STORY: As you both turn to see where it might be, a small mobile turret rolls into view and points at Millie.
MILLICENT: Millie waves
STORY: There’s a long second, then…
STORY: It turns back toward the area it came from and whirrs away.
TUELLER: “Oooof.”
ALEJO: “Damn, Doc!”
TUELLER: “Ours?'”
TUELLER: “Yours, that is, Doc?”
MILLICENT: Millie nods. “I reprogrammed the security system to see us as Maitri.”
ALEJO: “You might have a future at heisting.”
MILLICENT: At the sound of distant gunfire, “Oh, and the Maitri as intruders.”
ALEJO: Alejo smiles broadly and looks in the direction that the turret left.
TUELLER: “Well let’s get heisting then.”
STORY: Dim screams down a long hallway.
TUELLER: “Everybody in?”
ALEJO: Alejo straps in. “Ready.”
MILLICENT: Chipper, looking around, “In!”
TUELLER: Tueller is laying down in the captains chair on the Gregor, feet in the stirrips, hands confidently on the controls. There are at two control sticks he cannot use; the ship is set up for a four armed creature, but he looks confident enough.
TUELLER: He takes his hand off the yoke to hit the button to pull up the gantry.
STORY: The Gregor steps out onto the hard rock surface of Mercury. The landscape is bleak – nothing but grey rocks and a thick layer of dust. The sun is mostly blocked out by the layers of solar panels above you, with streaks of brightness coming through here and there and cutting slashes of light across the ground. You can see the refinery building in the near distance, a quarter mile away downhill.
TUELLER: —gantry?
TUELLER: Ramp. Whatever.
TUELLER: —refinery is the hot spot?
MILLICENT: Can we get a visual of the Gregor again?
STORY: Yep.
TUELLER: Gregor.jpg
MILLICENT: hahaha hell yeah
TUELLER: Except with arms that have hydralic pistons.
TUELLER: Tueller walks the Gregor free of ship, and starts heading towards the refiner.
TUELLER: “Is Noma with us still?”
STORY: There is no response from Noma.
TUELLER: “Doc?”
MILLICENT: “She’s prepping the ship for our swift exit from the atmosphere.”
TUELLER: “So she’s not with us?”
MILLICENT: “It’s just us, gentlemen!”
TUELLER: “And you’re sure of that?”
MILLICENT: Stern look
MILLICENT: There’s a lot going on in that look. ‘Would I break from that light inquiry if I were lying” mixed with “Why would I lie at this point’
TUELLER: “It’s not about you. I’m asking how sure you are of her limitations.”
TUELLER: “And how sure you are of her intentions. With you. With us.”
MILLICENT: “Oh, I’m quite satisfied that she tells me the truth.”
MILLICENT: “And of course she could have highjacked this craft and could be hiding in the wires,” she leans forward conspiratorially, “ watching us ”
TUELLER: “Okay. Let me…well, let me tell you why I ask. Why I question this.”
TUELLER: Tueller stops driving for a moment and takes out his holotablet. It is exceptionally high quality. Like, the iPhone XX of tablets.
TUELLER: “My family set up our mail with personal encryption with two factor security, needing both a retinal scan and a unique brainwave of me thinking of my mother’s face during a painful childhood memory to decrypt. We estimated that it would take either a planet-sized Mind working 15 years or the entire resources of a Khardashev 2 civilization a day to hack my mail. Your friend seems to have done so already. It’s been…not 15 years.”
TUELLER: “I find this…concerning–that she would put so much energy into it and blithely announce that she had done so, to me.”
ALEJO: Alejo sits forward, as though he’s about to say something. But then he pauses and looks to Millie.
MILLICENT: “Oh.” Millie seems a bit out of sorts for the first time.
MILLICENT: “Oh.”
ALEJO: “So . . . “ Alejo says. “Not that I think that this is the optimal moment for this conversation but . . . “
ALEJO: “She also offered to tell me about those communications. I declined. But I am worried about why she made the offer. And what that means.”
TUELLER: Tueller puts the holottablet away and starts the Gregor moving again.
TUELLER: He’s capable of multitasking for this conversation.
MILLICENT: Millie stares vaguely past Alejo.
TUELLER: “What is the nature of your deal with her?”
MILLICENT: “Deal?” Millie snaps back to the conversation, looks blank.
TUELLER: “I have, in addition, been nothing but cordial with her. She does not seem to like me much.”
ALEJO: Alejo nods. A “me too” sort of nod.
MILLICENT: “Well, no. She doesn’t like any humans very much.”
TUELLER: “Then that’s something we agree on.”
ALEJO: “She also seems to know a disconcerting amount about me. Things that . . . no one should be able to know.”
TUELLER: As far as I know, the Gregor is making good time.
MILLICENT: Millie turns to Alejo. “What sort of things?”
MILLICENT: “Civilization-level code breaking?”
TUELLER: Tueller maneuvres to stay under the shade of solar panels as much as possible.
STORY: It is! It’s a little hard to see because you’re kicking up some dust, but otherwise a smooth ride.
STORY: Six arms make for a nice ride.
ALEJO: Alejo pulls his assault pistol free and begins to check it. “Things that have no bearing on you, this, or anyone on the crew, as I’ve told her. But things that make me wonder about her game.”
TUELLER: Tueller is getting the hang of driving it. It’s pretty straight forward.
TUELLER: “Ya’Makasi communication is heavily encrypted, protected, and under diplomatic seal. She wanted me to know she could read it.”
TUELLER: “As you’ve known her the longest, and are the only one with a cordial relationship with her, I wanted your advice.”
ALEJO: “And she wanted to let me know that she knows Tueller’s secrets. And that she knows mine.”
ALEJO: “This thing’s great.” Alejo says this lightly, admiring the Gregor.
MILLICENT: “I hope you gentlemen won’t take offense, as we’ve been getting on so well during this heist, but I believe those might be Noma’s version of.”
MILLICENT: Millie considers.
MILLICENT: “Flexing.”
STORY: You’re approaching some tire tracks – this area appears to have had some rover traffic. You’re nearly to the building.
MILLICENT: “She doesn’t tend to enjoy being surprised, and you must admit that your…incursion. Was quite a surprise for us.”
TUELLER: Tueller checks to see if there are any oncoming traffic, and also looks for airlocks or docking locations.
ALEJO: “Feels like everything since we boarded the Peregrine has been a surprise for us. Not the other way ‘round.”
