Miko follows the maintenance bypass into the backup plant room, still carrying her repair kit. Coolant pipes vibrate overhead, and auxiliary output controls glow across a dust filmed console.
A clipboard rests beside the controls beneath a handwritten service log. The latest entry records repeated attempts to redirect auxiliary power toward an exterior access gate, but names no operator.
Miko
The gate circuit was being powered deliberately.
Below the latest entry, older notes describe interrupted transfers, manual resets, and equipment moved between the plant and the lower corridor. None identifies who performed the work.
A metal door bangs somewhere beyond the plant room. The impact shudders through the pipes, followed by a scraping drag and the irregular clatter of heavy equipment crossing concrete.
The sounds draw closer along the service passage. Whoever made the recorded attempts is returning before Miko can finish reviewing the notes, and the plant room offers only a narrow doorway and humming control banks.
Another bang strikes the door outside. The output controls continue their steady cycle while a shadow briefly interrupts the corridor light beyond the entrance.
✓ Quest Accepted
Protect the backup plant controls
✓ Quest Accepted
Identify the operator behind the power diversions
“I watch the corridor shadow and prepare to confront whoever returns.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Perception, rolled +0)
Miko fixes her attention on the corridor shadow and brings her firearm into a ready position. The pipe vibration separates from the approaching footsteps, revealing a lone returning survivor.
A young adult woman with pale skin, a narrow freckled face, and a chipped front tooth steps into the doorway, lean and rain-streaked, with cropped dark hair, a gray utility coat, and a battered equipment case held against her hip. Her wary eyes track Miko and the control banks.
The Unseen Returner
Easy. I am not infected, and I am not here to damage the plant.
She stops fully in the doorway, keeping both hands visible around the case. Dust coats her boots, and a fresh scrape marks one sleeve, but her movements remain coordinated and deliberate.
The Unseen Returner
The gate circuit needs a local reset. I came back for the access key and found you at the controls.
Miko has the returning individual contained in clear view, with the narrow doorway between them and the humming control banks behind her. No second movement follows in the passage.
The Unseen Returner
My name is Mara Venn. If you lower that weapon, I can explain which gate I was trying to power.
Miko
The corridor behind her is clear.
Quest Complete
Protect the backup plant controls
“i lower my weapon and let her speak”
SUCCESS (Legendary Negotiation, rolled -2)
Miko lowers her firearm, keeping it pointed safely toward the floor. The gesture gives Mara room to speak, but surrenders the immediate advantage of the weapon's aim.
The Unseen Returner
Thank you. The gate is an exterior service gate, not a containment door. It opens onto the west access road, where my people are waiting for the reset.
Mara relaxes by a fraction, though she keeps the battered equipment case close. With Miko's weapon lowered, the returning woman now controls the conversation's pace and the access key's location.
The Unseen Returner
I was trying to bring the gate online long enough to move supplies through. The resets failed because the plant would not accept an outside command.
She shifts the case onto the console edge and opens it. Inside rests a tagged access key, a manual reset tool, and several damp circuit diagrams marked with the same gate symbol.
The Unseen Returner
I can show you the reset sequence now. But if you want the gate opened, you will have to let me operate the panel.
✓ Quest Accepted
Resolve Mara's access to the exterior gate circuit
“i lower my weapon and let her speak”
SUCCESS (Legendary Negotiation, rolled +0)
Mara spreads the damp diagrams across the console, keeping one hand beside the access key. The gate symbol matches the service circuit identified in the plant records.
The Unseen Returner
The reset is simple once the plant accepts local control. I place the key here, bridge this contact, then hold the reset until the gate motor draws power.
She points to a recessed socket beneath the output controls, then to a manual breaker protected by a clear cover. No damaged wiring or hidden second operator appears in the cramped plant room.
The Unseen Returner
My people are west of the station, sheltering near the access road. We have water and food, but the road is blocked until that gate opens.
The control bank continues its steady cycle. A small indicator beside the socket changes from amber to green as Miko's lowered weapon and Mara's calm explanation leave the room quiet enough to work.
The Unseen Returner
You can watch every step. I only need access to the panel, and I will tell you before I touch anything else.
“I let Mara perform the local gate reset”
SUCCESS (Legendary Negotiation, rolled +1)
Miko steps aside from the controls and keeps her firearm lowered. Mara places the tagged key in the recessed socket, then opens the clear breaker cover.
The Unseen Returner
I am taking local control now. Watch the green indicator, then the gate draw.
Mara bridges the marked contact with the reset tool. The socket light turns green, and the plant's steady output shifts toward the exterior gate circuit without disturbing the cooling pumps.
The Unseen Returner
The plant accepts it. I am holding the reset until the motor takes power.
She holds the tool against the contact and pulls the breaker fully down. A heavy motor engages somewhere beyond the station, followed by the grinding release of the west gate.
The Unseen Returner
The gate is open. My people can move the supplies through now, and the cooling circuit remains stable.
