Early February 1998 Story

[Crayman Heit's Home, Residential Section, L10 on Underground Level]

The room is well lit, a standard issue bedroom converted into an assembly hall. Nicks and scuffs on the walls testify that at many times this little 3m x 3m area has been packed to beyond capacity.

But this time it is nearly empty in comparison. Loer An-Tehr sits on one side of a wobbly table, listening intently to Urugg, who is sitting between Tork and Zane.

"Given that this moon is not being left in its natural state, would it not be better to oppose Streel mines planetside on the Frontiers' colonies? Though natural formations on asteroids and moons have their own beauty, is it not more worthwhile to first stop destruction of biological ecosystems--much more complex natural systems than non-living systems? If mining on a lifeless moon or planet prevents eradication of a planet's native species, is the loss of the moon not the lesser evil?

"New colonies like Metrosphere may reduce stress on older colonies--crowding, food shortages, pollution, destruction of native life--across the Frontier. Not only that, but building biological preserves like the parks here may preserve species that otherwise would be wiped out--by mining, an asteroid strike, in the next Sathar invasion, or who knows what other disaster?

"I just don't understand how--with all of these more important issues that the colony here may help solve--you are opposing colonization of Metrosphere."

[Urugg PERSONALITY: 60 - 0 (racial modifier) = 60; Rolled: 69]

There is a brief silence.

Only a brief one.

"Your words are carefully chosen," says Loer. "You once fought on the side of environments that could not defend themselves. I admire you for that. But to be frank, I find your newly found sense of compromise disheartening.

"Yes. Today, violating a lifeless world is a lesser evil than violating a living world. But what can be said in the years to come, when Metrosphere is a living world? Is the mutilation of a Yazirian embryo any less a crime because it has not yet left the womb? Some day--some day soon--this 'natural formation' as you call it, will be a living, breathing planet--no different from Hargut. No different except for the unchecked devastation that Streel will have dealt it."

Loer realizes that her voice has been rising, so she stops to chew her lip while rethinking her words. "I'm not opposing the colonization of Metrosphere. Quite the contrary. That's the very reason I'm fighting. I came to Metrosphere because I believed in the dream. I was thrilled when Selson Streel offered to relocate me here. I saw this mass of rocks and minerals some day being a green paradise, teeming with flora and fauna. I still do. I don't know if you have seen the rest of this moon--but it is gorgeous. For once we have the chance of making a breathing, growing world that has not been ravaged by men who seek to fill their pockets. But this will only happen if we protect Metrosphere now."

Hmm, thinks Tork, this difference of opinion isn't seeming to get us anywhere.

Tork turns to Zane with a whisper. "Do you still have that picture of Dakka Syte that you downloaded?"

Zane nods, recalling it from his chronocom's memory.

"Ms. An-Tehr," says Tork--with practiced politeness. "The last time we spoke, I forgot to get a description of this Human you called Spider. Could I trouble you for more information?"

Loer is astonished at the sudden change in subject. "Uh. . .sure. I don't know what I could say. He was tall, with dark hair and a bad slouch. He tended to wear black, and had really long limbs. I think that's why people called him Spider. His eyes sunk pretty deeply into his head. That's about all I can think of. You know how all these Humans look alike."

"Where was he staying?" continues Tork.

"Here. In this very apartment. He wasn't an official First Landing citizen. He must have sneaked onto this moon somehow. As a result, it would be impossible for him to register for housing. We sheltered him here while he was working with us. But when I confronted him, he left. I have no idea where he would be now."

"Did he leave any other belongings?"

"No. Nothing I can think of."

Tork extends Zane's chronocom and shows Loer the image of Dakka Syte's face. "Ms. An-Tehr, is this Spider?"

Loer looks good and long at the picture. "Yes. That's him."

"This man's name is Dakka Syte. He's a convicted murderer and industrial saboteur. He escaped from a maximum security prison about three ten-days ago."

Loer nods with an enlightened sparkle in her eyes. "So this is why you came to see me."

[Syzygy and Zane's Apartment, N10 on First Landing Underground Level]

Taanik answers the door, greeting Tork, Urugg and Zane with ids rubbery smile.

"Where's Syzygy?" asks Zane.

"In his room," replies Taanik.

Tork steps into the apartment. "How'd things go?"

"They didn't. Miemen flat out rejected me. Even when I begged."

Urugg's brow twists. "Doesn't sound like our gelatinous pusher is in need of business."

