Telion of Castrovel |
Divert Power to Engines (DC 11): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
"Powering up the thrusters, pull us around to get a good shot."
GM Dinketry |
Round 6 - Helm Phase!
GM roll: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 14 + 1 = 32
The enemy ship darts around like an angry hornet.
August, please give me your initial Piloting roll, and then your action and Piloting check.You have a boost in your speed by 2 this round.
August Vydoc |
Piloting: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 11 + 2 = 33
Piloting: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12 Evade
August looks at his commlink and snorts audibly.
In character!
Like I wasn't intending to turn this person into slag already!
Diamaante |
The +2 was for speed, not the Piloting roll. But I'll help you out there!
"August, we need to outmaneuver her! Use the boost to chase! Do a barrel roll!"
Diplomacy (Encourage) DC 15: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 10 + (4) = 18
+2 to August's Piloting intiiative, so we can beat the enemy.
Idar the Houseless |
Idar fights the stick to point the turret at the target as both the target and the base of the turret itself maneuver wildly. Even tying in the computer to help compensate for August's piloting is of little use. (If Idar took a moment to think about it, that is for the best. If his targeting computer could predict how August was about to turn, so can the one shooting at them.)
"Roll whatever. Away from little fighter forward gun."
Gunnery, computer: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 1 = 26 O.O
Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (3, 2, 1, 1) = 7 7 damage penetrates the shields, right?
Critical damage: 1d100 ⇒ 81 Critical damage to target's power core.
Jaxom "Exo-G" Sandstrom |
If we end up with the enemy in our forward arc...
Jaxom unleashes his fury at the enemy...
light laser cannon: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 4 + 1 = 192d4 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8 Forward Arc
A good round for us. If Idar blew through the shields, then all of that damage will hurt them as well.
GM Dinketry |
I'll assume that you move the ship on the map, August, to allow Jaxom a shot from the forward arc. Diamaante, you are correct - the +2 from Telion is to speed, not to Piloting checks for this round.
August responds to Diamaante's encouragement with a brilliant piloting manoeuvre, providing both Idar and Jaxom with forward arc targets that neither miss. The enemy ship fires its gyrolaser at the Hippocampus' forward arc.
Ranged Attack on the Hippocampus: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 191d8 ⇒ 5 HIT! - 5 HP dmg
Though the enemy ship punches through the fore shield and jostles the Hippocampus, the guns of both Idar and Jaxom blast through the plating at the front of the enemy ship.
GM roll: 1d100 ⇒ 94
Thick black smoke fills the tiny cockpit window of the enemy ship, and electrical sparks emit out from the ship into the void of space, snuffing out immediately. The ship somehow lines up for a further attack run.
We'll start up Round 7 once we determine the final position of the Hippocampus on the map after Round 6.
August Vydoc |
I did move the ship last night? I guess I'm not quite following the Starship combat turn in my head. It's the engineering phase, then the movement phase, then the gunnery phase right? And in movement phase the lowest roll moves first, then next lowest on up so the highest roll gets to pick their positioning last correct?
GM Dinketry |
Round 7 - Engineering Phase!
GM rolls: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
I'm fine with the map as is. Telion, you're up!
Telion of Castrovel |
"Damn shields dropping again?"
Fix the shields!: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
"Shields are back up, keep the pressure on."
GM Dinketry |
Round 6 - Helm Phase!
GM rolls: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 14 + 1 = 261d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16
August, you go first this round. Please give me your action and your roll. You may move your ship on the map - or nominate someone to do it for you.
GM Dinketry |
GM roll: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 14 + 1 = 18
The enemy ship performs a flyby attack on the Hippocampus as it appears to flee from the scene!
Round 7 - Gunnery Phase!
Ranged Attack on the Hippocampus: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 151d8 ⇒ 3 MISS!
Thanks to August's nifty piloting, the lasers from the enemy ship find no target in the Hippocampus.
Diamaante and Idar, you may act! Your attack is at two range increments away (-2 to attack). Jaxom, you don't get an attack as the enemy ship is not in your firing arc.
Idar the Houseless |
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The Coilgun is a long-range weapon. It's range increment is 20 hexes. Looking at the map, I shouldn't have a penalty. (The lasers are short-range, but we can't use them anyway.)
Attack!: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 1 = 19
Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (4, 1, 4, 2) = 11
Idar lines up his shot as the fighter turns to flee. "Flee in straight line. Never. Unless faster than bullet."
GM Dinketry |
You're absolutely correct, Idar!
Idar inhaled slowly as his targeting arc zeroed in on the enemy ship, the green circle highlighting his open shot. Exhaling first, the polished sharpshooter allowed himself a brief moment of enjoyment as the coilgun discharged in perfect alignment, the projectile hurtling through space into the aft end of the enemy ship.
