Operation: Blazing Star

[taalismn]

"Here comes the sun...here comes the sun...It's all right..."

"Damn it! I ordered a BUD light!"

"What SPF sun bloc are we packing?"

[SRoss]

Meanwhile ... Inside the solar flare Argo just avoided...

Doz: "Gauz! What is that smell?"

Gauz: "That would be the underside of our ship melting sir..."

[taalismn]

Meanwhile ... Inside the solar flare Argo just avoided...

Doz: "Gauz! What is that smell?"

Gauz: "That would be the underside of our ship melting sir..."

<"Set pursuit course on the protoculture addicts' ship and prepare to deploy the WILL SOMEBODY TURN -OFF- THOSE DAMN SMOKE ALARMS?!!!">

[SRoss]

#9 - "Do These Machines Dream of Anything?"

Hook: One of the Biodraedi retrieved by the Argo on Enceladus is reassembled and activated in an attempt to learn more about the new threat.

Line: One of the technically oriented PCs develops a rapport with it. As the Biodraedi secretly explores its surrounding medium, it encounters a mysterious entity. The Biodraedi reveals its meeting with the shipboard entity to the PC.

Sinker: However, the Biodraedi's explorations of the Argo's computer systems causes problems all over the ship, and Dravid orders the investigation of the Biodraedi suspended. When the Biodraedi escapes its confinement, the rest of the PCs must scramble to search for it.

[SRoss]

Meanwhile ... Inside the solar flare Argo just avoided...

Doz: "Gauz! What is that smell?"

Gauz: "That would be the underside of our ship melting sir..."

<"Set pursuit course on the protoculture addicts' ship and prepare to deploy the WILL SOMEBODY TURN -OFF- THOSE DAMN SMOKE ALARMS?!!!">

<"I would sir, but we appear to have vaporized.">

[taalismn]

#9 - "Do These Machines Dream of Anything?"

Hook: One of the Biodraedi retrieved by the Argo on Enceladus is reassembled and activated in an attempt to learn more about the new threat.

Line: One of the technically oriented PCs develops a rapport with it. As the Biodraedi secretly explores its surrounding medium, it encounters a mysterious entity. The Biodraedi reveals its meeting with the shipboard entity to the PC.

Sinker: However, the Biodraedi's explorations of the Argo's computer systems causes problems all over the ship, and Dravid orders the investigation of the Biodraedi suspended. When the Biodraedi escapes its confinement, the rest of the PCs must scramble to search for it.

"Midshipman, WHY is the...ah...'prisoner' talking to your tamagotchi?"
"I think it thinks it's some sort of electronic divinity, sir..."

[SRoss]

#10 - "Becalmed"

Hook: The Argo falls into a dimensional rift and finds itself losing power and unable to escape. A Quiltra Draenitzs that is also trapped there approaches the Argo and both crews come to a temporary ceasefire while they work together to escape.

Line: The PC pilots escort a Gilgimesh Type II from the Tirolian ship. Aboard the Argo, the PCs meet Centurion Melda, a member of the Children of Zor. She explains that the Argo's main gun can make a hole for the ships to escape, however, doing so will drain most of Argo's remaining power, so the Tirolians will have to tow them. Melda remains on the Argo as part of the agreement.

Sinker: After the Argo escapes the dimensional rift, they come under attack by a Haydonites fleet, destroying the CoZ ship and forcing the Argo to flee. Melda is now trapped on the Argo.

[taalismn]

Haydonite Commander: "We'll just wait for the protoculture-addicts to break out HERE and then we'll ambush them! We'll-"
Haydonite Mook: "ENERGY SPIKE! EMERGENCE EVENT TRIANGULATION COORDINATES ZERO-ZERO-ZERO-Zthatcan'tberightohshi-"
#VAPORIZE#
Argo Helmsman: "Emergence complete! All stations green! That's funny-"
Argo Captain: "What?"
Argo Helmsman: "Just as we were emerging into real-space, the sensors pocked up several large masses right in our de-Fold footprint. They got obliterated by our cannon shot and the emergence shockwave."
Argo Captain: "Probably just space debris. Contact the Disciples and let's coordinate our next move."

[SRoss]

Charon: "What do you want?"

Haydonite Commander: "May the Awareness be reborn as Minmei's iPhone..."

CoZ Captain: "Yeah! What the tin guy said!"

