Iron Stars - cicero

Cicero Yamado, a newly appointed royal Huscarl sits in his barracks room, pondering the days training events. He was just given his forest green greatcoat and polished ceremonial las-lock rifle a few days beforehand, and is still getting used to people even of greater rank in the regular army saluting him. "To represent the Huscarls is to represent the Cooperative, it's people, and its King. Long Live King Buchannon" You still remember the short oath made, under the silent presence of the new King, and his attendants. Just a few short months ago the public learned that the recently swept aside nobility had one more card to play, and an Iron Cyst began developing in the King's body. The rumor is the condition is ancient and pretech, and while not contagious to anyone else, the former King will surely die. Heirless, and sensing a succession crisis on the winds if he did not act. he appointed a successor to ensure the Cooperative remains strong. The oath remains strong. King Buchannon was a man who devoted his life to the Cooperative, and had even cast aside association with the noble house that brought him into the world for the sake of advancing the collective good of the public. There is a sharp knock on your small private room, before a thin data-pad is slipped underneath. Pads like this are common within the palace, simple message readers that erase once the screen tracks eye movements have read the text.

Cicero sits calmly at his small desk in his room and stares at the wall, thinking to himself "one step closer.." The knock at the door startles him, and he notices the datapad lying on the floor. "Odd." He utters, standing up to walk over and see what is on the datapad (edited)

The insignia of the polity flashes briefly before the yellow field fades away to reveal your orders. The system is named Vergopolis, and the entire star system was cleansed of life by the shapers, or so it had seemed. An anomalous signal has been detected in the system by deep space communication systems and a small team is being put together to explore the system and find the source of the signal.

6:52 PM

You are advised to report to the King directly , in his study. Directions are provided and the pad will serve as your security clearance

A lump forms in Cicero's throat as he reads the words on the datapad. 'Report to the King directly... I must be dreaming.." the thought fades as he stands upright again, puts on his new coat, gathers his belongings and heads out the door, following the directions provided

thoughts race and you absorb few details of your surroundings as you move from your room down the winding corridors of the castle and to the King's study. Two Huscarls in power armor stand outside the door, and upon looking over your data pad step aside and open the door for you, allowing you entry. King Buchannon is sitting in a large armchair looking into a fire. A piece of paper is balled up from his study pad and thrown into it, along with the electronic quill pen he was using a second later.

9:21 PM

"Sit, please" he says, pointing to the chair next to him.

Cicero stammers a bit and says "Thank you, sir, er... Your highness." As he moves to sit in the chair.

He sits down and fidgets a bit as he finds himself calmed by the crackling of the fire, and looks at Buchanan, anticipating his words

“I’ve got something I need your help with. Your file was passed to me. Good training scores. Devoted to the job and the crown , you remind me of me when I was in the Huscarls. I’ve got a job for you, an important one , and it’s one that needs a bit of quiet about it due to the trouble the Cooperative has been in lately “

3:23 PM

“We can’t afford another international embarrassment “

Cicero straightens up, listening intently, then responds "It would be my honor, Sir."

3:30 PM

"I understand when matters are sensitive, discretion is paramount, I'll do my best to uphold your interests."

"We need you to look into the Vergopolis system .There's almost no records about it but we detected a signal there. It might be a lost colony ship , it might be a pocket of survivors, it might be pirates waiting to ambush any scout vessels that show up. We'd like to send you and one of our Heavy Frigates to the system, under your acting command for the ground or boarding element of the investigation"

1:19 PM

"I'd like to know what the signal is, and if it is something that can be of use to the Cooperative we need to secure it and handle it as best we can"

"I see. The Vergopolis system." Cicero ponders a moment and gains a determined look on his face. "When do I report for deployment, Highness?"

“As soon as we are done talking. You’ll be beholden to the captain of the ship while Underway and on the way home. He also has the final say on what is brought aboard the ship if that becomes relevant , and he is likewise been ordered not to interfere with you or your men outside of communications support and extraction once you’re at the target site. Think of him as a peer, or at least an older brother with a car “

Cicero loosens up a bit at that last line, "Understood.. Sir, it is an honor to serve. I will not let you down." With that, he stands up, straightening his coat, and says "Is there anything else for now, Highness?"

“The ship will have a locker and armory aboard. Take whatever you need once you get to the destination. Kings orders. The quartermaster can come talk to me themselves if they give you a problem”

"Yes Sir!" Cicero heads to the door.

(if there's anything you wanted to do on Jagrati before we go, we can, otherwise we can push right into the mission)

(I'm happy to jump into the mission, i doubt Jagrati would have much in terms of sentimental value. Cicero is a soldier, ready to go)

1:03 PM

The NMS benefactor is the ship assigned to the job and is currently docked in space undergoing extensive last minute upkeep. The ship lacks atmospheric configuration, but its cargo lighter is currently on the surface waiting to bring you into space, where you'll meet the captain and set out. It's crew is just finishing pre flight checks when you exit the palace, and make your way across town to the chain link fenced in starport.

(Is there a standard NMC salute or gesture of respect?)

(nothing special or strictly NMC)

(If i would know where the captain would be, i'll go directly to them, Otherwise i'll speak with a crew member)

(they're on the ship in space, this is your ride up there)

3:05 PM

(if you dont want to talk with the flight crew we can just move on)

(Sounds good, let's do that, assuming it's a routine transit)

(yeah routine here) The cargo lighter has the last of the supplies for the trip and taken into a small docking bay in the hull of the Heavy frigate. Upon entering and the doors closing behind the cargo shuttle, you can see the interior lights come on. The Captain, his first mate, and a dozen or so ratings here to move the cargo into its various supply rooms are all here, some waiting to meet you, some waiting to finish their duties.

Cicero walks towards the Captain and reaches out his hand, "Captain, I'm Cicero Yamado, Royal Huscarl and agent of King Buchanan. Pleased to be aboard."

"Welcome aboard. Captain Bryit, at your service. We have twenty marlines aboard waiting for you to make your introduction down a deck in the crew berth. We're fueled up and with you aboard we're ready to get underway. We are going to be in spike for 5 days, with a brief stop at Benavides for fuel and topping up our stores halfway between, and that will be our last stop before the target system. Otherwise, you;'re free to wander the ship, just try to stay out of the drive technicians way"

"Well met, Captain, and thank you for the lift. I'll head down to meet the crew now, and then I'd like to find a meal. I've been anxious all day and now I'm starving. I'll come find you if I need you, otherwise I'm sure the crew can assist with anything minor that comes up."

He tips his hat. "We will send a signal six hours before arriving at Vergopolis, so expect a signal in five days if we do not talk sooner. We will meet to ensure everyone has some general sense of the plan going forward,and it is a good idea for you to be on the bridge when we get into the system, so we can figure out what exactly we're dealing with"

"I won't miss it, and I'm sure we'll run into each other before then." Osmar nods and begins heading to meet the crew.

You are brought down the cargo lift to the crew bay. Twenty soldiers in less ornamented green uniforms of the regular infantry get to their feet from various places around the bay, lounging in bunks, playing cards with off duty naval crew, and play sparing in a large fighting circle carved into the deck with a combat knife. Some of them try to stand in front of it so you do not see the lines they have carved into the deck.

"Ahem!" Cicero stands up straight, demanding the attention of the men. "I will keep this brief. I am Cicero Yamado, Royal Huscarl and agent of the King. We are headed to the Vergopolis sector to investigate an anomalous signal. There isn't much more information than that, so I expect just a few things from you when we arrive. One: Pay Attention. To everything, and take nothing for granted. Two: Be Prepared. This includes maintenance for yourself and your equipment to keep both in perfect functioning order. I'm sure this isn't your first time aboard a boat like this, so you know the drill. Stay out of the crews way and keep your heads down. We'll get our action soon enough." "Is that clear?"

A chorus of affirmatives come back in your direction. Naval and army affirmatives overlap with one another but you udnerstand enough that everybody is going to do what they're told, and making a further scene is extra. They wait to be dismissed or to hear if you have any additional standing orders.

"As you were, and let's keep the sparring friendly while we're here." Cicero relaxes his stance and turns back towards the entrance to find the mess hall and a bite to eat

Naval food isn't know to be the best in the galaxy, but you're hungry enough right now and your position gets you treatment better than the common file trooper- eating what the ship officers eat instead. You feel a lurch in your stomach just for a moment as the ship enters spike space.

3:18 PM

(5 days of downtime and we can figure out how we want to use that)

3:18 PM

(I'd like to work on my Heal skill. My stats are pretty bland so I may try to go for the "pretty good at a lot of stuff" type character. I would hang around any kind of medical bay to try and learn what i can in the relatively short trip) (edited)

(or at least, kinda good at a few things ) (edited)

(Sure thing. So we are 5/90 for heal)

8:33 PM

Six hours before translation on the fifth day the tri tone alarm that comes before any address by the captain echoes through the ship. Your presence is required on the bridge so a plan can be formulated upon entering the system

Cicero perks up at the first crackle of the tone, listens intently, and quickly makes his way to Captain Bryit.

The entire bridge crew is ready near the briefing table when you make it to the bridge, leaving the marine company assembling below. "Ah, Huscarl Yamado, thank you for joining us. We're going to be arriving in the target system in about six hours now, and I wanted to run through two possible scenarios with you so you know how to prepare your men"

"Excellent. Let me see what you have thus far."

Nekosmash pinned a message to this channel. 10/14/2021 3:26 PM

There are two plans. One involves a planetary landing and this one comes first. The ship lacks atmospheric configuration so will have to deploy landing forces with its cargo lighter close to where the signal is if it originates from the surface of a planet. They know the shapers cleansed the life off of the worlds here and its expected planeside is going to be a ball of airless rock with the anomaly clearly visible. The cargo lighter can deploy the entire infantry component of the mission at once while naval armsmen remain behind to secure the ship. If the signal is coming from a ship the communications department is going to try to get a hail first. If nothing is heard back or the situation can't be determined the ship will attempt a boarding operation using EVA equipped marines to force an airlock on the other vessel and secure it for your entry and examination of the ship.

"I suppose we won't be able to make any further direct plans until we know what we're going to find. How long will the initial scans take once we arrive?"

“About ten minutes, which on the scale of ship activities is not much time at all”

"Has the landing crew been alerted yet? I'll want to make sure everyone is ready." (edited)

“They would have heard the captains address. They know their job. We would like you to remain here with us as we enter the system “

8:20 PM

On the wall the mission clock has ticked down to two minutes until system edge (edited)

"Yes, Captain. Ready"

The clock moves down to zero and the blue tunnel of spike space fades away, leaving you at system edge. Scanners and other bridge stations begin coming online as power is diverted away from the drive system. You can see what once was a truly beautiful oceanic planet has been entirely drained and destroyed now. It is barren with the continental plates now looking as massive canyons where oceans once filled in. There is no sign of any shaper vessels here, not that any of the bridge stations expected to see any- still the evidence of their passing and the marks they have left on this system are profound. The comms station comes alive, detecting a ship. The captain signals for it to be pulled up on the main screen, and they report communications cannot be raised. The ship is Noctua in origin and very large, tens of thousands might be inside, and it looks like they have sustained heavy damage.

"So it's a ship after all. I recommend approaching with caution. Whatever damaged that ship might still be here, and we don't want to be caught surprised."

"there is an armored vac suit in the armory, get your men ready and meet us with ten of your best in the cargo lighter bay, we're going to have to fly over and force an airlock"

"10-4 Captain." Cicero heads to the armory and gets suited up quickly, taking an extra minute to double check the suits core systems, then heads to meet the marines and get the boarding crew selected

(and I'll select the men that look the most rested and put-together, if there's any reason to be picky)

1:17 PM

(otherwise I'll get it together and lead the men to the cargo bay)

(So for now we're in an AC13 armored vac suit, so we can breathe , we dont know if the other ship will have air)

2:06 PM

Ten men, plus you and the flight crew are going to be able to fit into the cargo lighter. There will be a short EVA walk from the cargo lighter to the airlock on the noctua exodus vessel, and you have no idea what you might encounter inside. The flight crew is prepared, and so are your men. The ramp lowers, and everyone begins trundling aboard.

"Stay tight and keep your eyes up. Let's go!"

The cargo lighter flies free of the Heavy Frigate with you aboard- along with your men. Air mixes are checked and helmets are clamped into place. Weapons are checked and the team makes ready for the possibly dangerous process of boarding the noctua ship. There is a passenger airlock on the right side of the vessel and this is where you will make your space walk over to the door. You're unsure how long passes in the dark confines of the cargo lighter, but you are roused from your thoughts by the crew chief, letting you know they're as close as they're able to get, and they're ready to assist with the EVA over to it.

Cicero signals to the crew chief to start the EVA process with a firm nod, "Ready."

Helmets are locked into place. Air mix indicators turn green. You can feel pressure equalizing in your suit. Void Carbines are passed out to each of you, which will not punch through the hull if you have to fire on anything inside and miss. The crew chief is also in a vac suit and prepares to open the door. A mag tether is locked into place and will fire to the noctua ships airlock once you clip in. The count down from five winds back and the tether fires. Covered by two shooters from the cargo lighter airlock, the crew chief waves you forward to follow the tether over.

Without another word, Cicero starts across the tether to meet the other vessel

(Fix /int as we get to the other side)

(5 total)

You fuss over the airlock for five minutes, as the rest of the team stacks up on the tether behind you, before finally forcing it open. The power inside has failed at least in this section of the ship, and you're forced to stoop a bit as you enter to mess with the interior door. The team begins piling in behind you, covering you while you spin the flywheel- before entering the dark expedition deck of the stricken Noctua ship. Several dark lumpy shapes are briefly illuminated by your flashlights, all lying on the floor in strange positions.,

"Got a bad feeling about this.." Cicero utters half under his breath as he approaches the nearest lump to investigate it.

You begin investigating the bodies here, and upon turning one of the lumps over, your men do the same to the others and a story begins to come together. An Ascendency boarding team had been aboard the ship- how they got aboard was not apparent on a fly-by of the ship, but the CA marines had been fighting a running boarding action with Noctua ship security forces, damaging the ship on the way as they fought bulkhead by bulkhead. One way or another the fight seems to have come to a conclusion now, but you are not sure who has ended up in control of the very damaged vessel.

