h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm trying to get back whenever I can... RL is just too weird...

And so unreal.

I don't know, I hope it's cyclic - mebbe I'll be on more often after this school year, least year'f high school.

And so unreal.

I don't know, I hope it's cyclic - mebbe I'll be on more often after this school year, least year'f high school.

Incidentally, I think that, as long as the main contributing members can't be here as often, the Khar Siid's storyline will be more on comedy, for now. Sorry, can't keep up the action.

I'll put in the effort. I've got plans for a 'Starship Graveyard'...

i havnt been on much recently due to large amounts of not being at home! i'm starting college in September so i'm not sure how much i'll be on, hopefully as much as i was at school (and all those free periods and computers in the library....)

mmmm.... how very educational

that spaceship graveyard sounds good, mr. wesker. spooky.

h2g2 is very educational

just like correctional.

Topic: Script

Okay, we've some new crew who're a bit green to interstellar warfare. Let's welcome them - and change that - with battle.

I've prepared a situation - I need everyone's participation. The following is a compression of the story from start to finish, and gives important lines and cues for when they will be said and where. This is a shipwide happening - events unfold all over the areas. Mind you, I'm not putting words in your mouths, improvise and modify, just be sure to get the basic points in.

Scene: The Bridge

A massive moving object is picked up on passive sensors. Mr. Wesker calls the captain's attention to a huge gravitational displacement and a bright thermal signature at the same point, entering the derelict field. "It does not appear to be a natural phenomenon; no solar entities travel though the starship graveyard, and it is too much of a coincidence for it to be on intercept course with Khar Siid."

The captain moves to red alert and authorizes active scanners to get a clearer picture of the entity. The shuttlebay is cleared of personnel, life support and power diverted from nonessential sections (Shuttlebay, Promenade, Captain's Dining, Ready Room) to reinforce weapons and defensive systems. Augie rushes to Sickbay to prep with Dr. Picardo for battlefield medicals, Grishnak and his men run from the Barracks to defend against possible hostile boarding by fortifying strategic positions. All Brig personnel dig down for siege and possible last stand. The Hangar comes to life, preparing to scramble fighters.

Outside, an enormous comet cruises into view, a wispy-tailed boulder crisscrossed with ice crystals and vents. We see it is not a solid piece but a mass of smaller parts in a loose aggregate cluster. As we watch, smaller truck-size pieces break off, flare with sudden energy, and scream toward us.

The captain asks the diplomatic specialist to open up all transmission frequencies. Scramble all fighter crews to intercept incoming bogies. Dip. Spec reports no answer to calls, no radio transmissions between the alien craft.

We are attacked! Mr. Wesker notes that several rocks have impacted on the hull as the rest of the crew is shaken by the impacts. "Outer hull damage," Wesker says, no casualties at this time."

The captain orders return fire, charge laser batteries, and fire on all small attacking ships.

Outside, the great asteroid looms ominously closer.

Fire! Laser blasts and plasma bombs rend the void as the ship hurls screaming destruction on the stone fighters.

No effect! Unbelievably, they only glow as they are hit, accelerate, and change course for the laser batteries. More hits!

Damage report! "Minor hull breaches, autorepair systems sealing. Power drain - massive power drain. Siid unable to compensate." Wesker calmly reports as the lights flicker and the air grows cold.

The rocks are leaching power! The trailer-size clumps of rock sticking to the ship reroute power from the conduits through the hull to themselves, growing larger. Science Officer Lizzy reports power transfer between them and the comet, which has begun to accelerate.

All directional thrusters, fire! Flames blossom along the ship, temporarily dislodging and pushing them back, but the parasitic rocks only increase thrust and crash back for more.

"They eat energy," the captain says. "Ceasefire!" He orders Quicksilver and Major Danko to halt firing with laser and antimatter missiles, switch to mass cannon and blow off a rock sample for analysis.

Tense moments pass as the comet draws closer producing swarms of smaller fighters; impacts increase. The battle outside intensifies as Danko and Quick dodge predatory rocks, flying evasive till they break off a piece, net it, and fly back home.

Science Officer Lizzy brings up results:

"Inorganic compounds arranged in helix-like chains, similar to viral RNA. An extremely simple and simple-minded spacegoing lifeform, it absorbs energy on the whole electromagnetic spectrum, converting it to thermal energy and body mass. The large bodies use gravitic displacement to travel, while the smaller rocks burn the hydrogen and oxygen in their water ice for chemical thrust.

"Nervous system?" The Tactical Officer asks.

