Plans are made, and confirmed.  Yas loans Tylen her spare additional shotgun, and the air-raft is checked over.  The open topped vehicle looks to be in good working order, and ready to go.

A quick call to Security Central confirms that Eneris Armusezash is still in custody.  Nobody has shown up to pay his fine, and the man doesn't have any cash of his own.  Unless his fine, a mere 75 credits, is paid, he will spend two days in jail.  Because local days are irrelevant here, with the whole population living underground, that means 48 hours (as opposed to two local days, which would be just about 26 hours).

Saskia sighs as she realises that she's going to have to put her boots on again.  With them laced up, she makes her way out into the landing bay, where she waits for the designated driver to bring the airraft out.

Belatedly she remembers that they are indoors here.  She moves away from the Profit Margin and cranes her neck, checking that there is enough space between the top of the ship and the overhead for the 'raft to clear the dorsal hatch.

As it turns out, there is plenty of room above the ship.  The docking bay is designed to take ships up to six hundred displacement tons, three times Profit Margin's size, and with a variety of hull configurations.  There is almost ten metres clearance above the dorsal air-raft hangar.

OOC: Just to cover it here:  From what was seen on previous expeditions into the underground port complex, most of the corridors that need to be traversed are 3-4 metres high.  Some of the more important ones are up to 6 metres, split into two levels with elevated walkways along each wall, and crossed by footbridges.

This would allow the air-raft a safe altitude of 1-2 metres in the regular corridors, and 4 metres in the main ones.  The smaller corridors are at least 5 metres wide (the air-raft is just under 3 metres in width), while the main corridors are closer to 10 metres wide.

Additionally there are freight routes which are wider than the either of the other two (usually 10 to 15 metres), and at least 6 metres high.  The freight corridors can be accessed by exiting the docking bay via its large cargo access doors, rather than the smaller passenger vehicle access.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:07, Tue 25 May 2010.

Ash is looking over the controls of the air-raft when Saskia, Shui, Yas and Tylen arrive.  As he tries to find the starter on the vehicle, he notices Shui's glance and remembers her words in the lounge.  Ash lets out a slight sigh and yields the controls.  "It's probably better if you drive and I navigate, Ms. Tiesi." he notes, trying to save a little face, "I ... I'm not very familiar with this particular model."  That was a pretty stupid thing to say, he thinks glumly, since this design has been standard for something like a thousand years.  He lets out another slight plaintive sigh - since what is done is done.

Ash is dressed in his duster with his headset and commlink up.  But at this point, he is not really sure what he is doing on this craft.  He is not armed with more than a blade, he's not driving, and he doesn't personally know the man they are picking up.  He frowns slightly, but knows that at this point there is safety in numbers and another pair of eyes will definitely help out there.  Besides, he finished the partial calculations with plenty of time to spare - so, what else is there to do?

Gun belts put away again and, Yas's 'spare' shotgun hung over his shoulder, TYlen heads down to the cargo ramp.  He has chosen a khaki Tee shirt, and combined with his khaki pants and brown military combat boots gives him a semi-military look.  The Synthi-leather jacket, aviator shades and a khaki forage cap, combined with the shot gun over his shoulder, complete the look.

Holding himself military erect he walks down the ramp and takes an 'at ease' position close to Sakia.

"Junior Security Officer reporting, Ma'am." he says to the engineer in his best soldiers voice.  Although the effect is spoiled somewhat by the sideways glance he throws her to see the effect.

Shui nods her head, demonstrating neither irony nor mockery at Ash's choice of excuses.  "Of course, Mr. Tescali.  That might be better on a number of levels, in fact - I am certainly not the best navigator, and am unfamiliar with the city." Slipping into the driver's seat, she begins a check of the controls to refamiliarize herself with the systems.  "As Mr. Ogresh and Ms. Crow attention will be fixed on possible dangers, it seems wise to have someone dedicated to keeping us on the proper course."

The Steward raises an eyebrow at Saskia.  "Ms. Blake, does the vehicle meet your approval?  Is there something I should know about this particular air-raft?"


 

"Well, let's get the show on the road, shall we?" Yas says as she takes a seat where she has room to lay down flat (not fat) if need be, for whatever reason she might have.

Openly she sports her auto-shotgun but what hides underneath her coat is anybody's guess - but careful what you guess.

