Inclement Weather

> "Ice field. It’s bloody freezing outside." - *Croft, when asked about his Ushanka.*
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## "Inclement Weather"

### Director

Daniel Orrett

**Inclement Weather** is the second episode of Volume 1 of *The Sojourn*.

## Synopsis

Cass struggles with a new situation as she leads a mission to recover a crucial Gate component from a wrecked ship.

## Summary

> "I could not bear this place without you. Plotters and sycophants in every shadow. I cannot remain much longer." -*Valendra to Castian*
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The episode opens with a large crowd gathering for the arrival of Empress Valendra the Sixth. Volunteers for sacrifice step forward as the Empress delivers her speech to the crowd, before they are granted permission to kneel before the Empress. They draw blades, committing ritual suicide, before the crowd erupts in ecstatic cheering.

The Empress is visited by Castian Vadric. The two speak of recent events, before they are interrupted by Lord Cardinal Hastus Arvannis, who they tensely and quickly shoo, before the two find a private quarter and begin kissing. They talk of Palace politics, until the Empress mentions a corrupted message received from the *Cloak of Mercy* on the Rim, telling Vadric to head there at Dawn, before the two continue into the night.

Meanwhile, on the Avalon, Lt. Ravi and Elizabeth discuss the destruction of the *Mariana*, and how the *Abigail*'s commanding officer, Cpt. Tamika Jinn, has been asking for more info on it's demise, despite the Avalon passing all they know along to Jinn. Then, Elizabeth visit's Cassandra, who has just awoken from 3 days of coma following the fight with the Alien vessel. Cass asks of the *Mariana*, she's told by Croft that the Alien vessel had dragged the remains of the vessel away before they could recover it.

The next day, Cass boards the bridge, speaking with Lt. Ravi about the Director. On que, Elizabeth arrives, taking Cass to explain the full extent of the situation; namely, the fact that most of the Fleet is unaccounted for, including the 4 Gatehaulers. Without those Gate components, the Avalon Expedition cannot build it's return Gate, and thus can't return to Tantalus.

Shortly after, Farrier Squadron reports strange spacial activity, wherein one of their own, Farrier Three, was suddenly shunted 3 kilometres in less than a second. Collect data suggests that this event coincides with a remarkably empty section of the nearby enviroment, which Elizabeth eventually concludes must be the result of Lauralyn Conduits - warps in space-time that move objects that enter it instantaneously to a point potentially millions (or even billions) of kilometres away from it's entry point. She quickly realises that this must've been the cause for the scattering of the fleet.

> "What kind of example do I set by sitting in my office while *you* risk your lives exploring this place?" - *Elizabeth, justifying her joining the Guinevere as it travels through the Lauralyn Conduit.*
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Cass tells the crew that their next mission is to fly into the Conduit, with the intention of seeing where it leads. Before they leave, however, Elizabeth requests to join the crew on this trip, and after some concerns are raised, the crew agree to take her along with them.

The *Guinevere* flies into the Lauralyn Conduit, travelling 4 light-seasons in a matter of seconds, exiting out on the other side in a star system at the edge of the Ice belt. In orbit around one of the local gas giants, they detect a vessel - one of the Gatehaulers. However, upon arrival, they find it severely damaged with almost all compartments vented, besides one, due to the gas giant's ring system. The crew splits, with Elizabeth and Croft going after the Gate component, whilst Cass and Meds search for survivors in the unvented compartments. Croft mentions how the Gatehauler was a converted Riberite hauler, given it's magneticly shielded compartments.

Elizabeth and Croft make small talk, whilst Cass and Meds arrive in the unvented compartment. They find the body of a medic, before a survivor makes his presence known. He grunts in pain, having been injured 4 days before during the arrival, although it appears as if he'd already been treated in that time. Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Croft find the Gate component, the main component - it's Drift Coil - thankfully still intact. They send a message back to the Avalon via a remote probe confirming their find.

The man regains lucidity, crying out for someone called "Kayda", which worsens to the point of a panic attack. Meds realises he's speaking of the medic they found, and is forced to sedate him. Cass notes how it's her first time seeing an attack from the other side, before Elizabeth arrives with a makeshift solution to recover the injured party.

However, a distant explosion of a fuel tank occurs. Croft confirms that the explosion wasn't directly a danger to them, but it did change the Wreck's trajectory, forcing them towards the ring system much sooner than expected. Meds recalls the magnetically shielded portion of the craft, which the crew hastily move towards to survive the incoming barrage of micrometeroites.

> "Well I haven’t had a smoke in like four hours..." - *Elizabeth after being struck by a Micrometeorite.*
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During the race to the shielded bay, the ship is pelted by debris, some of which strikes Elizabeth. However, the entire crew manage to get inside, and quickly seal Elizabeth's suit. As they clear the rings, they exit the bay, finding little left of the Gatehauler; however, on the horizon they spot the *Belladonna,* captained by Lt. Ravi, who rescues both them and the Gate component.

Back on the Avalon, Elizabeth and Cass discuss the state of the survivor; his injuries went untreated for too long, and as such, he'll likely never walk again. Elizabeth half-jokingly scalds Lt. Ravi for leading the recovery mission personally, and she once again offers the Defence Adjutant position to Cass. This time, realising that the other options are either too inexperienced or too absent to take the reins, Cass accepts the offer.

## Cast

### Main

* Larissa Thompson as Captain Cassandra Farren
* Emily Serdahl as Director Elizabeth Ancelet
* Ben Prendergast as Mathias Croft
* Laura Faye Smith as Tamara 'Meds' Melari
* Stephen Trafford as Inquistor Castian Vadric

### Recurring

* Matthew Kaufman as Lieutenant Jasper Ravi
* Tim Parker as Lord Cardinal Hastus Arvannis
* Lelia Symington as Empress Valendra the Sixth

## Gallery

Cass & Meds board the GatehaulerA Gatehauler, possibly GH-0007-VG
## External Links

* *Inclement Weather* episode transcript on TheSojournAudiodrama.com