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

The rock skinned miners look at each other, make some kind of scraping noise between them and the leader turns back, nodding. "I am... in your language, Chudd. I will travel with you and my workers here to ensure delivery of the shipment. Repairs will commence, now."

With that it made a scraping sound into a comm link on its arm and what appeared to be a missile launched from the domed base!

Frostbite started, but Chud explained. "Repair missile. Filled with nanobots. Small robots. used as weapon or... in this case... fix. Very expensive. Save for <unintelligible> day. Like this one."

Despite his doubts Frostbite watched the missile soar overhead and exploded above the ship, seemingly raining down a glittering cloud over the ramshackle rustbucket!

Even from here, he could see something was happening! Rusty broken battered panels appeared to be straightening and shining up, a metallic groaning noise could be heard as beams and cross members were reinforced with nanobots filling in the gaps, and the ship was rapidly transforming from a hulking wreck into a near pristine new vehicle!

Chudd frowned. "Ship broken much." Another scraping sound, like a sigh. ANOTHER rocket set off, exploding above the ship again and showering it in a glittering cloud! The pirates looked concerned, then on in wonder. One of them moved up close to Frostbite and leaned in. "They fixed ship. We take off now, no need to transport, yes?"

Chudd appeared not to have heard, but Frostbite thought he saw the miner give an almost imperceptible turn of the head towards the pirate and the superhero...

Admin wrote:Chudd appeared not to have heard, but Frostbite thought he saw the miner give an almost imperceptible turn of the head towards the pirate and the superhero...

Frostbite turned and looked at the alien, calculating how best to tell this creature that this wasn't what he had in mind. "Friend! Can I call you friend? Friend, when you go around the universe in a ship as bright and shiny as that one, you also paint a big sign on it which says, 'your missiles which are technically superior to anything on our ship, should have no trouble hitting us from the other side of the universe. Friend, this is not the way to win at life, make friends or stay alive. No, we do not take off, we have here a potential ally. And right now friends, Friend are in short supply. Lets not blow this and with it our one chance to finally start ahead rather than way behind, understand?"

Frostbite allowed some of the creeping tension he'd been feeling to seep into his voice. No point in not letting his new found friend, Friend, know where he stood. Besides should he try anything, Frostbot would lock him out in a heartbeat.

"Ok you've kept your end of the bargain, we'll keep ours. Let's load her up and get this show on the road."

Sj

Chudd nodded, glanced that lidless eye at the Alien who'd tried to doublecross them, then turned, making a scraping rock sound into his communicator.

A new transporter, this one flying, emerged from the dome and started flying over. Why... it looked not much bigger than a van! The pirates looked at each other, non plussed, whilst Chudd started to make his way over to the now gleaming and fixed ship. He spoke to Frostbite who had to make several strides to the aliens one to keep up. "Your ship... strange. According to readings, it not fixed, just... what is bodged?"

He seemed confused by the readings, but Frostbot confirmed. "The nanobots have repaired all the holes, broken parts and things that never worked in the first place. Because the ship is a mish mash of several all placed together, it will work somewhat erratically. Not fixed then, but 'bodged'. It could, for example, exceed all known parameters of a vessel of this class or cough and splutter its way in a cloud of smoke across the cosmos. At least it looks shiny."

Up close Frostbite could see the shining metal had a strange glow to it - the nanobots he presumed. So long as they were attached to the ship it would function... hopefully.

The pirates begrudgingly opened the hold and the transporter hovered down, then opened its own back hatch. What appeared to be a large open mouthed cannon was inside! What the...?

Chudd held up his hands "Transport ore! Not weapon!"

With that he uttered a command and a torrent of brown/gold ore shot from the cannon into the hold, quickly filling it and into the corridors beyond! One of the Pirates came up to Frostbite "Captain! How are we supposed to..." Frostbite could guess what he meant - how were they supposed to get around on the ship with the ore filling the corridor? Chudd explained "This ore, special. Corporation treat us as slaves. Hold our families. We sell this, buy families back, leave." His mining friends looked grim. "Corporation not know this is their ore, strange seam. We give them money... get family back."

The cannon cut off as the hold, full, closed. The small alien ran up "The miners have fired their mass driver into the asteroid field and scattered rocks in every direction of the path of the pursuers, but two ships have gotten through! They are closing in!"

As if to hammer the fact home Frostbite saw two points of light glowing in the sky, weaving around asteroids... and getting closer! IF the ship was fixed, they'd have time to take off... if not, the time wasted would see them helpless on the ground as the ships flew in!

Admin wrote:As if to hammer the fact home Frostbite saw two points of light glowing in the sky, weaving around asteroids... and getting closer! IF the ship was fixed, they'd have time to take off... if not, the time wasted would see them helpless on the ground as the ships flew in!

