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Despite being disoriented, the Prof manages to skin the jinsul with a shot! Jaqweh encourages him, and everyone else, following up with a shot of his own! Ferradei and Darqen both hit their targets, but only the tough armored portions of their bodies.
Meanwhile, the standing Jinsul steps up to Altorin and swings with it’s scythe-like left arm!
The other jinsul’s arm cannon goes off again, this time shooting at Regalion!
Darqen 14/14 SP
Regalion 0/8 SP, 7/11 HP
Altorin 0/5 SP, 10/10 HP
The Prof
Ferradei 0/6 SP 8/9 HP
Jaqweh
Purple Jinsul 6 dmg
Orange Jinsul 16 dmg
Green Jinsul 5 dmg
Blue Jinsul 14 dmg
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Altorin tries to strike the nearby Jinsul...
...but he will have to do better if he wants to catch up to the others. Even under his armor you can tell his stance is becoming more frustrated as he is unusually silent.
This time Altorin unleashes his frustration and connects his blow.
"...about time! I am better at taking the beatings then dealing them apparently."
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Ferradei learns from her mistakes and aims at the other portions of the Jinsul’s carapace-carapace covered body. It shrivels slightly at the touch of her cold blast. Jaqweh’s inspiration actually gives him a pep in his own step and his laser skims the very tip of the Jinsul’s soft rear skin. The professor joins in the fight, adding his own small laser to the assault. Finally, Altorin comes in with a vengeance and crushes the alien’s skull!
Regalion, who has been quite silent, almost robotic in his movements, steps forward and guts the final jinsul.
You all rest for a moment, then head back to the mothership! After about ten minutes of flying you arrive back at the ship carrying the starfinder armada. There are a number of Jinsul ships in the middle of boarding actions, but there is also a single Jinsul capital ship getting dangerously close!
It appears like there are more starfinders leaving the ship hanger than there are going to repel the boarders.
Darqen 14/14 SP
Regalion 0/8 SP, 7/11 HP
Altorin 0/5 SP, 10/10 HP
The Prof
Ferradei 0/6 SP 8/9 HP
Jaqweh
Purple Jinsul 21 dmg
Orange Jinsul 16 dmg
Green Jinsul 18 dmg
Blue Jinsul 14 dmg
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"Darqen, I think you'd be an amazing pilot. Especially after the way you drove circles around that sand worm." Jaqweh shudders a bit and his speech falters at the memory of that incident.
"But we certainly need to rest first. Caffs in the mess hall on me."
"Then, if no one objects, let's grab a ship and defend the fleet," he says, trying to sound inspiring without being over-the-top.
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As you arrive back at the head ship, you see that several starfinder vessels have escorted the last transport ships back to the carriers, and the Starfinder fleet is almost ready to leave the Scoured Stars. However, an enemy capital ship with enough firepower to destroy a carrier is dangerously close to the Starfinder fleet! First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo's voice coms over all coms. "Hello agents. I am afraid we have no choice but to launch a counterattack to destroy or at least delay the capital ship. The Target: The capital ship’s aft — the enemy ship’s only weak spot." A hologram of the ship appears, a target directly on the rear. "We need you to deal enough damage to cripple the ship. That is priority number one."
You join in the defensive blockade, part of the only force between the jinsul capital ship and the vulnerable fleet! The other starfinder ships take on the majority of the jinsuls, but two in particular seem to be locking on to you! The capital ships weapons appear to be down, perhaps channeling power into it's main doomsday cannon!
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"Thank you Darqen, but it's a team effort. We all have talents that we bring to the table. Speaking of which," Jaqweh trails off and turns to chase after Ferradei as she hurries toward the hangar.
"Ferradei, I recently acquired these specs for a weapon upgrade," he says as he catches up to her. "Do you think you could get it installed in time? I know it's asking a lot, but I'm sure the rest of the team can help if you need us to. Maybe on the forward laser? What do you think?"
He hands her a data stick with the specs for a prototype solar powered weapon system, and gives her his best inspiring smile.
When you slot this starship boon, select a single weapon on your starship with the word “laser” in its title; you gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon. A gunner can spend a Resolve Point prior to firing the selected weapon to increase the bonus to 4 for 1 round. A starship weapon can be improved only by a single copy of this boon, but copies of this boon can be applied to different weapons.
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Naiaj: During starship combat, you can force the crew of an enemy ship to take a –2 penalty to all Engineering and Piloting checks made during the round. The use of this ability must be declared at the start of the starship combat round.
Arvin: Once during the adventure, when the table uses an Aid Token, they get two benefits instead of one, but cannot choose the same effect twice.
Historia-7: When someone fails a Computers check, they may activate the reward to reroll the check twice with a +4 bonus, taking the higher result. This works in starship combat, or outside.
Zigvigix: During a starship combat, choose a single attack to count as a Critical Hit. Even if it was not a natural 20. Or even a hit!
The two jinsul ships move closer to you, though much slower than your own ship. The enemy capital ship seems almost motionless compared to your own agile ship, and the majority of it's bodyguards stay surrounding it.
Pegasus 10/10/10/10 55/55 HP
Purple Jinsul 0 damage
Orange Jinsul 0 damage
Capital ship 0 damage
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Engineering Phase
Ferradei’s programming works perfectly, shunting extra power to all guns.
Enemy Engineering Phase
Helm Phase
Darqen maneuvers the ships through space like a ballerina across the dance floor. Meanwhile, Regalion sleeps off his wounds in his bunk.
Enemy Helm Phase
The two enemy ships dodge and weave through space, the other jinsul fleet members staying in formation.
