Game: The Crimson Sphere

A spaceship crash in mysterious circumstances. A planet divided. A loose cannon on their last chance for redemption. And a Crimson Sphere. GMed by Holbenilord, starring Styro as Yrollius, Toothless as Shadow, and Ping as Rangon.

The Crash (Styro)
''The ship struggles to stay on course, smoke billowing from one flaming engine, the thin aluminium hull stripping away as it meets the rushing, burning air. Fragments of metal fly out behind it. The planet is cold but the force of the crashing craft heats the air up to thousands of degrees. Grey clouds part around the descending angel, its path bucking as the antigrav flickers on and off. And then it is almost at the frozen ground, the whistle of icy winds drowned out by the roar of the falling ship, and then the impact occurs.''

''Pieces of the spaceship shoot out in all directions as its front half crumples up totally on contact with the planet's surface. The rear detaches completely and appears to trip over the debris, falling upside-down ahead of the crater. The emergency door slides open an inch and then stops. It closes again, then attempts to re-open.''

Inside, a Menopteran wakes up.

1
After waking up from a dream in which my wings had fallen off and I was plummeting to the ground at a decent speed, I find that I did indeed plummet to the ground at a decent speed, although my wings are thankfully intact.

I jump up, retrieve my pet Zarbi, and survey my surroundings.

2
''It's cold. The wind only makes this worse; it's almost too much for you to fly in. The noise of air rushing between rocks and into crevices is loud and all-pervasive. The ice around the ship is broken and littered with debris. In the distance to the west is the watery sun setting behind a line of hills. To the east is a sheer cliff of ice. To the north is bleak openness. To the south is a glacier coming down from some large mountains.''

In the debris you spot a scanner.

3
I pull the scanner from the wreckage before I start moving. Anything else that looks salvageable? After that, I head west.

4
''There is also a Haser. Everything else looks very beaten-up. Your Zarbi walks ahead of you, cautious and quiet. The ice here is blue and translucent. Something like a triangle-shaped membranous wing with an eye hanging from its underside flies overhead.''

Your scanner indicates that there are strange gravitic distortions beyond the hills.

5
In that case, I take the Haser and run to the hills keep heading west. As I walk, I glance at this peculiar ice.

6
''It is just very clean, pure ice. Almost as if it had been rapidly frozen from pure water. You cannot see any objects trapped within it.''

Your Zarbi screeches in alarm as a small, bipedal creature with black feathers covering its body shuffles towards you.

7
I take my newly acquired Haser and shoot the thing's legs in an attempt to immobilize it. 6 MKS means I can roll two dice and pick one; I get a 5 and the Haser is 90 heat dmg.

8
''It squawks, terrified, as one of its legs is burned away into ash. Falling onto the stump, it thrashes wildly on the ice, screaming in pain.''

9
I look it over a bit, and then throw it to my Zarbi for it to eat. After it's finished I keep moving.

10
''You take another step and notice a loose ring of the same type of creature has appeared around you. You can't see their eyes through their thick feathers. Your Zarbi gulps down a chunk and then notices them too, raising its weapon.''

Some of the creatures carry rocks, and others carry snowballs.

11
I ready my weapons and speak. "...Sorry?" (This is a clever experiment in order to determine if they are intelligent enough to have a language, really it is)

12
''One throws a snowball that hits your Zarbi square in the mandibles. Another raises its rock in the air and steps forward, then points at the snowball-thrower and shakes its head. It looks at you and then makes some funny gestures with its flipper-arms.''

13
I tentatively step forward and put away my weaponry. "Do you want me to come with you?"

14
''It nods its head enthusiastically, then motions to the other creatures, which gather around it as it begins to shuffle westwards. Your Zarbi looks at you questioningly.''

15
I motion for the Zarbi to keep quiet, and then begin to follow the creature-folk.

16
''It keeps quiet. After a short walk, you find yourself in a quarry, where hundreds of the creatures are digging deep into solid ice. It lies just below one of the hills, and your scanner is signalling dangerous gravity distortions only a few hundred metres away. One of the creature things waddles up to you and offers you and your Zarbi spades made from bone.''

