The skipper wastes no time in putting you to work fixing the damaged deck, though he has you doing the labouring work while he does the more technical aspects.

He then spends the next few hours teaching you which rope is which, and the various aspects of the boat.

In reply to Fate (msg # 1):

Certainly the hard way to do it... a simple reactor and this thing would move better with out all this rope mess.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 2):

"Yes, but we would then need all the infrastructure to support a reactor and maintain it, which we don't have. Even if we had it, we would be vulnerable now that we have lost it. This gear, with a little relatively low tech automation, is much more reliable."

I don't see how... you are wind dependent, it's slow and there are numerous things that could go awry. Your Tech will be back soon and I expect serious advances shortly thereafter.  The ability to move quickly has many merits, especially with agricultural goods.

"We got here six years ago in one small ship with about seven hundred people. The labs," he spat venomously, "killed everyone at Landfall - about a quarter of our number."
Meir was already intimately familiar with the operations of the ship, even if he usually sailed slightly smaller vessels during his expeditions. A hundred a twenty foot long ship wasn't really necessary for exploration, mapping, and biological surveys.
"That's a lot of valuable skills and genetic diversity. I'm not even sure the colonies are still viable after that. We certainly can't support more than basic technology at this point."
"In fact it will be hard to maintain even just what we've still got after loosing so much in the attack."
It wasn't just people and knowledge that was destroyed, much of their more advanced industry had been shattered beyond repair.

I saw, but I also know some things...one being that Kalishnakov has a major settlement just a jump away. He has lots of current tech and could use a place to plant both people and tech... right now he only has a moon. You both might be able to work out something where you both gain ... and the Government guys won't want to mess with his stuff... he has handled them quite roughly in the past.

Kat looks around the vessel as she is very curious about it. She explores what she can to see how it works. "So skipper, how did you survive the crash and such? I am impressed by what you did.  Hopefully now that we are here, we can help to rebuild your colony"

"What crash?"

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 8):

"Not sure about any crash, but we were simply absent when Landfall was attacked, and we stayed hidden. Nothing we could have done anyway. We thought to go an pick up survivors, but there were not any...

More than likely, we survived because we did not have any high tech they could detect. Half the planet is covered by trees, so finding a wooden boat is like looking for a needle in a haystack. The reason we adopted low technology was to enhance our survivability in the event of a catastrophe hitting one of the bases, as happened. Of course, contact with Earth or t least other Terrans changes all of that, but that only happened in the last few days."

The sea so far is fairly mild, with gentle 1m swells and 15-25 knot breezes bringing you along gently at about 5 knots. The ship departs from the coast and head towards the Fishing settlement.
This message was last updated by the GM at 05:39, Wed 04 Jan 2017.

Meir filled in for the position of navigator, a role he was eminently qualified for. After all, the maps and charts aboard the ship he'd had a major hand in creating in the first place.
"We're making reasonable speed. I estimate about ninety to a hundred standard hours if we can keep it up."
"That's doubtful though as I've never known the wind to blow consistently, and we're probably going to have to anchor when it gets dark."
Although his maps were good, they'd only had a few years to survey the route and many hazards remained unknown. Better to travel by daylight when they had a better chance of detecting trouble before they hit it.

[Private to GM: Made Navigation by 4.]

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 10):

"Agreed. There is an island about 25 nautical miles away where we can anchour for the night. We should be there in about 5 hours."

"Still don't see why we need to use the old antiquated measurements," he muttered, clearly an old argument he was used to loosing.
"I mean, this is our planet, why can't we just use metric like normal people and make my job so much easier?"

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 12):

"I thought you knew about navigation? Nautical miles is based on the circumference of the planet, and as this planet is approximately the same diameter as earth, 1 nautical mile is equivalent to one minute of longitude at the equator. This makes reading charts so much easier, and navigating much more logical. At one knot, you travel 1 nautical mile in one hour. So it becomes very easy to understand, and this, by the way, is not an imperial unit, but actually a metric unit used for navigation. As a derived SI unit, one nautical mile is 1,852 metres is metric, as there was an old Imperial nautical mile, but it was abandoned before the turn of the 2nd millenia."

[OOC: the old Imperial Nautical Mile, or Admiralty measured mile, was abandoned even by the United States in 1970, probably because maritime charts needed to be consistent worldwide and such details were decided my the IMO, (International Maritime Organization) not the client states such as US and Australia, and most other nations!]

"I'm a cartographer."
He was probably the best on the planet before the attacks, certainly after.
"Kilometres and milliradians are far better options."

