The Saga Continues: Phoenix Force Forever.

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 1:36 pm

YES INDEEDY DO DAH-DAY folks!

With events ramping up both in Rifts Terra, and within the Tri-Galactic Cluster (among other places) the creator of The Story so far... is starting up a new thread. Same format, but different name! :fl:

For sticking through the previous thread, those who wish to see what the PC's and NPC's look like, please take a gander at the link under the spoiler :demon:

Spoiler:

All visual representation is cp to the original artists...except the badge. That's all me baby.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 2:08 pm

Looking good, fresh out of the stalls!

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 1:23 pm

Authors note: I am tired and kinda blurry on details right now. *looks at muse and half empty absinthe bottle*
HOWEVER I do have at least a fragment of the one of the two past sessions.
Rest will follow as Muse allows.

[“Something old, something new.”]
The battle against the Kolnari pirates on the 28th. of March PA 109 was short and brutal. Only one lucky torpedo hit ever came close to damaging the Sleipnir. Under command of the brevet-rank Captain Fionna Faraday, piloted by Shalyndra Baza-Khaine and crewed by the rest of Phoenix-Force Alpha, the Kolnari pirates were taken care of one after the other. Critical strikes to power systems and shield generators ensured easy dispatch of the lightly armored reaver craft, and allowed the Sleipnir to quickly go to the rescue of the survivors on the Explorer-Class vessel. Fionna and the rest could only grit their teeth as they saw the life-signs of the beleaguered crew on the raided vessel go down by ones and threes. Upon arrival at maximum teleport range, Uno-Rez Landale activated the trans-mat beam and whisked the remaining 45 survivors onto the cargo deck of the Sleipnir, and then reversed the beam to place a live fission device to reward the Kolnari boarding party on the wrecked Explorer. Sleipnir sailed off towards Alfheim, with a brief nuclear flare in its wake to signal their success…and the defeat of the Holy-Seed of Kolnar.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 1:30 pm

Ah, the ol' hostage/nuke switcheroo...a classic for those wanting to inflict an "Oh Shi-!" moment on their enemies. :ok:

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:16 am

[“Something old, something new.”] (revised & expanded)

The battle against the Kolnari pirates on the 28th. of March PA 109 was short and brutal. Only one lucky torpedo hit ever came close to damaging the Sleipnir. Under command of the brevet-rank Captain Fionna Faraday, piloted by Shalyndra Baza-Khaine and crewed by the rest of Phoenix-Force Alpha, the Kolnari pirates were taken care of one after the other. Critical strikes to power systems and shield generators ensured easy dispatch of the lightly armored reaver craft, and allowed the Sleipnir to quickly go to the rescue of the survivors on the Explorer-Class vessel. Fionna and the rest could only grit their teeth as they saw the life-signs of the beleaguered crew on the raided vessel go down by ones and threes. Upon arrival at maximum teleport range, Uno-Rez Landale activated the trans-mat beam and whisked the remaining 45 survivors onto the cargo deck of the Sleipnir, and then reversed the beam to place a live fission device to reward the Kolnari boarding party on the wrecked Explorer. Sleipnir sailed off towards Alfhiem, with a brief nuclear flare in its wake to signal their success…and the defeat of the Holy-Seed of Kolnar.

In transit to Alfheim, the Sleipnir was intercepted by a Warlock-Navy battleship Draconis Est; (a Bahamut class, one of the newer ships-of-the-line) and invited to confer with the command staff once the rescuees were transferred over. A few hours later when in orbit around Alfheim, medics from Draconis Est along with the captain of the battleship, Hystal (a Draconid), came aboard Sleipnir to personally congratulate them on successfully rescuing that many survivors. The Kolnari are not known for mercy or leaving anything behind if they can’t take it with them.
The dinner conference aboard Draconis Est consisted of the entirety of Sleipnir’s crew, and Captain Hystals staff officers; The female Turrian Stelk Jkan (x/o), Ullan Fairwind (female elf, navigator) and the Dwarven magitech-smith Joergen Joergenson. Pleasantries and shop-talk were the order of the evening-shift meeting, eventually boiling down to Captain Hystal wishing for: 1) Fionna and any of her superiors to speak to the Algolian Naval commission in regards to their mass-production techniques for magi-tech capital ships, and 2) A singed autograph of all present members of Phoenix Force Alpha for his son, who is a fan of the old comic series featuring Phoenix Force. Laughing, Fionna promised to provide #2 and to pass word along about point #1. Wine flowed, oaths & toasts of mutual respect exchanged and promises to hunt the Kolnari down (along with any other slavers / pirates) by both crews if they come across any in the future. Several hours later, the crew returned to Sleipnir, with a very very very tipsy (re; drunk as skunk) Fionna. Garrus felt it was his responsibility to help his captain, and as Uno assisted the two to Fionna’s quarters, the Gynoid turned to Garrus and said simply; “Be gentle.” Closing the door behind her; leaving both the Turrian and the VERY female human burster alone. Several times Garrus tried to gracefully leave his commanding officer alone to sleep, while said commander did NOT want to let the suddenly attractive alien to leave. Long story short, ‘Archangel’ remained and snuggled with the red-headed human, but nothing happened…yet.

The next day found Sleipnir and crew on-planet in the county of Greenbranch, Alfheim, with letters of recommendation from Captain Hystal to allow them access to the library there, along with mages guild access for Thomas Carmichael. Most of the day went without any problems, Garrus & Fionna going off to take care of business of their own (speaking to various spacers and daemon-hunters about local activity) while Roy, Shalyndra and Uno & Thomas entered the Library, skipping the rather long line up.
Shelf upon shelf upon shelf of media of all stripe from clay tablet, crystal, vellum scroll and everything in-between for as far as the eye could see in the bigger-on-inside library building. Thomas at one point required “reading glasses” that he rented from one of the fae Paige’s that worked the stacks; as he did NOT have the requisite spells to translate one of the books he had found pertaining to The Nightmare Childe. What he found disturbed him greatly. The Nightmare Childe had been a by-blow of something called “The Time War”; a conflict that had taken place several dimensions over but the fallout could still be felt even in the 3 Galaxies.

