Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Locked thread
DocBubonic
Mar 11, 2003

Tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis


The Fog

The fog didn’t seem right. Too thick, too fast moving. It seemed like some sentient force moved the fog. Before anything could be done, you were swallowed up by it. Looking around, nothing could be seen through the fog. Barely visible images appear and disappear in the fog. Some of them seem to be mirror images of the onlooker, while others are not. Time passed and soon the journey that started in the fog ended with a tunnel.

The tunnel entrance looked only large enough for a person to walk through. Walking towards the light at the end of the tunnel. There is a slight incline in the tunnel until one reaches the end. The light seen at the other end of the tunnel turns out to be a street lamp. The tunnel ends at a road and across the road is a big brick building with inviting glass doors. Looking around in all other directions is the dense impenetrable fog.

Marysville Station

That was what the sign above the doors said. The building had a big central room with a couple other rooms attached to it. In the big center room, grey tiles were on the floor and off white paint colored the walls and ceiling. The middle of the room had several rows of wooden benches painted green. All the benches (which were conveniently bolted to the floor) faced the opposite side of the building.

Along the right wall were restrooms marking in symbols and several languages (English, Mandarin, and something no one would understand). Further along that wall is a window set into the wall with a small open area where people on either side of the window could do transactions.

At the end of the wall there’s an alcove. In the alcove were several boxes with glass fronts. Up next to the glass fronts were newspapers.One or two of the newspapers might be familiar, but then there’s one that doesn’t exist. Maybe even shouldn’t exist. A door is situated next to the newspaper vending boxes that leads to the transaction window.

To the left side of the big room there’s a plain door with a sign stating that only employees may go inside (the sign is in English, Mandarin and something else again). Anyone testing the knob will find it locked and the lock itself is inside the door knob.

Further along the wall there’s a board made of cork with various scraps of paper pinned to it with all sorts of push pins and other small sharp objects. A dozen languages have representations on the board.

Posting posted:

01000100011010010110010000100000011110010110111101110101001000000110100001100101011
00001011100100010000001100001011000100110111101110101011101000010000001110100011010
00011001010010000001101000011000010110110001100110001011010110000101101110011001110
11100100111100100100000011100100110111101100010011011110111010000111111000011010000
10100000110100001010010010010111010000100000011101110110000101110011001000000110100
10110111000100000011011010110010101100001011011100010000001101101011001010110010001
101001011000010110111000100000011011010110111101100100011001010010000100100000

Posting posted:

Abner, Yes, Bunny.



Posting posted:

Steel makes people paranoid

Posting posted:

Strong, talented individuals needed for night time security work. Willingness to face unknown horrors a plus. If interested...
The rest of that posting is blacked out.

At the end of the wall another alcove with a variety of large brightly colored machines advertising various foods and drinks. In horizontal rows and vertical columns, the machines display the items they hold. All of them have slots designed to take in money for products. Some of the products might look familiar, but not all of them. The advertised products show no sign of calming fears of being lost.

Across from the glass doors they had entered are more glass doors to the outside. Outside of those doors was an area covered by part of the roof of the building. There are marks on the ground that look like vehicles had passed through. The faint remains of foot prints go from inside the building out to sheltered area. The design of the hanging roof seems to be for the protection of vehicles. Perhaps it was an area for vehicles to pull up and load and unload. The building, for those who might not understand, looks to be built for the transport of people.

Where to and where from? That was a good question.

Welcome to Lost Highway the game thread of the [GURPS 4th] On the Road to Infinite Worlds


Current roster of characters and players:


Morgan/Morigan - Emancipated Bio-engineered Companion - Firesight (Assassinated by Ethan)

Dr. Karima Bishara - Palestinian Doctor of ACTION! - Fraction Jackson

Laguna Casador - Modern Day cowboy (or so he thinks) - Davin Valkri

Astra Sato-Taylor - Pilot, Engineer, and Explorer - Platonicsolid

Mayla Relshan - Revolutionary Gun Smith - Battlemaster

Phoebe St. Clair - Creator of Nuclear Weapons - GTD Aquitaine

Captain Vri-Arik - Paratrooper with the Continental Forces - NoControl (Vri went to live with her people out-white of Aranub)

Austin "Aus" Cleary - Survivor of the Cicero Virus - Colonel Wood (Killed by Gotha zombies)

Ethan - Resistance fighter against the AIs ruling the Earth - Axe-man (Status: Unknown)

Jenna Briggs - Modern Earth Banestormed Wizard slayer - Goatlord

Laguna Casador - Modern Day cowboy (or so he thinks) Second time around - Davin Valkri

Dean Heidecker - Modern Earth member of the "Storm Chasers" - A Velociraptor!


General rules for this game are as follows:

Post format:

Name - Location

In game text.

Actions and rules stuff

Out of character posts can either be regular text without a name tag or in italics. If I need stat blocks, then use either [pre] or [super] tags. As long as things are easy to understand, I'm good.

When stats are needed, please post them. Failure to post them could result in problems.

For the first post describe the experience in the fog and coming through the tunnel. After you leave the tunnel, the rest is up to you. I have included a map of Marysville station for reference.



1) Front glass doors
2) Male and Female bathrooms
3) Transaction window and room
4) Newspaper vending area
5) Employee only door and room
6) Bulletin Board
7) Vending Machines
8) The other glass doors
9) Covered outside area (and posts holding up the roof)

Also pictured are benches.

Good posting!

DocBubonic fucked around with this message at 01:16 on Jun 29, 2014

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Fraction Jackson
Oct 27, 2007

Able to harness the awesome power of fractions
Dr. Karima Bishara



She didn't mind the desert.

In a lot of ways, it was home. Sure, Karima Bishara had not spent more than a few years of her life actually in the holy land. But it felt right, and what she was doing felt right. For that matter, she'd been in other deserts before too, and this wasn't even as bad. The checkpoints and the harassment on the way from Gaza to Jerusalem were both much larger concerns than the desert itself.

This fog, though...it was certainly nothing she'd seen before. In a way, she could excuse her Medecins Sans Frontieres companions from not wanting to press on today. But they did not have the ancestral connection to this land that she had, nor were they as manically driven as she was. People were counting on her. Her people were counting on her. It didn't take long for her to gather her belongings from the truck and set off on foot, waving to the others as they wheeled the vehicle around, not realizing that this was likely the last time she would see any of them. What reason would she have to think so? It was strange fog, but it was only fog.

So she walked. Through the fog. Through the tunnel - I thought this road went around the hills, she thought, but she paid it no mind. It was urgent business she was on, and she'd not worry about it. In fact, she did not think to worry until reaching the other side, when she saw the sign on the imposing building across the street. Though she had not been in this land for a long time, she was quite certain there was not a "Marysville Station" anywhere nearby. And even if there was, it would be written in Hebrew and perhaps Arabic in addition to English.

Clearly, she was not where she was supposed to be. And the doctor was unsure where she was. So there really was only one option. She crosses the street, and forcefully pushes open the front doors of the station with a mighty shove. Brow furrowed in worry, she looks around the almost empty station. "Ahlan sadiqi? Hello, friend! ...hello?" Her shoulders slump as she realizes there isn't a soul to hear. "...ibn Himar. Where..."

Fraction Jackson fucked around with this message at 02:35 on Nov 26, 2012

BattleMaster
Aug 14, 2000

Mayla Relshan - ??? (Character Sheet)

Appearance (as my post had no picture): About 30 years old. Female. Eurasian facial features. Pale skin. Brown hair with locks down the sides of her face threaded through purple beads, and the rest tied back in a ponytail with a purple ribbon. Short hair on and around ears. Green eyes. She is wearing a purple tunic and pants with gold trim. On her feet are a pair of grey heavy plant fibre cloth boots. She is wearing a belt, bandolier, and backpack made of similar cloth. On her belt is a pouch and canteen. She has a rifle slung over her back.

---

Everything about this felt strange. The fog, the tunnel, this weird light... and how much time had passed, anyways? The further Mayla went into the tunnel, the more certain she was that this experience must be the work of some wrongly identified berries or mushrooms that she had nibbled on earlier.

More time passed. How much? Who knows. But finally! Mayla was approaching what seemed to be an exit, and felt a slight breeze. This was quite the relief, as bad weather or not, she was beginning to regret her impromptu spelunking - especially with some bad food in her.

The light wasn't sunlight as expected, though. It was the wrong colour to begin with, but with her desire to be topside again Mayla wasn't thinking that hard about it. In fact, it was nighttime and the light appeared to be some kind of artificial light source. How long had she been walking through that cave? Approaching the exist, she noticed more weird lights... and in a wider array of colour.

