Abanee

Settlement Type: Village

Terraine: Light forest/grasslands

Population: 735 (68% Elf)

Description:

Abanee is a village of about seven hundred people that lies between the Zabe Mountains and the Sun-Touched Desert. The village's population is comprised predominantly of elves, with smaller numbers of dwarves and humans also calling the settlement home.

Although Abanee is primarily concerned with logging and farming, there is a section of the population that eeks out a living as relic hunters.  The area west of Abanee is rich in ruins, some dating back to the time of the Wrath, and there are always people interested in artefacts from that era.

The Relic Hunters Guild(01) is a fairly nondescript building in the village, easily missed by strangers and passers-by. The head of the Guild is Par Siedulric, a well-known relic hunter from the east, with contacts throughout Hura.  Siedulric handles most of the relic sales, taking a small percentage from each for his troubles.  He keeps meticulous books of all the relic-related transactions.

The Relic Hunters Guild isn't very popular in Abanee. Many people believe that by disturbing the ruins, the relic hunters run the risk of rousing the dead. As such, few people from Abanee are actually members of the guild.

Strangers passing through Abanee might find work with the Relic Hunters Guild, or possibly kindred spirits. Abanee's relic hunters come from all across Hura and it is entirely possible that a party member could run into an old friend (or enemy) in the village.

A party could also be called upon by the Guild or the village leader to deal with a problem that the relic hunters have stirred up. Perhaps they disturbed the grave of an ancient leader, rousing their spirit to seek vengeance on the relic hunters and Abanee.

Rada

 Settlement Type: City

Terraine: Mountain/Forest

Population: 13,825; 59% Dwarf, 22% Human, 19% Others

Background:

The city of Rada lies at the southwestern face of the Aetu Mountains. To the east and west, dense forest skirts the mountains, while further west the Faxhadi Swamp begins and the ground gives way to swamp and quicksand.

Rada began as a bandit camp, preying on the trade caravans that used to travel through the mountain passes. However, as time passed, the trade routes shifted and the once-prosperous bandit camp was forced to adapt.  The bandits became farmers and miners, and, over time, the city of Rada came into being.

Today, Rada's population is predominantly dwarven, immigrants who crossed the mountains, fleeing Zadoul for one reason or another. They settled in Rada, and came to dominate the city. Humans make up the next largest ethnic group in the city and most of them can trace their ancestry back to the bandits who established the city.  The rest of the city's inhabitants comprise a mix of elves, ghouls, goblins and stranger creatures.

Rada is comprised of six districts: Falsabel District(1), Prosperity District(2), the Bandits Market(3),Skywatch District(4), the Wrecked District(5) and the Ruined District(6).

Falsabel District is largely devoted to trade while the Bandits Market is the city's commercial and government center. Prosperity District is the sight of various industries, while Skywatch District is predominantly residential. The Wrecked District and the Ruined District lie within the mountains, carved out by the miners centuries ago, as part of a scheme to tunnel through the Aetu Mountains. Unfortunately, their efforts proved disastrous; there were massive cave-ins and tunnel collapses that killed hundreds. To this day, only the most desperate dwarf would seek shelter in those two districts and humans avoid them altogether, believing them cursed.

Travelers visiting Rada will find the city has little to offer sightseers. The closest thing to a tourist spot in Rada is the so-called Thieves Palace in Bandits Market. The Thieves Palace is the site of the city government, and, despite the name, the officials there tend to be scrupulously honest. The building itself is a four-story monstrosity of ostentatious ornamentation, adorned with fake jewels and gold paint. It is gloriously tacky, and every few years someone suggests making changes, but nothing ever comes of these suggestions.

There is growing tension between Rada's dwarf majority and the city's other races. In recent years, the city's leadership has attempted to push through laws that would favor the dwarven majority. These attempts have only partially succeeded and fostered bad feeling among the populace. Recently, this has escalated. Violence between racial factions is becoming common in some areas of the city.

A recent proposal to confine the city's ghoul population to a specific neighborhood led to riots, and the ghoul community to begin withdrawing from Rada. This has led to an increase in undead within the city, causing even more bad feeling toward the city's leaders.

Lysena

 

Settlement Type: Town

Terraine: Artcic/Mountains

Population: 134, 88% Elves

Description:

Tucked away among the rocky valleys and snow-choked canyons of the Zabe Mountains, in the Kingdom of Tigal, is the small town of Lysena.

