|
I appreciate your directness an honesty RKY7 responds to Atu, and yes, I see the commercial appeal of conrasu wood, although it is something that we protect strongly.
Allow me to help you by donating this piece of advanced scanning equipment, it will no doubt help you while in Jatembe's Jaunt
[/b]...
"Thanks, RKY7. You can be sure we'll put this to good use. What you said about technology being important, but bounded by the limits of physics and reality, and using magic to break these boundaries and then talking about magical experimentation, that really rang true with me. My specialty is quantum level manipulation with magic, imposing an unnatural amount of order in a system so that it must react energetically to restore entropic balance. If you're ever on Absalom Station come see me. I run a small lab at Arcanamirium...."
|
|
...
Tkerik is on the weapons deck....The three-handed barragh has dice in each hand Do you play? they ask, Drifthop, I mean. Oh, you might not even be familiar with the rules... let me show you.
You roll a die in each of your hands they explain, holding out all three of their hands Oh, I see... If you have two hands, you just hold two dice in one hand and looking at Blasto if you have more than three, just leave the rest empty
You roll the dice secretly - only you can look at them
...
So we first reveal the first die altogether... one... two... reveal!
See, I have a six. Next, you can choose 'Drift' or 'Hop'. If you choose 'hop', you reroll your next die they say, pointing with the now-empty hand to the second one. If you choose 'drift', you keep it as it is. I'll choose hop
...We reveal the next hand... one... two... reveal!
Now I have a two. That's ok, I guess. For the last die, we do the same thing. This time I choose 'drift', so I don't reroll.
One... two...
...
Ears frowns. The game seems simple enough end too dependent on random chance for his taste. He considers trying to cheat by manipulating the dice psychokinetically, but he knows his control probably isn't good enough and his eyes wouldn't be fast enough to determine what direction and force of nudge would favorably influence the roll. He decides to simply play.
Ears first reveal is a 5.
That puts him down by 1. For the second die he chooses "Hop." and re-rolls it.
Nine total. Ears judges that a good postion and decides to keep his last roll, a 4. "Drift."
Lifft and Blasto manage to beat the baraggah on their own game. Ears is less lucky, and falls just short.
|
Atu does not find this game's rules especially appealing. But seeing their comrades engage with the warmongering chancellor the spathinae decides it may be good to partake as well. They try to read Tkerik's body language to guess their hidden rolls.
As they play, they also try to continue the conversation. The defense of one's people and allies is a somber necessity they concede But restraint is also vital. Those who become too vigilant for threats can find themselves seeing malice where none is intended.
Your Union has unfied this system. Have you had many dealings with others that have given cause for concern? The Azlant, the Swarm, or the Gideron Authority? They consider for a moment also asking about the Veskarium, but decide at the last moment to not mention it This is in many ways a first contact. Not the time to highlight our alliance's own potential rifts and strains
Oh, very good! Tkerik says you are catching on quickly!
Tkerik is very impressed, and as a token of appreciation provides the group with some newly developed targeting software This is our effort on dealing with pirates. It should prove useful
---
Sirrellim can be found in their on-board quarters. The quarters hold several water-filled pillars similar to the one in the Unity Hall. As the group enters, Sirrellim starts speaking Grblrb, glurb. Glmbrrl glb. then transfer to another pillar nearby I'm sorry about that they say there is some kind of technical issue with that speaker system. It's a pity, I like that one, it's got a nice oomph to it's sound. You don't happen to know anything about fixing stuff, do you?
Ah, it's such a pity. The council see me as a coward, but I genuinely think caution is advised. Our ship have been attacked so many times, you can't simply write this off as a simple space danger, there is something systematic going on.
|
|
Nikko's fine just catching glances for the moment, while dealing with some family drama on the phone.
"Sorry about that - one of my sisters is wrapped up in some drama on her way to Bretheda - says that she & the X-66 team are being framed. Nothing I can do for her from here though. Back to the here & now, What's that about a miswired speaker?"
"Sorry - that's beyond my Just enough knowledge to be dangerous level of skill."
Lifft gives a couple of bangs on the audio system, and it starts functioning properly again. Sirellim looks very impressed
I would be safe knowing there is no threat that would jump at us from the other side of the drift lane. You seem to be helpful enough to be trustworthy Sirellim says
If we work as allies to deal with the threat, yes, that may help. It is something that should be considered. I see how we could benefit from your skills, and you no doubt could see some use in ours, no? Sirellim touches a button, and a drawer opens Take this device, it's an experimental maintenance tool. It should help you while in Jatembe's Jaunt.
