The Pod Dilemma

 Present:

• MARMALADING Anastasia "Stasi" Tepes. Zhodani Soldier from Querion – Shane
• Pi Crust. Solomani Pilot from 728-907 – Darryl
• "Riley" Patrick O'Reilly. Sword-Worlder Pilot from Winston - Richard
• Anton Tositova. Solomani Gunner from Entrope - Ian
• Sang "Spanner" Hoang. Sword-Worlder Mechanic from Winston – Jeff
• Hoff Ende. Sword-Worlder Scientist from Winston - Kevin
• MARMALADING Belle Ende. Sword-Worlder Medic from Winston - Steven
• Itzy Ende. Sword-Worlder Soldier from Winston - Chris
• MARMALADING Gnostic Hands. Solomani Scientist from Entrope – Jamie
• NPC: Scurry. Drone Gunner from Winston

by Richard

It was clear in our own minds that escape via the pods through the portal was the only meaningful plan we had (actually the only plan at all). But the pods in the central spire had Slithers all around and a giant spider standing over the structure.

Not only that, but if we managed to get safely into the central spire, we had to launch the pods down the ramp and that would require the construction of a timing mechanism to pull the release lever or someone staying behind to do it. The latter had limited appeal to anyone and the construction of a device to pull the lever would take Sang 8 hours – time we did not have.

That minor inconvenience aside we decided to lure the Slishers out of the central spire by a cunningly laid plan involving explosions and gun fire near the H building. The assumption would be they would believe the H building was under attack and all swarm that way, leaving the central spire unoccupied.

Before we executed this skillfully developed plan, Anton went on a reconnoitre to determine where best to lay the explosives (10 or so grenades) and check out whether the central spire room had a back entrance.

Pod in central spire side room

Anton, an obese man dressed in X Boat yellow livery, delicately and stealthily made his way to the back of the central spire building and noted a back entrance. Listening at the mushroom like material door and hearing nothing he opened it and entered a small chamber that looked as though he had entered a tent with more mushroom like material serving as a false ceiling and walls. There was a door on the opposite side and half of a black pod melded into the floor.

Anton snuck across the room and quietly opened the opposite door. This is the main room and not dissimilar to the one in the H building with a mezzanine, a large circular portal and a ramp device with a number of pods on it. There were around 10 Slishers in the room.

Deciding discretion is the better part of valour, Anton leaves the central spire and heads toward the H building where the Slithers are loitering aimlessly – lots of them. He works out where best to lay the explosives and heads back to the group.

By the time he returns a retconned additional soldier of Ben's group has awoken and introduces himself as Pi Crust, a Solomani Pilot [Darryl's new character]. He is a good-looking young lad who insists on calling Riley sir, much to Riley's angst.

Other than the new Pi, Anton also observes that Itzy is acting a little strangely, cocking his head to one side as though he's listening intensely. [Like Anton, Itzy had failed a psyche roll a few days ago]

"Can you hear that?" asks Itzy " a pitched ringing"

None of the rest of us could. 

"Now it's changed to a warbling and actually there is a chirping in the distance"

From our building we observe the large spider above the central spire but some distance away from the direction we originally came, another larger spider, like a giant squid perched on 12 legs, is approaching. It is horrific to observe. [Anton loses a psyche point.]

We quickly develop a theory that the spider's noise (only heard by Itzy) is in fact a mating call.

We also observe that the squid-like creature's leathery tail resembles the tail that shot pods from out of the fissure in the Winston system near the Formaline moon.

Anton heads off to reconnoitre again and to see if the Slishers have changed their routine given this new development. The central spire room remains exactly as it was and the H building continues to have numerous Slishers seemingly moving in an unorganized rabble.

We have decided that if the Spiders mate, then that may be our opportunity to execute our well hatched plan of creating a distraction and entering the room.

"How are you going to launch the pods?" asks Ben naively.

Silence is his answer.

"Let's put a camera in there and observe" suggests Spanner. "Emerse had several we can use"

We agree more observation would be worthwhile and Anton once again sneaks off to place the cameras in the central spire room. Once again, he does so without an issue but we all know that one day his luck will run out. [Anton has a 2-dice sneak roll and a good skill and so hasn't failed yet.]

Anton returns and we wait. Itzy informs us of the changes in the spider's pitch and we can now observe their horrid embrace.

They will make eggs which they will lay in the pods and then shoot them into various galaxy's, we theorize.

"A spiders' eggs can take 2-7 days to form after mating", Hoff informs us. We look at him quizzically and he shrugs "just a random piece of knowledge I've used in pub quizzes" he explains.

We collect the cameras in a day's time and play the footage from their memory stick. The pods are on trolleys that will accelerate down the ramp when the lever is released. Each pod is on a separate trolley with metal wheels that fit into a 2m gauge track on the ramp. At the bottom, the trolley leaves the track and would crash into the portal where it would presumably bounce off but allow the pod to launch through.

Sang estimates that the lever will take minimal [5] strength to release but a large amount [20 strength] to reset the lever and stop more than one trolly hurtling through the portal at a time. 

There is no activity in the "tent" room.

By now the spiders have stopped their frenzied embrace and the squid like one has withdrawn somewhat but still remains within the city.

Spanner has been toying around to make an ultra-sound detector and receiver.

"What about using Emerse's Tamagotchi to learn the language and play back phrases" says

Hoff. "That way we may be able to influence what the Slishers do".

"Emerse is more useful dead than he was alive" chuckles Riley.

We all enthusiastically embrace this new idea largely because none of us have any better ones. The Tamagotchi is a fast learner and within a day Sang has an ultra-sound detector plugged into the Tamagotchi and its able to work out bits of their language, and inform us what is being said. Largely commands to the Slishers.

"Right let's see if we can control the Slishers" says Spanner.

"You do it Anton" says Riley "you can sneak."

Spanner programs the Tamagotchi some basic commands and Anton heads off to find two slishers, which he does near the H building.

He plays the commands and the slishers both stop, turn around and look straight at him before accelerating toward him at surprising speed.

Anton had given enough distance between him and them, so was able to scamper behind some buildings, and successfully hide. And once the Slishers have passed makes his way back to the Group.

"That didn’t work" he sighs as he scratches his groin which has become increasing irritable recently. [Since he failed his Psych roll.]

So, we are back to where we started. No realistic plan and even if we could distract the Slishers and Spiders, how were we to get into the pods and release them?

Will we have more success next week?