-Episode 3-
-Ep 3: Scene 6
-Weekly “In the News” RWC-0400-51972 the Merry Maverick-400 ton Freighter disappeared near Nzuri’s Veil 3rd week of Caelos”
-Memory-Song/Joke-
Ep 3: Scene 6: Arrival-Mishind’s Loom-Naeva 4th
Chaos Factor: 4-Altered Add a Character
Loudly singing, “You wouldn’t believe what I’ve been through! It’s been so long! It’s been so long…” as I walk on to the bridge and take my seat beside Arlen for our final approach to Mishindi’s Loom. He raises an eyebrow as I plop down beside him, flashing a grin before checking the screen in front of me. Mara shakes her head in annoyance at my levity.
“Accra Control, this is RWC-0200-59015 requesting clearance to land,”Voss announces over the comms. I raise our bridge shield to get a good look at the planet ahead of us before we have to close it for reentry. It’s a beautiful world of rich greens and golds, with only the tiniest ocean one could imagine.
“Beautiful sight!” I hear Jax’s voice behind me. He must have followed me onto the bridge.
“What are you doing up here, kid?” Voss scowls at the ship’s hand.
“I just wanted to see home from the stars again. Always gives me the feels,” he nods.
“I hear that!” I agree, a pausing a few seconds longer before closing up the shield.
Q: Are we immediately cleared to land? Likely Exceptional Yes
“Accra Control to RWC-0200-59015, please lock beacons and proceed directly to landing pad Zero-8,” comes the reply.
I lock into the landing beacon, and Voss confirms, “Beacon locked, 59014 proceeding to Landing Pad Zero-8.”
“Lock verified, welcome to the Loom, 59104,” comes the response as we begin our descent.
-Piloting Effect 9-(Weather, hot! Blinding rain!)
A few minute later, we touch down at the busiest port in the sector. I open all of the ships shields so we can get a good look around, and see the rain pouring down in sheets!
“Beautiful!” grins Jax with laugh, “Hardly ever get rain like this! It’s like Mishindi welcomes me home!”
I laugh, then look at Voss, “I guess we need to sit tight a bit until this blows over?”
He nods, “Yep. It won’t last long. Rain never does here,” he glances back at Jax. “There’s a lot to unload before you head home on leave.”
“I got you, boss!” Jax grins, “eager to get on it!” He then slips off the bridge. Voss shakes his head, then retires to his office, undoubtedly to inform his freight clients that their shipments have arrived.
“So, Mara, you have any plans for shore leave?” I ask in a friendly tone.
-Persuade Effect -1- Q: Will she invite me along to something? Unlikely No, PC Event-Negative Emotion Ambush-
“What’s the deal with you and Jax? Why are you always flirting with him? Ever since you joined the crew, you’re always together! It sickens me!” Mara blurts out.
“What?” I ask in surprise, “We bunk together! That’s it! And what’s it to you anyway? He’s a family friend!”
“Bullshit! I see the way you look at him! The way you two are always smiling at each other!” Mara persists.
-Intelligence Effect 1- -Persuade Effect -5-
“Oh! Oh, shit! You and him? That’s why you two are always in engineering together. It’s not just…routine maintenance! I’m sorry. I didn’t know. And nothing’s…absolutely nothing is going on between us!” I assure her.
Q: Does she deny it? Likely Yes
“How dare you! He’s the ship’s hand, and you are out of line!” she fumes angrily. “And if I ever catch you two together, I am having you kicked off the ship! No fraternizing!” she insists.
“Bullshit! This isn’t a military crew. You two are hooking up! That’s why you’ve been giving me shit from the day we met! You think I’m into him! Get your head on straight, or get bent!” I warn her.
Q: Does Voss intercede? Likely Yes Q: Does he take sides? Unlikely Yes (1-4 Mara, 5-6 Nise)
Voss emerges from his office, “Can it! Both of you! Nise! Apologize! You are out of line! Mara is your superior and you will speak to her with respect!”
“She’s full of shit!” I protest.
Q: Does he kick me off the ship? 50/50 No
“Nise!” he insists.
I shake my head and swallow my pride, “Sorry. I was out of line. But…perhaps it’s better if we switch bunks, if I am not allowed to smile or joke around with my bunk mate.”
Q: Does Voss order it? Unlikely Exceptional No
“No! Lodging assignments remain the same. Cool off, and grow up! I have work to do,” he warns and retreats back to his office.
