Yes steps forward, and looks at the small creature with a grin.  Newts!  She has seen them before, but not usually when they are not behind a desk and a stack of papers.  This one must be feeling brave, or foolhardy.

"Good day.  Do you have identification?  I am Security Chief Crow, and this is my associate, Mister Orgesh.  We can't allow anybody aboard until we have checked their identity.  For example, you haven't told us your name."

Tylen takes up his position at the bottom of the ramp, dressed in his security uniform.  His very presence there seems to lend weight and credibility to Yas's requests.

The diminutive alien folds its arms, concealing its hands within its sleeves, and bows.  "Forgive me.  I am named-called Adapanshabapa.  I have documents-travel permits for both myself and my master.  I will approach and present them, with your permission-authorisation."

Yas, making a magnificent attempt at keeping a straight face, beckons the Bwap forward, and her grin escapes control as the creature walks toward her, leaving a trail of water behind on the deck.  Oh... Shui is going to love this guy.  Or girl.

It pulls a sealed plastic bag from its sleeve, and Yas can see the papers inside through the transparent material.  She passes the cold, wet bag to Tylen, without taking her eyes off the Bwap.

"Check these, then take them to Jago."

"Sure thing." Tylen replies with a nod towards the passengers, and heads inboard to hand the papers to Jago.

Jago opens up the bag, then wipes his hands on his shirt before handling the documents inside.  After a few seconds inspecting them he opens the comm and speaks to Yas, "They're clear Yas, escort them over to the Passenger Lounge, and wait with them until Shui can come and deal with them."

Then he calls Shui, "Yas is just bringing the two new passengers aboard.  She should be in the Passenger Lounge by the time you get there."

"Tylen, Gunnery.  We'll be leaving soon, but don't activate anything until we're clear of the station."

And finally, "Ash, can you call in and get clearance to leave.  Station's earliest convenience.  Thank you."
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:29, Mon 27 June 2016.

The Profit Margin's navigator has busied himself with odd jobs over the past couple of days - willing to cover for both Yas and Tylen as they needed it.  At the moment, he is simply counting cargo space and boxes for final lading duty in the hold.  While on the ground, there isn't that much call for his astrogation skills, yet the man somehow keeps busy between re-running scenarios and various odd jobs.

The approach of the spindly alien and his human master brings a slightly inscrutable and more than a touch enigmatic smile to his lips as he works.  Tapping another set of numbers into his wrist computer and watching the display on his reticule update, Ash continues to plug away as the Chief and the Margin's second gunner appear to have the situation well in hand.

Once the Captain's call comes in for him to get back to the bridge, Ash nods curtly.  "I'm on my way, Boss." he notes over the crew comm channel, "Just finishing up with the physical verification of the freight in the hold and sending them to you now for approval."  And with that, he presses 'Send' and starts towards the bridge to make the call to the Port Authority.

The pre-flight checklist is already pulled up and the diagnostics being fired up for all of the ship systems are stream in status data to his headset display.

Yas acknowledges Jago's order, and suppresses a smile, as she says, "This way please."  It's not that she won't be able to think of an alternate name for the Bwap, it's just that, with a name like the one it gave, there are just too many possibilities to waste her chance on the first one that pops into her head.

She leads the way through the hold and into the Passenger Lounge.  Eneris looks up from something he's reading on a hand computer, then decides that this is nothing to do with him, and returns his eyes to the page.

Corlan, Covan Draik, and Keryn are, presumably, in their cabins.  Perhaps unpacking after their return from the hotel.  Yas starts to explain about the Lounge and some of its facilities.  Only the Bwap replies, expressing polite interest, and asking questions.  The Vilani stands nearby, his head tilted to one side as he listens.

Yes glances around as the door to the hold opens, "Ah, here's our Steward, Sush... er... Miss Tiesi, who also functions as our Medical Officer.  She will take over now."

The Vilani bows, and in a deep voice says slowly, "Thank you, that was most interesting."  The Bwap, Adapanshabapa (who, in Yas' mind, still needs a name), likewise bows, sprinkling the Lounge floor with water.

Shui is preparing a short report on her findings for Corlan when the message arrives.

