T minus: 61 hours 45 mins (approx)

Down time moves along with the same inevitability as work time.

Profit Margin sits on the ice, in her new location, which, apart from the lack of huge, hulking wrecked starships, doesn't look a lot different from the old one.  Such is the monotony of sight-seeing excursions on small moons.  Ore hound is parked nearby, a concession to the fact that this world's gravity is so pitiful that a ship has to use thrusters to keep itself in synchronous orbit.

Both ships are currently partialy buried in drifts of ice crystals.

Jockram is sitting in Profit Margin's crew lounge, having crossed over from his own ship.

"The way I see it, the big problem with staying hidden here is that it might make it hard to see the Swordies arriving, if we're below the horizon when they get here.  Banster's working on a solution right now, something that'd let us stay hidden, and still see, bur so far, he's made no real progress... "
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:08, Sat 06 Oct 2007.

“Well, we are not far from the horizon here, nowhere is on this rock, it would be a simple matter to pop up for a quick peek with passives and just hope that we don’t get spotted. Stripping out one of the sensor arrays and installing it in some sort of remote housing is probably a bit beyond us, given the time scale.”

“Any way, for what I had in mind, it might not be necessary.”

Jago reaches over to top up the other captains glass with an amber liquid that had been far to cheep to be what it implied on the label, but was a reasonable substitute.

“The thing is to get the timing right, and that's just down to cairfull calculation.”

“At the moment, they don’t know that there are any ships out here. When the small one arrives we pop out of nowhere and give it a hard time. The bigger ship is thirty hours behind and can’t help it, but it’s got bigger, longer range weapons than us or it’s little brother and it can sure as hell take revenge. The Profit Margin will of course run away from a from the big bad Swordy warship, back to our 'ice ball' hide out, where we can play tag and try to off set better weaponry with better manoeuvrability, and of course where you guys are waiting with your mining laser to dig for molybdenum in it’s power plant.”

.

"That might work.  My only worry would be that, once they get closer, the dead Leviathan might attract some notice, and put them on the alert before you get a chance to do anything." Jockram says, thoughtfully.

Tylen had returned to his cabin and rested, it had been a long day and he wanted to be sharp it things were to get hot later. Having slept, he rose, excercised an then took a quick shower. dressing in one of his customary red tee shirts, tan pants and his disreputable boots, he buckled on his pistols and went down to check on their 'Guests'.

Having stayed up a bit later than most and been up earlier than most - call it habit - Yasmine Crow looks up from her cup as the captains talk.

"Hey, boss, I have been thinking...  Yeah, I know, I got a headache from it, but anyway...  I got this idea that might work.  What if we hide and let them start to refuel, and then we pop out and simply allow our missiles to 'drop down' on them.  Not only will we have gravity on our side, making it hard for them to avoid or shoot down our little gift, but they won't be going anywhere very fast once they are down there.  And mishaps during fuel scooping happens, so the other one might just repeat the dance if we do it right."

"In addition, I was think that maybe Sassy, together with Banster of course, can throw together some relay station for our sensors, so we don't have to keep peeking out constantly.  Worth asking, at least.  When it comes down to it, all we need to know is when they go for the dip, and then move in, so it does not require a full sensor array," she suggests and sips while she allows her idea to sink in.

Shui contents herself with bringing the ship's occupants (crew, passengers, and prisoners) food and beverages, while busying herself in near-obsessive preparation in her office/lab/sleeping quarters.  With her own gear neatly packed, she goes over her checklist again and again, knowing that if they engage the incoming vessels, there will likely be no time to search for supplies.

Saskia considers the plans being proposed.  "I can rig up a sensor relay, easy enough, as long as Yas and Tylen don't mind giving up one of their missiles to do it."

"Strip out the warhead, or leave it in, doesn't matter.  Take the active sensors offline, and you're left with whatever it uses for passives.  Most likely thermal and radar tracking.  Then drop it in space, without triggering its motor.  Set it up so that it shares the same orbit as this moon, and stays a couple of thousand klicks out."

"We pick up telemetry from it, on a low power tight beam signal, just the way it normally works.  Instant frelling spy satellite."

“Excellent Saskia’s, go for it,” Jago says without hesitating, “but try not to use any parts that we can’t afford to abandon. Perhaps you could leave the warhead in and add a remote firing system of some sort, just on the off chance that it becomes useful.”

“I like the idea of hitting them while they are diving with their fuel scoops deployed, except that it will take us away from the snow ball, and I was kind of counting on Jockram here being the ace up our sleeve.”

“I don’t think it’s possible to surprise another ship in space, in the ordinary way of things, it takes hours to move into firing range. The same applies if they spot the Leviathan on the surface, the first ship is going to see us coming any way, and the second will be able to analyse it as it chases us back here, either way it will serve as a distraction, nothing more, that might even be quite useful.”

“Computer, what’s our approximate flight time from this moon to it’s primary, and also from this moon to intercept ship ‘A’.”
’

To travel from current location, to the upper reaches of the planetary atmosphere, following optimal course, at best acceleration: 7 hours, 51 minutes.

Flight time to intercept Ship A, at closest approach to this moon: 7 hours, 19 minutes, assuming target ship does not alter vector.

“Thank you computer.”

“Seven hours is plenty of time to make preparations, if I were him I’d abort the refuelling run and head back towards the other ship, which is probably what will happen if we reveal ourselves too early. Still, how long does it take to make a refuelling run, any chance that we could catch them on the way out I wonder?”
_.

"Well, as I figure, we can hide in the gas giant, and rise up when they enter.  They will be nearly blind, as we would be if we did not have our little Sassy Spy Satellite," Yasmine suggests in order to cut down the amount of travel.  "That means they may not even notice us as we gain altitude enough to literally get the drop on them, and the other ship may, as I said before, even not realise something went wrong other than a mishap during refueling."

