Act IV: Pandora's Planet

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

As the winged crystalloids angrily take to the air, Ensign Chowdhury rapidly weights up their options. None of which have much appeal, if he's honest. He's almost certain his phaser's effectiveness had been refracted and reduced by the alien life-form's structure and he and Endilev are outnumbered three-to-two. He doesn't rate their chances. Damn it! Couldn't they catch a break!

Chowdhury makes a snap decision that he hopes he will not regret. He pushes Endilev out of the room in the direction of room F.

"Hide," he instructs his superior. "I'll draw them off."

Not waiting for an answer, he waves his arms at the creatures, shouts "Over here! Come and get me!" and then sprints off in the opposite direction, along the corridor towards room H.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

Ned continues his story.
"Then came the day at the bottom of the mine when a timber cracked and men started crying. Miners were praying and hearts beat fast and everybody thought that they'd breathed their last, except John. Through the dust and the smoke of this man-made hell walked a giant of a man that the miners knew well. He grabbed a sagging timber, gave out with a groan and like a giant oak tree he just stood there alone. With all of his strength, he gave a mighty shove. Then a miner yelled out "there's a light up above!" And twenty men scrambled from a would-be grave Now there's only one left down there to save."

"...dOcToR... oUr fRiEnDs aRe iN dAnGeR... kInDlY rEaDy yOuRsElF...tHeY mAy sOoN nEeD yOuR aId..."

The doctor halts his story at its climax. He pulls out his communicator and says "I hope these work."
Flipping open the communicator and calls into it "Commander Endilev, Ensign Chowdhury is everything alright? Please respond."

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

Gareb aims his plasma pistol and takes a shot at the crystal birds, preferably trying to hit the same one hit by the Ensign.
Then he gets shoved ceremoniously aside, hearing the Ensign's yell, he thinks for a moment, that kid needs a court martial... or a commendation, then he continues the way he was pushed, to just get to the passageway between G and F. He'll turn the corner, out of sight, but ready his pistol, seeing two courses of action...

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Power Core and Room G, Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1948h, 2nd round of combat

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 30 minutes



"Over here! Come and get me!" The young ensign shouts at the crystallavians and runs down the corridor, having shoved Commander Endilev in the other direction. The birds shriek with the sound of a hundred shattered windows and give chase, zipping down the hall toward their prey!

As he sprints, Chowdhury turns his head to see the lead crystallavian bearing down on him—the heavy beast knocked him to his knees, diamond-sharp wings beating about his head and razor claws tearing at his uniform, but the ensign shrugs off the attack and regains his footing.

Down the hall in the opposite direction, Endilev takes position behind the corner and aims his charging plasma pistol at the trailing geodic bird. His aim is less steady from the run, but his snapshot instincts are true: the fiery ball of light pulses and launches out of the barrel, exploding the bird into a shivered cloud of crystal! Millions of crystalline splinters rain down on both Chowdhury and Endilev—though luckily their distance and relative cover renders them safe from death by a million cuts.

Meanwhile, Nadix and Dr. Ryerson monitor the escalating situation from below. The Doctor anxiously speaks into his communicator: "I hope these work. Commander Endilev, Ensign Chowdhury is everything alright? Please respond."

Chowdury and Endilev both receive his communication. It seems that your communicators work within the building—or at least between levels, where there are fewer walls of the Slaver alloy quadralium to impede the signal.

Actions?

NOTE: hexes are 3m. The radius of the crystal shard explosion was 3 hexes.


Rolls…

Chowdhury's decoy will be a Luck Save against each monster, increasing in difficulty (3d6, 4d6, 5d6), with a +2 to his Luck because the creatures are fairly aggressive:

• Chowdhury LK Save +2 (19): 3d6 is an automatic success…
• Chowdhury LK Save +2 (19): [4d6] = 14
• Chowdhury LK Save +2 (19): [5d6] = 17

All three birds take the bait!

