"If I throw enough stuff something is going to hit."
Gazigaz holds out his arc pistol, saying "If any-Skitter is a better shot with this, please try it! I have a Nako to save!" Despite his confidence, Gazigaz has little to no sense for how to actually heal Nako... instead he just shouts "Uh... hang in there Nako, believe in us, who believe in you!"
He then turns his attention to the zombie, shouting "And you, you're going to feel the wrath of our salvage team, just you wait!!!"
Although it doesn't look like the cybernetic zombie still has an intellect, it still doesn't appear to like Gaz's encouragement as it completely undoes the envoy's work by slamming into Nako!
"I'm... fine..." Panting, Nako looks around. "Back up in case this thing explodes!"
Nako heaves, striking the zombie in the face with a mighty blow and cleaving off a cybernetic eye. She swings again, but the burning goop and electronics stuck to the end of her doshko throw off her attack.
Gazigaz springs away at Nako's advice, but continues to encourage everyone to take the creature down. "We can do it! If that Nako Special didn't finish it off, we'll need super telekinetic aiming to get the job done! Go go!"
Nako strikes the cyber-zombie hard, removing an eye! It looks up at you balefully, before its entire head (and body!) explode in a shower of shrapnel.
Many of the displays on the bridge show a slowly rotating Trendsetters Excursions logo, which is accompanied by a woman’s soothing voice. This is the same voice you heard over the ship’s intercom system earlier, but it is now confined only to the bridge.
“Perhaps you aren’t really someone’s escaped pets after all. Then you are new passengers? You must be aboard the Emerald Empyrean to relax! That’s the only reason for anyone to be here! Unless… if you aren’t here to relax, then you are an impediment to the relaxation of my true passengers, and you must be eliminated!”
The lights in the bridge turn red and the screens return to normal.
vs DC 12 = Failure!
Dakayo-but-not-Dakayo dances around, his arms flailing wildly as he tries in vain to deflect away the flaming debris that batters him terribly. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" He cries out, and the heavy tool he'd been slinging around uselessly through the air drops to the metal floor with a loud clatter.
When the A.I. begins speaking again in a calm and soothing way, until that final threat reverberates in his furry ears he shouts again. "Hey! You no nice at all! That massage you give Nako no seem relaxing to me! Me thinks you have a screw loose, lady robot voice!"
"Ow, that stings!" Nako hopes around on one foot, patting at the scorch marks with three hands.
"I don't like that computer lady one bit. We should head downstairs and see what we can do about her!"
Quonx too goes to a computer terminal
"Where do I go to fix you?"
"Oooh, mood lighting! You trying to seduce me, insane AI lady?" Gazigaz talks to the screens, paws on his hips.
If there's no response, he continues "Hmmmm... Maybe we can convince her that our favorite way to relax is by taking robots and scary AI ladies apart? Think she'd roll over and let us do it then? Big Nako can vouch for us." Gazigaz brushes his beard thoughtfully.
"Either way, resting sounds good! Nako, you need it! I'll look around for anything useful."
He searches around the bridge for anything the crew may have left behind that would be useful against an insane AI.
Unfortunately, it's clear from the lack of response in the screens that the AI has taken control of all the computers and that you're not getting in from the bridge. You trundle downstairs to the Engineering / Cabin Deck.
Once there, there is a long hall that branches into yet more halls, dotted with doors. You can see the Main Crew quarters to the East, an engineering bay to the south, or a large mural which you were told holds the Ship's core, which will be required to shut down the AI.
Dakayo-but-not-Dakayo is nervous about confronting the dangerous A.I. directly. "Maybe we find something to help shut down bad computer in engineering bay? Or in crew quarters?" He asks the others in a hopeful tone.
"Maybe the crew quarters have some good hair-spray. All this fighting is doing a lot of damage to my beard." Gazigaz pulls out his mirror for a moment to check and then stows it again. "And the engineering bay definitely should have something to help with our AI lady. We should be thorough though!"
He eagerly tries the door to the crew quarters, arc pistol at the ready if anything jumps out.
Nako follows right behind Gazigaz, flame doshko and pistol held at the ready.
"Thorough! Yes! If there are any more cyber-zombies, I want to destroy them ALL!"
"nooo, we can fit it."
As you enter the crew quarter you see that there are three double bunks around the small confines. As you move in to investigate, the air compressors make a <snap-hiss> and suddenly a blue tinted fog wafts into the room! Sleeping gas! Luckily, everyone decided to put on their environmental seals when you heard about that potential, so you're safe for now. It also looks like there was a limited transmission of the gas; it's not flooding the entire ship or a threat to the rest of the passengers.
You do find a locker that is currently locked.
Quonx too gets to work
I almost have it, could some one give me a hand
Gazigaz, lacking any mechanical know-how, hovers around in fairly irritating fashion. "Ah, you're trying to unlock a locked locker? Hmm, have you tried putting the wiggly bit in the jaggy bit? And maybe then the squiggly part in the straight one? I think that's how it worked on-" Realizing he's adding nothing to Quonx's efforts, Gazigaz steps back.
"Uh, I'll keep an eye out for deadly robots, all-six that for us Quonx!"
Taking Gazigaz advice by 'putting the wiggly bit in the jaggy bit'
"Thanks Gazigaz you were right. Look at the goodies in here."
Dakayo-but-not-Dakayo claps excitedly when Quonx reveals the goodies in the locked drawer. "Oooh! That lets you see in the dark, right?" He points at the infrared attachment.
"Ooh, nice one, Quonx!" Nako looks over the sweet sweet loot. "Oh heck! See-in-the-dark sensors! Man, I've always wanted a pair of those!"
