1. It’s Only Armageddon

[Pursuit]

JUST ANOTHER DAY IN TEMPTATION

Our story begins in the city of Temptation (no, stranger, that is not a nickname), where humans first mined ghost rock on Banshee. In present day, Temptation is home to almost 30,000 souls, making it the largest human settlement on Banshee by plenty.

Now, you happened to be in Temptation yesterday when a strange broadcast overtook the airwaves: "Okay, it's working now? Okay, got it. Listen up, Temptation: this is Major Lee Bansen of the Colonial Rangers. The Banshee Orbital Defense Force has detected an asteroid that looks like it's going to make planetfall, and soon. They tell us they are trying to figure out where this thing came from and how big a hit we're looking at, but we're encouraging everyone to get off planet if you can. We'll be coordinating the evacuation from the spaceport, so make your way over there. I know you're likely to be spooked, but we've got this in hand. We've been practicing for something like this since the World Storm, except this time we've got advance notice. Be calm. Make your way to the port. And we'll get you out until we get a better idea on this. Oh, and pack light: nothing bigger than a backpack or a purse. We'll be running shuttles regular, so you're not going to miss your ride. If you got questions, we'll have volunteers manning the emergency lines. Be safe and be seeing you soon. Okay, now where's the off button? Oh, it's a switch? Is it thi..."

People panicked, as they are wont to do, but the Rangers and volunteers mostly did okay at keeping bedlam and tramplings to a minimum.

You didn't go right away to the spaceport right away for your own reasons (whatever they may be). Today, though, you decide to go. Maybe you want to leave the planet, like Major Bensen said. Or maybe you want to volunteer to help. Or maybe you just want to watch the chaos unfold as the gullible masses of the city struggle to get off world.

While you are on your way towards the port, several good sized explosions rock the city. Smoke billows into the air and you can feel the ground shake hard beneath your feet. And as soon as the sound of explosives fades, the sound of gunfire replace it. A lot of gunfire.

You head towards the sound (because the story would get pretty boring if you did not!), and you find an ongoing gunfight. 4 soldiers wearing the regalia of the BODF (Banshee Orbital Defense Force) are pinned down and outgunned by 4 times their number of un-uninformed gunfighters. Bodies litter the ground on both sides (and you can't help but notice some of those bodies belong to civilians), grim testimonies of the brutality of the fight.

And as the soldiers and their attackers battle, the husks of several spaceships smoke and burn in the background.


HOW QUICK ARE YOU?

Welcome to the thick of things! We are going to run this as a dangerous quick encounter. Describe what your character does upon discovering this scene and then roll whatever skill you think most appropriate (shooting to intervene, stealth to hide so as to not become a target yourself, taunt to distract someone and allow the other side to gain some advantage, etc.). See Savage Worlds page 134 for more details on quick encounters.

[Roxy]

Roxy is dejected thinking of having to leave the bike she brought to come to Temptation. "So much money! Bah, at least I was travelling light enough already I don't have to leave anything else." She wasn't talking to anyone else, but she was near enough for Marti'i to hear her grousing respond if she was inclined, same for any of the others. They'd all decided to go on the same day, which was odd enough, but then all of them had the same response - run towards the danger.

Seeing the fight, Roxy made an attempt to make sense of the action. Why where there ships on the ground in flames, why were soldiers fighting cilivians, why were civilians hurt? She made her way to cover and began surveying the situation. As she noticed things, she called to her fellow idiots who ran into the danger, informing them of what she sees.

1d6!: [6!, 2] = 8 , 1d6!: [3] = 3

[Nathan Cavendish]

Nate observes the sight in front of him. This is plumb stupid. It’s like fighting on a sinking ship. Not sure the best way to handle this. Well no better time to start shooting and hope for the best.. Nate jumps behind some cover. Aims his Gyrojet Pistol and

Shooting: d8+1: [2]+1 = 3 , Wild: d6!+1: [2]+1 = 3
Bennie: d8+1: [5]+1 = 6 , Wild: d6!+1: [4]+1 = 5
Damage: 3d6!: [5, 1, 5] = 11

an explosive round in the largest pack of the men firing on the BODF. ”Let’s se how these guys like the odds evenin up.”

[Ames Jean-louis]

Ames abruptly pushed the stool back from the bar and stuffed a bill into the the whiskey glass that had long gone dry.

"Fine. We'll go."

The bartender, the only other soul in the saloon, sighed in relief and began to pack up so he could finally make his way to the spaceport, too. Everyone else with any sense, having left days ago.

You know you're lucky that old sod thought you were talking to him. You really need to keep our conversations quiet.

Ames replied to the voice in his head in a more subdued whisper this time, "That's enough out of you Del. You damn well know why I don't want to go to the spaceport. I hate Zero-G. My stomach wants to spew that rotgut back up just thinking about it."

First, don't call me Del. You know I hate that. I am Unk Deltuve, Scourge of the Belt and soon to be Reaper of Banshee. Second, the time we spent together aimlessly drifting in the void was wonderful. Ha! did you see what I just did, Ames? Aimlessly. I believe I made what one of you mortals call a pun!

Ames rolled his eyes as he trudged towards the spaceport as the sound of gunfire erupted ahead of him. Plans of a sharp retort lost as he sees the devastation the battle has already caused.

Ooooh, this is going to be fun!

Ames grimaced. He knew the best way to end this quickly was to let the gravity wraith out a bit. Raising his cybernetic hand he willed the spirit to lend him some of its power. Instantly every nerve from the base of his skull, down his spine, and through his hand burned with eldrtich electricity as

Psionics (Gravity Manipulation) 1d6!!: [1] = 1 1d6!!: [3] = 3 Benny 1d6!!: [1] = 1 1d6!!: [5] = 5 3d6: [4, 2, 1] = 7 PP spent in encounter Success: Bumps and Bruises

increased the weight of the guns in the hands of the unmarked gunfighters, pulling their arms and weapons down so they fired into the dirt.

[Marti'i]

Marti'i did not look too pleased with the idea of going off planet. In fact, she looked rather like she might be considering her options of staying and fighting the asteroid from land instead. Then the gunfire started and her attention was diverted. She runs that way and when she gets close enough to see the bodies on the ground she hesitates just long enough to identify one that looks like they are still alive and darts forward. She pulls a medkit out of her bag and sets it down rather like a sign screaming MEDIC then focuses on the patient in front of her and begins healing.

Healing 1 Wound, +1 Fatigue (4sux)

Faith: 1d6!!: [3] = 3 +1 Benny Wild: 1d6!!: [3] = 3 +2 for Elan

+1 Benny here instead:Faith: 1d6!!: [1] = 1 +2 for Elan
Wild: 1d6!!: [2] = 2 +2 for Elan

[Blackcat]

Success, 1 level of Fatigue

Transmute 1d12!!: [4] = 4
Wild Trans 1d6!!: [3] = 3
PP Spent 3d6: [4, 1, 5] = 10

Jonas had spent the last few days, ever since the announcement, pulling odd jobs to afford enough booze to get nice and pickled, and stay that way for as long as the trip was going to last. He figured it'd be necessary if he was going to get on the ship off-world without too much hassle. Dead drunk passengers wouldn't be surprising, in the circumstances; dead ones, on the other hand, might have a difficulty arguing their case that they should get a berth on a vessel meant for the living.

He'd just finished today's gallon of rotgut and was heading towards the launch site when the explosions started. Figures. And if I ain't mistaken, that gunfire... yup, right in my way. He sighed, pulled his scarf around his face, and lowered the wide brim on his hat. He still hoped he could bypass whatever fracas was going on and get to the ship, but those hopes were dashed when he came upon the scene of carnage.

He didn't really want to get involved, but the corpses spread over the area made it clear the mob shooting at the lawmen weren't too picky about their targets. Wulp, let's do this....

First things first. He flexes his hands, and emits a swarm of nanobots. Suddenly, the bad guys become the Gang That Can't Shoot Straight. Guns jam, they can't seem to hit the broad side of a barn, and one poor soul loses his hand to a misfire that also vaporizes much of his gun. Once that's taken care of, he gets serious.

Electricity arcs from his hands. Not at the shooters, but at their cover. Everything Breaks--that's the rule they all learned. And when the barrel or the wagon you've been using to intercept bullets on your behalf suddenly is split in twain by a sudden lightning bolt, well, you find your life getting both more interesting AND much shorter. The first time, both the hapless man exposed by the tactic and the BODF troopers were a bit caught off-guard, but the soldier-boys figured things out pretty quick, and after that, just started aiming at the space behind the lightning-strikes, sometimes before the dust even settled.

He does get a bit taxed hurling all that power around, but escapes relatively unharmed besides that. It's only after the fight's over that he sees that one of the smoking hulks in the distance has the same name as is printed on the ticket in his trenchcoat pocket. Yeah. That tracks, he thinks, tiredly, before looking around at the others who got involved in the mess. Mebbe the BODF boys can pay me back by getting me off-world before the rocks fall and everyone dies....

Status

PP 10/20
Wounds: 0
Fatigue: -1
Bennies: 2/2

[Mick Maguire]

Stealth 5

Stealth 1d4!!: [2] = 2
Wild 1d6!!: [5] = 5

Since The Annoucement, Mick found his usual workload increasing tenfold as he wracked up a hefty amount of flying hours in a short amount of time. After a while he gave up trying to keep track of the number of shuttle runs he'd done, preparing instead to focus on his flying. By the time he finally got to lay down his wary head upon his pillow, he was well and truly worn out. Pushing fifty, he was lacking the energy reserves he had possessed in his youth.

