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Ever had one of those days?

M

Maghwi

SOC-7
I'm playing a noble, Alexander, who has been kidnapped by the local mafia on Elixabeth, District 268, Spinward. Lord Harold is my character's evil older brother, and heir apparent. We're playing early rebellion era. Both Harold and Alexander have visions of building a pocket empire out of Disctrict 268 since the Imperium is falling apart. (Hey, gotta have goals, right?) Since my character's been kidnapped, I've been playing his loyal NPC steward, Mick "I'm just the cook." :D Anyway, since I can't play Alexander at the regular games, we've been running the kidnapping on-line. Here the latest exchange between myself and my GM.
--------------------
From the GM:
> *pain*pain*pain*Gutteral, growling voice asking questions, over and over*
>
> "Yourrrrgh brother, Harrrold. Who is his sourrrce? Is leak herrre or on
> Grram?"
>
> *pain*pain*pain*
>
> "Who arrre yourrr companions? Why arrrre you here?"
>
> *pain*pain*pain*
>
> "Yourrr codes, give me yourrr overrrride codes"
>
> *pain*pain*pain*relief*
>
> *Bootsteps on cercrete*cold draft blowing over body*no clothes*face
> covered*blind*the steady beat of medical monitoring equipment*
>
> "Dammit Groughff - I told you no drugs. Now we'll have to wait until
> it flushes out of his system"
>
> "It won't talk, Lorrrd. Chemical interrogation seemed necessarrry."
>
> "And ..."
>
> "It denies knowledge, Lorrrd. It may know nothing, orrr be verrry
> carrrefully preparrrred for interrrrogation. Eitherrr is possible when
> dealing with Lorrrd Harold. We will know morrre when we access it's
> prrrrivate logs."
>
> "Access to the ship could prove ... difficult. I think it best to move
> the plan forward, to take care of the father and brother now."
>
> "ahhh ... it is fully awake Lord, may I continue?"
>
> "Proceed."
>
> *pain*pain*pain*

I responded with the following:
> "He holds no respect for you. Chemical interrogation was the only logical
> choice."
>
> *pain*pain*pain*
>
> I can tell by his tone that he reeks of
> racial prejudice."
>
> *pain*pain*pain*
>
> "He is already thinking of replacing you with someone human."
>
> *pain*pain*pain*
>
> "What do *you* want, Groughff?"
>
> *pain*pain*pain*
>
> "Are your needs being met here?"
>
> *pain*pain*pain*
>
> "Do you want to continue being an Imperial tool, or a partner in an Empire?"
>
> *pain*pain*pain*
>
> "Do you want to run free or live shackled to a master for the rest of your
> life?"
>
> *pain*pain*pain*
>
> "It should be obvious to you by now that Harold sent me here to die. I have
> no knowlege of your masters plans, but Harold must, or he wouldn't have send
> me here so uninformed."
>
> *pain*pain*pain*
>
> "What your master fails to realize that my death will play perfectly into
> Harold's hands. He needed to eliminate me anyway, and this gives him the
> opportunity to kill two birds with one stone."
>
> *pain*...

Then I get this e-mail from the GM this morning:
*pain* ... *pain*

"He is, of course, correct Groughff"

"Lorrrd ... I ... I did not see you there!"

"No. You didn't. Just one more of your many errors."

*Distinctive sound of a high energy capacitor discharging*Sizzling
Noises*Organic thumping of flesh hitting cercrete*Sewer odor of death*

"Pity. The personal touch is so much better."

*Cool rag touches face, sharp ... bitter odor eminating from it*Head
Swims*Can't ... move*

"Sigh. More drugs to flush from the system. Ah well ... no interruptions
please, I'm sure you understand, nothing personal."

*Hand patting cheek*

"Autodoc protocol override - Delta Gamma 5"

"ACKNOWLEDGED"

"Patient input override - Record only"

"ACKNOWLEDGED"

"Symptom script override - Alexanderquestions"

"ACKNOWLEDGED"

"Execute"

*vibration, whirring noises all around*Bootsteps walking away*

*pain*pain*pain*Cold, unemotional voice asking questions, over and over*

"YOUR BROTHER, HAROLD. WHO IS HIS SOURCE? IS THE LEAK HERE OR ON GRAM?"

