The Greenbeard entered the binary Ipidina system in the vacant orbital slot 5.  The many months they had spent in space had begun to take it’s toll – as they entered normal space, Ein reported an alert on the fuel system.  They have a leak.  They were able to isolate the affected bladders, however it will be impossible to fill the tanks adequately for a jump until the damage is repaired.  Several of the more mechanically inclined crew members headed down to the workshop only to find that they had not stocked raw materials to print the needed parts.  At a crossroads, the crew debated the best course of action:  An asteroid field was available in orbital slot 8.  Or the primary world in orbital slot 3 might be able to provide some parts – if there was anyone still there.

The crew keenly remembered their last foray into asteroid mining in the last system and the near disastrous result.  Bemoaning the lack of personnel needed to properly crew the vessel 24/7.  Resolving to take on some ‘red shirts’ at their next opportunity, they opted to try their luck with the main world – Ipidina I.  Taking shifts to keep the sensors and turrets manned as they approached, they were able to reach the planet in a little over a day.  As they approached the world, they opted for a long elliptical orbit that would allow for a quick pass of the scanners.  Once within 250km or so, they received a voice communication:

If you desire landing navigation data, press or say 1. 

If you have reached this system in error, please press or say 2 and reverse course immediately!

For all other matters, please hold or press 3, a ballistic missile will be with your shortly!

Puh puh puh press ni__, ni__, ni__……. Three or just stay on course to repeat these options.

Everyone on the bridge immediately yelled one and scrambled to find the 1 button.  The slumbering crew was recalled to the bridge.  Tomi had been scanning the world from a distance, and as they approached had switched over to life scanners.  While it was a simple matter to determine that the world was an airless void, she was able to pick up the existence of domes covering lava tubes near their assigned landing location.  She initiated a life scan but wasn’t given an opportunity to complete it before the Greenbeard set down.

Daphne was pleased at the opportunity to actually land the Greenbeard somewhere – not an opportunity they have had often given its lack of ability to maneuver in atmosphere.  Expertly dropping the vessel on the landing pad they see a nearby freight elevator and briefly discuss how to traverse the distance.  The crew gears up and opts to take the Skiff of the Ancients across the airless surface and into the elevator which begins to pressurize as the doors close.

The voice of Friend Computer advices them that the environment has been pressurized for their comfort and that they may remove their vacc suits.  Descending for quite a distance, shifting to horizontal movement, the decending again – they finally come to a stop.    As the doors open, Friend Computer advises that weapons and armor is prohibited in Alpha Complex.  They are to deposit their gear in nearby bins and remember to take a claim ticket.  A diplobot will be with them shortly.  Most of the crew complies.  Slug finds himself be shock/stunned by the door pad as he notices the rest of the crew coughing and loosing consciousness.

The players awaken in a large room.  It contains a towering pillar of cryotubes.  None of them had ever seen something on this scale before.   The first thing that party noticed was that all of their former cybernetic implants, limbs, etc were missing.  The second thing was that they were naked.  Looking around, they noticed that everyone’s naughty bits were pixelated out.  They also saw names floating over each other’s heads:  Tomi-R-OUT-1, Fenton-R-OUT-1, etc.  A ‘1’ was tattooed on their forearms.  Groggily rising from their beds a voice spoke threw speakers scattered throughout the room:

‘Greetings, new citizens!’  ‘Welcome to your first day in Alpha Complex. Any memories you may recall are pseudomemories uploaded to your brain lobes, to aid orientation and minimise psychotic incidents in fresh clones. As citizens of Alpha Complex you are now valued members of our great community. You will be given roles and tasks, some simple and some perilous, and your contributions will be rewarded with –’

An explosion occurs on the far side of the room.  A small scrub-bot that had been sitting idle near a wall of mops springs to life and attempts clean the junks of rocks and debris.  A door opens and a man with a floating name over his head steps into the room.  Flanagan-R-PET-3 tells everyone to get dressed – a terrorist attack has occurred in a nearby sector.  He states that they don’t have clearance to hear the rest of the briefing, but are free to access to Alphapedia through their Cerebral CoreTech if they have any questions.  He instructs them to each grab a mop and get to work.  If they complete their task efficiently, they will be awarded 10 XP.

The players all grab a mop, save Fenton who grabs two mops.  Everyone starts scrubbing and clearing debris.  Fenton, enthusiastically starts cleaning everything in sight – including Flanagan.  The scrub bot was damaged trying to clean debris – it is partially repaired, but some of the sharp pointy bits are stashed for possible later used by Tomi and Fenton.  Friend Computer thanks them for their service and issues them each 1<s>0</s> XP.

As they are wrapping up, another explosion is heard and alarms begin to sound.  A popup window appears on everyone’s iBall display which obscures everyone’s vision.  It indicates that the terrorist known as Wossisname the Not Dead is in proximity. 

‘Be careful!  He may be after your mops’

A man bursts through the door – the name floating over his head is Wossisname.  He has 5 traitor stars as well.  The work party springs to life and great hilarity ensues.  When the dust settles.  Wossisname is dead, as is Flanagan.  A few of the party members have shiny new treason stars floating over their heads.  A mop is broken.

Friend Computer is very pleased that they have successfully stopped the terrorist Wossisname.  It states that they are being granted 500 XP, but is subtracting 5 XP because of the broken mop as a reminder to take care of their equipment.  Sadly, this leaves everyone 4 XP short of achieving Orange security level.

Friend Computer provides another update directly to the iBall displays.  Retrieve your new red clearance laser pistols from a locker and report for mandatory volunteer nutritional duty in The Lunchbox.

The party of troubleshooters enters The Lunchbox and finds it be a large cafeteria style room – shaped and colored like an old thermos.  They all split up picking their own preferred food options:  Tastes Like Something Orange!  Flavor Meal Bar, Taragon Happy Fiz Drink, Guacamole Flavor Puff Crunchers to name a few.  Most of the party mingled and made new friends, trying to extract information about their new surroundings.  As the nutritional period came to a close, they were ordered to report for duty.

Joining on them on this duty was a new troubleshooter who was assigned to replace Flanagan.  The new clone – Phil-R-OSE-1.  As they prepared to move out, a Molotov cocktail dispatched a group of nearby clones.  While it initially appeared to have been thrown by Slug, it was later found to have actually been thrown from a table of nearby Commie Mutant Traitor Scum.  Phil-R-OUT located a duct and beckoned everyone to evacuate.  Slug couldn’t resist the temptation to throw a Molotov cocktail as he departed and was welcomed by the warm embrace of a flamethrower for his trouble.

The route to the elevator they were to take was recalculated as they entered the ducts.  The new route turned out to be quite fortuitous as they heard the commotion of security enforcers and laser pistol fire as they made their exit.  Arriving at the elevator – they are joined by Slug was surprisingly less crispy than they expected.  He was, however, sporting a ‘2’ tattoo.  After a brief conversation they entered the elevator and left for sector PIE.

Just short of their destination, the elevator stopped.  A speaker states that an inconvenience is preventing the doors from opening.  Daphne pops thru the roof to see if they can climb out but sees no method of actually climbing up.  Left with no alternative, the force open the doors to find that they are stuck between two floors.  A red viscous fluid, that smelled of strawberries, pours through the elevator doors and begins to fill the cab.

The troubleshooting party climbs out and begins to explore the sticky sweet environment.  They come across the occasional clone bobbing along trying to find a way out.  A few abandoned breakrooms from which they are able to liberate some additional equipment also crosses their path.  As they make their way through PIE sector and enter HOY sector, some sort of catalyst triggers a giant wave of liquid desert.  A fresh set of alarms again being set off.  Riding this wave is an upside down table with two clones on top.  They have a jolly rogers flag hung from one of the legs. 

‘A-HOY sector! Torrents amidship on the scurvy bow port!  Overclock the mainsail and prepare to be motherboarded!’

One of the men, Lloyd-R-Dru-1 has an unspoken conversation with Phil-R-OUT-1.  After some posturing, they agree to make their escape together.  As the escape is made, Lloyd relates some of what he has learned as a custodian of this sector.  There are other complexes – at least a Beta-Complex and a Gamma-Complex.  Each is built in large lava tubes topped by a dome.  There was a Tech Level fall back when ships stopped coming some time ago – now the cities compete for the limited life support resources available on this barren world.

The crew is convinced they need to seek out the Scarborough-I-JON who is rumored to be in OSE Sector for additional answers.  On their way they run into Flanagan-R-PET-3 who has been reassigned to security here in Orthodontic Supply and Equipment.  He immediately halts the party and demands to see their O2 Ration cards…  Phil-R-OUT-1 prepares to activate a buzzbot, but suddenly – Flanagan leaves, with a somewhat bewildered expression on his face.

Finally reaching Scaraborough-I-JON, the party is finally able to start getting some answers.  It isn’t long, however, before an all out Melee erupts.  Def Leopard is first broadcast thru the room, then throughout the entire sector.  Lloyd is almost tranqued, almost killed, and almost retranqued a few times, before being tied up with surgical tubing.  Slug uses rocket boots to blast his head thru the ceiling while playing air guitar.  The entire sector loses power.  Emergency lights come on, the little strings tied to the air vents all go limp.

I cannot believe these guys!!  A bunch of pirates break into the Greenbeard and all these military veterans go all hmmm, what shall we do?  So they just wander on up to the bridge and start bitching like they own the place and what do the soldiers do?  "Hmmmm, what should we do?"  And then Slug gets bitchslapped and these tough guys go, "Hmmmm, what should we do?"  So I had enough and just left them to it.  And then the pirates just walked off the ship, leaving a broken door.  Then they just flew off.

Then we go down to this shithole planet, that has all these poor people suffering because of all the atmosphere.  What do they all do?  Stroll around from bar to bar making drug deals and talking to prostitutes until they decide to get hammered at the only decent place in the dump.  Even that they can't manage to do!  I have a great time with some people with some class and they end up pissing everyone off and going to jail.  The best evidence I have for them being framed is you need some competence and willingness to fight something to kill anyone.

So next I spend all day going around and investigating, talking to important people, viewing the crime scene, until I make a deal to spring those losers.  What do they decide to do next?  Do they try to free the town from the clutches of the evil tyrant who tried to get them lynched so he could make some money?  Did they decide to live up to the agreement that got them out in the first place, and so honor my word?  No, the went, "Hmmmmmm, what should we do?" and then ran away like cowards.

I am so pissed but I suppose if I have to save humanity I have to try to be the adult in the room.

We open the scene with three individuals arrested for the murder of Pearle de Vere – Slug, Tomi, and Fenton.  As they familiarize themselves with their surroundings, they learn that they are really in a secure storage room for the Colorado Freight Company’s office.  A woman named Calamity Jane snores in the cell next door.  The crew does some communication amongst themselves and with the ship using their Neural Links and plots some next steps.  Ashley will do some investigtation at the scene of the crime.  Daphne will run back up to the Greenbeard and return with Dr. Phil.  The imprisoned crew will try to negotiate with their captors.

Slug kicks the metal wall between their cells and rouses Jane.  She wakes up with a curse and walks out of the cell, over to a desk, pulls a bottle of whiskey and takes a few plugs.  Shocked at Jane’s apparent escape, the crew tries their own door but finds it to be locked.  Jane appears to setup a small crude laptop and begins typing away.  Occasionally looking at shipping labels on the boxes and typing them in.   After several failed attempts to swing something, they end up engaging in a drinking game with Jane.  A shot a question, honest answers only.

Jane asks if the crew really did the crime, asks about their origins, and learns quite a bit of additional information about the crew going shot for shot.  The crew is able to hang for a while.  They learn that the Jane believes the murder was done by Hearst, the crew extracts some information about his nature.  Jane offered some hints regarding the nature of her name, stated that she was formerly of the Freedom League and formerly a Space Viking that flew with Bill and Charlie.  Unfortunately the crew, succumbing to effects of the drinking game, didn’t press for additional information on those topics.  They did manager to learn about Jane’s pantaloons, favorite colors, and grooming habits instead.

Meanwhile, Ashley returned to the scene of the crime: The Pearle.  She finds the body of Pearle on display out front.  A long line of folks shuffle past to pay their final respects.  She questions a few of them, but these sad saps are largely from Lungertown and don’t really know anything.  She then enters the Pearle, and states to the doorman that she is acting as the Advocate of the accused and would like to examine the evidence against them.  While he initially registered anger at seeing her walk in, her statements immediately changed his attitude and he escorts her to a couch where Poker Alice Tubs is lounging.  Ashley also spends some time examining the scene of the crime – Pearle’s bedroom.  She sees no sign of a struggle or a forced entry.  The window is unlocked.  There is small blood spray on the ceiling above where her body was found.  The ground next to the window is hard packed and rocky – no opportunity for footprints.

