Imperial Fringe Online Game Chat Session Log September 21st -

19:43:53 - Methuslah: So, I suggest we get started! As I recall, you had just managed to project yourself into a higher orbit, and had released some sort of mine. The arrow of light was holding stationary, but another, long thin beam of light was heading towards you. Your shuttle is powered down at present.
19:44:29 - Kit: as for schedules, I will not be able to attend the games on october 12th and 26th. October is convention month here in Germany, and I'll be away on those two weekends, selling games (hopefully)
19:45:07 - Kit: If I recall correctly, Vance and Kraiger were fixing the sensors so that we are no longer blind.
19:45:13 - vance: vance looks at the incoming beam of light. does it look familiar?
19:46:45 - Methuslah: There is definately something about that looks familiar. Abruptly it stops, and then restarts - but the light looks somehow different, and it appears to be slowing down.
19:47:41 - Kit: How much longer until the sensors are operational?
19:47:49 - vance: keeps working on the sensors 2D6: 6
19:49:03 - Methuslah: Sensors will be online in five minutes - but the beam of light looks as if it will arrive first. The arrow is still stationary.
19:49:29 - Kit: Vance, could the light be from one of our ships?
19:50:03 - Kit: How long would it take to fire up the engines to maneuver around a bit?
19:50:13 - Methuslah: (Possibly - quite possibly.)
19:50:18 - vance: "I don't recognize it, but I sure hope so. we're out of options."
19:50:40 - Kit: Opening comm channels again to see if anyone is sending us a message.
19:51:21 - Kit: Preparing also to resend our recorded message/report as soon as I hear anything recognizable on the line.
19:52:07 - Methuslah: Are you going to power up the ship?
19:52:34 - Kit: No, not unless I have to to activate the passive comm.
19:52:54 - Kit: Is the light arrow showing any reaction to the appearance of the new light?
19:53:30 - Kit: Judging from the speed we last watched from the arrow, how long would it approximately take, to reach our position from where it is now?
19:53:51 - Methuslah: You shut off all power, even life support. You can turn the reactor to minimum, but some power will still be required. The light arrow is holding stationary for the moment.
19:54:56 - Kit: Vance, what do you think, should we try to hail the newcomers in the hope that they are our people and risk getting the arrow on our track again?
19:55:04 - vance: (vance does not know that the baroness is considering powering-up)
19:55:55 - vance: "poor choice either way. let's wait a moment or two first."
19:56:36 - Kit: OK. Keep me up to date on what's going on out there.
19:56:44 - vance: vance checks the new light source with his occular telescope (20x)
19:57:38 - Methuslah: The light is very bright, but you can just make out a dark object at the rear of the beam of light. The light itself looks jagged and uneven.
19:58:44 - Kit: I make a quick check on my personal equipment, so that everything is ready should we have to make a quick exit.
20:00:12 - vance: "it looks familiar, but I don't know why. there appears to be something solid at the rear of the light. it looks almost like a ship spitting out plasma bursts ahead of itself."
20:00:46 - Kit: I hope that whoever they arem they have some coffee to share. I think I've been awake (again) nonstop for the better Part of two days, ever since I came out of jumpspace in this system.
20:01:08 - Kit: Is the Arrow showing any reaction to that energy?
20:02:05 - Methuslah: It seems to be changing direction, pointing at the new object.
20:02:38 - Kit: Estimated Time of contact?
20:04:30 - Kit: I prepare a warning message (but do not send it just yet) that the arrow shaped light object is an unidentifeide, possible hostile craft/weapon/creature that seems to react to energy output. We were able to get it off our track by powering down under the screen of an energy pack explosion.
20:05:13 - Kit: preparing to send this warning and our message again on the press of a power up button.
20:05:14 - Methuslah: No way to tell without a computer.
20:05:21 - Methuslah: But...soon.
20:05:58 - Kit: Dammned, Vance, I think we should warn them. I would like to activate enough energy for communications again.
20:06:25 - vance: "concur.
20:06:56 - Kit: addendum to message: Smaller lights encountered on planet seemed completely unaffected by weapons, slugthrowers and enegry alike.
20:07:16 - Kit: OK, powering up communication, sending out message and listening for any reply.
20:07:39 - Methuslah: OK. The arrow is now on the move, heading directly for the appraoching craft.
20:08:03 - Kit: sending warning on all channels
20:08:11 - Methuslah: Your transmission of the message causes it to halt. It is slowly turning around, and pointing back at you. The other craft continues to approach.
20:08:35 - Kit: Does it seem to be closer to us or the other light?
