 |
Session Logs |
|
15: It’s a (Mad Scientist?) Trap! |
Introduction
I’ve been turning over and over in my head how to start this log and still don’t have a definitive version of how I’m going to do it so I’m just going to write stuff.
I can’t even remember whether I made the comment last night or not that I’ve no real idea of how long this campaign will run for, which I made when we first started, and which I’ve made a few times since. To more than a small degree how we long we go on for depends a lot on what you (as players)do. In many ways this campaign is like an original AD&D module or series of linked modules, if you don’t chose to go find McGuffin A then as the story depends on you finding McGuffin A not finding it or choosing to go look for it means that the story effectively ends.
Having scrolled back through Discord last night lloking for the Website link and realised we’ve been playing since January, also indicates that I’ve now actually been working on the Game and all its elements (remember it took me about 400hours of work just to put the deck plans of the Razza together) for over a year now. In terms of where we are, we are now approaching the end of Season 1.
When we started you had very little option as to what you could do. As we’ve progressed things have changed and in reality, you now have the power to break the story at almost any point.
As I’ve alluded to, I think in either the last or previous to last log, certain things are significantly different. For a start One died a few sessions ago, which does deprive me of a means to influence or suggest things, but also changes some story elements. The One, Two, Three, love triangle never happened in game as it did in the series, nor really did the One/Three antipathy and distrust (any of you who’ve watched the series up to the current point will understand what I mean).
Five is also very different to how the writers portrayed her in the series, although she is woefully under-written in terms of her so call ‘abilities’ in the series. There is of course the missing Two/Five and Five/Six relationships that happen in the series, but these don’t necessarily present me with problems.
Unless anything goes drastically wrong, in the next couple of weeks we should get to the ‘big reveal’ of season 1, and just so you know the Cast didn’t know what the reveal was until the last hour of filming on the last day filming for Season 1. Of course as a ‘viewer’ of the series and the GM I have to know, but some of what I’ve revealed so far actually isn’t revealed in the series until Seasons 2 and 3. I’m hoping that I can get what I need to get done to start season 2, as it were, in time. If not we might need a week or two break so I can get things finalised.
And just so you know there are plenty of twists still to come, and plenty of ways for you to break the story as a result. I still don’t know exactly what to do with Wexlar…
It’s a (Mad Scientist?) Trap!
Almost before we picked up during ‘Transit’ to the Giosti System (that's another element I have to come up with, names for planets and star systems), Matt amongst others had said “This is a Trap”, although I think most thought this was a ‘Ferris Corp’ revenge trap to take them out. Fair enough but of course way off the mark.
The ‘trap’ thinking was reinforced by their arrival in the Giosti
System, an A3 class star (a blue-white hot fast burning star) with only
2 plants, a seared rock out at 5AU and the ‘habitable’ giant Earth at
10.7AU (right on the far edge of the habitable zone). Of course things
weren’t helped by the fact that A3 class stars emit vast amounts of
solar radiation, and have phenomenal solar winds even out to beyond the
habitable zone that plays havoc with long range sensors. Even the
planets significantly stronger magnetic fields, Van Allan Belts, and
their interaction with he Solar winds which made detailed scanning of
the planet difficult didn’t do anything but reinforce the whole ‘Trap’
thinking. Pretty much all they were able to determine from orbit was
that there was a single ‘structure’ on the planet, in the middle of the
main equatorial land mass situated on a plateau in the middle of the
mountain ranges. Note that most of the equatorial region is primative
jungle, approximately equivalent to lat Devonian Period Earth approx
365million years ago (thats before the Carboniferous period and the
advent of 'modern' trees).
After much discussion it is decided that Six and Seven will go down in the Marauder for a fly by to try and determine what they are facing, which appears to be a circualar dome shaped building about 200ft in diameter and about 90ft high, adjacent to which could be a hanger, and which is ringed by 10 defence turrets. The building appears "quiet" (too quiet as noted by some) with minimal energy readings. There is no reaction as they fly by, return, make a circuit and then return to the Razza.
Further discussion ensues, during which I hinted that Two needed to
go on this mission (after all the whole scenario turns out to be about
Two). Eventually they kit themselves out in the Volkov-Russi armour
they acquired, grab the required basic lock breaker from the Vault
(note: there are/were actually 4 of them in one of the case in the
vault), and head down to the planet, landing about 500m NW of the
hanger.
Leaving Six on the Marauder, Three, Four, Two, and Seven approach
the building main entrance. As I noted, yes the building has fire exits
(you can see one on the screen grab if you look), but fire exits are
not designed to be opened from the outside, thus can’t easily be used
to gain entry (and would undoubtedly be covered by cameras, as was the
exterior of the entry ramp, although none of you bothered to check –
you only checked the courtyard area.)
Gaining entry to the Courtyard they check for Cameras, and Two asks
Three to take out the two ‘obvious’ ones.
They unlock the main doors
and then move into the corridor (there was a hint in the map layout
that there was only one way to proceed, but players will be players).
Eventually they go right, and enter the ‘main building’. The only light
sources are the emergency lights above the doors and stairs. Overhead
as then enter the main building there is a steel walkway about 8ft
above them. Almost immediately ahead is a set of stairs which go down.
Rather than take the easy route around to the left they take the stairs
down to the ‘Security doors’ ahead which are of course locked and not
crackable by their basic lock breaker (nobody actually bothered to
comment that getting through the outer doors was just a little too
easy…).
