Recruiting crew for the B.S.M. Pandora maiden voyage !
Oops, I replied to the email notification for this instead of doing it here.
That info is available from the manual: https://archive.org/details/apple-sds-wreck-of-the-bsm-pandora-a2-ph/parts/wreck%20of%20the%20bsm%20pandora%20deck%20plan%20sheet/
Ah well, it looks like I am the CO... errr... not sure why I had Markmar's ID on me err... hmmm
By now, all the other members of the expedition have awoken and taken some action, as I knew they would.
They have been diligent in their own efforts to put the pieces of the puzzle back together so we know where we need to act, and which pods should be avoided.
I immediately head down the corridor and pick up an Ikit, good for repairing other kits. Ironically, it is itself broken. I will need to find a Maintenance Pod to fix it.
I finally arrive at the door I saw the alien enter. I scan it from the safety of the airlock, and discover it is a Weapons Pod. If someone has a faulty weapon, this is where they would need to go to repair it. Fittingly enough, it seems to also contain a weapon, guarded by the alien.
Inside the pod, I can see the specimen witnessed earlier, as well as a Utilily Bot, which seems active. I decide not to take any risks and go north to scan the opposite pod.
This turns out to be the Con Pod, housing one of the consoles capable of restarting the whole ship. Unfortunately, its hull must have been breached in the incident, and the airlock would only open up to the cold vacuum of deep space.
I ask Hesiod, who acquired an Envirig earlier, to check that it is in good condition if he wishes to venture in.
The Ubot has followed me into the corridor, so I check on its status before progressing further west. It is malfunctioning, and I do not have any Botkit on me at the moment.
However, it functions well enough to attack me! I manage to dodge the blow and bravely flee westwards, shouting over my shoulder to Hesiod to be careful.
I have added everything I have learned about the ship, through my own eyes and with the help of others, on the map I have ripped from my Employee Manual (Edition 163-77b).
Quote from Argyraspide on 9 April 2022, 15h17I ask Hesiod, who acquired an Envirig earlier, to check that it is in good condition if he wishes to venture in.
I'd like to, but that Utility Bot is in my way.
Thankfully, I can take a hit. Unfortunately, I'm a harpooner, not a pugilist, and "moderate damage" seems to be the best I can do.
Something unexpected happened soon after.
Local time is now 0. Game time is still 2. The Ubot is gone. Somehow I got a free turn.
I put on my suit and trudged over to the Pod 3 console, which is in code red.
Quote from DDG Ahab on 9 April 2022, 22h34
Something unexpected happened soon after.
Local time is now 0. Game time is still 2. The Ubot is gone. Somehow I got a free turn.
I have seen this episode of Star Trek. It is not looking good for Enseign Skralling !
Still in search of the galley, I check out the pods in this section, a useless LandLok and the BotPod.
Both have beasties ensconced so I leave them be. I grab the CompKit on my way out and head down the corridor.
The next section is full of more beasties, no surprise. All flee as I clomp towards them.
I see a C on the deck here but before I can reach it, the radio pips and I must freeze to let Markmar have a go.
Pod 4, here I come. Don't be vacuum please don't be vacuum
Thanks the Pantokrator it's not vacuum. Hey, it's two bots and a item.... let's check the manual..... the "C" item must be a CompCon.... apparently it can give access to the ship map and creature manifesto. That could be.... massively useful?
The Bots are a ReconBot and an Ambot. They could be useful too. Let's get the CompCon. HI MY MECHANICAL FRIENDS
MUST OBLITERATE MUST OBLITERATE
I will not bother the dear reader with the desperate moves that our Maintenance officer had to use to survive not one, but two crazed bots, but let us say that his superior skills forged in years of brutal survival and the fact that both the Bots had shitty attack power kinda helped.
*Hysterical screaming* I DID NOT EVEN FINISH SPACE QUEST 1 ONCE I AM NOT EQUIPPED FOR THIS
Our Hero then ran in the corridor and did the most Italian thing he could think of:
He left a Frenchman as a human shield against the Robotic Menace while frantically checking the CompCon.
