Stars Without Number - shaper-space-exploration

Nekosmash 11-Aug-20 06:50 AM

The entire void wardens fleet, consisting of the cruisers Saturn and Jupiter , the heavy frigates Beowulf , Wotan and Frija, the corvette Adder and the logistics free merchant Zheng He all meet the NMC vessel commanded by Levi and Marble at Wasim the Zheng He invites the both of them, along with Catherine Frasier, another somewhat new addition to the wardens to come aboard to ensure they are properly equipped for the coming expedition into what still might be hostile space

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 11-Aug-20 07:07 AM

Levi follows the standard procedure for bringing the Boundless in to join with the Zheng He, pairing them and creating a seal to board. Next to the more modern hulls of the Wardens, the New Moon Cooperative hull looks a bit out of place with her solar sails and ironwood exterior, but she's as space-worthy as any ship here. Levi gathers Marble and crosses to the Free Merchant to make greetings with his new allies.

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 09:46 AM

She gets the notification they have reached their first stop and linked up with the rest of the VW fleet. Her first act is simply to run to the nearest window and briefly marvel at the combined vessels—having never seen such a large gathering of warships, particularly several which are so new. In some ways, the sight of this armada reassured her; but she’s also worried about where they’re going that requires such a fleet. Nonetheless, she heads over to the logistics vessel as instructed, clearly seeming unsure and a little out of place, like any new recruit, as she muddled her way to where she’s supposed to be.

Artifice (Regrupple) 11-Aug-20 02:43 PM

As Cat boards she sees a rather short humanoid seemingly made of stone, disproportionately stubby legs somehow supporting a normalish sized torso. It doesn't seem to be wearing anything aside from a large tricorn hat sporting a fabulous plume of rainbow feathers and a fannypack around its waist. As you approach the hat wobbles slightly on its own as if something is moving beneath it. "Hi, I'm Marble! Are you in charge here? There's supposed to be someone named Zoo or something!"

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 02:55 PM

She stops, almost startled seeing what she can only describe as a talking rock—her first actual encounter with anything non-human, though she’s read about them a little on her compad. She brushes her hair back, as if looking slightly more closely at this person before her and doubting what she’s seeing. But she nonetheless gives him her warm smile and own overly friendly greeting. “Hi Marble, I’m Cat—“ she almost seems like she’s cutting it short there, having heard it all when people hear who she is. She offers him a hand in greeting, nails well manicured, and a tribal tattoo which presumably covers her whole arm is at least visible from her wrist to where sleeve ends.

“Nice to meet you! Sorry, I’m not in charge here—as lost as you—but, um, we can find who is together.”

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 11-Aug-20 06:04 PM

"Levi McClain, nice to meet you, Cat," he says offering a hand. "It is strange, isn't it? I thought someone would be on this side to meet us. I'm sure they'll be along shortly."

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 06:10 PM

She smiles and offers Levi a gentle handshake. "And same to you!" She then nods "Hopefully..." She then decides to kill the time while they wait with a little small talk and idle banter "So where you gentlemen from? Travel far to get here?" (edited)

Artifice (Regrupple) 11-Aug-20 06:17 PM

"Oh man, we traveled so far! We were on that ship for weeks! I mean, it's a great ship and stuff but two weeks in one place is really boring... And I don't sleep so I couldn't even pass the time that way like Levi did! And I made the mistake of showing the kids how to make slingshots... And I'm pretty sure they almost blew the ship up at least once!"

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 06:19 PM

She blinks a bit, not even sure where to begin unpacking all that "You...you don't sleep?... and, wait, you brought kids with you?"

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 11-Aug-20 06:31 PM

"Orphans, all of them. Rescued them from Groa and they've stuck with me since. Hungry kids seem to like eating, it seems."

"And yes... there's quite a few odd things I've found about Marble. But he's as good as they come."

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 06:34 PM

Her eyes almost seem to light up hearing that these fellows rescued orphans "You...you rescued a bunch of orphans? That is so noble!" She just smiles, as that seems to confirm her beliefs about this organization and her motives for joining (edited)

Nekosmash 11-Aug-20 06:45 PM

"Ahem" the Void Wardens representative says, entering the airlock. Her uniform is crisp, and clean, with no rank markings but she none the less has an air of supremacy about her

"If you're quite finished, I'd like to introduce myself. I am Quartermaster Rea, and I am here to get you fitted before we enter shaper space"

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 11-Aug-20 06:48 PM

"It's a pleasure, Quartermaster," he says with a nod of his head. "Outfitted how? New uniforms, or...?"

Nekosmash 11-Aug-20 06:50 PM

"Armor, weapons, supply...late First Warden Tanzer was able to get his hands on many unique weapons and equipment's, due to his persuasive nature with the movers and shakers of the sectors around here. You're joining with a degree of renown and skill behind you already, and as you're starting off as wardens' rather than initiates, you'll be able to requisition a piece from our own armory to better assist you

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 06:58 PM

Not sure the protocol, she kinda snaps to a lax attention as the woman catches them. She almost cringes a bit at the reference of a degree of renown. She then smiles a bit hearing they’re gonna outfit them, looking down at own outfit which is a bit worn and not really combat appropriate.

Artifice (Regrupple) 11-Aug-20 07:15 PM

"Yeah Levi and I have been working hard exploring and protecting up north, so working with you guys really won't be too different! I don't wear armor since I don't have wimpy skin like you guys, but I'd like to look at your weapons!"

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 07:20 PM

She just kind of nods "Yeah, I uh, I kind of don't have much more than what I brought with me on my back, so...yeah..."

Nekosmash 11-Aug-20 07:22 PM

"Great contribution" she says, rolling her eyes. she snaps her fingers, and the doors hiss open, allowing you into the cargo bay of the Free Merchant, where racks of armor, weapons, and equipment stores for the entire fleet have been stacked up neatly.

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 07:25 PM

She cringes at the woman's reaction and comment, and somewhat embarassedly follows at the back of the group.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 11-Aug-20 07:27 PM

"Huh.... wow. This really is quite an operation you have here. I... I generally don't use armor... or weapons. That's if I can help it. I'm just an old man of Faith. I haven't fired a weapon since... well," Levi stumbles on his words for a moment, unable to speak. "Well, never mind."

Nekosmash 11-Aug-20 07:28 PM

"Perhaps you're looking for something from our SamelTech collection, where the word of God meets the rule of steel"

she gestures to a wide arming rack, where all manner of melee combat weapons are laid out in suspension fields

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 11-Aug-20 07:30 PM

He begins to chuckle deeply as he lays eyes on the beautiful relics. "...Thy rod and thy staff comfort me..." The Reverend walks up to a simple but sturdy staff and gingerly runs his fingers down some of the iconography. "It's incredible."

"May I?"

Nekosmash 11-Aug-20 07:31 PM

She nods, and presses a button to deactivate the suspension fields around the weapons

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 07:34 PM

She just kind of stands at the back of the group, slightly in awe at all the weapons, but also now feeling a bit more self conscious. She worries about appearing greedy, like its not her place to take something from these people that she has not yet contributed to. Especially in light of the quartermasters early first impression. (edited)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 11-Aug-20 07:37 PM

He hefts the expertly balanced weapon, giving it a few whirls. The weapon feels intuitive, like he's carried it his whole life. "There, now that is a proper way to defend yourself. Not too showy, and not lethal unless you intend it." He seems to have regained some of his former confidence.

"It's perfect, Quartermaster. I may yet surprise you." (edited)

Artifice (Regrupple) 11-Aug-20 07:42 PM

Marble immediately runs up to a collection of swords of various sizes, gazing in awe at the blades. "Most people I know just use rifles, it's a nice surprise you have so many different types of weapons here! Can I touch them??"

Nekosmash 11-Aug-20 07:44 PM

"Please, ALL of you, make yourselves comfortable. Feel free to try anything you are interested in"

Artifice (Regrupple) 11-Aug-20 07:44 PM

"C'mon Cat! What weapons do you like?"

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 07:49 PM

She watches the other two handle the weapons a bit, her own eyes scanning the rack. She then smiles a bit at Marble's prodding and somewhat reluctantly steps forward to the rack. Her eyes are immediately drawn to a magnificent and high-tech looking spear. As she gingerly reaches to lift the weapon from the rack, she feels it perhaps somewhat reminds her of the weapons carried by the royal guards on her homeworld many years ago the few times she saw them on parades or ceremonial functions. Drawn more to its appearance than function, as she hopes to rarely need it, she doesn't really give it much testing. "You sure, ma'am? These all look so old, and high tech, they must be worth a fortune?" Its clear she has reservations about taking handouts.

Nekosmash 11-Aug-20 07:52 PM

"It was one of First Warden Tanzer's instructions, all of the Wardens should share in what was provided for us"

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 07:53 PM

She just simply nods, taking a step back hesitantly still holding he spear.

"Thank you, ma'am. I hope to earn it soon enough."

Artifice (Regrupple) 11-Aug-20 07:57 PM

Marble picks up and tries a few different blades, giving them some experimental swings. He starts with the heavier swords, similar to what he is used to, but none feel quite right. He frowns as he picks up more swords just to put them back down again until he reaches one near the end. He grabs the hilt, examining the dark grey-blue metal, a type unknown to Marble, and notices words engraved along the fuller, "Terminus Est..." He gives it a flashy flourish before lunging towards an invisible foe. As he attacks the blade shimmers, as if reflecting a field of stars against a night sky. Simultaneously Marble's form also shimmers, growing somewhat less substantial as suddenly five other copies of him appear, their mirrored forms thrusting illusory blades into the air. The Marble copies disappear and he turns with a wide grin, "I think I'll take this one miss Rea!"

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 07:58 PM

(Terminus Est was what I was going to pick as well.

) (edited)

She almost blinks a bit seeing Marbles display with the sword. Unaware that was the result of the weapon, she just assumes he has some impressive magical or psychic skills as she watches impressed. She suddenly feels in a bit better company going into the fleshshapers homeworlds.

Artifice (Regrupple) 11-Aug-20 08:07 PM

"All the best weapons have names right? I'll need to think of one for mine! That spear is really great Cat, you should come up with a name too! And uh, nice walking stick Levi!"

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 08:11 PM

She just can’t help but laugh and smile at the rock man, and just nods in agreement. “I suppose I do.”

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 11-Aug-20 08:16 PM

"Thank you, Marble. A weapon ought to be practical, too. Don't you think?"

Artifice (Regrupple) 11-Aug-20 08:22 PM

"Mine is super practical! I don't have to worry about the hilt sticking out way too much or the tip dragging on the ground when I walk anymore! But I'll still need to wear it on my back cause my legs are a bit short, so that's too bad. Maybe I'll wear some tall boots or something! Or learn how to fly!"

Catherine Fraiser 11-Aug-20 08:25 PM

She just smiles at these two as she grabs a couple surplus uniforms and such off the shelves too.

Bartholemew Thrace (Robert) 11-Aug-20 08:41 PM

(Worth noting theres an armory on every ship so feel free to stock up on supplies as needed)

1

Artifice (Regrupple) 12-Aug-20 05:30 AM

"I think we're ready to go miss Rea! Thanks for letting us look at all these really great weapons!"

Catherine Fraiser 12-Aug-20 05:40 AM

She nods in agreement as she finishes packing away uniforms and stuff in a small duffle bag and rejoining the group. “yes, thank you, ma’am...”

Nekosmash 12-Aug-20 07:47 AM

"From here, the fleet is going to jump to Kamal for a brief survey, and that will be our final jump before splitting to explore the shaper sector itself. "

Artifice (Regrupple) 12-Aug-20 10:06 AM

"Sounds good to me! Guess we'll see ya there Cat, wish us luck!"

Catherine Fraiser 12-Aug-20 10:18 AM

“Yeah, it was great meeting you guys! Guess I’ll see you at Kamal” She turns to the quartermaster “Folks going planetside there? Or that just a survey from orbit while refueling?”

Nekosmash 12-Aug-20 10:25 AM

We're going to be making a landing there, possibly in force. Kamal was a prison world used by the New Moon Cooperative when their reach extended this far, and we're not sure what might have happened to the people there. We owe it to them to get them out and offer them a chance if there is anyone left"

Catherine Fraiser 12-Aug-20 10:29 AM

She nods. “Definitely! That is why we’re here, right?”

(I’m good fast forwarding, downtime, whatever.. got nothing else I need here)

Artifice (Regrupple) 12-Aug-20 10:50 AM

(Same)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 12-Aug-20 11:03 AM

(All set here.)

Nekosmash 12-Aug-20 12:08 PM

Kamal is a desert world that features five large prison colonies once used by the New Moon Cooperative to harbor political prisoners, debtors, deserters, and other criminal offenders who had broken the myriad laws the Cooperative once upheld. An asteroid belt and an ocean moon also dominate the planet space, with the ruins of a space station in orbit. It appears the shapers had bypassed this world for some reason, as the station was destroyed with conventional weapons. It does appear that the prison colonies on the surface are at least lightly inhabited, though the residents lack the capability to communicate with space.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 12-Aug-20 01:18 PM

(Looks like there was 3 days of downtime from the jump)

Nekosmash 12-Aug-20 01:18 PM

(yeah, sorry)

(i was just anxious to make sure the report was complete)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 12-Aug-20 01:23 PM

Levi stands at a window overlooking the planet, contemplative. "What in the heavens... Kamal was... spared? Why wouldn't the Shapers have-- But something else must have happened here, if it wasn't the Shapers. You see that, Marble? That's conventional starship weaponry that dismantled that station. Shapers are messy, and their weapons are almost living things on their own."

Catherine Fraiser 12-Aug-20 02:21 PM

She also notices the ship arrive and goes to a window to check it out. But doesn’t have nearly the familiarity with space weapons, space stations, flesh shapers, or anything else. She just admires the beauty of the planet and it’s moon—even a harsh desert world having a kind of natural charm when viewed from space.

Artifice (Regrupple) 12-Aug-20 02:31 PM

"A whole planet that's a prison... Prison is already such a weird concept, I can't imagine so many bad people that you'd have a whole planet for them! Maybe the bad people took over the planet once NMC left and they blew up the station themselves. At least we shouldn't have to worry about strange hybrid shaper creatures here!"

Catherine Fraiser 12-Aug-20 02:34 PM

She wanders to the bridge of whatever ship she was riding on, dressed in one of the crisp warden uniforms she grabbed from the logistics ship. She checks in with whoever seems to be in charge, see what the plan is.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 12-Aug-20 06:30 PM

(Totally never put together an official 10-man crew for this Corvette I'm in, but we'd have to hire somebody to fly it and do other ship things since neither myself or my 8 kids are capable. I assume I have a comms officer aboard.) "Have the Warden ships hailed us yet? We ought to be gathering soon to make our plan."

Nekosmash 12-Aug-20 06:36 PM

(i wasnt really sure what you guys wanted to do, i figured any crew you didnt have are probably on loan from the wardens right now, since your ship is another way to get people into the fight)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 12-Aug-20 06:38 PM

(Good point. Is there a command ship for our fleet? We could meet aboard there.)

Nekosmash 12-Aug-20 06:39 PM

(the saturn)

1

Catherine Fraiser 12-Aug-20 06:53 PM

She changes into the combat uniform she got on Sumati, putting her knife from Thjodhild on her hip. She grabs her new spear, which she has decorated with various tribal talismans, bones, feathers, beads, etc taken off her old clothes from Thjodhild. She grabs her pack, loaded with all her other miscellaneous gear, and heads to wherever they’re gathering—either if she’s on the Saturn already, they’ve docked, etc.

Nekosmash 12-Aug-20 06:56 PM

The bridge of the Saturn has been cleared of non-essential ship personnel, aside from the direct officers, and a handful of security officers. The captain has remained in his chair, and has it facing the planet ahead as the rest of the warden fleet either makes orbit, or in the case of the lighter vessels, begins a system patrol

"Alright everyone, gather round. As you can see we've stumbled on something we weren't expecting here, both with there being life here, and some questionable damage to the orbital

Catherine Fraiser 12-Aug-20 07:00 PM

She just idly propped up on her spear listening to the brief. She remains quiet at the edge of the gathering, not asking any questions to reveal her ignorance, just listening.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 12-Aug-20 07:06 PM

Levi arrives in the room in a wandering fashion, as if this just meeting happened to be here. His demeanor is not indicative of the way he speaks, however. "The way I see it, there's two main areas of focus, one being potentially much larger of a problem than the other. We should investigate the station up here since it will provide more clues as to what happened... And we will have to land planetside to make contact with any remaining people. Lord only knows what we'll find. The planet seems to hold the largest mysteries, in my mind. Don't pay much attention to me, though. I'm sure everyone was already thinking that."

Artifice (Regrupple) 12-Aug-20 07:17 PM

Marble enters right behind Levi, his new blade on his back, he gives a small wave to Cat as he gets settled. "I guess it'd be best to have all the clues before going down to check on the people right?"