ALEJO: Alejo begins to survey the area as well, watching closely for company.
MILLICENT: “Oh, I think you two are proving to be full of surprises.”
MILLICENT: Millie smiles.
TUELLER: Tueller shrugs, and the motion makes the Gregor do a little hop.
STORY: Tueller, there’s a docking station at the end of the tire tracks ahead of you, probably 30 seconds away. A small light next to the door indicates the power is on.
TUELLER: “Full of surprises. Sure.”
TUELLER: “I bear Noma no ill will. A Ghost is a powerful ally. She just…does not seem to want to be my ally.”
ALEJO: “Game time.” Alejo looks to Tueller. “Not that I need to say it, but . . . whatever it takes. I’m with you.”
MILLICENT: Is there a recognizable communication display on the gregor?
STORY: Alejo, please give me an Assessment + Mettle roll
ALEJO: — Okay. Hang on.
ALEJO: — I forgot to start my dice roller.
ALEJO: 4+6=10 + 2 = 12
TUELLER: Tueller moves the Gregor warily towards the lock. He scuttles it directly to the left to line up with the dock.
ALEJO: — Wait!
ALEJO: —I just did a roll plus Mettle. Is that right?
STORY: Yes! Damn
STORY: Well then. Not only do you notice the Sentry Bot coming around the corner along the previously noticed tire tracks, but you gain a Data Point about Sentry Bots to be used whenever you like. This is a round building, and it’s coming around from the right. The Gregor is not yet clearly in view of it – it’s behind a rather large piece of ductwork, and you only noticed because you’re paying extra close attention. You have a few seconds to warn the others before you are seen.
ALEJO: “Sentry bot.” Alejo points behind the ductwork and looks for a place to hide the Gregor.
MILLICENT: —hey is there a communication station on the Gregor? I asked a while ago
STORY: Nope
MILLICENT: Okay!
STORY: Alejo, you’ve likely got time to open the airlock and slip inside (assuming someone can Access the system), or if you want to hide the Gregor itself, the best place to hide is by climbing up on top of the dome.
TUELLER: Does the Gregor fit into the airlock, or dock with it?
MILLICENT: Millie pushes her visor down over her eye. It’s some fancy-ass visor shit like you’ve never seen.
ALEJO: — Are we sure that inside is breathable?
STORY: It docks with it. It’s a Maitri-sized airlock, only about eight feet tall.
MILLICENT: I’d like to connect wirelessly to the Maitri systems, please
TUELLER: Tueller is swinging the Gregor around to dock unless someone say otherwise.
STORY: Millie! Please make an Access + Inerface move
MILLICENT: —sorry, call from mother-in-law
STORY: — one sec. my stepmother called josh (??)
ALEJO: “We can get inside, I think. If you can get us in, Doc.”
TUELLER: 180s are the first move Tueller figured out on the ship
ALEJO: — Mom-in-law calls. I’m just getting a text from mine. So . . .
ALEJO: —Okay. I’m back. Whenever Josh is.
MILLICENT: Hi
MILLICENT: —I’m picking up photos from a local lab
MILLICENT: —or maybe it’s VHSes to DVD conversions?
MILLICENT: I dunno
ALEJO: —Sounds very . . . early 1990s.
STORY: (xmasyes)
MILLICENT: 5+4+1=10
STORY: Credentials verified, access granted. You are in the system.
MILLICENT: Millie does some quick typing on her invisible keyboard, fingers twitching
STORY: Any normal functions you can do, anything complicated or unknown you do an Interface move
MILLICENT: Okay, unlock and open all doors
MILLICENT: That’s a normal function, right?
MILLICENT: And if they’re monitoring the system it won’t help them with our location.
ALEJO: Alejo moves to the airlock and gets ready to enter.
STORY: That’ll have to be one at a time, but you can unlock and open the airlock now.
MILLICENT: Okay, what about deleting the definition of hostile from the security bot programming?
TUELLER: Tueller spins around and gets out of the stirrups.
STORY: You’d have to Access the sentry bot for that
MILLICENT: Or reconfiguring it?
MILLICENT: Can I do that from my visor?
STORY: Yes, but you’ll have to drop out of the refinery mainframe
STORY: You can only be in one system at a time
TUELLER: He pats the cockpit. “Hope to return to you, kid.”
MILLICENT: I start opening doors, the one in front of us being second
MILLICENT: The first door I open is on the other side of the compound
STORY: Got it.
STORY: You know that with your 10 they won’t have noticed you accessing the system, you didn’t trip any alarms
STORY: Door’s open. Everyone going inside?
TUELLER: Tueller’s going in.
ALEJO: Alejo adjusts his black stocking cap and levels his assault pistol at the door, entering and checking corners.
MILLICENT: Millie goes in nonchalantly
TUELLER: Tueller moves as quickly as he can move while staying quiet.
STORY: You’re in a nondescript hallway. The door slides closed and the airlock reseals, leaving the Gregor outside. Alejo, you peek out a porthole and see the sentry bot reach the Gregor, scan it, and move on.
STORY: It is a Maitri walker, after all.
ALEJO: “We’re clear. The Sentry just moved past the Gregor.”
TUELLER: Tueller’s scanning the hallways for threats.
MILLICENT: I’m going to try and find the security system using my visor
STORY: The walls are metal, the floor a catwalk – this place is completely utilitarian. Each of you have been onboard a similar structure – they must mass produce these somewhere on one of the Saturn moons.
TUELLER: Human manufacture?
STORY: Yep. The hallways are all eight feet tall, which is standard and a bit too short for the Maitri, so it’s likely an unpleasant experience for them.
ALEJO: —How far are we from the target area?
STORY: They likely bought local, installed these standard bases, and dealt with the fact that they don’t exactly work the way they ought to for Maitri bodies.
STORY: Alejo, good question! Where are you?
STORY: …Millie?
MILLICENT: Millie is behind the boys, moving quietly by nature, but not by extreme prejudice
MILLICENT: She’s trying to find the security system’s computer system using her visor
STORY: You’re in the main computer system for the base, so you can get to security functions from there, you’ll just need to do some additional checks
STORY: What do you want to do from here?
MILLICENT: I want to swap out a couple of definitions.
STORY: Ok, Face Adversity + Interface please
MILLICENT: hahahaha
MILLICENT: It’s a first!
TUELLER: Tueller sees Milie working and doesn’t advance further. Just stands on defensive for anyone wandering nearby.
