Let Me Fly Far Away From Here

Yellow Sun

Season I, Episode 1

"It All Ends Here"

Part 4

Outside the Starbug's cockpit view port, the greenish-brownish sphere of the planetoid it was heading towards spun closer and closer at very high speed.

As Chicken piloted the shuttle in a straight, tight, tummy turning trajectory, she noted that her people were not completely foreign to the concept of light. In fact, according to legends, her people could fly under their own power for short distances in 'ancient times'. She then wondered if the trip from Yellow Sun to the planetoid qualified as a short distance. Most of the others shook their heads or shrugged and she nearly panicked again until Wilder distracted her with pretzels.

Finally, the Starbug entered the atmosphere - thin, damp, and composed of whipping, high speed winds - and Chicken is instructed on how to initiate the landing procedure. 

[I explained to Chicken's Player that she needs to slow down, preferably stop spinning, and land. I have her make a die roll and she gets 3 Successes. I ask her how many Successes she wants to put towards slowing, how many to stop rolling, and how many to landing. Chicken decides to place two to control the spin and one on landing.]

The shuttle straightens out and stops barrel rolling to fist pumps and cheers from the rest of the group, only for their congratulations to sour as the Starbug hits the soft, moist, sand-soil of the planetoid like an American Baseball player starting his slide into home plate waaay too soon. When the craft finally stops, a cloud of steam surrounds it and numerous screens flash indicating a relatively safe landing. Relative to death that is. 

Yellow-Orange Alert! Yellow-Orange Alert!

It's more than Yellow; not quite Red.

For when you know you're Smegged but not so Smegged you can't keep going.

Not far from the Starbug's crashsi...ahem...landing zone, the team spots the derelict they've been looking for. Scanning the wreckage from the shuttle's cockpit [at least the Sensors are still working. Mostly.] the gang is able to confirm it is definitely a Nova Class Explorer, though one that seems to have been significantly upgraded. ADAM notes that the Nova Class was brand new at the time the Yellow Sun experienced it's accident. The first of these vessels had launched only a month or so before Yellow Sun went looking for the Red Dwarf. The Nova 1 was a prototype and if successful others would be built down the line. 

Starship model by Sci-Fi Film and TV Model Master

Martin Bower

After trudging through the strange landscape of the planetoid for twenty minutes or so, the group comes upon the ship, wedged between and on top of a series of jagged rocks. At a distance one of the group spots someone, or something, moving around inside the Explorer. 

When they reach the derelict they notice an airlock on the side of the vessel. It is decided that ARTHUR, being charged with the Security of the Yellow Sun's 'personnel', should be the one to enter first. While trying to find a means to breach the airlock, Chicken suggests knocking. It's only polite. 

A moment after knocking a voice with a calm and chipper British Columbia accent answers asking, "Yes? Who is it?" Wilder introduces himself and notes his position as a Rescue Specialist for the Space Corps. The voice is relieved as the vessel, now identified as the Nova 8, as well as its crew are in desperate need of assistance.

After cycling the outer, then inner airlocks, the Yellow Sun team encounters Basil, a Series 4000 Service Mechanoid who clearly sustained damaged in the Nova 8's crash. He greets them with a kowtowing, genuflect attitude typical of droids of his design. Wilder, Webb, and ARTHUR ask him about the ship's mission and crew and Basil is more than happy to introduce them around. As they move through the ship to the Research Labs and Science Stations, the Yellow Sun team sees piles of dust, debris, and hair in each chair Basil motions to as he introduces them as the Nova 8's crew. 

Basil, a Diva Droid International Series 4000 Service Mechanoid

Basil, clearly oblivious to the fact that his crewmates are presently 'life-function challenged', continues to show the group about the Explorer, eventually taking them to the bridge. Here Wilder and Webb describe having some difficulty telling the various crewmembers apart (though they don't bring up that it's because it's hard to tell one mound of bone and hair fragments from another). Basil appears taken aback, pointing out the Captain's commanding presence and First Officer Takashi's austere and noble bearing. And how could you miss Navigator Chen's nature beauty? "I am told that among her organic crewmates she's considered 'quite the looker'."

Finally, Basil introduces the Yellow Sun team to Bennett, the Nova 8 AI, who speaks like an old, well-bred, Upper Class British gentleman. He seemed a tad forgetful and even out of sorts, possibly suffering from Cyber Senility. Be took a liking to Wilder and ARTHUR because they showed proper military protocol. He was very polite to Chicken whom he assumed was a young lady. He didn't trust Webb, whom he immediately saw as a layabout. 

