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[Tiruin]

I'm still in the "oh shit what is happening" phase, but i will try to provide once I'm sure I've got a handle on it

I've been in this phase since I heard there was a bomb on the shuttle.

Also it's seriously at this time which I really wish I could help the folks out on the station. u_u

Scarlet can just try to shoot one of the crows in the face. They probably have countermeasures but it would be distracting.

Also, it's worth noting our rainbow friend has not actually made any hostile moves at us personally.

Both good points. If we just want to leave, it should be doable with only a halfhearted order to let none of us leave alive. If we want to do something stupid stalling out the plans of a cruel god, hurling explosives and grabbing panthers is the way to go.

Of course, if we do grab the panther, we also need a plan for not getting hunted down like animals by a stealth ship that's probably far faster than ours and is suspected to have disturbingly powerful interdiction abilities.


Anyone from Home Team have any thoughts on this? Immense danger to Away Team aside, it would be bringing the party to you.

It'd help if I knew what I could generally do with stuff on the station--I'm unaware as to my full potential at this moment, but I say 'OK just go for the mission you can do--we lost the star and we can probably replicate it' [alongside paranoia of our Cane mission-giver being some kind of evil backwards 'send all mercs with high reward here to die to fuel this one dude's purpose and motive'].

If you can do more, I'm all up for it.

[Chevaleresse]

Have we considered just walking away?

[IronyOwl]

We have! Many of our members are nonetheless considering potentially unnecessary violence.


Speaking of which, hey Draig! What do you think of your players' current conundrum over just how stupid they want their next action to be?

[Draignean]

We have! Many of our members are nonetheless considering potentially unnecessary violence.


Speaking of which, hey Draig! What do you think of your players' current conundrum over just how stupid they want their next action to be?

I think you current conundrum is going rather well.

Vark is powerful in his element. He's not a one man army like Khate, but he knows how to be surprising. If you can get him working with you, that's an enormous asset. Just remember that he's on his side, not yours or anyone else's.

Wilcox is strong, but not beyond your abilities on a good day. In D&D terms, think of your group as a CR 9 party, and Wilcox would be CR 11-12. Dangerous, far beyond your individual capability,  but capable of being defeated through the power of friendship good tactics and group coordination.

Ka'taeun is the unknown variable at this point. You haven't seen him liquefy anyone yet, and he doesn't appear to regard you as a threat. He wants one thing, and you're not in his way. There are good arguments for staying out of his way, for just leaving with the information you have, but that depends on the story you want to tell- and about the long term.

Running is the safer bet for you in the short term, but you absolutely know that taking the easy out here will make things difficult later on. It won't be the next mission, probably not the one after it, but what you do here sets the tone of the first arc. Is this Guardians of the Galaxy or The Expanse? What kind of heroes are you? Are you like Ty wants to be; larger than life and willing to take on impossible odds for glory, money, and a fistful of freedom? Or are you like what Mickaw tries to be; hyper-realistic and aware that you only have one life to spend on all your wants, and there are times when you have to sacrifice nobility and righteousness in favor of your survival?

The questions are mine to ask, but I look forward to the answers.

[Chevaleresse]

Geh. This is a weird choice for me as Scarlet; she really wants to actually try and make a difference, but at the same time she wants to live long enough in order to do so, if that makes sense.

EDIT: But at the samr time, I'm a sucker for hero stories. Rainbow Doge is obviously not a great guy and he poses a much greater threat than Vark does in the greater scope. I'm only worried about the hostages at this point; a lot of people are not concerned about civilian casualties here and I dunno how long Tagget can actually hold up.

[IronyOwl]

Geh. This is a weird choice for me as Scarlet; she really wants to actually try and make a difference, but at the same time she wants to live long enough in order to do so, if that makes sense.

Certainly.

"I want to make the world a better place!"
"Let's start by defeating that vile villain!"
"...you mean the one whose floor is paved in the skulls of those who tried to defeat him for being a vile villain?"
"Exactly!"
"..."