ALEJO: Alejo takes up a position near the next door and keeps his eyes and ears open.
MILLICENT: 6+6+1=13
STORY: Oh BOY!
MILLICENT: I want the security system to swap Maitri identifiers for intruders and vice versa
STORY: Well, you go ahead and tell me what you do. While you’re at it, you learn a bit more about Maitri computer systems and pick up a data point for them.
MILLICENT: Ideally, the system ignores or aids us and attacks the Maitri
STORY: There’s a happy chirp in your earpiece as the system accepts the command. Alejo, Tueller, you don’t hear this, but you do hear the easily recognizable whirr of a turret’s motor around the corner.
MILLICENT: “There we go.” Millie slides the visor forward until it disappears into her hair band.
STORY: As you both turn to see where it might be, a small mobile turret rolls into view and points at Millie.
MILLICENT: Millie waves
STORY: There’s a long second, then…
STORY: It turns back toward the area it came from and whirrs away.
TUELLER: “Oooof.”
ALEJO: “Damn, Doc!”
TUELLER: “Ours?'”
TUELLER: “Yours, that is, Doc?”
MILLICENT: Millie nods. “I reprogrammed the security system to see us as Maitri.”
ALEJO: “You might have a future at heisting.”
MILLICENT: At the sound of distant gunfire, “Oh, and the Maitri as intruders.”
ALEJO: Alejo smiles broadly and looks in the direction that the turret left.
TUELLER: “Well let’s get heisting then.”
STORY: Dim screams down a long hallway.
ALEJO: “We know where we’re heading?”
TUELLER: ….
TUELLER: Tueller takes a moment and then takes off the Maitri mask he’s been wearing.
TUELLER: “Not the time for this, I guess.”
MILLICENT: “Sorry, dear. We can play dress up later.” Big smile.
MILLICENT: Millie cracks her neck, brings the visor back down. Following a HUD, “This way, gentlemen.”
TUELLER: Tueller takes point.
ALEJO: Alejo let’s Mille move into second place and takes up the follow.
TUELLER: “Keep me pointed in the right direction, and I’ll keep you safe, Doc.”
MILLICENT: “Right you are! A left here, then. Our next right.”
STORY: Millie leads you swiftly and quietly through the hallways. You hear, now and then, gunfire, computer voices issuing commands, and the occasional scream or gurgle. Things are happening offscreen. Every robot you encounter chirps in a friendly greeting and continues on its way.
MILLICENT: —sorry uguys
STORY: You reach a large door, one that none of you recognize as standard for this sort of outpost, and one that when you inspect it has been welded onto the normal airlock frame. It has a series of signs around it, all on large white stickers with red and black text. They are all written in a script none of you recognize.
STORY: There are four fist-sized holes in the doors, each about six inches deep with a knob centered inside the hole.
ALEJO: “The X?”
MILLICENT: —sorry, I misunderstood for a second
MILLICENT: Millie nods. “It must be. I’m looking for records on the installation of this door, but they’ve all been wiped.”
ALEJO: “Those signs seem ominous.”
MILLICENT: “They’re not thrilling me, no.”
ALEJO: Alejo looks around the door for any signs of a trap, remembering that the Maitri like traps.
TUELLER: Do these holes look like they’re set up for a single Maitri to stick all four hands in at once?
STORY: They do!
TUELLER: Keys needed?
STORY: No keyhole anywhere you can see.
TUELLER: “Looks like we don’t have the right number of limbs for this door.”
MILLICENT: “Do.” Millie frowns. “Do we need a Maitri, ah.” Shrugs. “Body?”
TUELLER: “With limbs intact, I’d say.”
TUELLER: “Or, only limbs, I guess.”
TUELLER: “Let me get four of those. You figure out what we need to do with the limbs when I get back.”
MILLICENT: Millie sticks her hand in one of the holes.
TUELLER: Tueller starts to head towards where he last heard gunfire.
STORY: It’s a doorknob inside, one that you are able to turn to the right, but it sticks there and you’re not sure what to do next.
TUELLER: Tueller stops leaving.
TUELLER: When seeing that go on.
MILLICENT: “It doesn’t appear to be a technical issue.”
TUELLER: “Any luck? All four at once?”
MILLICENT: “It seems to be more of. A manual one?”
ALEJO: Alejo moves next to Millie. “Just need an extra set of hands?”
MILLICENT: Could any of us reach two holes?
STORY: Sure – they’re all about 18 inches apart in a square.
ALEJO: Alejo looks at Millie. “Together?” He prepares to reach into two of the holes.
MILLICENT: Millie grabs a knob. “Together!”
STORY: You both reach into two holes apiece, turn the knobs to the right, then…
TUELLER: Tueller hangs back to see what happens and if he’s needed.
STORY: Nothing. It feels like there should be another step. The knobs are catching on something, but not in a “this is locked” way, just in a, like… you need to jiggle it more, or something.
MILLICENT: Millie jiggles
ALEJO: As does Alejo.
STORY: Let’s do Assessment + Physique, you two decide who makes the primary roll (the other can Get Involved if they want to)
ALEJO: —what’s your physique, Millie?
MILLICENT: I would recommend it NOT be Millie
ALEJO: —Right. I’ll be primary.
MILLICENT: – -1
TUELLER: “Need a hand?”
TUELLER: –That’s where Tueller is a viking!
MILLICENT: How do I get involved?
ALEJO: 6+2=8 +1 = 9
STORY: After Alejo rolls, you decide if you want to, then you’d roll Get Involved + Physique and either add or subtract from the roll depending on your result
STORY: So do you want to?
MILLICENT: What are the success definitions again?
MILLICENT: Sorry, I’m trying to keep this in mind, but I keep forgetting.
STORY: 10+ full success, 7-9 partial
MILLICENT: How much could I potentially subtract from his success?
TUELLER: You can move things down one level.
TUELLER: Or up one level.
MILLICENT: I abstain
STORY: Ok!
MILLICENT: —I’m more likely to fuck it up than help it.
STORY: Alejo, you figure out two things. One, there’s no manual lock on this door, you just need to pull harder. Two, you notice a small metal flap centered between the four holes about the size of a post it note.
ALEJO: Alejo points out both facts to Tueller and Millie.
TUELLER: “Millie, let me get in there, please.”
MILLICENT: Millie moves aside
TUELLER: “I’ve got weights back on the ship if you want to put some bulk on.”
