Profit Margin spends more than sixty hours in orbit before the storm starts to lose momentum.  Five hours later it is deemed to have abated sufficiently to permit a landing at Rangent's primary "starport".  A call to Ore Hound confirms that conditions on the surface are much improved, and Jockram's crew have made it home safely, though a little less wealthy than when they left, having spent much of the last few days holed up in a bar.

"I sent them straight back out again," Jockram cheerfully informs Jago, "to clear snow off the hull and check the landing gear hasn't iced up.  That'll learn them for leaving me here while they went and got drunk."

Forty minutes later, and Profit Margin drops through the cloud cover after a somewhat turbulent descent, and settles into position about thirty metres from Ore Hound.  Banster and Hegerich don't seem to have done a good job on clearing the hull.  Drifting snow is still piled against the stern of the ship and across much of the upper hull surface.  The forward end, including the bridge viewports, is clear, as is the turret with its mining laser.  The landing gear is almost completely hidden by piled snow.

Beyond Ore Hound is a domed structure, partly buried by snow.  Metal, glass and ferrocrete can be seen in places, showing through the icy shroud.  A flashing red arrow indicates a row of five doors, cleared of snow.  A large sign above them reads, "Welcome to Davis City.  Entrance Alpha"
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:51, Sat 19 Jan 2013.

Ash stands from his copilot's seat and stretches for a moment, his hands held high above his head and lanky frame.  Despite the bumpy ride, there wasn't much for him to do, other than remain vigilant - as per Jago's prerogative (and general propensities), the Captain seems to prefer to do most of the heavy lifting (i.e. piloting).  That is fine with Ash, he knows what he has been hired to do.  What his forte is.  And while he isn't a bad pilot of either starships or shuttles, Ash knows he is a much better navigator.

Glancing out the view port towards the entrance to the downport and the Ore Hound, Ash prompts their fearless leader, "So, Boss.  What type of duty roster do you want?"  He presumes that as long as Othati-Fenn is on-board (even if in cold sleep) that they need some sort of surveillance.  After a thoughtful pause, the Margin's navigator turns to look at Jago more directly and adds, "Are we waking up Edrin or his brother first?  And where are we planning to leave our erstwhile freedom fighter?"

The comms system chooses that moment to wake up, playing a recorded message.  "Welcome to Rangent, and thank you for choosing to land at" "Davis" "starport.  We would like to remind visitors that Rangent does not have port staff on duty.  This includes cargo and baggage handlers, security personnel, and customs and immigration officers.  Starport facilities on Rangent are currently being upgraded, and we hope to be able to offer a full range of starport services in the near future."

In engineering, the drives are powering down, going through the largely automated procedures required for a safe shut down.

Shui, meanwhile, has passengers to deal with, both warm and cold ones.

For the security crew, there are, of course, concerns about the frozen passengers.

And, of course, there is the cargo.  Nobody on this planet is paid to unload ships...

“We’ll leave the low birth passengers for now,” Jago tells Ash, “in fact I’d best have a quick word with Shui about that.”

+“Shui, could you see me on the bridge when you have a moment,”+ he tells the comms.

Returning his attention to Ash he goes on, “I’d like to sell this cargo and get everything else squared away before I start fussing about those guys, could you find out for me if there is any sort of central trade exchange, also I’d like to know what ships are likely to be heading for Pequan and when, it’s a good four jumps from here to Arden, our bounty hunters will probably have to stop at  Pequin on the way and depending whether there’s a ship heading in that direction they might be stuck here for some time.”

Shui pauses in her efforts to assist Marina in getting everything prepared for off-loading.  A flick of a holoswitch activates the dataglove.  + Certainly, Captain Lanza.  It will be soon. +  Then it's back to her work, keeping things organized and moving smoothly.

It's not a job, it's a vocation.

"Aye, aye, Cap'n" Ash intones easily, when he is given his orders.  As he has slid back into his seat and unlocked his console, he starts to tap away on a number of his dynamic displays, looking for any reference to trading or exchange markets on Rangent.  Given what he knows of the planet, Ash isn't very picky to start with.  Only if overwhelmed with options (which is figures to be highly unlikely) would he consider narrowing his scope and being more selective.

The Margin's navigator also adds thoughtfully, "Since the they are only going to Zircon, they could also get passage through Tremous Dex as well."  Then he prompts not wanting to presume too much, "Should I check for traffic through there as well?"  Ash does feel compelled to ask - it may only be his job.  But it is the least he can do.

"Yes, good thought, they will probobly be looking for the quickest way so see what you can come up with."

Ash's check of the local facilities reveals that there aren't really any local facilities to check on.  There is a simple bulletin board system, and that seems to be about it. 

Shui, meanwhile, is finding that those passengers who plan to disembark at Rangent are pretty much packed and ready to leave as soon as they have permission to do so.  A couple of days stuck on low orbit has left them with very little else to do.  The younger Doyles have spent the last hour sitting in the lounge watching a partly interactive animated show for children, presented by a talking (and entirely unrealistic) fish.  Currently they are bored, as the colourful characters have stopped hitting each other, and are engaged in a song and dance routine about how good it is to be friends with the viewers.

Yas, Tylen and Saskia, with little to do at the moment, are all able to relax, at least for a little while.