3

"Shit. Ascendancy has been here. Keep watch while we search these bodies, then we'll start securing the rest of the ship." Cicero points to a group of Marines and signals them to keep a watch down any open corridors or openings, and then kneels down to search the body he's closest to, nodding at the other men to do the same with the ones they've turned over already (edited)

1

(notice/wis. Just to see if there's anything in hidden pockets or anything like that, for the group)

(7 total) (edited)

You find a few letters among the fallen on both sides, keepsakes of other times, as well as a curved bootknife on one of the Ascendency.

"It looks like if they had anything valuable on them, it's already been stripped." He pauses and thinks for just a short moment. "Time to go, the less time we spend in the dark, the better." (are there any signs of where the fighting progressed to from here? would I know where to go to get power back on and control of the ship?)

(We don’t know much about the noctua or how they build their ships so we wouldn’t know where to go for power but there are signs of fighting )

5:42 PM

The signs of fighting continue on from this chamber to the large lift between decks at the back of the room. It is powered by the emergency power in this section of the ships, and can be used to access other decks. It can reach the cargo hold, three different habitation levels, and what looks to be the command level but you seem to be locked out of that one.

(Is trying to hack the lift for access an option?)

(It looks like you'd need a card or access key, and not being able to read their language/understand their computers I don't think hacking would be effective to even attempt)

"Command deck is locked out. Time to comb this ship, We're gonna start at the top and clear each deck. Keep an eye out for anything that will unlock command deck access. A key card or something that matches the symbols on this console." Cicero stands up and begins waving the marines into the lift, then switches his communications back to Captain Bryit, "Captain, there has been quite a ruckus onboard. Several dead. Ascendancy. We're locked out of command and beginning search and clear from top to bottom. Be on the lookout for any other signs of movement or power from the exterior, over."

"We're going to recall the cargo lighter for now, and retreat to stand-off distance, just in case. We want to prevent any counter boarding should there still be Ascendency inside. Keep an open channel with the ship so we can monitor you. I'll get medical personnel and resupply munitions on standby"

"10-4" and Cicero gets on the lift with the marines and heads to start searching the habitation decks

(which deck do we want to start with, 1, 2 or 3)

(3)

(I will get you a deck map!)

1

Nekosmash pinned a message to this channel. 10/19/2021 6:01 PM

(Elevator would bring you in at that round area on the left. The “doors” on the exterior would be air locks that are locked down now)

6:02 PM

Power is intermittent on this level. This side of the habitation level is designed more for shops and work spaces than for actual living. Meeting places and plants cultivated from the ship hydroponic garden elsewhere provide some natural air exchange and this level shows less signs of fighting though there are some. There are no bodies.

Cicero exits the lift and turns to face the lift gate with is back against the closest wall "It seems quiet here, but keep your guard up. You five head that way (points and signals half the Marines to go along the North section of the deck and then sweep down along the East wall.) The rest stick with me." He forms up with his half of the marines and begins to work down the West wall. With weapons ready, they search drawers, cabinets, planters, desks, and anything else that may hold a key card or something of value. Generally doing as thorough a search as possible while still moving at a quick pace. (edited)

You see nothing in the hallway until mid way down you come to the frosted glass and metal doors of a conference room. The team looks back to you, waiting to see if they're going to be making a breach here to see what is inside. The other team has secured some sort of private conference room on the right side, the circular area behind its own set of doors and there are several dead Noctua inside.

Signaling to his group to hold with an upheld fist, Cicero says over the comms, "Group 2, We are about to enter what looks to be the central atrium area. Finish what you're doing and move down to meet us from the other side." He'll wait for confirmation before readying his men to breach the doors.

A small bang from a breaching charge signals your combined push into the room, as three wounded Ascendency marines are startled from their sleep here. Their insect like forms begin to rise, hefting their strange energy pistols. (initiative)

8:49 AM

(6)

(5, you and the marines are first. The enemy is 5m away)

(can I use movement to duck behind the doorway for cover and still fire my mag pistol? And is it just the 5 I had with me right now?) (edited)

(I'll roll the other team so we're not throwing tons of dice around, You can get partial cover from the doorway. Move cannot be split, so you could not move into the doorway, fire, and then move out of the doorway , but you could move into cover at the door frame and fire from partial cover)

(yeah i just want to get that partial cover, fire my mag pistol, and then shout to my group to focus their fire on one at a time, following my lead)

(alrighty, lets get your turn in when you can then)

After the small door charge clears and Cicero assesses the situation , he immediately moves back behind the doorway to take some cover, shouting at the marines "Shit, they're still here! Take cover, concentrate fire, following my lead!" and he pulls his mag pistol, aims it at the closest clear target and fires as soon as he catches the bead.

(attack 16 damage 7)

One of the wounded Ascendency marines is killed outright from the well aimed mag shot. The rest of your team reacts admirably, and although two shots punch holes in the thin deck, the other three from the rear-team find their mark and finish off the other two wounded. Sweeping into the chamber, they cover the bodies for several long seconds, before it is confirmed they are actually dead.

"Clear. Search them and the room." Cicero orders the Marines with him, and then comms the other group, "Group 2, we've encountered Ascendancy. Threat eliminated. Report in!" Cicero moves in with the group to search the area and the bodies, awaiting the report from the other group. (edited)

The team from the other side breached a second after you and were the ones that scored the kill shots. You kick Ascendency weapons away- some sort of void pistol from what it looks like, meant not to punch holes in the thin skin of a ship's hull. The soldiers ensure a second bolt is put through the head of each, destroying both brains of the twin-brained organism.

6:36 PM

You also find a command level card on the marine leader here, taken and spirited away from fighting on other levels, as well as what passes as his compad. You cannot make much from it, other than to see small units of 2-3 are scattered around the ship, and there seem to still be Noctua aboard too, possibly also hunting them. (edited)

Cicero picks up the datapad and the key card, looking them both over thoroughly before messaging Captain Bryit, "Captain, we've encountered Ascendancy resistance, and Noctua survivors may be on board. Control deck access acquired, will report back ASAP." He then comms the Marines, "Grab those weapons, finish the sweep of this deck and meet at the lift ASAP." He begins surveying the room they're in in a bit more thoroughly before heading to the lift himself.

The dead here were all injured recently from how it seems, before you came in and finished the job. Ship security is evidently present and fighting running battles against the boarding action- that likely began in the system they escape from. Even so, it means there is an Ascendency ship operating very far north indeed, just outside NMC territory.

Also to the Captain, "all of this means there's an Ascendancy presence far too close to our borders, it might be time to get a message back to Jagrati, I'm sure Buchanan will want to know this ASAP." (Anyone find anything else of note on this deck?)

(the marines and the code-key, and some samples of their guns which we did not previously have were the big catches here, so we're 100% on that)

12:39 PM

(we technically have completed our mission, if we want to go above and beyond we can try to make contact with the locals on board and limp the ship back to NMC space, which would always be a help, but its up to you)

(yeah, i'd like to fully secure the ship, help any Noctua survivors, and get the ship back to safety. i don't necessarily need to RP all of that, but I'm happy to if there's more stuff to discover/find/etc.)

(I think it is def things we should consider continuing the mission as we are for)

2:00 PM

With the keycard to the command level in hand, you make your way back to the lift and upon inserting it into the reader, you can see that level now becomes an option to press on its holopanel.

Cicero barely waits for the last Marine to board the lift before pressing the newly lit panel for the command deck, "Time to go."

Moving to the command deck you hear the sounds of commotion and life above you. As the glass doors open you come face to face with two ranks of noctua marines, the first rank kneeling while the second stands, a thicket of rifles pointing forward, and there is the briefest hesitation

(rifles pointing at us?)

(Pointing at the elevator, they dont know humans are aboard, we have a bit of hesitation here since they werent expecting you)

1:48 PM

(the noctua knew they'd been boarded by the CA, and now the elevator is running, they're jumpy. Does that make sense?) (edited)

(definitely, just didn't want to react a certain way without having an optimal grip on the situation)

(right, so the doors are opening, you have a few seconds to announce yourself or react how you think reasonable)

Cicero sees the squad of Noctua with their weapons trained directly on the opening elevator doors. He shouts to his team "Hold your fire! Noctua survivors!" And lowers his mag pistol, raising his empty hand palm forward to present a non-aggressive stance. Then to the Noctua "We're here to help!"

The thicket of weapons lowers, and after a second one of the bridge officers comes forward. He adjusts a dial on his suit's translator torc to speak back. "Apologies for the hostile greeting. We thought you were Ascendency marines trying to take the bridge. Who are you and how did you get aboard?"

"I am Cicero Yamado, an agent of the New Moon Collective, serving the Monarchy. We have very little information about this system. When we discovered the ships beacon in an otherwise dark region of space, I was sent with this crew to investigate. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this." He loosens his stance and waves an arm towards his men to signal them to lower their weapons. "I found a command key card on the third deck. We finished off a few Ascendancy and it was with them. There may be more of your men alive on other decks. If you're secure here, we can move up and regain full control of the ship."

“ThAt helps. Thank you for returning this. We knew they had taken it and were expecting a push on the command level. We know two other battles are running on the deck here, and the Ascendency has taken engineering. As long as they hold it, we can’t fix the drive system and limp to a friendly system.

"Time to get to work" he taps the slide release on his mag pistol and reloads the missing round while he continues, "We're going to finish the job and get you on your way. Show us where the conflict is and we'll assist. Once we have this deck secure, we'll take Engineering."

"We know they're infesting the armory on this deck. We take that, I can get some weapons passed out to the colonists on other decks, and we can press them out of the few bolt holes they have left in this ship. Once the drive is up, we're not going to make it far, we need to set down in the next populated system and try to make ourselves there as best we can "

"Alright. Let's clear the ship before we figure out how to get you lug this thing to safety. If they're in the armory, what kind of resistance can we expect? Do you have anything that will aid us in clearing them out? We picked up a few of their pistols from the third deck. take two of them and arm your men, every bullet helps. We're keeping the third for research." Cicero relaxed stature again tenses up, preparing mentally for more combat in the armory.

“Nothing heavy. They wouldn’t want to punch through the Hull like that. They’ll have plenty of ammo though , so we should prepare for a long fight if we can’t find some way to rush them”

"We'll need another way in, or something big we can disorient them with. The door charges will help us breach, but rushing in head first might not be the best idea. Do we have control over power and life support for the armory? maybe we can choke them out.."

“It would be for the deck and we would doom the noctua in other parts of that level to the same death. We could try to drop in from engineering crawl spaces”

He thinks for a moment, "I see. Then a well coordinated attack is likely our best bet. Can you show me where to enter the crawl spaces? I'll coordinate with my men to breach from above and head on. We'll blow the doors and draw fire from cover, and then drop in from above. Only going to get one chance, so let's make it count." he paces, his heart beginning to beat faster now "Captain Bryit, we are preparing to engage Ascendancy soldiers. We may need evac support soon."

The ship is standing by for medical support once the operation is complete. The noctua captains provide detailed schematics and you’re showing to trace a route to the armory , splitting the team in half you ghouls be able to cover both the suppression team and the drop team

"The longer we wait, the harder this is gonna be." Cicero makes sure to go over the details of the plan with the NMC Marines and directs the suppression team towards the armory doors, while he and the drop team begin shuffling into the maintenance shafts. (I'm ready to go on this)

The armory distraction team begins skirmishing with the Chimeran defenders as soon as they enter the deck. They count at least five shooters inside, firing back with a mix of void carbines and the strange energy weapons the Ascendency use themselves. So far the ranging fire is exactly that. No one on either side has been hurt, but that is going to change soon the longer this goes on. From the large vent above, you can see the five Ascendant marines inside, reloading weapons, firing back at your soldiers, and otherwise pausing only to take a drink or bite of ration.

I'll signal the suppression team to fire one more volley, then pause for us to drop. I'll wait till there's a reasonable break in fire and try to drop in right on top of them

(initiative)

(yikes, 2)

(5 for them) Dropping into the melee the Ascendency marines are taken by surprise, forced to club up weapons (their main actions) in order to fight you, as they'd been focused on repelling the external attack. (you're up)

(If there's one that looks to be the leader, I'll target that one, otherwise whoever is closest, and I'll fire my mag pistol. I have close combatant so no penalties for being too close)

(them being largely unknown, I don't think we'd be able to identify a rank structure. There's no real physical differences, if that helps)

1:27 PM

(and sounds goo,d just let me know how the attack goes once you roll it)

(16 to hit, 8dmg)

One of the Chimerans is broken at close range by the pistol shot fired right into their gut. It claws at you as it falls. Bayonets and las-locks press into the fight, demonstrating the utility of the weapon in this close range boarding assault. You see a blade take the marine you wounded in the neck, destroying its second brain. A close quarter skirmish develops, as the bayonet charge of the other half of the boarding attack closes in. (move and main to double move into the fight for those outside, only got one hit for the soldiers actually with you, so it finished off the one you wounded. I'm rolling the enemy 4 in a second here)

1:56 PM

One of your soldiers is taken by a blow in the neck. A rifle but crunches both air tube and bone, and the man falls to the deck to wretch and writhe as his suit vents (crit/8, is dead). Forced to fight with rifle butts and improvised weapons, the Chimerans are at the short end of this fight, caught between enemies within, and charging enemies without

1:56 PM

(back to you)

(I'll fire again at the next closest, continue pushing hard)

2:15 PM

(rolled a 4, i'm assuming that misses. if so, i'd like to use my lucky warrior ability and turn that into a hit. damage 8)

(alright, lets mark ability used for the mission here, we'd need to) A second of the marines is downed as your shot and a pair of bayonet blades stab into them, bruised and wounded from the previous fighting, the bayonet charge hits home. Caught between both sides of the conflict the Chimeran's are downed, each of them punched through several times with bayonets before falling to the ground. (Between hits and the shock damage on misses last round they weren't doing well)

2:18 PM

The armory, is yours.

(woo hoo! and i'll track that ability in notes on my sheet)

As the melee eventually subsides and his head clears again, Cicero feels his heart rate finally begin to slow down. The fight happened so quickly, just a few shots and a lot of slashing, jamming, and blood. Two brains. "Just what the hell are these things?" he mutters, then directs his men to get organized and help the wounded. Approaching the Noctua leader, "Clear."

Weapons secured, carbines are brought down to other decks. The most able bodied colonists are armed, soldiers are able to re supply. Deck by deck, room by room, the ship is slowly returned to Noctuan control. As the engineering department is taken and the drive repaired, the ship can make it to either Benavides, or Iragarte, before its drive founders and the ship is good for little more than salvage.

comms to Bryit, "Captain, the ship is secured, but it's in bad shape. Suggest we escort the Noctua to Benavides, away from the border, and get them safe before heading home. I'm having the men gather the wounded, as well as CA bodies, weapons, and technology, and we'll be ready to return shortly." He takes a deep breath, letting his shoulders relax, and looks to the Noctua. "I'm sorry for the men you lost today. I will do my best to ensure your safety and care in Benavides, unless you wish to go another route, but you would lose our escort should you choose to do so."