17
I take the spade and point in the direction of the distortions. "What is happening over there?"

18
''It begins to gesture before stopping itself. It takes a small bone from somewhere within its feathers and starts drawing on the ice; a circle, a few lines, a... pylon? A whole series of pylons.''

It stops drawing, puts the bone away, and then points at the quarry and pushes you gently in that direction.

19
Well I guess I should just go and dig then. So I do that. Where are the creatures moving the ice after it's been shoveled?

20
''A number of the creatures, carrying buckets made from hide, are picking it up and depositing it on the hill. You dig; it is hard work and not fun at all. The creatures seem happy though.''

21
While I work I take a closer look at this place. Anything that would be considered odd or unusual? Any clear purpose for all this hole-digging?

22
''Other than the fact it is a quarry mining ice, there isn't much unusual around. The quarry walls provide protection from the wind and it is reasonably quiet down here. There are a number of felt tents on the far side of the pit, closer to the hill. A few creatures seem to be coming back from a scouting expedition, carrying bits of the ship in their flipper-arms. They are heading towards the biggest tent, which also has a faint light coming from within.''

23
I mosey over to the ice holes nearest to the big tent as casually as I can, and try to peer inside.

24
''You succeed in your sneaking. A quick peek reveals that inside lies a blue globe, glowing brightly, with several of the creatures staring into it. Also in the room are pieces of armour plating and bits of organic-looking debris. None of the creatures inside have noticed you.''

25
I hover around by the tent awhile and see if anything interesting happens.

26
''One of the starers comes out of the tent and notices you. It glares at you and your Zarbi for a moment and points at the spades you are carrying then at the quarry.''

''Something like a big furry snake slithers down into the quarry from the opposite side to the hill, and snatches up one of the creatures. The others nearby panic and drop their equipment, running for the tents.''

27
I whip out my death ray and zap it. Dice are 4 and 6. Probably dead.

28
''The fried corpse slides down to the bottom of the pit. The creatures stop running and get back to quarrying, some nodding at you in thanks.''

One comes up to you and takes your spades, then points at the big tent.

29
I walk inside the tent with my Zarbi (probably should name this thing at some point, it's tiring just calling it "Zarbi") and look around.

30
''There are four of the creatures around the blue globe. The voice which now speaks to you comes within the sphere.''

"Thank you for your assistance. In gratitude, we would like to give you a gift. You will find this gift over the hill, once you have touched one of the pylons and entered the complex. I will see you there!"

31
I go out and touch one of the pylons, and then stand back to see what happens.

32
You disappear and find yourself in The Meeting.

The Escape (Toothless)
''You hurt, and badly. A girder is lying over your body, pinning you down against the floor- with a grunt, you throw it off and pull yourself to your feet. The ship is a wreck- one wall has been torn apart and the icy wind tears in through the gaps, depositing snow over corpses and debris. Your weapons lie where you left them, so you can easily pick them up. Also lying there is a single hibernating Drone.''

You can make out small, black, feathery creatures moving around outside.

1
I pick my weapons up, and if I can, wake up the Drone and order it to follow me. I step outside to take a look at the feathery creatures.

2
''The Drone hovers behind you, seemingly undamaged by the crash. It follows you as you step out.''

As you step onto the ice the creatures stop and turn to look at you, then begin to walk over.

3
I raise my gun(s) and order them to stop and identify themselves.

4
''They stop and look at you curiously. One begins gesturing with its flipper-arms rather wildly. Another takes a sharpened bone out from within its feathers. Your drone immediately aims its plasma assault gun at this individual.''

5
"Can you speak? Or at least write?"

6
''The leader (who had been gesturing) takes a blunter bone out and begins drawing on the ice. It draws a humanoid but insect-like creature with large wings and another creature like a large ant, then points west.''

7
"Can you take me to him?" I ask.

8
''It nods, but even as it does so, there is the sound of a chain of gunshots and each of the creatures is struck by a bullet, killing them all instantly. Your drone turns to face the north, where six humanoids throw off their camocloaks and stand up, sniper rifles in hand. "Hey, you!"''

9
Keeping my own guns pointed at them, I walk over to them and order the drone to follow.

"Who are you?"

10
''"I would normally demand that you answer first, but there's more important business to attend to." He points at the others. "We are Dalek hunters. You will have noticed our bastic rifles. I want to know why your ship crashed."''

