An Other CT solo - Part 13: Death in the mist

The mist swirls round as Captain Elleder leads the advance. He's got his revolver, and beside him Diter is pointing his rifle wildly at phantom shapes in the fog. Lin is just behind, pistol at the ready, and poor Korilu is hanging back, her fighting blade clutched in both hands and feeling like the fool in an old adage.

A dark blur looms ahead of them. As they draw nearer, it slowly resolves into covered but otherwise open garages with racing buggies up on blocks, attached to a clubhouse made of scrap lumber, concrete, and metal siding. The front door is hanging open, with a pair of feet sticking out onto the porch, missing one shoe.

T3 : complete - expected - none

[After 12 posts, it's finally time for a proper combat.

This was played out on paper with relative positions written in pencil on an extremely hasty sketch (see above).

To start with, there were 1D+3=3 enemies inside the clubhouse. That was a low number, so I added 2 more outside. They've been shooting up the place, so all enemies were down 2d6 shots/bursts, except for the laser which has only 2d6 remaining.

Each enemy had a 50/50 chance of being a Thug or a full Army veteran.

Inside (1D+2=3)

Army Captain ♀ 559A64 1 Term
Brawling-1, Laser rifle-2, rifle-1, SMG-1

thug1 ♂ 846665 SMG-1
thug2 ♀ 684846 autorifle-1


Outside (1D-2=4)

Army Lieutenant ♀ A8A675 1 Term
Air/Raft-1, Brawling-1, Rifle-1, SMG-1, Tactics-1

thug3 ♂ A8AA77 shotgun-1
thug4 ♂ 577485 rifle-1
thug5 ♀ 869975 revolver-1


Sight & Movement (outside)

• Visibility in the fog is ~15m max; no penalties at Short range, Medium range -1 to hit, and lasers do -2dmg/die
• Friendly Fire: at Medium range, need to roll INT or less to correctly identify a target.
• Running: roll DEX- to avoid hazards

NB. I used normal CT combat rules, except I don't use the weapons vs. armour modifiers (no one in the fight actually had any, but I plan to use the Merging the Striker and Traveller Combat Systems article in JTAS #16 to handle armour's damage resistance). The fight was complicated, so each round I declared all actions (in writing) and then resolved them in one go. The narrative will not follow this order, as it would be beyond unreadable.]

Inside the door is a short vestibule with greasy coveralls hanging from pegs, and a short passage that reeks of a poorly maintained chemical toilet. But straight ahead is the doorway into the rather brightly lit main room, where many dead and dying racers lie amidst splashes of gore, slumped over and around the mismatched settees and game tables. In the back corner stand two of the assailants, clad in street clothes, standing with automatic weapons cradled in their arms. A third, in army fatigues, is kneeling before a dense poly-carbon fire safe, using her laser to drill out the lock.

[Surprise? : party 1D=6 enemy 1D+1=4, no surprise]

Their heads snap round as the floorboards creak. Elleder is on the verge of calling out when Diter raises his rifle and fires.

[Round 1]
Diter's shot hits one of the standing women in the chest. Her auto-rifle peppers the ceiling as she staggers backwards a few paces, coughing blood. She drops, twitching. [8+2=hit, 17dmg to DEX reduces physical UPP to 001, serious wound]

The man with the submachinegun sprays bullets almost as wildly as his companion ducks back behind the safe and furiously resets her laser rifle.

Elleder hides behind the door frame, squeezing off a hasty shot from his revolver. Lin and Korilu have run out the doorway for cover. Korilu barrels straight out of the clubhouse into the fog.

[the enemies' bursts randomly targeted K & L, but bad rolls and the Evasion penalty meant no hits.]


[Round 2]
Lin follows after Korilu, but loses her in the fog, so she trots along the perimeter of the building and look for another, less lead-filled, entrance. [DEX roll for fast movement succeeds]

Diter is standing stock-still, grinning as he takes aim at a new target. The submachinegun strafes his position, but he feels only a twinge as a bullet speeds through his flank [7dmg to END, minor wound]. He responds with a shot of his own right through the settee the man was crouching behind. Grey-green feathers erupt from the front, a spray of blood from the back. A second foe slumps to the floor [14dmg, UPP > 040, serious wound].

Diter laughs as a laser beam streaks between him and Elleder, whose own shot ricochets off the safe into the ceiling.

[Round 3]
"I'll be fine," says Herrin Ngamová as her companions listen to the muffled gunshots in the distance, "go help them." She hides beneath a rusted-out racing buggy as Harrisumn and Tandery advance nervously towards the faraway din.

Lin is trotting along the side of the building, and is disappointed to find only a wall of garishly painted sheet metal. She thinks she hears steps running behind her -- or maybe ahead -- but she is round the corner before the unseen killers are close enough to spot her.

[Q: Is there another entrance/window? 50/5 O2 C6 - no

thug4 & thug5 pass Lin. Surprise: L 6, them 1, they're surprised]

Inside, the laser nearly vaporises Diter's head. He can feel several hairs singe as he dives behind a sagging settee. Elleder's shot once again grazes the top of the safe, but ricochets into the temple of the woman behind it, who falls with a bloody, if superficial, gash along her scalp. [E nat 12 hits, 10dmg to STR UPP > 054, KO].

But two more of the assassins have been alerted by the sounds of gunfire, and are advancing behind Tandery and Harrisumn through the fog [thug3 & ArmyLt].

[Round 4]
There is motion on the wooden porch. Two more killers are about to fire inside the doorway. Tandery and Harrisumn fire at them, but their shots go wide. But the sounds of fire within the building are drowned out by louder reports behind, the low roar of a shotgun and the staccato rhythm of auto fire. Bullets plink in a line up to Harrisumn, whose leg buckles beneath him. He passes out before he sees the blood darken the dirt beneath him.

[Everyone made their INT rolls to identify targets. thug4 & thug5 shot at Elleder, missing. H&T missed them. ArmyLt & thug3 came up behind them. H took 12 damage to END, UPP > 910, KO]

Elleder pivots round the door frame as bullets whistle past. Diter takes up position on the other side, but doesn't have any enemies in his field of vision, only friendlies. [INT succeeds, H&T are only ones in his LOS]

Lin has almost made a circuit.

[Round 5]
She drifts out into the mist at the front of the building. She sees Korilu hiding behind some empty fuel barrels, and Tandery running away. [Tandery failed her Morale roll. Lin made all her INT rolls.]

Tandery hears auto fire behind her, and footsteps running just as fast as she is. [ArmyLt followed her. DEX rolls OK.]

Diter moves behind Elleder. They take turns firing at the two on the porch, who shoot wildly inside.

A shotgun goes off to Lin's right.

[everyone who shoots this round, misses]

[Round 6]
She sees someone moving past at speed, and fires after them as they pause to fire another burst at an unseen target further on. The unseen target (Tandery) runs for cover [DEX roll OK].

Bullets fly both into and out from the clubhouse.

[no hits again this round]

[Round 7]
Tandery is behind a buggy. She hears footsteps bearing down on her. And then a second set. Bullets ring off the metal chassis in two short patterns, followed by a single shot. Then a dull thud. Lin had followed Tandery's would-be murderer through the fog, and got right up behind her when she paused to fire, and felled her with a single shot between the shoulder blades.

[I used a surprise roll to see if she could get to short range behind ArmyLt: 6 vs 1+1+1, yes. Damage was 3D=18, UPP > 00A, serious wound]

The clubhouse door frames are the only other casualties.

[Round 8]
Lin crouches low and quickly goes (what she hopes is) wide round the building's front. The exchanges of fire still sound like they are all there.

A slug pierces the wall and Elleder's shoulder beyond. There are more wood chips and plaster in the wound than lead, but stunned by the pain. Diter sees a third form in the mist outside. He fires just as shotgun pellets lodge in the wooden floor at his feet. The form staggers back and is swallowed by the fog.

Seeing their comrade shot down just behind them, the two killers on the porch turn and run.

[Elleder is hit once for 9dmg, UPP > 025, KO

Diter hits thug3: 15dmg, UPP > 209, KO

thug3 was still visible to thug4 & thug5 when he go shot down, so they needed to check Morale; 7+ to stand, DM-1 since they assume their comrades inside have either died or fled: they failed.]

Everything falls silent for a few seconds. Lin hears the dull footsteps receding into the mist. She creeps back towards the building, and comes across Korilu's hiding spot. She coaxes her out, and they walk towards the building, Korilu clutching her knife like a security blanket and mostly hiding behind Lin.

Diter's silhouette appears in the doorway. He raises his rifle to his shoulder. "It's us you arsehole!" shouts Lin. He hesitates, then lowers his gun and disappears back inside. They quicken their pace towards the clubhouse. As they reach the vestibule, three shots ring out in quick succession. Diter has made sure the enemies inside were no longer a threat.

Lin ignores him in favour of tending to the Captain. He's in shock, but his wounds are largely superficial. Lin looks about and spots a bright plastic first aid kit on the wall. It's in desperate need of re-stocking, but there are enough bandages inside to make a compress. As she dresses the Captain's wound, she does her best to tune out Diter and Korilu's conversation. But some still gets through.

"I got you a present!"

"Here?"

"Close your eyes. There's a good girl. Hold out your hands."

"A laser! You're the best!"

"You always said you wanted one."

Several minutes later, when the Captain is sitting up by himself, Lin starts calling out the door for her missing comrades. Korilu is beside her with her new laser rifle at the ready, just in case. Tandery, Harrisumn, and even the Herrin follow her voice in.

Diter is sitting by the Captain, his adrenaline starting to fade. When Harrisumn comes in, he asks him for some first aid.

Herrin Ngamová runs directly to the safe. She opens it anxiously, and sighs in relief when she finds all her papers intact -- actual papers. Tandery enquires what they are, and she waves her off with a curt "important documents". But amongst the file folders and print-outs is a decidedly froofy lilac envelope fringed with lace.

[Q: What is the secret/special item in the safe? Cheerfully / Important. =an invitation to a society ball. That's the next adventure sorted, then.

Q: Do the thugs rally? Unlikely (5+): O1 C2 - no, and...]

Tandery shrugs and rejoins her companions. "We should probably look for survivors."

"I think my medkit is going to be woefully insufficient," says Harrisumn. "Plus golden boy would just shoot 'em."

"We should probably call the authorities," says Lin. "Cops and ambulances."

"I didn't think you'd suggest such a thing," says Tandery.

