------------End Training Montage----------
------------Begin Unit Assignment---------
------------Minor Milestone Break---------
reset stress, remove minor consequence, reset fate points
---------------------------------------------------------
Sol System, Earth orbit. M.S.S. Hammer and Blade in parking zone 5.05AX of the Earth Militia Defense Platform 6. Officer's Lounge.
"All I said was that I didn't understand why Earth needed a militia when the headquarters of the entire Protectorate Navy and Marines AND the Royal Guard are right next door so to speak."
"Every planet in the Protectorate has the right to have a militia."
"I dont deny that. It just seems like a waste to spend tax money on these stations and patrol ships when the actual fkn navy has Trumpets of War class cruisers and full on Glory of Mars class battleships flying by three or four times a day."
"And you wonder why they got upset?"
"I do as a matter of fact."
The others at the table just shook their heads. Witman shrugged his shoulders and looked at the others. "Civilians, am I right?"
"Ug," Corsair said with exaggerated disgust, "Tell me about it."
The whole table broke up laughing at my expense.
Charles "Witman" Whitekirk, Mark "Sugarcane" Winslow, Oruc "Coffee Stand" Reis, and Heyridden "Corsair" Barbarossa had just "rescued' me from that Earth Militia platform we were parked outside of after the conversation I had just relayed to them apparently offended the Militia Guards checking my credentials as I was making my way to the shuttle that would take me to my Blue Ridge Security Unit Assignment.
I was assigned to the M.S.S. Hammer and Blade under the command of Captain Feray Sarikaya. This happened to be the ship that Danil Ogarkov's unit was currently riding. So they were quite happy to see me as evidenced by the ruthless chop busting that was currently going on. (Cheeks greeted me with a solid high five and a smack on the ass when she saw me passing by in a hallway.)
"Good Evening Gentlemen!"
Everyone (me included) Shot to our feet as someone shouted: "Cap'n on DECK!"
"At ease please, don't let me interrupt. I already heard the story from the Station Shuttle Bay Control's perspective, I have got to hear it from the perspective of the intrepid cavalry who rode to the rescue of our wayward crewmember."
Once again the table was laughing at my expense.
"It was just an honest question."
The Laughter was uncontrol able after that.
When it finally died down the Captain of Hammer and Blade asked me to come with her to her office. There my orientation began. A summary of my time at headquarters training, the reasons I was selected for this ship, what the captain thought of my solutions to some of the more famous of my exploits, and where the captain said she wanted improvement. I was then taken on an official tour of the ship that ended with the reason I was there: The Ship's Simulacrum. A small room located at the center of the ship with silver and gold inlayed runes set into the floor, walls and ceiling of the room and a floating 35 centimeter long silver miniature of the ship dead center of everything. This was where the literal magic happened and the reason I became a space mage. This was where i could use my magic to move this ship just over a light year at a time between the stars.
This room, more than anything else, was the single most tangible reason, that The Olympus Accords have remained in effect, unchanged, unchallenged, and uninterrupted for 220 years.
There were a few differences from the typical simulacrum chamber. For one, I spent years as a ship's mage, I knew the runes of a simulacrum. This chamber had all of those but there were just a few that were changed and a few that were added. It was minor, but noticeable. Which I asked about the moment I saw it.
"You noticed! I'm impressed! This just does a little more to prove I made a good choice with you."
"Thank you sir. But about those changes?"
"Yes of course. This room will operate exactly as you are used to from any other cargo ship or civilian ship of any type. The differences are because this is what is known as an Enhanced Simulacrum."
"Ive never heard of this thing sir."
"No I would have been surprised if you did. It took an enormous effort to have it installed on our ships. It required getting special permission from The Mountain."
"The Mountain? As in THE Mountain? Olympus? That Mountain? King Alexander IV himself?"
"Well that is the only "The Mountain" I am aware of."
"How in all of creations did, ... on second thought, no, I don't want to know."
The captain laughed. "It took a lot of deal making, promises, pro bono work, background checks, and an ever present threat of surprise review by the King's Hands, but we have found it to be worth it."
"That is a long list sir. And that last one is a bit concerning."
"I understand, but its easy to avoid. So long as we keep to a strict code of conduct, and have clear justification for using the Enhanced functions of this simulacrum, the Hands are kept satisfied."
"Does that code of conduct ever require us to turn down jobs that we would otherwise take? If I am allowed to ask that question Sir."
"I can answer that. Yes it does mean that we sometimes turn down jobs. But in my years with Blue Ridge Security I have learned that not less than 80% of the time the jobs we turn down are jobs I wouldn't feel comfortable doing anyway."
"May I ask for an example Sir?"
"I'll give you this one because you might find it close to your heart. We turned down a job from remnants of The Amikampur Group."
I was brought up short by that reply.
"Yes I thought that would grab your attention. I have to be honest here, we had done jobs for them before the scandal broke. Everything from security of property to repossession of assets that clients defaulted their payments for."
I must have visibly cringed.
"I understand that reaction completely. The only thing I can say is that we were as blind to the scandal as everyone else. After the scandal broke however, and it was clear that they were considered a criminal organization by the Protectorate, they were placed on the blacklist. That's the tradeoff we make for the enhanced simulacrum. We agree that we will never work against the interests of the Protectorate. And if we discover that an individual or organization is working against the Protectorate, or is declared a Criminal Organization by the Protectorate, all contracts are immediately cancelled. I know we have missed out on more than a few big paydays because of this restriction on our activities. But considering the types of clients those paydays were with, I just cant feel too bad about missing out on them. There is a nice benefit to help offset the downside though. Because we had to prove we were trustworthy enough to have the enhanced simulacrum, we have by default proved we can be trusted enough to do certain more gray area jobs for the Protectorate itself."
"You mean that Mars will call on us sometimes?"
"That is exactly what I mean. As coincidence has it, I have a suspicion that one of those might be in the works within the next few months actually."
"That sounds like it could be exciting."
"They usually are."
"May I ask one more question on this subject Sir?"
"Go ahead."
"What exactly does this Enhanced Simulacrum do that a normal Simulacrum doesn't?"
The captain smiled slightly as she answered. "It acts as a magic amplifier and will allow you to use your magic to assist the CCS in defending the ship."
"You mean I could attack a ship with magic?"
"No, not attack, defend. Completely Amplified Simulacrum are one of the most closely guarded secrets the Protectorate has; therefore, they are only installed on ships of the Protectorate Navy. This wont give you the range or power you need to attack a ship, but it will give you enough range and power to shoot down missiles, or deflect lasers, or other incoming ordinance. Though I suppose you might be able to attack a boarding vessel with it, but you would be able to do that anyway once they got close enough to try and attach themselves to the hull."
"This sounds amazingly powerful, and straight up cool. But how will I aim? I'd need to see a missile to shoot it down wouldn't I?"
The captain activated her com. "Bridge, This is the captain. X.O. you on duty at the moment?"
