[Toxica has suffered a total of 3 points damage from the two attacks she suffered (2 absorbed by skeinsuit), and Paaglo has suffered 7 points damage from the one attack id suffered (4 absorbed by skeinsuit). This brings their Stamina/Skeinsuit points to 60/48 (Toxica) and 92/46 (Paaglo).]

"Paaglo!" exclaims Kro'khan as he sees the green melon gain hold on his Dralasite friend's shoulder. The Vrusk instinctively blocks a flurry of leaves and sets his laser pistol to the lowest setting.

Paaglo's shoulder wound burns like fire. There must be some kind of acid or poison in the bite.

[Paaglo suffers an additional 12 points, which the skeinsuit cannot protect. This brings his Stamina down to 80.]

"I'll. . .be. . .fine," grunts the Dralasite, activating the invisible blade of ids sonic knife.

[Paaglo Attack: 45 (M) + 40 (melee x 10) + 10 (weapon modifier) = 95%; Rolled: 31]
[Damage 3 + 5 + 9 (3d10) + 5 (PS) = 22]

The punctured melon head bursts into a splatter of sticky goo, leaving the sonic blade to hum triumphantly. Paaglo wipes what id can from ids face, and draws a metal knife with ids newly freed pseudopod. "Toxica's in worse shape than we are!"

A spiked orange cactus swipes at Kro'khan, missing his carapace by but a few centimeters. Kro'khan's quick finger pulls on the trigger of his pistol.

[Kro'khan Attack: 33 (RW) + 60 (beam x 10) - 0 (PB range) = 93%; Rolled: 68, 97 (bad break)]
[Damage: 4 (1d10) = 4]

The first of two vermillion flashes strikes the orange plant, charring a portion of its base. In the confusion, Kro'khan raises his other forearm to protect his face and ends up catching his second laser blast with it.

[Damage to Kro'khan: 4 (1d10) = 4, bringing his Stamina down to 46]

Kro'khan steps away from the angry plant, joining Paaglo in ids quest to reach Toxica. "As I always say, when life gives you lettuce, make salad."

Trying to make the most of her martial arts training, Toxica ducks her head down and away from the thrashing plants. She uses her free left arm to grab her right arm and pull it towards her chest.

[Toxica Pulling Arm towards Self: 55 (Strength) + 20 (martial arts x 10) = 75%; Rolled: 78]

The plant pulls harder, yanking her arm even further away.

But at the same time, Paaglo arrives, slicing at the vine which holds Toxica's midsection.

[Paaglo's Sonic Knife: 45 (M) + 40 (melee x 10) + 10 (weapon modifier) - 10 (using two weapons) = 85%; Rolled: 78]
[Damage: 3 + 3 + 5 (3d10) + 5 (PS) = 16]
[Paaglo's Metal Knife: 45 (M) + 40 (melee x 10) + 5 (weapon modifier) - 10 (using two weapons) - 10 (not primary hand) = 70%; Rolled: 04 (lucky break)]
[Damage: 7 (1d10) + 5 (PS) = 12]

The dual blades slice through--the sonic blade downward, the metal blade upward. The metal blade continues its ascent and lodges in an unlucky melon plant that was aiming for Paaglo's head from behind.

[Damage to Melon Plant: 5 (1d10) + 5 (PS) = 10]

The severed vine uncoils from Toxica's ribs and sqirms madly on the floor.

Toxica takes advantage of this freedom to leap towards her captive arm.

"Urrhh. . .Let's see how the plant likes being dinner!" In a distasteful but necessary move, she bites deep into the wormlike tendrils wrapped around her right forearm.

[Toxica Attack: 28 (M) + 20 (martial arts x 10) = 48%; Rolled: 27]
[Damage: 3 (PS) = 3]

The plant writhes angrily, but does not loosen its grip.

"YAAA!" The instant Kro'khan shows up, a vine snakes around his neck--tightening its grip. A black sunflower with fangs dives for his abdomen, but instead meets an accidental discharge from Kro'khan's weapon. [The sunflower rolled a bad break.]

[Damage to Kro'khan's neck: 6, 3 absorbed by Skeinsuit, bringing Stamina/Skeinsuit to 43/47]
[Damage to Sunflower: 2 (1d10) = 2]

Seeing the sunflower singed but undaunted, Kro'khan fires a more deliberate shot.

[Kro'khan Attack: 33 (RW) + 60 (beam x 10) - 0 (PB range) = 93%; Rolled: 66]
[Damage: 3 (1d10) = 3]

The sunflower only hisses. Kro'khan twists in his strangler grip as he ups the power setting of his laser to 3 SEU.

[Kro'khan suffers an additional 3 points damage while he adjusts the power setting, setting his Stamina/Skeinsuit at 42/45]

Meanwhile, Toxica gives up on trying to free her right hand and grabs her knife with her left. In a forceful, desperate thrust, she sends the blade toward the heart of the plant that still holds her.