Q: Does she apologize? Unlikely Yes (random Event Current context Failure Change- Q: Does she confess? 50/50 Yes
Mara glares at me angrily, and then, her anger is replaced with exhaustion, “I’m sorry. I just…you’re right. You’re right.”
-Persuade Effect 1-
I step over and wrap my arms around her, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know…what do you want me to do? We can change rooms? Or keep it the way it is? I’m not going to put any moves on Jax. We’re just friends. That’s all.”
Q: Does she want to switch rooms? Very Likely Yes
“Yeah. Yeah, let’s switch rooms,” she agrees.
I can’t help but give her a broad smile and a joyous hug, “Thank you! Thank you so much! I can’t wait to move it with Lysa!”
“Hah! You say that now! Wait til you get to know her! She’s always moping around like she’s got some sort of hard life working the lounge and glad handing passengers,” Mara scoffs. “She doesn’t even know hard.”
I give a weak smile, then wink, “Maybe I’ll knock some sense into her then.”
Mara laughs, “Good luck with that!”
-Thread Closed: Learn Mara’s secret- Q: Do the freighters pick up their stuff? Very Likely Yes -Arlen tries to offload is ore, 125% base price, Mishindi’s loom has no modifier, so he sells for CR6250,turning a profit of CR48,760 on the 15 tons!
Ep 3: Scene 7: Mishindi’s Loom-Off Load
Chaos Factor: 4-Alter Increase Activity
The storm breaks, and Lysa revives the ice cube, and with jax, helps both of our passengers disembark while Mara and I get ready to offload cargo. “This planet is hot! Especially after a rain,” Mara warns, so I swith out of my jumpsuit and dress as she does.
Opening the cargo hatch, I am assailed by a wave of hot, humid air, and I am quickly drenched in sweat as Jax and Lysa join us to unload. Jax, Lysa, Mara and I are in the cargo hold. The freighters are already waiting and the entire starport is alive with activity. Arlen doublechecks manifests, sends one crew away towards another beth, and directs us to help load another team’s trucks.
No sooner is that work underway than another crew arrives to offload the spec ore that Arlan bought. Mara and Jax take over helping them while Lysa and I focus on the freight.
Q: Any mishaps? Very Unlikely Exceptional No
The team operates like a well oiled machine, and though the work is furious and seems chaotic, we soon have every crate properly loaded and underway.
I grin in satisfaction as I look at the ship’s cargo hold, empty except for the puddle of leaking coolant that stains one section.
“I could use a beer,” Arlen notes, “Let’s get over to Maggie’s,” he suggests.
Lysa eagerly chimes in, “Very good, yes! Let’s hit Maggie’s!”
Q: Does Jax come with? Very Likely Yes -Encounter-Family Travelling (Generate)-Lost!-
The five of us lock up the ship and head over to Maggie’s. Along the way, we are stopped by a young man, accompanied by his worried looking wife who is carrying a small infant. The man asks, “Which way to berth 81?”
Arlen shakes his head, and takes the man’s boarding pass and rotates if for him, “Berth 18. There are only 80 berths at the Loom. Over there!” he points.
Q: Is he embarrassed? Likely Exceptional No
“Well that’s stupid! They should make these cards clearer so you know which way to hold them!” the man complains as his wife rolls her eyes, and I wonder how long they had been searching the port for the non-existent berth.
“Idiot,” Arlen mutters after the family walks away.
“And they bred!” Mara notes, sourly. Then laughs as Arlen gives her side eye. I suspect he would laugh too if his face could smile.
-Smell of Ozone/salt-
Ep 3: Scene 8: Maggie’s Bar (generate Maggie and a staffer)
Chaos Factor: 4
We enter the small, spaceport bar called Maggie’s, and passing under the flickering sign, I get the distinct hint of ozone in the air and wonder if an electrical short isn’t about to burn the whole place down. Scanning the patrons, I am shocked to see a couple of Hydrissians, and a suited up Selkie!
I nudge Jax as I stare. He shrugs, “Everyone’s welcome at Maggie’s” I purse my lips and nod, as Arlen leads his little crew to a table. Where a dark skinned young woman saunters over with a smile.
“What can I get our weary travellers today?” Ozoma asks.
“Five Mishin lagers,” Arlen replies as Mara groans.
“Make mine a light!” Mara shakes her head, “Your lager burns the stomach!”
“Ozoma, may as well fetch my engineer a bottle of milk then!” Arlen calls out. Lysa and the server both laugh, while Mara gives the captain stink eye.
