Traveller: Life in the Marches - A ship of our own

conor222

OOC: I'm not 100% but believe its a rank below captain and tends to be a more hands on managing a unit or squad for millitary purposes?

Professor Moriarty

Seneca hops out of the cryogenic pod. "You okay Milt? I was really worried about you there."

Banjo

"Nah, my babies wouldn't hurt me. Although it appears they're not my babies any more. I'll be honest, I know nothing about working with remotes. Give me a couple of weeks with them and the manual and an energy discharge vest, I can change that but.... if anyone else knows what they're doing, be my guest. But if I'm going to be working with them again I'm going to need to take precautions.

Vainglorious, I'm sorry I called you a fickle c*** - can I be accepted as Joint Captain again so the drones don't murder me for trying to fix them?"

Meanwhile, Evan is checking the bridge, avionics, the drone room, down the back of the sofa in the common room (without putting weight on it) for wafers - remote ops, computer, electronics - that can be appropriated for assistance with this work temporarily. Can wafers be copied, and if so is it like a file transfer or 80's-tastic high speed dubbing?

jasonb

OOC: Ok, I finally have to ask, what the hell are wafers?

Baggly

OOC: AFAIK they are what make up computer processors. Intel make them for example. Obvs the ones on our ship would be more advanced versions.

jasonb

OOC: I understand those kind of wafers alright, but I'm not sure what good they would be for Evan?

Baggly

OOC: If we have found a way of dupicating these, im all ears.

Banjo

OOC : He covers them in chocolate and eats them. Kitkats!

Baggly

A richochet shot from one of the drones nipped one of the power connectors regulating Dhinors cryopod. The cryopod activates its failsafe regeneration sequence.

Dhinor steps out from the Cryopod and groggily looks around.

He is feeling much better compared to when he entered the pod.

He unstraps TN and goes through a few of his favourite forms to stretch out his muscles.

He then consults a control panel to update himself on what has happened since he was in cryosleep.

Once fully updated, he heads to the bridge.

jasonb

Banjo wrote: »

OOC : He covers them in chocolate and eats them. Kitkats!

OOC: It rubs the lotion on its skin, it does this whenever it's told.

OldGoat

Nestor don's her thermo suit and heads out to find out what all the kerfuffel is about.
"What is the status of the 'Message in a Bottle' drone?"

Fourier

Glenn gets a response from the drone. The rescue ship has picked it up. After speaking to the captain of the rescue ship, it has determined that the crew are genuine officials from Blue intent on taking them to the planet.

It asks for permission to inform them of the pirates and broadcast the Vainglorious's position.

jasonb

"Well Evan, I hope it's going well with those other Drones and they're ready to go if needed? I'm going to tell Barrymore to tell the Rescue Ship our location, as it looks like they're genuine, but there's no harm having the other drones ready just in case"

Glenn commands Barrymore to tell the Rescue Ship about the Pirates last known location, and to give them the location of Vainglorious' position.

Banjo

"it's going great, great. Nothing to worry about. Unless you hear more shooting. Does the door of the bridge have a lock?"

Taking Pters feedback on board, the tl;Dr of my recent posts.
Status of offered co-captain position, for safety.

Searching for expert program wafers - remote ops, computers, etc that might be in use on the ship to borrow.

Baggly

OOC: That was an admittedly poor joke on my part but i appreciate the gesture for me as a newb.

Fourier

The rescue ship hails the Vainglorious.

"Hello this is Lieutenant Gospis of the Blue Planetary service vessel 'Grandfather's hammer', permission to sync our airlocks and come aboard?"

Professor Moriarty

Seneca notices that everyone else is asleep. He wonders if he should answer but decides instead that he should wake the lazy and feckless captains instead. "Disgraceful behaviour, they should know better" he mutters to himself. Donning a nun's habit, he wanders from room to room ringing a large bell and calling "Shame".

Banjo

Evan rolls over to drown out the noise, his head thumping hard and fast like an eastern european gentleman who's tired of just telling you that you need to stop bothering the dancers. He tries to pull the duvet over him but is startled by the clang of metal on deck as Cilla falls out of the bed. He sits bolt upright, disturbing Nancy who mutters a distorted "zzzzst Status Reporrrrrssssttt". Spacechrist! How much had he had to drink last night? And what did he do? What did they do?