*pain*pain*pain*

"WHO ARE YOUR COMPANIONS? WHY ARE YOU HERE?"

*pain*pain*pain*

"YOUR CODES, GIVE US YOUR OVERRIDE CODES"

*pain*pain*pain*
--------------------------
Sigh...
 
I'll keep posting the story as I get more. We're supposed to play Game 3 sometime this weekend. We've been playing on and off for about 10 years. We just started this campaign about a month ago with T20. So far, so good.

We think that the Baron's Major Domo is the one pulling the strings, but we don't have much evidence. All we know for sure is that the shuttle, with 72 people on board, that exploded just outside the down port DIDN'T have Alexander on it. It had someone who LOOKED like him, but we've confirmed that he wasn't on board. He was wisked away in a laundry basket from the conference center. The outside security camera that didn't get it's tapes erased showed one of the laundry baskets getting loaded into an air/raft instead of the service truck like the rest.

Of course, now Mick and the rest of the crew have been implicated in the shuttle explosion, so we're sorta laying low. Apparently, Mick arranged for some emergency cargo to be placed on the shuttle minutes before it took off. Of course at the time, Mick was waiting outside the conference center for Alexander to show up. They don't have enough evidence to arrest us yet, but the locals did question us. All they have is an authorization, no audio or video of Mick arranging for the cargo. They took Mick's ID and have told him not to enter the star port or leave the planet till this matter is 'cleared up'.

Our engineer is the only one on our ship at the moment, the rest of the party is on the ground trying to figure out where that air/raft went too.
 
Ahh Maghwi, the Gm hath caught thee crimson fested!~ :eek: Alexander maybe in REAL hot trouble now( the nice guys leave and the real illegitimi step in...(agony*agony*agony)...the ones that like to hear you moan, cuz it makes their job fulfilling.
 
<gasps> Liam got a hold of a computer on his trip
We better look out ;)
 
Originally posted by Douglas:
Maghwi,

You are soooo busted.

:D

douglas (the pain giver)
Click to expand...
Eek! :eek: :eek: It's the Killer GM! Run away!

I have faith that the our intrepid group of veteran players will figure out where Alexander is being held and make a bold and daring rescue and escape into the night. :D

So, in the unfortunate event that Alexander gets whacked, and the rest of the crew gets tossed in jail, we'll start up the Skip Tracer campaign, right? I have this idea for a Vargr Rogue/Merchant...
file_21.gif


Heh. No matter what happens, I'm having a blast! It will be glorious.
file_23.gif
 
Well, the game happened Sunday, but since some of the players weren't able to make it, including yours truely, the kind and thoughful GM :D decided to cut it short before everyone died. I got more to the story, but have to hang on to it till we run the next game. I'll let people know how it turns out...
 
Well, the game ran yesterday and went fairly well (from my perspective anyway.) Alexander did survive (actually, the entire party survived, but it looked to be a close thing there for a bit). If I know Maghwi at all (more to the point, if he knows *ME* at all) the questions of what, exactly, happened to Alexander should be cropping up about now.

heh. heh.

I'll leave it to him to post the details, from his perspective.

douglas
 
Heh. This is sorta long...
Guess I had better mention a bit about the other characters first.

Our party consists of the following misfits:
Lord Alexander, Academic/Professional/Noble
Primary Skills/Strengths: Medical, Law, Admin, and Xeno-Biology
Alexander's family originally wanted him to be a lawyer, but in his heart, he was always interested in xeno-biology. After getting his law degree and spending a few terms in the family practice, he decided to return to school and study medicine. He picked up the necessary feats and language skills to treat Vargr, Aslan and Droyne patients. During his Droyne studies, he picked up a few things about the Ancients, and was planning on doing more research into the Ancients when his family recalled him to Collace to work for the family again. He's spent the last 12 years unsuccessfully trying to get out of politics and back into research. Recent events, however, are forcing him to take a real hard look at the political situation. Alexander's father gave Alexander the exclusive use of a Safari Ship, which the PC's are currently running around on.

