-Episode 6th-(check the spreadsheet for likely cargo)
-Naeve 12th-
-Immersion-smell acid-
-Warm, no precipitation-
Ep 6: Back to Work-Naeva 12th
Chaos Factor: 4 -Expected Scene
After finishing breakfast and finalizing the rearrangement of our rooms, the crew is on the loading dock, and Arlen is talking to a tram operator hauling over cargo crates. Satisfied, he turns to us and says, “We are heading to Thornmark. I’ve got some spec cargo coming in, and two freight shipments. Let’s get everything loaded! Lysa, notify the people waiting for passage to Thornmark that we are heading that way. Book as many as you can.”
“Right away, captain,” Lysa grins and hops onto data slate, no doubt glad to get away from the actual physical labor.
Mara shakes her head, “Thornmark? We hate going to Thornmark!”
Arlen sighs, “It’s where the money is this time.”
“What’s wrong with Thornmark?” I ask Jax, then I add, “Do you smell something?” and I look at the stain on the bottom of one of the crates. “Captain? This crate is leaking…acid?”
Q: Does he send this crate back? Very Likely Yes
Arlen walks over and inspects it, then confronts the delivery driver, “Take this crate back to your boss’s warehouse and bring a replacement. He said six tons of batteries, not six tons acid leakage!”
Q: Does the shipper agree? Likely Exceptional No
“No! He told me to deliver six tons to your ship, and that’s what I’ve done. If these aren’t the right crates, that’s between you and him!” the hauler replies, getting back into his vehicle.
“Idiot,” Arlen mutters as he hops on his comms. I hear him complaining to whoever shipped the crate. Jax, Mara and I wait. We aren’t loading any of this until we know for sure we are going to take it. Mara starts inspecting the rest of the crates.
Q: Were other crates damaged? Unlikely No Q: Will the shipper replace? 50/50 No Q: Will he allow partial shipment? Likely Yes
There is some yelling, and then Arlen hangs up, visibly frustrated. “Mara! Are the rest of the crates in good shape?”
“Yes, sir,” Mara replies in a more deferential tone than I have come to expect from her.
“Good! Get the other five crates loaded. Move that one out of the way. We are leaving it behind. Bastards can come retrieve it themselves or find someone else to take it to Thornmark,” Arlen instructs.
Jax and I shrug at each other, then he and Mara get on the forklifts and I start directing them into the storage bay.
-Morning-No Encounter- Q: Like a well oiled machine? Very Likely Yes
We have a brief break from our work before the second delivery starts to arrive. Soon, we have several trams lined up as we start transferring one load after another into the hold of the Wayward Lark. Before long, the cargo base is nearly three quarters full.
-Afternoon-No Encounter-
After lunch, we receive the first of three more shipments. Arlen smiles on seeing these crates. “Load these where they aren’t in the way of unloading the rest.”
“Gotcha, boss,” Mara replies, now that he has calmed from earlier in the day. “This your spec?”
“Yeah, it is,” he nods.
“Ooh! Mishindi Motors!” Jax beams on seeing the third shipment arrive. “Got some sweet rides in these I bet!”
“Yes indeed, yes indeed,” nods Arlen Voss. “Don’t damage any of it.”
“No way boss! Gonna get myself one of the Vipers when I finally settle down,” he grins.
“Got that right! Sweet rides!” Mara agrees.
“You two planning to settle down then?” I ask with a wink.
Q: Do they scoff? Very Likely No Q: Are they planning to leave us soon? Very Unlikely No
They both give me an annoyed look, and I grimace in embarrassment and go back to minding my work instead of their business.
Eventually, we get the ship loaded, except for one crate that we are leaving on the docks for the shipper to reclaim. Then, after some quick showers, we head over to Maggie’s for drinks.
Ep 6: Maggies (12th)
Chaos Factor: 4-Expected Scene
“Five passengers, three ice cubes. Middle and Low so only three rooms needed. One of the middles gets a free upgrade, as do the Low’s. Always smart to book low if you don’t mind sharing. Could get lucky,” Lysa explains to me after giving Arlen the totals.