[taalismn]

Minmei: "No calls?"
Awareness: "No calls."
Minmei: "No calls?"
Awareness: "No calls."
Minmei: "No calls?"
Awareness: "No calls."
Minmei: "No calls?"
Awareness: "NO BLOODY F #&$#&##ING CALLS! NO BLOODY F #&$#&##ING CALLS! TODAY, NO BLOODY F #&$#&##ING CALLS! YESTERDAY,NO BLOODY F #&$#&##ING CALLS ALL LAST WEEK!!! SO -QUIT- ASKING ME IF YOU HAVE ANY BLOODY F #&$#&##ING CALLS EVERY BLOODY $%*(&()&)ING FIFTEEN MINUTES, YOU *^&%^&ING MEAT-SAC!!!! "


Minmei: "I'd like to return this iPhone. It's defective."
Salesperson: "What happened to it?"
Minmei: "I showed it that it indeed did have a head, it did indeed have an @$$, and I could indeed shove the former up the latter."

[SRoss]

Awareness: "It wasn't that so much as her constantly taking selfies... Even in the shower!!!"

[taalismn]

Ah, dimensional rifts-the sinkholes of the megaverse.

"Oops! Lost my wedding ring down there!"


(Elsewhere)
"Great googlymoogly...a CUT diamond the size of a large moon?!"
"Attached to a ring of nearly pure auric metal. Taken as a whole, that's terrifying..."

[SRoss]

(Pointing towards a floating pile of papers.) "Isn't that the New Who story arc where the big bad is NOT involved in any way with the Cybermen, Daleks or the Master?"

[taalismn]

Argo Helmsman: "Look over there! It's Captain Picard's toupee!"
Argo Sensor Operator: "The astronavigation computer's lost track of the number of socks out there."

[SRoss]

#11 - "Face of the New Enemy"

Hook: Melda, a CoZ mecha pilot, is stuck aboard the Argo, and the PCs are given the responsibility of debriefing her.

Line: Over the course of their talks with her, the PCs learn about the Children of Zor, and why they're enemies. (see ROBOTECH: Academy). Some of the crew, including some of the PCs have problems with Melda being aboard. Interestingly, the Tirolian clones also have issues with a member of the Children of Zor being aboard.

Sinker: After a big fight in the ships mess, it is decided to drop Melda in her mecha near a neutral colony world. Melda is given four days of food supplies and leaves the ship on friendly terms with most of the PCs. Afterwords, the results of a medical examination by ship's doctor comes back and Melda is found to be a pure blooded, unmodified Tirolian, not a clone.

[taalismn]

[. Afterwords, the results of a medical examination by ship's doctor comes back and Melda is found to be a pure blooded, unmodified Tirolian, not a clone.

"And according to the DNA, she's Elvis Presley's daughter."
"DAMN IT! I WAS -RIGHT-!!! I -KNEW- ALIENS HAD TO HAVE KIDNAPPED HIM!"

[SRoss]

#12 - "The Space Spartan"

Hook: The PCs are performing their usual daily duties, some are performing menial cleaning duties as punishment if they were involved in the mess hall fight. Meanwhile elsewhere, General D'mel of the Children of Zor, is called upon by D'sler and assigned to the Milky Way with orders to stop the Argo.

Line: As the PCs are dealing with their day to day problems, duties, relationships, etc. one of them is singled out by an attractive, if somewhat nerdy crew member and invited back to their quarters later. Other appropriate PCs and NPCs become jealous.

Sinker: The PC shows up for their "Date" and learns the crew person in question has an electronics hobby. They just restored an ancient Intellivision and wanted a partner for a game of Space Spartans. As the Argo approaches the edge of the galaxy, the ship comes under attack by a cloaked enemy.

[taalismn]

"I took a page from 'Ender's Game' and hooked up Ensign McNerdish's game console to the fire control. Our kill count for point defense has gone up 300% in efficiency."
"I just hope the guy doesn't count on bonus lives or 'saved game' to get us through the next level."

[SRoss]

#13 – "Hunter and Prey"

Hook: Stalked by an enemy they can't see, the crew of the Argo hides in the debris ring of a proto-star.

Line: The scientifically minded members of the crew, including some of the PCs, work out that the enemy ship is partially submerged into subspace. (In my case, a Marduk Scout Cruiser belonging to the Children of Zor) Fortunately, it could only attack with missiles while cloaked.

