GM Tarondor's The Pirates of Drinax - Traveller (Inactive)

Game Master Tarondor

I'm open to clandestine methods of moving him. Let me know what you come up with.

Jerry stirs, having a sudden idea.

"How much for one of those robots? The steward ones that will take care of passengers," he asks.

"We would like one - can you get it delivered to our ship? Perhaps in a large cargo hauler, or packed in a large container with room for a large Aslan to ride along?"

If he needs, Jerry will summon the shopkeeper back to haggle about prices. And, he hopes, Khtiiyaheieao is willing to be moved to the ship in this manner.

Ray raises an eyebrow, unsure if they can afford the cost. "They could just deliver us him in a shipping container," she points out with a shrug. "Cheaper that way."

I'm fine with buying the robot if we've got the funds, but Ray's under the impression we don't.

Khtiiyaheieao smiles and bows, happy to make a sale. "Yes sir! I would be honored to deliver the... uh, this brave Aslan and the robot to your ship. It would be my honor to waive the customary delivery and licensing fees as well. The price is 27,500 credits." He indicates the payment hub.

Your money is your own to track!

You have Cr158,370. But you do owe Steph Cr90,000 and probably have to pay some docking fees here on Hernon's Claim.

Khtiiyaheieao beams at Jerry. "A very fine choice! Yes, sir, I would be honored to aid the...uh... this honorable Aslan and deliver both to your ship. I will also waive the customary delivery and licensing fees. I can have them there in ninety minutes."

Plink!

Ray raises an eyebrow at the captain. "Well? You paying him, or what?"

Over the comms you hear. "Pay the man. I'll just charge interest on my loan. Get moving people. The ship is warming up as we speak."

Jerry nods agreement, keying the transaction to pay the merchant. Driving himself and the owners of the Nemesis farther into debt, too, but that doesn't matter. The potential payoff is much greater. And, he won't have to deal with any passengers in the future.

"It wouldn't look appropriate for me to be anxious about this delivery, so I will return to the ship. Looking forward to you coming aboard, sir, and getting underway."

Jerry returns to the ship, to wait anxiously in the privacy of the captain's quarters.

Ray shrugs and follows, giving the Aslan a nod in farewell. When she arrives at the ship she spends her time hanging out in the cargo bay, waiting to help load up.

Byron will head out with Jerry and Ray.

Daneel trails behind the rest of the crew at a distance, watching to see if anyone seems to be paying undue attention to them.

Recon + INT: 2d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6, 6) + 1 + 1 = 14

You pay the elated Aslan shopkeeper and a huge robotic loader moves a package from Hernon Robotics and Electronics onto your cargo bay at almost precisely the promised ninety minutes. Daneel, no one is paying you the slightest attention.

Thanks to Steph, Flight Control has already granted clearance to take off, and Daneel has Nemesis warming up its engines. In an hour, you are all spacebound and headed for the 100-diameter limit.

How do you handle the new Aslan passenger? Is there a meeting? Is he locked into his stateroom all the way to Tyokh? What's the deal?

Jerry finally can't stand waiting in his cabin shortly before the package is delivered. He is waiting inside the cargo bay while the new robot is unpackaged and their passenger is out.

"Welcome to the Nemesis. I am Jeremiah Xavier Jaramillo-Smith, Captain of this ship. We will be underway shortly. We have a stateroom set aside for you. Do you have any requests? Or questions?," asks Jerry.

"If you don't, we can show you to your stateroom."

Steph makes sure their "guests" bags are in his stateroom, and concentrates on getting the ship out of orbit.

"Captain let me know if we are charting a course straight to Tyokh. Can you ask our guest if there's any reason to take a detour?" she asks through the ships comms as they leave orbit.

Ray loiters near Jerry just in case the Aslan tries anything.

The aslan regards Jerry quietly, then looks carefully at what he can see of the ship, long enough for everyone to get a sense of just how big and dangerous this guy not only looks, but -feels-. Something about his carries an air of command.

"I am called Teeieahailaoa Hteleitoirl Aiyyuwaisaltourlaeiwuiya," he says. "But few humans can pronounce that. Many just call me... just Hteleitoirl will be acceptable."

He sniffs the air. "You have an aslan onboard. Or did, recently. Who is he?"

Referee: Just a reminder that one of your marines is an aslan.

When he sees Steph moving his luggage, Hteleitoirl smiles momentarily, then returns to his neutral expression.

Hteleitoirl speaks Anglic very well. He's clearly had schooling. He may be a warrior, but he is no mere soldier.

Turning his attention back to Jerry, he says "You will find the direct route problematic, Captain. You should use less traveled routes if you wish to arrive safely in the Hierate. It would be wise to make at least one or two stops before attempting the transit from the Voidsedge Cluster to the Drinax Chain. A ship that wanders about like a merchant will draw less attention."

"I will go to my cabin now."

Hteleitoirl isn't really forthcoming. Part of the adventure is learning about him and his story (or not).

"Yeah, I won't remember that," Ray remarks, despite being perfectly capable of pronouncing the Aslan's name, due to her fluency in Trokh. "Hutelee, though. That I can manage."

