Intermission 1: The Darkness steps back

Corvin have managed to gradually prove his ability to use a handgun to not only Maurice, but also to the casual eyes of the colony's security force. As for his tales of the weird dream, Maurice manages to say that it sounds strange, but as for right now, she doesn't have a clue as to what it could mean other than a fever dream from being put into the coma of cryo-sleep. She does say, in regards to cult activity, the recent investigation into the black stained ritual circle the security found at the northwestern construction site have revealed random words, one of which coincidentally mentions "happy birthday". It now has been cleaned thoroughly due to being a potential health risk and the need to continue construction work. There are photographs of the ritual circle, but it is locked under the "extra sensitive evidence" lockers.

At the end of the week, Corvin did finally receive his license to open carry, his role as an honourary security officer(locally official job), and a handgun with a few spare clips.

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Abdullah went about the place as a common cleaner. Either this is a pretty good disguise or not many people here know about films, but not once was he questioned if he was an actor. He might feel some people may suspect him, but nothing is brought up. With this, he got to work with a basic routine of clearing trash and cleaning the bathrooms. This experience made him realise that there are so many bins, toilets and changing rooms in this colony.

And also, he picked up a rumour during break time from amongst the janitors: an infamous long-time janitor, Petrov, had been outed as the leader of the terrorist-cult. The reactions seems to be that this is not too surprising, but is still sad. It was said he was roughly 50 years old, and got news that his wife died and became depressed as he can't leave to see her funeral. At first, he was a vocal advocate of worker's rights, but then his topics turn to something uncomfortably spiritual and philosophising on alien life. The news of him being the mastermind of a bio-terrorist plot is too extreme to swallow, but since he never came back to work it is reasonable that way. Also, his skin getting wrinkled too fast and his voice being damaged as if he became 90 years old over a few months is odd, but was reasoned as being from some chemical accident.

(Gained 500 Credits)

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Declan goes through his recovery, anxious about the possibility of returning to a hostile workplace. As he return, the vibes is still tense, but no one is giving him further trouble as the week comes to an end. He also chose to have easier tasks, which helped to keep him from heavy vehicles and troublesome communications. No new rumour came to him this time, other than talk of the future being exponentially more busier as the years pass.

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Matsuki looks to buy some listening devices. Such things aren't easy to come by on the colony base. However, through a little cunning, she got hints on a possible local black market from the electronics store owner. Finding such a thing would be a challenge on its own. (Roll Wil save.)

The location where the cult hideout was was in the northwestern construction site for new residences. It will have variable business throughout the day, but it would be a challenge to be here since you aren't authorised in, plus the increased security makes it near impossible. But you could still find a way.

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Matsuki goes to investigate for the existence of the Black Market. Most of the people can not pick up the hints or know of any sellers of unique surveilance tech. However, she finally found a lead into someone by the name of Uncle Markley. He is an engineering scientist stationed here, one who is rumoured to be a pervert but no evidence is found.

Paying a visit to his lab, he acts dumb a bit about Matsuki's proding, but eventually admits he has a few products he can sell to her.

1) Survey Drone: 300 Credits. Can fly up to Distant Range, can record video and audio. Is noisy so isn't good for stealthing if near target.
2) Analysis Console: 150 Credits. For analysing biological substances. Only basic info shown.
3) Spy Drone: 500 Credits. Is like Survey Drone, but quieter, and have bio/thermo/and magnetic scanners.
4) Spy RC: 400 Credits. Is like Spy Drone, but can't fly.
5) Tracking Device: 60 Credits. Sticks to anything. Is for tracking, can't record anything.
6) Bug Device: 150 Credits. Like Tracking Device, and can record audio and video if positioned well.

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Corvin now takes advantage of his opportunity to work for security by going around asking for the worker's union. However, there isn't an official union, and what passes for it is fought over by different groups of varying temperaments. He learns that Management have constantly rejected such official organisation to form, but allow some capacity of it to exist.

