The Legonater

What exactly do you have to gain from a non-violent resolution? 'T's not exactly like we can kill you, if you're right about having other bodies.

Invictus, I presume?

Mortizar is now Santa Claus and Hart employees are all his elves. Hart already has a deer theme... This could work...

Kirwin Coding Check (DC 3) - 6, 3, 3, 4, 5 +1 (Four successes) Kirwin grabs a portable drive and is able to copy the audio files directly onto it.

It's a shame that Endgame and I didn't launch when we were first intended to, because this would've been a hell of a Halloween double feature.

The computer whirs for a moment in response... "Playing <08/27|0430> [Personal Recording: Dr Jamie C. Luce]" The patient is Michael Moran, goes by “Bugsy.” Moran was found unconscious on the deck of cargo container Delta at 1630 fixed Cosmopoli standard time on 08/26, according to regular Hart timekeeping practices. He has lacerations to his pectoralis and his abdomen, as well as contusions on the back of his head. Moran also has minor memory loss from the incident, likely as a result of a concussion. I, unfortunately, do not have the equipment on Valencia to do a proper study, but I’ve noticed a strange phenomenon with these injuries; it appears as if the skin around each wound has almost immediately begun to atrophy. Now, since I have no idea what is going on here, I’ve advised that Ilbery take some safety precautions, and heighten security on the ship. I have, uh, promptly been ignored, but I’m going to keep talking to Chief Gail and see if there’s anything I can do about it. Until this, I’ll keep running tests on Moran. Hopefully, it’s nothing - but I'm finding that increasingly damn unlikely. The screen goes blank for a moment before booting up again. "Playing <08/29|1027> [Incoming Interior Message: Assistant Engineer Artemis Callaghan" Hey, Bugsy. I was just chatting with Joan; she said they’re keeping you in there for another three days? Word travels that fast, eh? It’s nothing, Arty, don’t worry yourself about it. I am worried. Nothing has been normal about this trip. Shortcutting through the nebula, all the mess with that Carpathia guy, none of this bodes well. McSorley keeps going off about what this is going to do to Hart’s reputation. And now they’re keeping you locked up in there? I thought you said Dr. Luce didn’t even have a diagnosis? Bugsy shrugs nonchalantly. It’s no big deal. I honestly just tripped and fell on shift, I don’ know why everyone’s making such a fuss about it. Doc Luce is just cautious, it’s what she gets paid to do. People are talking, though. Chief Gail is trying to get the captain to implement security measures, and- Hey, we’re gonna be fine, Arty. Look, it’s been a stressful job. Let’s say when we get to the Queen of Hearts, we take a day off, see the sights? Stars, maybe take a week? …yeah. I think I’d like that. Get some rest, Bugsy. The screen goes blank again as it shifts to the final recording, "Playing <09/01|0942> [Personal Recording: Dr Jamie C. Luce]" So, it finally happened. Captain Ilbery sent this announcement out last night: Luce turns on a separate recording. Crewmates of HMS Valencia, this is Captain Ilbery speaking. It gives me no pleasure to say this, but at the stern suggestions of Chief of Security Andrea Gail, I have decided to implement lockdown procedures. We will be monitoring shift changes, and regularly performing checkups. Only designated staff may access the bridge, or engineering, both of which will require vocal confirmation. Any other requests for access will be considered at a case-by-base basis. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause, but rest assured that this was done with yours and Hart’s best interests in mind. Let’s hope that the rest of this trip is a smooth one. The recording of the captain flicks off and returns to Luce. -now am I mad? No, of course not. It’s the right call. But I've been saying that since day one, and it's taken this long. Dominoes, this whole operation. The morning managed to be even worse. She sighs deeply, and wipes sweat from her brow. We lost Moran today. He succumbed to his injuries and flatlined at 0830 fixed standard time. I’d like to make one final autopsy, though I’m still not as equipped as I’d like to be for something like this. Something screwy was going on in Moran’s nervous system, and even after he fell back unconscious his mental activity remained off the chart. And there’s still… something I don't have words for happening in his body, even after death. …I wonder if I could get Dr. Greenlaw to take a look at him, but I haven’t heard from her in a few days. My fear, though, is that whatever happened to Moran is a... science thing and not a medical thing. I can't explain it. But I need answers. And I'm not getting them in my office. The screen goes blank again, before fading back to the initial warning screen.

Soren follows behind Valesia, gun in hand, ready to shoot the moment the figure becomes clear.

MM Note: Since you were all pretty insistent on keeping some distance, I'm going to rule that Varen doesn't interact too closely with the area around the body, but you do see him pass that way at one point and the body does not seem to react. Looking at the holographic display, Zaria sees an emergency warning displayed upon the screen: NOTICE: The system has undergone an unscheduled shut-down. Ship-wide communications now operating on backup power! As standard procedure, the last 3 recorded messages have been stored in backup files. Here are your messages: <08/27|0430> [Personal Recording: Dr Jamie C. Luce] <08/29|1027> [Incoming Interior Message: Assistant Engineer Artemis Callaghan] <09/01|0942> [Personal Recording: Dr Jamie C. Luce] Would you like to playback recordings?

Merei Perception Check (DC 1) - 1, 4, 7 (One success) Looking closer at the body, Merei is unable to find any sort of explosives. She does, however, locate a Hart dog tag, labelling the man as Greg R. Wood. Varen Perception Check (DC 1) - 6, 2, 6 (Two successes) In the light of the still-active computer, Varen is able to search through the drawers of the desk and finds a Plasma Potion.

The note reads as follows: REMINDER: Follow up with Greenlaw ASAP! Send her all the data on Bugsy! Maybe send last recording? Try and get a corridor pass from Joan??

