The Salisbury, a decrepit ice hauler owned and operated by the Pur'n'Kleen Water Company is slowly guided to one of the largest docking berths on Eros by several space tugs. At this point and time, the crew were pretty much passengers as the massive vessel slid into dock three, berth 3C.

At the helm monitoring the ship flight controls, or more aptly standing by to activate the Salisbury's thrusters in the even the space tug pilots screwed up was Kala Sui.

Nothing happens and it was a pretty boring docking, and hence why the vessels secondary pilot was at the helm.

Within a few hours the crew, except the cargo handlers who are to assist in the offloading of the ship’s cargo is released for shore leave. It would take a few days to offload all the ice and a few more, to restock the ships provisions. All in all, it would take about ten days.

The scuttlebutt among the crew was that when the Salisbury went out for its next run the vessel would be accompanied by a privateer. This was seen by the crew as both a measure for Pur'n'Kleen to prevent another one of its ice haulers to suffer the same fate of the Canterbury, and to ensure the majority of the crew wouldn't find employment elsewhere.

---

As Kala walks past the non-existent customs checks, and exits dock three an overhead speaker blares out a welcome message in several languages. With Eros Station being the Salisbury’s home port, she had heard the welcome message many times before.

[Language unknown: "Conestenc ho Al Bestno. Iswe oerardlarnotnceous n olous cela ieomesbe etetom, hoatasta, whire atitraurerut eveiourom."

"Lin ingsta-ratastichand st wit din essingder n nteughiou art ribut terartith, ortstawhe, methle, tean andoveart ulektr."

“Et ssalpl entenclin thuderoredin ei korstrintome ti INAN Proingwerand Elactrtowa. Ulnaie SAN thi prnc redil missplil encdinwit.”]

[Language unknown: "Conhastio ev Omeli Reaoveati. Ainwe seil-nttiouta e onsta res ncosplto thoatewhe, saripong, vor tameecwi sonsomsti."

"On kortherutatioveast pa os for astiveere a ountte poll tril larvirill, dinwilsan, stiardeve, arre dinartwhi reanteout."

“Estme ulntlo allthoame holl'tisa alil resndeareive ll MEN Oseeilom Onethe'redthusan. Antyinsan URNI necom the ilni theonerattin rievth.”]

"Welcome to Eros Station. For entertainment we have many pachinko parlors, brothels, and gambling halls."

"For accommodations we have many hotels to choose from with hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly rates."

“Eros station police services are provided by CPM Security Corporation. Trust CPM for all your security needs.”

[Language unknown: "Arllad el Hasma Ntosec. Ear linlarredousichion k eitr fo oulvenwerlat moicom, somwheconyin, neha ntiandthooun wasectble."

"Tedst stintedaytioichres k out pani sanvirout na tinounthu prent an tioardant, atheic, undcomare, ouck ithareeen eievdi."

“Ioart trmeit ticoresan atneioha selar erssonainhat al RI Ilof'ilme Diitmohear. Nemola NO wh houch resai eirelehi ereearver.”]

Just past the docks are anumber of food kiosk's. Again noting unfamiler to Kala, and she knows to avoid these particular kiosks. One is serving what could probably be best described as Eros space rat as several small four legged animals are being cooked on a rotating spit. Another food kiosk is serving kabobs consisting of chunks of questionable meat, some sort of breaded fried something or another, and slices of what appear to be onion and bell pepper. A third kiosk is serving meat patties between tortillas.

The better food kiosks were further along, and then there was Pasquale Hnos which offered a little taste of South America but was way out of Kala's budget. The meat was all vat grown, vegetables were grown in an organic garden, breads are cooked on site.

Kala Sui shouldered her way through the crowd, idly pushing aside the questing hands of child pick-pockets without malice. Everyone has to live and a newly arrived ship meant fresh blood for all -- from the food kiosks on the front line to the whore houses behind them to the bespoke tailors who eked out a frugal living in a twenty cubic meter box far enough "up" in the complex that the artificial spin gravity was so weak it took several seconds for a needle to fall.

Eros had become familiar after a dozen runs on the Salisbury. She knew where she could get decent food that wouldn't tie her stomach in knots or give her worms. She knew the pirates that sold stolen copies of the newest games and the best porn. She knew a couple of guys who were usually good for paying for her drinks for the night if she would put out when the fun was over. Not that putting out wasn't fun in and of itself, but it wasn't up there with dancing and getting high. No way.

Even as she made her way towards a cheap hotel she remembered with decent locks on the doors, she could sense the changes that had come over the station since her last visit. Since the destruction of the Canterbury. Lots more tags. Remember the Cant everywhere of course. And that guy Holden's face rendered so often in more and more harsh contrasting colors until it had become almost a meaningless glyph. But everywhere she looked, the suggestion for rebellion was pulsing off the walls. The OPA was a powder keg ready to blow, and she did not want to be identified as an Eather when it happened.

She stood tall, though even her slim build could not be mistaken for a belter's elongated form, and she made sure the Pure'N'Clean logo was clearly visible on her flight suit, with its unspoken message: I bring the water you drink. Fuck with me and you die of thirst.

But she understood that she was really only a small cog in a big machine. If someone dumped her out of an airlock, there were a dozen other qualified pilots to take her place. And if it got so crazy that they started attacking the ice haulers, then the human race had just about run its course in space.

As Kala made her way through the tunnels of Eros her hand terminal chirped with a few notifications. The first (and most important) was her paycheck (and bonus) from the Salisbury's latest run. Then there was the Eros Station crime app indicating where the most recent gun fight shad occurred, and this allows the young woman to avoid areas teeming with what passed as the law on Eros (CPM) and medical services. A third notification is a Mixed Marital Arts tournament, no weight class, 32 men and women from all over the belt vying for the respective men's, and women's 'No hold barred' championship belt. A live clip of a fight features a man with Slavic features and a platinum blonde crew cut facing off against a dark skinned man of Pacific Islander heritage. As the fight begins the two rush in towards each other and begin to trade punches and kicks.

[Private to Kala Sui:
You have a temporary income increase of +1]

She almost clicks past the fight feed but decides to scroll through the list of contestants. The blond guy is vaguely sexy, but she's not a fan of brutality. She's just curious if she might know any of the fighters.

She makes sure she is in a quiet corner with her back to the wall before she expands the list -- she's seen kids pull the phone right out of the hands of the unwary and keep on running.

And while she's stopped, she posts on her own page that she's in town and ready for a hook-up. She also looks up the menu for Pasquale Hnos -- that little bonus may be enough . . . ?

Standing with one's back against the wall not only deterred hand terminal thieves, but also let everyone know that  the ypung Earther woman knew the tunnels of Eros Station.

Kala didn't recognize any names of the remaining fighters in the MMA tournament. While looking at the menu prices for Pasquale Hnos her bonus was enough for a mid priced meal on the menu. There was also a Hard Rock Cafe over near dock 1, but it would take some time to get there walking and taking the transit tubes.

Her hand terminal chimes in response as a few people she knows on Eros acknowledge she is on station.

OOC: As someone whose ship is home ported in Eros you know that each of Eros Station's five docks has an expensive restaurant. As for who responded on the hand terminal I leave who those people are and what they want to do up to you.

[Private to Kala Sui: In game terms your bonus will net you a mid priced meal, and the purchase of an item with a cost of 6 or more. Or you can splurge and get a high priced meal. You DO NOT have to buy anything just yet.]

Sui savored the menu, tasting the food in her memory as she read the details of each dish. Food porn really. And just like erotic porn, it took a bit of the edge off and did not cost anything to look. For now, it was enough to know that she could afford such a meal.

The calls were from old friends. Her arrival had activated her account on the station's gossip channel and she quickly received half a dozen invitations ranging from drinks to group sex. Yes to drinks. Yes to dancing. Maybe to the three-way, but she really would only go there if nothing else showed up in the next sixty hours. It wasn't love and both of them just wanted to use her to hurt the other. Sick, really.

She changed the icon from maybe to probably not and then sent it before she could reconsider. On a busy station, she could do better than that.

She checked her tote into a locker and stopped at food cart that she remembered from her last lay-over. Tasty as long as you didn't look too close, and probably wouldn't give her the shits. The red kibble was as good as she remembered and the deep-fried grasshoppers in siracha filled her mouth with fire, making her eyes water, but in a good way. She sucked down a bulb of sedge beer to cool her throat and moved on to continue her drinking with a couple of old friends: Naomi Cooper, a news announcer and reporter on Channel Nine, and Sai Boonwaat, a data wrangler with the port authority.

Kala meets up with her female friends at a place called Oceans a combination of sushi/karaoke bar, and an adjacent nightclub that cranked out Belter covers pop and rock hit from the past 400 years.

As she entered her friend Naomi was at a table eating Yakisoba, and and a plate of assorted sushi roll. She waves Kala over and point to the the plate of sushi rolls.

"Hey, girl!" Kala air kisses Naomi and sits next to her at the high top so they can both watch the writing dancers and the entrance as well.

Glancing at the sushi, the pilot extracts a pair of chopsticks from a long patch pocket on the sleeve of her flight suit* and picks up a slice of maki roll containing what looks like spicy crab (synthetic) and avocado (hydroponic). It tastes delicious, but Kala will only eat one -- to accept her friend's hospitality, but not consume calories that she has paid for.

"Gonna tie one on tonight, Mi pensa!" she speaks over the roar of the music. "You hooking up with anyone?"

*OOC: Going to add this a bit of color for her character -- she carries her own chopsticks and generally uses them to eat all meals. I'm thinking that everything you can do to minimized resource and energy consumption on station would become second nature

Naomi finishes off her latest mouthful of Yakisoba, shakes her head then yells over the sound of the music as well. "Don't plan to but if it happens, it happens." The reporter then changes topics. "What's new in the water haul business? I hear your gonna have an escort the next time out?"

"Yeah! We heard some rumor about that. A privateer. The company says for protection from happened to the Cant. Me? I think they're leaning on us to make sure we don't quit. I expect there'll be some security goons who will come to fetch me when my shore leave is done.

"Only if he can find me, of course."

She laughed and danced with her friend, thankful to be off the ship even if only for a few days. She flirted outrageously with whoever caught her eye, letting the music pound into her blood in anticipation of release.

"What's new on station?" she asked during a break. "You seeing anyone special? Tracking down any hot leads?"

Kala gets more then a few admiring looks from men and women on the dance floor.

After sitting back down and talking again Naomi gets a worried and hurtful look on her face when the questions are asked. She leans in towards Kala to ensure she hears what she has to say. "CPM is ripping out the CCTV system and putting in a new one. Despite CPM hiring more people lots of crime is up. I'm about to wrap up on a story to expose CPM that their new hires are all gangsters out of Ceres, and Ganymede. These same guys CPM hired to provide extra protection are also responsible for the increase in crime."

Sitting back a bit, she then downs her current drink. "I was seeing someone, but not now. So if you don't have a room, or don't wanna pay for a room you can sleep at my place tonight and use the fold out bunk if you want."

"Carne Por la Machina?" Kala laughed and then got worried. They might be knuckle-headed goons for the most part, but CPM security had a bad reputation for skipping the legal niceties.

"You be careful sister. And I will take you up on the offer of a free bunk. Means we can afford one more round, amiga!"

The evening moved on, but Kala kept herself somewhat sober and from time to time she checked out their surroundings, to see if anyone was paying attention to them -- other than as pretty women. The idea that Naomi was about to butt heads with a thuggish security system did not seem wise. But she knew her friend better than to tell her not to.

The night went on without any adverse incidents, and in the wee hours of what was called 'morning' on Eros Station, the two women eventfully made their way to the literal hole in the wall single room apartment Naomi Cooper called home.

OOC: I leave it up to you if anything occurred between Kala and Naomi after arriving at her apartment.

---

Having spent and entire shift prior to docking and then a several hours of cautious partying made Kala pretty wary, and the young woman didn't wake up until the early evening hours.

On her hand terminal Kala finds a video message from Naomi. The video part of the message is mostly take up by Naomi Cooper, but does pan over to Kala's sleeping body. The audio part of the message is in a hushed voice. At the end of the message Naomi winks at the camera right before turning it off.



Ironically just as the message finishes the entirety of Eros station shakes as some sort of large explosion occurs somewhere on Eros Station.

Kala doesn't feel any signs of the pressure dropping, so at least where she is at there is not any danger of vacuum exposure or loss of air.

But the announcement broadcast over a PA speaker in the corridor is in a female voice, and in several languages, does indicate there is a problem.

[Language unknown: “Sith'posi Ri neivos me ughiourom'sanard p omuriere sieein ulilee. Ive miugh os esteauons, urntet houeenort il ek wilestkor po leeeol il k ancaiv ecsiie.”]

“Attention Eros station has experienced a radiation hazard breach. For your own safety, please proceed to the nearest hard shelter in an orderly fashion.”

[Language unknown: “Lingstmo Evhe eenectres pohou tedtheineanyate p venkor'thudin antichine ughbutthe. Som whi arhe undwilnti, iveaveoun ceelsi i ilch latene sta proeennce ch nc wilndeera resestshe.”]

Kala sighs with frustration at the alert and then decides, Fuck it! I need a shower. Probably just some kids pulled an emergency warning toggle, anyway.

She takes her shower and scrounges around for coffee and toast.

She's not totally oblivious to the crump of a distant explosion that preceded the warning, however, and she dresses for action in her ship gear rather than the flimsy party dress she had on the night before.

When she's ready, she'll take a peek outside -- not leave yet, just push open the door to Naomi's hole and look around.

She also checks the local feed on the wall unit.

OOC: I'd be pleased to have an intimate relationship with Naomi, if that would entertain. Just not sure what the tone is you want to set. Action, Romantic Action, Spicy Action

As Kala takes her shower the emergency announcement continues, prompting the young woman to finish quickly as it is apparent that this is no prank.

Making a quick breakfast she turns on the wall feed and to her astonishment watches as her ship, the Salisbury explodes in its docking berth. The lettering at the bottom of the news feed finally goes form Belter Creole to English and reads.


Peeking outside, Kala sees that everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere. Further down the corridor there are sounds of gunfire and screaming. Gunfire and screaming that is getting closer....
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:09, Mon 16 Aug 2021.

Stunned by the sudden loss of her ship, Kala grabs her gear and heads out into the corridor, making sure to shut the door to Naomi's apartment securely. She turns away from the sound of gunfire and thumbs her communicator as she moves towards the main thoroughfares of the station. One by one she will reach out to her crew members. Any she can reach she tells them she is fine and headed for the company office on station. Any who do not answer she leaves a message to the same effect.

She sends a text to Naomi:

Thanks. Hope to see you tonight. My ship just blew up!

