In session 2 of our Apocalypse World game Space World, we deal with the problems revealed in session 1. Vivek experiments with some new drugs, Brace continues to push people, and Gale works on a cure to Krypton Dioxide poisoning. Midnight Storm of course needs to escape the Family, a cult obsessed with him.
Current cast:
- Brace (Brainer): pilot and outsider who likes to get inside people's heads.
- Midnight Storm (Skinner): teenage post apocalypse rock star.
- Nightingale (Angel): reserved medic with psychic healing and a lost brother.
- Vivek (Savvyhead): cutting edge drug maker on the run from drug lords.
Session 2: The Escape
The young man scanned the room. Boarded up windows choked off natural light. Amy, his guard, stood near the one door. She smiled and blushed as his eyes settled on her. Even if there were a dozen armed men and woman between him and the outside, this love striken girl could be useful.
Midnight asked her about her life, turning up the charm and complimenting her in all the right ways. He'd met a dozen women like her in the past year and he knew how to open them up.
Midnight Storm seduced Amy with a hard hit.
As she explained how Visage met her mother, he said, "Your dad sounds like a great guy. I'd love to talk to him privately. I want to make tomorrow's show really special for you. I mean all of you."
"Of course," she said.
An hour later he had Visage eating out of palm of his hand. Midnight knew people were fascinated by him if they let him talk long enough. He strung Visage along explaining his plans for the concert.
Midnight used Hypnotize on Visage.
As the station tilted toward sleep cycle, Midnight left the patriarch's chamber unescorted. He made a detour on the way to his cell toward Amy's bedroom.
But he didn't quite get there.
Outside in the growing gloom, Vivek snuck around the Family's cracked wooden home. Reaching down into his pocket, he pulled several spheres containing weaponized hallucinogens. He threw a pair inside and then ran to the front door.
The smoke billowed from the doorway. Screams and confused shouts came from the people inside. As Vivek reached the door, Visage emerged from the cloud, a bandana around his face and a shotgun pointed at the intruder.
Pain laced the drug maker's side as buckshot tore through his clothing and flesh.
I'm not sure what the original ruling was but normally I'd let Vivek act before being shot. Perhaps he failed on a Act Under Fire to gas everyone.
Vivek takes 3-harm from the shotgun blast.
Thinking quick Vivek slammed a final "grenade" in Visage's face. The gas spilled over both of them, leaving them coughing and confused about what was real and what was a hallucination.
Definitely sounds like a soft hit on Acting Under Fire.
Inside Midnight picked his way past his captors as they clawed at walls, cowered in fear or engaged in strange one-sided conversations. He reached a window and peered out.
Midnight made the roll to avoid the hallucinations.
A bullet struck inches from his head. He glimpsed Vivek before ducking back inside.
Midnight moved to the back door instead.
"I'm not really here," he said to man standing guard. "You don't need to stop a hallucination."
The tripped out man stood aside.
A successful manipulate move.
Midnight found Vivek barely standing in the shadow of the building. The musician carefully took Vivek's gun as the drug maker shook and babbled about snakes.
"Calm down," Midnight said softly.
Vivek pulled away weakly, watching imaginary snakes slip out of Midnight's mouth. "We need to get back to the ship," the hallucinating man said.
"Sure," Midnight replied, helping Vivek limp home.
Back on the Starlight, Brace banged on a metal door. "Captain!"
The metal door swung inward. Farley glared from behind his long curly hair, bare-chested and dressed only in a pair of pants.
"What do you want, Brace?" he said, placing one hand on the door frame.
"We need to leave as soon as possible," the pilot replied, moving his gloved hand to the door.
Farley stepped back and scowled. "I told you before we need to be ready first. Tally should have the water filter installed in the morning. But we also need to restock our food supply. And don't forget Midnight."
I am not sure if there was a roll here or if we just made it clear Farley is wise to Brace's tricks.
"Fine," Brace said. "I'll take care of the food."
Elsewhere, Gale scanned the few reports on the symptoms and mechanisms of Krypton Dioxide poisoning. She closed the display. She had to work out her own baseline for the poison. But she needed a test subject.
The market continued to bustle even in the dark. Gale found Bob and Bob's stall empty, the great piles of parts packed away. She asked the vender next door, a porn dealer named Newton, where she could find the Bobs and the child Rum.
"I'd be happy to help," Newton said. "You are a doctor correct? I have this ailment. It is a delicate matter. Perhaps if you could help me I could point you in the right direction.
A soft hit on a Manipulate a person.
A short examination and some suggested treatment later, Gale walked to a beat up shack a few blocks away.
Gale arrived to find the pair finishing dinner.