Saving her progress, she hurries to the Passenger Lounge to greet them.  Coming to a halt, she offers a shallow bow, as is her wont. "Greetings to you both.  As Security Officer Crow states, I am Shui Tiesi, ship's steward and medical officer.  Welcome to the Profit Margin.  If you require anything during your stay, please do not hesitate to page me and I will do my best to accommodate you."  The steward tenders both a smile.  "We can bring your baggage to your room, after which I will give a short tour of the ship, including a quick explanation of regulations."

Another small bow follows, this one to Yasmine. "Thank you, Officer Crow."

The liquid dripping to the deck is ignored...for the present.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:26, Tue 28 June 2016.

Tylen lounges in his seat, screens on, checking his weapon array.  One screen shows a cartoon of a cat chasing a bird around through all sorts of improbably situations, while another shows the scene in the passenger lounge.  His face creases up as he chuckles.  Probably at the cartoon.  Probably not at the dripping newt ....

Adapanshabapa bows to Shui, and to Yas, and then asks Bilad Turshegahn, "Might I have permission-authorisation to make a personal request for information?"  The Vilani nods, "Please do so."

The Bwap bows again, and asks Shui, "Is the humidity level in the cabins able to be varied-adjusted?  I would be most comfortable if it can be varied-adjusted to at least 98 parts in one hundred, though I can exist-survive with it as low as 25 parts in one hundred, as long as my integument-skin is kept moist."

Yas smiles, "I'll leave you to it." and turns towards the exit.

Ash slides into his seat on the Bridge, with a nod to Jago.

Jago, himself, is busy comparing traffic control's pre-generated courses, looking for the best route to Jump for Dinomn.  "There's a lot of traffic out there today." he mutters, frowning at the display, then, as an afterthought, "Tylen, don't forget that you and Yas will need to keep the weapons off-line while we're around here.  Put them in standby mode, but don't activate the targeting systems."

"The humidity in the cabins can certainly be adjusted," Shui replies with a smile (and a nod toward the departing Security Chief).  "I will contact our captain and chief engineer to determine the maximum setting that will not damage electronics.  Certainly that is well-over twenty-five, likely much higher.  A moment."

Fingers flicker over a holo-keyboard, and a message is sent to both Saskia and Jago.

~~ Your pardon.  Our visitors are inquiring about humidity levels.  What is the maximum humidity to which the cabins can be set without danger to electronics or systems? ~~

That finished, she tenders both with another smile. "There.  I should have an answer soon.  If you would like to follow me to your cabin?"

Saskia replies to Shui's message first.  "The systems in the cabins are all sealed - they were designed to tolerate all possible conditions in the cabins.  They can go up to about 100%... we have a Newt aboard?  Anyway, the passengers shouldn't be able to turn the humidity high enough to give problems.  If you need it, I can come and give everything a check over once we're out of here and in Jump."

Jago's response arrives a few seconds later.  "I think high humidity will be okay, but check with Saskia."

Ash contacts Traffic Control, gets clearance, and starts running calculations based on the assigned lanes for outgoing traffic.  He passes the figures over to Jago, who compares them with his own course calculations, and gives Ash the age-old thumbs-up signal of satisfaction before activating the intercom.

"Attention.  This is your captain, Jago Lanza, speaking.  We have just received launch clearance, and will be departing, bound for Dinomn, in fifteen minutes.  Thank you."

Exactly on time, the docking bay opens, and Jago eases Profit Margin out into space.  Sliding into the correct traffic lane, he ramps the thrust up to maximum, and settles down to pilot the ship out towards the Jump limit.

The Captain frowns at the sensor feeds, "Lot of activity out there.  Yas, Tylen, stay alert.  Don't activate the turrets yet, but stand ready to do it on my word.  Ash, take comms.  Listen out for anything that seems out of the ordinary."

Still passenger side, Shui gets the two new travellers settled in to their quarters.  Bilad Turshegahn is quick to inquire about disabling the display walls in his cabin, saying that they would only distract him.  "In any case, I suspect that they are proscribed, as being frivolous, and shamefully nontraditional."

