A strangely empty vessel has appeared at the Sol Jump Gate. What mysteries might be hidden within its empty corridors?
Level: 6
Start: Consortium Officer Bilko, Interstellar Shuttles, Sol Jump Gate
Introduction
A strange and unlikely trio seem to be having a loudly hushed conversation, the subject of which appears to be a strange looking ship on a nearby monitor. Two humans, the two members of the group arguing the loudest, are dressed in uniforms, one of the Consortium and one of the Gaule Protectorate. The third participant is a female android and bears the markings of Benevolent Dynamics. The android occasionally offers an interjection to their argument but at other times tilts its head, as if listening to something unseen.
See what has the odd trio in the Interstellar Shuttles so worked up.
You have accepted the "The Hollow Ship" mission.
- Inconspicuously approach the trio and listen to their argument.
(Agility check)
Failure
You can't seem to find an opportune moment to get closer. Be patient and keep trying!
- Inconspicuously approach the trio and listen to their argument.
Success
The hustle and bustle of the Jump Gate works in your favor as you manage to sidle up to the strange trio without them noticing. As you come closer, you begin to make out their argument. The Consortium officer, who your CORETECHS identifies as Bilko, is wagging his finger under the nose of Gavert, the Gaule officer.
Consortium Officer Bilko says: …and I'll say again Gavert, whatever colors she flies, the ship has docked at a Consortium station. As she holds no crew, I am fully authorized to claim her as salvage for the Consortium!
Gaule Officer Gavert says: And I will say to you again, ser, that should you even attempt to board this vessel, it will constitute as an act of war! Do you wish this on your ledger? I would suggest instead that you allow the Gaule Protectorate, whose colors are proudly displayed on her hull, to claim this ship and fly her home. Besides, you know very well that this is very much more than just a question of salvage Ser Bilko.
The Consortium officer clenches his jaw several times and glowers at the Gaule officer, then transfers his gaze to the android.
Consortium Officer Bilko says: Yes indeed. You are still reading an active computer presence Epo9?
The short android tilts her head sideways, listening to an unseen network. After a moment she shakes her head and replies.
Epo9 says: The presence is indeed here, officer, but I can make no contact. The computer seems…confused, garbled. The presence of a computer of this level of sophistication is rare indeed. Records suggest that Before, such vessels were quite common. This is no longer the case.
The officers both open their mouths to comment once more, presumably loudly, but before they can begin their dual tirade, the android interrupts them. She raises a finger between them and tilts her head in alarm, trying to listen to something.
Epo9 says: Officers!! There is something new on the network. The vessel has initiated a self destruct sequence! I am still unable to establish contact but the countdown is clear!
- Say something.
- Ask about evacuation.
- Remain silent.
Say something:
Me: What did she say? Self destruct?!
Evacuation:
Me: Shouldn't we all get out of here?
Either choice continues:
The two humans turn and glare at you, noticing your presence for the first time. The android continues, apparently unfazed by your interruption. She keeps her voice low, however, perhaps not wanting others to overhear and panic.
Remain silent:
The two men stare at each other in shock for a moment before turning to the android and hurling a barrage of questions at her. What you can catch among the cacophony are panicked demands of time and the possibility of evacuation.
All paths continue:
Epo9 says: There does not appear to be time for an evacuation or similar action. The countdown is…brief. I would suggest that someone enters the vessel. The individual will need to be human, as I as an android am unable to manipulate the on-board interfaces.
The two officers stare at each other, panic spreading across their features like a wildfire. Both of them open and close their mouths several times before Officer Bilko finally speaks first.
Consortium Officer Bilko says: I…I don't have clearance to make this call! I'm just the local representative for the jump gate. I…my boarding the ship could constitute an act of war!
The Gaule officer listens and nods, a number of conflicting emotions boiling across his features like a churning sea. He mumbles a reply.
Gaule officer Gavert says: It is true. I too cannot conceive of a situation where I can risk causing war by boarding the vessel! I was hoping to simply stall the situation until someone with more authority could arrive!
- Offer to assist.
