Starlight:Exo-Politics

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October 16, 2016 – Episode 6: Exo-Politics

Game Outline

1. Several days interlude
   1. More things for the PCs to do.
   2. New Years passes.
   3. I wonder if they’ll ever take any interest in NPCs or just constantly make me hand them things.
2. Meeting the Cydonians
   1. Heading to a new system
   2. Pre-flight
      1. “Gentlemen – as you may or may not know, the Professor has identified a planet in the current system as a possible source for helium-3.
         1. A blue frozen planet shows on the screen.
      2. “We will be crossing the system to orbit the planet – however” the image zooms out to show a system “there’s some concern about this asteroid field we’ll be crossing. Your job will be to scout ahead of the ship, clearing us a path and ensuring none of those creatures are laying in ambush.”
      3. You’ll be approximately 4-5 hours ahead of us, and radio silence is expected unless you run into trouble.
      4. Since this will be an extended operation, your load out should include the reactor.
      5. Any questions?
3. Adverse conditions
   1. Piloting checks average – failures result in collision damage in the field
   2. Average perception check – to detect the Cydonians – failure means they don’t know they’re there until they begin broadcasting
      1. You see a series of 8-10 contacts on your radar, approximately 10 km out
      2. Small ships, probably larger than what you’ve seen. Shape unknown.
      3. How do you approach?
      4. If PCs attempt to make contact with the ship, go into first contact, radio is jammed
      5. If PCs approach, the ships visibly attempt to move away.
   3. First Contact
      1. Your comm. System is overloaded with static and noise
      2. What sounds like a voice can be heard
      3. Cydonia Caban, malad Vladu sen sleen. (we are the knights of cydonia, identify yourself.)
         1. The transmission seems to be coming over several different communication channels and overloading the sensors.
      4. This is repeated until the PCs respond. If the PCs respond, the ships will split up and begin to move away.
      5. Once they respond,
         1. An image comes to life on one of your viewing screens. All you can see appears to be a humanoid shape, wearing a heavily tinted helmet. They appear to be sitting in the cockpit of a craft.
      6. Keryuk, bes-el-nek ren-desan, meg-prob-al-yuk led-for-i-tani. “Please, speak normally, we will attempt to translate.”
         1. This is repeated. While the image on the screen switches to the image of a hydrogen atom.
         2. This is going to have to be fluid. various words are slowly recognized .
      7. After translation locks in
         1. “Greetings, We are the Knights of Cydonia. Identify Yourself.”
         2. “What is the name of your homeship?”
         3. “We do not recognize that name. We are the Cydonian, I am Kalu Venn. My Homeship is Cydonia. How do you identify yourself?”
         4. “Do you avoid the Watchers as well?”
         5. They don’t recognize the word “nanomachines”
         6. They will invite the PCs and their “homeship” to Cydonia. Cydonia is nearby.
         7. If the PCS try to call back to the ship,
            1. “Why do you call the Watchers? Explain?”
            2. That radio wave speed is sure to get attention of watchers.
            3. They’ll instruct the PCs what radio frequencies to stay out of.
      8. The Cydonian vessels are small, about half the size of an MS, and have a single barrel of a weapon protruding from the port side, facing forward. They look like small personal vehicles from earth.
4. Cydonia
   1. A massive series of structures, it appears to be multiple ships, any one of them far larger than any ship you’ve seen, attached together.
   2. The Starlight can’t land, but they are informed by the commander that the captain will be coming across in the Tyson. The MS will escort the captain in.
   3. All but one of the vessels break off and seem to be docking. The lone vessel that stays with them leads them into a large docking bay, and touches down before the Tyson. The top of the ship slides opened and a slight figure leaps effortlessly out and lands by the ship’s side.
   4. As the Tyson and MS touch down, the figure removes it’s helmet and you see for the first time, the feline features of the Cydonian . The Cydonian’s face appears to be covered in fine, multi-colored fur, and he seems to be fixing the hair absently as he awaits you. A door opens to the docking bad and several cydonians come through, pushing carts and carrying equipment. A few appear to be armed.
   5. The captain shuffles off the Tyson and looks to the MS pilots. He’s basically going to let them handle things.
   6. Behind him is Professor Sikarna, who seems to be excited out of his skin. Also are a handful of assembled ensigns acting as a security detail, and Chief Zakiri piloting the ship. he’s going to stay in the hanger and oogle their ships.