Catherine Fraiser 12-Aug-20 07:20 PM

She smiles and returns the wave, listening to the discussion.

Nekosmash 12-Aug-20 07:33 PM

(This is a chance for you to like. Actually participate...)

Catherine Fraiser 12-Aug-20 07:34 PM

“I agree.. seems we should check out the station first..”

“Any idea if it’s still able to sustain life with the damage?”

Artifice (Regrupple) 13-Aug-20 04:43 AM

"I dunno, but we've got vac suits so we can check it out either way! I'm ready when you guys are!"

Catherine Fraiser 13-Aug-20 04:47 AM

She nods as well. “guess we should get rolling?”

Artifice (Regrupple) 13-Aug-20 05:03 AM

"Captain, could you take us over to the station?"

Nekosmash 13-Aug-20 06:14 AM

"Lets get you transferred back over to the Adder. It's small and is going to have an easier time docking than a big tub like this. We should explore and secure the station before we do anything else, I think this is a sensible plan"

Artifice (Regrupple) 13-Aug-20 10:28 AM

Marble nods and heads to the smaller ship to prepare to board the station.

Catherine Fraiser 13-Aug-20 11:38 AM

She also follows the others to the smaller ship.

Catherine Fraiser 13-Aug-20 11:57 AM

Once on the smaller ship, she dons the vac suit, doing well to hide her claustrophobic discomfort at wearing the bulky thing. In effort to lighten her load and mitigate some loss of mobility, she leaves her backpack and any other surplus gear on the boarding vessel—opting just to take a bioscanner, medkit, and her spear. (edited)

Nekosmash 13-Aug-20 12:18 PM

The adder is a sleek vessel, most notably the one that escaped the engagement where First Warden Tanzer was killed, with current First Warden Xu aboard- along with the ritual book that helped the academy defeat the scream beast. The vessel is storied, one of the first ever Warden ships, and evidence of its proud heritage are everywhere inside, especially in the detailed construction and efforts made to make it feel like a home as much as a warship

Catherine Fraiser 13-Aug-20 03:32 PM

She can’t help but admire all the pictures, plaques, and other tokens of the ship’s heritage as she boards, gears up, and prepares to head to the station.

Artifice (Regrupple) 13-Aug-20 07:52 PM

Marble joins Cat as they get ready, "I'm from Viggis by the way! On our way here I realize I never answered your question about where I'm from! It's part of the New Moon Cooperative! My clan lives underground there but I'm working on a geon trading town on the surface so they can mingle with the other people!"

Catherine Fraiser 13-Aug-20 08:13 PM

“Wow, new moon? You really did travel far! You guys are the first new moonites—nooners?—I’ve met! And the first geon for that matter!” She smiles. She notices just chatting with him, her own voice is rising, as his enthusiasm is contagious.

Catherine Fraiser 13-Aug-20 08:33 PM

“So what brings a Geon and his friend so far from home with the wardens? I didnt think your people normally strayed far from your clan?”

Artifice (Regrupple) 13-Aug-20 10:01 PM

"I mean, we're just as far from NMC territory as UNW pretty much, so it's not too far! Plus, most of this was NMC before the shapers showed up, so it's at least partially our responsibility to help the ones we had to abandon... Levi and I weren't with NMC back then. Though I think he still fought against the shapers? I dunno, he doesn't like talking about his past much. And you're right about Geons, most of us aren't really the adventurous type–miners and craftspeople mostly! The elders sent me out to learn and talk with the humans for them. A long time ago humans who we thought were friends attacked us for our shiny rocks, so the elders don't trust them. I really haven't met any bad humans yet though! I mean, the ones on Groa weren't nice to their robots but that was mostly a misunderstanding!" Marble turns and looks down at the planet below, "I have a feeling I'll meet some of the bad ones soon though..."

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 13-Aug-20 11:20 PM

"I'm a vagabond, of sorts. He's right that I'm fairly new to the Cooperative. I've only been around for a few months. Before that... is a very, very long story that a young lady like yourself has no time for, surely. I won't bore you with it, but the most recent, or possibly most interesting, is that I was travelling with Silvano's campaign before the Sovereign Colonies was even formed. I was a sort of counselor during the Shaper war. God carried me through those times. When they were finally defeated, and it looked like the Colonies' Armed Forces were settling down in a system permanently, I decided to make my departure. Silvano's actions were making me... uneasy. And the Cooperative was dealt the heaviest blow by the Shapers, so away I went. To find new ground to sow into. I believe I have been called to bring hope to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to comfort those who mourn, and with the Grace I have been given, I will do my very best to make it so..." Levi closes his eyes with a faint smile as he recalls. "They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations."

Catherine Fraiser 14-Aug-20 04:16 AM

She visibly smiles hearing this gentleman’s story, particularly as he references Grace and quotes from scripture. But she decides they’re burning daylight and makes a mental note to talk to him more about that later. “Wow, that is quite a fascinating story indeed! seems you two have both seen and done some incredible things that I’d love to hear more about some time. But for now, I think there’s a station that needs checking out.” (edited)

Artifice (Regrupple) 14-Aug-20 06:30 AM

"Yep! Hopefully no bad guys in there and maybe some good guys are still alive! Probably not, but I can still ask them what happened if there are some bodies!"

Nekosmash 14-Aug-20 06:32 AM

The adder pulls alongside the station airlock, and it seems like the three of you are the only ones going aboard, while the Void Warden marines ensure the ship is safe while docked with the station. There is a hiss as the air fills the airlock, and both doors cycle from red, to amber, to green, allowing you entry into the main crew transfer vestibule of the station. No bodies are on the ground here, but the signs have all been shattered on the walls, and one of the light rigs has fallen from the ceiling, now held on by only one of its two cords

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 14-Aug-20 06:38 AM

(How intact is the station generally? I got the impression earlier that it was like ripped in half or something when you said "ruins of a space station.")

Nekosmash 14-Aug-20 06:38 AM

(You're in the most intact hunk of it, but overall its in a few pieces)

(emergency bulkheads would have sealed when any vacuum was detected though when everything did have power, so the individual sections are self contained, and evidently this one either has power connected, or there is reserve power somewhere still working)

Catherine Fraiser 14-Aug-20 10:27 AM

She slowly enters the ruined hulk of the station with the rest of the group. She immediately leans her spear to the side and pulls out her bioscanner, just to see if there might still be anyone, or anything, alive in this chunk of the station. (is there still oxygen/life support in this section if there’s power/sealed bulkheads?)

Nekosmash 14-Aug-20 10:29 AM

(yes)

The readings are not complete, due to the heavy concentrations of metal and the irregular walls, but there is nothing alive in this room, aside from yourself and your companions

Catherine Fraiser 14-Aug-20 10:32 AM

She clips it to her belt, feeling slightly reassured that the immediate vicinity is safe. She trusts, or more hopes, it’ll alert them if something alive gets too close as they move through the station. She lets her eyes adjust to the dim room, scanning around the immediate area while waiting for the others to enter and kind of follow their queue.. (im envisioning like alien with the beeping dot getting closer, lol)

Nekosmash 14-Aug-20 10:35 AM

(thats how i always picture it too, probably the easiest and best way to get the idea across)

Artifice (Regrupple) 14-Aug-20 04:13 PM

Marble joins Cat, new sword in hand, taking in the wreckage before heading towards the next room.

Catherine Fraiser 14-Aug-20 04:26 PM

once the others are clearly aboard, she grabs her spear and follows the little bolder into the next room.

Nekosmash 15-Aug-20 01:09 PM

The hallway leaving this area opens up into a wide hydroponic garden that is more of a city park than food stuffs source in itself. A large tree at the center of the garden is dying, brown and yellow@leaves are curled on the ground where they’ve fallen. Green grass is now a wilting brown, and the flowers have long since died. Several bodies are lying near the tree, well on their way to becoming skeletons.

Catherine Fraiser 15-Aug-20 01:20 PM

She moves to one of the bodies to see if she can determine any visible cause of death—mainly looking for blaster or gunshot wounds that might indicate someone boarded the station. (edited)

(Are any of the plants, or tree, anything exotic, unique, or something she’d never seen? Or are they just like an oak or something common?)

Artifice (Regrupple) 15-Aug-20 01:27 PM

Marble approaches the tree, running a leaf through his fingers, "Poor thing. I bet this place was quite pretty before everything died."

Catherine Fraiser 15-Aug-20 01:38 PM

She turns to look back at Marble, slightly surprised at his appreciation of the tree. “Yes, it seems like it was. Which is strange. Why have a station like this, with such a nice garden and all, to—guard?—a prison world?” (edited)

Artifice (Regrupple) 15-Aug-20 04:51 PM

"Well if I were guarding a prison world I'd certainly want something nice to look at!"

Catherine Fraiser 15-Aug-20 05:09 PM

“No doubt! I’m just not used to governments caring about creature comforts for prison guards... and wait—why even have guards? Isn’t the point of a prison planet so you can just dump them here and not need guards? Makes me think there mighta been something else going on up here.”

Artifice (Regrupple) 15-Aug-20 05:13 PM

Marble shrugs happily, "Geons don't have prisons so I don't know much about them besides that they hold bad guys, but I'm excited to learn more!"

Catherine Fraiser 15-Aug-20 05:16 PM

She looks at him curiously, “Then what do you do with criminals?”

Artifice (Regrupple) 15-Aug-20 06:16 PM

Marble mirrors her curious gaze, "Well we don't really have many. Clan is not a good translation, it's really closer to a human family. We don't even have a different word for family, it's the same as clan for us. I've noticed most of you humans aren't very connected to each other, you have small groups who trust and rely on each other. For Geons that's what our whole clan is like! No need to worry about money or individual possessions, everyone works for the good of the clan, that's just what we do! Not to say we don't have geons who are selfish or mean, but even those know the best way to help themselves is to help the clan. The very few who choose to go against all that are given the choice of banishment or death. There have been maybe... two? In my life that did that. It doesnt happen often! So no need for prison!" Marble smiles up at Cat.

Catherine Fraiser 15-Aug-20 06:27 PM

She just smiles hearing his explanation. “That sounds so nice! Must be amazing. Maybe eventually one day more humans can learn to care for each other the way you do.” She then turns back to the corpses she was inspecting, whispers a quick silent prayer for them, and hops up. She then moves and inspects the plants, she collects a few dried seed pods from some of the flowers to plant later in her little makeshift garden. (edited)

Artifice (Regrupple) 15-Aug-20 10:29 PM

Marble helps Cat inspect the bodies, trying to determine how long ago they died and the potential cause.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 16-Aug-20 09:25 AM

Levi has been following quietly, keeping to himself as he takes in the sights. He does speak up once, though. "Even a prison world would need a way to care for itself safely. This station was probably the safest way to oversee and manage logistics for keeping a planet of people fed. That's just a guess, though... We won't know more until we can find some sort of records or talk to any inhabitants on the surface." He gestures at the bodies, "See anything strange about those?"

Nekosmash 16-Aug-20 06:30 PM

They look to have been dead for about a year now. Warden Ronakeve is aboard the Saturn, looking on and comes into the mic. He was held on this world once before being rescued in space by Silvano - and later meeting Mr tanzer during a boarding action against the shapers He is here to advise or answer general@questions about the planet

Catherine Fraiser 16-Aug-20 06:35 PM

(Any obvious indications of cause? Like, were they shot or anything obvious like that which might shed clues on the attack?) (edited)

Nekosmash 16-Aug-20 06:54 PM

The bodies were shot, impact trauma marks rib cages and in a few of the thicker bones such as ribs or legs the small caliber rounds are embedded

Catherine Fraiser 16-Aug-20 07:01 PM

She relays this to the group. “Looks like they’ve been dead about a year. They were shot, so whoever did this boarded the station rather than just destroying it from space, it seems.”

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 05:21 AM

Deciding there’s little more to learn here, she pockets the few seeds she grabbed, picks up her spear and begins heading deeper into the station.

Nekosmash 17-Aug-20 05:22 AM

(lets wait for the other two)

(they might have questions for rona, or might be wanting to look for other leads in here)

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 05:25 AM

(Okie dokie)

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 05:35 AM

(Think it got buried way back in other chat—anything special or unique about any of the plants in here? Like, any exotic or anything; or they just a 30th century version of a maple?)

Nekosmash 17-Aug-20 05:35 AM

(if you're asking me questions about this mission in another chat im probably not going to answer them there)

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 05:36 AM

(No, I didn’t. I asked way up in this then we started chatting and it got buried)

Nekosmash 17-Aug-20 05:36 AM

The tree itself is fairly mundane, but the remains of plants here are unique to this system. Local cacti, tough scrabbly bushes, and several desert flowers are in evidence here, some in far better health than others (edited)

1

Artifice (Regrupple) 17-Aug-20 05:36 AM

"Hello Ronakeve, I'm Marble! When did you leave this place? It was destroyed yet then right?"

Nekosmash 17-Aug-20 05:37 AM

"I left when the prisoners rose up, the platform was intact with Mister Mazzio rescued us. I was fleeing on a transport ship we stole when shapers had boarded it.

"The wardens and I guess what would be the SCAF fleet now fought them off. The shapers were in the system here, i do not know why the planet was spared , I always had assumed it would be consumed"

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 05:44 AM

“Mr Ronakeve...Any guesses what anyone else might have wanted with this station?” (edited)

She keeps thinking there’s something amiss here she can’t put her finger on. Then something clicks, and she goes and inspects the plants that are somehow still alive/good health. She looks to see if there’s any reason those plants are still intact.

Nekosmash 17-Aug-20 05:51 AM

"It remains the only link between food grown here, and the population below. Or at least it was"

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 05:59 AM

She just thinks out loud, to no one in particular “seems a lot of work to destroy a station just for food... hmm”

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 06:41 AM

(Oooh! Any chance at all this counts as a stable biosphere, lol? I’m guessing not, but figure I’d check)

Nekosmash 17-Aug-20 06:41 AM

(Are you asking about the planet, or the station)

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 06:42 AM

(This garden in the station)

Nekosmash 17-Aug-20 06:43 AM

(not stable, no)

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 06:44 AM

(Thought so. Oh well.)

Nekosmash 17-Aug-20 06:44 AM

(station is in 3 pieces and on the last dregs of its reserve power, not really anything i can do to bend the situation for you)

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 06:45 AM

(Nope, it’s fine, not asking ya to at all.)

(Was just seeing what I had to play with is all)

Artifice (Regrupple) 17-Aug-20 08:50 AM

"Alright, well let's move on and see if we can find any other clues to what happened here and why the shapers ignored this place!"

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 09:03 AM

She nods, and heads deeper into the station remains.

Nekosmash 17-Aug-20 10:23 AM

A ruined hydroponic garden occupies the next room, and the black fruit that had grown on the shaper's red trees are suspended on miniature fixtures in each grow bay

they glisten, ovular, and perfectly smooth, rotating slowly under grow lights

Artifice (Regrupple) 17-Aug-20 10:37 AM

Marble goes to inspect the fruit, being careful not to touch it. "Uh this seems like bad news. The people here were growing this I guess? These are what the fleshshapers used to corrupt the worlds they took over so they could harvest the life energy right?"

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 10:41 AM

She also approaches one of the fruits and examines one visually. “Is that what these are? Do you.. do you think they knew what they were?” She takes a few pictures with her compad, then scans one with her bioscanner for any readings.

Artifice (Regrupple) 17-Aug-20 10:42 AM

"I mean most people in the NMC probably would know, they lost plenty of planets to them."

Nekosmash 17-Aug-20 10:46 AM

They are 100% matches for the fruit of the red trees, the groves growing on worlds the shapers had cleansed of life

(the groves grew after, last thing to pop up after a world was cleansed)

(so the shapers could come back and have more stuff to harvest if need be)

(basically converting non-compatible materials from the soil and whatnot to things they could use)

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 10:47 AM

(Ohhhhh, ok. I was thinking they were like, eggs a shaper hatched from)

(Or something similar. Gotcha.)

“No, like, could these folks have found these on another planet, brought them back here unaware, and started growing them BEFORE the shapers attacked NMC. We don’t know how long they’ve been here. Maybe that explains why the shapers skipped here on the way to NMC”

Artifice (Regrupple) 17-Aug-20 10:51 AM

"I... Do you think they treated with the shapers somehow? Grew the fruit for them so they would spare them? That doesn't really track with what we know of the shapers and they still could have converted the planet so I dunno..."

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 10:52 AM

She nods as her scanner confirms they’re real. “I don’t really know. Maybe they just found one somewhere on a already cleansed shaper world? Brought it back to study?”

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 17-Aug-20 10:52 AM

"The implications are... unnerving. I'm hesitant to draw conclusions this early, though. Hopefully there's more answers on this station than more questions."

