Act IV: Pandora's Planet

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

The doctor moves over to the exit and watches to make sure nothing sneaks up on them.

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

Gareb uses his tricorder and engineering knowledge to see if there is any way to bypass the monitor maskin, while Commander Nadix checks out the helmets..

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Central Control Room, Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1919h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 59 minutes



Gareb Endilev makes use of his vast engineering expertise to troubleshoot the computer monitors. To his disappointment, he very quickly determines that the issue is hardwired into the machinery. In order to get the monitors to display properly would require some extensive modifications and hot wiring, which he estimates could take anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes, or even twice that if there are complications.

Chowdhury prowls the room, taking careful mental notes of the surroundings. He notices a small panel against the wall next to the eight small elevator platforms; if he's reading it right, the panel is a status monitor for the elevators, showing that two are in need of repair—and that two others have been used recently. He then takes up his defensive position in the southeast end of the chamber.

Ryerson moves to cover the door. As Nadix fiddles with the knobs and buttons on the left computer station, he can hear the motors and holograms in the room beyond squelch and crackle, fading in and out. At one point the terrorizing voice of the Slaver hologram is replaced by a roaring monster of some kind.

Nadix scans the helmets with his tricorder before trying one on. They each features a black, lifeless visors that hangs down to cover half of the face, which appears to allow the user to see a wide variety of light wavebands that would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye. They all seem to be calibrated to a specific frequency. Unfortunately, the helmet's outer structure is made of unscannable Slaver alloy, shrouding its inner workings in mystery.

The Edosian cautiously places one of the helmets on his head. A wild surge of intellect blasts his alien mind, causing his pupils to dilate as the helm's machinery mercilessly amplifies his brainpower!





Nadix is wholly unprepared for the sensation and collapses to the ground clutching his head! Once he comes to, Nadix has difficulty being able to process the visual world around him—everything seems to bleed together into a kaleidoscope of shape and color. Three minutes pass as he regains his composure and sorts out the issue: somehow the helmet has given him the superhuman ability of clairvoyance! With a moment's concentration, he can see through walls, and any wavelength on the spectrum he wishes! Oh, how wondrous the world looks now!
(A failed MN saving throw means that Nadix could not handle the mental amplification, and instead of gaining 4 MN points permanently he has lost 5 permanently. He has also gained clairvoyance as a temporary psionic power, which will fade with time.)

Looking over at the computer stations, the science officer casually notes that he can now read the information on the monitor screens.

Actions?

Rolls:

Endilev troubleshoots the console (-5 for tricorder):
Endilev MN (9) check: [3d6] = 7
Success—he takes 1m and learns that the issue cannot be bypassed without extensive hotwiring, requiring 1d6x10 minutes, doubled if the skill roll fails.

Chowdhury interprets the elevator panel during his search of the room:
Chowdhury MN (11) check: [3d6] = 8
Success

Nadix studies the helmets (-5 from tricorder)
Nadix MN (14): [3d6] = 9
Success—takes 1m to discover that their visors act as augmented reality displays.

Nadix MN save when putting on the helmet:
Nadix MN (14): [3d6] = 15
Fail!—MN is reduced by 5, temporarily gain 1 random psionic power

• 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]

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

The normally calm, serene Edosian cries out in pain and falls to the floor, grasping his helmeted head with all three hands. "No."

After several agonizing minutes, he croaks in a harrowing monotone, "My mInD...
I aM imPaIrEd..."

His face a twisted knot of anguish, Nadix looks through the flesh and bones of his former companions, through the walls, through the planet, through outer space itself, scanning the cosmos for the USS Janus.

"...mY eYeS..."

Then he turns his terrible vision to the Slaver consoles that they may unlock all their secrets.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

The doctor rushes over to Commander Nadix and begins to scan the Edosian.
"Stay calm Commander, I'm here. What happened. What's wrong with your eyes?"

[Inferno]

Formerly Nadix:

The normally placid Edosian's dillated golden eyes can't stop shedding tears.

"... I cAn sEe ThE uNiVerSe... aNd bEyoNd..."

[Inferno]

???:

"...bY tHe ThRee goDs oF EdoS..." the consciousness that had been Commander Nadix Ar Eth rasps softly. In fear, he withdraws his omniscient sight back to within this galaxy.

Standing in Room J, he turns his terrible gaze upward and closely examines Edos lll, the moons of Nibia, the Antares Maelstrom, the Klingon homeworld, and Earth, all at once.

