You're at Ubercon playing your favorite game, Hackmaster.  The game is going well, moments of tense drama mix with table-thumping laughter as the group battles a flock of purple and green and orange Were-Parrots, and finds a treasure of magical birdseed which if eaten allows the consumer to understand the language of birds...which mostly consists of "Hey, Hey, I see a worm!!".

And then someone thumps down their brand-new X-Box Three, Scriff(r) enabled, on top of the table, and plunks down their 44. oz. Tropical Tornado Juice Blast cup with the listing of all the years football games on its side in fine print, next to it.

He flicks it on, and since its wireless, it goes on.

"This is the coolest thing evar!" He boasts while the others at the table tell him to get lost.  But still the mood is broken, and it will take effort to get it back.

Offended, he jerks the X-box back up, and his forearm smashes into the cup, and Tropical Tornado Juice Blast goes everywhere in a fan-shaped splash pattern with you in the center of the deluge.  But before you can yell at the idiot, you see a whiff of smoke from the X-box, and then a sudden flash of light .....

==============================================================================

You wake draped on your back, feeling jarred, and rattled continuously as the floor underneath you bounces.  Strange whines fill the air, and the reek of burnt wires trickles past your nose.

But you feel good, other than feeling heavier by the moment. And this feeling is toward your head....

A thrumming noise, deep, bass, fit to vibrate your skin loose from your muscles shudders the air suddenly, and then keeps deeeeeeeepeeeeeningggg....

PT

::reaches up for the alarm clock hand lazily looking for the off switch, eyes still closed::

::drowisly::

I hate the 4 hours of sleep I get at cons....

You feel the weight increase toward your head, and you start sliding along a rivetted sheet metal floor--head-first.

Somehow the alarm clock button is out of reach.

PT

::I open my eyes and look where I'm at, trying to shift my body so I am sliding feet first, and then hopefully stop myself by catching a rivet with my boot to slow/stop my sliding::

Your boot catches a rivet after you spin about, and you stop for a second at least.  Opening your eyes, you see a long dingy and dim corridor, and the noise keeps mounting.  Its floored in some golden sheet metal joined by rivets.  The walls are dotted with doorways, and hatches, and strung with wide wires mixed in with masses of crystals in a disorderly mess.

The corridor feels like it is slowly rising toward vertical in the direction your feet used to be.  At the end of the corridor is a heavy vault door with a sign wielded to it.

"Iron Fission Engine. Engineers Only."  The dreadful racket is mostly coming from that direction.

PT

::try to push off a rivet to get into one of the doorways, and since the human race hasn't discovered fission, at least not in a way that is used for an engine, I'm kinda worried I'm not in Kansas anymore::

You leap off the rivet, and lunge for the doorway as the engines suddenly thunder louder, and you find yourself dropping below the doorway, but you catch it about waist height and scramble into the hallway.

Its a small cross passageway, draped with wires and crystals, and four doors lead off of it, and some device that looks like it might be a cousin to half a car engine lays in the hall.

Soon, you are standing on what had been the wall, and you see some wires come loose in the strain of the new position.

The noise is almost deafening.

PT

::Hmm not good, I don't think this is some Disney World game, and if this ride ends it probably wouldn't be a good thing, I will try the closest door thats leading away from the tilt toward the engine, looking for someone or something to explain where the heck I am, and what the frick is happening::

The first door leads to a supply closet full of wooden boxes and small items in the boxes.  The second door is locked.  The third door opens, and you see a small bedroom with a poster on the wall of a pinup girl, except she's wearing a mini-skirt and a tight blouse rather than a bikini.  There are three sea chests chained to the wall, and around the swinging door you see a triple level of cots with one occupant.

A sleeping human male. Perhaps twenty. Buzzcut. Blanket pulled up to his chest which has a t-shirt on it. He seems to be waking a bit, and yet the room seems to be quieter than you'd expect.

PT

::looks at the room, the poster and the occupant::

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but whatever we're in seems to be drifting on a axis that it wasn't meant to. Where am I? I'm guessing this isn't a prank, and I'm in Oz.....

He opens his eyes, blinks at you, and motions for you to shut the door.  You do, and the noise droops to a dull murmur.

"Say what?"

You repeat yourself, and he laughs after touching the wall with a measuring hand, and cocking a head to listen.

"You must be a farm boy from one of those lily pads. Look, the Argonaut is standing boost. Going to get up to 2g's Terran before we break orbit.  Then we float. No one is real keen to scamper around in 2g except the Blue Man Group so the ship isn't rigged for it. Besides, the owner is a real skinflint. Now a proper navy ship would have ladders in all the halls, but then we ain't Terran Fleet are we now? But thanks for waking me."

He scoots his mattress up against the wall which is now the floor, and lays on it.

PT

::nods::

So what's the destination? Well at least I can grab my backpack and stuff once we break orbit....guess haven't invented grav plating yet....

::still smug thinking this is a bad dream or an eleberate hoax, or in the very least dead and this is purgatory::

"Mars. Got some food for the Terries there. And got some algae eating fish for the Red Men. Their canals are getting seriously slagged up near Olympus City.  I want to climb Olympus Mons when I get there, but I need a partner, or it gets boring. You interested?"

PT

::grins::

Well never been much of a climber, but let's make a deal, I'll be your partner and get me up to speed. A game if you will, pretend I'm a child, and you have to explian world events and technology to me. I probably know more than that, but I like to start with the basics first

::lets see them explain this whole senerio::

He shrugs.

"Okay. Thats a funny game, but sure. I'm Robert Morgan, ensign on the Argonaut which was built in the Lunar Docks by the Moon Men. I'm a Terry, that is, like you, from Earth.

The biggest, most important piece of tech is the Compressor Generator. It drives the ship faster than lightspeed up to two times faster, provides a defensive and impenetrable forcefield around the ship, and around us if we get mixed up with pirates, and hey, if we meet a space monster, it even powers the Compressor Cannons. Those don't get used otherwise.

Second most important tech...hmm. Probably the Fission Engines. Provide power for the whole solar system. Run on good old iron.

Politically, the biggest power is the Earth Confederation and its right arm is the TSF Terran Space Fleet, and its left arm is the Justice Ministry.  But all the races have their own fleets, all fourteen of the planets the Elliptic and the Right Angle ones, and even some of the moons like Luna.

Oh, yeah, space zombies. Bad, bad news.  And sometimes the Alpha Centaurians liek to send in raiders, or even invasion fleets."

PT

::smiles::

See strange but harmless and over quickly. Seeing as how were going to be together for while, I'm Jhiaxus, how long will the trip take?

::walks over to the wall and sits against it::

"Two days."

About ten minutes later, the engines stop, and you're floating in air. Zero gravity.

PT

OOC: All I need is a bag of chips and I can do the zero g Homer eating of the chips.

I'll be right back, need to gather my stuff, how many people are on this ship?

::swims in the zero g to get his stuff, using the walls/ceilings/floors to push off on::
This message was last edited by the player at 11:07, Fri 23 Dec 2005.

"There's a crew of fifty or so, and we have about ten passenger cabins. Not sure how many are in use, right now."

You leave, and go get your stuff. Its very easy to find.  Almost as if you know where it is before you look for it.

You hear someone banging on something in a nearby cross hallway, and grouching at a recalcitrant part.

PT

::damn curiousity, packs away his stuff, making special note of his stright futeristic looking ninja-to sword, and his 12 gauge and box of 50 rounds are out of sight, using his large duffle that can barley fit them, as well as his tools, saving his backpack for clothes, and his two laptops/PDA/cellphone in his business wheeled luggage and swims/propells on over::

You need any help there? I don't know much, but I'm pretty handy with mechanical and technological things....

You slip around the corner, and you see a man shaped more like an ape.  He has his five foot height wrapped around a pipe, and he's trying to untwist the pipe.
He's also about three feet wide, and two foot through the chest, completely hairless, has a red skin the shade of rust, and in place of his nose is a hole with a vibrating membrane in the center of the triangular space.

His voice thunders out.

"Well, by the Knights of Terra, someone actually offering to help old George. Wonders never cease. You must be new on this boat, not properly indoctrinated in its religion of laziness."

He uncurls himself.

"Here, you grab my arm, and foot, and brace yourself good, because I'm going to be pushing on this wall, and when the wrench moves, I'm going to fly, and bonk my head, unless you hold on real good. Newton's Laws, y'know? And if I bonk my head, well, I'm going to doublebonk yours, understand?"

PT

::nods and walks up and grabs his arm and foot and grabs on tightly::

So hard work is not the norm of most around here eh...interesting

"The owner is the captain, and he got it from his grandpa, who was a true spaceman. But, the grandson never worked a day in his life. And so he made all his layabout buddies first mates, and stuff, and took a good ship down to where a simple run from Venus to Mars is enough to start losing atmosphere.

There's those who cause the rot, and then there's those like that young scamp Robert Morgan who could be good if they were guided, and then there's me, and the Blue Men of Saturn, too ornery to be rotted."

PT
OOC: You don't walk..zero-g.

OOC: Moonwalk ::in Michael Jackson voice:: hehe :)

::tries to brace for impact without having the gift of gravity on his side, hoping he wakes up soon::

Right, so basically you have a rich kid who doesn't know the value of a hard earned dollar, welp ready when you are....

You brace, and he yanks, once, twice, and with a final convulsive effort yanks the pipe loose.  You hang on for dear life as his huge mass tries to rocket out of your fingers.  Feeling like your shoulders are wrenched, he rebounds into you, and stabilizes.

"Well done, laddie, well done."  He pulls himself down with one hand, and then takes out a metal snake which he runs up the grime encrusted pipe.  A quick tug, and out comes a mass of gunk.

"If they bothered to toss their waste into the disintegrators this would not have happened, and frankly this hydraulic liquid is a year out of date. It should be clear instead of black as sin."

Then its a reverse of the process as he gets the pipe hooked back up, and a steady, whoosh-whoosh rewards your and his labors.

PT

::ouch::

Well I'm not a engineer or anything, but preventative maintence saves more money than having stuff go wrong before it's time. It seems like the owner, needs a lession in simple economics. Anyway, so how long till we get to Mars?

"So true, so true. It will be about a day and a half until we stand boost to start slowing down, and then about an hour until we touch down on Martian soil. Of course, that assumes we don't have a breakdown like a month ago, and drift for a week."

He looks over at you.

"I'm about to fix up the fuel belt, want to help? After that we can head over to the galley and get some food."

PT

::nods::

Sounds like an opportunty to learn something, I'm in.

::gathers his belongings, and is ready to goto the next project::

You make your way down to the rear of the ship, and into a doorway marked "Engineering Access."

"Actually its not. Its supposed to be Crew Only, but the Engineers don't want the Command Team mucking about in here."  The Red Man of Mars says.

The machine inside takes raw iron ingots, and cuts, and lathes them into a small, cylindrical shape.

"Fuel rods."  The belt keeps slipping off the gears, and it requires some banging, and yanking, and pulling to get it back.  You're in the midst of this when you see a "vision".

That is, you see a light green skinned man with a dorsal fin coming out of the top of his hairless head.  He's wearing a purple vest, a gold overcoat down to his knees, a spotless white pair of trousers except for the orange velvet stripe, and a pair of yellow slippers.  He's holding out a pair of nice leather knee-high boots.

"Just how am I supposed to go to the party with my boots unshined?"

PT

::whoa, if I didn't take acid, I'd swear this is an LSD trip continues to help untill the job is finished I will ask the red man::


Who is a  light green skinned man with a dorsal fin coming out of his head, no hair, wearing a purple vest, and a gold overcoat down to his knees, wearing spotless white trousers, with an orange velvet stripe, asking me why hiis leather knee high boots aren't shined, wearing yellow slippers, and why is he in my head?

The Martian gives you a weird look, and then speaks to the other fellow.

"Um, yes, I'm busy, but I'll get to it soonest, sir."  He holds up his dirt and oil stained hands and the other retreats hastily.

"See that you do. This wax job on my boots is totally unacceptable."  The other turns and walks out.

Later, the Martian replies.

"That is your lord and master, the Second Mate of this benighted boat. And why do you say..in your head?"

PT

::OOC I took vision to mean "vision in my head, just a little confused::

Um, first time working in a engine compartment, must be the environment getting to me, I could have sworn I was seeing him in my head...

