Previous Entry: 07 - Rushdown - The Spider
Begin a Session
Rushdown is on the trail of the Miwako, an arkship that went missing 150 years ago. The trail has led him to a derelict multipurpose ship. He is about to board the ship to look for clues.
Begin a Session(63)Key location is made unsafe or becomes mired in conflict
"They're Angels, at the end of the day," says Florian.
"We're the Angel Brothers. It's our brand. We can't just allow sisters to join after all this time."
"They're our blood, the DNA test confirms it."
"I'm not saying we don't look after them, I'm just saying they shouldn't be part of the business."
"Why not just give them something small to run and see how they handle it? We don't need to give them a whole casino up front."
"Are you going to give up a piece of your business to gift them?"
"We can all chip in and start them off with a new venture."
"Well I think it's good for business. It might open us up to entirely new clientele."
"Brothers, it's late," comes a voice from the end of the table. The cacophony of voices stops. "I don't think we're going to decide anything tonight. Let's continue this discussion tomorrow." The other Angels gradually file out of the room. Florian waits behind to talk to the man at the head of the table.
"So what do you think?" he asks him.
"Like you said, they're Angels. Don't worry, the others will come around. Nobody wants to give up a piece of their cut, that's all. It's always like this when a new sibling is found." Florian nods. "By the way," the man continues, "What went down in Southside?"
"A bunch of gangers decided to cross Minami."
"And Minami went to these mercs instead of coming to us?"
"I think they wanted to give them a test, I don't think they meant any disrespect."
"Hmm. What do you know about the mercs?"
"I used them to get rid of those Ironsail Raiders who were bothering our customers a while back. They got the job done, quickly and quietly. In their own way, mind you."
"So you'd vouch for them?"
"Too early to tell. I sure as hell wouldn't count them out though."
Momentum:7 → 8
The Rude Awakening docks with the Long Haul, and Rushdown steps through the airlock. The Rude Awakening can provide power to the smaller ship through the airlock, but Rushdown is in his EVA suit due to the lack of atmosphere an extreme cold in the multipurpose ship.
Inner First Look(34)Esoteric writing or symbols
The walls are covered in strange symbols, written in an unknown substance. "You seeing this?" Rushdown says over comms.
"Yeah, nothing I recognize," replies Janus, the communications officer, as she watches the captain's progress on the helmet cam. "I'll save the recording and we can run a check later."
Undertake an Expedition(Wits)—8 vs 9|7 08 - Explore the Long Haul +1 (3/10)
Area(42)Corridor
Feature(56)Ruined bot
Peril(72)Path is trapped
The airlock comes out into a corridor with a number of doors branching off from it. An android, possibly some kind of utility robot, lies slumped against the wall, missing an arm and smashed almost to pieces.
Face Danger(Wits)—6 vs 4|1 Momentum:8 → 9
Rushdown notices a wire protruding from under the android - he carefully inspects it and notices it's attached to a grenade. Anyone who searches the android would set off the grenade - someone has gone to the trouble to set traps here.
"This place is trapped," Rushdown informs the crew over comms. "There's a grenade under the android."
"How new is the grenade?" asks Murphy, the security officer.
Rushdown takes a look.
Does it look new? 50/50(90)No
"Probably as old as the ship," he replies.
"Then there's a chance we beat the rebels here."
"I'm going to move on. Send in a security team to disarm the trap," says Rushdown.
Undertake an Expedition(Wits)—6 vs 3|7 08 - Explore the Long Haul +1 (6/10)
Starship(74)Operations
Area(57)Landing bay or hangar
Peril(96)Investigate, Superstition
Is there any cargo in the hangar? 50/50(16)Yes
Rushdown enters the first door he sees. It's a hangar, and absolutely covered in the strange symbols that are scrawled on the walls and floors of the ship. In the center of the hangar is a large crate.
"There's a crate in here. I want to see what they were carrying, but it could be another trap. Tell the security team to come and check the crate once they're done with the grenade," Rushdown tells Murphy over comms.
The security team eventually give the crate the all-clear and Rushdown opens it.
Explore a Waypoint(Wits)—8 vs 3|6 Momentum:9 → 10
Opportunity(14)Cache of weapons or ammo
Rushdown finds a cache of ancient melee weapons. A vibroblade catches his eye, and he picks it up. He turns it on and swings it a few times - it seems to be in perfect working order. He decides to keep hold of it, deciding it might come in useful someday. He orders the security team to reseal the crate and return it to the Rude Awakening as he continues searching the ship.
Undertake an Expedition(Wits)—5 vs 8|8match 08 - Explore the Long Haul +1 (9/10)
Rushdown goes the other way down the corridor and finds the bridge of the ship. "I'm at the bridge," he says in to comms, "Give us some power so I can take a look at the logs." The Rude Awakening starts sending power through to the Long Haul through the airlock connection and the bridge consoles come to life.
