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Seggas follows Sturmvanger out the door, giving him and then Guardian Kokulu a smile. She steps into a position behind the dragonkin as she mentally adds some healing serums to her mental shopping list.
"Guardian, do you have some armor that would protect you from the vacuum of space? It's a very rare chance something will happen that makes that a necessity, but still important to have."
"Yes, I have environmental support built into my garb." She provides the name of the charter vessel, and most of you recognize it as belonging to Periphery Stars, a small interstellar freight carrier that's had to deal with numerous hardships over the past few G-years.
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Amy wasn't familiar with the company, but she had seen their ships go by while she was drifting outside the station stargazing. Her eyebrows went up when she saw Seggas's news.
Maybe I'll go in front with the pilot .... just in case She replies back on their shared channel. I am rated on most vessels. Besides, I'm sure I messed up with the Guardian
She also wonders how much walking they will have to do, and whether or not she might have to hire a hoverchair in case gravity gets too much.
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Seggas gives a small facepalm as people open start talking about the possible problems that the ship might face, but they could have worded it worse... Now that the space cat was out of the port, no point beating around the bush. She pulls up the infosphere on her datapad and tries to see if there's not another charter with better reputation on the same/similar route available on short notice, and checks the return policy of Periphery Stars. the tiefling gives a small hissing sigh and instead starts to look up what kind of problems have been encountered in the past, schematics of the ship models and if there's nothing she could fix.
"Well, what are we waiting for, there's little to be gained or seen by standing around."
Shrani smiles. "Oh, that sounds like a fine adventure! And I'm sure that you can keep me safe. Let's go!"
Perhaps it's the time of day, or (more likely) the rumors that Periphery Stars' ships have been having issues, but the party has the vessel all to themselves. A robotic voice explains the process, detailing that the ship is scheduled for a 2-hour flight* that takes it around the nearby Armada and then several close fly-bys of Absalom Station.
Anyone with at least a rank in Computers, Engineering, or Piloting immediately notices that the ship's controls haven't been removed--they've just been covered with fairly simple plating. It wouldn't take much effort to get the plating off and take control of the starship.
*
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Darkrunner looks at the plating, and then smiles at the rest of the group.
I think we can deal with this...
He begins fidgeting with the plates, attempting to remove them and access the computer behind.
Just in case something goes wrong... it'll be good to already have control.
Hmm, that wasn't hard. Surely we aren't the first tourists to do this.
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Seggas looks at the exposed controls. "I wonder if this is the basis of those 'problems' we've heard about. Anyways seems we have access to the controls and a very talented pilot, so if anything were to go wrong we don't have to worry... But seeing as we have time, Guardian, I also dabble in experimental genetics manipulation on the side. How would you like to try seeing the depths of space on the ultraviolet spectrum as well as the normal light spectrum? I assure you..."
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Sturmvanger was just sizing up how difficult it would be to tear the panels off to get to the controls underneath when Darkrunner removes them in a much less violent and damaging manner.
The dragonkin gives a shrug which causes the talons at the tops of his folded wings to tap the ceiling before he pulls his head and shoulders out of the cockpit.
He heads toward the back, putting up the arm between two seats and wedging himself into them.
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Amy does do some adjustments to the flight in order to give the passengers some more interesting views. During a lull in the robotic commentary, she'll even get on the ship internal comms and give a quick astronomy lecture.
Hopefully Periphery Tours Control won't notice too much.
- using Divine Blessing as reroll
She takes her shaking hands off the controls. I'm too anxious ... I can't do this she thinks to herself. Yeah ... I'm messing this up SO bad. The delegate is going to give a bad report to Chiskisk about me
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Amy doesn't object at all and swaps over to the secondary position. She had been trying to quell her panic attack by rapidly breathing in a paper bag.
Once she calms down.
Panic attack ... yeah ... please don't tell the others, and especially not the delegate .... it's really embarrising. I thought I was mostly over them but .... obviously not.
To be honest, I'm not good at social situations, I think I've already messed up this mission and ... well ..... our delegate isn't the only one who dislikes crowds.
Since she had restored the gravity to normal before Darkrunner entered, she drew herself a glass of water from the nearby dispenser and gulped it down.
Yaw five degrees left. she then suggests. They should get a better view of the station backdropped against the Galaxy Core that way.
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As he moves the ship along, Darkrunner considers Amy's troubles. They aren't known to him first-hand, but he understands that the organisms get the nervous system that they were dealt.
I will not tell anyone. But, do consider that Guardian Kokulu may appreciate this shared struggle. If you get a chance to tell her in confidence, think about it.
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Amy nodded. Yeah ... although I'm also wondering if I've already made a bad impression with her. I'm also worried that Seggas, having been bonded with a dragon partner, well ... how that will affect our friendship.
She sighs. I guess I'm not a social person anyway, being a nerd. And that's the first time I've had a panic attack in the pilot's seat. Oooh .. that could get my license suspended. Mind you, I'm more used to a Pegasus, several hundred hours in the Spitfire by itself - but still ..... *shrugs*
The delegate gives Amy a slight smile and a head shake. "Now is not the time for an astronomy talk, hm? Though if I have any questions about that I'll certainly come to you."
