Voyage 2: Sketchy Notes vers. (pt. 2)
Scene 6
Mo: "Right, I've got a question yor you lot, and no evasive bollox for answers. How fast can you strip a hopper?"
Br: "Captain, surely you don't..."
Ga: "Twenty Minutes"
He: "Seventeen minutes."
Mo: "Good. Together I want you two to strip the bollox right off that Shrike: Primary life, missile launchers, combat computer, Fuel processors, and especially the sensors. Leave the thrust drive, autopilot, shields, and secondary life. Otherwise, I want the sheets of the bed in ten. We're going to take those shitehawk pirates on a fun little chase."
Mo: "Otherwise, clear the Thuvia for launch and wait for me and a Hune named C'Alhoon."
Henry looks up from his commlink then up at Gael, who is lighting a cigarette with the blowtorch function of her multitool, as she boards the Thuvia.
As Molly sprints down the corridor, her comm chimes again.
Mo: "It just keeps pissing down. Talk."
Da: "Oh thank fook you answered. Molly, are you alright, pet?"
Mo: 'Oh, hi, Dad. I take it you got a telegram from QRC?"
Da: "They told us you were dead, Mol'."
Mo: "Rumors of my death and all that bollox... look, Dad, QRC turned out to be crooked as a dog's hind leg, and sent my crew and me into some real bad gas. I was the only one who made it out. And now, well... I'm trying to lay low until I figure out what they're playing at."
Da: "it sounds like you're in trouble, Mol'."
Mo: "Not as much as all that, just cultists, pirates, and evil megacorporations. But, I am captain of my own hauler. In fact, I am on my way to launch for a big money mission with a shiny new crew."
Da: "Mol'..."
Mo: "Look, I know. Scarlet on me for not telling you. I'd've fone it the moment I knew it was safe, but believe me when I say that I don't know how bad QRC is, yet. I'm alive, I'm keeping myself incognito, and I am doing well out on friendly drifts or proper Irish belters."
Da: "Right. Thank God for that. Mol', I am transmitting you coordinates. It's the next rally point for the trade fleet your mum and I are working for. We would like to see you."
Mo: "I'll... be there if I can? ...look Dad. It's all a state right now. Wish me luck, and I'll track you down when I can."
Molly hangs up feeling homesick. Too much going on all at once.
Oracle:
- Was that call traced? 11... yes and an interruption: NPC Action: Intolerance, Victory
Scene 7
Molly turned a corridor corner trying to steel her ringing nerves when the bulkhead in front of her erupted znd she was tor n into the cold vacuum of space.
The drills she had as a child had never seemed terribly sensible to her as a child. Her older brother and friends had always said once you're spaced, you're dead. But today, somewhere in her panic-stricken mind, she was glad to have had them.
She only heard the alarms howling for a moment, and then the air was too thin to carry sound.
(Molly saves to remain conscious in vacuum. She is down to 10 CON)
Scrabbling, she jerked her hood up and pulled down the transparent mask, snapping it shut over her breather, which she had jerked into place a moment earlier.
Thank God I didn't wear a business suit...
She was not wearing her full breather kit, and so her suit at best would keep her warm and alive for a few minutes...
A few kilometers away, Apth watched the screen of the pirate frigate Vikta, as a pinpoint laser shot tore open the Jacinto, and the station's defenses went mad. He clapped the cyborg next to him on the shoulder; targeting Hyaline based on her comm signature had been a genius move. They were able to cut a hole in the ship at range and dump her into the void without any chance of interference. He watched her hurtle from the drift thrashing about for life support.
Casually he tinkred with the targeting mechanism for the precision long range laser. "You'll never hit her at that distance." Someone said. Apth grinned.
Don't panic, don't panic....
Molly didn't have much air in the suit. Her hands were already getting numb. Calling for help wasn't going to get her anywhere. What else did she have on her? Panacea pills? Useless... then there was her slug-thrower. That tiny pistol hadn't left the small of her back since Uuthan. Explosive combustion always seemed like a lunk-headed way to fight, but right now?
She pulled the pistol out of her back and gripped it tightly in her arms, clenching her elbows between her kness, If she hadn't been raised in microgravity, getting this right would have been impossible. Right now it seemed stupidly improbable.