-Topic-Flaws-
Soon, are enjoying our drinks, when I ask Arlen, “So…do you ever smile?”
“Give me something to smile about,” he scowls.
Mara shakes her head, “Nah. Cap’n doesn’t smile, Jax doesn’t take his job seriously, Lysa worries too much and you like to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
Q: Are the others surprised I said the quiet part out loud? Likely Yes
“Guilty as charged, but really, Mara?” I grin, “You take life way too seriously! I’m glad you and Jax are hooking up. Maybe you’ll even each other out!” Jax and Lysa both widen their eyes in surprise. Arlen looks nonplussed, as always, taking another sip of his lager. “Oh, yea,” I grin looking at Lysa and Jax, “Mara and I were talking this morning, and…we think we should swap rooms. If that’s alright with the two of you?”
Q: Is Jax cool with this? Likely No Q: Is Lysa down with it? Very Likely Exceptional Yes
“Oh, no, now…wait a minute! This might not be a good idea!” Jax worries, leaning back in his chair
“Yes!” Lysa exclaims excitedly, then slaps Jax’s shoulder, “Don’t you ruin this for me! You two have been sneaking around for a year and a half while everyone pretends not to know! Just move in together so we don’t all have to pretend all the time. Besides, it’ll be more comfortable if you fold out the bottom bunk to a double than whatever it is you are doing it on in the engine room!”
Q: Does Mara laugh at this? Very Likely Yes (Pass Routine Effect 0)
Mara busts out laughing, then looks at Jax, “So what’s it going to be, boy? Man up and bring your stuff over?”
Jax hems and haws for a bit, then says, “A’right. A’right. I’ll move in, but I get the top bunk!”
“Damn right you’re on top. I ain’t climbing that ladder at the end of my watch,” Mara scowls, while Lysa giggles in excitement, looking over at me.
“You can have top, bottom, I don’t care,” I tell her. “I’m good either way.”
“Really?” her eyes light up further. I nod and we agree that I’ll move to the top bunk.
“Good. Now that that’s settled. I’ve got business to attend, as usual. Mara, I want to give that jump drive a solid inspection. Whatever happened out there cannot happen again. Jax, you asked for a few days. That’s good by me, but I want you to get your things out of your’s and Nise’s room before you take off to see your family. Lysa, Nise…I’ll want you helping load the ship, find passengers, discussing course plans once I get the cargo situation in order. Be back on the ship by the 12th, that’s a week from tomorrow. You too, Jax. In the meantime, stay out of trouble! I don’t want like having to hire people on short notice.”
-Persuade effect 6- -Carouse Effect -3 for Nise, Lysa is Effect 3, sober as can be-
Lysa and I look at each other, mischief in our eyes, “You got it captain,” I answer for us. The five of us then sit around chatting. I tell everyone the story of my time in University, a story that I already shared with Lysa, but it gets laughs and looks of disgust out of the others. But as the evening wears on, I realize the lager is hitting me hard, and my speech starts to slur and vision swim.
Q: Does anyone approach us? 50/50 Yes (generate a person, and…perfect! He has a quest lead in!) Q: Can he talk her into it? 50/50 Yes (Lysa Steward Effect 1 to make some calls)
While we drink, an Alphan approaches our table, and catches Lysa off guard. The two quickly begin talking in the own Treborn dialect, but I can’t follow any of it. I’m not even sure that I could if I had been sober. I can tell she seems to be agreeing to something, then suddenly, she gets up and pulls me after her, “Come on, roomie! You need to sober up! Big day tomorrow!”
Ep 3: Scene 9: An Adventure!-Naeva 5th
Chaos Factor: 4
I wake up in my same old bunk to the banging sound on my door. I blink and clutch my aching head as I fall out of bed and onto my feet, “Keep it down, will you!”
“No! Hurry up, lazy bones!” Lysa insists from the other side. “Get dressed! We go out into the jungle today!”
“What?” I ask in confusion, then as it dawns on me what she’s saying, I can’t help but grin with excitement, “Alright! Let me get dressed!”
“It’s going to be hot!” she warns, as i pull on some fatigues, “And bring your sidearm if you have one! There’s a lot of dangerous animals in the wilds.”
I laugh, as I check my weapon, then holster it, and sling my water bottle across my chest, then load up my belt and hiking gear. Soon, I am ready to go. “So…when do we leave?” I aske excitedly.
Lysa stands before me, similarly attired, but smelling of sunscreen and insect repellent. She hands me the bottles and I lotion up as well before I follow her out while she stashes the remedies back into her pack.