“Cutting it tight at the end of the month,” he scowls, “But we’re fine. Be sitting pretty when we unload the spec anyway. Five beers!” he calls to the server.
-Persuasion vs DC 10, Effect 1-
“So…you don’t like Thornmark?” I ask.
Q: Because of his ex? Likely Exceptional No Q: Politics? Very Likely No Q: Hayfever? 50/50 No
Arlen scowls, then takes a long swig of his beer before looking me in the eye, “Bad memories, of what could have been. Had I made some different choices when I was younger. I always hate seeing what I could have had.” He sighs. “Another!”
Q: Does Mara comfort him? Likely Yes
Mara puts her hand on his shoulder, “You wouldn’t have been happy there. You made the right choice.”
“I know. I know, but…I go back home. I see her. I see her husband and her kids, and I can’t help but think…that could have been me,” Arlen shakes his head.
“And you’d be staring up at the stars every night wondering if you had made a different choice when you were younger, and wondering what could have been,” Mara pats him on the back. “Thing is, Arlen, life is full of choices, and…I’ve never known you to make a bad one.”
Arlen snorts, but can’t quite laugh or smile, “Yeah, I just don’t let anyone know when I mess up.”
“Wait a sec! You always make me fess up!” Jax protests.
Arlen nods, “Because you’re just a kid, kid! You gotta learn from your mistakes. I just have to live with mine.”
“Oh, don’t we all?” I roll my eyes and take another sip of my beer.
Q: Does Lysa disengage? Likely Yes Q: Does Mara stop me? Likely Yes
Lysa gets up and heads over to the bar, where…she lingers instead of returning. I start to get up when Mara stops me, “Let her be. She’s in one of her moods again.”
“Why?” I ask.
“Who knows? She gets like this sometimes. She’ll be fine tomorrow,” Mara shrugs.
-Topic-Campaign-
“So, what do you think of the Lark?” Jax asks. “As good as I told you?”
“Yeah,” I nod, then look at Arlen, “you’ve got a good crew. A good ship.”
“Well, you seem to be working out alright so far. At least with the Grey Gamal business, you seemed to be learning,” he shrugs.
“Alright, I see how it is,” I grin, “Don’t forget my bonus when you take me on full time,” I wink.
“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see,” he replies.
Q: Does anyone come to join us? Likely No
We joke around, drink and hang out a bit longer before finally heading back to the Lark for bed. Lysa rejoins us as we leave.
Back at the ship, changing for bed, I ask, “Are you alright?”
Q: Does she talk about regrets? Nearly Impossible Exceptional No
“I’m fine. Good night,” she says abruptly, and crawls into bed. “Turn off the lights. Been a long day.”
“Alright, just a sec,” I agree, and finish getting ready. Then I climb up into my bunk and shut off the lights. Soon, I drift off to sleep.
-Naeve 13th-
-Immersion touch something wooden-
Ep 6: On the Lark-Naeva 13th-NPC Action-Mara, Bargain Path
Chaos Factor: 4
As I dress, my eyes fall upon the pendant I was given by Whook Whook. I haven’t taken it from around my neck except to shower, and now, my fingers trace the symbols etched into the wood. “Lysa? Do you think this is writing? It has to be…like an alphabet or something, right?”
Lysa looks at closely, and considers for a few moments.
Suddenly, there is a knock on the door, “Come in!” I say and Mara opens the door and steps into our room.
“I need a favor,” Mara says, and Lysa and I both look at her in surprise. “I need…I want Jax to see me as…sexy. Not just a hookup, but as the woman he wants. You do that, I’ll push Arlen to keep you on.”
I shake my head, “I think Arlen’s gonna do what he’s going to do, and I’m pretty sure he’s gonna keep me, but let’s go shopping. I’d love to show you how to strut your stuff.”
Q: Does she chastise me? Likely Yes
“Cocky as always,” Mara shakes her head, “But yeah, let’s go.” Then she looks at Lysa, “This shouldn’t take long. We can still depart this evening if you get your passengers loaded.”
