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Heart Of Darkness - Play Report (Act.1 Part.1)


SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION

Scientists Team :
-Doctor Ejiri (Weyland-Yutani) Executive Scientist
-Sergeant Sajaad (Weyland-Yutani Close Protection)
-Professor Hedenstrom (Geholgod Institute) Xenobiotechnologist
-(Android) Doctor Lark (Hyperdyne Systems) Synthetic psychologist
-Professor Navarre (ICSC Biochemical Engineer)
-Colonel-Doctor Drabikowski (Drabs) (UPP Astrophysicist & Computer)

USCSS Cetorhina Crew :
-Captain and Pilot Lugar (UA)
-(Android) Grey (Hyperdyne Synthetic) First Mate
-Hobbs (UA) Engineer Technician & Cook
-Tommy (3WE) Navigator & Computer specialist
-Webb (3WE) Science and Medical Officer

(MIA) MISSING IN ACTION (in the Frontier War)
USCMC 2nd platoon team :
-Lieutenant Hope (Platoon commander)
-Sergeant Matthews (section sergeant)
-Synthetic Lance (scientific advisor and medic)
-Corporal Biehn (1st squad leader)
-Private First Class Jenette (1st squad smartgunner)
-Private First Class Paxton (1st squad comtech)
-Private Ricco (1st squad sniper)


PREFACE (END OF FRONTIER WAR)

The mission in the Grandhi GJ1230B system was a carnage (Mission 6 Operation Deep Shaft of the Frontier War). The confirmed losses (KIA) of the 2nd platoon are Lance Corporal Wright, Major Davydovich, Private Lees, Botos and Arietta Pichilemu. Moreover, mission command has received no news from the USS Tambitam (the ship is declared lost). The following marines are therefore missing in action (MIA) : Lieutenant Hope, Sergeant Matthews, Synthetic Lance, Corporal Biehn, Private Jenette, Private Paxton and Private Ricco.

General Vaughn has assigned a large part of her team to project EREBOS. A new lifeform has been discovered. A commercial FTL plasma tanker (USCSS Cetorhina) has been requisitioned and a team of scientists has been assembled to depart for the 26 Draconis System.

The UAS El Diablo support team for the Frontier War (Captain Wincott, Pilot Flowers, Mercenary Perlman, Synthetic Winona and Tanya Lebedev) has been thanked directly by the General Vaughn. They have received their wages and they are going parted ways with the organization.

HEART OF DARKNESS
ACT.1

The USCSS Cetorhina arrive in orbit around the Ablassen Black Hole, ready to catalog a new lifeform. The crew and scientists wake up from a 3-month hypersleep journey. The scientists (Drabs, Ejiri, Hedenstrom, Lark, Navarre and Webb Cetorhina's science officer) gather in the galley to discuss the mission.

FIRST MEETING

"I did some research on the 26 Draconis System", (says Drabs). "26 Draconis was once a trinary star system composed of two orange giants and one red dwarf. In a few short years, a chain reaction within the red dwarf caused the star to collapse on itself, forming the black hole. It has since been devouring the other two stars. Now the system is just rubble spiraling down the drain. It's a stellar anomaly. Stars don't just spontaneously collapse. The process takes millennia. We don't know what happened. Colonial Administration put a travel ban and exploration restrictions on the system", (says Drabs).

"I did some research on Erebos 01 Station too", (says Ejiri). "Twelve years ago, a company probe cataloged the young singularity, reporting the system's breakdown and it's high-energy output. Weyland-Yutani won the exploitation rights and set up Erebos Station to harness the plasma flow in energy, storing it in battery cells", (says Ejiri).

"I researched the effects of this black hole on humans", (says Doctor Lark). "Something about the black hole's energies affect the electro-synaptic signals in the human brain, causing depression and psychotic behavior. After several deaths and an employee revolt, I discovered that the company had to call in an independent review. The station was then converted into a prison work site for penal workers under the supervision of a company administrative team. Order is maintained by a team of android guards", (says Lark).

"We are talking here of Neurological Distortion Disorder effects on humans", (says Navarre). "Proximity to the singularity's immense electro-magnetic fluctuations and insufficient shielding have proven dangerous to human psyche. I prepared a special cocktail for everyone. I call it neuro-shield. It blocks the effects of NDD for the day. One pill a day every morning and no effects", (says Navarre).

