Not the Introduction - Borked Laptop

It's 00:30 on the 10th and  I'm now in a position where I can attempt to write a log for this weeks session, assuming I can remember anything that happened, and assuming I don't run into any more Windows and/or Explorer issues.

When I started the session on Tuesday I had a Windows Update pending, well 2 actually one on my Laptop and one on my Server. Steam had been playing up so I'd stopped in and restarted it and it had attempted to install and update and failed. I've had this before where it refuses to update if there is a Windows update pending. This time however when it attempted it's recovery it came back with a 'Can't connect to the Internet" Error. I'd shut it down again at that point and restarted it, and it had come up with the same error. But it appeared that only Steam had the issue.

Anyway after the session ended I decided to install the updat, well at least the one on the Laptop. I had the usual windows issue that it refused to shutdown because I had Explorer windows open (like thats a problem isn't it???) so had to force close them. Windows update then went through its initial phase of installing its updates before triggering the restart, to finish the update. Well it didn't. It got about 30% the way through and then failed with a "can't connect to the internet" error, auto-triggering a backout of the update. Guess what that also failed because it "couldn't connect to the internet". It then tried an auto-recovery repair. which also failed because it "couldn't connect to the internet" (it comes up with a really useful "Retry again in 30 minutes or press enter").

So having checked that the Network connection was working, I hit enter and tried again. It failed. So did a second and third try. At that point I tried the 'restore to last good position' for both the "feature" and "core" update options; both failed because it "couldn't connect to the internet".

Basically at this point there is one option - re-install windows. Surprisingly (not) the 'Network Install' failed because it "couldn't connect to the internet". Thankfully, unless you've manually trashed your install, most windows install these days have a copy of windows tucked away on a recovery partition, which means you can do a 'Recorvery' install from the local device.

Of course this removes every single application and program you have installed, and assuming you pick the right option "saves all your user data". You'll note I put this in inverted commas because it does, well sort of. I leaves everything alone except what's in the "hidden" AppData directory which it moves aside, and recreates with the new install. Now if you happen to know it moves it and know where it moves it to its easy to restore, but if you don't well there's that frustrating half hour whilst you find it because you know its Windows and it does what it says (of course it does......)).
If you want to know it creates a Windows.Old folder on the C drive and moves it there so now you won't have that frustrating half hour of looking for it.

Of course depending on how many applications/programs you have install and what they are, depends on how long it takes to restore it. In my case about 6GB of data, most of it relating to Firefox and the stack of Tabs I have sitting in the background, all relating to various elements of resaeach all relating to various RPG game elements.

But then there is the ordeal of having to reinstall everything, and yes I had to start with Firefox after restoring AppData because If I'd started Firefox before hand it would have trashed my session state right? Well actually no, because when you re-install Firefox and start if for the first time it creates a new set of profiles, so actually you're better off re-installing Firefox, starting it, shutting it down (and killing the processes), then restoring the FireFox AppData, because then you can correctly overwrite the profiles.ini file and the profiles in both Local and Roaming and then it works properly.

Once you have Firefox (or Chrome if you really must) then you can restore everything else starting with your prefered Anti-virus (after uninstalling the abortion that is McCaffe that Windows insists on installing - but at least you can uninstall it these days), and then everything else, assuming of course you can remember the passwords to get into all your accounts to be able to download and re-install everything.

I still don't have everything re-installed Campaign Cartographer, AutoRealm, Ancesteris, and LibraOffice to name a few, but I do have most other things including Steam.. which whilst the process runs on the laptop  is actually on the server. If you want to know how to do it you're going to have to ask me online.

P.S. The rest of this log was written on the evening of the 10th...

What the GM can remember...

The session started with a little catchup on the 'house keeping". Whilst some of the details in relation to medical supplies, a box of patches, and a box of ampules, and some consumables (lets say another cr1000) were resolved I don't think you actually resolved what food supplies you were buying, i.e what ratio of basic/good rations (which are the basic ingredients) and how many days, and what other foods if any. The Hydroponics will ramp up over time, but a lot of that will be 'leafy' type vegetables, and you have more than enough supplies - you acquired in effect an ISO containers worth (or most of one) off the Far Horizon so you could even sell a bunch (although I'd actually have to work out what they were worth).

Housekeeping done we then moved to "The Main Event". Like a lot of elements in this game I had no idea exactly how things were going to pan out an with One dead I have lost to ability for intejections he would have made. At least the concensus was exactly as per the storyline, go somewhere and relax, spend some decent downtime somewhere comfortable and relaxing.

As it happend there was a nice convenient "Paradise" planet not too far away, 19ly more or less, and about 3ly into 'non-aligned' space, but given the vastness of space drawing any sort of 'border' is a little hap hazzard. The "Paradise Planet" is actually a moon orbiting a gas giant in a binary system, and from the Razza's approach vector was on the opposite side of the Gas giant, necessitating an short but necessary sub-space orbital navigation. 19ly is 4d 15h at cruising speed so Six had time to heal somewhat from his injuries (see last session log for the healing the accelarant provides).