Personally prefer Parsecs and Jump Points myself...

She looks at Cyril "Which just proves you need to get planet side more. So lets go find a nice place to go for a swim and have some fun"

"Umm," he said, pointing over the side.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 17):

"Some Cartographer. All navigators use nautical miles. We will anchour at a quiet bay for tonight, where you and .my kids may swim. I believe there is a beach there, if my memory serves me."

[Private to Meir Galinski: Actually, most early cartographers were also navigators, and recorded latitude and longitude only of objects, indicating they also used nautical miles, which can be read directly from such readings. Kilometers and radians would need some translation work...]

"See, this is the hidebound attitudes I'm up against!" he said to the off-worlders, acknowledging defeat once again. Even the greats of mathematics and cartography such as Eratosthenes, Fra Mauro, and Henry Pelham had their setbacks though, so he was confident his ideas would eventually be accepted. Probably wouldn't be for another few hundred years though....

Cyril looks over the side to see what Meir is pointing to...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 20):

There is a lot of water over the side. Clear waters that would be excellent for swimming if the fishe there are not too carnivorous...

[Secret to Meir Galinski: You know they do not eat people, though some of them hunt other fish (think salmon, tuna or other game fish.) There are larger predators around, similar to sharks, but they are as rare as they are large (Think Apex predators...including creatures like killer whales!) and you cant see any from here.]

Kat looks over in the water "So, is there anything in the water that eats people?"

"Probably, but we've only had six years to look..." he replied with a shrug.
"You may want to wait until we anchor for the night before diving in though. We're not going to break any speed records with this wind, but not even the fastest sprinter's going to keep up."
"Got a wetsuit, or better yet, a dry suit?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:47, Mon 09 Jan 2017.

She looks at Meir "I was thinking of a bikini? What is the temp of the water?"

"Well, given the temperature in summer barely breaks fifteen degrees celsius just about anywhere on the planet, and it's not summer now, I'm going with "not hot"..."

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 25):

Current temperature about 8 degrees Celcius, with an expected maximum today of about 10 degrees.

"We have seen some whale-sized fish that seem to have sharp teeth for eating whatever is in the water, man-sized or larger, but they are rare in the shallows such as the small beach we will be camping at. Best to swim there. We have also seen some large squid or octupii, but never been able to catch one for proof, so most of the other colonists think it is our imagination..."

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 24):

Hmmmm... You may want your fur lined Bikini...

"Maybe we can wait till we are in a place with some warmer water" she says with a grin.

Sounds like a good plan... and shallow sounds desirable as well.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 29):

"We will make it to a small lagoon by tonight. It will be both warmer and protected. May even be up to about 10 degrees Celcius..."

It is getting late by the time a small island shows up on the horizon.

30º C is more to my liking.

In reply to Skipper (msg # 30):

"Toasty!"
His tone wasn't clear if he was serious or joking...
[Private to GM: Sooooo going for a dip, in the wetsuit. Might even try gathering a bit of fresh food while in there.]

"Well, if its all we can get, we will have to go with it"

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 33):

"There may be some hot springs inland, but I would not know. The ocean is pretty cold, and the ice caps larger than earth by about 1,000 km."

It seems cooler for sure... and I am warm blooded and don't enjoy being cold.

She grins at Cyril "I an warm you up"

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 36):

"Not in front of the kids if you dont mind.

READY TO DROP THE PICK?"

There is an "Aye, Sir!" from the front, to which the skipper replies

"WHEN YOU ARE READY. DROP THE SAILS! Can you guys get on the aft sail winch thanks?"

A splash and clanking of chain against hull indicates the anchor is on its way.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:05, Wed 11 Jan 2017.

"That means we're dropping anchor and the three of us are to get to that machine with the levers sticking out of it up the back," Meir translated when nobody had moved.

"Say, that spaceship of yours, how good are it's long range sensors? Could it detect a ship at say two light years?"
[Private to GM: Thinking I'd throw in a reference to a second wave of colonists who were due to leave about ten years later. The ship would have to average a speed of about 0.43 light years which would put it just under a parsec away now.
Of course there's absolutely nothing to say the ship even actually left Terra in the first place (ten years is a very long time) or didn't run into trouble a very long time ago...]

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 36):

Oh yes you do!... in so many ways.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 38):

No, that's a bit out of our ability... inside a light year and not in Hyper Space, we can probably see it. There are a  lot of variables.

