IC- 22 - Reunion - Everyone

[aine]

“But they’re on a suicidal mission! Unless they’re being mind-controlled by the aliens. Yes, let’s go- we can come back to rescue the survivors if we have to.”
Nicole agrees with Jojo.

[Mephistophilis]

At everyone's insistence, Isabella reluctantly forces the shuttle to launch before the initiation sequence has completed. Bucking and shaking it rises up from the landing strip, downdraft from the thrusters blowing methane snow in every direction, hazy clouds billow out from the heat like waves of fog.

Monitoring events outside through the various sensor arrays displayed inside the cockpit they can eventually see the approaching copter looming through a gap in the orange fog. There's got to be five or six people crammed into the tiny cabin, pressed up against the glass. And in the pilot's seat is a familiar face. A balding, red-bearded man, wearing some kind of robe over his Hawaiian shirt, baseball cap pushed onto the back of his head. Kingsley. The look in his eye is one of complete mania as he struggles to fly the copter straight. It twists and dives in the draft from the thrusters but continues to shoot towards the shuttle at a phenomenal rate.

Can you roll me Luck

[Mr. Handy]

"This thing has to be faster than that copter," says Sam, routing power to the engine. "We can outrun it and keep it from colliding."

[aine]

Does Nicole know that Kingsley is dead?

[Mephistophilis]

Nicole knows that Kingsley was stabbed or impaled by something and seemed like he'd died but then rallied and managed to make his way out from the room after the attack on Jojo

[Starspawn338]

Luck 31
1d100
Androids aren't known for their luck!

"Oh, this is not good." Jojo says under his breath.

[aine]

“Why the hell has he come all the way out here? I thought he was badly wounded!” Nicole is surprised to see Kingsley flying the chopper. “We’ll have to go back- they’ll need help after the crash.”

[Mephistophilis]

Isabella opens up the throttle on the shuttle, 'Here goes nothing...' Quivering and shaking, held aloft by the thrusters, the main engine engages and the shuttle lurches forward, gathering speed at a significant rate.

Coming in the other direction the copter spirals and lurches towards the shuttle, there's just enough room for the shuttle to clear it when something buffets the copter side-ways and it collides with the corner of the shuttle cockpit, scraping down the side of the ship before plummeting down towards the surface and ploughing into the methane snow.

Inside the shuttle warning lights flash red, Isabella desperately jabs at the control panel as the ship twists and yaws back towards Titan's surface. There are sparks from instrument panels and hisses of escaping gas. Automatic fire suppression units discharge in various directions, filling the cockpit with choking foam and powder.

[Mr. Handy]

"We need to set down gently!" says Sam, working feverishly to do damage control and keep the shuttle from crashing. She'll have to repair the damage fully once they're on the ground.

[Mephistophilis]

Despite the collision the shuttle continues its ascent up through the thick atmosphere of Titan. Booth peers into the sensors, 'Can't really see copter, too much haze, but there ain't no movement. I say leave 'em. Better them than us, right?' He looks up questioningly. His eyes are bloodshot and he looks more nervous than the the superficial confidence his voice tries to convey.

The shuttle's trajectory stabilises a little and Isabella shouts, 'I think I've still got control of this thing. We still going up or do you want me to set us down. Can't guarantee I'll get it to fly again...'

Most of the fires in the cockpit have been extinguished but several sparking instrument panels are now dark and there are a number of flashing warning lights. The most concerning ones are labelled 'Life Support' and 'Auxiliary Thrusters'.

If anyone wants to try and repair the damage while the shuttle is airborne that'll be a regular Electrical Repair or a hard Mechanical Repair or something else relevant.

[Mr. Handy]

"I can try to fix it in the air," says Sam, "but my chances will be better on the ground. Life Support is kind of important. Plus we could search the copter's wreckage and maybe get some answers."

[aine]

“If we stay up, what are the chances of us escaping Titan?” Nicole asks Isobella.

[Mephistophilis]

Still concentrating on the control panel and tapping it furiously with one hand while pulling back on the steering yoke, Isabella shrugs. 'I barely got us into the air the first time. Who knows if I can do it again?'

[Mr. Handy]

"All right, I'll have to fix it in flight," says Sam, getting to work on the shuttle's systems. It's very difficult to do it while the shuttle is flying, but somehow she manages.

Electrical Repair roll (50% skill) trying to repair the shuttle mid-flight:
d%

[Starspawn338]

"Just keep us aiming to leave. They are going to destroy the outpost and we can't be there when that happens."

Jojo will keep watch over whatever instruments are still working.

[Mephistophilis]

Now that Isabella has stabilised the shuttle's flight path, Sam can access some of the secondary systems concealed behind various panels and hatches. There's still several warnings lights blinking away but she is able to reroute the power to the life support systems and divert fuel from the main engine to the auxiliary thrusters giving Isabella more control of the shuttle if and when they leave the atmosphere of Titan.

'So out into space it is...' sighs Isabella. 'I can't fully burn the main engine until we get outside this methane smog then it's straight for Ganymede I guess. Should have enough fuel but that's a good 70-hours or more. Assuming we make it out of the atmosphere...'

Booth interrupts her. 'So that bitch Khan said there ain't no transponder codes, said we'd get shot down if we didn't have 'em...'

Jojo brings up diagnostics for the shuttle. The marine is right, the transponder is silent, it isn't transmitting anything. It looks like someone has partially entered a transponder code but it's too short.

'So you got a plan for that right?' he asks nervously, his voice quivering.

'Um...'

[Starspawn338]

"How is it you were sent here?" Jojo asks Booth. "Do you know what you were supposed to find here? If we don't have the code, maybe we can convince them we found what they were looking for?"

[Mr. Handy]

"We might be able to crack the transponder code," says Sam. "The partial code will help. I'll give it a go. Jojo might be able to figure it out if I can't."

[aine]

“Yes, what was your mission brief?” Nicole asks Booth.

[Mephistophilis]

Booth looks shifty. 'That's need to know.' Looking at everyone else's stern faces he shakes his head and continues. 'Don't tell us much. Something nasty on Titan, bio-weapon maybe. Get in there, take a sample, burn the rest. This ain't the first time, you know?'