20:09:34 - Kit: Maybe we can confuse it. I turn off power again for a while to see how it reacts. (after the message has gone through at least once)
20:10:55 - Kit: vance, how are sensors?
20:11:05 - Methuslah: Make an Engineering roll. 6 or more.
20:11:12 - Kit: 2D6: 3
20:11:17 - Kit: urgh
20:11:20 - vance: 2D6: 7
20:11:55 - Kit: (now who's engineering roll did the dem want?)
20:12:10 - vance: (I must be cleaning the sensor ports with a sponge.)
20:12:52 - vance: (vance was rolling for the senors)
20:12:57 - Kit: (maybe a toothbruch would be handy? )
20:13:33 - Methuslah: The sensors are back online, but with no power, they are useless. Kit, you turn the power off too slowly, and the arrow is now heading, slwoly, towards your position.
20:14:28 - Kit: who will be here first, mr arrow or mr lightbeam?
20:15:08 - Kit: Vanc, as long as that thing is heading for us any way, we might as wel try to scan oit. What do you think?
20:15:19 - vance: "a plasma bolt might generate enough electromagnetic bait to distract it. if kraiger fires his pgmp to decoy it , would the recoil affect our vessel?"
20:15:51 - Methuslah: Probably MR Lightbeam, but no way to tell how quickly with the power still off.
20:16:12 - Kit: Preparing to activate power and sensors again and send any readings right out through the comm for whoever might be listening and make use of it. "Energy weapons shouldn't have recoil"
20:17:01 - vance: "concur. we're about done."
20:17:23 - Methuslah: Power is back on, and the sensors are fully operational. The computer will need a few seconds to realign with navigation points, and will then be fully operational.
20:17:35 - Methuslah: The airlock will now function, so you can come in, Vance.
20:17:36 - Kit: And as the pgmp is a personal weapon, any recoil should be small enough not to knock over a person, much less significantly affect our ship.
20:18:23 - vance: vance heads in. (is kraiger's weapon a pgmp-12, 13, or 14?)
20:18:30 - Kit: OK, anything useful on the sensors? (I pretty much expect them to shoe "nothing" where the arrow is, but it might identify the other light.
20:19:04 - Methuslah: (A PGMP-12)
20:19:49 - Kit: Also i keep the comms wide open transfering the warning and the sensor data and waiting for incoming messages
20:20:05 - Methuslah: The incoming ship is a Rampart-class Imperial fighter. ETA: Three minutes. The point of light reads as a forcefield, a 'White Globe'. Impossible to scan the inside. ETA: 5 minutes, 30 seconds.
20:20:12 - Methuslah: No transmission on the comm system.
20:20:39 - Kit: Specifically hailing the imperial fighter.
20:20:55 - vance: "hey, cavalry."
20:21:28 - Methuslah: "This is Red Leader to unidentified vessel. Stand by to allow me to dock; I will be alongside shortly.
20:21:54 - Kit: Jup, but little time to spare. Better prepare for a quick evacuation. (sending the data about my etas to the fighter, maybe they listen, even if they don't answer.
20:22:36 - Kit: This is Baroness Dr Messalina Kitiara of regina. Three people to evacuate from shuttle. Have you received our warnings?
20:22:46 - Methuslah: "I read you. But your sensors must be wrong, ship."
20:23:23 - Kit: Please explain red Leader.
20:24:06 - Kit: Our sensors read the forcefield at (insert coordinates) closing on us fast.
20:24:11 - Methuslah: "What's a White Globe Generator doing this far out from the Core?"
20:25:19 - Kit: I have no idea. It might be hostile. The stations on the planet below have been affected by whatever is this. I send out a report earlier.
20:25:28 - Methuslah: "By the! I confirm, ship! Can you maneuver>"
20:25:57 - Kit: Very little, but we can do a bit more if we do not have to land this shuttle anywhere.
20:26:31 - Kit: If you can set off any energy charges, you might be able to distract it for a while.
20:26:52 - vance: "don't forget the marines at MainBase. we might want to pick them up in this rather than ruin another ship."
20:27:21 - Methuslah: "I only have space for one person on this ship. If you can assist, I might be able to push this ship onto a course to intercept the fleet. We'll need to do a simutaneous burn for as long as your fuel holds out. Make preparations. I dock in one minute, thirty seconds."
20:27:46 - Methuslah: "Wait, repeat. What's up groundside?"
20:27:58 - Kit: I'm not sure if one ship is enough for that. They all can be affected by the corrosion thing, so it would not be wise to risk a lone ship without learning more about our opponent here first.