"No, captain, the commander went off shift just ten minutes ago, This is Lieutenant Khethiwe"
The Captain looked at her data assistant and checked the time. "Huh, it's much later than I thought? Oh Well, Lieutenant?"
"Yes Captain?"
"Have Tactical activate the CIS in the Simulacrum Chamber please."
"Activate Simulacrum CIS Aye Sir!"
A few seconds later several of the panels on the floor ceiling and walls disappeared and I was looking out through the ship's hull outside. Objects outside the ship out to a significant distance, but considered close if those objects are missiles, had indicators highlighting them with tabs telling me information such as distance, velocity, size, and other information that might be relevant if I wanted to grab the object with my magic.
There wasnt a complete spherical view outside. Not every single panel in the room was also a screen but the blind spots were surprisingly few.
"This system is set up to help you target and engage your magic as efficiently as possible."
"I've never seen anything like this before. I can get used to this."
The Captain laughed a bit and called the bridge to shut off the system after I had spent a little time checking it out. I would be practicing with it in due course.
After the tour I was introduced to the other ship's mages: Lieutenant Jeff Fletcher, Lieutenant Brian Fairchance, and Lieutenant Holly McCloy. Holly was the second newest member of the crew.
Time flies for the next week. Training with the crew, training with the other mages, training with the CIS system in the simulacrum chamber. It gets quite grueling.
Fortunately after seven days: Leave to go to the station again. There are about half the crew that gets to go on shore leave for a few days and again I try to pass because of money issues but I am informed that for this trip anyway, Jeff is buying. So reluctantly, I go. Mages Jeff and Holly come along, Brian has to stay behind because not all mages are allowed off the ship at the same time. I promise I will stay behind next time. It'll help me not spend money.
So ok we go aboard the Militia station.
I gotta ask on the shuttle over:
"So why are we hanging around a militia station instead of a trade station?"
"All our guns and shit makes the civilian captains nervous."
Holly smacked Jeff in the back of the head. "Moron."
"Tegaten fangirl."
"Guilty as charged with pride."
I had to pipe up. "Whoa, another "Golden Sky" Fan? I thought I'd never find another one!"
Holly looked at me suspiciously. "Don't tease me that way Jason are you really a fan?"
"Lars really should have just let Hinsen keep that 20 bucks."
"OH MY GOD YOU ARE A FAN!!!!!!!"
Jeff started hitting his head against the bulkhead. "No, no, no, not another one."
"We will slowly take over the ship Jeff. Now that I have Jason on my side, I will be unstoppable! BWAHAHAHA!"
A few more inside jokes later:
"So really, Why the militia station?"
"Trade stations don't have the equipment necessary to service the class of weaponry we have on the Hammer."
"So when the 300's or the missile loaders need refit or repair beyond what we can do shipboard without a dock, we have to go to a Navy or Militia port."
"Ok that makes sense. Thanks."
"No sweat it. And here we are. Lets see what trouble we can get into."
Deliver food to the control room.
Hypochondriac female symbiont
Symbionts dont exist in this world so lets sub a .........Cybernetic Implant. Put in for medical reasons. The Hypochondriac is a side effect.
We are walking down the 'Common Block', the station sector that is set aside for off duty militia and civilian visitors. The block is actually a pretty significant slice of the platform with many different businesses and entertainments intended for the visitors and station crew in their off duty hours. We are actually debating going to one of those old fashioned movie theaters that specialize in showing classical films from the pre-war eras. The theater is showing a vintage animated flick called "Spirited Away" which gets me and Holly practically gushing. The name Hayao Miyazaki still recognized as a true master of storytelling and animated entertainment all these centuries later. Jeff was reluctant, first he is not a fan of animation as an artform, and second he tends to like more contemporary movies and holo's. We were trying to come up with an alternative when:
"Jeff! Heya Jeff! How you been?"
"Oh Hey! Kirya What are you doing here?"
"I actually found a job here."
"Really? Thats Great! I'm so happy for you, you were having such a hard time with that!"
"Thanks it was tough. I almost didnt take it though. The air on these stations cant be trusted you know. If the filters dont work perfectly they can allow viruses, and bacteria, and poisons, and other toxins collect in the air and then it gets in your lungs and can cause things like shortness of breath and pneu, (pant) pneumonia." The girl started panting and jeff looked alarmed.
"Kirya! Kirya! Listen, The filters have a back up! You hear, they have a back up! The air is sterilized with heat. You know this, don't you remember?"
The slight woman starts to calm down visibly. "Oh, Right, They do that. I forgot. Sorry."
"Its alright dont worry about it. Guys, this is one of my oldest friends, Kirya Nickomi. Kirya This is Jason Burkhind and Holly McCloy."
"Hi." "Pleased to meet you." "Its a pleasure." "Im happy to meet you."
Kirya was a small woman and couldn't be more than 23, maybe 24. Just barely out of school. If she went to school that is. She had the indicator lights on her head that told everyone she was a survivor. Its a little sad to see people like her. Medical science has advanced to become a smorgasbord of miracles. And that was before Biomages entered the scene. The combination of medicine and magic launched the life expectancy and quality of life for everyone to heights never imagined. Except for the poor survivors of brain cancer. Cancer remains the bane of human health, somehow resisting all the efforts of magic and medicine to eliminate it from the universe.
Its not fair to call her "poor survivor". Before magic she would have died not too long after her diagnosis. But the surgery to remove a brain tumor always removes some of the vital parts of the brain along with the cancer itself. They are still trying to change that but the going is slow at the best of times. To replace the functions of the brain that are lost with the surgery cybernetic implants were invented. They would be impossible to fuse with the brain without a Biomage but they can be implanted now to help these cancer survivors live out the life that cancer almost took from them. But for all the miraculous accomplishment the implant is, there is a side effect that also resists all efforts to eliminate. Patients who receive implants will also develop some form of mental disorder.
These disorders are manageable for the most part. But they are there and they do affect the cancer survivor's life in a negative way. For Kirya, apparently that way is an obsession with the different ways she could get sick. Depending on the severity of the disorder survivors sometimes cant go for extended periods of time without a support structure of friends, medical professionals, and therapists. Which results in some of them being unable to do things like, leave home for months at a time to attend a university.
The fact that Kirya was now aboard this station, much to jeff's surprise, means that either some or all of her support structure came with her, or her disorder is mild enough that she can mange to get by without it for a while.
"So tell me about this job! What did you find?"
"Oh, I'm kinda working for a friend of my Uncle's. My Uncle is a Sensor Tech for the Homeworld Militia, and his friend runs a business on the station that services and restocks food prep units for both visiting ships and private residences on the station."
That's a good business to have on a station. Food prep units run the gambit of style, complexity and price. The simplest units, like I had in my quarters back in Dzhebariki could only select ingredients and pre measure them for you and you had to do the mixing and cooking yourself. The most complex units are capable of preparing complete meals automatically without any human assistance at all. They will never totally replace actual cooks and chefs in restaurants and homes. Food prep units can only be designed to make a set number of meal plans. If you want something other than the standard fare you cook it yourself or you go out to eat like man has done since the dawn of history.
