Welcome to another exciting installment of Spacemon, the tale of a Pokemon TRPG campaign! This is a spinoff of the sci-fi space epic played using the Pokemon Tabletop United (PTU) system, this time GMed by yours truly. You can get caught up on the entire Spacemon saga here!
Shards of shattered glass flew everywhere as Taraka’s Wailord smashed through the window into the lab. The monk followed his Pokemon through. With Gaster close behind, he jumped down into the lab. The murderous robot that Helios had created turned to face the newcomers, taking aim with its shoulder-mounted cannon.
Taraka took up a combat stance, aiming his staff at the mechanical monster, while Gaster sent out a Pokemon. The rest of the Maverick’s crew dropped down from the observation room behind them and joined Gaster in releasing Pokemon to help in the fight.
“Gerrit, use Meditate!” Gaster commanded the Hitmonlee he had captured on Meridian. “Then hit that thing with Jump Kick!” The Hitmonlee focused its mind and powered itself up, then jumped at the Helios android, foot raised to strike. The Pokemon’s kick landed dead on, but the impact seemed to be absorbed by an energy shield surrounding the thing.
Gaster’s Hitmonlee sprang off his target, landing on the pod it had emerged from. As the fighting Pokemon struck up his stance again, the robot fired up rocket boosters on its legs, lifting off the ground. The cannon on its back began emitting a bright light as energy charged up inside it. The energy then discharged in the form of a powerful laser beam aimed at Gerrit. The Hitmonlee jumped away just in time and the shot hit the pod he had been standing on, blowing half of it away.
As his crewmates began opening fire on the enemy android, Taraka sent a psionic flame hurtling toward it. As he watched the glowing ball of energy fly toward it, the monk noticed that all the gunfire was deflecting off the shield surrounding the Maverick crew’s mechanical foe. When the flame hit this shield, it seemed to dissipate. However, when this happened, Taraka noticed a pulse of green light shoot into the energy shield from a structure in the corner of the room.
Taking a quick glance around, Taraka saw a similar structure in each of the four corners of the room. Each one had a pale beam of light of a different color connecting it to the shield surrounding the android. The monk wasn’t sure what the four colors — red, green, blue, and gold — meant, but he quickly put two and two together.
“There are shield generators in the corners!” Taraka informed his crewmates, pointing out one of the structures.
“Then we’ll just have to destroy them!” Axel shouted. “Spice Cream, Ice Beam!” the mercenary commanded his Vanillish as he began dousing the generator in the near left corner in flames. Spice Cream then supercooled the generator with a freezing energy beam, causing its metal casing to become extremely brittle and crack.
“Rocklord, hit it with a Water Pulse!” Taraka followed up with a command of his own. The monk’s Wailord shot a pressurized jet of water at the damaged generator, further breaking the metal frame.
Taraka then put up a new psionic barrier to protect everyone. He was not a moment too soon; the Helios android fired another laser pulse at Gaster’s Hitmonlee, this time hitting dead on. Gerrit only managed to stay standing because the monk’s protective barrier mitigated the power of the laser.
“Upuaut, use Force Palm!” Cyrus commanded his Lucario, attempting to draw the heat off of Gaster’s Pokemon. The aura Pokemon rushed at the enemy robot and attempted to strike at it, but it used its rocket boosters to maneuver out of the way. The android then struck back, firing a laser that pierced through the Lucario and into the Hitmonlee behind him, shattering through Taraka’s barrier. Gerrit dropped from the shot, but Upuaut remained standing.
“Pitiful,” the Helios android said, speaking in a synthesized voice ripe with malice. It let out a menacing laugh as it touched down on the ground.
Kasey responded by commanding her Fraxure to attack, “Huntress, Dragon Claw!” Her dragon Pokemon charged at the mechanical terror and swiped at it with her claws, but the attack deflected off the energy shield. The android repaid in kind, instantly downing Huntress with another laser shot.
As both Gaster and Kasey switched out to new Pokemon, Ace approached the damaged shield generator and sliced through it with his sword, cutting away a section of the paneling. With an opening made, Cyrus and Gaster began shooting the generator. Sparks began flying out of the generator, then it detonated, shooting bits of metal out in all directions. The beam of blue light running between it and the android dissipated, and the shield’s color shifted to a more golden hue.