“Sadly Yasmin, it’s to late for that, they would see us move the moment we burned main drives, the only don’t know that we are here if we stay quiet and still behind the snowball. Actualy, we have no guarantee that they haven’t already spotted us.”
_.

"They might, or not.  No way to know, but, they might also think we are simply refuelling, like they are going to.  We are no big ship either, so what threat could we pose, eh?"

"If need be, we can always fire something later to give the impression that we are running away, or exploding or whatever.  We can't exactly surprise them from where we are anyway, can we, so why not cut down the distance while we can?" Yas replies, rather cutting down on the amount of time before the actual combat than wait nearly 8 hours to intercept them.

"Whichever way you go, there's still plenty of time before a decision has to be made." Jockram interrupts.

"If you want to intercept them, you'll need to launch about fourteen hours before they hit the clouds, so roughly... forty-seven hours from now.  Main problem I see is that they have seven hours to let their mates know that there are ships here."

"If you want to hit them as they refuel, you have choices.  First, you can follow them down, but not too closely, and just dump everything you've got onto them, from above."

"Or... second, you can wait until this moon passes behind its primary, then run across there, using the giant for cover.  After that, just lurk below the cloud tops, the way an SDB would." the miner looks from face to face, around the room.  Then, "There is a third choice for an atmosphere attack, though.  Combine the first two.  We go across and lurk in the clouds, and you follow them in.  As they descend, we come up, and once we're above them, we drop everything on them with you.  Except the coffee maker.  We may have crappy coffee, but it's all we got."

He looks at Saskia, "Whichever way you go, we'll need the remote eye though, so Saskia needs to start work on that, at least."

Yas grins and waves a finger at Jockram.

"That third option about hitting them on refuel is what I am talking about, although you did actually mention the moon as a cover," she chuckles and then says, cradling her cup protectively, "Well, we ain't gonna be dropping no cocoa either, so there..."

Jago shakes his head to try to throw off some of the confusion, “fourteen hours? It’s only seven hours to an intercept.”

“The thing is, those ships know that they are not being chased so they have a bit of lee way. As soon as we move, they will know that we are here, no question. You can see them Jockram, and your sensors are nothing special, no offence, we are in their forward arc, they just can’t miss us once we fire the drives. There sensors might have been damaged in the fight, but that’s not an assumption that I’m willing to make.”

“We can’t predict exactly what they are going to do, but we can make some educated guesses, and they don’t include diving into a planetary atmosphere while there are unknown ships with striking range.”

“If we show to early, the lead ship will just head back towards the bigger one and come in as a team.”

“If we don’t give him time to do that, his options are limited, but he won’t be going down into that atmosphere. He will probably wait, and when we attack, try and fight a retreat back to the bigger ship.”

“We could try to bluff him into thinking that we are a harmless merchant, out here after fuel as well, but even if he believed it, he can still wait until we are out of the way before going in. More than likely, he'll hold off with he intention of attacking us while we do our fuel run”

“One thing you said there did strike a cord though Jockram, something I’ve discounted up to now as this moon orbits the primary in weeks not hours, (OOC, at least I assumed it did), but I’ve not actually run the figures.”

“Computer, from the point of view of those two sword ships, how long before this moon moves out of sight behind the primary?”

“If we can get to the atmosphere unseen, and in time, that changes everything.”
_.

"Fourteen hours.  It takes a little over seven hours to cross to them at their closest approach, but that closest approach to us happens when they're still seven hours out from the giant.  So we need to make our move about fourteen hours before they hit the clouds."

The computer responds quickly, 49 hours, 10 minutes, 22 seconds.

Jockram shrugs, "There's the thing that was worrying me, at first, but the figures look possible.  We don't need to move until a little over twelve and a half hours before they get to the giant, if we want to get across there first.  That'd put us in the clouds about five hours before them."

A little smile forms around the unlit cigar in Jago’s mouth, “right, that gives us two days get what we can off of that ship down there.”

“We spotted what seemed to be some life form in the ice,” Jago tells Jockram, “I don’t know if it’s dangerous. It did seem to be scared of Yasmin’s shadow which I took to be an indication of sentience.”

“Shui,” Jago asks, or uses the intercom if she is not there, “any results from those samples you took?”
_.

"Told you so," Yas says with a grin, happy to leave the numbers and such to those who clearly liked them.  It had not her job to come up with figures in the Marines, after all, but she had to come up with ideas for solutions quite often.

"Common sense, not sentience.  Self-preservation, like any critter," she then jokes about the thing feeling her shadow.  "Just like I want the low-life to scatter.  Not saying these were, but on the level they operated, well, plenty of folks operate too..."

Then she falls silent - for a moment, at least - as she enjoys her cocoa again.

Shui sits up in her chair when the intercom chimes.  Dozing again.  Shaking her head, she flicks a switch, responds, and listens to Jago's question.

"Of course, Captain."  The doctor activates her vidscreen, calls up the result, already parroting them off from memory.  "Most of the coloured ice seems to be frozen fruit juice from one of the broken containers.  Likely mango juice, genengineered - adapted to a foreign world."

She fumbles for her cup of tea.  Cold.  "One sample was blood, but not from any of the major races.  Minor race stowaway, or crewmember?  Possibly some kind of pest?  I cannot say."

"The other ice I collected was either water, or frozen gasses, which sublimated upon arrival on the Profit Margin" 

Sitting quietly so far, listening to the discussion, Conrad finally speaks up, "Oh, Yas, I got some information on that watch y'all found.  'part from everythin' bein' mirrored an' all, there was nuthin' strange 'bout it.  I found a good forty worlds in the Atlas with day lengths that match the numbers on the face, or small multiples of it."

