Gradient Descent - Session 001

02/05/2025

We had our first session of Mothership after work Wednesday evening.

Crew manifest

Photo	Crew member	Loadout
	PVT Minerva Grbić Marine Firearms Expert Athletics, BMT	Standard Battle Dress “Smooth Operator” Patch Reflective Duct Tape Combat Shotgun ○○○○
	PVT Louis Garofalo Marine Explosives Expert Athletics, BMT	Advanced Battle Dress Winged Hammers Patch Blanket (Fire Retardant) GPMG ○○○○○
	Dr Zahir Stidolph Cyberneticist (Scientist) Mechanical Repair Expert Jury-Rigging, Zero-G	Hazard Suit Black Widow Spider Patch Bioscanner, SCK Tranq Pistol ●●●○○○
	Thomas Andreyev Teamster Explosives Expert IE, Jury-Rigging, Zero-G	Heavy Duty Work Clothes “FUBAR” Patch Explosives, Detonator Trilobite Fossil

Preface

The crew awake from cryo-sleep in room 33C of the CLOUDBANK™ Synthetics Production Facility, evidently a large space station complex. Aside from the dim illumination of the pods from which they emerged, everything is dark, and the artificial gravity is nonfunctional.

They have no memory of when or how they arrived. Aside from their names (printed on embossed labels affixed to their pods) and their respective skillsets, they cannot recall anything at all about their identities.

They find their personal belongings in nearby lockers, though Minerva and Zahir feel that certain items are missing, and someone has stolen all but two of Thomas's cigarettes. Only PVT Louis and Dr Zahir have head lamps on their outfits; only Thomas and Dr Zahir have Zero-G training.

They manage to dress just in time for a patrol of mannequin-like security androids to march into the room.

Biometrics

What happened

Dr Zahir uses his bioscanner to determine that, aside from the crew, there are no life signs in the vicinity. (Androids do not register on bioscans.)

When PVT Minerva refuses an order to accompany the patrol to a "safe" location, the lead android suffers some kind of system failure and powers down, floating off the deck as its footpads demagnetise. Meanwhile, the rest of the patrol about-face and leave in the direction they arrived, seeming to lose all interest in the crew.

Thomas experiences a severe headache when he concentrates and tries, unsuccessfully, to recall anything at all about his past.

The crew follow the service corridor along which the security androids withdrew in the direction of the Bone Forge (36A). Thomas carries the defunct android with him.

It's clear that the corridor would normally be sealed with blast doors at either end, but for some reason they are locked open. A sign on the corridor wall reads: Floor 3.2 Skeleton Works.

They find a mechanic's toolbox in the Bone Forge and loot it for Assorted Tools. PVT Minerva stows the tools in her Rucksack. Thomas arms himself with a Pipe Wrench.

Unable to find any electronic tools with which to access it, Thomas discards the android. Mechanical arms extend from one of the many service tubes lining the walls and ceiling to catch and dispose of it.

They explore the Mold Press (36B), noting the flamethrower scorch marks on the walls, but decide against traversing the coolant vents. Instead, they retreat to the room where they started.

They explore the Gym (33B), noting that the equipment is pristine, though the racks and handles on the walls show signs of wear.

They follow the far corridor to a T-junction between two crawlspaces (33E and 33F) but decide against following either.

The artificial gravity suddenly activates and rubble falls through a breach in the ceiling, glancing off Dr Zahir and causing him minor injuries. It deactivates immediately after.

The crew split up, maintaining contact over short-range comms. Thomas and PVT Louis return to the Gym and follow a long side-corridor to a sealed hatch (to 33A), whilst Dr Zahir and PVT Minerva follow a side passage to investigate the Furnaces (33D).

Dr Zahir approaches one of the glowing orange incinerators and observes grease paintings (as if made by a deranged child) on its cover. A number of severed android fingers with glowing tips float before it. He takes one.

While PVT Louis stands ready, Thomas calls out to the security camera on the door. An irritated voice responds through a tannoy, demanding that the crew return to their cryopods immediately.

In the Furnace room, gravity suddenly returns and an unseen piece of equipment falls from the ceiling, glancing off PVT Minerva's armour, before deactivating once again.

When Thomas refuses to comply with the voice's demands, the crew hear the sound of a large patrol coming from the direction of the Bone Forge.

Dr Zahir and PVT Minerva double-time it back to the Gym, PVT Minerva throwing herself along the corridors with brute force to compensate for her lack of Zero-G training. They set up a defensive position outside the corridor leading to the sealed hatch.

Thomas sets an explosive charge on the sealed hatch. He and PVT Louis retreat back down the corridor toward the Gym.

The session ends with Thomas placing his thumb on the detonation switch just as a large patrol of security androids enters the Gym from the direction of the cryopods.

End-of-session vitals

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