Chapter 2: The City

In the late 22nd Century, there is a small human colony on Titan. Operational for six months, life is tough and challenging, but strange geological activity threatens to unearth alien horror and madness!

Moderator: Supercape

User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

"Yeah, at least they know now," says Sam with a faint smile. "Of course, it takes a couple hours for the message to reach Earth, then another couple for a reply to get to us. And it'll take a good deal longer for the ship I requested to arrive and evacuate us. But you're right, there must be an awful lot of aliens. If they want to wipe us out, we can't hold them off forever. We're going to need to find some way to communicate with them. In the meantime, we can't have the power going out, and we never did fix the reactor. Want to help me finish the job?"
OOC,I did something similar with communication timing in The Ninth Planet, though Pluto is much further out than Titan. Of course, nobody managed to get a message to Earth in that one.
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
User avatar
aine
Disciple
Disciple
Posts: 4661
Registered for: 12 years 7 months
12
Location: Bristol, England
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by aine »

Image

"Maybe we can escape in the ATV and keep going until the ship arrives. Those things can fly but possibly not forever. How long does, say a class one, take to get here from Earth. Or actually, they'd send something from one of the Mars colonies or something that just happens to be passing by wouldn't they? What about those hush-hush missions the Navy are apparently running out here?"
The whiskey has apparently loosened Seth's brain and he's now full of bright ideas.
"We could set the reactor to blow, head out of here, and the aliens would think we'd died in the blast. That would buy us time, we could..." He hears the commotion in the infirmary. "Sounds like he's awake, shall we check on Hattie on the way to the reactor; see what she thinks of my plan."
User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

"Let's go see her," says Sam, "but to be honest, your plan could use some work. The ATV can't drive forever either, and we won't have enough oxygen, water, and food for all of us in there. Not to mention, where would we go to the bathroom? And blowing up the reactor is a really, really bad idea."
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
User avatar
aine
Disciple
Disciple
Posts: 4661
Registered for: 12 years 7 months
12
Location: Bristol, England
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by aine »

Image
Seth shrugs, thinking that there'd be enough oxygen for one person. He follows Sam into the infirmary to find Hattie and Dr. Bloom standing over Ron who is still unconscious, by the looks of it. "No luck then? We don't know how long we've got before the aliens come back. What perimeter scopes do we have outside so we can see them coming? I don't mind going out in a vehicle and posting sentry a mile or two out so long as I can maintain radio contact here."
DrPeterson
Disciple
Disciple
Posts: 2182
Registered for: 11 years 3 months
11
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by DrPeterson »

Image
Persuade 25%,[dice]0[/dice]
App*5:75%,[dice]1[/dice]
"Dr. Bloom, you can't just neutralise his sedation, he'll be in inhuman pain, the burns...", Hattie's voice waivers and she looks the Doc deep in the eyes.
"Please, Casper, he's clearly suffering. The mission's chief medical officer has the power to override the commander's authority based on medical unfitness, doesn't he?"
"He said we were all cooked but we were all right as long as we did not know it. We were all cooked. The thing was not to recognize it."
Supercape
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 681
Registered for: 8 years 9 months
8
Location: Kent
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by Supercape »

"Well, I guess he does..." answered Dr Bloom, wiping his brow. "And he is pretty unfit. I guess that makes you the commanding officer, Hattie" he concluded. "Based on mission time. That's the protocol...."

"Boss, please note this for mission records: I, Dr Casper Bloom, medical officer for Titan Colony Mission, relieve Commander Drake of command on medical grounds, until formally assessed as fit...."

"Certainly, Doctor Bloom. Time noted. Harriet Barton is now acting commanding officer. Congratulations, Commander Barton..." said Boss, pleasantly, through the speakers.

"Well, I guess its your call then commander" said the Doctor. "I can give him a stimulant to wake him up. Dexomonamine V, should do the trick. Spark him up like a bolt of lightning, despite the painkillers. Not without risk though..." he added. "That degree of stimulation could be strain on his already strained heart...." he explained, cautiously.

"Oh, Mr Dylan, in answer to your question, the perimeter has only basic geo-activity and weather sensors. I cannot say whether they would pick up any danger...." added Boss as an afterthought.
Spoiler:
I reckon a few weather sensors outside is reasonable. Would need some work to convert to anything useful (feel free to make cunning skill rolls as appropriate!)
DrPeterson
Disciple
Disciple
Posts: 2182
Registered for: 11 years 3 months
11
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by DrPeterson »

Image
"Wha..uh...ok, ok, I guess...", Hattie's rather caught off guard by the sudden field promotion, but quickly gathers her composure.

