A Lesson In Ancient History: Session 4

While I enjoy my solo TTRPG adventures, they can never replace the experience of playing a traditional campaign with friends. This session of traditional play was particularly enjoyable for me. I had the opportunity to immerse myself in Gabe’s personality while leaving the heavy world-building and character juggling to our Referee.

We finally encountered Zem’s longtime friend, Sorrel—a woman whose ‘throw caution to the wind’ personality is completely contrary to Gabe’s responsible and rational outlook on life. As a player, I leaned into the contrast hard, putting Gabe’s frustration on full display. While Gabe may not have been enjoying this session, I certainly was.

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We took a day or two fer research and prep, but the plan was simple: fly in to the main base and say we was sent to pick up Sorrel on account of a family emergency. Zem tried to pilot us in usin’ the planet itself to cover from that dang hot star.

Let’s just say his usual finesse weren’t on full display that day. We caught a bit too much direct heat from that star and the Garnette got hotter than a skillet on a campfire. We backed off, let the ship cool, and gave it another go. Second time ‘round, Zem’s steady hands showed back up and we skimmed in to Calefaction without the thermometer budgin’.

He brought us in slow and steady, but the ride was pure hell. Scraped the paint a bit flyin’ us in—map of the planet, through a narrow canyon. We ain’t had the ship more’n a month and already banged the poor ol’ girl up somethin’ fierce.

We landed at the minin’ camp. Shieldin’ on that place was mighty impressive; FEC sure didn’t spare no credits protectin’ it. We tucked a few weapons into the concealment case, and I downloaded the flight path we used onto my computer.

They’d’ve had to pay me a small fortune to work on that rock. Whole place trembled with little quakes every few minutes. Folks were nice enough, though, and someone pointed us toward the admin office. Told us to look for Caroline—the director.

Zem thought the people seemed too friendly, like maybe there was somethin’ in the air makin’ ’em all loopy. I reckon Zem just spent too long driftin’ through the stars by his lonesome. The people just seemed cordial to me.

We found the Shelter Canyon Administrator’s office—Caroline Lidu’s—but it was empty. We wandered a bit and ended up in the Rec Room, hopin’ to cross paths with someone who could point us to her. The food was free, and the company was decent.

Took about an hour, but eventually Caroline heard we was lookin’ for her and came to find us. We followed her up to her office and explained we was here to pick up one of the company folk. She seemed hesitant at first, but finally told us where Sorrel was and said she’d arrange for us to speak with her.

Said a fella named Dan Kepaku might be willin’ to drive us.

Dan was a decent young man. Said he’d take us up first thing in the mornin’, on account of needin’ a good night’s sleep and time to check the rover before the haul.

We got a fair poker game goin’ before callin’ it a night. Hate to say it, but a fella named Dr. Smitz cleaned me out. Was nice to play at a fresh table, even if I did lose a hundred credits.

Must’ve been somethin’ in the food at this place, ’cause we all got sick that night. Symptoms passed quick though, and we was feelin’ fine by mornin’.

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Dan was true to his word and had the crawler fit to ride when we showed up next mornin’. Dang thing was a monster—Reiplau ATV. Bigger than our whole ship.

He gave us a good safety brief before headin’ out, walked us through the rig and all its features, and laid out the route. His safety brief was so thorough, he gave it three times. My favorite part was him remindin’ us, over and over, the planet’d kill us if we screwed up.

Dan took the job working the mines to pay for his schoolin’. Wanted to study planetology. Big dreams for a young fella. Zem got his contact info—maybe they’ll go explorin’ together someday.

Eventually, we got rollin’. First few hours were smooth. Dan kept us in the shadow of the big rock formations, dodgin’ the worst of the heat from the sun. Then we hit some lava falls. Pretty enough—lava spillin’ off cliffs like waterfalls back home… only, y’know, lava.

We had to cut out into direct sunlight to skirt around ’em, but Dan lived up to his talk and got us through without trouble.

I leaned over and told Mitch that in all my years in the Marines, I never once had to worry ’bout lava. But since I met him, this was the second dang time I had to. Mitch didn’t seem quite as concerned or amused as I’d hoped.