"Well keep our end of this bargain, but right now we have this problem of our own. We don't want too loose you, your precious cargo and your families, but unless we can continue to shake that pursuit, we'll both be sunk. As we take off, is there anything your people can do to further dissuade our pursuit?"

Assuming an affirmative response, Frostbite ordered Frostbot to fire up the ship and get it too place nice with one another. He added, "Tell it when this is all over we'll try and get everyone an upclass or whatever you call it."

OOC: Ok so whether our rock buddies can help us with our incoming pursuit or not, is a moot point, as in either case we've got to take off one way or another. So we'll give the orders and get everyone onboard and get going.

Frostbite is intrigued by both the mineral we've got onboard and the strange coincidence of these miners families being held. Much like the friends he is looking for equally being held here unwillingly.

Sj

Chudd considered, his face (his...?) emotionless, then nodded.

"We can help."

On board the ship was literally overflowing with the ore. It was a gold/brown colour, fine, like sand, and prompted no end of complaints from the crew who had to wade through it in the corridor to get to their stations. For Frostbite it was no problem becoming dispersed and letting it flow through him, though he had to confess it was a strange sensation as he could swear he 'felt' the stuff as opposed to simply having that sensation of moving through water with no contact or consideration as to what he was moving through.

The bridge wasn't immune either as systems were powered up by crew who waded through ankle deep ore. "Captain" spluttered the small alien who'd been Frostbites biggest ally. He looked at Frostbite, then at the screen and the approaching ships, and muttered "It can wait" but he looked exasperated by the ore all over the ship.

Chudd came onto the bridge having not been impeded seemingly by the ore. He was accompanied by his companions, six in all, and they looked at the screen even as Frostbot powered up the engines and shields.

'The systems seem to be talking to one another. All is well. So far.' stated Frostbot.

With a shudder the ship lifted off and started to turn, then boosted away from the asteroid. The incoming ships were faster, and would catch them though!

Wondering what his options were, and whether the ships newly fixed status would be temporary, Frostbite turned to Chudd, but saw the rockman was joined hand to hand (not in, but 'to'!) with his companions! One of them started to glow, and the ore around his feet receded to the point where the level on the bridge was only an inch or so deep! Brighter now, the crew stared at the glowing Rockman in the ring... who flared bright blinding white! Then vanished!

On the screen an asteroid the size of a bus literally changed direction and veered towards a larger one, which clattered with the impact and spun away, smashing into more...

The pursuing ships tried to evade the new unexpected field in their path... but failed! Twin bright flares of light filled the sky nearby as they were destroyed, and Frostbites ship navigated through the asteroid field with seemingly little need to course correct! Then they were away into open space...

Chudd turned from the ring of Rockmen and moved to the navigation console. "These coordinates..." he said, tapping numbers into the screen. Frostbite looked at the Rockmen. Where there had been six, now there were but five...

With a roar of the engines, the ship leapt into hyperspace!!!

=========

<translated>

"What???" spluttered the commander on the bridge of the lead, largest chasing vessel.

"GET AFTER THEM, NOW!!!" he roared, and pulled out his pistol, blasting a random unfortunate crew member as she walked past! "Get rid of that" hissed the commander, "And DON'T FAIL ME AGAIN!"

The fleet set off in hot pursuit!

Admin wrote:Chudd turned from the ring of Rockmen and moved to the navigation console. "These coordinates..." he said, tapping numbers into the screen. Frostbite looked at the Rockmen. Where there had been six, now there were but five...

With a roar of the engines, the ship leapt into hyperspace!!!

Frostbite looked to Chudd and nodded his appreciation, but it was evident that they'd just paid a heavy price for the help needed them. Moreover he doubted that the ships pursuing them, having come this far, were going to give up easily. In one sense the stakes had been raised higher, but how many of Chudd's people would live to see the loved ones return if this was how things carried on?

Frostbite couldn't tell but set about talking to Frostbot about making plans. "Frostbot, ole buddy, we cannot afford to be caught by those ships like this again. Anything you can do, to either loose them, happer their pursuit or give us an much needed advantage would help."

With that Frostbite turned to Chudd, "I don't suppose the people whom you are delivering this ore to, have much care for your people? But this ore is of great value that they'd go to these lengths to get it, after all they surely could get it themselves otherwise. I am wondering if we can't arrange an escort once we get to this system. After all what better way for your delivery to reach its intended destination than if we have a nice welcome party to dissuade any pursuit and ensure no more of you need sacrifice yourselves. Pretty impressive trick by the way, the whole glowing thing. But all the same I'd rather you didn't use it to much more, we can't afford to lose you and I am sure your loved ones wouldn't thank us if you aren't there to greet them."

Thinking some more as the conversation lapsed Frostbite added, "These people you are dealing with, the kidnappers. Can they be trusted to return your families on payment? Won't they try to trick you?"

