The New Vanguard! Frostbite Issue #6 - Toto...

OOC Charisma (Persuasion) check on these guys.

Roll(4d10)+0: 7,3,1,7,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 5,8,+0 Total:27

One of the crew spoke up "I was going to suggest we decline and tell our superiors..."

The others looked at him before he continued "...but they would flush me out the airlock for not giving my life in trying to slow you down. Stranger, whoever you are, you represent something we've never been offered before."

"What is that?" asked a crew member. The others chuckled, shaking their heads.

"Seriously?" asked the crewman. "Freedom."

They thought about that, long and hard, then looked at the soldier who'd spoken up. He breathed in, puffed his chest out and saluted. "I am Jarm Theta 11 Bravo Six Delta.I... we... will work for you to attain the goal of freedom. Once that is attained..." translated Frostbot from the crewmans speech. Jarm looked around "Well, I don't know what we'll do then."

Frostbot noted 'some of this may be lost in translation, but I think I have the gist of it correctly. It helps that they speak without accent. Being a clone will do that.'

Frostbite nodded and turned to the screens. Jarm walked over and pointed. "The mother ship. When this ship docks there will be hell breaking out. I suggest we get to the weapons locker and try to... override the security protocols to unlock the weapons? These bracelets too. If you can lock them from outside control, that would elevate our chances of aiding you from nil to some." he said hopefully.

Frostbite looked again. The mother ship appeared to be holding off close by. Within minutes, certainly.

"The Captain is waiting until he has confirmation that the ship is safe. The problem is the admiral on board the mother ship will simply blast us into shards if he's kept waiting too long!"

Frostbite needed to take the rest of the ship. Jarm continued. "If the Captain feels like they've lost control of this ship. he'll blow it up, no question! The saving grave is that the bridge crew aren't <can't translate but possibly clones or born from a vat> and their instinct will be to get to the escape pods and leave the rest of us to perish. That buys a little time once they know they have to get off the ship."

Frostbot spoke up 'By now they will know their attempt to 'flush' the ship will fail. They may be setting the self destruct even as we speak!'

Admin wrote:Frostbot spoke up 'By now they will know their attempt to 'flush' the ship will fail. They may be setting the self destruct even as we speak!'

OOC:sorry for delay, not had chance to get on my pc, and on my tablet it always forwards me away to some spam or dodgy site!

Frostbite mulled over the options, getting weapons for the crew would be redundant if the ship was blow up. Their little buy for time had run the risk of making them seem unboredable and time was running out. Perhaps the only other option was to run, although it was unlikely that they'd outrun the mother ship. Or perhaps they could fall into a sun, vent off an explosion and make it look like they were doomed already. The only other possibility was some sort of bluff, something to make them stand off.

'Frostbot, if we sent a transmission across, and perhaps whilst we are talking send in some malicious code, get you to...what do they call it, hack their systems. Give them something to worry about, perhaps try and do something to shut down their sensors, their engines or something is that possible? I am going to attempt to bluff our way out of this and I want to give the a reason to hang back and not attack us.'

Frostbite said, to his companion, wondering if what he was asking was beyond him or not.

OOC:Ok so I am attempting to bluff our way through this. The idea being that I've successfully taken over this ship and rendered the crew inoperative. I'll say something like I have a special computer virus that I can and am spreading through their systems as we speak, which will do the same to them unless they back off. Any attempt on their part to engage us, follow or destroy the ship, will set off the code and destroy their own ship in the process. Besides which, I will still survive and go on to attack the empire with my virus... The only thing they can do is agree to my terms and they will be allowed to live.

I'm hoping a good bluff and whatever Frostbot can do to upload a virus to give the impression if not the effect of what I say might happen. After all they clearly know something about us, but not much else they wouldn't be capturing us to study. Then if this goes to some kind of plan, its to get us to high tail it out of here, unlock these bracelets, the crew and see if we can't catch up with my old pirate buddies and shipment they were trying to deliver, before finding my friends.

Sj

Frostbot poured ice water over the plan 'I can try my best but their systems will be immune to my hacking attempts unless I were place in physical contact with their terminals thanks to multiple firewalls or their equivalent and compartmentalised systems.'

