| Eliza Cunningham |
More specifically, she isn’t leaving until Gareb orders her to disembark. She’s not going to abandon one of her own without a direct order.
| Tobin Dell |
There is just a split second pause after Gareb makes the request, before Tobin says, "Granted." Then, a second later, "Dell to Lieutenant Commander Hill." After Gareb, he's the senior officer on the away team. "As soon as you have as many Klingons aboard as you can carry, get clear of the transport."
Already thinking the same way as his tactical officer, he says, "Bridge to transporter room. Get a lock on Commander th'Chiaquis and try to beam him out the instant it looks like that warp core is going to blow."
| Eliza Cunningham |
Eliza looks expectantly at Hill. You’re going to have to give me a direct order, sir. I’m not leaving until I absolutely have to.
She looks back at the control That said, we CAN
leave the second you give the order. She’s warmed up.
| Gareb th'Chiaqis |
Gareb makes haste to the klingon ships engineering. "Well Klingon there are worse deaths than foiling the schemes of a traitorous scum. I am to get the honour from this and teach the Jem'hadar later so dying here just wont do." Gareb gives Surgh a grin as he started accessing the Klingon console.
Spending 1 Momentum
Reason+Engineering 15: 3d20 ⇒ (18, 6, 6) = 30
Momentum 11, Threat 16
| GM SuperTumbler |
Transporter Chief to Bridge: "I'm having a hard time maintaining a lock with all of the subspace interference, Captain."
Gareb checks the readouts on the reactor and realizes that he does not have time to stabilize the reactor. The process has gone too far. Ejecting the reactor is apparently a Daring+Engineering Task. If you don't eject the reactor, the ship is destroyed and everyone aboard is killed. Either way, the ship you are on and all ships within close range take 6 Challenge Dice Piercing 2 damage. You wouldn't want to do that with the shuttle in range, but it could get out of range easily.
| Tobin Dell |
As soon as he receives that report, he says, "I'm on my way." On his way to the turbolift, he says, "Computer, route open comm channel to my communicator."
In the seconds it takes the turbolift to arrive, he goes through his memories of previous hosts, remembering all he can about transporter operations. In other words, using my Joined talent to give myself a Transporters and Replicators focus for the scene.
Once in the transporter room, if it's not too late, he steps up beside the chief and starts trying to get a lock through the distortions.
Control + Engineering 13 (with momentum and focus): 3d20 ⇒ (11, 15, 14) = 40
One success, I'm guessing that's not enough. Would the ship be able to assist in this?
| GM SuperTumbler |
Base Difficulty 2+1 target not on transporter pad+1 interference-1 from a transporter room=Difficulty 3
Assisted by Ship Sensors+Engineering (14)
| Gareb th'Chiaqis |
"It's too late to halt the reaction. I'm going to eject the warp core, it might still destroy the freighter but it gives everyone on board a chance. All over ships should move away." Says over the comm line dropping formality as he begins to focus intensely on the task at hand.
Daring+Engineering 11: 3d20 ⇒ (12, 5, 17) = 34 Testing a Theory
| Eliza Cunningham |
That’s the order I needed!
All preparations already done, the shuttle lurches forward and away from the doomed ship. She hoped they could launch the core far enough away from the freighter to protect it.
Do I need to roll to get us safely out of blast range?
| GM SuperTumbler |
Klingon Surgh assist: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Gareb's fingers race over the Klingon controls, commanding the computer to eject the warp core. He gives the proper command, "De'wI', warp botlhDaq eject."
And nothing happens.
Surgh steps in front of Gareb, not quite pushing him aside. The Klingon's powerful fist slams into the computer console. "SoS 'oH!"
On the outer hull of the ship, explosive panels blow off. Locks release, and the cylindrical core is rocketed from the ship.
Control+Conn, Difficulty 0, assisted by Engines+Conn (14) to escape the explosion.
| Eliza Cunningham |
With the explosion licking their heels, Eliza floors the throttle of the shuttle, leaping toward the bird of prey (provided that the BoP is away from the explosion)
PUNCH IT TN 14: 2d20 ⇒ (11, 10) = 21
Ship help tn 14: 1d20 ⇒ 1
4 Momentum banked, Momentum 14, Threat ? (I don’t know is that roll was threat spent or not)
The shuttle approaches the BoP. She turns to her erstwhile passengers. Here we are, safe and sound.
| GM SuperTumbler |
Warp Core Explosion Damage: 6d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 2, 4, 1, 4) = 18
6 damage with 2 Piercing=5 damage
2 Breaches: 2d20 ⇒ (13, 2) = 15
The core explodes, shaking the freighter violently. Lights flash and engineering goes dark except for emergency lighting.