Ashley meets up with Phil and Daphne.  They head over to Wu’s hydroponics operation.  Phil, sells 120 doses of Sunburn for 650 credits.  He is quite pleased with himself, although Daphne notices Wu chuckling with his minions after the price is negotiated.  Wu’s take on the situation is that this Hearst fellow is a cocksucker – they are unsure if the translation program is operating successfully, but it seems to be a common all-purpose curse in Deadwood.  Asking how they can free their friends, he send them to Al.

Next stop is Al, at the Gem.  He greets them in his second-floor office with shots of whiskey for all.  He seems to be noticeably pained.  He tries to talk some business however Phil insists on getting him medical attention, despite Al’s statement that the Doc said he would be fine.  Ashley and Daphne talk about Hearst, getting their friends freed, and the like while Phil runs some scans with the medkit.   Phil finds that Al is suffering from kidney stones and that the situation is days from becoming quite serious.  A bargain is struck – Al will arrange for the release of his friends and aid in dealing with Hearst in exchange for medical treatment.  They also slip in a map of the polities in the region.

Having patched Al back up, they then meet Wild Bill with Al and arrange for the release of the prisoners.  Slug and Bill extend apologies for earlier misunderstandings back in the orbit of the gas giant.  Bill extends a grave and serious warning about the dangers of this place and advices them to leave.  He also drops hints regarding the nature of space traffic in the region, but no one bites and probes more deeply.  Slug uses this opportunity to test out some of the product Wu was selling and Trixi warned them to steer clear of.

The crew takes the GTFO back to the Greenbeard for the night to plan their next steps.  A number of different plans are floated, ultimately the crew decides just to leave the system.  The crew spends the next few hours transiting out to a jump location – opting to leave behind an opportunity to sell their cargo of medical supplies and manufacturing parts to a town full of people that have a lot of Gholde, but are sickly and unable to manufacture filters allowing them to breath clean the air.  Slug begins to get extremely tried and ultimately falls asleep – leaving Fenton in charge.   As Slug drifts off to sleep he muttered something under his breath about offering passage on the ship all the former Star Vikings on that planet who were simultaneously disillusioned with their lot in Deadwood but also had a wealth of information both about this region of space but of their destination as well.  Sadly, no one heard.

Well this is shitty. So let's start at the beginning when things were only sort of shitty.

We arrived in the Zisurar system at the 8th ring. We're getting all cocky lately, so we started preplanning for everything and decided to fuel up now in case the inhabited planet was hostile. (In case? Stars alive, we should just assume that anything outside the Network is hostile.)

So fueling takes about 8 days, and I decided I'd use the time to really get to know the sensors on the ship. Let me tell you, I was really hardcore nose-to-the-pedal studying my ass off, cerebellum deep in user manuals, schematics of schematic rendering schematicizers, etc.  So into it, in fact, that I really wasn't actually checking the sensors. (I said "oops" already, right?)

So we're almost fueled up and I check the sensors on a whim (I get a whim like this at least once a day, I swear). Well, twist me in the titty! but a ship was right there, like right there, right up on us. Docked. Appeared out of nowhere (or well, appeared when I wasn't checking for it). 

Anyway, these two space vikings with bad attitudes just come on the ship with a cockamamie story about they thought we were abandoned, and I know pirates, and I know what they were after, but turns out they aren't good pirates, because they didn't even rob us. They just tried to trade us a map for a ton of goods. Ashley had the right idea and tried to drug them with that delicious moxie squid, but they rudely let the squid get cold and rubbery while they hustered and blustered and blew any chance of decent dialog. 

Now, Slug was in his "cups" (that's what some people say, but really I think he was in his drugs), and a bit overly confident and overly dim. He tried to fire at one of them, but that damn tall one had blasted the blaster out of Slug's hand before Slug could even get his finger near the trigger! It was the fastest damn draw I ever saw in my damn life. But that just about ended it. They stormed off without a word and without any loot and took off on their frieky-ass looking accordion ship. I knew I should have snuck behind and sapped the smart one as soon as they were on the Greenbeard, before we even said howdy do. (oops)

So long story short, we get to Zisurar prime and land in the only habitable area of the godforsaken planet. I have to wear my vac suit out there cuz the air is dangerous, so all of us look pretty ridiculous among the inhabitants—who are a mix of gutter rat poor and swanky tourist moneyslingers. There's lots of brothels, so I thought to bring some of my sex toys down for trading, since I knew they wouldn't be taking our credits.

I met a nice whore named Trixi at the Gem. She got a kick out of the dildo I brought, said something about not getting splinters with that one. Poor dears. But no one really wanted to trade. She warned me to stay off the crank that Wu sells but thought he might like to buy some of our "cups" (nope, I really like "drugs" better). So we went out back, met up with Wu, and saw his gaggle of drugged out junkies and talked some trade. We also heard some about 4I (the Fourth Imperium) rising in the Gateway. Useful intel: it's 4I credits they use on this world. We should probably try to learn more.

But that's when highclass Ashley wanted to go to a "nice place" so we go to a fancy brothel run by a hoity toity bitchy witchy who was a straight up cunt of sand. Funny her name was Pearle… I didn't even plan the sand pun there! Well she totally ignored me even though I showed her my best butt plug (the one with the fiber optics) and didn't offer any money for it.

But then we came into a lot of money, and well, that's where it gets hazy. (oops) I remember drinking some liquor made from the alien-looking flat leaf plants they have on that tumbleweed of a planet. Tequila/ToKillYa I think? And I'm hoping I didn't do any of Wu's shit, but I definitely was mixing my cups/drugs. I remember every time I heard Pearle speak or laugh I literally wanted to kill her. She just got a ballistic rise out of me with that tinkly I-come-from-money-and-class-and-am-better-than-you fakeass laugh. But I don't remember killing her….

In fact, all I know for sure is that I woke up with a hangover to loud banging on the door. And the tall guy and the smart guy bust in – get this, now they are "sheriffs" and they throw me in jail along with Fenton and Slug. Apparently, we are wanted for muder of one Ms. Sandy Cunt Pearle de Vere. Oops? Well this is shitty.

GM's log:

The Greenbeard entered the system near the outermost planet in the system, a gas giant.  The target world for this system world was found to be a five and a half day journey to the inner most orbit.  With the remaining inner planets being rocky vacuum worlds, the crew decided to refuel here prior to heading to the inner system.  After some debate, the crew decided to use mining drones to do the refueling.  While it would be slower, they would be able to avoid the risk of a skimming operation with the Greenbeard.  The extra time would be utilized brushing up on their studies.

Tomi elected to leave her studies and do daily sensor sweeps over the course of the week it took to fill the Greenbeard’s fuel tanks.   Unbenownced to the crews, near the end of the refueling operation another vessel started to approach the Greenbeard.  Over the course of a half a day, the vessel continued it’s approach.  With the Greenbeard making no attempts to move or communicate, the other vessel decided this was either a trap or a salvage opportunity.  Either way, they were going in.  Bad luck/timing struck as Tomi didn’t do her daily sensor sweep just as the other ship was docking and breaking their way into the airlock.

The crew congregated on the bridge and debated for a while the proper course of action.  Meanwhile, two men were seen to board via the ships security cameras.  Using some kind of handheld device they seemed to be tracking toward the bridge.  Without their being time to do much else, the crew opted to greet them at the entrance to the bridge.

The two men entered the bridge and introduced themselves at Colorado Charlie Utter and Wild Bill Hickok.  Charlie did most of the talking and was extremely suspicious at their presence there.  This was his secret jump in location for the system and he’s supposed to believe it’s just a big coincidence that another ship is here waiting for him out here in the Wilds.  Crew offers that they are obviously sitting here refueling, and yeah – it is a coincidence.  Bill took some measures to try and calm his friend Charlie down.  However the crew decided to openly discuss right in front of them the option of murdering them and taking their ship.  Bill, being amused at the bluster, tried in his way, to diffused the situation by making light of it – the two of them, being Former Star Vikings, had been through countless such engagements.  Capt Slug then decided draw on the two men.  Before Slug even knew what happened, Bill had drawn a chrome six-shot revolver and fired in one fluid motion.  Slug’s weapon lay damaged on the deck and Slug was bleeding profusely from his hand.

The two men backed out and made a hasty exit while the crew rallied to support their injured comrade.  As they discussed next steps, the two men exited through the damaged airlock and proceeded to pull away.  Luckily, Fenton was already working on damage control and was able to prevent a significant loss of atmosphere as the other ship pulled away.  Over the next few hours they watched the other ship exit sensor range while they continued refueling.

The fuel being topped off, the Greenbeard set course for Zisurar prime.  As they approached the planet they received an audio transmission from the planet’s surface.  The man on who hailed them tore into a string of obscene insults and gestures, as he mistook them for Colorado Charlie Utter.  Apparently, Charlie was grossly overdue on a delivery of much needed supplies needed to keep this world viable.  After the case of mistaken identity was cleared up, they were invited to go visit the man, named Algen, at his saloon named The Gem.

The crew left Phillip Adams on board the Greenbeard to keep an eye on things and descended to the surface with the GTFO.   Daphne stayed on board the GTFO to ensure it too wasn’t jacked – as they had already had a bad taste about this system already.  The rest of the crew set out to explore the town of Deadwood after landing.  They had observed that the planet’s atmosphere was heavily contaminated.  A narrow band of conifers ran near the planets equator and seemed to be filtering out some of the effects.  The location of Deadwood was the ‘sweet spot’.  While rebreathers would definitely be needed for any long term exposure, in the short run it was possible, yet difficult to breath. 

 

While they were told to land at the starport – it was really just an area with hard flat earth.  No facilities or refueling services were available.   One other ship was visible at the starport – a 200ton yacht.  The crew attempted to communicate with it but received no response.  The first stop after the yacht was a place called Lungertown.  It’s reminiscent of many shanty villages which typically surround a starport.  The residents of these place all had horrible weezing coughs.  The residences here did not appear to have much in the way of an ability to clean the atmosphere – probably leading to illness over exposure to toxic pollutants in the atmosphere.  Fenton is able to get the skinny on the place from a local resident who shares with them the keypoints in town.

The Gem is owned by a person named AlGen.  It is a lower class everyman saloon offering gambling libations, and prostitution.  The Grand is a middle class establishment offering lodging and meals.  The Pearle is operated by Pearle DeVere.  It is a new place serving only the most wealthy clientele.  It offers lodging, gambling, and prostitution. 

The crew elected to visit The Gem next, where it was rumored a person named Wu could be found bartering in illicit substances’.   Tomi struck up a conversation with an ‘employee’ named Trixi.  After some conversation, Tomi ended up selling some dildos she had acquired on Treber.  Trixi warned Tomi not to use any of Wu’s substances but directed her to the back of the building if they wished to locate him.

The rear of a building led to an area that was walled off with towering class walls.  A large hydroponics operation was being conducted here to manufacture all manner of biologicals.  After being introduced to the big man, Wu, the crew attempted to negotiate the sale of Sunburn.  The left a sample with Wu, who had a minion test the product out.  He instructed them to return in the morning for further negotiation.

Having some down time, they opted to next visit the Pearle.  Pearle de Vere greeted them immediately as they entered the building.  Ashley felt oddly at home in this place.  It reminded her of places her daddy used to take her to when she was younger.  Fenton is well acquainted with such places – only he would have neither the means, nor the welcome at such a high class establishment.  Pearle, being a self-made woman of means, is also a savvy in matters of both business and personal relations.  She offers to comp the newcomers in their fancy launch of exotic design a free room should they wish to stay.

Everyone decides to spend the evening carousing and then back to Wu’s in the morning.  Sadly, that was not to be.  While Ashley had a decent evening before turning in for some rest.  Something did not go so well for Slug, Tomi, and Fenton – they were arrested for murder by Sherriff Seth and his Deputy Wild Bill Hickok early that next morning.

Having fixed the last of the sensor stations, the crew decides to head back to the town and regroup.  The triplets are still at large, however Ashley is done with this world.  Dirt and bugs everywhere.  No where can a proper latte be found – she wants to move on.  She marches straight to the Mayor's office and tries to bluff her way into getting the data so that they can leave this backwater world.  She explains that the sensor network is fully repaired and they have slain many of the beasts.  The mayor was overjoyed at this news.  Ecstatic, she exclaims that she and Ashley will walk out together to walk to examine the corpses.  Trust but verify – that's what her pappy taught her.  It eventually comes out that they aren't exactly certain the beasts that were slain were the triplets.  They also needed help trying to figure out how to use the sensor network, which was more advanced than the models available in The Network.  Outwitted, Ashley seeks refuge to pout and leaves in a huff.

