Graduation Day

Feb 18, 2023 12:05 am

Well, that's a critical success. I lose a Dread Point and you'd be gaining a Glory Point if you weren't already maxed out for this adventure...

Well, Archer can tell that this is all Grey Men technology. Dammit, seems like Richter was right after all... You hate it when Richter is right, because you never hear the end of it... The antenna seems to be plugged to a power conduit of sort, and a generator processing some sort of weird green fluid... And oh, yeah, looking closer, seems the ship is plugged to the power conduit after all... Probably what is giving power to the whole habitat. The wiring is really easy to overlook in this grey monotonous lunar terrain...

Feb 18, 2023 1:03 am

Bookrat Inactive for 6 months

Richter dove the last few dozen meters into a belly flop, ending prone and began to crawl along the lunar surface on his elbows and knees. Someone had to get some light on the, whatever it was. It was surprisingly easy going crawling in such low gravity. "One hundred fifty meters to target. Sitrep?"

Rolls

Accuracy(Sneaky) vs 11 - (1d20)

(8) = 8

Enzo

Feb 18, 2023 6:07 am

Manhattan Inactive for 9 months

Enzo recalls that the Colonel wanted as many samples as they could acquire. As the official crew scientist, that was his job. Which meant identifying which parts would be good to procure and which parts would be best left behind.

That's not something he could do from here.

"Corporal AJ," he spoke into the comms, "Permission to follow Private Richter and evaluate the scene."

Last edited February 18, 2023 6:54 am

Athena Jackson "AJ"

Feb 18, 2023 6:45 am

"Copy that. Situation unchanged. No active hostiles detected. Needs further eval closer to target vicinity. Stay put and wait for backup. Do not approach alone." AJ says. Richter already went down into the crater, she appreciative the initiative, but she's not a fan of splitting the squad, especially when they don't know what they're dealing with.

"We proceed as a unit, Private." She answers Enzo. She puts her binoculars back in her pouch. "We'll get more information when we get closer. Let's move, everyone." She signals the squad to move in unison, descending into the crater.

Melena Chacón

Adrasthea

Feb 18, 2023 7:57 am

Melena positions herself at the flank as the group moves. She tries to stay aware of what's behind them, while keeping the muzzle of her rifle pointed to the front. She does not actively aim at anything yet, just readies herself should the need arise. The young marine enjoys the flow their little group of misfits has gotten over the past weeks. They move together, as a unit, even if they don't easily get along in their off-time.

Feb 18, 2023 10:57 am

Bookrat Inactive for 6 months

"I read ya, hunkering down."

Richter began to dig a ranger grave when told to hold position, he hoped it wouldn't up live to its name.

Enzo

Feb 18, 2023 3:53 pm

Enzo sticks with the squad, moving with them. He keeps his heavy case of a Porta-Lab in front of him as a shield, if needed.

Feb 18, 2023 4:51 pm

Following AJ's orders, you make your way down the side of the crater, quickly catching up to Richter because, well, he's crawling on the lunar ground... The big guy clearly didn't paid much attention to zero-G training because sound doesn't travel in a vacuum. Something which is easy to forget when you can hear your own steps crunch on the ground because of your own sealed suits.

The only reason to crawl then would be for visual, and seeing that since the habitat had no windows, is highly unlikely, that plus the habitat is inside a smaller crater, so until you get to that ridge, line of sight will be broken anyways...

You only pray they don't have scanners set up.

Eventually, you make the few hundred meters required to take you to the ridge of the smaller crater the alien structures are in. Being closer, you can easily estimate this smaller crater to be about 2km diameter with a dept of about 100m below the Mendeleev basin.

Archer Veillon

Stefron

Feb 18, 2023 8:06 pm

JamaisVu Inactive for 1 months

"Hm. Seems like Richter got prescient dreams, coz as far as I can tell this whole site screams Grey Men technologies.

Oh, and the ship IS connected to the habitat. I guess that's what powers it all. Maybe cutting it will disrupt what ever they are doing? he says handing the binoculars back to AJ and joining the team in their silent approach to the site.

Alphia Skye

Feb 18, 2023 10:02 pm

Skye's eyes narrow as it becomes apparent that this secret installation belongs to the Greys. She moves along with the rest of the team keeping alert to movement around them and especially in the direction of the ship and antennae.

