Session 45 (10 May 2024)

Location: Karth, desert moon orbiting the blue gas giant Tabernas in the Mendezo-Eeren system (Halcyon 2022)

Date: 325–5600

Travellers: Sasha Danlami (social scientist and comms), Ada Windsor (ex-scout and astronavigator), Torka Jax (ex-navy and security), Dr Fomstep (ship's doctor), and Jacobe Kyman (pilot)

[A note to readers: pleased be advised that this blog contains spoilers to Joel Hines' excellent Desert Moon of Karth. Read no further if you hope to experience the delight of playing this superb Mothership scenario.]

Dr Fayed

In gaol, Jacobe's wounds from the bar fight prove serious. The guards send for Dr Fayed, who arrives to dispense medical assistance. Jacobe quickly realizes that she is an android and estimates that she was created decades ago, judging by the level of technology and visible wear-and-tear on her components. Most surprising is her human-like appearance, which flies in the face of the strong taboos in this sector about creating machines that could be mistaken for people. As you chat, you come to understand that she has come to the remote moon to practice medicine after having been shunned everywhere else. She claims to know nothing of her past due to a memory wipe some five years ago. Only a tattoo of a serial number and the words "Cloudbank Synthetic Production Facility" give any clue to her history.

She attempts to help Jacobe but the primitive TL 8 instruments she possesses are insufficient. Concerned to prevent a worsening of his condition, she obtains his premature release from the guards. She helps him to her nearby clinic, where Dr Fomstep, alerted to the situation, joins them and brings his superior tech to bear on the pilot's injuries. Soon, Jacobe is bandaged, relaxed, and feeling good under the influence of the good doctor's pleasure drugs. You learn that Dr Fayed runs the clinic on a shoestring budget that is largely covered by the Manian colonial administration, in exchange for which she runs the only authorized coral dust centrifuging facility.

The next day, you show up at the governor's mansion for tea. The lavish interior bespeaks wealth and privilege and marks a stark contrast to what you have seen in Larstown thus far. Tanaka is polite and welcoming in a patrician kind of way; her social standing is, after all, much higher than any of yours. She tells you that she became acquainted with Onishi and provided her with all the support she could for her anthropological research, to the extent of escorting Onishi personally (along a small security retinue) to the Dawnseekers' silver spire. She claims that Onishi insisted on being left alone amongst the Dawnseekers and has not seen her since. Presumably she is there still.

You are convinced that Governor Tanaka is concealing something — Sasha detects not only deception but powerful emotions being held in check — and boldly decide to declare that she is lying, to her face. Insulted, Tanaka ends the interview immediately. You soon find yourselves on the grimy Larstown streets once more, but with some fact-checking to do: what parts of Tanaka's story can you poke holes in? There are many who can be questioned in town, but you begin to realize that sooner or later you will have to venture into the desert to find the answers you seek.

To that end, Ada signs up for an introductory course in care and maintenance of riding camels. She bonds quickly with Airlock, an aging and flatulent dromedary whose stench is matched only by his blossoming affection for the bitter one-armed astronavigator. At least you've made one good friend!