20:29:10 - Kit: Preparing for maneuver. The base groundside has been destroyed, as well as the polar base. When we left there were some survivors holed up in a bunker on ground base, no survivors that we found on polar base but mayn missing persons.
20:29:41 - Kit: We have to get away from here. We carry data that might be able to help identify whatever we are facing here.
20:30:17 - Kit: (sending whatever data on fuel and stuff he needs for the maneuver and preparing for it)
20:30:31 - Kit: Vance, strap in, this may be a somewhat rough ride.
20:30:35 - Methuslah: "Shuttle, I intend to take your ship with me. If the Admiral okeys it, we'll sned some transports to bring the survivors home. We have a UFO on intercept, and I dock in one minute precisely."
20:30:40 - vance: "can this ship retrieve the MainBase survivors and reattain orbit?"
20:31:10 - Methuslah: "Confirm data. Programming thrust computers. Warm up your engines, shuttle."
20:31:27 - vance: "alright."
20:31:34 - Kit: (the shuttle only has room for three, and is out of fuel, the fighter only fo one. There is no way we can evacuate all thos on the ground with these two ships)
20:31:35 - Methuslah: (Not without refuelling. There is also a risk of additional damage, that might render the ship unflightworthy.)
20:32:14 - Methuslah: "My ship has no atmospheric capability. We're fleet-bound."
20:32:24 - vance: (I seem to recall that both the shuttles at PoleBase could hold about forty people or so.)
20:32:38 - Kit: preparing engine (if you want a roll 2D6: 10
20:32:45 - vance: (never mind)
20:33:44 - Methuslah: Engine is OK. (The shuttle can hold forty, btu you cannot reattain orbit without more fuel, and a risk of contamination.
20:34:15 - Methuslah: With a lound clank, you hear the fighter attach. The airlock begins to open, and you see the fighter in a cramped cockpit.
20:34:25 - Methuslah: "Get into couches! I've got to give her the gun!"
20:34:49 - Kit: Giving him a thumbs up "Ok, lets get out of here."
20:35:15 - Kit: Ready, Vance? Kraiger?
20:35:31 - vance: "ready."
20:35:32 - Methuslah: "Fire engines on my mark. Three, two, one, MARK!"
20:35:38 - Methuslah: Make a pilot roll, 4 or more.
20:35:45 - Kit: Go
20:35:56 - Kit: 2D6: 8
20:37:27 - Methuslah: The engines fire at the same time. You begin to accelerate - 1g, 2g, 3g. The Rampart can make 8g's at emergency maxmium, but with dead weight attached to it, you'll be lucky to make 4. Still, you are beginning to black out.
20:38:13 - Kit: Breathing carefully and deeply, trying to concentrate on teh controls. I have to stay awake until we reach a safe distance.
20:38:46 - Kit: Dammned, I know how those stupid Zho must have felt.
20:39:43 - Methuslah: The sensors show the light falling behind rapidly, but it is still on your tail, moving at about 2g's.
20:40:14 - Kit: That darn thing is following us.
20:40:28 - Methuslah: You suddenly hear a loud scream, and see a shower of sparks from the other side fo the airlock.
20:41:08 - Kit: Red Leader, do you have anything on board that you can drop of that has a good energy output (like a rocket or somesuch) that might distract the thing?
20:41:16 - vance: (can vance get up at all and check?)
20:41:23 - Kit: Dammned. red Leader, are you ok? (checking sensors)
20:42:03 - Methuslah: There is no response. Your course is starting to shift.
20:42:21 - vance: "cut power, let me look."
20:42:44 - Kit: Damnned, how much G's do we have now and is there ANY way I could get over to him to check what happened?
20:43:29 - Kit: I can only cut power to the shuttle, not the other ship, and I doubt the shuttles engines can do much to correct the course (I'll try anyway 2D6: 11)
20:44:42 - vance: (can vance's data link communicate with the rampart?)
20:46:08 - Methuslah: Up to 3.6g. No way you can move across.
20:46:27 - Methuslah: You can connect the two control systems. The arrow is still following at a constant rate.
20:46:43 - vance: vance tries to comm link with the rampart.
20:47:18 - vance: (through vance?)
20:47:35 - Kit: Vance if you can get the controls of the rampant to my desk, I might be able to slow us down enough so thet we can check on the pilot. he is most likely injured and high G's aint very good for that.
20:49:54 - Methuslah: Datalink is successful. You have full control of both ships.
20:50:03 - vance: vance comms with the rampart and links it to the shuttle control panel.
20:51:14 - Kit: OK, slowing down both ships to 2g, trying to stay on the original course. Vance, check on the pilot, see if he needs medical atention. At 2g we should keep ahead of the arrow.
