Aberrant: Trans-Dimensional Explorations - SuperGeek Enterprises: Exploration

[SkyLion]

Even if we do blow up the carribean ship on the first shot, there are going to be Meklar likely fleeing on all kinds of assault craft. At least I am thinking that they have such things, if not other kind of attack drones or robots or powered armor or what have you... Hmmm...the idea just flashed in my head that the Meklar are technologically inclined psylons, who may have split off years ago but under the tech they are organic...wouldnt that be freaky???

Anyways.

I already had Esteban tell Michal to work up jamming so we can take a Meklar back for *him* to study. Especially if we want to research viruses and stuff we need to know more about them and we simply can't perform that kind of analysis in the field.

[Rorx]

Once we hit the Caribean ship the highguard ship may come looking for the attacker, which won't leave much time for checking the debris, especially if there are survivors. Perhaps it would be best to come back later to scavenge the wreck(s).

Hitting the highguard ship will probably take dodging through warps while the BFG recharges. Have to target the engines first, otherwise it may just leave after being hit once.

Ideally we would analyze any captives here, but that would be difficult with no facilities, and I doubt Michal will agree to come here to work on the computer/bio-virus.

[Alex Green]

I think what we need to do is to blow up the weaker ship and see how the other one reacts.

[SkyLion]

...and hope and pray to god that blowing up the 2 doesn't immediately mean the whole fleet warps in... ::ohmy

[Rorx]

So SkyLion, the Meklar can't be tech-minded Psylons since the Psylons like terran (Oxygen/Nitrogen) type planets rather than Methane/Ammonia ones.

I suppose we could try to build facilities here to analyze any captives, but virtually all the infrastructure is probably trashed, so we can't exactly order in the computer/electronic equipment we would probably need in addition to the test-tubes and reagents for the biological side of the testing. Mask and Nathan could help by Creating/Changing equipment, but only for limited durations. That means a long process of getting lots of equipment through the gate from SGE and making it pretty difficult to hide the existence of the gate - especially as your computers probably use OS and software never seen here before. ::ohmy

Alex, yep, hit the Caribean ship with a link between people at both sites to see what the highguard ship does. Leave a warp open when you fire the BFG so the attack team/person can just step through to a 'safe' location, perhaps a different location rather than back to Las Vegas in case they can trace the warpgate somehow.

Here's a thought, perhaps the safest place to shoot the highguard ship from is inside the couple of hundred yard safe zone around the downed ship? Mind you, the crew of the downed ship might then come out to deal with the problem? ::laugh

[Alex Green]

Here's a thought, perhaps the safest place to shoot the highguard ship from is inside the couple of hundred yard safe zone around the downed ship? Mind you, the crew of the downed ship might then come out to deal with the problem? ::laugh

If I was in the ship being shot at I'd shoot back.

[SkyLion]

So SkyLion, the Meklar can't be tech-minded Psylons since the Psylons like terran (Oxygen/Nitrogen) type planets rather than Methane/Ammonia ones.

I suppose we could try to build facilities here to analyze any captives, but virtually all the infrastructure is probably trashed, so we can't exactly order in the computer/electronic equipment we would probably need in addition to the test-tubes and reagents for the biological side of the testing. Mask and Nathan could help by Creating/Changing equipment, but only for limited durations. That means a long process of getting lots of equipment through the gate from SGE and making it pretty difficult to hide the existence of the gate - especially as your computers probably use OS and software never seen here before. ::ohmy

Alex, yep, hit the Caribean ship with a link between people at both sites to see what the highguard ship does. Leave a warp open when you fire the BFG so the attack team/person can just step through to a 'safe' location, perhaps a different location rather than back to Las Vegas in case they can trace the warpgate somehow.

Here's a thought, perhaps the safest place to shoot the highguard ship from is inside the couple of hundred yard safe zone around the downed ship? Mind you, the crew of the downed ship might then come out to deal with the problem? ::laugh

But were talking so many 10's(hundreds???) of thousands of years ago that the Meklar could have evolved seperately...like Romulans and Vulcans but more extreme.

Anyways, Im not taaking the idea too seriously. Just my paranoid player nature to think of things things. On the other hand if I turn out to be right, im going to give y'all a phat BOO-YAH Told ya so suckers!!!!

Ha! ::tongue

[Rorx]

If I was in the ship being shot at I'd shoot back.

Even if it meant damaging the ship you were trying to protect? That's not logical, and logic is one thing I would expect from a cyborg type race. ::smile

[Alex Green]

Even if it meant damaging the ship you were trying to protect? That's not logical, and logic is one thing I would expect from a cyborg type race. ::smile

Unfortunately it's very logical. You sacrifice a pawn in order to protect a Queen (or even two pawns), or you sac a pawn to endanger other pieces.