"That can be a tough job, How you holding up?"
"So far so good! Cookie, my uncle's friend, he never told me his real name, has been real supportive of my implant quirks. His wife has an implant too so he gets it! I'm kinda lucky I guess."
"Well that is awesome! Congratulations Kirya."
"Thanks. I'm enjoying being on my own. I'm not sure I could do it without Cookie and his wife though."
"Then I am glad you have them. So what are you doing now? and what is that big, uh, big whatever that is there."
"Oh, This is a delivery I have to make. The food prep unit in the mess hall in the control tower had to be replaced. And I'm going to stock it for the first time."
"Wouldn't the militia do that themselves?" I was curious.
"Usually maybe. But they called us this time. It does happen from time to time. Sometimes a shipment is late or something goes wrong and they use us to fill in those gaps."
"Well I hate to keep you from doing your job, if you take too long they might complain."
"yea, But, Maybe you could walk with me for a while? I havent seen you in years."
"I would love to! You guys could go see that movie this way too, while I catch up with Kirya here."
Holly piped up. "No go Jeff. We said whatever we do we do together, so we're goin with you to fill a food unit."
"We are?" Holly smacked the back of my head. "We are!"
Now the walk to the tower mess was pretty much uneventful. Jeff was chatting up Kirya, Me and Holly wee following along asking the occasional question or interjecting some tidbit of trivia. And Kirya was happy to have the company. We learned that Jeff knew Kirya because she was an old navy buddy's daughter. His buddy was wounded in combat with pirates and discharged because he lost both of his legs. He does well with cybernetic prosthetics but, for the moment anyway, the Protectorate Navy does not allow anyone with Prosthetics to serve on active duty.
The service car automatically followed Kirya wherever she went. Roughly 3 meters high and 4 meters long, give or take a dozen centimeters or so, she was happy to have us along when it got stuck going through a checkpoint. Because we were actively helping her we were allowed through with her after a check of our ID's showed were were still in good standing and working for a firm that frequently does business with the Militia.
Fight
Ambiguous event
Slaver
Careful and hostile highwayman who is slightly weaker than you and whose motivation is to complete music and is focused on your retainers.
Ok this is gonna be interesting
So the mess hall is empty. No surprise, The food prep unit is busted. Its a design that will make fully prepared meals in bulk sizes. So if you ask it to make burgers and fries, it will make 50 burgers and turn 100 potatoes into fries. Great unit for a military installation. The shortcoming is it has a repertoire of a grand total of 8 different meals. I guess this is tolerated because this particular mess is just for the control tower personnel to grab lunch during their 8 hour shifts. Breakfast and dinner these guys will get somewhere else. The big box that followed us around was filled with enough food to last this machine the next 24 hours, after which the full stock replenishment that should have been requisitioned would be handled by the militia supply chain on the station.
We helped out so the job went quick. Kirya did the electronic confirmations on the unit and transmitted the confirmations to both the control tower C.O. as well as to Cookie her boss. And we started our way back to the Common Block and were discussing what we were gonna do with the rest of our day.
Unfortunately we were interrupted. 4 guys wearing militia uniforms had positioned themselves to intercept us in one of the narrower and more confined hallways of the control tower complex. The guy who stepped forward as the leader was a cocky, baller looking hooligan. Kirya was instantly starting to panic.
"Uh, Jeff? Those bats, and knives they have look so filthy. (pant) If you (Pant) If you get cut it will get infected!"
"Stay calm Kirya, You dont need to worry, Im here with you."
"But But The bacteria!"
"Me and Holly took up positions in the front and back of our little procession. I took the front, looking back over my shoulder I grinned at Jeff. "Listen to Jeff, Kirya, You got him and us too. These guys will not be getting anywhere near you with those bacteria covered sticks. Jeff, just look after her, we got this."
"Damn right we do!" Holly exclaimed from the back. "4 of them against 2 full fledged Blue Ridge mages? They'll never know what hit them."
Game on Muther Fuckers!
We pull our Hu-B4's
Initiative:
in order OpFor1 OpFor2 Holly Opfor3 Jeff Opfor4 Me
Slightly weaker than us. So no mages in teh group. 2 have 4Phys stress boxes and 2 have 3. Me Jeff and Holly all have 3 Phys stress boxes and 4 Mental stress boxes.
I am space and forces
Jeff is space and:
Transmutation
Interesting! Very Interesting
Holly is Space and
Energy
Energy Cool
All their weapons are +2 Op2&3 get melee at 2. Op1&4 get melee at 1
Holly Dex is 2, Jeff dex is 1, Me is 0
Op1 attack me
0 = +0 +1 -1 +0 0
0 = +0 +0 +1 -1 0
Shit
1+weapon2 = 3 stress
Op2 at holly
2 = +1 -1 +1 +1 0
-1 = +0 -1 +1 -1 0
Fuck! 2 + 2 vs. -1 + 2 so 3 success + weapon+2
5 stress. #3 stress box and minor consequence
Holly will at 4 lore at 4. Gonna try and hit both of them so power of 3 plus 1 for area effect. need 4 success. can control power 4, one mental stress and just needs to roll a 0
2 = -1 +1 +1 +1 0
Op2 and 4 are in front of Holly hit with 6 success
op2 and 4 both have phys (endurance) of 1
-2 = -1 -1 -1 +1 0
op2 result -1 so hit with 7 success +3 power of attack (spent 4 power total, 3 for attack 1 for area hit)
Op2 #3 stress box Minor and Moderate consequence -2 and -4 stress with 1 stress left so #1 stress box.
now Op4 endurance
0 = -1 -1 +1 +1 0
op4 result is 1 so hit with 5 success +3 power of attack
op4 #1 and #3 stress box and moderate consequence
Op3 atack me at 2
1 = +0 +0 +0 +1 0
shit 3 +2weapon = 5 stress
#1 and 2 stress box and minor consequence
Jeff is with Kirya but not gonna just sit around. He gonna transmute the ceiling above Holly's attackers from a lightweight plastic composite into iron.
Jeff also has will and Lore at 4 but he needs to power this at superb. Needs 4 power to make the transmutation and 1 to increase the area of effect. Mark off 1 and 2 mental stress box. Must roll at least a 1
-2 = -1 +1 -1 -1 0
I am going to use one of my fate points to reroll that
tapping Its not that I dont trust you Jeff but... (guddamn!)
1 = +1 +0 +1 -1 0
Better jeff, much better.
the two guys are distracted by the fight do they notice a block of iron that is suddenly going to fall on them because the fittings designed to hold up a plastic ceiling cant support and iron ceiling?
(50/50 | 8[d10]) Yes
well thats annoying
ok they will have a dex of....
