The android fires a beam precisely between the crystalline plates of the skreebara's carapace, burning into the creature's flesh.
Reeling back from the pain, the creature hardly even notices the human's efforts to fool it and they are, thus, ineffective as is the human's strike.
The kasathan physician, however, manages to lay a painful, poisonous hand on the creature and the half-elf strikes the beast with another shot of his pistol.
Second Full Round of Combat Begins
PCs in bold may act
Ukigashk -5 SP
D'Gavin (stinky)
AMOSU
Dr. Buse Clan-Wahi
Pangea -12 SP | -7 HP
Skreebara -33 HP (sickened)
Ukigashk grunts as the Skrebarra lands a bit. Drawing on his connection with Entropy he toughens his scales (+1AC). He manages to pull his shield into play and align it with the Skreebara (+1AC - ). He then focuses his power to his sword once more and swings. His sword catches one of the crystalline plates of the creature and is deflected.
The sword ringing from the deflection, he yells,"Gah, this is the mother of all sandworms taking revenge for being connected with that slimy Jazulkama! Hit it harder, friends!"
EAC: 16
KAC: 17
SP: 6/11
HP: 14/14
RP: 3/4
Struck by the vesk, the skreebara shakes violently in response. Desperate and frustrated, the creature begins to convulse as if a surge of power were welling up from within it!
A high-pitch noise emanates from the skreebara's mandibles as they vibrate with greater intensity before the creatures lets out an ear-bleeding, sonic screech that strikes out at three of the Starfinders!
The android avoids the brunt of the attack, but the human and vesk are not so fortunate!
The skreebara then slithers away from its attackers.
Third Full Round of Combat Begins
Ukigashk -11 SP | -4 SP
D'Gavin (stinky)
AMOSU -5 SP
Dr. Buse Clan-Wahi
Pangea -12 SP | -17 HP
Skreebara -37 HP (sickened)
D'Gavin fires again and moves some more.
Ukigashk snarls and shakes his head as the sonic onslaught washes over (and through) him.
He focuses his energies once again and attacks. Again his swing hits a full crystallized plate and deflects. He winces in pain as the vibrations rattle through is arm.
EAC: 16
KAC: 17
SP: 0/11
HP: 10/14
RP: 3/4
EP: 2
The android, vesk, and half-elf each fail in their attempts to strike the armored creature, but the kasatha doctor knows exactly where to inflict injury and she does so!
The lumbering creature convulses then crashes to the sandy ground dead.
Glancing at the tough, overlapping crystals that make up the skreebara’s carapace, you conclude that they could be valuable.
Once you reach the wreckage of the Unbounded Wayfarer, you can plainly see that the vessel is far beyond repair. The tactical X-gen gun affixed to a section of shattered hull, however, can be removed with about 10 minutes of work. Although the weapon is too damaged to be functional, you figure that it can be sold as scrap for a couple hundred credits.
Entering the interior of the wreckage, you find that the distress beacon has been activated. Although one of the Starfinders must have survived long enough to activate it, there are no survivors—seven desiccated corpses remain in the wreckage, while the remaining crew members were likely pulled out by the desert creature and devoured.
Nothing else of value appears to remain in the wreck; anything obviously worth salvaging was likely taken by the Corpse Fleet explorer that plundered it earlier.
Although the Unbounded Wayfarer’s computers are beyond repair, they still retain a minimal amount of power. Further, the computer interface ports contain an indentation in the same shape of the Starfinder insignias that retrieved from Julzakama some time ago.
• A wasteland planet called Elytrio that displayed signs of scattered technology.
• A sentient asteroid called Lamentia teeming with morlock “children” in the Vast.
• A massive space station called End of Bright Things stuck between the orbits of two blue dwarf stars.
• A stormy, oceanic world called Wealdriad, with upthrust columns of basalt piercing the storm-tossed ocean’s surface.
You can easily download this data into any personal data device, or send a wireless transmission of the files to the Odyssey for storage.
The final location’s coordinates are too damaged to display, but the computer has enough power to open a slot containing a single item, perhaps salvaged from the lost location. Within a once hidden compartment, that has now opened on the side of the ship, you find an iridescent spindle aeon stone. You can find no further details regarding the item’s history.
