Despite the situation, Maissa was moved by the direct stare, the desperation, the pain of her "sister".
"Yes. Exactly.", she stated with all her heart.
She pocketed her Pep, grabbed the canisters, and took the pose of the athlete ready to start into a sprint to the other base. Keeping with the body language, she looked at the 3 techs and inclined her head towards the Marines, while mouthing "C.O.V.E.R.F.I.R.E"
This message was last edited by the player at 08:46, Sun 18 Apr 2021.

She felt the surge go right through her. It recalled to her the sensation of needing to pee so bad her body hummed with the pressure. There was a tightness just behind her navel or maybe just a bit lower. She watched the first blast impact a man's back and sent cloth, flesh, blood, and bone scattering through the area. Laughing maniacally, she sent a couple more blasts into the group scattershot then yipped in delight as another blast caught a man in the shoulders as he hopped the creates to seek protection from her. She smiled a bit calmer now at the spray of blood and the eruption of pained screams from the man. The first sat slumped against the create which had not protected him while the rest now hid from her.

She blinked at the return fire came in and the tight, pleasant feeling suddenly dropped to be replaced by a spike of fear. Rather than duck down or twist from the shots, Baylee planted a fist on her hips and tilted her head back to laugh. Though her own blasts had cracked the glass, she expected it would take the brunt of the return salvo and she could handle whatever was left.

A small part of her wondered where this confidence came from. Her form seemed relaxed, comfortable, excited by the danger.

Going to Invoke the Glass for +2 and defend with Physique
Bai Ling-Li rolled -2 using 4 Fudge dice.  Defend (+5), Physique +5, Invoke Glass +2. Success? Haha. That roller is either Hot or Cold for me!

Her laughter continued undaunted as shards of glass flew from the window and embedded themselves in her flesh. It only died down after the salvo was over. Still, mirth danced in her eyes as she leveled a somber expression at the window and its weakened state. Briefly, she glanced into the reflective window and saw the various rivers of blood flowing over her form distorted by the rapidly decaying glass. She licked her lips slowly and felt a hunger twist her innards. Her hand fluttered up to her midsection and danced over the feeling. It dipped lower for a second, sliding along her unremarkable overalls and revealing a flat stomach corded with muscles. Grinning, she brought her fist up into Amin's stomach, "We need something faster, Amin. And certainly with more punch packed." A slow grin played across her face as her head turned to regard Amin fumbling at the door. She then acknowledged the man at the terminal with a nod, "Roger, getting us into the bay STAT." The first step echoed in her ears as the boots hit the grating under her feet. The second and third hollow, metallic reverbs sounded as she sped toward the door, "You, weakling, get outta my way!" She tucked the pep into a pocket and reached for the debris reinforcing the door. She was moving far too fast for the man to actually clear the zone though, so she casually backhanded him across the face as she shouldered her way into his space.

Bai Ling-Li rolled 0 using 4 Fudge dice.  Deceive. Per our discussion, I'll just fail here.

As soon as she was within his space or as close as he'd allow, she looked into his face with bald curiosity, "say, Amin, this whole situation is getting me going. You packin?" She made to grab for his crotch.

Bai Ling-Li rolled -1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Crotch Grab (Attack), Provoke (+4).
This message was last edited by the player at 08:11, Mon 19 Apr 2021.

Karnell waited until the files he had found had been copied, and then he tapped a single button. The console spat out a small plastic sliver: a data chip, swiftly printed, filled with all the information he had found. He took it, and tucked it away in his clothes for future reference. Once he had time, he could decrypt it. What he told the others would depend on what he found. It was never wise to reveal what one held in one's hand until the right moment.

Heturned and looked at the developing altercation. "Remind me not to find you on a bad day. Don't get too sidetracked with your antics. Time to get out of here!"

Flight Deck
Bek, Sheng-Xin, Viper Lincoln & one allied un-named-NPC, Marines(6),
Tech-Crew(3) & Gilina

One of the tech-crew nodded at Viper's mouthed words.  They disappeared for a moment as a few stray shots went past and dispersed along the hull of the Orishi.   Moments later, they re-emerged with some sort of cluster of parts bound together with salent-twine.  One of the crew--the only one with a pep--fired off his weapon while the other the jury-rigged thing.

