Search the Community

Kestevan 79 The Spinal Core, Coalition Victory Station Lor time mark 1482.4 [April 2, 2016 (Terran Calender)] The Voidrunners' work rarely brought them near CoVic Station, as their bounties typically favored the border regions, away from whatever government, organization or individual that was looking for them. But their latest bounty had required them to make the delivery to CoVic Station, so now they had the rare chance to take in the thriving galactic hub that had arisen in the aftermath of the Incursion. Currently, they were making their way into the Spinal Core. The Spinal Core was a section of CoVic Station that had developed as the central market place, filled with business and shops. Its named derived from the fact that it was built along the inside of a hundred-meter-wide shaft that descended deep into the lower levels of the station from the section where most of the embassies and other governmental facilities had been established. With the somewhat hasty construction that had taken place in making parts of CoVic Station habitable, the engineers had not bothered trying to alter the shaft, but had simply set up the artificial gravity generators so that the entire surface of the Spinal Core was covered with two or three story buildings and numerous stalls. Assuming one could find a straight path that went all the way around the interior of the Core, it would have been possible to have starting walking and ending up right back where one had started. While there had been an initial attempt to set out orderly and symmetrical buildings and shops, expansion and additions had quickly sprung up that created twisting and curving avenues. Added to this were numerous small stalls and vendors selling their wares on a mat laid on the ground, making the Spinal Core something of a crowded, fast paced environment where all manner of goods could be found, if one looked hard enough. The Voidrunners had been taking in the sights of the Spinal Core, and taking advantage of the wide array of goods, when the news that a Stellar Khanate warship had emerged from the nearby wormhole and approached the station. As sense of nervousness had come over many in the Core, although they still went about their business as best they could. It lessened somewhat when the news began to spread that apparently the Khanate ship was delivering a diplomatic envoy that was to meet with Ambassador Th'emme and envoys from other intergalactic governments that had embassies aboard the station.

GM Iridium Shore Gerivan, Volash Lor time mark 1484.1 [January 2nd (Terran Calendar)] Once again, the Voidrunners had found themselves acting as freelancers. Their recent individual successes let to an offered commission as professional privateers for the Lor. Which was promptly turned down. The news of the refusal led to their latest job offer from the man who taught Roulette everything he knew about surviving in space. But, they were not alone as the Praetorians had sent two envoys along to the meeting. General Almasi of the Stellar Khanate was one Kinan Khan's many "trusted" officers. The former captain of a band of Khanate Pirates, Star Khan conquered his crew and took the pirate under his control. Breaking and bending the man under his iron fist, one of many. But, after the Incursion as Kinan's heirs began squabbling for control of their father's territory, Amalsi's true loyalties revealed themselves. The former general starting his own campaign to take control of what was left of the Khanate. The Zultasian general was in his late 50's, dark indigo colored skin and greying silver hair that ran down to his waist. His left eye was covered by a cybernetic eyepatch that appeared as if were bolted on to his flesh. His right hand was missing, albeit safely protected behind the cover of the bright yellow Zultasian warsuit that he was wearing. The suit itself was heavily scarred with obvious signs that many pieces had been hastily replaced by other discarded armors. Amalsi's reputation for ruthlessness implied that the Khanate revolutionary would not drastically change the empire's culture. However, his deeds with the Coalition and expressed goals for at least some continued relations with the Lor made him sound almost trustworthy. The meeting place was inside a VIP room of the infamous Irridium Shore. Gerivan's finest casino and home to all manner of the worst dregs the Lor had to offer.

82 Eridani System Thursday, September 28, 2016 Cavalier flew along side Sea Devil through the inky void, taking in the unfamiliar sights. There was an index full of the various planets, moons, and asteroids of the system, but he had never actually seen them with his eyes. Still, Mentor had recommended this as a nice peaceful system for a trial run. And surveillance. Mentor hadn't been so direct in calling it surveillance. But when Cavalier had asked why he was being asked to take Sea Devil on a ridealong - especially when she hadn't gotten off on good terms with the young Deep One, and her time in space had been far from a walk in the park - Mentor had relented and given him the full scope. "The individuals who tampered with our armor to make the Spectrum Knight design were powerful, intelligent, and given to deception. Although we have examined the altered armor in detail and found no obvious tampering, we know from our own designs that the armor can adapt under proper circumstances. It may be best to see if Ms. Innsmouth has managed to develop new... hidden talents in use of the armor. Talents that were hidden just so they could be... discovered at the right time." A full analysis would be too invasive; however, if Cavalier rode along, Mentor could analyze the code of the Spectrum Knight armor to see if there were any nasty surprises lying in wait. Of course, convincing Sea Devil to go along all on her lonesome might be tricky. Hence why Cavalier had been given dispensation to hire the Voidrunners, with whom Sea Devil had a somewhat better relationship. And hence why he'd had the request approved to let Sea Devil bring along Jessie, who'd also been dragged about half the galaxy alongside her. And hence why he felt like the fifth wheel on this whole trip. But he was the one in charge, so he had to make sure he was everyone's fun uncle rather than their drill sergeant dad. "How do you like the sights?" he asked Sea Devil. "Anything catching your eye?"