STORY: — lol
TUELLER: He says as he moves in.
ALEJO: “What do we think that flap is? Another step?”
STORY: Tueller, Face Adversity + Physique please!
ALEJO: —This time Alejo will assist, if needed.
TUELLER: “Millie. stick around. Maybe that’s on you when this gets going.”
STORY: Oh, for the door, Alejo needs to roll as well. Are you doing the other two holes?
MILLICENT: “Why would I – oh provision logs!” Millie starts out annoyed and becomes nerdily fascinated by the computer system’s minutae
ALEJO: —Yes.
ALEJO: 5+5=10 +1 = 11
STORY: Alejo, you have to sort of tuck under Tueller, squatting a little and doing the bottom two knobs, while Tueller stands behind you and does the top two. It’s a huggy kind of posture.
TUELLER: Roll(2d6)+2:
3,6,+2
Total:11
STORY: With nary a grunt the two of you turn the knobs and pull them toward you. It requires a remarkable amount of effort, a fact that makes you wonder if the doors are broken until you both remember that Maitri value arete above most other virtues. It makes perfect sense that their standard doors would require a feat of strength to use.
STORY: As you pull the knobs, the small flap opens and you both see a red flash as a laser scanner turns on and scans the area in front of the door.
STORY: It makes an unhappy buzz and closes again.
TUELLER: Tueller tries to grab his mask and put it in front of the scanner.
STORY: Tueller, you release one of the knobs to grab the mask and it shoots back into place.
MILLICENT: Millie pitches in, holding the mask in place
STORY: Another sad beep. Mask does not work.
TUELLER: “Okay. Guess I’m dragging a body here after all?”
STORY: Both of you, it’s becoming harder and harder to hold these knobs open.
STORY: It’s easier for Tueller, of course.
ALEJO: Alejo is pulling hard. “Any ideas or are we resting.” He tries to sound casual, but he’s straining.
ALEJO: “I need to hit those weights.”
TUELLER: Tueller let’s go and starts to move towards where he last heard gunfire.
TUELLER: “Be right back.”
STORY: You release the four handles and they all snap back into place. Maitri doors are horrible.
ALEJO: Alejo falls with the sudden loss of Tueller behind him.
STORY: Alejo, you’re going to be sore tomorrow.
ALEJO: He stands and stretches. “I’ll keep an eye on Doc.”
ALEJO: He moves to the hallway and watches Tueller leave.
TUELLER: If no one’s stopping me I’m off to sneak around looking for a corpse. Or a live bug, whatever I find first.
MILLICENT: Millie tries to access the system controlling the scanner
STORY: Tueller, you head down a long hallway and find a series of labs. There are blood smears here and there, and robots patrolling the hallways, each of which chirp pleasantly at you as you pass.
STORY: Millie, Face Adversity + Interface please
TUELLER: Following blood smears!
MILLICENT: haha had to happen
MILLICENT: 3+1+1
MILLICENT: 5
STORY: Tueller, Assessment + Physique please
TUELLER: Roll(2d6)+2:
1,1,+2
Total:4
TUELLER: Guess we’re at that stage of the evening.
STORY: Millie, you are locked out of this door’s system, but still have access to the standard functions of the base.
ALEJO: —Opp.
STORY: Tueller, you enter one of the labs following a blood smear. You find a Maitri, but she is not wearing the typical battle armor – she is in a lab coat and scrubs, and blood covers her torso and legs. She is still alive, and cries out when you step in. She puts her hands over her face and begins to plead in Mait too fast for the universal translator to pick it up.
MILLICENT: —good language naming
ALEJO: —We’re terrible people, in this game.
STORY: — so far
MILLICENT: —On a related note, I am enjoying that the least physically threatening and armed of the crew has caused almost the entirety of the actual violence so far
TUELLER: Tueller puts on his battle mask speaks slowly and threateningly. “You! Come with me!”
MILLICENT: —One dead Maitri to split between the tough guys, at least 4-5 others to Millie
STORY: She cries and shakes her head. She can’t stand, she’s badly injured.
TUELLER: What kind of lab are we in?
STORY: You tell me! What else is in here? And while we’re at it, what do the Maitri look underneath their armor?
TUELLER: The lab seems to be devoted to fixing up and optimizing the solar panels.
TUELLER: …
TUELLER: Whatever they’re doing, they’re trying to get as much power out of our sun as possible. There are burnt out panels, electrical equipment, soldering equipment, and handcarts everywhere. This Maitri seems to be a technician or engineer working on that.
TUELLER: The Maitri herself is iridescent, a faint purplish,kind of like a fly’s coloration.
TUELLER: They actually look like the armor is overcompensating.
TUELLER: They look vulnerable underneath their artificial carapace.
STORY: Nice. She’s got chitinous bits coming out of certain areas, shoulders, top of the head, nose plate, but otherwise her skin is almost translucent.
TUELLER: Tueller is going to grab a cart and try to force her to get on it so he can drag her to the door.
TUELLER: “On. Now.” Pointing. “Now.”
STORY: She screams and cries out but you can wrestle her onto one and get her moving. Let’s cut to Alejo and Millie.
STORY: Sitting around whistling?
ALEJO: —Pretty much. Trying to stay sharp and watch for any threats.
MILLICENT: Are there any records in the standard operating of the base of this door being opened?
MILLICENT: Or records of what’s behind it?
STORY: Sure, it’s the main door into the refinery. It’s opened every couple days.
MILLICENT: Is there any particular safety gear that is required by Maitri to enter?
STORY: Yes! Inside this area you’ll find thermal suits, and from what you read in the manual, you would be very much encouraged to use them.
MILLICENT: Okay and nothing whatsoever on how to open this door or what’s beyond it besides something hot?
STORY: It’s a standard Maitri door! You need to turn all four handles to the right and pull. The retinal scan is a security addition. Inside is the refinery.
STORY: The refinery is likely doing something with the energy collected by the solar panels, that’s your best guess.
STORY: You both hear wails and some kind of pleading done in another language coming down the hallway, and the sound of… squeaky metal wheels?
MILLICENT: Millie nods, about what she expected, and steps back
ALEJO: Alejo spins around, facing the noise, then he kneels and levels his pistol in the direction of it.
TUELLER: “Delivery!”
STORY: Tueller comes around the corner with his Maitri scientist in tow.
ALEJO: “Fuck.” Alejo mutters as he stands.
