, parting the sandy soil. A grove of the wilting and dying red trees is a kilometer to the north. The wind is gentle, and blows the airborn particulate in a miniature sand swirl. The crew is working to get atmofilters on, and their weapons are ready. "Alright boss, what do we want to investigate"" (edited)

"Let's get probes down to check for evidence of man-made structures. I'd also like photos and samples from any plant or animal remains you come across. I want to get a sense of what sort of ecosystem might have been here."

A handful of crates are pulled from their webbing, and the probes are handed out, each of them a telescoping pole 10 feet in length, meant to grab soil samples just below the topsoil, more than enough to see any kind of recent activity

Aris walks towards a coastline using the large skeletons as landmarks. He deploys a probe roughly where he imagines a port town might have been built.

The probe finds a tiled roof buried 8 feet below a layer of sand. It seems to have cracked the tile and part of the roof underneath, sand slowly flows inward , revealing more of the two floor home below

Aris mutters to himself, "Dammit. I was hoping this wasn't settled." He starts to move in a grid pattern with the probes in order to gauge the size of the settlement.

The settlement is the size of a small town with a dock, town hall, granary, workshop , marketplace, and housing for about 50 families

(Would I be able to get inside any of the buildings or do i need specialized equipment?)

(You can get inside. A line and rappelling gear would be in the ships locker , along with a vac suit if you’re not sure about contamination. )

(Wearing the vac suit. I'll start in the workshop) Aris waves over one of his crew for assistance setting up the line. "I'm heading down there to see what I can find. Stay sharp, I'll radio you if I run into trouble. "

A hole is cut into the uncovered roof, and several of the other landing team are working hard to ensure sand does not continue to fill in the hole you are making, deploying instapanels to try to shore up the hole walls. The anchor is set into the roof, and you are lowered in to the squat building. Lights on the sides of the helmet click on, casting two piercing yellow beams into the space

15:49

The room you lower into is the largest, and looks to have been the main work area. Ten work benches in two rows of five, are laid out equally distant from one another, most still have a scattering of tools on their work top, evidence of being abandoned rapidly, rather than planned for

Aris looks around for a light switch to determine if the facility still has power.

There is a large breaker panel on the wall, and it looks to be inoperable, after a few test throws of circuits inside do not have any lights coming on or any tools coming to life

Giving up on the breakers after a minute or so, Aris shines his lamp around the work tables for anything useful or interesting.

Life here looks like life does on any other tech level 4 world. A laser lock musket lies half assembled on the table , it’s component parts covered in a thin layer of sand and dust

Aris takes a few pictures of the partial musket. He searches for anything that could be used to store blueprints or diagrams.

There is a small storage deck on each of the workbenches here (think like an SD card reader) Most of them are fouled with sand, but two of them looks serviceable

Aris takes the two working devices and secures them on his person. He takes a final look around the room before giving a few tugs on his line, signaling the crew to help him up.

The rope begins to wind up and you’re brought back to the top of the dune where two other crew in protective suits finish pulling you out of the buried workshop. “Anything down there?” One asks, voice muffled by the protective baffles

Aris gestures to one of the drives. "Probably not. Looked like pretty typical daily work down there. There was a gun being worked on, but that's not surprising given they were in a warzone. Those monsters moved fast, though. I don't think anyone here had a chance to evacuate like they did on Espinoza. It's like everything living here just vanished in the blink of an eye."

"The continental drag nets" one of them says in a low voice. I saw the recordings once. I had nightmares for months. They probably dragged one across the surface here and all the organic life got swept up in it, and into their cargo holds

"That's horrifying! Do you think anything could survive something like that if they were sheltered deep below ground?" Aris says loud, more to help him think than looking for an answer. "If they could, there might be shelter in the town hall area. Let's check there next."

"THey might, I'm not sure about the mechanics of how those sorts of things go. We could try to look for survivors though. Anyone we might find is going to be in a bad way"

"I know chances are slim to none. I just don't want to believe things are as bad as they look."

"I can understand that. Alright well we were able to get a pretty good ground penetrating scan earlier when we first set down. You were a master at that by the way. I think if we..." he points to a green flag set up over where the town center was- it seems other surveyors kept themselves busy while you were in the workshop- "If we make another hole like we did, around there, and rope a few people in, we can see if we get lucky, or at least get some information"

"Sounds like a reasonable plan. If there's nothing down there, then I think I'll be ready to leave. It's getting depressing to stay here longer than necessary."

It takes two hours to clear the sand around the flag to a square where you can make a hole into the building. Axes and crowbars begin pulling shingles and panels off exposing a blacked out common room below

"Good work everyone. Let's drop down and take a look around. If they had any plans for making it through this alive, this is going to be the best place to find them."

Repelling into the upper floor of the public meeting hall, the suit lights come on. You've roped in to the remains of an office here, likely the mayor himself. Books, broken furniture , and discarded trinkets litter the floor. A broken doorframe leads out to a hallway where a stairwell goes further downstairs, deeper into the buried structure

"Mayor's office might have a panic room built in somewhere. Help me look around, see if there is a switch hidden somewhere." Aris does exactly that, scanning the room for objects that haven't been displaced and checking them for secrets.

(notice/wis)

(9)

There is a thin strip of wood under the desk that protrudes slightly, when pressed, something shifts downstairs

"I think I found something. Let's head downstairs. Be ready for anything."

The building shakes as you head down the stairs, trickles of sand coming through the open ceiling light now. A hatch behind the staircase has opened, and you hear the sounds of shifting or movement down below, though there isnt enough illumination coming in from above to see what might be down there.

Aris approaches the edge of the trapdoor and readies his drone to scout out the area, feeling anxiety at not knowing if what is below is friend or foe, human, beast or machine.

The drone drops into the hole, and dozens of human hands, all filthy, reach out of the darkness to try to grasp onto it

Aris jumps back from the hole in surprise and quickly jerks the drone up out of reach. "This is Agent Aris Cassiodorus of the Greystar Confederation. We are here to help."

The words seem lost on the frenzy of people below who are seeing light for the first time in at least two months. The smell of dozens of unwashed bodies is getting in slightly despite your suit and it’s filtering technology

Aris continues to back away and stay clear of the oncoming press of bodies. He motions to his security crew to help where they can and to keep the survivors safe and moving. Once out of the way, he radios back to the ship to inform them of the situation.

15:24

 Attention, we have found survivors inside a bunker beneath the planet surface. Please prepare to render whatever assistance we are able. Recommended course of action is to contact HQ and request a shuttle to transport them to safe Greystar space until other arrangements can be made. These folks are going to be hungry. Be prepared to stretch rations until a relief transport arrives.

(I think almost all the ships are out right now, the Bastion could take some over a couple trips, and on the drive here bring food for the half that doesnt get to come right now)

(Fine by me. Aris would be using the time to hear from the survivors, get them healthy and comfortable. Probably going to ask around to see if anyone has any personal belongings that could be recovered from the ruins.)

THere are a handful of people from town, the rest fled from other areas and ended up here, getting into the shelter just in time.

03:33

of those who live here, none of them have anytihng they want to risk doing into their buried homes for

Aris asks around about everyone's friends and relatives, anyone they want to get a message out to. He does his best to explain that the shaper war, though not without significant losses for the NMC. Anyone without a place to go is welcomed into Greystar space, but every effort will be made to help them get to their own polity should they wish.

The Bastion makes its way into local space and its cargo lighters begin depositing rations,a nd taking the most critical of the first half of refugees into space. With the NMC so diminished, and their relatives likely dead, they elect to return to Greystar space.

15:32

(3xp, 5000 credits. and we'll have 4 days of downtime between the waiting for the Bastion to come back, and the actual getting to Greystar space itself)

(Could I start making Frontier Medicine? I see it listed as a downtime activity and the stats in the rules sheet, but I can't find the required heal level or time. I'd like to make Medpacks or Healing Powder if possible.)

(The first number is the number is the roll needed to make it, the second number is the roll needed to apply it. Since these aren't advanced stimulants there's no minimum level needed to create it or give it to someone, but obviously the better your level the easier it is to hit some of the difficulties)

(Cool. How many attempts do I get per day? Is the cost listed to purchase or to craft?)

