Re-read my post, Tann - I alluded to your suggestion in my post by suggesting Tess talk amongst the passengers. Was I too subtle?

In any event, Bromern has suggested a different course of action,and I'd suggest that it is easier to hash out details here then in gameplay. So,with the idea of rigging explosives in rocinante, I'd suggest that there are only so many ways to board the ship, so we bury the explosives in the ground around those points.

And I also want to suggest more on John and the algorithm, but it can't come from Willow - we have John broadcast that he's cacked the algorithm, and he could do one of two things - blow the devices of anyone who approaches Rocinante, or simply disable allof them. Maybe the mercswill have a discipline issue if they no longer have a compelling reason to obey.

Remember, we don't have to beat these guys - just hold them off until the real rescue arrives.

As the GM I would like to get this game moving again so let me add some thoughts to the mix and perhaps clarity.

Putting all non-combatants in the caves while those who can (and are eager to) fight outside to draw fire and keep mercs occupied is probably the best idea. If you put everyone in the cave, then they bring the asrev down and blow open the doors.

I will post John's idea today if I can and let people say what they like about it.

Tann's idea of drawing out the mole is a good one but how? I have no idea how you could draw him out in the situation you are in. Use greed? not sure how you'd go about that myself.

Vanadia had an interesting no lethal or blowing up idea on the way to work today.

As to the missile, there is always the possibility of using a shuttle to fly the missile close and then launching it. You'd need a good pilot with gunship experience...

All ships have a fire suppression system - and likely a gas that can be quickly vented, rather than water that is heavy (and too valuable for other things like sustaining life). Willow has a fully equipped medical bay, including anesthetic gas....if we tell him we've left the case on the ship and abandoned it (take what you want and go!) then we can gas them as they come aboard.

I don't want to seem like a wet blanket but the what killed Dillon and the guards sounds like a implant in their skull, not in the helmet. If it popped it was very likely destroyed as it discharged. It would take surgery to open the skull and see what it was. And each went off separately so each is tuned to its own trigger. So it sounds more like we will be bluffing.

If we had a way that may have recorded the triggering pulses frequency then with the three pulses we might find the range. A device that would send out a continual pulse across a tunable broadcast range could hit the correct triggers as it was dialed up and down.

I could have Asher bring this up.

I think everyone knew it was in the head not the helmet. That is why John asked for a head of a merc that has not been popped.

Willow comment about helmets was alluding to the fact that there are comms in the helmets so you could use them to send a message - intentionally or not intentionally.

Still like the idea of a band wide transmission to trigger the devices.

John wants to create that bandwidth transmission. It appeals to him because it shows off his superior intellect to everyone and how dangerous that superior intellect can be. So there! Bet you mercs you were nicer to us nerds! Who`s laughing now!!!

The idea that I had for John was a bluff. Either to Bluff that he cracked the code and he could blow the heads off anyone who got within range. OR to bluff that he cracked the code and let the mercs know he was jamming the frequency so the bombs could not be triggered. Maybe start a inside fighting thin.

And I was willing, as the doctor, to dig through our dead guys to retrieve what was left of the device.

And as a guy with guns I was willing to blow off their heads.

I didn't intentionally overlook anyone's comments, suggestions, or ideas. I believe that I had Wyatt at least thinking on the suggestions before coming to the conclusion that they need a new plan.

In any case... I thought all of the merc's heads esploded. Do we have one Willow and John can tinker with? I had misunderstood the situation at the caves. So, the doors wouldn't withstand siege warfare? That's a bummer. That means that we're still going to have to take a stand away from the caves to keep the mercs from focusing their destructive efforts on the presumably innocent.

Willow will need the medbay on Roc. How much time would she need to dig around in the brainpan assuming we have a brainpan to dig around in?

John would likely need the equipment available on Roc as well unless there's the appropriate equipment at the processor. Where would he find that which he needs and how long does he need?

Also, how long do we have now before the mercs' supposedly arrive?

In answer to some of the speculation, I'm can't remember if the mercs know about the cavalry's pending arrival or not, but assuming they do, wouldn't that make them more likely to take desperate measures?

