3:16 - Carnage Amongst the Stars - Game Thread (Mission #1)

[Rain Yupa]

@ Trooper Griswold and the shiny object:

Griswold, along with Troopers Castro and Smith, would head across the shoal to the small island. Leading the way, the other two troopers would watch his back - one aiming his slug rifle back on shore, the other aiming her energy rifle towards the water.

As he gets close, he finds the object is spherical - and not metallic. The object is around the size of a basketball, and an off-white color. Nearing closer, he could see a distorted reflection of himself in it. It... was a giant pearl! As big as his freaking head!

It didn't seem attached to anything, be it mechanical, biological, or anything in between. Not even a giant oyster that might have spawned this. But it was unguarded, and his for the taking!

Otherwise, the tiny island yielded no clues.

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@ Troopers Ramon and Cassidy at the giant coral reef:

The two soldiers would be accompanied by Trooper Mccarthy, who seemed to be sticking close to Ramon. The giant coral reef seemed like a giant, weather-worn natural structure, perhaps left over from before the ocean levels dropped for some reason. Though as they entered through one of the many openings at the base, the inside would be quite different. It still looked natural, but it interwove in a matrix of designs. It was a complex lattice that definitely couldn't be a result of natural phenomena!

But this probably would mean little, as Trooper Mccarthy was sticking close to Ramon. Really close. Distractingly close. She seemed to be completely uninterested in the mission, or what the find might mean. It was even throwing off Cassidy's game.

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@ Trooper Zeke and the Sand Dunes:

Zeke would reach the elevated sand dunes along with Airman Christensen, who held a small pistol. It gave them a slightly elevated view of the entire island, which was probably only a couple kilometers across at the widest point. The sun was beating down on them, the heat magnified by the white sand! Hopefully Zeke's MandalBrite armor includes an air conditioning unit!

The light and heat was kind of bothersome, and didn't do much to help them cope with spotting anything.

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@ Corporal Tantalus and Trooper Drauss at the cove:

Tantalus and Drauss, along with Troopers Lopez and Holloway, began to explore the inlet, trying to find perhaps places of ambush. There were some sandstone-looking rock formations on the sides, providing a sheltered view from the squad's landing site. As they began to scan the perimeter, they didn't find any sort of habitation - just an awesome relaxation spot.

... wait, wasn't Trooper Wolfe with you? A quick head count would put you down a soldier, and hails by comm would fail to raise her. Backtracking to one side of the cove, they would discover two emptied suits of MandalBrite Armor, along with packs and weapons, strewn about recklessly on the shore.

A distant giggle and splash would alert Tantalus and Drauss that Troopers Wolfe and Arnold were apparently getting frisky in the water of the cove, only visible from their shoulders up.

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@ Trooper Griswold:

Since you are the only one who made your NFA roll, you are the only one to see a massive shadow beneath the waves of the ocean moving at a fairly high clip, directly towards the island! The water seemed to part as the gargantuan creature remained beneath the surface. It seemed to be moving directly towards the cove, and was currently out of range of your weapons.  

[SporkMaster5000]

Griswold's eyes widened at the sight of the massive pearl. Huffing ahead of the other two he scooped it up with one arm, keeping his gun in the other, "Finders keeper..." he began before noticing the underwater shadow.

"What the hell is- Corporal! Underwater, something big. It's heading right for you!" Griswold shouts over the comm once he realizes where it's going. He waves for the other two to head back to shore with his gun arm, before hurriedly shoving his sparkly find into his backpack and making double time himself.  

[Mongooseh]

"Everyone retreat to the beach! Form a two deep firing line one kneeling one standing! Theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die!" Ordered Trevor as he stood firm with his gun raised as to propose where he wanted them to form the line.  

[Raganui Minamoto]

Tom Cassidy growled to himself as he tried to study the matrix of coral, but McCarthy was distracting him by how she hung onto Ramon. About to turn and berate the woman, the order was issued to retreat to the beach.

"Gun's up, let's move carefully back the way we came. Ramon, keep the rear covered. McCarthy, if you don't stop looking like a lost puppy and get your damn act together, I swear I'll break your spine myself."

NFA: 4, to tactically retreat and get McCarthy to start acting like a soldier.  

[Arc Vembris]

"iAndale, mi hija!" Padre ushered Trooper McCarthy ahead of him. "I'm right behind you." Ramon hustles back to the beach, enjoying the view while he covers herthe rear.  

