That depends. If they all line up neatly in a row, sure. If not...things might get dicey. Do we have any other tricks up our sleeve? How's Major Asshole doing?
This message was last edited by the player at 15:26, Tue 22 Dec 2015.

In reply to Xander (msg # 296):

"I'm no officer," Flux says, his eyes snapping open as he surveys the room from the vantage point of being flat on his back. "I'm just a soldier fighting a war that everyone thinks is over."

He reaches up to the console and slowly pulls himself to his feet, appraising the console's readouts and the expressions of Battalion and Rebecca in an instant.

"Looks like we have incoming fighters," Flux says, clenching a fist and flashing a cocksure smile. "Which is good. I aim to misbehave."

In reply to Flux (msg # 297):

The Wasps scream ever closer. You have time for one more meaningful action each before battle is joined.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 298):

Batallion, we have a severely injured crew member in Flux, Abraxis has sustained damage over the course of combat and is outnumbered 5 to 1, not to mention that you and I are both worthless in space combat.  We will have to use one of our experimental technologies regardless if we stand and fight or run.  My suggestion is that running limits our downside risk as much as possible.

This being your ship and that fact that you have most experience I will follow your lead.  Sir.

In reply to Rebecca Taylor (msg # 299):

I'm not pushing any crazy science buttons until I have to, Battalion growls.

The jumpsuited Battalion curses in an offensive mockery of Itallian and Russian while kicking the hull.


If you want to be useful, either work on making the ship faster, getting rid of persuers, or making the ship lighter by getting rid of dead weight.

He emphasizes that last point, though he is clearly terrified.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 300):

She looks at him puzzled...

Uhmmmm.....

When no response is forthcoming she continues

We are in the vacuum and weightlessness of space.  There is neither gravity nor wind resistance and therefore no need to remove ballast or streamline the ship. 

She blinks for a second.

Let me see their formation.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:52, Wed 23 Dec 2015.

A stream of electrified projectiles arcs out from Abraxas, smashing into the lead Wasp.

[Damage: 40]

Sorry, think I messed it up some.

In reply to Xander (msg # 302):

Xander clips the nearest Wasp, and battle is joined.



Four blasts of energy streak toward the shuttle, though only one manages to hit it.

[Damage (Shuttle): 40]

The warning indicators flare to life, clearly showing the pilot that what little physical armor the shuttle possessed is now entirely absent. The next shot to hit will almost certainly penetrate the hull, with rather disappointing results to all within it.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 303):

"Nothing I can do from here," Flux growls. "I could jump back into space to distract them, but... is that the best play here?"

In reply to Flux (msg # 304):

I would prefer not to in your condition.  Either way we would have to rely upon the untested technology of our speed booster our the phasing technology.  Unless you can deal with them quickly the phasing technoloogy will be rendered inoperable rapidly.

However, I will defer to the captain's judegement.

In reply to Rebecca Taylor (msg # 305):

Fuck...

Beads of sweat dot JJ's receding hairline.

Xander, anything?

I am NOT dying in this tin box with these crazies...

Abraxas' railgun discharges again, electricity building up as Xander overloaded the magrails.

[Full Auto: Success]

[Damage: 75]

The damaged Wasp explodes silently into a shower of escaping gasses, sparks, and debris, leaving three threats.

I've got nothing else for you, J.J. I'm out of ammo, and Abraxas has taken some hits. Unless you've got something crazy up your sleeve, we're sitting ducks here.

In reply to Xander (msg # 307):

Shall I engage the ghost drive captain?

In reply to Rebecca Taylor (msg # 308):

Like hell you will!

JJ swats away Rebecca's hand...

If anyone is going to be the big damned hero...

...and hits both buttons himself.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 309):

She looks taken aback.

Battalion... the ghost drive is activated by my powers you may want to rethink your movements in future.

In reply to Rebecca Taylor (msg # 310):

Sage advice, though it presumes a future is to be had.

Five things happen the moment JJ's fingers depress the buttons:

Firstly and most immediately, something in the back of the shuttle roars to life with an incredible whine. The ear-splittingly high-pitched noise is almost defeaning, and is accompanied by vibrations that would have jarred loose any fillings you might have had no matter how snugly they have been drilled into your teeth.