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 10:52 AM

“Maybe the shapers can detect them, and it made them think this station was cleansed?” (edited)

She turns to Levi. “Agreed. There’s not too many good scenarios with these.”

Artifice (Regrupple) 17-Aug-20 11:08 AM

"We should take some of these back to study! We might be able to figure out how to help the planets already overgrown with them! For now let's move on though, see what else is here."

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 12:04 PM

She nods in agreement, “yeah, I’ll grab a few on the way out as long as these things don’t hatch or something.” Her ignorance of anything about Fleshshapers apparent. “Let’s head on.”

Artifice (Regrupple) 17-Aug-20 06:12 PM

Marble takes a last look at the fruit, shuddering slightly before moving on to the next room.

Nekosmash 17-Aug-20 06:13 PM

The adjoining passage is the remains of a lab space. More internal charges were set off in here, destroying most of the computer equipment, and the bodies of several technicians lay on the floor, also slain by gunshots

Artifice (Regrupple) 17-Aug-20 06:14 PM

Marble sifts through the computer equipment, trying to find anything intact enough they could fix up to retrieve information from.

Catherine Fraiser 17-Aug-20 06:26 PM

she just shakes her head seeing more death and destruction. “So strange. This much destruction, but up close like this.” She also looks around the lab, less concerned about the computers as she’d have no clue how to fix them. Rather, she’s looking to see if there’s any evidence of something blatantly missing that might have been stolen or hidden; or any residual evidence still remaining on what they were studying. (edited)

Nekosmash 18-Aug-20 06:19 AM

Marble accesses the terminal and several research logs are contained within, though the contents of them are encrypted in a military cypher and are illegible as they are now

Artifice (Regrupple) 18-Aug-20 06:38 AM

"Hey, there's some stuff on here! Either of you guys any good with computers and things? We may need to just take it back to the ship for us to read it if not!"

Catherine Fraiser 18-Aug-20 09:41 AM

She shakes her head. “Nope, can’t help you there. Hopefully the wardens have some kind of code breakers or decryption software on this fleet somewhere.”

Catherine Fraiser 18-Aug-20 09:51 AM

As she finished rummaging through the lab for anything else of interest she adds “Either way, I say we take it back with us, but for now we should get moving. The less time we spend on this place, the better..” she then crouches and whispers something again for the corpses of the victims in this room.

Nekosmash 18-Aug-20 01:37 PM

This seems to be the last of what you can access in this chunk of the station, though it is clear there is something occuring beyond what one would consider routine

Catherine Fraiser 18-Aug-20 02:19 PM

(Was it possible to get to the two other parts? Like, were there other airlocks and such? Or only this one able to dock?) (edited)

Nekosmash 18-Aug-20 03:30 PM

(It’s possible to go to the other parts )

1

Catherine Fraiser 18-Aug-20 03:40 PM

“Shall we get this stuff back then go check out the other parts?”

Artifice (Regrupple) 18-Aug-20 04:21 PM

"Yeah let's let the VW experts handle moving the fruit, they should contain them before bringing them anywhere. Let's head to another piece!"

Catherine Fraiser 18-Aug-20 04:25 PM

She nods “Sounds good! You grab the computer and let’s get that back to the ship and then we can head to the next piece.”

Artifice (Regrupple) 18-Aug-20 06:18 PM

Marble grabs the computer and gets back to the ship so they can head to the next piece.

Catherine Fraiser 19-Aug-20 05:47 AM

When they get back to the ship, she’ll find some of the lab folks (or anyone with appropriate gear) and direct them back to the flesher fruit to acquire specimens before they undock from this section.

Nekosmash 19-Aug-20 05:48 AM

(alright, we'll just mark those two discoveries for now, and we can come back to them later) The second section is more hazardous and there is not a clean dock to be made. The ring remains amber lit, and several warnings announce the seal is not complete. Life support may also be off inside, as this section is far more damaged.

Low level radiation is also detected in the background

Catherine Fraiser 19-Aug-20 05:50 AM

(Yeah, sounds good)

She looks slightly more worried about this one. “I don’t have a great feeling about this one. Let’s try and be quick before the whole thing falls apart on us.”

She replaces the helmet on her vacc suit, removed briefly she. They returned to the ship. She then checks and double checks all the seals with almost a degree of paranoia before nodding that she’s ready when the rest of the group is.

Artifice (Regrupple) 19-Aug-20 05:59 AM

"I'm ready when you are! Sure glad I have a vacsuit that fits me for this one!"

Catherine Fraiser 19-Aug-20 06:07 AM

She nods and heads in with the group.

Nekosmash 19-Aug-20 01:14 PM

The doors rattle open painfully, with a loud squeal of metal you hear even through the sealed environment of your suit. The entryway has six bodies in it though these were clearly killed by the explosion. The hallway leading from here to what was once the engineering section is blackened, and it looks like most of the lights have been blown from their housings in the ceilings

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 19-Aug-20 02:32 PM

Levi mutters under his breath as they embark into the ruined station, not intending to be heard. Short prayers for the departed, and a short prayer for their own safety. "Poor souls... There's nothing to do but move forward, and try to bring justice to what remains here." He clicks on the lights on the front of his suit as they move towards engineering.

Catherine Fraiser 19-Aug-20 02:39 PM

She can’t help but smile a bit noticing Levi saying his own prayers for the group. She simply nods in agreement as the move past the corpses to engineering.

Nekosmash 20-Aug-20 11:50 AM

The engineering section is a shattered reactor ruin. Radiation spikes gently chime in your suits and crews have also been killed here inside exosuits or other containment units. The reactor core glows green, gently pulsing in time , every few seconds. Shaped charges were used, judging by the crack in the containment case around the core

Catherine Fraiser 20-Aug-20 03:10 PM

She stops immediately seeing the destruction of the engineering room. She then actually backs out a bit seeing corpses in exosuits and the glaring crack in the core. “Umm, I’m not sure we want to go in there..” (edited)

Artifice (Regrupple) 23-Aug-20 06:05 PM

Marble walks in cautiously, "We should be okay for a short bit with our suits!" He inspects the core and looks for anything out of the ordinary.

Nekosmash 24-Aug-20 04:44 AM

The core casing has been cracked , also done by explosives , there is residual power bleed along with other hazardous chemicals in the air There is a shielded terminal on the wall that is safe from the rads and hasn’t been damaged by the explosions

Artifice (Regrupple) 24-Aug-20 06:13 AM

"Hey guys, there's a terminal over here that didn't get blown up! Hopefully this one isn't all securified like the other was!" Marble heads over to the terminal and tries to access it.

Catherine Fraiser 24-Aug-20 06:20 AM

She reluctantly enters the room, but let’s Marble handle the terminal since he seems to know his way around computers slightly better.

Nekosmash 24-Aug-20 12:01 PM

This one is unlocked, left this way to be quickly accessed in the event of an emergency. Containment levels have been exceeding tolerances, which you would know without needing to access the computer. There are also three logs from the engineering department, dated the year prior to this one

Artifice (Regrupple) 24-Aug-20 02:29 PM

"It's unlocked! There are a few logs on here, give me a minute and I can pull them up!" Marble accesses the logs, connecting his compad to the terminal to store them.

Nekosmash 24-Aug-20 03:33 PM

The first details a recent arrival of an NMC free merchant, who had been able to obtain one of the fruits at great risk to himself from one of the worlds the shapers had first invaded. The researchers here planned to study it, to see if there was something they could do to interfere with the flesh shaping mechanics of their horrifying race. The second happened a few months later, as the first of the black fruits began to open and the true horror of how they are created was discovered, leaving the hydroponic bay a sea of red trees, hair fine willow branches and flaying finger nail fronds all that grows there now. The third is a few months after that, as researchers have failed to glean anything of major use, and the true body horror is revealed, as researchers killed by the trees are absorbed into the trunks, their howling faces joining the others who were unfortunate enough to get rendered down to seed in the first place. There is a schism, as scientists want to keep working, but the rest of the crew is increasingly uneasy., and a plan is underway to detonate the core and erase evidence of the terrible things that happened here

the plan failed to destroy the entire station, and the living red trees seem to have kept the shapers away somehow, the log ends by postulating that since the trees grow as an end-state to a cleansed planet, perhaps it signaled that the world had been cleaned already, and they were bypassed

Catherine Fraiser 25-Aug-20 05:23 AM

She listens as Marble presumably explains or summarized the logs. Part of her wants to excitedly shout “knew it!”, but she remains composed and just calmly stated “as I suspected.”

She then continues “from the sounds of things, think we want to get the lab techs took fruit off our ship immediately, less it hatch over there and we’re in similar mess.... and, the log still doesn’t explain who shot these people after their self destruct plan failed.”

Artifice (Regrupple) 25-Aug-20 05:42 AM

"Sounds like the crew and scientists fought before the explosion probably! I wish there were a way to study the fruit safely, but I'm just not sure there is... We need to destroy what we have and whatever is left on that first chunk of the station."

Catherine Fraiser 25-Aug-20 06:04 AM

She nods in agreement. Though the scientist in her hates the idea of destroying something like this, she is also smart enough not to repeat the mistakes of these poor souls. “Wonder if our fleet can just destroy the remains of these stations? Might be the best way to be safe and ensure nothing gets out of here” (edited)

Artifice (Regrupple) 25-Aug-20 06:08 AM

"Thet probably can but we should check out the last section just to make sure there's no more information or anything to salvage or something!"

Catherine Fraiser 25-Aug-20 06:19 AM

“Definitely” and about as quick as she can, she goes whatever direction gets her out of the rad zone.

Nekosmash 25-Aug-20 09:28 AM

There is only one way out, the way you came in, and you turn around,passing back through the docking ring and into the safety of your own vessel, as the air pressurizes again behind you, and a shower of ionized water scrubs off the worst of the contamination

Catherine Fraiser 25-Aug-20 11:22 AM

Once she’s back on board, she explains the situation to wherever lab techs took on the flesher fruit that they need to get that back off the ship NOW, with a brief synopsis of the logs they found. (Is the third section of the station dockable?)

Nekosmash 25-Aug-20 11:22 AM

(it is as well)

Catherine Fraiser 25-Aug-20 11:28 AM

(Then once the fruit is back off the ship, sounded like marble wanted to check out the last chunk. Im down too.)

Nekosmash 25-Aug-20 11:28 AM

(alright, so we no longer have any we are holding on to?)

Catherine Fraiser 25-Aug-20 11:31 AM

(Unless anyone of the other two see a way otherwise. But think marble earlier suggested destroying it all, and I’m inclined to agree—but don’t wanna speak for the two of them.)

(So I’ll wait til they vote before we make it official)

Artifice (Regrupple) 25-Aug-20 11:32 AM

(We have the encrypted computer stuff and the logs, but not keeping any of the fruit/plants)

Catherine Fraiser 25-Aug-20 11:32 AM

(Yup, that’s my thoughts as well.)

(Don’t wanna becomes 2.0 of failed experiments with those things)

Artifice (Regrupple) 25-Aug-20 01:20 PM

After decontamination and a quick break Marble prepares to board the last section. "Alright, let's go look at the last piece!"

Nekosmash 25-Aug-20 03:42 PM

The docking ring here has been entirely torn away but the interior doors have sealed. They can be opened despite power being down in this section via mechanical flywheel on the side of the door- as an emergency measure for this exact instance

Catherine Fraiser 26-Aug-20 05:04 AM

Likely being the weakest of the group, she’ll let the others ( or ships crew) manage the mechanical opening of this door. Once all is good, she’ll follow the others onto the final station chunk

Nekosmash 26-Aug-20 05:06 AM

It opens into a crew chamber, past the airlock, where the bunks once were located. The bodies here have had their throats cut. Many had looks of peace on their face, unaware they were slain until waking up in the afterlife. Personal effects float by them in clouds, in the low gravity inside.

Catherine Fraiser 26-Aug-20 05:11 AM

She frowns, muttering a little silent prayer for all the departed in here too. After a moment, she moves through the room looking for anything of note here, like maybe compads that have anymore info they haven’t already learned.

Nekosmash 26-Aug-20 05:11 AM

(notice/wis)

Catherine Fraiser 26-Aug-20 05:19 AM

8

Nekosmash 26-Aug-20 05:22 AM

There is a communications terminal at the back of the room, and you need to brush aside one of the floating bodies to get to it

Catherine Fraiser 26-Aug-20 05:28 AM

She goes and checks it out, brushing the body aside with a visible and audible “ugh”

Nekosmash 26-Aug-20 08:46 AM

The terminal goes live as you access it, enough in emergency power to let you browse for a few moments. (you can ask the database any question you want, and if it has an answer it will be displayed)

Artifice (Regrupple) 26-Aug-20 09:08 AM

"Hey, good find Cat! What do you think we should ask it?"

Catherine Fraiser 26-Aug-20 04:57 PM

“Hmm, not sure. Anything else we want to know?” Actually can’t really think of anymore major intelligence gaps herself.

Artifice (Regrupple) 26-Aug-20 05:11 PM

"We could get some more information on the planet surface before we head down! Like who and where the leaders are and stuff!"

Catherine Fraiser 26-Aug-20 08:33 PM

Ooh, that’s a good idea, why didn’t she think of that? And she proceeds to type in series of questions: ‘how many prisoners in each settlement?’ and ‘Who are the leaders of each settlement?’ (edited)

Nekosmash 27-Aug-20 04:30 AM

The settlements range from a meager 500 prisoners to the largest, a former supermax facility rating in at 1.2 million last time a headcount was taken. The archives have the names of supervising officers listed, but a small tag next to each says they are deceased, and the station has been unable to get new data from the ground

Catherine Fraiser 27-Aug-20 04:58 AM

She relays that info to Marble, while pondering for more questions. “Seems like a lot of folks down there. Hmmm....” types in: ‘are there any natural hazards?’

Nekosmash 27-Aug-20 05:43 AM

The jungle has several predator beasts within that do not mind eating humans. There are also vast desert regions that have little water and prevent east escape from the holding facilities there

Catherine Fraiser 27-Aug-20 05:50 AM

Ok, that’s something she can work with. No massive radioactive lightning storms, death volcanos, or other insanity. She relays the last bit to the group. “Anything else we want to ask it!”

Artifice (Regrupple) 27-Aug-20 09:11 AM

"Well since all the people in charge are dead the prisoners are probably all in charge now. Is there maybe one of the prisons that held people who didn't hurt others? I'd rather visit those than ones that hurt and killed people." (edited)

Catherine Fraiser 27-Aug-20 09:55 AM

She types in that question: ‘which settlement had the minimum security or non-violent prisoners?’

Nekosmash 27-Aug-20 11:38 AM

The minimal security prison is at the southern edge of the large desert zone

Artifice (Regrupple) 27-Aug-20 12:14 PM

"Alright, well I think I'm ready to go down! I'm not really sure what our goal is though, are we trying to rescue any remaining guards? Or just get information on stuff down there?"

Nekosmash 27-Aug-20 12:21 PM

(yah that would help me too haha)

(just so i know what to have ready)

Catherine Fraiser 27-Aug-20 03:21 PM

She kinda shrugs with a sheepish grin, herself confused. “Not really sure. Guess we’ll ask the admiral commodore commander?”

Artifice (Regrupple) 27-Aug-20 03:22 PM

"What do you think @Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli)? You've been quiet for a while!"

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 27-Aug-20 03:24 PM

(You think pinging me will get me to post? Think again!..... Yeah give me a few minutes to catch up on the last week of things that happened...)

Catherine Fraiser 27-Aug-20 03:31 PM

(Lol. Marble had more guts than me.

)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 27-Aug-20 07:03 PM

(Of course as soon as I say that, life says 'nah' and I just now got to sit down again. And yeah, he's known me for 15 years so

)

Catherine Fraiser 27-Aug-20 07:11 PM

(Pfft, short timer :p )

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 27-Aug-20 07:31 PM

"I'm..... just taking it all in. Piecing it together. Sorry." He sighs as he thinks. "There's people down there, Marble. Prisoners or not, the Cooperative needs to retain a modicum of control here. That starts by finding out what is happening down there."

Catherine Fraiser 27-Aug-20 08:01 PM

she nods in agreement. “makes sense. We can go down there, see what’s happening, and then decide our future plan then.”

Artifice (Regrupple) 27-Aug-20 08:31 PM

"Great idea Levi, you're so smart!" Marble smiles and leads the way back to their ship to prepare to go down to the planet.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 27-Aug-20 08:59 PM

(I feel attacked)

Nekosmash 28-Aug-20 04:17 AM

Catherine Fraiser 28-Aug-20 05:14 AM

As they return to the ship to prepare for the landing, she is thankful to be done with that damn vacc suit. She collects her pack full of miscellaneous survival and exploring gear—just incase—and joins the other two to discuss their plans. As they all look over the survey map of the planet, she suggests “I say we try and put down here” pointing to the garrison. “Incase there are still any guards alive, that’s our best bet. Then from there we can move to the minimum security?”

