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well . . i tend to agree about the stat rolls being mostly hedged. i know i've been guilty of that a few times to 'make a char on par of everyone else. now? . . if i really am worried, i'll do a 1d8+8 for the roll . . and only do the additional 1d6 IF i get a 8+8 for hte stat.
but that's me. i've been guilty and now choose a different way to make it interesting.

the 'extracirrectular skills'
the timing for some will need to be lengthened out. i would think more along the line of 6 months minimum to learn. and the cost is a tad off. maybe that much every month at least . . but once again . . thats me. these are special for your game.

in regards to the Kata's
these are known ONLY to those that come from N&S. i don't think that they are actually readily available to every 'man at arms' occ there is.
they might take a kata IF they have a specifically named style thats from that book.
sadly, thats how i see it and know that Kata's are 'uber rare and special' and wouldn't be out there for anyone to learn from some . . shall we say . . . a Rifts version of a street corner break dancer . . . .

taking cover.
i'm sure there are rules someplace about that. i'm sure they were in teh RUE someplace. but yeah, shooting from behind cover to protect oneself is an excellent idea

but those are my comments about these. some good . . some bad. . . but all mine. best of luck then

Fair enough on all points.
Don't see too much reason to complain about the proposed tweaks...
I'll have a more coherent answer later on when I can get back into swing of things. JUST got my computer back from the body & fender shop... again.
This time the virus attacked my hardware, BIG-time.

Thanks to all who commented, I will have the final word out by the end of the week.
In more exciting news, just 10 days (counting today) until our regularly scheduled gaming gets back under way! That's right folks, January 5th is the night, Gaphion's sinister space station is the place, and 8PM (sharp ) is the time! How will our group proceed, with the infant Hive Mind revealed, the Tyranids revealed as the true identity of 'Gluttony', and a settlement of humans on the planet below for these ravening monsters to feed upon? Only time will tell, so be there to see it for yourself! (Yes, that means lurkers are allowed, and even encouraged. )

I'll see if my cloaking field is repaired by then.

Happy New Year, one and all, welcome to 2012.
To usher in this new year we have... well, the confirmation on those rule adjustments. A big thank you to all who lent their opinions to the thread, it is much appreciated. So, without further delay:
1] The (Infamous) P.P. Attribute Change: I was pleased to find that most of those in my group who weighed in on this one supported the idea of cutting out the additional d6 (making 4d6 the highest possible roll) and held the mindset of "Role-play over Roll-play." I was pleasantly surprised when they seemed just as open to the idea of the P.P. cap, particularly once I explained the difference between a P.P. of 20 and 24 is about 2 points on the actual bonus chart.
So it is with no small amount of satisfaction that my game will be bidding farewell to inflated P.P. bonuses, and we shall see how the new P.P. cap at 20 sits with everyone in practice.

2] Extracurricular Skills: These met with a warm reception overall, and will be implemented as well (1000 experience, 2 weeks for most skills, can double the experience cost to halve the time.) The number of these 'bonus' skills will remain at four (4), however in certain situations a skill's cost (both toward the limit and in terms of experience) may be waived. For example, one of our players has created a new character (which shall be introduced in the near future ) who hails from a distant part of the galaxy. With no contact from the races of Rifts Earth, there is no plausible way to explain why this character could know English, or even Dragonese, the two tongues our group is most familiar with. So, in the interest of overcoming this language barrier as quickly and painlessly as possible, these lessons in English will not count toward their Extracurricular total, as it was a necessary skill they simply could not justifiably have had at char-gen.

3] Katas: I should explain that the katas used in our game essentially function solely as a skill that allows a warrior to combine their HtH bonuses with their W.P. bonuses, something that, yes, the core Rift rules allows already, but I find our game's balance is much smoother this way.
On that note, Katas will be counted as Extracurricular Skills, with the aforementioned costs involved (4000 experience, no less than level 8, eight hour training sessions each day for a month.) My hope is that this leads to more definite roles in the group, with our warriors/soldiers spending time investing in their chosen specializations. (* See below for additional thoughts.)

4] Taking Cover: As I've said before, I'm sure there are rules for this somewhere, but as I have yet to stumble upon them or have them pointed out to me, the suggestion I made before stand, and were well-received. So, from here on out, taking cover raises the chance that a ranged attack will automatically miss from a 5 or lower to an 8 or lower. Not a ground-shattering increase, and I may tweak this later after seeing how it works in actual in-game combat.

*I have additionally considered tweaking the Kata rules to include guns, though nothing immediately springs to mind (since HtH bonuses are of little use to a ranged weapon.) I just like the idea of our warrior-types being able to specialize in particular weapons, disciplines and such. It makes it easier for the gang to know who fits what position, and which niches remain open. Our current rules already cover how aimed shooting confers a bonus over burst firing (+3 to aimed shots, +1 to burst) but this is automatic as long as one possesses the relevant W.P. for their fire-arm. If there are any suggestions for this, I would be very pleased to hear them.

So that about wraps it up, hopefully these changes to the rules will fill their intended purposes in-game and all will go well, but I will keep the thread updates with any further tweaks or additions. Happy New Year, everybody.

Ahhh... it's good to be back in the saddle. A satisfying start-up to the game indeed. Will have the details up in the next few days.
In other words:
-ahem-

Good of the Many, Pain of the Few

March 3rd (cont'd): With the unveiling of the Tyranids' identity and location, Hope decided it was time for the shore party to withdraw. Cloud, listening over the radio, had no comment on the matter, instead staring out the window at the ominous station, pensive. Upon her team's return, she asked several of them how familiar they were with mathematics (to which most replied they had a basic understanding, but advanced uses eluded them) before retreating to the eco-lounge, asking she be notified when Persia had completed the download of the Gene-Splicer's files for later analysis.

Hope, who had been with her partner, Stormglider, in the vehicle hangar up to this point, appeared on the bridge and quietly set to work on the computers, telling the others to pay her no mind, while Jase went in search of his wife, to tell her that Persia had completed her task. He found her where she said she would be, but not in her usual garb; in place of her 'urban-aggressor' style, she wore her formal kimono, and was inked with wolf silhouettes, seated seiza before a paper lantern; praying. Waiting for her to finish, Jase was surprised when she asked him if he thought she was a monster. Caught off-guard, he assured her he did not, and though she appreciated his words, confided that she believed she was. Confused, and concerned by his wife's tears, Jase was further perplexed as she kissed him, and then, voice hoarse, spoke two words into her communicator: 'Do it.'

Hope, at the ready on the bridge, executed the order immediately, processing a command to Gaphion's station to increase the power to its gravitic stabilizers, and begin an immediate descent. The crew could only watch as the station entered the atmosphere, gaining speed rapidly, before smashing into the planet below, its bulk making it a veritable asteroid, though one that was built to be more than durable enough to withstand re-entry. With their Commander's improvised missile hammering into the planet below, the crew watched as the tremors shook the planet, triggering seismic events even as the blast destroyed everything for miles around the impact site. The colonists were assuredly wiped out, along with most life on the continent below them, and the clouds of dust and ash would ensure the rest of the world followed suit. Gluttony was halted, but at the terrible price of destroying not just a large community of humans, but an entire world's ecosystem.

