The tunnel of light spirals away into starlines which shorten into immobile points in the transparisteel cockpit.  There is no local star to be seen, though the digital map indicates the smallish sun as Coruscant Prime floating a billion and a half kilometers away.  There six planets in system, a tiny metal core planet tidally locked with the star at a perfectly spherical 50 million kilometers.  Four other planets are gas giants orbiting at ninety degree arcs from one another in the same orbital distance of 750 million kilometers.

The sixth planet is currently at 237 million kilometers.  It is designated as the planet Coruscant.

The Falcon is the first ship to arrive, easily the fastest in hyperspace of the four.  Irin immediately sends out probes to sweep the system, programming them for stealth as a priority.  By the time Tump and then Vyctor arrive, the probes have come back with important data.

Coruscant is covered in ice according to the probe's analysis.  Life signs are there, but they are deep below the surface of the ice and located in compact groups.  The rest of the planet is devoid of it.  Where there is life, it is diverse: planet, animal, human and other.  The ship computers indicate sentient beings of thousands if not millions of different kinds.  One place is the largest concentration, a vertical shaft leading directly to the core of the world.  Heat is provided to all the life forms centered no more than fifty miles from the shaft, but the strange layers under the ice are in the thousands and go several kilometers deep.  This one place houses nearly ten million sentient level life-forms plus thriving flora and fauna.

There are no ships, no satellites, and no discernible advanced technology.  Core tech would appear magic to these people.

Coruscant has four moons, but they register as devoid of life and technology.

Tump listens to the data report silently. Once it's done, he sits there looking bewildered. "It's like someone just hit the reset button on this planet."

"Alright, Ayce, find us a suitable landin' site. One where we can get below ground an' hopefully stow the ships out of the weather. Last thing we need is to touch down with nowhere to get to and frozen space craft".

I don't intend to contradict a direct order, Captain, but what about Inarra?  Do you intend to wait for her or should I proceed?

"Wait a sec? The heck is she? She should'a been here ahead of Tump and Vyc".

"I don't know.  Ships data recorder shows she entered hyperspace before I did.  We were all slaved to Ayce's calculations, so she could not have entered them wrong."  Vyctor's voice carries the weight of only mild concern at the moment.  "Maybe she'll catch up in a few?"

Django frowns. "Well then I guess we wait".

"If her ship data log shows her entering hyperspace, can we possibly track her ships signature to see where she exited?"

It is not possible to track ships in hyperspace.  A separate set of physical laws exist there so our technology does not work the way it does in real space.

We could track her ship's signature and exhaust in real space, but only where those signs are within range of our sensors.  In other words, we could track her back at Jedha because we know she was there.  We could track her here if she came out somewhere in the system within range of our sensors.

But we came a quarter of the way across an entire galaxy.  That is 23,000 light years or 217 quintillion kilometers to search in a straight line for a ship that is a little under 10 meters in length.

"Well this is just kriffin' peachy... We wait ten, then start back tracking. I don't care if we gotta hop back like leap frog hitting random spots along the way to scan for her. I made a career outta finding the unfindable. Crooks. Jedi. Innara. Ain't much different at this point. Keep your hands on the throttles. Ayce, plot our reverse course. Stops at any point near planets or other big stuff".

"We're not going to lose her."

"I don't think you gentlemen understood what Ayce said."  There is a moment of pause, but before anyone can retort, Vyctor sighs heavily into the comm.  "Go.  Look for her.  I'm going to find a place to land and scout ahead into the populace.  I'll go slow.  My sensors seem sufficient to keep me out of trouble with any space demons.  When you get back, I'll have this place figured out and we can look for...whatever you came here to look for.  How long do you expect to be gone?"

"Two days, tops. Took 16 hours to get here from the start, will take twice that if we end up going all the way back. Few extra hours to stop and scan along the way for any physical traces she left the jump and went elsewhere". Django turns to his co-pilot. "Irin, do we have any long range coms that could link to Innara? As well as to keep in touch with Vyc?".

Irin looks at her screen for a long moment.  After pressing several buttons, she rocks back slightly in surprise.  "I didn't think so, but there is something called 'the Holonet'.  Shall I tap into it?  I have a signal."

