Act IV: Pandora's Planet

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

The doctor looks nervously at the Edosian then back at Commander Gareb Endilev hoping that was a joke to lighten the mood.

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Throughout the Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1954h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 24 minutes



"Heading to you Ensign," blue-skinned Endilev recites into his communicator, leaping directly back onto one of the elevator platforms and sending it upward in one fluid motion.

Needles and the New Nadix awkwardly don their environmental suits, their dimensions never intended to fit the human and Edosian physiques. Nadix in particular has a difficult time, having to slip two legs down one trouser and fold his third arm close to his chest inside the suit.



Ponderously, the officers collect the three replacement coils lying by the door, and reflect again on the parameters of the operation. The transpara-steel door grinds open with agonizing deliberation, sending a rush of heat and radiation beating against their suits.
A glance between them is all that is needed to communicate their thoughts: if this doesn't work in time, there's always the more desperate solution.

Ryerson hands the first coil to Nadix. The two attempt to work within the claustrophobic confines of the reactor core, radiation blasting them, the sounds of the straining machinery grating on their ears. Their suits too uncomfortable to allow them to work quite as efficiently as they'd like, and Nadix has to try twice before the first of three coils is firmly in place.

Two minutes have passed… they check their radiation monitors. Nadix's suit is still holding fairly strong (7/10 hp left), but the protective lining of Needles' suit is almost entirely obliterated (1/10 hp left).

(*FYI: The suits, it turns out, make the test 4d6 vs MN instead of 3d6. Thus, Nadix is rolling 4d6 at or under 14, his MN. Ryerson gives a +1 to Nadix's MN while he helps, quite a good bonus.
You take 1d6 radiation each minute, and replacement attempts take 1 minute each; once your suits are depleted, radiation will just go to your Constitution like normal damage.)

Rolls…

Replacing the first coil:
First attempt… Coil replacement (14 + 1 for helper): [4d6] = 16 — failure, 1 minute lost.

• Ryerson radiation: [1d6] = 4 (suit down to 6/10)
• Nadix radiation: [1d6] = 1 (suit down to 9/10)

Second attempt… Coil replacement (14 + 1 for helper): [4d6] = 8 — success! 1 minute lost.

• Ryerson radiation: [1d6] = 5 (suit down to 1/10)
• Nadix radiation: [1d6] = 2 (suit down to 7/10)

Above ground, Endilev meets Chowdhury in the corridor, separated by the open doorway. Silently, the Ensign points Endilev's attention to the door panel, which as luck would have it is on Endilev's side, not Chowdhury's. Endilev sidles up to the wall and tiptoes toward the door, arm stretched out to slap the switch.

Two steps away he grimaces at a noisy creak in the floor; one step away he freezes and holds his breath; SLAP! the door whisks shut as the crystallavians howl and dash themselves against the door! Claws scrape incessantly on the other side, rending their way through the door's material slowly but surely. Without waiting to see how long it will take the birds to release themselves, the two flee down the corridor and back to the reactor chamber.

(You will arrive just after Nadix & Ryerson have taken their next actions.)

Rolls:

We'll make this a difficult 4d6 Luck save against the average of Endilev's and Chowdhury's LK scores:

LK save vs 15: [4d6] = 12

One of you is able to swipe the door shut before the creatures can assault!

Actions?

• 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), Radiation suit (7/10)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 13 (+1), MN 7 (-2), LK 12, CT 12/12 — HtH 3, phaser II (24/24), Radiation suit (1/10)
• 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)

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

The doctor picks up the second coil and hands it to Commander Nadix when ready. "One down Commander just two more. You're doing great."

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

Running with Ensign Chowdhury Gareb starts to wish he had sweat glands like the pink skins.
He rearms himself with his plasma pistol, as he and Ranesh burst into the room to see...

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

"Thanks for coming back for me, sir," Chowdhury pants as the two dash back to Nadix and Ryerson.

ooc: I feel it would be reckless of me not to make clear that, despite our haste, we are doing the whole tossing something into the motion-triggered laser security room before running through it Hopefully, any pursuing crystallavians won't.

