[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 4 - Starship Traveller

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, beaming to the planet’s surface.

300
https://imgur.com/a/jWuIqKc
You choose a location within what ought to be one of the planet’s main population centres. You select two crew members from the Adventure Sheet to accompany you to the planet’s surface and the three of you beam down. When you re-materialize, you are in a deserted street. There is a ghostly silence about and something is not quite right. The buildings around you and the vehicles lying derelict by the side of the road appear to be from quite an advanced civilization, but dust is thick on everything, as if there has been no activity here for many years. Cautiously, you walk down the street. As you approach a junction at the end of the street, you hear a noise and stop. The other look at you quizzically, and listen … but they can hear nothing. You creep forwards towards the corner and jump back sharply as a shape appears.

‘Visitors!’ says a voice. The creature is roughly man-sized and wears a flowing white cape. ‘We have not had visitors for many years.’ You explain you are from another planet and the alien nods its hairy head. You ask whether it is possible to meet someone in a position of authority, and the creature considers for a moment.

Suddenly you hear a small click and a shrill buzzing noise, and the alien drops to the ground, scorched by a phaser blast from one of your party. You whirl round in disbelief. The attacker looks proudly at the dead alien and you order your other companion to hold him. Snatching his weapon, you demand to know why he fired at the alien. ‘Why?’ he gasps. ‘If I hadn’t fired he would have killed you! Did you not see the weapon in his hand aimed at you?’ You certainly didn’t see a weapon in the alien’s hand, and neither did your other crew member. What will you do now?

Have your trigger-happy companion sent back to the ship? Turn to 276
Beam the alien up to the ship to see whether anything can be done for him? Turn to 112
Let your companion off with a caution and continue? Turn to 220

Please make your votes for the accompanying crew members (if you have not already done so) and what our next action should be before 3:00 PM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

[JourneymanN00b]

Since nobody voted, my decisions will be to select Gizmoduck and Dewey as our companions and to let our companion off with a caution and continue.

220
Turning the corner, you continue for several metres. A noise behind you startles you and you stop. With a sudden chill of panic, you realize what the noise is – it is the multiple hammer sound of a pre-laser weapon. Someone, or something, is firing a machine gun at you! You drop to the ground and scream at your companions to do likewise. As you all lie there with bullets flying over your heads, the other two look at you, puzzled. ‘Captain, why are we lying on the road?’ says one of them, standing up. To your amazement he stands in the hail of bullets, completely unharmed! Gradually the sound fades and the others help you to your feet, looking at you in a most peculiar way.

A little further down the road you come across a large building. Will you enter this building (turn to 55) or continue down the road turn to (325)?

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

[JourneymanN00b]

Since nobody voted, my decision will be to enter the building.

55
You enter the building and look around. It appears to be a library of some sort. You notice on the entrance desk a type of newspaper and take it with you; perhaps it will give you some sort of clue as to why this whole city seems to be deserted. Luckily, the library is computer controlled. You switch on a console and after some whirring sounds, a voice comes back: ‘ Good afternoon, reader. What subject will it be today?’ First of all you ask for local history, but the most recent entry appears to be some time ago when this city was bustling with life.

One of your crew members rushes over. ‘Captain,’ he says, ‘I’ve just been looking at the astronomy files. There is a black hole which they think may be a space warp. It is in Sector 288!’ This news is indeed exciting and you instruct the ship to beam you back aboard to check this location. Turn to 130.

130
https://imgur.com/a/HfGmAoB
Back on board you announce your news to the crew. As the navigation officer sets the course, you remember the newspaper and pass it on to the language lab for analysis. You may set your course either for a purple star just within long-range scanner range (turn to 233) or a small cluster of stars some 2.3 light years off to starboard (turn to 292).

(Paragraph 292, if chosen, literally says “turn to 233.” So I decided to skip this non-choice to help us save time.)