Speculation aside; if we use Roc as a place to make our stand, place the explosives about the ship to both protect against entry and to show that we aren't afraid to take out their precious violin with the ship that should protect Roc from an all out volley of weapon's fire. If we dispatch one of the shuttles with Tess at the controls and whoever our best heavy gunner is with the makeshift missile. It's a longshot, but we might be able to at least disable the ASREV if it came down to it. So, that would leave Willow and John as non-combatants (really), with Wyatt and Wolf being the gunmen at Roc. Meanwhile Tess and Asher are in the shuttle just close enough to fly in when needed, but far enough away to be concealed (Asher has the highest Assault Rifle score though Tess has a surprisingly high rifle score, and I'm assuming that's what we're using for the missile). Meanwhile Trish and Jessy can join Sifu and Matherson at the caves trying to figure out who the mole is and who screwed with our engines.

If John and Willow are able to commandeer the signal then I don't think it would be wise to let them know we have it in case they can adjust it. I know enough about programming to know that people can remotely change frequencies and such so I'm not going to rule that out. However, if the mercs don't play nice it would make Wyatt feel a lot better to be able to play Fruit Ninja with their skulls to protect his crew. If John and Willow can't turn it to their advantage for real, then we might be able to use it as a bluff, but the way I see it is if they've already blown up a few heads they'd want a demonstration or they'll be calling our bluff.

So, that's what I've got right now. Any comments, ideas, political speeches, or rants?

Yes all the merc’s heads exploded. You have not cracked the skulls to see how much of the radio transmitter is left.

You have three potential heads to explore. Since you don’t need to be “nice” about it, the operations would be quick I’d assume (complex action based o na minte per roll added to a base of fifteen)

Doors are airlocks to hold out the vacuum so they are tough but not enough to withstand an autocannon at close range. Small arm fire – no problem.

John would be rolling a complex roll as well and I would assume the equipment would be available in his kit unless he botches. I can throw some plot points on it as John never used his points yet.

Mercs are on a four hour window. See below

Here is the timeline as I see it from going through the posts. Note, Asher and Jessie could not have laid out the bombs yet because they are not completed yet, so I assumed they went to take pictures of the case for Wyatt's plan.

8:10 ASREV Landed
8:20 Battle of LV-426 begins
8:25 Battle ends, Dillon Warns of attack within four hours
8:26 Crowd goes wild
8:30 Wyatt uses shotgun to get attention of crowd
8:40 Willow begins operation on Havelock
8:45 Crowd sent to caves with Sifu and Hood leading
9:00 The young men are asked to build bombs and they start.
9:10 Sung talks to Matherson.
9:15 Willow finishes up on Havelock. His recovery is almost miraculous
9:20 Soup loaded onto mule by Hack and Slash, Ash and Jessie depart to drop off soup and take pictures of case, Sifu, Hood arrive at the caves with passengers
9:25 Willow/Ma discovers missing engine part
9:35 Wyatt and Wolf see missing engine parts. Wyatt calls meeting
9:45 Tess takes off and gets John, Ash and Jessie return, Sifu discovers power in cave
9:55 Crew is assembled in Kitchen****
10:00 first batch of bombs will be complete
11:00 Missile will be complete
12:30ish Imminent Attack

**** Where we are now

No one knows about the calvary coming actually. That was silver screen so neither side is aware except the mole among the mercs. The mercs are jamming the cortex so they think they have all the time in the verse.

Tess has gunship experience and could fly and launch missile without assistance. The missile is made to be dropped and fly.

Fruit Ninja –I like that.

Whether you can gain control on the devices in the merc’s head will depend on John’s skill and the dice really.

I have not heard from Celeste in awhile so I am NPC her until she comes back.

I'll throw Leadership behind the tasks at hand if I can still do so.

Does anyone have anything to add to the plan? Concerns? Questions?

Ok, so I get it right.

We need to NOT plant the bombs in the hills?

Asher does not need to fly with Tess to use the missle?

We are going to attack the ASRV, but we don't know it might the good guys?

We are not sending out picture to draw them away.

We may or may not be going to the cave to defend it.

We may or may not be staying to defend Roc.

Sure I got it, just tell me who to kill.

I am here. Work week got away from me. Will be posting asap witht the lnowledge that I will be flying the shuttle.

I feel the same way, Ody. Q&A and the story thread don't seem to be lining up for me. But that's ok. We'll wing it.