I needed a palette cleanser from Impossible Landscapes, so the horror continues in space!

—Spoiler warning for the “The Tartarus Intercept”—System:

Cthulhu Deep Green

Prewritten Module: The Tartarus Intercept

Setting: Sci Fi

Oracle: Mythic

PC:

Seargant Sam Greene

Occupation:Engineer

Important Information:
* Owns personal toolkit
* Wears titanium ring

Ancor:
* His work
* S. Cooper (Mechanic of the Orpheus)

Insight: 1/6

Stress: 1/6

Chaosfactor: 3

Harm:

Motivation:
* Doing a good job

BackgroundThe year is 2181, and humanity has moved out into the solar system to establish mining outposts, colonies, and research stations as far out as Jupiter. A hundred and twenty years ago, the Tyson Observatory finally discovered the ninth planet that had long been hypothesized to exist beyond the Kuiper Belt.

As more detailed observations were made, however, it was discovered not to be a single planet but two tidally-locked planets in close orbit. The larger of the two was named Erebus, after the primordial deity of darkness who existed before the Olympians, while the smaller planet was named Nyx, the sister of Erebus and goddess of night. Additionally, there were four observable moons orbiting Erebus and Nyx. They were named (in order from largest to smallest): Aether, Hypnos, Styx, and Thanatos. Aether was slightly larger than Earth’s moon, while Thanatos wasn’t much bigger than the dwarf planet Ceres.

Scientists began calling this strange system Tartarus. Early probes suggested that these two worlds and their moons might be rich in exotic elements, and so the various mining consortiums are all eager to stake their claims. The challenge is that, under interplanetary law, a resource claim must be made on-site, meaning they would have to send a crewed mission. In an effort to be first on the scene, the Weyland Mining Co. retrofitted one of their older ore freighters with experimental engines to make the trip.

Renamed the Orpheus, she and her crew have been sent to the very edge of the solar system to perform an orbital survey, locate a suitable landing site on Nyx, travel to the surface in a survey pod, and stake the company’s claim. At least three other mining companies are rumored to be sending their own Tartarus missions, so there’s a great deal of pressure to complete the mission as soon as possible.

Objectives:
Objective 1: Orbital Survey of the Tartarus System – The CCS Orpheus enters the system on a parabolic course that provides optimal sensor coverage, passing between the two planets and begins orbiting Nyx. The general survey takes approximately three days.

Objective 2: Analyze Data and Evaluate Landing Sites – Once the data has been collected, it takes a day or so to analyze. The crew must then determine the optimal landing sites to stake resource claims.

Objective 3: Land and Place Claim Beacons – The ship lands, and at least two crew members take the utility truck to establish claim beacons at each of at least five locations. The Allied Earth Council (AEC) must verify each claim, so the crew should place the first beacon at the most promising location first since the first choice is often the default if the claim is challenged.Note that the crew has only been given five beacons, and once placed, they cannot be moved without invalidating them.

Objective 4: Retrieve Samples – The crew has four days to retrieve ore samples. Each must be clearly labeled, categorized, and stored for the return journey. It’s vital to accurately record the specific location where each sample was found. These samples are vital to establishing a resource claim under AEC law.

Prelude
A dull pulse of light stands out in the immeasurable darkness, barely visible against the vast, unmoving curtain of stars. The ship’s engines glow faintly as it continues the eight-month deceleration procedure at the very edge of the solar system. The sun far behind is nothing but a slightly brighter point amongst countless others.Up close, the ship is a blocky, industrial-looking machine of corrugated steel, carbon fiber plating, and transparent aluminum. More than anything else, the ship resembles a lop-sided dumbbell with the larger aft section connected to the fore by a narrower, ridged structure, its hull pitted and scorched with decades of wear. Below the port hatch near the ship’s bow is an illustration of a Greek god playing the lyre and the name CCS Orpheus below that.The blast shield covering the main viewport at the front of the ship slowly retracts, drawing up into its housing as the lights on the bridge begin to flicker and come to life. Small clouds of frozen vapor silently vent from the stern exhaust ports, purging the ship’s ventilation ducts following more than a year of dormancy.Revival The hibernation chamber is dim and cold. The alarm tings softly in the background, and Sam can sense the subtle vibration of the ship’s systems through the chamber walls. A moment later, there is a hiss of air as the hatch lifts open, and the lights of your cabin fade on at their lowest setting. Sam hears his crewmates stirring in the other cabins nearby as the motherly voice of the ship’s AI begins speaking in its incessantly soothing tone. Repeating every thirty seconds for five minutes, it says:All systems and mission parameters are nominal. AEC time designation is Sol 2181.224.15. Resetting subjective circadian rhythm systems to morning protocols. Communication delay to Sol III is 5.4 days. There are eight messages awaiting crew attention, including a priority one transmission from Hareth Jacobson; EML.The air smells of coffee wafting down from the galley on Deck A and the faint metallic odor of the ship’s heaters that are still working to bring the temperature up to a tolerable 18° C (64° F).

