As Flash paused, in the hallway not far from the door, and bandaged the spider-gash in his left leg to prevent it bleeding or getting infected, he wondered about the Tarantula.
The thing was too big to leave the cavern ... at least via either door that Flash had observed.
How was it feeding?  or Who was feeding it?
How did the local government maintainence staff not know about its presence?

He made a mental not to come back and investigate ... soon.
Right now, he wanted to know where CID had got to: as well as further their official investigation.

And so, after catching his wits and breath, he headed off down the corridor.

At the far end of the corridor, someone had spliced into a major power conduit... to power a teleporter.

However, the teleporter unit was currently non-functional.

It was still powered, it just wouldn't teleport.

Had it been somehow sabotaged? Or was it just that it was paired to another teleporter unit somewhere else, and that one wasn't powered on right now?

Flash felt frustrated. CID usually handled this technological stuff...

(Options:
--Try to access the teleporter log or whatever sort of software applications the unit might have (Insightful)
--Try to actually make the teleporter work (Insightful, but -2 penalty!)
--Something else?)

... a dead end, sort of.
A teleport pad, instead of a physical way forward.

Obviously, someone was keeping that Tarantula as a safeguard against anyone coming this way ... against anyone stumbling onto this teleport pad.

He'd normally have CID handle this technical stuff.  But CID was AWOL; AWOLCID!

It was easy enough for Flash to find the technical control panel, and he opened it up to look at the screen and reading there.
Now, if he could only make sense of readings to figure out where the teleporter's counterpart pad was ...
               - rolled 8 using 2d6+1.  Insight to read logs: using Alien Training.
Thankfully, there was some similarity in the software's layout and practical application to those used on Titan;  and that previous knowledge, along with his Danger Patrol training, might yield something that might help.

Huh. The date and time of the last teleport fit with just after when the Flame Witch jumpsuit guys that CID's head had followed would have been leaving after noticing the head and shooting at it (and missing).

The location... was... somewhere. A set of coordinates... somewhere underground, on the other side of the planet, the side that was currently sun-facing. Flash couldn't be more specific than that without looking up the coordinates when he got back to civilization.

Right now, it was time to work on leaving this tunnel...

(Options:
INSIGHTFUL: try to fix the teleporter (comes with -2 penalty)
INSIGHTFUL: try to think of some other way to leave (comes with -1 penalty)
FORCEFUL: try to lay some smack-down on the spider
AGILE: try to run past the spider again (might be harder this time)
OTHER: ?)

‘So, the portal pairs with one on the other side of the planet?’ Flash mused to himself ... and the Fire Witch’s stronghold was there also.
Coincidence?    Flash didn’t think so.

He considered his options.
Currently, he was trying to find CID; and as Flash’d spent time with CID since this teleported was used, his companion agent could not have come this way.

So maybe it was time to check back to DP HQ.    If they didn’t know where CID had gone, then at least Flash could make a quick report ... in case he too went missing.
Also, he could see if there were any additional agents available, that could help out with this case.
Maybe you'd like to advertise?  it'd be an appropriate time to introduce a new character or two if you get any interest

And that meant going back through the Tarantulla cave.
He could simply try to make the run, but he felt (as a DP agent) that he really ought to do something about that threat ... otherwise other people might get hurt.
Besides, who was Flash to turn down a challenge like this?


So he headed back to the Tarantula Cave.
Drawing his Ray Gun, he opened the door ... but his plan was to wait for the giant spider to come for him, come at him ... but he’d stay outside the door, through which it couldn’t fit, and do as much damage as he could to it from outside the room, before entering.


- rolled 7 using 2d6+1.  Confident: to lure the beast to the doorway, through which it cannot attack Flash, but he can attack it.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:52, Fri 08 Nov 2019.

(I agree, so I think I'll try it)




The tarantula did, in fact, come to the doorway...

The Gorthic, Flesh-eating Tarantula was at the doorway, inside the room, Flash hoped.
Flash took position in the corridor outside, through which the giant spider could not get at him;  Flash levelled his Ray Gun, and took aim ...
           - rolled 14 using 2d6+3.  Ray Gun shot.
... and when the moment was right, he pulled the trigger.

The Gorthic Tarantula is very wounded! It crawls back away from the doorway at human walking speed (it is normally much faster that that). It won't fall for that trick again...

...But it's still out there, and alive... Now what?

