Chapter 10: Year 300, Days 7 and 8

[BackworldTraveller]

Quite what is going on on the concourse isn't clear with the milling people and the dark.

The shot has caused many to stop in surprise, but there is definitely a move away from the sound evident in the motion of the crowd. Having said that, there are also knots of people crouching and going nowhere.

Pranit is invisible to either group, crouched over his bag and assembling a shotgun as he is.

Noor and Thaco have the least solid cover but are surrounded by bystanders. Thaco seems to have changed hats - his silhouette altered as a result. Noor's catsuit is well suited to the dark, but the glasses definitely not helping the visibility. The stairs for which Noor is heading do seem to be attracting a crowd of families trying to get away.

Hebden and Nālani are facing a surge of bodies into the arcade they are trying to exit. There is a scrum over by the doors from the upper level near where the shot originated - some brave souls seem to be attacking the gunman!

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

She pockets the glasses and keeps moving with the crowd to the stairs. "Where is he?" She mutters to Thaco.

[BackworldTraveller]

Noor

She pockets the glasses and keeps moving with the crowd to the stairs. "Where is he?" She mutters to Thaco.

Thaco admits he hasn't seen him since he came out of the shop

If I were him I'd be well away - or at the bottom of the stairs waiting for us like nothing has happened!

And Thaco starts clearing the crowd to allow Noor passage to the head of the stairway. To their left, behind the stall, there seems be be a brawl between a police officer and two guys in grey. The police officer's contribution seems to be in the role of football.

Where the two on the right have gone is anyone's guess!

[BackworldTraveller]

The Queen announces an incoming call...
It's Chief Inspector Umale

[joertexas]

The Queen announces an incoming call...
It's Chief Inspector Umale

"Put her through," Indrani directs. "Hello, Inspector, this is Captain Carter."

[BackworldTraveller]

Senior Inspector Umale
Hello Captain
Have you any idea why members of your crew have been listed as persons of interest by a commercial police group? I thought you guys were laying low and patching up your ship. The Queen seems to have lifted off without clearing its bills and now this. Has something happened that I should know about?

Or have you found something I should have been told about?

[joertexas]

Senior Inspector Umale
Hello Captain
Have you any idea why members of your crew have been listed as persons of interest by a commercial police group? I thought you guys were laying low and patching up your ship. The Queen seems to have lifted off without clearing its bills and now this. Has something happened that I should know about?

Or have you found something I should have been told about?

"The bill is fictitious, and parties unknown were preparing to board us. We are armed and prepared to engage anyone who approaches us without first verifying their identity. My crewmembers are tracking a thief who broke into the ship. Honestly, I don't know who to trust at this point."

[BackworldTraveller]

Senior Inspector Umale
Hello Captain
Have you any idea why members of your crew have been listed as persons of interest by a commercial police group? I thought you guys were laying low and patching up your ship. The Queen seems to have lifted off without clearing its bills and now this. Has something happened that I should know about?

Or have you found something I should have been told about?

"The bill is fictitious, and parties unknown were preparing to board us. We are armed and prepared to engage anyone who approaches us without first verifying their identity. My crewmembers are tracking a thief who broke into the ship. Honestly, I don't know who to trust at this point."

Hmmm....I guess I can see your point. My superiors certainly see you as beaters. You've stirred up more leads in a week than have appeared in the last decade! I'm not certain they have your best interests at heart though.

Assana interrupts

Captain, That New Heaven vessel that was docked next to us when we were at the North Pole is taking off. And the first thing it did was scan us with a very powerful radar.

[joertexas]

Hmmm....I guess I can see your point. My superiors certainly see you as beaters. You've stirred up more leads in a week than have appeared in the last decade! I'm not certain they have your best interests at heart though.

Assana interrupts

Captain, That New Heaven vessel that was docked next to us when we were at the North Pole is taking off. And the first thing it did was scan us with a very powerful radar.

"Inspector, I will have to call you back. We are being scanned by a New Heaven ship departing North Pole." Indrani cut the call and turned to Maggie. "Bring us to action stations. Stand by on the sandcaster and ready an antiship missile." She looked at Assana. "Assana, find out who that ship is, and what it may be armed with."

[BackworldTraveller]

Assana
Assana takes a few moments looking through the network and comes up with some basic facts:

The vessel is the "Hope Eternal". It's a 400 dTon Express Passenger Liner normally running from New Earth to Poseidon. It brought a New Heaven delegation to Sparks under diplomatic rules. It declared a pair of defensive batteries to the port authorities (no details on the public databases). It isn't red-flagged by anyone, beyond its being a New Heaven vessel.

There are notes that it was boarded by protestors just before the attack on the space-port and, even so, acted to rescue many when the air systems shut down. I didn't conform to the usual "To hell with all non-believers" plan. Maybe Barnabas Malpere is a compassionate Heavanite?