::on that note if this is a dream, I'm going to try and read greenie's thoughts::

Nothing happens as you try to read his mind, although your companion does offer that sometimes Sensitives do have visions.  But, you're best going to one of the Sensitives' Towers for such help.

You spend the next several hours working on the machine, and by the end of it, you have a good grasp of how it works.

Food is in the galley. Steak, mashed potatoes, butter, bacon, and corn on the cob with more butter.  Two glasses of milk to down it with, and thats it.  Its kept on the table by powerful suction vents which hold the food down, and the fork is more of a clamping device.  The knife is a complicated powered gizmo that offsets your motions by moving weights in the other direction.  Although, the Martian just uses scissors to cut his meat.

"Now lad, do you want to get your jumpsuit, and equipment?"

PT

::helps him finish it up, and it has been awhile since I'be eaten::

::floows him to the galley, and uses the devices to eat his meal, fumbling around for the first couple of minutes, till his mind can wrap around some concepts, but finished the meal anway::

::nods::

Sure, sounds like a plan, do you sleep anywhere or do you have assigned sleeping arrangements?

::forgot to mention I'm going to grab a spoon like device from the mess and try to use simple TK pulse to bend it ((Remember there is no spoon :) ))::

He takes you to the Closet, which contains spare jumpsuits until he finds one roughly in your size.

"Sorry, a good ship should have more sizes, but that would mean spending money on the crew. Also, you're responsible for buying your own dress blues as soon as possible."

And then he takes you to the Armory which is run by a disgruntled, five hundred pound Purple Man of Jupiter.

"Sword, what type, if so. No rapiers, thems' officer's weapons, and not much good in a corridor scrum anyhoo. Or do you want an axe?"

"Axe?" You blink.

"Yah. Axe. As in 'Let me axe you a question?'"  He lifts a twenty pound double-bladed like it was a feather, and thumps it down on the counter.

"Dorf, Let him get a forcefield belt as well." The Martian says.

PT

::grabs his suit::

Yeah, they didn't discuss pay, so I'm getting paid right?

::takes the axe::

Nice heft, will cleave someone in two, forcefield belt, cool like in Dune

::whispers when the purple man turns around to his buddy::

Already got me a sword and a gun, so I'm happy with the belt and axe...

You take the weapons, and they show you how to use them which involves watching you do a practise swing, and showing you how to turn on and off the belt.

"Well, yes, you get paid, but thats two months salary right there. A duronioum axe, never needs to be sharpened, or cleaned, and almost unbreakable. And a forcefield belt.  But, a gun. 'just remember the ancient rule...never bring a gun to a knife fight.' Nothing more useless than watching your bullet go plink in someone's forcefield. Now a good blade is slow enough to cut through a field.  If you were bigger, I'd say get some armor as well, but most Terries are kind of on the scrawny side."

He ripples his biceps like a short noseless Sly Stallone with no hair and a red skin.  OK, he doesn't really look like Sly  at all...

PT

::smiles::

Nice to know one of the first things here is that I can occur debt...

::sets the belt right on his body and holds the axe till he finds some holder for it::

I assume from the weapons and forcefields, that getting boarded say by pirates, is a real threat.....So if we get boarded, do we get to keep what we kill?

::grins::

Don't get me wrong, I'm a nice enough guy, but when it comes to fights it's kill or be killed,

::picks up the spoon like device and tries to bend it with a quick thought from his mind::

((yes I love to tinker with powers ;D ))

A lady with pale green skin, and dressed in a jumpsuit of forest green floats around the corner, and expertly flips over, and bounces off the wall to drift up next to you.

"You will be so good as to stop doing that, won't you? You are giving me a royal headache."

Her forehead is creased, and she irritably glances at your spoon, and it flips out of your hand of its own accord to land in her graceful hand.

"I shouldn't be surprised if the spoon was begging to be sent back to be melted down as well after the way you've been harranguing it. 'There is no spoon'. By all the pirates of Venus, have you never heard such unmitigated lunacy?"

She's getting up a head of steam...

PT

::smiles::

Ah but the question should be, would I have still tried to bend the spoon, if you weren't going to take it away....

::grins::

What am I doing, this is my dream, if I want to be Neo in my dream, that's my progroative, and what did I eat  to have this kinda dream....let me think....a couple of breakfast bars....hmm that can't be it...

::to the Green lady::

So are you the one preventing me from developing my super powers?

She stops and looks at you.

"Ah, you are trying to pose the Precognitive's Paradox, first described by Professor Throckmorton of Harvard.  The answer is, we all, Terran, Martian, and Princess of Venus are free to make our own choices."

She looks at you further.

"Neo? Your dream? My good sir, I am afraid this is the year 2005, and you are in Reality. It may be a poor shabby thing, but its quite real. And no, I am not preventing you, I am merely suffering from your poorly designed efforts."

PT

She stops and looks at you.

"Ah, you are trying to pose the Precognitive's Paradox, first described by Professor Throckmorton of Harvard.  The answer is, we all, Terran, Martian, and Princess of Venus are free to make our own choices."

She looks at you further.

"Neo? Your dream? My good sir, I am afraid this is the year 2005, and you are in Reality. It may be a poor shabby thing, but its quite real. And no, I am not preventing you, I am merely suffering from your poorly designed efforts."

PT

::nods::

Well then it would be in your best interest to help me better design my efforts, wouldn't it?

::considers::

I thought balls of energy coming out of my hands would be too over the top to start with, reading minds, telekinesis would be a good start.

::smiles::
This message was last edited by the player at 17:18, Fri 30 Dec 2005.

"Balls of energy? Are you mad or jesting?  Not even the Lords of the Towers can do such a thing.  Perhaps the Starborn of whom I am a descendant, and of whom you must share some tiny fraction of blood, diluted with more common blood, could but not us."

She sighs.

"Yes, I can see you will continue, and either drive me mad, or kill yourself, and then I will have your death on my conscience which would require at least one small act of penance when I get back to the Tower. A very small act, mind you."

PT

::smiles::

I know I have the ability, since I'm special and I believe in myself....

::grins::

So when's my first lesson?

"May I borrow your helper, Master Mechanic?"  She asks the Martian.

He bows deeply.

"Of course, Princess, and if he is insolent, tell me, and I will cuff him about the head many times."

"You must be of the minor nobility. So I shall call you, Mr. Knight which is no doubt far less barbarous than your original name. Now, Mr. Knight, you will follow me."

She sails off, and if you follow her or not, she still arrives in a parlor room toward the front of the ship, filled with the Captain and his officers who are sitting about playing cards.  They stand for her, and glare at you.

PT

::I follow here without her pulling me along::

::waves to everyone in the room::

::waits for her to speak::

She is not pulling you along. She is merely leaving, and letting you decide if you're going to hurry after her or not.

You do, and arrive.  The others grimace, and return to their game of cards.  You can see quite a bit of wealth piled high on the table between them in the form of gaudy headdresses, and piles of gold coins.

She turns to them, and tells them to take their game elsewhere. With bad grace, they do so.

"I cannot imagine why my cousin put me on this ship. The filth, the insolence, the sloth.  My father's ships are not so poorly run even were the crew on their deathbeds."

She sighs.

"But I am a Princess of Venus and will do my duty with grace even when others will not. This is the first precept of the Towers of the Sensitive. Duty. Do you understand?"

PT

::nods::

<DarkBlue>Yes it sounds a lot like the Code of Bushido of the Samurai, or the Code of Chivalry, while genorsity and grace are components of nobility, those that follow codes often demanded much of the people under them. Reguardless of why your cousin put you here, I have witnessed a ship that is falling apart, while filth and sloth are seemingly flaws of character, this ship is suffering for them. Ships require much maintance, and if they do not receive it, those in it, may not live to regret their decisions.

"Yes, I think I will discuss this with the Captain. I will inform him this boat of his needs proper care, and that he needs to begin at once."

She puts her fist under her chin, and looks at you, and its the first time, she's actually paid attention to you.

"There are more precepts, but we will leave with that one for now.  Now there are a number of ways to train someone.  Since you chose to gift me with headaches, and since this way is the least intimate, I will let you see the Green Light."

Her tone suggests you're not going to like this.

She holds out a finger, and then from the end of it you see a green light expanding.  You feel pressure on your brain, and the light fills the room so that you can see hardly nothing but it.

*The pressure will continue until you learn how to tell me to stop it.*

You can feel a headache coming on....

PT

::puts his hands to his temples and thinks::

*well if this is a test of mind ability, I should respond with my mind*

::will try a mental telepathy::

Is this good enough to tell you to stop?

She stops with a look of astonishment on her face.  And then a bit shaken, she nods.

"Yes, yes, that will do."

The pressure goes away. And you can feel like something awoke inside your head.
You feel a bit tired.

PT

::smiles and rubs his head::

Well if the headache is like anything I've been giving you I apologise, I didn't think I would be affecting anyone but myself...and being a bit tired now, I probably should get some rest, shall we consider a normal time of the day to do this regularly?

"Right before lunch in this room."  She says, and you head off to find a bunk.  The bunk requires you tieing yourself into it because of the microgravity, but it makes for very restful sleep.

So, its really jarring to suddenly find yourself held by the collar near the ceiling by an enraged first mate, an Orange Man with dense fur all over his head and face.

"You little Venusian lily pad farmer, you got the Princess all enthused about telling us our business. Well, I think its time you understood how this ship works. Your 'duty' is to do as you're told, and shut up!"

He throws you against a wall, and you smack into it, as you come back on the rebound, you can see he is bracing himself on the bunk to lash out with a kick.

PT

::well if he wants to get all violent let's repay him for his efforts and excercise my mind, and by doing so alerting the princess to my dilemna::

::mind reading on the doofus::

::as I smack against the wall, I use my feet to launch back into him my left arm to parry off his kick, my right to wrap around his head and put him in the million dollar dream (sleeper hold)::


I'm sorry I'm all out of shut up, but I can open a fresh can of whup ass for you....

You contact his mind.

*I'm going to stomp this Terry, and then I'm going to demand extra booty when the pirates come and 'attack' us.  I bet they could use a Terry deckswabber, sell this interfering busybody to them...*

His kick is a lot quicker than you expect, and so you get your arm just barely up, and he crashes through your defense, and smacks you in the head with the ball of his foot.  Still, you reflect as you sail backwards, it doesn't hurt as much as fighting in gravity because you pretty much automatically roll with every punch or kick, and your arm started that process.

So its more like a good punch to the jaw than a kick to the face....

PT
OOC: Nice plan, but the Giant Purple Dice o' Doom did not like it.

::if I'm getting pushed back again to where I was sleeping, will grab for the axe and use the same plan as before, kick off the side of the wall, but this time pin him holding the axe across my body like a quartstaff, and crosschecking him into unconsciousness::

Adam

You grab the axe, and he's considerably less enthused about fighting you now.  He tries to back up, and you clock him on the side of the head with the haft of the axe.

He spins one way, bonelessly, and you spin the other way.  You now have a much clearer grasp of Newton's Third Law than ever before.

Robert Morgan looks at you horrified from his bunk space.

"Ya' used a wippen on in officer. They'll hang ya fer sur."  It seems he's Scots, and when he gets really excited it comes out.

PT

::making sure his little knock on the head didn't kill him, either way, the princess can read my mind, and confirm what I saw in his, if he didn't make it::

::smiles::

Oh, I think this traitor has a lot to answer for, please do me a favor, can you get the princess for me, it's alright, she is my mentor. This man has thoughts of selling us out to pirates, and I think the rest of the crew would like confirmation of that.

::considers::

Untill we figure just who was going to sell out the ship to pirates, let's keep this between us. If I'm wrong, I get hung, and you say you were scared I'd use the axe on you, if I'm right, we find out about an impending pirate attack, you look the hero for helping out. Either way, we will get to the bottom of this.

The Orange Man of Pluto is still alive, and moaning, but unconscious.

The ensign leaves, and about a minute later you hear the Princess' voice in your head.

