Act IV: Pandora's Planet

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

"No, it won't help the commander. It might do more damage or even kill him."

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Power Core, Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1941h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 37 minutes



Within the bowels of the Slaver Outpost, not far below the planet's surface, you hear the incessant ticking of Chowdhury's chronometer.

Chowdhury views the power core from beyond the transpara-steel wall. He notices a canister of acidic solution, pulled from the racks of spare parts, cast upon the floor beneath the corroded coils. Sabotage, indeed.

Chief Endilev ponders the salving properties of the helmet, but the Doctor strongly advises against attempting to use it again. He is convinced that wearing it can only lead to madness!

Fortunately, the New Nadix has no need for such technological trivialities. With a simple mental readjustment of his ocular pathways, the Edosian attempts to tune into the hidden ultra-light waves expressed from the monitor. For several minutes he struggles to keep his eyes focused on the monitor before him, but eventually he calls up the information he desires:

Code: Select all

--MULTIPURPOSE PLANETARY STATION 435--
SHUT DOWN POWER CORE … … …

… … … ERROR: QUADRALIUM NODULES UNSTABLE. MANUAL SHUT DOWN REQUIRED.

… … … POWER CORE DAMAGE REPORT: QUADRALIUM NODULES CORRODED, UNSTABLE. MANUAL REPLACEMENT IS POSSIBLE WHILE POWER REMAINS ACTIVE.

--ALL HAIL THE COUNCIL OF EMPERORS. DEATH TO ENEMIES.--

As Nadix informs the rest of the landing party of his findings, Chief Endilev becomes immediately aware of the Kobayashi Maru of the situation: the manual replacement of the quadralium coils is routine work any officer could perform, but with the power core still active, the chamber would flood with lethal radiation, almost certainly killing anyone who attempted the repair unprotected; manually shutting off the power core would require detailed knowledge of Slaver engineering technology, and while a trained Star Fleet engineer could deduce the procedure correctly, a slip-up could mean a core collapse, detonating the explosive destruction of the outpost anyway.

i.e., entering the chamber to shut down the power core manually would require a difficult roll, 4d6 rolled at or under the character's MN + Antimatter or Generator Theory test. A failure takes up 5+1d6 minutes and has a 5% chance of immediate destruction per point the roll missed by.

Actions?

Rolls:

Nadix attempts to use the computer:
Nadix MN (9): [3d6] = 15
Failure, it takes 10 minutes to perform the action.

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — HtH 4, plasma pistol (12/12)
• 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 (life belt 3/5) — phaser II (24/24)

[Inferno]

Once Nadix:

On a distant world gladiators battle each other to the death in a Roman coliseum for the entertainment of the populace and Nadix scans the entire Slaver outpost for protective clothing that might survive the radiation of the damaged power core.

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

Commander Endilev calmly explains to the others about how the replacing of the quadralium coils is needed, and what could happen to the replacer. As he explains he goes over to get the spare quadralium coils to bring them closer to where they need to be, so they can plan their next step.

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

Ensign Chowdhury listens to Commander Endilev in growing disbelief. WTF! You've got to be f@*^×ng kidding me! A voice exclaims in his head. "Great, that's just great," he can't help muttering out loud eventually. Then, "Sorry. Great, that's just great, sir" he adds.

He glances at his chronometer. It says 37 minutes. Tick. Tick. Tick Not really much time to do anything. Jeez, can't we catch a break! Alright... alright.

"So, how are we going to do this?" he asks aprehensively. "I guess we could draw straws but I'm pretty sure we don't have any." Rock, paper, scissors? Nah, let''s not even bring that up. He hated that stupid game. Let's face it, he was bound to get shafted. Think. Think. Having made it this far, he really didn't want to die here.

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Power Core, Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1944h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 34 minutes



Nadix concentrates on adjusting the receptive range of his pupils, so that he scan the outpost for protective gear…

The filtration masks hanging next to the elevator shafts in the room above will not help, merely providing respiratory protection against chemicals that were likely dangerous to the Slaver physiology.

His gaze then pierces through the walls toward Room "G" at the south end of the outpost, where he sees three medium-strength environmental suits hanging in a closet. In the room are three large rock crystals that seem to be pulsing with the breath of life.

These medium suits will soak up 10 points of radiation before you start taking direct hits. Radiation will leak out at 1d6 points per round.

The operation itself requires three coils to be replaced, and appears to involve standard operating procedure any of you are trained in: replacing a coil would take one minute and require a 3d6 test vs MN + generator theory, with a +1 to the roll for every helper, and you may repeat the roll as many rounds as necessary until the coil is replaced.

