Read Act Two here
Oracle: Evade Strategy
Oracle question: Do Kae & Abram encounter hostile Vok drone attendants on their way to the teleportation controls?
Odds: Almost certain. Answer: [Ask the Oracle: Yes]
Abram holds back Kae. He gestures to a corner that they are hugging, raising four fingers. Kae activates her EVPs and can see the low heat signatures on the other side of the wall, planning her attack.
Battle w/Edge – [Strong Hit: 4 + 2 + 1 = 9 vs 8 | 8]
In a blur, Kae grabs a Vok in a headlock, pointing its weapon arm at the others and firing off a blast that takes out two of them. The fourth charges, but Abram gestures with his hand to lift the drone up and slam it against a wall until it breaks into pieces. Kae grabs one of the arm weapons to take with her.
Kae uses her Enhance Visual Prosthetics translation protocols to read a data panel embedded in the wall to locate the teleportation pads.
Secure an Advantage w/Wits – [Strong Hit: 6 + 2 + 1 = 9 vs 1 | 6]
Kae tells Abrams she knows where they are. The best route is to take a service tunnel a few meters away and climb down three floors.
[Mark Progress: I vow to reach teleport back to the Concordia:4 boxes]
While working their way to the nearest service tunnel, Kae says, “So you’re… you’re one of the Calugar…the mystic knights of the Old Imperium?”
Abram nods solemnly. “I suppose I am as much as it matters anymore.”
Kae gives him a look of curiosity, so he continues. “They have hunted most of us down. When the Empress took control, she sent her loyal Skygge warriors after us. Being a Calugar doesn’t hold much grandeur anymore.”
“You believe in a connection to…” Kae tries to reflect on her course at the Academy – Religions of the Old Imperium. “The Force?”
“The Power,” he corrects her.
“Yeah, The Power.” Kae points out the service tunnel door. She goes to work on the encrypted lock. “It connects all living things? That’s how you can do those things, like hear the Vok or move things without touching them?”
Abram is silent for a beat. “It takes many years of training and focus to become Calugar. I believe everyone I know from my training is…gone now.”
Kae doesn’t know what to say and focuses her energy on unlocking the door. A moment later, a ping sounds and the door rolls away.
Oracle question: Do Kae & Abram encounter hostiles on their way to the teleportation pads?
Odds: Almost certain. Answer: [Ask the Oracle: Yes]
One floor down, they discover a Vok engineer, recognizable because of their multi-tool arm appendages and legs that shift from bipedal to serpentine at an impulse, allowing them to slither through the labyrinth of a Vok engine.
Enter the Fray w/Wits – Burn Momentum – [Strong Hit: 1 + 2 + 0 = 10 vs 9 | 1]
Kae opens fire on the engineer as Abram attempts to use his powers against the Vok. Kae uses her EVPs for targeting.
Strike w/Edge – [Weak Hit: 2 + 2 + 1 = 5 vs 10 | 4]
[Mark Progress: Vok engineer :3 boxes]
[Mark Progress: Vok engineer:6 boxes]
[Pay the Price: A new enemy is revealed]
The engineer is a poor fighter as it’s not part of his protocols; he takes damage but is good at evading and slithering up into the ship’s guts. The double door at the end of the hall slides open to reveal a bulky Vok crusher unit. It flexes its razor-sharp crushing gauntlets and stomps forward to recapture Kae & Abram.
Clash w/Edge – [Weak Hit: 2 + 2 + 0 = 4 vs 8 | 2]
[Mark Progress: Vok engineer :8 boxes]
[Pay the Price: A friend, companion, or ally is in harm’s way (or you are, if alone)]
Abram starts pushing pieces of the engine with the Power at the Crusher but finds himself pinned against a wall by the Vok’s massive gauntlets. Kae gets some shots off; she can’t let her friend die. She takes a chance to fire at a series of wires near the Crusher’s head.
React Under Fire w/Heart – [Miss: 4 + 3 + 0 = 7 vs 9 | 8]
[Pay the Price: Your action causes collateral damage or has an unintended effect]
Kae’s blast ricochets and hits a central junction, which causes an explosion to erupt through the service tunnel. Abram is caught up in the blast, but the Crusher partially shields him. Kae climbs out of the wreckage and finds the Crusher has left with Abram.
Face Defeat – [Pay the Price: A friend, companion, or ally is in harm’s way (or you are, if alone)]
Abram awakens in a transformation chamber. Vok drones wordlessly plug him into machines and begin transforming him into one of their own.
Oracle question: Are there Vok present in the teleportation chamber?
Odds: Likely. Answer: [Ask the Oracle: Yes]
Paul is waiting for Kae when she arrives. He expresses his disappointment in her. Paul believed she was smarter than this; she should have understood that submitting to the Vok was her only option. They will forcibly extract what she knows about the Enclave and their mysterious energy source. The Vok will expand with this knowledge. This is inevitable. She fights against the very evolutionary direction of the universe.
Kae activates the targeting function of her EVPs, locking on to three points on Paul.
