While Arc stabilizes, Isu closes the gap with the green commando. The blow lands, carving a deep gash through its bones. Meanwhile, Spec delivers twin immolating blasts into the red baykok. The undead fiend's bones burst into a howling swirl of grey dust before it dissipates.
With Arc out of the fight, the blue baykok is free to fly over to get a clear view of Spec. It fires a single needle, placing it precisely through Spec's head. (Another crit for 47 dmg, knocking Spec unconscious)
Spec Fort:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
While the green commando hunkers down defensively, they point to a spot on the ground roughly near where Isu just made an attack from. The orange commando manipulates the crane, picking up the loose train car. The crane's arm flexes, swinging the car through the air! Luckily the movement is slow enough that Isu is able to dodge the enormous bludgeon.
Arc vanishes from sight. Isu's first swing connects with the commando (just barely, thanks to invisibility!), cutting deep into ribcage and arm, but the blow isn't enough to bring the undead creature down. It points again at where the attack came from, then resumes the defensive stance.
Assuming Spec will spend an RP to stabilize.
Bonus crit damage:3d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 3, 3) + 3 = 12
One laser bolt from Jelico singes the blue baykok, grabbing the creature's attention. But the two more that follow after that skim between its bones without injuring it. The baykok fires back, missing with one needle and striking true with the second. (Dealing 20 damage)
Jelico Fort:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Jelico easily resists the paralysis! To the north-west, the crane arm swings a train car at Isu's space. Isu tries to duck, but still takes a glancing blow. (Dealing 21 bludgeoning dmg after DR) The car gets a little dented in the process.
Male Human Technomancer 12 Dataphiles | SP 84 HP 64 RP 10/11 | EAC 28 KAC 29 CMAC 37 CMD 29 CMB +9 | Kinetic DR 5/- | F+6 R+10 W+11 | Init+6 | Perc+3 | 1st 1/6 2nd 0/6 3rd 0/5 4th 0/4 Cache 0/1
Ted grabs Arc and jets him to Jelico.
Not sure the actions required to get Arc down since Ted probably has to negotiate turning off Arc's jets and control his fall. Would optimally like to land Arc next to Jelico and if there's an action left then slap a Serum on Arc (probably should invest in some better serums...).
I am guessing that will kill it. If it is dead I will run toward the one to the north and I'll do that on the map. If it isn't dead I will just rotate myself around it so I am on the other side of him.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 19 | SP 169/169 HP 139/139 RP 11/11 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 15 | F +15; R +15; W +14 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +28
Arcalinte's clinging to the light pays off, as Jellico's healing revives him.
Lets call it a standard action to grab a hold of Arc and then a move action to guide him toward the ground. Presumably the jetpack is just keeping him floating.
Ted brings Arc back down to the ground, where Jelico is able to feel around and eventually hit him with a wave of healing magic. To the northwest, Isu's swing cuts into the green commando, but isn't quite enough to dispatch him. The green commando responds by pointing to the south where Isu was just a moment ago, then drawing and swinging a taclash at that spot. The weapon whips through empty space. The crane operator similarly swings the train-car through the space Isu just departed.
The blue baykok, only able to see Jelico among the still-conscious heroes, focuses his fire. One shot narrowly misses, while the second stabs into Jelico's leg. (18 dmg)
Male Human Technomancer 12 Dataphiles | SP 84 HP 64 RP 10/11 | EAC 28 KAC 29 CMAC 37 CMD 29 CMB +9 | Kinetic DR 5/- | F+6 R+10 W+11 | Init+6 | Perc+3 | 1st 1/6 2nd 0/6 3rd 0/5 4th 0/4 Cache 0/1
While Jellico tends to the wounded, Ted opens fire.
Disruption Rifle, Minor + lvl 2 spell slot:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (2) + 16 = 18 damage (Sonic):3d8 + 2d6 ⇒ (3, 8, 3) + (1, 6) = 21 mystic strike makes it a magic weapon; 5/40 charges remaining
Empowered Weapon:
Empowered Weapon (Su)
As a move action, you can expend an unused spell slot to reconfigure and enhance a weapon you’re wielding. Until the start of your next turn, your attacks with the enhanced weapon gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to the level of the spell slot you expended. In addition, your attacks with that weapon deal 1d6 additional damage per level of the expended spell slot. This damage is of the same type the weapon normally deals.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 19 | SP 169/169 HP 139/139 RP 11/11 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 15 | F +15; R +15; W +14 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +28
Arcalinte retrieves one of the serums from his pack and downs it while trying to find cover.
Striking out of thin air, Isu's blade hacks off the undead commando's head. It tumbles through the air as its body crumples. Ted's empowered sonic blast narrowly misses as the baykok swoops to the side. His invisibility fades and the baykok swivels in the air to point its bony gun in Ted's direction. It retaliates with a volley of spectral needles. One decorates the ship's deck, while another stabs him in the shoulder (26 dmg)
Ted Fort:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Paralysis locks Ted in place for a moment.