Ok. Ok. Breathe. Map or Manifest, Map or Manifest.... MAP
Who's the man? I'm the man!
Why is the crazy Italian running ? I don't see any bot.
Ah, I got a notification on my pager... a map !? hey, that's the Pandora ! I remember now !
Think, Neema, think !
Well, we need to repair stuff on all floors. With both Skraaling and Charybdis there, Level 2 should be good,
Level 3 : The enviropod is condition yellow so it is not critical-critical to be fixed now, and Dayyalu may be able to grab that weapon.
Level 1 is going to be a problem. Lots of aliens, lots of stuff to fix, and only one woman.
But look at you ! You're not fast ! You can't defend yourself ! You are not that smart - I mean, you would be doing another job if you had been. I am not going to help much.
... what do I have in my pocket ?
Botkit... Hey. I could use that to fix the broken bots in pod 4. Is it still working ?
30 TIME UNITS JUST FOR LOOKING AT MY BOTKIT ? JESUS !
Anyway, new plan. Get into Pod 4, ignore the harmless transport bot, repair the reconbot, and send it to level 1 :
Recon bot repaired before it could strike me ! And the botkit is still functional. Is luck turning ?
For some reason I cannot control the reconbot though. Maybe because there is another crazed bot in the room ? Well, repaired the other bot as well. The botkit is in red condition now, but I should be able to send the recon bot toward level 1 or the nav room soon.
New map, merging Dayyalu's and Argyraspide's :
The situation is quickly improving.
My colleagues have been scouring the ship, gathering and relaying vital data. We may get out of this alive after all.
Moving further towards this level's Pod 1 (Dcon Pod, as we have learned), I am once again faced with a weird creature gathered from Skrom-knows-where. The details of our voyage are still very fuzzy in my memory.
Thankfully, it does not move a muscle as I make my way towards the very important Navigation Pod to check on its status.
It's green! That is at least one thing we won't have to worry about.
Dilemma. My repair aptitude is pretty good - good enough that I was able to fix up my own envirig with my own hands, but in the training simulations, trying to fix a broken console usually made it worse. And I don't know what happens when you fail at repairing one that's already in red condition. As much as I'd love to fix up this broken computer and be a big damn hero, it's risky. Too risky. Better leave this job to Dr. Teleman.
Change of plans - pick up a weapon, then join up with Skraaling to finish searching level 2. If nothing else, I'm a good shot. I can just make it to the weapons pod in this heavy rig and find myself a suitable harpoon, and a skittish megafauna to perhaps test it on.
With the latest info update I make haste for the CompPod. I note another ArmoRig on the floor, no need for that. The beastie flees into the CompPod before me and I charge in after it. Fortunately my ArmoRig is pressurized since the pod is not. Strangely the beastie seems just fine with the complete lack of atmosphere.
No tea, but there's half a cup of coffee here by the steering wheel. Bleh, French Roast. I toss it out the nearest porthole. There's a notebook on the coffee table. Captain's blog... hmm, it looks like he's been up here playing Andromeda Conquest again. Doesn't that guy ever do any work?
The computer is enormous and takes up most of the room. Normally this pod is full of blinking lights and spinning dials but the pilot light is out and it's not functioning right now. I tap the Reset button on membrane keypad but the teletype says No.
Ok then, I do have a CompKit and it's in Green condition. I plug it in and turn the ignition switch.
Like every bad horror movie, the motor chugs but the darn thing just won't start right now.
Well, the Captain managed to set the bots online. Good. I guess it's time for a shooting spree.
With the ReconBot under my expert control, the two creatures in the Exit Pod are stunned. I give them a double dose just in case, I don't exactly understand the stunning rules. The ReconBot is taken back to the starting position to let the Captain use it if needed.
Curses. The RestraintPod is broken. I could risk a repair attempt.... not now tho. Better to get some extra data on the Xenos we're dealing with. Manifest it is.