"Minimal. The large ones have insect-like neural nets."

"It is enough," he says, and advises that the communications array flood space with neural-disruptive electromagnetic energy. "Do it," the captain says. There is a shiver in the rocks as they comply. They slow, then - speed up!

"They've adapted!" Lizzy screams, and a brain-shaking boom resounds along the deck as a huge fist of rock nearly shatters the clear glass. The lights go out.

"Who forgot to raise blast shields?" the captain asks dryly in the red emergency lighting.

Time for another tack. He asks for details on how they channel energy. Sci.Ofcr. Lizzy says they rearrange their molecular structure to absorb energy on whatever frequency and wavelength.

"Is it instantaneous?"

"No!" she yells, "There is a split second gap between shifts. Too much energy too soon overloads them and the material comes apart."

"Good," the captain says. "Mr. Wesker, lock on all hostiles with a wide-band series of laser and microwave bursts, set to random modulation, cycle frequencies every nanosecond. Do it."

The battered protoship lights the void in a warm glow; the rocks are bathed in dangerous energy. They begin to crumble and break apart, melting and vaporizing until they are reduced to a cloud of component elements.

Victory.

Damage control. Dr. Picardo attends to the wounded. Minor celebrations all over the ship. Danko pilots the Resource Collector to suck up the mineral-rich hot gas, as Quicksilver uses the Salvage Corvette to bring in derelict ships for salvage and tech analysis. (He later finds a perfectly useable frigate chassis, for a later story). The larger, whole pieces are left untouched until the captain authorizes Grishnak to lead a boarding party. Repair drones are evident all over the ship. Lizzy continues to study the new material for possible uses.

All clear? Post your replies so we can get started.

You can propose your own storylines here, in this format, pending the captain's approval.

Next: Extra-Vehicular Training and the launching of a new ship.

Cool! This'll mean plenty of "I told you so"'s for Wesker...

this looks like fun

::Materlizes in with a clearly fake gold star across on his chest::
So what's going on in here...got anything for me to do today Boss?

all right, in the words of a dear gone friend,

"Let's do it!"

LOAD

I've added some more to my Science and Technology postings. Check 'em out for info on the Katana and other craft, weapons, etc.

Hey, Wargamer, what do we do now? We done blowed the ship up, with us in it!

Kidding. Just kidding. This is a definite deviation, but it's okay. No reason to tear the site down. I've introduced a new twist, with a band of nearly-all-powerful, all-meddling star entities who aren't happy about Khar Siid's destruction. And they can do something about it.

P.S. as of now you and the others are already members of this bunch.

Welcome to the Storyline Benders.

Is it just me, or has this place died recently? Someone get an Ambulance! Quick!

Anyway. I don't know what you're planning, Recrash, but here's an Idea I've had.

"Epsilon requests to remain on Khar Siid. The Captain is, of course, aware of the Minion schemes, and questions her motives. She explains that she was programmed with real emotions, and desires to stay aboard. The Captain decided to give her a chance, but monitors her. He discovers that she is actually two enities in one. First, she is Matrix Epsilon, and second, she is a young, attractive girl named Claire, who, except on rare occasions, now has no control of her own body, and can only communicate with Epsilon mentally. During a monitored discussion between these two, it is discovered that Epsilon, and possibly Claire as well, has feelings for Wesker and himself. She views Wesker as a "Big Brother" figure, something to aspire to, while her interest in the Captain seems to be altogether more... physical... She approaches the Captain, and requests asylum from her own race...
Too late! MASTER learns of her plan, and dispatches troops to retrieve her. A fighter engagement begins, as Khar Siid's naval officers prepare to destroy the boarding ships, and the ship crew prepares to repel boarders. However, a golden Minion craft is leading the fight. It is piloted by Matrix Kappa, who was one of Quicksilver's men, killed when his canopy smashed in the battle with the meteor.
The battles rage, but the Minions gain an upper hand. Epsilon is captured, but Wesker offers himself in her place. The Captain knows how valuable Wesker is to Khar Siid, and how much stronger the Minions would be with him returned to them. However, Epsilon asked for his protection, and a Captain is sworn to protect those under his protection. A third Matrix, Matrix Beta. Enters. He speaks, briefly, in machine code to Epsilon, then turns to the Captain, asking him to choose between those he needs, or those he cares for. The lives of these two rest with the Captain, who must damn one of them to a lifetime of cybernetic slavery..."

Comments, anyone?

(groans) "well, after this I'm giving myself a long rest."