January 3, 2553:
The men who've trapped my team in the middle of the Athens-13 temple complex are no mere pirates. They're too coordinated for that; they've cut off our escape routes and comm relays with the practiced precision of any of the espatiers of a Great Galactic Power. Too well equipped, as well, wearing sleek black and red battledress tough enough to shrug off my laspistol at full blast, yet light enough that they can follow those of us in jetpacks - and with blaster rifles threatening to bring down a marble and circuitry roof down on us, if the radiation of those crackling ion bolts don't cook us first.
I knew that the technology of the Grandmothers of Orion was invaluable, but this is the first time it struck me that '
worth killing over' wasn't League paranoia but sober fact. Our Patrol escort must be dead or pinned down outside the temple -
Nothing I can do about it right now. Focus, Kim. Escape.
The invaders don't - can't - know Athens-13 like I've gotten to know her these last months; I have to count on that, and that they don't know the maintenance crawlways like I do. The others can track me by the tight-band IFF signal of my comm-badge; the pirates might be able, too, but with any luck they won't know the frequencies to look for.
I duck behind a concealed sliding access panel and descend beneath the main complex, along a hidden aqueduct; the harsh ozone smell of a battlefield gives way to fresh air respired by mosses planted for the purpose, the thundering and crackling of blasterfire by running water.
This won't trick the invading force for long. I have to hurry, find somewhere defensible -
Part of the wall starts to glow, traceries of faint blue, and that startles me. I look down the way I came and see rubble descend the latter; the invaders must have blown out the secret passage.
Whatever is glowing is in the abjad of the Grandmothers. I take a deep breath, and trust the people I've studied with my life, following the signal as it draws the way in glowing blue circuitry.
I run, down corridors I've never seen but surmised the existence of. Past the old reactor array and the servant's quarters, to - is this taking me to the crypt we've been searching for for months? No, past it.
Men shout behind me, and I hear the boots fall heavy, and the occasional thundercrack of a blaster rifle. Something is slowing them down, but not enough for my tastes.
I gasp and redouble my speed - only to find myself trapped at the end of a corridor.
A set of heavy double-doors, an ornately decorated vault entrance, greets me. Depicted on it is one of the Shieldmaidens - warrior figures of the otherwise peaceful Grandmothers - being presented with a crown, a sceptre, an orb by her elders, carefully perching the golden wire on top of her large backswept ears.
I put my hand on the orb, and tug, breathing hard. It won't budge.
I press my head against it and pray,
don't let me and this place die so senselessly.
And I recoil when I hear an answer in my head, in a voice not my own.
We will not allow you who have worked tirelessly to understand us a senseless death.
"Who -" I ask out loud, and I see that the orb in the vault fresco is glowing. Behind me, mighty engines grind, and a blast door lowers just as my pursuers round the corner. I hear blasterfire impact, but the doors hold for now.
Step forward, Kim Kuiper.
I turn back, and see the vault open. Suspended above a pylon in the vault is a shieldmaiden's tiara, and pair of gloves, with small glowing lenses inset into them.
I remember to breathe, then step forward.
Will you then take up the Crown, and the Lenses? I am asked.
I don't question it. I slip on one glove.
There's a moment of excruciating pain as the lens sinks into the top of my hand, pins and needles. I gasp, then grit my teeth and put on the other glove. The same sensations hurt less.
So you will. We are sorry it came to taking up our arms, Kim Kuiper.
I slip the crown onto my forehead, through rusty-brown hair over my ears, and brace for more pain. Again, that sensation of needles.
Then I open my eyes, and see the way I came, and feel the flinty cold of the mercenaries here to impersonally execute anyone involved with the Athens-13 temple complex. And I reach behind me to grab the rod I know will be there, and bring it before my eyes.
You already know the words, the voice of a Grandmother tells me.
If you mean to survive the enemies of Civilization, assume your mantle, your duties, your powers.
I take a deep breath, raising my left Lens to block, and I nod.
A shaped charge of explosive putty blows down the blast door and a group of six mercenaries, in sleek black and red battledress, level their blaster carbines at me.
"On my authority as a Maiden of Orion, I call upon the light cosmic!" I affirm.
My will and emotion becomes energy, becomes light, becomes force. Coruscating artificial lightning, blaster bolts, play against and are deflected around a plane of energy projected by my off-Lens, arcing up and around me to spark and scorch the ground at my feet and the vault ceiling without causing me harm.
