Byron flies them in.
[dice=Pilot (Spacecraft)+EDU]2d6+1+1
Byron easily and smoothly pilots the ancient craft through the buffeting winds for hours while Daneel keeps the purifiers humming until Nemesis has taken aboard and processed all the hydrocarbons it needs to power its plant.
When she comes up above the cloud tops, she can see a new arrival in the system, a 200-ton armed far trader lumbering towards the gas giant for fueling.
Whaddya do?
"Let's see their intentions," suggests Jerry.
"We look like a simple trader to them ... maybe they will try to attack us," he adds with a grin.
"No matter, we need to get the drop on them. Target the ship and maneuver to intercept. Keep our speed down to something reasonable for what we look like."
You begin to burn towards the trader at a sedate (for Nemesis 2G). About three minutes later, they notice and change course, aiming for the far side of the gas giant. When you pursue, they hail you.
"Unknown ship, this is Mary Gardner. Plenty of room out here. Any reason you're choosin' to breathe down our necks?"
Jerry waves to comms, saying "Tell them that our comms are acting up. Maybe break up the message a bit ... apologize for scaring them. Ask if they have any spare parts."
"Maybe. For the right price," comes the response. "What are you looking for?"
Jerry looks to his companions before keying the mike.
"This old bird could always use spares for the drive systems ... both of them. We have extras of some other things, especially for the power plant."
Jerry pauses for a reaction.
"Would you swap? Or is it strictly cash only?"
"First of all, who are you? If you don't have a specific emergency, I'll ask you to stand off and keep clear. This area is known for piracy and you're making our trigger fingers itchy."
Byron keeps on the current direction but prepares to do evasive maneuvers if it comes down to combat.
Uhhh ..," Jerry hesitates.
"Life support is held together with chewing gum and baling wire ... whatever that is. And a lot of hope. Honestly, we're barely holding together. We really need some spare parts ... we won't hold together for a jump and we can't set down on the planet."
"Can we make a trade?"
Daneel tries to set up an interference wave in the power plant that causes power to flicker every few seconds.
"Alright. We're coming to you. How do you propose to pay? I can sell you a compressor in a reasonable shape and some factory-new fittings, but it'll be 500,000 credits. And if I see anything I don't like, the deal is off."
The Mary Gardner starts moving towards you at a sedate half G burn. It will be in visual range within the hour and will arrive in two.
What do you do?
Byron keeps a steady pace moving towards the other ship.
Daneel's fingers fly over his console as he introduces little glitches into the system that could signify a failing compressor. When he is satisfied with his work, he turns to the command console, "So what's the play, Captain? Ambush them when they get close?"
"When we are close enough, we need to change to something threatening and send off a warning barrage before we make demands. Hopefully, they can be cowed quickly." Byron says.
"You sons of b%~&+es! We were coming to help you! Godammit! You're the reason people go hungry that don't need to."
It takes about twelve minutes, but the crew of Mary Gardner drops a standard cargo container out of her large airlock. The ship then burns at about Thrust 1.15 to get away from you and head for the relative safety of the Jump Limit.
When you retrieve the cargo it is not a Cr500,000 engine part but a crate full of 10 tons of common ore, worth about Cr5,000 credits.
"Y'know, Jer Bear," says Ray. "This is why being a pirate sucks. We need to put the fear of Nemesis in them so they don't pull this crap. That, and maybe start seizing ships more."
"Yeah...its not necessarily the nicest job, but there are other groups apparently doing the same. I am not sure if that will help or hurt us." Byron says as he turns the ship to head out onto their next stop.
Your piracy has brought you very little. Perhaps the usual strategy of demanding the target drop something of value needs more (like not letting them go until the value of the items is determined.) This is a commerce raider, after all. Perhaps putting the fear of pirates in the locals would be a good idea? Or perhaps that would draw unwanted attention?
In any case, you have little cash in your accounts, and a little ore. Perhaps if you return to Clarke and Torpol there will be a reward for Redthane's capture, but perhaps you don't want to commit piracy there.