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 28-Aug-20 07:11 AM

"Hmm.... No, I don't think so. In a worst case scenario, the garrison may have fallen into the wrong hands and we'll get blown up before we get anywhere close. Here. If this minimal security region is the non-violent white-collar criminals, we'd be much safer starting there. There may even be some decent people there willing to help." He looks at Catherine directly. "I don't mean to override your input, apologies if I sound rude. I don't want to approach a fortified position without all of the information first if I can help it, though."

Artifice (Regrupple) 28-Aug-20 07:49 AM

"Alright then Levi, let's go to that one! You did a good job too Cat, but Levi is really old so he knows lots of things!"

Nekosmash 28-Aug-20 07:58 AM

(if we have a consensus I'll push it up)

Artifice (Regrupple) 28-Aug-20 08:51 AM

(We're good to go )

Nekosmash 28-Aug-20 08:52 AM

The vessel makes a descent toward the low security prison, and it becomes clear upon seeing things that there was no violence. The New Moon Cooperative flags have been removed, replaced with simple yellow squares of fabric tied to the poles. The towers have guards in them, but they wear a mish-mash of security armor, prison clothes, and some pieces that look to be home made combinations of both.

Catherine Fraiser 28-Aug-20 01:03 PM

(I’m good!

)

Artifice (Regrupple) 28-Aug-20 01:31 PM

Marble smiles at the signs of peace, "Looks like these guys are mostly just trying to survive! Guards and prisoners working together in a sucky situation!"

Catherine Fraiser 28-Aug-20 01:43 PM

She nods in agreement. “Let’s hope. Could just be prisoners running the whole place, Manning the towers and wearing guard gear. Won’t know til we meet them.”

Nekosmash 28-Aug-20 02:37 PM

(how close did you guys want to set down)

Artifice (Regrupple) 28-Aug-20 02:40 PM

(Id say close enough they can see us, but far enough to not seem aggressive)

Nekosmash 28-Aug-20 02:46 PM

The ship sets down a kilometer out from the fort, and you're not met with the gunfire that the heavy machine guns in the tower are capable of delivering. They either cannot, or have chosen not to

"Looks okay. Flare went up from the courtyard there. Green one. Must mean they're willing to talk

Artifice (Regrupple) 28-Aug-20 03:04 PM

"Wonderful! Let's go meet them!" Marble cheerfully grabs his new blade and heads for the door, "Last one there is a giant rainbow bat!"

Catherine Fraiser 28-Aug-20 03:36 PM

She just laughs at the little bolder man, grabbing her spear and her pack and following him out with a grin.

Nekosmash 29-Aug-20 05:43 AM

The guards in the towers wave you in, and it seems a small crowd is gathering at the prison gates, eager to see what is going on. Almost all of them are in prison uniforms, though there are some home spun cloths, and other garments among them. Along the fence and in recently dug gardens, other plants are growing for food and for harvest for fibers

Catherine Fraiser 29-Aug-20 06:01 AM

She walks into toward the camp with Marble and Levi. She gives a little wave to the group, which seems friendly enough so far. Noting the little garden, home spun clothes,etc, it seems they've made quite an impressive little settlement here. "Hello!"

Nekosmash 29-Aug-20 05:39 PM

One of them waves. “Hurry and get inside so we can close the gate. Never know who’s out there watching. You’re safe here. We mean the cooperative and it’s agents no harm”

Artifice (Regrupple) 29-Aug-20 06:06 PM

Marble hurries in with the others, "Looks like you have a pretty nice set up here! You know, for a prison planet! I'm Marble! I'm glad you don't mean us any harm, we don't want to have to kill anyone!"

2

Nekosmash 30-Aug-20 08:34 AM

"Hello Marble" one of the assembled says, mnoving to the front of the group. She is a heavy set woman in a mix of prison fatigues and security armor, with a new home made touches applied to some of the plate.s "I'm the warden here. As you can see, we have truly become a place where the word Cooperative means something|

Artifice (Regrupple) 30-Aug-20 09:03 AM

"You're a warden too?? Levi and I are part of the Cooperative, but we're also here as part of the Void Wardens! We're here to get some information on what's happening down here and help out if it's needed! Do you guys know whats going on with the other places here?"

Catherine Fraiser 30-Aug-20 09:20 AM

she walks up behind Marble, listening to the conversation but not saying anything just yet. Her eyes remain more focused on what the prisoners have created here—reminding her in many ways of Thjodhild.

Nekosmash 30-Aug-20 05:17 PM

“Violent gangs rule the other sites. Some of the guards still maintain the garrison. We get raided occasionally and so do they”

“Most of the prisons saw uprisings. Lord Mazzio visited one and released dozens of people as well, took them into his fleet before the shapers passed us by”

Artifice (Regrupple) 30-Aug-20 06:10 PM

"So the garrison is good to visit too? That's great news! So I guess the big question is, what's next? You guys want off this planet? Or do you want to retake it from the prisoners?"

Nekosmash 30-Aug-20 06:11 PM

"No one wants to be on Kamal, let alone most of the people here. We're all just trying to survive so we can reunite with our families, or see what might be left out there. The problem is, we're still criminals under New Moon Cooperative law, going back means they're likely just going to find another jail to throw us all in|

Artifice (Regrupple) 30-Aug-20 06:19 PM

"Well I'm kind of on the parliament thing now or something I guess! If you're wanting to head back to NMC I bet we can work something out! If some of you guys want to go somewhere else that's probably fine too, the Void Wardens have a bunch of ships here or nearby that can get you where you need to go! Cat here is from UNW, or one of the guys Ronakeve was actually one of the ones picked up from here by Silvano, Im sure he could get you guys to SCAF!"

Catherine Fraiser 31-Aug-20 06:48 AM

“Yeah, im sure there’s no reason we can’t get you guys and the guards wherever you want to go. No reason someone should be stranded forever on this world for minor crimes.” As she chimes in that little bit, she wanders to check out their little vegetable garden. “Nice garden you got here. Don’t recognize some of these plants—take it they’re native to here?”

Nekosmash 31-Aug-20 11:12 AM

"They are. Some of them were brought in from othe rplaces to feed us, and we planted them hoping for the best. They look a little different but they seem to do the same thing"

"Are you a plantologist? or a leaf doctor? We've had some troubles with the plants but we're trying our best"

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 31-Aug-20 12:56 PM

(I'm caught up.)

Catherine Fraiser 31-Aug-20 01:00 PM

She nods. “I am. I’d be happy to take a look at them for you—but hopefully we’re getting you guys out of here anyways. But id definitely like to take some samples and seeds.”

Nekosmash 31-Aug-20 01:06 PM

"We do want to return home" the warden says, turning her attention back to Marble. "We just need to make sure we aren't going somewhere worse if we do. "

Artifice (Regrupple) 31-Aug-20 01:17 PM

Marble thinks for a minute, stubby fingers rasping against his chin, "How about this! Levi and Cat can keep heading north to explore but I'll go with whoever wants to go back to the NMC to Jagrati, we've got some good sized ships with us so I bet we can fit a lot of you! You guys can stay in orbit or wherever you're comfortable while I go have a chat with the king! If he won't listen for whatever reason then we'll turn around and get you guys somewhere south and we can work with the VW on getting your families down to join you wherever you end up!"

Nekosmash 31-Aug-20 01:19 PM

(the prisoners here wouldnt have an issue with it, so up to cat and levi)

Catherine Fraiser 31-Aug-20 01:32 PM

(By north, yer talking galactic north? So not coming into shaper-Stan with us?) (edited)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 31-Aug-20 01:32 PM

(I think he wants to dip out to start his new character)

3

Catherine Fraiser 31-Aug-20 01:36 PM

(Gotcha. Yeah, if levi is good splitting up from marble, I’m good with it) (edited)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 31-Aug-20 01:37 PM

Levi has been chewing on his lip for some time. "I'm neither judge nor jury... and I feel hesitant to remove everyone we meet from here and send them elsewhere. No offense, Warden, but you were sent here for a reason. You and everyone else." He pauses to let it sink in. "I'm not without compassion, however. I believe in a God of second chances. We will do what we can to help, but I can't make any promises that would go against the will of the Cooperative." (edited)

Catherine Fraiser 31-Aug-20 02:12 PM

She looks to levi “while I agree with your logic.. it’s also worth remembering that none of these were likely life sentences. Not for this camp atleast. They’ve been living on their own for years down here now, no resupplies, I’d imagine they’ve more than served their time..”

Nekosmash 31-Aug-20 05:59 PM

(im caught up, but the prisoners wouldnt have anything to add to your private conversation)

Catherine Fraiser 31-Aug-20 06:11 PM

(I got notta at this.., im good with the plan to send prisoners back with marble and we head on in expedition. But we should check on the guards too)

Nekosmash 31-Aug-20 06:12 PM

(Marble is going back ahead of them to get permission for them to leave i think. The NMC people mover is busy for a bit anyway)

(but we can check in on the guards if you guys want to)

Catherine Fraiser 31-Aug-20 06:18 PM

(Oh, I thought he was going back with them and was like they’d stay in orbit while he went to talk to whoever... dunno...)

Nekosmash 31-Aug-20 06:20 PM

(ah right, alright, well either way youre seeing the guards)

Catherine Fraiser 31-Aug-20 06:31 PM

(Im good if others Are.)

Nekosmash 31-Aug-20 06:32 PM

(3xp, and5000 credits for the exploration so far, since we're about to kick something new off)

1

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 31-Aug-20 11:28 PM

(Using VW resources to transport NMC "citizens" feels a little weird since the VW ships are headed to a potentially dangerous sector of space and could use the whole navy there. My 2 cents.)

Artifice (Regrupple) 01-Sep-20 04:54 AM

(How bout Marble just takes the warden with him)

Catherine Fraiser 01-Sep-20 05:09 AM

(I mean, VW did stop here to check on these folks. VW is neutral and helps people. We could always ask them how they feel loaning a ship for this side mission?)

Nekosmash 01-Sep-20 09:31 AM

(Theyd want to keep the fleet together since you're going into one of the most dangerous areas in IS (

Marble departs aboard a small ship , making all speed for Jagrati to complete negotiations, as the rest of you prepare to meet the guards. The same cargo lighter that brought you down lands, ramp open-

Catherine Fraiser 01-Sep-20 03:48 PM

she grabs a few plant samples before they head out, just for her own study and little makeshift garden, then heads to the cargo ship to the guards. as the ramp opens, she heads down to greet the guards. Spear in hand, but not held aggressively.

Nekosmash 02-Sep-20 06:09 AM

The machine closes its ramp behind you and the pilots begin lifting off. "Better hop on the comms there, once we get close to transmission range for the garrison we need to get a message out, make sure they don't shoot us down and all that stuff. Would hate to see all our hard work undone because someone on the guns got jumpy"

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 02-Sep-20 02:13 PM

"Agreed, I'll do the honors." As the lighter reaches the radio zone, Levi pushes out a wideband broadcast. Greetings, I'm Levi McClain here on behalf of the Void Wardens. We mean no harm to any among you. On the contrary, we're hoping to help. It's my understanding that you have been stranded here on account of the Shaper war and turmoil since. We're requesting clearance to land our craft and we'd like to meet with your representatives.

Catherine Fraiser 02-Sep-20 03:09 PM

(Ohhhhh, I misread that. I thought you said ramp opened like they took us there and let us off. My bad. I suck. No read goody)

Nekosmash 02-Sep-20 04:11 PM

A small message plays on a loop with coordinates on the facility’s Unused helicopter pad , announcing you may land there to meet with representatives from the garrison. The master warning sounds showing you’re being tracked by anti aircraft weapons on the ground, but the missile alert never sounds. Waiting for you is someone also in warden’s garb , with four security officers in their normal combat uniforms, though they only have sidearms on their person

Catherine Fraiser 02-Sep-20 07:20 PM

(THIS TIME!! Lol). She heads off the ship, waving to the guards in greeting “hello! I assume you’re in charge here?” (edited)

Nekosmash 03-Sep-20 10:55 AM

"I am in charge of this outpost, and once this planet. You said you're not from the Cooperative, but from the Void Wardens instead. I can't say I've heard of you or your people before"

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 03-Sep-20 01:53 PM

"I am actually of both. Hello, there. I'm Levi, I sent the transmission. I am a Cooperative citizen, but I belong to the Void Wardens also. The Wardens are a neutral organization of peacekeepers that roam the sectors keeping the skies safer for all of us. This particular crew, myself included, are on our way to the cluster of planets previously occupied by the Fleshshapers but decided to stop here on the way since it seemed odd that the Shapers passed your planet over. We're just here looking for answers, and possibly a way to help the inhabitants here."

Nekosmash 03-Sep-20 08:19 PM

“I see. If you’ve come for answers I’m happy to tell you both anything I know. Kamal, and the way things have run around here has changed quite. A bit “

“Especially since the cooperative abandoned us”

Catherine Fraiser 04-Sep-20 07:06 AM

“Yeah, we’d definitely be interested to know how things are running down here now—how have you been able to hold out without cooperative support? And how many of you are still left?”

Nekosmash 04-Sep-20 07:10 AM

"There are 50 of us now in uniform, and about the same as civilian contractors we are working with. We have been growing our own food, trying to recycle as much as we can, and occasionally scrapping the wreckage coming down from orbit. They took out the space station we think. Someone said he found some nametags and stuff in one of the larger chunks hitting the desert, but the group came back without them

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 04-Sep-20 07:33 AM

"Yes, we uh... visited the station. It's an impressive display of violence up there. But down here," He gestures to the land around them. "Down here, it appears you all have taken the shortest end of the stick possible and turned it into something. That's truly remarkable and I admire your endurance." "A partner of mine has begun the process of returning to the Cooperative homeworld to seek aid from the powers there to help in this humanitarian crisis you're stuck right in the middle of. Prison world or not, you're still people and we want to do right by you. I hope this is a proper first step."

Nekosmash 04-Sep-20 07:34 AM

"all the guards here are former NMC army, or involved in other homeland peacekeeping offices. No one here is a criminal if thats what you're asking. Just a bunch of people trying to live long enough to get home"

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 04-Sep-20 07:36 AM

"Then... where are the criminals you were guarding? Pardon if I offend, I just showed up and we have no idea what has happened here."

Catherine Fraiser 04-Sep-20 07:50 AM

(In the other camps?) she nods listening to them. “that wasn’t so much my worry. I’m just curious how many of you are still here, and how you’ve held out so long on a planet of prisoners.” (edited)

Nekosmash 04-Sep-20 08:15 AM

(the other camps yeah)

Nekosmash 04-Sep-20 12:52 PM

"There are 100, 50 guards, and 50 civilian contractors. We did much the same as the camp in the north, growing our own food from seeds reclaimed from food, recycling any scrap we can, and trying to scavvenge off the wreckage hitting the desert like I mentioned earlier"

"we

have enough to survive, but not enough to really do more than maintain day to day life, amid shortages in almost everything"

Catherine Fraiser 06-Sep-20 05:30 AM

“I see. Well, I’m sure we’ll be able to help get you guys out of here. And are you the only guards left alive? I’m assuming there are no guards left at the other camps?” “We visited the camp to the north, they seem like good civilized folk. What can you tell us, if anything, about the conditions of the camp to the East? and how bad were their crimes that got them sent here?” (Asking bout the violent ones)

Nekosmash 06-Sep-20 05:33 AM

“Mostly violent. Or repeat offenders of more minor crimes who just couldn’t seem to be rehabilitated back into NMC society. I would imagine the violence means mostly the first group is left there now If there’s any guards left out there they don’t have a way to contact us”

Catherine Fraiser 06-Sep-20 05:35 AM

“But the northern camp—in your opinion, they could safely be returned and rehabilitated back into society?”

Nekosmash 06-Sep-20 05:36 AM

“They’ve been pleasant enough to deal with in the limited way we have with them. Most of them don’t deserve to be here. “

Catherine Fraiser 06-Sep-20 05:41 AM

nods “understandable. Well, we’ve dispatched a ship back to NMC to tell them y’all are still alive here and hopefully bring back a larger transport. As my friend here told you, we’re on an expedition deeper into the fleshshapers system, so we don’t have the passenger capacity to spare. But is there anything you need down here, or any way we can help until a transport arrives?”

Nekosmash 06-Sep-20 05:45 AM

“A food shipment would help us immensely. We had a blight on some of the crops and were planning to go north to try to trade in a few weeks. If we didn’t have to make the trip you’d be saving a few lives here for certain.

Catherine Fraiser 06-Sep-20 05:49 AM

Nods. “Certainly, we should be able to do that much. And if you don’t mind, I’ll grab some samples of the infected plants—I got some from the other camp too, but would be good to have multiple samples for comparison.”

