Author Topic: Dawson: Obligations  (Read 23103 times)

GM Craig

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #75 on: February 03, 2012, 01:11:02 PM »
Without a word, Khaliss takes you into a room of a type you have seen before. Racks of equipment line the walls. Blast vests and battle armour, weapons and support gear. The last time you were in a room like this was right before that rescue mission that went so very wrong.

Khlaiss speaks now, his voice strong.

"You will be journeying many weeks in the northern desert. Water will be scarce, and what water there is will be jealously guarded. The winds are dry and will steal your water and desiccate your body if you let them. We have a water reclamation suit that can protect you. It is sealed, provides warmth and will reclaim moisture from your breath and excretions. With this suit, you can limit your water loss. If you are careful, and suffer no mishaps, the suits will allow you to live for sixty days in the desert with no water, though you will start to feel the early effects of dehydration in about thirty days."

He holds it out. "You will need to remove your clothing to put this on."

Dawson

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #76 on: February 03, 2012, 01:46:45 PM »
I nod, looking around for somewhere to change. 


GM Craig

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #77 on: February 03, 2012, 02:08:21 PM »
He gives a shallow bow, one side of his mouth upturned slightly.

"Call me when you are ready." He then departs, closing the door behind him.

The suit seems quite complicated - lots of tubes and what seem to be, well, 'personal' attachments.

Dawson

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #78 on: February 03, 2012, 02:18:45 PM »
I do my best to put the suit on, trying to fit all of the 'slot a' parts into all of the 'slot b' parts, while keeping the expletives to a bare minimum.  Finally, slightly annoyed at the experience, I open the door and poke my head out, looking for Khaliss

GM Craig

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #79 on: February 03, 2012, 02:45:08 PM »
He is standing right there, speaking to someone. Their conversation ends abruptly when you poke your head out. He smiles, and enters the room with you. He begins checking various connections, making adjustments, and securing straps and such.

"Not a bad job for your first time, Dawson."

He re-seals the boots, and the skin-tight hood, and adjusts a few more connections. He tucks in your lengthening hair to ensure a clean seal with the skin of your face. When he is done, the suit feels uncomfortable and clingy, but you figure you can get used to it. The suit includes a face mask and respirator. The respirator can be removed to allow speaking or eating, kind of like the respirator your husband used to secure to his helmet when he was flying. It is definitely better for Khaliss' adjustments.

"When you are in the desert, the best place to store water is in your body. Drink from the catch pockets often. This will also minimize the chances of a mishap causing you to loose any significant water. The suit will self-seal damage to a degree, but it is not indestructible. The hardware on your back controls the suit, providing circulation and heating or cooling to minimize perspiration. Always breathe through the respirator unless you must remove it, as that will allow the suit to reclaim moisture from your breath, filter out dust, and provide you moist air to breathe. Air leaks will be deadly - check your seals after every rest period. If your suit fails, you will be dead within a week from severe dehydration. Do not take it off or open it up. If you must remove it or open it, make sure you drink from the catch pockets first. You will feel uncomfortable for the first week or so until your body adjusts. Then it will get better."

He pauses to make sure you understand.

Dawson

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #80 on: February 03, 2012, 03:07:31 PM »
I nod, paying strict attention to his instructions, as he points out the different bits and pieces. 

GM Craig

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #81 on: February 03, 2012, 03:17:40 PM »
"Travelling alone, you will be prey in the desert. Behave as such. Exercise caution, travel only by night, and assume anything you see will b able to kill you and eat you. There are many predators in the desert."

He produces a blue, coarse linen robe.

"This robe will signify to other Kothe that you are on a spiritual journey. Hostile Kothe will ignore you. Others may aid you. Accept no offers, and do not speak to anyone - it is part of the ritual. However, you may occasionally 'find' supplies left on your path. Those you are free to use as you wish." The robe comes with a headscarf that fastens across your lower face, and effectively covers the exposed areas of the suit.