Or you kill someone before they can be captured by the enemy.

[Rorx]

The only one of those situations that would seem to apply is killing someone before they could be captured by the enemy. So far only two groups of 'our' troops seem to have reached the ship, a unit of military soon after it crashed (presumably before the highguard was in position) who were let aboard and never heard from again, and the Density Decrease nova, who got scared off when a robot or powersuited Meklar emerged to investigate/deal with him. In both cases they obviously felt the ship's own resources sufficient to deal with the threat.

If they were worried about the ship being captured surely they should have either lifted the crew/equipment off and scuttled it, or provided material aid in repairs, neither of which has visibly occurred to the observers outside the ships. Unfortunately, if they have access to warp/teleport technology they could easily be doing the repairs without us being able to know what was going on inside.

With regards to the local telepath being scared to try his abilities on them, perhaps he has a touch on Intuition or something as I wouldn't expect it to go well for him. After all these Meklar spent thousands of years fighting the Psylons, they must have developed mental defences and possibly retaliation abilities during that time.

Speaking of which how would you construct that, a bit like a mental Immolation, except it has to have virtually unlimited range, but only triggers to what is hopefully a rare event (Telepathy, Mental Blast, Domination?)

[Alex Green]

Unfortunately, if they have access to warp/teleport technology they could easily be doing the repairs without us being able to know what was going on inside.

They could be doing repairs even without having Warp. And they're borgs, they should be able to do figure out what's wrong and maybe repair it easily.

Speaking of which how would you construct that, a bit like a mental Immolation, except it has to have virtually unlimited range, but only triggers to what is hopefully a rare event (Telepathy, Mental Blast, Domination?)

Mental Blast + Reflexive with some strengths and weaknesses,

Immolate could probably be made Mental Only.

You'd have to house rule it but it could be done and easily.

[SkyLion]

Mental Blast + extra: Reflexive (When someone makes mental contact).

[Rorx]

They could be doing repairs even without having Warp. And they're borgs, they should be able to do figure out what's wrong and maybe repair it easily.

True, I just assumed that if the repairs are significant enough to take over 2 weeks then they would probably need outside resources, either in manpower, expertise or materials to complete them.

Maybe I'm just being a bit paranoid about why the ship has been down for 2 weeks without apparently doing anything nor having any noticeable contact with the other ships.

[BlueNinja]

If you wanted a sort of mental Immolate (to be the counterpart to a Psychic Shield, as FF is to Immolate) then I would let you take a Reflexive Mental Blast, with the limitation that it cannot be activated at will, only in response to a Telepathy/Mental Blast (or Domination with Telepathy) extra. Domination, Mirage, and Hypnotism, while all resisted by Psychic Shield, do not thematically have to be mental/telepathic in nature.

As for the downed Meklar fleet, any of the Mega-Int novas (except Nathan) would have been able to piece together from information that Michal gave them, that the Meklar seem to be a rather patient and thorough sort. They spend two or three decades strip-mining a planet of everything before moving along - the scouts in the downed ship could be reluctantly sitting in for a wait until their buddies wipe out the resistance that took them down and they can emerge to begin repairs. Alternately, they are doing repairs inside, as Paul suggested, or they are limited in how many of them actually have "survival" gear for an oxy-nitro atmosphere, or other reasons that are possibly incomprehensible to human minds.

[SkyLion]

Reflexive at one level inhibits normal use. At two levels the power can be used normally as well. With the weakness suggested you should be able to buy the second level of extra for free for 3 NPs...

[Alex Green]

RE: inhibits

I think it gives like a +1 diff but can otherwise can be used normally.

[AnonCastillo]

Hey, my computer died, so I'll be scarcer than usual for the next week or so.

[Rorx]

Hey Anon, I've found a decent cellphone and data bundle can work out, but watch your bundle limits! The first month I went a little OTT and read all the Trans D and a fair chunk of War Journel as well as normal posting and doubled my data limit. That little mistake cost me about £70, or about $135!

Any how, I tried to add Nathan to the 'Meet the Characters' thread, but it wouldn't take the Excel file. Should I try again, try a different format, or just not bother?

[BlueNinja]

It sounds like you guys are ready to make your strike.

So, going to the Carib to take down a (hopefully) defenseless ship will be Brandt and one of the warpers.

Going into the Meklar ship will be Zhenglai, Defender, Patricia, and who else?

How much time are you guys going to give the baselines to prepare, or are you just going to go without them?

[Rorx]

Nathan is eager for the boarding party.

I thought someone mentioned waiting until the gate was ready to use in case you needed a full retreat. That would give the colonel 2-3 hours to get his troops and equipment together with the help of a warper.