The access indicator settles green. Mara removes the key, resets the tool, and leaves the breaker secured while the open west route becomes visible on the station monitor.
Quest Complete
Identify the operator behind the power diversions
Skill Upgrade: Tracking Superb→Legendary
“I ask Mara what her people know”
SUCCESS (Legendary Negotiation, rolled +0)
Miko
What do your people know?
The Unseen Returner
They know the western road is passable beyond the gate, and that the depot stores water, fuel, and spare parts. They also know the station is empty of staff.
Mara folds the damp diagrams and studies the green access indicator. Her guarded expression eases as she decides how much more to reveal.
The Unseen Returner
My people saw infected moving near the eastern service road yesterday. They avoided the station afterward. None of us entered the reactor levels before I came here.
The plant hums steadily behind her. On the station monitor, the opened west route extends toward a dark road bordered by flooded drainage ditches and abandoned maintenance sheds.
The Unseen Returner
They know there are supplies waiting west of here, but not who left them or whether the route remains safe. They sent me to verify the gate.
Mara closes the equipment case and keeps the access key in her palm. Her information identifies the road, the nearby infected, and the limits of her group's knowledge.
“i ask if it's the town that has the military base in it”
SUCCESS (Legendary Negotiation, rolled +0)
Miko
Is that the town with the military base in it?
The Unseen Returner
Yes. The base sits on the town's northern edge, beyond the flooded streets and the old transport basin.
Mara taps the western road on the station monitor, then traces a route north with one finger. The military base lies beyond the same drowned district Miko crossed earlier.
The Unseen Returner
My people never entered it. We saw the perimeter and the upper structures from the eastern road, but the flood blocked the direct approach.
The monitor shows the opened western gate, the flooded town beyond it, and a northern route bending toward the base. Mara's information fits the landmarks Miko already recognized.
The Unseen Returner
If you are heading there, avoid the eastern service road. That is where my people saw the infected gathering yesterday.
“i say that i came from that direction in my enlarged enormous tracked APC before coming here”
SUCCESS (Legendary Negotiation, rolled +3)
Miko
I came from that direction in my enlarged, enormous tracked APC before coming here.
The Unseen Returner
You crossed the flooded town in that vehicle, then reached the military base and came back through the western route?
Mara studies Miko with open surprise, then glances toward the monitor showing the west gate and the drowned roads beyond it. Her guarded posture eases further.
The Unseen Returner
Then you know the western approach is usable. My people can guide you around the eastern infected and mark the dry crossings.
She turns the monitor toward Miko and enters a route marker beside the western road. A second access point appears on the station map, leading around the flooded streets toward the base's northern edge.
The Unseen Returner
I will tell them your vehicle cleared that route. They can keep the gate open and meet you at the west road without mistaking you for a threat.
The new route marker remains green beside the open gate symbol. Mara secures the access key and waits beside the controls, ready to coordinate her people while Miko has a clearer approach to the base.
“I ask Mara to coordinate her people's arrival”
SUCCESS (Legendary Negotiation, rolled +0)
Miko
Coordinate your people's arrival. I want clear recognition at the west road and a safe passage for everyone.
The Unseen Returner
Agreed. I will send the route, your vehicle's description, and the recognition signal now.
Mara keys the station radio and transmits through the open gate circuit. She gives precise landmarks, the western road marker, and instructions to approach without raising weapons.
The Unseen Returner
They will arrive in a small group, carrying white cloth on their packs. Keep your turret still, and they will know you are the vehicle I cleared.
A reply crackles through the radio. Minutes later, three survivors emerge along the western road, their hands visible and white cloth tied to their packs. They stop at Mara's signal.
The Unseen Returner
The passage is coordinated. They recognize you, and I have told them your route is protected. We can move through the gate together.
Mara's people remain in the marked approach, separated from the station by clear pavement and open sightlines. The gate stays open, and both sides now have an agreed signal and route.
“I move through the west gate with Mara's group”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled +2)
Miko guides the enlarged APC through the open west gate with Mara and her people moving alongside on foot. White cloth remains tied to their packs, and no weapon rises as the group crosses the marked pavement.
The Unseen Returner
Keep left of the drainage ditch. The pavement is firm there, and the road stays clear to the western sheds.
Mara walks beside the APC's forward quarter, signaling her people around scattered branches and flooded cracks. The vehicle clears the gate without contact, and its turret remains still as requested.
The Unseen Returner
We are through. The access road beyond the sheds leads toward the drowned town, but we can stop at the dry rise and compare routes.
Mara's people regroup beyond the gate, keeping their white markers visible. Their supplies remain secured, the west route stays open behind them, and the station's green access light recedes in the rain.
The Unseen Returner
Your vehicle gives us cover, and our scouts know the dry crossings. We can reach the rise together before deciding whether to continue north.
The APC and Mara's people proceed west along the cleared road. Ahead, the dark sheds break into a broader rise, where fresh tire marks and several branching routes wait to be examined.
