Off Course (Episode 4)

Formerly the play-by-post forum for my TSGS Space Force game, now the private forum for development of the new Space Force Science Fiction RPG game. I've retained the entirety of the original game threads here, to be mined for possible content. See the introductory post for more information.
Locked
User avatar
Solomoriah
Site Admin
Posts: 12453
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:15 pm
Location: LaBelle, Missouri
Contact:

Re: Off Course (Episode 4)

Post by Solomoriah »

Driscoll pulled on the tethers, drawing the doctor toward himself. As she got closer he saw that her spacesuit seemed intact, but had a nasty-looking burn across the front. When he could finally reach her, he found her limp and unresponsive; her helmet visor was foggy, so he could not see her face.
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
User avatar
chiisu81
Posts: 4106
Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:05 pm

Re: Off Course (Episode 4)

Post by chiisu81 »

Driscoll wants to wait until they're back inside to check on her. Is there a way to tie her tether with his to keep them together? Also, is Driscoll strong enough to pull on the alien tether to get back to the airlock with Amanda?
User avatar
Solomoriah
Site Admin
Posts: 12453
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:15 pm
Location: LaBelle, Missouri
Contact:

Re: Off Course (Episode 4)

Post by Solomoriah »

Driscoll would have had to clip his belt to one of Amanda's tethers; he's basically sliding up (?) it toward her... or reeling her in... in space, it's hard to say which is more true.
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
User avatar
Mint
Posts: 862
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:20 am

Re: Off Course (Episode 4)

Post by Mint »

Samantha waits inside the ship apprehensively searching the computer yet again for some way to get the knowledge she needs to get them all out of this predicament. If only there were some way she could complete her education in the ship's language and to get it to divulge it's secrets to her.
User avatar
chiisu81
Posts: 4106
Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:05 pm

Re: Off Course (Episode 4)

Post by chiisu81 »

If Driscoll is able he will tether Amanda to himself and slowly walk (while keeping both hands on alien tether) back towards the airlock.
User avatar
Solomoriah
Site Admin
Posts: 12453
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:15 pm
Location: LaBelle, Missouri
Contact:

Re: Off Course (Episode 4)

Post by Solomoriah »

As Driscoll slowly made his way to the airlock, Samantha continued her research, but to no avail it seemed. Knowing the alien language gave her only partial understanding... the aliens were just too, well, alien to understand fully, it seemed.

She sat staring at yet another screen full of vaguely relevant but strangely organized information. Idly she wondered if there were curse words in the alien language... she felt the need for some extras just then. She paused to rub her temples for a moment, and as she looked back at the screen she noticed movement in the upper right corner.

It was a small icon, one of many strange symbols lined up in the corners of the screen. A circle, with a dot inside it, and the dot was slowly bouncing up and down inside the circle.
Alien Message Icon.gif
Alien Message Icon.gif (4.93 KiB) Viewed 6923 times
But what did it mean? No word in the alien language seemed to describe it. Then she noticed, barely visible on the black-on-black console, small rectangular buttons making a frame around the screen. They seemed to align with the various icons, though many of the buttons were not associated with any such markings.

Tentatively she pressed the button adjacent to the bouncing circle. The central part of the display changed suddenly... it was an image of a man, viewed in a sitting position, looking back at her. For a moment she thought he actually saw her, but then Samantha realized it was a recording of some sort.

He was human, of that she was sure, and he was dressed in a threadbare Space Force shipboard uniform. His hair and beard were wild and unkempt, but his eyes were steady and calm.

Then he began to speak... not in any human language, but in an approximation of the alien language Samantha had learned from the sphere. <<Hello Bright Moment. I am a human from...>> and at that point he gave the alien designation Samantha recognized as the third planet of Sol. <<I am being held prisoner aboard this vessel. If you have received this message and have not been disabled by the probe that was sent to attack you, I ask you to please notify my people. I will continue in their language...>> He looked away from the camera briefly, then continued, <<There is no time. Please let my people know I am alive.>> The message ceased, freezing at the last frame, and a query appeared asking Samantha if she wanted to replay or dismiss the message.
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
User avatar
Mint
Posts: 862
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:20 am

Re: Off Course (Episode 4)

Post by Mint »

Samantha will first look to see if there is a way to save the message. Failing that she will see if she can send a message to Driscoll while the message is still up without hitting replay or dismiss. Failing both those options she will sit tight until she hears from Driscoll or he returns.
User avatar
Solomoriah
Site Admin
Posts: 12453
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:15 pm
Location: LaBelle, Missouri
Contact:

Re: Off Course (Episode 4)

Post by Solomoriah »

One of the buttons on the alien keyboard was marked haroola, which meant something like "keep" or "retain." Biting her lip, Samantha pressed it.

The image disappeared. In a panic, Samantha looked at the icon... and the little dot was no longer bouncing.

She pressed the black button beside it anyway, and the message appeared again... and she breathed a sigh of relief.

-------------

Driscoll entered the airlock, drawing Amanda's inert body behind him. It took him a few moments to reel in the tethers; the alien tether had an automatic rewind, but the tethers the crew brought with them were not so easy. Finally he had the outer airlock door clear and could close it. He pressed the stud to repressurize the airlock... it seemed to take forever before the purple indicator lit up, and he could remove Amanda's helmet.

He was relieved to find that, though unconscious, she was still breathing.
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
User avatar
chiisu81
Posts: 4106
Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:05 pm

Re: Off Course (Episode 4)

Post by chiisu81 »

Driscoll will take off his suit and carry Amanda to where she can lay down. Certain she's still breathing and ok at least for the moment, he'll re-join Samantha on the bridge.
User avatar
Mint
Posts: 862
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:20 am

Re: Off Course (Episode 4)

Post by Mint »

Samantha shows Driscoll the message as soon as the commotion has settled then goes back to check on Amanda.
Locked

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests