Nym taps a handful of holokeys he pulls up from his terminal. "Breeze, get me a tactical assessment."
With the shield impact, Plexel's fingers dart over the keyboard in the engineering station. "What is this? I understood Nakondis 3 to be an agricultural colony?" She flicks through a series of interface screens and reroutes power to bring the shields back up to full. "Captain, shields are coming back to full power... now."
Yep, back to full. As for Nym's tactical assessment: The two drones are heading your way in order to crush your ship.
1. Basic Information: Living crew complement and ship classification, size, speed, and maneuverability.
2. Defenses: AC, TL, total and current Hull Points, total and current Shield Points in each quadrant, and core PCU value.
3. Weapon: Information about one weapon, including its firing arc and the damage it deals, starting with the weapon that uses the most PCU. Repeat this entry until all the starship’s weapons are revealed.
4. Load: Information about how the starship’s expansion bays are allocated and any cargo the starship might be carrying.
5. Other: Any remaining ship statistics.
”Superb work, Piexel-3” Ivris-mu says over the comm to Engineering.
”Breeze, can we contact the colony? Nym, any identification of the drones’ origin, who they belong to?”
Nym's Scanning check: Computers: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Your scan of one of the drones reveal that they are tiny racers. They have perfect maneuverability. They have no shields, and hulls are at maximum (20), Their PCU is a micron light, and it offers 50 pts. They have light laser cannons and no expansion bays. They are of Azlanti make.
Nym looks at his readout, perplexed. "They're drones, Ivris. No shields of any kind, and paper thin hulls... but.. Black Lady's Bones! Azlanti? What in the void are they doing here?"
"Gonna try something." Nuri brings the nose around to face the drones and attempts to evade their fire.
That works.
Culture regarding Azlanti Empire: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
You know that they are expansionist, callous, and rely on magic. There are some similarities to the Pact Worlds, but at worst they are officious. They represent the greatest threat to Pact World freedom besides the Swarm. There is an uneasy truce between the Pact Worlds and the Aeon Throne of the Azlanti Empire, but being here at Nakondis could be an upset to that truce.
”The Azlanti?” Ivris-mu echoes Nym’s information. It had studied to investigate corporate datasheets and financial information. It knew basic knowledge of the Pact Worlds, with increasing ignorance the farther one traveled from Absalom Station.
”The Azlanti may have a ship near, observing. Breeze, please broadcast this to the drones. ‘Since you approach in a hostile and unprovoked manner, this ship is clearly within its right to self-defense. You have been warned.’ End transmission.”
New Map update, you have the drones in your forward position.
Hmm. I'm not supposed to win this round of combat.
”Jahn, I shall remind you that as Captain of an AbadarCorp ship, I am allowed to fine crew members for wasting resources. If you continue to launch missiles like that you will incur financial penalties to your next paycheck.”
"Jahn, you good on the missles? I'm going to fire up the gyrolaser turret. Scans gave us plenty to work from."
Nym taps a staccato into his terminal as a reconfigure option comes up on his display. "Breeze, give me access to turret controls."
"Nuri, we need to be much closer to them to get the turret into play."
Nuri nudges the ship forward hoping that the drones weren’t that much more powerful. ”Jahn, keep firing like that and you’re gonna be flying the Breeze while I shoot.”
The drones are in turret range. And they fire again!
,
Plexel continues to pour power into the shields while calling out over the comms in a flat monotone, "The Azlanti Empire should not be in this territory. This is Pact space. Simply being here is a violation of the truce. They likely will not want to leave any witnesses to such a violation."
"I'm a passenger and volunteer, I don't HAVE a bloody paycheck yet!" Jahn snaps back as he fires again. "It'd be just my luck that I survive everything I went through on Akiton only to die in space after escaping it..."
Micromissile Battery 1: 1d20 + 2 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 2 - 4 + 1 = 16
Micromissile Battery 2: 1d20 + 2 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 2 - 4 + 1 = 16
Micromissile Battery Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8
The missles hit and it throws one drone off course.
In case we do get close enough:
Gyrolaser at closest drone: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 5
It causes a drone to spark, but it's still in the fight.
”Even as a passenger and volunteer you can still be fined for wasting the ship’s resources,” Ivrus-mu informs Jahn. ”I will take your status into consideration if or when I asses fines. Now continue to fire like that.”
It keeps its attention on the screen displaying the telemetry and condition of the ship.
Nuri silently concentrates on piloting as she continues to try and keep the turret in range, the drones in the forward firing arc and evading the oncoming fire.
One of the drones does a flyby stunt. It flies to the opposite side of your ship and fires:
,
Plexel looks concerned at the read outs when the shields take another hit. In a completely neutral voice she comms, "Captain. Is it possible that they have hit us with every shot? Is our present course of action sustainable?"
Phase II next. Pilot and Science Officer, All ships.
I think Nuri already rolled this above at a 23.
Irvis' demand may also be the Captain's action for Round 3.
She did. Irvis' demand can also be the captain's action. We just need the gunners to gun down the drones.
So, the missiles hit. Are you firing on both drones?
Just wondering. One of the drones sputters and sparks (the one you hit), but it's still in the fight. The drones have an AC of 15.
So, the missiles hit. Are you firing on both drones?
Just wondering. One of the drones sputters and sparks (the one you hit), but it's still in the fight. The drones have an AC of 15.
Okay, just making sure.
Both drones are hit and take seven points of damage.
”Well done crew,” Ivris-mu issues a ship-wide message. ”Excellent piloting and missile launching. I appreciate your question, Plexel-3. I think this course of action is sustainable. Your maintenance of the power supply is commendable and part of the reason I believe we do not need to flee at this time. Continue to do your best, and question me when in doubt.”
"Understood" Plexel replies while continuing to funnel power into the weapon systems.
”Thank you Cap’n.” Nuri continues to try to avoid the drones’ fire.
The drones attack again!
, ;
Ivris-mu shakes back and forth as the ship is hit by the drone’s weapon. It looks at its display to see how much damage the ship has sustained. ”Our forward shields are down. Slight hull damage.”
It considers the projected trajectories of the ships. ”Remember drones will attempt to crash into us. Jahn, you’re doing better. Stay calm and focused. You’ll get them before they get us.”
One of the drones explodes!
BOOM!
Plexel frowns to herself as the shields are rocked again and mutters to herself, "These drones are quite formidable. It must be hard to hit a small target with no need to moderate gravitational thrust for an organic crew." Her fingers lightly tap across the touch screen and she diverts power back to the shields.
Hit, you just singed him.
"We got one!" With a single target, keeping it targeted should be an easier task.