Scene I: Unwelcome Reception

[moarhair]

T'Mirras pauses at the door. Was that a sarcastic comment from Ensign A'Kora? Perhaps that was indeed a smirk I saw before we boarded. She turns to respond, but the Operations Manager is on her comms, trying to reach the ship. As she waits, T'Mirras searches the other woman's face for hints of emotional expression.

 

Whether because adrenaline is still rushing through her veins, she's mildly concussed, or the unusual nature of the day, T'Mirras does something unwise once A'Kora finishes he communication. "You may wish to amend your report, Ensign A'Kora. I believe you meant to say: No personnel casualties, yet," she quips, deadpan, before stepping out of the runabout.

[Maester1216]

Hesk falls in with Sorenstam and T'Mirras as they exited the runabout, fiddling with the strap of his medkit as it wrapped around his left shoulder to get a tighter fit out of it. He casts his eyes about, looking for a hillock or knoll or the like that would give the team a better view of the area they were in. "Any which way we look at it we're in for no small march. We'll likely be needin' a little salvage from the research station to, if the others can't get the runabout back up and running with what they've got. And on that note just how many folk were working at this station again?" Hesk weighed the various factors in play for a moment before simply giving a chuff and swish of his hand. "Auhh and here I am jawing like we ain't got a job to do. Let's get to getting our bearings out here."

Edited June 22, 2022 by Maester1216 (see edit history)

[hailofsilicon]

Ensign Sorenstam steps out and onto the surface as she nods to Hesk, taking up a flanking position near T'Mirras. She exhales out through her nose, a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in, and lets her shoulders relax slightly. Her eyes flick about the surroundings, patting herself down as if she expects to find pockets on her uniform. "We need to make contact as soon as we can, that way we can start formulating an evacuation plan. Is there any way we could rig up a transceiver of some sort, maybe using a tricorder?" She was good at the theory of communications, and had a fair amount of skill with an entire starship's array in front of her, but improvisation in the field like this was a bit more out of her league.

[ihinka]

KOTHO
Control10	Fitness9	Presence10
Daring9	Insight9	Reason9
Command4	Security3	Science1
Conn4	Engineering3	Medicine1
STRESS: 12

"Well now..." Kotho stood up and steadied herself on a bulkhead. "Any landing you can walk away from..." The Orion grinned in the darkness of the runabout. "First time ever I get to use that one." Kotho looked about as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. It appeared the crew had made it rough with minor injuries and no casualties. The runabout, however, hadn't been as lucky. Kotho patiently waited for Hesk to check her condition to his satisfaction as she listened to T'Mirras and A'Kora speak. Whatever experience she had interacting with Vulcans, was all acquired during her time in the Academy. So she was still largely unfamiliar with the subtleties of their behavior. But when T'Mirras stressed there were no personnel casualties yet it pinged somehow weird.

 

"Is that a fatalistic sentiment I detect in your words, Ensign T'Mirras. Because, from where I'm standing, the only ones with the power to prevent personnel casualties is us." Kotho followed a few steps behind the group leaving the runabout. "Now... we have the general direction of the distress signal. And I can tell you I dropped us three kilometers off course, or thereabouts. Before you leave, we might try to climb a tree or something. See if we can get you better bearings for your search mission. And while you're gone the rest of us will do our best to get the runabout flight-worthy." Kotho paused for a second, crossing gazes with each member of the away team. "I mean, this is what we signed up for, right?! When we joined Starfleet. So while we can all appreciate how dire our circumstances are, I say we also appreciate the very first step we've made in our career. Let's continue moving forward with purpose, eh?!"

 

Spirit of DiscoveryI would like to use one of Kotho's talent's here, Spirit of Discovery, to spend one Determination and give 3 points to the group's Momentum pool. As I understand, we all begin the game with one Determination.

[Scarecrow71]

You open the hatch, sunlight flooding into the mostly-darkened interior of the shuttle.  Once your eyes adjust to the brightness, you can see what would otherwise be a pretty idyllic scene, with trees growing tall and stretching out to a blue sky.  Your Runabout has mowed down several trees during its unscheduled hard landing, and it carved a deep path into the forest floor as it skidded to a stop, a rocky trench seen now where underbrush and fallen leaves should be.  Broken branches and tree stumps line both sides of the trench, along with pieces of metal shorn off from the outer hull of the shuttle, and a bit of smoke rises from near the Runabout's engines.