Few hours later, we came to what Dan called the “No-Go Strait”—a stretch where there weren’t no good options. Rough terrain and full sunlight.

We pushed through fast as the crawler could haul us. Dan handled it like it was a Sunday drive. Whole ride might’ve been smooth from there if we hadn’t caught a distress signal.

Turns out Sorrel—the lady we was here for—was callin’ for help. Her ATV’d broke down not too far from the Experiment Facility. We tracked ’em down and started headin’ that way.

Dan managed to get us into full shade when we pulled up. Other ATV was missin’ its tracks, and a bunch of repair bots were doin’ a poor job tryin’ to fix it. We got ’em on comms. Sorrel said her and a lady named Kaigh were out checkin’ on some “big” samples when their treads got shredded.

I introduced myself, gave her the cover story—we were from the Red Cross, sent to retrieve her due to a death in the family. Dropped Zem’s name, and she seemed to pick up what I was puttin’ down.

We suited up in our Vacs and helped transfer their gear and samples. Had most of it moved when Dan hollered that the radiation shield on their ATV was about to give.

Kaigh and Sorrel shouted somethin’ ’bout fixin’ it and ran back inside. Now, I’m used to runnin’ toward danger, but I wasn’t about to chase ’em into that death trap just to save a few rocks and relics.

Less than thirty seconds later, the shield collapsed. I ran into the ship and started preppin’ the med kit. Glanced through the front windshield just in time to see Sorrel and Kaigh walkin’ across the exposed terrain— no shield, but somehow makin’ it.

No way they should’ve survived that. But they strolled across like it was nothin’.

We got ’em inside and Sorrel showed us one of them crystal relics—said it kept her safe from the rads. Kaigh didn’t seem to be in on it. She was convinced she was about to die.

Wasn’t five minutes before Sorrel blew our cover story right in front of Dan. Then, to top it off, she said the “danger” she’d called us about—the reason we risked our lives—was already taken care of.

Not gonna lie, I lost it on her. Spent half the ride chewin’ her out. In twenty years of wanderin’ the stars, I never met someone so reckless and selfish.

Just as we was pullin’ up to the remote Experiment Facility, another distress signal came through. This time it was the facility sendin’ out an evac warning.

We saw a shuttle lift off and arc back toward the main base.

And of course… of course, Sorrel says we need to go in to make sure no one got left behind.

Dan combat-parks the ATV in the hangar. We cracked open the weapons case. Coop stayed with Dan to guard the crawler while the rest of us went in.

Kaigh was dead set on gettin’ checked at the med facility. Never mind it was s’posed to be evacuated. Never mind that it was evac’d for a reason.

And of course… she was fine. Now she wanted one of them crystals for herself.

Problem was, the crystals were on the far side of the facility, nowhere near Sorrel’s kit.

I asked Zem if I could borrow the stunner so I could shoot both of ’em, but he politely declined.

We made it to a storage room where Sorrel found a case with several crystals. We each grabbed one and pocketed the extras.

We passed back through the hangar and dropped off two of the crystals with Coop as we went by. He was on guard, stunner in hand, just like he oughta be.

There was an elevator on the far side. We rode it down to the next level. Sorrel said only twenty-some folks lived here, but it sure was a big place for that.

Heard a strange noise in the reactor room. Found a fella named Finisterre hidin’ in the corner. Poor guy was more scared than a cat at a coyote picnic.

Said the security bots turned on everyone and started killin’ folks.

And of course… of course, Sorrel wanted to head deeper to find her “experiment.”

I argued against it, but Zem said we should keep lookin’ for survivors. I couldn’t let him go alone.

In the very next room, we found a body lyin’ on the floor and a robot rollin’ nearby.

I didn’t hesitate—let out a shot. Then a second. Dang thing still wasn’t down and it’s big-ol’ laser turret was spinnin’ our way.

I hollered for the team to fall back to the elevator, fast as we could move. Zem slammed the door shut to slow the bot down, and we got movin’.

Right as we were about to hit the control to ride back up to the upper level, Sorrel steps off the elevator, mutterin’ somethin’ like, “I got an idea.”

And of course… of course, Zem stepped off the elevator after her.