OOC for this thread.

December 2015 Voidrunner When the big barracuda-like ship didn't follow them, Aquaria croaked in noisy relief before settling down into her seat. As she did so, she realized just how much her relief was mixed by fear. Despite impossible odds and impossible distances, things had come through for Sea Devil and Singularity, for Aquaria and Jessie. It wouldn't be long now before they were back in the Solar System - a concept she only hazily understood but that she knew meant they were close to Earth, and close to a return to the home she and Jessie had been trying to get back to for weeks. Close to trouble. She was acutely aware, twitching in her seat, of all that had happened - of how her pride had sent them to the stars, of how her anger had gotten that Surfacer killed, and of how all the stars of space had seemed to be against them on their journey. She knew, too, that her life in Freedom City was not her own - she was a symbol of the fear and loathing that Surfacers had for her kind, and a criminal to boot. With all that she'd done, what would happen when she returned? Blackstone again? Perhaps Atlantean custody? Or maybe just exile - a banishment to the waters off Freedom's coast where she was an outcast among all who lived beneath the waves. Turning to her still night-catatonic friend, Aquaria took a long breath and released it as a deep, almost subsonic, bellow. Jessie would be home in the world of her birth, surrounded by her people, away from the world that Aquaria had thrust her into. That was what mattered. Through the blood of sacrifice, I gain power, she thought, closing her big goggle eyes. Through the blood of sacrifice, we are free. Up front, the dinky little Terran comet belt station had just hailed the Voidrunner.

306582.6 Galactic Time, mid-evening Lor Republic core space, G'Nüzz system, G'Nüzz II, Ahri-Bodhi Megaplex The Black Hole would have looked pretty good to the average Terrestrian, with its gleaming silver furnishings, high ceiling, low volume of music and talk, generously-stocked bar, energetic staff, sections with varied lighting and entire sealed compartments for differently-atmosphered patrons. To the Voidrunners it looked like an utter dump. The bar's liquids were a subtly unhealthy shade(its gases and solids were no better), the low volume was on account of the crowd of various beings carrying out business of various legalities. The staff had the telltale signs of being blissed out of their minds and likely on their third consecutive all-diurnal shift. But the hygenic needs of hundreds of varying life-forms meant that even the worst places had a spotless santitation record. Anyone trying to buy their way to one was tragically never seen again. Universal health care was a deserved point of pride in the Republic, but nobody wanted to take any chances. However, the Voidrunners were here specifically to take a chance. Which did not include not taking a secluded booth. "...So, that's the story. Near as I can tell, it's here, got it?" Her tail lashing restlessly behind her, Loma Slife pointed to the lonely cluster at the fringe of civilized space. Even in the generous dimensions of the bar, the rogue Chorna had to stoop a little, but was no less a looming, menacing sight. With her bulging muscles and vicious spines and thick hide, it was easy to forget that she needed weapons at all, let alone that she could summon them to her side with a thought. Slumping back into the seat and propping up her legs on the foursome's table, her feet resting on the next one, the fearsome bounty hunter inspected her massive hands "This thing, officials call it the "Visitor", far as I know it's not got much punch. Just gets around everything, can hide anywhere, and hitting it is a s*n' **k and a half. So I say we team up, go in, flush the thing out and I help bag it, get the picture?" Swiping Ruby's mug, Loma downed half of it, paused, and spat its contents on the floor. Grimacing, the bounty hunter went on "Since this thing is from the Swarm, no non-mentato but me's ever made a dent in that nano-cloud 'o mystery, and everyone ELSE is after it too, I think it's only fair I get half of the ः120 billion credit reward, while you Voidies split the sixty billion amongst yourselves. Dunno what bills you got, but that should pay 'em off pretty nicely, know what I'm sayin'?" Her hands busy supporting her crested head, her spiny tail reached out to each of the Voidrunners in turn.

