The Core: Errant Lightning
General Summary
336-1105:
While enjoying time at the Cantina, Cedric is surprised by his friend Nesin Colport, and administrator from Adan. He asked Cedric if Cade's Crew might be interested in some government employment on Adan. The crew discusses it, and they agree to leave after Ronald Pierre finds appropriate Cargo to bring.
They leave for Adan, and harvest fuel along the way. The trip takes 45 days
026-1106: (ADAN DAY 0)
Arrive at Adan but have to land on the planet because theyre ship is just too large. When they land Ronald tries to sell the Cargo. He starts to find a buyer. They fly the ancient mariner closer to the city, then depart on the Airraft. The ride is about 10 minutes to the capital Zisduun Nigani. The Suns are just rising in the east. It is 1245 Imperial Time.
Nesin has explained on the way that while Adanians have perfected techniques that allow
them to farm the Clench’s crops, the sensitive plant life
of the planet does not easily lend itself to agriculture.
Therefore, most of the harvest is taken directly from
the Clench itself, not from farms. Should the Clench
ever experience a significant decline in production, the
results would be dire. Unfortunately, just such a thing
is happening but with the help of the Travellers and the
Community, Adan might be able to avert catastrophe.
They are offered free board at one of the hotels in this tiny city.
027-1106: (ADAN DAY 1)
They dress in their Field Garb, and head out to the Desert at 4 am to learn more about the Clench, and Adan. They are taken to see Jaymeen Salassim who tried to get provide them with desert gear but they all decline because their gear is superior. They are all given 10 day rations and riding helmets.
Chariot Pairs:
Segment 1: They drive the Hover chariot through the desert and it is relatively routine. One Natural Cordon broke and started to cause floods. Some harvesting families were trapped and Argo coordinated the rescue. 8 people were saved. Laura checked them for injuries and they went on their way. They reach point 2 after 5 hours. 10 am.
Segment 2:
This is again more desert terrain and Salassim teaches them how to pick fruit. Ulrikka really takes to it well and gets a good bounty. While there they see a large group of harvesters threatening a smaller group of scientists. Laura confronts the harvesters. She tries to explain the science to them but they will not listen and threaten violence. Ulrikka threatens them back and they back off.
2 pm Reach point 3
Segment 3:
When they reach this point, they see only drone pickers. Shortly after reaching the extents, the group is greeted
by a woman named Taniin, who rides onto the scene in
a hover chariot identical to the ones the Travellers are
using. Taniin appears to have driven in from the west
which, if they have looked at the maps of Adan, is open
desert for about 1,000 kilometres until the mountains of
the Western Surge appear.
Colport and Salassim inform the Travellers
that despite the dangers, some of the most valuable
and delectable fruits of the Clench are present within
the extents. Extracting them is quite dangerous due
to the unpredictable movements of the serpentine
vines. Salassim offers to guide them into the hostile
brambles if they wish. He assures them that in spite of
the dangers, they will be just fine. If the Travellers opt
to go, Salassim steps away from the group for a few
minutes, closes his eyes and appears to enter a state
of deep concentration, after which he guides them into
the writhing tendrils. He seems confident in spite of
the danger. Colport follows the group from behind, the
dapper administrator seeming quite out of place but
only marginally less confident than Salassim.
It is obvious that Salassim is a psion of some sort. The travellers get some very fine fruit, but as they are doing so a harvester who is controlling drones harasses them with the robots. Zorphani chases him off.
by 1630 they reach Point 4.
They travel another 300 km and then make camp. Just as they notice the desert storm clouds.
Each traveller is given a cooling unit for their tent. Colport makes them a good spartan meal. During the meal they engage in conversation:
ITs confirmed that Taniin and Salassim are psions. Colport is not but was the first person to reach out to the community. Laura talks to them about the clench. Colport is hoping she can help lend some insight to the problem.
What is the Community?
A decade ago, explorers discovered that an exile
community had somehow managed to eke out an
existence in the deserts of the Western Surge. An
ACA expedition was
sent to make contact with them.
The citizens of the Community were initially careful
not to reveal that they were psions but, over time,
they were seen using their talents to navigate and
manage the Clench. The ACA was struggling to
address the needs of the people after several subpar
harvests and accepted the help of the Community
to address some of the challenges they were facing.
The ACA downplayed the presence of psionics in the
Community, portraying them merely as exiles who had
unique knowledge about the desert and the Clench.
In the present day, the ACA has been unable to
completely squelch rumours about the Community but
most people who know about the psions accept their
presence without issue. The Community maintains a
mostly separate existence from the bulk of the Adanian
population but they are seen from time-to-time in
various towns and settlements, sometimes even in
Zisduum Nagani.
While at Camp Albrecht uses the Planetology toolkit to take and analyze samples. Laura uses the Biology Toolkit to analyze her samples.
Cedric Dutton Just laughs at them and says the Clench is looking for better water sources to survive. Albrecht pretty much confirms that .
028-1106: ADAN DAY 2
0530: Awaken have breakfast and conversation where they learn that Taniin has a type of psionic ability called Changing. Shortly after, the Guides get a call that new people have arrived at the city and it requires Colport and Salassim are needed. Tannin tells the travellers that she might be able to convince the community to let them come for a visit.
1300: They arrive back at the Capital. They see a Giant cargo helicopter flying from the edge of the city to the city centre. The travellers being curious set out to find out what it is about. It does not take them long to get there.