11
"Honestly? I have no idea. I'm just a travelling mercenary."

12
"Huh. Never met anyone of your species before. Well there's no sense leaving you here; we have to reach the gravity wall and shut it down. Are you up for joining a suicide mission?"

13
"I was only here to make money, but it seems I don't have much choice. I assume I won't going anywhere until this gravity wall is shut down?"

14
"Three days ago, a large asteroid hit this planet's atmosphere at 20km/s. It still hasn't reached the surface, but the only reason is because of the gravity wall. Once that's gone, it will smash into the planet and destroy the entirety of its surface. We want that to happen."

15
"Wait, what? Why would you want that to happen?"

16
''He narrows his eyes and leans in towards you. "You don't know much about Daleks, then?"''

17
"I know that they vanished, long ago. Don't know what you expect to find, calling yourselves Dalek Hunters."

18
"Oh, they vanished. But then we heard there was one here. So we're hunting it, even as our numbers dwindle. But we think it is in the caverns under the ice and we can't get to it."

19
"Just the one? Surely you don't need to destroy the whole planet?"

20
''"Haven't you heard the stories? Don't you know what Daleks can do?" He looks over towards the west. "That wall is the first layer of a Time Lord defence system. Have you heard of them?"''

21
"No."

22
"It's mainly myths and legends. Some people say there are some grains of truth. The general myth is that they were a species who completely controlled time, but did not interfere with other races. They died out. But they were the most powerful civilisation to ever exist. And for them to have set up a defence system here? Why didn't they just kill whatever it was? Why were they so scared?"

23
"I don't know. So, what do we do to turn off this gravity wall?"

24
"We find the generator and we destroy it. It will probably glow and look like a crystal."

25
Found it!

"So where do we start looking? Those bird things were going to lead me to someone else on the ship before you shot them."

26
"Oh. Uh, whoops. Well, they looked aggressive. We go west, that's where the gravity pylons are. Does your battlesuit have mass detectors?"

27
"Yes."

28
"That'll show you when you're close. The force will lessen as you approach. At the edge of the protected area, gravity will go completely erratic."

29
Then let's start looking. Are the Dalek Hunters coming with me? I decide to head west, in the direction the bird-thing pointed before it died.

30
''They, and the Drone, are right behind you. As you walk on you come to the edge of a quarry- you can see dozens of other quarries on each side, one at the base of each hill. Hundreds of the feathered creatures are digging away inside. You could potentially sneak around without being noticed.''

31
I do my best to sneak around then (unfortunately I decided against the Stealth Armour to get better resistances) while keeping an eye out for the Menopterans.

32
''You don't see any of your fellow passengers in this pit, but you do see some of the creatures using bits of the ship as tools. You manage to get around without being attacked, and find yourself at the base of the hill. The gravity is slightly less here.''

33
If it's possible to 'follow' a lack of gravity, I do that.

34
''You come to the other side of the hill, and see the pylons. They stretch off into the distance to each side. The area they enclose is obscured by a faintly luminescent mist, and you can see the asteroid hanging in the sky up above. One of the Dalek hunters fires a shot at a pylon, which bounces off and does not even leave a scratch.''

The shooter then seizes up and dies right in front of you.

35
"This is Time Lord technology, then?" I assume, hoping one of the hunters knows a bit more about it. "How do we damage them?"

36
''They all seem very nervous and agitated now. "We have to think outside the box. Brute force will never get us in. What's something a Dalek could never use?"''

37
"Emotions?"

38
The leader starts shouting and swearing at the pylons, but nothing happens.

39
"Not exactly that kind of emotion, I wouldn't think. But Daleks don't have fingers either; could that be something to do with it?"

40
''He puts out his hand and touches the pylon. Immediately, you, him, and the Drone are suddenly teleported into a white-walled room, leaving the other Dalek hunters behind. There is a door on each of the five walls. One door bears two lines; the others have a triangle, a circle, a hexagon, and a candle respectively.''

41
"Any idea where we are? Or where to go?"

42
''The leader turns to look at you, and smiles. "Now that we're alone, do you recognise me?"''

43
?

"Whether or not there are others around doesn't affect my likeliness to recognise you, and no, I don't."