‘Ok’, thought Flash aloud to himself, ‘Initial damage done, and first impressions made.
Time to follow through”

Holding his raygun in front of him, Flash cautiously went through the door, looking* for the giant Tarantula.
      * looking UP as well as around.   Those buggers could climb, and were natural ambush hunters.

Flash wasn’t intending to give, or expect, any quarter.  As soon as he could finish this matter, he would, opening fire on the creature as soon as he had a good shot at it.
A wounded, trapped predator was no critter to be playing games with.


It should probably be noted that Flash’s heart was beating like a Thrash Metal Drummer in his chest right now!
The thrill and adrenaline was ...  AWESOME

The tarantula is slowly backing back toward the left-hand section of the chasm you're both at the bottom of. When it sees Flash again, it stops, like it's considering what to do... But just for an instant. Then, it charges Flash! It's about as fast as a Venusuan swamp-centipede can gallop, so Flash has about 6 seconds to react before it reaches him...

As Flash locked eyes with the hairy mother-eater, he could see his death.
Each of its dozen or so beady, glassy, black eyes showed him a different manner in which the giant spider might rend or mutilate him ...

And so he did the only thing he could, he fired his raygun straight into its face!
 - rolled 9 using 2d6+3 ((3,3)).

The spider is blinded, but infuriated-- or is it just panicked? Either way, it flails out desperately with its clawed front legs...

(10:16, Today: The GM rolled 3 using 1d3 ((3)).

Flash-Bang takes 3 new damage.)

Still, at least its mandibles haven't found Flash-Bang yet...

Flash Bang staggered backwards with the blow; cursing another rip and bloody stain to his awesome uniform

But the spider was temporarily blinded, and Flash decided to take advantage of that.
Swiftly, and with practiced grace, he tossed a Flash Bang grenade so that it skittered in under the giant arachnid’s head ...
     Using Agility here, as the grenade will do some kind of Special Effects, rather than damage (GM to narrate)
      - rolled 9 using 2d6+2.  Toss grenade.

And in those vital seconds before the grenade exploded, Flash activated his jetpack ... flying backwards away from the scene, as he shit his eyes in preparation for the flash and the bang.

The grenade goes off with a very loud BANG! (good thing this area is tectonically stable! But it is) and a very bright flash of light (not too bad for Flash because not only were his eyes closed but it went off under the spider).

Of course, the spider was already blinded, and after sight, spiders/tarantulas operate more on sensing vibrations and smell than literal hearing... But a tarantula's sense of vibration is very related to their ability to hear, and the thing certainly looks shaken up... it's sort of jittering and stumbling around like it's drunk and had too much coffee at the same time...
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:19, Tue 12 Nov 2019.

Flash figured that he had the giant spider ‘on the ropes’.
It was blind.  It was shaken (if not stirred) ... and didn’t know where the hell Flash was.

Zooming around in a wide, swift arc, Flash dropped onto the back of the Tarantula’s neck, so that he could lock on to its neck with his legs, and began hammering into the back of its head with both fists, intent on knocking the bloody creature out cold.
- rolled 11 using 2d6+3.  Forceful.
- On a 10+, you deal your damage to the enemy and avoid their attack. At your option, you may choose to do an extra 1d6 damage but risk exposing yourself to enemy attack.
... I take the option to do extra damage

There is a cracking noise...

The spider is quite dead, its chitinous exoskeleton broken.

Well, at least Flash-Bang is free to leave safely now...

... and so he did.

He made the proverbial 'bee line' for Danger Patrol HQ.   It was time to make a report of all he had found, check to see if CID had returned, and maybe find some other Danger Patrol Officers to help out with this case.

It looked as though this case was leading them across to the other side of the planet, sooner rather than later ... and so some kind of flyboy would be awesome.
Also, a detective type (someone with some actual investigative skills) would be helpful.  While Flash wasn't an idiot (entirely), he was by definition, an athlete ...


He also needed to find some medical attention to patch him up a little.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:46, Thu 14 Nov 2019.

Back at the Danger Patrol Headquarters, Flash discovered that CID still hadn't reported back.

He quickly made a report, sharing what he had discovered so far, and attached a requisition for new backup (asking for several fellow members to be assigned, as the threat rating was rising quickly, and time was running out).


Then, he sought out some medical attention and hit the sack for a few hours sleep.
Hoping that this counts as a 'rest' period, that I might rejuvenate some of Flash's health and used Bonus', please?
Of course, this gives time for 'backup PCs' to arrive, also ... to join in the next exciting episode of ...