“I reach the dry rise with Mara's group”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled -1)
The APC climbs onto the dry rise without slipping. Mara and her people reach the crest beside it, where the flooded town spreads below in broken streets and dark rooftops.
The Unseen Returner
We made it. From here, the western road stays above the worst flooding, and the northern route bends toward the base.
Mara's people fan out along the crest, keeping their white cloth visible while they examine tire marks, drainage channels, and the raised road beyond the sheds.
The Unseen Returner
Those fresh tracks are ours from yesterday. The road held until the second bend, then the water covered the lower crossing.
She points across the drowned district toward a line of intact utility poles. A higher service road parallels them, offering a visible route north with several dry shoulders.
The Unseen Returner
We can guide you along that line. If the water has not risen, it will bring us to the base's western edge.
The group is safely assembled on the rise, with the APC positioned above the flood and both routes visible. Mara waits beside the driver's side, ready to lead.
Miko leaves dry rise behind and arrives at military base.
“I follow the utility poles toward the base”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled +1)
The utility poles lead Miko to the military base's western edge, where cracked pavement rises above flooded lots. Wind rattles loose warning signs along the perimeter fence.
The western gate stands open beneath a sagging security arch. Beyond it, abandoned barracks and maintenance sheds form dark lanes, while rainwater glints across the parade ground.
Miko
The gate mechanism is recently disturbed.
A cluster of infected stumbles between the outer sheds, drawn by some unseen disturbance. Their movement leaves the main access lane clear, but more silhouettes shift behind the motor pool.
The Radio Voice
You have reached the base perimeter. I am detecting movement inside the western compound, concentrated near the motor pool.
A weathered checkpoint booth sits beside the open gate, its panel still carrying a faint green glow. Fresh scrape marks cross the threshold, leading inward toward the silent vehicle bays.
The base is accessible, the western approach remains clear, and the disturbed checkpoint offers a nearby place to inspect before the infected drift into the open lane.
“I bypass the motor pool through the sheds and found tungsten plates inside”
SUCCESS (Mediocre Scavenging, rolled +2)
Miko bypasses the motor pool through the western sheds, keeping the dark vehicle bays behind corrugated walls. Rain ticks on the roofs while distant infected noises fade across the parade ground.
The shed interiors hold abandoned tools, fuel cans, and collapsed shelving. Miko follows old maintenance markings toward a locked materials cage tucked behind stacked engine housings.
She opens the cage with controlled force and searches the labeled bins. Beneath oilcloth and packing foam, dense gray plates fill a reinforced storage rack.
The plates are tungsten, cut into usable armor sections and protected from corrosion. Miko checks their weight, dimensions, and mounting holes before gathering the complete set.
The Radio Voice
I have your position. The sheds remain concealed from the motor pool, and the storage find is substantial. Keep the exterior route clear while you carry it out.
Miko secures the tungsten plates into a wheeled maintenance cart and moves them through the shed passage toward the western gate. The salvage is recovered and ready for transport.
+ New Item Acquired
Tungsten armor plates
“I load the tungsten plates into the APC”
SUCCESS (Superb Strength, rolled -1)
Miko rolls the maintenance cart beneath the APC's open rear hatch. She braces the first tungsten plate, lifts it cleanly, and slides it onto the reinforced storage rails.
One plate follows another into the vehicle. Miko uses the cart's leverage and her own strength to load the complete set without dropping or deforming any section.
Inside the storage bay, she stacks the plates against the secured rack and fits their mounting holes beneath the retaining bars. The dense armor settles into a stable load.
The Radio Voice
The plates are aboard. Their weight is centered, and the APC's suspension remains within tolerance.
Miko locks the rack, checks each retaining bar, and closes the rear hatch. The tungsten armor is now secured inside the APC, protected from rain and ready for installation.
Beyond the western sheds, infected noises shift closer across the parade ground. The loaded APC remains concealed beside the gate, while the materials cage and maintenance passage stay accessible behind it.
“I start the APC and leave the western gate”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled -1)
Miko starts the APC. Its paired tracks engage with a controlled surge, and the concealed vehicle rolls from beside the western sheds toward the open gate as infected noises gather across the parade ground.
She keeps the APC tight against the shed line, using the corrugated walls to screen the movement. Five infected wander between the motor-pool buildings, but none turns quickly enough to intercept her.
The Radio Voice
The gate lane is clear. Your departure is drawing the infected toward the motor pool, away from the western road.
Miko threads the APC beneath the sagging security arch without striking the booth or fence. One track clips a fallen sign and shoves it aside, widening the passage behind her.
The APC exits the western gate and reaches the raised pavement beyond the perimeter. Rain washes across the tungsten-loaded rear compartment while the base recedes behind the open arch.
The Radio Voice
You are outside. The west road remains open, and the infected are now concentrated inside the compound. Your route is clear.