"No, leave him sedated, Dr. Bloom, I don't think he'll be able to tell us more that could be of use to our situation. Besides, as you said, the strain might be too big. At least now, if ..when we get out of here, his flesh can be regrown in a tissue tank and I'm sure the damage to his nerve system can be repaired in the Hawkins Hospital on Luna.
"


She turns to the others.

"Now as to getting out of here. Any suggestions apart from fortifying ourselves here and hoping nothing comes?"
"He said we were all cooked but we were all right as long as we did not know it. We were all cooked. The thing was not to recognize it."
User avatar
aine
Disciple
Disciple
Posts: 4661
Registered for: 12 years 7 months
12
Location: Bristol, England
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by aine »

Image
"Well, seeing as there's a city, I expects there's a regular army of the beasts heading this way. And it won't matter how much soap we've got, this base won't keep them out. I still reckon we ought to rig the reactor to blow. And you might want to hang around and discuss civil rights with 'em but I'd rather not, personally." Seth says defensively.

"I'm happy to get out and re-rig whatever sensors you've got outside to alien detectors. least then we'll have some warning." He nods to the patients, "Did you get anything out of them?" He watches Hattie carefully, wondering how she'll take being in command.
User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

"Congratulations, Hattie!" says Sam, embracing her friend in a big bear hug. "I think you're right that we do need a way to communicate and negotiate with them, though I don't believe their intent is at all peaceful. They can probably overrun us before an evacuation ship reaches us. However, now we can negotiate from a position of strength. They know we can neutralize their weapons and hurt them now, and taking us down will cost them. We can offer them a less expensive alternative. If they regard us as invaders, perhaps agreeing to leave Titan will be sufficient. We could rig the reactor to blow, but we should only detonate it as a last resort. That could give us additional leverage."
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
DrPeterson
Disciple
Disciple
Posts: 2182
Registered for: 11 years 3 months
11
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by DrPeterson »

Image
Hattie feels a bit awkward after the bearhug, but manages a smile nonetheless.

"I'm concerned about rigging the reactor to blow. The explosion might cause a chain reaction catalysed by the chemical composition of the Titan's atmosphere, not just causing a nuclear blast in the local area, but maybe taking out a bit of the moon as well. "


She frowns pensively.

"Sam, try to make a projection of the potential yield of the explosion, if it doesn't destroy significant features of the Solar System, I'm inclined to agree.
Se..Bob, ugh, whatever...See if you can modify our hand-held units first, that way we'll get some advance warning while we're out working on the long-range sensors. You may also want to take a CAT-scan of Ron's brain, see where he show more activity, or even, uhm...alteration?
"

She then turns back to the doctor, apparently hesitant and somewhat reluctant.

"Doctor Bloom, I need you to look up anything...relevant...you can find regarding ESP and telepathy and what not." She sighs again, obviously not really hot about the topic. "Do we know anything about it? Any way to stimulate neural receptivity? Or to shield it off?"
"He said we were all cooked but we were all right as long as we did not know it. We were all cooked. The thing was not to recognize it."
Supercape
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 681
Registered for: 8 years 9 months
8
Location: Kent
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by Supercape »

Doctor Bloom sighed and pressed his fingers to his head.

"ESP? Telepathy? A load of psychic mumbo-jumbo!" he protested, but not to hard. He looked awfully relieved that it was Hattie in command, not Ron. "Well, I can take a look" he grumbled, and spun his chair to a console of three screens.

"Boss, lets pull up your files on parapsychology...I suppose its no crazier than aliens...." he conceded, and started tapping at the holographic display in front of him.
User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

Sam runs the calculations, working out approximately how to rig the reactor to explode and determining whether or not it would do irreperable harm to Titan.
OOC,Physics roll (41% skill) to work out the proper explosion yield: [dice]0[/dice]
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
User avatar
aine
Disciple
Disciple
Posts: 4661
Registered for: 12 years 7 months
12
Location: Bristol, England
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by aine »

Image

"Right, well I'll sort out some sort of early warning system then."
And Seth heads out of the area.
Keeper,As he walks down the corridor, Seth says,[color=#0000BF] "Boss, S- Dylan here, where are the scanners kept?"[/color] But he makes his way to the hanger and the T-prop. He has a look round to check what exits are available and whether the hanger can be accessed via airvents from other areas of the base. Then he opens the cockpit of the T-prop and compares how similar it is to other prop- vechicles he's flown in the past. He wants to make a few checks so it is ready for take-off and looks to see what supplies are available. (T-prop roll (41%): 57) spot hidden(25%): 66
Supercape
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 681
Registered for: 8 years 9 months
8
Location: Kent
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by Supercape »

The T Prop seemed in fine working condition, despite dust. Overall, everything was fairly shabby but workable. Mostly workable, a least. For all the damage done by the earthquake, they had not come out too badly. The crew set to work checking and running tests and minor repairs.

