0004 Pequan to Tremous Dex

[joertexas]

Flighty set the imager down. “Like I said, it’s only intellectual curiosity at this point. We have more pressing issues to deal with.”

Zaki looks at Donovan. "I think I should have stayed in the Imperial core." Her lip quirks again as she meets his gaze.

[terrymixon]

Flighty set the imager down. “Like I said, it’s only intellectual curiosity at this point. We have more pressing issues to deal with.”

Zaki looks at Donovan. "I think I should have stayed in the Imperial core." Her lip quirks again as she meets his gaze.

"What?" Flighty asks with a lopsided smile. "You don't want to add fanatical Ancients' hunters to our list of problems?"

Flighty

[Tiglath]

He frowned. “If people that encounter these become thralls, why did that not happen to us? Is it an artifact of whoever is employing it and we dodged that bullet by being unsupervised? None of us is under any compulsion. It might be the Zhodoni rather than the artifact.”

She shrugs "I think it is the Zhodani. I only recalled serving with one of them just recently. So I fear they have been in my mind with their magic - now I think I have double amnesia".

[terrymixon]

He frowned. “If people that encounter these become thralls, why did that not happen to us? Is it an artifact of whoever is employing it and we dodged that bullet by being unsupervised? None of us is under any compulsion. It might be the Zhodoni rather than the artifact.”

She shrugs "I think it is the Zhodani. I only recalled serving with one of them just recently. So I fear they have been in my mind with their magic - now I think I have double amnesia".

"Maybe the more recent exposure will allow the memories of what was concealed--if anything--to come to light. What an interesting situation we all find ourselves in."

He looked at the rest. "Any final objections? If not, we'll spend the week scouring the ship for additional issues and setting up to arrive and leave promptly at our interim stop. I'll have the new course plotted and will doublecheck it once we are out of jump space. Sigrun, if you feel up to it, I'd like to have you show me how to fight better in hand-to-hand. I know a little, but we might need more soon."

OOC: Eris, barring any last-minute discussion, Flighty will focus on learning Melee-1 and looking over the piloting systems and navigation programs to make sure there are no ugly surprises hidden there. The communications systems as well, since we don't want to send signals we don't intend to. He'll also check the transponder just to be sure it doesn't have something there.

Flighty

[Tiglath]

"Maybe the more recent exposure will allow the memories of what was concealed--if anything--to come to light. What an interesting situation we all find ourselves in."

He looked at the rest. ".. Sigrun, if you feel up to it, I'd like to have you show me how to fight better in hand-to-hand. I know a little, but we might need more soon."

Sigrún nods absently "Karcsi is better than me with his spear. If you want to truly master a weapon you should study with him". Then she looks up - disconcerting mismatched eyes and sharp white teeth "I'll teach you to win in close combat. Pick a melee weapon that gives you the biggest advantage for your build and maximise that - then bring your pistol to melee training". She eyes Flighty up and down "Can you work in a vacc suit and zero G Foringi Flighty? If so take a boarding axe like mine - not only a weapon but extra reach and grip. Hah, I'll teach you to board ships like a Sword Worlds raider! Learn to fight in an environment where others can't compete and you're already fighting dead men".

It appears Sigrún is pilot trained as declared so can at least stand "command watch" during jump while the ship is scoured for "extras" and "things that shouldn't be there"...

(OOC: And... Terry you now have rotating pictures of a particular nerf herder as your portrait... ).

[Eris]

He frowned. “If people that encounter these become thralls, why did that not happen to us? Is it an artifact of whoever is employing it and we dodged that bullet by being unsupervised? None of us is under any compulsion. It might be the Zhodoni rather than the artifact.”

She shrugs "I think it is the Zhodani. I only recalled serving with one of them just recently. So I fear they have been in my mind with their magic - now I think I have double amnesia".

"Maybe the more recent exposure will allow the memories of what was concealed--if anything--to come to light. What an interesting situation we all find ourselves in."

He looked at the rest. "Any final objections? If not, we'll spend the week scouring the ship for additional issues and setting up to arrive and leave promptly at our interim stop. I'll have the new course plotted and will doublecheck it once we are out of jump space. Sigrun, if you feel up to it, I'd like to have you show me how to fight better in hand-to-hand. I know a little, but we might need more soon."

OOC: Eris, barring any last-minute discussion, Flighty will focus on learning Melee-1 and looking over the piloting systems and navigation programs to make sure there are no ugly surprises hidden there. The communications systems as well, since we don't want to send signals we don't intend to. He'll also check the transponder just to be sure it doesn't have something there.

Flighty

Okay!

