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Dr. Ryerson:

The doctor cowers behind Commander Nadix Ar Eth. He takes out his phaser but doesn't want to use it unless he needs to.

Commander Gareb Endilev, XO

Remaining cool, but perhaps enjoying this a little too much, Cmdr Endilev fires at the new floral target.

Experimental plasma gun to hit: [1d6-1] = 6-1 = 5

Initiative: [2d6+1] = 8+1 = 9

Coxa II: In the jungle - south of the landing site
Stardate 2271.3.24: 0942h


The photosynthetic beasts swerve into view, their massive florid maws snapping like a frothing toucan's beak.

Endilev suddenly finds himself losing the edge of his aggression. His mind grows fuzzy and euphoric. What pretty flowers… why are we shooting at them? Wouldn't it be nicer just to lie down here and relax in their shade…? Soon he starts to chuckle a bit. Maybe I'll just—NO! He shakes off the hypnotic effect and brings his plasma gun up, blasting a huge leafy pad off of the stalk of one terrible plant.

Nadix calmly levels his phaser against the other plant and slices off large pieces of plant-flesh like a surgeon. The plant looks badly damaged, but still moves about without hindrance, snapping its mandibles with primal, unthinking gluttony.

Phaser fire erupts all around as the ensigns collectively blast away. The ensigns are jittery, having never faced a giant man-eating plant before, and as a result their phaser fire is inaccurate and without effect. One of the riflemen grows giddy himself, but shakes off the effects and holds his ground.

Several branches high up in the trees snap as the flowers toss their weight around. Their petal-beaks snap shut and form piercing needlepoints, slick with poison death!

Actions!

Rolls

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — plasma pistol (8/12)
• Nadix Ar Eth — DX 16 (+4), CT 12/12 — phaser II (16/24)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 13 (+1), CT 12/12 — phaser II (24/24)
• Ensign 1 — DX 10, MN 12, LK 12, CT 13/13 — phaser rifle (20/32)
• Ensign 2 — DX 10, CT 12/12 — phaser rifle (20/32)
• Ensign 3 — DX 7 (-2), CT 15/15 — phaser II (16/24)
• Ensign Rodney — DX 4 (-5), MN 11, LK 10, CT 10/10 — phaser II (20/24)

Dr. Ryerson:

"Commander if I may, I suggest a tactical retreat. Who know how many more are in those trees. We can soon find ourselves overrun and at a disadvantage. They do hold the high ground."

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

Assuming the doctor was speaking to Endilev, Nadix says to the Andoran, "I must concur. Our adversaries are literally rooted in place, and we have nothing to gain from this fight."
He glances at Ryerson with calm, yellow eyes. "Please move out and I'll cover you, Doctor.
"Ensigns, directly behind him, please."

The Edosian will cover the others' retreat.


If needed: Initiative: [1d6+4] = 1+4 = 5, Phaser to hit: [1d6-4] = 2-4 = -2

Commander Gareb Endilev, XO

Cmdr Endilev begrudgingly nods agreement at the others' plan. Tactical retreat then, he says to the red shirts as he fires moving backward away from the plants.

Assuming mods remain the same:
Initiative: [2d6+1] = 6+1 = 7

Experimental plasma gun to hit: [1d6-1] = 2-1 = 1 Yowch, that can't be good.

Dr. Ryerson:

The doctor moves out in retreat.

Coxa II: In the jungle - south of the landing site
Stardate 2271.3.24: 0942h


The group is ordered into a tactical retreat. The ensigns obey immediately, and with gusto. Phaser fire lights up the shadowy jungle floor as Dr. Ryerson leads the way out of the clearing.

The action fills Ensign Rodney with a flood of courage. He grabs one of his compatriots by the shoulder and pushes him away. "Get out of here, Patel! I'll cover you. Go! Go!" He stands by Commander Endilev and points his phaser pistol at an oncoming plant, firing away with grim determination. "I've got him, Commander! Ahhhh!!!" The enormous plant's stinging beak swoops down and pierces Rodney through the chest, causing him to drop his weapon and spasm in pain before falling limp to the ground. Giant, beautiful flower petals slowly begin to envelop his lifeless form.