This was too much for her. Stopping at the exit, Mayla unhooked the canteen from her belt and took a few gulps. She wasn't even that thirsty, but she was nervous - and the cool water had a calming effect on her. And maybe it would even flush whatever was making her see these things out of her system.

After collecting her nerves, Mayla exited the tunnel. The light was coming from some kind of building ahead of her. It was the only thing she could see - the fog was still out in full force. She started towards the building, and it wasn't long until she felt her feet fall upon something strange. With her attention focused on the building and the lights, she failed to notice the unusual surface on the ground. It was flat... very flat. And made of something that was no rock or soil she could recognize. Further along were... lines? Yellow lines. Was this paint?

Her attention snapped back to the building. Continuing her approach, she took note of its construction. This was not Resharran at all - it was made of brick. Did she somehow manage to wander all the way to Clan Indraka's territory? No, nothing about this made sense at all. Her mind raced and her pulse quickened. She had to find out what this strange place was. The sign on it didn't help either. What was a "Marysville Station"?

Mayla had to stop herself suddenly as she was about to walk through the entrance. It looked like a hole, but as she got closer... glass? She had almost walked right into it. Who could make sheets of glass this large and this perfect? She pushed on it. It didn't budge. She pushed harder. Still nothing. Stepping back to take a look, she noticed something that appeared to be a grip. Mayla grabbed it and gave it a yank. It opened and she almost fell onto her back. It was definitely a door. A very odd one.

Mayla needed a second to adjust to the brighntess of the interior. What was even making this light?

"Hello?" She called out.

BattleMaster fucked around with this message at 06:36 on Sep 20, 2012

NoControl
Aug 6, 2004
Genetic Runaround
Captian Vri-Arik

Vri shakes her head and snorts. Had she passed out? She had been told to take it easy from the doctor after all. But he had been so fussy, and his feathers got bent out of shape with the slightest breeze. Huffing a bit, she stares at the funny looking building with dismay. Perhaps she was having a stroke. That would just be the best of luck. Still, stroke or no, she was a soldier and not about to be cowed by hallucinations.

Chuffing, Vri pushes the door open with her snout, and looks around. "Hhhhhello? Issss thiss a ssstroke enhhhhanced dream or not?" Then she sees strange little ...well they sort of looked like gibbons. Or squirrels. In pants. And they were making noises. Tilting her head curiously, Vri does what comes naturally when confronting a smaller, funny animal. She sniffs them.

quote:

Name: Vri-Arik
Race: Ariv
Sex: Female
Age: 32
Size: +1
Height: 8
Weight: 200 lb.
TL: 9

Attributes [215]
ST 15 [45] -10% cause of size
DX 14 [80]
IQ 12 [20]
HT 15 [50]

HP 15
FP 15
PER 14 [10]
WILL 14 [10]

Basic Speed: 7.25
Basic Move: 7

BL 45

Thrust 1d+1
Swing 2d+1

Cultural Familiarities: [0]
Kri-Arik [0]

Advantages [111]
Ambidexterity [5]
Sharp Claws [5] 2d+2 Swing 1d+2 Thrust cutting
Talons [8] Like above but impaling/cutting
Combat reflexes [15]
DR 2 [10]
Discriminatory Smell [15]
Extra Attack [25]
High Pain Threshold [10]
Fit [5]
Night Vision [2]
Sharp Teeth [1]


Disadvantages [-70]
Code of Honor: Soldier's [-10]
Colorblindness [-10]
Disturbing Voice [-10]
Easy to Read [-10]
Frightens Animals [-10]
Odious Racial Habit: Preens constantly [-5]
[strike]Selfless [-5][/strike]
Workaholic [-5]
Quirks
Carnivorous [-1]
Likes Shinies [-1]
Dislikes cold [-1]
Vain [-1]
Thinks Goats are delicious [-1]

Skills: [41]
12 Armory: Small Arms IQ/A [2]
14 Body Language Per/A[2]
14 Brawling DX/E [1]
12 Camouflage IQ/E [1]
14 Climbing DX/A [2]
12 Computer Operation IQ/E [1]
12 Diplomacy IQ/H [4]
15 Fast Draw: Ammo DX/E [1] +1 Combat Reflexes
12 First Aid IQ/E [1]
Guns: DX/E
14 Pistol [1]
14 Rifle [1]
15 Hiking HT/E [1]
14 Intimidation W/E [1]
14 Observation Per/A [2]
12 Navigation: Land Per/A [2]
14 Parachuting DX/E [1]
14 Scrounging Per/E [1]
14 Search Per/A [2]
14 Stealth DX/A [2]
12 Soldier IQ/A [2]
Survival Per/A:
13 Jungle Per-1 [1]
13 Mountains Per-1 [1]
13 Desert Per-1 [1]
15 Swimming HT/E [1]
14 Tracking Per/A [2]
14 Wrestling DX/H[4]

Techniques: [8]
14 Kicking H [4]
14 Eye Rake H [4]

Gear 14545$

8 Tactical Folding Knife sw-3 cut C, 1 -1 $30 0.5 5
or thr-1 imp C -1 – – 5

Gun Cleaning Kit 20$

9 Auto Pistolx2, 9mm 2d+2 pi 2 150/1,900 2/0.7 3 18+1(3) 9 -2 2 $1600 3 [1]
Integral Targeting Laser (Sidearm) (TL8). A miniature
targeting laser with a 150-yard range, installed inside the
grip sideplates or in place of the recoil spring rod. $450,
neg., 4¥T/2 hrs. LC3.

Armor-Piercing Hard Core Ammo X 10 $280

9 ICW, 6.8mm 6d pi 4+2 700/4,000 12/1.5 15 25+1(3) 10† -5 2 $7,000 1 [3, 4]
Integral Targeting Laser (Shoulder Arm) (TL8). A built-in
targeting laser with a 750-yard range. $900, neg., 2¥XS/100
hrs. LC3.

Armor-Piercing Hard Core Ammo X 10 $600

9 Tactical Suit full suit 20/10* $3,000 15 2 [1, 3, 4, 5]

Holster, Belt (TL5). Fits most pistols.
$25, 0.5 lb.

Backpack, Frame (TL1). Holds 100
lbs. of gear. $100, 10 lbs.

Canteen (TL5). Holds 1 quart of liquid
(2 lbs. if water). $10, 1 lb.

Compass (TL6). +1 to Navigation
skill. $50.

Flashlight, Heavy (TL6). 30’ beam.
$20, 1 lb., 5 hrs.

Parachute (TL6). Use with
Parachuting skill. The wearer will fall
at least 80 yards before it opens, and
then descend at 5 yards/second.
$1,000, 30 lbs.

Personal Basics (TL0). Minimum
gear for camping: -2 to any Survival
roll without it. Includes utensils, tinderbox
or flint and steel, towel, etc., as
TL permits. $5; 1 lb.

Sleeping Bag, Insulated (TL7). +3
HT to resist freezing. $100, 15 lbs.

Thermos Bottle (TL5). Keeps 1 pint
hot (24 hrs.) or cold (72 hrs.). $10, 2
lbs.

Water Purification Tablets (TL6).
Bottle of 50. Purify 1 quart each. $5.

Wristwatch (TL6). $20.

Antibiotic (TL6). Prevents or cures
(in 1d days) infections. $20.

Traveler’s Rationsx10 (TL0). One meal
of dried meat, cheese, etc. $20, 5 lb.

Crash Kit (TL9) various injuries. Includes sterile
bandages, sutures, and drugs
appropriate for the TL. At TL6+,
includes IV drip, needle, and plasma.
+2 to First Aid skill, and counts as
improvised gear (-5) for Surgery. $200,
10 lbs.

Tent, 2-Man (TL0). Includes ropes;
requires one 6-foot pole. $80, 12 lbs.

5/5 cp spent
Bought off selfless -5 9/26/12

NoControl fucked around with this message at 03:32 on Sep 27, 2012

Fraction Jackson
Oct 27, 2007

Able to harness the awesome power of fractions
Karima

She takes a step or two further into the station. It's then she realizes she isn't quite alone. Karima first notices someone else poking around near the far wall. "Hello? Bonjour? Hi. I'm glad to see...well...anyone, right now. Where..." But it is the voice - a strange, sibilant tone - behind her that worries her more, and interrupts her attempts to contact the other. She takes another step forward, quickly wheels around...and comes face-to-face with what her subconscious mind recognizes as something impossible, and her analytical mind recognizes as more specifically a dinosaur. To which, really, there was only one response.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" In the nearly empty building, the usually even-keeled doctor's yell rings out loudly, and in her utter shock Karima is unable to even stay in the same language as she recoils. "Xara! Ibn il-wisxa! Merde! What on Earth!"

BattleMaster
Aug 14, 2000

Mayla Relshan - Marysville Station

Mayla's call is responded to by a scream. Looking in the direction of the scream she sees.. a.. what IS that?!