The ship is thoroughly scoured and no more bombs or traps are discovered. The navigation, avionics, and piloting programs appear completely normal as do all other systems. The cargo is searched, it is what it appears to be. As far any of you can tell, the ship is a-ok!

Fuel is processed for another Jump 1, a plot is laid in for an immediate jump from Tremous Dex to Rangent and double checked to make sure the calculations entered were accepted as entered and not changed in some way. While this was going on Sigrun and Donovan went over the ship's weapons, they also appear to be just as they should be.

A couple of days before the ship comes out of jump Doug makes a suggestion, "You know, we could disconnect the Transponder so it just doesn't come on when we re-enter N-Space. We can't do anything about the re-entry flash, but we don't have to broadcast where and who we are. I know how to do it, not that I've ever actually done it for real as that's a serious crime in the Imperium and likely most everywhere else civilized. However, in this case it might be self-defense and as far as being a crime, unless we're caught it never happened, right?"

"I don't know about doing that when we get to Rangent. Not if we intend to head for a port there. That would mark us as outlaws, pirates or reavers, at the least." Doug continues, "I doubt anyone even semi-legal is going to work with a ship running dark. That's just too dangerous for them."

"What do you think?"

[Tiglath]

"Ágeatavel - a bottle of mead for the Chief!"

It appears that Sigrún approves of the litany of Imperial high crimes (let alone the concurrent misdemeanors and liabilities) proposed here. [It may indeed have been a question in the Mercantile Examinations (Law & Ethics) paper under "What could a Captain possibly have done... ?" The answer was of course: e) All of the above].

"I don't know about doing that when we get to Rangent. Not if we intend to head for a port there. That would mark us as outlaws, pirates or reavers, at the least." Doug continues, "I doubt anyone even semi-legal is going to work with a ship running dark. That's just too dangerous for them."

"What do you think?"

She says with a cheerful grin "Chief, I think you have also just cracked the problem of how to access Rangent's "grey economy" and mask this ship's arrival there. Not bad for an Engineer!"

She looks at Flighty "Well, Foringi - if we're doing this we need to work on your melee skills and your lang Belta".

Glancing over at Donovan she smiles "And your Sagamaal. In fairness, your "old tongue" will pass you off as a raider more than well enough but your swagger... needs... some work - your "Imperial" is showing". She grins "When you step off into a port just the mere sight of a raider should make men check their weapons even as it makes women dally while they are shooed indoors!"

(OOC: Trans = Awesome!).

[ateno]

Karcsi weary from the 14 hours of crawling thru vents and various enclosed spaces sits with a Thump and a clatter from something being dropped and pops the last beer from the planet and drinks heartily.

"Flighty, I would like 12 hours off for sleep please. I know I am not really a navel guy and my only skill is overshadowed by the
doctor, but whatever you need. OK?""

He then gains Sigrún's attention with a weary smile and hold up two axes printed to her satisfaction and a copy of his own spear.

Karcsi

[terrymixon]

"Maybe the more recent exposure will allow the memories of what was concealed--if anything--to come to light. What an interesting situation we all find ourselves in."

He looked at the rest. ".. Sigrun, if you feel up to it, I'd like to have you show me how to fight better in hand-to-hand. I know a little, but we might need more soon."

Sigrún nods absently "Karcsi is better than me with his spear. If you want to truly master a weapon you should study with him". Then she looks up - disconcerting mismatched eyes and sharp white teeth "I'll teach you to win in close combat. Pick a melee weapon that gives you the biggest advantage for your build and maximise that - then bring your pistol to melee training". She eyes Flighty up and down "Can you work in a vacc suit and zero G Foringi Flighty? If so take a boarding axe like mine - not only a weapon but extra reach and grip. Hah, I'll teach you to board ships like a Sword Worlds raider! Learn to fight in an environment where others can't compete and you're already fighting dead men".

It appears Sigrún is pilot trained as declared so can at least stand "command watch" during jump while the ship is scoured for "extras" and "things that shouldn't be there"...

"Maybe print me up one of those boarding axes, then. I can manage myself in a suit (using Jack-of-all-Trades-3), though that's more being handy than having the skill for real. Similar for zero-G work (Zero-G-0)." He had Melee-0 as well.

He'll happily trade off command watches. Donovan also has the pilot skill, I think. Not sure if anyone else does.

(OOC: And... Terry you now have rotating pictures of a particular nerf herder as your portrait... ).

Figured I needed an image and that is roughly how he looks, if not dresses.

Flighty

[terrymixon]

Okay!

The ship is thoroughly scoured and no more bombs or traps are discovered. The navigation, avionics, and piloting programs appear completely normal as do all other systems. The cargo is searched, it is what it appears to be. As far any of you can tell, the ship is a-ok!