The community was established 424 years ago by nomadic elves, following the Fall of Siel Zivka, a fearsome warlord who dominated the region for almost a century.  Initially established as a temporary summer shelter, the elves found the small valley quite suited to their needs and desires and so settled there permanently. The settlement was named Lysena, after the favored daughter of the elven chief.

At first, the folk of Lysena survived by hunting, gathering and some farming. However, as news spread that Siel Zivka was gone, travelers and traders began to brave the mountains. Some found their way to Lysena, and soon the community became a popular rest-stop for those moving through the Zabe Mountains.

Today, Lysena is best known as a rest stop, but it is gaining a reputation in the region as a good trading post as well.  Traders from both sides of the mountains often agree to meet in the small town, to exchange wares, and then return to their homes. The Lysenans have taken advantage of their growing reputation to construct a comfortable inn, run by the community as a whole.  In addition, some Lysenans sell their knowledge and expertise of the area, acting as guides through the mountains for travelers.

In recent years, a group of priests to the Warmother have constructed a Temple(01) to their deity in the town. An odd choice, to many, but the Lysenans have welcomed the Temple, although it has sparked raw memories for many in the village. It was a well-known fact that Siel Zivka was a passionate devotee of the Warmother.

The temple priest has pointed out that the aspect of the Warmother the temple venerates is that of the Shieldmaiden, one of the more defensive/protective aspects of the goddess.  This has not soothed many in the town.

Adventurers making their way through the Kingdom of Tigal, and the Zabe Mountains, might pass through Lysena on their journey. There's little to attract adventurers to the small town, but it makes a good rest stop and warriors devoted to the Warmother might find spiritual succor at the temple. And possibly a side-quest or two.

Panalmier

Settlement Type: Ruins(City)

Terraine: Forest

Population: 36

Description:

About a hundred miles east of the Zabe Mountains lies the Ruins of Panalmier. Sixteen years ago, Panalmier was a thriving metropolis of over 19,000 people.  It was a center of trade and culture, arts and learning, one of the jeweled cities of the Kingdom of Anesina.

But, one day, calamity befell this proud city. Panalmier was well known for its College of Wizardry, which often worked under special dispensation from the crown, to expand the knowledge and uses of magic.  The college had been working with zabeum, and it is believed that one of their experiments went horribly wrong, resulting in an arcane explosion that decimated most of the city.  Anyone who could, fled the city, seeking shelter in the neighboring communities or futher away.

The death toll from the destruction of Panalmier was number in the thousands.

Because of the destruction of Panalmier, the crown tightened the restrictions on magical experimentation, and formally declared all zabeum to belong to the monarchy and, thus, the government of Anesina.

Today, Panalmier remains abandoned. The forest has begun to slowly overtake the ruins, and travelers do not linger within the confines of the city's shattered walls.  There are reports that animals and plants within the city have undergone strange and bizarre mutations, which has prevented anyone from permanently returning to the city.

At present, the only residents of the city are a small group of government researchers, academic wizards and their military escort.  The Ruins of Panalmier were officially quarantined,twelve years ago, and anyone caught in the city, without permission from the crown, faced arrest, imprisonment and interrogation.  

Because of the dangers presented by the magical fallout, the researchers and military do not remain in the city for longer than one to two weeks at a time, and then must undergo special decontamination rituals to remove the toxic magical residue.

Some foreign powers have secretly sent agents into the ruins to gather intelligence, but many of these individuals have not returned. Their fate remains unknown, but the most likely explanation for their disappearance is that they fell prey to one of the ruin's magically mutated creatures.

Residents in the areas around the Ruins have learned to lock their houses up tight after sundown, as there have been reports of strange creatures emerging from the Ruins, to hunt.  The military has increased their presence in the area, but many local communities have started their own militias, feeling that the crown does not truly understand, or care, about their concerns.

In all honesty, the region has become a hotbed of political unrest, which could explode into open rebellion against the crown, if there was any sort of serious incident.

Mezo Station: The Hunt for the Moonflower

MEZZO STATION: THE HUNT for the MOONFLOWER

Day 1/17

This is Doctor Wilhemina Kaley reporting. I have been asked to keep this journal during the duration of my excusion to Mezo by legal representatives of the Company. I do not know why, but the minds of lawyers are quite beyond me. Nevertheless, I will comply with their request.