Planet Rath Inner edge of the Perseus Arm October 16, 2015 (Terran Calendar) Under Ruby's expert guidance, the Voidrunner skimmed over the treetops of a vast forest on the planet Rath. Burst of bright red energy could be seen out the cockpit viewport, slicing past the star cruiser, one of the lower bursts blasting off the tops of a few trees. Things had started out as a simple bounty collection, the Void Runners following information on their mark to Rath. The locals had little interest in prevent the removal of a wanted criminal, and now the mark was secure in one of the Voidrunner's holding cells and everything seemed to be going according to plan. That was until the group had lifted off to depart Rath, and almost immediately come under fire from four starfighters of unknown design. Thus far, Ruby's attempts to outrun them had been unsuccessful. The Voidrunner shook as it took another glancing hit from one of the fighters, and several more misses streaked past...

Early December 2015 Wolf 359 Aquaria didn't know much about space - but she could tell the space-house (or space station, as Ruby called it) orbiting the tiny young star was old and busted. The metal plates that made up the walls and the ceiling were obviously corroded, turning green like copper instead of orange like steel around their dark grey edges and the air had the smell of something alien and old burnt away in the ducts, long ago. The humanoids in the station were exotic and strange, even stranger and more exotic than the Surfacers of Freedom City, their hair, clothes, and skin all strange colors and textures - but at least they ate good food, including a delicious flying insect as big as her fist that both she and Bliss had developed a taste for. She spent most of her time in the station's small garden, taking advantage of the high humidity (and even small pond!) to bask in the comforting wetness without her suit. She earned her keep by tending the plants, a skill she'd learned at the home of Jessie's sister and her mate, and did her best to get Jessie to come by and help her. It was less stressful than being on the ship. There had been some sort of dispute over repairs to the Voidrunner (she hadn't really followed the conversation) - and it was a high-stress time on-board for everyone. We just have to make it home, Aquaria assured herself as she ducked down to the bottom of the pond (which was just deep enough for her to completely immerse herself in), the ever-present hum of machinery reminding her that this was no ordinary body of water. And they will have all the gold the ship can carry! Reaching down, she cut a few fronds of pondweed with a knife - the stuff was vile to her, but some of the local people on the station loved it in their stews. In just a day, or less, she'd been assured, the repairs would be done and they'd all go home - but now, everybody pulled their weight, Luckily, she and Jessie were both very strong indeed. - It had been a tough few weeks for the Horizon crew and their Star Knight companion. They'd tracked the fugitives to a remote swampy world, and even found the ion trail of the vessel that had picked them up there, but they'd found no clues about the identity of the vessel they were chasing. Whoever they were, they were fast and good, sticking to high-traffic lanes to blend in (but not the ones still regularly patrolled by the Lor), running their engines so fast they must be risking needing to scrub out their coils, and not staying in any one place long enough to be positively identified by eyewitnesses. If not for the unique energy emitted by Aquaria Innsmouth's suit, which noticeably warped extradimensional space while in hyperdrive, and if not for the further n-dimensional changes caused by the fact that the other passenger was from some other dimension entirely, they'd have lost the scent long ago. But now they'd caught the scent. Station K-7 was old and tired, a collection of habitat domes welded together centuries earlier, with a mostly transient population in the hundreds. It was widely known to be a den of smugglers making the potentially profitable run to Terra now that Lor border patrols weren't what they used to be - or even there at all, most of the time. As the ship approached the station, their sensors jangled with news - their two fugitives were _on that very station_.

Iridium Shore Gerivan, Volash October 27, 2015 Gerivan was serving its old purpose once again. In the bad old days when the Lor Empire was first starting, the spaceport city had been a place for cargo, immigration, and flight - which had brought with it political refugees, vice, and all the issues associated with both of those. As the Empire stabilized, the city went from a place of intrigue and conflict to an exotic resort town with a reputation for those who wanted to coast on the phantoms of a more dangerous time. And then Lor-Van had been destroyed. And once more, Gerivan found itself playing host to refugees, black marketers, and very dangerous men. With the empire beginning the long process of stabilization, Gerivan's shadier side was still casting long shadows. Which could be quite alluring to a lot of people. Kyle Steward was one of them. He had to admit, this was a lot nicer than some of the Star Knight details he'd been assigned to. The conflicts between the various aspects of the city's less-than-legal trades was starting to spill over, to the point that Citadel had noticed. The constant factor in all the bloodshed was that it seemed to brush up against the Iridium Shore, one of Gerivan's finest casinos. Intelligence was limited on the concerns of the bad men with guns, but whispers indicated they were seeking info on an asset in the casino's possession - the Midnight Diamond. Which meant a good old-fashioned casino heist. Which meant he was on security, helping to oversee the operations and ensure that nobody brought too much bloodshed into this corner of the city in their efforts to rob the Iridium Shore. And, while he was trying very hard not to get loaded up on comped drinks, Kyle had to admit this was a lot nicer than blasting at Communion drones on a god-forsaken mining planet in the Khanate.