The sudden attack puts Endilev off guard for a split moment. The delay is just long enough for the second plant to come hurling out of the canopy toward him. Antennae twitching, the Andorian knows that there is not enough time to fire, and tries to leap out of the way. The deadly beak misses his chest by centimeters and stabs him through the leg instead. He beats at the flower with fist and pistol grip until it relents, rearing back up for another strike. Phaser fire flies overhead, and the plant drops to the earth a smoking wreck, strange poisons oozing out of ruptured sacs. Endilev falls unconscious. The last thing he sees is Nadix ordering a volley into the wounded plant that is trying to drag Rodney's body up into the treetops.

Ryerson now stands safely away from the clearing with Ensign Patel, who had lost his nerve and followed Ryerson without firing.

Nadix and the remaining two ensigns catch up to them, dragging Endilev's unconscious body. His forehead is beaded with sweat and his blue skin looks rather pale.

Back in the middle of the clearing are the lifeless bodies of Ensign Rodney and the unidentified human pirate, surrounded by the charred and oozing remains of three giant man-eating plants. The treetops around the clearing continue to sway to and fro, though not as violently as before.

Actions?

Rolls

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), CT 6/15 — plasma pistol (9/12) K.O.
• Nadix Ar Eth — DX 16 (+4), CT 12/12 — phaser II (8/24)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 13 (+1), CT 12/12 — phaser II (24/24)
• Ensign Patel — DX 10, MN 12, LK 12, CT 13/13 — phaser rifle (18/32)
• Ensign 2 — DX 10, LK 11, CT 12/12 — phaser rifle (8/32)
• Ensign 3 — DX 7 (-2), LK 9, CT 15/15 — phaser II (8/24)
• Ensign Rodney — DX 4 (-5), MN 11, LK 10, CT -3/10, HtH 1 — phaser II (20/24) KILLED

[/list]

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

The Edosian helps drag Endilev to Dr. Ryerson's care. Then he stands guard, scanning the area for more threats, and to see if any predatory plants prey upon Ensign Rodney's body.

Then he remembers the pirate's unmolested corpse, "Perhaps their senses are based on movement? ...changes in light and shadow?"

Commander Gareb Endilev, XO

Bouf, urgh.

Dr. Ryerson:

The doctor waits nervously with Ensign Patel in safety as the screams of Ensign Rodney echo through the bushes. He prepares himself to perform his professional duties, for such noises often follow the need for medical attention.

Coxa II: In the jungle - west of the killer flower
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1012h


The whole crew move safely, cautiously out of range, until the noise of living flowers disturbing the jungle canopy is fades away, swallowed up by the usual, eerily peaceful sounds of alien jungle.

The Doctor tends to Endilev's poisoned wound while Nadix muses over the sensory systems of the flowers. The ensigns form a perimeter, wondering who will be the jungle's next victim.

Characters heal 1 CT per turn (I'm calling that 10 minutes), but serious injuries require much longer rest. Medkits, in the hands of a trained professional, will instead heal 1d4 CT per turn, and can heal most wounds.

Thirty minutes later Endilev is back on his feet and good as new, if a little bruised and sore. The track was lost in the hasty escape westward from the flowers.

Actions?

Rolls

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — plasma pistol (12/12) K.O.
• Nadix Ar Eth — DX 16 (+4), CT 12/12 — phaser II (24/24)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 13 (+1), CT 12/12 — phaser II (24/24)
• Ensign Patel — DX 10, MN 12, LK 12, CT 13/13 — phaser rifle (32/32)
• Ensign 2 — DX 10, LK 11, CT 12/12 — phaser rifle (32/32)
• Ensign 3 — DX 7 (-2), LK 9, CT 15/15 — phaser II (24/24)
• Ensign Rodney

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

"Excellent work, doctor," Nadix says as he scans with his tricorder to attempt to locate their goal once more.

Coxa II: In the jungle - Ruins of the Slaver outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1212h


Nadix readjusts his tricorder and tries to locate the tracks. After ten minutes of cautious travel he leads the party southeast until the faint traces of boot tracks are once again discovered, heading generally south.

After another quick calibration of his machine he sweeps for the radiation signal that is emanating out into the planet's orbit. The signal is powerful and much easier to locate: south, much in the same direction as the boot tracks.