*Mr. Morgan is talking to the Captain.  The Captain is shouting he doesn't believe him, and yelling to round up some crewmen to go deal with the mutineer.  Now the Captain is demanding I open my door so he can post a guard inside my cabin. I'm not sure what I should do, Mr. Knight. I can see in your mind that you are telling the truth.*

PT

::will try to reply back to her::

*Understood, I will find my friend in the engineroom, and he'll figure out a place for me to hide. If I were in your shoes, talk to the Captain and read his thoughts, if he is innocent, tell him that I will come quietly, and we can sort this out. If he is in league with the first mate, then we have a serious problem.*

::is the orange man is armed with weapons or a belt I will take them::

::will go to the engineroom, and find my red friend, if he isn't there, I've been around with him during maintence, I can probably find a suitable place to hide::

*I can't reach into his mind. Not now.*

The orange man has a sabre, and a forcefield belt, and boots made out of plastic. And a giant blue saphire on a silver ring.

You find your red man, the Martian, in the engineroom.  He grabs you, and stuffs you under a table, and puts a burlap bag over you.  Someone else comes in.

"No sir, no, haven't seen him.  Yes, I will certainly keep an eye out for him."

The boots leave.

PT

::I grab his stuff, and stick it in my bag, when I find George::

::peeks out when the boots leave, and waits till he's sure is out of earshot::

George, the orange guy the first mate, he knows there is going to be a pirate attack, and he's going to help them. I read his mind as he attacked me. I just wanted you to know, since he will probably try to sabotage the ship. I don't want you to get in trouble, you know this ship better than anyone, all the nooks and crannies, untill we can figure out who is selling the ship out I need to hide.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:17, Fri 06 Jan 2006.

"Pirates, thats bad. And the mate in collusion."

And then he looks out, and gestures for you to follow him with a full armload of stuff.  You and he slip out into the corridor with him occasionally correcting your course as you can't see very well.

At one point, he stops you, and shouts.

"Aye, sir, I'm looking, I am. Oh, him, he's a Mercurian.  Not to worry sir, I can tell a Terran from a Mercurian."

You then get pulled on, and down another corridor into a darker part of the ship.

He and you untwist a wide pipe, and he points out that the pipe is large enough for you to crawl into.

"Its disused. Broke down about a week ago. So its nice and dry, plenty of air, but it will be dark."

PT

::gets led through bumping into things every so often::

Thanks, hopefully we can all live through all this, I'll deal with dark rather than dead....

::will see if the boots I grabbed are grav boots::

No, but they are magnetic boots, and since practically everything in this ship is steel....

You pull yourself into the tight hole, and squirm around to get into it taking at least a minute, while your Martian friend makes a crack about sardines, and then he closes the pipe hatch.  You can open it from the inside with difficulty, and for a second as the walls of the pipe touch your shoulders, you feel a surge of primal fear, but then a waft of iron-scented air pushes past you, and you relax.  Thankfully, there's a continual air flow through this pipe.

PT

::will stay near the enterence, so as to have that latch near me if I need to get out::

"Well this stinks, you try and help, and you get crooked people trying to do you in, well I'll let the Princess contact me, since I'm not that good, I may not get her"

::will practices breathing excersises, to try and medidate and relax, since this is probably not going to be a fun experience::

You stay there for a long while, no way of telling how long, and actually fall asleep.  You're startled awake by the sound of metal clanging on metal nearby, and the grunts of heavy exertion, and then a choked sob.

Then there is silence in the immediate area, you think, although its hard to judge, but you can hear noises coming down the pipe, and from through the pipe.  Clangs, bangs, shouts, and curses mangled to indecipherability by the thick walls of the iron pipe.

PT

::looks like are searching through the pipes for me, looks like it's time to get out and find a new hiding spot, at least untill they are done searching through time pipes, I will open the latch, pop on out and find a tempary hiding place, I have seen this area a bit while helping out George, so let's see what happens::

You pull yourself out of the pipe, and smell something thick and heavy, unpleasant in the air.  So its with a sense of not wanting to you look down, and see a dead man in the ship's uniform.  He's green which you think means he's Venusian.

But the blood from the hole hacked in his chest is as red as yours.

You hear the ringing clang of sword on sword from the corridor nearest to you.

PT

::time to charge out, turning my shield belt on and going Kull with my battleaxe, I will charge in scremaing::

DEATH TO THE PIRATE SCUM!!!!!!!!!!!

You bounce around the corner in the zero gravity, and fling yourself down the corridor into what looks like a box of partially melted crayons.  Yellow, green, purple, blue and one ordinary black Terran all in dark blue ship's uniforms are struggling against a hallway full of at least a dozen pirates who are their own wild medley of colors.  Everyone has forcefields glimmering around them, and swords, axes and knives are busily at work.

The fight goes on the ceiling, and the walls, and even the notional floor, and two giant purple men are spinning in the air trying to strangle each other.

You barrel down the center of this, with everyone pausing to take in your shocking entrance. Swing, swing, as the Martian pirate in front of you, wearing a necklace of skulls that looks real dodges backwards.  Your third swing rips through his rib cage, and he spins lifeless into the wall.

PT

::not pausing for an instant, bouncing off the nearest solid object into the next nearest pirate, the only way to survive a battle like this is to be the agressor::

::swinging his axe above his head, building momentium for the next unfortunate pirate that meets the head of my axe::

FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD, YOU SCURVY DAWGS

You bounce, and then waving your axe, spin into a large group of them.  With each wave, you change direction, and each contact, you find yourself bouncing off the other.

Its a wild melee, with the only clear memory in the midst of the spinning, and the smell of blood, and the screams is of a fellow grabbing you around the neck, and squeezing as he yells in your face, spittle raining down on you....

"I got you now, you pinball!"

And then your axe came down and split his skull without your even thinking about it.

Suddenly, its all over, and you're left puking and gasping for air at the same time, tumbling in place.

PT

::looking around gasping at the other crew members::

You guys alright? If so we need to stay together and kick these pirates from the ship. Then we go after the first mate who was collaborating with them, whose with me?

::I will use the axe to right myself and stop my spinning, and use one of the pirates clothes to wipe the blood off of it::

::ready to lead the rabble to victory::

One of the purple giants and a green man are still alive.  They nod, catching their breaths (the Purple Man sounding like a fan more than a man breathing).

You set off toward the front of the ship, and see Robert Morgan flying down the center of the channel toward you, while five pirates are behind him, gaining on him.  They are bouncing and re-bouncing from the walls, gaining speed.  He is unable to gain speed as he is free-flying.

You think they are going to reach Robert before he reaches ya'll.

PT

::springs off the nearest surface, hoping the other two have my back, and will have my axe spinning with momentium, showing them if they continue at the speed they are going, they might get Robert, but they will also get a taste of the arc of my axe::

ROBERT, BOUNCE OFF AN OBJECT OR I'M NOT GOING TO REACH YOU IN TIME, USE YOUR WEAPON OFF THE WALL OR FLOOR IF YOU HAVE TO....

::getting myself psyched up ro meet the charge of the new pirates::

::will try to create a Psionic Illusion of 12 other blue jumpsuited crewmen behind me, for an example I have the 2nd Edition Psionics Handbook in my backpack here::
This message was last edited by the player at 11:35, Thu 12 Jan 2006.

You bounce, and soar toward them, and your axe is spinning in your hand.  Robert throws his toolbelt, but it only causes him to drift to one side, and the wall is just two inches past his fingertips.

And then you try to use a mind illusion....

Robert opens his mouth, and it keeps stretching...beetles run out of his mouth, and he pulls back the skin over his skull, and talons extrude from his chest reaching out to pierce you, and behind you hear the heavy breathing and panting of predatory creatures.  The walls run with blood, and the air turns pale blue...

There's a group in front of you that fighting...things...eating each other

OOC: Bad botch time,  or as someone said...Madness takes its toll, please have exact change.

((Eh, it happens, just makes me want to fix it))

::trying to mind block all the images (he hopes are images), he knows to be false, (I dunno what mind defense that would be)::

::attacks the things in front of him, but not the Robert creature, swinging his axe like a baton above his head::

((he thinks it's a dream, so eh, he's having fun))

DIE PIRATE MONSTERS DIE

You struggle with your mind shield, and eventually, you see a holowinmg pot of the illusions.  And your shiedl seems to keep you grounded.

You swing your axe, and that person is now dogfoode

PT

::I remember approx where the guys were, so I will choose another monster (if they still appear somewhat that way), and swing for the fences::

This is for that purple guy....this is for that red guy, this is for that orange guy, and this...this is for me....

::getting the hang of this axe and what's it's strengths are::

You take the Orange Man/Drooling Insectoid's head off, and spin around while drifting back to a wall.  From there, you leap back into battle, and a feeling like you've been burnt, your whole side of your chest is on flame, as a Green Hamster lunges out with a sabre and pierces you below your heart.

You scream.  The axe comes down, and takes his arm off at the shoulder, and, your other two push past you, and into the pirates.

You spin in place, head over tail, axe over your head, sabre with arm attached still in your chest....

The madness fades, which is not entirely a good thing as it was distracting you from the pain.

PT

::will take a moment to unwrap the hand from the sabre, but not take the sabre out, as it will probably keep the blood flow out of the wound to a slow trickle and not a gushing torrent::

Robert you will grab a shield belt and a sabre from one of the dead, and defend yourself and the crew, do you understand me? There is saftey in numbers, you will hold your ground.

::wincing in pain, knowing that there are still 3(2)? pirates and 2 crew without Robert, going back into the fray to even the odds, trying to ignore the pain, and press on, bouncing off the walls and swinging his axe::
This message was last edited by the player at 16:35, Fri 13 Jan 2006.

Robert is already doing that, and he doesn't pause as he yells.

"Aye, Aye, sir. Kill 'em dead."

You peel loose the hand, wiggling the sabre so that you hiss in pain, and then try to pull out the blade.  Unfortunately it seems to be hooked on your lower rib.  So gritting your teeth, you pull a bit harder.

With a yard-long spurt of blood it comes out.  You see at the end of the blade, a hook the goes backwards, and attached to it is a little bit of white jaggedy hardness.

Your bone.

Ulp.

You bounce slowly, and nick one fellow who almost blocks you into the next time zone, but misses by an inch as the blade sails over yours, and over your head.

Then its mutual annihilation.  You slam your axe into his thigh, severing his femoral artery, spewing blood wildly, and he runs you through the center of your chest.

Things seem to be getting dim...

You see Robert leaning over you.

"Don't worry sir, we'll rescue the princess, and throw the first mate out the airlock without a suit. Up the Knights of Terra."

PT

((Um I specifically said I won't pull out the sabre, as it was going to do damage, I just wanted the arm off the sabre to keep the weight off, but it doesn't matter since I got run through, also I will refer you to the post of my intention of keeping what I kill, oh and the sabre that took my bone is mine to, it's all mine, MINE I say :) ))

::smiles::

((I will try to heal myself Psionically, probably won't work, but I'll try anyway))

WELL AT LEAST I GOT CHICKEN!!!

::lies there::

Oops. Let me rephrase that. One of your buddies decides to be helpful, and pulls the sword out for you...

But no one bothers to pull out the second sword since they think you're dead or dying.

You try.  With your mind so fogged, it doesn't take.  You try again after a minute or an hour wait.  You feel a little better.  You can see that the blood is not blipping out of your body in marble sized balls anymore.  You've managed to Psionically Clot your wounds.

However, you feel cold, and dreadfully sleepy.

PT
1@2 Stop Bleeding Psi skill

::well I have to work fast against the shock that's setting in, I refused to go to sleep if it's will that's needed, I will grab the roll of duct tape from my backpack and wrap it in circles around my chest, above and below the wound and from across my right shoulder to under my left arm, and repeat with left shoulder on the right arm, my goal is to, put enough pressure around the wound to keep bleeding to a minimum, keep the sword in place so I can move to find the infirmary, I will grab my leather trench and wrap it around my shoulders, and make my way to the infirmary, even if there is no doctor there, there might be equipment, or medicines that can keep me alive untill something can be done::

::thinks to himself thank god were in Zero-G, I don't have to move much at all to get there I'm going, will use the axe to gently press alone the walls and ceilings with a minimum of effort to get to the infirmary::

I am going to live to see that betrayer thrown out that airlock, by Odin's raven....
This message was last edited by the player at 19:17, Sat 14 Jan 2006.