He closes his eyes to make it stop, and sees right through his eyelids.

"...dOcToR... pLeaSe HeLp mE..."

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

The Andorian's eyes widen, only slightly, and he can feel his already high body temperature rise, just a bit. "Commander Nadix," Gareb asks with quiet urgency hoping to focus the Star Fleet Officer, and a with a quick, perhaps apologetic, perhaps shrugging, glance at the doctor "can you see how to disarm the core self-destruct sequence?"

[Inferno]

...

His bewildered awareness expanding in all directions at once, the sanity-wracked alien faintly hears someone far away talking to him at close proximity.

"...NaDiX?.... yEs... I wAs nADiX...

• ...wE.. We aRe sTiLl oN cOxA ll...
  • ...aBoaRD tHe sLAveR oUTpoSt...
    • ...iN rOoM j..." he convinces himself.

Then he concentrates on focusing his all-encompassing perception upon only the console in Room J again, that it may unlock all its secrets.

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Central Control Room, Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1929h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 49 minutes



Doctor "Needles" Ryerson rushes over to Nadix, clutching his hands to his face on the floor, and scans him with his medical tricorder. It appears that the helmet has rapidly expanded the Edosian's brain matter, but the sudden surge caused a mental relapse that may take years to heal, if at all—and bizarrely, his ocular nerves are practically evolving as you scan him! There is no telling what effect these helmets' massive surge in brain capacity would have on an individual, but it is obvious that more than two such surges would be enough to kill anyone.

OOC Rule for the helmets:

Putting on a helmet grants one random psionic power which will slowly fade in 1-6 weeks. It also requires a saving throw against MN: if successful, MN is increased by 4 permanently, otherwise it is lowered by 5 permanently. A helm can be put on twice (no extra psionic powers, but the MN check is applied both times), but the third time a helmet is worn the character will die.

After being helped to his feet, Nadix takes several moments to reorient himself to this universe, this world, this room. He slowly wobbles into the chair and turns his piercing gaze to the computer console. He operates in spurts of frenzied creativity, searching through the very inner workings of the computer with nothing but his naked eye. Between these spurts are long moments of gazing off into the cosmos to watch something that no one can see.

Code: Select all

--MULTIPURPOSE PLANETARY STATION 435--
AWAITING COMPUTATIONAL COMMAND.

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

Code: Select all

- ABORT SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE. ACCESS CODE: 5819/B

Code: Select all

--MULTIPURPOSE PLANETARY STATION 435--
ABORTING SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE … … …

… … … SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE UNABLE TO ABORT. POWER CORE REPORTS AN ERROR IN QUADRALIUM NODULES. MANUAL TERMINATION OF CORE REQUIRED.

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

Nadix can already see the power core beneath their feet, accessed by the elevators in the corner of the room. The quadralium nodules—apparently that's what this mysterious Slaver alloy is called—are rusted and cracked, so that any attempts to run electricity through them would cause an overload and explode the reactor anyway.

He can see a row of replacement nodules lining the corner of the room below, but replacing them by hand while the reactor is still running would be certain death for whomever made the repair. Shutting the core off manually would be risky, since a wrong move (failed roll) could collapse the core and destroy everything.

Actions?

Rolls:

Ryerson scans Nadix with his medical tricorder (-5 to roll):
Ryerson MN (7): [3d6] = 10
Success, action takes 1 minute.

Nadix attempts to access the computer's secrets:
Nadix MN (9): [3d6] = 14
Failed, action takes 10 minutes.

• 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)

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

Ensign Chowdhury watches Commander Nadix with concern, trying to understand what's happening and worrying that the officer who had seemed the most likely to navigate them to safety may have been irreparably impaired by whatever the helmet had done to him.

Forty-nine minutes left. Chowdhury tries to control his breathing and remain on top of the fear rising up inside of him.

Come on Nadix, you can pull through, he thinks silently towards the Edosian. We need you.

[Inferno]

Where No Man Has Gone Before...

Half a galaxy away, Ceti Alpha VI is unexpectedly exploding.

...while on Vulcan, the revered matriarch T'Pau is presiding over a wedding between two lifemates that have entered Pon Farr...

• • ...Elsewhere, a world is consumed by a rampant overpopulation of ravenous tribbles...
    
    • • ...and Nadix's mother is serenely tending the towering fungal gardens of Edos III.

With effort, Nadix struggles to recall where he is... and what he is.