Surgh slaps th'Chiaquis on the back. "Well done, well done."
| Gareb th'Chiaqis |
Gareb grins and puts a hand on Surghs shoulder before giving the Klingon a celebratory headbutt that leaves a trickle of running from a gash on his forehead barking out a laugh "It's been a while since I've done that and longer since while sober. I should head back to my ship but once those dominion P'tack have been dealt with seek me out and we'll find some blood wine!"
| Eliza Cunningham |
After dropping off the evacuated Klingons, Eliza turns back to the freighters.
Tesla to freighter, Tesla to freighter. Did you survive the core ejection? We’d like to bring you home, if we can.
| Eliza Cunningham |
Glad you made it, sir. I’ll be right there.
She flips back to the freighter and (provided the docking ring is intact) reconnects to return the bridge crew to the Bastion.
| Eliza Cunningham |
Assuming everyone has shared all the information they've learned
Although she missed the last bridge meeting, she knew of Captain Dell's tendency to ask for candid advice and guidance from his crew. She hoped that extended to her.
Captain, polaric energy in the hands of the Dominion represents an enormous risk to the Federation and...frankly all life in the Alpha Quadrant. A polaric bomb in the center of San Francisco could send Earth back to the stone age...err...literally...
She reviews the PADD containing Gareb's report. Based on Commander th'Chiaqis' readings, I'm confident I can track the polaric energy through warp and intercept them before they join with the larger fleet. Lt. zh'Qjaqir can launch the modified torpedo and trigger the polaric energy on the Dominion ship, but we'd have an incredibly narrow window to launch the torpedo and get out of the blast range. Fortunately I have some ideas on how to accomplish just that.
She slides a PADD to Dell. With your permission, sir, I have a list of automatic safeguards for Lt. Commander Hill to disengage for the duration of this mission. Nothing too crazy, just a few things designed to prevent ships from accidentally doing what I intend to do on purpose.
| Gareb th'Chiaqis |
Lets say and frank conversations about protocol happen off screen. No fun for anyone involved... oh but Gareb will go over how to break out of your quarters if the door is jammed with Eliza, he wasn't joking about that.
"I'm not too excited about the idea of disrupting the polaric energy but with the number of Dominion ships if it was set off it'd cause them problems and prevent a co ordinated pursuit I suspect. Ideally I'd say destroy it as safely as possible but let's be honest knowing the Jem'hadar they may well use to to spoil sport if it comes to it."
| Tobin Dell |
Tobin is not looking pleased as the others join him in the officer's mess this time, though he does smile some to his first officer, "Good work with that warp core. I'll be recommending a commendation for bravery."
He listens to the reports stoically. He does glance to Eliza with a slightly sterner expression that he might carry most other meetings, but he does listen, taking the PADD and looking it over.
"Interesting idea." He passes the PADD to Hill, and says, "Think the Bastion can pull that off?"
He does nod in agreement with Gareb, and says, "Yes, they'll probably use it on us before they'll let it be disposed of safely."
He also looks to Jalla and Pegira - his two most tactically skilled officers - "Thoughts? Other ideas?"
| Eliza Cunningham |
Eliza’s list is centered around either removing or shifting to manual the safeguards that manage the Bastion’s movement through space, like the counter thrusters that automatically engage to keep the ship from spinning or T’karra-Kreskin inertial arrester that prevents a ship from exiting warp in motion. In the wrong hands, the Bastion would be an uncontrollable spinning death trap.
But if someone knew what they were doing...it’d be like drifting a car. You could drop out of warp, spin to face the target, point back the way you came and warp away while the enemy was still detecting your arrival.
