Trinity Universe: Absolute Zero Space Station

[Umoja]

*Umanju chuckles a bit, and then presses down on the Comm* Thanks Robin.

*He quickly switches the ship to an outside Channel* Yo, strike force guys, I'm gonna try and lure some of these drones away from you all, okay?

*With that he guns his engine forward turning the ship around pretty violently, he presses some buttons changing the ships gravity from artifical to real, and blast forwards, knowing zero-gravity will reduce the pain of the manuever he is about to do. When he closes in to about 100 meters of a drone he banks hard, to one side, not bothering to reduce the speed.  It likely sends quite a few G's into Robin, and Umanju sure as heck feels it as well.* Sorry about that Robin.

[Aeon]

Jose ducks behind one of the crates in the rear of the ship and evaluates the situation.  He mumbles more Portuguese swear words when he realises that he has stowed away on a ship manned by two samaritans.  Just his luck.  Why the hell do these two losers think that such a battered up excuse for a ship will actually manage to survuve such a combat.  Well, they are not going to get killed without him making an attempt to save their collective asses.

He sneaks quietly up behind the pilot and speaks in his ear.

"Well, I appear to have found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I do not suppose that I can be of any assistance?"

[M’ryw "Ed"]

How many people where sitting down with plates of food before the attack? Ed’s still sneaking around under tables, emptying the plates one by one into it’s plastic bag inside it’s backpack.

[Umoja]

*Umanju doesn't seem shocked at the man who approaches* Who are you and why are you on my ship?

*Umanju continues to fly the ship on course, not turning around, he seems oddly calm* Because I am assuming your a Mzungu who thinks he knows how to fly this crap.

*Umanju presses some buttons and a red thing starts to flash, the words are in Swahili all over the dashboard* Well, you couldn't these controls are re-wired to work on my specifications, so if you know whats good for you, just say your name.

[CHILL]

on the ship

Robin: can fiarly easily turn and fire down the primary obstacle - the nearest dron - that Umanju dodged.

Umanju: now has the ship pointing back in the direction of the main firefight - Strike Team Raptor against possibly just under a dozzen drones, from here you can see that Raptor's ships, whislt certainly powerful, are having a hard time targetting the extremely fast moving drones.

Ed: There are only about a dozen people left watching the firefight through the window - the tables are unattended.  Even Jake's attention is drawn to the main exterior window.  The chaos still ensues in the Promenade.

ALL:  A massive power buildup registers on the ships scanners, and a crackling shout of victory comes through the radio from Cmdr Jazz Dandett - on the station the very floors and walls shudder and shake, as something, BIG and heavy, feels like its crashing against the side of the asteroid upon which the station sits.....

.......  a blinding barrage of red-white lazer fire spews forth from the undersections of the Station (where the 'needle' of the spacedocks drops) and strikes several of the small drones, blasting them to bits.

A-Z's defences are on line and fully operational.

Actions?

[Senior Mal]

I'll take out the nearest drone.

[Umoja]

*Umanju pulls towards the main fray knowing this is gonna be some real insanity now.  He lowers his engines out of over heated speed and opens up his flight computer* Computer, activate mapping.  

*The computer warms up, and ask "How many dimensions?"* Two dimensions. Now I can finally get a decent view of all this.

*A giant map appears in the bottom portion of the external viewing window*

[M’ryw "Ed"]

Before the defenses fire or power up: Question: How many plates of food are there? Ed puts them quietly into it’s bag as stated, and the wallets into one of the backpack pockets. The backpack with Ed’s loot is but on it’s back. Than, Ed stumbles over to the window. When the station shudders and shakes, only Ed still has sure footing without holding onto anything, but looks shocked and ruffled, like a cat spooked. As the lasers fire and destroy the drones, Ed looks on in awe and dread at the power of the station, the red glow of the lasers reflecting off it’s bandaged face. Flaming plasma and light reflected in it’s crystal green eye.

And then curiosity creeps inside it’s head again. A curious compulsion. Ed sprints with an animal’s agility over to the table where it and A sat, as everyone else is still in shook from the blast. It sniffs were A sat, taking in all unique odors and aromas from A, specifically A’s unique pheromones. Ed does not care if anyone watches it do this. It is not very modest.

Ed than sprints out the door from The Drunken Aberrant Bar and Grill, and precedes to follow A’s sent. First Ed distinguishes A’s old sent from him entering from his new scent from leaving. Than Ed weaves it’s way threw the stunned crowds with surprising speed, beginning it’s hunt.

[CHILL]

Ed:

a good half dozen plates of food that were left in one place when people scattered....