"No!"  So urgent is Ayce's message that he comes across the voice comm in addition to the screens.  "If that system is still up, then it is under the control of the Star Demons.  You will alert them to our existence beyond what Vexember has already told them.  We are not ready to use the Holonet, certainly not ready to hack the most complex digital system in the galaxy."

Irin taps a few more buttons.  "Um.  Then the answer would be 'no'.  Longest range we can manage without the Holonet is a local star system diameter, or message drones.  We only have two on the Falcon."

[Tump will find 1 on the X-wing's manifest.  Vyctor has three.]

"I've gone one onboard here as well. Let's sync them up to provide as much optimal coverage as possible."

"Captain, let me remind you also, you only have enough fuel for two more jumps.  Mechis III is the only port we know of where we can refuel.  It ain't certain if the planet will charge us or not, and, we just left there after dealing with a Star Demon scout.  Mechis III may be too 'hot' to return to."  Ayce still speaks over the comms using Captain Solo's voice.  He is able to fill the voice with all the doubt and instinct the old captain had, simulated of course.

Tump slams a closed fist down onto the console in front of him. "We can't just leave her out there. What else do you suggest?"

The tension and frustration in his voice is obvious and slightly out of character for the quiet rogue.

Irin's hesitant voice comes across the comm.  "What...what if she had a vision like we have and she is following it?  Maybe this - Force - or whatever is telling her to do what she is doing and she wasn't supposed to let us know.  I think maybe we are in this particular circumstance for a reason.  No data that I can fathom here says she didn't arrive here because of an accident.  Any accident that claimed her would have claimed us, too, right?"  She takes a deep breath.  "I know that kind of sounds silly, but...it feels right."

Django looks over at Irin, and then back down at his console. A loud, audible sigh comes in over the comms. "I hate to say it, but that sounds like about the most plausible explanation we've come up with yet".

"What's it going to be, Captain?  We all going down to the planet or what?"  Vyctor's tone is careful, not pushy.  He is obviously unsure of all this talk of magic and the like.

"Everyone has good points. All well and valid. But I'm gonna have to say we press forward with the planet. All signs point to Innara venturing out on her own, and if we can reason there's a high probability in that, then pushing forward doesn't mean we're abandoning her".

Tump tries to rub away the pain from slamming his fist into his console. "Each crystal seemed to all tell us a different place. Anyone happen to catch whether she mentioned one?"

"I don't recall that she did.  Touching hers was a pretty traumatic experience, or rather, being near the others until she touched her own.  There is no telling what she saw.  She said nothing and I felt nothing, er, mystical while she was going through that ordeal."

"So, does this mean we are all going down to Coruscant?"  Vyctor's voice carries a hint of relief in it.

"Yeah. Ayce, carry on with scanning for a suitable landing place".

Already done, Captain.  There is a large ruins near what turns out to be the only natural mountain left on the planet.  It is flat enough to accommodate all our ships and then some.  It will provide shelter from the weather, though it will certainly be cold enough.  It is also only a few kilometers from that core shaft.

I have also continued an analysis of the system, and while there are no ships that I can detect through active scan, I still advise caution.  Ships in standby mode, droid piloted and passively scanning, may have already detected us.  There are too many unknowns to be definite about anything.  My recommendation is to send down the Falcon first and establish control of the LZ while the starfighters remain hidden here.  Give a window of several hours before the starfighters follow to make sure the Falcon does not draw out any attacks from hidden sentries.

Django begins to maneuver the Falcon towards the LZ. "Roger. Beginning descent. I'll keep in touch".

"Copy that." Tump's taps on the console to heady a steady orbit. "Radio back when you're ready for the cavalry."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:19, Sat 14 Apr 2018.

The Falcon finds the landing zone.  Rough crosswinds buffet the vehicle as it shears through.  However, Django's determination and practice carry him safely to the ground without incidence.  Thankfully, the area he has found is within an old building of great size.  The roof is largely gone, but the walls are high and thick.  The back end of the building is the mountain itself.

Outside, the temperature is twenty below* standard.  There is an eerie moan as the wind passes overhead, but inside the building, the air is completely still.  Snow covers the ground, by the depth of the landing gear by about a foot.

There is heavy weather gear in the locker, enough for four people.  One fits Django fine, but Irin will be a bit swallowed by the smallest.

[*Standard temperature is metric.  We would call it Centigrade.]