"The company told me that it's an extremophile organism", (says Hedenstrom). "It likes extreme environments with high temperature. I have also been told of a plasma protoplasmic aspects. A transparent or plasma jelly-like organism as found in the sea", (says Hedenstrom).

BISHOP'S HOLOGRAM (The situation)

The viewport shields in the bridge slide open. The ravenous mass gulps torrents of plasma from two unraveling orange globes that were once dwarf stars. Lugar, Grey, Hobbs and Tommy are here. They are occupied with the preparations for docking. The Cetorhina approaches Erebos Station, greeted only by her automated docking beacon signal. The station has external damage to a few decks. It looks like it took some meteor hits. Erebos is mostly dark.

"I'm doing a scan of the area. There is a piece of LV-1113 that forms a 1200 meter asteroid. It's quite far from the station but we better watch it", (says Navigator Tommy).

The crew and the scientists are invited to the bridge for a hot coffee and the breathtaking view. Grey (the ship's bishop-like android) quietly places an activated Modular Computing Device on a desk. The module sputters to life, projecting a holographic character. "I'm Michael Bishop, company director of special projects for Weyland-Yutani. I'm recording this August 7th, the morning of your departure from Gateway Station. Living in the plasma soup (in the Ablassen Black Hole) is an extremophile organism. The Erebos Science Officer Clerke is calling them the FULFREMMEN (it means "to perfect" or the perfected). The plasma lights beings fit all the criteria for life. They may even be intelligent. We scanned them swarming around a meteoric mass in the plasma field and we brought THE METEOR to the station for study. Dr.Clerke will brief you more when you arrive. Now, a couple of safety protocols. First, Erebos is a WY prison work site with 99 convicts. Warden Stykes and his second in command Android Crash maintain order. But don't wander off alone. Second, the black hole will scramble your brain so take your meds. Talk to Dr.Lark or Professor Navarre if you have problems. Think of all we can learn from the new lifeform. I only wish I could be there with you. Good luck", (says Michael Bishop).

THE DOCKING

"This is commercial plasma tanker CETORHINA out of the Gateway Station, calling Erebos traffic control. Do you read me? Over", (says Navigator Tommy). No answer. "This is not right", (says Lugar).

As the Cetorhina approaches, the lights on the main concourse come alive. A docking port extends at Terminal 01 (Deck G). It's an automatic response from the docking systems. Captain Lugar attempts to dock the ship. "Brace yourself", (says Lugar). An alarm goes off. The black hole's gravitational pull has momentarily jumped. A storm of meteoroids pummels the ship. The stabilizing thrusters on Erebos fire to steady the station. The Cetorhina is caught in a gravity shear. The ship is pulled toward Erebos and it crashed. Everyone falls to the ground. "Please give me a report of the ship's damage", (says Lugar). "We seem stable at the moment Captain. Cetorhina is twisted in Erebos's structure", (says Grey). "I have a report. Power cells are drained. Ship needs 3 cells for engine ignition. We need a thruster compression coil. The one here is toasted. We will have a lot of EVA work to do outside", (says Hobbs). "First we'll try to make contact with the station's crew", (says Lugar).

"This is commercial plasma tanker CETORHINA out of the Gateway Station, calling Erebos traffic control. Do you read me? Over", (says Navigator Tommy). No answer again.

UMBILICAL WALK TO EREBOS

The Cetorhina has crashed and entwined in the Erebos structure around Deck E. "The deck E is exposed to space. It looks like a small meteor smashed through the crew quarter deck. I can redirect the docking umbilical to the Deck D airlock D04 as there is no port at level E anyway", (says Hobbs).

A first team is formed to make contact with Erebos. It's Lugar, Sajaad and Hobbs. Grey, Tommy and Webb take care of repairs on the Cetorhina. Scientists await news from the 1st team.

The docking umbilical is fixed on airlock D04. The team arrives and enters. A large amount of dried blood is splattered across the hatch. The legs and lower torso of a former station staffer lie there. The team warns others of potential danger on Erebos. Lugar uses the station's electronic map to navigate with his personal computer . "If you go to the Astrophysics Lab you will have a terminal to get some information", (says Drabs over the comms).