There are soup packets everywhere and Cilla has lips painted on her CPU housing, a soiled target on her rear repulser unit. Oh no, not again. He frantically checks himself. There are bruises, but that's expected, and that raw sandpaper burn that could easily be avoided if he's switch from packet to canned but what about... YES! Anti-static band! Thank god he had the wherewithall to wear protection!

He struggles to his feet, rescuing his clothes from under tool boxes, empty bottles and toppled diagnostics racks, making himself presentable. "Girls, let yourselves out, there's oil in the drone bay. Comm me, we should do this again!" He runs to the bridge to find out what all the noise is about, stopping only to ask Seneca : "Hey, nice habit - any chance I could borrow that this weekend?"

"Vainglorious, what's the rumpus?"

tl;Dr :
Evan ****ed some robots and more soup. The robots are not pregnant and roboaids is not jumping to humans. I just wanted to be an engineer in space, why did it have to get so weird and complicated?

Professor Moriarty

Seneca averts his eyes from the remnants of what appears to have been an exotic orgy. "Sure, Milt, as long as you wash it afterwards. I don't want to pick up any nasty habits".

Fourier

The rescue ship pings them again.

"Ehm, hello. Do you need help, if you do, just re-transmit on this frequency."

A signal frequency and decryption key is transmitted to the Vainglorious.

jasonb

Glenn quickly says to Evan "Any chance some of those drones aren't exhausted/humiliated and can be prepped in case this boarding party get ideas we'd rather they don't have?" Then he replies to the rescue ship "Thank you Lieutenant Gospis for coming to our aid. Permission granted of course..."

Fourier

About half an hour later a loud series of bangs and thumping of metal is heard as the two ships interconnect their airlocks. The Iris valves on both ships open and the three person crew of "Grandfather's hammer" step aboard, followed by Drone Barrymore.

The crew march toward the bridge where they meet Glenn and immediately bow in unison.

"Oh enlightened one, how glad we are to come to your aid."

Professor Moriarty

Seneca unholsters his sawn off and stands behind a pillar near the airlock. He points the sawn off at the entrance. "Just letting everyone know. The pellets in the cartridges are explosive. They detonate six inches inwards after point of contact. You need to stay 90 degrees away from line of fire."

Professor Moriarty

Seneca holsters his gun again. He had been covering the wrong airlock apparently. Feeling a little silly, he makes his way to the bridge.

jasonb

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Seneca holsters his gun again. He had been covering the wrong airlock apparently. Feeling a little silly, he makes his way to the bridge.

OOC: Ha! Made me laugh, thanks!

Glenn replies... "Please don't call me that, just call me Glenn. Thanks for helping us. What are your names?"

Baggly

Dhinor is on the bridge too and nods respectfully at their new guests.

He watches on intently.

Fourier

jasonb wrote: »

OOC: Ha! Made me laugh, thanks!

Glenn replies... "Please don't call me that, just call me Glenn. Thanks for helping us. What are your names?"

The one in the most decorated uniform speaks.

"I am Gospis and these are Tusip, she's ship engineer and Yispa, she runs everything else" though as he says this he is reluctant to look Glen in the eyes.

The other two simply stare in awe.

Banjo

Evan approaches the bridge with a small, badly programmed but well sated drone army at his back.
"I can't remember which one of us is captain any more, but who ever it is I'm sure they're very grateful for your swift response. What are they Cilla?"
A wobbly but metallic "Very grateful, sir!"
"Indeed. Ensign Glenn-san! steady as she goes!"
He puts a hand out to one of the rescue crew.
"Evan Torisson, expert engineer and very poor remote ops programmer, at your service. Say, that is a very nice ship you've come in. What tech level is she? 11? 12? She's a beaut.

Vainglorious! Any sign of our other suitors on scanners?

Bridge to Nestor! The rescue ship has attached to the main dock and the 3 person crew of the rescue ship is on the bridge. I repeat, the 3 person crew of the rescue ship is on our bridge.

Droney Danza, Droney Soprano - go see to Nestor."

Professor Moriarty

Seneca wonders about shooting the new arrivals and commandeering their ship. "Just a thought" he mutters to himself.

jasonb

"Good to meet you all. Were it not for the makeshift sail, we'd be rather stuck here, and are in need of getting a working M-Drive. Are you able to tow us back to Blue? We are aware of a Pirate ship that responded to our distress call, but haven't seen it on our sensors for a while, have you seen anything?"