He shrugs, "An' that was just for the Marches and the nearest three Imperial sectors.  If'n it came from outside the Imperium, then there's likely as many again."

"I c'n get the list, if'n y'all need it?"

"Ah, it's a start.  Maybe we'll find something else down the line," Yas says with a grateful and optimistic tone, sending Conrad a smile.  "It's a long shot anyway."

"A list is fine, gives me something to do in b... uh, in my spare time," she says, figuring she might as well spend some time on doing a bit of detective work on her own.

Tylen strolls down to the makeshift cell, and opens the door, his right hand resting on his gun butt.

"Everything all right in here?"

He enquires.

The prisoners seem comfortable enough in their makeshift cell, and grateful for the "luxuries" that Profit Margin's crew take for granted... cheap meal packs (though, truth be told, those are normally reserved for emergencies), blankets, air that doesn't smell of oil, dirt, and too many trips through the recycler...


Jockram asks Conrad, "So... did you get any kind of ID on these ships?  I ask because I know as well as you that somebody over there was chucking nukes about, and I'm not entirely sure it was Shata Lunoqi."

He turns his attention to Jago, "Something to consider before we get ourselves into a rock-slinging match... are the other guy's rocks radioactive?"

Satisfied his guests are still comfortable and docile, Tylen heads back towards the crew lounge to see if there is anything for him to do. He wonders if Jago is not going to loose a great deal on this little trip, there seems to have been a great deal of fuel and time expended for precious little return so far. Shrugging to himself he saunters into the longue.

"Whether his rocks are radioactive, or not, depends how close Shata Lunoqui's missiles got. Conrad replies, with a grin.

"Looks to be a scout ship, somethin' like a Type S, bein' followed by an escort of some sort.  Neither of 'em is too big, but the Swordies do like their missiles, seein's how they ain't got the power generation systems that Imperial ships've got."

"On the other hand, they'll only be fitted with turrets, which limits the size of missiles they can use.  With luck, they'll be runnin' 'cause they've run out of ammunition."

"If we are above them in that gravity well we'll have plenty of time to pick off any missiles anyway," Yas says calmly and shrugs.  She looks up at Tylen as he comes and waves to him.

"All well with our guests, I take it?" she asks him, setting down her empty cup on the table.

Acknowledging the ex-marines summons he drew himself up a seat.

"Yeah, the poor saps are almost grateful for being locked up."

He shook his head in wonder,

"They're locked in a spare room, eatin' emergency slop and looking at getting charged and convicted with Piracy and they're happier than where they were before. They must've been so desperate I can't even begin to imagine."

He shook his head again.

"I guess sometimes you have to see someone hit the bottom before you realise just how good you got it."

"Well, they'd drop dead if they heard what Jago has in store for them.  Right, Jago?" Yas says with a brief chuckle and then smiles a bit askew.  "But, yeah, hitting bottom is good in a way - from there you can only go up."

"And yeah, we got it good on old Profit Margin, and she's a good ship, as Saskia can tell you, she rounds off.


OOC:  Fixed speech colour.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:13, Wed 24 Oct 2007.

Jockram accepts Conrad's assessment of the situation, with a nod.  "Sounds about right.  Swordies are a bit behind Imperials when it comes to most tech.  Smaller ships.  More missiles.  Less armour, to save on mass, so that they can carry the extra missiles... "

"Depending how state-of-the-art your electronics are, you might be able to jam their missiles.  And from what I've seen, since we joined up with you, I'd be willing to bet my weight in iridium that they are state-of-the art."

He sips at his coffee, savouring the flavour.  "You might be right about their supply situation too.  They're away from home, and just fought a vicious battle.  Maybe two... if they were involved in the fight that forced Shata Lunoqi to come here."

"Nukes.  Frelling yotz!" Saskia says, with a sigh.

"Just what I needed to hear.  We've go no real defence against even a fair miss with one of those.  The trick would be to make sure they don't get even that close."

She thinks for a few seconds, and starts to talk rapidly, "We need decoys.  Give me a half dozen missiles, and a few hours to work in.  We need to get the missiles into orbit around the giant.  We could probably drop them as we cross over behind the planet, and it doesn't have to be a stable orbit.  It just has to last a little while.

"Then they lay quiet and do nothing, until we trigger their active sensors.  It might make the Swordies think they've got a bunch of ships in orbit, all with a target lock on them, at least until they get a minute to think.  By which time, Jockram and us are hammering at them.

"I can fiddle the sensors a bit, so that they generate a more powerful signal than usual, but it'll burn them out.  For a little while, though, they'll light up like much bigger EM sources."

A little moan escapes from Jago’s lips, “half a dozen missiles, what’s that, about thirty grand, I take it that’s on top of the one your turning into a remote sensor and whatever we fired at ‘Harpers Nightmare’. And it’s not like we can just pop into the local hardware store and pick up a few more, with this war going on we’ll be lucky to find any this side of Regina, and God knows what they will cost by then”

Jago’s brow creases like a ploughed field as he comes to terms with the additional expense.

“Go on then,” he says eventually, “you can have three, plus one more for the sensor, but if there’s any prize money out of this I’m deducting that twenty grand before we do the normal split, and before we split with the ‘Ore Hound’.”

Jago’s eyes fix on Jockram with a challenge.
.

Jockram chuckles, and shakes his head, "Do you think I'd begrudge you that?  No.  Way I see it, on a job like this, those missiles would be a legitemate business expense.  They come out of the take, before the profits, and the split, are calculated."
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:40, Sat 27 Oct 2007.

Shui sits at her desk in silence, staring at the screen.  Several times she reaches for the intercom switch, but pulls her hand away.  Finally she closes her eyes for a long moment, then stands up and heads out the door.  With quick steps she moves to the lounge, where the conference transpires.  Stepping into the doorway, she glances around the room.  "Pardon me, Captain Lanza.  I have a a question, and thought it best if I asked it in person."

