After Orvo's failure, Bartja takes a crack at opening the sophisticated electronic locker left by Terry before his death. (Success.) Bartja successfully manages to open the lock with his toolkit. What you find inside raises your eyebrows. It is nothing short of a weapon cache.

You find the following:
3 XT-41 experimental rifles (used against the Blackness) with 10 shots each

3 XT-4P experimental pistols (same) with 10 shots each

12 XP-12 Portable Singularities (the Blackness grenades)

1 XT-SW (a sheathed weapon like a katana, but when turned on, its blade disappears or turns black depending on the setting)

1 XT-50 (a larger, heavier experimental rifle with bipod) (with 20 shots)

6 X-11 Shield Generation Flux vests. (These are like kevlar vests to protect against the Blackness)


As you will not need the Blackness weapons right now, I will move us along to the next morning, and you can divvy it up later.

Appleburg is still trying to remember details to sketch out a map of the compound.

The next morning dawns. Everyone is set and ready to go.

Desi, Gregor, Orvo, and Vadim set out to explore the shiny glint in the river that was seen on the trip down to stop Terry two days ago. Bartja, S'krllk and M'Kix stay at the ship to work on their projects. But everyone has radio and visual contact and can participate remotely if not with physical interaction.

After some searching, you find the spot where the glint was at. Looking down into the river for closer examination, you see that it is some kind of ship--not large but also not a UPF ship. The only visible sign of it above water is a large metal cable that appears to tether the airlock of the ship to a tree along the bank.

You notice as you get near that your equipment, particularly compasses and some electronics, start to go haywire--not an EMP but some sort of interference.

The river is 500 meters across and drops quickly to a depth of 20 meters. The current is 5 km/hour. The ship itself is 20 meters long and rests on the bottom in the middle of the channel.

Your first challenge will be to figure out how to reach the ship. You realize two things right away: it is too far and the current is too fast to easily swim to, and your breathers are not meant for underwater use. Your equipment also will not remain dry without proper precautions.

9:00 a.m.

20 DAYS UNTIL QANTARIATE INVASION

DAY 6 ON MAHG MAR

While working on Shemp, Bartja checks in with the scout group and reviews their feed remotely.

"Assuming you can reach the airlock, opening it underwater might prove more difficult than imaginable.  Twenty meters of water pressure is almost thirty psi of pressure on that airlock.  That's almost thirty thousand pounds of force on it, or thirteen point six thousand kilos.

We're going to have to find a way to pump the water away from the hatch before opening to relieve the pressure.  Either that, or bring that ship up.

What's the tether functioning as?  Is the ship floating down there and just held by the cable?
 Could you tow it to shore with the Explorer?"

You hear Bartja's ominous predictions about getting in and look closer in the water. The cable leads along the bed of the river to the spaceship, and narrow seams indicate a hatch on the starboard hull near the bow. A large number of shallow depressions surround the outline of the door inside and outside the seams. Slight glows by the depressions and along various ridges indicate that the ship still has power. You just need to figure out how to open the hatch. Then it will presumably lead to an airlock.

As he sorts through spare parts, attempting to find a needed power coupling, S'Krllk radios his thoughts. "Just thought I'd mention that, assuming what you see indicates the ship is still powered up, we've no indication the current location isn't by choice. If that's the case, it's conceivable that there could be occupants."

Orvo says, "That's a good idea. But on the other hand, it's been sitting down here for awhile so they aren't in much of a hurry."  He will see if he can tell how long it has been sitting on the bottom of the river or if anyone has environmental skills that can help show that.

He will also look for carabiners to attach the cable to descend, though he recommends a tech savvy individual go down there and try to open the hatch.

Gregor stood by surveying the scene and listening to the techs. He tries to ascertain the amount of time the ship has been down there and what race of space farers might have designed the ship.

Vadim initially seems taken aback by the discovery and he spends a few moments puzzling over the situation.

"Huh.  Guess I've should have seen the fact we'd need someway of getting to the bottom of a river coming.  And I left my rebreather in my other coveralls."  he adds wryly.

The young man rubs his head in thought as he begins to get excited at the prospect of exploring an alien ship, "Is there any scuba gear and dive bags on the Moraes?  Probably will want a raft too, but considern' the depth and location I don't think we should make a go for it without some sort of oxygen supply."

He moves to get a better look at the ship and examine the cable tethered to the tree.

"Maybe sealed enviro-suits would work," he half murmurs as he puzzles out the initial obstacle, "Or I guess spacesuits from the ship's locker in a pinch if nothing else.  Could even load an empty one up with equipment as a makeshift dive bag."

OOC
I didn't see anything like scuba gear in the various equipment lists or the like in my scan through, so not sure if there is anything like that in stores.  Though considering the Moraes was on an exploration mission, I'm figuring there might be something in her lockers for underwater (or harsh) environments available.