Their journey home was a quiet one, Cloud unconscious after having fainted, Jase silently watching over her, and the others spending much of their FTL travel time alone in their quarters and thoughts. Persia and Tahlor, however, spent much of the time modifying the ship's systems to house an A.I., though this was not revealed to the others just yet, nor the program's purpose explained. Re-emerging in their home system, they agreed to risk activating the hyper-drive once more to reach Earth that much faster, and for once, luck was on their side. Finding the same hole in the debris field that they had used to leave (indeed, the Orbital Community seemed to have decided to leave it open permanently), the crew re-entered Earth's atmosphere, though they encountered extreme turbulence as they accidentally skimmed the edge of their tunnel. After taking emergency measures to prevent a crash, they corrected their course, and soon landed beside their Casa, which (after being carried by Elementals across the ocean itself) had come to rest on the Nile delta in Egypt, far from Lazlo, far from Dominus.

March 6th: Having taken a few days simply to relax, the crew received a note from Cloud to convene at 1200 hours sharp, and did so, though not all were present. Cloud revealed that, while their relaxation was pleasant, they had things to see to. The alien construct they had discovered, which they were relatively certain was a transporter of some manner, had gone unused (as far as they knew) in all of human history, but they had no idea what lay beyond it. Therefor, they would take it upon themselves to find out what was there, and establish contact with any races that might be found there.

There were some sobering announcements as well, however. Kyros and Imala (and of course their little one) would be remaining behind, as they felt it was time to begin shouldering their responsibilities to their divine relations, and had a great deal of work to do here in Egypt. Tahlor and Persia would be staying as well, to provide their support to the young couple's endeavors. Finally, Cloud revealed that she herself would be staying behind, prompting shock from the remaining crew, which consisted of only Hope, Mondo, and Anna. (And even young Miss Krios mentioned that she may not be accompanying the exploratory mission, for with Kyros and Imala staying behind, odds were Albtraum would stay as well, and she wished to remain with him.) Cloud assured them, however, that they would not be leaderless, and named Hope then and there to assume command, ignoring the flustered gynoid's surprise and protests. Anna, Mondo and Persia reassured the new Commander Brightlance, making sure she knew they had faith in her, and she decided to do her best to be worthy of the position, third antennae or not. (As most 'leader' class Shemarrians sport three. )

And so the group has been reduced to (in all probability) a trio; the new Commander Brightlance, Sir Armondo Calvinus, and of course, Stormglider. They are slated to leave in several days' time, giving Anna some time to decide her course of action, but it seems likely the Stellar will be operated by a two-humanoid crew, with their mechanical flier and (still unknown )A.I. to support them. Hoo... talk about your crash-courses. Time to see if their experience is enough to get them through alien lands. Stay tuned.

Oh, and a teaser of sorts that I put up for the gang post-session:

(GM_Cy): *Meanwhile, impossibly far away, lines are drawn upon a wall that is barely visible amidst the darkness that permeates the room. Twin points of red survey their handiwork with an almost gleeful light in their depths. The drawing is a large one, circular, though none but its' artist would be able to tell what it was for the scribbles and erratic scrawlings across it. The eyes dance in the dark, pleased with their rendition of a planet's devastation, a dim flash of white amidst the shadows the only hint of a semi-deranged smile. Plans were forming behind those eyes, behind that smile, and all because of one simple fact, delivered in a half-remembered nightmare to the mind of the darkened room's resident. And that fact, hissed between grinning teeth, consists of six words.*
"They are coming. Time to go."

Oh this is going to be such fun.

-snff- it's such a bitter-sweet event when the new generation of GM takes up the olde-ways.
Looking forwards to the new story arc.

An Accidental Meeting

March 10th: The morning of the crew's departure is an early one for most, with a great deal to do. Despite their best attempts at working quietly, Hope and Mondo are roused by their friends' activity anyway, the new Commander Brightlance being quickly assailed by those requiring her attention once awake. Legion, the group's resident cyclopean robot, requested he be allowed to accompany the space-bound voyage, seeming to know something of their destination. Persia, meanwhile, requested the Commander's presence in the Stellar's medical bay. Giving her consent as to Legion's joining them, Hope made her way from her quarters in the Casa to the resting place of their vessel, outside. Mondo, in the process of moving his belongings to the ship, bid the Shemarrian good morning, before being hijacked by Cloud, who had something to show the Cyber-Knight.

Excusing herself from Cloud's unveiling Mondo's present, Hope made her way to the med-bay, where Persia had an unveiling of her own. She revealed that she and Tahlor had set up an A.I. to run the medical equipment and fulfill other, basic, tasks normally attended to by the ship's doctor, though she cautioned the programmed entity would be unable to treat serious injuries requiring surgery. Upon summoning the avatar of their new A.I., Hope saw Persia had also made it in her image, an exact duplicate, so as to be more comforting to the crew. Hope was curious to know if the artificial Persia was sentient, but Persia assured her that, while she was able to think within certain parameters, she was merely a program to fill in for her while she remained in Egypt, a temporary replacement. Hope thanked her for her work, before moving to the bridge.

Meanwhile, Cloud had revealed Mondo's gift; a suit of power armour, of the Templar Scout variety she wore herself. It had been Imala's suit, but had been refurbished for its' new, male, occupant, and included some design modifications to reflect that. A detachable fore-arm particle blaster, for one, and while its' TW enhancements were incomplete, it sported several features that would come in handy. Mondo was very enthusiastic, and though he had little experience with utilizing power armour, was eager to begin practicing. Deciding she had done her part for the moment, Cloud headed outside, and was met by Imala. She had come to offer her Wolf-Sister some comfort, knowing how she was wrestling with various issues, not the least of which was the memory of her actions in Alpha Centauri. With all aboard, Hope called all hands to the bridge, and she, Mondo, and Legion soon had the Stellar in the air. Though their departure was a bumpy one, they soon settled into their course for what Legion referred to as a "Mass Relay." Rather than risk activating their FTL for a second time this week, they opted instead to take the long route, giving Mondo time to practice with his new suit, while Hope and Legion tended to bridge duties and their own tasks.

April 1st: Arriving at the Mass Relay after their twenty-two days of travel, the three aboard the Stellar considered their options as to their destination, consulting Legion for his experience. He informed them of an enormous space station known as the "Citadel", which formed the heart of what was considered the more law-abiding portion of space, though the Geth also mentioned the governing forces of this segment of space were also distrusting of synthetic life. Deciding it was a suitable place to start, Hope asked that he set their course for this Citadel. Unfortunately, Legion was not experienced with space-scale navigation, and upon their emergence, they beheld no vast station matching his description.