44
''"I don't believe you." He shoves his rifle into your face. "Tell them I sent you."''

45
"Tell who you sent me where? I don't even know who you are."

46
"Stalling for time, huh? I'm not going to be one of those guys who lets you keep talking until you've pulled your knife out. You're going to die now!"

47
"I don't carry a knife, only some large plasma guns that probably don't work good short range. But as I have little choice..."

I draw my Psychopath Plasma Lance, and if I have time to shoot it this turn, I do, rolling a 4.

48
''The plasma beam goes straight through his head and torso, leaving only his charred legs. The Drone beeps quietly.''

49
I try opening the door with the circle on it.

50
''It slides open easily, revealing a long corridor. You can hear the sound of heavy breathing.''

51
Where (roughly) is the sound coming from?

52
''You can't tell; all around you, seemingly. You feel dizzy.''

53
I walk down the long corridor behind the circle door.

54
''As you walk, you begin to see flashes of light in your vision and the floor lurches randomly. You want to throw up. The sound of heavy breathing grows louder and closer.''

55
This can't be good. I look for the source of the breathing.

56
''You see dark shapes appearing in the walls, and you feel like you are being stared at from all directions. Circular patterns appear in your vision. You feel like giggling.''

57
Giggling seems unlike a shark mercenary called Shadow. Not that I have any other ideas...

58
''Your Drone explodes up above you. Something grabs you arm and begins to drag you along towards the end of the corridor. You can barely see or co-ordinate yourself.''

59
Then I allow myself to be dragged.

60
''You are pulled into another room. The sounds and visions begin to fade, and you are able to pull yourself to your feet. A cloaked figure squats beside you; their cloak is black with red patterns over it. "Feeling better now?"''

61
"Yes. Thank you... Who are you?"

62
"A friend, but also someone with a substantial interest in making sure you do not shut down this facility. I would teleport you out but that system has failed."

63
"I'm not interested in destroying the planet either, if that's what you mean. I'm starting to think that supposed 'Dalek hunter' was completely crazy."

64
''"Dalek hunter? How did they know?" The figure straightens up. "Eh, what does it matter. The facility is being systematically taken apart from the inside out. The priority is to stop him."''

65
"Stop who?"

66
''"The prisoner, of course!" They pull out a Particle Gun from their cloak and hand it to you. Their hand is tattooed with Gallifreyan runes. "You have to stop him."''

67
"What prisoner? I'll do the job, but I need to know what I'm looking for."

68
"I can't just tell you that, it'd jinx it. Just keep walking through the corridors, preferably without setting off the traps, and you will come to the Labyrinth. He'll be inside."

69
"There are traps, now, as well? What sort of traps, and how do I not set them off?"

70
''"Oh, the standard. Sentry chronologies, psychedelic aerosols, time-wolves, you know. You avoid them by not looking like a threat, and by carrying one of these." They hand you a stone bearing a Gallifreyan seal.''

71
So I'm supposed to not look a threat, having just been given a Particle Gun?

I walk off down a corridor, I guess.

72
(Even a particle gun is not much of a threat to Time Lord ScienceTM!)

''As you walk down the corridor, you reach a fork. Left or right? Left smells of rosemary and the right smells of coriander.''

73
Very true. I take the right path.

74
''There are paintings hung up on the walls. They depict various mathematical fractals and equations. You reach the end and find yourself in a small room with a tree at its centre. There is a door to the left, one to the right, and one in the centre.''

75
I climb up the tree.

I take the left door.

76
''A fuzzy black quadrupedal shape prowls past you as you go through into a new corridor. This one has glass cases full of stone age weaponry along the walls, and a large spider's web covering the exit.''

77
Let's loot some Stone Age weaponry!

I brush away the spiderweb and continue.

78
''Silk threads stick to you and flap about in the air. As you step through the exit, gravity suddenly changes and what would have been the right-hand wall is now the floor. The suits of armour in the room seem to be operating under gravity that pulls them towards what would have been the left-hand wall, though.''

79
So there are suits of armour on 'my' ceiling? What sorts of armour, and what does the room look like?

80
''The walls are oak panelling, and 'your' floor has chandeliers on it which are hanging straight 'upwards' (to you). The suits of armour are of many types, from leather to plasmic armour, and for many different body types. Some might fit you; there is a suit of plasmic armour (95% convent, heat, elec resistance, 20% ex resistance) that looks about the right size and shape.''