"Oh, that's disappointing," he said as he worked to help drop the sail.
"There was supposed to have been another ship about ten years behind us. If it had left on schedule, right now it would be about two light years away and travelling at around forty percent the speed of light. Of course we've no way of knowing if it even left Terra, let alone if it survived the last hundred years."

Good to know... but that's still about 3-5 years out then. Don't like surprises.

/radio call/ Duke, Locals say another colony ship is due in here in 3 to 5 years if it left as scheduled and had the same tech. Traveling at 0.4 light speed. Were their any tech improvements you can find that might put them here sooner? We don't want any surpris or accidents. /end radio call/

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 42):

After a search through the database on the Dastavka, it was found that the second colony ship left 20 years later due to political developments on earth, and set out for a different, though nearby, destination. The ship incorporated slightly more powerful drives and some more advanced cloning technology, as well as the first laser weapons, but not anything to effect it significantly. It has not been heard from since it left.

//Can you Identify which system they went to?//

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 44):

Not really. They were sent to the Bootes Cluster but closer to Pollux/Castor, but they could have changed directions.

//The Bootes Cluster means little... Castor and Pollux are well away from here.//

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 46):

Exactly. Guessing the star system they ended up at is a rather large gamble!

In reply to Fate (msg # 47):

While the Dastavka is searching through history files on the generation ships, the skipper has anchoured in a small bay on an island that does not extend much past the bay in any direction. It is about 500 yards in radius, with the land forming a crescent that could not be more than 300 yards wide at the widest (and highest) point. The peak, in about the middle of the crescent, is about 100 yards high, rock jutting up out of the sea and clearly the remnants of a long forgotten volcano. The ends of the island are much more eroded by the sea, with sand beaches forming on the inner part of the crescent that make for sheltered swimming locations. Further inland, there are a number of trees like palms with large brown fibrous balls on them.

The eldest son readies the launch, which can take 8 easily.

Meir disappears below decks and returns a few minutes later in a wetsuit.
"You go ahead, I'll see about getting dinner."
Drawing his long knife he dove over the side into the cold water...
[Private to GM: Success on the survival roll by 2]

Kat has been walking around looking at what is going on. She watch's as Meir goes over the side. "So luv" she looks at Cyril "We going to shore?"

I suppose we should... doubt there is anything much to hunt, so expect dinner will be seafood... but perhaps a few plants of interest...

Kat grins as she grabs her pack "So we ready to go?"

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 52):

"You guys go ahead. I will sleep here the night, as usual."

We may come back aboard as well... depend on what we find ashore.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 54):

"We camp here a bit, and it has always been safe, but your call."

Undestand... let's see what we find ashore...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 56):

As you approach the island, you can see some wooden huts constructed up a little from the beach. The beach is surrounded by small trees  and shrubs, but the area around the hut has been cleared out.

As you reach the beach (you are rowed in), Meir surfaces a bit offshore with a large fish about 18 inches long (about half a metre).

She jumps out and looks around, picking up her pack and walking over to look in the huts. "Does anyone live here?"

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 58):

"Only us. We built them as a stopover point."

Cyril gives it a once over visually ... anything like sand fleas?  Guess we need a fire too, I'm not that wild about sushi.

The "fish" Meir had caught was, unsurprisingly, quite unlike anything most Terrans had ever seen. Although superficially similar, the number of fins, their placement, even the overall dimensions of the creature all just seemed wrong somehow.
"Sorry, it's only a small one, not big enough to feed us all, but the best I could do at this time of day with only my small knife."
The knife he carried wasn't exactly small at several inches longer than the large fish he'd caught with it.

Do you have Crustaceans?  a Couple of Lobster would balance things nicely ...

"Yes, but they're either tiny, big enough to eat you whole, or poisonous."

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 63):

"There are a couple of clams in this lagoon big enough to eat you whole too, but they are nice if you eat them first. This fish will go well with some of the sweet potatoes we planted her a few years ago. They have started to grow wild now."

That sounds reasonable, Guess we'll save our Lobster pots ;-)

Kat sighs "Lobster would be nice. So its just fish then. Any animals here"

(ooc-what is the temperature outside?)

"Just birds, similar to earth, and bugs and lizards.

Outside temperature is about 15 degrees Celcius, they tell you.

My dear, may I suggest that 59º F is a wee bit chilly for your bikini.... or Tanya's. You'll have goose bumps on your Goose bumps.

"I guess we need to find a beach on a warmer planet with a beach" she says with a smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about! It's positively tropical!"
With practised ease he prepared the "fish" for cooking, still in his insulated wetsuit.

You are very acclimated... it's a bit chilly for us less hirsute types.