The enemy ship shudders after the final volley of artillery fire from the Hippocampus. Like a leaf falling from the branch of a tree, the ship begins to spiral in irregular circular arcs in the general direction of its escape vector towards the Acreon. As the crew of the Hippocampus watches, the enemy ship clips the edge of the derelict ship, its mass spinning chaotically as it accelerates into the hulking satellite attached to the Acreon, the mysterious Drift Rock. The ship explodes on impact.
STARSHIP COMBAT END!
Diamaante |
"Aces!" Diamaante declares. She looks at the drone bot hovering at her shoulder."Pretty exciting stuff, eh? Did you get my good side?"
She looks back to the crew. "We'll have to figure out who that was and why they were attacking us later. For now, take us in, Mister Vydoc."
GM Dinketry |
The boxy and ungainly prospecting ship, the Acreon, moves across the main view screen of the Hippocampus slowly. The hull of the lifeless ship bears the scars of countless micrometeorite impacts, its colour faded from exposure to the radiation of space. Tethered behind the ship on long tow cables sits the misshapen asteroid known as the Drift Rock, a small cloud of particles on its far side the only sign of the recent impact from the tiny enemy vessel.
A transponder alert bell sounds on the bridge of the Hippocampus as your ship hoves closer to a docking position with the Acreon. By accessing the alert, the following message plays:
"By order of Absalom Station security, this ship and its tow package are under strict quarantine. Authorised personnel only. Trespassers will be prosecuted."
A further proximity alarm goes off on the bridge, indicating the Hippocampus' position in space with respect to the Acreon.
GM Dinketry |
As your ship pulls ever closer, August realises that there are three separate docking ports to the derelict ship - port, starboard, and aft. Alternately, you could park your ship once you've achieved a matching orbit with the Acreon and spacewalk over to it.
The Acreon (Blue arrows denote docking ports)
GM Dinketry |
Just as you decide which docking port to access, a dense ball of ice and space matter with a trailing tail shoots by the main viewing screen to the Hippocampus, attracting everyone's attention. You all wonder silently to yourselves what the passing of this comet portends for your crew's fate.
It marks your succession to level 2! LEVEL UP EVERYONE!!!
Diamaante |
"I'm sure everything will be totally fine. We're the stars of this show, remember?" Diamaante gestures to the drone-bot recording everything. "They're not going to kill off the main characters on the first episode!"
Looking at the layout of the Acreon the lashunta points to the aft docking port. "Shall we start at the stern and work our way forward?"
Jaxom "Exo-G" Sandstrom |
Jaxom checks his things. Twin pistols, well, not twins, but functionally equivalent, so close enough. Extra batteries. Med kit. engineering kit. He puts on a smile, and what he hopes is a brave face, "sure thing. Let's go. Weydan says today is going to be a good day."
August Vydoc |
"I'd prefer starboard or port. If there was a hard rad leak or other lingering hazard it probably started in engineering which is most likely aft. Not sure I want to flood our compartments. In fact opening the Acreon to hard vacuum from the lock might be a good idea."
GM Dinketry |
1-6 port; 7-12 starboard
1d12 ⇒ 12
August brings the Hippocampus into close matching orbit to the starboard side of the Acreon. Once orbital synchronisation has been achieved, the crew gathers in the airlock compartments to fit themselves in spacesuits for the short spacewalk across to the other ship.
As the crew suits up and nervously (or excitedly) glances out the access door panel to their destination, it becomes quite clear just how desolate a scene might be in store. None of the flickering perimeter lights on the external vectors of the Hippocampus are similarly lit up on the Acreon. No power core glow or thrum seems detectable from the vessel. The only activity to be seen is the steady light-pulse of the quarantine beacons in space around the ship.
Idar the Houseless |
"Vacuum bad idea. Maybe survivors. Not enough air in armor to search properly."
He drapes weapons belts over his shoulders: sword, knife, the laser cannon and pistol, the belt of assorted grenades. His cloak over the belts makes him look slightly less like a walking armory.
August Vydoc |
"The Acreon's been drifting for long enough that if they are still alive they should have been able to signal. Frankly I think the crew is dead."
August turns to Jason.
"You have a hacking kit I can borrow?"
Jaxom "Exo-G" Sandstrom |
”A hacking kit? Huh? Hacking is generally considered a dishonorable activity.”
When away from prying eyes, Jaxom will slip a hacking kit to August...
Sleight of Hand: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
GM Dinketry |
No one has scanned the Acreon for life signs...
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 241d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 231d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 161d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 91d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
August Vydoc |
Wouldn't the authorities have done that?