While Legion deciphered where precisely they had emerged, the ship's sensors picked up and identified a distress signal very near to their present location. Deciding to respond, cautiously, the Stellar was piloted toward the source of the signal, but was prepared for combat if necessary. Upon reaching the source, they beheld a shuttle-craft of some manner, though its' design was not one they were familiar with, appearing to have been designed for aesthetics more than practicality. Establishing contact with the vessel, a confused conversation followed, with neither side understanding the other in the slightest. Fortunately, Hope had a translation program at the ready, and as it absorbed context and words, it gave her the basic gist of what they meant. She learned (while translating for Mondo and Legion) that the ship was experiencing engine trouble, and while it was nothing serious, it was delaying them somewhat. The trouble was, they had a passenger aboard, who had some manner of appointment to keep, and was utterly unwilling to be late for it. (In fact, it was implied that she had set off the distress signal herself, as the Captain that Hope was speaking with seemed slightly surprised at her mention of it, though he adapted well.)

Agreeing to meet face to face, Mondo and Hope met with a small group from the other ship, comprising of the Captain and two of his officers. They were of alien species, of course, the Captain a reptilian-esque species, and his officers almost amphibian, though all were humanoid. Upon seeing Hope and Mondo were alien to them as well, the Captain mentioned that there were conventions that were typically followed when a new species was encountered, but due to their predicament, they could not escort them to the Citadel as they should. A female voice from within the shuttle, obviously displeased and impatient, demanded the Captain get a move on, and, with a sigh, he asked the group if they would listen to a request. The group said they would, but would prefer to meet the one who the request came from and have her ask them. The Captain flinched a little at this, but obliged, returning at the shoulder of an elven woman, who's posture and manner suggested her to be of some importance, if only in her mind. She and Hope quickly reached an agreement; if they would take her aboard and ensure she reached her appointment post-haste, she would direct them to the Citadel. The elf introduced herself as Gliriel T'Loak, but, oddly, when Hope inquired if she truly was elven, the blonde woman seemed genuinely confused, stating "Mother simply said I am a T'Loak."
Captain: http://masseffected.pbworks.com/f/12030 ... ian_02.jpg
Officers: http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... lfears.jpg
Gliriel T'Loak: http://www.pulsarmedia.eu/data/media/90 ... 348205.jpg [Minus instrument.]

Departing from the stranded shuttle, Gliriel was shown around the Stellar, and moved into one of their (many) empty crew quarters. Getting comfortable, she asked some polite questions of Mondo as he moved her in, before entering the co-ordinates for her appointment into her personal terminal, identifying the station she was bound for only as "Exodus Alpha 01." Fortunately, it is but a short trip to the co-ordinates by their reckoning, and the crew settles in for the short trip, thoughtful as to their passenger's origins.

Several hours later, the Stellar 1 approached 'Exodus Alpha 01'. Now well within visual range, they saw it was a station of considerable size, and armoured to match, including turreted weaponry. As they hailed the station to request permission to land, a voice speaking in the same language as Gliriel replied. "This is the prison station Exodus Alpha 01, your request to dock is granted, proceed to dock 7."

Time will tell if their navigational error was fortuitous or unfortunate, for they likely would not have met Gliriel T'Loak otherwise. And just who is their new passenger, and what could she want at a prison station? Hmm.

An almost-jailbreak. A prison where you can purchase its' inmates' sentences. A cell embellished with drawings etched in blood, both its' occupants' and the guards'. An inmate who's single possession, aside from a well-maintained suit and mildly unsettling top hat, is a small silver icon of a hooded skeleton holding a scythe. And a T'Loak who is treated with reverence by all she comes in contact with, without any indication she knows them personally.

More on that... with the summary I'll post in the next few days.

The Madman, The Debutante, And The Prison Facility

April 1st [cont'd]: Upon docking with Exodus Alpha 01, the gang immediately noticed something was wrong. The docking bay was bathed in the pulsating red light of an alert, with the blaring sounds of an alarm as accompaniment. Deciding to venture out, cautiously, Hope, Mondo and Gliriel disembarked to ascertain exactly what it was that had the station in lock-down. They did not have to wait long. A voice (gasping and wheezing as though through a respirator device) hailed them over the public address system, and asked for their help in apprehending an escaped criminal, who was bound for their present location. With the gravity abruptly shut off, and the lights dimming the docking bay into a twilight-like state, the speaker was quick to sweeten the deal, promising payment for Orion's unharmed re-capture before the group could even answer. He was interrupted, however, by the criminal, 'Orion', arriving on the scene.

Refusing to give up quietly when requested to do so by Hope, a short zero-g scuffle ensued, though it proved difficult for Hope and Mondo, as they had the additional complication of needing to take the inmate alive. Breaking free of their hold, Orion attempted to make for the ships docked nearby, but was halted in mid-leap by Gliriel, utilizing an odd form of telekinesis that caused her body to be swathed in an odd, dark purple-hued aura. With Orion captured, however, their odd welcome to the station was over. As a detail of guards took him back to his cell, one (a four-eyed fellow with six nostrils) answered a few questions from Hope, revealing that the inmate was so important because he was to be sold to an important party. With Hope's people so vehemently opposed to slavery, this agitated the good commander greatly, and she was quick to go where she might find answers.

The Warden (a short, rotund fellow in an environment suit, and the voice behind the wheezing) met with them in the reception area/waiting room ahead, but, oddly, nearly ignored Hope and Mondo entirely, focusing completely upon Gliriel. He behaved nearly as though she were royalty, and the pair quickly left Hope and Mondo behind to conduct the 'business' she had come to the station for. Hope, no less agitated over the potential slaving issue, allowed Mondo to redirect her more urgent impulses into questions, and they made use of the amphibian-like humanoid behind the desk for answers. They quickly learned that 'slaving' was not precisely the correct word for what went on here. It was against Council laws to enslave sentient life, but they had developed an industry around willing, contract-based servitude. The difference? The indentured servant still have rights, and their employer had to respect the rules of the engagement. The problem was, that Exodus Alpha 01 was in the Traverse, a region of space outside of Citadel jurisdiction, and the rules had gotten a little... distorted. One could literally purchase an inmate's sentence, and, until their time was served, the criminal's new 'owner' had total power over them through (basically) blackmail. If the criminal did not do as he (or she) was told, it would be a simple matter to report them as having run away. Resulting in their immediate re-capture, often in an even less forgiving prison, and sometimes just executed outright.