(Cost is to make, it all has to be made now since the last of the TL4 stocks are exhausted. Its easier for you to give me a list of what you want to try to make rather than force a blanket answer over it all)

16:03

(but this is something we took from another system, we might streamline it further,t hese are good questions)

(Sure, makes sense) After spending some time tending to the survivors, Aris realizes that it would be useful to have medical supplies on hand for any situations that arise in the future. Digging through some of his textbooks, he finds a recipe for a basic healing powder, and tries his hand at replicating it.

(we added some new info, 250 credits worth in a day, if you have a TL 4 workshop up to 500 credits worth a day)

19:59

(however you mix and match them is up to you(

19:59

(but the checks for each new type of drug would need to be rolled on their own)

(12 on a check for healing powder. 250 credits for 10 doses. I'll spend the remaining 3 days exercising to put my exert at 6/90)

Arriving back in Acastus with a hold full of Refugees, and medical supplies made, you're welcomed home warmly.

15:01

Medical and social work personnel swarm the deck, trying to get everyone seen, attended to, fed, and moved off for processing so they can be housed and further cared for.

Aris heads into town to prepare for the expedition to Al-Yaldai. (Looking to purchase 5 glowbugs, a Navcomp, survival kit, a type A power cell and a metatool. 795 credits for that. Would also look for cold whether gear, since it is an ice world.)

(sure, 20 credits for the gear, pretty much just a big coat and whatnot, everything else is also available )

Aris offers his crew the chance to be reassigned or reequipped, knowing that the previous world was a traumatic sight to behold. He takes some time to go over his old notes from the Acastus slyth temple for any details that may help him find the site referenced. Once preparations are complete, he settles in for the journey to Al-Yaldai.

The New Moon Cooperative had been extensively documenting the site before they were forced to retreat, and their facility should still be there- shortening the time you need to spend finding it significantly. (7 days total in spike space)

15:06

(stopping at Shaila, and Koffa along the way if anything sounds like you'd want to stop)

(No need to stop. 13/90 on exert as Aris continues his exercise regimen.)

The arctic planet below has been spared the ravages of the shaper advance, but likely because it is too cold for much to flourish there. The NMc outpost there has been abandoned similar to the one on Espinoza, and is located a few hundred kilometers from the Slyth Temple of Light. The lights there still occur every cycle, repeating the same gesturing slyth , though now it is known what the lights connect to. There are statues and other obelisks on site that have been documented but not truly studied.

"Try to set us down near the temple. I'll check in with the higher ups to see if we should investigate the outpost. Seems like tensions are high and we don't need to be creating a diplomatic incident."

They nod, while you get on the horn with Greystar command.

04:16

and the ship sets down right outside the domed research post, where even with the power on standby, it is probably at least warm

"Alright everyone. I've got the word back from up top. Technology and research is fair game, cultural artifacts are to be returned to their owners. If find something and you are unsure, bring it to me and I'll make the final call. We'll sweep the base first and then move underground."

The small diplomatic post here hums to life as the doors are opened and the reactor is woken from standby mode. Actual heat should begin circulating within the hour. A colonial two story home, a long barn, a storage building, and something built more like a boarding house for NMC soldiers who would have been attached to this post are all now sitting empty and abandoned

Aris makes his way towards the colonial house. Probably housed whoever was in charge. If there is going to be cultural artifacts or hidden research, that seems like the place to start.

the white trimmed door gently opens, and there is a small bell that rings pleasantly. The main foyer is a dark wood, with a large staircase to the left, heading to the second floor. A back parlor, kitchen, and what looks to be an office occupies the ground floor

Aris moves into the office, keeping an eye out for any records or working databanks.

There is an intact computer sitting on the table in the office. Power is working normally now that visitors have arrived, and the heat in the home kicks on pleasantly, masked as virtual fire in the fireplaces

Hmm, cute space. Might set up my own study like this if I ever settle down. Aris moves to the computer and settles in to sift through any documents he can access.

(program/int)

(7, 8 with black slab.)

(black slab is fine) Aris manages to secure access to the database for half an hour, and can ask questions of it, aside from the msot secure data

Aris queries for a list of all projects undertaken by this facility

The workers and scientists here were studying the slyth ruins nearby, especially the lightshows. The results of their work were completed by other adventuring and scientific groups- in the light show recorded on the news a few months passed. The systems lit by the beams have since been surveyed and their contents plundered

Yeah, I know. Should have gotten here earlier

14:26

Aris looks for any mapping done on the Slyth ruins

there are maps of the ziggurat surface, and exterior, but it does not appear anyone has ever gone inside, fearing automated security

Hmm. Must be something good in there with that level of security.

15:08

Aris searches for any reports of dangerous incidents, such as wildlife or hazardous weather.

As an ice world, there are always the chances for blizzards, avalanches in the higher regions, and frostbite. Wildlife has not been well documented here, and it is unknown if it is dangerous or not. (this world was on the fringe of NMC land, they didn't get much time to survey before the shapers forced them to withdraw)

Satisfied, Aris makes one final query for a list of facility staff, intending to forward it to NMC command so that they can take census of their people. Once the connection drops he moves to the parlor.

(it would be several days for the message to make it home, so we wont have a reply to it now, but if theres and issues they'll inform you when enough time passes)

The parlor is quiet, the furnishings are still here, though the fireplace is shuttered and silent now. A few small trinkets have been left behind, such as NMC icons, a few challenge coins, and some fictional novels that the commander or his men must have been reading to pass the time. They may be valuable, as paper media is uncommon

Aris takes one of the coins and skims over the novels. These should get sent back home. I should get these books scanned so that we have them digitally. It would do us good to have more cross-cultural media exchange. Some of these might look good in a museum, too, if their owners don't want them.

some of the exploration team come over and begin boxing things up for transit back to Greystar space, so you now also have copies of the materials here. The soldiers outside finish sweeping the grounds and everything is normal. The automated exterior security is also turned back on

"Excellent work. I'm going to check the kitchen, see if I can get some coffee and cocoa to help you all fight off the cold."

The perishable goods have been taken but there are tins of freeze dried coffee, and cocoa beans, meant to withstand the cold when the life support inside the weather dome here is turned off. It smells a bit stale but otherwise looks fine.

17:07

There are some heavily ornamental mugs left behind as well, it seems the "Worlds Best Boss" novelty mug has not lost its charm even 600 years from its inception

Aris sets about heating some water and laying out mugs for himself and the crew. He grabs a mug of instant cocoa and makes his way upstairs to finish sweeping the facility.

The bedrooms upstairs have been cleared out , the belongings here personal for everyone and not NMC issued stocks. The furnishings have been left behind, and it looks as though you have wandered into some kind of hotel or road house rather than a distant scientific outpost

Must have been a nice assignment once upon a time. Cozy bunks, watching alien light shows. Not too bad if you can stand the cold. I can see why no one wanted to risk their lives in the ruins. Speaking of which...

01:38

Aris gathers a handful of volunteers to go with him to explore the Slyth ruins, warning them that the previous team expected automated defenses. Once equipped he will move out as soon as weather allows.

The lighter is capable of bringing you out to the ruin area. The light show has continued though the purpose for it has been explored and made use of by others now. The pyramid is a large stepped building several stories tall, with a flat roof. The wind has kept snow from piling up on top of it though there is a few meters there. A dozen out buildings scattered around the pyramid are far smaller, rectangular blocks with simple doors and empty windows

(Are there any entrances to the pyramid itself?)

(not from the surface, but the outbuildings all have doors and windows to get in)

20:58

(if there;s anything on the surface its been buried in snow)

Aris suggests that his team splits up, one group trying to uncover an entrance to the main pyramid while the other group explores the outbuildings. Aris himself will go to the nearest external structure.

The building you enter looks like some sort of storage room, and canoptic jars that are sealed are placed in alcoves carved into the walls. There are murals on the wall above each, well preserved thanks to the cold. There is little information about Slyth myth so far, and it is unclear if a myth is represented here, or if these are scenes from the lives of the beings laid to rest here

Interesting. On Acastus they were entombed, here preserved in urns. Was it a difference in status perhaps?

18:59

Aris takes a closer look. At the murals to try to determine what they represent. (I do know slyth if there is any writing)

(there would be i guess you'd call it their version of family names above them, but without the cultural knowledge to go with it, its hard to tell if theres more significance than that)

19:03

The urns here are fare more ornate than what you had seen on Acastus, and the weather conditions here also mean the ground is very frozen, for the entire year, complicating the building of structures, and ruling burial out entirely (edited)

Aris has an urge to open and examine the contents of the jars in order to learn more about Slyth culture surrounding their treatment of their dead. However, the risk of dormant disease as well as disrespecting cultural artifacts stays his hand. He logs his findings in his datapad and moves back outside. (are the steps on the pyramid small enough to climb?)