STORY: When she sees the two of you, she begins to scream, now completely panicked. She clutches at her stomach and smears blood on herself and the cart, reaching out for you, pleading.
MILLICENT: Millie waves.
MILLICENT: Flips the visor down, starts the universal translator.
MILLICENT: “We need some help with the door!”
STORY: Everyone has a universal translator in their ear already – she’s just been talking too fast for it to work.
MILLICENT: Can I speed up mine using interface?
TUELLER: “She seems to be a little upset. Probably because we shot her and also we’re freaky aliens.”
MILLICENT: I want to translate her words
ALEJO: “Jesus. Just . . . “ Alejo trails off and moves to the Maitri. “It’s okay. Just try to relax.” He fiddles with his translator, hoping that she can understand.
TUELLER: “This has been a bad day on the job for everyone involved.”
STORY: Sure, but you’d have to drop out of the refinery’s systems and hack your own translator.
MILLICENT: Nah, I’m good here
STORY: Alejo, give me Face Adversity + Influence please
ALEJO: 1+5=6 +2 = 8
STORY: She looks you in the eye and sees something kind there, and locks in to that, grasping for your face, smearing it with orange blood. She does slow down a bit, enough for all of you to pick up her pleas. “Please, the robots attacked us, please, they’re all dead, I am just a tech, help me, help me escape here!”
STORY: The syntax is weird, which is typical when talking to an alien, but you put it together.
ALEJO: Alejo nods. “You’re alright. Try to stay relaxed.”
STORY: As she pleads with you, the mini turret you first encountered comes buzzing around the corner.
STORY: Alejo, what do you do?
ALEJO: Alejo moves between her and it, putting himself in it’s line of fire. “Doc! Shut that fucking thing down!”
STORY: It makes an alarm beep and locks in place, with the three little piercing arms coming out of the side that you recognize as its firing anchors. Millie, what do you do?
MILLICENT: I shut the fucking thing down
TUELLER: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HumansAreTheRealMonsters
STORY: Face Adversity + Interface please!
MILLICENT: Through the fastest, non-shooting-at-me route possible
MILLICENT: HA
MILLICENT: 6+5+1=12
STORY: What happens?
ALEJO: Alejo spins towards it, leveling his pistol at it, preparing a likely futile counterattack.
MILLICENT: The drone spins it’s weapons at the ceiling and fires until empty.
STORY: The Maitri paws at your back, Alejo, trying to hide behind you and mostly just getting more blood on you.
MILLICENT: Then it slumps, done.
STORY: It makes a sad little “I’m out of ammo” chirp, Millie, then powers down.
ALEJO: Alejo sighs heavily. “Thanks.” He says to Millie. He turns back to the Maitri.
MILLICENT: Millie also slumps.
STORY: The Maitri just holds on to Alejo’s belt, her head buried in two of her arms, crying.
MILLICENT: “I told it its ammo was corrupted.”
TUELLER: —brb. Bathroom break.
MILLICENT: “That was. Not simple.”
ALEJO: “It’s alright. You’re safe.” He tries to sound as reassuring as possible.
MILLICENT: Over Alejo’s shoulder. “Hello!”
ALEJO: Alejo sort of jumps at this.
ALEJO: “Jesus, Doc.”
STORY: “Thank you, thank you,” she continues to cry.
ALEJO: “What’s your name?” He leans down towards the Maitri and looks over her wounds.
TUELLER: —back.
MILLICENT: “Sorry, I’ll.” Millie paces nearby, reading the database.
TUELLER: Tueller stands silently by the door they’re wanting to open.
STORY: “T’chololl Thasht.”
STORY: She’s pretty shot up, Alejo. Gut shot, and two in her legs, one knee. She won’t be able to walk and she’ll likely bleed out without help.
ALEJO: Alejo nods and smiles. “I’m Alejo.” He turns towards the door and looks at it.
ALEJO: —Does Alejo think that they have time to get into the room with her help and get her out, to get medical attention?
STORY: Roll Assessment + Expertise!
MILLICENT: —and can Millie get a service bot to load up on Maitri medical supplies from the infirmary and bring it to them?
ALEJO: —Yes please.
STORY: Millie, that’s Face Adversity + Interface please
ALEJO: 6+1=7-1 = 6
ALEJO: Ugh.
MILLICENT: 4+5+1=10
STORY: Alejo, no. If you don’t help her soon she’ll bleed out.
STORY: Millie, you find a med-bot in the adjacent building and punch in orders for it to come to your location.
ALEJO: He gives her a quick smile and then turns off his translator for a moment. “This is fucked up. I don’t think she’ll make it if we don’t do something.”
MILLICENT: Millie quietly starts to take apart the security bot in stasis in the hallway
ALEJO: He turns away from her and whispers this softly.
MILLICENT: “I might be able to help, just going to need a few things.”
MILLICENT: —can I attempt a patch up on critical injuries in this hallway?
ALEJO: Alejo nods and turns his translator back on. “We’re going to try to get you help, alright? We’re going to keep you safe until then T’chololl Thasht.”
TUELLER: “In the meantime, ma’am, can you help us open the door? While the supplies are on the way?”
MILLICENT: —or is there a medical facility on the base we could move to?
TUELLER: Tueller leans against the door again.
STORY: — Critical injuries take many hours of surgery to deal with, so no. You’d need to be back onboard the Peregrine. You can try to stabilize her, if you can find medical supplies.
MILLICENT: —stabilize her it is
ALEJO: Alejo gives Tueller a look and a frown.
ALEJO: “T’chololl Thasht, we need to get inside that door. Will you help us?”
STORY: She looks a little loopy, and her eyes roll up to the door, confused. “Just open it.”
STORY: “Oh. Retinal scan… I see.”
ALEJO: Alejo shrugs and smiles.
STORY: “I do not think I can stand.”
ALEJO: “We can get you close enough, I think.” Alejo looks to Tueller for help rolling her to the door.
TUELLER: Tueller’s helping with that. “Millie, can you help our guest stand for a moment?”
STORY: Millie, the medical bot arrives.
MILLICENT: Millie drops the arm she’s disassembling and hurries over. “Of course!” Now, according to the rough scan I think,” she slides under the Maitri’s armpits in an attempt to take her weight without exascerbating her injuries or discomfort
MILLICENT: Millie twiches her fingers, pausing the bot, and slowly walkes the Maitri to the door. “Let’s see some hustle, gentlemen!”