August snorts at the idea.
"You watch too many movies. We've got to have some way to get into the ship if it's in lockdown."
GM Dinketry |
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The crew gather in the airlock after engaging auto-pilot functions on the Hippocampus. The floating droid hovers ever-present by Diamaante's shoulder, its green camera light unphased by the uncoupling of the vacuum seals and the loss of gravity within the external airlock chamber.
Suddenly, you're all free. The void of space, albeit the tiniest sliver in the greater context of things as represented by a few metres in between the Hippocampus and the Acreon, beckons. You float, as if in a buoyant pool, bathed in silence and artificial light emanating from the external lanterns on your ship. Shadows and reflections pass over your globed view of the world, your point of view limited to ~270 degrees in all directions. Your muscles seem to be far away, slow to your call in this alien place.
Diamaante |
Thoughts of cinematic license and erstwhile agents flitter through Diamaante's mind as she floats across the void. It's a strange sensation, but not altogether an unpleasant one. The lashunta reaches for the airlock door and accesses it to allow the party entrance to the Acreon.
August Vydoc |
FYI Androids are actually straight up immune to vacuum effects including all environmental problems like cold. Weird immunity to give a species but I'll take it.
August attaches a safety line to the Hippocampus before he leaps out into the void and runs up to the airlock and tries to land on the Acreon.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
He doesn't quite stick the landing however and has to take a second to recover against the hull of the ghost ship.
He looks in and around the airlock for an emergency access port of rescue hatch.
Idar the Houseless |
Like August, Idar anchors a safety line to the Hippocampus before crossing. The void is big, and really awful to get lost in.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Aided by extra limbs, and experience with occasional vacuum/gravity drills on the Idari, Idar lands cleanly on the hull of the Acreon. If at all possible, he'll tie off his safety line to a handhold or anchor point on the hull of the vessel.
His simple, titanium-cored cable won't meaningfully slow down the Hippocampus if they need to flee in a hurry, but it should keep the Hippocampus from drifting away, and provide something for the less nimble/confident members of the group to cross over, hand-over-hand.
Telion of Castrovel |
After Idar had crossed and secured his line, Telion attached a short line to his belt and Idar's tether, then leapt out into the emptiness of space. As glided across he felt the faint pull of the distant star, and the much nearer effect of the Drift Rock.
Suddenly, the Acreon grew large before him and Telion had to quickly grab for the line to slow his approach. Guess I need to work on my landings a bit...
GM Dinketry |
GM rolls: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 161d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
As August attempts an overly-dramatic channel jump from the Hippocampus to the Acreon, Diamaante glides across using the kasatha's titanium cable line. While the android is recovering and Idar secures his line for ease of passage, the envoy susses the access panel and pulls on the emergency jack, popping the starboard airlock hatch.
Diamaante floats inside the starboard docking bay and gently clunks to the floor. Flickering emergency lights do little to dispel the darkness inside the derelict ship, and the sense of abandonment is only heightened by the apparent lack of activity - organic or otherwise - inside this airless corridor. Artificial gravity is still functional, so there’s likely still power to run essential systems and possibly restore life support and atmosphere to the ship. Unfortunately, there are still no obvious clues as to the fate of the Acreon’s vanished crew. The airlock seal onto the ship proper stands closed in front of the envoy.
Diamaante |
Diamaante activates the flashlight on her armor to help pierce the gloom. Once everybody is inside the airlock, she will close the exterior hatch and try to restore pressure before opening the interior hatch.
August Vydoc |
August pulls his tactical arc pistol and starts to look around for a computer terminal or power junction inside the passage they're in.
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
GM Dinketry |
August finds the airlock controls but no computer terminal in this cramped passage.
GM roll: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2
Diamaante and August successfully close off the airlock hatch to outer space. The inside of the Acreon is quiet.
August Vydoc |
"Since the airlock is sealed my guess based on the vacuum is yes. With luck one of the crew just went nuts and killed everyone by venting the atmosphere."
Augustus modulated voice is distorted by static he deliberately introduced to make it harder to identify his voice via analysis.
"Could be an airborne pathogen and they're in hibernation. Or someone could have boarded and spaced the crew."
What did we see when our envoy opened the inner airlock, fearlessly meat shielding the rest of us?
Jaxom "Exo-G" Sandstrom |
"I have an alternate theory. I suspect the depressurization was done as an executive command. Either from the bridge's main computer, or from the main engineering computer. From either of those locations, it is possible I can get the place pressurized again."
August Vydoc |
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"That's really more of a method than an alternate theory. A theory would be 'the depressurization was done as an executive command because the captain decided that was the only way to get the song the crazed ship AI was singing to stop;' because as you know in space no one can hear you sing."