The rest of the crew clean up the cabins and grab some potatoes, throwing them into foil and putting them around the fire to cook. The hut has a basic steam generator they fire up and get the power on, using wood previously cut. Replacement wood is cut as well.

Kat finds a hut and puts her stuff in it and walks around looking. She goes and kicks off her boots so she can just put her feet in the water.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 73):

The hut is clean and simple, but comfortable. The sand is fine and white, likely made up from coral, but the water is definitely cold!

"It feels cold but its good to just put my feet in it" she says as she looks out over the water.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 75):

The water in the lagoon is clear and relatively calm. Waves are no more that 2 ft high, coming in the entrance and radiating around. There are shallow areas, and deeper pools, with sand around the edge.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 71):

Meir nodded in agreement. "Twenty seven years floating through near absolute zero followed by six more here does tend to acclimatise a person to the cold."
"The insulated wetsuit helps too," he grinned.

She looks at Meir "I wish I had though to bring one."

"We might be able to scrounge up some lard to smear over you."

Now that might be exciting... sort of like a Mazzola Party of one or two...

Kat just glares at the men, not saying anything.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 81):

"We don't do a lot of swimming here. It is too cold, but we use suits when we do. There may be a spare one back on the boat, though the fit will be far from perfect!"

"That's all right" she says with a wave of her hand.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 83):

The meal of fresh fish and sweet potatoes is a pleasant change from the fare usually found in starship galleys. The crew have many questions: Have you seen other races? What is earth like now? What is life like on modern starships?

Dusk comes over the horizon, bringing a sunset of spectacular colours as the crew bunker down for the night.

Kat answers all the questions truthfully as she enjoys the real food.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 85):

The night passes uneventfully, with the sound of the waves and the sea air helping to give you all a good nights sleep. One of the best in ages...

Morning comes, and a brisk sea breeze starts to pick up as breakfast is cooked.

Kat looks around as she gets up, letting Cyril sleep. She goes out to see if there is any coffee.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 87):

That is one thing there is not. However, there is a tin kettle, a fire, and a bag of coffee beans, and a pestle...

Cyril rolls over looking for his slightly greased partner... and she isn't there... he wakes with a jolt. He sits up... notes the growing light outside along with the morning chill... he throws on some clothes and heads out to see where Kat is... and what may be going on.

"Be careful with that," a bleary eyed Meir offered from his blankets near the edge of the firelight.
"Those beans have a kick you're not likely used to."

Kat looks at the coffee stuff. "What do you do with this stuff?" she looks completely lost.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 91):

"Oh, we don't have a grinder. You have to grind the coffee beans yourself in the pestle and then you get to make your own coffee. The old fashioned way! It is only as strong as you make it Meir!"

Tanya hugs her breasts through her wetsuit.  "Brrrrr!"

Kat sighs "I guess I am not so good with all this stuff."

It's a very old way of doing it... let me see if I can master the Mortar and Pestle... Cyril gets to grinding...





[Private to GM: 19:37, Today: Cyril Zotmund rolled 10 using 3d6 with rolls of 1,5,4.  DX  By 2...]

In reply to Crew (msg # 92):

"And I keep saying the soil composition and microbes are completely different to back on earth! That's had an impact on the coffee bushes which you'd recognise if you'd ever actually tasted the original and not the hydroponic stuff on the ship, or what we grow here now."
One of the very first tasks the biologists had needed to carry out at landfall was testing the soil and ensuring the seedstock they had brought with them would grow, and grow without unexpected and potentially deadly mutations. Fortunately Acquitaine had proven to be fairly close to earth for the most part, even if the mineral mix and soil bacteria were a little different.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 95):

Cyril does master the mortar and pestle, and despite there being something subtly unusual about the taste, it is clearly recognizable as coffee, and very fresh coffee at that!

Fresh Coffee! That's always welcome!  But I do taste the difference too... not bad, but unexpected.

She looks at Cyril "You are good for something."

She looks at Meir "The only thing I can make is gin. I have a still on the ship. Otherwise I don't cook or anything domestic"

Oh that's not true dear... you have several very domestic skills...

She puts her hands on her hips and glares as Cyril, which she seems to do a lot.

Cyril smiles back...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 102):

After breakfast, you and the crew clean up and head back to the ship. The captain has already prepared the boat, and you weigh anchor and set sail upon your return.

The wind has picked up somewhat today, and you make good progress, though it is rough.

[OOC: HT check, modified by your boating skill, not to be seasick!]

Boating Skill? Are you serious?  G-Tolerance maybe...