“Right,” Jago says, he expression slowly morphing to match Jockram’s smile.

“Oh hello Shui, what is it, or do you want to talk in private?”

.

"Private might be best.  It is a simple question, and should not take much time," she says quietly.  She'd ask in public, but...touchy subject, questioning the decision of a Captain.  One shouldn't do that, especially not with people from other ships listening in.

*As suggested by Jago*

The Captain ushers her back into his office and Shui seats herself in the comfortable chair he offers to visitors.  She closes her eyes for a moment, breathes out deeply, then opens both eyes and discussion simultaneously.  "Captain, my question is this.  Why are we attacking these ships?"

She makes a small wave toward the hull.  "They are fleeing a conflict.  They have lost the battle, and have been driven away.  They have casualties.  Should we not let them go?  At present, they are no longer a threat."

Jago looks at the medic with his head set slightly to one side.

“You are an intelligent woman Shui,” he says after a moment, “you know what they’d do if we let them go. I can understand that you don’t want the blood of these sentiants on your hands, but letting them go is just closing your eyes to those they will kill later if given the opertunity.”
.

"Regrettably, I must disagree.  I do not know what they will do.  They are sentients," she notes, "as you have pointed out.  And they may make their choices, perhaps different ones than you might expect.  But at the moment, at this moment, they are no threat.  To attack them now, when they are injured, carrying wounded, and fleeing, on the possibility of what they may do in the future..."  Shui shakes her head.

"Do you truly believe it necessary, Captain?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:00, Sun 28 Oct 2007.

“These are a military ships under the command of a government who has declared war on us, there is not doubt whatsoever in my mind what they will do if given the chance, so I’m afraid yes, it is necessary.”

“Do bear in mind what there intention was in coming to this system, and also, as military personnel who have demonstrated that they don’t give any quarter, by the same coin, they would not expect any. I know that doesn’t actually make it right, but it might help a little.”

“War is a no win situation for everybody, except those who create it but send others out to do the killing and the dying, however, right here, right now it’s a fact of life and we can’t just ignore.”
.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:52, Mon 29 Oct 2007.

"But these ships are in retreat, Captain," Shui continues.  His point of view is one with which she is not unfamiliar, and she understands from where he is coming, and the strength of his convictions.  Nevertheless, she has to try.  "Regardless of what they might do were the situations reversed, we are not them.  Those are also facts in this situation.  Whatever they came here to do, they failed, and now flee conflict."

She takes a deep breath.  "I realize their behaviour might appear to be justification for similar behavior on our part, but for myself it is not, not unless I wish to paint myself with the same colours as we paint them."  It could be taken as an insult, she knows, and hopes it isn't - it certainly was not meant as such.  "What they expect from us is immaterial - would it not be better for our actions to spring from what we expect from ourselves?"

While Shui and Jago head off for a private conference, Jockram gets up and helps himself to more coffee.  Turning to address the Lounge, in general, "I'm telling you now, the first thing I'm buying when we I get my cut of this deal, is the kit to make some decent coffee.  I'm sick of drinking whatever Banster and Hegerich drain out of the hydraulics."

Conrad chuckles, and goes to rinse his mug out, before heading back up towards the Bridge to check if any more radio chatter is coming in, from the Sword World ships, or anywhere else in the system, for that matter.

Which leaves Yas, Tylen, and Saskia alone with Ore Hound's skipper.

"So how'd you come by all the milspec gear?  Well... I'm guessing it's milspec, and that sort of stuff isn't available in just any old shipyard.  Salvaged a wreck somewhere else, before coming here?"

"Well," Yas says, dragging it out long, and twirls the now empty cup of cocoa on the table, "I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you."

She keeps a serious face for about half a second, then she cracks into half a grin and winks at Jock.

"Unexpected allies from unexpected meetings, to keep it short - and cryptic," she adds, perhaps just for fun, and leans back in her seat, putting her hands behind her neck and pushing the elbows back as far as they will go, stretching out a bit as she arches the back.

"Now we just have to sort out these Swordies to make sure they don't come around again looking to deal out some payback.  Take a few lives to save many.  Sure beats looking the other way," she mentions, as if in passing, and then continues on a lighter note, "Maybe you could hire Sushi.  She's a good steward, and doctor, and never seemed too keen on doing any shooting, but with you guys all you'd shoot at would be some nasty rock, eh?"

Another grin and wink.

"Hey!  There's nothing nasty about the rocks we shoot." replies Jockram, with a grin.  "My crew are nearly all nearly professionals, and we only shoot the really good rocks."

"Or, at least, the ones we think are really good."

"She means it Jockram." Saskia says, from where she sits, her bare feet tucked under her.  "I found out where it all came from, once, and she killed me.  Twice.  Just to be certain."

"Ah, shooting the good ones.  Might not be such a good idea then to hire her," Yas affirms and then holds her hands up defensively.

"Hey now, you have to fogrgive me if I nearly insulted your nearly professional crew.  Shall we say we nearly forget it?" she replies to him and then shows a big, crooked smile at Sassy.

"Twice, as far as you know...  As far as you know..."

“These ships are in retreat,” Jago agrees, “but that’s not the end of the matter, just a temporary tactical consideration. Have no doubt they will be back repaired, rearmed and probably reinforced to complete the job they have started here. Once the ‘Shata Lunoqi’ is out of the way they will have free reign here to attack every ship that tries to enter or leave the system. There will be hundreds, maybe even thousands of innocent people dead if I don’t intervene, not to mention the hardships of a planet under blockade.”

“Your conscience might trouble you over the killing of a score or so enemy military personnel, but I couldn’t live with the consequences of not acting while I have the chance. I’m sorry Shui, I do understand and sympathise with your point of view, and I don’t undertake this operation lightly but, the attack goes ahead.”