Meanwhile, Roy the Steam-boy was researching the artifact that had been found on the crashed kittani mantis vessel near the Hawkmoon tribe of NeEctrozShemarr. He too was disturbed, as the black-glass hexagonal obelisk that had been found, was a dead ringer for what is known as a soul engine; the power source and brain of a Demonstar.
…and it looked like the Nightmare Childe was somehow linked to what they had found.
The library group gathered together to compare notes, when suddenly a scuffle was heard one row over from them and the sound of someone being knifed just after crying “thief”. Shalyndra looked over and saw the last person she expected to find; her last bounty, Professor Daemonium (a rather skinny and unassuming male with requisite mystic tattoos on face and decorated black robes).
A simple magic-net from Thomas, and it was assumed “job done.”
Nothing could be further from the truth.

Professor Daemonium promised retribution as he failed to struggle at all against the mystic webbing, when a helpful librarian was brutally murdered behind Shalyndra, splashing her with her blood. 3 Shedim daemons had somehow been summoned, and by the sounds of it two other demon types were also loose in the library stacks. Fionna, returning to Sleipnir with Garrus alongside had a premonitory flash of danger and sped towards the library, getting confirmation via radio from Uno-Rez. The guardian Golems did not want to let Fionna inside, thus she melted their legs so they could not interfere and she came upon a scene of carnage. Then, a wall of red mist surrounded the outside of the building; shadows of human and inhuman figures seen just inside the mist. A few patrons that had not gotten far enough in time were consumed by the crimson wall.
Inside, many library patrons and researchers lay torn apart or gunned down, as Phoenix Force desperately tried to keep from joining the dead. Roy & Shalyndra took grievous injury during the battle but otherwise were intact. Uno & Roy sped off to try and find the escaped Professor Daemonium, who had freed himself from his capture during the melee. At the back of the building, where the teleport circles for inter branch library sharing is done, the body of a Gallu daemon was found, holding the shattered remains of a starfire pulse-cannon in one hand. Of the Professor? No sign. He had escaped.
Warlock Marines soon came onto the scene once the crimson wall of death dissipated. Phoenix Force was advised to stay around for later questions, but they were not blamed for the damages done, since if they hadn’t been there, many more would have been killed by the Shedim alone. When Phoenix Force returned to Sleipnir, they found that it too had been raided, by Lassae breaking in via air ducts bringing in fresh air onto the ship. Only minor damage had been incurred, and the 3 spider-bot repair & security drones had fended them off. Only one thing was missing. The warded iron cube containing the LeMarchand Box that had been Anazasi Khaine’s…

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 11:56 pm

*bump*

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:17 am

Yeah; 'Helpful Librarian'...and what does the librarian get for it?
Slaughtered in the stacks... :roll:

Either a newbie or one of the few who has not been inducted into the TRUE power of librarians, the powers of Bibliomancy, and the Art of Librarian Martial Arts...
Would have been a far different story if they HAD.... :twisted:

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 12:42 pm

WARNING! GM rant

Alfheim needs to hire Konawn De Librariahn! (not to be confused with the copyrighted loin-cloth wearing freebooter, or the parody done by W.A.Y.), but what can you expect from a bunch of escoteric long-ears?
That's why they have the dwarves and the crazy hairless monkeys to fight for them... :rolleyes:

It's a wonder High-king Starlight and all his cronies haven't been slaughtered yet, what with Kevin Siembiada's mindless hatred for anything magic to actually have an edge or to use their brains, like...I dunno... buy mass-produced normal technology to compliment mystic defenses?

I keep re-reading the whole thing about the Warlock Marines & Navy getting hamstrung by the powers-dat-be in the UWW (re; "Techno-wizardry is our greatest triumph and best weapon! What need we for primitive toys of the unenlightend?" etc etc etc ad nauseum ad infinitum), and it baffles me how the UWW can even exist without being just curb stomped. The rift-cannon only has a 50 mile range and takes so much PPE per shot that in a protracted naval battle, a conventional missile boat would have vaporized the UWW ship in a single salvo @ 1000+ miles range 3 times over before the warlock ship could get within spitting distance of it's "Feared main gun". No variable shileds? Huh?

Even after Braden gave us the regenerative hulls and 'house of glass' retributive fields, in 70% of all cases, the warlocks get blown outa the void (and don't get me started on rift-drives and how useless THOSE things are for long distance travel).

-ahem- rant over

In conclusion, if the PC's play their cards right and diplomacy carries the day, the Warlock Navy might be getting some new mad-skillz for their shiprights.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 4:00 pm

Here, here!
The mages gotta get creative with those spells....

Cytibor · Unread post by **Cytibor** » Wed Sep 29, 2010 11:20 am

Agreed. And a pretty justified rant too. Playing a TW myself, the limits on magic tend to become readily apparent. :-?

So creativity [and some GM decision-making] is a must.

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:31 pm

[“I see, a bad moon a’rising!”]
April 3rd. PA 109; 3 days after the raid on the Greenbranch library of Alfheim and the break-in of the Sleipnir. Phoenix Force Alpha tended to administrative and investigative duties as needed (though Fionna Faraday and Archangel both were banned from enterting the library grounds due to psychological trauma on the two golems), but otherwise relaxed while awaiting their interview with the Alfhiem high-council. Durring these 3 days of enforced inaction, Uno & Thomas Carmichael spent a romantic dinner together and finally consumated their relationship; much to the others delight.
As mid-afternoon approached on the 3rd, a full millitary escort of a half dozen Warlock Marines arrived at the main airlock of the Sleipnir, with hover limousine to convey the team to the technological pyramid housing the Warlock Naval Command and High-Council.
In the massive council hall, the Phoenix team met with;
Tho the Danus Magi-Guild chair-being & counsel to King Silverlight.
General Kain (male human) of the Warlock Marine Homeguard.
Wayfarer Yullas, the elf-matron Naval Intelligence director.
Finally, Spirit-Tracker Eljar, male elf chief of civilian security on Alfhiem.

