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"Good taste in music" Doc remarks at the poster "and a sad state of affairs, never got to send that note home - perhaps we can at least return some bodies"
"Perhaps you are right Shari, the things between the stars are the things that answer the most, but it is never an answer that contains unicorns and rainbows"
Doc waits for the door to open, his neural-net wondering what he will find on the other side.
Battle stations!
A soft red glow emanates from two consoles and displays located at each end of the room, illuminating this small and narrow space. The guns are on stand-by, fully operational and calibrated now that the power has been restored. A scanning console shows the Thunderbolt on the lidar, and there's a station console that shows the message 'Enter password'
The gunnery log shows the ship has been in multiple battle - the log goes as far back as the Jinsul - but it doesn't seem to have recently been in any fights. The only shot that was fired was three days before Lulora’s last transmission, a single shot from the ship’s plasma cannon.
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Scottermander sighs.
I guess you're right - this isn't a rescue mission any more ... it's now more investigative .. although
He pauses If the Revelry is still partly in the Drift ... I wonder if their Drift engines are still running. If that's the case, maybe just turning them off and collapsing the Drift field might pop them out. Or as a last resort .. use something big, like the Master of Stars to yoink them out.
But before we do anything else, we should appraise Absalom Station of our findings
The bridge features seats for the officers, as well as numerous screens displaying data about the ship. In front of a control panel, a female ysoki attempts to scan her pawprint, but the screens shows “read error.” She groans and slams her fists against the control panel, to no avail. The ysoki turns around, revealing an angry, strangely translucent appearance while floating a foot off the ground.
“What is the meaning of this?” she demands in a voice that sounds hollow and otherworldly. “My crew and my ship are in danger! You better have a good reason for invading my bridge!”
The various screens show diagnostics on power, confirming that core power has dramatically increased over the past hour, status of the escape pods showing a single malfunction.
Lulora is, of course, a ghost, which would explain why the pawprint reader doesn't work
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Mysticism
DocJr pipes up with a cryptic comment about 'former patients on ice' as DocMedevac notes no trace of life through his MedObserve Interface
Diplomacy
The Doc replies in his best bedside manner - calm and even tones being produced by his voice synth box "We are not invaders, we are allies. Lulora, as my colleague has just stated, we are fellow Starfinders and we are here to help, Ixthia received your message about the Revelry and we have been sent to aid the Vigilance. You called, we have answered"
Well, it's about time you showed up Lulora says, but before she gives any sort of briefing, it seems she needs more information You’ve rummaged through my ship, huh? Can you tell me, what shape my ship is in?
What about the threat? Do you have any idea what you’re up against?
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Diplomacy
"Your ship is in a troubling state, power was low and a few malfuntions were found on critical systems, such as the life pods" Doc checks for a reaction as they continue "Rosm and Kelms notes suggested the capacitor array was at end of life so we have replaced that and it appears to have done the trick"
Diplomacy
"As to what we are up against, I can see from your logs and the distress signal that it was waves of creatures, resulting in injuries to your crew. Scottermander has suggested perhaps the Revelry is still partly stuck in the Drift somehow"
Lulora doesn't seem to react to the mention of the escape pod, but looks pleased to hear of the repair.
My crew are experienced Exo-Guardians. Lulora reacts What makes you think you’ll fare better than them?
One last thing. My ship no longer obeys my commands. It’s as though I wasn’t here. What’s going on? Is this another anomaly related to the Drift?
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My crew are experienced Exo-Guardians. Lulora reacts What makes you think you’ll fare better than them?
One last thing. My ship no longer obeys my commands. It’s as though I wasn’t here. What’s going on? Is this another anomaly related to the Drift?
Brutag points to himself, then to Bison. "When Exo-Guardians need combat training, they come to people like us."
For the second question, Brutag glances at the other team members before answering. "Maybe... the ship needs a more solid touch? One of us might be able to help."
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"Yes, you have a condition that is preventing you from accessing the ship, I am afraid we have some news you may find confronting... do you recall any incidents involving the fault escape capsule? I regret to inform you that there was an industrial accident, you have now been left permanently...exanimate"
Seeing as Scotty has addressed the 'last part', Doc continues and answers the penultimate question "There is no suggestion we are here to do better than your team of accomplished Exo Guardians, we we're sent by the Exo Guardian leader Ixthia to reinforce and assist your team - not to replace it - we're here to explore, report, and cooperate"
Diplomacy
"If you would like some grief counselling and guidance at this time we are able to offer you professional medical assistance"
Doc and Tracy's revelation seems to hit the Ysoki ghost hard. Lulora’s ferocious expression softens and she drifts to the ground, looking weary and more transparent than before. Examining herself, she says: “I’m fading. I no longer feel anger, only fear. Quick, I must tell you everything before it’s too late.”