No less fond of the system here, Hope and Mondo decided to talk about something else, and the topic was chosen by the receptionist. Orion. With their interest piqued, Hope and Mondo agreed to a tour, and were led through the facility, to the asylum segment. They noticed immediately that this portion of the station was entirely empty, without guards or inmates, and their guide explained that the area was mostly used for solitary confinement purposes. Arriving at Orion's cell, their guide opened it (since Orion had been moved to a new one in preparation for his potential buyer's arrival) and the pair beheld a cell riddled with the hallmarks of a disturbed mind. The walls, floor, and even ceiling were marked with blood of various colours, drawn into bizarre shapes. A recurring shape was that of a vague hourglass, disturbingly similar to a female's outline. But it was what was amidst these bizarre outlines and senseless scribbles that seized their attention most; a circular drawing riddled with cracks, crude representations of fire and screaming faces etched into its' design. Hope made sure to take pictures, so as to be able to study these drawings and scribbles later. Their guide, meanwhile, explained Orion's history, or what they knew of it.
[Excerpted conversation from game. ]


With their curiosity spent for the moment, Hope and Mondo returned to the waiting area with their guide, and waited for Gliriel's return, looking through some of Orion's things that had been confiscated from him years before, in case they could find a clue as to his sudden onset of madness. They found only a silver representation of a hooded skeleton wielding a scythe set upon a chain so as to be worn as a necklace or pendant of some kind. Gliriel finally returned, seeming content that her business had been concluded. When asked as to what her business had entailed, she smiled, and beckoned her new 'property' into the room: Orion himself. He wore a black suit, with a red shirt painting the area below his neck a bloody colour, matching his eyes. His new ensemble also included a top hat. A top hat with what appeared to be upside-down V's etched in a disjointed scrawl, with a crooked, rambling line zig-zagging through their center. When looked at for more than a moment, the disjointed lines created an optical illusion, making it seem almost as though the hat bore an infinite loop of 'HAHAHAHAHAHA' in red letters.

And so it seems that the Stellar's crew has grown once again, this time adding the obviously unstable Mr. Orion to their ranks, with Gliriel T'Loak becoming ever more mysterious to the original crew. And perhaps more odious as well, for whatever it is that compels others to nearly worship her may just begin to interfere with the ship's chain of command... Oh dear.

..BUT FIRST... a polite drink and small talk

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/419742_3124398746785_1169109879_33363257_442016890_n.jpg
Note: Edited picture to show Gliriel in her "native" environment

Uh-oh...Bikini armor. Somebody's going home in an urn...

Nah... force-field belts can even make the 'Illoria's Secret' line of ballistic lengerie a decent protectant for most small-arms fire fights

..And eye-lasers, for those annoying 'undress you with their eyes' lotharios....

Unfortunately, there won't be any Rifts tonight. One of our players is very under the weather, so we shall be putting things off until next week. Apologies.

To some degree of insanity that makes prefect sense. I think that they should be sedated before taping them to the hull. Otherwise you use a lot more duct tape then necessary.

Talking T'Loak, Enigmatic Orion

April 1st (cont'd): Taking Gliriel aside for a drink (and joined by Mondo) Hope retired to the lounge to get some answers as to why the blonde elf had been treated like royalty. (Orion meanwhile was kept busy by the ship's acting A.I. doctor, following medical procedure.) To Hope's questions, Gliriel kept her responses brief, and possibly measured. All they managed to glean was that she was part of an influential family based on a station known as Omega, and that she was knowledgeable of the region's rules and regulations. When Hope mentioned they had hoped to mine asteroids in order to achieve financial independence, Miss T'Loak was quick to point out several problems regarding ownership and other legal matters. The matter was pushed aside when Gliriel also mentioned that perhaps the group could work for her, which was met with some displeasure, but not dismissed by the Commander as long as things were kept professional.

During their conversation, Orion had joined them, having finished with his medical and mental examination, holing up in the kitchen area to snack on some bread and water. With their attention diverted from the matter at hand, the group invited him in, as the medical report from the A.I. had stated he was undernourished, and they managed to entice him to the table (well... almost) with a bowl of fruit. Sitting cross-legged on the floor a few feet from the table, he joined the conversation (and he was civil, even, offering them hope... temporarily), though his dislike for Gliriel seemed to drip from every syllable, in normal conversation or while not-so-subtly challenging and mocking the self-assured elf. She was unphased by this, however, and instead of getting angry she kept up a constant (for lack of a better word) flirtatious attitude toward Orion. This came to a head when she stood, and brushed against him on her way to put her glass away, causing him to SPASM aside like her touch physically harmed him, though no evidence of any such thing had occurred.

Deciding it was time to split the pair up before something was broken, Hope took Gliriel to the bridge to see about setting their course to Omega (instead of the Citadel, where the reptilian fellow had advised them to go previously) to see about securing financial backing of some manner from Gliriel's family. Mondo, meanwhile, answered some of Orion's questions about Earth and the nature of magic. Reaching the Relay, Gliriel helped to guide them through, and they soon emerged in the Omega system, or more specifically the asteroid belt surrounding the Relay in said system. Piloting themselves out of it, they set a course for Omega itself, a station built into a large, mined-out asteroid. http://images.wikia.com/masseffect/imag ... ega_03.jpg

Landing, they were approached by one of the amphibian-like humanoids (which Orion referred to as a 'salarian') who began to plead with them for some manner of work, all the while trying to frisk Orion for valuables (he being without armour. Gliriel was as well, but with her manner of dress there really wasn't any way to frisk her without being noticed XD). Unfortunately for the would-be pickpocket, Orion was possibly the worst mark to pick out of the group, and his ill-conceived attempt got him only one thing; a hand gripping his face as electricity was coursed through his body, while Orion smiled that oh-so-warped smile of his in satisfaction.

Hoo... oh boy.

And then the latest session...
1) A "deal with the devil" possibly in the making?
2) Black-market enforcers or "Shrewed buiness women"?
3) DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Tune in next week to see how it all turns out.

I am looking forward to hearing about the next session.

The Pirate Queen, and Princess, of Omega

April 1st (cont'd): With a dead Salarian on their hands, the group was a little nervous as to the consequences of Orion's actions. Somewhat unsettling to them, then, was the truth; there weren't going to be any. Gliriel told them, point-blank, that the Salarian had had no business being in her private area in any case, and that such occurrences on Omega were fairly commonplace. Mondo, his knightly honour preventing him from just leaving the body, volunteered to stay behind until it was properly taken care of, while the group pressed on.
Entering the Afterlife Club [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hjzHdYV ... re=related ], the group beheld Aria's 'court'; exotic dancers strategically placed about the room, a large, well-supplied bar, and plenty of booths and areas to socialize. Omega's center of business, with a secluded area raised over it at its' rear; Aria's personal lounge. Unfortunately, Gliriel was pulled away to attend to a matter (that was undisclosed to the rest of the group) and so they sat to wait. With Legion his usual quiet self, and Mondo absent, Hope was left with only Orion to talk to, though she had expressed interest in doing so before. It was... an interesting chat. [Excerpted for your enjoyment. ]