"I meant anonymously. I didn't mean for us to be here when they arrive."

"Make the call," says Captain Elleder.

Lin finds the racing club's radiophone on a desk in the corner next to some filing cabinets. "Stand back, everyone," she says, "this has to sound convincing." Lin pulls her gun and aims at the far wall. She takes a deep breath, then punches in 9999, the standard Imperial emergency frequency. A voice crackles through the receiver.

"Nine-nine-nine-nine, please state your e--"

"Please send help!" shrieks Lin into the receiver. "Oh god! We're being attacked! <<bang>> You have to save us! Some crazy offworlders in an air/raft! They're <<bang>> shooting up the place. We're <<bang>> at the Backland Breakers clubhou--"

A final shot destroys the radiophone itself. Her usual calm instantly reappears.

"That was scary," says Tandery as Lin is wiping her fingerprints off the receiver. "Have you done this before?"

* * *

The air/raft is long gone by the time they get back to the ATV. They drive off and take the main road further south, hoping it will lead them back towards the port. Weapons are once again in their hiding spots, but these are left open in case they run into trouble.

A flashing glow appears ahead in the fog, then the sound of wailing sirens. A convoy of police cruisers and emergency vehicles roars past.

[Q: Do the authorities come? certain (2+): O4 C8 - yes
Q: Is there any investigation that could affect the adventure? roll below LL 8 (7-): 2D=8, no
Q: Back to the ship without incident? unknown d6=5: O6 C5 - yes (there are people looking for the Herrin, but they don't know who she's with)]

When at last they are on the road back to the port, the Herrin asks Captain Elleder if they wouldn't mind returning her to her ship when they leave. The Captain says he'll do it, but it'll cost her a high passage -- if they don't find her ship, for whatever reason, she'll be taking up a stateroom. [reaction=8] She says it's a fair exchange.


next post: other consequences

An Other CT solo - Part 12: Of shipbreakers and broken ships

The inside of the ship's boat is in an even worse state than the exterior, due in no small part to the predations of the scavengers. The Herrin --breathing through her sleeve against the smoky haze-- is the first inside through the gash in the hull. She steadies herself on the curved ceiling of the upside-down vessel, and braves a few tentative steps further inside. She makes her cautious way towards the section just aft of the cockpit, where a gaping hole in the floor above her head confirms her worst fears -- the safe has been removed. At least, she consoles herself, it wasn't vaporised by laser-fire. She hazards a glance into the cockpit, for just an instant, and sees her two most trusted retainers, the ones she feels closer to than most of her family, lying in a crumpled heap on the sparking overhead instrumentation. The smell of blacked flesh assails her nostrils, shattering her customary poise and resolve. She runs blindly out of the ship, shouldering past Tandery and Diter, then doubles over and begins retching.

She rights herself and addresses the Captain. "I'm sorry, that was unlike me. I'm not used to seeing dead bodies. And certainly not in that state..."

"It's harder when you knew them," offers Elleder. "Shall I have my crew recover them?"

"If you would be so kind."

[Q: Special item still there? 50/50 (4+): O4 C3 - no, but...
Q: Bodies? 50/50 (4+): O5 C4 - yes, but... badly burnt
Q: Does she want to recover them? unknown d6=5: O6 C2 - yes, and...

Party's react=6, one refusal: 1d6=k]

He summons his crew and tells them they need to recover the bodies for the Herrin. Korilu takes one look in the cockpit and balks.

"No! No way! Touching dead bodies is not in my job description! Not when Ms. High-and-mighty isn't going to pitch in herself!"

Tandery slaps her across the face. She looks wild-eyed to Diter for support.

"What?" he says. "She's right. We owe this to our fellow spacers."

[Checking for bad reaction, 8+ to avoid: 2D=3, no. Type? d6=argument (=no further incidents, she's already arguing)]

The bodies are wrapped in survival blanket and stowed in the ATV's hold. The Herrin thanks Captain Elleder, and adds that the safe has already been taken away by the scavengers' fellows. Lin offers them a ride if they will lead them to where the scraps are taken.

[Reaction=10
Q: How many will come? d3=2
Q: Talkative? 50/50 (4+): O2 C6 - no.

driving roll to avoid mishaps: 2D=9, ok]

Two of them agree to go. Korilu drives as one plays navigator. They're a sullen lot, but she's happy for the quiet. She drives forward though the fog as night begins to fall, but driving in the dark is not really any harder than in the daylight thanks to the ATV's instruments. After four hours she wakes Lin to take over, and joins the rest getting a bit of kip in the back.

Their destination is a cliff face, with a sporadic string of lights visible along it, with many more clustered in one spot, illuminating the landscape in a yellow haze. They approach it through a sea of mostly-broken vehicles, including several small starships, and a haphazard assortment of canvas tents. A semi-natural cavern yawns in the cliff face, lit by floodlights. Within is a half-junkyard, half-shanty town.

"This is the place," says the scavenger. "You'll need to ask the dealers about your missing cargo yourselves. Have fun, I guess." The she add her companion disappear into the fog.

"We'll cover more ground if we split up," says Elleder. "Korilu and Harrisumn, you two are a team. If you find anything Effi might need, let me know and we can figure something out. Diter and I will accompany the Herrin. Tandery, you go with Lin. Let's keep it low key; pistols only, and please don't wear them on your hip. and information will probably come at a prince. Anyone short of credits?"

Lin's hand shoots out, palm up.

"Don't spend this all in one place," laughs the Captain.

* * *

"I should'a guessed we'd end up here," says Tandery as she and Lin survey the nest of ramshackle buildings with hand-painted signs and all linked by a mad web of criss-crossing wires.

"You've been before?" asks Lin.

"No, but I served with a guy who told me all about it. Damn, I miss his stories..."

"What even is this place?"

"It's a shipbreakers' camp. Plus all the scrap merchants are here, and the associated hangers-on: gearheads, street racers, off-road enthusiasts, pirates, and anyone else looking to buy second-hand parts on the grey market."

"So it's not... legal?"

"Yes and no. There's no licences here. But it brings enough credits in from offworld that I guess the authorities let it alone."

[To avoid problems with the locals (6+): DMs +carousing, +streetwise, +1 INT 9+; all three groups succeed.

Q: Any significant encounters? 50/50 (4+): O2 C4 - no, but... some other people here eyeing them up
Q: Does anyone find anything noteworthy? unknown d6=1: O3 C8 - yes
Q: Who finds it? d3=K&H
Q: What do they find? Very / Ancient - some weird and very ancient, weather-worn vaguely anthropomorphic stele covered in indecipherable writing. Probably worth more than the cr5000 being asked for it -- unless it's a fake.
Q: Which party finds the dealer? d3= L&T]

Tandery leads Lin through the Labyrinth of meandering walkways. All around them is a cacophony of colours, lights, sounds, and smells: sparks fly from machine shops, strains of discordant music vie with one another for supremacy, barely audible above the babble of voices in an array of tongues and dialects, hawkers scream their wares, arguments and laughter cut sharply across the background din, alleyways reek like de facto pissoirs, the enticing aroma of greasy over-spiced cooking wafts out of a kiosk, and is just as soon replaced by the stench of rubbish and unwashed bodies and cut-rate perfume. Lin has a sudden fit of nostalgia for Precinct Gelb-402b's subterranean market, and wishes she could share it with her crew mate.

* * *

They've been talking to scrap buyers for the better part of an hour. Lin is starting to believe they are chasing after phantoms when their questioning of the Nth merchant of the night bears fruit.

"I might 'o seen a safe like what yer describin'," says the red-eyed man in a thick offworld accent, "but 's not 'ere." [reaction 2D=6, unresponsive]

"Do you know where we could find it?" asks Lin.

"I sold it on, didn't I?"

"Could I ask who bought it?"

"Client information's confidential, luv."

"Perhaps for 500 credits you could take me into your confidence."

[Bribery (LL 8): 2D-2=6, success
Q: Who bought it? Boldly / Small]

"Some o' them lot what's in the Backland Breakers was interested."

"Who are they?"

"One o' the racing clubs. I let them have it for 250. No one 'ere can open the poxy thing, wha'ever's it made of -- at least, not in any way tha' won't obliterate the contents."

"Are any of them still here?"

"Might be a few knocking about. Or they might all be back at the clubhouse."

"Do you know where we might find this clubhouse?"

[Q: On a scale of 1-6, how vague are his directions? 1]

"Sure, luv. You'll wanna go up to the main road out here, goin' south east. 's not more than a few kilometres down, an' off a dirt track. Can't miss it. Unless you don't see the sign."

Tandery notes down the directions in her datapad whilst Lin calls the others with the good news. They realise they'll never find it in the dark, so need to wait for daybreak to set off.

[Q: Anything unusual happen that night? 50/50 (4+): O4 C8 - yes
Q: What? NPC positive - Harrisumn - Guide / Food]

Back at the ATV, Harrisumn is serving something steaming hot from cardboard containers. Their search for spare parts was a wash, but he'd gotten a tip-off about an amazing food stall. Even the good Herrin must admit she enjoys the feast.


094-1105

At first light, they set out. The fog still hasn't burnt off; if anything it's thicker today. Lin feels supremely rested; the bunks in the ATV may actually be more comfortable than her stateroom's. The wait for the fresher is worse, but as she's driving first she gets to go second, after the Herrin. When she settles in to the driver's seat, she notes the date on the dashboard read-out; they've not been here long enough for the 22.631 hour local days to have gotten too far out of synch with her internal reckoning by standard Imperial time.

Looking out the front window shows a sea of fog with diffuse glowing lights, so Lin has to get out to ask directions; they didn't cross any roads on the way in. A helpful scrapper advises driving slowly round the face of the escarpment. Lin drives at a crawl through the breakers' shanty town, past the skeletons of several old ships, which sends shivers up her spine, as in this eerie fog they remind her of nothing so much as that scene in Vampire Fleets III: Navy of Darkness, the one that made her sleep with the lights on for a month when she was 8 years old.

They finally reach the road. Visibility is extremely poor -- "it's worse than gas giant re-fuelling out there," says Tandery, sliding into the navigator's chair -- so Lin proceeds at a crawl. What few vehicles they pass are doing the same. She stops at every junction to make sure they haven't missed the racing club's sign. They find it eventually, and head up dirt track that rises up another plateau. The road is rough, but safe. As the ATV crests the top, their progress is halted by a 3m chain link fence, with an air/raft parked at a diagonal to block the gate. "That looks ominous," mutters Tandery.

