Like clockwork, as you head to the Ambassador's ship, another invitation comes in....
Unsurprisingly, it's the Hardscrabble Collective, and they make a more personal appeal. One of its members, Otal Serissi, invites you to visit his ship, the Dust Runner, out in the Armada. A red-skinned human from Akiton, Captain Serissi seems to be something of an unofficial spokesman for the Hardscrabble Collective, and he wants you to better understand what the Collective stands for. The Dust Runner is a working tramp freighter, practical and utilitarian, with little in the way of luxury or even comfort. Yet Captain Serissi takes great pride in his ship—which is also his home and his livelihood—a fact that is plainly evident as he affably escorts you on a tour of the vessel.
Afterward, Serissi sits down with you in the galley, and over cups of hot black coffee, explains why the fate of the Acreon, and especially its crew, is so important to the Hardscrabble Collective. The Collective’s members aren’t rich; "most of them scratch out whatever meager livings they can from the rocks of the Diaspora, so the occasional corporate contract—like the Acreon’s contract with Astral Extractions— is an opportunity few have the luxury to refuse." But the Collective values its independence and freedom greatly, and it constantly struggles against exploitation and even takeovers at the hands of would-be corporate overlords. It’s clear that the crew of the Acreon staked their own claim on the Drift Rock, believing that the terms of their contract allowed them to do so. Is it any surprise that the Hardscrabble Collective would be suspicious of Astral Extractions’ attempts to lay sole claim to the Acreon and the Drift Rock following the mysterious circumstances of their arrival at Absalom Station?
"The members of the Hardscrabble Collective call ourselves a clan, and we mean it. Once you join, you’re family. Members look out for each other, defend each other, and care for each other." The captain explains that the Collective doesn’t know what value, if any, the Drift Rock might have, but they know the worth of their brothers and sisters on the Acreon. "We need to know what happened to the Acreon’s crew, as any family needs to know the fate of their loved ones. And if the worst has happened, then perhaps whatever wealth the Drift Rock holds can help ease the loss of the families left behind. That’s all they really care about. "
Captain Serissi tells you plainly that the Hardscrabble Collective isn’t disputing Astral Extractions’ contract with the Acreon; they’re happy to turn all of the files and findings from the ship’s prospecting mission over to the company, but the ship, and the claim its crew staked on the Drift Rock, belong to the Collective. Before ferrying you back to the Ambassador's ship, Serissi wishes you good luck on your investigation of the Acreon and implores you to do your best to find out what happened to the ship’s crew.
Booker chews on his thumbnail. "We'll let you know what we find. If anything."
Better than consorting with the murdering sort, anyway.
It looks like THIS
The Ambassador arranges for you to borrow his ship, The Hippocampus, a Ringworks Wanderer with a few upgrades.
Booker takes the Wanderer through a few lazy maneuvers, much to the consternation of Gig's easily disturbed stomach. "Not bad, this." It feels good to have a yoke under his gloves again, and for once on a decent ship. "Are we sure he said 'borrow?'" He grins, teeth gleaming, and throws the throttle.
Ready to finally get to the bottom of this, the party boards the Hippocampus. She's a comfortable ship, and has plenty of room for the party.
Each member grabs a seat...
Captain:
Pilot:
Science Officer:
Engineer:
Gunner 1:
Gunner 2:
Janzi is presumptuous enough to take the captain's chair.
Hey, look, this thing reclines!
Captain:
Pilot:
Science Officer:
Engineer:
Gunner 1:
Gunner 2:
Captain: Torin
Pilot: Booker
Science Officer: Hack-It
Engineer: Gig
Gunner 1: Dunklezahn
Gunner 2: R1G5
Gig looks over the engine room with wide eyes and the grin of a kid in a candy store.
"Hey look at all of these gadgets I get to play with in this engine room! This is better than hanging out in the back of Jacoon's Keyboard Repair Shop. Hmm, I wonder what this button does?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Booker watches Janzi settle into the captain's chair with displeasure, and straps himself in to the pilot's chair with every intent to ignore every order from the 'captain.'
The Hippocampus’s thrusters take only a couple of minutes to warm up, Absalom Traffic Control gives clearance for takeoff, and the you launch into space. It takes you only 2 hours to reach the quarantine zone around the Acreon and the Drift Rock. Along the way, you can get a good view of the exterior of Absalom Station, as well as the so-called Armada, the endlessly moving fleet of independent ships that surrounds the gigantic space platform.
The Hippocampus’s sensors light up, they seem to be picking up a small ship that detached itself from the bulk of the Armada and turned toward the shuttle on an intercept course. Strangely, however, the ship’s transponder does not seem to be working—it’s not broadcasting
any identification codes. An alarm suddenly sounds in the cockpit of the Hippocampus—the mystery ship is armed, and its targeting lasers are trained on you!
Janzi is dozing in the captain's chair — it's been a long day — when the alarm sounds. Almost as if by instinct, he snaps out of it and into battle stance. Booker! he says. They're cutting across the perpendicular plane to try and cut off our chance to evade! You've got this!
"What the-" Hack-It cuts himself off as he frantically begins punching commands into his console. He starts a scan of the other ship, hoping to pick up some intel. "We only just left! How can we already have made enemies?!?"