It landed just short of the marine crew, then exploded, sending a concussive blast rippling out and a bright greenish fire erupted from the middle of it.

"I got it!" someone else yelled, and there was a burst of white-ish exhaust from the rear of the Orishi as a small orange light above the entry started blinking, heralding the imminent opening of the ship's airlock.


--
Tech-Crew rolled 4dF(+3) + Shoot(+1) vs Marine-Mob 4dF(+2) + Shoot(+2) to create Aspect Covering Fire
Result is a TIE: Success with a cost
Tech-Crew creates Covering Fire but they lose a man in the cross-fire

Viper
Please roll Athletics vs Marine-crew firing.  They got (+2) on their Shoot roll.  You can certainly invoke the Covering Fire if you want.

Maissa rolled 4dF(0) + Athletics (+2) + Covering Fire (unknwn) vs Marines (+2) : Success

Maissa sprinted like her life depended on it, and it seemed the distance between her cover and the techs' cover grew further as she ran to it... But she wasn't hit, and after an indefinite quantum of time, she had joined the Tech-Crew. Maissa let the canisters loose for whoever would want them - she was no doctor.

But she had enough of being shot at, so she drew her pep and took position next to the other pep-owner, determined to give the "Marines" a taste of their own medicine, as soon as a she could get a window of opportunity to shoot through the very literal Covering Fire.

She forgot to shout to Gilina to also use this diversion to change places...

Maissa rolled Shoot (1). Is there a way I can spend 1 Will point to help hit the target? "The desire to hit guides the bullet" is an old saying among shooters...

Control Room:
Baylee, Rayfe & Amin, Maxir

Amin grunted with annoyance and took a stiff step back from Baylee, even as the glass frame retorted with a loud crack-crack-crack as a spiderweb of cracks extended to the edges on either side.  Another blow and it would shatter.

Rayfe grabbed the data-chip, clenched it hard. Then knelt for a moment and rolled up the lower hem of his jumpsuit, slipped the data-chip into the fold.

There was another blast on the flight deck, and a miasma of greenish flame snaked up.  Chemical reaction between something and drive-coollant.  It wasn't--technically--dangerous, but it was mersmerizing as hell.  ALthough long-term inhaling of coolant-fuel did lead to some levels of dementia and psychosies, he'd read somewhere.  Or knew already.

"I've got it!"  someone yelled and there was a hiss of decompression as the orange beacon at the rear of the Orishi lit up, warning of imminent airlock opening.

Life-Boat Five Away.  Life-boat Four Failure.  Reactor Core overload in approximately one minute.  Seek Assured Clear Distance.

"Campbell, you fuck!" someone else yelled.  "Don't you die.  I'm not done with you!"  But it wasn't an admonishment, it was a plea.

Flight Deck
Bek, Sheng-Xin, Viper Lincoln & one allied un-named-NPC, Marines(6),
Tech-Crew(3) & Gilina

Life-Boat Five Away.  Life-boat Four Failure.  Reactor Core overload in approximately one minute.  Seek Assured Clear Distance.

Then the lights in the flight deck went out for a moment.  When they came back on, all the lights in the rim were blinking warning-light orange.   Klaxons warning that the flight deck was going to be sealed in preparation for the outer-hull opening.

The marines snarled, but the audible ka-thunk of restraining bolts indicated that there was no going back via the corridor.  And those convicts who'd waited in the corridor, themselves?  They were cut-off from the Orisihi...

--
Introduce new Aspects:
Ongoing Klaxons
Decompression Immanent

Baylee blanched minutely as it seemed her plan would not work. Her shoulders bounced in a small shrug as she guessed that she would just do it the hard way. <red>"We need on the other side of the wall, Amin. The door is too slow and... well... you piss me off. Didn't your mother ever warn you not to piss off the crazy ones?"</red Smiling, she made to grab Amin. Something just below the surface of the blank slate of her mind whispered. She heard and old, papery voice instructing her on how to move her wrist, shift her weight, control her opponent. As opposed to the instincts at the fore concerning the rest of this prison mob, Bayleee trusted this voice and moved smoothly in accordance with the instructions.

