Two Canaries
To investigate the new Broken Chain cult on Sepheris Secundus, Ulbrexis says he can lead us to one of the old bases that he knew of during his earlier time here. Going down in to the mines presents some risks, including that of poison gas. Thankfully, we have a high-tech version of a canary that can detect the gases before they reach dangerous levels. We also have Mordecai, who didn't think to equip himself with any filtration plugs, so if he stops breathing we'll know there are poisonous gasses around.
The trip down the mine shaft is arduous but uneventful, the long-abandoned vein quiet apart from stone crabs chittering around. We come to a small antechamber before the main room of the old base and strains of music can be heard through the door leading in. Not wanting to rush in to a potentially deadly situation I take point and open the door a crack to see who or what is inside. My mind can't quite take in what it sees.
There is one wall that looks normal, but the others and the ceiling appear to open in to the starry sky, despite being a couple of hundred metres underground. The handful of mutants sitting around listening to an imperial hymn are the least of my worries when faced with this warping of space, and I freeze in place. My fellow acolytes notice this after a few seconds and pull me back in to the ante-chamber, closing the door and slapping me to bring me around.
I explain the weirdness that I think I saw, at which point Mordecai the Canary remembers that he can use his psychic powers to create a calming aura to help our minds cope with such disturbing imagery. His inner glow inspires us all and, opening the door again, he, Matthias, and Dariel all survive the bizarre sight without any ill effects, but only with the benefit of the aura.
I would have coped okay too had the aura been up, but suffering a -10 penalty to all dice rolls isn't that detrimental, particularly not when about to enter combat.