Secondly, a horrible screech erupts from the console's copilot position. The headpiece intended to be worn by Rebecca surges with visible arcs and crackles of raw electricity. The metal probes of the vacant headset -- having nowhere to shunt the energy to and no ghosting powers to feed upon -- settle for slagging that half of the cockpit, reducing the headpiece, chair, and copilot controls to a melted mass of foul-smelling, melted metal and burnt circuitry.

It's difficult to worry about the acrid smoke now rapidly filling the cockpit because (thirdly), all passengers now find themselves hurled against their seats or the nearest bulkhead as the shuttle lurches forward with alarming alacrity. The stars in the viewport go hazy as time and space lose a semblance of meaning. A glance at the velocitometer helpfully informs you that the velocitometer is among the parts of the console that are no longer operable.

Fourthly, the walls of the shuttle (and the external hull, from Xander's view) take on a reddish glow that becomes whiter over time. Something is overheating the shuttle on a structural level, but it can't possibly be friction.

Finally, the streaking stream of stars in the viewport gives way to splashes and splotches of color, which is extremely fun to watch until one such burst illuminates the fact that a spiderweb of cracks appears to be spreading out on the viewport's transparesteel surface. You can't hear anything over the horrible whine, and can barely move due to the acceleration (which has not abated), but even still you could swear you're hearing the ice-like sound of shattering glass...

Xander's POV is similar to that of the cockpit, except that his battlesuit does not change color, nor does his viewport appear at risk of being damaged. There is no smoke to be seen from his vantage point, either, which means that there is probably no hull breach -- yet.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:35, Mon 04 Jan 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 311):

Flux, who was not seated or secured in any way, is hurled against the nearest bulkhead and slumps against the wall, pinned by acceleration and completely unconscious. As the metal turns red and, very quickly thereafter, white, his clothing begins to hiss and smoke where it touches the wall.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:31, Mon 04 Jan 2016.

Xander looks out the viewport at the rapidly distorting shuttle.

Jesus, you all okay in there? I hope you had your tray tables up, and your seats back in the full upright position...

In reply to Xander (msg # 313):

Xander's transmission is entirely lost amid the noise, though the console does blink to indicate a message is transmitting.

Given the nature of the message being missed, this is likely for the best.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 314):

Rebecca's scream cuts through the noise easily enough as it rings directly into your head.

Though it appears not to be fear more... rage and surprise.

YOU IDIOT!
This message was last edited by the player at 13:02, Tue 05 Jan 2016.

In reply to Rebecca Taylor (msg # 315):

... and I die because some fool mechanic screwed up.

Peachy.

JJ's screams go unheard above the cacophany, though it's clear to anyone who can catch a glimpse of his face that his suggestions are both inappropriate and medically impossible.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:19, Tue 05 Jan 2016.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 316):

Cold smoldering rage in your head

STOP THE DRIVE NOW!!!

Then the scolding begins.

You will die because you are a narcissistic, braggadocious, glorymonger with delusions of adequacy who refuses to learn the basic tenants of new technology....

the scolding continues with vocabulary likely well above Battalion's head.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:27, Tue 05 Jan 2016.

In reply to Rebecca Taylor (msg # 317):

...and I have to do EVERYTHING...

With great effort, JJ lifts his hand from the armrest and reaches slowly toward the console.

Time moves in slow motion, veins bulge on JJ's neck at the effort of moving his own body.

Finally, after a comical amount of time wrestling with gravity, his hand finds and presses the buttons on the experimental devices.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 318):

The horrible noises coming from the rear of the shuttle immediately terminate with a screeching crescendo as JJ's finger boldly prods the experimental buttons a second time. Since he struck both buttons, one might expect further reaction from the phasing device, but nothing at all seems to happen on that side of the console.

The viewport continues to show a blur of colors as the shuttle hurtles through space, though you may move freely about the cockpit now that you've reached a relatively constant speed. Over the next few minutes, the hull and walls return to their normal steel-grey coloring.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:15, Tue 05 Jan 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 319):

The good news? You've survived another day. +1500 Karma to everyone!
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:18, Tue 05 Jan 2016.