Sleep was going to be a luxury that remained just out of his grasp.

The explosions that rocked the city rudely woke him and left him in a half dazed state to try and figure what was happening as his brain got up to speed, the sound of gunfire helped greatly to sharpen his focus. Dressing quickly and then grabbing his pistol and walking stick, Mick hurried out of the billets as fast as his bad leg would allow. He took stock of what was happening and deduced that some sort of battle was happening, a fact made obvious by the wrecked starships and the continuing gunfire that sounded like it was getting closer.

Until he found out who was fighting who, he stuck to cover least he got shot at.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Status Tracking: 1 Level of Fatigue (Bumps & Bruises)

[Pursuit]

Wires spark, smoke billows, and gunfighters die.

The party of disparate souls come together at just the right time and in just the right ways to save the day for the BODF. Gives you a nice, warm, hopeful feeling in your heart, don’t it?

Nathan and Jonas get hardy claps on the back from survivors and spectators for their very obvious interventions.

Ames… the people mostly don’t get too close to Ames, for whatever reason. He gets his cheers from a distances.

Roxy gets a few nods, as people recognize her from her rather vocal participation.

Mart’i, though. People don’t seem to know what exactly to do with Mart’i. The soldier she saved is certainly grateful, if a little awkward. ”Um. Thank you. Thank you so much, ma’am. If I can call you ma’am? I’m, ah, not sure how that works for you…” the boy (for that’s what the soldier is; he can’t be more than 17 or 18 years old) trails off.

And Mick? Well, Mick goes largely unnoticed, as planned.

Fifteen or twenty minutes pass, and more soldiers of the BODF arrive (though, you note, not all that many). You are pulled aside politely but firmly - “Just some questions for you, nothing to be concerned about,” the soldiers say.

After milling a bit more, you are brought inside, where a very angry, very large, and very bandaged man sits in a chair that is at least a half size too small for him (anyone interested can make a healing check).

Healing Check Success

Those bandages are fresh and his speech pattern suggests pain meds. This guy was hurt very recently, likely in the attack that just finished.

The man speaks to you in a slightly slurred voice, saying: ”I am told that I owe you a debt of gratitude for pulling some of my people out of a tight spot. Thank you for that. My name is Lee Bansen, and I have got a bit of a proposition for you.

“See, this attack puts us in a hellofa spot. Looks like the Reapers, but this don’t make any damned sense. We was leavin!”

Anyone who wants may make a Common Knowledge roll and, with a success, will remember

The Reapers are a group of human, pro-anouk activists who are prone to violence and who allied themselves with one of the largest anouk clans in the last war. Their activities died down after the WorldStorm, but they still show up from time to time.

He shakes his head, grimaces like he tweaked something, and continues, ”Anyway. You should know our science people are telling us this new asteroid should be impossible. They claim they tracked the whole damned sky and had every potential collision plotted out for decades. Decades! Do you believe that? The things they can do.

“But this one ain’t playing by their rules, and we got to do something about it. Apparently, our intel says we might be able to knock this thing off course, but it will take a nuke to do it. Don’t look at me like that. I’m being serious, and we’ve got a couple of nukes lying around. We can do it, but it’s got to be a precise placement. Can’t just shoot the thing.

“Which means a manned mission. Which is what one of our ships was supposed to be doing, before someone blew it to the third Hell and back. And that is where you all come in.

“They hit damned near every fueled and manned ship at the port. I don’t even know how they knew which ones were ready, but they did. I got one, exactly one ship left I can requisition for this. Everybody else is itching to get off planet, and I don’t have time or men to fight with em over it. I need to get someone in the sky now.

He levels a long look at you all.

"Any o you want to make some money savin' the world?"

[Blackcat]

Jonas may get some claps on the back, but most of the celebrants tend to move on from him quick enough--it's one thing to be grateful, it's another entirely to stand next to someone who smells like a distillery--and not even one of the good ones, at that. He keeps his scarf pulled up, but even then, the sight of the scars on the bit of face visible under the wide-brimmed hat he wears are enough to dissuade the rest.

He asks a few of them if they happen to know of any ships with an empty berth, considering his is on one of those ships now burning, but most folks just shake their heads--a few possibly trying to discretely hide their own tickets off-world. Yeah, if you were the sort who was gonna give me a ticket, you prolly would've been in the fight in the first place.

Then the Bodifs (as he's always called them) show up, and keep him and the other Good Samaritans from heading out. He frowns at this--he really wants to get about his business of getting off the big rock before the little one arrives--but they seem insistent, and he suspects making an issue of it will just make it that much harder to get that new berth.

Common Knowledge 1d4!!: [1] = 1 Wild CK 1d6!!: [5] = 5

, he just snorts, muttering under his breath. "Crazy people actin' crazy, go figure...."

Then Bansen makes his pitch, and Jonas' mind goes into overdrive, running the angles.

One: My ship is blown ta bits.
Two: Any empty berths on other ships have already been snagged by other passengers from mine and the others that were blown up, and there's prolly a line of folks who didn't get in, yet.
Three: Planetside ain't gonna be a great spot once the little rock gets here.
Conclusion: Not much choice at all, really. Still, there's a matter of principle, here, 'specially since the Bodifs are the ones who ensured I can't get another flight outta here....

He pulls himself up straight, and tips his hat back enough that the scarring radiating from his cybernetic eye is more readily visible, and he stares hard at the lawman.

"Nosir, I don't reckon I want to make some money that way." He pauses just a heartbeat--if he still had one--and then continues. "I reckon I want to make a ~lot~ of money to save the world. And I'm gonna need some special, ah, dietary accommodations made if I'm gonna be workin' in space."

[Mick Maguire]

Common Knowledge 1 (Crit Fail!)

Common Knowledge 1d4!!: [1] = 1
Wild 1d6!!: [1] = 1

"Reapers?" Mick blurted out. "Weren't they some freaky military unit? Special brainers or something....no?"

"Guess not..." He trailed off when he saw the blank faces and then kept quiet as Major Bansen continued.

As the Colonial Ranger explained the situation and the plan, Mick couldn't help but frown. A rogue asteroid that has seemingly appeared out of nowhere? Something didn't sit quite right about the whole affair, but the asteroid was the more pressing issue that needed dealing with. There might be a chance later to find some answers, but first they had the planet to save.

"I'm a soldier and Defence Force at that." Answered Mick when the Major mentioned about money. "So I see it as duty, especially since the world and countless lives are depending on it."

[Ames Jean-louis]

Well damn, Ames, you done got us a way off this mudball for free! And here I thought you were gonna make me find some some other poor soul to torment!

Ames winced, letting Del out a bit while hungover had not been a great idea. The skirmish had left him drained and now the gravity wraith was playing his last nerve like an out of tune fiddle. Ames wanted nothing more than to just lie down and sleep through the asteroid strike. However, and Ames would never admit it, the gravity wraith was right about getting off planet. Del was a pain, but Ames had no desire to cash in his chips just yet. Staying in Temptation was a bad idea but just the thought of space made the last of the rotgut whiskey still in his belly want to come back out the way it went in. At least this might be a way to make some money while doing it.

Ames shook his head to clear the cobwebs and to shut Del up so he could focus on what Bansen was saying. The

1d4!!: [2] = 2 1d6!!: [2] = 2 -1 =1 Fail

were not a group Ames had heard of. Probably just one of the many gangs looking to profit from the lack of law on Banshee.

"Yeah, as the..uhh..gentlemen said, a 'lot' sounds better than 'some' money, Lee. How much we talkn'? And when you say precise placement, it can still be done while stayin' on the ship, right? No space walks required."

[Marti'i]

The Shaman giggled at being called Ma'am. She knew she should pretend to be more solemn and mysterious but it tickled her too much that someone basically the same age as her was tripping over himself with this. "You are welcome, be safe...r." Adding the r after a pause as she realized how silly it was without it.

When she is rounded up with the others she does have a more solemn and serious demeanor. She grimaced at the idea of leaving the planet. "You cannot shoot these 'nukes' from here?"

Reapers

Common Knowledge 1d4!!: [5!!] = 5
Wild 1d6!!: [2] = 2

[Roxy]

Notice 1d6!!: [5] = 5 , 1d6!!: [5] = 5

Roxy acknowledged those who acknowledged her, and began helping with clean up of the wreckage,

1d8!!+2: [2]+2 = 4 , 1d6!!+2: [4]+2 = 6

- This is more RPing for some sweet swag later. I will be getting Scavenger with advances.

.

At the talk of Reapers, Roxy chimes in. "Oh

Common Knowledge 1d4!!: [6!!] = 6 , 1d6!!: [5] = 5

are the worst. You'd think they'd be happy to see us leave. But they're probably hoping we all die instead." As they are gathered, Marti'i

She grimaced at the idea of leaving the planet. "You cannot shoot these 'nukes' from here?"

