While Harlan sets to work, Jaeric joins Zephyr to keep an eye on the hallway and their only exit back to the airlock. "Fun times, huh?" he tries to keep things on a lighter note by joking a bit. "I hope the other agents are having as much success as we are..."
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Zephyr can't quite close the crack, but he tightens it up considerably. Up close, he sees the shadows in the elevator shaft change, and another worm is at the crack trying to push its way through.
Never's right. Harlan doesn't need any help. He easily disconnects the memory system.
A spiny worm drops onto a computer console from a vent overhead. Then another. Another second and it's a stream of worms falling from the vent.
There's a crash, something metallic, not too heavy, from out in the corridors, but none of you see anything.
"Do you think they are air breathers? It might be about time to vent the atmosphere is there is nothing else on board but worms..." says Zephyr, backing up slowly and doing his best to keep their path clear.
"...It is hard to imagine beings remain on board that can be saved...but I suppose it is still possible," he adds uncertainly.
Harlan checks the computer in case venting the ship's atmosphere is a possibility. Considering the state of the rest of the interface he's not too confident, but then again, he's managed to get a lot more out of some systems in even worse shape than this one before. While he does his check he comments "I reckon we're goin' ta be smashing our way through some worms on the way out. Get your biggest guns ready to burn."
He stomps on a small worm that's flopped to the floor as he scans the screens.
Already part of the way back from the elevators to the entry room, Zephyr agrees. Readying his laser, he says, ”Return quickly. I will do what I can to keep the path clear and keep them off our ship.”
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Harlan over to the pile of worms. There's a large bright red button that would normally be under a bright yellow safety cover, but the cover has been flipped up to expose the button. With a sense of impending doom, he starts to comment, when a worm falls directly on the button.
The lights immediately turn red and begin flashing; a claxon blares deafeningly three times. A harsh computerized voice announces loudly, "Abandon ship immediately. Self destruct sequence engaged. " The entire suite of light and sound is guaranteed to get the attention of even the deepest sleeper, let alone four keyed up Starfinders.
Zephyr wheels away from the others on the bridge and finds himself facing two dwarf-sized creatures that look like a cross between a crocodile and a scaly porcupine. Behind them is a spreading pool of the worms.
Jaeric, 15
Zephyr, 11
Never, 7
Worms, 7
Harlan, 5
Porcu-crocs, 4
Ready for trouble, Zephyr sees the hostile creatures. He fires off a quick two shots at the lead porcu-croc, trying to aim for less lethal areas so as to disable it instead of kill it outright, just in case they are transformed Starfinders.
"Time to go," Jaeric asserts, "No time to save anything else on the ship if the self-destruct is going. Blaze a trail to the airlock and lets get off this thing..."
He punctuates his directive by lifting a hand and summoning the mystic power of Desna. Small pinpoints of light resembling stars swirl around his wrist. They start to move so quickly it becomes almost a solid band of light, manifesting more and more powerfully until he unleashes a burst of force at one of the larger creatures barring the way.
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Never breathes icy death and kills two thirds of the worms, ubt the ones at the bottom of the pile are protected by the corpses above them and some of the worms are already spreading out through the bridge. A few are even moving with purpose toward the two Starfinders.
Zephyr lances two laser beams into the nearest porcu-croc. Jaeric's mystic flare drops it to the deck. The remaining one kind of hisses and snarls but it moves slower than the worms behind it. They surge forward like a wave that laps at Zephyr's feet -- with tiny needly teeth that can't penetrate his armor right now.
... S)
... S)
Harlan turns, taking out his pocketwatch as he ambles for the exit. On his way toward Zephyr, he quickly snaps it open and shut three times. On the third snap, a wave of fire floods the corridor from just beyond Zephyr and onward. It engulfs the mass of worms and the remaining porcu-croc.
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Harlan strides down the corridor and flame washes before him. It roasts the worms, but the porcucroc steps back quickly enough to avoid the worst of the flames. At this point the advantage of freezing the worms to death becomes very, very clear. Roast spiky worms smell like pork barbequed in vomit sauce.
The last alien hops the burnt dead body of his companion and lunges at Zephyr. It's claws drag over the android's armor, but hardly mar the surface.
Stepping and slithering sounds come from the starboard corridor.
Jaeric, 15
Zephyr, 11
Never, 7
Worms, 7
Harlan, 5
Porcu-crocs, 4
”Ship is destructing—we’ve got to get out of here!” says Zephyr. Punching the croc in his face, he beats feet towards the exit.