---
Seeing the much improved speech, Zallia gives the group a copy of Plane Woven, an exciting anthology of essays on the planes by scholars from universities on Uzodia.
[ooc[Reading it makes maneuvering through the Drift lane easier, giving the PCs a +1 circumstance bonus to Piloting checks[/ooc]
---
There's a chiming bell, indicating the council goes back into session. The four councelors, as well as the group, are ushered back into Unity Hall. The time has come to bring closing arguments and a final vote on what to do with Jatembe's Jaunt. Zallia speaks The outcome will be to either use and exploit Jatembe's Jaunt, or to avoid it and blockade it for now. Before we vote, we'd want to give our guests one more opportunity to make closing statements.
As it stands now, Zallia and RKY7 would vote to utilize Jatembe's Jaunt, but Tkerik and Sirrellim are opposed.
|
|
Liftt eyes the book suspiciously... and then after the first two pages becomes completely enthralled by the stories and theories that are contained within it.
"See... this here... this is exactly the reason that you shouldn't hide away here." says Liftt.
"You have so much to offer the wider galaxy..." he begins.
Jancrast lets him warble on for a while before addressing Tkerik. "And the rest of the galaxy has much to offer you as well. If you are worried about your defences, cutting yourself off from defensive aid and technology from the Pact worlds would seem to be counterproductive..."
She then addresses Sirrellim "For example, you saw how easily we were able to help with your technical issues earlier. Think about the much more meaningful help we could provide your wonderful society."
|
|
Ears decides to chime in with Jancrast in convincing Tkerik.
"As strong a tactician as you should be able to see the advantages of keeping the Jaunt open. The Union and Pact Worlds would be like two warriors fighting back to back against all comers.
Knowing you have allies on the other side of the lane, would free ships otherwise tied up on blockade duty for exploration and commerce."
Orpheox words truly seem to have an impact on Tkerik, who looks pensive and nods emphatically. Lifft adds some very compelling arguments in the mix. There seems to be no swaying Sirellim, though.
The tension during the vote is palpable. Two 'Aye' votes quite quickly line up, enough for a stalemate. A 'Nay' is added, leaving it to the last councilor to decide on the fate of the Union.
When the final 'Aye' comes in, the result is clear: the council votes to explore Jatembe's Jaunt.
After some cheering, the council decides on next steps, which is to send more ships into Jatembe’s Jaunt and use the Banyan as a welcoming point and waystation for ships from other worlds.
Zallia thanks the group as they are about to depart This outcome would never have been possible without you. I'm personally looking forward to a great collaboration between our worlds.
With a bow, the group is sent of to enter Jatembe's Jaunt again, for the trip home. A few days in, the scanner starts picking up drifter ships...
The Drifter ships move as you move, shadowing your every maneuver while slowly growing in number and narrowing the gap between you. As they grow closer, a voice hails on all frequencies in a soft but insistent growl. “Hope you don’t mind the company, darlings,” the voice says. “But it seems to me that you owe me a little something, and the time to collect has just come due.”
The voice belongs to an older female vlaka with white and gray fur. You and your Union friend caused quite a bit of damage to our ships. Let it be known that Metzari Angelfang is not to be trifled with! So just surrender and hand over your ship now, and we are even!
With that, the drifter ship zip ahead and form a line across Jatembe's Jaunt. “there’s a saying on my homeworld, dearies: one snowflake is a curiosity, but a thousand will bury you alive. Good luck digging your way out!”
---
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"No, no, OMG no, yuck, maybe, no, that has promise, no, no, THAT"S IT!."
Nikko's vision dips back into the realm of probability as they shuffle through various screens on their comlink & they come up with a likely firing solution.
Paradox = 17, so with a Gunnery of +12 & a +1 from Tkerik, that's a Gunnery = 30
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Evasive Manuevers Lifft! Atu explains as they focus. We will see if e can provide some distractions.
Slosing all of thier eyes in prayer, Atu reaches out to Hylax. Inspired by the Union they are leaving, the mutter from many, one and pray for a miracle - a miracle of the Thunderbolt disassembling itself inot dozens of smaller component ships all scattering away as they outnumber the pirate and overwhelm their sensors.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Belts on people.. this could get nasty." says a surprisingly calm Liftt through the intercom. He double checks his own belt, while Jancrast tightens hers too.
"Remember, we don't need to fight them, just get through them." she says.
