level8twine

You collect your tools and they disappear in to deep pockets and up sleeves of your coat. Not just any old coat but an old Admirals greatcoat no less; those Admirals sure do like to keep themselves warm, which comes in handy where you spend most of your days. And it has plenty space too for hidden pockets and pouches for stowing tools and useful bit 'n bobs. It's seen better days, and you've had to patch it here and there, but it has served you well, certainly better than its previous owner. You do wonder again whether you should remove the shoulder insignia, why needlessly draw unwanted attention; it particular riles up the brass too, not necessarily the top brass, but the lower ranked Generals and Colonels get real prickly about it. Maybe that's why you still wear them. But perhaps the cap is going a little bit too far.\n<<ExamineRoomLink>>\n<<set $hasTools = 1>>

"I'll take that as a 'Yes'. Cool! Just don't go blowing up the station to get out of it!"\n\nThe tether pulls tight and you turn around to see that she has stopped walking, and looking at her data pad that's strapped to her suit glove. “Hey! I think we're here.” You look down at the hull, there doesn't seem to be any indication that the area you are standing on is any different. You try to confirm your position on your own pad. \n\n“Just in time too, here come the vultures ready to suck us dry!” You look up to see where she's now pointing at in the sky. A seemingly darker patch of cloud begins to solidify and suddenly a massive tanker punches through the murk. It performs a slow sweeping arc above their heads then begins to settle beyond the horizon of the far side of the station. “Don't envy those bastards trying to keep those hulks steady in this mess, let alone having to chase us on our way down.”\n\n“So, we good?” she asks turning back to you.\n\n“Ah... yeah. I think so” you reply, re-examining your screen.\n\n“Cool. So we cut, right?”\n\n“Looks like it”\n\n“Nice, got just the toy. I cut, you clean.” She goes to her crate that she's been dragging on a mag-sled and pulls out a device with two canisters connected to a single spray nozzle. Binary Acid Cutter; can't risk a spark in a hydrogen atmosphere. She hands you a large bottle attached to it's own hose and nozzle, then kneels to the deck indicating the area she is going to open. She brings the nozzle close to the surface and pulls the trigger. The content of the two canisters shoot out, mixing as they go, and starts to create a foam, a highly corrosive sticky foam. It hits the surface of the hull and begins to eat away where it sticks to the composite material as it bubbles away. As soon a section has opened up an area you hit it with your neutralising spray, can't have that stuff doing any more damage where it's not wanted.\n\nYou make short work of it and soon a metre wide hole appears in the surface as the cut away area falls down into the interior. “No decompression” Davis notes. You're going to have to remain suited, for the time being at least.\n\n[[You both descend down into the hole|repulsorControl]].

“Send it Chief!” you shout.\n\n"Here it comes! Lets hope this works. Gotta run."\n\n"What are you doing?" Davis asks.\n\n"What you should be doing. At the very least Plan A, sounded good at the time, so lets start with that. Hair brained Plan B is a no go. But maybe we can turn it into Bug Fuck Crazy Plan C. So could you at least do your thing and spin up those emitters before that stuff gets here and cooks us all?"\n\nShe doesn't hang about. She starts dashing all over the room, flicking switches and pulling levers. You keep an eye on the readout showing the fuel lines. “Almost here” you call out.\n\n“I'm on it, I'm on it”\n\n“So... what exactly was Plan B?”\n\n“Step one, stop the fall. Step two, get us back up to altitude. Step three, redemption... if not unemployed.”\n\n“And that was going to work?”\n\n“Step one, sure that was the easy part, with big enough Repulsors and enough time. Step two... Step three, well, redemption comes in many forms.”\n\nThe readout shows the fuel just about to hit the loop. “Here it comes!” you call out.\n\n“Got to let it flood the loop first.” This on the job training is going to give you a heart attack.\n\n“Okay... flooded....now”\n\n“Got to let the pressure build”\n\n“Really?!” You don't have that much experience with these things, you you're pretty sure that's not how it goes.\n\n“Normally no, not really. Real bad idea. But hey, we're in Bug Fuck Country now right?”\n\n“Are you going to fill me in?”\n\n“... If it works. Then... maybe.”\n\nYou look over. She's standing still, tense. Hand poised over a button. Her lips are moving silently, counting down, head nodding slightly. Then she shouts “NOW!” She slams her hand down on the button, then again, and again and again. Repeatedly she's slapping the button as fast as she can. Then there's a violent shaking. The entire room appears to bounce in your vision. The bulkhead begins to creak, groaning in protest.\n\nYou look back over. She's staring at a screen now, finely adjusting a dial. “Come on, come on. No, no, no, don't burn out, don't burn out!” she quickly spins the dial way down then slowly back up again. “There!” her hand leaps back from the dial. She steps back from the console.\n\n“What just happened?” you ask breathlessly.\n\nShe looks over “Plan A+”\n\n[[Epilogue|theEnd]]

<<if $openedPad eq 1>>[[Open Data Pad|ReadAll]]<<else>><<if $readAlert eq 0>>[[Read the message|ReadMsg]]<<endif>><<endif>>

Plan A+: burn those mini emitters to their absolute limit and hold position for a good six hours. At which point they promptly burnt out in a massive chain reaction. Lovely atmospheric light show that caused, charred a good chunk of the outer hull, but the station was never going to survive. That went down and was swallowed by Saturn, probably crushed before hitting the liquid hydrogen. Not a soul aboard.\n\nEveryone got out. After all the fuel, of course (minus a couple vats worth).\n\nAs she predicted, Davis is now gainfully unemployed. Only your testimony saved her from a worse fate. Sitting in that witness chair was an ordeal in itself on your part, but you persevered. Pushed through for her sake. Although you suspect it was the fact she had bought enough time for the Tankers that had shown up late that may have been the deciding factor. \n\nShe jokes her only options now are to take up 'roid nabber bowling. The citizens of Mars better sleep with one eye open.\n\nThe change you dreaded came, although with somewhat familiar surroundings. You're on the team overseeing the construction of a new station. Task number one, requisition bigger Anti Gravity Repulsor Emitters on the Perimeter outer loop.