[Toxica Attack: 28 (M) + 5 (weapon modifier) - 10 (not primary hand) = 23%; Rolled: 99 (bad break)]

A broad leaf swipes at her left hand, sending the knife clattering to the floor. The worm-like tendril tightens around Toxica's arm, resulting in an audible crunch of bone.

[Toxica suffers 10 points damage from the plant's crushing grip, putting her Stamina/Skeinsuit at 55/43]

"We can't destroy all of these plants!" protests Paaglo, stabbing at Toxica's captor with both blades. "There are too many of them."

[Paaglo's Sonic Knife: 45 (M) + 40 (melee x 10) + 10 (weapon modifier) - 10 (using two weapons) = 85%; Rolled: 20]
[Damage: 6 + 10 + 5 (3d10) + 5 (PS) = 26]
[Paaglo's Metal Knife: 45 (M) + 40 (melee x 10) + 5 (weapon modifier) - 10 (using two weapons) - 10 (not primary hand) = 70%; Rolled: 66]
[Damage: 10 (1d10) + 5 (PS) = 15]

Paaglo deftly whacks the plant to pieces, freeing Toxica at last.

"No, not the plants," says Toxica, unshouldering her laser rifle. "The hydroponic tanks!"

The black sunflower tries twice to sink its fangs into Kro'khan, but both times Kro'khan manages to parry it asside with his foremost legs. He fires his pistol twice.

[Kro'khan Attack: 33 (RW) + 60 (beam x 10) - 0 (PB range) = 93%; Rolled: 54, 69]
[Damage: 3 + 10 + 2 (3d10) = 15]
[Damage: 5 + 3 + 10 (3d10) = 18]

The offending flower bursts with a satisfying storm of seeds and black petals.

By now Kro'khan's neck has been rubbed almost raw by the slithing vine around it.

[5 more points damage taken, bringing his Stamina/Skeinsuit to 40/42]

Using all his effort, he turns and fires at the bushy source of the vine.

[Kro'khan Attack: 33 (RW) + 60 (beam x 10) - 0 (PB range) = 93%; Rolled: 19, 33]
[Damage: 5 + 5 + 9 (3d10) = 14]
[Damage: 10 + 3 + 2 (3d10) = 15]

The vine falls limp, dropping Kro'khan to his knees. He clutches at his bleeding throat, trying to get his breath back.

ZRAK! ZRAK! Toxica pierces two of the long plasteel tanks with brilliant energy blasts from her rifle. Glistening yellow liquid gushes out into a a puddle that expands across the floor, seeking all four walls.

The rustling of leaves rises to a deafening level.

"This may kill them in the long run," hollers Paaglo. "But for the short term, it's only made them very mad! We've got to find a safe corner and regroup!"

Paaglo, Kro'khan and Toxica join forces, battling their way through a living jungle of resistance.

By some miracle, they reach a corner barely out of the plants' reach.

Kro'khan bends down and fills some plastic vials with seed and leaf samples he fishes from the now ankle-deep yellow liquid on the floor. "I'll want to analyze these samples once we get to a quiet place. I wonder what they'll name these beasts when they're catalogued."

Paaglo looks at the dying plants, frantic and deadly in every direction. "The question is, how do we get to that quiet place?"

"We could wait for the plants to wither and starve," suggests Toxica.

"Without knowing more about these plants, there's no telling how long that could take," says Kro'khan. "We may be holed up here for days."

"And the robots may come by and discover our handiwork by then," adds Paaglo.

Toxica nods and grits her teeth at the same time. "Kro'khan, use your environscanner to analyze the walls for weak spots, or different compositions which might indicate doors. Paaglo and I will search the walls and floor for cracks or seams. Maybe there are ventilation ducts in the ceiling, drains in the floor--I don't know."

Kro'khan pulls out his equipment.

[Kro'khan Tracking: 30 (base) + 40 (environmental x 10) + 5 (Intuition modifier) = 75%; Rolled: 09]

"We know there are sliding doors in the walls, but they seem to have the same composition as everything else. With the hydroponic liquid flooding the floor, it seems unlikely the room has drains--unless they're closed. As far as the floor. . .this is interesting."

Kro'khan adjusts his scanner and double checks the display.

"What's interesting?" demands Toxica.

"There's no mistaking it," replies the Vrusk after a pause. "There's a lifeform--animal, not plant--just below the floor on the other side of the room."

"Is it alive?" asks Paaglo.

"It would have to be, or I wouldn't be picking it up. It's also very close if it's in sensor range. This is the first animal life I've detected since we landed, unless you count the insects in the forest."

"Can you tell us what kind of animal it is?" asks Toxica cautiously.

"With more delicate equipment, maybe. But with what I've got, all I can say is that it is at least Human sized."

"Then we have two issues to consider," says Toxica. "One, can we get to the other side of the room? And two, do we want to?"

[Recap on energy used. Paaglo: Used 3 SEU, 17 SEU left. Kro'khan: Used 16 SEU, 84 SEU left. Toxica: Used 10 SEU, 90 SEU left.]