Jago’s stands, and his expression leaves no doubt that the interview is over.
.

Shui closes her eyes, knowing a dismissal when she hears it.  The doctor nods as she slowly stands.  "I understand, Captain."  There is no rancor in her tone, no anger.  So many things she would say, but to do so would sound arrogant or superior, when she knows she manifestly is not.  To continue the argument would do neither of them any good, and Jago must think of his crew now.  "I will take my position, then.  If there is any way I can assist during the hostilities - equipment moved, devices or information provided, even food?"  She raises her hands helplessly.  "I trust you will let me know?"

To shirk her duty to the crew during battle would be to risk even more deaths.  If her presence can save even one life, it will be worthwhile.

"For now, I will run another check on the medbay."  Her third, but better safe than sorry.

Tylen listen to the conversation quietly. He appreciated the Doctor's point of view, and admired the courage it took to maintian such a philosphy. He had to agree however with the Captain. In a war it was a soldiers duty to deny the enemy any chance to refit or repair, to harry them until they were unable to continue. The Swordies ahd come to this sector intending to fight, and it was in the interests of all of them to make them realise that his sector was a tougher challenge than they had originally realised.

As Jago and Shui exit the Captain's office, and reenter the lounge, Conrad returns from the bridge, a puzzled look on his face.  Once in the presence of the other crew members, and their guest, he announces, "We might have to change any plans that was made.  This moon's spin jus' gave us a lookit the ships comin' in, just on passives, so not too clear, an', well, it looks like they might not be no more."

"The trailin' one, the biggest, well, she's cut her drives, an' keeps repeatin' some sorta short message, in code.  Might be a distress call, but I can't tell, not for sure  The other one, the one in the lead, is decelleratin', hard."

He scratches his head, "Only thing I'm puzzlin' over is, if'n it's a shout for help, why're they puttin' it in code?  Unless'n they're tryin' to hide somethin'.  I got the computer workin' to break it, anyways."

Shui, on her way back to her quarters, pauses.  This could be of critical importance, both to the decision to attack and to her own part in their subsequent actions.  If it is a distress call....

Tylen stood fluidly and looked at Jago,

"Captain, might I suggest we ready ourselves for combat? If they're calling for help, then maybe help is on it's way and we're gonna need to be ready when it get's here."

“Well there’s an interesting little twist,” Jago says, absently rolling his cigar between thumb and finger, “does it actually count as a distress call if it’s in code?”

“Computer, could you plot the probable courses for those two ships in the light of this new information, please.”

“We’ll play it cool for now Tylen, if we start warming up the main drives we’ll give ourselves away. My guess is the big guy is in trouble and the little one is attempting an evac, naturally they wouldn’t want anyone else to know.”
.

Tylen inclined his head, accepting his Captain's decision.

"We'd best keep an eye out for any other activity, if they're calling for help in code it may be that there other Sword vessels operating in this sector."

"Must have been battle damage to their M-drive.  That'd tie in with them limping along.  I expect something just gave up finally." Saskia says, swinging her legs out from under her, and sitting up straight.

"Maybe they're sending in code so that Shata L won't be so tempted to break orbit and come over to take prisoners.  You know how nothing attracts a razorshark like blood in the water?  Same principal."

She smiles at Tylen, "I think they're the only ones in this system.  Otherwise they would have called for reinforcements during the battle.  Anything outside the system won't pick up the signal for years, if at all."

"So, we watch and see what happens.  If they indeed go back we can pursue our plan and, once they are in the right spot, pounce.  Give them a chance to surrender, and if they don't take it, well, that is their choice," Yas says as she gets up and puts her cup away.  "Makes our job easier with only one hostile, and makes them more likely to surrender - even if that means they probably won't, as that is as good as unheard of."

"They give and expect no quarter, those Swordies, so we owe it to their past and future victims to stop them, as I see it," she finishes, sounding deadly serious.

The computer provides Jago with the information he requested: the larger ship has cut its drive, and at current velocity it will cross the gas giant's orbit in approximately 145 hours, about 55 hours later than the original estimate.

Without some way to adjust its vector, it has no chance of making its rendezvous with the planet, which is moving at about 30,000 kph.  It will miss by almost two million kilometres.

As far as the other, smaller ship goes, the figures are far less precise, since the computer has now way of knowing how long it will decelerate for.  The best it can do is provide a range.

The smaller ship has an estimated travel time, to arrive at the gas giant, of somewhere between 64 hours, and infinity...

Tylen sighs,

"Well, provided nothing happens in the meantime, we got about 3 days wait. Magaine's fully loaded and systems all checked. You want a hand modifying those missiles Sask? I'm no whizz with a soldering iron, but I can help with the heavy lifting."

"Oh, trust me," Yas says and puts a heavy hand on Tylen's shoulder, looking at him in an overly serious manner, "there's no need to volunteer for hard work here.  There's plenty of that to go around," she finishes with a chuckle and then nods to Sassy as she lets the hand drop.

"Ain't that so, Sas?" she asks her with a soft smile that suggests that these kind of situations are not entirely new.

"For one thing," interjects Jockram, "if we don't go out to offer them a hand, and, by my reckoning, that'd take somewhere between forty and sixty hours to get over there, I'd assume that Jago still wants to make a salvage run on the derelict."

"That way, if things change, and it turms out to be better to run, we won't have lost everything."

Jago seems preoccupied and only grunts in response to Jockram’s remark. Presently though, he seems to come to some sort of decision and springs into action.

“Who knows anything about Swordies? Are they likely to want to be rescued or will they just blow the power plant if they think they end up as POWs.”

“Computer, if there are no changes to the drives of the larger ship, and the smaller ship is attempting to match vectors at a close range for the transfer of personnel, where and when is that most likely to take place?”