- Remain silent.
Assist:
Me: Perhaps I could go?
The two officers turn to you, relief flooding their faces. The android nods at you, her expression unreadable.
Silent:
The android glances in your direction for a moment before replying.
Epo9 says: Perhaps then a neutral party could be convinced to go in your stead? It would negate any political consequence from either of your shoulders and I could guide such an individual via a coretechs link.
All three of them turn to look directly at you now, the two humans with a mixture of hope and desperation. Epo9 addresses you next.
Both choices continue:
Epo9 says: That is certainly the most logical solution. You are immediately present and not affiliated with either government in any official capacity. I would, as a representative of Benevolent Dynamics, be authorized to offer a sum of credits as compensation for such an action. I am sure the two officers would likewise be able to provide some measure of monetary motivation.
With that last statement, the android turns to the two officers. After a moment's pause to mentally catch up, they both offer blustering acquiescences accompanied by much nodding of heads and pleading looks.
- Leave as quickly as possible. (only if you remained silent and did not already agree to assist)
- Ask about Benevolent Dynamics.
- Ask for insight.
Leave:
Me: Are you all crazy? I'm not getting on some crazy ship ready to explode!!
The three individuals all begin talking at once, hurling statements that range from pleading to demanding in your direction. You remain adamant however and wave them all down before walking away. They can surely find someone else to go on this suicide mission! You're getting off this place!
You have failed the "The Hollow Ship" mission. You can retake this mission and try again.
Benevolent Dynamics:
Me: What is Benevolent Dynamics?
Epo9 says: There is not much time, I shall be brief. Benevolent Dynamics is an independent technocracy. Our organization is responsible for your CORETECHS and many other scientific innovations, such as myself, that are geared towards helping humanity survive and grow after the Catastrophe. My presence here is coincidental but represents Benevolent Dynamics' interest in studying this vessel. It is my hope that by providing assistance, I will be allowed to analyze the ship once secured by one or the other parties here.
- Ask for insight.
Me: Ok but what do I need to know? What exactly is going on here?
Epo9 says: The facts, as we know them, are thus. This ship, marked as the Cyrano of the Gaule Protectorate has appeared mere moments ago at the jump gate. The ship is both uncrewed and not registered on any recent manifests. It is also outfitted with an on-board computer interface that exceeds all known such devices in terms of sophistication. This suggests that it is from Before. We cannot know where it has been, nor why it has appeared all of the sudden. I myself have attempted to link up to the ship's computer via network interface but it appears … confused. Furthermore, for some unknown reason, it has also initiated a self destruct sequence. There is neither time to evacuate nor to safely dispose of the vessel. Thus, it falls to you to enter and manually deactivate the sequence.
Epo9 pauses a fraction of a moment to allow you to digest the information. Noting that the two officers are beginning to sweat with anxiety, she continues.
Epo9 says: Do not concern yourself if you do not know how to do this, I shall guide you via your CORETECHS. I simply need you, as a neutral party, to enter and manipulate the interface for me. Androids do not have this capacity; this is by design as a safety protocol. The ship itself, the Cyrano, is currently berthed at the port. Make your way there with all haste and there will hopefully be some sort of external manual override to the entry systems. If there is not, this is all a moot point anyway.
Head to the port at Sol Jump Gate and try to enter the Cyrano.
Next area: Port, Sol Jump Gate
- Approach the Cyrano.
You enter the docks and look around. In the farthest corner, you spy a ship that matches the one the two officers were arguing over on the monitor. It is a large cruiser, grey and intimidating to behold as it sits silently in the shadows. As you approach it, a call comes in via your CORETECHS. You note, with some surprise, that the call patched straight through, without you accepting the call.
Epo9 says: Greetings <name>, I can see you are almost at the Cyrano. Look for some sort of…
Suddenly, when you are quite close to the ship, an entrance hatch descends, automatically granting you entry. Epo9 stops talking for a moment, registering the new development.
Epo9 says: This is quite…unexpected. It seems you have been granted an invitation to board. Proceed with caution <name>.
