The Handbasket Ride - Episode 19 - Part 1
A solo Electric State RPG actual play report
Content Warning: Strong Language
This scene ended up being nearly 2,000 words long when I wrote it, so I decided to split into two smaller parts. Part 2 will be published next week.
Thursday, October 17th, 1996. 9:37pm
Scene Chaos Factor: 5
Expected Scene: Getting to know Summer Byron
Testing the Expected Scene: 4 - Interrupt Scene
Event Focus: 82 - PC Positive
Meaning Tables Actions: 03/37 - Activate Group
The woman dropped her bag at her feet, threw her hands up and stepped backwards in shock until her back was against one of the wrecks.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice shaking.
I stepped forward and grabbed her backpack. "We'll get to that in a minute. Let's start by you telling me who you are, and what the hell you're doing here."
It was hard to see her face in the dark, so I grabbed the flashlight, made sure the red filter was in place, then shone it at here, so I could see her clearer.
Meaning Table: Elements - Character Appearance: 43, 69 - Innocent, Piercing.
She looked like she was in her early forties. Her hair was cut short, and she had a bandana rolled up and tied around it her forehead. Her face had an angular look about it, a bit like Meryl Streep. She was wearing a light t-shirt, jeans, and sandals. Perhaps not the best attire for wandering through the desert at night, but she looked scared half to death. A tear rolled down her cheek, leaving a trial through the dust, and she sniffled, and managed to blow a snot bubble at the same time.
"I'm Summer," she said. "Summer Byron. I'm here to meet a guy named Albey, who's supposed to get me down to Santa Clarita."
Is there anything interesting in her bag? Unlikely - 36 - No
Any weapons? Unlikely - 12 - Yes
I had a quick scan through her bag. It had the sorts of things that a middle-aged woman would pack in an overnight bag, but nothing out of the ordinary. Well, apart from the taser. That's kind of funky.
"Do you know this Albey guy?" I asked.
She shook her head. "No, I got a message saying I was to meet him at these old wrecks. I'd been walking most of the day to get here."
Empathy Check: Can Eamon get a read on her demeanour? Five dice - 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 - One Success
I already determined she's not hostile in the previous scene.
I've been a PI for a few years, and met a whole bunch of people. Some seem like they're hiding something, or are just defensive all the time. Others give off a violent or argumentative vibe, like their itching for a fight.
And then there's people like Summer here, who just want to live their lives and enjoy themselves. She's scared half to death at the moment, and probably well outside her comfort zone. I don't think she's really any kind of real threat at this point. The fact she was carrying a taser instead of a firearm says a lot, too.
"Are you thirsty, Summer Byron?"
"Oh my God, yes! My water ran out an hour before sundown. My mouth is so dry from all the dust."
I tucked my pistol into the back of my jeans, then walked over the Bronco and popped open the tailgate. I pulled a bottle of water out, and walked back over, and handed it to her. "Here, this will help then."
She cracked the seal on the bottle and chugged down about half of it in one hit.
"Hey! Hey! Steady on!" I said. "Drink it too fast and you'll throw it all back up again!"
She laid her head back against the rusted wreck. "Thank you, whoever you are. I needed that."
"I'm Eamon. I'm just passing through and picked this place more or less at random to camp for the night."
Wits Check: Does Eamon hear the approaching person? Five dice - 1, 1, 2, 3, 6 - One Success
Is the person Albey? Nearly Certain - 34 - Yes
She was about to respond when I waved her quiet again; I had heard some movement approaching from the southeast. I crawled over to the wreck closest to the direction the sound was coming from, and peered over the top of it, with my pistol ready.
Does Albey realise there is anyone else at the wrecks? 50/50 - 89 - No
A figure appeared out the darkness, barely visible in the pale moonlight. It looked like a man, and he didn't seem overly concerned, although he did appear to be moving carefully, rather than just strolling up.
I let him get to within about twenty feet, then stood up suddenly and pointed my pistol at his chest. "That's far enough! Get your hands where I can see them!"
Does Albey comply? 50/50 - 31 - Yes
I must have scared the crap out of him, as he jumped, and his hands went up, as he started backing away slowly. "Hey man," he said, "I got nothin' against you! Just here to meet someone then we'll be on our way."
"Stop right there!" I said, then stepped out from behind the car and quickly moved over to him. "Drop your bag, and step away from it."
He did as he was told.
I crossed over to him, keeping him covered the whole time, and then frisked him.
Is he armed? Very likely - 42 - Yes.
Pistol? Very likely - 24 - Yes.
He had a pistol shoved down the back of his jeans. I took that, and slid it into my own waistband, before I grabbed his bag, and motioned for him to head over to the wrecks with my pistol.
"Are you with the government, or Sentra?" he said.
"What? Fuck, no!"
"You're one of the survivalists then?"
I motioned him to sit down next to Summer. "No, not with them either." I quickly rummaged through his backpack, but there was only stuff you'd expect to find someone hiking across the desert to carry. I tossed it to one side, then sat down facing the pair of them.
"No," I said, with a sigh. "I'm just trying to find my way through here, and don't want any trouble from anyone."
I looked across at the new guy. "You Albey?"
"Yeah," he said. "How'd you know?"
I nodded towards Summer. "She's the one you're supposed to be meeting."
TO BE CONTINUED…
Getting interesting...