233
https://imgur.com/a/gugrwU6
As you travel towards your destination, your language lab reports some interesting findings from the newspaper you gave them. You have just come from the planet Prax, a fairly advanced civilization. Some years before the paper was published, a great debate occurred and two groups emerged with two schools of thoughts. The Progressives were modern thinkers, set on material progress, computerization and a more scientific view of the future. The Regressives, on the other hand, disliked the inhuman element of the Progressives’ world and preferred a return to basics, where people did not rely on machines. A period of cold war ensued, until the Regressives discovered that the Progressives had developed a powerful hallucinatory drug. The Progressives had intended to use the drug on the Regressives, but when the plot was discovered, they agreed to send all stocks of the drug into space out of the way. Something went wrong, however, and the rocket exploded in the planet’s upper atmosphere, subjecting the entire planet to severe hallucinations. On the day the paper was published, its effects were just beginning to be noticed.

You may continue your course, heading either to the purple star (turn to 44) or the small star cluster (turn to 79).

(Gee, this is way too close to modern politics for my liking. I wonder how long the Regressives would have lasted in our world before all of them died to the coronavirus?)

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST on Tuesday to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:

CREW:

CAPTAIN: Donald
SKILL: 11/11
STAMINA: 18/18

SCIENCE OFFICER: Gizmoduck
SKILL*: 9/9
STAMINA: 22/22

MEDICAL OFFICER: Quack
SKILL*: 8/8
STAMINA: 21/21

ENGINEERING OFFICER: Launchpad
SKILL*: 8/8
STAMINA: 21/21

SECURITY OFFICER: Huey
SKILL: 7/7
STAMINA: 18/18

SECURITY GUARD 1: Dewey
SKILL: 9/9
STAMINA: 19/19

SECURITY GUARD 2: Louie
SKILL: 7/7
STAMINA: 21/21

SHIP:

WEAPONS STRENGTH: 9/9
SHIELDS: 14/16

NOTES:
Possible black hole locations: Sector 288

LUCK: 12

*Deduct 3 points from SKILL in combat

[pragma]

Purple star. Port is left.

[Thaluikhain]

Didn't spot that, to the purple star!

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, heading to the purple star to further our stand against the large and growing threat of fascism.

44
https://imgur.com/a/E6L7YXo
Approaching the purple star, your scanners indicate that the second planet has an atmosphere ideal for life. You drop into orbit around this planet and scan the surface. There are strong indications of intelligent activity. Indeed, it is likely that the planet’s civilization is further advanced than your own. You may either beam down to the planet (turn to 171) or press onwards (turn to 250).

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

[pragma]

Advanced civilizations are always good news, right! Beam down. Gizmoduck and Dewey as away team.

[Thaluikhain]

No need for another "are you sure?" section. Beam on down.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes recorded, beaming down to the planet.

171
https://imgur.com/a/oYwgSBA
You try an all frequency broadcast several times, but receive no messages in reply. Selecting one Officer and a Security Guard from the Adventure Sheet, you enter the Transmatter Unit and beam down to the surface.

You materialize in a deserted street. Tall buildings on one side tower over you, while on the other side of the street the buildings are small; perhaps these are private dwellings. The architecture is alien, but no life of any kind can be seen. In the distance, ahead of you down the road, you can hear a whirring sound; soon you can see a strange vehicle, which seems to be heading towards you. It is a hover-car of some kind and is moving slowly.

As you decide what to do, your translator picks up a sound: ‘Over here! Quick!’ You look around and see a man-sized, somewhat insect-shaped creature beckoning you into one of the small buildings. Will you follow him in (turn to 108) or ignore him and wait for the vehicle to approach (turn to 263)?

Please make your votes on who to take (if you have not done so already) and whether to follow the creature or not before 6:00 PM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

[pragma]

Follow him in! I don't trust the robot overlords and would rather take my chances with the mantis.

[Thaluikhain]

Follow the bug, what can go wrong.

[Zaranthan]

Another lifeless city, I'm noticing a pattern. Engage with the survivor.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes acknowledged, taking Gizmoduck and Dewey and following the creature.

108
You run off the road and follow him into the building. ‘Just in time!’ he exclaims. ‘You don’t want the PCs to find you in the street, do you?’ You have no idea what he is talking about. You explain you are not from this planet. He is on his guard. You reassure him that you mean no harm, you just want information which may help you get home, and he calms down. ‘You are on the planet Culematter,’ he informs you. ‘The PCs you have just escaped from are the Population Controllers. On this planet no one dies, but as the population increases, it is necessary to exterminate some of us to make room for others. The PCs have the authority to exterminate anyone they like, within certain quota limits, without reason. They would certainly have killed you had they caught you outside after curfew hours.’