1 = 1[d4]
OK the dice have spoken
I will say to dive out of the way the results will be this:
if they get average or less they take full damage
fair cuts 50% of damage and good or better dodges completely
the attack damage will be 9 total stress from the falling slab of iron. using Jeff's power input of 5 and treat it as a weapon+4 due to weight and size
OK Op2
-1 = -1 +0 +0 +0 0
result 0 for 9 stress. Severe consequence for -6 fill #2 stress box for another -2 but that leaves one more stress and OpFor2 is out of this fight
Op4:
-4 = -1 -1 -1 -1 0
well fuck result is -3 for a total of 12 stress. Minor and severe consequence for a total of -8 fill #2 stress box for another -2 leaves 2 stress to take so OpFor4 is taken out
Op1 is pissed at what happened to his buddies But its my turn now
Im gonna spike the contact force of the floor against Op3 and see him suddenly Yeeted through the ceiling
(Magic in this universe requires a high level of scientific knowledge and understanding. To get what is happening here you have to understand the concept of Contact Force and be able to define its relationship between Op3's feet and the floor. I am not going to write out an entire science class worth of education to explain it here. Ask your science teacher to explain.)
Gonna power 4 this one. I can control that so 1 mental stress. need to roll a 1 or better to get the effect.
-2 = +0 -1 +0 -1 0
Fucking typical
Tap So there is a heart under there. (I am trying to protect a young woman with an inflicted mental illness as punishment for being the victim of a deadly disease that medical science still cant stop.) spend a fate point to reroll
0 = +1 -1 +1 -1 0
Fuck again. Take an aditional mental stress as backlash so this cost 1 stress to cast and 1 in backlash so 1 and 2 mental stress boxes
4 success he gets launched the damage can be resisted with phys of which this guy got a 3
-1 = +0 +0 +0 -1 0
so 2, he takes 2 stress
then he falls back down. Falling= 5 stress for every 10 feet
How high is the celing? It might be a little high but not much. lets say 1D6+6. the celing will max out at 2X the height of a typical jock
9 = 3[d6]+6
Ok 90% of 5 is 4.5. ... ... .. just call it 5 stress and be done
so a total of 7 stress. the #4 and 3 stress boxes. The dice failed me here
But at least all he can do this round is get back up
Well Op1 is pissed so he coming for me again! This time I will remember I got melee at 2 so i will use that to block
the attack
3 = +1 +1 +0 +1 0
the defend
2 = -1 +1 +1 +1 0
1 stress plus he taps my minor consequence so 3 stress. I used up my stress boxes and minor consequence so I have to take a moderate
I'm in trouble
Holly is sitting pretty and will lightning blast both these guys like she did before
Just like last time: Gonna try and hit both of them so power of 3 plus 1 for area effect. need 4 success. can control power 4, one mental stress and just needs to roll a 0
-1 = -1 +1 +0 -1 0
She will take the backlash #1 stress box physical
Op1 will try and avoid with dex3
-2 = +0 +0 -1 -1 0
so a 1 vs 4success so 3 and power of 3 Op1 takes 6 stress #4 and 3 stress boxes
Op3 can only take it and resist with a phys of 3
-1 = -1 +1 -1 +0 0
so 2 success + power +3 5 total stress 1 and 2 stress box and minor consequence
Op3 can only get up so no attack
Jeff liked the iron ceiling so He'll do it again: he needs to power this at superb. Needs 4 power to make the transmutation and 1 to increase the area of effect. Mark off #3 mental stress box. Must roll at least a 1
1 = +1 +0 +0 +0 0
Fine
same rules as last time:
I will say to dive out of the way the results will be this:
if they get average or less they take full damage
fair cuts 50% of damage and good or better dodges completely
the attack damage will be 9 total stress from the falling slab of iron. using Jeff's power input of 5 and treat it as a weapon+4 due to weight and size
Op1
2 = +1 +1 -1 +1 0
with dex of 1 is good he doges
Op3
0 = -1 +0 +0 +1 0
Op3 takes full damage So 9 stress
Moderate and severe consequence will take all the stress but the next 1 point hit takes him out. So he will just concede and get knocked out
Me again
Gonna Yeet again
Power 4 need to roll a 1
1 = +1 +1 -1 +0 0
Not very helpful but at least he gets yeeted up. He'll hit some support structures with 4 success he will take it with 3 phys
4 = +1 +1 +1 +1 0
nothing
but the fall back down is 5 stress he cant dodge so #1 stress box is filled, and a moderate consequence
He can only get back up this round
Holly has done well with the lightning so far so:
She only hitting one person so all 4 power goes to the hit
0 = +0 +1 +0 -1 0
doge at 1
2 = +0 +0 +1 +1 0
1 success with +4 power = 5 stress he gotta take a severe
Jeff will just say fuck it and step up with his HU-B4 and with melee 2 he gonna bum rush the guy
0 = -1 +0 +0 +1 0
He'll melee block
-2 = -1 +0 +0 -1 0
so a -1. The knife is a +2 weapon so 5 stress that fills the last consequence and he is taken out of the fight.
Finally a team of MP's show up. After the fight is over of course. A Long ass round of questioning and explaining and calming Kirya down we learn that OpFor1 has been under investigation for slaving for a while. When he got his crew the lead investigator was suspicious and tried to get a team to follow and observe. But the CO wasnt convinced of probable cause so the investigator had to argue the point. It wasnt till our ruckus got a complaint called in about a fight and the descriptions proved out that Lead Investigator was right after all that the CO sent the team. Because we stopped a kidnapping, (They wanted both Holly and Kirya apparently) And apprehended suspected slavers and they had proof on them when we beat them down so its all legal. We are all awarded a share of a bounty that is paid for stopping slavers. The Protectorate and Earth both have a particular hatred of slavers. So Bounties are steep. We even get a cut for Kirya.
Unfortunately I end up in sick bay for my wounds. We all end up there to be looked at but I actually have to stay for a night for observation. And that kicks my weekend pass. At least the Captain is impressed with how I spent my time off. She is accustomed to the crew getting in fights. Its a pleasant surprise for the crew to be in a fight and station security is happy about it. And of course taking down a slaver, even a small time one like OpFor1. Is a worthwhile expenditure of time.
Technically bounty jobs are considered contracts by Blue Ridge Security and in order for us to have the protection of the firm (legal coverage, liabilities, and the like) We are supposed to redirect a portion to the firm thus making them the contract holder. Its a small percentage but it is a cut into the payout. The Captain of the Hammer and Blade has the paperwork for this and I start to understand when i read a bit. we are being charged for repairs to the station. But because the Firm is claiming the bounty instead of us they handle the negotiating for the repair work and are far more capable of obtaining lower bids because they can usually offer more work if the contractors cut some of the fees out of the repairs. I do worry exactly how big their cut of the bounty will be but it turns out to not be as much as i was afraid of. I am left with 80% of the amount after I pay Blue Ridge's cut.
