[Archived] Act 2 — The Gods of Coxa II

[Starbeard]

The Vulcan-like alien continues to point his weapon menacingly, and the barrel glows hot with an intensifying hum. He replaces his casual smirk with an oddly passionless scowl. "No! You lower your weapons, Star Fleet officers!" He clicks a button on his broad belt and the centre plate of the buckle glows faintly red. The crew recognize this as a personal shield generator, capable of absorbing a moderate degree of phaser damage. Several such belts are stowed in the wall compartment of the shuttle. The compartment also holds seven spare palm phasers, but is otherwise empty of combat gear.

The alien has the comport of a career warrior, and looks to mean serious business.

Characters inside the shuttle can access the stowage compartment and equip themselves, at -0 initiative if they take one item, -2 if they take two. The following round, they can use all gear at -2 initiative for powering it up.

From previously stated actions:

• Wyse, Costello and the Romulan all have their weapons out and ready, and will roll initiative normally if combat actions are chosen next round.
• Collins is fiddling nervously with his phaser while trying to keep focus on his console, and can choose either to give himself a -2 penalty to his initiative roll, or a -2 penalty to his shooting (shooting need to roll low, so this is subtracted from his number needed to hit, not from his actual roll; just roll 1d6 normally).
• Everyone else will have -2 to their initiative if they draw weapons, and shooting will suffer -2 to their shooting attack, for drawing and shooting in the same round.

FYI using weapons always gives an Initiative penalty in addition to any other penalties (in the case of palm phasers it's -1 to the roll). The upshot is that brawling or otherwise weaponless characters actually have a better chance of acting sooner.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

The doctor swings around surprised at appearance of the intruders. He bangs on the side of his tricorder. Why didn't it pick up these lifeforms he wonders. He retunes the tricorder to scan the intruders and other lying in wait.

[max_vale]

LCDR Dale Collins; Helmsman


Taking a deep breath, Collins will flick the setting on his phaser to Stun and in a move designed to get the Romulan's attention, he'll yell out; "AHHHHHHH!!!!"; while firing wildly from the inside of the shuttle-craft; not really aiming at the enemy, but attempting to divert his attention from his fellow shipmates....


OOC: I'll take the penalty to the shooting roll, please. Also, if there's a chance I might hit anyone else; I'll fire high...above heads, if that's possible

[Inferno]

Hi Starbeard,
Nadix had been observing the detainees. What was their reaction to the arrival of the Romulan, please? Thanks.

[Starbeard]

Hi Starbeard,
Nadix had been observing the detainees. What was their reaction to the arrival of the Romulan, please? Thanks.

The detainees demonstrate surprise when the Romulan appears, though Nadix's successful observation from earlier allows those in the shuttle to deduce that they do in fact recognize him. The Minerva's low cabin lighting remarkably captures their conflicting facial expressions of tension, fear and a certain relief.

[OGRE MAGE]

Captain Wyse does not lower his phaser. He knows of these Vulcan-like warriors and does not show him a speck of fear.

What are you doing on this planet and just what the hell do you want with us, mister?

The Captain tries to keep calm, cool, and collected as the intensity of he situation escalates. He thinks strongly about simply shooting this person, but waits to hear a response first.

[Inferno]

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

As the Captain and the others face this new threat, Nadix serenely murmurs to all the detainees, "A friend of yours?
"How many are there, how long have they been on Coxa II, and what are they doing here?

"I expect they are much harsher on their detainees than are the Federation."

[Starbeard]

The menacing Romulan says something to Captain Wyse, and one of the detainees begins to make explanations to Nadix, but both are interrupted when Dale Collins suddenly launches himself from the pilot's seat, shouting madly. Ever a man of action, the helmsman fires wildly at the intruder. Beams of phaser light streak over his nonplussed crew mates, and one of them connects against the Romulan's thin energy shielding. The invisible shield lights up momentarily with a flickering orange crackle, and the Romulan stumbles back from a minor stun wound.

Confounded, the Romulan leaps out of the shuttle's field of light and opens fire without hesitation or remorse, only half-considering who his target should be. From the darkness a brilliant ball of flame hurtles toward the shuttlecraft, shedding lightning in its wake. The ball randomly strikes ensign Costello in the chest, lifting him into the air like a ragdoll and smashing him against the side panelling of the shuttlecraft. Accompanied by an uncontrollable scream, his form instantly melts into basic molecules, disintegrating into rank air. The Romulan's weapon, meanwhile, audibly powers down, and once again beings its slowly crescendoing whine to recharge.

The captured spacers cower in the shuttlecraft. The woman screams and Norman hides behind her.

Next round by Wednesday, please.

Dale initiative (wielding phaser) [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5
Romulan initiative (wielding strange gun and 'reacting' reflexively) [1d6+3] = 2+3 = 5 -2 for energy shield = 3
Dale acts first.