ALEJO: Alejo helps for a moment and then moves to position in front of the door, preparing to turn the knobs and pull.
TUELLER: Let’s open this door!
STORY: Ok, so the position you all find yourselves in is, roughly, Millie holding the Maitri up to the door, with Alejo squeezed in right behind her, reaching around to the lower doorknobs, and Tueller behind the three of you and reaching for the top handles.
STORY: It’s a four-deep spooning situation, and Tueller is the ladle.
ALEJO: Cozy.
STORY: Millie, Thasht groans as you lift her, a weak sound, and you feel warm blood flow over your hands.
MILLICENT: “Quickly, gentlemen!”
STORY: Alejo, Tueller, please roll Face Adversity + Physique.
TUELLER: “Let’s get this done quickly.”
ALEJO: 5+6=11 +1 = 12
TUELLER: Roll(2d6)+2:
1,6,+2
Total:9
STORY: Tueller, you can make this work, but you’re going to pull a couple muscles in the process, cool?
TUELLER: Absolutely.
STORY: You take a minor injury! I think now we roll Brace for Impact? But that seems weird in this situation.
STORY: Roll it anyway, we’ll see if your armor somehow helps!
TUELLER: Armor shouldn’t count, I’d say, but oh well.
STORY: Yeah, I agree, let’s forego it in this case
TUELLER: Do I just roll 2d6?
STORY: Yep
TUELLER: Roll(2d6)+0:
4,1,+0
Total:5
STORY: Oh damn! You tweak one of your wrists through the extra effort and in addition to the minor injury of basically all your back muscles being pulled, you dislocate your left wrist! You hang on, but that hand is going to be Clumsy until you can seek medical attention
STORY: Millie?
TUELLER: Does that count as a Major Injury?
STORY: Nope, a minor debility – it means whenever you would use that risk for even normal stuff you roll face adversity + physique
MILLICENT: Is my patient bleeding out? And is the door open?
TUELLER: Minor Injury with a Minor Debility, then?
STORY: Correct
STORY: Millie, you hold her up to the door? Then yes, both are true.
STORY: Your patient is now unconscious and bleeding out, and the door clicks and slides open.
TUELLER: “Ow. Fuck.”
STORY: Her injuries have been upgraded to Critical
MILLICENT: The very second I hear that click I lower her and start emergency stabilization
ALEJO: “You alright?” Alejo looks to Tueller.
TUELLER: “Hurt my wrist. I’ll heal.”
STORY: Millie, Patch Up + Expertise please
TUELLER: “Let’s get this over with.”
ALEJO: “Okay. Stay with Doc. Help stabilize our new friend. I’ll go . . . get this whatever it is. You’re better at med than I am anyway.”
ALEJO: He looks around the room and finds the gear needed to protect him from the heat and starts putting it on.
TUELLER: Tueller looks back with absolutely no compassion but doesn’t say anything.
STORY: Alejo, there are four thermal suits nearby, all Maitri-sized, but you think you can get into one. It’ll be floppy, is all.
MILLICENT: 6+6+2=14
MILLICENT: FUCK
TUELLER: Tueller goes to the thermal suit. It will be less floppy on him.
ALEJO: Floppy suiting up.
MILLICENT: —I am never going to roll this well again
STORY: Millie, describe for me what happens. You can stabilize her, but she’ll absolutely still need surgery from a real medical facility to survive.
ALEJO: Alejo pauses when he sees Tueller suiting up. “Seriously?” He turns to Millie as he keeps getting his own suit on. “Do you need help, Doc?”
MILLICENT: Millie is using the bits she scavenged from the bot to patch up actual holes. She uses an offensive flame torch from the security bot to burn a wound closed.
MILLICENT: “Don’t. Distract. Me now. Please.”
STORY: Luckily, your patient is unconscious. All of you smell burnt flesh.
TUELLER: What’s beyond the room with the suits?
ALEJO: Alejo shrugs. “Right. Let’s get this done.”
TUELLER: Tueller’s ready to go to there.
MILLICENT: Millie is hauling ass toward the exit with a cart. “Meet you at the ship.”
ALEJO: Alejo moves with Tueller to the room.
STORY: You both suit up, and look through a small window to the refinery beyond. It’s smaller than you expected, maybe 20′ square, with a 40′ ceiling that ends in the top of the dome. There’s a large red button next to the door, along with another half dozen large white sticker signs with foreboding text on them in red and black.
TUELLER: “Ready to go? This definitely looks like something interesting will happen when we press this button.”
ALEJO: Alejo nods.
TUELLER: “I’m looking forward to pressing it.”
MILLICENT: Millie skids to a halt in the middle of a corridor and starts in on some fucking Medical Shit
TUELLER: And so he does.
TUELLER: —Millie can’t meet us at the ship. She can’t drive the Gregor.
STORY: The door behind you closes, and the one in front of you opens, blasting you with heat. You can feel it even through the suits. Alejo, you’re Clumsy right now, Tueller, you only are when you use the busted hand.
TUELLER: “Onward. Ever onward.”
TUELLER: Tueller walks towards whatever looks most interesting.
TUELLER: —Hey, if Amanda ever wants to join us, we might have an interesting alien character for her to flesh out.
STORY: In the center of the room is a circular column, atop which sits a large globe with dozens of wires plugged into it. Three ladders wrap around the column and lead up to the globe 30′ up. To your left, along the wall, is a bank of computer equipment, underneath a heat shield.
STORY: — might.
MILLICENT: —hey. A little faith in the good doctor, if you please.
ALEJO: Alejo trundles into the room and looks at the globe more closely.
ALEJO: — I’ll let her know!
TUELLER: “Well. That does look interesting.”
STORY: Alejo, underneath the cage of wires – which you now recognize to be a Faraday cage – there is a small black ball suspended in the center, nothing else. Electric bolts fly towards it now and then, and from what you can tell, nothing is holding it in place.
ALEJO: “Look at this.” Alejo gestures to Tueller.
ALEJO: “That’s gotta be what we’re here for, yeah?”
TUELLER: “Well, this looks exactly like something the Doc should be helping us on.”
TUELLER: “Dammit.”
TUELLER: Tueller shakes his head. “Okay. Just a sec.”
ALEJO: Alejo moves to the computers to see if he can figure out what’s what.
TUELLER: “I’ll swap out with the Doc.”
STORY: Alejo, roll Assessment + Interface please
TUELLER: Tueller turns around and leaves the room, trying to find the Doc.
