CHAPTER 3: A HOLE IN THE ACE
February 23rd 2025
Sunday
Wheels Up + 00:26:34
SIMULATION ENGINE RUNNING
TIMEFLOW INTERRUPTED
You are now: ZIXINUS, ETERNAL FREEDOM, PHANT, REPAIR GUY, LARGE WOUNDED DOG, COMBAT JANITOR, SMARMY AMERICAN SAILOR, TROPICAL BEAUTY, IVAN IVANOV, INSANE HISTORIAN, MAD SCIENTIST, CHEEKY BETTY, RI'ANN SHAPP, UNEXPECTED PASSENGER and FUCKER NEWTON (goddamn that's a lot of people!)
You are on a SPACEPLANE. The SPACEPLANE is DESCENDING. The RIDE is VERY BUMPY.
The CORRECTION BURN to ADJUST your TRAJECTORY went SURPRISINGLY WELL. Possibly due to the FACT that FUCKER NEWTON is BUSY PANICKING over your UNEXPECTED PASSENGER.
Due to a minor MIRACLE, your HYDRAULIC LINES have been REPAIRED. The IMPROVISED SEALANT HOLDS somehow and you manage to SURVIVE the WORST parts of RE-ENTRY.
You are on APPROACH to OKHOTS INTERNATIONAL. You are ALIVE. It is PRETTY AWESOME.
FUCKER NEWTON is BLEEDING on the FLOOR. It is EVEN AWESOMER.
ETERNAL FREEDOM SAYS something about being EVEN AWESOMER than DEFEATED FUCKER NEWTON. You tend to AGREE.
You TOUCH DOWN at T + 00:48:32.
You are ALIVE.
You are on the GROUND.
Code: Select all
MISSION COMPLETE
MISSION SUMMARY
TIME: 00:48:32
MONEY EARNED: 0 $
PASSENGER CASUALTIES: 0
===SYSTEMS DAMAGE===
MAIN COMPUTER - DAMAGED
FLIGHT SURFACES - OK
HEAT SHIELD - DAMAGED
RADIO - OK
HYDRAULICS - PARTIALLY DESTROYED
RADIATOR - OK
INTERIOR - RUINED BY BODILY FLUIDS AND FIRE (AGAIN)
DOCKING CLAMP - OK
RADAR - OK
COCKPIT INSTRUMENTATION - DAMAGED
===CARGO===
RANDOM SPARE PARTS (9)
MK 84 2000LB LOW DRAG MUNITIONS (3)
FUELING HOSES (4)
MOSTLY USED UP MEDKIT (1)
SPECIALIZED TOOLBOXES (2)
===FUEL LEVELS===
SCRAM FUEL: 0%
MAIN ENGINE FUEL: 2%
RCS FUEL: 88%
APU FUEL: 95%
February 23rd 2025
Sunday
ROUND 1
Okhotsk International Airport
Russia
You are now: ZIXINUS, ETERNAL FREEDOM, PHANT, REPAIR GUY, LARGE WOUNDED DOG, COMBAT JANITOR, SMARMY AMERICAN SAILOR, TROPICAL BEAUTY, IVAN IVANOV, QUIET HISTORIAN, MAD SCIENTIST, CHEEKY BETTY, RI'ANN SHAPP and UNEXPECTED PASSENGER.
You are at an AIRPORT. The AIRPORT is RUN DOWN and in DISREPAIR. You have been TOWED to a RAMP near the PUBLIC TERMINAL. You have OPENED the HATCHES and can BREATHE ATMOSPHERIC AIR again. The ATMOSPHERIC AIR is RELATIVELY FRESH.
As you PILE OUT of the MAGNIFICENT SPACEPLANE, you see two YOUNG RUSSIANS approach you across the TARMAC. They are WEARING nicely tailored SUITS. They STRONGLY remind you of SOMEONE. They seem TAKEN ABACK at your VERY STAINED FLIGHT SUITS and the FAINT SMELL of FIRE.
They RECOVER quickly. They must have SMELLED MONEY.
SMALLER RUSSIAN Says: Welcome! Welcome travellers from far away. It is Okhotsk! It is finest airport in Russia! Russia, the greatest country in the world, da! Not like those communist Amerikanskis!
There is a BURST of AUTOMATIC FIRE from SOMEWHERE NEARBY. It is IGNORED.
BIGGER RUSSIAN GRUNTS.
SMALLER RUSSIAN Says: Da, well said, Syergyei! I introduce myself now, da? I am Ivan Pyotrevich, CEO. This is my
enforcer security director, Syergyei Iosefovich!
SYERGYEY IOSEFOVICH GRUNTS
IVAN PYOTREVICH Says: Da! You are wealthy customers, da? Had some trouble, but no worries, no worries, we can furnish you!
There is an EXPLOSION some DISTANCE away. A HEAVILY ARMED AIRPLANE flies OVERHEAD.
IVAN PYOTREVICH Says: Forgive noise, transport companies are having dispute. It will be solved soon. Would you like to use VIP terminal for your magnificent spaceplane? It has cable!
SYERGYEY IOSEFOVICH GRUNTS
IVAN PYOTREVICH Says: Da! And a fence! You want a fence! Price very reasonable, da!
SUAVE PLAYBOY STAGGERS out of the SPACEPLANE. He is ZIPPING UP his FLIGHT SUIT. TROPICAL BEAUTY FOLLOWS him. Her HAIR is RAGGED. She is SMILING WISTFULLY.
IVAN PYOTREVICH: Oh, must be your important passenger! Da, welcome, sir!
IVAN PYOTREVICH is SUDDENLY ALL OVER the SUAVE PLAYBOY. He is PRESENTING his AIRPORT'S many SERVICES in the HOPE of EARNING some CASH.
SYGERGYEY IOSEFOVICH GRUNTS in IRRITATION.
What do you do? _
