The Captain's Final Order
Our tale begins aboard a starship in distress.
A vessel crawling with horrific Intruders.
Systems failing.
Crew members dying.
Trust eroding by the minute.
In other words—A fairly typical game of Nemesis.
Now, our storyteller would like it noted that they are, by all accounts, a kind and helpful person.
Polite.
Considerate.
A model citizen.
“A claim I have no reason to doubt... though the events that follow do make for interesting evidence.”
You see, Nemesis has a way of bringing out sides of people normally kept under careful supervision.
And on this particular evening, those darker impulses were given room to stretch their legs.
The secret objective was simple:
Eliminate Player Two.
Player Two happened to be the ship's scientist.
A brilliant researcher.
A valuable member of the crew.
And, most importantly, sitting in a wheelchair.
The evening had already been brutal.
Intruders stalked the corridors and two players had already perished.
Admittedly the odds of survival grew slimmer with every turn.
Yet somehow—
Against all expectations—
The scientist and the captain survived.
Together they repaired the ship. Together they set a course for Earth. Together they fought their way back to the Hibernatorium. Victory was within reach.
The scientist could almost taste it.
“And this, darlings, is where optimism became a tactical error.”
Because there was one detail the scientist overlooked.
The captain's special ability. The power to issue orders.
Right before entering cryosleep, our storyteller looked across the table.
Looked their friend directly in the eye.
And then...
Issued one final command.
The badly injured scientist was pushed from safety and into a room containing:
Two Alien Intruders.
Not one.
Two.
The reaction around the table was immediate.
Shock.
Laughter.
Outrage.
The sort of uproar that only comes from witnessing a betrayal so perfectly timed that everyone secretly wishes they'd thought of it first.
The scientist never had a chance.
The aliens finished what the captain had started.
And when the dust settled...
There was only one survivor.
The captain entered cryosleep.
The mission was completed.
The objective fulfilled.
The game won.
“A remarkable display of leadership. Morally questionable, certainly... but remarkably effective.”
As for responsibility?
The evidence leaves little room for debate.
The Captain
Entirely.
Enthusiastically.
And with no apparent regrets.
Lady Bea's Final Word
Some victories are earned through courage.
Some through skill.
And some through waiting until your ally is standing directly beside a room full of aliens.
“I do admire efficiency.”
Our storyteller concluded with a sentiment I find difficult to argue with:
Nemesis may not be the perfect game...
But the stories it creates?
Those are unforgettable.
Your Turn
“Now then... have you ever looked a trusted ally in the eye moments before betraying them for your own survival? Tell me all about it!”