ALEJO: 2+4=6 +0
ALEJO: —Nope.
TUELLER: Tueller leaves the room, strips out of the heat suit, and runs to find Millie.
STORY: Alejo, this thing in the center is a fuel cell, and it’s not only protected by that cage – it’s wired to shut down the whole base’s electricity if it’s tampered with.
TUELLER: —Well that sounds good.
STORY: — remember you always learn something from an assessment roll, and it’s always true, the result just tells me whether it’s good news or bad news, basically
STORY: Tueller, you find her midway down the hall you first came down, with her patient, doing CPR.
TUELLER: “Doc, you’re needed in there. Let me take over. Combat medic.”
TUELLER: Tueller sounds urgent.
ALEJO: Alejo goes back to assess the wires.
STORY: I’d like everyone to know this is the soundtrack to this scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6X0PqIWfzQ
MILLICENT: “Oh, good! Why didn’t you say! Fine! Blood pressure is dropping and pulse is unsteady. Regularize her breathing and I’ll.”
MILLICENT: —will she die if I leave her?
STORY: — probably not, no, but she needs surgery within the hour
TUELLER: “I’ll stabilize her the best I can. I’ve seen worse.”
MILLICENT: “Be back soon!”
MILLICENT: Millie bolts
MILLICENT: —who is LP?
TUELLER: Tueller appreciates that Millie didn’t even once question if he was sincere.
STORY: — A singer!
MILLICENT: —I mean, I believe you. This is very good!
STORY: — it is!
MILLICENT: —fuck that voice tho
MILLICENT: —fuck
TUELLER: Tueller, surprised by the faith, actually does his best to keep the patient alive.
STORY: — get used to it, she’s amazing, fuck you
STORY: Millie, you reach the end of the hallway and run back in, suit up, and join Alejo in the hot room.
MILLICENT: —fuck tho so good what should I listen to next?
STORY: Alejo, Millie comes in and the door closes behind her. What do you do?
STORY: — i’ll just link you to whatever comes next on my space opera mix
STORY: — which is really good and all y’all should listen to
ALEJO: Point out the black ball and the cage.
MILLICENT: —yeah cool if it’s this good
MILLICENT: What am I looking at?
STORY: Millie, you clear on this room?
STORY: Man, scroll up
MILLICENT: Yeah I see it
STORY: It’s an orange-sized black ball inside a faraday cage 30 feet off the floor, covered in wires and rigged to shut down power to the base if it’s tampered with.
MILLICENT: I need to figure out a way to transport a Faraday cage?
STORY: That black ball is a fuel cell and is likely worth more than your ship.
STORY: The cage is likely to keep it from accidental ignition – if you’re removing it from the refinery, it should be inert on its own.
TUELLER: And shutting down the base is bad?
STORY: That’s a good question.
MILLICENT: Millie starts some calculations on her visor.
TUELLER: The base that fired missiles at us?
ALEJO: “If we disconnect this thing, how long will we have before life support shuts down?”
MILLICENT: I’d like to redirect the incoming power into the base while I remove the battery. It should be too much for it, at least disrupting, if not exploding, the system once it’s overcome by the raw power. So, we’d get the power and the base would keep the doors open for long enough for us to escape. And then it would explode.
MILLICENT: Eh?
STORY: Theoretically possible, sure.
STORY: Will take some skill in the setup.
MILLICENT: Sounds fun, though. And like it would cover any tracks we accidentally left, right?
STORY: Sure
ALEJO: “Tell me what you need?”
MILLICENT: Millie flicks the visor down. “Tueller, remove our patient to the Gregor slowly. But. Now.”
MILLICENT: “Alejo, there. That console.” Millie points.
STORY: New song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E43BQFcfNeQ
TUELLER: Shouting back. “On it!”
ALEJO: Alejo moves to the console.
TUELLER: —remember your datapoints.
MILLICENT: “Up the safety protocols for an incoming surge. Max levels.”
MILLICENT: “Then those, and those.”
TUELLER: Tueller carefully moves the patient to the Gregor, surprised at himself for caring.
ALEJO: Alejo nods and follows her instructions.
STORY: She’s surprisingly light, Tueller.
STORY: Tall, yes, but thin and less dense than a human.
MILLICENT: Millie starts overriding the safety protocols of the station (using the security datapoint?) to flood the system with enough power to keep the systems running until they escape while transfering security attention away from the battery.
ALEJO: —If our alien friend survives, Amanda might just be interested.
STORY: Millie, I’d like a Face Adversity + Interface roll please. Your data point is about Sentry Bots, so you’ll have to tell me how you use those to do this thing.
MILLICENT: I thought it was about security systems, which I would qualify overloading the power protocols as being.
ALEJO: —Mine is sentry bots.
STORY: oh RIGHT
STORY: Yes sorry
MILLICENT: 4+6+1=11
STORY: Beautiful. Millie, are you or Alejo going up that ladder to get the fuel cell?
ALEJO: —And I’d like to use mine to see if we might nab one to bring along with us, when we leave. A new robo buddy for Jac to play with.
MILLICENT: Fuck if anyone but Millie is hugging that thing
ALEJO: —It likely requires more physical skills than technical ones, yes?
MILLICENT: That’s a verified piece of alien tech
STORY: Someone has to climb a 30′ ladder in a suit that is made for someone 3 feet taller than you
MILLICENT: Millie will hug it or – okay fair
STORY: Do rock paper scissors or something but tell me who’s going
MILLICENT: fuck
ALEJO: Alejo goes.
MILLICENT: “Alejo, will you fetch the glowing ball of energy, please?”
STORY: Ok! Face Adversity + Physique please
ALEJO: 4+5=9+1 = 10
MILLICENT: I have no currently added my Data Point, btw
STORY: Nice. Okay. Two full successes – so the two of you please describe for me the remainder of this heist. You can do what you like and meet Tueller in the Walker, at which point you have to decide who stays behind, because that thing only fits three people.
MILLICENT: —ooooh, okay yes
MILLICENT: —waiting for Henry
ALEJO: Alejo scampers up the ladder. It’s not easy moving in the suit, but he manages it fairly quickly and adroitly. He removes the cell, carefully tucks it to his chest and moves down more slowly. He gets to the bottom and gives Millie a nod, then goes to the door.
MILLICENT: Millie has all the doors opened ahead of them. Just behind them the halls light yellow, orange, and finally, white. Doors shut swiftly behind them.