1) Ensure correct alignment of ventilation supply diffusers for even distribution following installation of Fuel Vat Containment systems.\n\nN.B. Fuel Containment is a Level 1 Environment Sensitive system. Refer to Fuel Containment protocols.\n\n2) Reassess pressure index run back to ventilation plant (Engineering Section [CORE]).\nDecommission upstream ventilation outlets to ensure plant efficiency. (Exclusion Criteria: Senior Military Personal Quarters)

<<display $currentRoom>>\n<<OpenDataPad>>

<<set $pickedRoute = 1>>\n<<if $noBrief eq 1>><<noBrief3>><<else>><<postBrief5>><<endif>>

[[Examine Room|ExamineRoom]]

"There is a faster way, but you're not going to like it"\n\n"How about I decide what I like"\n\n"Outside" you simple say.\n\n"Outside?" she repeats, confused.\n\n“Outside.” you repeat. \n\n“Wait, minus one-eighty degree, thousand-clicks-per-hour-winds-of-hydrogen-and-ammonia outside? That outside? The atmosphere of bloody Saturn outside!”\n\nYou nod in the affirmative. She turns and walks away a few steps, hands on her head. You knew she wouldn't like it. “We walk the outer hull and cut through directly at Emitter Control. It'd take a fraction of the time.” you tell her.\n\nShe turns back towards you. “And you think this is a good idea?”\n\n“No, but you wanted fast”\n\n“You know, you were right. I don't like this. At all. Horrible idea” she takes a deep breathe, shakes her head and slowly exhales, “but we're not left with much choice. Let's get this over with. Outside we go!”\nShe turns and strides <<if $noBrief eq 1>>down the corridor<<else>>out of the room<<endif>>.\n\nIt happened so quick you are left standing there dazed.\n\n“Well?” she shouts from down the corridor, “Are you coming or not?”\n\n[[You follow Davis|followOut]]

All Engineering Dept. personnel are to report IMMEDIATELY to Briefing Room 1 of Core Engineering Section.\nTask Dispatching assignments are to be disregarded as of this timestamp. (Let's not be stupid people, secure any work in progress first then get here Double-Time!).\n\nThose still working the incident areas are to remain on post.\nThose still collating incident data are to remain on post.\nExpect immediate de-brief at conclusion of all hands briefing.\n\nBrass will be in attendance.\n\nMOVE! \n\nChief A. Womack\n

<<if $stress eq 1>>\nThe shock is beginning to give way to the building panic. The initial fear was just the unconscious ingrained reaction, the autopilot, but now comes the real fear, the fear of the fear, the white-knuckled roller-coaster ride of emotions as your conscious mind runs through scenario after scenario. \n<<endif>><<if $stress eq 3>>\n<<set $stress = 3>>\nThere is a discussion happening around you, but they have a vital piece of information wrong. You know this, you can set them right! You attempt to interject, but the words won't come out, as if physically blocked. You throat tenses up and your mouth goes dry. You try to push the words out. You finally croak out something, but your voice is weak and doesn't carry. They don't hear. But one person has, they've heard and are nodding agreement in your direction. But now they're wondering why you won't tell everyone else, why you won't speak up? They then ask exactly that, 'Why won't you tell them? Why won't you speak up?' You try again, but now you are being watched. You try harder to push the words out, but you start to stutter, starting quietly but ending loudly. Everyone stops and stares...\n[[Breathe|Breathe]]\n<<endif>><<if $stress eq 2>>\n<<set $stress = 3>>\nYou've slipped in silently, unnoticed, but now you've been spotted. You are asked your opinion on the subject at hand. Not just a statement of fact, but an opinion! Your mind goes blank, you have trouble locking on to a shadow of an idea to even begin forming an answer around. You stand there mutely flailing for a response, any response. You wish they'd just move on to someone else but they've reiterated their insistence on hearing your opinion. You finally manage to get something out but the answer sounds hollow to your ears. You can feel them judging your input unworthy...\n\n[[The cycle of fear feasts upon itself...|Panic]]\n[[Breathe|Breathe]]\n<<endif>><<if $stress eq 1>>\n<<set $stress = 2>>\nYou enter the packed briefing room, the boss stops his sermon mid-sentence as everyone turns to look at you. You see them staring, whispering, nodding in your direction. You imagine what they must be thinking. Judging you. You see yourself from their perspective, standing dumbly in the doorway. Your stomach starts doing somersaults, you can feel your skin start to heat...\n\n[[Your mind starts over...|Panic]]\n[[Breathe|Breathe]]\n<<endif>>

<<if $noBrief eq 0>>You gesture to the map. <<endif>>“With the emergency bulkheads already sealed against breaches we'd have to go an indirect route, which means through crawl-ways and service conduits.”\n\n“That doesn't sound so bad, just another day at the office”\n\n“Not all the crawl-ways are passable down there. It's a bit of a maze finding a through route. It's doable, but it takes time. Then there's the main conduit gantry, it's heavily corroded so you have to go pretty slow with that too.” You seem a little surprised to have little trouble spelling all this out, but then you are just stating facts, little room for ambiguity. “And since we're dropping it means we are also seeing some lateral movement too, that puts a greater risk of collapse of the gantries, if it hasn't happened already.”\n\n“We can't account for probabilities. How much time all told?”\n\n“An hour to reach the outer hull, but that doesn't leave us at Outer Emitter Control, so another half to circle back around.”\n\nDavis pulls out her data pad and taps away for a few moments, frowning deeper with each couple of taps. “That's not going to cut it. That doesn't leave us with enough time to prime the emitters and then get them up to temp before they can impart any sort of deceleration effect. We'll have gone down too deep by then. There has to be a faster way" she pleads.\n\nYou don't respond.\n\n"There is isn't there? I can see it written all over your face! Come on, out with it!"\n\n[["There is a faster way, but you're not going to like it"|weGoOut2]]