Black spots come and go in your vision as you wrap the tape.  You moan uncontrollably throughout the whole procedure, and by the time you're done, you have a deeply personal score to settle.

A fury has descended into your bones.

Gritting your teeth, you push off lightly, and drift on down the hall with strokes by the axe to guide and accelerate you.

You zag down one corridor, and then up another, and yank yourself to a stop with a hiss before a door marked with the Red Cross symbol.  You open it by placing a hand over a tiny air outtake, and swim inside.

In there, you find a fully stocked infirmary courtesy of the 1930's.  There's jars of sulfa powder, and rolls of guaze bandages, and morphine, but thats locked in a glass faced cabinet.  However, there are also two other devices, one hanging on a chain pulley over the table, and the other depending from a robotic arm on the wall.

They both gleam, and have jewels inset into their faces, and burnished bronze backs, and they look...hi-tech...well sort of.  They do have rivets.

PT

PT
OOC: Now's the time for a GE roll...infirmary with a doctor or meet a mob of pirates on the way....GE 13

::interesting::

::hmm I'm going to take a chance, that items with the jewels are some sort of automated medical doctor, and they activate when a patient is set on the table::

::will push myself over to the table and lay down on it and see what happens, I will not drift off to sleep, I will use the pain to keep me awake::

Nothing happens.  Although from this angle, you can see a small switch on the side of each, and a name engraved in calligraphy on the side of each as well.  The one on the pulley is 'Somnifier', and the one on the robot arm is 'Intensifier'.

PT

::hmm will flip the switches, and if I don't get treated, it's going to be a healing and blood clotting::

Well this stinks, live to crawl to the sick bay and no one here, well I'm chucking that first mate out the airlock personally....

::looks at the battle axe, and gets an idea::

Hmm, this dream is a lot like a videogame, maybe I should beseeach a god for healing, the only god I know of that would accept a holy symbol of an axe is Odin, he would accept a blue eye too, prehaps a raven, but let's see what this does....

::grabs the axe in two hands::

I concsecrate this battle axe to you my lord Odin, it has slain much blood of those unworthy of valhalla, let this be my first symbol to you...

::still with the axe in both hands::

Let my acts today, be worthy of the magical gift of healing, it is asking a lot, but there are still people to be sent to hel's land....

Mists seem to fill the room, and then a black bird of ill and uncertain temper is sitting on the foot of your examining table.  It hops up onto your leg, and walks up to your right knee.

"It is asking a lot, immortal man-child."  The raven croaks at you.  "It is true you have killed many."  Here it breaks down into almost mad laughter. It recovers.  "Killed many, oh yes.  Unworthy souls.  You offer more souls to the Lord Odin.  He is amused.  A most fickle and untrustworthy master for he is god of Victory, and may at any moment call back his gift."

A few moments later, your head clears, and you see the axe fall from your fingers, and the haft bump against the Intensifier button.  A rattle, and a spark arcs from the device to the wall, and then a green light bathes you.  Pain fades, tiredness fades, and exhilaration sets in.  A few minutes later, and you are well.

Did you really have a vision, get a miracle?  Or was the blood loss affecting your brain?  Of course, this is all a dream anyways.

PT

((I'm going to assume the sword is out, since I wouldn't be well with it still inside me, I will go with the assumption that just before I did the healing I yanked it out, leaving my fate to whether the equipment or the healing worked :), being delerious and all))

::shakes his head and unraps the duct tape and looks at the wicked sword that almost did him in::

This is some weird dream.....well I will assume that was real, and that I can't count on it working again

::gets off the table, thankful the that the pain is gone::

::picks up the sword that was sticking inside him and puts it in his belt::

If I survive this, I need to get strong enough to wield the axe in one hand, and the sabre in the other. With the way these guys fight, would be nice to have a parrying weapon....wow talking out there is still a fight, time to get back to it...Robert will be surprised I'm alive....

::gets his leather trench out, and puts his ninja-to sword in his belt as well::

There can be only one...

::heads out to find friendlies, and do what he can do::

You head out into the hallway, and see one guy dragging another guy, both crew, toward the infirmary.  And then the voicephones boom out a message all over the ship.

Its not quite clear, but it gets repeated.

"All hands, all hands.  This is the Captain.  We have surrendered. We have surrendered.  The pirates have promised good treatment.  Lay down your weapons."

The problem is his voice doesn't sound as distraught as you think it ought to.

PT

::smiles::

I figured as much, the Captain is in on it too, probably all the officers in the room, and since I'm dead or sold to slavery either way....well not many options...

::will go over to the crewman and help him with the two injured into the infirmary, once they are there::

::I will go back to the hallway that I lost my rib in, I am taking that sword that has my rib stuck to it, I'm taking random bits of clothing from the pirates, espcially eye patches, I will also take the neckless of skulls and go back to my quarters, I will take my sword, cut off my hair, and use my razor to bic my head clean, and shave my goatee off, put on the random bits of clothes, with eyepatch, with my leather duster, and skull neckless, I definatly don't look like crew anymore, I will also take the sheaves for these two saber things, so I will have 3 swords in my belt, and find a backstap for my axe::

::will go find the two people and the princess that I can trust::

((I will take my glasses off, I need them to read things from far away, shapes and people I do find without em))
This message was last edited by the player at 16:33, Wed 18 Jan 2006.

You slip through the corridors, mostly dodging combat, although taking the opportunity to gut one pirate who is alone, and gives you a too inquisitive look.

You see Robert Morgan with his hands tied behind his back, and a gash across his face, along with about a dozen other spacers.  The Captain and first mate are are standing next to the leader of the pirates, a villainous looking person who would have you reaching for a weapon if you saw him in a Kmart, let alone hear with his axe dripping with blood.  There's another twenty pirates in the cargo bay.

"I am Blood-Axe.  A pirate king.  But your captain was wise.  Once I captured the Princess, there's no point to more fighting.  So you ought to thank the Captain for your lives."

You don't see the Martian out there.  He could well be dead.

PT

Hmm, well fighting in my body will get be killed, so I think it's time to shift the fighting to another body, like the pirate king, so I'm going to try and psionically possess him

(looks to be a 1@10 skill, since I did do a telepathy to aliens a 1@7, should be possible, for an example I have my trust brown cover 2nd edition AD&D Psionics Handbook, if I can't get that to work we can also do the 1@9 remote control))

::slips to a place nearby, where my body can be dead on the floor, since the pirates aren't interesting in cleaning the dead, just looting the cargo hold, and will attempt the above::

You stretch out your mind, and you can feel it working, and then suddenly the pirate kind is aware of your presence...

"Urkkk. A Sensitive, in my head."

He fights back, striving to push you out with every bit of his phenomenal willpower (2@3--you didn't think you get to be boss of a bunch of murderous cuthroats by being soft did you?). his men have drawn their weapons, and are throwing the sailors down to the "ground"--nearest flat surface, and telling them to keep their eyes shut unless they want their orbs poked out.

He pushes you almost all the way out....

PT
OOC: Still 1@1 Possession I'll rule since it would have worked except your target was too strong-willed.

::interesting, well since he's expecting me to fight hopefully he will be dazed, I will choose one of the pirates next to him, who may not have as high a will, I'm really hoping this works, and untill I botch, I will try with the various pirates in there, if I get one here is what I will do::

::points his weapon at the captain and first mate::

IT'S THEM, I CAN'T TELL WHICH.....they were looking at you strangely, they are trying to doublecross us,

::points his weapons at them::

We should kill them to make an example out of them!
This message was last edited by the player at 17:23, Thu 19 Jan 2006.

You try one and don't quite get the hang of it, and the next and your frustration is getting to you, and then you blow out a lungful of stale air, and settle yourself.

On the third try, you slip in, very weakly, but the pirate is daydreaming about piles of loot and mountains of beer and offers no resistance.  You have him.

You jerk out your sabre, and point it at the two of them.  Everyone gawks at you in complete non-comprehension. No sale.

PT

::eh well if they don't believe me, I have my sabre out, I will plunge it deep into the pirate king's chest and repeat::

It's time for a change, and I'm it, so die....

((at this point the only two crew looking at me should be the Captain and First Mate, so we'll see where this heads))

You ram the sabre into his chest even as he instinctively dodges aside.  Instead of his heart, it reaches the ribs on his left side, and misses the lungs.

The First Mate leaps over "you", and toward the real you.  You draw back for another attack, and you see out of the corner of your eye the other pirates have made a circle.  They're not going to interfere.

You lunge again at the captain, and slip on some blood, missing him entirely.  He draws his legs up, and then flashes them out, and smashes them both into 'your' face which propels you and him to opposite sides of the room.  You crash into your side, and he lands lightly.

Its probable that the Pirate King is the most dangerous and iron-willed individual on the ship since Pirates tend to destroy the weak.

PT

((I didn't think they were that close to see me, but I'll roll with it :) ))


::since I am on an object, I will launch myself at the Pirate King with my sabre stright out, in an attempt to skewer him, once I am on my coarse I will release control and try to possess the first mate coming at my body, he's a lazy, greedy guy, so I doubt his willpower is anywhere near the pirate king, if for some reason I can't get him, I will go back to my body and fight the first mate myself, since he's close, if that happens I will draw two of the hooked sabres and use my left to parry, right to attack::

You launch the body, and its on target, and then leave.  You try to possess the first mate and nail him even as the pirate king nails your former body with an intricate balanced attack where he threw back his axe to get greater speed with the knife he thrust forward.

He's genuinely dangerous.

You clamp on to the first mate's mind, and yes, it is weaker, but he still slips from your grasp.  With fear on his face, he lunges at you in a mad dash.  You only get one sword out in time, but its enough as he passes over you, and you disembowel him.

The Pirate King looks at you.

"Ten pounds of gold to the man who kills me that Sensitive!"  He roars pointing his sword at you.

PT

You launch the body, and its on target, and then leave.  You try to possess the first mate and nail him even as the pirate king nails your former body with an intricate balanced attack where he threw back his axe to get greater speed with the knife he thrust forward.

He's genuinely dangerous.

You clamp on to the first mate's mind, and yes, it is weaker, but he still slips from your grasp.  With fear on his face, he lunges at you in a mad dash.  You only get one sword out in time, but its enough as he passes over you, and you disembowel him.

The Pirate King looks at you.

"Ten pounds of gold to the man who kills me that Sensitive!"  He roars pointing his sword at you.

PT
OOC: I didn't think so either, but I took it from your text.

::as the first mate gets disemboweled::

FLAWLESS VICTORY

::grins::

Odin brought me back from the dead, so I'm worth at least 20 pounds, you should have tried to buy me, I ould have taken 8 pounds of gold....

::winks at the Blood Axe::

::starts bounding off the walls, since I have a hiding place, I just need to get some distance, while I divide and couquer, I'm heading back to my steam pipe, no one saw me leave it, so it's still a safe place::
This message was last edited by the player at 00:32, Sat 21 Jan 2006.

Bloodaxe salutes you with his bloody knife, and you bound off pursued by most of the other pirates.

They are gaining on you, although you might be able to duck down a side corridor...

You see one reason they are gaining on you...there is no theoretical upper limit on your speed in these corridors below wind resistance at 150 mph...

You're rocketing along at 20 mph, and some of them are doing 30 mph...

You also see a couple in the lead, untwining their sashes from around their waists.

The closest is forty feet behind you.

PT

::I will try to duck into a side corridor, and I have a way to gain speed::

::reaches into his bag and grabs the shotgun, points it at the pirates in the lead, with a firm grip, pull the trigger::

HA! and they said guns were useless here, eat buckshot you scurvy dawgs....

::will put his bag of mostly clothes in front of him to absorb inpact from walls, on second thought, my belt it on, I will aim my shotgun on an 90 angle from an upcoming side corridor and rocket in, since they have shield belts, buckshot isn't going to do anything, with a sudden change of direction at a very fast rate of speed, whill do more for me than just going faster in the same direction they are going::
This message was last edited by the player at 17:18, Mon 23 Jan 2006.

You slam, bouncing several times, around the corner, the forcefield belt doing nothing to protect you.  However, using your shotgun as a reaction engine is definitely practical, at least it helps.

They also whip around the corner, by flinging out their scarves, which they use as some sort of rope break, and then they bounce around the corner...faster than you could have on your own, but with your shotgun, you are faster, if more bumped up.