Your future course is up to you! Tell me what you have in mind.
Byron had plotted a course to lead back to Clarke and Torpol to drop off the captain in the hopes of a reward and favor for the King.
"Maybe we need to demand a certain amount of value be dropped and that they stay in a certain range until we check the good?" Byron suggests.
Jerry nods at Byron's suggestion. "Live and learn, I suppose. Let's carry on towards Torpol. Byron, plot us a course to Marduk."
Byron flies out far enough and hits the command to send them along the plotted course to Marduk.
Jhoolz lounges around the command deck with little else to do to take up her time. She follows the crew around and tried to learn what she can about her new 'crewmates' but mostly keeps to herself during the trip.
Marduk/Sindal (Trojan Reach 2120) - C577436-5
Marduk’s sun is a single dim orange star about half Sol’s size and only 6% of its luminosity. Although the system is metal-poor, boasting few rocky worlds, it does have three small gas giants.
Oghma Cluster
The worlds of Oghma, Marduk and Borite lie within one parsec of one another, surrounded by a gulf that can only be crossed by jump-2 ships or better. These three worlds make up the Oghma Cluster, and like many such jump-1 clusters it became a local economic zone, dominated by Oghma. All three worlds suffered tremendously during the fall of the Sindalian Empire, and today are of no real economic or political importance. The only reason ships from outside the cluster visit any of these worlds is to pass through on the way to somewhere better.
Of the three, only Oghma retained any starfaring capability. Marduk and Borite lost their technological base and were reduced to a survival-and-subsistence basis, whereas Oghma (unfortunately for the rest of the cluster) was able to keep some starships working even though its society collapsed to a techno-barbaric level. Today, raiders from Oghma operate throughout the cluster but are unable to cross the surrounding gulf in their jump-1 ships.
Among the primary targets for these raids are scientist, technicians and skilled personnel who can be forced to keep the ships of Oghma running. Starship components and any other useful high-technology equipment are also greatly prized, though the raiders from Oghma will also take anything else of value they can carry off.
Marduk
The world of Marduk is a stopover on the Sindalian Main; or rather, its starport is. The world itself is small but habitable enough, with a breathable atmosphere and plenty of water. The main continents are completely uninhabited (officially at least) with the only indigenous population dwelling on several island archipelagos. These were fairly isolated during the collapse of the Sindalian Empire and the wars that went with it, and were spared the bombardment of major cities that took place on Marduk.
Various accounts exist of what happened to the population of Marduk; it is likely that all of them
contain elements of truth. Radioactive fallout, famine, plagues of natural and unnatural causes and a host of other causes more or less wiped out the population on the mainlands, which became taboo to the locals. Once the mainland population dropped below a critical amount, the remaining people died out over subsequent generations, while the small island populations continued to survive at a much simpler level of technology.
Today, these island groups are each home to a few thousand people who have developed separately. Contact with outsiders – including people from other island groups – is shunned, and the islanders have developed very different cultures and dialect that in some cases have become entirely separate languages. Since it is forbidden to learn the tongues of other groups, the divergence continues to this day.
Marduk Highport
The orbital component of Marduk’s starport is officially named Marduk Highport, but is usually referred to as Marduk High. It is not a large facility but has been refurbished several times since it was built in the early 700s, with some sections expanded or entirely replaced. The highport consists of a central business, recreation, administration and accommodation section with four docking sections. Each serves a different function. The Restricted Arm is used exclusively by the highport operator’s own vessels. These are all sublight (non-jumpcapable) vessels which carry out routine maintenance, convey supplies and equipment from the downport, and undertake similar utility tasks. There are also a couple of rescue cutters which can be used to assist vessels in distress, as well as berths for the Highport Defense Squadron. This consists of two 400-ton system defense boats and a dozen or so fighters.
The Highport Defense Squadron represents a fairly modest combat capability and could not take on a major warship. It is more than enough, however, to ensure that a pirate raid on the port results in enough damage to the attackers to be unviable. The squadron mostly serves as a deterrent but occasionally has to intercept a suspect ship getting too close to the port and its shipping lanes.