Dr. Ryerson wonders how else you might source protective gear. "The Janus should be back overhead now, but there's no telling how many environmental protection suits have survived the pirate attack. The Engineering and Science decks were hit pretty hard."

Commander Endilev watches Mr. Chowdhury's face go pale as he describes the situation, and sets the replacement coils next to the transpara-steel door.

Actions?

Rolls:

Nadix scans the outpost for radiation gear:
Nadix MN (9): [3d6] = 10
Failure, it takes 1 minute + (Time taken to locate: [1d6] = 2) extra minutes to perform the action.

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — HtH 4, plasma pistol (12/12)
• 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 (life belt 3/5) — phaser II (24/24)

[Inferno]

Heretofore Nadix:

The golden eyes of the impaired Edosian science explorer stare intently at the ceiling. In deep space, two Tholian ships spin an energy web, ensnaring a crippled ship, and Nadix can see them.

Hoping the Janus' landing party is still somewhere near him, his omniscient eyes still on the ceiling, Nadix croaks: "...tHeRe iS pRoTeCtIvE cLoThInG iN rOoM g... gO nOw, pLeAsE...

"i wIlL rEmAiN hErE... ObSeRvInG yOuR pRoGrEsS... iF yOu aRe uNaBlE tO rEtUrN iN tImE, i sHaLl dO wHaT mUsT bE dOnE... iT hAs bEeN mY pLeAsUrE sErViNg wItH yOu, gEnTlEmEn... pLeAsE hUrRy nOw..."

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

Protective suits, of course! That's what they needed.

"I'm on it, sir" Chowdhury says, as he heads for the lifts.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

"You two go ahead. I'll stay here with the commander. Scream if you need me."

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

Readying his plasma pistol, Gareb nods at the Ensign and follows him out.

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

Chowdhury leads Commander Endilev back through the base towards room G, endeavouring to find a balance between haste and caution. He tries to move swiftly while keeping his phaser ready and his eyes peeled for anything suspicious or threatening. They needed to hurry but it wouldn’t help anyone if they stumbled into something and ended up dead.

[Inferno]

Once Nadix:

The altered Edosian's eyes watch a gigantic, conic doomsday machine launched eons ago by a long dead civilization crawling patiently through the infinite void of space.

"...dOcToR, yOuR cOmPaSsIoN dOeS yOu cReDiT... bUt i aM sAfE... wHeReAs tHe cOmMaNdEr aNd tHe eNsIgN wIlL bE iN jEoPaRdY... aNd mAy rEqUiRe mEdIcAl aSsIsTaNcE... iN tHe eXeCutIoN oF tHeIr vItAl tAsK..."

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Power Core, Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1947h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 31 minutes



Endilev and Chowdhury part ways with the others and disappear up the elevator platforms to the ground floor.

(Dadsangry, regarding Nadix's response, will the doctor be staying behind with him or following the others?)

The trip to Room G is safe. Debris is cast into the light-trap death chamber and the adventurers pass through safely after the trap has triggered, ignoring the terrible bellowing of the holographic Slaver decoy. Several precious seconds are lost when passing by Room K, as great creatures attempt to break through the locked doorway—perhaps the vine dragons? The party freezes and holds their phasers aimed at the door, until it is clear that the monsters cannot get through. Stealthily you move on.

The door to Room G whisks open. It is a spartan room, with what must presumably be a row of beds at the east end—though half of them climb up the wall rather than sit on the floor—a peculiar device in the northeast corner that somewhat resembles a shower stall, but dangling from the "shower head" is a cluster of bewildering, rubbery hoselike tubes with dim lights coursing through them. In the southwest corner is the closet that Nadix informed you would contain three environmental suits still in good repair.

Your path directly to the closet is blocked by three beautiful crystalloid formations resting on the floor. The faintest shimmer of dancing lights, similar to those from the "shower" tubes, ebb and flow within their mineral bodies.

Actions?

(the purple blobs are the crystal formations).

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — HtH 4, plasma pistol (12/12)
• 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)

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

Ensign Chowdhury eyes the three shimmering crystalloid formations suspiciously.

"What should we do, Sir? I don't like the look of those things," he comments. "And, what about those tubes?" he gestures. "Do you think they're somehow connected?"