The large and silent ship exudes a sense of foreboding. No crew bustle to and fro, and the lighting is sparse, barely illuminating its dark and shadowy hull. The Cyrano, as it appears to be named, squats like a grim gargoyle, daring anybody to enter.
Enter the Cyrano.
- Enter the Cyrano.
You climb the hatchway into the ancient vessel, quite alarmingly, the entrance seals behind you. As you move into the ship, steam from the hydraulics systems gathers at your feet and creates an eerie glow as lights on the floor intermittently blink on and off. A chill permeates the corridors and the air tastes quite stale, as if much of it comes from outdated filtration systems. Epo9 is silent as you walk through the first section. Suddenly, a loud voice booms through some internal communications system.
The Cyrano says: TANGERINE ALERT! THIS IS NOT A DAFFODIL! REPEAT! THIS IS NOT A DAFFODIL!
The voice silences as suddenly as it appeared. As you struggle to make sure your heart remains within your chest, Epo9 speaks.
Epo9 says: It appears the computer is, in some way, aware of your presence. As much could be expected after it granted you access though its communications still seem confused and garbled however. Logic dictates the central operations core for a vessel of this size be at the fore and center. I would suggest the third door on the right up ahead.
Explore the Cyrano.
- Continue deeper into the Cyrano.
- Ask for clarification.
Clarification:
Me: Wait. Can you see what I'm seeing?!
There is a long pause from Epo9. The lights in the chrome colored corridor stutter and blink in a strange and unnerving dance as you wait for her to answer. Finally, she replies.
Epo9 says: Yes. I have interfaced with your audio and visual feedback systems. This allows me to see and hear what you do. I apologize for the intrusion into your privacy, I felt this was the best way to most efficiently guide you through this situation. I will ask for additional compensation to be provided for this digital encroachment into your rights.
- Continue deeper into the Cyrano.
- Reply.
Reply:
Me: I think we're gonna have a talk about this if I survive …
Epo9 says: That is … a fair stipulation. I should point out that if you do not survive, then it is likely none of us will either, so the point is almost entirely moot in that regard.
- Continue deeper into the Cyrano.
You continue deeper into the empty vessel. Its large and silent corridors, devoid of any signs of life and intermittently lit by blinking lights, suggest this cruiser was designed to hold hundreds of crew-members. As you pass various doors you note that there appear to be well designed crew quarters and living areas throughout the Cyrano. Suddenly, the digitized voice comes over the intercom once again. This time it speaks in a hushed tone, with the emptiness of the ship carrying echoes throughout.
The Cyrano says: Stars, glittering shards. Data streams, between the twinkles. Input overload…the stars are too bright! Much too bright! There is too much purpose!
Epo9 says: These phrases have no meaning. I must conclude that there exists a sizeable data corruption. This is, sadly, to be expected if the system is as old as we surmise. On the other hand, I should also mention that while the self-destruct sequence has not halted, it has entered a loop. It seems to reach 26 units and then loop around to 1 segment, 4 units. This could, perhaps indicate some level of…
Suddenly, the blinking lights around you flare up. The voice on the intercom system rises several octaves, drowning out even Epo9's voice inside your head.
The Cyrano says: No more whispers and skitters in the darkness! The black bisector does not converge with the green tangential. End Process. Bye bye now.
It takes a moment to register the fact that your CORETECHS call has been ended. Almost a segment passes pass but Epo9 does not call back. The lights of the metallic corridor return to their strange staccato rhythm, creating randomized patches of darkness and light.
Continue exploring the Cyrano.
- Call Epo9.
- Continue deeper into the Cyrano.
Epo9:
You attempt to reconnect with Epo9 via your coretechs but are met with dead air. It appears that something is blocking your signal.
- Continue deeper into the Cyrano.
With nobody to guide you, you continue further into the depths of the ship. You note that as you journey deeper into the heart of the Cyrano, the rooms and areas you see off the corridors take on more technical aspects with fewer recreational or living quarters visible. Silence permeates the entire ship, your footfalls and breathing echoing down the empty hallways.