Weapons are made ready, and the whole party heads out.

[For exploring the racers' compound, I of course used the Randomised Location Crafting (small area, structure). The descriptors rolled were occupied & dangerous, so I took that to mean the Herrin's enemies had recently arrived.]

T0 : expected - none - expected

They proceed slowly though the dense, bright mist. The dusty ground is strewn with bits of sharp rock, but has been flattened to a level plain. Each step makes a dull crunch, but the sounds are swallowed up by the fog so that one can only faintly hear their crew mate directly ahead or behind them. They pass some half-disassembled racing buggies up on blocks, but there are no signs of life.


T1 : expected - random - random
Encounter: Angry, Miserable
Object: Communication, Bright

[NB the object result is a communicator, but it didn't come up.]

A crumpled form lies against one of the buggies, the dust beneath stained dark. [d6=]She's wearing racing leathers, and is clutching her bleeding gut with both hands. At the sound of footsteps, she raises her head weakly.

"Back to... finish the job?" she hisses through clenched teeth.

"What are you talking about?" asks the Herrin. "What's going on here?"

"Somebody put pressure on that whilst I grab the medkit," orders Harrisumn and runs off.

Lin is already on her knees beside the woman, using her bare hands to staunch the flow of blood. "Someone cut me a bit of cloth or something for a compress. Her shirt's soaked through."

Tandery offers out her sleeve. Korilu cuts it off at the elbow using her blade, then hands it gingerly to Lin.

[Reaction roll: 2D+3=9]

"Some people came in here," groans the racer in between gasps of agony, "got in a fight... with Urdry... started shooting... everyone."

"Don't try to speak," says Lin, "our medic will be back to patch you up. He's saved people in worse straits than this." She hopes the confabulation is comforting. Or that Harrisumn really is that good.

[Q: Does anything occur whilst they wait? unlikely (5+): O4 C1 - no, and...]

They wait in funereal silence for Harrisumn's return, guns pointed in all directions, squinting at the shapes formed by the roiling mist. His crunching footsteps cause all guns to be trained in his direction, then lowered with relieved sighs. He sets to work immediately on the injured racer. Lin stands and does her best to wipe the blood from her hands on her coveralls. Korilu looks a little green in the face.

"Where's the main building?" asks Diter. The racer points a shaky finger.


T2 : expected - random - none
Encounter: Peaceful, Aggressive

Then swift footsteps, a wet thud, and the Herrin cries out and collapses. Diter's rifle cracks. A wild-haired man collapses on top of the Herrin, dropping the tailpipe in his hand, blood spurting from his chest.

[1 round of combat. No surprise, but classic Traveller combat is simultaneous, so the narrative can't always reflect that.

1d7=Herrin is attacked, hit for 2D=6dmg to END (END 4, excess hits to applied to STR : Phys. UPP now 750, KO.

Diter hit for 3D=14 damage to STR: UPP865 to 050 - major wound]

The others snap to a state of readiness, weapons trained in all directions, but silence again descends. The Captain pulls the man off the Herrin, flopping him over onto his back. Then he notices the racing logo on his now-crimson t-shirt.

"Shit! That was one of theirs."

"And now we've announced our presence," says Lin.

"She's not getting up!" says Korilu. "Ma'am? Are you OK? Uh, she's still breathing. Harrisumn, that's a good sign, right?"

He finishes bandaging his patient and gives her something for the pain. Then he examines the Herrin.

"There could be a concussion, but she'll live. I've got to make sure though."

"You stay here with her," says Captain Elleder. "We'll push on."

"Alone?"

"Er, right. Tandery, you stay with him. Keep lookout."

"I wish I had more than a knife," mutters Korilu as the rest walk slowly onwards.


next post: the fog of war is literally fog!

An Other CT solo - Part 11: Through the fog

When the weapons are concealed, they summon the others. At the sight of Herrin Ngamová in Korilu's grease-stained coveralls and Harrisum's knit cap, Diter can't contain his glee. "My good Herrin, you look just like one of us! Excuse me, I do mean, like one of them."

"And you do always fit in with them so perfectly. My lord."

"Don't make me tell daddy you've been disrespectful. He'll have your head on a platter."

Their exchange of barbs soon grows tiresome, so the others examine the vehicle. It's certainly functional for planetary surface exploration, but the interior has been designed with comfort in mind. And is also spotless. It's the very latest model from Planetarische Erkundungsfahrten LIC, produced at the highest possible level of technological sophistication (TL 11) in their manufactory on Pardub. Tandery slides into the co-pilot's chair and slots the Herrin's datapad into the console, bringing up a holographic head-up display map. "This is almost better than we had in the Navy..."

The Captain takes Korilu and Lin aside. "I know neither of you are technically rated for wheeled vehicle piloting, but as you're the closest thing we have, I'd like for you to trade off driving duties."

Korilu laughs. "You've saved me the embarrassment of begging!"

"Let me take the first shift, though," says Lin. "In case we need to talk to customs on the way out of the port. You can take over as soon as we get off-road."

"Eminently sensible!" beams Korilu.

When the cargo bay ramp is lowered and Lin drives down out of the ship, her eyes are hit with a wall of dense white fog engulfing the port.

"I guess you're driving by radar again, hon," says Tandery.

"So, do you guys, like, ever go anywhere you can see the planet's surface?"

[Overland travel will again be handled by the Random Location Crafting article.
-Large Area
-Descriptors: lots of open space, barren
-Expected=no encounter, no object; for location = rocky plain (once past the startown)
-Random Encounters will be rolled via the Traveller rulebook (results of 61-66 rolled on LC tables)
-Complete requires an 8+ navigation roll or is only Expected
-turn length is variable, but normally ~1 hour

The thick fog was just an idea that came to me looking at Wencesetor's Hydrographic rating of 9 (90% covered by water).]

T0 : expected - none - random
Object: Fuel, Enormous

As she drives off the landing pad and onto the access road, she sees a line of tail-lights disappearing into the fog in the direction of the gate. Radar confirms it reaches all the way there. Lin pulls the ATV into position behind a gargantuan fuel tanker, and they spend the next 45 minutes creeping towards customs.


T1 : expected - none - none

[Need to roll Law Level or less (8-) to be stopped for a check: 2D=10]

When they finally reach the checkpoint, the customs agent raps on the driver's side door with a metal baton and shouts for Lin to come out. The [d6=]woman barely looks at the documents Lin offers, and instead makes a circuit of the vehicle.

"Man, this is the new PX-83! How'd you get one?"

"We carried a hold full of 'em for a dealer on Uizk, and they agreed to give us payment in kind."

"Wow! Such luck. You should stop by the tourist agency in startown. They've got maps to all the good off-roading sites."


T2 : expected - expected - none
T3 : known - special - expected
Multi-Element: expected & random

They breeze through startown (relatively to their speed in port) and are soon on a major intercity roadway. Tandery announces that they have nearly reached the optimal turning-off point when Lin spots a police ground car cruising slowly up behind them.

[encounter: d66= 1D police
rolling surprise 1d=4,6: no]

She has to drive on and wait until the police have pulled ahead and have disappeared out of sight before finally leaving the road.


T4 : random - expected - random
Location: Frightening, Storage
Object: Artistic, Magnificent

Before long they come to a gravel track. Lin pulls beside it and swaps places with Korilu, who has been excitedly hovering behind her. As Korilu is adjusting the seat, Lin wanders back to join the others in the breakfast nook (for it is far too cosy to be called the crew quarters).

Tandery says they can follow the track as it seems to go in roughly the direction they need to get back on course. As Korilu drives, Tandery becomes concerned over some anomalous readings on the sensors and calls back to the rest.

"Hey guys, it might be time to unstow the weapons. There's something really big and hungry looking on the scope."

Korilu slows their pace up the track as the guns are issued. Several of the crew crowd round the cockpit to get a look out the front, but all they see is swirling fog. Then a gargantuan shape looms out of the mist, a great rearing dragon with toothy maw agape and claws outstretched. And perfectly immobile.

Tandery starts laughing. "Sorry, false alarm. I'm an idiot."

A wooden sign suspended from the scrap-metal dragon's neck proclaims 'Tirre Arts & Music Centre'.

"I saw a flier for this place back at our hotel," says Harrisumn. "We just missed the opera festival."


T5 : random - expected - random
Location: Bleak, Cluttered
Object: Ruined, Classy (=dead vehicle)

Once past the arts centre, the terrain gets rockier. The passengers are forced to sit still for once ad strap themselves in. The ATV makes very slow and shaky progress, even with its gyro-stabilisers and Korilu's attempts to not drive over every small boulder in her path. Tandery spots another vehicle on the sensors, as immobile as the mighty dragon. But it is only the burnt-out husk of a smaller off-road vehicle.

"There's my reminder to drive slowly," mutters Korilu.

* * *

[A roll of 5+ is needed to avoid hazards, DM+0 for driver's default skill : 2D=2...
Q: Severe damage? 50/50: O3 c1 - no, but...
Q: Who is driving? 1d2=K (added to narrative earlier)]

"Shitshitshit!" swears Korilu, but the dull thud and a long scraping sound beneath drown out her voice. The ATV grinds to a halt, leaning precariously to one side.

"Is anybody hurt?" shouts Harrisumn, who is greeted by a reassuring chorus of Nos.

Korilu slams the ATV into reverse, but it doesn't budge. After several, increasingly frustrated attempts, she shuts it down in a huff.

"We'd better go look," sighs Diter as he releases his safety harness and clambers out the hatch, followed by the rest of the crew.

The ATV is stuck up on a jagged rock, both front wheels and the middle one on the passenger's side off the ground. Everyone has to pitch in to build up mounds of rock and dirt under the wheels, and then push as Korilu steers in reverse. Once it has been righted Diter looks underneath, sighs again. "There may be damage to the left front axle. I assume the luxury interior package didn't come at the expense of spare parts...?"

"I can help," offers Korilu. "I have some experience fixing things." [engineer-1 & JoT-1]

"I'm fine doing the repairs on my own. You can help if you really feel compelled. I don't care either way."

Korilu is still too mortified at having caused the damage to do more than meekly help carry the tools and spare parts out of the hold. Tandery looks like she's about to have a go at Diter, but Lin pulls her quietly aside.

"Now is not the time. He's out of line but he's our best mechanic. Squabbling on a job can bring the whole world crashing down on you, trust me. We'll deal with him later. Let's go check out that other wreck and leave them to it."