Shortly thereafter, Mondo rejoined the group, and Gliriel returned as well. She escorted the group to meet with Aria T'Loak, her Asari 'mother', and de facto ruler of Omega. Aria was intrigued (in an exceptionally mild and controlled way) by Gliriel's "guests", but seemed just as keen to test her own daughter, placing her in charge of business negotiations. Aria did, however, make certain that it was understood that no decision was final until approved by her, but was otherwise content to observe.
Gliriel, seeming a little tense, hit her stride quickly; she and Hope had already established that the crew needed financial autonomy without being indentured. She offered them employment, but knew her mother would insist on a performance test before handing down any major assignments. Hope agreed, as long as the Stellar's ordnance was re-fitted on their return, and a small 'honorarium' of credits paid to each of her crew. Gliriel acquiesced, but stated she would be going along as well, to mixed reception. Still, with business kept on the level for the moment, all parties seemed content. Except, of course, for Orion. As the group filed out (the deal having been given the nod from Aria), the red-eyes remained to deliver a message of his own to Aria, before moving to rejoin the group. "I will not be your daughter's toy forever. I am awaiting a response from a conversation I had earlier. I will have made up my mind as to how to proceed by the time we return. That is all."
Aria was unphased by this, and merely commented to her daughter that her 'company' needed to brush up on his manners. Gliriel, none too pleased by Orion's display of rebelliousness, followed after the group as they boarded the Stellar... making sure to brush against Orion yet again. Instead of his usual spastic reaction to avoid her, Orion snapped, going into a state of what can only be described as tranquil rage, punching her several times (and solidly) in the face and stomach before being restrained by Mondo. Dragging the silently irate individual to the medical bay, the auto-Doc sedated him, while Brightlance asked (rather pointedly) that Gliriel stop provoking the obviously unstable individual. She seemed almost pleased by his response, and informed Brightlance quite candidly that she would push Orion as far as she liked, but not far enough to make him a real danger, since she now "knew his threshold".

Great. So not only is the on-board psychopath capable of savage, remorseless violence, but the group's V.I.P. passenger enjoys taunting him into said violence. Oy. Somebody needs to find a contract lawyer and review the fine print for this sort of thing.

Another interesting chapter. How well does the group actually interact? I am looking forward to readnig the next chapter.

An Auspicious Arrival

April 1st (cont'd, and yes, it's getting quite late by now ): The group set out from Omega toward a planet Gliriel referred to as 'Illium', in the Tasale system of the Crescent Nebula. After yet another violent outburst from Orion, the group's newest guest had been fully sedated, and was not to be roused until they made planet-fall. Gliriel took a moment to explain to them several important facts about Illium; first and foremost, as it was on the border between Citadel Space and the Terminus Systems (and set up by Asari corporations, not their government) its laws were somewhat different than they would be on most worlds. In order to capitalize on the diverse goods flowing through the world's hands, nearly everything has been legalized, though more dangerous or deplorable items of course require special licenses or handling. Because of the 'entrepreneurial spirit' of the planet, contract laws are similarly very lax, allowing for corporations and individuals alike to form written agreements for virtually anything, which boiled down to a single rule: Don't sign your name to ANYTHING unless you are 100% certain of the terms of the agreement, because your signature WILL bind you to it even if you don't.

With the ground rules established, Gliriel contacted the Dantius Corporation on their arrival to request transport and a meeting with Nassana Dantius to discuss Aria's "goods". The corporation assured her that transportation would await their arrival, and Nassana would see them once finished with her current meeting. Satisfied, Gliriel then contacted the Nos Astra space-port, and the Stellar landed shortly thereafter. Readying themselves to depart, Legion was sent to ensure Orion was in a better mood upon waking. Seeming calm once again, he was allowed to rejoin the group, but events once again played out to trigger a violent reaction. [Excerpted simply because describing it doesn't do it justice. 0.o]



With the group on edge yet again, Orion awaited his date before moving to the airlock to await departure. Hope paid Gliriel a brief visit to once again make it clear that she did not want any further games upon her vessel, knowing that if Orion ever fully lost control he could rupture a window and risk her own crew's safety. She offered Gliriel a bit of respite, however, and mentioned that she would be more inclined to help her if she showed she was more than just a name. Gliriel gave somewhat perfunctory responses, but mentioned that she was provoking Orion 'for his own good' (her reasoning being that she would rather he attack her than some random woman on the street who touched him by accident. Hope was on her way out, and did not reply aside from acknowledging that she had heard Gliriel.)

Getting themselves ready, they headed out from the Stellar, with Legion remaining behind 'just in case.' Orion was quiet, his attention absorbed into his personal computer, likely trying to decode the foreign language of the data cube's contents, more than content to ignore everyone. Their transportation was waiting for them, as promised, a sleek hover-type vehicle with a young and nervous Asari driver. She showed due respect to the Lady T'Loak, however, and made sure even Hope was comfortable in the relatively small vehicle. (Hope was even more impressed that the flimsy-looking thing could bear the weight of both herself and Mondo's powersuit.)

Unfortunately, the driver's nerves (and the dice ) worked against them, and her jerky movements dislodged a loose wire under the dash (though they did not know what it was at the time, of course), causing the vehicle's flight system to fail. Tipping into a nose-dive at near to a hundred miles an hour, the group was understandably concerned. Even more so when the driver's frantic attempts to fix the situation caused her to smack her head into the dash, falling unconscious. Deciding they would rather NOT be in the car when it hit the ground, the group set to work trying to escape their imminent car wreck. (Cue initiative. ) Hope decided the best option would be to use her, and Mondo's, augmented jumping power to get them to a rooftop, as it was less of a distance. Unfortunately, when she moved to pick up Gliriel, her grip was on the elven woman's belt, which snapped when she tried to jump from the plummeting car. [She rolled a natural 3 for her roll, so that's an automatic miss. ] Mondo attempted to save Orion, but the bizarre fellow apparently did not want to BE saved, swatting the armoured knight's hands aside and even shoving him away. In a last ditch attempt to save somebody, Hope gave Gliriel her force-field cape, before she and Mondo (who was falling from Orion's shove) pushed away from the car to land on a rooftop.

Gliriel began to glow with her purple-ish glow as she concentrated, ignoring the cape. Orion, staying true to his belief that Death would claim him only when it was his time, remained utterly calm, using a low-level Firebolt spell to blow a hole in the divider between driver area and passenger section. Climbing through the hole, he opened the dash, fixed the short, and attempted to stabilize the falling vehicle, but it was too near to the ground. Gliriel rectified this by forcing a bubble of telekinetic force into existence between the hover-car and the ground, causing it to 'skip' over the ground instead of crumpling into it. With the driver still unconscious, and Gliriel passing out after her mental exertion, Hope and Mondo were a little surprised to find the two had been moved to sit against the vehicle. Orion, of course, said nothing of it, and explained what had gone wrong. Deciding it was best to get to where they were supposed to be, Hope and Mondo asked Orion to drive, and they continued on their way to the Dantius Corporation before the authorities could arrive.

Huh. Quite the day. And I think Hope, Mondo and Legion need some kind of reference guide to Orion and Gliriel. One minute he's willing to blow a hole through Mondo's chest to kill Gliriel, or she's being a haughty, spoiled brat, and the next she's putting herself in danger to save a stranger and he's actually seeing to her safety. Inconsistencies, or perhaps a more thorough mental examination is needed? You decide.

Remember, folks, spring for the airbags and seatbelts on your next vehicle. If that option does not apply, pick an aisle seat rather than a window seat, and count the rows to the nearest emergency exit.

Not "OUR" ride...and beisdes; if Hope had her druthers, it'd have been on a Steel-Phoenix she'd ride.

Open cockpit. Kinda hard on those WITHOUT full body maglocs, hydraulically-locking legs, and pressurized full environmental body armor. Especially at trans-sonic speeds.

Details...