Mick Masterson, Rogue/Army/Traveller, Ship's Steward
Primary Skills/Strengths: Melee Combat, Stealth, Cooking, Hunting
Mick came with the ship. After spending many terms in Covert Ops for the Army, Mick decided to settle down and spend his retirement as a Steward on a Noble's Safari Ship. He figured it'd be a relativly cushy job, but still have some excitement.

(The following characters I don't have a lot of detail on, since they aren't played by me, and I have a terrible memory for names... I believe Mick is going to become an NPC until the next time Alexander gets kidnapped...lol)

Nekko, Navy/Traveller?, Ship's Gunner
Primary Skills/strenghts: Gunnery, Gunnery, and Ships systems.
Nekko also came with the ship. She also has some strange talent for reading people's minds, but none of the other characters know this, except The Captain. (Psionics. Life Detection I think...)

The Captain, Navy/Traveller, Ship's Captain
Primary Skills/Strengths: Ship Combat and Tactics, Computer
The Captain (He just goes by Captain...) is an ex-Fleet Admiral in the Imperial Navy. When he retired, he opted out of the Admiral Retirement Program, and he's been on the run from the Impies since. (i.e. He refused the standard chemical debriefing/reprogramming, and the offer to transfer to some quiet, low tech, world somewhere and raise sheep :) After drifting around outside the Imperium, he eventually found himself in District 268 where he met Alexander and got the job as Captain of the Safari Ship. He shares Alexander's interest in the Ancinets.

Lucricia, Scout/Ace Pilot, Ships Pilot/Astrogator
Primary Skills/Strengths: If it moves, she can fly it or drive it, Jack of all Trades, obscure knowlege, survival.
Lucricia also came with the ship. Lucricia has some unique skills that augment her piloting skills.

Sanders?, Army?/Merc
Primary Skills/Strengths: Combat
I don't have much on Sanders, mostly because he seems to work for Alexander's brother, Harold. He's part of Harold's network that keeps an eye on things at Elixabeth.

"Randin", Merc/Marine
Primary Skills/Strengths: Combat, Sniper, Wet Work.
Don't have much info on Randin either...He also works for Harold. Both Randin and Sanders were part of a team that got blown up by the same people that kidnapped Alexander. They are working with Alexander's team for the moment, at least till they get to the bottom of who's doing the kidnapping and killing. They are pretty sure Harold didn't authorize it.

Now, on to the story
In the game before last, the attending players (remember, I was absent for that one...) managed to locate the warehouse where they were keeping Alexander prisoner, and had found a small Cell of Lord Harold's agents (Harold is Alexander's evil older Brother) that were willing to help out, since they hadn't been given instructions otherwise. I think Harold's attitude is: "Nobody can kill Alexander but me!"

Anyway, this last game opens with the party generally assembled at the top of a parking lot structure that overlooks the warehouse where they think Alexander is being held. The Captain, Lucricia, and Nekko were examining the warehouse. They were soon joined by "Randin" who advised them that they were being just a bit obvious. At about this time, Mick was being released from Jail again...(They can only hold him for 24 hours without pressing any charges...apparently he's been geting released and then picked up for the last week.) Lucricia went to go pick up Mick in the Air/Raft, while the rest of the group formulated the plan to bust out Alexander. Nekko, using her "Unreliable Alien Life Scanner" (i.e. her Psionics...we just think it's a scanner...) told us she thought Alexander was being held in the center of the warehouse, and that there were 4 other guard types, 3 on patrol, and one guarding Alexander.

The plan was to order a delivery to the warehouse to distract some of the guards, and then slip in the back door and tranq anything that moved. Then locate Alexander and free him. Then head back to the Star Port and eventually to the ship.