"Maybe if I could really prove to Miemen just how desperate I am," says Taanik. "That's where I need your help. Urugg, you know a lot about hypnosis. And Zane, you're our most skilled medical expert. Can you two doctor me up, and make it look I really need an Ixiol fix?"

"There's some risk there," says Zane, remembering the caution he was taught in medical school. "I can use drugs to reproduce the symptoms of Ixiol withdrawal, but the drugs could have some potent side-effects."

"Just don't turn me into a desert chum-sloth," says Taanik, hiding any fear behind ids usually joking. " They're only good for target practice."

"Hypnosis can help you as well," says Urugg. "I'll try to implant a suggestion to make you experience withdrawal whenever you hear the word 'Ixiol.' These symptoms will subside only when you hear the phrase 'what a rush.' Now remember that Miemen is a Dralasite, like you, and may have a keen sense of lie detection. I could hypnotize you so that you actually believe you are and Ixiol addict."

Taanik considers the idea. "I'd rather take my chances there. I don't want to lose any sight of my real objective--finding out who Miemen's supplier is."

"Damn!" The sound of a datapad hitting the living room table alerts the whole group to Tork's frustration. "I've been over this report a dozen times and I still don't know who Dakka Syte is after."

Urugg steps over to the table. "No leads, Tork? It could be that Syte is striking back at someone else using Selson as a mere tool for his revenge. It might be worth checking if Streel is or was a close associate of any of Syte's known enemies. Given the unexplained presence of Streel Corporation-designed prototype military boots, maybe Selson Streel has been involved in some of the megacorp's 'dirtier' business. Who knows? Syte might have been doing a job for Streel at the time of his arrest and wants revenge because the 'corp hung him out to dry on some prison asteroid. Maybe Streel's just worried that Syte's discovery here will ruin the colony's reputation and kill next quarter's profits."

"I don't know," says Tork. "As far as I can see, Dakka's last arrest had no connection to Streel or the Streel Corporation whatsoever. There must be some piece to the puzzle that we're missing. . .or simply overlooking. Everyone is accounted for. I even ran a background check on Jecc Weep's commanding officer, Kret'a Teel. He's still flies a Star Law desk on Terledrom. I thought the freighter which carried Syte and those two smugglers--just before his last arrest--might be involved somehow. Nothing. The freighter belonged to a small company on Terledrom that has no connection to the Streel Corporation or Metrosphere.

"And try looking up any useful information on Selson Streel," continues Tork. "There's nothing anywhere that's noteworthy. No involvement in any business relationships of any kind until Metrosphere. The guy was practically a hermit before coming here. There's no way he could have made any enemies."

Urugg sighs. "Take a break, Tork. We're gonna figure this out. For now, let's check in with T'Klkk and see if she and Kare have found anything."

T'Klkk replies to the chroncom call at once, appearing in the small viewpanel of Urugg's wrist device. Zane, Taanik and Tork all gather around to listen in.

"Greetings, team-mates! Self-T'Klkk has an update. Team-mate Kare and self-T'Klkk have met with Selson Streel to make him aware of an impending attack on his person through the old ventilation shafts. He has agreed to our plan of setting a trap, but insists on remaining in his office in person rather than using a hologram as a decoy. This makes self uncomfortable, but Streel is aware of the danger. Team-mate Kare and self are getting ready to set the trap. Any suggestions on a design?

"Also, something very interesting came out of the conversation with Streel. When self indicated that Dakka Syte is on this colony, Streel reacted strangely, as if he knows something or is hiding something. Nevertheless, he denied all knowledge about Syte.

[T'Klkk Comprehension: 21%; Rolled: 71]

"Unfortunately self-T'Klkk is at a loss to understand Mr. Streel's reaction.

"Self understands that team-mate Syzygy has posted an open challenge to Dakka Syte. Quite an unorthodox strategy. Give this team-mate my four degrees of approval on this clever, albeit dangerous, approach. But advise him to use seven degrees of caution, as Syte has already demonstrated his willingness to kill those who oppose him.

"Team-mate Taanik, your plan to go undercover demonstrates six degrees of brilliance, creativity, and bravery. However, you should also use seven degrees of caution in your dealings with Miemen. As soon as team-mate Kare and self-T'Klkk are finished setting our trap, self will head in your direction in case self is needed for back-up. Just yell if you need help."

Tork stops T'Klkk before she can close the communication. "T'Klkk, where are you now?"

