EB: Fineline is in a heated conversation with Thune.
Thune: That's not negotiable. We've got to be synced together all the way down to the thermosphere, to make sure they can't tease the two vessel's signatures apart.
Thune does not appear to be too happy with the news he's delivering.
Anson scratches the back of his head.
Anson: That's... ugh. I hoped we'd be finished with risks, but fine. I'm willing to follow through since you haven't done any more damage to us, but I'm placing our cargo at first priority.
There's a long pause, as Thune seems to be carefully considering something.
Thune: Look, I've got no problem with you setting up the bridge-controls for a quick disengage, so that if things go bad, well, we can quickly get control back if need be.
You can't help but wonder if he's worried that their companions on the other vessel might think of 'selling them' out, by piloting the Luis Wu into a mountain or something.
The pair of you both notice Boone standing just outside the bridge.
Anson: That's the best I can ask for.
He nods to Thune before turning his attention to Boone.
Anson: Yes, Boone?
Boone looks over at Thune and shrugs.
"Got a moment? I need to talk to you...privately."
Anson: We've just finished so I can find one.
He looks to Thune and nods.
Anson: If there's nothing else...?
For a moment he looks like he's going to say something else, then he shakes his head, and makes his way to the rear of the ship.
So you figure you have 40 minutes, before Fineline has to start "final approach" preparations.
Anson: So what is it, Boone?
"I have a very bad feeling that once they get what they want...well we will no longer be of any value. I think we need to act, and quickly, or else we are not going to get off this planet!", he whispers frantically to Anson.
Anson: I've made preparations to cut our losses if things are heading south, but I don't see a way to do anything safely. If we act, they'll just destroy our cargo and we can't risk that. It's true we'll be of little value but they gain nothing by killing us off and they know that trying to do so won't be worth the effort. But if you have a suggestion I'll hear it.
"I suggest we try and find the explosives they have on the ship and defuse them. We know of the one in the hold...but are there any others? I dont think so. Lets take some time to search, or turn the scanners on and scan the entire ship for them...we cannot just sit here and do nothing!"
Anson: I don't know about the scanners--you're the expert on that--and I don't even know if we can defuse the explosives if we find them. We also don't have much time left and I'll be busy with the final approach. I understand where you're coming from, and I detest having my ship at someone else's mercy, but officially my hands are tied. I've done what I can to make sure we'll get out but our captors have a tight leash and I can't be seen trying anything threatening. Unofficially, you have my full permission to try.
Eli nods and heads to the scanner console. He will try to use the internal scanners to detect any explosives onboard.
Sensors:
Easier said than done, Boone. The scanners are mainly external, and not calibrated for the detection of explosive materials (pretty much working solely on the EM spectrum). You do figure though, that you could create a crude hand-held probe, which you could link to the scanner suite, and by downloading some common explosive material signatures from the ship's data-store, you should have a simple bomb-detector: however its going to take some time (roughly two hours, and two more scanner rolls).
While at the scanners, you do detect the signature of a vessel jumping from the Engarno system.
Eli, discovering the limitations of the sensor suite, decides to create his own bomb 'sniffer' and set about scavenging the parts.
"He boss. Another ship just jumped in-system."
Sensors:
Anson: Hmm. It might be nothing but we can't really do anything about it right now. Focus on what you must.
Boone, if all goes well, Fineline should have the Luis Wu on the ground some twenty minutes before you have your bomb detector done. Are you going to stay in your cabin and work on it continuously, or get it started, and then join Fineline on the bridge?
Fineline, give me a piloting test.
Boone will go to the bridge and see if he can help. He leaves the half built bomb detector in his room.
Fineline You're pretty sure you set the synch-bridge to quick disengage...
Anyway, Engarno is looming up on your screens, and its time to begin descent. It's facilities were primitive to begin with, and have not been improved by the civil war that has been fought there, so there's no navigational guidance or beacons.
Boone, and Thune, are with you on the bridge. The rest you have ordered back to their rooms, to strap in as per standard planet-fall procedures.
Anson: Make sure you're all strapped in. I've set the synch-bridge to quick disengage but let's hope we won't need to use it.
With no more words, Anson begins planetfall.
Aurora returns to her bunk and straps in.
The two craft make their tandem plunge into Engarno's atmosphere. Fineline watches the trajectory unfold on his instruments. With mounting horror he realizes that approach is all wrong, you're going in way too steep.
Fineline, make a piloting roll (we'll use DEX as the base, as that sems to make the most sense).
Anson swears internally as he tries to change their angle of approach, but even as he works he's becoming more afraid that he would be unable to change it.
He tries to warn everyone if things turn dangerous.
Eli will be manning the sensors at this time.
Sensors:
Fineline: The disengage on the bridge-controls doesn't cleanly come off, and you loose precious seconds wrestling control back. Make another piloting roll.
Boone: The other vessel comes dangerously close to you, approaching to within 500 meters, before they make a vector correction of their own, and sharply reduce their approach angle.
Feldspar: From the sudden gees you're experiencing you suspect that there might a problem, though of course there's nothing you can do, but trust in luck and Fineline's skills.
Anson feels his nerves getting to him but steels himself, focusing only on the controls. He will make planetfall safely. He can't afford to fail here.
There's some crushing gees, as Fineline pulls the Luis Wu up, even as she's buffeted by the other ship's slip-stream. This'll be one landing you'll definitely be bragging about.
Do you want to follow the hijacker's ship down, or land somewhere else entirely?
Thune ,looking a little shaken,: Follow them down please.
Anson nods and has the ship follow them down. He has nothing to say and so says nothing.
Eli keeps on the sensors, making sure nothing 'funny' is going on while they land.
Aurora stays in her berth, holding on for dear life.
One last piloting roll to put her down.
A perfect landing in a broad valley, you believe that your 'sister' vessel touched down about two km. away.
Georg (sounding as if he is in some pain): Dr. Feldspar, I could use your assistance.
Aurora goes to assist Georg.
Thune (clearly exasperated) , on the comm:What the hell happened!
Georg: I got a little banged up during the descent.
When you get to his room Dr. Feldspar you find he failed to completely secure himself in his harness, with the result that he got his left shoulder dislocated during the descent. It's not too serious, but he will be in some pain for a while.
Thune sighs, and steps over to the comm board. He quickly punches up a channel.
Thune: Yeah, we're down. Yeah, he disengaged the bridge-control, but look-- Ok. Hey, that bone-head Georg got himself hurt during the descent. I don't know how bad. The doctor is with him now. Ok. See you in about fifteen.
Anson watches Thune talk and speaks up when he finishes his conversation.
Anson: What's the news?
Thune: We'll be headed out to pick up the emeralds. Once we've got the stones, you'll be free to go. Dr. Feldspar, how is Georg?
Boone, you get a radar signature, what you suspect is an air raft, coming in fast from the direction you think the other craft landed.
"Hey guys...we are going to have company here soon! An air raft is moving in our direction from that other ship!"
Aurora does as she is bidden, moving to check on Georg.
On the news of the air raft, Anson turns to Thune.
Anson: Is that one of yours?
Thune has Boone pull up an external camera view. Outside the dust is still settling from your descent. An air raft glides from out of the haze, setting down some twenty meters away. There's two people aboard.
Thune: Those are our people.
Anson: I assume you'll be going with them? Don't forget to take the bombs with you.
Thune is cycling the air-lock controls.
Thune: Sorry Fineline, we get the emeralds, and then we come back and remove the explosives.
Dr. Feldspar leads Georg, heavily medicated for pain relief, onto the bridge.
Eli is going to go back and work on his bomb-sniffing equipment