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BRINK OF THE VERGE - PART 1

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After your meeting in the mess hall, you were able to gather your gear and prepare for your next mission. It's been only about a few days when the captain announces on the ship's com that you're nearing the pick ups site.

You're currently very far out into the belt. Only a few colonies were out this far. There were a few space stations and satellites beyond the belt, but no actual colonies. So you and your crew now travel at the edge of humanity, likely beyond range of any prying eyes of law enforcement.

As the ship prepares to navigate near its destination, you hear the yellow alert go off and the captain's voice on coms.

"Hey everyone. Looks like we're hittin' a bit of turbulence. I need everyone at stations. Pronto!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:08, Sun 20 Aug 2023.

When the call came, Osram squeezed himself into one of the ship's EVA suits and then grabbed and secured the rest of his gear.

He then clomped down to the cargo bay and began one last round of checks to verify everything in there was strapped down.  If they were lucky they could get to their pickup point with no trouble and pop the top to grab what they'd come for.  Having other stuff moving around would make that more difficult than needed.

If they were not lucky he'd be able to scramble from the cargo bay to wherever someone might need a hand in about equal time.

Edwin had only just made it to his quarters. Ready to take a break and catch up on some reading when the captains statement came across the comms. With a sigh he headed back toward the gunnery station he had only left a hour or so ago.

He had spent the last couple days getting familiar with as many of the ships systems as possible. He probably wasn't the best at most of them but it couldn't hurt to at least know how things worked.

Gill had put Turd away as they got closer to their journey's end. He was in a zip up jumpsuit, his armor, and his pistol at his hip. Of course he was drinking coffee and looking bored as the others scrambled. He strode slowly and deliberately without the need for alacrity. When he reached the cockpit he put his coffee down, sighed, and strapped himself in. "NOD, I will assume control when visual has been acquired."

Archie was standing in the small closet of a quarters he had, recharging for the 48 minutes a day he needed. Upon getting the Captain's orders delivered by NOD, he reactived and headed quickly for the bridge.

The engine room was where he had taken to sleeping in a nest. He invited others as it was more practical than the cold of other places though he didn't expect others to join him. People were finicky about personal space and quarters. Even in the circumstances of running cold. He simply activated his comm, "Andre in engineering, Cap. I'll head to the cargo bay in case there are... problems for the station getting their bay open." the air quotes made it sound so much better than saying: in case we have to hack the door off the hinges to make the clandestine pick up.

Everyone on the ship can hear loud trickling static on the intercom as the yellow alert switches to red while Jhenko and NOD go on open emergency coms.

NOD: "Alert! Emergency stations! We are caught in a debris field! Dangerously large and fast-moving debris inbound."

Capt. OLJ: "Why didn't scanners pick this up sooner?!"

NOD: "Something is interfering with medium and long range scans. The debris is only appearing on short-range scans."

Capt. OLJ: "Gunners, cover us! Navigation! Get us more intel on what's going on out there!"

---

MISSION OBJECTIVES

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Threat Level: 30

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship

Every round the Threat Level will increase. Every 20 points introduces a new dangerous hazard begin appears on the ship in a random location/system. At threat level 100, the mission is failed. If you survive for 20 rounds or get threat level to 0, the mission is a success. You're always assumed to start in your primary role unless noted otherwise.

Every round you can do one of the following:

• Roll 1 skill check to perform a task. This reduces threat level by (Check Result - 10) if the task was actually specifically needed by the mission objective or half this amount if it was not specifically needed (GM determines). Make sure to describe what you're doing when you roll the check as this determines if it's appropriate or not.
• Roll 1 skill check to aid someone else in the same role (grant them advantage if you beat DC10, plus a bonus equal to (check result -10)/5.
• Move to a different role.
• Explore/investigate unknowns.

No rolling initiative. Just post when you can and wait until everyone's had a turn. If 3+ days pass and no one has posted and we're still waiting I'll tell you to skip them and move on to the next person.

Skip had been in the cargo hold, utilizing the larger weapon simulator.  The truth is, he had just been running scenarios similar to what they now faced as the Call to General Quarters went out.
He had started to make a practice of wearing his envirosuit pretty much all the time,as well as the gunbelt that keeps his plasma pistol holstered to his thigh.  He immediately heads for his assigned turret, and is already targetting what he thinks is the most immediate threat when the Cap'n gives his orders.
Scanning space around them, he begins triaging the rocky debris, deciding on the ones he would need to immediately shoot to protect the ship.  The most immediate threat is targetted,and he fires....

03:27, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 20 using 1d20+2.  Marksmanship-Most immediate threat.

Archie quickly got to the Technician's chair and used the scanners to find the source of the interference, as the captain ordered.

Ooc-05:18, Today: R-Chi1 rolled 19 using 3d6+6. Reducing threat level. Role-Technician.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:30, Wed 23 Aug 2023.

Andre's vest swiftly produced his Hacking Tablet and he started on the diagnostics to isolate what is interfering with the longer than short scans.

Andre Klanktonne rolled 6 using 2d20 with rolls of 1,5.  Cipher +6 Advantage Diagnostics via hacking tablet. That's 5+6=11 for a possible reduction of 1 as Operator.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:16, Wed 23 Aug 2023.

NOD dropped the stick in Gill's lap while pointing out the debris field. He must have alerted the Captain because there was an "all hands" call, which Gill silenced with a flip of a switch at his thumb. He worked the pedals, pushed and pulling levers with his left and took the stick in his right. He punched some buttons and the HUD put a bright red over the debris, making dodging them easier. He laced his fingers and pushed his palms out to crack his knuckles. "Time to go to work." He pushed everything but the debris out of his conscious mind and let his eyes guide his hands. "This is why I said screw being a lawyer, I'm gonna fly spaceships NOD."

01:13, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  Pilot the boat.
Reliable Talent makes it a 14!

Edwin closed his eyes for just a moment, got control of his breathing and focused on the debris. One good think that had come out of his military experience with an overzealous drill instructor was the ability to focus.

Taking aim he opened fire on the nearest debris threat.

OOC: 09:44, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 18 using 3d6+4.  Marksmanship (w/ Assurance).

Osram keyed into the comms with Andre and Archie and acted as their hands and physical eyes while they ran their electronic checks.

He moved with surprising grace from stem to stern visually checking equipment and connections, and physically power cycling components as directed to ensure the diagnostics data was accurate and nothing onboard was spoofing their readings.

Osram rolled 21.  Moving quickly (athletics).

Jakova was doing what he always did in downtime...sleeping. However, this time when NOD gave the Emergency Stations call, another sound rang through Jak's room. He had asked NOD to help him find a tone that cut through whatever his mind was doing while he slept. Whatever it was, it did have the desired effect, he instantly jolted up. Immediately, he scooped up his bag and Halligan and slipped into the walkways.

With a deep breath, Jak began to systematically go over all of the nooks and crannies of the ship, starting right outside his bunk. He had heard that something was affecting the sensors...specifically long and medium range. To Jak, that rang of sabotage. He couldn't help but feel this way...it would have been something he would have done to a competitor. Didn't mean it was...it just felt like it to him.


15:42, Today: Jakova rolled 7 using 1d20+4.  Perception, small spaces and unobvious locations.

@Skip Tracer, Gill Rurry, & Edwin Arlo Park:
Gunners and pilots will see an odd sight just before they're blasted it to pieces. What appears to pieces of a spacecraft with strange symbols on it that glowed a slight purple. No time to examine it, but you could swear you saw it glowing just a bit and whatever those symbols were, they were not anything you'd ever seen before.


@R-Chi1:
Archie quickly finds that there's some disconnected cables in the lower deck just beneath the engineering bay. A quick trip to that area of the ship might reveal the cause of the disconnect.


@Andre Klanktonne:
Andre's diagnostics confirmed everything NOD had said but revealed no additional information yet. However, it is giving Andre some strange readings that don't seem to make sense. (A Mechanics, Physics, or Insight check will reveal more info as to how it would or wouldn't make sense)


@Osram & Jakova
As Osram and Jakova are running around the ship, they'll see a flashing light coming from one of the lower deck rooms beneath engineering. It's not the emergency light and the sounds of electronic devices whirring in the room can be heard. A consistent "thunk thunk thunk" as the automated door attempted to close but encountered an obstacle could be heard. Upon closer inspection, a boot is blocking the door from closing. From the sound of the thunking, it seems there's someone still in that boot. Fortunately, there was no atmosphere risk and the door's closing strength was not on full gear. Otherwise, whomever it was would have lost that leg.

---

ROUND 2

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Threat Level: 0 (debris field escaped)

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  

Threat level reduced to 0. Immediate danger averted.

• Destroy/dodge debris (Objective Complete): +25 XP
• Navigate/scan debris (Objective Complete): +25 XP
• Explore the ship (Objective Complete): +25 XP
• Objective completed in round 1 (Achievement): +25 XP

This message was last edited by the GM at 18:31, Sun 27 Aug 2023.

As a potential cause of the issue was narrowed down to a mechanical bay below engineering, Osram came to a stop in front of the blocked door.

He clicked on his comm and reported in to the rest of the crew, "Something's blocking a door and may be connected to our sensor issue one deck below engineering.  Is everyone accounted for?  I'm going to take a closer look."

As he finished he noticed Jakova having arrived and motioned towards the boot, then motioned for the other man to take a step back before he grabbed the door and pushed it open so whatever was on the other side of that boot could be seen.

Hearing the message over the radio as the last of the asteroids explodes into much smaller fragments, Skip clicks his com.  I am on my way.  Don't do anything until I get there.
He scrambles from the turret seat and makes his way towards the 8ndicated door.
As he gets closer, he uses his Empathic abilities to find out as much as he can.

20:38, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 12,7 using 1d20+4,1d20+4.  Using Empathy:  Perception and Insight.

Andre started doing calculations of physics on his tablet, "I'm going to do some maths on these odd signals. Maybe I can refine it more with some device knowledge but this is where I learn the minimum quality of feature to accomplish this."

Andre Klanktonne rolled 9,16 using d20+6,d20+6.  Physics (with tablet to double check his maths digitally.

"Captain, there's some disconnected cables in the lower deck just beneath the engineering bay. I recommend security proceed to check along with myself, as I doubt it is a mere accident."Archie points out to both Captain and the crew on the bridge.

"Swell. My work here is done, I'll be taking a coffee break until I'm needed again. NOD you got the stick." He unbuckled himself and picked up his coffee cup. He quirked a brow at R-Chi1, "Good work R, keep it up. Glad to have you on the team."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:22, Thu 24 Aug 2023.

In reply to Gill Rurry (msg # 20):

"Thank you, Crewmate Rurry." He paused, looking like he did not even see Gill for a second. Then the android's eyes locked back on his face. "Your piloting is also quite skillful. And your personality is not at all abrasive and off putting."

It is doubtful that Archie is familiar with sarcasm, or that he has the best poker face in the universe. Given the facts, he most likely thinks what he said was indeed a compliment. He then heads down to engineering assuming the Captain wishes him to do so.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:50, Thu 24 Aug 2023.

Edwin remained at his station, just as a precaution. While there he began reviewing sensor readings and video footage for the past several minutes. He hadn't recognized any of the marking on the ship debris and it had him curious.

OOC: 12:28, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 16 using 1d20+2.  Perception.

Jak nodded at Os and slipped back a little bit, while still keeping a sight line beyond the boot and the door. As it slid back, he focused upon everything but the body. Not because he was squeamish...no he had seen his fair share of endings, and in various ways. No, he was looking for signs of either what the body on the floor was doing prior to being a doorstop or what had made the intruder into a makeshift doorstop. Both were equally important.


19:30, Today: Jakova rolled 17 using 1d20+4.  Perception, suspicious, out of place things.

@Skip Tracer
Your empathic powers detect adrenaline fueled fear, concern, frustration, etc. from most of the crew, but not from the area just below the engine room. You sense...happiness? Joy? Ecstasy? But it doesn't seem like the innocent kind. It seems...malicious. Like the the joy a bully gets from picking on someone. And you definitely don't recognize the emotive patterns. Someone's on the ship who shouldn't be here...


@Gill Rurry, & Edwin Arlo Park:
As the ship drifts out of danger, you have a moment to observe the strange debris. Only a moment before you hear the strange news on the comms. Edwin studies the patterns carefully enough to see that there are images on them as well as sigils. It's definitely not any language you've ever seen before...even the tech of the ship looks...weird. Possibly...alien?
(Edwin only: Wisdom save or become entranced by the symbols, new save per round ends the effect. If you fail, also describe for me in your next post a memory Edwin has of experiencing good luck. Something specific and not general. Doesn't have to be big.)


@R-Chi1:
Archie sees another cable get disconnected. Whatever was happening, it was an ongoing issue...


@Andre Klanktonne:
Andre's diagnostics confirmed their sensors had been quietly taken out only moments before they were about to enter sensory range of the debris field. It was done so smoothly, even NOD didn't notice the slight fluctuations until too late. Bad luck couldn't be that precise. Something smelled of sabotage and whoever did it...was good at it.


@Osram & Jakova
As Osram and Jakova approach, they'll see Val lying unconscious with what looks like a nasty head wound, burns, and cuts on her face. No...not cuts...scratches. She also seemed to be partially covered in a strange glowing purple goo. As Osram opens the door they can see the flickering of electricity and the sound of some high pitched cackling. Inside the room there was a figure standing no taller than a couple of feet hanging on the wall with a hole exposing multiple wires throughout the room. It was shaped like a monkey but had no tail or fur and its body was semitransparent. It had batlike ears, sharp pointy teeth, large catlike eyes, and its skin glowed an eerie blue. Electricity crackled all around it as it continued ripping out wires and snickering with hateful glee. Jakova notices that there are burn marks everywhere that look like a welding torch did it.
(Roll a Charisma saving throw. If you fail, suffer disadvantage on all d20 rolls until the end of your next turn after you've left the creature's presence.

Then, roll 1 of the following:
Attack roll to get it before it can react
Medicine check to stop and examine Val
Insight check to stop and examine the creature
Investigation check to stop and examine the creature
Mysticism check to stop and examine the creature
Perception check to stop and examine the room
Stealth check to hide from it
)

@Everyone
The ship's lights suddenly flickered off before the emergency lights kicked in. The ship's engines had just gone offline meaning they were still hurdling towards their destination with no engine control.

---

ROUND 3

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Threat Level: 40 (ship engines are dead starting the clock on a possible worst case scenario if they can't be repaired)
Creature: ??/??

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• NEW OBJECTIVE: Subdue/kill the creature
• NEW OBJECTIVE: Study the creature
• NEW OBJECTIVE: Save Val
• NEW OBJECTIVE: Repair the ship's engines
• NEW OBJECTIVE: Repair the ship's scanners

This message was last edited by the GM at 18:31, Sun 27 Aug 2023.

In reply to Game Master (msg # 24):

Archie no longer waits for the Captain's orders. The ship in distress takes priority. He heads for where the cables are being disconnected, at the same time trying to reach out to NOD.

OOC-assuming with the power down we might have trouble getting a hold of N.O.D. With my own internal computer I might be able to communicate with the ship's A.I. without a terminal or other connection. I do get advantage when making 'hacking' attempts.

21:09, Today: R-Chi1 rolled 14 using 4d6+6, dropping the lowest dice only.  Accessing NOD via hacking.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:11, Fri 25 Aug 2023.

Whatever's in there is enjoyin' what it's doin', the former Marine calls out.  Be careful.  He moves to try to see past those in the way.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:11, Fri 25 Aug 2023.

Andre knew now that it was a physical issue. The damage was being done actively and by someone trained. He activated schematics and overlay reporting signals... It wouldn't begin the repairs but it might just help him isolate where the damage was being done. That would help him coordinate the repairs. "This kind of wreckage is why I don't like public ship designs. Any fool can do a bit of damage with a little study." if there is only one area or the nearest... He will head there.

ooc- Andre Klanktonne rolled 18,14 using d20+6,d20+6.  Cipher or Mechanics either gets the same modifier. Identify location(s). Not a bad outcome even if ruled advantage isn't really allowed...

Osram clicked his comm again to broadcast to the rest of the crew.  "Intruder onboard, some sort of creature, tearing up the wiring.  Val's down, I'm gonna try stopping it."

Out loud he called out, "Skip, be ready to shoot this thing if it tries escaping out the door."

Not wanting to employ weaponry next to the exposed and already damaged components of the ship, Osram attempted to grab and restrain the creature.


Osram rolled 3 using 1d20+1.  Charisma Save

Osram rolled 13,25 using 1d20+6,1d20+6.  Subdue creature (disadvantage).

Edwin watched the debris of what had to be some kind of ship. It was with out a doubt, in his mind alien. Both the tech and those symbols were strange. Especially those odd glowing symbols.

As he watch a old memory crept into his mind. It was the third week of basic training and one of the few times he and his buddies had had a few moments to relax. And a card game had inevitably started, they had convinced him to join in even though he knew he had never been any good at gambling. As usual he had been on the losing end of most hands but then as things were winding down he had what had to be the luckiest hand possible. With that hand he cleaned up winning a large pot as the game broke up.

OOC: 08:25, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 10 using 1d20+1.  Wisdom Save.

Gill, coffee cup in hand, was about to exit when he noticed Edwin's slack jawed look. He grinned and took a sharpie from a loop on his flight suite. He walked over and wrote on Edwin's forehead, without breaking his line of sight:

SSABMUD

He put the marker away and snapped his fingers in front of the other man, "Yo, Eddie, wake up, we got work to do...well you got work to do, I got coffee to drink." He silently wondered how long it would be before Edwin looked in a mirror. Oh to be a fly on that wall...

