Worm Food

A Kate and Kip Adventure

Our heroes Kate and Kip took a short break after their rescue from a Frigidair prison. But now they are back. Word has reached Federation HQ that Stargaze City on the planet Celestia has been overrun by worm-like creatures. These monstrosities are devouring the local population. The creatures are issuing from a pumping station in the middle of the city.

Kate and Kip have been sent to investigate. They land on the outskirts of the city and cautiously move forward. They spot 2 types of creatures - worms and slimes.

With their blasters on full power, our heroes eliminate 2 worms. The creatures begin to converge towards them.

A slime accosts Kip but his clothing temporarily protects him. Unfortunately, a worm spits acid on him, causing a wound.

Kate and Kip destroy 2 more of the monstrosities while slimes approach.

A slime eats through Kip's pants and causes another wound. Kip blasts another worm.

Kate and Kip take refuge in some buildings. One slime oozes under a doorway into Kip's building. It latches onto his leg. A shock of pain runs through Kip's body and he collapses.

The slime leaves its prey and chases after Kate.

She flees to Kip's building where she finds her partner comatose. The slimes surround her and attack. She feels their acidic secretions burn through her skin. She nearly faints from the pain.

But persevering, she blasts one slime.

And then the other.

Our heroes are unable to continue to the pumping station. Kate drags Kip to the safety of their ship where she administers first aid and calls for assistance.

Will our heroes learn the secret of the monstrosities or is Celestia doomed? Find out next time!

Against the Antares

Part 1 - It's Terminal

The Antares is notorious on the fringe reaches of Federation space. Its captain, Mal Evolent, will do anything to anyone or for anyone, if the price is right. He and his crew of incorrigbles are not to be trifled with lightly.

Word reached the Federation government that Mal had been engaging in treasonous activities with the hostile Imperials. Unfortunately, the evidence was not admissible in a court of law. Therefore, the Federation Secret Service devised a plan to neutralize him. Our heroes, Kate and Kip drew the assignment. Their mission, destroy the Antares.

They tracked the Antares to a seedy spaceport on one of the free worlds along the border between the Federation and Empire. Surreptitiously, they landed and made their way through the spaceport's terminal toward the Antares' dock. Near the end of the terminal, they discovered that they had company - members of Mal's crew.

"Just act casual," Kip whispered to Kate. "Perhaps they won't pay attention to us." Kate nodded and they casually sauntered toward the terminal doors.

They did not get far when one of the thugs challenged Kate, pistol drawn.
"Where ya headin', missy?" Kate mumbled a response about looking for work. Something struck the thug wrong, however, for he leveled his pistol at her. Kate ducked and he missed.

A firefight ensued. Kate backed up, trying to find cover behind a counter. The thug loosed another round, which struck her in the thigh. Meanwhile, two more thugs engaged Kip. He blasted one.

Kate and the thug exchanged another round of shots. She was wounded again but she took out her opponent.

She hobbled forward and blasted another thug trying to hide behind a counter.

Meanwhile, Kip had found cover behind a chair in the terminal lounge. He exchanged shots with another crew member. Finally, Kip neutralized his target.

Separated by a counter, Kate and the last thug shot at each other while Kip rushed to her aid.

Kip circled behind the counter.

And finally eliminated the thug.

Kate slumped to the floor. Kip rushed over to her.

"Perhaps we should abort the mission," Kip said, worry in his eyes.

"No, I'll be fine," she said as she dressed her wounds and administered a stimpack. "Let's go." she stated as she drew herself up, using the counter to steady herself. She limped over to the terminal door, pistol at the ready. Kip joined her.

"This is turning out more difficult than we thought." Kip said.

Kate nodded and readied herself to burst through the door. "Ready?" Kip gave her a thumbs up.
"On three. One . . . Two . . . THREE!"

What happens when they rush through the doors? Find out next time!

Destroy the Derelict

A Kate and Kip Adventure
While battles rage on Zirconia, spaceships slug it out in orbit above the planet. During one of these battles, the Federation ship Nebula was crippled, and the crew abandoned ship. However, the auto-destruct failed to engage. So Kate and Kip are sent to the ship to finish the job.

Kate and Kip enter through one of the airlocks. Oh no! Dominion robots have boarded!

Kip takes out a robot.

More robots advance but our heroes shoot them down.

The last robot shoots and wounds Kate. Kip zaps it.

After taking a stimpack, Kate is at full strength. The proceed through Nebula's winding corridors.

Kate trades shots with a robot.

And she destroys it. Another robot rushes Kip and tries to grapple him.

But Kate takes it out.

Our heroes advance deeper into the corridors and encounter another robot.

Kip eliminates it.

Kate shoots another robot in the hallway. Look out! A master robot shoots, wounding Kip.

The master robot rushes forward and slashes Kip with its laser sword. Kip retreats, and zaps his attacker.

After taking stimpacks, Kip and Kate arrive at the door to the bridge.

What will they find on the bridge? Find out next time!