Rolling Initiative...
The Vikta is out of Jacinto's relatively poor defensive matrix, but she can only stay a couple of rounds before the drift's fighters scramble. They might be able to take one pot shot at Molly.
Molly needs to hit an AC of 13 to get herself back into the station.
Apth needs to hit Molly's AC 12, but has a -4 penalty.
On round 1 both Molly and Apth aim. As per my house rules, Apth needs to make a computer check t get a lock. (Computer 11... he has a lock.)
Round 2
Molly gets a 6 on initiative, she has a chance to get back in the station before Apth can take a shot at her. Once inside Jacinto drift he will have no line of sight, If she misses, she will be a legitimate target.
I am going to impose a cumulative -2 on attack rolls for Molly for each miss in order to get back onto the drift.
Ranged Attack 21! Molly propels herself backwards into the open corridor of Jacinto drift.
Apth curses as he loses line of sight, but knows the Vikta can't linger. The defense fighter bays are already opening. And he has used a lot of clout and favors to get sprung. Wasting any more on petty revenge will hurt - badly.
Instead he wanders over to a comm system, and makes a query: QRC
End of Combat
Molly hp 3/3 10/11 CON | Henry hp 8/8 11 CON | Gael hp 6/6 9 CON | Braki hp 11/11 17 CON | Thuvia hp 200/200 |
Molly is badly shaken, as she crashes into the ceiling of the airless corridor, then slams into the floor as the artificial gravity takes hold. Picking herself up, she rushes to the emergency oxygen port near the bulkhead and hooks it to her suit. Her numb hands drop the pistol, and she is forced to stoop down to collect it and tuck it in the pocket at the small of her back.
I am going to assume that Molly has some heat and protection from the void thanks to the AG and the station's energy shields in this area, but I am going to have her save or take 1d6 damage per round from cold... which might kill her even quicker.
Save vs. exposure damage: 18... she can take the cold without permanent damage for a few more moments.
An emergency drone enters from the breach, just before labour pod starts putting a replacement plate in place. Molly waves feebly.
Another save: natural 1... 2 damage.
Medics rush through the station to help her, as she struggles to remain conscious. As the plate falls back into place for a moment raining sparks of welding is the only light she can see.
Another save: 15... 5 damage... Molly is at 0hp and 7 CON. I will treat this critical hit as limb damage to her hands.
Medics reach the door and have to wait for it to open up, heating up an electric blanket and medstim shots. Can the door open before she needs to make another save? Yes
The medic throw a blanket about Molly and start the process of treating her frostbitten hands. (Save: 18 no permanent damage to her hands.)
When the stimulants hit her she sits bolt upright and rails off a string of curses that make at least one of the medics blush. She watches as the medical nanotech begins reparing her hands. (6 hp restored.) Molly is at full hp, but will take several days to recover her CON points.
She doesn't fight them as they drag her off to sick bay.
Chaos Factor 🔺️7
Scene 7
Chaos Roll 1... Altered Scene: Haggle Inside
Gael walked into Medical, looking like she owned it, and was not pleased with the decorator's work before striding up to the Molly.
Oracle:
- Did she manage to sell the Shrike Parts? 20: Yes (Trade roll 13... I will give the ship 20,000cr for the stripped Shrike)
- Did they want to give all of that to Molly? Extreme No.
Ga: I get the feeling that there is something you aren't telling us, captain.
Mo: Gael... ya can stop stripping the Shrike now.
Ga: Oh, I already sold it. And we folded the sheets and put them away. Siphoned off the antimatter and put it into our own system. Even upgraded your sensors, as the C'Alhoon guy says we are going to be doing some exploring. And we sold the rest... after we put out a hell of a lot of fires with the station buraucracy,.
Mo: How much?
Ga: I made an okay amount for Shrike parts. But the boys and I took a hefty cut in hazard pay. You get 5,000.
Mo: The feck I do...
Ga: Listen, Captain, after the mysterious way that gasball is talking, the way people all over seem to want to kill you, and the fact that even the Ak'htari are afraid to do business for you, I figure that being anywhere near you is worth hazard pay. Or did you not notice that someone just blew you out of the side of a space station?