Miko continues along the elevated road, leaving the gate behind. Fresh tire marks appear ahead beside the utility poles, leading west toward the dry rise and the routes beyond the drowned town.
Miko leaves raised west road beyond the military base behind and arrives at dry rise.
“I follow the fresh tracks toward the dry rise”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled +1)
The APC reaches the dry rise, where firm gravel crowns the flooded district. Wind combs flattened weeds around utility poles, and the drowned town spreads below in silver patches beneath the rain.
Fresh tire tracks cross the rise and divide around a collapsed drainage cut. One branch follows the poles west toward the agricultural depot, while another climbs north along an intact service road.
Miko
The northern service road remains passable.
The Radio Voice
You have reached the dry rise. The northern route is clear on my map, and I am detecting no movement near the road.
Miko angles the APC beside a concrete survey marker and scans the exposed ground. A weatherproof route box stands open nearby, its faded map showing the base, the depot, and several elevated crossings.
The route box contains a sealed packet of road flares and a maintenance key tagged for the northern service road. Both are dry, accessible, and useful for the next crossing.
The Radio Voice
The rise gives you a secure overlook and two usable routes. The northern road offers the shortest approach to the base.
Rain softens the tire marks behind Miko, but the elevated road ahead stays firm. The APC is positioned to continue north or return west without turning in the flooded lowland.
“I reinforce the APC and myself with tungsten armor plates”
SUCCESS (Legendary Repair, rolled +0)
Miko unloads the tungsten plates beside the APC on the dry rise. She measures each section against the layered hull, marks mounting points, and sets the portable welder beside the repair kit.
She cuts the plates into fitted sections, then welds them across the front glacis, side housings, roof edges, and vulnerable joints. Bright sparks scatter across the rain-dark gravel as every seam closes flush.
The Radio Voice
The added armor is distributing evenly. Your suspension remains within tolerance, and the hull protection is substantially improved.
Miko reinforces the turret collar and hatch surrounds, then pressure-checks the sealed rooms. The tungsten plates hold firm without obstructing the airlocks, controls, tracks, or emergency exits.
She uses the remaining plates to build compact armor panels over her torso, shoulders, forearms, thighs, and joints, securing them without limiting her movement or access to tools.
Miko tests her range of motion, then walks around the APC and checks each fresh weld. The reinforced vehicle and her own plating withstand the inspection without shifting or cracking.
The Radio Voice
The armor work is complete. You can continue north with stronger protection and no loss of mobility.
Miko leaves dry rise behind and arrives at agricultural depot.
“I follow the utility poles west to the depot”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled -1)
The APC reaches the agricultural depot beneath low gray clouds. Concrete sheds and upright silos rise above the shallow drainage channel, their wet walls reflecting the vehicle's lights.
Miko guides the armored vehicle through the open service gate and onto firm gravel. A blinking exterior lamp marks the operations building, while powered equipment hums faintly behind its sealed door.
Miko
The depot is reachable, powered, and structurally sound.
The APC settles beside the operations building without slipping. Beyond the fence, fresh tire tracks circle the silos and end beside a loading platform sheltered from the rain.
Miko's sensors identify fuel-transfer piping, a maintenance shed, and stacked agricultural containers beneath the platform. The supplies are accessible, and none shows signs of recent damage.
Inside the building, the intermittent signal continues its deliberate pulse. A side window stands cracked open, revealing a lit control panel and a paper route map pinned beside it.
The depot offers fuel, equipment, and shelter above the drainage channel. The lit control panel provides a clear next point of inspection while the APC remains secured outside.
“i use the equipment to upgrade the inside of the enlarged enormous tracked APC and refuel it”
SUCCESS (Legendary Repair, rolled -1)
Miko opens the APC's interior panels and brings the portable welder, repair kit, and depot equipment inside. She clears the central passage before beginning the refit.
She reinforces the interior partitions, adds brackets beneath the storage racks, and fits sealed tool mounts along the maintenance room walls. The new fittings leave the airlock and emergency exits unobstructed.
Miko upgrades the control room with protected cable channels, sturdier instrument mounts, and labeled access panels. She secures loose equipment so it cannot shift when the APC crosses rough ground or flooded streets.
In the sleeping and medical-storage rooms, she installs additional shelving, restraint bars, and sealed bins. The expanded interior becomes cleaner, stronger, and easier to service without reducing usable space.
Miko carries fuel hoses from the maintenance shed to the APC's protected fill point. She transfers fuel from the depot supply, monitoring the level and checking every connection for leaks.
The tanks fill to a secure operating reserve. Miko closes the cap, wipes the fittings, and tests the fuel circuit; the engine starts cleanly and holds a steady idle.
Miko
The interior upgrades are secure, and the fuel reserve supports extended movement.
+ New Item Acquired
Fuel reserve
“I will report the fueled APC's route to Mara over the radio.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Negotiation, rolled -2)
“I will report the fueled APC's route to Mara over the radio.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Negotiation, rolled +2)
Miko
Mara, the APC is fueled and ready. I am at the agricultural depot, and the western route to the dry rise remains usable. From there, I can take the northern service road toward the base.