Q: Does Lysa insist on coming along? Unlikely Yes
“No, we’ll depart tomorrow morning. I’ll say it’s a customs thing. I’ve gotta see what Nise has in mind for you,” she winks as I gesture for Mara to lead the way out.
Q: Does Arlen object? 50/50 No
Mara tells Arlen that she needs a day before we set off, and then we disembark the ship.
“You’ve been working hard, but…Lysa? What about the passengers?” Arlen asks.
“I already sent word. They’ll board tomorrow,” she grins.
Q: Does Jax ask to come? Likely Yes (move away from Thread-Keep the Wayward Lark Flying)
“Can I tag along?” Jax asks.
“No!” the three of us reply in unison.
Then Mara adds, “Go to the depot and pick up some replacement coils. I need a case of 20’s, and a box of 30’s.”
“Alright, alright,” he shakes his head. “I’m going.”
-Encounter-Drunken Broker-Q: Does he recognize Mara or Lysa? Unlikely No
“Hey ladies! Hows about I shows you around the Loom?” a well dressed, dark skinned man slurs. “I know how to show lovely offworlders like yourselves what you want to see!”
Q: Is someone dressed sharp? Likely Yes (Generate a diletante-okay, crazy religionist)
“No thanks,” Mara scowls as we hurry past. We then hop on a transit, where we notices a good looking woman dressed to kill.
-Carouse Effect 2-Q: Does she say? Very Likely Yes
“Excuse me? I love your style! Where do you shop for your clothes?” Lysa asks the lady.
Q: Does she ask about my amulet? Likely Yes
“Chrysanthemums,” the lady replies. She and Lysa discuss fashion a bit, and Lysa gets some suggestions as to how this girl would bring out Mara’s natural beauty. Then she notices my amulet and asks “Where did you get that? It looks very…primitive, but…alien?”
-Deception Effect -1-Q: Is she offended? 50/50 No
“Yeah, I…don’t remember. Picked up somewhere in my travels. Who knows where it’s really from?”
“Oh…secrets,” she grins, “May I see it? I think it is a very special thing if you won’t say where it is from.”
I take it off and hand it to her, “It is special.”
She closes her eyes and caresses the pendant with her delicate fingers, humming some sort of prayer, “Yes…it is an alien artifact isn’t it? Very powerful. Bound to the forest, yes?”
I shrug, “I guess.”
“I bet that if you wear this when you sleep, you can commune with the people who made it in your dreams!” she beams.
“Hmmm…no. I do wear it when I sleep, and…” I start.
“You dream of its makers, don’t you?” She interrupts.
And I am about to dismiss her nonsense when I realize, “Well, yeah, as a matter of fact, I do.” Lysa looks at me in surprise. Mara rolls her eyes.
The woman bounces on her feet excitedly. “Come visit us at the Church of Galactic Consciousness! We can show you how to communicate, soul to soul with the makers of this artifact, through space and time!”
“Right,” I reply slowly even as she gives me her contact information, and I enter it into my comms. “Well, thank you very much, Jeneve Manesse” I reply, “Maybe next time I’m on the Loom.”
“Please do!” she beams, excitedly, “And then…maybe you’ll tell me where you really got it?” She winks.
We then step off the transit and catch a cab to the Chrysanthimum.
-Immersion touch metal on an NPC-
Ep 6: Chrysanthemums (13th)
Chaos Factor: 4-Expected Scene
At the Chrysthamemum, the three of us are stunned by the range of fashion choices available. An elegant looking clerk approaches us the moment we enter the store, and given how she is dressed, and how Mara and I are dressed, I expect her to turn us away.
Q: Is she welcoming? Likely Yes
The young woman approaches, “How may I help you?”
“My friend here needs your help. She wants to dress to impress and I bet you’re advice is going to be better than ours,” I suggest.
“Don’t sell yourselves short, but yes, I’d love to help. Please, come this way,” the young woman, whose name is Maren according to her nametag, leads us further into the store. “So, what is the occasion?”