A little later...

"Bzzzz....

Bzzz....bzzzzz....."

Something awful was coming through the radio, on the standard transmission frequency.

"Bzzz....izzz that you....bzzzz.....who izzz there....bzzzz.....let me in....let me in...."

The voice sounded corrupted and horrible. And vaguely familiar....

"Its all a great adventure. A great, wonderful adventure..."
OOC:   Idea roll at a penalty INT x3% for Hattie  
Spoiler:
The voice sounds like a corrupted version of the missing colonist, Jane Klute, who was the old second in command and is MIA several months ago. Recognising her voice, albeit a changed one, is a 1/1D4 SAN loss
User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

"I wonder if that's Gina Croft," says Sam. "She's still unaccounted for. Whoever it is sounds a few rods short of a reactor core."
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
DrPeterson
Disciple
Disciple
Posts: 2182
Registered for: 11 years 3 months
11
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by DrPeterson »

Image
Int*3=51%,[dice]0[/dice]
"I..I..For a second I thought I recognised that voice, but I can't place it. "

Hattie walks over to the comms panel and clears her throat.

"This is Acting Commander Harriett Barton. Identify yourself."
"He said we were all cooked but we were all right as long as we did not know it. We were all cooked. The thing was not to recognize it."
Supercape
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 681
Registered for: 8 years 9 months
8
Location: Kent
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by Supercape »

"Bzzzarton? Bzzzarton? Yezzz....." came the awful buzzing sound.

"I remember...I wazzzz....."

There was the longest, awful pause.

"Bzzz...Bzzzt....Jane....Jane Croft....I think that makes me acting commander...."

Jane Croft was an energetic, impulsive and brilliant woman who had been the Second in command to Miriam in the initial stages of the colony. She had gone missing, MIA, months ago, and Drake had been sent to replace her.

Boss helpfully chimed in. "Voice identification verified. Welcome back, commander Croft!" came the happy tones of the computer. "Transferring command functions back to Colonist Jane Croft!" it said with a verbal smile.

"Let me innnn....." came the buzzing over the radio.

The external sensors picked up motion.

"Of course, commander! Opening airlock external doors...."

Said doors slid almost silently open.
OOC:   1/1D4 San loss for Hattie and bloom, 0/1D2 San loss for Sam, whilst Seth is relatively and blissfully ignorant to the shock  
User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

"Something's very wrong here," says Sam, recoiling in shock. She tries to scan Croft if indeed that is who is entering the airlock, but the scanners don't appear to be working.
OOC,Sanity roll (current level 64) for seeing [b]Croft[/b]: [dice]0[/dice] Sanity loss: [dice]2[/dice] Scanning roll (56% skill) scanning [b]Croft[/b]: [dice]1[/dice]
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
DrPeterson
Disciple
Disciple
Posts: 2182
Registered for: 11 years 3 months
11
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by DrPeterson »

Image
Sanity 65%,[dice]0[/dice]
Sanity loss,[dice]1[/dice]
Hattie gasps, her mind reels and she clutches the table to remain standing.

She breathes heavily, almost hyperventilating, but then her mind takes over again.

"Boss, override transfer of command. Jane Croft has neglected compulsory physical and psychiatric evaluation for the past months. Crew safety and health protocol clearly dictate that any crew member that miss out on two consecutive check-ups is to be relieved of duty and held until motives for refusal of collaboration can be established by both the medical officer and the mission commander."

She gasps, trying to get a hold of her breathing again.

"And please lock all doors and airlocks, they are only to be opened by my express permission."
"He said we were all cooked but we were all right as long as we did not know it. We were all cooked. The thing was not to recognize it."
Supercape
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 681
Registered for: 8 years 9 months
8
Location: Kent
Contact:

Re: Chapter 2: The City

Post by Supercape »

OOC:   Luck roll![dice]0[/dice]  
"Why, that is correct, acting commander Barton!" said Boss, as cheerful as always.

The holographic display showed the exterior and interior airlock doors sealed tightly.

After a briefest of pause, for sweat and breath and one drum of Doctor Blooms fingertips, a beeping sound came from the holo-display.

Something was trying to bypass the interior airlock door...
Post Reply

Return to “Titanic Horror”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests