Stargate Alternative History IC [GURPS4e]

[sazzer]

The four of you are standing in a room in a top secret military base in the US state of Arizona. The room you are stood in is 5 levels underground in a building that had 4 armed marines guarding the entrance, giving the obvious impression of being a very high security facility - the highest security that any of you have ever been.

You are all stood to attention, in front of a briefing with Major General Richard Lee of the United States Air Force. As has been explained to you already, we have come into posession of this Chapa'eye device. I won't pretend to understand what it does or how it works, but our best scientists have briefed me that it is a device that allows for near-instant transportation to different planets, and that it is perfectly safe for use by people to travel through. It is believed that it has been developed by a vastly superior alien race that once inhabited this world, and that it was left behind after they left. It is still unknown why they left, but if one such alien race exists then it is only sensible to assume that there are others, and it would be irresponsible of us to have this knowledge and not take advantage of it to at least try and discover what is out there that could mean harm to us, or could benefit us in some way.

You four have been put together as an initial exploration team to discover if anything is out there that is worth discovering, and if so what it is. Your primary mission is not contact but discovery. However, the obvious caveats apply here with regards to humanitarian contact or diplomatic contacts with other alien races.

Are there any questions at this point? If any of you wish to withdraw from this mission this is also your last chance to do so. There will be no penalties of course, but you will be strictly required to never mention the existance of such a facility or organization to anybody who does not have the necessary clearances under strict penalties.

[GM.Casper]

Doctor Alexander Gilford (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=232341) nods: “We are ready to go and explore, sir.”

[durrem]

Other planets? Alien races? That seems perfectly reasonable. However, Metcalf's natural meticulous caution kicks in...

"Hmm, safe you say? What kind of tests have you run?"

[sazzer]

Our best scientists have assured me that it is safe, and that is good enough for me. They have been running tests on this device for months now. However, if you wish to withdraw from the mission then we will understand...

[Anansi33]

"Sir, I don't think any of us would miss it for the world," Captain Cyrus says, finally speaking up. Whoever would throw an opportunity like this away had to be crazy.

[Goblin Music]

pun intended? Nick asks Cyrus with a grin. when do we leave?

[sazzer]

If there's no objections, you head out in 10 minutes

[durrem]

Let's go! *grin*

[sazzer]

Good. Gear up and meet downstairs in G2 in 10 minutes. Dismissed.

[sazzer]

10 minutes later you all meet up again in room G2, 7 floors underground in the complex. You are all equipped and ready for the mission.

The room you are in has a ramp with a huge metallic ring standing at the top of it, and armed marines situated at every entrance. In one wall of the room is a window behind which there are several men and a lot of computers.

Gentlemen. This device is the Chapa'eye. You should all be aware of what it is and what it is capable of doing. Your mission will be to the co-ordinates that we have designated A253-125. We have already sent a remote probe through that has given us enough information to know that the other side is habitable by humans, and in fact appears to be a clearing on the edges of a forest much like you would find here. We have also detected RF signals originating from the north-east of the disembarkation site, but have been unable to decode what the signals mean as yet. Your mission is reconnaissance. You are to find out what is in the immediate area and what is to the north-east, and to report back to us. Dr Gilford, I believe you have previously been briefed on operating the device so that you can return back here?

[Goblin Music]

Damn, ain't that somethin. Nick mutters as he stares at the device, after a short time taking it in he turns to look at the rest of the group should be fun.

[GM.Casper]

“Indeed. The device is quite easy to use, if one knows the code. There should not be any problems with our return.”
Alex adjusted his helmet and peered at the alien ring.
“Let’s go and see what’s on the other side then?”

[Anansi33]

"I hope you know what you're doing Doc, I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say we don't want to be stuck over there," Cyrus says with a grimace at the thought.

[Goblin Music]

Nick shrugs at Cyrus' statement you never know, i mean we are about to go to another planet..

[durrem]

Metcalf thinks about grabbing a helmet, but opts for his comfy boonie hat instead.

Double checks guns.

Double checks ammo.

Double checks grenades.

Double checks gear.

All set. Probably won't be needing any c4 on this expedition.

[sazzer]

With that, the general signals to the men through the glass, who key some things into the various computers. As they do, the metallic ring seems to light up, with dancing lights shifting around it and fixing glowing patterns at various points around the edge of the ring.

