Imperial Fringe Online Game Chat Session Log 19.01.2003

20:24:22 - Kit: So if I read the log correctly, today I gotta scrape the others off the bottom if the lift schaft?
20:24:40 - Methuslah: I'm afraid so.
20:24:55 - Kit: I'm fine. Too bad I missed yesterday, what with the magic ring and such.
20:25:39 - Kit: I do hope I have enough band-aids!
20:27:21 - Methuslah: No problem. Oh, and you won't need band-aids. They'll have about sixty seconds game time to stop the elevator, and then we'll see how well the chat room can handle character generation.
20:27:26 - Kit: 2D6: 9
20:27:48 - Kit: My luck seems to be acceptable tonight.
20:28:28 - Methuslah: 2D6: 7
20:28:42 - Kit: I had really hoped I would be able of keeping the Trane Station commander alive. Sigh. Always the problem when you give things over to someone else.
20:29:52 - Methuslah: Look on the bright side. You could be in the elevator. At the moment, you are safe. Well, except for the enemy war-party searching the rooms along your corridor, but that is more of a ...long-term problem.
20:30:16 - Kit: And I really don't hope we need to meke new characters. I've just gotten used to my travelling companions.
20:31:34 - Methuslah: I wouldn't worry. They're only dropping four, five floors. Lots of nice broken bones for you to heal. It's all experience, you know - might even raise you up a skill level!
20:32:00 - Kit: As for the enemy war party, well I'm just gonna have to hide well enough (Scouts have the uncanny ability of turning invisible, especially if they have enough technical stuff to hide in. (Thats not a person, that's just a locker filled with scrap metal! Move on, Move on !)
20:32:59 - Kit: I'm not sure thet the trane station commander can survive another few proken bones. He's barely alive as it is!
20:33:31 - Kit: Ans as for healing broken bones, well. I do hope we get the time to try that!
20:33:37 - Kraiger just entered this channel
20:33:53 - Methuslah: Let us trust to the enginneering skills of the passengers, then. They'll have till for a few good skill rolls.
20:34:02 - Methuslah: 'time for a few'
20:34:47 - Methuslah: Hello!
20:35:16 - Kraiger: Hi!
20:36:06 - Kit: Hello Kraiger. Having a good drop?
20:36:16 - Methuslah: Have a good week?
20:37:55 - Kraiger: Yes, very productive.
20:38:11 - Kraiger: By the way, my "v" key is playing up, so please make allowances for the typos!
20:38:55 - Kit: No we'll be totally unforgiving about any typos involving V !
20:41:28 - Kraiger: ery good!
20:41:30 - Kraiger:
20:41:47 - Methuslah: What's up with it? Stuck?
20:42:32 - Kit: Hey, if you are out of V's, I can give you a few: vVvvVvVvvvVvV (that should be sufficient for the night)
20:42:45 - Kraiger: Just have to hit it hard, and I keep forgetting...
20:43:06 - Methuslah: You could always cut and paste.
20:43:10 - Kraiger: Thanks, I'll copy and paste them - hang on, ctrl-V doesn't work either!
20:43:46 - Kit: There's always the right mouse button..
20:45:11 - Methuslah: It's amazing how critical the letter 'V' can be.
20:45:23 - Kraiger: Hey, new smilies! lets go get some Zho!
20:46:01 - Kit: Somehow I knew you'd like that particular one !
20:46:28 - Methuslah: Yeah - the new smiles are excellent.
20:46:57 - Kit: But I think right now you'd have more use for some parachutes!
20:48:25 - Methuslah: I don't know, there is a suitable smile:
20:48:50 - Kit: I shouldn't have included that one, really!!
20:49:26 - Kraiger: Did you hear from Luther?
20:50:29 - Methuslah: Not a thing. We'd better give him a bit longer.
20:51:09 - Kraiger: OK - I wonder if he sorted out his computer problem.
20:51:25 - Kraiger: By the way, no gravity on the ship still, right?
20:51:41 - Methuslah: I hope so. It seemed to be causing him real problems.
20:53:08 - Methuslah: No gravity on that level. There is certainly plenty in the lift shafts.
