Biggs ducks down low, but with his hind legs straight, in the playful manner of a dog that wants you to throw a ball. He takes the shot.
Wedge catches himself from falling as the shot bypasses shields and strikes the ship. Whoa, that feels like a direct hit.
Wedge brings up the shields diagnostics screen and hops on comms, Forward shields are down. I'm gonna work on repairing them. We need that covered though. Kryten, can you keep our rear away from zombie boy while Hal redirects shields?
Wedge redirects power from some less needed ship functions to shields. Half of the ship's lights flicker off and Wedge hops on comms again. Hope no one had anything in the freezer!
Biggs fidgets around and fires again.
Wedge works on repairing the shields. Forward Shields are now at 4 points (80%).
The enemy comes in for a flyby, and you respond with a direct hit!
His sensors are now glitching!
Kryton responds, spinning the ship around and aiming right at starboard.
Despite the mistake in flying, the enemy ship still manages to hit, but it's absorbed by the shields.
Hal and Wedge both return fire, but both shots were just a little off course.
Careful not to turn his back all the way to Hal, Kassasharo turns his attention to the sensors and viewport, trying to spot something useful.
Wedge continues working on the shields and Biggs takes another shot.
Fairly uncertain of what he saw, Kass pings the general address.
Guys? I mean...crew? Is there any particular reason an android would be flying a Necroglider while trying to cripple our ship?
He pauses for a moment.
Hal, any insight? Also, any particular reason you've gone all creepy rogue AI on us?
"NECROGLIDER PILOT DATA IS ILLOGICAL. TO PILOT A NECROGLIDER ONE MUST POSSESS SPECIFIC NEUROLOGICAL IMPLANTS UNNECESSARY FOR SUPERIOR SHIP DESIGNS. NONETHELESS IT IS IRRELEVANT TO CURRENT ELIMINATION TACTICS."
Hal fires the guns again. After he fires he speaks back toward Kassasharo.
"UNIT C-4RD ACTIVATED COMBAT READY MODE THROUGH AGITATION OF ARTIFICIAL ADRENERGIC RECEPTORS."
Wedge glances at the display showing Biggs vision and sees the necroglider leave itself open for a shot. Sorry boy, I know you're trying. I'll fix your programming later.
With that Wedge hacks into the weapons system through Biggs'access. Through some extremely janky modding, he switches the controls for the two guns.
He barks over the comms, Hal, take the shot!
Unit C-4RD takes aim at the enemy craft after gaining control over the combat systems.
"THOUGH THE VOICE IS QUIET, THE SPIRIT ECHOES STILL."
Hal fires the guns directly into the enemy craft.
"With Sympathy."
The colors in Hal's tattoos shudder and fade back into their typical Magenta. His face goes slack for a moment as he seems to almost reset and regain consciousness. With a momentary shock he leans forward scanning the monitors.
Before the enemy even has a chance to fire, Hal takes the guns and blasts it into the black!
The enemy ship steers out of control and crashes onto the drift rock. A large puff of dust and rock bursts out from the drift rock, but there is no fire or smoke (because this is space and there's no oxygen for a fire to burn).
Following the starship battle with the Stiletto, you continue your journey to the Acreon unhindered. The Acreon is an old prospecting and mining ship that has seen years of hard use in the asteroid fields and hard vacuum of the Pact Worlds and beyond. It’s a boxy and ungainly ship, and its patched and repatched outer hull bears the scars of countless micrometeorite impacts and is faded from exposure to the radiation of space.
The Acreon floats alone in space, far from Absalom Station, its only companion the misshapen asteroid called the Drift Rock, which is tethered behind the ship on long tow cables. The Acreon’s transponder broadcasts a repeating message that the ship is under quarantine by order of Absalom Station security, warning away any curious onlookers and would be explorers.
"Monitors clear! We did it. I am heartened to see us survive. Who fired the final shot? I apologize but I seem to have lost focus there for a moment."
Hal sees the Acreon through the ship view and begins running a scan on the system to see if he finds any anomalies
"I am uploading all of the relevant information to your comms."
