What You've Been Missing...

[EchoesofOld]

Hey folks, Echoes of Old here. You may have heard of my RPG, Faster Than Light: Operation Dark Wolf. If you are interested in joining, but haven't yet, then you should. We're six people strong and growing, with some VERY dedicated players. (Shout-out to DryEagle for helping me get this up and running! without him, It would lack a good deal of sophistication.) I highly encourage you to join the group! We'd love to have you!

So, without further ado, here are two excerpts from the game, taking place in Chapters 2 and 3.

First up, Captain Rhys (Myself) and Commander Tyrsen (DryEagle) Have a discussion about our mission...



Captain Rhys: Commander, what knowledge do you have of ship classes and manufacturing?

Commander Tyrsen: Externally, I know where to target the weapons so they feel it - but if you need the lights in your bedroom rewired then you're best asking one of the engineers. As for manufacturing - nothing extraordinary. There are shipyards, ships are made, some are better than others. Same goes for munitions. It's the end results that interest me.

Captain Rhys: If I showed you a ship, would you be able to identify it's manufacturer?

Commander Tyrsen: The designer, perhaps, but not which individual shipyard it came out of. Not my area of expertise there.

Captain Rhys: Our engineers were able to place it as a battlecruiser class, but are unable to identify it further.

Captain Rhys types something on the console.

Captain Rhys: We have been asked to investigate the origin of this ship: http://i.imgur.com/6FE0R1A.jpg - it was last sighted armed with two Pegasus missile systems, two Mk.III Burst Lasers, and four other weapons of unknown specification.

Commander Tyrsen: I can't say I've ever seen this kind of design before. Heard plenty of rumours though, and not the good kind, either.

Captain Rhys: This thing is thought to be the source behind the Mantis aggression. Where they obtained it, we've no idea.

Commander Tyrsen: Well, if you'd like to hear some drunken tales passed in seedy bars, then I may know something about this ship.

Captain Rhys: Let's here them. You never know what could prove useful.

Commander Tyrsen: Well, an old pal of mine, demolitions expert. He'd heard from one of his friends serving on an astrometrics ship, you know, the kind that do the galactic charts and whatnot... about a large ship, dark grey in colour, with no visual markings, which seems to about match this hull. Now, what they'd picked up on their long range scans was what looked like some kind of FTL testing this ship was doing. Not the long range kind of FTL that we have though - he said they were just bouncing around between planets and moons in the system they were surveying, apparantly oblivious to being watched.

Captain Rhys: Oblivious, or unconcerned?

Commander Tyrsen: Obviously this can't be right - do you know of any ship that can FTL between a planet and its moon, without any beacon to lock onto? Certainly did have a way of spinning a tale though, ol' Jack did.

Captain Rhys: I agree, that is odd. However, we ARE assigned to look into the ship, and assess the validity of those statements.

Commander Tyrsen: There was one other thing though. The reason they were surveying the system in the first place is that it has some unusual nebula with electromagnetic activity. Now, according to Jack, his buddy said this ship always jumped in such a way that it never went through the nebula, only around it. That's really all I got on this, Captain.

Captain Rhys: We'll keep that in mind. Did your friend say what sector they saw the ship in?

Commander Tyrsen: Someone tells you they seen a ghost in the woods, do you ask what tree it was under?

Captain Rhys laughs and says "Fair enough", then powers down the system.



In this next excerpt, DryEagle, and the (Then) Rest of the cast did an entire chapter without my knowledge. That was, needless to say, a pleasant surprise to return to (And I dont mean that sarcastically.) To set the stage, while the away team is transferring to the Gunboat, a malfunction calls for some quick repairs...




Sergeant Xel'Toss: Duly noted. Is it just us, our are we bringing any more crew?

Sergeant Branded takes his equipment to the teleporter, and preps it.

Commander Tyrsen: The gunboat currently only has a pilot aboard. Competent enough fellow.

Sergeant Xel'Toss grabs his custom pistol and a pack with metal spikes.

Sergeant Xel'Toss: Coming. Should I equip my weapons now?

Commander Tyrsen: You expecting hostiles on our own gunboat? Settle down, sergeant.

Sergeant Xel'Toss: Yes sir.

Commander Tyrsen: Is the teleporter ready?

Sergeant Branded: Yes. It should be ready to send us whenever we are ready.

Sergeant Xel'Toss: I'm good.

Sergeant Branded: You, Commander?

Sergeant Xel'Toss arrives at teleporter room.

Commander Tyrsen: You two go ahead; the receiving pad on the gunboat only has two spaces. I'll catch up with you shortly.

Sergeant Branded: 3, 2, 1...
Sergeant Branded activates the teleporter.

Commander Tyrsen heads to the weapons lockers and picks out a rifle for ship-board combat. He then opens the ship-to-ship intercom, and says with detectable sarcasm,
Commander Tyrsen: Sergeant Xel'Toss, situation report. Is the gunboat crawling with enemy troops?

Sergeant Branded: Heh, nice one.

Sergeant Xel'Toss: Unless you count an engi as an enemy, no.

Commander Tyrsen: Do you?

Sergeant Branded: Hey!

Sergeant Xel'Toss: Depends on whether he keeps kissing up to you.

Commander Tyrsen closes the comm channel.
Sergeant Branded is visibly displeased.

Commander Tyrsen: Where do Command find these clowns...

Sergeant Branded primes the teleporter.

Commander Tyrsen heads to his station to check over the Defiance's systems one last time before leaving.
Commander Tyrsen: The way those two are acting, can't hurt to give them a bit of time to get friendly.

Sergeant Xel'Toss: So Branded, where were you manufactured? Where was your AI programmed?

Sergeant Branded: I was manufactured in 2245, and my AI was programmed in the Engi Homeworlds.

Commander Tyrsen heads to the teleporter room, having gathered his equipment. From there he sends a signal to commence transport.

Sergeant Branded: Ah, there's the signal.

Sergeant Xel'Toss quickly exits tranporter room and drags Branded along with him.

Sergeant Xel'Toss: Sorry. Don't want him teleporting into us.

Sergeant Branded: Hey!

Commander Tyrsen waits on the pad.

Sergeant Xel'Toss: Sorry.

Sergeant Branded: Eh, it's ok.

Sergeant Branded activates the teleporter.

Sergeant Branded: Alright, here he comes.

Commander Tyrsen steps off the pad, grabs his rifle and silently heads to the weapons station.

Sergeant Branded: How about you? When were you born?

Sergeant Xel'Toss: In 2214.

Commander Tyrsen: Enough chit-chat sergeants. Report to stations and check that everything is in order.

Sergeant Xel'Toss: Commander, I'll stay in the teleporter room. It appears to be in order.

Sergeant Branded: Shields are up and running. Wait a second...

Commander Tyrsen: Xel'Toss, go check on the medbay, if you have nothing else to do. We don't know what we'll be going up against.

Sergeant Xel'Toss: Very well. May I put my weapons on?

Commander Tyrsen: What is wrong with this guy?

Commander Tyrsen: For the last damned time, this is *our* ship. Stow your weapons safely.

Sergeant Branded is launched back by an explosion.

Sergeant Xel'Toss: TAC! What was that? Are we being fired on?

Computer: There are no ships in the immediate area besides this one and the Defiance.

Commander Tyrsen: Sergeant, when I said to stow your weapons safely...

Sergeant Xel'Toss: That wasn't me. All I have is a blaster that isn't on and metal spikes.

Sergeant Branded: The shields just had a malfunction, details are still kinda hazy.

Sergeant Xel'Toss rushes to shield room.
Commander Tyrsen heads towards shields as well, only to find the door unresponsive.