"Sorry, but some of us CANNOT lock our necks against the transsonic shockwave pummeling us. And not all of us like cleaning out our sinuses with a little jaunt up over mach one!"

Apologies, everyone. We're down two players due to unavoidable circumstances, so Rifts is off until next week. Hope everyone has as pleasant an evening and weekend as possible.

- Cy/Orion

Nice posting. It is an interesting group. I am looking forward to reading the next chapter from within my armored shelter.

Fallen From Sky 'Neath Fractured Eclipse

April 2nd: Having survived their near-crash, the group continued to the Dantius Corporation in thankfully accident-free style. Landing the slightly battered hovercar at the entrance, they were greeted by a small throng of young Asari attendants (young of course being relative here, since the Asari live for 1000 years on average ) who were understandably shocked by the trouble their esteemed guest Lady T'Loak had encountered. Shocked and likely somewhat afraid for their jobs if they upset her any further. They hastily showed the group to a large, fancifully decorated washroom to freshen themselves up. Fortunately the group was not put off by the lack of dividers for male and female use (the Asari being a mono-gender race, all female in appearance.) Orion remained by the washroom's entrance, lost in some project or other on his personal computer, fortunately allowing things to proceed without incident between himself and Gliriel (though the elf was in a mood not conducive to her usual flirting in any case.) Legion, meanwhile, had arrived in the group's hover-jeep, swapping places with Mondo for the time being.

Once they felt more presentable, they re-emerged from the lavish lavatory to find the throng of attendants had dissipated. Replacing them was a single, more professional-looking Asari who seemed to be older, though still in the Maiden stage of her life. Escorting them upstairs, she had them remove their more obvious weapons and leave them in the hall (Legion opting to remain with them to ensure their safety) before being shown in to meet with Nassana Dantius, the lady in charge. After exchanging pleasantries, she explained the situation: Aria's goods had been part of a regular shipment to the Dantius Corporation. This shipment had been hijacked somewhere outside Nos Astra's city limits, but as there was precious little outside the city, Lady Dantius was of the opinion the shipment had been relocated to somewhere within the capital's boundaries. The suspects were a mercenary group known as "Eclipse", or more specifically a splinter factions that had broken off from the main force headquartered in Nos Astra. (Their reasons for splintering were unknown.) The leader of the Eclipse, Alyria, had already taken what force she had on hand to go deal with the insurgents personally (a personal pride sort of thing, Dantius described her as not being one to tolerate such betrayal) but had not reported back in over an hour.

Nassana requested the group wait for several hours, to see if Alyria would get back in contact about the state of her mission. The group were not universally thrilled, knowing waiting could make the situation worse, but reluctantly agreed to give it some time, as Nassana felt that sending Alyria any help could hurt her pride, and therefor damage their business relationship. Moving into the suite provided them by their host, they settled in to discuss the situation; they quickly decided it was unlikely Nassana would set this up to steal Aria's property, as it would hurt her profits in the long-term far more than any short-term gain could help. Another possibility established was that the splinter group, if indeed they managed to capture Alyria, that they could be using her to (as Gliriel put it) "get their jollies." Not an appealing idea, but considering the fantasies surrounding the Asari race as a whole, distressingly likely.

Several hours later (four, to be precise), Nassana knocked upon the suite's door. Hope, who had remained awake, answered. The Lady Dantius was... tired, among other things, but she delivered the update; Alyria had been captured. It seems the soldiers she had on hand at the time she had departed had been part of the splinter faction, and even an Asari Commando cannot face so many at once while alone. The rest of Eclipse, those who were not traitors to their leader, could not move in because the splinter group knew their tactics and would see them coming, jeopardizing Alyria's safety. An unknown group, however, could have more luck in approaching without causing problems, and that is what Nassana asked of Hope. Waking the others, the cyber-amazon explained the situation, and they set to planning their strategy while Nassana went to play the part needed of her, specifically awaiting a ransom note, if any, and pretending to play ball to draw their attention from the group.

Elsewhere in the city, however... a hover transport glides between abandoned buildings, bizarrely graceful for its bulk. The two men in the cab guide it into a wide area, swinging it around so its rear faces forward, and begin backing it into an open garage door. A faint whistling sound catches their attention, and they pause, leaning out of the vehicle's windows to look around. They see something streaking from the sky, flaming but not breaking up as a meteorite would; something metal, man-made. Realizing too late where it will land, they are crushed instantly as it slams into the cab of the vehicle, tipping the trailer over from the impact. The two men's compatriots run out of the building, cursing, and douse the fires with on-hand extinguisher systems. What is revealed is a sleek pod-like vessel, bearing no logo or identifier of any kind. Cutting equipment is brought forth, and they breach the crashed pod, a gasp of cold air from within signalling the deactivation of a cryo-system. A hulking figure, inside, begins to stir...

A rescue mission against a traitorous splinter faction with a hostage, with an unknown quantity already on-scene? This is going to be fun.

Verey interesting updatre. Who is the hulking figure in the pod?

Wait and find out.

I think I will wait inside my Adamantium/ orchalcum bunker.

Iron Wolf Arrival! But Can They Save Alyria?

April 2nd (cont'd): Heading out from the Dantius Corp. shortly after hearing the news, Hope and Stormglider took to the air while the rest of the team (barring Legion, who remained behind to serve as radio link to Nassana) piled into the hover jeep. Hastening along, they parked a half-block or so from the splinter faction's adopted base, hoping to remain unknown to their enemies. Approaching on foot, under cover of night, they saw the building had only two entrances visible to them, the front (guarded by some security mechs, they could see) and a side entrance (that they could not see clearly, only detect because of the additional light thrown from inside the building.) Taking a moment to consider their options, the security mechs at the front door abruptly went inside, leaving the door unguarded. Curious, the group took a moment to see what the reason might be (hearing shouting from the rear of the building, and being fed aerial reports from Hope describing a large figure wreaking some havoc) before deciding to proceed inside. They were interrupted, however, by a hulking metal shape sprinting around the side of the building. Confronting the trio on the ground, the figure was revealed to be a humanoid robot or cyborg of some manner, stylized to appear wolf-like. Confused and angered, it took Hope, Mondo and Gliriel a few moments to calm him, during which time Orion slipped off unnoticed. The figure identified himself as Iron Wolf (or more specifically, said this is what he had been called by others, he did not remember very much just yet) and agreed to help the group trounce the traitorous soldiers. As they proceeded inside, they encountered a trio of soldiers coming OUT, triggering a brief, close-quarters firefight.

While the trio (missing Orion) plowed through the front door, Hope landed in the rear, noting the damage Iron Wolf's arrival had caused. Checking the downed truck's trailer, she found the cargo was intact and secured, and left her partner to guard it. Entering through the back, she found a few guards of her own to pick on, and set to amusing herself at their expense. She was joined by Mondo and Gliriel shortly thereafter, who had subdued the guards at the front and bypassed the (curiously passive) security mechs after leaving Iron Wolf to guard their prisoners. Planning to move further inward to locate the hostage, they were interrupted by a public address from 'Faughn', the faction's leader, stating that they should send someone to speak with him (without weapons, of course), as they had solidified their position and had Alyria at gunpoint. Any further violence would result in her death. Disliking the situation, Hope agreed to meet with them, and Gliriel decided to go with her, each leaving their external weapons in Mondo's care. (Though Hope of course has her in-built ones, and Gliriel her biotics.)