Secure an Advantage w/Wits – [Strong Hit: 3 + 2 + 1 = 6 vs 4 | 2]
Kae has him targeted. Her hand grips the arm weapon, ready to…fire!
Face Danger w/Edge – Burn Momentum – [Strong Hit: 1 + 2 + 1 = 6 vs 1 | 4]
Three perfectly placed shots strike Paul. One in a leg joint, one in the arm joint, and one in his neck. He falls back onto the ground, partially paralyzed, his CPU reckoning with what happened. Kae rushes to the teleportation controls and sees the Vok. The ship is still in the asteroid belt with the Concordia. It’s a quick change of settings, and she’s ready to teleport. Kae steps onto the pad as Paul lurches forward.
Face Danger w/Edge – [Strong Hit: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 3 | 1]
The Vok ship disappears into the shining void of antimatter space, and Kae is on the Concordia bridge. She takes the helm.
Oracle question: Are there any survivors on board that the Vok didn’t take?
Odds: 50/50. Answer: [Ask the Oracle: Yes]
Kae sends a message over the ship comms for all able crew members to report to the bridge. She powers up the jump drive while using the sensor array to scramble any incoming teleports from the Vok ship.
Secure an Advantage w/Wits – [Weak Hit: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 10 | 6]
The Vok ship is powering up its weapons. Kae activates the jump drive and is gone. Borges Station, the Cassandra, and the Enclave vessel appear on the view screen. Kae sends a distress call to the Station, telling them the Vok plans to take the Enclave ship. UPA HQ needs to be alerted. The Cassandra has sustained some damage, but Captain Ehab is still in command.
Kae contacts Ennis in engineering. She needs him to figure out how to reverse the Concordia’s tractor beam so they can forcibly tow the Vok away from the Enclave vessel when it shows up. Ennis says he’s on it.
Secure an Advantage w/Wits – [Weak Hit: 3 + 2 + 1 = 6 vs 2 | 6]
Moments later, Ennis comes back. He’s rigged up something. It’s not the strongest pull, but the Concordia doesn’t have the most robust engines. Kae says it just needs to work long enough. She brings Ehab up on the comms and downloads her EVPs recordings on the interior of the Vok command ship. Not sure if there’s anything there that will help with targeting, but run it through your ship’s AI and see what you find.
The Vok ship emerges from its unique warp tunneling effect. The command ship is flanked by smaller ones.
Shields Up! – [Weak Hit: 3 + 5 + 0 = 8 vs 10 | 2]
The Vok command ship moves for the Enclave ship. The smaller Vok ship pelts the Concordia and Cassandra with pulse fire.
Enter the Fray w/Heart – [Weak Hit: 6 + 3 + 0 = 9 vs 9 | 7] – Kae is in control
Kae unleashes the Concordia’s weapons array at full blast against the command ship.
Strike w/Edge – Burn Momentum – [Strong Hit: 3 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 5 | 5]
[Mark Progress: The Vok Command Ship :1 boxes]
[Mark Progress: The Vok Command Ship :2 boxes]
The laser blasts hit as the Vok lowers its shields to lock onto the Enclave ship. Kae checks her sensors, and she’s disabled the Vok’s full tractor beam controls. She locks on her own and checks with Ennis, and they attempt to tow the command ship away.
Gain Ground w/Wits – [Strong Hit: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 5 | 3]
[Mark Progress: The Vok Command Ship :3 boxes]
The command ship is being pulled further from the Enclave vessel. Kae is pushing the engines to their maximum power. She signals for the Cassandra to launch its quantum missiles on where the ship computer estimates the Vok command ship’s reactor core is.
Take Decisive Action – [Weak Hit: 3 + 3 + 0 = 6 vs 9 | 5]
[Take Decisive Action: It gets complicated: The true nature of a foe or objective is revealed]
[Mark Progress: I vow to protect the station from the Vok :1 boxes]
The command ship explodes in a flurry of fire and metal. However, the ship’s sensors are alerted: something is being ejected from the wreckage. Some new types of Vok have landed on the Cassandra and are splicing into the ship’s controls. The Concordia’s systems alert her that the same is happening here.
Ennis suddenly bursts into the comms. The Vok. They are working their way into the ship. He’s got a swarm of them headed for engineering. Kae rushes to the lift to make her way down.
Face Danger w/Edge – [Strong Hit: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 2 | 4]
Kae reaches engineering, where Ennis is ready with a pulse rifle. Sensors show they are about to be breached. A familiar crackling light burns through the ceiling, and a figure drops onto the floor. Kae is stunned. She sees Abram, partially processed as a Vok. Her destruction of the command ship must have interrupted it. There’s still a chance to save him.
Enter the Fray w/Heart – [Strong Hit: 3 + 3 + 0 = 6 vs 3 | 4]
Kae attempts to speak to Abram, reminding him how she helped him regain that weapon. He briefly looks down at the beam sword before returning his gaze to her, filled with anger.
Kae speaks to Abram, past the Vok technology forced onto him, reminding him he is a Calugar, a grand knight, and stronger than this. Ennis backs out of the room, providing cover fire.
