The Long Night Ends (A Traveller T20 Game) (Inactive)

Game Master mdt

Should have made clear, Will say her part after the others have spoken

"You must have a very strong vill, Miss Ragnavoid."

"Others have said the same, I don't I think I would have gone mad if not for a Telthani Psi-Corps Agent, who talked to me in the darkness."

She looked at the Caption,

"I ow that woman much, I am happy to work with you"

she felt she needed to show she for one had no problem with his gifts.

==================

Tag on to the end of what she says to Cathrine

"I give him a number for the oversight officer for the Holt class project, Now your here, seem he was not asking for himself"

She makes a synthetic chuckle, glad to have something light to talk about.

"Well, it appears our command crew knows each other." Ramirez smiles ignoring any reactions (positive or negative) to the Psi-Corps. It's not how he defines himself. "That should make a happier ship. More than half the issues on an exploration mission come from the crew being bottled up together for years."

Cat nods and winks conspiratorially at Ivan's hushed words. Things always seemed a bit more interesting around that man, and this time was certainly no exception!

"Vled's still very much a pest, I'll have you know!" Cat laughs. "Ennoying, but edorable in his wey. End yeh, with some help of my good friend here, I did eventuelly get e ship. One of the new fency ones even! Hendles like e dream." Feels a bit like one too! My own little ship. After a while at least. Eh, it will be worth the wait. And it aint like I'm going to be just waiting around ...

A bit disappointed that she didn't hear a booming voice inside her head (or some other awesome trick!) Cat returned the Captains smile. "Yeh. Some dir- surfecers cen't take it. Well, I bought some pleying cerds..." Dirtsider is a bad word. We agreed not to use that one anymore, right? Right!

nods that is, surfecers and that old belter joke about cards. It was odd to hear Cathrine talk in the thick belter accent. She had not lived in the belts for over 16 years now, and she could her how her own accent had changed, more system norm, more regulation Navy a flash of remembrance

Large ground car lot and her drilling Sargent Yelling

YOU HORRIBLE MAGGOTS, GET THIS INTO YOU SPACE RACK HEADS! SOUND LIKE AN OFFICER, LOOK LIKE AND OFFICER, ACT LIKE AN OFFICER AND YOU MAY JUST BECOME AN OFFICER!! "

Inside her shell she smiled,

Bloody Navy

"Ye i'm testing a new ship as well, The S Class Jump Scout, their loading her later today. She's no where as fast as a Holt but she's got jump 1. I helped design her, Long range scout, she also packs a punch."

Turning.

"O, Captain I meant to say, I will be using her as my personal berth while on ship, she has been fitted for my particular needs."

She let that hang,

Just then two men came over, they looked like Medics.

"Excuse us Miss Ragnavold, but would you mind if we asked you come questions, it's just we have read all the research papers on the work undertaken in your, errr,"

The other jumps in excitedly

"Your reconstruction, and talking to you in person would be such a help in understanding how it has affected you."

"Yes purely from a clinical perspective, how has the lost some much of you natural body affected your sleeping and eating patterns, we read you use a nan-nite food supplement"

They both seem very fascinated by the science.

She looks at the others for help.

"Sorry, Medics, Scout Ragnavold is involved in a crew meeting at the moment. She can meet up with you later on her own time," Aramis says with a polite smile while staring at them until they leave.

After they leave, he replies to Ragnavold, "We'll reviewing personal quarters when we get settled on our ship. I'll consider your request at that time."

"Thank's"

She turns her back in the room to focus on their small group and take her mind off what just happened.

"ya, we can talk about it later"

Ivan grins at the Captain and says "Vell, if you 'ave a desire to provide entertainment for the crew, I could give you the number of a very reputable supplier."

He also nods at the comments about the crew quarters. "I 'ave to admit, I am very curious as to the ship layout. I've mostly piloted cargo transport. And even then, primarily nuclear vessels. Seeing some of the new ship designs should prove quite inter-esting."

