The corridor darkens as a man in a synthetic-fiber suit steps out, cutting off the exit. His ocular implants glow cold blue, fixed on Kale and the terminal behind him.
The Stranger
Easy. I am not here for a firefight. I am here for a trade.
He tilts a datapad into view. Three names light up the screen, names tied to the dead and to old damage Kale still carries.
The Stranger
You took the logs. I want them. In exchange, I tell you who moved the containment transfer, and why.
The Courier
Kale, don’t give him anything yet. He came out of nowhere, and I do not like the look of this.
Behind them, the maintenance terminal keeps decrypting, the gate seam narrows another fraction, and the bay feels one bad second from locking into a trap.
✓ Quest Accepted
Decide whether to trade the logs for the truth
“Kale studies the Stranger carefully, assessing his body language, ocular implants, equipment, and position in the corridor while keeping himself ready to react if necessary. Kale calmly asks, “If you know who moved the transfer, tell me something only someone involved could know. I'll hand it over if it's legit".”
SUCCESS (Fair Perception, rolled +1)
Kale holds still and lets the stranger breathe under scrutiny. The suit is tailored for boardrooms, not raids, but the stance is military, balanced for a quick draw. Two implant nodes flicker at his temples, and a thin lockbox rides under his left arm.
Kale Kaotic Veyl
If you know who moved the transfer, tell me something only someone involved could know. I hand it over if it is legit.
The Stranger
The transfer was rerouted through Medical, not Cargo. Slot nine. The patient tag was scrubbed, but the surge billing stayed live.
The Courier’s head jerks toward him. The name on the hidden log comes back to the front of Kale’s mind, cold and bright, tied to the medical wing access record.
The Stranger
You will not get a cleaner proof than that. I was there when it was moved, and I know who signed it off.
The Courier
He is not guessing, Kale. That is real. If you want the truth, this man is standing on it.
The gate seam shivers another notch narrower, metal whispering toward a seal while the terminal keeps scrolling. The stranger keeps the datapad raised, waiting for Kale to decide what leaves his hands first.
“Kale transfers the encrypted logs to the Stranger, keeping any copies or backups that already exist in his possession.”
SUCCESS (Superb Reasoning, rolled +0)
Kale slides the encrypted bundle across the terminal glow and into The Stranger’s waiting hand. The lockbox dips under his arm as he pockets the transfer, then keeps his other hand loose, ready for trouble.
The Courier makes a sharp, disbelieving sound, but the data is already gone. A second file marker flickers on the terminal screen, a retained copy tucked away in Kale’s possession, invisible to anyone not looking for it.
The Stranger
Good. That is the first smart move in this room.
He glances toward the narrowing gate seam, then toward the corridor beyond Kale, weighing the closing exit like a deadline.
The Courier
You just gave him leverage. Tell me you kept the real trail, Kale.
The terminal spits another line of decrypted text, and the medical wing access log flashes back up among the files, waiting for the next choice.
Quest Complete
Decide whether to trade the logs for the truth
Attribute Upgrade: Perception Fair→Good