“Rusty, use Smokescreen!” Gaster then commanded his newly sent out Typhlosion while Axel moved up to the generator in the back left corner of the room. Rusty spewed out a thick cloud of black smoke, which his trainer then stepped into. Taraka was quite familiar with his crewmate’s tactic by now; with his cybernetic eyes, Gaster could see just fine through the smoke.
While Axel began working on the next generator, Taraka shifted his focus to a third. “Rocklord, use Rollout on that one!” the monk commanded his Wailord, pointing him toward the generator in the near right corner. The Wailord’s massive form rolled across the floor and smashed right into the generator, bending its metal casing.
“Nile, now hit it with Ice Fang!” Kasey ordered her Feraligatr. Nile ran up next to Rocklord and clamped his powerful icy jaws around part of the generator, then ripped a small section of it away.
As the two water Pokemon began to slowly chip away at this generator, Axel, now aided by Gaster’s Typhlosion, was making far more progress with fire. Ace was moving in to help too, so Taraka was sure it wouldn’t be long now before the generator was destroyed. Unfortunately, this also drew the attention of the crew’s foe. The Helios android fired its laser cannon in an arc across Ace, Axel, and Rusty. Ace raised his shield to protect himself, but Axel and the Typhlosion weren’t so lucky.
Stumbling from the hit, Axel moved as far back from the Helios android as he could. “Spice Cream, Icicle Spear!” the mercenary then commanded his Vanillish.
“Upuaut, Force Palm!” Cyrus followed up with a command of his own.
Axel’s Vanillish and Cyrus’s Lucario made their attacks, but the android shrugged them off. Laughing, the mechanical monster fired off two shots in quick succession, knocking both Pokemon out.
Fearing the power of the android’s laser cannon, Taraka moved into the smokescreen cloud to make himself less of a target. As he did so, he saw two flashes of light as Gaster fired off two shots at the generator his Typhlosion was whittling away at with fire.
Meanwhile, Axel and Cyrus had switched out to their next Pokemon. Axel sent out his Charizard by the generator Nile and Rocklord were working on to help them out, while Cyrus released his Braviary and had it fly over to begin attacking the generator in the far right corner.
“Ritsu, burn that thing up!” Axel ordered his Pokemon. The mercenary’s Charizard began dousing the generator in flames as Taraka’s Wailord and Kasey’s Feraligatr continued smashing it. Under this combined assault, it didn’t take the generator long to go; it began sparking violently and then soon after it exploded and the red beam it was producing died.
“Charging to full power,” the Helios android said, ignoring the loss of another generator. The red lights on its body began glowing with far greater intensity and warning lights began flashing along the barrel of its shoulder-mounted cannon. It was clear to Taraka that it was charging up for something big.
“Look out, Ace!” Taraka called out to his mechanical crewmate, seeing that the enemy android was taking aim at him.
Ace, now working alongside his Gallade to help Rusty with the far left generator, turned around just as the Helios android fired. “Blade, Wide Guard!” Ace shouted. A massive blast of energy shot out from the enemy’s cannon, swallowing Ace, the two Pokemon near him, and the generator they were attacking. The generator detonated in a huge explosion and Rusty was knocked out, but Ace and Blade stayed standing, surrounded by a barrier of the Gallade’s psychic energy.
Taraka breathed a sigh of relief as the green beam from the generator faded away, but it was a short-lived relief. The robotic Helios monster turned and fired another laser blast at Nile and Ritsu.
“Rocklord, protect them!” Taraka commanded his Wailord. The giant aquatic Pokemon rolled in front of the Charizard and Feraligatr, shielding them from the attack. Due to his thick, rocky hide, Rocklord was barely harmed by the laser.
Meanwhile, Axel ordered his Charizard to attack the final generator as he moved for the cover of the smoke, “Ritsu, go for that last generator!”
“Sakuya, use Smog!” Gaster issued an order of his own, having swapped out to his Salazzle.