(standby, going to play some games with spreadsheets, but for now, 6xp, 50,000 credits. Amazing work friend)

3:31 PM

(this should get you to level 3, we'll level up sequentially and im here for help if you need it)

(thank you! Awesome!!!! I'll get to get to it tonight or tomorrow)

(Sounds good!)

(Ok so i upped close combatant to level 2 for the foci from leveling up to 2, now have 16 hp (rolled 5 and 6 for lvl2 and worse than that for lvl3), used the 6 skill points to upgrade shoot and connect both to +1, and brought survive and notice to +0. i think that covers everything. am i getting another 5 days of training i can put into Heal for the trip back to Jagrati? i suddenly have an urge to spend some money as well) (edited)

(If we're heading back to Jagrati, we can, if you've got some idea of what you'd like to do next we can get that rolling as well once you go shopping)

(I think it makes sense to report back to Buchanan at this point. Cicero is going to be highly interested in combatting CA advancement and learning more about this strange species, so if more info gathering, research, or other missions that align with NMC goals to that extent, i think that's what i'd like to work on. also how does shopping work? can i spend my credits freely and just post here what i'm picking up? i'm sure there are restrictions on what's available for me to buy in terms of tech level..)

(Its been found easiest to make me a list of what you want and i will let you know if something can't be found. We also have a great equipment availability guide in #rules-and-books on the resource sheet so you can see wha'ts out there)

9:24 AM

(since we have many books included)

To: Cicero Yamado 
From: Teucer 

If possible I would like to request a full AAR of your encounter with the Chimeran Ascendancy. The build up to you engagement as well as the capabilities displayed. Any analysis would also be greatly appreciated. 

Kind regards 
Teucer

(Just an IC way of allowing me to read through your thread about the engagement, as if you had bodycams or something. If you have anything to add or restrict please let me know) (edited)

(I have a message for Teucer to send back, let me know whenever is a good time and i'll post in his thread. purchase requests: assault suit 10k, adrenal suppression pump 30k for new goals, i'm thinking i want to go deeper with the CA and find out why they are trying to operate covertly so close to our space. I'd want to get information from the Noctua ship before we leave them behind to get a run down of where they came from, where they were going, when and where they were boarded, any significant cargo they may have had, etc. then full report back to Buchanan and follow the next lead.)

(I am happy for you to drop it in whenever)

(Both of those are available. They just had refugees they weren’t packed for an expedition this was an evacuation )

8:43 PM

(They were fleeing toward ISF space like the others have in previous months )

(Ok, then back to Jagrati it is. Will pursuing the CA and finding out their motives/plans be a good goal?) (edited)

(Yes for sure. It’s two days back and we can move into another mission)

1

(Alright. I didn’t realize this updated. Did you have plans for a mission or should I assign something ?)

(I don't have a plan, no, I just have a goal so far, not sure how much to come up with?)

The potential for a Chimeran ship operating so close to ISF territory is a concern for everyone. The NMC is positioned best to respond and it’s not long before orders from the palace place you in command of a pair of heavy frigates charged with returning to the system Vergopolis, and trying to find some sort of lead from there. NMC Escort 2 and 3 are placed under your command for the duration of the mission with full compliments of sailors and marines.

(just so you know how they're fitted)

(I'm pretty busy this week, I might have some time today to get started otherwise it might be Friday)

(No worries, i just didnt give you much to go on at first)

(ok so i've been to vergopolis and back once, so that's 10 days of downtime study, will there be another 5 to go back to Vergopolis? Just want to get square and then I'll start some RP with Cicero during the transit time) (edited)

(yeah we'd need another 5 to get back there and begin sniffing around)

(great, i'll get started in just a bit, thank you)

Cicero rubs his eyes as he wakes up, staring at the now familiar ceiling panels above his bed on board the NMC frigate. Less than a month ago he was fresh out of officer training and anxiously awaiting a meeting with King Buchanan. Now, he's done more spike travel in three weeks than he's done on his whole life prior. It made his stomach turn to think about it. Returning to his life on Jagrati sounded like a dream, but you can't put toothpaste back in the tube, especially in low gravity. Better to look forward. The Ascendancy presence was a real threat that needed his full attention. He takes a moment to splash some water on his face in the cramped lavatory before suiting up and reporting to the command deck. They'd be out of spike travel soon. (edited)

"Officer on the deck!" one of the ship-hands calls out, and everyone but the pilot, who is exempted due to needing to remain at the controls, stands and salutes as you enter the bridge.

"At ease. How long until we come up from spike? I want a full system scan as soon as we can. Check the planets surface again, maybe we missed something last time when the Noctua ship took our attention." "Ships 2 and 3, focus on satellites, moons, asteroids, and anything that may lead us to more intel on Ascendancy activity." (edited)

(also is adding "research the CA bodies and tech I recovered" a player level goal or is that more large scale?) (edited)

1

(I have projects for those that will get voted on and will be doing an autopsy like mission for the combined ISF Folks soon , so that’s a bit too large in scale )

(We would also have to visit each region I. Space here to scan and look them over. Entering a system and rolling one program int for all info has always felt bad to me so we don’t use that

(makes sense, totally. I'm still learning how things go with the system in general, so guide me as you need to for sure.. I guess we start closest to where we enter the system and go from there then?)

(works for me, lets get a program/int and I'll let you know what's going on at what's closest)

(thinking more about this, let's start with the planet and anything local to that area, I believe it's close to where we found the Noctua ship before?)

(sure, once i get the result from ya I can let you know)

(8 total. crazy day! would have gotten to this sooner if i could)

(All good!

10:33 PM

The closest part of the system to you is the local gas giant’s uninhabited barren moon. A small metal contact is picked up by ship scanners and the officers station isn’t able to identify what it might be

"Bring us in for a closer look. Ready the torpedoes and keep an eye out for potential tactical advantages as we get closer. We know the CA have been here, but we're still unclear of what they're capable of, so pay attention!" Cicero feels a small rush of adrenaline as he anticipates what's ahead. Quickly realizing he's preparing for a battle unnecessarily, he pauses and takes a breath, trying to maintain an objective awareness of the situation. Calmly now, "Let's go."

The first of the images begins coming in. The ground clarifies under several scanning passes and it looks like a pair of escape pods have landed here , loosed from the Noctua exodus ship. Its unclear if there are survivors down there.

"Continue scans for signs of life in the area, if there are survivors they may need help."

The scans don’t reveal anything to that level of detail. You’ll have to venture down to investigate if you want that answer it seems

He takes a moment to think, "Alright, since those two pods are all we have to go on for now, we're going down to investigate. Assemble a landing crew and get geared up, no time to waste."

(I figured you'd be part of it, does that work ? )

(definitely what I had in mind as well, a crew with me leading)

Nekosmash pinned a message to this channel. 11/10/2021 9:52 AM

(we've got atmospheric configuration on these ships so they can land and deploy your team. Thinking maybe you and a fireteam of 4 other guys? )

(more than that would seem like overkill I think. I'm good to be in my assault suit, since it's also a vac suit, correct?)

(yes! its sealed with 24 hours of energy in it, so you should be more than good enough for this)

1

Cicero heads to the ships locker and his personal storage. The new Assault Suit takes a few minutes to get adjusted to his body, but when powered on, it moves with his body effortlessly. He calls for his landing team to meet at the ships exit doors for landing. "Stay sharp and be ready for anything!"

The rest of the fire team consists of two riflemen with long NMC pattern las- locks, and a weapons team consisting of a heavy cutter, and an assistant carrying extra battery packs for the heavy weapon.

2:09 PM

The ramp begins lowering as the airlock cycles, releasing you out into the airless moon, 300 m from the crashed pods.

He signals the two riflemen to stay one at each his sides, a few meters away, and for the heavy to stay just behind him as they approach, "Watch your flanks, I'll check out the pods"

The heavy cutter team begins moving right to set up on the lip of the crater. They’ll cover your advance. (The HC is the heavy weapon and very loud version of the shear rifle. )

8:16 PM

You can see both pods hit the ground hard and approaching the lip of the crater you can see a few noctua bodies were ejected as it impacted the ground hard

After a few minutes of walking and positioning, Cicero glances to his flanks to make sure his team is covering him and approaches the bodies to give them a once over for anything telling.

They look like the trauma of landing has hurt them very badly , and been responsible for their deaths.

10:08 AM

There’s no evidence of chimeran activity here

Seeing there's no sign of life in the former passengers, Cicero goes to check the pods themselves, seeing if they have power, searching any compartments for anything useful before returning to the edge of the crater and the crew.

The pods have power and survival supplies inside. The canopies have been broken on impact and the screen habe been frozen over inside

(Are there any tracks or signs that would imply something other than the Noctua might have been here?)

You do not see any tracks in the wind swept moon dust. The coating of it blankets the sides of the pods, and the viewports on them and these look to have been here a bit.

(last thing to check, are there any logs or messages that might indicate why they tried to land here? Or was it just haphazard that they landed here?)

(Would have to look inside the pods )

11:13 AM

(It’s evident they crashed though )

(I'll attempt to open the landing pods and investigate further)

(fix/int)

(4

)

You're not able to get the door open of the pod. Pressing everything you can and working with your hand tools any kind of forcign the hatch open is not possible with what's on hand

(Can we call one of the ships to come scoop them up for salvage/investigation onboard?)

(Yes we can)

Radioing to his ground team "There's not much here, unless you spot something close by, it's time to get these on board and keep moving. Maybe the crews on board can make more progress on getting these open. " Cicero stands up after frustrating himself trying to open the escape pods, takes a breath, and calls the ship. "Bring her in close, we need to get these escape pods open and searched. Probably better to do it in the comfort and safety of the ship. This dead rock gives me the creeps."

1

Security and engineering will be ready and on hand once you’re back aboard. Power winches from the cargo bay and get the pods in and they can be examined from the safety of space

1:38 PM

The ramp powers up and brings you aboard once you return to the ship and after an hour to reposition and carry out the salvage task, the pods are inside and waiting

Gathering his lead engineer and a few others, along with the same landing crew for security, Cicero stands over the Noctua pods and demonstrates/explains to the engineers the things he tried on the surface, "I'm no scientist, so I'm hoping you can make some more headway than I could down there. Priority one is getting these open and thoroughly inspected." He walks a circle around the pods and gestures to the engineers, "Have at it, let me know what else you need to compete this task, I'll be very close by while you work."

(If youre okay with them just cutting the doors off, they;ll do that)

(absolutely

)

The revving blades begin sending up showers of sparks and chunks of metal go flying. A crew moves a safety net into position to catch it and the doors slam into the ground with a bang as they’re finally cut free. Tools power down and the net is removed

He stands back at first, as if anticipating something coming out, and then steps forward to look in the pod.

1

There are six more noctua bodies in each. They are Hexapods, the non egg layers from the brief cultural dossier you were given between missions. Aboard the second pod there are the bodies of two ascendency marines. It looks like a close quarter knife fight happened inside between the inhabitants and the invaders before the crash with the ground killed the unbuckled in survivors

As the grim sight of several dead fills his attention, Cicero is slightly relieved that nothing jumped out at him. He focuses in on the pod with CA in it, and begins to investigate the CA bodies specifically, while ordering the engineers and scientists to start removing, investigating, and cataloging the other corpses. "See if we can find any identifying information, the Captain of the Noctua ship we liberated previously may want to know who is here."

1

IDs and suit tags are taken and catalogued so the descendants of the dead can be notified. The CA bodies will be taken and frozen, prepared for the group autpsy that will be happening in the coming months with the leading minds of many polities

(can we pull data logs or other information about the vessels themselves and determine if anything is significant?)

(The escape pods would basically just show the craft they're from, and the destination they were trying to get to. You've been on the Noctua ship and found them on the moon which is the first planetary body they passed upon being released from the ship)

(gotcha, so likely there was a scuffle on one of them before the pods crashed on the nearest body to the ship, and no survivors. Unless there's something I'm just not aware of, it seems to be time to continue scanning the system.)

(You got it right, the bodies will improve our margin of error for that autopsy mission which I'm planning on launching soon)

(10-4)

9:11 AM

"Alright team. Good work, quick and clean. I'm heading back to command, see to it that these pods are sorted and stored properly." Cicero looks over the pods and bodies being cataloged and bagged one more time before excusing himself back to the command deck. As he walks, his mind wanders, trying to recall the few cherished memories he has left from his youth. Growing up poor on Jagrati was not a life of comfort, but his mother would manage somehow to bring him a tiny square of chocolate each year for his birthday. Ciceros heart softens as he pictures the smile his mother would wear across her round face as she presented him with the yearly treat. It is an image that always brings him comfort in strange, changing times. Before he realizes it, he is at the door to the command deck. He exhales, removes any emotion from his face that may have crept up, and walks in. "Time to move. Let's move to the next zone and continue scanning for signs of CA activity."

1

(program int!)

(5)

(okay so we did the barren dwarf planet, we've moved on to the gas giant now)

10:40 AM

The gas giant shows signs ships had refueled here, your former ship, and evidence of others though there is no sign they remain in the area, or the direction they've traveled upon topping up their tanks.

(is there any kind of sensor we can drop heading that would ping us upon detected activity?)

(Nothing in the book but I can tell you they wouldn’t be able to sneak around you)

(so maybe I stay with one ship nearby to keep watch and send the other ship to scan the next area? If nothing shows by the time they circle back it may be time to move on. I don't know whether or not I should be expecting any space combat, is splitting your ships generally not a good idea?)

(I think you’re making the best choices you can here)

(

let's do it)

(Alrighty, so we're leaving one behind, and your ship is pushing on to the formerly inhabited world. One more program.int)

(8)

You get a contact in orbit over the dead world. It is small, about the size of a shuttle and looks to be supporting a surface operation of some kind. It does not seem that you have been detected, but upon powering up weapons it'll see you.