She yelps in fear and begins to unsling her rifle...

Davin Valkri
Apr 8, 2011

Maybe you're weighing the moral pros and cons but let me assure you that OH MY GOD
SHOOT ME IN THE GODDAMNED FACE
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!
Laguna Casador



Laguna Casador awoke groggily and somewhat achingly from the cold hard surface underneath him. Drawing himself up to a sitting position, he clutched his head, opened his eyes, and looked around. He seemed to be in some sort of tunnel, with asphault marked like a bike path underneath him and flourescent lighting above. To one side lay Steele, his pet name for his motorcycle, smashed to pieces. No fire, no smoke, just looking as if someone had taken a sledgehammer and whacked at it for time out of mind. As he stared at the twisted wreck, he started to remember...oh god, he'd actually done it...

Laguna's memories posted:

Twisted mountain highway, hairpin turn 500 yards ahead, heavy fog rolling in. A man astride a motorcycle, in the garb of a cowboy; a striking image, if he wasn't holding back tears and hyperventilating.

Well, now you've done it, haven't you Laguna. Gotten so deep into your fantasies, and now three people are dead, by your hand.

Three bandits who were stealin' from an innocent storeowner and goin' to kill him. You can't say I weren't justified.

They wouldn't have tried to kill him if you hadn't intervened. Hadn't gotten their blood up, made them go for their guns, given you all the excuse you needed...

She-oot, you heard the marshals! I ain't no murderer, ya hear?!

That's exactly what you are, Laguna. A manchild who never grew out of Gene Autry and Howdy Doody, and now someone who uses words like "frontier justice" to justify...


Shut up shut up SHUT UP!

He twisted the accelerator, and the engine roared...

Laguna shakes his head again, waking up from his reverie. So, he'd done it. Driven himself off a cliff. And now he was dead. Funny, he thought, as he looked as his clothing, I guess you could, in fact, take it with you.

With a sigh, he eases himself up, takes a moment to stretch, and gathers what isn't completely broken from the scattered cargo of his motorcycle, stuffing what he can into his luckily undamaged bag. Fully packed and ready to face judgement, he walks down the tunnel.

It's not long before he relaxes noticeably and spots the light at the end. As he continues his methodical pace he even begins to sing:

"As I walked out in the streets of Laredo, as I walked out in Laredo one day, I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen, wrapped in white linen and cold as the--"

He stops abruptly as he exits the tunnel and sees a bus station on the other side of the road. Huh, the afterlife must be getting fancy these days, he thought. And then he hears someone scream. A woman's voice yelling "What on earth?!" With a start, he draws one revolver and rushes towards the front door, shoving aside the glass and pointing it at...was that a dinosaur?!

"Ya varmint!" he yells instinctually, not particularly caring if it understood or not. "Keep away from the ladies if ya know what's good fer ya!"

Davin Valkri fucked around with this message at 14:41 on Sep 20, 2012

BattleMaster
Aug 14, 2000

Mayla Relshan - Marysville Station

Shaking in fear and fumbling to get her rifle ready, Mayla's attention is drawn to the man who just burst in through the doors yelling. She could barely understand him, but he had a gun as well. Though, for the moment he seemed to be just as worried about the creature as she and the other woman were.

Fraction Jackson
Oct 27, 2007

Able to harness the awesome power of fractions
Karima

She takes another step back. It was a dinosaur. It talked. It was a dinosaur. It talked. She continued trying to process these thoughts for a second or two more, by which point what her addled mind registered as a bad stereotype of Americans had also arrived. Which ordinarily would have been strange enough, but there was already a dinosaur, so extra-from-a-Sergio-Leone-movie didn't even rate as weird just yet.

With effort, she manages words. "W-wait. It spoke. Wait!" Dr. Bishara, hearing the others, decides to default to English for the time being. She holds up her right hand in a 'STOP' gesture, her pack slung over the other shoulder loosely still. "Can...someone prove to me I am not having a bad dream, right now? Are you even real?" The doctor takes another step back, but shifts posture as she does, knees bent, ready for the entire situation to go to hell. "...are you even real," she repeats, disbelieving.

NoControl
Aug 6, 2004
Genetic Runaround
Vri

Rebuffed, and a bit startled herself, the raptor snorts and backs up. Huffing, she backs up. Armed rodent things, how strange. This was the worst hallucination ever. Worse than special ops training. Well, it made less sense... Hissing in dismay, she holds up a clawed hand, and speaks in a slightly accented voice. Slightly accented for a dinosaur that is. "Sssssssquirrels with gunssss...." Her tail lashes slightly. "I have a gun too. Pleassssse point yourssss away from me. You are all rude halluccccinationssss, I musssst ssssay." Snorting again, she looks on in bemusement. "Of coursssse I can sssssspeak. I'm more ssssssurpriesssed a ssssquirrel can."

BattleMaster
Aug 14, 2000

Mayla Relshan - Marysville Station

Mayla stops struggling with her gun and drops it. It hangs around her neck from its sling.

Her eyes widen even further in shock. "It can talk?!"

She just stares.

GTD Aquitaine
Jul 28, 2004

Phoebe St. Clair - The Fog

It had been a hard ride up the trails from Excelsior, bouncing with her velocycle over fallen logs and across yawning potholes. She didn't take the roads--there wouldn't have been a challenge there, not on autostrands smooth as paper, and if she didn't rise to the challenges ahead, what hope would there be for her future? For her country?

The fog rolled over her like a ghostly tidal wave. Phoebe stopped pedaling and shivered as she coasted deeper into the fog. There was something strangely cold about it, and quiet... no birdsongs, no rumblings in the underbrush, not even cracking twigs or crunching dirt. A swatch of red over there--Was that a reflection of herself in the swirling fog? No...

She glided to a halt, stepped off the velo and rubbed her smudged glasses against her shirt. When she put them on again she took a startled step back. There was a rock face looming out of the fog only feet away, old and rugged like the ancient Mississippis. If I'd rode into that...

The trail led to a tunnel that plunged through the rock, cool and ancient and unfathomable. Still, there was a light on the other end... she must've just stumbled into a localized bout of dervish weather, and on the other side of the mountain the light was still shining. Pulling her velo along, she walked into the tunnel toward the sun.

It wasn't the sun. A streetlight, one that wouldn't look out of place on the avenues of Excelsior, cast a coruscant light on an out-of-place building that crouched at the end of the trail. Phoebe frowned at it for a moment. She'd never rode this trail before, but they didn't just end like this--not without direction, not without any sort of information. There hadn't been any signage on the tunnel either.

"Marysville Station," she read. Marysville... she knew about a Maryville, but that was a hundred miles away, and they wouldn't have made such a glaring error... and what was Chinese writing doing on a station in Virginia? There was hardly any Chinese writing in China these days, not with the Japanese Empire doing its level best to suppress the Middle Kingdom. Still, maybe there would be a trail map inside. She kicked the velo's stopstand down and approached the wide glass doors.

"What the hell?" There were people in there, a man, two women, and... what? It looked like a miracer in there, claws and tail and teeth straight from an archaeological dig, but living and standing and wearing clothes and not having been dead for sixty-five million years, like good miracers were supposed to be.

This had to be a dream. Phoebe felt halfway outside of her body already as she eased open the door and stepped inside.

"So," she heard herself say, "how about that fog, eh?"

pre:
Name: Phoebe St. Clair
Race: Human

Homeworld: Shikaku-Mon
Current Year: 2027
TL: 8
Mana Level: No mana
Crossword Travel: None native, under careful Infinity observation

6'2", 180 lbs, red hair, grey eyes
Age: 29

302/-17

Attributes [146]

ST 11 [10]	HP 13 [4]
DX 11 [20]	Will 14 [0]
IQ 14 [80]	Per 15 [5]
HT 10 [0]	FP 11 [3]

Damage: 1d-1/1d+1
Basic Speed: 6 [15]
Basic Move: 6.25 [5]
Basic Lift: 24
Dodge 8

Cultural Familiarity
Western (Shikaku-Mon) [0]

Languages
English, Native (Shikaku-Mon) [0]
Swedish, Accented (Shikaku-Mon) [4]

Advantages [26]
Attractive [4]
Fearlessness 2 [4]
Fit [5]
Less Sleep 3 [6]
Lightning Calculator [2]
Versatile [5]

Disadvantages [-15]
Bad Sight (nearsighted, mitigator: glasses) [-10]
Low TL [-5]

Quirks [-2]
Broad-Minded [-1]
Imaginative [-1]

