Iron Stars - otto

"Otto, silvano wants to see you, he's on the bridge" the runner says, tapping on your door and pulling you from your studies as he makes his rounds. "Something's going on up there, whole crew's in a fuss trying to get the fleet together"

Otto looks up from his compad as the runner enters then jumps his feet when he hears the message. "On it, Thanks for the heads up. Stupid comms have been acting up all day." Otto runs down the corridor dodging people occasionally resorting to bouncing himself off of walls to get around groups. As he is about to burst onto the bridge he comes to a stop not even winded, All that PT had to pay off sometime Otto thinks to himself. Then walks into the bridge and salutes, "Silvano, What can i do for you?"

Sil is in a high backed chair, wearing a gray and brown checked combat field uniform. He has said several times that he no longer needs the armor but insists on wearing it anyway sometimes. “Otto. Glad you could make it. The fleet is assembling. We are about to head to Kamal, and see what’s left in the wake of the shaper harvest”

“How can I help?” Otto moves his right arm. “I can’t thank you enough. Though I’m not good for much more than running and punching right now.” Otto says straight-faced.

“Whatever happened I’ll find a way to regrow one for you, before this fight is done. A ground team is going to have to get some survey data from the surface of Kamal assuming it’s not still being harvested. We need to know more of what’s left behind

6:08 PM

It’s a far easier feat to learn about them by what’s left, rather than try to document what is taken

“Search and recovery, I can do that. Do we know how long they have been gone from the planet?”

"If they're gone at all, it would be days by time we arrive, not more than a week"

“Sounds like a party. How many of us are going to go in?”

"Five, including yourself. A small team is going to be less easily noticed if we aren't as along there as we think. Do you think you can handle it?"

“Yes sir. I will do everything I can to track down what I can.”

He nods. “Do this and we will try to figure out something for that arm when you’re back. The team is assembling down in the hangar. We are a short spike jump away”

Otto looks down at his metal right arm still shocked that it was ripped off in the war on Sumati. “That would be... thank you sir, I will go join my team.” Otto snaps a salute waits for sil to nod and then turns and runs towards the hangar.

He nods, and you make to the hangar, where four others are waiting. Two are female humans, one is a male taros, and the other is an Ashen One of indeterminate sex, not that any of them resemble male or female in any kind of traditional way. They seem all to be somewhat experienced, and are in the middle of going through kit for making planetside landing. The ship shakes, as the spike drive spools up

Otto runs up and come to a halt not out of breath. “Hello, I’m otto. I’m guessing you all go by Red, black white and Gray?”

"We could if that makes you happy" one of the human women says, smiling, her short black hair framing her face in a bob. One of her eyes is red from irritation or recent crying, you cannot be sure. "Assuming you're our 5th?"

“Yeah, I’m Otto. I just finished training as a psychic uh mostly. I can just feel things from people sil called it telepathy. Otherwise I used to use these a lot.” Otto makes a fist, “But regs say I have to carry a gun. I will be sure not to fire it unless I’m alone and the last one standing though. Don’t want to owe you beers like I did my last group.”

"If you can call that recycled swill the galley ghouls make beer, then I'm not sure I want you to owe me one" the woman says with a small laugh.

7:53 PM

"Well, grab a gun anyway, and lets hope none of us have need to use them"

“Sounds good, anything I need to know about your specialities? Any psychics or Noncoms?”

(Noncoms?)

(Non combatants.)

"Neither of those here, everyones an expert in something, along with using a gun"

7:45 PM

"psychics don't tend to last long on these kinds of missions"

Otto looks around and then nods, “then there isn’t a reason not to share while I still can.” Otto pulls off his pinky finger and pours out some Sumati liquor from his arm into the pinky as a shot glass. “This should be the last of it but it’s the good stuff from home.”

8:49 AM

(That might just be the reason he likes his cyber arm

)

Everyone is quite grateful and is feeling a bit bolstered by the drink. “Alright. Let’s get aboard. We should be re entering real space soon and we will be on a short timer once we are” The mission craft is a wraith shuttle; the internal cryobay removed in favor of a life sign dampening material of Silvanos own invention. The pilot is still a droid brain as far as you can tell

Otto reattaches his finger and walks onboard. Sitting down with the team. Waiting. Waiting. Man I’m bad at waiting, “So.... how do you like the food Sumati brought in?” Otto turns to inane small talk.”

(did you want an answer or do you want to just change scene)

(Change scene.)