------------End Unit Orientation----------
------------Begin Unit Assignment---------
------------Minor Milestone Break---------
reset stress, remove minor consequence, reset fate points
---------------------------------------------------------
Sol System, Earth orbit. M.S.S. Hammer and Blade in parking zone 5.05AX of the Earth Militia Defense Platform 6. Officer's Lounge.
"All I said was that I didn't understand why Earth needed a militia when the headquarters of the entire Protectorate Navy and Marines AND the Royal Guard are right next door so to speak."
"Every planet in the Protectorate has the right to have a militia."
"I dont deny that. It just seems like a waste to spend tax money on these stations and patrol ships when the actual fkn navy has Trumpets of War class cruisers and full on Glory of Mars class battleships flying by three or four times a day."
"And you wonder why they got upset?"
"I do as a matter of fact."
The others at the table just shook their heads. Witman shrugged his shoulders and looked at the others. "Civilians, am I right?"
"Ug," Corsair said with exaggerated disgust, "Tell me about it."
The whole table broke up laughing at my expense.
Charles "Witman" Whitekirk, Mark "Sugarcane" Winslow, Oruc "Coffee Stand" Reis, and Heyridden "Corsair" Barbarossa had just "rescued' me from that Earth Militia platform we were parked outside of after the conversation I had just relayed to them apparently offended the Militia Guards checking my credentials as I was making my way to the shuttle that would take me to my Blue Ridge Security Unit Assignment.
I was assigned to the M.S.S. Hammer and Blade under the command of Captain Feray Sarikaya. This happened to be the ship that Danil Ogarkov's unit was currently riding. So they were quite happy to see me as evidenced by the ruthless chop busting that was currently going on. (Cheeks greeted me with a solid high five and a smack on the ass when she saw me passing by in a hallway.)
"Good Evening Gentlemen!"
Everyone (me included) Shot to our feet as someone shouted: "Cap'n on DECK!"
"At ease please, don't let me interrupt. I already heard the story from the Station Shuttle Bay Control's perspective, I have got to hear it from the perspective of the intrepid cavalry who rode to the rescue of our wayward crewmember."
Once again the table was laughing at my expense.
"It was just an honest question."
The Laughter was uncontrol able after that.
When it finally died down the Captain of Hammer and Blade asked me to come with her to her office. There my orientation began. A summary of my time at headquarters training, the reasons I was selected for this ship, what the captain thought of my solutions to some of the more famous of my exploits, and where the captain said she wanted improvement. I was then taken on an official tour of the ship that ended with the reason I was there: The Ship's Simulacrum. A small room located at the center of the ship with silver and gold inlayed runes set into the floor, walls and ceiling of the room and a floating 35 centimeter long silver miniature of the ship dead center of everything. This was where the literal magic happened and the reason I became a space mage. This was where i could use my magic to move this ship just over a light year at a time between the stars.
This room, more than anything else, was the single most tangible reason, that The Olympus Accords have remained in effect, unchanged, unchallenged, and uninterrupted for 220 years.
There were a few differences from the typical simulacrum chamber. For one, I spent years as a ship's mage, I knew the runes of a simulacrum. This chamber had all of those but there were just a few that were changed and a few that were added. It was minor, but noticeable. Which I asked about the moment I saw it.
"You noticed! I'm impressed! This just does a little more to prove I made a good choice with you."
"Thank you sir. But about those changes?"
"Yes of course. This room will operate exactly as you are used to from any other cargo ship or civilian ship of any type. The differences are because this is what is known as an Enhanced Simulacrum."
"Ive never heard of this thing sir."
"No I would have been surprised if you did. It took an enormous effort to have it installed on our ships. It required getting special permission from The Mountain."
"The Mountain? As in THE Mountain? Olympus? That Mountain? King Alexander IV himself?"
"Well that is the only "The Mountain" I am aware of."
"How in all of creations did, ... on second thought, no, I don't want to know."
The captain laughed. "It took a lot of deal making, promises, pro bono work, background checks, and an ever present threat of surprise review by the King's Hands, but we have found it to be worth it."
"That is a long list sir. And that last one is a bit concerning."
"I understand, but its easy to avoid. So long as we keep to a strict code of conduct, and have clear justification for using the Enhanced functions of this simulacrum, the Hands are kept satisfied."
"Does that code of conduct ever require us to turn down jobs that we would otherwise take? If I am allowed to ask that question Sir."
"I can answer that. Yes it does mean that we sometimes turn down jobs. But in my years with Blue Ridge Security I have learned that not less than 80% of the time the jobs we turn down are jobs I wouldn't feel comfortable doing anyway."
"May I ask for an example Sir?"
"I'll give you this one because you might find it close to your heart. We turned down a job from remnants of The Amikampur Group."
I was brought up short by that reply.
"Yes I thought that would grab your attention. I have to be honest here, we had done jobs for them before the scandal broke. Everything from security of property to repossession of assets that clients defaulted their payments for."
I must have visibly cringed.
"I understand that reaction completely. The only thing I can say is that we were as blind to the scandal as everyone else. After the scandal broke however, and it was clear that they were considered a criminal organization by the Protectorate, they were placed on the blacklist. That's the tradeoff we make for the enhanced simulacrum. We agree that we will never work against the interests of the Protectorate. And if we discover that an individual or organization is working against the Protectorate, or is declared a Criminal Organization by the Protectorate, all contracts are immediately cancelled. I know we have missed out on more than a few big paydays because of this restriction on our activities. But considering the types of clients those paydays were with, I just cant feel too bad about missing out on them. There is a nice benefit to help offset the downside though. Because we had to prove we were trustworthy enough to have the enhanced simulacrum, we have by default proved we can be trusted enough to do certain more gray area jobs for the Protectorate itself."
"You mean that Mars will call on us sometimes?"
"That is exactly what I mean. As coincidence has it, I have a suspicion that one of those might be in the works within the next few months actually."
"That sounds like it could be exciting."
"They usually are."
"May I ask one more question on this subject Sir?"
"Go ahead."
"What exactly does this Enhanced Simulacrum do that a normal Simulacrum doesn't?"
The captain smiled slightly as she answered. "It acts as a magic amplifier and will allow you to use your magic to assist the CCS in defending the ship."
"You mean I could attack a ship with magic?"
"No, not attack, defend. Completely Amplified Simulacrum are one of the most closely guarded secrets the Protectorate has; therefore, they are only installed on ships of the Protectorate Navy. This wont give you the range or power you need to attack a ship, but it will give you enough range and power to shoot down missiles, or deflect lasers, or other incoming ordinance. Though I suppose you might be able to attack a boarding vessel with it, but you would be able to do that anyway once they got close enough to try and attach themselves to the hull."
"This sounds amazingly powerful, and straight up cool. But how will I aim? I'd need to see a missile to shoot it down wouldn't I?"
The captain activated her com. "Bridge, This is the captain. X.O. you on duty at the moment?"