“So, what’s this about?” I ask.
“Oh, yes! You were four sheets to the wind last night, so you might not remember Doctor Ju. He asked me to help line up a couple of guides to take him out to some old Hydrissian trading post, and offered to pay us to come along as well, to serve as guides and research assistants. You’ll like him! He’s cute!” she adds.
“Research assistants? What are we researching?” I ask, intrigued.
Q: Does she believe the rumors? Unlikely Yes
“The trefolk,” she grins. I look at her in confusion, so she explains, “some say there are people who live up high in the canopy. They make tools, they hunt animals, and they hide from men all the time. They say that’s why Hydrissian ruins dot the world. They were trading with them!”
“I’ve never heard that before,” I reply.
Q: Does Jax’s family believe? 50/50 No
“Oh, most people haven’t. Only a few offworlders know the stories, but Jax’s brother told me about drunk lumbermen claiming to have seen such things, to explain damaged and stolen equipment, but I think it might be true!” she explains.
“Why don’t we ask those hydrissians we saw at Maggie’s last night?” I suggest with a yawn.
Q: Does she think it’s a good idea? Likely No
“You speak Hydrissian? Neither do I! And why would they tell us? If they been keeping it secret, why tell two strangers?” she asks.
“I suppose you’re right, but maybe I should learn Hydrissian,” I suggest.
She laughs at me, “And who you practice with?” I grin and shrug, because she makes a good point.
-Encounter-Stowaway sneaking onto a ship-Q: Our ship? 50/50 No (Generate Cheela)
As we leave our ship, we notice a woman sneaking around the ship in the next berth, trying to slip inside the open cargo bay while the crew is distracted loading their vessel.
I stop Lysa, “Should we…say something?”
Q: Does she want to stop her? 50/50 Yes Q: Does this draw the crew’s attention? Likely Yes
“Hey! Get way from that ship!” Lysa yells. The crew immediately looks away, and the woman makes a dash away, her bag slung over her shoulders. “There! See? Nobody freezes to death or gets crushed in the cargo hold, or burnt up hiding near the jump engine.”
“Has that ever happened on the Lark?” I ask, dreading the answer.
“No, we don’t turn off life support in those sections, and Mara makes sure our systems work. But some ships…the drives run hot, I guess. I’ve heard horror stories!” she cringes.
“I bet you have,” I shudder as we leave the spaceport and take a tram to the local airfield in Accra city.
-immersion-see something shiny and glinting-
Ep 3: Scene 10: Hotel Akwaaba
Chaos Factor: 4
We exit the tram in front of the Hotel Akwaaba. A shiny new, ground car is parked outside, the chaufer opening the door for an elegant young lady to exit.
Lysa sighs, “This is the life! Who would have thought a university professor could afford rooms at a place like this?”
“Must have a nice grant backing his research. Lot’s of donors anyway. He is paying us, right?” I raise an eyebrow hopefully.
“Oh yes! It will be worth your while,” she grins as she leads the way inside the lobby, where the concierge immediately halts us.
“Ladies, please,” the concierge gestures for us to step aside. “Firearms must be concealed at all times, and…I understand that it is a bit warm today for off-worlders, but there is a matter of proper decorum.”
-Steward Effect 5-
“Oh, we aren’t staying. We are just here to pick up Dr Ju, and he said he needed help with some baggage. Think of her as muscle and me as her supervisor,” Lysa jabs her thumb my way. I flex my biceps, unimpressive as they are, but still better defined that Lysa’s.
“Of course,” the concierge nods and rings up to Dr Ju’s room.
A few minutes later, a bellhop with a cart laden with small olive green cases of varying sizes comes down following the Alphan from last night. He is wearing green and brown camo fatigues, and looks us over. “Ms Chen! I am glad for your help. And this is your associate, Ms Kalil?”
“It’s Nise, thank you,” I grin offering my hand.
Q: Treborn Alpha? Likely No
“I am Dr Ju, of the University of Moksong. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he gives my hand a sturdy shake. Then turning to Lysa, “And you have secured guides and transport as we discussed.”
“Yes, of course,” Lysa replies as I follow the bellhop and the two of them outside where a cab is now waiting us. I help the bellhop load the trunk. “I have not worked with these gentlemen before, but they come highly recommended. They are apparently quite familiar with the wilds of this world.”
-Intelligence Avg effect 1-
“Very good, and…the other matter?” he asks quietly.
Lysa shrugs, “We’ll see what can be done. No promises.”
