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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 5256974" data-attributes="member: 143">I didn't get specific; sometimes it's better to leave things vague and the let the players' imaginations fill in the blanks.* * * * * Session 25 (October 20, 2008)Chapter 108As was so often the case, things didn’t go quite according to plan. The Lightning arrived on position slightly ahead of the planned time, and the alien ship appeared on the radar exactly on schedule.  That was when they had the first surprise, as Ken reported over the intercom. “Looks like a large scout, rather than a medium,” he told the Alphas.  “But nothing we can’t handle.  Moving to intercept.”The alien tried to evade, but by the time that it detected the Lightning, it was too late.  The missile worked perfectly, scoring a hit that damaged the alien ship’s main engines.  The Lightning followed it down, but shortly after that they had their second unexpected problem. They’d plotted the intercept as the alien came into orbit over the southern hemisphere, en route to China.  The plan had been to force the alien down somewhere over Australia.  But either because the ship was larger or the missile hadn’t done enough damage, the alien’s descent was slower than expected, and it veered off course, forcing Ken to goose the Lightning’s engines to keep up. “Looks like an overshoot… we’re going to be over water in a minute…”The Alphas shared a look; an ocean recovery was not something they were prepared for.  But they got a reprieve; as the alien ship approached sea level the outline of the Great Barrier Reef became visible, and the alien headed for a small island, one of the hundreds that dotted the length of the reef system.  “Nothing in the neighborhood,” Ken reported, as they followed the alien ship down.  “No need to watch your fire, except with mister VIP.”The Alphas started preparations, as the ship tilted and descended rapidly.  Catalina had some problem loading the stun launcher, but with Hadrian’s help she was able to get the bulky clip of oblong missiles fitted into the compartment in the base of the weapon.  “Everybody get ready to call out when you see the commander,” Jane said. “Truthfully, they all look the same to me,” Mary said.  “Is that racist?”“Just check your VDU, Mary,” Jane said. “Right, the VDU should tell you which one is the commander,” James said.  He tapped the visor of his helmet, which glowed faintly green with the visual overlay.  In his new armor, he looked imposing; with most of them clad in the heavy powered suits, even the generous internal bay of the Lightning felt a bit crowded.  The engine noises changed and they could feel their momentum shifting as Ken switched the Lightning over to VTOL mode.  “Alien is on a sandbar NE of our position, about 200 meters,” Ken reported. The aircraft rocked and then set down with a hollow thud.  “Let’s go, kids,” James said, as the outer hatch cycled.The disembarked onto a pristine bar of soft white sand, part of an island that barely rose out of the gentle blue expanse that stretched to the horizon in every direction.  There was some lush greenery visible on the far side of the island, but where they were was merely sandbars, with only the occasional bit of driftwood to break the curving lines of beach.  “Over there,” Catalina said.  The alien ship was clearly visible in the direction Ken had indicated, half-buried in a lagoon fronted by a broad curve of sand.  “No much cover,” Vasily said.  “Slow, careful of water.”They started forward, leaving deep marks in the sandbar.  The fine sand would have forced them to a slow pace in any case, but they moved warily, checking for any signs of aliens.  Catalina panned the motion sensor back and forth.  “Nothing showing,” she said.  “At least not at this range.”“My brother Vinod dived here once,” Mary said. “Something doesn’t feel right,” James said.  “What?” Vasily asked. “I don’t know.  Just… just a feeling.”“Nothing showing,” Jane said, peering at the alien ship through the scope attached to her rifle.“We need to get that commander,” Vasily began.  “Keep an eye out for…”But he was cut off as the water around the edges of the lagoon erupted, and six bulky green forms rose up into view, forming a broad half-circle facing the Alphas.  Each of the six carried a heavy plasma cannon.“It trap!” Vasily yelled, even as the first volley of energy bolts streaked into them.</blockquote>

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