Gazigaz preens at the praise over his 'good' advice. "I never knew I was such a good lockbreaker! Must have been the hours spent watching CSI Absalom Station!" He nods as the loot is distributed. "Good stuff there! Nice! Oooh, a blasting seal? Fancy!"
Once everything is set, he steps out of the room and towards the engineering bay.
Moving to the Engineering room, this sparse chamber has functional steel walls that are slightly scratched and dented. A large airlock door leads starboard. A display panel next to the door flashes red; it's clear after some fiddling that you will be unable to make any headway here with the AI in control.
With the directions you were previous given, you are able to find the secret hatch storing the ship's core access, and open it.The ship’s power core hums pleasantly in the center of this wide room. To the port and starboard, banks of conduits and wires line the walls. The tang of ozone fills the air and the lighting overhead makes shadows dance across the floor.
Inside the room is a robot in the livery of the shuttle line. When it notices your approach it emits a burst of static and looks like it will turn hostile if you don't depart... on the other hand, the only apparent way to deactive the AI is through it.
"This is the core? Where all of the ship gets its warmth. This is the place we bring balance back. UH that robot looks mad."
Looks like something that needs to be fixed.
Gazigaz balls his fists, dropping into a poor facsimile of a boxer's stance. "Alright you robo-menace. Who's it gonna be? Us. Or you?" In his remaining free hands, he holds a static arc pistol and a pair of healing serums, while his last hand strokes his beard.
While he tries to draw the robot's attention, he whispers "Alright Quonx, what's the plan? Back up, or full impulse straight at her?"
Quonx knows that it is a Patrol Class Security Robot, but not much more than that.
Dakayo-but-not-Dakayo starts looking for loose objects to start flinging at the robot if it proves hostile...
When it's clear that you aren't going to leave, the robot gives a rumble. "Non-Guests are not permitted." It's clear it's gearing up to attack!
"No, you being bad to guests is not permitted, you hunk of junk!" Gazigaz rolls into a safe position in the room and calls the creature out! "Get it, skitterteam!"
Dakayo-but-not-Dakayo moves into the room then uses his mind to pick up a wrench and hurls it at the robot!
vs KAC
bludgeoning (to both robot and object)
"Shame these robots can't think. No reason to give them a blast of wondrous thoughts." he says following the actions of the other Dakoyo.
"I can fix you but first I need to break you"
Quonx Too takes a shot.
The robot takes a minor amount of damage from Dakoyo's attack, but his twin misses wide. Making a whirring noise, it moves forward slightly, and releases an arc of electricity with a loud Zaaaap!
Everyone except Quonx takes a single point of damage!
Quonx's return shot hits hard, fire scorching some plating.
Dakayo-but-not-Dakayo continues to hurl the heavy tool around, trying to smack the robot upside its little metallic head!
vs KAC
bludgeoning (to both robot and object)
"*Bzzzrt* Yeeaaagh! It doesn't like us attacking it...I don't like being shocked." yells Dakoyo as he reflexive throws another object with his mind.
Gazigaz jumps two feet in the air as his beard gets singed. "Ack! Come on skitterteam, don't let Big Nako down! And don't let my beard get burnt either!"
"Go, go go!"
Nako and Gaz both score hits on the robot!
The robot returns the favor by slamming into Nako twice! The slippery Skittermander dodges one blow, but takes another right in the collarbone!
"Don't do too much damage, so I can fix it
"No no no! Hold on Nako! We need you to swing and hit that thing with your super skills! I believe in you!"
Gazigaz hops from foot to foot, excitedly cheering the group on. He waggles his mirror in the air as a beacon to the team. "And everyone else, keep it up. This thing might be tough, but I know we can take it out!"
"Ow, that smarts! You've asked for it, ya bucket of bolts! Bear witness to my SUPER SKILLZ!!" Recharged by Gazigaz's inspiration, Nako lays into their foe with fiery gusto.
The skittermander continues to hurl the object around with his mind, though still to no avail as the improvised weapon sails erratically across the room!
vs KAC
bludgeoning (to both robot and object)
You've made several mighty hits on the robot (and some pathetic misses) but the robot lives(?) on! It continues swinging at Nako!
Both blows miss, however!
Quonx Too moves up
"I just needed closer."
Dakayo-but-not-Dakayo jumps up and down excitedly, clapping four pairs of hands as his telekenetically-controlled object finally finds its mark!
vs KAC
Presuming +1 for Get 'Em is still in effect
bludgeoning (to both robot and object)
"HAHAHAHA! You can't best me, robo-butt!" Nako continues to tear away at the bot in a feverish attempt to dismantle it completely.
Gazigaz shines some light in the robot's sensors with his mirror to distract it, then fires away with his arc pistol. "Finish it off!"
And with a broken Whiiiiier the robot goes down! It looks like nanites were just about to repair the robot, but the reaper got to it first.
Looking about the room, You realize that while it is possible to cut M2 off from a few systems here in engineering, the AI would still be active and could regain control of the ship a few moments later. To fully shut down the rogue artificial intelligence, someone needs to dismantle certain parts of M2’s computer core, which is most likely located somewhere within the ship’s framework.
You find a datapad on a slain crew member’s body communicates this same information, but also includes the fact that M2 has a decentralized core, split into several nodes distributed across the ship. Shutting down three of these nodes will completely destroy the AI.
[spoiler= DC 15 Perception check]You notice a partially hidden hatch in the floor that leads to a series of ducts that run all through the ship.
Taking a look around
"Let me try and shut down what I can from here"