Bai Ling-Li rolled -2 using 4 Fudge dice.  Grapple to Throw Amin into window. Fight +4. Invoke Amin's Injuries for +2. Seriously, these Fate dice hate me... Anyway, that's a +4 success. She is throwing Amin through the window. If he gets hurt in the process, then yay!

"Oh for the love of..." Karnell watched the ongoing struggle between the two people, and wondered exactly why nobody else was able to see the obvious.

He rose from his kneeling position, grabbed the corpse off the floor, and threw that at the window, instead of a struggling prison official who clearly objected to being an improvised battering ram.

Even as he did so, he remarked, in his usual slightly sardonic drawl, "Three minutes. If you're not on that ship in the next hundred and fifty seconds, you're dead. You might want to rethink your priorities."

And with that said, he made to follow the corpse out through the window, assuming the window was now smashed enough to let a person through. He did not seem remotely concerned about getting shot, as he reasoned that everyone else was now going to have better things to do than shoot at him. His progress was calm, even relaxed, and as he went, he flicked a few shards of glass off his jumpsuit, with casual indifference.

OOC:

13:21, Today: Rayfe Karnell rolled 2 using 4 Fudge dice.  Throw stuff through breaking(ish) window! Physique (+0).

Using Stunt: Right Place, Right Time, to defend against physical attacks using Will (+4 shifts).

[Enter Virtanen, armed and disguised one of the Marines.]

As the lights on the flight deck flicker off, orders are barked by the leader among the marines. They form an arc and load their rifles.
Screams contrasted by cold reports come across their radio, distorted by signal interference from the reactor. Their leader raises a commanding gesture.

There is panic amongst the tech crew, and then an eerie silence cut by low-pitched droning leaving the marines' radios even when they're off.
They train their rifles on the various convict & tech-crew survivors around the flight deck. Faces behind the sights bear no expression.
As a green light flickers on their rifles with an audible beep, the bulkhead door to the flight deck shuts with a deep, cold thud, a last toll for those on board.

"FIR-" CRACK

Before the order to fire can be given by the one pointing to the doomed tech-crew, one of the marines among the firing squad charges the leader. His battlecry is muffled by his helmet.
They are shoved against one of the flight deck's maintenance panels, and in the ensuing few seconds of shock, the rebel marine snatches the magazine out of their rifle.
They ram the end of it straight into their helmet, lodging it into the cracked visor. The rest of the marines are momentarily distracted by the chaos.
The rebel marine uses the end of his rifle as a blunt weapon, smashing the leader's gun hand with it.

Now the rebel marine points his rifle at the disoriented leader and looses a shot towards his neck.

---

20:31, Today: Virtanen rolled -2 using 4 Fudge dice.  Attacking one of the Marines. Fight (+3) Shoot (+2)
That sorts out to (0). If that isn't enough, I want to Invoke Flickering Lights for a reroll.
Let's say the moment the lights flickered off, Virtanen took advantage of the environment and tackled the leader when he wasn't aware.

I assume the Marine that Virtanen attacks is still armed in some way with a pistol or a knife or something. Description is for show.
Depending on the situation, Virtanen may engage the rest with fire and CQC anyone that tries to charge him.
He may be professionally trained but his own disorientation and amnesia is dulling his skills.

P.S I'm taking Seagreen for Virtanen's speech.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:40, Fri 30 Apr 2021.

Tech-Crew(3) & Gilina

Maissa grabbed Gilina's arm and shouted over the shooting and klaxon commotion : "BFF, I'm the best pilot in this cubic parsec, but I need some time to get used to the commands. Please lead me to the pilot chair! But first, here's my gun, give it to your best shooter. It's name is return."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:46, Mon 03 May 2021.

The older man watched as his psi static clouded the minds of the marines... and as their actions became more random and less marine-like... and as they were overcome.  His eyes were an interesting mixture of pain and peace.  He did what needed to be done, but he grieved.

He shook himself as the greenish fire erupted, and as one of the tech crew members was hit in the cross-fire.  Here, at least, he could apply his gifts to help and heal rather than hinder and harm.

He breathed a brief prayer of thanksgiving, and stretched out his extraordinary senses.

Subjectively, time slowed down.  He watched as the battle slowly raged, through the flickering lights and klaxxons... and the blinking orange light of the ship.