81
I take the Plasmic Armour, and proceed.

82
''At the end of the room is a tube you will have to crawl through to reach the next area. Thick gunge drips from this end.''

83
I crawl through it.

84
''When you are about twenty metres in, you see a walrus-like creature dropping in from a tunnel overhead. It growls at you and begins to charge...''

85
I roll a 4 with my Particle Gun, which is a hit.

86
''It loses 200 health and charges on, eight tusks scratching against the tunnel walls. Its weight makes the metal creak.''

87
Huh. It has more than 200 Health. Wasn't expecting that. A 5 is also a hit.

88
''It loses another 200 health and rams into you, doing 50 (blt) with its tusks. That's 3 damage after armour.''

89
Wut? Still alive? I shoot with my Butcher Plasma Repeater, scoring six hits and therefore 360 damage.

90
''Its body divides into five smaller versions, each of which attacks. Four hit and each score 2 damage after armour.''

91
I score six more hits on one of them.

92
''It pops and disappears. Three of the others hit, scoring 2 damage each after armour.''

93
Six hits on another one.

94
''This one pops, too. 4 more damage to you.''

95
Three to go. Six hits on another one.

96
''It pops with a loud pop. One of the two remaining breaks off and runs away; the other attacks you for 2 damage after armour.''

97
5 hits on the last walrus, 300 damage.

98
''With a final pop, you are left alone in the tunnel. There is a red glow from the exit up ahead.''

99
I head towards the red glow.

100
''You emerge in a red-lit basalt cave. There are a number of upright coffin-shaped boxes standing around the room, made from steel plate. Water drips from the ceiling into a number of pools. At the far end of the room is a Crimson Sphere.''

101
I walk over to the Crimson Sphere and examine it.

102
''It is very shiny and very crimson. It hovers about 30cm above the rocks of the cave floor, and is around 5m in diameter. A belt of Time Lord technology goes around its equator.''

There is the sound of a quiet splash behind you.

103
I turn to see what caused the splash.

104
''The cloaked figure from earlier stands there. They speak. "Have you heard of the Time Lord known as the Doctor? The Oncoming Storm?"''

105
"I hadn't heard of the Time Lords at all before today. So no, I have not heard of this Doctor. Does he have a name?"

106
"Yes, but he is known only as the Doctor. He led the armies of the Time Lords in the Time War. He fought in the front lines. He tried to end the war, but it was not to be. But he is directly responsible for more Dalek deaths than any other individual in time and space- heck, in meta-time and meta-space. He was the one who built this sphere. Are you sure you want to open it?"

107
"... No, I don't think I am. I don't suppose there is a way out of here?"

108
Just as she opens her mouth to speak, three individuals come tumbling through the door. You find yourself in the Junction.

The Rescue (Pinguinus)
''The Shadow Proclamation orbital insertion capsule smashes into the ice, sending white fluff shooting up in a cloud around you. The door swings open, and you feel harsh, freezing wind on your body. You can see a number of hills up ahead, as well as a deep quarry with small, black, feathery creatures shuffling around within.''

1
I do a preliminary check on the planet's major features: I hop a little bit to determine gravity, and I wave my cupped hands through the air to determine atmospheric density.

2
''Everything seems tolerable; 0.9g gravity, 1.1atm atmospheric pressure at this level. Humidity is low due to the cold temperature. One of the feathery creatures has noticed you and is waddling over.''

3
I slowly walk over to it.

4
''It waves its flipper-arms around and then takes a small bone from its feathers and begins drawing on the ice. It creates a picture of a humanoid with a shark-like head and then points beyond the hills.''

5
"Thank you." I smile, or give the Saturnynian equivalent thereof. I use one of my claws to draw a Menopteran as well.

6
''It shakes its head and waddles off, before being suddenly grabbed by something like a furry snake that has burst out from the ice. It screeches as it is eaten right in front of you.''

The snake then turns to look at you.

7
I fire my steam rifle at it, rolling a (1, 3, 5). I choose the 5, which is a hit. Since steam rifles have two shots per turn, I fire again, rolling (1, 4, 4). All misses.