20:53:16 - Kit: As to Kit's plans: I think (hope) that on their first invasive sweep of the ship, tha Zhodani will not search each room too closely, but rather make do with a quick glance. After all, they are probably expecting armed resistance, so they won't take the time to thoroughly search each room. Keeping that in mind, I'll find a hiding place somewhere inconspicious (a locker, crate etc.) preferably one where I can at least hear what's going on and when they have passsed.
20:54:26 - Kit: Then I'll juts lie low (turn down my commo btw.) and hope they miss me.
20:54:40 - Kraiger: Ah....
20:55:18 - Methuslah: So don't yell 'KIT!!' into the communicators.
20:56:29 - Kit: Whatever they yell should be no louder than a whisper right in my ear. With all the engine noide around, that should be too quiet for any zho to hear.
20:57:45 - Kit: (did I mention that I sometimes have trouble with several of my keys? the keep shifting around on my keyboard at random )
20:59:06 - Methuslah: What is up with everybody's keyboards! I've never had a day's problem with any of mine.
20:59:47 - Kit: Sometimes the Keys get lonely...
21:02:30 - Kraiger: Shall we start?
21:02:47 - Kit: Somehow I think that Luther won't be showing up tonight.
21:03:41 - Methuslah: Yes - if Luther shows up he can jump in. Now, you all know the situation as it stands. Kraiger, the elevator is approaching your level, moving faster and faster. What are you going to do about it?
21:06:34 - Kraiger: Well, I'll start pushing buttons and try to get it to stop!
21:06:52 - Kit: Try the emergency Brake!
21:06:52 - Kraiger: Computer 0 and survial 2 are all I have that might help - 2D6: 10
21:09:03 - Methuslah: I'll rule the computer allows you to engage the safety locks, but you are about six feet short of the floor. You only have two feet of space to squeeze through.
21:10:40 - Kraiger: Can I squeeze through in the suit?
21:12:04 - Methuslah: It will be a tight squeeze, but yes. This floor appears to have gravity, so you will need to be careful.
21:13:05 - Kraiger: I'll squeeze through and see if there is anybody around to help - how far are we from the cargo bay?
21:14:47 - Methuslah: You come out to a crossroads. The elevator behind you, left and right the corridors, and in front of you a large set of double doors, sealed at present. There is no atmosphere in the corridor.
21:15:07 - Methuslah: Kit, you can hear noises in the next room. Someone has just fired a weapon.
21:16:34 - Kraiger: I'll get the others to start carefully moving the injured out of the list. I'll also ask the medic for directions to the cargo bay
21:17:05 - Kit: I'll stay in my hiding place and be very, very quiet. But listen carefully for anything I might hear.
21:18:07 - Methuslah: "Right through those doors, sir."
21:18:38 - Methuslah: The injured take a good ten minutes to pull out of the elevator. You feel the ship shake a few more times while you are getting them out.
21:18:40 - Kraiger: I'll check the doors - is there pressure behind them?
21:18:58 - Kraiger: (Also keeping on guard for signs of movement)
21:19:11 - Methuslah: The noises in the next room have stopped. Now you can see someone trying to acess the door release.
21:19:22 - Methuslah: There is pressuer behind the doors, normal atmosphere.
21:19:45 - Kit: I'm a piece of scrap metal. Think: Hide.
21:21:15 - Kraiger: I try to "ring the doorbell", or whatever the spaceship equivalent is...
21:23:08 - Methuslah: A voice comes over, "Identify yourselves."
21:24:26 - Kraiger: This is Lt Col Kraiger - we have wounded here, plus an inportant Zhodani Prisoner - the Commander told us to come down here
21:25:54 - Methuslah: "OK, stand by. We've rigged a emergency airlock. Opening now."
21:26:26 - Methuslah: Kit, the door opens, and four people in unfamiliar spacesuits walk in, and begin to look around Two of the make for the Sliver, one stands at the door, and the other begins to head in your direction.
21:26:54 - Methuslah: Kraiger, the doors begin to open. You can see a large cupboard inside, with doors in the far end. It can take two at a time.