Cyril finds the ships movements unsettling and soon returns breakfast to the fish.


[Private to GM: 15:38, Today: Cyril Zotmund rolled 13 using 3d6 with rolls of 5,4,4.  HT. missed by 2]

Kat is not feeling well either and joins her lover.

[Private to GM: 21:56, Today: Katherine 'Kat' Steele rolled 13 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,3,6.  sea sick.]

The motion of the ship as it rolled through the waves barely bothered Meir. It was something he'd grown rather accustomed to over the past few years.
"Here, try this."
He offered the green faced offworlders strips of something that looked a lot like the hard leathery pads he wore on his knees and elbows.
"Chew it and your nausea may fade."
[Private to GM: Basically some sort of dried local food - form of jerky or dried fruit perhaps.
Probably won't do a damn thing, but you never know until you try! :p]

Cyril just nods ... and tries a piece.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 107):

The food smells like seaweed that has been in the sun for a week. Some of the crew watch this exchange and shake their heads, smirking.

[Private to Cyril Zotmund: HT roll again not to be sick...again.]

Cyril chews whatever it is... he stink lost in what had been going on...



[Private to GM:  19:12, Today: Cyril Zotmund rolled 10 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,2,4.  HT. made by 1.]

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 109):

There seems to be genuine amazement as Cyril actually manages to keep his lunch...for a minute. Then it returns with a vengeance!

"That stuff usually helps by emptying the remaining contents of your stomach. We keep it in case people eat something poisonous, as it works much better than two fingers!"

[Private to Cyril Zotmund: There was a -4 penalty not to vomit with that stuff under these circumstances. A -2 penalty under normal conditions!]

Cyril proceeds to empty his stomach violently ... as he considers how to best kill Meir slowly and painfully... he manages a don't try it to Kat

Kat eats it and hopes it makes her feel better.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 112):

Kat finds it really does have a bad smell...

[Private to Katherine 'Kat' Steele: Need a HT roll, with a -4 penalty!]

She doesn't feel good.  [Private to GM: 23:07, Today: Katherine 'Kat' Steele rolled 13 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,4,6.  HT. versus 11.]

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 111):

"Never said it would," Meir leaned casually against the far railing and grinned back as he tore off another piece with his teeth and chewed.
"Just that it could."
He chewed with an expression of contentment only a zen master could achieve.
"Mmmm, I love this stuff!"
[Private to GM: Hopefully he's far enough away that the substitution won't be readily noticed, especially with their heads over the other side! :p]

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 115):

Both Kat and Cyril notice that what he is eating is not exactly the same as what he offered them.

"Oh, I guess you have to get use to this stuff"

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 117):

As the day wears on, you don't feel much better. Finally, around late afternoon, another island is sighted.

This island is a little larger than the previous one, and there is an active volcano on it with a peak around 700 feet above the sea. The skipper pulls around into the lee of the island, and parks about 250 yards from the shore.

"It is usually pretty quiet, but lava flows on the island can be dangerous, so we will have to stay aboard tonight." he explains.

At least the lee has calmer weather, and about 2 or 3 hours after you weigh anchor, you start to feel better. You may even feel like eating by breakfast time...

Cyril tries a light supper, figuring that come morning, he may not have time to digest breakfast before the motion gets to him...

Kat monas "Wonderful" she says as she drinks some water

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 120):

You sleep fitfully as the boat strains on it's anchour cable, though the crew do not seem to notice, as their snoring is nearly as loud.

Until early morning. The loud clanging of the anchor chain as it is lifted at first light rudely wakes you. Breakfast is grilled fish...as the boat departs.

The seas are a little more mild in the morning, though the dark clouds suggest the afternoon will be a very different story.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:01, Tue 31 Jan 2017.

Cyril again tries to eat lightly... Eat lightly Kat... hopefully we can have it all digested before it gets rough...



[Private to GM: 17:23, Today: Cyril Zotmund rolled 8 using 3d6 with rolls of 2,2,4.  HT. Made it by 3]

Kat wakes up and looks around. She looks at Cyril "Well, at least its fresh. I wonder if I have any gin left"

Meir takes pity on the offworlders and offers them one small tablet each with breakfast.
"Natural remedies aren't always best. That's why we also carry pharmaceuticals."
[Private to GM: Whatever generic motion sickness drugs are carried in the ships medical supplies...]

I'm doing OK right now... let's save it for later...

"These are actually seasickness tablets, made at the farming colony. They should be taken an hour before they are needed. And it looks like they will be needed. You can all swim, right?" the skipper says, handing them out too the crew as well.