I plan to use a point of determination to give Jalla a major advantage in launching the torpedo, then warp away
| Gareb th'Chiaqis |
"Thank you Captain. It will be challenging but it might be our best shot. The area is not easy to traverse in the first place but at least it should stop the Jem'hadars own current schemes... even if their device disrupting the area is undamaged well they wont want to stick around."
"It's an option but if anyone has another viable alternative for the Captain to consider they should let it be known. Now we'll have two targets amongst multiple Jem'Hadar ships which doesn't seem reasonable. Stepping away from a problem should always be considered but the disruptions device and the polaric energy device I think this could have a significant impact on the war effort."
| Dr. Pegira Hagen |
"Your plan isn't all that terrible Lt. Cunningham, but I do see one flaw in it: If there are ships willing to intercept incoming missiles, we could likely fire our one torpedo and warp away, missing entirely as another ship or drone blocked the torpedo and was destroyed."
"That also assumes that we only have a single target hauling a polaric generator. If they have multiple, say one per freighter, we will have slowed but not halted the problem."
Pegira pulls out her own Padd and offers a different tactical plan, which she explains as she hands her Padd to the captain:
"Since we don't know which Jem'Hadar ship houses the generator, I would recommend a targeted assault on each of the ship's shield generators, followed by a computer-assisted scan targeting any polaric generators and then transporting them into a shuttle that we will be towing with tractor beams, to limit exposure to the Bastion and it's crew."
Pegira pauses while to allow the captain to catch up with the information on the Padd before finishing "Once we have the generator or generators, we'll jump to warp and find a place to dispose of the generators safely."
"My plan does have the drawback in that we would have to scan, target, and then perform a ship-to-ship transport during combat conditions, which will likely mean that we will be engaging in combat with the Jem'Hadar, who will not let us stand idly by and do as we wish."
| Gareb th'Chiaqis |
"We wouldn't have to knock down the shields of all of them and scan. I can identify the tell tale signs of this polaric generator. It's unlikely they have more than one. It would be tough enough to knock down their shields and transport the generator over with so many ships about... it'd be more than a little challenging."
| Eliza Cunningham |
Excellent point, Dr. Hagen, but Commander th'Chiaquis is correct. I've already mapped the Jem'Hadar subfleet and we can ID the generator from warp. I...SHOULD be able to warp into what's effectively point blank range, hence the need for...unconventional methods to quickly reenter warp. If I'm towing a shuttlecraft, my ability to dodge shots would be compromised.
She looks over to Jalla. Lt. zh'Qjaqir, if I can keep our nose lined up with the target for the entire arc of our maneuver, are you confident you can land a hit?
| Eliza Cunningham |
She locks eyes with Drell
Captain, I assure you that I’d never place this ship or her crew under unnecessary risk. We can do this, I promise.
| Eliza Cunningham |
GM, can you give us a heads up on the sorts of rolls you'll be looking for from this so that we can hit the ground running when Captain Drell weighs in? I've already mapped out the location of the Jem'Hadar ships. I presume that Gareb will need a roll to ID the one carrying the Polaric Generator, then a Conn+Control roll to warp in point blank with the ship, the determination point to grant Jalla a major advantage, Jalla's attack roll, then a Control+Conn roll to warp us out. We'll need Hill to give us as much power as possible so that we can warp out without pursuit and Dr. Hagen to tend to the wounded when something inevitably explodes.
Side question. We can spend two momentum points to get a second action. Is it possible for me to buy the extra action but delay using it until after Jalla goes? It's important to me that we do as many moves as possible before the Jem'Hadar get a turn.
Also, quick reminder that due to previous navigation rolls and advantages that I have, I'm clocking -3 difficulty to maneuvering around the nebula and -2 to maneuvering around Jem'Hadar ships (minimum of 1 difficulty).
One last thing, Captain. If you do consent to this plan, Lt. zh'Qjaqir will need your permission to fire at will and I'll need permission to warp at will. We'll be traveling so quickly and have such a narrow band of time that waiting for an explicit order could kill us all. She gives a head tilt to Jalla. We've got this, sir.
| Lt. Cmdr. Hill |
Hill's been keeping his arms crossed over his chest, staying silent and taking in all the viewpoints before he speaks his own opinion. Finally, he nods in assent, glancing over at Tobin.