As his Pokemon attacked, Gaster opened fire on the Helios android. It’s shield had been weakened significantly now and some of the shots got through. This signaled to the others to begin attacking. Cyrus and Kasey began shooting the android and the latter also commanded her Feraligatr to strike.
“Rocklord, hit it with Rollout!” Taraka commanded his Wailord, joining in the focused assault.
As the Wailord rolled at it, the Helios android fired its cannon at him, landing a shot in just the right spot to do some real damage. The android immediately began charging up a second shot and, as it did so, it opened fire on Kasey’s Feraligatr with an arm-mounted machine gun.
That was when the final generator blew up. Cyrus’s Braviary ripped a hole into it with his talons, then Axel’s Charizard filled that hole with fire. The generator went up in a brilliant explosion and the gold beam of light it was producing sputtered out.
Taraka watched as the shield surrounding the Helios android faded away. It was now completely vulnerable to attack. Tightening his grip on his staff, he called out to his crewmates.
“Now’s the time to attack!”
Machine gun fire impacted the floor all around Ace as he charged at his adversary. The android gripped his sword tight as he prepared to strike this renegade creation of the Helios Corporation, this imposter.
Ace’s blade struck true, stabbing through the larger android’s armor plating, but the mechanical monster was unfazed. “You’ll need to do better,” it said before launching itself backwards with its rocket boosters. It then aimed its fully charged laser and fired in an arc. Ace deflected the beam with his shield as it passed him, but its arc continued through the smoke, hitting Gaster and Axel.
“Is that all you’ve got!” Axel shouted back. The mercenary came charging out of the smoke, then let loose with his flamethrower, but the Helios android rocketed away.
“Rocklord, use Rollout!” Taraka then commanded his Wailord. Rocklord plowed through what was left of the pod in the center of the room as he rolled at the enemy robot. The evil android put out its hands in front of it, however, and stopped the Wailord’s advance in an incredible display of power.
“Aguilo, use Slash!” Cyrus ordered his Braviary. The captain’s Pokemon flew at the android and struck from behind.
“Nile, use Crunch!” Kasey then commanded her Feraligatr. The powerful reptilian Pokemon moved in and clamped his jaws down on the android’s arm. The renegade robot’s arm bent at an unnatural angle under the pressure before it was able to pry it free.
“You think you can stop me, but you will fail,” the Helios android said as it activated its boosters again. It lifted off the ground, rising above the Maverick crew and their Pokemon, almost reaching the ceiling of the lab. The evil android rained down laser fire on Kasey’s Feraligatr, but the Pokemon managed to avoid the attacks.
Gaster fired back on the mechanical monster, landing a few good shots. The former smuggler then ordered his Salazzle to attack, “Sakuya, use Flame Burst!”
The renegade robot quickly rocketed away, avoiding the Salazzle’s attack, then it descended. Still hovering above the ground, the android fired another laser beam. The shot pierced through Kasey’s Feraligatr, doing some real damage to him, then hit Taraka’s Wailord, finally bringing him down.
Ace raised his shield as the evil android next set its sights on him. It fired off another powerful laser, one that pierced right through Ace’s shield and burned a hole into his chestplate. Fortunately, it missed damaging any of his critical components.
“Ritsu, Fire Blast!” Ace heard Axel command his Charizard from behind him. Ritsu flew overhead, spraying out flames. The Charizard’s fiery attack engulfed the Helios android, leaving scorch marks all over its metal body.
“It will take more than that to stop me,” the android responded before locking onto the Charizard and firing agan. Ritsu maneuvered out of the way, though, so the android shot at her again, ignoring the incoming gunfire from Cyrus and Kasey. Axel’s Charizard once again avoided the android’s attack.
The Helios android’s attention was soon drawn away from Ritsu when Gaster and Cyrus ordered their Pokemon to attack.
“Sakuya, use Toxic!”
“Aguilo, Wing Attack!”