Skills [145]
Area Knowledge (Shikaku-Mon)-14 (IQ/Easy) [1]
Astronomy/TL8-13 (IQ/Hard) [2]
Bicycling-12 (DX/Easy) [2]
Brawling-14 (DX/Easy) [8]
Chemistry/TL8-14 (IQ/Hard) [4]
Computer Operation/TL8-14 (IQ/Easy) [1]
Crossbow-14 (DX/Easy) [8]
Driving/TL8 (Automobile)-13 (DX/Average) [8]
Engineer (Nuclear Weapon Engineer)/TL8-16 (IQ/Hard) [12]
First Aid/TL8-14 (IQ/Easy) [1]
Guns/TL8 Pistol-14 (DX/Easy) [8]
Guns/TL8 Rifle-14 (DX/Easy) [8]
Guns/TL8 Light Anti-Armor Weapon-14 (DX/Easy) [8]
Hazardous Materials (Radioactive)/TL8-15 (IQ/Average) [4]
Hiking-12 (HT/Average) [8]
Machinist/TL8-14 (IQ/Average) [2]
Mathematics (Applied)/TL8-16 (IQ/Hard) [12]
Metallurgy/TL8-14 (IQ/Hard) [4]
Musical Instrument (Guitar)-14 (IQ/Hard) [4]
NBC Suit/TL8 (DX/Average)-13 [8]
Nuclear Ordnance Disposal-15 (IQ/Average) [4]
Physics (Nuclear Physics)/TL8-16 (IQ/Very Hard) [16]
Soldier/TL8-16 (IQ/Average) [8]
Survival/Mountain-15 (Per/Average) [2]
Writing-14 (IQ/Average) [2]

Equipment

TL8 Auto Pistol .40, 2d pi+, Acc 2, Range 150/1,900, weight 2.1/0.7, RoF 3, shots 14+1(3), ST9, bulk -2, Rcl 2, cost $640

TL8 Auto Pistol .40 Ammunition x4, $56, 2.8 lbs.

Backpack (small), $60, 3 lbs.
Batteries x5, $5, neg.
Canteen, $10, 1 lbs.
Cell Phone, $250, 0.25 lbs, 10 hrs.
First Aid Kit, $50, 2 lbs.
Flashlight (mini, TL8), $10, 0.25 lb.
GPS Receiver (TL8), $200, 3 lbs.
Guitar (TL8), $1000, 5 lbs.
Holster (belt), $25, 0.5 lbs.
Matches (box of 50, waterproof), $1.50, neg.
Offroad bicycle (TL8)
Personal Basics (TL8), $5, 1 lb.
Rope, 3/8" (20 yards), $10, 3 lbs.
Sleeping Bag, $25, 7 lbs.
Spare pair of glasses
Spare set of clothes
Tent (1-man), $50, 5 lbs.
Traveler's Rations x9, $18, 9 lbs.
Transistor Radio, $15, 0.5 lbs., 8 hrs.

$200 in Virginian pounds in various coin and bill denominations.

GTD Aquitaine fucked around with this message at 07:42 on Mar 3, 2013

Fraction Jackson
Oct 27, 2007

Able to harness the awesome power of fractions
Karima

"Squirrel." She echoes the word in disbelief, her hand almost stuck at 'STOP'. "I do not look like a squirrel. They're tiny. And I am not a...hallucination." Was this some sort of test? It didn't work like that, did it? The Lord works in mysterious ways, but this was...a bit more mysterious than she'd supposed.

And then they are joined by another, mercifully more normal-looking person. "Okay. So...you're real, and I'm real, and she's real, and she's real, and Captain America is real...and the fog is real, I guess? Let's go with that." She takes a deep breath, turns around, stalks over to one of the benches and sits down in a huff, though she is careful to place her pack down carefully. Somehow, a talking dinosaur was less scary - if stranger - than an actual one. And if it wanted to kill her, no one here was likely to stop it anyway, on account of it being a dinosaur. "This is...I don't know the word."

BattleMaster
Aug 14, 2000

Mayla Relshan - Marysville Station

"This is too much..." Mayla says, exasperated. Keeping as much distance as she can between herself and the others, and making sure not to turn her back on them, she edges towards the benches in the middle of the room. She takes her backpack and gun off and places them on the bench, and when no one makes any rapid movements towards her, she takes a seat.

She unhooks her canteen and takes another a long gulp.

NoControl
Aug 6, 2004
Genetic Runaround
Vri

Vri huffs again. "Of courssssse I can talk." He tail twitches and she turns her yellow eyes on the taller squirrel thing. "You look like a big sssssquirrel. Lesssss hair though. If you are not one, what are you?" A polite rodent enters and get a nod. Weird things must run in packs. "I am not fond of this fog, no. And you?"

GTD Aquitaine
Jul 28, 2004

Phoebe St. Clair - Marysville Station

"Dervery," she said. "Craziness. Take your pick."

She rubs her forehead, and heads for the benches in the middle of the room. If they were solid, perhaps they'd help anchor the incongruous reality of whatever the place was... and if they didn't, well, that would be good too. She gave a long look at the woman sitting on the benches... there seemed something off about her.

"Afternoon. I don't suppose you know if they keep up-to-date trail maps here, would you?"

chin up everything sucks
Jan 29, 2012

Morgan - Marysville Station - Mens Restroom



Morgan sat in mens room, door locked, as he held his artificial pet, a robot in the shape of a pug, complete with fur and skin. A plate on the chest was open, and Morgan peered inside at a tiny screen, occasionally pushing buttons, as the front door to the building opened several times. He paid no attention, nobody would care about someone just using the restroom.

Tiny words scroll across a screen in the robot dogs internals. GPS Signal Not Found. Wireless signals not found. Radio test proves broadcast functioning, reflected signal seen. Radio proven functional. Perform additional testing? Y/N

With a sigh, Morgan presses a button to cancel, and closes the cover up, the dogs flesh sealing as it closes, leaving no evidence that the robot was anything other than a normal dog. He then placed it on the ground, and reached for his bags, when...

quote:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

He freezes in place, listening to panicked talking, and something... almost hissing? Quietly, Morgan reaches into his bag, and pulls out his holdout laser pistol, and he carefully reaches for the door. No shooting yet...

He quietly opens the door a fraction, and looks out, seeing... several humans and two bio-creations, obviously somebodys slaves.

"Is everything alright out there? I heard a scream?"

The gun is held down, out of sight. No need to draw attention to that, safer that way.

BattleMaster
Aug 14, 2000

Mayla Relshan - Marysville Station

Still quivering a little, and unpacking a meal from her backpack, Mayla replies to the polite newcomer without looking.

"Perhaps I would... if I knew where 'here' was. Nothing about this makes sense."

She unfolds the paper wrapping her lunch and pulls an apple out of it. She takes a bite. Maybe some food would do her some good.

Suddenly, she is startled by yet another voice. She sighs.

GTD Aquitaine
Jul 28, 2004

Phoebe St. Clair - Marysville Station

Phoebe bites her lip at the reaction of the woman on the bench. Sure, seeing a miracer without any explanation might drive some people to shivers, but there had to be a perfectly logical explanation. She'd seen people wear crazy costumes before. It could even be some techs testing out some new mecha and giving folk a scare. It wasn't right, not in the slightest, but there would always be people like that about. She just had to do what she could to not be counted as one of them.

"I don't rightly ken how you could end up all this way out here and not know where you are, but I can help with that," she says. "We're just twenty miles or so outside Excelsior. Did you get lost on the trails or something? I'd be happy to lend a hand if you need it. I'm Phoebe."

BattleMaster
Aug 14, 2000

Mayla Relshan - Marysville Station

Mayla perks right up at the chance to introduce herself. She takes a stand, faces Phoebe, and turns up her nose ever so slightly.

"I am Mayla, of the Relshan family of Clan Resharro."

Keeping up the momentum she adds.

"And I am not lost. I simply do not know where I am. But I do know, and you should as well, that we can't possibly be more than a few kilometers from Rempasha. I don't know what this 'Excelsior' is but I can assure you that it will not be on any maps, if in fact we do find any."

BattleMaster fucked around with this message at 07:26 on Sep 20, 2012

GTD Aquitaine
Jul 28, 2004

Phoebe St. Clair - Marysville Station

Phoebe fixes Mayla with a level gaze. There was something off about her, all right, talking like a blueblood fresh off the airwing. That accent of hers, it didn't sound like anything she'd ever heard spoken before. If they were in the benighted, oppressed wastelands of Europe she might feel justified lording herself like some princess of rapture, but they were in Virginia. Folk had crossed the ocean and taken up arms to keep themselves free of all that.

"Charmed. I'm Phoebe of the St. Clair family, and I can't say we've got any clans around these parts. Not that there's any place called Rempasha I've ever heard of around here, but this is my first time out this way. I can check that out for you easily enough."