As the signal indicator flashes and reveals the small shuttle, Ciceros eyes widen at the implication of even more Ascendancy activity so close to home. There was definitely something amiss, and his pride for his home planet swelled and urged him onward. "We need to find out what they're doing here. Send word to our other ship to rendezvous with us ASAP. Power up weapons systems and target that shuttles engines." (My goal here is to just disable, not blow them out of the sky, potentially take a live CA if possible, and figure out why that planet is important to them/what's going on down on the surface)

The other ship will need six hours to get here, as it is in a different region, but you out ton and out gun this shuttle sized recon craft. (do you need a run down of ship combat? )

(that would help, I do have the book I can go over but I'm strictly mobile until tomorrow afternoon)

(and I'll have time this afternoon/evening to be present for some pew pew pew)

(Sounds good to me! I can explain when you're ready)

(I've got time now)

(read the ship combat rules, how will we handle the 5 departments? Edit, NVM, read the iron Stars document. I might still need a few clarifications, but I think I'm good) (edited)

(sounds good to me! You will be first in initiative)

4:29 PM

(and have 5 command points since this is a military vessel)

(a couple quick last things, is Cicero taking the Captain role automatically?and since no "do your duty" action, once the 5 cp are gone, turn is over?)

(You can take the place of an npc in another position if you want to) (edited)

8:02 PM

(You can only occupy one station per round yourself)

(dang I kinda wish I had better stats/bonuses. NPCs gonna do all the heavy lifting. I'll take the Captain role this round. -Captain- Support Department (0)-> Comms -Comms- Defeat ECM (0) -Gunnery- Target System: Engineering (1) -Gunnery- Fire weapon (2) (Plasma beam, using the targeting) I'll have 2 CP left after that, but I'd like to wait and see how the rolls fall to decide how to use it) (edited)

6:16 AM

(also if there's a better or more streamlined way to type all this stuff out, please let me know! Don't want to make it harder on you)

(I don’t know what your program /int was for defeat ecm but I got a 7)

6:50 PM

( would need the weapon hit/damage rolls too so I can see if they’re damaged

6:50 PM

(Their speed is 3)

(defeat ecm 7, targeted system attack 1 - 1 - 2=-2)

7:19 PM

(last two CP - regular Fire your weapon with the plasma beam, 20 to hit, 14 dmg)

(ties go to PC, so they';ll have fewer CP to work with)

2:33 PM

(targeted system attack misses from the looks of it)

2:33 PM

The plasma beam lances into the enemy shuttle, damaging it heavily before its own engines power up. (Pilot/int check for your ship, they're going to try to escape combat)

(unless there's some bonuses i'm not catching, 5)

(youd be rolling with the NPC bonus, so since you're not at the pilot station, its 2d6 +2 , making this a 7)

8:14 PM

(9 for them)

8:15 PM

The enemy ship begins accelerating away from the planet, needing to flee for quite some time further before truly escaping you. (1 point of escape out of 3 needed, back to you)

(Cicero moves to Gunnery. -Captain - support department Gunnery -Gunnery - target system (1cp) Engineering; firing plasma beam (0cp): 10 to hit (if this misses I will use warrior luck to make it hit), 5 dmg (half of 9 rounded up) will wait to see what effect that has, if any, before continuing) (edited)

(It did miss ordinarily. Using your ability it hits and their drive has decreased another level)

(can't let it get away! Fire another plasma beam, 14 to hit, 12 dmg, and again with the last two CP if needed, 13 to hit, 15dmg, and that will end my turn either way) (edited)

The shuttle seems to freeze in the void for a few seconds before violently exploding into dozens of pieces. You’re safe from debris at this distance and the gunnery team reports a kill.

Cicero hears the radio confirming the target's destruction and lets out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in for almost too long. I'm glad my firearms skill is still worthwhile up here. Space combat wasn't my favorite part of training... He clears his head and gives orders to lower the ship to get a closer look at what kind of operation the shuttle was supporting on the surface, "Bring us down, keep sensors alert. Until our other ship gets here we need to move cautiously." (how much longer till other ship rendezvous with us?)

(We had two rounds of combat here, so we're looking at five and a half hours out of the six needed to fly to a different region)

(might be tonight or tomorrow before I can continue, in the woods for a few days)

(I’m gonna be right there with you)

"I'm certain that ship would have messaged the operation below once we engaged them. Stay alert and let's move in to see what we can observe about their operation on the surface." Cicero ponders what would bring the CA out this close. It must be something valuable, a new mineral mine, maybe a ruin was uncovered, something leading to a more precious resource. "Time to move!"

(lets get a program/int for a surface scan and we'll see what they're up to)

(8)

The ship had deployed a ground team. It looks like the Chimeran may have just been exploring and trying to get some idea of the after effects of the shapers, as this was a former world they’d swept clean of life. A small base camp had been constructed on the surface meant for no more than four beings.

3:12 PM

It’s unclear if the camp is inhabited

"Let's set down far enough away they won't be able to surprise us, we can make our way to their encampment carefully. We'll wait for our other ship to arrive before we get too close." Cicero relays his intent to the pilot, bridge, and crews, then checks the status of his recently installed adrenal suppression pump. Though he wasn't eager to have to use it, he was glad to have it.

(how big do we want the ground team to be? by time you deploy you'll have marines from both ships to use)

(let's pull the same outfit as before plus a few. 2 big gunners with ammo jockeys and 4 of the more mobile troops, plus myself.)

The landing team is assembled, and five kilometers from the camp you arrive on the planet's surface. There is no air, and there is a crunch of broken rock and sandy sediment underfoot as your boot crunches into the surface of the planet.

Cicero directs one of the heavies to stay a hundred feet behind them as they approach and directs one of the regular troops to keep direct communication with the trailing gunner. As they begin to move closer, the front line spreads out as they attempt to converge on the target. As they approach, Cicero clicks on his adrenal suppression pump and feels an unfamiliar discomfort. His senses heightened and his empathy diminished, he is focused on surface target and ready to react.

There is no activity outside the camp from what you can see, but there are a pair of small dwellings, some kind of garage or storage building, and a large structure that looks like it must house the small black box reactor

(we'll start by checking the small dwellings, then storage and garage, keeping one gunner back to keep watch.)

(small dwelling 1 or 2 to start ? )

(1)

3:32 PM

(also just want to confirm if my lucky warrior thing will reset or not, i used it in the space combat. I figure it's once per mission on the whole, but better to be certain) (edited)

(its once per mission, so we used it to kill the shuttle)

7:02 PM

You begin approaching dwelling 1, and you see the blast curtain has been lowered. A small handle allows the lock to be disengaged so you can get in.

(open 'er up)

There is a quick flick of the wrist as the bolt is thrown back and opens. You see two Chimeran marines inside, hunkering down and preparing to resist. (initiative)

(3+2 for the pump, 5 total)

(You, ascendency marines, your men)

(i'll fire with my mag pistol at the one closest to me, 17 to hit, 9 damage, then i'll try and jump behind a door/wall out of direct fire)

The shot hits one of the Ascendency marines. They return fire , not able to hit you but their strange weapons fire discs of energy that puncture the suit of one of your marines. It doesn’t matter that it’s leaking air. You can tell by how he has fallen that he is dead. Heavy weapons fire and a few las locks end the combat quickly. They’re not equipped to shrug off weapons designed to disable vehicles. Blueish black smears carpet the inside of the small impromptu hab.

"What the fuck kind of weapon was that?!" Cicero exclaims after the quick exchange of fire and muted thumps as bodes hit the floor. He bends over to examine and retrieve the weapons the CA were using, and looks at his fallen comrade. The adrenal suppression pump keeps his mind laser focused, and he's unable to muster up anything but thoughts of what else might be waiting for them down here. (i'd like to look around, specifically at the blue/black smears and for anything of value or note here)

(The smears are their blood, but you can get some examples of their tech. More weapons, and what they use for comfort on this airless planet)

(we'll move to the second shelter, but this time have the men stand back and train their weapons on the door, i'll knock first and see, and be ready to move out of the way if/when the door opens. if no one answers, the i'll pull open the door and immediately step aside)

There is knock, and nothing happens in reply. Throwing the door open you see the two figures in here have been dead for at least a few minutes. Their air mix malfunctioned, and you can hear the hiss of gasses flowing into the suits.

(I'll make a quick search of their persons for anything significant other than the stuff we've seen already, then reform and move to the storage building)

It looks like the only Chimeran on the surface were here. Their gear is in better shape since you haven't had to shoot it apart first, but doesn't look any more complex or different from the others aside from some personal touches.

12:21 PM

(so like a trinket or wires/tubes in a spot they prefer over others, nothing functionally different)

(on to the storage building then, and I'll click off the adrenal suppression pump of we're sure that's the last of them)

(yeah that's all of them)

3:37 PM

Opening the door, there are some food and air supplies meant to last the exploration team several weeks. More sensitive equipment looks lke it was supposed to come down but must have been destroyed aboard the shuttle

(Then the last building with the reactor then. Looking back i may have done things differently this mission, but I, like Cicero, am pretty green still. onward to the last building)

The reactor is a fairly plain. It is a small black box model meant to sustain a small number of buildings. Fuel for it can be made on site using water and many colonies, human and otherwise, get their starts from simple portable reactors like this.

(Gotcha. So it looks like they were just exploring? no gear or signs they were doing anything specifically devious?)

(they were exploring, and any outpost here would probably have served as some kind of listening post given we're near some polity space, but this wasn't the staging ground for an overt invasion, yet)

(10-4. we'll gather resources, weapons, suits and tech in good working condition, etc., and if that's all there is to it, we'll get out and keep exploring)

(We could take a look at the shuttle wreck in space if you want to pivot to that)

(Yes, that's a good idea, i wasn't sure how much was left after the boom boom)

The shuttle wreckage is still drifting apart gently but it is losing speed thanks to gasses and retros venting with no one at the controls. Your ship can easily catch it and try to examine what’s left as you all drift in orbit. A space walk will be required

(sounds good to me. let's get back to the ship and get to it. )

You’re recovered and returned to the ship. A scrub field removes any lingering shaper contaminants that may have been picked up but it’s unlikely anything survived. The shuttle wreck has been Lucky enough to orbit the planet rather than drift off into space forcing you to catch it. The ship has splintered into a dozen large pieces with smaller debris and bodies contained within. You can see it’s reactor automatically ejected and is hurtling off into deep space

(can I send the other ship off to grab the reactor while I go for the wreckage?)

(You probably don’t want it since it’s going critical)

11:03 AM

(It’s so it explodes away from any potential survivors )

(10-4)

Sealed armor equipped, the airlock opens and you see you are 20m or so from the drifting debris field. The shuttle has been pulverized, but its pieces may yet yield secrets. Gas continues to vent from ruptured compartments, and you see the shattered remains of the bride have been exposed to hard void on the other end of the wreck

(what kind of skill checks are involved with a space walk? And I'm looking for drives, data cores, useful technology, etc?)

(None right off the bat but there might be hazards inside that need to be negotiated somehow. Without seeing what you do or how you do something I can’t really give you a check to roll. You’re correct about what you’re looking for)

(Sounds good) Cicero, now becoming accustomed to spike travel, taking off and landing from planets, and now space walks, dons his suit once again. His old life seems so far away now. The rush of sentimentality that surged in his mind and heart when the adrenal suppression pump stopped arresting his basic empathy had caught him by surprise. The frame shift highlighted for him the things he missed and valued the most. There is something reaching out for his attention, a drive from within he feels compelled to pursue, but now is not the time. Reasserting his will over his emotions, he clasps the final hook into place on his suit and finishes safety checks, preparing to investigate the orbiting wreckage.

(i added "And rare foods" to my "dealer" goal, i hope that will broaden the scope a bit and remain the same for our purposes, and added a new long term goal. I'm really enjoying the world. the longer i stick around the more it feels familiar and real/fleshed out. Keep up the great work!)

1

(That means a lot, thank you)

9:37 AM

Pushing out into space you can see a large piece of dorsal plate is the first thing in your path. Upon reaching it you peek over, looking into the inner workings of the ship. You think you can squeeze through some of the spinning junk to make it to the bridge if you push off from here. Data might be within. The engineering section also came off in one piece- anchored by the engines, more to the right of you.

(I'll try to get to the bridge first)

(pilot/dex)

(6)

You’re able to angle yourself through the junk and grab on to a spar of metal hanging above the bridge doors. They’ve been blown off their tracks and you can easily get in now

Cicero breaths deeply before shoving off towards the floating wreckage. This is the moment that makes his heart race, don't think that will ever go away. He instinctively closes his eyes for a moment as he pushes off, and almost keeps them closed a second too long. He quickly adjusts and grabs a somewhat loose piece of metal to arrest his flight. "Whew." (let's look for data cores, drives, etc.)

THe bridge machinery is somewhat shattered and broken, but other stations have suffered less damage and might yield information if their contents are downloaded. You'll need some tools to begin actually taking things apart.

(things I'll have on hand? I'll move through searching for access points that look less damaged and could yield info)

(Other team members might. It looks like all your gear is primarily weapons )

(how do I proceed? Floating in orbit on wrecked ship and I forgot my tool belt

)

(head back to the ship and gather what I need? This feels like a major doofus moment) (edited)

There is a thud behind you as the second member of your team hits the wreckage. You can see he has a meta tool on his wrist and a post tech tool kit arranged on his belt and back

"Ah, just in time. Let's get moving to the next station and see what we can recover."

(fix;int, at a +2 from the engineer)

(9)

You’re able to get into the bridge and from the damaged cockpit extract the nav data , along with the ships log

"Good work soldier. Let's keep moving. I don't want to miss anything, we're only gonna get this chance too recover information." (Continue to the next station if there's anything left. Also looking for any kind of medical or tools, maybe keys or compads that might help us decode and understand their tech more. Thinking about how effective those weapons are and if we can harness that.)

(We got what we could get from the bridge, rather thsan just having you guess what stations might exist)

9:23 AM

(As far as their weapons, there are only so many ways to skin xDwhatever damage, in a low health setting like this bigger numbers aren't always better, i didnt have any plans to make the chimeran weapons their own thing, they just look different when fired, but the marine you were with dying was only because their shot did enough to deplete his hit points)

1

9:24 AM

-- Entering the next chunk of wreckage as you slowly work your way stern you see a small galley, and the medical bay behind it. The back of the medbay has been blasted open, but some of the floor bolted equipment has remained in place- this section spared the fires common to destroyed ships as it was exposed to hard void already.

Cicero takes a few moments as he and the engineer float gently through the fragmented Noctua ship, past conduits and cords, pipes leaking the last bit of coolant or oil, and come to halt in the Medical Bay. He had just started reading up on medical terminology in his spare time, so there is some level of eagerness to his movements now. "Check the equipment to see if there's anything salvageable. We could learn much from seeing how they heal themselves. Medical data backups might be present as well." He directs the engineer to begin with the equipment, and stays close to see what is learned along the way.