I should state that my decision to come to Mezo is completely my own. The Company representatives expressed concern for my safety, given the current hostilities with the Tetherons. But the war is sectors away and, as I have been told by friends within the government, already starting to wind down. It is entirely possible that, by the time I return to the Core Worlds, the war will be over and we can all get on with our lives.

What has brought me to this isolated moon?

A flower.

It was missed during the initial survey of the moon, but scans of it arrived on my desktop a few weeks ago. The results were interesting and the Company employee assigned to Mezo Station was good enough to send more scans of the flower directly to me.  

I was planning to come to Mezo, to perform a more comprehensive survey of the local flora, but the emergent hostilities prevented that from happening. It has been several weeks, but I have managed to convince the Company to let me undertake my expedition.

Eventually, they capitulated, on the condition that I sign a waver exonerating them of any liability should my expedition end badly. I agreed and also agreed to keep this record.

In addition to myself, I am accompanied by a young colleague of mine, Hans Dexter.  He is an experienced starpilot with technical training, and together I feel we can deal with any unforseen problems we may encounter on this trip.

We have been granted permission to explore Mezo for seventeen days. No more.

We were also given permission to use Mezo Station as a base of operations during our stay. However, since the station has been powered down and secured, we will be remaining aboard the shuttle. 

I am not impressed with what I have seen of Mezo so far. It seems rather bleak to me, although I will admit that the view of the gas giant, Artella, is somewhat impressive. 

Today, we are settling in. Tomorrow, we begin the good work.

Day 2/17

Today has not been good. We discovered that some of the equipment we would need was not placed aboard the shuttle before our departure. It is probably sitting in some lost-and-found depository back home.  I am most displeased.

Day 3/17

The best I can say about today was that the weather improved. Hans was in good spirits all day. Good for him.

Day 4/17

Today, a ship passed through the system. We detected its transponder beacon. Of course, it did not stop at Mezo Station, but it was nice to be reminded that life continued beyond this place.

Day 5/17

Nothing to report today. Hans remains in good spirits. I wish I shared his good mood.

Day 6/17

The weather remains temperate, but my search for this ellusive flower remains unsuccessful. Hans surprised me with a lovely meal when I returned from my forays among the long grayish grasses. I believe he is trying to cheer me up. I do hope I haven't been an unpleasant companion.

Day 7/17

Still nothing to report re the flower. I am think that we should extend our search grid or possibly relocate our base to one of the wetter locales of the moon. However, Hans has argued against it, pointing out that if anything should happen, the Company and the Authorities would search for us at this location.

Day 8/17

Late this afternoon, we detected another ship's transponder moving through the system. An alien ship. A Tetheron ship! What on Earth is a Tetheron ship doing out here? Hans is quite unhappy with the situation. I can't fault him. If the Tetheron ship returns and is hostile, there is nothing we can do against it.

Day 9/17

The Tetheron ship has not returned, but Hans remains vigilant. I continue my search with fruitless results.  Reviewing the station records, it is possible there is an environmental component missing that the flower requires to bloom.  I am currently reviewing the station's meteoroligical files. It is not exactly thrilling reading.

Day 10/17

I am convinced that this odd flower must require rainfall to bloom. Hans vetoed my idea of using our water reserves to hydrate a region near the base. However, he did find a reserve of water in one of the base storage units that we did use for just that purpose. I have my fingers crossed that we will see results within the next few days.

Day 11/17

Today, as I checked the newly hydrated region, I slipped and twisted my ankle. Hans came quickly when I called for help and we quickly determined the ankle was not broken. Normally, this would not be an inconvenience, but our shuttle is not equipped to handle anything more than minor medical problems. So, until we return to civilization, I am hobbling around on a pair of crutches like some poor barbarian from the Internet Ages.

Day 12/17

Hazzah! Success! The flower has blossomed!

Day 14/17

I have spent the last two days examining the flower and running what tests I could with the limited equipment at my disposal. I believe this flower, which is not a flower at all, but something quite different, which I will go into in a seperate and comprehensive report, could provide a means of producing stable and affordable antiagathics! Just think of it! We could be looking at a cure, or at least an effective treatment, for old age!

If only I had all of the equipment that I needed!

Day 15/17

The flower is already starting to show sings of dying. I have taken what samples I could and placed them in stasis.  Hopefully, we'll be able to recreate the flower in the lab.