Uncertain, he took a step forward... then another... and with increasing certainty, he saw the path before him.  He knew where to step, when to duck, as he made his way over to the fallen tech crew member.

After having to leave behind so many, even after having to hinder some of those trying to leave... here was one more that he could save.  And so he would... even at the risk of his own life.

OOC: I am self-compelling We Feel Your Pain, whether or not it is worth a fate point.  In character, that is definitely what CSX would do.  :)

Flight Deck
EVERYONE
Marines(4), Tech-Crew(2) & Gilina</B>
Aspects: Ongoing Klaxons, Decompression Immanent

Karnell lifted the headless corpse and threw it at the window as Baylee grabbed Amin's wrist, and shoulder, stepped into the man, close enough to smell the sulfurous odor of his uniform.  Reflexively, he tried to step back, which gave her the room she needed to cant her hip into his and use the leverage to swing him to the side and over her back--into the window behind...

Where the window might've taken the brunt of one body, it couldn't withstand the force of two, and whatever remained of it, shattered into thousands of cubes of safety-glass.

Amin landed with a grunt.  The corpse landed without it.

Two of the marines were facing the window, when the body came through, so were completely unprepared when two of the marines startedfighting among themselves.

Virtanen was close enough to smell the distinctly pugneant scent of "rocket fuel", distilled alcohol made by the crewmen.  These guys weren't just disorderly, most of he group were sloshed and desperate!

New Aspect:  Marines: Sloshed & Depserate


The distraction, at the entrance to the Control room, provided enough of a break for half of the convict mob to move across to join the Tech-Crew.  Bek, Spohr and Sheng-Xin covered the distance quickly.  The one-eyed woman moved with a space-eating lope that belied her bulk.

"Door's open, people.  Let's not tarry." The heavy-set black man said.  And he fired into the marine-mob.

The marines seemed to be fighting among themselves, but he wasn't going to question providence.

Spohr rolled 4dF(+3) + Shoot(2) for Attack(+5)
Marine-Mob-B(2) rolled 4dF(+0) + Shoot(+3) + Mob(+1) for Defend(+4)
1-shifts of stress is enough to take one mob-member out.

Inside the Orishi
Viper & Gilina


Gilina led Viper inside the Orishi.

It was a moderate size, for a corvette.  It had a respectable hold, though it was empty at the moment.  Several of the panels around the hold had been removed revealing extended spaces that could be used to hide cargo or even people!

Gilina ran down the main corridor, past the berths and common space that led to the AI Core, the engines and life-support systems, into the fore of the ship, where the cockpit was.

"Where is it?" Gilina seemed near frantic.  "Ah, Alama!  It's online!  The Orishi AI was powered-down right here.." She indicated, at the entrance to the cockpit.

It was a small but comfortable space.  The cockpit was obviously a place well loved and well-cared-for by it's previous occupant.   Most Hegemony or Galactic Authority ships tended toward the austere or stripped-down conservative feel for their operating cockpits.  But there were touches here, that suggested something warmer.

For one, the cockpit chair was real animal hide of some sort.  Soft, supple, and the memory-gel underneath it conformed to Viper's body like as welcoming host.  Like a lover.



--
OOC:  I'm not going to need any kind of pilot roll at this time.  It's enough to get you off the ship.  And I don't like the consequences should the roll go bad.  So, you've got basic power-up, thrusters, etc...

But to get more discriminate access, you'll need to do succeed on a Systems(+2) roll.

Inside the Orishi
Viper & Gilina


"Please turn it on. Turn everything on". Maissa sat in the cockpit chair and reflexively harnessed herself. Her urge to pee would have to wait. Then she scanned the controls without touching anything. Thrusters on the right, as they should be. Sensors on the left. Weapons on the rollaway drawer board - she shouldn't have use of it yet, but it was good to know the previous owner did not push the customization further than this terrible makes-you-an-animal-rights-activist decoration.

Communications... Reactor, Engine and Propulsion status... Jump-Drive will have to wait... Shields... Life-Support and Gravitics behind her...

But to get more discriminate access, you'll need to do succeed on a Systems(+2) roll.