21:27:28 - Kit: Keeping very, very quiet. Playing empty spacesuit, Scrap metal or whatever my disguise is like (but keeping rifle ready behind back just in cas)
21:28:40 - Kraiger: (Start to hustle people through - I think we have...)
21:29:23 - Kraiger: (Medic and station Commander)
21:30:20 - Methuslah: The doors close behind them. As they do, you feel the floor shake again, and the panels on the wall start to flash red.
21:30:45 - Methuslah: Kit, the Zhodani is walking over to you. he is kicking a few pieces of scap metal around. He looks rather distracted.
21:30:58 - Kraiger: (Stewart and Silvaa)
21:31:10 - Kraiger: (The shuttle pilot and Zho Commander)
21:31:37 - Kraiger: (And I bring up the rear)
21:31:59 - Kit: I'll play empty spacesuit. Should he kick me, I'll just allow whatever he kicked at to roll about idly, as if truly empty
21:32:10 - Kraiger: (Hold there! I just had a thought, and ask the person to identify themselves!)
21:32:13 - Methuslah: The doors slowly open, revealing an empty compartment.
21:32:23 - Kit: Oh, not to forget, Pray!
21:33:34 - Methuslah: The two zhos come out of the sliver, and point at the door. The others leave, and within a minute, you are alone in the cargo bay again.
21:34:46 - Kit: Phew! I'll wait another minute, then slowly get up. Is the door to the corridor still open, or did it close behind the zho?
21:36:00 - Methuslah: It closed behind them.
21:36:07 - Methuslah: The doors open again. Two to go, and then you can enter.
21:37:03 - Kit: OK. I'll get back to reactivating the Sliver. If possible I'll keep out of direct sight of the door, should someone come in suddenly. With two shuttles in the carmped bay, that should be possible.
21:37:30 - Methuslah: OK - Kraiger, you now have moved all the wounded through, and can proceed yourself.
21:38:11 - Kit: I will try to avoid any loud noises, which should be possible since I have to reboot the computer system. That shouldn't be too loud. Ans I'll keep scanning comm bands to see if I can pick up something.
21:38:21 - Methuslah: OK. You will need an enginnering roll, 5 or over, to get the systems working again. It will take about five minutes.
21:38:39 - Kit: 2D6: 7
21:39:45 - Methuslah: OK. The systems begin to function again. The sliver is ready to fly.
21:39:56 - Kraiger: (OK, too late if its a trap - through I go, but prepared for an ambush)
21:40:09 - Kit: (btw. is there any chance I might be able to increase my engineering skill level someday? With all the rolls I've been making in that so far? )
21:41:01 - Kit: I'll monitor the refueling process, then rig up something of a remote or "panic button" for opening the hangar doors to space quickly.
21:41:36 - Methuslah: Yes, but not for a good while. It is a mixture of on-the-job experience and training. At your level, that means picking up the technicial journals. It's something you can do in jumpspace.
21:41:37 - Methuslah: OK.
21:41:41 - Kit: The I'll see if I can catch the rest of the team on the comms.
21:42:51 - Kit: (Ah, OK, next time in jumpspace I'll take some time to read through my technical journals on my computer. That is, if we ever get to jumpspace again)
21:42:56 - Methuslah: OK. You can call as soon as you want.
21:43:29 - Kit: (comm) Kraiger? Do you read me?
21:44:12 - Kraiger: Kit, whats your status?)
21:45:06 - Methuslah: Kraiger, you have entered a large cargo bay. Much of it is taken up with large cases and cylinders, but a corner of it has been cleared, and turned into a makeshift hospital. All of your wounded are now being treated on the beds, by a harried staff of medics. A group of five people wearing officer's uniforms, a lieutenant, three ensigns and a captain of marines, are huddled around a computer screen. A couple of dozen marines are lounging in a corner. The medic with you hurries over to help with the wounded.
21:45:07 - Kit: Well the Boat is ready to rock whenever we need it. Some "guests" just went through here on a little sightseeing tour but missed me. What about you?
21:46:27 - Kraiger: (Heading over to marines) Gentlemen, I am Lt. Col Kraiger. The commander told me to report here. We just left hanger (*), and the Zho were in the process of seraching that level!
