M63 Signups

[Maniac]

Sure - folks can start confirming.

Maniac - just keep me in the loop on your friend. Let me know if we need a sub to jump in, but the spot is theirs until you say otherwise.

Confirm

Offer the other spot to someone else Tom if my friend hasn't signed up

[Chaqa]

Conform

[DemonRHK]

Subfirm

[rdrivera2005]

100% confirmed vanilla town.

[Chaqa]

100% confirmed vanilla town.

Jeff?

[Jamiet99uk]

Sure - folks can start confirming.

Maniac - just keep me in the loop on your friend. Let me know if we need a sub to jump in, but the spot is theirs until you say otherwise.

Confirm

Offer the other spot to someone else Tom if my friend hasn't signed up

Perhaps DemonRHK would like it?

[damo666]

c
firm

[brainbomb]

oooooooo barracuda

[Tom Bombadil]

1. Bonatogether - confirmed
2. President Eden - confirmed
3. Durga
4. Chaqa - confirmed
5. Aarodactyl - confirmed
6. Celaph - confirmed
7. Rdrivera2005 - confirmed
8. Vecna - confirmed
9. Jamiet99uk - confirmed
10. damo666 - confirmed
11. Hellenic Riot - confirmed
12. ND
13. Donny Dude the Dunce. - confirmed
14. Hamilton Brian- confirmed
15. e.m.c.^42
16. Maniac (he/him/his) - confirmed
17. Maniac's mystery companion
18. brainbomb - confirmed
19. Ghug - confirmed
20. bozo - confirmed
21. BunnyGo - confirmed

Subs:
1. worcej
2. DemonRHK - confirmed

[Tom Bombadil]

Game will start tomorrow at 8pm EST.

Roles will be PM'd out a few hours prior so I'm not rushed right at 8pm.

[Durga]

I'm in

[Chaqa]

EMC said to to confirm him

[Tom Bombadil]

1. Bonatogether - confirmed
2. President Eden - confirmed
3. Durga - confirmed
4. Chaqa - confirmed
5. Aarodactyl - confirmed
6. Celaph - confirmed
7. Rdrivera2005 - confirmed
8. Vecna - confirmed
9. Jamiet99uk - confirmed
10. damo666 - confirmed
11. Hellenic Riot - confirmed
12. ND
13. Donny Dude the Dunce. - confirmed
14. Hamilton Brian- confirmed
15. e.m.c.^42 - confirmed
16. Maniac (he/him/his) - confirmed
17. Maniac's mystery companion
18. brainbomb - confirmed
19. Ghug - confirmed
20. bozo - confirmed
21. BunnyGo - confirmed

Subs:
1. worcej
2. DemonRHK - confirmed

[Tom Bombadil]

I see ND hasn't been online in several days. I sent him a PM but not sure if he will log in and see it.

I couldn't find him on the discord, so if anyone has an outside way to get him a message, go for it.

Thanks

[ghug]

EMC said to to confirm him

I like imagining that you've signed up and confirmed emc without telling him and that's why he's not going to post until a minute before the end of D1.

[Tom Bombadil]

We could use a few more subs....

I'll post a sneak peak of the flavor shortly to hopefully entice some people (though I think 90% of people don't even read the flavor)

[Jamiet99uk]

I see ND hasn't been online in several days. I sent him a PM but not sure if he will log in and see it.

I couldn't find him on the discord, so if anyone has an outside way to get him a message, go for it.

Thanks

Is Donald Trump holding a rally this week?

ND is probably there.

[Tom Bombadil]

I'll keep everyone up to date if we have to adjust the game down a player or two and what that will look like.

But that won't be finalized until tomorrow (and any changes will obviously be minor). Just waiting to hear back from unconfirmed people and subs and others I'm reaching out to.

In the meantime, here is some flavor. I'll repost this in the game thread once that is up as well.