   7. Cydonians approach and the one who identified himself as Kalu Venn lifts his wrist to his mouth, pressing a button. He speaks, and the voice you’ve been hearing echos from a speaker somewhere.
   8. “Welcome To Cydonia,” [whatever] “Please, allow our a moment.” A few approach the PCs with what appear to be headsets of some time. “if you will, this will make it much easier for us to talk.” (Sikirana is amazed they have the ability to translate as easily as they do)
   9. The technicians fit them with translators.
   10. Kalu Venn: Surely, our King and your King will wish to meet. Allow these men to escort him to our worshipness.
       1. Yes. King. “well, I didn’t know I’d gotten a promotion”
       2. If the PCs protest, the captain shoots them down. “oh, pish posh, I’m sure I’ll be absolutely fine.”
   11. He turns to PC’s Kalu: For Knights of Cydonia, a first meeting means a gift. He draws his sword and holds it out to whatever of the PC’s is in chage (probably brett) (vibro sword stats).
   12. Kalu: Please, [whatever], let us show hospitality. I will show you around our glorious homeship.
   13. He will give them a tour. Gardens, common areas, etc. They see cydonians of all sizes. He will discuss with them whatever the wish, and talk about what he knows.
       1. Knights of Cydonia are the protectors of the Cydonian people
       2. Every 10 years cycles, the cydonians come together for a great exchange. This happens to be one of those instances. There are celebrations, exchanges of good and even families, and games and then they split up again.
       3. The knights also track the locations of each of the cydonian homeships.
       4. The cydonians will ask the PCs if they do the same.
       5. The cydonians have been doing this for over 10000 cycles.
       6. Game of Trenchball (giant circular field, teams do combat to take possession of a sphere at the center of the field and return it to a podium behind their line. Combat is done with weapons that stun, and the combatants wear suits of armor)
       7. They are lead by King Cydon, who oversees the Trenchball games. They will not interact with him, but the captain will be invited to party with King Cydon.
       8. Individual homeships have their own team. The team of Venn's home ship is in the Final and they win. Team's coach is General Meninga
   14. The translation seems to be improving the more time they spend with them.
   15. They seem to be left purely to the knights.
   16. They will be able to pick up some more supplies here, but not fuel.
   17. Some time after trenchball, perhaps a day after they’ve arrived, an alarm goes off.
       1. Kalu has been with them up til now
       2. “The watchers, they have found us. The gathering is over.”
       3. Where’s the captain? If the PC’s call him up, his raction: “What, why are you bothering me? I’ve been enjoying a nice little party with king cydon here, what do you want?” “what? The bastards are here already? Damn… well, guess I’ll have to say my goodbyes.”
       4. Kalu will escort them back to the hanger, but stops off in a great garden, and asks them to come along.
       5. The garden is surrounded by great trees, and another Cydonian in robes stands upon a dias in the center of it, several hundred other Knights have gathered.
          1. “OH, Great Heaven, guide our Knights so they may keep the Homeship safe. Forgive us all for our sins and weaknesses, forgive us for those that we have wronged, and forgive those that have wronged us. May we all return to the Great Blue and Green Heaven, and the feel warmth of sunshine upon us for all eternity.”
          2. The gathered knights respond “Great Heaven!” and the crowd disperses.
       6. They’ll reach the hanger at the same time as the captain
       7. “I must say, if I ever get the chance to meet with whomever is in charge of these watcher fellows, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind!”
   18. Before hopping in his ship, if Brett exchanged weapons with him, he’ll reach for his sword (to move it out of the way as he goes to hop into his ship), look down, smile, pat the gun, nod to bretty
5. Combat
   1. Barnabas has launched in a mosquito to help coordinate. He can tow anyone who’s MS has been disabled back into the ship before jump.
   2. The Homeships are about to be harangued by an enormous Watcher force. There were be types of watchers they have never seen before, but will primarily be engaging type 1s
   3. They need to buy time for the Cydonians, as the home ships break apart and spread across the system
   4. The starlight will remain with the primary home ship and will jump with them
   5. They also witness hundreds of knights being killed in the fight.
   6. 10 rounds of combat, 9 attackers, groups of three, three waves.
   7. If they PCs fail to hold against this, Kalu Venn must choose two Knights to serve as decoys, to allow the ships to flee
   8. If they are successful, the starlight is able to charge it’s laser and vaporize the attackers.
   9. The Cydonians are MIGHTLY impressed with this.

Musical Inspiration
Song:	Exo-Politics
Artist:	Muse
Album:	Black Holes and Revelations
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