Sj

Frostbot answered. "I shall plot a course to make a jump to hyperspace via an indirect route. Suffice to say it will take longer, but be harder to track."

Free of the asteroid field, the ship powered up its jump drive, and this time it sounded... fitter, somehow. It spooled it faster than before, and the crew looked about, surprised and impressed!

With light gathering around it, the ship accelerated in the blink of an eye from the system!

=========

Chudd listened, then answered.

"This ore..." he said, poking some around his feet "Cannot be mined in the conventional sense. It is..." he searched for the word "Alive. Not intelligent in a way we would recognise, but sentient. We communicated our need to it, and it responded by granting us the power to influence the direction of those asteroids, although not without sacrifice. Whatever maps exist for this asteroid field, whatever computer simulations and tracking data exist for this vast field of floating rocks covering most of this system, is now useless. You see, we did not simply alter the course of the rocks in the path of the pursuers, but ALL of the rocks. That means those mining are protected and trapped until they can map the course of rocks again, which will take time."

"This living ore can be shaped and fashioned into sentient armour and weapons, combined with other metals to enhance and improve them. A common ore, as found in many planets of many systems, for example, can be mixed with the living ore to be malleable for its wearer but impervious to outside weapons, at least to a high degree. In the wrong hands it can tip the balance of power. Alas, we have no choice but to deliver it, so our families can be freed from captivity. The ore understands, and for this we feel great... shame."

"The kidnappers? they are the Siriak Empire. Vile reptilian warriors who are countless in number and warlike in nature. The Emperor is old, near death, and the Gaaan faction desire the ore, and took our families to ensure we would get it to them. They cannot be trusted. What other choice do we have if we wish to see our families again?"

=========

Elsewhere...

"What do you mean, the asteroid field has changed? That's impossible! It would take a major gravitic shift in the entire system to achieve what just happened! Clearly the systems are..." the Commander paused and looked at the readings. Then he looked at the point in space where the prey had vanished. "Track them as best you can. Alert all sectors. A million credit reward for information leading to our capture of that ship and its crew."

=========

"We have a problem" stated the small Alien who turned from a view screen. "Look."

The ship had jumped into a new system, one picked at random by Frostbot amongst dozens in close proximity. They had taken a seemingly random course to get to their destination, even backtracking twice. Supplies would have to be replenished, and they'd hoped to do so at a large space station in this system which made its living by siphoning energy from one of the systems three smaller suns orbiting the main primary.

"They have sent out a distress call. Their systems were overloaded by an energy surge from the star they mine and now they are being dragged closer to it. Their power plant has overheated and is in an elongated shutdown phase. By the time it cycles through it... the station will have burned up!"

One of the Pirates spoke up "An opportunity! Take on the wealthiest passengers for profit, shipping them from the system!"

"We need supplies still" said another. "We should get close, onboard, and take what we need!"

Another spoke up "We can promise help, take what we want, then abandon them to their fate! After all, whatever riches they have would otherwise burn up, so they won't miss them!" This last suggestion raised several roars of agreement.

The small alien listened, then leaned in to Frostbite. "They will have records identifying our vessel, and should the station be destroyed they will be transmitted as log automatically. Failure to answer a distress call is a worse intergalactic crime than piracy. We should choose our next course of action carefully..."

Admin wrote:The small alien listened, then leaned in to Frostbite. "They will have records identifying our vessel, and should the station be destroyed they will be transmitted as log automatically. Failure to answer a distress call is a worse intergalactic crime than piracy. We should choose our next course of action carefully..."

"Ok men I see an opportunity here, lets not waste it."

Frostbite wasn't about to turn these raging scallywags into alien men of decency, but he could at least play them at their own game and use their greed and sense of self preservation to get the stricken station help.

"We need to broadcast our intent, we'll help, but we also need supplies so lets make sure we get what we can. If we don't get passengers and goods we'll be no better off either way. If the station falls, so with it does any record of us. Right now, lets do our civic duty and try and pull out in one piece."

Frostbite had no intention of taking advantage of the situation, but he couldn't turn down the opportunity to get much needed help. He had to wonder though how many passengers would be on the station and if, with all the other ore they were carrying there was any room to take them all. Getting out of here safely with the minimum of fuss was the main concern.

Sj

Some of the Alien crew raised their voices to argue, and others started shouting them down.

Frostbot laid in a course to make for the stricken station, and continued scanning, announcing to Frostbite "Their core is superheated and needs cooling. If that happens then it's protective fields and gravitic jets can reactivate and possibly save it from falling into the star. However, time is short. The ships shields will initially stop the destructive radiation from entering the ship, but in a short time they will fail and we, too, will be drawn into the star."