.
Roxy helpfully replies to her drinking buddy. "Nah, Marti'i. They could but it'd do a fat lot of good. Kinda like how you can kick a small rock easy enough, but kicking one and hitting a second is hard and rarely gives you the power you'd have up close. Planted up close you can channel that force really well, split the rock, divert the rock like shooting billards, just depends on what you want to do with it. You'd need to do some pre-blasting to create your optimal bomb placement. Gonna need lots of explosives. And some gear to help with the digging. Power Loader would do the trick, shovels and pick axes in a pinch. Need all sorts of tools, especially stuff to set all those shaped charges and detonate them safely, not to mention something to carry them on - an atv or cargo skiff or something." She rambles on a few more minutes listing needs and "nice to haves," unconsciously adding 20% more gear to the list than is strictly needed - for redundancy needs. "Oh and I am totally down for being well paid to blow up a rock with a nuke, just need space gear, preferably with an exoskeleton. This girlish figure of mine isn't built for heavy lifting. Not being well paid isn't an option, so find the funds. I will take trade though, if its rare and valuable enough." She smiles as she thinks of getting to use a nuke. 'How could I say no?!'

[Pursuit]

Bansen looks at you all with slightly lidded eyes. Those pain meds must be hitting him hard.

"End of the goddamn world and I have to haggle with mercenaries. Okay, let's take 'em in order.

"You," he points to @Blackcat, "I have been authorized to give you approximately one shit ton of money. That said, the government round here is basically broke, so I wouldn't hold your breath. I can give anyone who knows how to pilot a ship or knows how its systems work, mechanical or electrical, $2,000. Anyone else, I have been told I can offer $1,500. Between you, me, and the walls, that's not enough for what we're asking you to do, so I plan to rustle up something else between now and when y'all get back. You save us all, and I'll see about doubling your payday. Also, you get the added benefit of still being alive to spend your money, which I'm told is nice."

To @Mick Maguire, he eyes you warily when you seem to have no idea who the Reapers are, but when you tell him you are Defense Force, he says, "Good! I can use someone who understands a chain of command. Congratulations: you're at the top of yours, now. I'm pulling whatever rank I've got to borrow you from BODF and have you run this shin-dig."

"And you," he looks at @Ames Jean-louis, "You will probably need to get your boots dirty. You'll need to find a decent landing spot and then place the explosive on the surface of the asteroid. Space walk required."

He looks at @Marti'i and you notice 0 reaction to your being an anouk. "Your friend is correct. Shooting it won't work. We need you to go put it where it needs to be."

And as @Roxy goes on, he holds up a bandaged hand. "Okay, okay. You know your stuff. That's great. You'll get less than half of all that what you just rattled off. Desperate times and all that."

He waives over an elderly looking man in a rumpled flight suit with distractingly long ear hairs and continues, "There was one ship left untouched by the Reapers, the 'Reckless,' for…uh, reasons which may become clear later. Its captain, Captain Alquist here, has agreed to carry the warhead, but he’s currently without a crew. I’m out of action for a couple weeks, and my other pilot is on his way to Boot Hill right now, courtesy of the Reapers. That’s where—hopefully—you lot come in."

"What do you say?"

________

Perhaps a half an hour later, you find yourselves suited up in spacesuits of appropriate sizes, complete with maneuvering thrusters and spiked boots to help you move on the asteroid’s surface, standing outside a light freighter that seems more replacement parts than original—and most badly installed. Rust competes with at least three different colors of paint on those surfaces that aren’t just bare metal.

Once inside, you find the interior isn’t in much better shape. Most furnishings not permanently affixed to the superstructure appear to have been scrapped, removed, or most likely sold. Anyone examining more complex features, like the galley stove or the facilities in the head, find they function apparently only on capricious whim.

The elderly Captain Alquist declares, "“Don’t let her looks fool ya. She’s a good ship and has seen me through many a storm!” before heading for the pilot's chair. Just before sitting down, he seems to think the better of it and turns to ask you, "Unless one of yous would like to take the stick?"

Before you take off, Ranger Bansen hands one of you a pair of secured detonators. "Now, all you need to do is place it at the marked location and hightail it back a few hundred miles before the timer runs out.”

He pauses for a moment, then laughs.

“Naw, I’m kidding. Just use one of these remote detonators to trigger it once you’re at a safe distance. They’ve got a range of over 100 miles.”

With that, he disembarks the ship painfully, turns, and gives you all a grin that is part smile, part grimace.

So What Do You Do?

Does anyone have Piloting who wants to fly the spaceship? Or do you let old Alquist take the controls?

Does anyone have any questions or want to do any exploring in the ship?

[Marti'i]

She grimaces but agrees. Having Roxy there will help. She hopes. Once they are on the ship she looks it over, and frowns. The lack of seats is likely to be an issue. How were they supposed to launch without becoming a mass of injuries? She wasn't sure she'd be in any state to do -that- much healing. She looks rather dubious about the whole setup. Would it be safer staying behind, she begins to wonder.

[Blackcat]

Jonas considers the lawman's reply, then nods. "Fair 'nuff. I accept your terms."

However, when the others disperse to get whatever it is they're going to need for the trip, he just walks over to Bansen, leaning close so he can speak softly; the lawman gets the full effect of his pickling. "Okay, how long's this flight likely to take? I need meat, at least two pounds for every day you expect us to be up there. You want this to succeed, then believe me," he adds, pulling down his scarf while looking eye-to-eye with Bansen, so the man should get a very clear idea of who--and what--he's dealing with. "You do not want me getting peckish when the only source o' protein around me is my teammates. My advice, have one of your boys go find a sheep or calf-or, if it's gonna be longer, then maybe a cow or a horse--commandeer it under some emergency powers you give them to do so even if you gotta make up the rule for it, and give it a good whack, then stick it in a lockbox on the ship, and give me the key."

He adds, with an unsettling grin, "Don't worry about it staying fresh; carrion's just as good." With that, he pulls the scarf back up, and lowers the front brim of his hat, and lets his new 'employer' get on with it.

OOC Comments

Yeah, seriously, he's not getting on the ship without an ample supply of meat.

***************

Once they meet up at the ship, he nods at the condition. "Figures," is all he says after taking a quick look. Once everyone is on board, he'll do a more thorough examination--he wants to know where all the exits are, since those are also where someone else might try to gain access. He'll also try to get a grip on lines of sight in the ship, in case there's any gunplay aboard.

He notes Marti'i's obvious discomfort with their conveyance with a neutral expression. Internally, he chuckles. She's not looking too keen on this whole thing, now.

[Ames Jean-louis]

Just the sight of the spacesuits caused Ames to go cold. He swallowed hard, and tried not to let it show, but anyone watching could see that he'd gone pale and was silent, putting on the suit with deliberate jerky motions.

It wasn't like he had anything to fear from a space walk, his implants were designed to keep him alive out in the void even if the suit was breached. No, it was the thought of tumbling out of control staring out into nothing that scared him so much. Sometimes that 'nothing' stared back. He had had first hand experience of that.

Now Ames, you got nuthin' to worry about. You know you can make walking on the outside of this rust bucket just as easy as a high falutin' ballroom dance floor. You can also crush that Bansen like the an egg if he don't pay us fairly....

The irritation of the gravity specter in his head served to break Ames out of his rising panic.

"Yeah, I accept as well, Bansen. Long as you stick to your word and treat us right on this. I can't fly this thing or fix it if it breaks, but I do bring things to the table that will prove useful--just like everyone else here I 'spect. So you pay us all equal. Got it?"

[Mick Maguire]

Mick listens and nods as Bansen talks, conscious of both the gravity of the situation and the responsibility he'd been given. "Service before one's self and all that, still some fight left in this old dog."

~ ~ ~ ~

"Well beggars can't be choosers I guess." Frowned Mick as he saw the ship, whilst the Reckless was a far cry from craft he'd piloted on duty he was sure he had seen and flown on worse....though he couldn't exactly recall at this particular moment. Still, if they made it off the ground then hopefully that would bode well for the mission.

"Captain." Mick said when Alquist asked if anyone else wanted to take the controls. "I'd like to volunteer, got more years of flight experience than I care ta admit."

[Roxy]

And as @Roxy goes on, he holds up a bandaged hand. "Okay, okay. You know your stuff. That's great. You'll get less than half of all that what you just rattled off. Desperate times and all that."

Roxy looks dejected as if her favorite ratchet broke on her mid-teardown. "We'll make due. That's how it works after all."

He waives over an elderly looking man in a rumpled flight suit with distractingly long ear hairs and continues, "There was one ship left untouched by the Reapers, the 'Reckless,' for…uh, reasons which may become clear later. Its captain, Captain Alquist here, has agreed to carry the warhead, but he’s currently without a crew. I’m out of action for a couple weeks, and my other pilot is on his way to Boot Hill right now, courtesy of the Reapers. That’s where—hopefully—you lot come in."

Roxy does what she does when she meets anyone new, she overflows. "Hey Captain! I'm Roxy, gearhead and demolition expert. If I can't fix it, I can certainly blow it up! If you'll allow it, I'll definitely help keep your lady flying while we're aboard. But I can't fly it. You or someone else will have to figure that out." If he allows it, she'll shake his hand, respectfully, but vigorously. She then begins to ask him questions about his ship, ignoring Bansen until he brings supplies, though she does give a non-verbal assent to his question about being willing.

________

Upon looking at the ship, inside and out, Roxy is impressed by the fact it's still spaceworthy at all. "Captain, I may donate you some labor after this is all said and done. You're lady here needs it. She's sturdy, steady, and ready to go, but she needs a little makeover and touch up." As she says this, she gives everything a once over,

Raise! Repair 1d8!!+2: [6]+2 = 8 , 1d6!!+2: [2]+2 = 4

.

