Eli goes to the booth, drops in a few credits and calls to Qorin.
"Yeah Qorin...its Boone...whats up?"
Stenner: A berth when you leave this system would be great! .
Q: Yeah, so maybe you should get back to the ship. There's something hinky going on.
AuF: A security drone comes zooming down the corridor.
"Describe Hinkey? Is someone messing with the delivery?..You know what, never mind. I'll be there shortly."
Eli bids his new friends farewell and heads back to the ship.
Anson: Done and done. Anything for a friend of Osimov. Shall I send you a message when we're leaving?
Afterwards, Anson heads back to the station, troubled by what he discovered. He sets up a call to his ship to ask to watch over the unloading and to inform the crew about the possible danger of someone wanting to seize the cargo.
AnF: It's an anxious ride back to the station aboard the HO taxi. Pre-occupied as you are with the news you received you're aren't so distracted that you noticed that the fellow who entered the club with, is also on your flight back.
Quorin: Glad you're back, I think something might be up.
AuF: Your enraged assailant tenses, prior to lunging at you, when, with a snap and a smell of ozone, the drone tasers him.
There's a high priority message being addressed to the Luis Wu . AnF, you've course have already set up your personal com to take such any such messages; EB and Q can take such a message from the bridge com station. AuF, if you want, and AnF agreed to delegate you, you can also receive messages for the Luis Wu on your personal com (if you purchased one as part of initial equipment).
Anson takes notice of the trailer, senses now on high alert and paranoia spiked. He uses his personal comm to message the ship that someone might be following him when he notices the high-priority message and opens it.
A grim faced Station Chief Walder appears on the screen.
C.Walder: We received this message, apparently from the Belt, four minutes ago. If this is true we've got a major problem.
Message (audio, synthesized voice): We've secured the cargo hold of the Luis Wu and planted explosives among the serum. The original crew of the vessel will board the vessel, and bring it to the following co-ordinates (co-ordinate string ). Failure to do so will result in the immediate destruction of the cargo. We have monitoring devices aboard the vessel, so do not try to place any security personnel or drones aboard.
So, EB, you're back aboard the Luis Wu when you get Walder's message. You confirmed that the hatch aft to the hold has been barred from inside, and you get no response from the intercom.
"What the hell is going on Walder!" Eli calls back into the ship's comm unit.
"Who are these people and why do they want us?" And where the hell are the rest of the crew?
Anson curses to himself and sends a text reply in fear of being overheard, glancing at his stalker.
Anson: I'm headed there right now, but I fear I'm being followed. What are our options?
Aurora excuses herself from the doctor and calls into her comm, "I'm 10-85!"
Walder: Unknown. I've got a security team on route now.
AuF: Cheng brushes past you, kneels at the side of the crumpled orderly. At your feet your assailant lays motionless; the drone hovering over his still form.
Faintly, through the bulkhead, your hear an angry feline yowl, followed by a man cursing.
Q:I'm beginning to like that dam cat.
Eli will try and see if he can access the ship schematics and see if there is another way into the hold.
Computers:
So there's egress from the engine rooms, lower berths, and the passenger staterooms: all which would require external access.
There is some ducting, but it wouldn't admit anything as large as human being.
Anson pings his ship again, unable to do anything but wait.
Aurora excuses herself from the doctor and races towards the ship.
AnF: Your 'shadow' steps forward, produces a badge with a hologram seal identifying station security.
Security: I'm to stay right by your side until you get back to your vessel.
AuF: You sure you want to leave Cheng with two injured men?
Aurora hesitates, torn between loyalty and duty. After a moment, duty prevails and she sighs. Using her comm, she reports to the ship, "I've got an emergency. I'll be there when I can."
She kneels next to the men and quickly tries to assess which is the more wounded or whose wounds are life-threatening.
Cheng has apparently stabilized the wounded orderly; there's a lot of blood, but apparently no major arteries were cut.
Your assailant though has no pulse; perhaps his maniacal state made him susceptible to cardiac arrest? Normally Security Drones use a non-lethal charge.