Control issues, basically.

You lose them down that corridor, so that for a couple seconds you are out of sight in a main corridor.

PT
OOC: Does anyone have the math to tackle a free-falling object of assume 175 lbs. going 20 mph, in a zero-gravity field that recieves the right angle impetus of a 'kick' from a shotgun?  I'm not sure how to calculate the shotgun's kick...it should be the equivalent of the foot pounds of force of the shotgun shell, which I don't know.

Actually, this is going to vary a lot per size of shotgun.  Anyone want to tackle this?

((it's a typical 12 gauge pump shotgun, I did a google search, and was getting from 1100-1200 FPE (foot pounds of energy) at the muzzle, about 430 at 40 yards, but the number your looking for is 1100-1200 foot pounds))

::keeping my bag in front of me to absorb impacts::

::when I'm out of sight, I will use other side corridors to get back to my pipe, not taking a route that would point that's where I'm at, once in my pipe, I will get in there, make sure there is air, if not I will keep the hatch open, and it looks like I need to do more experiements in Psionics, I will try clairyvoyance in the main corridor, so when I see a pirate, I can try to possess him, it's time to work through this by attrition, for an example I have my trust 2nd edition players handbook for clairvoyance::

You race around corners as fast as you can, and slip into the pipe, and have the hatch half-closed when two pirates whip around the corner.  But they fly through the corridor, and keep on going.  Hopefully, they don't remember later seeing your hatch half-open.

Once you're closed up, and safe you try, and you almost feel it spiral out of control, your spirit leave your body permanently, but you pull back at the last second.

Panting, and with your body sheened with sweat, you....


PT
OOC: OK. 175 lbs. X 20 mph = 3500 pounds of forward momentum, and to add to that 1200 pounds of sideways momentum would put you at slightly more than One O'clock if you were originally travelling toward Noon.  So bounce, bounce indeed.  In order to do a full right turn, you'd need three shots.  Of course we can also assume you shoved off the wall with between 300 and 450 pounds of force.

::hmm that could have gone better, let's try that again::

::will try clairvoyance till I get it right or botch and die horribly (probably beats getting gored to death by a bunch of pirates, if/when I get clairvoyance going, will possess the first hapless pirate I find, and if I don't get him try another::

My plan is to kill the pirates by attrition, freeing the crew, and rescueing the princess, oh and kill Blood Axe, I think he needs a death by decompression, preferably in a airlock :D

OOC: Going full tilt :)
This message was last edited by the player at 18:03, Tue 24 Jan 2006.

Suddenly you're visually aware of what is happening outside the pipe.  Its like a dream almost, things are fading and sharpening at the edge of your vision, and you almost expect Barney the Dinosaur to come by with a cup of hot chocolate to pour over your head...it feels so dreamlike.

But you direct your attention up and down the corridor.  There's a resistance.  Its like walking in mollasses.

Down that cross corridor, and into another main hall...and you see a Venusian Green Man with a fake eyepatch, and a very real bloody sabre...

You reach out for his mind...nothing.  He walks on.  The next guy, a Red Man of Mars with an axe...you realize its harder to possess someone while clairvoyant..your attention is divided.

You bear down after another try, and he looks about, but nothing.

By this time, you're ticked off, and so you press on to the next, a Blue Man, probably of Saturn.  You possess him on the second try.  He fights you off but poorly, and you find yourself in control of a slightly drunken pirate.

You're also tired.

PT

::ok drunk and tired, well lets see what I can do to remidy that, I slap myself in the face a few times, since I think since I have control of the physcial body, I'm also limited by it's strengths and weaknesses, usually that's enough to snap me awake, I also don't want to take drugs or food, since I don't know what these guys eat, I will go to the pipe, open it up, say::

Here's not here, where is that little welp?

::close it back down, and mainly to see if I can speak in this body::

::draw whatever weapon I have and start wandering through the hallways, looking for my fellow "pirates", waiting till it's just me and another, and while his back is turned evicerate him, I will use the hand over mouth, throat cutting to prevent unwanted yelling::

::thinking I may not be a good guy, I don't think of myself as a bad guy, I do the right things for the wrong reasons, but sometimes, it takes a person willing to do the right thing, and go about it the wrong way. I mean I wouldn't let people get hurt if I can help it, but I can look at myself in the mirror in the morning, so that's good enough for me.

It takes you a good thirty minutes to find someone alone long enough to execute your plan, and then you see a Sparkle Man of Neptune, with glittering skin resting in a side corridor, not moving quickly somewhere else, and not with a couple friends.  He will pay for his laziness.

"Hey Throatslasher Joe."

You run him through.

"Urk."

"Joe's not home." You find yourself saying, and then he's dead.

About ten minutes later, you hear the Pirate Captain yelling for everyone to leave the ship, and go back to their own. You catch two people separately in the next five minutes.

"Lets go, lets go. Its useless."  You hear the bellow.

::makes my way through to the other ship, now it's time to get the princess, if it's not reasonable to get the princess, I know my way around the engine room well enough to know exactly what to mess up to make sure they don't go anywhere::

::thinking::I don't care about what they stole, things can be replaced, insurance covers that, people on the other hand are priceless...

::hopefully they are busy looking to see whose alive and whose dead, giving me enough time to either get the princess, or sabatoge their ship in a way that they aren't going anywhere::

::makes his way to the airlock, the most likely place where the ships connect::

((just wanted to add, I have a weapon out at all times, If I feel that I'm losing control, I will trust my weapon into the center of my chest and leave))
This message was last edited by the player at 13:15, Thu 26 Jan 2006.

You slip over into the other ship, and are hustled by your officers into a main eating hall.  The other pirates sit down at benches surrounding you.

Blood-Axe walks, no strides in, as the ship is under boost.

"We won, gents of fortune.  More bloody than I expected, but these things happen.  Got the Princess, and now her cousin is going to be a real happy man.  Drop her off at the Mindbenders on Europa, and when she gets 'rescued' she'll give the crown to her cousin.  This means, money now, and powerful friends in charge of Venus later.  I tell you brothers of the sword, I have a vision. 'Tis a beauteous thing.  One day Venus will be the secret pirate planet, and you and I will be the kings and dukes of it, running it from behind the scenes."

This brings up a cheer, and a crashing of covered drink mugs on the table.

"Now, I have her Princesship all nicely stowed in the forward cabin in officer's country, so if any of you scurvy dogs decide to go visit a real live princess, why I'll gut you, and then shove you out side for a walk."

Your heart sinks as you realize you're not even allowed in the part of the ship she's kept in.  And it feels a mite more difficult this possession thing...you're starting to feel stretched.

PT

::I have information now, so at least I can be content that I know the plan she will be unhurt, and I know who was in on this, so at this point::

::brings his mug up and walks over to Blood Axe::

A toast for our leader Blood Axe, for making is all rich...

::takes a drink, and waits for everyone else and Blood Axe to do so::

::when they do, draw my sabre and gut him, and continue gutting him since my time is short::

You should have paid me off, now DIE!!!!!!!!

::I figure this is the last horrah, and I need rest, so either he gets taken out when he's not expecting it, or this pirate gets gutted, and I rest, either way I need rest to get back to strength and deal with the captain on the ship::
This message was last edited by the player at 04:11, Fri 27 Jan 2006.

You draw the sabre, and Blood-Axe flips his mug top toward you, and catches your blade in it.  You punch through it, and get him, but now he has control of your blade by his mug's handle.

"Ya' think, I'm stupid!"  He roars his accusation.  And blades come down on your back, and you're flung out of the body, and into interplanetary space.  Now you know why you felt stretched.

The pirate ship is leaving under boost.  You pull yourself back to your body, getting weaker as you go, and with a gasp enter your body.  The wounds to your back from the blades still sting, and you're trembling with exhaustion.

This ship is also under boost.

PT

((stupid pirate king, at least I cut him twice :D, once here, once before))

::takes some asprin and drinks a good amount of water, take my vitamines, snack on a protein bar, stopping the trembling and relaxing before drifting off to sleep,  (this does feel like the exhaustion like when your up 24 hours at a convention constantly thinking right?, not the I'm dying exhaustion type? :)::

::I will put my bag against the door and use it as a pillow, so if someone opens the hatch, I will be jostled, and have cover, I will sleep untill I am refreshed, as well I'm tired and my mind needs to recharge::

::thinking as he drifts off to sleep:: Well, I have to figure out a way to get the crew behind me, to shove the captain out the airlock, enough of them have seen me fight to know I'm not a coward, then once we land, I need to find someone that can be trusted. Well at least villians are the same here as in the movies, always blabbling about their master plan at the wrong times.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:57, Fri 27 Jan 2006.

There is a lot of clanging and occasional changes in air pressure in the pipe that disturbs your sleep, and finally you wake up realizing you got poor rest, but you're not going to get much more in this tube.  You're awake, aware, and not exhausted, but sore from your exercise and sleeping on metal.

Grumpily, you pull yourself out of the tube.  The ship is under boost again, you have vague memories of floating in the tube so you must have been under zero g for a while.

OOC: Exhaustion tired, correct.

PT

::open the tube and push myself out, stretching as best as I can without gravity (I'm assuming, if not scratch that last bit), and gathering my stuff, and use the closest facilities, once that's done, will start working on my plan, first looking for Robert, then with the rest of the crew, there should be a lot less people around, so hopefully I can get that done without being accosted::

::puts on his Axe, and his 2 pirate sabres, the former 1st Mate's sabre, and my stright ninja-to on my belt and heads off to find Robert::

That was a wild day, and I should have died, let's see what today brings....

You slip on out, and the first person you meet is the Martian.

"Ah, lad. Now that was bravely done.  I hear, you led them on such a chase, and manage to pink that pig of a pirate. Me and the rest of the Saturn boys were locked up in the engine room, not able to do any good, but we kept them from the engine.  The Captain has commended us for 'possibly saving the ship'.  Me, I wish I had been out here with you."

PT

:;hangs his head::

I know where the princess will be, and I know her cousin is in league with the pirates, worst yet, seems the Captain, and the First Mate, and possibly all the officers were in on it as well. Can I count on you guys to make the captain answer for all the death he helped caused today. You know me, the princess knew I was a  sensitive, I've looked into the First Mate's mind, and I heard no distress in the Captains voice when he surrendered. The owner may not care about this ship or the lives on it, but I will be damned if corrupt cronies benefit from the death. Are you and your men with me. Robert proved himself in combat, I'm sure he will support us, there is not many of us left.

::rips off the skull neckless and waits for his response::

He gives you a warrior's arm clasp, forearm to forearm.

"Up the Knights of Terra. Death or glory."  Then he laughs.  "Always wanted to say that. Lets go get some justice, and then rescue your princess, lad."

He stashes you in his cabin, and then goes and tracks down Robert, and a few he is certain of.

Soon the cabin is full with seven individuals.

He briefs you on the body count.  They had fifty-one, and they lost twenty.  It seems certain that the officers are all in on it, so that makes five, plus their special toadies will support them which makes another three.  That makes sixteen more that no one can be sure of.

PT

::considers for a moment::

I'd say we'd be in trouble, but everyone that can work the engine is on our side correct? We know the truth it's up to us to appeal to the rest of the undecided.

::looks to them all::

Robert can attest to, I should be dead right now...

::shows everyone he isn't wounded::

I got ran through, and half my left side pulled out, I taped myself up, made it to the infirmary, and whether through miracle or science, I lived. The captain and his cronies murdered the crew for money, that is what we need to stress to the crew. To the captain and his men, they are expendible, thrown away when not needed, or the money is right. We need to let them know that everyone is important, no amount of money is worth selling a crewmate out to die, and that the dead need to be avenged....

::waits for the words to sink in::

Remember we are not in the wrong, mutany for the right causes is just, and remember the owner of the ship lost cargo, money and men, if we do the right thing, live or die, at least we can live with ourselves in the afterlife, WHOSE WITH ME?

::waits untill people calm down::

Here is what we do, I stay hidden, you guys stay in pairs or groups of three. Start getting to the 16 that are unknown, appeal to their humanity, get them angry that they have been used. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, I'm not saying it's not going to be bloody, but I will be damned if I let justice not be done.