Phoebe digs around in her backpack for her satellite location receiver. It had gotten a fix on the birds through thicker walls than the building had, and without the benefit of wide-open glass doors, but as she held it up it resolutely refused to pick up on so much as a whisper of a signal.

"Come on," she mutters. "It's not like the satellites aren't there."

She turns her attention to the man peering out of the lavatory. Screaming? Well, who wouldn't scream if you found a mechanical miracer you weren't expecting?

"Everything's smooth out here," she said. "I think."

GTD Aquitaine fucked around with this message at 07:35 on Sep 20, 2012

BattleMaster
Aug 14, 2000

Mayla Relshan - Marysville Station

"Unbelievable." Mayla mutters under her breath. On top of using some strange - and possibly made up - words, that fool had no clue that she was in the heart of Clan Resharro's territory. How could someone be ignorant of the most powerful Clan in Keshan?

This must, in fact, be a hallucination from those mushrooms she ate a few hours ago... or maybe more than a few hours ago? Who knows.

Mayla shakes her head and reaches for her lunch. She pulls out a piece of bread slathered with raspberry jam. She takes a bite from it and follows it up with another gulp from her canteen.

She turns to face both Phoebe and the man. "While you're busy using these strange words, could you tell me what a 'satellite,' 'miracer,' and 'Marysville Station' are?"

BattleMaster fucked around with this message at 08:27 on Sep 20, 2012

GTD Aquitaine
Jul 28, 2004

Phoebe St. Clair - Marysville Station

"Sorry, I don't know what they call 'em over in Europe, or wherever," Phoebe said, her eyes still fixed on the uncooperative SLS. "Whatever you call them, they're those artificial relay stations up in Earth orbit, passing on communications, taking pictures of the ground, that sort of thing. 'Course, the French won't let us launch any of our own. Miracer... like I said, I don't know a lot of foreign lingo. That fizzgig over there with the tail and the claws, it's like a miracer come to life or something. As for Marysville Station, well... it's where we are, and you probably know more than I do, seeing as how you were already here when I opened the door."

Davin Valkri
Apr 8, 2011

Maybe you're weighing the moral pros and cons but let me assure you that OH MY GOD
SHOOT ME IN THE GODDAMNED FACE
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!
Laguna Casador - Marysville Station Foyer

The dinosaur talked?! And it had a gun too?! As the room relaxes, Laguna lowers his revolver as well, making quite certain that the hammer was uncocked and the muzzle was pointed at the floor. Hearing Phoebe and Mayla introduce themselves, he walks into the main part of the station and tips his hat.

"Name's Laguna, ladies, howdy," he says with a smile as he looks as the rest of the newly dead. "And as fer the dreams and hallucinations...well, unless we're all sharin' the same dream, I ain't inclined to think that." Did they know they were all dead, he wondered, as he looked around the room--and saw somebody peeking out the door marked Men's Restroom.

"Hey there," Laguna calls out to the figure in the door. "You can come out now. We don't bite--well, I ain't gonna speak fer the dinosaur here--" here he shoots another suspicious glance at the raptor "--but pretty sure I don't. Come out 'n join the rest'a the lost souls. What's yer name, partner?"

Pinche Rudo
Feb 8, 2005

Austin "Aus" Cleary

Austin walks through the fog, slowly trying to get his bearings as he keeps his rifle in hand, but lowered. He checks his HUD, trying to pull up the GPS from his armband computer. No go. A quick tap of the tiny earpiece radio, "Gutierrez? Gutierrez you there big dog?" The only response was a quiet hum of static. "What the god damned gently caress?" he muttered. His stomach clenched tightly as he slowly approached the exit of the tunnel and came to the doors of the building. "Marysville?" He asked quietly to himself. There was a Marysvale, about 150 miles North-Northwest of Beaver. But no Marysville that he knew of. Things were getting weirder and weirder by the second. Suddenly the scream pierced the quiet of his racing thoughts.

Austin opened the door and took a few steps. It took about a half second for his mind to process what was in front of him. Some people milling about, and a guy in a giant loving lizard suit. With a gun. This made New York seem almost normal. "What the gently caress is going on?!! Who the gently caress are you people?!!" He shouts, both hands steadying his rifle, which is still pointed downward but ready to bring to bear at a moment's notice. He was dressed head to toe in his assault gear, the ballistic helmet's tinted polarized visor concealing most of his face.




pre:
Name: Austin "Aus" Cleary
Race: Human
Age: 35
Height: 5'11
Weight: 150

Attributes [166]
ST 11 [10]
DX 13 [60]
IQ 14 [80]
HT 11 [10]

HP 14 [8]
Will 14
Per 15 [5]

FP 12 [3]

CP: 9 (5 used)

Basic Lift 24
Damage 1d-1/1d+1

Basic Speed 6
Basic Move 6

Ground Move 6
Water Move 1

Social Background
TL: 9 [0]
Cultural Familiarities: 
Languages: English (native)
Wealth: Struggling [-10]

Advantages [72]
Combat Reflexes [15]
Empathy [15]
Fit [5]
Hard to Kill (1) [2]
High Pain Threshold [10]
Intuition [15]
Resistant (Disease) (Occasional) (Immunity) [10]

Disadvantages [-35]
Bad Temper (12 or less) [-10]
Code of Honor (Cop's Honor) (-2) [-10]
Workaholic [-5]
Overconfidence (12 or less) [-5]


Quirks [-5]
Bitter [-1]
Dislikes Criminals [-1]
Horrible Hangovers [-1]
Impolite [-1]
Lucky Charm (Old Badge) [-1]

Skills [102]
Administration IQ/A - IQ+0 14 [2]
Armoury/TL9 (Small Arms) IQ/A - IQ-1 13 [1]
Body Language (Human) Per/A - Per-1 14 [1]
Camouflage IQ/E - IQ+0 14 [1]
Climbing DX/A - DX+0 13 [2]
Computer Operation/TL9 IQ/E - IQ+0 14 [1]
Criminology/TL9 IQ/A - IQ+1 15 [4]
Detect Lies Per/H - Per+1 16 [1]
	includes: +3 from 'Empathy'
Diplomacy IQ/H - IQ+0 14 [4]
Driving/TL9 (Automobile) DX/A - DX-1 12 [1]
Electronics Ops/TL9 (Surveillance) IQ/A - IQ+0 14 [2]
Fast-Draw/TL9 (Ammo) DX/E - DX+1 14 [1]
	includes: +1 from 'Combat Reflexes'
Fast-Draw (Long Arm) DX/E - DX+1 14 [1]
	includes: +1 from 'Combat Reflexes'
Fast-Talk IQ/A - IQ+0 14 [2]
First Aid/TL9 (Human) IQ/E - IQ+1 15 [2]
Forensics/TL9 IQ/H - IQ+0 14 [4]
Guns/TL9 (Pistol) DX/E - DX+3 16 [6]
Guns/TL9 (Rifle) DX/E - DX+3 16 [8]
Hiking HT/A - HT+0 11 [2]
Intelligence Analysis/TL9 IQ/H - IQ+0 14 [4]
Interrogation IQ/A - IQ+1 15 [4]
Intimidation Will/A - Will+1 15 [4]
Karate DX/H - DX+0 13 [4]
Knife DX/E - DX+1 14 [2]
Lockpicking/TL9 IQ/A - IQ+0 14 [2]
Navigation/TL9 (Land) IQ/A - IQ-1 13 [1]
Observation Per/A - Per+0 15 [2]
Psychology (Human) IQ/H - IQ+2 16 [2]
Includes +3 from Empathy
Research/TL9 IQ/A - IQ+0 14 [2]
Running HT/A - HT-1 10 [1]
Search Per/A - Per+0 15 [2]
Shadowing IQ/A - IQ+0 14 [2]
Soldier/TL9 IQ/A - IQ+0 14 [2]
Stealth DX/A - DX+1 14 [4]
Streetwise IQ/A - IQ+0 14 [2]
Survival (Desert) Per/A - Per-1 14 [1]
Survival (Woodlands) Per/A - Per-1 14 [1]
Swimming HT/E - HT+1 12 [2]
Tactics IQ/H - IQ+0 14 [4]
Throwing DX/A - DX+0 13 [2]
Tracking Per/A - Per+0 15 [2]
Wrestling DX/A - DX+1 14 [4]

Stats [176] Ads [72] Disads [-45] Quirks [-5] Skills [102] = Total [300]

Hand Weapons
Superfine Large Knife LC:4  $240  Wgt: 1
    swing  Dam:1d+2, (2) cut  Reach:C,1
    thrust  Dam:1d+2, (2) imp  Reach:C
Ranged Weapons
Magnum Pistol, 15mm CLP 4d+1 pi++ Acc 2 Range 235/2,600 ROF 3, Shots 9+1(3), ST 11, Bulk -2, Rcl 4, Cost 870
6 Mags, $65
Pistol Power Holster: +4 to Fast Draw Pistol or Ammo, Weight 2 $1,000