OOC Initiative time?

Lor Timemark 1329.8 - March 1, 2015 Garron-9, Garron System Trooper Ekna Veiu sat strapped into the back of the transport ship between a Lor mentat clone with a lantern jaw and a member of a scale covered species he couldn't name and tried to steady his breathing. He'd never planned to be a soldier but then the Communion had ripped through the Khanate, leaving the precious few survivors to flee or be turned into monsters. The Lor loved to talk about never forgetting Lor-Van but they hadn't been the only people to lose a homeworld and they weren't the only ones who'd wanted to fight back. Ekna was seventeen stellar cycles old; that had seemed like so long sitting around on his family farm waiting for his life to start, old enough to enlist with the Coalition forces, certainly. As the ship shook from atmospheric turbulence and he clenched his grey-green hands all he think about was whether or not he'd see his eighteenth cycle celebration. There weren't any enemy ships in the skies above Garron-9, at least. There didn't need to be. What had once been a densely populated border world with almost a billion inhabitants was now a solid sphere of computronium, a planet-sized server to add to the Communion's processing power. A billion people converted into raw materials and 'antibodies', the mindless, shrieking foot soldiers of the enemy. This was only Ekna's second deployment but he'd already gotten to see those up close and personal. They'd lost that moon but he'd acquitted himself well, getting his wounded sergeant to safety. They'd given him a commendation for that. They didn't mention the rest of his squad when they shook his hand. He didn't mention the night terrors he'd had ever since. That was how he'd ended up as part of one of four squads deploying to Garron-9 with a simple mission: fight their way through and take down a communication relay, in theory briefly blinding the Communion in the adjacent sector long enough for something apparently above his pay grade. Troopers didn't need to know the big picture, he guessed. He looked up from his knees and immediately regretted it as he saw the Grue strapped in across from him scowling right at him. At least Ekna thought the Grue was scowling. It was hard to tell with no mouth. He immediately looked back down regardless. Most of the other troopers were more experienced soldiers and most of them had experience fighting against those who were suddenly their allies. Tensions were always high but the calm before the storm was always the worst. Then again, at least he knew what a Grue was. Each squad had been assigned a commander for the mission, though Ekna got the impression the rank wasn't exactly official. One of them was a stern Lor officer with no patience for excuses; he'd met a lot of those in the past months. The Zultasian told a lot of jokes and laughed loudly, all swagger and confidence. Ekna had never seen anything like the grey skinned woman with the cybernetic tail, though, and even though the forth commander didn't look all that much older than him he'd heard some of the other soldiers say she wasn't really Lor but Terran and everybody had a friend of a friend with a horror story about a Terran. Ekna risked glancing up again to the back of the transport where all four of them were standing, holding onto handing straps and conversing.

Go ahead and describe how your character got to this point and what they think about the others!