Fluctuations in gravity cause the station to creak. The group moves in the corridor towards the lab. Lights ahead begin to flicker. The lab is empty. There is a terminal and a holotab. The holotab is projecting a 3D map of the stars 26a and B, the black hole and plasma cascading towards it. It's fantastic. Lugar checks the terminal. She tells everyone what she sees. Erebos is in survival mode only. No one is answering on Deck B Operations. Lugar is able to activate the location of Erebos crew via personal data transmitters. 3 PDT yellow signals are on Deck-D (it's Lugar, Sajaad and Hobbs). Clerke (blue PDT) is with MOTHER on Deck-C. Stykes (blue PDT) is in security office on Deck-F. There are large concentrations of crew in 4 places: 16 blue PDT(s) in hydroponics on Deck-C, 24 blue PDT(s) in the starboard hangar deck on Deck-G, 21 blue PDT(s) in the cellblock on Deck-F and 20 blue PDT(s) in the lifeboat bay on Deck-I. Lugar also sees 8 PDT(s) red signals. They are different from others with a WYCRONUS tag after the names. 7 are in the starboard hangar deck on Deck-G (Lavigne, Gaska, Harenstam, Ekelund, Granath, Bermann and Semark) and another in Deck-B Operations under the name-tag Lugar. Lugar is stunned. "We are going to join you", (says the group of scientists). Meanwhile Hobbs returns to the ship to help with the repairs.

DECK-D (ASTROPHYSICS)

The team meets in the astrophysics lab and decides on a plan. Grey will be in charge of the repair group with Hobbs and Tommy. The Cetorhina has the ship cutting tools needed. They will stay on the Cetorhina. Lugar & Navarre & Drabs & Lark will be in the group that will go to Deck-C to talk to MOTHER and see Dr.Clerke. They will go then to Deck-B Operations to regain control of the station. Lugar says I also need to know who this lugar-signature is. The last group of Ejiri & Sajaad & Hedenstrom & Webb will go to Deck-G to get information on the lifeform and the 24 station members there. They will also bring back 3 power cells for the Cetorhina and see if they can find Stykes on Deck-F. Everyone will communicate with a private intercom.

THE ENGINEER'S OFFICE (DECK-D)

Hobbs and Tommy come back to get a thruster compression coil in the parts-storage of Deck-D. They enter the Engineer's office to grab the key to parts-storage. The room is messy. There are 6 post-it on the monitor. They analyze the computer. "We found 6 control codes for the station in the Engineer's office (one for thruster control, one for airlock control, one for trawling arms control, one for androids control, one for lifeboat control and ejection of the Deck-A and one for the automatic cat feeder)", (says Hobbs). "They have cats here", (says Ejiri, laughing in the intercom).

DECK-C (MAINFRAME)

Lugar's group goes to Deck-C with the central chute. They enter and head to the mainframe. The room is dark and full of smoke. There are no lights from the servers. A charred body stands in the center of the room, a plastic ID card is next to him (it's Dr.Clerke, he's dead). Drabs confirms that the mainframe is dead too. Drabs finds the mission recorder unit (we can analyze it later). They find nothing else here. They then head to the medlab. At the end of the Hall, they see that the doors of hydroponics are blocked and welded. No one can enter there. They enter the medlab.

DECK-C (MEDLAB)

The lab is a mess. Navarre finds Dr.Clerke's Research disk data on a desk and his medical logs on an open terminal. he reads them to everyone. Now we should know more about what's going on here.


log 1 - the meteor from the plasma field brought aboard in terminal 1.

log 2 - preliminary survey of meteor is completed. we found metallic mass. human-made. looks like a ship.

log 3 - station-wide blackout when object was connected to power to recharge it. power restored. object reactor online. looking for object transponder ID.

log 4 - file deleted ...

log 5 - MOTHER has locked me out. black hole is singing. object has a pulse, a rhythm like a heartbeat. it's sync to station ...


While Lugar, Drabs and Navarre are looking into Dr.Clerke's logs, Lark puts her hand on the wall. She's dazed. Images spin in her head as if a new access has just opened. The voice speaks. "Flesh and metal blend together. Black veins sink into the ground. The black Hole sings for you, a heartbeat in your head. The same heartbeat in the meteor. Find the incomplete formula. Give us the key to 25 Draconis Strain. Gives the formula to the Perfected. Great joy and peace will dwell in you forever", (says the voice in Lark's head). Lark thinks for herself. It's impossible. I can't have an episode of neurological distortion disorder. I'm an android. She keeps this experience to herself.

