Traveller Referee Tarondor |
The Crunch Guns, with bipod and ammo, weigh about 15 kilograms (35 pounds) each. They are ridiculously big weapons meant to put a heavy round through tank armor. It'll take two of you just to carry them, so be sure to tell me who has them and where you put them.
You confiscate two TL-9 slug pistols from the dead and a total of eight rounds of ammunition.
Spider does his best for Harlan, though he has nothing like medical supplies here. I'll assume your excellent roll includes treatment to be done later in the Med Bay.
"More or less. That one was a lot harder to hit than we thought," he says, pointing to the inert form of Princep Lever. "It killed three of mine before we could hit it with the big guns. I didn't want to use them, but the pistol rounds were just bouncing off and even my assault rifle was doing minimal damage."
"I'm pretty sure you only patched the biggest holes, by the way. If we like breathing, we should find all of them. Any of these slugthrowers might have hulled the ship, but I doubt the pistols did."
"You've also got a bunch of angry cans back in the armory...magazine... whatever they call it. They're not going to stay there forever."
"What's happening with The Ship? Also, where do you think you're going with my guns?"
_______________________________________________
Drifter finds he can't open the hatch he blew up with a bomb. He'll have to go all the way forward or aft, "climb" the ladder and proceed from there.
CDR Jasper "Spider" Webb |
Spider looks over his shoulder at the two big guns. "Those crunch guns - I just wanted to get them somewhere secure to avoid anybody putting any more holes in the hull than is absolutely necessary. Now that you're back on your feet, you can feel free to take responsibility for 'em. He pats one of the pistols in his belt, "If you're referring to these pistols, well...the ones I took 'em from won't be needing 'em anymore - may they rest in peace - but I've got men who are fightin' unarmed. Until we're sure there aren't any more cans running around bent on mayhem, we ought to put the resources we have to good use, don't you agree? When the boat's secure I'll make sure they get back to you. Deal?"
Persuade + SOC: 2d6 + 1 + 0 ⇒ (3, 6) + 1 + 0 = 10
"As for The Ship, it hasn't made a peep in a good 15 minutes, so I think Flatfoot managed to shut it down permanent. We oughta go confirm that, and then get some men to work installing the clean computer".
CPL Calvin "Mascot" Sherman |
Mascot pushes the crate ahead of him, then kicks off a bulkhead. He tries to use the crate to block him from Gizmo. "If you're right, we're all dead Gizmo. If I'm right, then there's a chance we still make it out of this. I know which side I would pick."
Movement (zero-g, str): 2d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1, 3) + 1 + 1 = 6
Traveller Referee Tarondor |
DRIFTER
Drifter finds his way back up to "B" Deck and sees a few of the Proles trying to move around in Zero-G. Among them, he spots Tapdance pulling a body behind her as she makes her way through the microgravity. It takes him a moment to recognize the mangled body of Flatfoot.
_________________________________________________________
SPIDER
Down below, Harlan looks Spider up and down. "I can't figure you out. You talk like a cop, but you're leaving me the big guns. Who -are- you people?"
_________________________________________________________
MASCOT
I think we've been calling this mech Gizmo. But Gizmo is the one that sacrificed itself to get Mascot out of the magazine. This is Zippo.
Zippo Zero-G: 2d6 - 1 + 0 ⇒ (1, 1) - 1 + 0 = 1
It's a good idea, using the crate for a shield, but unfortunately the extra mass spins Mascot slower than he expects and he winds up drifting directly into the path of the malicious little robot. Luckily, the robot has no program for Zero-G operations and simply spins in place, striking the wall and bouncing away. Mascot darts past him.
James "Drifter" Monroe |
Drifter kicks off the wall to reach Tapdance and Flatfoot and checks to see if he is alive and if there is anything he can quickly do for him. As he looks him over he asks Tapdance, "Have you seen any sign of Attila or any other bots up here? Last I saw Attila was in the area."