[Tom Bombadil]

PROLOGUE

YEAR 3089 – BYNTI SYSTEM– Aboard the Imperial ship Rhapsody

The sound of shrill sirens, deafening in their loudness, awoke Cameron Bates from his sleep. A slow red strobe flickered from the light above the doorway. Moving quickly, he threw on his uniform. His wife stirred next to him, sitting up in the bed.

“What is going on?” asked Amanda, “Is this a test?”

“No. I don’t know what is going on. Get dressed, and get Jessica dressed as well. Once I find out, I’ll come right back and let you know.”

He could see the fear in Amanda’s eyes, but she did not verbalize what she was thinking. She only nodded and moved to the conjoining room where their six-year-old daughter slept. Cameron took one last glance in her direction, then turned and rushed into the hallway alit with red flashing light.

Several people rushed into various directions in the labyrinth of hallways on the ship. It was commotion, sure, but not chaos. The soldiers on the ship all had posts to get to, and very few on board were novices when it came to battle. Cameron took his final right hand turn and walked through the doorway to the bridge of the ship. Most everyone was already in position, and they saluted as he entered.

“Status update” Cameron bellowed, louder than he intended.

“Unidentified ships heading towards us Lieutenant. Several small crafts – they are not responding to communications” replied Sergeant Abramovich who manned the radar.

In the background he could hear the communication team continuing to broadcast messages, asking the ships to identify themselves. Cameron took a closer look at the radar and spotted 6 blips headed their direction. Each looked roughly the size of a small destroyer. Larger than a single manned fighter, but likely with crews smaller than a dozen.

“Scramble a quarter of our fighters and have them approach the vessels” a voice said from Cameron’s left.

Captain Wills sat in his chair; eyes glued to the radar screen projected in front of him. He beckoned for Cameron to come closer. He did this often, and Cameron was proud of that as it showed how much trust he placed in him. Captain Wills was a good man who commanded respect – and the crew would follow his orders unconditionally. Wills knew this, so he took care to make sure his orders were wise before issuing them.

“What do you think of this?” asked Captain Wills.

“I don’t know sir.” Cameron replied. “6 destroyers versus our flagship. Seems like suicide if they are pirates. Surely they wouldn’t be so brazen and could find easier prey. Maybe they are from a nearby planet and are desperate for aid?”

That seemed the most plausible to Cameron. It was not unheard of for human settlements to ask for assistance when they saw a Imperial flagship in their system. Most settlements were small in this system, though intel they received showed none in this immediate area. Still, that made more sense than 6 bandit ships flying head on into a flagship which housed 14 destroyers of its own, along with 40 fighters and the actual defense cannons of the flagship itself.

“I don’t know either” Wills replied. Then louder he said “Send the fighters to intercept, but do not attack unless threatened. Try light signal communication when in range.”

“Yes sir” several men replied in unison.

Wills continued, “Send Bravo team to the deck and prepare a destroyer. Hold off on any…” Wills voiced stopped suddenly.

Cameron turned Wills, but even before his eyes reached the Captain, he knew why the deck was silence. Through the front of the ship, Cameron saw the largest spacecraft he had ever seen. It had just warped into the system - the only explanation. It resembled an Imperial Dreadnought, the largest Imperial ship in existence – only this was maybe 40% larger – the entire black hull so large it was difficult to view all at once.

“Dear Lord” whispered Captain Wills.

A pulse emitted from the strange ship and a wave slammed in the hull of the Rhapsody. She moved slightly in response, but no damage was done.

“Warp out of here!” cried Wills. “Now!”

“Yes sir”

The crew found their seats, and a message blared over the intercom system, warning their people of the imminent light speed jump.
Sergeant Abramovich pressed several buttons, and then slammed the hyperdrive lever….but nothing happened.

“Status?” Cameron shouted.

“Hyperdrive is down.” Sergeant Abramovich replied. “All drives are down.”

In front of them, flashes of light blinded the cabin. Ahead giant projectiles flew towards the flagship Rhapsody.

“Shields up!” cried Wills. “Brace for impact!”