Frostbite had several choices:

1) Fly the ship close to send a shuttle over for supplies and possibly rescue station inhabitants
2) Fly the ship close then he himself go over to enter the station through the airlock to find the reactor and cool it down...
3) use some of the ships weapons to rupture oxygen tanks to create a propulsive explosion to blow the station away from the star
4) use the ship itself to try and push the station clear
5) leave them, the risk is just too great! you will only have 1 shot at whatever you try!

Admin wrote:Some of the Alien crew raised their voices to argue, and others started shouting them down.

Frostbot laid in a course to make for the stricken station, and continued scanning, announcing to Frostbite "Their core is superheated and needs cooling. If that happens then it's protective fields and gravitic jets can reactivate and possibly save it from falling into the star. However, time is short. The ships shields will initially stop the destructive radiation from entering the ship, but in a short time they will fail and we, too, will be drawn into the star."

Frostbite had several choices:

1) Fly the ship close to send a shuttle over for supplies and possibly rescue station inhabitants
2) Fly the ship close then he himself go over to enter the station through the airlock to find the reactor and cool it down...
3) use some of the ships weapons to rupture oxygen tanks to create a propulsive explosion to blow the station away from the star
4) use the ship itself to try and push the station clear
5) leave them, the risk is just too great! you will only have 1 shot at whatever you try!

OOC: Option 2, I had thought we could let the station go and try and rescue the passengers, but I can see that this isn't going to work in the time available. Besides which making friends might be a way to help our cause rather than hinder it. So lets go for option, 2, I've got a feeling this is going to be the point where my HP is drained below zero.

Sj

Initially the crew started to object, protesting loudly with shouts and waved hands, until some of the more loyal aliens including the small ally Frostbite had counted on so far, drew weapons and told them to get back to their posts!

Well this WAS a pirate/scavenger/ragamuffin ship!

With Frostbot plotting a course for the helmsman to follow, the ship soared in, weaving in and out of solar flares which erupted from the star and streaking towards the glowing station which, despite its thrusters best efforts, were struggling to hold back its descent into oblivion, one which threatened to drag Frostbites new ship in with it! His decision not to personally leave the ship had been a sound one - despite the vacuum of space, the heat from the sun and the radiation might well have fried him in no time!

As it was a glance at the readings showed that the newly repaired ship was coping - barely - with the amazing stress put on it by flying close to the star, but it wouldn't last forever!

"Get us in!" he roared, and the helmsman gulped, nodded, and powered the ship on, heading straight for the plunging station. It checked the trajectory, altered speed and course, and pulled around in a sharp bank that had crew holding onto to whatever they could to avoid being flung across the bridge! It was pretty good flying, but he had no time to pat anyone on the back!

The ship started to reverse, engines near full to slow the motion, towards the spinning tumbling station. It seemed an impossible ask to line up the ships airlock with that on the station but after following Frostbots instruction it seemed like it would happen! Frostbite headed to the airlock...

"Sir!" shouted the small alien as he ran alongside the Captain. "What should we do when the ship and station look to be dragged into the star? Should we... can we... leave, or try to? At some point the gravity will be too strong to break free of!"

Frostbot popped in Frostbites head "Less than 30 seconds, I estimate, before the ships engines are no longer able to pull free of the gravity well."

Great.

This could turn worse than messy!

=========

The airlock seemed to take an age to cycle, but in truth had only shaved precious seconds off as Frostbite sprinted into the Space station!

Looking about, he waited as Frostbot called up a schematic and overlayed it on his vision. The reactor was six floors down in the centre of the station! Using the lifts, stairs, whatever... he'd run out of time long before the point at which there was no return!!! This was an impossible task! He glanced at the timer in the top right of his vision... 17... 16... 15...

Admin wrote:Looking about, he waited as Frostbot called up a schematic and overlayed it on his vision. The reactor was six floors down in the centre of the station! Using the lifts, stairs, whatever... he'd run out of time long before the point at which there was no return!!! This was an impossible task! He glanced at the timer in the top right of his vision... 17... 16... 15...

OOC:Ok so can I give the order for Frostbot to pull the ship to safety - no point in compromising everyone elses safety after all? If so I then disperse and head quick quick to the reactor to try and cool it so it can escape the sun. If not then I disperse and try and cool the reactor so we can all escape the sun. Just imagine me pouring it on either which way. And I imagine the heat is going to be a factor so between keeping the reactor cool enough to work I'll probably need to keep some HP back so I don't just melt like a ice cream.

Sj

OOC Awesome. The image hosting site that I've used for years (postimage.org) seems to be down meaning I need to find out where my image files are kept. Well, to narrow it down there's my desktop (unlikely), laptop (likely), the cloud (possible) or my old (broken) laptop (oh no I hope not) That's why you'll see lots of dead link type things where pictures used to be. D...o...h...