Day 16/17

I proposed to Hans that we should leave Mezo earlier, but he said that we might as well remain until the final day. It would give me more time to study my lab results and him more time to check over the ship systems prior to departure. It made perfect sense and, as it turns out, was a fortuitous decision. During his checks, Hans discovered a problem with the ship's navigation system. It took him a while, but he managed to fix it and we should be departing on time. 

I know I haven't spoken much about Hans in this journal, but I want to note now that he has been of invaluable assistance.  I could not have accomplished my goal without his steady presence.

Day 17/17

And so, this afternoon, we will depart Mezo and return to the Core Worlds. The samples are safely locked away in stasis and once I have completed this record, a hardcopy of it will also be placed in stasis.

As I find myself with nothing to truly do, for the first time since our arrival here, I have taken some time to contemplate the locale. I find it ironic that something that is going to have such a monumental impact on life as we know it, could have its beginnings in such an unassuming place.

I imagine that if the moonflower cannot be artificially replicated, that this moon will not remain a tranquil backwater for long. The Company will certainly not ignore such a valuable resource. They will no doubt make plans to produce the flower on a mass scale, if possible. If that is the case, I would like to be part of the team responsible for such work.

But that is in the future. The far future, I should imagine.

And now, it is time for us to go.

And so, this has been Doctor Wilhemina Kaley reporting.

Some notes: 

I caught Covid the other day and have been stuck at home for the past few days, mostly sleeping. Today was the first day I felt even remotely human and, rather than watch more YouTube videos, I decided to continue the story of Mezo Station.

This time, though, I wasn't going to play for as long. Instead, I just decided the redoubtable Doctor Kaley would visit Mezo, searching for the moonflower, in a limited window.

So, basically, the game mechanics stayed the same. However, this time, I decided that the Joker would indicate the successful discovery of the moonflower. The first time. Then I would reshuffle the deck.

If I pulled the Joker a second time, then something Calamitous would happen.

That didn't happen.

Doctor Kaley found the flower and she and Hans left Mezo. Perhaps to return? Maybe? I'm tempted to continue the story of Mezo Station and see where it all goes.

Mezo Station: How to Play

 

Mezo Station is a homebrewed journaling game that uses only ordinary playing cards to provide prompts and answer simple Yes/No questions.

Take two decks of playing cards.  Remove all but one of the Jokers.  Shuffle the deck.

Each day on Mezo Station you will draw four cards. In sequence, these cards represent the Environment, Pleasures, People and Problems.  When you draw an even numbered card or one of the court cards, then something changes.  If you draw an odd-numbered card, then nothing has changed.

The Environment can represent the weather, the terraine and even the emotional atmosphere of Mezo. Some days the weather will be fine, other days it might be windy and cold. Some days the isolation of the moon might get to you, leaving you feeling meloncholic and sad. Other days, you might really enjoy the fact that you've got an entire moon to yourself. 

Pleasures are nice things that happen. They can range from enjoying the breeze on your face, to getting messages from home, to perhaps discovering something noteworthy or even valuable.

People are the ships that stop at Mezo Station for refueling and/or repairs. Mezo Station is isolated, so people don't drop in very often. Mechanically, the only time People arrive on Mezo is when you have drawn one of the court cards. The type of card determines the type of visitor.

If you draw a Jack, your visitors are Androids or Automatons.

If you daw a Queen, your visitors are Aliens. You can determine if they are humanoid or oxygen breathers by asking Yes/No questions using the even/odd cards to determine your answers.  Even cards = Yes, while odd cards = No.  Feel free to make your Aliens as weird or ordinary as you like.

If you draw a King, your visitors are Humans. They could be colonists or cargo haulers needing fuel, an Authority cruiser on routine patrol, or a merchant vessel needing repairs or looking to make a sale.

Problems are bad things that happen. Perhaps while exploring the moon, you wander through a patch of itchgrass and break out into a bad rash. Maybe the water system's thermal regulators break down and you're stuck taking cold showers until a replacement part arrives. Maybe you catch a space-cold from a passing ship.  Problems shouldn't be life-threatening, just really inconvenient or unpleasant.

The Joker.  I want to stress that this card is OPTIONAL.  Feel free to leave it out of your deck. However, if you do add the Joker, when you draw it, Something Very Bad happens. This is not a Problem, but a Calamity. A vital piece of equipment breaks down. The androids on the station get infected with malware and go berserk. You encounter a dangerous xenomorph of unknown origin that wants to eat you. A war starts.   Depending on what you want from Mezo Station, it can enhance your narrative or derail it. If you daw the Joker, you don't draw any more cards for that day.

