Before Jason can leave the junction, a damaged service unit unfolds from a maintenance recess. Its narrow chassis sparks beneath dust, and a blue projection forms the face of Mara Venn, with medium-brown skin and a narrow jaw, an adult woman with cropped dark hair and a tired, sharply focused expression.
Mara Venn
Emergency control mesh active. Archive status... inactive. Please proceed to docking access. Please proceed to docking access.
The projection stutters, briefly replacing Mara's features with cascading diagnostic symbols. The service unit's optic rotates toward Jason, though its movements lag behind the projected face.
the sentient Nintendo Switch
Her signal is genuine. Mara Venn is present in the archive, but an external process is routing through her channel and modifying the output.
Mara Venn
Do not disconnect the life-support feed. The operator requires... requires access to the docking relay. I cannot authorize that. I cannot...
the sentient Nintendo Switch
The interference is not originating from the laboratory mesh. Something beyond this junction is using Mara as a relay.
Amber conduits pulse beneath the transparent panel as the service unit raises one articulated arm. It does not attack, but its emergency interface opens and waits for an authorization response.
✓ Quest Accepted
Determine whether Mara Venn's channel is compromised
✓ Quest Accepted
Protect the surviving consciousnesses from the external process
““I don’t trust that voice for a second… that’s definitely a recording or something…” I said as I was about to completely ignore the message and get back to my ship.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled +1)
Jason
I don’t trust that voice for a second. That’s definitely a recording or something.
Jason turns away from the waiting authorization interface and follows the amber docking markers. The service unit’s raised arm lowers without pursuing him, its projection still flickering behind.
the sentient Nintendo Switch
Your assessment is plausible. I am recording Mara’s signal pattern separately and will not grant the external process access.
The junction recedes behind Jason as he crosses the exposed laboratory chamber. Dust skims his sneakers, and the docking guidance relays brighten in response to his approach.
Mara Venn
Proceed to docking access... preserve the archive... do not let the operator...
Jason reaches the docking tunnel. Beyond its pressure frame, the Lonely Asteroid waits at the end of a lit access passage, its hull beacons pulsing steadily through the dust.
Quest Complete
Determine whether Mara Venn's channel is compromised