FYI Orvo can hold his breath for 12 turns before taking 2d10 damage per turn.

Hammer is rushing in the water to where he can get closest to Orvo without going under. He is tying his rope tightly lashed to the flashlight or any other heavy object to lower it down for Orvo to hold onto or tie to himself. "Anyone have any idea how to kill that thing or bring up Orvo safely? All I've got besides shooting is a rope."

That's reassuring.

Orvo will continue to strike with the knife.

TURN 1:
Orvo is dragged underwater.

TURN 2:
The robot is flying southeast. Porter watches it go that way...

Desi puts a fresh clip in her gun.

Hammer begins going to where Orvo was dragged...

Orvo tries slashing with the vibroknife but finds it hard to do so underwater. (Miss. 17 SEU left)

TURN 3:
Porter continues watching the robot fly southeast...

Desi talks to Porter as the robot flies in the distance.

Hammer is taking out his flashlight and rope...

Orvo slashes again at the suctioning creature that has his leg. This time he makes a good stab. (8 dmg; 16 SEU remaining.)

TURN 4:
Porter watches as the robot disappears for good behind the swath of trees. You realize it is flying back to the Moraes.

Hammer is tying the rope to the flashlight...

Desi turns her attention to Orvo and moves toward the river where Orvo was pulled down...

Orvo again drives the vibroknife home, making a good cut. (18 dmg; 15 SEU remaining.)

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 78):

Once Porter's suspicions are confirmed that the robot has left the immediate vicinity, he sheds his backpack, screens and weaponry, draws his knife from it's sheath and moves to help Orvo free himself from the underwater super-sucker.  If necessary, Sgt Min will dive underwater and attempt to cut the creature away from Orvo that way.

Bartja considers the supplies they're carrying and doesn't see an immediate solution, but a thought does occur to him.

"I could rig up a taser using an SEU clip and some wiring from my techkit.  Maybe shocking that sucker will cause it to release Orvo.

Don't Dralasites breath through their skin?  Let's roll this bivouac fabric into a tube.  Someone take down one end of it to him and stick it into his envirosuit.  We'll connect the other end to the bivouac pump to start sending him some air!"

Bartja opens up some toolkits and gets to work soldering together a taser device to shock the worm.  He also directs Shemp to take a the fabric to the water and get it rolled into a tube.

S'Krllk limps to the edge of the water and tries to scan the creature to get an idea of its size and shape.

"DO IT!"  Desiraye starts to remove any gear that could get ruined before going in after Orvo.  "Someone needs to stand over watch!"

TURN 5

Porter drops everything but the knife and dives into the water to swim down to Orvo.

Bartja drops his things to start going through the toolkit.

Desi also dives in after Orvo.

S'krllk scans the water. It is hard to see through the rushing river much other than that it is very long and tubular with about an 18 inch diameter body that can expand to suck in its prey.

Hammer is still tying the knot on the flashlight. He gets it done and begins lowering it into the water for Orvo.

With Desi, Orvo and Porter underwater, they do not see the figure approaching. However, S'krllk, Bartja, and Hammer are above water, and the movement to their left catches their attention. They are distracted and look over to see a humanoid figure approaching from the perimeter of trees. He appears human, but it is hard to tell from 100 meters away. He seems to be wearing a red and white jumpsuit of some kind, but then they realize that it is a white jumpsuit stained with blood. A pistol is in one hand, though not really pointed anywhere, as he stumbles out of the forest toward your group...

Orvo strikes down again, but his blade does not pierce the creature.

TURN 6

Desi and Porter reach Orvo and can attack/help next turn...

Hammer, Bartja, and S'krllk stop what they are doing to watch the approaching man--for it is a man, they see--and he is coming toward your group. You have no idea of his intentions. He is 90 meters away now.

Orvo strikes again, but again his blade cannot find purchase on the creature.

TURN 7

The man approaches even closer. He is not saying anything but is clearly coming toward you. Bartja, S'krllk, and Hammer have time to get their weapons.

Surprisingly, both Desi and Porter are not successful in trying to attack the creature underwater.

However, this time Orvo is successful, stabbing straight into its side.

There is a rush of pressure as the creature reverses the flow of suction, and Orvo finds himself flying through the water at great speed, then breeching the surface, flying 10 feet in the air and falling hard into the shallow water gasping for breath.

TURN 8
The man is still approaching at a fast walk. He is 80 meters away.

Orvo is catching his breath and finding his bearings when he sees the approaching figure.

Porter and Desi, weaponless except for knives, swim to the surface. They follow everyone's gaze and also see the figure approaching.

Now the blood spattered man is raising his pistol toward you as he continues walking.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:05, Fri 29 May 2020.

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 83):

Porter tucks the knife into the belt behind his back whilst his lower body is still under water, so the stranger cannot see he is armed.  Slowly exiting the water he raises his hands palms outward to show he is not holding anything.

"Hello friend.  Are you OK?" He asks, indicating the blood on the man's jumpsuit.  "We have a medic if you need our help?"  Moving slowly and non-threateningly the sarge keeps his hands raised and tries to put himself between the approaching man and the rest of his team."

(OOC)
3 different encounters at almost the same time, I don't know if we are incredibly lucky or incredibly unlucky.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:07, Sat 30 May 2020.

Hammer lowers his pistol to point at the ground and says, using his persuasion skill,  "We are not hostile. We can help you." He uses his empathy skill to try to determine the intent and mood of the man.