General Development Corporation
The General Development Company (GeDeCo) was originally formed in the Imperium, but rapidly found its niche in Trojan Reach Sector. Today, the corporation’s headquarters are at Tech-World in the nearby Voidsedge Cluster of The Borderland subsector. Its remit was (and still is) to facilitate interstellar trade and to raise the overall technology level of the region.
This is not a purely altruistic aim, of course. More worlds at the mid-tech to average-stellar level means a larger market for goods and more starships carrying freight between them, which in turn generates revenue for GeDeCo’s primary field of interest – starports. Many of the region’s ports were built by GeDeCo and sold on or passed to subsidiary operators. Others remain the property of the corporation and are run as corporate divisions. Even those that have been sold on usually retain an element of GeDeCo interest in the form of businesses based there or a quantity of shares owned by the corporation.
Although GeDeCo is not a megacorporation in the same sense as the true Imperial megacorps, it is the single biggest business group in the region and wields enormous influence. GeDeCo has been credited with indirectly holding back the advance of Aslan ihatei by strengthening the ability of local powers to resist and creating a framework for co-operation between groups that would otherwise be overrun, one by one.
_______________________________________________________________
Nemesis arrives in the Marduk system after a week in jump. Her holographic hull reveals that she is a sleek yacht out of Dolberg/Sindal (Trojan Reach 2113) named Hey-O!. The ship proceeds towards the highport. Traffic control makes contact quickly and efficiently, directing Hey-O! to a berth on the appropriate arm. The port is not particularly large but is clearly in good repair and well-maintained. A couple of utility craft are busy around the port, and a fighter or two on patrol. Traffic is fairly light, with just one or two ships in system.
It is standard practice for passengers to be given a quick ‘how to stay out of trouble at this port of call’ briefing by a crewmember or automated announcement before disembarking, and smart Travellers tend to do something similar aboard their own ship. The briefing for Marduk is fairly straightforward, with the following key points:
• Transit to the planetary surface is by way of highport shuttles only.
• Sidearms and hand weapons are permitted on the port and groundside, but nothing heavier. Similarly, light personal body armour of a discreet nature is acceptable but anyone trying to come in with cloth or heavier armor will be refused entry.
• The same rules apply at the downport and its associated city, and there is nowhere else to go on-planet.
• A fairly standard list of probitions on stealing, violence and murder are in place.
• There are no unusual restrictions on items brought in, but licenses are required to sell sensitive
goods such as weapons, starship parts, advanced electronics and the like.
The port’s customs and security people are smartly dressed, polite and efficient. The port has a couple of hotels and some longer-term accommodation available, plus the usual assortment of shops, bars and restaurants. There is enough here to keep visitors amused for a couple of days, but little more than that. Anyone seeking a greater variety of entertainment – not to mention fresh air and a chance to go outside – is directed to the downport shuttle service.
______________________________________________________________
On your second day aboard the high port, you receive a comm from a Mister Alexeis Drabahn of the General Development Corporation (GeDeCo).
”Good afternoon. I was given your name as someone trustworthy by Ms. Sal Dancet. If you know the name, perhaps you would be willing to lend me some of your time. I need a trustworthy group to perform a few challenging tasks for me. Nothing illegal, of course, and it pays well. That is all I can say now.”
”I am unable to leave my post at Marduk Downport as I am in charge of a an extremely complex operation to expand and replace the port’s power system. I would appreciate it if you would be willing to come visit me. I will pay all your expenses in getting to my office and also a a small ‘holiday at Marduk Startown’ bonus even if you turn down my job offer.”
Heading Groundside
The highport-to-downport shuttle service is safe, cheap and efficient (Cr50 each way), though the craft are not high-performance models. Transit to the surface can take two to three hours, with coming back up taking about 50% longer. The variance stems mainly from the fact that the highport is not in a geosynchronous orbit; it would not be possible to go ‘straight up’ or ‘straight down’ even if it were; shuttles loop around the planet in a series of descending orbits that pass over most of the world’s uninhabited continents and seas.
