Aberrant: Trans-Dimensional Explorations - Trans-Dimensional Explorations

[Alex Green]

Paul says,

"Sounds like a plan. Go in, kill everyone in the room, then plant Esteban in the door frame. Let's move."

[SkyLion]

"We are wasting time, we'll head for the engines and hope to have time to look at other areas later. To burn the Methane I'll need to alter the atmosphere so that there is 3 times as many O2 molecules as methane ones, which shouldn't be a problem. However, I'll only be able to do that for a section at a time, unless they have all the bulkheads open. If I boost the oxygen level up to about 6-7 times that of the methane the mixture will be explosive, in either case I wouldn't want to stay around and it is likely to damage the system we are trying to study. I think we should just rush an area of interest and seal it off while we deal with it, then emerge later into the next section. If we grab engineering and can work out the controls we may be able to isolate them in pockets from there."

"I agree...don't burn out what we want to study, but it would be a great way to soften up the barracks, and choke the one's not in life support..."

Esteban takes point, the better to frighten any Meklar with his horrific visage (as well as take any solid hits). He does however do his best to keep that from happening as long as possible, seeing through walls and around corners to help them evade any Meklar (which may not be possible if they have AI or even just people monitoring internal cameras...but he will try anyway..)

[Rorx]

Nathan will bow and wave Esteban on up the corridor, while his shiny Osmium form takes on a fuzzy dark grey appearance.

"Lead on my large, acid dripping friend, I believe engineering is meant to be about 20m ahead of us. If you just wanted to choke them I could change their atmosphere into ours, but as you said, some may be life support capable or equipped."

[BlueNinja]

(BN - So they landed/crashed on their weapons?)

Correct.

"I agree...don't burn out what we want to study, but it would be a great way to soften up the barracks, and choke the one's not in life support..."

Esteban takes point, the better to frighten any Meklar with his horrific visage (as well as take any solid hits). He does however do his best to keep that from happening as long as possible, seeing through walls and around corners to help them evade any Meklar (which may not be possible if they have AI or even just people monitoring internal cameras...but he will try anyway..)

As the group moves out, Defender smiles and moves to the rear of the group, apparently happy to defend against surprises. As the group moves down the hallway towards the engine section, some kind of alarm goes off. Defender looks forward towards Esteban. "I think we had best move quickly, and strike them before they can shut us out."

((Combat will begin as soon as you open the door, in the following order of initiative! Declare your actions.

Nathan: 18

Esteban: 18

Paul: 14

Simon: 14

Defender: 18

Meklar: 12))

[Rorx]

If for some reason Nathan goes first he will open the door (presumably by triggering a control nearby?), go through the door and step to the left (if possible) leaving a clearer field for Esteban. Once inside the room/section Nathan will attempt to Alter their methane/ammonia atmosphere into our familiar O2/N2 dominated one.

[Alex Green]

Paul will continue to hover near the ceiling and prepare to dodge anything that comes his way. Although his weapon is out, if he gets the chance he will open with a "death" attack on any Meklar with in range.

[archer]

Zhenglai looks at Brandt blankly for a moment, then shakes his head. "I do not know. If we are going to stay around, it is still best if we decide on a place to flee to, so that I can be prepared to warp us to safety. Though it might be summer there, I doubt Antarctica is the best destination."

Brandt grins. "Agreed. I know a lovely place in Peru that's relatively uninhabited, at least in our world. Or do you require the location to be somewhere you're already familiar with?"

((I'd like Brandt to be able to respond to Paul, but I'm not sure on the timing. I know there's been a few minutes of travel and conversation on their end, and I don't know how long it's been for Brandt and Zhenglai.))

[Shade Sentinel]

Simon maintains his forcefield, in case there is an attack, preparing possibly a bolt of quantum energy, or a quick summon should he need it. He stands to the rear of the group, or near Defender...whereever that may be.

[Rorx]

Giving Esteban's new form a careful lookover Nathan changes his plan... and Alters the doors into the Engineering section into 2 metallic replicas of Esteban's new form, complete with claws, serrated tail and partially extended inner jaws. He'll then use them for cover while preparing to Animate then against any Meklar inside at his first oppurtunity.

[SkyLion]

As the team approaches the door to main engineering Esteban scans through and sees the Meklar on the other side. he motions for the team to hudle close.