Even as she tries to reach others, she keeps a wary out for what is going on around her.

Kala tries to send messages with her hand terminal but finds that it will not link up with the Eros Station network.

Upon reaching the company office Kala finds it shuttered. A few other crewmen/women from the Salisbury are present having just gotten there themselves.

"Anybody able to connect?" Kala asks, raising her useless communicator to demonstrate what she is talking about. "No service is all I get."

She examines the outer doors and the lock on the company offices with an eye to picking the lock or forcing it open. If she decides that force is required, she will enlist some of the beefier guys to lend a hand.

"We can get suits and supplies inside," she says -- not really sure if they will be, but it's a chance at least.

Kala gets a bunch of nods in affirmation. One Belter known as ‘Pinky’ vocally responds. “Las’ ting me see waz docks and transit tubes all locked down”

Once again Pinky has something to say. “Ya can try. Mos’ suits in officina are der fo repair”

Kala considers the chance that there are only damaged suits within, but maybe a slightly damaged suit is better than none at all. And maybe some of them just have bad communicator units. It seems worth the risk. Especially since the other alternative is to be herded by the gunfire. And she has already heard from Naomi last night that the security force, CPM, has been behaving oddly recently. Not to be trusted oddly.

"Help me force the door open," she nods to at least three of the stronger-looking employees who have gathered. "We can see what's inside and maybe ride out the bad times."

The door itself is fairly sturdy, but this doesn't stop someone from finding a piece a rebar nearby to smash in the window built into the door and then use the rebar to remove the reinforcing wires and open the door by reaching in and turning the handle.

The inside of the Eros Station Pur’n Kleen Water Company office isn't super clean but it isn't a total mess either. Kala and the 8 other members of the Salisbury begin looking for where the any vac rated suits are located.

The office refrigerate has a few bottles of water and carbonated drinks within, and the coffee maker is still on, indicating that any coffee within is still hot.

A locker is opened that has a dozen emergency environment suits within, but these suits are not rated to protect against radiation and tear easily. Within this locker is also a medkit.

A pair of VERY bulky Vac suits rated against intense radiation are found in the repair shop along with four standard vac suits that are in various states of repair.

OOC: That new player decided to be part of a different ship.

There are a total of 9 people and so 3 will need to use a emergency vac suit.

• The 12 emergency environment suits have the Fragile flaw.
• The 2 bulky vac suits have the Very Heavy flaw.
• The 4 standard vac suits all have the Unreliable flaw.

This message was last edited by the GM at 03:48, Mon 23 Aug 2021.

Kala bags one of the heavy suits. She's an Eart'er and much more likely to be able to move around in the bulky contraption than one of the locals. She also finds a tote to throw all of the bottled water and sodas into -- who knows when the water supply will go on the fritz. Unless anyone announces that they are a medic, she will also take the medkit.

Pouring herself a cup of coffee and ladling in as much sugar as she can stand, she checks the terminals in the office to see if there are any open connections or information about what is going on in the station.

She has a bad feeling about this and the fact that her ship has been blown up gives her very few options about getting off station in a hurry. She's also scared for Naomi and wants to find her before she just bugs out on the first rock hopper to leave.

PM’s

[Private to Kala Sui: I have another player starting to post here hence the name change of the thread. ]

[Private to Yuri Ivanovich: I suppose you can just walk into the office and ask the woman (Kala) if they are willing to share supplies. ]

Yuri sees the group breaking into the office and watches as they rummage around .. pulling out environment suits.

Hoping they have access to a ship and a way out .. he decides to walk in the office.

"Shit is bad out there .. security is confiscating weapons and personal affects .. trying to herd them into those shelters .. and shooting anyone who doesn't comply".

I am trained ex-military .. I need work and want off this crazy rock .. I would gladly provide you some muscle if you let me join in your escape plans."

Six foot two and eyes of blue. Be still my beating heart!

Sui welcomed the new arrival cautiously -- fully aware that a tough guy could basically take what he wanted at a time when station security seemed to have turned on the citizens. She shoves the other heavy suit at him.

"I heard there had been a radiation event first thing. No idea if it's true, but this will keep your nuts from getting fried if it is.

"My plan is to get out to the Pure 'N Clean docks and see what ships are still there. News says my ship, The Salisbury, got blown up. But right now I don't really trust the news.

"That good with you, Yuri?"

She waits for his acknowledgement and then goes back to her testing of the comm units. She really wants to find Naomi before they leave.

"See if there's anything we can use as a weapon, or as shields," she suggests to the big Russian.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll help anyway I can."

He accepts the heavy suit and starts suiting up.

"My name is Yuri. I've been on the station for a couple of weeks, looking for a ship to crew on. In the mean time I have been trying to make some scratch fighting in tournaments."

As Kala hands off the second bulky vac suit to Yuri, the other members of the Pur’n Kleen Water Company don't say anything negative.

Finding an active computer terminal Kala accesses it, looking for any helpful information.

Meanwhile Yuri un-zips the large back pack that the heavy vac suit is stored in and begins to lay it out, getting ready to put it on.

[Private to Kala Sui: Please make an intelligence Test.
A roll 10 or higher will give you some decent info.
A roll of 13 or higher will give you some very good info.]

OOC: Just a heads up that the bulky vac suits have the Very Heavy flaw. So you will be -2 to Dex & Speed while wearing it or carrying the large backpack it is stored in. If you keep it in the back pack you can shuck it as a minor action if/when you get into combat.

Kala holds off on putting the suit on while she taps through a few screens on the computer system in the office, which has the advantage of being hard-wired into the station network -- harder to disconnect by just shutting down or jamming the WiFi

09:52, Today: Kala Sui rolled 16 using 3d6+3 with the AGE System with rolls of {3}, 6, 4.  Access information on computer in Pure 'N Kleen office.

OOC: How long does it take to get the suit on straight out of the case?

Yuri seeing no one else putting their suits on yet, thinks it over.

"Hmm, I best hold off on suiting up in this heavy thing .. in case we have to fight our way out. I'll leave it in the pack for now."

"I'll keep watch at the door."

"Let me know if you need me for anything else."

Kala finds some interesting details as she manages to bring up the camera feeds Pur’n Kleen has access to in Docking Bay three. A majority of the cameras are jsut black screens but three do work. Those who decide to look over her shoulder can also see the amount of destruction caused by the Salisbury exploding.

There is really nothing left of the Salisbury, but there are several large chunks of ice floating about. A number of ship within the docking bay appear to be total loses with their hull torn wide open, while others are venting atmosphere into vacuum. Then there are the bodies of those unlucky enough to have been in one of the vessels torn open by the blast, or were in the causeways leading to the docked vessels.

Kala spots a person in a vac suit who is using Belter sign language to communicate with someone else. [Language unknown: >Ouca ti ureeeetohe, ha verel ear pl tinsheith.<] Then all of a sudden this individuals signing gets more frantic. [Language unknown: >U E setthacon menoerect utbeek hathat<] Then the individuals face plate shatters inward followed by the individual spinning end over end with a stream of red and pink liquid/matter spewing away from the individual.

[Private to Kala Sui: Right before bringing up the camera feeds you were able to see the radiation levels for Docking Bay three. The levels were not at lethal levels. But oddly that information screen went blank mere second after you saw it.]

Kala glanced up at the others in the office and will beckon over anyone who looks like or who she knows is a belter, if she can get them there in time to catch a glimpse at the sign language. Even if she gets no more information on the confrontation, it's clear that there's a shooting battle going on at the docks. Unfortunately, the docks are the only way off the station.

The Salisbury may be dead, but there will be other ships, even leakers that could be repaired, that will get them away. Something is going down on Eros and she wants off -- as soon as she can.

"Anybody know where we can lay our hands on weapons?" she asks the others. "Or where we can find a ship that's not down at the docks? Maybe a repair vessel that moves around outside and docks with maintenance sheds and the like?"

Even as she speaks, she keeps using the connections she can access to try to find Naomi. She is reluctant to make plans to leave the station without her.

Yuri peeks his head out the office door to see what kind of chaos is ensuing outside.

One of the Belter crewman from the Sailsbury answers Kala's question. “He say no shoot, and get shot. Who es doin’ da shootin’?”

Looking outside the door Yuri can hear more shooting occurring coming from his left, but can’t see anybody getting shot at or the shooters. Then he sees a woman coming from the direction of the gunfire heading towards him.

[Private to Alis Syn: Your the woman, there are four CPM Corp thugs chasing you. They’ve shot at you but haven’t hit you yet. They did kill a friend of yours tho.]

The woman rounds the bend at a full run, caroming off an abandoned street kiosk with a grunt, using the more massive object to push of off to change direction without losing speed.

She tosses a very fast glance behind her as she runs, then looks ahead scanning the area in front of her with wild, desperate eyes.

The light from a just opened door catches her notice and she edges slightly towards it because 'inside' equals cover...and if she can get inside and close that door behind her before her pursuers round that bend...she might just lose them.

---

Major Action: RUN
- Move: 24 Meters

"Here!" calls Sui as the woman barrels towards them, clearly fleeing pursuers.

As soon as the newcomer dashes inside the open door, Sui pushes it shut and looks around for furniture they can move in front of it. The lock is broken from having forced their way in, but a good heavy desk might do the trick.

Gauging the arrival's concern about pursuit, Sui hisses at the others in the office.

"Stay quiet! If we can block the door so it seems locked, they may pass by.

"Yuri, help me move this desk."

Alis picks up the pace upon hearing the beckoning and welcoming word 'Here!'

Slipping in at full tilt she skids to a halt without to much fuss and does a quick look around to make sure she didn't just jump out of the frying pan and into the fire.

She pauses for a slight second, realizing that at least the lady at the door is willing to help and lends her own efforts to moving the desk.

She mouths 'thank you' to Sui and Yuri. She holds up four fingers and points out from whence she came.

Once the desk is moved she moves back and finds some cover.

Yuri steps aside so the scared running woman can get past him.

Then he helps push the heavy office desk in front of the door.

"Maybe we should turn off the lights too?"

OOC: Kala, since this is your character’s office can you get up an unit roll too see how fast you get the lights off? Gonna make an init roll for the CPM Thugs and see if they see the lights go off.

Yeah I’m gonna spice things up, but instead of just saying “Sorry assholes saw the lights go off” I want to allow the players a chance influence events.

As the big man takes over the task of moving the furniture, Kala slaps the light switch, dousing the glow inside the office.

Hopefully, I got it right. Her DEX is 4:

12:19, Today: Kala Sui rolled 14 using 3d6+4 (6 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {6}, 2, 2.  Initiative to turn lights out.

From her place from behind cover, Alis see's the dark haired woman slap the lights out faster then she could think to vocalize an opinion one way or another.

'Please don't notice please don't notice' she mouths to herself as she makes herself smaller into her hide.

[Private to GM: She slowly and carefully readies her side arm, still behind cover but ready to fire if it looks like they will make it inside.]

Yuri and two of the larger Belter crewmen of the Salisbury easily move one of the large desks to block the door into the office, which luckily opens inward.

Just outside the office some voices can be heard.

[Language unknown: "P nce po staiouich nc p butmo, intanyoer conherill res ad venwa."]

Someone then tries to open the door, which opens maybe a whole centimeter. The door is then pushed on real hard, and this is followed by a loud bang of someone trying to kick the door in. A second voice exclaims from the other side.

[Language unknown: "Eenma hi ic!"]

A third voice then make a proclamation, this time in broken English. "Hay, tu en 'ter! Abrir up! We es CPM Corporation and es follow'in a fugitivo."

[Private to group Belter Creole: Translation in English of the broken Belter speak:
"Hey you in there. Open up! We are CPM Corporation and are following a fugitive."]

Kala remains silent, scanning what she can see or remember of the office for anything to use as a weapon or shield.

Yuri squats down on the floor behind the desk .. putting has back against it, to add his weight as extra resistance against the door opening.

He also pulls his gun from his shoulder holster, in case they get through.

Alis, still using the cubicle partitions as concealment, scoots off to the side a bit so her shots if, when, fired will hit the CPM goons from the flank, which she hopes will give her a second or two of respite before any return fire shifts in her direction...

She notes Yuri's location, and the fact he is armed. She makes eye contact, nods at him, and holds her weapon up to let him know that she's armed as well before sighting at the door (AIM).

She's glad now that she is off to the side...it would be have been a copper plated bitch to have had to fire at an enemy while sending those rounds directly over or past the head of a potential ally.

---

OOC @ GM: Since the inside is lights out, and outside is lit, can she see the silhouettes of the CPM goons thru the windows? If so, can she determine which of them is carrying something really devastating like an auto-shotgun, or an assault rifle?

Also, what is the Cover Rating of the cubicle's and desk etc.?
This message was last edited by the player at 20:30, Sat 11 Sept 2021.

The silhouettes of four persons can be seen on the other side of the metal shuttered windows to the Eros Station Pur’n Kleen Water Company office. They can be heard whispering to themselves or maybe talking on a radio.

OOC: In terms of cover, everyone behind something has at a cover rating of 2 (1 for the windows/doors and 1 for the desks and stuff) if part of you is un-exposed (i.e. shooting back if a gunfight occurs).

Depending one what they may try to shoot at you with, the cover rating is a 3 if you do not expose any part of yourself.

[Private to Kala Sui: 15:46, Today: Darkside Trooper, on behalf of Kala Sui, rolled 10 using 3d6+1 with the AGE System with rolls of {1}, 6, 2.  hearing.
FAIL you can't really tell what the CPM guys are talking about.]

[Private to Yuri Ivanovich: 15:45, Today: Darkside Trooper, on behalf of Yuri Ivanovich, rolled 12 using 3d6+3 with the AGE System with rolls of {1}, 6, 2.  rifles/pistols.
PASS
The shutters to the office windows and the door should be sufficient to deflect any pistol/SMG rounds or buckshot. Rifle rounds or PDW rounds will probably get through.

Your pretty safe from most gunfire behind the desk unless somebody has a railgun or a high caliber (12.7mm or 14.5mm gun) anti-material rifle.]

[Private to Alis Syn: 15:44, Today: Darkside Trooper, on behalf of Alis Syn, rolled 15 using 3d6+2 with the AGE System with rolls of {6}, 5, 2.  Intelligence - Evaluation (Weapons).
PASS
The four men are carrying longarms (SMG, Rifles, PDWs or Shotguns) hard to tell exactly what tho.

15:40, Today: Darkside Trooper, on behalf of Alis Syn, rolled 17 using 3d6+2 with the AGE System with rolls of {4}, 5, 6.  perception roll.
PASS
The shutters to the office windows and the door should be sufficient to deflect any pistol/SMG rounds or buckshot. Rifle rounds or PDW rounds will probably get through.