'A's recent scent directly though the Promenade, straight over to one of the mini 'maglift's that weave through the core of the asteroid like ant famr tunnels that connect the various parts of the station - looks like he was headed to the Traders Spacedocks a couple of 'levels' down - and he took the maglift.

space battle:

As the remainder of the first wave of laser fire from A-Z wipes out a couple of drones a loud 'yeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhaaaaaaawwwwwww' can be heard coming through the comms from on of Striek Team Raptor's ships.....  you can see one of the STR ships dive and start blasting away at three drones - that are coming straight at him.

the other 3 drones that are remaining (STR have made some impact) shoot off (synchronised) on a vector directly away from the station....

[M’ryw "Ed"]

Is there any way to follow A? Is there a 'maglift' to follow him in?

[Aeon]

"I happen to speak Swahili," replies Jose.  "It is worth knowing considering the importance of Africa..."

Jose waits patiently a minute, observing the pilot and hoping to point out any mistakes that he might make.  When the may comes out, he starts to give a few suggestions to him.

[CHILL]

Ed:

As you stand near what passes for the 'platform' a maglev breezes in and the doors open - this tube has only one destination - the previously mentioned spacedocks.

Its fair to assume that if you're quick you should be able to pick up his trail again down there......

You going after him?

[M’ryw "Ed"]

Is a Doyen a coward?

Hell yeah! I'm down there!

[Umoja]

Well great... glad to know you know Swahili.... *He mutters something sounding like "Stay with European"(As a language) In Swahili*

Well if you want to be useful you can sit in the co-pilot chair their, and not piss me off, as you aren't supposed to be up here if you aren't from the Maasai heart-land.  

*Umanju guns the engine hard, giving the three men on the ship a load of G's as he turns, nearly 360 degree's without barely moving, he presses the comm*

Robin? attract the drones to us, in a huge group, okay?  I want that laser clear of the strike force.

[Senior Mal]

"Understood"

To himself

"Now how does one go about attracting programmed drones?"

Robin assumes that the drones lock on to energy sources, primarily heat from the engines and weapon fire. Is there any way to charge the weapon to create an energy burst of some kind?

[CHILL]

Ed:

You take the maglev, which doors shut with a smooth *shhhnick* behind you as you enter.

The maglev itself is crowded with people, panic present on all of their faces - this tube is heading to the spacedocks - it likely that quite a few of them are thinking of trying to leave the station.

Some of the passengers nearby recoil and try (with difficulty) to move away from you once you have entered.

After a few minutes of travel, you are relieved when the ride comes to and end and the passengers get back to being concerned with exiting the station as quickly as possible.

You turn and see through the now open maglev doors the main maglev platform to the Space Docks.

The place is absolutely heaving with people rushing this way and that, family members trying to stay together, greasemonkeys pretty much running down the ramps to ships to get them prepped for launch.

The place is nothing short of chaos.

There doesn't seem to be any sign of 'A' in the crowd - how are you going to track him down?

[M’ryw "Ed"]

((In the maglev. ))

Ed is at first uncomfortable around people in a tight, closed place, but is glad when their prejudice makes them move away from it. It folds it’s arms happily that they squeeze themselves more just to avoid physical contact with it and obviously enjoys the little elbow room. It begins to hum elevator music to itself contently.

((There doesn't seem to be any sign of 'A' in the crowd - how are you going to track him down? ))

Action: With a spider’s grace, Ed does a little leap and lands on all fours like an arachnid.

“Sniff, sniff.”

Does Ed get stepped on, or do people keep away from the strange little thing in rags?

[CHILL]

Ed:

There's a whole lot of _running_ being done anyways...

You can just manage to avoid getting stepped on

You pick up 'A' s scent - straight ahead through the masses towards the far end of the hangar bays.

[M’ryw "Ed"]

Given Ed’s agility, light footedness, and the fact that no one in their right mind deliberately wants to touch it’s body, Ed maneuvers through the masses of Homo sapien sapien with relative ease. Moving, tracking, hunting A.

[CHILL]

Ed:

After getting your bearings you can sense 'A's trail further down the docks.

After weaving through the crowds of people who are attempting to board some of the massive carrier ships, the trail stops suddenly near the rear of a small trader ship.

At first, there seems nothing unusual about the ship.  There is a (closed) rear cargo entry door.  From where you are standing you can see that the engines on the upper right and left sides of the ship comprise of biotech and hardware components....

There seems to be no sign of life.

[M’ryw "Ed"]

I investigate the back of the ship. Is there any of A’s sent on it, as though he touched it, went near it?

At the rear door, is there a control panel?

[CHILL]

Ed:

You can detect a very recent trail, his scent leads right up to the back of the ship, where upon closer inspection it appears that the entire back 'panel' would either raise up or come down mechanically.

There is a small (3 inches by 2 inches or so) communications panel on the right side of this back 'panel' at about head height.

The communications panel has a small speaker and a single button on it.

There are no other obvious entrances to the ship from behind, there may be another way in around either side or at the front.