"I'd like to borrow Rum," she told Bob. "Everyone here has been exposed to a poison from the mines and I'd like to see if I can treat it. No charge of course."
"Charge?" he said before a series of coughs. "You should pay me for his help. I'm not letting him go with some strange doctor, even if he is dying of miner’s lung."
"I'd like to go, uncle," Rum said.
"Go to your room," Bob ordered before turning to Gale. "If you want a guinea pig, you need to compensate me somehow. We need him at the shop. I'm not as young as I used to be. Plus I still have to feed him, even he's helping you."
"Fine, I'll find something to cover your 'costs'."
Gale returned to the ship to get some barter.
Midnight dragged Vivek to the infirmary, leaving a trail of blood though the ship. They found Tally and Skip waiting inside.
"What happened to you?" Tally coughed.
Though I lost the original Krypton Oxide poisoning rules, I know Tally developed an advanced case.
Midnight helped Vivek onto a bed. "Vivek came to rescue me but got shot in the process." He glanced at Tally's graying skin. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine, just some bug. I should get some sleep. I was hoping Gale could watch Skip for a while."
Vivek squirmed off the table and flopped on the ground. He gulped air and flopped about like a fish. Which is what he thought he was at the time. Midnight quickly applied some bandages and then unable to wrestle the drug maker back into bed, allowed Vivek flop down the hall to his bunk.
"What is he on now?" Tally asked, watching him go.
"I'm not sure, " Midnight says. "I guess I can't help him. I can watch Skip though. You get some sleep."
In the market, Brace searched the shops for some quick cheap food. A portly man named Nibbles offered him a crate of vintage cat food.
"Sure, sure," the fat man said. He looked up and down at Brace as he counted the payment.
"You know, I have a bit of time," Brace started before complimenting Nibbles on his perfect skin. The two retired to the backroom of Nibble's shop.
Brace decided to seduce Nibbles and succeeded. I don't think there was a reason except to make a Weird roll. These days I probably wouldn't even allow a roll.
A half hour later, Brace returned to the ship with the crate of cat food. Gale arrived alongside him the upper cargo bay.
"I was looking for you," she said. "I need some barter to help find a cure to the Krypton Dioxide poisoning."
"I have some to spare." He held out his hand. "But let me read your mind first."
"You are disgusting," she said and stomped off.
Brace scratched his head.
Gale gently knocked on Captain Farley's door. The captain glared at her as the door swung open.
"What is it?" he said, still wearing only pants.
"I need your help," she explained. She outlined her fears about the toxic dust and how she might be able to treat it. "But I need something to trade so I can test it."
"Fine, fine. I suppose I still owe you for the water filter."
I don't believe we had any rolls here. In a way this was issue as it denied Gale experience.
He handed her a music box.
"Thanks Captain."
Gale hurried down the corridors to the aft exit, almost running into a man and woman waiting outside.
"Sorry," she said.
"It's no problem," the woman said. "We were just waiting for one of the crew."
"My name is Morrel," the man said. "This is my wife Tia. We were hoping to get passage on your ship."
"Well that is up to captain, not me," Gale said. "I need to be off."
"I can help you," a voice said from the shadows. Brace emerged from the darkness. "I'll take you to Farley."
Leaving them behind, Gale returned to Bob and Rum's shack.
"Here you are." She handed the old man the music box.
Bob smiled as he rolled it over in his hands. He turned the crank, producing clear metallic tones. Abruptly he looked at Rum. "Well you go earn your keep and help this young woman."
Gale led Rum to the Starlight.
Brace banged Captain Farley's door. Behind him Tia and Morrel glanced at each other.
Midnight walked up behind them. "What's going on, Brace?"
The pilot turned to him, "I need to book passage for these two. What about you?"
Farley's door slammed open. "What are you waking me up for now?!"
The ship's comms crackled to life. "Glub glub glub," said Vivek.
Brace ignored the interruption. "These people want to book passage."
Farley's face smoothed as he scratched his chin. "I can take you to our next port of call. It will cost you. What do you have?"
The couple quickly haggled with Farley, parting with the majority of their savings.
He charged 2-barter and they had 3.
"Midnight, show them someplace to stay," the captain ordered.
"Sure." The musician gestured down the hall. "Come with me."
Farley turned to Brace. "Now leave me alone."
The captain shouted down the hall after them. "And someone get Vivek off the comms!"
Midnight Storm led Tia and Morrel to an empty bunk. Along the way the pair asked him about the ship, his life and finally his religious beliefs.
"Have you ever considered following a higher calling," Tia asked.
"I can't say I've thought about it," the young man said. "I suppose I could see doing that someday, maybe."
I'm not sure what the details were of this threat since it never really blew up.
Brace considered his options. They had food, Midnight Storm and some barter. All that was left was the water filter.