To the northwest, the crane operator recoils in what might be horror as its ally gets decapitated. He swings the train-car through the space directly north of his fallen ally, but to no avail.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 19 | SP 169/169 HP 139/139 RP 11/11 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 15 | F +15; R +15; W +14 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +28
Arcalinte, still benefiting from Ted's spell, creeps around the room towards the unconscious Spectre.
Isu swings in, carving undead flesh with his blade. The crane operator spins this way and that, trying and failing to track his position. Jelico narrowly misses with his attacks, leaving the baykok free to fire back. One needle misses Jelico, but one stabs in. (18 dmg)
The crane operator pauses for a moment to focus and identify where Isu might've gone. His senses serve him well for once, but his swing with the crane arm is clumsy and slow. It passes through empty space.
Male Human Technomancer 12 Dataphiles | SP 84 HP 64 RP 10/11 | EAC 28 KAC 29 CMAC 37 CMD 29 CMB +9 | Kinetic DR 5/- | F+6 R+10 W+11 | Init+6 | Perc+3 | 1st 1/6 2nd 0/6 3rd 0/5 4th 0/4 Cache 0/1
Ted stuffs his top down the barrel of his rifle and fires it at the baykok.
"Somebody wake up Spec."
Disruption Rifle, Minor + lvl 2 spell slot:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24 damage (Sonic):3d8 + 2d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 6) + (4, 3) = 23 mystic strike makes it a magic weapon; 0/40 charges remaining
Empowered Weapon:
Empowered Weapon (Su)
As a move action, you can expend an unused spell slot to reconfigure and enhance a weapon you’re wielding. Until the start of your next turn, your attacks with the enhanced weapon gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to the level of the spell slot you expended. In addition, your attacks with that weapon deal 1d6 additional damage per level of the expended spell slot. This damage is of the same type the weapon normally deals.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 19 | SP 169/169 HP 139/139 RP 11/11 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 15 | F +15; R +15; W +14 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +28
Arcalinte creeps up to Jellico and Spectre.
"I was going to revive Spectre with this, but you beat me to it. You may get some use out of it, though."
Isu lands another precise slash, just about finishing off the crane-controlling commando. Ted's charged up blast blasts a chunk of bones out of the baykok, similarly leaving it all but destroyed. The crane operator tries one last ditch swipe of the crane-arm, but without being able to see Isu, his efforts amount to little. The baykok on the other hand decides to attempt to retreat, swooping down toward the large door nearest to him.
Moments later, additional strikes from Isu, Ted and Spec are able to finish off the last two combatants before either of them can get to safety.
You're left in the quiet of a grav-train station scorched by weapons fire and littered with undead bodies. The front car of the grav train is currently suspended in the air in the grip of the crane. The alarm that was reverberating earlier seems to have stopped, though clearly the message has been transmitted. The ship's crew know where you are, and its only a matter of time until they form a large enough force to come and stop you.
Resting for 10 mins here is an option. You can also use up your sole security key for a night's rest. Note that when you rest overnight, some areas may "re-fortify" with new defenders.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 19 | SP 169/169 HP 139/139 RP 11/11 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 15 | F +15; R +15; W +14 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +28
Arcalinte puts the serum away.
"I do too," he says, kneeling and holding the emblem of his order in his hands, and then closing his eyes to meditate. As he does, the lines of the token begin to glow like warm sunlight, which then spills out and sends ripples through his solar armor as his wounds begin to heal too.
Spending 1 RP for Stamina and activating my Empty Orbit Emblem.
Although enemy forces are probably converging on this station, the ship is so enormous that you have ten calm minutes to catch your breaths and heal some of the most critical wounds. However, once you're done, you get the sense its past time to be out of here one way or another.
Isu doesn't need to take the 10 minutes, so he spends the time looking at the control of the train and wondering about where they should go.
But when Ted says his comment, Isu looks at him like he went insane. "Sir Ted, YOU were the one who cast invisibility on me and this one didn't even have a choice in the matter. And it was very awesome. This would would take that again any day. They couldn't see me coming and this one was slicing off heads left and right. But... this one apologizes that the rest of you got all of the gunfire as a result."
Male Half-Elf Solarian 19 | SP 169/169 HP 139/139 RP 11/11 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 15 | F +15; R +15; W +14 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +28
Isu Greelax Zyte wrote:
Isu doesn't need to take the 10 minutes, so he spends the time looking at the control of the train and wondering about where they should go.
