The restraint lattice holds Kaden’s wrists beneath the exchanger pipes. Voss stands within arm’s reach, his neural rig replaying the forensic trace while the stalled purge glows behind him.
Commander Ilyan Voss
You copied the archive while kneeling in my security grid. Tell me who sent you, and I may classify this as unauthorized intelligence collection instead of sabotage.
His response team keeps rifles trained from the junction mouth. The Republic intelligence officer remains far behind at the bar, and no ally has followed Kaden into Orison Vault.
tactical AI
One exposed control remains accessible through the restraint drone. It can alter junction security posture, but activation will be detectable.
Commander Ilyan Voss
The buyer records are worthless if I erase the communications spine. Give me the transfer destination, Marlowe. This is your final quiet opportunity.
Voss gestures, and the restraint drone tightens the lattice by a fraction. The purge timer remains frozen, while a security-status control blinks inside the drone’s projected interface.
tactical AI
Security posture control identified. Available states: containment, maintenance, or emergency lockdown. Awaiting operator input.
✓ Quest Accepted
Break free of Voss's restraint
“Can emergency lockdown disrupt Voss's response team?”
NO, BUT (Likely, rolled 66)
Voss’s command rig flashes amber. He triggers emergency lockdown, and armored shutters slam across the junction while warning strobes wash the exchanger pipes red.
The response team does not scatter. Their rifles remain fixed, and their helmets switch to internal command channels as the lockdown routes authority directly through Voss.
tactical AI
Emergency lockdown failed to disrupt the response team. Their command mesh is isolated from junction security.
Commander Ilyan Voss
You see the problem, Marlowe. Every door in this section now answers to me.
Behind the restraint drone, the projected interface flickers during the failed transition. A maintenance route appears beneath the junction, linking the drone network to the communications spine’s local purge controller.
tactical AI
Consolation: lockdown exposed a service bypass. It can sever the restraint drone and reopen local purge access, but activation will be detectable.
The bypass remains highlighted beside the security-status control. Voss watches Kaden’s restrained hands, unaware that the emergency transition has revealed another way into his system.
“Is Voss's command rig vulnerable through the service bypass?”
NO (Likely, rolled 87)
The service bypass resolves beneath the restraint drone, its maintenance handshake threading toward the local purge controller. Voss’s command rig remains outside that circuit.
tactical AI
Negative. The bypass cannot reach Voss’s command rig. It can sever the restraint drone and restore local purge access only.
The projected route confirms the separation: drone controls descend through the junction network, while Voss’s neural rig uses an isolated command mesh carried by his response team.
Commander Ilyan Voss
Looking for a way through the drone? There is none into my command system. The lockdown isolated me from exactly that weakness.
Voss’s fingers twitch near the rig’s interface, but no warning reaches the response team. Their rifles stay fixed as the bypass continues waiting beneath the lattice.
tactical AI
Assessment: command-rig compromise unavailable through the exposed service route. Restraint release and purge-controller access remain viable, detectable options.
“Exploit the bypass and disable the restraint drone, then stab Voss in his command rig.”
SUCCESS (Superb Agility, rolled +1)
Kaden routes the bypass through the restraint lattice. The drone’s projected geometry fractures, its emitters go dark, and the pressure around his wrists releases.
He catches the collapsing drone with one hand, tears its control spindle free, and draws a combat knife from his belt in the same motion.
Commander Ilyan Voss
Marlowe, stop.
Kaden crosses the short distance before the response team can adjust. He drives the knife into the exposed interface beside Voss’s neural command rig.
The blade punctures the rig’s armored housing and severs its command relay. Amber light bursts across Voss’s temple as the isolated mesh collapses into static.
Commander Ilyan Voss
My command mesh is gone.
The response team’s rifles remain raised, but their synchronized targeting breaks apart. The junction shutters stop cycling, and local purge access returns beneath the red warning strobes.
Defeat Commander Ilyan Voss
Quest Complete
Break free of Voss's restraint
+ New Item Acquired
Drone control spindle