Before you take off, Ranger Bansen hands one of you a pair of secured detonators. "Now, all you need to do is place it at the marked location and hightail it back a few hundred miles before the timer runs out.”
He pauses for a moment, then laughs.
“Naw, I’m kidding. Just use one of these remote detonators to trigger it once you’re at a safe distance. They’ve got a range of over 100 miles.”

Roxy does chuckle at his joke. "Yeah, I could tell those were remote detonators. I was just hoping you weren't going to say their receivers are busted. That would be Banshee luck. I'd probably just set it up with a timed explosion if so." She trails off as she goes to stow the detonators and explosives - including the nuke, inspecting it all, as well as any tools they gave them. She looks hard for a skiff or even just a pushable hover platform to move all the gear.

If nothing is there, Roxy will make a quick survey of the spaceport,

Notice 1d6!: [1] = 1 , 1d6!: [3] = 3

for anything that will work in an airless environment. She finds nothing and ends up in a restricted area,

Stealth 1d4!: [1] = 1 , 1d6!: [1] = 1

, and is chased off with them yelling for her to stop and be detained, making it back to the ship with them chasing after her, as its ready to depart. Only the presence of Bansen's men saves her from having to spend time in lockup being questioned and delaying the launch. She shoots a wave to them as they shake their heads and deal with the shitstorm she stirred up.

[Pursuit]

However, when the others disperse to get whatever it is they're going to need for the trip, he just walks over to Bansen, leaning close so he can speak softly; the lawman gets the full effect of his pickling. "Okay, how long's this flight likely to take? I need meat, at least two pounds for every day you expect us to be up there. You want this to succeed, then believe me," he adds, pulling down his scarf while looking eye-to-eye with Bansen, so the man should get a very clear idea of who--and what--he's dealing with. "You do not want me getting peckish when the only source o' protein around me is my teammates. My advice, have one of your boys go find a sheep or calf-or, if it's gonna be longer, then maybe a cow or a horse--commandeer it under some emergency powers you give them to do so even if you gotta make up the rule for it, and give it a good whack, then stick it in a lockbox on the ship, and give me the key."

He adds, with an unsettling grin, "Don't worry about it staying fresh; carrion's just as good." With that, he pulls the scarf back up, and lowers the front brim of his hat, and lets his new 'employer' get on with it.

"I was wonderin'. You got the look. You ain't the first deader I've dealt with. We'll handle it."

Sure enough, when you board, you find a cooler (with one broken handle, naturally) full of raw meat of varying types.

"Yeah, I accept as well, Bansen. Long as you stick to your word and treat us right on this. I can't fly this thing or fix it if it breaks, but I do bring things to the table that will prove useful--just like everyone else here I 'spect. So you pay us all equal. Got it?"

”Ease down there, slick. I already told you, I will do what I can. I don’t control the purse strings, and I was authorized to offer what I was authorized to offer. That don’t mean that’s all you’ll get.”

Upon looking at the ship, inside and out, Roxy is impressed by the fact it's still spaceworthy at all. "Captain, I may donate you some labor after this is all said and done. You're lady here needs it. She's sturdy, steady, and ready to go, but she needs a little makeover and touch up." As she says this, she gives everything a once over,

Raise! Repair 1d8!!+2: [6]+2 = 8 , 1d6!!+2: [2]+2 = 4

.

Roxy learns that this entire ship, the whole thing, is Recycled Goods (see Lost Colony p.42 for more). That said, it looks space-worthy enough.

Reckless Stats

The Reckless: Size 12 (Gargantuan), Handling -2, Top Speed 1000 MPH (atmosphere), 10K MPH (space), Toughness 20 (4), Crew: 1+4,

Cost: $5.52M, Remaining Mods 16

Notes: AI, AMCM, Atmospheric, Gravity Drive, Sensor Suite (Planetary)

Weapons:
• Dual-Linked Light Autocannons

Special: The Reckless has 2 Bennies of her own, which the Pilot (and only the Pilot) may spend for any Piloting roll or to Soak Wounds against the ship.

"Captain." Mick said when Alquist asked if anyone else wanted to take the controls. "I'd like to volunteer, got more years of flight experience than I care ta admit."

Alquist happily moves out of the pilot seat to one of the crew seats in the back, straps himself in, and promptly falls asleep.

She grimaces but agrees. Having Roxy there will help. She hopes. Once they are on the ship she looks it over, and frowns. The lack of seats is likely to be an issue. How were they supposed to launch without becoming a mass of injuries? She wasn't sure she'd be in any state to do -that- much healing. She looks rather dubious about the whole setup. Would it be safer staying behind, she begins to wonder.

They don't look like much, but a handful of seats with restraints fold out of the bulkhead, giving enough spots for the assembled crew.

---

Bansen explains that, due to the proximity of the asteroid, the ship will not be able to engage its gravity drive, which will leave the crew operating in zero-g during the trip. See the rules on Lost Colony p. 63 for more on operating sans gravity, but the gist is that spacers subtract 2 from all Agility and Agility-based skill rolls while in a gravity other than their own.

@Mick Maguire, please go ahead and make a Piloting roll to see how well your journey goes. Because this roll will be for a trip that starts out in familiar gravity (the surface of Banshee) and then heads out to unfamiliar gravity (you know, space), let's say the roll will be at -1 instead of at -2 for true zero-g. Don't forget to also take into account the Reckless' -2 penalty to Handling!

Anyone who would like to do so may Support Mick with any relevant Skill, as usual. Just keep in mind that if you use any Agility based Skills, you suffer the same penalty as Mick (i.e., -1 to your Skill roll).

[Roxy]

Notice: 1d6!!: [2] = 2 , 1d6!!: [8!!] = 8
Repair: 1d8!!+2: [4]+2 = 6 -1=5, 1d6!!+2: [2]+2 = 4

Roxy tries not to let her face reflect the dread in her soul. She knows how many times she's had to rebuild her bike and nearly everything else she has that is recycled. She makes her way to Mick before he sits down proper and leans in after getting his attention. Her voice is quiet, helpful, and informative. "I got nothing against recycling things. Hell its something I do all the time. It keeps things going when you can't get parts anymore. Treat this lady real gentle. She's going to kick and buck. I'll do my best to help, but fact is you don't have a lot of room for error. Good luck. Nice thing is I'm pretty sure I can rebuild everything on it, in time. But that isn't going to be quick. So no screw ups, yeah?" She offers a smile. With a bit of reverence in her voice, she adds, "I will say Cap certainly has done a good job keeping her going." After he replies she walks over to a bulkhead and tightens a bolt, seemingly at random. She then pulls out a circuit tester and begins checking around it, nodding sagely. She repeats this until the launch happens, going over various systems, pulling diagnostics and making minor tweaks.

[Blackcat]

Blackcat looks over his rations and nods in approval; the lawman's impressed him, both in rolling with his revelation and in accommodating him so smoothly. This might not be such a bad gig, after all.....

He remains seated during the initial launch, but then moves to the sensor array, using the advanced sensors to try to help

Notice 1d6!!+2: [4]+2 = 6 Wild Notice 1d6!!+2: [9!!]+2 = 11 ; Raise = +2 to Piloting

any cross-traffic before it gets too close. After all, with so many folks fleeing in panic, they can't necessarily rely on ground control to provide accurate info about flight paths....

[Mick Maguire]

Piloting 9

Piloting 1d8!!+3: [6]+3 = 9
Wild 1d6!!+3: [2]+3 = 5

"Don't worry lass." Mick replies to @Roxy. "Handled worse crates than this in me time, ye keep her runnn' and I'll try me best ta keep her flying smooth."

With that Mick set about running through the pre-flight checks, something he'd done countless times but he knew that each craft had it's own quirks and the Reckless' own ones wouldn't become apparent until they left the ground. Thankfully the ship, despite her appearances, seemed responsive and even with some more than distressing noises she rose up into the air,

[Marti'i]

Marti'i sees the seats finally and with some relief she sits and straps herself in. She checks the straps three times then unstraps herself finds a bucket somewhere then comes back and straps herself back in. She sees Roxy already "fixing" the ship and her grip on the bucket tightens. She waits until the other woman passes by her and whispers "What's wrong? Don't say nothing because I can tell something is."

[Roxy]

"What's wrong? Don't say nothing because I can tell something is."

Roxy gives her a winning smile. "Whole ship is held together by binding tape and prayers. But its well done for all that. But stuff like this requires constant maintenance. I can't let things like that just lie. Don't worry Marti'i, nothing is wrong, this is mostly just me dealing with nerves. Not appropriate to drink with all this on the line after all." She grins at her friend. "Soon as we land though, I forsee a couple of bottles and shot glasses between us!"

[Ames Jean-louis]

Ames grimaces and takes his seat, doing his best to get comfortable and adequately strap in with the Razorjack implant protruding from his back. Finally giving up after one last check on his straps, he leans forward with his head in his hands and elbows on his knees.

Hold it together, Ames. This isn't true zero-g, you can handle it. Don't want you embarrassin' us, now. Might hurt my feelings, cause me to do something...bad

Even though the acceleration of the Reckless provided some gravitational stability once they broke Banshee's atmosphere, Ames still went a couple shades paler and anyone paying close attention might notice he dry heaved once or twice.

Dammit Del! At least give me a little bit of a break here!

Ames could feel the gravity specter smirking when he answered.

Oh alright, no sense this trip feel like a buckboard with a broken axle

Tapping into his implants, Ames

Board ate my original roll which was a fail so this is with a Benny 1d6!!: [5] = 5 1d6!!: [14!!] = 14

the psychic energy of the specter and managed to stabilize the ship enough to make the ride seem like a luxury train ride, at least temporarily.