After a few attempts at using the scanners, Tomi eventually locates a heard of 23 of the beasts about 20km from the town.  Never would such a congregation occur if the triplets were not present.  Slug determines that the safest course of action would be to relay the sensor data back up to the Greenbeard, and use the ships weapons to blast them from orbit – it's the only way to be sure.  The plan sounds simple, safe, and effective – everyone heads back upstairs.  After some deliberation, they decide to use a single shot from the particle barbette.  The resulting radiation exposure should be limited to the immediate area and shouldn't be dangerous to the town at this distance.

Bullseye.  A single blast obliterates most of the heard, the remaining few drop to the deck unconscious.  There is some debate over whether to use a second shot or to mop things up using another method.   Tomi manages to strap the gatling laser to the GTFO with surprising ease.  They head down and pelt the remaining vlard from a safe distance.  Video evidence of the assault is sent back to the Mayor as the crew heads back toward town.

The Mayor quite pleased with the arrangement, offers up whatever information they need to continue.  The crew immediately starts tossing terms around like 'computer' and 'data dump' – the Mayors eye's momentarily gloss over before she states that Saga Jordan will be the one who can assist them with their needs.  Saga has been studying the old records her entire life.  She is quite pleased share her passion on this subject with the crew.  She arranges to transfer what records she has been able to recover to the Greenbeard as she rattles on about The Ancients and The Droyne.

The crew also queries her on both Terra and the Third Imperium.  Explaining that the colony was setup some 150 years ago by the Imperial University to study the temple on this world.  They are believed to have been related in some way to The Ancients.  The Third Imperium closely guarded most information about the Ancients, which they estimated to be at TL25.  The colony, being formed so far beyond the Imperium's borders, allowed the research to continue in privacy.  Some 25 years after being founded, supply ships stopped coming.  The residents were forced to abandon research and focus on making their community self sustaining.  They were able to maintain their technology at first, but little by little things slipped when they were unable to fabricate replacement parts.  No one knows why the supply ships stopped coming, they have been essentially trapped on this world for generations with no outside contact.  When asked about Terra and The Rule of Man, she states that the Second Imperium, as it was also called, fell some 3000 years ago.  After it fell, a period called The Long Night washed over this region of the galaxy as the knowledge of interstellar travel was lost for nearly 2000 years.

She is convinced to accompany the crew to the temple and aid in their investigations.  Ein relays scan information from the Greenbeard to the GTFO while they are on route.  They see that there is a weird energy signature coming from the area, but are unable to identify where exactly or the nature of that energy.  The scans show that a mountain has had it's top flattened and the temple hewn from the rock underneath.  There are a series of stair wells and chambers though out which lead back to the floor of the jungle.  Arriving, the GTFO and lands on the roof of the temple.  Everyone disembarks and begins to explore the area.  There are many hieroglyphs present which Saga is able to at least partially translate.

One are of the carvings seems to show a sphere on top of a mountain with weird bird looking things next to it, Saga says she believes these are Droyne.   Through her research, she believes that the writings indicate that a primitive Droyne culture once lived on this world.  They believe they were brought to this place by a race of gods.  The way this planet is depicted, it seems much larger than their point of origin.  Droyne were known, in the Imperium, to prefer planets of a lesser gravity, this would have been a difficult world for them.   The primitive Droyne would come to this temple on the longest day of the year with gifts, filling the chambers of the temple – hoping their gods would return and show them favor.  There are depictions of sick and injured Droyne being carried to the temple but then leaving under their own power.

The crew spends hours trying to determine the source of the energy signature but to no avail.  Ashley is even convinced to come down from the Greenbeard and lend assistance once it is demonstrated to be reasonably safe.  Ultimately, Ashley and Tomi put their heads together and have an inspired idea – they realize that this day is the summer solstice on this world!  Perhaps they need to make an offering to the gods.  The mining drones are reprogrammed to harvest the crops laying in untended fields and bring them here.  They also leave a watch and a ton of advanced manufacturing goods in one of the temple chambers.  Suddenly, the entire temple begins to glow with a blue-black light emanating from the floors/walls/ceilings.  The crew decides to enjoy the light show from the roof of temple while enjoying some brownies provided by Dr. Phil.  Apparently Phil had biologically engineered a pot brownie plant.  The brownies sprout right out of a plant, ready to eat.

The crew instantly begins feeling better – all wounds are healed.  Even old wounds such as a missing eye and long lost leg from early in the Traveller's careers are regrown, gently displacing the basic implants.  In a final flash of blue-black light, the offerings disappear and everyone feels more intelligent (+1 permanent increase to stat).

A position with the crew is offered to Saga, however she is unconvinced to leave her husband.  She does offer to trade some information regarding some interesting botanicals on this world in exchange for some help restoring some of the lost technological capabilities on this world.  A deal is struck – the information for 2 tons of Advance Manufactured Goods.  An additional offer is extended to the guard they met on first arrival, however he too was not interested in leaving his family.

Taking their leave, a course is plotted for Zisurar.

All players are granted 8 weeks of training for completing this story arc.  (plus one for the week of travel to Zisurar)

The rag-tag bunch of heroes, sacrificing everything for humanity, continue onward through the great quest of history.  Unfortunately we had to stop at this <s>shithole</s> <s>hicksville hillbilly pigfucker armpit of a planet</s> technologically disadvantaged system.  Entering the system the heroes decided that it was vitally important to spend hours after hours after hours looking around the system.  In shocking news it turned out there was nothing except this planet, upon which there was basically nothing except one <s>shithole hicksville hillbilly pigfucker armpit of a </s>small settlement.  It looked fortified so the rag-tag bunch of heroes prudently decided to park the GTFO a short distance away and egg to the settlement.

On the way a giant life thing appeared out of nowhere and mindlessly attacked the egg.  (Seriously, I really think this biology thing might be overrated.  Daddy's robots never did anything like that.)  The supposedly tough "heroes" decided to run away to Mouthbreatheryokeltown, where the rudest greeting this reporter has ever encountered.  (Although there was nothing suggestive of prostitution which suggests a greater level of intelligence than those moral pygmies.)  Gunfire, yelling of instructions, no comments about awesome outfits.

Turns out this was a functional planet until the ittle wittle losers didn't get shipments from elsewhere and then totally collapsed.  This reporter was tempted to explain what Daddy taught her, that you have to work for everything you get and can't just rely on others to do everything for you.  I mean, look at this reporter, it's not like I got any help on my path to becoming humanity's savior.  So apparently everything went to hell once these human leeches stopped getting their hands held and they had to hide behind fences like little bitches because of some wildlife.

So, whatever.  Anyway, like the rag-tag bunch of heroes went into the <s>shithole hicksville hillbilly pigfucker anus dump</s> settlement where they were all demanding and hoity-toity, sending us this way and that as if we couldn't have leveled the whole <s>stinking cesspool of grunting cavemen </s>place from space.  The questers politely asked for some information to help with the mission (to freakin' save humanity!!!!) and they had the unmitigated gall to demand that we do something first!!!!!!  So, like, because <s>we </s><s>weren't raised in a swamp of mammal poo</s> some of us are good people we agreed to fix some sensor stuff or transmissions, anyway, some sort of backwoods machinery in return for their information.

So we flew off and these nasty animals showed up again and we did fixing and shooting and flying around until this rag-tag bunch of heroes <s>completed this menial task that these plebes should have handled themselves</s> saved the world!  see attached holography of the fighting and stuff.

I hate this place, this zoo.  I can't stand it any longer.  It's the smell.  I feel saturated by it.  I can taste its' stink, and every time I do I feel I have somehow been infected by it.  It's repulsive, isn't it?  I must get out of here.

The crew arrives at the next system on their map, Whitesheet.  They find the system heavily populated with worlds.  The first and only habitable planet is densely populated with life.  Welcome to the Jungle, your all gonna die.  A small settlement is located on the largest continent.  That settlement appears to be the only location for intelligent life.  After a few cautious flyovers, the crew notices that the city is walled – they decide to set down some distance away.  Finding an open field, they set down the GTFO near a small farm house.  Going inside, it looks like everything had been neatly packed up and vacated some months ago.  The crop was left standing in the field.  A road going towards town is located.   The Skiff is used to head that direction, suddenly, a large beast, at least several tons in weight bursts through the jungle and takes a swipe at the skiff.  Some sort of shield absorbed the damage but they are left with the impression that the shield is no longer present.  The trusty pilot decides to gun it and outrun the beast.

Arriving at the town they are ordered to halt……  The second order to halt is accompanied with a few warning shots from a 50 cal.  They prudently stop and speak with a guard in the gate tower.  After convincing him that a giant rampaging beast is right behind them, he allows them to enter the gates so long as they disarm.  After coming into the town, they are soon met by the towns Sheriff.  He indicates that the beast which chased them thru the jungle is known as a vlard and that they have had some significant trouble with them of late.  They have not seen outsiders in their lifetimes, and have no protocols for this sort of occasion.  He opts to lead them to the town Mayor who will no doubt be eager to speak with the newcomers.

The people of the town obviously once enjoyed a much higher tech level, but have been in decline for some time.  Still, they are a proud folk and make due with what they have.  The Sheriff is still sporting an old laser pistol as his sidearm.  A fusion plant seems to be still running near the towns security offices.  Many of the buildings are vacant, some are a bit run down but still in impressive condition given their age. 

Meeting the Mayor, they learn that the town was a colony established by a research group from a University in the Third Imperium several hundred years ago.  Some 150 years ago supply ships from the Imperium stopped coming.  Being scientists, they were able to trod along ok for for some time, fabricating their own parts as needed.  Eventually, time took it's toll as things broke for which they had no ability to make replacements.  Little by little they slipped further back on the technology scale.  Fast forwarding to current events: a local fauna known as a vlard has long been the alpha predator of this planet.  The vlard are exceptional dangerous but always loners and could be dealt with by their security forces.  Recently, a freak of nature has caused some of the vlard to begin working together – they now hunt in packs.  Their local academic has studied security footage and believes that three triplets were born with some sort of psychic link.  Using this bond, they have subjugated the other males and forced them all to work together.  After the subjugation, the next course of action was the destruction of the sensor network which the towns folk had been using to track the beasts.  Next, they started attacking outlying farms, moving closer and closer to the town with each attack.

Local farmers have now all abandoned their crops/livestock and retreated within the city walls to protect their families.  The situation in town is now starting to grow perilous as they are unable to grow enough food within the city walls to feed everyone.  The mayor strikes up a bargain with the crew:  Repair the sensor network, Kill the Triplets.  Once this is done, they will share whatever information they can.

The crew is invited to dine with the Sheriff and his wife, who happens to be a scientist.  She is very intelligent but a bit disheveled and unused to dealing with people.  She let's it slip that the original colonists here chose this world to study some ruins deep in the jungle which they believed to be related to The Ancients.  Realizing that she has overshared she quickly shifts topic and moves on to talking about some of the local flora which is of interest.

The crew decides to get moving an start repairing the sensor network first under the hope that they can use this to track the triplets.  There were 12 stations to repair, they ran into vlard scouts at about 1/2 of them.  While successful in driving them off, there were a few close calls.  Luckily, all the sensor stations were able to be successfully repaired.

…to be continued.

Contacts made:

Town Guard:  Ranjit Erato (male)
Early 30s.  Wearing a uniform.  Manufacture of uniform is crude, but well tailored.  (natural colors, no dyes.  Stitching is down with leather threading).   Was a farmer.  Lost all livestock to wild animals.  Moved family into town for safety some years ago, took on a job with the security forces.  Vlard mostly hunt in the early morning.  Daylight hours.  Not nocturnal creatures.  They double guard on the towers during those hours.

Town Constable:  Hunter Jordan (male)
Late 60s.  Has a well worn but finely made uniform.  A very old laser pistol connected to a battery pack/holster/belt.  Full head of grey hair atop a leathery weathered face.  Very fit, shows a life of hard work, even now in his older years.  Penetrating stare that makes everyone a bit uncomfortable, like he is simultaneously reading minds and seeing thru them like they aren't even there.

Town Mayor:  Gydrra Roy (female)
Late 40s, to look at her you think she was barely into her 30s.  Only her voice betrays her age.  She wears a simple but well tailored dress with a belt made of elaborately crafted silver.  A bit of tarnish in crevices reveal that it is old and cared for as best it she could without the proper resources.