Mick managed to bypass the TL8 alarms around the warehouse and unlock one of the side doors as the delivery truck approached. I should mention that at this point, between Mick and Randin, we had assembled quite an arsenal. We had 2 single use rockets, 6 ACR's and 1 demolition kit (about 10k of C-4 with remote detonator), and several shotguns and handguns. Randin already had is Sniper Gauss Rifle with RAM. (4 tranq, one HEAP) We decided to have Lucricia hang out in the Air/Raft for pickup, while The Captain, Nekko, Randin and Mick would go in armed to the teeth. Mick took along one of the rockets and the Demolition pack, leaving the other rocket in the Air/Raft. Everyone took an ACR, except Mick, who stuck with his SMG.

The warehouse was about the size of a football field, with stacks of cargo containers everywhere. There was a small office trailer in front of us, but it was empty. We couldn't see that area though because of all the cargo containers. We did, however, spot a guard on a catwalk patrolling the warehouse. Using the noise of the loading dock door closing as cover, Randin used his sniper feat on the patrolling guard. A nice hit, and he dropped like a stone onto the catwalk. Mick decided to do a bit of stealthy recon and tried to make his way to the center. He left the Rocket and the Demo pack behind. Mick got near the center when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and stopped just in time to avoid being detected by what Mick assumed to be some H/K drones that were guarding the center area. (thankyou spot trouble feat and a good roll on the old hide/move silent skills!!) There were 4 of the damn things. they looked like silver teardrops floating about 1m of the floor. They were about 1m long. Moving carefully, Mick was able to sneak a peek at what they were guarding. It looked like another trailer and an Air/Raft. Mick was pretty sure that was where they were keeping Alexander.

Meanwhile, the guards that went to go see about the delivery truck had sent the truck on it's way and walked right into Randin's Gauss rifle rounds. (Randin dropped the first guy with his Sniper feat, and the second guy was just starting to take cover when Randin's next rounds shots took him out. Randing has a VERY high init. :)

That left 4 drone thingies and 1 guard. As far as we knew, no alarms had been raised at this time. So far, so good.

We strongly suspected that the drones were keyed to ignore something on the guards, so we managed to get one of their uniforms off and on to Mick. Mick figured that if they ignored him, he could get into the trailer and kill whoever was in there and remotely disable the drones. We were wrong. As soon as Mick turned around the cargo containers, The closest drone took a pot shot at him with a laser blast (same as a laser rifle...YIPE!) Fortunately, it missed and just vaporized part of the cargo container Mick was standing next too, instead of his head. Mick decied to try to draw them away from the trailer and ran like hell. Only one of the drones went into pursuit.

We figured that at this point, we had to act quickly, before whoever was in the trailer decided to kill Alexander. Randin took pot shots at two of the remaining drones, which decided to pursue him, and The captain took shots at the remaining one. It was at this point that we discovered that the drones had an AR of 10! Randin was the only one with a weapon that even had a chance of hurting these things. Anyway, Nekko decided to charge up to the trailer and waste the guard inside. This part of the plan worked for the most part. The Captain, Randin and Mick kept the drones busy long enough for Nekko to crash through the door of the trailer.

Nekko only got a brief glimpse of the Darrian tech, before she unloaded on him with a 10 round tight burst from the ACR. Needless to say, since the tech wasn't wearing armor, he died instantly. She looked around and saw that Alexander appeared to be in some kind of low berth looking thingie. A quick glance around showed that the equipment in the room was

VERY high tech, and unfortunately for us, the Darrian tech was the only one who could shut the stuff off. Nekko, being the pragmatic gunner she is, decided to shut the equipment off her way. A few 10 round bursts later, and the equipment was rendered non-operational.

Meanwhile, outside the trailer, the rest of the party was running their asses off. Randin finally managed to down one of the Drones with a RAM grenade and a clip and a half of Guass ammo. So far, we had managed to avoid serious injury to ourselves by hiding in the cargo containers. When we heard the ACR fire from the trailer, and the drones DIDN'T stop moving, we decided it was time to leave. The captain called for Lucricia to drop our Air/Raft through the skylights and do a quick pickup. Then the Captain made a reckless sprint for the Trailer.

