Chapter 1: The Galactic Imperative - Orion

[Trogdor]

OOC

Narration like this is fine at he beginning of an adventure, and particularly at the beginning of a campaign. Sometimes its best to get information to the players quickly.

Orion speaks up at Skirnir's inquisitive look. "I'm curious," he says, "whether there is - or is predicted to be - any detectable time fluctuation before the beacon is activated. Even if it were only at short range, that would be something. Also, it would seem that the fail safe devices will only be activated after the space time continuum fluctuation signature appears. In that case, the team should know where the device is, meaning that its task in the localized space time continuum disruption would be to destroy the beacon, since its location will already be known. Do I have that right?"

"Also," he adds, "in reviewing our records of previous worlds lost to the A'Qan, have any clues been uncovered as to where the beacons were on those planets?"

[Shurijo]

OOC

Yeah, the majority of the background story will be coming from this story, so there's more narration here.

Skirnir scratches his beard, responding to Orion's questions. "I'd say that any short range fluctuations might not be detectable from the Guardians longer range scanners. It's my understanding that the fail safe device will activate near our team regardless if we know where the device is located at."

Looking over to Solarflare, he says, "She can answer that one."

Solarflare is taken off guard by Skirnir's question at first, but then recovers. It was obvious that her mind is elsewhere after the briefing ended. "Oh yes. I visited a planet in the same system as Lantaria after it was turned to glass. It took a lot of work to cut through the surface, but we discovered the entire planet was heated to such an extreme temperature that everything was melted. Nothing was left of the planet's structures, people, animals, or vegetation. We didn't find anything at all."

[Shurijo]

Solarflare then turns to look back at the Guardians and then back to Skirnir and Orion, "There's one thing that I don't understand. If the A'Qal is from the future, wouldn't they know then what we know now and what we're doing to stop them? This space time theories confuse me a bit."

Then, as if on queue, alerts begin to sound throughout the Kefa Cefum and a message is sent to each of the Celestials, "Unknown vessels appearing withing short-range scanning radius. Return to ships. Prepare for defensive maneuvers."

Skirnir states, "I have a bad feeling about this. Let's go." The ambassador takes off towards their ship. Aboard the ship, there are various flight suits and helmets that can provide a safe environment for various Celestials species and a special suit for each of the protectors that need it, in case they wish to remain on the outside of the ship.

[Trogdor]

There's little enough to be said about their task. Each will do as best they can. And they can but hope that it will be enough.

When the alarm klaxons ring, Orion heads to the airlock, as comfortable in the vacuum of space as inside the space station. If there is a battle to be fought, he can do it as well or better from the outside.

[Shurijo]

The Pleiadean ambassador continues towards the ship as Solarflare follows Orion to the airlock. The two step inside of the airlock as the small compartment depressurizes. Then after a few moments, the outer airlock is opened and the two take off to investigate the incoming vessels.

It's difficult for either of the two protectors to see from this distance. However, it only takes a few moments before several small figures begin to emerge from the distance. Then moments later even more figures are seen. As the objects come closer, the Celestial starships begin to move out and away from the Kefa Cefum. Their own starship, the Zu Corumbae, engines light up and the ship takes off towards the incoming craft.

Using the ship's communication link, Skirnir informs the two. The Guardians are reporting the same space time fluctuation event as recorded earlier. They believe it's the A'Qal. Ships are preparing to attack."

Glancing around now, the pair see the hundreds of Celestial starships taking off towards the incoming A'Qal craft. Several dozen protectors, such as Orion and Solarflare can also be seen heading that way outside of their starships. As a few more seconds pass, more craft appear within the A'Qal sector.

OOC

This is going to be one of those epic space fights, so when/if we get into combat, I'll just pick one of the A'Qal targets and roll with that. The Celestials are greatly out numbered.

[Trogdor]

Great Galaxies! Orion thinks, activating his communicator so that he can stay in touch with the ship. That's a lot of A'Qan. Then he moves to take position next to Solarflare as they advance on the enemy.

[Shurijo]

combat

Initiative: Scout 1, Scout 2, Solarflare, Fighter 1, Orion (PL 10), Fighter 2

Orion and Solarflare advanced towards the A'Qal arriving ships. The two galactic heroes can see the the larger ships are launching smaller craft presumably to tackle the cosmic heroes as the larger ships begin calculating their firing solutions.

Moments later, the ships begin launch a furious series of blasts and projectiles towards each other. Both space fleet have advanced shielding and weapons technologies, but the A'Qal forces greatly outnumber the Celestials and it appears that a prolonged battle might lead to disaster for the Celestials and Guardians.

