Welcome back aboard the Nibelungen where we left Zane and Quk alone with a more than strange behaving Clara. And what does it mean that she is a prototype? Probably we will find out in this part of the adventure of the Scum of the Gateway Domain.
Scene #10 – You seem … different?!
The flicker in Clara’s irises faded abruptly; her body slumped like a marionette snipped free of strings. Zane lunged forward, barely catching her before she hit the cold floor. His guttural shout, “Quk!“, echoed through the dim cabin. Moments later, Quk materialized at the threshold, his gaze snapping to Clara’s lifeless form as Zane gently laid her on the bed.
“What has happened here, sir?” Quk demanded, worry etching lines across his face.
Zane’s breath came ragged, recounting how he’d found Clara—her eyes a sinister beacon in the dark, voice alien and unsettling. Suspicion hung heavy: Zane was certain Quk’s experimental device had gone rogue.
Quk bent over the unconscious woman, fingers deftly inspecting the tech affixed to her temple. Minutes stretched into tension-filled seconds before he straightened up. “Everything checks out,” Quk announced with a puzzled frown. “The device’s functioning normally. It didn’t cause this.“
Clara stirred eventually, eyes fluttering open, confusion and defensiveness clouding them as she met Zane’s intense stare. “What are you doing here? Why the look?” Her voice was raw, like rust scraping metal.
Zane’s reply came sharp-edged. “I returned from the station expecting a chat but got silence instead. Found you in pitch black, eyes glowing weird shit. Your voice—gods, it wasn’t you. Freaked me right out.“
The tension between them simmered, unresolved yet palpable. Zane’s instincts screamed malfunction, but Quk’s diagnostics painted an unsettling clarity: the cause remained shrouded deeper than their immediate grasp. Clara herself was now a puzzle piece in a game none of them fully understood.
Clara’s face twisted in pain, her hands clawing at her temples. “I can’t remember anything,” she gasped, eyes wide with genuine fear. “That pounding headache … it’s like something’s trying to burst out.” She struggled to sit upright, each movement a battle against unseen forces.
Zane watched the turmoil on her face and his voice hardened. “The device—it isn’t operating as we hoped,” he directed at Quk but softened it for his colleague’s sake. “Not a failure in skill, just … not what we anticipated.“
With firm hands, Zane urged Clara back onto her cot, his urgency undercut by the gravity of their situation. “Rest now; Quk will keep an eye on things.” His tone brooked no argument before he turned and left, his footsteps echoing down the ship’s shadowed corridors to the bridge.
The Nibelungen’s engines roared to life, a beast awakened from slumber as they departed the landing bay. Zane focused intently, fingers dancing over controls, calculating their jump with the precision of someone navigating treacherous waters. Hours bled into the endless void of space-time until finally, the ship plunged into jumpspace.
Scene 11 – A little extra
As dawn’s artificial light filtered through the Nibelungen, Clara and Zane convened in the dimly lit bridge, their eyes tracing the ethereal glow of jumpspace outside the viewport.
Zane broke the silence with a blunt question: “So, what in the void was that yesterday?”
Clara’s voice carried a rare vulnerability. “I don’t know for sure,” she began hesitantly. “But considering … my unique origin as an experimental Blank and Widow clone, there’s a wild thought—could they have some form of remote control over me? It sounds mad …”
Zane’s gaze drifted through the shimmering void, pondering her words. His response was a mixture of skepticism and unease. “Fuck, Clara… that’s a leap. We’re still tethered to couriers for data speeds. The idea they could exert control over light-years feels like science fiction. It’s absurd.”
A pause lingered between them as the reality of their predicament settled in. Eventually, Clara nodded, her own logic aligning with his doubt. “You’re right,” she admitted softly. The notion remained a troubling whisper but, for now, they both conceded it to the realm of improbable fears.
Zane spun on his heel, face taut with resolve as he barked to the ship’s AI, “Close and lock the door.” The command slid through the air like gravel, answered by a soft hiss and a confirming beep. Every eye shifted towards the now-sealed entrance—a clear sign no distractions would infiltrate their space.
His next words were heavy with gravity. “Listen up, Clara… we made it off Tahon Rez, but this spiral ain’t slowing down.” His sentence hung unfinished as a misplaced pocket betrayed him, spilling its contents across the bridge’s floor in an untidy sprawl. “Ah, damn!” Zane muttered, scrambling to gather the scattered remnants of his hastily-packed essentials.
Mid-collection, something glinted from under one of the consoles – a small device, cunningly hidden. “Well, would ya look at this,” he muttered with feigned casualness, snatching it up. His eyes met Clara’s for an instant, a wry smile playing at his lips. “I told you before, don’t leave your mess around here. This cleanup duty isn’t my favorite chore.” A wink followed, but the weight of the device in his hand spoke volumes.
Clara’s nod was sharp, a silent agreement that this wasn’t just junk. Mimicking a locking motion over her lips, she acknowledged their unspoken pact: no loose tongues on this find. Zane’s gesture mimicked pressing talk, emphasizing the importance—or danger—hidden within that small piece of tech.