Yuri seems like he's pretty safe from most gunfire behind the charge desk in front of the door desk unless somebody has a railgun or a high caliber (12.7mm or 14.5mm gun) anti-material rifle, which it appears that the CPM guys don't have.

Most of the desks and will protect from pistol/SMG rounds or buckshot.

Oh and Yuri is carrying a pistol often used by UNN Tac Teams for concealed carry work.

https://static.wikia.nocookie....st?cb=20170216225655
]

Alis looks over at Kala. And in the lowest whisper possible... "Is there a back way out?"

PM

[Private to Kala Sui:

No there is not a back way out

19:51, Today: Secret Roll: Darkside Trooper, on behalf of Kala Sui, rolled 66 using 1d100 with rolls of 66.  back way out of office? 35% or lower = yes.]

Kala shakes her head. There's just rock at the back. No handy delivery door.

Also nods at Kala making a 'well shit' expression; then goes back to covering the door.

She tries to listen into what is being said out there, but, since most of the gibber jabber out of them was in a language she wasn't conversant in, she didn't expect much.

[Private to GM: She also keeps an eye out on the others in with her, just in case any of them might make a move to give her up, ready to shift her aim in order to keep them honest.]
This message was last edited by the player at 00:05, Mon 13 Sept 2021.

A fourth voice, this one with a less thicker Belter accent delivers an ultimatum. "Open the door up now or we will use deadly force." This is accompanied by a loud banging on the door.

What follows is is more Lang Belter, and sounds like orders being delivered. [Language unknown: "O herte nt u korearhas bleaststroun ee ill everating ingionrea."]

"Anyone besides me armed?"

"They are calling for backup with heavy weapon support."

"Maybe we should take them out now, and move on towards the ship docks?"

PM

[Private to Yuri Ivanovich:

Alis Syn:

She notes Yuri's location, and the fact he is armed. She makes eye contact, nods at him, and holds her weapon up to let him know that she's armed as well before sighting at the door (AIM).

Alis is.]

Alis nods at the suggestion then glances over at Kala to clock her reaction.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:32, Mon 20 Sept 2021.

Kala is terrified by what is going on. She has only pepper spray and an extensible baton as weapons, but these guys -- marauders? seem intent on wrinkling them out and if they wait until there are more of them . . . ?

She nods in agreement, steeling herself for the encounter.

"Snatch open the doors and rush out?" she whispers.

Alis looks at the articles that Kala is armed with.

"Spray thru the door, then we open fire thru the slats, then rush them?" She whispers with a shrug, pantomiming the whole thing.

OOC: I'm thinking, maybe use the pepper spray to back them off and maybe catch a few with it, then open the shutters, Yuri and Alis shoot out thru those at them while someone else moves the desk so we can open the door. Then follow thru shooting, and folks with no gunz can go for a low body tackle?

Kala shrugs and nods, gearing herself up for a fight. Nothing too unusual in that. Bar fights and brawls are part of life on station, and her Earther muscles have always given her a bit of an advantage. Though not over big hunks who work out for fun, no matter where they grew up.

She readies her pepper spray and extends her baton.

08:06, Today: Kala Sui rolled 15 using 3d6+4 (5 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {5}, 1, 5.  Initiative
This message was last edited by the player at 12:07, Fri 24 Sept 2021.

"Good plan .. get ready .."

Yuri slides the desk back, so the door can be opened enough to pepper spray, shoot and charge

[14:06, Today: Yuri Ivanovich rolled 16 using 3d6+4 (6 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {6}, 3, 3.  initiative.]
This message was last edited by the player at 19:09, Thu 23 Sept 2021.

Alis swallows hard and nods, and slips into a good position to shoot out of the door once it's go time.


Init: 13 - {6}, 3, 2.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:47, Thu 23 Sept 2021.

OOC: Everyone please make an init roll and add to your last post.

As Yuri begins to push the desk away from the door everyone hears the two CPM guys.

This voice is literally right in front of the door.

OOC: The door opens inward. If you stay on either the left or right side of the door you have cover

Posting/inti Order
Yuri (16)
Kala (15)
Alis (13)
CPM guys (13)

[Private to Yuri Ivanovich: I am going to consider you opening the door to be a ‘minor’ action, so you can use your major action as an attack.]

As soon as she gets a clear view of the thugs outside the door, Kala pops up and lets loose with her pepper spray.

11:47, Today: Kala Sui rolled 11 using 3d6+4 with the AGE System with rolls of {1}, 4, 2.  Pepper spray at goons.


This message was last edited by the player at 15:48, Mon 27 Sept 2021.

Yurt pops a shot through the door opening at the closest corpo thug.

22:40, Today: Yuri Ivanovich rolled 10 using 3d6+5 (1 stunt point) with the AGE System with rolls of {1}, 2, 2.  Accuracy pistol

Alis follows up after Yuri and Kala shoot and spray. Taking careful aim at the CPM thug she thinks is the one in charge. Or at the least the one holding a radio.

---

Minor Action: AIM (+1)
Major Action: Fire

Roll of 16 {4}, 3, 5.
Damage: 7 (If hit lands)
This message was last edited by the player at 15:04, Tue 28 Sept 2021.

Surprised by the triple threat of an Earther trying to spray him in the face with something, and another two Earther's shooting at him the man yells out a expiative "Que CHIMBA!" as he steps backwards and away from the door that just opened in front of him.

Minor Action: Move back away from the door
Major Action: Defense (=2 to def)

Basic stats for this guy
CPM Corp Thug boss (Rifle)
11 Def
6 Tough (2+4 Med armor)
17 fortune

The other thug seeing some sort of commotion at the doorway and his boss getting shot at moves to find cover as he fires an SMG at one of those in the door way.

Minor Action: Move to cover
Major Action: Shoot Yuri

17:25, Today: Darkside Trooper rolled 13 using 3d6+2 with the AGE System.  Shoot SMG at Yuri.
13 vs 14 = miss

Basic stats for this guy
CPM Corp Thug (SMG)
11 Def
6 Tough (2+4 Med armor)
17 fortune

Kala's blast of pepper spray doesn't hit the guy at he door as he moves quickly moves backwards. The cloud of spray begins to slowly dissipate in the low gravity of Eros Station.

Yuri tries to shoot at the same guy Kala has targeted but misses as a short burst of sub-machinegun fire from the second guy passes through the door. Kala Yuri and Alis all hear the snaps of the bullets as they pass by. This is followed by someone behind them screaming.

Alis also fires on the same guy Yuri shot at. The pistol round hit the man in the center of the chest plate of his body armor. The man grunts at the impact. Being in the middle of an open area between the doors to the Pur’n Kleen Water Company office and the abandoned food kiosks of the food courts the man is out in the open...

The CPM Corp Thug with the SMG takes cover behind a food kiosk. The food kiosk's rotisserie is still spinning, cooking the body of a rather large rat.

OOC: Since the PC's all rolled better (or tied) for init vs the thugs you three can all post again.

Anybody rushing out the door during the next round will have to contend with the small cloud of pepper spray.

Alis uses the door jamb as cover, making sure she's picked the side so that the CPM goon hiding behind the kiosk can't see her, and staying back enough so the pepper cloud doesn't adversely effect her. She then takes another shot at the CPM bossman with her pistol.

---

Minor Action: AIM (+1)
Major Action: RANGED ATTACK

Roll of 14 {5}, 2, 3
Damage: 12 (If it lands)

OOC: Alis is taking cover on the left side of the door opening.

Kal readies her baton, but she's waiting for them all to charge. It's an up-close weapon. And the chatter of the sub-machine gun has her rattled. These guys are trying to kill them for hiding.

What the hell is going on?

No matter what it is, she knows she cannot just submit and let them lead her wherever they want her to go. She's better off taking her chances in a firefight than going like a lamb to the slaughter.

Yuri hoping to move fast enough to not get shot .. charges the bossmang .. with a flying elbow to the face .. to knock him to the ground and hopefully out of the fight.

minor action: move
major action: melee attack

11:50, Today: Yuri Ivanovich rolled 18 using 3d6+6 with the AGE System with rolls of {1}, 6, 5.  brawling flying elbow.

If that hits ..

+1d6 for striking style
+2   for strength
+1d6 if my dex is greater than his
+1   to damage for martial artist specialization

(ooc: looking at the dice roller .. don't know how to turn "off" age system for a straight up damage roll?)

In reply to Yuri Ivanovich (msg # 69):

OOC: There is a blank space above AGE in the 'style of dice' click that.
https://media.discordapp.net/a...442/unknown.png</

Oh, and with an 18...you definitely hit...  :)
This message was last edited by the player at 18:05, Fri 01 Oct 2021.

The bossmang out in the open raises his rifle to try and get a shoot off at the man charging him (Yuri). At the same time as he fires Alis shoots at him and again hits him in the body armor. The rifle shot goes wide and Alis feels the bullet pass over her head before her ears registers the SNAP of it passing through the air.

Yuri slams his elbow into the mans head (well more technically the helmet he is wearing) and the two men fall to the ground with Yuri on top. The man Yuri hit is unmoving. Yuri finds himself behind a long concreate planter that is about a meter high and provides complete cover for Yuri unless he exposes himself.
[Private to Yuri Ivanovich: You either knocked this dude out cold or broke his neck, won't know until you take the time to check (major action next round). The man is wearing riot armor, and has a rifle attached to him with a tactical sling (major action to remove rifle next round) ]

The other CPM Corp thug fires off a burst from his SMG at those using the doorway as cover.
Alis can feel rounds hitting the other side of the wall.
Kala gets hit in the chest with the round hitting the kevlar insert protecting her left breast. The impact knocks Kala down on her back (but out of view of the shooter) and is gonna leave a decent bruise.

Whomever was screaming before in the Pur’n Kleen Water Company office has stopped, either because they've passed out, died or someone is rendering medical attraction.

10:07, Today: Darkside Trooper, for the NPC CPM Corp Thugs, rolled 13 using 3d6-1 (6 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {6}, 4, 4.  shoot at doorway/Kala.
6 stunt points
2 stunt points= KNOCK PRONE (Kala)
3 stunt points= (CORE) OVERWATCH (anyone firing form doorway is -3 to attack guy w/SMG next round)

10:21, Today: Darkside Trooper, for the NPC CPM Corp Thug, rolled 6 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 4,1.  dmg to Kala.
6 is less then 11 toughness so no damage

OOC: The guy with the SMG is still behind cover (-1 to attack for Yuri, and -4 for Alis, and I guess -4 for Kala if she throws her baton at the man). He is about 20 feet away and there is a meter high planter and several kiosks between him and Yuri. He cannot see any of the players unless they expose themselves to shoot at him.

Alis looks down at Kala, and see's that she's just winded. She takes note of the pepper spray can in her hand. "Miss, follow my lead. In three second chuck that pepper spray at the kiosk the guy is hiding behind." She points the direction.

OOC: If there is a can of soda, or something more the size and shape of a grenade nearby, Alis will indicate that rather then the pepper spray can.

Then loud enough to be heard by said goon says... "Are you CRAZY! Chet..." She doesn't know the blonde beefcakes name, but, he seems like a Chet to her. "...is out there, and you're going to throw a GRENADE?!"

OOC: Her intent is to get the guy to break cover because...grenade! (And the pepper spray (or soda can) looks...grenade like, roughly cylindrical (at least according to the show props)

---

Minor Action: Deception Test
Minor/Major Action: Prepare/Ranged Attack (If he moves, RANGED ATTACK, if he does not, PREPARE, with the intent to interrupt any shot he might take.

Roll of 11 (Communication Test) {3}, 2, 1
Roll of 14 RANGED ATTACK (Negatives factored)
Damage 8
This message was last edited by the player at 19:57, Sat 02 Oct 2021.

Gasping for air and terrified at having just been shot, Kala hears Alis tell her to throw her pepper spray canister out of the door towards the kiosk. She scrambles to her knees and does just that, though not very well as she gasps with pain at the impact of the bullet.


11:03, Today: Kala Sui rolled 11 using 3d6+4 (1 stunt point) with the AGE System with rolls of {1}, 3, 3.  Throw pepper spray canister at kiosk.

Yuri will stay low behind cover and take the rifle from the downed goon.

In reply to Kala Sui (msg # 73):

OOC: Kala will use one Stunt Point for DUCK AND WEAVE: Gain +1 to Defense per SP spent until the beginning of your next turn.

The combination of Alis shouting and Kala tossing the can of pepper spray like a grenade spooks the guy behind the kiosk from cover as he runs to another adjacent food kiosk. Alis takes a shot at the man but can’t tell if she hits him or not.

Meanwhile Yuri manages to get the rifle off the unconscious man. It’s a pretty basic no-frills rifle that fires 5.56mm and has a 30-round magazine.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...File:H&K-SL8.jpg

Alis takes her shot as the goon bolts.

She then whistles to get Yuri's attention, pointing to the new kiosk the goon ran behind. She fires a few shots at it to emphasize the point. Maybe her shots will penetrate, probably not, but, hopefully it'll keep the bastards head down long enough for muscles to get an angle.

She takes a quick look at the kiosk, and if there is anything hot...and (or) liquid... that she can shoot out and cause to splatter or rain down on the goon, she'll aim for that, otherwise will just try and shoot the guy thru the kiosk.

---

Minor Action: AIM +1
Major Action: Ranged Attack

Roll of 14 RANGED ATTACK {3}, 1, 5.

"Is he alive or dead?" ..

Yuri takes off the corpo thug's helmet .. then fires one rifle round in his head.

"Yup, like I thought. Dead."

Kala is terrified. The universe has suddenly turned on its head. The security forces on any given station are always goons, always looking to cop a feel, solicit a bribe, just be assholes. But chasing and killing citizens is NOT part of daily life. Something has gone seriously wrong on Eros, and she has no clue why.

But for now, they need to decide what to do. Where to go. She's seen the docks getting beat up real bad on the telecast. But there is nowhere else to get off the station.

Or is there?

Leaving Yuri and Alis to mop up the last goon, she crawls back to the workstation she had been using before. Hopefully, it is still active as she searches for Emergency Evacuation Routes and/or Vehicles.

She will also check to see who was hit earlier and if they need help.

Outside the Pur’n Kleen Water Company office
The ground behind the corpo thugs head explodes outward with a splatter of brain and bone tissue. Thus, Yuri is 100% sure the thug isn’t going to cause anymore problems for well....eternity.

Alis shoots at the thug flushed from cover as he pops up to shoot at her from his new place of cover. The burst from the man’s SMG peppers the bulkhead next to the door and Alis is pretty sure she hits the guy in the vest just as his neck blows out from left to right from a shot fired at him from his left side.