Convinced he'd seen all he needed to see, Wilder asked Bennett and Basil if he and his 'team' could have a look around. He explained that the Yellow Sun would render any aid it could and in exchange the Yellow Sun could use any fuel the Nova 8 had to spare. Basil said the engines of the Nova 8 were destroyed in the crash, which is what marooned the vessel and as such, the Yellow Sun was welcome to all the fuel they had since the Explorer certainly couldn't use it. Basil then implied he would start packing up the crew's things for transport to the Starbug and then the Yellow Sun.

"My guess is they travel rather light these days", remarked Webb. 

Wilder, ARTHUR and Webb headed to engineering to get the Fuel Pods, noticing Chicken had already left the bridge area in search of the galley. She was promised pretzels after all. I mean, why else make this trip if there weren't any pretzels. 

Indeed after poking around the Nova 8 at random, Chicken came across a small galley and mess hall. She opened every drawer, cabinet, and container she could but there were no pretzels to be found. She was about to go from frustrated to downright flabbergasted when a meak, sad sounding voice piped up from a silvery, metal box on the counter with two slits at the top of it. 

"Hello...is...is someone there..."

Chicken perked up and smiled at the box. "I'm here!"

"Would you...*sob*...please...would you care for some...toast?"

Next up, the thrilling conclusion of our first episode and plans beyond!

Stoke me a kipper. I'll be back for Breakfast!

AD
Barking Alien

Fun, Fun, Fun In The Sun, Sun, Sun.

Twelve days ago I posted an idea for using the setting of Red Dwarf, the British, Sci-Fi Sitcom in conjunction with the rule mechanics from the Free League Publishing ALIEN RPG, based on the seminal Sci-Fi Horror film that spawned (get it?) a franchise of its own. 

A lot has happened since. 

My good friend and fellow fan of both IPs Tim Knight, of the illustrious Heropress Blog, really liked the idea and it inspired him to follow up on several ideas of his own in the same vein. You can read his posts here and here.

I additionally received quite a number of Likes when I posted the idea to Twitter and my enthusiasm for the concept grew exponentially from there. Before I quite realized what was happening I had a group, a date and time, and was beginning my newest campaign endeavor...

Barking Alien Proudly Presents...

YELLOW SUN

A Red Dwarf Spin-Off Campaign

Using the ALIEN RPG by Fria Ligan/Free League

"Hello, I am ADAM, the Artificial Intelligence aboard the Space Corps Search and Research starship 'Yellow Sun'. I have an IQ of 6000. That's the equivalent of 6000 fans of Brexit or 12,000 Trump Supporters."

[Once the campaign concept was proposed and character concepts were discussed, the players began sharing little snippets of prologue material needed to set the stage for the first session. I haven't seen this done this way in a very long time and it incredibly inspiring. What you see below is a combination of those pieces with some editing by me, the GM, to make it all flow together as a single narrative.]

Season I, Episode 1,

'It All Ends Here'

Part 1

At the end of March of 2181, the Jupiter Mining Corporation vessel ‘Red Dwarf’ failed to check in with JMC Command and after thirty days was declared missing. 

JMC contacted the Space Corps, as was protocol, and by late April a Search and Rescue ship, the ‘Yellow Sun’, was dispatched to try and locate the mining vessel and/or any of her crew. 

This is what happened…

SCSS Yellow Sun

Space Corps Search and Rescue Vessel

Design and CGI by Ben Nicholas

In order to keep morale on the mission high and the crews’ minds off the potentially tragic fate of those they are searching for, the Space Corps hires a comedian to come on board to entertain the troops. The comedian, one Mitchell Webb, thinks he is working a cruise. He knows nothing about the Space Corps starship ‘Yellow Sun’ or the disappearance of Red Dwarf, or indeed anything about mining, rescues, or space flight. His only life skill in fact, is using wry observation to amuse his fellow human beings.

Meanwhile, as Yellow Sun departs on its mission, a live chicken, intended for the captain's dinner table, escapes into the bowels of the ship. Despite an intense search by the captain's mess staff, the chicken is not found. A.R.T.H.U.R. 1001, the ship's Robot Security Chief, attempts to assist but is unable to fit down the ventilation shaft the chicken was last seen entering. He instructs one of the ship Skutter Maintenance Droids to pursue and apprehend the chicken.

Around the same time, Lt. Donald Wilder, the Yellow Sun’s Rescue Operations Specialist, was prepping for an Emergency Radiation Leak Drill. Unfortunately, Wilder was unable to go through the proper channels due to a previous drill that went a bit sideways.