Zer0 G+Dex: 2d6 + 0 + 1 ⇒ (4, 6) + 0 + 1 = 11
EDU+Medic: 2d6 + 2 + 0 ⇒ (5, 5) + 2 + 0 = 12
CDR Jasper "Spider" Webb |
Spider looks at Harlan and shakes his head. "Not cops. Well, one ex-cop." He shrugs, "We're just a bunch of Coalition grunts who really don't like be told what to do by Virus."
"Let's leave someone to watch over the magazine and the rest of us can sweep the corridors for any cans still on the loose. Then we can make our way to the computer room and my people can get to work."
Traveller Referee Tarondor |
DRIFTER
Drifter caroms expertly off the bulkheads and grabs a grip to pivot himself around next to Tapdance and Flatfoot. He knows in an instant that Tapdance was caught in his bomb - the wounds simply aren't consistent with any other kind of damage. He is very badly injured. He needs immediate attention if he is going to survive and needs real medical facilities to have a hope of walking again. With Doctor Sirkaa down, Muscles is the closest thing the ship has to a doctor.
_________________________________________________________
SPIDER
"Yeah, alright," agrees Harlan, helping his people who are beginning to revive. "But after we sweep the ship, we need to have a talk. This tub has to be leaving J-Space soon and we ain't out of the woods yet."
Shaking his head, Argo dry heaves as he regains consciousness. "Bloody hell but that's too bloody close!" He seems to remember something. "The core. We need to have it online before we leave J-Space or that cruiser out there will know something's on the wrong foot. "
_________________________________________________________
MASCOT
Mascot finally manages to leave Zippo behind and jets forward, leaving the angry maintenance mech trying to move along behind him.
Traveller Referee Tarondor |
12 HOURS LATER...
Robots -
Only three robots escaped the trap in the magazine: Attila, Princep Lever and Zippo. Spider, Argo and Drifter killed Attila while Harlan and the Shadows (also known as Starboard) killed Princep Lever (and very nearly killed everyone aboard in the process. After Mascot escaped from Zippo, the team came back and destroyed the murderous little robot with a few well-placed shots.
The Children of the Ship -
Cowed by the presence of armed humans, the Children of the Ship mostly stay out of your way. Abel Hruthbar truly cared for The Ship, but he cares for his people just as much, and he exhorts them to obey Spider's commands, calling "The Captain". They are unlikely ever to love you, but they listen to Hruthbar for the moment.
The Proles -
The Proles are actually the most difficult to control and in the first several hours after the takeover of the ship, several Children of the Ship are found murdered and the Children point the finger at several Proles. The Proles, for their part, see this as nothing more than what the Children had coming to them. Argo talks to the Guilders, who agree to restrain themselves until the ship is out of danger, but Paka doesn't manage to extract any promises from the Free Traders, as she isn't in a position of any authority.
The Shadows / Starboard -
Ironically, the violent criminals are the least problematic portion of the crew. Many openly advocate spacing the Children en masse, and Harlan offers to blow a hole in anyone who causes any trouble without his permission. He repeats the statement to the Children and the Proles.
Flatfoot -
Flatfoot is badly injured and needs a real medical facility. In its Imperial heyday, the ship's sick bay was once a fully-stocked medical clinic complete with an autodoc, but is now little better than a semi-provisioned floating aid station. Flatfoot is stable but unconscious and in real danger of permanent disability. Tapdance and Drifter assist Muscles in watching him and Doctor Sirkaa around the clock, but none of them have any cause for optimism.
The Computer Core - Virus propagates in two ways. First, it can be transmitted by signals, which is how the devastation of the Last War was so complete. Second, it can cut new pathways in silicon chips, thus creating tiny "eggs" in systems cleared by traditional methods, thus creating a new AI in any sufficiently complex device physically attached to a computer or communications system.
For this reason, the Reformation Coalition does not connect its computers to any devices, especially communications devices. All input and output in RC computers is accomplished by hand, with cumbersome tasks reduced to moderately complicated codes. All communications are oral by radio, and all communications devices are physically insulated from the rest of a ship's systems. Because of this, Virus can no longer directly infect RC ships without physically seizing them first.