"Stay around will you? Saving lives is a team's work" she told Gilina with a smile. "I need you. A successful flight is 90% due to the technician's work", she recited, not really believing it. But it helped to motivate.

"Get the information, then act on it". She thought to herself. First, how much time was left before the atmosphere was flushed out? The countdown would be broadcast through the coms. She tuned into the flight deck channel. 97 seconds. Good. She connected the countdown to the intercom and the external speakers, to warn the others.

Maissa Haukea (Systems) rolled -1 (+1 skill) (+1 ship skill) (+invoking my personality What's Life Without a Little Excitement?) vs +2 difficulty
The speakers began to blare "94 seconds to decompression" over the Ongoing Klaxons and Decompression Imminent beacons. Was there anything less funny than all these signals? You'd figure you're in a fancy fair or something... All those people on the flight deck must be so excited!

When the AI was turned on, Maissa waved and smile at the cockpit camera.
"Hi, I'm Maissa, your new pilot.
Introductions will have to wait, because we've got to get out of this place before its reactor implodes - or explodes, IDK-HWIK?
Set emergency takeoff procedure.
Skip the whole checklist.
Test airtightness. Isolate and lock the not-airtight compartments.
Rear ramp and cargo hold doors stay open until I order to close them."

She was taking a risk there. If people took refuge in the hold and it was not airtight, she would soon carry a cargo of frozen meat.

*IDK-HWIK=I don't know-How would I know?
This message was last edited by the player at 20:06, Wed 05 May 2021.

Seeing the dual bodies launched through the window, she grinned like a drug addict on a fix. She shifted the grin to the male then shrugged as his words and actions hit her, "This was more fun. Did you hear the sound he made? So pleasant~~~!" But the diminutive female was already moving. A smarter person, or wiser, mi9ght have made a dash around the marines for the ship. She felt it in her soul that she was not that. Smart perhaps, but incautious. A part of her calculated angles, noted gravity, factored mass; the majority of her anticipated the crack and spray of blood.

She rushed to the window and leaped as it got close to plant a foot on the rim and launched her self into the marines. She'd aimed for the tall one such that her flying knee would impact his face. IN her mind's eye, she saw the perfect maneuver of her grasping a double fistful of his hair as she got closer to make sure that nose rammed good any hard into her knee.

Bai Ling-Li rolled 0 using 4 Fudge dice.  Attack Marine: Fight (+4).

She saw the attack, rolling through after, then bolting for the ship's ramp. Why go around something when you could bull your way straight through. The slight minx spared not a thought for Amin now she'd had her fun with him. If he made it out with them, fine. If he wanted to bring the altercation up again, she'd be happy to oblige. She'd be just as happy to watch his stupid face as they left with the ship and he was still in the docks.

Pretty sure I burned all my Fate unless wiping the floor with Amin got me anything. So, this is just spite and Baylee's personality. She's in 'hot' more right now, so I am trying to keep myself in that mindset.

Karnell hopped down to the ground, and despite being amongst a bunch of apparently self-attacking marines, did not seem especially concerned by this fact. He just sidestepped as one of them nearby was shot at, and calmly ducked to heft the injured, and somewhat dazed-looking, Amin, up to his feet. He kept his arms about the man, helping him towards the ship.

"No lying down on the job, old boy. Right now, I need you alive. We can argue about who do did what to whom once we're not in imminent danger of dying. Now get your legs working before she shoots them off, hmm?"

And with that, he limp-dragged the man into the ship, pausing only once to let a stray PEP bolt fly past him like an angry insect.

OOC:

16:25, Today: Rayfe Karnell rolled 0 using 4 Fudge dice.  Defence against annoyed marines! Will (+4).

16:20, Today: Rayfe Karnell rolled 2 using 4 Fudge dice.  Carrying Amin to ship. Physique (+2).

That's +4 shifts using Right Place, Right Time, to defend against anybody who might want to attack. Rolled pre-emptively to help speed us along.

And +4 shifts to carry/help Amin inside. Hopefully that is enough to get us both into the ship!
This message was last edited by the player at 15:30, Wed 05 May 2021.

VIPER

"Please turn it on. Turn everything on".  Viper had told GIlina.

Gilina gave Viper a blank look, but there just wasn't time to explain that the AI she was referring to was a humanoid android network-linked to the ship.  They'd had to power-down the android to get access to the ship's database to search the manifest.  By rights, it should have been in standby until...