"No, captain, the commander went off shift just ten minutes ago, This is Lieutenant Khethiwe"
The Captain looked at her data assistant and checked the time. "Huh, it's much later than I thought? Oh Well, Lieutenant?"
"Yes Captain?"
"Have Tactical activate the CIS in the Simulacrum Chamber please."
"Activate Simulacrum CIS Aye Sir!"
A few seconds later several of the panels on the floor ceiling and walls disappeared and I was looking out through the ship's hull outside. Objects outside the ship out to a significant distance, but considered close if those objects are missiles, had indicators highlighting them with tabs telling me information such as distance, velocity, size, and other information that might be relevant if I wanted to grab the object with my magic.
There wasnt a complete spherical view outside. Not every single panel in the room was also a screen but the blind spots were surprisingly few.
"This system is set up to help you target and engage your magic as efficiently as possible."
"I've never seen anything like this before. I can get used to this."
The Captain laughed a bit and called the bridge to shut off the system after I had spent a little time checking it out. I would be practicing with it in due course.
After the tour I was introduced to the other ship's mages: Lieutenant Jeff Fletcher, Lieutenant Brian Fairchance, and Lieutenant Holly McCloy. Holly was the second newest member of the crew.
Time flies for the next week. Training with the crew, training with the other mages, training with the CIS system in the simulacrum chamber. It gets quite grueling.
Fortunately after seven days: Leave to go to the station again. There are about half the crew that gets to go on shore leave for a few days and again I try to pass because of money issues but I am informed that for this trip anyway, Jeff is buying. So reluctantly, I go. Mages Jeff and Holly come along, Brian has to stay behind because not all mages are allowed off the ship at the same time. I promise I will stay behind next time. It'll help me not spend money.
So ok we go aboard the Militia station.
I gotta ask on the shuttle over:
"So why are we hanging around a militia station instead of a trade station?"
"All our guns and shit makes the civilian captains nervous."
Holly smacked Jeff in the back of the head. "Moron."
"Tegaten fangirl."
"Guilty as charged with pride."
I had to pipe up. "Whoa, another "Golden Sky" Fan? I thought I'd never find another one!"
Holly looked at me suspiciously. "Don't tease me that way Jason are you really a fan?"
"Lars really should have just let Hinsen keep that 20 bucks."
"OH MY GOD YOU ARE A FAN!!!!!!!"
Jeff started hitting his head against the bulkhead. "No, no, no, not another one."
"We will slowly take over the ship Jeff. Now that I have Jason on my side, I will be unstoppable! BWAHAHAHA!"
A few more inside jokes later:
"So really, Why the militia station?"
"Trade stations don't have the equipment necessary to service the class of weaponry we have on the Hammer."
"So when the 300's or the missile loaders need refit or repair beyond what we can do shipboard without a dock, we have to go to a Navy or Militia port."
"Ok that makes sense. Thanks."
"No sweat it. And here we are. Lets see what trouble we can get into."
Deliver food to the control room.
Hypochondriac female symbiont
Symbionts dont exist in this world so lets sub a .........Cybernetic Implant. Put in for medical reasons. The Hypochondriac is a side effect.
We are walking down the 'Common Block', the station sector that is set aside for off duty militia and civilian visitors. The block is actually a pretty significant slice of the platform with many different businesses and entertainments intended for the visitors and station crew in their off duty hours. We are actually debating going to one of those old fashioned movie theaters that specialize in showing classical films from the pre-war eras. The theater is showing a vintage animated flick called "Spirited Away" which gets me and Holly practically gushing. The name Hayao Miyazaki still recognized as a true master of storytelling and animated entertainment all these centuries later. Jeff was reluctant, first he is not a fan of animation as an artform, and second he tends to like more contemporary movies and holo's. We were trying to come up with an alternative when:
"Jeff! Heya Jeff! How you been?"
"Oh Hey! Kirya What are you doing here?"
"I actually found a job here."
"Really? Thats Great! I'm so happy for you, you were having such a hard time with that!"
"Thanks it was tough. I almost didnt take it though. The air on these stations cant be trusted you know. If the filters dont work perfectly they can allow viruses, and bacteria, and poisons, and other toxins collect in the air and then it gets in your lungs and can cause things like shortness of breath and pneu, (pant) pneumonia." The girl started panting and jeff looked alarmed.
"Kirya! Kirya! Listen, The filters have a back up! You hear, they have a back up! The air is sterilized with heat. You know this, don't you remember?"
The slight woman starts to calm down visibly. "Oh, Right, They do that. I forgot. Sorry."
"Its alright dont worry about it. Guys, this is one of my oldest friends, Kirya Nickomi. Kirya This is Jason Burkhind and Holly McCloy."
"Hi." "Pleased to meet you." "Its a pleasure." "Im happy to meet you."
Kirya was a small woman and couldn't be more than 23, maybe 24. Just barely out of school. If she went to school that is. She had the indicator lights on her head that told everyone she was a survivor. Its a little sad to see people like her. Medical science has advanced to become a smorgasbord of miracles. And that was before Biomages entered the scene. The combination of medicine and magic launched the life expectancy and quality of life for everyone to heights never imagined. Except for the poor survivors of brain cancer. Cancer remains the bane of human health, somehow resisting all the efforts of magic and medicine to eliminate it from the universe.
Its not fair to call her "poor survivor". Before magic she would have died not too long after her diagnosis. But the surgery to remove a brain tumor always removes some of the vital parts of the brain along with the cancer itself. They are still trying to change that but the going is slow at the best of times. To replace the functions of the brain that are lost with the surgery cybernetic implants were invented. They would be impossible to fuse with the brain without a Biomage but they can be implanted now to help these cancer survivors live out the life that cancer almost took from them. But for all the miraculous accomplishment the implant is, there is a side effect that also resists all efforts to eliminate. Patients who receive implants will also develop some form of mental disorder.
These disorders are manageable for the most part. But they are there and they do affect the cancer survivor's life in a negative way. For Kirya, apparently that way is an obsession with the different ways she could get sick. Depending on the severity of the disorder survivors sometimes cant go for extended periods of time without a support structure of friends, medical professionals, and therapists. Which results in some of them being unable to do things like, leave home for months at a time to attend a university.
The fact that Kirya was now aboard this station, much to jeff's surprise, means that either some or all of her support structure came with her, or her disorder is mild enough that she can mange to get by without it for a while.
"So tell me about this job! What did you find?"
"Oh, I'm kinda working for a friend of my Uncle's. My Uncle is a Sensor Tech for the Homeworld Militia, and his friend runs a business on the station that services and restocks food prep units for both visiting ships and private residences on the station."
That's a good business to have on a station. Food prep units run the gambit of style, complexity and price. The simplest units, like I had in my quarters back in Dzhebariki could only select ingredients and pre measure them for you and you had to do the mixing and cooking yourself. The most complex units are capable of preparing complete meals automatically without any human assistance at all. They will never totally replace actual cooks and chefs in restaurants and homes. Food prep units can only be designed to make a set number of meal plans. If you want something other than the standard fare you cook it yourself or you go out to eat like man has done since the dawn of history.