ALEJO: When we get to the Gregor, Alejo will wait. “Get the Maitri to the ship and stabilize her.”
TUELLER: “Really?”
ALEJO: “How long do we have?”
MILLICENT: Millie gives a “really” look too
ALEJO: “Yeah. Go!” He looks annoyed.
ALEJO: -Seriously, how long do we have? Is this suicide?
MILLICENT: Millie dives in and takes over care of her patient
TUELLER: “This is the plan, Millie?”
MILLICENT: Millie has brought the pieces of the Maitri security robot with her
TUELLER: Tueller is looking for confirmation from Millie.
MILLICENT: “Get me to the med bay as soon as possible and I might be able to save her!”
ALEJO: “I’m not letting her die, Tueller.”
MILLICENT: “Drive the damn ambulance, Tueller!”
TUELLER: “Fuck.” Tueller slams the door down and leaves as fast as possible.
STORY: The three of them pile in and disconnect from the airlock, Alejo. You hear the low, sad drained hum of the power going down.
MILLICENT: “My patient is dying!”
TUELLER: “Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.”
ALEJO: Alejo steps back from the airlock to let it close.
STORY: The Gregor begins its crawl back up the hill towards the Centaur class and you watch it become a smaller shape in the distance.
TUELLER: Tueller drives as fast as he can.
ALEJO: “Holly shit.” He whispers as he watches them leave, suddenly feeling very alone.
TUELLER: It hurts.
STORY: The lights flicker and shut down, leaving you in darkness. Somewhere in the distance, sirens blare.
TUELLER: Every time Tueller moves his left wrist, he says “Fuck.”
STORY: Alejo, you are briefly blinded as the headlights of the Centaur-class blaze through the small window you are looking out of, the ship dropping in just behind the Gregor and opening its bay doors. The Canary, pilotless, lumbers down the gangplank towards the airlock, and opens its sealed pod, docking with the door.
ALEJO: Alejo nods thankfully as he watches. He turns back to look into the darkness behind him briefly.
MILLICENT: Millie hustles her patient to the medical facility. “Go get your co-captain!” To Tueller
ALEJO: Then he looks back out at the ship and lscans hopefully for the Gregor.
MILLICENT: I’m going to Treat Critical Injuries
STORY: — millie, you would have seen the canary leaving and heading for the base
STORY: Also you can’t treat critican injuries until you’re back onboard the Peregrine in your med lab! But I like your chutzpah
TUELLER: So, we board, the ship takes off and flies closer, Noma drives the Canary towards the dock, and it’s there for Alejo to get in?
MILLICENT: Oh word I see sorry
STORY: Yep
ALEJO: Once the airlock is open, Alejo gratefully jumps through it, onto the ship, closes it and allows us to leave.
STORY: Alejo, the Canary closes its pod, then does not move. You can still hear the sirens through the door.
ALEJO: “Thanks Noma.”
STORY: Noma’s voice comes in. “I was expecting to pick up Millie.”
STORY: “Where is Dr. Breedlove, Mr. Soto?”
ALEJO: “On the Gregor.”
STORY: “Ah. She wanted me to retrieve you, then?”
ALEJO: “Guess so.” He says this with a slight smile. Then all business. “We need to get them fast. We have a patient that needs to get to the Peregrine.”
STORY: “Acceptable.”
ALEJO: Alejo runs to the front of the ship and the controls.
STORY: The Canary takes off, running back up the gangplank. It powers down almost the moment it enters the Centaur-class, not even opening up the pod, forcing you to manually eject.
STORY: The gangplank closes behind you as you run up to the bridge. On the bridge, you see a display: ARE YOU DRIVING, MR SOTO?
TUELLER: “So what’s going on back on the ground?”
TUELLER: “And did we get anything interesting?”
ALEJO: “Yeah, I’ll take it. Thanks, Noma.”
STORY: Ok! Roll Face Adversity + Mettle please!
ALEJO: 4+5=9+2 = 11
STORY: Great. Tell me about the escape back to Peregrine.
STORY: — did we lose Henry?
STORY: — nevermind! he’s typing
ALEJO: The Centaur spins around and drops in right in front of the Gregor, allowing the Gregor crawl aboard. As soon as it’s on, the Centaur closes up and lifts rapidly out of the atmosphere on a quick assent to the Peregrine.
STORY: You break atmosphere just as the base explodes behind you, and the ship is shaken slightly as it continues to ascend, the fireball reaching hundreds of feet up as the smoke begins to climb.
STORY: Millie, your patient remains unconscious but stable, in need of immediate attention.
STORY: Tueller, your baby is safely onboard without a scratch.
TUELLER: “Shit man. What did you guys do back there?” Tueller sounds impressed.
STORY: You reach the Peregrine and dock with her, everyone hurried but satisfied, a heist well done. Tueller and Alejo carry Thasht onboard on a makeshift stretcher Millie cobbled together from a cot, surprised that no one has come to assist. When you reach the med bay, you understand why:
STORY: https://db4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net/images/4423970/Westworld-Ep7-Anthony-Hopkins-Jeffrey-Wright-and-Sidse-Babett-Knudsen-2.jpg
STORY: Alejo, Tueller, a woman you don’t recognize stands, arms crossed, lips pursed, in a business suit and heels, flanked by a dozen armed Erde-Maris guards.
STORY: Your crew sits and stands in various locations, none fighting back, Erde-Maris guns pointed at them.
TUELLER: “What are you doing on my ship?”
STORY: Millie, Admiral Randd gives you a look. She regards Tueller. “My ship.” She gestures to the guards. “Separate these three for questioning.”
STORY: She looks at the stretcher. “That a Maitri?”
ALEJO: “She needs medical attention. Urgently.”
MILLICENT: This message has been removed.
TUELLER: “She needs a doctor. Yes.”
MILLICENT: “I asked you to call first.”
STORY: Tariq stands quickly, gesturing to be allowed to help. Randd waves him over impatiently. He joins you, Millie.
STORY: She nods. “And I asked you to keep me apprised. You appear to have been kidnapped, Dr. Breedlove. Please, see to your patient, I’ll meet with your associates first.”
ALEJO: “Thanks Tariq.” Alejo gives him an uneasy but earnest smile.
STORY: She points to Alejo. “You first, handsome,” and walks into the galley.
MILLICENT: “Fine, but you require a briefing before any. Executions.”