Chapter 4: Names can be deceiving...

Tranquility Station

 

Truths-Communication and Data

In settled domains, a network of data hubs called the Weave allows near-instantaneous communication and data-sharing between ships and outposts. Because of their importance, Weave hubs are often targets for sabotage, and communication blackouts are not uncommon. Beyond the most populous sectors, travelers and outposts are still commonly isolated and entirely off the grid.

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[Begin a Session: Flashback reveals an aspect of your background or nature +1 momentum (6)]

[Empath Asset- Tony can't read minds but he can read the intentions of people, it triggers as a gut instinct]

When I was 7 years old, I had a gut feeling about a person that my dad was talking to. I knew he was a bad man, and I could just tell that he was going to do something to my dad.

I pushed my dad out of the way just as the man tried to stab him with a knife he held behind his back. My dad quickly punched the man in the face with a few right hooks before knocking him out with an uppercut.

"How did you know?" My dad asked me.

"I just had a feeling," I said.

"Gavel men have a six sense so to speak." My father said. "All of us have had it. I have it, my father, my father's father, and now you. Always trust your gut, Tony. It can save your life as you just saw."

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On the way back from finding Magnus, I decided to spend a day traveling out into the middle of nowhere and destroy the Artifact with my blaster. Once it was melted to slag, I buried it deep in the ground so that no one could find it.

[Progress Roll: I will keep the Artifact out of the Collectives hands: Strong Hit = 9 vs 6 | 7: mark 1 tick on Quest track]

[Sojourn +heart: 6+3+0=9 vs 9|3: Weak Hit. You may do one recovery move. Took + health (5)]

After I got home, I spent a few days recouping from my ordeal. I got a message from Magnus telling me that he made it home safe and his wife thanks me for bringing him back alive. He said he was going to grab a few of the other workers and collapse the mine where the vault is located. 

I had just gotten off the vid with Alcar, he was wondering why our hoverbike was different. I told him not to worry about it. It was better than the old one. He didn't seem pleased when he hung up.

A message appeared from Tranquility Station that was rerouted from the Weave. It was from a guy named Cole Winter.

Hey Gavel, you don't know me, but you know my husband, Lucas Sayer. He's talked a lot about you over the last few days, telling me how you saved his life and were someone that could be trusted. He said some other things that I probably shouldn't say over a transmission. 

Anyway, I need your help. Lucas went missing yesterday. He never came home from work. I think it has something to do with the day he met you. Can you come to Tranquility Station? Here's my address. Hope to see you soon.

Attached to the transmission was an address within Tranquility Station. If Lucas got in trouble with the Collective because of me, the least I could do was go and see if I could help out.

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The Drift Runner was a light attack vessel that I won in a card game a few years back. I hadn't really had much use for it since I mostly worked here on Artemis, but it did come in handy when I had to make a long trip somewhere. 

I went through the preflight checklist and once everything was green, I got permission to depart Kepler Colony and made my way to the entrance to the Drift. 

Tranquility Station wasn't on any of my navigational charts, so I was going to have to make my own passage there. It should only take me a few days to get there but you never know when traveling the Drift. There is a known passage from Artemis to Dreck, from there I would have to go my own way. 

[Set a course +supply: 4+5+0=9 vs 10|5: Weak Hit: you arrive but face a complication. Spaceborne Peril: (80): Someone questions your presence here]

The trip to Rampart took two days and was a pretty straightforward run from Kepler Colony. People have been making it for dozens of years. Rampart was the Mining and Salvage hub of the Sector. I've done this trip myself a few times in the last two years for some odd jobs.

Dozens of people lived there at any given time, but its main purpose was a jumping-off point to go explore the deeper areas of space within the Forgotten Oasis Sector and to coordinate any salvage and mining missions that occur in space as compared to any mining or salvage done on the world. 