 

But for all of what you see, it is what you hear that captures your attention.  Grunts and shrieks, carrying through the still-standing trees, with the sound of stomping or running.  It seems as if the sounds are coming from all directions at once, but there is nothing that you can currently see that would alert you to what is making the noise.

 

MechanicsAnybody outside may make a Reason + Security check, at a target difficulty of 3 to determine where the sounds are coming from. Difficulty Reasoning: Normal difficulty of 1, increased to 2 due to being disoriented after the crash, and further increased to 3 by spending 1 point of Threat.

Complication: While there may be other repairs that have to be done (you will need to check the ship for that), the Runabout is grounded until A'kora can get the sensor package up and running. Because it was his error on timing, only he knows the calculations to fix it once power is restored. And he must do this without assistance. No change to difficulty (2), and it will be a Reason + Engineering roll when the time comes.

Threat: 11.

Momentum: 3. 3 Momentum added to pool from Kotho's use of Spirit of Discovery.

[moarhair]

T'Mirras' mouth curls into the shadow of a smirk at Kotho's inspiring speech. She was about to answer that she certainly hadn't signed up for shuttle crashes, but the retort dies in her throat as the shrieking, grunting, and stomping fill the air.

 

The security officer draws her phaser in one hand and her tricorder in the other. "It seems we've alerted the local wildlife. Be ready to retreat into the runabout," she says with a bit more edge to her voice than one would expect from a Vulcan. Her hands are clenched tight on her equipment, her mouth suddenly dry, her muscles tense as her body starts pumping adrenaline through her veins again.

 

T'Mirras turns, scanning the area around the crashed shuttle, trying to pinpoint the origin of commotion. Flashes of teeth and claws, slick with blood flood her mind. She focuses on the readings on the screen of her tricorder, doing her best to push the memories away.

Edited June 22, 2022 by moarhair (see edit history)

[Maester1216]

"Some right pretty speechifying there Koth. And you're right, just cause things are lookin' a little gloomy and grim don't mean we gotta be. As my third uncle once-removed used to say 'The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.' Sometimes you just gotta take a step back and really look for it." Taking a deep breath of the sylvan fragrance that surrounded them, Hesk smiled as he basked in the natural beauty and splendour of Xerxes IV. "Certainly hope nothing'd made those trees their home. Maybe I can do a quick scan before we head-"

 

The howls and wails encircling them drew Hesk out of his contemplation. "Welp, there's that answered." Circling up with T'Mirras he fishes out his own tricorder, his motions with the device mirroring his own darting eyes as he sized up the situation. "Here's hoping there ain't much grief in this mix..."

 

OOC

I'm going to spend a point of Momentum for an extra dice. I also just realized I misread/misremembered Untapped Potential, so ignore that D6 roll. 

 

Edited June 23, 2022 by Maester1216 (see edit history)

[Roughtrade]

Once the Firefly was contacted, updating was swift and to the point.  No crew casualties.  Ionic disturbances were erratic.  No immediate need to risk personnel.  Though she didn't state it in this fashion, the hull of the runabout was secure; there could be lost dinosaurs out in the forest and as long as everyone withdrew to the runabout the landing party would be safe until the emergency rations ran out.  Assessment of the material damage was underway, A'Kora promised to advise the ship of their ETR and, barring significant change in status, give regular updates on a schedule as required by the Firefly.

 

Then it was time to look at what sort of mess she had made.

 

Emergency lighting was adequate for finding the hatch, and with light spilling in from the planet the interior of the Runabout was cast in stark stripes of light surrounded by deep shadows.  A'Kora fetched tool kit and a hand torch before beginning an assessment of the work required to restore the runabout.  Triage and repair priority were decisions which A'Kora assumed T'Kress would organize.  Which was more important, which could be handled by giving directions to less technically apt personnel.  Restoring power, exterior structural repair; these issues were her decision.  In the meanwhile, A'Kora focused her attention on the control panel. 

 

Ruptured cover, well that wasn't a necessity for piloting.  There were a handful of isoliner chips which were going to need replacing.  Removing them was easier without power, so A'Kora busied herself with removing damaged components while awaiting the Engineer's decision.  The sounds coming from the doorway indicated that T'Mirras and her exploration team had discovered something of interest before getting two steps out of the Runabout.  A'Kora wondered if her unvoiced sarcastic thoughts of Tyrannosaurs Rex attack were going to prove prophetic.  