"Well this looks to be ending could we please head to our ship"

MWP16 has 5 known warp points. This system was explored over the last 5 years, to ensure it was well known as a starting point. One warp point leads back to MWP08, as was known. Where the other 4 warp points lead has only been cursorily examined by probes.

The other four systems have, thus far, been named only AWP (Alliance Warp Point) 34 to 37. AWP34 to AWP37.

The ships, once they are in MWP16, are given the classified portfolio's on MWP16 (which is just a hot M9 star with a couple of gas giants and a whopping 5 total jump points, nothing remarkable other than that).

They are also given the classified portfolios on AWP34 to AWP37. It is up to the captain which points to investigate. 34 to 37 have only been observed by probes that have never left their warp point stations, to cut down on the chance of being discovered. So there's no hard data on the systems, only long range observations (detailed observations, given they've been observing for 4 to 8 years).

Panic attack while making her way out of the Party Will save 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12 Nope she makes to the ladys room and stays there to way past every gone time then make her way to the ship :)

Once they get ready to set off she works to load the ships and lock everything down, doing the odd space walk to check systems. When She loads her scout it locks into its bay, with the weapon Turret pointed out and a link way to the make ship in place so she can get on board with ease.

When the time comes to move off from the station doc, she takes her pilots seat and jacks into the Nav system.

The ship sets off to the a looted jump point, plots a course wand waits on the Capitan command.

Piloting star ships 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23 there is no flashiness, her piloting is simple, economic and safe

once they get to the jump point the others take over.
Then they jump

Jump sickness 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 I think that is a pass

Once in system she waits on the captain to state next destination.

It had been a full week of preparation. The ships had been triple-checked while the training the crew on their positions. The crew began to gel. Aramis felt he had a good command crew, which should lift the burden of leadership from his shoulders.

When Captain Ramirez came to the bridge everyone was at their station. He secured himself in the command chair and ordered Helm to take the ship from the station. "Navigation, plot a course to AWP34. We'll explore the system in detail before moving to the other systems with only one warp point."

When she said that they were ready to jump, Aramis says, "Ragnavold, initiate jump."

Executive decision to AWP34 to move us along. Forgot what the mechanics of jump sickness. May post some more as we travel in hyperspace when I have time this weekend. Cheers.

jump sickness: 1d20 ⇒ 18

First jump everyone makes a check for sickness. 1d20. If you roll a 1, you have jump sickness. Otherwise, you don't.

Piloting starship for jump 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31

"insinuating jump, on my mark, 3..2...1...juuuu mmmmppppp...."

They come into system, she checks the location plot.

"Jump compleat, location on screens now"

AWP34 is a rather unremarkable little system. There's resources, moons around gas giants, rocky planets with little or no atmosphere, several gas giants for refueling.

Passive or active scans? One ship, or breaking out the smaller ones too?

be a good place to test out full active and the feet"

Checks the systems,

Jump Sickness: 1d20 ⇒ 5 Wheww!

Ivan left just at the first signs of the party beginning to diminish. Not that he really wanted to, after all, this was one of the first real soirée he had been to since his imprisonment. But it made a much better impression to seem like you had important things to do, while staying might give the appearance of being desperate for social interaction. It was a simple application of illusory scarcity.
Of course, he only went back to his apartment. And has he laid in bed he had time to think about the future that lied ahead of him.

I'm going to be in a deep space vessel with a belter and a belter cyborg... Well, at least one of them doesn't look so bad... Though I guess I shouldn't fraternize with the crew... that whole mixing work and pleasure thing...

I wonder what it is going to be like, being so far from home? Will it feel lonely like prison? Will it feel too crowded and confined? Or some odd mixture of both at the same time? Not that my opinion on the whole thing matters at this point... So many terrible ways to die... so few things to do... but I wonder what it feels like to set foot on a alien world for the first time? And what it will be like to communicate with someone of completely different biology? I mean, I've dealt with Mylthani... but they are KNOWN biology... known culture...

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I just need to take this a day at a time. Moment by moment...