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Throughout the Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1955h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 23 minutes



Endilev and Chowdhury leap down from the elevating platforms before they even touch the floor. Before them, on the other side of the transpara-steel wall, the other officers are suited up and lumbering about the core reactor. One of the three energy coils shines bright and new; Nadix and Ryerson do their best to replace the second coil, but a corroded valve suddenly blasts caustic fluids and they have to set aside their work momentarily to plug the leak.

A precious minute is wasted, and Ryerson begins to swoon a little from the heavy doses of radiation!

(Failed attempt this round. Ryerson's suit is depleted, and he's taken 3 damage (9/12 CT), also dropping his DX by 1 until healed. Nadix's suit is still functioning with 4/10 hp.)

(The entire party party may now act.)

Actions?

Rolls…

Replacing the second coil:
First attempt… Coil replacement (9 + 1 for helper): [4d6] = 16 — failure, 1 minute lost.

• Ryerson radiation: [1d6] = 4 (suit down to 0/10, 3 damage taken!)
• Nadix radiation: [1d6] = 3 (suit down to 4/10)

• 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), Radiation suit (4/10)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 12/13 (+0), MN 7 (-2), LK 12, CT 9/12 — HtH 3, phaser II (24/24), Radiation suit (0/10)
• 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 former Edosian examines Dr. Ryerson's DNA and is troubled by what he sees.

Continuing operations in the deadly radioactive environment, he croaks, "...dOcToR... yOu mUsT aBoRt... tHe oThErS wIlL bE hErE mOmEnTaRiLy tO rElIeVe yOu... pLeAsE sTaNd dOwN..."

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

Chowdhury checks his chronometer again. Seconds tick past at an alarming rate. He rapidly calculates that they only have 1380 left... 1379... 1378... 1377...

He resists the temptation to keep asking how things are going and snaps his gaze away.

"Sir," he says to Commander Endilev as he watches their two colleagues working in the extremely hazardous environment beyond the glass. "Doc Ryerson's not looking too good. I'm thinking maybe we should have brought more suits."

Was there still time to go and deal with the crystallavians and get more? Chowdhury does a quick mental calculation and decides probably not. They might be able to get the suits and get back in the time remaining but probably not soon enough for it to be of any help. Was it worth trying though? Chowdhury couldn't think of anything else to do.

"What should we do sir? Is it worth trying to get another suit?"

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

Trying to weigh the benefits of action versus inaction, Endilev tears his eyes away from what’s happening in the core reactor to look at Ensign Chowdhury. Finally getting a good glimpse at the ship’s doctor he answers, ”lets hope it isn’t needed for a rescue mission. Let’s go Ensign.” He shouldn’t have doubted his very nature, action wins out again, he thinks as head heads back for the other suit.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryserson:

"Ooooh, I feel a little light headed. I don't feel so good. Oh sorry, commander." he says as his hands' fumble with the coil wasting precious time.
"I think I better go outside for some fresh air. This suit doesn't seem to be working properly."
The doctor hands Commander Nadix the coil he was holding and exits the radiated chamber.
He slowly makes his way out and sits just outside the door on the floor with his back to the chamber exhausted and fully enclosed in his suit.
His energy to remove even the helmet section gone. Over the suits coms, he continues his story slowly.
"With jacks and timbers, they started back down, when came that rumble way down in the ground."

[Captain Kinkajou]

Ensign Chowdhury

Chowdhury nods and determinedly follows Endilev out. He flexes his grip around his phaser, feeling the sweat between his fingers and on his palm. It seemed kind of dumb returning to the room with the crystallavians trapped inside, but then again it wasn't like he and Endilev had anything better to do for the next 22 minutes, other than watching and hoping that Nadix and the Doc could avert the self-destruct without them. And, if things didn't work out, well they'd feel pretty f@*king stupid and wish they'd tried something. So, they might as well get on with it. At least, going for another suit seemed like it might be of some use.