After preliminary protocols and niceitiies, the inevitable pointed questions of Phoenix force’s reason for being on Alfhiem, why they dealt with the Kolnari in-transit, what they thought they were doing persuing a dangerous thief in the library? Etc etc etc.
Before everyone among the Alpha’s died of terminal boredom, the doors were flung wide as an elegant and somewhat dandyish Elven male, dressed all in varrying shade sof deep red silk & velvet, strolle dinto the council chambers and carelessly sat in one of the councilor seats, kicking up his boots onto the table. Captain Malkasahe Kakansi-Santh of the Voidrunner 2 had entered the building. After charming and “politely” insulting the varying council members in turn, he collected Fionna (having met her previously on more than one occasion) and her crew along into his wake, and as they exited the council room teleported them abord his vessel in high-orbit above Alfhiem. The flamboyant captain sat his guests within the Voidrunner’s state-dining hall and appologized for being such a show off, but he added there was a reason for haste; in fact, Sleipnir had already been tranferred under the Voidrunner 2’s hull and dock-clamped secure. Further, all bounty payment listed for the capture of Professor Daemonium was being transferred to Shalyndra Baza-Khaine’s Lazlo city bank account.
Over dinner, Captain Malkasahe informed his guests that “The veil between alternate worlds and ‘might-have-beens’ are stretching thin and may break.”
Yet, the good captain also cautioned that it would be best if everyone was to go, make sure THEIR captain had as pleasant and non-stressful a wedding as possible, and to go back to Lazlo post-haste afterwards… “Just in case.”

5 days passed as the Voidrunner 2 plied the spacelanes under normal FTL transit. Durring this time, Fionna Faraday (with Archangel at her side; grudgingly allowed by Cpatian Malkasahe) spent in seculsion in Malkasahe’s private meditation room; a dimensional pocket built into the VR:2 hosuing a shade garden. There, the burster warphuntress began to learn to use the warithbone rune-stones she had been left by Dom. Meanwhile Shalyndra tried with minimal success to access Fionna’s private training simulator, and Uno & Thomas spent time learning each other intimately, though Thomas kept banging his head metaphorically against a brick wall trying to improve the Sleipnir’s magi-tech systems.
On Day 2 of the journey, Uno & Thomas encountered the chief engineer of the Voidrunner, Yzane Ollard, or ‘Zaney Jane-Grey’, a female Catyr and very gregarious individual. Upon hearing about Thomas’s difficulties in reverse-engineering the Sleipnirs mystic technologies, Yzane hesitantly pointed Thomas in the direction of the executive officer and consort of the Captain; Lady Void.
Thomas, having to enter the Lady’s chambers alone, passed through a dimensional doorway into a room composed of translucent black crystal veined with silver circuit-paths. There, he confronted Lady void in her black robe and mask of singularity. The Lady was harsh and merciless in her questioning of Thomas’ reasoning for disturbing her; citing that twice she has attempted to apprentice “Phoenix Chicks” and twice having them fail her expectations. On hearing this, ‘Techie’ Carmichael gathered his courage and replied that he only wished her assistance and guiding hand, to; “Ensure that the one I love…Uno, and her family which has taken me into their trust, can be made safer. That is all I ask.”
Lady void pondered quietly, her back to the young technomancer, and then she turned to him, the holomask giving away nothing but the emptiness of the abyss; “..I Shall help you. Know this; It is not as apprentice. I shall only assist you, anything you LEARN from me is by your own mind and wits…you are NOT my apprentice.”
Thomas gladly accepted this help.

On the 6th day, the Voidrunner exited FTL, causing the Phoenix Force Alphas to be somewhat concerend. The tactical officer of the VR:2 assure dthem that nothing was amiss, even going as far as to transfer over the flight plan of the ship to Shalyndra. The elf warrior-maid could not help feeling an itch on the back of her neck; she felt something MUST be wrong, even though the itinerary for the Voidrunner DID schedual a cargo drop off to “Hadley’s Hope”; a UWW mining colony world.
As the linked vessels approached over the span of a half hour, only an automated navigational sattelite beacon and welcome messge was received. Everyones nerves began to tighten, when the inevitable was discovered on long-range telescope and AETheric sensors; 1) a rift had opend near the colony world’s moon around 2 days prior.
2) The colony had been raized to the ground. Even the small pyramid on the north end of the main town had been hit by something that had “erroded” the stones like hot acid. Only the parabolic dish antenna remained intact.
Captain Malkashae urged the Sleipnir to go on to Algol, while he and his vessel would return to Alfheim and report to the Warlock Navy that something horrible had occoured. With heavy heart, Fionna complied and ordered a Hypergravitic jump to Algol solar system in the Corlscrew Galaxy. With a flash of FTL Cherenkov energy and AEtheric bleed-over the Sleipnir threaded the eye-of-the-wormhole and arrived at Algols triple sun. The planet Motavia just off their forward bow. April 10th, PA 109.

Cytibor · Unread post by **Cytibor** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:38 pm

Time spent on Malkashae's ship certainly was interesting. Rewarding of course, but interesting.

Techie learned quite a lot too, always good.

Owes Lady Void big time for this one.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:06 pm

"The veil between alternate worlds and ‘might-have-beens’ are stretching thin and may break.”?
Oh boy, oh boy....

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 11:18 pm

taalismn wrote:"The veil between alternate worlds and ‘might-have-beens’ are stretching thin and may break.”?
Oh boy, oh boy....

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 1:34 pm

I just realized something...I have to create (or RE-create) not one, but TWO new NPC / PC races

ARGHik

The Ne and EcotrozShemarr tribes were easy... what I have to do NOW?
Oi!
that's gonna take time.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 6:14 pm

DhAkael wrote:I just realized something...I have to create (or RE-create) not one, but TWO new NPC / PC races
ARGHik

The Ne and EcotrozShemarr tribes were easy... what I have to do NOW?
Oi!
that's gonna take time.

Hey, when you set the bar high for yourself, you gotta deal with these sorts of problems.
But you aren't alone in having these moments....
"I JUST created horses and howler monkeys! Now I gotta come up a NEW species to fill the top slot?!
Oi!
That's gonna take time!" :angel:

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:52 pm

Update eventually...
"Teh darma" of last-night's session kinda left a foul odor in the air. :frust:

Once I can keep my personal bias outa my writing I'll update the latest instalment of "The saga.".
Right now?
I'm taking a nice long walk outside and gonna just CHILL-ax-i-tate.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:19 pm

Ouch...put out the flamethrower, put Mister Safety in the 'on' position, put Mister Sharp Edge back in the scabbard/drawer, pull the power plug on the Big Red Button....