21:46:58 - Kraiger: We have a ery important prisoner here - the Commander of the Zho task force - can I turn him over to you?
21:48:33 - Methuslah: "Colonel? Then, sah, I guess we report to you. Lacking any other chain-of-command.", says the lieutenant.
21:52:03 - Kraiger: I am retired lieutenant - but I'm happy to act as an advisor. Now, what is the situation?
21:52:39 - Kraiger: (To Kit) I'm in the cargo bay, and the wounded are being cared for. Want me to come back for you?)
21:53:46 - Kit: If you tell me where you are, I may be able to find you on my own. But tehre ARE Zho creeping around here.
21:53:56 - Methuslah: "Well, sah, we were ordered down here by the skipper, the old skipper, when the hull was first breached. Then the coms went out, and the hull was breached. Sucked Major Murdy right out into space. I heard the bridge was hit, but nothing since then. The Zho's have boarded us?"
21:54:06 - Kit: Have you established communication with the acting commander yet?
21:55:09 - Kraiger: You didn't know? Yes, the Zho have borded, and are currently doing a sweep of the ship. Get your men up and get them out into defensive positions _now_!
21:55:36 - Kraiger: (to Kit) its not good - they have no link to the bridge from here, and no idea we had been borded!
21:56:06 - Methuslah: "Yes, sah! You heard the Colonel, you lazy squads! Get suited up, ASAP!"
21:56:27 - Methuslah: The captain runs over and starts getting the marines into order.
21:56:33 - Kit: Dammned. Isn't there ANY way to establish a comm link? A rerout through some other system or so?
21:57:31 - Kit: Our coms are working. Why aint theirs?
21:57:57 - Methuslah: The internal network has been cut, and there is heavy radio jamming. That's both the obvious channels out. With almost no power on your deck, there is little you can do.
21:58:50 - Methuslah: The cargo bay is almost directly under you, only a deck between you. It only has to go about fifteen meters, and it is still heavy with interference.
21:59:18 - Kraiger: OK - it's back to the cleft stick! Liutenant, we need to send a runner to the bridge to find out the situation and get updated orders from the Commander
22:00:01 - Kit: There should be power lines and wire systems throughout the ship. Would it be possible to pirate such a line to set um some kind of comm if you can get at both ends?
22:00:07 - Methuslah: One of the ensigns steps forward. "I'll go sir. I won the mile race at the Academy. I think I can outrun these stinkin' Zho's."
22:01:19 - Kraiger: How far is to the bridge from here - can we run a hard-line?
22:03:07 - Methuslah: "I could run something up one of the elevator shafts. We've got enough fibreoptic to do it, though 'course the Zho's could cut it and we'd be back to square one."
22:04:11 - Kraiger: Well, thats a start. Lets get on it!
22:04:41 - Methuslah: "OK, sir!"
22:04:44 - Kraiger: Captain, lets get a security perimiter going, to stop any Zho getting close to this bay.
22:05:27 - Methuslah: The Ensign runs over to one of the crates and starts digging around with it. He calls over a couple of the marines to help him, and soon he has a long length of fiberoptic out - maybe a mile worth. He then begins to suit up.
22:06:08 - Methuslah: "Yes SAH! Brekka, Devore, get out and secure the elevator. Argrath, Mcguire, go out and sweep the corridor! Move IT!"
22:06:23 - Methuslah: Four of the marines move out through the airlock at a run, two at a time."
22:07:58 - Kit: (Were there cameras or other monitoring devices in the corridor? And if so, might it be possible to rig up some access to them so that I could keep an eye on the outside?)
22:08:30 - Kraiger: (to Kit) things are starting to move along here Kit - At least we've got some firepower now. Do you want me to send an escort to come get you?
22:08:53 - Kit: Is there anything useful I can do there?
22:09:11 - Kraiger: (to lieutenant) do we have any means of contacting the Zho? If they borded us, I suspect they are after him (indicating Zho Commander)
22:10:06 - Kit: (What about the scanners in the shuttles? Would they be able to penetrate through the walls?)
