The Deeper You Dig... [Day 0]

[Kannon]

This was when Hawat hit 'abort'. Just as the airlock was slowly re-oxygenating, he put in the space between them a packet with a adhesive sealant patch they apparently all had in a pocket of their vacsuit. "Help him." He said into the comm to no-one in particular, pointing to the micro-tear at Bernard's calf. "In truly hostile environments, tolerance for negligence or error drop dramatically."

[Efren Lanville]

Efren grabbed the patch and found the micro-tear… applying it tightly to the area and stepping back.

“There you are, sir.”

[Kannon]

Thufir, having hopefully ingrained the lesson, re-started the egress procedure. Soon, they entered the frigid lifelessness of space.

Exit.jpg (86.21 KiB) Viewed 1512 times

The universe around them was lit with innumerable stars, but the pathway to the dome was a descent into near-darkness, with the sun - Kornephoros - mostly hidden behind the barren planet the moon was locked to. The dust was soft, their boots sinking in it, but never really touching the firm regolith somewhere beneath.

The old geezer mentat gestured for them to spread into a wider skirmish line.

[Efren Lanville]

Efren walked out towards the quiet station in the vacuum of space at Thufir's request.

Something stirred in him... perhaps his own trepidation about the dangerous mission they were being thrust into... and to calm his own nerves and bolster those of his compatriots he spoke up.

"Let's all look out for each other and make sure we all make it out of here as conquering heroes..."

Something about his words fell short through a combination of the short comm signals and building worries in his own heart that this might have been a one-way trip for more than one of them...
---

Attempting Inspiring Leadership Action:

Day 0 Inspiring Leadership, I speak for Statement,: 3eP+1eA+2eD 2 failures, 3 advantage


Failed... so no free successes on everyone's next check.
Don't know what other negative consequence Kannon would like to add as well.

[Kannon]

It was the word 'conquering' that had probably hit the wrong tone. Whatever was unfolding before them, a barely lit picture of neglect, decay and futility of human efforts against the abyss of the wide universe evoked much humbler thoughts. The Harkonnen, who had tried to impose their will on this place, had apparently failed. Should the Atreides be repeating any of their mistakes?

[Setback on all self-confidence-related rolls, either because of the Skill type or because of the Statement applied.]

[Player Pool: 8 Advantages]

[Ambrose Pantazis]

Ambrose gave a nod to Kiran for their help and offered an big okay sign with his hands in case the nod was lost in the bulk of his suit and helmet.

It was petty, but he was thankful Bern also had an issue so he wasn't the only one. Ambrose could feel the old mentat's judging eyes boring into him. Guilt quickly replace those feelings, both for taking some comfort from his teammate's potentially fatal issue and for assuming his performance warranted the Master of Assassins judgement. He was a pawn here to be maneuvered and if necessary sacrificed for House Atreides.

He'd wanted to relish in the low gravity environment, but instead of he fell in line like a scolded child. He took his position on the far left flank, scanning the horizon with his weapon.

[Kannon]

Without the atmosphere, horizon looked like an edge of an abyss. Irregular, but cut sharp. There was an abandoned excavator that once might have served for digging a shaft into the moon but proved useless afterwards. Most outbuildings weren't sealed, gaping blackness of their entrances hiding anything...

[Optional Perception at Average for someone who focuses on anything in particular.]

[Bernard Martikova]

Nodding to Efren in thanks for the assistance for the quick patch, he chose not to comment on it. He wasn't much for else for the comment of Thufir. He wasn't much of a gearhead as the rest of them, after all, but still, he showed respect to him as he entered out into the atmosphere and there it was, the vast void.

Efren's commentary certinaly didn't help the small sense of anxiety of being out here, especially after having a hole in his suit. A small scratch and he was going to be boiled on the inside. Then have all the liquid in his body freeze over.

Bern wasn't having many pleasant thoughts here.

[Efren Lanville]

Heeding Thufir’s warnings Efren kept a close eye peeled on the buildings their slowly approached…


————

D0 Perception in Space, 2 Bonus: 1eP+1eA+2eB+2eD 2 successes, 2 advantage


Used 4 advantages and gave back 2.

[Kannon]

Near one of the outbuildings not far from the dome Efren noticed something... a protruding shape of the moondust-covered ground... roughly the size of a human body. But at this distance it was hard to tell whether this was a figment of his imagination or a real thing.

[Player Pool: 6]

[Efren Lanville]

“I see something.” He reported over the comm and directed Thufir’s attention towards the mound of moon dust.

[Kannon]

Thufir needed only a second. "Noted. Lieutenant Pantazis, check this out with the Sergeant. If it's a body, I am interested in the manner of death if it can be determined."

He gestured for the other two to follow him onward. "Let's find and secure the entry to the dome."

[Efren Lanville]

Efren nodded in acknowledgment and walked one step behind the lieutenant towards the moon-body.

[Kiran Alsahar]

Kiran gave a little grin and a thumbs up at the acknowledgment of help.

They nodded and followed along behind Hawat as the others went to check out the body. Kiran always had a fondness for lonely places - they explored wilderness and ocean partly for that very thing. There was a certain beauty in the starkness and desolation here.

Still, they focused ahead, keeping an eye. Lack of it would result in all of them ending up like the lump Efren had noticed.

[Ambrose Pantazis]

Heeding Hawat's orders, Ambrose began to double time it to the body, before microgravity made itself immediately apparent. He let himself slow down to a controllable pace, stopping a few meters short of the body, wary of Harkonnen treachery. They were known for leaving trapped bodies on the battlefield.

"Sergeant, check for traps before we approach the body."

Ambrose squatted down to get a closer look at the surroundings, also keeping an eye out for any evidence of what might have happened around this person's death.

[Kannon]

The pile was indeed human-shaped, though concave in some places where it should be convex. Under a dense layer of dust that covered it like a tailor-made sarcophagus it was hard to tell anything more.

[Efren Lanville]

Efren approached the body carefully, checking for anything amiss as he lowered himself down to clear off the body of the residual dust.

[Bernard Martikova]

Leaving the other two to examine the body, Bern follows the Mentat around, letting him take point. It was better anyway; he was not much of a trap finder or examiner. His eyes went to search the dome instead, looking for something that could be taken advantage of. Again, not much of his strong suit, but at least he could offer support in the effort.

((Giving a boost to a perception check to assist looking for a way in))

[Kannon]

Efren approached the body carefully, checking for anything amiss as he lowered himself down to clear off the body of the residual dust.

For a moment, stirred powder blurred the vision completely, encasing them both. As it started to thin thanks to hand waving more than grqvity, the body underneath indeed proved human. Still in vacsuit, but with the visor smashed. Judging by what could be seen, it had become completely dessicated, mummified rather than decomposed. It felt brittle under Efren's hands, in fact his efforts made the chest cave in. The position might have indicated some struggle before death. There was a blue Harkonnen griffin on the sleeve.

[Kannon]

Kiran gave a little grin and a thumbs up at the acknowledgment of help.

They nodded and followed along behind Hawat as the others went to check out the body. Kiran always had a fondness for lonely places - they explored wilderness and ocean partly for that very thing. There was a certain beauty in the starkness and desolation here.

Still, they focused ahead, keeping an eye. Lack of it would result in all of them ending up like the lump Efren had noticed.

They would eventually spot the entrance, a narrow crack in the shell of the dome, slammed tightly shut. Whatever opening mechanism was there, it was either obscured underneath a layer of dust or purposefully hidden from direct access.

"This one may be trapped." The Mentat remarked dispassionately.