The Chimeran medical bay is a strange place. It looks to be part aquarium, part zoo, and part actual surgical suite. Many of the machines no longer look functional, semi living and exposed to hard void they're worthless to conventional reverse engineering now. The body of the ship sawbones floats in the middle of the med bay, torn in half by a falling ceiling panel .

"It's all dead. Literally." he mutters to himself. Should have tried to board them. Trigger finger cost us valuable tech. "Time to move, we can't be certain they didn't signal for backup, and we're sitting ducks out here. One last sweep of the wreckage and we're leaving." (any other sections to search , or storage of any kind worth checking?)

(the contents of their storage was deployed to the planet already, shuttles are only fighter sized so they don't carry much- and honestly I probably over-packed them a bit)

1:34 PM

(The drive section is left)

1

(on to the drive then)

(notice/wis)

(9)

It looks like something is moving near the remains of the drive section

Cicero instinctively grabs for his pistol, but pauses just as his fingers begin to grip the handle.. wait. He signals to the engineer with with to hold steady behind him, and approaches the movement with caution.

You can see a slow leak of gas from a ship suit. It looks like the Chimeran engineer is still alive, or is struggling to remain so as his suit leaks precious air into uncaring space

As soon as Cicero puts the pieces together, he jumps to action to try and stop the leak. "You, get over here and help me fix this air leak, we need to keep them alive!", To the engineer (hoping I can just the NPC +2 bonus because I'm terrible at fix/anything)

(Suits have emergency patches on them too so the engineer can use his and just handle it, we don't need a roll here)

11:53 AM

Springing into action, the Chimeran is subdued and bundled down while the engineer fixes the leak. The Chimeran thrashes, trying not to be taken prisoner before realizing its position is hopeless

Cicero lets out a deep sigh when the Chimeran is subdued, and notices just how tired he feels. The adrenal suppression pump must have a hangover... "Let's get them back to the ship and the brig, we need to communicate with it."

(We have two options here since we dont really have a basis for their language. We don't have a database on them really. We know from Jax Ryder, an NPC now in NMC custody and later executed, that the Chimeran elite and upper labor class know mandate common from the old pre-scream days, but we have no way to force them to talk. If they don't know mandate, we can't speak chimeran yet, so we'd need a telepath)

2:44 PM

(Translator torcs wont work since we dont have a language database to set them to)

(But we can definitely keep him alive for a while? bring him back to Jagrati for now. maybe i can use Connected to find a telepath to help us, or ask other players in the ISF? Either way, this is very cool. I'm happy I got something alive!)

(Yeah we can keep him alive and restrained , but we will need some specialized help to get them to talk)

4:30 PM

(There’s also a bit of an ethics issue here. Normally under former Tenebrian empire law, and mandate before them, telepathically gained information would not be admissible in court or most legal proceedings. The ISF hasn’t set its own rules on this in regards to wartime interrogations ) (edited)

(interesting. I would like to bring this to the NMC first and foremost)

(Your polity chat on here is private so go ahead)

(for now can we assume he's secure so we can proceed?)

(Yes. I just didn’t want to cut your other conversations off elsewhere )

(No prob. I feel like we'll move much quicker and give the group some time to respond) (edited)

(can I try a connect check with the Chimeran to try to communicate somehow? Figure out if he knows mandate, try to let him know I'm not going to kill him, keep him calm, etc.)

(He hasn’t talked and he won’t or can’t so far. I think we probably need to get back to the ship before we do anything else ) (edited)

(sounds good, if we've finished with what's left of the medbay, we can get back to the ship, unless there are more segments) (edited)

It looks as though this is all that remains of the shuttle. Everything is broken beyond this point, and your air supply could do with refreshing

Checking the O2 levels on his tank, looking around the floating wreckage, and then glancing down at silent planet, Cicero motions for the engineer to help him get the Chimeran back to the ship safely. "Time to let this one drift.. let's go back to the ship. Keep an eye on this one."

(3xp, 5000 credits)

11:56 AM

The prisoner is restrained once aboard and taken to the brig under heavy guard. The wreckage looks to have yielded the secrets it can for the moment, and you now have vital cargo aboard that presents a risk the longer its aboard your ship.

(that will get me to the next level. Might be able to get to it this evening, otherwise it might be a day or two. i'll report back when i finish that)

(Sounds good!)

(new HP 20, used one skill point to bring Fix to level-0, and going to sit on the other two for now. i am thinking of a new foci at level 5 and might want to do attributes or skills at that time)

You've recovered what information you can. The wreckage will eventually drift into a low enough orbit where the planet's gravity will claim it, and it will crash into the surface. Nothing valuable remains aboard. The prisoner has been secured, and the question as to his fate is something under debate within the Cooperative council

Cicero commands the bridge to make preparations for a spike jump back home by way of Benavides. The capture of a live Chimeran could open so many doors and possibilities for Jagrati, how this is handled will be of paramount importance.

(5 days back to Jagrati using the shortest route, refueling at Benavides to shorten our refuel time from 4 days to 6 hours)

(oh I thought we would have to stop in Benavides, but if not, then going straight back to Jagrati is priority)

(We will be there for six hours to fuel)

12:20 PM

(There’s a ship service depot there so we don’t need to scoop)

1

Upon leaving Benavides you arrive at Jagrati with the prisoner in tow. The ground is waiting for your instructions

(i've got a plan coming together... lemme marinate on it for another evening, going to see if Iracus is around to maybe help out)

(No worries I just didn’t advance the narrative after answering you ooc)

Upon returning to Jagrati, Cicero orders the captive be concealed while being transported to a temporary holding cell. He wasn't sure how the knowledge of a live Chimeran on the planet would go over to the public, but the priority now is finding a trustworthy psychic to help interrogate.

The NMC has a small psychic staff. Among them is a telepath named Galene. She is a Merlon who had left her home planet within the United Nations of worlds to come and serve here where psychics were badly needed. She is a patient merlon, more patient than most and has the typical Merlon flare for speaking and discourse. Some of her writings have influenced NMC psychic policy though over the last several months she has found herself on sabbatical. With news of the rare opportunity , and the duty the academy obliges her to do, she makes herself available for the interrogation

Cicero had never met a Merlon before, but had heard tales of them as a child. Meeting one in person would be another new experience, and he hoped he would not embarrass himself. As with many things in this new, vast universe he'd begun to explore, he was certain that his mental image would be far off from the reality of the foreign species.

12:17 PM

(i'm ready to begin, no rush though, busy holidays, hope you're getting some good 'disconnected' time to recharge!)

Galene is eager to help, and meets you on the ground in an old vault near Jagrati City that once belonged to the nobles. The information and sensitive contents have been carried away- and now it exists as a convenient empty space away from prying eyes. "This isn't something polite society bends telepathy to, but I understand what's at stake. " she sighs, placing her coral staff in her right hand. "The things we do in the name of national security"

"It is a good thing my concern is not with 'polite' society, and you are, then I am glad you understand what's at stake here." Cicero offers a brief introducing before the interrogation begins, but his focus isn't on social norms or how society will view him or his actions. "Let's get what we can, and then figure out what to do with the Chimeran."

She nods. "Any questions or ideas where to start? otherwise I'm just going to scrape him...it...both of them"

"Is this a painful process? I need to know his intention more than anything. If they're scouting for military operations, if they know anything about the hijacked Noctua ship... Start there."

"It's not painful unless I want it to be, but there is no reason for it. " She closes her eyes and begins to voice what she sees, They planned to begin probing the areas around SCAF and if some kind of agreement couldn’t be reached they were going to isolate as much territory as possible. The battleships are scheduled to be completed within the next three months , and lesser ships on client worlds were scheduled to be completed about the same time, giving the Ascendency a comfortable 50 ship floatilla to complete their plans. There are questions as to the quality of some of these vessels, constructed on pre space flight worlds with corvee labor, but it’s still larger than any single polity fleet. Once SCAF was dealt with the Ascendency was going to spend some time building its forces up further with the new shipyards under its claim. It had hoped to try to force the Protectorate into some kind of client state arrangement as they would be geographically the next in line. This elite scouting force was tasked with exploring the areas north of ISF space, knowing the levee keeping the NFSS would break eventually, and they wanted listening posts and buffer worlds in place to give their core time to respond.

1

As Galene finishes her words, Cicero begins to understand the importance of this information, and pushes for more. "What are their end goals? Do they wish us dead?" He fears the CA amassing a fleet this size could be disastrous in the long term if the ISF is not notified and united in their defenses.

Their goal is land, wealth, and resources. If the indigenous population "go with the flow" and accept the new world order that is coming there is no reason for extermination. Some more moderate Chimerans had even studied the ancient terran Roman Empire and liked the idea of client species becoming auxiliaries and minor functionaries in the stellar nation to come

"Interesting. and disturbing. If they know anything about upcoming operations, missions, or targets, that will all be valuable information to share as well."

"That is what they were sent to identify" Galene says "Nothing classified was discovered, and they're not going to be able to report it anyway thanks to you"

"I see." Cicero thinks for a moment about the encounter and how it went down. Best not to dwell on the past.. Things we cannot change.. "What kind of follow up response can we expect? They will know who destroyed their operation if they investigate."

she concentrates for another moment. "None. If anything we should expect they'll be even quieter for a few months because of it. They don't want to risk our getting involved in a war before they're ready for us"

"That may be the silver lining then. We will have some time to decide what needs to be done. For now, any suggestions on what to do with the prisoner? Research comes to mind, though I'm sure we may have already skirted the boundaries of morality. I will attempt to confer with the council on the fate of the chimeran."

“I can’t be involved in it. Neither can the academy. If you’ve got somewhere that the public won’t see the prisoner like a black site that might be best” she says. “But I’d be betraying the mission of the academy by assisting with measures beyond this one”

"I understand. You can consider this matter closed. I will have my men escort the Chimeran back to their holding cell. Thank you for your help Galene, your assistance has been invaluable."

(We can ask in the polity chat. There’s a couple sites we can stash this guy)

1

"A pleasure to help. I should make myself scarce before people think the Academy is wrapped up in all this"

"You have my gratitude, should you ever need a skilled soldier, you may count me among your trusted ranks. Safe travels, Galene."

(3xp 5000 credits)

1

(I'm wanting to try for some recon type missions, to gather info and Intel on enemy ships and operations Maybe first order of business is to take care of the prisoner. I know Iracus won't approve IC as he's a rule follower, but Cicero thinks he sees the bigger picture... You said Meda has a black site, is that something I could take advantage of for this undercover research?)

(Yes! Iracus was actually someone who helped set it up)

11:21 AM

(and both IC and OOC he probably remembers more of the security conditions there/what is available )

(he said it's on Lianos, not Meda, and it's a decommissioned black research site, would likely be empty and I could get it back up and operational for the Chimeran operation)

11:39 AM

(perhaps that's better to get that on track first before trying to jump into other full time missions, but let me know your thoughts)

(Thank you lLianos is the one i wanted)

11:52 AM

(we can move the prisoner there for sure. We actually do have a security issue closer to home as well to handle, since the last couple players involved in it has ghosted)P

(Cool. If we can stash this prisoner at Lianos for now to wrap a few things up, I'm good with that. Cicero would fiercely defend home before dipping out to the stars, plus i'm already on Jagrati. I do wish to get some covert research done on the chimeran. biology, see how their organic technology integrates with their bodies if at all, etc.)

11:16 AM

(maybe assign a "skelton crew" of NPCs to just start taking observations for now?)

11:18 AM

(i want to put a call out to the ISF channel for other potential PCs to help with recon/high value target elimination missions. Didn't want to presume that a mission would exist before running it by you first though.)

(There’s a crew of researchers there so they can do that. I think the current ISF thoughts is they’re reaching out to SCAF first to see if we can coordinate attacks so we can get that discussion handled first. If you’re looking for something to do we have that big problem on supriya )

7:55 PM

(I can give you a tldr on that if you want )

(some cliff notes would be helpful, but I'm down to get some stuff taken care of

)

(Or if there's some player threads I can try to read some of) (edited)

(Former NMC planet. The noble there declared independence , captured a bunch of NMC operatives in space after boarding their ship- pretending to be friendly

8:58 PM

The operatives broke out. Eli slate was there trying to rally some local resistance against him, especially after he tried scrapping the captured ship so he could use the spike drive as a nuke sniffer for his city.

8:59 PM

So he needs to go and the highly populated planet being brought in would be good for the NMC )

(I'm SO in for this. If I can get to use my connect feature to help, that would be cool, otherwise Cicero is on Jagrati right now and he'd be very eager to help bring Supriya back into the fold. )

(If we go to Supriya we might be able to make some friends, the only other players that have gone there are both inactive now, and are still on the world, so aside from sendng the occasional trickle of adventurers in to try to fix this, the general polity is in the dark about the situation there)

(no problem there. I need to get some shopping done, probably this afternoon, then I'll be ready to pick up wherever you need me to for Supriya)

https://www.worldanvil.com/w/iron-stars-nekosmash/a/supriya-location?preview=true

Supriya

(I know you had a shopping list to put together. I didn’t want to kick this off until you had time to gather it

(I got a bit caught up with the GD stuff the last day or two, I have the equipment part bookmarked to get to tomorrow)

(All good! You were not forgotten that’s all!)

1

(thinking about loading up an identity submersion trigger before Supriya, I'd prefer a quiet entrance, but not sure if it's necessary/worth the credits right now)

(Let me check the registry I’m pretty sure one of our ships had a wraith shuttle )

(it's either that or start building out a nice drone for on the ground ops)

(Which is almost impossible to detect )

1

(and since i have fix level-1 now, can i simply purchase the extended mag for my pistol, or will it require a roll? and it looks like all the drone actions use pilot or program, which i have -1s in both, so maybe not a drone for now

) (edited)

(you have to buy the upgrade and it takes a week per fix level to install)

7:47 AM

(so some of that time can be spent on downtime, but the mod will not work until it has been completely installed) (edited)

1

(I have my stuff pretty well together I think, I'll post the buy list tomorrow and be ready)

(I think this should do it for now: Purchase list: Metatool - 200 Line Shunt - 100 3x Power Cell, Type B - 300 6x Healing Powder - 150 Medium Advanced Weapon - 60, a balanced extendable baton with a small spiked ball made of heavy steel. Black Slab - 10000 Extended Magazine for Mag Pistol - 500 total 11310, taking a week of downtime to install is good, gotta start tricking it out) (edited)

(You’ve got enough face for a black slab. We can pass a week of downtime on Jagrati getting the extended mag installed if that’s easier. Lift and other tl4 pharmacy are not available. We use frontier medicine from our rulebook instead ) (edited)

(somehow i completely missed the fact that nothing in pharmaceutical tab is checked "allowed")

6:28 AM

(swapped lift for some healing powder, make rolls to create those?)