"Too late for approvals, doc, just step on it," she says to the doctor with a grin where she sits waiting.

The air-raft, with everybody aboard, lifts skywards ceilingwards, and glides towards the docking bay exit, where ther is a short pause while Tylen hops out to operate the doors.  Soon, though, the vehicle is moving through the corridors of the port complex at a steady thirty kilometres per hour, which seems like a safe enough speed on paper, but is more than a little worrying when you're in an open-topped vehicle, flying through an enclosed passageway, with your head only twenty centimetres from the ceiling.  Give or take.

It's even more worrying for the pedestrians though, not used to airborne vehicles barrelling past their heads in the confined spaces of the underground city.  Even more unnerving when said vehicle is almost silent in operation, and is, in many cases past them before they even realise it's there.

Yas is dropped off first, in an almost deserted corridor close to the docks.  She stands before the doorway of Honest Urgudhso's Starship Sundries.  The secuity chief walks up to the door, and enters. 

The rest of the crew set off towards Security Central, and manage to get there with no mishaps.

"Well, that was good, clean fun, a shame I'll miss the return trip, but I want to get used to this suit.  See you back at the Margin," Yas says with her usual grin and waves before turning to walk inside "Honest Urgudhso's Starship Sundries".  Or Urkel, as Yas dub him in her head, the "honest" part making her chuckle.

Tylen's face pales slightly as they lift to within a few centimetres of the ceiling.  It is one thing knowing that your head is going to be moving along quickly that close to something, it something completely different when it actually happens.  Without realising that he is doing it, Tylen hunches down more in his seat trying to give himself just that little bit more clearance.

It is a relief when they stop and sink down long enough for Yas to get out, and he nods his understanding as Yas speaks of seeing them back at the ship.  "Sure.  Keep your head on your shoulders." he says dryly as the ex-marine turns to head into the store.

Back in the air again, Tylen resumes his slightly hunched posture, and then tries looking over the side to see the people below.  However, the swift movement makes it difficult to pick out any detail, and if anything makes him feel slightly travel sick.  With a grunt, he turns his attention back to the route in front of them -  perhaps hoping to spot any low hanging signs or light fittings early enough to duck underneath them.

Once at the security centre, Tylen breathes a sigh of relief and  swings around so that he is half out of the air car with the shotgun resting across his knees.  "I'll stay here and keep an eye on the car." he says lightly.

Gratified at reaching the destination without mishap, Shui carefully parks the vehicle and twists in the seat to raise an eyebrow at Tylen's greenish features.  "Surely it was not as bad as all that, Mr. Ogresh." But stepping out of the car, she catches herself as shaky knees nearly buckle, the stress of keeping the vehicle straight and level through the tunnels catching up to her.

Had she more practice, it might be different, but years lie between now and the last time she operated one of these aircars.  It will be different on the way back, Shui assures herself, shifting her weight back and forth to work tension's kinks out of her back.

This being the third time today that Ash has had a chance to travel these halls, he is getting quite used to it.  His extensive training as a navigator has him optimizing routes and actually getting somewhat familiar with the station layout at this point.  Having nearly memorized the map after the initial foray - as well as having it within easy access on his HUD display, Ash tries to keep his mind focused on the task at hand - which does require that he watch both the projected route as well as keep an eye out for any unexpected obstacles or pedestrians in the actual path.  Speed bumps where the rubber hits the road, so to speak.

Ash keeps his head down as much as he keeps his eyes peeled - six to eight inches of clearance above them does not leave much room no matter how you slice it.

At the security station, Ash raises an eyebrow as Tylen offers to guard the car.  Which leaves the three people entering the station house unarmed - well, without a firearm at least.  But then, inside they should need any weapons, in theory.  Or at least, there will be an overabundance of firepower with actual law enforcement officers; so, they themselves should not have any need for one.

Ash doesn't think much more of it, since his mind is more preoccupied with their steward's well being.  Having dismounted the craft immediately before her, he sees her serene mask slip for a moment and her wobbly stance.  So, being just in front of her, Ash turns slightly and silently offers a discreet shoulder for her to lean on - his duster rustling slightly as he moves to assist.