Hopefully it will return and all will be well. *cross fingers* Just another complication to add to the growing list *shrug*

Frostbite disperses then pushes his dispersal to boost it that he can drop through the metal floors...

OOC Just need a roll of 6 or more generally... Roll(2d10)+0: 5,4,+0 Total:9 Sorted

Flying through the floor he went down... down... the place was a mess. Sparking wires, flickering lights, punctured gas mains, buckled floors... time was running out fast for this place!

He entered what was the heart of the station, a vast chamber with a pulsing blue/purple reactor suspended in its centre. Tiles were crumbling from the walls all about, reducing shielding and doubtless making the reactor less stable still! The heat given off was incredible - and therein lay Frostbites problem. To affect the reactor and pour on the cold, he would have to turn solid... and then the heat/radiation from the reactor would affect him! So... to die from turning solid or to die from falling into the sun... hmmm choices choices...

The klaxon rang out constantly and Frostbot advised 'you have passed the point of no return for your own abilities to allow you to escape the gravity well of the star.'

Preparing to turn solid, Frostbite looked about. The place was a mess of twisted metal walkways, ruptured pipes, arcing electricity and sparking wires. The reactor itself hovered unsuspended in the chamber, its 30' height and 10' width pulsing erratically. It was still working, supplying power, otherwise the station would have burnt up by now, BUT it would overheat and shut down in seconds...

OOC Question really is how far to go with Hero points, any other plan to escape certain doom, did you bring your lucky rabbits foot? Well, that's 3 questions actually...

Admin wrote:Preparing to turn solid, Frostbite looked about. The place was a mess of twisted metal walkways, ruptured pipes, arcing electricity and sparking wires. The reactor itself hovered unsuspended in the chamber, its 30' height and 10' width pulsing erratically. It was still working, supplying power, otherwise the station would have burnt up by now, BUT it would overheat and shut down in seconds...

OOC Question really is how far to go with Hero points, any other plan to escape certain doom, did you bring your lucky rabbits foot? Well, that's 3 questions actually...

Frostbite looked about it was a long shot, but turning solid was going to possible vapourise him in the act of cooling the reactor. And oddly he was rather attached to the body and person he'd become. Besides he had people, who were counting on him to rescue them from whatever part of this alien place they'd been dumped into. So this wasn't the time to worry about a little thing like dying.

OOC:Ok before we go down the route of how many hero points do I want to spend to do the impossible, i.e. not die. I wanted to find out if the material that is surrounding the core and presumably is here to protect the area outside, can be co-opted into a makeshift heat shield! So that with it in place or me behind it I can then use my cold powers more effectively. Between trying to cool the reactor and not getting fried, I'd just as sooner try and use what I can around me as some from of rudimentary protection, at least from the backwash of direct heat and radiation.

Assuming that is possible, then we poor in the HP to cooling the reactor. If not then its a question of making sure I am sufficiently resistant, HP wise (so read here no upper limit), either to be protected or just to soak up damage, and then whatever's left on trying to pour on the cold and get the job done. meanwhile.

Sj

OOC The tiles on the inside of the chamber would indeed shield Frosty from the bulk of the radiation and the heat in the reactor chamber.

Frostbite floated down, aware of the seconds remaining in the countdown in the corner of his vision, and landed next to a fallen tile the size of a door! Thousands of these things were shuddering from the walls as the station entered its death throes.

Even if the station was - somehow - saved, it would need drastic repairs to make it serviceable again!

Think about that later! For now...

Turning solid, Frostbite cried out, feeling his ice form melt immediately and the heat scorching the skin underneath! He grabbed up a tile which offered some respite, then angled it to the side as he poured on the best he could manage for his power!

OOC Pushing Ice Production. Right, Adrenaline Control normally does that but has an upper ceiling of 15 APs with the power limits in place. To go beyond that will need a push in the normal sense. With our new rules that ain't so easy, so you need to buy dice to try and ensure success. How about say, 30HP to buy 4 extra dice (6 rolled in total) that leaves Frosty on:

FROSTBITE HP 52

Pushing Ice Production (9) Roll(6d10)+0: 10,3,4,10,7,4,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 8,1,+0 Total:9 (29 rolled plus 9 ice Production=38) 38 vs TN11+OV9+ GOING FOR BROKE +4 (28)= +4 Effect and -12RV from the going for Broke. That bumps his ice Production up to... 13 vs RV of 0. +13APs to Ice Production and an extra cost of 39HP! ouch.

FROSTBITE HP 13

However he now has 22APs of Ice Production for one round, something Iceman (from Marvel) could only dream about!