Sinker: Using the Fold Cannon to send out a subspace pulse, like an active sonar, the crew discover to their horror that they're leading the enemy right to them. Mauve Squadron is dispatched into the debris ring to find the probe that the CoZ is using to see into real space.

[taalismn]

"Okay, ease us on a course of three-seven-nine-four, hold for eight minutes, then turn us onto heading eight-three-seven-six. That should throw him off."


<<"Set us on a course of four-eight-nine-four, hold for seven xal, then turn us onto a heading of four-six-fourteen-twelve. That should put us in an ideal firing position. It's not like this human guy has danger bunions...">>

"...hold it, my bunions are telling me something! REVERSE COURSE TWO-THEE-SEVEN-SIX!!!"
"...sir?"
"MAKE ALEFT! MAKE A LEFT!!!"

[SRoss]

#14 - "The Siren’s Song"

Hook: On a routine reconnaissance mission, the PCs lose contact with the Argo just after the Argo's bridge crew mentions hearing singing. Returning, they find the Argo tumbling end over end and are unable to raise anyone on comms.

Line: Latching their ships to the hull, the PCs board through an airlock near the bridge. The bridge is deserted, the terminals are locked out and the emergency lighting is on. Suddenly, the ship stabilizes and moves on course and prepares to fold. The PCs have to split up to go to the two other areas the ship can be navigated from, the Autonavigation room and Main Engineering. as they proceed, each PC gets isolated in odd flashbacks of past events from their lives.

Sinker: Unknown to the PCs, the Argo's crew has been taken over by a member of a telepathic species, working as an agent of the Children of Zor. She's manipulating them and trying to do the same to the PCs, through their memories. However, the PCs have an ally in the form of Sera. Rendered unconscious by the attack, she's able to interact with the PCs through a crew woman (perhaps a PC), who happens to be an Invid Hybrid.

[taalismn]

"Okay, this reminds me of every ;haunted house in space' movie I've seen inly it's OUR ship and --CUT THAT OUT, PUTTING YOUR FLASHLIGHT UNDER YOUR CHIN AND MOANING LIKE THAT!!!!!"

[SRoss]

"Ok, bad lighting, everybody's missing. Right, you girls all go off and change into your night gowns and underwear, while we guys split up and individually search all the isolated dark areas of the ship."

[Chronicler]

"Ok, bad lighting, everybody's missing. Right, you girls all go off and change into your night gowns and underwear, while we guys split up and individually search all the isolated dark areas of the ship."

Crew member: "Anyone seen Event Horizon?"

Everyone: "NO!"

Crew Member: "Not a fan?"

[Defender_X]

Now I'm wanting the stats on a Tokugawa class so I can mod it into the S.S. Argo.

[taalismn]

"Ok, bad lighting, everybody's missing. Right, you girls all go off and change into your night gowns and underwear, while we guys split up and individually search all the isolated dark areas of the ship."

Crew member: "Anyone seen Event Horizon?"

Everyone: "NO!"

Crew Member: "Not a fan?"

"I vote we found the ship on a catastrophic impact course with the nearest gas giant and were too late to save it."
"Good idea! I'll scrub the mission recorders!"
"I'll make some attitude adjustments!"

[SRoss]

"Ok, bad lighting, everybody's missing. Right, you girls all go off and change into your night gowns and underwear, while we guys split up and individually search all the isolated dark areas of the ship."

Crew member: "Anyone seen Event Horizon?"

Everyone: "NO!"

Crew Member: "Not a fan?"

"I vote we found the ship on a catastrophic impact course with the nearest gas giant and were too late to save it."
"Good idea! I'll scrub the mission recorders!"
"I'll make some attitude adjustments!"

And that last guy was never heard from again.

[taalismn]

[

"I vote we found the ship on a catastrophic impact course with the nearest gas giant and were too late to save it."
"Good idea! I'll scrub the mission recorders!"
"I'll make some attitude adjustments!"

And that last guy was never heard from again.

Depends HOW you make attitude adjustments.
Sometimes all you need to do to adjust another object's course is hit it with sufficient force(like ejected mass, or thruster wash), or, if your technology is sufficiently advanced, tractor/pressor beams or gravity manipulation.