- - - - -

Ivan dropped his pack next to the bunk in his quarters upon the Stargazer and took in his new living arrangements.

Well, this is a pitiable sight. I understand the need for efficiency, but even the long range transport trucks had better accommodations than this. But I guess I had better get used to it. Besides, I guess there is always the mess hall and recreation lounge to spend time at. Better to keep my skills sharp around others anyway.

He began to unpack his things into the dressers, already familiar with the self-locking storage units from his time with the Merchant Marines. He found himself wishing for more space as he packed away the various clothes he had brought for different social occasions. His heavy uniforms took up considerable space and he would have preferred to leave them hanging so as to prevent wrinkles. But one does as one must.

Just as he was done stowing his gear did her hear the announcement that they would be leaving port. He took a seat on his bunk, unhappy with the stiffness of it, and sat while he felt the ship rock and jerk with its acceleration.

This is it... this is the beginning of a new era in my life... this is a defining moment, a time when I my experiences shift from the flat of a blade to the razors edge... God help me...

He felt the ship steady and knew it has come into position, but he kept his seat. A few minutes went by before he felt a sudden jerk and a sensation that was not too unlike licking a battery and having your ears pop at the same time. He knew that this was a hyperspace jump, though he had never experienced one before. The feeling quickly passed before he stood up and left the confines of his room to mingle with the crew. He nodded at every crew member, and made sure to smile and make eye contact at the pretty ones.

Making his way towards the bridge, he stood at the back and looked at the screens, before nodding and saying "Nice flying Miss Ragnavoid. Barely felt a thing."

Ynja was possessing a large amount of data by minds of her data link.
Luckily the computer systems on the ship did most of the number crunching. She now had there position fixed in system and was starting a passive scan. She was almost motionless sitting back in her Pilots crash seat, her eyes just looking start ahead, not blinking of focusing. She did not need to see the screens, they ship was sending the telemetrics to her visual implants. Right now use was viewing the star field around the ship by means of its external cameras. But she had time to replay.

The speaker on the monitor close to you Ivan said.

"Thank you Mr Lazarev that was my aim"

Now they are out in space her voice is stronger or self confident sounding.

T/Astrogation 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
T/Sensors 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Without any collision alarms, Aramis orders, "Release the crew from general quarters. Start passive scans of the system. Ragnavold, take us deeper into the system at half flank speed. Validate the emergency jump protocols are ready, in case of a um, an emergency. Communications, hail Pantera and Barston and request status.

Assuming Ivan is first mate, "Lazarez, please determine the optimal launch point for our attached ships to survey the system."

BlinksBrightly, a small cream colored Mylthani twitches it's tail, and the voder box around it's neck speaks. "Pantry says it's fully stocked, locked, and ready to rock. Bar says they've got plenty of liquid on hand, and they can pour us a tall cold one when we get thirsty. Both ships read six by six." Other than the tail twitch, the Mylthani didn't seem to move at all, but then, they rarely do, the ship's computer systems set up to be permanently part of their mental network.

Aramis, I'm pretty sure Ynja is first mate. I'm quartermaster.

yep she's 1st mate, but the captain can order as he pleases.:)

Ynja moves the ship into system as the ship scans, Take 10 = 24, just take it she takes ten on mundane pilot rolls

As the sensor readings begin to roll in from the active sensor pings, Ynja finds, to her horror...

She gos over the data comming in, there seems to be nothing out of sink with what was expected.
Her voice domes over the monitor speakers.

"Unless some thing is passive and hidden in system or using tightbeam lasers to talk, this system is just as it should be. "

The plots of the systems planets are shown on screen.

"Plotting optimum location for exploration."

Ivan responds "Of course, Captain." and turns to a nearby monitor to observe the data from the probes.

Hmm, I've never launched attached ships before. But how hard can it be?

He swallows hard as he starts to look over the star charts, and sends a message to one of the pilot and navigation crew: The Captain has requested we plot optimal launch points for our attached craft. Please draw the plans up and forward them to me. Thank you.