Hack-it quickly relays some information from the sensors:
The enemy ship is a Death's Head Necroglider. It has a crew of one, speed of 12 and perfect maneuvering. AC and TL 17. 30 Hull Points. Forward and Aft shields are full at 3, with the port and starboard at 2.
Captain (Torin): Encourages Booker (+2)
Science Officer (Hack-it): Scans
Engineer (Gig): Action?
Pilot (Booker): Piloting check. If you don't beat a 30, execute.
Gig starts pushing buttons and turning dials as he attempts to boost power to the engines to give the Hippocampus a boost of speed.
"Woohoo! Hang on to your hats, boys!"
"Company, eh? Let's put this baby through some real paces then!" Booker settles deeper into his seat. Janzi yells something from behind. "Sorry! Can't talk! Busy flying this boat!" He punches the thruster and yaws the Hippocampus to keep the main gun forward, and readies to buck the boat to avoid any enemy fire.
|
After boarding the Hippoicampus, Dunklezahn makes his way forward to the forward laser battery. Knowing the parties involved with the Acreon and the Drift Rock, Dunkleahn knows that anything could happen on the short trip to the derelict ship. So, he immediately begins familiarizing himself with the weapons system, just in case. When the proximity alarm start blaring, the unsurprised Vesk straps in and cycles the lasers into readiness.
As Booker puts the Hippocampus through its paces, maneuvering for attack, Dunklezahn tracks the enemy ship through his targeting computer and lays down some fire when it enters his threat zone.
Dunk's more of a ramming kind of Vesk, and could likely use some help from the captain to hit the maneuverable enemy ship.
R1G5 scores a solid hit! The necroglider's forward shields fail and the hull takes some damage.
Captain (Torin): Orders?
Science Officer (Hack-it): Action?
Engineer (Gig): Action?
Pilot (Booker): Piloting check. If you don't beat this roll, execute your turn:
Gunner 1 (Dunklezahn): TBD
Gunner 2 (R1G5): TBD
Necroglider 4 (Forward Shields: 0)
Janzi gives a sour expression to Booker's flippant retort, then tries again. I SAID, WATCH YOUR NOSE AS THEY MOVE TOWARD THE CUTOFF!
"Maybe I could put a little more power into those laser batteries." Gig says to himself as he starts diverting power to the weapons.
"Hey Dunklezan, try those laser blasters now. See if you see a difference!"
"I said I was BUSY!" Booker yells. The shout is somewhat muffled by his (successful) attempt to keep his smokestick in the corner of his mouth.
A tight eye on the deathship and the Booker is able to correctly predict its maneuvers.
Hack-It keeps scanning the enemy ship, looking for a weakness.
JAnzi pushes Booker forward as Hack-it scans for weaknesses and finds only that the bow of the ship is unshielded. Meanwhile Gig boosts the weapons, hoping to score a solid hit.
When Booker outmaneuvers the ship, the window of opportunity opens.
Pilot (Booker): Execute!
Gunner 1 (Dunklezahn): Go
Gunner 2 (R1G5): Go
Necroglider 4 (Forward Shields: 0)
Booker is not about to let some corpse out maneuver him. Taking evasive maneuvers , and slips behind the 'glider to give the gunners an ideal target... while the dead man faces an empty void.
Gunnery
Gunner 1 (Dunklezahn): Go
Gunner 2 (R1G5): Go
Botting R1G5:
R1G5 unemotionally takes aim at the looming hull in front of him with the turret weapon.
R1G5 blasts the ship in the aft, blowing through the shields and scoring a direct hit! . Sparks fly from the hit, clearly something is damaged inside.
Gunnery
Gunner 1 (Dunklezahn): Go
Gunner 2 (R1G5): Hit
Necroglider 12 (Forward, aft Shields: 0), (Sensors wrecked.)
Dunk also makes a direct hit! The ship is clearly showing damage, but it's not out yet.
Captain (Torin): Orders?
Science Officer (Hack-it): Action?
Engineer (Gig): Action?
Necroglider 18 (Forward, aft Shields: 0), (Sensors wrecked.)
Captain (Torin): Words finally fail the captain...
Science Officer (Hack-it): Action?
Engineer (Gig): Action?
Confident that he knows enough about the enemy, he attempts to get a lock on the stern.
Gig continues to work his engineering station like he was at a show giving a keyboard solo. His arms move about the station with great facility as he diverts auxiliary power to the engines .
Helm and Engineering
Captain (Torin): Words finally fail the captain...
Science Officer (Hack-it): Hack-it locks on to the Necroglider!
Engineer (Gig): MOAR POWER! to the thrusters.
Pilot (Booker): Piloting = 26
The Necroglider tries to get itself lined up for a broadside!
Booker calmly zigs and zags to offer the gunners another shot at the (now) unprotected rear.
Unable to fire on the Hippocampus, it's up to the two gunners to lay it on the unprotected aft.
R1G5 swivels the coilgun at the looming 'glider's tail and smirks. In his head is fond memories of an early Dawn Patrol cross-over game...
The coilgun's hit rocks the necroglider! The ship loses control and crashes into the Drift Rock!
With nothing between you and the Acreon, it's safe to scan and dock.
Booker glides the Hippocampus in a smooth orbit of the Acreon and the Drift Rock, giving the rats ample opportunity to scan both.
The drift rock is being towed by the Acreon. The drift rock itself is a standard, if small, looking asteroid.