Adapanshabapa seems happy to see the quarters, and wastes little time adjusting the humidity.  "Humidity is vitally important to the Bawapakerwa-a-a-awapawab, and especially so to myself at this time."

As the humidity in the room starts to rise towards uncomfortable levels, and Shui explains the various controls, the Bwap removes its hood, and doffs the wet covering, revealing that its skin bears a pattern of coloured splotches which are a close match for the fabric of the robe.  The alien quickly sets the walls to show a scene of a tropical swamp,

"It is fortunate that your library-data bamk holds panorama-images of Pekawapawab-a Marhaban, the homeworld of my people.  This will make it possible for me to relax more fully.  Meditation and relaxation are of considerable importance as the individual approaches the time for egg laying."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:36, Sun 17 July 2016.

Tylen kicks back in his turret, watching screens.  Most show scenes of local space, or readings associated with them.  One shows some sort of Zero-G fencing match.

Ash nodded to Jago, "Roger that, Boss". His thin fingers danced iver the polished glassy surface and brought one of the ancillary dynamic displays on his console to the fore.

He'd been monitoring the comms already.  Besides being one of his side hobbies, communications technology had been incredibly important during his stint on one of the IISS' (in)famous xBoat routes.  And while he wasn't as good with comms as with astrogation (though in all honesty, nothing else Ash could do was as good as his skill with navigating between the stars), the lanky navigator had plenty of experience with them.  He applied a couple of his customized filters to the constant chatter to help cut through the dross, but ultimately Ash still had to keep his large ears open and receptive.

With his navigational duties mostly dealt with for the time being, he concentrated on all of the voice traffic instead.  The lanky ex-Scout pursed his lips while listening to the confused and rushed chatter coming over the lines; in his experience, it didn't bode well to have so many people on edge.

Jago keeps flying, confident in the abilities of his crew to deal with anything out of the ordinary.  Behind him, Saskia slips into the secondary engineering position, giving Ash a smile.  To Jago she says, "Everything's looking good back there.  Few settings that I would have had different, but they'll work until I have more time to deal with them."

Yas and Tylen occupy their posts, keeping a watch on nearby space.  For now, all looks quiet, prompting Yas to sigh and comment, "Who would have guessed that being a gunner would be so dull?"

The comms chatter is similarly dull.  Mostly requests for course corrections from traffic control and the Naval station, together with ID queries and responses, and some general chatter.  And in the back of it all, an eerie wailing sound which might be information transfers, or music, or threats, or cries of pain.  Only the Knnnn know for sure, and perhaps the Chi, but neither race has told anybody else.

Shui doesn't bat an eyelid at Bilad's comments about the wall panels; instead, she quickly shuts them down, with a smile.  It's not the first time she has encountered 'traditional' values (so to speak), and certainly won't be the last.  "If there is anything else you require - for example, dietary restrictions - please do not hesitate to inform me," she instructs the traveller.  "Additionally, if there is anything I can peruse to allow me to anticipate such things, I would appreciate being directed to it."

As for Adapanshabapa, she's pleased to inform him of the ship's capacity to accommodate, and even more pleased (and intrigued) at his use of the wall panels.  "This is then the time of your egg-laying?" she inquires.  "When will this event transpire?  And is there anything else I might do to assist you?"

As she speaks, the doctor makes a mental note to do some private research into the subject...

Bilad Turshegahn thanks Shui for her assistance, and assures her that if he thinks of anything he needs, then he will call her.

Adapanshabapa gazes raptly at the images of her species' original home, as she answers Shui's questions.  "The time is not yet here.  In a month, perhaps a few days less or more, I will produce a clutch of fertilised eggs.  I will not be aboard this ship at that time.  Though the time is not yet here, it is good to relax where possible before the eggs are laid.  Images of the homeworld will help with that."

"My species can consume-digest foods that are suited to yours.  However, being carnivorous by nature, we do favour-prefer a diet which contains higher levels of protein."

Shui nods, pleased that she can accommodate Adapanshabapa's requirements...both physical and psychological.  "As for your dietary requirements, do you require strictly animal protein, or will plant-based protein suffice as well?  I ask due to the necessity of preparation - if either will suffice, and be enjoyed, certain meals may contain more of the plant-based proteins.  If animal protein is required and more pleasant for you, I can easily adjust to suit."