The station was run by an old, grizzled Watchdog that goes by the name of Shutdown. He had two medium-sized attack ships at his disposal, and they usually patrolled around the outskirts of Rampart to keep any raiders at bay. 

[Ask the Oracle. Has Gavel and Shutdown butted heads in the past? Unlikely: [Ask the Oracle: Yes]

[Ask the Oracle. Has any word spread from Artemis about Gavel's participation in the Artifact incident? Small Chance: Ask the Oracle: No]

I had a few run-ins with Shutdown in the past and I would say he's not my biggest fan. As I exited the Drift, I began charging my E-drive right away, I didn't really want to stay in this part of space any longer than I had to. 

About two hours into the charge cycle I got a warning from my ship's computer.

"Incoming vessel, Cruiser class, weapons hot."

The Cruiser class had some serious firepower on it, but my Corvette was much faster and more maneuverable. I liked my odds if I were to get in a dogfight, plus I probably knew the pilot flying the ship.

My communicator beeped and I put it on screen. A scraggly-looking man wearing a Watchdog uniform was smiling at me.

"Hey Chancey," I said.

"What are you doing here Gavel?" Chancey said. "I thought Shutdown told you not to come around these parts. He's still pissed about the last time you were here."

"I'm just passing through, Chancey. I have no intention of landing at Rampart."

"Well, you are still violating Rampart space. I should haul you back to the station and let Shutdown deal with you."

[compel +iron (threaten). 5+4+0=9 vs 7|3: Strong Hit: They do what you wish +1 momentum (7)]

"You could try, Chancey. But I like my odds against you. My ship is much quicker, and you know I'm a better pilot. I wouldn't want to leave you floating in space in an escape pod hoping your buddy picks you up." I said as I powered up my weapons.

Chancey looked at me for a minute, I could see him thinking of a way to get out of this without having to fight. Chancey was a lapdog of Shutdown but when push came to shove, he was a coward.

"I'll tell you what. How about you just transfer over some credits, and I'll tell Shutdown you wanted to make amends." Chancey said with a smile.

I agreed to the request because I didn't really want to fight at the moment, and I had other things to worry about at Tranquility Station. Once the transaction was complete, Chancey left me alone and as soon as my E-drive was full I entered the Drift.

[Gave up some of my resources to Chancey. -1 Supply (4)]

[Undertake an Expedition (troublesome) +wits: 2+3+0=5 vs 5|7: Miss, you are waylaid by a crisis, or arrive at a waypoint to confront an immediate hardship or threat. Do not mark progress and Pay the Price: Isolation or fear presses in]

[-2 spirit (2) Endure Stress +spirit: 2+2+0=4 vs 2|6: Weak Hit: if you are not shaken, you may Lose Momentum (-1) in exchange for +1 spirit. -3 momentum (4) +3 Spirit (5)]

A White Dwarf Star

The next anchorage was a haunting sight to behold. I came out of the Drift with the bright spectral light of a White Dwarf Star shining across my viewscreen. It immediately reminded me of some old stories that my dad and grandfather used to tell me when I was a boy, about spacers that have seen ghost ships floating near White Dwarfs and how the unnatural energies from a White Dwarf brought to life the dead to exact revenge upon the living. 

My father always warned me that supernatural occurrences and entities are especially common near a white dwarf star. Spacers call the White Dwarf's "Ghost Lights", and many believe that you should avoid them at all costs.

My anxiety levels began to rise as I waited for my E-drive to recharge. Being this close to the White Dwarf gave me the willies and I wanted to get out of here. Once the green light on my E-drive flashed I got out of here and marked this spot on my navigation charts to avoid it. 

[Undertake an Expedition (troublesome) +wits: 6+3+0=9 vs 6|1: Strong Hit: you reach a waypoint. Envision the location and mark progress (3 boxes)]

I decided to take a nap while I waited for the E-drive to charge. A few hours in my proximity alarms began to go off. As I opened up the viewscreen I saw a large rogue asteroid passing by the Drift Runner. I easily made a few course corrections to avoid its path and watched it drift by.