[Private to Nguyen Van Loc: You just shot the guy in the neck with your pistols. Alone and having already decided you need to get back your enclave of Vietnamese Belters instead of getting inside a radiation shelter you heard the gunfire and quickly determine that a pair of CPM Corp personnel were shooting at what looks like civilians like yourself.

I have (well will be) adding the guy’s SMG to your equipment sheet. You can keep it or hand it to another character.

Oh better announce yourself coming out, it would suck if a fellow PC shoots and kills you.]

---

Inside the Pur’n Kleen Water Company office
Going back inside the office, Kala sees that two of her shipmates from the Salisbury two are dead, and two more are injured and receiving medical attention from the remaining four who are uninjured. Getting on the computer terminal she sees that docking bay three is still a mess with destroyed ships and there are a number of human bodies floating about in vac suits that appear to have been shot. Each body has a stream of one to several frozen blood icicles coming from them.

Checking routes to the docks or elsewhere in the station Kala notices that the transport tubes to the casino levels, and there is one casino per each of Eros’ five massive docking bays are shut down. Whichever way they go to get off station would have to be done by walking.

• Cameras showing Docking Bay One show some activity in that a slate gray warship that looks like a space going shark roughly 100 meters long is in the process of docking. The vessel is a type Kala had never seen before and didn’t look like anything Earth or Mars would build. It is most defiantly a combat vessel with breaching pods, a gap in the nose that is probably for a rail gun and has several recessed in the hull PDC mounts. At least a platoons worth of personnel (40-50 troops) wearing grayish/silver vac suits and armed with rifles can be seen disembarking.
• Cameras for Docking Bay Two reveals a trio of smaller slate gray vessels are docked in the first three berths. They are obviously cousins of the 100 meter long vessel in Docking Bay One. One vessel is clearly a shuttle without an Epstein drive. The second vessel is twice as big as the first with an Epstein drive and is clearly a gunboat/interceptor class of vessel with recessed PDC mounts and probably a pair of torpedo tubes with one or two fish each. The third ship is about the size of a Phantom Class escort which also has recessed PDC mounts and torpedo tubes with a magazine. There are about 8 people wearing grayish/silver vac suits and armed with rifles can be seen milling about the access way to the three docked ships.
• Cameras for Docking Bay Four bears witness to what amounts to another massacre, but this one is progress. A pair of sister ships to the gunboat/interceptor Kala saw in Docking Bay Two is slowly and methodically firing short streams of PDC rounds into the engines of all of the docked ships.
• Camera for Docking Bay Five shows yet another massacre. But this time there is a pair of what are clearly pirate vessels disabling the engines of the docked ships.

Although she doesn't get get a full sense of the big picture, Kala realizes somebody with a private stealth ship Navy along with space pirates supporting them doesn't want anybody to get off Eros. Station security in the form of CPM Corporation is probably in on the whole thing as well.

OOC: I did not hide the information Kala sees from everyone else as it makes sense for her to show or tell everyone else about what she has seen on camera.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:57, Tue 12 Oct 2021.

Alis looks to see where the shot came from that killed the SMG goon, looking for either their helper, or new threat, while at the same time covering Yuri.

---

Perc: 16 (lol NOW I get stunt points...) {4}, 6, 4

STUNTS USED:
Group Tactics: 2 (Applied to Yuri) he may move 2 additional meters in the direction of his choosing.
Overwatch: 2 Any opponent has a -2 to hit her

Alis uses her weak hand to point Yuri off into a flanking position of where she sees someone, and trains her pistol at that same someone...

OOC: I am NOT entirely sure if stunt points can be used with a perception roll....but I added them into my GM post.

Also I feel like Overwatch should give the character a bonus to shoot anything they are aiming at instead of penalties for the enemy.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 82):

Picking up the man's SMG, Van put the spare magazines in his pocket. He'd helped those fellow civilians and now their fates were again their own. Do unto others, then split.

But he hesitated, realising they were still likely going to be in trouble, they were not yet safe, he couldn't just leave them. And there was no guarantee he would make it back to safety alone. However, whoever they were they didn't know he was a friendly, and due to his hesitation one or more had time to advance. Killing their attacker just to be killed himself by accident would be unfortunate indeed. Putting down his HUD he checked the drone's sensors as it hovered above cover. As expected, one of the armed civilians was getting into a flanking position.

Impressive.

Raising his hands he straightened up, exposing himself. "Do not shoot! I am friendly! I killed the CRM man, let's go!"

Alys saw standing over the body of the dead CRM enforcer was a Belter with black hair in his 30's dressed in a leather bomber jacket over a tan jumpsuit. He was also wearing a cowboy hat on his head and a drone HUD eyepiece. The drone hovered nearby. It looked like he had the goon's SMG slung around his back and although his hands were empty it seemed like he had a pistol in a shoulder rig under the jacket. As well, he seemed somehow familiar.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:49, Fri 15 Oct 2021.

Alis narrowed her eyes, but keep's her pistol trained on the man, he was still obscured, but apparently had made his way over to the CPM goon with the sub gun and had taken the weapon. 'Fuck...I wanted that...' she mutters to herself.

"Step out where we can see you, hands where we can see 'em." She calls out....very MUCH aware of the irony...sounding like the corpo-thugs they had just killed.

She glances back at Kala. "Guy's voice sounds familiar..." She see's then that Kala is looking at the camera feeds and even with the images reversed for her as she is on the other-side of the holo-display she can tell the grim picture they are telling.

Her eyes however are drawn to the sinister looking ships and the well appointed soldiers coming off them. "Shit." She says.

She whistles to get Kala's attention. "Hey, Swipe that (camera footage) to my (hand) terminal willya. We gotta go, those guys we just offed were calling in backup." She says pulling her terminal from underneath her vest with her off hand.

She then turns her full attention back out to see that their new 'friend' has come out so she can see a face. (The man would find that the female voice is familiar to him.)

It doesn't take all that long for her to put two-and-two together, it was the cowboy hat really, the drone just cinched it.

"Loc?" She called back out.

Loc would see Alis, she's dressed in decent quality and mildly trendy fare; over which is an armored vest. She lowers the bog standard pistol she had been pointing at him, and returns it to a concealed carry holster that is likely located at the small of her back.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:04, Fri 15 Oct 2021.

Looking at her hand terminal Ali’s realizes there is no network connection. Any downloading of data would have to be done through a hardline connection as opposed to a wireless connection.

OOC: Mini addendum.

She notes that regards her terminal and fusses a bit. "Muscles! Don't kill him. He's a friend." She calls out to Yuri and his rifle. She then trots over to Kala to plugs her terminal in for the footage.

As Alis downloads the image stream from the docks to her unit, Kala will see if she can access any other cameras on the asteroid. She will also launch a search for maintenance access portals to the surface, hoping she can find a list that includes the inventory of equipment at each site -- specifically, she hopes to find some kind of work vehicle capable of leaving the asteroid and carrying herself and the others at least out into the dark for a few days. Life on Eros looks like it's about to get really nasty.

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 86):

Yuri who was walking towards the stranger with rifle pointed .. hears Alis warning .. and lowers the rifle .. but keeps it ready to shoulder and fire .. at a moments notice.

"Welcome .. friend .. we can use the extra help to get out of this shit".

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 84):

With some surprise he recognised the young woman. Their paths had crossed in the past, some business that had been profitable for both. He knew he could trust her, and whoever she was running with.

"Alis...? Long time, mi kopeng."

He replied to Yuri. "We not have much time. I have ship. Dock Five. Will secure it. Then call family. Get off Eros. Come, come."

Having been on the run and with no access to the CCTV feed he was ignorant of the real situation at the docks.

Alis smiled as Loc arrived. She even beamed as he said he had a ship...Dock 5...she looked at the feed she was downloading.

"Loc." She said with regret. With a hand flick she turned the CCTV image, then, with a hand opening gesture expanded the image of the goings on at Dock 5. "I'm...I'm sorry." She says genuinely.

"But he's right, we don't have much time. We need to not be here when that CPM back-up shows up."

"Muscles, uh....nice helmet..." She pauses..."Can you strip his armor off as well? The other asshat too?" She looks at Kala. "All their ammo and other things." She says. "I'ma snake their terminals and radio, might give us a leg up if we can hear what the hell they're saying."

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 90):

Looking over at the CCTV monitor Van nodded, frowning.

"Are targeting ship drives. If reactor still functional can still use thrusters to get away from Eros. But no good, still get shot up.

"Plan B. Have shelter in my neighborhood. Will be safe there for a while. But what happening here, very bad. Need to get off Eros or out of built-up areas.

"Let's go now, yes?" he said to Alis.

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 90):

Yuri strips the rest of the riot armor off the dead thug boss, and puts it on.

Rummages for anything else of use .. ammo for the rifle? pistol? radio? access badge?

Then does the same for the other dead thug, putting his belongings in a pile for whoever can use them.

Aris takes the looted hand terminals and stashes them inside her vest to look over later. She also takes one radio and slips it over her ear...well, almost, she wipes it clean first, not wanting to get any CPM stank on her.

She look at Kala and Yuri. "Thank you for helping me out back there. I really appreciate it." She says. "I think we need a plan, but I think we should discuss it someplace less open." She adds, noting the dead and wounded Salisbury crew the CPM goons had shot up.

They'd helped her and this had been the result...she felt bad. The best way to repay them she thought, would be to help the rest to some sort of safety, even if this entire station was going to hell in a hand basket.

She looks at Loc. "Can you send Tinkerbell there to scout our route to your safe house?" She asks, pointing to the drone with her chin as she sets the radio volume to LO so she can 'drop some eves' on the corpo thugs-with-a-badge.

OOC: Did any of the Thugs have a pistol as a side arm? If so, she'll hand one to Kala.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:50, Sat 16 Oct 2021.

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 93):

Van nodded. "Yes, will send drone to recce route. We go now. We take the outbound trunk passage. Reach Viet neighborhood. Is no-go for CRM. There we find bolt hole."

He grabbed any gas canisters if the CRM thug possessed any.

Kala tries to access other cameras on Eros Station and comes up short, it seems like the Pur’n Kleen Water Company office only had camera access to the docks. Trying to bring up a list of nearby maintenance access airlocks near the surface she finds that there are a total of four that they could get to from their current position, but is unable to get an inventory list for any of the four maintenance access airlocks.

Yuri puts on the riot suit of the man whose head he blew off. The upper shoulders of the armor are spattered with brain tissue and bone matter. Within the pouches of the armor are 2 spare magazines for the rifle, a thigh holster holds a 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol (loaded) and 1 spare magazine of ammo, the man’s hand terminal, and a hand-held radio with a key pad.

[Private to Yuri Ivanovich: The ammunition used by the 9mm and your UNN Tactical/Concealed handgun do not use the same type of ammo. Please update your equipment sheet with what ever you keep.]

The body of the second thug (the one Van shot) is drug near the front of the Pur’n Kleen Water Company office, and stripped of his gear.

Alis takes both hand terminals from the dead thugs and then listens in to radio traffic from the thug Van killed.

[Private to Alis Syn: “Ok that’s it! Radiation shelters are full! Move everyone else down to the Casino levels. Shoot those who resist.”]

Of those in the Pur’n Kleen Water Company office one person is shot in the arm, while another has been gut shot. The person shot in the arm is getting their arm bandaged up. The gut shot individual is being put on a stretcher. Four individuals are unharmed, but the gut shot individual will need four people to handle the stretcher.

List useful items from the bodies and the office Make sure you list any newly acquired gear on your equipment sheet.

• Riot Armor (+4 Armor, -2 dex penalty)
• 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol (loaded), w/2 spare magazines (handed off to Kala?)
• 1 CS (tear gas) grenade (claimed by Van)
• Hand terminal (pocketed by Alis)
• Hand Held radio w/key pad and ear piece (Claimed by Alis)
• 12 emergency environment suits w/the Fragile flaw (2 claimed by NPC's)
• 2 bulky vac suits w/the Very Heavy flaw (claimed by Kala & Yuri)
• 4 standard vac suits w/the Unreliable flaw (all 4 claimed by NPC's)
• Medkit is pretty much used up.

OOC: I am going to say that with these Riot suits from the CPM thugs you can wear them over your current armor with BOTH Armor bonuses and penalties stacking. This would be no different then wearing a police/security type 'second chance vest' under a heavier flack jacket w/SAPI plates.

If you want to ditch your beginning set of armor please state in your post so someone else (PC or NPC) can help themselves to it).

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 95):

"Will use tear gas. Put on environment suits." As he spoke he did so, leaving the soft helmet rolled down for now. He checked the CCTV to see what shape his ship was in. "We are going to safe house now."

OOC: Claiming one emergency environment suit.

Kala takes the pistol and spare clips. She's not real happy with guns, but she realizes that she cannot rely on the others to protect her all the time. She also swings the heavy vac suit in its bag onto her back. It may yet prove useful, though she's not about to put it on while they have to run and hide, perhaps fight in skirmishes on the way. She also looks around for any water.

"Let's go," she nods at the belter with the drone, wincing at the pain in her chest from the almost lethal shot, but eager to be away to a location the security goons will not follow.

"If these guys are taking over the asteroid," she muses as they gather their gear and start moving out, "they may decide to cut off the life support in areas they can't get to. Any way to keep your neighborhood online even if they flip the switch?"

PM

[Private to Nguyen Van Loc: The Earther is right. It will be very easy to cut off most sections of the station from life support.

Home grown plants and a stash of emergency O2 will only last for awhile. ]

In reply to Kala Sui (msg # 97):

"You are right. Whoever in control of station control life support. Can isolate sections and then purge. Or alter gas mixture, more nitrous oxide, less oxygen.

"Boltholes in Viet neighborhood have independent air supply. Not indefinite. Days, maybe week at most if CO2 scrubbers last. Go there, regroup, get additional equipment and supplies. But is not long-term solution. Need to get off Eros.

"Have ship. Beowulf. Dock 5. Has drive malfunction. Can still thrust at 20% efficiency. Need more functional vessel."

His instinct was to go straight to Dock 5 and see if his ship was intact but he realised this was foolish. If the pirate vessels hadn't shot up her engineering compartment by now they soon would. Even if for some reason they didn't, those armed marauders would still be blocking the way.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:02, Mon 18 Oct 2021.

Alis takes one of the Emergency Suits as well following Loc's advise. She then slips the heavier riot armor on over the EVA suit and offers her lighter armor vest to anyone that wants it.

"We need to keep clear of the casino area, as well as any routes into it." She says "Apparently the hard shelters are full and they're moving the overflow there with orders to shoot anyone who resists." She adds, pointing at her ear to show the source of her information.

"You okay?" She asks Kala, putting a hand on her shoulder.

On their way out, Alis will trot over to retrieve the pepper spray can of Kala's and while near the kiosk will loot it for any water bottles or other drinks that she can reasonably carry, that might have been sold there.