"That can be a tough job, How you holding up?"
"So far so good! Cookie, my uncle's friend, he never told me his real name, has been real supportive of my implant quirks. His wife has an implant too so he gets it! I'm kinda lucky I guess."
"Well that is awesome! Congratulations Kirya."
"Thanks. I'm enjoying being on my own. I'm not sure I could do it without Cookie and his wife though."
"Then I am glad you have them. So what are you doing now? and what is that big, uh, big whatever that is there."
"Oh, This is a delivery I have to make. The food prep unit in the mess hall in the control tower had to be replaced. And I'm going to stock it for the first time."
"Wouldn't the militia do that themselves?" I was curious.
"Usually maybe. But they called us this time. It does happen from time to time. Sometimes a shipment is late or something goes wrong and they use us to fill in those gaps."
"Well I hate to keep you from doing your job, if you take too long they might complain."
"yea, But, Maybe you could walk with me for a while? I havent seen you in years."
"I would love to! You guys could go see that movie this way too, while I catch up with Kirya here."
Holly piped up. "No go Jeff. We said whatever we do we do together, so we're goin with you to fill a food unit."
"We are?" Holly smacked the back of my head. "We are!"
Now the walk to the tower mess was pretty much uneventful. Jeff was chatting up Kirya, Me and Holly wee following along asking the occasional question or interjecting some tidbit of trivia. And Kirya was happy to have the company. We learned that Jeff knew Kirya because she was an old navy buddy's daughter. His buddy was wounded in combat with pirates and discharged because he lost both of his legs. He does well with cybernetic prosthetics but, for the moment anyway, the Protectorate Navy does not allow anyone with Prosthetics to serve on active duty.
The service car automatically followed Kirya wherever she went. Roughly 3 meters high and 4 meters long, give or take a dozen centimeters or so, she was happy to have us along when it got stuck going through a checkpoint. Because we were actively helping her we were allowed through with her after a check of our ID's showed were were still in good standing and working for a firm that frequently does business with the Militia.
Fight
Ambiguous event
Slaver
Careful and hostile highwayman who is slightly weaker than you and whose motivation is to complete music and is focused on your retainers.
Ok this is gonna be interesting
So the mess hall is empty. No surprise, The food prep unit is busted. Its a design that will make fully prepared meals in bulk sizes. So if you ask it to make burgers and fries, it will make 50 burgers and turn 100 potatoes into fries. Great unit for a military installation. The shortcoming is it has a repertoire of a grand total of 8 different meals. I guess this is tolerated because this particular mess is just for the control tower personnel to grab lunch during their 8 hour shifts. Breakfast and dinner these guys will get somewhere else. The big box that followed us around was filled with enough food to last this machine the next 24 hours, after which the full stock replenishment that should have been requisitioned would be handled by the militia supply chain on the station.
We helped out so the job went quick. Kirya did the electronic confirmations on the unit and transmitted the confirmations to both the control tower C.O. as well as to Cookie her boss. And we started our way back to the Common Block and were discussing what we were gonna do with the rest of our day.
Unfortunately we were interrupted. 4 guys wearing militia uniforms had positioned themselves to intercept us in one of the narrower and more confined hallways of the control tower complex. The guy who stepped forward as the leader was a cocky, baller looking hooligan. Kirya was instantly starting to panic.
"Uh, Jeff? Those bats, and knives they have look so filthy. (pant) If you (Pant) If you get cut it will get infected!"
"Stay calm Kirya, You dont need to worry, Im here with you."
"But But The bacteria!"
"Me and Holly took up positions in the front and back of our little procession. I took the front, looking back over my shoulder I grinned at Jeff. "Listen to Jeff, Kirya, You got him and us too. These guys will not be getting anywhere near you with those bacteria covered sticks. Jeff, just look after her, we got this."
"Damn right we do!" Holly exclaimed from the back. "4 of them against 2 full fledged Blue Ridge mages? They'll never know what hit them."
Game on Muther Fuckers!
We pull our Hu-B4's
Initiative:
in order OpFor1 OpFor2 Holly Opfor3 Jeff Opfor4 Me
Slightly weaker than us. So no mages in teh group. 2 have 4Phys stress boxes and 2 have 3. Me Jeff and Holly all have 3 Phys stress boxes and 4 Mental stress boxes.
I am space and forces
Jeff is space and:
Transmutation
Interesting! Very Interesting
Holly is Space and
Energy
Energy Cool
All their weapons are +2 Op2&3 get melee at 2. Op1&4 get melee at 1
Holly Dex is 2, Jeff dex is 1, Me is 0
Op1 attack me
0 = +0 +1 -1 +0 0
0 = +0 +0 +1 -1 0
Shit
1+weapon2 = 3 stress
Op2 at holly
2 = +1 -1 +1 +1 0
-1 = +0 -1 +1 -1 0
Fuck! 2 + 2 vs. -1 + 2 so 3 success + weapon+2
5 stress. #3 stress box and minor consequence
Holly will at 4 lore at 4. Gonna try and hit both of them so power of 3 plus 1 for area effect. need 4 success. can control power 4, one mental stress and just needs to roll a 0
2 = -1 +1 +1 +1 0
Op2 and 4 are in front of Holly hit with 6 success
op2 and 4 both have phys (endurance) of 1
-2 = -1 -1 -1 +1 0
op2 result -1 so hit with 7 success +3 power of attack (spent 4 power total, 3 for attack 1 for area hit)
Op2 #3 stress box Minor and Moderate consequence -2 and -4 stress with 1 stress left so #1 stress box.
now Op4 endurance
0 = -1 -1 +1 +1 0
op4 result is 1 so hit with 5 success +3 power of attack
op4 #1 and #3 stress box and moderate consequence
Op3 atack me at 2
1 = +0 +0 +0 +1 0
shit 3 +2weapon = 5 stress
#1 and 2 stress box and minor consequence
Jeff is with Kirya but not gonna just sit around. He gonna transmute the ceiling above Holly's attackers from a lightweight plastic composite into iron.
Jeff also has will and Lore at 4 but he needs to power this at superb. Needs 4 power to make the transmutation and 1 to increase the area of effect. Mark off 1 and 2 mental stress box. Must roll at least a 1
-2 = -1 +1 -1 -1 0
I am going to use one of my fate points to reroll that
tapping Its not that I dont trust you Jeff but... (guddamn!)
1 = +1 +0 +1 -1 0
Better jeff, much better.
the two guys are distracted by the fight do they notice a block of iron that is suddenly going to fall on them because the fittings designed to hold up a plastic ceiling cant support and iron ceiling?
(50/50 | 8[d10]) Yes
well thats annoying
ok they will have a dex of....