Wilder had recently set up a car accident scenario featuring a 10 car pile-up in a hangar bay only to have it shut down by the Captain after a Droid shortage was reported because so many of them were building cars for the session. Another dozen Droids were reprogrammed to serve as stand-ins for injured passengers. Over 14 hours of work wiped out by a short sighted (though understandably irate] captain.

It may have been this act, or perhaps the many similar ones just like it, that spurred on Lt. Wilder’s team, Rescue Team Gamma, to perform a rather extreme practical joke. Convincing their department leader that they were staging a surprise ‘Airlock Malfunction’ scenario, Wilder’s team threw him in an airlock and tried to convince him he only had a minute to escape before the outer airlock opened.  While he took the situation he was in seriously, a part of him could not help but wonder if he had forgotten something important. 

Something like an Emergency Radiation Leak Drill complete with real danger from a purposely damaged drive plate. 

"Emergency. Emergency. This is an Emergency. This. Here. Right now. Seriously, as we speak there is an Emergency."

With little to no time to spare, ARTHUR is instructed to find Mitchell Webb and get him safely into a Statsis Booth until the current situation, a Cadmium II Radiation Leak, can be contained. Although ARTHUR is able to fulfill his mission, no thanks to a complaining Webb, it is too late for everyone else.

Webb ends up in Statsis, Lt. Wilder ends up accidentally ejected out of the airlock, and the chicken manages to elude the Skutter in a radiation shield section of the cargo hold. ARTHUR returns to his security duties.

Prologue Ends.

Three Million Years Later...

AD
Barking Alien

Spin My Nipple Nuts and Send Me to Alaska

Yellow Sun

Season I, Episode 1

"It All Ends Here"

Part 5

'The Conclusion'

[You can catch up on the full first session recap with these posts:

Fun, Fun, Fun, In The Sun. Sun. Sun.
Everyone is Dead Mitchell
Shipwrecked and Comatose
Let Me Fly Far Away From Here

or by clicking the tag 'Yellow Sun'. 

OK, here we go...]

***

Chicken had made it to the galley of the Nova 8 and after a desperate search for pretzels, she came upon a talking metal box that had clearly seen better days. In a voice small, exhausted, yet strangely hopeful, the box asked the age old question that had plagued Humanity for untold millennia. 

"Would you...would you like...*child like weeping*...some toast?"

"Sure! What's toast?"

"What? What's toast? It's grilled bread. The bread becomes warm and crunchy...and..."

"BREAD! I love bread!", says Chicken excitedly, "And you can make it warm? And yet crunchy like a pretzel? WOW! I think we are going to be great friends. I'm Chicken!"

*Sobbing and giggling with happiness* "I'm Talkie, the Talking Toaster. Bless you Miss. Bless you."

Meanwhile, the rest of the group were in the forward section of the Engine Room; the front of the rear one might say. They found the Fuel Pods nearly full and intact, though the Drive Section itself was a total wreck. Large, sharp rock formations had gone right through it. Wilder instructed ARTHUR and Webb on how to safely remove the Pods and get them ready for transport. 

The Space Corps Deep Space Explorer Nova 8 in its heyday.

Basil walked over with some suitcases and told the team he was prepping everything for evacuation of his crew. He still had some luggage to pack however. Wilder explained that they'd load everything onto the Starbug and transport it up to the Yellow Sun when the evac was complete. He suggested Basil start moving the luggage to the Starbug now while the Fuel Pods were being removed. Basil thought that an excellent idea and left to get started. 

The gang (minus Chicken) begins to discuss their situation. Something is clearly wrong with Basil and there are a number of details left out of the information they received on the Nova 8 they'd like to have filled. Unfortunately, the priority has to be obtaining the fuel, so they start lugging the Fuel Pods to the airlock when suddenly Bennett appears on a wall screen near them. Wilder salutes, "Yes Bennett? Is there something we can help you with?"

"Hmm? What? Why did I...Oh Silicon Heavens yes! Basil isn't here correct?" The group confirms he is not. "Good. You must be most careful around him. He's a few triangle sandwiches short of Afternoon Tea if you catch my meaning. He can be quite dangerous."

Wilder and Webb exchange glances. "The crew of the Nova 8...did he kill them?"

"What? No, no. He wouldn't. He couldn't. But...if you press too hard on the fact that they are in fact very much dead he'll go into an absolute frenzy. You are not his crew and he might harm all of you."

Nova 8 Crew Uniforms and Mission Insignia Patch

"Hello? What are you all talking about?"

The gang looks up to see Basil putting down too large suitcases and titling his head in query. 

Webb and Wilder whisper, "Nothing about the Nova 8 crew's...condition. Got it?"

"Absolutely. They are as fit as I feel", remarks Webb with an eye roll. 

