Session 7

Session 7: Don't Gas, Enter Inside
"If you cut me, do I not bleed?.......Don't cut me."

- Nahtesh

Overview
Vic and Rickmann turn on The Daedalus' docking lights and try to decode the mysterious signals on the radio, but with no success. Vic grows anxious as both the storm and strange occurrences intensify.

Back in the Bunker Nahtesh and Logan realise it is unwise to explore further without Nahtesh's magic and decide to leave, heading back out the way they came. As they approach the door they notice that the emergency lights have kicked in and the alarm system in Sector 4 is on full alert. Despite seeing no trace of anybody else a bizarre metallic buzz is coming from the door. Logan plays it safe and lights the area with glowsticks from a distance, discovering that the control panel has been destroyed violently and the door is now stuck partially open. The gap is barely wide enough for a single person to fit but is unstable, slowly opening and slamming shut as the control panel sparks out. A bloody trail of scratches and damage lead back to Sector 4. Rather than risk getting caught in the door they decide to return to a Terminal and see if they can override the door lock.

During this time Vic has found the frequency that the mystery signal is coming from and though the message is highly distorted, begins to pick out words - "Dead", "Don't come in", "Betrayed". He can't grasp their significance but the tone worries him, so he sets about preparing the Skiff in case they need to try and escape through the storm.

Nahtesh and Logan find a nearby Terminal room containing a dead crew member. Nahtesh is growing increasingly panicked and guards the door with his weapon while Logan dumps the corpse and boots up the computer. To his surprise it is still logged in as the deceased crew member - Dana Wallace. Reading her logs he discovers that this was a research station but was sent into lock-down by The Event. Most of the crew went into statis while four were designated to maintain it and continue the critical research. Of most significance is their studies on a mysterious artefact designated only as "The Orb" - a black orb covered in strange markings that reacted only to strong energy. Living things left in it's vicinity would grow unnaturally before withering and decaying, while animals would steadily turn mad and violent. Once they realised it affected humans as well The Orb was quarantined in a special containment chamber in the lab and studied only from a distance.

One of the crew, a man named Shian, apparently broke the quarantine and override the computer systems to prevent any other users from accessing Sector 4's network, before murdering the crew. He sabotaged the statis chambers and attacked the maintenance crew, though Dana Wallace was able to lock him inside another special containment room before making it to the Terminal and sealing him in for good. When Logan initiated Directive Six he accidentally undid Dana's global Security lock but it didn't undo Shian's lab lock.

Finally they find Dana's message and play it in full - "". Guessing (correctly) that Vic might be able to pick up the signals on the The Daedalus' radio, Logan records and broadcasts a new message requesting immediate help in breaching the door and warning him of the danger.

Vic and Rickmann hear the new message and despite Rickmann's insistence that it is too dangerous, Vic rounds up weapons and tools for breaking open the door. Just as they are about to leave he realises that the message on the radio has changed....

Beneath their recording Nahtesh and Logan spot a message recorded only moments ago by Shian and play it. The message mentions Nahtesh by name and asks him to come join them so they can take his magic. With no way to escape and no idea when his magic will actually return, Nahtesh reluctantly agrees with Logan's plan on hunting down Shian first. They check the inventory records for anything they can turn into a weapon and discover that one of the chemicals used by the cryogenic chambers is extremely toxic and deadly on skin contact, so form a plan to get hazmat suits from one of the labs then gas the entire base.

They manage to acquire the suits with no difficulty but when they reach a cryo chamber find a monstrously deformed animal, possibly a rabbit, attempting to burrow into the capsules. Nahtesh manages to shoot one of the canisters before it notices them and exposes it to the chemical, grievously injuring it. They briefly study the body before Logan stamps it to death.

By now Vic has realised that this new message is not from Logan and that whatever is happening, they are in serious trouble. He races to the bunker, forcing Rickmann to follow him or be left alone. They notice some strange noises and scratchings on the way but don't see anything.

Meanwhile Logan and Nahtesh have made their way to the bunker door, dumping open gas canisters as they go and flooding the ventilation. Using the liquid from a cracked glow stick they leave Vic a message on the floor warning him not to enter because of the gas, then head onto Sector 4. They find the labs deserted except for the corpses of the staff but decide to gas the labs before venturing in any further.

Vic and Rickmann reach the door and use a jack to prevent it from shutting, but aren't able to pry it open large enough for anyone to safely get through. They see the message from Logan and Nahtesh so decide to head back to the Skiff and wait for them to return.

New Characters

 * Shian
 * The Orb

Notable Quotes
 - James and Mart "That's called meta-gaming, so no-one gets any XP" - David