In reply to S'Krllk (msg # 40):

(OOC)
I would have thought we would need the Spaceship skill "Engineering" to stop the engines.  is there another tech that can open doors for me?  Otherwise I will need explosives or I can't go any further.

I've got a Kilo of TD-19 and [3] timers

Bartja steps forward to go with Porter.

"I've seen S'Krllk do some amazing stuff with that tech arm of his.  Otherwise, I'd stay and work on shutting down the engines.

I'll go with you to take out Terry and can open the hatches, if there's time.  We owe him for destroying Hammer ... twice now.

When this is over, we'll see about repairing and booting Hammer back up.  I don't know much about the Mechanon race, but they can't be too far off from our robots in technology.  Their AI is impressive...or is it AI?"

In reply to Bartja Nemuco (msg # 43):

(OOC)
If biocort works on Mechanons, then who knows?  I don't think the game developer really thought things through when they made Mechanons available as a PC race :)

The party decides to split up.

As the others go up a floor to the lab deck, S'krllk (or is that pronounced "Scotty?" :)) goes east through the next hatch, which is unlocked, with a plan to go southeast to the engine controls for his EMP attempt.

S'krllk also scans for robots. He finds that his reception is very fuzzy here, as though partially blocked by something. However, it does not reveal any robots within a 10 foot radius of him.

OOC: There are two ways go get to engineering controls--(1) by going south to the aircar storage bay and then northeast, or (2) east into the airlock and then south. (See map below.) Please indicate which direction he is going.


Porter looks up into the lab deck area with his flashlight. He sees that the hatch going up to the next deck is already open. The two hatches on the sides are closed.

Everyone else (except S'krllk) is waiting in the central area of the engineering deck waiting for Porter's next move.

This message was last edited by the GM at 05:28, Wed 12 Aug 2020.

(IC)
  Porter lobs his dose grenade through the next hatchway and then drawing his autopistol, continues climbing up to the next level.

(OOC)
  Porter is still wearing his gasmask and his albedo screen is still activated.

(IC)
  "Contact!" Porter yells as loud as possible.  "Movement on the crew deck"

(OOC)
  Based on Heath's description I think the movement was on the crew deck level, if I have that wrong please advise.

S'Krllk  heads east, through the airlock. Scanning ahead and hoping the universe doesn't learn to shoot any better than it already has.

Desiraye follows S'Krllk, guns up, as they move away from Porter after giving him her explosives and timers.

Desi will try to engage anything thought hostile with a burst from her gyrojet rifle if she has opportunity.

OOC: Yes, it was from the crew deck.

To be clear, you were opening the hatch on the engineering deck and peering up into the lab deck. You then saw in the hatch above you (leading to the crew deck) that there was movement of someone or something standing above the hatch to the crew deck as though looking down. The movement was technically in the crew deck looking down.

S'krllk begins opening the hatch to the airlock with Desi right behind him...

In the center area, Porter is lobbing a doze grenade up through the hatch above into the crew deck as he pulls himself up to the lab deck...

In midair, his grenade passes another grenade coming down at him from above. He has only a moment to try to dodge, and he dives to the ground.

The grenade coming down is an incendiary grenade, filling the center area of the data lab with sticky flaming liquid (napalm). Porter gets an avoidance check...(success)14:33, Today: GM Heath rolled 58 using 1d100....and dives away, receiving only half damage from the blast of napalm. (16 STA dmg.)

Before hitting the floor, Porter luckily is able to slam the hatch shut to protect his comrades below from splash damage.

Porter is now on the lab deck. The hatch above him is still open. Everyone else is one deck below. The napalm continues to burn. (1d10 dmg on the 2nd through 4th turns.)

Porter again sees the glimpse of something metallic moving above him...


S'krllk opens the hatch to the airlock. He and Desi enter and proceed to the next airlock leading to the engine room.


That's when they notice that the airlock pumps are on. It takes a moment to realize that this is not normal when the ship is on land.