COMBAT
Chowdhury initiative (DX 11): [1d6] = 3
Endilev attack (plasma, DX 13): init [1d6] = 1, to-hit [1d6] = 2 (-3 to initiative from using plasma pistol)
Bird A: Crystal Bird Attack: init [1d6-2] = 2-2 = 0 to-hit [2d6-2] = 8-2 = 6
Birds B & C make full moves, unable to engage in close combat.

ROUND 1:
3. Chowdhury escapes down the hall.

0. The birds fly after, & the first closes into melee combat.

• Bird A rolls 6 to hit.
• Chowdhury rolls 1d6 + HtH skill rank + LK mod to defend:
  • Chowdhury defending (HtH 0, LK 17): [1d6+5] = 5+5 = 10[/url
  [*]6 - 10 ≤ 0 … Chowdhury takes no dam ... [3d6] = 10 — Chowdhury makes his save against being knocked to the floor!

[/list]

-2. Endilev shoots at the trailing bird. At DX 13 he needs a 5 or less to hit.

• Attacker moving +2, Defending moving 6-10m +2, "Very large target" +2 (multiple birds in a bunch, large wingspans, etc.)
• Rolled 2 + 4 -2 = 4… it's a hit!
• Plasma pistol damage: [3d6] = 7, the creature is destroyed!
• The bird shatters, LK save to avoid being hit (7d6 in hex, 6d6 1 hex away, 5d6 2 hexes, 4d6 3 hexes; -1d6 if in partial cover):
  • Chowdhury LK Save (17): [3d6] = 13
  • Endilev LK Save (13): [3d6] = 7

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — HtH 4, plasma pistol (9/12)
• Nadix Ar Eth — DX 16 (+4), MN 9, LK 9, CT 12/12 (life belt destroyed)— HtH 2, phaser II (24/24)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 13 (+1), MN 7 (-2), LK 12, CT 12/12 — HtH 3, phaser II (24/24)
• Ensign Li— DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 7 (-2), CT 0/15 — phaser II (24/24) KILLED BY URSUNOID
• Ensign Chowdhury — DX 11, MN 11, LK 17 (+5), CT 13/13 — phaser II (20/24)

[/list]

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

Damn! The crystallavians are a lot faster than Ensign Chowdhury had anticipated! The lead one had rapidly caught up with him and knocked him to his knees; it's razor-sharp claws tearing at him. Fortunately, he somehow managed to roll away from its attack and suffered little damage.

The Ensign determinedly regains his footing and continues running away down the corridor, now zig-zagging in an effort to make himself a harder target to hit.

The crystallavians are right behind him but there's now only 30 minutes remaining to stop the self-destruct.

"We're running out of time Commander," he gasps. "Leave me. Get the suit back to Nadix!"

Now all he has to do is think of a way to lose the pursuing crystallavians before they carve him up into little pieces.

[Inferno]

Nadix?

In the city on the edge of forever, a doorway to any time and place stands waiting as Nadix croaks:
"...tHeY mAy bE uNaBlE tO aNsWeR... tHeY aRe fIgHtInG fOr tHeIr LiVeS... tHe yOuNg eNsIgN iS iNjUrEd... pLeAsE gO tO tHeM dOcToR... bEfOrE iT's tOo lAtE... mY cOnDiTiOn iS nOt wOrSeNiNg... tHeIrS iS tHe gReAtEr nEeD..."

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

Having made the Ensign's run 33% safer, and not wanting to kill the redshirt before his time, Gareb hangs back in the corridor. As soon as the coast is clear he runs into room G.
He winces at the beeping of his communicator and the doctors voice. As he makes his way to the protective suits he responds, "we are being pummeled by pellucid plumed passerines doctor, the Ensign is hurt but mobile enough to draw them off. He was okay when last I saw him, and hopefully remains so. I should be up with the suits momentarily."

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

"Copy Commander. I'll be waiting in the hall for you. Commander Nadix I'll just be outside this door. Call if you need me and don't worry I'll finish my story when I get back."
The doctor exits the room and sets his phaser to stun while he takes up a defensive posture in the hallway.