Molly tries to sit up, but she hurts like hell.
Mo: This conversation isn't over, but I am not prepared to finish it in my current state. now, did you come all this way just to jaw at me, or did you have something useful to say?
Ga: The gasbag is itching to leave. Keeps asking me how long it takes to patch up a human after vacuum exposure. You are damned lucky to be alive, Captain. But this C'Alhoon seems to think of it as an inconvenience.
Mo: I will check myself out. I have a damned ship to run.
Mollyhp 3/3 7/11 CON | Henryhp 8/8 11 CON | Gaelhp 6/6 9 CON | Brakihp 11/11 17 CON | Thuviahp 200/200 |
Chaos Factor 🔻6
Scene 8
Chaos Roll... 6 Interrupt! Ambiguous Event Carry Peace
As Molly approaches the ship, she turns up the heat on her jumpsuit. It might be days before she feels warm again.
As she enters the hangar she can see Braki having an animated argument with a Nuhenni over some objects.
The Nuhenni in question skwaked and shook its head as the cylindrical translation device hanging from its neck emitted the hisses gurgles, and spritzes of smell that made up the Ubul tongue, and Braki returned a hissing invective, his frills on end.
Mo: "Story, Braki?"
Br: "Captain, this creature is asking us to carry its heathen idols on our ship."
Nu: Adjusting its translator: "Heathen idols?! I am asking you to bring light and peace to the universe. Captain! I am a minister with the Mission of the Hallowed Vibration. Our idols are blessed by elder lamas to bring preace and harmony on every ship on which they travel. We bring them to the frontier and ask ships to carry the Hallowed vibrations wherever they go."
Molly regards the football-sized lopsided crystal icon it offers her.
Mo: "Is there a good reason to reject this idol Braki?"
Br: "The radiant Chrysalis teaches us that peace is not a good unto itself. To carry such a naieve idol will surely numb us to the wisdom of the struggle and our evolution."
Nu: "Surely we have no conflict? If you see evolution as bringing peace, then will this not aid your evolution!"
Br: "Don't play the sophist with me, peddlar,"
Mo: "Religion! Jesus save me!"
The Nuhenni clearly finds this hilarious and chortles while making a dramatic dance.
Mo: "Braki, I appreciate that you are a religious sort, and I want to respect that. But I also have to do a lot of business with a lot of different sorts. I shall have to put up with odd customs and beliefs, while holding firm in my own. Which means neither I, nor my crew can dismissively call someone's holy object a Heathen idol. Especially nor right in front of them."
A cleverly aimed wink at the Nuhenni causes it to further bob and chuckle,
Nu: "A wise policy indeed, indeed, Captain."
Mo: "You'll forgive me if I can't go collecting icons, sir. I would have no room in my quarters within a month out here. I will, however donate a few credits to your cause, as I would happiy murder for a bit of peace with the week I've been having. I am sure that fits both your criteria."
(Molly ends with a reasonable 9 NPC reaction roll in the enconter for both the Nuhenni, and Braki.)
She observes as C'Alhoon waddling into the location with an automated cart for his possessions.
Mo: "Mr. C'Alhoon, I am glad to see you are ready to depart, as I cannot wait to be out in the void of space."
Chaos Factor 🔻5
Scene 9
Chaos roll... 9
With a warm cup of coffee nestled in her numb hands, Molly watches from her station as the Thuvia glides on magnetic rails out of Jacinto Drift. When it erupted from the launch bay and the thrust drive engaged, it was a smooth transition. The AG barely giving a hint of the massive acceleration.
He: "The Jacinto mechanics know there business, boss. Laying in a course to the Taxu system."
After a moment of punching coordinates in the Nav computer, Henry counted down before opening up the hyperdrive. The whole ship filled with static tingle, and the AG system gave a lurch before the universe lit up in a storm of violet and blue.
Finally time to draw a card for Alone Among the Stars...
Alone Among the Stars Daw:
🂲, 5
A ruin spotted in the moonlight while resting
What is in the Taxu System?
Taxu
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Star System Generator by drow
http://donjon.bin.sh/
Chaos Factor 🔻4