Ice Production 22 vs Reactor (20APs this round, going up by 3 every round after until it breaks 30 then kaboom!) Roll(2d10)+0: 2,2,+0 Total:4 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 7,9,+0 Total:16 (20 rolled total 42) vs TN11+OV20 (31). +5 Effect. 27 EV vs 20 RV= 7 RAPs. The Reactor cools to 13APs this round, below its normal peak level of 15, and thus kicks in with power production once more which...

Suddenly the chamber FILLS with ice, and the pulsing reactor changes colour to a deep blue! There is a hum, lights suddenly come on and the whole station shudders as gravity stabilisers and shields kick in! despite the star exerting incredible force on the station, it was designed and built in mind with such an adversary to tackle, and Frostbite knew he just needed to keep the pressure on, to keep the reactor cooled!

OOC Next round (yes there is one!) Frosty pushes his Adrenaline Surge/ice Production ... Roll(2d10)+0: 7,9,+0 Total:16 + Adren Surge 15 (31) vs TN11 + OV 9 (20). +5 Effect, 20EV vs RV 9=+11. Ice Production is boosted, capped to 15. Basically a roll of 6 or more will do it.

Ice Production 15 vs Reactor 13... Roll(2d10)+0: 8,6,+0 Total:14 (total 29) vs TN11+OV13 (24). +3 Effect, 18EV vs 13RV. 5 RAPs. The Reactor cools to 8.

Next round.

Roll(2d10)+0: 9,7,+0 Total:16 Pushes Ice Production ok (to 15).

15 Ice Production vs reactor 8. Roll(2d10)+0: 7,7,+0 Total:14 Nice roll, DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 2,2,+0 Total:4 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 9,8,+0 Total:17 another nice roll (total 50) vs TN11 + OV8 (19). +8 EV (to 23) vs RV8. 15RAPs, the reactor is reduced to a temperature which means it is no longer in meltdown and can regulate itself.

Frostbite breathed a sigh of relief. The reactor was now glowing green, deep under the ice which has stopped melting as fast as he could pour it on, and the station engines had kicked into overdrive, pushing the thing away from the star!

He left the reactor chamber and sagged in the corridor, exhausted, sunburned, happy. Another disaster averted.

Suddenly the alarm klaxon rang out in the corridor! Now what?!?!?

Admin wrote:He left the reactor chamber and sagged in the corridor, exhausted, sunburned, happy. Another disaster averted.

Suddenly the alarm klaxon rang out in the corridor! Now what?!?!?

Frostbite took a deep breathe the first since arriving here. It was touch and go and in many respects he felt it was almost his time to go. Somehow things didn't work out that way, at least this time. But the ringing claxon refused to be silenced, as it should be. But its alarm gave no indication as to what was now occurring, or indeed what Frostbite could do about it.

"Best get to the control room, Frostbot, light up the way."

And with that Frostbite went into dispersal mode so as to avoid being hampered by the damaged surroundings. On his way he had to remember to tell Frostbot to alter the stations records. They were saved not by the pirate ship, but by a military craft that had responded to the distress signal. The individual was a task force and all internal cameras would be either scrubbed or showing only multiple shadowy figures working to bring things under control. Or some such fiction as Frostbot could 'dream' up.

Frostbite once again reflected on the uncanny nature of his inhuman companion to 'grow' in a more humane way. He was sad that time and again, in order to save himself Frostbot had to reboot starting the painful process of learning all over again. Not that he had true feelings, memories or a sense of loss. But Frostbite did, he still had to wonder at the technology behind Frostbot and his seemingly incredible inventiveness when coming to the many times they'd fallen into jeopardy.
"Something else to be thankful for..." Frostbite couldn't help but let out under his breathe.

A stranger in a strange land, yet never alone.

"Right enough dallying lets see what we are facing now?"

OOC:Ok get to HP, control and command or whatever passess for a place to work out what is going on and or going wrong.

Sj

'I have altered the records to delete all of your involvement. Enough systems were damaged that recording was partial or nonfunctional in many cases anyway.' stated Frostbot.

With a path sorted by the sentient program, Frostbite flew through the corridors and through walls where needed.

OOC Adrenaline surge roll 6 or more... Roll(2d10)+0: 9,5,+0 Total:14 Easy.

Arriving on the large bridge area of the station, Frostbite noted a number of systems were showing alarms still. One of the crew members was still on board, a blue skinned humanoid with four arms. He... or rather it - the sex was difficult to determine - was tapping away on several keyboards at adjacent screens, made easier no doubt by the beings two heads!

There was something... odd about it though. With the klaxon wailing and a general alarm sounding, shouldn't this being head for the lifeboats like any others who remained on board?

'Unless I am mistaken, that appears to be the command code input to set a self destruct for the station' stated Frostbot...

Admin wrote:'Unless I am mistaken, that appears to be the command code input to set a self destruct for the station' stated Frostbot...