Nekosmash 06-Sep-20 10:54 AM

She motions for one of the civilians wearing work garb to bring you out to the crop fields, where the samples can be more easily taken

(if we needed other questions answered we can do that too before moving on_

(i know you guys hit the big ones based on our planning convo)

Catherine Fraiser 06-Sep-20 01:32 PM

(None that I can think of. I’ll defer to Dax)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 06-Sep-20 02:54 PM

(I'm out on a camping trip so I've been neglecting things here.)

(I think you've covered it.)

Nekosmash 06-Sep-20 03:04 PM

The blight is a red rust colored stain that disfigures and curls the green leaves of the plants. Everything looks wilted and sad, and the melon like fruits have the same spots on them where the rot makes the normally hard rind quite soft

Catherine Fraiser 06-Sep-20 05:53 PM

while she intends to take samples back to the ship for more detailed studies, she still puts a sample in her bioscanner here to get a baseline and make sure it’s not too dangerous to take onto the ship.

Nekosmash 07-Sep-20 06:40 AM

The samples shouldn’t be dangerous to people but it seems best to keep them isolated and contained away from the hydroponics facilities in use across the fleet here

Catherine Fraiser 07-Sep-20 06:54 AM

reading the scanner and deciding they’re safe, she bags up the samples. She also gathers some healthy specimens for comparison, and to add to her growing collection of native plants, before returning to the Warden and Levi. To Levi “ready when you are!” Before turning to the warden. “we’ll see about getting you a shipment of supplies soon. Good luck and keep staying safe.” (edited)

Nekosmash 07-Sep-20 07:24 AM

(3xp, 5000 credits)

1

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 07-Sep-20 07:52 AM

(Still out of town, coming back today)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Sep-20 07:53 AM

(Any issue with us heading back?)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 07-Sep-20 07:53 AM

(Do it.)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Sep-20 07:53 AM

(Kk)

Nekosmash 07-Sep-20 07:55 AM

The landing craft rejoins the void warden fleet and some time is taken to compile info and plan the next moves. Kamal was the last reasonably safe harbor before shaper space, and the captains of every vessel are in debate about how best to approach the cluster

Catherine Fraiser 07-Sep-20 08:05 AM

After cleaning up from the trip, dropping her plant samples in the lab for further study, she goes to the bridge to coordinate supplies to the warden and message Marble about the guards. She then listens to the ongoing debate, see what the prevailing thoughts are that each captain is suggesting.

Nekosmash 07-Sep-20 10:50 AM

Stratis, Todradus, and Sicilianos are the only entry points into the cluster from Kamal, and no information was obtained about any of them since it was so close to hostile territory. Sending one ship in alone is dangerous, and dividing the fleet might be equally dangerous depending on what might be left. Some captains are expecting that these surveys will find nothing but barren rock, as this area was once declared clear by The Exalted Path as well

Nekosmash 08-Sep-20 07:30 AM

(so the decision is split the fleet, or stay together, and then which world to probe first since there isnt any info)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 08-Sep-20 08:39 AM

In the course of the meeting, Levi speaks up to all gathered. "I believe that anything we do moving forward should be done together. We keep the fleet together and tackle these planets one at a time. Splitting up brings advantages... but if we lose half the fleet to some unknown danger, then we've lost more than just time out here. Those ships are gone, and those lost people can never be replaced. Slow and steady is the way... we just have to decide on a 'where' to set a course."

Catherine Fraiser 08-Sep-20 09:20 AM

“I agree, keep the fleet together. Seems we’re going in basically blind on a the choice of planet, so just pick one, flip a coin, whatever you guys do.” shrugs a bit. “Sicilianos sounds as nice as any?”

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 08-Sep-20 09:29 AM

"Can't be worse than the others. Let's get to it then."

Catherine Fraiser 08-Sep-20 09:29 AM

(Sounds like it’ll have good pizza!

)

Nekosmash 08-Sep-20 09:30 AM

(alright, I've got a couple scouting reports to make, looks like that's my afternoon, I'll get a completed version up)

Nekosmash 08-Sep-20 11:00 AM

Sicilianos does not have good pizza, or pizza it all for that matter as the combined fleet enters system space. Legions of dead shaper warships hang in the gloom, the debris of a battle that was never fought. Most of them have lamprey prows with all the tentacles, bone ridges and claws the shaper warships were known to have, but all hang frozen and slack in local space. The planet itself is collapsing, firestorms and magma rage across the surface where continents held together only by psychic cohesion are now revering back to their primal state, cleansing themselves of corruption with the purifying touch of the planet's core.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 08-Sep-20 11:52 AM

(Everyone knows Rawhani is where you go for pizza.) "I.... I don't think I'll be setting foot down there. Nor will anyone else, for that matter." Levi turns. "Captain, do you see anything worth... well, anything? Is there any point to trying to get a closer look on the surface?"

Nekosmash 09-Sep-20 05:10 AM

“I don’t think it’s even possible. I’m trying to keep some distance from those bio ships too even if they are dead. I think we should board one though and make sure “

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 09-Sep-20 06:33 AM

"Our path is clear, then. Let's head for one of the larger ones, if we can. How many should we send aboard?"

Catherine Fraiser 09-Sep-20 07:35 AM

She try’s to hide the look on her face that pretty clearly screams ‘were going on that?!’. But, this is what she signed up for, no backing out now.

Nekosmash 09-Sep-20 12:17 PM

"I'd say no more than six to eight, enough to have some firepower if you do run into something, but not so many we're vulnerable to counter boarding, or needing major airlift to get you back out"

"A larger force is also going to move more slowly, and I don't want anyone on that thing for longer than we need to ensure its dead"

Nekosmash 09-Sep-20 04:24 PM

“First sign of trouble we pull you out and fire everything we have at the damn thing”

Catherine Fraiser 09-Sep-20 04:28 PM

She grins “I won’t lie, I do like the sound of that.”

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 10-Sep-20 07:00 AM

"Let's get suited up, then. Bring us in nice and slow." Levi turns to make for the locker and gather his supplies.

Nekosmash 10-Sep-20 07:01 AM

The ship pulls alongside the mass of pitted metal and void frozen flesh, and its drill-headed boarding tubes extend-facing the alien wreck. There is a whine, as all six of them extend out like pistons and punch into the side of the formerly enemy hull with a sickening wrench

Nekosmash 10-Sep-20 08:50 AM

(think of them as like tunnels, so we're good to go!)

Nekosmash 13-Sep-20 01:15 PM

(So, we are good to go over. Did you guys need me to clarify anything )

Catherine Fraiser 13-Sep-20 04:52 PM

(No, so sorry, I’d missed the post in here and didn’t see that thread light up til today. My bad!)

Nekosmash 13-Sep-20 04:53 PM

(all good!)

Catherine Fraiser 13-Sep-20 04:53 PM

She gears up, again putting on the hated vac suit. Spear in hand, she joins up with some marines at one of the boarding tubes. Once given the all clear that they’re secure, she slowly heads across with a boarding party.

Nekosmash 13-Sep-20 05:47 PM

The tubes open into a ship that is at elast warmer than the space cooled boarding tubes and your other vessel. Your visors fog up for a moment before returning to normal. The ground below your boots is spongy but solid enough to stand in, you're reminded of swampy ground, but not enough to cling. The tube has struck the ship along its main transit corridor for whatever crew forms needed to use it, and inhabired such a vessel. there are no bodies here, but the hallway runs north to south, with broken sphincter iris doors at each side

Catherine Fraiser 13-Sep-20 06:00 PM

“Strange, should it still be warm in here if this thing is dead?” She says into the comm as she heads into the ship. Reaching the main hall, she looks both directions in thought. She Looks to the rest of the group, if anyone else has an opinion or is more familiar with the layout of these shops from previous experience.

Nekosmash 14-Sep-20 07:33 AM

(the marines will go where you do, since you're a bit more broadly suited for exploring than they are. They're just some extra beef if something happens)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 14-Sep-20 07:49 AM

"I wouldn't think so... I wasn't an expert on Shaper biology, though. Hopefully there are more answers ahead and not more questions." He turns towards the rear of the ship and begins picking his way down the hallway carefully, watching every footfall. "At the very least... I am okay without finding answers as long as it also means we don't find anything still alive here. Look sharp."

Catherine Fraiser 14-Sep-20 09:46 AM

(Yeah, I wasn’t so much meaning the marines. Was more using that to give Dax time to input.

)

she follows Dax’s lead towards the rear of the ship, her nod in agreement lost in side the vacc suit and helmet and all “yeah, for once, i’m more than happy NOT to discover anything.”

Nekosmash 14-Sep-20 10:01 AM

The broken door ahead is a tripart valve where the right side of it has fallen away, allowing you to see the next chamber. It appears some kind of boarding deck was on this module, with sharp headed but hollow simulacrum of boarding tubes racked in launchers of taunt muscle. The pore like doors are sealed, keeping space out, though weremeant to be fired directly through them. Dead shapers fill the space, warriors, thinner and more numerous thralls, and a lithe, gangly form never before seen

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 14-Sep-20 12:47 PM

(Weekends just end up being a terrible time for posting for me, sorry.) Levi lets out a big sigh of relief he didn't realize he was holding. "Thank God. The dead ones are scary enough as is." He pokes a few of the dead forms out of the way as he moves into the chamber. "Huh," he says with a quizzical expression. "Have you... Have you seen these before?" Levi gestures to the scrawnier gangly Shaper corpse. "I've seen more Shapers in my life than I ever care to, but this... this is a new breed to me."

Catherine Fraiser 14-Sep-20 06:11 PM

Shes thankful to let Levi head into this area first. She just stares at all the corpses in stunned silence. Several seconds before she speaks to answer. “no.. these, are, uh.. these are the first shapers I’ve seen of any type.”

Nekosmash 15-Sep-20 07:29 PM

(We can assume some pictures or video would be taken for now at least)

None of the Wardens have ever seen a type like this before either and are not sure if it is something thar belongs entirely to the shapers, or was the byproduct of one of their shaping experiments that never saw the light of day in human space (edited)

Nekosmash 16-Sep-20 11:10 AM

(Map of the ship interior, that tube on the side being your boarding tube )

4

Catherine Fraiser 17-Sep-20 05:16 AM

She tries to keep her fear in check, or atleast not too overtly visible. She takes some pictures of the dead ones, particularly the unidentifed ones as she heads slowly towards the pathway north, shoving a few bodies aside with her spear.

Nekosmash 17-Sep-20 05:37 AM

Heading into the digestion room you can see a place where matter they could easily shape has been broken down from some components that would have needed more work. Its heart and boarding jaws are ahead, slack and dead now

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 17-Sep-20 07:36 AM

"So far, so good... Well, 'good' probably isn't the right word for it... but at least nothing has jumped out at us yet. I pray it stays that way." Levi makes his way towards the heart of the ship.

Nekosmash 17-Sep-20 07:59 PM

The heart of the ship is a dead chamber of taunt muscle that once moved blood through all the hellish living tissue The muscles are incredibly thick and this space served as the shaper equivalent of the ships reactor , sending power and oxygenated blood to ship systems that needed them

Catherine Fraiser 18-Sep-20 05:02 AM

“Well, I guess it’s a pretty good sign this heart is pretty solidly dead.” She notes as she observes the straps he heart. Never imagined she’d step foot inside a living ship such as this.

Nekosmash 18-Sep-20 05:17 AM

Pinned a message.

to the south, the digestion regions and organs where objects would be shaped into things the fleshshapers used

They likewise are not echoing any noise but you cannot see them from here

Catherine Fraiser 18-Sep-20 12:39 PM

Confirming the heart is dead and the boarding jaws are slack, she turns and heads back into the literal bowels of the ship, worried what kind of strand monstrosities await in there.

Nekosmash 18-Sep-20 12:41 PM

THe marines draw close, three of them in front of you providing a screen. Heading into the stomach, there is something like a muscle quiver and the large semi-steaming pools of juice around you begin to shake slightly, like ripples spreading out from the center of a pond

Catherine Fraiser 18-Sep-20 12:47 PM

She pauses and quickly backs out. she radios back to the ship. “was just going into the.... stomach area?.. something shook. Heart wasn’t beating so not sure how it can still be alive. Did the ship or anything out there move to cause any vibrations?”

Nekosmash 20-Sep-20 06:30 AM

We're tracking it as best we can. We're not sure if that was nerves firing after death, or something worse. THe marines have a charge on them, each, if you think we need to destroy this thing from the inside to be sure, plant them and get the hell out

Catherine Fraiser 20-Sep-20 06:37 AM

“Alright, we’ll keep checking just a little further. Just wanted to make it wasn’t something you guys did out there.” She timidly heads into the stomach with the marines, careful to avoid the steaming puddles.

(Basically, was just trying to make sure it wasn’t something benign like our ship fired its thrusters or something, which caused this living ship it’s connected to to shake. Which sounds like it wasn’t...

) (edited)

Nekosmash 20-Sep-20 06:52 AM

(It sure was not!)

Catherine Fraiser 20-Sep-20 07:02 AM

She looks to the marines with her. If they could clearly see her face through the vac suit, it doesn’t hide her fear. “you guys get a vote here too. If at any point any of you feel it’s unsafe to keep going—just speak up.” out of curiosity, she breaks out her bioscanner to see what, if any, readings this ship gives.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 20-Sep-20 07:12 AM

"Well I surely don't feel safe... but that doesn't mean we won't do our due diligence here. The steam is unsettling considering we're in the cold vacuum of space. Keep sharp, and be ready to blast this thing to pieces. Find anything with that yet?"

Catherine Fraiser 20-Sep-20 07:15 AM

(My thoughts exactly! But I don’t like treating NPC red shirts as non-people. I won’t have their deaths on my conscience!

)

Nekosmash 20-Sep-20 08:59 AM

There is a small electricity current running through some of the muscles but it is weak

Catherine Fraiser 20-Sep-20 09:06 AM

She relays that to the group. “clearly it’s still got something in the nerves, even though heart wasn’t beating. Shall we continue in?”

Nekosmash 20-Sep-20 07:37 PM

heading through the stomach, you can see a passage to an intestinal tract, a solid waste disposal area, and around a bend, access to a room that looks to be some kind of hind brain, or important nerve cluster for the creature

Catherine Fraiser 21-Sep-20 05:57 AM

“Well, maybe we’ll figure out what’s going on up there” she points in the direction of the nerve cluster, then starts cautiously heading that direction

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 21-Sep-20 09:22 AM

"Weapons at the ready," Levi says, wielding his staff as an ornate walking stick. "This could be the source of the commotion."

Nekosmash 21-Sep-20 09:26 AM

There are faint currents running between nerves here. It looks almost like a children's toy, the spheres of caged lightning that make your hair stand on end when touched. There are no shaper forms in this room that are still alive, but some of the gangly, elongated and exaggeratedly tall ones you'd seen before litter the space

Catherine Fraiser 21-Sep-20 03:31 PM

“How the hell is this thing still sparking?” She says as she looks curiously at the sparking brain. She scans it curiously with her bio scanner, hoping for a clue.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 21-Sep-20 03:56 PM

"Pardon my impatience... I have a bad idea." Levi moves forward and swings out at a random spot on the wall of nerves with his staff.

Catherine Fraiser 21-Sep-20 04:01 PM

(Welp, off to start rolling a new char :p )

Nekosmash 21-Sep-20 04:13 PM

There is barely enough energy here for the beast to do much of anything. Death tics, exaggerated out over weeks rather than the short minutes it would take for a human. The ship shakes violently, pitching everyone off their feet as the staff makes contact and the electricity leaps from the walls into the@corpses on the ground. Three of them rise, in various states of cell disassembly, decay or damage from. when the vessel was actually slain.

They are 15m away from@where your prone forms have been thrown (initiative)

Catherine Fraiser 21-Sep-20 04:19 PM

7

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 21-Sep-20 04:21 PM

(6)

Nekosmash 21-Sep-20 07:09 PM

(1 for them)

1

Catherine Fraiser 22-Sep-20 05:16 AM

(So it looks like I go first? If my understanding is correct, it takes all our movement to stand up, right?)

Nekosmash 22-Sep-20 05:17 AM

(Its your move action to stand, but you get your main action and anything you can do on turn still)

(And yes, you rolled the highest so you're up)

(and they're within short range for a thrown weapon if that fits into anything you're debating doing)

Catherine Fraiser 22-Sep-20 05:20 AM

(Yeah, but no throwable weapon less I wanna be disarmed. I can hold my main action til they’re in range, right?)

She pushed weakly to her feet, still a bit dazed from being flung. Seeing no cover in quick reach, she just braced where she stood with her spear at the ready, awaiting the arrival of the flesh shapers.