The mechanical terror was struck from two directions, but it soon exacted reprisal on both Pokemon. While its laser recharged, it aimed its arms at the two Pokemon and let loose on them with its machine guns. Sakuya managed to avoid the hail of projectiles, seeking cover behind the remnants of the pod, but Aquilo was totally exposed in the air; the Braviary was shot out of the sky, but he hopped back onto his feet, ready to keep fighting.
“Blade, use Slash!” Ace commanded his Pokemon, getting his head back in the fight. The android’s Gallade ran across the lab, then jumped at the enemy, slashing through the bot with one of his blades.
“Ritsu, Flamethrower!” Axel then ordered his Charizard. Ritsu flew in for another pass, spitting a jet of flame at the evil android, further burning through its defenses.
Ace raised his sword, ready to charge, when the door suddenly slid open. “Did I miss anything?” Sikari asked as she stepped into the room.
“It’s about time you showed up!” Taraka shouted at her from across the room.
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes,’” the assassin said as she looked around the room. “I suppose I could help you out. Good work, though.” With that, Sikari sent out her Malamar, then activated her cloaking device.
As the Malamar began moving in to attack, Taraka sent out his Togekiss. “Sirius, use Thunder Wave!” the monk commanded his Pokemon. Sirius shot a jolt of electricity at the Helios android, causing its rocket boosters to short out.
As the android’s feet landed on the ground, Gaster opened fire on it, then Axel and Cyrus ordered their Pokemon to attack. As the two Pokemon flew at it, the renegade robot shot a laser through both of them, dropping both out of the air.
Seeing an opportunity, Ace charged at the larger android. He swung his sword at it, but the mechanical monster sidestepped him. Kasey’s Feraligatr then came changing in to attack as well, but the evil android dodged him too!
The renegade robot took aim at Kasey’s Feraligatr, but when the scientist opened fire on it, it turned around and shot her instead. The laser beam struck dead on, piercing right through Kasey’s armor. She let out a grunt of pain as she dropped to the ground. The Helios android then took a step toward Kasey, appearing to be going in for the kill.
“Over here, asshole!” Gaster shouted in an attempt to draw the android’s attention from Kasey. The former smuggler pulled the trigger as the Maverick crew’s mechanical foe turned to face him, piercing through its chest plating with a dead-eye shot.
“Now, Sakuya! Flame Burst!”
Gaster’s Salazzle moved to get in range of Helios’s rogue android, then spat a jet of flame at it. The mechanical terror stomped forward through the fire undaunted. Its cannon began to glow, then it fired off a powerful beam, piercing through Sakuya and hitting her trainer standing behind her. Gaster dropped to the ground with a thud. The former smuggler let out a pained moan before falling unconscious. Sakuya let out an angry hiss, then she spit more fire at the android before moving back toward her trainer’s unconscious body to protect him.
As the android looked back to Kasey, it was struck by her Feraligatr’s tail. The mechanical monster stumbled backwards into Sikari’s Malamar, which swiped at it with the sharp ends of its tentacles. Taraka then blasted the renegade robot with psionic energy, causing its systems to go haywire for a few moments.
“Saika, Fire Fang!” Axel commanded his Gyarados as he released her into the fray. As the fiery serpent struck from the front, Ace came from behind, slashing through the larger android’s body with his sword.
“Such pests,” the mechanical terror said. The lights on its body began flashing rapidly, then an energy pulse radiated out in all directions.
Ace felt his body seizing up as the pulse moved through him. Then, his whole world went black.
Everything happened so fast. From where she lay on the floor, Kasey watched the energy pulse erupt from the rogue Helios android. She watched as her Feraligatr and Ace dropped to the floor. She watched as Axel’s Gyarados and Sikari’s Malamar were launched away, the latter being revealed to be the assassin’s Zoroark.
Springing back to its feet, the Zoroark threw itself at the evil android again. It responded with a shot from its cannon, taking the Pokemon down. The mechanical terror then locked onto Axel’s Gyarados as she reared back to strike again. It fired its cannon once more, devastating the fiery serpent with a powerful beam. Things were starting to look dire. Kasey knew they needed to end this fight soon, but in her current state there wasn’t much she could do to help.
