The Characters

 

 

Scene 5: Chaos 7 - Random Event "Move Towards a Thread" 

Empty and yet crowded with gear, the cargo bay on the Santa Rose comes with a calmness and distinctly familiar echo each time a tool is turned or a bolt dropped.

Jill applies patches to the pressure suits in the loading bay. She hasn't done this type of grunt work in years so it's taking her longer than expected, but the quiet at the back at the ship is peaceful. The distant drone of the air vents away from the screaming lieutenant calms her. It lowers her stress. -1 Stress

Jill Vickers - Heavy Machinery Roll - Strength (4) 4 Base dice + 1 Stress = 2 Success

She succeeds in repairing about half of their gear. The patch fits nicely, no creases or ripples.

I roll for my random event I mentioned at the beginning of the scene and get "Dangerous + Formal". Okay this is Fate giving me another clue that I've missed something earlier. If you remember from the earlier scene, I had rolled "Dangerous + Suits".  I now know the first role I did a was not referring to the space suits but those of the corporate variety. Let’s see if I can get the story back on track.

Strange. There's a call coming into the cargo bay. The button on the comms unit flashes red - its coming in on a private channel. Whoever is on the line is looking to speak directly to Jill. She answers. She recognizes the voice, but we don't know who it is. That calmness she felt is swept away in an instant. Whoever it is is bad news.

I only know that she is afraid of this person. They are a "dangerous + suit." Probably a Company Representative or higher ranking Officer. Weyland-Yutani? This adds another piece to her story.

I ask the fate chart:

Does Lt. Allen eavesdrop on the conversation? "No" 

 He's too distracted forming a new plan for his squad. Jill can conduct the secret call without interruption. That is until her radio squawks to life.

"Vickers, report to the bridge to discuss our next move." Orders Allen.

Does she come right away? "No"

"Vickers, come in." 

Allen gets impatient. This is not like Vickers. On the console he can see that another transmission is coming through to the ship on a private channel. A defiant blinking on the dash reflects off his bony jawline. Damn it. Allen's face wrinkles up with curiosity. Not only was this unexpected, it's impossible for someone to reach them down there through the high winds.

Allen leaves the bridge to go looking for her.

Vickers continues work in the loading dock

Lt. Allen walks through the eerily quiet corridors of the Santa Rose. As he does, he reaches out to the ground team via radio to brief them on his new plan.

"Do you read me? I said we'll take off towards the Harvester to shave off the loss of mission time from the storm." Allen repeats to the ground squad. 

As a reminder, "The Harvester" was a ship used by Bio-Pharm to collect royal jelly back when the planet was mined. It was abandoned and was the location of the last stand between Stan Myakovsky and Julie Lish. For more on this, see Alien Harvest.

As he tries to reach the marines, Allen simultaneously looks everywhere on the ship for Vickers. Right now she's in a world of hurt. Does he find her in zone 2? 

Instead of asking Fate, I decide on an Observation Roll.

Lt. Allen - Observation Roll - Wits (3) Observation (1) 4 Base dice = 1 Success

Jill is found and confronted. She's off the channel now, acting like nothing happened even though they both know it would be impossible to hide.

"Didn't you hear me radio you?" Allen probes. He stands rigid by the door's bulkhead like a guard.

"Sorry sir, I've made some progress with the repairs. In a few more hours..."

"Cut the shit, Vickers. Who were you talking to?" Allen cuts her off.

 Is she ready to talk? <I give it 50/50 odds>"Yes". 

She confesses that she was talking with a man named "Kincaid". (I have no clue who this is, but I'm guessing a WY representative. I asked AI to make up a name and this is what I got. Lets see what we can find out about him.)

"Who is Kincaid?" Allen probes.

"He's... my problem not yours." Vickers is visibly upset. Whoever this guy is, he has a tremendous effect on her even all the way out here. Allen can see her weaken, far too quickly than he's known her to do. Given his experience he knows he needs to tread lightly with Jill or he'll lose her for good. He searches his memory bank for the name, but it doesn't ring a bell. At least now he has something to go on, a name to look up. Someone is undermining this mission and he's not about to let on that he knows about it.

