GM: Paul
Players: John-Alex, Cary-Zerk, Brad-Ian, and Paul-Meaghan(NPC)
Game Date: Sept – December 22, 2018

The year 2018 was a busy, productive and revealing year. After the discovery of the Transportation Hub the beginning of Sept word was put out among the local population that they were welcome to settle in the vicinity of the Hub. Within weeks dozens of people had shown up from Lapham Peak, Yerkes Observatory, the metro Milwaukee area and the area around Franksville.

Ian directed the growth of this new little town with input from the other founders. Time is of the essence as everyone knows winter is coming. Housing, medical and latrines are the first order of business. People are sorted by their strength and set to tasks. Those with lesser skills are tasked with cutting wood, helping with food prep, and tending animals.

After discussing with the founders, Zerk returns to Lake Geneva to recruit Sean Ferguson and his family. It was decided that Sean would make a good community manger for the new little town around the Hub. Sean is reluctant but Zerk is able to bring him around. The family packs a car and trailer that Sean had prepped just in case they every needed to make a fast get away. The family secures (hides) the remaining supplies in and around their house.

Once the buildings were put up Scotty was able to wire them for electric and heat using the large generator in the hub. Wells were also driven and water made available. With winter coming, it was not possible to provide bathrooms in the buildings. A common bathing/restroom was constructed until a sewage solution can be devised.

During preparation of the town Alex, Ian, Zerk and scavenging for parts and equipment when they came across some Holstein cows in the nearby woods. They noticed that the cows had fungus/mushrooms growing out of them. Alex thought that some of the fungus looked similar to something that used to grow on his home planet. Alex approached one of the cows to examine it. To his surprised the cow nudged him with its head and knocked him to the ground and then went back to scraping for grass. Alex got back up and tried again to get a mushroom and milk sample to run some experiments on. The second attempt was successful.

Alex ran the samples back to the Hub while the rest of the group kept an eye on the small heard of 6 Holsteins. Alex quickly came to realize that the cow’s milk contained enzymes which would act like an antibiotic for humans if ingested daily. He ran back to the group with some of the other Hub inhabitants and herded the cows back to the Hub.

As the end of December approached Zerc spent his time on the short wave radio collecting news and contacting other locals who might not make it through the winter. By this time there had already been 4 feet of snow and not much had melted. Much to Zerc’s surprise he made contact a past acquaintance named Kira. She and 6 of her crew were in Genesee Depot and were attempting to make their way closer to Milwaukee or Waukesha to find more resources. It was also the 6th anniversary of the Cataclysm which meant the Earth was passing through the debris field again. This always brings new debris storms. Needless to say Kira and friends gladly accepted the offer to be picked up and join the Hub group.

Zerc had scavenged up a couple old snowmobiles and two brand new pull behind sleds earlier in the month. He prepped these two vehicles and gathered up Ian, Meaghan and a very reluctant Alex. They packed their gear and left. Meaghan hopped on the snowmobile with Zerk while Alex buried himself under furs in the sled attached to Ian’s snowmobile. The group set off northwest for Genesee Depot early on the morning of Dec 22, 2018.

Though the snow was fairly deep the snowmobiles handled it well. Being careful not to dump the pull behind sleds Ian and Zerk navigated to find the most opportune paths. The group was making good progress when there was a sudden sonic boom. Ian and Alex happen to be looking toward the east and saw a Talolan drop pod streaking overhead toward the east. Its descent trajectory was taking it to Lake Michigan or beyond. Know that it was debris storm season the Ian and Zerk punched the throttles on their snowmobiles to be able to reach an overpass some 100 meters away. Debris began falling almost imediately. Luck and skill was in their favor and the group arrived unscathed.

The group sat and watch as small and large chunck of space garbage rained down into the snow. One large item as big as an oversized couch hit the ground causing the snow to explode like a nuclear bomb. The other noticable item that fell was a shiney square container the size of a breif case. This thing slammed into the top of an abandoned car and stuck there like a throwing star. From Zerks angle he could see that there were three foriegn characters on the side facing him. The group waited the storm out and then gave it a few extra minutes just to be sure.

When the storm had stopped the crew made a quick recon of the area. First they went to the obvious item; the case. They gathered a piece of metal from a broken sign and pried the case from the car. Much to everyone’s amazement the case did not have a scratch on it. As Alex grabbed the case to read the letters on it, which were Talolan for TEF, the case popped open. Inside were 8 pipe looking things, a piece of clothing, a geometric device the size of hardball, and two protractor looking things. Alex explained them to be signals, a high tech Talolan jumpsuite, a focus, and two utility devices controlled through psionic.

The group then policed the area for additional items. The only other item found was the large thing that hit the ground. That turned out to be a cryo pod but the Talolan inside was nothing but paste. Giving the pod the once over Ian figured out that the power unit was salvagable and removed it. The rest of the debris was just junk and rocks. The group loaded up and continued on their way.

After a couple hours the team arrived in Genesee Depot. Cautiously, the group scans the area and see one guy on the roof a building on the corner of Hwy 83 where it turns north. Deeming it safe enough, they continue on. As they approach the front door the the building opens and a woman, obviously Kira, waves to the group and motions them in. Both snowmobiles are brought to a halt and the group dismounts. The guy on the roof slides down a ladder against the side of the building.

Inside everyone cautiously measures each other up. Zerc and Kira embrace and begin the conversation. As quickly as the conversation starts it screaches to a halt when Alex takes off his helmet and warm weather gear. A woman from Kira’s team whips out a pistol with a “What the Fuuu….” but before she can get the word out Ian steps into the line of fire, Meaghan draws, Kira grabs the womans gun forcing it to point away from the group, and Zerk calls for calm. As quickly as it begins it ends. Kira, a full 20 years old,  introduces her team – Brent Fields, Lori Schock, Simona Giacintucci,  Gia Tyson, Maxim Markevitch, Erin Azuse, and Stephen Berry.  Kira and team had found a building with a wood stove and sealed the room with plastic to keep in as much heat as possible. They offered their guest a meal of mixed canned goods with some venison. When it was time to retire Meaghan offered to take first watch and Erin echoed the offer. It was evident that trust had not been completely established. Through the night both groups provided people to pair up on watch shifts. Zerk and Kira talked quietly much of the night catching up.

As morning broke, Ian and Maxim noticed 4 people walking down the street toward their location. Quietly and quickly they called to the group to wake. The group inside the building positioned themselves by the windows pulling back the plastic so they could see better. When the strangers got about 100 feet away Ian called to them. “Stop right there. Who are you?” He then pointed his gun out the door. The four people stopped where they were. Zerk noticed that only two of them were carrying weapons and relayed that to the group. Ian called out again “Drop your weapons and take two steps away from them.” The two men in the back complied.

At this same time Alex had developed a focused look on his face. He then stated the two in front are Talolans. “They want to know if we are the ones who salvaged the debris. I told them that we were. We should let them in before they freeze.” Much to the dismay of Kira’s team two more aliens and two others, obviously Native Americans, were let into the building.