GM The Rock Outer Reaches of Contested Space Tuesday, May, 5th, 2015 When the Stellar Khanate initally rose to power, Star Khan needed a prison facility for all criminals too value to simply kill off. Known informally as "The Rock",. the Khanate's best architects created a hidden prison on an asteroid field within the oribt of a resource fueled planet known as Veritas. The prisoners were periodically brought down to a mining colony on the Veritas to participate in forced labor.The prison was designed almost entirely with "re-purposed" technology. Namely Lor technology. Every guard an emotionless Lor Enforcer robot. Only the Wardern and the on site doctor were flesh and blood Zultasians. The various defense measures made the prison impenetrable. With not a single documented escape or break in. The Rock was basically a fortress in of itself. After Star Khan was bested in the Lor-Khan war Veritas broke away from the Khanate. And with it the prison planet. Most Government bodies were led to believe the prison fell out of use. In reality, The Rock became a private enterprise. Storing prisoners for those willing to pay the right price. The Enforcers also acted as bounty hunters collecting prisoners and faking their deaths before transferring them to the Rock for the credit reward. Providing the Warden with a never ending stream of prisoners to act as miners even in the present day. Every criminal worth his salt knew to avoid the Lor's Enforcers. Never knowing if they were the genuine deal or hired goons for someone with enough pull. Unfotunately, Star Shot's crew of intergalactic environmentalists were not criminals proper. When Lor Enforcers boarded their ship they assumed they were being questioned on a routine stop. They were wrong and promptly arrested. In reality, a Lor Diplomat faked footage claiming them to have been poaching rare interplanetary wildlife. All to prevent them from bringing to light evidence of his own illegal gaming. Deep Freeze thought ahead. Sending out a request to an underground crimenet for a cash reward. Anyone who could rescue the captured crew would be generously compensated. Only one crew was reckless enough to actually willingly get captured by the Enforcers. In the middle of being processed for their own suspect criminal history, such as attacking a certain law enforcement officer made of sand, the Voidrunners grumbled as all their equipment was taken by the Enforcers. Bliss and Ruby instantly regretting going along with what could only be described as another plan Roulette purposely designed to tick off his comrades. Elsewhere, in the prison cafeteria, Seika had just accidentally bumped into a bloated round shaped purple skinned extraterrestrial creature with eight arms. The creature's tray fell on the ground and it snarled. Almost instantly the purple creature was joined by three other large creatures. "Stinky two arms!"

OOC for this thread.

Outer Reaches of Contested Space 38 Hours After Destruction of Lor-Van It was a truism that any seasoned spacer could have sworn upon: the heart of galactic civilization could be on fire, the proverbial wolf could be at the door and everything anyone knew could be turned upside down but there would still be someone willing to pay hard coin to make sure somebody else got what was coming to them. Since energy cells and starship parts hadn't suddenly become free, the crew of the Voidrunner had made their way out to the raggedy edge of known space, far enough out that nobody bothered to argue if it was technically Republic or Khanate territory, looking for a scumbag with a price on his head. Only this time the heart of galactic civilization really was on fire and the rush of reentry outside the airlock was starting to sound an awful lot like that proverbial wolf growling. Orbital traffic was ten times over denser than it should have been, packed with the ships of refugees who'd either thought they could avoid what was coming by running far enough away or who just didn't have anywhere more attractive to go than the dustball known as Ke'Pinree. Many of the vessels looked barely space-worthy; it was doubtful their passengers would be able to make it to the next closest habitable world if they were turned away. Once properly assured that they were there on business, a harried sounding woman with a thick provincial accent had cleared the bounty hunters for landing, directing them to was passed for a spaceport on her world.

The OOC! Let's see some Sense Motive rolls.

OOC for for Roulette, on a bounty hunter mission.

GM Approaching the Gas Giant Kapler-7, Lor Republic, outer rim... Kapler 7 was a mighty planet around a bright red giant star. Layers and layers of beautiful azure gas, thousands of miles down, from the thinnest of vapours slowly blown of by solar winds, to the lowest and crushing densities of high gravity down below. And orbiting the gas giant was the giant cruise ship, Varis, too big to be called a yacht, it was a sleek unarmed vessel carrying a couple of dozen tourists and a crew of six. Varis took citizens of the Lor on a tour of the finest sights in the galaxy. On board was the wanted criminal, Photonic. "Take no chances" was the warning delivered by Captain Grenn. A purple skinned human, Grenn was piloting three of the finest bounty hunters in the galaxy to the Varis, in a small Lor vessel. "We are the only ones this far out. The Lor would handle this themselves, but right now, you were the closest. And Photonic is dangerous. Very dangerous. We believe he has developed a lethal bioweapon..." That didn't sound good. On board the Lor Superslicer (the fastest ship available), was a squat dog like man in heavy space armour, all brute force and determination, calling himself Grunt, and a thin, red haired, red eyed woman who had an elven face, calling herself Bleed, carrying a blaster pistol strapped to a leg and giving Roulette a smile and a wink. The view was spectacular, as Grenn swung the ship through the outer layers of the gas giant, and towards the cruiser Varis, as a storm of azure blew around them. With a slow clunk, the ship docked...