Damnit, we should'nt've given the thing a name. Valesia, you can't give us any light, can you? Soren drew his blaster and fired it aimlessly down the corridor, hoping he might hit something.

Zaria Perception Check (DC 3) - 5, 5, 6 (Three successes) Zaria searches around the sick bay, and finds more of the viscous fluid on the floor by the stretcher. A few medical tools also seem to be scattered about. An electronic note is on the floor beside the computer, apparently a reminder that had long since fallen off the desk. Neither the body nor the fluid substance appear to respond to the intrusion of the debris.

Soren raises his eyebrows at the realization that Percy has been behind the signals. I'm confused, why the obsession with telling the world about Invictus? Somethin' in your directive? Stars, no. We're not done with this conversation. It's a shame that detective couldn't join us for the ride, 'seemed like he had some coding experience. Is there any way I can back you up to a hard drive or something?

MM Note: No problem! Kirwin Perception Check (DC 3) - 1, 1, 5 (One success) In the darkness, Kirwin can't immediately make out anything more about the room. The space continues to give him a bad feeling, however. Merei Medicine Check (DC 1) - 3, 3, 5 (One success) Merei Perception Check (DC 3) - 1, 5, 2 (One success) Merei is able clearly see the arm is detached, with the body laying under a pile of rubble. While she isn't able to determine the exact cause, it seems as if there was an explosion of some kind. Zaria Nature Check DC 5 - 3, 3, 5 (One success) From her distance, Zaria is unable to determine anything about the liquid.

Yeah, there's too much going on there. I'm calling you Perry. Of course he wasn't, Soren says, more out of resignation than anything else. You wouldn't happen to know where exactly he was, would you?

Soren casts a glance at Valesia. He didn't like where this was going. We know of Invictus. Do you have a name, AI?

MM Note: I figured as much, just wanted to double check! Varen Coding Check (DC 3) - 3, 2, 6, 3 +1 (Two successes) Fragile Hacking Chip expended Zaria Strength Check (DC 3) - 3, 6, 6, 1, 5 (Three successes) As Merei stays with the detached arm, Varen and Zaria get to work with the door. Despite his advantage, Varen struggles to open the door gently. He is able to budge the door open another inch, but not before the panel shocks him as well. and the chip he retrieved from the forbidden sector splits in half in his hands. Zaria, eager to do something with her hands, squeezes in the gap created between the wall and the door and pushes. It takes a moment of strain before she is able to gain leverage and work the door along its track, shoving the door back into its side of the wall. She takes a moment to stretch out her muscles before following Varen into the sick bay. They are left in a haunting sight. It immediately becomes clear that the light they saw before came streaming from the bright medical lamp hanging over a body laying on the stretcher. The body's face is frozen in shock, and the man's legs and torso seem connected solely by a sinewy brown and black liquid. On the other side of the room, a desk lamp casts glare against a bright holographic screen, that appears to still be active.

Soren keeps an insightful eye on Glenn, seeing if he reacts to the artificial presence. He debated mentioning Invictus by name, but perhaps this wasn't the time to play with such forces. Valesia seemed like the real people person, he'd let her handle this one.

MM Note: For clarity, are you using Healing Light, or are you just getting set up? Zaria Coding Proficiency Check (DC 3) - 1, 5, 6 (Two successes) Despite her unfamiliarity with the technology, Zaria imagines herself pretty competent with the door panel. She fiddles with the controls and manages to open the door another inch, but not before the panel shocks her, and she jerks away from the door. Varen Insight Proficiency Check (DC 7) - 4, 6, 5, 4 (Four successes) Varen doesn't see anything of note.

The party organizes into a line as they step around the corner to the right. Before them, the light from Zaria's khopesh is able to light up a pile of wreckage between them and engineering. It appears as if something has caused a collapse in this section of the ship. To their left, they see the entrance to the mess hall similarly destroyed. The arm of a Hart employee can be seen crushed in the ruin. The heroes turn towards the med bay door and find it stuck ajar. Light spills out from inside. What will the heroes do?

Zaria looks up and is able to clearly see the path before her. It comforts her to be out of total darkness, but the eerie silence of Valencia's halls do nothing to help her nerves. She can see clearly now that these corridors have been untouched for some number of days, possibly even weeks or more. MM Note: That's correct!

Thank you both so much! Stud.io really saved my megablocks in terms of setting a tone for this part of the quest, so I'm super excited for you guys to begin exploring Valencia.

I don't suppose an insight check would do much good for that, would it? Life finds a way... mutters Soren, looking over the site. He didn't much care for the idea of living machines, but it seemed the simplest explanation for the way all the dominoes of this thing were lining up. This Invictus felt like an ominous figure, but Soren didn't see much point in fearing the thing until they'd confirmed his continued existence. Best to live in the certainty of the now. Yeah, let's keep going.

Sensing a consensus, Jace nodded. Alexa put the shuttle through its cycles and affixed the ship to the side of Valencia. After a few moments more, a port opened up in the side of the shuttle, giving the heroes access to the freighter they had long searched for. Best of luck, out there. We're counting on you. Trepidatiously, the heroes step from the shuttle to the freighter. An almost overbearing darkness quickly takes hold of them, and they pause a moment to let their eyes adjust before continuing. All the overhead lighting appears to be shut down, leaving the area lit solely by harsh red emergency lighting and a display panel at the far end of the corridor. A coldness takes at them, as it becomes that little if any energy has been dedicated to heating the ship as it floated in the expanse of space. The corridor splits off in two directions before them. The display panel, its glow reflected on every wall of the hallway, reads as follows: <-- Bridge Science Lab Engineering--> Sick Bay & Lounge What will the heroes do?

I don't know much about robots, but is there any chance that... I don't know, Invictus' "code" is floating in Ætherspace somewhere? Would an old war base like this have the ability to store that sort of thing?