Vickers' lies about why she is speaking with him. I won't know why until I found out more.

"This guy calls back you patch him directly to me, understood? I can't have anyone or anything interfering with the mission. Furthermore, you aren't to take any personal calls while on duty. You of all people should know that."

Allen doesn't have time for this now. The mission takes priority. Getting his marines out of here safely is a priority. Jill's distractions will have to wait. There is a more important question he needs to ask her...

"Vickers, can you fly?"

Scene 6: Chaos 7 

With suits on, the ground squad must monitor their air supply, at least until they get into the hive and out of the wind and course sand. They trudge forward, but Capilano lags behind. He's created the gap on purpose between him and the others, so they won't see what he's about to do. Capilano switches his radio to a private channel, then dials in a new coord. number on his suit. He radios "someone" privately and it's not Allen. He attempts to send a signal out (Hoban?) but can't transmit because of the storm.

Is the storm getting worse? "Yes"

Capilano has lagged behind enough and Mason is now barely visible. He quits fiddling with the radio and picks up the pace.

Back the the APC Pakowski makes another attempt to fix the sensors.

Pakowski - Heavy Machinery Roll - Strength (5), Heavy Machinery (3) 8 Base dice = 1 Success

Nice! Sensors are partly fixed. He'll need 1 more success for them to be fully operational.

Mason, Marlaina, Kitzmiller, and Capilano bravely push through the storm, struggling against the fierce winds and pelting stones. Each step a battle against the alien world's harsh environment.

Visibility remains poor, the team must maintain sight of one another to avoid getting turned around. They move cautiously, weapons at the ready, their senses heightened in anticipation of the unknown that lies ahead.

After what feels like hours of battling the storm, they come upon the alien hive in the distance. The structure stands worn out, a testament to the passage of time and the harsh conditions of the alien world. Its exterior reveals signs of decay, with cracked and weathered surfaces that hint at the hive's vulnerable state.

Approaching cautiously, the team notices an opening in the side of the hive. The result of the hive's deterioration? The opening is jagged and irregular, large enough to accommodate them but still shielding the secrets that wait inside.

"Lt. said there'd be a hole. Looks like a hole to me..." Mason observes. Capilano motions to his ear piece.

"Come in, Lieutenant. We've got eyes on the hive. Repeat: We have eyes on the hive. Awaiting orders."

After a muddling of static and interference, Allen's voice breaks through.

"Proceed inside..." 

"Is he fuckin' crazy?" Mason blurts. Capilano does what he can to shield the mic.

"What the fuck does he want us to do, crawl on our hands and knees until we find the doctor? This is not a good idea." Marlaina worries aloud.

"Just stay ready and we'll be fine." Kitzmiller consoles her. A cool confidence washes over him.

They cautiously enter the hive. The interior is dimly lit, with a maze-like network of interconnected tunnels and chambers. The walls and floor bear scars and signs of previous encounters and struggles, suggesting that they are not the first to tread this path.

The worn-out state of the hive adds to the sense of foreboding. Decaying organic matter, remnants of the alien's presence, and an overwhelming silence fill the air. Strange plant life have attempted to root here, unsuccessfully. The team's footsteps echo through the desolate corridors, their breathing booms loudly inside their helmets. 

"Fan out. Look for any signs of the doctor or cocooning on the walls." Capilano instructs.

The team cautiously presses forward, knowing that the hive's weathered condition may not reflect the true danger. This is a good time to use the motion tracker again.

Mason whips it out. It gives out a comforting whine once switched on. Does he detect movement? "No." The hive is dead and dry. No pings. Power Roll for Mason. (0)

Kitzmiller moves up to take point with the smart gun. Shined, oiled and lethal.  

Entering the hive

 

 

Thanks for reading! Things are getting spicy. Who is Kincaid? What will the marines find inside the hive? Will the storm continue to wreak havoc on the mission?

Stay tuned for what happens next.