 

---

Lexicon

ETR : Estimated Time of Repair

Hand Torch : British term for flashlights that I like to use.

 

OOC

Does our Runabout have a name?  Like Shuttlecraft Galileo?  I don't see one.  

I also find myself conflicted on if I should capitalize it or not.  Probably not.  I am being inconsistent with it.

 

Waiting on Power restoration before rolling dice for Sensor repair.

 

 

 

 

 

[ihinka]

KOTHO
Control10	Fitness9	Presence10
Daring9	Insight9	Reason9
Command4	Security3	Science1
Conn4	Engineering3	Medicine1
STRESS: 12

Kotho left the search and rescue group to their growls and howls. The runabout was in bad shape and they didn't know how soon they would need in in flying shape. The faster they could fix it, the safer it was for everybody. A'Kora seemed determined to fix the sensor array. But very little work could be done effectively with no power. Engineering had never been Kotho's passion, the way piloting was. But any good pilot worth her salt had to know the ins and outs of her craft. So engineering had become a necessity she'd worked on and was quite apt at. Even if the passion wasn't there in the beginning. Kotho stroked a gentle hand over the bulkhead of the runabout. "You were quite the trooper, darling. That nasty ion storm really took your number, but don't you worry one bit. A'Kora, me and T'Kress will take real good care of you!" Kotho winked at the two other ensigns picking away at the runabout's injuries. Kotho continued running her hands soothingly over the runabout's interior while whispering calming sweet-nothings to it as if it was a distressed lover.

 

"Let's see if I can make you light up for me."

 

Kotho was pretty sure she'd identified the power problem. She was elbows deep, uniform sleeves rolled up, in the runabout's guts when the temperamental little craft spit electrical sparks at her.

 

"Oh, feisty!" The Orion shook out the hand that had been zapped. "Darling, if you keep playing hard to get, I'm gonna have to get rough with you." Kotho wagged her eyebrows at the runabout, grinned a dangerous toothy grin, rolled her sleeves some more and dove right back in.

Edited June 24, 2022 by ihinka (see edit history)

[Scarecrow71]

Several moments after A'kora sends a communication to the Firefly, her communicator crackles and pops, but a response message comes through.

 

"Runabout Halo, message confirmed.  We picked up the ion storm as it hit you, but were unable to get a message through due to electrical interference.  Your orders continue to stand, but amended as follows:  Make any necessary repairs you need to get yourself back to the Firefly.  Priority is still given to finding the research station and helping whomever may be left.  The station might have supplies you can use to make whatever repairs are needed.  If the station is not an option, let us know so we can coordinate a team to rescue you.  Over."

 

Kotho tries getting the power up and running by herself, but for some reason she cannot seem to make it happen.  Even with light flooding into the interior from the open door, a lot of the wires are just hidden in the dark.  Fortunately for the group, though, T'kres gives a helping hand, and the Runabout's lights come on and the computer displays start to warm up.

 

T'Mirras and Hesk stand outside the Runabout, trying to identify where the sounds are coming from.  And it becomes all too apparent rather quickly as a group of 4 strange-looking Neanderthal humanoids come rushing out of the treeline towards the Runabout, shouting and grunting.  They all throw rocks at you and the Runabout, raising sticks in the air with their other hands as they lope unnaturally towards you, menacing and threatening.  But the confusing part here is that they are all wearing what looks to be the tattered remnants of Federation-issue uniforms that a science team might wear.

 

A closer look at these humanoids reveals that one of them in fact has a phaser type-I in one of its hands, pointing it semi-backward, but in a threatening way towards you; it does not seem that it knows how to use the device.

 

MechanicsComplication: While there may be other repairs that have to be done (you will need to check the ship for that), the Runabout is grounded until A'kora can get the sensor package up and running. Because it was his error on timing, only he knows the calculations to fix it once power is restored. And he must do this without assistance. No change to difficulty (2), and it will be a Reason + Engineering roll when the time comes.

Threat: 11.

Momentum: 2.

Combat Zones: Inside the Runabout, Near the Runabout, The Forest/Treeline
Number of Enemies: 4

The Runabout, while it has power, cannot be used for anything other than Cover. Anyone using the Runabout for Cover gains 4 Cover Dice.