Speaking of which, my mind is made up. My vote is firmly for the bomb ending up places it shouldn't, the panther traveling in the same general direction as the hostage, and a lot of villains screaming in incandescent rage.

So as I see it, we have three phases to this plan.

Phase 1 is the Distraction. Best idea is probably to have Khate toss the hostages aside, hope they're smart enough to run for it, and immediately dash for the panther. If this goes well, Khate will be the only thing anybody is paying attention to as Ka begins screaming to stop her RIGHT NOW.

Downside: The two hostages will be on their own, and it will unambiguously be Go Time.

Alternative: For a much milder distraction, somebody could try to verbally exploit the rift between Wilcox and Ka to generate a few seconds of glaring and reconsidering alliance dynamics. This might fail outright, though, and won't be as distracting.


Phase 2 is the Bomb. Assuming the tech-crows shift immediately from interdiction to locking down Khate's mech, Aubrey will be free to stealth-run or Scarlet will be free to I-Will-Regret-This run to the bomb and toss it to Varky, who will most likely use it in at least as spectacularly effective a manner as we'd like.

Downside: One of our squishies will be out in the open, the two hostages will still be on their own and likely freaked out, and Varky might have odd goals or not be aware how dangerous Ka is or why.


Phase 3 is the Oh God Run Faster. If we've just collapsed a roof on, dazed, or smoke-blinded Ka and his Krows, this might be as simple as turning around and bolting for the Sled.

Downside: If Kesari tells us about those Ka-Troopers, we might realize the most direct route back to the docks may be rather unfriendly. If there's a major hostile still up, a dead run endangers the hostages further as well. Oh, and those two in the open might not have gotten to the main group yet.

Alternative: Khate can keep going with the panther and lead any upright hostiles on a merry chase in a slightly different direction than the main squishy group. Especially if Kesari and Aubrey can hack cameras at will to guide her.


Other than the two hostages and everything that comes after turning around and bolting for it, I feel like this is a good plan.

[Digital Hellhound]

I think Boris has made his answer, but the tone is still up in the air. Either he's an admirable figure and loyalty and friendship win the day, or he's a deluded old death seeker whose past trauma will lead to everyone's unnecessary deaths.

That said, people end up doing heroics and succeeding against the odds in the Expanse too, so maybe it's not such a clear divide in the end, hmm? My vote leans towards HEROISM and BEATING THE ODDS anyway.

[Tiruin]

We have! Many of our members are nonetheless considering potentially unnecessary violence.


Speaking of which, hey Draig! What do you think of your players' current conundrum over just how stupid they want their next action to be?

I think you current conundrum is going rather well. [...]
Wilcox is strong, but not beyond your abilities on a good day. In D&D terms, think of your group as a CR 9 party, and Wilcox would be CR 11-12. Dangerous, far beyond your individual capability,  but capable of being defeated through the power of friendship good tactics and group coordination. [...]

Err, I believe I'm the only non-D&D termspeak here, so...can someone translate again? :<
-...
YAAY I THINK DRAIG INCONCPICUOUSLY COMPLIMENTED ME! My anxiety has decreased by 95%.

Have we considered just walking away?

I considered throwing out the shuttle group BUT WE DON'T APPARENTLY HAVE A HANGAR CATAPULT to help them off!
That and that's why I was edging towards a 'GET AWAY TEAM, GET AWAY' all throughout.

...Yes I still think that our oldie tech can be repurposed usefully and practically in the far future.

[hindsightregrets]

We have! Many of our members are nonetheless considering potentially unnecessary violence.


Speaking of which, hey Draig! What do you think of your players' current conundrum over just how stupid they want their next action to be?

I think you current conundrum is going rather well.

Vark is powerful in his element. He's not a one man army like Khate, but he knows how to be surprising. If you can get him working with you, that's an enormous asset. Just remember that he's on his side, not yours or anyone else's.

Maybe I can send a nice message to Varkonius from the Reunion! [/hindsightregrets]
Is this possible, Draig?
If it is, can you slip in this action?
Get details on Varkonius' data.

