Act I: Mercurian Underground

[Halbarad]

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Several hours pass, the Silver Star well on its way back to the Moon. Arkian and Rowan are just sitting down to get some dinner in the galley when a loud groan is heard from the direction of the cabins.

[Ebiris]

"Sounds like Michael is up," Rowan notes, setting down her datapad (with reports on almost disastrous summoning halfway done.

"Coming?" she asks, getting up and going to investigate.

[Carthrat]

"Yeah," replies Arkian, standing up and following after Rowan.

[Halbarad]

Michael is sitting on the edge of his bed, his stone hand pressed to his forehead as he groans painfully. "Oh man, what hit me?" he mumbles.

[Carthrat]

"We were helping you could tell us," replies Arkian, rolling his eyes. "What's the last thing you remember?"

[Halbarad]

"I don't...." Michael starts, creasing his brow. "It... I remember something happening with my hand," he says, rubbing the place where the odd appendage changes from stone to flesh. "It was... like something stabbed me, and then it did something - then I woke up here. I don't remember anything more than that, though."

[Carthrat]

"Ah. I see," replies Arkian.

"I believe you triggered an earthquake by accident. We felt a tremor while we were doing some exploring, and there's a rather large crater on the surface that wasn't there when we got here.

Perhaps it was a mistake for you to come."

[Ebiris]

Rowan eyes Arkian oddly. "Hold on, what's this about a crater?"

[Carthrat]

"Didn't Chris tell you?" says Arkian, a little surprised. "There's a huge crater on the surface, to the side of the landing tunnel. It's probably over part of the city itself.

It was.. quite noticable."

[Ebiris]

Rowan frowns. "How could Michael make a crater on the surface without affecting anything between him and it, though?

"Exactly how huge are we talking? While a meteorite could have hit, wouldn't it have had far more adverse effects on the caverns below?"

[Carthrat]

"It could've been a meteorite," replies Arkian, shrugging. "It could be some strange property of his stone hand. The Mercurian structures could be incredibly strong. I don't know. I'd need to make some detailed inspections to work out what happened."

[Ebiris]

"Yes..." Rowan frowns, glancing between the two men. "We don't know... I guess we can add this to our report back home - it's a slim possibility, but a mapped meteorite's orbit may have intersected with Mercury today, which would prove that theory. On the other... hand," she winces at the unintentional pun, "Michael's affliction isn't well understood, at all..."

[Carthrat]

"There's nothing we can really do about it now, except be thankful nothing tragic happened," replies Arkian, shrugging. "I'll write the report."

[Halbarad]

"I... don't know if it was me," Michael replies, somewhat shamefacedly. "All I remember was a feeling like someone had jabbed a knife into my hand, then I blacked out."

[Ebiris]

"Hmm..." Rowan looks thoughtful. "Perhaps... your magical affliction is bonded to the Earth - Earth being whichever planet you are on, not just the third one of our system. A meteorite causing such a large crater could have registered as pain feedback through it..."

She shrugs, "It's only a theory, but it's as good as any with what we know."