::pauses again::

I am loathe to use my psionics to control people here, as they can be dangerous, we are going to need to use sound tactics in order to prevail. On that note, is the keeper of the armory still alive, and whose side is he on? He is our first target either way. The person who controls the armory, controls the weapons. We already control the engine room, we need to work on key people in key places. I have faith in all of you. Once we get this ship to Mars, we let people know what happened here, and who was in on it. Then we organize a force to get the princess back, get the pirates and put her cousin in jail....tall order but we are in the right.....

Its all the engineers here. Theoretically the Captain is supposed to know how to, but he's too lazy to have learned.

They agree that the miracle of modern science, the Intensifier, is a wonderful thing.  Its healing rays are a panacea.

There's an ugly mood, a yearning for blood, and a low roar of "AYE!" as you ask your question.

"We'll fix em good sir, worst case, we can scuttle the ship.  If I mess with the engine, I can guarantee you, that none of those fumbling gold braid for brains officer's will have it fixed before Armageddon."  One of the Saturnian Blue Men says with a wicked smile.

The armory officer is alive, and no one knows which side he's on.

They break up, and slip out, one at a time to go about the recruitment.

PT

:;I not my approval, as I watch them slip out::

Well let me get prepared for what's to come....

::takes the few forcefield belts and stashes them away in his bag, and reorganizes things in there:

::reloads his shotgun, mainly for emerency propulsion, gets his weapons out and cleans them and begins to practice with them in the quarters, first the axe, then the sabres, getting used to how to fight with them::

::once he does that, he goes into a meditation, facing the door, trying to enhance his senses, not relying on one more than another::

   OOC: GE roll time: Ah too bad, an "8".  I was hoping for a "30".

IC: You sit there, meditating, and listening to every creak and groan of the shipship, and feeling your awareness creep up.  For a dream it seems so real, but other than the fact that its simply insane.

A raven caws and then lands in front of you as you drift in trance.

"We're wondering why the pirate captain is still alive, and why there hasn't been mass blood shed.  Get a move on.."

"Get a move on, we've got the armory chief and ten of the crew.  We're all staged in the dining hall, while the Captain and the officer's answer a fake call on the radio."  Robert Morgan sticks his head in, breaking you out of the trance, leaving you blinking.

PT

::thinking::Don't worry revenge is a dish best served cold, events have been set into motion that the pirate captain and I will meet again...Revenge for the sake of Justice isn't revenge

::hops up and grips his battle axe in hand and makes sure his swords are in his belt in their scabbards, and shoulders the shotgun with the strap, and makes sures the 7 round reload is on the butt of the weapon::

::talks as he pushes his way to the dining hall::Well Robert, let's see if reason wins out, they will pay for what they have done, either through trial and jailtime, or by death. After what they have done, I prefer death, but let's see what this encounter brings. Are you ready for what's to come Robert?

You walk into the dining hall which is guarded at all entrances by spacers with drawn weapons.

"We don't have a lot of time, the officers may have already noticed they are mostly alone."  Your Martian friend says.

The Armory controller stands up, a huge purple giant.

"Look me in the eye, and tell me why I should disobey my captain.  He may be a lazy no-count, but he's still captain, and mutiny is punishable by exposure out the airlock."

The whole room is focused on you, intent, almost wolfish gazes.

PT

::looks him dead in the eye, not intimidated in the least with him, or his question::

He ceased being captain, when he put his financial welfare above each and every person on this ship. He showed no concern when the pirates attacked, he knew we were gravely outnumbered, so if he was getting paid off, why put up the pretense to fight. When he came back into port, he would be questioned about the attack, if the pirated took the items without a fight, he would be under suspician, since he lost a good 2/5ths of his crew, no one will question his motives or actions.

::pauses::

He didn't care who died, he only cared that he and his cronies survived to gain, how many besides the 1st mate that I killed died during the pirate attack? Is mutany punishible by getting thrown out the airlock yes, what we are doing it overthrowing a muntiny, the one the captain started when he sold us, the princess, and the cargo to the pirates. We are retaking this ship, and are doing the right thing, if you have any doubt of this, leave. I for one would die than not do what I could to help the crew, help the princess. If anyone here has witnessed me being a coward, or not fighting with the crew against the pirates, then by all means side with the Captain.

::pauses again::

Your not here to be influenced by me, your here because there is something in your gut that says what just happened wasn't right. Your good men, you work hard, you have friends and family, you take risks to make sure you make a living doing what you do well. I will end with this, either you think I'm lying or the Captain, but ask yourself this, who is more trustworthy, a lazy man, or a hardworking one. I'll leave the judgements up to you.

::waits for their reactions::

The purple giant thinks for nearly a minute, weighing factors in his head, double-checking, and then he nods.

"Good enough for me, Captain."

Quiet cheers greet this, and he tosses out the armory keys to a waiting man.  Other exclamations now rise, but softly so as to not alert anyone else.

"The Solar Fleet lives."

"By George, its good to be out from under that slime."

"At least I'll die a man's death, rather than stabbed in the back."

"Up the Knights of Terra."

Grins crease faces, and swords are waved.

PT

::nods::

Up the Knights of Terra.

::turns to face everyone:: Good to have you aboard, everyone take your positions, if we want this to go down with as little bloodshed as possible, they must think they have no hope. Laziness and survival instinct go hand in hand, let's hope that plays in our favor today.

::grips his axe and waits for the confrontation::
This message was last edited by the player at 11:14, Wed 01 Feb 2006.

OOC: Let me be clear...you're going to wait here until the officer's show up, right?

PT

OOC: Yes, now hit my music :)

You sit there and wait, and then one of the toadies comes running in.  He starts to yell at everyone, but then stops as a sabre pricks his back.

He looks around.

"So its mutiny, is it?  Listen, I'm on your side, just let me go, and I'll get teh others to come in here, one at a time."

PT

::smiles::

You know I'm a sensitive right? I'm looking into your mind right now, care to rephrase?

::trying a read surface thoughts on the peon::

He starts to 'rephrase', but before you can get a lock on him, he starts cursing you and the rest of the lot, and leaps toward you with hands held out to strangle you.

Several sword blades put an end to his incipient career as an assassin.

PT

::shakes his head::

I think we lost the luxury if waiting, he didn't know this was a muntany, we should press our advantage, and go to where the Captain is. Anyone disagree with the coarse of action? In the very least, they have one less toadies when it comes down to it. If we wait for them to gather, this will be a knock down, drag down fight, and I'm not looking to get you guys killed if there is another way.

::waits for responses::

They agree, and you stream out the doors with the rest, although they then wait for you to take the lead.  Down one hall, and through a hatch and into Officer's Country up near the bow of the ship.

You've been up here once already to the parlour with the Princess.

Its a lot nicer than the rest of the ship with genuine wood panelling, and decent lighting, and it looks like someone considered cleaning in the last week.  Although its still pretty slovenly.

And then the Captain and five of his people come around the corner to face you.  Both of you are surprised.

"What is this, here?"  He barks.

PT

::smiles::

The men and I have decided that we don't like that you and your cronies sold us out, we can either do this the easy way or the hard way. My math skills are a bit rusty, but it's 18 vs 5, and if the fighting skills of the first mate are any indication, that might as well be 50 to 5. Throw down your weapons, and you have a chance to survive, you don't and we test the laws of physics, I am not a morbid guy, but I am kinda curious what space does to a dead body with open wounds, your choice.

::axe in hand ready to mix it up::

"I challenge you to a duel. Man to man. It will be kinder than shoving the whole lot of you out the airlock."  He blusters the last bit out.  And then he puts his hand on his sword.  "That is, if you have the nerve..."  He drawls out, smirking at you.

PT

::grins::

I accept on one condition, no shield belts, if not we gut you all first, then space you. Since you chose the dual and the place is here, it is my right to choose weapons and terms, weapons anything you can get your hands on.

((He really doesn't have any choice to accept, he's outnumbered over 3-1, so when he accepts pull my shotgun with my free hand, let go of my axe in the air, and unload into him. If he doesn't accept, we attack.))

You disintegrate his chest with the shotgun, and he collapses with unbelieving eyes, and dies.  You seem to see a raven land on top of him, and begin to peck out his eyeball.

"Good shooting, Tex." It caws at you.

And then everyone jumps up and starts yelling.  The gist of it is that everyone is totally horrified at your actions.  You're a murderer.

And then a couple guys on your side point out that it was a free-for-all weapons duel, and therefore legal, even if highly unconventional.  The pirate supporters glare at you, but they surrender.  Your own people look at you a bit askance as they take the friends of the pirates into custody, putting chains on their wrists, and locking them into a storeroom.

No one talks to you although your Martian buddy claps you on the shoulder once.

PT

::I give it time for people to calm down, when everyone has at least gotten the shock of the incident out of their system we address them::

::with a lowered head::

I know what you think I did is akin to murder, but here me out. We knew what needed to be done, and we should count ourselves lucky he came up with the dual. Even with the numerical advantage, we were going to lose a lot more than just the captain. I've seen enough blood these last few days, that if I could have ended this with a dual, albit with unconventional terms, I would do it again in a heartbeat. Believe it or not, I don't enjoy killing innocent people, but when you cross the line from innocent to selling out your crew, isn't that the worst offense of all on a ship? He wanted blood, he thought he could kill me and you all would relent and follow him.

::looks at all of them::

A captain cares about his crew, and he often has to make the hard decisions. I accept if you don't like what I did, but when you look around and you see none of the other men dead, I hope you at least consider it was the right one.

::takes breath::

Untill the time we land, we all are going to make this ship tip top, me included, I'm a working man, not an officer who doesn't get his hands dirty. Engineering will tell us what needs to be done and the order it needs to be done in, and we will share the work evenly. When engineering is satisified that this ship is in better shape than before this all happened, we can relax, and have time to think about the ramifications of our actions.

::pauses again::

The pirate was paying for my death in pounds of gold, I would suspect, he did the same for the captain and officers of the ship. They wouldn't take credit, and pirates aren't known to be trustworthy, so as I see it, there was a physcial transaction here. We will divide whatever ill gotten gains amung the loyal crew evenly, and that means shares for the dead. Their families deserve something for their loss, and if that's what we have to give, we will do it.

::takes a breath again::

We are a crew, and a crew is a family. It may not have been so before, but it is now. If you can't count on the person next to you when it comes down to it, then you have nothing. We won't forget the events that happened today, but lets use them as an example of what can happen when loyalty fades.

::waits for responses::

One sailor stands up.

"Its not the killing of the captain, but how it was done.  He offered you honorable duel, and you just shot him down like a rabid dog."

But you can tell, they are not as upset as they were.

At your second point, they shake their heads in polite but blunt disagreement.  Your next two points have them nodding in approval, and you get the sense that they are treating you like some sort of well-intentioned, but ignorant person who has to be gently educated, and applauded when he happens to do the right thing.

One man stands up, one of the older ones, his orange skin attesting to his planet, and his white hair attesting to his age.

"Captain, Captain Gunn, I suppose we should call you.  Honor has a cost, and it extends to the whole of the universe.  Not just to your crew.  You have much honor, but you need to let it grow."

He then sits down, and you see a raven standing next to you.

"Idiots. Victory or wormfood.  Odin gave you the victory, and you were strong enough to take it. One day he won't at his whim, and you'll be wormfood. Or not since you're one of those people, but you get the point."

PT
OOC: If its not evident, the Odin I'm describing is different than in your other game.  He is the god of victory, and he is a fickle friend.

(Grins cool, different things are cool, good bad, I'm the guy with the gun :D))

::I nod at the sailor::

A captain needs a first mate, I choose George, he will help me with the crew rotations in getting this ship back to proper shape, I want the dead in our crew prepped for a proper buriel, the dead pirates spaced....All moneys and weapons will be put in the armory, each sailor alive or dead gets his share. We are going to make this ship one to be proud of again. I also need a report on what cargo we have left, and is it worth offloading it. We also need to find men to replace the ones we lost, since we are going after the princess, and everyone is going to know who is helping the pirates...

::sends the men on their way, going to the bow of the ship collecting all the ill gotten gains, and I remember the stateroom and the areas need a good cleaning, I will start on that personally::

There are some strings of pearls, and an amethyst bracelet, and a small stack of silver bars, perhaps ten pounds worth in the safe which you have the key too.