Once she hands off the water/drink she does a quick look at the bossmangs hand terminal, first copying it's contents to an 'airgrapped' partition on her own terminal. Then, she see's if this thing has network access...and if so, will see if she can get some CCTV footage up.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:12, Mon 18 Oct 2021.

Yuri grabs the heavy environment suit in it's pack and throws it over his shoulder.

I think we should find a ship ASAP, rather than spending any more time on this station. But you lead the way, I will follow".

In reply to Yuri Ivanovich (msg # 101):

Van nodded towards the CCTV monitor. "Docking bay 2. Only eight guard for ships. Is best bet. My opinion. Not now, is suicide. Need more guns, people. Get to safe house, regroup."

Alis, hands her vest off to one of the stretcher bearers and tries to open up the dead bossmangs hand terminal only to find it locked with either the option of a multi number passcode or facial recognition. With said bossmangs head having been blown apart there is no longer a face to be used, and the passkey code could be 4 to 10 digits long.

[Private to Alis Syn: Yeah good luck accessing that hand terminal]

Once everyone gets organized, and drinks some water the group moves out.

OOC: you guys going to head 'down-spin' and away from the docks, or 'up-spin' towards the docks? As an FYI the only way to the docks is through the casino level.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 103):

It looked like Alis was on board with stopping by the safe house. As was Yuri, despite his understandable urge to be free of Eros as soon as possible. No doubt they had overstayed their welcome and the only reason the CRM QRT hadn't blown them all new assholes was because they were fighting to force recalcitrant civilians into the shelters all over Eros. Their luck could only last for so long.

"We go now. Safe house first. Then Dock 2, take over mercenary ship."

Flipping down his HUD Van sent the drone to the office main entrance. Scanned for CRM or mercs about to force entry.

Kala is terrified at having been hunted and shot. She has no idea how they are going to get off this rock, but someone seems to know what they're doing. She nods at the plan and follows along with the others, helping the wounded as she can. She's not a religious person at all, but she whispers a little prayer for Naomi, lost in the chaos.

Alis grumbles, but isn't to surprised regards the hand terminal, she pockets that, maybe someone in the safe house area might be able to crack it. While everyone is hydrating, she tries the other CPM goons terminal, since that person still has a face...

OOC: Does Alis know/heard about the CPM CCTV swap out?

Alis carries out the grisly act of remove traces of blood from the dead mans face and the opening his eye in order to unlock the hand terminal.

The hand terminal just like everyone else’s has no network connection. There is very little data stored on the hand terminal’s memory other then a cache of several hundred pornographic pictures (they appear to be mostly women in various states of undress) and a few pornographic videos.

---

With the decision made to head ‘down spin’ and away from the docks everyone moves out with Van’s drone taking point. In the middle of the group are the four stretcher bearers and then man they are carrying.

Alis clocks the pRon with a slight blush and in a fluster swipes away from that and stuffs the terminal back into the pocket she'd had it in.

She then turns her focus to the task at hand, getting someplace safe. With Yuri up front she slows her pace to fall back and behind the wounded to cover the rear.

---

Alis has a thought and then trots back up to Loc.

"So...those CPM goons, I just remembered that they reinstalled all the CCTV camera's a little while ago. So...best we avoid them. Get seen by one of them and we'll be hip deep in asshole before long." She says. "So, yeah, if you can keep a look out for them with 'Tink' up there." She points at/towards the drone down the way.

She thumbs over her shoulder. "I best get back...there." She says. "We get out of this I'll let you buy me a beer." She smiles, then stops walking until the party moves past to the point she was before then she picks back up her pace.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:36, Sun 31 Oct 2021.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 107):

He nodded to Alis. This was good advice.

"Let's go. Follow me."

To scout for a route Van pushed the drone ahead, keeping it up around the cluttered roof area. Hoping that it would be unnoticed by hostiles keeping a watch on the floor spaces. As well, CCTV caneras tended to be pointed down and so he could hopefully spot them first.

He wanted to avoid choke points like pressure locks and intersections where checkpoints could be set up. Maybe find a way through the water reclamation system?

[Private to GM: 22:43, Today: Nguyen Van Loc rolled 18 using 3d6 (6 stunt points) with the AGE System (({6}, 6, 6)). Nice!]
This message was last edited by the player at 05:44, Fri 05 Nov 2021.

With Yuri taking point and Loc slightly behind him and operating his drone moves out through the corridors of Eros. Kala helps out by offering to help out the stretcher bearers.

Heading ‘down spin’ it actually isn’t long before Loc spots a few CCTV cameras.

[Private to Nguyen Van Loc:
Your drone is above the cameras, both are moving left and right, scanning/panning, and they have full coverage of corridor. They way you are going is the fastest route to where you want to go. There is another way but it will take much longer to get there (a few hours), and odds are there are cameras set up along that route too.]

At the same time both Alis, and Yuri hear some radio transmissions with their radios. With the earpieces in, those around Alis or Yuri cannot really hear much of what is said.

[Private to Alis Syn; Yuri Ivanovich:

Male voice
“Hey dis es team sixteen, me bossmag and one uter are dead at de Pur’n Kleen office. Dey gear es gone too! I got’s fore of da corporate coyo’s wit me. Dey do noa giv’ a shit an wanna go back to de docks.”

Female voice
“Berata we gots an hour b’fore casino level es shut down. Afteir dat no one outside of casino or dock levels es getting’ off dis rock.”

2nd Male voice
“Al teams, we got’s two dead and gear of ders es taken! Switch to encrypted channel now!”]

[Private to Kala Sui:
You pick up the conversation coming from Alis or Yuri's radio (your choice as to who you are closest to)

Male voice
“Hey dis es team sixteen, me bossmag and one uter are dead at de Pur’n Kleen office. Dey gear es gone too! I got’s fore of da corporate coyo’s wit me. Dey do noa giv’ a shit an wanna go back to de docks.”

Female voice
“Berata we gots an hour b’fore casino level es shut down. Afteir dat no one outside of casino or dock levels es getting’ off dis rock.”

2nd Male voice
“Al teams, we got’s two dead and gear of ders es taken! Switch to encrypted channel now!” ]

"Sounds like we're headed in the wrong direction," huffs Kala as she trots along holding her end of a stretcher. It's not heavy in the reduced spin gravity, but it still has exactly the same mass as it would on Earth and when it gets moving, the momentum can sometimes be awkward to manage, causing her to swing wide on turns and overcompensate for sudden changes in speed.

"We need to get to the docks.

"How about access tunnels? Maintenance crawlways? We just keep headed in, we're going to be trapped."

"She's right Loc, unless your safe area has secret access to the docks or the casino levels, we've got an hour before they lock those areas down, then we're stuck."

"They found the bodies back at the office, so these radio's aren't gonna be of much use going forward." She add. She keeps her on, just in case some of the goons either missed the call, or don't care. She might even get some dribs and drabs of cross talk of folks using the channels she has access to to talk without the net hearing them.

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 112):

Van checked the route to the safe house. CCTV cameras were scanning the most direct way. The secondary route was also possibly monitored but would take hours to reach the safe area.

"Cameras on most direct route to safe house. There and there." He enabled the drone's feed so that everyone could access it on their palmtop devices. "Alternate route will take hours. If not also blocked."

"Suggest if we try for docking bays we blind these cameras up ahead. Let CRM think we are going in one direction while we double back.

"Best bet is Bay 2. Mercenary ship there. Eight sentries on duty. Will try to arrange diversion.

"How many people armed? We have injured. Will degrade mobility."

He held up the SMG and made a gesture to have everyone who had a gun do the same so they could see what their armed strength was like.

"We'll need one helluva diversion."
Alis keys the mic on her radio, hopefully before to many have made the frequency shift. "Belta lowda! Dey nevah gonn let belta leave dis rock you know, you all seen to much. You a liability, day kill you easy, to dem you only belta." Alis will persuade.

Roll of 19 Persuade 4 Stunt Points {4}, 4, 4.
GM willing, I would like to invoke RISKY BUSINESS as my stunt used.
In this case Target would be 'Belta lowda' and character would be 'Corpo goons'. Your call.


Alis had already done the mental math in her head. "One rifle, one SMG, and three pistols." She answers dryly. "IF folks with multiple weapons share." She adds.

"Not to be a pessimist, but that's 5 versus 8, not counting whoever is still inside." She points out. "If we could get inside by bypassing them, we could lock them out. Then if we can subdue the crew and if we can take control of the ship then we could blap them with PDC's... but that's a lot of very big 'IF's"

Usually she was the bubbly optimistic one, so this was a twist...
This message was last edited by the player at 04:31, Thu 11 Nov 2021.

"Can we put together a bomb and deliver it with one of those drones?" she nods at the swarm of spy eyes moving around them. "That might give us an advantage. Take out a few of them right at the start and then charge in while they're disoriented?"

She actually has no idea how to build a bomb, but maybe some of these tough belters can do it. And she knows they need to get off of this rock. Whatever reason the local security forces have taken over, it does not bode well for their continued existence to stay here.

He looked at Kala. "Only have one drone.... Yes. Can use as a bomb."

If it took sacrificing his drone he was willing to do it. He wouldn't be happy, but he'd do it.

Van nodded in agreement with Alis. She had put their predicament in focus. Assuming they were able to make it to the docking bay level, they had few (but not no) weapons and were carrying wounded. Still, they had more of a chance to reach the docking bays than the safe house.

He looked down at his hand terminal and scowled. No network connection. Of course.

"Have pistol as well as SMG. Am better with Submachinegun. Someone can use pistol.

"Without network, will be unable to easily create diversion using own ship in Bay 5. Might be able to contact ship when closer, not now.

"Main route to docking bays is through casino level. We try this route first. Checkpoints? Guards? Patrols?

"Alternate route is some smugglers routes have heard about. Eros old station, Casino is new. Many unused areas, conduits, closed off by renovations, outdated or non-certified fixtures. Never been in tunnels, but know they are there."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:10, Wed 10 Nov 2021.

OOC: If Amos Burton was in your group he’d probably be saying “We need to kill some more CPM guys and take their guns.”


EDIT: This was a joke and not made to be taken literally...
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:11, Thu 11 Nov 2021.

Van sighed.

"Do not like suggesting this. But maybe can use distract and neutralise CRM hostiles? Take weapons."

They could send the a volunteer or two forward, asking for help. Use the drone to map a path using concealment and cover that would allow some who were armed to sneak up on their blind side, then take out the CRM while they were distracted. CRM didn't seem to be shooting unarmed citizens on sight but rounding them up for the shelters. CRM were generally criminals and not soldiers or trained police so they were easily distracted. Especially if offered a bribe. Still, this would be a risky assignment for anyone volunteering along with him to act as bait.

"Will go up and ask for help. Provide distraction."

"I'll go as bait," Kala said softly. "Seems only right to take some of the risk.

"What do you need me to do?"

OOC: GM and ALCON Please see my earlier post, I had had something under PM whisper. It's live now.



Loc, hopefully you will have your distraction, or at the least the seeds of it.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:30, Thu 11 Nov 2021.

[Private to Nguyen Van Loc: Loc sees a pair of CPM corp thugs walking towards the group from 'downspin'. They pass by under the cameras his drone is hovering above and will round the corner and see the group in maybe a minute....]

OOC: Loc is about to post some new info...after he posts please everyone limit themselves to one post to prepare for whatever he mentions. </Red>

[Private to Alis Syn: Alis, said seeds will be planted. Although it is a bit meta as we all know Protgen and CPM eventually start shooting at each other. ]

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 120):

He flipped up the HUD and put the drone in standby surveillance mode to keep an eye on the approaching armed goons.

"Everyone, two armed CRM be here in one minute or less. Just passed CCTV cameras, will be around corner very soon."

Nodding a wordless thanks to Kala, Van looked at Alis. "Ok, good. Was going to try pretending to have wounded. Try to surrender. Hope your idea better!

"Here is plan. Everyone with gun set up to put main corridor area in crossfire. Alis triggers distraction. Everyone shoot CRM. Anyone need gun?

"Alis, will your idea need Kala and I to pretend surrender?"

He pointed out what he thought were good ambush positions that would give cover and concealment while denying same to CRM.

"My idea?" Alis points at her self in confusion. "Distraction?" She puts together the disconnect. "You mean what I said into the radio? Oh, no no no, I think what I said will be a slow burn, but I had to say it before to many CPM goons switched frequencies." She explains.

"I mean, I can certainly say that to those two coming on us in person...but..."

"Kala if she's up for it, with Muscles posing as an other CPM goon that captured her? I can be Muscles 'partner' since were already both wearing CPM body armor and helmets..." She says.

"Hmm..." She says. "Loc, how about you and two others be shooters from the shadows. You and Muscles share out your pistols. You can set up here and Muscles and I with Kala as our prisoner can back track a bit so it looks like we are just walking down this way to bait the trap, but have your drone ready to create a distraction, buzz their heads, knock over something, or whatever. Kala, put your pistol behind your back tuked into your belt or something so they can't see it, and when Loc's drone does her thing just duck to clear our lines of fire. Then we all unload into them."

"Does that sound workable?" She asks.

OOC: Kala, Yuri, I figure, Yuri will have his rifle in a ready stance pointed at Kala's back, you are just getting out of the way of the rifle barrel, so when you move all Yuri has to do is pull the trigger and light one of them up. Same deal for Alis and her pistol. Once you've ducked Kala, whip out your own pistol and bam bam bam. I also think we should pick targets, Like I'll have Alis take the one on her side so we aren't all shooting at the same guy leaving one untouched.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:59, Thu 11 Nov 2021.

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 123):

"Idea is good one."

He nodded. Two of their own dressed as CPM with a prisoner might work. And they simply had no time to get cute.

Van handed his MP5 to Alis. "Here, Alis. Will be controlling drone.

"Ok. Everyone. Into position now. CPM comes around corner. Alis and Muscles brings "prisoner" into sight. Drone buzzes CPM, is our signal to fire."

He set the drone to hide out near some ceiling clutter. It could keep the area under surveillance while everyone ducked down behind cover, then swoop down to kick off the ambush. A little risky for the drone but better they shoot at it than one of them.

OOC: Ah bit of a facepalm there. I realise now what "distraction" Alis was talking about. No harm, no foul! Is everyone's hand terminal linked so we can use them for tactical communication and/or to access the drone feed?
This message was last edited by the player at 02:16, Fri 12 Nov 2021.

OOC: Alis will hand off her pistol then for someone else since she'd been given the SMG.

Kala tucks her pistol out of sight at the small of her back and allows herself to be moved as if a prisoner. She keeps her eyes downcast and sullen, waiting for the cue to pull out her gun and start shooting at the goons. She is terrified but glad they are doing something positive rather than just running deeper and deeper into a dark hole.