Daneel listens to Drabahn's message with the others. When it ends, he says, "Sal thinks we're trustworthy! I didn't know she cares."
"I'm not sure how excited I can get about a holiday on Marduk, but we probably shouldn't ignore a job offer that pays well."
"We need the money and maybe we can offload what we just took on. I say we check it out." Byron says as he starts considering flight paths in.
"Sounds like a good gig. You want me to go check it out? I have had some experience in these kinds of ...jobs"
Byron brings Nemesis (disguised as Hey-O!) into the dock at Marduk Highport. The team stops for burgers and chili at a small diner on the promenade, then makes their way to the shuttle bay when the announcement tells them departure time is imminent.
Jerry, Daneel, Byron and Jhoolz take the shuttle while Steph, Ray and the marines take leave at the highport.
_________________________________________________________
The shuttle is a 100-ton orbital shuttle named "Pandrisha", with two pilots and seating for ten passengers. It is an old but serviceable craft that hums along as it departs the high port. Below you, Marduk is blue-green marble with wispy white clouds.
On board with you are several other passengers.
A well-dressed vargr in a pinstripe gray business suit sits in the forward window seat, reading the news on his holoreader. An overweight human man sits near him, tutting and and glaring at the bulkheads every time there is a slight bump or variance in the engine noise. He clearly dislikes flying.
A mother and her two children are seated in the back, though the kids get up and run around as soon as Pandrisha has cleared the dock. They are full of questions and energy. The boy is older, perhaps thirteen and the girl is younger, perhaps nine.
A young woman with a large shoulder bag she keeps close to her quietly watches the display screens and keeps to herself. A friendly and talkative man in a jumpsuit is attempting to regale her with tales of his many travels. The name tag on his suit reads "Shulgilim", a Vilani name.
Having no luck with the young woman, Mister Shulgilim turns to you. "Gariil Shulgilim," he says. "Traveling the space lanes and seeing the sights. How about you? What brings you to Marduk?"
Daneel looks around. When he is convinced that Shulgilim is, in fact, talking to him, he replies. "Business planetside. What type of sights are you hoping to see on Marduk?" Daneel pauses a moment, then holds out his hand, "Daneel Baley."
Gariil shakes the hand, grateful to have someone to talk to. "Something most people never have, I guess. Not sure. There's a couple of really spectacular waterfalls on this one river. And supposedly the beaches on Kinruth are really great. I'm gonna check 'em out. Maybe do a little snorkeling. Then I'm thinking about heading back to the Black and maybe seeing Noricum. Used to be something else, they say. Something to really see, I mean."
"If you've got business, It must be at the port. There isn't anything else. A whole beautiful planet and nobody lives anywhere but the islands. I mean, you could make yourself king of Artivus or something and who'd say you weren't? I hope you get some time to look around down there. Don't work too hard."
"Mommy!" calls the little girl, pointing to the businessman. "The doggie has a 'puter!"
"That's not a dog," her brother says. "He's a vargr. He's a person, only he looks like a wolf. But he's not."
"No," agrees the vargr in tolerant tones, setting aside the holoreader and leaning forward. "He isn't. Vargr are just people like you. What's your name?"
The little girl cries and runs to her mother.
"She's Jelith and she's nine," says her brother. "I'm Reg."
"A pleasure to meet you, Reg," says the wolf-headed alien. "I am Mister Sanderson."
"That's not a vargr name," observes Reg.
Before Sanderson can answer or explain, the shuttle jerks hard to port, tossing everyone in the cabin like dice in a god's hand. People scream and the lights flicker.
"Seems that the ride might be rougher than they told us," states Jerry with what he hopes is reassuring authority.
"I think that we should buckle up."
Jerry waits to see if the children can get themselves buckled, or if they need some assistance.
:Whhhah!!! Better get strapped in people...looks like we have some turbulence ahead."
