"Ok, thank you Taranchula and Garavan for your help in this. I think this will pay off for your clan." Coleman looks around at everyone "Ok, be ready everyone. We don't want to encounter Degra and realize we've left our spare mags back here!"

Coleman turns back to Taranchula; "Ok, I think we're ready. We'll follow your lead."

Tauranchula leads the group to the front door, makes one last glance backward to make sure everyone has some sort of carrying device--bucket, satchel, whatever--before opening the door and leading the group out, with Garavan bringing up the rear.

Rather than head down the path to the stargate, or even around to the left towards the other arcologies, he leads the way around the tower to the right.

You can barely tell that there is a path there. It's overgrown and clearly hasn't been used in a long time. It weaves around several rocky outcroppings, up and down a few rises. The rocky cliff on your left rises about 120 feet. Probably climbable but it shows sign of fracturing that's dumped several piles of jagged rocks at the bottom in a few places.

After the indicated amount of time, you reach a large pile of rocks that have clearly crumbled off the cliff face.

Just before you get there, Tauranchula holds up his hand to stop everyone and scans around the area, also listening. After about a minute, he signals it's okay to continue.

"Those greenish rocks are the ones you want. Garavan and I will keep watch," Tauranchula says, and then moves off to the other side of rubble pile.

"Ok, let's gather enough for at least a few tests, guys." Coleman says as he starts gathering up the green rocks. He tries to split his attention between getting rocks and keeping a lookout for any hostiles, and he double-checks to make sure Bjorn does the same since he knows that would be Bjorn's training as well.

 Lizzy had a bucket for the mineral they where collecting, she followed the others and watched closely and carefully as they made their way along the old pathway. Once they got there Lizzy made sure everyone was ok and then began collecting the green stones that she was told where the right ones. Lizzy paid more attention to collecting the mineral she knew the others would keep her safe. She replied," Yes sir lets do this as fast as we can we never know what will happen next on this planet."

Having been trained to look in two directions at once, Jason takes a moment to eye a pile of green rocks then scans the surroundings as he scoops up rocks without looking at them and dumps them in his haversack.

"Not to be sexist, but if a couple of us were on watch with some autorifles, we'd be in a better position to scoop up these rocks," he said.

"Then again, just how many of these Degra are in a swarm? They're big enough to shoot with a bullet, right? It's not like they're the size of ants, are they?"

Nobody has to remind Jason of what the Degra look like because they start coming over the ridge and down the collapsed cliff face. It's almost comical as the creatures slip, slide and tumble down the loose stone. No doubt they were attracted by the sound of the digging.

While they seem to move on all fours as easily as a cat, they are capable of standing on their hindlegs, at least for a short period of time. They have grasping hands on their front legs, and every now and then you see one holding a weapon.

They have the appearance of a cross between a cat and a badger, short-legged, stocky, with a wide maw full of nasty-looking teeth.

They seem to have little intelligence, mostly focused aggression, as they don't slow down when they see the SG members. If anything, you look like easier targets.

With the two Minotaurs on watch, as well as Coleman and Jason keeping one eye out, no one is surprised when the Degra appear.

You have time to do something before they make it down the hill.

"Here they come, folks. Let's get backed up against that cliff so they can't completely surround us!" Coleman waves towards the cliff and moves over towards it, then kneels on one knee to steady a shot and takes aim. If he has time to clear a shot, he'll drop the hammer, but his bigger concern is everyone getting into a defensible position.

OOC:
15:24, Today: Coleman Hendricks rolled 6 using 1d10+1 with rolls of 5.  damage, if needed.

15:23, Today: Coleman Hendricks rolled 13 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 8.  To Hit, if needed.

 Lizzy quickly closes her container and then take a defensive position with Coleman. She then says," You got LTC, lets protect our backs." Lizzy then took a defensive position and got ready too shoot when they when within range.

The cliff is where you were gathering the ore and had partly collapsed. It's the same one that the Degra were coming down.

While there is more cliff face that's more intact back along the path that brought you here, that's essentially a retreat.