Frostbite figured to try his bluff anyway.

'They will know the source of the message on the bridge and will dispatch a heavily armed security detail to this location' offered Frostbot. 'I suggest that time is of the essence. Even more so than usual!'

Frostbite recorded a message by facing a screen and sent it to the much larger ship homing in on them. The response was almost immediate!

"I am <Translation: Probably Admiral> Drexorr of the Interstellar Supreme Empire of <Translation: Graaaa'th? No Idea>. Your actions have placed the vessel you are attempting to hijack in jeopardy of being blasted into smithereens! Surrender now or..."



"...you will meet the fate of your alien kinsmen. Observe!"

The screen switched to a darkened room...

A light shone from the ceiling to where a frame held a naked battered human form via the wrists and ankles, with part of the frame providing some cover for the prisoners modesty. He'd clearly been beaten and it was hard to recognise who it was until Frostbite realised it was Thomas White otherwise known as GRAVITAS, one of Frostbites team mates!

"I do not know how you can understand our language when our own computers have to translate your words from noise into something civilised that we can understand, but understand this..." snarled the Admiral. The screen flicked again to another darkened room. WANDAFAR!

The dwarf was shackled like Gravitas and appeared bruised and battered, but there was something else...

Frostbot spoke in Frostbites head 'That is not Wandafar.' he stated. 'That is a physical manifestation of the holographic butler, Jethro, cleverly manipulated to look like the alien scientist. He may have realised he was in danger of being kidnapped and created a duplicate. Unfortunately the emitter will have a finite lifespan unless it can be recharged, but is clearly convincing enough for the abductors to think that they have indeed taken the real Wandafar. The butler, Jethro, is an advanced AI that can adapt and think of its own free will, as I can, but on a more limited level. That emitter... could give me physical form.'

"...your friends will continue to be tortured until I learn more about your fantastic powers! We have nullified them, but will discover the secrets of unlocking and duplicating them with or without your aid, human! You CAN however spare them pain and misery. My forces will have secured the capture of the remainder of your group in a short time, and then you will have to make a choice. Is your freedom worth the life of one of your friends?"

The screen winked off.

He had some of Frostbites team! Wandafar had managed to escape the clutches of the microverse invaders! That holographic emitter could give physical form to Frostbot! Some of his team had managed to escape, or at least evade for the time being the clutches of Drexorr and the Empire of evil he worked for!

Suddenly an alarm blared!

'Cyborgs approaching. From several directions!' stated Frostbot, as the screen flicked from corridor to corridor, showing several groups of half a dozen Cyborgs jogging towards the room where Frostbite was!

OOC Plenty to think about there. Don't worry about delays - I am going to Edinburgh tomorrow for an overnight stay. Will bring laptop but chances are that I'll not get chance to go near it. Just one of those weeks where the work/life juggling kind of gets in way of stuff!

As for the bluff, I will roll the dice but you will need a miracle roll! Charisma adds extra dice so no need for HP...

Roll(4d10)+0: 5,10,2,5,+0 Total:10 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 9,7,+0 Total:26

That most likely fell short but you *might* have given them something to think about and bought time. The guy on the screen was as cool and calculating as they come though, Frostbite figures...

Admin wrote:He had some of Frostbites team! Wandafar had managed to escape the clutches of the microverse invaders! That holographic emitter could give physical form to Frostbot! Some of his team had managed to escape, or at least evade for the time being the clutches of Drexorr and the Empire of evil he worked for!

Suddenly an alarm blared!

"open the doors, keep to your posts, draw your weapons on me, and I'll do what I can to make sure this doesn't reflect badly on you."

Frostbite said with a somewhat despondent tone. He walked toward the now opening doors, not looking back and instead held his hands up in surrender. Meanwhile he was deep in conversation with Frostbot.

"If I go onto that ship, we'll be at their mercy with nothing to show for it, other than being reunited with Gravitas. The null field will make me weak so that I've nothing by which to fight back with. When we get aboard, I am not sure how that applies to you. We managed to get by last time, but their systems might be more formidable. However if we can get you to that emitter, maybe from there you could do something I without my powers, cannot do. In any case I am open to suggestions, what I fear by going a board is this ship and the crew we've worked hard to help will be blown up in an instant."