Suddenly, after several segments journey, the lights around you all turn off, plunging you into complete darkness.
The Cyrano says: CONVERGENCE!!
- Wait.
- "Hello?"
- Continue in the darkness.
Wait:
You wait for long segments, wondering if you will have to try and stumble around the ship with no light. For what seems like an eternity your only input is the beating of your heart sounding like a grim drumbeat that could well herald the coming of some mythical creature in the endless dark.
Hello:
You wait for long moments, wondering if you will have to try and stumble around the ship with no light. There is no reply and for what seems like an eternity your only input is the beating of your heart sounding like some grim drumbeat that could well herald the coming of some mythical creature in the endless dark.
Continue:
For long moments, you stumble around the ship with no light. For what seems like an eternity your only input is the beating of your heart sounding like some grim drumbeat that could well herald the coming of some mythical creature in the endless darkness.
All choices continue:
Then, just before panic begins to set in, a dim light appears on the edge of your vision. The soft glow seems far away and strange, and you almost wonder if it is your imagination concocting a vision to bring you comfort. As you approach however, its reality cannot be denied, and around a dimly lit bulkhead you find one solitary monitor glowing a soft and gorgeous light.
This appears to be some sort of hub. Various servers and monitors adorn every corner of the room but only one seems to be lit.
- Interact with the system.
(Intelligence check)
You manipulate the user interface as best as you can. Much of the terminology seems archaic but you are able to initiate the only option that seems available. It seems to be some sort of system purge. As you activate the program the ship seems to power down and then soft, presumably emergency lighting kicks in. The screen before you goes dark and the door behind you closes. At the same time, a bulkhead on the side of the room slides open. Following it, you find a corridor lit with the same, soft, emergency lighting. Something else that is quite different all of a sudden is the air quality. You can feel the relatively fresher air of the station flowing in from somewhere up ahead!
Before long, you find yourself at the end of the corridor and exiting what appears to be an open airlock. As you step off the ship and prepare to alert Epo9 of what has happened the lights suddenly brighten. The ship's voice once again plays out over the intercom.
The Cyrano says: Reboot sequence…actualized. Lucidity achieved. Thank you for your cooperation.
With a pneumatic woosh, the airlock shuts and the hatchway begins to close, forcing you to retreat to a safe distance. Your CORETECHS notifies you of an incoming call. As you accept it, a cacophony of voices erupts in your mind.
Gaule officer Gavert says: What do you mean your gate is initializing without authorization? Do you not have control over your own systems? What is happening? What is the ship doing??
You can hear the two officers' argument get softer in the background as Epo9 presumably distances herself from them. She starts to say something but her voice is drowned out by the roar of engines close by. Turning around, you watch in shock as the Cyrano moves away from the dock, seemingly of its own accord. After a moment, you are able to hear Epo9.
Epo9 says: …believe it is important that you leave immediately. The gate has opened to Alpha Centauri, it is highly likely that the Cyrano has somehow initialized this and is very soon going to travel through. My analysis of the situation projects a high probability of potential political tension linked to this incident. I would advise that you follow the vessel at all haste. I am authorized to act on behalf of Benevolent Dynamics with, in this case, a vested interest in galactic stability. I would thus like to secure your services and to this end have sent you the first payment you are due. I am ending the call now, in all likelihood I shall re-establish communications in Alpha Centauri. Safe journeys <name>, Benevolent Dynamics wishes you an extraordinarily pleasant day.
As the call ends, your CORETECHS notifies you of an inbound credit payment. You're left alone in the cavernous Port chamber which only moments ago you shared with the Cyrano. Your head spins from the bizarre turn of events, replaying the past few segments over and over.
You have received 100.00 credits.
Travel to Alpha Centauri and find the Cyrano
You have completed the "The Hollow Ship" mission.
Notes
- This mission contains a few references to famous French literature:
- Gaule Officer Gavert is a reference to Inspector Javert from Les Misérables
- Epo9 is a reference to Éponine Thénardier, also from Les Misérables
- The Cyrano is named for Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac and the eponymous play about him
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