As we begin the next chapter, here is where we are:

You are leaving the missile silo section and heading toward the command center.  You saw on the monitors that a magnitruk is coming your way on the opposite track with two security guards in it.  Your paths will cross on the way to the Carousel.

The magnitruk is set at a default of 20 meters per second.  You may increase or decrease as needed per the instructions above (or hit emergency stop, which will also call robots to your location).  If you need to leave the vehicle at any time, there are handholds along the transit shafts to propel yourselves in the zero g.

Currently, Desi and Porter are in the front of the magnitruk (still disguised, but now the disguises are known).

The remainder of the crew are hiding in the compartments behind the magnitruk in its storage area and the cargo car hitched behind it.

I will let you decide how fast you go and how you deal with the incoming guards.

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 2):
"We should speed up to keep ahead of the one's coming to intercept us.  We need to hurry too!  Any other thoughts are welcome team!"

"I agree! Let's punch it...max speed! That missile is on countdown so we need to move as fast as possible!"

Hammer says, "Yes, full speed ahead, but let's lay down covering fire when we pass the guards."  He prepares his laser rifle for firing when the other truk comes into view.

Porter nods to the others. He unfolds the tripod mount of his machinegun and places it on the hood of the magnitruk*, ready to fire as necessary.

*I suppose there must be a glass/fiberglass window in the front. Can we knock it out? It'll make for a windy ride, but I'd rather have it out of the way before we start firing at the incoming guards.

S'Krllk looks at Kri'lik, and says, "if this is that thing the humans call 'playing chicken', shouldn't someone explain to them the nature of railed vehicles?"

Kri'lik replies, "Nah, they'll figure it out.  And if they don't, we can have a chuckle when we see the look of surprise on their face when they don't understand why the two vehicles on separate tracks did not collide with each other."

Kri'lik clicks his mandibles in amusement as he climbs into the cargo area and takes cover as best he can.  As he is currently severely wounded, Kri'lik will do his best to avoid exposing himself when the shooting starts.

You lay covering fire as your truck passes the truck with the guards.  They fire back as they duck for cover.  No one hits anything as the two trucks pass, but you hear them yelling and pointing to the driver to turn it around.  You think that one of them may be giving you the finger...unless that is the way he naturally points.

But as you learned from driving these a few times now, they will have to make it all the way to the far end before turning around.  That gives you a few minutes head start.

Your magnitruk slows at it nears the Carousel and turns from the central hub (marked "17").

You are now in the Carousel.  The Carousel revolves constantly and maintains a gravity of .6g, which is about as close to normal as you've felt in the last day.  Your magnitruk docks through one spoke and moves to the rim of the Carousel, and you feel your bodies becoming heavier.

The magnitruk operates differently here.  It drives/lands onto a lift and waits a few seconds while the spoke of the Carousel lines up underneath.  Your magnitruk is then turned to maintain correct orientation to the "gravity."  As it descends, you feel the gravity increasing.  Then the lift doors open and the car drives out along the rails to the disembarkation areas.

The magnitruk is driving (right to left) and is currently at the black arrow marked "recreation."  It now moves rather slowly, up to 10 mph, and you can stop it at any time.

As the magnitruk passes the room marked "rest room," you can see through the windows a number of monitors. All monitors are showing the imminent launch of the missile.  Three support personnel are in there watching the monitors, but the alarm is going off, so when they see your magnitruk go by, they begin pointing and strapping on belts with guns.

"How much further do we have to go?"

The magnitruk is currently at the left side of VI(A) and will have to pass through VI(B)...at a slow pace...before coming to the command center at VI(C).

You can either stay in the magnitruk or stop it and go by foot.  It depends on how sneaky you want to be.  They are currently expecting you to be in the magnitruk, given the alarms.

It might be a good diversion to send the magnitruk on without us in it, but I don't think we have time to rig it to crash/set charges on it.

If Desi wants to stop and deal with the techs, Porter will lead the rest on to the control room to try and stop the launch.

OOC: It was just a thought.  We're still a little banged up and maybe we should still stick together?  WE can send the truck ahead still and go on foot, together.  Whatever we decide, we need to do it quickly to try and get to the launch site.