[Inferno]

The being once known as Nadix sits alone with the Universe.

Perhaps inspired by the doctor's antique oral traditions, or the diligence of the Nadix that was before, he decides to record his astonishing discoveries. If the former science explorer should become further impaired, or not survive this mission, at least his knowledge will be preserved.

He feels blindly for his tricorder, locates its controls, and croaks:

"...ScIeNcE oFfIcEr'S lOg. sTaRdAtE: 2271.3.24.

"...iN wAyS i cAnNoT cOmPrEhEnD... mY bRaIn aNd mY pErCePtIoN hAvE bEeN dRaMaTiCaLlY aLtErEd bY tHe aDvAnCeD tEcHnOlOgY oF tHe sLaVeR oUtPoSt oN cOxA Ii... mY vIsUaL rAnGe iS nOw uNlImItEd aNd cAnNoT bE oBstRuCtEd bY mAtTeR oR eNeRgY..."

"...i hAvE oBsErVeD mAnY hErEtOfOrE uNkNoWn eVeNtS aNd cIvIlIzAtIoNs AcRoSs oUr gAlAxY aNd bEyOnD... i wILl rEcOrD tHeSe dIsCoVeRiEs iN tHe hOpEs tHiS iNfOrMaTiOn wIlL bE oF uSe tO ThE sCiEnCeS dIvIsIoN oF sTaR fLeEt aNd tHe fEdErAtIoN...

"...i shAlL nOw pRoCeEd..."

"...iN sEcToR z-6... nEaR tHe rOmUlAn nEuTrAl zOnE, tHeRe eXiStS..."

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Throughout the Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1949h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 29 minutes



Chowdhury continues to dash along the corridor, enacting serpentine maneuvers learned from many hours at the Academy's obstacle courses. The geo-raptors keep chase! Their rough skin and razor edges continue to beat about his face and torso, but the lucky Golden Boy of the Janus ducks and swerves, holding his footing and breaking away free. As he passes the doorway to Room "A", a quick glance behind confirms that the birds are still chasing after him, slavering for his human flesh!

Meanwhile, Endilev has slipped into the room and throws open the closet, finding three medium-strength environmental suits sized and fitted for Slavers, just as Nadix said. They will be an awkward fit for any of your crew, but they'll do the job.

"Copy Commander. I'll be waiting in the hall for you." Ryerson speaks into his communicator even as he embarks onto one of the small elevator platforms to return to the surface level with a random piece of equipment pulled from a shelf. He tosses it into the light trap room and makes his way across the deadly floor as the beams recharge.

Actions?

NOTE: hexes are 3m.


Rolls…

Round 3 rolls:
Chowdhury initiative (DX 11): [1d6] = 6
Crystal Bird Attack: init [1d6-2] = 4-2 = 2 to-hit [2d6-2] = 7-2 = 5
Crystal Bird Attack: init [1d6-2] = 1-2 = -1 to-hit [2d6-2] = 3-2 = 1

6. Chowdhury makes a full move.
2. Bird moves up and attacks for 5, minus defense roll.

• Chowdhury defense (H-t-H 0, LK +5): [1d6+5] = 5+5 = 10 … no damage taken!
• Save vs falling down: Chowdhury ST save (15): [3d6] = 10 — saved

-1. Bird moves up and attacks for 1, minus defense roll.