[BackworldTraveller]

Assana
Assana takes a few moments looking through the network and comes up with some basic facts:

The vessel is the "Hope Eternal". It's a 400 dTon Express Passenger Liner normally running from New Earth to Poseidon. It brought a New Heaven delegation to Sparks under diplomatic rules. It declared a pair of defensive batteries to the port authorities (no details on the public databases). It isn't red-flagged by anyone, beyond its being a New Heaven vessel.

There are notes that it was boarded by protestors just before the attack on the space-port and, even so, acted to rescue many when the air systems shut down. I didn't conform to the usual "To hell with all non-believers" plan. Maybe Barnabas Malpere is a compassionate Heavanite?

Maggie
They seem to be matching orbits, about 300km ahead.

[joertexas]

[
Maggie
They seem to be matching orbits, about 300km ahead.

"Assana, hail them," Indrani says.

[joertexas]

[
Maggie
They seem to be matching orbits, about 300km ahead.

"Assana, hail them," Indrani says. While she awaits a response, Indrani rolls the Queen so that the engines are pointed at the Heavenite ship. There was no point in allowing them a direct shot at the bridge and the crew quarters.

She comms Reven. "Reven, make sure you stay up-ship and out of Engineering. We have a Heavenite ship maneuvering near us, and I've pointed the engines at them. Stand by for damage control if they start shooting."

[BackworldTraveller]

Assana attempts to gain a connection and, quite quickly, gains a connection to their bridge.

Hail the Queen of the Belt says the Captain Well, it seemed an appropriate greeting



The somewhat austere face of the Heavenite seems the very opposite of the quip.

I had not expected a call - although I am glad you have established a line of communication.

[joertexas]

I had not expected a call - although I am glad you have established a line of communication.

"I am Captain Indrani Carter. My apologies for being brusque and even demanding, but my ship has been attacked several times, once by people thought to be associated with your group. As you can imagine, we are in a defensive posture here. Therefore, in the spirit of avoiding an unfortunate misunderstanding, I request and require that your vessel remain at least three hundred kilometers clear of us, and avoid any sensors scans that we might construe as targeting us. We are armed, and we will defend ourselves with lethal force." She smiles humorlessly. "While you may protest freedom of movement, any such dispute will be far safer during a future hearing, and not here and now. I have no argument with you, and I fervently hope that we can keep things that way."

[cybersavant]

She comms Reven. "Reven, make sure you stay up-ship and out of Engineering. We have a Heavenite ship maneuvering near us, and I've pointed the engines at them. Stand by for damage control if they start shooting."

Reven Stiilpahth "Aye Captain." Reven ducks back into his quarters to grab his toolbox, then finds a good spot midship to hunker down, ready to bolt where needed.

[BackworldTraveller]

Captain

We have no intention of coming closer...we are guests of the Belters and any such action would severely compromise our agreements with them. However, it seem that you and I have mutual interests and it would be a disaster if you were to be prevented in advancing those by the groups that seek to thwart your actions.

And so, here we are. If nothing else, potential witnesses to any illegal act may preclude such acts from occurring. It is said that for evil to prosper, good men need only do nothing. Perhaps, together, we can do good?

[BackworldTraveller]

Noor

She pockets the glasses and keeps moving with the crowd to the stairs. "Where is he?" She mutters to Thaco.

Despite the lack of visibility on Pranit, Thaco and Noor continue through the press at the head of the stairs and are almost ready to start down. The tall belter population provides relatively good cover.

Behind, Hebden and Nālani step out into the concourse. There are less people now as many have fled the shot and taken to the shops. The floor is peppered with a few dropped bags, but holding on to the shopping seems to have been important enough to most - despite the fracas!

There is a knot of people over near where the shot came from, standing over a body - at least one has a long-arm (or shotgun). A second body is lying in the middle of the concourse, occasionally twitching. To the right, a pair in grey are scanning the floor, searching. One is wearing glasses and has a bulk the majority of belters lack, the other not. In the dark, it's hard to see but they don't seem to be holding weapons. Cowering by the stalls are individuals looking inconspicuous, and at the head of the stairs is the remnants of the crowd that is fleeing down and away.

Pranit is definitely looking inconspicuous behind his stall. The bag is on the floor at his feet and the shotgun assembled as he draws on his two powered gloves - ready to do....anything!

Actions, Skills used and any rolls please.

[ateno]

Pranit is going to hold his actions until he sees the group draw down on his allies, drawn down on himself, they see Hebden and Nālani and react as such. Continue looking inconspicuous.

Pranit

[joertexas]

Captain

We have no intention of coming closer...we are guests of the Belters and any such action would severely compromise our agreements with them. However, it seem that you and I have mutual interests and it would be a disaster if you were to be prevented in advancing those by the groups that seek to thwart your actions.

And so, here we are. If nothing else, potential witnesses to any illegal act may preclude such acts from occurring. It is said that for evil to prosper, good men need only do nothing. Perhaps, together, we can do good?

"While I appreciate the sentiment and the support, I ask that you heed my request to stand clear. We have no intention of attacking anyone unless they become a clear threat to us."