OOC: Once Yuri posts we can get this show on the road...hopefully no one takes a bullet to the face.

Oh, wait one shot kills unfortunately can't happen in this game.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 127):

There being no real cover, Van decided to play dead at the side of the corridor. With his head turned away he could use the HUD to control the drone (and see through its sensors). The CPM goons would be there in seconds, and really, there weren't any better options.

Yuri steps behind Kala as if she is his prisoner. The big Russian, keeps his rifle at the low ready, ensuring that the barrel itself is not pointed at Kala.

The Belter woman with a wounded arm approaches Alis. “I guess I gits to be yous prisoner. If things go crazy I’ll just start kissin’ da deck.”

The four Pur’n Kleen water hauler crewpersons serving as stretcher bearers go back the way the group came. Three of the stretcher bearers return and are handed off pistols. One joins Van and pretends to play dead too. The other two take up position on the opposite side of the corridor and lie down prone as well.

---

Everyone is in position for maybe five scant seconds before the two CPM goons arrive. One is a man and is armed with a pump action shotgun and the other (a female) is armed with an SMG.

Upon seeing Yuri and Alis escorting a pair of ‘prisoners’ the man with the shotgun addresses Turi and Alis. “Wat da hell? We supposed to be shootin’ anyone we sees up here.” Nether CPM shows any indication that Yuri and Alis are Earthers...nor do they pay any attention to the 'bodies' along the side of the corridor.

OOC: So here is what I think everyone is armed with…

• Alis (pretending to be a CPM goon) = SMG
• Yuri (pretending to be a CPM goon) = Auto Rifle
• Kala (pretending to be a prisoner) = Auto pistol
• Female Belter (pretending to be a prisoner) = unarmed
• Van = Auto pistol
• Male Belter= Auto pistol
• Male Belter = Auto pistol
• Male Belter = Auto pistol
• Male Belter = unarmed, with guy on stretcher

Alis looks at Yuri and then back at the CPM goon(s).

"Shootin any coyo dat resist was da word I got. Dees two, dey not resistin now is dey?" She says prodding her 'prisoner' with the barrel of her SMG, giving Loc an opening to bring 'Tink' in to buzz them.

---

OOC: Please let me know if you need a roll from me.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 129):

Even though he was facing the wall, Van could see through the drone's camera. The CPM goons seemed to be buying it. He paused, waiting for them to get a little farther around the corner before dive-bombing them with the drone.

The male CPM goon shrugs his shoulders "Well wat yous gonna dous wit dem?"

"You hear radio? Res' o station is getin' locked down in one hour."

"Hey wat crew yous two es you wit?" The woman points at Alis specifically. "I ain't seen you around."

"Puttin dem wit da others" She replies to the male CPM then nods. "Ya, casino an docks, casino an docks; mi heard." She adds.

She looks at the female CPM goon, then looks her up and down as if assessing her. "Well to can maybe see bit more mi later once milowda off dis rock ya?" She winks at her, shifting her stance slightly to allow for better aim on the femme-goon when this all hits the fan.

"Fine, dey yous problem. Also yous problem if you duno git to da docks en an hour." The man looks over to his companion. "Comes lets go sister, you can find a better smellin' puta to eat out when we's off dis rock."

With that the two CPM officer begin to walk towards Alis, Yuri and their 'prisoners', intent on walking past them....

Alis will prod her prisoner off to the side to 'make room' for them goons to pass them, and waits for the drones appearance.

Yuri fires up close as they walk past!

17:31, Today: Yuri Ivanovich rolled 15 using 3d6+5 with the AGE System with rolls of {6}, 3, 1.  auto rifle = accuracy + rifle focus.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:32, Sat 20 Nov 2021.

Alis blinks, expecting a drone to kick things off, but apparently 'muscles' must have seen something she hadn't! She pushes her 'prisoner' down to the ground out of the line of fire and levels her SMG, aiming, and the firing at the goon that Yuri didn't fire at.

---

MAJOR Action: Ranged Attack
MINOR Action: AIM

Roll of: 16 {2}, 6, 4 (+4)
Damage: 8
This message was last edited by the player at 00:27, Sun 21 Nov 2021.

The Male CPM goon is dead before he realizes it as Yuri fires his rifle into the back of the man’s head. A cloud of pink mist consisting of skull fragment, blood and brain matter as the man’s helmet flies up into the air before coming back down. The pink mist falls to the ground in a swirling motion.

The Female CPM goon is startled by the rifle shot and begins to turn around, raising her SMG to fire. But Alis shoots her in the back of the head. The woman’s SMG moves maybe a third of a meter before a pink mist of brain matter, skull fragments and blood exits out the front of her face/forehead.

Both bodies fall to the ground, the man’s is headless, while the woman’s is kinda intact....

Oh look you guys acquired more gear!

• Riot Armor (+4 Armor, -2 dex penalty)
• Riot Armor (+4 Armor, -2 dex penalty)
• 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol (loaded), w/2 spare magazines
• 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol (loaded), w/2 spare magazines
• Hand terminal (locked)
• Hand terminal (locked)
• Radio
• Radio
• MP-5/UMP style 9mm SMG (loaded) w/1 spare magazine
• 870 style riot shotgun (loaded)
• 8x 12-gauge buckshot
• 6x 12-gauge slugs
• 2x 12-guage ballistic gell slugs (can stun unarmored opponents)

"Humph!! I'll have you know my puta smells fantastic thank you very much!" She says to the dead man that had uttered the affront. She then helps her prisoner' to her feet. "Sorry, I didn't hurt your arm did I?"

Alis checks (after cleaning them off) to see if the radio's have been switched to the new encrypted channel. If so she'll take one, meanwhile she takes the UMP style SMG (and spare mag), handing Loc back the one he loaned her. "Thank you."

OOC: If the woman's head is intact enough to open her hand terminal Alis will attempt it. She will however take her ID card / wallet etc. regardless.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 139):

As Van was about to send in the drone, Yuri opened fire, followed by Alis. Van sent in the drone, regardless. Them suddenly opening fire worked well enough and both CPM were down. The drone buzzed over the scene, then he sent it to watch around the corner while they quickly stripped the dead. He debated claiming the shotgun and a set of armour but they could maybe get away with this ruse again and so it should probably go to someone else.

"Good work. Let's go to casino, then docks."

"Well comrades, that was effective."

Yuri eyes the shotgun.

"Someone want this suto rifle?"

"I prefer the shotgun."

Yuri picks up the shotgun and shells.

OOC:

If Kala does not take the auto rifle, I will give it to one of the NPC's.

Van and Kala do not have riot armor (yet), if one or the other decides not to take the riot armor, I will give it to one of the NPC's. 

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 143):

"I will take auto rifle. And body armour."

He quickly and efficiently stripped the corpse of both and put them on.

"Let's go."

Kala actually screamed when the gunfire erupted, right over her head, and by the time she had regained her composure, the others were plundering the bodies.

She shuddered at the idea, but stripped one of the security goons of his riot armor and put it on. She already had a 9mm pistol, and she really didn't see herself as a two-gun pistolero. She nodded that the weapon should go to one of the other Pur N Klean staff members tagging along with them.

As soon as she could, she was ready to go. Eager to reach the docks and get off the rock.

Kala tries to hand off the Auto-Rifle but one of her crewmates from the Salisbury points out that if they come across any of the CPM thugs they are going wonder why a civilian was carrying the rifle.

Thus, as the group makes their way through the corridors of Eros at a brisk pace to meet the 1-hour deadline Kala carries the Auto-Rifle much to her disdain of handling weapons.

The corridors are eerily empty of people, and the few the group sees stay clean of the four 'CPM Thugs' who appear to be escorting a ship crew.

[Private to Alis Syn: You do not hear much on the secure channel other than CPM teams checking in and reporting in they have reached the casino levels adjacent to docking bays one, two, four and five.]

OOC: The way I see it you guys can try to just waltz into the casino level and hope you’re not challenged or before getting to the casino level find an access point to Maintenance tunnel/crawlway.

I will need perception rolls for the second option. The TN is dependent upon who your character is so I will let you know if you succeed after you roll.

Alis will have made sure that their latest kills are will hidden out of sight so they aren't happened upon by an other team of CPM goons.

Alis does recall Kala talking about a back way in, so she keeps her eyes peeled for something that might hearken to that. Not that any beltalowda would have ever showed her, but as a 'purveyor of goods' she'd heard rumors of smuggling tunnels.

Along the way she passes along salient bits of info she's overhearing on the radio. Mainly routine check ins as teams report that they have reached the casino levels adjacent Docking Bays, 1, 2, 4, and 5. As she listens in she will endeavor to memorize the verbiage CPM and the Corp Coyo's are using so she can sound like them if challenged.

---

Perc: 11 {2}, 2, 5 (2 Stunt points)
If allowed I'd like to use the INTUITION stunt. 
This message was last edited by the player at 02:58, Tue 23 Nov 2021.

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 147):

Van sent the drone ahead to recce the route to the casino.

"Alis, am not liking odds of going through casino. Could work, may not have other choice.

"But, even as "legitimate businessman" have heard of smuggler's routes to docking bays that go around casino and security checkpoints. Can you locate any?"

[Private to GM: 18:06, Today: Nguyen Van Loc rolled 12 using 3d6 with the AGE System with rolls of {6}, 4, 2.  Perception. (13 with Perception bonus)]
This message was last edited by the player at 07:02, Thu 25 Nov 2021.

Kala's heart is hammering away at top speed and she is just about ready to pee herself at any sudden challenge as they approach the casino level and see other groups of security goons. She tries to look for an access route to the maintenance tunnels, but her attention skitters over every sound and motion like a flea in a circus.

08:32, Today: Kala Sui rolled 7 using 3d6+1 with the AGE System with rolls of {1}, 2, 3.  Perception.

She also keeps an eye open for her girlfriend, Naomi, hoping against hope that she is alive.

As they move along, Yuri is searching intently for an access corridor or side passage.

08:02, Today: Yuri Ivanovich rolled 9 using 3d6+1 with the AGE System with rolls of {4}, 1, 3.  Perception.

As the group traverses through the corridors, they see a few side passages and maintenance closets. But none lead to a secretive passageway.

Signage on the rocky walls do indicate the group is getting closer to the Casino level, and it is not long before they can see the flashing light and noise of the casino as the corridor appears to be going in a downward slope. A few small groups of people pass the group, intent on getting to the casino level.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 151):

Not liking the odds of going through the casino, Van still had the drone scout the way.

"When get to entrance area, will use drone to get visual on entrance."

"Yeah, not to keen on walking into the lion's den myself."

"If we do have to, lets find an out of the way corner to get out of sight in." She adds.

"Oh and if we do...Those of us in CPM goon-gear will have to hold all the other firearms; guards down there will prolly not cotton to them having 'em. We can give them back once we've found a hidey-hole." She points out, then leans against the corridor wall for a moment to think and rest.

Van maneuvers the drone down the corridor and uses the ceiling piping and scaffolding as a cover.

[Private to Nguyen Van Loc: The entrance to the casino level appears to be unguarded as some sort of commotion is occurring. With no sound pick up all you can see are people fleeing out of the casino level.]

In the direction of the casino level the faint sounds of screaming can be heard. This is followed by the faint sounds of gunfire.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:46, Tue 30 Nov 2021.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 154):

Peering through his visor Van muttered, "can't see any hostiles in casino entry area. Negative on visuals. Retrieving drone, looking for hidden entryways in walls, floors."

He checked using visible and Thermal for bodies, blood trails and blood spatter, etc. Once he's learned all he can he returned the drone, using the thermal camera to check for dark spots that could indicate services hatches behind the wall panels.

[Private to GM: 14:42, Today: Nguyen Van Loc rolled 10 using 3d6 with the AGE System with rolls of {5}, 1, 4.  Perception + Drone Pilot?]
This message was last edited by the player at 03:29, Wed 01 Dec 2021.

Alis will listen in to the radio chatter to see if she can get a sense of whats going down.

She waves to the others hold fast and find some cover.

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 156):

Van panned the drone's camera around again. He could see gun flashes reflected and refracted in the many mirrors and shiny surfaces of the glitzy-if-run down decor so it was unclear where the shooting actually was. But the entrance was still clear. For the moment.

"Say again. Guards gone from main entry area. Some kind of... distraction happening. On casino floor.

"Can see no alternate route. If anyone knows secret smuggler route, please say! Really, are two option: go in now or stay and wait for better opportunity.

"Suggest go in now while have distraction. Hit CPM hard from behind. If unable to progress, then withdraw. Maybe no worse off than are now."

It was still a terrible gamble. Someone further might get hurt. But if they were going to try to force their way through the perimeter cordon now before reinforcements arrived was probably as good as it was going to get, and time for this option was probably fast running out.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:46, Wed 01 Dec 2021.

As the group holds position several people run past them, leaving the casino level. The number of people is steadily increasing though….

[Private to Alis Syn: The CPM comms are complete chaos. Mostly yelling and screaming and some curt instructions punctuated by gunfire. Then the comms are jammed with an ear-splitting screech...]

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 158):

Clearly, the situation was escalating. They were caught between some kind of firefight ahead and (probably) CPM reinforcements arriving from behind. Their time to make a move was running out.

Van recalled the drone and set it to station-keeping 1m above his right shoulder.

"If no one has better idea, then people dressed as CPM on me. We move in to observe situation, engage CPM if have surprise.

"Everyone else, follow. Move up to main entry area and then halt, stay out of sight. Will send runner or drone back if all-clear to proceed.

"Understand? Ok? Good?" With that he moved out, keeping the autorifle at low-ready and set to full-autofire.

As Loc moved to pass by Alis a piercing screech is heard from her earpiece forcing Alis to all but rip if from her ear as she turns the volume down.

She puts out an arm to stop him, then points ahead. "WOAH woah woah...I don't feel like getting trampled or ripped to shreds when that mob thinks we're here to shoot them..." She points out.

"Something messed up is going on down there. They are shooting everyone I think, and the CPM guys are getting attacked...it's fucking chaos down there." She adds.

"If there is a nook we can hide in further up then ok, otherwise maybe a back-peddle until that throng clears out."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:01, Thu 02 Dec 2021.

Van stopped as Alis had a point. "Crowd will not attack us even if panicked. Are escaping, will try to get away from us. Unclear who is shooting who, assume is CPM shooting civilians to clear casino."

He nodded. "If you want everyone to stay, is ok. Will go on by myself to have look, come back or send drone back."

"Loc, just send the drone...unless you've learned how to parkour over a stampede the last time we talked." She sasses.