Game Note: It's been a while since the last adventure of Kip and Kate. I was off work this morning and did not feel like setting up a miniature game or 4AD scenario. I decided to run a virtual scenario instead. I rolled randomly to find their mission, and robots came up as the enemy again. That's serendipitous because I have a campaign against the robots going on.

Let's Get Outta Here!

Part 1 of the Rescue of Dr. Zhukov
A Kate and Kip Adventure

The Fringe world now known as Devastation was once a thriving world. Then an Imperial-inspired rebellion led to a nuclear holocaust. Now the planet is a post-apocalyptic nightmare. But for some, it is a dream come true. The noted biologist Doctor Zhukov has completed ground-breaking research on the effects of radiation on planetary ecology. Unfortunately, his expedition was attacked by raiders and the rest of the party killed. He escaped, found refuge in a ruined city, and put out a call for help. Kate and Kip to the rescue!

Kate and Kip find the doctor in the city. They are escorting him to their ship, on the outskirts.

Kate and the doctor slip through a window into a building. From another window, Kate has a clear shot at a raider. She does not miss.

Kip is trying to sneak through the streets when he runs into a patrol. He guns the raider down.

The attacks draw an onslaught of raiders. Kate races across the street into another building. Both our heroes miss shots.

Kip races to join Kate and Zhukov but he is intercepted by club-wielding raiders. He dodges their attacks. Again, our heroes miss.

Kip retreats into another building, pursued by raiders. Kate shoots one down. Suddenly, bursts of gunfire erupt through the windows. Kate is stuck.

Kate and Kip blast a path across the street, allowing Zhukov to retreat to Kip's building. A raider bursts through a window and prepares to shoot at Kate!

Kate rushes to Kip's building, only to run into a pursuing raider. A few of the other raiders, however, have heard enough screaming. They decide to retreat hastily from the battle.

The raiders' leader rushes down the street toward our heroes' hideout. Kip blasts her through one of the windows. Meanwhile, Kate guns down the last raider.

Doctor Zhukov is still safe, for the moment.

What other dangers lurk in the ruined city? Tune in next time for the further adventures of Kate and Kip!

The Gauntlet

The Thrilling Conclusion of the Rescue of Dr. Zhukov
A Kate and Kip Adventure

Last time, our heroes rendezvoused with Dr. Zhukov. Together, they defeated a raider attack. Then they were able to escape from the ruined city on the planet Devastation. Now they are approaching the landing pad where their ship is.

"Oh, oh." Kip declared. "More raiders."

"Can we make a run for the ship?" Kate asked.

"We can try." Kip replied.

They rushed through the gate in the chain link fence. Kip blasted a raider in front of them while Kate took out one behind them.

Shots rang out from behind some barrels on their right.

"I'm hit!" exclaimed Kip.

Suddenly raiders rushed out from the hanger. One struck Kate with his club. As she staggered backward, she pulled her trigger. Her assailant went down.

Our wounded heroes took cover around the corner of the hanger. Another raider went down.

"We have only one chance. Run for it!" declared Kate. Kip shook his head in affirmation. On the count of three, they rushed toward the ship. Gunfire erupted around them.

One problem. Dr. Zhukov remained behind the hanger.

"Hurry up, Doctor!" screamed Kip. The doctor gathered up his courage and rushed into the open. Shots rang out and struck him.

With Kate and Kip covering him, the doctor ignored the pain and stumbled toward the ship.

He made it in. Kate began to follow him.

She and Kip ducked into the ship. The raiders began shooting the ship, but its shielded hull easily resisted the shots. Kip revved up the engines and blasted off from Devastation.

Soon, our party was back home in Federation space.

The Dock Blocked

Part 2 of Escape from the Empire (A Kate and Kip Adventure)

In our last episode, Kate and Kip were trying to escape from a space station crawling with Imperial soldiers. They managed to evade detection and take out four legionnaires. Their victory opened the path to the docking bay.

When Kip opened the door to the docking bay, an alarm began blaring. Kip looked sheepishly at Kate and shrugged his shoulders. She rolled her eyes at him. "Check next time." she grumbled at him.

They could hear the pounding of footsteps coming from the corridors entering the bay. Imperial soldiers came rushing forward.

Kate and Kip advanced into the bay. Kip rounded a corner and blasted one of the oncoming legionnaires.

Suddenly the air was filled with the pew-pew-pew sound of a repeating laser spewing out energy bolts at a high rate. One soldier was firing from around a corner. One bolt struck Kate in the leg.

Kate and Kip dove for cover behind storage containers that were laying about the bay. The legionnaires poured a steady fire at them, but missed.

Our heroes peeked out of cover and blasted the soldiers.

They rushed forward toward their ship. Kip noticed an Imperial officer hiding behind a corner. Her pistol was leveled at him. Before she could pull the trigger, Kip unleashed a barrage of shots. They struck the officer in the chest. She spun and fell to the floor.

They had blasted their way free! There were no more Imperials between them and their ship.