From outside the bridge door, Quk’s voice cut through their tension. “Permission to enter?” Zane hesitated, a quick glance at Clara sparking a reluctant grin before he responded with an edge of forced levity. “One moment, Quk! We were just… uh, having some private human-to-clone time. You know how it is.”
Clara’s gesture was a mix of exasperation and mock surrender as she slumped back into her chair that said: Really? This now? Quk’s voice carried a touch of bewildered amusement through the door. “Alright then, I’ll wait in my cabin!”
With a casual shrug, Zane gave Clara an affirmative thumb—a silent agreement to navigate this awkwardness without breaking their focus. The device’s presence gnawed at them both; it wasn’t staying on the bridge, not when its origins screamed unknown risks. A shared look sealed their decision: the airlock offered both a vault and a quick escape hatch.
“Ever used the airlock mid-jump?” Zane posed the question with cautious curiosity.
Clara shook her head, eyes meeting his with a mix of challenge and practicality. “Nope, but it can’t be more perilous than whatever’s on that thing.” She nodded towards the device, its silent threat palpable.
They moved methodically, placing the small menace into the airlock chamber like disarming a ticking bomb. The hiss of decompression filled their ears as they retreated to safer quarters, the device now adrift in jumpspace. Relief washed over them; the Nibelungen remained intact and, for now, so did their secrecy.
Their steps echoed down the corridor towards Quk’s cabin. Time to reassure—or at least offer plausible deniability—to a crew member who’d unwittingly been left on the outside of an uneasy but necessary deception.
Scene 12 – Let me handle this!
Zane’s voice cut through the brief silence as they stood before Quk’s cabin: “Quk! We’re here,” he announced, a note of practiced normalcy in his tone. From within, Quk’s response came, a little cautious but inviting: “Come on in.” The door slid open with a hushed whoosh. Clara wasted no time, her question direct: “What was it you needed to discuss?”
Quk’s pause lingered – a perceptive flicker crossing his expression as he sensed the undercurrent of something amiss, yet unable to grasp its nature. Finally, he continued, voice measured:
“Mr. Douglas, Clara, I believe we need to readjust your device settings for compatibility with the Blacksand Network.”
Zane’s eyes flicked briefly to Clara – a silent exchange of cautious readiness before she nodded, her response succinct but laden with trust. “Go on then.”
As Quk methodically detached the device from Clara’s neck, Zane’s attention sharpened into laser focus. Each motion, each press of controls was etched into his memory like carvings in stone – a mental inventory crucial for their next move.
The device’s reattachment brought a sharp pang to Clara’s temples. She steadied herself with both hands, eyes momentarily squeezed shut before lifting her gaze to Zane, her voice tinged with an edge of strain: “Okay… I’m fine. Let’s get back and resume our course.” Zane caught the subtle nuance in her tone – she wanted a private moment away from Quk’s earshot.
Back on the bridge, Clara didn’t waste time cloaking her misgivings. “I don’t know, Zane,” she began, leaning into the console as if bracing herself against unseen currents. “Something’s off with Quk. Ever since he stepped up, our luck took a nosedive. We were never this close to being caught so frequently.”
The bridge lights cast long shadows over Zane’s thoughtful expression. “You’re right,” he echoed, the weight of their shared realizations settling into his tone. “From the moment Quk took a central role, our situation went from precarious to perilous.”
He paused, the words hanging before adding with deliberate caution: “And every time that device touches your brain, you… well, let’s just say, your usual quirks don’t quite match up anymore.” Clara’s reaction was swift and emphatic – a playful but firm smack to Zane’s shoulder. “Asshole! This is serious!”
The tension hung palpable between them, but beneath the sharp words lay a unifying resolve: whatever game Quk might be playing, they’d face it head-on. Zane’s voice broke the tense deliberation: “Ok then – but what’s our move with Quk? Should we try to decipher his game first?”
Clara, her usual decisiveness tempered by a new edge of caution, thought briefly before replying, firm and unequivocal: “First things first. We need this damn device off me if it’s causing the change.”
She turned slightly, letting Zane gently brush away strands of her ginger hair to get a clearer access. His fingers worked with a mix of practiced detachment and focused care as he mimicked Quk’s earlier actions. A faint beep heralded success; the mechanical click followed by a subtle release confirmed the device was free.
Zane’s inspection revealed retracted needles, their presence a chilling testament to potential tampering. He pointed them out with grim clarity: “These… they jabbed right into your skin.” His eyes shifted to her neck, where three tiny punctures marked their intrusion. “No medic here, but that looks suspiciously close to neural pathways.”
Clara’s fingers hovered over the site on her neck, a quiet inquiry forming: “You think…” But Zane’s interruption was swift, borne of sudden clarity. “I reckon there isn’t a single piece of kit here that Quk claimed he needed for this device.” He turned the small contraption in his hands, eyes narrowing. “I bet it was already in his possession when he boarded. The slimy little …”
Mid-accusation, the device sprang to life with an ominous vibration and a signal indicating functionality. “And THIS,” Zane pointedly added, meeting Clara’s gaze, “might be the root of your… altered state.”
Without hesitation, he raised his boot and brought it down with decisive force. The device cracked underfoot, its operational hum extinguished in an instant.