Once the android takes the helm, though, her face lights up. She leans forward in her seat, drinking in the view.
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Unless the delegate wants to talk about Triaxus, spectacle combat, the best way to close a wound or...no, that's pretty much all Sturmvanger knows...he doesn't have anything interesting to say.
He's also not particularly the type to feel like conversation is good or even needed. He's more than content to sit in the back and watch the view going by, himself.
Darkrunner-42 keeps roughly to the programmed itinerary (albeit with more maneuvering, to allow greater viewing access to the ships of the Armada), and after an hour or so the programmed route would have the party returning to the station to take a few orbits around it. Suddenly and without warning, the ship begins to judder and shake, as though it was experiencing turbulence (or at least what turbulence would feel like in-atmosphere).
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The android sighs audibly. Of course the issue is the ship itself... of course. The issue is coming from old cargo pods at the fore of the vessel.
He glances over at the Dragonkin to check his readiness.
Sturmvanger, do you mind stopping down there and having a look? Take a buddy with you... or two, or three... I'll keep the helm under control.
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Sturmvanger grips the armrests of the seats tightly as the vessel shudders and shakes. He relaxes as it settles back into a smooth course, his entire body resuming it's normal sinuous shape as opposed to the more rigid posture he'd had.
He nods at Darkrunner's request, his head bobbing up and down at the end of his long neck.
"If you can keep the ship steady up here, we can deal with what's going on down below," he says.
For a moment, he contemplates his impact cannon but it will undoubtedly be tight quarters down there so instead he unlimbers his doshko as he heads down and forward.
The Guardian smiles at Gava's invitation. "Why, I believe I would. Tell me, though--do you often use a gun to repair malfunctioning components?"
Amy, Sturmvanger, and Gava (with mount) head to the port side cargo hold, followed by the delegate. The dragonkin realizes that his quickest route is going to be through the wardroom and the center hold, as almost all of the corridors are too small for his bulk.
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Seggas settles into a seat in the main cabin with Sturmvanger and Guardian Kokulu, ready to espouse about the details of the stars seen commonly around the station as well as the station itself.
She finds that the provided tour proves to be pretty informative on its own, only adding bits of details here or there. As she settles she glances over at Sturm.
Giving a small sigh as she realizes that there's not much scientific knowledge to be gained here, Seggas perks up as the ship starts to shake.
"Ohhh, that's not supposed to be happening. I wonder what is up." She is quickly on her feet, and double checks her gun is in its holster, before she nods at Darkrunner's request. "Let's go see if this is mechanical or organic. Ohh, exciting!"
She follows Sturmvanger down the middle hallway, intent on helping him if the need arose.
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The Guardian smiles at Gava's invitation. "Why, I believe I would. Tell me, though--do you often use a gun to repair malfunctioning components?"
Amy, Sturmvanger, and Gava (with mount) head to the port side cargo hold, followed by the delegate. The dragonkin realizes that his quickest route is going to be through the wardroom and the center hold, as almost all of the corridors are too small for his bulk.
"Personally I don't. Not with a gun or with a wrench. Mechanical works are not my area of expertise, but once in a while the real source of the malfunctions is a saboteur or vermin chewing on the cables. They tend to not let the more technologically inclined members of our organization do their work. Out membership includes experts in almost any field you'd care to name, and I'd much rather talk out a problem over a cup of soup than blast everything that gets in our way, but the other parties aren't always so accommodating."
El'zar follows along with our delegate and tries to make conversation.|
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He is slightly overwhelmed at the influx of information and cocks his head to the side at some of the results, even smiling faintly.
<I wonder what it's like having fur.> he says as he sifts through some of the images.
Sturmvanger cocks his head to the side and there seems to be a faint smile on his mouth for a moment before he focuses again.
"Seggas and I will go down the central corridor. The rest of you come down one of the side corridors. If there's anything causing the trouble, we'll catch it in a pincher movement."
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Seggas's eyebrows raise a little on her face, before a genuine smile comes across it.
<Fur is easy. You'd be surprised by the number of people who want oversaturated full body fur. But it can wait. I don't want it messing with any combat focused modifications or vice versa... Also you wouldn't get to enjoy it half as much.>
She gives a small warning to Amy. "Amy! Are you sure you want to get ahead of everyone like that? Don't get yourself hurt, I hate having to stich up friends!"
Darkrunner identifies the malfunction locations in the port bow hold.
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Uh Darkrunner ...... which cargo hold? There appears to be two
The android sighs audibly. [b]Of course the issue is the ship itself... of course. The issue is coming from old cargo pods at the fore of the vessel.
and um ... is it possible to kill the gravity in there?
And if anything needs fixing, I'm not an engineer .... if you want to come down, I'll take over monitoring the controls. I ... believe I can handle it now
Darkrunner looks at Amy, thinking for a moment, and then accommodates. If you'd like, you can take over the controls and I can head down with them. The auto-pilot should be sufficient as well.
The android follows the team down to the cargo hold. Once out of sight of Guardian, he draws his laser pistol.