Sikari soon reappeared and switched out her fainted Pokemon for a Weavile. She then moved to the computer console Dr. Meissner had been using as her Pokemon moved toward the android, menacingly scraping its claws together as it approached. The Weavile then jumped at the mechanical monster and struck it with a frozen fist.
The android was quick to throw the Weavile off, throwing it against the wall. It then locked on with its cannon and fired an energy sphere at the Pokemon as it picked itself back up. The Weavile dropped back onto the floor, fainted.
While the renegade robot had its back turned, Taraka sent a psionic flame flying into it, this time burning through its armor now that the shield was down. The monk then commanded his Togekiss to attack, “Sirius, use Dazzling Gleam!”
As Sirius blasted the android with light energy, Cyrus opened fire on it, landing several shots on its weakened armor. Axel then doused the robotic fiend in flames. The smoke and flames parted as Ace’s Gallade shot a psychic wave at the android.
Of all the things attacking it, the android locked onto Blade as its next target. It fired one shot at the Gallade, then a second, leaving him barely able to stand. Blade wasn’t ready to go down just yet, though.
Knowing she needed to do something to help, Kasey used what strength she had to grab one of her Pokeballs off her belt and send out her Tyrantrum. “Baroness, use Crunch,” she instructed her Pokemon. As Baroness charged in to attack, Kasey attempted to fire at the renegade robot, but she couldn’t line up a shot from where she lay. She wasn’t about to get up either.
As Gaster’s Salazzle spat her toxic venom at the Helios Android, Taraka blasted it with psionic energy again. The monk then ordered his Togekiss to attack, “Sirius, use Fairy Wind!”
Axel then stepped up and let loose with his flamethrower. The mercenary burned a hole straight through the center of the evil android, exposing its core. Aiming for the crucial components now on display, Cyrus unloaded his pistol, landing several shots.
“You will not—” the rogue android started to say, its synthesized voice starting to crackle. Sparks began to fly out from the hole in its chest, then its electronic insides burst into flames, violently spewing fire and smoke out through the hole. With an ear-splitting mechanical scream, the android detonated in a glorious explosion. The threat had been eliminated.
Kasey propped herself up against a broken piece of equipment, then took a look around at the carnage. Most of the machinery in the room was badly damaged and the dead bodies of Peter Baker and the scientists lay scattered across the floor along with the unconscious Gaster and deactivated Ace. As for the rest of Kasey’s crewmates, Axel, Cyrus, and Taraka all looked pretty badly hurt, but they were alive and still standing.
Then there was Sikari. Kasey watched the assassin finish up whatever she was doing on the computer, then reach around behind the terminal and drag out Dr. Meissner. The Genevan scientist looked rather shaken up, but he was very much alive.
“Well Doctor, looks like you’ve been a bad boy,” Sikari taunted Meissner.
“Please,” he said, speaking in a tone that could only be described as desperate. “I’ll give you whatever you want, just—”
The scientist’s words were cut short as Sikari plunged her blade into his heart. Shen then moved her hand up, drawing the blade up to Meissner’s throat before retracting it, letting the scientist drop to the floor. Blood gurgling in his throat, Dr. Meissner drew his last breath.
“I want you to die, Doctor.”
“That was unnecessary,” Taraka said. The monk was staring at the lifeless body of Dr. Meissner. He may have been an enemy of the Maverick’s crew, but there had been no need for him to die.
“Maybe for your mission,” Sikari responded. “But I had my orders.”
“You could have at least let us interrogate him first,” Cyrus said.
“Too late now,” the assassin replied, a devilish smirk on her face.
“Whatever,” Axel said. “At least we won, right Captain?”
Cyrus sighed. “I suppose you’re right. Now come on, let’s get our friends up.”
That was a plan Taraka could get behind. He walked over to the unconscious Gasster and knelt down beside him. Taraka placed his hands on his crewmate’s chest and sent a pulse of healing energy into his body.
Gaster’s eyes flickered open and he took a look around the room before asking, “What happened?”
“We did it,” Taraka informed his crewmate.
“I see,” Gaster said. He let out a grunt as he sat up. “Guess I got knocked out.”