Jak slid back a little as Skip arrived. Seeing the ugly little beast made Jak tighten his grip on his Halligan. It was definitely a little savage. When Osram started to move forward, he slipped closer to the ground to give Skip a better angle. That lasted a heartbeat before he impulsively decided to try and help Val. She was just lying there on the ground...potentially hurt seriously. Unsure what he could do, Jak tries to see if he can help her in any way that he can. The others would have the little guy under control...right?


01:39, Today: Jakova rolled 6 using 1d20+2.  Untrained Medicine, Trying Amateur First Aid On Val.

@Archie
NOD response to Archie's attempts with confusion.
NOD: "What are you doing? I'm not going to let you access my subroutines. If you have a question ask it. I'm sure you noticed the engines just went offline and we're still hurtling towards our destination on a haphazard course."

@Skip Tracer
As Skip moves through the ship, he'll be in the hallway near Osram and Jak's location fairly quickly as nothing hinders his path.
(Roll Charisma saving throw)


@Gill Rurry, & Edwin Arlo Park:
Gill will see Ed's eyes glow. The floating debris outside goes dark as the glow transfers from it to Ed. Then suddenly the glow leaps from Ed to the other side of the room and begins to take shape...it crackles like electricity and before Gill's eyes a monkey like creature with translucent body is suddenly in the room. The creature appears to have symbols on its chest of...playing cards? Then suddenly Ed returns to normal.
(@Gill, make a Charisma save or suffer disadvantage on all rolls until the end of your turn after you're no longer in the creature's presence. Ed is unaffected by this one.)


@Andre Klanktonne:
Not only did Andre find the location, he figured out the reason for the location. Someone was accessing panels in the wall below the engineering deck to take out key systems. Likely, they'd be trapped there unless they could somehow fit in the walls and make it to the engineering bay to cause even more havoc. The next big concerns are environmental controls and security cameras.


@Osram & Jakova
Osram reaches for the creature but it noticed him and leaps out of the way, chittering and laughing gleefully. It scrambles to squeeze itself into the hole it had created in the wall but seems to have gotten stuck. Good thing to, if it escaped into the walls, it could do a lot more damage. Val remained unconscious despite Jak's efforts. She was a live, but not in good condition.
(You both disadvantage on all d20 rolls until the end of your next turn after you've left the creature's presence.)


@Everyone
The ship's still barreling forward, the landing zone now in sight but no control of the ship and more debris ahead.

---

ROUND 4

---

Threat Level: 65 (ship engines are dead starting the clock on a possible worst case scenario if they can't be repaired)
Creature: ??/??

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• NEW OBJECTIVE: Subdue/kill the creatureS
• NEW OBJECTIVE: Study the creatureS
• NEW OBJECTIVE: Save Val
• NEW OBJECTIVE: Repair the ship's engines
• NEW OBJECTIVE: Repair the ship's scanners

This message was last edited by the GM at 00:44, Tue 29 Aug 2023.

Andre is going to address the troubled panel location to the rest of the crew in a comm (if it doesn't coincide with where people already gave their locations) while he does what he does... Mechanic work. He sets about rerouting power and his new vest glitters faintly as the fibers shift magnetic polarity and draw tools and scraps from the pockets that he can create bridges with.

As if he had a whole engineering team at work on their repair job requirements he is a focused fury of activity and subroutines administered from electronics, "NOD we want these systems back up pronto and this is how we survive. Please clear these receipts and I'm gonna be a little risky here."

Half joking he returned to team comms, "Do we have a backup medic to treat Val or am I going to have to do that in a little bit too?"

Spending only surge to perform quick repair for as many actions as I can get... maybe it is a turn by turn thing? Anyhow, that is at least two hours of rerouting and engine line patching.

Andre Klanktonne rolled 18 using 1d20.  Heroics about to spend last surge (if I understand it right).

That grants me a bonus surge if it was my last... If not then I would really like that to count toward my repair roll if one of those is actually needed for using Rapid Repair as the 18 would turn into 24. As opposed to a natural 1 that turns into a 7 like I rolled... I'm not going to assume advantage on this as it states the character uses no tools or supplies.

Andre Klanktonne rolled 7 using 1d20+6 ((1)).

If I am now packing a bonus surge and the GM says I should get advantage from NOD or actually having tools where none are officially needed (but would help) then I'll happily take whatever d20+6 GM drums up as it literally cannot be worse than my own check.

Maybe a different roll is needed altogether. I'm not sure if Andre made it from engineering in the first place... But here we are.

In reply to Game Master (msg # 32):

"Apologies. I was not aware you where functional after the power outage. I need the location of the energy disruption to the engines. The ship has to get back online."

With N.O.D's help, Archie could be guided to the problem area and then get the ship functional once more.

ooc-07:47, Today: R-Chi1 rolled 17 using 4d6+6, dropping the lowest dice only.  Mechanical to fix power supply issues, or find problem in the first place. Advantage from NOD?
This message was last edited by the player at 11:47, Sun 27 Aug 2023.

In reply to Andre Klanktonne (msg # 33):

13:28, Today: Game Master rolled 20 using 1d20+6.  Andre's bonus surge.


Andre spends his surge and bonus surge and 1 focus and repairs the ship in 1 round as if an entire engineering team had been working on it and prepared for such an event. He's just that good.

"It's trying to get inside the walls."  Osram warned the rest of the crew over his communicator as he tried to get a hold of it once again.



Osram rolled 15,9 using 1d20+6,1d20+6.  Subdue creature (disadvantage)

In reply to R-Chi1 (msg # 34):

NOD: "It was only a momentary power fluctuation that disconnected our engines. Residual localized battery power ensures I do not have to reboot over such things. Now if we lost power for a longer duration, then that might be a concern."

NOD directed Archie to the location where Osram and Jakova were. That seemed to be the source of the problem. With Andre restoring scanning.

NOD announcing on comms to all: "Medium range scans are back online. Still don't have long range and I still need to run a diagnostics. Primary engines are still offline but secondary are back online. Redirecting our trajectory..."

This message was deleted by the player at 15:49, Fri 01 Sept 2023.

In reply to Game Master (msg # 32):

Gill grinned and put his hand out. [Roswellian] "Hi there. How are you? I love the cards, and the fact that you came out of Eddie's face. That was inspiring. Anyway, we come in peace" He held up his hand in the Vulcan "V" and says, "Nanoo, Nanoo!"

16:59, Yesterday: Gill Rurry rolled 19 using 2d20+6, dropping the highest dice only.  Diplomacy (Rel8able talent min 16).

The memory fades from his mind and things slowly come back into focus. At first he is greeted by the unwelcome sight of Gill standing right in front of him, which is troubling enough. But his attention is quickly drawn to the odd creature on the other side of the room.

Of course then he gets to listen and watch as Gill attempts his style of diplomacy?

Osram, step back, Skip says with some authority.  If the bigger man complies, Skip brings his plasma pistol to line up with the electric gremlin's backside.
If Osram moves, Skip fires a single, point-blank at the things buttocks.

11:51, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 12 using 1d20+4.  Plasma Pistol shot.

11:36, Today: Secret Roll: Skip Tracer rolled 19 using 1d20-1.  Charisma save.  Natural 20.

This message was last edited by the player at 16:31, Mon 28 Aug 2023.

Jak felt waves on unease and his own doubt. He was trying to...still trying to help Val. The others were concentrating on the Gremlin...if that was what it was. He would only get in the way. Besides, Skip had arrived and was stepping up to shoot the damn thing. Looking back down at Val, he decided to try, even if it was frustratingly futile, to try and rouse Val this time.


19:29, Today: Jakova rolled 5 using 1d20+2.  Untrained Medicine, Trying to Wake Val this time, disadvantage.
19:29, Today: Jakova rolled 10 using 1d20+2.  Untrained Medicine, Trying to Wake Val this time, disadvantage.
Damn, he is starting to look like the LAST person you want around when you are hurt.

@Andre & Archie
Andre & Archie repair the ship in seconds what would normally take hours. They're just that good. It's still not at full capacity, but the danger was no longer overwhelming. It could still use some repair though.


@Gill & Edwin:
The creature looks at Gill curiously at first, speaks in a strange tongue neither of them have ever heard and then a mischievous grin appears on its toothy face as it looks at Gill.
It points to Gill's legs and suddenly playing cards appear in the creature's hands as does a small gaming table and two chairs that appear out of nowhere fit to the tiny pod. Ed was already seated so nothing for him. The moment either Gill and/or Ed agree, it will begin dealing them in for a game of cards...a game Ed recognizes from his memory. Not exactly the "first contact" anyone would ever expect, but it was going to happen like this...it could only be Gill.


@Osram & Jakova & Skip
Osram reaches for the creature again but it slips through his fingers. Then it slips into the wall as Skip's shot misses. Jakova feels like he just made things worse, but Val is still breathing.


@Everyone
The ship begins to slow down but not nearly as much as it should have. Andre and Archie are barely managing to keep their trajectory from getting worse.

Jhenko: "What's going on down there?! Did you say there were CREATURES aboard?"

---

ROUND 5

---

Threat Level: 61 (ship systems are improved but barely)
Creature1: ??/??
Creature2: ??/??
Val: alive but unconscious

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
  
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• Subdue/kill the creatureS
• Study/play along with the creatureS
• Awaken/heal Val
• Repair the ship's engines
• Repair the ship's scanners

20:01, Today: Game Master rolled 19 using 1d20+3.  death save DC11.

19:49, Today: Game Master rolled 33 using 6d10.  threat level.

19:57, Today: Game Master rolled 17 using 1d20+6.  acrobatics.

If anyone has Mysticism trained they can try to examine the creature to learn info about them when they encounter them. They can also use Mysticism instead of a Charisma save against their aura if they wish.



This message was last edited by the GM at 17:45, Tue 29 Aug 2023.

Edwin shifted in his seat as he watched the little guy. He had no idea what the little guy had said, the language was unlike any he knew or had heard, but apparently the little guy was wanting to play cards. Somehow whatever had transpired the creature had focused on one of his good memories.

He didn't want to offend the creature by refusing, but then again he had no idea what he was going to get into if he averred to play. Looking over at the computer screen, "NOD can you translate this little guys language?"



09:24, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 14 using 3d6.  Mysticism. (15 with the +1, 16 if Wis. Bonus applies.)

Perhaps he didn't understand or perhaps this was his way of being snarky. Either way he took off his armor and shoes and put them far out of the electric goblin's reach. Then he stripped off his one piece jump suite and tossed it at the goblin. [Roswellian] "Keep it, I got lots. You can't have my legs if that's what you meant. Anyhow, thanks for rapping with me, but I gotta split and fly the ship or we'll all be squished like pancakes." He is currently wearing only a white t-shirt, a pair of boxers that have hundreds of tiny emojis on them, and his socks.

FRAK!!!  Skip's voice is loud, but, more than the volume is his swearing.  Usually, he is pretty soft-spoken for a former Marine.  It's in the wall, he calls out.  We need to find some way to ground it when it attacks again!

"The thing went into the wall, looked like it was crawling up through the walls towards engineering.  Heads up!"  Osram warned the rest of the crew up in the cockpit or scattered about via comm.

"You have any field medic training Skip?"  He asked as he slipped his goggles down and took a moment to look into the hole to try and see where the thing went.




Osram attempts to see into the hole where the thing went.  He's still at disadvantage, but his goggles give him advantage for Sight based perception rolls, so that should put him back to normal, right?

Not that it matters...

Osram rolled 0 using 1d20-1.  perception

RNG really seems to like those 3 or less rolls

Just enough for her to reach medical treatment, says Skip as he moves to try to take over for Jakova.  Let me give it a try.  Sometimes, my empathic abilities help when someone is hurt.
He begins to check her over, try to find out where, and how, she is hurt.  And to determine how best to help her.

23:40, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 17 using 1d20+2.  Medicine Check.

Andre keeps working on repairs.

Damn... though perhaps the two hours is enough window to carefully take 20... Making it 26. I feel like my ability shouldn't cause 2 hours of fouling up...

Andre Klanktonne rolled 7 using 1d20+6.  Repair engines.

Jak slid back from Val when Skip bent over to work on her. Looking back over at Osram, he then follows Os's attention to the hole in the wall. Realizing that he is of no use to Val, especially with Skip stepping in to assist her, Jak slows his breathing down and begins to concentrate...Well, if I can't help Val, I can sure as hell trace the little bastard...walls won't stop me either...

OK...taking 2 Actions to shift into Shadow Form...then I guess I loose the last action as he prepares to follow little beasty into the walls. At that point it should be  one round out of its presence, I assume.

@Ed & Gill
The creature made a horrific sound one could only assume was laughter. It continued chittering at Gill while dealing cards on the table.

Ed has advantage on skill checks and saves to play this game because he recognizes the cards. It's literally the same hand he was dealt before, as if his lucky day had come to life once again.


@Osram & Jakova & Skip
Osram can't see where it went in all the darkness and wires. But it did seem like it was going up.

Skip manages to use his empathy to help Val regain consciousness. It was clearly a head injury and she needs to stay awake until medical examination in the medbay (just in case).

Val: "Ugh...what...the."

She looks around.

Val: "How did..."

Her eyes go wide looking around the room.

Val: "Gremlin! Where is it?!"


@Everyone
The ship begins to slow down but not nearly as much as it should have. Andre and Archie are barely managing to keep their trajectory from getting worse.

Jhenko: "Inside the walls? NOD, do we have any pest control?"

NOD: "I told you we should've budgeted for better cleaning and maintenance supplies...but noooo..."

---

ROUND 6

---

Threat Level: 51 (ship systems have gotten better but not out of the danger zone)
Creature1: ??/??
Creature2: ??/??
Val: awake

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
  
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• Subdue/kill the creatureS
• Study/play along with the creatureS
  
• Awaken/heal Val +25 XP
• Repair the ship's engines
• Repair the ship's scanners

10:50, Today: Game Master rolled 23 using 4d10.  threat level.
12:51, Today: Game Master, on behalf of R-Chi1, rolled 26 using 1d20+6.  cipher.

Gill looked skeptically at the gremlin. [Language unknown: "Hoous ro stulof ivunri? Of earantome, ne Fo ti ovevirstr tamoas hisncende o nous deratiout in isek omngre ar evec ac hi i ck lasa'sela k ha p it omave theundlin ta romoreter forbutwit eveintoer alfi. Paame windmi has is ei u lo, neilni outlinles, ei ilnti ai m acan tioentundine t To i a seal ive seant Ureriv o Encentvor. Kor out T wi ce k t onsoering, on stiastrut ame ore si ceusulic. Ti m ie caul m k ive arttinstr ndefornde an rat maatti, plncut seoniv eeri o llal nc er se terintwas, m Lo ieome heles laical eentoliv, ee menithess liprma nce i ugh orehouorehas k ect atithiand u urtrinpo eenwheect p. M a at inhapr, as haal ome?"]

13:35, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 22 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only.  Deception with advantage (Minimum 16).
Evil Laughter...it fell for this hook line and sinker.

He turned to Edwin and made a fish-face, flapping his hands on the sides of his neck.

He is giving Edwin the classic "this guy is a fish, a sucker" sign. This isn't Roswellian, this is human.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:31, Mon 04 Sept 2023.

Edwin looked over at Gill. He had no idea what he had just said to the creature, and honestly probably didn't want to know. At least the creature hadn't take offense, best he could tell.

At Gill fish face he just shrugged. "May as well play along. Make or guest feel welcomed."

Picking up his cards he had to resist the urge to grin. He recognized the hand and the cards. Guess it was time to see if things played out the same. Originally he had started out with a bluff by betting more than he really should have, so he did the same here.

"Okay I'm in for 10."

OOC: 10:13, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 16 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only ((10,8)).

Skip offers to.help Val up.  You received a nasty head injury, maybe a concussion, he advisea.  Expect dizziness, and maybe some vomitting.  And no sleeping.  We'll get you to the medbay and have the equipment check you out more.
Gremlins?  Like the ancient movies?  He shrugs.  I don't know anything about them, but I think there are more than one.

Andre keeps up the hard paced repairs amazed at the amount of damage that was done that six human hours of work, not to mention the large pocket stashes of bits he keeps are not getting the job done.

Andre Klanktonne rolled 12 using 1d20+6 ((6)).

"Good job Skip.  While you get Val to the med bay, I'll head up in case that thing pops out into engineering somewhere."  Osram states before jogging off to do just that.


Moving one deck up to try and intercept the creature if it pops out somewhere again.

Osram rolled 8 using 1d20+6.  Moving quickly (athletics)

It started as a slight darkening of the light around him...just him. As the seconds fly, his darkened form begins to waver and blur before it seems to fade and melt into nothingness...a shadow upon the floor. A shadow that slides up the wall towards the hole the Gremlin fled into.

OK...should be out of influence of beasty. Will try and slip into the hole it made and floow whatever path it left. It should be leaving some sort of path it it is tearing its way through the ship.

19:17, Today: Jakova rolled 11 using 1d20+4.  Perception to follow and/or determine where it might be headed.

---

@ED & GILL

---

NOD @ Ed: "Uh, what little guy? What are you talking about? You mean the pest crawling in the walls?"

The strange creature laughed and hopped up and down excitedly, clapping his hands and seemingly casting some sort of spell.