"Lead the way! Everyone follow Zephyr!" Jaeric calls out. With one hand on the android's back, he sends a barrage of psychic energy into the mind of the attacking drone in hopes of confusing or overloading its nervous system.
He then follows after Zephyr in making a run for the airlock.
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Zephyr's armored fist is sufficient to polish off the croc with a crushing blow. The android steps adroitly past the falling corpse and nearly reaches the doorway. As he passes the corridor connecting the port and starboard portions of the ship he sees another porcucroc and worm swarm heading toward the party.
Jaeric hurries along leaving the remnants of one worm swarm on the bridge. They doggedly try to follow. The half-elf too, can see the newly arrived porcucroc and swarm.
Never jets halfway down the corridor.
Harlan trots aftward down the corridor "Ya know, the whole self-destruct is doing us a favor. Just have to get clear. No wasting time with heroics. Time to go."
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The door snaps open in front of Harlan, but he can't step through. A large, spiky wall of muscle topped with a broad row of teeth below beady eyes blocks his way. The row of teeth opens into a top and bottom row then lunges toward Harlan's head.
The jaws snap shut just short of Harlan's nose when this mother of all porcucrocs bangs its forehead on the top of the doorjamb. It recoils and sets up for another lunge. -- or maybe to sweep one of its scythe-like arms at him. There's just a split-second when time stops for Harlan, and then the scything arms fly over the half-orc's shoulders and arc down into his back. They draw him into a deadly embrace and its jaws close on his helmet.
... P plus grab),
... P plus grab)
... P plus grab)
Harlan's helm fills with blood as he's eviscerated.
”How did they get behind us?!” Zephyr says with frustration, as he was working to keep the hallway clear of incoming worms from the elevator and suddenly aliens are everywhere!
As he sees Harlan’s head nearly taken off by the huge creature, Zephyr focuses fire on the huge alien, aiming for the upper arms and head to try and make it release his ally. ”Hey, Snout-Face, let him go!” he calls as he unloads his artillery laser at the foe.
Horrified by the monstrosity that mangles Harlan, Jaeric's eyes widen as he acts on impulse, moving forward quickly to try to keep the technomancer from dying. He casts a spell and puts one hand on Harlan's back to infuse him with healing energy.
With Zephyr starting to blast away at the creature, Jaeric then prepares to pull Harlan free.
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Zephyr's first shot fries a patch of mama's face and shoulder. The big monster lowers its head below the doorframe and pushes it forward while it kind of hiss-snarls. Perhaps the reaction rattles the android because his second shot goes high.
Jaeric steps forward to heal his teammate. He has to reach between the chitinous greyish mantis-like arms to reach Harlan. When he finishes his chant, it occurs to him that the creature might flick one of those arms open, twist it, and draw it in again, and he would find himself held as closely as Harlan.
Never's freezing breath, sends the porcusaur into a flurry of pain-ridden jerky motion. It wastes the worms, but it's not powerful enough to end the larger creature. It looks like it might charge her.
Harlan, realizing he won't be able to do much in the creature's grasp, decides to spend his (likely) last moments of consciousness with some quality mockery. He swishes his own blood around the interior of his helmet in apparent disdain for his own injuries and growls "Mighty nice scythes you got there. Would be a shame if someone tore 'em off."
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Maybe the mama porcucroc doesn't understand Harlan's point. Or maybe she's so pissed at Zephyr that she's not paying attention. She tosses him aside like a sack of potatoes, and slashes at the android. She hooks Zephyr, pulls him toward her and snaps at him with her teeth.
The medium sized porcucroc facing off with Never charges her, swinging its claws wildly. They scrape along her armor, but can't penetrate.
... P plus grab)
... P plus grab)
... P plus grab),
... P plus grab)
"Get back!" Jaeric encourages Harlan to move beyond the mother's reach while taking a few steps away as well to put some distance between him and the monster. He looks worried for Zephyr, hoping the android's powered armor can still protect him as he unleashes a mental barrage of mystic energy at their opponent.
"Sorry, I was trying to keep the hallway clear--I have no idea how this monstrosity got behind us. I'll..." Zephyr's voice cuts off in a loud huff as the porcucrock hits and then envelops him with its curved appendage.
Zephyr gains as much leverage as he can with his powered armor limbs, the servos in his arms straining against the load and the grips on his soles grinding against the floor. He pounds away at the mutated creature, trying his hardest to push it out of the doorway so he and his friends can escape the doomed ship!