(they are. There are a lot of them, but you would be able to climb it without needing any special equipment )

Aris begins to climb the structure, wondering if there will be anything of note at the top. If nothing else, the view should be worth the climb

Ascending to the top you find a large seam in the roof where blocks have begun coming apart. The construction is similar to the very first ruin you explored on Acastus many months ago now, and with some work the roof can be pried open

Aris begins working at the mortar around the loose stone with his metatool, hoping to loosen it enough to be pushed aside by hand.

After a half hour of work the rocks are pushed aside to reveal the apex chamber of the temple. A burial tomb and several more jars are illuminated in the pale light of the arctic world moon

Aris lights a glowbug and tosses it towards the center of the chamber. He then preps his drone to scout inside.

The drone lowers into the roof , revealing more o f the burial chamber. There is a coffin inside, that is sealed, along with a dozen canoptic jars and some murals on the walls.

Aris anchors a rope and begins to lower himself down into the tomb. Once there, he gently nudges the lid of the sarcophagus to test if it can be removed with ease.

The lid is heavy, but is not set onto the base of the sarcophagus with anything but its own weight , and you should be able to move it.

Well, this couldn't possibly go wrong Aris gently slides the lid aside and onto the floor.

Inside, a wrapped slyth body has been preserved under layers of cotton wrappings. the body is far mroe intact due to the freezing climate here, and there is no smell as the lid is moved away. It was buried holding an ornate looking longsword, similar to those found on Acastus in the temple.

Aris reaches inside and tries to slide the sword out of the body's grasp, being careful not to grip the hilt before it is safely away from the body. Once he has it, he unsheathes it and raises it in his hands to see if it will catch flame like the one on Acastus.

It does catch gentle flame, using the last dregs of power inside of it. Grime and bits of the scabbard that have stuck to the blade burn away.

21:48

The blade is silvery in the reflected light from above, though is not carved with a name or slyth lettering like the ones on Acastus were.

(Last dregs as in it won't light without more power?)

(Correct)

The cold must have drained the battery. That or whoever buried this one didn't expect them to run into any trouble in the afterlife. Still, maybe we can crack this open later and see what's supposed to keep them running.

04:26

Aris looks for a way deeper into the temple.

There is a small ladder that leads down into the main part of the now snow buried temple, it creaks gently as you test it to see if it can take your weight. It is rickety , but should hold

Aris sends his drone down to scout out the next level.

The drone descends, lights clicking on as it enters the main room of the temple. There is art on the walls but it is too dark even with the drone's spotlight to make out much of a combined picture.

Aris maneuvers the drone around the perimeter of the chamber, making sure there are no obvious traps or defenses before descending the ladder himself.

The inaccessibility of the pyramid sees to be its chief and possibly only defense. There are no obvious signs of other traps or security systems , though the drone also finds little in the way of the wealth a tomb robber would be interested in anyway

I'm starting to think that the New Moon people were just lazy. Typical military mentality that if what's in here can't be used to hurt something it's not worth investigating. (edited)

13:20

Aris turns on another glowbug and takes photos of the artwork along the walls, trying to determine if these ones tell a clearer story.

(trying to re-find the art i wanted for this)

21:15

21:16

A giant world serpent is depicted on each of the walls, some segment of it on each, surrounded by beams of light and other worlds, before ires rearing, winged head is on the north wall, facing the direction of sunrise on this planet

Fascinating. I can't help but wonder if this is purely mythical or if a creature like this could have really existed in a distant past.

16:42

Aris opens a star chart and cross references it with the planets on the mural to see if it is accurate and if the beams of light correspond with specific locations.

The beams of light from here had already illuminated two planets in local space, as the stars do match up. The Black Masque has already been found in SCAF space, and corresponded to one of the beams. The other was the ghost fleet at Mantine , where Greystar, Phemno Mining Guild, and the Void wardens made quick work of the abandoned ships there

Hmm, so a whole temple for one Slyth, presumably a warrior-priest like the ones on Acastus, and this mural, which sends the same message as what was sent by the lights in the sky. There has to be something else here. (Is there anything else noteworthy in this room?)

(notice/wis)

(9)

You notice that the eye of the creature is slightly pushed out, there is a faint shadow around it every time the light plays over the surface

Ah, this looks like something Aris attempts to press the eye in like a button.

The floor begins to shift in the center of the room like overlapping leaves of a puzzle box. Something is being raised out of it, a stone depiction of the same winged animal on the walls, both of its eyes glowing a bale green in the dark confines of the room

Aris goes over to investigate the newly arrived statue, taking particular notice of its glowing eyes.

22:46

(How big is the statue, roughly?)

(About 3m tall)

02:54

The statue shows the beast, and it begins to flap its stone wings gently as though stretching out after an incredibly long rest

Aris steps back in shock, not expecting more movement from the newly revealed machine. He observes it for a few more moments, trying to determine if it is purely automated or if it possesses any form of intelligence.

If it is automated it’s done so with a very careful attention paid to giving it a lifelike appearance. (Deliberately unclear in this case)

Maintaining his distance, Aris speaks to the statue in Slyth; "Hello, do you understand me?"

"You are understood here, in this house of no voices"

"What is your purpose, Great One?"

“To guard the knowledge contained here, and to keep the home of the slyth safe from harm”

"I assure you I mean no harm to the Slyth people, but seek to preserve their knowledge. How may I gain access to what you guard?"

"an offering suitable of the slyth may be made, or a trial by combat

"I am not a warrior. What would be acceptable as an offering?"

"Deciding what is worthy, is the test. Search your mind. If you need to return, I will be waiting"

"I understand. I will return once I have found something suitable."

04:01

(Any other exits from this room?)

(Nothing that can be reached, the creature is blocking off further access)

Aris takes his leave from the chamber and works his way back outside and down. He checks in with the rest of the crew to see if they found anything noteworthy outside.

The snow and ice have kept the tunnel network from connecting most of the structures here. Aside from the canoptic jars and some other items belonging to the dead, they haven’t found anything that might be considered treasure

"Understandable. I think we are done here for now. There was a ... setback inside the temple. I'll need to do some more research in order to fully understand it. Let's get some rest back at the bunkhouse and get ready to head back to Acastus."

Making your way back there is no trouble, and as morning comes, with everyone recuperated, the ships are ready to make the return trip to GSC space, and back to Acastus

17:02

(9 days in total, followig our previous route in reverse0

Aris continues working on his regular exercise routine, as well as switching to a leaner, healthier diet. (15/90 on Exert) (edited)

Acastus is busy as ever. The port is finally open again as they’ve recovered from@the theft of their goods and your ship is welcomed into the dock for needed service. Amid the hustle and bustle of people and drones heading every which way you begin to compose yourself for whatever comes next

(Cool. I'm going to add some character goals soon since I haven't been doing that. Sounds like Linya had some interest in exploring the second moon with me. I don't mind waiting a bit for her to finish up her current mission. I'll probably see about getting a ship built as well with the offer to Greystar Agents.)

(Alright, lets get that keeled out. I'm not sure how long their thing will take, depends a lot on what they decide to delve into)

(Ship posted and goals added. Aris is gonna go to Chris's concert.)

(sounds good, we can pick up with something new after)

(Concert seems like its generally out of gas, so we can pick this back up)

(Max mentioned some unusual animal activity on Leda. I'd be interested in picking up that thread.)

(Sure thing. It’s a 3 day of downtime from Acastus to Leda

16:02

Leda is the same jungle preserve planet it always is when the ship arrives and the elders on the ground come out to meet with you. Another vessel is here as well in the service of Max- he has gone through the L gate to discuss some issues with the Scions of the Storm and his last report had everything going well Leda itself has some light troubles. Some rangers are late reports or are reluctant to come in

16:03

And no one is sure why

(18/90 exert) Aris introduces himself to the elders. "I understand you're having some issues with your patrols. Care to give me some further detail and I can see what I can do to help?"

"They're reluctant coming out of the jungle, and often times the automated firewatch towers and sentry drone stations often lag when we communicate with them, though there is no reason for it"

"I'm not sure what would make a person prefer the jungle to the alternative. As for the towers, there are many factors that could cause transmission delay. I could take a look at the sites and see if I can find any issues with the electronics. I might even be able to find some record of the ranger patrols that haven't been reporting. If you can show me some recent patrol routes I can follow along and see what I can find out."