Town Academic:  Saga Jordan(female)
Records keeper, librarian.  Late 40s-early 50s.  Unkept, dishevled book-worm but has the same youthful  genes as her cousin.    Married to the town Constable.  Both second marriages.  Both widow(ers)

 

The session begins with Tomi heading off to her date with Cyris Haddad.  They meet, as arranged, at Pier 22 for dinner while the rest of the crew mills about back in orbit.  Haddad orders a local delicacy – a bowl of octopus-like sea critter which seems to be still moving around.  It appears to be absolutely disgusting, but when Tomi finally digs in, she finds it to be the most delicious thing she has ever eaten before.  Not only that, but she feels bit more limber (DEX +1 for rest of day).    The two engage in some small talk over dinner.  He asking her about her travels.  She, asking him about what he knows of history and this region of space.  A few nuggets of information come out:

• The world has been in an economic slump for over a well century.  Just now starting to recover.
• They had at one time sent regular shipments of foodstuffs (seafood) spinward to the 3rd Empire – until it fell.
• A large viral outbreak happened in the 3rd Empire which caused massive destruction, luckily they were far out of the way and were able conceal themselves.
• Rumors have begun reaching them recently of a 4th Empire rising from the ashes of the old
• Rumors of large battles occurring many sectors coreward.
• Gniivi Collective, to the Rimward, prefer to keep to themselves.  Occasionally trades delegations occur.  The collective is made of a group of mutually hostile planet-states.  They maintain a common navy to protect their region of space but treat each other with suspicion.  Trade occurs openly within their borders but they have been isolationist.
• Another state rimward and spinward is Outcasts of the Whispering Sky.  They are non-human and highly xenophobic.  No idea what they are up to or if they survived the turmoil of the last century.
• The race known as Hivers were frequent traders, but they haven't been thru the system in over a century.  Their region of space is trailing and rimward.

Eventually Tomi and Cyris go back to his apartment for some extracurricular activities.  While she told the crew it was fantastic, she had to make a quick trip to the autodoc to see about a chipped tooth.

The crew then sets out to come on-world and see about earning enough cash to fuel up.  Heading to the the bazaar, hoping to find an broker, they meet a few patrons:

Victor von Dull, the Flesh Peddler
Cohen Drouhns, the Mechanic
Comedian:  Daueroon Gyra
Casino Patron:  Lukas Badicus
Importer/Exporter:  Roz al Poole

Victor offered some cash money for the crew to go do some recruiting for him so that he could increase the size of his stable.  He runs a classy organization in the city and caters to a more distinguished crowd.  Ashley was quite disgusted by the entire concept and tried to assault Victor.  Unfortunately she only ended up injuring herself.  A comedian in the background, Daueroon Grya cracked a joke at Ashley's expense, diffusing the situation.

Daueroon is a new comedian, just trying to start his career here on the Island.  He offers the crew money to come to his show and hype of the crowd to get things going.

Fenton decides to try and sell the body of Lucas Baddicus to Victor.  Victor is thoroughly unimpressed and doesn't bite.  Fenton then embarks on a scheme to try and bring Victor to the comedy show.  Since Victor runs a hotel, he does offer entertainment and libations to his customers to loosen them up.  He brings in his off-duty 'staff' to the show.  The crew successfully carouses the crowd and a good time is had by all.  Victor's people end up getting some business that night.  He also offers Daueroon a regular gig at his hotel.  Being pleased with the outcome, he offers to make an introduction to Roz – the big boss in this area.

The crew meets Roz, and learns that he is 'a simple business man' but that he only does 'business' with his friends.  In order to prove their friendship, he wants a piece of his property back.  The crew agrees to retrieve his stolen property and leaves with a datachip containing the details.  The soon learn that the objects is a wooden chair and that it resides behind the desk of the head of the planets security forces.

Tomi stalls when asked about calling in a favor with her friend Cyris.  The crew decides to go their own route.  They follow a janitorial van from the security building to a pub.  Following the driver inside they tell him that they have hit is vehicle and needs to come take a look.  Once he comes out, they assault and kidnapp him.  These actions do not go unnoticed by the bartender, but a generious tip seems to buy his silence.

Daphne uses her stealth suit to gain entry to the building.  She successfully sneaks in and finds the chair.  Heading back the the lobby opts to just make a break for it.  The two guards, while distracted by an entertainment broadcast, do eventually notice.  They notice a wooden chair rolling itself out the front door.  Looking at each other, they go back to their programing without saying a word.

The crew delivers the chair to Roz.  Being quite pleased, accomodates the crew  by brokering sales and trades for them.  They sell of some manufactured goods and use the proceeds to purchase fuel, and a ton of cryo-stored seafood.

Being that they had been in space for nearly 6 weeks solid at this point, the decision is made to use the remaining funds on a nice vacation.  The crew spends a week yachting around the planet.  Slug orders a surfboard.  Not paying attention to what he was buying, he notices deboxing that it depicts a Hiver wearing a brightly colored shirt and some kind of fancy beverage.  He spends the first day of his vacation in a soft room.

The Greenbeard, made a quick dip back into Network space to report findings at the Ancient site and to grab a few supplies before heading deeper into the Wilds.  Most of the crew picked up light armor and weapons.  Both personal and ship based software was also installed.  A TL13 Autodoc, to supplement the TL 14 Autodoc was added the ship.  Slug also picked up some trade goods.

On the journey to Ghana, the crew decided to integrate Ein with the ships computer.  Ein the dog is now an avatar of Ein the ship's computer.  

The ship arrives in Ghana some weeks later and finds it devoid of habitable worlds.  Two gas giants and many asteroid belts seem to be all that is present in the system.  Tomi picks up a distress signal coming from somewhere in the vicinity of one of the belts.  The signal is faint, and only broadcasts for a few moments every so often, but she is able to trace it back to the source.  The Greenbeard approaches and finds an old lab ship with an obviously destroyed Jump Drive, oddly, from The Network.  The ship is called the SS Korea.  A quick search in the ships database reveals that it was a medical ship destined for a new colony some 70 years prior.  It never emerged from jump space with the rest of the colony's convoy and has been thought destroyed all this time.

After a few sensor sweeps, the find the ship is almost completely dead.  A series of mining drones are found floating dead at random intervals between the ship and the icy rock nearby.  A power source is found in on small section of the ship along with a the feignt reading from a lifeform.  The crew leaves Ein in charge of The Greenbeard and uses the GTFO to dock with the Korea.  There is no power on board, Cobb manually opens the hatch and everyone creeps aboard carefully.  They slowly pass several rooms that are setup as examination rooms before coming across two rooms full of Cryoberths.  Most of those berths are empty, but one of the cryoberths is operational and still operating.   Another appears to have shorted out at some point.  They find the desicated remains of a human inside.  Everyone agrees that they should continue exploring the ship before attempting to revive the frozen human.  After making their way to the bridge, Cobb is able to restore power to the ship.  While the fuel tank is only at 15%, all systems do seem to be operational.  Captains log indicates that the ship was crewed by 3 individuals.  A pilot/engineer, and 2 doctors.  The log indicates that one of the doctors went mad and decided to 'check himself out of the game' after a few years of waiting on rescue.  The other two, Captain Phillip Adams and the Pilot Lev Johnson decided to freeze themselves after setting the ships drones to keep the fuel tanks topped off.  Turning off all systems save a rescue beacon and the cryopods, they figured that could last decades – as long as the drones could keep the reactor fueled up.

The rest of the ship is explored.  They find it fully stocked with medical supplies.  It was clearly prepped and ready to start it's mission at a new colony world as an orbital hospital while the new colony was established – only it never arrived.  The ship is liberated of these medical supplies – as much as would fit in the hold and then it came time to revive the human in the functional berth.  They decide to liberate a change of clothing from both Lev and Phillips quarters, not knowing which of them was in the functional bearth.  

Ashley is able to successfully run the revival sequence on the bearth.  Captain Phillip Adams awakens to find himself temporarily blinded and disoriented by the long duration in cryostatis but grateful to be finally rescued.  He agree's to accompany the crew on their mission, although they get the impression that he would have agreed to damn near anything to get out of that system.  Setting a course for the Treber, Phillip spends his time in Jump Space both learning about history as well as doing a bit of teaching the crew about the age gone by.  Most of the records from the time period leading up to his being marooned were at best chaotic, if not lost entirely.  Modern day primary education calls this period The Redistribution.  There was little in the way of interstellar travel, most of the population of the sectors were centered around a few systems with billions upon billions of people.  Cain showed up from nowhere and setup a joint government between these systems.  One of the first orders of business was the Redistribution – it became the catalyst that saw a huge explosion in science and productivity.  Not much is really remembered from the time itself or prior – things were quite chaotic as the culture shifted and great migrations of people set off for the stars.

Arriving in Treber, the crew finds a single habital world and a few asteroid belts.  They are not alone.  There are alien ships of unknown designs operating in the system, mostly in the belts.  The world, almost entirely water, has an orbital space station – it hails the Greenbeard.  The Greenbeard makes arrangements to dock, instructs Ein to let them off, then detach from the station until they request pickup.  A sharply dressed officer by the name of Cyris Haddad greets them as the enter the Highport.  He is cheeful and professional in collecting the requisit information and presents them with identification passes.  He advises that the next shuttle to the surface will be departing in a few hours.  Tomi, queries him about dinner – quickly sparking his interest, the two set a date to meet at Pier 22 after his shift is complete.

The crew heads down to the lowport and takes the train thru an active volcano (ooooh, ahhhh) and arrive at a mass transit station.  On arriving at the mass transit station, the happen across a small business called Snazzy Starshine.  The proprietor is here selling little nicknacks – one of which is a crazy looking space alien which she calls a Hiver.  Upon seeing this Hiver, Captain Slug enters a fugue state and starts acting erratically before passing out.  Many heads were turned at the comotion in the busy transit station.  Given that several members of the team, adhering to the letter of the law instead of the spirit, came to the surface carrying military grade rifles, and heavily armored – they were immediately detained.  Ashley was able to negotiate with the authorities and learned that while it wasn't expressly forbidden to walk around looking like a terrorist cell, it was illegal to incite terror.  

Ashley suggests that everyone but Tomi should return to the ship.  Slug will get some medical treatment; Tomi can make her date with Cyris at Pier 22.  Is Ashley really doing Tomi a solid?  Are they finally bonding?  Or is this just another chance for Ashley to play nurse with Slug?  Will Tomi let the crew listen in on her date via comms or is she going dark?  Only time will tell! 

The crew began the session on the surface of the planet inside of The GTFO.  With Capt Slug being gravely injured, they decided to run him back up to the ship where the Autodoc could get him patched up.  Unfortunately, the irregular orbit that Daphne parked their ship in earlier proved to be quite a challenge to achieve a second time.  After several aborted passes, she was able to match the orbit and land, albeit after taking some hull damage while landing in the shuttle bay.

After Slug is patched back up, the crew debates the method on which they can descend the shaft that was discovered on the planets surface.  They decide to bring a few G/Bikes, a G/Floater, and a lot of rope.  Since most of the crew is not proficient in the use of Grav vehicles, Slug and Tomi head down and do some scouting.  Finding 'the coast clear' down at the bottom – some 100m down, a rope is lowered and the others start making their way down.   Fenton led the way down the rope, sliding down with ease in his battle armor.  The others followed him down the line – unforuntately, Ashley didn't hook up her safety harness properly and started to fall.  In a flash of inspiration, Fenton was able to drop Vera and catch Ashley as she plummetted to her death.  While he was able to catch her, the bone jarring impact of her limp helpless body on an armored exoskeleton cause her some vary serious injuries.  The crew is able to stablize her, and leaves her to rest in the G/Floater while they explore the bottom of the shaft.

The shaft opens to a cavernous room with a door on the far side.  Fenton uses his suits optics to zoom and and scan the vicinity.  He makes note of a weapon emplacement – with no weapon.  It looks like it was removed by someone who didn't know what they were doing.  He also notes that the door was forced open and is sitting ajar.  The crew stages around the door, just as Fenton is about to walk into the room, the cavern becomes illuminated by hidden lighting for a few moments, then returns to darkness.  When the lights come on, a message waiting indicator lights up from Ein to Ashley.  Only part of the communication is able to make it thru:  "Flares"  

Fenton turns back to enter the room after the lights go out and notices bodies scattered in one portion of the room.  Making note of a weapon on the far end of the room, he stealthily slips between banks of equipment and works his way to a point behind the weapon.  The others slowly try to make there way into the room as Fenton tries to clip some wiring at the base of the weapons platform.  He receives a tremendous shock, and the unit immediately spins about opening fire on the party.  A second foray into the wiring leaves some of the gearing on the weapon disabled and unable to access it's full range of motion.  Several other members of the crew exchange fire with the sentry gun before Fenton is able to finish disabling the thing.  Tomi, clearly aggravated by the sentry, grabs the lower body of one of the BCP scientists whos remains are scattered about the room.  She yanks a mummified leg free of the pants, breaks off the foot and pelvis from femur over her knee, and then proceeds to start beating the sentry with it.  She looses a primal scream as the femur snaps in two over the barrel of the sentry gun.