Q: Does Mara say? Unlikely No
Mara hesitates, so I suggest, “We need something for a nice place, like Aneterea’s. A couple of club outfits, and maybe a bit of jewelry… a nice site of earrings would be good, and maybe an armlet and a couple of bracelets.” I grin.
“Excellent!” the young clerk beams, “Let’s get to work!”
Q: Does she hook us up? Very Likely No
We go through several outfits, but Mara cringes and turns away from every one. “No…on second thought, this just isn’t me,” she complains.
-Persuade Effect 2-
“What about these earrings?” I put one against her ear, “You at least have to get the earrings!”
“Alright. The earrings,” Mara agrees, “But the rest of this?”
-Persuade Effect -2-
“This dress! This one is great! Brings out your eyes and complexion, with a sheer drape,” I suggest.
“Ugh! No way! There’s nothing here for me. Look at me! All muscle. No elegance. This isn’t the place. I can’t do this!” Mara complains.
Q: Does Maren have a plan? Very Likely Yes -Persuade Effect 0-
Maren pulls up her comm and shows Mara a picture, “You know Sofia Einku, don’t you?” showing the picture of a wrestler in the ring, “This is also her,” she shows the image of the same woman, dressed to slay. ” And Lili Earlbaum?” she shows an image of the Zball star, “And here?” once again, dressed to kill. “You’re no bigger than they are. In fact, I’m sure Ms Einku wishes she had your curves. If I can make them look good, you’re a piece of cake. Let’s try this again. This outfit! Now!”
Mara sighs, and takes the next outfit into the dressing room.
Q: Does this one work? Likely Exceptional Yes
A few moments later, Mara comes back out with a changed look on her face, “Oh…um…” she is staring at herself in the mirror as Maren makes a couple of minor adjustments. “Yeah. Yeah…I like it!” she starts to smile.
“Yeah, you found your look,” I agree, and Lysa nods her agreement.
“Alright! Let’s do this!” Mara beams and Maren brings over other styles she has found the store’s more athletic clients have enjoyed. We leave with a very nice new wardrobe for Mara, and Lysa and I each pick up a party dress as well. Then we thank Maren for her help, and the commissions from her sales thank her even more.
“So…we are going to wear these out. Can you have the rest of this, and the clothes we wore in sent to our ship?” I ask. “We dust off in the morning, so…we have to hit a club tonight before our friend here gets cold feet!” I explain.
Maren agrees to handle it, then Lysa, Maren and I take a cab to Tarabos, a dance club that Lysa suggests.
Q: Does Mara make the call? 50/50 Exceptional No
“No way. I can’t…I can’t go out like this,” Mara says, suddenly getting cold feet.
“Make the call, Lysa,” I tell my friend, then I look Mara in the eyes, “You…are a knockout. And it’s about time you figured that out!”
Lysa calls Jax, “come to Club Tarabos! You have to come dance with us!” I can overhear that he agrees before Lysa closes the call.
-Immersion sound of scratching-
Ep 6: Club Scene
Chaos Factor: 4-Expected Scene
“Stop scratching, ” I warn Mara, who has her arms folded across her chest and she nervously scratches at the armlet she’s wearing. “You look great!” I push her forward in line.
With a smile and few words, from Lysa, the bouncers let us inside and we push Mara towards the dance floor.
“I need a drink first,” she objects, and starts to pull away towards the bar.
“Dance first!” I pull her back. “Time to shake that booty!”
-Persuasion Effect 4-
“Alright, alright,” Mara agrees and the lets me lead her out. Lysa and I then get her moving.
Q: Does Jax show up? Very Likely No Q: Does Arlen? 50/50 Yes
I keep looking around, as does Mara, and I’m surprised to see Arlen arrive. He spots us and comes out onto the dance floor, “Jax isn’t coming,” he says.
Q: Did he not understand why Mara was with us? Likely No (don’t phrase them like this again)
“What?” Mara demands in sudden disbelief.
“He thought it was just Lysa and Nise, because you don’t go clubbing. He’s on the Lark, waiting for you,” Arlen explains.
“Well…damn!” Mara shakes her head. Then she starts to call him, but I make her close her comm unit.