Gilina shook he head, and cursed.  They'd closed the airlock to deny the marines entrance.  When they'd re-opened it, it must have triggered the android's boot-sequence.  A straight shot to your own foot.

Gilina moved about the rear of the cockpit cabin to enable systems and prep the ship, as best she knew how.

Baylee & Rayfe
and by inference, Sheng-Xin, Bek, Virtanen

Bai Ling-Li rolled 0 using 4 Fudge dice.  Attack Marine: Fight (+4).

She saw the attack, rolling through after, then bolting for the ship's ramp. Why go around something when you could bull your way straight through. The slight minx spared not a thought for Amin now she'd had her fun with him. If he made it out with them, fine. If he wanted to bring the altercation up again, she'd be happy to oblige. She'd be just as happy to watch his stupid face as they left with the ship and he was still in the docks.

Pretty sure I burned all my Fate unless wiping the floor with Amin got me anything. So, this is just spite and Baylee's personality. She's in 'hot' more right now, so I am trying to keep myself in that mindset.
</quote>


Baylee rolled 4dF(-4) + Fight(+4), spent a fate-point to reroll 4dF(+0) + Fight(+4)... so Baylee Attacked with Fight(+4),
Marines Defend with 4dF(-1) + Fight(+3) + Mob(+1)=  Marines Defend(+3)
Baylee SUCCEEDS, applying 1 stress, which is enough to take one out.
This leaves one marine, who isn't really in a position to fight.
Virtanen may deal with him if so desired.

Rayfe, picked up the commander who grunted groggily.

"No lying down on the job, old boy. Right now, I need you alive. We can argue about who do did what to whom once we're not in imminent danger of dying. Now get your legs working before she shoots them off, hmm?"

"Knew you were a good pick."  Amin said, his voice slurred.  He was getting worse.  One eye was swollen shut and his arm was wincing with pain as he made his way--supported by Rayfe to the ship.

"Where's Barrett?"  he asked slowly, having obvious trouble with his words.  "It'll all be easier with Shiny."
Technician Barrett was with Commander Amin when they brought you out of stasis.  AMin sent him a couple levels up to pair his agent with the command module--something Rayfe would know was a patent absurdity (made metagame sense at the time, but not now).  So... Barrett was off to do something that Amin didn't want the PCs to overhear.

Also, Thanks for the pre-emptive defence.  Marines aren't attack him.
But Virtanen on the other hand...
Remaining marines rolls 4dF(-3) + Fight(+3) to Attack(+0) Virtanen
Control, on behalf of Virtanen rolled 4dF(+0) + Fight(+3) to defend against the remaining marines Fight(+0) attack == SUCCESS in defence

Sheng-Xin had dragged the fallen tech-crewman on-board, laid them in the big open space of the rear hold.  He was going to go back for the others, but they'd followed him in.

Bek and Spohr brought up the rear, One of the other convicts wearing a grey and green jacket that the marine-group had been wearing followed, with wide-eyed thin-man with a shock of brown hair.  Maxir.  Maxir carried a pep bttu didn't look like he knew one end from the other.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:26, Tue 11 May 2021.

Karnell frowned at Amin's words. Another thing to squirrel away for future examination. He still had no clue why he was here, but it was very clear now that Amin definitely knew those answers. Karnell was going to keep him alive long enough to learn them. After that, well.. that depended on what he discovered.

Still, he dumped Amin down in the hold, next to the injured technician. He knelt down and spoke in curt tones, a far remove from the urbane drawl he usually adopted. And he spoke quietly, not wanting to alarm the others at this point. "Barrett's dead." It was not a punch he was willing to pull. Hurrah for sociopathic tendencies. "Unless he found another way off this station, he is dead. I don't know what you sent him to do, but there's no way into this hangar, and he is on the other side of the bulkhead. I hope it was worth it. You just got him killed. Now you stay down there, and don't make any trouble, or I'll shoot you myself. I need you alive, but I'm after what is in your head. I'll gladly shoot off a hand or two. Stay there!"

