Given the damage to the Hyperion, lack of co-pilot, and difficulty of the hard stop, Shadow is having a difficult time.  The wall is coming up close...too close.  You all brace for impact.

When the ship hits, you feel the concussion throughout your body as you slam forward.  The Hyperion tilts on its side and then crashes down.  Its balancers go out, and it crashes straight into the ground.  Luckily, the hardline was not hit.

As the smoke clears, Locke takes Silicon back to be checked on.  X is working on the computers, and Hammer is cursing at the engines.  Jinx says, "Looks like we may be here for awhile.  I think I could string a connection to the hardline and jack in to get a rescue squad our way.  Sneaking around is my specialty."

"What about them?" X says, pointing to you.

"We got those disks, don't we?  Let em jack in and see what our friends gave us.  It'll pass the time and may pay off with some dividends."  Jinx starts running cable and strapping on a suit to exit the ship.

"How long?" X says.

"Don't hold your breath."

X turns to Hammer.  "What about for repairs?"

Hammer mimics Jinx's answer.  "Don't hold your breath."

Locke says, "I think that's a good idea.  You guys test out that new stuff and see what we've got.  I'd like to get back to Zion with knowing what we've got on hand."

A little while later, Jinx is out making the connections.  You hear a buzzing noise in the distance...an all too familiar buzzing noise.

"Oh, crap," X says.  "More Sentinels."

Sure enough, Codec checks the radar and finds that there are about 100 Sentinels headed straight for you.

And the Hyperion is dead in the water.  You get ready for the fight of your life...or death.

"You have to exit the ship and do your best," Locke says.  "We've got to abandon it.  I've got no EMP pulses to try."

You get out of the ship and look down the long corridor.  Your heart skips a beat as you realize the impossibility of the task.  The Sentinels get closer...and closer.

You can see their many red eyes, their tentacles behind them.  You have rounded up six crew members to take out 100 Sentinels.  Time to say your good-byes...

The Sentinels get within a hundred feet and then suddenly stop.  Like one swarming being, they suddenly begin flying back the way they came.

You can't help but think that they were fleeing...from something.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:04, Mon 02 Oct 2006.

Screed is thankful to be alive and does not look a gift horse in the mouth.  "Well, why don't we do what we have to then?  Let's do that rescue team thing.  You want any help with getting the rescue team going?"

"There aren't any critters down here that I should be concerned about now should I? I mean we just barely scraped away from having to fight all of those..." He points and the fleeing sentinels. "I think I'll go check out what we got from those disks." Codec deeper into the ship to get to one of the jack chairs, and enter the testing room

Jinx says, "Why don't you guys figure out what's on those uploads we got and I'll worry about notifying Zion.  I've got contacts and know where to go."

Screed holds up his hands and says, "Alright, alright.  You get us out of here, we'll play.  _{I just hope one of these programs is a bar.  I could use a stiff drink.}"  He starts doing what he needs to to get the disks and himself ready.

Jade says, looking around nervously, "I was just remembering about that giant worm and those violent mutants that took apart sentinels like they were nobody's business.  The Sentinels were awfully scared of them..."

She takes a deep breath.  "And we went running.  The only thing that saved us was getting on the train and speeding out of there.  That's the only thing I've ever seen the Sentinels afraid of."

"Mutants? Worms? Guess I missed that show."

"I'm up for seeing whats on those disks too.  Nearly cost me my life and this big ole piece of junk."  Shadow thumbs over his shoulder at the half-wrecked ship.  "Not a bad parking job, huh?"

"Worms and Muties eh? Thats a comforting though to have before I jack in..."

For those who weren't around, Jade is referring to the events in Log 2.  A mutant corpse was taken back to Zion for further investigation.

If you don't want to read it all, the mutants are first mentioned here:  link to a message in "GURPS - Masters of the Matrix"

And more is learned throughout that mission, until the final attack of the giant worm...which killed one or two party members.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:39, Thu 05 Oct 2006.

Screed stumbles, "Get on a train?  Sentinels?  Mutants?  Worms?  Aren't some of these things in the matrix and some of the outside?  How is something outside afraid of something inside and so you jump on something inside to get away from something outside.  _{My brain hurts.}  I supposed we should get some kind of tracking up first or at least take a look."

Jade says, "Uh, that entire mission was outside the Matrix.  We were going to rescue scientists from Zero-One so they could help Zion.  Those mutants and that worm are as real as you and me...and they apparently scare the Sentinels to death."

Screed asks, "You had an actual running train outside the matrix?  Wow.  So do we have anything that will affect these mutants and worms?  He starts glancing towards outside portions of the ship.

OOC:  We can assume that all of you have been fully briefed on that mission and its results.

Locke is waiting for you back in the Hyperion.  "If these are those mutants or worms or whatever down here, then--"

"They are," says a voice from the back.  Silicon is rubbing his head.  "I checked our coordinates.  We're not too far away from that very spot.  What else could it be?"

"Okay then," Locke says.  "Here's the plan.  Jinx will jack into the Matrix and try to contact Zion, either get us help or at least let them know what's going on.  You guys will jack into that computer program our new 'friends' gave us and see what's there, especially if it will help us.  Meanwhile, Hammer, Silicon, our other crew members and I will get to repairing this ship as fast as possible.  We need the balancers online and full propulsion."

He pauses.  "And good work, men...and women.  Let me know who is willing to jack into the new program.  If you don't volunteer for that, you'll be helping us repair the ship.  Any questions?"

Screed asks, "Why wouldn't we all be helping with the repairs and jacking in later?"

"Because," Locke says, "there is supposed to be very helpful information on those uploads.  Second, ever hear of too many cooks in the kitchen?"  He smiles.  "The critical repairs are being done by Hammer and Silicon.  The rest of the help here would be just frosting on the cake until we can get to a repair station at Zion."

"I can fly this thing, but I can't until it's fixed, so I'm in."

Screed says, "Mmmm, frosting.  Okay, just wondering.  Let me go warm up my seat."

"I'm not good with repairs, just computers... I'm jacking in..." he replies quietly, following his crewmates.

"Count me in," Jade says.  "I'm very curious..."

OOC: Oh, I thought you were divying us up. Nevermind Post edited....

Codec rushes to the chair and jumps in..."Can't wait to see what we got here..."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:51, Tue 10 Oct 2006.

OOC:  Note, if you help with repairs you will not be a part of the next adventure...  That's why I'm sort of getting a roll call here.