Christ and Hunter, there's like fifteen of them. I'll need an Imgur upload if I don't want people to get insane and I can't use the spoilers on the Ratman's forum. Goshdammit.
DAYYALU'S XENOS MENAGERIE: VOLUME 1
(It's working for everyone? Also, the "wolly mammoth" is a murdermachine)
Also, the CompCon kinda exploded after dumping all the data. Well, it's not like we need it anymore. Next turn, we repair the restraint pod. Surely.
Ah ! Repaired two bots. I can certainly rest *a little* before using the bots.
< closes eyes >
Commander ! I am in the Computer Room Pod 1-6. Checking the power room pod 1-1 next.
Commander ! I zapped two aliens and sent you the manifest file !
Uh ! What ? < yawn > Let me see that
Uh ! Bisape. That's a bad mofo ! Oh ! The reeler ! Not nice either ! Oooohhh the curder. So CUTE ! Aaaawwwww
What's this ? The Abomnid. Ah ! More like the Murderomnid !
I sure hope it is well restrained in a pod. Hmm... Level 1 Pod 8. Damn. Let's NOT go there...
...
Where did Claire say she was going ?
I need to bring the bots, NOW !
The bots level 1 :
and me following as fast as I can, ie, not very much :
Also the map, I am not very sure of the status of the computer room, and I did not update the alien location.
Moving on from the pristine Navigation Pod, I head to the Survey Pod across the corridor. Thankfully, the alien still does not make a move towards me as I make my way through. Actually, looking at him now, it looks like he is either asleep or knocked out.
I am delighted to find a stungun in the Survey Pod, and less delighted to notice it is broken, like my Ikit.
Thanks to our Maintenance Officer, I know that the neighbouring Pod 1 of this level contains a dangerous specimen, and I cannot risk facing it unarmed.
Therefore my next destination will be the Weapon Pod on this very level.
But before that, I decide to take advantage of the familiar machinery of this pod to try and control a robot.
Unfortunately, the powerful Specibot "needs repair", according to the system, and the other two are unavailable to me at the moment.
Quote from Argyraspide on 12 April 2022, 14h40Therefore my next destination will be the Weapon Pod on this very level.
Suggestion - give me the Ikit. I might be able to fix it for you and save you the trip.
For now, let's see what I can do with my weapon.
Dead!
Heading over to Skraaling's vicinity, the Scorsaur stands where it was found. Not for long.
I finally figure out how to use the CompKit and thwack the computer with it as hard as I can.
Yes! It sputters into life... CompPod is now GREEN. I also try pressing the Ship Restart button but nothing happens.
Looks like we still have more work to do. Teleman out.
We'll have to fix the Con Pod on level 2 before that happens. And I'm not touching it without a CompKit.
There's the Power Pod too, potentially. Do you have a plan for getting past the abomnid?
Quote from DDG Ahab on 12 April 2022, 16h54We'll have to fix the Con Pod on level 2 before that happens. And I'm not touching it without a CompKit.
There's the Power Pod too, potentially. Do you have a plan for getting past the abomnid?
I am bringing the recon bot just for that. It will take 2 turns though and I have NO idea how long we have.
What do you mean that fixing the Restraint Pod to Green and moving two meters south consumed all my turn?
I have complaints about that.
The Level 3 Restraint Pod is green. We can start securing Level 3 and I'll go repair the essential Pod in the next turns.
< panting >
< grunting >
< panting > The lift finally < panting >
FLOOR 3 : ENVIRONMENT POD. EXTERIOR POD. MAINTENANCE POD
< presses button > < collapses >
𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅮 Jazzy elevator music 𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅮
FLOOR 2 : NAVIGATION POD. CONTROL POD. WEAPON POD
𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅮 Jazzy elevator music 𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅮
FLOOR 1 : POWER POD. COMPUTER POD. ABOMNID RESTRAINT POD
Finally, the bots !