When the enemy ship slams into the drift rock, Kryten's grin returns.
"Nice shooting guys, now let's do what we came to do."
He maneuvers the Hippocampus into docking position with the Acreon.
Computers Check Result:
You can identify the ship as a Medium transport that can carry a full crew complement of six. The sensors are unable to get a good reading on any life signs that might be present on the ship, however.
The ship’s aft airlock is open, exposing the interior of the ship to vacuum. The Acreon is armed, though none of its weapons are currently active, and its power core is outputting minimal energy — enough for life support, gravity, and basic ship functions, but little else.
"I would suggest we dock with the aft airlock so that we can easily seal the interior in case there is some reason the airlock is exposed."
Hal begins re-configuring his workspace so it is as he found it. When he's tidied up he turns around and begins inspecting the recording drone following them.
"So I have not had an opportunity to inspect you yet! Are you capable of transmission or synthesized conversation? Or are you merely a recording device...?"
Hal asks these questions in a more hypothetical manner. If there happens to be any response he jumps and starts humming anxiously.
There is no response from the hovering drone. It simply watches you with its multitude of lenses. At least, the lenses facing you.
I say we dock this bad boy so I can assess the damage we've sustained. That little bugger got a few good shots in.
Wedge checks the computer one last time, then unplugs his rig and Biggs. He picked up his wrench from the steel floor and hands it to Biggs, who happily holds it in his mouth. Come on boy, now's the fun part.
Kryton brings the ship down between the tow cables connecting the Acreon to the Drift rock, and then maneuvers the ship between the four giant propulsion thrusters on the back of the ship to gain access to the aft airlock. The airlock is open and as you approach you can see flickering lights in the room beyond.
Once between the thrusters, Kryton engages the docking tunnel and connects the two ships. Those who head over engage their armor's protective systems for vacuum and meet up in the docking bay of the Hippocampus. The doors shut behind you and the tunnel door opens. A burst of wind pushes you slightly forward as the atmosphere is sucked out of the room you're in into the other ship. Gravity disengages and you float your way through the tunnel and into the aft of the Acreon.
The flickering emergency lights you saw from the outside do little to dispel the darkness inside the derelict ship, and the sense of abandonment is only heightened by the apparent lack of any movement or life inside its airless corridors.
From your earlier scans, you know there’s likely still power to run essential systems and possibly restore gravity, life support, and atmosphere to the ship. You know that you can restore the systems from the bridge, but first you must reactivate the power core in engineering.
Unfortunately, there are still no obvious clues as to the fate of the Acreon’s vanished crew.
Surrounded by machinery, this long chamber stretches across the width of the ship. All of the Acreon’s main engineering functions can be operated from this room, which also contains a tech workshop expansion bay. The ship’s power core can be accessed through maintenance panels in the forward wall.
In this room, you can reactivate the power core and restart the gravity generator. But to get atmosphere and life support systems going, you'll have to make your way to the bridge.
There is also a couple of mineral geodes in the room. These geodes are spheroid in shape with a diameter of about half a foot. One portion of the spheroid is open revealing a hollow center and a wall thickness of only a few millimeters.
A single one of these Noqual geodes here is about 500 credits.
[Spoiler=DC 15 Craft]Noqual looks somewhat like a pale green crystal, but can be worked as easily as iron or steel.
Noqual’s crystalline structure gives it a strength that belies its surprisingly low weight.
More importantly, Noqual is strangely resistant to magic. Objects made of noqual gain a +4 bonus to saving throws against a magical effect.
Melee weapons or ammunition fashioned from noqual gain a +1 enhancement bonus to damage rolls against magical constructs and undead creatures created by spells.
Melee weapons or ammunition fashioned from noqual gain a +1 enhancement bonus to damage rolls against magical constructs and undead creatures created by spells.
Akatas are extremely dangerous. They are capable of surviving in the vacuum of space for centuries while cocooned, and as soon as they sense a large amount of heat (such as entering planetary atmosphere while riding an asteroid) or nearby life, they escape their cocoon to go hunting.
