Previously …
‘To reach it, I have commissioned a deep-dive submersible which will act as our underwater base.’
‘So, let’s make the most of it while we can.’
‘You’ll have to ask Jason the answer to that’
‘What do you mean? What safety checks has it failed?’
2323 – 276
Talbot was furious. She had just got off the comms to Decker at the Homestead.
‘The port authorities are refusing to budge. They say that as the sub is registered as coming from Jamison’s World then it doesn’t have a high enough safe depth and crush depth rating for here. That’s bollocks. The records have been tampered with.’
2323 – 277
Some discreet enquiries and a few bribes (charged to Decker) got them an opening – a records clerk working for the State Records Office could change the documents but it would take a few days (“I can’t just walk in there – I have to have a reason.”) There was no recourse but to wait, so they killed some time by visiting the Archive.
‘Why do they call it the Seldon Vault?’
The tour guide smiled and shrugged. ‘No-one knows for sure – to the best of our knowledge it has always been called that.’
The tour was quite comprehensive although the Vault itself was rather disappointing – just a theatre with raised banks of chairs facing a blank grey screen. The whole place would hold about one hundred people.
‘So, this is it? The stuff appears on the screen. So, what’s behind it.’
The guide opened a small door in the wall, and they looked into a small space behind the screen.
‘There’s nothing here. So where does it come from?’
‘That’s one of the mysteries the Archive is working to solve. Before you ask, it can’t be damaged either. The next part of the tour will show you the Damage Room – over the years the Vault has been vandalised, blown up, sprayed with paint and acid, lasered etc. Every time, overnight the screen repairs itself, although we have had to rebuild the theatre a few times.’
The rest of the tour showed the many study rooms where the Archive material was being researched and interpreted. They finished in the restaurant where a selection of local dishes were on offer.
Brookes glanced up and nudged Amberley. Pascale Sylveste was watching them from an upper gallery.
Later
They left the Archive, on the way back to the hotel they were subject to a “stop and search” by a squad of Government troops. The sergeant in charge of the patrol was courteous but efficient. He acknowledged that they had the right to carry their automatic pistols but advised that the streets were safe.
2323 – 279
‘Another invitation to Halter’s! Somebody really likes us.’
At the restaurant, their host was Pascale Sylveste. Over dinner, she came straight to the point.
‘I am acting for the Archive. Jason Decker is acting in his own interests. He plunders sites and sells the information and artefacts. How do you think he got his money? I am offering twenty thousand credits of Archive money for you to steal any information that Decker finds at that site and to turn it over to me, for the Archive.’
Church and Brookes glanced at Amberley, who shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, but we don’t do double-cross. We work for Jason Decker.’
Sylveste turned puce and stood, throwing her drink over Amberley. ‘You dare to cross me! You don’t know who you’re dealing with!’
Outside
A dust storm had kicked up, fine, stinging dust billowing in clouds from the dust bowl to the west of Medray. Brookes called a cab, and they were sheltering in an alleyway.
The attack came without warning. From behind them, out of the alley, materialised several figures armed with billy clubs. Amberley and Brookes were hit heavily and staggered, Church took a head blow, but her Sigma training kicked in. She spun and pulled her gun, double tapping her attacker who went down in a spray of blood. Brookes pulled his gun, fired but missed, Amberley was down and being kicked. Church took another blow from a club, but she put a bullet into Amberley’s assailant. The thugs fled, dragging their wounded; one yelled ‘message delivered.’ *
‘We need to get out of here – where’s that cab?’ But it was too late – red and blue flashing lights signalled the arrival of the police.
2323 – 280
They were questioned about the assault. Brookes was able to use his Advocate training, plus contact with Decker’s people eventually got them released. Amberley and Church were treated in hospital for their injuries; Decker footed the bill and paid for accelerated treatment using Slow Drug.
‘That bitch Sylveste was behind this attack.’
‘I agree, but we can’t prove it.’
Church fingered her dressings. ‘You can prove anything if you try hard enough.’
‘Sylveste is a respected member of the Archive and a government official. It’s going to be hard to make anything stick. The officials are not going to run with it.’
2323 – 285
Released from hospital and back in the hotel; the good news was that the clearance for the submersible had come through.
Medray Starport
The submersible was loaded on a low-loader, with a second SUV pulling a caravan. Talbot met them at the port gates.
‘It’s going to be a seven day journey, the lo-lo will average fifty kph and we need to allow for rest stops. There are some Autoserves along the way, but the caravan will carry food and sleeping. Oh, and we have two passengers. They have been cleared and have the right papers – they will be joining us on the dive. Here they are now.’
Two people approached. One was a short, nuggety man with dark skin, wearing Archive grey and carrying two valises. He nodded.
‘Call me Jackson’
The second was Pascale Sylveste.
To be continued …
====================
GM notes
‘Oh, what a tangled web we weave …’
This was played out over about a week and a bit as I was really not sure how it was going forward. GME/UNE threw up a lot of twists to try and work in.
Where I always struggle with RPG’s (and not just solo ones) is interpersonal reactions. How will X relate to Y, how will the group relate to Z’s proposal (etc.) Defining Primary and Secondary characteristics for Characters and NPC’s helps, along with SOLO’s “Throw 8+ to avoid a Bad Reaction.”
One thing that I don’t always think comes across obviously with any solo engine (it’s implied though) is not everything is rolled randomly. Once a Story is going then just run with it, make up your own stuff for the next Scene and only roll (for anything) if you need a prompt. And even then –
Chekov’s Gun – If something is introduced in the first scene, then it needs to be used by the third scene or at the end
Chandler’s Law – If in doubt, have a man with a gun come in through the door.
Alexander’s Three Clue Rule – For any important piece of information there must always be at least three ways of finding it.
* I had to replay the combat because I had forgotten that Brookes and Church had armour (although Brookes wasn’t wearing his at Halters (BITS middle-class restaurant)), Church’s is subdermal. **
** Obviously the hospital must have found this – another Thread or invoke Chekov’s Gun.
Does this type of subdermal armour identify Church as being a Sigma agent? Right now, I don’t know. Add it to the Threads list.
Uncanny Worlds 
Thank you for sharing.