Good Point, Lets stay ahead of the need.

"Yes, I can swim." she says as she looks around.

In reply to Skipper (msg # 126):

"Good. if it gets nasty, I might get everyone to put on life jackets all the same."

He indicates where they are, and goes through how to put them on with you.

Which is just as well, as the storm is picking up a little. By lunch time, the wave are up to 8 ft with a 40 knot wind blowing. But the skipper seems excited.

"We will be there in no time with this wind...It is blowing in about the right direction!"

[OOC: Please indicate who take the Sea sickness tablets at breakfast.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:40, Wed 01 Feb 2017.

I can swim too, but not any great distance.

She will take the Sea sickness tablets

Even Meir popped one of the tablets with his breakfast, knowing that the seas were about to get rather "turbulent". He also kept his wetsuit on and a life jacket always close to hand.
It wasn't that he couldn't swim, but usually in weather such as this he was in a much smaller boat and probably alone. With the water as cold as it was and rescue either days away or totally non-existent, it didn't pay to take risks.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 132):

The crew take similar approaches, but they actually wear their life jackets. It is not concern about the ship, but rather about being washed overboard when going topside to adjust the sails.

The storm does move in later in the afternoon. You are all required topside for various duties, such as sail adjustment and at one point bailing after a particularly big wave.

[OOC: HT checks. The +2 due to the tablets, and -2 due to the particularly nasty weather conditions cancel each other out.

Also, DX checks, not to be washed overboard. Perfect Balance assists this.]

Meir feels quite at home in the rough seas, almost skipping about the deck as he moves from one duty to another, chewing on a piece of dried meat of local origin.
[Private to GM: Passed both easily.]

Cyril does his part, but wonders why he allowed himself to be talked into this ...



[Private to GM: 11:28, Today: Cyril Zotmund rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 5,1,3.  DX .
11:28, Today: Cyril Zotmund rolled 10 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,1,5.  HT.  made both for a change]

Kat helps where she can, seeming to be better now. She moves better on the deck.

[Private to GM: She made both, just for HT 21:28, Today: Katherine 'Kat' Steele rolled 11 using 3d6 with rolls of 2,6,3.  ht roll. 21:28, Today: Katherine 'Kat' Steele rolled 10 using 3d6 with rolls of 5,1,4.  dex. ]

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 136):

With the distraction of the storm and the assistance of the tablets, everyone is able to work well together, and the ship makes good time, even if it is a little exciting. By evening, the wind is dying down, but the skipper plans on sailing through the night to make the most of the wind.

The ride is definitely one you will remember, and by dawn, the seas seem to resemble a mill-pond, and you are wondering what happened to the violence of the previous day! You do start to understand why the skipper wanted to make the most of the wind, though, as your speed drops to just 3 knots with full sails!

"Shall we put the offworlders to work on the oars?" Meir inquired of the skipper before indicating the anchor with a wave of his hand.
"Or are you more inclined to ask for assistance from below the waves?"
[Private to GM: Yep, aware the ship doesn't have any provision for that. Seeing how the other PCs react to the suggestion of hard labour.
It'd take a hell of a lot of muscle to move the ship very far or fast wouldn't it! ;)
Second option he's implying there's some big sea creatures that might be used as draft animals. Of course they're probably not, but hey, always worth a try to pull the wool over the novices eyes. Next thing somebody will send them to check on the golden rivet!]

"Not much point to me taking the seasick pills.  Until I get tight again, preferably on something Russian, I'll feel like a dog who got his head stuck to the railroad tracks."

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 138):

The skipper laughs.

"We don't have oars, but we do have a small electric motor capable of 4 knots, with a small steam generator for times of total becalment. But not worth firing it up just yet."

[Private to Meir Galinski: Lol, yeah neither option that realistic!]
[Private to Tanya Weaver: You still should make a couple of Ht checks to see if you were sick, and a Dx check...]

Kat looks around "Well, I am fine sitting still for now. Its nice to just float around."

"Well in that case I'd better get on with my own work."
A short time later he'd unpacked a small portable laboratory and set about taking air and water samples. A few strange and very alien looking animal specimens also found their way under his microscope before being returned to the sea or released back to the skies.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 142):

The day is quiet, but the crew are not concerned.

"The wind will pick up this afternoon. Lets do some fishing in the meantime."

They pull out a number of rods and hand them around.

[OOC: fishing roll for any who try, defaults to Perception -4]

Cyril Tries to fish without much luck...