8
The snake hisses in pain and dives back into the ice, re-emerging behind you and biting you for 20 (sla) damage; 16 after armour.

9
I fire once more... after rolling thrice and choosing, a 6 both times. Two hits!

10
''It dies rather messily and stops moving. A number of the feathery creatures are standing about thirty metres away, watching.''

11
I ignore them, and head into the hills where my sources indicate the Selachian may be.

12
As you reach the base of the hill, you spy four humanoids with rifles waving at you.

13
I approach them. "Hello! I work for the Shadow Proclamation. Are you in need of assistance?"

14
"Yes! Our captain and a survivor of the crash disappeared into the grav wall! These furry snake things are gettin closer and we can't get inside to find our friends!"

15
"Grav wall? You'll have to explain."

16
"There's an asteroid trapped up above, gonna destroy the planet's surface, but the grav wall is holding it back! It's part of a Time... Time Lord defence system to contain Daleks!"

17
I shake my head sadly. "No, there's not. You've succumbed to polar hysteria. It's not uncommon in castaways on ice planets. Come on back to my ship, I can bring you to a doctor."

18
"Just come over the hill and we'll show you!"

19
"No, you're delusional. I'll show you."

I head over the hill.

20
You see a large rock hovering in the sky over a giant hemisphere of luminescent mist, rimmed with pylons a hundred metres tall.

"You see?!"

21
"...my sincere apologies. How did your friends get in there?"

22
"Well, he touched the pylon... I mean, when we did it, nothing happened, but I swear, when he did it..."

23
Hesitantly, I put my hand on a pylon. "I've never seen anything like this before... You said this is Time Lord technology? I'm inclined to believe you."

24
You disappear and find yourself in the Meeting.

The Meeting (Styro and Ping)
''A large hall, oak-panelled and with large stained-glass windows, is suddenly disrupted by two balls of light. They fade, revealing a Menopteran, a Zarbi, and a Saturnyn. You are inside the complex.''

1
I wave to the Saturnynian. "Greetinks!"

2
I nod my head at the Menopteran. Mr. Yrollius, I presume?"

3
"Yes. You are?"

4
"I'm Captain Rangon. I work for the search and rescue ops of the Shadow Proclamation. Do you need rescuing? Probably no more than I do, at this point."

5
"Rangon. Nice name, easy to pro-nounce. I arrived here and the people have been friendly." I point to the Zarbi. "This is Vrout."

6
"Hello Vrout."

I look around. "How did you get here? Do you have any information about this world?"

7
"I crashed on a ship. It is very cold outside."

8
"I knew that much. What do you think this place is?" I study the stained glass.

9
I do the same. "It's pretty."

10
''As you watch, the stained glass warps and changes. What started as a line of different aliens holding hands warps into the image of a tentacled creature covered in claws and fangs.''

There is a sudden flare and a door-shaped hole appears in the far wall.

11
"That's somewhat disconcerting." I walk over to investigate the door-shaped hole.

12
I shoulder my death ray and follow him. "Could be dangerous," I note.

13
''On the other side is a dog-shaped fuzzy black entity that looks at you without eyes. It then turns away and walks straight through the wall. This room contains an array of period clothing from the planet Teryshak. There are two doors at the end; left and right. The right-hand door has a sign saying "DO NOT ENTER".''

14
I open the left door.

15
I'll go ahead and follow the Saturnynian, keeping a wary eye on the right door, in case something bad happens.

16
Even as you do so, the right door throws itself open. Three black, scaly tentacles grab the three of you and pull you through into the Junction.

The Junction (Toothless, Styro, and Ping)
''A Menopteran, a Zarbi, and a Saturnyn tumble in, landing at the feet of a Plasmic-armoured Selachian. A figure clad in a black cloak with red patterning stares bemusedly as they disentangle and stand up. "Am I going to have to start again?"''

1
"To be honest, I'm not really sure what's going on. I came here to rescue the Selachian and the Menopteran." I look at him with a quizzical frown. "Should I be rescuing you too?"

2
"Where did you come from? You're the Menopteran from the ship."

3
"And I have made many friends along the way!" I peer at the sphere hovering in the room. "What's that then?"

