Episode 2.02: Rivulets of Copper, Eyes Aflame

[Nolmir]

OOC: Alright, Insight (9) + Science (5) vs. Difficulty 2

Rolled 2d20 : 1, 6, total 7

Ship's assist: Sensors (9) + Science (2)

Rolled 1d20 : 20, total 20

Should the Drake's Advanced Sensors Suite talent reduce the difficulty to 1?

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Yes, Advanced Sensor Suite will definitely be in effect on this task.

So, I see 3 Successes vs. Difficulty 2, reduced to Difficulty 1 by Advanced Sensor Suite. Success, plus 2 Momentum and 1 Complication generated!

Current
Momentum 5 (2 pending, Tobin; 1 must be spent or lost)
Threat 10

The chief science officer expertly dials in the sensors to focus on the transporter signal and receives contradictory and nonsensical data. He taps a couple buttons on his console to help coalesce the data into something manageable, to no avail.

What he sees is:
1. The transporter ID switches between several instances of Spalan, but also instances of T'Chelle, and once each T'Mag, T'Mat, and Sorak; it settles on none of the IDs, but it continues to cycle through more than a dozen instances.
2. The transporter timestamp is neither current nor consistent; it randomly skips between several timestamps going back three weeks.
3. He receives a dozen destinations all across Vulcan. More than half end up at Spalan's V'Kor headquarters, while others are spread mostly around the region.
4. No destination ID or timestamp matches any individual origination ID or timestamp, and no two IDs or timestamps match each other.

He can guess at which pairing to use, but there's no guarantee that any of the destinations are correct; otherwise, the amount of time it will take untangle this snarl of data - assuming it's even possible - means they won't be able to attempt to intercept the beam.

OOC: Now, the Complication, which we'll call "Too Many Variables," which will affect any attempt to continue to trace or intercept the transporter beam.

[Nolmir]

Tobin makes a frustrated sound as he looks into the sensor hood. "This makes no sense! The signal data is completely jumbled."

OOC: Definitely want to Obtain Information on this, using Tobin's free questions from Chief Science Officer and Studious.

1. Does the signal data show any signs, either way, that it's a glitch or intentionally manipulated?
2. Where in the house was the person who is transporting out?

I also think we should spend the 2 Momentum to cancel the complication.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Acknowledging generation and spending of 1 Bonus Momentum to Obtain Information, and the spending of 2 Momentum to cancel the Too Many Variables Complication.

Current
Momentum 5
Threat 10

The science officer verifies that the unknown Vulcan in the upstairs hallway is the one being transported out. Presumably, that means it's neither Spalan nor T'Chelle.

Tobin can't explicitly rule out a reporting failure in the Vulcan network's transport telemetry log (the signal itself appears strong and steady), but it'd be incredibly convenient for it to be happening at this very moment. He'd need more evidence either way (and the logs he is supposed to be poring through in the morning will hopefully provide that), but seeking out that evidence right now will take time he doesn't have if they want to attempt to intercept the beam.

[Nolmir]

The science officer glances up at Treyva. "Sir, the transporter beam is originating in the upstairs hallway. But I can't tell where that beam is headed, nor who is being transported. My best guess is someone is intentionally masking the signal, but I couldn't tell you how without further study."

OOC: I don't have any more ideas for further questions.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Okay, I'll give Treyva the chance to act/deliver an order before fully moving to combat rounds for the remainder of the scene.

If Treyva orders the intercept of the transporter beam, know that the current transporter technician is Petty Officer 1st Class Anderson, who is not yet a supporting character. Your options are:

1. Leave him as is, which is a Starfleet Engineer Minor NPC. He will generate and spend Threat.
2. Introduce him as a supporting character, which means he will be the third of four allowed Crew Support characters for the episode. (Remember, our house rule is that's a soft limit, which you can exceed at the cost of adding Threat.)

[Patrick Goodman]

OOC: Will dive in after work.