The flotilla that The Ship is part of all communicate trough old-fashioned electronic methods. However The Ship had become badly paranoid after an attack by an unknown strain of Virus that caused it to lose much of its own reasoning before The Ship's own servitor robots were able to burn out the infected Starboard portions of the vessel. Since that time, The Ship only communicated with the flotilla via voice communications carried out by Abel Hruthbar. Thus, the flotilla will find nothing immediately odd about hearing Hruthbar communicate with them once the ships drop out of J-Space, and won't immediately know that The Ship has been replaced with a clean Guild nav computer.
Working together, Argo and another Guilder have the new computer online in minutes after Mascot hands it over to them. Built along lines similar to RC computers, it is not connected to any system other than power.
Promise -
The flotilla is still headed for the Virus-dominated world of Promise, once the subsector capital and now a probable hub of Vampire activity on the suspected Vampire Highway. MS-7's original orders were first, to link up with the resistance, assess their extent and capabilities, particularly the extent to which any of them is capable of overt military operations or has managed to infiltrate the Virus power structure at Star City and second, to learn more about the mysterious organization known as High Command.
Robert 571 is a former slave of the "Sentient Council" of Star City and a present member of the Resistance. He has offered to help make contact with the Resistance once the ship lands in Star City.
James "Drifter" Monroe |
Drifter sees to Dr Sirkaa and Flatfoot and arranges an around the clock watch of the two.
He also tells Hruthbar, "We found and patched up one area of the ship that was leaking out air fast, but there might be other smaller holes. It would be good if the Children looked to patching those as fast as possible. If we are leaking atmo when we come out the other ships might notice even if its not fast enough to kill us before Promise."
Once that is set he will grab some shut eye while he can letting whoever is on watch in the room know to wake him when they are exiting J-Space in case he is needed to fly the ship.
CPL Calvin "Mascot" Sherman |
Do we have gravity back?
Mascot limps into the infirmary as the others are trying to make Flatfoot comfortable. They had beat the odds with the take over of the ship, but it had cost them. Mascot sits until Muscles has a moment to see him.
"How's Flatfoot? Is he going to make it?" Mascot winces and then motions to his thigh. "Zippo nailed me with that blowtorch of his. Gave me a damned nasty burn. It's painful and I can't move my leg as well. I gotta get the ship systems back online though. Anything you can do to help get move moving, doc?"
Mascot has 5 points of endurance damage
CDR Jasper "Spider" Webb |
Spider encourages Hruthbar to have the Children work on patching any remaining leaks in the hull. He makes regular visits to the infirmary to check on Flatfoot and the doctor, but spends the majority of his time with Hruthbar, reviewing the man's previous communications with the vampire fleet as the Ship's voice. Based on the Senior Machinist's prior interactions, Spider hopes to plan out a series of communications from "the Ship" that will keep the fleet unaware of the Ship's demise while they make for landfall on Promise. Assuming Hruthbar continues to work to assist RCES squad, Spider treats him as an ally and valued adviser, and works with him to plan out the best communications to keep the fleet unawares.
Traveller Referee Tarondor |
Muscles Medic+EDU on Mascot: 2d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1, 4) + 1 + 1 = 7 Easy check because of Sick Bay
Muscles Medic+EDU on Flatfoot: 2d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6, 4) + 1 + 1 = 12
Referee's Note: In Traveller, when a degree of success is required, you look at the "Effect", e.g., the amount by which you exceed the target number. Thus, the effect of Mascot's first aid is 1 and the effect of Flatfoot's surgery is 4.
]Mascot may restore 1 point to his Endurance. Further Medical Care will help.
Flatfoot may divide 4 points among his scores. This is insufficient to bring him to consciousness. Further surgeries will be required.
"I don't know what to do, sir," Mascot tells Drifter, speaking of Flatfoot. "He did okay today, but he's going to need a lot more surgery and I'm not a doctor. What do you want me to do?"
James "Drifter" Monroe |
I am guessing that is Muscles who spoke to me.