"We have a motorbike for you, prepared and ready to go on a moments notice when you are. Transponder codes that will allow the turrets to clear you have been programed in already, you shouldn't have any problems"

Aris thanks the elders and prepares his gear for the journey. He takes some time to familiarize himself with the bike before setting off at a leisurely pace, taking in the Leda scenery and keeping his eyes out for suspicious activity.

(notice/wis as we set off into the jungle)

(8, with reroll)

One of the automated firewatch towers is not responding to the bike's inquiry as you pass. You almost missed the check in- the automated processes of the bike are very quick- though the warning manages to repeat itself. The expert system here has been disabled- and a small gate to the firewatch tower- leading up a service jungle path, opens

Aris pulls the bike alongside the gate and parks it, pulling out his drone to scout ahead along the path.

The drone finds that the blast doors of the lowest access level of the tower have been welded open. There are no bodies, and its unclear if people are here now

Aris uses his own compad to send an update back to the city elder. Found evidence of sabotage at one of the towers. Proceeding inside to gather more data. Updates will follow.

03:56

The firewatch tower main doors are open, and the entry room is wide enough to allow your bike to fit inside perfectly. A central stairwell divides the ground floor into two store rooms, before winding up to the mid-tier observation level

Aris checks inside the storerooms for signs of looting or struggle.

There is no sign of struggle. The doors ot the storerooms are closed so from the outside, you cannot tell if their contents have been looted or not. There has not been sign of tampering with the locks,

Hmm. Cut through the entry but not into the stores. Must have been after something else Aris sends his drone up the central stairs to the second floor to probe for danger, before heading up himself.

A forced entry to the observation level shows no signs of any rangers here, but this tower was no doubt used as a meeting place for something nefarious. Sigils are carved into the floor, though they're not arranged geometrically, the letters are wrong, and the circle is very much not a circle, just carved into a generally not angled shape. it is hard to tell if this is the work of amateurs, or something different

Aris is shocked at the sight of the sigil. This looks like something occult, out of my area of expertise. I'll need to have someone else take a look at this and see if they can get any meaning from it. Better finish sweeping the tower and see if I can do anything about the signal delay. (Do I know of any psychics/mages on Leda?)

(The scions of the storm have a small encampment near the L gate deep in the jungle)

Aris snaps several photos of the carvings for future reference. I'll see if I can get a scion to take a look at this once I'm finished up here. Once he's finished documenting, he proceeds to the next level.

The third level is a trashed sleeping chamber for any rangers passing by near dark. It smells faintly of decay and there are a few flies buzzing around as you open the outer entry door

Holding his nose, Aris looks around the room to see if he can find a definitive source of the rot in this room.

There are two closed doors leading into rooms on this third level. There’s nothing in the access hallway that would be the source of the smell

I hope this is just trash and not something much worse. Probably something worse. Aris tries the door on the right.

A body in ranger fatigues stained by the excrement of rot lies under some blankets. Old blood stains are spread across the chest and bedding.

21:40

A knife still sticks into the corpses chest

Aris approaches the body and tries to examine it as closely as he can without disturbing the scene.

The body has been killed and without disturbing the scene you can’t see much of its condition under the blanket, aside from the knife wound through the sternum being what killed him (from what you can tell, no slit throat or anything )

Aris steps back from the corpse and back into the main entry way. After taking several deep breathes to calm himself, he taps out another message to the Elder.

No sign of hostiles inside tower. At least one ranger down. Evidence of cult activity. Requesting a medical examination for reported body and a trained metapsion to examine carvings inside.

If you have a way to make yourself safe, please do. We will dispatch the required help

Aris makes his way back outside for some much needed fresh air. He walks a short ways into the woods for a few minutes, keeping an eye out for his backup, or any evidence of where the perpetrators may have gone.

A pair of tire tracks goes off the path in front of the observatory tower and into the forest. Broken branches and compressed grass move off into the woods showing the passage of either one or a small group of motorbikes

Aris continues to examine the area closely while he waits for the rangers. (Any way i can tell how old the tracks are?)

(Within hours)

The rangers arrive within the hour, four guards, and a four person medical team. The medical team moves into the tower, and begins wokring on documenting the body, and removing it.

Aris motions the guards to him and points out the tracks that he found. "Whoever did this didn't stick around. We might be able to find where they are laying low if we follow these."

"You up for helping us solve this mystery?" One of the rangers asks, taking photos of the tracks. "we're a bit understaffed out here, another set of hands and eyes would do us a lot of good"

"Of course. Just know that I'm going to count on you all if things get heated."

"Of course. yOu're a visitor here and a government agent. We're duty bound to protect you to the best of our abilities

"Glad to hear it. Let's get a move on, then. Who knows what they are getting up to now."

The group of you heads into the forest following the motorbike furrows cut into the ground. The tracks are fresh and they left the area at speed. A discarded fuel can is thrown to the side of the trail , along with a set of heavy work gloves

"Looks like they might have stopped here to refuel. Will we have enough to get to where they are?"

"We should" and the path is followed for another fifteen minutes before the first motorbike is found. It has skidded, and its rider is nowhere to be found. Drag marks, and a river of crimson leading into the brush mark the likely path of the missing driver, and its evident by the scene and the behavior of the rangers that some animal got their lead

"Seen anything like that before? I can't imagine an animal able to pull someone off a moving bike."

“A few times. There’s beasts from all over in these woods and humans aren’t the top of the food chain on some of these planets. As you can see. I think either finding the body, or if they’ve survived , finding them and rendering them enough aid to talk is our best lead”

"Alright, lead the way. Although I'm more interested in seeing the creature than its handiwork."

"Eyes on the investigation" The ranger says, but nods. They begin tracking, as they're trained to do it, and at a low crouch begin making their way through the dense vegetation. the blood is easy to track, as are left behind tufts of fur and scale from the animals hide, a bright green in appearance, blending in perfectly with the foliage around you. You can hear another piercing scream 100m in the trees ahead, and the rangers begin getting their flop rifles raised

Aris motions for the rangers to move ahead while he uses his drone to get an aerial view of the scene.

17:18

The creature lurks through the underbrush, 100m from the group- prowling low and close to the ground to avoid easy sight

Aris contacts the ranger squad, "Looks like a form of big cat. I didn't see the victim. I'll let you handle the animal in whatever way you see fit."

The rangers begin planning their ambush and the trap that will handle this creature if they need to break off Some digging and a bit of creative rope work has the deadfall ready. (Was Aris just staying back? I will fast forward if he’s not taking part in this)

(I just didn't want to fight the beast since I only have lethal rounds. I will help them out if they need.)

One of them tosses a flop rifle in your direction. "Same as a normal one, just a ball of stunning energy instead"

17:23

"We knock it out, bag it, and we bring it back for study"

"Roger that. I warn you, I'm not the best shot, but I can at least try to herd it in your direction." Aris approaches carefully and tries to position himself for a solid shot against the creature.

(you and the rangers will be up first, tis within 100m so you can hit it)

(4 to hit from me) Aris fires far off target, the flop rifle having much more recoil than he expected from a non-lethal weapon

The rifle bangs, sending the ball of burning blue energy deep into the jungle before it loses cohesion and comes apart. the other rangers fire. Two of them score hits, but not enough to bring the charging beast down. It leaps from the bushes, tackling one of the rangers close to you, clawing and biting at the screaming man

15:09

(back to you)

(18/9) The surge of adrenaline at seeing a comrade in danger allows Aris to focus his aim.

Your shot is clean, and the panther stumbles like a drunkard, leaning off to the side of the ranger it had pinned, and falls on its side

Aris rushes over to the ranger that was pinned, rendering aid if necessary.

He is wounded and you’re able to help at least get him stable. The remaining rangers are trying to lift the panther into a cage for relocation and study, but the delay here has meant the suspect in the unfortunate killing of one of the rangers is long gone, pending a scan of the creatures stool later to ensure they weren’t lunch

06:36

(3xp, 5000 credits)

Level 7
Shoot -1 -> 0
Know 1 -> 2
24 -> 36 HP
(I get a focus at this level. I was wondering if it would be ok to take Wild Psychic Talent with the Metapsion core talent. Basically just be able to sense and recognize MES energies since I've been around it a fair amount.)