Nekko meanwhile was trying to figure out how to get Alexander out of the contraption he was stuck in...Think Matrix...tubes everywhere... Nekko managed to get his eyes uncovered anyway, and the gunk out of his mouth so he could breathe. Then she noticed that the "trailer" had a cockpit. Turns out that the "trailer" was more like a Grav RV. She jumped into the cockpit and started up the gravitics. The captain just managed to jump through the open door before the RV got off the ground.

The drones were apparently getting confused at this point, and that gave Lucricia an opportunity to land her Air/Raft and toss one of the rockets to Randin. Randin pointed at the second Air/Raft and waved her off. Lucricia, who has the survival instints of a scout, decied to follow his direction and leave the way she came in. Randin then made a dash to open one of the side cargo doors, hit the button, and then ran back to the 2nd Air/Raft. Mick, meanwhile was working his way through the cargo containers towards the same Air/Raft, while the frustrated drones took pot shots at him. Nekko managed to drive the RV through the now open door (it was too big and fragile to follow Lucricia's Air/Raft through the celing.)

That left Randin and Mick with 3 angry drones. Randin managed to make it to the Air/Raft first, and got the thing started. Mick mad a mad dash for it with the drones in hot pursuit. Mick thinks that the drones must have been programmed to not fire at the Air/Raft, because once he got on it, the shooting seemed to stop. We followed the RV out, and when we cleared the building, Mick set off the demo charge to remove as much evidence as possible. We fled into the night, with the sound of sirens behind us.

-Maghwi
 
*sigh*

Maghwi, maghwi. I'm so disappointed. How could you post here saying that a ACR was firing 10 rnd bursts when they only do 1/4? It was the Gauss rifle that was 1/4/10.

tsk...tsk...tsk...

Since he didn't include them, and everyone seemed to enjoy them - here are the emails leading up to the last game.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*pain*pain*pain*

"DESCRIBE YOUR FATHER'S SECURITY DETAIL."

*pain*pain*pain*

"YOUR BROTHER HAROLD, WHERE ARE HIS PERSONAL QUARTERS?"

*pain*pain*pain*

"DESCRIBE THE SECURITY..."

"Cancel program"

*fingers running slowly, lightly down your cheek*

"There now. That wasn't so bad, was it? No, no. Don't try and answer. Technician, your scanner please."

'Yes M'lord'

*Quiet whirring noises as something is passed just over length of your body. Several prods and sharp pokes*

'The Truth drug and several of the other drugs are still detectable, M'lord. With one of these, they will be for the next week, at a minimum.'

"Unfortunate. It does complicate matters. And for strictly local tech?"

'A sharp medical examiner might catch 'em for the next day or so, tops.'

"The fleet orders have been inserted into the 'net, correct?"

'Yes M'Lord. They were created using the orders recieved last week - all the codes should still be valid. Vice-Admiral Robbins has already ordered his ship commanders into a vidconference. There will be no warning given to the locals, nor any explanation - as you instructed.'

"Very well, return to the courier and prepare to launch. Do not make for the rondevous until you verify that the Imperial fleet has Jumped out of the system, understand?"

'Yes M'Lord.'

"Instruct the artist that it is necessary that she not be available for several weeks. We have acquired several Medium Passages that she can use to leave this planet. She may have these as a bonus for excellent work and as compensation for the immediate departure."

'Yes M'Lord.'

"Stress immediate. Once she has settled down, have her contact us through the normal channels. I will have more work for her."

'Yes M'Lord.'

"If she chooses not to leave, have her killed. Discreetly. Have Geoff watch her."

'As you wish, M'Lord.'

*Echoes of bootsteps receding*

"Barak"

'M'Lord?'

"His hand computer was useless. I need his private files from the ship. See to it."

'It will be done, M'lord. How, er, discreet should I be?'

"No witnesses. No evidence. Do what needs to be done. "

'Aye aye.'