Dr Ju sighs, then warns me, “Careful with that bag! There are delicate instruments in there!”
I sigh, and place it in the trunk a bit more delicately, “In the future, you might tell us that before we start loading. Just saying.” Lysa grins at me.
Then the two of us pile into the back of the cab while Dr Ju sits next to the driver. “Airfield, control tower,” Lysa instructs the driver.
Then a few minutes later, as we pass through a crowded street, she tells the cabby to stop for a minute. Then runs inside a restaurant, coming back out a few minutes later with boxes of wonderful smelling pork noodles and soups. “By the weaver I’m famished!” I reach eagerly for a box.
She slaps my hand away, “Not for you! You deliver this to the flight tower. It’s for Gabra Wagaye, and when you deliver it,” she slips several cred slips into a packages of sauces, “You tell him that you’ve eaten there 168 times and it is still the best sauce you ever had!”
I sigh, recognizing a bribe when I hear it, “Got it.”
–
We arrive at the flight tower and I hope out of the cab, carrying the food up to the security guard, “Delivery for Gabra Wagaye,” I announce.
Q: Does Gabra come down? Very Likely Exceptional Yes
A man standing nearby on smoke break, immediately perks up, “Oh! I was waiting for this! So hungry!”
“I bet. I’ve eaten at this place 168 times, and it is still the best sauce I can find in the Rim,” I grin.
“168 times! Wow! That’s a lot of times,” he admits, taking the sacks of food inside. I then hop back into the cab, and…we turn around and leave the airfield.
A few blocks away, Lysa tells the cabbie, “Stop here,” and she hops out, “Come on Nise!”
Dr Ju protests as Lysa starts unloading , “What are you doing?”
Q: Does the guard stop us? Very Unlikely Exceptional No
I shrug and finish unloading the trunk while Lysa is on her comms, calling another cab. A vehicle from a different company than the first soon arrives, and we load our bags into its trunk, and then drive back to the airfield, our positions in the vehicle switched, with me in the passenger seat, her behind the driver closest to the guard, and Ju next to her. The guard waves us through and the cab delivers us to pad 168, where two fair skinned men wait beside a VTOL.
“Sternwald?” Lysa asks the older, more muscular of the two, as she steps out of the cab. “And Jones?” she asks the skinnier man who is missing several teeth. I stiffen slightly on hearing broken tooth’s name.
-Jones Recon Effect 1- Nise Intelligence Effect 2-
“Don’t worry, lass. I can’t read your mind. If I could, I’d have never left home,” Jones grins a near toothless grin. I relax slightly, for around Esperus, there are no true secrets, but also, most Esperus have no psi talent, and without, I’ve heard opportunities are limited. Sternwald, on the other hand, is a Voss name, and the giant certainly looks the part.
“So, Dr Ju? Ms Chen? Where is it we are going, exactly? You were a little vague over the comms,” Sternwald complains.
Dr Ju shows him his comms device with the coordinates, and Sternwald shakes his head, “No, that’s a restricted area.”
-Streetwise Effect 4-
“Not today it isn’t. Not if we leave in the next hour,” Chen suggests with a grin.
“Shall we?” Dr Ju suggests while Jones and I load the VTOL. I warn Jones that some of the gear is fragile, and he takes the necessary precautions as we secure everything into the cargo bay.
“Cost you double,” Sternwald responds.
“Wait a minute!” Dr Ju starts to protest, but Lysa interrupts.
“Of course. We budgeted for that,” and she opens her comms to transfer the additional funds to Sternwald. Dr Ju blinks in surprise, and she winks at him while Sternwald nods his approval.
“Mount up!” the Vossian commands as the cab pulls away. Dr Ju climbs into the passenger seat while Sternwald slips into the pilot’s chair. “Ever fly one of these things, Dr Ju?”
“No! No, I haven’t,” the professor admits.
“Then sit back and enjoy the ride,” he advises, spinning up the blades. Lysa, Jones and I climb into the passenger area and strap ourselves in.
Q: Just two rifles? Likely Exceptional Yes
“Want the door open for the best view? I’ll slam it shut if we get swarmed by anything,” Jones offers, and I notice the two rifles secured to the wall.
“Yes,” I grin, eager to get a closer look at the forest canopy of this new world I’d never visited before.
I hear Sternwald getting clearance to depart, and soon, we are up in the air, the hot air whipping past us, tugging at our hair, which Lysa and I quickly tie back, while the powerful wind threatens to rip the air from our lungs. It is exhilarating!
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