[Private to GM:
12:06, Today: Cyril Zotmund rolled 12 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,5,3.  Fishing at default. 13-4 = 9]

Kat tries some fishing but doesn't catch anything.

[Private to GM: Katherine 'Kat' Steele rolled 12 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,4,2.  Per .]

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 145):

A couple of the crew pull in some fish which are almost normal. Then one of them gets something odd. It seems like a very large octupii, and it is not happy!

Much to your surprise, the crew apologize to it and release it!

[Secret to Meir Galinski: You have heard of rumours of some sea creatures of greater than normal intelligence, but never seen one. They are said to have an intelligence of around 6 in GURPs terms.]

Kat watches and then ask "So, was that thing intelligent?"

No Calimari tonight .... which is fine by me!

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 148):

"I believe they have very low intelligence for a sapient species, or high intelligence for an animal. They seem to understand our speech."

"Yes," Meir agreed.
"About the same intelligence as a dog or even some apes, and smarter than almost any football player in human history."

"Are there any other intelligent life here you know of. We should document it so we don't disturb it" 

"They would be the most intelligent creatures we know of."

"Don't forget though there's just a few of us who've actually been looking, and we've only had a few short years."
"Basically, don't take unnecessary risks, and keep an open mind about everything you see. Some things like the fish I caught a few days ago are perfectly safe and harmless to human life, but others, are extremely deadly."
The insect infestation they'd very nearly stumbled into was a case in point. Although at first glance they seemed harmless enough, and perhaps were individually, they were almost always fatal to those who encountered them.
"Myself and the other Expeditionaries have only covered a small percentage of the planet's surface so far, and barely scratched the surface with regards to the biology."
He sighed sadly, thinking back over the events of the last week.
"I suppose I'm the only one left now."
[Private to GM: Slowly working on justification for leaving the planet]

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 153):

"Yeah, there are not a lot of us who know the planet, and none who are familiar with what is obviously modern Earth Technology. We really need to send one of the scouts back to civilization to report on what we have found here, and to get more immigrants if possible."

Meir grimaced as realisation sunk in.
"You mean me, don't you?"
The Expeditionaries were based in a timber shed near the edge of the destroyed settlement. As they made up the majority of those trained with the rifles, they'd constituted the only recognisable defence the colonists had, and of course been the first targeted by the Labrysians. It seemed extremely unlikely anyone he knew and worked with survived the onslaught.

The skipper smiled what seemed to be an attempt at a comforting smile.

" Not my call to name folk, but with tech, the burden for exploration by us has been lifted somewhat."

"No, you're right. My expertise isn't going to be in much demand for a while, not with the loss of life and skills. Focus has to go on rebuilding what's lost and consolidation of what's left. Exploration and expansion has to stop."

Perhaps in the short term, but I suspect you'll have more settlers when your existence becomes known... say in the next one to three years.

"Oh I am sure we will...led by specialist expedition teams that have new technology they have been training with for years."

Not exactly ... You will be the source of most knowledge to start... then you can work together to increase it.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 160):

"Ah, our knowledge has been cataloged and stored on computers. Much of the rest was lost when his group was destroyed in the attack. Fortunately, we regularly synchronized the database of all the Bases, so not so much data was lost. But expertise and personal largely lost."

I understand that... But you have more knowledge than you think.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 162):

The skipper politely thanks you, and continues sailing the ship...slowly.

"New technology will help you all learn more but they will start with what you already know"

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 164):

"Yeah, we can make what we already know available to them a lot quicker than our scouts, er scout, can learn the new technology, I would say."

"This has been very eye opening. I have never roughed it like this. I grew up on a starship and I learned how to be a pilot early."

In reply to Fate (msg # 161):

"Almost everything known about the geography and biology of the planet is on this laptop. There's a few older copies on computers in the other settlements, but the most up to date was on the Expeditionary server and a few others connected to it at Landfall. None survived the attack."
Anything that wasn't related to exploration however probably was up to date, or close to it.
"Once I upload this there's not much point me staying is there, not since the offworlders technology have made most of my work obsolete."

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 166):

"This is not really roughing it. This is how we live. Roughing it is going into the bush like Mr Galinski does with just a pack and your wits...but glad you could join us to get back to where we can get more crew."

"Yes, this is nearly civilisation compared to most of my time on Aquitaine. Mind you, I don't usually have to carry my own gear very far either."
Boats, light aircraft and wheeled vehicles were all in the Expeditionaries inventory, or were until most were destroyed.

Perhaps we should back that up to several locations. My mini-computer will hold it and will upload it to the DASTAVKA as well.