Jhoolz quickly gets into a seat and buckles up!!
Byron also lurches towards a chair and works to get buckled in, "I would be more comfortable behind the controls in this." he grumbles to himself.
Daneel straps in, closes his eyes, and calms his mind. He opens a small window in his defenses then reaches his awareness out toward the cockpit.
Check: Average (8+) Clairvoyance (1D x 10 seconds, PSI)
Reach: Very Distant
PSI Cost: 1
Sanderson manages to crawl back into his seat. Gariil sees the mother trying to get to her daughter and tries to climb toward her, barely able to lift himself against the centrifugal force.
Jerry is struggling as the shuttle jerks and shudders, so simply focuses on getting himself strapped in.
Athletics+STR:
Daneel manages to strap himself in, while Byron and Jhoolz struggle with it, but at last manage to fasten the web straps that hold them into their seats. Jerry, on the other hand, is flung bodily from his seat against the far bulkhead.
Meanwhile, the mother manages to grab her daughter while Gariil grabs the young boy. The shuttle continues to maneuver crazily.
[Daneel, Assuming you use Psionics as above]You envision the cockpit. You can't hear what they're saying, but the pilots are struggling to maneuver the old shuttle. The sky outside doesn't reveal why, but a quick glance at the sensors panel does - there are ships everywhere and plenty of them are firing weapons! The fact that these two middle-aged shuttle pilots are maneuvering the old shuttle as well as they are is impressive.[/spoiler]
"That so unded like weapons fire!" Daneel twists his head about,trying to figure out where it's coming from. "I think the shuttle is under attack!" He pulls out his transceiver and starts scanning for signals.
Jerry tries to crawl, gasping as he twists and feels something move within his chest. Something that shouldn't move, he suspects.
Byron reaches out to grab Jerry and hold onto him.
Anyone, give me orders for Jhoolz.
Jhoolz holds on and tries not to scream as the shuttle shakes and bobs in response to the attack.
"What the heck is going on? We need to get landed...fast! Can anyone get to the cockpit and see what is actually happening?"
After a few moments, the shuttle levels out then makes a sharp turn and begins to dive – but in a more controlled manner. The internal speakers come alive with a breathless and garbled announcement from the bridge:
“Starport under attack… many ships, maybe from Oghma. Strap in, we’ll get you down safe….”
After a moment the pilot adds, “Strap in NOW! Missile alert!”
The shuttle begins to evade violently. The pilots are second-rate freight haulers, flying an old low-performance shuttle that was never designed to survive in combat. Those with naval experience feel a grudging respect for the pilots as they completely evaded a missile launched by a vessel coming down from high orbit. A second does not even come close, and they almost manage to dodge the third. But only almost.
There is a almighty blow to the ship so loud you can no longer hear. A hole is ripped through the hull. Jerry is flung wildly like a toy. Gariil is thrown forward and strikes his head on a display panel. The mother and boy are just gone, sucked out of the hole in the side of the shuttle while the girl is struck by flying debris, her rib cage crushed, her vacant eyes staring at the hole through which her family has disappeared.
The missile is a standard ship-to-ship type, with a multi-function warhead that can either penetrate ship armor and detonate inside or, if a direct hit is not possible (as in this case) create a directed explosion that will hurl fragments of its casing at the target. Most of the fragments go right by such a small target, but the shuttle’s lifters and drive are fatally crippled by the impact. The bridge goes ominously silent but the shuttle is clearly under control as it levels out and streaks towards the coast.
The shuttle’s flight is extremely erratic as it crosses the coast, and by the time it is a few minutes inland it is barely under control. Nevertheless, the pilots do their best to make a controlled crash landing, sending the shuttle skidding along in a deep furrow. It fetches up against some rocky obstruction with a horrible crash. The shuttle
has come to rest at a strange angle and power is failing.
Already the main lights are off, though the emergency system is still working. Finally, the doors are blown off by the emergency system, just as the power dies completely. You have crashed on Marduk but you are alive and intact… for now.