"Thanks for the help, Brace," Bigs said, absently scratching the scar near his eye.
"I'm glad we could get this done quickly together," Brace said with a smile.
A leather gloved hand landed on Brace's shoulder.
"Oh hi, Shiv," Brace said, his joy fading. "You want to join us? I think we were planning of playing some cards. Right guys?"
"No, sorry, Brace," Tatters said with a yawn. "I don't know about you but I've been up for 18 hours. It's time for bed."
"You wuss," Bigs called after the grease monkey. He looks at Brace. "I'd stay but Ula is missing me. Have to keep the wife happy."
Brace watched his friends leave. He turned to Shiv.
The balding man smashed his face with a spanner. Brace stumbled back then slammed into Shiv's gut. The two wrestled. Brace's right hand found some skin.
I think this might have been just the outcome of a Act Under Fire as they scuffled.
Brace dug his mind into Shiv's. "Shiv, go lock yourself into the cargo hold."
Brace again gets a hit on In-Brain Puppet Strings.
Shiv grunted but didn't test Brace's hold. As he left, the large man said, "this isn’t over."
Elsewhere most of the crew finally slept.
In the medbay, Gale examined Rum and took some blood samples.
"Can you really cure us," the child asked.
"With a bit of help from our...hortoculturist," she said. "It might take some time though. This would be easier if we had some Gallium Carbide. I should check on Tally. Stay here."
Using the workshop: She needed Vivek and either some time or Gallium Carbide to create a cure.
As the door slid open, Gale ran into Midnight Storm.
"What is going on? How did you get free?" she asked.
Midnight brought her up to speed about Vivek and the rescue. "And now he thinks he is a fish or something. I hope he sleeps it off soon."
The medbay door opened again and Tally stumbled in. The young mother's skin was a light gray. Nightingale helped her to bed.
"I need Vivek now," Gale said.
Gale and Midnight searched the ship for the wounded man. Moments after they left, Brace entered the medbay.
"Hey," Rum said.
Brace ignored the child, hsi attention focused on Tally breathing weakly on a bed. The monitor nearby beeped weakly.
"Where is Gale?" he asked.
"Um, I think she and the other guy were looking for someone called Vivek. She said she could cure everyone with his help."
Brace raced out of the room.
Midnight moved through the ship, checking bunks and storage areas for Vivek. As he reached the aft port, he stopped. He looked out fearing the Family might have recovered and be on their way. He locked the hatch.
Vivek waked up. Cold water crashed down on him. He fumbled for the shower knobs. His head clear, he dried off and headed for his bunk.
"Wait up!" Gale shouted. "I need your help."
The medic outlined her plan to him.
"That could work," Vivek responded. "But we don't have enough time to get the Gallium Carbide. Those people will be here for Midnight Storm soon."
Brace and Midnight arrived at the captain’s door at the same time. They glanced at each other and then knocked.
Farley emerged with bags under his eyes. "What the hell is it now?"
"We need to leave soon," Midnight said.
"It's not safe here," Brace added. "People are after Midnight."
"And the dust here is toxic," Midnight said.
"I've gotten us food," Brace told Farley. "The water filter is fixed and you can see that Midnight Storm is safely aboard."
The captain rubbed his head. "Fine. Get a head count."
I probably would include a Manipulate a Person roll here.
The pair split up and counted up the crew. The exterior hatches rang with the sounds of people banging to get in.
Midnight arrived at the bridge a short while later. He found Brace already there. "I saw everyone except Shiv."
"Shiv is on board," Brace assured him.
"Okay," sighed Farley. "Gets us out of here."
A light blinked on Brace's consol.
"The secondary port hatch isn't fully closed, Captain."
"Midnight, Bigs, check it out."
Down in the bowls of the Starlight, the pair discover a slow air leak from an improperly latched door.
"I'm a little worried," Midnight said. "I didn't close this door. Someone might have slipped on board before we took off."
An hour later, Gale finished patching up Vivek and Brace. As she gently placed a bandage on the pilot's temple, she heard a tolling bell.
I'm not sure what threat that related to.
Shiv finally showed up at dinner. Throughout the meal, he didn’t talk.
The captain spoke up as the main course was served. "I've decided our next destination is Megaton. We should all be able to do some trading there in safety."
After dinner, Gale helped Vivek into a space suit. As the Starlight passed a clump of asteroids, the pair did an EVA.
Vivek waved a scanner around, detecting Gallium Carbide in a swiftly spinning rock. As he grabbed it, he heard something inside his suit.
"Pull me in! There's something out here with me."
Gale reeled him in but they found nothing with him when he arrived besides the rock.
This might have been the first instance of my new space madness threat.
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