Gravitate changes the Reckless gravity to Normal (6 PP spent with Local Envelope modifier) per the Razorjack Power:
Gravitate
Rank: Novice
Power Points: 3
Range: Spirit
Duration: 5
The effect of gravity is warped to strengthen or weaken within a fixed bubble. The area of effect is a Large Blast Template. When the power is activated the caster chooses to increase gravity by one step, or reduce it by one step (two steps on a raise). Gravity progresses from Zero, to Low, to
Normal, then to High. Altered gravity can’t drop below Zero or increase greater than Heavy. Gravitational effects of each level are outlined in Deadlands: Lost Colony, except for High gravity (−2 Pace, half Jump, Str counts as −1 Die Type). The −2 penalty to Agility and Agility based skills for an unfamiliar gravity level applies within the bubble unless it matches what that individual is accustomed to.
MODIFIERS
ƒ Local Envelope (+3): The change in gravity extends out 25” (50 yards) in every direction, enough to encompass up to a Size 14 vessel.

[Marti'i]

The prospect of a bottle after this made her smile. Yes, it would be worth it. So she settles in, matching Ames for degrees of paling almost perfectly. She starts to heave into the bucket but then realizes that she doesn't have a lid and once they reach zero g....she winces, closes her eyes and swallows it back down. Then blinks in surprise when the weightlessness vanished again. Oh, well, maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. She looks around to see if it is safe to get up. "Can you teach me how to make the pull...ah...gravity?" If she could make her own, she wouldn't have to worry on jaunts like this. Her brain pauses at that thought. Jaunts like this...like an asteroid aiming to destroy her lovely planet were going to become regular. She devoted hopes that wasn't foresight.

[Pursuit]

Thanks to Mick’s handy flying and the combined efforts of the team, your journey to Nemesis takes only a day.

Approaching the asteroid, you can see it is nearly 10 miles across—about the size of the one that scientists n’ schoolteachers say led to the extinction of the dinosaurs on Earth. It’s roughly cone-shaped, and the coordinates that flash on the main display for placement of the warhead are on the wide end of the cone.

Fortunately for you, that’s also the side with the most level terrain. There’s an obvious landing site about 300 yards from the coordinates Bansen provided, and Mick is able to put the Reckless down without too much trouble.

Alquist wakes up when you touch down, but he declines to come with you. ”No, no. I’m going to stay right here with Mar… ah, the Reckless and make sure everything’s in ship shape for our trip back. You all go be heroes, now.” He waves off any questions and busies himself running diagnostics and checking equipment.

Once on the ground, maneuvering the warhead is much easier. Although its mass is the same, inertia alone is far easier to overcome than inertia and gravity. And y’all put on your boot spikes, right? Because spiked boots let you get purchase on that rock to scoot the bomb along.

About 150 yards from the ship, anyone with a Notice die of a d6 or higher notices a cluster of rocks with unusually usual shapes sitting about 200 yards or so perpendicular to your destination (which is to say, the wrong direction). They look too orderly, too straight to be normal, though.

What do you want to do, posse? Head on to your destination, or take a little detour? I’m sure there won’t be world altering consequences for either choice…

[Blackcat]

Blackcat surveys the situation, then looks to the others. He speaks to them over the radio. "Okay, folks, so we got a job to do, and a strangeness off thataway. Now, normally, the smart thing to do would be to ignore the structures, put the bomb in place, and blow this joint, twice, and with luck, whatever those things are won't interfere with the plan." He takes a breath and speaks again. "Unfortunately, a 'little luck' is about ten times what I usually have. For all we know, those are actually, like giant rockets built into the asteroid to steer it back on course towards the planet--meaning whoever's behind it might just undo all our hard work. So I'm voting we put the bomb in place, then dash over to those structures to check 'em out before leaving. Other option is we keep the bomb with us or leave it here, but I don't think I like either of those options. Thoughts?"

[Roxy]

Roxy is working the bomb out but keeps looking at the structure out of the corner of her eye. It bothers her something fierce. She can't quite figure out why. When Blackcat says something about it, she is frowning in the suit. A piece of duct tape is covering an epoxy fix of her visor, so she has one spot covered in a way that annoys her. When her head is down, such as when pushing something, its right where she could lift her eyes to look ahead. Basically, all she has been able to SEE is the blasted rock pile. She's contemplated how to destroy it ten times. "Could be anything, including a sniper's perch or the home of some vacuum sucking predator or robot here to destroy us all. Or rockets. Could also be the access tube the heart of this thing which is in fact some invasion craft meant to shed its rocky skin and then land on the planet and unleash vicious monsters and men to take over the planet. We could leave a guard on the bomb, or just send a scout to check it out. Whoever is sneaky. For the record, not it. Then while we're getting this thing moving some more, we get eyes on it, investigate it, and then we can discuss it. Or just drag it with us, but I'm not too fond of that."

[Mick Maguire]

Mick grimaces at the prospect of having to suit up and then hike across the asteroid's surface, he was painfully aware that he wasn't a spry young man no more and his old injuries wouldn't help much either. He would assist with the bomb best he could, which admittedly wasn't much. Only real job he could do was to keep his eyes peeled, meaning he spotted the unusual cluster of rocks and like some of the others noticed something off about the rocks. They were difficult to ignore, but they were here to do a task.

"We're here ta do a job, let's focus on that." Mick said. "If anyone's got a camera, guess we could snap a photo for the eggheads back on Banshee."

[Ames Jean-louis]

Ames also isn't too keen on walking out onto the asteroid, but the job's the job and he did his best to fight down his queasiness as he put on his spacesuit.

Come now MonsieurJean-Louis, this ain't so bad. Just let me adjust these lovely implants of yours and you won't need that spacesuit at all!

Grimacing as he locked the helmet in place, Ames half agreed with the gravity specter as the spacesuit had definitely seen better days. There was no harm in an added layer of protection as he

Psionics for Environmental Protection 1d6!!: [1] = 1 1d6!!: [3] = 3 Benny 1d6!!: [3] = 3 1d6!!: [4] = 4

and sent psychic energy into his cybernetics. It took a little more effort than usual, a sure sign the specter was interfering just to taunt him.

Feeling better as they moved the nuke, Ames wasn't opposed to a little investigation of the structures although he raised an eyebrow at Roxy's description on all of things it could be.

Notice 1d6!!: [3] = 3 1d6!!: [2] = 2

in the direction of where the others gestured, Ames couldn't really make out what he was looking at, but he trusted the others enough that it was out of the ordinary.

"Yeah, might be worth checking out once we get this thing in place. Make sure we have plenty of time on that countdown, though. Forgive me if I don't trust Alquist to get the ship to us if need be."

[Marti'i]

Suiting up wasn't bad, it was the walk outside the ship afterward that was an issue. She helped push the bomb but when she saw the rock formation after the others pointed it out, she stopped and frowned at it. She stands there long enough to hear someone mention being sneaky about it and so she does -try- to be stealthy as she heads towards it.

stealth 5

Stealth 1d4!!: [5!!] = 5
Wild 1d6!!: [2] = 2

Benny to reroll
Stealth 1d4!!: [7!!] = 7
Wild 1d6!!: [3] = 3

-2 for different gravity

[Pursuit]

As Marti'i moves closer, she finds that the rocks are actually cracked and broken columns arranged in a roughly elliptical pattern. There are a few badly weathered (and untranslatable) runes on the columns that match the general form of runes observed in places like Castle Rock.

Castle Rock

For more on Black Cities, see p.10 of Deadlands: Lost Colony rulebook.

Marti'i also finds the tip of a bluishwhite crystal buried in the dust at the base of the nearest column.

There does not appear to be anything living here to notice Marti'i's careful approach. What do you do?

Meanwhile, the rest of the team maneuvers the nuke into place. It does not take you long - perhaps 15 minutes - to get it set up in the coordinates you were provided while Marti'i runs her scouting mission.

You may RP as you like while Marti'i resolves her action.

[Marti'i]

"Dar’rakma," she whispers to herself. She probably shouldn't touch the rock. But the lure is too much for her curiosity. She offers a soft prayer to her planet to protect her even though she is not on it and picks up the pale crystal and examines it.

[Pursuit]

@Marti'i wipes away some dirt from the crystalline stone, exposing an egg-shaped blister several feet across that extends down into the ground. Inside, an indistinct form is visible.

As she watches, the blister ripples and then begins to dissolve, and what appears to be a 10-foot-long black millipedes bursts from the crystal!

The creature snaps at Marti’i with two-foot-long mandibles, which protrude from a circular maw lined with teeth. Its many legs twitch and scramble for purchase on the asteroid’s surface as it wriggles itself free.

Marti’i must make a Fear check and then she and the critter will get Action Cards! If anyone else wants to be dealt in, please also make a Fear check as you see the monstrosity attack your crew mate. The Fear Table can be found on p.124 of Savage Worlds.

[Marti'i]

OOC Comments

Spirit 1d8!!: [1] = 1
Wild 1d6!!: [2] = 2

Fear 1d20: [1] = 1

Fighting 1d4!!: [2] = 2
Wild 1d6!!: [3] = 3

+2 for effective joker -1 fatigue =4, ignore second punch roll, I spaced. ( Punch (fighting) 1d4!!: [2] = 2 )

Damage: Damage 1d6!!+2: [15!!]+2 = 17

Marti'i screams and punches the millipede.