The HR Officers: They told him they know nothing of the ritual circle. However, due to the background of some of the workers, it is not too surprising if they happen to be radical cult members. They aren't allowed to tell him more than this.

The Patent Protectors: This is a small collective of local researchers and scientists who had been advocating that any little discovery or development that is attributed to a scientist, gives that scientist the full right to decide how to make use of it without the United Advancement's meddling. The members reveal that they believe the mold is alien in nature, however, it is too early to determine how dangerous it is as no obvious outbreak of infection has happened yet.
As for the "mold" circle, it is a false speculation, as the material of the discovered ritual circle have been determined to be drawn with paint. However they can't get the information of the original ritual design from Security, as they are told it is a "hazard to public safety". They offer you another lead to investigate. There is a Dr Wu Kehui that is the inventor of the filtration system that can easily clean the dirty air of Mersk for safe inhalation throughout the colony. He is a member of the Patent Protectors, but is a very distrustful man, even to his fellow colleagues that he views as spying rivals.

The Blue Collar Guild: A possible gang that consist of members of various departments such as construction and maintenance. They call themselves a guild, but they were never officially recognised as one. After the official discovery of the Cult, the Blue Collar and similar clubs have been strictly banned from organising meetings in any capacity. The few members Corvin manage to catch says they won't readily share information of any of their colleagues to you, even if you're a member of Security.
For the ritual circle, they admit they have no idea about it, but they won't answer why some workers are able to form this secret hideout in the first place.

The Steel-Bond Brotherhood: These guys are similar to the Blue Collar Guild, but are second in place to being the leading union for the common workers. Instead of promoting peaceful talks and words of platitude, they argue that fierce loyalty and sacrifices are needed to change things. However, due to increased security and a recent fight, all known members are imprisoned in the local jails until its determined they are ready to return to work peacefully. Interviewing them only earns Corvin swear words and mutterings of "Steel-Weld Oath" like a prayer.

Lesser unions and gangs: They exist, but either Corvin do not have their names or their members are even harder to find.

For being willing to visit many places and people, Corvin is considered to having done his job at the same time.

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Declan waits for an answer from his foreman, who looks at him up and down in thought.

"I have something in mind that you could do. Mind you, it is a very unofficial part of your job. Very unofficial."
He repeats slowly for Declan to get the hint.

"If you can help with this simple job of collecting some medication from a certain someone at a certain place, I could add a little extra to your next paycheck. You will need to carry it on your person until you are specifically told to hand it out. If you can do this, you'll be doing a service too for your fellow co-workers."

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As Declan accepts this task, he will be told the following:
There is this supplier who goes by the nickname of Nurse. She will be will be at this specific toilet near the labs, at a specific hour.

As Declan goes there, he doesn't see anyone at first from it. He wonders if he could check the female toilet as he is meeting a woman, but likely got smarter that he could be caught as a pervert. Inside the male bathroom, wet-floor signs are placed about the place, and presence of recent mopping can be seen. Scrubbing noises came from a cubicle stall, and out comes a short lady with muscles and a scar on her face. She squints at Declan's face before speaking.
"I ain't seen you before. New one, huh? If you're collecting, then here you go."
She pulls out a small lunchbox from a corner hidden from Declan's view, and gives it to him.
"Could've chat more, but I'm busy. You best head out now and act natural."

As he gets back, no one approaches Declan. This appears to be a good and bad thing, as even when he asks his Foreman again, he says to still carry it. When he gets paid, it doesn't seem like anything much higher than normal, but atleast he doesn't have trouble for now.

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After making her purchases, Matsuki now head to the construction site at a good timing and start driving her Spy RC. This "toy" looks like a dull-coloured all-terrain van, reminding her of the vehicle she had to travel in for a few days during the exploration mission. From her hidden corner, she drives through and under the random assortment of materials and carts of the construction site. She remains very patient, watching everything she could find. So far, the workers that came on duty don't immediately jump out as being suspicious, but there have been a few that look decorated in tattoos and scary looking, but no depiction of balloons or odd faces are seen on them. A guard can be seen patrolling the area when the workers are on break, but he seems disinterested to be alert.

