Episode 2.01: Brushfire!

[Nolmir]

OOC: Given all three ships seem to be cursed, it can't hurt. If we keep shooting, we might all accidentally blow up our own ships. 

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva shook his head. Leaning back in his chair, he said, "Miguel, open a channel to those ships." He looked to his communications officer, who nodded. "This is your opponent speaking."

Okay, the gist of it is this: We're all of us obviously having problems. There's neither glory nor honor in blowing yourself up. Perhaps we can settle this in an honorable fashion that does not, in fact, involve accidental self-destruction.

Treyva's Cultural Flexibility and Defuse the Tension Talents could be in play; his Klingon Culture Focus almost certainly will be, and his Diplomacy Focus could also be significant.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Okay, let's go with a Presence + Command vs. Difficulty 3 (because you folks are already in combat). Diplomacy Focus will apply, and the Talents Cultural Flexibility and Diffuse the Tension are also in play, so the Difficulty will be reduced to 2 (and you start with 3d20). If you want to purchase Create Opportunity, it'll be 2 Momentum for the next die.

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva Presence + Command Task (10/5), TN15, D3 (reduced to D2 with Cultural Flexibility)

Defuse the Tension buys a die. Spending 2 Momentum to buy another because I'm a little scared of things at the moment

Diplomacy Focus is in play.

Rolled 4d20 : 4, 11, 7, 17, total 39

We really need something to go right....

[Patrick Goodman]

Hokey smokes. With that Focus in play, I count 4 Successes before the Klingons roll...and more importantly, no Complications for a change.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: That's indeed 4 Successes vs. Difficulty 2. Success, plus 2 Momentum generated.

I made this a straight simple Task, and baked the Klingons' recalcitrance into the Difficulty. I couldn't justify making it Difficulty 4 (as it felt downright punitive, to be honest), so 3 seemed the best choice. Klingons may relish the glory of battle, but they aren't stupid...

So, that said...

"Miguel, open a channel," Treyva says, his tone more weary than he hoped it would sound. "Klingon commander, this is Treyva of the Federation starship USS Drake. The issue of Neural is settled; the Hill People have bested the Village People on the ground, and we bested your scout ship in orbit. Your fellow warriors understood their fate and chose death over capture, as is your way.

"None of our ships seem willing to continue this endeavor, so I suggest both sides retire and leave the people of Neural to decide their future with no further interference," he continues. "If you wish to collect your dead to return them to their home soil, we will not object."

Silence hangs on the channel for several long moments, and each member of the bridge crew prepares to return to hostilities at any moment. Then, suddenly, both Klingon ships power down their weapons and a stern voice responds.

"Federation commander, this is Kravesh, son of Invarr, of the Imperial Klingon Vessel jop Qa'. You are correct: Our ships do appear to have decided to end our skirmish for us. There's no glory in continuing a battle of self-inflicted attrition," the commander of the lead frigate says. "We will accept a truce in this current matter, although we cannot stipulate the end of Klingon support for the people of Apella's World. We will collect what remains of our comrades and leave the system."

With that, the two Sabers bank to starboard and move close to the debris field, and transporter activity ensues.

OOC: jop Qa' is Klingon for "Savage Thrust".

Okay, the Klingons seem to be doing what they agreed to do. What activities do you want to pursue in the meantime?

1. Disposition toward the Klingons? How closely are you watching them? Do you maintain an alert status?
2. Each PC needs to give me an activity for his department (Engineering, Science, and Security). Patrick, please give me orders Treyva has for the bridge (including Helm/Nav and Comms).
3. I also think this is a good time to see if Dr. Dourap can get Cole back on his feet. Renny, I'll have you make the Task roll(s) when I post the specifics.

[Doug Burke]

Following the battle, and in addition to the usual post-battle power management and diagnostics, Sorak will take two teams, one under himself, one under Nikolai, to repair the helm console and phaser power issues ASAP.

[Nolmir]

OOC: Tobin and the science department will keep an eye on the Klingons on the surface to make sure they are indeed just gathering their dead and not trying to pull any tricks.