<<if $startStanding eq 0>>You get up and take in your surroundings.<<endif>>\n<<ExamineRoom>>\n<<set $startStanding = 1>>

<<if $stress gte 3>>\nScenario after scenario play out. Even past debacles, the Old Faithfuls, rear their heads to get their light of day, to get their kick in.\n\nBut there is a part of you that can recognise this, can see it for what it is; an irrational behavioural trait, built upon some old experience that's long outlived its relevance. Self-reinforcing and insidious. Social Anxiety the shrinks will call it, normal but if experienced to excess a disorder.\nThe pills help take the edge off the visceral effects, but ultimately you need to think your way out.\n<<endif>>\n\nYou take a deep breath and try to calm yourself. You've been doing much better lately you tell yourself. You haven't needed the pills as much, sure isn't that why you haven't needed the refill. Is it?\n\n[[You look back at your data pad|ReadAll]]

You quickly have the diffuser grille detached from the downward facing branch duct and stare up into the dark of the interior. You pull a head lamp from a pocket and strap it to your head. You do a test jump, your fingers just brushing the interior of the bottom of the horizontal ducting; looks like you can make it.\n\nYou steady yourself in a crouch, then leap as best you can. You manage to get a firm grip on the edge, but when you try to pull yourself up you struggle. You strain harder but your arms give way and you fall back down on to the cargo. Thankfully the pallet's contents isn't the hardest.\n\nYou think for a moment on what you should do.\n\n[[Give up. Climb down instead.|ClimbDown]]\n[[Shed some weight.|DuctDiving2]]

You start walking towards the repulsor control room, suit lights illuminating the way.\n\n"So, where are we?" Davis asks "Can't get a clean reading on the pad."\n\n"Section 54. Not too many working access points out here, so you're not going to get a good signal lock. Inside at least."\n\n"It always been like this?" She means the lack of atmosphere, or at least breathable atmosphere.\n\nYou think for a moment. "No," you reply "this is recent. Must've been a breach. But I don't think it was here, next section over likely."\n\n"Don't see how you figure that. If it was next section over containment should've sealed it."\n\n"Call it a hunch. Remember, a lot of this place isn't holding together too well. But this section is pretty clean."\n\n“Your turf, guess you know the lay of the land. How far?”\n\n“Should be just down this corridor”\n\n“Good, because we gotta hustle. Times a wasting.” You both try to move a bit faster, as fast as you can go in bulky environment suits carrying a big crate between you. “By the way, can I just make an observation?”\n\n“Sure”\n\n“You talk too much!” she proclaims as she starts giggling to herself.\n\nYou... you have been finding it a lot easier. The bursting dam of anxiety you had been expecting earlier seems to have dissipated. You haven't been stuttering or speech blocking at all. Maybe it's just getting caught up in the unfolding events. Maybe it's being back in familiar surroundings. Maybe you're just getting used to Davis' presence. Whatever it is you hope it holds out for a little while longer.\n\nYou arrive at a pair of large sealed doors that should lead to the control room. “This it?” Davis asks.\n\n“Yup” you respond and move to the door [[control panel|examineDoor]]. [[You open the doors in front of you|openOuterDoors]].\n\n

A crowd is beginning to form around you, all waiting to get on the arriving elevator. You get increasingly nervous as each additional person comes to a stop. The prospect of being in a small enclosed space, crammed full of other people, even for a short while makes you start to sweat. You begin to scan around for alternatives, for a way out before it's too late. You see the utility access panel that would get you into the elevator shaft itself. From there it might be possible to make your way down to the right level.\n\nThe elevator chimes in front of you as the doors start to open.\n\n[[You enter the elevator|lift1]]\n[[You go towards the access panel|lift2]]\n<<set $fullBrief = 0>>

As you punch the door release a rush of wind screams out as you from the opening doors.\n\n“Great work Admiral!” Davis groans. “Sure would've been nice to breath that air”. You can see her shaking her head inside her helmet as she walk in past the open inner doors into the [[control room|controlRoom]].

Just as the elevator doors are opening you turn around, trying to hold your ground as the people behind you try to get around you to get through the doors. When the way is clear you quickly make your way to the access panel. A quick flick of your wrist and a screwdriver emerges from the left sleeve as you make quick work in opening the panel and slip inside. \n\nLocking the panel again behind you you breathe a quick sigh of relief. It is just as loud in here, with elevators swooshing past perilously close, than it was out in the crowd, if not louder. But it is a familiar loudness, a welcome one.\n\nYou collect yourself and make your way to the ladder rungs that are built in to the wall and start your descent, counting how much time each step is costing you.\n\nBefore long, but too long you think, you arrive at the right level. You exit back out a similar access panel and quickly make your way to the [[briefing room|noBrief1]].\n<<set $liftShaft = 1>>\n<<set $noBrief = 1>>

“But... we have to go outside” you reply matter-of-factly\n\n“We have to go where?!” she erupts. \n\n“It's the only way to get there quickly. If we walk over the outside hull we can bypass all the obstacles inside and get there in a quarter of the time.” the longer you try to explain, the less convinced you become.\n\n“Do you have any idea where we are? When was the last time you looked out a window? This isn't some stroll down the road on a chilly day. This is Saturn! It's nothing but hydrogen and ammonia out there with winds of a thousand kilometres per hour and minus one hundred and eighty degrees!” \n\nHer voice grows steadily louder as you seem to lose all power in yours. “It's the only way.” you respond meekly.\n\nYou knew it was the wrong decision and the shame of even suggesting it begins to burn. Stupid thing to say, stupid!\n\nBefore you can get too far in your habitual self-degradation, she takes a deep breath, sighs, and says “Fine! Fine, lets just get this over with.”\n\nYou stare perplexed, unsure if you've heard right.\n\n“Well?” she asks, <<if $noBrief eq 1>>already half way down the corridor<<else>>heading for the door<<endif>>, “Are you coming or not?”\n\n[[Follow Davis|followOut]]