*Echoes of bootsteps receding*

"Ahh, Alexander. What to do, what to do? I had considered leaving you to the tender mercies of the autodoc until it was time. But somehow, that seemed ... undignified."

*humming*the hissing of crates being opened and resealed*

"In twelve hours, the Imperial fleet will depart this world, taking with them most of the equipment that can detect the drugs that poor Groughff felt compelled to use."

"Ahh, here we go"

*A box opening and being discarded on the ground*plastic unwrapping*

*pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop*

"How quaint. Bubble Wrap."

*The mechanical, ratcheting noise of something being wound up*

"This is an export item, a fairly nice one. It's a ship's clock for one of the TL 5 worlds in this area - are you familiar with them?"

*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

"No matter."

*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

"If you are familiar with ship's bells, you can tell the time with this clock. One bell is 30 minutes into the watch, two bells is an hour and so on ... until you reach 8 bells, the end of a four-hour watch."

*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

"You have three watches remaining, Alexander. When the Imperial fleet leaves orbit, your potential utility is at an end. You become only a ... liability."

*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

"But you must be tired. It's been a long day for you. Sleep if you choose. I'll leave instructions not to wake you, if they find you asleep"

*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

"We won't meet again, Alexander. Good bye"

*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I sent him this one after he missed the last game .


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

*Boot steps on cerment, coming closer*

*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

*Two, maybe three people*

*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

*Bong* [1 Bell]

"Is he awake?" whispers a voice.

*Bong* [2 Bells]

"Yes." another voice whispers back.

*Bong* [3 Bells]

"I was hoping he would be asleep.", the first voice, still whispering.

*Bong* [4 Bells]

*Bong* [5 Bells]

"Let's get it over with.", commands the second voice, startlingly loud and cold.

*Bong* [6 Bells]

*KKKcht-CHICKT* <--that would be the sound of the action of a auto pistol being worked.

*Bong* [7 Bells]

"Alexander, our orders regarding you are clear. I'm to let you know..."

*Bong* [8 Bells. End of watch.]

"That it's not yet time."

*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

*Bootsteps on cerment, fading*

*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

Douglas
file_21.gif
 
Originally posted by Douglas:
*sigh*

Maghwi, maghwi. I'm so disappointed. How could you post here saying that a ACR was firing 10 rnd bursts when they only do 1/4? It was the Gauss rifle that was 1/4/10.

tsk...tsk...tsk...
Click to expand...
Nod. I was confused. The ACR SHOULD be able to do 10 round bursts. Same with the SMG for that matter. Still, 4 rounds on an unarmored target...

The person playing Nekko was a bit hesitant about shooting the tech and the equipment. The power gamer in me was thinking "NOooooo...don't kill the tech... :eek: NOOOOOOoooooo don't shoot the equipment!!!" :eek: But the Roleplayer in me was saying "Nekko, you know your character is gonna just waste them. You're a GUNNER! Do it! You know you want too."
file_23.gif


Of course, knowing the GM as I do...there was NO way he was gonna let us have a TL 16 interrogation chamber. If we hadn't wasted the thing, then Douglas would have.
file_28.gif


The next step is figuring out how to prove to the StarPort authorities that Alexander is alive without putting him in MORE danger in the process. We're still not sure if the Baron can be trusted. I'm not even sure that anyone will believe that the real Alexander is who he says he is. The story is almost too incredible. Fortunately, we did manage to hang on to at least some of the evidence. Explaining the bodies might be a bit tough, but I think Alexander will be able to invoke his Diplomatic Perrogative to shield his team. :D
-Maghwi
 