[Language unknown: Ndring! Hisameeau! Weeese tinoneivevircom! A witie. O rativeortshe was al meneramanine! Be reunce se whan der ncenceatepro u uther! Pawa stand. Roers pa ou wiour intreaeen onefo us!]

Before Ed and Gill appeared a holographic blueprint of the ship including people and moving parts. They could see where everyone else was and another gremlin like thing moving through the walls in engineering. The goblin sitting in the room with them spoke to the goblin in the walls as if the hologram could hear it...and it responded. Ceasing its activity.

[Language unknown: Wit of manmi? Lith setle k she. Na ermand reus tais trusca. Onstbe ndpe men. As peas nce any lat, An werpo. Fo plma he undoutwerhas, Ni yin pr. ]

(Threat Level paused)

---

@EVERYONE

---

For reasons unknown, the ship's systems suddenly respond normally without all the glitching. There are still a few issues, but nothing Andre can't handle.

Jhenko: "I don't know what you're doing Andre, but keep it up. The glitching stopped!"

---

@ANDRE

---

Now that the glitching has stopped, Andre immediately can tell it was not a virus but an energy field emitted inside the ship causing the problems. It wasn't just the monster pulling plugs. It's literally EMITTTING a field that messed up your systems. You don't know why it stopped, but now that you know it's an energy field. Which makes whatever is emitting it even more problematic and explains why you seem to keep fixing and rerouting things. The field kept changing.

---

@JAKOVA & SKIP

---

Val leans on Skip as she gets back to her feet. She's still a bit foggy.

Val: "Movies? No. Gremlins. Mischievous spirits. I felt spirits was we got near the debris. I started looking out the window at some of the markings and next thing I know one of those monsters was in the rooms with me. It bet me a quick nap for my toolbelt. I wasn't sure to make of it but I beat it at a game of paper-rock-scissors and next thing I know I'm waking up with a headache. Little bastard sucker-punched me with a wrench."

As Val gives her testimony, Jakova turns into a slinking shadow and slithers into the hole after the gremlin. He'll struggle finding it, but his new form grants him great mobility despite losing it in the wires. (you can try again with another perception this time with advantage as it's no longer playing keep away)

Val: "Wow. So that's what Lance meant by Jakova's 'special flexibility'."

She shook her head. Despite being a mutant herself, mutant powers are still a marvel to behold.

---

@OSRAM

---

Osrams struggles to get to the next part of the ship. The sudden shift in movement threw him off balance. He'd need another round to get there. (you can try again, this time with advantage as the ship is no longer glitching and you've already pushed halfway there)

---

ROUND 7

---

Threat Level: 39
Creature1: ??/??
Creature2: ??/??
Val: awake

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
  
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• Subdue/kill the creatureS
• Study/play along with the creatureS (in progress)
  
• Awaken/heal Val
• Repair the ship's engines (in progress)
• Repair the ship's scanners (in progress)

Threat level is no longer growing. Pause by a mysterious force. It can still be reduced even while paused.

Andre Klanktonne rolled 17 using 1d20+6 ((11)).

Andre went shipwide, "The creature has stopped emitting some kind of static field... This will help me speed repairs. It might have stopped pulling plugs too. Not having to second guess everything might go a long way to getting the engines and sensors all the way back online. I'm feeling tired as crap now with all the rushing to keep up. I'm going to have to slow down. Sleep would be best but I think we are going to need to finesse a station's systems in just a little bit."

NOD, did you record that?
He looks up at the ceiling when he asks, before responding to Val   I'm gonna need as much as you can tell me about these gremlins.  Powers and abilities.
Strengths.  Weaknesses.
He looks up as Jak goes shadowy.  Yeah.  It's that ability that got him in trouble with the pirates in the belt.  We used to get all kinds of good intel from him.

Gill waved a finger in the air at the gremlin, [Language unknown: "I to si ectoneate. Pa t pl iveratcon vor werantugh t tiovorone Pl plle set e altipo beof nd wa hi aineveall ntiineoer ro o n wersi Laroutous e Areforent, Ti our k en. Ast pa wa eich ncewitted ratthuugh al ame ommine ame a ades li aveanyess intic se: ce. Vir tiove sonwerbut waisaial a. Ill om saon ngwhar antoutess ave ncetio-werure m. Sti ouore il wauthe peniet avekorour iv. Ee heer as eewa nde un eire nime wi ce se om eveca set t ble ameillare neei siwhe ersar. Enc som te ofivnickpr. Stwer p ulson ic, fosi ac t eauameund elenss la ameameany it icca osnadi lotr."]

He leaned over and whispered to Edwin, "I'm negotiating Eddie, trust me, this'll all be over in a jiffy."

09:40, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 22 using 1d20+6.  Diplomacy  (Reliable Talent min 16).
This message was last edited by the player at 14:41, Thu 07 Sept 2023.

Edwin frowned a bit when NOD responded, "No NOD. I was referring to our guest sitting with Mr. Rurry and myself playing card."

After Gil's whispered comment Edwin felt less than sure of their situation. Hopefully the old man wasn't just a hot aired wisenheimer. "I guess their isn't much of a chance of getting a translation of what the two of you are negotiating."

Edwin wasn't sure which was worse the fact that Gill was the one negotiating or the fact that the negotiations were with a Gremlin. From his recollection on the little he had heard or read about gremlins, which wasn't much, this may end up being a bad day.

Osram did his best to regain his balance and continue his route up to engineering.

Assuming Andre was right (and he almost certainly was), just because the creature was no longer doing whatever it had been, didn't mean it wouldn't resume.

So he figured he'd try to get wherever it was and maybe he'd have better luck getting a hold of it if it came to that again.

Osram rolled 25,22 using 1d20+6,1d20+6.  Moving quickly (athletics)

Slipping, sliding, flowing...Jak was moving between the walls, trying to follow and keep up with the gremlin. All the while, he kept a running count of the seconds. He couldn't remain a shadow indefinitely, it was too hard...to strenuous slipping between. And popping back into full dimensional form would be quite problematic and quite painful if it was to happen whilst in the cramp spaces he was now rushing through. Still, though, he kept looking for where the little imp went.


01:05, Today: Jakova rolled 7 using 1d20+4.  Perception with Advantage.

01:06, Today: Jakova rolled 23 using 1d20+4.  Perception with Advantage.

---

@ANDRE & OSRAM

---

Andre will see the ship's systems quickly improving as whatever was causing the problem had stopped. Osram enters engineering but both can suddenly hear things more clearly now that ship systems and alarms are going off. Something is skittering around in the walls.

---

@SKIP & VAL

---

NOD @ SKIP: "I'm a bit busy with ship systems and navigation and you want me to search for pest control? There aren't any broadcast stations or relays out here for me to access the internet. And such information is not a priority for my functions. You know how much information I have on ship and nav specs, charts, maps, and physics analysis? A lot. More than you can comprehend in your entire human lifespan. But until today I've never heard of these pests. Why would I even have info on them in my databanks?"

Val looks at Skip and sighs.

VAL: "And people wonder why I don't like machines...All that processing power and it's stingy. It's okay. I have information saved on my personal drive pertaining to this."

She begins typing into the communicator on her arm and pulling up holographic projections of some of her research on gremlin spirit.

(OOC: Skip now has advantage on investigation/mysticism checks to research these things as long as he sticks with Val.)

---

@ED & GILL

---

Gremlin #2: [Language unknown: A forie icset ei, ol P le et. Ulnthahi na p, ch menpl no ilng Resderwas Ithla. Resastugh o avela, elun ngendi enac ble. Eeith llshe teur I a astul sonearain, ilic E n prli sancomthitedles. Arro lear sti, o caerek santhaset ne wi rutla p me el. Thive me, ame thith poouunulma for, setecthou arnti ac ieut. Eifi ncpro eve echele, ut ar thoni ri is. Ouslo ainainven toispo sa nais io taver.]

The creature's eyes glowed and it pointed it's finger at the gunner pod's window. It's finger crackled and sparked like a welding torch. The stream of fire it created was long enough to pierce the window. It definitely didn't seem to be bluffing. I wanted a game of cards and it was willing to space the room if it didn't get what it wanted.


NOD @ ED: "What are you talking about Mr. Park? You and Mr. Rurry are alone in that gunner pod. Why is he wearing nothing but his underwear?"

The display screen in the gunner pod popped up with a video from the camera showing Ed and Gill sitting around nothing. No cards in their hands, no table, no gremlin, but their hands are positioned as if they were. Only they could see and feel the cards, table, and gremlins, which felt incredibly real. Either NOD was playing a trick on them (which was not its normal behavior), or something was very wrong.

ED & GILL can both make an Insight, Investigation, Perception, or Mysticism check OR Intelligence or Wisdom saving throw (pick one) with advantage as they try to reconcile what is actually happening.

They also need to make one of the following:

• Deception can be used to bluff at cards.
• Stealth can be used to cheat at cards.
• Cipher can be used to count cards.
• Insight can be used to play cards wisely.

*Ed has advantage on this check and Gill has disadvantage

The little gremlin laughs as the cards continue to flow around the table.

15:15, Today: Game Master rolled 13 using 1d20+4.  gamble.

---

@JAK

---

Jak slowly moves through the walls himself, stuck between worlds. He spots the glowing creature still maneuvering through all the wires. It seems to be talking to someone and muttering to itself.

Gremlin #1: [Language unknown: Ndch lo ilthha. Vorreaoun. Somdinine llar esswit'thethoart!]

---

ROUND 8

---

Threat Level: 28
Creature1: ??/??
Creature2: ??/??

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
  
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• Subdue/kill the creatureS
• Study/play along with the creatureS (in progress)
  
• Awaken/heal Val
• Repair the ship's engines (in progress)
• Repair the ship's scanners (in progress)

17:38, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 15 using 1d20+4.  Wis save

Gill sat stonefaced as the cards floated his way. He looked at them blankly and asked, [Language unknown: "Are ha to olmi nc pa proan lahi enioat esil T in K m nona"]

17:13, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 23 using 2d20+6, dropping the highest dice only.  Deception (Reliable Talent min 16).
This message was last edited by the player at 11:41, Mon 11 Sept 2023.

Or, NOD does not have that information in her memory because it was never needed before, Skip suggests.  Creatures like that are not... logical.  They should not exist by the laws of nature as they know them, therefore they don't.  He indicates himself and Val.  But we know better.
He shrugs.  We're going to need as much info on these things as possible.  He begins listing what they need to know.
Known powers and abilities.
Possible defenses against them.
Known weaknesses.

00:43, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 15 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Mysticism with advantage.

This message was last edited by the player at 00:09, Wed 13 Sept 2023.

When Osram got to engineering and stopped.

As he heard the noises he did his best to be still while trying to keep track of where the creature might be behind the various bulkheads.

Osram rolled 19 using 1d20-1.  Perception (Listening)

Edwin sighed "Never mind NOD I'll try to explain later. Hopefully. Would you please notify the captain and the others that we have a second guest and that Mr. Rurry is currently negotiating."

At least the game seemed to be going as he remembered. His next play had been to bluff further so he tried the same bet he remembered again. "Raise five credits."

OOC:
20:48, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 15 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only ((9,8)).
20:46, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 22 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only ((17,10)).

Andre Klanktonne rolled 24 using 1d20+6.  Repair engines.

Andre acknowledged Osram with a wave, a nod, but otherwise continued to work. "If it isn't making messes I'm content to let it browse in the walls."

Jak slowed down and began to slide into what passed for covering as he searched for exactly where the imp went. Still counting in his head, he had a little more time before he needed to step back out of between the walls.

19:01, Today: Jakova rolled 17 using 1d20+4.  Stealth to Remain Unseen.
19:01, Today: Jakova rolled 21 using 1d20+4.  Perc.

OK....Perc. was supposed to be perception, dice roller reason was acting funny when I tried using it, thus TWO more rolls of perception were entered and resulted. Disregard those please.  What truly sucks is that they were higher rolls....wasted on the RNG gods.

---

@ED & GILL

---

NOD @ ED: "Very well. I'll let him know."

Nod turned off the screen just as Gill, Ed, and the gremlin showed their cards.

The gremlin stood up as Gill and Ed played their hands. It smacked its face seeing Ed with a superior hand and groaned as Gill played an even better hand. It began to sweat as it lamented and seemed to howl in pain. Both Ed and Gill were now aware that the gremlin before them and all the magical things it had conjured were semi-transparent and not solid objects (but they'd seemed opaque only a moment ago). It was just a ghost or spirit of some kind but it was acting along with them (as were the ghostly cards) as they played.

[Language unknown: Es! P ers ec Fo virun k liiler ion. Wh ica laut le eveainess. Ekcom, neni heec e telise nceof re on lohaacma dietis? Thu iououtart eradinerevir esal, possbe lin! Al ioninetha nt ac sonicaiou e ai tradinore o tone K oskor!]
It spoke to Gill, clearly pleading for another round. A gambler's regret was pretty obvious. It had lost this round. It manifested a golden amulet and began pointing to the table. It's obvious it was trying to raise the stakes double or nothing by offering the trinket. But whether Ed and Gill accepted another round or quit while they were ahead would be up to them. But you get a bad feeling the gremlin wasn't being honest about something.

---

@SKIP & VAL

---

Val and Skip research the gremlins on her drive. They are mythological spirits of mischief known to come from the same lands as many fairy tale creatures. They can possess machines and objects and curse things and people with good luck or bad luck. They are known to use "lucky moments" to weasel their way into our reality. Once they're in, they attempt to turn good luck into bad luck for mortals. Though not necessarily murderous, their nefarious schemes can create dangerous situations. Their obsession with messing with luck also makes them obsessed with games of chance. So much so, that they practically can't resist an offer to play. Likewise, they love to torment mortals with similar gambling addictions. They dislike honorable mortals with high integrity and strict routines and have been known to literally be bored to death by such people. Or perhaps not actual death but returning to their own dimension.

VAL: "So that's why it wanted to play paper-rock-scissors. But the little bugger bet me "a nap" and when I won, it knocked me out. These things like games of chance but they don't play fair. They let you win making you think you're getting a reward but then it's just a trap. We need to relay this to the others without letting the gremlins know we're up to their little tricks. I have a feeling they've probably tapped into the ships coms...fortunately my drive is disconnected from the ship at the moment."

---

@ANDRE

---

Andre has the ship almost fully operational again. There were just a few details here and there that most engineers might overlook. Only someone obsessive and attentive to detail would even notice. Then again...many brilliant and talented people were perfectionists.

---

@JAK & OSRAM

---

Jak and Osram both spot the gremlin's exact location. Osram could even see it through a crack in one of walls. It was just grumbling to itself hiding in the walls and looking at what appeared to be a screen in its hands. It was playing a video game of some sort. A card game? It was gambling and had an avatar of itself in the game. But the other players were Gill and Ed! Their names on the video game were "Sucker #1" and "Sucker #2". There were prizes in the game. Golden Magical Underpants (5 star rating best prize in the game), Regular Pants (2 stars), Amulet of Luck (3 star rating), 15 credits (1 star), Sucker #1's Soul (1 star), and Sucker #2's Soul (1 star). You're not even sure how you're reading it. It seemed to be in another language but somehow you're able to understand what you're seeing. The gremlin doesn't notice you sneaking up on it though!

---

ROUND 9

---

Threat Level: 4
Creature1: ??/??
Creature2: ??/??

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
  
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• Subdue/kill/evict the creatureS
  
• Study/play along with the creatureS (in progress) +25 XP
  
• Awaken/heal Val
• Repair the ship's engines (in progress)
  
• Repair the ship's scanners (in progress) +25 XP

22:56, Today: Game Master rolled 17 using 1d20+7.  stealth.
22:57, Today: Game Master rolled 5 using 1d20+3.  perception.
23:04, Today: Game Master rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  deception.



This message was last edited by the GM at 04:07, Wed 13 Sept 2023.

Gill turned to Edwin, and when he was sure he had to other man's attention he drug his thumb across his throat. Then wiggled his eyebrows and said "Kenny Rodgers." Turning back to the gremlin, he said, "Back on Earth there was once a very powerful hero named Kenny Rodgers. He gambled with the Devil himself and won. Thus a song was born."

At that he stood and flipped a switch for the all call intercom. He cleared his throat, "Attention, this is your pilot speaking. We have some uninvited LOSERS on board ship. Eddie and I just kicked its ass at cards. Well actually it was mostly me, but Eddie was a good sport and watched quietly. Anywho I just wanted to invite you all to sing along with me, giving our little friend a proper send off. Ready? 1...2...3..."

He began to sing, "You gotta know when to hold 'em,
Know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away, and know when to run..." He danced a victory dance while singing the Ballad of the Gambler.

Thanks GM, but I know when to run away...
This message was last edited by the player at 14:27, Wed 13 Sept 2023.

Maybe I have a way to warn them, Skip suggests after hearing Gill's announcement over the coms.  He begins to concentrate, focusing his will on sending a simple emotional message towards Gill and Edwin, a sensation for them to feel at the back of their minds.
I have a bad feeling about this.

Andre is content to press repairs until he has a full green switchboard. It is his job here... when not signal-jacking for tactical or offensive purposes.

He is not a 'good enough' kind of fellow. Even if it means having to wait a while more to get his own custom ship. "Is it not moving as much? " he queried aloud. It wasn't where he had been working before and that had been enough then. He might have to bother with it soon.

Andre Klanktonne rolled 17 using 1d20+6.  Chocking up repairs.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:15, Wed 13 Sept 2023.

Osram continued to peer into the wall, keeping tabs on the creature but not doing anything just yet.

Wasn't much be could do, truthfully, without likely making a bunch more work for Andre.