The party follows the tracks for nearly four kilometers, weaving between bubbling pools of acidic tar and giant jungle growths that block the way forward. The signal gets infinitesimally stronger every step of the way. And then, without warning, Nadix's tricorder begins to short out! A myriad signals scramble over the screen as lights flash spastically, trying in vain to make sense of the readings.

The party creeps forward and peers through the thick cover of the jungle. Before them the ground falls away into a large shallow depression, mostly clear of trees but thickly covered in crawling vines and bushes of a thousand varieties. At the center of the clearing, nearly 40 meters away from the treeline, is a strange sight indeed: a large circular black dome, over 50 meters in diameter and covered in lush vines almost to the point of invisibility. A small grove of trees, all larger than nearly any the crew have seen so far, shoot up around it like a prison.

Three hours have passed since entering the atmosphere, exposing the shielded crew to 1 "hour" of radiation. All are reminded of Dr. Ryerson's words, that accumulating 24 hours of radiation may be unhealthy.

Actions?



Rolls

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — plasma pistol (12/12)
• Nadix Ar Eth — DX 16 (+4), CT 12/12 — phaser II (24/24)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 13 (+1), CT 12/12 — phaser II (24/24)
• Ensign Patel — DX 10, MN 12, LK 12, CT 13/13 — phaser rifle (32/32)
• Ensign 2 — DX 10, LK 11, CT 12/12 — phaser rifle (32/32)
• Ensign 3 — DX 7 (-2), LK 9, CT 15/15 — phaser II (24/24)
• Ensign Rodney

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

"Intriguing," Nadix murmurs upon seeing the black dome of ancient Slaver technology upon this primitive world.

His yellow eyes scan for an entrance as he observes calmly, "My tricorder has overloaded.

"Perhaps yours still work? If the Romulans are wearing the same belt we found on Carlax, their life signs should be hidden, but they should be detectable by a Slaver radiation signature," Nadix quietly suggests. "Unless this ruin emits the same signature."

Then: "Is anyone prepared to wear Carlax's belt, that we may advance in two groups; one of which is invisible to Romulan scanners?"

Dr. Ryerson

The doctor checks is tricorder to see if it to is malfunctioning. If it is still in operation he scans for life signs.

The doctor sees that his own tricorder is working fine when it attempts to scan for life signs. It picks up the usual jungle fauna, but perhaps as expected no signs of life are found anywhere next to or within the domed Slaver structure.

As the doctor performs his scans, Nadix discovers that his sciences tricorder is indeed rendered useless. It even begins to smoke a little from the corners.

Rolls:

Dr. Ryerson:

Looks over to Nadix and says "My tricorder seems to be working just fine. I'm not picking up any anomalous readings."

Coxa II: In the jungle - Ruins of the Slaver outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1215h


Commander Endilev's antennae twitch at the prospect of handling even more experimental gear. "I will try the belt," he says. He strips off his Star Fleet issue energy shield belt, exposing himself more fully to the radiation for a few brief moments, then dons the confiscated Romulan shield belt, modified to include a piece of the Slaver alloy. As he does so, his life signs disappear from Dr. Ryerson's medical tricorder.

He then attempts to adjust his engineering tricorder to scan for the radiation at Nadix's suggestion. The tricorder immediately begins to short circuit, but luckily the ship's Chief of Engineering is able to shut off the process in time. It seems there is something about the area that conflicts with scanning for energy signals specifically.

Actions?

Rolls

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — plasma pistol (12/12)
• Nadix Ar Eth — DX 16 (+4), CT 12/12 — phaser II (24/24)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 13 (+1), CT 12/12 — phaser II (24/24)
• Ensign Patel — DX 10, MN 12, LK 12, CT 13/13 — phaser rifle (32/32)
• Ensign 2 — DX 10, LK 11, CT 12/12 — phaser rifle (32/32)
• Ensign 3 — DX 7 (-2), LK 9, CT 15/15 — phaser II (24/24)
• Ensign Rodney

Dr. Ryerson:

"Commander (Edilev) please inform me of any ill effects that you experience while the belt is upon your person. With that belt on your life signs no longer show up on my tricorder."