"We just have to keep him as stable as possible and find a way to get him off this hunk of steel as soon as we hit Promise. If we can get the Doc up and about before then she would be a boon to us all."[b] Drifter walks over to check on the doctor's vitals, [b]"If you have any ideas on how to safely get her up and moving I am all ears."
Medic+EDU check on the dr to see if she is improving: 2d6 + 0 + 2 ⇒ (3, 1) + 0 + 2 = 6
CPL Calvin "Mascot" Sherman |
I think Spider is the only one with Engineering
Mascot winces as Muscles attends to the burn and then wraps it. "That'll have to do for now, corpsman. I need to see to this ship to make sure it'll get us to Promise."
"So what do we do now? Once we come out of J-Space, we're at Hruthbar's control. What do we have him do? Try to land on the surface? Maybe fake an emergency?"
Traveller Referee Tarondor |
Doctor Sirkaa is stable, and comes to consciousness about a day afterwards, but in no shape for any surgery.
Spider, with help from Abel Hruthbar, is able to get the artificial gravity working again.
Robert 571 speaks up. "You have to land at a distance to simulate The Ship's paranoia, but you also have to get as close as possible to the port because my contacts in the Resistance are there, hiding in plain sight. Get me into the Port Facilities and I can arrange passage to Freedom Lake."
CDR Jasper "Spider" Webb |
What does Hruthbar tell Spider about the Ship's previous communications with the rest of the fleet? Were they long ramble-y communications like it's intercom announcements to the crew? Short, paranoid messages lacking much information? Had it announced it's intentions regarding landing on Promise to he other ships before heading into jump?
Traveller Referee Tarondor |
"It used to be pretty smooth," says Hruthbar. "With The Ship telling me what to say and me saying it. But for the last few jumps she was harder to understand and I had to improvise a lot of the time, doing my best to interpret her will. She got long-winded, but I kept it short. The Commander didn't really like speaking to a human."
"The Commander ordered us to stay with the flotilla and directed us to land at the Starport. The Ship extracted a promise that no natives would be allowed to enter or fuel the ship. She also refused all data links or data cables. I think the Commander was getting annoyed with The Ship the last time we spoke."
Robert 571 breaks in. "We can use that. That's our excuse to go into the starport ourselves."
"Yeah?" asks Harlan. "And what about us?"
"Or us," adds Argo.
All eyes turn to Spider.
Meanwhile, down in Sick Bay, Paka and Tapdance have been taking turns watching over the injured, including Flatfoot, Mascot and several Children of the Ship while Drifter and Muscles get a bit of sleep after the long surgery. Six hours later, Paka shakes Drifter awake. "Drifter... James is awake. Um, 'Flatfoot'. He's asking for you."
Welcome back, Flatfoot!
CDR Jasper "Spider" Webb |
Spider looks at Harlan, then Argo. "OK, fair question, what about you?" he nods in their direction, "I've made it clear that our goal has always been to survive long enough to get off this boat so we can resume our mission. That means getting off at Promise and -
with Robert's help - rendezvousing with the Resistance. If anybody else wants to join us...they're welcome. I'm sure they'll be able to find a place in the Resistance. Those who aren't looking to join the fight against the Vampires and Virus...well...you tell me. Whadya wanna do? I'm willing to assist you as long as it doesn't interfere with my team's mission." He pauses a moment to meet the eyes of each of the others, "Given The Ship's particular eccentricities, it seems quite likely that with the Senior Machinist's help, repairs to the ship can be accomplished without revealing that The Ship is no longer in charge. Get 'er fixed up, rejoin the fleet, and then, when the fleet jumps left, you jump right and you are on your way...somewhere away from the Virus fleet. We can help plot a jump for you if you need it."
Traveller Referee Tarondor |
:Screw that," says Harlan. "We ain't gonna stay on this ship one second more than we have to. We'll come with you to this Resistance. It's gotta be better than this."
"Huh," says Argo. "I didn't think of stealing the ship. It's a bucket, but it does fly. Maybe. Maybe."
"If anyone has a claim on this ship, it is the Children of the Ship," says Abel Hruthbar. "She is the only home most of us have ever known."