In response to Andre's question he both shook his head and made the gesture for "no" in spacer sign with his hand.  He didn't know if the creature was aware he was watching, but speaking seemed like it might draw its attention, which be reasoned may be counterproductive at the moment.

Ed shook his head no, "Sorry, but I have reached my limit on gambling."

He slid back over to where he was previously. He had no inclination to watch Gill dance around in his underoo's. Listening to his singing was bad enough.

He did keep a close eye on the Gremlin though. Maybe it would get bored and leave and not cause anymore trouble.

Jak was stumped at watching the creature play with a game controller of sorts. That confusion was further amplified when Gil came over the intercom and explained what they had been doing then began singing? Wanting to shake his head, he didn't because he didn't want to alert the imp to his presence. To top it off, a wave of this is not right feeling began to creep into his thoughts. All of this while starting to realize that he had only a few more moments before he needed to step back out of the wall or risk getting injured...or worse.


16:55, Today: Jakova rolled 6 using 1d20+4.  Perception.

16:56, Today: Jakova rolled 7 using 1d20+4.  Stealth to Remain Unseen.

Well, these are two of the worse rolls I could have done without rolling a 1

---

@ED & GILL

---

The gremlin stomped around and seemed to be throwing a childish tantrum for a moment. Then it narrowed its eyes at Gill and Ed as Ed's credits were suddenly transferred to Gill and Gill's clothing magically returned to him. The game was over. But then it's devilish grin returned.

[Language unknown: "ITHE! Ll she oulmi ionio. Potaha Ro ter ll oresonsti icalel his re il m ce lo. U somforhas ome ut ch. Ndeio es nthiut str N urnd p MIMEN At n t urlar plieth dialho..."]

It twirled its amulet and flashed its teeth.

[Language unknown: "Al n ectdinant sta ndecomwer laneun. Whpoun ce nceoerhat. Dirong tho satron?"]

---

@SKIP & VAL

---

Val looks at skip as he broadcasts an emotion.

VAL: "I'm going to head to the bridge. The worst case scenario it gets to the engines or life support but second worst would be it takes the bridge when the captain is alone up there. We should stay in pairs and nobody go alone. Those things are stronger than they look. And don't let their childishness fool you. They're violent little sh*ts when they don't get their way."

---

@ANDRE

---

Andre has the ship almost fully operational again. It was absolutely pristine. Knowing Jhenko, it would be easy to add the repair costs to the tab. He doesn't need to know the details that Andre was able to reuse and repair old parts without having to actually provide new ones. That's a mechanic's trade secret.

OOC: Optional: After the scene, Andre can attempt to negotiate with the captain for more credit reward. Doing nothing guarantees the base amount. Success gives 10% more (25% with critical success), failure gives 10% less (25% with critical failure).

---

@JAK & OSRAM

---

The creature continues to play on the video game. It seemed frustrated at first, then it laughed and started whispering into it. It does look up a moment towards Jak as it hears something. Then it goes back to its video game distracted.

OOC: If you speak roswellian, you understand what it's saying (see Ed & Gill section above). Jak, you can take solid form in the wall but you'll be stuck in the wiring and need to squeeze. It's not designed for a medium-sized creature to crawl through.

---

ROUND 10

---

Threat Level: 0 (ship fully repaired and requires little to no secondary repairs at port)
Creature1: ??/??
Creature2: ??/??

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
  
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• Subdue/kill/evict the creatureS
  
• Study/play along with the creatureS (in progress)
  
• Awaken/heal Val
  
• Repair the ship's engines (in progress) +25 XP
  
• Repair the ship's scanners (in progress)
  
• Ship repaired using Rapid Repair +500 credits each (double for repair crew) (-15 credits for Ed, +15 credits for Gill, LOL)

This message was last edited by the GM at 13:52, Fri 22 Sept 2023.

Then let's go put a stop to these damned things.  I'm not in the mood for anyone else to get hurt.
Skip follows along with Val towards the bridge, plasma pistol in hand should it be necessary.

Andre sees where Osram is watching and looks... then he applies his mechanical training... and hopefully a bit of finesse to get safe, stealthy and healthy exposure of this entity which he would see for the first time... but might just recognize.

DICE POV: when your mechanic is a Space Ranger rather than a grease monkey

Andre Klanktonne rolled 21 using 1d20+6 mechanics

Andre Klanktonne rolled 20,24 using d20+4,d20+4 ((16,20)). Finess, mysticism
This message was last edited by the player at 08:30, Tue 19 Sept 2023.

Gill called out, "Hey Edwin," not only did he use Eddie's proper name, but emphasized it so the other man knew it was on purpose. "dumb-nuts here wants another round, says if we don't him and his buddy will trash our cargo on the way out the door. Whatta ya say? You game. If you are I got a special candy bar in it for ya." Gill pulled one of the half dozen candy bars he kept in his pockets to reward his fellow crewmates for exceptionally good work. He had never offered one pre-emptively and the way he was wide eyed and glancing over at the gremlin meant that was also something he was hoping Eddie would pick up on. "Don't tell the blue monkey about how much better these make you at everything, including cards." Gill is pretty sure the Gremlin can understand their language, and that is the basis for this whole bluff. He wants the Gremlin to believe the candy bars are magic.

08:23, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 24 using 1d20+6.  Deception advantage if applies.

08:23, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 20 using 1d20+6.  Deception (Min 16).

Osram couldn't tell what the creature was saying.

The game seemed important though, so he kept his eyes on that trying to glean some more information.

Though he wasn't certain how to communicate that information out given that he didn't want to alert the creature it was being watched, if it hadn't already noticed of course, and was simply playing along.

Edwin sighed inwardly, why did things always have to be so damn hard. "I don't know Gill, I never was much good at cards. Even as with the help of that candy bar I probably would lose. Maybe you and Gizmo could play. I can just watch or I could deal for you two. Se if he's agreeable to that."

He really didn't want to go through another game but it may end up he had too. He didn't trust the creature one bit, of course he didn't trust Gill all that much either.

OOC: Forgot to add rolls earlier.

08:51, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 16 using 1d20+6.  Deception.

08:52, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 15 using 1d20+6.  Deception (Fast Talk if first roll failed).

Looks like it didn't matter either way.

This message was last edited by the player at 12:53, Tue 19 Sept 2023.

With no idea of what to do and time running out, Jak tries to find a better position and see if there is a spot that will allow him a greater chance of affect the gremlin.


04:13, Today: Jakova rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  Stealth to Remain Unseen.

04:13, Today: Jakova rolled 21 using 1d20+4.  Perception.

---

@SKIP & VAL

---

Val rushes to the bridge to find the captain arguing with NOD and watching the monitors.

VAL: "Situation seems to be under control for now but we have ghosts."

Jhenko gives Val a raised eyebrow.

JHENKO: "You always say that. I thought we had pests aboard."

---

@ANDRE, JAK, & OSRA

---

Andre manages to resist the creature's powers and reaching through the crack in the wall snatches his video game right out of its hands! The gremlin jumped up in surprise and began hissing at him. It leaped out of the crack and grabbed Andre climbing on him and trying to nab the controller back. It quickly manages to wriggle it out of his pocket and back into its hands, but it required such effort it was still climbing on his shoulders by the time anyone else reacted.

08:57, Today: Game Master rolled 19 using 1d20+5.  Athletics (latch).
08:58, Today: Game Master rolled 20 using 1d20+5.  Finesse (steal).

Everyone else can make a Charisma save or Mysticism check against the creature to avoid falling prey to its unluck aura. If you fail DC 15, you take disadvantage on all rolls until you get away from it (at least 1 room away) but have to make a new save upon getting close to it again.

---

@ED & GILL

---

The gremlin suddenly began looking around as if it was missing something.

[Language unknown: Oliope? Llelee? His ilssee?]

It didn't seem to be talking to Gil or Ed but it had stopped playing the game and they were waiting on his turn. And opportunity to delay or swindle or possibly gather information from it or capture it while it seemed off-guard.

---

ROUND 11

---

Threat Level: 0 (ship fully repaired and requires little to no secondary repairs at port)
Creature1: ??/??
Creature2: ??/??

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
  
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• Subdue/kill/evict the creatureS
  
• Study/play along with the creatureS (in progress)
  
• Awaken/heal Val
  
• Repair the ship's engines (in progress)
  
• Repair the ship's scanners (in progress)
  
• Ship repaired using Rapid Repair

Osram was surprised when the creature suddenly popped out of the wall near Andre.

As it scrambled about the other man's body Osram tried to put himself between Andre and the hole the creature had come out of, intent on blocking its return to inside the walls.

He readied to grab or deflect the creature if it tried to return to its previous spot.



Osram rolled 11 using 1d20+1.  Charisma Save

Osram rolled 17,10 using 1d20+6,1d20+6.  Intercept creature (with disadvantage)

Jak was still trying to find a better point from which to do something when Andre's quick hands darted in and snatched the controller out of its grubby little paws. That was when the little guy bolted out of the wall and straight into Andre. Opportunity presenting itself, Jak followed suit, springing out of the wall and back into full form, intent on grabbing the little guy while it was distracted.

19:40, Today: Jakova rolled 16 using 1d20+2.  Charisma Save.
Springing out of wall and trying to grab the little bastard.
19:45, Today: Jakova rolled 17 using 1d20+4.  Grabbing Little Guy Using Finesse.

Andre tried to get the pad once more, it wasn't a good attempt with everything going on but perhaps that was excusable. "The pad is clearly important to the little gremlin."

Andre Klanktonne rolled 3 using 1d20+2

Edwin appeared to be just sitting quietly as the little guy was distracted waiting for him to calm down and continue the game.

But while it was distracted he took the opportunity to quietly, and hopefully unseen, to rearrange some cards. He also kept a close eye on it as best he could trying to figure out a good way to deal with it.

A quick look at Gill, "Maybe the little guy wants to just give up and call it quits."

OOC:
11:14, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 13 using 3d6+2.  Mysticism.

11:14, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 17 using 3d6+4.  Stealth to rearrange cards. Yeah he is gonna cheat the little twerp.

Gill shrugged, "Guess we'll find out. I'll try to be more precise about the terms."

10:29, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 12 using 1d20+6.  Deception (Min 16).
16 it is!
This message was last edited by the player at 15:30, Mon 25 Sept 2023.

Skip heads for where he can sense Ossram and Jak.  Maybe he can be of some help there.

---

@SKIP

---

Val stays behind to update the captain while Skip rushes down the corridors to engineering where Andre, Jak, and Osram already were.

---

@ANDRE, JAK, & OSRAM

---

Andre and Osram miss but Jak manages to grab hold of the little guy. The gremlin struggles and begins yammering in a strange tongue. It's eyes begin to glow and Jak's hair suddenly begins to stand on end from the static electricity rapidly building up and then suddenly electricity sparks all around the room.

Everyone make a Dexterity saving throw DC16. If you're trained in Mysticism or Physics or see the Ethereal plane, you realize what's happening before it happens and have advantage (advantage and disadvantage cancel out if you already have disadvantage).
Success: 3 electricity damage (nonlethal effect)
Failure: 7 electricity damage (nonlethal effect)

23:50, Today: Game Master rolled 7 using 1d20+6.  acrobatics (escape).
23:52, Today: Game Master rolled 7 using 1d8+6.  kablooey.

@JAK
By default when you phase, your physical body goes to the ethereal plane and you're and incorporeal ghost on the material plane (think Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver's Spectral Realm). You can see both planes and toggling between them is 1 action. You can do it just fine, but just a reminder to declare it. It might make a difference which plane you're on when you interact with stuff.

---

@ED & GILL

---

The gremlin suddenly begins staring into space. You can see its eyes go blank and its still. You even manage to take a peek at its cards as it doesn't even seem aware of its environment. It just spaced out.

Checking the gremlin's cards, Gill knows he's going to lose to the gremlin. Ed knows he's going to win because he just rearranged the cards (sneaky). As to whether the two communicate that to each other I leave that up to you.

---

ROUND 12

---

Threat Level: 0 (ship fully repaired and requires little to no secondary repairs at port)
Creature1: ??/??
Creature2: ??/??

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
  
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• Subdue/kill/evict the creatureS
  
• Study/play along with the creatureS (in progress)
  
• Awaken/heal Val
  
• Repair the ship's engines (in progress)
  
• Repair the ship's scanners (in progress)
  
• Ship repaired using Rapid Repair

Gill acted quickly, passing his "winnings" from earlier back over to Edwin. He shook his head, meaning he did not consider the money to be his. Then he tapped his cards and made a slashing motion across his throat. He kept silent for fear that sound might wake their "friend" up again.

Osram gave off a particularly spectacular light show when electricity was applied to his person, what with the ability for arcs to shoot from many bits of metal to other bits of metal.

Looking quite singed but still up and going he looked at the two other men.

"Jak, can you just put that guy outside directly?"  He asked, not entirely certain how Jak's abilities worked and whether he could just squeeze through small spaces, or was able to completely phase through other matter, perhaps with a gremlin in tow.

"Otherwise, we got anyway to ground this thing Andre?"


Osram rolled 5,14 using 1d20+4,1d20+4.  Ref w Disadvantage

Skip, standing outside looking in, look up at the tubes and ducts in the ceiling.  While no mechanic, he knows that "gray," or waste, water is pumped through pipes that go through the engine room to the filtration system.  Andre!  Where are the water pipes?
Once Andre can point them out, he finds one almost directly above Jak and the gremlin.  Drawing his plasma pistol, he sets it for the lowest damage setting and begins to take aim at the pipe.  Jak!  Let him go!  As soon as Jak lets go, Skip fires a bolt of plasma at tue pipe, hoping he hits it.

22:13, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  Plasma shot.  Open water pipe, short out gremlin.  Well, shit balls.

Andre Klanktonne rolled 7 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Adv Dex vs 16

Andre too was quite shocked by the gremlin's outburst. "Oh, holes no! It may not be as glorious as my custom plans for a ship but you glow waste are attacking my engine room!" The captain might disagree on ownership at another time, or let it go as he pleases but the fellow with the power coupler was king as long as the power conduit was open.

He began calculating on his tablet... but it wasn't normal maths... by a long shot. He wanted to be sure the plan would work...

Andre Klanktonne rolled 19,15 using 2d20+6,2d20+4, dropping the lowest dice only ((1,13,11,10)). Not sure if both skills are needed or just one at advantage. The solution WILL require a flux capacitor.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:47, Fri 29 Sept 2023.

The creatures inaction seemed a bit odd, it had to be tied to whatever was happening elsewhere. At least that was his hope. Nodding to Gill he pointed at his own cards and gave a quick thumbs up.

Jak was just as surprised as the gremlin was when he actually grabbed it. As his hands closed around its odd body, he had rolled off to the side. Even as he did, he couldn't help but look at the creature, trying to determine what exactly it was. As he did, he heard Osram say stick it outside of the ship. That made Jak's eye's bulge at the same time as the Gremlin was starting to yammer and its eyes bulge. That would affect Jak as well as the intruder...no thank, no Vacuum for Jak!

The rest of the conversation was lost as Jak felt his hair standing on end and the electricity started sparking. Skip yelled let go, which really wasn't necessary as it seemed like a bad idea to keep holding him. Even as he did, Jak wanted to put some room between him and the now volatile imp and he rolled back away as he let go.


16:23, Today: Jakova rolled 19 using 1d20+2.  Dexterity Save vs DC16 with Advantage.
16:22, Today: Jakova rolled 12 using 1d20+2.  Dexterity Save vs DC16 with Advantage.
16:29, Today: Jakova rolled 19 using 1d20+2.  Acrobatics.
OK...taking the to Look at Imp with Phasing Sight? If he can...if Not, then 16:22 is original Roll without Advantage. Then using Acrobatics to get out of line of fire from both Gremlin and the Crew. So, 1 Action to Toggle look, 1 Action to let go, and 1 Action to move away.

---

@ANDRE, JAK, OSRAM, & SKIP

---

Andre, Jak, and Osram are electrified. Jak manages to escape most of the blast but they were all lucky to be alive considering how strong those bolts were. Fortunately, the ship's hull absorbed the remaining energy and the gremlin fell to the ground grasping its little controller. As Skip's shot goes wild and hits a wall (fortunately no damage), the gremlin begins scampering back to the hole in the wall.

That's when Andre realizes it. The little creature is an electrical battery. It was running away to recharge. If he could put it in an empty battery cell container, he could absorb the critter's energy and use it as a power source. Might be dangerous to leave it plugged in anywhere, but if it were grounded it would hold the critter for as long as it needed to charge its empty battery cell chargers (flux capacitors).

And there happened to be many empty battery cell containers lying around engineering.

Alternatively, the water pipes might short-circuit the little guy. This might kill it or just cause their entire water supply line to be electrified while also making a dangerous leak inside engineering.

Andre doesn't know how long he has before the critter charges up another blast, but it clearly can't do it again, otherwise it would have instead of immediately fleeing. It kept stumbling and tripping as it crawled back into the hole still easily within reach. Cleary that blast had weakened it too.


@JAK
Jak gets a good look at it in the spirit realm. It's definitely some kind of otherworldly entity that looks like a ball of lightning. As it moves in the spirit realm, you can literally see it's strands and sparks touch something and then move towards it before the physical gremlin then follows the path.

Jak now has advantage on attack rolls against the gremlin for as long as he remains phased and keeps his physical form on the ethereal plane rather than the material one (making him appear like a shadowy entity on the material plane).