[Q: Does D agree to K's help? unknown d6=2: O2 C4 - yes, but...

He needs 6+ to get it working enough to still travel with a bad wheel, 9+ for a full repair. DM +mechanic: 2D+1=9, takes d6-1=2 hours]

Lin invites everyone on their sortie, but only Harrisumn takes up the offer, and brings a medkit 'just in case'. The Herrin does not deign to look at a wreck, and Captain also declines so that he may keep her company. Also to babysit Diter and Korilu, but he leaves that part unsaid.

They trudge back almost 2km through the fog, using their ATV's tracks as a directional guide and Tandery's inertial locator for noting exact distances. After two false sightings -- a low hillock and an air/raft-sized brown boulder -- they come to the wreck.

[Q: Is the wreck local? likely (3+): O1 C2 - no, and...
Q: Anything interesting about it? 50/50 (4+): O2 C2 - no, and...
+Event: Move toward a thread - Increase / Enemies (noted)]

They stand round the mass of twisted and damp-corroded metal, cracked and sun-bleached duraplast, and burnt-out electronics in a few moments of silent contemplation.

"What is it?" asks Lin.

"That," says Harrisumn, "is a J-series off-road racing buggy. The kind they use in the amateur circuits, official and otherwise. I lost a fair few credits betting on these deathtraps in my misspent youth. Someone paid a good few credits of their own to get one here, the gods grant them repose." [gambling-1]

By the time they get back, the repairs are complete and Diter is stowing the tools once again in the ATV's hold.

"So, Lin," says Korilu, "I was thinking it might be your turn to drive now."


T6 : expected - expected - expected
T7 : complete - expected - none

[For the Complete result, a roll of 8+ is needed, DM +navigation: (Tandery) 2D+1=8, ok]

Lin drives on for a couple hours. The terrain becomes thankfully more even. Tandery suggests the occasional minor course correction, and within seconds of her announcing that the wreck should be close, they come upon the long trench it carved into the rocky ground as it crashed. Lin drives slowly beside it, and the silhouette of the ship's boat lying on its back gradually resolves into view.

"We're not the first ones on the scene," says Lin as she slows the ATV to a stop. "Captain?"

"Uh, I think this is a job for our security officers. Tandery, you're in command. The rest of us will wait here and swoop in if things go sideways."

[Setting up the encounter-
Q: Anyone here? 50/50 (4+): O6 C8 - yes
Q: The enemy? unlikely (5+): O2 C2 - no, and... they are sticking to the city & port
Q: Scavengers? certain (2+): O5 C3 - yes, but... only 1D=6 of them
Encounter range? as City (-4 DM) due to the fog: medium (1D-1=40m)
surprise? party 6 vs scav 2 (even with military NPCs, party won't be surprised)]

Tandery checks her pistol in her holster, tells Lin to do the same. Diter is already switching on the electronic scope on his rifle. They slide out of the ATV' hatch to the ground and approach the wreck with caution. "You know," murmurs Tandery, "it's nice of the Captain to have such faith in my command ability and all, but someday I'm going to have to remind him I earned most of my promotions in charge of a fighter squadron..."

"Don't worry about me," says Diter. "I'll stay in formation."

The ship's boat is lying on its back at a oblique angle. A jagged rent gapes in its midsection, and many smaller holes speckle the hull. The front third is crumpled, and wisps of smoke still rise from the cockpit. Beside it is a flatbed lorry piled high with bits plucked from the wreckage, with two people hefting a bent crossbeam onto the back of it.

"Haloooo!" calls Diter, and the two stop in their tracks. Two others emerge from the hole in the ship and walk to meet the strangers halfway, stopping a few metres away.

"Who's in charge here?" shouts Diter.

One of the grease-caked scavengers takes a step forward, removing [d6=] his welder's mask to reveal a weary, age-lined countenance. [Reaction 2D=7, non-committal]

"I am, as much as anyone. What do you want?"

"That ship belongs to our patron."

"Wreckage in the middle of the Tirre plain? It belongs to whoever finds it and stakes a claim. You must not be from here, if you don't know basic salvage law." [inquisitive - demand - flaws]

"I know another law. It's at the end of a rifle, and you're in my jurisdiction."

"Let me interject," says Lin. "Our patron is keen to recover some personal effects from the cargo. You can keep the rest as scrap. There's no need for confrontation."

[The offer needs its own Reaction roll, at -1 for D's threat: 2D-1=7]

"You can't just muscle in on our claim."

"What if we make it worth your while?"

"Is this your answer to everything?" mumbles Diter.

"Maybe. Shut up. What do you say?"

[bribery: 2D-2=6, under LL so it succeeds]

"Alright. Not as easy to shift trinkets as metal, anyway. There's six of us. 100 credits each and we'll not touch what cargo is left."

"Perfect. Let me talk to the boss and get the funds."

Lin goes back to the ATV with her proposition. [reaction roll for Herrin Ngamová: 2D=8, interested]

The Herrin laughs. "600 credits to make the problem go away? I'm surprised you didn't just pay them yourself."

"I left my billfold in my other trousers."

"Korilu," says Captain Elleder, "drive us up. Slowly. We can see what's left."

[Q: D's not made a mess of things in L's absence, has he? doubtful (6): O3 C2 - no, and...
Q: How many hits did the ship's boat take? 1d3=3; 1x cabin, 1x computer, 1x drive
Q: Did any cargo survive the crash? unlikely (5+): O5 C5 - yes
+Event: NPC action - Stop / Lies]

As they pull up, Lin is relieved to find that Diter has shouldered his rifle and is standing in a relatively (for him) non-antagonising posture.

"I feel I must admit," says Herrin Ngamová, "I'm not really bothered about the cargo proper. But there is a hidden safe. It's absolutely vital that I have its contents returned."

next post: grey market

An Other CT solo - Part 10: Shore leave

The startown is a two kilometre strip along the main road leading up to the port. [1d2=]Night is settling over it, and the gaudy lights of the spacers' strip are tinged with diffuse haloes from the extraordinarily humid atmosphere [Hydrographics 9]. The land mass of Wensecetor is nearly as small as on Lin's homeworld; gazing down the strip, she's struck with the realisation that maybe the hazy lights of Düningen weren't entirely due to pollution. But that's about the only thing the two planets have in common. Lin's never seen so many ground vehicles in one place before, nor shops open to the outside. And all the billboards are static-image.

They find cheap motel with an underground parking lot. Their air/raft isn't the only one there, but nearly so. Tandery pays a reasonable sum for an adjoined suite, and they choose who sleeps where without any squabbles. Before heading out into the strip, Tandery addresses her crew.

"Remember, it's cash only here. The Captain has given me a modest budget. Do I divide it out now, or would you prefer I hang onto it?"

"You be the bank!" says Korilu. "Last time I was out here I lost so much down the back of a sofa or in the seat of a ground car or summat. Plus it'd be nice to go somewhere all together for once. Y'know, as a crew."

There is general assent. Korilu leads them out into the bustling night. She seems to have a destination in mind, and they all follow. Fortunately Diter catches her by the arm before she runs excitedly out into traffic. She has everyone eat a hasty dinner from a stand that sells some sort of local fare. Lin can't help but note that the breaded, fried animal-on-a-stick is the same size and shape as a hydroponic-rat, but this she keeps to herself.

Having survived Korilu's meal plan, they all follow her to a pub with bad lighting and not enough seats.

"It's not usually this busy!" she shouts above the din.

"That," replies Tandery, "is because the fleet's not usually in port. Look!"

[Q: Do they hear anything about why the warships are in port? 50/50 (4+): O6 C2 - yes, and...

Startown Liberty encounter: 2D=11 navy crew on leave; they will buy 1D=3 rounds of drinks, but become belligerent about merchants
Q: Any officers? unlikely (5+): O4 C1 - no, and...]

There is a sea of crimson and black Tifräish naval uniforms. Tandery, having served in that navy herself, notes that none of them are so much as an ensign. They all look so young! But they seem happy enough. Some of them even offer her crew a place to sit, and free drinks besides.

One round appears, then another, then a third. Tandery is feeling the liquor a little, and says the next round is on her. She totters off towards the bar with one of the naval ratings in tow.

Korilu takes the opportunity to pounce on Lin. "You seem quiet. This planet have you confused or summat?"

"It's... it's just so primitive. Like, I think this table is made out of wood. And not, y'know, cuz it's fancy."

"Yeah, it is a bit quaint, innit? But I, like, thought you were from Glun."

"Oh, um, yeah. But I haven't been there for a long time."

Waiting at the bar, Tandery has questions of her own. "How come there's so many of our ships in port? You guys just showing the flag, or what?"

"They ain't told us nothing, 'cept to be on good manners and be friendly with the locals. There was some sort of incident involving trade --of course-- and sabre rattling from Pardub. Nothing like old house hatreds to bring us out on a goodwill tour of the backwaters."

They collect four bottles of the local fire-water and head back to the table to find several arguments have broken out. Harrisumn and a young shuttle pilot are shouting back and forth as he shakes his fist in her face, Korilu is throwing her drink in someone's lap, and even Lin is on her feet and wrathful. Worst of all, Diter is sitting quietly with that smug look of his that's just daring someone to throw the first punch.

"What's going on?" shouts Tandery. "I leave you guys alone for five minutes--"

"They started getting mouthy about how merchants lead a fat, cushy, useless life!" screams Korilu.

"What the hell--?"

"It's true!" says a starman, puffing up his chest and glowering over Tandery with all his bulk. "You--"

"At attention, starman!" she bellows. "And from now on you will address me as befits a Fregattenkapitän, is that understood?"

The starman, and not a few of his comrades, snap to attention and salute. The others look on in wonderment. [reaction=10]

"I fought in the last war," she continues, "when you were still a schoolboy, I was at Ävke. I made it back. Most of my squadron did not."

"Yes, ma'am. I'm very sorry ma'am. Thank you for your sacrifice, ma'am."

"Now you and your shipmates can drink this round courtesy of my merchant vessel, and meditate on the relative merits of peacetime trade."

She turns and stalks out without another word. Her crew watch her leaving, and scurry out of the pub after her.

[The Startown Liberty drinking rules posit ridiculously low-alcohol content in the far future. Three rounds of spirits results in each PC taking 3D-3 against their Capacity.