"Look out! Four craft approaching," Solarflare calls out as she turns to find four craft moving fast towards them. Two smaller craft fly side-by side in the front line of the attack formation while two larger craft flies just behind them.

OOC

I'll try to get initial combat posts up today or tonight, if not, then it might be monday

[Shurijo]

combat

Scout ship 1 attacks Solarflare
Attack: 1d20 + 10 = 29
Defense: 10 + 6 (flatfooted) = 16

hit

Drain attack DC of 15 + 3 = 18
Fort save: 1d20 + 4 = 19

no effect

The first of the two smaller ships flies directly at the pair and sets its targeting towards Solarflare. A strange green wave of energy shoots past Solarflare and seeming has no effect on her.

combat

Scout ship 2 attacks Solarflare
Attack: 1d20 + 10 = 22
Defense: 10 + 6 (flatfooted) = 16


hit

Drain attack DC of 15 + 3 = 18
Fort save: 1d20 + 4 = 15

-3 PP to all powers

The second ship continues the assault on Solarflare as the two smaller craft designate a single target and make focus their attacks. The second energy wave does have an effect on Solarflare and she immediately begins to feel a bit weaker than before, but there's no physical damage to her, so she shrugs it off and prepares for her counter attack.

combat

Solarflare attacks Scout ship 1
Attack: 1d20 + 7 = 22
Defense: 10 + 6 = 16

hit

fire blast attack DC of 15 + 7 = 23
toughness save: 1d20 + 5 = 20

failed, 1 injury

Solarflare launches back with a blast of her solar fire power. Her attack hits the fast scout ship doing a little damage, but the ship is able to continue it's assault.

combat

Fighter ship 1 attacks Solarflare
Attack: 1d20 + 11 = 23
Defense: 10 + 14 = 24

miss

The larger and bit slower of the four space craft then swoops in for an attack using an energy blast against the target. The beam goes straight, but Solarflare is able to quickly dodge out of the way allowing the beam to go off into space and eventually disperse somewhere in the cosmos.

OOC

Damage Conditions Status

Scout 1 - 1 injury

Scout 2 -

Solarflare - Drain 3 PP (all powers, regain 1 PP per round)

Fighter 1 -

Orion -

Fighter 2 -

Finally, the cosmic hero hailing from the Hydran Republic called Orion...

[Trogdor]

Corkscrewing through space to make it harder for the ships to get a bead on him, Orion slams into the scout ship that Solarflare has targeted. Concentrating firepower to take them down seems like a good idea right now.

Action

Fly at Scout 1 and punch it with Cosmically Fortified Strength!

[Shurijo]

Orion combat

Initiative: Scout 1, Scout 2, Solarflare, Fighter 1, Orion (PL 10), Fighter 2

Orion attacks Scout 1
Attack: 1d20 + 7 = 23
Defense: 10 + 6 = 16

hit

Punch attack DC of 15 + 10 = 25
Toughness save: 1d20 + 5 -1 = 15

failed save by 10+, Scout 1 is staggered + disabled + stunned

Orion flies directly towards one of the smaller ships and punches right through it's armor. The cosmic protector pulls his fist out of the ship with a handful of electronics doing some serious damage to the ship. If there were air in space, then the ship would be on fire and with smoke coming out of the opened panel. From a quick assessment, Orion can assume that the ship has disabled for now.

fighter2 combat

Fighter2 attacks Orion
Attack: 1d20 + 11 = 31 (natural 20, crit)
Defense: 10 + 6 = hit on 20

+5 dmg for crit

(dmg of 15 > imp tough 12, hit gets through - let me know if I'm reading the imp toughness rules correct, but I think if the dmg exceeds imp tough total then we roll for save, otherwise all of it's negated)

Blast DC = 15 + 15 + 5 = 35
Toughness Save: 1d20 + 12 = 26 (nice roll, close one with that crit)

failed by 5+, stunned + bruised

As Orion glances over at the other ships, the second of the larger ships calculates that Orion is the greatest threat and orders the team to adjust and change targets. The A'Qal fighter fires a blast towards Orion and it's a powerful hit at that. The blast bypasses Orion's normally invulnerable protection and lands a devastating hit. The scout is knocked back into the smaller scout ship leaving him somewhat disoriented and stunned by the strength of the attack.

OOC

Damage Conditions Status

Scout 1 - 1 injury, staggered, stunned (1 round), disabled

Scout 2 -

Solarflare - Drain 3 PP (all powers, regain 1 PP per round)

Fighter 1 -

Orion - stunned (1 round) , 1 bruise

Fighter 2 -

I'll get the next round started in a little bit, after lunch