He croaks, "...nO gOoD...
wE mUsT... rEaCh tHE pOWer cOrE... bEnEaTh uS...
wIlL yOu pLeAsE... gUiDe Me... tO tHe eLeVaToRs iN tHiS roOm?...
i cAn nO lOnGeR sEe aNy oF yOu..."

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson

The doctor is very concerned about the commander.
His condition is beyond his medical abilities.
He does what he can and takes hold of the Edosian.
"Here take a hold of me. I will guide you. Which way?"

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

"The elevators are over here," Chowdhury responds, moving quickly to show the Doctor and Nadix the way. Anything to keep things moving. Time is running out. "I noticed two of them had been used when I swept the room earlier. I should probably come down with you and make sure the coast is clear if you're going down there."

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

The Andorian glances back and grabs the helmet that Nadix discarded, just in case it's needed. "Quickly, let's follow the Commander's directions." Endilev takes up the rear, putting his tricorder away and taking his weapon back from the doctor. He aids the doctor if he needs help supporting Nadix.

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Power Core, Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1931h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 47 minutes



Ensign Chowdhury visually scans the elevators for obvious risks, then attempts to interpret the control panel as best he can. Perhaps the blue button switches on the power, and…—success! The elevators awaken with gentle whirring and soft, undulating lights.

Dr. Ryerson carefully leads Nadix, blinded by the collected light of the cosmos, to the elevators. They each board their own platform, with Mr. Chowdhury and Chief Endilev occupying their own on either side.

Chowdhury punches in the code, and the elevators sink into the floor effortlessly, down into the ancient bowels of the station.

Rolls:

Chowdhury attempts to use the elevators (standard MN check):

Chowdhury MN (11) check: [3d6] = 10

Success! Activation takes only 1 minute.

You arrive below, at the heart of the outpost. The secrets of the Slaver Empire's energy sources pulse behind the protection of a thick transparent glass wall, which can be accessed through a large sliding door. Great metallic coils slither from generator to generator, relaying power in ever greater quantities to the two towering machines at the center of the reactor.

Looking more closely at the power core, you can see that the three red coils that connect the central generators are indeed badly corroded, as though they had been splashed with acid. In the service room where you stand are shelves and workbenches with replacement parts, including a set of six fresh red coils.

At the eastern end of the service room, next to the glass wall, is the direct-input computer terminal for the power core. It looks to be powered on, but as above, the monitors are blank.

Actions?

• 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]

The View From the Edge of Forever:

An invisible formation of cloaked Romulan ships encroach upon the Neutral Zone... and Nadix can see them.

• • The Scalosian race can move in the wink of an eye; too fast to be seen... and Nadix can see them.
    
    • • Beyond this universe, in another dimension of existence, the Federation is an evil empire of brutal tyranny, including the entire crew of the Janus... and Nadix can see them.

The Edosian science explorer had humbly dedicated his life to the pursuit of knowledge. Now he had more than he could bear.

With intense concentration he fights to see only his immediate surroundings and suddenly he can perceive the skeletons and nervous systems of the landing party, and the rupturing power core. Nadix focuses his terrible, infinite gaze upon the computer terminal.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

"Commander Endilev whatever you do, do not place that helmet upon your or anybody's else's head. It seems to effects the molecule structure of the brain; expanded it. Increasing the electrical pulses within the Parietal and Occipital Lobes; creating hypersensitivities to the optical nerves to an unheard degree. The sensory overload in an ordinary man would render him insane. So far Commander Nadix, though highly disoriented, has been able to keep his sanity. I would assume it is due to his Edosian physiology. That helmet place on mine or the ensign here would render us catatonic vegetables trapped within our own insane minds for which we would never return. I only hope that Edosian physiology is different enough that the commander can recover assuming it's possible to reverse the effects."

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

Ensign Chowdhury rapidly sweeps the area for any threats, keeping an eye out for any security systems or booby traps, such as the nodules they have seen previously. He carefully inspects the power core area through the transparent wall but does not enter.

"I'm no engineer but that doesn't look good," he observes, nodding towards the corroded coils.

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

The Andorian nods at at the doctor "Can we use the helmet to help the Commander Nadix?" Endilev then takes out his tricorder to see if he can get any readings himself on what's going on with the power coils, and maybe how to replace them. "Can you make anything of these alien computers?" he says softly to Nadix, not wanting to add too much stimulus to his already expanded brain.