20:51:54 - vance: vance moves very carefully to the rampart.
20:52:10 - Kit: I check the fuel of the shutle and make the necessary preparations for the time it runs ot ans the fighter is the only one pushing.
20:52:47 - Kit: Does this thing have an atotopilot taht could handle staying on course with both ships for a while? Just in case I have to get to the patient?
20:52:56 - Methuslah just entered this channel
20:53:31 - vance: vance also checks the data crossing his link. anything that catches his attention?
20:53:38 - Methuslah: You can set the autopilot - but you'll need to plot a course, first. The Ramprt's navicomp has restricted access - SOP for maneuvers.
20:53:54 - Methuslah: A lot of classficed data. Only basic on-board systems are accessible.
20:54:14 - Kit: Also sending out our warning/mayday/report via comm again.
20:54:21 - vance: any impending failure indications?
20:54:35 - Kit: Ok, can I access enough of the systems to program the autopilot?
20:55:22 - Kit: Oh, just on a whim, do tah access codes of the base's commander work? I still have those.
20:55:30 - vance: "hey pilot! status."
20:55:37 - Methuslah: You can enter a new course in the shuttle pilot, and both autopilots will comnply.
20:55:43 - Methuslah: No response from the other ship.
20:56:30 - vance: moving as carefully as possible to the rampart.
20:56:41 - Kit: OK, I'll do that, program course 2D6: 9 , set autopilot and automated message sending.
20:57:26 - Kit: What is the usual armament of such a fighter? Anything we could use as another distraction for the light thingie?
20:59:27 - Methuslah: Seelction of missiles, and a forward beam laser. Not accesible without the proper failsafe overrides, though.
21:00:12 - Kit: Was afraid of that. "Vance, how is the pilot?"
21:00:17 - Methuslah: Course is plotted and programmed in - but minimum acceleration will be 3.2gs to reach the fleet. Course must be implemented in ten minutes, and the later you leave it, the higer the acceleration. The arrow will catch you standing at twenty-one minutes.
21:01:19 - vance: (does vance make it to the rampart?)
21:01:38 - Kit: Vance, check the pilot quickly, Autopilot is set, but the g's will take us out after a while. Let's hope that the fleet can catch us if that happens.
21:01:49 - Methuslah: You can get to it uqikcl.y THe pilot is unconsious, by an apparent onboard electrical overloard.
21:02:22 - Kit: Will he stand the g's as he is or does he need some medical help?
21:02:46 - vance: (is the pilot still energized, or can vance touch him?)
21:03:13 - vance: "he seems to be electrocuted. I'm checking before I touch him."
21:03:36 - Methuslah: He should take up to 3.5g. Mind, he won't be too well afterward, but he will survive.
21:03:43 - Methuslah: He cna be touched safely.
21:03:44 - Kit: If you need help, say so quickly, we are running out of time.
21:04:37 - vance: "he's not dead" (is any first aid necessary?)
21:04:57 - Kit: OK, Vance, as sooner we can start the program, the less g he has to endure. Get back and strap in, we have to get away from that light and warn the fleet.
21:05:39 - Methuslah: Course ready. Gees required at 3.35.
21:05:44 - Kit: Adding a short note about the pilot's condition to the automated message send out.
21:06:09 - vance: vance returns to a strap-in seat.
21:06:30 - Kit: Vance hurry, we have to start noe or we will not catch the fleet in time.
21:07:13 - Methuslah: Standing by. Gees required, 3.37g.
21:07:28 - Kit: As soon as Vance is back in his seat and strapped in safely, I start the atomated sending of our message, including our planned course so that the fleet can intercept us, and then fire up the engines again, activating the autopilot.
21:07:38 - vance: hurrying as fast as he can without falling in 2g.
21:08:24 - Kit: I try to stay awake as long as possible, checking if the autopilot works, but I assume I won't be able to stay awake for long under such gs (considering how tired I probably am anyway)
21:09:42 - Methuslah: You are all strapped-in. The autoppilot appears to be working normally, but you are both slowly getting drowsy.
21:10:16 - Kit: Any reply on the comm?
21:10:54 - Kit: Well I expect to lose consciousness eventually. I just hope I wake up looking at a freindly imperial, not at some hostile lights.
21:11:17 - Methuslah: Nothing. The fleet must still be in communications blackout.
21:11:33 - vance: "I take it the engines will deenergize when we reach a navigation point?"
21:11:53 - Kit: I just hope they are LISTENING to our messages and reports and taking appropriate precautions.