Our team is capable, but it's hard to outrun a bullet that starts off right beside the victim's head. This could be difficult. ><
[Apologies for a shorter recap, the session was mostly combat for a change, so less to summarize without getting into a shot-by-shot commentary. I did it a little bit last minute, too. *blush*]

Very entertaining. Please keep them coming!

Nine Letters and a Rescue

April 2nd (cont'd): Moving to meet with the hostage-taker, Hope and Gliriel listened to Faughn's terms. (After he made sure they knew of his "unbeatable" system of protection; the doors admitting access to the room just beyond their meeting point, where Alyria was being kept, would shut if Faughn was harmed or killed, and could only be opened from the inside.) They were fairly straightforward, if a little unrealistic; The splinter faction in its entirety was to be allowed to leave the planet without incident, and without further repercussions from the T'Loaks (Gliriel being instantly recognizable by those paying attention, apparently.) Gliriel pointed out that they had already captured several of the group's guards, and asked if it would not simply be easier for those who remained to flee. Faughn, seeming to lose his nerve when things did not immediately go in his favour as he had hoped, stammered, hmm'd and haw'd, asking for time to consult with his soldiers before choosing a course of action. Not impressed by his lack of leadership, Hope and Gliriel instead impressed upon him their dwindling patience.

Being interrupted by one of his men, Faughn took a moment to listen via private channel. (The group saw that it was the one holding the gun to Alyria's head who was speaking.) Finishing their brief conversation, the salarian turned back to the group looking rather perplexed. He explained that the soldier wanted him to pass along a message, which happened to be a riddle; "What is a nine letter word that cannot be said without laughter?" Understandably confused (not speaking English himself), the salarian waited for the group to answer. And received a shot in the back of the head instead. With his life signs terminated, the doors sped closed, but not before the group saw the soldier holding the gun lift his helmet's visor to reveal a glint of red in each eye.

Suddenly understanding where Orion had gone to, the group waited as patiently as they could for their violent comrade to resurface. Iron Wolf and Mondo rejoined them in this time, and were quickly filled in on the situation. Not long after that, the doors were re-opened from the inside; all the group could see within, however, was an infinite impenetrable darkness. From the depths of this, first, came the armoured suits of the soldiers who had been trapped inside with Orion. Next came their weapons, and third came Alyria, stubborn and prideful enough to force herself to walk out alone. Orion, changed back into his customary suit and mocking hat, came last, and shut the doors behind him with an assurance that the group would not want to see what was within. Deciding to take his word for it, the group gathered up Aria's cargo and their rescued hostage, and made their way back to Dantius HQ.

Relieved that her friend was safe (though in need of medical attention), Nassana thanked the group profusely, before politely asking they leave so the healer/doctor could do her work on Alyria. Respecting her wishes, the group returned to the Stellar to sleep the rest of the night away, for they were to ship back to Omega when they awoke. Hope, meanwhile, gave the Iron Wolf a complimentary flight, and asked him what he wished to do now that he was awake. He expressed interest in the group, and has until morning to make up his mind about coming along long-term. (Though he again mentioned the name 'Gathion', which the group is relatively certain is a slightly incorrectly remembered 'Gaphion', and we all know who THAT is. Still, Iron Wolf appears sane and fairly well-adjusted, so... I guess even the 'Splicer can have an off day?)

Another job well done from the crew. Though Orion nearly got himself killed, making himself appear to be the hostage-holder put himself in Hope's cross-hairs at the very least. He truly seems to take his belief that Death will claim him only when it no longer has use for him seriously. But Gliriel is causing the group some confusion; exhibiting compassion and care for Nassana and Alyria, and then being too tired for her usual flirting with Orion en route back to the Stellar. If she keeps this up, she may go an entire day without Orion trying to slug her.

Well; Hope got some much earned down-time and will be rested and ready for the next scenario.

Another excellent chapter. I am looking forward to the next one.

I'll be combining last week's session with tonight's, on account of it being a relaxing sort of affair. Chatting with one another on their trip back toward Omega and the like. Good for the group, but perhaps not so interesting to the readers here on the forum thread.

Apologies folks, Rifts will be on hold until next week. One of our team will be inescapably absent tonight, and their character is pretty central to plot events at the moment so I don't think we'll be able to make a go of it without them, or at least not a go that flows nearly as well as it should. We shall try again for next week, BUT if I'm feeling especially motivated I may get myself to post up the combined session logs from last week and the week before.

You can always keep a handful of small innovations, minor devices, (megaversal) sidenotes, and whatnot ready at hand to post as filler material...nothing pertinent to the game plot(or are they?)...brain farts, free verse, or mental gumballs as it were.


Like the ScannoQizzoCard....looks like a transparent credit card but it lights up in fascinating patterns when passed near somebody else, or maybe it lights up constantly on your person? What is it reacting to? People keep testing the little cards to see if they react to certain kinds of species, shapeshifters, psychics, magic users, those with magic potential, or without ANY...or something else.
It's become something of a puzzle with people trying to figure out what the little cards are....not even their mysterious distributor will tell(or can tell).
And that might be the point.....ScannoQizzoCards could be an Ancient game toy whose original creators have vanished into the fog of time...leaving behind thousands, possibly millions, of what could be the equivalent of alien Rubik's Cubes behind to frustrate later generations of aliens.
So far, ScannoQizzoCards have proven harmless, but there are those who contend that the alien 'game' should be treated as anything BUT, and that indepth investigations should be launched to make sure the cards are not some ancient trap or target acquisition device...
Or maybe they're just random effect generators that give off randomly-generated pretty light shows.

Yeah, I usually improvise something, but our gang left off on a "serious talk" in regards to choosing allegiances and such. Just didn't feel right to me to suddenly veer off onto a new topic (even a brief one) without getting that squared away. I know things come up and misadventures happen, but something was telling me I shouldn't put a break in this particular batch of tension.
The cards do sound kinda fun, though.

Whatever works for you, time and attitude-wise.

Hoo, all righty, going to be a double-session post AND a minor game alteration. Let's get started;

First off; the minor fluff tweak; Up until now, the relay system we've been using to get across the galaxy in a hurry has been geared toward convenience. We could access one node, -shoomp- ourselves a heck of a long way, and pop out just about anyplace (this was done since our ship currently is a bit on the slow side in terms of inter-stellar travel, but we are hoping to have this fixed shortly. ) The flaws inherent in this system rapidly became apparent, and I can only imagine the logistical nightmare of trying to defend one's territory when your enemy could deploy an army behind the boundaries of your interstellar nation with ease.
SO, rather than have a single relay node per star cluster to bump ourselves along to any other, there shall now be several, each branching off to neighbouring star clusters. Our adventurers will have to jump from cluster to cluster with these, but will have to fly under their own power in-cluster (meaning that in some cases, they may have to fly themselves between solar systems to get to their next relay.) This will cause their travel times to go up dramatically, buuuuut that's what the time-skip is for. (That being said, a faster FTL drive is also a must, otherwise they're at rather a disadvantage in many ways.)