[lawastooshort]

Aubrey is in the same position as Scarlet. Living to be a more pragmatic hero would be nice.

However, I am in the same position as IO. Stupid heroism all the way! Just, the main thing is, I am not keen on Aubrey (and everyone else) dying.


So...
I am not yet sure how best to make the "plan" work.

And, we came back this way to get the extra hostages, no? So we wouldn't be losing anything by just leaving with them right now?

But then we obviously have this inner feeling of Destiny telling us that OH CRAP THIS DUDE IS A BAD PEOPLE WHY NOT EARN HIS ETERNAL ENMITY WHILST YOU CAN.


I remember Furry back at the spacestation telling us not to get involved with this nonsense.


So... back to not yet knowing how to make the plan work.

[Draignean]

We have! Many of our members are nonetheless considering potentially unnecessary violence.


Speaking of which, hey Draig! What do you think of your players' current conundrum over just how stupid they want their next action to be?

I think you current conundrum is going rather well. [...]
Wilcox is strong, but not beyond your abilities on a good day. In D&D terms, think of your group as a CR 9 party, and Wilcox would be CR 11-12. Dangerous, far beyond your individual capability,  but capable of being defeated through the power of friendship good tactics and group coordination. [...]

Err, I believe I'm the only non-D&D termspeak here, so...can someone translate again? :

CR Is a measure of challenge. As a general rule, a CR 4 ranks above the party's is an encounter that (if not prepared for appropriately) has a 50% wipe chance. 2-3 Ranks above is standard boss-monster territory, particularly if there are lackeys involved.

Essentially, I'm just telling you that things are in the same category as a puppy made of fire- dangerous but manageable.

I remember Furry back at the spacestation telling us not to get involved with this nonsense.

>.> Fuzzy. Clearly he has an inkling of what's going on. Imagine how surprised and pleased he'll be with you bring him back the panther and give him a leg up on whatever galactic intrigue is going on!

That said, people end up doing heroics and succeeding against the odds in the Expanse too, so maybe it's not such a clear divide in the end, hmm? My vote leans towards HEROISM and BEATING THE ODDS anyway.

Agreed, I enjoy both. There's still heroism, it's just that one is done with a yawning sense of horror and the background feeling that people are 40% awful, 50% uncaring, and 10% redeeming virtue, while the other has a Raccoon blasting people with a quad barreled COL from atop a living tree while 70s music blares.


PPE: Ugh, I may reply more later (I was a bit rushed reading your responses), but for the moment I must away with me.

[lawastooshort]

Fuzzy, as I'm sure I typed, won't be pleased when Rainbowgit dissolves every living organism on board. Arg.

[Tiruin]

Fuzzy, as I'm sure I typed, won't be pleased when Rainbowgit dissolves every living organism on board. Arg.

Personally, I missed all the parts where 'don't get involved' hit.

._.
Now how do I extract you all?! D: (I mean regardless of whether we're involved or not, I do believe flexibility hits right?)

[lawastooshort]

Okay so... We should post actions? Are we going with Plan Totally Crazy, or Plan Dear God Let's Flee?

[Draignean]

Okay so... We should post actions? Are we going with Plan Totally Crazy, or Plan Dear God Let's Flee?

Actions would really help.

Also, I just watched the first episode of the Fringe.

They stole my goddamn villain. They stole him from almost a decade in the past. Goddamn time traveling brain snakes.

[Tiruin]

Okay so... We should post actions? Are we going with Plan Totally Crazy, or Plan Dear God Let's Flee?

Actions would really help.

Also, I just watched the first episode of the Fringe.

They stole my goddamn villain. They stole him from almost a decade in the past. Goddamn time traveling brain snakes.

I don't even know what capabilities we're up against and this is a nice tip-off [/I'mnotcompetentfeelings]
But yeah--would really like posts in the IC. ._. I'd really love to offer fire support but I theoretically can't given that the problem on-ship has stalled itself so badly that I can't even help.