K 20-10=10
H 16-12=4
T 17-15=2
L 11-7=4
D 22-13=9

They could all still drive safely!]

Tandery is standing on the kerb staring across the traffic at nothing. Korilu sidles up to her. "I want to go dancing. I know just the spot!"

"It's not a bad idea," says Lin. "It'll keep you from getting maudlin."

"Yeah, sure, fine," says Tandery. "But, Kor, this better be a nicer place than you took us that time on Bhöjnlis, or your shore leave privileges will be permanently rescinded."

* * *

They roll out of the club at closing time. Lin feels pleasantly tired from dancing and merry with drink. Diter is half-stumbling, and has been exceptionally pleasant; apparently he's a friendly drunk. Tandery is still fairy sullen, and hiding it poorly. Harrisumn has been engaged in an hour-long monologue where he analyses his precise state of drunkenness in medical detail. Poor Korilu is barely upright.

"I'm 'a be sick," she declares and lurches into the alley.

"Someone please go after her," says Tandery. Lin follows on Korilu's heels.

Korilu is only a few metres down the alleyway, holding onto the brick wall with one outstretched hand whilst heaving up a particoloured admixture of the last few hours' drinking. Lin puts an arm firmly round her waist to keep her upright.

"Careful, sweetie. I got you. Let me hold back your hair."

"I know you're not >urk< who you shay you are... >>bleurghhh<<..."

"Yes, dear. Mind your feet, dear..."

[Q: Does Korilu let anything slip? 50/50 (4+): O6 C5 - yes (she was the only one to suffer ill effects!)
Q: Back without incident? likely (4+): O4 C4 - yes, but...]

When the crisis has passed, they rejoin the others and head back towards the hotel, without incident save for a few more emergency stops with Korilu, the last one being in a potted plant down the corridor from their suite.


092-1105

When they limp back to the port the next day, Captain Elleder is amused at the state of them. Only Diter and Harrisumn manage to avoid a hangover [rolling under END], and he asks them to accompany him to the port that evening for business. The others can mind the ship. And Korilu.

They come back late, and the Captain has good news: thanks to Diter's social contacts, they've secured an important Patron who has a short, extremely lucrative job for them.

[World Event: Another off-worlder befriends you, they are in a spot of bother it soon transpires, would you help? There may be payment, or a favour.

This sounded like a patron, so I rolled one up. D66=noble, so I made her a character sheet using Buch II (which contains the Supplement 4 rules).

Herrin Olune Ngamová
954B7B   Age 34   Noble  4 terms
dagger-2, navigation-1, hunting-1, engineering-1, carousing-1
cr200,000
high passage, dagger, yacht

NB. Herr/Herrin (Lord/Lady, SOC 11) is both a title and form of address.]


093-1105

Other than Diter, Lin's never met a proper noble before. And Diter doesn't really act like much of anything other than a posh, stuck-up pratt. These she has met before. So if he hadn't been introduced as the son of a baronet, she'd never have been the wiser. But when the captain escorts their patron into the Effi Briest's common room, Lin has no doubt that she is in the presence of nobility.

The noblewoman walks in and takes her seat with consummate poise, if not actual grace [SOC 11, DEX 5]. The silky violet fabric of her tunic flows like water with every movement. Her head is shaved in the noble Pardubish style, with the crown of her head tattooed with a bright yellow lozenge shape, glowing brightly as gold against the deep brown of her skin.

Lin's eyes dart over to Tandery to see what the situation calls for. Tandery is sat upright in her chair as if an admiral had come on deck, so Lin decides she'd ought to mind her posture as well. Harrisumn is still in the galley preparing refreshments. Korilu does a short nervous curtsey, which sets Diter snickering. For his part, he's still got his feet up on the table, and the noblewoman is pretending not to notice. Lin guesses that means he outranks her.

Captain Elleder presents Tandery, Korilu, and Lin to Herrin Ngamová with all due formality, then invites her to fill in the details of their task.

"As you are no doubt aware," begins the Herrin, "relations between House Pardub and the ruling council of this world have soured of late. I am, for reasons having no immediate bearing on my present circumstances, returning to Pardub from parts rimward. Having stopped off at our embassy here, I sent Lomoucký, my steward, along with my bodyguard on an errand in our ship's boat, which has subsequently crashed in the wilderness. I suspect sabotage, or worse. I have engaged all of you to accompany me to the crash site to recover any cargo that survived the crash, and the bodies of my retainers who I fear did not. The authorities are being entirely obstructive, which is why I cannot use any of the embassy personnel. It is my hope that a team of neutral outsiders can circumvent this difficulty. Once the recovery is finished, I will also require you to take me back to my yacht, which is in high orbit."

"Captain," says Tandery, "can we not take the ship?"

"The port authority would never allow it. Especially with all the warships landed here. But to answer your next question, the Herrin's yacht has provided orbital scan data, so we have a map to the crash site."

"Great. But the air/raft is going to be an awfully tight fit."

"I have an ATV," says the Herrin. "It bears no insignia, so it shouldn't attract undue attention."

[There is of course a special item which the Herrin wants to recover --the only thing she really cares about-- and which she will not mention (GM fiat, I didn't roll for any of this).]

Tandery and Elleder study the scan data to plot a route to the site whilst Korilu takes the Herrin to her stateroom to find some less-conspicuous clothes for her to wear (to be topped off with a hat borrowed from Harrisumn to conceal the very obvious signifier of her allegiance and status).

[D makes a mechanic roll to find a safe place to conceal weapons in the ATV: 2D+1=13 - the cops would need to dismantle the vehicle to find them]

Meanwhile Lin and Diter collect the armaments and equipment from the ship's locker and head down to the cargo hold (where the Herrin has parked her ATV) and set about concealing the weapons inside various components of the vehicle. As they work, Lin finds him uncharacteristically chatty.

"What do you think of Herself?"

"Uh, she seems legit."

"Hahaha! No, I meant, how are you not doubled-over laughing at the sight of her. Madame is so very earnest. The very picture of Nobility. Everything in its proper place and with all the customary ceremony. I daresay she can recite her lineage back 20 generations by rote. I'm guessing whatever shithole you're from is too inconsequential a world to be burdened with any of our ilk, so you aren't in any position to appreciate the delicious ridiculousness of our divine patroness. As a point of reference, I'm the [d6=] third son of a baronet. Not even a full baron. Our estate is a paltry 24,000 square kilometres -- and it'd be smaller were there more people on Nivvid, or less land mass. Imperially speaking, we're the lowest of the low, minor cogs in the great machine of state, or whatever. But for all her pomp and majesty, she's below us. "

"So, it's people like her that propelled you towards a life of 'slumming'?"

"We begin to understand one another!"


next post: ATV adventures

An Other CT solo - Part 9: Danger in jumpspace

Back in the starport, Captain Elleder has been spending most on his time in the terminal building, making his rounds of the spacers' hangouts and commercial areas to drum up some business. Korilu spends some time with him to be polite, but she flees back to the Effi Briest's engine room at the slightest provocation; she's still paranoid about the drives.

The captain manages to nearly fill the hold with freight (76 out of 78 possible Tonnes -- 4 are taken up by their new air/raft). There is a load of gems for speculation at Mcr1/Tonne, so very far out of reach. There is a dearth of Travellers wanting passage to Wensecetor. Only three can afford a full high passage, one business traveller buys a middle, and but five labourers willing to travel low.

The ship's mortgage will come due on 090-1105, when the ship shall be in jumpspace. He decides to pay early, especially since the tech level here makes the transactions much smoother. The ship's accounts aren't looking terribly healthy after his quick accounting (he'll have Tandery check his figures later), but since no one has asked for a payout yet, he feels fairly confident that this is but a temporary state of affairs. Besides, he's got Cr50.000 stashed away for emergencies.

  58,800 ship's fund
+ 76,000 freight
+ 43,000 passengers
-  3,000 fuel
- 20,500 life support
-    100 berthing
-154,500 mortgage
-------------------------
   2,400 new ship's fund


081-1105

The fiercest of the winds are abating, and the dust storm settling into a thick atmospheric haze. The air/raft has an uneventful trip back from the scientific compound. Lin drives at a much more leisurely pace, and they see almost no other travellers in the wastes. There is a single air/raft that does briefly come in their direction, but it stops for a few moments and flits off on a different heading.

[Q: any more pursuers? unlikely (5+): O5 C3 - yes, but... they give up when they see them heading back toward the port

air/raft 2D+1-1= 7 - no accidents]

They get back late, and tired from the road --and the huge greasy dinner at the junction services to which Tandery, as mission commander, saw it fit to treat her troops-- they all head directly to their staterooms and fall asleep.

Captain Elleder wants to keep Lin and Diter on as permanent 'security personnel'. Plus, as a trained pilot, Lin can look after the bridge whilst he attend to passengers. Korilu is, of course, thrilled at the prospect of keeping Diter, and Harrisumn has no strong feelings either way. Tandery, however, approaches the captain in his quarters after the announcement for a private meeting.

"I need to talk to you about the new crew."

"You've seen them on a mission. And you know I trust your judgement."

"I don't know if Diter is going to work out."

"I know he's a bit much--"

"He's insubordinate!"

"This isn't a military ship."

"He'd be gone if it were. I assume that's why he's 'slumming', as he is so fond of telling us, on a tramp freighter. I mean, he's son of a noble house, and he served a single term in the house Navy, but never made officer. Knows his way round a machine room, but no bridge skills. Or even engineering. Makes me wonder if he left because he wanted to, or if he was, shall we say, invited to leave."

"We're the crew of a free trader. That's practically synonymous with second chances. Give him one."

"I'm trying, but... he scares me a little. Lin told you about the pursuers. What she didn't mention is that he executed the ones who survived the crash."

"They'd have died anyway, lying injured in this atmosphere. Perhaps he thought he was being humane. And they were trying to kill you. I'll have a word with him about his duties, see if I can curtail any further incidents. But he's proved handy in other ways, and that status of his might net us better-paying passengers. Maybe even a charter or two."


084-1105

The captain sees to passenger boarding, whilst Harrisumn monitors the low berths. Diter gets sent to double-check the freight, whilst Korilu has once again sequestered herself in the engine room. Lin sits in the pilot's chair, absently playing with the seat adjustment controls as Tandery is concentrating deeply on plotting their course to the jump point.

The captain comes onto the bridge and plops into the vacant computer officer's chair. "Lin, do you want to talk to the tower and get our clearance? Or at least get us in the queue? I have a feeling they're understaffed here. Can't think why..."