Second; The session before-last's update~
April 2nd (cont'd): Sleeping in until the early afternoon, our heroes take a well-deserved rest. Upon waking (well, being woken by Legion) they discover Iron Wolf has been let into the ship. He expresses that while he has basically no memory of his past, and his vague recollections of 'Gathion' (which the group is pretty sure is a misrecollection of 'Gaphion', not a big stretch) he wished for them to consider him an ally. The group (minus Hope, still recuperating) reassured the cyborg and welcomed him along until he could decide the path he was to take.

Setting out for Omega once again, the group took some time to talk amongst themselves, and for Iron Wolf to ask the ship's medical A.I. to scan him for the purpose of detecting his installed systems (not knowing what he had himself.) The scan turned up standard systems and the borg's list of equipment thankfully did not include bombs, tracers or other unpleasantness. Taking advantage of this, Holo-Persia uploaded a few basic languages into the 'borg's newly discovered translator (Trade 4 - more of a dialect, really - and Dragonese/Elven.)

Docking with Omega, the group went back to their quarters to prepare themselves to go ashore and meet with Aria once again.

Third: Aaaaaand the most recent session.



April 2nd (as The Crescent Nebula actually DOES neighbour the Omega Nebula): Having landed on Omega, the group collected themselves and got moving promptly, knowing very well that Aria was not one to be kept waiting. Giving Iron Wolf a moment to absorb the ever-so-slightly seedy grandeur of Omega, they proceeded into Afterlife, and were informed by those guarding the T'Loak's private lounge that Aria was in a foul mood. So much so, in fact, that most of the guards who shared the lounge/booth with her were either downstairs or as far from the Asari as possible.

Approaching with caution, the group waited for Aria to invite them in, and she did so with a quick order to sit or stand. Getting as comfortable as they could with an agitated Asari in close proximity, the group waited for their host to sit and turn her full attention to them before reporting their success in recovering her cargo, as well as assisting Nassana Dantius in rescuing her friend, Alyria. Her mood slowly improving, Aria became more relaxed; until, that is, Iron Wolf spoke up. The well-intentioned cyborg suggested a break for Aria to go blow off some steam (in a non-violent manner, as he had been told her usual method of expressing her displeasure was launching the source of said agitation out of an airlock.) Unfortunately, Aria T'Loak is not one accustomed to changing her schedule at another's suggestion, and quickly became icy once again. Luckily, Gliriel knew her mother well, and her assurance that Nassana's Dantius Corporation would continue to do business with Aria, if not increase their trade, helped thaw the elder T'Loak once again.

Aria then told the group why she was so agitated; The Citadel Council, those who governed the 'civilized' segment of space, had made a significant move against the Terminus Systems and in such a way that prevented (or at least made difficult) the Terminus from declaring open war in return. Specifically; they had offered some of the Terminus' more well-known 'individuals' (pirates/brigands/warlords) a free-pass to come and go in Citadel Space as they pleased. All they asked in return was that these individuals not prey on Council-governed worlds any longer. Innocent, enough, except for one teensy unspoken detail; if these pirates and such were not to touch Council-controlled worlds, they would then have to change the target of their raids and attacks to those in the Terminus. Normally, only the boldest or most foolhardy openly attack the Terminus systems, for while the region comprises many star clusters and solar systems, it is also inhabited by the best the criminal world has to offer, and SOMEONE is going to be able to find you. Therefor, causing trouble in one's own backyard is generally discouraged unless it is small enough that you're not bothering anyone important. But with Citadel Space opened to them, these individuals could strike at their former neighbours and then disappear across the border, where any open act of aggression would be met by the Citadel fleet.

Aria knew of this turn of events because the Citadel had offered her that same free pass, and so she (and by extension the group) knows that the Council did not tell their new allies to do anything against the Terminus, officially at least. Regardless it is clear they are merely maintaining plausible denial while sending these former pirates in as privateers (a concept Hope recognized immediately) to harass their former fellows. In this way, the Council hopes to weaken the Terminus enough for them to begin colonizing the Attican Traverse (formerly contested space between the Citadel and Terminus) and, eventually, the Terminus itself.

True to Terminus form, however, Aria was not concerned about the fate of the other criminals and ne'er-do-wells that shared the region with her, but about her own business. Her own trade centered around specialty goods and information and under Citadel laws it would be harder for her to deal in the things they have outlawed. She also suspects that the Citadel would not allow anyone from the Terminus to remain in control of an entire station, which would make her information business more difficult to keep running. All in all; Aria T'Loak fully intends to refuse the Council's offer, and harry their attempts to cripple the Terminus.

To this end, she asked the group to decide where their allegiances lay. She had recognized their skill, and they had gained a measure of her respect (Hope in particular, for demonstrating an appreciable sense of integrity) and would welcome them to her side, but wished for them to be certain. After all, once they became known as agents of the Terminus, it would be very difficult to change sides later if events turned them to that decision (especially considering that Aria intended to ask Orion to actively hunt the Council's 'shadow arm', the Spectres, should the group remain in her service.)

Hitting upon an idea, Aria suggested the following to the group; act as her envoys to the Council. The grace period for responding to their invitation was a month, more than sufficient time for them to get to the Citadel and back, and Gliriel was the natural choice to stand in for Aria. This would allow the group to move through the station as freely as would be possible, and infringe on the time of those there to ask questions. If, at the end of their visit, they wished to remain in Aria's service, she would be satisfied that they would not regret the decision later. And if they decided to side with the Council, she would respect that decision as well (though it could perhaps make Gliriel's relationship with the crew a little awkward.)

Released from Aria's presence, the group made their way back to the Stellar while Gliriel remained behind with Orion to discuss some manner of private business. Back at their vessel, Hope supervised the off-loading of Aria's cargo, and was drawn into a conversation with a dock-worker about their ship technology. It seemed that most ships in this region of space, Citadel or Terminus, used something called 'element zero' as both a power source and a FTL drive core, and without one they could not upgrade the Stellar's systems. Replacing the existing drive core with an 'eezo' one would be ludicrously expensive (and time-consuming), and while building an add-on for the ship to house the eezo core would cost less, it would provide an outward and costly target for enemies. Their ideas stalling, the mechanic remembered seeing a blueprint years ago that proposed a drive that used no element zero at all, yet still functioned on the principle of manipulating gravity to achieve FTL travel. Dredging through their on-hand computer database of designs, the mechanic found a copy of these blueprints and pulled them up; most of it was theoretical at best, but the core idea was remarkably similar to the CG-drive the Stellar already employed for sub-light travel. Intriguingly, the blueprint and attached file was written in English, and even more interesting was the author's signature at the bottom; Sarah Orion.

As Hope said; Well well well...

Hopefully my triple-post will be enough to sate you reader-folks out there, we'll be back next week hopefully.