D'Gavin inserts one of the Starfinder insignia.
After going through the program. "I think this is what we're here for."
Ukigashk looks over the carcass of the skreebara and decides that harvesting the crystals would be of some use.
SP: 0/11
HP: 10/14
RP: 3/4
|
AMOSU moves to the creature to record any other relevant data. As it does it notes that the crystalline hide may be of value for research or construction. It harvests any of the intact crystals.
AMOSU then moves to the wreckage, as D'Gavin accesses the panel it shares information from the battle damage the ship received. Compared to the other damage inflicted by the pirates, AMOSU is able to determine the pirate attack pattern.
|
|
AMOSU offers assistance to Dr. Buse, "Agreed, they are fellow Starfinders. I believe the custom of most cultures is return to next of kin for appropriate rites. Perhaps we should take them with us?" AMOSU also takes tally of the wreckage, afirming there's nothing else salvageable or that should be returned to the Starfinders.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Having recovered the remains of their fellow Starfinders as well as the the data module from the Unbounded Wayfarer, you can safely retrace your steps to the Odyssey and leave Ulmarid’s surface.
Yet, the data you now possess provides a wealth of future opportunities for Starfinders to explore, cooperate, and report in space!
After an uneventful return to Ulmarid, you have a few more days of rest on the station before you receive a summons from Venture-Captain Arvin to meet him at a docking bay in the Arms.
Venture-Captain Arvin stands next to the entry ramp of a sleek-looking starship. “This is the Loreseeker, a Pegasus-class ship that’s one of the fastest and lightest in the Society’s fleet.” He says as he waves his hands over the side of the starship affectionately. “As you may recall, we know that a lost Starfinder vessel, the Unbounded Wayfarer, was discovered by undead creatures from a starship called the Endless Threnody. We’ve pulled some strings with our more reputable Eoxian contacts to get more information, but they’ve disavowed knowledge of the Endless Threnody entirely; this likely confirms our suspicions that the Endless Threnody was connected with the Corpse Fleet, a group of Eoxian separatists who refuse to work alongside the living.”
"We were hoping that that vessel had been working alone," Arvin continues, "but it would seem that we were wrong. A second Corpse Fleet vessel has since been spotted in the Drift, presumably on its way here."
"Curiously, however, by all reports, its Drift engine is incapacitated, so it’s unable to escape the Drift. Take the Loreseeker into the Drift, cripple the Eoxian ship—as a Corpse Fleet vessel, they won’t be open to negotiations—and find out why it was headed to Absalom Station.” Arvin directs. "If you can, find out how the ship lost its Drift engine--if there is another, bigger threat than the Corpse Fleet out there, I want to know."
Venture-Captain Arvin asks, ”Do you have any questions?”
|
Pangea comes along and enters the ship: "Be safe all, I'm off to take a nice long nap. See y'all back when we get home. I'm sure nothing will happen in the Drift."
She puts her ear plugs in, a face mask on, slips into her Besmaran skull and cross-bone pyjamas and promptly falls asleep.
Nothing will wake her before reaching Absalom Station.
Ukigashk simply nods to the Venture-Captain and heads for the Loreseeker.
As they enter the bridge he turns to them, "Friends, unless there are any objections I am trained to pilot and I am most comfortable in that role."
"I'll attempt to help, but this is even further from my area of expertise. Have we any idea why they can't use the Drift?"
"We know from your prior missions that the Endless Threnody was surprised by a pirate ship identified as the Lawblight. During the ensuing battle, the Endless Threnody took several hits. It was able to escape by entering into the Drift, but once there discovered that its drive was so badly damaged that it could not leave." Venture-Captain Arvin recalls. "If this other Corpse Fleet vessel was traveling with the Endless Threnody, it is possible that it too was attacked and that the same thing happened to it."
No questions from me.
Ukigashk grunts, "Yet more undead, they damage my calm."
Ukigashk notes the look of amusement in Iseph's eyes when he asks about the pilot seat. He nods to Iseph, and moves over to the main gunner station. He sets about familiarizing himself with the ship's weaponry.
Iseph takes the helm.
"Let's make these undead re-dead."
"As a Corpse Fleet veseel, are there any special considerations or precautions we should take? The undead use of magic and technology is most intriguing," AMOSU asks.