Bartja leaves the Gyrojet rifle on the ground as he gawks at the bloody figure, but pulls something from his belt.

"Careful guys.  That blood might not be his."


OOC: It could be that the ship setup a trap at this location, knowing that we were coming.  The worm may be a local denizen but set as the trap trigger.  The robot was waiting - possibly even watching our approach.

I'm guessing this guy is someone from the ship who has escaped the mutiny.  I used to own these modules, but Heath has a spin on them that make them fresh and unpredictable.  I don't recall this ... at all!
This message was last edited by the player at 15:18, Fri 29 May 2020.

When Porter sees the man begin to raise his weapon he glances over his shoulder to make sure there are no more surprises behind them before cautiously wading closer to the man in the now waist deep water.

"Is that your blood?  Or someone else's?"  He asks.

S'Krllk looks at the approaching human, and then readies his needler and begins to aim at the man. Raising his voice and resisting the urge to rub his accessory arms together S'Krllk shouts, "YEAH, BUDDY! I'M A BUG, SO YOU COME ON AND GET SQUASHED."
The slight shake in S'Krllk's gun arm doesn't help the Vrusk's odd turn of phrase.

Desiraye uses the commentary from her comrades to slip out of the water, on her stomach, to get to her scoped rifle to hopefully get a good look at what's going on.

The man continues approaching as though oblivious to your guns (and Bartja's grenade). He is not wearing a mask of any kind. He is not anyone from the shuttle. You have never seen him before.

"The Sathar brought you, didn't they? You're going to take me back. I won't go back!" He screams "I won't go back!" again and then stumbles to his knees. He is 70 meters away.


He looks at S'krllk almost with a puzzled look for a moment as he gets back to his feet with pistol still raised. "He wouldn't have worked with a Vrusk. Not unless..." His voice trails off. He is still walking towards you slowly and cautiously but not seeming to understand he has weapons trained on him.

"We don't work for LeGrange and we did not come here with the Sathar" Porter calls out to the clearly confused man.  "I am with Star Law, we're here to bring him in."  Turning to his comrades Porter whispers.  "Use non-leathal, we need to question this guy."  Porter continues to slowly approach the man as he wades out of the water to the shoreline, his hands held wide before him, palms upward showing he is unarmed and not a threat.

(OOC)
Using gentle movements and a calm voice Porter is trying to attract as much attention from the clearly disturbed man away from his team mates while they plan their next move.

I think this guy is either an escaped patient or perhaps a former colleague of LeGrange who has defected and/or been abandoned here.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:11, Sat 30 May 2020.

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 90):
After being expelled from the water and landing outside of it, safe.  He sees the man approaching and gives a warning to the others.  "Hey!  He may have a concussion!  If you're going to shoot him, try to tranq him or knock him out."

The man approaches. He is at 60 meters when he replies, seemingly to Porter but possibly to himself, "I have to see your heads," he says. "I have to make sure."

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 93):

"We know about the implants.  We don't have anything in our heads."  Porter replies.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:05, Sun 31 May 2020.

S'Krllk calmly switches his needler to fire anesthetic rounds. "What about your implants, you parsimonious bigoted genital cranium?"
S'Krllk is somewhat more upset than usual.

Bartja remains ready and poised to toss the dose grenade but subconsciously turns slightly to obscure his implants from the man.  He remains quiet, hoping Porter can diffuse the situation and badly wanting to interview this guy in a calmer situation.

Orvo tries to use his Persuasion Skill on the approaching man to try and deescalate the situation.

- Persuasion 10% + Lvl= 30

The man keeps approaching. He is at 50 meters. (Orvo de-escalation successful.)

"I removed my implants," he responds to S'krllk, ignoring the insult. He inclines his head down and you see the wound in his head, which is where the blood was streaming from, though it has dried up now. "They use them for mind control. Even LeGrange has one. The KLC--most of them--have them. The Sathar started them."

He is now at 40 meters.

"If you just let me check your heads to make sure...because I need help."

He stumbles a little over the rock, clearly weakened. He is now at 30 meters, and you see more closely that he is also covered in sweat, dehydrated, and his lips are parched.

"I saw the robot and heard the sounds of battle. I came running. I thought maybe you could help...as long as you are not one of them."  He stumbles again. His pistol falters in his hand.

He is at 20 meters away.

As you listen to his words, you also realize what kind of delays this may cause if you get him in a tangler grenade, interrogate him, and then untangle him.

"I escaped," he says. He points back into the woods to the northeast. "The Sathar have a compound back there. I'm a doctor. I got out, but there are others."

He finally stops, gun lowered. He is 15 meters away. "You don't look like you are with them." He puts a hand to his head as if in pain. "I just don't know. Are you hallucinations? Are you real?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:34, Mon 01 June 2020.

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 98):

"My name is Sergeant Porter Min and I am very real. I am with Star Law, on assignment with my friends here."  Porter explains, closing the last few meters as quickly as possible. "What is your name Doctor?  Let us help you."  Showing the doctor the back of his head without letting him see the knife tucked in the back of his belt.  "See?  Look, no implants."  Porter will try to get as close to the Doctor as possible, keeping him distracted until a team mate can stun him or incapacitate him in some way.

(OOC)
Sorry if I am hogging the action guys, just keen to try and keep things rolling along :)