“Saskia, I don’t think we’ll need those decoys after all, but keep working on the remote sensor thing, that might well be useful in the future, even if we don’t use it now.”

“Yasmin, what’s your opinion of the threat that those shadow creature thingies pose, if we go out walking on the surface. I’ll be leaving you in charge here if we go, hopefully with nothing to do.”

“Do you have any spare vac suits on the Ore Hound Jockram, I’m thinking of recruiting a few extra volunteers for the salvage mission. Maybe you want to come to or send some of your guys along.”

“Tylen, are you up for a little stroll round to the derelict with us?”
.

The computer works briefly, then gives Jago his answer.

"At present values, rendezvous of the two vessels will take place in 6 hours and 57 minutes, at a distance of 299,635,207.24 kilometres from Profit Margin's current position."


Jockram whistles, "My guess was a little off."  He punches the figures into his hand comp, and adds, "It'll be more like seventy hours out, give or take."

"We don't have any spare suits, but we do have something that can help.  A couple of years ago I got hold of a suit of battledress, with all the heavy armour, battlecomp, and sensors stripped off it.  No good in a fight, but the power system and linear frame are intact.  Makes cargo handling easy, like having two or three extra people on a team."

Tylen nodded to Jago,

"Sure boss, I'll get suited up as soon as you're ready."

He stood, waiting for instructions. There had been little for him to do since he and Yas had scouted the Pirate vessel, and the chance to get off the ship was appealing.

Shui gives a little bow.  Crisis averted, for the moment.  "Captain, I will resume my duties, including preparing food for the captives.  That will free Mr. Ogresh for more important things."

"Threat from the Shadows?  Negligible, so far, but then, we have made certain to steer clear of them, which is a wise approach I would say," Yas replies pragmatically and then shrugs, with a small smile, "Nothing to do, eh?  There's plenty to do here, including a few things I've neglected due to our little expedition.  I'll keep busy."

"As for the Swordies, they're fanatics, as bad as they come.  Almost the human version of those crazy Centaurs; their way or no way, more or less.  Sure, generalisations are in general incorrect, but they won't go easily, if at all.  If there's any 'sensible' Swordies they sure aren't sent out to do battle against the enemy where they are likely to give away secrets if captured, or surrender as soon as things look a bit grim.  Their orders will dictate that, usually."

"Heck, I'm an old die-hard myself, and I probably wouldn't surrender easily if I were them," she tells Jago before turning to Jockram with a strangely happy grin.

"Now that gives me an idea that I'll save for later, Jago, but for now - I am qualified for using those, having spent plenty of time in one, and I can do my share of work, keeping the thing working while we take shifts inside it.  How does that sound with you, Jockram?  And with you, Jago, should he approve?  I'd hate sitting around doing nothing when not in J-space!"

Jockram chuckles at the look of glee on Yas' face.  "Jarheads and their toys, eh?  I've got no objection.  Like I said, it operates fine, but you have to rely on your own suit for life support.  Banster normally uses the 'dress for us, but with two people working in shifts, the thing could keep going round the clock."

There is a faint chirp from the vicinity of Shui...

“OK, I need to get over there and earmark stuff we want to bring back so, Yasmin stays here and I take Banister on the first trip, after that I’ll put Yasmin in charge, you can use the suit or not, whatever you want. I’m going to send Tylen with you, Conrad if he wants to and I’m going to see if any of the prisoners want to join in.”

“Is that OK with everyone? I’m off to talk to them now.”

Jago gets to his feet but waits for any responses before leaving the room.
.

"Aye Boss. I'll check the suits and pick up my carbine."

Tylen was itching to get moving.

"No problem," Yas says with s shrug.  "I'll come with you to see our guests, they might need a friendly face if offered a 'space walk'," she says with a big grin and then winks at Jago, since they are more likely to expect that from her after her little speech before.  Still, if she is to be in charge she will want to be on top, where she likes it.

Shui, listening to her dataglove, nods her head.  "My thanks, Mr. DeSant.  I'm certain - very certain - the Captain will be pleased at your analysis."  She glances up.  "Captain Lanza, Mr. DeSant has some preliminary conclusions regarding the creatures we encountered, based on their behavior.  He is of the belief they were following the sunlight, attempting to remove themselves from the shadows caused by our arrival."  She quirks an eyebrow.  "He believes they do not enjoy the shade."

Tylen nodded,

"Makes sense, must be precious little energy out in the ice, mebbe they photosynthesise or something, or maybe they just need the heat."

Jockram gives Jago a grin, and a nod.  "If you take Banster over while you see what you want, he can start shifting everything into two piles, yours and ours, as you point it out."

"I'll head back to the Hound now and tell him, rather than using comms.  I know he'll be glad to stretch his legs a little."

He turns then, "Thanks for the coffee, Shui.  Much better than the muck I'm used to at home."

Saskia stands, and stretches, flexing her toes against the lounge carpet.

"If somebody can grab me a missile out of storage, and fetch it through to Engineering, I'll start converting it into a drone.  Should be easy enough to do.  Most of the systems are already in there, so it'll just be a matter tweaking them a little."

It's tricky with Jockram - he hasn't given his full name (or if he has, she certainly hasn't heard it), and one really shouldn't call him 'Captain' on Jago's ship.  Shui opts for something a little more formal than his first name.  "Thank you, sir," she answers.  "Should you desire, as I escort you to the lock I can give you the brand name and the method I use."  Which involves washing the pot and filter regularly, something she doubts is done aboard his ship.

Stepping out with Jockram, she heads to the airlock.

Jago nods his agreement with the arrangements so far and makes his way across the empty cargo deck to the passenger’s lounge, and then on to the make shift cell where he knocks, pauses just long enough to pull a lung full of air through his unlit cigar, and enters.
.