"Corpse Fleet vessels are frequently airless vessels festooned with bone spikes and powered by magic as well as technology." Arvin responds. "I suggest that you don't fly too close to the spikes unless you are prepared to deal with vacuum. Also, given the power of their necromantic weapons, you should probably try your best not to allow the Loreseeker to be struck by them."
With the briefing concluded, the party boards the Loreseeker.
The crew is free to take their stations as the ship departs Absalom Station and ventures into the Drift, an immense, empty plan of swirling colors. Once in the Drift, it takes twenty-six days to reach the last known coordinates of the Corpse Fleet vessel. Upon reaching the coordinates, you find that the Corpse Fleet vessel is not present.
In addition, the acting science officer notes some significant damage sustained by the Corpse Fleet vessel, apparently from a fight against pirates.
On approach to the Corpse Fleet ship, you see that the Eoxian freighter is a massive vessel made of bone and steel. The front of the ship is a single enormous red lens, appearing as a sullen, bloody eye. The ship bristles with bone protrusions, as though it were some horned, skeletal beast. Some of the bones are charred and broken, indicating past battle damage. Laser canons protrude from the front and sides of the freighter; but its rear weapon mounts are a twisted wreck. Gaps between the bones show the ship’s interior, but this is not from battle damage—this ship was never intended to accommodate living creatures.
We have no one acting as Captain.
If I may, I suggest AMOSU function as Science Officer this round and scan the enemy ship. Next turn he can move to Engineer if we're damaged or even Gunner if he prefers.
|
|
AMOSU takes its seat at the Science Officer station, modifying the controls to allow for easy motion from SO to Engineering tasks.
As the ship shifts through the drift, AMOSU brings up the scanners and prepares to engage.
"Enemy ship located and scanning," AMOSU provides the team with any information learned.
We have no one acting as Captain.
Starship Combat Initiated
The Corpse Fleet vessel slowly turns, moving in an evasive pattern, to face the approaching Starfinder vessel.
|
|
AMOSU's gaze is fixed on the multiple screens before it, it speaks to itself as it works. Processing through various probabilities and outcomes trying ascertain which would provide the best results.
"I am attempting to shift power output within the engine cores. If successful we should receive a temporary speed boost."
"Scanners on line, assessing enemy ship capabilities and defenses," AMOSU continues providing information gained in a monotone voice, speaking to itself as much as the crew.
The scans of the Corpse Fleet vessel reveal the following:
Large heavy freighter
Speed 6; Maneuverability average (turn 2); Drift —
AC 11; TL 11
HP 100 Shields None
Attack (Forward) heavy laser cannon (4d8)
Power Core Arcus Ultra (150 PCU)
Living crew complement: None
With the forward laser cannon peering at the Loreseeker like a blood red eye, a beam of energy strikes from the Corpse Fleet vessel, tearing through the forward shields of the Starfinder vessel and striking against the hull.
Loreseeker Status
HP 55 46
Shields Basic 40 30; forward 0, port 10, starboard 10, aft 10
Ukigashk's scaled hands seem to massage the controls of his gunners station, the turret swings into alignment and the coilgun fires, the round slamming into the Eoxian ship.
Buse takes up controls for the frontal laser and starts firing wildly. She can be heard muttering something about medical precision.
The shot fired by the vesk slams into the boney hull of the Corpse Fleet vessel!
Starship Combat Round Two Begins
Oops! Forgot to roll for init.
Iseph flies the Loreseeker directly at the undead ship, flying through its bony spurs and, with the help of AMOSU, giving the good doctor a chance to perform a successful surgical strike to the eyebeam.
Ukigashk then trains the coilgun on the Corpse Fleet ship to provide some additional blunt trauma.
The Corpse Fleet vessel fires back, striking the port shields of the Starfinder vessel with a light laser beam.
Large heavy freighter
Speed 6; Maneuverability average (turn 2); Drift —
AC 11; TL 11
HP 78 Shields None
Attack (Forward) heavy laser cannon (4d8)
Power Core Arcus Ultra (150 PCU)
Living crew complement: None
Loreseeker Status
HP 55 46
Shields Basic 40 30; forward 0, port 5, starboard 10, aft 10
Starship Combat Round Three Begins