"Oh Lord," says Paka. "You're planning to go back to the flotilla, aren't you? You want to live like slaves? Or like pigs in a sty?"
"The Ship took care of us, was our mother for our entire lives," says Hruthbar. "She might be repaired and things can be as they were."
"Yeah?" asks Argo. "And what's going to happen when the Vampires find out you were part of a conspiracy to kill one of their own?"
"We had no choice! You gave us none!"
"I wonder if that will matter to the Vampires, Abel," says Paka. "You should come with us, or head out into space on your own."
"I will discuss it with my people," says Abel, curtly.
"And you?" Robert 571 asks Spider. "Assuming we successfully rejoin the Resistance, I believe you are long overdue. Will your people come looking for you? Your original ship is long gone and you have no way off the planet."
Traveller Referee Tarondor |
Yeah. You've missed both pick up windows by several weeks. The Coalition won't declare you dead, anymore than the did the Twelve Ships, but they won't necessarily risk another mission to come looking for you, either. [url=However, they did tell you that free traders occasionally made contact with the Resistance near Freedom Lake. They seem to have an as-yet-undiscovered means of avoiding the Vampires and Promise's supposedly massive planetary defenses.[/url] (read "background" and "Means of Landing on Promise."
CDR Jasper "Spider" Webb |
Spider addresses Robert 571, "I have no idea if RCES will come looking for us, but I ain't counting on it. We'll have to find our own way off planet, or find a way to let RCES know that we need a lift. Either way, that's a problem I'll be happy to have in the future, once we've made our way to the Resistance."
He then turns to the others, "OK, everyone go and talk with your people, see who wants to do what. Any wanting to leave the ship at Promise and make for the Resistance will be included in that plan. And for any who don't like that idea, find out what they do want to do."
CPL Calvin "Mascot" Sherman |
Mascot grunts as he sits up, his leg still wrapped in burn treatment. "We still on mission, Spider? I mean, this was a pretty big setback. We ain't got our weapons, nor the med supplies and food. Hell, ain't much to even prove to the resistance that we're RCES."
"Sinner wanted us to stay around the Lake and glad-hand the locals. Now we might need risk the city. Besides, we'll have to find that trader and convince him to take us back outta there or we're stuck for a while."
CDR Jasper "Spider" Webb |
Spider grabs a seat near Mascot, "Right - the trader is the key to us getting off Promise, and you can be sure he won't be coming anywhere near the city. So we follow Robert's lead and let his contacts get us to Freedom Lake. That's where any traders will show up.
While we are waiting for a trader to make an appearance, we carry out the mission - make friends with the resistance, learn about their operations and needs, and - since we may be living with them for a while - help them out where we can. When a trader does show up, we offer him whatever we can to get him to give us a lift."
Traveller Referee Tarondor |
Moving forward...
The long journey to Promise lasts for one more day. During this time, the various factions decide their goals. Many of the Proles and Shadows want to leave the ship, even if it means they're stranded in a situation that promises to be at least as dangerous - runaways in the heart of a vicious robot empire. The chance to make a run for the hills strikes most of these as better than living longer on The Ship. Robert 571, Paka and Harlan are all intent on joining the rebellion.
Meanwhile, Abel Hruthbar and most of the Children of the Ship are deeply ambivalent about their choices. On the one hand, they've never actually lived on a planet and actively fear the open sky. On the other, they fear the reprisals of the flotilla or the Sentient Council if they remain. Guild Captain Argo has convinced Hruthbar to take their chances when the fleet jumps, as proposed by Spider. "This is a destroyer, Mate! Most ships we meet will run from us on principle. They don't have to know we're unarmed. And when we make Guild space, we'll all be free and rich!"
Still uneasy, the Children have voted to accept Argo's proposal.
Meanwhile, Drifter and Muscles have done what they can for Flatfoot and Mascot.
Drifter, give me two Medic rolls, one each for Flatfoot and Mascot.
CDR Jasper "Spider" Webb |
Spider will lend Drifter whatever help he can in treating Flatfoot and Mascot. He's got Medic 1 and EDU +1.