Frostbite recognised that a plan had been scuppered and its architect was about to fall back on plan b. In any case he wasn't about to see his crew, innocent beings and the station he fought to so hard to save incinerated.

"no time for a frank discussion about the nature of our mission, or intentions." It erked Frostbite but he had the upper hand and not to shot might mean the difference between stopping the being or him pushing the button. Frostbite took aim and fired hoping his freezing beam of cold would be sufficient.

OOC: ok lets go the for the energy attack on him, trying not to damage subsystems and stop this thing from finishing what he started.

Sj

OOC Been thinking about Adrenaline surge and you might be better off with a few points of Power Reserve like Lionheart, or tweaking in some way, but that's for another time).

Shot (from behind, surprise, should be easy hit) Energy Blast 14 + Roll(2d10)+0: 4,2,+0 Total:6 (poor roll but no real problem) vs TN11 + Dex 7 - Surprise (-4) and from behind (-2) (12 total target number). +4 Effect, 18 EV vs RV 8, 10 RAPs damage, down and out!

With surprisingly poor accuracy (for him) Frostbite thought he'd missed for a moment but caught the guy high up on a shoulder and spun him around, flinging him across the bridge to the other wall! With a thud he slid to the floor and, just like that, the station was out of trouble for the moment.

"Captain" said the small Alien over the comm as Frostbite walked over to his target, now safely down and out. "Scanners show that there are a number of ships in the system heading this way. Signature of energy shows that while they are the same as those that pursue us, they are different vessels. Wait..."

Frostbite did so. "They've transmitted a message, tell us to stand down and prepare to be boarded. We explained that we saved the station, and whilst they are grateful for saving THEIR station they still require to process us for information, especially since our energy signature is similar to one their forces are pursuing."

Frostbite looked at the Alien on the floor. He'd been trying to destroy the station. His enemies station, Frostbites' enemies. The enemy of my enemy...?

Admin wrote:Frostbite looked at the Alien on the floor. He'd been trying to destroy the station. His enemies station, Frostbites' enemies. The enemy of my enemy...?

Frostbite flicked the comms, "Tell them that we have something far more valuable to them. Tell them that we are willing to trade safe passage for the criminal who tried to take down their station with everyone onboard. I have them in custody and so perhaps that might wish to board their station rather than my ship."

Frostbite had to hope that the loss of the station, the lives of those onboard and the perpetrator behind it all was a significant enough find to make their pursuers pause and perhaps even back off. he had to hope so, fighting their way out of this one, would not be easy.

Sj

There was a pause. "Sir, we will pipe it through to the station"

Another pause, then crackling, and a harsh voiced hissed. "The Korathi Empire does not... 'negotiate'. However, for your service we shall consider your case and possibly offer a reduced sentence in the event you are found guilty of destruction of Korathi property. Stand down, deactivate all weapons on your vessel and prepare to be boarded. Present all contraband at the outset and your sentence shall be considered with due leniency. Possibly."

Frostbite could almost imagine the being on the other end of the line chuckling.

Frostbot chimed up. 'Scanners show more of the Korathi vessels arriving at the edge of the system. Our pursuers, no doubt.'

Great. The staggering arrogance of these aliens was matched only by their aggressiveness. Frostbite looked at the alien he'd knocked out on the floor. This... alien... was possibly a freedom fighter. Possibly misguided, but fighting against the Korathi nonetheless, who were chasing after Frostbites' ship and crew.

Just then there was a crackling voice come in over the comms "...is my target... you will stand down and allow us to..."

Interesting...

Admin wrote:There was a pause. "Sir, we will pipe it through to the station"

Just then there was a crackling voice come in over the comms "...is my target... you will stand down and allow us to..."

Interesting...

Frostbite was tempted to let out his mounting frustration with a casual swipe at an innocent bulkhead. But the interruption of the coms gave him reason to pause for a moment. He wasn't sure if the ships communication was being listened in on, so he asked Frostbot to send a coded message for the crew to be ready to jump. In the event that things went pair shaped, Frostbite also told Frostbot to get ready to set lots of false alarms in the station off. That way at least some of the ships would have to attend to the station, leaving them some chance of escape.

However the newly arrived vessels, perhaps contained a superior officer whom was taking charge with a more level headed approach to things. The back up plan might not be needed, however Frostbite didn't want him or the crew to get caught up in some political chess match, with them as pawns. They still had the pending charge of delivering the material and freeing the rock miners families, let alone him finding his own people not to mention the impending threat of invasion from this microverse.

Yup the usual sort of day for someone like Frostbite.

OOC: Ok so plan B is to make it seem like that the saboteur had a plan B, and for alarms and signs to go off making it look as if the station would still either go nuclear or fall into the sun. So that we can divert and divide the local forces. But should it be the case that we can negotiate then we'll attempt to do that. I've no reason to get further involved in this political situation, its way above my pay grade. So plan a for now is to see what happens next with this unexpected development and have the crew on stand bye.

