[YBA!] Keth the space pirate launches his carreer

[Jeph]

OOC: This brings up the xp over Hits Defeated issue. I'd like to go for HD, I think it is more accurate. I don't think that Nat Hit 20 characters should get the same experience from a 2 nat hit enemy as a 19 nat hit one.

Keth sighs in reliev. "Computer, asses the damage that that thing caused." He pauses for a moment. "And run a scan on the ships interior and hull, I want to know if there are any more of those things."

 

[Sabaron]

ooc: I use Gray's system... still, a 1 HD monster is 1 XP for you.

"Computing..."

"Due to a quick response, the threat was neutralized before much damage was done. If the hydrogen scoop is activated, we should have enough power to get to Tariovka Prime."

The computer activates the hydrogen scoop. It also scans through the ship, looking for more pests, but locates nothing more harmful than a rat, which an exterminator drone is dispatched to eliminate.

The next two days of your journey seem uneventful. On the third day...

"Sensors report a large metallic mass emitting energy 3 clicks spinward of here. It is likely a merchant ship, due to low amount of energy emissions. Attempting a rendezvous would take approximately 3 hours. Would you like to change course to intecept the ship?"

 

[Jeph]

"Change course to intercept. Stand by for defensive manuevering . . . This piece of junk can do defensive manuevering, right?"

OOC: Aaaawww, I wanted to kill the rat! under the old XP system, that would have been another .5!

 

[Sabaron]

"Positive, Captain. The 'ship' is quite maneuverable, due to the mass/force ratio of the engine. We do lack offensive armament, however."

"Changing course now."

With 3 hours to kill until rendezvous, you activate your passive EMP array. It alerts you to the fact that this ship emits a very low amount of energy, indicating that it either has a weak engine, few weapons, or both. It also tells you that the hull of the ship is made mostly from cheap scrap iron.

If you like, you can activate your active radar sensors. This will give you more information, but if they have a radar detector, it will give you away.

 

[Jeph]

"Activate everything that that has a tracable energy signal. I want to be blaring obvious, not look like a skulker ready to fire a hidden weapons array. And transfer a bit of power to the distress signal. Reroute it away from defenses. "

Since "everything" includes all the scanners and radar, Keth has a look at their displays.

 

[Sabaron]

Scanning their ship, you discover that it is indeed mostly scrap metal, with only one detectable weapon system; an outdated laser cannon.

When your signals reach their ship, they begin hailing you.

"This is the GCR (Galactic Concordat Registered. The GC is an pan-galactic trading guild) K'alt'mak. We are responding to your distress call... please send us your coordinates so we can get a lock on you and pick you up."

Your computer informs you "This is not a human vessel. It appears to belong to the I'tik'uk, a race of hive-minded insects, each approximately 1 centimeter long. Separately, each has an IQ of approximately 12. Together with a queen, they can be as intelligent as any human."

 

[Jeph]

"That's . . . odd. Uh . . . do they have pasages big enough for me to get through? Guest quarters or something? If they do, send them coordates. If they don't . . . tell them . . . tell them . . . just tell them something. I guess."

 

[Sabaron]

"Their ships are configured to allow humans passage. You should be able to navigate the ship. Sending coordinates now."

"Sir, you aren't insectophobic, are you?"

 

[Jeph]

"No, no, not at all." A pause. "These guys are on good terms with Humans, right?"

 

[Sabaron]

"No; they're carnivores and enjoy the taste of human flesh."

Your computer's artificial humor system can get on your nerves at times. Blasted AI.

"The I'tik'uk are on good terms with humans, which is why you're finding their merchant ships in a human system. As a side note, very few aliens have a biochemistry close enough to ours to actually ingest human flesh and get use out of it."

2 hours pass before the rendezvous, which you spend looking up data on the I'tik'uk. It seems that they are normally a peaceful race, after their disasterous first contact with humanity, anyway. They killed everyone aboard the first ship they contacted, evidently thinking that those they killed were just drones, not being familiar with non-hive races. That touched off a minor war that lasted about a year before the two sides patched up their differences. All this happened about 500 years ago, so the hatred that war stirred up have long since settled down... only the most ancient I'tik'uk queens have any memories of it at all. The only real problem that still exists between the I'tik and humanity is simply that they mutually creep each other out. The I'tik keep thinking that the huge, clumsy humans will accidentally step on them, while insectiphobic humans aren't comfortable around the race.

You unplug from the computer terminal to find that rendezvous has occured.

"Sir, we are docked with the K'alt'mak. Ready to go aboard? The atmosphere on board is composed of 60% helium, 30% oxygen, 5% chlorine and 5% various trace gases. You will need to wear a filter mask on board, and your voice will be affected by the helium atmosphere."