16:42, Today: Game Master rolled 16 using 1d20+6.  acrobatics slip away attempt #3.
16:41, Today: Game Master rolled 9 using 1d20+6.  acrobatics (slip away attempt #2).
16:41, Today: Game Master rolled 7 using 1d20+6.  acrobatics (slip away).

---

@ED & GILL

---

The gremlin continues to remain still. Ed and Gill can hear the faint noise of voices and rustling escaping its mouth despite that it wasn't moving. Sounds like listening to ruckus through a closed door.

---

ROUND 13

---

Threat Level: 0 (ship fully repaired and requires little to no secondary repairs at port)
Creature1: ??/??
Creature2: ??/??

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
  
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• Subdue/kill/evict the creatureS
  
• Study/play along with the creatureS (in progress)
  
• Awaken/heal Val
  
• Repair the ship's engines (in progress)
  
• Repair the ship's scanners (in progress)
  
• Ship repaired using Rapid Repair

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:44, Sat 30 Sept 2023.

Andre's vest extended a set of spidery limbs that grabbed a downed battery cell container and he tried to apply the containment to it before it gets away.

"No, no waste water spraying in here! This should hold it fine. It took a gamble coming here and messing with us. Losing is a gambler's way."

Andre Klanktonne rolled 12 using 1d20+4 ((8)).

Gill decided to try something. He went around to the gremlin's side and picked his pockets clean. Looking at Edwin he shrugged as if to say no guts no glory.

Osram saw the creature scrambling, and Andre moving to capture it in the container.

He moved to assist by grabbing hold of the wall and either pushing to close off the creatures escape route, or pulling to widen the hole in the bulkhead if the creature got back inside before Andre could capture it.


Either closing or enlarging the hole, whichever is needed.

Osram rolled 26,25.  Brawn w disadvantage

---

@ED, JAK, SKIP
48 hour threshold reached.

---

@ANDRE, JAK, OSRAM, & SKIP

---

Andre has a cannister ready to go and Osram easily snatches the critter and shoves him inside as it struggles to escape his grasp. It manages to wriggle free but is now standing flanked between Andre and Osram and has no actions left for the round.

---

@ED & GILL

---

The gremlin continues to remain still. Ed does nothing as Gill frisks the gremlin. It has nothing in its pockets...it doesn't even have pockets! It's naked! Gill sure wishes he hadn't put his hand there. Fortunately, Gill realizes the entire card game is an illusion. It's not physically real. He can still interact with the illusion, but there's no tactile feel to it. It's just mimicking physical reactions to his movements as if a camera were watching and predicting changes.

---

ROUND 14

---

Threat Level: 0 (ship fully repaired and requires little to no secondary repairs at port)
Creature1: ??/??
Creature2: ??/??

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
  
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
• Subdue/kill/evict the creatureS
  
• Study/play along with the creatureS (in progress)
  
• Awaken/heal Val
  
• Repair the ship's engines (in progress)
  
• Repair the ship's scanners (in progress)
  
• Ship repaired using Rapid Repair

Skip holsters his plasma pistol, locking it in the holster, and steps forward to assist Ossram and Andre in trying to shove the gremlin into the case.

16:34, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 12 using 1d20+3.  Strength-Athletics-Grapple Gremlin.

Gill went over to Edwin and spoke quietly, "There's something in the room with us, like a camera. We need to find it and cover it up. Help me. Oh and I'm sorry about ragging your mom. Won't happen again, promise." He put his hand out. One thing about him, Gill ALWAYS keeps his word, no matter what.

16:45, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 17 using 1d20+2.  Investigate
This message was last edited by the player at 20:46, Thu 05 Oct 2023.

Osram did his best to help herd the creature into the container.

Osram rolled 25,13 using 1d20+6,1d20+6.  Help capture (w disadvantage)

Edwin was a bit surprised, he hadn't expected an apology from Gill. At least not now. He nodded and shook the mans hand. "Okay. lets see if we can find it." As quietly as possible he helped search.

Though at the moment he had a nagging feeling about something.

OOC:09:05, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 11 using 1d20+5.  Investigation.

Andre too focused on getting the gremlin into the container. It was very frustrating to think that 3 creatures couldn't put away one that had no sensible advantages anymore. Another plan began to form into the engineer's mind though... if they didn't get it he would move to plan c.

Andre Klanktonne rolled 15 using 1d20+4 ((11)).

---

@ANDRE, OSRAM, & SKIP

---

Normally each of them would have failed, but their teamwork just managed to grab the little gremlin, shove it into the cannister, and seal it. It screams and yelps inside bouncing around but the solid metal was sturdy. The group can even hear the electrical crackle inside as it charges up for another burst. Andre is fairly certain the cell will hold and protect them...but not 100% certain.

(OOC: Normally for a team action 1 person would roll and everyone else would grant them a bonus but since everyone's only using 1 action I'm assuming the teamwork bonuses to all your rolls with your other actions).

The gremlin's little controller falls to the ground beside the cannister. It looks like a mostly flat oval-shaped piece of gold with some jewels embedded into it and a rectangular engraving that made it look like a game controller. A hologram was playing on the screen area where Ed, Gill, and an avatar of the gremlin were sitting around playing cards. The screen seemed to be asking for the gremlin's next move.

Options were:
A) Cheat (haha suckers)
B) Cheat (haha suckers)
C) Cheat (haha suckers)
D) Negotiate new deal (haha suckers)

They could even scroll up and see a voice-to-text conversation the trio had been having.

---

@ED & GILL

---

The gremlin continues to remain still but Ed and Gill can hear what's going on in the engineering room. Neither could find any cameras but Ed's suspicions may be on to something. Every time the gremlin showed up or conjured something new, there was always a spark of electricity in the air bouncing off something conductive or something already electrified.

---

ROUND 15

---

Threat Level: 0 (ship fully repaired and requires little to no secondary repairs at port)
Creature1: ??/??
Creature2: ??/??

• Operators, Security, & Technician: Figure out what's causing the interference
  
• Gunners: Destroy incoming debris before it hits the ship and spot external threats
• Operator, Pilot, & Technician: Help navigate through the debris/survive bombardment
  
• Support: Explore/investigate the ship
  
  
• Subdue the creatureS +25 XP
  
• Study/play along with the creatureS
  
• Awaken/heal Val
  
• Repair the ship's engines
  
• Repair the ship's scanners
  
• Ship repaired using Rapid Repair
• Question the creature
• Kill/evict/draft the creature

Osram looked at the creature, and then peered down at the curious device it had been holding, but was deliberate in not touching it.

He opened up a communication channel to all the other crew members.

"Andre's got the intruder bottled up, for now.  Ed, Gill, I don't know what you two have been up to, but you might want to come down to engineering and have a look at this thing."

Edwin was unsure what to make of the situation. He had his suspicions but at the moment Osram had asked them to come to engineering.

"Be there in a moment." he replied through the comms.

Since the hologram of their little friend was still motionless he headed down to engineering.

Gill looked at the still gremlin and shrugged. He put his hands in his pockets and mosied behind Edwin. He is in no hurry.

Andre sets about rigging together a few of the chargers in case the little monster breaches containment in a slow manner. Instant breaches are simply not something he can plan against but he had a pretty solid idea of what the thing is capable of... charging empty batteries for starters... He also planned to study it a bit. "There are safety gloves in that cabinet... Should keep mundane contamination from being a thing. Might keep the device from working though. Taking it apart is on my list, but not overly soon."

---

@SKIP

---

Skip carefully reloads his weapons and stands back. (sorry been waiting almost a week for your post)

---

@EVERYONE

---

The captain comes on the ship comms: "Hey everyone, looks like we're clear of the debris field. The destination is in sight. I don't know if you managed to take care of the pests---ermh 'ghosts' but we're enroute. ETA 15 minutes."

---

@ANDRE, ED, OSRAM, & SKIP

---

The battery cell flashes with light over and over again. Thumping and what is probably swearing in another language can be heard inside, but it doesn't have the strength to escape. It seems they have their pest problem under control.

(OOC: You can interrogate it, let it continue to charge the ship (as a new added feature to your vessel), or jettison it into space and let it become someone else's problem.)

---

@GILL

---

After a few moments, the table, chairs, cards, and gremlin begin to vanish. They were in fact, illusions the whole time. Gill was sitting there pantsless by himself now, his clothes sitting on the floor. In the end, the only thing it accomplished was getting Gill to pants himself. For a born prankster...that was at least some victory.

---

END OF ACTION SCENE

---

+325 XP each, everyone regains 1 surge

---

EXPOSITION SCENE

---

Options

• Question the creature
• Talk with the NPCs about gremlins/space anomalies, the job, etc.
• Kill/evict/experiment on/draft the creature
• Prepare for boarding when your ship docks (grab your weapons, psyche yourself up, put on space suit, etc.)

This message was last edited by the GM at 16:08, Wed 18 Oct 2023.

Gill put his jumpsuit back on (again it seemed) and made his way down to engineering. He moseyed with hands in pockets, uncaring for any urgency. When he found the wonderful way they had taken the unwanted guest he just couldn't help himself, [Language unknown: "Ilble le nistnd redruttic p ovenceere ader, ble ulwausal arestashe? Trch ame om rewait waslintic urener p ichioupoan NT ounounhat. Ol uspeha ul ion she but hishouave e illersest ourkorhouill taonng k wh thu earee."]

12:51, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 10 using 1d20+6.  deception (min 16).
so 16...
This message was last edited by the player at 18:06, Wed 18 Oct 2023.

Cap'n, maybe you should come down, have a look at it, Skip says over the coms.  Andre has a unique way of keeping it stowed away, but you might want to take a look and decide how you want it handled.

Osram stood by watching the creature in its cage warily.

He was already ready for the actual task they'd come here to take care of, so there was nothing for that other than to get back to the docking hatch.

For the moment he waited for those perhaps a bit more knowledgeable to make the call about what to do with the creature, dangerous as it was.

---

@ANDRE

---

Andre continues to study the scans and schematics intently (sorry been waiting almost a week for your post)

---

@EVERYONE

---

The captain comes on the ship comms: "You know, I'm much more comfortable being behind the wheel when we're this close to a drop....No offense NOD."

The creature suddenly stops fidgeting.

[Language unknown: "Saut? Al, i ousei ect prothoous. Ce to eeekto atard. Il? O orteauort preintthe. Ort it eauoreanysom. Ta wiplto ess, sonsomrat, ristmo!"]

(OOC: Gill can tell it's frightened.)

---

EXPOSITION SCENE ROUND 2

---

Options

• Question the creature
• Talk with the NPCs about gremlins/space anomalies, the job, etc.
• Kill/evict/experiment on/draft the creature
• Prepare for boarding when your ship docks (grab your weapons, psyche yourself up, put on space suit, etc.)
• Skip to next scene?

Gill looked bored, "Seems our little buddy here is going to cooperate. Anybody wanna ask it anything?"

"Why did it decide to come aboard and mess with our ship?  Perhaps find out where it came from in case there's others out there we might have to be wary of running into?"  Osram suggested, going with some obvious questions.

Gill nodded as he pulled up a chair. He took oit a cigarette, light it with a zippo, and puffed a nice long drag. He left it dangling from the edge of his lips. "Got it."

Addressing their captive. [Language unknown: "Ica Res ilio of linureine hernceforonsere, ha sahi unstei ceti usio earameine, to waaich an oreatiany u, ion? P alpeng, ch of etbetace no, peof?
Redingnte, poicwh ne p ame bend? Pokor strvenles echer ouilie?
M nami ncetinine wil, manounoer ast is dinderyin adalic trtoun."]
This message was last edited by the player at 08:48, Tue 24 Oct 2023.

ooc: no worries. I was busy getting into a vehicular issue and what I hope is only temporary loss of home. I may be spotty.

Andre considers a few things, not the least of which is the creature. "Val, you want to weigh in with info? I find it hard to believe you don't have very specific feelings about our little demon."

My vote is to space the little frakker, Skip says out of turn.  Drop him into the gravity well of a star somewhere.  He's a danger to ship and crew.  Look at the debris field we're in.
 Our destination is all around us.

Edwin wasn't all that fond of keeping the thing around but, "Well after seeing what it has already put the ship and us through I am sorta inclined to agree with Mr. Tracer. However I have no feel for this situation and would also like to hear what Miss Corvo has to say on the situation."

From inside the makeshift prison, the little critter yaps back at Gill in the strange tongue.

[Language unknown: "Iouuresomint? Itilnd etndelth? U ect plwa ncsate san omen! Pro ear ivli on lin ek din stwit ni n witho popaiv arro ble, reati?" ]

Val walks in after a few minutes and immediately interrupts Gill's brief conversation.

"Whatever it says, don't listen to it and whatever it dropped, don't touch it!"

She storms in and slams an old book on the nearest table opened to a page. It's written in an ancient earth tongue (Ancient Western Terran) with a scribbled drawing that looks a lot like their blue friend. She begins reading it aloud translating as she goes.

"Electrica Cobolorum or 'electric goblin': A spirit of thunder and mischief, these beings often herald events of great destruction or the doom of an artificer or hero. It puts a curse on all who see it and can disappear with a touch of iron or water and sometimes blood. Though it can kill with thunder, it can also bring back the recently deceased but it prefers to torment mortals with pranks and games until it grows bored or collects the victim's very essence."

She glares at the creature trapped in the metal box.

"Little f*cker is a curse spirit. We need an exorcism."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:23, Wed 25 Oct 2023.

Gill continued his conversation with the canister. [Language unknown: "P eeninteau her yinthoiouame, en noal evereatra mihi les. Ere pler com thta alli, rutounour, pro onne rat ith ou. Dintharea."]

He stood and stretched. "Time for my coffee break. You guys have fun with your new toy." He headed out to the breakroom for the delicious dark liquid that kept him going.

Andre was a bit surprised at Val's response though not all of it... "I honestly expected a similar end result but for the reason that it hit you in the back of the head with something... I'm not sure if and how it reaches extra-dimensionally for the electricity but I am interested. Perhaps it is for the best I don't understand it. I can study it with the dispassionate view of pure research. I'm going to isolate some equipment and I'll begin research later. Can you tell me anything about feeding and care so it lives at least until I'm done?" he was leaving less to chance as he cleaned up. He want it to be fueling other cells if the beastie tossed more electricity and he wanted things being recorded just in case he was on other business when it happened. This might be a step to his dream engine... understanding how it draws energy or from where.

"So it's staying then?"  Osram asked, looking between Andre and Valerys.  "At least for now?"

He thought "study" and "exorcism" were a bit diametrically opposed, but as long as it stayed contained and couldn't curse them the way Valerys had said, he reasoned he had no real objection.

Besides it was probably the captain's call anyway.

"I'm pretty comfortable with the idea that if I set up stuff right I can keep it safely contained and reduce it to base ionic particles on short notice. Val wants to not worry about it, I would say splitting it across three batteries and using them to power the waste disposal or perhaps ship weapons would do that as well as any priest." Andre said tightening a bolt on his assembly. "This wrench here might be able to adjust space and time if I figure out how to turn it just right in another dimension..."

Val looks at Andre not understanding a word he's saying.

"You WANT a curse spirit in here? If you run experiments on it, it'll just curse you more!"

She's clearly not happy about it as she wanted to exorcise the thing back where it came from. But obviously it was up for the whole crew to make a decision.

[Language unknown: "Ev urrini erutan ainreamen atiaveenc i p st wi enc sa pamoch? Ecuthe? Tiovirshe?"]

The container jostled around a bit.

Given the data, Andre thinks the creature seems to be powering up the battery every time shocked. It seems to have stopped doing it but the battery was almost fully charged from just a few minutes. That was literally days worth of power just from the thing throwing a tantrum and having a time out.

Andre is faced with a dilemma. Not only could the thing provide knowledge, it was quite the energy source. Of course, getting information from it would be more helpful if he could speak to it.

Gill stopped at the door and called back, [Language unknown: "Iotees an moarre rattermen at ne. O pomaev, Ac it art repr ble unlo daype k one. In traredles somovered ne reilcaar ilurceur p U ioostr. Era nd re esseic ortnt oul m ofus laom dinic. Os saevni as osieen, ch aromac n taonckre oerartnotmen a Ss nende cksa."]

He looked at the others, "It keeps asking to play cards. When I started to leave it was begging for help. I'm gonna be honest I don't like the idea of making it a slave."

Edwin had to agree with Gill, dang that was annoying. "Okay I guess we take a vote on the matter. I for one am with Val, I think we need to get rid of it and send it where it belongs."

Skip holsters his plasma pistol and crosses his arms over his chest.  I like the idea of dropping it into the gravity well of a star.  Or a black hole.

Gill shook his head, eyes distant as he thought about or tried to remember something. "You know it made a deal with me to play cards the first time. It would tell me where it was from. It said it wasn't from here and it came here on a tree...Yiddadabbadoo...no Yiddrackill... Yea thats it Yidd-rack-ill. I dunno seemed like a bunch of nonsense, I mean there is no tree out here right. Anyhow, maybe that will help you Ray."

He shrugged and went on, "It got real scared when I threatened to space it. I guess dropping it in a black hole sounds about right, good call Skipster."

Gremlin (Frustrated): "Yggdrasil! YGG DRA SIL! [Language unknown: P teadul hete-prlo! I t! At Rom eve WA innech. Olhipe asti N HO ad! Ing sanoulset ven,] Yggdrasil, [Language unknown: Pe Ulher vor OMENC ofilur. Anouit roei T SOM at! Ut wheoulort ti, ul p thuentoer meli. Paome mi ersverbut thaon. Anwhin pr llllfi! Sitoliti o iouionera i onplni! Si ekpr cell k sonhastio pro nte prul a oldi ivekorill reaouloun...pl us ng nimo...]'electra sit ee', [Language unknown: art?]"