You run to catch up. She's already waiting at an elevator, consulting her data pad. “There is an air-lock almost directly above us. We can suit up and head out from there. But I need to pick up my gear, I'll meet you there, okay?” Again before you can even respond she's already gone, elevator door closing between you.\n\nYou pull out your data pad and quickly find the air-lock on the map. <<if $liftShaft eq 1>>It's a long way up, too far to climb. <<endif>>You hit the call button on the wall and enter the elevator that arrives moments later, thankfully empty.\n\nBefore you know it you are in the air-lock looking at suits stacked on the wall. This is all moving way too fast for your liking. You are feeling increasingly numb to events occurring around you now, acting more on autopilot than consciously. But you can feel a broiling torrent of emotions building up under the surface, getting ready to bust out.\n\nYou are clumsily trying to get an exo-suit on over you greatcoat when Davis walks in hauling a tool crate. “What are you doing? Get out of thatbundle of rags. Where's your stuff?”\n\n“This is my stuff” you reply plainly.\n\nShe shakes her head and begins to disrobe and don her suit, stowing her overalls in the crate. “You are an odd one,” she half mumbles to herself.\n\nBefore long you are standing in the air-lock itself as Davis closes the inner hatch. She attaches a tether between you, with an end latched on each suit, then activates her boots gripping her feet securely to the deck. She nods to you that she's ready.\n\nYou hit the switch.\n\nThe lights dim out as there is a great rush of air all around you. The outer doors crack then slowly pull open as a growing bar of light shines in at you. But it is a dim murky light and your eyes adjust quickly. The doors are fully open now, but you both just stand there taking in the view. Vast cold billowing clouds of hydrogen form and disintegrate rapidly in the unimaginable winds for as far as you can see. Every now and then you can see the Rings peek dimly through the clouds.\n\n[[You disengage your left boot and take your first step out.|firstStep]]

You carefully make your way down the structure, ensuring you have good hand and footholds with each step.\nYour boots thump to the deck plate and you quickly make a beeline to the large doorway. \n\nYou peek out into the corridor and see the coast is clear, but you know that isn't going to last long - it's well into morning by station time and the closer you get to the core the busier it'll get. Sure enough a few minutes after you've started out you hear voices up ahead. Your pulse quickens slightly, but you grit your teeth and push on, pulling the visor of your cap low over your eyes as you stare at the deck in front of you.\n\nThe crowds are quickly beginning to grow, and with them the noise levels. Individual voices are lost in a raucous cacophony of chatter. Your sense of your surroundings grows smaller with each step, making you feel claustrophobic as you step out into the large central concourse. Are they a bit more cacophonic this morning? You can't quite tell, one impenetrable wall of static is as unnerving as the next. \n\nYou see the elevator shafts that would take you directly to the briefing room, 'Not far now' you tell yourself. You stand by the elevator doors and hit the call button and [[wait|liftWaiting]].

Satrun Descending

“I'm... sor.. sorry.”\n\n“Hey don't sweat it, I understand. I talk a lot, almost as much as you don't. Almost, ha! But it's the nerves you know? You ever get that, get so nervous ya just gotta chatter it all out? What am I saying, of course you don't. Guess you just puke up on your brain instead eh?” You can't help but smile, she's got a quirky sense of humour.\n\n“Something like that” you respond.\n\n“Knew it! Look, hope you don't mind me bringing this up again, if it makes you uncomfortable just say and I'll say no more, but sometimes uncomfortable can be good. See I bet you think you are alone, so you wanna be alone. But it really ain't that uncommon, you know? Had a friend once, same deal as you as near as I can tell. But see, she took that Ceres gig. Heard she was happy. For a while at least. Went bug fuck crazy of course. Rigged the 'roid nabbers to play a bit of Asteroid Billiards. Can you imagine what those Martian dudes thought of that going on in their back yard? They got a near miss as I heard it.\n\n“Point is, she took it to an extreme, but you don't have to be crazy Admiral hermit. Come say hi once in a while, that's all. I'm sure you'd get along with the other guys. Sure they think you're slightly odd, but who hasn't got a bit of odd in them?”\n\nYou merely grunt a response. You best non-committal grunt!\n\n“Just promise me one thing, we get out of this clusterfuck in one piece you owe me one social interaction with at least three other people. Least you can do for making me go on this walkabout. Deal?”\n\n[["I don't know..."|uneasy]]\n[["Maybe... I guess"|maybe]]

At the head of the room the Chief is standing at the podium talking to the assembled crowd of engineers. Beside him is a stern looking officer, a Colonel. Behind them the large screen is showing a schematic of the station with numerous areas flashing red. You try to slip in the door without being noticed, but the Chief pauses mid sentence and glances in your direction, as do a number of others, but he resumes quickly and everyone focuses their attention back to him.\n\n“...to commence with the cargo transfer. Your tasks shall be to facilitate in these operations. Ensure that as many transfer stations as possible are within optimal parameters. The sooner we can start unloading, the more we can decrease our descent.”\n\nOur descent? You look back at the screen. You identify the flashing red areas as the anti-gravity emitters on the inner loop of the Core section, all indicating an offline status. You count them. You're not so familiar with these Repulsors system - they are Core-side after all and your repulsors were mothballed long ago - but you think you are counting all of them. All the repulsors are offline? You look closer, not just offline, but burnt out! They're not coming back any time soon, which means that you are in fact sinking deeper into Saturn! The vacuum dirigibles that are the primary means of buoyancy for the station, which normally would be enough to keep you afloat, are now not quite up to the task because the entire bloody place is crammed full of that bloody fuel! Without the extra lift of the anti-grav repulsors there is no way but down.\n\nWhat does this mean? You try to mentally catch up while catching snippets of what the Chief is saying. A lot about incoming Tankers and fuel transfer, the odd bit here and there about evacuation. Wait... the station is a lost cause? And you're going to be on Transfer Station duty?!\n\n[[You begin to feel a bit light-headed...|fullBrief2]]