[Mick Maguire]

Fear Check 5

Spirit 1d8!!: [4] = 4
Wild 1d6!!: [5] = 5

Not able to do much in the way of physical activity due to old 'war wounds', Mick falls into a supervisory role and also that of a sentry. Admittedly there wasn't much in the way of hostilities on a rock in the middle of the cold hard vacuum of space, but there still were dangers like the asteroid cracking apart either from Banshee's planetary gravity or the solar radiation given out by the Faraway's system sun. So he kept a wary watch for cracks beginning to form in the rocky ground and glanced in the direction of the crew's resident Anouk as she investigated the strange rock formation that had been sighted earlier, he guessed that curiosity got the better of the strange alien.

Mick didn't quite see what happened and was about to try to raise Marti'i on the comslink, but all of a sudden there was a giant millipede that prompted a strong Gaelic curse from the vernable pilot.

[Ames Jean-louis]

Ames had a hard time seeing through the spacesuit's faceplate. It had obviously seen better days. He did what he could to rub the space grit to get a better look around. As he did so he saw Marti'i wander over to some rocks.

What is that Anouk doing?

When the creature rose from the rocks and snapped at Marti'i, Ames remained

Fear Check: 1d8!!: [3] = 3 1d6!!: [5] = 5 No need for Guts reroll I assume

and moved towards the anouk. The lack of gravity still bothered him, but the implants were currently keeping his system under control.

Del even seemed eager to engage with the space creature.

"Ooh, something to do! Let's crush it Ames! I am sure we can avoid your friend...

[Pursuit]

Action Cards!

Let us draw for initiative, shall we?

• Marti'i: 7H
• Mick: 8H
• Ames: 2C
• Critter: 6S

Marti'i and Mick are up, then the critter, then Ames.

Mick and Ames are a ways away from the action (let's say 24 squares) when the creature pops out.

@Marti'i, do you want to use the attack you already rolled in your post above as your action for this round? You didn't have time to get a punch off before the round started (but you will get the result of your roll on the fear table for this first round).

[Blackcat]

Blackcat failed to spot Marti'i heading off, and didn't even notice the initial ruckus when the centipede rose from the ground. It was only when he saw the other two suddenly head off, and that rather strange cursing-type noise Mick made came over the radio, that he jerked his head around and realized something was amiss.

Damn, never had to do a bug hunt in a space suit. This'll be tricky....

OOC Comments

I was slow posting. I'd say either deal me in next round, or at best, declare that I'm essentially after Ames (so 2C-, or something...).
Fear 1d10!: [1] = 1
Wild Spirit 1d6!: [6!, 3] = 9
Made the Fear check, at least.

[Mick Maguire]

Shooting 9, Damage 13

Shooting 1d6!!-2: [11!!]-2 = 9
Wild 1d6!!-2: [4]-2 = 2

Damage 3d6!!: [5, 3, 5] = 13

Whatever the heck the strange bug-like creature was, it certainly seemed to be decidedly unfriendly. Mick moved, as much as his bad leg allowed, closer and took aim with his MkIV FOP pistol. Though he wasn't entirely happy with the range, Mick considered himself to be a fair shot and a hit was a hit. Seeing that his shot had struck true brought Mick no small measure of satisfaction, though whether the shoot hurt the creature was another matter altogether.

[Pursuit]

The creature is rocked by the hit and appears shellshocked!

The critter is Shaken.

[Ames Jean-louis]

Ames stopped in his tracks and considered his options as Mick pulled his pistol and shot at the space centipede. Amping the gravity in the area to crush the thing would likely get Marti'i as well as his powers were not known for finesse. He could tap into the implants and give into the gravity specter trapped there....

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, he regretted it.

Oh, yes! Please, please, Ames, let me out. I promise I won't be too naughty. Only way you are going to save that poor Anouk...

Enough Del!

Letting Del out would be a bad idea and who knows what this crew would think of him if things were to go to wrong. Ames drew his heavy revolver and

Shooting 1d8!!: [7] = 7 1d6!!: [4] = 4 -2 =Success Damage 2d6!!: [1, 5] = 6 +1= 7 damage

. The shot struck the black carapace but from the looks of it failed to penetrate.

[Marti'i]

Fighting 11

Spending newly acquired Benny on punch
Punch 1d4!!: [6!!] = 6
Wild 1d6!!: [11!!] = 11

[Blackcat]

Blackcat considers his options. Really, there's only one, assuming he wants to keep his teammate alive, AND doesn't want to unleash the demon. That chitin looks pretty durable; will have to see if I can punch a hole through it.

He lifts his hand, having the nanobots in his system release a massive

Bolt, PP 1 base, AP +3 = 4 PP total

.

OOC Comments

Transmute 1d12!!: [10] = 10
Wild Transmute 1d6!!: [3] = 3
Raise!
Damage 3d6!!+1: [2, 5, 2]+1 = 10 , AP 6
4 PP spent, 16/20 remaining

The brilliant flash of light arcs across from the tip of his suit's glove to the creature, striking soundly.

[Pursuit]

The creature, stunned as it is by @Mick Maguire's strike, is in no position to avoid what is coming.

@Ames Jean-louis's shot ricochets off its carapice, but twin punches from @Blackcat and, surprisingly, @Marti'i, break right through! The creature thrashes and sprays ichor over its two melee assailants, and, in the non-existent gravity of the asteroid, the momentum of the double punch just. . . pushes it away. In only a few moments, the creature floats away from you off into the black.

Glancing around, you see more of the crystalline blisters - one at the base of each pillar.

@Roxy is just about back to the Reckless with the detonator, and the nuke is placed.

What would you like to do?

[Marti'i]

Marti'i blinks as the thing floats off then looks at her hand. Realizing she's covered in goo, she makes a face and wipes some of it off as she is heading back toward the Reckless.

[Pursuit]

You hustle back to The Reckless, where Alquist appears (again) to be napping. He comes to as you board, giving a hearty "huzzah!" to anyone who comes close enough.

Now, you'll need another Piloting roll to get safely off this rock and on your way back to Banshee. I would advise against biffing this particular takeoff, what with the nuke nearby and all.

Anyone who wishes to assist may roll to do so using any skill that is appropriate, and then whomever is making the piloting roll (I assume @Mick Maguire) should roll last.

[Ames Jean-louis]

With the creature spreading its entrails across the galaxy, Ames makes his way back to the Reckless. He nods at Alquist's greeting.

"Hope you kept your word and have everything ready for takeoff, mon ami. It's time we get off this rock."

He then straps himself into his seat and mentally prepares himself for takeoff.

:Low-g , alien guts, and now we need to make sure we get out of here before the nuke goes off. The cosmos really doesn't want me to keep what little is in my stomach."

[Marti'i]

Once she arrives on the Reckless she looks for towels and a bucket before strapping herself in. If she finds the former, she'll continue trying to clean herself off. She's not inclined to take the suit off until they are back home...just in case.

[Roxy]

Dragging a nuke across the surface of an asteroid is not something she had on her bucket list but given the sight of everyone else covered in bug goo, she felt like she had the easier task. Plus, how many can honestly say they've set a nuke! She hands the detonator off to Ames, since he's sitting down and isn't her friend. 'Bless Marti'i, but no way I want to put anything like that on her' "Not until we're clear. I'm going to go check the ship over."

She moves to the engine displays and diagnostics, as well as the internals she has access too, and begins a thorough but quick check.

Repair 1d8!!+2: [5]+2 = 7 , 1d6!!+2: [4]+2 = 6 (to support Mick) - Benny 1d8!!+2: [1]+2 = 3 , 1d6!!+2: [5]+2 = 7
Notice 1d6!!: [2] = 2 , 1d6!!: [2] = 2 - Benny 1d6!!: [7!!] = 7 , 1d6!!: [2] = 2

[Mick Maguire]

As Roxy checked over the ship, Mick eased himself into the pilot's seat and began running through his own pre-flight checks. With a skill honed by years of experience, he check various switches, dials and other displays as he got the vessel ready for flight. Once satisfied, he called out over the comms. "I advise holding onto something, we're 'bouts ta take o'!"

Piloting

Piloting 1d8!!+1: [1]+1 = 2
Wild 1d6!!+1: [1]+1 = 2

He was certain that he'd gone through the pre-flight checks correctly, but as he was just about to launch the ship back into the void various angry red lights lit up across the console accompanied by a chorus of alarms. A series of Gaelic curses were uttered as he sprang into troubleshooting mode, but he briefly activated the comms once again. "Looks like a slight delay ta our departure. Roxy if ye'll be so kind as ta get yer arse up on the flight deck...."

[Blackcat]

Blackcat boarded with the others, but wordlessly took his seat and strapped in--his skills are not really the sort one wants near a ship's controls. Or engine. Or life support. Or, really, on the ship at all, but he wasn't gonna give them a choice about that one.

Then he hears the Gaelic curses over the radio and sighs heavily. I don't ~think~ this one is my fault....

[Marti'i]

The string of curses had her looking toward the front of the ship in alarm. When Roxy was called forward she looked at the other woman and swallowed against her already burgeoning queasiness. "Do you, ah ,do you need help?" Roxy had probably seen her not be as clumsy with technology as most of her kind, so the offer might not sound as outlandish to her as to the others who didn't really know her. Though she still wasn't an expert by any stretch.