Scene #1(CF:3) – Waking Up – 8am

Is Sam experiences Hibernation Sickness? > 50/50 > No
Is anyone else experiencing hibernation Sickness > very likely > Yes
More than one? > 50/50 > No > Random Crewmember except Greene > Captain Stone

Greene hears the sound of someone trying to keep the content of his stomach inside his mouth. As he looks around, still dizzy from the hibernation he sees Captain Stone on all of his four and vomiting on the the floor.
Captain Stone is above average height, physically fit, and lean. He has darker skin, black hair, brown eyes and a round normally friendly face. Dozens of scars on hands and his forearms bare witness of years of hard work.
Captain Stone:”God damn hibernation. It always makes me sick! Everyone else is alright?”

Multiple confirmations are coming back to him.

Captain Stone:”Great, than I’m the unlucky one. I guess we all can use some coffee and some breakfast…umm…(he is vomiting again on the floor)… everyone has an hour to get fresh, eat breakfast and check mail. Then we have some work todo! Everyone understand?”
Crew:”Aye Sir!”

Everyone gets busy with their after hibernation toilet. After 30 minutes everyone found their way into the crew lounge starting to having breakfast. There is not a lot of talking, as food has priority. Talks are mostly about dreams people had in hibernation, but no discussion goes far.
Looking at the crew eat, looks like hyenas which had to starve for a good while and are presented with their first food in a while. Most are stuffing their mouth as if their life depends on it. Only exception is Dr. Chandler who eats very deliberately.
Dr. Chandler:”I have to inform you all, that you have to come in for a standard health check when the mission it allows. Best not later as 48 hours after hibernation.”
Captain Stone::”You hear the doc! But first we have to make sure that we not get swallowed by a giant space wale! Finish up, we see each other on the Bridge on 900 straight!”

Everyone is gulping up the suprisingly good coffee, cleaning up their rations and few minutes later everyone is sitting in their standard flight seat (with a five-point harness) equipped with primary controls, and three monitors.
The bridge is low-ceilinged and somewhat cramped, though it manages not to feel claustrophobic due to the large viewports around the front of the ship.

Captain Stone:”Before we are starting, everyone gets fifteen minutes to check mail. Please everyone take note of the message from Weyland Mining Company, as they are the ones paying our bills!”

Greene not really has anyone who might send him a message.
Does anyone send Greene a personal message? > Unlikely > No
Therefore, he shoots straight for the company message.

It is a video log., featuring a haggard-looking, middle-aged man in a gray suit who looks like he hasn’t slept in days. He speaks as if reading from a script with a low, rough-sounding voice:
“Good morning crew. Hopefully, this message finds you well, and everything is proceeding as planned. We have been having some difficulty maintaining a telemetry link with the Orpheus, and we need you to check the hardware linkup on your end. The last unbroken link was received around the time you entered the Tartarus system, so it’s possible that the problem is external rather than some internal malfunction.
Attached is a news package to bring you up-to-date on what’s been happening over the past year and a half, as well as several software and navigational updates.
Still no word about any other missions to Tartarus. We suspect that the other mining consortiums are all waiting to see what you discover to decide if the time and resources are worthwhile. That’s what we’d do.
We look forward to your response.
Jacobson out.”

After 15 minutes off quiet on the Deck, the voice of the captain is echoing again through the room.
Captain Stone:”Everyone had time to catch up?”
Crew:”Yes, Sir!”
Captain Stone:”Anything personal anyone wants to share as it could affect our mission?”
Does anyone takes the offer > very unlikely > No
Crew:”No, Sir!”
Captain Stone:”Everyone was able to catch up on the message from Weyland Corp?”
Crew:”Yes, Sir!”
Captain Stone:”Good! Mr. Greene, Mr Cooper?”
Greene and Ortiz:”Yes, Sir?”
Captain Stone:”Would you be so friendly and check if everything is working fine with our communication system?”
Greene and Ortiz:”Of course, Sir!”
Captain Stone:”Wonderful! Mr. Ortiz?
Mr. Ortiz:”Yes, Sir?”
Captain Stone:”Where you been able to process the update of the navigational data and the input of the sensors, yet?”
Did he? > likely > No
Mr. Ortiz:”I’m still on it, SIr! Somehow the data coming in from the sensors is not matching well with the data we got from home.”
Anyone recognizing something weird through the window? > unlikely > Exceptional No
Captain Stone:”Looks all fine to me Ortiz. Keep on it!”
Everything fine on Greene’s sensors? > likely > Yes
Anyone else detecting something off? > likely > No
Captain Stone:”Ortiz! Give me info when you have updates on the navigational data. The rest of the crew can use the time to check in with the doc!”