A smugglers game is a funny game. Sometimes the 'package' is drugs, intended to make the sender rich and the recipient happy. Sometime it is weapons, to kill people. Sometimes it is legitimate goods intended to bypass a bureaucratic blockage, perhaps for money, perhaps for other reasons.

Sdian was no stranger to the game. But this was not an easy game. His small ship had just replaced his old Navigation computer with a Terran one, the flexibility vital for his business, but it cost him every spare cent he had. Now he had found just one job for his little ship: Delivery of 5 dtons of Terran medicines to Limun. Near Shululsish, a place he did not want to go. But the offer was for a million Solars, and he had nothing. No cash. Nothing. He could not afford to land at starports, he could not afford to buy fuel from anyone. He could not even afford supplies...he was going to have to hunt on suitable habitats, probably. It was not going to be comfortable. But life never was.

And then he had to come back, to get paid. Hopefully with some more valuable cargo. Or information. That did not take a lot of cargo room...

In reply to Fate (msg # 1):

Sdian checks to make sure all known systems are in the computer, including the ones the Terran scout ships and Pirates have found. He is thinking it may be best to go up through 2207, thence to Kamruri and thence around to Limun to avoid the war. He wasn't set up for wars at all. He knows of Argon, but has never been there, but he did visit Omni twice with his father who brought them things they couldn't do without.

In reply to Sdian McGuire (msg # 2):

The current date is 01 August 2177. The details of 2207 system are sensitive Military secrets due to the strategic value of that information, and generally only shares by Girii with Terran allies and Pirate allies. I am not sure that they would share it with smugglers know to do things for the highest bidder, as the concern would be that you might use it to buy your way back into Shululsish's good books. Perhaps after a good security check...do you want to ask for that?

I do, thought it was a part of the "deal", but obviously it would be very tough to travel straight there!
Going via Dzosuiken is little better as Shulushish is not friendly either.
I will listen to any reasonable suggestion but I cannot be of use if I am in a Vilani Prison.

In reply to Sdian McGuire (msg # 4):

A security check will have a good chance of revealing secrets. The back worlds are not heavily patrolled except for the blockades. After running them (you have a double jump ship capable of out running anything, almost, and all enough to be very hard to see) you should have a clear run. Hence the choice of known systems...

Sdian returns, Guess who doesn't trust us now ...  can't count on a damn soul, guess Dad was right.  Luretha, lets get things powered up, Yung we'll need you to do comms and sensors and Nelaroi, you get to fly us out of here. Jurelda, take the top turret, just in case they back stab us sooner rather than later.

In reply to Sdian McGuire (msg # 6):

"Sure. What is the destination?"

Well I was thinking a long way around, but just maybe... hold things for a bit...  keep it warm, but I am going to make a quick call.

Quick call to Girri HQ... what would it be worth to have Seru scouted? we need cash and you could use information.

OOC - IIRC 1 Aug 2177 is before the great attack in Nov 2177?

In reply to Sdian McGuire (msg # 8):

Correct. The Blockade is still in force. The attack on Girii was just over a month ago, and news of it will just have arrived back at Lemrukiri.

"That is a risky proposition, but we would gladly pay $100,000 for a complete list of everything at the planet. But for that, you would need to return here, pretty much immediately."

That seems a reasonable sum, we will do that first, before delivering our supplies to our destination.

OOC- OK, we set up to scan ship types and locations, we jump as far out as possible. We’ll then run at speed as we scan to try and get a full list of ships present, before jumping back it’s the data.

In reply to Sdian McGuire (msg # 10):

"That would be helpful..."

There is a barren asteroid-like planet that you can jump to, but it lacks fuel. Make a stealth roll as you jump.

Nelaroi gets us lined up, orders the jump with Sdians nod and slips in beside the vbarren rock when they emerge, all sensing is passive for the moment.

[Private to GM: 17:11, Today: Sdian McGuire rolled 11 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,2,5.  Nelaroi Piloting . made by 3
And if you insist on using Sdian's stealth, it is 11.]

In reply to Sdian McGuire (msg # 12):

Pilots stealth is used.

You note that there are significant forces at each of the of the Gas Giants. At this time there are 20 Gashiddas, 10 Shamshirs and a Merrishmer at each. At the colony there was an additional 10 Kargash.

OK, so we need to get far enough out to jump back to Girii ... and then do so. we will use speed and stealth to avoid being noticed.


[Private to GM:  20:07, Today: Sdian McGuire rolled 7 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,3,1.  Nelaroi Piloting  Stealth  by 7]

In reply to Sdian McGuire (msg # 14):

You head away from the star for a couple of hours, noting that there is no indication that you have been seen. Setting a course for Girii, you depart...