"Okay here is what we do. Hide on either side of the door. Nathan, you turn the door into a metal monster and then phase under the floor. We wait until the surprised Meklar blow their wad on the decoy and then Senior Blue and I rush in. Paul, you and Nathan take them by surprise, you invisible from above and Nathan phasing in under their feet from below. I will draw fear and fire and the ensuing chaos should give us the edge. Blitzkrieg....but wait until they have fired on Nathan's decoy...got it?"

((OOC Esteban recommends hiding, holding initiative until after the Meklar go, and then use the ambush rules for a free sneak attack each (ambush rules) for Paul and Nathan while Esteban has them quaking with Face of Terror. Oh yeah, and Esteban will activate his AP claws. for his attack, using the tendril for extra range and surprise. BlueNinja: since everyone has declared now, and since Esteban had the high initiative and the look through walls ability we can have the huddle happen immediately prior and that way you can just post up. I don't think anyone will object to getting it moving...))

[Rorx]

"Did you want me to Animate the beast as well before we move or just create the form?"

(OOC - I'm not sure if, or how many of those 3 things Nathan could do in 1 turn: Alter, Animate and Phase. )

[SkyLion]

It is strange to hear Esteban's latino voice echoing from inside the xenomophs throat. Apparently he had kept a voice box hidden within the slavering beat's carapace. "Animate it. Give them a decoy to attack..."

As Nathan prepares to turn the aliens' ship against them, Estebans claws seem to elongate and extend and the spike on his tail grows even more scythe like.

[BlueNinja]

Nathan focuses on the door, and the metal shimmers and warps, suddenly becoming a figure shaped like Esteban's exomorph form. The Meklar inside squawks something, and fires upon the decoy, blowing apart most of the head of the decoy figurine.

Since Esteban said to spring as soon as the decoy was fired upon, Defender leaps into action. "Your reign of terror is about to be deposed!" he shouts, zipping over the decoy in a trail of red, white, and blue light. His punch barely clips the Meklar on the other side of the door, but that's enough to nearly rip the cyborg in half, leaving it dangling over the railing as Defender comes to halt a few inches from the opposite wall.

With the value of surprise now gone, Esteban leaps through the doorway, flinging his razor-sharp tail at the other Meklar along the walkway on this level. Even had the alien been prepared for this attack, he couldn't have dodged. Esteban's sharped tail slices him into half along the vertical.

Paul swoops in the doorway behind Defender, hovering near the ceiling with an open shot at the Meklar on the level down below. It seems to have connected its cybernetic components to some portion of the engines. Paul carefully aims, and turns the Meklar into nothingness, leaving the hook-ups dangling uselessly.

With all three Meklar slain so swiftly, the engine rooms are eerily quiet.

((Ok, who wants to take a stab at understanding the alien components, with Engineering, Computers, Investigation, or Intrusion? There are difficulties involved depending on the skill.))

[BlueNinja]

Brandt grins. "Agreed. I know a lovely place in Peru that's relatively uninhabited, at least in our world. Or do you require the location to be somewhere you're already familiar with?"

((I'd like Brandt to be able to respond to Paul, but I'm not sure on the timing. I know there's been a few minutes of travel and conversation on their end, and I don't know how long it's been for Brandt and Zhenglai.))

((You can reply now, combat took less time than I'd expected. ::biggrin ))

Zhenglai shrugs. "If you can provide me with a mental image, we can find out how similar it is to our own world." ((Warp on-line. ::cool ))

[Rorx]

Nathan will move into the Engineering section and to the nearest console to start trying to make sense of their systems [Engineering + Engineerng Prodigy].

First order of business would be system status, did any of the now deceased Meklar have a deadman's switch to the engines?

2nd would be any method of taking control of bulkheads etc to isolate the other crew so that we could deal with them in small groups or individually.

[Shade Sentinel]

Had Simon not been wearing his Obsidian Mask, his team would have seen the utter shock on his face. The awesome sight of these Nova's in action honestly impressed him. Slowly releasing the energy he was building for a quantum bolt, he moves in to stand next to the Defender.

"Quite impressive and certainly most effective" his speech directed to the massive Nova.

Turning to regard Esteban he adds..."Had I known you were so deadly...I certainly wouldn't have argued with you a few worlds ago." His chuckle sounds bizarre with his Robotic Unearthly voice.