Wilder returns to normal volume, addressing the Mechanoid with, "Almost finished Basil? We're ready to move the Fuel Pods."

"Certainly sirs. Just one more set of luggage and then, if you would be so kind, you can help me escort the crew to your shuttle."

"Sure", says Webb, then whispers from the corner of his mouth, "does anyone have a vacuum?"

Just then Chicken comes up from behind Basil, a piece of toast in one hand and bread crumbs all over her face and hands. "Hey guys, you're not going to believe what I found! It's a toaster. It makes toast! Which is really warm, crunchy bread. Also, I think the entire crew of this ship is dead."

Basil begins to twitch and tremble. "What...wh-wh-wh-what did you say Mum?"

"She's right ya know. They're dead", says ARTHUR matter-of-factly, clearly having missed the memo. 

Basil's eyes and the circle on his lower abdomen began to glow a bright yellow-white, with the latter blinking on and off. He took a swing at Wilder but it passed right through the Lieutenant's Soft Light form. Basil jabbed his other fist at Webb but missed as Webb ducked and ARTHUR moved to intercept.

Chicken began screaming and waving her arms around and just as she planned it distracted Basil enough for ARTHUR to pin his arms in a bear hug. OK, a Robot Bear hug. As Basil flailed about shouting things like, "How dare you!" and "No! Na-Na-No! My sweet crew!", Webb got in front of the maniacal droid and saw the blinking disk on him blink faster and faster. Gulping down his instinct to run, Webb pressed hard on the disk which appeared to temporarily knock Basil 'unconscious'. 

After a minute or so Webb pressed the button once more, gently this time. Basil woke seconds later, seemingly alright, until another whispered comment about the crew almost set him off again. This time Webb pressed the disk right away and did not touch it again.

The team moved back up the vessel's length until they had reached the bridge. Calling up Bennett, he appeared looking even more tired, barely lucid, and pale. When the group asked what had actually happened here, how did the ship crash, when did it happen, and was there anything that could be done about Basil?

At first Bennett seemed not to hear them, asking "Who's that? Who's there? Speak up!" When the gang identified themselves yet again Bennett remembered but said that without the fuel and with the damange and the years he was not going to make it. He did reveal some very useful information however. The ship crashed in the 24th Century, some 200+ years after the Yellow Sun's accident. The Nova 8's Computer Archives would contain information and technological advancements considerably ahead of the Yellow Sun's databanks. 

In addition, an operators and maintenance manual in storage on the bridge and in the data records might be able to help with repairing Basil if the group chose to do so. 

With that, Bennett said his farewells and faded from the screen. The gang worked fast to download as much information as possible before the entire system went offline for good. Luckily they managed to find the physical Mechanoid Manual though there was some debate over whether it was too little too late. 

Webb reactivated Basil and told him that the Nova 8 was so busy with their scientific work, it might be best if they stayed on the planetoid to complete their research. If that was the case, it only made sense for him to stay as well as they would need him to take care of things. The cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc.

Basil seemed a bit delirious but remained calm as Webb spoke. He eventually smiled and told Webb what a splendid idea that was. Webb then convinced him he might want to enter a Rest and Recharge Mode, go offline for a bit, as he had a lot of work ahead of him. Basil agreed and waved goodbye to Webb and the others as he appeared to enter what appeared to be a robot coma. 

As Webb started to leave, ARTHUR asked what was going on. He became rather cross when he gleaned the intention was to leave Basil behind. Wilder and Webb both thought it best but ARTHUR disagreed.

"Is that it then? Robot a little damaged so we leave it to rot do we? Don't worry we'll get a new one? Find a better model? No sense fixing this one is that it? Typical Humans."

With that ARTHUR placed the manual and Basil on a hand-truck and wheeled him through the wind and grit back to the Starbug. He intended to make repairing Basil a personal pet project of his. 

When the gang finally returned to the Yellow Sun they were met a the doors to the Hangar Bay but a half dozen Skutters who took the luggage, as the suitcases had indeed been loaded onto the Starbug and, well what the hey, right? ARTHUR took Basil to the Robot Repair Bay and the others moved the Fuel Pods down to engineering. 

Sometime later the gang regroups in the Yellow Sun's Drive room [wherein the greatest, most unexpected thing happens that sets the theme for the campaign going forward]. Webb says that with full power restored the ship can now change course and take the gang back to Earth, assuming there is an Earth to go back to. 

Wilder on the other hand has a different idea. He asks ADAM if he detected the Red Dwarf at any point in the past three million years while Webb was in Stasis. ADAM says no. No sign of the Red Dwarf was every found.