“Go! Show him what he missed! And don’t be surprised if those clothes hit the floor fast!” I urge.
Q: Does she follow my advice? Likely Exceptional No
She furrows her brow, reopens her comm and barks into “Jax! Get over here, now! Club… Club Tarabos” she says after Lysa mouths the name of the club for her again.
“Dance?” I ask Arlen.
Q: Will Arlen dance with me? 50/50 Yes Q: Does he show up now? Very Likely Yes
“I could use a dance,” he agrees, and I pull Lysa in to join us while Mara head over to the bar for a drink while we wait for Jax.
Q: Is he impressed? Very Likely Exceptional No
A short time later, Jax arrives, and Mara pulls him onto the dance floor. I’m checking out the body language though and he…well. “Excuse me,” I leave Lysa and Arlen to listen.
Q: Does he prefer her the way she normally looks? Very Likely Yes
“You don’t need this!” I hear Jax say. “You ain’t no delicate flower. You’re my muscle mama, girl!” He pulls her in tight, “Let’s do this thang!” And he starts dancing and grinding against her and she
Q: Is she cool with this? Nearly certain No
She pushes him away, “Muscle mama? I’m a lady!”
“What? What’d I say?” Jax protests as Mara storms out of the club.
“Ah, shit,” I shake my head as I chase after them. I grab Jax by the arm, “You fix this! Now! She got a whole new wardrobe today just to impress you! You better damn well act impressed you moron!”
Q: Does he take my advice? Likely No
“Nah! She shouldn’t have done that! I ain’t gonna pretend she should have,” Jax retorts, but then heads out after her.
I shake my head and return to Lysa and Arlen. “What happened?” Lysa asks.
“Jax is a moron,” I reply.
Q: Does Arlen like Mara? Very Likely No (not like that anyway)
“I could have told you that,” Arlen replies. “Mara looked good. Been a long time since I’ve seen her dressed like that. You girls did her right.”
Q: Do Mara and Jax break up? Likely Yes
We dance the night way, and then return to the Lark afterwards. Mara sits in the mess, looking dejected. “Hey, what happened?” I ask.
“We broke up,” Mara replies.
“Wow! Is he…” Lysa starts towards their room.
“I kicked him off the ship. He’s from the Loom. He can crash at his parents house,” she explains.
Arlen shakes his head, “We need a new hand then.”
“Not for this trip. We can pick up a hand on Thornmark. Nise is solid with the engineering…she can assist when she’s not on the bridge,” Mara replies.
Q: Is Arlen upset? Very Unlikely No
Arlen nods, “Alright then. Sounds like a plan.”
-Persuade Effect 1-
“I’m sorry,” I put my hand on Mara’s shoulder. “The kid doesn’t know what he’s missing.”
“Yeah, thanks Nise,” Mara replies. Then Lysa and I leave her be and retire to our quarters.
“That could have gone better. I’m going to miss Jax,” Lysa replies.
“Yeah, he’s a good guy,” I agree. “Mara’ll be alright.”
“Tough as nails,” Lysa replies, crawling into bed.
I climb up into my bunk, “Nah, she’s got a soft side too. Like all of us. Good night.”
“Goodnight,” Lysa replies as I turn off the lights.
-Naeve 14-
-Immersion, smile at myself-
Ep 6: Patchwork, Naeve 14th
Chaos Factor: 4-Expected Scene
As I get dressed, I smile at myself in the mirror as a plan occurs to me. “Lysa? How long until the passengers get here?”
“An hour for the ice cubes, two hours for the rest,” she replies.
“Can you warm up another stateroom? I’m going to go get Jax. We’ve got empty rooms, right? If they can patch things up, great. Otherwise, he can sleep in a passenger room on the way to Thornmark and back, or you and and Mara can go back to rooming together, and Jax and I.”
“This is a bad idea,” Lysa shakes her head.
“I know!” I grin, “But I’ve gotta try.”
Q: Does Lysa support this plan? Likely Exceptional No Q: Can she talk Arlen into calling it off? Likely Yes
I immediately leave the Lark, while Lysa goes up to talk to Arlen about the idea.