[Patrick Goodman]

1. If the Klingons appear to be acting honorably and in good faith, we'll do the same. Power down weapons and lower shields, but otherwise maintain yellow alert (as I'm sure they're doing the Klingon equivalent).

2. Helm/Nav: Move to a higher orbit where we can keep an eye on the Klingons but maintain a respectful distance as they carry out their retrieval operations. Comms should monitor their transmissions to make sure they don't pull a fast one, but Treyva is going to take the Klingons at their word that they're going to leave once they recover their dead and any ground crew left behind; the monitoring is simply precautionary, and I'm again fairly certain they're doing the same to make sure we aren't trying to pull a fast one. We'll also be compiling a thorough report (warts and all) for Starfleet, along with our recommendations as outlined on the transmission to the Klingons.

For himself, Treyva is going to go down to Sickbay and check on the casualties. If Styles is awake, I'll tell him what went down while he was lazing about in the Medical department.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: So, we're just waiting on Renny's response as to what Lear & the Security Department is doing during this time.

We're shifting scenes, so Momentum drops by 1, to 4.

On that note, Dourap's attempt to remove Cole's Injury-Related Complications will be a Control + Medicine (12/5) task vs. Difficulty 2, increased to Difficulty 3 by Cole's second Complication, and reduced back down to Difficulty 2 for the Drake's well-appointed sickbay. He will have Kasey assist him with his own Control + Medicine (10/4).

Renny, please make both Dourap's and Kasey's rolls. If Dourap succeeds, he'll immediately spend 1 Momentum to also clear Cole's second Injury-Related Complication.

For Sorak, the repairs will take as follows:
Phaser Systems - Daring or Control + Engineering vs. Difficulty 2.
Helm Console - Control + Engineering vs. Difficulty 1.

Each task will take the scene, so Kolesnikov will have to lead one of the repairs while Sorak takes the other, if you want to get them both done before the end of the scene. Maria is happy to assist with the Helm Console repair. (She has a decent Engineering rating.)

For Tobin, please make an Insight + Science task vs. Difficulty 2, assisted by the ship's Sensors + Security (9/3), to monitor the Klingons' activities.

Regarding the Klingons, L-9A takes a defensive position just ahead of the debris field, positioning itself so that it's between L-9B and the Drake, with its weapons powered down and its shields partially charged. L-9B lowers its shields and begins transporter operations to collect the dead and other artefacts from the late-scout, using thrusters as needed to move around the edge of the debris field. Its weapons are also powered down.

Once rolls and Lear/Security Department's actions are posted, I'll write up the narrative.

The Wounded
Cole - Injury/Stable (2 Complications)
Kowalski - Injury/Stable

Current
Momentum 4
Threat 0

Advantages & Complications
Well-Oiled Machine Advantage (Drake; when a PC or supporting character assists a PC on a shipboard task)
Educated Guess Advantage (Drake; when using ship's sensors to actively scan for cloaked ships)
Trauma Shock Complication (Cole; Injury-related)
Massive Internal Injuries Complication (Cole; Injury-related)
Helm Console Damage Complication (Drake; when attempting a Task from the Helm Station)
Partial Phaser Power Failure Complication (Drake; phaser attacks cost 2 Power, and you cannot add power to increase damage)
...And It's Contagious Complication (L-9A; when attempting a Fire Torpedoes Task)
Challenged Authority Complication (L-9B; all tasks in Round 3)

[Patrick Goodman]

I don't think I did anything with the Momentum Treyva generated on the convincing Task. Bank it if that's the case.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Fixed. Momentum is 4 going into the new scene.

[Renny]

OOC: So Lear will maintain his position on the bridge while the Klingons are carrying out their retrievals. He will order diagnostics to be run on the targeting systems to see if there is any reason for the targeting mishaps, just in case.

[Renny]

OOC: Rolling for Dourap

Control + Medicine (12/5) task vs. Difficulty 2.

Rolled 2d20 : 8, 1, total 9

[Renny]

OOC: Ooh, nice.

Kasey's assist

Control + Medicine (10/4).

Rolled 1d20 : 14, total 14