"Would you all like a ride on our ship?"

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 171):

"Perhaps some of us might, but most of us know this life, and would be happy here if we could be protected."

Here are the results of my check-up.

09:03, Today: Tanya Weaver rolled 10 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,3,1.  Dex check.
09:02, Today: Tanya Weaver rolled 7 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,2,1.  Health check 2.
09:02, Today: Tanya Weaver rolled 11 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,3,5.  Health check 1.

In reply to Tanya Weaver (msg # 173):

[Private to Tanya Weaver: Thanks for that!]

The next day you finally arrive at the island you are familiar with.

Duke has been able to modifyany weapons for the colonists and teach them the basics of how the work and can be maintained. He has also had to teach them about the improvements on the fuel cells and batteries, so despite giving them software regarding other technologies such as fusion cells, antigrav systems and jump drives, he was not able to teach them about it as well.

The vessel and its shipment of wood and items scavenged from the destroyed base are well received, though the crew is shocked to find some of the aliens peacefully helping Duke teach the colonists combat methods, until the Labrysian political situation is explained to them.

Meir was not at all hesitant to express his opinion on the presence of the Labrysians.
"Why are they still here? Haven't their kind done enough damage yet?"
"Anyone can see they'll only bring us more trouble!"
As much as he wanted to physically drive every last one of them off the planet, he kept himself in check...for the most part.

Kat looks at Meir "Just like all other races, they fight among themselves. They are here to help and might save You. We are in a war against other like them and if we are here, they will come. But we are winning so just deal with it"

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 176):

"Several of these guys died defending us last week. We are glad to have them here, and we wanted to invite a contingent to stay, as that we we will be better equipped to deal with our mutual enemies. If you don't like that, you are free to leave, but we have to consider what is best for the colony and not be ruled by irrational hatred based on what others of their species have done. After all, they have shown their colours just as the attackers showed theirs."

"You didn't see what they did!" Meir spat his reply back angrily.
"Their presence," he thrust his arm at a nearby Labrysian, "Only invites more attacks from those they are fighting!"
"They'll get us all killed!"

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 178):

"I did not see what the others did, but I DID see what they did," he says, referring to the Labrysians around you.

"I saw their dead, I saw them grieve, like us, but I also saw them fighting those who were hostile. Not to save their families, but to save ours. They were not here when the main colony was attacked, and look what happened to them. They were here when we were attacked, by the same group, no less, and we repelled the attack. It seems not having them here got a lot more killed than having them here.

Like I said, if you hate that so much, leave. To be honest, we would prefer to have them with us than you, because they saved this colony, but you did not save yours!"

He is speaking with restraint, as if he has had this discussion before and is very firm in his position now. Indeed, you get the feeling this is the culmination of the last week of discussions in this colony.

Do not be so hard on Meir... he and the others fought desperately against overwhelming odds... and didn't have our aid. It would have required a miracle to win that battle. He lost all those close to him ... it is hard indeed not to resent anything the Labrysians bring, even though it greatly increases the defense and will hopefully prevent a recurrence. He will need some time to learn what you already have.

Kat listens at this point and let the men talk.

Meir's fist lashed out, collecting the man squarely on his jaw and knocking to the ground.
"Don't you DARE lecture us on what happened!"
Only quick action by those near prevented Meir continuing his wild assault.
"You didn't have to bury hundreds of people! You didn't have to search for the severed limbs of your own family so they could be buried in one grave!"
"YOU DISHONOUR THE MEMORY OF EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!"

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 182):

The colony leader is not as suprised by your outburst as you might expect. He waits for you to finish, getting up whilst his security retrain you well, before calmly responding.

"You are right. I did not have to bury hundreds of dead, just a few brave defenders. And some of these creatures are the reason why. I have no more respect for the bastards that did that than you, but these are not them! Now get a grip, and plan for the future while you have one!"

He turns and leaves. The two security hold you tightly until you stop struggling, before releasing you and following him into the compound.

Kat stays quiet, not realizing what had happened to the extent it had.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 184):

There are obviously some colonists who enjoyed the show, but others who are very disapproving. A couple of security from Dastavka come and make sure things de-escalate though. One approaches Cyril.

"Maybe we should have him aboard the ship, for his own safety, Sir."

Please post in "The Away Team" now.

"Anybody bring a banjo?  We could use one right about now..."

You need to get on DASTAVKA... we are looking to leave for Aegir and I don't want to have to do your job.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 187):

See post #185 for the end to this thread. You are already back at the colony where Dastavka is...