(You could yes )

16:22

(I believe that gives you equivalent to the core 0, I’ll have to consult the book)

(this works, sorry i thought this was already answered by bad)

(No problem, I'll let the rangers know to contact me if the cult situation develops further. In the meantime, I'm planning to head back to Acastus to talk to Adamaris about the pillars on the moons. Obsidia expressed interest in joining.)

(alright, lets move on to that then)

20:38

(3 days back to Acastus)

(21/90 Exert)

15:49

(Putting a shopping list together, will post shortly)

Shopping List

Flop Rifle 600
Stalker 1000 "Peacekeeper" 
    Weapon Fitting 1000 *2 
    Flop Rifle 600
    Ammo Unit 250
Ghostwalker 3,000 "Autodoc"
    Medical Support 2000
    Environmental Power 4000
5 Medpak 500
5 Type A Power Cell 50

Cyberware Drone Control Link 20,000

34,000 Total

(Great, all available and we've got the program level to run them all,. Everything is good!)

(Have I satisfied these goals? Witness the Conjunction and Go on a group mission with an agent I haven't before)

(yes, and yes)

Level 8
HP 36 -> 37 (rolled 33)
Talk 0 -> 1
(holding 2 skill points)

(solid work!)

17:59

(We can pick up with going to Espinoza then if you're interested, sounds like thats where we were leaning)

(I would be interested in seeing if the psychics have any more info about the disk, but if that is going to be a longer term project we can head to Espinoza right away.)

(We can do the disc first then)

Aris returns from the void portal after parting ways with his allies. He makes his way back to the planet surface to the Psychic Academy, hoping to find more information on the relic they found.

The branch on Acastus is built over the ruins of the former Still Lady’s pyramid and it is now a site of hope and learning rather than domination and subservience. There are few members here, only psychic refugees from Arana and a link to Headmaster Fate, who is currently on Galatea. Thinking of it, the new Khmarna Metaspace Research Center there almost feels like a better place to bring this, due to its advanced assay facilities and access to the headmaster himself. You remember a letter informing you that you had an office set aside for yourself there.

Aris is pleasantly surprised to find an office reserved for him at a psychic and magic facility, not fully believing that his minor awareness of MES warrants such high status. However, after consulting the star charts, he realizes that indulging this curiosity will have to wait. The golden disk is stable, whereas the situation on Espinoza is not. (Would it be possible to ship the disk to Galatea to follow up on it later?)

(yes we could do that too if you want to get right into the mission. Just for bookkeeping, we have 3 days of downtime on the way there)

(24/90 Exert. Sorry about that. I thought it would be a quick stop on the way to Espinoza with the disk. I don't want to let a potential revolution sit on the backburner)

Espinoza has a series of demonstrations going on when you arrive between several groups of protectors and rioters. There doesnt seem to be any overall order to it aside from mass mayhem and a venting of frustrations. Local security is protecting the town hall, spaceport pad, and bank

Aris attempts to make his way through the crowd to the town hall building, hoping to talk to local leadership and make some sense of the situation.

You’re able to squeeze through and after a short conversation with the security forces you’re allowed into the building. The staff inside is barricading windows and the second floor, unsure of when the boiling point it going to spill over outside

Aris looks around to try and find who is in charge, or at least who security is trying the hardest to keep safe.

The mayor is on the top floor looking out over the mob , and there are a few guards in the room with him. Things seem hostile to say the least

"Hello sir, my name is Agent Aris Cassiodorus from Greystar. I'm here to help resolve this incident, preferably without bloodshed. Can you tell me anything about how this all started?

"Welcome to Espinoza. Sorry it couldn't have been warmer and more organized. The news said it best, local leaders especially those of various religious faiths have been fabricating land deeds to grand parcels they do not own. Fighting among colonists who have bought identical land tracts from different groups is causing them to fight one another, and us. We're not sure where these identical tracts are coming from or who is issuing them, or why the colony database isnt updating to show who owns what"

15:00

"We floated the idea of invalidating all claims, and starting over, but these people have no recourse in getting their money back"

Aris ponders the situation for a while before giving his response. "This is understandably frustrating for the people here. It seems the best thing we can do right now is to find the source of the phony claims and hold the creator accountable. Once citizens have there credits back, they should find a clean slate more palatable. Do you have any examples of these tracts? I may be able to discern something from them. I'm no stranger to forged documents."

On a desk, some samples of each are present, confiscated from arrested mob members or crumpled and kept after being thrown at staff in less volatile days. Handily, you can see the top in each pile is a civil document for a tract of land, with a given price of 100 credits, and a religious service document for the same tract, the same size, and the same features, sold to someone else in the same moment, for 50 credits

"The timestamps on these two claims are identical. To me, that suggests either two or more individuals working in almost perfect union, or, more likely, that someone has put a virus in the civil database to double deal proper claims. Do you have a list of officials with Admin access, and do any of them have ties to these religious groups? I feel that may be our best lead."

"Our records are chaotic, but we can show you to them and you might be able to make some connections" (Admin/int)

(12)

Two suspects emerge. Each of them has admin access and are members of the congregation , though are not church officers.

03:31

The first is heavily involved in a logging union hoping to harness some of the hardwood stocks here and the second is a renowned trapper who would have a vested interest in claiming hunting lands

Aris points out these two to the mayor. "These two stick out as prime suspects. Do you have any idea where we could find them, or perhaps a way for us to access their financial records to try to confirm their involvement?"

"We're far behind in terms of technology and computing- no real way to conveniently hack into some records- you'd have probably found them with whatever it is you did on that computer. They're both probably going to be out near the jungle looking for new plots to try to portion out"

"I'll have to try to find them then. I'll get a hold of my own people, no sense pulling your team off duty. Stay safe and do what you can to keep the people calm. Hopefully I will return with results."

“Return quickly or you might not have a colony to come back to”

Aris makes his way through the crowd back to his vessel, in order to muster a security team to explore the jungles.

You're able to get 5 to accompany you without leaving the ship under-defended. Several reports speak of cat-like predators in the area, and almsot every expedition going out into the jungle has run into one. They generally growl before they attack.

More hunting for criminals through beast ridden jungles. Exciting. Hopefully I'll be able to find more than a carcass this time. Aris readies his gear and makes his way to the suspected survey site.

There is no carcass this time, or any kind of encounter, but a short half hour walk through the jungle brings you to a set of parcels that have been cleared. There is an argument taking place between the Logging union chief and the trapper-who is also one of the largest donors to the local faith here. The argument is heated, but they have not laid hands on one another, yet. A boundary between parcels is the subject of the fierce debate.

As the debate rages on, another figure emerges from the trees behind you, wearing a New Moon Cooperative Captain's uniform. This planet was an outpost world of their's once, but it seems that he's also been detailed to help you try to figure out the situation here, as his people used to be locals. @opscomm

Max walks out behind Aris, wearing his storm armor and takes his helmet off when he sees the Greystar Agent. "Afternoon. Interesting problem you have here."

"Hello sir. Aris Cassiodorus, Agent of Greystar." Aris offers his hand out to shake "I was about to bring these two in for questioning. I have reason to suspect one or both of them are involved in the recent land grab scheme."

"The mayor informed me as my ships came out of spike at the system edge on our way to the Extaurren front. I think the first thing we need to do is separate these two men so they don't kill each other then interrogate them one at a time, play them against each other. Someone will talk, and that will give us the information we need to figure out who is really behind this."

Max walks up to the two men as the continue arguing and slowly drift closer to a physical confrontation. "That's enough, I said THAT'S ENOUGH." Max says, eventually shouting and walking between them. "We need you both to come with us, we have some questions for the both of you."

They both look over and quickly assess you and Aris standing at the edge of the clearing. They look at you, at one another, and then back to you, before darting away toward the jungle in opposite directions. They're 30m from you right now.

Max sighs before leaping 20m after the trapper and running the other 10m to catch up to him "Get the other one!" Max shouts at Aris

Aris does as he is told, sprinting after the logger while readying his flop rifle

(alright so 10m as the main action for max, and 20m leap for the move, he is in hand to hand with the trapper) (if the flop rifle was stowed its a main action to ready it, and you can get a 10m move in still to be 20m from your target, Aris. If it was readied already, you can move and fire)

(I didn't declare it readied, so I'm ok with move and ready)

(most of your gear is neither stowed or readied, so we'll have to go with that for now)

13:33

The trapper fleeing from Aris continues to do so, extending to 40m. The one with max shoves him aside (fighting withdrawal as a main action to not trigger an opportunity attack) and continues running, now 10m away

Max catches up to the one running from him and tries to grab him. (Exert/Str?)