Glancing down both sides of the ship (towards the front) tou can see the full length of the ship (about 40-50 feet) ending in the 'nose', which is presumably the cockpit.

You can barely make out the detail due to the shadows / darkness at the front end of the ship (the ship nose looks as if it is 'parked' against the interior of the hanger bays - possibly only just missing actually toughing the walls by a couple of inches).

[M’ryw "Ed"]

Ed circles along the left side of the ship at a wind like sprint. Cats make more noise when sleeping. Shadows offer no protection from Ed’s piercing stare. It takes in details that would make Sherlock Homes jealous.

What does Ed perceive? Any entrances? Control panels? Ed hopes to surprise A. No better way to prove one’s skills than showing them off on the potential employer’s own defenses.

Note: Ed is VERY good at breaking an entering.

[CHILL]

Ed:

Note: .... and 'A' is supremely good good at stopping breaking and entering attempts

With ease you have a good look around the ship's side and front, it looks as if the only entrance and exit would be the large panel at the rear of the ship.  Come to think of it, you don't recognise the ships design.  The most facinating things are the biotech / hardtech hybrid engines jutting out from the top at to the sides (near the top-rear) of the ship.

Whatever type of engines they are, they sure look like they could pack a punch.

As you are carefully continue to examine the ship, you notice a very small reflective 'glint' for a secod, from near the top of one of the sides of the ship.  Its reasonable to assume that the source is either polished metal, glass or perhaps a small lens?

[Manuel]

It is near the end of his shift, and Minobu Tetsahura is not happy.  He is, in fact, exhausted.

For some time, he'd been forced to take over the operation of the station's defense grid and power systems directly, as he'd been performing maintenance on several system before tonight's... activities had happened.  The state of the system had caused several programs to crash when the station took hits.

As as result, here he is, in the middle of room, laying on the floor with arms and legs splayed out so as to be able to touch four different systems with his bare hands and feet, while Catherine, a baseline duty-tech with no sense of humor, occassionally brings him some water to drink.

He was a strong Electrokinetic, and Alex Cassell himself had been impressed, and said so, at his last report.  Strong abilities, he's said.  Very new, little experience, little expertise.  Some time on a space station would teach him, and pay well.

His head was a confused jumble of data that he could barely keep flowing in the proper directions.  The interface enhancer felt like it was slipping off his ear.  He twitched his head over to his shoulder to push it back on a little more.

He hoped the situation was over soon.

[CHILL]

OOC:  

Manuel: Welcome aboard Manuel.

IC:

Umoja: What are the capabilities of the weapons onboard your ship - can Robin charge them as he suggested?

Robin:  As you concentrate on the capabilities of the weapons, conscious of the remaining drones.....  your vision suddenly, and painfully becomes distored and you have to steady yourself inspite of your ISRA training.

Just as quickly the sensation passes - and you stand bolt upright and look out a portal to the distance just beyond Strike Team Raptor and their fight against the remaining drones.....  something is coming........

Ed: as you carefully (without getting close I presume) examine the small lens in the side of the ship, a mechanical 'whirrring' sound comes from the back of A's ship....  something is moving.

[Umoja]

((The main laser is capable of it... but that would involve diverting energy from the other two lasers... leaving only one Missle launcher as backup))

*Umanju flips some more switches*

Bad jazz, Red-Robin.  You better ba'ble to get these guns loaded and take out what you can.  Because badness.... I can feel it.  Badness is here.

[Manuel]

*ping*

"Okay.  That's it.  I'm done.  Somebody better tell my relief to get here quick, because I'm going to take my hands off these systems.  I can't do this anymore."

*Minobu gently breaks the connection, withdrawing his hands and feet from the panels, gently massaging them as he curls up on the floor to rest.  He waits for the systems to crash.*

[Senior Mal]

screw the weapon idea, just try and take out more drones.

"Manyanga to strike team Raptor flyers, this is Robin Teller, further incoming craft are on their way, best guess is the pirates. I am attempting to locate accurate arrival point."

using various Telesthisia powers and danger sense see iff I can more accurately predict where the incoming objects are going to arrive.

[CHILL]

OOC:  Is it me, or is it busy in here again!  :cool

Here we go....

Manuel:

*Minobu gently breaks the connection, withdrawing his hands and feet from the panels, gently massaging them as he curls up on the floor to rest.  He waits for the systems to crash.*

As soon as you pull yourself from the system, an automated recording blares out around you

\"SysOp unavailable!, switching to automatic targetting systems, tracking targets..........preparing to fire.......\"

Robin:

using various Telesthisia powers and danger sense see if I can more accurately predict where the incoming objects are going to arrive.

OK, reaching out with your senses, you attempt to focus on the source of your 'vision'.  In your minds eye you see out through the portal.....  your vision 'accelerates', out past the frantic battle between STR and the remaining drones.....out into the blackness of space...towards....towards a cluster or 'roids........towards the largest............