[SRoss]

[

"I vote we found the ship on a catastrophic impact course with the nearest gas giant and were too late to save it."
"Good idea! I'll scrub the mission recorders!"
"I'll make some attitude adjustments!"

And that last guy was never heard from again.

Depends HOW you make attitude adjustments.
Sometimes all you need to do to adjust another object's course is hit it with sufficient force(like ejected mass, or thruster wash), or, if your technology is sufficiently advanced, tractor/pressor beams or gravity manipulation.

The problem is they're locked out of the terminals, and the airlocks, passages to hanger bays and escape pod hatches appear to have been replaced with walls when they go looking for them.

"I could have sworn the airlock we entered from was right here."

[taalismn]

Don't step on the eerie ship in the first place.
If you make the decision to leave, #### all to collateral damage(you have no intention of sticking around). Plasma torches, breaching charges, shaped explosives are your friends in this.

[SRoss]

Their kinda screwed if the don't. They're between Galaxies and last time I checked, Gamma Fighters can't Fold Space.

Since they we're flying a patrol looking for any sign that Cloaked ship followed them, they just have their normal gear. As they're entering through a personnel airlock, the GM can even make an argument they haven't even got their Cyclones. And once their aboard, the telepathic alien can start messing with their minds. Fortunately it didn't know about Sera.

[SRoss]

#15 - "The Duel"

Hook: The Argo is being pursued by CoZ warships, staying just at the edge of sensor range. At intervals, the warships would close in on an attack run, bringing everyone to combat stations, but breaking off just before entering the Argo's firing range.

Line: General D'mel devises a scheme to drive the Argo into a trap. The constant false attacks are wearing down the crew and the Captain orders preparations for a jump, despite the unknown dangers of a Neutron Star along their flight path. The next attack fires on the Argo instead of breaking off as usual, and the Argo jumps.

Sinker: D,mel has correctly determined that the Neutron Star's gravity would through the Argo's Fold off course. As they're getting their bearings, a massive fleet under D'mel's command arrives and attacks without mercy. The Argo is surrounded and under heavy fire as it fights it's way through the centre of the fleet.

[taalismn]

"What's the worst that could happen around a neutron star?"
"We could get crushed to an itty bitty little layer of superdense material thinner than a single molecule?"
"Well, besides that."

[glitterboy2098]

"What's the worst that could happen around a neutron star?"
"We could get crushed to an itty bitty little layer of superdense material thinner than a single molecule?"
"Well, besides that."

Lt. Beowulf Shaeffer: "Tides"

[taalismn]

"What's the worst that could happen around a neutron star?"
"We could get crushed to an itty bitty little layer of superdense material thinner than a single molecule?"
"Well, besides that."

Lt. Beowulf Shaeffer: "Tides"

"Your General Products hull is void in regions of extreme gravitational variation....and free antimatter."

[SRoss]

"What's the worst that could happen around a neutron star?"
"We could get crushed to an itty bitty little layer of superdense material thinner than a single molecule?"
"Well, besides that."

Lt. Beowulf Shaeffer: "Tides"

"Your General Products hull is void in regions of extreme gravitational variation....and free antimatter."

"Hey anybody remember that time the Pathfinders mistook one for a stasis box?"

[SRoss]

#16 - "Out of the Shadows"

Hook: Badly damaged and in need of provisions, the Argo lands on a lush, fertile planet. Some of the PCs are selected for the ground survey, while the others stay aboard ship. Some of the senior staff express doubts about the Argo's ability to complete it's journey on time and suggest instead, returning to Earth and moving the bulk of it's population here.

Line: The ground team has an encounter with the local megafauna and discovers a large pyramid-like structure. In the meantime, a group of infiltrators from the Glorie colony, make their move and seize the ship.

Sinker: The mutineers try to abandon the ground team, but the PCs and others, with the help of a disguised Nova Satori, who had infiltrated the infiltrators, fight to take back the Argo. Meanwhile, the ground team returns to the ship with a mysterious artifact containing a map.

[taalismn]

"Okay, remind me; are we infiltrators, infiltrating infiltrators, or are we infiltrating infiltrating infiltrators?"
"How do I know you aren't trying to infiltrate us?"

[SRoss]

#17 - "Past Lives"

Hook: With the aid of map in the artifact, the crew of the Argo find an abandoned fold gateway created by an ancient civilization. The PCs and Commander Dr. Sanjay Dravid are sent to explore the control centre.