If not, she almost certainly has spacesuits though they might be a bit clumsy in the river.  The tether could help mitigate some of that if we clip the divers in suits to the line.

Gregor's inspection leads him to believe the craft is of Sathar origin.

You do not have scuba or similar gear, but the spacesuits could be used if you can fix a buoyancy issue by getting them to sink in the water and handle the rushing water without being pushed downstream.

You do have carabiners and basic climbing gear.

The ship has been there long enough to get a layer of moss and slime but probably not more than a few months.

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 8):
We could strap some type of weights to the suit to make it sink?  But, they would have to be made so they could be cut by the person in the suit if needed

In reply to Desiraye Lipost (msg # 9):

"Does the Moraes have a small gym onboard for the crew?  The weights don't have to be federanium but really a few weight lifting weights would probably be the quickest to adapt as ballast.  Though there probably is some spare materials in engineering's machine shop that could be quickly modified as well."

Vadim glances at the alien ship in the river and then back at Desiraye, "In any case we have to go back to the ship since we can't move forward here without the suits.  Might want to call ahead and tell the others what we need."  After a moment's thought, "Probably want two extra suits modified as well so we can just use those as dive bags for our equipment."

"Im not a tech so I dont know what to think about getting into the ship. If its a Sathar ship we need to collect as much information about it as we can. It might be important later.  The real question is why is it here? Are they trying to hide it? Did it crash? What are the chances of them watching the ship or laying it as a trap?"

OOC: I don't recall on an actual gym on board.  If yes, good point!

IC: "Home base, this is Desi.  Can you get us ready the some enviro suits or space suits?  We've got to get down into the water to get to the ship and don't have anything with us to do that.  Also, some type of weights for ballast.  Can someone handle that there?  Over."

"Good thinking Vadim!

Anyone got any other thoughts?  Cutter to get into the airlock?"
====================================================================================
"That's the question of the hour Gregor.  It's a good hiding spot giving good cover and not so easy access without the right equipment."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:32, Tue 27 Apr 2021.

Sorry, no gym. This is econo-class.

Bartja considers the options for a few minutes before replying:

"Away Team, this is Bartja:

We'll get some spacesuits ready for you guys but no manufactured weights around here.  We'll  rig up a ballast bag from the spare bivouac unit and you can weigh it down with rocks for ballast.  That way, if you need more ballast as you descend, just pick up more rocks from the bottom.

Send Red Rover on over and we'll get you loaded up with suits, climbing gear, and some materials for the job."

Bartja leaves his current repair project and moves through the ship collecting equipment and supplies for the away team.

You receive the materials from Bartja. You must decide who will go down first to try to open the hatch. For each descent, a DEX check will be made. Plus, any additional rolls applicable to trying to open the alien hatch.

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 15):

Vadim shrugs, "I have some tech training so I might be able to override the airlock."

OOC
Tech 1 but Vadim's Dex is decent (70) to make those rolls.

Desi looks to Vadim, "Looks like it's me and you first.  Anyone else got anything to help us get inside?"

OOC: Desi has Tech: 2

"I can help. My tech skills are somewhat limited but I do have some natural talent." Gregor steps up to assist.

OOC - Tech 1, 61 Dex.

Orvo says, "Not me. I'm a medic with some shooting skills and that's about it, besides my lie detection and gelatinous body proportions." He snickers but will gladly hold the line to assist whoever goes first.

Vadim looks at the sky and then the others, "Welp daylight's burning and we aren't going to figure out anything more by standing around jawing.  If you have more tech training than my basics do you mind checking the door first Desiraye?  All things considerd, if she's Sathar they might be some sort of booby trap on that lock that would be easier for a more experienced hand to deal with."

With that the Truaneor suits up and helps the others as well before loading up an empty suit cum dive bag with some equipment.  Task complete he latches on the makeshift ballast weights and then the guide-on wire before heading into the river.

OOC
Not sure if a laser pistol (or albedo screen) work underwater so those with tools are loaded into the 'dive bag'.  Looking at Vadim's character sheet, pretty much everything else I think can be worn under the spacesuit or kept in a coverall cargo pocket (excepting rope and water pack which can be left behind).

Will leave it to Desiraye to take the lead on the door security (and the roll), but will assist as needed.


14:11, Today: Vadim tul Mhora rolled 29 using 1d100.  Dex check.

"That makes three for the dive.  We may just need all three of us.  Orvo will handle the operation from up here.  Let's suit up and get ready!

I think a gyrojet weapon should be fine if we have one available for water use.  Once we're inside the ship, we should be fine with anything.  Let's just try not to blow any holes in it!""