[Rorx]

"So you haven't had violent encounters on the other alternate worlds you have visited? Presumably they haven't had any higher levels of technology either."

[archer]

*Brandt, please take out the other ship when you can. We have an embarrassment of riches here.*

The speedster sighs, and glances over at his Chinese companion. "Nevermind Peru, my friend. Dr. Blue has just asked for our assistance. Looks like we're heading back to deal with the guardian ship hovering over the Nevada desert."

Just to be sure, Brandt pings the mental network to get Paul's attention. *Just for clarification, I assume by 'other ship' you mean the one positioned above you right now? Zhenglai and I have already taken out the one over the Caribbean. How's it going on your end, by the way?*

[BlueNinja]

Nathan will move into the Engineering section and to the nearest console to start trying to make sense of their systems [Engineering + Engineerng Prodigy].

First order of business would be system status, did any of the now deceased Meklar have a deadman's switch to the engines?

2nd would be any method of taking control of bulkheads etc to isolate the other crew so that we could deal with them in small groups or individually.

Somehow, despite the systems being built by alien minds, using technology that is currently beyond the human minds in half a dozen known universes, you get into the system pretty easily. The vaporized Meklar was running diagnostics and repair simulations. The engines are running at slightly above minimum capacity, just to keep the life support running. From here, you could cut power to the replication units, but you can't turn off things like manual door power or the ventilation system without cutting the lights.

Had Simon not been wearing his Obsidian Mask, his team would have seen the utter shock on his face. The awesome sight of these Nova's in action honestly impressed him. Slowly releasing the energy he was building for a quantum bolt, he moves in to stand next to the Defender.

"Quite impressive and certainly most effective" his speech directed to the massive Nova.

Defender drops to the lower floor and nods to Simon. "And there's more where that came from! These twin hellfire cannons never run out of ammunition." He flexes his arms to show off, then turns to look around, obviously not sure what to do now.

[Rorx]

What damage had they taken, and how far had the repairs progressed?

"There is no overide for the internal doors, I can't isolate them. I have shut off the power to the replicators."

Carry on looking for a schematic of the ship, preferably one that shows where the meklar are. Better make sure they don't have a self-destruct, and if they do, deactivate it.

[Alex Green]

((Ok, who wants to take a stab at understanding the alien components, with Engineering, Computers, Investigation, or Intrusion? There are difficulties involved depending on the skill.))

Paul runs wild with his camera, taking shot after shot. He tries to use his (small) Engineering knowledge to guild what's he's doing, but mostly he's content to take lots of shots.

"So you haven't had violent encounters on the other alternate worlds you have visited? Presumably they haven't had any higher levels of technology either."

Paul answers (still invisibly and with clicks of his working going on), "We try to avoid violence. We're not morally opposed to it, but we're the intruders so stealth and negotiation are much more effective than fighting everyone we run into."

"We've run into high tech a couple of times but only fragments or not in a context where we could have any hope of making sense of it. Once we found something that would pump nova powers insanely high... and we had to destroy it because all the novas were insane and we were headed that way. This is working out to be our best run as far as tech goes. I'm planning on stealing anything that isn't nailed down."

Just to be sure, Brandt pings the mental network to get Paul's attention. *Just for clarification, I assume by 'other ship' you mean the one positioned above you right now? Zhenglai and I have already taken out the one over the Caribbean. How's it going on your end, by the way?*

Paul sends back,

*We're in the Engine room, we've killed Meklar already, and we're trying to record or steal lots of good stuff. So yes please. Nail the other ship above us.*

Defender drops to the lower floor and nods to Simon. "And there's more where that came from! These twin hellfire cannons never run out of ammunition." He flexes his arms to show off, then turns to look around, obviously not sure what to do now.

Paul asks,

"Defender. I'm sure they're going to send guys(?) after us. Please guard the door."

"There is no overide for the internal doors, I can't isolate them. I have shut off the power to the replicators."

Carry on looking for a schematic of the ship, preferably one that shows where the meklar are. Better make sure they don't have a self-destruct, and if they do, deactivate it.

Paul asks,

"Can you bring up various scamatics of what is what down here? I've got a camera going. And can't you use your power to get rid of the door?"