Sj

'Crew Reports the ship will be ready to jump in 'a short while'. Apparently stopping it from being dragged into the sun took it's toll on the engines. Whilst not damaged, they do require time to cool and recycle.' stated Frostbot.

Great.

In the meantime it seemed the two fleets of ships, whilst approaching, had taken their disagreement 'off air'. No way to find out if they planned to work together or grab the glory for themselves...

Then Frostbite turned on hearing a groan. The Alien, from looking bruised and battered a minute ago, was stirring and from what Frostbite could tell, had a reasonably fast healing ability. Might be hard to keep down without actually killing it, but he might be able to get some answers in the meantime!

He figured he had a few minutes yet. Time for the alien to recover enough to speak, his ship to recover and the Korathi to figure out whether to fire on one another or make for the station.

"Skrargle flamgorr charr vudd durr..." stated the alien.

'Stand by, accessing the ships database via the stations systems.' stated Frostbot. 'There. Whilst you do not have true linguistic abilities you can - whilst I am in range of the ships computers - understand most alien speech. of course this all depends on my superior processing power.' Frostbot added modestly.

"You should kill me! I will not be stopped! The Korathi are evil! My death may save thousands of lives! Go, <unintelligible>, save yourself and let me die for the greater <unintelligible>" the alien blurted out as it tried to rise and failed, falling back on shaky legs. It's other head was still unconscious.

Admin wrote:
'Stand by, accessing the ships database via the stations systems.' stated Frostbot. 'There. Whilst you do not have true linguistic abilities you can - whilst I am in range of the ships computers - understand most alien speech. of course this all depends on my superior processing power.' Frostbot added modestly.

"You should kill me! I will not be stopped! The Korathi are evil! My death may save thousands of lives! Go, <unintelligible>, save yourself and let me die for the greater <unintelligible>" the alien blurted out as it tried to rise and failed, falling back on shaky legs. It's other head was still unconscious.

As the information sunk in, once again with casual repetition Frostbite could see that he'd stumbled upon a not so black and white situation. Navigating such a confluence of confused motives, history and inter racial activity wasn't going to be easy. Especially if he hoped to come out of this with his integrity intact. One of the things he had to establish was the situations history. If the people whom he was negotiating with were blood-thirsty warmongers, hell bent on dominating the areas around them. Then he had a clear mandate not only to resist, but to find ways to subdue such an empire. But at the same time, he had no understanding of who or what stood against them. Nor indeed what had happened to his teammates, of whom their rescue and safety was of far greater importance.

Since the prisoner wasn't able to answer, Frostbite directed Frostbot to read him in to the political situation and history of the area. He might as well get to know what he faced, before he made a decision to lead a rebellion against the Korathi empire? Not that he wanted to be dragged into this, but he wondered how far he could get without it engulfing him anyway.

Sj

Frostbot responded 'Searching. Interesting. Until recently the Korathi coalition was a disparate group of planets loosely connected by terms of mutual trade and protection.'

'They operate on a caste system, of sorts. The commanders on the lead vessels of the two squadrons pursuing us are likely to be rivals. Ah. Recently someone united - by forceful means - the coalition and formed it into an empire. Their technology was improved and they became a force to be reckoned with in weeks. No one knows where the technology was obtained, or how it was integrated into the systems so fast, but no Korathi vessel has been defeated thus far and taken intact. Certainly in terms of firepower and shielding their average vessel is among the most powerful in this space sector.'

'More than that, a number of the Korathi homeworlds were recently declared off limits even to many of their own citizens. An unsubstantiated report by a rival faction and obtained by spies suggests they are buying up technology and resources to aid them with mass cloning...'

Frostbite considered that for a moment. Creating a clone army. Could the Korathi be the force intending to attack his own world, despite that they were smaller than microscopic size? How would they be able to grow to a size that threatened his world? After all he had used White Dwarf star material to shrink and... could these people use it to grow?

"The ships are closing in Captain" stated the small alien from his own vessel.

The alien in front of Frostbite shook its other head awake, then looked up at its vanquisher. "We are dead! They will board the station and annihilate you! Every time we encounter them they have new weapons, new devices... someone is supplying them with technology beyond what we can comprehend!"

This space station and the spacecraft were pretty advanced in a way, but backwards when compared to his own sentient computer. Even so, if the Korathi turned up with new weapons and gear every time they took on a rival, it was clear that the outcome would come in their favour, and also clear that someone was tipping the balance of power in this universe heavily in their favour! But why?

Unless...

The Korathi, and their mysterious benefactor were the ones behind the attacks on British PSI operatives, and intended to invade Earth before the governments of the world even knew about it?!?!?