[Undertake an Expedition (troublesome) +wits: 6+3+0=9 vs 8|2: Strong Hit: you reach a waypoint. Envision the location and mark progress (6 boxes)

Coming out of the Drift, I saw a massive Red Smoldering Star in the distance. I hadn't had much experience with them, so I marked it in the charts and waited to get out of here.

[Undertake an Expedition (troublesome) +wits: 4+3+0=7 vs 3|2: Strong Hit: you reach a waypoint. Envision the location and mark progress (9 boxes)]

[Progress Roll: Make it to Tranquility Station: Weak Hit = 6 vs 10 | 1: you face an unforeseen complication at the end of your expedition. Make the legacy reward one rank lower (none for a troublesome expedition) and envision what you encounter. Story Complication Oracle (63): Trap is sprung]

[Due to the nature of the Complication: Ask Oracle: Did Lucas give me up to the Seekers? Likely: Ask the Oracle: No]

[Ask the Oracle. Was Lucas kidnapped by the Seekers? 50/50: Ask the Oracle: No]

[Ask the Oracle. Is the trap due to what happened on Artemis? 50/50: Ask the Oracle: Yes]

Tranquility Station

As I came out of the Drift, I noticed Tranquility Station up ahead in the distance. Tranquility was one of the places that no one ever really wants to go to unless you are loyal to the Collective.

The Collective uses Tranquility Station for a few purposes. Its main function is research, all of the Collective's researchers are stationed here. Hundreds of people call Tranquility home at any given time as people come and go on assignment all over the Collectives known domain. 

Its other main reason is supposedly a secret, but everyone knows Tranquility is the headquarters of the Seekers. Tranquility holds all the information gathered by the Seekers throughout the years and is stored in their massive database on the computer servers. 

The Seekers have a squadron of ships that patrol the system keeping the unwanted away from Tranquility as well as protecting it from the recent spike of Pirate activity going on around the Sector. 

Rumors have it that a rebellion is starting up due to the way the Collective has been treating its citizens. People have had enough and want change and the Seekers have been working overtime trying to find the leaders of this rebellion and put it to rest.

As I made my approach to Tranquility, I noticed a lot of activity going on around the station. Many ships were waiting to dock while the Seekers Cruisers were patrolling close by. Scans showed that the Cruisers were all weapons hot. Not a good sign.

"Tranquility Station, this is Gavel of the Drift Runner, requesting permission to dock. Over" I said.

"Send your credentials, please. Over." 

I sent over the required information and held my position as I watched the other ships flying around. After a few minutes, I noticed one of the Cruisers veer in my direction. 

"This is Tranquility Station, what is the purpose of your visit today? Over."

"I am meeting a client onboard Tranquility Station. I am a Private Investigator. Over" 

Another Cruiser changed direction and headed in my direction; I was beginning to get nervous. It seemed like an eternity waiting for control to respond. 

"This is Tranquility Station, sorry for the delay. You are cleared for landing Drift Runner. Please proceed to docking bay three. Over."

The two Cruisers sailed past me as I made my way to docking bay three. 

The switched the Drift Runner to auto-docking and got my gear ready. After a few minutes, I could feel the Drift Runner land and heard the docking clamps lock on. I opened the airlock and made my way down the ramp and headed towards the doors to the main station. 

Just as I was about to exit the docking bay, a group of Watchdogs, led by one of the Seekers in his white robes were waiting for me. The three Watchdogs aimed their shotguns at me.

"Greetings Gavel, if you will come with me, please. I have a few questions for you regarding an incident on Artemis about a week and a half ago." The Seeker said. "This isn't a request." 

[End of Session Move: How will Tony get out of this? What happened to Lucas? We will find out next time. +1 Momentum (6)]

[End of Session Stats: Momentum 6, Health 5, Spirit 5, Supply 4]