It was shouting through the container. Clearly it was starting to get nervous in there.

The small device it dropped earlier stopped glowing. It was just a harmless medallion now. Or seemed that way.

Val raised her eyebrows and looked back and forth between Gill and the Gremlin.

"How do you speak it's tongue? What are you even saying? When it first attacked me it was speaking Common."

---

Gill and Edwin, Insight check DC11. You two have actually spoken with it.

He shugged, "I dated a girl who hung out at comic book conventions. He is babbling nonsense about some spirit tree and how he used it branches to get here."

Gill isn't lying.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:30, Fri 27 Oct 2023.

"Well that's all well and good.  Though I don't know how much sympathy you can have for a curse spirit that didn't think twice about tearing up the ship, attacking our crew, and trying to do who knows what to Gil and Ed."  Osram considered out loud.

Andre sighed and passed gaze over his crewmates and rested on the gremlin, "If it is going to speak halting Trade tongue, then I might get attached.

You eat electricity or you got here because of it?" he asked it, he was not pleased to learn this as it likely meant it didn't reach elsewhere for amperage but instead stored it from other sources.

20:02, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 22 using 1d20+2.  Insight

"Hey guys, whatever you're doing down there wrap it up. We're on approach and I'm about to begin docking procedures."


Jehnko didn't seem to care about some pest, even though Val was eager to perform some occult rite to banish it.

The little gremlin doesn't respond to Andre verbally but points to the medallion he dropped. He'd been playing some holographic video game on it. When Andre addresses it, it just keeps pointing at the medallion to indicate the human addressing it needed to pick it up.

@Gill: The Gremlin hasn't taken its eyes off the medallion it dropped. You put 2 and 2 together that it seems to be a source of the gremlin's powers. You also suspect if it was speaking Common to Val earlier then suddenly couldn't speak Common, then perhaps it can't speak any of these languages but is using a translator. The magical medallion may very well be advanced technology allowing it to communicate.

Gill pointed to the little gizmo the thing had, "Pretty sure that is it's translator. Do me a favor, huh? Don't play cards with it, no matter what." He nodded to the Captain, "Yup, I'm on my way up to the cockpit."

Gill headed to the pilot's chair, or co-pilot's chair if the boss wanted to do the flying.

My concern is the safety of the ship and crew, Skip advises.  I still say we get rid of it.

Osram shrugged his large shoulders.

"I figure whatever the two of you decide will be fine."  He stated with a look to Andre and Valerys.

He then began making his way towards the cargo hold to prepare for docking.

"More than IF we get rid of it... How, when and where? It is in stable containment now. I think I can scrub the whole thing and produce more electricity, we can set it adrift, or we can even use it as a weapon against folks we don't like... all that is off the top of my head. Val wants to call an exorcist but I don't know any. I'm content to just let it be bored for a bit while we do this job. We don't have consensus. So we wait." there was money to be made and paychecks. He locked the cell into storage for monitoring. He used pliers to put the medallion into a tool drawer for future study as well. He wasn't going to just ignore Val's warnings, nor was he going to completely ignore potential quantum tools. There was a now job to worry about.

"Personally I am with Val. Get rid of it before it gets loose. Pretty sure it can't be trusted." He started to turn and head for the bridge also but stopped. Looking around he grabbed a pen and a piece of something to write on, not wanting the critter to over hear.

If it stays make sure it is well confined. Wouldn't want to deal with it getting out and destroying whatever hush-hush cargo we are picking up. Our employers might get a bit unhappy and it would be horribly hard to explain.


Handing it to Andre and Val he then headed off to help with the cargo pickup.

The ship suddenly shifted. It was obvious they were slowing down and maneuvering towards a docking station. Outside a string of asteroids with facilities built into them could be seen.

Osram made himself ready as the ship maneuvered.

Having had his say in the matter, Skip heads for his designated station for the docking procedures.

The coffee pot sloshed in Gill's hand as the ship settled. "Any landing you can walk away from." He said as he went about making his coffee.

Jhenko: "Hope you're geared up down there, we're docking."

The ship rounded the bend of a few asteroids revealing a hidden mining facility. They were out of communication range of even the furthers relays. Literally out beyond most routes. This was dangerous space, but there it was: a whole mining facility nobody ever heard of.

The ship swung towards the mining facility's docks and into a port. Everyone could feel the art grav shift as the ship entered another facilities art grav field and slowly shut off to utilize the facility's gravity instead.

They'd docked and the doors sealed behind them.

Jhenko: "Don't forget to wear your suits folks. The docks are NOT atmo'd. You'll have a hard time breathing if you leave the house without your hats and boots. They're expecting a team of professionals. So get out there with the dollies and start loading up the cargo."

Osram was ready and waiting as the docking ring engaged.

He wasn't sure who all was joining him to hump cargo so he said over the comm, "Last one into the cargo bay, lock it down so we can vent it and not have to keep cycling the airlock."

He then grabbed a dolly, headed to said airlock, and stepped in to begin the cycle process so the work could begin.

Gill put his feet up on the table in the break room. He sipped his coffee and scrolled through some outdated magazine on how to win a woman's affections. He laughed at most of the so called advice.

Andre wasn't particularly large but he was somewhat familiar with moving big equipment. He anticipated moving gear and set out to work. A dock without atmo meant this was clandestine operations indeed. No one was greeting family and friends here.

He half wondered at the gravity though... "Why bother with artigrav out here? Oh well, is anything showing up on sensors that should be the cargo or a problem to worry about? I'm ready to go. Powers know y'all don't know how to efficiently stow gear and supplies..." he teases with an almost laugh in his voice.

Edwin had quickly moved away from engineering and not being the most logical choice for any type of cargo handling had returned to watching the external cameras. He also kept a close eye on any external communications, just in case someone was planning something ill advised.

As the ship docked, the doors connecting the cargo bay to the rest of the ship sealed and the air began ventilating back into the ship reserves as the bay became vacuum. The cargo bay exit doors opened slowly revealing that they barely had any protections from space on these docks.

Fortunately, there was plenty of railing and magnetized boots and the dollies themselves made movement rather easy. Despite it being a vacuum, gravity was working. There must be some reason they didn't want the cargo in atmo.

Inside the docking area there were rows of magnetized crates and dozens of other dock workers that seemed to be hustling. One was already waiting for you as the cargo ramp opened giving you a clear path onto the docks. He spoke on open coms.

Dock Worker: "Hello! You are Team Jhenko, yes?"

"Yep.  What's getting loaded?"  Osram replied, shifting his gaze to the mass of crates.

Gill laughed at the magazine, and continued to read while sipping his coffee.

Still wearing his enviro-suit, Skip has his plasma pistol on the outside if his space suit as he goes out to help load the cargo.  "Team" Jhenko?  I suppose that's us, he responds over the coms.  How much cargo are we taking on?

Val came stomping down the corridor towards the airlock. She was fastening her helmet as she walked but stopped in front of the breakroom.

"Gill. What are you doing? Get off your useless rump and go help with the cargo load. Captain wants us to wrap this up quickly so everyone has to pitch in except Andre who's repairing the ship."

Gill did not look up at Val's tirade. When she was done he Looked at her lasciviously, "Just can't be away from me for very long, huh? Look I'm on my coffee break, you know pilot's union thing. I'll be down in..." He looked at his empty wrist as if he had a watch on. "...oh look at that, break over. I'll go and get my suite. Don't worry darling, you won't have to miss me for long." He stood and headed for the lockers with their vac-suites so that he could put his on and "help."

More figures in space suits and small mechs were on the docks. Everyone was busily transporting crates onto other ships. The dockworker that greeted them pointed to a particular stack of crates nearby.

"That stack is yours. They're labeled."

He typed in some information onto his bracer. Your own communicators displayed on your helmets the serial codes so you'd know which crate was which.

"Any questions?"

"Nope."  Osram replied before moving to begin loading crates onto the dollies.

With the sort of place this was, and the sort of thing they were doing, questions just brought trouble.  Better to get it done and get out.  They'd already run into enough trouble with the crazy creature nearly short circuiting the ship.

Gill put out his hand, "Hi, Gill Rurry, esquire. Your boss around? Just want to make sure a few details are accurate, that's all."

10:30, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 9 using 1d20+6.  Reliable talent makes 16 minimum.
So roll is 16

Skip moves to assist with the cargo loading, though he still keeps "an eye out" (a "third" eye) for more trouble.

In reply to Gill Rurry (msg # 169):

The dock worker stared at Gill blankly for a moment.

"I can answer questions. Boss busy."

---

Dexterity (Stealth) check for anyone trying to take crates that aren't on the list or sneak off from their post.

Strength (Brawn) check or Intellect (Mechanics) for anyone trying to get this over with quickly.

Wisdom (Insight) check for anyone attempting to socially interact with the dock worker or analyze the other workers.

As he works to load the cargo as quickly as possible, Skip keeps an eye out for any potentially illicit activity, and any aberrations amongst the cargo or from amongst the workers at the space dock.

19:12, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 18 using 1d20+3.  Str-Athletics.

19:11, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 18 using 1d20+4.  Insight.

19:11, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 20 using 1d20+4.  Perception.

Gill says, "Okay, up to you." He licks his finger dramatically and flips a page, "First is that the standard clause of equitable quibbles has been amended thusly:

quote:

Whereas, in the hallowed halls of jurisprudence, the parties hereto, being of sound mind and caffeinated disposition, do hereby enter into a Covenant of Equitable Quibbles. Said covenant shall govern disputes arising from the misplacement of paperclips, the unauthorized consumption of communal office snacks, and the perennial debate over whether “reply all” emails constitute a mortal sin. In the event of a quibble, the aggrieved party shall invoke the sacred phrase, “By the power vested in me by this half-empty coffee cup, I hereby demand satisfaction!” And lo, the wheels of justice shall turn, albeit with a slight wobble.

Now I am sure you can see the obvious and glaring difference here. I'd like you to explain the difference in the legal language and the reason for that difference."

He licks his finger, even more dramatically and continued before the poor guy could answer.

"Second is the principle of the Tortoise and the briefcase:

quote:

Whereas, in the realm of tort law, the plaintiff, a certain Mr. Cornelius H. Tortoise, alleges that the defendant, one Ms. Penelope Briefcase, did willfully and with malice aforethought, engage in tortoiseshell appropriation. The plaintiff contends that the defendant’s leather briefcase, adorned with faux tortoiseshell accents, caused undue emotional distress to the plaintiff’s shell-dwelling relatives. The defendant, in her defense, cites the ancient precedent of Hare v. Tortoise, wherein it was established that slow and steady accessorizing wins the race. The court, perplexed but caffeinated, adjourns for a recess to ponder the implications of interspecies fashion litigation.

I am going to need a detailed analysis on how this principle applies to our agreement."

A final and most dramatic lick, this time 2 fingers, and staring down the other fellow as if this is the coup degras he is about to deliver.

"Finally:

quote:

Whereas, within the hallowed chambers of the High Court of Ephemeral Epiphanies, the honorable Justice Esmeralda Quixoticus, Esq., contemplates the metaphysical conundrum of billable hours. Is time truly linear, or does it warp and weave like a poorly drafted contract? The learned justice, sipping chamomile tea and wearing mismatched socks, opines that legal hours are akin to Schrödinger’s billable cat—simultaneously billable and non-billable until observed by an overzealous associate. And so, with a flourish of her quill pen, Justice Quixoticus pens the immortal dictum: “Time flies, but billable hours soar on the wings of paradox.”

Well?"

Please use the above as the help action for...well any roll you want to make. I am sure the GM will agree that there is no legal reason to keep this from being able to act on each roll.

Osram put his back into it and focused on getting them in and out as quickly as possible.

Osram rolled 21.  Brawn.

Andre pressed on in his work, there had been a bit that he needed to pin back together with more permanent solutions. He was proud that most of his work relied on fitting the wrecked pieces back rather than having the ship rely on ALL new parts. That was how his money came in after all, the decent money that is. Though he was considering the alien tech from a corner of his mind. Indeed, he was somewhat distracted by the thought of it but with his mental faculties a little distraction tended to merely leave him a bit better at his job than most.

The dock worker stares blankly at Gill. The one-sided conversation droned on so long, Osram was able to haul several crates into the ship with Skip's occasional help, though Skip seemed a bit distracted eyeing the other dock workers.

As soon as Gill takes pause, he turns around and walks away muttering in North Terran under his breath. The rest of the docks are bustling as many other ships are being loaded. Gill gets a sense that the situation is very serious and tense and considering how secretive the operation is, it's likely they don't care for (or bother with) legality and paperwork.

---

Andre finishes up the final ceilings and paints to keep everything in place and looking nice and a short while after beginning. Then he goes back to the engineering Bay and gets out his new tablet and tries to interface it with the Gremlins medallion to determine the functions and intricacies of it if at all possible. Before he begins his scrutiny of the technology for a moment he envisions that dream ship that he is always had in his mind as being a little bit closer due to a study of alien technology he decides that it's probably best to let the ship's AI know that he's about to begin so that it can notify others or lock the area down if something goes unusually wrong, "NOD, I'm about to start analyzing the alien artifact, if it is little more than a wireless gambling device then there may not be much use for it but it may have other significant implications if the gremlin has no innate powers and all of its abilities stem from this little marvel. I'm going to ask the you also keep tabs on the situation in case there's something that my equipment doesn't pick up that might be related to this investigation, thank you."

rolled 25,21,19 using d20+6,d20+6,d20+4.  Cipher, Investigate, Mysticism to study gremlin medallion

Edwin remained at his station monitoring the comms and watching the sensors and external cameras carefully. NOD could easily have done it but he felt better watching for himself. As he noticed Gills antics he shook his head and grinned, he sorta felt sorry for the guy on the dock.

OOC: 09:49, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 5 using 1d20+2 ((3)).

Gill stood calmly, hoping the others would be done soon. He really didn't know how he would handle it if "the boss" actually showed up.

Osram continued humping crates, concentrating on getting the work done.

While working he did open a private channel to Andre back on the ship.  "Dre, I dunno if the Captain knows what we're taking onboard, but either way you and NOD might want to take a closer look at these things.  Whatever's inside ain't exactly inert.  I'd say we've had too may surprises for one job already to trust whatever's in these won't be more trouble."

As he works to load the cargo, though not quite as fast as when he started, Skip continues to keep his head on a swivel.  Inside his helmet, he switches his comms to scan frequencies so he can pick up the comm chatter around them.

Everyone feels a psychic presence they'd recognize as one of Skip's empathic signals expressing "I have a REALLY BAD FEELING about this." Other ships begin to depart. It seems like Team Jehnko will be last on the line. Osram notices one of the crates in their pile was not properly labeled. Likely done in a rush, he's not sure if they're part of his pile that weren't finished being marked or if they were meant for another ship. It's likely no one would notice them taking it, but it also seems like the lid wasn't closed properly. He might be able to sneak a peak if he's careful. Or he could just close it properly.

---

Gill takes the opportunity to peace out. He turned with his clipboard and made for the ship with his shipmates.

Osram loaded the last of the crates from the designated pile onto the dolly, and headed to the ship, in a hurry to get the last of it loaded and get back underway.

On the line that doubtless NOD was aware of and authorized, the mechanic nodded with a smile, "I'm just off in the lab area looking at some stuff already! This is good timing  as any... NOD loop in the others if you can." He waited a few moments before continuing.

"Team, if any of those are slipshod bring it to engineering. I'll take a look at it. Captain agreed sight unseen for the job... I won't violate any terms or agreements that I'm aware of, but if somebody else did a crappy job of packing stuff up and some of it happens to spill out in front of me I would certainly need to investigate to make sure that it's put together properly before being stored somewhere..."

As the crew are loading up the last crates a flash of light appears outside the dockyard. One of the ships leaving orbit had just turned into a fireball and its debris was scattering across space. On the other side of the fireball was a Martian warship. They were not bearing any official government seals nor broadcasting their presence and didn't appear on scanners. There's no way something that size could've evaded all these scanners...is there? The captain and Val could be heard on the comms.

Val: "--I told you, it wasn't picking up on any scanners!"

Captain Jhenko: "PACK IT UP FELLAS! WE'RE LEAVING!"

The familiar buzz of jamming signals started to fill the comm systems. All communications outside a 100 meter radius were jammed.

---

Everyone roll Perception and ONE of the following of your choice: Civilization, Insight, Investigation, or Mysticism

If your character has military experience in their backstory give yourself advantage on one of the rolls of your choice.

SHIT!  WE GOTTA GO!
20:48, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 22 using 1d20+4.  Insight-advantage.  Much Better!

20:47, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 5,10 using 1d20+4,1d20+4.  Insight, Perception.
Die Roller did not like.me.much...

Osram mag-locked the dolly to the floor of the cargo bay as soon as it was clear of the airlock.  Stowing it could take place later.

Instead he jumped back to the lock and held his hand over the button ready to seal it as soon as the last person made it through.


Osram rolled 3.  Civilization.

Osram rolled 14.  perception.

Gil did not run, even under these circumstances. Why bother, they would likely be dead in the next few minutes so getting eorked up about it was unproductive. Instead he took his time making his observations while 0ower walking. Yes he was power walking, his fastest mode of foot travel.

22:44, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 9 using 1d20+4.  Civilazition.