Edited June 24, 2022 by Scarecrow71 (see edit history)

[Roughtrade]

"Operators."  Eyeroll

 

Noticing that the Pilot seemed to be trying to be helpful, A'Kora scoffs under her breath.  Fortunately the darkness hides the smile which accompanies Kotho discovering lack of power to the ship does not mean there isn't anything to worry about in the equipment.  Capacitors are a thing.  Unless you are the one who secured the power, treat all wires as live.

 

"It appears we have residual power through to jumper station six in the cabin."  A'Kora states as Kotho recovers from the momentary shock.  "Thank you, Ensign Kotho.  It isn't the way I would have half-split the troubleshooting but it was effective none-the-less."

 

With T'Kress stepping in to prevent the Pilot from killing herself, A'Kora finished clearing away the damaged components and began cataloguing what other parts of the Halo might be cannibalized to restore the sensors.  The restoration of power would greatly facilitate repairs, but also meant more things for the unprepared to find in exposed wiring which might kill them.  After a moment of thought, A'Kora came up with something which more suited the pilot's skill set.

 

"I believe we heard some distress from the landing gear during the final moments of descent."  A'Kora said.  "Ensign Kotho, if you could begin a damage assessment of that equipment?  Do we need to repair it, or strip it away?  It will be necessary to do one or the other before we can depart."

 

 

OOC

 

Lexicon

Half-Splitting.  Trouble shooting technique where the technician basically begins testing at the middle of the circuit.  If you find the proper signal/current at that point, you know the problem is further along.  If you don't, then you know it is towards the beginning.  You cut the diagram in half again and repeat.  It's kind of lazy, but a good way to start when you don't know what the actual problem is.  Everyone does it.

=====

Since I do not know how loud the attack outside is, I am coming up with a reason to send someone outside so we can find out.

 

Repairs seem like a thing which takes time.  I am beginning to write them up here, but understand if they will be interrupted by the regressed human attack.  

I am going to roll the dice now though, since as we have pointed out, the dice rolling has to occur before writing.  This way it will be available when there is time to write that bit. 

 

Reason (10) + Engineering (4) is a 14 TN.  Focus of Damage Control should mean any numbers below 4 count as double successes?

 

If I am understanding correctly, the second roll counts as two successes due to being under A'Kora's Engineering skill of 4 and her Focus of Damage Control 

 

 

 

Complete

 

 

 

[moarhair]

When T'Mirras sees the humanoids exit the treeline, some of the tension leaves her body. It is a strange thing, to be relieved when seeing hostile people charging at you. She would have to discuss this with her new counselor. She shakes her head to bring her focus back on the present moment, and raises an eyebrow at their attackers' appearance. Had they raided the science station or...? At the Academy, several classes explored the dangers and mishaps that could befall a crew in the vastness of space. It was not entirely impossible that these were the science team.

 

Either way, these people were threatening her crew. They had to be dealt with before one of their rocks cracked someone's skull open. "Phasers on stun. Let's give them a reason to back off."

 

She aimsMinor action: Aim.
The character may re-roll a single d20 made on an Attack before the start of their next Turn. her phaser at the humanoid in the lead, and firesTask: Attack,
Non-lethal, Ranged: Phaser Type-2.

 

OOC: Attack resultHit on the lead humanoid.

7 damage, 2 Effects

Edited June 24, 2022 by moarhair (see edit history)

[Maester1216]

Noting the tattered uniforms adorning these strange protohumans as well as the one holding a phaser haphazardly, questions began to roil in Hesk's mind. However as the sound of rock hitting metal resounded across the area, he was reminded that now was a less than optimal time for building castles in the air. Drawing his own weapon Hesk nods to T'Mirras in understanding, but even as he turns his attention to the barbarous creatures bearing down on them fearful instinct begins to supplant his training.

 

"By the stars I... I've never fired my phaser before now. I've never fired any sort of weapon, or been in any sort of fight. Should I be doing this? There's gotta be some-"

 

Another rock strikes the side of the Runabout, and Hesk's instincts take over. Moving quickly he takes up a defensive position behind the portside nacelle of the Halo and, mustering up his courage, pops out to fire off a blast from his phaser. "Mama forgive me for this..."