But then the five grenades drop out of the airlock pumps, an obvious trap by Terry.

Desi sees the smoke coming her way but resists it. (For doze grenade, must pass a current stamina check to resist.) 14:41, Today: GM Heath rolled 43 using 1d100.

S'krllk, on the other hand, decides this is a good time for a nap. 14:41, Today: GM Heath rolled 83 using 1d100. S'krllk collapses from the doze grenade.

OOC: Note that doze grenades knock the individual out for 1d100 turns, but can be instantly revived by a stimdose shot.



T-minus 2:48...2:47...2:46...

(IC)
  Ignoring the burning pain from the Willie Pete grenade, Porter heads up the ladder to the crew deck.
  "I got a robot up here lobbing incendiary's down from the crew deck.  Engaging now!"

(OOC)
  If I get another look at whoever or whatever is up here I am blasting it with my autopistol in burst mode
Heavy Automatic Pistol [hit 75% burst 95%, dmg 2d10/5d10, RoF 3/1, Range 5/15/30/60/150, ammo 20/20/20]

Hearing that Desi and S'krllk may be in trouble, Orvo rushes to them to provide assistance.

Porter prepares to storm up the ladder as quickly as possible to take out the robot threat lobbing grenades down...

The hatch from engineering to the lab deck is closed, leaving Porter alone to scale the ladder (from lab deck to recreation deck) or take other actions. It will take one turn for him to climb the ladder, or two turns (12 seconds) to turn on the lights and climb the ladder.

In the engineering deck just below Porter stand Bartja and Appleburg. It will take one turn for them to scale the ladder and open the hatch to where Porter is at, or they can take other actions.


Meanwhile, Orvo runs through the hatches to find Desi waving away smoke from the doze grenade and S'krllk collapsed on the floor. He pulls out a stimdose and prepares to wake S'rkllk.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:14, Thu 13 Aug 2020.

(IC)
  Time being his driving motivation now, Porter moves as quickly as possible up the ladder to engage the robot.

Bartja considers his immediate options.  The hatch above is shut but he's sure the incendiary compound is still burning.  He looks around quickly for a fire extinguisher that is mandated on all ships.

His other option is to head towards the engine rooms and try to help shut down the ship to give them more time.  S'Krllk is capable of handling this and he has Desi to help.  Porter is alone up there in the flames, and that's where Bartja feels he's most needed.

PM

She puts her hand on Orvo's shoulder, "Once he's awake, get him going in the right direction and stay with him!  Looks like Terry has the ship rigged with booby traps.  Watch your backs, I'm going with Bartja and Minh."

After giving what might be her final orders to Orvo, she moves next to Bartja, "We don't have a lot of time.  I'll shoot, you do what you need to and see if we can't help the Sarge out!"

Orvo helps revive S'krllk, who sits up and blinks for a moment before coming to his senses. He gets up and starts to open the hatch, which remarkably, is not locked (or trapped).

Desi, Orvo and S'krllk step through the hatch down to the sliding doors, and into the engine control room. They stop in their tracks as they see what is spread out before them...


Porter, meanwhile, is rushing up the ladder from the lab deck...

From below, Bartja is covered in the all weather blanket and opens the portal hatch to the lab deck from the recreation deck, seeing Porter almost at the top of the hatch directly above him.

Porter sees a utility robot holding grenades near the hatch but shrouded in darkness. However, when Bartja opens the portal, it moves forward near the hatch.

Porter opens fire...11:33, Today: GM Heath rolled 39 using 1d100 He hits. The burst does 39 damage against the robot. 11:34, Today: GM Heath rolled 39 using 5d10
Oddly, the robot seems to ignore Porter and instead pulls the pin on a grenade as it once more approaches the hatch.

T-Minus 2:39...2:38...2:37...