There they see the helicopter has taken over the pitch, it is open but the interior concealed with black curtains. There is a speaker surrounded by mercs with stunners and shotguns. The Speaker begins his speech:
People of Adan, you have been deceived. You have
entered into a suicide pact with a dangerous foe of the
Imperium. While you might believe that this alleged
‘Community’ is your friend, psions are incapable of
befriending you. They are sick, enfeebled by an illness
inflicted upon our species by millennia of exposure
to jumpspace. But have no fear! We are here to save
you from them and in so doing, cure them of their
maladies. I am Dr. Channas Brummac and this is my
wife, Dr. Hortensia Brummac. We come to you from
Research Station Gamma on the Terelleresika system
of the Massilia sector. Our decades of research in
the field of psionicology has enabled us to develop a
treatment to cure psions of their illness, enabling them
to re-enter society and become respectable citizens of
the Imperium. Lead us to the Community and we shall
simultaneously save these pour souls while ridding you
of the blight which threatens your world.
At the conclusion of Dr. Brummac’s speech, the
curtains in the helicopter are drawn back and two ‘dune
jumper’ walkers come striding down its gangplank.
Each is armed with an autocannon and flamethrower
– highly illegal on the streets of any Adanian city –
and their helmeted drivers can be seen within. Their
dramatic appearance elicits a collective gasp from the
gathered onlookers.
Its very clear the newcomers intend to back up their talk. While he is concluding his speech, the Dune Walkers are making a public display. People of the Press are asking what gives them the right to use illegal vehicles and weaponry and Dr. Brummac claims he has an imperial warrant though he does not display it or say who it is from.
When the helicopter takes off, back to their compound, Cade's Crew decides to go get cleaned up at the Hotel and then take the Air Raft back to the Ancient Mariner at the Downport.
1413: Back at the Ancient Mariner they strategize. Zorphani will wait in the Ancient Mariner in Battle Dress ready to mobilize if needed. Cedric was going to stay behind but they need him for reconaissance.
1430: Depart for the Capital. See below for results.
2310: Retire for the night at the Hotel.
029-035-1106: ADAN Day 4--10
Ronald Sells the Cargo, Over the course of the week, citizens have been harassed, and some arrested. Colport was even arrested and questioned. It was a harrowing experience for him but unfortunately for the psions in the Capital he gave away too much when they broke him about what they were going to do to Samassin. Since the mercenaries are still convinced the Travellers are official, Ronald Pierce uses the law to free Colport.
By weeks end, the expulsion order for Brummac comes in, but 2 psions were captured and put into therapy already.
036-1106: ADAN DAY 11
Brummac violates the expulsion order and sets up in the Western Desert. Unfortunately this is very close to the Task Force set up to monitor the Clench. It is clear, Cade's Crew is going to have to have a battle Confrontation.
037-1106: 12
The crew go about smuggling their weapons off ship. Argo investigates normal smuggling procedures: +3 DM next Check he comes Up with a plan. Ronald official Cargo for sale. The Paperwork is Flawless. +4DM. Ulrikka attempts smuggling. Flawless Smuggling. They set up a base of operations at a camp outside the city.
038-1106: 13
Part of their plan relies on arming the Hover Chariots to deal with the Dune Hoppers. They need to find a smuggler. They go to the Downport.
0800: Argo starts inquiring around about a supplier. at 1500 one contacts them. The intermediary sets up a meeting at a dive bar. She wishes to see the Hover Chariots, so the crew brings her. 1900: She inspects the hover chariots, and discusses with Albrecht what must be done. 1940: She needs the crew to track down some of her contacts to arrange the buy. This is not optimal but there is not much choice.
041-1106: 16
They meet with the Smugglers. They use Colport's Cr200,000 for the Community and then purchase their own heavy modifications. Albrecht and Cedric offer to do the modifications.
043-1106:18
During the time Albrecht and Cedric were modfying the Hover Chariots, Ronald secured Transport with the Scirocco a Rotor Jet. When the modifications are ready, they depart, the Journey will take 3 days.
046-1106:21
Battle was decisive and ended quickly. The mercs surrender.
Laura orders all the wounded get retrieved. She travels to Ulrikka and Cedric and applies First aid to them, mostly healing them. She spends the rest of the day performing surgery on the two wounded Community members.
047-054-1106: 22
Aided by the predictions of their
clairvoyants, the manipulations of their telekinetics,
the guidance of the botanical symbionts and, of
course, the mind-linking talents of their telepaths, the
Community enables the Clench to reach the edges
of the Western Surge. Once there, the vines and
tendrils harden and penetrate the regolith that covers
hundreds of sinkholes, revealing dozens of aquifers
just metres below the surface. The removal of the
layers of loose rock liberates water, which bubbles to
the surface, creating a dusty slurry that feeds the plant
life of the Clench.
Its clear that the Clench has been reaching towards this aquifer for some time. The Psionic Community has aided the clench in reaching these aquifers. Albrecht and Laura get their names as contributers on a paper by the scientists of the community.
055-1106:
Travel back to the Capital. Several days of inquiry and debriefing. They are pardoned for their crimes of smuggling and illegal arms posession. Laura sets up a temporary clinic to treat patients.
067-1106:
Prepare to Depart
- Argo & Lara
- Ronald & Albrecht
- Ulrikka & Cedric
- Zorphani
Missions/Quests Completed
Brummac Compound
Ulrikka and Ronald Pierre attempt to set up a meeting: an hour goes by and they are given an invitation to the compound as informants. They agree to a meeting at 1700.
THE BATTLE!
Report Date
24 Jan 2024
Primary Location
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