 

OOC

Alrighty here's a break down of Hesk's turn

 

Minor Action: Assuming that the Runabout is at the very least within Medium Range of Hesk, he'll take the Movement Minor Action to get behind the Runabout's Nacelle as Cover.

 

Task: Hesk will be firing at one of the Protohumans attacking them. Control + Security at Difficulty 2. Gonna spend a point of Momentum for another die on this one.

 

Alrighty so I got two successes on that roll. I'm gonna spend that last point of Momentum for Bonus Damage.

 

So the roll came to 1 Damage and an Effect, but nothing really to do with that. The Bonus Damage from the Momentum expenditure'll bring the total damage to 2.

 

Finally as I succeeded on the attack I bought Momentum for, I'll roll for Untapped Potential.

 

And Untapped Potential is gonna give me 1 Momentum, which I'll bank.

 

Current Momentum: 1/6(-1 from extra die, -1 from Bonus Damage, +1 from Untapped Potential)

 

Edited June 25, 2022 by Maester1216 (see edit history)

[hailofsilicon]

Karin's eyes go wide at the sight of the creatures shambling out of the brush, and moreso at their assault. With a worried look on her face, she flicks her eyes over the situation quickly. The rocks were dangerous, but somewhat less so that even a misunderstood, misaimed phaser. Taking a cue from her comrade and falling back towards Hesk's position, she levels her phaser and takes a shot at the one still wielding Starfleet-issue weaponry, wincing slightly as she does. She hadn't joined Starfleet to fire on the unfamiliar, after all.

 

OOCUsing the Move minor action to take cover along with Hesk, firing a phaser at the humanoid that was holding the weapon backwards, set to stun. Not spending anything on any additional tasks or dice, that Momentum could be very important.

[ihinka]

KOTHO
Control10	Fitness9	Presence10
Daring9	Insight9	Reason9
Command4	Security3	Science1
Conn4	Engineering3	Medicine1
STRESS: 12

Kotho got the distinct feeling A'Kora was not overly impressed with her engineering skills. It didn't really bother her. The important thing was what sort of impression she made on her superior officers. And her performance would speak to that quite unequivocally. So when A'Kora suggested Kotho check the landing gear, she grinned and responded. "Sure thing!" Stepping outside the runabout, she found herself in quite the peculiar stand-off. T'Mirras, Hesk and Karin, against a number of humanoid looking creatures. They looked and acted kind of like the animated reconstructions of human primates she'd seen with her grandfather in some museum. But... they were wearing tattered Federation-type uniforms. Science branch ones. Could these be the scientists we are looking for?! Kotho wondered, but before she had the time to open her mouth and ask, they started throwing rocks at the team quite agitatedly. One even had a phaser. Though, he was more liable to hurt himself with it. As it was largely pointed backwards.

 

T'Mirras, fateful to her Security training, returned fire. Hesk and Karin quickly followed suit.

 

"Wow, hey! Hold your fire, hold your fire!!!" Kotho yelled, cautiously stepping forward, hands raised. "They're throwing rocks, guys! You can dodge rocks!" The Orion turned her back to her teammates and looked at the neanderscientists. "Easy, friends!" Kotho tried to keep her tone gentle and friendly. Almost as if speaking to a spooked animal. "Let's all just calm down and try to get along." She inched closer, trying to keep her body language as nonthreatening as possible. "We came to help you, guys. See..." Kotho pinched her uniform pulling it away from her body as if to indicate it. "We're like you. Federation! Starfleet! So how's about you guys drop those rocks and we can try and sort this out." She mimed a fist holding a rock. Then pointed at it. Then mimed dropping the rock to the ground. Kotho did it a couple of times, demonstrating the gesture for each neanderscientist. "Help! Friends!" She enunciated and stressed as she indicated in between the two groups. "You too, guys, c'mon! Lower the phasers." Kotho caught T'Mirras, Hesk and Karin in her peripheral vision. She dared not break eye-contact with the neanderscientists.

 

Kotho's Action Block

Using Defuse the Tension: Whenever you attempt a Task to persuade someone not to resort to violence, you may add a bonus d20 to your dice pool.

Rolling to try and persuade the neanderscientists to stop attacking and deescalate the situation.

 

Minor Action: Prepare (Setting up my Persuade Task)

Task: Persuade everyone to stop the hostilities and be friends, using Defuse Tension to add a bonus d20 for the roll