I am on a tram towards Jax’s place when my Comms unit buzzes. I pick up, and it’s Arlen, “Get back to the ship! We aren’t bring Jax back. Maybe next time we are on the Loom, but not now. Get to your station and help Mara get he engines warmed up. Now!”
I sigh, “Fine!” Then I call Jax, “Hey, Jax! It’s Nise.”
Q: Is he upset it’s over? Likely Yes Q: Does he regret not listening? Very Likely Yes (NPC Action Political Factions/Unionists-Disrupt Hindrance)
“Ah, Nise! I screwed up! I should have listened to you. You’re right. Mara did look good. I should have said so. It’s just…she don’t need all that to impress me!” Jax confesses.
“I know that. But she needed it to impress herself. Sometimes…no matter how tough a woman seems on the outside, she wants to just…feel special. Like, no matter how gentle a man is, sometimes, he wants to be appreciated for his strength, right?” I offer.
“Yeah, yeah. So what do I do now?” Jax asks.
“Apologize. And maybe, maybe next time we are on the Loom, maybe you make it up to her or something,” I offer.
“Yeah, I’ll do that. When do you dust off?” he asks.
“Probably three hours. Don’t do anything stupid,” I warn.
“If I don’t do something stupid, how would you know it’s me?” he replies and we laugh together before I hang up, wishing him luck.
As I shut down my comms, I see a notice on my newsfeed that the Pan Galactic delegate to the High Council has put forth a proposal that Prime be adopted as the official language of the Conclave. And that Humanis, which has adamantly opposed the adoption of a unified language has removed its opposition to the proposal. “Well, shit. Somebody’s getting clever.”
-Use an NPC I generated for the club, but a Hydrissian wouldn’t be at the club-
I step of the tram to wait for another one heading back to the Starport. A hydrissian stands next to me. “Hey!” I nod towards him, and play back the greeting on my comms.
Q: Does he return my greeting? Unlikely No
It looks at me, then looks away. I wait a bit, then I say, “So, a few days ago, I was in the wilds, at a an old Hydrissian trading post. Do you know what Hydrissia was trading with the Trefolk? The ones I met liked knives and canteens, but really didn’t like the food I offered.”
Q: Is he shocked by this line of questioning? Very Likely Yes Q: Does he reply? Very Unlikely No
He looks at me in what I can only suspect was surprise, then looks away again.
“Okay, so…I am crap at guessing ages of Hydrissians. Did you ever work at a trading post here? Before humans came to this world?” I press.
Q: Does he walk away? Very Likely Yes
The hydrissian shambles away, putting some more distance between the two of us.
“Nice talking at you!” I call out through my comms. Then I sigh. I was hoping he might know something about the disk I was wearing.
We both end up on the same tram heading back to the starport, but he sits near the front and I am near the back. At the port, he wanders off towards a Hydrissian merchant ship, while I head over to the Lark.
-See something tiny in the shadows-
Ep 6: Back at the Lark (14th)
Chaos Factor: 4-Expected Scene
I return to the Lark, while several passengers are boarding, and head straight to the powerplant to join Mara on her prelaunch checks. “There’s a missing O-ring”, she tells me.
I look around and spot it beneath a compressor, picking it up, I see that it’s damaged, “Cooked pretty good.”
“Dammit! Go get a replacement. I need to fix this,” Mara instructs. I nod and go to fetch the replacement piece.
Q: Does she ask where I went? Likely Yes
“Where did you go? You know I needed you here to run systems check,” Mara asks.
“I went to try and talk sense into Jax, and bring him back to the ship,” I reply handing her the ring.
Q: Does she want to know what he said? Likely Yes
“Oh yeah? What did he say?” Mara asks.
“Well, Arlen told me to come back, but I called him on the phone. He says you looked great, and that he’s an idiot. He likes you. It doesn’t matter what you wear. And that’s what he was trying to tell you, because he didn’t get it. He likes you and wishes he’d shown it right.”
Q: Does she forgive him? 50/50 No
“He’s an idiot,” Mara mutters.