[Roxy]

Roxy also blanches as she hears the call for her assistance. To Marti'i she nods. "Moral support only! And maybe some prayers for good luck - to whatever spirits you please." She makes her way up front and begins looking over the controls. "What did you do fly boy?"

[Pursuit]

As she works, Roxy catches a glimpse of a short-haired woman in dirty coveralls with a heavy wrench in her hand. The woman smiles at Roxy before disappearing into a compartment. When Roxy peeks in, the woman is gone.

Meanwhile, as Mick pulls back on the stick, something in the Reckless goes CLANK! and the ship begins to slew to the port side. That is probably not great, what with a giant death rock plummeting towards the planet with a nuke on board.

Getting out of this is going to take some doing, but ya’ll can probably manage…. right?

We will treat this as a Dramatic Task. The team needs to accumulate 6 successes in order to fix what broke before something untoward happens.

Because I am a kind and magnanimous Marshal, you may roll any Trait you think appropriate to the situation. Remember, though, that you all are operating in zero g at the moment, so subtract 2 from any Agility or Agility based rolls. The only exception here is Mick and Piloting - he has enough experience to overcome the typical -2.

I will be dealing Action Cards, but you may go in any order; the cards are just to see if anyone gets a Joker or a club. Reminder: if you get a club, that means you get a complication (-2 to your roll) and if you fail on a club, the whole Dramatic Task fails. You can of course choose NOT to roll if you get a club, or to spend a Benny on a new card. Up to you.

Mick: King of Hearts
Ames: Ace of Hearts
Roxy: Red Joker! Everybody gets a Benny, and your rolls are at +2
Marti'i: 5 of Clubs. Ouch.
Blackcat: 2 of Spades
Nathan: 8 of Clubs

[Pursuit]

New card for Marti'i: King of Diamonds

[Roxy]

For a moment Roxy is perplexed, then the compartment is empty and suddenly Roxy is concerned. Her mind starts racing and then the whole craft goes to hell in a hand basket carried by a drunk with one leg and a crutch. She grabs onto nearby netting as she steadies herself. She's no longer joking or smiling. She's determined and begins tearing through things to figure out what went wrong. Normally her fixing things involves a rolling banter that's both annoying and comforting. She is deadly silent, her spare cycles spent focusing on the woman. As she finishes the first task in the compartment the woman disappeared into, Roxy comes out, short three rolls of duct tape and a ton of solder. "Any of you see a woman besides me come in or out of this compartment? Or was that just the ship's ghost?" Her voice is calm - a calm that is really inappropriate for the situation. Without waiting for a response, she moves to the next area, grabbing more duct tape from where some is tied into the netting. Her demeanor is much colder and more focused than the situation suggests. Her ever-present friendliness has retreated with her concern.

Notes: Conviction Spent, Benny Spent, Joker bonuses Applied; 14 for DT; 3 successes

WTF - Occult 1d6!!+2: [5]+2 = 7 , 1d6!!+2: [1]+2 = 3 + Conviction! 1d6!!: [4] = 4

Fix it NOW!!! Repair 1d8!!+4: [2]+4 = 6 , 1d6!!+4: [1]+4 = 5 + Conviction! 1d6!!: [4] = 4
Fix it NOW!!! Repair (Benny) 1d8!!+4: [6]+4 = 10 , 1d6!!+4: [4]+4 = 8 + Conviction! 1d6!!: [4] = 4

1d6!!+4: [4]+4 = 8 , 1d6!!+4: [1]+4 = 5

[Marti'i]

When she feels the ship sliding sideways, contrary perhaps to common sense, she takes off her seatbelt. She pushes off toward the bridge and looks back at anyone not there. She offers a very simple command, "Come."

She waits until they arrive and taps the end of her staff on the deck of the ship and offers a prayer to Banshee in her native language in a chant and raises the arm not holding her staff up high. Only for nothing to happen leaving the poor Anakra (Shaman) looking rather confused as well as strangely green.

Faith 2, failure

Faith 1d6!!-1: [2]-1 = 1
Wild 1d6!!-1: [1]-1 = 0

[Blackcat]

Blackcat pulls himself over to the place where the sound came from. He speaks in a gruff voice.
"Lemme take a look at whatever fell off; I've a bit of knowledge when it comes to things what're busted." As he takes the component in hand, he activates his Spectral Analyzer to evaluate it, analyzing the piece both to see what it is used for, and what might've caused it to fail so abruptly.

You know, I could tell you exactly what's wrong with it, boyo.... The temptation from the Manitou comes on strong, and sudden.

Ah think Ah can trust these folks to get the job done without you....

You can trust them to save you, maybe, but can you trust them to save themselves? Seems you're pretty willing to gamble their well-being just to try to keep a clean conscience....

Blackcat gnaws on his lip a moment. The worst part of the Manitou is that it never actually lied, it just told the worst possible truth it could find....

Fine. Just remember, you do somethin' that makes the ship go wrong, it's your ass in the sling, too.....

Believe me, my dark feline, I am far more aware of the dangers than you....

The Analyzer Eye takes on a particularly unholy gleam, as he begins to study not only the part, but the engine and other mechanisms, as well,

Science (w/Manitou help) 1d6+8: [4]+8 = 12 Wild Science 1d6+8: [2]+8 = 10

....

OOC Comments

12 = 3 tokens
Dominion Roll: Dominion 1d6: [6] = 6

[Mick Maguire]

Piloting 7

Piloting 1d8!!: [7] = 7
Wild 1d6!!: [3] = 3

As red lights blazed and alarms blared on the flight-deck of the Reckless, Mick added to the symphony of chaos with a barrage of carefully crafted Gaelic curses. But his pilot training and years of flight experience kicked in and he started running through various checks and drills, finding the cause of each alarm and silencing them in turn.

Engine power...check.
Fuel pressure...check.
Hydraulics...check.
Control systems...check.
Cabin pressure...check.
Emergency backups...check.

With a few more choice curses, flicking of switches and the occasionally thumping of the console, order was steadily reintroduced and enforced on the flight-deck as Mick continued his methodical work. Once he'd gotten to the point where the more pressing alarms had been dealt with, Mick called out to the rest of the ship. "Roxy! Hows things ya end?!"

[Roxy]

As she is wrapping yet another fuel line and solders even more power lines and communication lines together, Roxy calls out. "Better than it was a minute ago, and improving steadily. Which is to say we're approaching the same bad situation we were in when we went to launch....but it's progress." The sarcasm is actually a good sign, a return to her normal sunny personality.

[Ames Jean-louis]

Ames braces himself as best he can as the Reckless gets back under control. He tapped into his implants to see if he could lend support with a little

Psionics 1d6!!: [1] = 1 1d6!!: [3] = 3

of the gravity around the ship. When nothing happened, he mentally queried Del. The gravity specter was being awfully quiet for some reason.

'Oh mon ami, there is far more interesting things going on than making this ride a touch smoother. You can manage on your own while I meet this fine mademoiselle taking care of these things. But....if Blackcat's comarade should decide to come out to make acquaintances, do let me know'

Perplexed with Del, Ames took a minute to really

Occult 1d6!!: [4] = 4 1d6!!: [4] = 4

the situation, his eyes widening as realization set in.

OOC Comments

Failed on support succeeded on the WTF

[Pursuit]

No one but Roxy sees the apparition, but Alquist stirs in the crew cabin when she mentions it. ”Ah, I would, not worry too much about that. She’s friendly.”

Roxy and Ames Know

That's a ghost. Some ghosts are able to become temporarily corporeal, though not all the time. This one does not give you a malevolent vibe.

Roxy doesn’t see the ghost again during her manic focus on repairs, and she’s so dialed in that she even fixes things that weren’t broken. Or, rather, she manages to improve on assorted temporary fixes that someone else had put in place.

At the same time, Blackcat manages to somehow peer into the heart of the engine and find exactly the part that needs fixing. It’s almost supernatural… I’m sure that won’t cause issues later.

Meanwhile, Marti’i and Ames reach out with their own kinds of supernatural, but neither are able to quite grasp the threads of power like they are used to. Maybe it’s the weird spinning asteroid of death and the nuclear bomb nearby?

But whatever mix of the occult and duct tape Blackcat and Roxy have conjured are enough that when Mick tries to take off again, the Reckless responds and achieves liftoff!

As you wing your way back towards Banshee, the nuke goes off. Fortunately, you all are far enough away when it happens that you do not also go off.

Alas, instead of being deflected by the blast, the shockwave shatters the asteroid, sending hundreds of smaller pieces out like shrapnel! The Reckless bobs and weaves through the resulting shower, managing to take only superficial damage.

Against all known physics, the vast majority of the debris hurtles toward Banshee.

Anyone Who Makes a Notice Roll at -2

Most of the fragments appear to contain one or more of the weird crystal blisters.

((I’ll have a wrap-up post for this portion of the adventure next, but feel free to RP in the meantime!))

[Blackcat]

OOC Comments

Notice 1d6-2: [5]-2 = 3
Wild Notice 1d6-2: [4]-2 = 2
No luck, no surprise.

Blackcat, strapped in once the ship is operational, observes as the asteroid goes from planet-killer to merely a hell-rain of fire on the planet below. He contemplates the likely destruction on the planet's surface, then finally speaks. "So, uh, anyone think this affects our payout?"

[Marti'i]

Notice Failed

Notice 1d4!!-2: [2]-2 = 0
Wild 1d6!!-2: [5]-2 = 3

Oops, those should have both been -3 but no matter, it failed regardless.