4
''There is a loud, metallic clang. The cloaked figure pulls out a long silver tube, etched with Gallifreyan runes, and aims it at the sphere. "Look what you've done now!"''

''The equatorial ring around the Crimson Sphere splits into four segments, which fall to the ground. The sphere's surface becomes liquid and alive with ripples, their circular patterns interfering and echoing. The whole thing begins to expand and its colour pales. The rocky walls of the cave come alive and the red light turned white. A furious beam of enervating blue light smashed through the sphere from the inside and struck the centre of the cloaked figure's chest, revealing her bones and sending her flying back like a rag doll.''

''A three-clawed manipulator arm came out of the sphere, followed by an eyestalk and a gunstick. The black armour of the Dalek, still stained with scarlet, was pitted and scarred- but only superficially. Both the sensory spheres and central slats were burnished gold and the Dalek's eyestalk shone the brightest, iciest, most hateful blue that had ever been seen.''

"WHERE IS THE DOC-TOR?"

5
Trembling at this mythical creature made flesh, I sink to my knees and stammer: "I, I don't know who you're talking about. I h-have a doctorate in Applied Astronomy though..."

6
I just stand there and wait for something to happen, with my hand on my Particle Gun.

7
"Doctor who?" After restraining Vrout the Zarbi, I hold my hands up. "Not here!"

8
''The Dalek exterminates Vrout and then glides over to the three of you. It looks each of you up and down while opening and closing its claw menacingly. "GIVE ME A REA-SON NOT TO EX-TER-MIN-ATE EACH OF YOU."''

9
I stiffen, my hands gripping my steam rifle in an illustration of futility. "Convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation orders the cessation of hostile activities in order to parley."

10
"I might be able to help you find the Doctor."

11
Yrollius sneers. "Killing pets is a very bad idea," I say, "and I am sure this 'Doktor' man would agree. We are many and you are one. And we might be able to assist you in your dealings."

While I speak, I pass the Zarbi Laser to Ragon (hint hint - you can dual wield this)

12
''Dalek X watches the Zarbi Laser being passed along the chain, and then looks back up at each of you. "SAT-UR-NYN. YOUR "SHA-DOW PROC-LAM-A-TION IS KNOWN TO ME. YOU ARE PATH-ET-IC. SEL-ACH-I-AN. I DO NOT BEL-IEVE YOU. MEN-OP-TER-AN. NONE OF THESE FAC-TORS ARE REL-E-VANT TO ME. HOW COULD YOU POSS-I-BLY HOPE TO ASS-IST ME?"''

''It looks up and fires at the roof, which explodes upwards. The hole produced is ragged and about five metres across, going up all the way through rock and ice to the planet's surface.''

"YOU WILL FIGHT EACH OTH-ER. THE LAST ONE REM-AIN-ING WILL BE ALL-OWED TO GO FREEE."

13
"I guess we'd better fight then..." I raise my weapons and fire at the Dalek. After choosing my die rolls, I get a 5 and a 6 with my steam rifle and a 4 with my Zarbi laser.

14
I roll a 6 with my Particle Gun (aiming at the Dalek as well, I guess).

15
I'll leave you two to that. I fly through the hole in the roof and onto the planet's surface, hopefully away from any stray fire. Then I fly in the direction of the penguin camp.

16
''Dalek X allows your fire to disappear into its energy shields. It looks up at Yrollius and fires a stunning shot, sending him falling back down to the ground, paralysed.''

"IT WOULD BE A LIE TO SAY I WAS IM-PRESSED BY YOUR COU-RAGE. NOW THAT YOU HAVE OB-SERVED YOUR IN-A-BIL-I-TY TO HARM ME, YOU WILL RE-A-LISE THAT YOU MUST KILL EACH OTH-ER."

17
I point my steam rifle into Shadow's face. "I... I... I can't do it." I drop my weapons and stand there, a clear target.

18
"If you're going to kill us all anyway, what's the point?"

19
I just lay there I guess.

20
''"DO YOU REA-LLY BEL-IEVE THAT I WOULD KILL YOU AGAINST MY WORD?" Dalek X clacks its manipulator claws together.''

''It then fires a stunning show at Rangon, paralysing him too. You can still speak while paralysed.''