Fuel is processed for another Jump 1, a plot is laid in for an immediate jump from Tremous Dex to Rangent and double checked to make sure the calculations entered were accepted as entered and not changed in some way. While this was going on Sigrun and Donovan went over the ship's weapons, they also appear to be just as they should be.

A couple of days before the ship comes out of jump Doug makes a suggestion, "You know, we could disconnect the Transponder so it just doesn't come on when we re-enter N-Space. We can't do anything about the re-entry flash, but we don't have to broadcast where and who we are. I know how to do it, not that I've ever actually done it for real as that's a serious crime in the Imperium and likely most everywhere else civilized. However, in this case it might be self-defense and as far as being a crime, unless we're caught it never happened, right?"

"I don't know about doing that when we get to Rangent. Not if we intend to head for a port there. That would mark us as outlaws, pirates or reavers, at the least." Doug continues, "I doubt anyone even semi-legal is going to work with a ship running dark. That's just too dangerous for them."

"What do you think?"

"I think that's a good idea. Let's do it for Tremous Dex for sure. The less they know about us, the better."

Flighty

[terrymixon]

"Ágeatavel - a bottle of mead for the Chief!"

It appears that Sigrún approves of the litany of Imperial high crimes (let alone the concurrent misdemeanors and liabilities) proposed here. [It may indeed have been a question in the Mercantile Examinations (Law & Ethics) paper under "What could a Captain possibly have done... ?" The answer was of course: e) All of the above].

"I don't know about doing that when we get to Rangent. Not if we intend to head for a port there. That would mark us as outlaws, pirates or reavers, at the least." Doug continues, "I doubt anyone even semi-legal is going to work with a ship running dark. That's just too dangerous for them."

"What do you think?"

She says with a cheerful grin "Chief, I think you have also just cracked the problem of how to access Rangent's "grey economy" and mask this ship's arrival there. Not bad for an Engineer!"

"The law level there is pretty low, so that might not get us too much trouble. Or it might cause problems. I'm inclined to come in dark but be open about wanting to keep our identities under the hat. We can further confuse the issue by using Sigrun and Donovan as our faces. The people after us don't know them."

She looks at Flighty "Well, Foringi - if we're doing this we need to work on your melee skills and your lang Belta".

Glancing over at Donovan she smiles "And your Sagamaal. In fairness, your "old tongue" will pass you off as a raider more than well enough but your swagger... needs... some work - your "Imperial" is showing". She grins "When you step off into a port just the mere sight of a raider should make men check their weapons even as it makes women dally while they are shooed indoors!"

"Boarding axes for everyone! And if you can speak it, I'll learn it."

Flighty

[terrymixon]

Karcsi weary from the 14 hours of crawling thru vents and various enclosed spaces sits with a Thump and a clatter from something being dropped and pops the last beer from the planet and drinks heartily.

"Flighty, I would like 12 hours off for sleep please. I know I am not really a navel guy and my only skill is overshadowed by the
doctor, but whatever you need. OK?""

He then gains Sigrún's attention with a weary smile and hold up two axes printed to her satisfaction and a copy of his own spear.

"Sleep. You've more than earned it. And I want one of those axes."

Flighty

[Tiglath]

Karcsi weary from the 14 hours of crawling thru vents and various enclosed spaces sits with a Thump and a clatter from something being dropped and pops the last beer from the planet and drinks heartily.

"Flighty, I would like 12 hours off for sleep please. I know I am not really a navel guy and my only skill is overshadowed by the doctor, but whatever you need. OK?""

He then gains Sigrún's attention with a weary smile and hold up two axes printed to her satisfaction and a copy of his own spear.

Sigrún whoops with delight "Langskepta - hún er falleg" she straddles the big man as he sits at his ale. "Þakka fyrir, Karcsi - you have restored me". She then delivers Karcsi a gratefully enthusiastic, undoubtedly passionate but surely chaste kiss as, breaking the embrace, she exhales "Karcsi, I owe you both a boon and an honour debt".

Then rising she sets to an exultant appreciation of the weapons that have been crafted. "Óðins skegg. Øx mín! "Af úlfi sára“ er endurfætt!" Rather than testing the axes it seems that she reunites with them. The forms she immediately practices while dual wielding both axes are brutally efficient and economically adapted to a shipboard environment (and folk eating their dinner). The rapturous smile of the wielder is perhaps some kind of bonus (and maybe to someone other than Karcsi) social media gold dust. However as a weapon expert Karcsi sees that these aren't merely polished rote learned kata but instead the evolving development of a melee combat practitioner.