"Irin, stay on the ship. Monitor for any signs of life near us on the surface if you can. I'm gonna head out and have a look around" he says, pulling the final zipper up on the heavy overcoat and removing his hat to pull up the fur lined hood. It's the first time his slicked back and jet black hair has been seen by any of the group save for Vyctor. A large scar runs lengthwise across his forehead. "Have the ship in standby mode to launch if things get hairy and I come back runnin'".

"Sure thing.  And Django?"  When he turns back toward her, she smiles.  "Be careful out there."

The ramp lowers and a blast of frigid air up into the ship makes Irin squeak involuntarily.  She waits till Django is safely on the ground before she raises the ramp.  "Captain, can you hear me?"  Signal good, Irin checks the short range scans around the ruins.

After a minute or so, she comes back on the comm.  "Uh, be careful, Captain.  There is something in this building that is doing funny things with my scanning equipment.  I am getting no life sign readings, but there is movement.  It might be an echo of yours, but it says there are three of them at the entrances to this area."

The landing zone within the ruins is simple enough.  The mountain behind and three walls to the south, east, and west.  Each wall has one door.  There is a second floor balcony area that overlooks the main room.  Many more doorways are scattered throughout those upper walls.

[Roll perception.]

Django cautiously creeps forward, his steps deliberate so as to not crunch the snow beneath his feet.

Perception take 10 = 26

As Django peers around in the snow and shadows, he sees a lump that isn't quite right.  It is too large and irregular to be an actual drift of snow.  As he continues to watch, it moves...ever so slightly.

It looks like something is about to attack.  The lump is somewhere in size around a mountain cat.

[You move in Phase 1 so you have initiative.]

Django steps into view, hand on his DL-44. He readies himself if whatever is in front of him is aggressive. "Show yourself" he calls out.

Ready attack/quick draw DL-44/draw 6 shooter in off hand

Out of the snow bursts a large creature, much bigger than any wolf, but looking like one covered entirely in white fur.  It lunges toward Django, jaws open wide.

Django hears at least two more burst from the snow at 8 and 4 o'clock.

Django points the DL-44 at the first wolf he see's, firing an overcharged shot. He immediately whips around to his back left, firing at the wolf on his 8 o'clock with a hollow point round. Both shots are aimed at the beast's heads.

14:21, Today: Django Blint rolled 20 using 1d20+7.  atk vs lead wolf - +1 from point blank shot factored in - disregard +1 if target is beyond 30 feet.
14:23, Today: Django Blint rolled 17 using 5d4+4.  DL-44 dmg. (18 DMG if PBS is active)
14:23, Today: Django Blint rolled 24 using 1d20+7.  atk vs 8 o'clock wolf - +1 from point blank shot factored in - disregard +1 if target is beyond 30 feet.
14:25, Today: Django Blint rolled 10 using 2d4+2.  GZ-15 Damage +2 from hollow point. (11 DMG if PBS is active)

Precise Shot negates penalty for calling the head shot if using light/small weapons

The first creature goes down, it's head missing, it's neck like some kind of alien stump.  The second trips and plows head first into the snow, rolling around in its death throws.  A large cannon blast sounds from underneath the Falcon.  When Django turns around to see the third wolf, there is nothing there.  However, the mountainside has a huge hole bored into it now.

"Look out behind you, Captain."  GDI says in a monotone voice.

Steam rises from GDI's six barrels, tickling the belly of the Falcon.

Django spins his pistols and holsters them. He nods to GDI. "Much appreciated". He reaches up to an ear piece and opens coms to Irin. "Zzzz Go 'head an' send RX out here to meZzzzz I'm gonna need backup".

"Okay, but keep in mind, he is not rated for the extreme cold of the surface.  He'll function normally here in the ruins out of the wind and storm, but out in the elements is chancy.  I'd give him an hour before his systems freeze up if the weather turns bad.  Right now, it looks like it's dying down, though.  You have..." there is a pause and the ramp lowers.  RX plods down to join Django.  "You have about a 45 minute trip before the first access tunnel to the vent becomes available.  I've sent it to your datapad."

The ramp closes and seals with an ominous thunk.  "And Django, once you get into the caves, communication is going to degrade rapidly between us.  You'll have a better chance of communicating with Tump and Vyctor if you are at the edge of the vent than you will with me.  Be careful."