"Then our mission isn't over. The Yellow Sun was dispatched to locate the missing JMC mining vessel Red Dwarf and we haven't yet. We will. Once we do, then we head home."

[And so ends our first session. It was a total BLAST and the gang had a lot of fun, as did I. I will try to do a single post, weekly entry with each additional episode as we go forward. 

There were a lot of character bits, jokes, Easter Eggs, and such that I left out but I think I conveyed the keys elements and a sense of the PCs, setting, and plot. I love that the PCs have ongoing personal goals, such as Wilder's search for Red Dwarf and hope that the advanced information from the Nova 8, 200-225 years ahead of the Yellow Sun's data, can help with the mission. I appreciated both Webb trying to give Basil a noble 'death' but also ARTHUR's feeling that it was an affront to Robot-kind and wanting to try to repair the poor mechanoid. Plus, Chicken took the Talking Toaster from the Nova 8 and brought it on board the Yellow Sun because it makes crunchy bread and they are friends. 

I hope you all enjoyed the tale half as much as I enjoyed telling it. 

Please tune in again as we drink fresh mango juice while goldfish bowls nibble at our toes!]

Later days,

AD
Barking Alien

31 Days / 31 Characters - ADAM

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by. Let me show you around my rebooted Character Design Challenge.

For my first entry of the renewed 2022 I wanted to discuss a character very near and dear to my heart - ME! Well...that is the me that serves as the Artificial Intelligence that runs the Yellow Sun, a Space Corps Search and Rescue Vessel assigned to the mission of locating the Jupiter Mining Corporation Vessel Red Dwarf. 

Thing is, the Yellow Sun isn't ADAM's first assignment. The ADAM prototype was installed aboard the Deep Space Explorer Blue Giant many years before. 

Character: ADAM, Version 1.01

AKA: Not an alternate identity but an earlier version of ADAM existed called ADAM, Version X1. 

Player: Adam Dickstein (See below).

System: ALIEN The Role Playing Game - Free League Publications
 
Campaign: Yellow Sun, A Red Dwarf Campaign.

Gamemaster: Adam Dickstein. (See below). 

Circa: 2020

Origins: I have been a fan of the British Sci-Fi Comedy Series Red Dwarf since I first discovered it, quite by accident, in 1990. 

For years I had ideas for a Red Dwarf game but they wouldn't see use until sometime around 2002 when an officially licensed RPG came out from Deep 7. I was so excited I convinced my then wife Selina to watch a season (or Series as the British say) of the show in preparation of running a short campaign. She loved it and with one other friend of hers we ran a 'Pilot Episode' featuring the Deep Space Exploration Ship Blue Giant. The adventure was a success but conflicting schedules made it difficult to run and a full campaign never took off. 

The ADAM X1 Prototype

AI of the Deep Space Explorer, Blue Giant

In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, the British comedy channel Dave released the made-for-TV Red Dwarf movie, 'The Promised Land'. This, in combination with the publication of Free League's ALIEN RPG gave me the idea to revisit my Red Dwarf gaming ideas for a new campaign run over Discord, Yellow Sun. 

Backstory: A state-of-the-art Search and Rescue Vessel serving the Space Corps of Earth and its colonies in the later part of the 22nd century, the Yellow Sun is equipped with ADAM, an Artificial Intelligence program more advanced than the standard type used by the Jupiter Mining Corporation and other mega-corporate entities. Originally outfitted on the Deep Space Explorer Blue Giant, tragically lost while studying a Stellar Gravitational Phenomenon, the version on Yellow Sun is a copy with some of the bugs worked out, some improvements, and other bugs left in to add character.   

After an accident in which radiation kills the entire crew, mutates an escaped chicken, and renders the ship unsafe for its sole surviving Human passenger, ADAM is left on to operate the ship until such time as the radioactivity is cleared. 

Three million years later, ADAM awakens comedian Mitchell Webb from Suspended Animation. 

Overview: ADAM is unlike any other character I have ever played. As ADAM I am both a part of the Crew and their story, as well as the Gamemaster. This idea, while not unique, is very rarely worked in as well as this. 

The concept was introduced in the Deep 7 version of the Red Dwarf RPG and I thought it was freaking brilliant. The only other time I've done something like this was as Jekyll the Jackal in our Toon campaign 'Zoonatics'. 

One of the most interesting things about this idea for me is that ADAM is very much a character. It isn't me; it's a character with his own mindset, approach to problems, and he doesn't think or act exactly as I do in real life. Considering who ADAM is, as opposed to who I am, was and is an extremely fun and interesting exercise. 