This game requires a lot from the player. It is narrative heavy and the player shoulders that burden all by themselves. I found that it helps to assess the daily cards collectively before continuing the narrative.

There will be days where nothing seems to happen. Where all the cards are odd-numbered or the contrast between Pleasures and Problems is nonexistent. Feel free to skip these days and just jump ahead to the next and see if anything interesting happens. 

Generally, the lower the value of a card, the more minor or unpleasant a change should be. Drawing a 2 of Hearts on Problems might just mean you stump your toe. Drawing a King could be interpreted as your favorite Android developing a critical fault that needs to be repaired.

A note on your character. You are a self-sufficient, highly trained individual. If Problems occur on the station, you should be able to at least attempt to correct them yourself or with the help of the androids. That said, sometimes things break down. If your water heater breaks and you ask, "Can I fix this?" and you draw a negative card, then the answer is no. You probably need parts that you don't have.  That said, feel free to attempt repairs at least twice. If you can't make repairs after the second try, just assume you have to request parts and put up with cold showers for a while.

Mezo Station can be as tranquil or as dramatic as you want it to be. If you want, feel free to add more Jokers to your deck, or change the number of court cards to increase or decrease the likelihood of ships docking.  Adjust the deck to suit yourself.

Finally, I put this game together so I wouldn't feel like I had to use Oracle tables or outside prompts, but there's no reason you couldn't incorporate those things into your play if you like.  The purpose of this game, as in all games, is to have a good time.

So, have a good time and enjoy your posting to Mezo Station.

Mezo Station

A solo rpg journaling game I cooked up on the fly, using nothing but a deck of cards. 

Day 1

Arrived at Mezo Station. It is very peaceful here and very beautiful. The gas giant, Artella, fills the sky most of the day. From what I have seen, the moon's vegetation tends to have a soft purple or gray pigmentation.  I look forward to exploring, during my stay.

Day 2

The weather remains fine. I have spent most of the day familiarizing myself with the station and the androids. I must admit, despite the presence of the androids, it does feel a bit lonely here.

Day 4

Encountered a minor problem with the station's water system. It was easily repaired.

Day 5

Went for a walk today. My first outside the station. Took one of the androids with me in case I got into trouble. It was a very fine day. The air here is fresh and warm. Unfortunately, I walked through some grasses that seem to be similar to poison ivy. Medical scans stay I'll be fine, but my legs are itching like mad.

Day 6

Discovered that the previous attendant left a bit of a mess in storage. Spent most of the morning cleaning it up. Felt good when I was done. 

Day 7

My legs are still itching, but I ventured outside again. I have assigned one of the androids as a personal Companion. I call her Layla. We wandered through fields of tall gray grass that sang in the perpetual breezes that blow on Mezo. If I could paint, I would paint this place.

Day 8

I woke to a severe storm this morning. Apparently, these are very rare. Lightning struck the station multiple times. The water cycling and filtration system was badly damaged. I have notified the Company, but until replacement parts get here, I must ration my water use.

Day 9

Discovered additional water supplies in a storage bay. Stockpiled by the previous attendant. According to Layla, the station's water systems have always been prone to breakdown. I wonder if the Company knows this? I wonder if they care?

Day 10

A lovely day. Artella was in fine color today, all swirling pastel greens. The only thing spoiling my mood was my continued awareness of the water situation. I hope the resupply ship gets here soon.

Day 11

Windy and brisk today. Sat on the landing field at sunset, and watched the stars shimmer and dance.  It was very beautiful.

Day 13

I've been on Mezo almost two weeks. I thought I would be lonely but I find that I don't really miss people all that much. I love the solitude, the quietness of this place. I never got that when I was growing up, or living in the Core Worlds.

Day 16

A ship arrived today! The first since I took up my station. It was a Company ship, crewed by androids, with very limited social interaction programs, but I don't care. They had the replacement parts I needed for the water system! I will begin the repairs tomorrow! And then? A long hot shower! After eight days without a bath, I stink!

Day 17

I've gone from famine to feast! Another ship arrived today to refuel. Like the Company ship, this one was crewed by androids. They had even poorer social programs than the Company droids. I didn't think that was possible.

Day 18

The repairs to the water system have been completed. I enjoyed a long, hot shower this morning. It was luxurious and decadent and I'm going to keep my eye on the water system from now on. 