"Erm, er, sure. I guess. But isn't that the captain's job? I mean I wouldn't know what to say. On my last ship the captain always did it personally, and I didn't get to be on the bridge much. Not until I was qualified. So I'm not really sure what I should say."

"Oh! Well, in that case, listen and learn. I guess."

[Taking off through the storm, 4+ needed, DM +pilot: 2D+1=8, OK
Uneventful ship encounter (50t mining cutter, no comms)
no malfunction or misjump
Ship event: Captain runs a crew training session on 2d6=Fuel-Leak
Q: Is this because the captain is growing suspicious of Lin? 50/50 (4+): O4 C8 - yes]

The trip into orbit and out to the jump point is, despite the best efforts of traffic control, largely routine. Once in jumpspace, Lin lingers in the bridge with Tandery a while and helps with the post-jump checks.

"A bit of advice?" says Tandery. "You'll be wanting to avoid the upper deck lounge now we've got high passengers aboard. You're not the steward, so, trust me, it's better for your sanity to not get involved."

* * *

The crew's lounge outside the bridge is smaller and darker than the the nicer lounge the passengers use, and suffers from somewhat lax upkeep. It reminds Lin of the backrooms of several pubs and gambling parlours she used to frequent for 'business'. It's rather comforting.

She's slouching in one of the armchairs, absently poking at the innards of a broken holographic go board with one of the tools that Korilu left between the cushions when the lights go red and a klaxon begins screaming.

"Fuel leak, cargo bay," states the impassive ship's computer above the din.

Harrisumn curses and nearly knocks his bowl of spicy nelledd to the floor in his haste to grab the medical kit from the wall. Lin doesn't wait for him, but dashes out to the cargo bay.

There she finds Korilu and Diter half-dressed, standing round with emergency equipment, and Tandery pointedly making fun of them.

"Just a drill?"

Elleder appears from behind the towering cargo containers. "Yes, a drill, but let's treat it as a real emergency. We're sorely out of practice."

"Not pitching in?" says Tandery.

"The Captain is on the bridge in this scenario. Now look lively!"

They jump into action, and begin to scan for the 'leak' as if their ship, and their lives, depended on it. Tandery drops back immediately into her naval training, and is the only one who doesn't snicker when the captain calls out "beep!" to simulate the scanner.

[L needs to roll 11+ to pull off the 'I'm really a real spacer' routine. DM +1 for high INT: natural 12!]

Lin falls right into step beside them, removing panels and tracing fuel lines as if this weren't her very first time. In a way, it isn't; it's all very similar to dealing with atmosphere recirculator faults in her old flat block. She knew plenty of people who died due to lax maintenance.

* * *

The rest of the jump is much quieter, though Harrisumn and Diter get into a spat over seemingly nothing every time they're in the same place.

[avoid Bad Reaction 9+ after the planet mission: 6, no
d6=h, loses temper

Q: Does K get involved? unlikely (5+): O2 C2 - no, and...
+Event: NPC action - Korilu - Mistrust / Expectations]

Despite the Captain's renewed faith in their newest crew member, Korilu is starting to suspect that Lin isn't really the spacer she claims to be. Lin catches her watching her at inopportune moments, but can't decide if she's being suspicious or is just kind of weird that way.

Lin spends the rest of the time in her room or on the bridge, saying she likes to familiarise herself with a new ship for a jump or two.


091-1105
Wensecetor    0608    C789598-6    Ni

"Shit!" exclaims Tandery. "Captain, Lin, are you two looking at the sensor readouts?"

"No, I'm taking us down by lidar," says Lin. "I was going to switch to bottom visual in a minute. Why?"

"Switch now. You might need to magnify."

"Oh! What are all those?"

"Warships... let's see, there's Tifrä, Quijac... I think that one's maybe from Düningen."

"This explains the hold-up with the traffic control," interjects the Captain, "I'm surprised there's nothing in orbit."

"I'm sure there is, somewhere," says Tandery. "We just can't see it with these civilian sensors."

"This is going to make doing business a treat."

"Maybe, maybe not. I know I'd want off-world if all those ships showed up. Especially if one's from Düningen."

"Yeah, I hear they're kinda intense," says Lin.

[Starport Event: Military ships in port causing a variety of problems for other travellers.]

* * *

Wensecetor's starport is a tiny affair, but it does offer passengers a shuttle bus to and from the terminal. The Captain sees the passengers off, waiting outside with them in the fresh, if somewhat chilly, air. Korilu has already opened the cargo bay doors to let some into the ship, and is sitting halfway down the ramp, looking off at the ruddy fields and grey mountains in the distance.

Captain Elleder wants to sort out some of the bureaucracy with the port. Tandery is afraid this means he's stealing her away [admin-1], but he tells her it's her job to babysit the rest of the crew on their shore leave. They drop him off at the terminal, and with a final "you kids have fun!" he sends them off into startown.

[Legal encounter? (8-) 2D=4, yes
reaction=9]

They only get as far as the perimeter gate before being stopped by the border agents for inspection.

None of the party is armed, not even Diter who could legally wear a blade, and they haven't any cargo. And though they are all obviously foreigners, the agents don't care to note where they are actually from, just that they are not from Pardubish space. They are waved through after their passports are stamped -- with ink, only.

"That was an oddly specific question," opines Harrisumn as they are pulling away. "What do you think it was about?"

"I'm guessing it has something to do with all the warships landed at the port," says Tandery. "I was surprised not to see any from their nearest neighbours. Now, I'm less surprised."


next post: Startown Liberty

An Other CT solo - Part 8: Sandstorm

The drive through the port follows the same route the taxi had taken, but they pass the terminal and proceed directly to the customs area, an uninviting structure of corrugated metal and exposed beams. On the inside it has all the charm of a condemned warehouse. Two customs officers emerge from a pressurised portacabin and trudge over to the air/raft. They ask Lin to come out of the vehicle to speak with them; it's easier to be heard through the respirator masks when they're all standing on the same level.

[For the overland travel, I once again turned to Random Location Crafting in Mythic Magazine #2.

large location
wilderness descriptors: rocky, cold

Any Known encounter result is the pursuers who after the prototype. All results of Expected will be treated as None once they hit the wilderness.]


T0 : expected - expected - none
[Q: Any problems getting through customs? unlikely (5+): O5 C6 - yes]

She exchanges a few words with them, takes them round the back to show them the cargo crates, then climbs back into the cab.

"So, it looks like we don't have the correct permits to make deliveries outside the starport."

"Shit," says Tandery. "I thought Elleder had all this worked out."

"If you'll let me see the credit chip for a moment, I can take care of any fees. Wink, wink."

[T's reaction to the suggestion: 2D+2=9, OK.
Zollbeamte's reaction: 2D=12! (DM -2 on Bribery roll)
Bribery: LL7 (7-), DMs -bribery, -2 reaction: 2D-4=5, success]

Tandery sighs as she hands over the chip. Lin hops out to speak with the inspectors.

"Why, 500 credits is just enough for us to file your paperwork for you! Enjoy your stay on Drokkotli."


T1 : expected - expected - expected

Drokkotli doesn't have a startown as such. Most of the commerce is located in the terminal, and only a few disreputable establishments and smaller warehouses line the road for a 100m or so before the gates to the port.

Lin drives slowly. The lights from the businesses on either side make it easier to see the roadway, but the occasional pedestrian running across the street to move between businesses makes for sudden hazards.


T2 : expected - none - random
Object: Average, Food

Once past the 'startown', she's back to gauging her route between the widely-spaced street lights. Twenty kilometres later she spots an eerie glow hanging low in the sky. It gradually resolves into the gargantuan neon sign above the roadside services guarding a lonely crossroads. Time and the elements have not been kind to it, but enough of the letters still shine to indicate that they've reached the first landmark.

    jli Junction Din

     EAT

      FUEL

"Madame Captain, ma'am," says Diter, "mightn't we stop for a bite."

[Q: Does T humour him? unknown d6=3: O4 C6 - yes]

"Don't be a shit, Diter. But I'm kinda peckish myself, so I do so order it."

"Splendid. I do love a proper little gargotte!"


T3 : known - known - none

The diner's airlock is only big enough to accommodate one person at a time, theoretically in order to minimise the time it takes to get people in and out. But as Lin waits outside for a seeming eternity whilst it cycles her companions inside, she remains unconvinced of its efficacy.

Finally inside! She divests herself of the respirator with practised ease and gets her first good look at the place. Almost the entire front of the building is given over to windows, all dark now as the storm shields on the outside have been lowered against the gale. Good to know that the fortress-like exterior was only a concession to the weather. The inside is brightly lit by warm yellow lamps suspended from the high ceiling. It's surprisingly full inside, and the chatter at a volume where Lin won't have to worry about her crew mates discussing the job. The booths are a variety of gaudy earth tones with faux-marble tabletops They're arrayed around the perimeter and back-to-back throughout the cavernous seating area. The smell of animal protein and ammonia vie for supremacy in ones nostrils, and the re-circulated air has a distinctly greasy character.

Almost all the other patrons here are all obviously locals. Everyone wears the same sort of rough outerwear as the rest, but the offworlders are made very conspicuous by its newness.

[Known encounter = the pursuers are here too.

Q: Do they do anything suspicious? unlikely (5+): O6 C3 - yes, but...
Q: Where is their booth relative to the PCs? (d6) 1-4 only 2 PCs would be able to see them without turning round in their seats, 5-6 all 4 could reasonably look over at them; d6=6

It's noisy and full, so a roll of 1/2 INT or under needed to detect the observation: 2D 4x=fail,fail,fail,fail]]

The meal is slow to arrive but convivial. Harrisumn, as the ship's doctor, does caution that the fare here is probably going to require a round of anti-cholesterol shots next time they get to a starport with a reasonable chemists, but it doesn't stop him from ordering a plate of deep-fried rockworms.

There's a [d6=]bloke at the next table who keeps looking over at them. Diter is convinced he's being given the eye.

Before going up to the counter to pay, Tandery gently reminds them that these are the last loos for 300km. Diter salutes smartly, and Harrisumn mumbles, "yes, mummy", but they all take her advice.

Once back in the air/raft, they remove the weapons from their hiding places, and are again underway.