Orvo, Desi, and S'krllk see the following in the Engineering, Power and Life Support Systems Control Room: there are two fire extinguishers on the walls; there is an intercom system with buttons to various rooms in the Moraes, including the bridge; there are the actual control computers for Engineering, Power, and Life Support, which includes emergency support such as sprinklers and antifire foam systems in each room; and then there are the booby traps. You know from experience that the bridge has separate life support and power controls and is like a self contained emergency unit.

But the booby traps...upon a second look, they do not look like traps. Instead, Terry has apparently tried to rewire much of the controls. With wires going in and out of everywhere, you see that the engines and fuel and so forth have been haphazardly connected, such that any interference (or attempt to take off), will likely cause the fuel tanks to explode and destroy the whole ship.

Orvo, Desi, and S'krllk realize that Terry's attempt to rewire has instead turned the ship into a ticking timebomb. As soon as he tries to take off, it will likely explode with everyone in it.

T-Minus 2:36...2:35...2:34...
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:45, Mon 17 Aug 2020.

(IC)
  Porter empties his auto pistol clip at the robot, screaming in between bursts,
  "Look out below, incoming grenades!"  hoping the gas mask does not muffle his voice too badly.

Orvo says to S'krllk, "I don't think it would be wise to use an EMP. It might blow us all to smithereens. Can you disable what he has done here? I'm a doctor, not an engineer."

S'Krllk nods to Orvo, "if we can't shut it down, we need to get off this death trap, they need to know up top."
S'Krllk then starts on his bodycomp, requesting it scan the mechanical and electrical systems and indicate a method to prevent the explosion.

(OOC)
Obviously Porter is not down there but it seems to me that an EMP might be the one thing that actually could save us. If it shuts down all electrical stuff it should stop Terry from starting anything that could cause an electric current that would result in an explosion.  I ain't no tech so maybe a tech should look at that angle?

Bartja grabs the hatch handle and pulls it shut as he drops back down the ladder, kicking his feet free to make the fall and hatch closing as quick as he can.

"Look out below!" he shouts as he prepares for a hard landing and a possible concussion from the grenade above.

"See if the intercom system is working. I don't know if we're going to have enough time to get off this ship before it blows.  Maybe, just maybe we can talk Terry down before he kills every last one of us!  If anyone else has any better ideas now would be a good time!"

Porter suffers 6 more damage from the prior incendiary blast, which still burns him intensely. (2 turns of burning remain.)

Porter is now at the top of the ladder with his head and arms in the above deck firing a point blank range burst at the robot, which casually drops a grenade down the hatch below...

Porter's burst hits the utility robot 10:41, Today: GM Heath rolled 68 using 1d100 for 25 STA dmg 10:45, Today: GM Heath rolled 25 using 5d10.(36 STA remaining). The robot continues to ignore Porter. (Utility robots do not have combat programs installed.)

The grenade from the robot falls to the hatch below, where Bartja is trying to dive down and close the hatch in time (RS check...10:41, Today: GM Heath rolled 74 using 1d100....fail). The grenade splashes incendiary all over him. The all weather blanket halves the damage and prevents ongoing damage. 10:53, Today: GM Heath rolled 2 using 2d10 The hatch is then closed as the incendiary grenade blows up in the rest of the central chamber.

Porter, still not quite up the ladder, is also hit with splash damage. Porter tries to dodge by pulling himself up...(RS check...10:54, Today: GM Heath rolled 81 using 1d100...fail) and is hit in his lower parts (half damage) by the grenade's splash damage. (10:55, Today: GM Heath rolled 6 using 2d10 6 STA dmg.).

Porter finishes pulling himself up into the room above. It is pitch black, but he is inches from the utility robot. The utility robot is still ignoring him and is instead peering down the open hatch as it pulls out another incendiary grenade.


S'krllk starts a scan with his bodycomp, but it will take a minute because it is not an easy inquiry and will require his expert analysis...

Desi tests the intercom to the bridge. It appears to be fully functional.

T-minus 2:30...2:29...2:28...
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:02, Wed 19 Aug 2020.