Never do what can be better handled by delegation.

Who's taking the private ships out?

The week of preparation had gone fast, almost too fast. Cat had spent most of it inspecting and getting to know the ship which, when it involved memorizing all the schematics available, took time. So sometimes she just had to take the simpler hands on approach of 'quickly check around to make sure you are alone, then unscrew the cover and take a look'.

It had worked decently well too until people started wondering how she managed to get covered in grease and oil all the time. Eh, plenty of time later I guess ... But it didn't sit all right with her not knowing every nook and crevice of the ship, so for the first jump, she was uncharacteristically worried.

Translation Sickness?: 1d20 ⇒ 15

But as they jerked trough hyperspace and landed safely on the other side, her expression eased up into a wide smile. No faulty soldering had shorted any important circuits, no damaged containment tanks ruptured, no-one forgot to properly secure the starboard maintenance hatch and left it behind on the other side of the jump-node ... I mean, it was one time! They ought to give it up already ...

"Unprospected and hopefully full of valuables?"

Cat laughed and rubbed her hands together.

Cat will most likely take her ship out I guess, since that is basically her profession. Should be enough space and so on board if anymore wants/needs/feels to join, but otherwise she should be pretty self sufficient.

Do you guys want detailed exploration of the system, given it's not got any out bound links, or just a synopsis of what you find?

She piloted the EV-Stargazer to an optimum exploration location.
It took some time flying down into the system. When Pilots talked of a system the sun was always down.

The second Pilot had taken over an she headed down to the flight decks, and onto her own ship, the SEV-"Curious Glance" walking over the docking tube she entered her ship and berth. She went to the Cybernetic bed placed herself on it, It was upright but with her in place hit linked to her body and tilled back. It started to clean and replenished her organics maintenance sub systems, and while it did she linked to her ships computer, doing over her flight planes, the ship was fully prepared.

The ship releases a few probes, and also fires off two of the four ships, and begins spreading out around the system doing a full system survey. The survey takes (Planets/probes+1) + (5xBelts/probes) + (Gas Giant * 1.25), minimum 1/2 ((Planets + Belts + Gas Giant)) (8/4) + (15/5) + (1.25) = 2 + 3 + 1.25 weeks a little over 6 weeks. During this time, the they get detailed readings and maps on all the planets and belts in the system.

Orbit 0: (Habitable Zone) Planet - Asteroid Belt No Gravity(0 G) Density (Average) Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 5
Orbit 2: Planet - 8000 km Low Gravity(0.78125 G) Density (Dense) Axial Tilt (30 degrees) Rotation (2 weeks) Atmosphere (No Atmosphere) Hydrographics (No free-standing liquid. Desert) Climate (Cool ) Avg Temp (-15 C) Biodiversity (NONE) Planetary Year (0.6 Years S) Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 6
Orbit 4: Planet - 9600 km Low Gravity(0.5625 G) Density (Light) Axial Tilt (70 degrees) Rotation (18 hours) Atmosphere (No Atmosphere) Hydrographics (No free-standing liquid. Desert) Climate (Frozen ) Avg Temp (-41 or lower C) Biodiversity (NONE) Planetary Year (2 Years S) Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 4
Orbit 5: AB - Asteroid Belt Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 4
Orbit 6: Planet - 3200 km Very Low Gravity(0.1875 G) Density (Light) Axial Tilt (0 degrees) Rotation (2 months) Atmosphere (No Atmosphere) Hydrographics (No free-standing liquid. Desert) Climate (Frozen ) Avg Temp (-41 or lower C) Biodiversity (NONE) Planetary Year (12 Years S) Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 4
Orbit 7: Planet - 9600 km Low Gravity(0.75 G) Density (Average) Axial Tilt (70 degrees) Rotation (15 hours) Atmosphere (Very Thin, Tainted) Hydrographics (40% surface liquid) Climate (Chilly ) Avg Temp (0 C) Biodiversity (NONE) Planetary Year (84 Years S) Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 3
Orbit 8: Planet - 6400 km Low Gravity(0.375 G) Density (Light) Axial Tilt (80 degrees) Rotation (34 hours) Atmosphere (No Atmosphere) Hydrographics (No free-standing liquid. Desert) Climate (Frozen ) Avg Temp (-41 or lower C) Biodiversity (NONE) Planetary Year (165 Years S)
Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 3
Orbit 9: Empty
Orbit 10: Planet - Asteroid Belt No Gravity(0 G) Density (Average) Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 1
Orbit 14: Planet - 3200 km Very Low Gravity(0.1875 G) Density (Light) Axial Tilt (0 degrees) Rotation (50 hours) Atmosphere (Very Thin) Hydrographics (No free-standing liquid. Desert) Climate (Frozen ) Avg Temp (-41 or lower C) Biodiversity (NONE) Planetary Year (43096 Years S) Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 8
Orbit 15: Planet - 8000 km Low Gravity(0.9375 G) Density (Very Dense) Axial Tilt (80 degrees) Rotation (29 hours) Atmosphere (No Atmosphere) Hydrographics (No free-standing liquid. Desert) Climate (Frozen ) Avg Temp (-41 or lower C) Biodiversity (NONE) Planetary Year (121863 Years S) Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 1
Orbit 16: LGG - Large Gas Giant, 90,000km, 2.5G Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 1
Orbit 17: Planet - 9600 km Low Gravity(0.75 G) Density (Average) Axial Tilt (50 degrees) Rotation (9 hours) Atmosphere (Trace) Hydrographics (No free-standing liquid. Desert) Climate (Frozen ) Avg Temp (-41 or lower C) Biodiversity (NONE) Planetary Year (974728 Years S) Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 3