As the seventh of these glowing patterns lights up, there is a loud "whooshing" noise, and a huge gust of what looks vaguely like water bursting out of the ring. Once this settles down again, the ring looks to have a blue surface along the inside of it.

Good luck Gentlemen

[GM.Casper]

This is it. Alexander had already seen the device in action, seen the probes go through, but this time, he was going himself. He walks up the ramp, briefly observes the swirling event horizon and smiles.
“A small step for man, a giant leap for-” the wormhole swallows Alex.

[Goblin Music]

Nick flinches as the wave blasts out. COOL! He checks that the equipment he grabbed is all still there; rifle, vest, ammo, no helmet (looked uncomfortable), grenade, radio, pistol, yup it all looks good.
This aught to be interesting. he says as he walks up to the ring. First he pokes it with his rifle, then he steps through.

[Anansi33]

"Here goes nothing," Cyrus says, walking up the ramp to the blue pseudo-liquid and quickly stepping through.

[durrem]

After making sure everyone on the team made it through, Metcalf casually strides through the event horizon.

[sazzer]

You all step through the ring, and the very next thing you know you are stepping out onto a raised platform surrounded by trees. The platform is roughly 1 meter off the ground, and is a roughly 4 meter diameter circle with carved stone steps down immediately in front of you. This platform stands in the center of a circular clearing that is surrounded by trees. Immediately at the bottom of the steps is another device that looks to be made of a similar material to the metallic ring. From here you can't make out anything about what it is though.

[GM.Casper]

“-mankind-uff” Alex stumbles as he comes out of the portal. Regaining his balance he moves aside to make room for his teammates.
“Woah, that was something.”
Alexander moves down the stairs and takes a closer look of the other device, brushing dust off its surface.
“And this must be the control device.”

[sazzer]

When you examine the device at the bottom of the steps, you see scores of buttons on the side facing away from the ring. One of these buttons, in the exact centre, is totally blank. All of the others form concentric rings around this blank button and each has one of the many symbols from around the ring on it. The podium itself has a thin layer of dust and dirt on it, but all of the buttons are totally clean.

[Goblin Music]

next, out steps Nick. Nice. he says as he steps off of the pedestal the ring is on. He then starts to walk around the device, quickly stopping at the side to watch the rest of the team come out

[Anansi33]

Third is Cyrus. Quickly shaking off some disorientation, he runs down the steps and interposes himself between Gilford and the treeline, raising his rifle and sweeping the trees making sure there are no threats, before relaxing. "You really should be more careful Doc, who knows what kinds of aliens are out here."

[durrem]

Whoa, what a rush! *grin*

Stepping through the ring, Metcalf takes stock of the situation. Although he should be scanning the tree line, the portal is just too fascinating to ignore. Examining the smaller ring, Metcalf tries to remember exactly the sequence of symbols the general had indicated opened the portal back to earth.

Edit: Oh haha, good thing we were both thinking treeline. Got a little distracted posting

[GM.Casper]

“Right, we’re in unknown territory here.” Alex looks around briefly.
“I will now try to create a wormhole back to Earth, to make sure everything works, alright?” He asks while examining the device.


[roll0] for Engineer (Electronics) 17, Electronics Operation (Scientific) 14 or just IQ 14, whatever is appropriate for Ancient tech.

[Goblin Music]

Nick turns from the gate and starts to look around the clearing
[roll0]

[sazzer]

Alex plays around with the control device for a while, and enters the symbols he was given that refer to Earth. Once pressing the blank button in the center, a repeat of the display from Earth starts up ending in the portal being opened again.

Whilst this is going on, Nick, Metcalf and Cyrus are examining the surrounding area. You spot a trail heading east to west through the clearing, and along the trail to the east you see the trees thin out and eventually stop after about 100 yards. There is absolutely no movement in the trees at all short of the wind.



@Alex: I'm being kind and assuming you've been shown how to do this before... :)

[GM.Casper]

While USAF did not have the alien control device back on Earth, Alex had extensively studied pictures taken by the probe. It wasn’t hard to divine how to operate it and dial Earth. As the gate activated, Alex thumbed his radio on:
“This is doctor Gilfor, calling Earth. We’re testing the connection from this side. I’m throwing a rock trough. Tell me if it gets there. Over.”
Alex picks up a small rock and carefully throws it in.