The ship shudders as realspace translation is achieved, and it is only a moment later that the large hangar door opens. Scanning efforts on the bridge could not have possibly made contact with any vessels yet, friendly or otherwise in the area. The shuttle lurches forward, as the small launch rails push you out into space, and the droid brain begins a diving course toward the planet below, internal systems dampened, and blast shutters closed. Radio links with the main fleet are as predicted, off

Otto leans back and tries to relax and wait. Then gives in, “Any idea what we are walking into? Or is this the first one?”

“After the shapers leave the worlds are either barren rock or desert. This will be the first time we have ever visited a planet so early after harvest

Otto nods, then plays with his hands, pulling his pinky off then putting it back on. Waiting.

The craft plunges through the atmosphere, one of the few things that looks to not have been stripped, and its droid brain takes it on a course to several miles outside the largest population center, to see what remains. There are no portholes, but you can sense the ground under the ship as the landing claws extend, and you hear something creak as it brushes against the hull outside.

Otto stands to roll out snapping his pinky into place. “Let’s go.” as Otto turns and goes out the hatch. Hoping that the rest of the team is following him.

The ramp lowers to sandy ground where scanners show once a fertile forest may have existed. Bone from animals is everywhere, what’s left behind twisted open and the marrow pulled out with a surgeons care. Twisted hulks of rotted trees and chutes of some sort of blood red tuber poke from the ground. Even without powers you can feel an immense sense of death in the area

Otto quickly moves towards the larges trunk to inspect the trunk. Reaching out to touch it then thinking better of the idea and looking closely at it.

The wood has been rotted away and what’s left is simply the barest of shell giving it shape. It almost looks as though the organic marrow has been pulled away leaving nothing but waste product behind, or in this case, anything the shapers had no use for

9:13 AM

The scene repeats for as far as the eye can see

Otto turns looks at his team then punches one of the trees.

(Achievement unlocked: Getting wood!)

2

It shatters like brittle rice paper at your punch, the dusty pieces crumbling into the sandy ground, layering a blackened grey over the silicon like sand

Otto scoops up some of the pieces. “Should I catalog this?” Otto grins, “But honestly should we start cataloging the bones or move on to see if there is anything that is, uhhh larger?”

“Let’s start here just to collect some data points and then we will move on toward the city. We have a second craft coming down with a vehicle”

Otto begins to collect various prices and parts taking copious notes, until the vehicle arrives.

A second shuttle lands, depositing a six wheeled vehicle with a modest crew compartment and cargo bed in the back. It does not have any gear aboard, aside from what you’ve brought down to the surface with you. It hardly touches down before dropping off its cargo and powering back up to orbit and the relative safety of its mothership

Otto finishes collecting things and walks over towards the vehicle. “So which one of you can drive?”

Two of them raise their hands, "We can. rotate drivers. Everyone else, window seats, or cargo bed, guns and eyes up. We have an hour drive to the spot where the closest town should be. No idea what we're going to find:

Otto nods and then heads into the cargo bed. Hoping that he isn’t called on to start shooting.

The drive on the vehicles fat tires is smooth, as you pass over the winding sands and the dunes that were probably once verdant hillsides. Even the soil has been stripped of life. The shadowy forms of homes and a few larger buildings poke out of the sand a few kilometers north as the drive continues. , and the vehicle begins to slow

(Woops misses the dot...) Otto looks out across the barren wasteland. “I’m not so sure that we will be able to find any thing of note. But I am interested in what we can not find.” Otto empathizes.

“we should get eyes on the place before we go charging in. No ships in orbit but that might not mean anything. What do you think?” One of the psychics asks. “I could see it for us but if we run into trouble I won’t have anything left “

“But it could also prevent trouble now. What to you guys think?”

“I’m guessing that we should go into it and if we hit trouble we will just have to work our own way out of it. It should be fine. I think.”

No sooner does your answer come out that she shoves you into the dirt. A whistling barbed shot impacts the side of the vehicle where your had had been just a second ago. The round squirms , a soft insect like creature under a bony crest sharpened to barbed points

6:28 AM

“Sniper!” Someone yells

“By the GodKing? How are there things to attack us at all at this point? Scramble.” Otto quickly moves to find some kind of additional cover. (If there is any to be had INSIDE at car...)

(Inside for sure but the rub is there isn’t enough room inside for everyone)

“Get safe!” Otto turns and starts running towards the direction of the shot. (Figure I’m within 90 degrees of them.)