Nekosmash 22-Sep-20 05:37 AM

(You can ready an action based on something you expect them to do, like set a trigger basically yeah)

Catherine Fraiser 22-Sep-20 05:47 AM

(Yeah—so just ready attack if they get in melee range)

Nekosmash 22-Sep-20 05:47 AM

(Alright, for now Levi is up then)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 22-Sep-20 05:49 AM

(I assumed this was a zero G environment. Does that have any effect on what we're able to do?)

Nekosmash 22-Sep-20 05:49 AM

(There is gravity due to the mass of the ship)

Catherine Fraiser 22-Sep-20 05:50 AM

(Ok, phew. I was thinking we’d been walking.)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 22-Sep-20 05:50 AM

(Good enough for me)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 22-Sep-20 08:08 AM

Levi stands himself up with the help of his staff and adopts a wide defensive stance as he faces the odd Shapers. "That was a bad idea... but at least you'll get some good notes!" (Using Main Action for Total Defense to get +2 AC and immune to Shock this round)

Nekosmash 22-Sep-20 08:12 AM

The marines stand, and with ranged weapons are able to at least lend some weight before the fight inevitable gets close and rough. Three of them are able to score hits, one of them blowing out the brain pan and severing the head of the shaper closest to them. The room smells like cordite and the clink of brass casings hitting the floor is a steady, rhythmic chime. The shapers draw themselves to full height, static lightening swirling around them like miniature storm clouds , sending forked bolts at each of you. (21/7 Levi, 21/2 Catherine)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 22-Sep-20 11:39 AM

(Cat is up again.) (Also, ow.)

Nekosmash 22-Sep-20 11:42 AM

(These are the shaper psychics that actually did the tetrogenesis thing with the actual shaping of the biomass. you guys never fought one, since they're not really frontline forms and the risk couldnt be afforded)

(but you're the first to see it)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 22-Sep-20 11:42 AM

(It's pretty awesome.)

Catherine Fraiser 22-Sep-20 02:36 PM

(Do I get my held action too?)

(Or did they never come into melee?)

(Guessing no melee way it reads)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 22-Sep-20 03:48 PM

(They're still 15m out and apparently can shoot psychic joojoo at us)

Nekosmash 22-Sep-20 04:32 PM

(no melee, just shooting bolts)

(the trigger for the held action never went off)

Catherine Fraiser 22-Sep-20 06:40 PM

(Is there anything in the way of cover here? Like, between us and them, since I can’t make it into melee in a turn?)

Nekosmash 22-Sep-20 06:41 PM

(there isnt, but since you can't use your main action for an attack you could use total defense, which is +2 AC and immunity to shock)

(which would functionally work the same as cover)

Catherine Fraiser 22-Sep-20 06:45 PM

(But we do also got 6 marines... if I go in to melee, it obscure their shots and screw them up?)

Nekosmash 22-Sep-20 06:46 PM

(They can take down the one you're not in melee with while you and dax focus on the one you're tied up with)

Catherine Fraiser 22-Sep-20 06:49 PM

(Ok. That works. Wasn’t sure how close they were, or if me being a hero blocked their field of fire. Cool)

she decides to start charging one of the two remaining. Not one to run from a fight. Spear at the ready, she charges in at a low crouch. (full defense)

Nekosmash 22-Sep-20 06:51 PM

You adopt your defensive posture, surging forward to close to within 5m of the shaper psychic closest to you. (Levi)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 22-Sep-20 07:43 PM

Levi surges forward after getting zapped to not let them have a second easy shot at him and barrels right into melee with them. (Double move to close the gap.)

Nekosmash 22-Sep-20 07:44 PM

The soldiers fire, bracketing the shaper that has not been engaged. Two of the highly skilled wardens manage to put rounds between the shaper's head section, and its slightly aloft form falls, like a puppet with its strings cut.

(leaving just the one you're in melee with) A frond of energy ripples out like an expanding sphere, though the charge hasnt built high enough to harm you

(Catherine)

Catherine Fraiser 22-Sep-20 08:55 PM

Now able to reach the creature, she charges it with a trust of her spear in hopes of killing it before it builds up more charge. (21/6) (edited)

Nekosmash 23-Sep-20 06:30 AM

The spear strike is clean, impacting the creature through the middle, but not wrenching eough of its organs apart to bring it down

(levi)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 23-Sep-20 07:39 AM

With a quick adjustment of his hands, Levi brings the SammaelTech staff around and sweeps the legs of the Shaper out from underneath itself and brings the weapon around quickly to smack it right in the chest on its way down. (27/6, Commit Effort for Hurling Throw to push baddie down. Physical Save or he's prone.)

Nekosmash 23-Sep-20 07:48 AM

(2 v12)

(I hath failed)

The marines draw as close as they can, drawing blades or fixing bayonets , but unable to lend themselves further to the confluct right now.

Nekosmash 23-Sep-20 08:01 AM

The shaper form is unable to gather enough charge for another of the spherical wave attacks, its body failing it as its wounds begin to tell

(Catherine)

Catherine Fraiser 23-Sep-20 01:40 PM

“Die already!” She shouts as she thrusts her spear again at the form, hoping for something a bit more vital. (22/10)

Nekosmash 23-Sep-20 03:01 PM

(You can describe finishing it off if you like, but you;ve done it)

Catherine Fraiser 23-Sep-20 05:06 PM

with a solid, sturdy thrust, she jams the spear squarely through its chest and follows the corpse as it collapses. She then pulls out the spear and gives the head one final stab

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 24-Sep-20 06:24 AM

Levi straightens his back to standing upright and puts the butt of his staff into the ground while he breathes heavily, adrenaline still coursing through his body. "I'm... Well yeah, that was a bad idea. I'm sorry about that. It was reckless of me."

Catherine Fraiser 24-Sep-20 06:48 AM

as she recovers her spear, she just nods to him, not needing to say a ‘ya think?!’ as it’s fairly implied. Once it’s clear the threat has subsided and the room is secure again, she tries to resume her scans of the brain... planning to next scan one of the recently deceased new psychic things.

Nekosmash 24-Sep-20 08:56 AM

trace MES presence is bleeding away into the background before becoming too thin to measure. The ship has stopped rumbling and whatever hind brain death spasm activity was occurring here is over now.

Catherine Fraiser 24-Sep-20 03:20 PM

finishes her scan, she puts away the scanner. “hmm, seems it’s dead now.. just residual nerves take a bit longer to fade—makes sense given its size.”

Nekosmash 24-Sep-20 06:30 PM

This encounter with re-dead shapers has the marines unnerved, though the ship is now silent, and seems to be truly dead

Catherine Fraiser 24-Sep-20 07:01 PM

(Is there anything else of note on this ship? Like, a bridge? Or is that the brain?)

Nekosmash 24-Sep-20 07:01 PM

(you're in it,. essentially)

Catherine Fraiser 24-Sep-20 07:09 PM

(That’s what I was making sure). “Well, gentleman—do we want to get out of here? Think it’s dead... now”

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 25-Sep-20 06:15 AM

"I've had my fill... let's go. There's plenty more to see. We'll make a note of these strange shapers for the archives and see what others can tell us about them." Levi departs the brain and finds his way back to their ship, ready to leave for the next system in the cluster.

Nekosmash 25-Sep-20 06:16 AM

(6xp, 10,000 credits)

Catherine Fraiser 25-Sep-20 04:13 PM

finishing her scans and taking a few last pics of the dead ones for study, she follows Levi back to the ship.

Nekosmash 25-Sep-20 04:47 PM

The fleet gathers once again, and there is palpable relief aboard the corvette as the boarding tubes retract. EVA cleaning teams will be scrubbing the flesh bits from the drill heads for days to come

Catherine Fraiser 25-Sep-20 05:48 PM

she returns to the ship and immediately starts stripping off her overly claustrophobic suit. As she can’t get to her bunk and the showers quick enough. cleaned up and re-dressed in normal clothes, her still wet hair pulled back in a ponytail, she he’d to the ships lap with her photos and such to see if they learned anything more from the readings they’d sent back of the ship. Scientist first.

Nekosmash 25-Sep-20 08:07 PM

Right now the information is still be collated and processed. The new shaper form is never before seen. A New Moon Cooperative researcher named Dr. Newman is also exploring wrecks such as these, and the wardens are trying to get their hands on the notes

Catherine Fraiser 25-Sep-20 08:12 PM

(He in this same area? Or there wrecks elsewhere?)

Nekosmash 25-Sep-20 08:19 PM

(Wrecks on the surface of Benavides)

Catherine Fraiser 25-Sep-20 08:22 PM

(Cool)

she gives the scientists what she has for now and heads up to the bridge to check in with the captain, see where to next.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 26-Sep-20 02:07 PM

(Sorry for my absence. We're in full trip prep mode here and now I'm about to start a 14+ hour drive. Levi will do reasonable things and tag along.)

Nekosmash 26-Sep-20 02:07 PM

(You’re gonna be so close to me too gah) (edited)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 26-Sep-20 02:08 PM

(If only

)

Nekosmash 26-Sep-20 02:37 PM

(Sounds like its up to you which of the shaper worlds we explore next Catherine,so far it does seem like theyre actually dead)

Catherine Fraiser 26-Sep-20 02:43 PM

(Woah! So much pressure!

)

She spends a few moments in conversation with the captain, looking at the charts of the shaper sector and systems to choose from. “I guess let’s keep heading into the heart of the storm?” pointing to Goizane on the charts.

Nekosmash 26-Sep-20 02:47 PM

"Goizane it is. If we find the heart of the shapers cleared after all, I think we can call the expedition closed. I'm not expecting to find much since its been hit with a singularity shell"

Catherine Fraiser 26-Sep-20 03:11 PM

“Perhaps. But I wasn’t expecting to see live psychic ones on that last ship either.”

Catherine Fraiser 26-Sep-20 06:06 PM

A course set, she decides to go to the workshop, where rumor on the ship (or atleast among the marines) was that there’s a armsmith who can work miracles. Figured she’ll see what he can do with her spear.

(UNW mastercraft freebie we talked bout)

Nekosmash 26-Sep-20 07:34 PM

Working with the weapon smiths, youre able to make some improvements on your spear and it comes back to you feeling more suited for your grip, and a more natural extension of your arm. The tip is made of a lighter but stronger metal, and it has been reinforced to not break off inside enemy armors

Catherine Fraiser 26-Sep-20 07:45 PM

she then decides to use the days in jump to go to the ships clinic. Small and frail, she’s more a scientist than a warrior, and after her first contact with the flesh shapers on a dead ship, she dreads what she’ll find on their homeworld. The marines had told her about some surgeries that were available that might help make her a little more resilient, something apparently some of their elite folks routinely use. The miracles of modern technology it seems. Knowing it’ll be a few days in jump, she swallows her fear and decides to see what the doctors have to offer.

Nekosmash 26-Sep-20 07:53 PM

A system of dermal armor is devised that is undetectable aside from a medical scan, and won't marr the visible skin or face more importantly. The surgeons are skilled at implanting this kind of system, and doing so in a way where you will not be laid up for months

Catherine Fraiser 26-Sep-20 08:10 PM

She spends the rest of the Jump time recovering from surgery in the medbay. Between periods of sleep, she reads digital botany journals on her compad as she tries to regain her strength. She’s eager to hear the first reports when the fleet arrives in the Goizane system, and will even try and hobble to a window to look if the doctors will allow it.

Nekosmash 27-Sep-20 01:55 PM

Goizane is a shattered world. The singularity shell blew the planet to pieces and then the powerful grav gravatonic forces smashed everything back together with pulverizing force. Continental sized tentacles have splattered into space and utterly ruined shaper battleships flood local space, scores of broken and tumbling wrecks dead in the void

Catherine Fraiser 27-Sep-20 02:09 PM

once she’s recovered enough to leave the med bay, she heads to the bridge. She sees the shattered remains of the planet. “good lord, a man made weapon did this? Completely destroyed this whole planet?!” she had heard of it, read the tales, but to see an actual plant shattered.. (edited)

Nekosmash 28-Sep-20 06:06 AM

"The Red

horizon singularity gun. Technically maltech, but we're overlooking it for now"

Catherine Fraiser 28-Sep-20 06:08 AM

just stares speechless for a second, before the scientist in her kicks in. “well I think it’s safe to say we’re not landing anyone there—anything interesting on scanners?”

Nekosmash 28-Sep-20 06:10 AM

"too hard to make much of anything out with all the conflicting signals, and just general interference and orbital trash"

Catherine Fraiser 28-Sep-20 06:13 AM

(Im correct, no way/no how to land on the destroyed remnants, right?)

Nekosmash 28-Sep-20 06:16 AM

(that's right, planet is still super crumbling, ect)

Catherine Fraiser 28-Sep-20 06:18 AM

she nods a bit, still in thought “what about these dead ships—any way to destroy them? Push them into the sun? Since we saw those psychics still alive on the last one, I’m leery to any chance there’s more survivors since we can’t get good reads?”

Nekosmash 28-Sep-20 06:21 AM

"We have a substantial fleet presence here, we could destroy them one by one with gunfire, probably the best way

Catherine Fraiser 28-Sep-20 06:22 AM

(How many hulks are there? If that’s gonna take weeks and waste all their ammo, supplies, etc..)

Nekosmash 28-Sep-20 06:22 AM

(Let me find the post i know its up a ways, standby)

(guess I didn't give a number. Would be about 30 or so ships here of decent size, innumerable fighter sized)

Catherine Fraiser 28-Sep-20 06:25 AM

(So not too bad, fairly quick work) “well captain, if you have the resources to do that, I think we’re better safe than sorry? It only takes one of these things to wreak havoc, right?”

Nekosmash 28-Sep-20 06:28 AM

"We can't risk it" he agrees, and begins coordinating grids of responsibility with the other ships, ensuring no one ship exhausts its ammunition supply

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 28-Sep-20 06:33 AM

Levi has been silently watching the impressive display and avoiding the conversation, but eventually he sighs and comes back to join the captain. "It would take quite a bit more than one to become a universe-ending threat again... but I'm in agreement here. We may as well be sure it's over. Fire away."

Nekosmash 28-Sep-20 07:30 AM

"We have a pair of fighters if you wish to take to the air yourselves. The Imago Dei vessels are large for a fighter designation, and one of them could easily accommodate you both if you wish"

(if you dont want to blow stuff up in space we can fast forward)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 28-Sep-20 08:46 AM

(Blowing stuff up in space sounds awesome, but I sure don't know how to pilot anything)

Catherine Fraiser 28-Sep-20 03:01 PM

(Same. No pilot, lol.)

Catherine Fraiser 28-Sep-20 03:09 PM

(I’m good fast forwarding if there’s nothing here. Pick one of the planets on outer edge and start circling to each one.)

Nekosmash 28-Sep-20 03:29 PM

(Sure thing. WHere is the void warden tour bus convoy going next)

Catherine Fraiser 28-Sep-20 03:44 PM

looking at the charts “Anyone got any issues with Stratis next?”

Nekosmash 29-Sep-20 10:27 AM

THe crew has no issues heading in that direction, and it will take a day of spike travel to investigate that side of the shaper cluster

Catherine Fraiser 29-Sep-20 02:58 PM

hearing no objections, she gives the captain the go ahead.

Nekosmash 29-Sep-20 03:17 PM

(One day of downtime) Stratis was an ocean world once but the shapers had drunk it and the creatures there dry. The bones are all that remains and in most cases even those have become brittle and about to fall to powder

Catherine Fraiser 29-Sep-20 05:51 PM

(So scans don’t reveal any signs of life down there? Plants? Residual Microbes? And no traces of shapers still on the surface or in orbit?)

Nekosmash 29-Sep-20 05:51 PM

(I didn’t roll anything )

(Left it open for you to decide how to clear )

Catherine Fraiser 29-Sep-20 05:53 PM

(? Im confused. But that’s easy to do)

Nekosmash 29-Sep-20 06:09 PM

(What are you confused about)

Catherine Fraiser 29-Sep-20 06:21 PM

(Didn’t know what you meant by didn’t roll.)

Nekosmash 29-Sep-20 06:23 PM

(Oh I didn’t roll for the ships scanning or anything )

Catherine Fraiser 29-Sep-20 06:26 PM

(Oh, ok)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 29-Sep-20 06:27 PM

(He's waiting for us to make a move, otherwise why are we here?)

Nekosmash 29-Sep-20 06:28 PM

(Yeah would be shitty of me to drop you off here and then just be like oh I did everything we can leave now )

Catherine Fraiser 29-Sep-20 06:29 PM

(Yeah—get that. Just was confused about the roll, that was all)... she looks at the planet on the view screen. Sighing at the wasted planet. “it probably used to be beautiful when there was water there. Captain, are your sensors able to pickup anything here, or do we need to go down there?”