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 12:55 pm

Muse is still hiding from Teh Darma that was polluting last session, so i'll get the update written when she and i are motivated to give a wet flying [censored] about the game...or what's happend in the last couple of sessions.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 7:09 pm

Okay...guess I should hide the rat poison, confiscate any plastic bags big enough to fit over a head, and hide the ammunition out in the woods....

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 1:32 pm

taalismn wrote:Okay...guess I should hide the rat poison, confiscate any plastic bags big enough to fit over a head, and hide the ammunition out in the woods....

Due to one PC marrying a long-standing NPC, getting offended at the wedding reception and refusing to ever set foot back in that particular location... probably the entire campaign verse will be destroyed as the NPC is one of 3 other characters (PLAYER characters that is) required to help stem a massive hellgate rift from opening at some point in the future.

*shrug*
The player allowed his PC to be a small minded ape-hole so... LONG reaching consequences WILL be enforced unless the his PC dies (thus allowing for the NPC to be right place/right time), OR he gets a clue and has the PC man up, appologise for being a dip-stick and swallow his pride. :badbad:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 2:34 pm

...or just have the situation go hell-in-a-hand-basket, and drop enough clues that somebody boneheaded what should have been an elegant solution to a MAJOR problem("Yeah, the ambush WOULD have worked if SOMEBODY hadn't SHOT the guard, and we wouldn't NOW be running from the entire Gestapo!").
Roll with it. If anything, there's an opportunity. Maybe there's some secondary prophecy that's a backup plan...but only if somebody sacrifices themselves(with the implication that's it's fatal and final, but the GM can hide an escape clause inside it)...give the offender a chance to redeem themselves..or else set up him as the goat because everybody else has to make the big decisions..
Got the opportunity for some serious group dynamics here.
Or have some other group save the bacon at the last moment, then turn and sniff at the PCs...maybe the instruments of salvation are johnny-come-latelies, or disagreeable amateurs who just happen to be in the right place, and ride in to deliver the finishing move...or maybe the PCs did that, and it only looks like the newcomers saved the day...that's your little secret...but in any event, the punks seem to have pulled off a miracle and get all the credit, while the PCs looked like bozos(the next campaign, of course, can be the PCs trying to salvage their reputations, reveal the other guys to be fakes/nimnodes, and set the record straight, or they can be generous about it and let it slide while they pursue other missions).

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 3:45 pm

taalismn wrote:...or just have the situation go hell-in-a-hand-basket, and drop enough clues that somebody boneheaded what should have been an elegant solution to a MAJOR problem("Yeah, the ambush WOULD have worked if SOMEBODY hadn't SHOT the guard, and we wouldn't NOW be running from the entire Gestapo!").
Roll with it. If anything, there's an opportunity. Maybe there's some secondary prophecy that's a backup plan...but only if somebody sacrifices themselves(with the implication that's it's fatal and final, but the GM can hide an escape clause inside it)...give the offender a chance to redeem themselves..or else set up him as the goat because everybody else has to make the big decisions..
Got the opportunity for some serious group dynamics here.
Or have some other group save the bacon at the last moment, then turn and sniff at the PCs...maybe the instruments of salvation are johnny-come-latelies, or disagreeable amateurs who just happen to be in the right place, and ride in to deliver the finishing move...or maybe the PCs did that, and it only looks like the newcomers saved the day...that's your little secret...but in any event, the punks seem to have pulled off a miracle and get all the credit, while the PCs looked like bozos(the next campaign, of course, can be the PCs trying to salvage their reputations, reveal the other guys to be fakes/nimnodes, and set the record straight, or they can be generous about it and let it slide while they pursue other missions).

Y'know Tal... that JUST might be the answer... :demon:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 3:58 pm

Go for it...sometimes the PCs get a lucky break at the expense of the NPCs, sometimes the NPCs get a lucky break at the expense of the PCs.

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Sat Oct 23, 2010 2:18 pm

I'll go about updating laterz. Have a movie marathon to do tonight and i've only JUST gotten my muse out of the vodka she was left in by "Teh Darma".

See you folks later.

Cytibor · Unread post by **Cytibor** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 2:42 am

S'all good bossman.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow as always.

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:26 pm

[Wedding bell blues]
Just after landing the Sleipnir was buzzed by an object moving at nearly Mach speeds. After an initial panic (and calming even further when the traffic control tower at Aiedo spaceport didn’t react), the group were reunited with Rika, who had hitched a ride on Hope Brightlance’s new companion and warsteed: the steel-hawk ‘Stormglider’. An hour or so later, the group moved from the Sleipnir to a local café, there to catch up on each others recent news, and to swap teasing and innuendo. Also, news that the wedding between Markus and Rika had been moved up to only 3 days from when Sleipnir returned (an auspicious day among NuMen; the natural birth of the first NuMan child nearly 700 years ago) on the insistence of Rika’s mother. Splitting up, the rest of the group went about relaxing and getting mentally prepared for the festivities. Thomas and Uno of course, spent their time going to the museum of Algolian (and specifically; Motavian) history. Fionna & Garrus relaxed and did Spa-days at their hotel. Roy the Steamboy went library diving, and Shalyndra perused the metal worker bazaars of the Motavian bear-peoples.

On the Day of the wedding, things did not go well. Feeling restless after forging the wedding gifts for Rika & Markus, Shalyndra finally accessed the special training simulation of Fionna’s. Not wanting to get damaged on the day-of-days, the swords-woman set the safety protocols to 10 (safest). This did not help.
As the simulation began, she started to feel a sense of dread as the holographic and force feedback simulation became a shifting landscape of shadows and “glowing” black fog. Hearing a growl behind her, Shalyndra was confronted by what Fionna had been training to fight against; a Darkforce avatar. A Prophallus. The floating legless daemon projection swatted the elven girl like she was a cat toy, and was able to inflict absolute terror beyond just its frightful visage. Somehow, the simulation was channeling a fraction of true daemonic power.
Fionna felt her danger sense tingle and after getting anomalous responses from Sleipnir as to what was occurring, she was jolted into true fear when the vessels A.I. replied;
[There is no malfunction he is awake and his legions will rise and make war upon the light why do you ask captain?]
Fionna attempted to try and teleport over to the Sleipnir, but was prevented by the ships anti-T-port field (though her specific aura was supposed to be allowed through). Thomas and Uno were soon altered to a possible emergency, and the rest of the crew raced to save the luckless and beaten Shalyndra. Onboard, Uno enacted an emergency shut down of ALL computer systems and “sleep-mode” for Sleipnir. Everyone was rattled. Somehow, just the mere image of the Prophallus had somehow acted (at least in the native star-system of the beast) as a conduit for the real power of the creature; albeit a mere fraction. Feeling he was partly to blame for not using his skills more often, Thomas secluded himself and erected a protection circle into the ship’s magitech defense systems.