T4 : special - expected - expected
Location: Multi-element - expected, random (Mundane, Watery)

Tandery watches the odometer as Lin drives. Once they've gone a short distance from the junction, she orders Lin to pull to the side of the road. Tandery activates her inertial locator, and Lin heads directly into the open country. But not long after they come to a chain link fence extending further than they can see in both directions (though admittedly, that isn't terribly far).

"Uh, is this supposed to be here?"

"It's not marked."

"I'm going to have a look," says Diter, and gets out before Tandery has an opportunity to countermand him. He goes up right up to the fence, then raises his rifle to his shoulder.

"What's that maniac--?" Tandery doesn't finish her oath before leaping out after him.

Lin watches them in the headlamps, arguing in the eddies of swirling, glittery dust. Then Tandery relaxes, and mimes slapping herself on the forehead, as Diter once again takes aim. They return not long after.

"What our dear Madame Captain failed to realise," says Diter, "is that the electronic sight I installed is useful for more than just hunting. It's hard to see that far through the storm, but with the image enhancement and a few uninterupted minutes, I can safely say that we're parked in front of a reservoir."

"Explains why it's not on the tourist map," says Lin. "So, what's the order, Captain? Over or around?"

"Over."

Lin flies up over the fence and then descends immediately to ground level. The reservoir is a series of basins, each twice the length and breadth of a gravball pitch. They are all currently closed up, the featureless slate-coloured coverings are dusted with glistening sand, giving the illusion that the air/raft is crossing a starry abyss.


T5 : random - expected - expected
Location: Messy, Threatening

Beyond the reservoir, the terrain abruptly worsens. Jagged rock spires shoot up from the uneven ground, which falls out into craggy cliffs and deep ravines.

"I thought we were heading for a basin?" says Lin.

"It's on the other side of all this," replies Tandery

"I'm going to stay as close to the top as I can. I'd rather not be playing canyon racer in this weather."

"I've flown a fighter through worse. No visibility at all. Had to go by LiDAR."

"OK... remind me why you're not driving, again."

"Because the controls on this civilian clunker are nowhere near as responsive. I'd probably have crashed before leaving the cargo bay!"

[Per the rulebook, this is one of those circumstances in which a skill roll (5+) is required to avoid mishaps/accidents. DMs +air/raft, -1 bad weather: 2D+0=7, OK.

The Expected encounter result means the pursuers (in a proper sealed air/raft) have caught up by now. An air/raft seats 4, so there are 4 of them.

Q: Stats for each? (d6) 1-4=thug, 5-6=book1 character: 2 thugs, 2 full characters

Marine Lieutenant    78A686   Age 30   3 Terms   Cr 10,000

Cutlass-1, Electronic-1, Autorifle-1, Revolver-1, Tactics-1

1xBlade 

Ret. Other Enlisted    499788   Age 42   6 Terms   Cr 25,000

Blade-2, Brawling-1, Forgery-1, Gambling-1, Shotgun-1

1xHiPsg

Thugs

789987 rifle-1, air/raft-1

64B877 rifle-1

Encounter range: 2D+2=very long

Surprise +2 for the pursuers (military & tactics skill), -1 DMs for vehicles cancel out
PCs 3, NPCs 7, surprise

Q: What do they do? 1-2 attack, 3-4 close range, 5-6 attempt to outflank to force them to stop: 6

Catching up requires a vehicle piloting roll (5+) to catch up: 2D+1=10, OK.]

Lin is skirting the clifftops, doing her best to avoid sudden inclines and downdraughts alike. She weaves and climbs, but tries to keep moving in the same direction as much as possible so Tandery can chart their progress. Then a light flashes just outside her window, the headlamps of a boxy, sealed air/raft. It's just about to overtake her, no, it's edging up over her bonnet.

[Skill vs skill: their 2D+1 vs L's 2D+2 (high DEX): 12 vs 7]

She has no choice but to dive into the ravine. She mumbles something pithy in her respirator, which her colleagues couldn't have heard even if they weren't all shouting cure-laden invectives as they grab onto the side handles.

Lin jolts ahead, and weaves through the ravine at an unsafe speed. The wind blows more fiercely, but at least there's less dust.

[(DM -3): 2D-1=8, OK.
Pursuers need a ML roll to follow (7+): 2D=7, OK.; piloting 2D-2=6, OK.]

The other air/raft follows as closely as they dare. Every twist of the canyon, every projecting pillar of rock makes a crash feel inevitable. There's a junction ahead, one side far too narrow to negotiate at this speed. Lin accelerates.

[Setting up the manoeuvre (5+), failure results in a crash: DM -5: 2D-3=7, OK.

Using her result as the number to beat means they need to roll 7+ to avoid disaster (DMs +air/raft, -1 weather): 2D=5, fail
but she needs to roll too... 2D+1=12, OK.]

At the last possible second, Lin cuts her speed and turns sharply to the right, banking off the canyon wall of the other fork. The pursuers realise what she was doing too late, and clip the wall with the corner of their vehicle. Lin hears the scraping even above the wind as the other air/raft smacks into the rock, then drops like a stone to the floor of the ravine.

[Avoiding a bad reaction (Solo) 8+: 2D=8, just; 1d3=H

Q: Anyone want to check for survivors? unknown d6=3: O6 C2 - yes, and...]

Lin brings the air/raft to a gentle halt. Hrarisumn is muttering something about suicidal ideation, Diter and Tandery are silent. Lin looks back at her handiwork, then starts to rise back to their pervious cruising altitude.

"What are you doing?!" shouts Tandery.

"We have a delivery to make."

"But there could be survivors. We should try to help. Harrisumn, back me up."

"Are you serious?" continues Lin. "They tried to kill us."

"Still, we... it's not right...."

Lin puts the air/raft down about 20m from the crash.

[Q: How bad is it on a scale of 1D+2? : 6d6 dmg each]

It'll never fly again. The entire right front section is caved in. At least one body has been thrown clear, but it's obvious that person is dead.

Tandery looks aghast, so Lin stays with her whilst Harrisumn and Diter reconnoitre. Harrisumn kneels to open his medkit as Diter throws open the cab's side door and raises his rifle to his shoulder. Two shots ring out. He calmly walks back, past Harrisumn still kneeling helplessly in the dirt. He clambers inside and sits back down calmly in his seat."I'm afraid no one made it... Captain."

Tandery turns sharply away.

[This looks like another 8+ to avoid a bad reaction 2D=9, OK.]


T6 : expected - random - none
Encounter: Peaceful, Lonely

Lin drives on in silence. She hopes Tandery doesn't think her as bad as Diter for not having wanted to stop.

Thirty excruciating minutes later, the bulk of a plateau rises above the landscape. Lin heads up and over it, skirting the little farmstead with row upon row of greenhouses in its centre.

T7 : expected - expected - random
Object: Dangerous, Natural

A road leads out the other end of the farm. Lin pauses by a road sign where the road forks. The vortices of sand and dust in the air are getting so opaque that she has to pull right up alongside it and float the air/raft upwards so the sign is right outside her side window.

"Brill!" says Tandery. We can just follow that road all the way up! We should be there in forty minutes at most."

The road leads off the plateau and straight up into the highlands. A recent landslide has nearly hidden some of the road, and kicked up even more dust into the air. The air/raft floats harmlessly above the jagged stones littering the path, but with all the extra grit swirling about Lin feels like she's driving through a monsoon. It certainly sounds like it against the canvas top.

[5+ roll to pass through without incident, DMs +skill, -1 weather: 2D=9, OK.]


T8 : complete - expected - none

The road winds up a mountain. It's as much in the lee of the storm as it is out of it, making the journey a series of short bursts of speed followed by interminable crawls. But at last they reach their destination.

[Q: What's it like? Miserably / Lean]

The scientist's base camp is a single main building clad in sheet metal siding and a collection of canvas tents, one of which has blown over. Two of the base personnel emerge from an airlock, holding respirators to their faces and hastily wrapped in weather ponchos. One knocks on Lin's side window. "Turn off the grav generator," he shouts, "and park on the ground until morning. We've already lost one air/raft to the storm." Lin does as requested, and then the scientists usher everyone inside.

"We're all sleeping on cots and sofas in here until it blows over. We'll find your crew somewhere to bed down for the night. It's madness to drive in this storm after dark."

[Q: Events? Quietly / Smooth]

The two dozen base personnel are mostly in the recreation room and the cafeteria. The executive in charge has broken into her private stash and is liberally passing round a few bottles of the good stuff. Tandery's crew are offered their fill of disappointing victuals and top shelf whisky. They join the scientists and technicians in the rec room and swap stories all night until dropping off one by one.

[Q: Any incidents? 50/50: O5 C3 - yes, but... minor
Q: What? Interestingly / Masculine - 1d4=D]

Waking up in the morning is a slow and groggy affair, but one of the scientists is evidently a morning person, and has coffee ready for all takers. Tandery looks round and takes stock of her crew. Lin is still yawning on the floor beside her and Harrisumn is still passed out in an armchair.

"Hey, Lin. Did you see where Diter got to?"

"Uh, he was deep in conversation with one of the computer guys. They disappeared together down the corridor towards the storerooms."

"Of course he did."

"What do we do about it? I mean, should we tell Korilu?"

"I don't know..."

"They aren't, like, serious, are they?"

"No, it's pretty new. He's only been with us for d6=5 days more than you have."

"So...?"

"I'm not sure. I mean, I'd love to see that poncy shit get in trouble, but I don't know how she'll take it."

"Or what that psychopath will do if we grass him up..."

The scientists are very particular about unloading the prototype themselves, so Tandery, Lin and Harrisumn sit in the canteen nursing their hangovers. Diter arrives much later, insufferably cheerful. By mid-afternoon the cargo has all been removed and safely tucked away. They bid farewell to their hosts and are soon underway.

They never do find out just what the prototype is supposed to do or even what sort of research is being undertaken.


next post: red alert!

An Other CT solo - Part 7: Hazards

079-1105
Drokkotli  C734677-9  Ni


Moments after emerging from jumpspace at Drokkotli, the Captain summons everyone to the bridge. "There's a lab ship about 200,000km from the jump point, drifting inward. We can't hail them, and our sensors are picking up highly erratic EM readings. I want to check it out in case they need help. Tandery, once you've confirmed the course, start prepping for EVA."

"I'll get the medkits out just in case," says Harrisumn. "But if there looks like any biohazard, we need to follow proper quarantine procedure."

"Oh, come on," says Korilu, "Death Station was just a holo. Stuff like that doesn't really happen."