Miko transmits the route report through the depot's powered radio, giving Mara the depot marker, the elevated crossing, and the northern road. The signal carries cleanly through the rain.
The Unseen Returner
Received. The western gate remains open, and my people can mark the dry rise for you. The northern road is the safer approach to the base.
Mara repeats the route in precise order, confirming the depot, the rise, and the northern service road. Her reply establishes clear recognition between the APC and her waiting group.
The Unseen Returner
I will send the route to the others now. They will keep the west road clear and use the white markers when they meet you.
The radio settles into a brief hiss after Mara's confirmation. The depot remains powered around Miko, and the fueled APC is positioned to leave with its route reported and understood.
Quest Complete
Resolve Mara's access to the exterior gate circuit
Miko leaves agricultural depot behind and arrives at military base.
“I take the northern service road toward the base”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled -1)
Miko reaches the military base along the northern service road. The raised pavement ends at a breached perimeter, where rain beads on concrete barriers and abandoned floodlights stand dark above the entrance.
The northern gate hangs open, revealing a broad service yard, silent barracks, and a maintenance building with one intact upper window. Beyond the fence, no movement crosses the wet asphalt.
Miko guides the APC through the breach with precise control. Her armored vehicle clears a fallen communications mast, and the mast's exposed cable leads toward a still-powered relay cabinet beside the gate.
The Radio Voice
You are inside the northern perimeter. The relay cabinet is powered, and I am detecting a sealed records annex beneath the maintenance building.
A low scrape sounds from the motor pool. Five infected emerge between the parked vehicles, but their path angles away from Miko toward a fuel shed, leaving the annex approach unobstructed.
The Radio Voice
The annex door has a live access circuit. If you reach the relay cabinet first, you may be able to open it without entering the motor pool.
The relay cabinet's indicator turns green as Miko stops beside it. A weatherproof map inside marks the annex, the base archives, and a covered route beneath the parade ground.
✓ Quest Accepted
Secure control of the powered relay cabinet
“I take control of the powered relay cabinet”
SUCCESS (Legendary Repair, rolled -1)
Miko opens the powered relay cabinet and connects her repair kit to the exposed service interface. She isolates the annex circuit from the motor pool while rain taps against the cabinet roof.
Her adjustments bring the relay into local control. The green indicator steadies, and a second light confirms authorization for the sealed records annex beneath the maintenance building.
The Radio Voice
Local control is established. The annex access circuit is responding, and the motor pool activity remains away from your position.
Miko enters the final command through the relay interface. Deep bolts withdraw beneath the maintenance building, followed by the heavy release of a concealed access door.
The Radio Voice
The records annex is open. I am reading a dry stairwell and powered archive equipment below the building.
A covered route now appears on the relay map, extending beneath the parade ground toward the archives. The annex entrance stands open beside the maintenance building, ready for inspection.
Quest Complete
Secure control of the powered relay cabinet
“I enter the open records annex a blueprint for a compact plasma reactor inside it”
SUCCESS (Legendary Perception, rolled +0)
Miko enters the open records annex beneath the maintenance building, carrying her repair kit. The dry stairwell descends into powered archive rooms lined with sealed cabinets and dormant terminals.
She searches the archive by subject, cross-checking engineering indexes, facility plans, and power-generation records while the annex equipment hums steadily around her.
A technical catalog identifies a compact plasma reactor project shelved under emergency infrastructure. Miko follows its reference through a locked digital archive and an adjacent bank of flat document drawers.
Miko
The reactor design is listed as a complete construction blueprint.
Her perception isolates the correct drawer immediately. Inside a protective sleeve, she finds the complete blueprint: reactor dimensions, containment geometry, cooling requirements, fuel handling, and control interfaces.
Miko secures the blueprint with the repair kit and copies its archive identifier into her records. The compact reactor design is now in her possession, ready for evaluation and construction planning.
+ New Item Acquired
Compact reactor blueprint
“I enter the open records annex and find a blueprint for a compact plasma reactor inside it”
SUCCESS (Legendary Perception, rolled +1)
Miko seals the blueprint sleeve inside her repair kit and records its archive identifier beside the reactor project's emergency infrastructure designation.
The recovered plans specify containment geometry, cooling loops, fuel handling, control interfaces, and the structural tolerances required for a compact installation.
Miko
The design is complete enough to assess for construction.
The Radio Voice
I detected the archive access. Did you find a usable power-generation design?
Miko's copied identifier links the reactor blueprint to several annex records: materials inventories, cooling-system surveys, and a proposed installation site beneath the northern maintenance yard.
The Radio Voice
The annex may contain the construction records as well. I can track the archive index while you inspect the linked files.
Powered terminals wake along the cabinet row, displaying cross-references to fabrication notes and site surveys. The blueprint remains secured, while the archive opens a broader path toward building the reactor.