[Shade Sentinel]

Simon is less intrigued by all the technology then most. He does not feign disinterest, he is merely more concerned with the situation at hand.

"Assuming that they now know we are here...we should prepare for an organized attack. Surely they have soldiers to send, Defender I agree with Paul. You are the best defense we have against them. I doubt they can match your speed or raw power...if they can we're in trouble."

"I do have an idea that may get us somewhere...if I can...do it right." Focusing his summoning energies, Simon will do his best to create a copy of the Defender...even out of plastic or porcelain if anything. It doesn't have to be perfect, just realistic enough from a distance. Once completed, he will carry it down the hallway a bit.

"Hopefully they will blast this and be confused...at least momentarily. If they have us on any surveillance though...it may be a useless tactic."

[Rorx]

Paul asks,

"Can you bring up various scamatics of what is what down here? I've got a camera going. And can't you use your power to get rid of the door?"

Nathan calls back over his shoulder as he works at the console: "Can do on the schematics, and I've got a video feed into my PDA going for what I'm doing and seeing. Getting rid of the door wasn't the objective. I was trying to find all the Meklar on board and then use the internal door controls to lock them into small groups or individuals so that we had an easier time of taking them out. If that wasn't going to work I'd have settled for just locking the armoury door out of their control so that they would be as easy to take out as this group was, rather than in some form of armour and with heavier weapons."

"As it stands I suppose our best bet now would be to find the armoury, and get there first, so that we can either use their stuff against them or I can seal it if that doesn't seem practical."

"Hopefully we'll be able to clear the crew out while your associates deal with the rest of the opposition above us, so that we can investigate this ship in more leisure. Otherwise try to find anything that might be a portable data device that we can try to download as much stuff as possible from their technical and scientific libraries onto. I doubt we have time to try to figure out how to get their kit to talk to our kit right here and now."

"Actually, Mask, have you got power to spare to create a gate and some of you otherwise unengaged could pass through anything small enough to fit, that isn't connected to the walls or deck? A Meklar body or two might be an idea as well."

[Shade Sentinel]

"If a gate is needed, I can do that easily enough. Would now be a good time to begin pillaging?"

[Rorx]

"Thanks, Mask. Better start now, aftera ll we don't know how quickly or hard they will be able to hit us, so the more we can get out as we go along the better. Anywhere you think will be safe for now, but make sure we all know where in case something happens to you in here." ::biggrin

[Alex Green]

"If a gate is needed, I can do that easily enough. Would now be a good time to begin pillaging?"

Paul replies,

"Yes, let's toss through the bodies and whatever isn't nailed down. And if it can be ripped off then it's not nailed down."

"And question, if we turned off the main power and life support, would that freeze the doors shut?"

[Rorx]

Paul replies,

"And question, if we turned off the main power and life support, would that freeze the doors shut?"

Nathan says,

"Yes, it might do, but does anyone have spare lights on them? The other thing is if we turn off all the power we lose access to a lot of the data sources with no quarantee we can get the power back on."

[Alex Green]

Nathan says,

"Yes, it might do, but does anyone have spare lights on them? The other thing is if we turn off all the power we lose access to a lot of the data sources with no quarantee we can get the power back on."

Paul answers,

"My gun scope has a light, and I'm sure the Mask can create a dozen flashlights if need be. Depends on whether we can keep the ship or if we have to flee. Any indications in there as to how many of them there are?"

[SkyLion]

Esteban maintains a highly alert vigil scanning through the bulkheads and looking for Meklar. He also uses his claws and/or great strength to aid in the looting process.

[Rorx]

Paul answers,

"My gun scope has a light, and I'm sure the Mask can create a dozen flashlights if need be. Depends on whether we can keep the ship or if we have to flee. Any indications in there as to how many of them there are?"

Nathan continues accessing the console as best he can.

"Mask can create objects? Oh, yes, I think someone mentioned that, interesting...Anyway, I'm still trying to get a schematic up that will show were the crew are at the moment, but from the briefing that Patricia and your Chinese associate gave us this ship should have only had a crew of about 30. In whihch case we have already taken 10% of them out, and they may have had fatalities from the damage and subsequent crash."

[BlueNinja]

"I do have an idea that may get us somewhere...if I can...do it right." Focusing his summoning energies, Simon will do his best to create a copy of the Defender...even out of plastic or porcelain if anything. It doesn't have to be perfect, just realistic enough from a distance. Once completed, he will carry it down the hallway a bit.