-Persuade Effect 4-
“I thought that was part of his appeal,” I chuckles. “A good looking, well meaning, charming, idiot. Your idiot.” I tease.
Mara laughs, “Yeah, well he was my idiot. Stupid kid.”
“Hey, maybe next time we are on the Loom, you give him another chance?” I suggest.
Q: Will she give him another chance? Very Likely Yes (Engineering Effect 4)
“Yeah, maybe,” she blushes. We finish our systems checks, and the engines are humming and ready to go. Then we head back up to the bridge to wait the all clear from Lysa that passengers are loaded.
—
-Immersion, smell of leather-
Ep 6: Dustoff (14th)-Interrupt, Close Thread, learn why Lysa was banished
Chaos Factor: 4
I sit back in the leather astrogator seat, nodding and nod to Captain Voss. “RWC-0200-59015, Wayward Lark to Accra Tower, requesting clearance to depart,” he transmits.
“Standby, RWC-0200-59015” comes the reply. I yawn, and stretch a bit. Then we get the word, “RWC-0200-59015, clearance granted. Departure vector transmitted.”
I check the path and nod to Voss, then he replies, “Vector received. Dusting off in 3- 2- 1”. The engines rev and we soon lift up into the air.
Suddenly, there is a beep on my comms. I check, “Nise!” Lysa sobs on the other end, “I need your help with a passenger.” I look to Voss, and he nods. Leveling off briefly so I can quickly leave the bridge and climb up to the passenger deck.
Q: Manslaughter? Likely Yes
I head upstairs and see a woman yelling at her twin daughters. Lysa is sobbing at the entrance to the passenger lounge, “What’s going on?”
“I can’t. I just can’t,” Lysa replies and goes down to the crew quarters.
I head into the passenger lounge, “Hello, I’m Nise. How may I be of assistance?”
“Oh, oh, it’s nothing really,” replies the mom. “You know kids. Sometimes, they fight,” she grits her teeth, glaring at them.
“So…it’s under control?” I ask.
“Yes. They just got a bit rambunctious, fighting over who got to look out which window to see us lift off,” she explains.
“Alright then. Just press that comms button if you need anything and our steward is not around. Someone from the crew will be more than happy to assist,” I explain, then excuse myself and head down below. I find Lysa in our room.
“Hey!” I coo softly, “What was that about?”
And I see her stroking the picture of her and her sister. “I killed her,” she sobs.
“What?” I gasp in disbelief.
“I killed my sister. We were fighting. Not…serious fighting, just…giving each other shit, horsing around at the old quarry where we’d go swimming sometimes and…she fell. Smashed her head against the stones going down. I…,” she begins sobbing uncontrollably, and I wrap my arms around her soothing her.
-Persuasion Effect 0-
“It’s alright, let it all out. I know you didn’t mean it,” I whisper in her ear.
Q: Does she go on? Likely Yes
“I was charged with murder. The magistrate wanted to make an example of me. I’d been…I’d been in trouble before and he wanted to come down on dangerous youths. I pled guilty of manslaughter, hoping for probation. It was an accident! The judge sentenced me to exile. Fifty years.” Lysa looks up at me, lips trembling, tears streaming down her face, “I can never go home. Because I killed my sister!”
I hold her tight, and rock her gently. My comms crackles to life, “I need a jump course,” Voss says.
“A little delay, captain. You’ll have it before we have to jump,” I reply, “Nise out.” Then I turn it off and hold Lysa, gently stroking her hair and back as she sobs. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
-Astrogation Dc 6 (routine, but rushed, Effect 5)
After Lysa calms down, I head over to the bridge, quickly plot the jump, transfer it to Arlen, then return to Lysa with some fresh brewed soycaf. Then I just sit next beside her, there to listen, or whatever.
(No encounters en route to the Jump Point)
(Engineering Effect 8, successful jump)
We soon reach the jump point, and I briefly return to the bridge while we slip into the warp. Afterwards, I head up to the passenger deck to check on everything as I prepare to assume the roll of ship steward for the next week while we are locked into a warp bubble.
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