“I... I'm...I'm fine.” you manage to croak out. You keep your head down, not daring to look her in the face to see the look bemusement that must surely be there. You gesture with your hand for her to go on ahead of you. Did she notice it shaking?\n\n<<postBrief2>>

The way you see it there are two options. First, make your way back to bay AA23, from there you can gain access to the service crawl-ways that connect to the main services conduit that runs directly to the outer sections. But the gantries in the main conduit are heavily corroded. You're familiar enough with them yourself, but you're not sure you can escort someone else across them. You're also not sure how much extra weight they could sustain.\n\nThe second option, which would be ludicrously more dangerous, but a lot, lot quicker, would be to venture outside and walk along the top of the station then re-enter on the other side.

“Ha ha, ouch! Yeah, fair shot. I can sure spout it out. And rub a bit too close to the bone too I'd wager. But I can take a hint, I'll clap the trap for now, enjoy these lovely vistas of our impending doom.”\n\nYou begin to feel guilty, that you were too harsh, but the silence lets you think. Was she right? Do you actually want to be around others but are stopping yourself? You admit you do feel comforted by her presence. Her filling the void with her constant chatter, while initially irritating, lets you get your mind off the events you are both wrapped up in.\n\n[[“Look, I'm sorry. That was harsh.”|sorry]]

You enter the briefing room from the maintenance entrance at the back of the room. You appear to be on time as the briefing is not yet under way and the other engineers are standing about in conversation. They seem overly animated, perhaps agitated? Davis in particular seems more lively than usual, holding the attention of half a dozen of her colleagues. Or is that normal behaviour? You can't quite tell, while you tend to keep your distance from all of them, that goes doubly so for the more extroverted among them.\n\nBefore you can take in anything else the Chief walks in from the main entrance at the front of the room, followed closely by a Colonel; you're not sure if you recognise this one. They quickly walk to the podium and call for silence. You settle in to a corner at the back of the room.\n\nThe Chief begins addressing the gathered work crews. “We have little time so I'll get right to it. As you are all by now aware we are in a critical condition. However the full extent of the situation has only now just become apparent.” The large screen at the front of the room comes to life showing a schematic of the station, a number of areas are flashing red. “We have suffered a major failure in the supplemental gravitational repulsor systems, all pulse emitters on the loop have burnt out. As a result our primary passive buoyancy systems are no longer sufficient to keep us afloat at our optimum operational altitude and we are now slowly descending deeper into Saturn's atmosphere.” The Chief never could say something simple, can't just say 'Anti-Grav blew up, Vacuum Bags can't keep us up, we're sinking like a stone.'\nThere are a few unsettled murmurs from the gathering of engineers.\n\n“All extraction and refinement operations on station have been suspended and we are now under a code Omega condition. For those of you who used your Operations Manual as supplemental sanitary apparatus rather than actually absorbing its contents, that means we are preparing for a total abandonment of the station. All reserves of processed fuel stock will be secured and off loaded as the utmost priority, and all personnel shall also be evacuated” he didn't sound quite so confident about that last part.\n\nThe Colonel stepped forward. “It cannot be stressed how important it is the these evacuations procedures are carried out with the utmost efficiency.” 'That's a rarity', you think. It's not often you see the brass show much concern for majority civilian crew of the station. “The securing of this station's fuel reserves are vital for the war effort. Losing the stockpiles here would have a devastating effect on our path to Victory!” 'That's more like it', you think.\n\nThe Chief carries on “All available tankers in the system are en route to commence with the cargo transfer. Your tasks shall be to facilitate in these operations. Ensure that as many transfer stations as possible are within optimal parameters. The sooner we can start unloading, the more we can decrease our descent.”\n\n[[next|fullBrief2]]\n<<set $fullBrief = 1>>

As the Chief goes on the more unsettled you become. This is bad, this is among your worst fears... and what's happening to the station isn't that great either. Tending to the transfer stations means being right in the thick of it. There'll be a lot of foot traffic in the area, especially if they are also going to do a mass evacuation with the passenger terminals being close by. It'll be loud and cramped and far too overwhelming for your senses. And it'll mean change. Change is never good. You are a creature of routine, reliant on certainty.\n\nThe Chief continues, “Keep a close eye on Task Dispatching as the situation is likely to grow increasingly chaotic as we descend deeper into the denser atmosphere. There will be increased probability of compromised bulkhead integrity, particularly in decommissioned perimeter sections of the station.” <<if $fullBrief eq 1>>You roll your eyes, 'hull breach' just say 'hull breach' you think.<<endif>> He's not wrong about the perimeter. Ever since they were abandoned you've witnessed a rapid deterioration in those sections of the station. It's why most crews rarely venture out there any more.\n\nThe Chiefs gaze settles on you. “Speaking of which, I see our resident nocturnal Perimeter Prowler has <<if $fullBrief eq 0>>finally<<endif>> graced us with their presence” there are murmurs from your gathered colleagues and a few glances in your direction. You stomach does a quick back flip as you try to sink deeper into the corner. “I've got a special task for you.” You are unsure how to take this. You experience brief elation as it could mean being assigned away from the chaotic transfer activity, but that is quickly smothered by a new round imagined disaster scenarios. “Come see me at the end for assignment.”\n\nThe rest of the briefing passes as background noise as you try to grasp a hold of your emotions. Your hand drifts towards your coats top-left inside pocket before you stop it, realising it's a futile gesture. What could this mean? Why are you being singled out? What was the Chief's demeanour like when he said it? What was his facial expressions like? You struggle to recall, you tend not to notice details like that.\n\n[[Next|postBrief1]]