Overall the entire system is resource poor. The inner planet and asteroid belt have average concentrations of iron, transuranics, and silicates.

The 7th planet out surprisingly has a high concentration of radioactives and lighter elements like aluminum, carbon, and silica. Planetologist thinks it may have been a captured planet due to it's high degree of eccentricity (it's 40 degrees off the plane of the ecliptic for the rest of the system).

She was on her own in space, this was the dream, no one to tell her what to do, she was fully linked to the ship seeing with its Systems. She spotted a small rock some 30k out and tested the pulse laser on it. As it flashed she read the light spectrum looking at its make up. Nothing of use.

Orbit 5 was a good belt just not full of anything much. Test two more rocks and she would move deep down see what 4 was like.

Her ship spun and shift as she headed off to the next rock, her scout was new and to her a thing of to love and enjoy.

Being back at the Stargazer again after six weeks of joyrides felt a bit weird. She still hadn't grown accustomed to *so many people* on a ship. But at least she had had some 'me time' the previous weeks. And a fully equipped kitchen had its perks. So all in all she was pretty happy about the situation at the moment, despite the slim pickings. With a clipboard in hand she reported her findings to the Captain (whom probably already knew, since they had radioed it in earlier. But procedure was procedure!).

"So, there is besicelly just the weird plenet thet hes enything veluble. I meen, there is plenty of iron - but not so much it is worth trevelling here to pick it up!"

She looks over her notes and shuffles among the papers for a moment.

"There is one of them plenets with water end decent tempereture, but the etmosphere is thin and teinted. Could probebly heve e bese there, but why?"

After six weeks, Aramis was pleased with the crew that was working well together. While beset with only minor emergencies, the time allowed them to practice their position and learn about the strengths and weaknesses of the other crew. He intended to keep a happy crew, and he only cheated a little using his telempathy to confirm their emotions.

He was especially pleased with Gagarin and Ragnavold. Their separate ships allowed them to finish this relatively boring system in great time. To him, the results of the surveys were what they were. They were cataloging them for development by others. Unless, there was sentient species, they would not get too involved.

"Let's finish resupply here, then we'll jump to the AWP37 via MWP16. We'll stop at MWP16 for an hour or so while all ships can inspect their status. Let's move people."