(are you double moving?)

(Yeah, double moving towards them and hopefully some kind of anything to break line of sight.)

The dune field rolls as sand dunes do you you’re able to tuck yourself into cover; the shifting sands giving you a measure of protection. You hear another shot and the solid thump of the round striking the vehicle, though it does not sound like anyone has been hit. You reckon two more pushes like this would have you to the village

Otto looks to the team members and makes sure that he isn’t the only one outside of the vehicle. Seeing some feet on the back side of the truck he makes another double time run. I think I like it better when I can see my enemy.

THere is another outside the vehicle, one of the soldiers, trying to get his own long rifle out of its drop bag, and set up into a firing position. he is struggling. Dropping into cover around another set of dunes you see a wiry form of a fleshshaper crouched in the abandoned second floor of a house at the edge of the village. It is slight for its kind, and frail looking

Otto begins running towards the door of the house the fleshshaper is on. (plan is to run up stairs and enter melee, hopefully there arent claymores.)

You make it to the door and head inside, and you hear another gunshot from upstairs along with the dull metal ping of it striking the vehicle

Otto runs across the room looking for the stairway. (Notice or is it obvious?)

(It’s obvious. Regular people used to live here)

Otto runs full tilt to the stairs. Stupid PT finally coming in handy. (exert 1 FTW...)

(Up to you if you want to keep that or not sjnce I didn’t make you roll it)

(Oh no I meant I have exert-1 which is due to the PT. Sorry for the confusion.)

You run up the stairs at full speed as the shaper comes into view at the top of the stairs, alerted by the noise (initiative)

(5)

(You’re up

Otto runs towards the ~~shower~~ shaper. (I’m move range or double range?) (edited)

4

(Move range. Normal combat

Otto steps into red unity fighting style tying to sync into the thoughts of his opponent and throws a punch. (9/4)

The shaper recoils from the momentum of the blow, not the impact, and its arm begins to re-shape into some sort of short gladius like sword (its turn was reforming a weapon, basically drawing an unreadied one, you're up again)

Otto frustrated of his main thrust missing this time kicks out and tries to land a shot on the Shapers abdomen. (14/7)

The shaper doubles over, rocking back and taking a ponderous step to try to right itself. It swings its blade in a high arc, seeking to disembowel your from pelvis to neck, but the blade whistles past your face, short (8/8)

(Do I have allies firing in or anything other than a knock out drag out.)

(They’re running ar the building. They’re not going to shoot through it not knowing where you are inside)

Otto reels back from the blade and his blood is pumping. He throws a poorly placed punch. (8/3)

The beast still staggers back from the momentum. Outside you hear the heavy boot steps and panting of your team as they rush the building, now free from the sniper fire. They should be here in seconds. The shaper winds up another swing and carves a slash down the wall next to you, spraying you with flecks of the plaster but missing

Otto punches the shaper and something clicks in his mind. (17/7 max damage so a psychic link is formed)

(I’m level 1 so here’s the snip-it cause I had to look it up too.)

Level-1: A shallow gestalt with the target’s language cen-
ters allows the telepath to understand any form of communication made by the target. If the psychic has the requisite body parts to speak the target’s language, they can communicate with it in turn.

(Alright. Speaking is essentially a free action if it’s short so you still can before it does anything)

(So we can communicate?) “How many of you are there here?”

(It’s not forced to answer, if I’m understanding this Right, but if it does you can understand it) The creature is knocked back against the wall by the force of your punch, and sags as the wind is driven from its slender body. Something inside it cracks. Downstairs you hear the first two of your team entering the building and pounding up the stairs

(Yep Thats what I’m working towards. ) “Up here! I think this one is down.”

The team pounds up the stairs and covers the downed beast with their weapons. The team leader puts a round through its head to be sure, but you’re left with a lasting impression that two pack mates are left begins

3:45 PM

Behind

“I think that there are 1 maybe 2 more from what I could get from him. We should clear the rest of the building.”

There is another flight of stairs leading to a floor above you, down below you can hear the remaining two members of your team calling out 'clear' as rooms are swept and dismissed as safe

Otto turns and moves towards the stairs above. “Let’s wait for the rest of the team to join us.” (Forgot to hit enter... fail....)

The team finishes filing into the building , sweeping below and taking watch positions on various windows on this floor. There is one more flight of stairs heading above. The building is quiet , no movement heard aside from the slight ones made by your team

Otto looks around for any other building nearby.