Fourier

Both Seneca and Evan notice that the only weapons they have are energy pistols.

Fourier

jasonb wrote: »

"Good to meet you all. Were it not for the makeshift sail, we'd be rather stuck here, and are in need of getting a working M-Drive. Are you able to tow us back to Blue? We are aware of a Pirate ship that responded to our distress call, but haven't seen it on our sensors for a while, have you seen anything?"

"No we cannot, our ship is but a far trader essentially, it would put colossal strain on it to tow you.

You must come aboard our ship.

It is also our duty to deal with these pirates, perhaps your superior mind might help. Our ship has a pulse laser, two nukes and ten conventional missiles, we assume the pirates do not outstrip that."

Banjo

Evan steps between the rescuers and Glenn.

"Woah - woah -WOAH! Come aboard your ship? Look, you seem like a very small handful of very nice people, but the guys we jumped here to escape seemed like nice people too. They came aboard, just like you did. They offered to help, then they tried to take Glenn here away from us, to degrade him, to experiment on him. It was all we could do to get away from them. We lost a dear comrade and a beautiful manoeuvre drive in that fight. We... we can't take that chance again.

But.... maybe...

no it's crazy....

Maybe you could give Glenn command authorisation over the ship and the overrides so he can feel safe, just till we get to Blue? "

Professor Moriarty

Seneca sidles up to Milt and whispers "A suggestion. We could send a distress signal from this ship to the pirates, take their ship and leave them here as bait for the pirates."

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

Maybe you could give Glenn command authorisation over the ship and the overrides so he can feel safe, just till we get to Blue? "

"Anything for a Lord of the Universe"

He types a few commands into his wrist device.

"There, the ship is his."

Banjo

Evan whispers back "All this whispering looks mighty suspicious. I'm beginning to not trust us, we might be up to something."

OOC : Crew eyes only

It's a far trader. That's a decent, well armed ship with J-2 and no history of having committed a warcrime. Nestor was the most gung-ho about hijacking the ship. And she has 2 drones now to set up an ambush or just take off with the Grandfather's Hammer without us if that's what she wants. If we're going to do this we need to disable the comms on our ship, cut the sail loose and just set the distress signal pinging. Otherwise they'll rat us out.
Also.... if we're going to be pirates, lets be ****ing pirates. Back off, let the pirates come to the disabled ship, when they dock we take their ship to using Glennaportation and the 10 drones - close the iris to trap their boarding party, kill the remaining crew, nuke the Vainglorious. If there are command issues, we have the Scout OS available to format and reinstall their ship.
I have a terrible feeling that fourier can see this even though I'm whispering.

Professor Moriarty

Seneca whispers "If they're of no use or they'll squeal, let's just eliminate them?"

Banjo

OOC : We may need to hang on for a bit for Old Goat and Conor2222 - Hopefully Nestor took the hint and is confirming their ship has no nasty surprises, and the Drones that aren't romantically entangled with Evan may be more motivated to listen to Alex's commands and therefore less motivated to murder us all.

OldGoat

Nestor eyes the drones suspiciously. "Will you stop spying on me!"
She heads to meet the newcomers.
"Greeting rescuers, welcome. I see the rest of out crew have forgotten manners in their excitement at being rescued. Please sit, have some refreshments with us and tell us of your world. I'm intrigued by your respect for the Droyan even though it seems to embarrass Glenn a little."

Comm to Evan: "Lets get the pirate ship instead. Bound to have more booty for us and then we can check out the planet as heros. When we get the lay of the land we can, if necessary take our choice of ships to abscond with."

jasonb

Glenn nods at Nestor, having 'heard' her message to Evan, showing he likes her plan. Then he addresses the crew from the Rescue Ship...

"Yes, we can use your ship to defeat the Pirates, and use our crippled ship as bait. Help us take everything we need from our ship onto yours and then we can send another distress signal from ours to lure them, while we run silent from a distance..."

Banjo

"agreed, our best chance of beating them is if they attach to the Vainglorious and commit men to boarding, then if we surprise them they'll have a greatly reduced manoeuvring capability at least at the start of the engagement. Maybe longer if we can rig up something to prevent their airlock disengaging.