The arrival back at Girii is very low key. Just the way you like it.

I put the sensor data on a small drive and take it over to the Government building

They hold Seru in some force, each Gas Giant has a Merrishmer,  10 Shamshirs,  20 Gashiddas,  and at the planet itself, There are 10 Kargash. Here is what we found.

In reply to Sdian McGuire (msg # 16):

The administrator nods as you tell him.

"Somehow, I am not surprised. If they can not defeat us in a quick military contest, naturally they will opt for a longer economic one instead. They know we will have to take a risk to attack them, opening ourselves up for a counter-attack. But I think we have another option...thank you. Payment transferred as promised.

Perhaps we can offer you an additional $100,000 to run the blockade. Not to go around it, but to prove to smugglers that it is not impenetrable? Proof would be delivery of your logs to a smugglers den in Raamim."

I imagine we could do that, are they to pay or are you?  Of course, what my tiny ship can do might be harder in a Hero or other ship carrying real cargo in quantity.


OOC- Not sure how many Vacc suits are on hand or how many we might need.  I think everyone has a weapon of some sort, mostly pistols, likely 7.5 mm full size for the ladies except Yung No who only uses Karate and her Nunchuks.  Luretha may have a larger pistol too, since she is 6' 1" and 185 pounds.  Want to make sure we have as much food as we can reasonably store. I expect as small as this ship is, it probably has no more than 10-12 missiles total and we might consider selling a few back if there is any interest. You can decide what is in the ship's armory.
FWIW I have two ship plans, one is the Suleiman scout put out by SJ Games and the other is just something I found on the web. The second is a single deck ship, but I would have to believe the power supply and jump drive are mounted outside the floor plan. Cabins are too big, being around 8x 15 feet plus a bathroom for the Captain, I was think along the lines of submarine compartments for officers except a bit wider ... say 8x9 feet and the refresher being only 3x8 foot rather than 8x8 feet. The remaining crew probably get bunk beds in two 8 x 10 foot space cabins (although a 8x6 foot double is doable for couples) with an adjoining, shared 5x8 refresher. The infirmary could be made smaller as well allowing and 8x8 foot space for food storage or the like. It already has an armory space. The space saved in the captains cabin would give another 8x10 space for storage or another small cabin.

I can't send the copied document.

In reply to Sdian McGuire (msg # 18):

Assume everyone has at least a skin suit.

The standard Iikens are below. This has modifications, but the rooms are set out the same as it is to look like a normal Iiken to any inspector. Not no medbay. 1 stateroom can have up to 2 beds.

An Iiken-class ship normally operates with a full crew of four when in active Imperial service. A highly skilled individual can (barely) operate the ship alone.
Tech Level: 10.
Hull: 100-dton Needle/Wedge
Airframe hull, dDR 50 armor,Stealth.
Systems:
 11 Maneuver Drive,
 3 Jump Drive, 40 Fuel Tanks, Fuel Processor (3.2 dtons/hour),
 Standard Bridge, Model-6 Sensors (Scan 21),
 2 Hardpoints, Vehicle Bay (4-ton capacity, carries one air/raft), removed to make more space.
 12-1/2 Fusion Power, 4 Staterooms, 3 Cargo.

Statistics: EMass 680 tons, LMass 740 tons, Cost M$110, SM +8, ASig +2, Hull dHP 45, Life Support 8, sAccel 3.0 G, Jump-2 (4-parsec range), Top Air Speed 4,200 mph.

Crew: Command Section (3 officers), Engineering Section (1 officer). Total 4 officers.
Passengers: None.

My You are up early! Say 0530 in Brisbane per my iPhone.

Yes, saw that, it's closest to the ship I was describing only one cabin is an infirmary in this design (it was a one off for an "important Indiviual" ;-)
I assumed Vacc suits would be needed to do any external work in space.

In reply to Sdian McGuire (msg # 20):

[Private to Gloria Flake: Yep, pretty much every day the last 2 weeks. Might be scarce on the weekend though!]

Skinsuits will suffice, and are also emergency suits. But you will try and avoid doing any real work in space, unless it is an emergency!

You bet we will...

OK, given a somewhat improved supply situation and some ready cash for incidentals, we'll be off... we'll try for that same little rock as before, since the fleets didn't seem to notice us... next jump is to Adigarma to the middle GG to refuel.  We don't seem to have tripped any sensors.


[Private to GM:  14:02, Today: Sdian McGuire rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 2,4,3.  Nelaroi Piloting  Stealth.  by 5
14:02, Today: Sdian McGuire rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,2,4.  Nelaroi Piloting  Stealth.]