You each get 3 XP to spend or save as desired.

You gather, exit the aircar and look around. You stand under the lander module.

On the southeast side of the module is a ladder leading up to a hatch that will take you to the research station control room.

As you gather yourselves, you pull up your digital maps of the Moraes. (See map post for rest of maps.)

T-Minus 13 minutes to take off.




MAP OF MORAES


This message was last edited by the GM at 06:46, Tue 04 Aug 2020.

(IC)
  "Let's not waste any time, if one of the techs can check for security devices on the hatch, then either disable the security or unlock the hatch.  Leave it for me to open, just in case." Porter removes a dose grenade from his webbing and while he waits for the hatch to be unlocked, he takes out his gas mask.
  "Hammer, could you please add another note to my electronic diary?  Flashbangs!"  He turns to the rest of the team.  "I will lob this through the hatch first then follow up in case there are more robots.  If there is no resistance I will open the next door, go down the hallway and see if the hatch up to the next level is clear."
  Thinking inside their spaceship might not be the best place to use his machine gun, Porter reluctantly lays down the weapon and checks the magazines in his pistols, leaving his automatic rifle slung across his back for now.
  "I will engage any enemy targets but if any of you guys can push on, go for it, don't let them slow us down, just keep pressing forward.  Good hunting everyone."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:07, Tue 04 Aug 2020.

Hammer laughs a computerized laugh. "Not sure when I became the librarian of the group, but my psychosocial skills and robotic good looks probably gave that impression. I would think everyone is probably gathered on the bridge up top. Maybe we can delay the take off from the engineering deck. ALso, we have those two kidnap victims to think about. I don't know where they might be."

Hammer will hang back due to his extremely damaged body and mainframe.

S'Krllk approaches the hatch while instructing his bodycomp to scan for security devices and assess methods of entry.
"I'll be as quick as I can."

Bartja orders the maintenance robot to approach and take his techkit and medkit, then to follow.  This is all done through his link with the bot, but his flesh-half-face smirks as he gets confirmation of compliance from his new lackey.

"Once we're in the ship, doesn't matter if it takes off.  We'll not be stuck here in any event.  Let's not leave the airlocks open behind us - just in case."

Bartja pulls a tangler grenade from his belt and prepares for S'Krllk to open the hatch.

S'krllk goes to open the lock, which takes a minute...and begins muttering curses in what must be the Vrusk language. "Oops," he finally says in the common tongue. 08:36, Today: GM Heath rolled 100 using 1d100. (Critical miss.)

Alarms go off all over the ship. The lock gets a new banded layer of security. (Now it requires a Level 4 success plus a defeat security computer check at level 2. It will also eat up 2 minutes of time waiting until you can try a second attempt, plus a minute for each of the checks above.)

T-Minus 9 minutes to take off.

OOC: To Bartja's comment, keep in mind two things: First, the lander module stays on the ground and will not take off, so you would have to at least get to the second level (engineering), and second, you will not be strapped in for the G forces that will follow.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 23:45, Tue 04 Aug 2020.

Hammer says, not unkindly, to S'krllk, "Maybe you should let Bartja have a go at the hatch, my friend."

"Times flies!" Bartja growls as he takes a couple of minutes to open a techkit and select the proper tools.

"If the ship defenses hadn't let them Terry know we are here, that certain did.  Does anyone have explosives on them?  If we can't get through the landing module in time, we should scale and damage the ship hull to keep them from leaving.  If we have enough TD-19, we can shortcut this hatch opening business."

As he links his bodycomp and gets to work on the lock, Bartja adds, "If I get this open, be ready to blast the crap out of...whatever is behind this."

(IC)
  Still holding a dose grenade, Porter doesn't say a word, he just glares at Bartja as he waits for the hatch to be opened.

"Ready," Desiraye says as she stands ready.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 16:17, Wed 05 Aug 2020.

As S'Krllk focuses on defeating the computer security, he mentions to Bartja that he is doing so. "It's not my fault. This stupid thing reminded me of the hatches in the access corridor of my favorite pod back at my first hive. What sort of idiot puts a birthing pod door on a lander?!"

S'krllk has to get down off the ladder and let Bartja up to try, which takes a minute. Then Bartja's first attempt fails, but it is close and he can take another try. He then manages on his second attempt to bypass the computer and latch locks, and the latch swings open.

You all pile into the lander module, but the passage of time is getting really tight.

T-minus 6 minutes to take off.

You hear thrusters boosting.

The first thing you notice when you enter the lander module is that the entire deck is in complete darkness. All energy appears to have been rerouted to ensure take off of the ship. This will unfortunately cause some delays if you do not have a light source handy or find the light switches.

One thing you find odd is that the hatch leading to the central hallway is wide open.

The lander module appears to be completely empty (and dark). There is a closed hatch in the ceiling of the central hallway with a metal ladder leading up.

Alarms continue to go off.

Hammer runs to the hatch, happy to be so close, but he stops at the bottom of the ladder. "Bartja or S'krllk, I assume it's locked. Would one of you like to do the honors?" The mechanon, very aware of the passage of time in his calculator like mind, is antsy. While waiting, he feels around for the light switch.

(OOC)Refer to message # 2, nothing has changed for Porter

OOC: Referring back to #2 with updated info...

Porter, seeing no resistance, holds onto his doze grenade for now. He moves forward into the hallway, again sees it empty, and quickly checks the hatch going up to the engineering deck. He reports that it is locked.

After this, Hammer makes his comments below as S'krllk and the team move forward. Hammer finds the light switch and the lights flood the hall and deck. You notice at the end of the corridor is a digital read out on a screen on the wall. It reads:

5:10...5:09...5:08...

It is, of course, the countdown.

OOC: Moving this quickly here to avoid delays...

S'krllk jumps up the ladder and quickly goes to work, easily unlocking the hatch going up. 16:52, Today: GM Heath rolled 27 using 1d100.

OOC: Current situation: Hatch going up to engineering is unlocked now. Porter is ready at the bottom of the ladder. As I recall, he holds a doze grenade and pistol (though he will probably need the pistol holstered to climb the ladder). Everyone else is crowded down in the narrow passage in single file waiting to go up (i.e., lined up from the center of the map hatch going south toward the outside hatch), since it is only a 3 foot wide corridor. Given the narrowness, Appleburg and Orvo have to wait in the research station control room for their turn to go up.

Note that each deck is separately wired for lighting, so you will need to turn the lights on for each level you go up to see clearly, except the bridge.