Gunnery Phase
Despite encouragement from their captain, both Altorin and the professor miss their marks.
Enemy Gunnery Phase
Both ships open fire on the Pegasus, though only one of their lasers hit. It crashes into your front shields, evaporating them and scarring your hull!
Next Turn
The two specific fighters get closer to you, slowly moving forward.
Pegasus 0/10/10/10 54/55 HP
Purple Jinsul 0 damage
Orange Jinsul 0 damage
Capital ship 0 damage
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"Welcome back Regalion! Hope you're feeling better," Jaqweh says in their shared native Castrovelian as Regalion takes his post at the guns.
Switching back to Common for the benefit of the crew, Jaqweh points out some of the improvements that Ferradei made to the guns, hoping to help him fire them more effectively.
But he gets cut off by incoming fire and fails to finish.
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Engineering Phase
Ferradei has some trouble this time, perhaps because a third gun came online.
Enemy Engineering Phase
Helm Phase
Darqen continues to fly the ship like he was born there, dodging and weaving. Meanwhile, Jaqweh encourages Altorin, who receives it in silence.
Enemy Helm Phase
Gunnery Phase
The prof is back for a vengeance, sending a hail of purple missiles into the side shields of the purple vessel. Much to your surprise, they are not deflected by any shields! They go into the hull, sending up explosions that appear to be coming from the ship's power core!
Regalion, ready to make up for his absence, follows up with another barrage at the purple ship!
Altorin takes advantage of the ship's positioning to shoot a small laser at the other jinsul pursuer.
Enemy Gunnery Phase
Both ships fire on the Pegasus with their turrets, but both end up wide, trying to avoid shooting their own fleet!
Next Turn
The two Jinsuls move slowly again, both turning to face you.
Pegasus 0/10/10/10 54/55 HP
Purple Jinsul 16 damage,
Orange Jinsul 5 damage
Capital ship 0 damage
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Engineering Phase
Ferradei’s conservative nature comes back into play, bringing the shields back online.
Enemy Engineering Phase
Helm Phase
Darqen goes in for the kill while Jaqweh encourages Regalion!
Enemy Helm Phase
Gunnery Phase
Both Regalion and the Prof hit the enemy capital ship!
Enemy Gunnery Phase
Both ships open fire on the Pegasus, destroying the port shields and hitting your hull!
Next Turn
They move first, you're up!
Pegasus 7/10/0/10 21/55 HP
Purple Jinsul 16 damage,
Orange Jinsul 5 damage
Capital ship 13 damage
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Those hits were too close for comfort. Wonder if I can throw them off target?
Jaqweh toggles the mic switch to external comms and takes a deep breath as he considers his words.
"Jinsul gunners, it's impressive that you're hitting our shields so frequently. Too bad your small insectile weapons don't do any damage."
But his words don't seem to convey the confidence he was hoping for.
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Engineering Phase
Ferradei keeps up the good work, bringing the defenses back online as best she can.
Enemy Engineering Phase
Helm Phase
Darqen continues to fly through the air delicately, dodging laser fire. Then Jaqweh gets on the coms and calls up the jinsuls. He gets a response, surprisingly.
"THANK YOU"
Apparently small arms in a complement in Jinsul...
Enemy Helm Phase
Gunnery Phase
The professor fires into the capital ship with prejudice! Regalion follows up with some more blasts, lighting up the jinsul capital ship.
Unfortunately, Altorin is asleep at the trigger of the guns! Darqen is on the case! He shifts his controls over and adjusts Altorin's aim into the capital ship's weak spot!
At that moment, a friendly starfinder vessel flies by. It's the mystic, from earlier! "Need some help, friends? How about some pain this time?" The ship flies past you, sending a large missile into the Jinsul capital ship!
The enemy capital ship explodes in a blast so bright it nearly blinds you! The explosion takes out most of the surrounding fleet, leaving just your two opponents!
Enemy Gunnery Phase
Both enemy ships fire at you, with a vengeance! One manages to strike over the long distance, bursting your shields and touching the hull of your ship.
Weapon
Port!
Engine
Power Core
Next Turn
They move first!
Pegasus 7/0/7/10 20/55 HP,
Purple Jinsul 16 damage,
Orange Jinsul 5 damage
Capital ship 54 damage
Under the supervision of First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo, the Starfinder fleet’s best starship crews have overcome the first wave of incoming jinsul starships! The Capital Ship Down condition is now in effect.
Alongside the recently returned First Seeker Jadnura, the crews of Starfinder carriers have repelled most of the jinsul boarding parties! The Champion Defeated condition is now in effect.
Thanks to selfless sacrifices and tactical victories, the Starfinder fleet manages to evacuate most of the transport ships back to the carriers, bringing nearly all the surviving Starfinders to safety. One by one in a rapid succession, the enormous ships dive into the Drift. The carriers converge at their rendezvous point, still at full battle readiness. But no jinsul craft follow; the pursuit is over.
Nominated First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo addresses the fleet through the ships’ comm units. “Starfinders, today we did something no one would have thought possible a year ago. We were able to rescue many of our comrades and two members of the Society’s former leadership, and what we now know about the Scoured Stars system may at least bring some closure to the loved ones of those who were beyond our help. Despite our victory today, we must remain vigilant, because a new threat has revealed itself. We know little of these jinsuls, but we all witnessed that their armada is massive, and they may have hundreds of thousands of soldiers eager for battle. It is clear they are an enemy we cannot ignore. Today, we must head back home to recuperate, but tomorrow, we must prepare.”
The Society endures, but a new threat to the galaxy is rising.