Regardless, the wedding had to go on. What was supposed to be a beautiful and poignant ceremony, culminating in the metaphorical re-birth of two souls as one via the bride & groom being stripped naked by magical flames… turned into a drama fest. The only thing that saved the evening from becoming an annulment, was the deus ex-machina of Captain Malkashae Kakansi-Santh showing up at the reception and offering to spirit away the couple to their honeymoon, while the rest of the crew worked on getting Sleipnir repaired.

The next day, storms swept over the entire planet. Not just any storms though; the ley-lines became erratic and even supposedly un-interruptible communications systems started to be interfered with. Motavia was being cut off from the outside system. That afternoon onboard the Sleipnir, Uno revealed that the demonic infection into Sleipnir’s digital cortex may have occurred around the time of the ships refit, and had been inside the A.I. for months like a time bomb. While Phoenix Force continued their meeting, a door-chime sound echoed through the ship as someone wished admittance onboard. Fionna greeted their unexpected callers; A representative of the Wraphunters Guild (a dour faced middle aged human male) and another male human dressed in padded armour, from the Guardian & Hunters league, Vansent Strayks. After the usual verbal sparring, with Fionna being ever so polite to the Warphunter guild-master, the reason for the visit became clear. Several emergencies were occurring.
1) The native Motavians were becoming sick; all of them at the same time across the planet. The various emergency first responders and militaries were in the middle of taking actions to quarantine and treat the sickness, whatever it was
2) A trio of petty criminals (the Vol Brothers; who weren’t brothers being 3 different species and not even having the name ‘Vol’) had somehow managed to hack into secure databases at one of the archives to discover a way to ‘Silver Island’ a forbidden sector of Motavia. The reasons for the information blackout about the island’s existence were not made known to Phoenix Force, until they swore to secrecy.
3) A trainee group of Warphunters that had been in pursuit of the criminals, were reported as ‘missing in action’ 2 days prior to the atmospheric and ætheric disturbances.

The date is April 14th. PA 109.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 10:57 pm

Damn...knew I shoulda crashed that wedding...coulda made off with the booze while everybody else was panicking...

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 12:52 pm

[Going mobile]
After squeezing out more information such as; the island was the site of a second age A.I. controlled bio-research & Robotics lab, with weaponization capabilities for same, Fionna accepted the contract, with assurances that she and her team would be given full Warphunter guild recognition. Mr. Strayks of the Guardians also assured Phoenix Alpha that they would be well compensated monetarily.
As the team were about to depart they were delayed by a hovertruck parked just to the side of Sleipnir. The truck belonged to General Robotics Mercantile; a HuCAST owned and operated supplier to the various paramilitary guilds on Motavia and Dessoris. Everyone perused the androids wares, and made a few informed purchases of the higher-than-normal technology being offered.
With Thomas in his Archaknight suit, Shalyndra & Garrus inside the Wave-serpent gravity APC and Uno-Rez on her A-grav cycle, Team Alpha rode out of the city and into the wilds of Motavia. Travel was long and tedious but not being constrained to even staying level with the ground made for a relatively safe and swift transit from the mountain bordered city of Aiedo to the coastal waters. That is when things became “interesting”.

Around 100 miles out from Silver Island and visual acuity (even with enhanced optics) at an all time low due to storm and rain and it now being night time, only Fionna’s sixth sense ability saved everyone from slamming into a shoal of cloaked anti-gravity “smart mines”. Unfortunately, one managed to detonate near Uno’s hover cycle, but she and her vehicle survived with just a bit of carbon and dents in the chassis. After 8 hours, Silver island finally appeared, and not encountering anymore smart munitions, the team landed about a half mile inland from the sheer cliffs of the western coastline. As they landed, everyone noticed that the planet wide storms were not as violent at the island, in fact, the weather seemed downright calm (albeit overcast). It was during this discussion that the fact they were in hostile territory slammed home. A hypervelocity weapon of some kind nearly struck Thomas in his power armour; the shot coming from 2 miles north-east of their position from one of the low mountains on the sub-tropical island. Uno and Thomas were unable to pin-point what had shot at them though. Deciding discretion was the better part of valour, after engaging the reactive camouflage on the hover APC and bike respectively, the team ran for the forests.
Near a stream, Uno pointed to the almost surgically truncated rear-quarters of some sort of hog-like creature, the edges of the bisecting wound looking to have been ‘nibbled’, when the trees moved. Uno, not able to react in time to the chameleon’d giant insect, was grabbed and almost beheaded by one of Motavia’s most lethal predators; the Mantis-like ‘Grasshound’.
A short and intense battle ensued with the first grasshound being killed in a 4 missile salvo of plasma mini-missiles by an enraged Thomas, but unlike their Terran cousins, the grasshounds hunted in packs / swarms. 2 more attacked, using the death of the first one to strike at their distracted prey. Fortunately, Phoenix Alpha were equal to the task. As the fires from the battle died down, Uno’s voice was heard from behind the team;
”That…was….unexpected.”

The date is April 15th. PA 109.

Cytibor · Unread post by **Cytibor** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 1:50 am

Inclined to agree with Frosty. Tech stopped breathing when Uno "died", nearly went into cardiac arrest on the spot. :shock:

Although subsequently causing the offending insect to explode in a fiery burst of plasma was kind of satisfying.
I wonder if Uno's comment will give Tech another heart attack, or earn the gynoid a 4-armed hug from a 2 ton power suit. :angel:

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 11:07 pm

*BUMP*

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:48 pm

4-armed hug with power armor? :shock:

Feel that chassis groan with the love!