SEV-"A Curious Glance"

She stood looking out the window, as the radio call came in, it was
Cathrine going over the Data from the surveys. Ynya was 1.02 light hours from Cathrine so it was all old news. But she picked up when the news of a water planet but then down again at the news of a Bad Atmo.

"O will"
She walked into the hold and looked over her rock samples, checking she had stacked them and locked down the box's. Once she was happy she headed to the small common area. As this was her ship and she was the only one on it, she lay down. Looking at the over head lights, it was set low to save power. In fact the whole life support was set low. Not that much life to support and her internal systems looked after that. The ship was on auto pilot heading to her next survey point. She was lessoning to music. The Coraos twins, classic earth music. She lay there for some time and then headed to the command deck. She took a seat and jacked in.

"This is SEV-"A Curious Glance" making my daily called in. All is well here, heading to 227-22 -A for second survey sweep. All green here"

She would wait now and see what the others called in.

Any reason why you're linking to an article about Louisiana being an idiot like it usually is and teaching creationism in school?

All the ships make a safe transit. While in the same area, the fuel carrier refuels all the ships, taking a couple of hours. Then it requests permission to head over to the gas giant and reload on fuel while the rest of the fleet continues on to the next system.

The cargo ship also resupplies the other ships with food, to ensure their stores are topped off.

The fleet, sans the fueling ship, transits to AWP37.

A cheery yellow sun fills the viewscreens, as the warp point is actually fairly close in and above the plane of the ecliptic. The system is fairly sparse, however.

Star Type : Main Sequence (Dwarf) Star Size V
Spectral Class/Color G/Yellow
Warp Points : 1
Orbital Specs
Orbit 2: (Habitable Zone) Planet - 6400 km Low Gravity(0.5 G) Density (Average) Axial Tilt (80 degrees) Rotation (23 hours) Atmosphere (Thin, Tainted) Hydrographics (20% surface liquid) Climate (Tropical ) Avg Temp (25 C) Biodiversity (NONE) Planetary Year (0.6 Years S) Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 10
Orbit 6: Planet - 3200 km Very Low Gravity(0.3125 G) Density (Dense) Axial Tilt (80 degrees) Rotation (1 months) Atmosphere (No Atmosphere) Hydrographics (No free-standing liquid. Desert) Climate (Frozen ) Avg Temp (-41 or lower C) Biodiversity (NONE) Planetary Year (12 Years S) Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 4
Orbit 14: LGG - Large Gas Giant, 90,000km, 2.5G Resources: 1d10 ⇒ 10

AWP37-I is a yellow planet that spins has a day just under one standard day, and a year that's just a little over six standard months. The surface temperature at the equator is a balmy 33C, while at the poles it's a chilly 15C. Several small oceans dot the surface, the water tinted a dirty yellowish orange color. The planet comes up as loaded with magnesium, platinum, scandium, and yttrium. All rare earths, and all valuable. The atmosphere is only about 0.47 atmospheres, and it's tainted because there's no free floating oxygen in the atmosphere, at least not above trace levels. There's oxides in the atmosphere, from the water, and it does rain occasionally, but the atmosphere would require life support to breath (oxy scrubbers to pull oxy out of the oxides in the mix).

AWP-VI is a small but dense planet with a high lead content. No atmosphere, and bitterly cold with a frozen surface.

AWP-XIV is a large gas giant, on the same scale as Jupiter. It has moons: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6 moons, a couple the size of small planets. The rocky ring system around the planet indicates that at least one, possibly as many as five, smaller rocky planets broke up in the tidal forces around the planet to form the rocky ring. The rocky ring, and several of the planets, are high in rare earths, irons, transuranics, titanium, and platinum.

Takes 2/3 + 1.25 = 3 weeks to survey.

"Jeckpot!" Cat laughed over the radio. "The plenet full of temperetured swimming-pools contein velubles. Lots! End e mine here wouldn't be emiss. Heck, meybe even e shipyerd. There is plenty of meteriels, a ges gient for fuel ..." She pauses for a while to think. "...Hmm. Do we went to touch down end teke e closer look ourselves? Might not find eny plenets this hospiteble in e while - end I heven't been on eny elien world ..."