"We've got to be bold in this, Captain. The longer we wait, the more events will turn to our disadvantage. As for the Bastion...it'll take everything she's got, but I think we can pull it off. The energy device is certainly a worthy prize to go for. I say we act, and quickly."
| GM SuperTumbler |
Based on your advantages. Gareb makes a Reason+Science assisted by ship Sensors+Science to locate the ship Difficulty 3 due to the heavy interference and the presence of mulitple ships. Conn+Control to get there assisted by Engines+Conn Difficulty 1. Normal attack roll targeting a specific system. As for your actions, you have to take all of your actions on your turn. You can't split them up. It is possible for someone else to take an action or for one of the commanders to allow you to take an action when it isn't your turn. Of course, I am going to spend threat to screw all of this up.
| Eliza Cunningham |
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In anticipation of Gareb's roll
In 1687, Sir Isaac Newton wrote that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion continues in motion, unless acted on from an outside force. Ever since humanity first launched hunks of metal outside of the earth's gravitational influence, we've been fighting against that law. We devote untold resources to keep our stellar craft from drifting, to exit warp standing still. I ask...why?
As the ship dropped out of warp (in motion, despite all best practices), Eliza worked furiously at the conn, applying gentle taps to the maneuvering thrusters so that the Bastion's nose rotated toward the target, even as its momentum drives it forward. The ultimate arc of the ship will have it in perfect firing position, then spin to point away from the Jem'Hadar fleet, allowing the ship to warp away to safety.
Conventional firing solutions require the attacking ship to either approach the defending ship head-on or stand still; either one makes the attacking ship an easier target to hit. What if there was a way to use the fundamental laws of motion to move the attacking ship laterally while still maintaining an ideal firing solution?
Conn+Control=15, two momentum spent: 4d20 ⇒ (11, 12, 6, 14) = 43 4 successes
Engines+Conn=14: 1d20 ⇒ 2 1 success
Untapped potential: 1d6 ⇒ 3 0 momentum regained
5 successes total, 1 difficulty. Spending 2 momentum to create an advantage for Jalla (Do I need to specify what? If so, it'd be lowering the difficulty to hit the proper target), 2 momentum to create a problem for the Jem'Hadar ship we're targeting. (Do I need to specify what the problem is? If so, it's adding to the difficulty of hitting the Bastion)
Momentum 10, Threat?
Eliza's work at the controls is precise, bordering on mechanical. There's not an iota of wasted motion, each tap of the maneuvering thruster nudges the ship exactly in the direction she wants it to go. A single bead of sweat rolling down the side of her face is the only indication that this requires any effort at all.
As the nose points directly at the Jem'Hadar ship, she mutters to Jalla without taking her eyes off the console. This is the best shot you're going to get...
In short, if you remove the unnecessarily restrictive safety locks from the academy's simulator, I could demonstrate the feasibility of this maneuver, saving countless lives and revolutionizing space combat. Until then, I'll be forced to simulate this...only in my mind.
| Gareb th'Chiaqis |
Spending a point of momentum. Also a bonus dice from Testing a Theory
Sensors+Science 13: 1d20 ⇒ 12
Reason+Science 16: 4d20 ⇒ (10, 8, 11, 5) = 34
So wow 5 successes, difficulty 3 so two back into momentum.
Gareb focused on the sensor readings and his eyes swiftly darting over the information. His eyes locked on the tell tale signature. "There!"
Momentum 11, Threat ?
| GM SuperTumbler |
Momentum 11, Threat 15
Gareb zeroes in on the Jem Hadar battleship, now in possession of the Polaric generator. He finds that the ship is generating massive amounts of polaric energy and beaming them into a specific spot in space.
Gareb locks onto the signature of the ship and relays the information to Eliza's navigation panel.
Eliza warps the ship through the cluster, maneuvering around several subspace distortions and a black hole. The ship drops out of warp near the battleship. Five Jem'Hadar fighters hanging in the distance.
The battleship's deflector emits a beam into nearby space. At the other end of the polaric beam, space warps and ripples, emitting visible blue and orange light as well as invisible radiation.
Drew up a map of the region. Since you are using photon torpedoes, you probably don't want to be at close range. Photon torpedoes have a range of long and a difficulty of 3+1 for targeting a specific system. Torpedoes have an escalation cost of 1, raising threat.