Attacks
Dale attack (-2 DX, +4 target under 75% cover), needs 5 or less: [1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3 hit
Dale attack (-2 DX, +4 target under 75% cover), needs 5 or less: [1d6+2] = 6+2 = 8 goes wild
Stun damage [3d6] = 12
Romulan's energy shield belt absorbs 10 hits, and 2 stun damage get through (shield strength now reduced from 10 to 10 - [1d6] = 4 = 6).

Romulan attacks (1-3: inside, at Dale, 4-5: outside, at Costello, 6: outside, at Capt. Wyse)…
Romulan attack [1d6] = 4 Romulan doesn't take Dale's bait, and attacks Costello instead.

Romulan attack (-7 DX, +4 being fired at & moving, +2 darkness/cover, +2 for taking 2 hits), need 7 or less: [1d6+1] = 3+1 = 4 hit
Plasma pistol damage (2 rounds of charging) [6d6] = 20 Poor Costello (CT 8) is vaporized.

Crew Status:
CAPT Dillon Wyse — CT 11/11, phaser energy 9/9
CDR Gareb Endilev — CT 15/15, phaser energy 9/9
CDR Nadix Ar Eth — CT 12/12, phaser A energy 9/9, phaser B energy 9/9
LCDR Dale Collins — CT 11/11, phaser energy 5/9
LT Dr. Ned Ryerson — CT 12/12, phaser energy 9/9
ENS Lou Abbot — CT 11/15 (-2 DX), phaser energy 9/9
ENS Bud Costello — CT 0/8 vaporized

Current prisoners:
Dr. Leigh Moore — CT 9/9
Dr. James Silliphant — CT 9/10
Norman Meston — CT 14/14

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

The Doctor returns fire at the Romulan.

phaser [1d6] = 2, damage [3d6] = 10
DEX: 13 (+1)

[Grognardsw]

"Bud, no!" yells Ensign Abbot, distraught at seeing his friend vaporized.

He fires his phaser at the murderous Vulcan.

Ensign Abbot phaser [1d6] = 6, damage [3d6] = 13

[Inferno]

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

As Costello was horrifically atomized, the tranquil Edosian noticed the Romulan's weapon acting in accordance with Star Fleet reports of their plasma torpedoes. Devastatingly powerful, but requiring time to recharge before firing could commence again.

That was the away team's chance, their opening. They had no choice but to attack now. Calculations complete, Nadix calmly drew and fired at the Romulan.

If the Romulan's personal deflector shield was still intact when he acted, Nadix will set his palm phaser on it highest, most deadly, setting to wear down the shield as efficiently as possible.
If the Romulan's shields were down when he acted, Nadix would set his phaser on stun.

Initiative: [1d6+4] = 4+4 = 8, Fire Phaser: [1d6+4] = 3+4 = 7

[max_vale]

LCDR Dale Collins; Helmsman


Dale felt a brief moment of joy when his move seemed to have broken the potentially deadly standoff; but his exultation was swiftly smashed by the shot out of the darkness that ended poor Ensign Costello.

Feeling terrible and enraged, Dale aimed carefully at the Romulan and fired off another stun blast; hoping to end the threat once and for all....


OOC: Since I can't access the Dice Rollers on this site at work, I used the Brock Jones On-line Die Roller: http://www.brockjones.com/dieroller/dice.htm and made the following 1d6 roll for Dale's Phaser Shot. (I'm not sure what cover/DEX modifiers are in play, so I'll let you add/subtract all necessary factors Mr. DM. )

Phaser Shot: 1d6 = 2 DEX: 14, +2 modifier

[OGRE MAGE]

The good Captain Wyse is astounded at the vaporization of one of his favorite crewmen. He fires point blank at the offender on maximum setting, hopefully before his weapon has time to recharge.

Fire Phaser: (13) (+1) [1d6] = 2

You son of a.......

Take him down, Men!!!

[Starbeard]

The Romulan was perhaps overconfident in his assessment of the situation. He has little time to react; within moments a collection of phasers are pulled, ready to stun or destroy the assailant without hesitation.

Nadix, his expression ever ponderous, is quickest to fire. His disrupting beam by good fortune intercepts the Romulan's trajectory of escape into the shadows, and he is already too sluggish from Dale's hit to get out of the way. His portable shield momentarily flickers in a blinding array of color before the party witnesses the Romulan's shadowy silhouette flop to the ground with a groan. The whir of his weapon slows and desists. The others hold their phasers at the ready, tense.

Two events interrupt the immediate silence that follows: first, the Doctor's tricorder chatters away, signifying that humanoid beings have now approached to within 100 meters; second, an analytical device placed by Chief Gareb lights up with an alert. "Aha!" says the engineering officer, "just what I suspected. That despicable Romulan must have tampered with something inside the engines while we were away. This should be a cinch to clear up. A minute, tops."