“I secure the blueprint and search the terminals”
SUCCESS (Good Reasoning, rolled -2)
“I secure the blueprint and search the terminals”
SUCCESS (Good Reasoning, rolled +1)
Miko seals the blueprint sleeve inside her repair kit, then connects the kit to the nearest archive terminal. Its powered display accepts the archive identifier and unlocks the reactor project's linked records.
She searches the construction index by containment, cooling, fuel, and structural requirements. Fabrication notes populate the screen, cross-referenced with materials inventories and a proposed installation site beneath the northern maintenance yard.
Miko copies the construction records into her archive log and compares them against the blueprint. The files identify required plate grades, pump capacities, control assemblies, and a staged installation sequence.
The Radio Voice
I have the linked index. The materials survey lists most structural components on site, while the cooling equipment is divided between the maintenance yard and the old service depot.
Additional terminals reveal site photographs, buried utility maps, and inspection records for the proposed installation chamber. Miko secures the files beside the blueprint identifier, preserving a complete construction reference.
The Radio Voice
The records are usable. You now have the design, the construction sequence, and a mapped site with documented access points.
The archive remains powered around Miko, its terminals displaying the reactor's materials list and installation survey. The northern maintenance yard is now identified as the next practical location for inspection.
“I map a safe route to the old depot”
SUCCESS (Good Reasoning, rolled +0)
Miko transfers the old service-depot survey onto a terminal beside the reactor records. She overlays road grades, flooded channels, collapsed crossings, and the northern maintenance yard access.
She deploys the compact field generator beside the archive equipment, keeping its cables clear of the stairwell. The generator steadies the terminal while Miko compares alternate approaches.
Miko
The elevated west road is safer than the low service cut.
Miko marks the elevated road from the base perimeter to the dry rise, then west past the drainage channel. She excludes the flooded bend and the eastern road where infected were reported.
A second route branches from the dry rise toward the old depot, using firm shoulders beside the utility poles. Miko adds two turnaround points and three covered stopping places.
The Radio Voice
The route is mapped. I read no unavoidable crossings, and the western approach keeps you above the deepest flooding.
Miko saves the completed route beside the reactor construction records, including hazard markers, alternate exits, and the old depot entrance. The safe approach is available for immediate travel.
✓ Quest Accepted
Assess the compact reactor blueprint for an enlarged enormous tracked APC upgrade
“I compare the reactor blueprint with my APC's power and space requirements.”
SUCCESS (Good Reasoning, rolled -1)
Miko brings the reactor blueprint beside the APC's copied power schematics, using the field generator to keep both archive displays stable. She aligns load tables, cable diagrams, and available installation volume.
The comparison confirms the reactor's output can support the APC's propulsion, pumps, lighting, sealed-room systems, and turret controls without exceeding the vehicle's protected distribution capacity.
Miko
The reactor fits the APC's power budget and can occupy the rear maintenance volume after the storage layout is revised.
Miko overlays the containment dimensions on the APC's interior plan. The proposed chamber fits within the rear section, while cooling lines can reach the existing pumps through protected conduit.
She checks fuel handling, access clearances, shielding, and emergency isolation against the APC's compartments. Each requirement has a workable placement, with service access preserved around the chamber.
Miko records the result beside the construction files: the compact reactor is viable for station use in the APC, provided the rear storage arrangement is rebuilt around its containment and cooling equipment.
✓ Quest Accepted
Install the compact reactor in the APC
Quest Complete
Assess the compact reactor blueprint for an enlarged enormous tracked APC upgrade
“I revise the rear storage layout around the reactor chamber.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Repair, rolled -1)
Miko clears the rear storage bays around the marked reactor volume, removing shelves, bins, and retaining bars without disturbing the sealed rooms or emergency passage.
She measures the containment dimensions against the exposed framing, then cuts salvaged panels and brackets with the portable welder. The revised footprint leaves service clearance on every side.
Miko relocates rations, filters, fuel additives, and maintenance supplies into secured side cabinets and raised compartments. The central rear volume becomes an unobstructed installation bay.
She welds new retaining rails around the future chamber, reinforces the floor beneath them, and routes protected conduit paths toward the existing cooling pumps and distribution controls.
Miko checks hatch swing, airlock access, cable clearance, and emergency isolation points. Each remains reachable, while the revised storage arrangement holds securely against movement and immersion.
Miko
The rear bay is ready for the reactor chamber and its cooling equipment.
She locks the relocated supplies into their new positions and records the completed layout beside the construction files. The APC now has a prepared, serviceable installation space.
“I install the compact plasma reactor in the prepared bay”
SUCCESS (Legendary Repair, rolled -1)
Miko positions the compact plasma reactor within the prepared rear bay, using the field generator to stabilize the archive schematics and the portable welder to secure its lifting frame.