Storm Carbine, 7d pi++, Acc 4, Range 700, Weight 8/2, ROF 10, Shots 50+1, ST 10 Bulk -4 Rcl 2 Cost 1,800.
6 Mags, $360
Compact Targeting Scope, +2 to Aimed Shots, $1,000, .5 lbs, A/100 hr.
Gyrostabilized weapon harness.  Cancels penalty for move and attack, Cost $2,000

Armor & Possessions

Reflex Suit, DR 12/4, Cost 1,200, Weight 8 Biomedical Sensors $200
Tiny Earpiece communicator,$20, .05 lbs, 2A/10 hr, 50 yrd range
Infared Armored Shades, w/ HUD, DR 10, weight .1 $550, A/10hr, 1x zoom, 
Tiny Removable Sleeve Computer With Sleeve Display Fast, $1,060, Complexity 4, 10 Addtional TB, .055 lbs,
Light Infantry Helmet + Visor, DR 18/DR 15, Cost  350, Weight 6
W/ Hyperspectral Vision and HUD $2,050
Reflex Tac Vest w/Plates DR 18/7 + 34, Cost 1500, Weight 18
Assault Boots DR 12/6, Cost 150, Weight 3
Cufftape, 1 100 ft spools, .5 lbs , $10
Mini Flashlight, $10, 15 yard beam
First Aid Kid, +1 to First aid, +2 if using bandage spray, Weight 2, $50

Pinche Rudo fucked around with this message at 06:41 on Jan 14, 2013

GTD Aquitaine
Jul 28, 2004

Phoebe St. Clair - Marysville Station

Unable to contact satellite. Ensure this unit has unbroken line of sight to sky.

Phoebe groaned and lowered the SLS. If it was going to be uncoopetive, fine--the mystery of just where this "Rempasha" was would have to remain one for now, even if it didn't sound like the name of any city she'd ever heard of. She replaced it in her pack as a man walked up, decked out in a floppy hat and ridiculous leathers.

"Charmed to meet you, Laguna," she said. "As for dream-sharing, I can back you up on that. Either all of us are real here or none of us are."

"What the gently caress is going on?!! Who the gently caress are you people?!!" Phoebe blinks and turns back toward the door. There was a solid man standing there, face hidden behind a tinted mask, looking like a vigilman in full assault kit. She didn't recognize the rifle he was carrying--odd, the vigils were all supposed to use the same V28s that she'd trained on back in Basic--and while it wasn't threatening anyone but the floor, the atmosphere in the station was tense enough already.

"No need to shout, officer," Phoebe said, showing him her open palms. "I can't speak for everyone here, but personally, I'm Phoebe St. Clair. I only just got here myself, and... I don't suppose you were in the middle of a wilderness walk, were you?"

chin up everything sucks
Jan 29, 2012

Morgan - Marysville Station - Mens Restroom



Morgan jumps a bit as a man in strange armor walks through the doorway with what was obviously some kind of high powered gun. It wasn't pointed up, but... what was going on.

"I... I was on a wilderness walk. Cross-country hike from New Newrome to Callatis. Got lost in the fog, and now my GPS doesn't find any kind of signal... I take it you guys are having problems to? Maybe its the hills?"

His eyes dart around the room, noting that multiple people were armed. This wasn't good. He had to avoid attention by the Legion city patrols, and these people were definitely going to draw attention if something went down...

"This place, this road... I don't think it was on my maps either, unless I went way off course. Can someone tell me just where this is?"

Something worms its way past his feet, and the pug-bot pushes its way through the doorway and walks out into the room, tail wagging, and opens its mouth.

"This unit has lost all signals. Current location does not appear in current map files. Please transfer correct regional map files to assist in navigation."

The dog-bot promptly sits down, and wags its tail, looking happily at everyone in the room.

GTD Aquitaine
Jul 28, 2004

Phoebe St. Clair - Marysville Station

Phoebe raised an eyebrow at the pale man's dog-mecha. She wouldn't have thought to integrate an SLS--though he called it "GPS" for some reason--into that sort of chassis, but for all his slenderness he had the look of a man with plenty of pounds in his pockets. At least it meant her unit wasn't the only one that couldn't see the satellites.

She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, searching for inner strength. New Newrome? Callatis? One town she'd never heard of was understandable, but it wasn't as if she had never looked at a map before--and if there was a city that was so drat new they had to tell you twice, she'd have noticed long before now.

"All I know is that Excelsior's about twenty miles or so down the trail," Phoebe said. "Supposed to be down the trail. Let me guess. You've never heard of the place."

BattleMaster
Aug 14, 2000

Mayla Relshan - Marysville Station

Mayla ignores Laguna and continues to munch on her bread. Males are not supposed to speak out of turn. How rude. But Phoebe didn't seem to be offended. This situation continues to not make any sense. Better to just ignore it.

But when she heard the new male voice shouting and swearing she lost it. Males should not be this crass, even amongst themselves... let alone to a group of females. She snapped to her feet, spun around, and began walking towards the man at the front door with a scowl on her face.

"Your behaviour is disgusting! Where is your mistress? I will have some words for her."

GTD Aquitaine
Jul 28, 2004

Phoebe St. Clair - Marysville Station

Phoebe shook her head as she processed Mayla's words. Some people just don't have any sense...

Phoebe held out her arm to block Mayla from passing. Whether she would actually be blocked was, of course, up to her.

"First rule of a long and satisfying life, Mayla," Phoebe said. "Don't antagonize the ones with the guns."

NoControl
Aug 6, 2004
Genetic Runaround
Vri

All the small creatures start talking at once, then start shouting. A new one with a primitive gun and armor seemed to be quite upset. Feathers flaring out, she roars, a quick way to get the attention of any creature. "Ssssstop the yelling. Thissss issss dissssorganized. All of you ssssquirrels, name, rank and basssse of operationssss." Smoothing her feather, she clears her gullet. "Ahem. I am Captian Vri of the Continental defensssse forcessss. I am bassssed out of Feburary River. Pleasssse sssssstop pointing your antique weapons at me. I will not harm you, alienssss or not." She tilts her head. "You are alienssss, yessss?"

GTD Aquitaine
Jul 28, 2004

Phoebe St. Clair - Marysville Station

The floor seemed like a good spot to look at, so she fixed her eyes there. It was a fair floor, scuffed by footprints but familiar like a good floor should be, not full of confused vigilmen and mecha dogs and talking miracers. If this was someone's idea of a stupid joke, they'd invested a hell of a lot of time and energy into pulling it off. But why? It didn't make any sense at all. It was as if the fog had picked her up and flown her off to some sort of imagiland.

"I'm human," Phoebe said without turning around. "Corporal Phoebe St. Clair, Virginia Defence Force Reserve. From Excelsior. Which is on Earth, you know. But somehow I get the impression that you're going to say you never heard of it before."

BattleMaster
Aug 14, 2000

Mayla Relshan - Marysville Station

Mayla would be offended by Phoebe trying to stop her, but she is distracted by Vri's request to identify herself. Mayla liked telling people who she was. She is a very important person in her Clan. Her scowl turned to a proud smile.

"I am Mayla of the Relshan family of Clan Resharro. I am the second of two daughters of Kayala, chief financial advisor to the matriarchs. My home is located in Rempasha, capital of Resharro."

She crosses her arms and turns to Vri.

"And I believe you are the foreigner, not me. What are you doing in the land of my people?"

Platonicsolid
Nov 17, 2008

Astra Sato-Taylor

Red light flashed through the cockpit. Peregrine shook, wobbling as superheated plasma flowed around its heat shield.

"So, I'm going to die," Astra thought. Don't go to Earth, it'll get you killed, people had told her. Mother and father and Selene, friends and coworkers, each had some particular way Earth would kill her. Wild animals. Street crime. A disease slipping past her immunizations. Oddly, none had suggested a breakup on re-entry. Peregrine, like other ships of the day, could take more punishment than the flimsy things earlier pioneers risked and lost their lives in. Astra at least stood a chance.

Maybe.

Sensors tripped and a row lights lit up, showing overheading along the port wing. Astra yanked the controls to set off RCS rockets. The little they could do might be enough to...

Did she black out? Why would she.....the world spun outside the windows, spinning and spinning. Don't focus outside, focus on the instruments. Check what's there.

"drat it!" The entire interior of the port wing had been shredded by blow-by. Contained, thankfully, leaving the ship in one piece but not particularly flyable. Astra fought the spin as the ship plummeted towards the Earth. "Kourou, Kourou, this is Peregrine Two Seven! Attitude control severely compromised! Prepare for emergency landing!"