(Nope you can just buy them too)

1

6:28 AM

(Medics can make them if they want to but you’re on an industrialized world. They’re available h

(ok i believe i have made all the purchases i need for now. i added the healing powder in the "other equipment" section and just upped the mag size on the pistol, adding the mod in its description. if that's all set, so am i. let's take back Supriya!)

(Five days of downtime to get there!)

1

(oh and a program/int on entering the system. I'll add the seek/hide bonuses)

1:41 PM

(hopefully we cn sneak in, and ill set this all up)

(7)

(11 v 8 your ship is hidden)

2:15 PM

Entering the system, your crew chief calls you down to the hold where a special tool from the Cooperative is waiting for you. He is unpacking several boxes, numbing to himself and checking measurements several times.

"You rang, chief? What do you have for me?"

“You ever used a comet suit before? If you haven’t we got enough time for me to explain”

"Sir, before a couple months ago I hadn't even been off my home planet of Jagrati, unless you count in-orbit military training. I'll take any tips you can spare."

“Comet suits are going to let you jump from the airlock and survive a mostly controlled free fall through orbit. I won’t bother you with the technology but they’re not going to spot something as small as a person coming down through orbit. You’ll be protected from the re entry heat and the dandelion chute will deploy 1000m before the ground to slow you down and let you correct your landing zone before coming to ground. You’ll be able to store everything you can normally carry and it will safely make the drop with you”

"That sounds intense. You ever taken a ride in one of these?" He ponders what the failure rate is on Comet Suits.. (edited)

“I have. Several times. It’s part of our certification as a crew chief. This is sometimes the only way out of a burning ship of you find yourself without power in a decaying orbit. Spec ops realized the utility of them for insertion where radar won’t see you , and leaving even a wraith shuttle has a large re entry trail “

He stiffens up a bit at the response. "Thank you for your help getting me here. I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

He is prepared to help you get in, and is otherwise ready to assist. Other technicians are leaving the bay after bolting anything that might move to the deck. Decompression won't budge anything in this room now.

Cicero takes a few deep, steady breaths as the suit is sealed, then nods at the chief to signal his readiness

(do you want the writeup for the suit? its from skyward steel but I can snip it out f that's easier)

(I'm sure I have a copy of that somewhere but I'd have to dig through the archive when I get home)

Comet Suit: A favored infiltration tool for Deep Black agents, a comet suit allows a subject to survive an orbital drop onto a planet’s surface, the thick sheathing of the suit peeling away as ablation under the heat of reentry. An integral chute system allows the wearer to brake during the final stage of re-entry, but the degree of impreci- sion in landing is very high- usually 1d20-1 x 40 kilometers away from the target point in a random direction, even assuming the initial drop trajectory was well-placed. For this reason, dandelion chutes are usually paired with comet suits when precision in landing is important. The suits themselves provide AC 6, but any activity 50 while wearing them that isn’t related to jumping out of a spaceship takes a -2 skill check and -4 on hit rolls. Comet suits can be used only once before requiring 2,000 credits worth of refurbishing.

2:30 PM

(AC6 is AC14, and you can wear your armor udnerneath in this case since you're going to shed the suit once you land)

(Ready for the drop!)

(pilot/dex or int, and we'll see how it goes1)

(4)

The ship enters high orbit and the bay is depressurized. You feel the light pull of gravity on you and your boots release their mag lock from the decking. Stepping to the edge of the airlock you jump, and gravity rushes up to embrace you. You tumble end over end as you stumble out of the airlock and the flames of re-entry begin to heat the air around you. You fall through banks of fluffy clouds and realize as you enter a lightning storm at 40,000 feet that you're going to be wildly off course from your landnig zone on hitting the ground. Bolts flash around you, hitting other clouds as you feel like a spec moving among a battleground of giants. Hail and rain pelts you, leaving streaks across your suit helmet as you tumble out of the storm and into the golden sunlight of the cloud layer beneath.

3

10:11 AM

at 2,000 feet your dandelion chute opens, quickly bleeding off excess airspeed as you continue descending into a heavily wooded area, snagging your rig on the branches as you fall and dangling about two meters off the ground by time you come to the end of your descent.

For a brief moment, Cicero is in awe of the view. Seeing lightning this close was frightening, but stunning and beautiful. Suddenly he snaps to present awareness, "Shiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" Cicero hollers as the ground approaches, too fast for him to know what's actually happening. "Fuck fuck fuuuck!" He shouts as the vessel slams to halt in the trees.

3:20 PM

Thinking to himself that the chief never gave him any instruction on his to get out of the suit, he looks to open the hatch carefully as to not tumble out uncontrolled.

The latch is easy to find and the suit is so padded you hit the ground upon release without even feeling it. Snaps and zippers are pulled and the suit falls away, leaving your in your armor and moving much more freely.

7:19 PM

The woods are quiet around you but a flock of birds went skyward as you hit the ground. Getting moving and getting bearings seems the best course of action now

(looking at the map, I know where my target is, correct? can you tell/show me where that is?)

(I can highlight some settlements on it)

7:47 AM

(i forgot to go back and edit it )

7:52 AM

7:53 AM

(there are some smaller settlements hidden in the map there, bu tthey dont have names since they were uncontacted. I did highlight the capital which is about 10km from your drop)

2

(would any equipment help me with directions? or am I trying primitive means to find the correct direction?)

(your ship is still here providing support, so they'd be able to help map you as best they can. No way for them to get a micro look at the terrain or anything but they can at least help orientate you)

"Chief, do you copy?" Cicero calls to the chief via comms. "I'm way off track. Need some help getting oriented for Supriya City. Get me some basic directions and I'll get moving. Gonna take me at least a couple hours to get to the target." He waits for a response, checking over his inventory and preparing for the hike.

1

“North east about ten kilometers. It’s all woods from where you are almost to where you are going with a highway running through the middle of it. Try to avoid that if you can but we will keep a look out for vehicles “

"10-4. I'll be in touch." He pulls a slow, deep breath into his lungs and holds it for a moment before slowly exhaling, setting his sights towards north east, and starts hiking. Sticking close to densely wooded areas that are still passable, trying to just lay low.

(sneak/dex)

(ok so I accidentally a lot of stuff on roll20 on mobile. Goddamnit I rolled a 9 when I fat fingered 'stab' and then a 3 when I got sneak right. FML. 3)

(we'll take 9)

12:12 PM

Moving through the wilds you circumvent what looks to be a farm just south of the capital but upon passing the energized fence line, you realize based on some shouted overheard remarks that the people here are prisoners, political prisoners in fact, being forced into hard labor so that they'll grow food for the capital while also staying out of the way of the maniac baron that is in control. They do not notice you, but you can hear their sad work songs carrying over the woods. (edited)

(how far out from the city now? Is the capital city open, I can just try to blend in and go?) (edited)

(Capital is open, this is about 4km away, if we're not stopping, i can move us to visual range of the capital)

(let's do that. Cicero hates oppression by nobles.)

(lets do w hat, move to the capital?)

(yes, move to capital, not going to make a scene on the farm... for now)

The capital is open and you join the crowds of people and vehicles heading in. There are guards to keep order but nobody seems to be bothering with checking papers or anything of the sort

Cicero strolls into the city, staying observant, but generally moving with the flow of people, not stopping too long at any one place. (I suppose i'll need some information, is there a hotel or bar? somewhere people are congregating for leisure? maybe a market of some kind where conversation and asking questions about what parts of the city are relevant and wouldn't raise suspicion?)

(connect/cha)

8:49 AM

(lets find out )

(5)

You're able to find a cafe quickly on entering town and decide to stop here first rather than continue to wander and possibly give yourself away as a non-local. The cafe is doing brisk business and you instantly notice a group of people packed into one of the corner booths, each of them sketching furiously into notebooks.

He waits in line and orders a drink and something small to eat he can just take away, and goes to look for a place near the sketch artists, or anywhere within earshot and tries to listen in.

You hear they are working on some wanted posters on contract for the Governor. There is some operative at large in the countryside, last seen near what sounds to be the farm you passed on the way in. The Governor has become aware of him and is looking for some kind of punishment or capture.

Cicero calmly finishes his bite to eat and goes to leave the cafe. Enemy of my enemy could be my ally, or at least have information on my target he thinks to himself as he walks back towards the edge of town, again moving with crowds at a casual pace. (I have just a bit more but want to pause in case there's any issue getting out again)

It sounds as though this agent is a New Moon Cooperative deep black person, left here on some kind of abandoned mission and he could not extract

1:28 PM

They make him sound as though he is a shape shifter, but listening to them talk it sounds like they are describing a Yama King

(if he's from NMC, I need to find him, i get the feeling allies will be useful. sounds like the farm is the place to start? and quickly it seems, if they're putting out wanted posters.) (edited)

(its Eli, former player who kinda peaced in the middle of his mission out there_)

(I see. Would it be better to try and find something else? The farm seems like a place to check out more if there's unrest there.)

Getting this information it seems another Cooperative agent is active in the area- one skilled in infiltration as well, finding him may make your mission easier, as will helping to secure him before the locals do. He ws last seen near the farm and knowing him, he might be trying to get the prisoners out.

8:04 AM

You've seen this farm on the way in to town, and know the way back handily.

One step at a time, he thinks to himself, need to find this operative. He sets off back out of town towards the farm.

(surive/wis, lets track him down!)

(3)

Heading into the woods , night seems to be coming quickly. You get twisted around several times and darkness falls fast. You can hear drones in the sky above the woods but it sounds like a routine patrol rather than someone specifically after you

"Shit. Dark already" Cicero ponders how he could have gotten turned around so quickly as the hum of drones passes in waves over his head. Couldn't have gotten too far off track, just need to re-orient myself and get to the farm, he thinks, looking for directionals and trying to move only when the drones sound the furthest away. (edited)

6:45 AM

Getting to the farm in the dark would be ideal to scout around, but getting there might be difficulty, he thinks, deciding to hunker down under a big tree for a few hours to collect himself and form a plan for when he gets to the farm.

You hear dogs barking back in town and some others from the farm nearby. Lights at the woodline edge make an occasional pass through the trees and you nod off for a few hours, finally managing to crack your eyes open around dawn when the first of the days gray rays begin making the ground visible again. THe drones are gone now, as are the dogs. It seems like attention has moved on when the woods became quiet for the night.

Standing up gently, he stretches his shoulders and neck before checking his pack, gearing up, and trying to find the way back to the farm. I couldn't have gotten too far off course..., wishful thinking.

Finding youe way back to the farm you can see it has not changed much overnight. The morning work detail has not been out into the fields yet and the camp appears silent. A lone guard near the fence line close to you is tinkering with a compad, trying to get signal.

(I kinda want to try to take this guy out and take his uniform, that may be a really awesome or a really terrible idea)

(ok i am not going to do exactly that, but i am gelling a plan. first want to scope out potential hiding spots on or around the farm that are visible. barns, sheds, etc. that i could get behind and out of sight in a pinch.)

"I know you're there!" he says, almost to himself but you can tell it is directed at you. "Don't you know Yama King's are impossible to ambush?" He looks up at the famrhouse for a minute, before looking back at you. "Cooperative intelligence? "

Cicero steps out from his crouched position, ready to draw his pistol, and calls out, "I don't want any trouble. I'm just looking for someone who might have passed by here."

"Who are you looking for? Maybe I've seen them"

"A friend of a friend, from back home. Not sure what he looks like right now, to be honest." He emphasizes right now

"Well, I might be who you're looking for. Eli Zlatos, NMC intelligence. "

2:42 PM

"Nice to meet you...um?" he asks, looking for a name

The tension releases from Cicero's shoulders as he puts it together, "Cicero Yamado, also of the Cooperative. I'm here to try and bring this system back into the fold, I could use any help I can get, information, maps, persons of interest... and maybe an extra gun, if it gets dirty." (edited)

"Oh, it's going to get dirty. How did you get wind I was out here? I thought I was being careful" he says, looking around with some visitable disappointment in himself on his face.

"When we lost contact with you a while back, we assumed the worst. I'm here to help finish what was started and bring Supriya back into the Co-op. You being alive is a bonus, and I'm hoping you have some information that will be useful, like where the governor lives or how to access him." (edited)

10:07 AM

"Should also mention that there are wanted posters going up with you as the target. I'm glad I found you behind anyone else did."

"I'll have to find a new one soon" Eli says, looking disappointed. "That means I need to get working here, quick, before the guards here get the news, and I think you can help me out. You been able to glean any idea of what they're doing here?" he asks, more about wanting to see what you know

"To be honest, I am still in the information gathering phase of my mission. I saw the wanted signs going up and and overheard a conversation that led me back to this farm, thankfully before anyone else did. The fact that you were alone out here was the only reason I approached you." Cicero begins pacing while talking, "I don't think the Governor is going to want to just give up his stake of things here... Eliminating him is an option, but it won't be enough to secure control, we need support."

"Could we rally enough workers to overthrow the farm? You seem to be pretty comfy here... You have any leads on the inside?"

"when I'm not wearing this face, I'm wearing the one of the camp guard captain. I'm trying to quietly create vulnerabilities for the prisoners to exploit but the work is tough and the Governor is going to have the prisoners here executed any day now since he's got news of Cooperative agents on the prowl. I'm running out of time and could use some muscle.

Cicero flicks on the adrenal suppression pump and feels the now familiar jolt of numbness... and clarity. Vision crisp, suddenly aware of the sounds and smells of the world around him, his senses quicken. "Where do we begin?"

“I want to hit the prisoner barracks first. Gotta make sure they don’t get shot for the trouble of being here when I start working my way up the chain of command. I think we assess from there. There should be three guards on duty there right now and with their weapons we can probably get help from the three most able prisoners. They’re itching for a chance to hit back” (edited)

Her looks up at the horizon and squints his eyes, "The sun is rising, Let's get to work."

"You armed? " he asks, readying a laser rifle he seems to have liberated from the camp somewhere

"Always." He pulls out his polished Mag Pistol and shows out proudly.