"Good to go. I'll be in touch between here and there". Django looks at RX and nods his head, turns, and sets off towards the vent.

The wind is mild by the time Django sets out, but the snow is deep.  Work is required to push through the snow.  Thankfully, it is all downhill.  The mountain is broad at the peak, but slopes steeply about fifteen minutes from the ruins.  At one point, Django realizes it's essentially the thick snow that is keeping him from free sliding down the mountain.  A sled or some sort of skis would be useful at this point.  Though steep, it does appear to be doable under such circumstances.

Otherwise, he'll soon be sliding down on his butt.

"We can act as a go-between if need be. Hold on a minute..." There is a brief pause as Tump checks his sensors.

"I'm picking up a sudden rise in temperature. A small hill at the base of the mountain, about 7km south from your position."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:07, Mon 23 Apr 2018.

"Is it a vent we didn't pick up?"

“That’s a negative. This heat signature appears to be just south of the vent.”

"It's localized, Django.  Not something that goes down into the mountain or the planet.  The heat signature is just the hill itself.  It's growing, too, but slowly.  Right now, the temperature is not quite up to that of a living organism so I doubt it's steam or lava.  Just...be careful.  It's an unknown and it didn't show up till you left the ruins.  That can't be a coincidence."

"Roger that, staying the course then" says Django, as he attempts to pick up his pace.

The going is slow.  Ten minutes have passed, and Django hasn't even made it a quarter of a kilometer.  At this rate, the vent won't be reached by nightfall.  Both RX and Django will definitely freeze then, that is, if a storm doesn't stir up and freeze them first.

As he trudges forward, Django can't help but feel the effects of the biting cold. He thinks back to his experience in the tunnels of Mechis, and concentrates on what the inner voice told him.

"Dj... the hoverb-k-k-k.  Y...oul be a-a-a...all it remo-  too far...signal."

Django looks at RX and sighs. "Head back through the path we cut through the snow. Should be faster walking since we packed it down a little. We gotta grab a ride to get over all this. Shouldn't have to go back too far. There's a way I can call it to us".

RX looks blankly at Django before turning giving a very cold "Affirmative" and doing a 180 to back track.

"Irin, if you can hear me, drop my bike from the cargo bay".

As he walks behind RX, he ponders to himself. He places a hand on RX and begins to focus as they crunch over the snow. Once he removes his hand, he asks RX "Anything different? Motors and gears and such working better?".

"Django, Irin must be breaking up. You don't need to haul yourself all the way back to the Falcon. As long as you're in range, you can call the bike to your location. Something else... that temperature spike, it could be nothing, but it looks to have steadied out. Right around a normal body temp. Something seems fishy over there."

Django pulls out his PDA and presses a few commands in it to call his bike. "If it rose in temperature to body temp, I'm steerin' clear of it. Anything that lives out here ain't natural in my book. Prolly some kin to those wolves we took care of earlier"

"I hope not.  It's the size of a small hill...or a large building."

"Well that just means whatever it is, it's easier to shoot if I have to".

A few moments later, the hover bike arrives.  Django takes a few moments to secure RX, then climbs aboard himself.  Once on board, he revs the engine and begins a much quicker trip toward the vent.  Within ten minutes, Django sees a snowy bump in the ground.  Within moments, it resolves itself to a large spur of the mountain with a gaping entrance to a cave facing south.  The cave entrance is easily 100m tall.

The vent is 25 minutes from the cave via bike.

Having saved a fair amount of time, and being warded from the cold, Django slows to a stop near the cave mouth. "Anyone picking up anything on this cave? Signs of life?".

"...zzzt..."  It is evident that you are already out of range of Irin.  It doesn't sit quite right that the range of the communications would be so short.  It has to be more than just the weather.  Something is interfering with the communications.  Might be natural, might be tech.

"-othing shows up on -reen.  Cave looks all -."  Vyctor's communication is starting to show signs of degradation as well.  Thankfully his message is clear enough.  The cave entrance looks like a natural formation.  The weather is clear enough to move forward, though.  Dark clouds are on the horizon, but they are well far enough away to not cause a problem if Django completes the journey.

"Django, you need to steer clear of that hill... I don't think it's a hill at all!" There is a clear panic in Tump's voice as he tries to explain what his monitor is picking up.