Creeping to the original utility room where Samantha and the ritual circle were found(climbing the stairs is possible as the motor and wheels of the RC can do so), she finds that the place have been cleared, and the doorway is wrapped in tape that says "Do Not Cross!". Even the shelves and locker cabinets have been removed. Checking the other room that had the sleeping drunk cult member, she sees that the filter machine is still there, but nothing stands out as signs of cult. Perhaps, the close investigation of the security team has thoroughly searched and cleaned the site and the cult is too afraid to return. Not even the blood from the violence, or the mold coming from the zombification of the cult leader can be found.

Matsuki is left with a few options after this week of unfruitful search: Investigate other areas, such as the construction site at the north for the mining machinery, or trail after the more suspicious workers. She identified 3 of them.
1) One wears glasses and fidgets a lot. She has a tattoo on her arm that says: "Truth comes to those who reach for it." on a curling banner. She was seen carrying a black marker in her polo shirt pocket, before using it to write something out of view on an empty beer can, before sticking it under a crate.
2) One is a burly man with tattoos of a skull with crossed lightning behind it on his back. The words "Never back down!" is written in a lightning-ish font next to it. He was also seen with a knuckle duster sticking out a bit from his jean back pocket.
3) One is a scrawny bearded man with eyes covered with eye bags, or possibly heavy eyeliner. He has a tattoo that says: "Remember thy family." written in cursive at his hip. He has with him a worn holy book, one officially distributed by the Maker's Man religious group. However, this book is defaced with the title written over as: "The Sculpting Molding of Man's Spirit."

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Abdullah learned about the layout of the base slowly but surely. He knows there are secret routes, that of the maintenance tunnels. It also seems that by being a cleaner of toilets and corridors, he is generally not observed by the rest of the staff. He still does get the sense he is being spied on on one or two occasions, likely by one of the guards sent by the Head Communications Officer to tail him.

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Corvin will go out and find that the Patent Protectors won't know alot about that, since recreational drugs are discouraged from use. However, there are some folks that are known to have their special grown space herbs for personal use.

There is a fellow called Oddball. He was an engineer sent over from another space station due to conflicts within his original workplace. A rumour is that Samantha the Assistant Communications Officer is the one who requested for his transfer.

There is also a rumour of frequent nightmares in the past that sounds like bad trips, but they can't be verifiable if substances are involved. Such rumours came from the lesser engineers, particularly those from the facility maintainence side.

The existence of acid-like substances are not impossible to exist or be created locally, however, speculating further regarding this is inappropriate for the interview, as LSD is an unauthorised substance and insinuating a fellow chemist to be doing this is simply wrong.

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Abdullah had to commit his time to finding the best time to contact this Dr Wu Kehui, while also assuring him that it won't be a waste of his time and that it would be important. Telling him it is a famous movie actor didn't seem to move him much. After a day or two, the scientist eventually relented and set up the date to be at the last day of the week.

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By the time the day arrives, Corvin and Abdullah will enter a small meeting room in the hub area of the office units. With an e-cigarette in hand, he blows out his question. "Yes. How may I help you?"

Matsuki, slightly frustrates decides to trail the first person. Scrawling things on cans of beer seems to be suspicious. She decides to trail her with her tools

Wolf seeks tougher work. And just as he was hoping for, he have tasks that require going through vents and scaffolding. He may sometimes feel that he is being watched, or that a corner of the structure he is stuck on has the Black Mold in a corner. But it is nothing but over active imagination. There are dust bunnies trapped around the shadows, but no bulbous growths are found.

As for his coworkers, he found that he is receiving more praise than usual from them. Perhaps its because he is taking over duties to work high above the ground. But his colleagues also know how Nikolai isn't fond of cheap compliments, and so a hint of a possible promotion around the corner is offered to him by his superior.

He doesn't notice any signs obvious of cult activity, but a couple of workers slacking off can be seen on occasion from above.

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