DECK-G (EJIRI'S GROUP)

Ejiri's group (Ejiri, Sajaad, Hedenstrom and Webb) takes the Chute and descends to Deck-G. The station shakes. They detect radiation and fires are raging on the port-side. They exit on the starboard-side and go to terminal 01.

Through the window of the hatch of terminal 01, the group sees the power-cells on the left. The hangar-deck seems empty. no one is here and no lifeform. Parked at the end of the hangar is a large, crusted mass (The Meteor) with strange tendrils rooting on the ground. Everyone hears a pulsation in their head. They are stunned for a few seconds. The outer covering of the meteor expands and contracts like a beating heart. They can see a ship through it. The hull absorbs all light, making it appear pitch black.

PCs enter the terminal. They hear a howling sound in the hangar. Something stirs in a dark corner. Once inside, PCs hear a voice behind them. A tall man stands behind them. 6 henchmen are with him. By the way they are dressed, they are looking to be the convicts. The cat walks towards them and the big guy hugs it.

"Hey what are you doing here. I'm Cecil. I'll take you to see the boss", (says the convict Cecil). The communication channels are cut in terminal 01. No way to reach the others.


Heart Of Darkness - Play Report (Act.1 Part.2)


DECK-B (LUGAR'S GROUP)

Lugar's group go up to the Deck-B to regain control of the station. Upon arrival, PCs enter the operations center. The station shakes again. Red emergency lights clashe from many screen readouts. Lugar and Lark open a terminal. Navarre and Drabs open another terminal.

The station is in automatic mode with no immediate danger. There are several fires but they are almost under control by themselves (it's strange). A diagnostic shows that immense amounts of power are being diverted to the starboard hangar deck on Deck-G.

Lugar and Lark get information. They are from Dr.Clerke again. The meteor in Terminal 01 is, in fact, the science lifeboat CHEIRON from the Cronus expedition to the 26 Draconis system. The Hessdalen lights are coming from it.

"It makes sense. The CHEIRON was left behind by the Cronus. Nothing explains the situation but the lifeboat was captive in the singularity. There were probably mutations. It explains everything", (says Prof. Navarre).

A stange etheric form has just entered the room, a kind of plasma-light being. They are all fascinated by the creature. It moves without touching the ground. It stops and looks at Lugar in the eyes. Lark throws herself to the ground in convulsions. The creature nods to Lugar. It resumes her journey. It goes through the hull, straight out into space.

"We just saw a FULFREMMEN I think. I deeply felt my great aunt. I'm sure it was her. I'm starting to believe in your theory Navarre", (says Lugar).

CETORHINA (GREY'S GROUP)

Grey is installing the new thruster compression coil. The ship is shaking again. Grey finds corrupted electrical circuits all over the place. He finds no explanation. Hobbs and Tommy are getting dressed to go EVA to cut the hull to free the Cetorhina from Erebos.

"We are going out Grey. Radios still not working in the EVA suits. This place gives me the creeps", (says Hobbs). "See you later guys", (says Grey).

Hobbs and Tommy are moving to the front of the ship. The damage is significant. There are at least 8 to 10 hours of work. Hobbs has a funny feeling. It's as if the station is growing in the Cetorhina. There are like tendrils.

They are well attached. Tommy works a little further. A creature (a Deacon) emerges from the shadows and approaches Hobbs. It's a blue creature. The mouth has 2 sets of teeth. It's comparable in size to a full-grown human. It throws itself on Hobbs who sees it at the last moment. The jaws pierces the suit and blood spurts. Hobbs screams and his harness breaks. He flies away towards the black hole. Tommy didn't see anything.

The creature moves in direction of Tommy. He realizes nothing. At the last moment, a harpoon hits the blue creature. Grey is outside in EVA suit and he just fired his harpoon grappling gun. Tommy realizes what is happening. The creature loses its footing and falls into the void. Tommy comes back and they enter the airlock.

"Ejiri, Lugar, attention. There are hostile creatures (blue creatures) outside the Cetorhina. We have lost Hobbs. Do you copy", (says Grey). "Well received. We are returning to the ship. Lark is not feeling well. We have no news from Ejiri's group. Comms are not working well over there I think", (says Lugar).