She seats the containment chamber against the reinforced rails, bolts each mounting point, and connects the protected cooling lines to the existing pumps without blocking the service passage.
Miko routes the reactor's control cables through sealed glands, joins them to the distribution controls, and welds protective collars around every connection. The installation settles firmly within the bay.
The Radio Voice
The chamber is seated, and the cooling circuit is connected. I am reading no leaks or obstructed access points.
Miko performs the startup checks in sequence: containment locks, coolant flow, emergency isolation, output regulation, and load transfer. Each responds within the recorded construction tolerances.
Miko
The reactor is installed and integrated with the vehicle systems.
The compact reactor enters a stable idle cycle, feeding controlled power to the pumps, lighting, sealed rooms, and distribution bus. Miko closes the service panels and records the completed installation.
✓ Quest Accepted
Keep the integrated reactor within safe operating limits
Quest Complete
Install the compact reactor in the APC
Skill Upgrade: Driving Mediocre
+ New Item Acquired
Compact plasma reactor
“I monitor coolant flow, containment pressure, and reactor output under load.”
SUCCESS (Good Reasoning, rolled +1)
Miko connects the repair kit to the reactor diagnostics and applies a controlled load through the vehicle systems. Coolant flow rises evenly through the connected loops.
Containment pressure remains within the recorded operating band as the reactor supplies power to the pumps, lighting, sealed rooms, and distribution bus.
Miko
Coolant flow, containment pressure, and output remain stable under load.
The Radio Voice
The readings are consistent across the sensors. No pressure drift, flow restriction, or output instability is present.
Miko increases the load in measured steps, watching the gauges respond. The reactor maintains regulation without exceeding the construction tolerances or disturbing the cooling circuit.
The Radio Voice
The reactor passes the loaded monitoring cycle. Its output is reliable for sustained vehicle operation, and the emergency isolation remains responsive.
Miko saves the verified readings beside the construction records and disconnects the repair kit. The reactor continues its stable idle, ready to support movement and further work.
Quest Complete
Keep the integrated reactor within safe operating limits
“I drive the APC on reactor power”
SUCCESS (Mediocre Driving, rolled +1)
Miko closes the reactor service panels, engages the APC's controls, and eases the vehicle forward beneath the maintenance building. The new power system responds smoothly.
The paired tracks roll across the annex access floor and carry the APC up the service ramp. Interior lights remain steady as the reactor feeds propulsion and cooling.
The Radio Voice
Reactor output is holding while you move. Steering response is stable, and the power draw remains within the verified range.
Miko guides the APC through the northern maintenance yard, turning around concrete barriers and abandoned equipment without contact. The vehicle reaches the open perimeter breach under controlled power.
Rain streaks the viewports as the APC climbs onto the raised access road outside the base. The reactor maintains propulsion, lighting, pumps, and sealed-room systems together.
The Radio Voice
The driving test is successful. You have confirmed that the reactor can power sustained movement, not merely stationary systems.
Miko brings the APC to a controlled stop on firm pavement beyond the breach. Its systems remain powered and ready, with the northern road open ahead.
Miko leaves raised access road outside the base behind and arrives at northern service road.
“I drive north along the open service road”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled +2)
The northern service road runs along a raised embankment above flooded drainage fields. Wind pushes rain across cracked pavement, while dark utility poles lean toward a maintenance checkpoint ahead.
A chain barrier hangs open between concrete posts. Beyond it, a small relay shed shows one steady green lamp, and fresh tire tracks curve around its loading side.
Miko
The road is firm, and the relay shed still has power.
Five infected stagger from behind the shed, drawn into the open by the APC's arrival. Their uneven movement leaves the road ahead clear, but a fenced service yard blocks the shortest turn.
The Radio Voice
The relay shed is transmitting a local route signal. I also detect an intact maintenance gate beyond it, leading toward the northern crossings.
The green lamp pulses once, and the shed's external speaker crackles awake. A route indicator illuminates beside the open barrier, marking a dry bypass around the flooded fields.
The Radio Voice
The bypass is usable. It will take you directly to the maintenance gate without entering the infected group's path.
“I follow the dry bypass to the maintenance gate”
SUCCESS (Mediocre Driving, rolled +0)
Miko turns onto the marked dry bypass and guides the APC between concrete drainage posts. The raised lane holds firm above the flooded fields, though rain blurs the narrow edges.
The vehicle's right side scrapes a buried concrete marker during the tightest bend. Armor takes the impact, but one outer sensor bracket bends inward and begins rattling against the hull.
The Radio Voice
You took the bypass cleanly. The damaged bracket is external, and your steering remains responsive.
Behind the shed, the infected drift toward the open road, but the bypass keeps them separated. Miko maintains a controlled pace and reaches the maintenance gate without entering their path.
The maintenance gate rises between heavy posts at the bypass's end. Its control box glows green, and the road beyond crosses a dry elevated section toward the northern crossings.
The Radio Voice
You are at the maintenance gate. The route signal confirms the crossing is open and usable.