Ray, you don't know much about other cultures, but you have learned a little about the Aslan. Please give me an EDU+Language (Trokh) roll.

"One of our crew is an Aslan. He's a marine. Afaar'iy is a good soldier." Steph responds to Hteleitoirl in Trokh.

2d6 + 0 + 1 ⇒ (5, 2) + 0 + 1 = 8

Jerry looks around at his companions.

"Let's plot a course out of here, as he suggested. See if we can sell our cargo and pick up something else of value. If nothing else, we have to pay the bills."

As their passenger starts to leave, Daneel calls out to him. "Excuse me, um, Huh-tee-lee-ito-irl," he sounds the name our slowly, not sure if he can manage it, "We need to call the people you hired and let hem know we've picked you up. We may need you to confirm that you are on board." He pauses a moment, "You know...so that they pay us."

Ray, you know that this Aslan's name represents a person of power in his clan - what humans would call a nobleman. But you also know enough of Trokh to understand that his name represents more than mere inheritance. He is a battle leader. You suspect that Afaar'iy might be able to tell you more.

"One of our crew is an Aslan. He's a marine. Afaar'iy is a good soldier." Steph responds to Hteleitoirl in Trokh.

Hteleitoirl regards Steph for a moment, possibly weighing her words. "Good," is all he says.

Jerry looks around at his companions.

"Let's plot a course out of here, as he suggested. See if we can sell our cargo and pick up something else of value. If nothing else, we have to pay the bills."

So? Look at the map and tell me where you're headed.

As their passenger starts to leave, Daneel calls out to him. "Excuse me, um, Huh-tee-lee-ito-irl," he sounds the name our slowly, not sure if he can manage it, "We need to call the people you hired and let hem know we've picked you up. We may need you to confirm that you are on board." He pauses a moment, "You know...so that they pay us."

The aslan regards Daneel with the wide eyes of a predator, making a small rumbling noise in his throat. "It seems I have little choice but to trust you. I will make a statement you can send."

"Do we have sufficient fuel? If so, plot a course for Tech-World. Maybe we can sell those electronics there. Failing that, we can re-fuel and then jump out."

"Please make yourself comfortable. We should also get the new robot functional."

Daneel glances at his workstation, already knowing what he'll see. "We've got a half tank - plenty for a jump to Tech-World. Meanwhile, I'll get robo-butler up and running."

Daneel spends the time it takes to get out to 100 diameters setting up the robot and putting it through its paces.

Between Electronics, Engineer, Mechanic, and Science, Daneel should have the know how to fire up a commercial robot.

The Stewaid Shipboard Robot is quite easy to activate. It begins learning the layout of the ship and immediately begins to vacuum and polish the brass.

Hteleitoirl examines the star map and turns to Jerry. "Not Tech-World," he says in curt tones, like speaking to a simple recruit.

"That route will be expected, and making some sort of interception certain. Tech-World has no gas giant in its system, making it necessary to obtain fuel at the starport or search for water in the form of ice on one of the system’s secondary bodies. That would be a time-consuming business and probably not feasible. We would have to go through the starport and be vulnerable to delays or intervention, at a minimum. I must get to Tyokh on schedule."

"Virtually all traffic leaving spinward edge of the Voidsedge Cluster exits through Tech-World. For that reason I recommend that we jump for Ergo and from there to Sink. These backwaters are less likely to be dangerous."

Jerry rubs his chin for a moment while he thinks of the free time once they don't have to tend to passengers.

"Ergo? Isn't that system under interdiction. That would be a reason it would be unexpected. But you are right, it has a gas giant and we can collect fuel."

Jerry looks to his companions.

"What do you think?"

Ray nods, like she totally knows where 'air-go' is and what it's all about.

...She does not.

"I'm in. Steph?"

According to the computer database:

Ergo is designated with a Red Zone travel code, off-limits to everyone who does not have proper authorisation. However, this has more meaning in the Imperium where it can be properly enforced. Here in Borderland, interdiction takes the form of a pair of armed tracking satellites which may fire upon vessels ignoring the Red Zone, but whose coverage is limited. As a result, ships can visit Ergo if they have reason to do so. Few do.

Two centuries ago, Ergo was a prosperous mid-tech world regaining a measure of space capability. Long beset by raiders from the remnants of the Sindalian Empire, Ergo’s ruling Council of Barons finally established a measure of security using crude nuclear missiles. The total destruction of a few raiding vessels persuaded the rest of the attackers to look elsewhere for an easier target.

In 802, the General Development Corporation offered to construct a high-quality starport over Ergo, which was seen as being of great mutual benefit. However, before construction was complete the Council of Barons
had disintegrated into factions, all of them sufficiently determined to gain sole access to the port and its revenue that they were willing to wreck their world doing it. The ensuing war was long and bitter, with nuclear weapons used as quickly as they could be constructed.

The starport was destroyed early in the fighting, and GeDeCo pulled out to build its port at Tech-World instead. The factions of Ergo battled on for nearly a century, resulting in a nuclear winter and destruction of most major settlements. The collapse of Ergo’s technological base finally brought the war to an end, by which time it was impossible to halt the downward spiral.