Gospis, do you have any intelligence on pirates at large in the system, individual specifics, demographics - I mean if they're Zhodani we can forget about sneaking onboard we'll need to be a little more direct, if they're rogue aslans we're better off destroying their ship than trying to take them hand to hand, if they're K'kree we could desecrate up the ship a little with synthmeat to drive them nuts when they board it, Vargr... Well if we can find a big enough stick we could keep the whole crew distracted for as long as we need to."

Evan calls up whatever data they have on the ship they scanned earlier in case it helps with identifying who's on board and how big the crew might be, but also what type of ship it is, whether its point of origin might suggest that a rescue team from Blue would have equipment and/or codes suitable for over-riding it's computer authorizations, how it's likely to secure the Vainglorious for boarding and pillaging.

Fourier

OOC: To anybody else, the Zhodani are a race of humans who are all psychic and live in a communist, in a sense, society. They're the joint most powerful human race with the Vilani.

Banjo wrote: »

Gospis, do you have any intelligence on pirates at large in the system, individual specifics, demographics - I mean if they're Zhodani we can forget about sneaking onboard we'll need to be a little more direct, if they're rogue aslans we're better off destroying their ship than trying to take them hand to hand, if they're K'kree we could desecrate up the ship a little with synthmeat to drive them nuts when they board it, Vargr... Well if we can find a big enough stick we could keep the whole crew distracted for as long as we need to."

Gospis speaks to Evan as his crew help the Vainglorious's move equipment between the ships.

"The consulate is over a year away by jump, even with a ship with a good jump rating. I've never even heard of a Zhodani being seen in our whole subsector, let alone Blue system.

Pirates around here are all natives of this region of space, the former Kingdom of Drinax. When the kingdom collapsed a series of Pirate Lords set up base on Theev, a planet almost two months from here by jump. They raid the entire former area of the kingdom and occasionally even the Aslan Hierate, though they know not to push the Aslan.

We recently had an platoon of Imperial destroyers pass through here to clear them out. Blue specifically, can you believe it, none of our sister systems were as lucky. The Imperium really wants us to join them."

Banjo wrote: »

Evan calls up whatever data they have on the ship they scanned earlier in case it helps with identifying who's on board and how big the crew might be, but also what type of ship it is, whether its point of origin might suggest that a rescue team from Blue would have equipment and/or codes suitable for over-riding it's computer authorizations, how it's likely to secure the Vainglorious for boarding and pillaging.

Like many Pirate vessels, it's a modified far trader. Modified to cut on luxury and stock up on weapons. The ship OS was most likely properly installed on Theev by the Pirate Lords, meaning Blue starport and its teams would be unable to hack it easily.

Fourier

The transfer between the two ships is complete. Hardest was moving Verne, who was still deep in a meditative state. Aslan ethics prohibits waking him.*

*OOC: This is actually canonically true, some Aslan meditate like this through intense danger.

Banjo

In the common room of the Grandfather's Hammer the crew assess their options.
"So we fake a power failure on the Vainglorious, maybe sever a couple of times on the sail, start broadcasting the distress beacon. That should bring the pirates in.
We can head-on assault them, hope for the best.
We can try to Glennaport onto their ship and take them aggressively from behind."
He winks at Dhinor.
"We could leave the drones on the VG to create a kill box when they board. We have options.

Tuspis and I have been working on an electromagnetic clamp to stop them disengaging when they dock. But if they board via spacewalk that's no good. So... What does everyone else think?"

Baggly

'Sounds good.

Will they be able to scan the ship before they attack? Do we need to fake our life signs?'

Fourier

Gospis turns to Dhinor.

"Equipment to scan for life is very expensive in this area of space. Only Drinax's government would have it, or the Imperial representatives there. The Pirate Lords of Theev wouldn't shell out for one of their minor ships to get it."

Professor Moriarty

"We don't need to leave the drones? Just set a booby trap bomb"

Banjo

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

"We don't need to leave the drones? Just set a booby trap bomb"

True. But then we potentially lose 2 ships instead of gaining 3. I mean 2 ha ha ha" he throws an unthreatening arm around his fellow Bluvian engineer.

Professor Moriarty

"Okay, whatever you say." Seneca begins to gather the ingredients for a large bomb.

OldGoat

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

"Just set a booby trap..."

Nestor rolls her eyes at the anticipated sniggers. "Pft, men."