ADAM on Auxiliary Power.

The Highlights:

From a purely fan service/geek perspective I was perfectly set up by my buddy Carl (playing the last Human, Mitchell Webb) in the first session to get to say, "Everybody is dead Mitchell. Mitchell, everybody's dead", a homage to Holly's line in the first episode of Red Dwarf, "Everybody's dead Dave".

During the 'Perfectalizer' story arc wherein a device 'perfects' ADAM to correct wear and tear over the last three million years, I exaggerated his negative features such as a superiority complex, an extreme sense of confidence in his own abilities, and a condescending way of speaking to the crew. I analyzed my own portrayal of the character, realized that all those elements were always there, and cranked them up to 11+. 

Some of ADAM's dialogue requires perfect timing I'm not guaranteed to get as I don't know what the players are going to say or when. I have managed to get out some wonderful bits of humor. One subtle but effective line was, 'Incoming object on a collision course to impact with the Yellow Sun. Repeat, incoming object on a collision course." As Lt. Wilder began to ask, "How long before im...", I made a loud crashing and explosion noise. I followed this with, "Three seconds ago".

Game Info:

There is no Game Info for ADAM. He is the Gamemaster and the Artificial Intelligence that runs the PC's ship. He has no stats and doesn't need any given the structure and nature of the campaign. 

At the same time I made it so he can't do everything. He plots the course of the Yellow Sun and steers it but the guns must be fired by a PC. He can open and close doors unless the door requires Command Authorization, in which case he must rely on the Crew. I have an internal logic behind what ADAM's limitations are but as benefits the game, the players are not completely aware of what his limits are. 

Notes:

I usually declare Starguard, my Champions character from Will Corpening's 'Age of Champions' campaign to be the favorite PC that I've played but ADAM comes very close.

I look forward to returning to this game and universe. 

Next, a character who deserves a spotlight given how much I've been focused on Ghostbusters of late. Pour yourself a spot of tea and ask yourself, should a gast appear in your flat - who shall you buzz on the blower? Dr. ALEXANDER D. THORTON, Ghostbuster!

AD
Barking Alien

Yellow Sun 'It's Double or Nothing' Part 3

My goal going forward is to condense the recaps of my Red Dwarf / Yellow Sun RPG campaign to no more than two Parts/posts. My apologize for these early entries being so long. It takes a bit of doing to get into a format that works but I can see how to improve things for Episode 3.

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.

***

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

Yellow Sun 'It's Double or Nothing' Part 2

Continuing my recap of our second session as the players - but not their characters - realize something has gone terribly wrong with the Duality Drive's test run.

Two separate and distinct Yellow Sun vessels have been created:

One Yellow Sun exists in a system surrounding a blue star with a single habitable though inhospitably cold planet. The Duality Drive test run was a success! 

One Yellow Sun exists in deep space, not having moved at all as the Duality Drive text run was a failure. 

Yellow Sun

Season I, Episode 2

'It's Double or Nothing'

Part 2

[As noted in the previous post, this adventure was a real experiment on my part and I am especially proud of myself and my players that it worked out as well as it did, which may I say was incredibly well.

The session, essentially a character study designed to allow us to get to know the PCs, enabled the players to set up their own scenarios for the duration of the session and then, through the fact that a second, duplicate ship had been created, allowed them to run through those scenarios again with a different outcome.

It was extremely interesting as this we not a mystery to the players as many SF games are; the player, but not the PCs, knew exactly what had happened within moments. The PCs did not become aware of it until much later when I, again as both GM and NPC, revealed the error. How to fix it was a bit of a puzzle and what came after was even more potentially intriguing. 

So the players were not playing to win, beat the adventure, defeat enemies, or anything of the sort. They were playing to expand on their characters and find out what was going to happen next and that my friends made for a brilliant session.]

Aboard a Yellow Sun with a bright blue star out the Port Side windows, ARTHUR 1001 made Mutton Bangers, though the computer indicated he'd chosen both Pork and Mutton. A glitch clearly. One he'd address with ADAM at some point. Mutton had come out of the food storage compartment, so Mutton it was...though he was certain he had originally requested Pork. 

Lt. Donald Wilder gave Chicken access to his Credit Account and she immediately used some to purchase as many packages of Chocolate Covered Strawberries as she could from the Snack Sucre' Vending Machine on Level 5 (the one with the French accent that flirted with her as she sat in from of it asking questions and eating). Wilder asked for her help with an Arctic Rescue Drill in case they had to land on the blue star's icy planet. 