@tainted atmosphere - so it is basically not poisonous, just lacking in oxygen? Sounds like a perfect candidate to introduce some seaweed to and terraform ... : )

But then, the heavy metal content might not be the best for life :P

Technically, it's poisonous due to the oxides, sulfur oxide, magnesium oxide, etc dust in the air. Yes, the planet is right on the edge of what could be terraformed. It'll never have bird life with that atmosphere, but a few centuries of work and it might end up having some life and life cycles. If enough energy is put into it. It has water, oxygen, and nitrogen atmosphere. More than likely it would require genetically designed plants and microbes to do the terraforming.

"Gagarin, we have different definitions of hospitable. You are cleared for a closer look but don't exit your ship." Aramis replies.

During the system survey, Aramis requests the fuel carrier refill at the gas giant within system to keep all their bunkers topped.

"*Heh*. I heve my mesk in cese, shouldn't be eny trouble. Might not even need the suit! But I'll settle for just looking then... 'Gergerin' is my old men, cell Cet or Cethrine et leest!"

'Gargain'? 'Would you like some tea with your scones miss Gargain?' Quietly she shook her head. It didn't feel right going by her surname. Maybe it was just a holdover from her belter days - calling anyone by their surname on board there would just make a mess out of things!

"Very well, Cethrine. Take care. Stargazer, out."

The atmosphere isn't readily breathable, but the ship indicates no life forms, and nothing immediately toxic to human life.

The ship lands near a lake. The sensor readings read a nice 26C outside, and wind blows past, kicking up dust devils that are a bright yellow. The sky is, oddly enough, a green with blue hilights. The water is yellow not because it's reflecting, but because of the high concentrations of yellow quartz (citrine) in the sand. This indicates a high concentration of iron particles. However, the planet's density doesn't indicate an iron core.

Eventually the planetology boffins decide that the most likely solution is that while the planet never had an iron core, it did get bombarded early in the system's creation by the same iron cloud that formed the dense planet and the moons of the gas giant. As the iron clouds fell into the center of the system during formation, they likely coated the planet like a spray painter throwing on yellow paint. So a lot of iron particles in the crust, but no large concentrations, everything spread out.

While the parasite craft were out exploring, Ivan did what he could to keep crew morale up. He arranged for some distractions for the crew. In this case a poker tournament, with the stakes be portions of the individuals luxury rations for things like alcohol, tobacco, and sweets. It was an easy enough thing that required very little in the way of supplies and kept the off duty troops busy and it kept them from doing it in a more 'unregulated' fashion.

In fact, this has been successful enough that he was already putting together plans for a sort of competition of skill amongst the crew departments. Kind of like a ship wide Olympics except with things like disassembling and reassembling an APC engine instead of the 100 meter dash. Of course, he was still trying to figure out where to get the rewards from...

- - - - -

Ivan smiled wide at the reports from the latest jump.

So many valuable materials. I wonder if we'll cart any of it off ourselves? Given a few weeks I could probably turn us quite a profit with just a small amount of those materials... but of course we are explorers, not miners. And probably not traders either.

His smile gave way to a more neutral expression as he made his way to the bridge. Catherine should be arriving to do a full survey of one of the planets and he was interested to see what the surface of it looked like.

Nice fluff. :) When you add crew members, please put them on the ship roster. :) Thanks

Ynja had picked the long hall to, AWP-XIV it was up system, as a gas giant would be their refuelling station once the big tanker came in. She had wanted to scout the moons, but not alone this time, She picked, Heddi Appkins a woman Scientist and Relina Kildor a young Ensign who wanted flight time on her book. They where good company and did not grumble to much about the tight space on the Scout. She could have gone alone but this was not a fly past and she would be setting up a mining rig, more hands the better for that.

They had done three moons an now the jack pot. She was standing on a larger moon, faint atmo cold and hard, but it was packed with rare earths and... Heddi have the thumbs up.