(yeah)

(4)

He is able to shrug off your grip, essentially slap fighting you away

01:21

(Aris)

Aris slows his pace to fire a shot at his fleeing target (15/3 with flop rifle. 10m move)

The fleeing target drops, the paralysis field playing over his entire body

16:01

He's unable to rise, and the one fleeing max continues his strategy of aggressive slap fight, and horse like exaggerated gallop 10m away from the fight

1

Maxwell starts growing tired of this cat and mouse shit and charges after the man in an attempt to grab him again. (Exert/str, rolled a 10)

He is bourne to the ground, and you hear bones snap wetly under the weight of your powered armor. He is alive, but terribly hurt.

Once he is secured, Max calls his ship and has them send the flyer down with a team of medical personnel as well as a pair of guards. He shouts over to Aris. "I've got a gravflyer coming down with some medical personnel and some more guards. Bring yours over here, I don't want to move this guy without him receiving some medical attention."

Aris motions for his guards to help move his target while he rushes towards Max's "Step back. I've got first aid training. Let me see how bad it is."

Max backs up and lets Aris help the injured man.

It’s nothing terminal. He’s going to need some serious attention to his legs but he won’t die from what you’ve done to him.

"My ship has a medical bay, I can take him there. We can bring the other one up afterwards if you want to, just so everyone is in the same place."

"I agree, that seems like the most reasonable course of action."

Max has the flyer take the injured man back up to the ship for treatment before coming back down and picking Aris, himself, and the other detainee up for transport as well, placing this one in the brig. Once everyone is aboard Max turns to Aris. "Do you want to wait until the second one is lookes at or start on this one now?" Max asks, motioning to the one in the brig.

"Let's start with the one who's conscious. There's no sense in wasting any more time. The mayor stressed that things were at a boiling point as it is."

"Alright." Max says before walking into the brig interrogation room where the uninjured man is sitting cuffed to a table. He waves the guard out of the room before sitting down. He lets Aris have the first word, just staring at the man in front of him.

Aris looks expectantly at Max for a moment before realizing he is to take the lead. He clears his throat "As you are no doubt aware, someone in the local church has been selling duplicate land grants as those authored by the government. Now, I have records that place you as a member of the church, as well as having admin access to the government system. That gives us a means and a motive. If you confess now and return the credits you've defrauded the populace of, we may be able to lighten your sentence." (edited)

“No. I won’t confess. I’ve done nothing wrong. This is all church land. None of the others have the rights to land given to our faith by God”

"While you are within your right to believe that, the amendments to the Greystar Charter, Section 1.02 clearly state, and I quote, ' No government entity, corporation, business, group of individuals or individuals shall persecute, penalize, ostracize, or otherwise discriminate against a citizen of the Confederation, or any being residing within its borders, on the basis of their religion, or lack thereof'. I'm afraid that preferential treatment to certain faiths is not how we run things in this polity."

"More to the point, both of you are members of the church anyway, so that notion doesn't apply here. One of you is trying to steal the land from the other and using the church as an excuse. Does your faith believe stealing from a fellow brother of faith is justified because one deed comes from the church and the other does not, especially when the one not from the church required more labor to obtain the credits for?" (edited)

“The documentation from the church is the correct and only valid documentation. The faith has primacy in the lives of all its adherents and the trapper that used to be a brother to our faith has decided he no longer believes that to be true”

"And what church is this exactly?"

“Does it matter? You’ve stated the Greystar confederation doesn’t care”

"I'm not with Greystar, I am just a passerby trying to help mediate the situation. Knowing more about your faith may help us come to an amicable conclusion. We might have been more trusting had you not run away from us, help us understand."

“What’s to understand. The church has the preeminent right to sell this land. The trapper helped us find the parcels and sell them, buying his way to Heaven. He decided to start selling them for himself but we already knew the plots and sold the parcels anyway

"Hmm. That's all I wanted to know for now but Agent Aris might have more questions." Max says before putting his finger up and bringing something up on his compad. "One more thing actually, slipped my mind. Does this symbol mean anything to you?" Max says, showing a picture of the Still Lady symbol and paying as close attention as he can to the man's reaction. (edited)

"No, I've never seen this symbol before"

17:29

He is confused, and unsure what this has to do with the investigation

"Just a symbol of some people who have used religion as an excuse to commit atrocities in the past on other worlds in the sector, wanted to make sure you were not one of them. Your expression leads me to believe they aren't involved in this case."

"That's all the questions I have for now. We may return after speaking with your co-conspirator."

He doesn;t have anything else to say, since it sounds like you're done with him. the other conspirator is recovering in the medical ward, and is awake and in pain enough to talk

Max walks in, letting Aris take the lead again as he still feels somewhat bad about breaking the man's various body parts.

He rolls his head to face the door as he hears it open, but says nothing

"I apologize for your rough treatment. Perhaps if you had been more willing to cooperate initially we wouldn't find ourselves here. Now then, you are suspected of aiding the church in the counterfeiting and sale of land parcels. Do you deny these claims?"

"I deny them. The Church kept asking for more, and more. I needed to take something back for myself"

"So you created a duplicate parcel of land in the civiliam system then? So you could keep a bit of what you found?"

“Perceptive. That’s essentially what happened but they caught wind and started doing it too”

"So who actually owns the land? Because you make it sound as if neither of you do."

“The owners are the ones who buy the deeds. The taxes go back to the colony. We just make money off the land transfer”

Aris nods along with the responses "Can you elaborate on your relationship with the church? You make it sound as though they pressured you into working for them"

“I am a member of the faith but the relationship became a demanding one. The church expects a lot in both time and money from its followers , and when the burden is too much for some families to bear, they are shamed within the group. If you are in poor standing you are shunned. If you leave you are shunned. Faithful occupy many of the important industries here since there aren’t many. It’s hard to survive if you’re not of the faith or have fallen from it “

"What tenets does this religion follow? Did it start here or is it a broader religion?"

"The various Christian Churches are well established, and you're free to look up their tenets. This should also answer your second question"

"Which church specifically is here?"

"Is this truly relevant to your investigation?" (I don't want to actually make it seem like I'm calling something IRL out, i dont know what everyones sensibilities are. Church is doing greasy stuff to followers and making a problem. You pretty much got what you need) (edited)

(I don't need an actual name, nobody has actually stated it specifically at all. I wanted to make sure it wasn't like some shadow cult or something.)

15:52

(Just was expecting something like "He gives you the name", or something along those lines)

(its not a shadow cult. He already gave you an acceptable equivalent)

"It sounds as though this church does not hold your spiritual well being in high regard, though it sounds like you have already realized this for yourself. A lot of people have been hurt by this scheme. They are rioting in the city. What I'd like to do is refund the purchases and invalidate the claims, but it sounds as though the church will be ... uncooperative."

"Of course they would be. Their legitimacy and their wallet will be threatened by this"

"Who are the specific members of the church involved in this scheme? If we can go after them and frame this as these members abusing the followers of the religion and provide credible proof, we might be able to sway public opinion to our side. Also, I can provide a grant fund to help people who have been fooled into purchasing duplicate plots, that way the only people who are actually hurt by this in the long run are the ones responsible."

You're given a name of the top five Church officers, but he declines to provide any additional help. He is going to need to contend with angry believers here who will know he provided the information once you're gone

Once they have the names Max walks out of the room before turning to Aris. "What is the admin situation like here? Do you think they will have detailed records on the backgrounds of these people?" (edited)

"It's not good. I had to do some serious digging just to track down these two. Might be easier with names, but I doubt we will be able to run comprehensive background checks. "

"Let's go check anyway and hope for the best. Normally I would say we could send a message to Acastus and get a copy of their records but I don't think we have the time for that. Let's get back down to the surface and see what we can dig up."

Armed with names you’re not able to find much aside from primary residence address and their affiliation with the church. You can see a pending set of forms to register the group as a political action party here , though to what end aside from getting a seat on the Greystar body of planets you can’t be sure

(Is the local priest on the list?)

(Yes)

(And we just got their names, not if they are actually involved correct?)