Player Name: HG Morrison Character Name: Roulette Power Level: 11/12 (181/186PP) Trade-Offs: -4 Attack / +4 Damage, +2 Defense / -2 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 5 In Brief: Conman who shoots optic blasts Alternate Identity: Stahnze Turk Identity: Public Birthplace: Zultas Occupation: Bounty Hunter Affiliations: The Voidrunners (Ruby Voxx and Bliss) Family: Leorio Turk (Father, Deceased), Sattara (Mother, Deceased) Description: Age: 28 (DoB: 1986 [April 22nd]) Gender: Male Ethnicity: Zultasian Height: 6'1 Weight: 205 lbs. Eyes: Blue Hair: Silver and Black Roulette is an purple skinned male with an athletic build. His short spiky silver hair is kept spiked owing to some dedicated time with hair care products. His typical clothing tends to favor exposing his arms to take in light better directly on the skin. On the job, Stahnze wears a custom made white jumpsuit that looks almost like militarized gear. He is known to wear a silver visor with a ruby lens. The visor an attachment system for Stahnze to add a portable rebreather. When either the rebreather or the environmental seal of the space suit are in use it appears much like a jade green transparent layer over his face. Power Descriptions: His Optic Blasts appear as if they were violet colored beams of coherent light. Appearing a bright red for those whom can see the infrared spectrum. And a dark blue for those who see under the ultraviolet spectrum. History: Stahnze Turk was born the son of a Star Knight and a lounge singer. The pair met while Leori (his father) was in the midst of an investigation and Sattara (his mother) was working in a bar in the seediest bit of Khanate claimed space. Leori was a rarity in that not many citizens of the Stellar Khanate were chosen as Star Knights. Few having deemed worthy by Mentor of having the strength of character required. Leori served his time as a Star Knight honorably, earning him about as many fans as could be expected in Kinan Kahn's empire. Which was to say none, at least none that could actively express much support publicly. At least until the Stellar Khanate went to war with the Lor. When Leori left to participate in the war, dying branded a traitor against the Khanate. When Stahnze was fourteen years old, his mother passed away from an untreatable coronary disease. Leaving him with no one left to care for him. Stahnze chose to spend his teenage years traversing the stars. Unfortunately living as a spacer required some sort of financial backing. Lacking a proper source of income he learned to rely on the kindness of strangers. Or rather manipulating said kindness to his own ends. Stahnze became an interstellar confidence man. Funding his travels by tricking others out of their hard earned gains. Stahnze actually began to get a taste for the luxurious as he began to accrue wealth. In response to his burgeoning craving of the high life his crimes began to get more extravagant attracting more unwanted attention his way. Such attention lead to Stahnze being captured by members of the Stellar Khanate crime syndicate as retribution for scamming one of their members out of a substantial sum. The crime syndicate handed Stahne over over to an underground military research team that worked directly for Star Kahn. Their research seeking to create living weapons for the glory of the Khanate. The researchers thoroughly modified and experimented on Stahnze. With tremendous results as Stahnze became able to metabolize photons around him into coherent beams of concussive force fired out of his eyes. Before any further research could be conducted on the full capability of his powers, Stahnze used his new ability to blast his way out of the facility. Leaving the entire location in shambles, with the research data fully destroyed. As a free man again, Stahnze resumed pulling off massive confidence jobs. Tricking criminal and lawman alike out of many a profit. For as good as he was at acquiring money with his scams, Stahnze was equally lacking in business savvy. Accruing a massive debt with some bad investments through various criminal contacts. His face became a common sight on many a bounty poster soon after. Bounty hunters were usually caught off guard by proper misdirection or a well placed optic blast. To Stahnze's credit, he never harmed a civilian while on the run. There was definite amounts of collateral damage as he destroyed the environment all willy nilly to escape capture. But, Stahnze kept enough control to avoid catching anyone he wasn't targeting in the crossfire. It became so costly to chase after him that Bounty hunters began to actively avoid going after Stahnze's bounty. With the notable exception of a bounty hunter by the name of Ruby Voxx. Stahnze considered her the most relentless bounty hunter to chase him down. If he lingered for too long, she would be hot on his heels soon after. Keeping the conman looking over his shoulder everywhere he went. This dichotomy