“As you know, we received a distress call and found the Revelry. We soon realized the ship had not fully returned from the Drift. But I was able to create a hybrid ritual that allowed us to enter the ship. You see that hatch there? The docking umbilical is still connected, and that’s the only way to access the ship.
“As I continued studying the strange aura around the Revelry, I realized something had taken control of my ship, draining it of its energy and slowly consuming it. I don’t know what this entity is, but it isn’t friendly. I can feel its hunger, and once it’s done with my ship, I fear it won’t stop there.
“I sent my crew to investigate the Revelry, but the ship had transformed into a living nightmare. They were beaten back by a horde of mutated creatures relentlessly attacking them at every turn. However, they did discover something important: a series of haunted locations and gravitational anomalies, all connected like a path. I firmly believe this trail of wrongness leads to the source of the unknown threat. Knowing that we and our ship were in grave danger, I sent them to the Revelry to end the threat. But they never returned, and I can only assume they perished.”
Lulora’s form keeps fading, her voice a mere whisper now. “I need you to finish what my crew and I started. Follow the trail of anomalies, discover where my crew was headed, and find a way to destroy the threat,” she says as she starts fading from view.
When she is already completely invisible, all that remains is a faint wispy voice that whispers “Hurry.”, then returns to silence.
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Scottamander had been recording everything that Lulora said.
Rest in peace now Lulora. Your Watch is over. We'll take it from here he says quietly.
Then louder. I still think we should send what we know to the station, even if it means undocking, backing off a bit, then returning and redocking. However, looks like we gotta stop this thing here, and now.
Inside the boarding umbilical, the slick metal surface shimmers with an otherworldly energy. An unseen wind howls in the tunnel, whipping everything in its path, and the tunnel seems to stretch longer and longer. The walls twist and warp, as if alive and pulsing with energy. Vibrant colors dance to their own rhythm, creating a kaleidoscope of shapes and patterns that melt and stretch. The air hums with strange, haunting music, like a mournful ghostly choir. The wind howls louder, crackling with energy, and then suddenly all is quiet. As the end of the tunnel draws near, the spiraling sensation and magnificent colors fade away, leaving only the cold, segmented metal.
At the very end of the umbilical, the Revelry’s entrance gate beckons, and leads to a long, non-functioning escalator. It is here that the true immensity of the ship becomes apparent: the pompous escalator leads into a gaping black area of nothingness, without any lights to guide. The ceilings are at least 30 feet high, making the enormity of the cruise liner extra overbearing.
A large fountain stands in the center of the Revelry’s welcome area. Its water is murky and still, the tiles around it are cracked and stained, and a statue in the center is covered in a thick layer of grime. There are a few planter boxes in this lobby, but the plants are withered and brown. Welcoming banners that once proudly displayed the ship’s name are torn and tattered, and the gift shop lies empty and abandoned. Suddenly, a cold breeze makes the dry leaves rustle, carrying ghostly echoes of laughter and excitement into the lobby. An upbeat melody starts playing from speakers on the walls, but the notes are off-key and the rhythm erratic.
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Welcome to the Revelry, the pinnacle of luxury! You'll be treated like royalty on board our luxury starliner. Your experience starts at our lush welcoming area, where our friendly crew will present you with your welcoming gift and our signature sparkling welcome drink! You'll then receive directions to your quarters and...
--- AbdadarCorp Travel Virtual Brochure for the Revelry
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"Mr Bison, they only want to eat your brain, I have a neural net that is entirely circuit boards and inorganic materials, not very tasty I'd wager" the Doc replies, all chipper and chirpy.
Before boarding the Revelry the doc loads everything they have found and transmits it back to the Society. Also leaving similar records on the both ships (easy to find locations) and stored on the DocJr memory chip.
Will
"This place doesn't look that hospitable now"
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Mr. Bison once again activates his light projector and the lobby is clearly illuminated by his powerful light.
Telepathically, "That's very reassuring to hear, Doc. I think you need to work on your bedside manner."
From his position in the riding saddle on Zangief's back Mr. Bison sweeps his light projector left and right so that no area is left in the darkness.
Mr Bison activates his light projector, and finds hundreds of glistening eyes staring back at him. There is a whole troop of hospitality personnel stand ready to welcome him, though exactly the type of welcome he'll receive remains to be seen. All of them have hollow undead eyes, looking hungry and hostile.