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 162):

He laughed. "Not quite! No parkour except in Zero-G. Was going to move up to enhance drone signal range. Will stay for now."

Although he had intended on moving up to extend the drone's range it was possible he might not need to. He stayed put and sent the drone up ahead to try and get a look at the casino floor. Staying above the crowd and using any ceiling-mounted objects for concealment and cover. Maybe he wouldn't need to move up.

[Private to GM: 13:10, Today: Nguyen Van Loc rolled 14 using 3d6 with the AGE System (({6}, 5, 3)). Add in Drone piloting?]

OOC: Gonna wait for the other players to post before I post.

"Seems like while all the shooting is going on .. we use that distraction .. and stay to the outer perimeter and sneak past the center mass of chaos."

Kala has been in a cold funk since the active shooting started, her monkey brain shrieking terror warnings to her limbs and her logic circuits reporting that there was nowhere to run to -- except maybe into the madness ahead of them.

"We can't stay here," she hisses. "We can't go back. We have to go on. Shoot our way through if we have to. I don't understand what is going on here, but I want -- I need -- to get off this rock."

She moves closer to Loc.

"I'll go with you," she tells him, pulling her pistol out. No point in pretending to be a prisoner now.

The number of people pushing past the group begins to increase, most seem panicked and terrified while some seem to just be following the crowd.

[Private to Nguyen Van Loc: With your drone you are able to see what the commotion is all about in the Casino. It looks like the armed CPM goons are trying to shoot people who have something wrong with them as the shamble about puking up brown vomit on other people. The source of the sick people appears to be the transit tubes. Of the exits that lead to the docks level all but one is shuttered, and that one looks like it’s been sealed off as a bunch of people to include CPM goons are trying to figure out a way past the door. One group of people near the middle of the casino are up against the wall of a pachinko parlor where there is a door. There is writing on the door but it is hard to make out with the people in the way.
]

As they make their way along the walls Alis will keep a weather eye out for what has caused this panic as well looking at the ones that are 'following the crowd' to see if there is anything off, odd, or useful about them. Plus they still need to find a way to the docks...maybe all this has created an opening...

---

Perc: 16 {2}, 6, 6. (2 SP)
Intuition Stunt

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 167):

Moving up to keep in contact with the drone, Van reported, "CPM are shooting at civilians coming off transit hub entry. Appears people are sick, vomiting brown liquid. Nerve toxin, biological agent? Anyways, can move up, they are occupied.

"Are two exits from casino. One portal left open to docking bay but is closing now. Another entry to Pachinko parlour. Sign on door. Cannot read."

He piloted the drone to go closer and take a look at the sign to the Pachinko parlour, risking it. But the CPM goons seemed occupied with shooting the people shambling off the transit tubes and/or trying to keep the armoured shutter from sealing shut the last portal open into to the docking bay. He guessed that the parlour would be the only hope, and at that a faint one at best. Still, a gaming den seemed as likely as any to have a back door that hooked into the smuggling routes.

"Let's go. Watch out for sick people. Could be dangerous."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:27, Thu 09 Dec 2021.

The idea of a biological weapon filled Kala with dread, but she swallowed dryly and nodded at Loc. The gun felt huge and puny in her hand at the same time and wondered if she would piss herself with terror when the moment came that they had to shoot their way through.

"Lets push through the door leading to the docks before it closes!" Yuri says as he shoves the jostling sheeple out of his way.

The group moves down to the Casino Level, but has to fight their way through the crowd. Things get better after getting past the large opening where that after a small open area becomes a maze of Slot machines, Poker, Blackjack, Roulette, and Craps tables. Interspersed amongst all this are walled off Pachinko parlors, betting halls for races or prize fights occurring throughout the system, and small restaurants.

None of the establishments are in operation with the sick people, shambling about, and the CPM goons shooting them. To the left is sign age pointing to the transit tubes which lead to the deeper levels of Eros. To the right is signage indicating how to get to the docks.

Yuri, and Kala are the first to get into the open area, and are almost immediately confronted by a pair of shambling people who are frothing some sort of brown goo from their mouths and this skin is glowing blue in some places.

Alis moves torugh the crowd, guiding Van. The people she passes look pretty scared, with some panicking, and several covered in some sort of brown goo. The Earther woman manages to avoid her and Van from brushing up against one of these panicking people who are covered in some sort of brown goo. and whose skin is glowing blue in some places.

[Private to Alis Syn:
Intuition Stunt = Brown goo is probably not something you want to get on you.....]

Van moves with the group but is preoccupied with whatever he is seeing on his drone's camera. So much in fact that Alis has a hand on one of his arms and guides him.
[Private to Nguyen Van Loc: On your drones camera you watch as two men at that door begin to push on the door. But there sick people are approaching the group. The other four people are women one of whom pulls a gun out from one of the men’s coat pocket and points it at the sick people. The woman then hands the gun to a second woman, who then promptly shoots on of the sick people and a combination of pink and blue glowing mist exits out the back of the person's head. The brainless body drops to the ground as if someone had cut the strings from a puppet.

The door is by this time pushed open barley enough to let someone through. Van can clearly tell that the remaining two sick people will be on top of the group before more than one person can make it through the opening.]

Posting/Init Order: Yes you guys are in an action sequence/combat.
Yuri
Kala
Alis
Van
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:32, Thu 16 Dec 2021.

Yuri points the shotgun at the closest biological warfare delivery agent/victim and fires!


13:27, Today: Yuri Ivanovich rolled 14 using 3d6+5 with the AGE System with rolls of {4}, 3, 2.  shotgun accuracy + focus.

Kala actually screams in terror at the stumbling horrors looming ahead. Almost without thought, she fires the pistol in her hand at the one closest to her, twisting and dodging to avoid contact at all costs.

08:27, Today: Kala Sui rolled 16 using 3d6+1 with the AGE System with rolls of {4}, 6, 5.  Accuracy - shoot pistol.

08:28, Today: Kala Sui rolled 13 using 3d6+4 with the AGE System with rolls of {3}, 4, 2.  Dex -- dodge contact with slime.

Alis makes sure the face visor of her CPM goon helmet is down.

"Wouldn't get any of the ichor on you by the way." She says, just in case it needs being said as she tugs on Loc's sleeve.

"Eyes up Loc." She says as she points towards the docks, following the signage. "Docks are thataway." She calls out to everyone else as she starts angling in that direction, careful not to get close to any slimy/glowy people.

Seeing the condition of the sick she selects auto fire mode on the SMG and then strafes the unfortunates between them and the dock hoping to take out a swathe of them to clear a path.

---

Minor Action: AIM
Major Action: RANGED ATTACK: 11 {2}, 3, 2
Damage (SMG) 15
STUNT: STRAFE (Using 2 points) (Hits all targets w/in 2 meters of initial target) (Facing away from our party) (Damage halved to 8)
This message was last edited by the player at 16:50, Thu 16 Dec 2021.

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 175):

Feeling the situation was close to be Van checked the docking bay entry again. It seemed like it was no use. The door was closed, and the CPM goons trying to get in were about to be overwhelmed by a stream of infected civilians now pouring out of the transit tubes.

There was another group going for the Pachinko parlour door. Obviously they knew something, even if not they were not about to be swallowed by a tide of brown-goo-vomiting blue-glowing shambling sickos.

"Shit. Docking bay entry is no-go!

"Everyone believe me. Will die going for docking bay entry! No hope. We will die!

"Alis, go to Pachinko parlour instead. Are people breaking in there. Will look inside for rear entry to docking bay. At least inside will be off casino floor."

He intended to go towards the Pachinko parlour. They were also beset by infected but they were not as bad off. Van commanded the drone to dive-bomb and buzz one of the infected shambling towards the people trying to break in there. Maybe distracting them would help, who knows?

OOC: To clarify, there are two potential escape routes. There is a closed door to the docking bays. CPM are trying to get through. They are not having any luck, and are about to be swarmed by infected. There is another group trying to break into a Pachinko parlour. That is where Van is saying they should go.

[Private to GM: 19:09, Today: Nguyen Van Loc rolled 9 using 3d6 with the AGE System with rolls of {1}, 5, 3.  Pilot Drone check.]
This message was last edited by the player at 03:09, Fri 17 Dec 2021.

Yuri fires his shotgun and peppers the sick person with buckshot, staggering them.

A screaming Kala fires into the other approaching sick person hitting them with several bullets but not putting them down.

Alis sprays a burst from her SMG across both sick persons and manages to put them both down. The one Kala shot at just falls forward while the one Yuri shot falls backwards.

Meanwhile the Pur’n Kleen employee armed with the auto rifle mows down a pair of sick people coming from the direction of the transit tubes. It is in this direction that there are at least five more sick people coming.

---

Those who look for the exit to the docks, or the transit tubes or the pachiko parlor Van is telling everyone about are no visible. There is a whole warren of casino tables, food kiosks, and small buildings in the way.

[Private to Nguyen Van Loc: On your drone camera you can tell that the same woman from before has shot a second person in the head, but there are more sick people coming out of the maze of casino tables. You also realize that if this group of people only have one pistol, they stand no chance against the guards you saw at the docks if in fact that is where they are going.
]
OOC: Please include a damage roll in your posts. You will need to use the drop down menu for Game System/Special Dice and switch the die roller from the AGE system to the empty selection above in order to roll anything other than a 3d6.

[Private to Alis Syn: The only 2 infected near the dock were the same two that Kala and Yuri shot at.]

[Private to Kala Sui: Just an FYI you get a minor action and a major action for each combat round.

There is no major action which is a dodge in this game but there is ‘defend’ which adds +2 to defense. The defend action can be anything from moving to avoid gunfire (i.e. actively dodging) or melee attacks or using something to block a melee attack.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:35, Sat 18 Dec 2021.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 177):

Van set the drone to return, trying to help them navigate it's back-trail.

"They are through! Let's hurry to the Pachinko parlour. Get off casino floor."

Terror wells in her throat as the sickened residents stumble and fall, hands reaching out as if to pull her down with them. She realizes with a sudden burst of intuition that this scene will be one of her recurring nightmares for the rest of her life -- if she survives the next few moments.

Putting her trust in the one person who seems to have a plan and a direction to go, she follows Loc, trying her best to stay away from the slime-caked zombies.

Seeing the exits blocked by hoards of infected .. Yuri follows Loc's drone leading the way back to the pachinko parlour .. with his shotgun blasting any infected who gets in the way.

Alis plays rear guard with the other Salisbury crewman with the auto-rifle to ward off the 5 infected folks approaching from the transit tubes. "Following you Loc."

---

Minor Action: AIM
Major Action: RANGED ATTACK 11 {1}, 5, 1.
Stunt: SHORT BURST (Ignore 1 point of Toughness)

Damage: 9

The group begins to move through the maze of maze of Slot machines, Poker, Blackjack, Roulette, and Craps tables Alis puts a burst from her SMG into a sick/infected person, while Yuri blows another one’s head off with his shot gun as the two take the lead.

Van and Kala follow behind with the stretcher behind them. The the Pur’n Kleen employee armed with the auto rifle fires a few shots to the left where there is a group of 6 sick/infected.

To the right of the group there are 3 infected/sick persons, and to the direct front there are five more.

The people are not moving fast, and thus the only ones the group really has to worry about (if they keep moving) are the ones in the path ahead. One person is only 2 meters from Alis and Yuri, but there is a square gambling table between them. The next two closest people are 6 & 8 meters away, with the last two being 10 and 12 meters away.

OOC: No one has a direct line of sight with the pachinko parlor Van has been talking about.

Also, if you do decide to shoot someone/something please describe which one you are shooting at (i.e. the one x meters away) and include a damage roll and if you have stunt points use them.

In regards to movement, you can move a number of meters equal to your speed per 'turn'. The people with the stretcher are only going to be moving 5 meters per 'turn'

Kala looks around for a light chair or stool she can pick up and use to push away any of the approaching residents oozing with goo. She won't go out of her way to find anything, nor will she step towards anyone to precipitate an encounter, but if someone stumbles right at her she will use the object to shove them away. And then throw it away.

She's terrified of getting the goo on her.

Alis looks for a food cart or dolly that might be left behind, something they can use to move the stretcher faster. She is also of course listening into the radio chatter for anything interesting.

"Loc, get 'Tink' out willya and find that parlor, I can't see where to go in this shitty maze." She calls out to him.

She isn't keen on that sick shambler being that close, table or no, and fires at the hapless victim.

---

Minor Action: Look For Cart
Major Action: RANGED ATTACK (2m Target) 11 {3}, 4, 1
Stunt: N/A

Damage: 9
This message was last edited by the player at 03:48, Fri 24 Dec 2021.

The Pur n Kleen employee with the auto rifle takes aim at the furthest of the infected 12 meters away (a large fat man wearing a red suit and sporting a long white beard) and shoots him.

---

06:38, Today: Darkside Trooper, for the NPC Male Pur n Kleen employee, rolled 17 using 3d6+2 with the AGE System with rolls of {4}, 5, 6.  shoot infected w/auto rifle.

06:39, Today: Darkside Trooper, for the NPC Male Pur n Kleen employee, rolled 15 using 3d6 with the AGE System with rolls of {5}, 4, 6.  dmg.

Minor Action: AIM
Major Action: RANGED ATTACK = 17
DAMAGE: 15

The woman whose arm is in a sling, fires at an infected person about 8 meters away, a woman who is barley clothed and who probably mad eher living as a sex worker.

---

06:43, Today: Darkside Trooper, for the NPC female Pur n Kleen employee, rolled 3 using 2d6 with rolls of 1,2.  dmg.

06:43, Today: Darkside Trooper, for the NPC female Pur n Kleen employee, rolled 10 using 3d6 with the AGE System with rolls of {5}, 1, 4.  shoot infected w/pistol.

Minor Action: Move
Major Action: RANGED ATTACK = 10
DAMAGE: 3

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 182):

Traveling as best he could, Van nodded and sent the drone off again to scout the route.

He replied to Alis, "are heading in right direction. Wait one." He checked. "Looks good. Be advised not just CPM holding door to docking bay. Are also some mercenaries with advanced combat armour and heavier weapons. They are still not through."

This message was deleted by the player at 18:48, Fri 24 Dec 2021.

Yuri fires his shotgun at the infected 10m away.

16:04, Today: Yuri Ivanovich rolled 22 using 3d6+5 (6 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {6}, 5, 6.  shotgun - accuracy + focus.

16:08, Today: Yuri Ivanovich rolled 7 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 2,4.  shotgun damage buckshot.

The sound of gunfire fills the air as some members fire upon the sick/infected persons who are approaching. Those shooting hold their ground, while the stretcher bearers catch up.