“Indeed,” Taraka said with a nod before helping the former smuggler to his feet. Taking a look around, Taraka saw Cyrus pulling Kasey to her feet and Axel standing over Ace beside his Luxio.
“Krieg, give him a little zap,” Axel commanded his Pokemon. “That’s how Erik activated him the first time.”
The mercenary’s Luxio sent a jolt of electricity into Ace and the lights on his body flickered back on. The android quickly snapped to attention, his laser sword still gripped tightly in his hand.
“Relax, pal,” Axel said. “We kicked that doppelganger’s ass.”
“Oh,” Ace said. He then fell silent as he processed this information. “Good job,” he said after several moments of silence.
“Well this has all been very exciting, but my mission here’s accomplished,” Sikari spoke up. “As much as I’d love to stick around, it’s time for us to say goodbye. Have fun now.”
Before anyone could say anything, the assassin recalled her fainted Pokemon, then activated her cloaking device. Mere moments after Sikari disappeared, a series of explosions went off, causing tremors to ripple throughout the base. As the ground shook beneath the Maverick crew, both Gaster and Taraka lost their footing. Gaster managed to catch himself on a broken piece of machinery, but Taraka landed flat on his back on the floor.
“Ow,” Taraka groaned as he stared up at the bright laboratory lights shining down on him.
“Are you alright?!” Ace asked, rushing over to help the monk.
As the android moved into Taraka’s view, all the monk could see was his silhouetted form against the bright white lights above. A sense of deja vu overcame Taraka as he looked upon his mechanical crewmate for this angle. In that moment, all became clear to him. This was the final piece of the puzzle.
“It’s you,” Taraka said as his mind was filled with vision.
Taraka found himself standing atop a tall tower. He gazed out upon a technologically advanced city. The monk had seen this before, but now he could see so much more. Wondrous flying vehicles moved amongst the spires of the city while people went about their business on the ground below, walking side by side with the advanced androids they lived in harmony with.
Suddenly, Taraka’s vision clouded and the view of the city faded away as a stream of events flashed before him. Unlike before, everything was focused. Everything made sense. He saw the life of a man hard at work, researching and pursuing knowledge, driving the advancement of Humanity.
He saw this man in his lab, hooked up to an apparatus much like the one he had seen Peter Baker in. Another man flipped a switch and power began running through cables along the floor into a pedestal upon which sat a crystal of a pale cyan color, protected by a glass dome. Data flowed from the man’s brain into this crystal. His very essence was replicated and stored within it.
Taraka saw this crystal, now glowing brightly, placed into the head of a mechanical body, one he was quite familiar with. The monk would recognize those feather-like protrusions anywhere. He then saw this creation come to life. He saw the man spend time with his creation, an artificial mind based on his own. This was the crowning achievement of this civilization. This was how Ace came to be.
“Come on, Taraka! We gotta get outta here!” Taraka heard Axel shout as his senses returned to him.
“Sorry,” the monk said, opening his eyes. “I didn’t plan on having a brain seizure right now.”
“What happened?” Ace asked as he pulled Taraka to his feet, his voice full of concern.
A smile appeared on Taraka’s face. “I’ll tell you all about when we get back to the ship,” the monk told the android.
“Enough chatter! We need to move!” Cyrus shouted.
Taraka nodded. “Right!”
Another series of explosions went off as the members of the Maverick’s crew hurried out of the lab through the door Sikari had originally entered from. Running down the corridor on the other side, they passed by a group of four dead H.A.L.O. mercenaries as they emerged into an intersection.
Looking down one end of the corridor, Taraka saw a sign for the observation room with two more dead mercs lying on the floor beneath it. It was clear Sikari had come through here. Looking in the other direction, Taraka spotted an elevator.
“This way!” Taraka said to his crewmates, pointing the elevator out.
The whole base rumbled again as the crew ascended. The light in the elevator flickered, but the car kept moving. Once the elevator reached the top of the shaft, Taraka and his crewmates exited, then ran down a corridor that emptied out into the moon pool room through the door that had been locked earlier.
Looking at the aquatic exit from the base, Taraka came to a realization. “Rocklord’s fainted! We don’t have enough water Pokemon to carry us all!”