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Throughout the Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1959h

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 19 minutes



Dr. Ryerson drags himself out of the chamber, weighed down by the radiation seeping through his suit. Almost delirious, he props himself up in a corner and continues his story about the noble ancestors of Man's primitive past. Absentmindedly, his thoughts wander to his medical kit. (I can’t find what/if I said anything earlier about Ryerson’s medical kit and the radiation, so I’ll rule here that he can spend 1 minute to cure 1d6 hits from radiation, or 1d6 minutes if he fails his MN check. Each character can be healed in this way once, otherwise they will take a CT save to avoid overdosing.)

Nadix Ar Eth continues operations, cramped in his inadequate radiation suit designed for mere quadra-limbed life forms. A rod is removed; the replacement is hoisted onto the brace, but it does not align with the coupling; Nadix scans the ceiling above him with rolling eyes, piercing solid matter to monitor the progress of the rest of the crew… (Nadix failed twice, taking 7 damage—his suit is depleted to 0 points, and he has been reduced to 9/12 CT).

Inferno: please confirm whether Nadix continues working for 1 or 2 turns, or waits in safety for the others get back with the suit.

Rolls…

Replacing the second coil:
First attempt… Coil replacement (9): [4d6] = 16 — failure, 1 minute lost.

• Nadix radiation: [1d6] = 6 (suit down to 0/10, 2 damage taken!)

Second attempt… Coil replacement (9): [4d6] = 14 — failure, 1 minute lost.

• Nadix radiation: [1d6] = 1 (CT down to 9/12!)

Endilev and Chowdhury once again leap up onto the elevator platforms to resurface, before even having much of a chance to catch their breaths. Two minutes later they have returned to makeshift nest: the door is burst asunder, claw marks ripping through its metallic mass. The crystallavians, however, are gone. The echo of a shrill cry indicates that they have flown down the corridor, past the central chambers, in search of their prey.

Without delay, the pair enter the room and retrieve the final radiation suit! One agonizing minute later, after waiting for the control room’s light trap to recharge so that they can trigger again with some debris from the nearby computer room, they make their way underground and present the fresh suit to Nadix and Ryerson.


Rolls…

Turns for the birds to break through the door: [1d6] = 3 (1 before the party returns)
Direction they escaped (1-2 = left corridor; 3-4 = central corridor; 5-6 = right corridor): [1d6] = 6

Actions?

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — HtH 4, plasma pistol (12/12)
• Nadix Ar Eth — DX 15/16 (+3), MN 9, LK 9, CT 9/12 — HtH 2, phaser II (24/24), Radiation suit (0/10)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 12/13 (+0), MN 7 (-2), LK 12, CT 9/12 — HtH 3, phaser II (24/24), Radiation suit (0/10)
• 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)

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

The doctor opens his medical bag and proceeds to treat his radiation sickness.
MN (7) check: [3d6] = 14

[Inferno]

All that remains of Nadix:

Now that the doctor is safely out of harm's way, the being that had once been Star Fleet Science Officer Nadix Ar Eth continues working until the task is done.

The impairment to his mind has enabled him to explore the universe beyond his wildest imaginings. There is nothing left for him to discover. He has accomplished more today than in his entire career in the sciences.

All that remains now is to prevent further destruction and havoc wreaked upon the Coxan people by the ruinous violations of the Prime Directive. To that end, he will gladly give his life.

As he works, he momentarily glances up at his ship, the Janus. And then at his homeworld of Edos lll where his mother still works contentedly in her garden.

"...dOcToR... iT hAs bEeN aN hOnOr sErViNg wItH yOu..."

[Starbeard]

Coxa II: Throughout the Slaver Outpost
Stardate 2271.3.24: 1959h (still)

Countdown on Chowdhury's chronometer: 19 minutes (still)



The seconds tick away, as a doom of apocalyptic proportions draws near…

Dr. Ryerson, huddled in a corner and shivering from hot and cold sweats, treats himself with his medikit. Slowly, he feels the boosted blood cells in his body fight back the effects of the radiation.
(Missing his skill check, he will heal [1d4] = 4 over the course of [1d6] = 6 minutes. It's already been 2 minutes, so we'll round that up to 2 CT healed so far; Ryerson is now at 11/12 CT, and can stop now or heal himself up to full health if he continues to treat himself for another 2 minutes.)