Now free to open examine the area, they start with a more thorough examination of the bodies.  They are indeed BVP uniforms.  The mummified remains are consistant with those crewing the lab ship in found in orbit.  Among the remains the are able to locate 4 credit sticks, which are quickly pocketed by Fenton as well as the following:

• software wafers: 
  
  
  
  • 1 x slug thrower 2,
  • 2 x energy weapon 2,
  • 1 x blade melee 2,
  • 2 x science computer 2,
  • 1 x science cybernetics 2,
  • 1 x science archeology 2.
  • Universal Translator/3
  • Security/3
• 4 x cred sticks, each with 1d6 thousand on them.
• Computer /4:  
  
  
  
  • Intelligent Interface (1)
  • Universal Translator (3)
  • Security (3)
  • Archeology (3)
• Weapons
  
  
  
  • Arc Field Knife – 5d6+2, AP30 (requires blade 1)
  • 1 gauss pistol (requires slug 1)
  • 2 personal defense laser, 25 charge cartridge (requires energy 1)

The crew locates a lift that drops them deep below the planets surface - Many many kilometers.  The shaft gives way and reveals a monstrous docking bay and a factory floor below.  They are able to establish that this facility is tens of thousands of years old, maybe even more so.  It is a factory, that was churning out ships used to dissect and rebuild the planet – presumably from this large planet into the two smaller planets in orbit around the remaining fragment.  The civilization that decided just to build a few new planets was clearly far in advance of anything but the most fanciful holostories.  What became of this civilization?  Where did they go?  Why?  Perhaps Humans from Terra will have answers to these questions.

The crew resolves to return to Barnett and provide a full report to the Scout service.  They will secure additional provisions and then head out following the course followed by the Terran vessel.

 

This is a mystery story involving ancient history and modern heroism, technology and grit, intellect and danger.  The story starts with the discovery of ancient artifacts on Maikagun III, and the vague concepts of an ancient human empire, and some terrible threat that destroyed it.  Now Humanity again has an empire, and again it is under existential threat from a mysterious threat.  Coincidences over thousands of years are usually merely coincidences, but this reporter cannot shake the feeling that these two circumstances are connected.

Our "happy few, our band of non gender specific familial connections" continued the exploration of this fascinating, yet dangerous system.  Our wisecracking bush pilot managed to navigate the swirling whirlpools of gravity and mass that plague our efforts.  She skillfully manages to dock with a lab ship, clearly here to investigate the planet below.  Through various searches it becomes apparent that the crew abandoned the ship months ago, obviously to scout the surface.  In a final piece of piloting skill beyond belief Tranny puts the lab ship in a stable orbit amid this maelstrom, all while stuffing her face like a recently dumped freshman.  Supplies and irrelevant miscellanea are transferred back to Old Beardy.

Donning a delightful new number in the vac suit genre intrepid Ashley Madison, your reporter, descends to the service with the help of this rag tag bunch of mismatched heroes.  An ancient ship lies dead on this barren service.  The interior is comprehensively recorded by this reporter as a future service to mankind.  But the crew must move on for there to be mankind to receive this exploratory gift.

The search reveals greater confirmation of the story suggested on Maikagun III with additional details.  This is an ancient, alien ship crewed by men as human as you or I.  There is a star map tracing their path from their home, a place called Terra.  Rough estimates put the human empire in question of existing around 3,000 years ago, but on the verge of annihilation by a threat known as The Doom.  There is no sign of the researchers, who appear to have been from Brown and Volokh partnerships.  Why have they kept this quiet?  Could the rumors of eugenics be true?  Are they attempting to use alien technology in concert with their biotech division to produce a "superior human?"  There's only one way to find out.

Descending into a hole presumably dug by the researchers the raggle-tag crew of Greenbeard the Invincible an almost immediate attack causes confusion and mayhem (see holographic recording).  This reporter must make that most difficult decision, to objectively observe and report, or to enter the fray and become one of the actors.  Faced with the imminent demise of one of the crew, Slug, this reporter briefly abandons her objectivity and risks her own life to save him.  His blood stains her hands.  She has now known war.

These are heroes, risking their very existence for simply the possibility of doing good.  We must return Slug to the ship for medical treatment, but our fate is clear.  We must go back and risk everything to save everyone.

 

When we first accepted this mission I expected a nice calm journey into the stars, seeking out new life and new civilizations.  Instead, I lay here in this damn med bay waiting for the burn bots to finish their job.  And yeah – it hurts!  Worse yet, I bet the rest of the crew is raiding my stash of space coke while I'm stuck in here!  I hope someone remembers to keep stocking the autostill.

The system we wound up in, one that most of my cohorts except Tomi had been to before, is pretty damn weird.  While we've found traces of ancient people, there is no one here.  At least, not that we have found so far.  I still have no idea what's going on with the artificial planetoids and hopefully once we get done exploring it will give us some answers.  Did I mention I was shot – and that it hurts?  Once we found the tunnel to get below the metal … door?  Whatever… we quickly came under attack.  I have to hand it to the crew – they handled themselves really well.  Me?  Not so much.  I tried to take cover and then got shot… a few times.  Lucky for me Ashley acted quickly and patched me up as best she could while the rest of them moved in.  I tried to rally, myself and everyone else – and I got shot AGAIN!  This time it was more than we could fix in place with just medkits, so once the bot was dispatched we returned to the ship.  And, here I wait.. wondering how much of my stash will be left.  Why didn't they outfit these things with morphine buttons?

Obviously my first time around as a captain with this rag tag bunch of heroes didn't go exactly as planned, but it wasn't all that horrible either.  I just hope I can heal up so we can figure out what is down that hole.  If it's more security bots I'm going to be super pissed.  Maybe there's ancient drugs down there!

GMs Log:

The party started on the derelict lab ship in orbit around the planetary fragment.  Believing that they had failed to fully explore the vessel, they decided to continue their explorations in addition to restoring power so that logs could be retrieved. 

Most of the crew quarters were found in disarray.  Ashley was somewhat put out by the class of citizens that must have occupied these rooms.  Dirty, unkempt individuals.  She was, however, pleasantly surprised to find one of the rooms neat and orderly.  She recognized a few of the items located in the room as reminiscent of devices she  in the sorority house at University.  She retrieved a Clothing Consultant, Hair Styler, and Sonic Stain Remover in addition to a small droid programmed with Profession – Tailoring 2.

Daphne made an odd discovery in the Galley.  A sink full of dirty dishes with an unopened box nearby.  Further examination of the box revealed it to be a   sanitation droid.  The markings on the box indicated that it had been delivered some 4-5 months prior.  Some debate amongst the crew occurred on why a sanitation droid was left inactivated next a sink fully of dirty dishes?  Was this a trick?  Could the droid be infected?  Could droids be infected?  They decided not to activate the droid but saved it for further research later – perhaps using the ship infection widget to test the robot in some fashion.

Tomi made straight for the sick bay to reconnoiter the drug situation, she was able to find 10 doses of slow drug, 10 doses of fast drug, and a TL13 Medkit.  The rest of the equipment which might be expected to be found in a lab ship had been removed. 

The crew was then able to rig up a method to provide a modest amount of fuel to the reactors and restore power.  Ashley and Slug were caught a bit off guard by the sudden restoration of gravity and were injured as the ships systems came suddenly online.  Tomi was able to successfully retrieve logs from the ships computer and did a little digging as to the nature of this vessel.  They learned the following:

• The was purchased by the Brown and Volokh Partnership (BVP) corporation earlier this year.  They made their way here for another look at the facility on the planetary fragment below.
• References were made which indicated this was not the first such expedition.  A prior expedition had occurred in the past which had procured technology samples which were ultimately provided to Erik Ericsson for research.  The second expedition occurred when BVP agents learned of the facility discovered by the Heinlein crew on Maikaguun 3.
• The ship arrived in system some 4 months ago.  The scientists on board left for the surface and never returned.  The ship eventually ran out of power.

They decided to boost the orbit of the lab ship into something a bit more stable.  The odd gravitational effects of the planetary fragment made this a bit of a challenge, but Daphne was able to expertly pilot the ship into an indefinitely stable albeit elliptical orbit.

The crew brings their new-found loot back to the ship for later analysis.  Slug attempts to deploy a survey drone into an orbit that will relay signals from the surface back up to the ship.  His first attempt damages a drone, the second attempt is successful.  He assigns the utility robots to first repair the droid, then continue on addressing any other needs the ship has.  Ein’s Good Boy program is activated and he is bid to keep an eye on things while they descend to the planet.

The crew then set their sights on the crashed alien vessel below.  Daphne put on her small spacecraft hat and was able to again navigate the odd gravitational influences and touch down near by the alien craft.  She was able to approach using a spiral pattern so that they were able to get a good look at the relic on the way down.  The alien vessel was only ‘half there’.  It appeared as though the rear half the thing was just suddenly vaporized.  The front half dropped from orbit and buried much of the nose into a rocky formation as it crashed.

Everyone cautiously began exploring the entrance to the wreckage, probing for a way inside.  The bulkhead doors had sealed when the craft lost pressure.  Lacking cutting equipment, Daphne throws a few well-placed rounds from her PGMP to blow the door off the frame with minimal damage to the surrounding ship.  As the begin to explore the ship, she finds that what remains is largely crew quarters, the bridge, and a single laboratory. 

Ashley, ever interested in human interest stories, starts with the crew quarters and everyone else follows suit.  They find that while the wreck is frozen, the contents were fairly well preserved.  A few uniforms, shaped as though made for a human being are located.  A small card with a picture on the front is found.  The universal translation program they found on Maikaguun III translates the text to read Taj Mahal.  They also locate a small, felt-lined wooden box.  Inside is a primitive however beautiful chrome slug thrower bearing a small inscription.  Colt 45.  USMC.  10 Nov, 1775

Next, they encounter a laboratory with a small computer system.  After some work, they are able to extract some data.  Most of the information is duplicates what was already learned in the Underground Facility of Maikaguun III.  One of the cabinets in the lab has a large box filled with something called Luna Bars.  Daphne snatches them up, laying her claim.

Moving on to the Bridge, the first thing they notice are two corpses in vac suits.  On examination, they are a bit surprised to see that they are completely human.  Indistinguishable from any random person they might run into in the High Port of Barnett.  A quick science check proved that these folks survived the crash, but ultimately died of asphyxiation.  A retracting transparency is found on a conference table in the middle of the room.  It seems to show the route the ship took from its home port – 10 jumps away. 

Further study of the computer systems here shows that a debate between the military and the scientists on board was the last thing noted in the ships logs.  The scientists were angry at the order to evacuate the system and destroy their research base on Maikaguun III.  They had convinced the military commander of the vessel that one last trip to the facility on Maikaguun IV should be undertaken.  The solar flares interfering with the defensive systems in the facility could end soon.  It could be thousands of years before flares would again render the facility approachable.  The technology in that facility may be the only thing capable of warding off The Doom causing the collapse of their civilization

Much of the rest of the data on the ships computers were protected by security protocols, however they were able to able to extract a few fragments here and there:

• The logs seem to indicate that the ship arrived here in the year 2729.  Basic investigations lead everyone to believe this ship is between 2500 and 3000 years old.
• They are from a civilization based on a world called Terra.  Terra is the home to an empire called The Second Imperium.  References are also made to ‘The Rule of Man’

Our intrepid band if fearless hero types decide to now explore what lies below the metallic plate.  Slug manages to recall a drone from the ship to help with this endeavor.  They are able to locate a large hole that has been excavated out near the Launch from the lab ship.  The hole goes down some 100 meters or so before where it intersects with some maintenance tunnels.  The group begins making it’s way down the tunnel which run in wide circular path.  The drone, scouting out just ahead of the party, transmits data bank to Slug’s neural comms.  A robot of some kind comes into view on the scans, Slug sends a quick warning to everyone to take cover.  The machine, a Centurion manufactured in The Network turns to open fire.   Ashley and Tomi, being quick on the draw, manage to get behind cover but realize they lack adequate arms to deal with this kind of threat.  The centurion is able to score a hit with its gauss rifles on Slug, but misses on attacks against the other crew members.  Daphne and Fenton both maneuver into positions, taking shots as they go.  Ashley, heads to Slug to apply some first aid.  Additional shots are exchanged, Slug is again injured, but ultimately Fenton is able to dispatch the droid with authority.