CETORHINA (GREY AND LUGAR)

Lark is lying on a bench in the galley. Her eyes are closed. The group discusses.

"There is no way to separate the Cetorhina from Erebos. The station is grabbing us. It's melted in the Cetorhina. I don't understand it", (says Grey).

"I don't think the FULFREMMEN are hostile though. There seem to be other creatures here. We have to find another way to leave. There's Deck-A. It's like a lifeboat but with minimal propulsion. There's Deck-I with the EEVs. But we have to find Ejiri's group first and then make a decision. We stay together this time", (says Lugar). The group prepares to leave.

Lark starts talking ... "become one with the perfected" ... "need the FTL engine" ...

PROFESSOR NAVARRE AND DOCTOR DRABIKOWSKI

Navarre and Drabs tell the group that they must analyze the disks and logs of Dr.Clerke before leaving. We may have more information. They go to the lab. Drabs opens the data recorder and Navarre stays behind. Drabs reads the logs.

"The FULFREMMEN want to expand. They transform everything in chaos. I think they want an FTL engine. They must be stopped. We tried to create a necrotic virus with the formula of the 26 draconis strain. We are almost there. We have one final analysis to do", (says Drabs). Navarre wants to read the rest.

"Erebos is also the Ironfish project. The electro-magnetic waves of the black hole use the same standards as the communication network. United American Allied Command has hired Weyland-Yutani to collect data on neighboring UPP networks to spy on them. With Ironfish, they learned about fleet deployments and several MSS black projects. We have everything here", (says Navarre).

Looking at Drabs he says. "You protected your nation well Dr.Drabikowski. You will receive top honors this time".

"I should have known that they wouldn't trust me and that they were going to send a spy to watch me", (says Drabs).

DECK-G (BULK STORAGE)

Cecil leads the group (Ejiri, Sajaad, Hedenstrom and Webb) to the starboard bulk storage. He says nothing lives any more down in the station (bottom to Deck-G). It's just chaos. They enter. There are lit candles everywhere. An agile old lady approaches (it's Wicks).

"You are not from here. What are you doing here. It's all Stykes fault you know. He brought the meteor in the station. The perfected want everything and everything then becomes chaos. They must not leave Erebos. There's a beast wandering around. It's controlled by the perfected. I will help you leave. There's nothing more to save here", (says Wicks).

They leave the room. They head for the Cetorhina. Someone is sleeping in a corner (looks like a survivor). His back rising and falling with a steady breath of sleep. The form rises and becomes gigantic and viscous. It launches on Cecil. It's a protomorph trilobite. It needs a fatal hug. It's not alone. A group of deacons surround the group.


Heart Of Darkness - Play Report (Act.2)


DECK-G (BULK STORAGE)

Sajaad starts shooting. She protects the scientists. Ejiri picks up an iron bar. Hedenstrom and Webb have small knives. The convicts open fire. 3 deacons pounce on Wicks. She's torn to pieces. A deacon jumps around Webb's neck. Webb quickly dies.

"We must find a way out now. Follow me", (says Sajaad).

They run off towards the Chute. The deacons and the trilobite seem busy with the convicts. PCs go back to the ship. They are followed by the cat Adrien.

CETORHINA (EVERYONE IS HOME)

Ejiri's group returned to Cetorhina when the others were going to find them. Lark is still unconscious. PCs meet in the galley to discuss the situation.

Ejiri, Navarre and Drabs agree to go to Deck-A and use it as a lifeboat. Hedenstrom wants to analyze further the perfected. Lugar would like to see his aunt again but understands that the intentions of the perfected are dangerous for humans. Tommy, Grey, Sajaad will follow the others. The station shakes again.

Grey establishes a link with the operations center to track the PDT at all times. Lugar, Ejiri, Navarre and Drabs analyze the situation.

"Clerke is dead on Deck-C. Stykes on Deck-F we don't know. 16 PDT in hydroponics probably dead or transformed. 24 PDT on Deck-G are probably dead. 21 PDT in cellblock on Deck-F are probably dead. 20 PDT in the lifeboats on Deck-I are probably dead too. Now we see 16 PDT red signals. They are the perfected. We need to take our chance with the Deck-A lifeboat", (says Ejiri). They all agree.