[Alex Green]

If we wait 2+ hours Paul can get a full tank of juice back and heal the Defender again.

And I think the Mask and Paul are going on that trip into the Ship. We'll take stuff to get an air sample too.

[Shade Sentinel]

aye, mask and paul are going in as well. I hopefully can summon some sort of sampling system...

[Rorx]

If its a straight chemical composition then Nathan can do it on a Per + Mol Man roll out to 140m.

In order to do more than that you'd probably need to take a sample to a lab. Given a lump of suitable inert material (glass or gold?) Nathan could Shape a suitable cavity in it then seal it up until you get back to the lab. Where he may be able to help analyze it, Science roll of 9[2](+1 Chemistry)+ Synergy {edit: + Science Prodigy}.

[Alex Green]

I think Michal will pay for this sort of thing. Who knows, maybe there's something funky in the air.

[Rorx]

I think Michal will pay for this sort of thing. Who knows, maybe there's something funky in the air.

True, could be the equivalent of bacteria, enzymes, pheromones, viruses etc that could be of interest, although working out a whole new biochemisty from an air sample and perhaps a couple of bodies (alive or dead) is not going to be trivial.

Best bet maybe grabbing any data storage items/devices for a cyberkinetic to try to access later - that way you could check it's clean before risking trying to link to our computer tech.

[SkyLion]

Esteban is going on the boarding party. Duh. He is still going to attempt the capture of a Meklar as well...

[BlueNinja]

OK, Brandt and Zhenglai will take care of Caribbean ship.

Defender, Patricia, Mask, Paul, Nathan, and Esteban are going to invade the downed ship.

What are Jonathan and Cameron doing?

[AnonCastillo]

Jonathan is not boarding the ship because he is a wuss.

[BlueNinja]

Goodness. I suppose it's almost a good thing the site has been down, as I've spent a week in a Japanese hospital after I started coughing up blood, and am now waiting for the military doctors to arrange for surgery on my lung. On the upside, I am at home and able to post. So I will be sending the-site-is-back-up e-mails to everyone and starting the boarding party part sometime today.

[Alex Green]

Goodness. I suppose it's almost a good thing the site has been down, as I've spent a week in a Japanese hospital after I started coughing up blood, and am now waiting for the military doctors to arrange for surgery on my lung...

:Gulp: That sounds bad BN. I hope they do a good job. ::ohmy

[Shade Sentinel]

Christ man...what happened?

I hope that all is well and that you get back to good health soon.

[AnonCastillo]

Since Jonathan's not going with either group, what is there to do?

[SkyLion]

One for for a xenomorph. Anyone elses have any other votes for what they would like to see Esteban become? ::cool

[BlueNinja]

Christ man...what happened?

I have a malformed artery in my left lung, that apparently split open from the stress of a chest cold. I am waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for them to schedule some kind of procedure to close it off, or cut it out, or something.

Since Jonathan's not going with either group, what is there to do?

Um ... well ... I had kinda figured that everyone would go with one group or another. ::huh You could talk to the military folks, and help them keep an eye out with their scanners.

[SkyLion]

Rorx:

In order for your formatting to work you need to use a second bracket with a forward slash. For exampe in your latest post you need to add a second bracket after your sentance like so: . Otherwise it just shows the code and doesn't change. Italics is and bold is etc.

I've fixed tihs for you a few times so I thought I should tell you. Also you can highlight text and just use the handy dandy buttons above the text box in the full reply screen..

As for my post, I am waiting for Archer and Shade and Sablesma to answer Esteban's question. I have one vote for alien,. I have my own idea, but I thought it would be fun to take requests. I will poke Shade. Someone else wnat to get Archer and Sablesma?

[BlueNinja]

I think I was a little unclear.

The soldiers are suggesting they split up. The soldiers, with Patricia with them for quick escape, are going to try and hit the shield generators. This leaves you guys free to hit another area - engines, weapons, bridge, living quarters, whatever. Or you can send them after another part of the ship and take the shields yourselves.

[Shade Sentinel]

The mask has zero interest in Estebans for so no sense in waiting for me :-D

[Rorx]

Cheers Sky, about half or more of posts I make are done from my mobile, so I can't use the buttons. Thus I have to use the code, and just hope I remember to close it when I've finished.

If we are splitting then I'd go for the weapons and hope to figure out there principles if not grabbing examples of key components to help us duplicate there weapons for our defense.

[Alex Green]

Not weapons. Engines. That's where we're going to see how their tech works and learn new principals.

[Rorx]

I agree that may be the case, but when pushed for time and needing weapons to fight an enemy would you look at an internal combustion engine to work things out or try to do a straight copy of the 30mm autocannons?