Hmm's Incident at Absalom Station (Inactive)

Game Master Hmm

When Big Jim wakes, Xyklik is looming over him, casually checking the exhaust port on his laser rifle.

He says, "You survived. Good." He takes a moment, mandibles clicking and making circular patterns as if deep in thought. Finally, he says, "Keep a bullet in the chamber for yourself if you start to feel yourself turn."

Then Xyklik Cold-Scythe-In-Harvest walks off to greet the day and make space coffee.

Cade gawps for a second at Xyklik's words, then shrugs, grins, shakes his head and continues with his breakfast, [smaller]"He's a charmer, eh? I like him."

He brings rations to Jim and Zeyram, "Glad you're feelin' better: fill 'er up!"

"Next time, lets give ourselves a proper field of fire and open the doors remotely. Maybe nobody gets bitten?"

Nodding, Zeyram says “I prefer ranged combat. The problem was that those spa ... er, ...Akata were so sneaky. Tough to spot them!”

“We will want to go through the ship, collecting those cases. The information off the infosphere said they were valuable.” Think I will put some of that money into medpatches!

All caught up again! Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Eric!! There was such lovely writing to read through here. I loved the impromptu straw, the Eoxian Embassy game of toss the head, and many other lovely details that you worked in!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

There appear to be two closed doors left. Do you go to the one that is Port, or the one that is Starboard? Time to explore those last two room and close out the Acreon!

Hawthorne disconnects his rifle's battery from the shuttle charging station and clips it in place with a soft zzpt.

"Hopefully, we've cleared the last of those akata-things from the ship. I'm still worried about the rock, though," the priest says before activating his environmental helmet. Through the suit's comms, he says, "I can head to the bridge to open the doors remotely while you set up a firing lane, if you like."

Cade looks at Hawthorne loading his rifle.
"Look, mate, you can hold that rifle without shooting your own foot. You get in the firing lane; I'll open the doors."

Rigged up in his suit, Cade waits at the junction for everyone to gather.

Feeling much better, Zeyram checks his equipment and seals his suit before crossing to the Acreon.

Once on board, he moves with the others and takes up to a position where he can cover the corridors.

Cade, Hawthorne and Zeyram begin to prep for opening the doors, trying to be ready for whatever obstacles, traps or adversaries that might lay behind them.

Port or Starboard? If you are unsure which one, move your mini to the door you are trying! Or flip a coin.

Port!

Xyklik moves into the hall with his pulsecaster rifle out and ready. He lines up a shot in case any hostiles appear in his field of vision.

"Let us end this."

Cade attempts to move up to the Portside closed door only to discover that it appears to be heavily barricaded. He attempts to rattle it for a moment in vain. The thing won’t budge!

May I have a strength check to start trying to break it down? Up to two party members can try to bash it open, if they would like.

I was going to open it from the bridge. So, even if barricaded, it will be unlocked. And I’ll be waiting for news on the comms.

Alright, Cade attempts to open it from the Bridge. It’s unlocked, but the door is barricaded and won’t open!

The door release opens smoothly but an error signal flashes up, ”Hey, fellas, the doors unlocked but it ain’t opening. Must be something has got it wedged, it’ll need opening manually.”

"Odd. why would space lions make a barricade?"

"They wouldn't," Xyklik says, analyzing the door. "If it was deliberate, it may be another enemy. Or survivors of the crew."

He begins attempting to break down the door.

Strength: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

From the other side, you hear, "Go away, bad spacecats!"

Then the voice continues in a growl. "We be FIERCEST space cat! MEOW! Eat you up!" Then there's an Oof! sound as if whatever it is has been elbowed. "Oh Yeah. Yum, yum!"

Xyklik bangs on the door, resoundingly. Anyone want to aid Xyklik here?

Zeyram sheaths one blade and holsters one of his arc pistols. He then steps up and tries to help Xyklik open the door by brute force.

Aid Strength: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Cade listens in on the intercom but it all sounds distorted, ”I’m coming.”

The tech Oman we walks around to join the group.

*Technomancer

Darn spellcheck!

Missed the perception check. Here we go...

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Over their group comm channel, he says “Whatever is in there, fortunately it isn’t more Akatas. Could be space mites or something like that...”

With their backs to the Acreon's gleaming and well-appointed galley, Zeyram and Xyklik work together to open the door. As the door busts open, you hear from inside:

"Aiiieee! Space cats gonna eat us! Shoot 'em quick!"

