In reply to Blake Renfield (msg # 424):

Around the time they returned in the air/raft, Jaxxon arrived with two cases of fragmentation grenades.

"That should do it. Looks like the storm is breaking. Still a lot of wind out there."

Ken glanced at Jaxxon's purchase. "Dare I ask where you got those Jaxxon?  Not that I object; we'll find a use for them."

He turned to the rest of the crew; "Get some sleep and make whatever last minute preparations you need before we leave."  He called Professors Messandi and Chanis.  "We found some other information related to the artifact you found.  I think it is the other half.  If I comm you the images can you decipher it?  We're leaving soon to track down Lorain and the information may help.  We think she may be on Qarant."

183-1108

The gear was stowed before bed.

Next morning, the dawn came clear and cold. Frost glittered on the viewport of the ship. The temperature had dropped to around freezing, causing problems with black ice (which the numerous grav vehicles ignored).

Ollie grabs some toast and strong coffee before heading to the engine room to warm up the old bird for an immediate departure.

Ken came into engineering with a cup of steaming coffee.  "Is she ready to fly Ollie?  I have a feeling we're going to find Lorain on Qarant."

There was a comm call.

"Hi, it's Talia. I made some calls and was able to get Institute backing for a supply mission to Qarant. The papers are good for two weeks, a pallet is being sent around. It should be there in an hour."

Ken replied.  "Thanks Talia, this will really help.  At least we'll be less likely to raise suspicions."  He paused.  "Would you like to come along to help in the search?  We can use a doctor."

"The drives are nice and warm," replied Ollie. "We can go as soon as someone presses the button."

Neva kept some of the money for herself and then put the rest in the ships safe.  She made sure the weapons were secured in the weapons locker and then went to see Ollie and what he wanted her to do for take off. She didn't mind sharing her toys and she would keep a smaller selection in her room on the ship but the weapons locker was a good place for the rest of it.

Finally she made her way to engineering and looked at Ollie.  "Hey Ollie. Is there anything else you need me to do before takeoff?"

Ken looked around and nodded.  He wasn't an engineering type by any stretch of the imagination but always tried to get around to each area of the ship.  "I'm expecting we'll depart any time now.  We have a small cargo coming aboard in about an hour for the Institute mission on Qarant as our cover.  I'm hoping Messandi might be able to tell us something about the personnel there to help us when we arrive."

Blake looks into the Qarant weather & solar system info ...  Any last minute buys ??  Any other miscellaneous cargo to Qarant ??  Blake will look about while Mariel files the flight plans.

"Nothing to do here I'm afraid, Neva," replied Ollie. "Everything is ready for the signal to go. Why don't you help with the cargo when it turns up"

In reply to Oliver Oliphant Oksasaellllozae (msg # 437):

When the others came on board, Walker cleaned up his observation post, and headed below to find his cabin.

Late morning, a pallet arrived via robot forklift.

It was supplies for Qarant, plus paperwork containing the waybill and transit pass from the Institute in a plastic pouch. There was also an unmarked yellow manila envelope lying on top.

Ken checked in with Blake and Mariel to see that all was ready from a flight perspective. "Bring her in on a standard approach like we've done before at Qarant.  We're just making a standard milk run to everyone else."

When the cargo appeared he headed down and inspected the containers.  Taking the envelope he stepped back inside the ship to his cabin and opened the missive.

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 440):

There flap was unsealed was a paper note inside. Someone had used a printer to write,

"Bring the artifact or the girl dies.

Diamond. Tonight at 2000.

No Enforcers."

Ken paled and almost crumpled the note before taking a deep breath.  He got on the comm and called out over the ship.  "Everyone please assemble in the lounge.  I have an interesting threat in a note."  He headed to the lounge and laid the note out for all to read.

Linus brews a big pot of coffee and turns up with cookies for the meeting.

Ollie stared at the note on the table for a long time.

"Damn those double crossing scoundrels!" Ollie spat as he paced up and down the lounge. "And I thought that they had taken her to Qarant on one of the other ships. What is so important about that trinket anyway?"

In reply to Oliver Oliphant Oksasaellllozae (msg # 444):

Well that's a wrinkle in the plan.  So how do you want to do this?  Obviously they will be expecting "enforcers""

Neva had seen enough examples, both on the street and when she was with the force, to know that no matter which option they chose things could go bad...if they hadn't already.

In reply to Neva Alexovna Morozova (msg # 445):

"Can we drag up the site on the monitor?  It would help with strategic planning."

"Let's see," said Linus, calling up the local version of Google Maps.

"What was that address again?"

They were able to get a real-time image of the Diamond on the screen.

It was sitting parked on the apron, much like they were. The landing/parking pads were in a 2-story deep depression with a 45-degree slope. A covered gangway extended out from the side of the pit to connect to the main ship passenger lock. The gangway tunnel was articulated and so could be swung at an angle, even zig-zag, to accommodate many different non-standard ships.

There was a cargo bay door (not covered). Both gangway and cargo port connected to an underground tunnel system (moving passenger walkways on the inside, space for cargo lifters on the outside. There was a separate door for robots and several attachment points for umbilicals (power, water, atmosphere recharging, data) around the inside of the pit.

                          -----------------------
                         /                        \
                        /                          \
_________              (                            )         ________________
       / ===============\                          /       _ /----------------
------    o  o  o  o  o  \                        /      [ /  Cargo Passage
         ================= -----------------------       [/
--------/  \_________________[]_____________[]___________/--------------------

This message was last edited by the GM at 08:48, Fri 26 Sept 2014.

This message was last edited by the GM at 20:22, Thu 25 Sept 2014.

Hmmm, do they need both ??  Or just the artifact & they are done here ?? Blake paces back & forth, pondering his last look at the ship - was it flyable ??.