Brutag, meanwhile, sees vision of a luscious lobby, with lines of waiters offering him drinks of all colours and taste. He feels strangely compelled to move towards that colorful fountain up ahead.
More undead flock in to the welcoming area through the double doors on the side...
---Round 1---
Doc
Tracy
Shari (DC 13 Will save or spend move action moving towards fountain)
Brutag (standard only)
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Troop
Troop
Troop
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Mr Bison
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Telepathically, "That's very reassuring to hear, Doc. I think you need to work on your bedside manner."
The Doc drops his 'made for tv' demeanor for just a moment "I do combat too - both jobs involve inserting cold steel into flesh"
***
The Doc moves off the line of march and points to the southern mob of mutants - GET EM!"
DocJr legs it into cover, the small robot has its medical supplies at the ready.
Trace is thinking about things that are very very old, very very cold, some distance from the sun and not very well-known.
Brutag stands ready to strike down any incoming undead horde, while Doc points at one particular horde...
---Round 1---
Doc
Tracy
Shari (DC 13 Will save or spend move action moving towards fountain)
Brutag (standard only)
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Troop
Troop
Troop
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Mr Bison
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Barely coping with a terrible obsession, Shari opens the floors of a long coat with a light movement, under which there are real bundles of grenades. She runs her fingers over the detonators and her eyes express the crazy cruel madness of the drow that everyone expects to see when meeting these dark people. With this strange look, Shari looks around the creepy hordes of the undead.
Shari bides her time and waits for the horde to come closer, then throws her grenade right in the middle of it.
Brutag sees two of the hordes closing in on him, and he stabs and pokes the incoming horde, though the is quickly surrounded and taking damage...
---Round 1---
Mr Bison
---Round 2---
Doc
Tracy
Shari
Brutag
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Troop - Blue (24)
Troop
Troop
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Brutag, angry and a bit confused, lashes out again at the blue horde.
"Concentrate damage please!"
piercing damage
He then takes a guarded step away from the hordes.
Benefit: When you are threatening a foe with a melee weapon, any ally that has line of sight to that foe without you granting that foe cover gains a +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls against that foe.
Brutag is now truly going to town on the horde, smashing and cutting through the undead like butter. There are just so many of them...
Another loud bang sends sharpnel flying among the advancing horde, but with insufficient effect to weaken the mindless troop.
---Round 1---
Mr Bison
---Round 2---
Doc
Tracy
Shari
Brutag
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Troop - Blue (35 + getem)
Troop
Troop
--
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Mr. Bison orders Zangief to carry him right into the middle of the action. Using his ability to reshape the molecules of his body, he doubles the strength of his tentacles.
Swinging his axe in a wide arc he sweeps it through the undead attacking Brutag.
Mr. Bison's telepathic message echoes in everyone's brain as he calls out his move.
"Flying Power Bomb!"
Zangief in turn levels its cryopike and jabs it into the mass of rotting flesh. The holy fusion on it hums with mystical power as it has a chance to do what it was created to do.
Tracy adjusts the pistol to produce a loud feedback sound that is best listened to from within a bunker 37 miles away.
Mr Bison stands with Brutag, and starts mowing down undead, and with the help of Zangief really manages to thin it out.
The troop keeps swarming in, and pours out to completely surround Brutag and Mr Bison.
----
Our hospitality crew is ready to look after your every need. Whether it is to book a shore excursion, a seat for an evening meal or a ticket for our many on-board shows, our crew is always ready to assist you!
--- AbdadarCorp Travel Virtual Brochure for the Revelry
---Round 2---
Mr Bison
---Round 3---
Doc
Tracy
Shari
Brutag
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Troop - Blue (63 + getem)
Troop
Troop
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"Hose down the ones in the red shirts!"
The Doc then starts blasting away with his laser rifle
vs RED
Attack vs EAC
Damage F
Mr Bison makes sure to eviscerate every single driftwarped moving past him, leaving a mountain of carnage and stopping the wave of undead coming from the south.
Mr. Bison then proceeds to hack away at the horde unleashed from behind the fountain, tearing down the dead. He hits armor, mostly, but Zangief is effective at taking some of the undead down.
Tracy's sonic pistol does a little 'bwip', and no damage whatsoever.
Doc takes a stand and starts mowing down undead with his laser pistol.
---Round 2---
Mr Bison
---Round 3---
Doc
Tracy
Shari
Brutag
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Troop - Blue (DOWN)
Troop - Orange (6)
Troop - Red (7)
--