Starforged - Mina the lore keeper: Session 4, An honest question deserves an honest answer

No sense playing dumb, I've been caught in the act. I sit back in my chair and pinch the bridge of my nose between finger and thumb. My mind races. There are no good reasons for me to be asking questions about that orbital, but being outed as an artifact smuggler isn't the worst. This is now all about damage limitation. If they decide I'm a spy for another faction I'll never see the outside of this prison block again.

"I have a client" I say, carefully and with emphasis, "a very wealthy client, who has a great interest in certain specialised archeology. They have heard rumours of a place where some particularly interesting archeology may be found and have tasked me with finding out more about it. It took me weeks even to confirm the name. Given the scale of your operations, your data security is pretty tight."

Half truths and omissions. A dangerous game. No outright lies, but a few exaggerations.

Face Danger (Scene Challenge) + Wits

[Weak Hit: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 6 | 10]

Mark Progress: [****______]

Clock: 3/4

Both eyebrows raised. "Really? You're just going to confess? No games, no denials?

I give a pained look. For once there's no deception there. "You have me on video saying the name. You have a copy of my Protocol bot's memory. In the unlikely event you let me off this station I'll definitely not be allowed back into Veiled Keeper space, so I have nothing left to lose here. It would be painful to lose my reputation for reliability with my very wealthy benefactor, but much better than rotting in prison."

I hold up my hands. "I didn't smuggle your Simsense. If that's the charge I plead not guilty, but I think we've already addressed that or else you'd still be pressing me on it. Asking about a secret base isn't a crime. I'm still hoping I'll be allowed to leave if I promise not to come back."

Time to take a risk, one more clock segment and I'm lost.

Finish the Scene (Scene Challenge)

[Strong Hit: Progress = 4 vs 2 | 1]

OMG. I was fully expecting to end this playthrough in a Veiled Keepers prison, but perhaps Mina still has a little more story to tell yet.

You achieve your objective unconditionally: Get out of this interrogation without incriminating myself

I hold my breath. That wasn't my most eloquent speech, but what it lacked in technique it made up for in total defeatism. 

The lieutenant smirks and makes a note on his datapad. "Well I appreciate your forthrightness, let me be equally candid." A pause. "We've been watching Eveline for a while now. Too many quiet chats with too many captains; too many suspiciously light cargo manifests. We thought by watching her we might catch her handler, but it seems we overestimated her. She's a simple addict taking simple bribes."

He places the datapad on the table and leans forward, arms crossed in front of him. "We have placed your ship on a blacklist. I am convinced that you are a trader, and that the small amount of information you have uncovered is of extremely limited utility. You may travel out of Veiled Keepers space using the most direct route, and if you return your ship will be impounded and you will be arrested as a spy."

He gets up and walks towards the door. As he punches in the keycode he says "Report to the guard station on the way out." The door slides open and he marches out of the room. I'm left to find my own way down the corridor to a worn desk where a bored guard makes me sign a small stack of paperwork. I'm told E.R.I.C will be delivered to my ship within the hour, and if I'm not leaving the station within five minutes of his return I'll regret it.

As I'm on board waiting for E.R.I.C to be delivered, Eveline appears in civilian clothes. She looks like her whole world has just collapsed around her, which it probably has. "I can wait to be court marshalled, or I can choose exile." She looks down. "There's nothing left here for me. No one will give me a job with a narcotics charge on my record." The question remains unasked, but I know why she's come to me.

I look at her and surprise myself by feeling some small pity. She brought this on herself, but she's still the only friendly-ish face on the station. She has the build of a fighter and she knows her way around a charge rifle. I'm going to need to go big with my next precursor attempt to make up for this. It would be handy to have someone who can fight or threaten.

Test Your Relationship + Heart

[Weak Hit: 6 + 3 + 0 = 9 vs 1 | 9]

Develop Connection with Eveline (Dangerous)  [**________]

Looks like she's going to be part of the crew. The obvious consequence for that weak hit is that she's an addict without her supply, which is likely to cause some problems down the line.

I say to her "I have a spare bunk if you want to get out of here. And I could use some help with my next job if you're interested in earning a little danger money?" She nods. "I... they confiscated everything. I don't know how well I'm going to cope without..." she tails off.

This is a concern, but I don't show it. "I'll keep you busy". She nods again and I take her up the boarding ramp and show her to a bunk. "Rest for a bit. Use the ship's computer. I promise you, once you're off this toxic helhole real life gets a whole lot more interesting. You won't need the Sims." I head back to the cockpit with a sense of foreboding and start planning my next jump.