22:10:07 - Methuslah: There are monitoring devices all through, but you would need to restore power. You could rig up a connection through some of the auxiliary systems, but would need access to both ends. The key is the power system.
22:11:05 - Kit: (over comm) Kraiger, ask aroud: Any idea where the power system is located so that I could try to fix it?
22:11:08 - Methuslah: "I don't know, sah. Main power out, and some sort of jamming in operation. Our commlocks aren't half as powerful as those comms of yours anyway. Short of sending someone out..."
22:14:05 - Kraiger: How about the power systems - is anyone working to get them back online?
22:14:28 - Kit: (comm) I don't know if it would be possible at all. Depends on how much damage was done. But if we could restore some power, that would solve many of our problems.
22:15:24 - Methuslah: "Power systems are in engineering, bottom level, one down. Don't know what's happening down there. We have a few backup generators in stores here, but no-one with the technical brains to set them up."
22:15:58 - Kraiger: (to Kit) We'e got some backup generators here - could you hook them up?
22:16:32 - Kit: (comm) sure. I'm coming. Can you give me exact directions?
22:18:34 - Kit: Is there any possibility of using some access chutes or anything else besides the hallways with the Zho in them?
22:20:09 - Kraiger: (To the lieutenant) I hae a friend who is still in bay #(6?), whats the best way to get him here - the lift is out of commission...
22:20:13 - Methuslah: There are floor access chutes, into the 'tween decks space. They are loaded with pipes and wires - quite a narrow gap.
22:20:51 - Kit: Sounds too narrow for a suit?
22:20:52 - Kraiger: Can we give exact directions to Kit?
22:21:46 - Methuslah: It would be a tight squeeze. You would be able to provide exact directions.
22:23:35 - Kit: I still think it's safer squeezing through than sneaking along among the zho. I'll prepare a pack of assorted tools and material from the lockers in the bay, prepare my suit for a squeeze as far as possible and then proceed following the directions.
22:25:17 - Methuslah: OK. You can turn down the pressure in your suit to make it slacker. It will take about fifteen minutes to crawl down to the level you want.
22:25:41 - Kit: OK, will proceed with due caution.
22:26:52 - Methuslah: You make the tight crawl through in the end, but with a few scares. You find yourself at a maintainance shaft entrance on the cargo level.
22:27:37 - Kit: OK, here I am. (getting up and stretching with a groan) I'm getting too old for this.
22:27:57 - Methuslah: You can see a couple of men in marine spacesuits walking down the corridor, heading towards you.
22:28:23 - Kit: Hi there. Where's Mr. Kraiger?
22:28:54 - Methuslah: "In the cargo bay, ma'am!"
22:29:32 - Kit: OK. (I'm heading there)
22:29:59 - Kit: Hi Kraiger. Now where's the backup generators?
22:30:48 - Kit: Do you have Coffe here? I really could use a few beans!
22:30:53 - Kraiger: Hey Kit, glad you could make it! Lieutenant, Kit here can help you with the backup generators]
22:31:59 - Methuslah: "Right, ma'am. There are eight of them in these crates. Emergency field generators, new model. Need assembling, though."
22:32:10 - Methuslah: He points at a stack of large crates at the far side of the bay.
22:32:58 - Kit: Oh well. (Proceeding with opening crates, sorting parts and assembling the first generator) Someone get me a coffee.
22:33:59 - Kraiger: Captain, any sign of the Zho?
22:34:05 - Methuslah: Each generator will take a half-hour to assemble on your own. It will also require a roll of 7 or over to put them together properly. A 2 would be a catastrophic malfunction.
22:34:59 - Kit: I will recruit help if possible. as to the first roll 2D6: 6
22:35:17 - Kit: Now where does this part go?
22:35:52 - Kit: disassemble, reassemble. 2D6: 9
22:36:18 - Kit: Hey, where's ma coffee!
22:36:21 - Methuslah: That will now take an extra half-hour to complete. Unskilled help will cut the time in half, three would cut it to ten minutes a generator. Now you have it working right.
22:37:07 - Kit: You really expect me to work without coffee after I've been up for too many hours. (grumble)
22:37:50 - Kit: Once the first generator is running, I'll see wether I can hook it up to the most critical systems (communication!!)