continued on for years. Everything changing when Stahnze went to the planet Un-Sabnur. Stahnze lost a card game in a small bar and had to rely on his charm to avoid being bifurcated after admitting he did not have the money to pay the amount he owed. Ranark the winner of the game agreed not to kill Stahnze. Stahnze just had to return the payment in triplicate. With Ranark having already chosen the means for Stahnze to gain the money. Ranark was a former gladiator in the planet's famed coliseum. After retiring he became the cruel overseer of the current crop of gladiators on the planet. Seeking to earn a big pay day, he wanted Stahnze to drug the current gladiatorial champion's latest challenger. In all betting pools Bliss, the current champion, was the massive underdog going into the fight. So a bet in support of Bliss would have paid substantially had she won the fight. Rather than leave things up to chance, Ranark wanted Stahnze to provide him a guarantee. Before Stahnze could accomplish the poisoning he was caught in the act by Bliss. Barely managing to escape capture he made a run for it in the process alerting more of the gladiators of the commotion. Bliss was accused as Stahnze's co-conspirator by Ranark who spun the story around to cover himself. Disgraced gladiator Bliss sought to clear her name, escaping in the heat of night rather than face an undeserved punishment. Her plan to catch Stahnze and beat a confession out of him. While Bliss was chasing Stahnze through Space, so too was Ruby Voxx in hot pursuit of the two "partners in crime." A pursuit which ended with all of them crash landing on a remote planet called Slogth in the rim of Lor and Stellar Khanate territory. Though Voxx had technically caught her quarry upon landing, it left the three stranded on a planet they knew nothing about. The locals had actually intended on hiring a trio of famed warriors for hire named the Voidwalkers to defend them against the Nebula crime syndicate whom wanted to invade the village for its herbs that could be used to manufacture a new drug. Unbeknownst to the locals the Voidwalkers were merely characters in an old Earth sci fi show that had somehow streamed on to their planet. When Ruby Voxx informed them that her ship was called the Voidrunner, the locals jumped to the conclusion that these three were apart of the Voidwalkers. It didn't hurt that Stahnze looked like one of the cast members from the show whose character was known as Roulette. Compounded further by his willingness to propagate the lie. All three of them found it prudent to not get slaughtered by the invading force, so they played along. Bliss, Roulette, and Ruby Voxx worked together actually managing to fend off the criminal syndicate's invasion. Surviving with some parts ingenuity and more parts luck. Roulette actually rather enjoyed doing the right thing for once, and conceded with Bliss's request (threatening glare) that they refuse the payment for protecting the village. Voxx then put forward the idea that they not let the teamwork end there, and officially take upon the Voidwalkers banner. With Voxx agreeing to "handle" the issue of their prior crimes and bounties, so long as they didn't betray her in the future. And thus the Voidwalkers were formed Personality & Motivation: Roulette has spent most his life as an arrogant self-serving jerk. The only thing that has really changed is he's a bit less self serving. Roulette abhors violence, claiming it makes him look unprofessional and will always attempt to talk his way out of a fight if he can. A consummate liar preferring to use his silver tongue rather than a weapon. His more negative qualities are hidden behind a thin veneer of politeness. But, Roulette consciously chooses proper etiquette solely when it suits whatever his current needs. Preferring to rudely unnerve those around him. However, Roulette is not without his positive traits. He enjoys the feeling that comes from helping people, even if he'll never admit it. He has a massive soft spot for children. To the point that all one needs to do is tell them a child would be in danger and he's willing to be a hand. Despite his willingness to manipulate even his own teammates, there is a burgeoning sense of loyalty growing towards them. Powers & Tactics: Roulette's body is able to metabolize ambient energy from photons found in the environment around him. He is then able to release that energy in a coherent beam of light. The beam has no apparent heat or recoil to it relying on concussive force instead. The more power put into a beam the more concentration it takes to sustain, making more powerful blasts difficult to aim. Roulette prefers to avoid combat whenever possible. Relying on his wits and sharp tongue to manipulate foes. Feeling that a good con never need raise his hands. Acting as support for his teammates on the defensive instead. If pushed to the offensive Roulette eschews finesse for fire superiority to end things