Compel w/Heart – [Strong Hit: 6 + 3 + 0 = 9 vs 6 | 1]
Abram nods yes; she can see the recognition on his face. He has to fight this abomination.
Take Decisive Action – [Strong Hit: 4 + 0 + 0 = 8 vs 4 | 2]
[Mark Progress: Bond with Abram :4 boxes]
Abram lifts Kae up off the floor of the Concordia’s bridge. He turns towards the three Vok that accompanied him, raises his beamsword, and leaps into action. Kae joins him with her laser pistol.
Strike w/Edge – [Miss: 2 + 2 + 0 = 4 vs 6 | 5]
[Pay the Price: The environment or terrain introduces a new hazard]
The artificial gravity systems on board the Concordia suddenly go offline. Kae reasons it must be another Vok interfering with the ship’s systems. She attempts to swim towards a service tunnel access point in the wall to see if she can reboot the gravity.
React Under Fire w/Edge – [Weak Hit: 4 + 2 + 0 = 6 vs 9 | 3]
A Vok blast hits Kae in the shoulder, and she quickly gets to the service tunnel despite the searing pain.
Oracle: Secret Treasure
Kae finds the Concordia’s overclocked tractor beam has been activated through the access panel. It’s got the Enclave ship in its hold. Kae attempts to override this.
React Under Fire w/Heart – [Weak Hit: 4 + 3 + 0 = 7 vs 10 | 4]
Kae hears a scream of pain from Abram. The Vok must have gotten to him. She has to stop them.
Clash w/Edge – [Weak Hit: 4 + 2 + 0 = 6 vs 3 | 9]
[Mark Progress: Vok soldiers :2 boxes]
[Pay the Price: A friend, companion, or ally is in harm’s way (or you are, if alone), Something of value is lost or destroyed]
A Vok has pinned Abram against a console, drilling its melee arm into his side. The beamsword, unlit, floats meters away. Ennis is being pulled away through the hole the Vok tore through the ship’s hull.
React Under Fire/Heart – [Miss: 1 + 3 + 0 = 4 vs 9 | 8]
Kae attempts to swim to the beamsword but is pinned down by pulse fire from the other Vok. The lights flicker on the ship; it shakes, they are moving, and the Enclave ship is tugged away.
Clash w/Edge – [Weak Hit: 2 + 2 + 0 = 4 vs 6 | 2]
[Mark Progress: Vok soldiers :4 boxes]
[Pay the Price: Something of value is lost or destroyed]
Kae shoots one Vok, and he tumbles head over heels in zero gravity. The Concordia quickly reboots, and the lighting has changed. Kae can hear the binary language of the Vok statically garbled over the ship’s comms. They are being absorbed into the Vok.
Kae has to save Abram; she pushes out of the service tunnel, firing as she goes, desperate to save her friend.
React Under Fire w/Heart – [Strong Hit: 2 + 3 + 0 = 5 vs 4 | 1]
[Mark Progress: Vok soldiers :6 boxes]
Kae hooks her arm through Abram and pushes off the wall through the sliding doors out of Engineering into the hallway. She lights the beamsword for herself to seal engineering off.
Take Decisive Action – [Strong Hit: 5 + 6 + 0 = 10 vs 1 | 8]
Kae seals the door. She’s exhausted and alerts the Cassandra, requesting to be teleported aboard if they can.
Oracle question: Is the Cassandra in shape to take on Kae & Abram?
Odds: 50/50. Answer: Yes, with a Match
On board the Cassandra, Kae has Abram taken to the medbay while she rushes to the bridge. As she enters, the view screen shows a massive UPA fleet has arrived and is battering the Concordia with pulse fire. The smaller Vok ships are being vaporized as well. The tide has turned. Captain Ehab tells the commander she’ll definitely get her ship back after a thorough cleaning by the UPA and numerous repairs. Ehab also reveals they could lock onto several human signatures and rescue others. Ennis is among them. Kae breathes a sigh of relief.
As the Vok are routed, no one notices the spider-like drone landing on the Enclave ship. It uses a laser-cutting tool to make a tiny hole, scutters in, and seals the hole behind it. Now, it begins exploring this strange new vessel and transmitting its findings to wherever the Vok resides.
Kae visits Abram in the Borges Station hospital. He still has Vok components embedded in his body. A medbot works over him, doing scans and removing what it can without hurting the Calugar. Kae asks how he’s feeling, and he responds that he’s been better.
Forge a Bond – [Strong Hit: 4 + 4 + 0 = 8 vs 2 | 7]
Abram says he can still hear the Vok; they are distant but still out there. He believes they are planning something even worse than this; what they encountered was merely a scouting party. Everyone in their path of destruction needs to prepare. Kae asks if Abram will help her as she pushes for the resettlement of the Imperium refugees. Abram thinks about this and says he would like that. The camera pulls out through the medbay window. Our characters grow smaller as we see Borges Station and the starry expanse beyond it.
To be continued in June with my Review & Actual Play of Sundered Isles.
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