(It’s a small colony. If they’re not involved they’ll have a lead at least)

"Well, its something at least." Max says as he sets the forms down after he finishes reading them. "I think we should speak with the clergyman first. Even if he is involved I can possibly persuade him what he is doing is going to hurt his ability to expand the church in the future. There is a lot of danger for the church itself because of the actions of these few leaders in terms of rejection by non-believers and potential violence against the church. We can use their fear of that against them, maybe. There is also the chance he doesn't care."

"I fear that the latter is more likely. It seems as though the church has a great deal more influence here than they ought to. I'll see what efforts Greystar can make to block their political agenda. If you believe pursuing these individuals directly to be the best course, I will try to back you up."

"We can go ahead and contact Acastus if you want to try and find more information, but this issue seems to be time sensitive. We need to figure out what is going on here as quickly as possible in order to prevent a major uprising, and it will take a week for us to get anything back from Acastus."

00:45

"Getting the clergy on our side is the most important thing, so we should at the very least do that." Max says before he leads Aris back to the flyer, changing into his CFU and leaving his power armor and rifle on the flyer.

(I'm caught up, just waiting to see what we decide)

"Yes, of course. I was speaking more long term. Addressing the present issue is top priority."

"Alright, let's get down there." Max says before boarding the flyer and heading down to the surface with Aris. He leaves his security detail at the craft on the roof of the town hall before leading the way to the church, having spotted it from the air on the way down.

The church is a modest building but still more impressive than the surrounding prefab homes. Two church volunteers are cleaning the short flight of steps, and scraping the coating of thin jungle pollen off the wooden doors

Max walks up to the bottom steps and looks up at the volunteers. "Hi there, is the clergyman here at the moment?"

“He is inside preparing his homily for the week and asks not to be disturbed. “

"Well, we need to speak with him about an urgent matter. We are concerned there are some trying to use the church's name and reputation for some nefarious purposes. The sooner we can speak with him the better."

They both stand aside and let you in, your word of dishonor you the church enough to make them think better of pressing the issue further

Max nods to them both and walks up the stairs into the church.

"Hmm, easier than I expected. Perhaps the follower we encountered was not representative of the rest in terms of fanaticism. We may luck out and be able to convince the church to help us after all. Then again, these dealings do directly benefit them. "

"We will see." Max says before looking around the church for the clergy quarters.

There is a door to the right side of the altar, set against the back wall that looks to lead to the rectory. A few people are in pews praying but the church is otherwise quiet

Max quietly moves through the church, looking to not disturb anyone as he makes his way to the rectory, quietly knocking on the door if it is closed.

The priest inside doesn’t answer but you can hear the scratch of an electronic stylus on a data pad

Max gently opens the door, expecting him to either be hard at work on his homily or attempting to erase data from his compad. "Pardon our interruption sir, but we have an urgent matter we need to discuss with you. My name is Maxwell, and this is Aris."

|He looks down at a pocket watch set in a stand on the desk "Confession is not for another hour, my sons. Can this matter wait for the appropriate absolution hour?"

"I'm afraid this is a rather sensitive matter. It concerns the integrity of the entire church, as well as the colony, and you may be one of the few people able to help."

His face gets more stern, and he invites both of you to sit down. "Shut the door behind you, and then tell me what this issue is"

Max shuts the door and sits down before explaining the issue. "A person or group of the higher level church officials are using their positions to duplicate land parcels in the local government system and pocketing the proceeds from the illegal sales. There have already been instances of violence almost occurring because two different people have land deeds issued at the same time in the colony computer system. This is understandably generating a large amount of instability and is hurting the integrity of the colony as a whole. It goes without saying if this colony fails and the people find out who was to blame for it the church would be affected as well. We were wondering if you had any idea who was involved or had any leads we could pursue to put a stop to this."

"If you are coming here, it seems you have these answers already. I am unsure of my place in the investigation, other than to tell you that I should not be a suspect"

(Does he seem honest when he says that?)

(Talk/cha)

(7)

He seems sincere

"While we may have this list of names and a rough idea of what is going on, we don't know for certain who is behind this. Rather than accuse everyone directly and potentially cause more problems, we were hoping to find just the few responsible and bring them to justice without making it seem like the entire church is under suspicion. Do you have any information you could give to us, someone acting strangely, extra contributions than normal in the last few weeks, anything like that which could help us figure out who is behind this?"

“The list. Do you have it? This is easier if I have something to see “

Max hands him the remaining 4 names on the list minus his name.

“The deacons. That would make sense. The archbishop as well. I could see wanting the church to be the dominant body here. This last name is an altar boy. He’s not involved in this he is only eight years old.

"Well, that's one more name off the list at least. Do you have anything else which could help us finish up our investigation quicker? The people here are in need of good leadership, and I know religion is always a good source of guidance. I don't want to put the church in any more jeopardy than I have to and the longer this investigation goes the higher the chance of that happening." (I'd like to use my one-per day authority skill to try and get him to give us another clue if I can. Rolled an 11 on Lead/Cha if it matters.)

(I don’t know what else to give you. He gave you the offices those people hold. He doesn’t know what their roles in this are and if he did he would be just as guilty )

(Alright)

05:44

"If there isn't anything else though we will be on our way and let you finish your work. I hope your homily goes over well during your next service and have a good day." Max says, waiting for a few moments to see if the priest mentions anything else, before leaving the rectory and then walking out of the church. (edited)

"Thank you for all of your help, Father. If you would be willing, I believe it would go a long way for you to speak out against this behavior in your sermons. Of course, I don't need to tell you the severity of taking the Lord's name in vain, but it seems that some on this planet could use the reminder."

"I will ensure I include something today, and every day until the matter is resolved. If my brothers in faith are guilty, they should be made to make things right"

Max nods and thanks him again before heading back out of the church. "I think we should start with the deacons and work our way up. The Bishop will likely be powerful if he is behind this and we don't want to go into that situation unprepared." Max says to Aris as they head away from the church, checking around as they walk for anyone trailing.

No one seems to be paying any special attention to your comings and goings.

Max leads the way to the first of the Deacon's house, looking around for a good vantage point to watch the house from. (Looking for a restaurant or cafe, or a back alley that gives a good view of the front of the house)

(what house?)

(One of the deacon's houses.)

20:30

(You said we got the addresses)

(Didnt see your second post)

20:31

A back alley is in the back, so cannot see the front of the house. The home is near the heart of the city, and there is enough street traffic moving around the main landing site for space vessels, and the cargo operations where you can blend in among the crowd, taking several laps of the block to make passes on the home.

"Let's go ahead and do a few passes around the house, see what kind of security might be there and also see if the Deacon is home. If he is, we follow him when he leaves. If he isn't, we wait for him to get here and get him before he goes inside." Max says, waiting for a dense section of crowd to come near before joining in with it. (edited)

(Sneak dex for each of you just so I’ve got something to offset his notice when he pops up in the scene)

(8)

(Also an 8)

The deacon is home. He is enjoying a drink in front of the window on your third pass around the block. You don’t see any physical security though the front door is likely locked as he lives on a busy street. The deacon doesn’t seem to be especially alerted to you

Aris whispers to Max, walking beside him through the crowd (edited)

22:02

"Do you think he's going to come out anytime soon? He might not feel safe enough with all of the unrest. Even if he does, do you think he's going to talk. He might flee like the logger did and we can't afford to make a scene in this crowd."

(About what time is it?)

(Early afternoon by time we've made a few laps)

"Let's wait and see what happens. At the very least we can wait until dark to head into his house and talk with him. He might also leave at night and we can tail him to whoever is running this if he is involved or check his house for documents."

Max will look around for a spacer diner nearby with sight lines on the house, as he hasn't eaten in hours and realizes how hungry he is and it would also offer some decent cover.

There is a cafe at the end of the block, the view to his home is not the best through the crowd, but it is the best you will get

(Aris has a Ghostwalker drone. Would I be able to park it somewhere or set it on a patrol to get a better angle on the house while we are in the cafe?)

(the city has an ECM field like all settlements do, so a drone wouldnt be able to be flown)

Max motions to Aris and walks to the cafe, sitting down at an empty booth by the window with the best sight lines to the Deacon's home. He order's whatever the special of the day is along with some coffee while they wait and watch the Deacon's house.

He doesn't seem to be leaving as the hours of the afternoon wind away, though street traffic does seem to lessen closer to evening.