OOC:Talk about in too deep. Right my first priority is to see if I can bluff my way to making this new guy think the present aliens on this ship have something to offer. Maybe I'll drop some clumsy hints about leaving traces of myself in the computer, corridors and crew, something they might want to take note of. I'm thinking about how we can buy them time, although I don't imagine the alternative - of being blow up - might come as a more pleasant way forward.

In any case when I am a board I am looking for someway to circumnavigate the usual limitations that the null field will exhibit, so that in some measure I might not be totally without some fight.

Sj

The technician Sark spoke up...

"Wait! What are you saying? That's it? You surrender? Our one, only chance at freedom and to decide our own destiny is over?" he spluttered. He looked at Frostbite, meeting him eye to eye, then turned to the others. "This man is no leader! I shall present him myself and explain that we were forced to aid him! Pull your weapons on him!"

He moved up and muttered "I believe in you. I will die before I give up my chance at freedom. I hope you have a plan..." He turned round and shouted "This alien is false! He offered that which is not his to give! His cowardice and weakness shall be his undoing!"

The door swished open and the corridor was filled with Cyborgs. All with weapons levelled! Sark hopped in front of Frostbite with arms raised. Frosty was somewhat surprised at the slight mans' courage but the Cyborgs noted his words as he shouted "Wait! Your weapons will only slow him down and do extensive damage to the ship! He has surrendered! We need only restrain him as his companions are held on the mother ship. His weakness is that he feels compassion for them! Tell the Captain we have secured his capture and glory shall shine on him!"

The Cyborgs parted - weapons covering Frostbite - as the hero walked down the corridor with them surrounding him, and Sark walking directly behind him.

Frostbot spoke 'I hope you know what you are doing. Their systems are protected against cyber attack, to a certain extent. Much will depend on you being able to come into contact with their computers...'

=========

Minutes later the cyborg contingent (6 in front 6 behind) and Sark the technician had escorted Frostbite to the docking bay.

There a large contingent (around fifteen) soldiers stood with weapons trained on Frostbite along with the XO of the ship. A screen flickered on the wall and the Captains' image popped up. Clearly the fellow wasn't taking any chances!

"It is good you have surrendered, Alien! The glory of your capture shall be marked on my record as a merit, and I shall benefit! I mean... we... my staff and I... benefit. Anyway. We shall not meet again. You have been an irritation, nothing more! Goodbye, fool!"

The screen winked off. Sark sneaked a glance at Frostbite then turned to the Executive Officer. "Hand restraints will be a good idea sir. Standard mechanical will be a bad idea. This alien possesses terrific physical strength! I suggest tracking restraints..."

The XO considered then nodded, the fear visible on his face as he stood at the back of the soldiers. "Make it so, technician. I shall be interrogating you at length to find out the details of what happened. It shall not be a pleasant experience."

Sark gulped and nodded, then turned to Frostbite with a pair of bulky, heavy hand restraints that took two cyborgs to lift! They looked like boxes attached with a several inch thick short cable in between! Sark looked at Frostbite and mouthed the word 'Trust'.

OOC If you are ok with the events up to press the next update will have Frosty on his way to the mothership...

Admin wrote:Frostbot spoke 'I hope you know what you are doing. Their systems are protected against cyber attack, to a certain extent. Much will depend on you being able to come into contact with their computers...'

Plan! Frostbite had been making this up as he went along, when had there been time to get a grip on what was going on let alone formulate a plan. He felt like one of the steel balls in a pinball machine. He'd bounced so far, he had to wonder if this was going to be it or not. How much longer could he continue to dodge the bullet.

Admin wrote:Sark gulped and nodded, then turned to Frostbite with a pair of bulky, heavy hand restraints that took two cyborgs to lift! They looked like boxes attached with a several inch thick short cable in between! Sark looked at Frostbite and mouthed the word 'Trust'.

There is was, trust. In a world full of hostile danger, against all the odds, now Frostbite ever the hero was in need of rescue and his only ally, was but a few hours ago a sworn enemy. How the times have changed. Frostbite gave an almost imperceptible nod, whilst knowing was looking. And did as he was bid.