[NayrVentess]

It all happened so quickly; finding the two shagging troopers, and then Griswalds frantic warning over the radio. "Drauss, Lopez, Holloway, you heard the sergeant, get back to the beach! Wolfe, Arnold stop ******** and ******** get back in your suits and grab your guns!" Hoping that the three suited and booted troopers listened to him, Tantalus at least didn't want them to die now, the corporal waited for Wolfe and Arnold to get out, he would cover them until then, then they would retreat together.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ The Cove:

Trooper Drauss would accompany Lopez and Holloway out of there, leaving Tantalus to survey the scene. Energy Cannon Maggie in hand, he let her hum to life in a readied position as he yelled for the two young lovers to get out of the water.

Laughing, Trooper Wolfe would hold up her right hand, flipping her Corporal the bird as Trooper Arnold was upon her, laughing. They no longer seemed to give a s**t.

So when a big shadowy figure beneath the surface of the water rushed into the cove, the gigantic wave caught the two off guard and they were quickly submerged.

The water would still and Tantalus would read no target. The calming water would lap against the shore at his feet quietly as he waited for something to emerge, be it his troopers or whatever that thing was.

Feeling something against his foot, Tantalus would look down to see a severed right hand of a young woman, middle finger extended while the other fingers would be clenched together. It looked like it had been sheered clean off a few centimeters below the wrist.

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TIME TO TEST FOR DOMINANCE:

Everyone, give me an NFA roll, and list your preferred starting range. Tantalus, you have the option of starting one increment closer than the others, so please state if you hold your ground or fall back in addition to your post - assuming the Aliens don't win, after all.

Results:
Aliens (9) = Failure
Sgt. Kovack (7) = Far
Cpl. Tantalus (10) = Failure, +1 Distance
Tpr. Cassidy (4) = Far
Tpr. Drauss (0) = Failure
Tpr. Griswold (5) = Failure
Tpr. Ramon (7) = Failure
Tpr. Zeke (6) = Failure  

[Arc Vembris]

NFA: 6, mid-range

GM Edit: d20 was rolled instead of a d10, but the result was between 1-10, so the roll will stand.  

[Erisel]

NFA: 3, Near  

[SporkMaster5000]

Not being overtaken by aliens ability: 4

Going for far range.  

[NayrVentess]

((Shiiit hope we don't get ambushed))

NFA: 3

Tantalus took a bit drag on his cancer stick as he stared at the severed hand. "Lucky b***h, after giving me the finger I wouldn't have been so easy on you."

(Mid range please, if we win and far range is chosen, I will pick mid-range. But if mid-range is chosen I won't stay a step closer, but will retreat back to mid-range also)  

[Mongooseh]

(Nfa:7 distance: far)  

[Raganui Minamoto]

NFA: 4

Starting far.  

[Rain Yupa]

Corporal Tantalus would have little time to pull back to a better firing position until whatever was in the water decided to finally emerge! The massive blackened form would cause the water to crest above it as it rapidly approached the shoreline, and upon landfall, there would be... nothing?

There would most likely be confusion all around, but Sergeant Kovack and Trooper Cassidy would see it first. A dark shadow would travel across the surface of the ground, cast by nothing at all. The discarded weapons and armor of the two young lovers would be pulled into it like it was quicksand, and the two-dimensional entity would rapidly begin to approach!

COMBAT, ROUND 1

FAR

Sgt. Kovack, Slug Rifle
Tpr. Cassidy, Slug Rifle
Tpr. Drauss, Slug Rifle
Tpr. Griswold, Slug Rifle
Tpr. Ramon, Energy Rifle
Tpr. Zeke, Energy Rifle

NEAR

Cpl. Tantalus, E-Cannon

CLOSE

ALIENS
Threat Level: 4/25

Everyone, tell me what you are doing, and give me an appropriate roll! Remember, if you fight the aliens with Fighting Ability and you succeed before the aliens do, you can ALSO change your range by one increment for free.

Everyone, post what you want to do. You can edit your post accordingly if what someone else declares changes your plan (such as moving to Close range, and finding out someone is pulling out grenades). BUT ONCE YOU ROLL, YOUR ACTION IS LOCKED IN. So if what your action is depends on what someone else does, post but don't roll until after they declare. Honor system is in effect.

Actions are resolved in order of highest success to lowest success, then highest failure to lowest failure. Upon seeing the result of your dice roll, it is your job as a player in 3:16 to include the flavor text of you killing (or failing to kill) aliens, or whatever task you were trying to accomplish! So make sure you edit in the fruits of your characters' labors after rolling!

Alien Action this turn: Closing with the soldiers! If successful, everyone moves forward one range increment. I will roll upon declaration of people's actions (because, technically, you shouldn't know the result of the aliens' roll until after all actions have been decided.)