Suddenly the door crashes open and three creatures in armoured uniforms step in. ‘I thought I saw them enter this building!’ their leader declares. ‘Outside!’ he orders. Your host protests that you are aliens and did not know about the curfew laws, but the PC leader points a finger and an electric blue ray burns through his chest! You decide it would be prudent to follow the PCs outside. Turn to 140.

140
You explain that you are from another planet and therefore know nothing of their curfew laws. ‘It is illegal to be outside after curfew,’ says their leader. ‘The penalty is extermination. Enter this vehicle.’ Will you enter as they wish (turn to 317), draw your phasers and fire (turn to 206) or pretend to comply with their wishes and take them by surprise (turn to 8)?

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Thaluikhain]

Pretend and then take by surprise.

Also, we are apparently NPCs now. Ok.

[pragma]

Surprise them!

[Zaranthan]

An ambush sounds dramatic, and that means it will surely work!

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted, taking these PC bastards by surprise.

8
https://imgur.com/a/3mbV4Kd
You walk up to the entrance door as if to climb into the vehicle. As you pass by the aliens, you signal to the others and the three of you spring on them. This proves to be a rather fruitless exercise, as the three creatures are immensely strong. They fling you to the ground, but as you fall, you manage to grab the helmet off one of the aliens. It stops dead in its tracks in a very artificial pose, as if some switch had suddenly turned it off. The leader grabs the helmet and replaces it on his colleague who instantly springs back to life. You realize you will be no match for the creatures and climb into their vehicle as they have ordered.

But your discovery may prove a useful clue in helping to escape from these PCs, as they call themselves. If you proceed along certain ways, you will be called upon to make a SKILL roll. Your knowledge makes it likely that you will make the right move. You may deduct 2 from your roll when rolling against SKILL which is marked SKILL** (this will make more sense at the time). Turn to 317.

317
As you enter the vehicle it rocks from side to side. Your captors climb in and start the hover-engine, swinging the car round the way it came. You travel for half an hour or so and finally stop outside a large round building. Other similar cars have stopped there as well and numerous aliens are being led into the building. You are taken inside and put into a room which is evidently a cell of some kind, along with four aliens. They seem resigned to the fact that they are about to be exterminated as part of a population control programme. You cannot understand why they are so unemotional about their impending death.

One of the uniformed creatures calls for your party. You will have to act quickly. Will you try to fight your way out (turn to 297), try to contact the ship (turn to 67) or try to arrange to see someone in authority (turn to 121)?

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:

CREW:

CAPTAIN: Donald
SKILL: 11/11
STAMINA: 18/18

SCIENCE OFFICER: Gizmoduck
SKILL*: 9/9
STAMINA: 22/22

MEDICAL OFFICER: Quack
SKILL*: 8/8
STAMINA: 21/21

ENGINEERING OFFICER: Launchpad
SKILL*: 8/8
STAMINA: 21/21

SECURITY OFFICER: Huey
SKILL: 7/7
STAMINA: 18/18

SECURITY GUARD 1: Dewey
SKILL: 9/9
STAMINA: 19/19

SECURITY GUARD 2: Louie
SKILL: 7/7
STAMINA: 21/21

SHIP:

WEAPONS STRENGTH: 9/9
SHIELDS: 14/16

NOTES:
Possible black hole locations: Sector 288
Deduct 2 from rolls against SKILL**

LUCK: 12

*Deduct 3 points from SKILL in combat

[Thaluikhain]

Arrange to see someone in authority and pull their head off.

[OgreBattle]

Arrange 121, as fighting failed before

[pragma]

Yup, see someone in authority.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, attempting to arrange to see someone in authority.

121
You make your request, but the alien merely shoves you forwards. ‘This is not possible,’ it replies. ‘You are to be taken to the extermination chamber.’ You may try to overpower it while you are alone (turn to 297) or you may follow it to see what will happen to you next (turn to 215).

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Zaranthan]

These things manhandled us without breaking a sweat, no reason to think we can do better now. Bide our time.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote recognized, following it to see what happens next.

215
Following the guard, you turn down another corridor which leads to a large, open room. Various armoured guards seem to be directing civilians through a large open doorway at one end of the room from which a dull red glow is coming. You are directed to the end of the line. Do you have your Science Officer with you? If so, turn to 33. If you have already tried to contact the ship, turn to 238. Otherwise, turn to 309.