You pull out your data pad and open up your messages and see the worst of all subjects, “URGENT MEETING: ALL DEPTS!”\n\nThe cold sweats hit instantly, you begin to shake. Your hand instinctively reaches for the pill bottle in the inside top left pocket of your coat, but you can already tell by the lack of its distinctive rattle that it's empty. You remember it has been so for at least a week, maybe two. You've been putting off going to the Med Bay for a refill; it used to be so much easier when you just had to fill in a form and didn't have to ask directly. Asking can be so hard, so daunting, so dread inducing.\n\n[[You begin to panic|Panic]]

You are so immersed in your rapidly deepening emotional crisis that you fail to notice someone approach.\n\n“Come on. Chief wants to see us.” a voice says, startling you.\nYou look up, it's Davis<<if $fullBrief eq 0>>, one of the more extroverted among your colleagues, and so one you tend to avoid most<<endif>>. She's looking directly at you, waiting for some response?\nYou stare back blankly.\n\n“Hey, you okay?” Oh no. She can see it. It must be written all over your face. You need to respond. You feel your throat begin to clamp up.\n\n[[You nod.|postBriefNod]]\n[[“I'm fine, lets go.”|postBriefFine]]

You see now that the briefing is over, the room mostly cleared. You both walk up to the podium where Chief and Colonel remain, deep in conversation.\n\n“...am telling you Colonel, if we try to offload too quickly, we risk a major catastrophe.”\n\n“There will be no excuses Chief, we must have this fuel, every last drop!” the Colonel responds sternly. “You do wish to ensure our glorious victory, don't you?”\n\n“Of course I do!” the Chief quickly replied, somewhat panicked. “But if we push too hard, we risk it sparking and losing everything!”\n\n“I hope not Chief. I hope not... for your sake. And if it does, you better hope it takes you with it.”\nWith that the Colonel turned and made for the doorway.\n\n[[Next|postBrief3]]

The Chief stares at the now empty doorway, you think you head him mutter "It'll take you too you fool" before realising you are both standing there before him. He regaines his composure quickly and turns to address the both of you. \n\n“Look, we all know what will happen if we try to move at the pace they want us to. And wherever about anyone else, they're not going to let us off this bucket until they get 'Every. Last. Drop'.” They? You've never seen the Chief let his guard down like this before. Sarcasm and any sign of disrespect for the brass is definitely out of character.\n\n“So we've got to buy ourselves some more time. I need you two to go out to the perimeter and see if you can get any life out of the old auxiliary repulsors. Hopefully whatever overloaded the inner loop didn't spread to the outer. I've delayed the shunting of some fuel from bay AA23 in case you need it to kick-start the emitters. Perhaps since it's ad-hoc storage, they'll overlook it. I'll see to that personally, just give the word when you are in position.” Again to himself he added "I guess they'll have to do without those last few drops."\n\nThe Chief turns to address you directly. “Can you get out there quickly enough? The sooner we can arrest our descent, the more time we can buy ourselves.” They both look at you, waiting for a response, but you are unsure on what to tell them, there are too many variables to give a definitive answer. You have trouble focusing. \n\nA quick glance at the screen shows that the normal access corridors to the perimeter sections have already been sealed in anticipation of hull breaches, that will considerably complicate gaining access beyond. [[You'd have to find an alternate route|postBrief4]].

“Well?” the Chief demands.\n\n<<routes>>\n\nYou take a deep breath and slowly tell them the best option.\n\n[[“We can get there, but it'll be slow going”|goInside]]\n[[“We can get there quickly, but it'll be extremely risky”|goOutside]]

“I....” *ahem* “..eh, I think... I think we can get there, but...”\n\n“Great! Just get it done.”\n\nBefore you can say any more, he's already out the door.\n\n“But?” Davis inquires beside you.\n\n“What?” you respond startled, momentarily forgetting the presence of your colleague.\n\n“You said we can get there, but. What's the but?”\n\n<<if $pickedRoute eq 1>>[["But..."|weGoIn]]<<else>>[["But..."|weGoOut]]<<endif>>

<<if $air eq 1>>Once in the control room you scramble out of your suit, so you get access to your coat again. You feel somehow whole again. “Could've just put that in the crate you know” Davis comments, moving towards the control panels, removing just helmet and gloves. <<endif>>“Hey, intercom work here?”\n\n“Should do.”\n\nShe punches a few buttons then calls out “Hey Boss! You online?” A few moments later a crackled response comes back over the speakers. “Davis? You there already? Give me a few minutes.”\nDavis quickly calls back “Tick, tock Boss. Tick, tock!” She must be like this with everybody.\n\nShe doesn't waste any time waiting. She's quickly scanning the control panels as you stand back feeling slightly useless.\n\n“Damn” she mutters to herself. “That can't be right.” She quickly scampers over to another station. “No, no, no! They're different, why are they different?” Her previous confidence and been erased by despair.\n\n“What's wrong?” you ask, now concerned.\n\n“They're bloody smaller, that's what's wrong! Why would they do that? Why would they make them smaller?” She pauses for a moment staring off at nothing. “My calculations are off” she whispers. She quickly pulls her data pad from her glove and starts rapidly tapping away. “Damn it! It's not enough.”\n\n“Would you tell me what's happening here?” you say forcefully, somewhat surprising yourself.\n\n“Look” she spits back “For whatever cost-cutting idiotic reason, the emitters out here are different. They're smaller then mine. All told they won't be able to generate enough lift. They'll only be able to slow our fall, not...” she stops and turns away. “Gotta find a way to fix it, gotta make good.” she says softly, then mumbles something else. You think you catch “..know by now..”\n\nYou're confused. “But isn't that the plan? Slow ourselves down, buy us some time?”\n\nShe sighs. “That may be your plan, that may be the Bosses plan, but it ain't my plan.”\n\n“Your...” then it hits you. “It was you?” she visibly slumps. “You caused the burn out.”\n\nShe says nothing.\n\nThe silence lingers until broken by the crackling speaker. “Davis? You ready?”\n\n[[“Send it Chief!”|sendIt]]