Thus, 10 minutes into the orbital flight the Razza is intercepted by 3 Ferrous Corp Destroyers whose opening volley knockout the FTL drive. Whilst Lisa initiates evasive maneuvres which moves the Razza out of the range of the Destroyers guns, and like wise out of range of the Razza's own weapons (Railguns and Pulse Cannons), it doesn't negate the fact that the Destroyers have a full compliment of Missiles. And no you can't just buy them in the local store!

At this point they get the ultimatum from Ferrous (voice only) "Razza this is the FCS Condor. Power down your systems and surrender or your ship will be destroyed. You have 30 seconds to comply."

Now I sort of played this in real time, giving them a minute to argue amongst themselves, Three advocating for surrender in the hope they are spared, but Six suggesting that that was 'unlikely'.

They then get the second message "Razza. Your Time is up. Sorry to have to do this. Damn waste of a fine ship if you ask me."

Lisa then reports "they've just launched a nuclear missle, medium payload 30mega tonne yield" (yes I upped it based on Pauls comments)

What no one asked at the time was "would the shields hold" which they wouldn't have, but Three did get the required action correct, head straight for the Destroyers at maximum thrust, although not exactly for the right reason. The sentiment was correct in a way, "if we're going to be taken out then we'll take them with us", but in reality "if they are inside the blast radius then they'll most likely disarm the missile".

Note there is one thing I should point out here, Two is the Captain, therefore a lot of the time Lisa will not instigate certain actions without Two confirming the action, in this case to both head for the Destroyers and to exceed "maximum safe thrust".

There then follows the tense, and yes its surprising how it works even in an RPG where if it didn't it'd be campaign over, minute or two, there the Razza closes down the Destroyers, and with 3 seconds to go the missile is disarmed, and impacts harmlessly on the Razza's shields and hull.

Now well within range of the Destroyers where the Razza's far superior maneouvability works in their favour, people decide that opening fire on the Destroyers is the way to go, although Two was correct in that she didn't authorise any such action. At this point Lisa reports that 3 more ships have emerged from FTL, and when prompted states they are Mikei Combine Cruisers.

Six manages at this point to remember another facet of Galactic law in that if the Razza has her shields down and her weapons offline, then any attack by Ferrous wiuld be considered "unprovoked" under Galactic Law, and with the Mikei ships present would "land them in hot water" (to say the least).  Two concurrs and Lisa offlines the weapons and shields, resulting the the Ferrous ships jumping to FTL.

The Razza then receives a message from one of the Mikei ships ""Greeting Razza. This is the MCS Makami, Commander Traufett at your service. We need to talk!!"

There is then a rushed 15 minutes whilst people shower and freshen up, although Five opts not to attend the meeting. Traufett comes alone (which nobody actually remarked on).

Traufett greets them all and with a little prompt somebody (and no I don't remember who) asks about Mikei's timely arrival

Traufett: "Ferrous has been combing this entire quadrant looking for you... lets just say we've been keeping our eye on them."
Traufett: "Its no secret. Things have been a little rough on all of you since that incident at the mining colony... And while it worked out for our benefit, there are some people who question your motives for helping those miners."

Two, as per the series resonds with "We'll we had our reasons"

Traufett: "As cut throat mercenaries you filled a niche. You had a role to play. You even garnered some respect in certain circles... You can't afford to have people think you've gone soft."
Traufett: ""I'm just telling you what I've heard.."
                "And" ... "I'm offering you an opportunity to prove you are still an effective team."
                "I have a job for you.."
                "Its a Traugott Research Facility. Our intellignce indicates they're about to make a major breakthrough discovery."

Unlike in the series everyone one jumps at the chance.. Traufett leaves saying she will see them at the rendevous, the coordinates she will give them, in 8 days.

The rendevous is at a planetary facility 33.5ly away, again another moon orbiting a gas giant. At normal cruising speed 33.5ly is 8d 7.5h. Given that the FTL drive will take the best part of 4 hours to repair this means a traversal at maximum safe FTL speed 4.5ly/20h which is 7d 8.9h

Arriving at the obital plain of the moon orbiting the gas giant, they find that there is a Mikei Cruiser in orbit (its the MCS Makami if you were at all interested). The coordinates furnished by Traufett indicate that the rendevous is actually somewhere down on the surface of the moon. Whilst the coordinates can be observed from orbit, whats actually there can't be determined due to the moons atmosphere. The surface appears to be permanently obscured by the constant atmospheric dust storms that blow across its surface.