1 = 1[d4]
OK the dice have spoken
I will say to dive out of the way the results will be this:
if they get average or less they take full damage
fair cuts 50% of damage and good or better dodges completely
the attack damage will be 9 total stress from the falling slab of iron. using Jeff's power input of 5 and treat it as a weapon+4 due to weight and size
OK Op2
-1 = -1 +0 +0 +0 0
result 0 for 9 stress. Severe consequence for -6 fill #2 stress box for another -2 but that leaves one more stress and OpFor2 is out of this fight
Op4:
-4 = -1 -1 -1 -1 0
well fuck result is -3 for a total of 12 stress. Minor and severe consequence for a total of -8 fill #2 stress box for another -2 leaves 2 stress to take so OpFor4 is taken out
Op1 is pissed at what happened to his buddies But its my turn now
Im gonna spike the contact force of the floor against Op3 and see him suddenly Yeeted through the ceiling
(Magic in this universe requires a high level of scientific knowledge and understanding. To get what is happening here you have to understand the concept of Contact Force and be able to define its relationship between Op3's feet and the floor. I am not going to write out an entire science class worth of education to explain it here. Ask your science teacher to explain.)
Gonna power 4 this one. I can control that so 1 mental stress. need to roll a 1 or better to get the effect.
-2 = +0 -1 +0 -1 0
Fucking typical
Tap So there is a heart under there. (I am trying to protect a young woman with an inflicted mental illness as punishment for being the victim of a deadly disease that medical science still cant stop.) spend a fate point to reroll
0 = +1 -1 +1 -1 0
Fuck again. Take an aditional mental stress as backlash so this cost 1 stress to cast and 1 in backlash so 1 and 2 mental stress boxes
4 success he gets launched the damage can be resisted with phys of which this guy got a 3
-1 = +0 +0 +0 -1 0
so 2, he takes 2 stress
then he falls back down. Falling= 5 stress for every 10 feet
How high is the celing? It might be a little high but not much. lets say 1D6+6. the celing will max out at 2X the height of a typical jock
9 = 3[d6]+6
Ok 90% of 5 is 4.5. ... ... .. just call it 5 stress and be done
so a total of 7 stress. the #4 and 3 stress boxes. The dice failed me here
But at least all he can do this round is get back up
Well Op1 is pissed so he coming for me again! This time I will remember I got melee at 2 so i will use that to block
the attack
3 = +1 +1 +0 +1 0
the defend
2 = -1 +1 +1 +1 0
1 stress plus he taps my minor consequence so 3 stress. I used up my stress boxes and minor consequence so I have to take a moderate
I'm in trouble
Holly is sitting pretty and will lightning blast both these guys like she did before
Just like last time: Gonna try and hit both of them so power of 3 plus 1 for area effect. need 4 success. can control power 4, one mental stress and just needs to roll a 0
-1 = -1 +1 +0 -1 0
She will take the backlash #1 stress box physical
Op1 will try and avoid with dex3
-2 = +0 +0 -1 -1 0
so a 1 vs 4success so 3 and power of 3 Op1 takes 6 stress #4 and 3 stress boxes
Op3 can only take it and resist with a phys of 3
-1 = -1 +1 -1 +0 0
so 2 success + power +3 5 total stress 1 and 2 stress box and minor consequence
Op3 can only get up so no attack
Jeff liked the iron ceiling so He'll do it again: he needs to power this at superb. Needs 4 power to make the transmutation and 1 to increase the area of effect. Mark off #3 mental stress box. Must roll at least a 1
1 = +1 +0 +0 +0 0
Fine
same rules as last time:
I will say to dive out of the way the results will be this:
if they get average or less they take full damage
fair cuts 50% of damage and good or better dodges completely
the attack damage will be 9 total stress from the falling slab of iron. using Jeff's power input of 5 and treat it as a weapon+4 due to weight and size
Op1
2 = +1 +1 -1 +1 0
with dex of 1 is good he doges
Op3
0 = -1 +0 +0 +1 0
Op3 takes full damage So 9 stress
Moderate and severe consequence will take all the stress but the next 1 point hit takes him out. So he will just concede and get knocked out
Me again
Gonna Yeet again
Power 4 need to roll a 1
1 = +1 +1 -1 +0 0
Not very helpful but at least he gets yeeted up. He'll hit some support structures with 4 success he will take it with 3 phys
4 = +1 +1 +1 +1 0
nothing
but the fall back down is 5 stress he cant dodge so #1 stress box is filled, and a moderate consequence
He can only get back up this round
Holly has done well with the lightning so far so:
She only hitting one person so all 4 power goes to the hit
0 = +0 +1 +0 -1 0
doge at 1
2 = +0 +0 +1 +1 0
1 success with +4 power = 5 stress he gotta take a severe
Jeff will just say fuck it and step up with his HU-B4 and with melee 2 he gonna bum rush the guy
0 = -1 +0 +0 +1 0
He'll melee block
-2 = -1 +0 +0 -1 0
so a -1. The knife is a +2 weapon so 5 stress that fills the last consequence and he is taken out of the fight.
Finally a team of MP's show up. After the fight is over of course. A Long ass round of questioning and explaining and calming Kirya down we learn that OpFor1 has been under investigation for slaving for a while. When he got his crew the lead investigator was suspicious and tried to get a team to follow and observe. But the CO wasnt convinced of probable cause so the investigator had to argue the point. It wasnt till our ruckus got a complaint called in about a fight and the descriptions proved out that Lead Investigator was right after all that the CO sent the team. Because we stopped a kidnapping, (They wanted both Holly and Kirya apparently) And apprehended suspected slavers and they had proof on them when we beat them down so its all legal. We are all awarded a share of a bounty that is paid for stopping slavers. The Protectorate and Earth both have a particular hatred of slavers. So Bounties are steep. We even get a cut for Kirya.
Unfortunately I end up in sick bay for my wounds. We all end up there to be looked at but I actually have to stay for a night for observation. And that kicks my weekend pass. At least the Captain is impressed with how I spent my time off. She is accustomed to the crew getting in fights. Its a pleasant surprise for the crew to be in a fight and station security is happy about it. And of course taking down a slaver, even a small time one like OpFor1. Is a worthwhile expenditure of time.
Technically bounty jobs are considered contracts by Blue Ridge Security and in order for us to have the protection of the firm (legal coverage, liabilities, and the like) We are supposed to redirect a portion to the firm thus making them the contract holder. Its a small percentage but it is a cut into the payout. The Captain of the Hammer and Blade has the paperwork for this and I start to understand when i read a bit. we are being charged for repairs to the station. But because the Firm is claiming the bounty instead of us they handle the negotiating for the repair work and are far more capable of obtaining lower bids because they can usually offer more work if the contractors cut some of the fees out of the repairs. I do worry exactly how big their cut of the bounty will be but it turns out to not be as much as i was afraid of. I am left with 80% of the amount after I pay Blue Ridge's cut.
------------End Unit Orientation----------