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva, hovering behind his chief science officer, reached over and stabbed the communications console. "Transporter room, this is the captain! There's a transporter beam being analyzed at this moment by Commander Les; I need that beam intercepted if possible. This is an emergency!"

OOC: I think I'll go the Supporting Character route; I'll have a PDF to you shortly.

[Patrick Goodman]

OOC: Trying to think of something Treyva can do to encourage Anderson and try to get him some extra chances at success. In the meantime, I will spend 1 Momentum for an extra die. Anderson will roll 3 dice.

Anderson Transporter Operation Task. Control + Engineering (11/4), TN 15, D4

Rolled 3d20 : 14, 1, 19, total 34

U.S.S. Drake Assist, Sensors + Engineering (9/3), TN 12

Rolled 1d20 : 4, total 4

Let's see what happens.

[Patrick Goodman]

Whoa.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Acknowledging spending 1 Momentum to Create Opportunity.

On the result, I count 3 Successes for Anderson and 1 Success for the ship. 4 Successes vs. Difficulty 4. Success!

The young petty officer, thrown onto center stage in a crisis for the very first time in his career, has prepared for this very moment. Jeremy has dreamed about snatching someone from a transporter beam all his life after hearing about the exploits of great engineers of yesteryear. He has studied the advanced procedures; he has practiced this very technique in simulation at least a hundred times. He can't believe he actually gets to attempt it in a real situation...

...And every quantum of self-taught expertise pays off. The form begins to coalesce onto the pad. Slowly, so agonizingly slowly, but he expects that almost-glacial pace of capture. He sees the hooded, cloaked figure, the glint of a blade angled toward the deck, the left hand peeking out from the cloak itself, holding something between thumb and forefinger.

"C'mon, baby, bring 'im to me," he breathes as he manipulates the controls, dialing in the harmonics to fully divert the beam. Two, three points more and...the figure simply disappears in an instant, sparks flying up from the pad emitters. Anderson's controls light up like a Christmas tree as a dozen fault indicators cry out in unison. The petty officer barely resists the urge to curse his bad luck and accesses the comm panel.

"Transporter Room to Bridge. I almost had him locked in, sir, but I picked up some feedback in the loop and blew the circuit," he reports. "I don't know where our guest ended up."

On the bridge, Tobin can tell the anonymous Vulcan is no longer in the house. He might be able to trace the signal to where it snapped back from the Drake's near capture, but it'll take a bit of time, at least ten minutes or so, to pore over the telemetry from the transporter room and (hopefully) extract the telltale signature of the Drake's transporter effect.

OOC: I'm invoking the get out of jail free card and spending 8 Threat to counter Anderson's success and end the scene. Hopefully, his superiors won't go too hard on him...

Current
Momentum 4
Threat 2

[Patrick Goodman]

Are you freaking kidding? His superiors were asking him to do the damn-near-impossible. The odds were stacked against the kid to start with; that he did what he managed to do is astonishing, and Treyva is for sure going to have a talk with Sorak and Chief Ma about working more with him. Kid gets an attaboy in his service jacket for pulling off something that by all rights he shouldn't have been able to do at all....

[Renny]

OOC: He, he. That little descriptive beat was awesome. Really enjoyed that!

[Nolmir]

OOC: Poor Anderson, came this close... 

[Davy, aka GM]

Spalan Estate
Sorak rushes to the balcony just as Cole opens the door from the upstairs kitchenette. Once they recognize each other, their attention turns to the shimmering form near the master bedroom door. Its features are largely obscured by the Vulcan transporter effect, but they can tell the cloaked and hooded assailant is approximately average height for a Vulcan male, broad shouldered, and carrying a blade in the right hand.

OOC: You each have an action before the figure disappears entirely. Note that, at this phase of transport, personnel are out of phase enough that attacks will pass through them. (That will be reflected in a large number of Resistance Dice.)