After a few hours of watching Max gets up and starts walking through the square again, trying to see if he is still in the house.

You have not seen him leave, and gentle smoke coming from the home exhaust seems to hint he has just lit a fire inside in the fireplace. Although Espinoza is a tropical world , the nights are sometimes very cold during its winter season- even though the snow never falls.

"Doesn't seem like he is leaving. Perhaps the best option is for one of us to go knock on the door, and the other to swing around back in case he tries to run. You take the back, message me when you are there and I'll knock on the front door."

"Alright, I can do that. I should warn you, I'm not the most athletic. If he does try to run, I might not be able to stop him. Do your best to get him to invite you in."

Max waits for Aris to turn the corner and then message him he is behind the house before he walks up to the front door and knocks.

There is a metallic scrape behind the door as the bolt is pulled back. “Hello?” The deacon asks

"Hello Deacon, my name is Maxwell. I'm assisting with an investigation the local Greystar authorities are undertaking. Could I come in, I have some questions for you."

“Asking me from the doorway is enough especially coming from a foreign officer here. What do you want?”

"There are some reports about church officials using their positions to duplicate land parcels in the government computers. Do you know anything about that?" (edited)

“Duplicating land? You can’t duplicate land. the Lord God has made it unique and special. Each rock and tree is made for us in its own way”

"Diplicating deeds to land parcels, not land itself. Someone is trying to destabilize this colony for their own gain and needs to be brought to justice before things become violent. Do you have any information you could share with us?"

"THe church is an infallible institution. If there is error here, it is with the records left behind by the Cooperative, or with how Greystar has managed the colony instead. "

"That may be true, but the only persons with access to the system were church officials, and one of them gave us a list of who might be involved. Your name was on it, as were a few others. The institution of the church may be infallible, but human beings are not. I should not have to explain to you about the ability for men to be persuaded by greed. Someone in your inner circle is breaking your rules, and they may very well bring the church down with them. I'm trying to stop that from happening. It is better for everyone if the perpetrators of this are brought to justice so the colony can be a place of peace for everyone. Help me do this, please." (edited)

"I think you had better go, officer. This is unbecoming for us both. "

20:29

He seems to be in a hurry to shut the door , and end this conversation

(Would me using my once-a-day have still happened even though the priest didn't have any information to give me?)

(You used it, so yes)

Max puts his hand on the door to stop it from closing. "Either you are a true believer and refuse to accept someone could do something like this, or you are involved. If you give me who is in charge we can work out a deal to keep your name protected. The church is a vital institution to the people here, and if I am unable to do this quietly taking down the specific individuals the church on this colony will be dragged through the mud. It will lose support, and your chances of turning it into a political entity will be stopped before the ink is even dry on the paperwork."

He steps back from the door, and bolts, running deeper into the house presumably either out the back, or to his office

"Watch the back, he's running." Max says over comms to Aris before he kicks the front door in and follows the Deacon.

The security system in the home is already howling at the forced intrusion, and you can hear other doors slamming in the house. You're still not sure from the front where exactly he is running to

(What rooms do I see?)

Standing in his entryway, you can see the entryway, a bit of the sitting room beyond, and a cut-out door that leads to the kitchen, he must have rounded that corner

Max heads around the corner into the kitchen, looking around for any traps as he goes.

(Just don’t want to get too far ahead of Aris)

(Thanks, I didn't want to interupt Max's flow) Receiving the message from Max, Aris prepares the area to catch the fleeing Deacon. He places trash barrels and debris at the end of the alley to hamper movement and braces himself against the door to make it harder for him to escape.

There is a tremendous impact against the door. The decaon recoils in surprise from inside, as he expected it to open, and it did not, with Max hot on his heels

Max speeds up upon hearing the door crash, turning the corner into the kitchen to see the Deacon frantically pushing to try and get out. "You didn't think I would come all this way without some kind of help did you?" He says as he pulls a chair out at his kitchen table before pointing at it. "Now sit the hell down."

He throws himself at the door again, with all his strength (Exert/str Aris)

(5)

(12 despite his noodle arms) The door falls, pinning Aris under it, as the decon runs, and Max is left sitting at the table, for a guest who will not be sitting down

20:28

(he would be 10m from the back door, the main action being the skill check)

Max sprints after him, catching up to him as he tries to run away. (Double moving.)

(are you stomping over Aris who is very much in the path?)

(Gonna try to jump over him if I can)

Vaulting over the prone Aris has you trailing, before finally catching up to the fleeing deacon. He is not firmly in your grasp, and he throws your grip off before running. (fighting withdrawal , move)

Max chases after him before trying to grab him and pull him against the wall. (4 on exert/str)

00:36

(Just realized Aris would get a turn before me, mb)

(Yeah let’s let Aris act before we resolve this)

Aris rolls aside as Max passes over him, trying to spring to his feet and catch up wit the fleeing target. (I assume he knocked me prone, so Stand Up and Move)

(Correcto, so you'd be 10m behind as max has attempted to throw this man into the wall, which I'll resolve now)

14:43

(6) The grip is not firm enough to try to get him levered into the wall, and he spins, breaking free, taking a moment to slap you aside and continue running

14:43

(10m from max, 20m from Aris)

Max keeps going and tries again. (6 for exert/str)

He once again dodges the grab, (8) losing his frock in the process, leaving you with nothing but a handful of fabric

Aris gathers his limited stamina into a full sprint. (double move)

The deacon , now frockless, runs in his undershirt further down the block, calling for help though the streets are emptier now than they were before (10m from both of you , since his main action is to withdraw without triggering opportunity)

Max chases after him yet again, shouting to Aris. "If you have your flop weapon just use that!" Before trying again to tackle him. (4 again, ffs)

(11) Trying the same thing for the fifth time in a row seems to serve no better than the previous four, and he is on to the game by now.

21:38

(aris)

(Do I have my flop rifle with me? I wasn't sure if it's allowed inside the city.)

(Youd have it, this is the frontier so some weapons are allowed or expected)

Aris drops to a knee, steadying his aim and fires a clean shot at the Deacon while he is distracted by Max's efforts (23/11)

The shot hits, twin punctures appear in the back as the electrical field disables him. The wounds are very small, and will heal overnight. He jerks, twitching on the ground, before going very still.

Max quickly uses his frock as a makeshift restraint before lifting him up, calling the colony administrator who called him down to the surface for an extraction team back to the town hall just in case.

He struggles in your grip like a greased pig on a slip n slide , wiggling and thrashing to try to get free

Max tightens his grip on the man while they wait for the extraction team. "Stop squirming, we caught you, accept it."

He complies and over the course of the night you’re given the names of the other conspirators and how this act was carried out. In exchange for no charged for the deacon , of course. He is transported off world the next morning, as local security forces move to apprehend the others involved and circulate the news to the riotous public

18:50

(6xp, 10,000 credits )

After spending the evening getting the names of the cospirators, Max wishes Aris and the Mayor good day before heading back to his ship. (Gonna head back to my thread now, will do my level up when I get home.)

Aris thanks Maxwell for his assistance, exchanging contact information in case he ever needs the favor of an academic. (Thanks for stopping by @opscomm )

(np)

(Is this enough to stabilize the situation here, or is there more they need help with? If Espinoza is good, I'm headed to Galatea to investigate the Golden Disk at the psychic academy)

(This is good enough to handle things here)

(I’m good for whatever is next Aris)

(To the Psychic Academy)

The trip to galatea is several days , and after the routine spike jumps you arrive at Galatea, home to the headquarters of most international organizations and the new Khmarna Metaspace Science Center. The building is modern and busy, but you have an office here set aside for you use with ample lab space

Aris finds the golden disk from the Acastus rift and sets to work examining it in more detail and with the new facilities available to him. He does as much physical analysis on the disk as possible without activating it, while also looking into a team of more experienced psychics to examine the MES properties. He is looking for the answer to two questions; Who made this, and how could we make it again?

The disc is not of human origin. The Wasimians are one likely group, if not them, then it would be a race unknown to anyone living now- not something that has been documented in exploration attempts so far. Making it again would be equally difficult, as we do not understand how it is made and by whom.

Aris compiles as much data as he can gather, making arrangements for research to continue in both his and the discs absence, while he charts a course to Halia to consult with the Wasimians.

(3 days of downtime) Haila is still storm wracked and it’s impossible to get to the surface anymore. A space station in orbit allows ships to dock and an expert system within relays communications to and from the surface.