"Team-mate Kare and self-T'Klkk are presently in the east life support building, next to the shaft we intend to trap."

"I'm coming over to help you, then. My environmental skills may be of some use in setting up the trap."

[Syzygy's Personal Room, N10 on First Landing Underground Level]

Syzygy sits down on his bed and tends to his daily routine. With practiced diligence he reaches under the bed and retrieves what looks to be a Vrusk leg. He studies it with detached admiration. Synthetics Corp. had really outdone itself this time--fusing function with aesthetics. The dynamic-tension design of the leg's inner components gave the leg a realistic bounce, the outside coating of plastiflesh had captured a perfect shade of blue and orange for a vrusk his age. The lifeless anthropomorphic shape was a scientific work of art, but still lifeless.

Syzygy slips the prosthesis over the residual limb that would be a front left leg on any other Vrusk. It is a comfortable fit after all these years, but the moment it goes on is the most unsettling. He stands and tests the weight--once again it feels loose and for all its high-tech requires a good stomp to get it to fit snug. For the millionth time he dismisses the evidence such a feature would pose for supporting the mark on his shoulder. He snorts in disgust and walks to his room's computer terminal. No one could know his secret--not the team--not Streel--especially not T'Klkk.

Syzygy's mind is trained on one thing: the Human known as Daka Syte. He is the nexus from which all enigmas in this case seem to stem. The foe is known, but only partially--the battlefield is the vast etherway the planet's, yea the entire Frontier's, computer network forms. Like some pensive techno-warrior launching a crusade from his room, Syzygy searches for anything--anything at all that my be useful in battling such a foe.

Syzygy downloads every available detail on Syte, including pictures, and reproduces them into hard copies and chronocom-compatible-chips for each team member to study. In his room he projects a 3D rendering of the Human (shutting down his 3D image of T'Klkk first). He then sets to constructing a psy-profile for Zane and Urugg to study.

Having exhausted his resources here, Syzygy turns again to the issue of undocumented programming changes at both the Spire and the medical center. Both were only minor problems--and very easily fixed, once discovered. But two things bother Syzygy. One, both changes were made in programming that handles security from external sources. And two, the source of the changes cannot be accounted for.

[Syzygy LOGIC: 70; Rolled: 40]

A thought hits him. If two changes to security programming have surfaced due to minor glitches they caused, how many changes could there be that have not caused glitches. . .and therefore not surfaced?

A bleep on the chronocom interrupts Syzygy's reverie. Who could it be now?

Tork's face is in the chronocom view panel. A crowd of pedestrians surrounds him. He appears to be on one of First Landing's accelerator strips.

"Syzygy, I'm on my way to the east life support building to help T'Klkk and Kare. Something just occurred to me."

"Yeah?" replies the Vrusk, politely hiding his irritation.

"When you were. . .overtaken near the monorail terminal, didn't you have an open channel on your chronocom?"

"That's right. Zane wanted me to keep it open, so he would know if something happened to me."

"You've determined that your chronocom is now in Lost Point."

"Yes."

"Could we now use that chronocom as a listening device?"

Syzygy is suddenly not disturbed by Tork's interruption into his work. "You know. I hadn't thought of that. Let me try connecting to it from my new chronocom. I'll get back with you."

Syzygy terminates his link to Tork and sends a connection request to the channel he left open. The tiny panel on his chronocom is black, dark black, but not completely black. No, there seems to be movement--shadows, perhaps. It's hard to see anything, but there is something. . .moving.

He tries turning up the volume. The mild static hiss grows louder, but behind it there is something else.

A crying baby?

A wailing animal?

He turns the volume to its maximum setting. The static is almost unbearable, but in the background noise there is definitely something--no, several somethings. . .screaming. . .howling. . .

"What is this?" demands the Vrusk.

[Recreation Area, C7 on First Landing Underground Level]

[Zane Administering Toxins*: 30% (base) + 30 (skill level x 3) + 10 (LOGIC modifier) = 70%; Rolled: 84]

*Same success rate as "Neutralizing Toxins"

[Urugg Hypnosis: 15 (base) + 30 (skill level x 3) + 8 (LEADERSHIP modifier) = 53%; Rolled: 61]

Urugg and Zane wander carefully into the crowds, keeping a close eye on Miemen--which isn't hard considering how the Dralasite is glowing so brightly.

Syzygy looks Taanik over. "You okay? You don't look so good."