Rather than try to deal with shooting 200-300 creatures individually, you'll hit one for every point over 14 your roll to hit. Their AC is really 15 (Dex + toughness), but you get a bonus because they are so close together. You almost can't miss at this point. For all intents and purposes, one shot equals one kill.


The two Minotaurs let loose with their lightning guns as soon as the Degra come within range, which is a lot closer than that of the P90s. Oddly, it turns out that the lightning guns are more about intimidation than actual lethalness. The sizzle and crack of the lightning is more intimidating than the small thunder of the P90s. The creatures scatter in front of it, but still keep coming.

The Minotaurs, however, aren't standing their ground--they are retreating, too, and if anyone of the SG team isn't behind them, they pick you up by the collar and fling you backwards out of danger.

Jackie shoots and runs like in basic training.


12:50, Today: Jackie Carter rolled 24 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 19.  Shooting.

"Ok, let's follow their lead; firing withdrawl. Keep up that base of fire!"

OOC: There were some things on my character sheet that I wasn't familiar with, so I looked up what they meant. Nothing that useful, but, apparently, the P90 has a crit threat range of 19-20... so Jackie may have critted. :D

It also has a -1 accuracy, so my roll should have been 1 lower. But, on the bright side we can use it for "burst fire" (and it gets an inherent +1 to hit when you do so) which can be used to increase damage or increase chance to hit.... this game has lots (and lots) of little rules to it.

Next round I'll try to take some more of that into account. :D

The two Minotaurs take out 2-3 Degra with each shot of their lightning gun, which even frazzles and confuses other nearby Degra. While the swarm seems to be reasonably coordinated, a few lightning shots have them tripping and tumbling over each other.

Lizzy completely misses hitting any of them, perhaps because she was being dragged backwards by Tauranchula.

Carter has no problem spraying the horde with a burst, discovering that the bullets easily go three two or three at this range, dropping nearly a dozen with her shot.

Coleman only manages to hit one, as his burst sprays the ground in front of them.

Jason manages to drop three of them.


And then the Degra are several yards behind you. Their original surge had been momentarily halted, and the two Minotaurs had simply scooped up the team and turned and run back to the tower. Their powerful, long-legged strides easily outpace the four-legged run of the Degra. While they are quick, they aren't greyhounds or cheetahs. They almost, though, catch up to you before you reach the tower, where six other Minotaurs step out and blast the front with lightning guns.

"Well, that was fun!" Tauranchula laughs, quickly joined by the others.

"We couldn't have done it if you hadn't given us more crystals and shown us how to replace them in the lightning guns! We've always had to be cautious of using too much because we still have to go out and harvest crops."

"Well, hopefully with that ore we can get the crystal production working correctly again, and, in the long term, the air clearing up as well.

Perhaps once your people are on a firm footing here, we can be allies against the greater dangers out in the universe. That is if your people would be interested in that."

 Lizzy saw they went the wrong way, and she went to fire and she was lifted up into the air and carried off towards the tower by Tauranchula. No wonder she didnt hit anything, she got herself squared away when they got back to the tower and went to help get the rock ready to be used in one of the vats. Lizzy smiled and headed with their guests to help and learn.

"I do not feel that we as a people are stupid," Tauranchula replies to Coleman, "but since your arrival, we have learned just how much we have lost or forgotten. It's not like we didn't know some of it, but we didn't seem capable of determining why. It was just... 'inevitable', to us."

"We know now that we relied on computers too much, though that was apparently the intent of the Altairans. The computer was supposed to guide us along until we could sustain our own culture. If you can fix it, it probably still can. But it was sabotaged before we reached that point. For us, at that time, there was nothing else."

"I can see now, though, how valuable it would be to have trade with you and your people, ColemanHendricks. You would become the second string to our bow. Yes, we know what bows are. We were on the verge of returning to their use when the lightning guns all ran out of power."


While the rest of you were all out having fun, Kyle and Karen had managed to repair the computer in so much as they were able to bypass the damaged unit and reboot the mainframe.

