Session 38: Iridium's Run Report

General Summary

Introduction

The Iridium Dawn shutters and shakes as its Zip Drive struggles to break free of the severe forces the growing Black Hole that was once Nibian 6 exerts on it. The tempature inside of the ship begins to drastically rise from the overheating Drive, though the shouts and commands coming from Jay and Kyra in the Engine Room seem focused on actively combating it. Tension hangs in the air and the trembling, terrified occupants packed into every hanger, bay, and hall thoughout the ship. Finally, like a rubber band stretched to its limits, the ship lurches forward and springs into the star-streaked blindingly white static of Zip Space at last. The Windows and Viewports throughout the ship immediately dim and darken to their interspace travel modes, protecting the eyes of the crew and rescued Nibian 3 refugees alike. The rising heat within the ship begins to dissipate as shouts of relief come from the Engine Bay and, within a matter of moments, a cold, tense calm floods throughout the ship once more.
As the straining engines calm to their normal purring and hearts slowly descend from the throats they temporarily resided in, the sounds of murmuring, coughing, crying, and moaning begin to echo off the metallic walls to the ears of our crew. Up front, Tumerian Li Shen leans back in his seat, his white-knuckled grip on the ship's Z-Drive lever loosening with a sigh of relief. The sound of feet striking on the walkway resonate nearby as Astrid looks up the hallway towards the cockpit past the refugees bracing against them, giving the Captain a nod of appreciation before turning towards the Systems Room with Burt awaits her. As we follow her through the ship, she passes the door leading down towards the Cargo Bay where Ronin and Chiara stand looking down at the scattered women and children laying in various fetal positions along the floor, each still gasping for air desparately.
As the calm and quiet of interstellar travel rests on each of you, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief from one of the most stressful days you've had in some time, the thought of what you've experienced today rests with you. You watched the Krasian U-Boat, the Sonya's Legacy, approaching Nibian 6. Your crew took out its guns, boarded it, and found evidence of the massive Utopia Bombs aboard. You also dodged and weaved around a Krasian Patrol Ship, the KPO Invictus, as it tried to dissect your ship with its railgun. After trying several ideas to slow, stop, redirect, or destroy the U-Boat, you fled to the other side of the system with an emergency Z-Space jump just as the ship ignited. You watched the ship and planet consumed by a growing black hole and prepared to flee with your evidence until some members of your crew felt compelled to help the innocent, doomed citizens of Nibian 3 after watching the escaping ships being destroyed. Another insane (in normal circumstances) jump into the planet's orbit sent you barrelling down to the planet to rescue the 50 individuals you were barely able to board. Now, the weight of having seen the results of a new weapons test which cumulated in the death of a planet (and star system itself eventually, should the black hole continue to grow) rests on your heart and mind as your adrenaline cools.
So, you each come to understand that all of the present danger has not past for the Iridium Dawn. This custom designed ship focused on stealth, combat, and scouting with a crew of 10, is filled almost to capacity with 50 refugees. A pile of refugees lie gasping on the Cargo Floor, others fill every available seat in the Cantina, while more still stand nearly shoulder to shoulder in the Hanger Bay. Only a handful are left leaning against the walls in the hallway, providing just enough room to walk through. You know that the ship will be traveling for 6 days, having jumped several star systems away. The ship was well-stocked with food, medication, and necessities for the 9 of you, but resources for this mass amount of people are limited. However, the immediate threat to your life seems to have passed you by and the adrenaline in your veins begins to cool. The question hits each of you as your trembling hands steady, your focused minds clear, and the threat to your survival lessens...how does seeing the death of tens of millions of people and the unveiling of a weapon that seems capable of destroying star systems and creating black holes affect you?

Scene: Z-Space Travel

A quick head-count revealed 25 Kids, 15 Women, and 10 Men survived. They are grouped into groups of 5 for the purposes of interaction. The crew found they had 20 units of Radiation Medicine, 30 units of General Medicine, & 300 Food/Water Rations (enough for all 10 intended crew for 1 month). They were also given a Credstick as thanks by Yarael.
Over the 6 days of travel, they tried to heal, cure, and feed all 50 refugees. Unfortunately, despite exhausting themselves and having to go to half-rations 2 days in a row, they lost 14 people throughout the journey to existing injuries, radiation, or weakness due to starvation (in combination with the other incidents).

• Li focused on clearing dead bodies & maintaining the morale of the refugees with Chiara's help
• Burt and Astrid primarily focused on the beauracracy of rationing and getting lists of the Refugees, then Astrid spent the rest of her trip working on healing those she could.i
• Jay and Kyra primarily focused on splitting up the radiation medicine to stretch it as far as possible to heal as many as they could. Afterwards, they shifted to healing. Jay also used the excess ship's parts to create "Scrub Daddies" to keep the air pure and clean to stop the Life Support from being Overwhelmed. She also tried to seduce Dr. Elara Kress, but was quickly frustrated by Dr. Kress's coyness.
• Rose created an algorithm to help split up the radiation medicine. She then spent some time healing the injured children and trying to lift the spirits of the orphans. She was struck by the voice of her mother echoing in her ears constantly after lying to the kids about her mother coming back to life.
• Ronin focused on healing as well. 

They dealt with the starvation, injuries, radiation poisoning, and simmering tensions of the refugees throughout the trip. They managed to maintain control and moved the food into the Weapons, Scanning Room, and Systems room. They kept the Life Support from being overwhelmed as well. On the second to last day, they organized some time in the Refresher for all of the refugees to help minimize the stench and complaints.
Before exiting Z-Space, on the last day, Dr. Kress and Yarael came to them and tried to gain information about who the ship belonged to and who they worked for by offering contacts and resources. Tumerian offered nothing back and they were given a single point of contact on Icarion as a potential resource as thanks.

Rewards Granted

-1 CredStick worth +3 Resources -1 Contact on Icarion by Yarael as thanks for healing his people

Character(s) interacted with

Yarael Tavik 
Dr. Elara Kress

Created Content

Scrub Daddies

Assembled Ship Parts made to shore up the inadequecies of the Life Support to maintain that many people

Campaign

What Hides Behind the Void?

Protagonists

Brier Bellock

Tumerian Li Shen

Kyralin Straussedorph

Report Date

16 Nov 2023

Primary Location

Zip Space