You enter the corridor that leads to the Briefing Room, but you see that people are already filing out, moving off briskly in every direction, almost all looking at their data pads. 'For assignments?' you think. You pull out your data pad but see no new assignments from Task Dispatching.\n\nAs you are double checking you hear someone shout out from down the corridor “Hey! Admiral Whathisface!” You look up. It's Davis, one of the more extroverted of your colleagues, and so one of the ones you tends to avoid the most. She comes up to you. “Hey, were you in there?” she ask, pointing back towards the briefing room.\n\nYou shake your head.\n\nShe makes a face “Ugh! Missed the info-dump then. Okay, look, to cut a long story really short we're in trouble here. The not so short version, someone somewhere really screwed up and the entire loop of anti-grav emitters are kaput. So we're relying on just the Vac-Bags now to keep us up, but that ain't enough, so we're going down. And I mean down for good, lost cause. Saturn's going to get itself quite a meal. So we're in this Operation Omega or whatever they call it; offload everything, women and children last, brass and our precious bodily uber fuel first. That's where everyone else is headed, manning the pumps for whenever the Tankers manage to get here. Thing is we don't get a ride out of here 'til they get it all, and I mean all of it. But we don't have the time; we're dropping slow, but it's too fast for us.\n\n"But Boss has a plan, bit of a crazy one I gotta admit. He tasks me with finding a way to get the outer-loop emitters on the Perimeter online, help slow the fall. He figures since they were mothballed ages back, already offline, they might've been spared whatever took out the inner-loop. Even managed to hold back some fuel for us to give 'em a kick with, sneaky bastard. Brass ain't gonna like that.”\n\nYou try to keep up as the avalanche of words keep coming.\n\n“Here's the thing. I can't get out there. Everything's already sealed off tight in case of hull breaches for when we start dipping down into the denser soup. That's where you come in. Boss figures you might know a way out there, seeing as how that seems to be your playground and all. Well? [[Got any ideas?"|noBrief2]]

“I....” *ahem* “..eh, I think... I think we can get there, but...”\n\n"But? But what?"\n\n<<if $pickedRoute eq 1>><<weGoIn>><<else>><<weGoOut>><<endif>>

You stare at her dumbly, trying to process what you just heard. Trying to figure out what it all means.\n\nShe interrupts your jumbled train of thought. “Hey look, I know, a lot to take in, but we ain't got time for consequences here, just action.”\n\nYou take a deep breath and think it through.\n<<routes>>\n\nYou take a another breath and slowly tell her the best option.\n\n[[“We can get there, but it'll be slow going”|goInside]]\n[[“We can get there quickly, but it'll be extremely risky”|goOutside]]

You take a closer look at the control panel. There's a second set of controls, an inner door. You activate those controls first ensuring the inner doors are closed, then you punch open the outer door. A small hiss greats you as the doors crack open. “Good thinking Admiral!” Davis comments as she walks into the makeshift airlock.\n\nYou step in, cycle the doors, then enter the [[control room|controlRoom]]\n<<set $air = 1>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $hasTools = 0>>\n<<set $startStanding = 0>>\n<<set $stress = 1>>\n<<set $openedPad = 0>>\n<<set $readAlert = 0>>\n<<set $readMsg1 = 0>>\n<<set $currentRoom = "cargoBay">>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou wake up to the sound of a buzzer.\n\nIt'll be another message. It's always another message.\n\nAnother alert of some breakdown. \nSome trivial little widget out in the coldest reaches of the station will have gone on the fritz because somewhere over on the other side of the station an incompetent General had the great idea to top up their fish tank from some valve they shouldn't have had access to. They will be in a bloody rage, demanding to know why their prize Plecos are now popsicles. Well how were they supposed to know that was a coolant line? There should be a sign! Well that's not very big, how is anyone supposed to be able to read that? So it will go, but at least thankfully, mercifully, you don't have to deal with that end. The mere thought gives you a shiver.\n\nYou try to [[ignore the buzzing|IgnoreMsg]] and go back to sleep.

You don't say anything but you shake your head in the affirmative... perhaps a bit too much? You gesture with your hand for her to go on ahead of you. Did she notice it shaking?\n\n<<postBrief2>>