[sazzer]

A few seconds later you receive the message:
This is Sergeant Jacobs. We read you loud and clear doctor, and can confirm receipt of your rock through the device.

[Goblin Music]

Nick turn to Alex. a rock?

[durrem]

Ok, great. If Gilford is satisfied with our return portal, let's recon this recon mission. We should be able to get a better view of our surroundings if we head out of the forest to the East.

[GM.Casper]

“Consider the rock an early geological sample. We will now go investigate the signals. Gilford out.”
Turning to others, he asks: “You all remember the home address in case we get separated?”

[durrem]

That was not a suggestion, people. Let's move out.

We're going to scout out the road to the East, until we can get a better look at our surroundings where the forest thins out. That should give us a better vantage point to the North East, where the signals were detected from.

Latham, you're on point.

[Anansi33]

"Yes sir," Cyrus says, taking the lead and heading East on the trail, alert for any sounds or signs that might indicate people or animals nearby.

[Goblin Music]

Nick grins to adventure! he exclaims as he starts for the east

[sazzer]

You head off east along the trail. As the trail clears the edge of the trees, it slowly starts to turn northwards. There is still no sign of movement around at all, but off to the north you see some hills, and behind them you can see wisps of smoke rising straight up into the air.

A rough estimate would put the hills about 2 miles along the trail.

[GM.Casper]

Alex pulls out a piece of chewing-gum from his pocket while looking around.
“I wonder what’s up with that smoke. Advanced aliens shouldn’t use fossil fuels or wood. But then again they wouldn’t leave the portal unguarded in the middle of forest either. I guess will see once we reach those hills.”

[durrem]

Ok guys, I'd like to get a look at what's ahead. Let's take a little more covert route than boldly striding down the road, though. Let's hike parallel to the road and take a peek over the ridge line of the hills.

As we move out, Metcalf takes up the rear, keeping an eye out for the scientists as well as for trouble.

[sazzer]

You take a more circuitous route instead of heading directly down the path, but don't see any signs of life on your journey. As you approach the hills you can definitely make out that the smoke is coming from just the other side of them, and can now hear what are unmistakably voices coming from the other side.


Can I have a Linguistics check from Nickolas Montgomery please

[Goblin Music]

Nick stops dead and waves his hands about to get the others to be silent as he listens to the voices
3d6

[Goblin Music]

[roll0]
rolling for linguistics (14)

[durrem]

Using hand signals, Metcalf indicate that we should take a peek over the hill, using bushes to hide our silhouette against the ridgeline. After hearing the scientists stomping through the forest, Metcalf indicates that they should stay back while the officers take a look.


military gestures: Soldier (13-) [roll0]
Stealth (13-) [roll1]

[Anansi33]

Cyrus takes a peek along with Metcalf, careful not to do anything that could compromise them.

Stealth 15
[roll0]

[sazzer]

The two soldiers creep up the hill carefully and look over the top. On the other side you see a stone pit with a large fire built in the centre, and wooden huts surrounding it. The huts are all at least 5 metres from the stone pit. There are a number of people around doing all sorts of things, but again none of them getting within a couple of metres of the fire - though you can't tell if this is deliberate from how they are moving, they just never happen to go to close to it.

The people all look to be human, with skin colouring that is tanned but not darkly and all having black hair.

[Goblin Music]

Nick stands where the soldiers left him puzzling over the odd language

[sazzer]

It's obviously quite a collection of voices you can hear, but from here you can't make it out well enough to make much more of it than that...

[GM.Casper]

“What’s taking them so long?” Alex asks. He then looks around and scales a nearby tree to take a better look at the settlement.
“Wooden huts. Not particularly high tech. The aliens must have taken some humans from ancient earth and resettled them here.” He quietly tells Nick. “Think it’s might be worthwhile to go talk with them?”

[Goblin Music]

Nick looks up at Alex "probably, they seem to be speaking a language derived from Egyptian. i can't quite understand it, but i could figure it out if i had some context." Nick answers

[GM.Casper]

“Alright, let’s go then.” Alex climbs back down.
“I’d say the soldiers have done enough lurking in the bushes.”