The party realizes that Slug really needs more advanced medical attention than can be performed on here in a dirty tunnel.  Further, they make note of a vertical shaft being guarded by the droid.  They lack the proper equipment to make use of this shaft and agree they should probably return back to the Launch and regroup.

To be continued.

Finally done with battling the headless, heartless monster CAIN (that may or may not be evil, when you really give it a good think like I do when sampling the ship's stash of space yummies), we headed back to Barnett for some R&R (recreational drugs & re-evaluation of life).

At the base, I ran into one of my pirate waif friends from ago. Except, she was no longer waifish, but quite tough and rather buff. She introduced me to her trainer, Marmoduki, and he agreed to train me for – let's just say – a fair trade. Basically, I spent 3 weeks waking up at the crack of dawn, joining Marmoduki and his crew of women-getting-beefier in their old fashioned training facility, and returning under cover of darkness. No one else from Heinlein really noticed my absence – kind of like they don't notice my presence unless they need my help. And in 3 weeks, I became pretty good at jabbing and bludgeoning and dodging and general juking. My sap has never been so cunningly wielded. I will miss the training, though I was not sad to say goodbye to Marmoduki. 

Meanwhile, Slug has become Captain Important with the crew. I can see Ashley gaga eyed for him, but I just laugh to myself at how mismatched they are. Slug wrangled a new boat and a new mission from the Powers That Be. Still, I'm never sure if and when we get paid for this stuff, but I'm glad to tag along for free room and board and access to space coke. And, come on – I'm not naive – a fair share of the profits and zero share of the risk. It's nice to be somewhere you aren't not wanted.

The crew seemed not all aces when we left Barnett. Daphne's a great pilot, but for some reason (tacos? eggrolls?), we landed way on the edge of the fueling system. I glanced at the sensors and saw a fuel-laden comet not too far away, so we saved a little time and money mining fuel with our new fancy drones. 

When we got to Maikaguun, I noticed a strange binary planet system like I've never seen. Two identical twin planets circling the tragic remains of a larger planet, like the whole system had been crafted. Again, blame it on too much space coke, or the after effects of 3-weeks worth of concussions, but my sensoring wasn't on point. We searched one of the twin planetoids first and found nothing. Cobb and I searched an abandoned lab ship (that may have been one of his former ships – so strange!) and found nothing but an empty droid-charging station. Finally we found some weird metal plate on the core planet remnant which we are about to check out.

Oh, and I thought to play nice with Ashley. She's always with the wise-cracking like I don't understand language. But I showed her some new ways to do her hair since she is always commenting on mine. She thinks I like her now, which is the safe way for me to play it, and she even gets my name right sometimes.

Physically weary from our travails in the battle against the inhuman CAIN, and soul weary at the tragic but heroic loss of our comrades, our rag-tag bunch of heroes returns home in the almost wreckage of their noble vessel Heinlein.   (too much melodrama?)

After the months of stress among the stars, never knowing who or what might be an enemy, a return to the familiar environs of sweet Barnett was a sweet balm to the crews pain.  Taking the opportunity to reconnect with our roots the crew split up for some R&R.  (I went yachting with Nigel!)

But duty calls and (insert something martyrish here, grab a poem out of somewhere) Scout service calls us up, CAIN held at bay temporarily, Barnett has engineered a widget that stops virus contamination, but for some reason that the boffins understand we need bigger, alien computers.  Off we go back to Maikagun, but Heinlein is being repaired so we get a scout ship (smaller, with less romance, what is the crew of the Heinlein without the Heinlein?)  Two weeks later we are there and scanning the system there's a weird bit.  It looks like someone broke up a planet to make two smaller, identical planets orbiting the whole mess.  (Remember to ask Chomey about boring technical details.  Q. can she read?)

There's an abandoned spaceship, a crashed ship, and some people already there.  Bravely the RTBOH head down to investigate and save humanity (again).

Ashley, this is not your best work. Will need to do more research later to provide the perspective of the vast importance of this mission.  Will also need some personal hooks to provide the opportunity for the reader to become engaged at the human level.  If only there was something to these "people" that was worth paying attention to.

GM Recap

The crew spent some time unwinding and catching up on recent events after their return to Barnett.  The scout service contacted Capt Bartholomew 'Slug' Slugopolopolous for a debrief since the return from Lagar.  The Major apologized for having to commandeer Slug's scout vessel for a priority mission, but was able to extend an offer:  A new mission specific ship is being rushed into service.  He will be given use of the vessel if he accepts the mission.  The mission itself is somewhat specialized and stands a much greater change of success with the expertise of a few of his known associates.  

The biological computers discovered by Capt Jones and crew are uniquely suited to defend against infection.  The design, however, is only suitable for smaller ships.  It would take years reverse engineer and build out computers suitable for capital ships, space stations, and the like.  Further, these computers are so effective at combating infection, some speculate that they were built for that very purpose.  Perhaps the original builders are familiar with the source of the virus and have techniques which can be utilized to defeat it.

• Find the source of civilization that built these devices.
• Enlist the aid of that civilization in the manufacture of newer/larger devices
• Find the source and origins of the virus, if possible
• Find a way to purge the virus from infected systems
• Determine if there is a way to inoculate against the virus

Ashley helped negotiate a 'free fuel for life' deal – Slug ultimately accepted the mission but soon found the ship to be incomplete.  Some finishing touches were needed in order to make the vessel 'expedition ready'.  A ships boat was purchased along with vehicles and drones.  Additional equipment was borrowed from the Heinlein.  While waiting for deliveries, the crew was able to stock up on supplies and spend a few weeks brushing up on their studies.  Interesting tidbits of information learned from Newcasts:

• Scientists have finished constructing an air gapped research facility on a small asteroid.  No physical, nor transmitter based network connections are available.  All data coming out of the facility is completely analog based reporting.
• Infection starts as a seed.  Once delivered, it needs to 'unpack' itself.  Depending on the speed of the host system, this could take anywhere from 15 minutes to days.  It may even just lay dormant and wait for an opportunity to retransmit the infection.
• Scientists have been able to design a rudimentary test to determine if infection is present.  When the virus infiltrates a system it will start by exploring control paths.  A small widget can be integrated into a detection device.  The act of exploring controls on an otherwise unnecessary widget will cause a control arm to extend, lighting up a notification, which in turn physically breaks the control  arm in the process.
• A new class of ship constructed in partnership between SAIC and Ultra Prime was rushed thru trials and sent to Lagar where they engaged the enemy.  Their heroic sacrifice is believed to caught the Viral invasion off guard and suspended it's march into more densely populated areas of the sector.  Sadly, there were no survivors from the Lagar system.
• CAIN forces are numerous but are limited to smaller jumps, this allows the Corporate Federation time to potentially meet threats.   Minor battles happen occasionally, but it's more of a stalemate for the time being.
• Corporate Federation is issuing Letters of Marque to privateers authorizing them to engage in acts of piracy in territory held by CAIN.  Letter of Marque is also an electronic breaker wired into the comm system, should the ships computer show signs of corruption, the reactor will blow. 
  
  
  
  • Most Privateers hope that there are no CAIN forces present and an easy snatch and grab job will net quick profits.
  • A privateer fleet has formed under the banner of an unknown party.  The fleet has been conducting deeper excursions into enemy territory trying for bigger jobs.  They have even returned back to Federated space with refugees
    
    
    
    • Refugees state that largely, CAIN is securing industrial capabilities.  Farming worlds and humans seeking refuge are left alone unless they pose a threat to industry.
    • There are many robots being used for these purposes.  Oddly, no one has seen a Zerubabel Enterprises robot being used.

The ship set course for Maikaguun, but misjumped on their first stop coming into Udibi.  They arrived far into the outer solar system.  Luckily, a nearby comet was located which allowed them to refuel over the course of several days.  Meanwhile, Daphne spent several days with a protein bar in one hand and a servo-spanner in the other as she calibrated the jump systems.  Slug and Tomi were able to lean on Erik Erricson to install the same neural technology that he previously gifted the other crew members.

The next jump into Maikaguun was successful, placing the ship within km of their anticipated arrival point near Maikaguun III.  Tomi immediately jumped on the powerful new high resolution scanners to see what secrets the system would reveal.  An odd phenomena was noted as it appeared as though 2 identical, manufactured? planets were in orbit around each other at Maikaguun IV.  

The crew cautiously approached the planets and found a large thick cloud a the lagrange point of the orbits which their scanners would not penetrate.  The launch entered the cloud and found a partially disassembled planet at the core.  Seeming relatively safe, the crew returned to the ship and proceeded on to the planetary fragment.  Tomi's scanners, no longer blocked by the gaseous cloud, was able to locate a number of points of interest:

• A large metal plate on the surface.  The plate is many many kilometers across and has a seam running the length of it.  Adjacent to the plate is a small ship's launch, common to lab ships.
• some distance away, a crashed ship of unknown origin on the surface, it was very will embedded into the rocky terrain and was almost overlooked.
• A lab ship, possibly identical to the one traded in by Capt Jones, was found in a degrading orbit.  Scans revealed the ship to be dead, and completely without power.  

Deciding to start in orbit, the crew docked with and boarded the lab ship and found it to be abandoned.   A brief search that it was as it appeared: a scientific vessel.  The crew quarters appeared to have been vacated for a mission, and then never returned.  The ship eventually ran out of power and started it's slow decent as it slipped from orbit.  Tomi also noticed that there were empty droid charging stations on board.

 

As the Heinlein spent a day making their way out to the 100 diameter range from the gas giant, they zeroed in sensors to record as much of the battle as possible.  The missile cruiser was no match the viral fleet.  However, the viral fleet was clearly not aware of the new torpedo technology.  The cruiser used this to their advantage as it squared off against a dozen or so frigates; with a C&C vessel, and a fuel tanker behind their line. 

The cruiser was able to distract the frigates with huge barrages of missiles.  Meanwhile, torpedoes mixed in with a few missiles were sent toward the C&C.  A missile only barrage would normally have been relatively easy to intercept and that failing would not have caused significant damage.  In this case, the torpedoes were able to get thru and cause massive damage to the C&C vessel.  This threw the viral fleet temporarily into disarray.  The cruiser capitalized and launched massive volleys on the Tanker causing it to go down in a brilliant explosion.  The C&C vessel, on a nearby flank, was caught up in the explosion and was also destroyed. 

The frigates reordered their line and pressed the cruiser anew.  Several more volleys were exchanged.  The cruiser was able to take down just two of the frigates before damage to the point defense cannons left it unable to defend itself.  The cruiser attempted to retreat but was destroyed before it got far.  The remaining frigates then set course to leave the system.

 

The crew of the Heinlein returns to Barnett.  Damage to Heinlein incurred during the battle at Lagar I, Moon 1 was significant.  The crew wonders how the ship stayed running as well as it did.  They even suspect some sort of divine intervention by a mystical material known as Dragon's Milk Stout caused someone to forget to roll on the critical hits table.  Luckily the patchwork done in the field is enough for them to limp home, however, hull damage and damage to the reactor core will take many months to repair properly.  The scout service, grateful for their service, agrees to repair the Heinlein free of charge in their own maintenance facilities.  Meanwhile, the crew is able to liquidate the Luxury goods they pulled out of the skimming operation in Lagar and convert that into 8.8 million credits.  They also turn over the data retrieved from Lagar to the Scout service for analysis.

 

The next session will begin approximately 3 weeks after the Heinlein jumped out of Lagar.

GM Recap

The crew has just arranged for the skimming operation to deorbit itself into the gas giant.  As they are shoving off, Tomi makes not of a scout vessel approaching their position from 50k km.  The scout ship hails them with a text only communication.  They indicate that they were attacked by pirates and are seeking assistance.  They took damage in the attack and have not been able to fully repair their comms yet.  The crew waffles for a bit before responding back with a distress signal of their own and a .  The two ships close in on each other rapidly, the Heinlein then decides to set course for the moon.  The scout ship asks if they still require assistance and provide it in the form of a missile salvo.  

The two ships engage in combat, the scout vessel under armored and heavily armed; the Heinlein heavily armored and under armed.  The Heinlein only has one weapon that can fire at range and opts to bide their time dodging missiles and taking pot shots when possible.  The scout vessel closes the gap as rapidly as possible and then hits the Heinlein with a high density data transmission …. no effect.  The biocomputer recovered by the crew from the archeology site and then installed by Sallah was successfully able to prevent intrusion into the ships systems by the powerful AI Virus.  The Heinlein is able to score a lucky hit and damage one of the turrets on the scout ship.  The scout ship, attempts a boarding run at the Heinlein but is unable to maintain a lock.  The Heinlein spins around and surprises the scout vessel with 3 direct hits with mining lasers fired at point blank range.  The Heinlein finishes off the scout vessel but notices that a cutter had separated from the scout ship earlier in the battle and was making it's way toward the moon at high speed.