Open for (more) suggestions...

Hammer agrees with sticking together, or maybe separating into two groups, just in case one gets pinned down or sticky grenades go flying through the air.  It looks like the entire thing is like a wheel, so each party could go a different direction and they'd both end up at the same place.

You let the magnitruck move forward while the group exits and carefully goes the opposite direction.  Doing so leads you to the left side of the Command Center.

You see that thee are large bay doors allowing the magnitruks to follow the lift in and out, but they are closed, and guarding the doors is a well armed security robot.

(You are now in the area marked "sleeping quarters" looking toward the right.  The doors you see are the doors just above the marking "VI/C" by the number 18.)

The robot with its extrasensory perception--infrared, night vision, etc.--is alerted to your presence as you approach.  There are small areas you can jump behind for cover during the fight, but a fight is now inevitable.  It begins lowering the guns in its hands.  They are large and look deadly.



NOTE: There are many technologies that have developed since these adventures were published.  I am modifying them somewhat to avoid an antiquated feel.  One thing, for example, is that they clearly would have wireless technology and your characters would know that the robots could communicate to others in the carousel without actually making any sounds or talking.

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 15):

Desiraye pops enough of her body out of the little 'nook' she's squeezed into to shoot at the security robot.  She fires [2] 10 SEU shots at the robot.

IM: +6
PUNCHING DAMAGE: 7
CURRENT STA: 62/62
Military Skein Suit: 50/50
SEU Belt Pack (Screen): 42/50

Laser Rifle [Set on 10 SEU for 10d10 Damage]
SEU Back Pack (Weapon): 50/100
SEU Belt Pack (Screen): 50/50

SKILLS:
Beam Weapons: 6 [DEX:30 + 60 = 90%]
Martial Arts: 3 [DEX:30 + 30 = 60%]
Thrown Weapons: 1  [DEX:30 + 10 = 40%]

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 15):
Orvo knows that he's not that good in a firefight but, circumstances are forcing him to try and make a difference and helping to take out the security robot with the others.  They need to stop the missile launch and they need to kill this robot before they can.  He fires [2] 8 SEU shots at the robot with the laser rifle.

STR/STA: 60/60
DEX/RS:  50/50

CURRENT STA: 56/60

PS/IM: +3/+5
Ranged: 25%
Melee: 30%

Lie Detection 10%
Elasticity

DEFENSES:
Albedo Screen: power beltpack 50/50 seu
Military Skeinsuit: 50/50

WEAPONS:
Martial Arts: to hit 40%| dmg: 3| Rof: 2|
Laser Pistol x2: to hit 45%| dmg: 5d10/seu| RoF 2| power beltpack 50/50 and 50/50 seu
Laser Rifle: to hit 45%| dmg: 1d10/seu| RoF 2| power backpack 100/100 seu

Tangler Grenade: to hit 25%| Entangled| 2 grenade
Smoke Grenade: to hit 25%| -10 to hit| 2 grenade
Fragmentation Grenade: to hit 25%| 8d10| 4 grenade
Doze Grenade: to hit 25%| Sleep| 2 grenade
This message was last edited by the player at 01:46, Fri 15 Dec 2017.

Porter also tries to take cover behind a bulkhead, and when he gets a shot, fires a spray of bullets at the robot with his machinegun.

IM: +7
CURRENT STA: 50/50
Military Skein Suit: 30/50
Albedo Screen
Gas Mask

Projectile Weapons: 3  [DEX:35 + 30 = 65%]
Martial Arts: 2 [DEX:35 + 20 = 55% dmg 5, knockout 01-04, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50]
Thrown Weapons: 1 [DEX:35 + 10 = 45%]
Gyrojet Weapons: 2 [DEX:35 + 20 = 55%]
Beam Weapons: 1 [DEX:35 + 10 = 45%]
Melee Weapons: 1 [DEX:35 + 10 = 45%]


Machinegun  Hit: 85% [65% projectile skill + 20% burst]
Damage 10d10 burst
Ammo 100 rounds
Rate 1
Defense Intertia
Range (meters) PB - Short 0-70 Medium 71-200 Long 201-500 Extreme 501-1000

S'Krllk hides in whatever niche is available. Rather than waste ammunition firing on the robot, he focuses on using his body comp to hack into the robot's communication network so that he can, if possible, countermand the robot's orders.