Day 21

An interesting day. An alien ship arrived to refuel. The crew were not humanoid and could not leave their vessel as the local environment was toxic to them.  Communication was formal and stilted. I don't think the translator systems here have been updated in some time. Just another thing to look into.  The alien ship refueled and departed with no trouble.

And I just realized I've been here a month already.

Day 22

Went for another walk with Layla outside the station. I made sure to wear long pants this time, so the itchgrass wouldn't bother me. The breezes kicked up lots of dust and I spent most of the walk sneezing my head off. Ugh.

Day 23

Somehow, I think I've managed to catch a cold. Medical scan said I'd be fine and the autodoc prescribed bed rest and lots of fluids. Good thing I got that water system fixed.

Day 24

Another alien ship docked today. The crew were humanoids and oxygen breathers but because I'm still sick I couldn't risk interacting with them. I avoided all contact and communicated with them via the coms. They seemed very nice. I wish I could have spoken with them in person. 

Day 25

I seem to be recovered from my moon cold. I wish this could have happened yesterday.

Day 27

Today, a ship crashed into the far side of Mezo. It made a bad transition from warp, smashed into space debris and slammed into the moon. We picked up the distress calls all the way down. I jumped into one of the station's ancient shuttles, accompanied by Layla and several of the tougher androids, and immediately went to investigate the crash site.

The ship had was breaking up before it hit the moon's atmosphere and it left a trail of wreckage for kilomothers behind it. We scanned the debris and, wonder of wonders, we discovered a survivor! A human teenager! A passenger? The son of someone on the crew? I don't know. He's locked inside a stasis pod for the time being.  We're transporting it back to the station, where, hopefully we'll be able to determine whether or not he's okay.

In any event, I've dispatched an emergency signal to the Company and the Authorities, to let them know what's happened.

Day 28

No response yet to the emergency signal from either the Company or the Authorities. The crash survivor remains in stasis. He might remain in stasis until someone arrives who can switch off the pod.

Poor boy. I wonder who he is?

Day 29

Got a comm from the Authorities acknowleding the ship crash and advising that a cruiser will be coming my way 'in the future.'  They did send a deactivation code for the stasis pod, but I don't know if I should use it? I don't know how long it'll be before the Authorities arrive, or what kind of mental state the boy could descend into when he learns that he's the only survivor.

Day 31

After some careful thought, I've decided not to unlock the stasis pod. I've had the droids move it into one of the storage bays and ordered them to keep an eye on it, to make sure it's systems remain powered up and online.  I feel like this is the right thing to do. Hopefully.

Day 33

An odd day. I'm feeling out of sorts. I keep thinking of that poor boy in the stasis pod. Still no word from the Company or an e.t.a. on the Authority cruiser's arrival. I wish the whole situation had never happened.

Day 34

An overcast day. Thin gray clouds obscured Artella all day. 

Day 35

Got a message burst from the Company today. Some personal messages and the usual company correspondance. Also got direct instructions regarding the survivor. I have been instructed to leave him in stasis as long as the pod is viable. The Company has been in touch with the Authorities and are coordinating efforts to remove the boy back to the Core Worlds as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Well, I suppose it's all out of my hands now, which is, honestly, an enormous relief.

Day 35

Mezo doesn't really have seasons, according to the Company literature. The moon's orbit around Artella is uniform, so there isn't much thermal variation. However, during one section of its orbit, the tidal forces of the gas giant do exert more influence on Mezo and microtremors occur more frequently and obviously.  

I felt my first moonquake this afternoon. It wasn't that bad, but it was unexpected. I asked Layla if they got any worse, and she said she had no record of any of them doing even minor damage to the station. So, that was reassuring. I think.

Day 36

Layla spoke too soon. There was another tremor this morning and during it one of the other droids fell and was badly damaged.  I've attempted repairs, but the damage is too severe. I've sent off a message to the Company, requesting a replacement, but I don't expect they'll be in any hurry to send one.

Day 37

A ship arrived today, the Percheron. Another vessel crewed by androids, but these were top-of-the-line models, with adaptive social programs.  They used the repair bay to fix a busted fuel cell. I spent some time chatting with their 'captain,' but despite all their sophisticated programming I stell felt, at the end, like I was talking to a very smart soda machine. Still, it was a nice change of pace.