Tylen nodded,

"I'll get down to the magazine and sort out the ordanance for you Sask,"

He offered,

"I take it you'll want it unarmed?"

Jago and Yas find the unwilling passengers in reasonable health, despite the cramped conditions of their confinement.  Their leader smiles nervously at Jago, as Profit Margin's captain, and his Chief of Security, enter the "cell".

"Captain Lanza.  Is there something wrong?" Harper asks, getting to his feet.


Jockram follows Shui to the airlock at Engineering with Saskia just behind them, as they discuss the proper care and feeding of coffee pots.  Jockram sighs, "I don't even know what brand we use, or where we get it, to tell the truth.  I generally leave supplies and spares up to the other pair."

"That way, in an emergency, I can always take the Plausible Deniability option." he finishes, with a chuckle.  After a moment, he adds, "Hegerich will be working on the cargo transfer, with Yas.  You might be better talking to him, if you see him, since he knows more about where he gets the supples from than I do.  Of course, if he tells you, it might give you nightmares... "  A broad grin, then, as he starts to suit up.


Tylen makes his way into the hold, and opens up the missile magazine again.  This time, though, he'll need to remove one of the missiles from storage.  Luckily there is a winch attached to the ceiling, that he can use for the job.  Then it's just a matter of moving the weapon through to Engineering.


Conrad suddenly finds himself all alone...

Tylen considers his problem and sighs, it looks like he's in for some backbreaking labour. Before he winches the missile out of the magazine he takes stock of his options. What he REALLY coud use is some kind of trolley.

"The brand does have an effect on the flavour," Shui notes quietly, "but a great deal can be done with methodology as well."  Her answering smile may not be as wide as his, but it is certainly just as genuine.  "I believe I would do well enough with the details...I have most certainly seen worse."  The 'tea', for example, that they discovered in their recent salvage operation.

Her parents would throw fits.

"I will certain see to speaking with Shipman Hegerich," she finishes smoothly, not insulting Jockram by offering to assist with the suiting up.  Not like he needs the help, in any case.

“You can relax,” Jago says., feeling suddenly rather tired as if the air of defeat and resignation in this room, is rubbing off on him.

“I really can’t remember if you’ve already been told, but when we next make landfall, I’ll be putting you off, I wont be handing you over to the authorities.” Jago pauses to let that sink in a bit. “Before then we have a busy schedule, starting with the salvage of whatever we can lay our hands on from a derelict ship that’s parked on this moon with us.”
.

"That's right, you're all off the hook.  But, next time you get in a jam like that, please, think twice.  You're damn lucky you met us, I'll tell you that, and that the skipper is such a soft-hearted man," Yas says, shaking her head slowly - whether it is over their previous choice or Jago's soft heart is perhaps unclear.

"That's right, hard work.  You could volunteer, but all it'll get you is a change of scenery.  While I'm sure no one wants trouble, please note that I'm always prepared for it," she continues, hoping Jago does not mind her filling in after his statement about salvage work.

"Any questions?"

"That's very generous of you, Captain." Harper answers Jago with an oddly formal bow, then another to Yas.  "At the end of the day, though, a bad decision was made, and I was the one who made it.  If it comes down to it, in the end, I'm prepared to face the consequences, but I'd be grateful if my crew didn't have to."

"And we'd be happy to help with the salvage operation, or any other work, in any way that we can.  You'll have no trouble from myself or my people.  We've realised that we just aren't cut out for a life of violence and crime."


Jockram picks up his helmet, and grimaces at Shui, "Yes, I heard about the tea.  How does that happen?  I mean, how does somebody just happen to discover that the dead skin some bug grew out of can be used to make a drink?  And that the flavour depends on what the little crawlers have been eating."

"Plus, as I understand it, they shed their skin every couple of months... so how come the price is so high?  The whole planet must be knee deep in empty bug skins, yet there are still them that are prepared to pay for the product."  He shakes his head in wonder.

"I suppose that some people just have more money than brains."

Lifting the missile out with the winch, Tylen carefully removed the inspection cover, checked that the fuse was not primed, and gently began to unscrew the warhead.

With the warhead safely removed and stowed away, he made the weapon secure, and headed down to Engineering to see if Saskia could lend him a gurney or some other way of transporting the heavy missile.

"Hi Sask. I've drawn the missiles teeth, but the darn thing's too heavy to tote all the way back down here. I seem to remember you had a gurney or some kind of trolley to move heavy stuff about, mind if I borrow it?"

The question was moot, but Tylen always liked to ensure that he checked with whoever was responsible for equipment before he used it. Some folks could get awful touchy if you intruded on their domains, even when you were shipmates.

Shui grimaces at the frank description of the tea.  "People will ever pay high prices for that which seems forbidden due to ethics, morals, or simple social values, I fear.  The more debased the practice, the greater the payment."  More money than brains?  Most definitely, she considers silently, though does not speak her judgement aloud.

Her parents are well-acquainted with such people, though the family only associates with them once, and very briefly.

"Safe journey back across, sir."  Shui moves to key the airlock, prepping it for Captain Jockram's exit.

"Sure.  Just a minute." Saskia replies, then heads towards her main systems console.  Kneeling, she opens the equipment storage underneath the console, and scoots back as several items spill out.  One, she picks up, "So that's where you got to."

There is a click, and a short-lived fan of green laser light, then the engineer places the device carefully on one side, before sticking her head back under the panel.

"Here it is."

She hauls out a device consisting of two spheres, each about 15cm in diameter, connected by a 20cm stalk.  There are several bright orange straps attached to the stem.  When she places it on the deck, it makes a very solid thump.

"I picked this up at Mora a while back, and it's paid for itself in easier work.  Just strap it to the missile, and hit this green button."  She taps the green button, and lifts the device, easily, with one finger.

