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Arc 3 Seq 3 | Epilogue A

Narrative Purpose

No Arc 2 Path: Player returns to Command post-network restore; Cultist waits while Commander reveals reactor crisis escalation. Player choice shapes Technician contact method, but both paths route to rescue—establishing fragile trio amid worsening station collapse.

  • Emotional tone: Earned competence → escalating dread.
  • Immediate goal: Report reactor status → redirect to Technician rescue.
  • Mechanical purpose: Choice-driven contact path (flavor divergence).

Narrative Breakdown

Beat 1 | Crisis Revelation

Player enters Command bridge post-network restore. Cultist waits silently; Commander reveals reactor fire threatens hull breach, demanding every available hand.

  • Camera: First-person, full control on bridge entry (submarine-cramped, consoles glow alive).
  • Audio: Steady terminal hum; Cultist foot-tap impatience; Commander's chair creak.
  • Environmental Cues: Bridge lights steady (network live); reactor alert blinks yellow on main screen.
  • Objective / Task: Report to Command.
  • Player Feedback: Interaction prompt appears on approach.

Actions:

  • Cultist leans against bulkhead, arms crossed (humbled post-switcheroo).
  • Commander at console—looks up on player approach.
  • Choice prompt: "Mention Technician" or "Stay Silent."

Dialogue (Triggers on Approach):

Commander (looks up, brisk): "Kid. Network's up—things worse than thought. Reactor fire's burning toward hull. Need every hand."
(Player choice prompt appears)

Option A – Mention Technician Choice

  • Result: Commander pings her suite directly via restored network; trio forms post-rescue.
  • Dialogue:

    Player (suggest): "Technician from maintenance—she's trapped."

    Commander (nods, keys console): "TeleTalk implant? Pinging now... Cabin 4B." (comms crackle)

    Technician (distorted relief): "Command? Finally—door's jammed, I-beams everywhere!"

    Commander (to Tech): "Reactor is priority. Tech, hold tight—reactor's yours again soon. Sending the bodega kid."

    Technician (flat): "Oh... ok."

    Commander (dry goad): "You heard her. Cabin 4B. Move."

  • Purpose: Rewards Arc 1 Step 3 memory; direct agency.
  • Transition: Arc 2 Seq 1 Beat 2 | Suite Rescue

Option B – Stay Silent Choice (Revised)

  • Result: Commander broadcasts station-wide APB; multiple voices respond in confusion, including the Technician.
  • Dialogue:

    Commander (no pause) "Network's live—sending APB: all techs report to Command." (station speakers chime; multiple channels crackle)

    Unknown Voice 1 (panicked, distant): "Please—section twelve‑A, we’re trapped, we need—"

    Unknown Voice 2 (overlapping, corrective): "No, don’t! The fire’s—" (signal distortion, feedback)

    Technician (cutting through): "Command, Engineering Tech—Cabin 4B, stuck since the first blast!"

    Commander (to Tech): "Reactor is priority. Tech, hold tight—reactor's yours again soon. Sending the bodega kid."

    Technician (flat): "Oh... ok."

    Commander (dry goad): "You heard her. Cabin 4B. Move."

  • Purpose: The hail logically surfaces multiple survivors. The Commander’s reaction reveals his command logic and sets causal direction toward the reactor mission.
  • Transition: Arc 2 Seq 1 Beat 2 | Suite Rescue

Triggers:

  • Either choice → UI: "Rescue Technician - Cabin 4B"; Cultist follows.
  • SocialCapital+1: Cultist less snide on rescue path.

Notes:

  • Cultist silent (awaits cue)—post-minigame humility.
  • Choice = flavor divergence only; both paths succeed.
  • Reactor fire establishes stakes without resolution.

Narrative Intent

Arc 2 Exclusion Path: Network competence victory sours into reactor crisis—player's sysadmin glow-up meets station-wide meltdown. Choice reinforces agency (proactive mention vs. procedural APB) while threading Arc 1 TeleTalk memory. Cultist's silence marks character growth arc. Establishes player as Command Deck "useful" asset amid scarcity. Reactor fire escalates isolation theme: technical wins cannot halt systemic collapse.

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