Nekosmash 29-Sep-20 06:30 PM

“Way too must dust in the air down there. Wouldn’t try to fire a laser on the surface if it was me. It’s blocking and scattering any kind of detection wave we send down there

Catherine Fraiser 29-Sep-20 06:32 PM

“Is it safe to get a landing craft down, or will the dust mess up the engines?”

Nekosmash 29-Sep-20 06:33 PM

“There’s only one way I think we can get you down while we modify a cargo lighter to handle the dust. Have any of you used a comet suit before ?

Catherine Fraiser 29-Sep-20 06:36 PM

blinks, looking confused. “a what? Nope, can’t say I’ve even heard of that..”

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 29-Sep-20 07:51 PM

"Not since... well, never mind that. It's been a very long time. I was a different man, then. Is that our only way in?"

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 05:04 AM

gives Levi the clear look of ‘is he suggesting what I think he’s suggesting?’ (edited)

2

Nekosmash 30-Sep-20 05:10 AM

"If you're adamant to go down there, the comet suit is the only thing we have available right now, but it might mean a few days on the surface while we figure out how to extract you"

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 05:14 AM

“I mean, I’ve never used one of these suits—what are the chances we splat on the surface?” her face shows that she’s clearly afraid of the prospect of becoming a high speed pancake.

Nekosmash 30-Sep-20 05:24 AM

"There's no chance of splattering on the ground with a suit like this, the danger comes from the possibility of scattering on landing. You may end up kilometers apart from one another down there"

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 30-Sep-20 05:37 AM

"I'm not adamant about getting down there... but I would be willing if there is a need. Do we think there is something of worth down below?"

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 05:42 AM

“Well, personally, I’m just interested in going down there for scientific reasons. How often do folks get to step foot on a former shaper world—much less a former water one...” Just Imagining the possible papers to be written now... “I’d be happy just spending a few days collecting soil samples, if it were up to me. I’m thinking the risk seems fairly manageable down there—I’d be okay if you didn’t want to come, Reverend. Might be nothing more than a boring camping trip, so I won’t insist on anyone joining me that doesn’t want to do that.”

Fleshshaper Impact on Aquatic Lifeforms, By Catherine Fraiser. That has a nice ring. (edited)

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 06:01 AM

(1d20-1x40km is more than a few—any roll much higher than a 2 and we wouldn’t see each other the whole trip.... so it’d basically be solo either way, lol)

(Unless dandelion chutes don’t require a skill check? Cause she def wouldn’t be skilled in that, lol)

Nekosmash 30-Sep-20 06:11 AM

(they have the dandelion systems with them)

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 06:13 AM

(But does it require a skill check, or they kinda automated? I’m assumi@g they’re like, modern day HALO jumps...need skillz?)

(Either way, im totally down to try!)

Nekosmash 30-Sep-20 06:14 AM

(it does not require a check)

(it does everything for you)

Dandelion Chute: These light parachutes are charged with cylinders of pressurized aerogel matrix, each cylinder usable for one drop. When triggered, the gel is forced through desiccant channels in the harness, blooming outward in a dandelion-like spray of micro-dense strands shaped so as to slow and direct the wearer’s fall. The strands are extremely heat-resistant and durable, and allow dandelion chutes to be used for high-orbit drops by operatives wearing comet suits. In the hands of a trained operative, the landing control is superb; assuming the orbital drop is calculated correctly, an agent can land within two kilometers of any location on a planet. These chutes aren’t helpful for falls of less than twenty meters, and can bear weights of up to five hundred kilograms before failing. Covert operatives often use dandelion chutes for insertion, as the harness uses the atmospheric energy of the drop itself to dry and exude the aerogel matrix. A grav-tech drop solution would be much more visible on hostile sensors, while an agent dropping with a dandelion chute is almost imperceptible to most tech level 4 sensors. A harness can be loaded with up to three cylinders of aerogel, each cylinder costing 100 credits.

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 06:15 AM

Yeah, I read that. Just wasn’t sure with the “in hands of a trained operative...”.. figured that meant some form of skill check to fail

Nekosmash 30-Sep-20 06:16 AM

(Not going to stress it in this case)

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 06:18 AM

(Then this sounds hella fun! I’ll figure out what gear I can pack

)

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 06:26 AM

“Besides, without good sensor readings, there’s no reason to assume the shapers were cleared from this world. That super gun only killed the homeworld, but who knows what still remains on these peripheral. So I’m totally willing to go down—whether you, or Marines, want to join, up to y’all.” her mind firmly made up after weighing the pros and cons a few last times.

Nekosmash 30-Sep-20 06:36 AM

There are not enough of the tandem systems for more than a few of you, and a large team is more likely to be seen by anything that is lurking down there.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 30-Sep-20 06:56 AM

"We can go. Let's be thorough." "Based on what I've seen though, I believe the psychics that purged the Shapers and the resulting Beast did an excellent job. The destruction is... immense. If we find anything down there... it may be like the others. Weakened, and in the throes of death."

Nekosmash 30-Sep-20 08:37 AM

The expedition deck is opened for you and the complicated rig of comet suit and dandelion drop system is arrayed out for you. A gaggle of technicians accompany you, showing you how to get in, assist you with it, and providing run downs of how the system works. It seems deceptively simple

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 02:32 PM

(Im still figuring out what all gear I can carry down, lol)

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 02:41 PM

(I can’t find the encumbrance of this comet thing on roll20... but I got a list within my whopping 8, and still fitting a tent)

Nekosmash 30-Sep-20 02:45 PM

(That’s fine we can run with that)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 30-Sep-20 02:47 PM

(Flexes in 18 Str)

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 02:48 PM

(flexes the most important muscle... 15 int.)

(Didn’t pack vacc suit, so hopefully don’t get too dicey with lots of skill checks... but do got a atmofilter)

she shuffled to the launch area, already wearing a backpack that, while normal sized for most folks, somewhat dwarves her tiny frame..she then adds on the suit, carefully watching all instructions.. “so, uh, you’re sure this thing will open and we’re not gonna splat?”

Nekosmash 30-Sep-20 04:34 PM

“It will@open and you will not splat. I can promise you. The system has failsafes and you’re more than capable of using this “

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 04:46 PM

nods “alright then!” finishing gearing up. “guess I’m ready when y’all are” giving Levi a look and a thumbs up.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 30-Sep-20 06:17 PM

(I'll double check my loadout when I get a minute and get back to this.)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 30-Sep-20 07:38 PM

(Did my shopping. Should be covered for a while.)

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Without another word, Levi turns to prep for the drop.

Nekosmash 30-Sep-20 07:57 PM

The bay of the void warden ship gently rattles open, and you feel the beginning of the kiss of atmosphere woeking against the hull as the ship gets as low as possible without actual atmospheric entry. An amber light goes from red, to amber, and after a long minute, finally to green

Catherine Fraiser 30-Sep-20 08:19 PM

She looks over to Levi, takes a deep breath, closed her eyes, and begins shuffling our the open bay door.

Nekosmash 01-Oct-20 10:07 AM

The air whistles by as the ship gets as close into a drop position as possible

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 01-Oct-20 10:07 AM

Levi jumps.

(Sorrrrrry I missed this.)

Catherine Fraiser 01-Oct-20 10:16 AM

as she enters rapid free fall, she tries to enjoy the ride. But it takes several seconds, feeling an eternity, before she feels confident enough to open her eyes and glide in.

Nekosmash 01-Oct-20 10:26 AM

The wind whips past your faces as your goggles and masks begin filtering out the highest of the windbourne dust. The ground is still some distance off

Catherine Fraiser 01-Oct-20 10:27 AM

once she’s able to open her eyes, she just marvels at the beauty of seeing a planet from this vantage. Not from a ship window or view screen, but actually out here in the atmosphere above it.

Nekosmash 01-Oct-20 05:19 PM

The ground is a blanket of uneven ivory sand and the altimeter rapidly counts down and you feel the comet suits gel billow away as the last of the atmospheric entry heat is bled away from your body. The dandelion system fires, fighting your fall , hissing as it counts down to ten thousand meters before the blanket of chemicals and dandelion fabric expand

Catherine Fraiser 01-Oct-20 05:27 PM

Shed long sense stopped screaming in excitement of the free fall and was now able to just enjoy the ride. As the shoot opens, she partially marvels at the technology while gliding toward their landing zone. She also skims the approaching planet for anything resembling a terrain feature—perhaps islands, etc, before it was all dried up.

Nekosmash 02-Oct-20 07:43 AM

You can see evidence of a mountain range- most of it is still above the shifting sands, as the shapers had no immediate use for stone. There are also some raised places in the middle of now large canyons where the sea used to be. These would have been islands in better days before the shaper host drank the world dry. Bones in their hundreds litter most of them where creatures were dragged to shore and harvested

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 02-Oct-20 07:57 AM

Levi spends a majority of the free fall cursing at himself for being such a fool before giving in to the adrenaline rush. He busts out laughing at the absurdity of crashing through the sky at breakneck speed. You old fool... Levi angles himself towards one of the ocean shores.

Catherine Fraiser 02-Oct-20 11:42 AM

She also tries to angle towards one of these shores where bones and such are present, figuring that’s the best hops of finding anything useful.

Nekosmash 02-Oct-20 06:18 PM

You both touch down with sprays of sand in the middle of a graveyard, made from dragged bones of the leviathans of the deep. They were brought here to shore to be rendered down, and made into the many things the Shapers needed . THeir death essences were also likely fed upon , serving the Scream Beast and pushing it incrementally toward incarnation- but that is no longer a possibility

Catherine Fraiser 02-Oct-20 06:28 PM

she lands much more gently than she expected. After collecting herself and letting her pulse calm a bit, she begins to grab and check her gear. First things she does it check to see if the air is breathable, or if the world is atleast conducive to a atmofilter but no vacc suit.

Nekosmash 02-Oct-20 06:38 PM

An atmofilter is needed to breathe comfortably.

Catherine Fraiser 02-Oct-20 06:42 PM

seeing the rest of the parameters appear in reason, she puts on her atmofilter and begins removing the remainder of the comet suit. Not seeing any immediate threat right here, she digs out her bio scanner and starts taking readings—see if there’s anything nearby, etc.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 02-Oct-20 06:49 PM

(If we're tracking batteries and time on planet I brought 8 Type A for these atmofilters and other things.)

Catherine Fraiser 02-Oct-20 06:51 PM

(Oof, these things need extra batteries?! Ugh! Lol)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 02-Oct-20 06:51 PM

(There's a time limit, yeah.)

Nekosmash 02-Oct-20 06:54 PM

the techs aboard the warden ships are already hard at work, and are hoping to be able to extract you soon. In the meantime, they wish you good exploring, and hope that youll find anything down there that might be interesting

Catherine Fraiser 02-Oct-20 07:35 PM

(Anything in bio scanner?)

Catherine Fraiser 02-Oct-20 07:45 PM

(And or sense anything from that whispering wind psychic thing?)

Nekosmash 02-Oct-20 07:48 PM

(Are you committing effort for whispering wind then?)

Catherine Fraiser 02-Oct-20 07:50 PM

(Well, wasn’t sure if it needed effort or how that works. It’s wild talent, and the spell just talked like it’s just kinda a sixth sense once per scene? So didn’t know if that needs effort or just sorta ‘happens’?)

(But never dabbled in psychics and stuff. Just got that one, via wild talent.)

Artifice (Regrupple) 02-Oct-20 07:51 PM

(It does use effort, the focus supplies you with one effort for you to use it with)

Catherine Fraiser 02-Oct-20 07:51 PM

(When’s that effort restore? Per scene?)

Artifice (Regrupple) 02-Oct-20 07:52 PM

(It will say on the technique whether it's committed for the day or scene)

(I think scene for this one if I remember correctly)

Catherine Fraiser 02-Oct-20 07:53 PM

(Ohhh, ok. I thought effort was like, HP or something, when gone they’re gone til they heal or something. So it varies by spell. Cool)

(So, yes, use effort

)

Nekosmash 02-Oct-20 08:21 PM

This world is dead. It has no soul. You are looking at the cadaver of a planet that was once beautiful and vibrant. There are small amounts of microbial life, so simple that they likely avoided notice by the shapers entirely as invaluable- no different than the sand and rocks that are left behind after one of their conquests. The bones are a bit more interesting- aside from pulling some samples for DNA sequencing, they do have some micobes on them beginning the final processes of decay

Catherine Fraiser 02-Oct-20 08:27 PM

she frowns as she confirms the state of the planet. Turning to Levi. “well, reverend... I think it’s about as we suspected. Which I guess that’s a good thing. Unless you see any reason to go elsewhere, figure we setup camp here? Those bone Look fascinating, it’ll take a little while to collect some samples, but doesn’t look like there’s much more.”

Catherine Fraiser 02-Oct-20 08:44 PM

She then breaks out her tent and begins to set it up in whatever seems like a good spot. Little camp made, she happily goes about collecting samples from the bones, soil, whatever different microbes she can find, etc.

Nekosmash 03-Oct-20 02:49 PM

You’re able to collect some bone shavings and some of the sand for whatever material it might contain that isn’t apparent to the naked eye. You can faintly see a grove of red tree saplings trying to lean against the wind and natural forces of decay about 5km from you, intermingled among some of the more distant bones

Catherine Fraiser 03-Oct-20 03:04 PM

she puts her samples in the tent, spotting the trees. “Reverend, there’s some trees a few KM over there.” pointing. “I’m gonna go check them out.” she then heads off in that direction, fighting the strong winds and dust as she walks.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 04-Oct-20 10:58 AM

(Sorry, been pretty busy on this trip) "I'll stay with you, it's all I'm good for down here. Protection." "I feel like Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones... I just pray the Lord doesn't breathe life into these. Let them go back to dust. Well, let's see what these trees are about."

Catherine Fraiser 04-Oct-20 11:00 AM

(That’s fine! Don’t think you were holding anything up. I just figure even if yer in NPC “do reasonable things, follow along” mode—id still talk/include ya. Wasn’t meant to be pressure.

)

Nekosmash 04-Oct-20 11:39 AM

The red trees are decaying in the pale sunlight of this world. Fronds of hair curl up in the dry heat. Flesh peels back from a bark of bone shards. Quivering black cores inside the hundreds of trees here pulse like weak muscles , like hearts in the final stages of life. They are veined and in better days these would be used to plant new trees as the shapers turned the rock of the world into black fruits shaped for a secondary harvest

Catherine Fraiser 04-Oct-20 11:55 AM

she takes a few pictures and makes some notes about what they’re seeing. She scans them with the bioscsnner just to have readings, for record. “strange this little clump is still hanging on.”

Catherine Fraiser 04-Oct-20 05:06 PM

(Anything around, or on bioscsnner, that could explain how these are hanging on? Or just slow to die, nothing special. And the fruits and such have been studied before, right, so no benefit in bringing one back, right?) (edited)

Nekosmash 04-Oct-20 05:21 PM

(The microbes are slow to die. They haven’t been studied in a setting that hasn’t been super shady. You saw evidence of it on that space station and silvano firsthand had some experience and enlightened some people with a bit of gleaned insight )

Catherine Fraiser 04-Oct-20 05:23 PM

(And the trees are just hanging on from the microbes and such that are slow to die? Cool)

(There’s never been any evidence that like, the fruits or trees themselves infect folks, right? Like, generally appear it should be safe to take one?)

Nekosmash 04-Oct-20 05:26 PM

(Everything’s just slow to die. Someone had collected samples somehow for transport to that space station so it’s possible somehow with what your character knows)

Catherine Fraiser 04-Oct-20 05:34 PM

she decides to leave them alone for now, but does send a note up to the ship, asking them to bring the sturdiest containment device they have for bringing back some of the flesher fruits.

(How far are any of the other terrain features? Particularly the mountains?)

Nekosmash 04-Oct-20 05:50 PM

When the lighter comes down the technicians will bring a cryocase for any samples you need

The nearest foothills are about 5 kilometers away

Catherine Fraiser 04-Oct-20 06:20 PM

leaving the trees here til the shuttle comes, she heads back to their original landing spot, packs up the gear and such she’d left there, and starts heading next to the foothills to see if there’s anything of note in the rocky areas that the shapers spared.

Nekosmash 05-Oct-20 05:14 AM

(notice/wis)

Catherine Fraiser 05-Oct-20 05:16 AM

(11)

Nekosmash 05-Oct-20 09:52 AM

The rocks would eventually go on to have trees threaded through them, turning the ground into biological fodder as the root systems began a vastly exaggerated process of erosion. You see trenches on some of the lower peaks where it looks like the land was prepared for another wave of plantings but the required black seeds and other processes needed didn't have time to be carried out before the Red Horizon gun fired

Catherine Fraiser 05-Oct-20 12:27 PM

(By trees, you mean more of the red trees?)

