Let's play: SCRAMming up!

[FaxModem1]

"Either clean, carry tools, or get out of the plane. Do your conspiracies somewhere else."

[Simon_Jester]

MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST is already GETTING OUT OF THE PLANE, pursuant to both GETTING TOOLS and DOING HIS CONSPIRACIES SOMEWHERE ELSE.

GOES LOOKING for IVAN IVANOV.

[Scottish Ninja]

TALK to MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST. START MAKING CALLS to OLD ROCKET SCIENTIST FRIENDS from SOVIET SPACE PROGRAM. SEE if ANY are willing to COME OUT to OKHOTSK.

"It may still be good idea to try and go to STAR CITY. We should determine possibilities of atmospheric flight."

[Simon_Jester]

MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST notes that HIGH SPEED ATMOSPHERIC FLIGHT on SCRAM FUEL would itself require INTACT HEAT SHIELDING- not good.

(By 'high speed' I mean speeds of Mach 3 or above, where the experience of various high speed aircraft shows that heating of the skin is a major problem)

LOW SPEED FLIGHT might be ACCEPTABLY SAFE, but would also be FUEL HOG: MAGNIFICENT SPACEPLANE is not a JETLINER and was not designed for LONG HAUL ATMOSPHERIC FLIGHT.

HOPES we can find OLD ROCKET SCIENTIST FRIENDS willing to COME OUT to OKHOTSK. Will ADVISE anyone who LISTENS that we should be willing to PAY such a person in some reasonable fashion.

...

As part of IVAN IVANOV'S "TALK to MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST," PHYSICIST mentioned to IVAN IVANOV the IDEA of CONTACTING GRU, who might want to PERFORM HUMAN EXPERIMENTATIONS on the CULTIST. His STRANGE ABILITIES might be of INTEREST TO THEM, and it would get him OUT OF OUR HAIR.

"I don't know how to get in touch with them, though. Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea. What do you think?"
Spoiler

The MAGNIFICENT SPACEPLANE'S thermal protection system... what is it, again? Primarily metal, primarily ceramic, some kind of funky thing? I'm curious. If there's no easy answer for this question, PeZook, I understand; I don't want to make you work too hard on it.

[Scottish Ninja]

PONDER.

CALL the GRU after some THOUGHT. INFORM them about CULTIST. SUGGEST a COURSE of ACTION: TURN CULTIST OVER to the SVR instead, and then SURVEIL the SVR's EXPERIMENTS, thereby LIMITING DAMAGE to the GRU if things go AWRY, which is LIKELY.

[FaxModem1]

REPAIR GUY, once everyone else leaves SPACEPLANE, modifies it to CUNNING PLAN's requirements.

[PeZook]

I can ASSUME you guys SIGN the LEASE then, CORRECT?

[Zixinus]

I can ASSUME you guys SIGN the LEASE then, CORRECT?

Yes, the one for the VIP hangar.

[PeZook]

Good. I am a little busy so expect stuff to happen tomorrow.

Someone will get shot.

[Scottish Ninja]

I was supposed to be looking over the lease agreement very carefully first...

[PeZook]

I was supposed to be looking over the lease agreement very carefully first...

IVAN IVANOV has DETERMINED that there are no QUINTESSENTIALLY RUSSIAN nor SHARKLIKE BUSINESS CLAUSES withing the LEASE AGREEMENT. At least not ONES which would RESULT in BODILY HARM, DEBT SLAVERY or other BAD THINGS at the moment of SIGNING.

[FaxModem1]

Well then, after IVAN IVANOV has signed CONTRACT. REPAIR GUY repairs and replaces the BROKEN PARTS of SPACEPLANE.

[Simon_Jester]

MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST assists in the REPAIR and ACQUISITION OF FURTHER REPAIR PARTS, while trying to get sense for FLIGHT RANGE of MAGNIFICENT SPACEPLANE in ATMOSPHERIC FLIGHT.

How far can we travel, on which engines, without making a suborbital hop that requires a reentry? How far can we travel at relatively low speeds* that don't put stress on the thermal protection system.

*Which are probably so slow that we get poor efficiency out of our SCRAM fuel.

[Force Lord]

NOTES arrival of some SUSPICIOUS ARMED MEN.

"Uh, guys..."

[Simon_Jester]

Spoiler

Why does HISTORIAN think there are armed NPCs approaching, when PeZook has said nothing of the sort? Perhaps HISTORIAN is hallucinating again.

[Force Lord]

HISTORIAN SHAKES HEAD, sees that it was only an ILLUSION.

"The CANNABIS is still in my system, methinks."

[PeZook]

Another clarificatoin: do you give the amex to suave playboy?

[PeZook]

February 23rd 2025
Sunday


ROUND 5

Okhotsk International Airport
Libertarian Russia

You are now: ZIXINUS, ETERNAL FREEDOM, PHANT, REPAIR GUY, LARGE WOUNDED DOG, COMBAT JANITOR, SMARMY AMERICAN SAILOR, TROPICAL BEAUTY, IVAN IVANOV, QUIET HISTORIAN, MAD SCIENTIST, RI'ANN SHAPP and UNEXPECTED PASSENGER.

You are at an AIRPORT. The AIRPORT is RUN DOWN and in DISREPAIR. The AIRPORT is VERY RUSSIAN. It is MORNING. Is is RATHER COLD. It is EVIDENT by LOOKING at TROPICAL BEAUTY and her THIN TOP. You all SHIVER UNCONTROLLABLY. You begin to grow POPSICKLES on your NOSES.