Two Medic rolls to assist Drifter, in case they are needed:
Medic + EDU roll to help with Flatfoot: 2d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4, 3) + 1 + 1 = 9
Medic + EDU roll to help with Mascot: 2d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2, 4) + 1 + 1 = 8
Traveller Referee Tarondor |
Twenty-seven hours later, Argo alerts the crew that the Jump bubble is collapsing. "Real world in seventeen minutes and counting," he announces. "Chief Machinist Hruthbar, our lives are all in your hands."
When the silvery non-being of Jump bubble collapses, the former ISS Archer is suddenly ejected back into normal space, accompanied by eerie lightning playing across the brilliant blue lines of the ship's lanthanum grid. It takes almost thirty seconds for the ship's sensors to relate the presence of a planet and by that time it has also registered the presence of the flotilla as well as several other ships in the system.
Without a doubt, this is a major port of call for a great variety of ships, confirming what Naval Intelligence had long suspected, the existence of a network of Virus-controlled worlds - the so-called Vampire Highway.
A tinny, somehow feminine voice emerges from the ship's communicator. "Archer, you are directed to match course and speed with the flagship and prepare to make landfall on planet designate: Promise. Acknowledge."
"It's the Commanding AI of the flotilla," says Abel with the communicator off. "She's not that big cruiser out there. Instead, she's that little mercenary cutter. The Ship is five times her size and the cruiser is fifty times her size, even though it's only a light cruiser. Still, she's the boss. I think she's linked to the scout, the far-trader and the liner, and probably your old ship by now, or she soon will be."
"She's going to expect to have to coax The Ship, who hated the idea of landing, so I'm going to let her convince me slowly."
"Meanwhile," says Argo, clearly very nervous, "I'm matching course and speed. We'll be in orbital range in about four hours."
Any last actions or preparations?
CPL Calvin "Mascot" Sherman |
"They still refers to her as the Archer? I guess I just thought they would rename her. Or have some other reference, like 'ship 24FB'." Mascot shrugs, then limps back to the med bay. He begins collecting some supplies, discreetly for their use on planet. Then he will try to collect a few pistols for the team from Starboard's supplies.
I think we need to go for small/stealthy.
Tarondor |
Medical care restores 3+ the Traveller’s END DM + the doctor’s Medic skill in characteristic points per day, divided evenly among all damaged characteristics.
Drifter is more highly educated and an officer, but Muscles is better trained in actual medicine. He will be the one giving actual medical care, with Drifter assisting and directing.
Flatfoot regains 3-2+1=2 points. One point each go into Strength and Endurance, lifting his STR to 2 and his END to 1.
Mascot regains 3-2+1=2 points, all to his Endurance, lifting his END to 5.
Doc Sirkaa regains 3-1+1=3 points, also to her Endurance, lifting her END to 6. She is now conscious and feeling much better. She no longer need medical care and can provide medical care to the others in the future, if there is one.
Tarondor |
What's the plan? You have 4 RCES members, two RCN crewmen, and nineteen civilians (including 8 shadows, 10 Proles and Robert 571) all of whom want to get away from The Ship and make contact with the Resistance. You'll be leaving behind thirty-six people (including Abel Hruthbar, the Children of the Ship, Argo and three other Guilders).
Mascot has a limp, but is fully capable. Flatfoot can walk short distances on his own without falling down, but should really be in a hospital.
CDR Jasper "Spider" Webb |
"First we need to give Robert some time to meet his contacts and arrange passage. While he does that, most of the rest of us can do exactly what they are expecting the ship's crew to do - go out and collect supplies and resources for the Ship, then set to work on repairs."
Turning to the Promise-man, he asks, "What do you need in order to get in touch with your contacts, Robert?"
CPL Calvin "Mascot" Sherman |
"Wait, you want us to repair and service the ship once we land? I thought we would want to get away as quickly as possible." Mascot grunts.