If you have made this check, roll a DC 11 Life Sciences check to learn more about Akata biology; this includes the standard combat information for every 5 you beat the DC by.
Ship seems okay. Just some cosmetic damage, Wedge says as he walks toward the docking bay. He activates his environmental protection and takes his wrench from Biggs' mouth.
Alright, let's get this over with. I've got a craving for some Lashuntan barbecue. Y'all wanna grab some back at the station after this?
Entering the aft airlock and inspecting the room a bit, Wedge stops at the hollow, spherical rocks. Ah crap. I ain't no biologist, but that thing looks like a damn egg. Keep your eyes peeled. Jeez, this is just like Attack of the Space Worms 2.
Wedge boots up his rig and points it at the egg-shaped rocks. A conical, green laser passes over the object a few times. I ain't chancing it. I'm looking these buggers up.
Hmm. Valuable star metal... Odd. Worth... Oh, wow. Well... I mean I guess this is technically some of those minerals AE was looking for. I'll just... Put those in our 'inspectors bag' for now.
Wedge floats over to the engineer's console and attempts to boot it up. Looks like there's enough energy to re-engage artificial gravity. Everyone hold on.
The hum of the ship increases as the power core reactivated.
With the power core reactivated, the gravity starts to come online, slowly increasing until it's up to normal. As the gravity increases, you float to the ground and land softly.
Hal finally manages to float into the room as Wedge is about to reactivate the power core.
"Remember friends. The enemy's gate is..."
But gravity returns before he's able to finish his thought. He whirs disappointedly.
When he notices the objects in the room Hal immediately begins humming in anxious excitement.
"Noqual! That is wonderful. Wedge do you know how exactly valuable that is? Noqual is strangely resistant to magic. Certain civilizations are known to craft weapons and ammunition out of the metal in order to be more effective against 'mystical threats'! Drift researchers found that Noqual originates from the cocoon of a drift creature called an Akata. Akata are extremely dangerous and known to be capable of surviving in Vacuum! Much similar to the conditions of this ship in fact."
Hal stops for a second thinking to himself
"Probably a coincidence! Anyway when they sense a large amount of heat such as the nearby presence of one or more humanoids breaching the hull of a compromised ship they burst forth from their coccoons and go hunting! Fascinating creatures truly, I have always wished to see one."
"Probably a coincidence! Anyway when they sense a large amount of heat such as the nearby presence of one or more humanoids breaching the hull of a compromised ship they burst forth from their coccoons and go hunting! Fascinating creatures truly, I have always wished to see one."
Kryten unholsters his pistol.
"Do you... do you really have to f~+#ing phrase it like that?!" he then takes a glance at his companion."Of course you f#&%ing do," he says with an irritated sigh.
"He's right, Akata cocoons for sure, keep your guns ready."
I always liked zero g; found it rather relaxing, actually.
He looks around the ship as the gravity is restored.
Spooky.
Worms 2? Solid horror shtick, that one. Did you know that the director, Landon Malm, actually took a crash course in xenobiology before he agreed to the project?
He chuckles to himself.
Which he clearly threw out the airlock as soon as they started filming.
As Hal extols the virtues of the deadly Akata, he also pulls out his pistol, glancing around nervously.
These things are their cocoons? So why not put a few rounds through them and execute the little bastards before they have a chance to do any bursting forth?
They were empty. So I think I know what may have happened to the crew. Pistols at the ready, boys.
Biggs bounces around excitedly before his jaw rotates downward, producing a giant laser cannon. Likely Wedge's most recent upgrade.
As you're discussing the "eggs" and whether or not something has escaped from them, you hear a low growl over the comms. Biggs is warning you that something is here.
Two creatures the shape of a dog, but with smooth blue skin, thick tendrils flowing back from it's head like long human hair, and very sharp claws and teeth come bounding around the corner. Those who have studied such creatures before recognize them as Akata.
Ah, S$&#!
Wedge ducks behind the terminal and has Biggs stand at the opposite corridor wall.