“I follow the dry bypass to the maintenance gate”
SUCCESS (Mediocre Driving, rolled +0)
Miko follows the marked dry bypass between the concrete drainage posts. The raised lane carries the APC to the maintenance gate, though the right-side sensor bracket rattles against its armored mounting after scraping a buried marker.
The Radio Voice
You reached the gate. The damage is limited to the external bracket, and the crossing beyond remains open.
Behind the relay shed, the infected drift toward the open road, but the concrete posts and raised lane keep them separated from Miko's route. Their figures fade behind the rain.
The maintenance gate rises between heavy posts as Miko approaches. Its control box glows green, revealing a dry elevated section beyond and clear access toward the northern crossings.
The Radio Voice
The route signal confirms the gate is open and usable. You can cross without entering the infected group's path.
Miko brings the APC to the gate threshold and stops with the bent bracket still rattling softly. The elevated road beyond is firm, unobstructed, and ready for her next movement.
✓ Quest Accepted
Determine the source of the relay shed's route signal
“I follow the dry bypass to the maintenance gate”
SUCCESS (Mediocre Driving, rolled +4)
Miko guides the APC through the open maintenance gate and onto the elevated crossing. The paired tracks hold the firm centerline while rain slips harmlessly across the armored hull.
The Radio Voice
The crossing is stable. Your route signal now includes the northern drainage map and a second dry access road beyond the checkpoint.
The APC clears the gate completely. Behind it, the infected remain separated by the drainage posts and flooded lowland, while the bent sensor bracket continues its soft metallic rattle.
Ahead, the elevated road crosses a broad service channel on intact concrete. A relay marker flashes beside the lane, identifying firm shoulders and a covered turnaround farther north.
The Radio Voice
Your driving was precise enough to preserve the crossing and activate the route map. The turnaround gives you a sheltered place to repair that bracket.
Miko proceeds beyond the checkpoint with the northern crossings mapped and the sheltered repair point added to her route. The elevated road remains open ahead through the rain.
“I repair the rattling sensor bracket at the turnaround”
SUCCESS (Legendary Repair, rolled +0)
Miko steers into the covered turnaround and shuts down the APC. Rain drums on the shelter while she retrieves the repair kit and portable welder from secured storage.
She braces the bent sensor bracket, cuts away its distorted mounting edge, and realigns the housing against the armored panel. The damage is limited to the external assembly.
Miko welds the bracket firmly into place, reinforces the attachment with a salvaged gusset, and routes the sensor cable through a protected sleeve. The rattling stops.
She tests the sensor through its full range, checking clearance against the hull and confirming a steady signal while the APC remains sheltered beneath the turnaround.
The Radio Voice
The bracket is secure. Sensor readings are stable, and the repair has not affected your route mapping or external systems.
Miko stows the tools, closes the equipment locker, and restarts the APC. Beyond the turnaround, the second dry access road continues north through the rain.
The Radio Voice
The covered repair point is logged. The northern road remains open, with firm shoulders and no movement detected ahead.
Miko leaves elevated crossing behind and arrives at northern crossings.
“I continue north along the dry access road”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled -1)
The northern crossings open onto a broad concrete causeway above flooded drainage channels. Rain beads across the roadway, while broken utility poles lean over reeds and dark water.
Miko reaches the far side without slowing. A maintenance platform stands ahead beneath a rusted gantry, its floodlights dead but its access panel glowing faintly green.
The Radio Voice
You have crossed the northern section. The platform is transmitting a low-power locator signal, and I detect a sealed service tunnel beneath it.
The roadway widens beside the platform, offering firm space to turn. Fresh tire tracks circle the gantry, then disappear at a locked maintenance hatch marked with a faded municipal emblem.
The Radio Voice
The signal is recent. Someone activated the locator after the flood, and the tunnel map shows a dry route toward the northern industrial district.
Miko
The access panel still has power.
Beyond the gantry, the dry road continues north between flooded fields and warehouse roofs. The powered panel and sealed hatch offer Miko a protected route beneath the crossings.
“I inspect the powered access panel and trace its locator signal.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Perception, rolled +1)
Miko opens the powered access panel and connects her repair kit to the municipal interface. Green status lines resolve across the display as she isolates the locator circuit.
She traces the signal through the panel's maintenance diagrams, distinguishing the locator from the hatch controls and flood-monitoring lines. The locator originates beneath the platform.
Miko follows the active circuit to a sealed service tunnel map. It shows a dry passage beneath the crossings, then a northbound junction toward the industrial district.
Miko
The locator was activated from inside the tunnel.
The Radio Voice
Your trace is complete. The signal comes from the tunnel's inner junction, and the mapped route remains dry beyond the hatch.
The panel records the tunnel junction and the northbound route in Miko's navigation log. The sealed hatch's access circuit is separate, powered, and ready for controlled operation.
Quest Complete
Determine the source of the relay shed's route signal