"Oh wow," grumbles Taanik. "Urugg's hypnosis didn't work. I don't know what Zane did to me, but it feels like I just absorbed half the Ixiol in this outpost."

[Taanik is suffering bad side effects from the drugs Zane administered. He will have a -20 modifer on all ability and skill checks from now until he is treated with antitox or until the drugs leave his system (in about 20 hours)]

"I'll keep my hand close to my gyrojet pistol, in case things don't go as planned," says Syzygy. "Now you be careful."

"Wait," says Taanik. "What's going on?"

Three hairy Humans walk up to Miemen.

Miemen steps back. "I-I told you guys, I can't help you."

One of the Humans curls his fingers, revealing the dull gleam of brass knuckles. "Now, Miemen, don't hold out on us."

Miemen tries to step back again, but bumps into one of the Humans instead. "Honest guys. I don't have any more. I don't. My supplier's gone!"

The Human with the brass knuckles loses control. "I want some. . .NOW!!!" The metal knuckles slam into Miemen's rubbery gut.

[Inside Ventilator Shaft, Near Opening in East Life Support Building, K9 on First Landing Surface Level]

[It will be assumed that the trap to be set up is a level 2 defense. The overall success of each character's skill check below will determine the effectiveness of the trap]

[Kare Setup Defenses**: 50 (base) + 30 (skill level x 10) + 3 (LOGIC modifier) - 20 (defense level x 10) = 63%; Rolled: 68]

[T'Klkk Setup Defenses**: 50 (base) + 10 (skill level x 10) + 5 (LOGIC modifier) - 20 (defense level x 10) = 45%; Rolled: 87]

**Same success rate as "Deactivate Alarms/Defenses"

[Tork Set Traps***: 40 (base) + 10 (skill level x 10) + 1 (LOGIC modifier) = 51%; Rolled: 43]

***The Alpha Dawn rules state that the Survival subskill is used for this. A trap set with this skill, however, is not technological--so things like defense levels don't apply.

"An admirable effort, team-mates," says T'Klkk, examining the trap that she, Kare and Tork have attempted to set up in the shaft leading to Selson's office. "Team-mate Kare and self-T'Klkk apparently lack the proper equipment to set this device the way we planned , but your improvisations, team-mate Tork, may make this trap work after all. This motion sensor, once tripped, should activate this doze grenade. And a second motion will launch these two tangler grenades."

[The doze grenade was taken from Kare, and one tangler grenade was taken from both Tork and T'Klkk]

Tork smacks his head against the shaft's steel siding and coughs up a cloud of dust. "I've got to get out and find some fresh air. Who's with me?"

Kare squirms for some elbow room. "I've had about as much crowding as I can take."

"Proceed, both of you," says T'Klkk. "Self shall follow after contacting the other team-mates."

Kare and Tork slide through the filth, disappearing though the shaft's opening into the life support building.

T'Klkk's chronocom lights up, revealing Syzygy's insectoid face.

"T'Klkk," says the face, "we've just located Miemen."

"Good work, team-mate," says T'Klkk. "Do not make any contact until team-mates Tork, Kare and self arrive."

"Uh, it may be a little late for that. Miemen's getting beat up pretty bad by a gang of wild Humans. If we don't intervene, there may be nothing left once we get to id."

Sensing Syzygy's urgency, T'Klkk begins to slide down the shaft. "We're on our way, team-mate. Show the utmost in caution until we arrive."

It does not take long for the female Vrusk to reach the opening of the shaft. She is still speaking into her chronocom as she steps out into the light. "Keep us informed, Syzygy. We'll be there as soon--"

She stops, alarmed at the sight of Kare and Tork--struggling in the strands of a tangler grenade. Each looks more furious than the other.

She looks up and sees the barrel of a needler pistol.

Holding the pistol is a Human male, covered head to foot in the black plates of a skeinsuit. The man's glare burns with insanity.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

T'Klkk breathes calmly. "Dakka Syte."

"Shut up!"

[Tork INTUITION: 51; Rolled: 29]

"Be careful, T'Klkk," warns Tork from his web prison. "That needler's loaded with assassinator rounds."

"These aren't for you!" growls Dakka Syte, giving the needler a few savage thrusts.

"Who are they for, Dakka?" asks T'Klkk, serene despite the situation.

If Dakka were yelling before, now he is screaming. "You have no idea what you're messing in! I've spent the last five years working for this moment! Get out of the way!!!"