Anson grunts at the sudden turn of events.
Cocheco: Bastards! The Aid Stations don't have any serum! They're just places to go to die! The rich get to come up here, where they get serum!
Escort : This is the Imperial Naval vessel Dover: Cocheco you've entered restricted space, divert immediately or we will have no choice but fire upon you.
"Weapons are hot, repeat, hot on the escort. She is targeting the other vessel. What do you want me to do captain?"
"Nothing we can do." Anson's tone is one of frustration. "Just continue to keep an eye on the situation."
Dover: Cocheco Divert immediately.
This is immediately followed by a lancing needle of a laser beam, that is laid neatly and precisely in front of Cocheco's nose.
Anson swears and hopes that the Cocheco follows instructions and diverts before something terrible happens.
Eli stays on the sensors, monitoring not only their ship, but the others as well.
Sensors:
"No! We've got to do SOMETHING! Those are innocent people who are simply seeking aid!"
"And what do you suggest we do? We can't risk the supplies on this ship."
"I don't know, target the patrol's weapons or something!"
Cocheco:Bastards! If that's how its going to be! Better a quick death than have this disease turn you into a raving animal!
EB: It looks like the Cocheco is applying more thrust.
AnF: With the Cocheco's velocity their chances of pulling off a safe docking are miniscule.
AuF: As you were a humanitarian mission, your vessel is unarmed.
AnF: Make a simple test, no DM.
Grimly, Fineline punches in the final docking coordinates.
Cocheco: Surya! I love you-- .
Several laser beams from the Dover strike the small craft, and micro-seconds later there is a retina-searing flash of light as the Cocheco's powerplant goes critical.
Anson closes his eyes in reflex to the flash then blinks rapidly, trying to ascertain through a blurry haze if they're in any danger from an explosion and if it's too late to try to maneuver out of the blast.
"Damnit!" Aurora swears aloud. Furiously, she stabs at the comm button. "That ship was filled with innocent civilians!" she shouts into the microphone.
Eli sits back in the chair at the sensor's panel and slowly shakes his head.
"Why did they have to destroy them? What kind of disease are we dealing with here that the locals would rather destroy a ship than let it dock?"
The rest of the docking goes smoothly, with magnetic grapples pulling the Luis Wu snug against the dock.
Dr. Harry Reynolds : Welcome aboard.
An airlock telescopes out, and locks into place against the Luis Wu.
Anson presses the comm button. "Thank you." He follows the appropriate procedures, making sure everything is accounted for.
He sighs, determined to get this job over with. "I know everyone might be shaken up about what just happened but let's get the medical supplies delivered. We can still save lives."
The pilot heads over to the airlock to coordinate everything.
There is a wait of a minute or two while you await for the outer-chamber to be pressurized. When the indicator signals that it is safe to do so you cycle the outer airlock door open.
There's a bland young man in utilitarian coveralls awaiting you.
If you will follow me please .
Is there a problem ? He asks somewhat impatiently. The Station Director wants to video your statements about that most unfortunate incident, for the official record.
"No problem, just give us a moment to gather our things and take care of the removal of the cargo from the ship...after all that is why we are here, right?!"
Eli makes sure he has a handgun from the ships locker with him when he returns to follow this fellow to their debriefing.
Unloading of the cargo will be one of the things I'm sue they'll want to discuss with you.
"Oh, I'd like to talk to them about that incident, alright!" Aurora storms.
A terrible tragedy without doubt. He sighs. But the safety of the station has to come first.
Shall I tell the director that you'll be along shortly? You should have access to the station data net; you can pull up a station map there. He'll be waiting in the first conference room. .
See the map in the discussion page.
Anson, putting himself in front of the group, nods to the young man. "Yes, we'll be along soon."
Eli follows at the end of the group, also keeping his eyes open for anything that does not look/feel right.
Recon:
You meet no one as you follow your guide through the airlock concourse.
Everything looks shipshape.
Director, the Luis Wu crew are here your guide says, addressing an intercom box.
In response the door snicks open.
Aurora storms in without waiting to be invited. "What in the name of the Seven Gods of the Istari were you thinking, opening fire on a ship full of civilians?!" she exclaims to no one in particular.
Beyond the door there is your typically minimalist conference room.
At the opposite end of the table a tall man with graying hair, greets you.
Hello I'm Station Director Cheng, and this is Chief of Operations Walder .
At his side is a compactly built woman with short, raven-black hair.
Dr. Feldspar, were you willing to risk the lives of everyone on this station that there were in fact only desperate civilian refugees on the Cocheco? Chief Walder says, staring icily at Dr. Feldspar. There have been terrorist threats against the station .
Regrettably Chief Walder is correct Director Cheng says sighing.
If nothing else the Cocheco's reckless approach was an invitation to a catastrophe.
Eli leans back against the wall of the conference room, folds his arms and listens.
Terrorists eh! This could make this mission a little more difficult.
D. Cheng: Civil order is pretty much non-existent in the system; and plague-panic has taken hold in the major population centers. We're trying to be even-handed and impartial in our response to this crisis; but unfortunately, as we're having to work with an infrastructure that is under the control of one faction, it is not surprising that we're accused of partisanship.
D. Cheng: As the serum is the only possible treatment for those in an advanced state of the disease, the new supplies you've brought us are vitally needed.
"Fine," Aurora says, "You have your supplies."
D.Cheng: Most of the serum will be transferred from here to the Highport facility. Some of it will transported to the surface, as part of a deal we've brokered with an insurgent group. .
"Now that we are done babysitting this shipment, what are we to do? Also I think it would be a good idea if all of us were inoculated. What do you think Doc? I know I dont want to catch whatever these people have."
"Of course, Doctor Cheng." Anson tries to be diplomatic, knowing tensions are high. "I hope that the supplies we brought will help."
You received an inoculation upon before leaving for the Schaler system.
D. Cheng: We'll require a taped statement from everyone regarding the unfortunate Cocheco, and then there are the details of the actual unloading. Also, Dr. Feldspar; would you be interested in a tour of our facilities?
For the actual unloading, it is standard practice to actually remove a hull section of the vessel, to permit greater ease of access to the cargo hold.
C. Walder: In the next room you there's a digi-cam, please go ahead and relate anything you believe you might believe relevant to what happened to the unfortunate Cocheco.
C.Walder: Also, feel free to use the facilities in the section of the station. She fans out some keycards on the table-top. You have access to the most immediate section of the station.
"Of course," Anson says, taking one of the keycards. "My thanks. I'll go make my taped statement while it's fresh in my mind. May I ask how long it will take for the supplies to be unloaded from our ship and the hull returned?"
After receiving his answer, he goes to move to the indicated room if he senses there's nothing else.
Eli will wait for the captain to finish before he enters and gives his statement. He 'neglects' to mention the tight-beam message that was sent to the ship just prior to the 'accident'. Once finished he finds a room and drops his gear then heads for the local watering hole.