Ash also glances about making sure that Saskia is with them.  She alone actually knows the man they are looking for; and she alone is likely the best person to make sure that he actually comes with them.  Ash is certain that if it were him, he would not go with a random group of strangers even if they paid his bail.  But then, he has not spent the night in the clink (especially on Frenzie) after a drunken brawl for a long time; it has been at least a decade since anything remotely like that has happened anywhere for him.  And he quite certain that didn't start that one - really, honestly.  Well, at least he is certain that he doesn't remember starting it, despite what the surveillance video showed.

The inside of the Security station is even more crowded than on the previous visit.  Enforcement officers are queuing up to process prisoners at the main desk.  Considering that the journey here had been relatively quiet, it must been that rioting, looting, and acts of vandalism are now taking place in other parts of the city.

It's possible that the presence of Marines near the port have encouraged the trouble to shift to less-well policed areas.

Off to one side, two officers sit at a smaller desk which, judging by the tangle of cables snaking across the floor to it, has been set up as a temporary measure.  They appear to be dealing with everything other than processing arrests.  There are a lot of civillans close by, sitting on cheap plastic chairs, and the two officers are speaking to others.

As the crew watch, one of the people being spoken to is handed a slip of paper, and moves to sit with the several dozen others who are seated nearby.  Now it becomes obvious, most of those sitting there are clutching similar slips of paper.


Sitting outside, Tylen keeps an eye on the situation near the air-raft.  There is nothing happening close to the front of the station, but a couple of hundred metres away he can see two of the local police, who seem to be engaged in some sort of discussion with an increasing number of citizens.

"Thank you, Mr. Tescali," Shui whispers as she moves inside the building, having taken a moment to avail herself of the support.  The momentary pressure of her hand on Ash's shoulder would have felt feather-light - just enough for her to regain composure, no more.  As always, she is careful with her contact.  "Stress at the cramped driving, I expect."

Entering, Shui raises both eyebrows at the sight greeting them.  'Take a number' is apparantly the choice of the day.  "Oh, dear," she sighs.  "This could take some time."  Disturbing, in that she had hoped to return to the ship to continue her duties.

"Perhaps if we speak to them, they can process us quickly," she suggests.  "The line may be for more complicated tasks than merely paying a fine."

Saskia looks at the main desk, with its line of cops with prisoners waiting to be processed, and at the other desk, with its smaller number of people waiting for - whatever.

"Frell that dren." she says, waving towards the main desk, "At the very least, that other line looks shorter, and there are chairs to sit on.  I say we try there first.  We'd be farbotz not to."

Approaching the desk to the side of the reception hall, the group are greeted by a very young officer who looks up at them with extremely tired eyes, "How can I help?  Are you reporting, complaining, or making an enquiry?"  He calls up a new document on the portable terminal which sits before him, and prepares to fill in the details of whatever incident they are here to report/complain about/enquire regarding.

He gives the impression that if somebody told him the sun just went nova, and that everybody will be dead in a few minutes when the radiation reaches Frenzie, he would be too tired to react, other than to fill in the details on a form.

Tylen sits casually on the airarft, fiddling with the stock of the shotgun as he watches the local policemen  dealing with the gathering group of citizens.

The doctor's touch is so light that it makes Ash wonder if she has availed herself of his shoulder at all.  However, since she verbal acknowledges him, Ash can only assume that his gesture is appreciated, even if it is not really needed.  But that is sort of par for the course on this particular trip - so, that is nothing new.  He merely inclines his head slightly and replies softly, "Of course, Ms. Tiesi."  Acknowledging both her statement of thanks and her explanation at the same time.

Ash glances about the station as the enter.  He shakes his head slightly at the crowded space, well aware that the fervor over Norris' reputed death is the main cause for the log jam here.  Ash sighs slightly as he follows the others to the side desk and gives the beleaguered staff a slightly crooked smile.  Since Saskia has not shown in the past that she is particularly extroverted and the doctor may still be recovering from flight over, Ash decides to answer the officer's question, "Ah... an inquiry, I believe, Officer."  He pauses for a moment, as if thinking, then continues, "Hopefully, we will be making your job a little easier, at least in the long run.  We are here to post bail on Mr. Eneris Amu-" he glances apologetically at Saskia for a moment as he stumbles over the last name, "Armusezash, whom we understand is incarcerated in your detention cells at the moment."