"Alright, we sneak up to the barracks and take it from there"

2:05 PM

(sneak./dex )

(3)

You get to within 50m of the property before one of the guards rounds the corner, making direct eye contact with you.

(Eli looks like a guard right now, correct?)

(any chance at the old Trojan horse routine? Make it seem like he caught me and is bringing me in? at least long enough to get a better position to attack. if not, i'mma start blastin) (edited)

(Eli does yeah. We can do that if you want him so, we aren’t in initiative yet so if you play it up he will follow your lead )

Cicero whispers out of the side of his mouth, "take me prisoner right now!" And drops to his knees, hand behind his back, in front of a Eli, still facing the guard, trying to wear a sad/distressed look on his face, but the suppressor makes it difficult to even fake it.

(just hoping to make this last long enough to get into a better position, I'm picturing us kinda out in the open right now)

Eli picks up quickly and moves to try to secure you. “Found this one skulking around near the fence line. Got Cooperative markings on him. You better go get the other two. He’s a wiggly one!”

8:26 AM

The guard goes to turn to get them and he is promptly shot in the back of the head for his trouble (edited)

8:26 AM

The body falls, rolling twice down the gentle incline before stopping, mercifully face down in the slick grass.

8:27 AM

“They’ll have heard that. Gonna say he died during the struggle. They’re gonna have to get close and we will have to wrestle with the next two”

Cicero smiles slightly, "I like it up close. Show them this pistol, tell em I'm unarmed now. Get me within a few paces and cut me loose." He extends his baton and holds it behind his back, up against his spine as they move forward keeping his hands hidden. (edited)

(am I overthinking this? Should we just go ahead and get on with the shootin?)

(Probably want to keep it quiet. Repeated gunfire is def more of a noticeable pattern. A couple random loud bangs could be anything )

6:05 PM

(I’m good either way though

(ok let's stick to the plan then, try to get me close enough and take them out quietly if possible.)

Approaching the barracks building you hear Eli whisper that they're going to be around the right side smoking, since he does not see them on patrol. "Start moving that way. We'll continue the ruse. Try to knock yours out quickly"

"Right." Cicero walks calmly towards the barracks, gripping the baton firmly, he can feel the implant pressing against his fight or flight instinct. His hand is steady as he walks, preparing to strike when the moment is right.

(you're bound right now, but lightly, you could break it as an on turn action, its mostly just to sell the illusion)

10:59 AM

"Hey! " Eli calls. "I need some help over here! Please!" and you can hear curses from behind the building as they come around the corner just a meter away to see what the problem is

As the guards round the corner, he sees a window appear in the gait of one of the guards, already close enough to go for. As soon as he's within arms length, Cicero snaps the false bonds and brings his baton out, moving to strike immediately at the closest one.

(we will get surprise!)

1

(do I need to roll initiative?)

(not yet, surprise round first)

8:13 AM

(You guys might be able to roll them up and we might not need it)

(oh so it's on me right now, man I have been a bit out of it the last few days, 24 to hit, 5dmg)

The knife flashes out and cuts the man in the chest before he realizes what’s happening. Eli is more practiced and the throwing knife punches through an eye lens before his victim falls onto his back.

6:31 PM

(Now initiative )

(rolled a 6, +2 for adrenal suppressor for 8)

(You're up first!, then eli, then guards)

His first swing comes down hard, catching the unaware guard before he can react. As he watches Eli's knife pierce the helmet of the other guard, Cicero pulls back and swings the baton again at the one still standing.

(Shock will go through)

9:54 AM

The soldier grunts as the blade deflects off something rigid inside his armor. He's going to have a horrible bruise there. Eli stands from his kill, retrieves his knife and piles into the fight, bowling the man over and trying to cover his mouth with a hand. The soldier squirms on the ground, unable to stand as ELi pins him down. (soldier couldnt beat the opposed exert/dex, so thats both of their main actions, back to you)

Watching the melee quickly go to the ground, Cicero moves to bash the head of the guard tangled with Eli. (Anything special here for modifiers since they're somewhat tangled?)

(they just are automatically hit, we still need the damage though)

(6 dmg)

The crunch of a head falling apart under a heavy blow is all you hear. You think you haven't made a lot of noise, and Eli immediately stands. "Thank you, if he would have bit down any harder he'd be chewing on a piece of my hand right now"

"Will they have any keys or access cards you don't have yet?" Cicero quickly goes to check the body of the first guard that Eli took down

He frisks the body, deftly pocketing a keycard for the prison barracks. "I've got the others. Now this makes a full set. Lets grab any weapons we can and we'll start getting people moving"

(I'll help grab guns, etc. And get moving)

There is a chime as the keycard opens the doors and you can see fifty prisoners inside. 10 of them are children and one of the beds has someone that looks very sick in it. All these people are filthy, thin, have scars from being whipped, and all are political prisoners or suspected agents of the crown. "Eli, I'm glad to see you" one closest to the door says, " Name's Henry" he says to Cicero, noticing the handful of guns both of you have brought.

"Cicero Yamado, NMC. Henry, how many of you can shoot?"

"The two of you, me, maybe three of the others with some ability. Whats your plan?"

"It won't be long before their backup arrives. Eli, got any idea of what we can expect? Henry, take the guns and get your men armed as best you can, keep the people here safe. If a couple of you can join us, I'm certain we can use the firepower, but it's going to be dangerous."

"There will be a few more jokers and smokers in the main house, but I think we outnumber them now. The open area between here and the house is going to be a problem, especially if they're ready for us now"

(So basic break down is that there will be a few more guards close by, but we'll have to cross the open area/field to get to the Governor and other targets, correct? I'm guessing cover is not very abundant out in the open area)

(right, not very abundant, its more concealment than cover and even that is patchy. This is a prison, so places to hide didn't really serve the purpose_

"Eli, you must have access to a computer terminal, right? They'll be on high alert... Can we access any of the security systems?"

"Not remotely. We'd need to get in to the mansion for me to place a line shunt on the data lines. I;d be able to try hacking it from there"

(ok, i'm not feeling very creative regarding this situation. Are the enemies that would be firing at us from across the field within range of our guns? could we have the workers give us suppressing fire as we run/drop prone/run/drop prone, etc? firing on a prone enemy from distance gets -2, but i really don't want to just sit there and take fire for more than a round or two at most while we try to get across.)

(yes they could try to do that. We don't see any guards in the windows of the manor house yet but they'll probably look out at some point fo your crossing the space between the dorms and the house. They could try to fire and let you get to the doors to get inside)

"Alright, Eli. It's clear we need to get across the field to the house. If we get Henry and his able men to cover the windows from afar and give us cover fire, we can sprint across the field and get in close, where any advantage of numbers will be minimized. And yes, I'm open to better ideas, but the direct approach has worked so far." He turns to Henry, "How about it, Henry? Got any men in there who want to play whack-a-mole with rifles?" (edited)

Everyone here is eager for some revenge on the guards who routinely beat and overworked them. They'll have no issues taking pot shots at the house to cover your approach.

Cicero looks to Eli, "Is there another entrance to the house besides the front door? Something we should watch out for."

"Ive wandered inside a few times, for a few minutes each and never found anything. " He looks at the foreboding house in the distance. "We'll just have to get this over quick"

"The only way out is through. Let's go. Henry, you get your men fit and stationed with cover and aiming at those windows. Once you're in place, Eli and I are going to cross that field and take the house."

The team begins spreading out outside. There isn’t much in the way of cover. They’ll have to provide their own with their shots. “Okay! Go go go!”

Cicero springs forward and starts his charge towards the house at a 45* angle, ready to cut back or hit the dirt if needed to remain free of bullet holes.

Moving laterally, and then advancing you can hear the sounds of your support opening fire on the windows of the home, going slowly and pacing their shots. So far return fire has not issued back from the house.

(My plan is to book it, not looking back, until either we make it to the door or we see shots coming at us from the house)

You make it to the ground floor of the manor home and hear the shots impacting the walls and windows. There is shouting inside, and general confusion. Someone on the radio is trying to rouse the guards you've already dispatched, unaware they'll never be in a condition to answer.

(Let's get inside. Is there a low window we can crash through? or try just opening the front door) (edited)

(You could do either depending on the type of entry you want to make)

(Can we have Eli come in through a window after I kick the door open? I want to open it then take cover to the side in case they're already aimed.)

(Sure we can do that)

1

(will write something up in a bit)

Cicero jukes left one more time before reaching the front door, with Eli taking position to the right. "I'll breach the front door and draw any incoming fire, after the first volley, you bust in the window and surprise them, I'll come in right behind and we can clear it out." He doesn't wait for a response, just moves into position and gets ready to kick open the front door."

(exert/str!)

(5)

THe door is broken but not shattered. You see a terrified woman on the other side drop her tray that she was using as some kind of a shield and flee, screaming from the front door.

(is the door passable, or would i need to find another way in?)

(You can get in. The fail just blew our cover )

Shit!, he thinks to himself after a misplaced kick leaves the door only fractured. He pull his pistol out and readies it while keeping an eye out as he pushes through the half fallen door. Eli better be ready, he thinks, preparing for the worst. (edited)

There are two gunshots on the othe rside of the door and a body hits the ground. Eli wiggles the lock, and lets you in. One of the security troopers has fallen.

"Thanks." He speaks quickly and moves inside to confront remaining resistance.

"I think they're going to be upstairs, trying to protect the camp overseer. We need to cut the head off the snake before they can raise anyone in the main city"

"Practice for when we meet the Governor. Let's move!"

The staircase up is empty and whatever security presence is in the house must be protecting his office. You see evidence of a panicked flight through the house and artwork destroyed by gunfire

Cicero moves almost in unison with Eli, not sneaking, but quietly moving up to where he can see over the last step and peeks around at the next floors doors and hallways.

You come to the top of the stairs. A dormitory room for the house servants is on the left. Its door is open. There is another closed door to the right, and the overseers office at the end of the hallway with its door also closed.

"Watch the hallway, I'll check the rooms, then we move together." He stops at the edge of the door, pistol ready, and slowly checks inside.

)notice /wis)

(4)

(This will fail, if you dont have any re-roll tokens or anything, we'll take an evasion save)

(9vs12 fail)

(5 damage) A grenade is promptly rolled into the hallway as soon as the door begins opening. You barely throw yourself clear of directly sitting on the grenade, but are still within enough strength to fight.

1

Cicero winces, trying to cover his face as he leaps away from the grenade, though unable to dodge all the shards of shrapnel and the concussive blast. He looks to Eli and shouts, "Fucking go! I'll be right behind you!" and clamors to his feet to begin firing at targets beyond the doorway

"You're tarnished and maidenless!" Eli calls, taunting security inside. "Get the door for me I've got a present for them!" he shouts. You see him priming a hydra grenade in one hand, ready to throw.

1

From a crouch, Cicero lunges to the side of the door, against the wall, and shoves the door open as hard as he can, removing his arm from the opening as quick as possible.

"Throw yourself flat!" he calls as he hurls the pre-tech device into the room.

7:54 AM

There is a puff of air and something like the sound of too much air being passed through an airhorn, as lashing tentacles of chemical restraint harden into a dense foam, trapping everyone in the room in a giant cube of the stuff.

Cicero hits the deck at Eli's call, and looks up to see the foam whipping and lashing out, expanding and hardening to keep it's helpless targets in place, "Nice." He listens for a moment and then gets up to scope out the room, weapon drawn.

The camp overseer and his two guards have been encased in the stuff. It seems like it is already slowly beginning to dissolve, but for the next moment or two they're effectively immobilized.

Without hesitation, Cicero walks up to the overseer and points his pistol at the man's head and pulls the trigger.

Thre is a muffled bang as the mag round punches through some of the hydra foam. The yellowish pale insulation looking material begins to turn red and this is a liquid dripping of blood from the head wound.

12:03 PM

"Well done. I'll do the others" Eli says, looking to see if you'll stop him.

"Might be useful to have one of them in front of us." He looks to the two guards, then back to Eli, "You choose." Cicero then walks to the door to look out down the hallway again and see if anything has changed while Eli does the deed.

There is one bang, before Eli emerges back with you, lighting up a cigar and offering you a puff or two of it. "The last one is restrained, hands and feet, once the foam finishes melting we can do something more lasting. Someone should tell the others too and get them in here. "

He waves a hand to the smoke, "No thanks, trying to quit." He peers down the hallway, "Let's signal them while it's quiet." (radio? signal from the window they're watching?)

(would have to be a signal from the window, or just getting back outside. You could even shout from close to the window)

9:22 AM

(They dont have a radio down there )

Moving to the window and raising an arm to wave the rest of the group forward, he shouts "First floor clear! Push forward!"

11:42 AM

"Eli, How many do you suppose the boss man has guarding him? Bound to be waiting for us, no?"

"I think we handled them all, I took two by the fence before you found me, we took care of a few outside the barracks, and now we've got the bodyguards"

11:47 AM

"Aside from our survivor defrosting in there, I think we got them all. This is a small camp, a handful of men with guns was all that was needed"

"Good. Let's clear these last rooms when our friends get here and plan our next action."

(by clear, I mean search the bodies, rooms, etc )

(d100)

(76)

(Seen. I’ll have book access tonight!)

1

You find a small keepsake locket on one of the guards. Inside instead of a picture there looks to be an encryption key for a storage box or data storage device somewhere. It might be something personal, located in the house somewhere.

(I think it's time to strategize a bit. I want to have Eli help me get computer terminal access and communications to both my ship and the Governor directly, or maybe a wide broadcast message that everyone would hear, while the rest of the crew fortifies the windows and doors and searches everything for useful items/lockboxes, etc.. Just let me know what is possible of that and we'll take it from there) (edited)

1:53 PM

(Governor being the head honcho holdout Noble, if I'm not mistaken)

(the governor is indeed, there would be some difficult program checks to get into the governor's systems, and generally physical access to the system is needed, so we would need an adventure to find one of his comm stations in the city and plant some line shunts)

(ok, for now while it's calm let's spend an hour or so thoroughly searching the house, starting with the private rooms upstairs, for the lockbox this key goes to and anything else of note. Cicero and Eli should plan how to infiltrate a comm center, which I'm guessing he or one of the locals knows the location of. We will probably need multiple operatives on this for distractions, lookouts, etc. once we select our target.) "Eli, while the crews scour the house for taps, lockboxes, and anything else of value, we need to select our target for comms tapping. How many access points do you know of in the city that we can get to? We should have some helping hands with us once we're situated here."