There's a pause for breath, to reload, and I am already running at them. Will and emotion become energy and light and force, and a blade of starlight springs from the Hilt and the Lens on my right hand.
My starblade describes a perfect parabolic arc as I leap between two of the men in black cerametal, and there's a terrific bang and the acrid smell of burning plastic and metal; I have sheared one of their blasters in half and it exploded, throwing back one of the hired killers, while my follow-through scythed through armor, flesh and bone to drop another.
No time to feel sick while I'm still in danger. The others try to turn on me, but I am already within their guard, A quick stab, cycle the blade, sweep it around, and the foe are falling to seared pieces around me.
I sense no more killing intent, and let my blade flicker out, and let myself sink to my knees, and let myself exhale, and let myself gag on the horrible smell of burning flesh and hair.
It will never be easy, the Grandmother's voice tells me.
But you live, and by such stark and dreadful powers as we have given you, those you care for may still survive.
I pick myself up off the floor, see flowing skirts I was not wearing over my jumpsuit this morning move with it, and nod, shield up, blade ignited, retracing my steps. All that matters now is saving my team, and warning the Athena colony.
Then... then I can start to process now being a Maiden of Orion.
I start to run, and reflect on the life I've lead that got me here.
Character Creation
This quest, when it has die rolls, will use Fate Core rules to adjucate them - in particular, it uses Atomic Robo's MODES to do it. Kim had a Science Mode, a Profession Mode, and a Standard Mode in that order but the experiences related above replaced her Science Mode with the skills of a Maiden of Orion; all her old specialties, plus supercharged Empathy and Telekinesis.
Her Aspects depend on the results of this poll.
Homeworld
Kim hails from…
[] [Homeworld] San Francisco, Terra, Sol; A shining spaceport in the capitol planet of the League.
[] [Homeworld] The Elonopolis Slums, Mars, Sol; a failed terraforming project that breeds hard-edged survivors.
[] [Homeworld] Hell's Kitchen, Gehenna, Ahaz System; a shipwright's and shipbreaker's junkyard swirling around a black hole.
[] [Homeworld] Glister City, Chukwu, WX Ursa Majoris; a glittering trade hub and pleasure planet.
[] [Homeworld] Talos' Forge, Hephaestus, Beta Hydri; a broiling hot mining and manufactory world.
[] [Homeworld] Greenhaven, Artemis, Omicron Edriani; a sedate pastoral and arboreal agriworld.
[] [Homeworld] Oasis, Cydonia, Proycon; a desolate desert trade hub and hive of scum and villiany smuggling Zendust Spice.
[] [Homeworld] New Byzantium, Benedict, Trappist-1; a world of philosophers, theologists and scientists.
Science Mode
When Kim went to the Academy, she majored in (second winner is the minor):
[] [Science Major] Archaeology
[] [Science Major] Economics
[] [Science Major] History and Literature
[] [Science Major] Medicine
[] [Science Major] Physics
[] [Science Major] Xeno-Psychology
Interests
When not studying, Kim spent her time on:
[] [Interests] Activism (Intrigue Mode)
[] [Interests] Earning Spare Credits (Banter Mode)
[] [Interests] Gambling (Intrigue Mode)
[] [Interests] The G-Ball Team (Action Mode)
[] [Interests] Piloting (Action Mode)
[] [Interests] Socializing (Banter Mode)
Profession
Kim's first job after the Academy was as a(n):
[] [Profession] Advocate
(Go into politics and improve society with rhetoric and legislation.)
[] [Profession] Bounty Hunter
(Learn the Law, the rogues that scoff at it, and how to fight them.)
[] [Profession] Colonist
(Learn all the little things you need to keep a young colony sane and healthy.)
[] [Profession] Free Trader
(Have a ship, find a job, keep flying.)
[] [Profession] Mechajock
(Fight as a lancer, interceptor or walking artillery peice.)
[] [Profession] Space Force Officer
(Learn how to keep a military spacecraft shipshape.)
[] [Profession] Xenodiplomat
(Make friends and influence aliens, with some spy work on the side.)
Alien Allies
Kim has friends among the… (two highest win)
[] [Alien Allies] Cephal (Delphinian Scientist)
[] [Alien Allies] Garudans (Avian Knight)
[] [Alien Allies] Hwinhee (Equine Merchant)
[] [Alien Allies] Suil (Felinoid Courtier)
[] [Alien Allies] Rukhiir (Draconian Soldier)
Voting is open and will remain so until this Sunday at 6:00 Pacific.