Taking the Marauder down to the surface they arrive at some sort of warehouse complex. Only one of the 5 landing pads is vacent which is where they put down. Braving the sandstorm they cross the pad and enter the building. The access corridor leads them into a central warehouse where they are greeted by an somewhat surprised individual. Things develop guns are pulled and Wexlar's crew reveals itself from behind cover. They all have significantly adventageous vantage points.

With a Mexican standoff in progress, Traufett arrives and tells the children to put their guns away, they're all working together on this.

She moves over to a console further into the room, and activates a holoprojector, which projects an image of a space station. "This is your target, or rather this is where what you're after is"

Two, with a little help from the GM, comments that it doesn't look like a normal space station, the ring is completely wrong for hab pod or warehouses or factories, it looks more like a particle accelerator. Traufett doesn't comment; instead she drops the image and brings up a set of sketched blueprints on the console.

"Thanks to mainly Vons and Tash there" she indicates the pair that look a little like brother and sister, "who've been scounting the facility for the last 6 weeks we have an idea of the layout. You'll need 2 teams, one to access the Control room here", she indicates a location on the display, "and a second to access the vault in the lab here". she slides to display over to the opposite side of the layout.  "The Valut is made from Cyrellium Alloy and is almost completely indestructable. It has an encrypted biometric code lock on it which is where Wexlar comes in."

Wexlar "Yeah there isn't a safe or vault anywhere in this Galaxy I can't crack. Basically I can get into anything" he winks at Two.

Traufett "Now to gain access to the Lab you'll need one of these." she pulls a key card from her jacket and drops it onto the table. "This is a duplicate and is valid for another 16 hours. Yes we are on the clock on this one."

"To get onboard the station you'll need to join the standard work shuttle. You can't take weapons on board either the shuttle or the station, theres a lot of sensitive equiment around an one stray shot could have disasterous consequences. You should be able to make the shuttle which leaves Calden Prime in 12 hours, given it will take you about 9 hours to get there. Once you have the device deliver it to our research facility on Iriden-3"

Now on the clock everyone including Wexlar and his crew head for the Marauder, Wexlars crew collecing a "Maintenace Trolley" (Think something like one of the mobile "Tool Chest" trolleys garages often have, about 4ft long, 2ft 6" wide, and 3ft6" high). They will leave their weapons behind.

Back on board cabins are assigned to Wexlar's crew (note Vons and Tash will share a cabin) for the duration of the Mission.

Once Underway people move to the Mess hall for something to eat. When Two arrives she asks for Wexlar to explain his plan to get into the impenetrable vault.

Wexlar "Actually its quite simple. At a pre-arranged time the second Team trigger a General Alarm. The Station goes into lockdown and the door looses power. If the door has no power it cannot be opened."

Nobody actually asked the obvious question at this point "How does that help us" which would trigger Wexlar to continue

Wexlar "Well we bring in our own power. Juice the door independant of the main system, and  it'll buzz right open."
            "Except its not like plugging a battery into a kidie toy. Powering the door without triggering the security protocols is a tricky business."

Cain ""And that's not the only problem"

I also can't remember if anybody asked "what is"

Vons "As soon as we trigger the lockdown, the station will automatically begin broadcasting a subspace distress signal"

Now I think Two did then say something along the lines of

Two "And every Traugott ship in the sector will turn and head straight for us at Max FTL."

Somebody did then ask "how much time do we have"

Tash "We estimate we'll have less than an hour to extract the device, carry it to the airlock, and shuttle back to the Razza."

Wexlar "Plenty of time. Now what we need to do is have a drink."

There is then an exchange where basically everybody says they don't have any.

When Two leaves Wexlar follows her out (I'm going to use the script from the show more or less as it is approximately what did happen)

Wexlar "Hey hang on".

Two "What is it?"

Wexlar "I just want to say I'm sorry.. I think we kinda got off on the wrong foot in there. I think we've got more in common than you realise."

Two "Really"

Wexlar "Yeah. You're clearly the brains of your operation, and that's got to put you under a lot of pressure. I just saying, I can help you."

Two "How exactly?"

Wexlar "I've met women like you all over the Galaxy. Smart, beautiful. You intimidate men inorder to maintain control."
       "But what you really need" sidiling closer to Two "Deep down is a man to step up" running his hands up Two's sides "and take control of you".
       He then moves his hand to her throat "Tell me you don't like this."

Two "No you're right. I'm really going to enjoy this"

Two at this point basically takes Wexlar apart...

Adjourn to Medical and Lisa's report of Wexlar's condition

Lisa "His right arm and wrist are broken. He has 3 fractured ribs, and bruised Testicles. He's not going anywhere for a while"

It takes a GM hint for people to realise that if Wexlar can't go on the mission then Five is going to have to go instead. This then brings about the additional complication they do not have a pass that could be used by Five.

Note the passes that you have are 1 female and 2 male, along with the passes that Wexlar, Vons, Tash, and Cain have.

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