No ILS? No VOR beacon? The re-entry probably shredded the GPS receivers. Where the hell /was/ she? With shuddering jerks the wounded craft started to fly somewhat straight, with its desire to spin held in check by remaining control surfaces and whatever reaction fuel was left. Just get on the ground in one piece, Astra thought, and she'd be okay. Worry about the rest later.

A long glide down, seconds that ticked off like an eternity. The ground rushed up, tree limbs scrapigng the belly of the ship. An explosion of splinters flew behind Peregrine as it descented to the Earth, leaving a long furrow in the ground and numerous of its parts behind it.

Astra panted. She'd been sweating like crazy. Down. Alive. Best she could have hoped for. Now she just needed to get rescued. Best to get out of the ship, with its increasing levels of toxicity. Astra went for her basic kit first, helmet, laser pistol, scanner. She climbed into the twisted rear, yanking out the emergency pack and stuffing it with the last few bits of equipment she could find. A few extra rations wouldn't hurt. Odd, she'd checked the pack a hundred times but never expected to use it.

Outside. Ick. Best not to think about the humidity and the insects. Astra shrugged the pack on, popped her helmet down in the holder, just between her shoulder blades, and set out. A good twenty minute hike uphill, looking for a place to set up a radio beacon, a place where she could be seen and picked up. Night wasn't cooperating, though, rolling in quickly as it was wont to do. Emergency training felt like ages ago. Find shelter. Right. Okay.....so.....

Hey, cave. Perfect. That'll protect her from rain or giant bats or whatever crazy Earth stuff gets thrown at her. Astra climbs in carefully, flicking her penlight about, twitchily ready to switch it from light to laser in case of bear. She climbs up into the cave, the rock forming a tunnel around her and winds up on the street. On a street outside a building.

VEry strange. Brain damage? Did the crash kill her?

"HELLO!?" she calls out. "KONNICHIWA!?"

"Bonjour?" she suggests in a quieter voice as she heads for the station building.

"Guten tag?" as she pushes open the door.

"People!" she exclaims.

pre:
Name: Astra Sato-Taylor
Race: Human

Attributes [141]
ST 9 [-10]
DX 12 [40]
IQ 13 [60]
HT 10

HP 12 [6]
Will 13
Per 13
FP 15 [15]

Basic Lift 16
Damage 1d-2/1d-1

Basic Speed 7 [30]
Basic Move 7

Ground Move 7
Water Move 1.4

Social Background
TL: 9 [0]
Cultural Familiarities: 
Languages: English (Native) [0]; French (Accented) [4]; German (Accented) [4]; Japanese (Native) [0]; Mandarin (Broken) [2]; Russian (Broken) [2].

Advantages [77]
3D Spatial Sense [10]
Artificer (2) [20]
Charisma (1) [5]
G-Experience (All) (10) [10]
Hot Pilot (1) [5]
Very Fit [15]

Perks [1]
Alcohol Tolerance [1]

Disadvantages [-30]
Curious (12 or less) [-5]
Insomniac (Mild) [-10]
Overconfidence (12 or less) [-5]
Sense of Duty (Small Group) [-5]
Workaholic [-5]

Skills [124]
Administration IQ/A - IQ+1 14 [4]
Astrobatics DX/H - DX+1 13 [2]
	includes: +2 from '3D Spatial Sense'
Astronomy/TL9 IQ/H - IQ-1 12 [2]
Beam Weapons/TL8 (Pistol) DX/E - DX+2 14 [4]
Body Language Per/A - Per-1 12 [1]
Brawling DX/E - DX+0 12 [1]
Carousing HT/E - HT+2 12 [4]
Cartography/TL9 IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [2]
Chemistry/TL9 IQ/H - IQ-1 12 [2]
Climbing DX/A - DX+1 13 [4]
Computer Operation/TL9 IQ/E - IQ+2 15 [4]
Computer Programming/TL9 IQ/H - IQ+0 13 [4]
Cooking IQ/A - IQ-1 12 [1]
Cryptography/TL9 IQ/H - IQ-2 11 [1]
Current Affairs/TL9 (Science & Technology) IQ/E - IQ+0 13 [1]
Detect Lies Per/H - Per-1 12 [2]
Diplomacy IQ/H - IQ+0 13 [4]
Driving/TL9 (Automobile) DX/A - DX-1 11 [1]
Economics IQ/H - IQ-2 11 [1]
Electronics Operation/TL9 (Communications) IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [2]
Electronics Operation/TL9 (Sensors) IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [2]
Electronics Repair/TL9 (Communications) IQ/A - IQ+1 14 [1]
	includes: +2 from 'Artificer'
Electronics Repair/TL9 (Computers) IQ/A - IQ+3 16 [4]
	includes: +2 from 'Artificer'
Electronics Repair/TL9 (Sensors) IQ/A - IQ+1 14 [1]
	includes: +2 from 'Artificer'
Engineer/TL9 (Electronics) IQ/H - IQ+1 14 [2]
	includes: +2 from 'Artificer'
Engineer/TL9 (Fusion Reactor) IQ/H - IQ+2 15 [4]
	includes: +2 from 'Artificer'
Engineer/TL9 (High-Performance Spacecraft) IQ/H - IQ+3 16 [8]
	includes: +2 from 'Artificer'
Engineer/TL9 (Low-Performance Spacecraft) IQ/H - IQ+0 13 [1]
	includes: +2 from 'Artificer'
Fast-Draw (Pistol) DX/E - DX+0 12 [1]
Fast-Talk IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [2]
Finance IQ/H - IQ-2 11 [1]
First Aid/TL8 IQ/E - IQ+0 13 [1]
Free Fall DX/A - DX+2 14 [2]
	includes: +2 from '3D Spatial Sense'
Geology/TL8 (Rock Worlds) IQ/H - IQ-1 12 [2]
Hazardous Materials/TL8 (Radioactive) IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [2]
History (World History) IQ/H - IQ+0 13 [4]
Leadership IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [1]
	includes: +1 from 'Charisma'
Mathematics/TL9 (Applied) IQ/H - IQ-1 12 [2]
Mechanic/TL9 (Fusion Reactor) IQ/A - IQ+2 15 [2]
	includes: +2 from 'Artificer'
Mechanic/TL9 (High-Performance Spacecraft) IQ/A - IQ+2 15 [2]
	includes: +2 from 'Artificer'
Mechanic/TL9 (Low-Performance Spacecraft) IQ/A - IQ+3 16 [4]
	includes: +2 from 'Artificer'
Navigation/TL9 (Air) IQ/A - IQ+3 16 [1]
	includes: +3 from '3D Spatial Sense', +1 from 'Hot Pilot'
Navigation/TL9 (Space) IQ/A - IQ+2 15 [1]
	includes: +2 from '3D Spatial Sense', +1 from 'Hot Pilot'
Physics/TL9 IQ/VH - IQ+0 13 [8]
Piloting/TL9 (Aerospace) DX/A - DX+1 13 [1]
	includes: +1 from '3D Spatial Sense', +1 from 'Hot Pilot'
Piloting/TL9 (Low-Performance Spacecraft) DX/A - DX+2 14 [2]
	includes: +1 from '3D Spatial Sense', +1 from 'Hot Pilot'
Politics IQ/A - IQ-1 12 [1]
Public Speaking (Oratory) IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [1]
	includes: +1 from 'Charisma'
Savoir-Faire (High Society) IQ/E - IQ+0 13 [1]
Scrounging Per/E - Per+1 14 [2]
Shiphandling/TL9 (Spaceship) IQ/H - IQ-2 11 [1]
Spacer/TL9 IQ/E - IQ+2 15 [4]
Speed-Reading IQ/A - IQ-1 12 [1]
Streetwise IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [2]
Vacc Suit/TL9 DX/A - DX+0 12 [2]

Stats [141] Ads [77] Disads [-30] Quirks [0] Skills [124] = Total [313]

Hand Weapons

Ranged Weapons
1  Laser Penlight  LC:4  Dam:HT-4 aff (1 yd)  Acc:6  Range:100 / 300  
    RoF:1  Shots:900(3)  ST:1  Bulk:  Rcl:1  $3  Wgt:.1  Notes:[1]  
1  Laser Pistol  LC:3  Dam:3d (2) burn  Acc:6  Range:200 / 600  
    RoF:10  Shots:33(3)  ST:4  Bulk:-2  Rcl:1  $1100  Wgt:1.5  