Inside you see two terrified space goblins holding on to each other as they shoot wildly at you with Junk Lasers!

Junk Laser: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Junk Laser: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Who?: 1d2 ⇒ 1

One of the wild shots hits Xyklik! "Take that, Space Cat!"

Seeing the goblins, Zeyram adds over the comm channel “Worse, it is Space Goblins.”

Crazy goblins! I can understand not liking Akatas, but I don’t look anything like one!

He attuned himself for Graviton mode.

He ducks behind the doorway for cover and shouts “We aren’t Space Cats! You were the ones claiming to be Space Cats! Shoot each other!”

I wonder how crazy they really are? I’ve heard all sorts of stories about them.

"Stop shooting us or we'll blow you up!" Hawthorne shouts down the hall. "Cade, close the doors again, they aren't survivors."

“Nooooooooo! Don’t blow us up! “ The goblin in the red shirt raises his hands. “Blow up Space Cats, not us!”

“We thought you Space Cats cause you knocked down door.” The goblin in a green dress points to the broken door. “Hard to close now to keep Space Cats out if broken!”

“And we IS survivors! We survived Space Cats that wanted to eat us!” The red goblin peers at you. ‘How come Space Cats not eat you? You look tasty... um, to a Space Cat. Not to US. No. We would never EAT powerful longshanks with cool guns.” Red says, hopefully.

Then Green also gives you big eyes and also raises her hands up. “Do you have food? We locked in there a LONG, LONG time!” She looks hopefully at the galley behind you.

”Goblins? Well, that explains most disasters...”

Cade approaches, taking a Gonberry Fudge bar from his pocket ’SPACKLE, a classic snack that bridges the gap between meals!’

”Surrender your weapons and we’ll share a bit of food. Now how’d you end up here?”

Jim looks a bit surprised to see survivors "We shot holes in the Space lions, but my friend here has some lovely food to share"

"Goblins," Hawthorne says with an exasperated sigh.

Goblins.

He keeps his rifle trained down the hallway while the others negotiate a truce.

Over the comm channel Zeyram says “Who can check them for infection? If either are infected that would be a problem.”

He keeps an eye on the little buggers, keeping at least ten feet away and his weapons at the ready. I have to release attunement, but not my weapons!

The goblins drop their weapons. “Food, food, foodiest foo — ” Red breaks off, eyes wide. “We was saved by BIG JIM!”

“And BUSTER!” Green jumps up and down. “We watched your ship salvage show ‘bout twenty times. That’s why we’re here!”

Both goblins are leaping with excitement. Then they look down the hall. “You kill Space Cats! All the Space Cats? Yay! We is saved!”

Cade’s gonberry fudge bar disappears into their mouths, wrapper and all. “Is good! Is more?”

If you are checking the Goblins, may I have a medicine check?

"Salvage?" Cade shakes his head, "Where's your ship? How did you reach the Acreon?"

He fishes an emergency ration from his pack and tosses it to the goblins, 'Soylent Fresh: melts in your mouth, not in the cold vacuum of space.'

“We sneaky!” Green says, tearing into the ration.

“Sneaked onto News ship taking pictures of quarantined ship. Then we jumped out and used our thrusters to get here.” Both beam proudly. “We engineered thrusters ourselves!” They show you their junky thrusters. “Only five of us died on way out. We good at this!”

“Can fix your stuff too just like Big Jim. Bet we can make it better!” They look hopefully at Cade’s equipment.

Hawthorne relaxes his grip on his rifle and steps to the side of the hall. "Five out of eight? Goblin engineering at its best," he chuckles despite himself. "They do stumble upon some interesting innovations. Sometimes."

Xyklik stares down at the little creatures. "What was your exit strategy if this ship didn't work? And what are you willing to do to aid us now that we are here, and just saved you?"

"And where is the third one that survived the jump to here?"

Talkative little scamps. I don't like what they consider an acceptable survival rate though.

"What parts of the ship did you explore before the Space Cats attacked?" Zeyram asks. Gesturing in the general direction of where they found the goblin body, he adds "We saw the body of a goblin in the corridor."

Looking to Xyklik, he adds "I think that was the third one. We were ambushed as we examined the body."

Hawthorne taps on the shirren's back and points toward the main intersection outside the power core where the little corpse in the space suit lies.