Zane’s voice cut through the stale air. “What are we doing with him?,” he demanded, eyes flicking to Clara’s resolute but weary face.
Clara stared back, her expression a battlefield of doubt and pragmatic dread. “I don’t know,” she admitted, her tone as sharp-edged as the blade they might have used. “We can’t just off him on a hunch; he might not be the Black Widows’ pawn, but my gut’s singing otherwise.”
Zane leaned forward, the weight of their precarious situation pressing down. “Should we confront him?” A pause, pregnant with possibilities. “Now or when we hit Kishimaa?”
Zane’s eyes narrowed on Clara as if her answer might reveal more than mere words. The suggestion he might belong to the Blacksand Widows wasn’t idle; it was a festering suspicion.
Clara’s reply came with a calculated indifference—her go-to mask for uncertainty. She weighed options like dice in a desperate hand, finally settling on subterfuge. “Why confront when we can maneuver?” she proposed, her voice cutting through the ambient hum of the ship’s engine. Her plan was straightforward: trick him into disembarking before they reached Kishimaa, then disappear into the stars without looking back.
Zane mulled over this. His pragmatism clashed briefly with his distrust but found a cold logic in Clara’s suggestion. They couldn’t afford another mistake or a fight that might expose them. With a slow nod, he agreed. The air between them thickened, an unspoken pact forged: they’d orchestrate the sophont’s departure, sever ties cleanly before trouble could brew.
Scene #13 – Adios, sophont!
The Nibelungen’s engines groaned to a stop as they settled on Kishimaa station, the landing reverberating through the hull like a guttural sigh. Zane and Clara wasted no time, their boots echoing against metal corridors as they approached Quk. The conversation was brief but laced with unspoken tension.
“Quk, we’re off to sell our cargo,” Zane muttered, his voice carrying an edge of casual indifference that belied the underlying calculations. “Meet us later in the bar on the far end. We might have something worth discussing.”
Quk nodded politely, a worm-like figure wrapped in vibrant blankets—an image that now took on sinister undertones in Clara’s mind. As they moved away from their ship, she pulled Zane aside with an urgency that spoke volumes. “Did you see how Quk tucked a blaster beneath his blankets before we left?” Her tone was low but firm.
Zane’s grin flashed briefly, more a baring of teeth than amusement. “Looks like our ‘friend’ just handed us the ace.” He steered Clara towards a cluster of station security, his posture shifting seamlessly from relaxed to resolute.
“Excuse me,” Zane addressed the officers with feigned nonchalance, but his words carried weight. “I need to report someone in possession of illegal weapons. There’s a sophont waiting in the bar down this way—easy to spot, colorful blankets, worm-like.” Security officers turned, curiosity piqued by the urgency in his voice. “We’re small-time haulers,” Zane continued, laying on the innocence like a shield. “The sophont tried to drag us into illegal goods—threatened us with that blaster. Said he’d make things tough if we didn’t comply.” He glanced meaningfully at Clara, amplifying their vulnerability. “Even threatened her.”
“Can I see your IDs?” one officer demanded, skeptical yet intrigued by Zane’s history.
Zane handed over his ID without hesitation, the metal tags glinting under artificial lights. The officer scanned it, murmured a brief “Hmm … ex-Imperial Navy scout, high rank,” then addressed their group decisively. “We’ll handle this situation, sir.”
As security moved with purpose towards the bar, Zane and Clara exchanged a knowing glance—one part relief, one part satisfaction that sometimes, in this gritty universe, doing the right thing meant playing a deft hand of deception.
The air was thick with smug satisfaction as Zane and Clara watched Quk escorted away by the security guards. Their silent exchange spoke volumes—they relished this small, yet significant victory over a potential threat.
“Time’s of the essence,” Zane murmured, already briskly walking back to their ship. “Let’s move; no sense lingering.”
Inside the Nibelungen, Clara had efficiently prepped for departure. Cargo was unloaded swiftly at a premium price—30% above the usual, a pleasant surprise that lifted Zane’s spirits further.
“Ready to depart,” she confirmed with practiced efficiency.
Zane plotted their next course as they ascended into space, his mind whirring through possibilities. “Random jumps seem wise for now. We shake off any potential fallout from Quk’s arrest and find our next opportunity.”
Engines roared to life, propelling them towards the void.
To be continued?
That concludes this adventure of the Nibelungen. I played using the Adventure Crafter and was quite suprised that in the altered scene 12, a conclusion of the main plotline was announced. It was not that simple to get everything to an end while hanging in jumpspace, so I added a final scene 13. I will pause the adventures of Zane and Clara for now and will return in some weeks.
I hope you liked the story so far.
Sources used:
– Traveller Core Rulebook 2022 Update (Mongoose Publishing Ltd.)
– Traveller Companion 2024 Update (Mongoose Publishing Ltd.)
– Traveller The Trailing Frontier (Mongoose Publishing Ltd.)
– T20 Gateway to Destiny (QuickLink Interactive Inc.)
– Mythic GME 2nd Edition (Word Mill Games)
– The Adventure Crafter (Word Mill Games)