You may attempt CPR.
Aurora will attempt CPR on the assailant.
Anson attempts to verify the badge's authenticity.
AuF: You've got a pulse, thought its weak and irregular. Attempt a Life Science test.
AnF: Looks legit to you.
Anson decides to take the man at face value, though wisely keeping an eye on him nonetheless.
Anson: You know what's going on?
Security: All I know is that I'm to be sure you get back to your vessel. The taxi is being re-routed to an adjacent loading dock, just to make sure they're no delays. .
AuF: Looking at the burns around he point of entry for the taser-darts, you have a suspicion that the drone may have used a lethal voltage. A pair of EMTs with a crash-cart (drone) have arrived, if you want to leave now.
Anson nods again. He rubs his forehead to ease the growing headache.
He composes another somewhat cryptic message for Stenner, informing her that it looks like he won't be able to provide her passage, and that her information had soon proved to be correct.
Aurora excuses herself and heads for the ship, this new development preying on her mind.
AuF: You arrive at the loading dock first. There is a pair of armed guards in front of the airlock, and a number of curious bystanders milling around.
EB: Attempt a sensors check.
Sensors check:
EB: You realize that they're the hold is wired for CCTV. Unfortunately, it appears that the bad guys knew that too, as you can't get a picture.
AnF: So the HO taxi docks at an adjacent dock, and you and your minder disembark, while milling deckhands gape: make an Admin. test.
Anson absent-mindedly looks around.
Blithely, AnF follows his escort through the loading dock. Arriving at the guarded airlock just minutes after AuF.
So, finally, you're together again on the bridge of the Luis Wu . Anson tries cycling the cargo-hold doors, the door motors whine but nothing happens.
Q. suggests that the 'terrorist' in the hold might have used a 'molecular bonding paste' on the seams of the doors. If so, you'll need a laser torch to cut the cut the doors loose.
Eli informs them about the CCTV feeds and other possible entrance points.
C. Walder: We received assurances that the terrorists are not concerned with the serum; but they need the vessel to move some contraband from Engarno. Whatever happens, we cannot risk any damge to the cargo!
"Doctor," Anson greets, nodding to Aurora when he arrives.
Anson: That makes little sense. Why go through all the trouble of capturing this particular ship if they don't care about the serum? They could have used any other ship to move contraband. I don't trust this. And Engarno?
Anson: Even if we can get in, they're still in the position to damage the cargo. I don't see any option right now but to give in to their demands.
AnF: Engarno is an un-developed colony, located one Jump away. Make a general test using your INT modifier.
AuF: You remember D. Cheng speaking at great length about the Pharma-Tree plantations on Engarno.
Walder: Agreed. We can take no chances with the cargo. I suspect they're using the serum as a kind of shield; no one will interfere with your vessel's movements if it poses the slightest threat to the serum.
Can I check on the ships computer to see if there is any information about this place??
Computer:
"The doctor spoke something about pharma-tree plantations on Engarno," Aurora says aloud, a thoughtful look crossing her face.
EB: For all future computer searches, while using the station data-net, you effectively have computer skill of 1 (great roll).
See the Engarno Datafile in the Discussion area.
Walder: We're starting refueling operations now. You should be able to get underway in two hour's time.
Eli passes on the information about the planet.
"Anything else you want from this system? I got the station data-net pretty much under control."
Anson: I suspect our terrorists might be one of the sides of the Civil War, perhaps the Dynasts. Eli, anything on the current state of that war? And does anyone happen to have a laser torch? If no one has any other ideas, we'll have to transport them and their goods.
Anson rubs his forehead.
Anson: Everyone keep your weapons close. I'd rather everyone gets through this alive and we may need to protect ourselves and the serum if the worst comes to pass. Even the slightest amount of serum we can save will be worth it.
Eli will search the system for up to date information on the war.
"I cannot find anything current at the moment...most of this is a week or so old."
A telltale lights upon the system's main board, indicating the refueling has begun.