I've really been enjoying coming up with this stuff for my players. I hope ya'll are enjoying it as much as they are.
.
Here is the latest email I've sent out (this one to all the players, not just Maghwi):
.
.
.
Trapped, unable to move, the soldier could do little more that analyse the situation and begin to assess alternate strategies for victory.
.
***
.
"This is Lita Boyle reporting from the Warehouse district of Anderson City Downport. For the second time tonight, our city has been rocked by a massive explosion. About 20 minutes ago, the peace of this quiet port district was shattered by an explosion that destroyed a warehouse owned by Baron Trathage's family. Three employees of the Baron, all security personnel assigned to this building are missing and presumed dead. As you can see, the warehouse has collapsed and the fire has spread to the adjoining warehouse and is threatening other buildings in the area."
.
***
.
Of the original squad of six, two had been previously destroyed in action - the loss of Unit 2 a few moments ago reduced the number of active units to three. All were currently trapped by the debris created by the explosion, and while the thermal sensors indicated a fire in the immediate area, none of the units appeared to be severely damaged or threatened with immediate termination. Unit 3 had attempted to shift it's position, but the energy required had threatened to overload it's contragrav units and had desisted pending a change in the environment.
.
***
.
"While it is still early in the investigative phase of this explosion, officials speaking off the record state that this was no accident. One member of the bomb squad feels that a large quantity of explosive, probably TDX, was used to shear through the support structures of the building.
.
Back to you, Bob"
.
"Thank you Lita. In other news, as we reported to you earlier this evening, another explosion rocked our city, this one in the downtown area. We have
another reporter covering that story - what is the latest Frank?
.
"It's nothing but bad news here Bob. In addition to the numerous reports of civilian deaths reported here, we have word in from the Marquis' Court that Marquis Thresson was indeed scheduled to meet with Barons Trathage, Fellis and Markham here this evening. While no casualties from the Sector Nobility have been confirmed, we have eyewitness reports that bodies wearing the house colors of all four nobles have been removed from the building.
.
With the addition of Lord Alexander, whose tragic death was finally confirmed from the Marquis Court earlier today, that makes five members of the Sector Nobility to die in the past 96 hours. No matter how you look at it, this is probably not a good thing. Especially if you are a member of the Sector Nobility.
.
This is Frank Kommins, reporting live from the Excalibur Hotel"
.
***
.
The soldier continued to contemplate the situation. Repeated requests for information, orders and/or extraction have gone unanswered. While it was not unusual for data and/or transportation requests to require some time for the KEEPER to respond to, renewal of orders was governed by the SCHEDULER, and the SCHEDULER was always on the guard frequency.
.
Could KEEPER and SCHEDULER have fallen to the same foes that terminated Unit 2?
.
Was it possible?
.
***
.
"This is Lita Boyle reporting live from the Warehouse district of Anderson City Downport. Firefighters and rescue personnel have brought in heavy lift equipment to start pulling away large sections of the collapsed warehouse.
.
While the explosion that collapsed the building completely destroyed the office area of the warehouse, we have reports from a trucker who was apparantly at the building just prior to the explosion that at least two of the security guards assigned to this facility where seen at the far end of the building.
.
With this news, family members have been converging on the scene in the hope that their loved ones may have survived in a pocket in the debris of the fallen warehouse. Crews with life detectors are converging on that end of the building."
.
***
.
The soldier could now feel vibrations in the material surrounding it's location, and was recieving reports from Units 3 and 6 that confirmed this.
.
Review of the Rules of Engagement and the Mission Order left ... ambiguities in the response for the situation. However, an old entry in the Standard Operating Procedures indicated a provision for the soldier to use it's own initiative in cases when communication with the chain of command was disrupted.
.
After a quick conference with the remaining units, it was agreed that the soldier would be assume command of the mission pending the reestablishment of communications with the command nodes.
.
***
.
"This is Lita Boyle reporting live from the Warehouse district of Anderson City Downport. Crews have succeeded in pulling the majority of the roof off of the collapsed warehouse, and have extinguished most of the fire in the threatened area. They have allowed us to move closer to document what they hope will be a rescue ..."
.
***
.
The acknowledgement of the other units in it's assumption of the command role had created some ... interesting possibilites. Since the acceptable response modes indicated by the Rules of Engagement were obviously inadequate, especially in light of the destruction of Unit 2, they would need to be changed. Normally, safeguards would prevent the soldier from being able to modify the Mission Orders - but, apparantly the commander of the mission had wider latitude. This would require addtional thought.
.
***
.
"Wait - can you see that? There appears to be some movement in the debris field! Yes! Definitely movement, someone is pushing their way up there! And there! Crews are rushing in to assist.
.
OH MY GOD!! There's been another explosion in the warehouse. And another! The rescuers are ... Look - over there! Something is - quick, get the cam .... "
.
***
.
The soldier surveyed the battlefield and found no more targets available. A wider scan noted the convergence of additional units to this site, but the revised Mission Orders no longer required the team to hold the area against intruders. A silent order was passed and three silvery ovals took to the sky.
.
***
.
"Hmmm - we seem to have lost the feed from our remote team in the field. We will restore that to you as soon as we can.
.
And now in sports ..."
.
.
.
Hope you are all enjoying this!

