Traveller - Star Trader: part 2 of an occasional series

[It's finally time for another instalment of Star Trader with classic Traveller, continued from here.

We left the party last time practically stranded at the starport in the asteroid belt of Fpozz/Foreven (2933 D000320-9 As Lo).

Full subsector details are here.]

- - -

Day 68

So it was decided. Aouth left without so much as a wave goodbye, and the four of us were left to look for a cargo. Diula and the doc really think we should be trying to find something a little less legal and more profitable. At this point I'm keeping an open mind. I can't really afford to say no, can I? But I'll be lucky to find a cargo at all in this backwater belt, legal or no!

. . .

Later: I found 30t of Liquor @ 12000cr/tonne. Says something about this place that no one here wanted it. Not like there's aught else to do here! Hells, I was half tempted to drink it all myself and put an end to this misery. Anyways, now I just need to find a ship to move the stuff.


Day 69

Only ship available is a type-s scout -- not enough cargo room. Shit.

[no random Port Events indicated this week]


Day 74

Finally, a free trader in port - the Terpsichore. Bound for Uloryy, and they got 35t free in their hold, too.

Diula & the Doc agreed to stay with the ship whilst me and Orneev make the cargo run.

totalling receipts--
starting ship's fund Cr905571

 -360000 liquor
    -300 warehouse fees
    -300 additional berthing fee (100cr/day)
    -360 food

  -16000 2x mid passage
  -30000 cargo space

    -120 living until departure in 3 days
    -300 berthing
    -300 warehouse
--------
Cr497891 new ships fund

I'm leaving Kcr200 with Diula for emergencies & to prove my bona fides.

so fund is really Cr297891, and a prayer they don't screw us over.


[Day 77

The Terpsichore leaves Fpozz bound for Uloryy. No ship encounter is rolled, and there is no problem with the jump.

jump event: Crewman has an affair with a passenger
A free trader has a crew of, and there are 5 staterooms for passengers. Inty and Orneev are double-occupancy, as they are travelling Middle Passage.
Q: Which crew member: d4=2, engineer
Q: Which passenger: 1-4 NPC, 5 Orneev, 6 Inty; 1d6=2, phew!

This doesn't concern her, so the good captain won't be recording gossip about other travellers in her log.]


Day 85

arrive back in Imperial space at Uloryy/Foreven (3033 A877758-7 Ag)

Quiet trip in-system. [no ship encounter, misjump, or engine failure]

Hit the ground running and in no time at all my dear Orneev found a buyer for the liquor. I guess there's plenty more farmers than belters like to drown their sorrows.

[selling cargo: the -3 for selling liquor on an Agricultural world offsets Orneev's +3 for his Broker skill level. But the dice were very kind; 2d6=12: sell at 170% value]

So we're Cr510000 richer. Or is that less poorer? It sure as hell aint the Mcr10 we need to fix the Hekabe.


Day 86

Located a cargo for speculation: 8t ammo @12000/ton (super cheap!). Such a small cargo, we're going to wait and see if there is anything else on offer before we make the trip back.


Day 87

[World event: Goods are on offer direct from the grower/manufacturer. It is top quality stuff that will sell with a +1 bonus.]

This morning Orneev asks if I fancy a trip to the countryside. How romantic, I says. Actually, I got a really good business tip, he replies. Oh, you do know the way to a girl's heart!

We drove out of the city in some rental car -- wheeled, no less. The roads turned into just dirt tracks as soon as we passed the city limits. I swear, the car's engine was complaining more than the Hekabe's jump drives before they gave out. We travelled what seemed dozens of kilometres, and navigating with a paper map, we were really out in the wilds. Purple fields as far as the eye can see under a sorta orangey sky, it was kind nice scenery I have to admit. Plus the ground car had a sealed cabin, so we didn't have to wear filter masks inside. Except for the noise, and the bumpy road, and the broken radio, it wasn't such a bad trip.

We ended up at some big farm with acres and acres of orchards out back. They was selling some sort of fruit with an unpronounceable local name. It was mottled grey and oblong and really squishy, and if I hadn't seen other people eating it I never would of dared. It was really nice though! Orneev did a deal with the farmers, and bought a huge consignment: 35t of fruit @1200cr/ton. Plus free delivery to the starport. Plus a crate of fruit on the house, which we're going to bring back to share with Diula and the doc... if they haven't scarpered by then.


Day 88

Back in port the next day I went looking for a ship. The Terpsichore was still sitting there, and her listed destination was right back to Fpozz. She had 60t to fill in the cargo hold, too. They were a pretty tight outfit on that ship, so I sent a message to the captain to meet up, and he said they'd be happy to have us and our 43t of cargo. Decided we'd spring for High Passage this time, and they gave us adjoining staterooms to make a suite.

[Looking for a ship via Star Trader once again came up with Free Trader. I gave it a 1 in 6 to be the same ship that brought them to Uloryy. There was no random Port Event.]

funds on hand: Cr297891

 +510000 sell liquor
  -96000 buy ammo
   -1280 living expenses for the week
  -42000 fruit
  -43000 cargo space
  -20000 high passage x2
--------
Cr605611 new on hand


Day 91

Jumped out of Uloryy. Things were going fine, but the ship felt a bit funny, couldn't put a finger on it though. Later I overheard the captain asking the engineer if everything was fixed in engineering, and if the power plant would hold until the next scheduled maintenance. I hate to say it, but their trouble made me feel a little better about the state of the Hekabe.

[Jump Event: Power failure – several tripped fuses, shuts down power in parts of engineering. The ship's engineer has a skill level of Engineer-1: he rolls 11+1, and fixes it before anyone was truly worried. But I asked Mythic--
Q: Does Inty notice anything at all? 50/50: 48, Yes.]


Day 98

arrived back at Fpozz/Foreven (2933 D000320-9 As Lo)

Quiet trip towards the starport. Wonder what we'll find when we get there...


=== === ===

[What will they find indeed? Diula and the Doc have had 21 days on Fpozz (starting from day 77). My intention is just to use the standard Star Trader charts to see what they get up to, and perhaps a bit of Travelling Alone as well; they aren't just going to play cards aboard ship for three weeks.

But what would a classic Traveller adventure be without a 1d6 table to determine the possible complications? So:

1. Diula (1-3) or the Doc (4-6) takes money & runs
2. Diula finds "special" cargo and is waiting with it
3. Diula has found "special" cargo and left doc whilst she delivers it
4. Doc is blackmailing Diula (1-3 wants money, 4-6 wants ship shares)
5. argument has erupted, minor only
6. argument has erupted, use combat rules

I haven't played the next part yet, but I hope to soon. Sorry for the suspense, but I haven't even rolled the d6 yet to find out where things start...]

(adventure continues here)