"The -t signature has sh- to about 350 deg-, it's growing -er, and I'm picking up -pines or -ins of some sort -ruding in a -ingle - across it's -. It appears to be primarily -con based, but I'm reading - amounts of sul-, ammon-, and -per."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:55, Wed 25 Apr 2018.

Hearing the panic in Tump's voice is enough to make Django back away slowly from the cave mouth. He will get back on his bike and make a hasty exit.

Django crests another snowy hill and looks down over the steep decline of the mountainside.  From this new position he can clearly see the gaping hole with steam pouring out of it that represents the Vent.

He presses forward, another five minutes to go before he arrives.  His timing is perfect as the storm clouds are rolling in.  The temperature is beginning to drop and frost forms on the bike and RX.

Three minutes from the Vent, Django comes up on three more small hills.  Each is little more than ten meters high and twenty meters to the other side.  A dark grey, almost black coloration shot through with yellow veins makes them stand out in the thick white blanket around them.  None of the three hills have snow on them.

Tump's voice crackles back in over the comms. "Djang-, -blem. -ture is multi...zzz... new ones just - bzzt...crackle...bzzzt near you?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:45, Thu 26 Apr 2018.

"-ump zzz I can-... ya". Django wonders if his coms are having the same problems as everyone else's. Seeing the three objects ahead, he opts to go around them rather than between. He accelerates in the process of swinging around, trying to keep from losing much time.

Django swings wide, which is a wise choice.  The three hills begin to shake slowly then rise.  What were once hills turn out to be creatures of gargantuan size, standing almost 7 meters tall.  Each has a unique profile:

Beast 1 - Stands on two legs with four forearms of great musculature.  It has a rounded head with a wide mouth that looks like some parody of a grin.  It has two columns of three eyes glowing blue with a seventh singular eye above them in the center that glows red and is a bit larger.  A short tail provides balance in the back.

Beast 2 - Stands on four legs with a very long tail that swishes about.  The tail has some kind of complicated-looking barb on the end of it.  It's head is elongated in the way that mimics a wolf or other canine, but the mouth has row upon row of teeth filling the roof and the area where a tongue might normally go.  It has two pairs of red eyes, one on each side of its face heading back from the mouth.

Beast 3 - Stands on six legs with a short stubby tail.  Back and head look armored.  It's snout is thick and curled downward somewhat, perhaps for charging and slamming into things, but there is also the suggestion that the thing might be able to roll up into a ball.  Is has no discernible mouth or eyes.

Each beast looks as if it can see Django as their heads track him.  None of them seem to move very fast, though.  They are all down hill - at least a 15 degree slope.

Django increases in speed, continuing his wide arc around the creatures.

As Django kicks the hover bike into high gear, the snow, the added and oddly-distributed weight of RX, and the weather all culminate in swerving too much.  Django and RX go tumbling into the snow, which thankfully absorbs the impact.

The hoverbike rights itself on repulsors and floats a few meters away, the kill switch still active after the rider is gone from the seat.

The three creatures tromp toward him, three hundred meters away and closing on ground eating steps.

[Creatures are approaching at a rate of 60m/round.]

More crackling comes over the comms as Tump tries to relay more information down to the surface. "zzztt-nit! That...bzzt...vin' even more...crackle.... you do... zzt... ead south!"

Django frantically scrambles for the bike. "RX! Move it!" he yells, jumping back into the driver's seat and starting the ignition sequence.

RX does his best, but the cold is slowing his joints and hydraulic systems.  He finally makes it to the hoverbike, but cannot climb aboard on his own.

[240m]

Django unleashes a torrent of curses at the situation and springs into action to get off the bike and load RX.

With a little difficulty due to the ice and the metallic hide, Django finally gets the droid loaded.

The ground is starting to shake a bit as the creatures approach.

[180m]

Django whips around and regains his bearings, headed for the vent at a speed greater than the beasts but not enough to kill him.

As Django saddles up and engages the hoverbike, the beasts roar their frustration.  At 120 meters, the one on four legs with the longer tail extends its body out straight with its mouth open.  A beam of yellow energy lances out like a thick laser blast and hits the ground just behind Django (about 100m range).

Thankfully, Django is able to move faster on the bike and quickly leaves the three monstrosities behind.  He speeds toward the vent as the weather gets colder and colder.  At one point, though, the temperature stops dropping, then reverses and starts to get warmer.  Eventually, Django enters a ring around the vent opening that is clear of snow.  It is almost entirely bare rock.