Nekosmash 05-Oct-20 12:30 PM

(yeah, prepped for more, but never happened)

Catherine Fraiser 05-Oct-20 12:30 PM

(Okie. Just making sure there wasn’t some weird fluke like, “oh hey look, a maple!”

)

she takes more pictures and notes of these, as well as obligatory bio scans incase anything stands out, or just for future study. (Any indication of what was up living these trees were feeding off of? Grasses and such I presume?) “hmm, this is definitely interesting. Didn’t expect to see any growing up here in these rocks. Wouldn’t have thought the could survive.” she then swaps out for the survey scanner, seeing if there’s any interesting minerals or compounds in these rocks.

Nekosmash 05-Oct-20 12:35 PM

(the red trees turn rock and barren soil into biomass somehow)

(basically letting the shapers come back to a world they cleansed to harvest the fruits, made from whatever erosion the trees have been able to cause in the rock, breaking it down, ect)

Catherine Fraiser 05-Oct-20 12:36 PM

(Oooooh, fancy! Okie. I thought they were like. Turning crap biomass like microbes and grass into useable stuff for the shapers.)

Nekosmash 05-Oct-20 12:36 PM

(Its turning non-biomass things into biomass, like alchemy but shitty)

Catherine Fraiser 05-Oct-20 12:36 PM

(Yeah, that’s pretty cool!)

(So then these trees more vibrant than the last batch, on the rocks?)

Nekosmash 05-Oct-20 12:37 PM

(correct)

Catherine Fraiser 05-Oct-20 12:38 PM

(Cool. Then yeah, definitely curious if the survey scan shows any differences here.)

Nekosmash 05-Oct-20 05:49 PM

These trees have higher concentrations of iron, and other metals in the rock here, which the shapers also use for grafting their flesh technology onto. The trees here are dying, but at a slower rate

Catherine Fraiser 05-Oct-20 05:51 PM

She makes notes. These are quite interesting. It’s definitely something that could be promising if safely harvested. A tree that can create food from rocks, without needing any biomass, would be a great terraforming tool—if other scientists could figure out the how. (edited)

Catherine Fraiser 06-Oct-20 05:19 AM

while on the higher elevation, she skims then horizon, to see if there’s anymore land masses, interesting features, etc, nearby.

Nekosmash 06-Oct-20 05:21 AM

The sky is growing dark with the passage of time, and the lighter techs think they can get down to you by morning. a trek across the plains is risky, but possible in the darkness. Its not clear what, if anything, the night cycle may bring

Catherine Fraiser 06-Oct-20 05:25 AM

decides against night travel, she finds a safe spot near the hills to setup camp—safe distance from any trees and roots, but maybe sheltered a little from the wind. Breaking out her survival kit, she makes a small fire and cooks a small dinner, then just sits, watching the sunset on this dead planet, before heading into the tent. Maybe the sounds of the night will help reveal something her scanner and Senses missed.

Nekosmash 06-Oct-20 08:03 AM

The wind picks up gently, carrying away the scent of the chemical fuel in use by the stove. The residual ambient light picks up the individual flecks of minerals in the sand, and the dunes sparkle light a starfield on the ground. There are no insects, no howls or grunts of distant animals, there is no sound at all, save for the low wind when it decides to gust.

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 06-Oct-20 09:07 AM

(And I'm back in town, back in business.) Levi sets up his own pressure tent next to Catherine's for the night out in the wilderness. Before turning in, he meets with her in the tent. "It's so eerie out here... The silence could drive a man insane. What do you think about our findings today? I thought the second Scream was supposed to have cleansed all of this sort of thing. It's strange to find traces of their damned flesh-trees still working here."

Catherine Fraiser 06-Oct-20 09:32 AM

“Yeah, I was quite shocked to see them too. They appear to be in the final stages of dying, much like the ship. But still very strange, and makes me worried about what else might still be lurking here, or on other the worlds, in the ‘not quite dead yet’ stage.”

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 06-Oct-20 11:21 AM

"Hopefully not enough to see a resurgence occur. Let the dead stay dead. This does give us the chance we need to study their biology a bit better in a situation that isn't 'kill or be killed,' so there is value in this trip."

Catherine Fraiser 06-Oct-20 02:44 PM

“Indeed. I’m taking lots of readings, plus we can hopefully take back some samples. Maybe some good will come of this. But for now, I’m going to try to sleep, maybe try and cross the plain at first light?”

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 07-Oct-20 06:13 AM

"Yeah... Yeah, you get some rest. I may sit up for a bit... not sure I trust this planet yet. Good night, Catherine." Levi ducks out and takes a seat on a nearby rock to watch the horizon.

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 06:19 AM

she heads back into her tent, but doesn’t go to sleep right away either. She spends probably an hour or so just flipping through her notes, reading snd rereading to make sure she’s not missing anything, any readings, that might be useful in future studies. And she’s listening for a bit to the sounds of the night on this world—enjoying the quiet, and being off a spaceship for a moment, even if the planet is dangerous.

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 07:27 AM

THe lack of sound that isnt manufactured by either one of you is uneasy but you're not assaulted during the night by anything but your own worries or thoughts of what may be lurking here. It feels very much like being inside a mausoleum with a body recently laid to rest. It isn't the reverent quiet, it is the complete lack of noise, while the corpse cools and gently settles into its rest.

By morning, a comet on the horizon signals a modified lighter coming down to pick you up as promised, a Warden marine contingent and medical staff on board

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 12:10 PM

(So did you say there were any other terrains/land features? Or just more of the same?) (edited)

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 12:12 PM

(More of the same, just spread out)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 12:15 PM

once the ship lands, she goes out to meet the marines and doctors. She leads the crew over the the trees nearest where they camped and coordinates loading whatever samples they can into the containers. Atleast the fruit. If there’s a way to recover samples of roots or trees, would grab that too.

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 12:37 PM

(I feel like for the NPC's at least, they'd be too frightened to want to directly mess with the trees)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 12:38 PM

(Yeah, I’ll do that in a vacc suit. It’s more a case of how big the container(s) are. If I can only fit a fruit, etc. but by coordinate, I mean like “you put container there” “you hold this open” “you make sure we don’t die”.... I’ll take the samples... sorry)

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 12:43 PM

(The cryocases are about the size of a modern day briefcase, but thicker to support the tanks with the chemical mixture in it. You could fit two fruits in one )

(and yeah if you're grabbing them, they'll hold stuff, ect)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 12:46 PM

putting on the full vacc suit and heading into the hills with the medics and marines, she leads the group to one of the trees that seemed a bit healthier. She motions a medic to follow her with one of the cryocases. Once they’re close enough, she attempts to remove one of the fruits from the tree nervously.

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 12:47 PM

(exert/dex)

(or survive, your call, still with dex)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 12:49 PM

(Fuck me...

4 )

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 07-Oct-20 12:49 PM

(I'd like to help in some way but I guess I was too late to the party, sorry.)

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 12:50 PM

(you still can)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 12:50 PM

(Well, im mean, GM call... I’ll take any input, lol)

(But in mean time, I’ll start rolling my next char... lol)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 07-Oct-20 12:50 PM

(Not sure what you rolled but I have Exert trained to 1 to help)

(Only makes it a 6 with the +2 but that's better than nothing)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 12:51 PM

(I went with survive cause I have +1 there and +1 dex. That’s how bad my roll was)

(My exert is 0... so if we need to use same skill, I got a 3?)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 07-Oct-20 12:51 PM

(No worries. Levi is still present with you. I wouldn't have let you go do this alone.)

(If

is about to hit the fan)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 12:52 PM

(Thanks. Reverend might be useful right about now. Last rights still a thing? Maybe a little “yay as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (literally)?)

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 12:53 PM

(levi can help, that brings us to 6, which is a mass)

(Pass)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 12:53 PM

(Is there anything having like, expertise in know might help?)

(Phew! Yay! )

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 12:55 PM

(for recalling information we have already, or tht might be commonly known for sure -but part of the underpinning for this whole arc is that even in death we are all hopelessly into the woods when it comes to understanding the shapers)

(and when Sylin messed with the trees and got his ship engineer killed, he was on the run, not communicating with the wider universe)

(so we dont have that little morsel of "sometimes they attack you" widely known)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 12:56 PM

(Yeah, totally fair. Was just trying to help. But we got a pass so I’m good. It was my survival mechanism.)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 07-Oct-20 12:57 PM

(I'm still available to punch a tree)

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 01:55 PM

(if you guys want to shoot one apart for "bark" and "roots" we can. You will get a surprise round)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 01:56 PM

(We got the fruit successfully?)

(If so, I’m down... though do we even at this point know they’re gonna attack? Did it do anything when we got the fruit, or no because we passed?). backing away and placing the fruit in her cryocase, she stabs at the roots with her spear to try an cut off a chunk for further study. (edited)

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 02:00 PM

(yeah the 6 is enough to get them down without triggering it to attack)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 07-Oct-20 02:41 PM

(But she just stabbed it, so...?)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 02:42 PM

(Was waiting see if I roll damage, or another skill check, or what)

(And not standing right next to the tree, mainly cause I assume the roots there would be way too thick to get a sample. Little further out) (edited)

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 04:54 PM

(This got out of order. The fruits were retrieved without trouble. Everyone would back up as Catherine stabs at the roots. We do need an attack roll. Levi would have a few seconds to do something too since he would see Catherine preparing to strike/is aware of her intentions , and then we will do initiative )

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 05:00 PM

(16/10 dmg

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 07-Oct-20 07:22 PM

(34/6) Levi gives a swift strike to the same tree that Catherine is stabbing with his staff.

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 07:22 PM

The tree groans, and begins rising to whatever height in can manage in its gnarled form

(iniitaitve)

(3)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 07-Oct-20 07:23 PM

(7)

Catherine Fraiser 07-Oct-20 07:23 PM

4

Nekosmash 07-Oct-20 07:33 PM

(levi, Catherine, tree)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 08-Oct-20 06:36 AM

"Oh... Good grief! It's just a tree!" Levi swings around and gives a strong two-handed smack from the long end of his staff into the main portion of the tree. (29/12)

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 06:40 AM

The hair and nail whip like willow branches peel back as the flesh faces worked into the tree trunk rise to the surface, and scream. The warden marines take several steps back, rifles shaking

(catherine)

Catherine Fraiser 08-Oct-20 07:02 AM

“oh good lord!” she lets out a bit of a girly shriek as the tree comes alive, particularly when faces inside itself come to to surface and scream. She takes a quick stab at the trunk before trying to scurry back. (24/10)

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 08:47 AM

It screams again, fronds swaying violently like taunt whip cord , and thrashing up large clods of sand

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 01:39 PM

(oh this was waiting on me, evasion save guys, im sorry)

Catherine Fraiser 08-Oct-20 01:40 PM

(10v9)

(And no prob!

)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 08-Oct-20 01:42 PM

(19 v 9)

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 01:50 PM

Each of you is able to dodge, duck, dive, or dodge again back, away from the lashing fronds of the tree, each tendril of braided hair capped in a bone spike

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 08-Oct-20 02:04 PM

(I think that means I'm up again.) Levi catches one of the lashing vines with his staff just a moment before he was impaled and allows it to wrap around the weapon to pull him closer to the tree. He fuels his next strike with the momentum and whacks it right in one of its disfigured faces. (27/12)

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 02:08 PM

There is a crunching sound from within the tree as something vital is crumpled, and some of the fronds fall slack, the tree no longer able to control them

(catherine)

Catherine Fraiser 08-Oct-20 02:12 PM

circling the tree a bit to get a clean shot without hitting Levi, she stabs into the trunk again. (29/13)

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 02:13 PM

There is a sound like a lighting strike hitting the tree as Catherine's enhanced spear cleaves a killing blow through the trunk. It falls slack, shedding bark rapidly as decay begins catching up with it

Catherine Fraiser 08-Oct-20 02:18 PM

amazed, she twists the spear in the tree a few more times to ensure its dead. Once she’s sure it’s dead, she quickly resumes collecting any pieces she can to take back as samples.

“I don’t know bout you all, but I vote we get enough to study and get out of here.”

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 02:24 PM

(You've got a good amount of samples as is, if you dont feel like pushing your luck)

Catherine Fraiser 08-Oct-20 02:26 PM

(Yeah, I was just meaning from this tree. Get it’s pieces and roll)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 08-Oct-20 02:26 PM

"Even the TREES are evil here!" He says as he leans over onto his staff, out of breath. "Good. Grief! And good riddance to those Fleshshapers... Yes, by all means. Let's get off this cursed rock."

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 02:27 PM

(6xp, 10,000 credits)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 08-Oct-20 02:28 PM

(

Ding level 7 )

Catherine Fraiser 08-Oct-20 02:33 PM

(Not far behind. 3 shy)

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 02:50 PM

(take 3 more catherine, you've earned it)

(you did a bunch of RP when Levi was traveling we didnt' really compensate for)

5

Catherine Fraiser 08-Oct-20 02:53 PM

(Yay!!!

)

Finishing loading the samples into the cryocases and then onto the lighter, she says farewell to the dying planet and heads back to rejoin the fleet. She helps the crew unload the samples to the lab, then a quick shower to get all the desert dust off, then joins up at the bridge to plan next steps.

Catherine Fraiser 08-Oct-20 04:47 PM

“So, at this point, I’m not sure if we need to keep the whole fleet together to planet hop? We can atleast say with some confidence that the shapers are likely dead, or in final stages of dying, on these worlds? Certainly seems to be a manageable threat? Maybe we divide the fleet to just do quick scans of the others? That way some of the fleet can get back to helping folks in need.”

(I’m thinking 1-2 ships per remaining planet kinda thing, just to do scans from orbit and make sure no ships or anything.)

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 04:52 PM

(Probably would want to buddy up just in case, ensures someone can run if they have to)

Catherine Fraiser 08-Oct-20 04:53 PM

(Yeah, that’s fair. Not sure how many total ships in the fleet. If we had enough to do little mini fleets, rock on)

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 04:55 PM

(I think we were at 9 ships by my last count)

(Standby, ill confirm)

(13, 5 of which are cruisers)

Catherine Fraiser 08-Oct-20 04:58 PM

(There’s 4 planets left, so easily enough for a cruiser each, plus 2 more reinforcements)

(And atleast that would answer the question once and for all)

Reverend Levi McClain (Dax'olli) 08-Oct-20 05:04 PM

(I approve of this message.)

1

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 07:02 PM

(Want me to montage that up?)

Catherine Fraiser 08-Oct-20 07:08 PM

(Sure?)

Nekosmash 08-Oct-20 08:01 PM

The lighter brings you back into space, aboard the Saturn- this time, one of the main void warden cruisers here as part of the fleet action. Three dead worlds so far, and from here the captains are beginning to think exploring the rest of the cluster in smaller units to be sure the same scene is playing out across all shaper worlds. There is trouble to the galactic south and the fleet needs to reposition to assist the people there- and this is ground the Imago Dei of The Exalted Path had surveyed once already. Everything seems to suggest that the robots in their infinite wisdom had scanned the planets to the absolute best of their technological abilities and Void Warden scans coming in over the next several days report the same. Dead worlds. Dead ships. Sand. Dead Red Trees, and the bones of trillions of living beings that had fallen as prey

Catherine Fraiser 09-Oct-20 07:46 AM

while the fleet is surveying planets, she works with the scientists to study the specimens brought back from Stratis, as well as the readings from the ship they traveled on. The sensor reading, pictures, notes. Samples of microbes, the bones, soil, and all the different parts of the shaper trees. She publishes her findings in a couple different journal articles: “Anatomy of a Fleshshaper Warship”, “Fleshshaper Trees and Implications for Terraforming”, “Biological Properties of Fleshshaper Fruits”, and “Fleshshaper Impact on Fomerly Aquatic Worlds and Prospects for Restoring Life”... hopefully the information, when combined with similar notes from Dr Newman, can lead to great scientific advancements. (Dangerous personal research, 15 know/int roll, 4 research points) (edited)

Catherine Fraiser 09-Oct-20 09:03 AM

once the fleet confirms the other worlds are dead and their work here is done, she approaches the Commodore. “sir, I know the fleet is preparing to head back into charted space, deal with other big threats. But I was hoping, while we’re this far out, I could borrow one of the smaller vessels—the Adder perhaps—and explore some of the worlds further west of here? We know the shapers came into NMC and UNW space—it’s safe to assume they also expanded other directions. There may be people out there who are in need of assistance?” (edited)

Nekosmash 09-Oct-20 11:16 AM

“You’re free to scout. The wardens are heading south to handle a rising threat near protectorate space , and we realistically won’t be able to support any communities you find. Not for a long time”

Catherine Fraiser 09-Oct-20 11:32 AM

nods “understandable. I won’t keep it long. In a few weeks I’ll try to regroup with the main fleet and help out there.”

(I’ll pop back to solo thread)