"That's real brave talk from someone who had to watch half of it through her fingers. And not what I'm worried about."

[Ship encounter: 400t lab ship, Comms are out, radio silence

Q: Any anomalous reading when scanned? unknown d6=2: O3 C1 - yes, and...
Q: Pinnace still there? unlikely: O2 C2 - no, and... air/rafts missing too
+Event: PC positive - Pursue / Dreams]

"Need me to go, Captain?" asks Diter. "I am your security chief, after all."

"Ah, until we get you two trained up on vacc suits, I don't think that's a good idea."

"I assume you want me out there," says Korilu. "I'll go fetch a few tools and things. Are you coming, or...?"

"I need to stay here, in the cockpit."

"You know," offers Tandery. "Lin just got her pilot's qualification. Why not let her handle the approach?"

* * *

Lin settles into the captain's seat and steers the ship on the course that Tandery had set, flipping round 180 degrees at the midpoint for a gentle deceleration. Her hands move across the controls almost of their own volition, but when she pauses to think about it she finds she does actually know everything she's doing. The implant really worked!

She matches the lab ship's speed and trajectory, having overshot it by about 100m to get a good look at the thing. "Not sure about the airlock," she says into the commo, "but I think I see your way in. It doesn't look great, so be warned. It'll just be a sec whilst I use the docking thrusters to line you guys up. Is 20 metres OK?"

[pilot 5+ to bring ship within 20m of the lab ship's airlock 2D+1=10, OK. This isn't stressful enough to provoke a Crisis from the implant; honestly, if this weren't her very first go at piloting, I wouldn't have rolled for it at all.]

Manoeuvring completed, Lin follows her crew mates' progress via the external airlock camera. Both Captain Elleder and Korilu are perfectly skilled in vacc suit operations [vacc-1], but Tandery moves with the grace of a dancer as she floats out the airlock, trailing her tether like a single yellow water sleeve [vacc-2].

[Q: Airlock OK.? 50/50: O1 C2 - no, and... blown (1-2 in 3-4 out 5-6 up) out]

"Switch to my helmet cam," says Tandery.

"No, switch to mine," says the Captain. "Last time we tried to use Tandery's cam, everyone looking at the monitor got motion sick. She swishes round too much."

"That looks like it was blown outward," says Diter, staring at the monitor. "Catastrophic failure, or sabotage?"

"I want to check the hull a little more before we go inside," says Korilu. "In case of radiation."

"Lin, dear," says Tandery. "Could you do another sensor sweep? There's laser damage on the hull, and it's making me nervous."

[Sensor sweep needs 8+, DM +electronics: 2D+1=9

Q: Radiation? 50/50: O5 C8 - yes]

Lin has to eject Diter from the navigator's chair before she can start running the sweep. Fortunately he's too curious about the result to be a prick about it.

"Can you hurry it up?" says Tandery. "Korilu headed round towards the centre already. She said it was fine, but--"

"Getting the readings now... Oh, definitely more radiation than normal."

"How much more?"

"I wouldn't want to live there, but you're fine for--"

"Shit shit shit!" yelps Korilu. And then they're all talking at once, and Korilu's screams turn to inchoate panic.

[Crawling over the hull needed a normal vacc suit roll (10+) DMs +4/lvl vacc suit: K 2D=natural 2, gets into trouble. T helps her recover 7+: +2/lvl : 2D+4=10]

Flipping through helmet cams is even more confusing with the constant motion. Lin and Diter look at each other helplessly.

Then, "we're fine," says Tandery. "We're all fine. No one's spinning off into the void. And no one will ever unhook their tether again."

"We're coming back inside," says the Captain.

Once everyone is safely aboard, and Harrisumn has doled out some anti-radiation tabs from the medkit, they convene on the bridge. As the Captain and Tandery plot the course for the mainworld, Korilu fills the rest of them in.

"I crawled round far enough to see that the power plant in one of the engine pods had been holed by laser fire, and was leaking radiation. We were shielded from it by the intervening hull. Lucky I always lead with my rad-counter out in front, but I, er, panicked a bit when I ducked back."

* * *

Planetary night has fallen over the port by the time the Effi Briest is on the final approach vector. Captain Elleder wants Korilu on standby in engineering to watch the drives, since she keeps saying they feel off. He lets Lin pilot down to the landing pad whilst he is on the radio to the port authority, reporting the dead ship as a hazard to navigation.

"Thanks for the heads-up captain, but we already have it logged. It's in extra-national space, so our city-states are still arguing over who is responsible for moving it [knowing - news - power]. You wouldn't happen to have good drives and tow cables, would you...?"

* * *

The captain calls one last crew meeting once the ship is on the landing pad and the drives powered down. "It's night outside, so everyone can have the rest of it off. The delivery can wait until the morning. Harrisumn, you'll be happy to know I've had a change of heart. You can go in my place. Korilu, I assume you'll not mind staying aboard to keep an eye on things and get the freight unloaded whilst I drum up more business. And mind they fuel us up properly. I seem to recall from the last time we were here that the port truly earns it's C-class rating."

"Glad to be going," says Harrisumn. "But if you're staying in port, who in charge of the mission?"

"Tandery, I think that falls to you. You've got proper command experience, after all."

"Aye, aye, Cap'n! So, which of you three can get us there without denting up the new vehicle?"

"I can pilot an air/raft as well as a ship," says Lin. "I always used to get picked to be the getaway driver."

"Seriously?"

"Haha, no. Just a joke. But I am licenced."

* * *

[Starport Encounter: nothing out of the ordinary
World event: Local crisis; bush-fire, earthquake, hurricane, rioting.
Q: What? Dangerously / Messy]

Lin slinks into the common room to find Tandery engrossed in a data reader over the remains of her breakfast.

"Sorry sorry sorry. I slept through the alarm somehow."

"No, you didn't." says Tandery. "I cancelled it. Have you looked outside yet?"

"No."

"A sandstorm's blown in from the desert. I'm putting off the trip until tomorrow. But we have some errands to run. Fancy a shopping trip?"

"I'm skint, but sure. I'll come along."

"Brill. I'll have to coax a sealed taxi to come out and pick us up. The others are getting cleaned up. Eat something first. It could be a while before we're picked up. Even the locals don't want to be out in this weather."

* * *

The sealed taxi is a boxy air/raft that attaches the passenger section directly to the ship's airlock. There are already two pairs of travellers inside, so all conversations are kept at their most innocuous. Lin doesn't mind, as she is transfixed by the view out the scuffed plexiglass view ports. The sky is a dim, sombre red. Gusts of ruddy sand and dust swirl and patter against the window like sudden bursts of rain. What little she can see of the terrain through the murk is wind-smoothed rock beset with heavy durasteel structures, and yellow guide-lights flashing weakly to delineate roadways and footpaths. It's but a short trip into the starport's main terminal complex, but the swaying of the sand-blasted air/raft leaves more than one passenger feeling queasy upon arrival.

The terminal was never particularly elegant nor state-of-the-art, but compared to even the modest facilities on Uizk it seems antiquated and shabby. Lin is surprised to find it's even dingier than the Handarbeiterviertel [workman's' quarter] where she grew up (the word 'slum' is never used on Düningen, even when it is meant).

"What a dump!" says Diter.

"I thought you liked slumming," says Lin.

"Slumming yes. The threat of dysentery, somewhat less so."

"I've seen worse," says Harrisumn. "I'm sure all the dust tracked in from outside makes it look worse than it is."

"Haven't they heard of sweeper-bots?" say Diter and Lin in unison, then lapse into unnerved silence as each ponders the implications of having echoed the other's response.

There's not much to see in the port, but there is an outfitters which supplies most of survival gear one could need in the wilderness of Drokkotli, or indeed, for the walk back to the landing pad.

The most important of all are respirators to be able to breathe the meagre atmosphere; they buy six (cr100 each) to fill up the ship's locker. They'll need goggles as well. Six again (just in case) for Cr 50 a go; they're pretty high end TL9 ones. They also buy some heavy outerwear, coats and matching over-trousers of heavy canvas-like fabric [counts as jack armour]. They cost the same as the goggles, and are practical rather than fashionable. Tandery hopes she's guessed right about the Captain and Korilu's sizes. And it's all courtesy of the credit chip the Captain sent Tandery off with. As is lunch.

Also, since their new air/raft is open-topped, they splash out Cr400 for a detachable canvas top, complete with plastic passenger windows. When they get back to the ship, Diter insists on installing it himself, and curtly refuses any and all offers of assistance. But he acquits himself splendidly [mechanic-1, no roll needed]. Tandery comes in to check up on him, and is impressed by his handiwork. And they'll need it; the weather bulletin does not see the dust storms letting up for nine planetary days at least.

[Q: Storms abating? 50/50 (4+): O2 C1 - no, and...]


080-1105

"So, just how good a driver are you?"

Lin doesn't answer Tandery's question, being startled at the sight of Diter climbing into the air/raft with his hunting rifle.

"I, uh, thought those weren't allowed."

"Why Lin," laughs Tandery, "I never had you as a stickler for the niceties of planetary law."

"I'm not really. Just, maybe we should make an effort to conceal our arms or summat."

"Oh. Um. OK. What do you suggest?"

"These seats come up at all?"

"They can do," says Diter. "Just give me a few minutes with the toolbox."

[they have D's rifle, H's revolver, & 2 auto pistols from the ships locker]

The operation is shortly finished. Before heading out of the nice, climate controlled cargo bay of their ship (and having to don respirators), Tandery wants to go over the route. She intends to navigate from a hardcopy map in a guidebook she picked up in the tourist office, such as it is. Everyone crowds round in the cab of the air/raft as she traces the route with her finger.

"So, we have to take the road out of the starport to about 8 klicks past Arjijli Junction, cut through the centre of the Skizdir basin until we go either over or around the Mura'a plateau, then into the Thi Huang highlands and up Vüsidin peak."

"Are you serious?" says Harrisumn.

"I'm afraid so."

"So it's one of those sorts of planets..." offers Lin.

"Oh, come on," says Diter, "we all know that the 38th Century Expansion was the only time in history anyone ever did anything interesting."

"It gets better," says Tandery. "The first page opens with a quote from Çinar."

"Of course it does."

"So how'd the system get off with an original name?" asks Harrisumn.

"Must've been named pre-settlement. Anyway, that's our route. Now, Ms. Lin, if you would care to fire up the time machine, we can be underway."


next post: Across the dim face