He turns to Robert. "How would the Children of the Ship get supplies? Are the resources shared, or is there some form of currency? Hell, you think we can get something to eat other than green mush? I guess if we don't know what to do, we can simply attribute it to us being new and the Ship being a little loco." He motions to his head with a spinning motion.
James "Flatfoot" Nicholls |
Flatfoot speaks weakly, asking more questions of Robert. "How much mingling between ship crew and the inhabitants of Promise do the ships permit? I mean, obviously you came from Promise - could we easily move about?"
After a moment, Flatfoot continues, "Maybe Hruthbar could speak for the Ship and say something about 'putting the vermin ashore' to excuse a number of humans departing the ship."
Traveller Referee Tarondor |
Turning to the Promise-man, he asks, "What do you need in order to get in touch with your contacts, Robert?"
"There are eleven different members of the Sentient Council that controls all of Star City, each with its own responsibilities, power bloc, human and robot followers and personality. There are alliances between some of the members and with others its very nearly open warfare. Sometimes it is warfare, a proxy war run by the followers."
"We'll be in Downport's territory, and that's bad news. She's a nasty piece of work who controls all the automated functions of the starport including incoming traffic as well as the EMS sensor arrays that cover orbital space above the port. She takes reasonable care of her human followers but she's brutal towards anyone not part of her organization. Harsh discipline has made her human security guards the most proficient on the planet. 'Best Meat in Town' is their actual motto. Politically, she's allied with 'GroSec' - Ground Security - and PADCom, which controls the PAD missile batteries and deep meson gun."
"What we need is a way to get to Skywatch. That's the Virus that controls the planets long-range sensors. I guess I can't really hold out any longer on telling you that my contact in the Resistance is embedded with Skywatch's people. You've got no good reason to be going there and Downport will notice you long before you get out of sight of The Ship."
"What we need is CWLP...'Seewalp'. That's City Water, Light and Power. Like Skywatch, Seewalp is fairly benign, and treats her followers pretty well - like Abel claims The Ship used to do. I think we can come up with a reason to visit Seewalp, like needing better power conduits or...I don't know... engine things. If we can get some Seewalp uniforms, I think we can make it to a Resistance cell I know of. We'll ahve to wing it from there."
"Wait, you want us to repair and service the ship once we land? I thought we would want to get away as quickly as possible." Mascot grunts.
He turns to Robert. "How would the Children of the Ship get supplies? Are the resources shared, or is there some form of currency? Hell, you think we can get something to eat other than green mush? I guess if we don't know what to do, we can simply attribute it to us being new and the Ship being a little loco." He motions to his head with a spinning motion.
"There's no currency per se. I'm not really sure what the Sentient Council receives from the Vampire ships to make it worth their while to service them. But they do. A lot. You'd be surprised how many ships come through Promise."
"Typically, the ships crews don't leave the immediate area of the ship. The ship's robots will do that. That will be our hardest initial sticking point. Downport's security is going to expect to see robots with us. However, if we have the appropriate ID, they might not interfere with us so long as we seem to be doing The Ship's bidding and not violating any of Downport's laws. That's really what you need," he says, pointing to the series of dots and bars tattooed on his forehead (the 57th Century version of a bar code). "ID. Every human serving the Council has one. Without them, you're instantly marked as not belonging. We -could- tell the guards that we're leaving the ship to get you marked."
Flatfoot speaks weakly, asking more questions of Robert. "How much mingling between ship crew and the inhabitants of Promise do the ships permit? I mean, obviously you came from Promise - could we easily move about?"
After a moment, Flatfoot continues, "Maybe Hruthbar could speak for the Ship and say something about 'putting the vermin ashore' to excuse a number of humans departing the ship."
"Oh, no!" says Robert 571 hastily. "If Downport thinks you are not wanted by The Ship, you'll be arrested and sent for...processing."
James "Flatfoot" Nicholls |
"Well, strike that idea," says Flatfoot. "We should go to the bridge and find out what is happening on the ground."
Flatfoot levers himself to his feet, wobbling a bit with the effort. Knowing that he must be able to present himself as able-bodied, he tries to walk towards the bridge but has to put a hand out to the walls to steady himself from time to time.