Sj

Frostbite looked at Sark and knew he may be putting his life in the hands of someone he barely knew... but his team mates lives were already at stake!

He clamped the restraints on, big bulky things that engulfed his hands and were attached to each other by a cable that was looped around Frostbites neck before attaching to the other restraint! With uncomfortable realisation Frosty figure should he used his strength to try to get free he would likely decapitate himself! How would...?

'Interesting. These restraints have a small tracking device, a computer, on them that monitors the vitals of the prisoner and their location as well as giving a complete body scan of the subject. If I were to transfer to that, when it was uploaded to the mainframe I might have access to some of their systems. Worth a try?' asked Frostbot.

As Frostbite pondered that he was pushed and steered towards the docking bay entrance. A hastily adjusted breath mask was placed over his face and the doors began to open, a force field stopping the hard vacuum of space from tearing everything out...

Directly outside, a shuttle of sorts waited, and what looked to be a laser beam of some kind had been jury rigged on top! Frostbites heart sunk... a null ray projector... no doubt!

The cyborgs and staff began to file out of the docking bay... Sark risked a final glimpse at his would be rescuer, now captive as much as Sark was albeit in different circumstances...

OOC The shuttle is about to enter the bay and douse Frosty in a null ray that would sap his powers. These restraints *might* be breakable seeing as he still has his mighty superhuman strength, but it would cause some kind of harm to Frostys neck! And that computer... dare he risk Frostbot vanishing 'into the system' on that thing or does he want to keep hold of his friend for now?

Admin wrote:]OOC The shuttle is about to enter the bay and douse Frosty in a null ray that would sap his powers. These restraints *might* be breakable seeing as he still has his mighty superhuman strength, but it would cause some kind of harm to Frostys neck! And that computer... dare he risk Frostbot vanishing 'into the system' on that thing or does he want to keep hold of his friend for now?

Frostbite realised that the old adage, "Fortune favours the bold" was either going to be spurious bunkum, or the very essence of what he was contemplating doing. At the end of the day his desperate and somewhat precarious situation called for an equally daring set of possibilities. His friendly cybernetic companion, had been with him so long the thought of once again turning him loose always sent a small chill down his spine. With Frostbot onboard he was never truly alone, but one of these days would he be even able to return. Captive aboard an alien ship, that seemed all too prepared for the likes of them, Frostbite had to wonder.

"Go...!" He said flashing the thought with a degree of reluctance despite many a time feeling no compunction about doing the same with many a man's life when it was a time of war. Strange this sense of comradeship, with a being who wasn't in any sense human, but still intelligent and independently thinking. A symbiote that relied on his hospitality to remain in existence, now leaving and never did Frostbite feel more alone knowing what that knull beam could and would do to him.

He had one last play up his sleeve, if only he could weaken the bracelets without making it obvious that their integrity was impaired. Whilst he stumbled, taking whatever punishment or blows they'd offer to keep him moving, he used the diversion to cover his movements as he used his strength to weaken the restraints so as to be able to break free if opportunity presented itself.

Sj

OOC Roll(2d10)+0: 8,5,+0 Total:13 + Str 9 (22) vs TN11 + Body 10 (21)= +1 EV. 9EV + 1 (10) vs 10RV... not enough!

Frostbite felt the coil around his neck tighten as he strained... did he hear them creak? Would he get chance to...


OOC Roll(2d10)+0: 2,9,+0 Total:11 for the Null ray (which is going for a critical blow and a multi attack)

Suddenly a wave of nausea passed over him as the shuttle 'poked' through the bay door and the ray lit him up! He felt a wash of strange feelings as his powers started to drain! His strength ... vanishing! He couldn't disperse... his limbs felt leaden.. .but worst of all.. he felt the airless COLD of space biting into him, whereas before he'd never really felt it! Crashing to his knees, he felt the ray blast on... and on... and on... and that cold... seeping into his very core, creating pain so agonising that he couldn't even scream! Was this how his enemies felt when he...

Frostbite slumped face down on the floor...

TO BE CONTINUED...? IN EPISODE 7...?

Admin wrote:Frostbite slumped face down on the floor...

TO BE CONTINUED...? IN EPISODE 7...?

OOC:Oh Uh

Sj