She bows again.  "Please let me know, based upon your personal preference.  You are our guest and passenger; you will receive the food you desire."

"Animal protein would be better, though I can consume-ingest vegetable matter, or even synthetic-manufactured protein.  Bothe vegetable and synthetic proteins must be flavoured to simulate animal protein."

"My species has always had an almost exclusively carnivorous diet."

Adapanshabapa grins, revealing a mouth full of needle-like teeth, eminently suited to holding and tearing at food.  "We do, however, enjoy some variety in herbs, spices, seasoning, and condiments."

Jago chooses that moment to announce to all crew, "Jumping for Dinomn in 45 minutes."

"I will ensure that you receive as much animal protein as we can supply," Shui reassures Adapanshabapa, unphased by his teeth; other races have equally fearsome smiles.  "And I am certain you will find the spices to be interesting.  I shall do some research to ensure you aren't served anything your species might find harmful, though if you have any food allergies it might be wise to send me a list."

At that, the captain's warning comes in, and Shui bows.  "Please remain in your cabin until Jump has commenced.  After that, you are welcome to move about in the areas I have noted as unrestricted.  If there is anything you require, please do not hesitate to page me or come directly to my quarters."

Making her goodbyes, Shui leaves and heads directly to the galley (Bilad Turshegahn having been given the same instructions regarding Jump), and commences her own preparations: snacks and libation of the appropriate sort for the crew.

Tylen kicks back in his seat and daydreams of peanuts and whiskey ....

Ash continues to quietly listen to comms chatter, cringing slightly when the keening sound of the Knnnn pierces the airwaves.  He seems to frown slightly intermittently after that, glancing at the tactical display to ensure that the Profit Margin's proscribed route is well within the common travel lanes; it seems to him that with all of the chatter and heightened tensions that there is no reason for the ship to deviate from the norm and stick out for someone or something to notice them.  And luckily that Knnnn ship is nowhere near them or the well-travelled routes to the jump point.

The lanky navigator glances in Jago's direction as he announces their ETA to the jump point.  His look is one of those 'it can't be too soon' type.  "Sounds like the IN is in full force here ..." he says to no one in particular on the bridge, "Someone drew the short straw and being boarded..."  Thankfully, it isn't the Profit Margin.  Or anyone close to the Profit Margin.  He wonders silently, if the ship being boarded is actually smuggling anything or just stupid enough to look suspicious by trying to inexpertly circumnavigate the common patrol routes in passing abnormally close to the local star.

Ash double-checks that all of the jump calculations are properly loaded into the core and that none of the input parameters have changed.  It would not due to have a misjump on his watch...

Jago nods thoughtfully, "Yes, they're way out of the shipping lanes.  There's a Navy base in the system, with facilities spread all over, including a couple of the stations in orbit over Extolay.  With a war going on, I suppose they're being extra careful about ships that are in the wrong place."

There is a chirp from the sensor panel, and Jago gives it a look, "Hello, what have we here?  Yas, Tylen?  I don't know if you're seeing it, but there's a civilian shuttle at about bearing 322 by 95 that looks as if it's going to come a bit closer than I'd like.  About twenty klicks out.  Be ready to power up the weapons on my word, just in case."

Then he chuckles, "Looks like the Navy aren't the only ones around here who are getting paranoid."

As it happens, about ten minutes later the shuttle changes course.  A slight correction which, nonetheless, brings a smile of satisfaction to Jago's face.  The new course will not bring the craft as close to Profit Margin as the captain had feared.

Time crawls by, with Jago making periodic announcements regarding the imminent Jump.

With one minute to go, he drops illumination levels down to 50% throughout the ship - a tradition hearkening back to the early days of interstellar travel, when inefficient Jump drives meant that ships had to conserve as much power as possible for a successful Jump.

The chronometer counts down the seconds and, at the exact precalculated time, Profit Margin vanishes from the Extolay system, keaving only a rapidly fading pulse of exotic particles...