21
I lay there, waiting for a killing blow from Shadow.

22
"To be honest, yes, I do believe you would kill me against your word. I don't suppose there's a way you could prove otherwise?"

23
I get up again, retrieving all my weapons and keeping them at hand. "What happens when only one is left?"

24
"AS I STAT-ED, THE LAST ONE WILL GO FREE. YOU WILL SIMP-LY HAVE TO TRUST MY WORD."

25
I snort, despite my paralysis. "Yes, Shadow. Trust the alien coordinator of gladiatorial combat. Honestly, why would anything that keeps shouting 'exterminate' be untrustworthy"?

26
"Just your word... I have to trust a death machine to let me go free... What could possibly go wrong?"

27
"And what if we refuse?" I shoulder my Haser defiantly.

28
"REF-US-AL WILL RES-ULT IN EX-TER-MIN-A-TION. THAT IS NOT IN YOUR INT-ER-ESTS."

Dalek X gamely exterminates one of the small feathery creatures that has come over to look down the hole.

29
I close my ways, and await my passage to... Saturnyn Heaven?

30
Well, the RNG says I shoot Styro first, and the dice says a hit with my Particle Gun... Goodbye, I guess? :(

31
Yrollius falls down.

32
''Dalek X watches Yrollius fall. He glides over and takes the body in his claw, gently enough that it does not slice it apart, but the metal claws are still sharp enough to draw blood. A syringe extends from within the arm and injects some fluid into Yrollius, bringing him back alive with 15 hp.''

''Dalek X now stuns Shadow with a gunstick shot. "LET US SEE WHAT HE THINKS OF THAT."''

33
Rangon lays still and gurgles.

34
Conditions - I roll a 5, recovering from stun.

35
Yrollius shuffles back up to Dalek X. "Perhaps you could lend me some armor? Otherwise you will be re-vivifying me for a long time."

36
"I HAVE NO INT-ER-EST IN HELP-ING YOU. THIS IS SOME-THING YOU MUST DO BY YOUR-SELVES."

37
I roll a 5, releasing myself from stun. I then open fire on Shadow, enraged by his callous destruction of Yrollius, and encouraged that death is not permanent in this case. After choosing dice rolls--two 6s for my steam rifle, and a 5 for my Zarbi laster.

38
That's seven damage after armour. I roll a 3 with my Particle Gun, dealing 200 (ex.) damage to Rangon, and therefore killing him.

39
"DIE SHADA!" I say, and then proceed to tackle the walking shark and put my death ray to his head.

40
''Dalek X revives Rangon with 15 hp. He then glides back and watches impassively.''

41
I open fire on Shadow again. 6, 5, 6, another successful two shots with the steam rifle and one with the Zarbi laser.

42
7 damage. Fools! Six hits with my Butcher Plasma Repeater, which is 180 heat damage to Yrollius, and 180 heat damage to Rangon, killing them both... again.

43
Yrollius falls down.

44
''Dalek X stays still. "I SAID I WOULD FREE THE SUR-VIV-OR. YOU ARE THE SUR-VIV-OR." It raises its gunstick and aims it squarely at Shadow. "I WILL FREE YOU FROM BE-ING A DIS-GUST-ING SUB-DAL-EK. EX-TER-MIN-ATE."''

''The electron shredder does enough damage to kill Shadow completely. Dalek X is left alone in the cavern. It looks up and begins to levitate, then shoots upwards out into the universe. The Dalek Inquisitor General is loose once more. Below him, the cavern begins to collapse in on itself.''

''Three bodies are recovered by the feathered creatures, who carry them up to the surface for a proper burial. But just as they begin to dig the graves, a Shadow Proclamation medi-ship descends from the sky and hoovers the three corpses up with its teleport. It also grabs a small number of the creatures before shooting off again. As it departs, the grav wall fails and the asteroid finally meets the ground, leaving a planet that is one half molten and one half drowned in ash.''

''Yrollius (rolled a 5) is saved, as is Shadow (5). Though both gravely injured, they will live. Due to their injuries, they each lose 2 STR and 10 max health.''

''Rangon (I rolled a 4) is barely saved. He loses 20 max health, 5 STR, and 2 MKS.''

'''The game ends here (you can keep everything you gained). You have allowed Dalek X to escape into the universe and so you have condemned millions to death. Well done!'''