(OOC: Trans:
The long spear - she is beautiful
Thank you, Karcsi
By Odin's beard (it's) my axe! "Of wolf wounds" is reborn!)

Edit: spelling/correction

[ateno]

"You do two axe? I had no idea, had I known I would have printed 4 so you can train me."

Waits for the kata to finish.

"Never seen that style before, but we are from words apart. Tomorrow afternoon, we will train each other, axe and spear?

Karcsi finishes his beer, grabs the spear and hold it in front of him and give a sort of formal bow to Sigrún.

He sits back down. "Is there and business that need to be discussed?"

Karcsi

[Tiglath]

"The law level there is pretty low, so that might not get us too much trouble. Or it might cause problems. I'm inclined to come in dark but be open about wanting to keep our identities under the hat. We can further confuse the issue by using Sigrun and Donovan as our faces. The people after us don't know them."

Sigrún states "A low law level is better than Imperial dominance but in such situations we are reliant on our own defence - effectively our outer appearance and how folk perceive... or confuse that... For example Roberts is an infamous pirate but none can ever recall exactly what he did or why he should be feared. Presenting ourselves as part of a notorious Sword World crew with a more immediate reputation may open doors for us here whilst also sending alarmed messages to "Roberts" on Dinom. It also opens us up to direct challenge from any real pirates who are in port".

"Boarding axes for everyone! And if you can speak it, I'll learn it."

"Foringi, you are clever and will soon pick it up but you should be aware of every language you are speaking. Although it's a functional style of the weapon's development the Øx "Af úlfi sára" is a signature weapon of certain Sword World raiders".

[Tiglath]

"You do two axe? I had no idea, had I known I would have printed 4 so you can train me."

Waits for the kata to finish.

"Never seen that style before, but we are from words apart. Tomorrow afternoon, we will train each other, axe and spear?

Karcsi finishes his beer, grabs the spear and hold it in front of him and give a sort of formal bow to Sigrún.

Sigrún returns the bow with an inclination of her head and replies with brutal honesty "My preferred style is boarding axe and auto snubpistol. I do "killing people in confined spaces" or when they're floating about in no gravity. Professionally speaking if it's a fair fight then I've let myself down". She then gives Karcsi an anticipatory smile "I have much to learn from you and look forward to training with you tomorrow".

[helvorn]

Donovan followed the discussion as he thought about their cargo and what they could sell. He also thought through his experience dealing with shady transactions and what they might have to do both to sell the salvage and buy a new transponder. "The only thing I really have to say about our route is that we may be safer around the Imperial Navy and scout bases. There would be a lower likelihood of pirate activity in a heavily patrolled system. Also we would be one of many tramp freighters rather than just a handful that come through the smaller systems."

[ateno]

Sigrún returns the bow with an inclination of her head and replies with brutal honesty "My preferred style is boarding axe and auto snubpistol. I do "killing people in confined spaces" or when they're floating about in no gravity. Professionally speaking if it's a fair fight then I've let myself down". She then gives Karcsi an anticipatory smile "I have much to learn from you and look forward to training with you tomorrow".

"I'm an infantry man myself, not used to ship combat, I will be happy to learn from you also."

Karcsi

[Tiglath]

"I'm an infantry man myself, not used to ship combat, I will be happy to learn from you also."

She replies candidly "Boarding ships is about stacking advantages to erode the opposition's ability and will to fight and then applying an overwhelming close assault. However, I am also ground combat trained and have both combat and command experience leading ship's troops on surface raids. You have rifles aboard and so we can practice manoeuvre and communication in urban clearance drills working through the ship. If you and I are to be the ship's principal fighting force then that training will be vital".

(OOC: Sigrún will even prioritize this over individual weapons practice with Karcsi (putting "work" over "hobby" ) - but fortunately there's lots of time in jump!

They will need to coalesce their tactical signals and combat drills to be able to function as a practiced pair should they ever need to start "kicking doors".

...aaannd she's thereby going to inevitably either be granted or "gain" access to the ship's locker.

Which means she can begin to build its "annex" in her stateroom... ).

[joertexas]

"I'm an infantry man myself, not used to ship combat, I will be happy to learn from you also."

She replies candidly "Boarding ships is about stacking advantages to erode the opposition's ability and will to fight and then applying an overwhelming close assault. However, I am also ground combat trained and have both combat and command experience leading ship's troops on surface raids. You have rifles aboard and so we can practice manoeuvre and communication in urban clearance drills working through the ship. If you and I are to be the ship's principal fighting force then that training will be vital".

Zaki shakes her head. "I'm certified as a combat medic, thankfully. I do charge extra if I have to evac you while under fire."