"The television station, a data hub in the western residential neighborhoods, and we might find something on the military base in town but that one is likely to be the roughest of the nuts to crack"

"TV station. Less civilians than town, less guards than military base. And we can pump a broadcast so far, we'll be sure the Gov, and everyone else, sees it."

"THere's still going to be some kind of guard there. We need to be careful about how we approach this. The infiltration is going to need to be flawless, and I think we're better off planning far away from this camp"

10:39 AM

"A response will come, someone will notice the lack of comms traffic soon"

"I thought that might be the case. Your pick is as good as mine for where we lay low, maybe somewhere in the city out of the way of guard patrols, or maybe another outpost, if you've got one." (edited)

(connect/cha)

!roll 2d6+1

Cicero (Marc) Roll: [5, 2] Result: 8

There is a listening post north of the city that directly communicates to city networks, and to the Governor's personal network. One of the captives was a guard there once for a brief stint in what passes for the planet's military.

"Great news. Then you can help us figure out what to expect and the quietest way in. Once we have that mapped out, let's not waste any time."

1:04 PM

(I just want to try and search for that lockbox at some point before we roll out of here)

The lockbox is found after a frantic twenty minutes of searching the grounds for it. A wall is torn open by vengeful prisoners and it is all but thrown off its mounting.

"Alright let's get the fuck out of here. We'll open this thing when we have a safe spot." (let's head to the listening post)

(Survive/wis)

(7)

You and the prisoners, along with the arms and supplies you're able to secure vanish into the woods. Security forces will be here soon and its best not to be around when it comes time for them to sweep the area. You're doing better navigating the woods now and are able to expediently lead them five kilomters around the city to the west, where the listening post is just a few more kilometers beyond in this direction. Opening the lockbox you find a large sum of credits, hundreds of thousands of not more, mostly taken from those coming into the camp. There are also a few gems in it, along with data protocols for the comms stations and arrays serving the Governor and his inner circle.

1

"This... This is all stolen wealth?" He asks Eli incredulously.

It seems to be all stolen wealth to the best of his knowledge, perhaps mixed in with a bit of what the camp overseer actually owned himself.

"It's good that we came across this. We'll use it in our broadcast, show the people exactly what has been going on."

"and if we cannot find any living relatives for those who have passed n, the funds can be used to rebuild. Lets get eyes on the facility, and we can see what we're dealing with"

(ready to roll)

(how many we taking to the comms station ? You and Eli? )

(maybe just one or two others who can shoot and have them watch over the guy we have tied up to keep Me and Eli free)

(We are keeping that last guard alive then? We were not sure prior)

(actually i don't want a hostage. i say let the freed prisoners decide his fate, and if they refuse, then Eli or I will handle it)

(they'll run if you let them, but if the options dont give him an escape, he will not help you, since he would be worried the governor wouild come after his family)

(Ok, don't want any prisoners that aren't helping to fight, and the hostage can be dealt with before we proceed.)

The comms station is another two kilometers from where your sitting , and walking through the woods quietly has your on a small overlook, looking down into the forest floor where the bunker like building and it’s long comms antenna is the only artificial thing around

3:23 PM

Two guards smoke outside the hatch leading in

(Let's try to sneak up on them from behind the tower if possible and take em out quick and quiet)

(sneak/dex)

!roll 2d6-1 #sneakdex

Cicero (Marc) Roll: [6, 5] Result: 10

The guards don't seem to notice you creeping up on them, closing to within 30m of their position near the door. Each of them are focused on trying to either smoke or get some kind of personal compad signal.

Cicero signals to Eli to approach quietly and try to take the guards down simultaneously. He quietly extends his baton and gets ready to smash the round metal ball at the end squarely in the skull of the guard closest to him.

(They have not noticed you so we have the conditions for an execution attack, which with a knife is a stab/dex or str with a DC of 6)

Error: + is not between two numbers!

!roll 2d6+1

Cicero (Marc) Roll: [6, 1] Result: 8

Eli nods once, moving to take the other guard. Your knife finds easy purchase in his lack of neck armor. The blade sinks deep, cutting into the windpipe and cutting off his air supply before he can call out or scream.

Cicero steps back as the body slumps to the ground. He looks at Eli, "Check for access cards and let's keep moving, no time to waste now." he pats down the guards pockets in front of him and then moves to continue onward

Neither of them has a card but the door looks to have remained unlocked.

12:45 PM

You’re unsure what’s on the other side. There is a low hum that pervades the building and it’s all you hear when you press your ear to the door.

(I'll turn the knob calmly and step to the side as the door opens)

The door opens revealing a hallway that leads into the base itself. There are no guards here since you handled the ones outside.

Cicero leads the way into the building, moving cautiously, but with steady intent.

There is a stairwell going up into an office, and the hallway wraps around on this level to encompass a cafeteria and bunk room.

(have Eli guard the hallway and I'll peep in the two rooms on this floor, just a surface scan for now, will decide which to go in after)

The Cafeteria has the sounds of at least two people eating in there. You hear one loud snoring from the bunk room.

He signals to Eli and holds up fingers indicating the number of people in each room, then pulls his fist and points forward towards the office door, signaling a silent bypass of unnecessary encounters. To the stairwell.

Approaching the stairs, you and your companion quietly make your way up to the heart of the facility. The hallway connects to an office, the transmission room, and the power room where things critical to keeping the facility running are housed. The guard contingent seems to be downstairs, trusting the remoteness of the facility and the quiet surrounding it existing here as its main defenses, and thus are not very vigilant themselves.

(I'm sorry this is taking me a while, trying to decide between inciting a revolution via widespread broadcast or targeting the gov directly to try to keep it a bit lower key, no clue which is more likely to work out!)

(I think you're creative and capable enough to handily roll with either possibility!)

(if this helps, we know things in the city are tense, and the Cooperative has raided once before, so the military has been seen as ineffective in doing more than being thugs. A popular uprising is possible and has promise)

(ok. Let's get this moving) Cicero whispers to Eli, "I don't want them trying to cut the power while we're transmitting. Can you keep watch while I go in and send a broadcast? We don't want them trying to cut the power on us, and when the Gov realizes what's happening, it's could get messy. A few seconds could mean our lives." (want to transmit to every single point of contact that I can, including the Governor's office, personal, etc. and as many news outlets/streams/etc. that i can reach) (edited)

(You can reach them all with Eli's codes, and they'd have to directly come here to shut you down- so Eli will keep watch to make sure no one else sneaks up on you guys)

1:43 PM

"Alrght, I'll be on the roof and just a shout away. Lock the studio door and try to stay low, just in case. I think we swept the building but we won't be sure until we start this"

(feeling the flow a bit more, starting to write something up. Is my transport ship equipped for combat at all?)

(not for planetary bombardment, not that you should be firing macro level weapons into a population center anyway)

10:42 AM

https://discord.com/channels/345912178072879106/896496409069625344/905267480015015976

10:42 AM

(Iron rain or spitball tube are the only things that can be fired within atmosphere or from space to accurately hit a planet's surface)

(cool cool, just making sure we're not down here sitting fully vulnerable, it's more so to keep the Gov from trying to escape, I'll finish writing today and post)

(sounds great)

(any rolls needed to record/transmit the message?)

(Nope. We just need what you’re gonna say)

Before he begins recording, Cicero checks his adrenal suppresor and begins speaking in a cold, stern voice, "Rulers of Supriya, my name is Cicero of the NMC, and this is your reckoning. Your allies have been defeated, absorbed, and their peoples liberated. Wealth and power have been returned to them. Your oppressive rule is coming to an end. The people of Supriya will no longer stand by while you subjugate and exploit the citizens of this system. This is the promise of the New Moon Cooperative." He pauses for a moment and pans the camera back to show the table full of credits and valuables from the contents of the safe, laid out on display. "People of Supriya, this is what we are returning to the families and descendents of whom it has been stolen. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions in credits and valuables, pilfered by the guards at just one slave farm. The scales are shifting in your favor, this is only the beginning. We are not here to replace the heartless nobles, we are here to give you a choice. A choice to take back what is yours, to take control of your life and wealth. Governor, it would be wise to surrender. I have an armed ship in orbit to intercept if you you attempt to flee. Make no mistake, change is coming. I am coming." He finishes the recording and sets it to repeat, then flips the transmission on to begin the broadcast.

Outside Eli hammers his fist on the door a few times. The message is recording and it’s time to go. This place will be taken out of action before long but by then with any luck others within the city will have made copies and will be distributing it on their own.

7:01 PM

“Time to go Cicero! We have to go right now!”

He turns away from the recorder and begins to run, picking up the pace to a full sprint as he exits the transmission room to catch up with Eli

Outside you can see a comet like shape rising from the city that Eli shouts is a missile. It has a moment before it gets here and you both plan to run quite quickly in that time. The trees around you are thick and the woods are dark, and your lungs burn from the effort as you are blasted off your feet a moment later by the pressure wave. Falling onto your front, you see the burning transmission station behind you. Its dark metal tower begins drooping as the intense heat weakens the steel beams , though looking on what passes for social media here, it seems the recording was seen by few, and is now being shared by many.

1

Cicero stands up and brushes off the dust and leaves stuck his vest, turns takes in the sight of the smoldering pile for a moment, and turns to Eli, "Now we go for the governor. It doesn't seem like he's going to surrender, and I'm a man of my word. We're going to get him ourselves, and we'll pick up help along the way. For now, do you know a hidden way into the city? They're sure to be on lockdown."

"It's a big city, we'll find our way in, especially if things there continue to deteriorate" Eli says, and to punctuate his words there is a large explosion from the direction of the city.

"Let's move." (That was great, and I'm ready for next step

)

(3xp, 5000 credits)

9:49 AM

"We'll have to get eyes on the city- and find a way in from there. I think I am about at the end of my rope as far as contacts we can lean on" Eli says, hefting his pack onto his shoulders, and beating a path into the trees with a long metal tipped walking stick.

"Then we'll need new contacts. Let's get to the city and see what the word on the street is."

(sneak/dex)

(5)

You're able to make your way close to the city but you can see thaty you're not going to easily be able to sneak in through the four gates, one north, south, west, and east. Security presence has been increased at each of them, though your message seems to have caused unrest within the capital. Several large smoke columns are heading skyward from here- and it seems like both personnel and vehicle traffic have been suspended, as the Governor does not want the numbers of those opposing him bolstered from the countryside.

"There is still water and power going into the city" Eli says after a few minutes of looking onwards. "Bet we could follow a pipe somewhere and sneak in that way. We're not getting in through the gate"

1

Cicero eyes the edge of the city, waiting and watching the guards increased traffic surrounding the entrances. "Let them sweat for a while. Let's find a way into the slums, we'll have the most support there. Surely the sewers can lead us there."

A small pumping station outside of town does not look to be guarded, but it does have a small civilian work crew here now- four men and a battered white van taking a look at the pipes and pumps keeping the city supplied with water. Keeping an eye on them from the treeline, you do not see that any of them have weapons.

He begins moving towards the pump house, not necessarily trying to stay hidden, but also not moving recklessly through open space where possible. As the duo approaches, Cicero steps ahead to call out to the guards, "Seen any good news lately?" He shouts from just inside his weapons range.

There are no guards here, but one of the workers looks up, squinting to try to figure out who you are and piece together why you might be here.

Cicero moves closer and lowers his weapon, speaking sternly, "We need to get into the city. You can help us or not, but do not get in our way."

"Why do you need to get in?" one of them asks, still gripping a piece of rebar though he's too far from you to swing it an expect it to connect.

"Us getting into the city is the key to the cities freedom and a chance at a better life. We're on the way to see the Governor."

(talk/cha)

!roll 2d6-3

Cicero (Marc) Roll: [2, 1] Result: 0

The open talk of dangerous treason might have each man individually convinced at helping you, but together in a group like this, none can trust the others, and fear of punishment overrides the desire to do what they know is right. One of them reaches for the radio within the van, and will firmly have it in hand in a few seconds.

Cicero snaps his weapon up and sights the man reaching into the van and shouts, "Is this job worth yours and your friends lives?" He fires a shot at the windshield of the van as a warning

He shakes his head no, that it is not, and within sight of you slowly puts the radio down, and backs a few steps away so it is no longer within reach.

"Listen to me. Our goal is to free Supriya of the oppressive rule and return the stolen wealth to it's people. We are going to get in the city one way or another. With your help, or through you." "Eli, tie them up, I'll cover you."

Eli moves toward them with a pair of zip ties for each of them. "I'm going to rough you boys up a little bit so it doesn't look like you cooperated so easily. I don't want to add to the problems you're going to have today

"Sorry to have to do this, but it's better than the alternative. Give me your names. I will personally see to it that you and your families are safe and taken care of when this is all over."

They cooperate, providing them as Eli slaps them around a bit. After about five minutes they’ve all looked the parts and the vehicle is yours

(is the radio in the van portable?)

(No, its like a CB radio on the dash, it could be removed but it wont be powered anymore)

Cicero fires another shot directly at the radio in the van, and makes sure to take the keys from the workers. Looking to Eli, "Finished? No time to waste."

10:19 AM

(that is, assuming we don't need the van itself to enter the city, I'm thinking we can go on foot in through the pump house?)

(you can go on foot through it, which I think was the original plan, these guys just happened to be in the way)

1

10:21 AM

The radio is destroyed and nothing else look to be of value here aside from some hand tools or spare parts. The locals don't seem like they're slipping their bindings anytime soon.

Cicero looks at the man who went for the radio one more time, turns, and begins walking into the building

The pump house is a quiet building inside and you can see where the service corridor goes from here, along the length of the massive wastewater and freshwater pipes, under the city walls to likely an opposing pump house beyond where pressure is applied on that side of the pipe to keep water moving in both directions through it, fresh in, sewage out to wherever it is dumped or treated. You do not hear anyone else down here, though the machinery is loud and the passageway again inclines gently down before leveling out after a few meters, and it is very dark.

Cicero leads the way down the long corridor, keeping his weapon up, pushing forward to the city. (Looking for a manhole or passage topside along the way, once we're far enough in)

After walking for about a kilometer or so you hear the unmistakable sounds of traffic above you. There looks to be a manhole every 100 meters or so, allowing access to the city itself now that you've confirmed you are under its streets.

"Eli, are you familiar enough with the city to know if we'll be safe going topside here?"

“It’s not going to be safe anywhere with the crackdowns right now but the locals are about as at risk as we are if security thinks they’re up to something. We should just do our best not to be seen”

(there is a new NMC asssassin character coming in if we want to pivot to something else, you paved a route for them)

7:27 PM

(so you def helped)