There is a low sound, like a THUMP, that he feels in the air.  He looks up from the vent to see another of the beasts.  This one is far larger than the others.  It has four legs and two muscular arms, a bifurcated tail which swishes about independently.  The head is wide and tapered with multiple sets of eyes scattered about, four nose slits, and a serpent like profile to its mouth.

The really scary part is how much detail Django is able to get on a monster that is still several kilometers away judging by the ground distance.

Django will make into the vent, but it is anyone's guess what will happen after with the monsters about.

Tump shouts into the comms. "bzzzt--crackle--" Nothing seems to get through.

Django stows his bike and gets RX back on its feet, hoping the warmer air will help the droid regain functionality. "Not even an hour in and this place has me by the choobies.." remarks Django, and he quickly begins searching for a way down the vent and away from the incoming monstrosity. He gives one more call on the coms in the hopes that something will make it through.

The monster takes a step forward and covers hundreds of meters in a single step.

Django finds a makeshift ramp down the side of the vent.  It has no handholds and water is trickling down it as runoff from the surface.  The heat is stifling, but not unbearable.  It is hard to imagine what it might be at the edge of the vent further down.

Nothing but static comes in over the comms. Maybe Tump tried to say something, maybe it's just the ringing in your ears.

With RX in tow, Django starts a hasty descent down the vent shaft's ramps.

Vyctor sees Tump head for the larger beast and aims his bulkier assault bomber toward it as well.  He unloads his full payload during a strafe: two torpedoes, four laser cannons, and a heavy ion cannon.  The ensuing explosion from his attacks coupled with Tump's is glorious.

He swings by, up and to the right as Tump passes to the left.

When they circle back around, the monster is still standing, roaring it's anger at the sky.

With the sounds of laser blasts and explosions up above echoing into the Vent area, Django makes his descent.  There is nothing but ruins this high up.  No sign of life or civilization other than the remnants of a thousand years past.  The light wanes except for a low, red glow from the Vent itself.

As he continues down, he reaches a point where the ramps end, but there is a door to into the wall away from the Vent edge.  It is a heavy blast door, but there is a lock mechanism on this side.  The lock is secured, but easy to open.  Whatever this door is locked against, it's to keep something in, not out.

Django places hands on his pistols, ready to draw. "RX, open that door and stand aside"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:56, Sun 06 May 2018.

Tump swings back around to make another pass on the largest beast and unloads his full weapons payload.

"Affirmative, Captain" says RX, as he opens the door and stands aside.

The scent that wafts out is horrible, primal and filthy.  There is still light, but what appears on the other side of the door is not promising.  Skeletons of strange creatures, most humanoid, are stacked to either side of the walkway down.  They have been there for enough time that they were picked clean a long time ago.  However, it could not have been thousands of years as most would have decayed into dust by then left in the open like this.

There is nothing of technology here, only a sharp turn to the left and then a gently descending, wide ramp that curves around the vent.  It's construction looks like it used to be something else, part of something more modern, but was retooled around the vent using primitive, makeshift tools.

It is half an hour before Django encounters his first issue, a huge gap in the floor that drops six stories.  It looks like some giant claw or sword sliced through the wall of the vent here leaving the scar.  The ramp on the other side is fifty meters away.  There is no door on this side.  Two levels down, there is some kind of room on the side of the ramp.  Each ramp level is thirty meters making the six floor drop almost two hundred before the hole stops twenty meters below the lowest ramp.

Tump's second round of attacks appear to have no effect on that biggest creature. He decides to switch his tactic and see if the smaller ones are more vulnerable.

Despite the comm issues, Vyctor seems to have come to the same conclusion.  He swings around, avoiding a swipe from the larger monster and targets the one standing upright.  His shots are far more effective.  The laser blasts turn it around just in time for the heavier torpedoes to rip through the soft front side.  It explodes in a shower of blue gore across the snow.

Tump has slightly less success against the one with the long tail, but his torpedo gets in a good shot at the base of the tails and the rear of the monster is blown off.  It drags the rest around for a few minutes before succumbing.

The third beast rolls up into a ball like some kind of cingulata faster than seems possible and nothing penetrates its armor.