"Okay, this might get rough."
Suddenly Liftt is back in the scoured stars. Jinsul ships are all around his unarmed transport. But there ahead of him just a few klicks away there is is the Starfinder team in desperate need of Evac...
Explosions dot the sky as the transport was pushed through sets of maneuvers that were well beyond its design spec. Engines whine as their energy output edges closer and closer to the "do not cross" red lines. The first pair of jinsul interceptors is left behind wondering what happened to their easy-prey, but up ahead there were three more.
These were a bit too keen, he could see that, coming in from opposite sides. If he timed it *just* right... and the two jinsul slammed into each other, the force more than their shields were capable of withstanding. They crash and burn, leaving just the jinsul leader between Liftt and the beleaguered ground-team.
Plasma blasts took on his starboard shields and Liftt dove for the ground. If he couldn't out fight the creatures, he darn well could outfly it. Sensors showed a large cave network and that was where he headed with the jinmul squad leader in hot pursuit.
The cave branched left, up, right, and more plasma bolts took out his rear shields, damaging his tail fins. For the first time he wondered if this was not going to end well. The damaged fin caught on the cave wall, hauling him right in a turn that the jinsul ship had no way of matching... and when it tried it had its own close encounter with the cave wall. Another explosion rocked the cave as Liftt flew free.
Minutes later the Starfinder team was safely abord.
"Welcome to Flight EVAC-123. Callsign Liftt will be your pilot today. Unfortunately we have no refreshments on board, which might be just as well. Weather station reports suggest significant jinsul related turbulances ahead.."
And then he is back in the Drift lane, Drifter ships dotting around him like jinsul. But this time he is not unarmed. And the Drake can take a lot more punishment than a simple transporter. Still... numbers can count against them just as much as they counted against the jinsul.
Nikko is spraying a carpet of radioactive flak, making it hard for the pirates to close, while Blasto adds the appropriate sharp shots. Atu conjures many ghosts of the Thunderbolt, while Lifft is fighting ghosts of his own.
For a moment, things look great, until the scanner's reading go completely haywire, and it looks like the drifters also have ships coming in from all sides. Captain Angelfang comes through on the speakers, tauntingly saying “Round and round and round we go, where we stop, my dears, you’ll never know.”
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Standing on his chair, Ears watches the viewer through his fingers while Lifft skips the ship through a figurative needle.His drop to the console in front of him where his nails scratch away paint while the rest of the crew blasts away at the pirates. He turns circles on his chair as more pirate ships converge.
Aaah! Look at them all! There must be a thousand of 'em. "
Then he stops. He bends over for a closer look at his scanner screen. " Hey! The engine's backward on that one. And that one has a positron burn signature, but that wasn't available on the 62. It was first available on the 64. Guys! They're trying to bamboozle us!
It is a tense moment, until Ears starts pointing out the fake ships. Atu tricks out the illusion by flying close to the drift boundaries, and sure enough the holograms aren't sophisticated enough to deal with the weird physics at the edge, making the images obviously fake. Nikko manages to wink out some fake holograms (and damage some real ships!) while Lifft is fighting his own figments.
Orpheox gives some spiritual guidance when BOOM! a space mine explodes just under the Thunderbolt. The ship's internal geiger counters start clicking loudly. Radiation is flooding the ship!
Angelfang cackles Oh, I’m sorry, did you hit a littlebump in the road there, my lovelies? I’ll share a little secret with you—it isn’t the only one.”
|
|
Liftt shakes in his seat as the explosions start. Once again he is back in the Scoured stars. This time he is driving an opentopped land cruiser that is configured as an ambulance. Following another he flinches as the car in front hits mine and turned in moments from life giving hope to twisted and blackened cofin for the brave crew inside.
"I'll get us through them..." he mutters.
\
Ears manages to stop the radiation leak, which eliminates the immediate danger. Flashes of radioactive explosions light up space as Blasto plays a game of real-life space invaders with the mines, aided by Orpheox and Atu. The game Lifft plays is more like asteroids, but with exploding rocks this time. He manages with all lives intact.
The vessel zips through the mined zone, but it looks like Captain Angelfang has one last trick up her sleeve. Her ship is right behind the Thunderbolt, so close that the name on the bow 'Howling Drift' is clearly readable. She fires a strange beam weapon, that locks onto the Thunderbolt. Light are flashing, and the power core shows an alarming depletion rate. Angelfang cackles “Get ready to be dead in the water, darlings. And a ship that doesn’t move is just so easy to board!