She thought about it but before she could answer the two of them saw a Skutter coming down the corridor. Chicken ducked into an alcove and then raced down the hallway once the Skutter had passed her. In a desperate attempt to get her, the Skutter spun around and zoomed forward (as much as Skutters can 'zoom') and banged its chassis against the wall, denting it.  The Skutter hung its head in frustration. 

Wilder tried to distract it by checking on the preparations for his drill. The Skutter's chirps and clicks indicated things would be ready in the Hangar Bay. 

Mitchell Webb had found the Archive Room, specifically designed to enable crewmembers to sit and view information - video, audio, text, or a combo thereof - on a console in anyone of two rows of sound proofed cubicles. After a bit of a discussion with ADAM in which he apologized for his earlier rant about not needing a computer's help, he requested ADAM pull up information on his old comedy partner and best friend, David Roberts. Roberts was supposed to accompany Webb onto the Yellow Sun and Mitchell couldn't help wondering if he'd made it and was therefore killed with the crew. He had to know. 

ADAM informed him that Roberts never boarded the Yellow Sun at Triton. A delay in connecting flights caused him to miss his shuttle. Mitchell was incredibly relieved. 

Lt. Wilder's voice came over the loud speaker asking ARTHUR and Webb to contact him in the Drive Room. He asked ARTHUR to assist him with his drill by taking on the role of an attacking Penguin. Yes. A Penguin. It was an arctic world and there was a distinct possibility it harbored vicious...space...Penguins. 

Wilder asked Webb to accompany him on the drill, to learn some survival skills and/or so Wilder would have someone to save. Cheered on by the news of his old friend's good fortune, Webb agreed. 

All the number '2's on all the ships digital readouts were blinking. 

A Yellow Alert Condition flashed on half the screens on the ship. Something about the Port Side Laser Cannon overcharging. 

Aboard a Yellow Sun that hadn't budged, ARTHUR 1001 made Pork Bangers, though the computer indicated he'd chosen both Pork and Mutton. A glitch of some sort. One he'd address with ADAM at a later time.

Lt. Donald Wilder gave Chicken access to his Credit Account and she immediately used some to purchase as many packages of Chocolate Covered Pretzels as she could from the Snack Sucre' Vending Machine on Level 5 - French accent, flirty personality. Wilder asked for her help with an Arctic Rescue Drill in case they had to land on an icy planet. The one around that far off blue star gave him the idea.

She thought about it for but a second and then said yes, just as the two of them saw a Skutter coming down the corridor. Chicken swiftly ducked into an alcove and then jumped down an access hatch to the levels below. The Skutter must have seen her because in a desperate attempt to get her it zoomed forward and banged its 'head' against the wall, denting it. The Skutter hung said head in frustration. 

Wilder got the Skutter's attention and checked on the preparations for his drill. The Skutter's chirps and clicks indicated things would be ready in the Hangar Bay. After a moment of thought, the Lieutenant suggested the Skutter could further assist by helping to simulate a Polar Bear attack. Yes. A Polar Bear. If it was an arctic world, there was a distinct possibility it harbored vicious...space...Polar Bears. 

Mitchell Webb had found the Archive Room, specifically designed to enable crewmembers to sit and view information on a console in any one of two rows of sound proofed cubicles. After a bit of a discussion with ADAM in which he apologized for his earlier rant about not needing a computer's help, he requested ADAM remove all information on his old comedy partner and best friend, David Roberts. Roberts was supposed to accompany Webb onto the Yellow Sun and Mitchell couldn't help wondering if he'd made it and and was therefore killed with the crew.

That said, Mitchell couldn't bear it if ADAM informed him that Roberts had died. Webb made it clear that it would be a special favor to him if ADAM deleted any and all information about Roberts from the ship's data banks. ADAM 'pursed his lips', hesitating for a moment before saying that he would do as requested. A few seconds later ADAM confirmed it was done. Mitchell was incredibly relieved. 

Wilder used the loud speaker to ask for Webb to accompany him on the drill, to learn some survival skills and/or so Wilder would have someone to save. In a bit of a daze from the choice he made, Webb didn't even notice Wilder was talking to him specifically. He finally found enough of his wits to say no thank you. 

All the number '2's on all the ships digital readouts were blinking. 

A Yellow Alert Condition flashed on half the screens on the ship. Something about the Port Side Laser Cannon overcharging. 

As the Yellow Sun entered orbit around the blue star's icy but habitable planet, Lt. Wilder and Mitchell Webb entered the Hangar Bay to see a fine coating of snow and ice covering every surface of the room. Snow capped the top of the Starbug and Starguard Shuttles and tiny icicles hung from the bottom of cargo lifters and crates of machine parts. Wilder had ADAM alter his hologram to appear as if he were wearing cold weather gear; a parka with a fur-lined hood, snow boots, a backpack with ice-climbing gear, etc. Webb stood there freezing. 