                D A N G E R    P A T R O L  ! !
This message was lightly edited by the player at 00:32, Wed 20 Nov 2019.

(Since we lost a player and are inserting 3 more, I think that these are special circumstances.

--You may heal, at this time, for free, half the damage you've taken.

--If you check off one of the plus marks next to Alien Physiology, you may heal it all now.

Also:

--I will let you refresh ONE used "plus" marker (not an Alien Physiology one) at this time. OR: you may choose NOT to do that now, and then next time we refresh them, I will let you refresh TWO EXTRA.)


Mere hours later, Flash-Bang has company...

(Okay, folks, it's time to introduce yourselves to Flash-Bang as new agents assigned to the case. It's up to you whether you all show up at once, or if you come in 1 or 2 at a time instead.

I guess he's resting either
--in a spare guest room at Mercury's Danger Patrol headquarters, or
--in the Medical/Infirmary section of Mercury's Danger Patrol headquarters...)

Buzz strolled into the guest room, leaving the door wide open.  She dragged a chair from the wall to the side of the bed and sat in it, staring at the slumbering form in the bed.  After a few moments of patient silence, Buzz slapped the figure.  "Hey, greenie.  You Flash?  Colonel said you need a pilot for something.  Where we headed?"

OOC: It would be totally in character for Buzz if this was not actually Flash she was waking up.  Just giving you options.

Doctor Cagliostro had already started setting herself up in the infirmary, requisitioning its' supplies and diagnostic equipment into a little makeshift laboratory of her own. She left its actual functionality as a medical facility fully intact of course, one of her many doctorates was in medicine.

Before long the area was making all sorts of odd noises, bubbling and shrieking from strange concoctions of science and magic alike, along with the scent of chemicals, incense and brimstone.

"Hmm, a primitive space, but with sufficient if minimal equipment and good energy. It will do, for the length of operations here."

Strolling through the corridors whistling tunelessly, about the best he could manage and still look like he meant to do it, Denton followed the rather exuberant pilot. It was both shocking and entertaining to watch.

"Geesh, you stick jockeys sure get cocky around here." Denton lit up another of his faux cigars, with a self assured smile. "But, at least you're easy on the optical female evaluators."

Checking out the green shinned form in the bed Denton winces, blows a smoke ring like he is the only person in the universe qualified to do so, and leans in a little closer, "Say, where's this guy from? Jupiter, Neptune? He's built like a free-fall football player. None the worse for wear and tear I hope."

"There was a cute doc back in the medical bay." Denton said, not really paying attention if anyone heard him. "Maybe I should go check her out, er, check her availability for our friend here. With the kind of action he probably saw, I might be needed her personal attention myself. Soon, I hope."

"You touch me with anything more than your eyes, and I'll make sure there isn't enough left of you for the doc to put back together."  Goggles resting on her foreheard, she looks up from her chair at the hulking form by the door, ringed in smoke.  "You look like a capable fighter.  I'm sure you've survived more than your share of scrapes."  She quirks a smile.  "That won't stop me.  I'm too old to care.  So just do you job, and let me do mine."

Her gaze drifted back to the sleeping figure on the bed.  "He's from Titan, I think.  The green skin and antenna.  Can't get a good look at the extra arms under the covers, though."

She speaks a little louder.  "Greenie!  Naptime's over!"

Flash had been dreaming of dancing with the number three as the marshmallow hippoplatapusses cavoudelled the stars about the ...
When someone slapped him right in the bruise!

Rudely awoken, Flash didn’t know who he was for a moment, or where he was ... and came up swinging.
Which resulted in his fist connecting with the wall, and Flash tripping and falling unceremoniously off the bed with a sheet wrapped solidly around his legs.

As reality and knowledge returned to him, along with the new bruise on his knuckles, he froze to take in his surroundings ... his fists still up, his eyes wide, and his breathing chaotic.

Eventually, he managed to focus on the chick sitting beside his bed: the one with the amused and self-satisfied Cheshire Grin on her face.
“Wh...ho”, Flash managed to stutter out, “Who are you?”

He still felt like shit, and a glance at the clock told him it’d only been a few hours he’d slept.
Not going the full heal; and taking the ‘no plus replenish’ ... cos Flash is a Thrill Seeker, after all, so let’s up the ante a little

"Buzz.  Pilot.  Where to?"