Line: Aboard, they find evidence that the CoZ have been there once. They find and abandoned Gilgimesh Type II and some Biodraedi sentries.

Sinker: During their explorations, Dravid revels he was a close friend of the PC's late sibling. In the Command Centre, Dravid realizes that activating the gateway will flood the control room with deadly neutron radiation.

[SRoss]

"Okay, remind me; are we infiltrators, infiltrating infiltrators, or are we infiltrating infiltrating infiltrators?"
"How do I know you aren't trying to infiltrate us?"

Glorie Military Police Officer: (Clutching his wounded hand, glaring at the other GMP Officer) "You ... betrayed me!?!"

Nova: (Holding a smoking gun) "No, you were just on the wrong side."

[taalismn]

"Okay, remind me; are we infiltrators, infiltrating infiltrators, or are we infiltrating infiltrating infiltrators?"
"How do I know you aren't trying to infiltrate us?"

Glorie Military Police Officer: (Clutching his wounded hand, glaring at the other GMP Officer) "You ... betrayed me!?!"

Nova: (Holding a smoking gun) "No, you were just on the wrong side."

"YESSS!!!!"
"What are you so happy about?"
"When we started out on this whole exercise in skullduggery, we set up brackets on who'd betray who and when! And I was right on the money when it came to you!!!"
"...you bet on my loyalties?"
"Exactly as predicted, and now we're set for the semi-finals!!! I got game!!"
"..semi-finals..?"

[SRoss]

#18 - "Black Rainbow"

Hook: With the Fold Gateway reactivated, Miazaki volunteers one of the PCs to use the recovered CoZ mecha to scout their intended short cut to the halfway point at the gas giant Balun.

Line: Do to time constraints, the Argo will have to fold to the next point two hours after the PC launches, regardless of whether the PC is back or not.

Sinker: Once there, the PC discovers a vast fleet of over 10,000 CoZ ships and gets chased by the security patrol. As the crew prepares to continue on their original course, Erdrich declares that the Argo must fight its way through the enemy's massive armada if they want to reach the Large Magellanic Cloud in time.

[taalismn]

"I've got an idea! See, we disguise the ship as a giant bunnyrabbit...."

[batlchip]

If any one says anything about candy rabbit ears....
Would we do that?

[SRoss]

"I've got an idea! See, we disguise the ship as a giant bunnyrabbit...."

"Ok who let Dana in the briefing room?"

[taalismn]

"What if the CoZ are French?"

[SRoss]

#19 - "Round Two"

Hook: The Argo enters the Large Magellanic Cloud, approaching The Tarantula Nebula. While, plotting their next move, Erdrich and her senior staff send the PCs on a reconnaissance mission.

Line: Engaging in games of hide and seek with CoZ scouts and observations using Argo's sensors, allows the PCs to determine two possible paths through the nebula. One skirting the edges of the nebula, and a dangerous path through the heart of the nebula.

Sinker: After much deliberation, Captain Erdrich opts to go through the heart of the nebula. Meanwhile D'mel prepares a special attack force (3 Quiltra Queleual, an Inspection Army Gunboat and D'mel's Command Ship (I used a Marduk Dreadnought for that) to stop the UEEF vessel once and for all.

[taalismn]

"So there's an easy way and a dangerous way? How dangerous?"
"Write-out-your-will-and-postmark-it-a-year-ago dangerous."
"Sounds fun! Let's go with Door Number Two!"

[SRoss]

#20 - "Under a Bloody Neutron Sun"

Hook: Making their way through the nebula, the Argo reaches a star cluster with a Neutron Star. Detecting an approaching Quiltra Queleual, the captain orders the fighters of attack wing to intercept.

Line: While Mauve and the rest of the attack wing battle the carrier and it's mecha, D'mel uses an experimental Fold Projection device to launch a mecha attack right on top of the Argo forcing the escort wing and the rest of Argo's mecha into action defending the ship.

Sinker: With Argo's sensor array knocked out, the cloaked ship returns and deploys a commando team aboard the Argo to kidnap Sera. They're spotted and grab the half-Invid PC instead. While this is going on, D'mel's forces fire an asteroid mining drill that plugs the barrel of the Fold Cannon but fails to detonate.

[taalismn]

"Idiots! I said set the detonation count to ten MINUTES, not ten YEARS!!!!"