You are in one of the long-term storage bays, not quite so dank and dark, but it sees little foot traffic. You are on top of a pallet of cargo ten metres above the deck, the mobile stairs you'd used to get up here in the dead of night is no longer where you'd parked it.\n\n<<if $startStanding eq 0>><<set $startStanding=1>>You can't quite believe you fell asleep in this place, it makes you uneasy. You glance over at the three-storey high vats that line the far wall. Recent additions and a bit out of place compared to the rest of the cargo.\nProduction on board the station has really gone into overdrive lately. They've been collecting and refining so much of that bloody wonder fuel that they've run out of places to stow it, so they've started taking up every available space that can hold the containment apparatus.\n\nNot that sleeping anywhere else would save you. If this finicky stuff were to go up it would take the whole station with it, and a good portion of Saturn's atmosphere too for good measure. But at least you wouldn't want to be the one to spark it.<<endif>>\n<<if $hasTools eq 0>>\nYou see some of your tools scattered around you where you'd dropped them the night before after having fixed the duct just above you. Had you actually finished fixing it? You can't quite remember.\n\n[[Collect your tools|CollectTools]]<<else>><<if $readAlert eq 1>>You are going to be late for the briefing if you don't hurry. You need to find a way to get down from this storage rack.\n\nYou have a look at the steel structure of the racks. You think you might be able to climb down without doing too much damage to yourself, but it'll be a long walk to the engineering section.\n<<if $readMsg1 eq 1>>\nYou think back to the ventilation ducting you were working on the night before, it runs directly to Core Engineering Section. If you can manage to squeeze through the first few small sections you might be able to get to the briefing quicker.\n[[Climb up to the ducting|DuctDiving]]<<else>>But you see little choice in the matter.<<endif>>\n[[Climb down|ClimbDown]]\n<<endif>><<endif>>

You consider the access panel but you just don't have time. You enter the elevator as others stream in behind you. You get pushed in to the back wall as all available space is taken. You feel bodies pressing in on all sides. You try to stay calm, steadying your breathing. 'It'll only be a minute' you tell yourself.\n\nThe doors close and everyone around you jostles for what little space is left.\nYou are uncomfortable, but then everyone else in the elevator seems to be too from what you can tell. Everyone is silent, bar the odd cough.\n\nYour worries do not seem to have come to pass, but as you think on it, you're not sure what those worries actually were. That often seems to be the case; you end up experiencing more emotional distress in the anticipation of an event than during the event itself. Even the self recrimination after the fact, blowing minor incidents out of proportion, is more of a toll than the incidents themselves.\n\nYour train of thought is cut off as you arrive at your stop. You politely nudge your way through the crowd to reach the doors, sure your brain will have silently picked up on something, some minor faux pas, that you can berate yourself with at some later point. But you put it out of your mind for now. You're late.\n\n[[You quickly make your way to the briefing room|halfBrief1]]

<<set $pickedRoute = 2>>\n<<if $noBrief eq 1>><<noBrief3>><<else>><<postBrief5>><<endif>>

You try to ignore the message, leaving the call for someone else to handle, but you know that's not going to work. You know that whatever job this is it has already been passed on by everyone else, because everybody else knows you are going to end up doing it anyway. Only you will gladly venture out to those cold, dank, dark places, not because you particularly like it out there, it is kind of dangerous after all, but because it's better than the alternative. It's better than those warm, dry, light places and their much greater hazard: people.\n\n[[Get up|GetUp]]\n<<if $readAlert eq 0>>[[Read the message|ReadMsg]]<<endif>>

<<vultures>>\n<<set $accept = 1>>

You pull out a bungee cord you have stored in the hem of your coat and then remove the coat itself – a rare occurrence. You tie one end of the cord to the sleeve of the coat, then the other end to your ankle. A little test jump shows it won't hinder your jump at least.\n\nYou jump again and can now easily lift yourself up. Once you get your arms up into the duct you feel the pull of the cord and coat and begin to haul them up too.\n\nOnce all inside, it's a tight fit initially, so you continue to drag the coat behind you. The further upstream you get the wider the ductwork becomes and you can eventually get your coat back on - and a good thing too, as the air in this run has quite the chill to it.\n\nYou make quick progress now, clanging your way down the run back to the plant; thankful that whoever designed this system wasn't efficiency conscious enough to have turning vanes installed in the larger ducts that would've blocked your path, but still feeling slightly disgusted by their omission.\n\nYou quickly draw near to the plant, the flow of air really pushing against you now. You find an access panel and jump out then make your way to the [[briefing room just around the corner.|fullBrief1]]

Owen Canavan

<<vultures>>\n<<set $accept = 0>>

For the first while you are both silent, concentrating on the simple task of just walking on the hull, getting in to the rhythm. Disengage, lift, plant, lock. Disengage, lift, plant, lock.\n\nAfter a while you hear Davis' voice crackle in over the radio, “Have much experience with Repulsors then?”\n\n“No” you reply.\n\n“Don't suppose there's much need for it out in your usual haunts. Guess that's why I'm on this crazy detail.” After a few moments of silence she pipes up again, “So, can I ask, what's the deal with that? Why is it you only take the dud jobs out in rust town?” You don't respond. “Guess I'm asking, why isolate yourself so much?” You don't like where this is going.\n\n“I've seen your work, at least the few bits I've managed to come across, you do good stuff. Got a distinctive style, pops right out. We could've used you in the rest of the station, you know, the bits that matter.” You try to mutter some thanks, but she doesn't leave an opening, as least not one long enough for you to build up to filling. “So I figure, you just don't want to be around people. And hey, if that's your thing then so be it. Don't understand it myself, but I can accept that.\n\n“But see, what I really figure is that ain't the case. If you really didn't want to be around people there there are worse gigs than this place. Take Ceres for example, not much going on there, not a soul for light minutes in the Belt. Just you and the robotic 'roid nabbers. Or hell, why not Eris? Now that's remote, just on your lonesome for light hours, hours! Can almost measure it in days. Funky orbit that one too, someone would really have to go out of their way to get way out there. Couldn't hack it myself, way out there in the Kuiper Belt, I'd sooner pick Ceres. Imagine not being able to see the Blue Dot, let alone any sort of sun shine. Couldn't work on your tan out there, ha!\n\n“No, see, I think you need to be around others. You crave it, just like everybody else, at least a little bit. But for some reason you can't, there's something stopping you, something inside. And you can't admit that to yourself - that you need that - as best I can see, 'cause it's easier to keep your distance that way. What'd you say about that huh?”\n\n[[“I think I've never wanted to be light hours from another soul more in my life than right now.”|shutUp]]