Explosions rattled the ship – the shield stopping the projectiles several meters from the ship – but the sheer force of the explosions tipped the ship and several crew members stumbled to the ground.

“Status?” said Cameron.

“Shields 60 percent”

“Scramble all units. Attack those cannons!” bellowed Wills. Then softer, “Cameron – I will defend this ship to my death. You need to get everyone off this ship. Planet XVI is life sustaining according to our reports. Get them there.”

Cameron locked eyes with his Captain and saw determination. Determination that masked panic, but determination nonetheless. He moved toward the intercom system and began giving instructions that he had always feared.

“Members of the Rhapsody. We are under attack by an unknown entity. Hyperdrives are down. All soldiers report to your posts. All women and children are to report to your designated escape pods immediately. Do not wait. The pods have all essentials. Pods will launch in 5 minutes. Thank you and God Speed. Lieutenant Bates”

Cameron raced down the hallway, and this time there was chaos – not controlled commotion. They had been attacked many times and had defended successfully. They had experience in that, training in that. This was new. Sure, they had trained for this day, but none had expected it. The Rhapsody was one of the most capable ships ever built, and certainly had never had to use the escape pods. People sobbed as they fled to their escape pods. Children carried by their mothers, oblivious to the circumstances yet latching onto the emotions of their parents and crying out in fear. Cameron checked his watch. 90 seconds left.

He reached the escape pod bay and people billowed into their respective pods. This was at least going as smoothly as he had hoped. It looked like the several hundred women and children had made it all in time. He hoped there were no stragglers, but he just did not have the time to check every room. He blocked that fear out of his mind. His mind searched the bay until he found them. His wife Amanda, and his daughter Jessica.

They raced to him and collided with him in an embrace. He savored it for a few seconds, but then pulled away. There was no time. He locked eyes with Amanda, tears streaming down both of their faces.

“I love you so much” Cameron said.

“I love you too.” She replied, choking back tears.

“Everything you need is in the pod. This planet is inhabitable. They will need your strength. Both of your strength.” He said, looking down at Jessica as he spoke.

“I don’t want to go” said Jessica.

“You must” said Cameron, his eyes moist with tears.

“We will come back and get you once this is over.” Cameron said.

He and Amanda both knew that was a lie but neither said anything.

He escorted them into the pod along with the last few holdouts. Once they were all in, he pushed the button on the nearby control panel. The pods began to seal, and Cameron saw Amanda lift Jessica into her arms, their faces barely visible through the small porthole window. He reluctantly turned and raced back towards to bridge. He heard the escape pods detach from the ship and begin to head towards their destination.

He reached an intercom at the door and slammed to button to speak.

“Escape pods detached successfully.” He shouted. “Status report?”

“Shields down to 10 percent” Captain Wills replied. “Fighters on route, ETA ninety seconds. They aren’t going to make it in time Cam.”

Captain Wills had never called him Cam before.

“It’s been an honor, sir” he replied.

There was a flash of light, then immense heat, and finally…nothing but blackness.


--------------------------------------------------

Our story will begin 15 years later and follow Jessica and the others try to survive on this new planet.

[Fluminator]

1. Bonatogether - confirmed
2. President Eden - confirmed
3. Durga - confirmed
4. Chaqa - confirmed
5. Aarodactyl - confirmed
6. Celaph - confirmed
7. Rdrivera2005 - confirmed
8. Vecna - confirmed
9. Jamiet99uk - confirmed
10. damo666 - confirmed
11. Hellenic Riot - confirmed
12. ND
13. Donny Dude the Dunce. - confirmed
14. Hamilton Brian- confirmed
15. e.m.c.^42 - confirmed
16. Maniac (he/him/his) - confirmed
17. Maniac's mystery companion
18. brainbomb - confirmed
19. Ghug - confirmed
20. bozo - confirmed
21. BunnyGo - confirmed

Subs:
1. worcej
2. DemonRHK - confirmed
3. Flum