A voice over comms says "Ah. Shit. What's going on, where is everyone?"
"Who's there?" says Rushdown.
"I'm Cleveland, the ship's AI. Who are you and what are you doing in the captain's chair?"
"I'm Captain Rushdown of the Rude Awakening. You've been offline for a while, we found you floating through space with no power."
"So what are you, scavs?"
"Mercs. We're chasing a ship called the Miwako that responded to your distress call."
"Ah yes, that's right, they did."
"What can you tell us about what happened here?"
"Captain Finn found something while hiking in the mountains north of Minami. There was some kind of cave system that led to an ancient underground ruin. He found an artifact there, that had some kind of power that the Minami scientists couldn't explain. So, Finn wanted to take the artifact to an expert he'd heard of in the next sector over for their opinion. He took the Long Haul and set off."
"So where's the captain now? And the artifact?"
"Dead by now, it's been 150 years. Anyway, when we reached Ember, we were boarded by pirates. They were madmen, talking in riddles and scrawling strange symbols all over the walls. I sent out a distress signal, and the Miwako came to chase the pirates away. But the pirates used Captain Finn as a hostage, and somehow convinced the Miwako to exchange the contents of their cargo bay for the Captain's life. Of course, as soon as they were allowed to board to get their loot they started slaughtering everyone. They must have forced Captain Finn to tell them the master passcode because after a few days the Miwako disappeared into FTL. I stayed online for a while, but then I shut myself down because I was running out of power."
"Quite the story. What can you tell me about these pirates?"
"They were quite insane. They kept talking about something called the Ascendancy."
"Ok, I guess I'll have to hit the history books if I'm going to find out more. Minami will want to talk to you about all this. I'll get some spare fuel cells brought over and a bridge crew to pilot you back to Minami City."
"I'm glad to hear that Minami City is still standing."
06 - Find the fate of the Miwako and recover any surviving intel +1 (3/10)
Finish an Expedition(track)—8 vs 9|6 discoveries +1 (1/10) 08 - Explore the Long Haulcompleted
The crew busily make the necessary preparations, and the Rude Awakening and Long Haul make their way back to Minami City.
Set a Course(Supply)—10 vs 9|8 Momentum:2 → 3
Rushdown arrives back at Minami City. He heads to Gray's office to report on what he's found so far.
"Good work. It's a shame you had to let The Spider get away, but I'm sure your paths will cross again. What's your next move?" says Gray.
"I need to find out more about these pirates. I doubt we'll get anything from the 'official' history available here in Minami, so I'm going to head to Gallows to see if anyone there knows anything."
"Are you going to drop in on our little friend?"
"Switchblade? He can wait, I don't want to lose ground to the rebels just for him."
"Fair enough, although he is a problem that needs to be dealt with."
"I also wanted to look up these symbols that the Ascendancy pirates were writing all over the Long Haul."
"Here, use my terminal," says Gray. Rushdown pulls up the telemetry feed from the ship and runs it through the computer.
Gather Information(Wits)—5 vs 2|7 Momentum:3 → 4
There are multiple matches - various wrecks and derelicts have been found with these markings daubed on the walls and floors. They are usually linked to massacres and ritualistic killings, and often drawn in blood. It seems the Ascendancy, or another group like them, is still in operation to this day, although nothing is really known about them. They show up and vanish seemingly at will. There's no pattern to their attacks, they don't stay in one sector, and they don't take prisoners or loot. They don't seem like a pirate band at all.
"I don't know who we're dealing with, but this doesn't feel like a cold case any more," says Rushdown.
"Just focus on the Miwako, we don't need to get involved with these guys unless they get in our way," says Gray. "Oh, and I got a courier this morning; your new ship should arrive by the time you get back from Gallows."
"Good to hear," says Rushdown. He leaves Gray's office, heads to the Rude Awakening, and goes directly to Gallows.
Set a Course(Supply)—8 vs 4|10
"Sir, Landing Control want to speak with you before we dock," says Janus.
"Put them through," says Rushdown.
"Captain Rushdown," says Landing Control over comms, "We heard about what happened on Tranquilo, we don't want that kind of trouble here. Are you here on a job?"
"Just looking for some information," replies Rushdown.
"Okay, well either way the boss wants to talk to you. After you dock, go to the Wessex Saloon and talk to Captain Redblood."
"Got it."
"Ok, you're free to dock. Landing control out."
The Rude Awakening docks with the station, and Rushdown heads out to meet Redblood.
End a Session Momentum:4 → 5
Next Entry: 09 - Rushdown - Following the Thread