"Hopefully they will blast this and be confused...at least momentarily. If they have us on any surveillance though...it may be a useless tactic."

Defender raises an eyebrow as you create a perfect plastic resin copy of him, down to the faint blond stubble on his chin. But he takes up position in the door, ironically posing to match the decoy statue down the hall.

Nathan calls back over his shoulder as he works at the console: "Can do on the schematics, and I've got a video feed into my PDA going for what I'm doing and seeing. Getting rid of the door wasn't the objective. I was trying to find all the Meklar on board and then use the internal door controls to lock them into small groups or individuals so that we had an easier time of taking them out. If that wasn't going to work I'd have settled for just locking the armoury door out of their control so that they would be as easy to take out as this group was, rather than in some form of armour and with heavier weapons."

The ship schematics match almost perfectly what Theo and Zhenglai had been given by the Psylons. Presumably the difference is in the equipment.

There is no armory, that you cna find as you don't speak Meklar, but rather three different rooms marked with some kind of alien symbol that seem to denote explosives. Probably that's the best bet. The nearest one is on the lower level (second deck, where Nathan's currently hacking the computers) - and Esteban sees four Meklar, much bulkier than the ones before, coming down the hallway on that level, from that direction. Which means they'll be entering a different door than the one Defender (and his plastic-man decoy) is currently guarding.

[BlueNinja]

Nathan continues accessing the console as best he can.

"Mask can create objects? Oh, yes, I think someone mentioned that, interesting...Anyway, I'm still trying to get a schematic up that will show were the crew are at the moment, but from the briefing that Patricia and your Chinese associate gave us this ship should have only had a crew of about 30. In whihch case we have already taken 10% of them out, and they may have had fatalities from the damage and subsequent crash."

What you think is their "medical bay" is currently housing two patients. No way to know if they're on the verge of death or barely-injured walking wounded.

[SkyLion]

"I have four battle-armored Meklar approaching from the South. Nathan, can you animate the Mask's mannequin? Drfender and I can move to intercept them and buy you time, Nathan, I suggest sealing the room after we leave..."

[Rorx]

Nathan will move into sight of the mannequin long enough to Animate it and send it on it's way to destruction downstairs, then return to the console until all those going through have done so.

In the meantime he will comment to Esteban.

"Si Senor. However, they just blew apart the statues I made from the door material up here, so I don't know that seal the doors is going to make much difference.

Presumably the schematic Nathan now has up shows where the Meklar are if it shows the 2 'patients' in the 'medical bay', so how many are left and where are they? Does it also show where we and the troops are? We have a radio link to the troops/Patricia so Nathan will warn them of any approaching Meklar and keep them appraised of our situation.

[Shade Sentinel]

With his copy complete, Simon will begin summoning up a Warp to Their last destination in case an escape is needed. When that task is completed, he will resume his force field.

[SkyLion]

"Eh, can you reinforce the doors molecular structure to match the bulkheads?"

[Rorx]

Nathan shakes his head as he continues with his work.

"Thick, thick, thick...you're letting the side down Nate, don't get too focussed. Don't worry Esteban, I think perhaps 3ft thick Osmium/Iridium alloy filling the doorway should do it, or at least that's what I'll aim for."

[Alex Green]

Paul continues to move around and take lots of photos from various angles. If and when the Meklar get closer he'll move to the wall they'll enter from so he is out of the other novas way and can 'bolt' them from behind.

[archer]

Paul sends back,

*We're in the Engine room, we've killed Meklar already, and we're trying to record or steal lots of good stuff. So yes please. Nail the other ship above us.*

Nodding to Zhenglai, Brandt thinks back at Paul. *Nice work. As soon as Zhenglai here opens a gate, we'll be on our way.*

Aloud, he says, "Ready when you are."

[SkyLion]

"Ready to rumble?" El Nahual asks of the Defender?

The two make their way through the ship tunnels with Nathan reinforcing the bulkheads. Esteban is sure to actively "handle" the Defender:

"Alright, I can see when they are going to come around corners so we ambush them hard and fast and then retreat back to other tunnels. Keep 'em guessing and force them into fighting us in bottlenecks. Sound good?"