Nadix Ar Eth, desperate to save this forgotten world, presses on in the reactor chamber, large holes melting through his radiation suit. Looking at the reactor, he sees the atoms that make up the damaged components spinning wildly, fitting together in a precarious dance between life and death. Looking through his own body, he sees the strain his corporeal form is taking from both the radiation and its inability to cope with his new empirical reality. One way or the other, the life of the being Nadix will soon be no more. Armed with this sobering knowledge, he stretches out with the limits of his new senses—within moments he sets the second coil properly in its place, and with all of his rapidly draining might locks it into place. A brief, cacophonous hiss of steam surges from the coil seams and then is replaced by a soft hum and a pulsing orange glow from within.

When the others return with the spare suit, he is still struggling with the third coil, wobbling on his three legs and close to collapse!

(I think it's safe to say that at this point Nadix has grown comfortable with his new ability, at least enough to comprehend the nuances of his bewildering vision as he works. He now treats his rolls as if he were being aided by a tricorder, giving -5 to the roll.)

(One successful check and one failed check, taking 5 + 1 radiation damage to bring Nadix down to 3/12 CT.)

Rolls:

4d6 vs MN9:
Coil replacement (9): [4d6] = 12 — -5 = 7, success!

Nadix radiation: [1d6] = 5 — down to 4/12 CT

Coil replacement (9): [4d6] = 17 — -5 = 12, fail!

Nadix radiation: [1d6] = 1 — down to 3/12 CT

Chief Endilev and Ensign Chowdhury stand poised with radiation suit in hand. Dr. Ryerson lies in one corner, his normal breath rate returning, but his uniform and radiation suit soaked in sweat. Nadix is inside the reactor chamber, in danger of succumbing to the radiation before he can finish the one final task to repair the third coil.

Actions?

• Gareb Endilev — DX 13 (+1), MN 9, LK 13 (+1), CT 15/15 — HtH 4, plasma pistol (12/12)
• Nadix Ar Eth — DX 15/16 (+3), MN 9, LK 9, CT 3/12 — HtH 2, phaser II (24/24), Radiation suit (0/10)
• Dr. Ned Ryerson — DX 12/13 (+0), MN 7 (-2), LK 12, CT 11/12 — HtH 3, phaser II (24/24), Radiation suit (0/10)
• 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 stands aghast for a moment, shocked and sobered by the sight of Commander Nadix bombarded with radiation inside the reactor chamber, close to death but still valiantly straining to replace the coils. Chowdhury had always felt a high regard for the Edosian and the selfless bravery he now witnessed elevated his respect still further. He didn't want to die, he wanted to make it back to his family, to see his wife and child again, but he had already had to come to terms with the fact that he might not survive this away mission. He couldn't stand by and watch Nadix die either. He wondered briefly if the Edosian had a family. Either way, somebody had to go in and help him. Chowdhury determinedly takes the radiation suit and hurriedly starts putting it on. Hang on Commander, he thinks, willing Nadix to hold out until he can reach him.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

The doctor continues to treat himself as he watches the young Ensign don the radiation suit and assists the commander.

[rredmond]

Commander Gareb Endilev

Gareb ensures the doctor is okay, helps Ensign Chowdhury with his suit (if needed) then breaks out his tricorder to see if he can help by taking readings and relaying any helpful information to the Ensign and Commander Nadix. Definitely a commendation, he thinks watching the Ensign head in.

[Inferno]

The being that was once Nadix Ar Eth does not relent. He keeps his mind and his terrible penetrating focus solely upon the microscopic molecular reactions within the atomic heart of the deadly radioactive chamber that is slowly killing him.

"...aLmOsT... tHeRe..."

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

Over the radiation suit mic, Dr. Ryerson continues his story "Then smoke and gas belched out of that mine and everybody knew it was the end of the line for big John."