22:38:55 - Methuslah: The first generator activates the power lines, but there are still a number of circuit malfunctions. The network is being crippled from the inside.
22:39:05 - Methuslah: In other news, an exhausted Ensign has just returned through the airlock.
22:39:19 - Kit: Anything I can fix from here?
22:40:14 - Kit: Kraiger, I think the invaders are ruining this ship. Can't you kick them out?
22:40:35 - Kraiger: Well done ensign - what is the word from the bridge?
22:40:37 - Methuslah: NOthing, I fear. SOme of the lines have been cut. You would have to physically repair them.
22:41:07 - Kraiger: Kit, without comms, we're helpless - once we can get coordinated, we'll kick 'em back into space
22:41:44 - Methuslah: "Ensign (pant) Jonash reorting, sir."
22:42:09 - Kit: Oh groan. Kraiger. We'll need a new hardwire run through the ship to establish comm. Or I'll need to crawl around a lot patching cables.
22:42:56 - Kit: (Could I rig up some stronger comms that can overcome the interference field?)
22:44:25 - Methuslah: Possibly, but it would take time. You could use the generators to run it. The Ensign is standing in the corner, looking around, obviously out of breath.
22:44:56 - Kraiger: Ensign, what do you have to report
22:45:21 - Kit: Since communictaion is vital, I'll start working on something.
22:46:07 - Methuslah: "I ran the cable up to the auxiliary bridge. Had to climb all the way up the lift shafts, and back down again. Should be online now."
22:46:44 - Kit: Hey, let's try it before the Zho can cut it again!!
22:51:07 - Kraiger: Commander, this is Lt. Col Kraiger, do you read me?
22:51:38 - Methuslah: "Calling Cargo Bay. Auxiliary Bridge to Cargo Bay. Come in, please."
22:52:21 - Kraiger: Reading you. What is the situation?
22:53:57 - Methuslah: "Zhodani on decks 4-8. and 10. Deck One in vaccum, and the reactor criticaled and scrammed. This ship is a floating corpse. Our escorts are in the attack now. Looks like one of the 'carriers' was a camouflaged marine transport ship."
22:56:39 - Methuslah: "Sitrep, please."
23:00:17 - Kraiger: Stable. We have wounded being treated, and a defense perimiter, plus we are working on getting auxillary power online. What are your orders?
23:00:17 - Kit: Now why do people always call something that's keeping them alive a corpse!
23:02:23 - Methuslah: "Hold your ground for the moment. We're working in maintaining systems, and the Zhos seem to be keeping to those decks. It all depends on the result of this battle. You are vulnerable where you are. Watch out for a pin...."
23:02:29 - Methuslah: And with that, the line goes dead.
23:03:46 - Kit: Pin...k spacesuit?
23:04:56 - Methuslah: Shall we leave it there for the night. Seems to be a good breakpoint, and its getting late over here.
23:05:14 - Kit: I think I'll try to get at least some of the nearby surveillance equipment working with the power from the aux-generator and hook them up to a screen in the cargo bay.
23:05:29 - Kraiger: Pin?? Pin what...
23:05:54 - Kit: You mean now I'll have all week to think about things that start with pin ?
23:06:14 - Kraiger: Ok, good game! Always fun when I can boss marines around
23:06:32 - Methuslah: Yes, good game. Proceeding slowly to a resolution.
23:06:55 - Kit: I hate it, when they destroy the poor machines!
23:07:19 - Kit: You mean there is actually a solution?
23:07:41 - Methuslah: I'm sure there is somewhere in there. When I find it, you'll be the first to know.
23:08:05 - Kit: And nobody gave me any coffee!!
23:08:52 - Kit: How generous of our gm!
23:08:54 - Methuslah: Don't worry. I'm sure you'll be able to fix one of the dispensers next week.
23:09:18 - Kit: Good! That's hope for once!
23:09:42 - Kraiger: I won't be able to make it next week - going skiing, yippee!
23:09:52 - Kit: See you next week And poor Kraiger still didn't get to shoot at anyone!)
23:10:53 - Methuslah: Well, have a good week. Enjoy your skiing.