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 15):

Kri'lik stays as far back as possible and in as much cover as possible trying not to make himself a target but at the same time will fire off shots with his laser pistol if he thinks he can do so without too much risk of getting fired upon. Overall priority will be to not get hit as one shot will probably take him down.


IM: +7
Current STA: 5/35
Civilian Skeinsuit: 40/50
Inertia Screen

Beam Weapons: 2 [DEX:25 + 20 = 45%]

Laser Pistol: 45%
Damage (5 SEU): 5d10
Ammo: Powerbelt 30/50 SEU

Hammer also takes aim at the security bot, firing at full strength and then stepping back behind cover.

A volley of shots fire from you at the robot, and from the robot back to you.  S'krllk is attempting to interface with it.

Desi, Porter, Kri'lik and Orvo all hit the robot, sending pieces of it flying as its body armor and shields are unable to deflect it all.

Its lasers, in return, hit both Hammer (21 STA dmg) and Orvo (18 STA dmg).

S'krllk is unable to override its orders but is able to create a distraction.  It fires to the right where there is nothing there, wasting its last shots of the round.

From behind you, you can hear shouts of people coming to the firefight.  They are still beyond the curve of the carousel and you cannot see them yet (nor them see you), but you have maybe one or two more rounds before you are attacked from both sides.

The robot moves forward, unconcerned about cover, as its skeinsuit shimmers to reflect further attacks.

Hammer fires again at the security both and quickly ducks for cover between shots.  (3 shots at 10 psr)

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 22):
Desiraye pops her body out enough to fire [2] more rounds with her laser rifle trying to put the threat down.  "Team, we've got company coming up behind us.  We need to drop this robot and deal with those coming up.  We need a couple to get eyes and guns on them.  Copy?""

[2] Shots at the Robot at 10 SEU/Shot

IM: +6
PUNCHING DAMAGE: 7
CURRENT STA: 62/62
Military Skein Suit: 50/50
SEU Belt Pack (Screen): 42/50

Laser Rifle [Set on 10 SEU for 10d10 Damage]
SEU Back Pack (Weapon): 30/100
SEU Belt Pack (Screen): 50/50

SKILLS:
Beam Weapons: 6 [DEX:30 + 60 = 90%]
Martial Arts: 3 [DEX:30 + 30 = 60%]
Thrown Weapons: 1  [DEX:30 + 10 = 40%]

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 22):
Orvo's Albedo Screen absorbs the damage from the robots laser but, he is able to return fire again with his own laser rifle.

Continues to fire [2] shots at 8 SEU/Shot

STR/STA: 60/60
DEX/RS:  50/50

CURRENT STA: 56/60

PS/IM: +3/+5
Ranged: 25%
Melee: 30%

Lie Detection 10%
Elasticity

DEFENSES:
Albedo Screen: Power Beltpack 46/50 SEU
Military Skeinsuit: 50/50

WEAPONS:
Martial Arts: to hit 40%| dmg: 3| Rof: 2|
Laser Pistol x2: to hit 45%| dmg: 5d10/seu| RoF 2| power beltpack 50/50 and 50/50 seu
Laser Rifle: to hit 45%| dmg: 1d10/seu| RoF 2| power backpack 84/100 seu

Tangler Grenade: to hit 25%| Entangled| 2 grenade
Smoke Grenade: to hit 25%| -10 to hit| 2 grenade
Fragmentation Grenade: to hit 25%| 8d10| 4 grenade
Doze Grenade: to hit 25%| Sleep| 2 grenade

"I've got our six. Take that 'bot down while I prepare a surprise for those coming up behind us."

The UPF Marine ducks and weaves to avoid fire while moving back about 10 meters from the group. He looks for someplace that will provide him cover from the front and rear, and sets up his machinegun and places a pair of grenades, one tangler and one frag, handy as well.