Chowdhury glances at his chronometer for the umpteenth time and registers that they are down to 31 minutes. Damn it. There's no time. He covers the crystals with his phaser and watches for any change in the faint shimmering, as he scans the room for anything else they might have missed. Assuming he sees no additional threats and Endilev doesn't intervene with an alternative, he edges a little closer in, trying to skirt around the crystalloid formations and the strange shower stall. Keeping as far away from either as he can. He's ready to stop if there is any change to the shimmering in either the crystals or the shower tubes.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

"Commander my responsibility is to the wounded. At the moment you are it. If the situation changes then I will act. Now, why don't you just try and relax? It's my understanding that Edosians pass on family and cultural history through story-songs. How about I tell you a story of my family in the same fashion minus the singing part. Your hurt enough as it is."

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

The beds "climb up the wall" like as in "bunk beds" or a Murphy bed?

Before the ensign moves in, Gareb says "might as well try this again" as he tosses in any sort of miscellany he can find on the floor. He aims toward the crystalloids, but not to hit them, just to land in front of them. "Should have asked Commander Nadix to look for danger and not just the suits."

[Inferno]

Beyond Nadix:

"...yEs pLeAsE, dOcToR... tHaNk yOu..." the altered Edosian replied as he looked through the walls of the Slaver outpost at the three crystalloids facing the landing party, peering inside them to understand exactly what they are.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

"Alrightly then. This story is about an ancestor of mine who lived many centuries ago. This story has been passed down through my family for as long as anyone can remember. It's about my heroic uncle John Ryerson. Now John lived at a time when coal-fueled everything from the belt-driven machinery in factories to great steam locomotives. My uncle worked to mine that precious commodity. He stood six-foot-six and weighed two-forty-five. Kinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip and everybody knew you didn't give him any lip. They used to call him Big John. Nobody seemed to know where John called home. He just drifted into town and stayed all alone. He didn't say much, kinda quiet and shy and if you spoke to him at all, you just said hi. Somebody said he came from New Orleans, where he got in a fight over a Cajun Queen. A crashin' blow from his huge right hand sent a Louisiana fellow to the promised land."

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Power Core and Room G, Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1948h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 30 minutes



From below the surface, the new Nadix is soothed by the narrative remedies of Dr. Ryerson. As he listens, his piercing eyes gaze upward, straight through layers of impenetrable metal and into the very atomic cores of the living crystal formations in Room G. Their dancing lights flow through them like life force, their deposits pulsing like organs, fractures sizzling like veins, the extrusions like folded wings. The forms are alive!



In the room, Endilev and Chowdhury cautiously examine the room from the entryway. The beds against the east wall are in an inexplicable arrangement: half of them flat lie on the ground as normal, but the others are affixed vertically to the wall, and you can see now that they have harnesses attached, so that whoever sleeps in them would stay upright. This bizarre arrangement echoes the first room you examined when entering the outpost, where many of the desks and tables were built sideways or vertically for no apparent logical reason.

As Chowdhury provides cover, Endilev reaches into the room to grab a random piece of handheld equipment on the floor, and tosses it in the direction of the crystalloids. The rocks emit an etherial shriek! Their outer crusts peel away into the shape of wings, and jagged necks crane uncoil to reveal heads crusted over like geodes. Disturbed by their hibernation, the three crystalloid birds of prey squawk and hurl themselves at you, their inner lights dancing angrily!

Chowdhury, ever watchful, already has his phaser trained on the crystalloids, and fires off a disrupting ray into the nearest one. The phaser beam refracts through its innards in a rainbow of brilliant lights! The strange creature is clearly damaged, but much of the lethal force of the phaser seems to have been nullified by its material construction (-8 damage, cut in half to 4).

From the corner of his eye, the pair notice that the lights pulsing through the strange hose-tubes in the corner have also grown more colorful and agitated.

Actions?



Rolls…

Based on statements, I'll rule that Chowdhury automatically gets a surprise round, with aimed fire, before the creatures can attack.

Point blank range at DX 11, with aimed fire (+1), defender moving ≤5m (-1) = 5 or less to hit on 1d6:
Chowdhury attack (ph-2, DX 11): to-hit [1d6] = 3

Phase 2 (disrupt), point blank: [4d6] = 12
Defense save: [1d6] = 4
Crystalloid takes 8 total damage, cut in half to 4.

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — HtH 4, plasma pistol (12/12)
• 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)

[Inferno]

Attack ships are on fire off the shoulder of Orion. And the entity that had been Nadix distantly croaks:
"...dOcToR... oUr fRiEnDs aRe iN dAnGeR... kInDlY rEaDy yOuRsElF...tHeY mAy sOoN nEeD yOuR aId..."