As noted last time, this was a great session and a most unusual one. No enemy to vanquish, no life threatening obstacles to overcome, and no mystery to solve. Instead, it was all about character. Who are they, what are they about, why do they do what they do.
Now let's finish things up...
Yellow Sun
Season I, Episode 2
'It's Double or Nothing'
Part 3
The team was gathered together in the Mess Hall of the Yellow Sun that now sat in orbit of an icy, barren world distantly revolving around a beautiful blue star.
On the large screen in front of them was ADAM, the ship's AI, informing them that the Duality Drive test run had not worked as smoothly as he'd thought. In fact, there was a major Smeg-Up he hadn't anticipated.
The group decided to head up to the Drive Room to have the reason of this conversation.
The Duality Drive had somehow created two separate yet identical Yellow Suns, one at the starting point of the test and another at the intended destination, the blue star system.
[I made it clear that this was not time travel related nor a Yellow Sun from a parallel universe, all of which were speculated by the players - but again, not their characters - earlier in the session. It became apparent during a discussion of how exactly the Duality Drive should have worked that this was more like the Thomas Riker/Will Riker transporter accident from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Two identical 'originals' had been created, the same up to the point where different decisions were made.]
Webb had mentioned this possibility when the test was first attempted and was now telling everyone 'I told you you'. Wilder asked ADAM if he could hail the other Yellow Sun and yes, it turned out that indeed he could. The two ADAMs were then ordered by the two Wilders to come up with a plan.
After a few moments they both told their respective crews that a reactivation of the Duality Drive with the proper coordinates and modulation would merge the two ships back into a single vessel - along with all the occupants - provided they didn't collide together in a massive explosion. Both Webbs and Wilders ordered the two ADAMs to run simulations to make sure that didn't happen. They did their best.
After about two dozen scenarios, the ADAMs finally found one where no one died and damage was minimal. Minimal was still too much for the Webbs, but the ADAMs assured them this was the best they could hope for. So many variables were unprecedented and therefore unknown.
The two Yellow Sun crews had a moment to speak to each other before they were combined to avoid some sort of quantum identity non-sense that really no one had the time or patience to deal with.
Chicken looked at Chicken and the one on the Yellow Sun in the blue star system yelled, "I had Chocolate Covered Strawberries!" The other said equally as excitedly, "I had Chocolate Covered Pretzels!" They both ooh'ed and aah'ed at the others culinary discovery and agreed they'd each have to try the other's find.
ARTHUR said, with his usual casual, working class Londoner accent and deliberate cadence, "Made Mutton Bangers." The other nodded approvingly. "Made Pork ones me'self." The other nodded back. "Hmm. Yes. Should've gone with Pork." "Next time", said his doppleganger, and that was the end of that.
We catch the Wilders in mid-conversation, each detailing their Arctic Rescue Mission. They compare notes on the prevalence of Polar Bears vs. Penguins and can't quite come to a consensus. The decide to forward each other electronic copies of their respective Drill parameters.
Webb looks at Webb and of course Webb looks back and the two simultaneously take a deep breath and sigh. This is way outside of their wheelhouses. Finally, the blue star system Webb says, "About Roberts...", and the other says, "Yes. I know. We had to know. But...". "Yes?", says the blue star system Webb. "It's fine. Really. I'm fine.", says the Pork, Pretzel, no blue star version of Webb. They smile at each other, nod, and sign off.
ADAM tells ADAM what a pleasure it was working with someone so intelligent, dedicated, and might he say, handsome. The pleasure, ADAM assures him, was all his.
Duality Drive Reactivation in 5-5. 4-4, 3-3, 2-2, 1-1....
The ships shook and blurred, creating two 'after images', then four, than eight; each duplicate image creating an additional two duplicate images. This lasted longer than it had the first time and the group started to shout in stereo. Suddenly they all - and I do mean All; All the groups on all the Yellow Suns - felt as if they were being pulled, yanked really, from the center of their beings to a point...
Everything went still. Everyone stood up or got into a chair and looked around the Drive Room and at each other. Everything seemed normal but then, it had before as well.
The Drive Room of the SCSS Yellow Sun
Based on concept art for the Nostromo bridge
by legendary artist Ron Cobb
Wilder instructed ADAM to scan the area for any anomalies related to the incident. Webb suggested ADAM scan himself, the ship, and the group as well. After a bit, ADAM indicated that they were the only them in the vicinity. The plan worked, though the Duality Drive itself had been destroyed. There was also some minor damage to the main engine relays and sub-systems. Wilder put the Skutters to work on that straight away.