That established exactly where he was right now in their nascent relationsip. Onto the next order of business! He moved swiftly up to the cockpit, and poked his head inside. When he spoke, it was harsh - but not in an offensive, unpleasant way. It was more of a tone that suggested someone under pressure, who was having to rely on other people - and he had no idea whether or not they were even slightly competent.

"Get this rusty bucket of bolts moving, or we're all going to be a great deal warmer!"

Were there other people trying to get on board? Honestly... he really didn't give a damn. His skin was the only one that mattered. Everyone outside could see the situation, and if they were too stupid to do something about it, that was not his problem.

"We're In!"  Someone called via the ships intercom.

And a moment later, Gilina called up a video feed from a camera over the rear access.  It showed the three of the marine-mob--a slighter woman and a heavy-set man carrying the marine who'd had a stump for an arm over his shoulders.

Behind them, the green flame had died out leaving a spreading pool of brownish char-gel across the deck.  The bodies of the others, marines, tech-crew and penal colonists, were visible in the field of view.

"Please!" the female marine called out.  "Lamahabat Allah! Let us come with you!"  The heavy-set man carrying the wounded didn't say anything, only stood tall, the body over his shoulders unconscious.

Twenty Seconds until reactor meltdown.  Seek Assured Clear Distance.  Distress Beacons Malfunction.  Life-Boat Six Away. Biological Containment Failure in Resaerch Lab Four.  Magnetic Interlock on--  And then the ships AI ceased broadcasting.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:55, Tue 11 May 2021.

Bek paused at the bottom of the ramp, eyeing the other refugees as they shuffled up onto the ship and gently encouraging the slower ones to pick up the pace. "Don't stop," the tall slender shooter directed, upon seeing one of them stop at the top. "Find a chair, couch, something to strap in to. Wedge into a closet if you have to; it's not going to be a leisurely ride out of here."

The last of the refugees filed past, and Bek gave the thin brown-haired man a pat on the shoulder before divesting him of the pep-gun he clearly didn't know how to handle. Following up and into the cargo hold, Bek gave a few final hand-flutters to hurry the stragglers further into the ship, and then toggled the hatch's control and the intercom. "We're in."

A call from outside made them turn, and hit the emergency stop button before the hatch could close completely. Three of the Marines were still alive-- or two were, it was hard to tell about the stump-armed one-- limping frantically towards the ship. "Wait--"

Bek reversed the ramp, stopping it just far enough down that they'd be able to board, and jerked their head towards the cargo hold, one hand on the hatch control and the other holding the gun on the three. "Come on, then. I hear the weather's turning, you don't want to be left outside."The tone was light and casual, even cheerful, but the barrel pointed towards the grey-and-green jacketed group never wavered. "Leave the weapons, out there or with me. And do make it quick, I can't abide dawdlers. Really quick."

Her chest was heaving and there was a grin on her face as she staggered up the ramp into the ship. Her fingers were dancing lightly over the spray of blood that had erupted over her knees as she took the man out. Her eyes traveled around the room with an avarice and greed that shone out of them like the sun. They settled on Amin for a second, a frown flitting across her face, then moved on. A pink tongue tip darted out to lip her lips and she moved into the ship to start exploring it.

For a time, this was going to be her home and she wanted to know what it's secrets were.

She pulled up short as the marines begged for their lives and looked at the female. "The more the merrier! You were just trying to stay alive, same as us. I won't hold that against you... maybe some other stuff, but not that." She waved the woman to follow and set about exploring the ship.

11:04, Today: Bai Ling-Li rolled -1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Investigation (+1).

In reply to Bek Haruhana (msg # 93):

meanwhile, in the cockpit
"what the frack...", Maissa cursed.

Someone was playing with the emergency ramp button, risking the life of all those aboard when the dock doors open into space.

And wait! Now the clown was lowering the ramp to get more Marines in!
The pilot fiddled with the controls but there was no way to override the manual controls behind.

"frack, frack, FRACK!..." Maissa restrained from punching the board. The seconds dragged like eternity until, by a twist of fate, the rear airlock iris closed before the outer doors of the  flight deck started to open, instead of the contrary.

She so much wanted to leave the cockpit and slug basic security protocols in the head of the androgynous dark-skinned something (man, probably, to be so stupid and careless)... but that should have to wait until she saved all their asses.