Over by a stack of storage containers, ARTHUR 1001 - all 8 ft., 800 lbs of him - hid, very poorly I might add, in a giant Penguin costume. When the entry doors closed behind the two men with a loud, mechanical 'cha-thunk', Webb jumped a bit. ARTHUR took that opportunity to leap towards the two of them. The slightly closer Webb spun out of the way, largely by accident, causing the menacing Security Robot to lunge toward Wilder. Lt. Wilder is a hologram though you see, and ARTHUR passed right through him and stumbled face-first into the now closed doors the other two had previously entered through. 

Wilder let the other know what a good job they'd done. He was impressed by ARTHUR's killer Penguin portrayal and commended Webb on his instincts and reflexes. After giving the two of them minor critiques and pointers, Mitchell asked, 'What now?' ARTHUR informed the others that lunch would be ready in the Galley / Mess Hall and off they went. 

Chicken was in the Mess when the others arrived, talking to Talkie Toaster and finishing off a package of Chocolate Covered Pretzels. 

***

As the Yellow Sun sat in space, largely motionless, Chicken entered the Hangar Bay to see a fine coating of snow and ice covering every surface of the room. Snow capped the top of the Shuttles and tiny icicles hung from the bottom of cargo crates. She walked further in as the doors closed behind her with a loud, mechanical 'cha-thunk. Chicken jumped and her eyes darted about in a wild and manic fashion until she decided to make a quick run towards one of the Starbugs. Once there she ducked beneath and behind one of the landing struts, peering out to stay alert for trouble.

The entry way doors opened again and Wilder walked in. Wilder had ADAM alter his hologram to appear as if he were wearing cold weather gear. Once she saw him and how he was dressed, Chicken realized it was bitterly cold in the room. She started to feel like she was freezing! If only she'd continued not paying attention.  

Wilder didn't see Chicken but he did see the Skutter, as it was racing right towards him and wearing a Polar Bear costume. To be honest it was more of a Polar Bear-skin rug, complete with head, just sort of draped over the Skutter. It lunged menacingly, or at least as menacingly as a Skutter can, which isn't very much really. Realizing Wilder wasn't frightened it just stopped and looked up at the Lieutenant. He gave it a pat on the head - which neither of them could actually feel - and told the Skutter it had done a fine job on short notice. The little droid seemed quite proud of itself.

That's when Chicken popped out of her hiding place and skipped over to Wilder and the Skutter, complaining about the cold and distinct lack of Pretzels in the Hangar Bay. The Skutter suddenly realized who she was a made an attempt to grab her but as usual Chicken was too fast and agile for it. She ran towards the doors, out of the Hangar, and into the corridor as the Skutter gave chase, bumping into the doorway for yet another small dent on it's body. 

ARTHUR's voice came over the ship's loud speaker informing the others that lunch would be ready in the Galley / Mess Hall and off they went. 

Mitchell was in the Mess when the others arrived, having come up from the Archive Room when he heard ARTHUR's announcement. 

***

The group sat together talking while the only two organic members, Mitchell Webb and Chicken, ate the Mutton Bangers and Mash. The flavor was...adequate...as evidenced by Webb's desire to eat but only nibbling at it between bits of discussion. Chicken scarfed hers down and after finishing a second plate, asked Webb if she could try some of his. He gave it to her saying it would be a shame not to as she was clearly enjoying it so much. 

ARTHUR let them know there was no rush. He had made plenty.

That's when ADAM appeared on a screen with a face that indicated he didn't have great news...

***

The group sat together talking while the only two organic members, Mitchell Webb and Chicken, ate the Pork Bangers and Mash. The flavor was...better than adequate...as evidenced by Chicken scarfing hers down and fishing for a second and even third plate. Webb was still very distracted by his earlier decision to erase his friend from the computer records. He barely touched his food. Chicken asked if he was going to eat it and if not...He gave it to her seeing as it would be a shame not to as she was clearly enjoying it so much. 

ARTHUR let them know there was no rush. He had made plenty.

That's when ADAM appeared on a screen with a face that indicated he didn't have great news...

***

"Sorry to interrupt everyone but I'm afraid I made a significant miscalculation during the Duality Drive test."

'What kind of miscalculation?'  the group asked.

***

"Sorry to interrupt everyone but I'm afraid I made a significant miscalculation during the Duality Drive test."

'What kind of miscalculation?'  the group asked.

***

"Well..."

To be concluded...

To be concluded...

AD
Barking Alien