Chicken left the room once things had settled and headed for the Snack Sucre' Vending Machine once more. She saw a new option she hadn't noticed before; Strawberry Flavored Chocolate Covered Pretzels! Thinking nothing of it beyond 'Yum!' she asked for a hundred packages and sat down in front of the machine to eat.
ARTHUR returned to the Galley to plan dinner. As he was putting away the leftover Bangers and Mash he noticed that the Bangers were a mix of Pork and Mutton. He jotted down ideas for improving the recipe and then went about his business.
Wilder stood in the Drive Room looking at various readouts and consoles, eventually noticing a Yellow Alert - Condition RED blinking on the Tactical, Engineering, and Operations screens. All the '2's were back to normal. That was nice. More importantly however, the Port Side Laser Cannon...
Webb had left the bridge at some point, walking somewhat aimlessly down the corridors, ostensibly heading for his quarters. ADAM appeared on a nearby wall display, asking Mitchell if he was alright. Webb stopped, nodded, and thanked ADAM once more for the business with David Roberts. ADAM smiled and nodded. As Webb walked on he was glad ADAM had removed all the data about his old friend while ADAM was glad he had given Mitchell the information about Robert surviving.
Oh boy.
Chicken left the room once things had settled and headed for the Snack Sucre' Vending Machine once more. She saw a new option she hadn't noticed before; Strawberry Flavored Chocolate Covered Pretzels! Thinking nothing of it beyond 'Yum!' she asked for a hundred packages and sat down in front of the machine to eat.
ARTHUR returned to the Galley to plan dinner. As he was putting away the leftover Bangers and Mash he noticed that the Bangers were a mix of Pork and Mutton. He jotted down ideas for improving the recipe and then went about his business.
Wilder stood in the Drive Room looking at various readouts and consoles, eventually noticing a Yellow Alert - Condition RED blinking on the Tactical, Engineering, and Operations screens. All the '2's were back to normal. That was nice. More importantly however, the Port Side Laser Cannon...
Webb had left the bridge at some point, walking somewhat aimlessly down the corridors, ostensibly heading for his quarters. ADAM appeared on a nearby wall display, asking Mitchell if he was alright. Webb stopped, nodded, and thanked ADAM once more for the business with David Roberts. ADAM smiled and nodded. As Webb walked on he was glad ADAM had removed all the data about his old friend while ADAM was glad he had given Mitchell the information about Robert surviving.
Oh boy.
***
Closing music, end credits roll, and that was the completion of session number two.
I hope you all enjoyed reading it half as much as I did running it. It was literally one of the best single sessions of a game I've had in a long time.
The banter, the way each PC handled the situation, it all made for a perfect storm of character development and comedy that was exactly what I was going for. We learn something about Webb's backstory, Wilder's attempts to connect with Chicken and why, as well as ARTHUR in some dialogue about why he learned to cook.
Chicken doesn't develop per se but that also fit perfectly with who she is and how she really lives only in the moment with just the basic desires to eat, sleep, and poke around the ship. This is also very much like Cat from the Red Dwarf TV show, who develops very little and very subtly over the course of 12 seasons.
OK, got some other things to talk about, need to write up Episode 3, and prepare for running Episode 4 tomorrow night! SMEG!
Later,
AD
Barking Alien
I hope you all enjoyed reading it half as much as I did running it. It was literally one of the best single sessions of a game I've had in a long time.
The banter, the way each PC handled the situation, it all made for a perfect storm of character development and comedy that was exactly what I was going for. We learn something about Webb's backstory, Wilder's attempts to connect with Chicken and why, as well as ARTHUR in some dialogue about why he learned to cook.
Chicken doesn't develop per se but that also fit perfectly with who she is and how she really lives only in the moment with just the basic desires to eat, sleep, and poke around the ship. This is also very much like Cat from the Red Dwarf TV show, who develops very little and very subtly over the course of 12 seasons.
OK, got some other things to talk about, need to write up Episode 3, and prepare for running Episode 4 tomorrow night! SMEG!
Later,
AD
Barking Alien
“Look into the eyes of a chicken and you will see real stupidity. It is a kind of bottomless stupidity, a fiendish stupidity. They are the most horrifying, cannibalistic and nightmarish creatures in the world.”
ReplyDelete― Werner Herzog