Wedge takes a shot at one of the creatures with his pistol.
He then has Biggs fire his fancy new laser at the same target.
Biggs' tiny metal tail wags excitedly.
Kryten spins his gun on his trigger finger a couple times, catches his gun, and in the same instant fires it, seemingly directly into the floor.
Kass falls back behind the meatier members of the squad and takes a potshot.
Hal immediately panics, draws his new autotarget rifle and fires a round into the incoming horde
N Medium aberration Init +6; Senses blindsense (life 10 ft., scent 60 ft.), darkvision 120 ft.; Perception +5
OFFENSE Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee bite +8 (1d6+2 P plus void bite)
Void Bite (Ex). Akatas hold hundreds of microscopic larval young within their mouths, spreading their parasitic offspring to hosts through their bite. Only humanoids make suitable hosts for akata young—all other creature types are immune to this parasitic infection. This affliction is known as void death.
DEFENSE
Track physical; Frequency 1/day Effect No latent/carrier state; an infected creature that dies rises as a void zombie (see page 61) 2d4 hours later.
HP 18
EAC 12; KAC 13 Fort +3; Ref +3; Will +3 Defensive Abilities no breath; Immunities cold, disease, poison, starvation; Resistances fire 5
Weaknesses susceptible to salt water
Biggs and Wedge both immediately unload on one of the Akata. They were ready for the shot, and knew just where to fire.
Hal, too, was quick on his reflexes, firing a single shot into the same Akata, dropping it.
Kass, unfortunately, was still struggling to get his weapon out, and fired randomly into a wall as he drew the gun.
Kryton was going for the awesome fancy move, and managed to pull the trigger as he was twirling the gun around one finger. The shot went wild.
The remaining Akata charges forward, seemingly unaware its companion has fallen.
The Akata charges Kryton, biting at him! While the teeth marks don't hurt too bad, the saliva it left behind feels funny.
Kryten attempts to tumble away from the space dog.
Kryten, seemingly inept at everything but flying, once away from the creature, takes a shot.
Wedge aims at the beast with his pistol again and takes another shot.
Biggs charges up the artillery laser for a short moment before firing again, sliding him backwards just a bit from recoil.
"Be careful Kryton! Do not let it bite you. The Akata are known to hold hundreds of microscopic larval young within their mouths, spreading their parasitic offspring to hosts through their bite. It's very interesting actually."
Hal slightly lowers his rifle for a moment caught up in the conversation
"In fact Kassasharo you may be familiar with a similar effect from a popular space-vid produced near the early introduction of the Home-Vid recorder by an, at the time, relatively unknown director. I believe it was called Autumnal Equinox of the Living Space Paras..."
Suddenly Hal seems to realize the severity of the situation and takes a snap shot at the Akata.
Holy crap! I'd almost forgotten what it was like to fire one of these for real! The guys in post make it look so easy...
After checking his pistol for a second, he glances up at Hal.
I saw that! It was incredibly disgusting!
He looks over to Kryten.
Seriously, don't get infected. That would end very poorly.
He stops to focus for a moment, actually sighting down the weapon before firing.
Kryton tries to twist away, but a last moment misstep allows the beast to snap at him.
Fortunately, snap is all it does as Kryton bounds away.
The beast looks around, growling at each of you. Surrounded, it feels trapped, and lunges at someone randomly, hoping it's the path to get away from the pain.
Jaws slice at Wedge, but the injury seems superficial at best.
Kryton fires into the beast, the bullet soundlessly propelling through the room. The bullet pierces the blue flesh, and blue blood pours into the floor.
Hal shakily puts down his rifle.
"That... Was... EXHILARATING! Combat with other humanoids was, perhaps, more tense. But this! The Akata moved so fluidly! I have never seen the like."
"What... Is... THIS?"
Hal moves real close to the blue blood. Reeeeaaal close.
Wedge shakes his arm in pain. Owww! Little bastard bit me. I don't think it broke skin though.
Wedge examines his arm for a minute then gets a good look around the room to make sure there aren't more hiding.