Starward

Starward
Episode X
"Mysterious Cargo"

It is a time of peace negotiations. The Automatrix Dominion and the Federation of Free and Willing Systems are meeting on  e Cascades—Binary planets that orbit so closely together, water falls from one to the other. Massive armadas on each side circle the planet.

The independent freighter Lazerhawk must avoid naval entanglements to pick up a mysterious cargo.

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A starship hiding under an island in an interplanetary waterfall. Alana's piloting at Captain Will's command. Shadowing a Federation patrol ship by copying its standard operating protocols. STVe's knowledge showing the way. A figure in coral armor riding on a flying fish marshalling a starship to land. Ba2 distracted by Quantum anomoly, missing the danger to the hull seals, bursting under water pressure. Occasionally the power of the material world does NOT pale next to the power of the Quanta.

*
SIDEBAR: Enhanced datafile on native species Gamma native to The Cascades:
Eacy being is, in fact, an individual hive of quasi-independent organisms. The dorsal surface has a coral-like protective carapace. When facing outward, resembles coral armor. They are renown throughout space as warriors unparalleled in non-lethal combat. They can vary their internal density. They have no teeth, drinking nectar for sustenance. They can project stinging, paralyzing tendrils from their appendages.

*
On an island rotating, slowing becoming a cliff. The Lazerhawk grounded and surrounded by Federation troops. Waterfall in falling sunlight. Rainbows everywhere!

Laser drills brought to bear on stubborn hull. A shout! Blaster fire. Efficiency versus pluck. A mortar brought to bear. Too powerful its anchoring jets. The island rotating and Federation troopers drenched. Angelus, the fish-woman, paralyzing troops with stinging tendrils. Steam from blaster bolts enveloping the battlefield. Ba2 reflecting laser bolts off polished sword-a distraction. Captain will destroying the laser drills. "I just fixed that."

Off the troop transport, Brigadier Armstrong, in cavalry hat and breathing apparatus like moustaches and muttonchops. A fencing salute. Sword skills perfectly according to training. Ba2 drawing the battle closer to the Lazerhawk. A devastating deviation from standard protocol! Ba2's katana twisting through the weird gravity. How does a Federation officer understand Quantum flux? Magnet boots on outer hull of The Lazerhawk.

STVe thrown into the mysterious, precious cargo during liftoff. Brown, earthy, fragrant, spongy.

Water in the ship. Bailing out the engine room. Icicles of vented moisture on the outer hull. A flashing light on a robotic tracking unit, unseen on the outer hull. They're tracking us. You didn't think our escape would be so easy? Angelus screaming at Captain Will: "You said you could deliver it in time. The colony needs to leave when the wormhole opens. The next wormhole is in ten thousand centuries. I don't live that long!"

Angelus and Ba2 picking the mulch from STVe. The cold chill of fear in a robot’s central processor. Impossible Quantum energy packed into this mulch. The Nth-power Quantum mulch: The question isn't what it can do, but what it can't do! How can the Nth-power Quantum mulch be neutralized?

Days later, the prismatic drive too waterlogged to track. No FTL means our pursuers are looking in the wrong place. The ol' "too slow to follow" gambit. First mate Amara not at the controls. Angelus also missing. Ba2 uses a mote of mulch to search the Quantum field.

A cloaked ship secretly docked with the Lazerhawk! Alana and Angelus onboard. The cephalopodic ship launches into prismatic drive. Captain Will vents atmosphere and water all. A plume of prismatic ice crystals blooming from the ship’s hull. Prismatic drive restored! STVe skillfully navigates to match cephalopodic ship's course.

Powered by Nth-power Quantum mulch, Ba2 leaps the distance, but overpowered. Android body smashing through cephalopdic drive system, and tumbling out the otherside through void. Captain Will bringing The Lazerhawk to bear on the cephalopodic ship. Zoom out. The Automatrix Dominion surrounds both!

The wormhole opens.

A single Federation ship appears near the floating helpless Ba2. On bridge, a figure cavalry hat, bearing both saber and katana. "Gotcha!"

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Epidiah as the Overplayer
Stras as Captain Will and first mate Alana
Keith as STVe
Myself as Ba2

Our virtual tabletop: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1Tl964iNFt2_YdVSiLaf2I24FZfm40uPoXVWnPJCOYP0/edit
The Lazerhawk: http://imgur.com/ztSKgBb

http://imgur.com/ztSKgBb