• No chance of dealing damage.
• Save vs falling down: Chowdhury ST save (15): [3d6] = 13 — saved

Round 4 rolls:
Chowdhury initiative (DX 11): [1d6] = 2
Crystal Bird Attack: init [1d6-2] = 6-2 = 4 to-hit [2d6-2] = 4-2 = 2
Crystal Bird Attack: init [1d6-2] = 6-2 = 4 to-hit [2d6-2] = 4-2 = 2

4. Both birds attack, but fail to score damage.

• Save vs falling down: Chowdhury ST save (15): [3d6] = 13 — saved
• Save vs falling down: Chowdhury ST save (15): [3d6] = 13 — saved

2. Chowdhury makes a full move.

Do the birds continue to chase after Chowdhury?
Bird A (wounded): Chowdhury LK Save (17): [3d6] = 10 — yes
Bird B: Chowdhury LK Save (17): [4d6] = 14 — yes

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — HtH 4, plasma pistol (10/12)
• Nadix Ar Eth — DX 16 (+4), MN 9, LK 9, CT 12/12 (life belt destroyed)— HtH 2, phaser II (24/24)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 13 (+1), MN 7 (-2), LK 12, CT 12/12 — HtH 3, phaser II (24/24)
• Ensign Li— DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 7 (-2), CT 0/15 — phaser II (24/24) KILLED BY URSUNOID
• Ensign Chowdhury — DX 11, MN 11, LK 17 (+5), CT 13/13 — phaser II (20/24)

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

Gareb grabs two suits and hustles as quickly as he can back to the Doctor and Commander Nadix. "Thank you for meeting me in the hall, doctor, to help get the suits back."

[Inferno]

For posterity, the psionic explorer to galaxies without number continues dutifully reporting his observations of the Universe... and the ones beyond it.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

The doctor cautiously continues to the hallway to rendezvous with Commander Endilev

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

Ensign Chowdhury continues to barrel around the circular corridor, zig-zagging to avoid the crystallavians. Thoughts of his young wife and child flash into his mind and he wonders if he'll ever see them again and whether they'll be okay if he doesn't make it out of this.

He figures he ought to lure the creatures a little further from Commander Endilev to make sure there is time for the Commander to get the protective suit back to Nadix. Then it will all be down to the Edosian to stop the self-destruct. Chowdhury has already done everything he could.

Once he is far enough away, he plans to try and trap the crystallavians in one of the rooms. It's the only thing he can think of. For now, he just keeps on running.

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Throughout the Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1951h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 27 minutes



Chowdhury runs further down the hall, flailing his arms wildly to protect him from beating crystalline wings. Suddenly, the beating ceases—the birds elicit a tinkling shriek and spin away, back down the hall to pursue less tenacious prey!

The plucky ensign chases them back down the hall, shouting and firing his phaser pistol without effect, unable to recapture their attention.



Further down the hall, Commander Endilev comes lumbering out of the room with two hazard suits. Halfway to the central corridor he is met by Dr. Ryerson, who takes up one of the suits so that the two can return at speed.

The pair disappear around the corner, back into the central chambers, just before the crystal birds come soaring around the bend. Without any prey to chase, Ensign Chowdhury witnesses the birds return to their nest in Room G.



Nadix, distracted by the fates of worlds beyond space and time, may or may not have noticed Ryerson and Endilev descending down the elevators into the subterranean power core. They approach him with two environmental suits in hand. The main reactor looms ominously in the background.

Chowdhury is in the outer corridor above ground, phaser in hand, poised for action. Standing between him and the central corridor where his comrades are is the door to Room G, standing wide open and casting out a faint kaleidoscope of dancing lights from within the chamber—no doubt the lights that course through the innards of the strange crystal birds. Occasionally one or both of the birds emit a threatening chirp or coo, like geodes being scraped against a spinner blade sharpener.


Actions?

NOTE: hexes are 3m.




Rolls…

Round 5 rolls:
Chowdhury initiative (DX 11): [1d6] = 6
Crystal Bird Attack: init [1d6-2] = 3-2 = 1 to-hit [2d6-2] = 10-2 = 8
Crystal Bird Attack: init [1d6-2] = 4-2 = 2 to-hit [2d6-2] = 6-2 = 4


6. Chowdhury moves down the hallway.
2. Bird attacks for 4, minus defense roll (Chowdhury defense (H-t-H 0, LK +5): [1d6+5] = 4+5 = 9) = no damage

• Save vs falling down: Chowdhury ST save (15 or less): [3d6] = 14

1. Bird attacks for 8, minus defense roll (Chowdhury defense (H-t-H 0, LK +5): [1d6+5] = 5+5 = 10) = no damage

• Save vs falling down:
• Chowdhury ST save (15): [3d6] = 10

Do the birds continue to chase after Chowdhury?
Bird A (wounded): Chowdhury LK save (17): [4d6] = 18 — no!
Bird B: Chowdhury LK save (17): [5d6] = 22 — no!