douglas
 
Jame,
Sorry to hear about your rough times. Hopefully this will cheer you up!

I just got this e-mail from Douglas. A bit of insight in to how I'm supposed to be playing Alexander at the next game. I've had my share of evil GM's before, but Douglas is rapidly moving to the top of the list. But that's cool. He knows what'll happen to him the second he lets up on us evil players.
file_23.gif


-Maghwi

+++++++++++++++
The sounds of sirens fade in the distance as Alexander is whisked away by
his rescuers. Exhaustion overwhelms you, as the adrenallin rush fades
into the background. Fiddling with your chair, you find that it does,
indeed recline back - you rest.

Sleep seems to elude you, even as you drift through a muzzy series of
half-dreams. A part of you is concerned that the RV may have been damaged
in the firefight - you can hear a rythmic clicking even over the rush of
the wind through the shattered doorframe.

*Kchtk* *Kchtk* *Kchtk* *Kchtk*

Uncomfortable, you fiddle with the seat controls once more and find that,
yes! There is a footrest. Extending that out, you feel vaguely more
comfortable and, as you hear the Captain and Mic discussing plans and
options, you settle down to get some more rest.

Except for that damn clicking ...

*Kchtic* *Kchtk* *Kchtic* *Kchtk*

An errant breeze from the wrecked door passes over your body, producing a
shiver - you wish you had more than this thin blanket covering you! It's
barely holdingin any warmth, it might as well not be there. You sense
someone over you, probably the Captain (since Nekko is driving) - running
a med scanner over you. He's probably worried, you think muzzily, but he
really needs to check out that darned clicking!

*Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock*

The scan finished, someone gently uses a damp cloth to wipe your brow and
face.

"Groughff! You Idiot! What have you done now. First his vitals are all
over the place, and now he's coming out of it. If he wakes, it will ruin
this entire scenario."

"It fights the conditioning, Lorrrrd. It continues to struggle. Drugs
would solve many of these issues."

"I have explained to you why this is not an option. He must not show
positive."

"It makes things morrrre difficult Lorrrrd. It wakes, even now."

"Pity. That scenario showed such promise..."

*Gentle, but firm, hands make adjustments to straps, monitoring buttons
and other devices attached to you*

"Increase the theta signal by 25% this time, I think. If this doesn't
work, we'll consider your drugs and look at a blood replacement."

"Yes Lorrrrd."

"He must reach his ship this time Groughff, I will not accept failure."

"Yes Lorrrd!"

*Another cool cloth placed on your forehead*

"Go back to sleep Alexander, you'll be happier there."

"It will be over soon, Alexander, trust me in this."

"Alexander."

"Alexander."

"Alexander!" You start awake, the Captain calling your name and shaking
your shoulder. "We're almost there - you're safe!"
 
And Ursula's crew watched the Holo-play on T-Dex viscreen, while below in the shuttle bay the four mutinous shackled survivors hosed the blood, guts, and gore of their 16 dead comrades out to the airlocks, to be vaccumed cleaned, under the watchful, ruthless eyes of Gunny Huunekh Vekstriin.Under the guns of the loyal seven Marines, who didn't sell their ship out. They'd been lucky. They surrendered.

Bravo Evil GMs!
Bravo Evil Players!
Long live good Role Playing!
<bows>
heretically yours,
 
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