“Then we’ll need a different exit,” Cyrus said. “Anya, we need an emergency exit on the landing pad!” the Maverick’s captain then broadcasted on the comms. “This place is gonna blow!”
“On my way, Captain!” the pilot’s voice sounded in Taraka’s ear.
“Let’s move!” Cyrus then shouted, waving his crew to the door Sikari had come from at the start of the mission.
After moving through this door, the crew eventually came to another elevator that led up to the landing pad. The Maverick swooped in to pick them up as they stepped out into the open air and they quickly ran up the cargo ramp.
“Punch it!” Cyrus shouted over the comms once everyone was safely aboard.
Before the cargo ramp even began to close, the ship had already lifted off. Taraka watched out the back as the base went up in one final explosion. The entire mountain collapsed on itself and fell into the sea as the Maverick soared away.
Taraka followed his crewmates out of the cargo bay and down the corridor to the medbay. Through the viewport, the monk watched the ship break atmosphere. He caught a brief glimpse of Sikari’s small ship before it dropped into warp space.
“Looks like she failed to kill me again,” Taraka said, allowing himself to laugh now that everyone was safe.
“If we ever see her again, I’m gonna kill her,” Gaster said. “She said we would talk about payment, then stabbed us in the back.”
“Don’t worry,” Cyrus said, placing a hand on the former smuggler’s shoulder. “I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of her.”
Notes: So there you have it. Everything comes together. Ace being the final vision trigger for Taraka’s holoscroll was one of the earliest plot points I established for the campaign and I finally got to see it resolved. It was a way to tie two of my players’ characters into the plot, even if one of them ended up dropping out before we got to this point. Ace certainly needed to stick around as an NPC to make this all work. Starting the writing well after the campaign was underway really allowed me to set up great foreshadowing details and moments for future chapters as I figured stuff out as I went along. For example the whole plot point with the Helios CEO, the Genevan scientist, and the rogue android boss was something I came up with way later than the beginning of the campaign. If I was working on chapters to post them within a week of each session like the original campaign I wouldn’t have been able to approach the writing with the future events in mind. Overall, I’m really happy with how this plot arc came out. It tied in the backstories of Ace, Kasey, and Taraka, a lot of loose ends that had been left over from previous events in the campaign, and some fun new ideas.
This chapter covers the second half of session 43, which was pretty much just a combat encounter. Because of that, I tried to find places to break things up and switch which character’s perspective we see events from. Taraka I knew needed to be the perspective character for his vision, and Ace certainly needed one because this all tied into his backstory. There was even a great spot to transition when he got knocked out. Kasey’s scene was the one I iterated the most. It started out as a Taraka scene all the way through to the end of the chapter, but I wasn’t feeling the flow and decided to split things up. I changed it to Gaster, then finally to Kasey because that flowed the best. Besides, her backstory was tied to this as well so it was good to give her a scene.
As I mentioned last chapter, this session had a lot for me to manage and I should have given the two players present each an extra character to control so they had more to do. DragonStorm did come in for a guest spot at the end of the session, taking over the role of Sikari. It helped mix things up at the end of the combat encounter.
Speaking of the assassin, it was always the plan to have her betray the party. Yes, her objective was to destroy all the evidence of the project, including the Maverick’s crew. I wasn’t planning on burying them though. They were always meant to escape. Although I was expecting to maybe get some kills in the android fight. I built it at max trainer level with four classes plus a bunch of extra bullshit on top. It was fun to run. I even had a bunch of laser sound effects I played whenever it shot its cannon. Production value!
That does it for this chapter. As always the Spacemon gang and I will be monitoring the comments to foster discussion and answer any questions. Feel free to give feedback and critiques of the writing so I can improve it for the future, or just leave a comment with what you think about what went down in this chapter or what you think might happen next! You can also revisit past chapters, check out the rest of the Spacemon saga, join the Spacemon Discord server, or like our Facebook page to stay updated on all things Spacemon! Click here for the next exciting installment of Spacemon: Frontier!
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Reiterating from my last post-chapter challenge: Creative use of a rock wailord is always fun!