He hands you a medium-sized pack. "Inside are an enviro tent, some rations and some water. You may wish to hunt on your journey. The rations will provide you with sufficient energy to keep going, but you may prefer the occasional variety. The water is extremely valuable in the northern desert. Use it wisely, and save it for an offering at the shrine if you can."

Finally, he pulls a strange looking knife from a sheath.

"This is the traditional knife of a Kothe warrior, made from the mandible of a Kirsch. You are free to take other weapons, but I would recommend you take only this. Having only this as a weapon would allow you to defend yourself, but remind you how vulnerable you are. A blaster or something similar would perhaps give you a false sense of power, and may lead you into trouble. There is a "

Last, he pulls out a small datapad. "This datapad has navigational information, and some short-range sensors. It will guide you to your destination."

He adjusts a few straps and clips and then steps back to look at you.

"Do you have any questions?"

Dawson

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #82 on: February 03, 2012, 03:32:03 PM »
My mouth is dry, and I cannot seem to produce enough saliva to speak, so I shake my head, and then swallow.  "Have you taken this journey, Khaliss?" My voice is harsh and raspy, as if my throat is already suffering the effect of dehydration.

GM Craig

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #83 on: February 03, 2012, 03:36:26 PM »
He smiles at you with his eyes, and it is somehow comforting.

"No Dawson, I have not."

Dawson

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #84 on: February 03, 2012, 04:46:12 PM »
"Do you know anyone who has?"  Somehow it may be of comfort knowing that people do survive this trial.

GM Craig

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #85 on: February 03, 2012, 05:57:19 PM »
He considers for a moment. "Not personally. But I know of someone who has walked this road."

Dawson

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #86 on: February 03, 2012, 06:04:34 PM »
The enormity of what I am taking on has never been so clear.  Even Khaliss, who knows so many, doesnt personally know anyone who has taken this on..

If I stop to think about this any more, I may empty my stomach onto the floor...

My mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water.

I shudder, and close my eyes to steady myself.

"I am ready"

Those 3 little words.. and my life is about to change in ways Im sure I could never even imagine...

GM Craig

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #87 on: February 03, 2012, 06:57:19 PM »
What comes next is like a dream. A ride in the back of one of Cali's ubiquitous waste removal trucks brings you out of the city. From there, you are loaded onto a waiting airspeeder that brings you to Ataregy on the coast. From there, more fo Cali's family load you onto another airspeeder, and that heads out over the open ocean.

That flight lasts several hours. Finally, as dawn breaks, you spot the distant northern shore.

You notice the speeder drops down as the coast comes into sight, skimming the waves. As shore approaches, the pilot begins a landing cycle, settling the craft down gently on the beach. From within his seat, he gives you the same bow, with hands pressed together before his face, and opens the door.

You step out into the strand, and the craft lifts off. In moments it is gone, leaving you alone on a foreign shore.

Checking the datapad, you find you are on the southern shore, about halfway between the town of Szase Aseit?t and the city of Nem, with over six five thousand kilometres to walk to your destination.

The land close to the ocean is fairly fertile, and you see green plants and even some stunted trees and bush along the shoreline.

[Actions?]

It's about an hour after dawn. You're pretty exposed out here on the beach, and you know that the Empire has occupied all the coastal towns and cities.

[OOC: Edited: Was only 5000 km, not 6000.

Dawson

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #88 on: February 03, 2012, 07:03:58 PM »
Remembering Khaliss instructions, I know that it is imperative to find somewhere to hide during the day, as quickly as I can.  The towns will be awash with Imps.  No sense in going that way.  Consulting the data pad, I look for any sign of a natural hide, be it a cave, denser wood or the like. 

GM Craig

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Re: Obligations
« Reply #89 on: February 03, 2012, 07:47:15 PM »
The datapad gives you some fairly decent topographical zooms, and you find a small sheltered copse of trees not far away, surrounded by sand dunes.

Making your way there, you settle in for the day.

You are not disturbed, and the rest feels good. You;re so tired, you even manage to have a (mostly) dreamless sleep. You awaken some time later with the sun lowering into the west, making the sky look like it was carved from gold.