“Space Cat got him! But now we part of your crew.” Green says. “We help you engineer, and pilot and all the things!”

Red tugs on Jim’s shirt. “You filming for Jim’s Jams now? We got wrenches!”

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Want to check out your last room before making your way to the Drift Rock?

Hawthorne slips into the room where the goblins were hiding and searches the bunks.

"Koj puas pom dab tsi pab tau rau ntawm no?" he asks the goblins. "Yog tias koj tau ua, muab rau peb li khoom plig."

The goblins look up at Hawthorne in admiration.

“Oooooo, koj zoo nyob ntawm no!” Green says, clapping her hands.

Red nods sagely. “Saib nws co co nqis! Qhov no zoo pawg neeg.”

They peel back a wall panel to reveal the treasure that they hid in there.

In addition, Hawthorne finds some treasure that the goblins didn’t. There’s a dropped computer key card and a credstick with 500 credits that one of the prospectors stashed under her bunk.

Cade steps back, protective of his gear, ”You don’t touch anything unless you’re told to.”
He points at the creepy skull/drone/camera, ”If you do anything without permission, you’ll be seen and we’ll send you to hunt lions on the Drift rock.”

Red tugs on Jim’s shirt. “You filming for Jim’s Jams now? We got wrenches!”

Jim looks a bit surprised "...sure, I suppose, yeah why not!" he lights up a little, the brightest he's been since the illness "Let's get this area all safe and put together properly. 'Safety first!' as I always say on the show" Jim just tries keeping them busy and mostly out of trouble.

Through the commlink to the party
"These little guys seem harmless enough, a bit overly enthusiastic but otherwise seem quite ok! I might leave them with a 'special project' whilst we are on the rock... keep them distracted a while."

"Careful what you choose, there are whole airflow systems on the station that you can only fix with a team of specialists to disarm all the traps."

Cade looks around, "Okay, one more door, then we can check out the rock."

Cade will open the door remotely again, if everyone else would like to set up their firing positions?

Xyklik will take the stickybomb grenade unless anyone objects.

"Yes, let us proceed."

He kneels down, stows his pulsecaster rifle, and unclips his laser rifle. He brings the familiar sights up, aiming the laser rifle down the hall if an enemy should emerge.

Zeyram looks towards the galley. I bet there is salt somewhere in there.

Then he looks at the goblins. They want a project.

He pauses a moment.

I wonder if that would be a good idea? Well, it would keep them busy...

Over the comm link, he says “A project? Why not have them search the pantry for salt? See if they can weaponize salt water in case of more Akatas.”

Looking towards Simagus, he adds over the comm “We still need someone to look them over for any signs of that illness too.”

"Kuv tau kawm los ntawm pab pawg neeg zoo tshaj plaws nyob rau Akiton," Hawthorne responds to the goblins.

He collects the bubble-packed UPBs and distributes the grenades to the others. Looking the key card over, he slips it into his datajack to try to determine the card's purpose. While Sophia scans the card, Hawthorne tries to make sure the goblins understand what Zeyram is asking of them.

"Koj tuaj yeem ua tau cov phom ywg dej nrog dej ntsev?" he asks, intentionally neglecting to tell them that they learned about the akata's weakness to salt water by reading. "Cov ntsev dej ua rau lub qhov tsov ntxhuav loj."

Sigamus-bot inspects the two goblins.

"Hold still for medical examination," he instructs the goblins.

Medicine vs. Red: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Medicine vs. Green: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

"Salt water guns? Me make first!" Red yells.

Red squirms too much as he tries to go off to the kitchen, right NOW. There is weaponized salt water to be made, and all Jim's cautions about safety are forgotten. The goblins must have fast-forwarded through that portion of the show.

Green stays still long enough for Simagus's examination. "Ooh. Android. I have wrench. Fix you?" She holds up her wrench, hopefully.

Both goblins appear to be disease free!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Cade opens the door remotely, and another wild laser shot shoots down the hallway! But when you cautiously approach, you see that it was a jury-rigged trap, designed to zap anyone who opened the door.

Inside are a bunch of silvery, rounded shards.

There are also a disruptive fusion seal (5th), two mk 1 serums of healing and three medpatches.

"Saltwater guns! Excellent!'

Jim follows on with Buster, ready for things to get wild again...

Hawthorne picks up the seal and holds it out toward Xyklik. "This might prove useful on the hammer if we run into any of the akata-spawn."