And then behind the bars you see a man's ring with a orange on the outside and gleaming orange on the inside stone.  Its nothing quite like you've seen before, the way it sparkles...

And then you look up startled, realizing you've lost ten minutes looking at it.

Theres also some financial information, and sheafs of various planetary currencies with "Able to be Redeemed for Equivalent Legal Weight in Precious Metals." or something to that effect inscribed on all of them.

===========================================================================

You set to work cleaning, and in the end, you decide the whole carpet has to go.  Its so beer and wine soaked that its a total loss unless you want to cut out the good parts and make small rugs.

You get out the spray cans, and the wash rags, and start to work.  After a few hours, you've made a noticeable dent, and the chef comes in with a plate of food.

PT

::takes the plate of food and gladly thanks the chef::

::rips out the carpet, as it is too nasty to use::

::finishes his plate of food, and continues to clean::

((are all the officers quarters up here, and have I gotten to any of them yet?))

::makes a mental note to check the cargo bay for inventory of what's left, find a structural map to see if there are any areas where you can smuggle items, and read the officers journals, since the Captain sold us out, there has to be a record somewhere of what the terms were, or at least a stash::

You work the next several hours cleaning the officer's rooms, and while things are not spic-and-span, they at least don't stink anymore.

At this time, your pilot comes up to tell you to strap down, they are about to land on Mars, unless you want to avoid landing just yet, because of the difficulties with the former captain.

After making those plans, you struggle with the twenty pages of blueprints (literal) which have been annotated by a succession of engineers, and you find that at least one of the papers, number sixteen is flat out missing, and that pages one through five refer to a different ship.

The cargo is empty of course, but there is a neatly drawn up list of items with the insurance papers already prepared. Evidently the Captain was capable of doing something ship-shape, if he bothered.

PT

::looks at the insurance papers::

Well as far as I'm concerned, we got the cargo stolen, and we lost crew, eh we'll put it through..

::staps himself in::

::when we land, I want George to stick by my side, and advise what the hell I do, first thing is to put these guys into the first jail, and wait for the insurance money to come in, hire a crew to get the princess back::

It takes three whole days, explaining everything to the Port Authorities, and recruiting new sailors, and getting things ready.

Finally, a man in a silver armor who looks fearsome, and with a dozen very tough looking men behind him shows up at your airlock.

"By authority of the Knights of Terra, and the Civilized Planets, open this airlock, and prepare to face a court martial explaining your actions."  Blares through the ship.

PT

::sighs::

Open the airlock, I have nothing to hide

::waits for the hearing, requesting a sensitive to probe my mind for the truth::

It starts off very poorly.  It seems the judge is prejudgiced against mutineers, and even more so, some sort of social acquaintance of the Captain.

But the Sensitive keeps whispering into the Judge's ear, and gradually his face turns cold, and glints of fury show in his steel gray eyes, and he stops calling you "Mutineer."

By the end of the day, the officers are openly sweating.

The judge leaves for a short conference.

Then he comes back, and he has a naked sword in his hand.  One of the officer's swoons.

"Before this hearing, I have never come across such an example of complete and utter betrayal.  Members of the upper classes, of good families, consorting with pirates."

To the cries of one who begs for a pistol, he denies it.  You and the rest of teh crew, and much of the Port gather to watch them being flown up into space aboard a black ship  and then the cargo room airlocks which had imprisoned them are opened by radio control.  No leather spacesuits on board, of course.

Then the ship lands, and the bodies are dragged out, and carted off to be incinerated.

"Fun times, eh?" Croaks the raven cheerfully on your shoulder.

PT

::thinking You reap what you sow, now onto find he princess...

::will set the men to prepare to lift off, and takes George with him::

::tries to find the man in silver armor, one of the knights of terra, to find out what he has to do to get their help or at least get it all legal to go after the princess::

You find him standing near the reviewing stand, talking to several other people who at a sign disperse from him, and go on their separate missions.  He then turns and looks directly at you.

Its like getting smacked in the head, so forceful is his personality.

"You want to go on quest to rescue the lady. Granted."

Then he pulls a ring off his finger.  It has a large blue saphire in it.  Out of his pocket he produces a well-thumbed and small book.

He hands both to you.

"You have the right of high justice over these pirates. And the honor to claim up to any man's tithe of a tithe in support of your quest. Vaya con dios, Page and Captain."

Then he turns to walk away, already looking to talk to someone else in his busy and brisk way.

PT

::I nod in respect to him as I leave him to his business, I put the ring on my finger, and keep the book on me at all times, when I get a chance I will read through it::

Well George, it looks like none of us are going to be spaced, we got the insurance claim in, we have some cash, and have the legality to go after the pirates. That went better than I expected.

::walks back to the ship and gathers the pilot, armory officer, Robert and George and speak to them::

This is my first time I'm doing anything like this, is there anything we are missing? Does the ship have all the normal replacement parts, medical supplies? Should we also take a cargo to make a profit? I would appreciate your help, in a fight, I know what to do, this Captain thing will take learning on my part. We should be set on weapons, from the dead pirates, and crewmates, as well as the ones turned in by the prisoneers, is the armory stocked for a fight? I also want regular combat practice by the crew, the pirates are good, but Blood Axe is impressive. I want us to be able to take them on if need be. I had a vison of where the pirates are going, can you navigate a coarse based on that pilot?

::waits for their input::

They present you with a list of items they would like to get for the ship.

Soon your head is swimming with terms like Interstitial Condenser Coils, and Rapid Degeneration Absorption Matrixes, and Iron Fusion Control Rods, and a dozen more.

Counting up what they would like to buy, it costs about twice what you have.  Even when the requests are forced to a minimum, its still more than you have.

"We need a cargo.  If we want to fix the ship up right, we need the cargo for the money.  Poor baby was falling apart."  George says. "A question Captain, I think, the ship needs a new name. How about it?"

PT

::sighs::

Untill we get that insurance money in, were not going to be able to fix the ship the way we want. We have only this much, George buy only what the ship will fall apart without. I will go into port and drum up a cargo near where we are going. George, are there any smuggling holds on the ship? any areas that dont jive with the blueprints, check on that.

::considers::

I wouldn't mind calling it "Divine Justice"

::takes Robert with him::

We are going to rustle up a cargo, let's head out to the port....

::heads out to the port::

"Oh, aye sir. There's one under the officer's head.  You can move the toilet aside. Small, but no one is going to look there.  I found it when I was having to fix the toilet.  And there's another larger one in the cargo hold, not as secure."

You and he take the monorail away from the Port Authorities area, and into the port.  As you ride, you realize that with perhaps three out of four people being Red Martians, and a wide array of others, this is the most concentrated amount of Mars or aliens you're likely to see for a while.

There does seem to be two classes of Martians. One is like your friend, boisterous, energetic.  The other is far more languid.  And somehow seems older.  But both groups show each other deference, and stay out of each other's way.

You stop in front of the Trade Hall where ship's captains and merchants meet, and make deals.  Its a huge building, stretching upwards thirty stories, and about a half-mile square.  There are easily ten thousand Martians thronging the area, seeking to make a deal.

PT

::looks around::

Well Robert, let's make a deal and earn some money,

::I'm looking for people like George, hardworking, trustworthy, those are the kind of for, I'm willing to listen to any deals, especially ones that take us near to where the pirates took the princess::

::btw how many ships were around, I'm trying to get an idea on how common it is for captains to ship, is there a glut, a good balance, or favoring the ship captains here?::

There is a rough parity of ships to cargoes, at least functionally.  Much more cargoes than ships, but many of the cargoes are sitting there waiting for a good deal, and are not time sensitive, while the ship is.

You find a fellow who needs Martian Corn Seed stock sent to
Titan, which is along with Europa your destination, a moon of Jupiter.  That would fill up most of your cargo hold.

Another wealthy Jupiterian wants to send home several crates of Martian sculptures.  It would take care of most of the rest of your cargo space.

Not a terribly lucrative run, but in the neighbourhood, as it were.

PT

((first time captain, need to build some reputation in order to get the good stuff, it will be enough to get the ship the stuff it needs))

::I accept both of the contracts, sign the necessary papers, and get whatever advance there is (if there is), if there is advance money, will use it to purchase first from the necessary list, then the want list::

::I give the merchants where my ship is parked at and tell them the faster they get it there, the faster it will get to its destination::

::I will then look at the smuggling holds, both the large one, and the one in the head, to see if there is anything there::

::I will get the crew gathered up::

Whatever deal the Captain and his cronies made with the Pirate, there isn't the pounds of gold I thought. We had to buckle down and get the necessities to keep the ship running. This ship has been run down in the last few years, but no more, we will slowly get this ship back to ship shape. We have some cargo that takes us near our destination, so we will offload that, you men will get paid, and we will buy more necessities for the ship. I am not taking one ounce of payment myself untill this ship and you are taken care of. With that said, we will be attacking the pirates legally. We have been granted legal permission to hunt down the pirates, and take back everything that they stole, most importantly the princess. I want all of you practicing your combat skills, especially in Zero-G. When the insurance money comes in, we can then buy luxuries, and get comfortable.

::pauses::

The pervious Captain hired on all his cronies to get rich, while everyone else worked. No more, George is my First Mate with the rank of Commander, Robert is my Second Mate rank of 2nd Lt.. You will receive your training hours from the armory officer, whose rank is 1st Lt. All these men have shown that they are trustworthy, brave and do their duty without thought to their own personal feelings. I expect you to follow them as you do me. We are all Knights of Terra now, let's act like it. UP THE KNIGHTS OF TERRA!!!!!

::I will be spending my time, supervising, the loading of cargo, learning about piloting and about engineering, both preventative, and how the engine works. I will take my training time when assigned, and during my off hours, clean the captains room, and the other officers quarters, to make them suitable for George, Robert and the Armory officer to live in if they so choose. I will see if the captain had a log or jounrnal to read to see if there is anything hidden in there that might help me find out where he stashed things, or his motives. I will also be reading the book that was given to me with the ring::

The wealthy Jupiterian was not going to pay you an advance, but then takes a gander at your blue ring, and writes the check.

While you did have a pile of silver bars, which is wealth for one man, but for a ship capable of carrying sixty to seventy, which is seriously run down, its not wealth.

But you're a bit closer to black ink  and sound structure now.

The large hold has absinthe, an illegal Terran alcohol known for causing madness.  The small hold has a wooden box, and inside it is a black box of some light-absorbing material.

It looks eerie.

Your crew sets to work with a will.  The filth vanishes, tossed out the airlock, and the ship begins to shine in spots.

The mechanical deficiencies are beginning to be addressed.  Filters cleaned by hand if necessary to get a few more months of good service from them.  And you can tell that the whole ship just runs smoother.  Lights don't flicker, at least as much.

One hallway has been taken over by an odd assembly of belts and gears.

"This is the way my grandpappy did it. We moderns use a small thing the size of a grapefruit, but that costs big bucks.  So I set up an old fashioned Modulated Centrifuge with a jiggler belt to separate out the impurities from the iron fuel rods."

Meanwhile, fighting continues up and down the corridors, and Robert shows quite a talent for being a hardnose about getting them to keep on fighting even though they are dripping wet with sweat.

The Captain did keep a log, but its in a personal code.

You read the book. Its an easy read, until you re-read it, and then again, catching the subtle points, and the mind-expanding and sobering views.  Its a very harsh book, teaching integrity and responsibility.  It seems a knight of Terra is one that you can trust absolutely to carry out their sworn word, or die trying.  It makes the case that this is neccessary in a number of different ways.  One way is that the Knights provide an impartial force of justice in the Solarian System, which has kept system wide war from breaking out a number of times.

But there is more than honesty and bravery.  There is also wisdom and cunning, and this book teaches those as well.

By the third time, you've read it through, your head is swimming with the new concepts, and the dry sense of  humor of the author while the matter of fact accounts of knights deliberately choosing to walk into a radiation storm in order to deliver an inconsequential post card make you shiver.

You fall into a troubled sleep.

