While you are looking up information on the Sanatorium, the computerized alarm system is activated.  It indicates there is decompression in one of the passenger cars and asks everyone to return to their chambers and have a breathing apparatus ready.

Just then, a fragmentation grenade explodes in the corridor, one car down from you, followed by the sound of automatic weapons fire.

You are currently in the restaurant car.  The explosion occurred in the corridor of the sleeping rooms car, which is one over from where you are at.

The people in the restaurant car are starting to go into a panic.

Mumbling, S'Krllk remarks, "it's about time, I thought the universe had forgotten me."
Then he proceeds to secure a breathing device before attempting to do a structural scan on the sleeping car to assess the damage.

Orvo says, "Weren't there emergency kits around here?  Let's find one of those if we can't make it back to our room."

"Emrgency kits are stored in between cars.  Let's get to them and get these people to some relative safety.  I'm sure we're going to have to deal with this mess that's found us," Deiraye says as she goes for a set of the brething appartus between the cars then drawing out her K-Pulse pistol when it is in place.  Before moving any further, she activates her Albedo screen as well.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:17, Tue 04 Nov 2014.

As the party is getting emergency breathing apparatus and putting them on, they see what happens in the next car over.

You see one of the RIK guards collapse as a burst of automatic fire rips into her. Standing next to the ladder up to the roof, is a KLC commando.  He is wearing breathing apparatus and has a folded glijet on his back. He is pulling out a fragmentation grenade, and you see other KLC commandoes on the roof above.  Somehow, a hole has been ripped into the roof of that car, causing the alarms and depressurization.

Those in the sleeping car with him are running into their rooms to escape the violence.

OOC: How soon before we can start engaging???

Porter feels a bit unprepared for combat without his full military kit, but since he's now working for Star Law and out of his jurisdiction at that, he'll have to do the best he can.

He draws his automatic pistol and releases the safety.  He moves towards the door connecting the cars, taking cover behind the bulkhead with his weapon aimed at the attackers.  He won't risk firing and depressurizing this car of the train yet, but he's ready to face the assault.

You can start engaging at any time.  You simply need to open the door between the cars and engage.  Do you all have a breathing apparatus on?  You can survive without one, but there will be penalties due to lack of pressurization.  Having the apparatus on, on the other hand, slightly inhibits your use of guns, in that it is harder to aim down the sights with a gas mask on.

OOC: Not to be a rules lawyer but, if we were using long arms (rifles and SMG's with stocks), I would agree 100%.  However, if I may offer a little input and please feel free to tell me to buck off if I'm out of line.  If you're using a regular pistol or SMG (stock not extended) you would still have clear line of sight (LOS) with your sights because you head and your sights should be directly out in front of you with your arms fully extended.  If your head was tilted to your dominant eye to look through your sights because of a stock, then a gas mask or SCBA device would certainly impair you sight picture.  I'm not trying to undermine your GM authority sir it's just that I've been a firearms instructor for over five years.  You're the boss here and if you say there are penalties, then that's what it is.

My intentions were to do this:

-10% handguns
-20% rifles.

My reasoning is that the apparatus has a glass cover that slightly skews vision, as well as making it harder to "squinch" your shoulders when you fire, and has the additional issue with longarms as you discuss.

I also do not want it to be a simple foregone conclusion that everyone takes a breathing apparatus.  This gives them something to consider going either way with the apparatus.  If there's no penalty, no one will hesitate to "not" use the apparatus.

No problem at all.  I don't think anyone of us have rifles anyway so, let's move on...

BIC: After securing her face mask for her breather unit and turning on her albedo screen, Desiraye draws he K-Pulse pistol and fires three [3] rounds at the commando pulling out a grenade wearing the glijet and opens fire trying to also use a wall or bulkhead on the train for some cover.

CURRENT STA: 62/62
Beam Weapons: 6
Skill: 90% [-10%] for wearing breather
Weight: 2 kg
Damage: 3d10
Ammo: 20 SEU PowerClip
SEU: each shot drains 2 SEU
Rate: 3
Defense: Inertia
Range: 5/10/20/40/80
Skill: Beam Weapons
This message was last edited by the player at 20:42, Thu 06 Nov 2014.

Orvo puts on his breathing apparatus, sets his laser pistol to 3, and follows Desi into the fray, ready to shoot on the man holding the grenade.