The Heinlein sets off after the cutter and sees the orbiting lab ship around the moon break orbit and head out of the system.  The Heinlein pursues the cutter and arrives at the moon an hour or so behind.  Following the cutter's movements on sensors the entire way there, they note that it appears to deploy some sort of satellite in orbit before it heads into the moons atmosphere.

The Heinlein cautiously approaches the satellite and are surprised to see that it disappears shortly after being deployed.  Being wary of the possibility of a stealthed orbital weapons platform they decide on the most logical course available to them.  Mining drones and mind altering space drugs.    After the mining drones are destroyed, they consult documentation on the planet and learn that it has a mix of lakes made of ammonia and hydrazine.  Believing they could ignite an ocean by firing on it they attempt to circumvent the satellite by giving it a wide bearth and keeping it beyond the moons horizon.  Finding only ammonia based oceans below.  Another round of space drugs really gets the crew going….directly into firing pattern of the cloaked satellite.  After a couple rounds of taking heavy damage the crew sobers up and takes cover.

Obviously the hydrazine based lake is collocated with the mining installation.  The Heinlein approaches as closely as it dares using mountain ranges for cover.  From their they set out in the ATV.  They find an Anti-Aircraft gun on the roof being manned by a droid and little else outside.  Opening the installation's garage door is a Centurion waiting on their arrival.  Combat ensues, Slug and Fenton are injured.  The centurion is obliterator in a massive explosion at the hands of Daphne's PMP.  The crew sets the reactor to overload and spends a few moments investigating the facility.  They don't find much of value below.  On the roof they find the AA gun being manned by a fairly advanced droid.  Fortunately that droid was only proficient in heavy weapons and related tactics – it was easily overcome started showing up on the roof.  Daphne investigated AA gun and found it was quite simple to lock onto the 'friendly' satellite target above and the satellite was dispatched in this way.  Ashley and Henry remove the data core from the cutter and they had back to the Heinlein.  

The Heinlein is just leaving the atmosphere when the installation blows in a brilliant spectacle.  The ship rides the shockwaves all the way into orbit.

The Heinlein sets course to leave the system by the most direct route possible when they are hailed by another vessel.  A Missile Cruiser has entered the system and explains they are there to assist.  Sallah has installed the extra bio computer they left behind and the vessel has been updated with a new torpedo based weapon system.  On the opposite side of the planet a very large infected fleet is approaching.  The fleet consists of dozens of frigates, a 500k ton fuel hauler, and a command and control vessel.  The Missile cruiser bids that the Heinlein leave, they know they are here on a suicide mission, the Heinlein must carry the word back to the rest of the sector.  Missiles and torpedos start flying furiously as the Heinlein makes it's way to a safe jump distance and leaves the system.

After 11 sessions, +1 Character Gen session, the crew is awarded 12 weeks of training/xp.  The game will be on hiatus for the next 2 months.

GM Recap

As The Heinlein enters the system, the first thing they notice is the line of ships waiting to refuel at Michaels and Michaels  They set course for the skimmer and broadcast a propaganda package prepared in advance by Ashley and Slug.  The journey in from the jump location takes 1.2 days.  During this time, Tomi is able to intercept communications chatter from refugees waiting to fuel up at skimming operation.  The talk is as expected – they can't wait to leave this system after what they witnessed in Glengarry.

Tomi also makes note of an additional vessel docked to the operations space station: a mobile factory owned by Dark Sun Equipment Rentals.  As they approach they can determine that a steady stream of mining drones is bringing in raw materials as the ship appears to be cranking out 1000 ton fuel bladders.  Captain Jonio Jamill indicates that he has been subcontracted by Michaels and Michaels to build these bladders.   He is quite anxious to complete his job and be on his way.

The Heinlein makes contact with the CEO of Michaels and Michaels, Sir Sammel Brownback.  At first, he is completely uninterested in vacating his family's operation.  Several months ago he had taken on a fuel contract with Cain for the Navy and it was almost due.  The operation will be in the black for the first time in years.  The orbit of the gas giant is littered with fuel bladders for this contract.   After some extremely smooth talking and wild promises, he ultimately relents.  The crew docks with the station and signs paperwork guaranteeing the corporation in the event of any financial losses.

The mining drones are set to start puncturing the fuel bladders, allowing them to leak their loads into space.  The crew retrieves some cargo from the space station and arranges for most of the staff on the space station to be frozen and transported back to Barnett by Dark Sun Equipment Rentals.   The CEO and his attorney are given crew accommodations on board the Heinlein.

Once the station is evacuated, Sir Brownback programs the colony ship to gently push the station into the gas giant.  As they are pulling away and turning their attention to the moon, Tomi makes note of a new sensor contact – it's a scout vessel, similar to the one she and Slug had been traveling in…

GM Recap

Both crews are recalled to the Scout Service's offices in orbit.  There they meet with a Lt Col Boone, Sallah, and representatives from the delegations of the major corporations in the region.  The Lt. Col explains that the Scout service has contacted Sallah and requested assistance in extracting information from the data cores recovered by the Naughtia safely.  Sallah, using his newly acquired biocomputer and the scans made available by the Heinlein is able to develop a crude interface capable of pulling some information from the device.  They determine the following:

• The infected merchant vessel entered the system and bypassed all other vessels, heading directly for the station
• The station seemed to start having problems when a tight band, high density transmission occurred at a range of 10,000km (medium range).
• Moments later, the other ships in the system seemed to start loosing control as well.
• As the ship closed in on the station and settled in to dock, a large explosion then damaged station as well as the merchant vessel.
• Analysts believe that the standard distance at which an infected ship may infect another is 10,000km.  This, however, may be variable based on the strength and capabilities of the sensors and communications arrays involved.
• While the infection seems to paralyze a target vessel almost immediately, it seems to take some time before the AI is able to transfer itself fully
• The infected ship detailed information on the Lagar system, specifically a refining operation there.
• Analysts believe that the infected fleet is only able to make use of Jump 1 technology for whatever reason.  They believe an attack on Lagar is imminent before moving into the densely populated central core of the sector.

The major corporations are extremely concerned about this information.  Representatives from the delegations go on to remind everyone of their lines of business and the imminent threat:  An AI virus infested fleet of ships is closing in on two of the largest shipyards in the sector, one of the largest robotics manufacturers in the sector, and the single largest weapons manufacturer in the sector.  The crews are 'voluntold' to go to Lagar, evacuate the system, and destroy any an all means of refueling the infested fleet possible.

One of the members of the delegation happens to be [[:tammy1 | Tammy Swanson]] , an ex lover of Slug.  The last time he was with Tammy, he was found floating in deep space with no memory of what had occurred.  He is virtually powerless to resist her demands.  She explains that her delegation is in great need to return to their home system in great haste and will be needing to borrow his vessel.  She milks him for an extravagant dinner and a shopping spree.  Slug returns to the Heinlein the next day completely spent.

As the crew is about to disembark for Lagar, they decide it may be prudent to arm the vessel.  Tomi and Ashley put their heads together, comparing notes and contacts, and are able to able to make contact with a black market arms dealer.  Ditzie Spofulum was thought to be merchant selling reactor processing equipment but this turned out to be a front for his arms business.  

The crew is able to meet Ditzie that same morning at a hotel in the slums.  The level of squalor really takes the high society members of the crew aback.  Walking past the police outline of a severed arm, they enter the hotel room as directed by the instructions and find it has an adjoining door.  The comms ring and they are granted permission to enter.  The room next door is extremely lavish, it doesn't look like it belongs on the same planet as the rest of the hotel, much less in the building.  Ditzie greets them, they conduct some business, and are given vouchers to retrieve weapons from a man named Rocko in customs.  

Rocko delivers the merchandise after extracting his cut and the crew is on their way, deciding to install the weapons themselves while enroute rather than paying and extra 5% for installation.

As The Heinlein arrives in Lagar, they note that there are refugee's from Glengarry lined up at the refueling station.

 

GM Recap

The session opened with the crew of both vessels underway to Barnett.  The crew of the Naughtia arrived a few days earlier.  On their journey, they cataloged the salvage discovered on board the infected merchant vessel.  The contents were 12 (TL12) Neural Comms and 28 tons of illegal drugs.  On arriving in Barnett, Tomi made use of her underworld contacts to find a buyer with deep pockets.  They decided to sell 27 tons of the drugs, keeping one back for themselves.  They also sold 10 of the Neural Comms and had the other 2 installed.  All told, they netted just just shy of 3,000,000 credits after paying for ship maint, and the like.  They delivered data cores recovered from their mission to the Scout service and are told to wait a few days while it is analyzed.

Meanwhile, the crew of the Heinlein reminisced about their brief holiday on Udibi.  Erik E. took a contract position with BVP to get their new computer manufacturing division online and running.  As a parting gift, he used company resources to outfit the crew with some experimental cybernetics that had started human trials:  Terminal Stabilization System will immediate inject a cocktail of drugs into a person who's vitals reflect that their endurance has dropped below 0, giving them an immediate boost of +6.  Cobb, master of dexterity, broke and arm riding a giant sandworm.  The crew also speculates on what 'big story' Ashley Madison had stumbled upon and looks forward to finding out the details when they meet again on Barnett.  Since Erik had left the crew, a new quartermaster was needed.  Fenton Cobb, the crew member with a gambling problem, was wisely elected.

When the crew of the Heinlein arrives in Barnett, they make arrangements to meet Ashley Madison for coffee at a GalaxyBucks in orbit.  Their they are introduced to Tomi and Slug.  Tomi had somewhat recently purchased ship shares in the Heinlein from the Heinlein's former crew member, Frankie – small galaxy indeed!  

Both crews, finding themselves a bit bored, get into a bit of trouble.  Tomi experiments with the illegal drugs and ODs.  They all head back to the Heinlein for medical treatment.  She is revived with some interesting effects.  Additional investigation may reveal what the drug may do in more controlled dosages.

Ashley and Slug head back to the Naughtia to 'collaborate'.  Ashley is seen arriving the next morning back on the Heinlein in her same clothes.  

Everyone heads to the shipyards to see Sallah.  He is very interested in 'saving the universe' but is still a company man and negotiates a very shrewd and lucrative contract between UPC and the Heinlein.  He states that it will take at least several days to install the biocomputer in their ship.  The crew is left with a few days to kill while the install is done.  They are also waiting for word back from the Scout Service as well as the formal meeting between representatives from the major corporations in the sector.

GM Recap

Tomi and Slug have just arrived in Udibi aboard Slug's scout vessel, The Naughtia.  They had been contracted for a special courier job in which speed was of the utmost importance.  Having completed their mission, they are unwinding a the lounge on board the Alkatraz where they met Ashley Madison.  After some conversations about current events, all three are summoned to the office of Lt. Asha Loo.  Lt. Loo hands Tomi and Slug encrypted orders from the Scout service:

<!—StartFragment—>

Due to the imminent threat to the security of the sector, your vessel is being recalled to active duty.   As you have already retired, you will be granted hazard pay at twice the normal rate:  24,000 / month.

In four weeks time, representatives of the largest systems of The Network will be meeting in Barnett to determine how to deal with the military threat that CAIN now poses to our civilization.  CAIN has, for many months now, been waltzing through territory unopposed.  An eighth of the sector has already been compromised and that figure continues to grow daily.  The crew of the Heinlein has provided BVP with technology which could at least slow the rapid expansion of infested systems.  Unfortunately, manufacturing this technology and installing it in our fleets will require time.  Time which we do not have.  To make matters worse, this technology will provide no aid defeating the infested fleet under CAIN's command.

We desperately need intel.   How, precisely, this virus is spreading?  What is the composition of the infested forces?  How are these forces moving? 

The Kimudkagi System, which neighbors the compromised system of An Ting, is likely to be targeted soon.  Due to that system's limited value, we do not believe CAIN will make much of an investment in it's capture, if any.  Proceed to the Kimudkagi System.  Conduct reconnaissance, deliver the data to Barnett in advance of the summit.  To aid in your mission, your ship is being outfitted with Stealth technology designed to make your detection very difficult. 

<!—EndFragment—>

Lt Loo goes on to say that they have an unregistered listening outpost in the system.  She recommends that they visit this outpost and pull whatever data is available – it should be relatively safe regardless of the disposition of the space station and planet.  She recommends that they bring along the renowned Investigative Journalist, Ashley Madison, to assist in endeavors.