Initiative:
Doc [1d6] = 4, Abbot [1d6-1] = 2-1 = 1, Nadix 8-1, Dale [1d6+1] = 5+1 = 6, Capt. [1d6] = 2

Order of initiative:
1. Nadix (hitting on a 10 or less at this distance)
2. Collins (hitting on a 7-)
3. Needles (6-)
4. Captain (6-) and Abbot (4-)

Penalties to individual to-hit target numbers:

• Everyone gets -3 for darkness
• Everyone gets -1 since the Romulan made a short move after firing
• Those inside the vessel get -3 for having a 50% obscured target.

Nadix's Action

1. Nadix shoots on disrupt setting (there's no difference at this range between disrupt and dematerialize) (needs 10-7 = 3 or less), rolled a 2. …hit!
   
2. Nadix's disrupt setting damage [3d6] = 11 (-6 shield absorption = 5 damage gets through)
   …with Dale's first stun shot figured in, that's exactly enough to KO the Romulan.

(The Romulan's shield belt loses [1d6] = 2 power from the attack, down to a value of 4.)

Actions by Saturday, please.


Crew Status:
CAPT Dillon Wyse — CT 11/11, phaser energy 9/9
CDR Gareb Endilev — CT 15/15, phaser energy 9/9
CDR Nadix Ar Eth — CT 12/12, phaser A energy 6/9, phaser B energy 9/9
LCDR Dale Collins — CT 11/11, phaser energy 5/9
LT Dr. Ned Ryerson — CT 12/12, phaser energy 9/9
ENS Lou Abbot — CT 11/15 (-2 DX), phaser energy 9/9
ENS Bud Costello — CT 0/8 vaporized

Current prisoners:
Dr. Leigh Moore — CT 9/9
Dr. James Silliphant — CT 9/10
Norman Meston — CT 14/14[/quote]

[Inferno]

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

The Edosian returns his phaser to stun and points it to the ground as he stands watch over the detainees to ensure they don't use the death of Mr. Costello as an opportunity to escape. Nadix is quiet, soberly reflecting on the passing of a colleague and fellow crewman.

Then, his composure regained, the alien says gravely to the detainees: "You knew there were Romulans on Coxa ll. Your failure to warn us resulted in the death of a Federation officer.
"I repeat, how many are there, how long have they been here, and what is their objective? We are running out of time. All of us."

[OGRE MAGE]

Captain Wyse yells out to Chief Gareb as he begins to pull the body of the downed Romulan into the shuttlecraft and strip him of his weapons and other devices.

You've got 30 seconds, Chief! Lets get this done and get the blazes out of here before we are all in bad shape.

[Grognardsw]

Ensign Abbot helps the Captain bring the prone Vulcan into the shuttle.

"I thought Vulcans were a peaceful race?" he says in frustration at the death of his friend Costello.

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Landing Site
Stardate 2271.3.22: 2315h

The Captain and Mr. Abbot take the unconscious alien into the shuttle as tension builds. The others stand or sit at the ready, phasers armed and waiting watching the approaching signals on Dr. Ryerson's tricorder grow stronger.

From within the shuttlecraft several impatient remarks are sent Mr. Gareb's way as he works outside. His face pops out from beneath the shuttle to spit his refined egineer's vitriol back at them, then returns to his frantic work.

Miraculously, twenty-nince seconds later the Minerva's console lights flare to life, and Gareb leaps inside the shuttle's open hatch. "That should do it! Don't just sit there, Dale, get us out of here!"

Dale fingers the controls and immediately the shuttle begins to levitate into the air. Outside of the main viewport, the crew can just make out a crowd of bedazzled onlookers before the jungle's upper canopy swallows up their vision. The shuttle breaks out above the canopy into a brilliantly colored night sky, and the sudden severe turbulence caused by the Coxan winds reminds everyone to apply their safety belts as the Minerva glides into the upper reaches of the atmosphere.

The adventure has been moved to the thread "Back in Space." Please post by Wednesday.

Rather than bothering with the details of it, I'm ruling that Gareb can get the Minerva back online just before the mob gets there if he can pass a Luck test (modified by his antimatter engineering skill):
Gareb Endilev, LK (13) + Antimatter Theory (1) (= need 14 or less): [3d6] = 13 Just made it.

Crew Status:
CAPT Dillon Wyse — CT 11/11, phaser energy 9/9
CDR Gareb Endilev — CT 15/15, phaser energy 9/9
CDR Nadix Ar Eth — CT 12/12, phaser A energy 9/9, phaser B energy 9/9
LCDR Dale Collins — CT 11/11, phaser energy 9/9
LT Dr. Ned Ryerson — CT 12/12, phaser energy 9/9
ENS Lou Abbot — CT 12/15 (-1 DX), phaser energy 9/9
ENS Bud Costello — CT 0/8 vaporized

Current prisoners:
Dr. Leigh Moore — CT 9/9
Dr. James Silliphant — CT 10/10
Norman Meston — CT 14/14[/quote]