Today, much of Ergo is wasteland, with radioactive craters marking the sites of former cities. The lands in between are home to low-tech tribes, some reported to be cannibals. The only ‘civilized’ (using the term loosely) area is around the ruins of the old starport. There,
a largely ineffectual Council of Barons postures and hatches plans to reconstruct the starport, hoping to reap the riches of interstellar commerce. There are said to be pirate bases on Ergo as well and, given the desperation of the Council, it is entirely possible that some sort of deal is in place.

Daneel flips through the robot's operating manual but pauses to consider the Aslan's suggestion. "Makes sense. We should be fine as long as we don't go anywhere near the planet."

"Sounds good with that. I agree we need to stay away from the planet. It sounds awful." She turns to her station and waits for the coordinates to be entered into the system.

You contact Eanzuearrgzoerraer Freight and Brokerage on Gibraltar Station. Hteleitoirl confirms his presence on board, and Amaldae the vargr deposits another quarter of the fee in your account, the rest to be paid on "Ergneuel's" eventual safe delivery to Tyokh.

See Finances, above.

You plot a course for Ergo and the ship slips into Jumpspace like a shark sliding beneath the waves.

Tell me what you plan to do with your week in J-Space?

Once their passenger is settled, Jerry returns to his cabin. After a couple weeks of study, he is beginning to get the hang of Tactics. Another week of study would go a long way towards completion of his studies.

Daneel arranges his work routine so that he is free to join Steph and Misty in melee training.

He will make an attempt to engage with Hteleitoirl to try and make him feel more comfortable in his new situation. If Hteleitoirl responds at all, Daneel asks, "So what happened on Gilbraltar Station? You were attacked by a couple of thugs?"

Daneel also takes some time - usually while doing mental exercises before going to bed - to examine the sense of Hteleitoirl's mind, so that he can get used to the mental pressure of the Azlan's close proximity, while also learning to recognize their passenger's mental nuances.

Daneel, give me a SOC+Diplomat roll. Let me know if you're using any psionics to go with that.

Anyone else?

No psionics, just trying to make an attempt (perhaps awkwward) at conversation.

SOC + Diplomat: 2d6 - 1 - 3 ⇒ (5, 4) - 1 - 3 = 5

Hteleitoirl is gruff and unresponsive. "Something like that," he says. He gets up and goes to his quarters immediately after.

Daneel senses that the aslan is not used to sharing his thoughts with others.

Byron will find a time when the passenger is around and approach him. "Hello, I am Byron. I heard you were a soldier. If you don't mind me asking, where did you serve?"

Go ahead and give me a SOC+Diplomacy roll, Byron.

I have no skill in diplomacy. I was hoping more for Carouse and just some light talk but I will roll both in case Carouse works. Diplomacy will probably fail.

Soc+Untrained Diplomacy: 2d6 - 1 - 4 ⇒ (4, 5) - 1 - 4 = 4

Soc+Carouse if possible: 2d6 - 1 + 0 ⇒ (5, 4) - 1 + 0 = 8

Wow...diplomacy may have actually succeeded. I was kind of expecting a negative number on that result.

It's not really a Carouse situation. Having no skill gets you a -3, not a -4, so it's a 5. I was giving you a mental +1 for your shared military background, but Hteleitoirl is a tough nut to crack and a 6 isn't going to cut it.

However, you might be able to wear him down over time. He seems very keyed up.

Byron INT+Leadership: 2d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3, 6) + 1 + 1 = 11

The aslan growls. "Not interested in talking about it."

Byron has seen PTSD before, and this guy has it in spades. He's been through something that haunts him. However, there is something more there. Byron's pretty sure this aslan is a leader, and that something important is tied up with his story.

Steph works on her melee combat training with Daneel and Misty. She works hard, and keeps an eye on the heading of the ship. She takes some time to write a letter to her husband.

She spends some time with the crew making sure they have what they need and asks if there's anything that will make their travel and jobs more comfortable.

Byron continues to try and talk to the Aslan and works on becoming a bit more diplomatic.

Ray spends her time eating, drinking, training, drinking, joking around with the crew, and drinking some more. After a while she starts to get stir crazy, and paces the corridors constantly.

Anyone else want to talk t the Aslan?

Ray doesn't seek him out, but she definitely runs into him as she paces the halls and goes stir crazy.

If only there were someone on the ship with both status -and- training as a diplomat...

Jerry takes a break from studying, going to the mess for a hot drink. He is there when Hteleitoirl also comes to the mess.

"Hteleitoirl, I hope that your accomodations are to your liking. Are they? Is there anything else that we can do?"

If the Aslan opens up, Jerry will continue to talk. "You have provided advice already about the route that we should take. And, we had to sneak you onto the ship. If you could share what you know, we might be better able to get you to your destination."

SOC(+2)+Diplomacy(+1): 2d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6, 3) + 2 + 1 = 12

Hteleitoirl stares at Jerry, then shrugs. "My clan is in trouble. It faces threats from several enemies and only I can put a stop to it. Many will die if I am not on Tyokh on time. Any number of enemies might wish to stop me from arriving, thus ensuring my clan's extinction."