PT

::I toss and turn all night, a whole lot to absorb in one year let alone 1 or 2 days::

::I groggily wake up in the morning, clean myself up, goto the mess and grab some breakfast before grabbing the command crew and filling them in with what I found::

Ok here is the deal, we got paid in advance for the statues, so we will be using that money to purchase from the must have list first. When clearing out the safe, I found a a few sets of pearls, and a amythust neckless, we will use those to buy parts as well. I found a eerie Orange ring, with another orange stone inside, it mesmorized me for 10 minutes, I put it in a bag and refuse to look at it again, any idea on what that is?

::waits to see if he gets a response::

Ok in the smuggling holds that we know of we have Absinthe, and being a Knight of Terra I am loathe to have it aboard. Spaceing it would be what I would suggust as an honest man with no debts, if the ship weren't ready to fall apart that is. Since we didn't bring it aboard, I view it as a sin of the father situation, and if someone unscruplous enough to buy it wants it, it will pay for things necessary for survival, before I decide anything, I want your thoughts....

::waits to hear their thoughts::

In the small hold I found this wooden box with light absorbing material, any idea what it is or what it's worth?

::pauses again::

The ship looks 100 times better, still not near perfect or how I would want it, but for what we have to work with, damn good. Make sure the crew knows we appreciate their hard work, a word of encouragement is worth a lot, now let's get to work.

::will begin doing things around the ship, learning piloting, engineering, combat, and as a special project, trying to crack the code on the Captain's log, which I'm sure will bring a lot of what happened to light::

::as soon as the cargo is loaded, I want to blast off to begin our missions::

"Probably the Princess's Sensitive ring.  They use it to hypnotize people and supposedly other things." Robert volunteers.

As a Knight in training of Terra, aka a Page, they think you should probably space it.  Although you can tell, they are not eager to do so.  But the Martian points out they could probably get a reward for turning it in.  Nothing like what it would make if sold, but something.

The box has them baffled, at least from your description.

You blast off the next day.

The men are happy, not in an open way, but they show it by being energetic, and by not griping (or when they gripe, they do it with humor rather than despair).
You're in the pilot's chair as the blast off occurs, with the pilot hovering nervously behind you.

"Divine Justice. You are clear to blast off into an equatorial orbit, and slingshot to Jupiter."  The Tower says, and then there is a moment of quiet. "Good Hunting Divine Justice from us at Port Mars."

The launch is easy, the slingshot a bit harder, and you have to have a little help from the pilot judging the right moment to leave orbit.

PT

::puts the ring on his other hand::

This can come in handy...

::nods::

If we can get a reward for turning it in, that's what we will do...

::before we leave, I would contact the Knights and tell them that the former captain was smuggling Absineth, and tell them I would like to turn it in::

::hands a little tense on the controls, as the slingshot is a little nervewracking, but confortable enough with the pilot behind me to continue to do so::

((will do what was outlined in the above post when we get to zero-g, any money from turning in for Absineth will goto parts for the ship))

Over the next two days, you spend eighteen hour days learning and working.  Often, combining the two.  Your inspections of various parts of the ship serve to teach you, and make sure that the crew is doing it right.

Your arms are bruised from the combat with the padded weapons, and blisters decorate your hands from the wrench work necessary to fine tune the Iron Fission Engine.

And your brain aches from all the fiendish questions the pilot has been asking you.

And then the crew comes to you with a leather spacesuit.

"Sir, it has come to our attention that you've been working hard, and need a break." George says with a big smile on his face. "Its a tradition on the ships of the Solarian Fleet, of which this is one, that anyone who first passes the border between the Inner and Outer Planets does so outside the ship."

The start to dress you, laughing as they go, and about a dozen of them as well join in, and its out the airlock in a leather spacesuit, and into the Glory as they call it.

Outside, it almost breaks your heart, its so beautiful...

PT

::I'm a little wary of spending time outside the ship, but I trust George that he wouldn't kill me like that::

::I watch for as long as I am out there, as it is indeed a sight that I have never seen, so I am content to stay here for awhile::

There is about a dozen with you outside the ship, including George.

The light seems to speak to you.  You can feel your brain calming, and the stress muscles in the back of your neck unclenching.  The pain of your muscles seems to fade a bit, and your blisters don't sting as bad.

Out here, you feel safe despite the utterly ridiculous spacesuit.  In fact, you feel a slight temptation to take it off,and embrace the Light.  Your hands are fumbling at the zippers when you realize it, and stop yourself.  George is reaching for you at the same time, and when he realizes you're not going to do something foolish, he pats your shoulder.

And finally, its back inside, and the former crowd of laughing joking men is peacefully silent.

"You're a true spacer sir.  Only a true spacer feels the Light of Heaven.  But you have to watch out for that Space Euphoria."  He murmurs. "Fact is, the light from the Intensifier is somehow related to spacelight.  But I'm not a scientist, so I can't explain it."

PT

::nods to George as when he is outside in space::

::nods again::

You aren't kidding space europhoria, it was pretty strong to overcome. I'm glad for the experience, and if that's where the light from the intensifier comes from, well I can see how it healed me. The ship is looking better, let's eat a meal together as crew, and then go back to getting ready for our dropoffs and pirates.

The next week is filled with activity, and the ship seems to have settled down.  The funk is gone, and the rust is gone, at least inside the ship.  Outside the ship, the crew is beginning to scrape away rust, except the starboard forward engine panel which your engineers say is so radiocative that merely walking across it would be enough to measurably shorten one's life.

You continue your classes, and manage to begin breaking down of the code.  You think you've figured out what the 'e', 's', and 'a' are produced.  Its a substitution code mixed with keywords from the Captain's Manual of Shiphandling.  But its slow-going, and there are many other requests for your time.

Including several birthdays.  Since space is so barren, spacers make a big deal of celebrations which includes anything they can think of.

PT

::to George::

Next time we have money, we get either the radiation suits, or get them done by someone else, all that rust can't be good for a ship.

::I continue classes, and the codebook in spare time::

::with that being said I will make sure that anyone's birthday is taken care of right, they get to relax that day, and celebrations at night, I will make sure I will be there for all of them, and congrate them personally::

"Short term, its cheaper to have someone do it.  Long term, its cheaper to do it ourselves, but the initial cost in suits is a problem."

George replies.

The crew is bonding into a tight group, and Robert says to you one time in your cabin.

"Captain, I, well, two weeks ago, I wouldn't have given a plugged nickel for half of the men on this ship, but now, well, now I can see there's real steel underneath the grime.  It seems thats my job as leader, to get the men the chance to be their best, to demand it even, but with this crew, they were so tired of the mess they had gotten themselves in, that sometimes, I just stand out of the way, and let them charge a problem.  I look back, and I realize I was just like them.  Not worth a bucketful of rust, and now, well, I'm not doing too bad, if I do say so myself."

PT

::to George::

I usually think long term, we will want to get the suits, but it's good to know in the short term we can get that done too.

::smiles::

I was much like you were, I needed something worth doing to do it right. If the first mate haden't come at me that first night, I doubt I'd be here talking right now. The crew needs to bond, since we are going to be doing some dangerous stuff. If they trust each other, that's one less thing they have to worry about. The Pirates have a close knit group as well, but they are lead out of fear and greed, and when it comes down to it, that will be their undoing. Your doing a good job Robert, and once we get the money into the ship, we can get her to the point of fully functional.

::will continue the routine, untill something comes up::

The pilot takes over as you move into Jupiter orbit.

"No offense, Cap Gunn, but the Jupiter sub-system is the most complicated spot in the whole Solar System."

However, you watch as he slides the ship between planetoids, and around a small asteroid belt formed when Io was destroyed in the Pluto-Jupiter War.  The ship drops toward Titan first, one of the larger moons of Jupiter.

"I'd like to drop the mass a bit more, get rid of the corn before we try Jupiter."

He says, and then he concentrates, and brings the ship down to a smooth-landing on the blue moon.

Once there, the off-loading is accomplished expeditiously as the buyers were waiting anxiously for the product.

You do get a trader who wants to move some sealed papers to the Jupiter Royal House, rather a bit, and a request from the Governor of Titan to post a few navigational buoys in exchange for the usual fee.

PT

::nods to the Pilot::

None taken, I'm sure we all want to get there alive. I agree once we get rid of most of the cargo, we'll get paid for the corn. (I was under the impression we only got paid in advance for the sculptures)

::has George and the rest of the officers draw up a new list of needs based on the most important, and after completion of the jobs, take the credits we get and will let them handle getting the items starting from the top of the list::

::I accept both the jobs, as we need as many jobs as possible, but I'm a little wary of people in high places now, so I will have George and engineering give the cargo a once over to make sure were not accepting a bomb, call me paranoid, but I'd rather be safe than sorry::

There is no bomb, and George gets the radioactive panel replaced, and a cracked booster bell, one of the four in use gets changed out as well.

And then you lift.  Without the constant vibrato from the booster bell, the ship runs quieter.

The drop into Jupiter is difficult, what with the extra mass of the paper, and the high gravity of the planet (Two Terran g's).  And after you get started on your descent, you receive a storm advisory.

"A peeler hurricane has broken loose from the Red Spot, and is scheduled to hit the Royal Spaceport in minutes.  Advise extreme caution."

This comes in on the radio.

"Burn a ton of fuel, and stress the ship to pull out, or go forward into a peeler 'cane? Twenty seconds to make up your mind, Cap."

The pilot says.  Everyone else on the bridge looks at you as you make a life-or-death decision for them all.

PT

::considers::

Ship might not survive the stress, and the fuel will hurt, continue with the landing, tell everyone to strap in.

You descend into the pungent atmosphere, spinning airs of great, flexible tubes of dark rotting brown whaling about above the argent horrizon, and through whiffs of purple and green to splatter on the outer hull of the ship.

And then more of a fall, and whipped winds surge against the ship, and creaks and screeches as rivets pop free and clatter down the halls and corridors of the ship.

"We have to run with the wind. Cap'n. We fight it, and we're smashed."  The pilot yells in a space of quiet.

PT

::to the pilot as he takes the controls himself during a lull::

Then we ride it, any other time I would want you here instead of me, but I have a feeling this is a test for me, to tell me that the coarse we fly isn't a stright one. Eventually the storm will dissipate, till then ride the wind, let it guide us. We'll worry about how lost we are once we are safe, I will keep the engines on enough to prevent landing, but let the wind choose direction.

::I consider this ship and everyone on it my associates :D::
This message was last edited by the player at 22:32, Wed 15 Feb 2006.

You take the ship, and try to ride the storm, but instead you find yourself facing into it as the direction suddenly shifts, and then the ship is spinning at a canted angle in a wobbling spin.

You fall across the room, once, and then twice.  Imitating zero-gravity maneuvers in gravity.

Your head is ringing as you hang onto the door of a cabinet about five feet from the pilot's chair as the ship begins another flip.  You lost your stomach somewhere a couple thousand feet up, and spinward.

Your ship is falling out of control.

PT
OOC: Um, no way.  Even if MJ agrees with you, I'm still not letting you take an interplanetary starship, and a crew of around forty with you out into the Verse.  I can argue that they would not want to go with you, at least not enough to abandon their world.

OOC: See the PM

::bounces off the cabinet to the chair and straps himself in and begins to try and correct the ship::

OOC: I'll discuss it with MJ, and post on it later.  Now is a good time to get out the dice...this is a tricky maneuver, the ship is toppling end over end, and people are bouncing around inside the bridge, and off each other, and off hard surfaces, and while the chair does have places to grab, its not exactly meant for this circumstance...

"01"--absolutely minimal success...hmmh...

IC: You spin across the room, flipping backwards, your back arcing and vertebrae popping in rapid succession, and blindly you grab in a desperate hope, and against all this, snag the top metal bar of the chair.

It feels like you wrenched your right arm almost out of the socket as you come to a crashing halt, and you can feel the slick metal sliding under your fingers, and perhaps bending under your weight.

You hang from your chair with your feet dangling 'straight down' toward the door to the bridge five feet 'beneath' you.

PT

OOC: Understood, either way I'm cool with what happens.

::move one hand to the side of the chair, then the other to release the bar, and use it to hop over the chair, twist and end up sitting upright in the chair, try to strap in and regain control of the ship::

You slip, as you transfer your hand, and crumple to the floor, not catching yourself in time.  Then the ship flips, and you're heading head first toward the chair...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And this will continue in "Jhiaxus 'Jump' ".

PT