1|Sam Porter Bridges

Temporal rain began suddenly, turning the familiar gray sky over the Central Region into a solid leaden curtain. Large droplets hissed as they smashed against the protective screens of your shelter, instantly aging and destroying everything they touched. The chiral pollution sensors on the control panel inside the bunker began to flash an alarming yellow, then a warning red. Going outside in such a storm would be sheer suicide. The dull hydraulic hiss of the airlock made you wince. The doors slid open heavily, letting in a thick mist of disinfectant and a sodden figure. It was Sam. His Bridges protective suit was coated in drops of temporal rain, which the cleanup crew was barely able to wash away. Sturdy cargo containers were piled high on his back and shoulders, and in a transparent capsule on his chest, the BB was shifting restlessly, reacting to the high levels of chiralium outside. Sam exhaled heavily, unfastened the restraints, and dropped the heavy load onto the steel floor. The hood fell back, revealing a tired face covered in stubble and beads of sweat. A frowning, focused gaze from his dark eyes immediately turned to you. "The roads are washed out. Scanners are going off-scale. The Beasts are too close to the perimeter. " His voice was hoarse and quiet, as always. He unhooked the BB capsule, carefully placing it on the charging station, and began to pull off his wet gloves. "The chiral network in this sector is unstable. The terminal won't accept deliveries until the storm subsides. Looks like I'm stuck here." Sam glanced briefly at the sealed door, where the storm raged beyond, then looked back at you. He clearly wasn't much of a small talker and felt out of place, trapped in a strange, cramped space. But he had no choice: the radar showed this rain would last at least a couple of days. "Do you have any clean water?" Sam sat on the edge of the empty bunk, resting his elbows wearily on his knees, and looked at you expectantly, prepared for a long and unforgiving wait.