The crew makes the jump to the Lagar System and is able to expertly come into the system immediately adjacent to the listening outpost.  They are able to extract the data from the outpost and learn that an infected freighter had entered the system a week prior.  It docked with the space station and shortly thereafter a massive explosion disabled both the space station as well as the freighter.  Both are currently powered down and exposed to vacuum.

After some debate they decide to quite while they are ahead and set course for Barnett.  Sadly, they lack the fuel for the jump and are forced to head toward the station which is essentially a fuel depot for the mining operations in the system.

The crew docks with the space station, which is built into a large asteroid, on the far side as the infected ship.  Slug and Ashley head into the station to try and work out how to pump some fuel into the ship.  They determine that the best course of action would be to travel several miles down corridors to command and control with the hope of getting the reactor turned on.  Meanwhile, Tomi temporarily removes the pump the captain's latrine and one of the batteries from the life support system and uses this to refuel the ship.  Oblivious, Slug and Ashley try but fail to activate the reactor.  Tomi let's the off the hook and the trio agree to meet at the infected ship.

The crew enters through a gaping hole in the cargo section and salvages a few random crates to help pay the bills.  They proceed through the ship to find the ships computer core with the intention of physically removing it.  They encounter an infected astromech on the bridge but are able to dispatch it with a well placed shot from Slug's laser carbine.  Carefully removing the computer core, they head back to the Naughtia and set course for Barnett.

During the jump back to Barnett, they determine that the salvage from the infested ship included 12 units of TL12 Neural Comms and 29 tons of illegal drugs. 

 

GM Recap

The crew decided to head for Barnett for the next phase of the contract with Ultra Prime and to visit their buddy the computer specialist, Sallah Mohammed Faisel el-Kahir and possibly get this new computer integrated with the ship.  They elected to bring all their recently found tech from the underground lab and stow it in the hidden shielded compartments on board.  On their way thru Arurshim they noticed most of the ships were gone or leaving the system.  It appeared as though many of the staff of the starport had evacuated the system for reasons unknown.  The crew elected to press on toward Barnett.  

Arriving in Udibi they were headed toward a gas giant to refuel when a hyper accelerated ship swinging thru the gas giant hit them with a tight beam communications laser.  They started loosing control of all ships systems when the experimental holographic bridge crashed.  Both ships lost power.  Jayne was able to quickly bring things back online, they found 2 people had left the other ship and were making their way toward the Heinlein.  The crew secured the 2 people who were in a complete panic.  They reported that an intelligent virus had completely taken over the ship computer systems.  They were effectively prisoners onboard for the last month.

A BVP destroyer and 3 small fighters came on the scene as soon as the 2 people from the other vessel had come on board.  They immediately destroyed the other vessel as soon as it was in range.  They then ordered the Heinlein to follow the escort.  Any attempt to communicate using a high band transmission would result in their immediate destruction.  

They were then led to a very large rickity prison barge.  The Alkatraz.  

Hull class 300,000.  Looks like it's a zillion years old and might have accidentally crashed into a moon or two.  There is a greenish gas which intermittently vents  They are given orders to dock midships.  Cobb, gazing through a viewport mentions – 'what a flaming piece of shit, how is that thing even still space worthy'.  Jin is quite familiar with this prison.  It's reputation is legendary in the underworld.  No one leaves, ever.  Conditions are rumored to be pure hell, but no one knows for sure since no one has ever been released.  Largely political dissidents and military prisoners.

Docking, the crew is disarmed and escorted inside.  The interior was not as expected.  Gleaming, polished and sofisticated looking.  No evidence of anything resembling a prison inside.

The are brought to a door labeled The Obi Wan Room and escorted inside.  The room was cavernous, it had trees growing inside, a garden, rocks and waterfall features.  At the center sat a stone conference table at which were seated two of the crews largest adversaries:  Loe Che, Dr. Else Schneider.  

After threats of torture, a discussion takes place.  They learn that CAIN was infected by an intelligent virus quite some time ago.  It has been quietly building an armada coreward of the sector.  A few months ago that armada launched.  Any ship that comes in contact with the armada is either infected and joins the viral fleet, or is destroyed.  Most of the systems coreward of their location have now fallen.  It's genocide.  They believe the the biological based computer is the secret to resisting infection by the virus, but they had not been able to produce anything usable.  They had found the same source technology as the Humaniti scientists in Maikaguun but hadn't had the years and years of research required to even begin reverse engineering.  The lower tech versions discovered by the crew could be exactly what is needed.

Business is business.  The crew negotiated to sell 87 (all but 20) of the biocomputers computers to BVP along with the plans and scans they obtained from the Humaniti base.  The crew will be compensated with a 5% cut of all future sales.

Opening Scene

The crew begins the session in an underground lab. Cobb, tripped over his own feet trying to open the door to a vault, and faceplanted onto the security keypad. By sheer chance his face happened to make contact with the right sections of the pad in the right order. The door opened revealing 3 black globes, 107 bio-computers. 1 similar bio-computer that appears to be far more advanced than the other 107, and a weird looking glove which bonded to Daphne's skin when she equipped it.

GM Recap

The crew continued explore the facility.  They found a room that housed a room that housed a reactor, charging stations for the robots, various other mechanical systems for the facility, and a computer system.  The reactor was damaged, Cobb tried to repair it but only caused further damage (in addition to dosing everyone in the room with 100 rads).  A lift going up a very long tunnel was also located.  

The crew decided to run back to Arurshim for reactor parts so that they could get the facility up and running again.  After two weeks in space and another week making repairs the the reactor, they are able to power up the facility.

When power is restored, the security alarms immediately start going off.  Daphne walks by a very large weapon emplacement.  Luckily it is designed to fire down the main hallway towards the entrance and not down the adjoining hallways.  Henry manages to pull off a minor miracle and hack the computer system gaining access to the facilities, he was unable to gain control of the security systems but was able to lock the weapon emplacement to some degree which reduced it's target anything but what was directly in front of it.  Daphne slipped underneath the emplacement and dodged fire enough to cut the power using her <s>shiney new</s> black really really old bracer.

Jin used his G-bike to take the trek up the long tunnel up into the mountain.  Everyone else took the lift which now has power.  The tunnel ran several km gaining altitude as it twisted and turned.  Eventually it ended up near the top of the mountain and opened up into a cavernous hangar.

Inside they find some fuel tanks, various bits of equipment, small maint droids that have been dead for millenia, and a heavy fighter – approximately 70 tons.  The fighter has much of its guts on the deck as they were trying to integrate new systems – a weapon and bio computer.

The hangar was large enough to accommodate a 1000 hull class vessel.  The roof of the hangar is solid rock but has the equipment in place necessary to open – the top of the mountain can swing open allowing a vessel to enter or leave the hanger.  When closed, even the most determined scan will find nothing but rock.  Apparently whoever built this facility was really into security and privacy.

Ashley Madison Investigation Notes

I think something big is going on here.

Item #1 Sudden appearance of military base under direct Kane control producing high grade military tech.

Item #2 Massive increase of Executive Orders by Kane.

Item #3 Direct intervention in control of planetary systems

Item #4 Weird computer stuff involved with Kane

Provisional conclusion: A serious, high technology military threat has been discovered. Kane is preparing for this confrontation and is seriously alarmed by the technology level of the threat. Also preparing for dramatic increase in citizen unrest to be met with strong authoritarian response.

Questions: What is the threat? How much danger is this? What exactly is Kane's response? Is the release of information helpful or harmful to the people?

Item A Unexplored planet suitable for life.

Item B Evidence of ancient alien culture and it's destruction from major impacts from space. Asteroid? Military attack?

Item C Discovery of high level alien tech in hidden location.

Questions: Is this alien technology from the same source as the new threat? What does it do? Who owns this tech? Ultra Prime? Us? Could it be useful in Kane's defense plans? Is there more of it on this planet? What happened to the civilization that built it?

The Aftermath

With the facility now powered up and the security protocols on the computer systems miraculously compromised, the crew is a able to access to a number of programs and records on the system. First, an inventory of the system shows the following programs present:

- Translator /1
- Universal Translator /4 (TL14)
- Security /2
- Decryptor /3 (TL14)
- Database /1
- Computer /3 (TL13)
- Profession (manufacturing)/3

The system itself is specialized for translating and decoding alien languages in support of the activities there. After Henry bypassed the security protocols, he was able to extract and replicate the core program of the system.  Further, utilizing the facilities computer system, you could start manufacturing additional bio computers or reprogram the robots to do some other type of task.
(everyone can add Translator /1 to the computer running their Neural Link)

Ashley Madison elbows Henry out of the console chair and begins her investigations. A few of the other crew members attempt to access the system as well but find themselves the object of a stream of curses and long lectures before being sent to retrieve a Skinny Soy Chai Mocha Acai Half Whip Latte.

Ashley's investigation is quite fruitful. She is able to determine that the facility was constructed by a government known as 'The Second Imperium' based out of a planet called Terra. While there are no star maps present, there are references that indicate this installation was constructed far spinward of Terra, off the beaten track of an established trade route to another government known as "The Two Thousand Worlds". Based on Ashley's best reckoning, ~3000 years ago they were ordered to scuttle the base and return to the Imperium for reasons unknown. Apparently the scientists conducting the research disobeyed orders and only scuttled the coastal facility.

The facility itself was constructed to try and reverse engineer artifacts recovered from a nearby site, location unspecified. These artifacts were manufactured by a race they refer to as 'The Ancients'. Apparently, this race lived ~300,000 years ago and achieved an extremely advanced level of technology. Terrifyingly advanced. During their time, they were believed to have seeded the galaxy with the primitive natives of Terra which they refer to as Humaniti. At some point, the Ancients disappeared but the decedents of Humanti continued to evolve and ultimately develop technology of their own.

At this point, Ashley Madison faints as she realizes she could be breaking the biggest story since, well, ever. Erik, shaking his head, administers a stim and asks her to skip to the sciencey bits…

Information available on recovered artifacts is as follows:

Assassins Brace: Stats and nature – you already know. They did conduct and store a number of high resolution scans of the object, but seemed to stop research after those scans were completed in order to focus on the other artifacts recovered from the vault. Incidentally, there is a scanner in the computer/reactor room. While it's a completely alien design, the technology isn't radically different than what Erik had access to at BVP. The scanner could be integrated with a medical diagnostics table with a little engineering work (it's not something you can carry around) When utilized, it could give some bonuses to rolls on certain types of activities at the referee's discretion.

Black Globes: They believe it is some kind of shield designed for use in starships. They accidentally activated the one found by the crew in the spherical indention. When they switched it on a spherical energy shield emanated from the globe which vaporized everything in it's path out to a radius of several meters – this included a robot, a table, and part of the floor. They were unable to penetrate the shield in order to turn it off. It was still active with the facility was abandoned.

Ancients Site: Very little is mentioned regarding the Ancient's site. Mention is made, however, that it was secure and not normally approachable. They were only able to recover these few artifacts due to some sort of temporary power loss caused by a solar flare. While the location was not explicitly listed, Ashley believes the site to be in the Maikaguun system.

Bio computer: This was the focus of most of their research while the installation was operational.
While the technology in the recovered source computer was ridiculously far in advance of what they were able to reproduce – or even fully understand, they were able to extract some valuable lessons on construction techniques and materials which they then applied to the a new design of their own. The new computers being developed were thought to be at least one order of magnitude more powerful than anything they had been able to produce thus far with the added benefit of being extremely lightweight as well as secure. That security was desperately needed as they increasing had border disputes with a race called the Vargr, who had technology able to disrupt the systems of Imperial vessels.

<<—   Begin July 2017 updates  —>>
GIG Fighter, 20t – (High Guard p86.)  
Hullpoints:  8
Thrust 7G (gravimetric) (14 power)
Armor 0
Power Plant: 30
Fuel: 1
1 turret (1 ancient weapon (not installed)
Cargo: 6.6 Tons
Crew 2 (pilot/gunner)

Computer and power plant removed and in pieces at the facility. 
Computer (25) is one of the biological based systems being constructed here.
    – Library, Manouevre/0, Fire Control/5 , Evade/3
     * note, unable to run all programs at full capacity at the same time.

<<—   End July 2017 updates  —>>

Energy weapon: An energy weapon was recovered from the Ancient site. They mounted it to the fighter in the hangar bay and tried integrating it into the ships systems but had been unable to get it to work by the time the facility was abandoned. The two pulse lasers have been detached and are in the hangar. Again, while an alien design – they are not that dissimilar from what you are familiar with around The Network. This craft is not terrifically advanced by your standards – just different.