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 4:58 pm

As it will be one of the holiest of days on sunday the 31st. of October (well, in my estimation anyways) There will NOT be any session this week. Therefor, no update of 'The saga continues' either. This is okay though

Gives the GM here a chance to recharge the mental batteries and contemplate WHAT to toss at the meat-sac..err.. LOYAL players next :angel:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:52 pm

DhAkael wrote:As it will be one of the holiest of days on sunday the 31st. of October (well, in my estimation anyways) There will NOT be any session this week. Therefor, no update of 'The saga continues' either. This is okay though
Gives the GM here a chance to recharge the mental batteries and contemplate WHAT to toss at the meat-sac..err.. LOYAL players next

So you're spending a holy day plotting to unleash hell? Hmmmm, I sense a moment of heavyhanded irony here....

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 12:08 am

taalismn wrote:
DhAkael wrote:As it will be one of the holiest of days on sunday the 31st. of October (well, in my estimation anyways) There will NOT be any session this week. Therefor, no update of 'The saga continues' either. This is okay though
Gives the GM here a chance to recharge the mental batteries and contemplate WHAT to toss at the meat-sac..err.. LOYAL players next

So you're spending a holy day plotting to unleash hell? Hmmmm, I sense a moment of heavyhanded irony here....

Who, me? Have an ulterior motive?
PERISH THE THOUGHT :demon:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 2:28 pm

I'm thinking more Infernal Motive, but that's just me.
Paranoia breeding paranoia.

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Mon Nov 08, 2010 3:10 am

Just a quick update; Phoenix Force Alpha spent (game time) nearly 24 hours being chased around the island, finding out that the plants & animals in the Algol system worlds are very unfreindly (not quite deathworld, but close enough), and the Uno has "A hole in her mind"

Proper update to "the Saga" will be later in the week.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 8:09 pm

DhAkael wrote:Just a quick update; Phoenix Force Alpha spent (game time) nearly 24 hours being chased around the island, finding out that the plants & animals in the Algol system worlds are very unfreindly (not quite deathworld, but close enough), and the Uno has "A hole in her mind"
Proper update to "the Saga" will be later in the week.

Hmmm...the Mekton RPG had a planet Algol that had monstrous local lifeforms(they needed mechs to keep them back)...or am I just blurring memories and free-associating?

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 8:13 pm

taalismn wrote:
DhAkael wrote:Just a quick update; Phoenix Force Alpha spent (game time) nearly 24 hours being chased around the island, finding out that the plants & animals in the Algol system worlds are very unfreindly (not quite deathworld, but close enough), and the Uno has "A hole in her mind"
Proper update to "the Saga" will be later in the week.

Hmmm...the Mekton RPG had a planet Algol that had monstrous local lifeforms(they needed mechs to keep them back)...or am I just blurring memories and free-associating?

Not really
Algol of Mekton and Algol of P-Star 1 through 4 are VERY simmilar. And yes, there are a few beasties in the PS Algol worlds that would give a 20 to 50 tonne mecha a run for their money

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Fri Nov 19, 2010 1:59 pm

[“Again with the running ver. 3.5…”]
Thomas was overcome with shock and joy at seeing that Uno-rez had somehow ‘survived’ her encounter with the grasshound attack. Uno’s onboard nano-bot repair systems had full stocks of raw material to regenerate the damage done. After a brief group hug and congratulation at defeating their first encounter with Motavian predators, Team Alpha proceeded North North-East through the Silver island jungle. Not too far from the battle the last of the grasshound mantids was seen twitching near a stand of 4ft. tall mushrooms. Uno called the group to a halt and instructed everyone put on filter masks or switch to internal air. The fungus was ‘Ghost spore’; a parasitic organism that infects its victims via any opening into the internal moisture, and which then causes the spores to rapidly grow and multiply until the entire host is consumed from the inside out. Archangel mentioned that he did not wish to vacation or camp on Motavia when vacation time was due.
Proceeding further (skirting various other suspect plants & fungi) Team Alpha continued along until a howling that seemed eerily familiar floated on the wind behind them. Shalyndra, showing a bit of an acerbic attitude, told everyone to stop panicking and not run around cluelessly. Archangel and Uno took to scout duty ahead of the group while Thomas thought of going airborne to see what was pursuing; the multiple radar signals he was detecting (passively) from the mountains to the west dissuaded him.
Archangel found a fairly large cave close by, and on inspection saw that it had at one point in the last few months, been a camp site for some other travelers on the island. What recommended the site to him and the rest; no bones or blood of said travelers. The group made haste into the cave and hunkered down, listening to the sound of the howling get closer and closer. Uno, having dropped back almost a mile behind the group, launched a spread of micro-missiles back along their trail at extreme range, thus wiping out their tracks (and hopefully, pursuers). Shalyndra complained to Fionna that this might have the opposite desired effect and attract more pursuers. Ignoring the complaints, the acting captain set watches for the team, allowing Uno (who did not need much rest) to stay the whole period as second for everyone else. During dawn-watch, Uno asked what was causing Ms. Baza-kahines’ negativity, and was told that the elf woman thought she was a “fifth wheel”. Uno pondered this information and replied that accepted or kept at distance, Shalyndra was being rewarded handsomely in credits for her services and time with the team. It was at this point that the trees and bushes were disturbed by something large moving through them. Two large somethings.

As the pre-dawn mist parted along with the giant ferns, two Shemarrian warriors on Monst-rex’s could be seen. The two warriors began arguing in middle elven, which both Uno and Shalyndra translated (quietly) to the rest of the team. Fortunately, the two gynoids did not detect the heat signatures or their mounts, the scent, of Team Alpha. Also, both warriors complained of loosing 4 valuable wolf-partners over the course of the chase against Motavian predators. The paired warriors and mounts soon moved off to the west and south, while Fionna had her team wait a full half hour until moving out. Everyone figured the best place to investigate was a symmetrical hill just a few KM to the north of their position, but there was a slight problem with this. Uno-rez could not see the mountain, quite literally. It was as if the image was being blocked directly from her optic circuits. This caused her great consternation and Thomas no small amount of anger. Regardless they continued ahead, assisting Uno when they reached the mound. At one point the scream of supersonic engines overhead indicated that someone else had been on the island. A search and rescue team that had been sent in secondary to Phoenix Force had found one of the missing hunter trainees and were evacuating after taking “heavy fire from unknown hostiles”. As the aerospace craft streaked away, Fionna received a brief telepathic message apologizing for not linking up; having been sent in not more than 30 minutes prior when the strange storms had calmed. The voice promised that help would be coming soon, not more than a day at most. Fionna sent a grateful replay back and well-wishes for the lone survivor the second team had found.