.......and you snap back to your surroundings in the Manyanga.  Their's a single, large craft - you think it was a 'carrier' of some sort....  slowly coming out from behind the larger asteroid you saw..... and its picking up speed.  ETA 30 mins.  you know it's destination........ A-Z.

Umoja:

Strike Team Raptor is doing their level best against the smaller and faster drones......  you estimate however that whilst their ships are certainly 'capable', the smaller craft are running circles around them.....  an old style of 'pack attack' is being used by the drones....  keeping STR on their chasing after one target and then another whilst another drone swoops in for an attack.  Altough your sensors indicate little damage to STR's ships  - they can't keep this up for ever.....  they may simply be slowly 'picked' to death by the drones......  and now Robin is shouting down the comm's about something else on its way!

Ed:  Are you going to investigate the noise near the rear of A's ship?

[Umoja]

*Umanju looks around examining the scene*

I'm not used to fighting when, I can't just run away... so lets jury rig a solution here....

*Umaju tries to find the carriers frequency and sends a message across to it, he repeats it in English, Swahili, Portugese and Chinese.  He basically says "Stop please... We need to survive."*

[Senior Mal]

to umanju

"how very heroic"

to STR

"Strike Team Raptor this is Robin Teller, please be advised an unidentified carrier ship is approaching AZ from the belt ETA is 30 minutes"

[Aeon]

Jose swears uder his breath.

"Are you absolutely sure that I can't help in anyway?"

[CHILL]

OOC:  I'm away on holiday for a week, from now until Sunday 3rd March am, so hang on until then guys - Cheers - Chris

[Umoja]

I doubt you can fly a ship that you have to feel out for movement because this crap will explode without warning you, and I am not in the mood to die today.

*Umanju continues to play around with the controls*

[Manuel]

Could somebody briefly give me a situation update, so I know how to fit my character into what's going on?

[Aeon]

OOC - The Story so Far.

The game is set on the Absolute Zero Space Station.  Most of the events at the beginning of the game were, I imagine, pretty reflective of the normal state of affairs on A-Z.  Only a little while ago though, some drones have attacked the station.  Some PCs are on Umoja's ship, attemping to destroy drones, the NPC A is being trailed by another few PCs.  That's about it.  Your character could be anybody who would have business on A-Z.

Any specific questions?  Oh, and how about we move this to the OOC discussion in this folder?

[M’ryw "Ed"]

"Ed:  Are you going to investigate the noise near the rear of A's ship?"

Yes.

[CHILL]

OOC:  IM BACK!

Ed:

You carefully make your way back to the rear of the ship, and peering around the corner you see that above the main 'hatch' a small digicamera protrudes from a mechanical arm.

The camera pivots sharply in your direction, and you hear a voice coming from a speaker on the camera.

"What?"

The voice is A's

Umanju:

Against your expectations, you receive a vid repsonse in English, audio only however - the vid is deliverately blank.

"Unidentified craft, retreat fro the field of battle or face destruction along with Strike Team Raptor.  You will not be warned again"

Manuel:

You're in the thick of the action buddy - your in primary control of A-Z's exceptionally devastating automated defence systems.  Check the private mail I sent you to see the details.  Strike Team Raptor is half a dozen Locust Biofighters strong, their are an equal number of drones left, but STR is taking damage and can't seem to nail the drones.  The drones are unlike any design you;ve seen before - they are very very fast, and have a coordinated attack pattern.

You've faced off against Belt Pirates before, and none of them have ever used tech like this - in fact in the history of your career on A-Z, only 2 pirate groups have ever been stupid or desperate enough to attack A-Z directly.  

One thing is for certain, these ARE Belt Pirates - and there is probably a carrier class ship nearby that got those drones close enough to A-Z.

STR needs help.  There is one additional craft in the conflict - callsign the Manyanga, you can monitor broad communications from your station (eg the wide communication from Umanju).

Finally, the long range scanners (which isn;t far in the Belt) indicate a new craft on a direct heading to A-Z - and its BIG.  Looks like it might be the carrier.  It's about 30 - 40 minutes away - too far to get a recognition, but give it a few more minutes and you may be able to identify who the culprit is for this little attempt on the station.

[Manuel]

*Minobu looks at the situation again, after a few minutes of rest. He orders the techs:*

Look... get started rebooting life support and the automated functions.  I'm going to take control of the weapons..but only the weapons this time. You guys will have to take care of everything else, I'm too spent to keep it all running.

*He adjusted his IAR bioapp on his ear, and lays his hands on the defense station's control panel.*

(Using Technokinesis: Interface, taking control of defensive systems.  Will begin trying to isolate the comm frequency of the pirate fighters and flood it with intense jamming.  Will try to support STR, though won't risk it if there's danger of hitting them too.  Also, watch for any communications from the new ship to the pirates.)