02 - Rhythm of the Nightfall

When they arrive, the Ansible network sends Brekk System updates to their comms system:

Words of the Hegemon

1261 marks the second decade of my stewardship over the grand Hegemony of the Stars. These last 20 years have been marked with unparalleled prosperity and peace throughout the Systems. I am here to make sure that you know that I hear your thankful cries and want you to know this: You are Welcome. Not all deserve such grand leadership, but nevertheless it is granted to you. Feel blessed.

Your father in the stars,

- The Grand Hegemon

Planet Nightfall

The Longest Day

 The city of Yaw on Nightfall is celebrating the Longest day – where the sun shines for a whopping 14 hours before one of the baker’s dozen moons eclipses the sun. 

City-wide events are being held including a special performance by famed Singer Ada Black.

Protests in Yaw

The Church of the Stellar Flame has organized a protest against Ada Black. Ada’s songs praising the Way have been a sore subject, and House Malklaith is being pressed to officially Censor her songs for obscene content. Faithful have arrived in large numbers and intend to peacefully disrupt the Longest Day celebrations.

EMF Warning for Moon of Todav

Ships are advised to avoid Planet Nightfall's moon of Todav due to EMF interference. Beacons have been placed to warn incoming stellar traffic. 

Planet Shimaya

Khalud Academy Formal

The Annual Khalud Academy Formal Event is approaching, hosted on the banks of the Paris Oasis. The House Malklaith Royal orchestra is being flown in from Warren to perform at the event, following The Longest Day celebrations on Nightfall. 

Students are looking to dress to impress! HNN will be there to see who stands out … and who should be thrown out.

SuperStorm Smashes Cayro, Luxor, and Tanta

A Class 4 electromagnetic storm has compromised the southern regions. The storm has resulted in extensive damage to the cities of Cayro, Luxor and Tanta, and the outlying communities. Relief efforts have been promised by Governer Ritam al'Malklaith to address the growing humanitarian crisis. The storm cell has persisted and limited these efforts, and a shelter in place order has been issued to the affected area.

Planet Nightfall is a busy place with the upcoming celebration of The Longest Day. 

As the shuttle collects necessary supplies, the Firedrake Outcasts take some time to take care of some business on planet. Some study the Artifact, some party it up  on the planet. Some consult private messages sent to them from friends, rivals, and family.

During this period, Moth (Mevakor Ortcutt) befriends some crunchy, whacked out, mystically-inclined fans of Ada Black. In particular, he stays up long into the night at the Waylover's Flophouse in rapt conversation with Ulek Spacedancer. Moth falls asleep on their couch (the best sleep he's had in weeks). 

Meanwhile, Meade Grey charms his way into a wealthy salon with bubbles of opium. He holds this bourgeois audience's attention with his gregarious orations about the struggles of the working man. And he says just a bit too much about our escape from Isotropa Max Secure. Meade overindulges and eventually wakes up on the couch of the Waylover's Flophouse.

Mphoentle Begin the goes shopping, and discovers what it feels like to be a tourist.

Both Moth (Mevakor Ortcutt) and Frank "Franky" Heather work on researching the artifact. Moth discovers that the "F"-shaped symbol bears a resemblance to a fundamental protein common, he believes to all life.

But the reserve CRED is spent, and the Crew needs a job. 

Ada Black is about to perform as a capstone to the Longest Day celebrations on Planet Nightfall, and the Church of the Stellar Flame are trying to kill her. She needs help, and her aide Tyler Miggs is willing to offer CRED for her survival. 

Ada is being protected by Vigilance, and Ulek Spacedancer is shadowing Ada to make sure that no one harms her. 

As the Firedrake Outcasts infiltrate the Stellar Flame Cultists, they are introduced to the architect of the Assassination attempt - Iraam the Kind. This ruthless Inquisitor wants Ada dead, and has several assassins making an attempt. 

Moth (Mevakor Ortcutt) won the confidence of Iraam the Kind and convinced Iraam to use Moth's medical supply box to transport gun components in. Frank "Franky" Heather tampered with the components to render them inoperable (but still seemingly functional). 

Seduced by an offering of CRED, Meade Grey secretly provides the Church some information, the assassins get closer to their quarry. Despite this secret betrayal, Frank "Franky" Heather discovers an explosive carried by a cultist, and Moth (Mevakor Ortcutt) discovers that guns are being smuggled into to the stadium in pieces by other cultists. 

Meade Grey finds out that the beautiful and deadly Aleena Goodchild intends to poison Ada with a deadly toxin during the intermission behind the scenes. The Church is taking no chances, and it seems the House Malklaith authority is turning a blind eye to their machinations. 

It's up to them to save Ada.

Meade Grey has little time, he needs to stop Aleena Goodchild from poisoning Ada Black. He jostles her at the last minute, and instead of Ada, her protector Ulek Spacedancer is injected in the arm. 

Aleena Goodchild melts into the crowd. Ada is safe, but Ulek is dying. The toxin is doing it's lethal work.

Rushing backstage, Moth (Mevakor Ortcutt) works quickly to save Ulek Spacedancer, but he has to amputate his arm before the toxin travels to his heart.

The shooter and the explosive remains. 

Frank "Franky" Heather sees the man with the explosive, and without hesitation, convinces the man that the bomb isn't working. Believing Frank to be a member of the Church of the Stellar Flame, the man hands over the explosive.

With little time left on the time to detonation, Frank "Franky" Heather places the bomb in his cybernetic body, hoping his metal construction would keep the explosive from harming Ada returning on stage for her final number. Posing as one of the backup dancers, he watches as Ada Black uses her Precursor artifact to create two copies of herself. As they sing in tripartite harmony, the bomb detonates, and his body holds in the explosion. 

There is only the shooter remaining. 

Mphoentle Begin the pursues the Assassin known as Relentless, who has taken position in the upper reaches of the stadium and taken aim with their rifle on Ada Black. But the music of Ada has activated memories thought lost by vivisections she endured under the knife of Dr. Khelanth Xhu. She delays in reverie until the very last moment, then tries to stop the shooter. She takes the bullet intended to kill Ada, and Relentless makes their escape, the assassination a failure. 

Ada Black is saved. The concert is at an end.  

Ada Black is grateful to the Firedrake Outcasts for protecting her from the Church of the Stellar Flame's assassins. The crew take their payment and spend some time recovering from their injuries. With the job done, Procyon Sector beckons. What is next for the crew?

I look forward to finding out.

Moth (Mevakor Ortcutt) helped Mphoentle Begin the recover from her punctured lung, and helped Frank "Franky" Heather recover from the internal damage of the chest-contained bomb blast.

During the process, he also compared features of Mpho's genetic code to the "Besh" character on the artifact, and saw ever deeper connections.

Meade Grey overindulged in opium again...did that drag his conscience down to sleep, or does morality still claw for his attention?