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
No comments:
Post a Comment