as quickly as possible. His Optic Blasts operate on principles similar to lasers. Making it possible for Roulette to refract the beam, fire it off with blinding speed, as well as taking advantage of reflective surfaces to hit multiple foes or attack from unexpected angles. Complications: Body Heat: While not running any hotter than normal, his body emits a far larger heat signature than normal. This can lead to issues in hiding from those able to track or distinguish heat signatures. Or worse heat seeking weaponry. Enemies: In Roulette's less than stellar days he accrued a large number of enemies. Even with his debts settled by Ruby Voxx, many of them still feel as if they have a reason to come after his head. Look where you're pointing that thing: Prolonged use of his powers has begun to erode Roulette's vision. If a GM feels like temporarily blinding him or sticking the Uncontrolled flaw on his optic blasts during a "blind" episode it would make sense. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Roulette's optic blasts take on many of the properties of lasers. Including being able to bounce of reflective surfaces. Unfortunately, this can be used against him with his own blasts being refracted or reflected in a direction he doesn't want if an opponent is prepared to deal with him. Power Loss: When away from a light source for too long, Roulette can use up his reserves of solar and ambient energy with repeated firings of his optic blasts. Leaving him with a lack available access to his energy source for a recharge. Furthermore, being low on his energy reserves can also make those last few shots an exhausting affair. Rose Tinted Glasses: Roulette is color blind. He sees everything only in shades of red. Although he has naturally adapted over time this still provides ample opportunity for the GM to be devious Abilities: 0 + 6 + 8 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 44PP Strength: 10 (+0) Dexterity: 16 (+3) Constitution: 18 (+4) Intelligence: 20 (+5) Wisdom: 20 (+5) Charisma: 20 (+5) Combat: 8 + 10 = 18PP Initiative: +3 Attack: +4 Base, +7 Ranged Grapple: +4 Defense: +13 (+5 Base, +8 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -4 Saving Throws: 3 + 4 + 2 = 9PP Toughness: +9 (+4 Con, +5 Space Suit) Fortitude: +7 (+4 Con, +3) Reflex: +7 (+3 Dex, +4) Will: +7 (+5 Wis, +2) Skills: 80R = 20PP Bluff 14 (+19) Concentration 4 (+9) Diplomacy 5 (+10) Disable Device 5 (+10) Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) 8 (+13) Knowledge (Galactic Lore) 4 (+9) Knowledge (Tactics) 10 (+15) Language 4 ( Galstandard, Grue, Jerreid, Khanate [Native], Lor ) Notice 5 (+10) Pilot 6 (+9) Sense Motive 10 (+15) Sleight of Hand 5 (+8) Feats: 37PP Accurate Attack Attack Focus (Ranged) 3 Beginner's Luck Benefit 2 (Use Tactics to Set up a Surprise Attack, or to Detect Ambush/Avoid Feint) Distract (Bluff) Dodge Focus 8 Equipment 5 Fascinate (Bluff) Improved Aim Inspire 5 Leadership Luck 3 Master Plan 2 Power Attack Set-Up Taunt Equipment: 5PP = 23/25 EP Lock Release Gun [1EP] Multi-Tool [1EP] Space Pod The ORPod [21EP]Size: Huge [2EP]Strength 30Toughness 9Defense -2Features: Alarm 1 (DC 20) , Communications, Computer, Living Space, Navigation System 1 (+5 Nav)Powers: [14] Flight 5 ( 250 mph ) [10EP]Super Movement 2 (Space Travel 2) [4EP] Powers: 12 + 1 + 37 + 1 + 2 = 53PP Device 3 (15PP, Hard to Lose]) [12PP] (Lor Spacesuit) Immunity 9 ( Life Support ) [9PP] Protection 5 [5PP] Super-Senses 1 ( Infravsision ) [1PP] Immunity 1 ( Own Powers ) [1PP] Optic Blast Array ( 34PP Array Feat: Alternate Power 3 ) [37PP] Base Power: Damage 15 ( Extra: Range [Ranged]; Feats: Improved Critical 2, Precise, Ricochet 1 [1 Bounce] ) (Optic Blast) {34/34} Alternate Power: Damage 11 ( Extras: Area [General, 60-110-220' Cone]; Feat: Progression, Decrease Area 5, Progression, Increase Area 1 )(Wide Angle Optic Blast) {28/34} Alternate Power: Damage 11 ( Extras: Area [General, 5x275' Line]; Feat: Progression, Decrease Area 5, Progression, Increase Area 1 )(Optic Beam) {22/34} Alternate Power: Damage 11 ( Extras: Area [General, 55-110' Burst], Range [Ranged], Selective Attack; Feat: Progression, Increase Area 1; Flaw: Action [Action] )(Optic Bank Shot) {34/34} Quickness 3 ( Perform Routine Tasks at x10 Speed; Flaw: Limited to Trigonometry [-2] ) [1PP] Super-Movement 1 ( Slow-Fall ) [2PP] (Optic Blast Landing) Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP DC Block ATTACK RANGE DC EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC15 Toughness Damage (Physical) Optic Beam 5x275’ Line DC21 Reflex DC26 Toughness Damage (Bludgeon/Light) Optic Blast Ranged DC30 Toughness Damage (Bludgeon/Light) Optic Bank Shot 55-100’ Burst DC21 Reflex DC26 Toughness Damage (Bludgeon/Light) Wide Angle Optic Blast 60-110-220’ Cone DC21 Reflex DC26 Toughness Damage (Bludgeon/Light) Totals: Abilities (44) + Combat (18) + Saving Throws (9) + Skills (20) + Feats (37) + Powers (53) - Drawbacks (0) = 181/186 Power Points