Let Me Play Among The Stars (A Space Program Plan Quest)

The Inventor - Hedwig Eva Maria Bräuner

The cold Irish drizzle fell in sheets as the taxi pulled up outside the gates. Lip curling, the stylishly dressed woman in the back seat surveyed her new domain. This was PEAC, a shiny chain link fence surrounding a cluster of grey, squat buildings. Perhaps there would be a little more to it in time, but for now… She readied herself to open her umbrella and turned to the driver.

"How much?"

"A half-crown."

She handed over the coins, pressing a little too much into the man's hand, before opening the door and the umbrella in one swift movement.

"Thanks very much." he said, twisting in his seat to watch her get out, "Hey, aren't you-"

She closed the door a little more forcefully than she intended. Whatever he was going to ask - and she knew exactly what it would be - she had no interest in answering. Instead she walked quickly across the open ground, chilled by the wind and rain, until she finally made it into the eaves of what could only be the main building of the 'complex'. PEAC was spelled out in bronze letters above the entrance and the logo of the ECN was painted a foot high to one side. Shaking off her umbrella, watching the water droplets dance, she stepped into the building.

The first thing that hit her was the warmth, her clothes suddenly clinging uncomfortably where the rain had gotten to them. The second was the noise - whatever the outside looked like, PEAC was already swarming with activity. Well-dressed men and women rushed back and forth with stacks of papers and boxes and all sorts of other things. It ran the risk of being overwhelming but, instead, she simply pulled a box of cigarettes out of an inside pocket and slipped one deftly between her lips. Patting her jacket she looked for a packet of matches, frowning when she didn't immediately find-

A lighter, shining silver metal, slid into her peripheral vision and was sparked alight by a calloused thumb. She leaned down, lighting the cigarette and taking a long drag.

"I know you, don't I?"

She looked the man up and down slowly. She'd certainly never met him in her life. He was a scruffy looking man, tie half undone and top button open. His face wore a few days of stubble and he had the sort of round features that made him seem both gregarious and shifty at once.

"I don't think so, I'm afraid,"

"Yeah, I do. You're Heddie La Mayer, right? The movie star?" he wagged a finger at her, clearly satisfied that he'd found the right answer.

"I'm Hedwig Bräuner," she extended a hand to be shaken and he took it roughly. His hand was warm without being sweaty, and as well-worn as it looked.

"I'm sure you were in movies-"

"Heddie was in films. I am a rocket scientist, and the Director of PEAC. Do you understand?" She had not meant for her introduction to be quite so fearsome, but it didn't seem like she had much in the way of choice.

"Do you know I'd seen your name, but I hadn't put two and two together," he grinned, "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Bräuner. Daniel O'Leary, Dan if you like. I'm your deputy."

"The pleasure is mine. My office?"

"Follow me."

The building was small enough that it took less than a minute to reach the quieter private offices even though they had to dodge out of the way of more than one hurrying worker on the way. Finally you made it to a room half full of filing boxes that was otherwise almost empty. There was a small desk, two uncomfortable looking chairs and a big window that looked out on the Airports runways. Thankfully there was an ashtray on the desk.

"Why's it so busy?" She asks, sinking carefully into one of the chairs. It was, sadly, as uncomfortable as it looked.

"Oh, well for a start we've only been here three days, most of us. I was first on site after the builders were done. Over the last seventy-two hours we've had military and civilian records from-" he held up a hand, ticking off each country with a raised finger, "the French, Austria, Belgium, Sweden and Poland. We've also got quite a lot of information out of Germany and the Soviets too. All of it needs sorting, filing, and most of it is still under secure classification so it needs to be locked up properly as well. I had to send two lads into the city the day before yesterday to grab some locks just so we could have it all under key."

"At least we have it."

"Too right. I've had a flick through some of the reports - don't fret, I have clearance as high as yours - and there are some fascinating proposals in there. Not a lot that actually got finished or built, but the lab boys are already champing at the bit for a chance to play."

"We have a lab?" Was it hiding in one of the other grey buildings she'd barely glanced at on the way in?

"Yeah it's next door. I'll walk you over when it stops raining if you like. We're actually pretty well set-up here. We've got the sort of team you only usually get on a military-industrial project and the facilities to support them. I don't know about you but I'm quite excited."

She smiled, the soft, warm smile of someone well practised in pulling information out of the hardest stones.

"You have no idea, Mr O'leary."

"Dan is fine,"

"Dan. We both know what we're here to do and I am very interested in getting to work as soon as possible. We have a lab, we have designers and engineers. What else do I need to know?"

"Well, we've got two thornycroft trucks. Whatever we do, its mass is limited to about three long tons until we find another transport solution."

"If we can exceed a half ton of flyable weight, I'll eat my handbag," she says with a much more friendly smile. "Okay. That all seems in order. I understand that everyone is busy right now, but… I think it's about time we set ourselves a goal, no?"

Choose a move (that's right, this system has its origin in PBTA):
[ ] Progress from Failure: When performing a research action, The Inventor always gains one module from the technology tier even if they roll a failure.
[ ] I have the Solution!: Once per flight when the GM pushes the Critical Failure move, the Inventor may create a solution and resolve the issue.
[ ] Politics is simply a machine: The Inventor has Source (Connections) which can never be lost. However, they cannot use the Undertake action to gain Clout.

What will be PEAC's first objective?
[ ] A rocket for sending mail and small packages over long distances.
[ ] A rocket that can carry a scientific payload high into the air.
[ ] A rocket that can deliver an explosive payload accurately at long range.
[ ] Write-in