22:44, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 18 using 1d20+2.  Perception
This message was last edited by the player at 03:46, Thu 14 Dec 2023.

"Sh..." Edwin jumoed a bit at the flash. Taking his seat he grabbed the buckles and buckled in. He had a feeling things were going to get bumpy to say the least.

"How does something that big slip in unnoticed?" He really wasn't talking to anyone but himself, if things went south it probably wouldn't matter in the next few moments anyway.


OOC:
11:08, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 18 using 4d6+5, dropping the lowest dice only ((3,4,6,1)).
11:08, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 18 using 4d6+5, dropping the lowest dice only.  Civilization Skill w/ advantage using assurance.

11:11, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 8 using 1d20+2.  Perception.

Fighter ships begin pouring out of the warship and heading towards the cargo ships trying to escape. Other ships leaving the docks where being fired upon. There were so many fighters and none were showing up on scanners. Visual only. The stealth tech was clearly way too advanced to be anything but the highest level of cutting edge.

Your ship's docking bay closes up it begins to steer away from the docks.

Jhenko: Anyone got any ideas for getting out of here? It's a slaughter out there!

"First thing on my mind is unplugging our transponder. Riskier flying in busy space near ports... It stops broadcasting our position which is a collision hazard, but might make us harder to notice if they are relying on electronics to track and target," the engineer thought a moment more, "The gremlin is laughing I think... The beastie is unsettling. I think if I put a beacon on it and we send it out a weapon tube or airlock it would attract attention and slow down pursuit. Or maybe I rig it into the engines and throw an extra boost. Any preferences?" he debated putting the artifact back in storage but wasn't certain the demon could maximize effectiveness without it.

Gill went on coms, "Headed to you captain, but best course would be to head for deep space and then turn back when we've regrouped. Ray, dump the gremlin. It is just going to draw them to us regardless. Get rid of it." Gill is beelining it for the cockpit.

From his position, Skip notices something.  The fighters are disabling ships, and the warship is moving in scan them before destroying them.  They're looking for something, he advises.  And something tells me we got it.
We need to put distance between us.  Now.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:49, Sun 17 Dec 2023.

"Sounds like it's time to throw some extra coal in the boiler."  Osram chimed in.

"I'd say see if our new friend can start making up for the trouble caused by helping us get the hell out of here.  I'll stay in the cargo hold in case the decision is made to jettison anything."

Jhenko switched on the co-pilot operation station as Gill arrived on the bridge. Gill can override authority and take command as pilot switching Jhenko to co-pilot if he wishes.

Jhenko: "Good to have you back where you belong, Tur---Gill."

OOC: Jehnko will be assumed to be assisting Gill for an automatic +2 to all your Piloting checks so long as he remains co-piloting.

NOD: "Scanners indicate an enormous amount of energy building up in that battery casing you put the creature in, Mr. Klanktonne. I highly suggest draining off the energy or jettisoning the casing soon. A surplus of energy would certainly solve our current predicament but being unfamiliar with the specific signatures the creature gives off, I'm unable to predict the outcome of trying to utilize its energy in our systems. I can try to use bypass systems so that one charge won't destroy everything but even that is still risky if the charge is unstable."


OOC: Andre would be doing some cutting edge mad science if he tried to plug a magic electric bug into his systems. If successful, it'd be a scientific breakthrough and a huge edge. If unsuccessful...well. They may disable themselves before any fighters even get near them. High risk/high reward.

Val appears in the cargo hold.

Val: "Hey big guy, can you grab one of these crates and place it directly by the airlock while I secure everything else. I want a decoy and I think I can help."

She places a disk-shaped device on one of the crates.

Val: "This matches our ship's signature. Should draw fire away from us for at least a little while."

Jhenko: "Agreed, Skip. Gill, take us out and make sure we were never here."

---

ESCAPE FROM THE ASTROID: ROUND 1

---

Threat Level: 10 (threat will increase by 2d20/round. Distracting, disabling, or destroying a fighter reduces their numbers. Successfully hiding or finding cover or creating distractions or cover temporarily reduces their numbers as well.

• Disable/Distract/Destroy Fighters: 0/10
• Power Boost: 0/3
• Drop Decoys: 0/3
• Investigate fighter:
• Investigate warship:
• Investigate crates:
• Investigate debris:

This message was last edited by the GM at 22:01, Mon 18 Dec 2023.

Gill sat in the pilot's chair. He buckled in and put on his Aviator Sunglasses. He is now Mad Dog McGrath, the best pilot alive. He opens his carton of cigarette and takes one out with his lips, though as always it remains unlight, just another prop. He makes his voice deeper and more gravely, "Let's Kick some tires and Light some Fires!" His normally bored countenance becomes steely and manly.

"Let's show these Bozos why they call me Mad Dog mother fing McGrath!" They, "Andre, lemme know when you're ready for dropping the decoy." He began working the pedals and maneuving thrusters, intending to fly below the safe deck because safty is for losers, thats why!


23:06, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 11 using 1d20+6.  Including help bonus, reliable talent min 16
So 16
I fully expect a few "Oh Sh!t its Mad Dogs, but hey fun times, right?
This message was last edited by the player at 03:00, Sat 23 Dec 2023.

Skip heads for one of the laser turrets.  You neve rlnow when you may have to swat some mosquitoes...

Edwin quickly gave up on trying to track any of the fighters or the big ship. Whoever it was they had some of the best equipment. Moving quickly he climbed into one of the gunnery stations and strapped in. "Captain. Permission to return fire."

He suspected that was a really stupid question but he wanted to make sure, just in case.

OOC: If given permission and if needed.
09:29, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 6 using 1d20+4 ((2)).

Mad Dog bite at Edwin, not hard, just a nip, but still..."Edwin, if they shoot at you, shoot back. I gotta drive this bucket I can't do everything."

Osram grabbed a few other crates that were in the cargo hold.  Dry food stores, junked parts that could be sold for scrap, things of little importance and that wouldn't compromise their ability to see this foolish job through to the end of they lived that long.

He lugged them over to Val and let her to affix the disc while he mag clamped the other potential decoy crates to the deck.  "How many of those you got?"  He asked.

Jhenko: "Negative. Do not fire until we're sure their trajectory is headed straight for us instead of another ship. We don't want to draw aggro anymore than we have to. Gill and I are going to try to use the other ships escaping as cover for our own escape then Val and Osram are going to drop decoys. Ed and Skip are lookouts until we're tagged and engaged. Then you two will be our last resort."

OOC:

@ED & @SKIP can make Perception or Physics checks to spot oncoming ships while @GILL makes Piloting or Stealth checks to avoid detection. Each failure means a fighter spots you and begins pursuit. NOD can assist both of you with these tasks (+2 to all unless someone else needs to use NOD).

@OSRAM & VAL will need Athletics or Acrobatics checks every round to hold steady the cargo. They will drop a decoy when fighters are in pursuit to lure them away. Dropping a decoy is a Brawn or Marksmanship or Physics check (Val gives Osram a +2 assuming to assist).

@ANDRE can assist the pilot by boosting his checks with a Mechanics or Physics check or he can prepare the gremlin to charge the ship's battery (need 3 rounds) or to jettison the gremlin (need 2 rounds) with successful checks.

If you spot a ship, a decoy can automatically throw it off rather than opening fire (in which case starts a dogfight).

@GILL will need Piloting and Stealth checks to fly under the radar (+2 to both from the captain's co-piloting).

Val sighs as she begins affixing the disks.

Val: "Three. We gotta time these right. Which means we may be holding the door open. You got your safety harness and helmet seal checked just in case art grav and shields go down?"

There were safety tethers and harnesses for the cargo bay just for such emergencies. They wouldn't protect anyone without a helmet from suffocating but they would prevent a crew member's body from being lost to space during transit.

She looks up as the plan is laid out over comms and then makes some somatic gestures with her hands.

Val: "May the Fates be with us."

A second pilot check? Do you need two stealth?

Skip begins scanning for any ships coming after them.

14:22, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  Perception.  Well, that was a shitty roll....

OOC: 14:30, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 6 using 1d20+4 ((2)).
Okay two rolls today and both are a 2. I think this die roller hates me. That or Gill is paying it off.

"Everything's green across the board."  Osram remarked, flicking his eyes down to double check the dummy lights on the interior of the helmet.



Osram rolled 8 using 1d20+6.  Athletics

Andre is in it for the science. "Fuel it is..." and he straps up his best mad science outfit, indeed his vest releases armature limbs as he grabs the gremlin's case. The gleam in his eye may just stop the creature's laughter or make it all the worse. "I'm not locked in here with you, you're locked in here with me!"

Andre Klanktonne rolled 21 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only.  Mechanics to fuel off gremlin
This message was last edited by the player at 14:53, Fri 22 Dec 2023.

Gill manages to steer the ship out of the dockyard smoothly but can see ships are not sharing navigation trajectories and are just flying all around in every direction. It's dangerous waters out there. He can tell even as proficient as he was, he was barely making it through the mess.

@GILL: DC15 - 16 = -1 to threat level


Skip can feel a surge of emotions from the chaos. The other ships were far away, but the sympathetic connection of all of them being in one firefight (well massacre) and the panic and fear was echoing the emotes. He couldn't focus on anything. He missed several ships getting closer.

@SKIP: DC15 - 8 = +7 to threat level


Suddenly the ship jolts as the art grav can't keep up with the sudden shock of weapon's fire. Enemy fighters were trying to disable them.

16:51, Today: Game Master rolled 29 using 2d20.  threat level.

Jhenko: "Dammit! Get us out of here, Gill!"


Osram manages to hold himself steady as the ship moves back and forth and the art grav doesn't fully compensate for the g's. Gill was an excellent pilot, but the maneuvers he was pulling were still hard on the poor old ship. He noticed Val was having trouble too but she was reliant on her mag boots. Poor girl didn't have his muscle so without those boots she'd probably have gone flying.

@SKIP: DC15 - 6 = +9 to threat level


Ed sees several cargo ships suddenly explode and debris clouding vision on his side of the ship. It was jarring and caught him off guard. He didn't even notice a couple of fighters heading their way before opening fire on them.

@SKIP: DC14 - 8 = +6 to threat level (DC15 - Gill's reduction of threat level)


Andre manages to plug in the gremlin battery to the main booster system. The gremlin stopped laughing and began asking questions in its native tongue. It was confused. The readings were sporadic and hard to pin down but a lot of it was definitely overlapping with the ship's main energy cells. Andre punched it in and the ship went from barely enough energy to get back to civilization to nearly full capacity. The entire ship lit up. Every device on the ship turned on even if it wasn't in use and whirred to life. Even emergency backup systems turned on redundantly without need (though they did nothing since no severe damage was done yet). It worked almost too well...like magic. No one back at the institute would even believe it. Andre could hear the gremlin screaming and making all sorts of other noises. The experience didn't seem pleasant for it as the battery cell whirred, jiggled, and flashed with eerie light emptying energy into the ship's primary cells.

@ANDRE: DC21 - 15 = -6 to threat level (the ship can now survive a trip to deep space and back with its current fuel reserves...just barely)

Val: "By the Fates! What the Hades is going on?"

---

ESCAPE FROM THE ASTROID: ROUND 2

---

Threat Level: 56

• Disable/Distract/Destroy Fighters: 0/10
• Power Boost: 1/3
• Drop Decoys: 0/3
• Investigate fighter:
• Investigate warship:
• Investigate crates:
• Investigate debris:

Mad Dog remained utterly calm. "Who the hell is Gill?" He slammed one of the control sticks forward and used his foot to flip a peddle switch, causing his pilot chair to reorient itself with his back to the ground. "Hold onto your butts, this is gonna suck a lot." He pressed both feet down and pulled both control rods back as far as they would go. He tried to push free of the planet's gravity like a rocket.

11:19, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 25 using 1d20+6.  Pilot (Reliable Talent).
This message was last edited by the player at 02:55, Sat 23 Dec 2023.

Andre called out, "By all the dying stars, you told me to call an exorcist and I am doing the next best thing. You want it gone and this might just do the job. Are you going to tell me to breathe and then yell at me for living?! You didn't give me a way to do what you wanted. True science is adaptation!" There was a part of him that felt badly for what seemed to be the creature suffering. He didn't like the idea of causing undue pain but the creature hadn't exactly been one to reason or cooperate with them. Indeed he hoped to learn more about extra dimensional energies as he monitored this process and adjusted flows to try to allow them to settle the systems.

further interfacing

Andre Klanktonne rolled 13 using 1d20+4.  Mysticism for understanding.

With every system surging with power, and feeling the ship start to pitch to angle the nose upward away from the asteroid, Osram figured things were about to get desperate.

"Time to see if these things work!"  He called to Val.  "Make sure you're anchored to the deck!"

Taking his own advice he landed next to the lock and secured his own feet before cycling both doors and bracing against his magboots' hold to send one of the decoy crates out into the black to hopefully confuse things just a bit.


Assuming the +2 from Val mentioned earlier, plus adding a preemptive surge.

Osram rolled 35 using 1d20+1d12+6+2.  Brawn + Surge + Assist

Not even noticing the surge in power, Skip begins tracking enemy fighters with his turret, ready to shoot should they come within range.

"Mad Dog" manages to twirl the ship and outmaneuver their pursuers for the the moment.

@GILL: DC15 - 25 = -10 to threat level


Skip and Ed can sense the nearby fighters approaching but their pot shots only grazed them. But without explanation a small crate flew out at one of them knocking it off course into the other into a fiery explosion.

@SKIP & ED:
DC15 - 23 = -8 to threat level
DC15 - 15 = +0 to threat level
15:13, Today: Game Master rolled 30 using 2d20 ((19,11)).




Osram manages drops the decoy with such proficiency that it literally hits one of the fighters throwing it off course and into another fighter in a fiery explosion. Miraculously, the decoy survived the impact and the debris from the explosion combined with the decoy now gave them cover from the firefight. It wouldn't last long but it was a moment of reprieve...

@OSRAM: DC15 - 35 = -20 to threat level



Andre attempts to better understand what's happening with the energy surge from the gremlin spirit, but miscalculates. Before he realizes it, the engines begin overheating. The creature's screams and shrieks can be heard through the ship as they echo through the very power cables as if excess energy was being converted into a psychic scream throwing everything out of whack. It seems Andre had gotten lucky on his initial hypothesis, but it was about to go terribly wrong...

@ANDRE: DC15 - 13 = +2 to threat level

NOD: "Alert! Systems are overheating! Safety protocols would recommend we do an emergency shut down of the engines to cool or abandon ship in the escape pods..."

Another transport explodes as the warship rains down fire upon them.

NOD: "...We need to cool the engines immediately but we can't afford to stop moving..."

NOD knew it was a catch 22 but all it could do was give them the facts. It wasn't programmed to pull miracles out of its exhaust port.

---

ESCAPE FROM THE ASTROID: ROUND 3

---

Threat Level: 45
15:02, Today: Game Master rolled 27 using 2d20 ((10,17)).

• Disable/Distract/Destroy Fighters: 2/10
• Power Boost: 2/3
• Drop Decoys: 1/3
• Investigate fighter:
• Investigate warship:
• Investigate crates:
• Investigate debris:

This message was last edited by the GM at 09:47, Fri 29 Dec 2023.

Osram grinned at the unexpected havoc the decoy box of freeze dried food had visited upon the fighters chasing them.

He decided to wait before trying again in the hopes that they might be able to break away.


Osram rolled 9 using 1d20+6.  Athletics, keep steady.

While his last attempt to take out a fighter was not very successful, he keeps at it.  He watches for, and takes shots at,the closest of the enemy fighters.

03:02, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 19 using 1d20+4.  Marksmanship.

Mad Dog swiveled his chair and locked it back in it's original position, then tried to camoflauge the ship and belly landed it to hide them.

11:13, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 14,12 using 1d20+6,1d12.  Piloting + Surge

"We should be real stealthy like, so let the ship cool down and dump that damned gremlin before our mad scientist engineer gets us all dead."

Since people were relying on stealth once again rather than actually trying to leave which had been the first plan of action...
"I don't even know if I CAN get this out right now but the more we change ideas about how to survive the LESS I can modify systems in useful ways! Are we committed to stealth!? Or do you want me to build a warship without a spacedock and are going to want to fight our way out in a minute?!"

He was frustrated that they were essentially asking him to waste all his efforts to help them get away from here. Especially after what felt like was about to be an intentional crash landing that was going to cost money and time in repairs AGAIN.

Andre Klanktonne rolled 27 using d20+d12+4.  Mysticism with a pre-roll surge (if no consensus is achieved).
This message was last edited by the player at 02:40, Sun 31 Dec 2023.

I don't know about anyone else, Skip says from the turret controls, but, quite frankly, I would rather get as far away from here as possible as quickly as possible.  If they find us here, we are sitting ducks.  And we'll all be quite toasty soon after.

Edwin didn't have anything to add to the conversation as he swivel the turret looking for any fighters that may have spotted them.

Mad Dog shouted back, "Hey, any of you guys wanna get up here and take the stick, be my guest. No? Then we wait here while the engines cool so they don't freaking explode!"

@OSRAM
Osram's smirk was too soon as he lost his footing, making it difficult for him to be prepared to drop the next decoy.

DC15 - 9 = +6 to threat level


@SKIP
Skip fired a few shots in the distance through the debris. Pretty sure he provided distraction and confusion if nothing else.

@SKIP & ED:
DC15 - 19 = -4 to threat level


@GILL
Gill managed to maneuver the ship into a smooth glide before shutting off the main engines and allowing them to run dark disguised as debris being flung from the nearby explosions. It seemed to be working as no fighters were even paying them any mind.