21:12:16 - Kit: Yes, the course to intercept the fleet (intercept, not breeze by them) is plotted.
21:12:43 - Kit: If they hear us and see us coming, they should be able to collect us.
21:14:39 - Methuslah: The autopliot will deactive at the set time, having set your ship on a proper course and trajectory, to mach course and speed with the fleet. Docking, howeer, will have to be manual.
21:15:15 - Kit: I hope I will be awake again then.
21:15:16 - vance: "what do sensors show? is the psychic light still pursuing us?"
21:15:38 - Kit: Or they have a recovery shuttle (they should).
21:16:06 - Kit: ETA to fleet?
21:17:01 - Methuslah: ETA is three hours, nineteen minutes. The arrow is still following; its ETA is six hours and fifty-one minutes.
21:17:39 - Methuslah: They should have several recovery shuttles, but intercept at your rate of acceleration is a tricky business. With your airlock already in use, it makes recovery impossible.
21:18:33 - Kit: OK, I doubt we'll stay awake through three plus hours of 3 gs. I set my alarm clock to start waking em at the time our engien powers down, then try to get as comfortable as possible in my seat.
21:18:59 - vance: "then we'll have to wake up, or stay awake." vance tries heavy metal kareokee to stay awake.
21:19:52 - Methuslah: The acceleration is bearnig down on you - the strain is getting too much to bear.
21:20:46 - Kit: Oh rats...I'm...getting...too... old... for... this... kind... of... adventure...
21:21:24 - Kit: Vance.. what... the... hell... is... that... noise...?
21:22:08 - vance: "music. good music. keeps your spirits up."
21:22:27 - Methuslah: The pressure keeps on building - it seems to be neverending. Still three and a quarter hours to go.
21:23:29 - Kit: whatever... works... for... you.., wake... me... when... we... get... there... I... think.... I'm... gonna... take... a... nap
21:23:48 - Kit: And... stilll... no... coffee...
21:24:42 - Methuslah: OK Kit- you black out. Vance, you are almost there yourself. Acceleration has reached maximum, and is all but unbearable.
21:25:12 - vance: vance looks around the shuttle, checking for options. anything here that catches his attention?
21:25:40 - vance: (he hasn't had a chance to truly orient himself in this shuttle.)
21:29:36 - Methuslah: The viewscreen is perhaps the most obbvious focus point - the stars bright in the sky.
21:31:38 - vance: (psychic light still following?)
21:33:54 - Methuslah: STill following, but it is getting blurry. The pressure is unbleievable, and neverending.
21:35:37 - vance: "I PULLED INTO TOWN IN THE POLICE CAR...."
21:36:49 - Methuslah: The singing helsp you focus, but only just. Three hours and five minutes left.
21:37:55 - vance: 2D6: 4
21:38:04 - vance: (snooze)
21:38:33 - Methuslah: You see a warning light on your console - error on the computer link. The acceleration is going out of alignment.
21:39:18 - vance: (has the link gone down?)
21:40:38 - Methuslah: It's going to go down, shortly. You'll need to make a computer check - 9 or more, and you'll have three tries.
21:41:14 - vance: 2D6: 11 2D6: 11 2D6: 11
21:41:57 - Methuslah: The computer is reset, and course confirmed. With that, you black out.
21:41:58 - Kit: (Hey, it couldn't have been that for once something would work as planned Meth, are you SURE that our characters are ever going to reach Egyrn? We aint even out of Glisten sector yet )
21:42:44 - Methuslah: (You're only thirty-four sessions behind schedule!)
21:42:49 - Methuslah: I think this is a good place to end for the night.
21:43:08 - vance: (well)
21:43:50 - vance: (I believe I see a light at the end of the tunnel.)
21:43:54 - Kit: You mean all those killers, bombs, Zhidani etc weren't supposed to keep us off our main duty?
21:44:40 - Kit: Why did I know that you would make a cliffhanger here?
21:45:03 - Methuslah: Not really. But my campaigns usually end up taking tangents even I never saw.
21:45:11 - Methuslah: Well, it is an obvious point.
21:45:36 - vance: (thanks ref)
21:46:38 - Kit: Yeah, I can guess as much. We couldn't just have dropped off a message to the fleet and then continue on. No. We have to deal with some strange alien lights on the way. Sadistic GM, and keeping Kit away from coffee so long.
21:46:57 - Methuslah: Well, see you both next week!
21:47:36 - Kit: yup, see you next week (and why not spend your week without thinking up new sadistic stuff to throw at your players?
21:47:56 - Methuslah: I usually do. Bye!