As the attacks continue, the large beast starts up the mountainside toward the smaller beast...and the ruins where Irin is parked in the Falcon.

Django surveys his situation, and then looks back at his 300lbs mechanical liability. "Grab on to my pack. I'll float us down. Don't have a clue if we can get back up but thay ain't the plan right now".

RX walks to the edge of the gap and looks down. "Captain Blint, by my calculations the bottom of this shaft is 200 feet. The chances of your antigravity harness failing to carry our combined weight is approximately 17.25 percent, causing your immanent death and my untimely demise. Do you wish to proceed?".

Django stares blankly at the droid. "RX.. shut up and grab my pack".

RX looks back down again at the hole, and back at Django. "Affirmative Captain. It is your funeral if the harness fai-"

"Can it".

RX complies and securely latches on the Django as he steps over the edge and activates the ant-grav harness. He will aim for the exposed room two levels down.

The added weight drains the power of the harness rapidly.  About three meters above the target hallway and just out of reach of the wall for Django, the unit fails.  The gunslinger and the droid drop, only to brought up short just below the lip of the intended passage.  Django slams into the wall [8 DMG] and takes a moment to see through the stars and realize what has happened.

RX lifts him up to the ledge, his right hand gripping several centimeters into the permacrete.  "Please take the edge, Captain Blint.  My myomer fibers are strained to the point of dysfunction."

Django reaches up the best he can and grabs hold. He hoists himself up and gets back on his feet, and then turns back to help hoist RX up, though the droid does 90% of the work.

"Thanks" he says. "It is my prime directive to ensure Captain Blint does not come to harm". Django looks around the new area. "Well I outta keep ya busy then". He checks himself over. Nothing broken, Scrapes and bruises mostly, and a small cut on his chin.

He pulls out his 3rd, unused 6 shooter, and hands it to RX. "Think you can use that?" he asks. "Yes Captain, though my weapons and combat modules are basic and require instruction for me to properly utilize this tool effectively".

"I figured that much. If I say to kill something, you shoot at it. I don't need you to be as good as me.. yet. I just need the added slugs down range".

"Understood Captain. Is there anything currently you require me to kill?".

Django sighs and wipes blood from his chin. "I'll let you know.." he replies dryly.

He pulls out his lantern and ignites it,. Django then proceeds forward into what looks like it was once a black market of some type. Most everything is corroded or absolute junk at this point. Still, he pokes around looking for anything of interest.

Perception: Take 10 + 16 = 26 total
This message was last edited by the player at 17:51, Sat 12 May 2018.

Seeing the new direction the large beast is taking, Tump veers back around. "Vyc, this thing is heading right for the Falcon. And Irin!"

The X-wing begins laying down fire to distract it and change its course.

There is no comm from Vyctor as he swings around for another strafe against the smaller creatures.  However, instead of firing he pulls up and banks again.  This time heading up the mountain.

Current calculations put the smaller creatures up the mountain in 5 minutes.  The big one will join them a minute after.

Then, the small one with the armored back turns toward the Vent.  ETA 2 minutes.

Rummaging through the room, Django hears muffled lasers and explosions along with starfighter engines.  There is little in here of value, but there are three gems of use for RX.

-A retractable metal blade module of unknown metal has survived the centuries and looks in perfect order.
-An omnifit vocoder that would easily install in RD with the right tools.
-A workbench that looks clean, well kept, and recently used.

The evidence is all around that though most of this is clearly junk, the room is not as abandoned as it seemed at first.  Judging by the dust, might have been used two weeks ago.

Django stashes the two components in his pack. "Stay sharp, and don't fire unless I tell you if we see someone.. or something. That workbench is recently used. I doubt we'll be alone for much longer".

"Affirmative, Captain. I will "stay sharp"".

Django moves deeper to the other end of the space, looking for a doorway deeper into the complex.

There is indeed a door, but it is covered by at least a megagram of junk in front.  It does not look like anyone has used that door in ages.

Up above, there is a kind of continuous thunderous rumble.

Django swears and continues to search around for a different way out.

The only way out seems to be the way Django came in.  This would continue down the ramp further into the Vent (or back to the gash in the side).

The rumbling is intensifying.

Django motions for RX and heads down the ramp.