Rolls

Awareness - (1d20)

(1) = 1

Feb 18, 2023 10:14 pm

"I'm not sleeping!" Richter corrected quickly bolting up from the ranger grave when Archer said he was dreaming. "Unless..."

Upon the suggestion that they cut the power to, whatever it was, Richter added an addedum. "Lets set up a killbox around this bitch. No prize like a surprise."

Last edited February 18, 2023 10:17 pm

Feb 18, 2023 11:21 pm

Manhattan Inactive for 9 months

For a moment, AJ could have sworn she saw movement on the other side of the crater (the smaller one you're standing at the ridge of), but just as she pays more attention to possible hostiles, it stops... Was it her imagination? Were you detected?

Athena Jackson "AJ"

Feb 19, 2023 12:35 am

"More reasons to go for the ship then." AJ listens to Veillon's analysis of the situation and nods her head in agreement, her expression solemn beneath her helmet. Suddenly, a flash of movement catches her attention on the opposite side of the crater, but when she attempts to focus on it again, the movement has ceased. She gives it one last scan with her binoculars.

"Possible movement detected at our 1200." She says into her comm, her voice tight. "No time to waste. We’ll go for the ship." Descending into the crater, AJ moves quickly and directly towards the alien ship, feeling her heart pounding in her chest. As she approaches the ship's hull, she scans for what she believes to be the entrance, although the alien architecture makes it difficult to discern. "Can we get this open?"

Rolls

Awareness vs 11 - (1d20)

(8) = 8

Feb 19, 2023 11:24 am

Seeing a seam as AJ directed Richter stabs his combat knife into it, and hauls hard trying to pull what he just stabbed free. No joy, the Blade slipped uselessly across the hull. "Shit my knife!" He lamented as the alien material had scratched the near perfect mirror finish. A grumbled grunt as Richter attached the knife to the bayonet lug on his rifle.

"I mean its meant to fly in space... short of high explosives we ain't gonna scratch it."

Turning back to AJ's indicated 12 o'clock he raised his rifle to his shoulder and waited. "I don't have a visual let's keep frosty."

GM note: Nope, something else is going to happen...

Last edited February 19, 2023 11:35 am

Rolls

Toughness vs 12 - (1d20)

(17) = 17

Feb 19, 2023 4:30 pm

Bookrat Inactive for 6 months

As you are now close to the ship, you see it looks like it's composed of liquid metal which somehow manages to keep this shape of this large, horizontal teardrop. This close, the thing almost looks... alive...

Then Richter takes his army knife and attempts to cut or rip through the surface. As soon as his knife makes contact, a jolt of electricity jumps from the ship to Richter. He takes... 1 point of damage (bypasses armor). Richter must now Save vs. Presence at a Disadvantage to avoid being stunned.

Rolls

Electricity damage. - (1d6)

(1) = 1

Enzo

Feb 19, 2023 5:18 pm

Enzo chuckles to himself as Richter gets zapped. Most people would learn their lesson from this, but he probably wouldn't.

"Maybe we should study the ship a bit before we try to force our way in?" Enzo suggests, holding up his Porta-Lab case. "The ship looks like some sort of non-Newtonian liquid metal. Absolutely amazing I can imagine how such a thing would work - impact resistant at high speeds, probably incredibly resistant to bullets. But if you move slow enough, you might be able to pass right through it. Might be why they charged the entire hull - to prevent anything from passing through except at a specific location or with a specific device keyed to the ship. Let's see if we can figure anything out."

Last edited February 19, 2023 5:56 pm

Rolls

Science (Dis) vs 13 - (2d20H1)

(1814) = 18

Feb 19, 2023 6:16 pm

Enzo's theories are fascinating, but to test those would require a sample to be recovered. Seeing what happened to Richter, Enzo is loathe to touch the ship so his theories will remain untested for the time being...

Melena Chacón

Adrasthea

Feb 19, 2023 6:35 pm

Manhattan Inactive for 9 months

"Permission to blow this can up, commander?" Melena does not take her hands off her rifle, but itches to give it a try. If Enzo is right, the impact might not put a scratch on the hull, the marine is curious though about what would happen. This in itself could be considered a scientific experiment, no? "How - if at all - do explosive charges affect Grey ships when on the ground" or something like that...

If she positions the charge right, the connection might falter or maybe be disrupted long enough that the door can be opened. "If it doesn't work, it might bring out the hostiles at least...". She raises an eyebrow in AJ's direction.

Athena Jackson "AJ"

Feb 19, 2023 7:34 pm