@OSRAM: DC15 - 26 = -11 to threat level


@ANDRE
Andre manages to take a peek into the gremlin's cell and sees that its become translucent and injured. The use of the energy boost had literally drained some of the creature's lifeforce away and it seemed to be slowly dissipating. It wasn't that the creature was full of energy, it's that it was MADE of energy. Its body was literally solid energy created to interact with our world but the creature itself was but energy. Now the stories of "spirits" makes more sense from a scientific perspective. And Andre's data readings could be the first evidence of such a thing.

DC15 - 27 = -12 to threat level



NOD: "Thank goodness. The emergency shut down is allowing the systems to cool. I'm blasting the cooling agents and venting the heat. We should be fine in a few moments..."



Several fighters flew right by them and didn't even seem to notice giving both Ed and Skip clear shots (advantage on marksmanship) but taking the shots would reveal them...

---

ESCAPE FROM THE ASTROID: ROUND 4

---

Threat Level: 32
00:47, Today: Game Master rolled 8 using 2d20 ((2,6)).

• Disable/Distract/Destroy Fighters: 2/10
• Power Boost: 2/3
• Drop Decoys: 1/3
• Investigate fighter: 0/8
• Investigate warship: 0/1
• Investigate crates: 0/2
• Investigate debris: 0/1
• HIDE!: 1/2

Gill let the whole thing sit and waited for the heat to vent and for the engines to be ready.

Edwin let the fighters fly past preferring not to draw attention to them. As they passed he paid close attention to the fighters making particular note of the type, style and any marking that were present.

Instead of firing upon on the fighters, as his Marine instincts are wont to do, Skip reaches out with his other senses, hoping to gain a bit of knowledge of the kinds of people they are dealing with.

Are they afraid of something, exultant in the combat, bored, etc.
09:06, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 5 using 1d20+4.  Insight-Empathy.  Ugh.  That roll sucked.

This message was last edited by the player at 14:09, Fri 05 Jan.

"If that isn't the most scrap metal thing... " Andre had quickly gone from irritated to astonished. He grit his teeth and planned to end the little demon with a final loading into the systems. "Gremlin gone ASAP as requested. NOD, do monitor both your code and the ship's significant functions. Apparently, I am an exorcist."

ndre Klanktonne rolled 20 using d12+d20+4.  Mysticism role with a surge beforehand. that should finish the integration, and get rid of the gremlin- not to mention give my character some amazing understanding of energy and storage that is going to have to study for a while!

Andre Klanktonne rolled 4 using 1d20.  11+ for bonus surge (Heroics)

Since they were now landed, and not going anywhere at least for a moment, Osram decided to take a peek at what they'd picked up.  The one crate was already open, so taking a closer look couldn't hurt, and who knew, perhaps there would be something useful.

@SKIP
Skip got lost in the chaos of emotions scattering across the area making it difficult for him to focus on anything else.

DC15 -4 = +11 to threat level

@GILL & ED
The ship cruised on alongside debris.

@ANDRE
Andre manages to stress the gremlin's energy signature but notices that something odd was going on with the codes. The ship's computers were indeed being altered. The more power Andre pushed, the more it spread not just through the power systems but into the water supply (electrified water now made it dangerous to operate even a sink), into the air filters (static electricity), and certain parts of the ship were dangerous to touch for fear of electrocution. The entire ship was going to be a deathtrap until they burned off the excess energy or let it slowly dissipate. What's worse, Andre could tell there was something wrong with NOD. Also, the gremlin wasn't screaming anymore. It seemed to have turned into a translucent egg of energy which was barely any left.

DC15 - 15 = +0 to threat level

NOD/Gryftrr: "Yeah yeah, gearhead, I'm checking it...looks fine to me. I feel GREAT. Better than ever. Haha!"

It dawned on Andre that he hadn't performed an exorcism. No, he'd done just the opposite and infused the little critter in energy form directly into the ship that now hummed with its energy like a living creature.


@OSRAM
As Osram opened one of the crates, he'd see a cryocube was inside. Typically, these are used to store things that are highly temperature sensitive. Like a refrigerator or humidifier or dehumidifier for food or possibly even a cryopod for those in cryosleep. He could tell something was off. The cube was having trouble maintaining its level status. Must have something to do with the energy surges spreading across the ship. If he didn't do something to get the cryopods stabilized, it might ruin the cargo or whatever is inside. (Cipher or Mechanics to fix one of the cubes).

---

ESCAPE FROM THE ASTROID: ROUND 5

---

Threat Level: 43
No rolls cancelled out base rolls.

• Disable/Distract/Destroy Fighters: 2/10
• Power Boost: 3/3
• Drop Decoys: 1/3
• Investigate fighter: 0/8
• Investigate warship: 0/1
• Investigate crates: 2/2
• Investigate debris: 0/1
• HIDE!: 2/2
• Fix Cryocubes (each one is a payday): 0/6

Mad Dog asked, "NOD, how are we looking on the engines?"

In reply to Gill Rurry (msg # 229):

NOD/Gryftrr: "Pssssh. Engines are fine. They're nice and warm but not too warm, you know? Hmmm."

NOD was suddenly talking like a man enjoying a leisurely dip in a hot tub. Something was definitely strange with its responses and the data streams seemed a little...off.

Mad Dog was put aback by NOD's response, "NOD, do a self diagnosis. Aloud any issues you find."

At the state of the cargo, Osram mulled their options for a moment before reaching out.

"Dre, you got a minute?"  Osram called over the communicator.

"I checked on the cargo and whatever it is we've picked up is on ice, and it seems like that power surge might have damaged the cryocubes holding the cargo.  I can handle emergency field repairs, but it would probably be better for someone who knows exactly what they're doing to take a look at these.

The engineer was running his brain in a half dozen directions at once, "NOD is occupied. I'm not sure I can recover it. I'm also not sure we need to, but like any good gearhead I do keep backups from time to time. I can patch it later if we have problems. Systems are a little warm. We are a swelling dam but not bursting anymore. Burning off the power would be ideal... Full throttle, all guns and shields, that sort of thing. There was something of two side effects but I'm learning to deal with them. Oz has requested me in cargo to stabilize these cryos that weren't even attached to our system. I'm a genius but I am not perfect."

His vest grabbed his Hack-top as he passed by it. Neurolinks were amazing, "I'll unlock my tablet and it will help even barely trained folks be fair at computer work if that is all it takes. I can work on my own to usually positive effect. Oz, I'll be there shortly and show you how it works then we can hope to settle these things swiftly."

Andre Klanktonne rolled 19 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only.  Tablet assisted Cipher check. Thanks to Quickdraw the use is part of the act of drawing or stowing it.

Moving through ship might complicate effectiveness this round though.

Edwin stayed where he was watching for any fighters coming in hot or that the big ship had spotted them and had decided to turn them to so much space junk. Just the normal everyday things.

The fact that NOD now sounded all strange and that parts of the ship were dangerous to even touch were only mild inconveniences.

Yeah sure this whole ship was a deathtrap at the moment.

NOD/Gryftrr: "Pssh, I'm fine. Go 'self-diagnose' yourself! Hahaha!"

NOD's voice sounded familiar. Everyone on the ship who had interacted with one of the gremlins immediately recognized he sounded just like the little critter but with a slight robotic twinge. NOD's icon on the screens also had a pair of floating hands that were not there before and he was occasionally making rude gestures. Somehow, the little critter got into NOD's code. Andre would notice the battery container had no trace of the gremlin left save some glowing bits of goo.

Several text messages were coming in from Val. She was saying some unkind things nerds and gearheads that were probably directed towards Andre. She'd also figured it out. Their ship's AI was possessed. Before today, neither the techie nor the mystic even knew that could happen. What a world.

@ANDRE
Andre starts reviewing the backup drives and finds that literally every piece of data on the ship had new coding. Even personal logs. The only thing that hadn't been tampered with were personal data pads that were not plugged in at the time. Even NOD's backups were infected, though "infection" may not be the right word. Would a disembodied spirit possessing an AI even count as a virus?


DC15 - 19 = -4 to threat level


@ED
Yes, it's now apparent that NOD now talks like the gremlin.

@OSRAM
One of the cryocubes begins malfunctioning. It buzzes with an alarm stating that the cargo was in critical danger. Osram knew that it'd cost a lot of money if even one of the pods was lost but what worried him more was the self-destruct option the cryocube had listed on its list of options on the screen. That was definitely not normal.


The captain is on the line as well talking about general procedures and what they're going to do next as soon as they fire up the engines again. Apparently, he doesn't have time to worry about NOD as long as his targeting and navigational systems work.

---

ESCAPE FROM THE ASTROID: ROUND 6

---

Threat Level: 39
No rolls cancelled out base rolls.

• Disable/Distract/Destroy Fighters: 2/10
• Power Boost: 3/3
• Drop Decoys: 1/3
• Investigate fighter: 0/8
• Investigate warship: 0/1
• Investigate crates: 2/2
• Investigate debris: 0/1
• HIDE!: 2/2
• Fix Cryocubes (each one is a payday): 0/6

Mad Dog turned to the Captain, "Boss, we ready to fly?"

Keeping his hands on the trigger actuators, Skip has spent the whole time ready to light up an incoming fighter.  Let us know when we're clear to fire, he says over the internal coms.

Osram looked over the thing as it started making noise, and then towards the door to see if Dre was going to come to the rescue, or if he was going to have to give it a try.

Likely followed by chucking it out the airlock when it started making the really angry noises.

Val looks at Osram then the cryocube. Her face contorts from curiosity to concern. She reaches out and touches the machine closing her eyes and whispering some more of her witch nonsense.

Her eyes open and she looks at Osram.

"I hear...voices inside."

She calls Skip on the comms.

"Skip...can you focus your abilities down here on the crates. I hear voices but not people. Yet I also don't sense the dead or any more of our electric rat friends. Can you confirm anyone is in here that's not the crew? I feel like...like we're not alone down here."

Lance nods as his voice comes on the intercom.

"Yeah, looks like the ship is cooling off. But these readings are hard to figure out. Never seen anything like this. And NOD is acting very strange. Going to have to do a manual diagnostics after this.

As soon as we're clear of the debris be ready to fire on any fighters that pursue."

Mad Dog flipped the com to open, "Ladies and gents, hold onto your butts." With that he started the engines and did a VTOL, getting to altitude as fadt as possible before gunning it in a trajectory that would take it out of the gravity well of the planet so they can make the jump to hyperspace.

22:17, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 24 using 1d20+6.  Reliable Talent (Piloting). 
I will take that!

Andre came into the hold for cargo and used his tablet to stabilize the cryo cube before passing it (quickdraw) to Ozram, "It is going to be this program over here... You can use it and the tablet will do about half for you once I have it up..."

Andre Klanktonne rolled 19 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only.  Specialized tool adv, cipher roll for cryocube.

Edwin took a deep breath and tried to find that calm space. Taking the gunnery control firmly he swiveled the gun to track any close fighters that may be zeroing in on the before opening fire.

OOC:
20:25, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 16 using 1d20+4 ((12)).

Skip remains in his "zone", tracking enemy fighters once more, and prepared to remove them and their pilots from their tail with extreme prejudice.

11:48, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 20 using 1d20+4.  Marksmanship.

Immediately as they take off two nearby fighters begin pursuit but Ed and Skip quickly dispatch them with the element of surprise. As they clear the debris field, several more fighters break off from the group and begin pursuing as well. Everyone on the ship could feel the the G's as their stabilizers struggled to keep art grav steady.

Andre quickly realized there was a living creature or creatures inside the cryocube and the cube was damaged. Because it could not sustain the suspended animation, automatic awakening procedures were in place. Maybe that's why the witc--uh psychic, Val, was confused as to whether something was in there or not. Andre & Osram had a choice. He could help the procedure along to revive whomever or whatever was in there or try to cancel it in the hopes that natural defrost kills whatever or whoever is in there. The others likely had similar damage but he might be able to stabilize them if he acted quickly without delay.

09:16, Today: Game Master rolled 10 using 2d20.  threat level. – 10

Base threat = +10 threat level
DC15 - 20 = -5 threat level
DC15 - 16 = -1 threat level
DC15 - 19 = -4 threat level
DC15 - 24 = -9 threat level
total: -9 threat level

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ESCAPE FROM THE ASTROID: ROUND 7

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Threat Level: 30
No rolls cancelled out base rolls.

• Disable/Distract/Destroy Fighters: 4/10
• Power Boost: 3/3
• Drop Decoys: 1/3
• Investigate fighter: 0/8
• Investigate warship: 0/1
• Investigate crates: 2/2
• Investigate debris: 0/1
• HIDE!: 2/2
• Fix Cryocubes (each one is a payday): 0/6

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:15, Thu 18 Jan.

Skip begins tracking the approaching fighters.  He passes along vectoring and targetting information to Edwin.  As soon as the fighters get into range, he gets a feel for where they are going to be and opens fire.
Let's show these prehistoric bastards how we do things in the asteroid belt.

12:16, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 24 using 1d20+4.  Marksman-shoot at fighters.
Natural 20.

Edwin opened fire also, Skips targeting information proving to be very good.

OOC:09:15, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 20 using 1d20+4 ((16)).

Feeling the ship get underway again, and seeing that Dre was handling the cargo problem, Osram muscled another of the decoy crates into position to help with the pursuing fighters.

"Make sure you're clamped down!"  Osram called out before opening the door and chucking the crate into the void.

Osram rolled 25 using 1d20+6.  Brawn.

21:22, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 20 using 1d20+6.  Me fly GUD

Several more fighters are shot down by Ed and Skip while several others returned fire. Gill's fancy flying keeps them in tact while Osram throws several more fighters off the scent and keeps the warship's attention away. Andre flinches faced with a difficult choice.

23:24, Today: Game Master rolled 28 using 2d20.  threatlevel. – 28

Base threat = +28 threat level
DC15 - 24 = -9 threat level
DC15 - 20 = -5 threat level
DC15 - 25 = -10 threat level
DC15 - 20 = -5 threat level
total: -1 threat level

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ESCAPE FROM THE ASTROID: ROUND 8

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Threat Level: 29

• Disable/Distract/Destroy Fighters: 6/10
• Power Boost: 3/3
• Drop Decoys: 2/3
• Investigate fighter: 0/8
• Investigate warship: 0/1
• Investigate crates: 2/2
• Investigate debris: 0/1
• HIDE!: 2/2
• Fix Cryocubes (each one is a payday): 0/6

This message was last edited by the GM at 05:28, Sun 28 Jan.

Andre voiced a message through comms, "I'm working to save lives. If I can keep the freeze on the cryos here then I will. If I have to activate thaw to keep them alive, this is how I roll. You can fire me later if you must."

He is flying over the screen of his tablet and looks at the cube, then pulls a cable from the edge of his tablet and feeds it into the panel of the cryo cube.

Andre Klanktonne rolled 15 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only.  Cypher to correct a cryocube
This message was last edited by the player at 03:10, Mon 29 Jan.

Skip starts tracking the next threatening fighter, hoping to catch some insight into where the pilot is going to be, the best vector to shoot it down.

16:17, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 13 using 1d20+4.  Marksman.

16:16, Today: Skip Tracer rolled 7 using 1d20+4.  Insight. 

18:08, Today: Gill Rurry rolled 16 using 1d20+6.  I Gud Pilot

Edwin focused on the task at hand and continued to fire on the incoming fighters.

OOC:10:17, Today: Edwin Arlo Park rolled 23 using 1d20+4 ((19)).

Osram left the last decoy in reserve and moved to try and help Andre.

Though he realized the engineer was working on the problem from the software side, rather than the mechanical side as Osram would have done.

Still, he tried to do what he could.

Osram rolled 18.  Assist (cypher).

Andre and Osram work quickly to get the crycube to hurry its procedure before it failed. It seems to have worked, but now, whatever or whoever was in there was waking up and the cryocube itself was about to shut down. However, they'd saved the cargo just in time. The cube whirred as it continued the process. But they could hear the other cubes suffering the same failures. There were 5 more to fix and they were still locked up in crates! Fortunately, Val was helping (+2).

Skip has trouble feeling the emotions of the other pilots. In the chaos of it all, the emotional state was just scattered everywhere causing him to miss a cue with an enemy fighter. His powers were a double-edged sword sometimes.

Fortunately, Ed managed to hit the oncoming fighter before it could land anything on them.


15:14, Today: Game Master rolled 12 using 2d20.  threat level. – 12

Base threat = +12 threat level
DC10 - 18 = assist gives advantage, advantage stack (+2) to target
DC15 - 15+4=19 = -4 threat level
DC15 - 7  = +8 threat level
DC15 - 23 = -8 threat level
total: +8 threat level

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ESCAPE FROM THE ASTROID: ROUND 9

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Threat Level: 37

• Disable/Distract/Destroy Fighters: 7/10
• Power Boost: 3/3
• Drop Decoys: 2/3
• Investigate fighter: 0/8
• Investigate warship: 0/1
• Investigate crates: 2/2
• Investigate debris: 0/1
• HIDE!: 2/2
• Fix Cryocubes (each one is a payday): 1/6

Andre kept focused on the cryo cubes, his vest assisted in righting cargo with spidery armature limbs so it may not be much but it could save a few seconds on this next one, "That one is done. Thank you both! Let's do this one next!"

Andre Klanktonne rolled 23 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only.  True inclusive roll- cypher for cryo.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:50, Wed 31 Jan.