Round 6 rolls:
Chowdhury attack (ph-2, DX 11): init [1d6] = 5 (-2 for phaser), to-hit [1d6] = 6
Crystal Bird Attack: init [1d6-2] = 6-2 = 4 to-hit [2d6-2] = 4-2 = 2
Crystal Bird Attack: init [1d6-2] = 1-2 = -1 to-hit [2d6-2] = 6-2 = 4

4. Wounded bird A moves away.
3. Chowdhury shoots at bird B for 6.

• Needs 4 or less… miss!

-1. Bird B moves away.

Round 7 rolls:
Chowdhury attack (ph-2, DX 11): init [1d6-2] = 1-2 = -1, to-hit [1d6] = 2
Crystal Bird Attack: init [1d6-2] = 2-2 = 0 to-hit [2d6-2] = 6-2 = 4
Crystal Bird Attack: init [1d6-2] = 1-2 = -1 to-hit [2d6-2] = 7-2 = 5
Ryerson initiation: [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3
Endilev attack (plasma, DX 13): init [1d6] = 2, to-hit [1d6] = 3

3. Ryerson escapes down the corridor.
2. Endilev escapes down the corridor.
-1. Chowdhury shoots at bird A for 5, needs 4… miss!
-1. Wounded bird A moves.
-1. Bird B moves.

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — HtH 4, plasma pistol (10/12)
• Nadix Ar Eth — DX 16 (+4), MN 9, LK 9, CT 12/12 (life belt destroyed)— HtH 2, phaser II (24/24)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 13 (+1), MN 7 (-2), LK 12, CT 12/12 — HtH 3, phaser II (24/24)
• Ensign Li— DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 7 (-2), CT 0/15 — phaser II (24/24) KILLED BY URSUNOID
• Ensign Chowdhury — DX 11, MN 11, LK 17 (+5), CT 13/13 — phaser II (24/24)

[Inferno]

nAdIx aR eTh:

The entity that was Nadix stops recording his observations of the multiverse.

"...gEnTlEmEn... gOoD wOrK...
"...eNsIgN cHoWdHuRy rEqUiReS aSsIsTaNcE.... cOmMaNdEr eNdIlEv, pErHaPs yOu cAn aId hIm... wHiLe tHe dOcToR aNd I CoMmEnCe wItH oPeRaTiOnS hErE?..."

With that, the cosmic traveler dons one of the environmental hazard suits. To him, they are ethereal and translucent, unable to occlude the insistent planets and stars beyond.

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

As the Crystallavians give up their chase and return to room G, Ensign Chowdhury breathes a huge sigh of relief. Thank all the gods in the universe, he had somehow escaped from their attack alive.

"Commander, this is Chowdhury, did you get back with the suits okay? The Crystallavians are no longer pursuing me. They've returned to the room where we first encountered them. I'm going to try and lock them in."

Phaser in hand and ready to flee again if the Crystallavians resume their assault, Chowdhury carefully edges along the wall towards the doorway. If he can reach the controls, he hopes to close the door and lock it so the alien creatures are trapped inside.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

The good doctor dons the suit. "How much time do we have left?"

[Inferno]

NaDiX Ar EtH:

The altered Edosian's all-seeing eyes look through the ceiling at Chowdhury's chronometer.

"...tWeNtY sEvEn mInUtEs..."

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

Gareb looks at uber-Nadix and nods, "I'd suggest not doing anything stupid Commander, but considering the circumstances..." Then he quickly exits the room, pulling his plasma pistol back out, and says into his communicator: "Heading to you Ensign!"