Armor & Possessions
3  A cell  $6  Wgt:.015  Location:  
1  Anti-Toxin Kit  $25  Wgt:.5  Location:  
1  Antirad  $150  Wgt:0  Location:  
10  B cell  $30  Wgt:.5  Location:  
1  Backpack, Small  $60  Wgt:3  Location:  
1  Backpack¸ Frame  $100  Wgt:10  Location:  
1  Bandage Spray Can  $15  Wgt:.5  Location:  
1  Biomonitor Bracelet  $50  Wgt:.1  Location:  
1  Bubble Helmet (TL 9)  $2000  Wgt:5  Location:head  
1  Datapad  $10  Wgt:.05  Location:  
1  First Aid Kit  $50  Wgt:2  Location:  
5  Glowstick  $10  Wgt:.5  Location:  
1  Head-Up Display (HUD)  $50  Wgt:0  Location:  
1  Inertial Compass/TL9  $120  Wgt:.2  Location:  
1  Laser Communicator - Small  $400  Wgt:.5  Location:  
1  Mini-Toolkit - Electronics Repair  $400  Wgt:2  Location:  
1  Mini-Toolkit - Mechanic  $200  Wgt:4  Location:  
1  Pressure Tent - One-Man  $1500  Wgt:60  Location:  
1  Radar - Small  $1000  Wgt:1  Location:  
1  Radio Communicator - Small  $200  Wgt:.5  Location:  
1  Reflex Vacc Suit  $12000  Wgt:30  Location:all  
4  Rope - 3/4''  $320  Wgt:16  Location:  
1  Sleve Display  $50  Wgt:0  Location:  
1  Small Computer  $100  Wgt:.5  Location:  
10  Splat Piton  $100  Wgt:.5  Location:  
10  Survival Rations  $50  Wgt:5  Location:  
1  Survival Watch  $300  Wgt:.5  Location:  
1  Ultrascanner - Small  $2000  Wgt:1  Location:  
1  Vapor Canteen  $450  Wgt:2  Location:  
1  Wristwatch  $20  Wgt:0  Location:  
1  Wristwatch Rad Counter  $100  Wgt:0  Location:  
Appearance Note: Astra is a tallish woman of mixed European/Asian ancestry, the former in the hair, the latter in the eyes and skin tone. She's wearing a form-fitting space suit in blue and white, an equipment belt with numerous tools on it, a pair of rather tough looking boots. On her left forearm she wears a gauntlet with an oversized screen and a few buttons on it. A holster on her right thigh holds a medium size pistol. Her pack is straight blue and has 'PEREGRINE' on it in white block letters. A clear bubble helmet is attached to clip on her back, behind the shoulders and just above the pack. In short, picture Mass Effect with a bit more 60s pulp in it.

Platonicsolid fucked around with this message at 21:09 on Feb 23, 2013

Pinche Rudo
Feb 8, 2005

Austin

Austin's head snapped to the woman yelling at him about a mistress. She had an attitude reminiscent of ex-wife #1. Before he could respond the guy in the lizard suit puffed out his feathers and talked. It was a voice that sounded like a lizard would have. The realization quickly dawned on him that it was an actual giant talking lizard. Sweat broke out on his forehead under the helmet. Was this a dream? Austin couldn't remember ever sweating in a dream. Had he contracted Cicero? If he was stage two or three he could be suffering from hallucinations but he'd have a fever and a headache. He lowered his weapon, taking one hand off the foregrip and raising it, palm open. "Wait wait Woah Woah aliens? You're a giant talking lizard.". He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Austin Cleary, special investigative task force, FBI."

GTD Aquitaine
Jul 28, 2004

Phoebe St. Clair - Marysville Station

Phoebe exhaled in relief as the vigilman lowered his rifle, looking less angry and just as bezzled as the rest of them. If there was anything that could reinforce the unreality of the situation, she couldn't think of anything better than a giant, talking--well, hissing--mecha miracer. Was someone trying to build demand for some new scientifiction property or something?

The woman that came through the door had that look of unreality as well. Japanese, but strangely tall and speaking English in an accent she'd never heard any Japanese use. She must have been some sort of pilot--Phoebe stopped herself as she caught sight of a holstered pistol. How many Japanese pilots were doing overflights of Virginian territory? How many armed pilots? Her heart began to thud. Had that really just been fog? Was Japan making a move before Sweden could? poo poo, was she at war?

"Yes," Phoebe said in as calm a voice as she could muster. "People. Mind filling me in on what you're doing in Virginia with a suit like that and a gun like that? We're not exactly next door to Chukyo."

Fraction Jackson
Oct 27, 2007

Able to harness the awesome power of fractions
Karima

Karima, sitting on one of the benches, takes a moment to reflect, zoning out as the others converse. If this was real, it was utterly inexplicable - and that was aside from the dinosaur. People were referring to places...some of which she'd heard of but didn't make sense, some of which she hadn't heard of at all.

"Allah, please save me from this madness," she mumbles offhandedly as she thinks. It certainly was all utterly mad. But some of the others seemed to be taking it even less well, judging by the yelling. What they had here, in a sense, was a refugee camp - a refugee camp absolutely nowhere in particular, where seemingly anyone could end up. The doctor supposed that was as good a way of thinking of it as any. And re-framing the issue that way was almost liberating. It made things just a little more familiar. It makes it easier to take charge.

With a deep breath, she pushes some of her long, dark hair out of her eyes, and stands. The dinosaur (why in the name of all the prophets is there a dinosaur) was asking for information. "Okay, 'Captain'. I am Doctor Karima Bishara. I am a trauma surgeon from Palestine. Pleased to meet all of you," she adds with a nervous wave to the others. "Though I think the lot of you are mistaken. I don't think we are in anyone's land anymore; I was on the road from Gaza to al-Quds - that is, Jerusalem...but there is nothing like that here." She glances at Mayla and Phoebe. "And none of the places you said...well, there is a 'Virginia,' but it is part of the United States I think. I don't think they have their own army."

Platonicsolid
Nov 17, 2008

Astra

It's a strange group she's looking at, including people of all types and a lizard. A lizard? Astra's eyes widen. "Dying," Astra says, deadpan. "I'm dying. Dead? Hallucinating?" she says, shifting her weight from side to side, crossing her arms. "Shouldn't my grandparents be here?" she asks aloud.

"I was descending towards Kourou...none of you are French," she points out, a statement of the obvious. "I hit a dust cloud or something, gummed up the ship's systems and sheered on my way down and...." she shakes her head. "Right. Bleeding. Hallucinating." She looks down, expecting to see blood on her suit. "Doctor?" she asks, looking back up, voice hopeful. How a hallucinated doctor can help she's not clear.

GTD Aquitaine
Jul 28, 2004

Phoebe St. Clair - Marysville Station

Dying. She'd been there before. On patrol in the Mississippis, two months before her term was up, tracking a pack of Louisianan nationalist fighters who'd slipped over the border somehow to do whatever it is that nationalist fighters did in someone else's country. The firefight, the crack of a gun, an explosive punch in her gut, the crack of her skull against the rock. She'd seen things then, translucent images dancing at the edges of her vision, like it had been when she came through the fog. She hadn't been dead then. Her armor had caught the bullet and she didn't even have a concussion. She wasn't dead now.

"French? If you were trying to land in Louisiana, I gotta say you missed your mark by a couple hundred miles at least." Phoebe said. "Still, like they say in the Air Corps, any landing you walk away from's a good one."

Her ears perked up as the Palestinian doctor talked. Jerusalem? Cairo's on the other side of the world... what the hell's going on here?

"I can assure you that there is such a thing as the Virginia Defence Force," Phoebe said to the doctor. "I surely didn't pretend to spend two years of my life marching up mountains or getting rained on in muddy trenches or seeing the Burger-Burglar on patrol because I hadn't slept in four days. 'United States'... what the hell are you talking about? I think... I've got to find some information."

Phoebe moves off toward the newspaper boxes, looking to see if there's something--anything--she can understand and buy.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Fraction Jackson
Oct 27, 2007

Able to harness the awesome power of fractions
Karima

She looks at the newcomer quizzically. If she was telling the truth, and had been in space...was everyone else also from space? That could make sense. The (true) alternative had not yet occurred to her. "I lived for almost two decades in France. You're talking about Guyana, right? At least someone here is saying places I know." Dr. Bishara looks over at Phoebe again and shakes her head. "Louisiana? As in, King Louis? Is that a joke?" She actually manages to smile. "This is certainly all very strange. As the Americans say, we are no longer in...Iowa?" She isn't quite sure she's got it right, though she is fairly sure she came close at least. "Where exactly...look, never mind."

Karima takes another look at their supposed space-traveler. "Anyway, yes, I am a doctor. If you did actually crash here, maybe I should make sure you're alright." Just like that, she drops completely into business mode, rummaging around in her pack for the little medical flashlight and a stethoscope. "Any discomfort or pain, anywhere? Dizziness or lightheadedness?" The stethoscope gets hung around her neck for a moment to free up a hand, and Karima holds up three fingers. "How many fingers do you see?"

  • Locked thread