Kala finds a bar stool that is perfect for putting between herself and any of the infected.
[Private to Kala Sui: If you are holding the bar stool and trying to shoot you will be firing one-handed and will have a -1 to attack. It will only cost a minor action to drop the bar stool and fire two handed (as is normal with a semi-auto handgun).]

Alis, spots a large cart 2 meters to the left that appears to be a small mobile bar. A few glasses are on top of it and the side door is open revealing several bottle of booze. At the same tiem she puts a few rounds into the sick/infected person 2 meters away from her and on the other side of a gambling table.

The Pur n Kleen employee with the auto rifle puts down the sick/infected person who is 12 meters away.

The woman whose arm is in a sling hits the sick/infected sex worker in the shoulder, causing the woman top to partially fall off revealing a large D-cup left breast. What’s horrifying is that the woman’s nipple seems to have series of blueish glowing crystals protruding from it. Despite being shot, the woman manages to move forward and around several of the obstacle between her and Alis and is now about 2 meters beyond the mobile bar cart.

Yuri puts a round of buckshot into the infected that is 10 meters away. The infected person’s head disappear, and the body falls backwards.
[Private to Yuri Ivanovich: If you have questions on how to spend/use stunts points, feel free to PM me.]

Van scouts ahead with his drone trying to determine which side of the building in front of them is the best side to go around to avoid the sick/infected.
[Private to Nguyen Van Loc: The right side is the better way to go as there are less infected (just three) to take out.]

The one infected/sick person not shot at moves towards the woman in a sling and is 4 meters from her. This person is wearing disheveled clothing and is/was probably a homeless person.

Location of infected:

• One infected (the sex worker) is 4 meters from Alis, on the other side of mobile bar cart. Will be in range to make a melee attack after the next round.
• A second infected is 4 meters form the woman whose arm is in a sling. Will be in range to make a melee attack after the next round.
• The three sick/infected coming from the right are now 6, 8 & 9 meters away.
• There is now five more infected coming from the left. Three of these five are 12 meters away, one is 13 meters away and the last is 16 meters away.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 190):

Van concentrated on finding a route to the Pachinko parlour door that had the fewest intervening infected. The infection seemed to not only be affecting them physiologically but psychologically, these people were simply not right!

"Everyone, bear right along the casino wall. Only few infected that way. Go right, go right!"

OOC: I got a (pretty crappy) game map up.

OOC: Sweet! Love it!

Would you be able to put an arrow or some such to point out where we are trying to head?

OOC: You guys are trying to get to the "Bldg w/door"

OOC: Ah, ok, tracking.

Checking the drone feed again Van verified that overall, there were less infected if they kept right. Not just in terms of those easily visible but out of sight past the gaming tables and central food court/cashiers cages.

"Come on everyone, di di mao! Di di mao!"

Alis pops the hapless individual in front of her. "Cart up here we can put the stretcher on." She says as she opens fire.

---

Minor Action: AIM
Major Action: RANGED ATTACK: 15 {4}, 2, 5. Target is the one 2m from her.
Damage: 9
This message was last edited by the player at 18:22, Tue 11 Jan 2022.

Kala also shoots at the infected sex worker, whispering a prayer for forgiveness as she does so. She puts the still down and grips the pistol in both hands to shoot as best she can.

Minor action: Put stool down
Major action: Shoot pistol at Infected sex worker
14:30, Today: Kala Sui rolled 14 using 3d6+1 with the AGE System with rolls of {3}, 6, 4.  Shoot pistol at infected sex worker.
14:31, Today: Kala Sui rolled 5 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 1,3.  Damage from pistol shot.

Yuri aims and fires the shotgun at the closest of the infected 6m to the right

minor: aim
major fire shotgun
11:00, Today: Yuri Ivanovich rolled 13 using 3d6+6 (1 stunt point) with the AGE System with rolls of {1}, 3, 3.  fire shotgun (aimed).

damage: 11:03, Today: Yuri Ivanovich rolled 6 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 3,2.  buckshot damage.

The woman with her arm in a sling moves away from the infected person close to her, gettign between Alis, and Yuri.

The man with the auto rifle shoots at one of the infected to the right side.

Alis, and Kala both fire on the infected sex worker and the combined weapons fire knocks her backward.

Yuri blasts the closest infected person to him as it begins to follow the woman whose arm is in a sling. The buck shot creates a large hole in the chest. Not only are various organs exposed but it seems like there is blue glowing crystal running through the chest as well.

The man with the auto rifle takes out one of the infected on the right side and moves up slightly behind Yuri.

Van and those carrying the stretcher move up closer to Alis.

Several more infected are approaching from the left, but on the right, it seems like there are no new infected coming form that direction.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 202):

He checked the drone feed. The coast seemed clear all the way to their destination. Maybe it was or maybe it wasn't a lead-in to the smuggler routes but either way they needed to get someplace hard to find. At least CPM would have its hands full with the plague and not be conducting a search of the casino or door-to-door any time soon.

"Good job. Let's go!" He started off, heading to the right around the central annex.

Alis reaches out with one hand and pulls the cart back towards the stretcher letting it coast from her to them on sheer momentum. "Hey! Use this." She calls out. She then angles closer to Yuri to go around the right side of the 'food joint: some sort of'.

She takes a shot at one of the sick that's closest to Yuri as well.

---

Minor Action: Snag Cart and push to stretcher detail
Major Action: RANGED ATTACK: 13 {3}, 3, 4. (3 Stunt Points)
Stunt: (2 SP) LONG BURST Make 2nd attack at -2: At 2nd furthest target from Yuri. 12 {3}, 2, 5.
Damage: Target 1: 9
Damage: Target 2: 9
Weapon Capacity Check: PASS (Attack hit and drama dice was NOT 6)
Stunt: (1 SP) Rapid Reload (Holding until needed for this encounter)
This message was last edited by the player at 00:11, Fri 14 Jan 2022.

Between Alis, and the man with the auto rifle the three infected to the right are easily taken out, and no one armed with a pistol who intended to fire in that direction found they didn't need to.

The wounded man on the stretcher is placed on the cart, freeing up two individuals to cover the rear, as two guided the cart to follow those in the lead.

---

Going around the building along it right side, the group sees the door Van has bene talking about. A large walled off pachinko parlor sits roughly in the middle of the Casino level and the door in question has the words "Authorized Persons Only” listed in several languages.

The area is clear of any infected, but there are still the ones behind the group.

Whomever reaches the door first finds that the doorknob turns, but something heavy is blocking the door form opening inward.

Panting and terrified, Kala throws herself against the door, determined to push it open.

"Come on, Yuri," she calls. "We need some muscle." She knows the Earthers in the group will be the strongest in general.

OOC: Hopefully low gravity will help with the "weight" situation!

In reply to Kala Sui (msg # 206):

Obviously, suggesting they break down the door seemed redundant. Considering how things were breaking down on Eros simply being out of sight long enough for all organised search and destroy efforts to collapse would greatly enhance their chances of survival.

Van sent the drone on a sweep of the area, trying to locate any infected and/or armed hostiles heading their way.

Yuri, and one of the large Belter’s who crewed with Kala on The Salisbury easily push open the door to a point where a pair of slimmer Belter’s from The Salisbury can squeeze through and move whatever is blocking the door.

As this is occurring Van keeps a lookout for any approaching infected, of which there are several. Alis sees the infected too, but they are far enough away (over 30 meters) to be a threat at the moment.

The door is soon opened all the way, revealing that a large (but empty) computer server rack was blocking the door. Beyond the door is small landing with metal grating as a floor then stair that leads down into a massive server farm that supports all (or nearly all) of the computerized gambling devices located on the Casino level.

The landing is quite small, with room for only a few people to stand on it at a time.

Thus, Yuri takes point and heads down the stairs first, shotgun in a raised position ready to fire if need be. The Male Pur n Kleen employee armed with the auto rifle follows behind him.

The cart carrying the wounded man has to be left behind at this point, and the group of four stretcher bearers follow the first few people who go down the stairs.

OOC: Decided to speed things up some, please note that I did not narrate anything being done to the door behind your group.

Alis makes sure that the door is returned to its closed and barred condition before they continue on, enlisting such aid as is needed to do so.

Yuri cautiously continues forward, scanning for signs of infected.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 208):

There was a problem.

"Cart will not fit down stairs. Will need to carry stretcher down stairs."

Van pulled rigged the tear gas grenade to the door. It would hopefully go off and fill the space with noxious CS powder to slow any pursuit. The infected seemed to be completely insane and did not value their lives, but maybe not being able to see or breathe might dissuade people from following, at least for a while.

21:46, Today: Nguyen Van Loc rolled 16 using 3d6 (6 stunt points) with the AGE System (({6}, 6, 4)).
This message was last edited by the player at 02:13, Wed 26 Jan 2022.

Kala retrieves one of the bottles of belter whiskey from the lower section of the cart and tucks it inside her jacket.

"For medicinal purposes," she growls.

Alis takes one as well. Something strong.

Yuri looks back and sees the bottles of booze being rescued from the cart.

"Uh, you mind grabbing one of those for me?"

In reply to Yuri Ivanovich (msg # 214):

"Take as many bottles as can. Make Molotov cocktail.

"Someone. Please help with getting stretcher down stairs. Hurry."

Putting the drone in "station-keeping" mode he helped get the stretcher down the stairs.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:31, Wed 26 Jan 2022.

Everyone, and everything to include the booze cart is eventually taken down the stairs, and the door leading back to the Casino Level is blocked again.

The server farm is quite large and has several rows of computer servers that are at least 2 meters high.

The room is cold, and those who look around will find there are two possible exits. Both are small vent grills. One grill has been removed and is sitting next to the wall. The other looks to be closed.

The booze cart is too big to get past the open vent as the ventilation shaft is a little cramped requiring people to enter/walk half bent over. While it is possible to get the stretcher in it will be quite a chore to move it through the vent shaft.

Alis looks over the server room, oh how shed love to have fun with it's contents, but they needed to go, so that was out of the question. She does of course look around to see if there is any posh tech of the hand held variety laying about that could be pocketed for later use.

"I think the two mice that you saw earlier Loc scurried off thru there." She points with her chin to the open grate. She takes a look at it as well, and the other one, to see if the open one is a red herring.

---

Perception: 14 {5}, 3, 4

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 217):

When they left the cart Van took some bar towels to use as wicks for future Molotov cocktails. Fire was absolute anathema to any belter as they were as deadly and more damaging to vessels and stations than almost anything else. But desperate times called for desperate measures.

"I agree, Alis. Let's continue. Can even send drone in first."

He checked the diameter of the ductwork and then sent the drone in to scout ahead.

"And please, call me by first name: "Van"." He liked and trusted Alis, even if they were not as of yet on a first-name basis. This seemed like a good time to change that.

OOC: I'd like Kala and Yuri to post before I move on.

Kala is not happy about crawling into a tunnel when they have no idea where it goes -- if it goes anywhere. The fact that someone has gone that way before is a bit reassuring but given the sight of the infected people in the casino, not 100%.

In the end, however, she looks over her shoulder and realizes they have no choice. She nods her agreement to the plan but has no intention of going in there first.

While the three Earthers each take a bottle of Belter booze, the other three bottles are left alone, and some of the Pur’N Kleen employees begin to make do with Van’s suggestion to make Molotov cocktails from the bottles of booze.

Alis looks at the closed vent grill and sees that the screws that held it in place have been removed, indicating that someone at some point in time unscrewed the vent grill, and replaced it after entering the tunnel.

Van sends his drone down the open shaft and begins to track the telltale thermal signatures of the people who entered last. The shaft is pretty small for the firt 100 meters, but then opens up to the point where even a 2 meter plus tall Belter can walk without hunching down. The tunnel goes on for another 30 meters before becoming a ‘T intersection”. The thermals pick up more heat going to the left then the right.

The man with the auto rifle approaches Alis who is looking at the closed vent grill. The man looks at some scratches on the wall above the grill. "This is the way to the docks, whoever went the other way is going wrong way."

Alis nods at the belter, then toes the grate with her foot and lets it clatter to the ground. "Yeah, either they went the wrong way, or left that one open as a red herring." She looks over at Van. "Van...can you send Tink down this way instead? Think that one that was open wasn't the right way."

She takes a better look at the scratches, using her hand terminals 'flashlight feature' and clicks a pic for good measure.

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 223):

Van nodded in thanks to the man with the auto-rifle.

"Is good suggestion, Alis. Will try to lead others in right direction. They have seen drone before, perhaps won't open fire."

He made sure everyone was in the vent before proceeding. Then (via telepresence) carefully moved the drone to where it could get a visual on the other group.

The guy with the auto rifle shakes his head as he watches Alis take a picture. “The markings are different, and there are false markings to lead security to wrong place.”

“Don’t worry I know what marks to look for.” The man then heads into the vent grill, but doesn’t rush off, he goes a bit and waits for others to enter.

Getting everyone into the vent grill passage takes a bit, and it is a tight fit the stretcher, which is reduced to only two people being able to lift it, one at each end.

But eventually everyone gets in and starts slowly going down the vent shaft.

The shaft goes aways before they come across another ventilation grill. This grill opens up to an old mechanical line tunnel that is about 2 meters wide and high. Some dim light bulbs provide some illumination, but not much.

The 2-meter width and height of the mechanical tunnel allows everyone to spread out a bit as the man with the auto rifle begins looking for the next marker.

Yuri stary behind with the Belter operating the drone and provides security.

OOC: Yuri is an NPC now.

In reply to Yuri Ivanovich (msg # 227):

"Ok. See them. Will try to guide."

Alis follows the belter into the ducts and and down in the passage way. She brings up the flashlight on the helmet (if there is one), barring that she'll clip the hand terminal she took that she can access and turns on it's flashlight and stuff that into her the breast 'pocket' of her armored vest to provide some more light.

She looks for the next marker as well, now that she knows, generally, what to look for.

---

PERC: 16 {5}, 5, 4 (5 SP)
Stunts Used:
Speed Demon (2) Accomplish Task in half the time
Pay Dirt (3) 

In reply to Alis Syn (msg # 229):

Van nodded in satisfaction.

"Ok, other crew is moving in our direction. Yuri, let's go."

He set the drone to retracing it's path slowly enough for them to follow. Then he began moving down the duct again so that (hopefully) he would meet them at that junction where they took a wrong turn.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:37, Fri 11 Feb 2022.

Kala keeps a tight grip on her claustrophobia in the narrow tunnels and breathes a deep sigh of relief when they open out a bit, enough to stand at least. The noise of their passage, booming and echoing in the metal ducts, makes it hard to listen for pursuit, and her heart beats a hurried tattoo of terror imagining a horde of the shuffling plague zombies creeping up on them in the darkness.

When Alys turns on her light, she moves as close to her as she can, grateful to not be alone.