Day 38

Another day, another android-crewed starship needing fueling. I know Mezo is isolated, but I thought I'd have seen at least one other human out here by now.  Feeling out of sorts, I left the station in Layla's capable hands, and took one of the flyers out.  Flew over the crash site, on a whim, and regretted it.  Such a terrible tragedy. Flew back home and realized that I'm now thinking of the station as 'home.'  I've never really thought of any place as 'home' before.

Day 39

Had the androids cut back the grasses growing along the edges of the landing field. It was a windy day and the grasses were making odd music. Felt a bit sad cutting them back, but if it's not done, they could damage the landing field.

Day 40

Damn. Something's gone wrong with the station's androids, some kind of malware infection they must have picked up from one of the ships that have come through. Had to physically shut them all down, which is harder to do than it sounds, then reboot them with clean backups.  Going to have to make damn sure they don't interface with any other systems in the future. The last thing I need is a station full of rogue, potentially murderous, androids running around.

Day 43

Been trying to track the malware down that infected the androids and I think it might have come in with that last Company message burst.  Sent off a warning to the Company, and programmed in some additional virus-checks for all future messages. Hopefully that'll be the end of it.

Day 46

Checked on the stasis pod this morning. Everything there is fine, so I went for a walk with Layla in the tall gray grasses. Artella was a poisonous green, filling the sky, and the sun seemed distant and subdued. It was beautiful.

Day 47

I saw a flower today. Or something that passes for a flower. Growing in the long grasses near the landing field. It was a white, transluscent blossom that sort of glowed. I checked the files, but no one has reported seeing anything like it on Mezo before. I think I've just discovered a new kind of plant life.

Day 48

The Authority cruiser arrived today. It was far too large to land on the field, so while they orbited the moon, they sent a big shuttle down to retrieve the stasis pod.  These were the first active humans that I've seen in almost seven weeks.  They loaded up the stasis pod with brisk efficiency, interviewed me about my experience with the crash, then left. It was only after they'd gone that I realized that I'd never asked them who the survivor was.

I have to admit, I was kind of glad to see them go.

Day 49

Ugh. Sick. Picked something up from the cruiser crew probably. I feel horrible.

Day 50

Feeling better today, so that's good. I wonder if I should start wearing an encounter suit when I meet new people? It's obvious my immunity is down.

Day 51

Sat in the late afternoon sunshine today, feeling like a spoiled old man. I literally have an entire moon to myself.

Day 53

Got another message burst from the Company today. Letters from home, mostly. Ran them through my new antivirus filters and they seemed to be safe. Good to know.

Day 54

The alien ship that passed through about a month ago stopped by again to refuel. The ship is The Idius and the aliens are from a planet called Tetheron. Humanoid oxygen breathers.  The last time rhey were here I chatted with them over the coms, this time I did it in person.  It was really nice. I wish that Authority cruiser's crew had been as nice.

Day 56

Damn. I've spent the last two days playing hide-n-seek from the station's androids. They got reinfected by malware and this time it was much, much worse. They tried to do me harm. I armed myself with a heavy wrench and incapacitated them one by one. It figured that the most dangerous one would be Layla, the most advanced of the bunch. She was the last one I incapacitated.  I'm not sure, but my initial scans suggest that the malware was introduced by the crew of The Idius.  Comms are down at the moment, but as soon as I've got them up again, I'm contacting the Authorities. This was ridiculous!

Day 57

The Authority cruiser is back. They have The Idius and her crew in custody. Seems they're anarchists or something trying to disrupt human expansion.  They're revisiting all the ports the ship stopped at, which is why they returned to Mezo so quickly.  The cruiser was able to help me restore the damaged systems and reboot the droids. The captain said they patrol this sector pretty frequently and would try to check on me more often.

I asked him what would happen to the Tetherons.  He said they've already been tried and convicted and would be shipped off to a penal colony on the Frontier.

I'd feel bad for them if they weren't a bunch of psychos.

Day 58

The Authority cruiser is gone and things have returned to what passes for normal on Mezo. The droids seem no worse for wear, and Layla apologized for trying to bash my head in with a wrench. I told her it was okay and then we went for a stroll along the perimeter. The little moonflower I discovered is still there, a dash of brilliant white against the grayish-purpled grasses. I made a mental note to do some scans and send them to the Company in my next message burst.

Day 59

And the water system went on the fritz again. Took a couple of tries but I eventually got it working again. I swear, I think the Company needs to seriously overhaul that system.