...but his struggles are useless as he is outclassed by the strength and bulk of this savage opponent!
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Never whips her taclash at the last small porcusaur.
She turns to look when she feels a spray of blood hit her face. "Unless you have a deep need to kill that thing or die trying, we may be able to run - this place is a big loop. If it follows us, and doesn't catch us, we can get back to the lift and get out of here."
Harlan grips the wall as he hauls himself to a standing position, then careful steps away from the porcumatriarch.
"Other way's still bloody blocked. Hell knows how it managed to get behind us Never."
"Riiight, outrun the damned mutant." He puffs for a moment as he looks at the thing's muscular form before saying "Seems a good way to look like a chump while it's leaping and scythin' at us."
"Either kill it or get it to chase you! I'll hold it here a second to give you a head start!" grunts Zephyr. Orienting his Heavy Artillery laser in its weapon mount on his powered armor, he pushes back to try and let it aim at the creature's face and commands a powerful double shot of coherent light!
Harlan takes a step back again, now out of the beastie's reach. He grinds his teeth for a moment before turning himself into a fiery spear that lances through the mama porcucroc. Upon reaching the western chamber, he reforms into a Harlan.
"I'll see if I can either drive it back or lure it after us..." Jaeric says as he moves back closer to Never. He casts yet another mystic spell, coalescing a haze of acidic mist over the creature and the doorway.
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Zephyr twists but the croc too tight a grip on his arm with her jaws.
He can't bring his artillery laser to bear.
Harlan moves in a glorious burning blaze that ignites some of the mamacroc's spines and scorches her skin. It smells bad. But the technomancer ends up behind her while she Looks around and pats herself herself to stem the flames. In so doing she releases Zephyr who rapidly recovers and takes advantage of her distraction to level his rifle and fire. The lasers trace smoking scorched paths over her body. She roar-hisses and reaches for the android again. Her forearms reach over Zephyr and slice into him from behind while pulling him back against her again.
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 276
You are restrained by a creature, effect, or trap. You can’t move, and you take a –2 penalty to your Armor Class, attack rolls, Reflex saving throws, initiative checks, and Dexterity-based skill and ability checks, except those made to grapple your opponent in turn or to escape a grapple (see Grapple on page 246). In addition, you can’t take actions that require two hands (or other limbs) to perform. You can’t make attacks of opportunity.
You can’t use Stealth to hide from the creature grappling you, even if a special ability allows you to hide when you normally couldn’t. If you become invisible, through a spell or other ability, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your check to escape being grappled, but you receive no other benefit.
8 + 14
9
5 +30
... P plus grab)
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Never's first lash draws greenish blood, another hissing roar, and the ire of the huge porcucroc. Zephyr is tossed aside like Harlan before him. The creature's arms flick out and scissor back. Now Never feels them rip into her back and draw her toward the creature where its jaws snap down on her head. Her ringwear keeps it from drawing blood, but the impact and pressure are painful.
... P plus grab)
... P plus grab)
... P plus grab)
That last attack drew blood--or at least the analogous critical systems fluid--from Zephyr.
Zephyr activates his nanites and feels a surge of healing energy (1 RP for fast healing 1 for 10 rounds). Leaping to his feet, Zephyr crashes into the Mamacrock from below with a powered armor slam!
With the mother porcucroc distracted and slowly being melted by acid, Harlan has free rein to compose himself for a moment. "Alright you spawn of hell, get yer mitts off 'em. We've got an appointment on the shuttle out of here."
He snaps open and shut his watch, invoking a trio of magic missiles. When the orbs of force spring into existence, they do so with bursts of heat. They fire off as fiery beams rather than their normal form.
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Zephyr punches, but even his servo-powered metal fists can't cause any detectable damage. Never wriggles helplessly in her grasp; she'll never be able to free herself this way. Then Mother drops Never.
The monster keeps reaching back spastically, spinning slowly. Rubbing upper arms and elbows along her flanks, and as she turns the others can see what was visible to only Harlan from behind her. The acid fog is opening patches of raw flesh where her hide is eaten away. She's trying to scratch but her arms aren't built to reach back there.
Turning gets her a faceful of mist and Harlan's magic missiles. She staggers a little.
[ooc] Round 5 of ????. Jaeric to go.
Jaeric,
Zephyr, -76
Never, -60
Harlan, 0 SP (39 hp remaining)
Mother of all porcucrocs (-126)
(last round)