CHAPTER 7
Starship / Integrity:5 → 3 Withstand Damage(Starship / Integrity)—9 vs 3|10 Momentum:8 → 7 Starship / Integrity:3 → 4
The wave crashes into the ship, sending it spinning through space and causing structural damage. Jett rights the ship and runs a systems check - no major damage, just a few minor issues. "Will the e-drive be ready before the next wave hits?" he asks Eris.
"Should be. Let's get out of here."
Undertake an Expedition(Wits)—4 vs 9|1 06a - Expedition to find medical supplies +1 (6/10)
Using my Navigator ability to turn this into a Strong Hit.
They reach the next waypoint without issue. Jett checks the scanners.
Expanse(63)Debris field: Frozen asteroids
"There's nothing of use here. Let's wait for the e-drive and try again."
Undertake an Expedition(Wits)—6 vs 6|5 Momentum:7 → 5 06a - Expedition to find medical supplies +1 (9/10)
They make it to the next waypoint, but their arrival is delayed by a fault in the drive engine - the minor damage caused by the gravity wave necessitated some quick repairs in-flight.
Expanse(88)Dense nebula cloud
They are in the middle of a dense nebula cloud. Their scanners are severely compromised, they can only see a short distance from the ship. Strange shapes move in the darkness - it may be a trick of the light but it appears that huge, leviathan-like creatures are swimming through space in the nebula. Nevertheless, the e-drive recharges without incident and they make another jump.
Finish an Expedition(track)—6 vs 9|1 06a - Expedition to find medical suppliescompleted 05a - Get medical supplies for The Snakepit +1 (3/10)
Do they find a settlement? (They find a ship on a no) Likely(50)Yes
Location(89)Deep Space First Look(89)Within or near Precursor Vault Settlement Name(78)Sagan Initial Contact(16)Welcoming Expanse(46)Dozens
Let's find out more about this vault!
Scale(9)Minor, confined site Form(77)Monument Shape(15)Practical or functional Material(86)Plant-like Outer First Look(78)Scaled for outsized beings
They come out of warp and immediately see an almost incomprehensible structure. It's a large cone with a dome at the wide end. Its features appear to depict a face, but not a human one. The narrow end flashes every few seconds. It appears to be made of a dark red, plant-like material.
"What do you make of that?" asks Jett.
"Weird. It's gotta be a precursor vault of some kind but I've never heard of one like that." replies Eris.
"What do you think it's doing out here in deep space?"
The conversation is interrupted by an incoming hail.
"Irony, this is Sagan. If you want to swing by for a bite to eat while your e-drive recharges you're more than welcome to dock. Or are you here to join us?"
"Actually, we're on a bit of a mercy mission, trying to find some crucial supplies for a new settlement not far from here." Jett says, neglecting to mention the nature of the 'new settlement'.
"Well, come on by then, I sure hope you can find what you're looking for at our little outpost."
Given Name(80)Rokuro Family Name(21)O'Brien First Look(91)Well-equipped
As he steps out onto the station, Jett is greeted by a large man wearing overalls. He has a toolbelt on with various tools, and a toolbox by his feet. "Hey there, welcome to Sagan. I'm Rokuro O'Brien, manager of this facility, we talked on comms earlier. So, what did you make of it?"
"The big alien head floating in space?"
O'Brien laughs. "You could call it that, I guess. I'd call it a miracle. This station was originally a research station, trying to find out more about the vault outside. Then over time the researchers just...found peace. Now we live a simple life of quiet contemplation, observing Hewligan's Hope with our eyes and hearts, not sensors and multitools."
"You just sit on this station and watch the vault?"
"Well, no, we still have to manage the station, it would fall apart if we just sat around watching the vault all day. We all have to eat, so someone needs to keep the hydroponics system up and running. Someone needs to make sure the artificial gravity and life support stay on, and a hundred other jobs around the place."
"Is there a trader here where I can look for supplies?"
"Yeah, we can't make everything we need here so we do have a trading station. I'll show you the way."
The trader is fixing a broken utility droid when Jett and O'Brien walk into the trading station. She lifts up her welding mask and says "A customer. Pleasure to meet you. Are you looking for anything specific?"
"I'm looking for some medical supplies" replies Jett. He hands her the list of items The Snakepit needs.
"We have most of what you're looking for." says the woman.
Resupply(Heart)—8 vs 9|10
"Who exactly are you getting all this for? It's a lot of stuff for a new settlement." says O'Brien.
"Well, they're new to the area, the group has been together for a while." replies Jett.
"And who exactly are they?"
"Does it matter? I'll give you a fair deal, everybody's happy."
"Why are you being so secretive? Are they outlaws or something? You don't seem like an outlaw to me."
"They're...not always on the right side of the law, no. I owe them, they patched me up after I got shot so I need to pay them back."
"We're not going to help you supply a band of outlaws." says O'Brien flatly.
"They're not all outlaws, they have families. Innocents and children. The supplies would be going to them, too." says Jett
Compel(Heart)—6 vs 10|10match
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave and not come back" says O'Brien. "We don't help the wicked. We'll pray for the innocents and children."
"So what now?" asks Eris once The Irony has undocked from the station. "Keep looking for medical supplies?"
"Let's just try to find Pyla." replies Jett. "The Ascendancy is a bigger threat than The Snakepit being low on medical supplies. If we can find out the story behind this relic, it might give us an idea of what they're up to." Jett takes out his black iron ring and holds it between his fingers. "I vow to get to Pyla" he says.
Swear an Iron Vow(Heart)—8 vs 8|7 Momentum:5 → 6
07a - Get to Pyla 07b - Expedition to Pyla
"So, what's your first step?" asks Eris.
"Pyla was somewhere near where The Snakepit was docked before it jumped here. So, I'll go back to that region of space and ask around."
Jett follows the Snakepit's course back the way it came.
Set a Course(Supply)—10 vs 3|6
Two weeks later, Jett is back where his adventure started. He avoids The Snakepit's original location in case there are Ascendancy ships observing the area, but by chance comes out of warp in the vicinity of...
Yes = settlement, no = ship 50/50(52)No
...a ship.
Starship Name(95)Valora’s Comet Starship Type(15)Dreadnought Fleet(42)Salvager hive Initial Contact(68)Asking for help First Look(69)Oversized engines First Look(17)Dark or stealthy
The ship is enormous, and painted completely black. It's difficult to see visually - at the kinds of distances associated with space travel the only way to see it is to look for a patch of missing stars - but it does show up on Jett's scanners. It has three huge engines at the back of the ship, comically large even compared to the enormous size of the ship itself. Dozens of smaller ships buzz around the outside.
Jett hails the massive ship. "This is The Irony to Valora's Comet. I'm looking for information. Care to trade?"
"The Irony?" comes back the reply. "The guy that can find anything?"
"That's what they say, but you know how it is with rumors." replies Jett.
"What kind of information are you looking for?" asks Valora's Comet.
"I'm looking for a planet called Pyla, it's supposed to be around here somewhere."
"Let me check our records...yeah, I don't know exactly where it is, but I know where to start looking."
"Ok, and what do you want for that information?"
"Let's see...Oh, I know, you're going to like this one. I want you to find something out for me."
"What is it?" asks Jett.
A sigh comes through the speakers. "The crew says there's a ghost on Deck 7. I want you to prove that there isn't one."