What was found was a 3 storey structure buried under decades (if not centuries) of plant growth; some of which drained the magic and / or psionic energies of the team (Force-eater vine). Uno, tired of being a burden requested that she be pointed to where they needed an area cleared, and reconfigured her right arm to flamethrower mode and burned a clean spot several dozen feet in diameter. While everyone searched out a control panel, lock or door to open, Uno detected faint radar pulses coming from the west in the jungle. The Shemarrians had seen the smoke. Archangel found multiple demo-charges along the top of what looked like a vehicle hanger door while Fionna & Thomas found a smooth flat panel which might contain door controls. In desperation, as Uno counted down the E.T.A. of the hostile gynoids reaching their location, Fionna poured out telepathic energies into the door panel which Thomas had ‘object read’ as being still operative. The vehicle-bay door swung open smoothly (which was odd from something having not been used supposedly for centuries) and the team filed in double time; closing the door a mere minute from the Shemarrians arrival.

An explosion and rumbling outside confirmed that one of the gynoid warriors had fired at the closing door, and had set off the demo charges, thus sealing ‘that’ door from opening again. Inside the vehicle bay, everything was clean…and empty. Where were all the ancient machines? Where was the mold and dust? How were Team Alpha to exit once they found whatever they were looking for?
…and why (and more importantly, how) were warriors of the Skull-Crusher tribe on Motavia, on a ‘forbidden island’ several dimensions over from Rifts Terra?

The date is April 16th, PA 109.
[“Again with the running ver. 3.5; the sequel]
No respite was given Team Alpha, as the sound of plasma bolts, and once, the crack of a Shemarrian rail-lance sounded from the outside of the vehicle-bay door. Fortunately, Uno was able to see the interior of the building, even if the exterior was still blocked from her perceptions. Fionna made sure that no one was using thermo-optics and then activated her ‘Fire-bird’ magitech harness; fire wings held close, but illuminating the surroundings along with Thomas’ globe of daylight. Everyone commented on the lack of dust and clean conditions of the facility. It appeared like it had just been emptied only a few years previous, maybe only weeks. The only other opening from the hanger was a wide spiral ramp leading down into the bedrock, located at the rear. Not having anything else they could do, the team proceeded downwards.
Markings on the walls, reminiscent of the usual signs and directions and warnings of storage and vehicle facilities throughout the megaverse, were written in a language almost but not quite the one used by modern Algolians. The paint seemed fresh. Uno leaned in and scanned one of the painted signs and confirmed that yes, the language was 2nd age Motavian, and that the decomposition and oxidization of the paint marked it as being only 4 years old. Someone had been to the Silver Island facility recently. At that moment the sound of something metal falling onto concrete echoed from below, further down the ramp. Weapons safeties off, and swords drawn, they continued down cautiously. At the bottom, nearly 100 meters below the surface, they found another door, and the source of the noise; a circular grill for an air duct, either torn out or pushed in from a 3ft. wide opening at the top of the rampway-tunnel. Fionna went to object read the door while the rest took up guard positions. Shalyndra, being nervous and bored at same time, peered up the air-duct opening and saw that it went straight up, and a glimmer of sunlight could be seen. Without disturbing Fionna, she informed Archangel that she was going to go investigate, and with no further preamble, shimmied into the narrow ducting and began to climb.
Meanwhile, Fionna’s psychic vision regarding the latest blast-door to block her crew’s progress, gave feelings of great age and more recently, visions of a squad of headless hulking brutes (Machines? Mutants? She was unsure) lead by a man dressed in military long coat, with slicked back mauve dyed hair. The man raised his right hand and the door opened. Fionna woke up from her trance to inform everyone of what she had seen, and that just in the past hour the door had opened, though no living psychic imprint had been detected, when she realized that Shalyndra was no longer with them. After being told by Archangel, Thomas and Uno what the elven swords-woman had done, Fionna just shook her head and declared that they’d continue on, and that Shalyndra was on her own for now. Then the lower blast door began to rise.
Thinking quickly, Thomas erected an energy barrier to block the opening and Team Alpha readied their weapons. As the door raised, they could see 4 pairs of legs, either covered or composed of plasteel, Uno confirming that the owners of said legs were not armoured troops, as there were no life signs or sound of life-support systems. The door finished opening, revealing 4 humanoid robots of pale blue plasteel, carrying energy carbines. The droids spoke in Palman / Motavian human speech; saying that capture and containment protocols were to be enacted, and that since Uno was a “Sentient machine” that she was to be neutralized and eliminated. Team alpha was having none of that. While the living side of the conflict were readying to take the confrontation to the next level, one of the droids reconfigured its left hand to a parabolic device that when it came in contact with Thomas’ energy barrier, the barrier collapsed. Then the fight began in earnest. Fionna started the dance with a plasma fire eruption that half melted one of the droids while another (the one with the energy disrupting hand) attacked Uno. During the minute and a half long skirmish, several devices in the room beyond were destroyed by stray weapons fire, and Thomas’ Acrhaknight suit took a critical hit to the reactor system, shutting off his thrusters and leaking steadily increasing levels of radiation.
Once the final droid was eliminated by Fionna’s precise blade work, the team gathered their wits and began to plan their next course of action; noticing that the room they had accessed was a large-scale maintenance and repair facility, though no computer terminals were seen. Then “the voice” addressed them personally (a rather pleasant female tenor).

The Silver Island facility was not shut down anymore, and had in fact been reactivated by the human male Fionna had seen in her vision. Also, Sister-Brain, the Controlling A.I., seemed to be the one directly responsible for the native Motavians plague and the ley-line storms. The A.I. was tasked with;
“Ensuring dominance of Nei/ Numan and Human supremacy over Motavia, hand in hand with the flora and fauna of the planet. Native motavians do not fit into that paradigm. They will either force-evolve from the genetic-mutagen I have introduced into the bio-sphere, or become extinct. Thinking machines also do not fit into my protocols. All non-human and sentient machines will be eliminated or removed from Motavia”
As Fionna and Thomas both protested this, Sister-Brain, in cold unfeeling but pleasantly voiced terms, informed both humans that their emotional responses were aberrations and would be “corrected” once the contaminating focus of their emotions were eliminated and the two of them could be psychologicaly re-written. Sister-Brain stated that her drones were imminent, and to prevent further damage to all parties, that Team Alpha should just remain where they were and not resist.
Team Alpha responded that they would not comply…

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Nov 19, 2010 2:29 pm

Yep, Skull-Crushers do get around, don't they?
"Hi! We're here to break heads. Wherever there are heads to break."
"It's part of our job description, and our Tribe name."
" 'The Proud and Fierce Tribe of Chicken Neck Wringers' didn't make it past the first round of name considerations."