He makes it about thirty meters before the rumbling stops for a second.  The silence is followed a second later by an enormous crash that shakes the whole place.  [Roll Reflex DC 19 to stay standing.]  Glancing back, Django sees an enormous claw protruding into the Vent wall about twenty meters up the ramp.  A snout the size of the Falcon's front pylon's pokes in through the gash in the side of the Vent wall, sniffing around.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:07, Thu 17 May 2018.

Django easily maintains his footing, but RX's feet slip right out from under him. He hits the deck with a loud metallic clang and goes sliding down the ramp, with Django cursing and hurriedly scrambling after him.

06:16, Today: RX-79 rolled 4 using 1d20+3.  reflex save.

06:15, Today: Django Blint rolled 26 using 1d20+7.  reflex save.

Tump loses sight of the armored creature in the vent. On a hunch, he decides to follow. He bears down on the creature, guns blazing, trying to get its attention off of Django. Aiming at various strategic points in an attempt to flip the monster over on its back.

The creature in the Vent ignores Tump's paltry efforts and continues to claw its way into the ramp, seeking Django or whatever has drawn the monster after the gunslinger.

Down in the Vent, Tump can no longer see what is going on on the surface.

As Django reaches RX, he does his best to help the droid to his feet. Looking up, he sees the monstrosity above. He spurs his companion on and tries to descend deeper, looking for a space tight and narrow enough to hopefully slow his pursuer.

Another door opens to the right about 15 more meters down.  It does not look all that thick or secured.

Behind, the monster gouges the wall of the Vent out more trying to claw its way down.  It is within forty meters of Django and closing.  Django hears Tump blasting outside in his X-wing (though he isn't clear that's who it is), but its having no effect on the monster.

The ramp also continues down and around inside the wall of the Vent.  There is no visual of the Vent itself this far down since Django is actually inside the wall.

With weapons drawn, Django and RX speed along into the nearest open doorway, searching for ways to go deeper in and down.

Tump circles back around in a second attempt to throw the armored creature off balance and distract it. He opens fire with all weapons and the creature loses its footing and begins to fall down the vent.

09:31, Today: Tump rolled 22 using 1d20+6.  Knowledge check.

This message was last edited by the player at 14:34, Sun 20 May 2018.

The creature's claws scrabble closer and closer to Django as he and RX race toward the next door.  Just before they get it open, a torpedo blast hammers the wall the monster clings to knocking it off its perch and down into the Vent out of sight.

RX has the door open, but the blast collapses the floor while shoving Django forward through the door (thankfully not backward out into the pit or he'd be falling down a hole again with no net to catch him this time).  Thus, Django and RX find themselves sliding down some kind of chute down and away from the Vent.  The switchbacks and curves are so often, the ride so long, it is difficult to tell just how far from the Vent and how far down he is when the trap finally spits him out.

Once Django sits up and has his bearings, he looks around to see an incredible sight.  All manner of strange creatures stand before him, some human but many not.  They are dressed in rags, covered in grime, and obviously frightened of Django.

No, not Django.  RX-79.

~~~~

Tump sees the monster fall, but the shaft is so deep, he cannot see what happens to it at the bottom.  Instead, he accelerates out of the Vent to help Vyctor and Irin.  As he rockets toward the ruins, he arrives just in time to see both monsters crash through the building, slashing through ancient stone like it was so much snow.  At one point, there is a thunderous explosion, followed by a second, smaller one.  The smaller creature is torn to shreds by the detonations, but the larger one looks merely annoyed.  It rears its head back and roars at the sky.

Those two explosions were large enough that they could only have been the two ships.  Tump can only hope that Vyctor and Irin made it out before the ships blew and are hiding.  His comms and scanners still aren't working properly.

Tump circles around the ruins, trying to see through the smoke, what exactly might have happened and whether or not the Falcon and Vyc are still there.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:01, Mon 21 May 2018.

As the X-wing approaches, the towering beast looks toward the ship.  Twin beams of lightning blue energy streak from its eyes.  Tump's reflexes save him from being blown out of the sky, but his shields are down and his craft his limited maneuverability.  About 60% of its systems are malfunctioning.  The hyperdrive is in the red.  There are also cracks in the canopy.

It is unlikely that the ship will make it back out of the atmosphere and it is unknown how long it can stay aloft.

Tump quickly takes evasive maneuvers and looks like a place to crash land before the X-wing does it for him...