Kyle was even able to call up the schematic for the damage unit, determine what parts were damaged and needed replaced, and even locate the storage unit with those parts still in inventory. He estimates it'd take him and Carter maybe two days to fully repair it.

The computer also had a routine for correcting the problem with the vats. It wasn't a routine on file but one that it constructed based on what its sensors told it was wrong. Starting with the lowest vat, apply 1 lb. of ground mineral to it once per week for 3 weeks. Only after it is clear should you start on the next vat above.

Apparently, there is some sort of cascade effect, possibly some airborne contaminant, that trickles down. Thus, if you started at the top, by the time you got the contaminated ones fixed, all the ones below would have been corrupted.

Kyle has also found out all sorts of interesting data about the arcologies. Normally, the outer shell is transparent. The smog has obscured the view and there are some sort of barnacle growing on the outside because of the smog.

Coleman relays the whole update to Taranchula. "With the computers back up and running and giving instructions on recovery, it seems like you'll be able to take care of everything here. I guess we better return home and relay your interest in communication and trade. I'm not certain if I'll be the one they send back to formalize things, but someone will be back to trade and check in on your people.

Maybe someone will even come up with a long-term solution to the Degra problem.

Taranchula, I'm very happy to have met you and your people. Hopefully, our peoples will have a long and prosperous relationship!"

Coleman lets everyone know that they head out once everyone is ready.

Kyle was delighted, exploring a quite novel community structure that was computer supported whilst attempting to develop for itself at a more primitive level. The last time he'd seen anything like that was on an episode of Star Trek!

Although he was reluctant to leave before the 'job' was finished, he also realized that this was a long-term project and he and the others weren't particularly skilled or equipped to deal with that.

Also, if they returned from this successful mission, there'd probably be another one just waiting for them. Maybe they'd encounter intelligent fish next! Or high-tech giraffes! Oo! Blobs!  Heh-heh. That'd be... uh, strange. Mucho strange-o!

"Kyle or Karen... explain to them that we'll probably send a Cultural Exchange group through next. Their purpose will be to study the Minotaur culture to see how best we can help you, what kind of supplies you might need or want, and what you might possibly have to trade with us, other than the crystals."

"Once the vats are all up and running, crystals might be viable as a trade item, but we're not going to take them away from you if you need them."

"Anyway, from my point of view, I hope we get to come back here and visit."

"Sure," said Kyle and scampered off to deliver the message to the Minotaur leadership.

He was quite glad really. Even if playing with the computers had been quite fun, it wasn't really his thing.

 Lizzy smiled and helped out where she could, and then got all her gear together as well.  Lizzy said to  Taranchula, Language Latin " Thank you for your help and grabbing me too safety, it was an honor to meet you and I hope we meet again." Lizzy smiled and then said to Coleman," I am good to go Sir."

With that settled, the team soon heads back to the stargate, with six Minotaurs as escorts... just in case.

At the stargate, the triangle control panel is used to dial the address of Earth.

The Minotaurs are very impressed with your ability to use the DHD as well as the effect of the wormhole opening.

After sending the code through, the 'okay' reply is received, indicating that they've accepted your code and the iris is opened.

"Ok, move out!" Coleman always tries to go last just to make sure everyone makes it through safely.

 Lizzy will gather her gear and secured samples follow all protocols and then head through the Gate when it is ready for her too do so.  She says as she heads through the event horizon, " Yes Sir see you on the other side."

---->>>>> To SGC: Gate Room

Kyle stepped through in his turn, marvelling as always at the transit.

If the Colonel was going to be the last through, then Jason should have been first. It wasn't that anything was expected to be a threat back at the SGC--it was just protocol.

He expected Carter to be next to last, as she could back-up the Colonel just as easily as he could.

The others were a bit too quick... eager? ...to get back to Earth. He could say he blamed them. While this world was fascinating, they were also seeing it at its worst (probably), and, no matter how you cut it, it was still alien. He'd already learned that the term 'homesick' could take on a whole new meaning out here.

Following Kyle, Jason stepped through the puddle. He knew better, but he still had a hard time thinking of it as anything else.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:59, Sat 10 Apr 2021.