There are two small farmhouses nearby with a dilapidated silo. The silo is peeled down the side like a blown out can of biscuits. Even the grains have been taken, the biomass , what little of it they provide on their own, taken into the stars for the shapers plans. You see faint movement from inside the rupture, for a moment

4:17 PM

(It’s 500m out)0

“Did you see that? I thought I saw movement. should we split into groups One cover and one move in?” Otto says looking at his team mates.

"I don

9:59 PM

t...wait. Yes, there's something out there" your spotter says, as he also looks out the window

9:59 PM

"Alright, two teams, who's going where?" (ill form them as you decide what you'd like to do)

(I’m going in after the guy. Last one didn’t hit me better to keep rolling those dice.)

The team is split and as you reach the door out you see the suppression team taking its place in the windows. They are silent, counting down from three

The window shooter lead makes a fist, and suppression fire begins snapping in short bursts from the house youve just cleared. Shots of solid rounds and energy burns begin peppering the silo, and you clearly see the silhouette of whatever is in there go to cover

Otto counts down with them on his hand and on Go (3,2,1,go) breaches though the door looking to get the drop on the inhabitant. Moving into the room in a fighting stance.

A shaper scout lurks in the corner of the now bullet and energy scarred silo. Two skeletons in cowering poses have been picked clean of flesh and the bones themselves are cracked and pitted, as they’ve also begun being broken down. The shaper wields two brutal looking shotgun like devices on its arm

5:14 AM

(Initiative)

Otto sees the two fleshapers and pauses for a minute then realizes his team is behind him and begins moving again. (8)

(For the first time in a month, bump

)

(You’re first)

8:10 PM

(Hard to top an 8)

Otto snaps a fist out towards the fleshaper nearest the door. Then takes a small set to the side. (15/3)

It’s barbed shotgun misses as it booms in the small space, knocked aside by your rapid advance. The wall dents as it’s covered in a milky blue fluid that begins hissing as it works at the metal

Otto punches out again. “Get the other one!” (9/6)

(There are two in the room right?)

(Yes)

4:09 PM

Your blow sails into the creature but is dodged partly, the both of you crashing into the silo wall. You see it trying to shape a blade out of its arm. Your companions begin open firing on the other

Otto slams out another punch missing wildly being caught off guard by the sudden change in weapons. (7/5)

The blade forms out of a twist of muscle and bone. It’s blade descends in a whistling arc , stopped by the wall of the silo as you deftly weave aside (1 shock)

7:25 PM

(Got a 9 to hit)

(Ac 16 hp 3 of 4) Otto takes the glancing blow and counters with a hard right hook. (12/5)

The shaper doubles backwards, the weapon in its hand flickering and becoming formless for a split second , as its concentration is interrupted

6:49 AM

It lashes out with its blade as it regains it’s footing (24/4) and you are spun by the impact in time to see your compatriots overwhelming the other shaper, their solid shots cutting it to pieces at close range, as they stand over the body

(I’m down.) Otto hears his ribs and arm crack like an old stale bread. The pain is to much for Otto and he is unable to focus, his military training keeps him from crying out in agony while he waits for the pain to end. One way or another.

2

You see the descending blade of the shaper blocked by a wall of telekinetic force, and it’s then hurled against the silo wall. Small arms fire riddles the body until nothing but mush remains. Your body feels warm as healing energies move through you, knitting the worst of your injuries together

12:08 PM

(3xp, 5000 credits)

12:08 PM

“Otto. Otto stay with us.” “I think that’s the last of them. I’ll call for pickup. We have new orders”

Otto comes out of the pain of the wall appearing next to him. “Ouch, where are we off to then?”

“Acastus. The shapers are moving in force. The fleet is going to stand with the defenders there”

1

6:38 PM

“And lend our guns however we can. Commander Mazzio stole their munitions , I guess we are returning them in a fashion”

Otto feels his ribs and can’t take a deep breath. ”What can I do to help?” Otto exhales through his teeth. ”I’ll be back in a parsec but until then I’m not sure what use I can be on this all.”

“There will likely be boarding, or counter boarding. We will help as best we can”

Otto grunts, “then let’s get on up there where we can do some good.” Otto coughs and then cringes, “and some medical help.”

(Gonna begin this when Sumati gets going. Trying to keep focus on the other three big missions

(I just used this thread to transfer the rolls from one device to another.)