Not being able to proceed in their chosen direction they proceed around the stairs into the darkness until they approach the short stairs ahead, which lead up onto the slighter higher area of the floor. As Two sets foot on the stairs, all the main lights come on and a whole raft of armed guards appear from all the doors and on the walkways above them. A smartly dressed bearded individual appears with the guards directly ahead of where Two is and says “Welcome Home Rebecca” to Two.
I can’t remember who asked who he was to which he replies “Alexander
Rook” but this seems to have got lost in the discussion.
There was then a certain amount of ‘dithering’ before Rook does what he
does in the TV series and activates the dampening field, causing Two to
fall unconscious.
There is then a certain amount of discourse before Rook tells them
all
to put their weapons down. When they try and hang onto side arms he
insists all weapons, remarking that if he’d wanted them dead they’d be
dead already, and no they can’t have Rebecca back, and as a thankyou
they’re all invited to dinner, including their shuttle pilot, and
should he consider trying to make a run for it, then he’d just destroy
the shuttle. Their whole transit from orbit has been tracked and
monitored and he’s been expecting them, and yes he did arrange things
in relation to Calcheck sending them here.
Faced with little option, a correct assessment by Three, they hand
over
their weapons and are escorted up to a large ‘open plan’ area on the
5th Floor, where they are seated around a large ornate rectangular
table (large enough to comfortably seat 12 although there are only 8
seats present). Various Technicians will offer them drinks and once Six
arrives will begin to serve the starter. At one end of the room are a
set of shelves from which are hung NBC type suits. Around the periphery
of the room are large ‘tented’ biodomes about 10ft in diameter all
containing various plants. There are six guards present in the room at all time, 2 of which have stunners.
Despite setting the scene this way they didn’t get the point that
Rook
doesn’t actually arrive until they’ve finished their starters hence his statement
“apologies for arriving late, it’s just been one of those days, I’m
sure you can empathise”. Having poured himself a drink he then joins them at the table, where he
again thanks them for returning Rebecca to him although he comments
that he believes she’s going by the name “Portia” (there is the
distinct implication in his statement that he finds this odd).
There is then the round of “we want Two back” questions and statements which by way of various answers and follow ups (including Six commenting “I'm sure you can't lay legal claim to banned research. The last time I checked the creation of human facimilies is against the law.”, to which Rook responds (sneeringly) "Put one of those ridiculous tattoos on her neck, as if she were some common android?", then laughing, "No!")
His name and Alexander Rook and he owns Dwarf Star Technologies, along with all of its subsiduaries, patents and prototypes, including Rebecca
Rebecca is staying with him where she will be “quite safe”. She previously escaped and he’s not going to let that happen again
Whilst Rebecca is human she requires constant management by her Nanites. Slow her Nanites down and you slow Rebecca down. Slow them down far enough and no more Rebecca
The whole facility is blanketed by a dampening field which slows Rebecca down to prevent her escaping.
(I missed this in the session because I was trying to manage everything and keep track of the discussion) When Rebecca escaped previously she cold bloodedly killed 43 scientists, technicians, and security personnel during her escape. They believe there is a flaw in her neural network that leaves her prone to irrational behaviour and outburts of extreme violence.
The reason why he is reclaiming Rebecca now is that its taken some time to track her down and then put in place the mechanism necessary for her return
The 3 course meal (drinks included), which is real food, is Rook’s method of thanking them for returning Rebecca to him. Rook does not view them as any sort of threat.
Once the meal is over Rook bids them ‘Goodbye’ with the caveat that if they attempt to return he will not hesitate to kill them, and they are escorted out of the facility. All their weapons and possessions are in crates adjacent to the shuttle. They board the shuttle and return to the Razza. Once on board the Razza, Lisa jumps them into the radiation sphere of the sun which masks their presence. When asked if it safe she resonds with "Absolutely not. If you're going to come up with a plan of action I suggest you do it quickly."
Various plans are discussed. As correctly pointed out by Six the Volkov-Russi shuttle is considerably slower in atmosphere than the Marauder. Even if you could remotely pilot it, it would (potentially) get shot down before it could get anywhere near the facility. Any landing near the facility would make the Marauder a sitting duck. Given the terrain, and the alien jungle any trek of more than a kilometer or so is just going to be really arduous and therefore not viable, and then there is the probability of being detected and stopped prior to actually being able to enter the facility.
Lisa does comment that if landing makes the Marauder at sitting duck then don't land. I think it was Three who worked out what she was suggesting as he asked her about what height and speed she could exit the shuttle. The answer is approx 30m(100ft) at 20ms-1(44mph approx). He then asks how fast she can run. Sprinting 384ft/minute sustained 288ft/minute (Note these figures are for ideal terrain and conditions).
I think it was Six who commented that Lisa may also be affected by
the Dampening field around the facility. Even Lisa does not know
whether she will or not. Note she will take one of the Ferris Corp Flak
vests and a Stunner (unlike in the series where she doesn't take any
weapons. Logically she would have as it would make her infiltration far
easier).
It is agreed that they will drop Lisa NW of the facility at about 5km and then make a fly-by as if testing their defences..
Before departing Lisa configures a jump program to the nearest
independant station which is Niphus Station 6 Quers7-4 25 ly away (note
if you don't remember this is where the Razza was repaired), which will
auto-engage if she doesn't return within 4 hours.
| Back | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Session Index | Dark Matter |