She tilts her head. "Well, I should think they would recognize that they gave us the explosive and that if the amount was wrong, it is not on us for simply doing as they asked of us."

[Ames Jean-louis]

1d6!!: [4] = 4 1d6!!: [1] = 1 -2 scene -1 Fatigue from Zero-G =1

As Mick dodges and weaves through the debris field, Ames quickly forgets about the ghost and anything else going on. He does his best to grab some kind of closeable container before strapping himself in.

"ROOOWLFF...forallthatis...ROWLLLFF"

'Oh Mon Ami, I'm sorry but I don't know who Ralph is! Heh!'

The Razorjack does his best to keep his insides that ended up on the outside contained, but a few droplets do end up floating about in the cabin.

[Marti'i]

The Anouk had managed to keep her stomach through most of the dashing and darting by closing her eyes and holding on tightly. However, upon opening her eyes to see vomit float by, she loses it and grabs the container she'd managed to get ahold of before sitting, trying to keep her own contained as well.

[Mick Maguire]

Notice 8

Notice 1d6!!-2: [10!!]-2 = 8
Wild 1d6!!-2: [5]-2 = 3

Relief and satisfaction filled Mick as the Reckless finally responded and lifted off from the asteroid, not perfect but Mick had come to expect every craft to have it's particular quirk. From the cockpit he had a grandstand view of the detonation and the asteroid being blown apart, though curiously several large chunks were still bound towards the planet but thankfully nowhere near enough in size to cause a world ending disaster. He did, however, catch a glimpse of a glitter or something in the fragments now heading towards Banshee's atmosphere.

Flicking on the ship's intercom, Mick called out. "How are we doing fer comms? Looks like some o' 'em bug critters might make planetfall, guess we should give the authorities the gen."

[Marti'i]

Marti'i hears Mick say that some of the bugs survived and were headed toward the planet. "Iitittii!" came the alarmed cry in response.

[Pursuit]

The small shards of Nemesis reach Banshee within the day. Untold numbers fall on the planet, with most landing on One (the primary landmass - where y’all live). The shower, which occurs at night, is a stunning visual spectacle, but surprisingly few of the meteorites burn up during reentry. Although small, each piece of debris moves at a high velocity when it strikes the surface and causes significant damage—though far, far less than the massive asteroid would have.

You all arrive back at Temptation shortly after the Nemesis Shower. Another BODF officer meets you at the spaceport, as Major Bansen has finally agreed to be transported to the city’s medical facility, what with the threat of a world-ending asteroid averted. The officer pays you each a handsome some of $4,000 - Bansen was true to his word, and he managed to get your money doubled.

The officer also gives you all a quick damage report: no settlements were directly hit by the meteorites, although some had near misses. As yet, there are no reported deaths, but the Rangers expect a few dozen to eventually come to light as isolated homesteads and mines report in.

Once word gets out about who it was what saved everyone from certain, fiery death, you lot will never have to pay for a drink in Temptation again! Of course, that may be better for some of you than others.

You pass the night and the next day on your own time. Perhaps you spend some of your newly earned cash, or perhaps you spend the whole time in bed - that part is up to you.

Except for one of you. One way or another, sleep eventually claims Blackcat, which will have ramifications for the posse, and maybe for Banshee as a whole… but that story will have to wait a spell longer.

For now, post a 1-2 paragraph Interlude about how you spend your time now that the world ain’t ending! Once you have finished your interlude, feel free to take a Benny for your trouble.

If you’re having trouble deciding what to write about, roll a d4 (1=Diamonds, 2=Clubs, 3=Hearts, 4=Spades) and consult the chart on page 130 of SWADE for ideas. Pay attention to either “Downtime” or, if you prefer, “Backstory” on the chart for ideas.

[Marti'i]

Marti'i for her part celebrated with a round of drinks before the Anouk slipped out to spread the word to her people about the threat that was undoubtedly coming. She leaves out the part about punching one in her stories but she does describe both the critters and the pod that they came from. She has no idea what the burning of reentry will do to their appearance so she also warns of that. Basically, don't touch anything strange unless you have a large group with you ready to fight. This is no time for young warriors to try to prove themselves alone. She makes absolutely sure the leaders of each tribe that she visits are aware of the dangers and truly understand so that any who do try to go off on their own are not doing so because she failed in her warnings. Those left behind in Temptation will surely get the word out but many of her people wont have access to a radio so she also recruits some of her people to bring the message to those she will be unable to reach in a short period of time.

[Blackcat]

OOC Comments

1d4: [4] = 4 Spades:
Downtime: The character spends time alone in
quiet contemplation. What does she do?

When collecting their payment (but, notably, after money's changed hands), Blackcat nods to the lawman. "I want you to listen, because this is important. You want to get your rangers out to as many of those strike-sites as you can, especially the ones closest to smaller settlements. That rock was infested with some sorta vermin, and from what our guy could tell, their eggs were sent all 'cross the continent. An' when I say 'vermin', I'm talkin' 6' tall bugs. One of them tried to eat one of our people on the surface of the comet; I got a hunch that this is how they spread. We've probably disrupted things a bit--a lot of them got sent off to deep space, or burned up on re-entry, or are just stuck in orbit. But enough hit down that, if they weren't destroyed on impact, they're gonna be a permanent issue. Your boys best track a few down and see if they can figure out the best ways to kill 'em, first."

With that, he turns and leaves. After stocking up on supplies (mostly more meat), he decides he needs a bit of time away from civilized folks. He heads out into the desert--the temps don't bother him much, either cold nights or hot days, and he doesn't have to pickle himself to be thought of as a mere drunkard. Man can lose himself out here under the stars, he thinks to himself one night beside a campfire. Think that's true no matter what planet you're on, really. Can't see 'em proper in the city, though. He takes nearly a week to work out the kinks in his thoughts (and maybe see if he can find one of those touchdown points), then finally turns back towards town, all the time trying to ignore the sniggering, sneering voice in the back of his head.

[Mick Maguire]

Planetfall on Banshee proved to be bittersweet for Mick, the highs of dealing with the asteroid was tempered with some tragic news. After disembarking from the Reckless, Mick got word that some of his friends had perished during the Reaper attack on the spaceport. Quietly excusing himself after receiving the news, Mick sought a quiet bar to spend time mulling over a drink or two.

There was an empty, hollow feeling inside of him as he recalled the various friends and associates he'd lost over the years. A fair few of them were military and as such wasn't uncommon and, to a degree, was expected but it didn't make it any easier. Yet those who lost their lives during the Reapers' attack were civilians just trying to get off-world in face of the asteroid, just trying to make sure that they and their loved ones survived. Yet the Reapers effectively cut them down without remorse.

Mick had already thought the Reapers to be a crazy bunch, now they disgusted him.

[Ames Jean-louis]

1d4: [1] = 1 Diamonds

Ames, grateful to back in some sort of gravity, enjoys the generosity of the free drinks--after, of course, he got some food in his belly since everything that was previously there was now scattered about the Reckless. The drink numbed the irritation of the implants, and although it did not shut Del up, it did make it easier to ignore the gravity specter. Ames knew he would have to deal with Del eventually and it would do him no good to gamble away the money he just made. He would have to use at least some of it as an investment into whatever living a Razojack was good for--but that was for tomorrow. Today was for getting drunk.

The next day, only slightly hungover, Ames made his way to the general store where he purchased some armor and a bigger sidearm. If he was to be a hired gun, then he might as well he took steps to insure he survived a decent amount of time doing it. Del seemed to approve, because despite the amount of alcohol he had consumed and the oppressive dry heat of Temptation, Ames felt pretty good. The gravity specter must have had something to do with that. That was good as Ames would need a clear head for what he needed to do. His Razorjack implants were not conducive to standard armor. He would need to modify the suit to account for the gravity specter containment unit on his back. Taking his purchases to a quiet room above the saloon, Ames put the armor over a chair and took out a volt knife.

Let's hope I can do this myself and don't have to pay someone else to do it

OOC Comments

Can we buy stuff with the $4K? If so, if there anything that is prohibited or that they do not have on Banshee? Diamonds is working on an object of some sort, so I thought getting some armor to fit the implants was appropriate.

[Roxy]

Your hero broods or is angry about something. What is it, and how does she misbehave?

1d4: [2] = 2

Roxy should be having the time of her life. Free drinks? Riding high off the celebration of destroying the asteroid and getting to set off a nuke? She should be in the highest of spirits and too inebriated to care. Instead she is drinking, frequently, but only barely enough to keep her from freaking out and screaming at everyone celebrating. When she does begin drinking heavily so as to pass out and sleep, she rambles on about how they traded one apocalypse for another. She tells anyone who will listen about the bug aliens and their crystal eggs and how that was the true payload of the asteroid. The fact she is drunk the entire time doesn't really lend her credence, but she is saying it often and often loudly. More than a few fights break out when someone tells her to shut up about the damn bugs.

THe other thing Roxy is doing is helping folks with the sense to arm and armor up. One time, while getting parts, she notes Ames buying some off the rank armor. She informs her erstwhile teammate that if he needs help with modifications, he can have it for a bottle of something good. Considering both of them can get all the booze they want for free, the implication is it will cost him nothing. The worst he will have to do is listen as she works and complains about how no one is doing enough to even investigate the creatures they saw. She's easy enough to tune out and very focused on getting his armor right. This is because she has turned her rage into purpose, trying to make the most of the time she has to prepare people.

(Will add purchases shortly)