They where standing next to a drilling rig on the surface of AWP-XIV-M3
The 3ed moon look at the core sample. They had not gone to deep, just 30m but there they where transuranics. They had picked up the redirection signature on a fly over. Landing and heading out in a hardened suit, it had taken a while to set the rig up. But worth it.

"Scout Ynja Eva Ragnavold an party, Day three, report, We have drilled down over the radiation spike site and found chemical elements whos atomic numbers are greater than 92, along with the other locations that hold high concentrations and exactables, irons, titanium, and platinum and now transuranics add to the rare earths we have found this is a prime location for prospecting. Sending final data specks now. Ship code and send to mother."

The ships AI voice came back.

"Sending now"

She felt good, this was a rich system and with what
Cathrine had found on Cathrine's world, she made a joke to her self over that. This system could hold a space port mining site with ease.
Yes it would be under habitat but Belters where used to that. She looked at the drilling right. It would take a day to take down and pack away but it had to be done. best start now. She set to pack the cores away as the other started to braking the rig down. It had been a good trip.

Just to clarify, the fueling ship is in MWP16, not AWP37. Against regs for it to enter and refuel from a system before the scout ship has. They can only enter when the scout ship declares no hostile forces in the area. So the cargo ship has transited and is station keeping on the warp point. However, the fuel ship refueled at the gas giant, and is likely in transit back to the warp point.

Cat pushed her nose against the airlock window and her hands played with the controls. I wonder how they would take a little insubordination? she thought to herself and grinned. The thought was interesting, but it probably wouldn't come across all that great. And the surface didn't look as appetizing as the orbital scans had indicated. Not sure if I would want to step into that yellow pool ... Instead, she settled for heading to the observation deck and gazing upon the wondrous and alien sky while her instruments took their readings.

//

A while later, most of the sensors had gathered the initial data required. Sure, they could go on and collect valuable sensor information for years probably - but that was not their job. Grabbing her radio, she routed herself trough the ships comms and sent of a message to the 'mothership'.

"I think I got the besics now. Unless I stey for enother month, I won't get enything new this way. Should I heed back up?"

"Received, Ynja. Good work. Stargazer out." Aramis responded.

"Your call, Cethrine. You wanted to take the closer look. Just don't turn into SAR event. Stargazer out." Aramis replied.

The surveys continued to steadily advance, and the crew continued to gel. Aramis didn't a portion much credit to the happy crew to himself, because his leadership style was a light touch and had yet to be tested.

They where playing card in the small shared area of the SEV-"A Curious Glance" the other two had just eaten and Ynja had drunk a "Ninite shake" as she called them. A thick glue like drink that kept her alive and in good health. They has set the reporting instrument pods up and where waiting a while to while to see they where working before dusting off.

"So Ynja, I mean we have'nt asked, you know out of politeness but I want to know. What's it like to have a body like that, I mean we all know about the accident and all, but when they said someone had survived you know, its just.."

it was Relina Kildor the young Navy Ensign that asked.
Ynja had been waiting, they always asked, she would have just brushed them off but she could see Heddi looking at her with real interest and worry. They got a along, had done the whole week, so she decided to tell them the truth.

"Painful sometimes, numb the some, I lost my sense of smell and taste, I can feel a little my food drinks but nothing more. I have an odd sense smell, my body analogise the pheromones around it and gives date flash, but its not the same."

She nodded looking down
"My tactile sense is low but my proprioception, temperature senses are extraordinary. My hearing is better then normal humans, my eyesight as well, plus I have a distance detector and much better low light vision and I can pick up radio, It means I had to learn a whole new way to feel my way around the world. This body will keep in for days but I get real mean headaches if I do so its best to keep to a normal human time table of work and rest. I take drugs to sort things and the Cyberbed here Cleans my system out once in a blue moon. It all means if live in an odd world now, like being in a shell. Each day I say to myself, oneday one day you will have the money to pay for the research for tank grown body's. Records show is was done, we just dont have the info but one day."

The bother nodded and cared on with the game.