"It's got a couple of grav modules inside, rated up to about a hundred kilos.  They'll make your whole package, the missile and the unit, weigh a bit less than a kilogram, so you can carry it."

She drops it to the deck before hitting the button again.  "Just don't switch it off until you've put it down, or you'll be asking Shui to graft your arm back on."

Getting to her feet, she hands the suddenly heavy machine to Tylen, after checking a readout next to the button.  "It's got a full charge, so you're good to go."

Tylen picked up the device and examined it keenly.

"Neat."

He said,

"I'll be back in a jiffy."

He returned to the magazine, attached the device as instructed, and powered it up. He slid one arm under the missile, then gingerly released the winch. Saskia's estimate had been correct and he hefted the missle easily with one hand. He carried it along the corridor, hindered only by the weapon's size, and carefully maouvered it into Engineering.

"Here you go Chief, where do you want it?"

He asked the Engineer with a smile.

With the missile, minus its warhead, safely delivered to Engineering, Saskia sets to work on making the necessary modifications to convert it into a spy drone.  Most of the required systems are already in place, in the form of the weapon's targeting and telemetry equipment, and it's just a matter of tweaking the settings.

There are a few things that need more extensive work though, and those are the things that will take the time.


With a smile, and a wave to Shui (the wave is visible, even in a vaccsuit, the smile, not so much), Jockram departs Profit Margin and makes his way across the ice to where Ore Hound lays partly buried.


The prisoners all seem keen to help out, so perhaps the novelty value of all being locked in a single room (even one with good food) is starting to wear off.  Only one man seems reluctant, and since he has a broken arm, it's perhaps understandable that he doesn't want to do much lifting and carrying.

He is, however happy to offer his services in any other capacity that Jago, or Yas, can think of.

His task completed, Tylen goes in search of Jago,

"Sas has the missile Boss. Anything you need me for before take a walk?"

"Good, good.  Some honest work never hurt anyone."

"Well, actually it has, but anyway," Yas says with a big grin and briefly ponders what to do with the man with the broken arm.

Some people might object him playing the role of a target dummy, so that idea goes out, especially since some might actually think she meant it if she would suggest it.

"I am sure we can think of something for you to do, Mostly 'Armless.  Well, I don't know you name yet, so unless you want a new name, how about telling me?" she tells the guy and steps out to let them taste the freedom of the cargo hold.  "Got any skills, for starters?"

She looks over as Tylen shows up, and briefly considers asking if he wants to be a target dummy.  Once more, she decides against even asking.

"Volunteering again, eh?  I can tell you never been in the military," she chuckles at the scout.

Tylen grinned at Yasmine,

"Darn, what gave it away? My irrestsitble charm or my table manners?"

He looked down at his shabby, but practical, outfit,

"Sure can't have been my dress sense."

He chuckled.

"No, you're hiding those things too well," Yas replies with a grin of her own.

"First thing you learn is to never volunteer.  Ever," she chuckles and the looks Tylen over, as if judging his dress sense - or something, anyway.

"You could always take it off, if you find your outfit... lacking," comes a slow, thoughtful suggestion, with an obviously faked deadpan expression.

“I don’t trust you guys enough to give you the run of the ship,” Jago tells the prisoners, “so anyone not coming will have to stay in here, but I’ll open up the library for you, there might be some ‘trids’ you haven’t seen yet.”

“Any one who’s coming, let’s go and get suited up.”

“Yasmin, could you oversee that please, lend them one of our suits if their own look to far gone.”

“I can’t think of anything else right now Tylen, thanks, we’ll be leaving in about fifteen minuets so just get suited up.”

Jago heads back to his cabin to done his own vac suit.

.

Tylen rolled his eyes at Yasmine's suggestion, but his retort is pe-empted by Jago's reply to his original question.

"Aye boss."

He responds and returns to his cabin to don his suit. Leaving the helmet off, he slings his carbine on his back, then walks back down to the airlock, the Visored helm beneath his arm.

"Sure thing, boss," Yas replies, sends Tylen a chortle at his reaction, and then starts to in a rather militaristic fashion line them all up for inspection, including the one-armed would-be bandit, but the last mostly to keep a check on him.

"All right, let's see what you've got, people.  Trust me, a leaking suit's something you want far less than I.  Hmph?  What's this?  You're lucky to have made it over here, is that duct tape?  Look at the state of this... thing, it wouldn't pass even a brief inspection!  And what's this?  Nononono... You do not, I repeat, not attach 'accessories' like this to your suit unless you which to get stuck somewhere and either rip your suit open or run out of air - you pick your favourite death.  Me, I prefer to both keep breathing and moving," she goes on as she inspects the suits one by one, critically and as if she was still in the Marines.

Shui pauses on her way back from the airlock, turning sideways to allow the suited Tylen pass.  People with suits on definitely take priority ship-board.  "Good luck, Mr. Ogresh.  One hopes you will find something profitable on the other ship.  More than beetle tea, in any case."  She considers for a moment.  "And that any encounters with curious creatures end equally well as the last."

Tylen gives the Doctor a friendly grin,

"ANYTHING has got to be better than beetle tea! Thanks for the good wishes though, don't worry too much about any hostiles though,"

He pats the stock of his Laser Carbine,

"We got that covered."

Shui raises an eyebrow at the shaking of the carbine.  "Well, there are some problems your weapon might not solve, but as long as you are adequately protected...and certainly none of you will be alone."  She offers a small bow and a wistful smile.  "Do be careful, Mr. Ogresh."

It would break her heart to have an extra cup of coffee on her tray.

Letting him pass, she moves down the hallway into her room.  Things to do, equipment to prepare, reports to go over.  Shui would at least like to prepare certain reccomendations for the next doctor.  Hopefully they might even read them.