But when Ted says his comment, Isu looks at him like he went insane. "Sir Ted, YOU were the one who cast invisibility on me and this one didn't even have a choice in the matter. And it was very awesome. This would would take that again any day. They couldn't see me coming and this one was slicing off heads left and right. But... this one apologizes that the rest of you got all of the gunfire as a result."
Arcalinte stands up from meditating.
"You made the right tactical decision, Isu. Had they had more time to swing that train around we'd have been sitting waterfowl."
He looks over to the train.
"Speaking of which, should we set that back on the tracks? We are going to need it functional to get to the bridge, I assume."
Male Human Mystic 12 | 76/76 HP, 97/97 SP, 9/9 RP | Init +3 |Perception +25 | EAC 22, KAC 23 | F +7, R +8, W +12 | Spells/Day Left: oo/6/5/2/3/0/0
@Spec, I did cast Mystic Cure on you a few posts back, for 28 points. Were you not back to conscious after that?
Jellico watches as Ted works the controls on the crane. "Nice work! This place is gigantic. I think we should take this car to wherever we're proposing to go next."
Spec, everyone else seems to be taking a 10 minute rest for now, rather than a full rest.
Working together, Ted and Spec operate the crane to get the now-dented front car of the grav train back into place. They reconnect the wired connections between the cars and lock the coupling for the cars into position. They also hotwire the controls to allow it to function on manual rather than the automated, scheduled routes that it would otherwise follow. It'll take a skilled pilot to drive it in a way that doesn't attract attention though.
So, one vote for heading to the missile tubes first.
"This one was thinking, what would cause them trouble in the battle and force them to to send troops and engineers to fix the problem? If their missiles tubes were to malfunction; perhaps a missile blows up in side of them? And while they are busy dealing with that, we go to the bridge. This would work best with remote detonation-- blowing up the tubes while we are far away, perhaps hiding in a storage room."
Male Half-Elf Solarian 19 | SP 169/169 HP 139/139 RP 11/11 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 15 | F +15; R +15; W +14 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +28
"It's as simple as loading a torpedo backwards. Let them open fire and then watch the confusion as their own weapons backfire on them!" Arcalinte comments, giving an uncharacteristically mischievous smirk.
You pile into the grav train with Jelico at the helm, disengage the parking brakes and ease the massive vehicle out of the station. The magnetic track that the train follows enters a narrow tunnel and then emerges into a much larger artery - this one lacking entirely in gravity, that runs from the top to the bottom of the ship. This wide open space has dozens of interweaving tracks that trace along the tunnel's walls, and you're able to circle around on one such track to point your train toward the lower decks, where the missile tubes should reside.
You see a few other automated trains zipping past you, but nothing seems to indicate that anyone has noticed your presence. In fact, the relative moment of calm gives you a chance to reflect upon your experience infiltrating the ship thus far, and to prepare yourselves mentally for the even more dangerous trials ahead.
Thanks to your success in 'liberating' a grav-train and infiltrating deeper into the Empire of Bones, you all ADVANCE TO 12th LEVEL!!!
---
I'll give you guys the weekend to level up and get sorted and then we'll jump into the missile tube deck on Monday.
Alright, looks like a couple more levels ups will need to wait, so we can continue in the mean time.
You hold onto rails inside the car as the grav train glides to a stop inside a very similar looking station within the Missile Bay sector. Clamps reach out from the station bay and attach to the underside of the train with resounding clangs. Looking out the windows, you see the station looks mostly deserted, with only a few common ghouls working on connecting a trailer stacked with thin missiles to a heavy duty truck. They turn to look at your grav train as you arrive, but (I'll assume you stayed out of direct sight) they don't see you profiled in the windows.
A conducting intercom crackles to life within the train. "According to schedule B-Alpha, there were to be no arrivals until 0849. Explain your presence immediately." The voice speaks in monotone Eoxian, but quickly, betraying a certain anxiousness to those familiar with the language.
Although there's visible source for the broadcast your grav train is receiving, you think that the control room in the center of the station is the most likely origin.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 19 | SP 169/169 HP 139/139 RP 11/11 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 15 | F +15; R +15; W +14 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +28
Arcalinte rolls his eyes at Ted's words, but steps up to the comm.
Eoxian:
"Emergency inspection. Boarding party was detected in one of the hangars and is now moving about the vessel. This location was determined to be a potential target for sabotage. Have any living organics attempted to break into your area or tamper with weapons systems? Glory to the Corpse Fleet," he says in a stern drone.
The line is silent for a brief moment "No breathers sighted in this area and no disturbances to report other than this unscheduled visit." The irritation is clear in the Eoxian's monotone, but they don't sound as suspicious of you as they could be. Some silent signal is given out within the station and the ghoul crew return to their work with the truck's trailer.
"Lets head to the control station and try to quick wrest control. With Arcalinte's lie, perhaps that will not look this way or very closely. Can we keep to shadows and against walls?"