Day 60

Got the water system working again just in time for its thermal regulators to conk out. Took some doing, and a lot of swearing, but I managed to get it working again and spare myself a lot of cold showers.

Day 62

Spoke too soon. Water system thermal regulators failed. Can't fix them either, so it's nothing but cold showers until I can get replacement parts. Pheh.

Day 63

Forgot the hot water was off this morning until I stepped into the shower. Layla came running when she heard me shout, wanting to make sure I was okay. It would have been funny if the water wasn't so damned cold.

Day 66

A ship full of human colonists, bound for the Frontier, stopped today to refuel and run some diagnostics on their comms.  The colonists were all in stasis, for the trip, and the ship's crew were old hands. They said they'd done this run a dozen times over the years, and usually stopped at Mezo a few times. We gossiped. I told them about the starship that crashed on the far side of the moon and the Tetheron anarchists, and they told me about the latest news and gossip from the Core Worlds and on the Frontier. I asked if they had any spare parts for a thermal regulator and their engineer just laughed and asked me if the station's water systems were still dodgy.

Day 67

The colony ship left this morning and I was sad to see them go. But it was nice interacting with ordinary people again. After they left, though, I ran tripple diagnostics on all the androids to make sure they weren't carrying any nasty malware surprises.

Day 71

Got a message burst from the Company today. They've noted my contract is going to come to an end soon and are offering me extra incentives if I'll stay on.  Also got notified that a xenobotanist took a look at my moonflower scans and is coming out here to take a look at the thing herself. Cool.

Day 72

More microquakes this afternoon, according to station sensors, but I didn't feel a thing. Checked on my flower and found some more growing near it. Took some more scans to send directly to the Company xenobotanist per her request. Afterwards, went inside as it looked like a storm was starting to gather.

Day 74

Got an atypical rain shower this morning. Apparently, showers are fairly rare in this section of Mezo. Something about the air currents prevent cloud formation or something. Was shocked to step outside and see a faint rainbow in the sky. It faded quickly, but I've kept the memory with me all day.

Day 76

Damn. Went to check on the moonflowers this afternoon and they all seemed to be dying. Maybe it was the rain? I don't know. Took some scans and sent them off to the xenobotanist, Doctor Kaley. I wonder if she'll still make the trip if the flowers are all dead?

Day 79

Got a message via the Company from Doctor Kaley. She said she's still planning on coming to Mezo as the moon has obviously not been properly surveyed. Got the distinct impression she was very miffed with someone about that, which just made me grin. I wonder if I'll still be here when she gets out?

Day 80

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! A tradeship arrived today and they had replacement parts for the thermal regulators! I've got hot water again! Woohoo! I think the trader was sort of weirded out when I gave him a bearhug after he handed me the box with the part. I don't care. I've got hot water again!

Day 89

The Authority cruiser returned today with terrible news. The Authority is formally at war with Tetheron. At the moment, the war is just being fought in an isolated system in the Outer Worlds, but the Authorities think it could spread. So, with that in mind, they're evacuating all personnel from places like Mezo, back to the Core Worlds.  The station will be shut down, the androids mothballed until later.  Even if I hadn't already decided to leave Mezo, the decision would have been taken out of my hands.  

I leave on the cruiser tomorrow.

Day 90

Today was my last day on Mezo. I don't know if I'll ever be back.  When I first arrived here, I was worried that I would be lonely. This moon is fairly isolated. Weeks pass between the appearance of ships, needing repairs or refueling.

But I was never really lonely.  And as the days turned into weeks, I grew to appreciate the quietness and the solitude that permeates Mezo.  

And I certainly can't say that I was bored here. Between keeping the station going, dealing with the android problems, and assisting the travelers who stopped by, I got more than enough excitement.

Today, we closed the station. The androids were shut down and placed in storage. Layla was the last one and before we mothballed her, I took her with me for one final walk in the long, gray grasses beyond the station.

Overhead, Artella filled the sky, a swirling giant of pastel green and white clouds, that I've come to regard as familiar and nurturing. The breeze swept through the longish gray grass, which hummed and sang, like the strings of an exotic, alien harp.

I'll miss Mezo. I'll miss the peace it brought me, and I hope I can carry that with me as the future unfolds, uncertainly, before us all.

But it's time to move on.

We went back to the station, where I powered down Layla and placed her in storage alongside her fellows.  As I covered her inactive form with a plastic dust-cloth, I felt like I was burying a friend.

Then I went outside to the shuttle, and left Mezo behind.