Except for IVAN IVANOV whose FLIGHT SUIT is UNZIPPED. He is RELAXING.

MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST, REPAIR GUY, COMBAT JANITOR and ZIXINUS are WORKING inside the MAGNIFICENT SPACEPLANE. The CLEANING is VERY DIFFICULT. Also VERY NASTY. ZIXINUS NOTICES the LARGE WOUNDED DOG. He is still WOUNDED.

MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST has run into PROBLEM. The PROBLEM is of RANGE. The PROBLEM is SOLVED by DOODLING on a NAPKIN. It is DETERMINED that the MAGNIFICENT SPACEPLANE can cover about 7000 kilometres on SCRAM ENGINES when in ATMOSPHERE. It can only cover about 800 on ROCKET ENGINES alone if you don't WANT to BREAK the SOUND BARRIER.

SCRAM ENGINES only become EFFECTIVE at ALL at ABOUT MACH 3.

ZIXINUS is CONSPIRING with REPAIR GUY.

COMBAT JANITOR CACKLES. He is also CONSPIRING, but with MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST instead.

Outside, IVAN IVANOV is CAREFULLY examining the LEASE AGREEMENT not MINDING the FACT you are all FREEZING your BALLS off. TROPICAL BEAUTY becomes ANNOYED and begins to COMPLAIN. To SUAVE PLAYBOY. SUAVE PLAYBOY assuages her and PLANS for a TRIP to a NICE HOTEL and PARTY. He ATTEMPTS to BORROW your CREDIT CARD to PAY for all that.

IVAN IVANOV has FINISHED his CLOSE and VERY COLD EXAMINATION of the CONTRACT. He GIVES a REASSURING NOD to ETERNAL FREEDOM who SIGNS the PAPER.

IVAN PYOTREVICH Says: Da! Excellent! Here is copy! Here is acces card to hangar!

SYERGYEY IOSEFOVICH HANDS you a BUNCH of STUFF. The BUNCH of STUFF INCLUDES:

Code: Select all

3x hangar access card
1x promotional flyer with contact numbers to local aviation companies. Some are crossed out and marked as 'no longer intact'
3x meal vouchers

IVAN PYOTREVICH Says: We will send bill later, da? Also, here is your free avtomat kalashnikova!

SYERGEY IOSEFOVICH OPENS a large BOX he was HAULING and HANDS you a BRAND NEW AK.

It is GIFT WRAPPED. He also GIVES you three SPARE MAGAZINES full of AMMO.

IVAN PYOTREVICH Says: Da! Welcome to Russia, comrades! Land of the free! Enjoy your stay! Would you like towing to new hangar? Good price, da! Only three hundred!

MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST LEAVES the MAGNIFICENT SPACEPLANE to ASK a QUESTION of IVAN IVANOV.

SUDDENLY the UNEXPECTED PASSENGER LEAPS to his FEET. His ZIPCUFFS have been BURNED THROUGH. He is now FREE. He begins to RUN like HELL. He is RUNNING straight towards the FUEL TANK FARM. There is some BRIEF CONFUSION.

IVAN PYOTREVICH Yells: Pizdets! What is he doing?

IVAN PYOTREVICH GLARES at your GROUP. It is a BAD glare.

SYERGYEY IOSEFOVICH GRUNTS. It is a BAD grunt.

What do you do? _

[FaxModem1]

Spoiler

I conspired with Zixinus, not Combat Janitor.

REPAIR GUY continues to fix plane.

[PeZook]

Spoiler

Sorry. I'll fix it right up.

[Darkevilme]

SUAVE PLAYBOY stares at the UNEXPECTED PASSENGER in confusion and worrry as said individual runs for the fuel.
TROPICAL BEAUTY successfully IDENTIFIES an OBSTACLE to her trip to a nice warm HOTEL and attempts to DEAL WITH IT very QUICKLY so they can move on. TROPICAL BEAUTY pulling SUAVE PLAYBOY's knife out of its sheathe and throwing it overarm at the UNEXPECTED PASSENGER.
There is a thunk from the knife butt hitting the back of UNEXPECTED PASSENGER's SKULL quite HARD.
SUAVE PLAYBOY stares for a moment in SHOCK.
TROPICAL BEAUTY tugs on his arm insistently to take her to a HOTEL.
SUAVE PLAYBOY COMPLIES.

[PeZook]

February 23rd 2025
Sunday


ROUND 5.1

Okhotsk International Airport
Libertarian Russia

The UNEXPECTED PASSENGER with STRANGE POWERS is STRUCK by a FLYING KNIFE. The FLYING KNIFE was EXPERTLY THROWN by TROPICAL BEAUTY in a DISPLAY of UNEXPECTED MARTIAL PROWESS. COWED into SUBMISSION the SUAVE PLAYBOY decides to try and REACH a HOTEL as SOON as POSSIBLE. He STILL does not POSSESS the prized AMEX CARD, though.

UNEXPECTED PASSENGER TRIPS and FALLS but doesn't QUITE lose CONSCIOUSNESS.

SYERGYEI IOSEFOVICH GRUNTS.

SYERGYEI IOSEFOVICH GOES for his GUN.

What do you do? _

[FaxModem1]

"IVAN, I think this is your cue."

[Darkevilme]

SUAVE PLAYBOY has realized he may have some TROUBLE if he plans to move on to a new GIRL. TROPICAL BEAUTY seems to have taken a rank in COMBAT GIRLFRIEND.

[FaxModem1]

Spoiler

I wish to note we're more of a team, and yet we still inflict harm on each other.