Gizmoduck the Science Officer is indeed present.

33
Roll two dice. If the total rolled is equal to or less than your Science Officer’s SKILL** score, turn to 332. If the number rolled is higher than your SO’s SKILL**, turn to 224.

Rolling the dice and applying the -2 deduction from the SKILL** roll yields a total of 5, which is less than 9.

332
Your Science Officer has been observing the aliens and has noticed that something is strange and not quite natural about them. He believes that these creatures may not be creatures at all – that in fact you are on a planet controlled by androids, artificially manufactured robots made to resemble living creatures. He suggests you try setting your communicator to a jamming frequency, which you do. To your surprise, all the aliens in the room are suddenly frozen, as if time is standing still! While they are all transfixed, you quickly leave the room. Turn to 160.

160
You head for the centre of the complex, dodging round the corridors so as to avoid the creatures. You try your communicator several times to reach the ship, but something is jamming the signal. You pass one room in which the walls are covered with electronic equipment. Perhaps this is the transmission room, transmitting the signal which is blocking your own signal to the ship. Two aliens sit inside, but your attempts to contact the ship on your communicator have turn them into statues! Entering the room, you play with the controls until eventually, a signal comes back through your communicator from the ship. You give the order to beam up straight away. It will take several seconds to fix on your exact coordinates and while you wait you remove one of the aliens’ helmets. Inside the helmet and the creature’s head is a mass of electronic circuitry. You had been captured by androids! You keep the helmet for investigation on the ship and moments later the transmatter beam locks on to take you up. Turn to 269.

269
https://imgur.com/a/x6aDsEv
Leaving orbit, you scan space ahead of you. There is a planet ahead, some 3.6 light years away, which may support life. You enter warp speed and head towards it. The electronics lab reports that the helmet you brought back was indeed an advanced piece of work. With a few adjustments, they will be able to prepare it so that, when you wear it, you may increase your SKILL by 1 point. This will be undoubtedly be useful. Turn to 34.

There is no SKILL limit in this book, so I am giving Donald the 1 SKILL point bonus from the helmet, unless anyone says otherwise.

34
You approach a medium-sized blue green planet and take up orbit position. Scanning the planet surface reveals several clusters of intelligent life-forms. You try to contact them but nothing comes up on the radio. Will you beam down on to the planet to investigate (turn to 13) or leave orbit and continue onwards (turn to 203)? If you beam down, you may take three crew members from the Adventure Sheet with you.

Please make your votes on whether to investigate and who to take if we beam down before 1:00 PM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:

CREW:

CAPTAIN: Donald
SKILL: 12/11
STAMINA: 18/18

SCIENCE OFFICER: Gizmoduck
SKILL*: 9/9
STAMINA: 22/22

MEDICAL OFFICER: Quack
SKILL*: 8/8
STAMINA: 21/21

ENGINEERING OFFICER: Launchpad
SKILL*: 8/8
STAMINA: 21/21

SECURITY OFFICER: Huey
SKILL: 7/7
STAMINA: 18/18

SECURITY GUARD 1: Dewey
SKILL: 9/9
STAMINA: 19/19

SECURITY GUARD 2: Louie
SKILL: 7/7
STAMINA: 21/21

SHIP:

WEAPONS STRENGTH: 9/9
SHIELDS: 14/16

NOTES:
Possess alien helmet (+1 SKILL, worn by Donald)
Possible black hole locations: Sector 288
Deduct 2 from rolls against SKILL**

LUCK: 12

*Deduct 3 points from SKILL in combat

[JourneymanN00b]

Since nobody voted, my decision is to leave orbit and continue onwards.

This planet is another one that is host to a red herring, and nothing of value was in store for us there.

203
You leave orbit and probe with your scanners for likely destinations. Some 3.3 light years away is a large red planet which you can head towards. Turn to 126.

126
https://imgur.com/a/gJ1tbCN
You switch to warp drive and head towards the red planet. As you reduce from warp speed, you approach a small, grey planet. Will you investigate this (turn to 261) or will you continue towards your original destination (turn to 329)?

Please make your votes before 4:00 PM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

[pragma]

Investigate the gray planet. Delay impending fascism.