SOS

A nearby terminal begins flashing in the Cetorhina. Mother says "Network transmission received and awaiting reply". The message is from "Weyland". Grey, Lugar, Ejiri, Navarre and Drabs consult the information.


To: Erebos
From: Weyland

Aware of your situation.
Expediting a rescue team.
Arrival within 4-6 hours.
Transmit encrypted data designation IRONFISH.
Absolute highest priority.
Awaiting acknowledgment.


Navarre talks to others. "We have the information on IRONFISH. It was in the mission recorder backup. I suggest not to send the information right away but to bring the recorder with us. We are going to ask them to meet us at Deck-A and ask them to send a shuttle to pick us up", (says Navarre).

Grey is writing a reply. "Mission recorder backup with IRONFISH data is secured. Meet us at Deck-A Erebos station. Send a rescue shuttle. Do not go further down in the station", (says Grey). "Well received", (says the rescue team).


Heart Of Darkness - Play Report (Act.3)


LEAVING THE CETORHINA

Before leaving, the group decides to blow up the FTL engine. Grey decides on the minimum explosive charge to use. The idea is not to blow everything up. Tommy and Grey are preparing this in engineering.

Ejiri, Navarre, Drabs and Lugar install Lark in a well-restrained stretcher. Hedenstrom is in the background.

Tommy realizes that there have been several bypasses in the Cetorhina circuits. He senses someone behind him. Sajaad comes out of the shadows and breaks his neck in one blow.

"I can't let you do this. This station must live and expand the way it wants, as the perfected want ...", (says Sajaad).

Grey had time to grab a watasumi bold gun. He shoots Sajaad. It's a perfect shot in the head. She immediately falls to the ground, dead.

The group finally exits the ship. They realize fairly quickly that access to the Chute is impossible. Deacon patrols are constantly moving. They decide to do a EVA to Deck-A. The group gets out of the airlock and establishes several safety ropes to climb up to Deck-A. They put the cat in a cage-suit to bring it with them. The station is making strange noises. Erebos is shaking.

They arrive at Deck-A. They enter the airlock. They realize that this deck was added to the original station years after it was built. The lab is a mess. Half-eaten rations and smelling clothes are bundled in the nest. It looks like someone was living here for weeks.




The Blip and the escalation

A proximity alarm alerts the PCs. A UPP destroyer called Snova-Trakhnu is moving close to Erebos. PCs are all looking through the viewport. "It's an UPP ship coming. Not one of ours. The important thing is that it's coming to save us", (says Ejiri).

Erebos shakes again. The station makes loud strange noises. Erebos trawling arms bend and reach for the destroyer, embracing and crushing it like a toy. They are all hopeless.

At the same time, the engineering of the Cetorhina exploded, which makes the station move in a different axis, a fatal axis.

The finale

The station shakes hard. Warning lights go on. The station can no longer stabilize itself. It's caught in the vortex of the black hole. It's only a matter of time now before it crashes in the singularity.

Lark suddenly wakes up. "They are all coming here to kill us. Quickly close the hatch ...", (says Lark).

Ejiri, Navarre, Drabs, Lugar, Grey and Hedenstrom hurry up to close the Chute hatch. Looking down, they see a group of perfected ascending with several deacons with them in the central shaft. The perfected-Lugar intervenes and blocks their advance. Grey manages to close the hatch and lugar activates the ejection of the lifeboat. The thrusters are not very powerful. The air becomes thin. They don't know if they'll make it.

The lifeboat quickly distances itself from Erebos. Erebos heads straight for the black hole. PCs record personal messages. Analyzing the computer, they find a manifest list from General Vaughn's personal cargo in the Cetorhina.


To: Stykes
From: General Vaughn

I'm sending you the following hypersleep pods ready for the experimentation on Erebos.

- lieutenant Hope
- sergeant Matthews
- corporal Biehn
- private Jenette
- private Paxton
- private Ricco
- synthetic Lance (for the great furnace)

regards,
General Vaughn


This is Game Mother signing OFF.

Maps and story designs here: https://www.reddit.com/r/alienrpg/comme ... ay_report/

Others maps and designs here: https://www.deviantart.com/arthurdallas/gallery

Enjoy,
Arthur

Brilliant!

thanks Dakes101