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 2:18 pm

http://forums.palladium-megaverse.com/viewtopic.php?p=2278187#p2278187
Quick Update and edit to incorperate lastnight's session.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 6:21 pm

Sister-Brain needs a Bolo Hug. :nuke:

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 8:07 pm

taalismn wrote:Sister-Brain needs a Bolo Hug.

That's the general idea.

One is not supposed to LIKE the crazy olde toaster :demon:

Cytibor · Unread post by **Cytibor** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 8:26 am

DhAkael wrote:That's the general idea.
One is not supposed to LIKE the crazy olde toaster

Not even the littlest teensy bit. *Shakes head.* No sir.
And Genestealers, why did it have to be Genestealers? :shock:

Hats off to ya for a good session though bossman, I know we were kinda slow at times, but I thought it was a lot of fun.

Still though...GENESTEALERS! That's just evil!

You never fail to surprise and impress, though, bossman, looking forward to next week.

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 12:50 am

Due to persons beyond my control, 'The Saga Continues' will be on hiatus until January.
That is all.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 2:51 pm

Ah, I smell the trevails of REAL LIFE there...

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 6:42 pm

taalismn wrote:Ah, I smell the trevails of REAL LIFE there...

Do not get me started. :badbad:

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 3:22 pm

[“Again with the running ver. 3.55; the return of the son of the sequel”]
Much dithering abounded and times was wasted. The radiation steadily increased in Thomas’ damaged power-armour’s reactor, until he had a brainstorm and locked the reaction-control rods down. The radiation leak began to slow and then settled at just above ambient. During this time, the Technomancer located a platform styled lift, large enough to take 2 main-battle tanks side by side, against the western facing wall of the repair / maintenance room they were in. The lift looked to go up. It was at this time both Fionna and Uno-Rez detected noise coming from the air vent that Shalyndra had ascended. Sure enough, it was the elf warrior returning.
Her scouting mission (after being berated by Fionna) revealed that a 12ft. tall Shemarrian warrior with 3 of the half-naked sword-dancer Shemarr and 2 mounted regular warriors were still at the door leading into the vehicle storage bay. The Gynoids also had a silvery, almost Egyptian styled robot warrior with 12 inch clawed hands with them (the silver warrior had been at the time busy with tearing apart one of Sister-Brains pets; a cyberneticaly enhanced monkey-lizard). Fortunately none of the bots had seen the Elf.

Field debriefing done, the team assemble don the lift platform and were in the process of trying to find the controls to go up. That’s when the lift activated on its own. The hatch above them did NOT open. Requesting clearance from Fi to use one of her more powerful sub-weapons (which was granted), Uno-Rez targeted the rapidly approaching ceiling hatch with her ‘Dragon-Skull’ medium rail-cannon and discharged an anti-proton penetrator. After the smoke and blast-wave cleared, an almost perfect circle was blown open above the team wide enough to let them get into the floor above with being turned to paste.

In the new location, several data terminals were sighted (the first they had seen so far in the building) with many storage boxes and crates and containers opened or otherwise tossed about. Also 6 doors (2 each on west, North & South walls) were at the far ends of the room. More of the 2nd age writing could be seen on the doors and walls but translation was still impossible. Thomas began to work on the computers trying to access data, while Archangel & Fionna went to investigate one of the Western doors. The door popped open of its own volition; revealing 6 stasis tubes filled with faintly glowing blue fluid and very disturbing shapes; shapes that both Uno & Fionna recognized. Gene-stealers. Uno quickly forced the sliding door closed and crimped it shut. Thomas (who had come over to look over everyone’s shoulders) asked if anyone else had seen one of the creatures twitch.
The door next to the stasis room opened (again on its own) and 2 stumpy drones robots were revealed. Fionna slagged them quickly with a plasma burst, just as 2 MORE robot drones (these ones looking like 4 legged spiders with rotating blades on their forelimbs) attacked. Again, these were dealt with quickly. Thomas activated his telemechanics psionic power and began to access both maps and other data on the computer network. A stray shot breached a wall and alarms sounded.
Sister-Brain began to intone that: “All internal security locks compromised”.
Soon after the sound of Shemarrian rail-lance fire, and energy weapons fire could be heard inside the facility. Time was running out.
That was when 2 gene-stealers, having been decanted from stasis and burrowed through the floor plates, attacked Archangel.
Fionna and Shalyndra assisted the Turrian with his predicament while Uno-Rez re-tasked her right forelimb weapon-arm to plasma-thrower and sterilized the stasis chamber which held the remaining stealers. The sound of more organic creatures awakening and battle noise from where they had previously explored, urged the Phoenix Force team to close ranks and finally call a tactical retreat.
Fionna opened a short-range D-portal (psi-spell ‘Hinas’) and ordered everyone through. Just before the burster could exit and close the portal behind her, the Shemarrian war-goddess, infected with black-steel and channeling the will of Dark-Force addressed Fionna; promising to keep her alive long enough to see her companions torn apart and burned alive, and then to use her entrails as garlands at the end.
Fionna screamed and fell backwards through the portal, just as the war-goddess lowered her oversized rail-lance at the teleportal opening.

Phoenix Force Alpha had exited to where they first entered. Fionna, having suffered from psionic energy depletion and emotional shock, went fetal and began to shiver. Uno & Thomas took over initiative, and enchanted everyone with flight spells or carried those who couldn’t accept the magic, and flew at tree-top level back to their original landing site. Behind them in the fortress, Sister-Brain and her robotic drones and biological “pets”, faced off against the tainted gynoid war-goddess avatar and her retinue.

DhAkael · Unread post by **DhAkael** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 11:24 am

*bump*